Caracal Daily | August 23

Caracal Daily | August 23

Caracal Daily is geopolitical business news + intelligence for comms pros.

Geopolitics is disrupting every business and industry. Caracal is here to help.

Always Be Communicating.

Happy Friday.

Here’s today’s Caracal Daily:

*** Globalization + Geopolitics ***

Reuters: Israeli tanks push deeper into Gaza, as Biden urges peace

Reuters: Trump anxiety spurs investment in European defence startups

Security and defense will have to rest more on Europe — and less on the US: After decades of underinvestment and spending cuts to NATO, there remains much more to be done. But virtually all members now understand the urgency of the task at hand. Ivo Daalder

AP: India’s Modi urges efforts to end Ukraine war after talks in Poland

Narendra Modi meets with Zelensky after cosying up to Putin: The Times reports the Indian prime minister will visit Kyiv on Friday, a month after he hugged the Kremlin chief the day a Russian missile hit a Ukrainian children’s hospital.

German support for Ukraine comes under new strains: NYT reports with a budget shortfall for 2025 and evidence mounting that Ukraine blew up natural-gas pipelines between Germany and Russia, German aid to Ukraine is under pressure.

AP: Poorly trained recruits contribute to loss of Ukrainian territory on eastern front, commanders say

Reuters: Russia and Ukraine report gains as some Ukrainians flee strategic city

Russia accuses top CNN reporter of illegally crossing border: Politico reports CNN’s Nick Paton Walsh and two Ukrainian journalists were named in the criminal case.

Chinese premier Li Qiang has said the relationship between Russia and China will move ‘to a new level,’ after meeting Vladimir Putin in Moscow.

US officials meet Dalai Lama in New York, triggering protest from China: WSJ reports though the 89-year-old remains in good health, questions over the Tibetan spiritual leader’s succession are worrying Beijing.

Bloomberg:  Chinese imports of chip gear hit record $26 billion this year

+ China has been stockpiling ASML systems and foreign machinery

+ US and allies have been limiting China’s access to their tech

New ‘great game’ in Pacific between US and China puts development at risk TJT

Why AI is next flashpoint in US-China tech rivalry Bloomberg

Singapore, Malaysia want to build their own Shenzhen-style mega-hub: A renewed effort to weave together the economies of Singapore and southern Malaysia could benefit both nations, if political challenges can finally be overcome. Bloomberg

Nepal lifts TikTok ban after nine months.

Vietnam’s new ruler: Hardman, capitalist, hedonist: To Lam, the Communist Party’s new leader, has just met Xi Jinping. America is next. Economist

Thailand's Thaksin says US to toughen trade after election: Protections needed against cheap Chinese goods, ruling party boss argues. Nikkei

Myanmar's poet-warrior shares a vision for democracy: DW spoke with a poet-turned-rebel commander who is bringing together diverse ethnic groups into the fight against Myanmar's junta. He says Myanmar's future is one of inclusion and diversity. DW

Italy-Japan ties enter ‘new era’ amid deepening alignment, top envoy to Tokyo says: TJT reports the arrival in Japan of the Italian Navy's flagship, the aircraft carrier ITS Cavour, on Thursday marked the latest in a series of incremental steps Rome and Tokyo have taken to deepen bilateral ties — part of what Italy's ambassador says is a "new era" in their strategic partnership.

Italian minister gives Stellantis ultimatum over EU funds for planned gigafactory: Reuters reports ACC, a battery joint venture in which Stellantis is the largest investor, has plans for three gigafactories in Europe. But earlier this year it said it was putting on hold works on two of them, in Italy and Germany, as the company switches to lower cost batteries amid slowing demand for electric vehicles.

In retaliation for possible electric vehicle taxation, China launches anti-dumping investigation into EU dairy products: Le Monde reports China's Ministry of Commerce will examine possible European anti-competitive practices concerning fresh cheese, blue cheese and other dairy specialties. Beijing has already targeted pork and spirits.

93m: The number of valid Indian passports, up from 52m a decade ago.

Reuters: India surpasses China to become Russia's top oil buyer in July

India’s first reusable hybrid rocket is expected to launch Aug. 24.

AUKUS enablers? Assessing defense trade control reforms in Australia and the United States Dr. William Greenwalt + Tom Corben

Second-largest diamond ever, 2,492 carats, unearthed in Botswana: WP reports the Canadian mining company Lucara Diamond discovered the stone in Botswana’s Karowe mine using X-ray technology.

Venezuela's Supreme Court certifies Maduro's claims he won presidential election: Le Monde reports the high court is packed with Maduro loyalists said voting tallies published online showing he lost by a landslide were forged.

Reuters:  Chinese EV maker BYD eyes state incentives for Mexico plant 

***  US Politics + Elections ***

Who could serve in Harris’s cabinet? Democrats are buzzing about potential contenders for high-profile administration jobs. WSJ

Wired: Kamala Harris’ campaign is launching a Twitch channel

AP: Company that sent AI calls mimicking Joe Biden to New Hampshire voters agrees to pay $1 million fine

The year of the AI election that wasn’t: More than 30 tech companies have pitched AI tools to political campaigns for November’s election. The campaigns have been wary. NYT

AI godfather fears regulators running out of time to take action: “Unfortunately, we may not have a decade to get this right.” Bloomberg

Palantir hires China hawk, former congressman, Mike Gallagher.

NASA is asking industry to build logistics and mobility systems for its long-term Moon to Mars missions. 

Google joins $250 million deal to support newsrooms in California: NYT reports the agreement includes $70 million from the state, which needs legislative approval. Some lawmakers objected, calling for a more comprehensive solution with tech companies.

This small-town Wyoming election could give us a preview of the future of AI in politics: A mayoral candidate in Gillette proposes letting an AI bot help run the city. With public confidence in government low and sinking, it may be something to look into. FC

*** Disruption + Innovation ***

We finally have a definition for open-source AI: Researchers have long disagreed over what constitutes open-source AI. An influential group has offered up an answer. Rhiannon Williams + James O'Donnell

Second patient in trial for Elon Musk’s Neuralink uses design software, videogames: The entrepreneur is in a race against rivals to wire the human brain. WSJ

An ‘AI scientist’ is inventing and running its own experiments: Letting programs learn through “open-ended” experimentation may unlock remarkable new capabilities, as well as new risks. Wired

Bloomberg: Baidu’s sales stall as it struggles to cash in on AI

Baidu's AI push fails to boost core revenue amid China's economic slump: Nikkei reports Chinese search engine leader's Q2 sales dip 0.4% on online marketing slide. 

How tech companies are obscuring AI’s real carbon footprint: Tech giants leading the AI race have found a way to conceal the climate impact of their growing electricity use: unbundled renewable energy certificates. Bloomberg

Bloomberg: BMW passes Tesla and tops Europe’s EV sales rankings for the first time

+ German manufacturer bucks trend of slowing demand in July

+ Sales of Chinese EV imports fell sharply due to EU tariffs

NASA’s tough choice: Fly stuck astronauts home on troubled Boeing Starliner or switch to SpaceX? The space agency has said data will guide their decision, but past tragedies loom large. WP

At Pernod Ricard, 'the group's interests come first': The pastis company created by Paul Ricard in 1932, which became the Pernod Ricard group in 1975, the world's number 2 in wines and spirits, is still run by a Ricard family member. He is determined, whatever the cost, not to repeat the mishaps of the first handover between Paul and his son Bernard in 1968. Le Monde

*** Culture ***

Iris Apfel’s 17 tips for a fabulous life: Famous for her distinctive style, as well as her bons mots, the accidental fashion pin-up wrote a final book to share everything she learnt about failure, marriage and, yes, wearing colour. The Times

The tricky politics of choosing Oxford’s next chancellor: The winner is likely to make some people cross. Economist

*** Sport ***

America’s Cup — the most fiercely contested race of them all: There is no second place in this famous yachting competition, which is why the cup, clad in Louis Vuitton, is so coveted. Stewart Campbell reports on day one of the event. The Times

The US sports league that just scrapped the draft—and made everyone a free agent: What would happen if a league had no draft? After a radical decision to ditch one of the cornerstones of American sports, the National Women’s Soccer League is about to find out. WSJ

Inside NWSL and the players’ union’s new CBA after 10 months of bargaining The Athletic


Enjoy the ride + plan accordingly.

-Marc 

Marc A. Ross | Chief Communications Strategist @ Caracal