Caracal Global Daily
February 17, 2026
Detroit, MI
Here's what a Chief Geopolitical Officer should be monitoring today:
*** Today's Focus ***
Item 1: Middle powers construct a bypass around US tariff volatility: Politico reports that Canadian PM Carney is spearheading discussions on the EU-Indo-Pacific trade bloc to insulate businesses from Washington policy whiplash.
Why this matters: Supply chains will actively migrate to non-US-dependent corridors; tariff uncertainty is forcing permanent realignment
Item 2: Trans-Atlantic alliance fractures deeper despite Rubio's warmer rhetoric: The WSJ reports that European officials acknowledge that Secretary of State's Munich message changed tone but not substance—Europe now plans to develop an independent strategic capability.
Why this matters: The US cannot assume European subordination on security; allies are making decisions without assuming American backing
Item 3: AI cost structure advantage shifts to lower-wage geographies: The WSJ reports that India is developing AI capabilities without Western capital burn rates—proving that emerging markets can compete on efficiency, not spending.
Why this matters: US/China AI dominance narrows; talent arbitrage accelerates toward APAC; competitive moat eroding
*** Ross Rant ***
Drop dead, Global Great Lakes: How petty grievances drive Team Trump's economic cabotage
Howard Lutnick, US Secretary of Commerce, met with Matthew Moroun on Monday. Moroun's family owns the Ambassador Bridge, the busiest US-Canada border crossing. For years, they have lobbied against a Canadian-led rival bridge. Within hours, Lutnick relayed the conversation to President Trump. On Tuesday, Trump announced via social media that he would block the Gordie Howe International Bridge, the crossing currently under construction.
The cause-and-effect is unmistakable. The pattern is now familiar.
To understand Team Trump's policymaking, recognize that it is driven by a collection of solo operators animated by petty grievances and zero institutional accountability. No boards. No shareholders. No civic responsibility. Layer in visceral disdain for "globalists," thier outsized egos, chips carried on every shoulder, and a pay-to-play approach to Trump administration pet projects. You arrive at exactly this brand of self-defeating economic nonsense.
This is not incompetence. This is design. And it is about to reshape supply chains, capital allocation, and geopolitical strategy for companies that need to cross US borders and reach international markets.
The Global Great Lakes region, spanning eight US states and two Canadian provinces, generates between $6 trillion and $9.3 trillion in annual GDP. If this region were an independent nation, it would be the world's third-largest economy. The region accounts for roughly 30 percent of combined US-Canadian economic activity, sustains 51 million jobs, and supports 107 million lives.
The Detroit-Windsor border alone moves $300 million in bilateral trade daily through existing infrastructure. This is not theoretical economics. It is the operational backbone of North American manufacturing, agriculture, logistics, and economic security.
Yet Team Trump's response to this economic powerhouse is unambiguous: Drop dead.
Protectionism plays well politically. It performs terribly economically. The promise of protection through isolation is a mirage that obscures harsh realities. Manufacturing supply chains crossing the US-Canada border do not represent abstract trade statistics. They represent real communities, real families, real livelihoods whose prosperity depends on seamless cross-border collaboration.
The Great Lakes region thrives because its manufacturing, agriculture, and logistics sectors have developed integrated, cross-border systems. Blocking a competing bridge does not enhance American competitiveness. It erodes it. It fragments supply chains. It increases transportation costs. It extends delivery times. It invites retaliation from Canada and signals to foreign multinational companies considering investing in America that US infrastructure policy is now subordinate to the real estate interests of Trump administration allies.
Trump's latest move signals the broader economic reality: A new era of persistent tariff volatility and policy uncertainty has arrived.
Three imperatives demand immediate attention from business leaders.
First, supply chain diversification is no longer optional. Companies must develop redundancies across production, sourcing, and distribution. Single-source dependencies become liabilities. Nearshoring, friendshoring, and geographic diversification are operational necessities, not cost luxuries. The era of just-in-time efficiency maximized without redundancy has ended.
Second, interest rates will remain elevated as the US government continues massive deficit spending while tariff policies generate inflationary pressures. Refinancing maturing debt becomes expensive. Capital expenditures require higher hurdle rates. Financial officers must stress-test balance sheets against 5%-8% scenarios.
Third, government relationships function as critical infrastructure. The Lutnick-Moroun example demonstrates that administration access determines outcomes. Border-region companies must actively participate in policy discussions. C-suite executives must allocate time to stakeholder relations.
This is where strategic communications becomes essential operational infrastructure. In an era when petty grievances drive trillion-dollar policy decisions, understanding the political economy of your sector is no longer a luxury. It is core risk management.
The Global Great Lakes region can either become a casualty of Team Trump's real estate vendettas or an anchor of continental resilience. That choice resides with business leadership willing to engage strategically in an era of permanent disruption.
Prepare accordingly.
-Marc
*** Globalization + Statecraft ***
NATO + Europe
Rubio appeals to shared values in Munich; European officials see transactional retrenchment: WP, FT, NYT report Secretary of State shifted tone from JD Vance's aggressive framing, but the substance remained: America First. The disconnect reveals a deeper fracture—Europe no longer assumes US security protection is permanent. Julia Ioffe of Puck frames Munich as the moment when the US-led transatlantic order became a mirror for European anxieties that America is becoming a threat, not an ally.
US messaging mismatch between rhetoric and policy underscores the urgent, not optional, need for European independent capability-building. Watch for NATO member defense spending announcements—they will accelerate. This matters for companies with European ops: threats are being reassessed daily. Reconstruction investment in European defense/energy is now a strategic opportunity, not a risk.
German foreign minister challenges France's defense commitment: Le Monde reports Johann Wadephul called Macron's defense spending insufficient even as France champions "European sovereignty." The rebuke signals NATO fissures extend beyond US-Europe relations—intra-European burden-sharing tensions are now public.
NATO 3.0 (Pentagon's pressure campaign for European independence) is fracturing European unity. Expect separate national defense strategies over a unified alliance response.
NATO simulation reveals alliance unprepared for drone warfare: WSJ reports NATO conducted war games showing how far the alliance has to go in learning Ukraine's lessons. Autonomous drone swarms, distributed command structures, and real-time coordination gaps are critical vulnerabilities.
NATO doctrine is reactive. Companies with defense-industrial exposure should model shifting requirements away from platform-centric procurement toward distributed, autonomous systems.
Canada accelerates 'Buy Canada' defense strategy: Bloomberg reports Canada will more than triple defense industry revenue, boost exports 50%, and create 125,000 jobs—reducing reliance on US security procurement. A C$500 billion investment over 10 years is aimed at achieving 70% domestic sourcing for defense acquisitions.
North American defense-industrial integration is fracturing. Companies with cross-border supply chains must audit US-Canada defense dependencies; repatriation and redundancy are now policy, not market preference.
Carney constructs mega-alliance to bypass Trump tariff volatility: Politico reports that the Canadian PM is spearheading discussions on an EU-Indo-Pacific trade bloc (1.5 billion people, harmonized rules of origin) to create stable trade corridors outside US-China competition. Business groups throughout Europe support the rules-of-origin pact—German Chamber of Commerce and British Chambers of Commerce backing the effort.
Middle powers are actively decoupling from Washington tariff whiplash. This is not trade negotiation—it's permanent realignment. Supply chains will seek non-US routes not out of preference, but out of necessity.
China
Xi's military purges signal Beijing's renewed commitment to strategic ambition: Foreign Affairs reports that Xi's continued purging of PLA commanders reflects confidence in forcing Trump into a "truce" last year. Christopher Johnson frames this as stepwise consolidation over Xi's three terms: the removal of commanders who resist the military modernization agenda. The purges aren't chaos—they're purpose-driven.
Uncertainty in Chinese military command is tactical, not strategic. Xi's confidence in his vision is rising, not falling. Corporate intelligence gathering on China should shift from assessing stability to assessing Xi's military modernization timeline. This matters for defense contractors, supply chain security, and technology firms. For tech companies: Xi's military purges validate the justification for nearshoring investments. For defense contractors: accelerate hiring for China-intelligence roles.
American allies flocking to Beijing discover China's reluctance to weaponize leverage: Economist reports allied nations visiting Xi find Chinese leadership not yet deploying its considerable leverage—bilateral meetings are "thin in substance." Signal: Beijing is patient. Alliance pressure on the US is building organically through economic incentives, not coercion. China is letting Trump do the work.
US-allied defection from Washington is driven by self-interest, not by Chinese pressure. That's more durable for Beijing than forced compliance. Watch for trade agreements between allies and China that don't require Chinese arm-twisting.
Chinese bicultural generation signals cultural divergence from official ideology: Chicago Booth reports that young people in mainland China have grown up exposed to Western culture since the 1978 reforms—Hollywood, McDonald's, iPhones—creating what psychologists call a "multicultural" identity. This generation is neither purely Chinese nor Western in orientation.
Official CCP cultural nationalism is at odds with generational reality. Soft power competition in Asia isn't US vs. China—it's multiple competing cultures within China itself. Companies should invest in understanding Chinese youth markets as fundamentally diverse rather than monolithic.
Trade + Global Commerce
Jamieson Greer: The quiet architect rewriting global trade rules: NYT profiles the low-key lawyer from a working-class background engineering Trump's global trade war—reshaping global economy rules at the president's behest. Behind-the-scenes influence without a public profile makes him the actual architect of tariff policy.
Trade policy is now weaponized by true believers, not institutional economists. This is permanent, not cyclical. Companies need government affairs teams focused on understanding Greer's specific policy vector, not generic Trump tariff trends.
Populists losing MAGA tug-of-war over antitrust policy: FT reports Gail Slater's exit from Justice Department signals pro-business Republicans ascendant in Trump antitrust efforts. The fight between populist breakup advocates and business-friendly consolidation supporters is being won by the latter.
Antitrust enforcement will be selective (targeting specific competitors, not broad-based challenges to monopolies). The M&A environment is actually loosening despite Trump's populist rhetoric. Companies should model consolidation scenarios while the antitrust window is open.
*** US Politics + Elections ***
Congress
GOP congressional members concede Greenland threat left mark on trans-Atlantic relations: NYT reports lawmakers acknowledged Trump's interest in Greenland harmed US credibility despite hopes for a less bellicose approach. The damage is internalized; repair is long-term.
Congressional allies cannot contain presidential rhetoric that hardens foreign opinion. European strategic autonomy is now a bipartisan concern in Congress—expect pressure on Trump from his own party as infrastructure/trade damage accumulates.
Election 2028
AOC's Munich debut stumbles on class-warfare framing and Taiwan policy gaps: WP editorial reports Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez had a high-profile but rocky international debut, championing "working-class" foreign policy while critics characterized approach as divisive populism. She struggled on Taiwan specificity.
The 2028 Democratic field is still searching for a coherent foreign policy alternative to Trump. Expect intra-party debate on economic nationalism vs. progressive internationalism to intensify.
PA Governor Josh Shapiro builds 2028 national network during 2026 reelection: Shapiro is using his book tour and reelection campaign to build a fundraising network for a potential 2028 run—positioning himself as a pragmatic executive alternative.
The Democratic 2028 field is taking shape early. Economic competence and executive experience (not progressive ideology) are emerging as differentiators. Watch for the Shapiro vs. progressive wing conflict over tariffs and trade policy.
*** Distribution + Innovation ***
AI + Machine Learning
India's frugal AI strategy proves emerging markets can compete on efficiency: The WSJ reports that India is developing artificial-intelligence capability without the Western capital burn rates—demonstrating that AI dominance isn't purely a function of spending but of talent deployment efficiency.
The US/China AI competitive moat is narrowing. Talent arbitrage accelerates toward lower-cost APAC geographies. Competitive advantage in AI is shifting from capital advantage to organizational efficiency. This validates earlier concerns about AI commoditization faster than anticipated. For tech companies: efficiency audit of AI spend is now urgent. For HR teams: India/Southeast Asia talent acquisition becomes a strategic competitive advantage.
Anthropic's new AI work tools are entering a crowded market of bespoke legal/consulting products: FT reports enterprise AI tools must compete with specialized products already embedded in legal, consulting, and professional services workflows. Plug-in adaptability will determine market share, not raw capability.
Enterprise AI adoption is not monolithic—it's workflow-specific. Companies betting on single-AI-platform dominance are missing the actual market structure: fragmented, specialized, and difficult to dislodge once embedded.
AI doesn't reduce work—it intensifies it, requiring corporate 'AI practice': HBR reports research showing AI tools don't lower workload, they increase intensity. Companies need "AI practice"—norms and standards for responsible use, including intentional pauses, work sequencing, and human grounding.
The promised AI productivity gains are not materializing at scale. Companies are using AI to compress schedules, not reduce labor. This has implications for wage pressures, burnout, and regulatory scrutiny of AI labor impacts.
Voice IP theft: NPR's David Greene sues Google over AI voice replication: WP reports voice actor says he was "completely freaked out" hearing AI replica of his voice used without consent. Legal battle over voice IP and AI replication rights just entered public consciousness.
Voice, image, and likeness IP protection is now a critical regulatory risk for companies training AI models on public data. Expect legislative action on consent-based AI training and right-of-publicity enforcement.
Technology + Markets
Meta planning facial recognition for Ray-Ban glasses—timing launch during "dynamic political environment": The NYT reports that Meta is considering facial recognition for smart glasses, with a launch as early as 2026. Internal memo reveals the company plans to roll out during a "dynamic political environment" when civil society groups are distracted.
Meta is deliberately timing the launch of privacy-intrusive technology to minimize public resistance. This signals a broader industry calculation that the regulatory window is closing. Companies should expect accelerated deployment of surveillance-adjacent technology before regulatory backlash closes the window.
SpaceX competing in Pentagon drone autonomy contest: Bloomberg reports Elon Musk's SpaceX and xAI are competing to develop voice-controlled, autonomous drone swarming technology. Phased development from software to real-life testing for offensive applications.
Autonomous weapons development is accelerating from theoretical to operational testing. Companies with defense contracting exposure should monitor the SpaceX/Pentagon relationship as an indicator of the Trump administration's technology preference.
Business Disruption
Southwest Airlines abandons legendary "bags fly free" policy; customers mourn loss of differentiator: WP reports airline under pressure to boost bottom line has eliminated open seating, added bag fees—abandoning brand positioning that once set it apart. Strategic transformation is eroding customer loyalty.
Companies cannot sustain a competitive advantage through policy alone if the financial model doesn't support it. Southwest's transformation signals a broader trend: legacy differentiation models are unsustainable in the current cost environment. Expect more brand "death by a thousand fees" erosion.
Warner Bros Discovery reopening sale talks with Paramount/Skydance: Bloomberg reports WBD is considering renewed acquisition talks after Paramount and Netflix signaled willingness to raise bids. The media consolidation cycle is accelerating despite broader antitrust concerns.
Media consolidation is still possible under the Trump administration's antitrust environment. Expect continued M&A activity in the entertainment industry as streaming wars commoditize content and drive consolidation. Valuation arbitrage is narrowing—expect transactions to close at higher multiples.
*** Culture ***
Coffee consumption linked to lower dementia risk: Harvard-led research analyzing 130,000+ people finds that 2-3 cups of coffee per day correlate with reduced dementia risk. JAMA publication validates coffee as a functional health intervention.
The food/beverage industry has underestimated the health narrative differentiation of coffee. Companies should invest in coffee origin/quality storytelling as health positioning—not commodity pricing. Global coffee demand will increase as health benefits become more widely known. For beverage companies: this validates premium positioning for specialty coffee; commoditized coffee faces margin compression.
Enjoy the ride + plan accordingly.
-Marc
Marc A. Ross | Chief Communications Strategist @ Caracal
Caracal Global Daily | February 13
Caracal Global Daily
Caracal Global Daily is a human-curated global intelligence briefing that connects geopolitical developments, economic trends, and strategic business insights.
February 13, 2026
Detroit, MI
*** Ross Rant ***
The CIA releases a recruitment video. Your business should be taking notes.
How does the CIA conduct spy recruitment today? It posts a video on YouTube, of course.
Not quietly. Not in a classified brief shared with Congressional oversight committees. But loudly, on social media, in Mandarin, aimed at disillusioned Chinese military officers. The message was direct: contact us securely. Tell us the truth about China's leadership. Help us understand what Beijing is hiding.
This wasn't public relations theater. This was a strategic signal wrapped in a recruitment strategy, and it tells corporate America something essential about the world you're operating in right now.
The timing matters. The CIA released "Save the Future" just weeks after China purged General Zhang Youxia, the number two uniformed officer on Chairman Xi's Central Military Commission, along with General Liu Zhenli. Zhang's removal represents the most serious purge of top Chinese military leadership since Mao. But he wasn't the first. Dozens of similar moves against senior People's Liberation Army (PLA) generals have occurred in recent years, all orchestrated by Xi and signaling instability at the highest levels of Chinese military command.
For US intelligence agencies, this creates an opportunity. Extensive purges mean extensive frustration. Qualified officers are being replaced by political loyalists. Career professionals watch unqualified party members leapfrog the merit system. The documentary framing in that CIA video captures this reality: the disillusioned officer watching capable generals removed and replaced by apparatchiks, witnessing how corruption corrodes both institutions and families.
The CIA's message to these officers was telling: your duty is to China and its citizens, not to the Communist Party. Contact us. Help us understand the truth. The subtext was unmistakable: Beijing's instability creates vulnerability.
Here's what this means for global business operating in China:
The United States and China are no longer competitors in any conventional sense. They are strategic adversaries engaged in a permanent competition for intelligence, influence, and advantage. That CIA video wasn't an exception to the rules of geopolitical engagement. It was confirmation that those rules have fundamentally changed. The recruiting video was the tip of a much larger intelligence war now playing out across technology, military capabilities, supply chains, and economic influence.
Your business operates within this context, whether you're a manufacturer reliant on Asian supply chains, a technology firm concerned about China's espionage capabilities, or a global enterprise managing government relationships across multiple jurisdictions. The world your board discussed five years ago was one of managed competition and gradual decoupling. The world you're operating in now is one of rapid, unpredictable disruption.
This manifests in three concrete ways:
First, tariff volatility is now a permanent feature of American trade policy. Team Trump's approach to China, allies, and trading partners suggests that traditional frameworks are finished. Supply chain plans built on assumptions of stable tariff environments are obsolete. You need redundancy, geographic diversification, and strategic planning that assumes tariffs will shift.
Second, supply chain resilience requires government relationships as an essential strategy. Your sourcing strategy must now account for not just cost efficiency but also geopolitical risk, export control regimes, and the need to maintain relationships with multiple governments simultaneously. That's not a communications problem. It's an operational necessity.
Third, interest rate environments will remain elevated and volatile as long as the geopolitical uncertainty persists. Your financial planning cannot assume the near-zero rate environment of the previous decade. Budget for higher costs of capital. Plan for continued pressure on margins.
The common thread?
You cannot navigate this environment reactively.
You need a strategic framework for understanding persistent geopolitical volatility, not temporary disruption.
That requires three things: intelligence on what's actually happening in global geopolitics, not what traditional media reports; a strategy for engaging government stakeholders, competitors, and allies simultaneously; and a communications architecture that helps your board, your teams, and your stakeholders understand the landscape you're operating in.
Caracal Global helps multinational corporations navigate this terrain. Our team, led by a Michigan-born, DC-based strategist with expertise spanning US-China relations, NATO, and national political campaigns, specializes in intelligence, strategy, and communications at the intersection of globalization and American politics. We help you translate geopolitical reality into operational capability.
The CIA's video is a brilliant recruitment strategy. But for you, it's a reminder: the geopolitical ground is shifting beneath your business.
Enjoy the ride + plan accordingly.
-Marc
*** Globalization + Statecraft ***
2026 State of Security: Explore the intelligence from Recorded Future's Insikt Group annual threat landscape analysis: the definitive report on how geopolitical fragmentation, state-sponsored operations, and criminal ecosystem evolution are reshaping global risk. Report
The future of US nuclear weapons policy Alison Fong
CIA releases new video in bid to lure Chinese military officers to spy for US: FT reports the US intelligence agency seeks to tap into frustration over extensive purges at People’s Liberation Army. Watch the video here.
+ The US intelligence agency on Thursday released a video titled “Save the Future” on YouTube and other social media, nine months after it published Chinese-language videos to help recruitment for the first time.
+ The video will also be published on X, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
CIA releases new video recruiting spies in China: Le Monde reports that the Chinese text accompanying the clip, posted on the agency's YouTube channel on Thursday, appeals for leaks about Beijing's leaders, military, and other areas. The move is likely to further infuriate China.
America and China at the edge of ruin: A last chance to step back from the brink. David M. Lampton + Wang Jisi
What China is really up to in the Arctic: Its close co-operation with Russia is alarming many in the region. Economist
Trump reins in China tech curbs: The Trump administration has paused several tech curbs aimed at Beijing ahead of President Donald Trump’s visit to China, Reuters reported. The shelved measures include restrictions on the sale of Chinese hardware to US data centers.
Lunar New Year travel: China is expecting a record 9.5 billion trips to be made during the 40-day Lunar New Year travel period, as Beijing targets tourism to boost domestic consumption.
Taiwan warns neighbours ‘you’ll be next’ if China invades: The Times reports President Lai cautions that if Taipei falls, Beijing will continue its crusade across the Indo-Pacific.
North Korea: According to South Korea's National Intelligence Service, Kim Jong Un will designate his daughter Kim Ju Ae as his successor, which would make her the first female leader in North Korea's history.
The world’s most powerful woman: Japan’s prime minister has earned a once-in-a-generation chance to remake her country. Will she seize it? Economist
Today: The Munich Security Conference begins.
AP: Europe warily awaits Rubio at Munich Security Conference as Trump roils transatlantic ties
In Munich, Europe’s leaders wonder if they can ever trust America again: Officials gather on Friday for Europe’s biggest annual security summit, where a speech by Vice President JD Vance last year started an unraveling of trans-Atlantic relations. NYT
Germany and France now publicly display their disagreements over Macron's proposals: Le Monde reports Friedrich Merz's government has criticized the idea of a joint European loan and the push for European preference in goods purchases advocated by Emmanuel Macron. These disagreements come on top of tensions over the Mercosur trade deal and the use of frozen Russian assets.
A German general prepares his country for war—and the clock is ticking: Could Russia launch a war across Europe? The Germans aren’t waiting to find out. WSJ
Poll: Top NATO allies don’t think the US helps deter enemies anymore. The United States' eroding reputation is raising fresh questions about the stability of the global order that has held for decades and about the country's strength on the world stage. Politico
AP: NATO launches Arctic Sentry military effort in seeking to move on from Greenland dispute
Swedish deputy PM: European leaders must ‘toughen up,’ stop waiting for Brussels, US: Politico reports that if member countries take the initiative in certain areas, it would make the EU more agile and less bureaucratic, Ebba Busch says.
Inside Epstein’s network: What 1.4m emails reveal about America’s most notorious sex offender. Economist
Gordon Brown has called for the police to interview Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor over Jeffrey Epstein’s sex-trafficking network.
Honey traps and hidden cameras: All of Epstein’s suspicious ties to Moscow: Telegraph reports from Moscow flights to friendships with Kremlin officials, the late paedophile’s emails raise alarming questions over his ties to Putin.
Russia is looking to the developing world to recruit labor and combatants as its war in Ukraine churns on.
France bets on nuclear as climate policy fractures across Europe: FT reports ambitious solar and wind plans trimmed as government confronts political challenge.
US smuggled thousands of Starlink terminals into Iran after protest crackdown: WSJ reports the Trump administration has denied fomenting public unrest in Iran, but the operation shows it has provided covert support to antiregime efforts.
Bloomberg: Trump says he sees Iran talks resolving ‘over the next month’
Israel charges two over Polymarket bets on military operations: FT reports a civilian and reservist charged with security offences, bribery and obstructing justice after ‘red line’ crossed with online gambling.
American refugees aren’t welcome: Why Canada won’t be a safe haven for US residents fleeing ICE. Greg Willoughby
Mexico seizes huge cocaine haul in rare joint action with US: FT reports operation in the Pacific came hours after border airspace was temporarily closed.
AP: 2 Mexican Navy ships laden with humanitarian aid dock in Cuba as US blockade sparks energy crisis
Cuba’s fate may be in Marco Rubio’s hands: The Economist understands that American officials are considering sending fuel to the island to stave off a humanitarian crisis. Economist
Oil companies in ‘active’ talks over recouping Venezuela losses: Bloomberg reports ConocoPhillips and other energy companies that lost billions of dollars after Venezuela nationalized its oil industry decades ago are in talks with acting Venezuela President Delcy Rodríguez over recouping some ground, according to US Energy Secretary Chris Wright.
Nicolás Maduro is still the 'legitimate president' of Venezuela, acting leader Delcy Rodriguez says: “Cooperation is off to a tremendous start,” Energy Secretary Chris Wright told NBC News as the two countries hammered out details of how Venezuela’s vast oil reserves are to be distributed.
Two US Navy ships collide in waters near South America: WSJ reports two personnel report minor injuries after ship-to-ship refueling.
Cartel drones vs Texas lasers Joshua Treviño
El Paso incident highlights gaps in America’s drone defense industry: The US has spent billions of dollars developing counter-drone technology, but much of it needs more testing in the real world. NYT
US businesses and consumers pay 90% of tariff costs, New York Fed says: Central bank’s research undercuts Trump’s claims that foreign companies will pay for levies. FT
Americans are paying the bill for tariffs, despite Trump’s claims: Research from the New York Fed confirms that US companies and consumers are bearing tariff costs, despite the president’s assertions otherwise. NYT
On Trump’s tariffs, Supreme Court hurries up and waits: The justices put the case on a fast track at the administration’s urging. But they don’t seem in a rush to rule on the president’s signature economic program. NYT
*** US Politics + Elections ***
The Hill: DHS shutdown imminent after Senate Democrats block Homeland Security bill
+ A Saturday shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security is all but inevitable after the Senate failed to advance a funding bill and headed out on a week-long break without a deal on new limits on immigration enforcement.
MN + ICE: Trump’s border czar said Thursday that the administration is ending its immigration enforcement surge in Minnesota.
SOTU: Trump is scheduled to deliver his State of the Union Address on February 24.
Americans with higher incomes are starting to fall behind on payments: WSJ reports rising debt levels and more missed payments pushed a financial stress gauge to its highest level ever.
CNBC: Realtors report a ‘new housing crisis’ as January home sales tank more than 8%
Trump’s home investment crackdown is all about the suburbs: Wall Street forgives; voters may not. FT
NYT: Trump repeals US power to regulate climate
Trump revokes key climate finding, dismantling legal basis for emissions rules: Le Mode reports the US president is scrapping the landmark 2009 finding that greenhouse gases threaten human life by warming the planet. The move is expected to face swift legal challenges.
AP: Pentagon let CBP use anti-drone laser before FAA closed El Paso airspace, AP sources say
Gabbard Whistleblower complaint based on intercepted conversation about Jared Kushner: WSJ reports the substance of the conversation, which covered in part issues related to Iran, isn’t known.
Intelligence dispute centers on Kushner reference in intercepted communication: NYT reports a whistle-blower has accused Tulsi Gabbard, the director of national intelligence, of blocking distribution of a report that Jared Kushner’s name came up in an intercepted communication about Iran.
QOTD: “I’m not scared of a germ. I used to snort cocaine off of toilet seats.” -- Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, on a podcast.
Gail Slater steps down as DOJ’s antitrust chief: Politico reports Slater led some of the agency’s most prominent antitrust cases, particularly against the tech industry.
Federal court blocks Hegseth effort to punish Democratic senator: Politico reports the judge said the Pentagon had “trampled” on Sen. Mark Kelly’s First Amendment freedoms.
Judge rejects Hegseth bid to punish Sen. Kelly for video message to troops: WP reports the Trump administration intends to appeal the ruling, which says the retired Navy officer’s right to free speech was under attack.
As the US nears its 250th birthday, dissatisfaction with democracy is widespread: The nation stands out among international surveys of democracy for critical views of leaders and institutions. Richard Wike
Top Republican ends bid for Arizona governor, showing MAGA’s power: NYT reports Karrin Taylor Robson, a wealthy businesswoman, dropped out after trailing in polls to Representative Andy Biggs, who is more aligned with supporters of President Trump.
Politico: House Democrats think Pam Bondi just helped them in the midterms
A tech group is launching a new effort to keep Democrats from falling behind on AI: Tech for Campaigns plans to partner with Democratic groups to test what works. Politico
Anthropic said it would donate $20 million to a super PAC focused on AI safety and regulation, setting up a fight with rival and top political spender OpenAI.
+ Anthropic PBC is donating $20 million to Public First, a political advocacy group that backs congressional candidates who favor safety rules for artificial intelligence.
+ The donation aims to strengthen AI safety advocates' fight against Leading the Future, a super PAC that plans to spend $125 million to support lighter regulation of the technology.
+ Anthropic's contribution is part of its commitment to governance that enables AI's transformative potential and helps proportionately manage its risks.
Anthropic puts $20 million into a Super PAC operation to counter OpenAI: NYT reports Anthropic and OpenAI now have their own well-funded political groups that will square off in the midterm elections over artificial intelligence safety and regulation.
OpenAI pivots its California ballot fight to legislature: Politico reports that should talks with state lawmakers not pan out, the Parents and Kids Safe AI Act campaign is reserving the option to go for the 2028 ballot.
The truth about Tucker Carlson – and it isn’t pretty: Telegraph reports the controversial US pundit is a fascinating and unpredictable figure. But he emerges from a new book as a slick opportunist above all.
This Tucker Carlson biography is a chronicle of an era John Mac Ghlionn
Is Tucker Carlson now too extreme for the MAGA crowd? The pugillistic pundit’s long journey from mainstream conservative to conspiracy theorist is chronicled by Jason Zengerle in Hated By All the Right People. The Times
AP: Trump’s defamation lawsuit against the BBC is set to go to trial in 2027, US judge says
Apple faces new tensions with Trump administration: FT reports US regulator issues warning to iPhone maker about its News platform following controversy over Super Bowl half-time show.
The unflinching hosts of ‘I’ve Had It’ aren’t backing down: Jennifer Welch and Angie Sullivan have emerged as effective political commentators. WP
*** Distribution + Innovation ***
This technology could revolutionize electricity — from space: Wireless power transmission from space was once science fiction. It could soon become a reality. WP
China’s rising AI billionaires: A new generation of entrepreneurs is challenging US dominance — and rapidly building huge fortunes on the back of China’s quest for technological independence. Bloomberg
They want to turn Greenland into an AI powerhouse. Locals aren’t buying it. A former Trump official and a Greenlandic businessman want to hitch the island up to the US through investment. WSJ
AI is getting scary good at making predictions: Even superforecasters are guessing that they’ll soon be obsolete. Ross Andersen
Anthropic finalizes $30 billion fundraising round at $380 billion valuation.
OpenAI rival Anthropic doubles valuation to $380 billion in $30 billion funding round: Le Monde reports the round, led by Singapore sovereign wealth fund GIC and hedge fund Coatue Management, is among the largest private fundraising deals on record and comes just five months after the company closed its previous round at a $183 billion valuation.
Anthropic to cover costs of electricity price increases from its data centers: NBC News reports that leading AI company Anthropic said it would upgrade power grid infrastructure, generate new power, and cover consumer price increases to minimize the effects of its data centers.
VCs break taboo by backing both Anthropic, OpenAI in AI battle: Silicon Valley investors are breaking a longstanding taboo by investing in competing startups. Bloomberg
How private equity’s big bet on software was derailed by AI: Dealmakers and lenders are facing a ‘Darwinian moment’ as digital services risk being made obsolete by new technologies. FT
Why the AI attack on software has unnerved so many industries: The battle over the use of agents is starting to come into focus. Richard Waters
Real estate stocks sink as worries about AI risks spread: Bloomberg reports commercial real estate stocks nosedived Thursday as traders worried about risk to demand for office space from higher use of artificial intelligence tools, broadening a selloff that began Wednesday in a small corner of the market.
+ Analysts describe the selloff as part of the "AI scare trade", with some warning that the selling may be overestimating the risks of AI disruption.
Instagram chief says social media is not ‘clinically addictive’ in landmark trial: Adam Mosseri, who leads the Meta-owned app, testified that the company was careful to test features used by young people before releasing them. NYT
Don’t ban teenagers from social media: Restrictions would do more harm than good. Economist
For the first time, X tracked conversation about this year's Super Bowl ads in real time as it seeks to re-cement itself as the dominant digital town square.
Where the battle for Warner Bros. stands now: The situation intensified this week as Paramount CEO David Ellison—and a vocal investor—made new moves to thwart rival Netflix’s planned takeover. WSJ
Compass Coffee had Starbucks-size ambitions. Here’s how it unraveled. The homegrown DC coffee chain’s push to expand its way to profitability ended in a January bankruptcy filing. WP
*** Culture ***
F1 producer Jerry Bruckheimer has confirmed a sequel is in the works.
Sandra Bernhard has been cast in the upcoming fourth season of The White Lotus.
The case for tourist taxes: Milan is hiking up its tourist levy in time for the Olympics. Bustling Canadian vacation towns should get in on the action too. Heather Spearman
Today: Carnival begins in Rio de Janeiro.
The secret to happiness? These experts say it’s feeling loved by others. A happiness researcher and a relationship expert teamed up to write about how we can all feel more loved. They argue it’s the key to happiness. WP
*** Sport ***
The secret edge of the office ‘rock star’ skier: Being an alpine ace can help you stand out at work, especially with company ski outings on the rise. Callum Borchers
Ice hockey at the 2026 Olympics: A mountain sport looks to win over France's big cities: The majority of players on the French national team hail from urban centers. This shift reflects the changing landscape of the sport across the country. Le Monde
Olympics crowd showed ‘European pride’ by booing JD Vance, EU top diplomat says: Politico reports: “Our public also has a pride, a European pride,” foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas told an interviewer.
Did controversial judging cost US figure skaters a gold medal? In notoriously subjective ice dance, the Olympic title came down to the Americans, their French rivals, and the only people whose opinions mattered: the nine judges. WSJ
Could AI Judge the Olympics? In elite sports, technology makes competition fairer. Laurel Walzak
AP: Ukraine’s Vladyslav Heraskevych out of Winter Olympics because of banned helmet honoring war dead
Volodymyr Zelenskyy hits out after Olympics bars Ukrainian racer: FT reports Vladyslav Heraskevych wanted to wear helmet honouring compatriots killed in war during skeleton event.
Gold medal in the bag, Breezy Johnson gets more hardware: An engagement ring: WP reports Connor Watkins proposed to the US skier after she crashed out of the super-G, her final event of the Olympic Games.
Slovakian fugitive caught trying to attend hockey game at Milan Olympics after 16 years on the run: Toronto Star reports officers initially issued a warrant for the 44-year-old man in 2010 for a string of shoplifting thefts, which Reuters reports will cost him 11 months and seven days in prison.
NBA: Seattle and Las Vegas are the front-runners for expansion teams, with one current Western Conference team moving to the Eastern Conference.
Cade Cunningham is now a minority owner of the Texas Rangers.
Jim Ratcliffe immigration comments leave Man United hierarchy horrified: The Times reports club distance themselves from co-owner after he said Britain was ‘colonised by immigrants’, with statement saying United has ‘embedded equality, diversity and inclusion into everything we do.’
+ The Football Association is assessing Jim Ratcliffe’s remarks that Britain has been ‘colonised by immigrants.’ The Man United co-owner apologised this morning for his ‘choice of language’, acknowledging that he had ‘offended some people’, but that it was ‘important to raise the issue’ of immigration.
Inside NFL owner Steve Tisch’s ‘brief association’ with Epstein: WSJ reports files show Jeffrey Epstein introduced the New York Giants chairman and Hollywood producer to two women who were caught in Epstein’s web of abuse.
Enjoy the ride + plan accordingly.
-Marc
Marc A. Ross | Chief Communications Strategist @ Caracal
Caracal Global Daily | February 12
Caracal Global Daily
Caracal Global Daily is a human-curated global intelligence briefing that connects geopolitical developments, economic trends, and strategic business insights.
February 12, 2026
Detroit, MI
*** Globalization + Statecraft ***
The transatlantic alliance is down but not out: The Munich Security Conference will serve as a gut check of the frayed relationship and whether Europe can hold on to its emerging self-assurance. Politico
NATO to bolster Arctic presence after Trump Greenland threats: Politico reports NATO wants allies to send maritime patrol vessels to the Arctic and formalize joint exercises near Greenland, military officials say.
War games: Europe is not ready for war with Russia, a wargame suggested, with a relatively small incursion by Moscow’s forces likely to overwhelm forces in a crucial city in Lithuania. The Die Welt-organized simulation imagined a 15,000-strong force attacking Marijampolė, a key highway hub, with the US declining to invoke Article 5 and European capitals slow to respond.
WELT: Without US backing, Europe would struggle to defend against a Russian invasion: Politico reports wargame exercise demonstrated the limits of European decision-making at a time of US pullback.
US signals limited military pullback from Europe: Politico reports: “We will continue to show up,” America's ambassador to NATO said.
Aboard a NATO warship as it practices hunting Russian subs: The alliance is boosting coordination of national forces in the Arctic. WSJ
Pentagon prepares second aircraft carrier to deploy to the Middle East: WSJ reports Trump is ratcheting up the pressure on Iran to make a deal over its nuclear program.
US weighs seizing tankers carrying Iranian oil to pressure Tehran: WSJ reports, but using a strategy the White House directed at Venezuela is seen as likely to spark retaliation by Tehran and a surge in oil prices.
Iran: Trump said he insisted to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that nuclear talks with Iran would continue, despite Israeli skepticism about a diplomatic breakthrough.
Vance visits Armenia, Azerbaijan as Trump eyes deals in Russia’s sphere: WP reports the vice president’s historic trip illustrates Trump’s transactional diplomacy and willingness to use economic muscle to elbow out rivals such as Russia and Iran.
Zelenskyy planning elections in Ukraine and vote on peace deal: FT reports Trump administration has pressured Ukrainian leader to hold both votes by May 15 or risk losing security guarantees.
Bloomberg: Zelenskiy says deal on territory is focus of next talks with US
Pressure for Ukraine-Russia deal mounts ahead of fall elections in US: Politico reports as Kyiv continues to suffer nighttime lows of minus 20 Celsius amid Russian strikes, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says 2026 US midterms are now the strongest driver for a peace deal.
What it’s like to be a banker in Russia during wartime: The Russian unit of Austria’s Raiffeisen is immensely profitable, but it can’t get the money out of the country. Bloomberg
US, China race for influence in Pakistan: Semafor reports Washington wants to spend $1.25 billion to secure supplies of critical minerals, though the Pakistani region it is focused on has since become a locus of violence: A militant group launched attacks across several towns, and the military said it killed upwards of 200 fighters in response.
NSA pick warns of China pursuing AI chips for weapons: China is “aggressively” looking to acquire advanced artificial intelligence chips in order to “accelerate its development of AI-enhanced weapons,” President Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the National Security Agency and US Cyber Command said in correspondence with Congress first shared with Semafor.
The political battle for AI in space: Will regulatory hurdles give China the edge in orbital data centers? WSJ-Editorial
Analysis: Japan PM's historic landslide reverberates in China: Beijing's foreign policy blunder triggers emergence of 'Takaichi 2.0.' Nikkei
Switzerland to vote on plan to cap population at 10mn: FT reports the country has 9.1mn permanent residents and experts fear the move will limit companies’ access to foreign talent.
France's demographics debate focuses on birth rates while ignoring touchier measures: Le Monde reports that politicians have struggled to address the various aspects of France's current demographic shift. The debate on the issue remains focused on boosting birth rates, while steering clear of more sensitive topics such as immigration or the retirement age.
+ @Polymarket: JUST IN: UK Supreme Court outlaws calling oat milk "milk"
Keir Starmer was aware Lord Doyle backed paedophile, No 10 admits: The Times reports Kemi Badenoch accused the PM of appointing ‘paedophile apologists’ over Doyle’s peerage, following his support for a councillor charged with sex offences.
The alternatives to Sir Keir: Eventually the improbable, the implausible or the once-impossible will become inevitable. Economist
Nigeria steps up US lobbying push: Per Semafor, the Nigerian government is mounting an aggressive lobbying campaign in Washington as it faces an onslaught of criticism over claims of Christian genocide from the Trump administration. First Lady Remi Tinubu, an ordained Christian pastor, attended the annual National Prayer Breakfast gathering hosted by US President Donald Trump last week as part of the effort. She also appeared on several conservative US media outlets and met with members of Congress. Nigerian officials and their allies have emphasized Tinubu’s pastoral role as evidence that the government cannot credibly be accused of enabling religious persecution.
ARG: Argentina’s inflation rate accelerated for a fifth straight month, suggesting President Javier Milei’s campaign to slash soaring prices may be faltering.
Brazil’s economy is being throttled by entrenched interests: The country should be faring much better. Economist
Treasury allows US companies to provide supplies to Venezuela for oil production: WSJ reports Trump administration put out a new general license authorizing equipment and technology transactions.
Canada’s big six banks on board for new multinational defence bank: BMO joins peers to support bank dedicated to financing defence projects for NATO members and allies. G+M
Canada wants NATO’s new Arctic Sentry security mission to become permanent, Anand says: G+M reports mission aims to co-ordinate increasing military presence of allies in the region.
Canada’s muscular new anti-Trump strategy debuts in Greenland: How an icy town of 20,000 became a testing ground for the new international order. Politico
Bridge owner lobbied administration before Trump blasted competing span to Canada: A Detroit billionaire met with Howard Lutnick, the commerce secretary, hours before President Trump said he would block the opening of a new bridge connecting Detroit to Canada, officials said. NYT
Trump wrong about Gordie Howe Bridge: Last night, my wife and I had a quiet evening watching Olympic highlights, including some incredible Michigan skaters. The quiet was quickly shattered by President Donald Trump’s announcement that he might stop the opening of the Gordie Howe International Bridge. Since I played a significant role in the bridge project, my phone and email have been flooded with media inquiries. I have generally kept a low profile over the past few years, but this topic merits a few comments. Rick Snyder
+ Rick Snyder is a former governor of Michigan.
Trump’s crony Canadian bridgegate: He threatens to block Detroit’s new link to Canada, after Lutnick meets a competitor. WSJ-Editorial
USMCA: Trump is reportedly weighing exiting the North American trade pact he signed during his first term. The US-Mexico-Canada Agreement is up for review this year, and the US trade representative said the White House would hold separate talks with both countries.
Bloomberg: Trump privately weighs quitting USMCA trade pact he signed
+ President Donald Trump is privately musing about exiting the North American trade pact, people familiar with the matter said, injecting further uncertainty about the deal’s future into pivotal renegotiations involving the US, Canada, and Mexico.
+ A White House official described Trump as the ultimate decision-maker and someone always seeking a better deal for the American people, while an official in US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer’s office said the administration intended to keep Trump’s options open and negotiate to address issues that had been identified.
+ The US-Mexico-Canada Agreement is set for a mandatory review before a possible extension on July 1, a process that was once expected to be routine but has transformed into a contentious negotiation, with Trump demanding additional trade concessions from Ottawa and Mexico City.
Bloomberg: Drones, drugs, laser beams stir confusion over Texas skies
CNBC: FAA abruptly lifts order halting El Paso flights; Trump official says Defense Dept. disabled Mexican cartel drones
Daily Mail: Trump administration shoots down party balloon with laser after mistaking it for cartel drone in El Paso airspace chaos
+ @davidshepardson: Per Pentagon in 2024, drones crossing from Mexico "likely exceed 1,000 per month" -- so why would single Mexican drone prompt 10-day NOTAM to close El Paso
G+M: US airspace closure caused by Pentagon plan to test lasers targeting Mexican cartel drones, sources say
How OpenAI got comfortable with the Pentagon using ChatGPT: Semafor reports the chatbot will be offered through Genai dot mil, a new program the Pentagon launched last month. The tricky part for OpenAI was that the Pentagon was asking to use its technology for “all lawful uses,” meaning the company couldn’t impose any restrictions on what it or its employees view as acceptable implementation, either for moral or technical reasons.
*** US Politics + Elections ***
Jobs up: US employers added more jobs in January than economists had expected.
WP: US employers added 130,000 jobs in January, the strongest gain in months
House votes to cancel Trump’s Canada tariffs: Six Republicans joined nearly all Democrats to end the national emergency President Donald Trump had declared to impose tariffs on imports from Canada. NYT
Bloomberg: US House defies Trump and votes to end his Canada tariffs
House blows open gates on tariff war: Per Punchbowl News, the House is now going to have open season on President Donald Trump’s tariffs. Trump suffered a serious political blow Tuesday night when the House voted down a rule blocking members from offering resolutions to end the numerous tariffs the president has levied since returning to office. With that vote, members will have effectively unfettered ability to force up or down votes on the president’s global trade agenda. This will start immediately.
US House votes down tariff rule in rebuke to Trump: FT reports lawmakers reject proposal by Republican leadership that would have blocked votes to challenge president’s trade policy.
White House expects ‘substantial’ GOP defections on Canada tariff vote in House: Politico reports a White House official said that while the administration is talking to House offices Wednesday in an effort to defeat the measure, “our expectation is that the effort will not be successful.”
Trump wants to revive shipping. Investors are slow to back him. NYT reports a French logistics behemoth promised $20 billion for the United States, but a year into President Trump’s second term, only a fraction of the money has arrived.
Bloomberg: White House opens meeting to Democratic governors after snub
Trump allows Democratic governors at White House meeting after initial snub: WP reports the president had initially excluded Democrats from the traditionally bipartisan meeting. However, not all Democrats were invited to a separate dinner.
Trump’s grip on billions of taxpayer dollars loosened by courts: US judges have halted the administration’s cuts to funding in more than half of 167 spending fights in the past year. Bloomberg
National Guard troops were quietly withdrawn from some US cities: WP reports the deployments encountered repeated legal setbacks that stymied President Donald Trump’s desire for a show of force in Los Angeles, Chicago, and Portland, Oregon.
ICE: More than 1,400 employees at Salesforce are circulating a letter calling on CEO Marc Benioff to cancel all potential business with ICE. Employees at Google and Palantir have raised similar concerns, while French tech giant Capgemini announced it will sell its US subsidiary, which has a contract with ICE.
How Democrats aim to curb ICE without losing votes: Economist reports its brutal tactics are unpopular with Americans. But so is border insecurity.
Pam Bondi lashes out as lawmakers press her on Epstein, cases against Trump foes: WP reports the attorney general lobbed insults when lawmakers questioned her decisions and portrayed the Justice Department as unfairly maligned by Democrats and Trump critics.
Dems challenge Pam Bondi to address Epstein’s victims at House Judiciary hearing: Politico reports the DOJ’s handling of the Epstein files is becoming a central theme of Wednesday’s Oversight hearing.
Bondi dodges questions about Lutnick’s connections with Epstein: Politico reports the Commerce secretary has faced few recriminations from Trump world over the latest revelations about his connections to the late financier.
The White House is shrugging at Lutnick’s Epstein ties. His foes are too. Politico reports it’s the latest example of how little weight association with Epstein carries for high-profile figures in the Trump administration.
Bloomberg: Columbia admitted Epstein’s girlfriend via ‘irregular’ process
A law firm chair resigned after Epstein revelations. Here’s the reality. Brad Karp stepped down as chair of Paul, Weiss — but it was a soft landing. Politico
Behind Trump’s push to remake the Kennedy Center in his own image: The venerated cultural institution is facing falling ticket sales and canceled performances. WSJ
Trump decries a ‘nation of renters’ but his new policy promotes one: NYT reports President Trump’s recently announced executive order that would bar big investors from acquiring single-family homes includes an exemption that allows them to build homes for rent.
Johnson says he has urged Florida Republican to stay in Congress: Politico reports Rep. Neal Dunn (R-FL) is retiring and is believed to be considering an early exit from the House.
WP: Virginia Democrats quickly approve proposed redistricting map
What will happen in the midterms? Freddy Gray
Democrats seek to counter Trump, boost 2028 profiles on European tour: WP reports Gavin Newsom, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ruben Gallego, and Gretchen Whitmer hope to reassure anxious European allies at the Munich Security Conference.
The Democrats aren’t built for this: They say they want to save democracy. First they’ll need to get out of their own way. Mark Leibovich
Republicans face uphill fight for NY governor: ‘We’re in bad shape’: NYT reports Bruce Blakeman, the Republican nominee against Gov. Kathy Hochul, has shown he can win in the suburbs. But political winds are blowing in his face.
Bloomberg: Trump orders Pentagon to buy coal power in boost to industry
+ President Donald Trump ordered the Pentagon to purchase electricity from coal plants to power military operations.
+ Trump announced millions of dollars to upgrade existing coal facilities, including $175 million to fund upgrades at six coal plants.
+ Trump said his administration's actions would help boost coal power generation, delivering lower prices for consumers and ensuring industries critical to national security had steady power supplies.
*** Distribution + Innovation ***
CNBC: Heineken to slash up to 6,000 jobs in AI ‘productivity savings’ amid slump in beer sales
+ Heineken’s CEO told CNBC on Wednesday that AI is “partly” behind the plan to cut up to 7% of its workforce.
+ The Dutch brewer’s beer volumes declined 2.4% over the course of 2025.
Mistral’s revenues soar over $400mn as Europe seeks AI independence: FT reports French start-up is riding a growing wave of demand from European businesses for alternatives to US tech.
Anthropic safety researcher quits, warning ‘world is in peril’: Semafor reports Mrinank Sharma said the safety team “constantly [faces] pressures to set aside what matters most,” citing concerns about bioterrorism and other risks.
‘The world is in peril’: AI researchers quit with public warnings: The Times reports two employees of OpenAI and Anthropic cited concerns about the future of humanity amid wider resignations in the industry.
Co-founders of Elon Musk’s xAI join exodus from start-up’s tech team: FT reports Jimmy Ba will be the sixth member of the founding team to depart.
Bill Ackman makes a big bet on Meta: WSJ reports Pershing Square has disclosed a roughly $2 billion position in Facebook’s parent.
Elliott takes stake in London Stock Exchange Owner: WSJ reports the hedge fund’s move comes as an AI threat looms over financial data providers.
Bloomberg: Apple’s latest attempt to launch new Siri runs into snags
+ Apple Inc.'s upgrade to the Siri virtual assistant has run into snags during testing, potentially pushing back the release of several highly anticipated functions.
+ The company is now working to spread the new capabilities out over future versions, possibly postponing at least some features until at least iOS 26.5 or iOS 27.
+ Testing has uncovered problems with the software, including issues with Siri properly processing queries, taking too long to handle requests, and accuracy issues, prompting the latest postponements.
Ping! The WhatsApps that should have been an email: If your instant message requires immediate attention, fine. But many don’t — they’re just inconsiderate. Tim Harford
Toyota to release 1st US-made EV this year: Nikkei reports the flagship Highlander to be 1 of 6 electric models for the American market.
The airlines fighting the expansion of Heathrow: The carriers say the £33bn plan for a new runway is unaffordable. The airport says the companies just want to keep out competitors. FT
Waldorf Astoria’s Chinese owners plan to sell NYC hotel after extravagant makeover: WSJ reports sale would be part of recent wave of Chinese property owners pulling out of US market.
Kraft Heinz’s CEO signed on for a breakup. Now he has a plan to keep it together. WSJ reports maker of ketchup and macaroni pauses plan to split into two; Steve Cahillane says new investments will help return to profitable growth.
*** Culture ***
Inside the Kennedy Center’s scorched-earth Washington National Opera split: How an opera leader plotted a path to leave the legendary arts center after the Trump takeover alienated audiences. WP
RIP: James Van Der Beek, the 'Dawson's Creek' star who later mocked his own hunky persona, has died at 48.
CNBC: Hamptons real estate prices hit record, with 2026 summer rentals going fast
What it was like to be a bush at Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl performance: The bushes on the field during the halftime show became a meme after the internet found out they were actually human performers. NBC
Sex, sex, and more sex: Emerald Fennell’s “Wuthering Heights”: An outlandish take on Emily Brontë’s novel highlights the adaptation conundrum. Economist
Don’t bother visiting Rome: If you must go, see the Pantheon and then get out. Ross Clark
*** Sport ***
US tourism is in a ‘Trump slump’ that could push World Cup fans away FC
+ The president’s foreign policy may undermine expectations for World Cup tourism in the US
+ With sky-high match ticket prices and the international reputation of the US as a tourism destination damaged, we believe it is unlikely that the tourism industry will recover in 2026.
2026 Winter Olympics: Milan becomes a city-sized theme park: The northern Italian city, renowned for its cultural wealth, has been abuzz with the excitement of the Olympics since February 6. On the streets, visitors seem far more drawn to the fever of the Games than to Milan's traditional landmarks. Le Monde
How the Olympics remade Montreal: Fifty years ago, Montreal hosted Canada’s first Olympics. A new exhibit shows how the Games pushed it to the brink. Jadine Ngan
+ @nytimes: Breaking News: Casey Wasserman will still lead the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles despite appearing in the Epstein files, organizers said.
US-UK soccer: At least 10 clubs outside the Premier League are now US-owned, alongside 11 in the top division itself.
Enjoy the ride + plan accordingly.
-Marc
Marc A. Ross | Chief Communications Strategist @ Caracal