Caracal Daily | August 30

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

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

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Happy Friday.

Here’s today’s Caracal Daily:

*** Globalization + Geopolitics ***

How open trade saved us from a global food crisis: Fears of an international hunger emergency after the Ukraine invasion proved unfounded. Alan Beattie

Reuters: Pope Francis says refusing aid to migrants a 'grave sin'

Inside the frantic US efforts to prevent a wider war in the Middle East: NYT reports officials are desperate to avert a regional war that they fear could pull the United States into the fighting as the region continues to teeter on the brink.

A key Western ally is buckling under Russian pressure: WSJ reports s Georgia’s government draws closer to Moscow, national elections mark a flashpoint for the entire region.

Russia’s military fears for its secrets after Telegram founder’s arrest: WSJ reports the platform has become a critical communications tool for Russian forces during the war in Ukraine.

Pressure on Macron over links to Telegram founder: The Times reports Pavel Durov has been charged with aiding and abetting crimes from child pornography to drug trafficking and money laundering.

Macron defends move to give Telegram's Pavel Durov a French passport: Le Monde reports speaking to reporters during a visit to Serbia on Thursday, the French president said he did not know that Durov would be coming to France.

Tech barons were untouchable. Then France came for Telegram: The prosecution of Pavel Durov reflects a growing divide between Europe and the US on free speech —  and freedom from crime. The Times

Telegram founder’s indictment thrusts encryption into the spotlight: The criminal charges against Pavel Durov, Telegram’s founder, raised concerns in Silicon Valley about encryption and the app’s approach to privacy and security. NYT

Pavel Durov and the limits of free speech: Telegram has failed to distinguish between the demands of autocratic regimes and legitimate democratic requests. John Thornhill

US-made F-16 crashed in Ukraine, killing pilot: WSJ reports Kyiv recently received six of the planes to boost its fight against Russia, symbolizing US support.

Violent drug gangs bring mayhem to Western Europe: WSJ reports Dutch drug kingpin Ridouan Taghi was sentenced to life in prison following a deadly crime spree. The EU now considers organized crime a threat to European societies on par with terrorism.

Xi pushes to keep US ties steady through bumpy presidential race: WSJ reports US national-security adviser Jake Sullivan is wrapping up his China visit as the prospect of a Harris presidency has changed Beijing’s calculus.

How Japan ignored climate critics and built a global natural gas empire Bloomberg

Namibia, facing drought, plans to kill elephants for meat: NYT reports the country plans to butcher over 700 wild animals, including 83 elephants, to feed some of the 1.4 million people who are at risk of acute food insecurity.

Could T-shirts be the way to industrialize an African nation? Benin is trying to achieve what few countries on the continent have managed: transform its raw materials into finished goods. FT

Why Ethiopia’s bid for Red Sea access angers Somalia Bloomberg

Dubai sets global standard for ethical use of AI: Guidelines highlight importance of moral considerations in evolving landscape. Hamad Obaid Al Mansoori

Nations building their own AI models add to Nvidia's growing chip demand: Reuters reports nations building artificial intelligence models in their own languages are turning to Nvidia's adding to already booming demand as generative AI takes center stage for businesses and governments.

Elon Musk’s X braced for ban in Brazil amid fight with judge over accounts: FT reports the social media platform faced a deadline to comply with court order or be suspended in the Latin American country.

***  US Politics + Elections ***

Trump and Harris: Talking loud and saying nothing: Voters have plenty of information about these candidates. They know next to nothing about what they’d actually do in office. Bloomberg - Editorial

POTUS poll: A new Quinnipiac poll finds Kamala Harris just ahead of Donald Trump in the presidential race, 49% to 47%.

Harris has taken narrow lead over Trump, WSJ poll finds: WSJ reports voters have largely positive views of Democratic nominee, who gets 48% compared to 47% for Republican Donald Trump.

Harris edges Trump in key states, with Sun Belt now up for grabs: Bloomberg reports the honeymoon for the new Democratic nominee is far from over, as she narrows or reverses Trump’s advantages on key economic issues. 

Kamala Harris on CNN: ‘Values have not changed’ on key issues: WSJ reports the presidential nominee and running mate Tim Walz discuss immigration, climate change in television interview

Pressed on shifting positions, Harris says, ‘my values have not changed’: NYT reports Kamala Harris, in a TV interview, sought to highlight the Biden administration’s record while embracing some progressive policies she campaigned on in 2020.

WP: Harris says she will put a Republican in her Cabinet if elected

Kamala Harris takes a different view of the world and America's place in it: The US expert believes the vice president's foreign policy, should she reach the Oval Office, might be a surprise. While she's heir to the Democratic Party's traditional leadership, she's also sensitive to progressives' demands. Célia Belin

Inside Kamala Harris’s LA life: SoulCycle, Hollywood parties, annoyed neighbors: Once an escape from Washington, Los Angeles is now giving the vice president access to powerful Hollywood neighbors and help in the race for the White House. WSJ

Bloomberg: Trump says he’ll announce a plan to make US the ‘crypto capital’

WP: Legendary pop group ABBA wants to be taken off Trump’s rally playlist

JD Vance urges billionaire Peter Thiel to help bankroll Trump campaign: In FT interview, Republican vice-presidential nominee also says Google ought to be broken up.

How Biden’s Senate allies helped push him from the race: President Biden’s allies feared he would drag them down and spoil his own legacy, and played a more assertive role than was previously known. NYT

California AI bill passes State Assembly, pushing AI fight to Newsom: The bill, which seeks to make companies liable if their artificial intelligence harms people, is at the center of a debate over how to regulate the technology. WP

Contentious California AI bill passes legislature, awaits governor's signature Reuters

California’s divisive AI safety bill sets up tough decision for governor Gavin Newsom: State’s attempt to impose a regulatory framework on the fast-emerging technology has split opinion in Silicon Valley. FT

DC policy advisors engage in AI roundtable with DSU faculty: It’s likely that no matter what field you work in, AI is a huge part of the conversation as far as how your business is going to go forward. That’s why two senior advisors from the Center for AI Policy (CAIP) came to Madison to talk with researchers and faculty about how it can be used not only in academia but in government and business as well. Dakota News Now

+ Brian Waldrip, Government Relations Director for the Center of AI Policy, emphasized that the group wanted to learn from experts in South Dakota to address the needs particular to the region.

*** Disruption + Innovation ***

Apple starts making latest iPhones in India, accelerates push beyond China: Nikkei reports the tech giant looks to diversify supply chains as geopolitical uncertainty festers.

NYT: OpenAI in talks for deal that would value company at $100 billion

Apple, Nvidia are in talks to invest in OpenAI: WSJ reports the tech giants would join a multibillion-dollar funding round alongside Microsoft and Thrive Capital.

Apple in talks to invest in OpenAI: The Times reports the investment would be part of a new fundraising that would value the ChatGPT maker at more than $100 billion.

Google’s custom AI chatbots have arrived: The Verge you can create your own Gems — or chatbots — to help you plan gardens, edit your writing, create workout routines, and more.

WSJ: Nvidia can’t escape shadow of AI spending fears

Nvidia faces looming test on use of chips: When AI models go into widespread use in applications for consumers and businesses, demand may change. Richard Waters

With 7-Eleven on buyout menu, Japanese owner Seven & i reaches crossroads: Couche-Tard targets food business, US market; regulatory, antitrust issues weigh. Nikkei

Bloomberg: Lululemon's $98 yoga pants face baggier fashions, more rivals

+ Company’s second-quarter results missed Wall Street estimates

+ Analysts says a guidance cut was ‘baked into’ Lululemon stock

Dollar General warns poorer US consumers are running out of money: FT reports discount retailer says low-income households feel more ‘financially constrained’ than six months ago.

The summer’s most stylish status symbols come from luxury hotels: Branded merchandise is taking off as guests and aspiring guests invest in swag from top properties. Bloomberg

The world’s coffee mostly comes from two countries. That’s a problem Bloomberg

+ Consolidation in Brazil, Vietnam poses risk in warming world

+ Small producers from Cuba to Thailand could be key to future

*** Culture ***

The science of saying no at work: Researchers who put themselves under the microscope made some important discoveries. FT

‘Reagan’ Review: Dennis Quaid’s impeachable presidential portrait: The actor plays the 40th president in director Sean McNamara’s hagiographic film. WSJ

*** Sport ***

How the Paralympics categorize disability to make it fair between athletes: In parasports, each athlete competes under a code that indicates their disability. Medical and sports professionals try to put athletes of similar ability in the same events to make the sporting competition fair − but it's still not an exact science. Le Monde


Enjoy the ride + plan accordingly.

-Marc 

Marc A. Ross | Chief Communications Strategist @ Caracal