Caracal Daily | September 10

Caracal Daily | September 10

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 Tuesday.

Here’s today’s Caracal Daily:

*** Globalization + Geopolitics ***

A tug between Russia and Europe divides a tiny Balkan nation: A falling-out between former political allies in Montenegro has complicated the country’s efforts to join the European Union and curb pro-Russian influence. NYT

The Times: Suspicion falls on Moscow after drones force Sweden to shut airport

The Times: Germany ‘risks chaos’ after announcing checks at all borders

WSJ: Kate Middleton to return to royal duties after completing chemotherapy

‘One of the most consequential changes to royal comms. Certainly the most intimate’: The video released to mark the end of the Princess of Wales’s cancer treatment is groundbreaking. The Times

Macron’s Faustian bargain could be a dire turning point for France Lee Hockstader

Can anything spark Europe’s economy back to life? Mario Draghi, the continent’s unofficial chief technocrat, has a plan. Economist

Tebboune, reelected in Algeria, faces turbulent regional geopolitics: Le Monde reports Abelmadjid Tebboune will have to re-establish Algiers' strategic position, weakened by tensions along its borders with Morocco, the Sahel and Libya.

Killing of opposition politician in Tanzania casts shadow over upcoming elections: FT reports the death comes amid crackdown in run-up to polls despite president signalling break with hardline policies of past.

Pope Francis's historic Asia Pacific tour: 'China is following the trip very closely': Le Monde reports the Vatican's relations with China, the weight of Catholicism in Asia, interreligious dialogue and sexual violence are some of the issues that will come up on the Pope's trip. Singapore-based researcher Michel Chambon says that Francis is seeking to 'demonstrate the universal sovereignty of the papacy' in the region.

Tough-on-China bills set for approval by US House this week: 'China Week' legislation to head to the Senate before Congress winds down. Nikkei

Bloomberg: US House passes bill to blacklist some China biotech firms

$14.8bn: The amount of foreign direct investment in China in the second quarter of this year, a record low.

***  US Politics + Elections ***

How Harris and Trump will try to win the debate: In their first face-to-face encounter, the two candidates will try to draw contrasts with each other before a closely divided electorate. WSJ

Harris and Trump prep for debate that could define rest of campaign: Tuesday’s faceoff, which may be the only presidential debate between the two nominees, could draw the largest audience either one faces before Election Day. WP

Will the debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump matter? Normally presidential match-ups hardly move the needle—but this is no ordinary year. Economist

As debate looms, Trump faces questions about age and capacity: Donald Trump’s rambling, sometimes incoherent public statements have raised questions about his cognitive health and stirred concern among voters. NYT

Actually, Harris’s job at the debate is quite simple Matt Bai

Kamala Harris has to dazzle in the debate: The Democratic candidate badly needs a breakthrough to restore momentum to her campaign. Gideon Rachman

Seven tips for Harris to win her debate with Trump: The former president will be on the attack, ill-informed, dismissive, and histrionic. Here’s how the vice president can counter that. Timothy L. O'Brien

Harris vs. Trump: Debate-winning tactics, explained by a champion coach: Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump face off in their first presidential debate Tuesday. An award-winning collegiate debate coach explains the tactics each candidate could use to their advantage. WSJ

Vice President Kamala Harris is pledging to end subminimum wages for tipped workers, widening a push to eliminate taxes on tips as she jockeys with Donald Trump ahead of their first debate Tuesday.

Trump signals support for Biden plan to loosen marijuana restrictions: WP reports the former president suggested he wants to see marijuana reclassified as a Schedule III drug, the first time he has endorsed the easing of federal restrictions.

Donald Trump escalates tariff threat in vow to protect dollar: FT reports the ex-president’s latest broadside warns countries to stick with US currency in trades or face 100% levy.

Google faces blockbuster antitrust case—again: WSJ reports a federal judge heard opening statements in a case alleging Google has an unlawful grip on the market for software used to buy and sell digital ads.

US argues Google created ad tech monopoly: NYT reports the tech giant went to court on Monday in a second antitrust trial, this one focused on its dominance in advertising technology software. The case could reshape its business.

Searches in New York mayor’s inner circle suggest intensifying investigations: NYT reports experts said that investigators looking into Eric Adams’s administration would not have taken recent steps if they did not see sufficient reason for doing so.

Jorge Ramos, star news anchor, to leave Univision after 40 years: NYT reports TelevisaUnivision announced on Monday that Ramos and the network had mutually agreed not to renew his contract.

*** Disruption + Innovation ***

Apple unveils an AI iPhone: WSJ reports the company, which has faced slumping sales in its signature product, released the iPhone 16, with an upgraded Siri, AI text editing and photo-recognition tools.

Apple launches iPhone 16 as it bets on AI future: FT reports the tech giant seeks to put new tools at centre of its flagship smartphone in effort to entice customers.

Apple unveils new iPhones with built-in artificial intelligence: NYT reports the company also showcased a new Apple Watch and AirPods that can reduce noise at concerts or near construction sites.

Apple looks to entice iPhone 16 shoppers with not-quite-ready AI: Bloomberg reports the company also debuts a new version of its lower-end AirPods.

iPhone 16 is all about Apple Intelligence. Previews show it can be kind of dumb. Testing a prerelease version of the software, I’ve found it sometimes helpful — and sometimes laugh-out-loud weird. Geoffrey A. Fowler

Nikkei: Apple unveils iPhone 16, but AI unavailable in Japanese, Chinese till 2025

AI exuberance masks broad weakness in tech sector, say investors: Many companies unconnected to artificial intelligence boom are yet to recover from post-pandemic downturn. FT

AI: too much information? Yuval Noah Harari and Parmy Olson on how the race for superintelligence may amplify the worst of human nature. FT

AI started as a dream to save humanity. Then, Big Tech took over. A new book, Supremacy, delves into the drama behind the technological revolution and how visionaries like Sam Altman and Demis Hassabis helped consolidate power among corporate giants. Parmy Olson

X hires Hyundai’s former CMO to lead global marketing: WSJ reports Angela Zepeda, until recently the top marketer at Hyundai Motor America, will become the new global head of marketing at the social-media platform.

Greed, gluttony, and the crackup of Red Lobster: This is how missed opportunities, a $1.5 billion real estate deal, all-you-can-eat shrimp, and the global pandemic sank America’s largest seafood chain. NYT

*** Culture ***

George Clooney and Brad Pitt at the Venice International Film Festival. Does anyone care? The American acting duo, who star in Jon Watts' new film ‘Wolfs,’ shown out of competition at the Venice Film Festival on September 1, charmed Venice. Marc Beaugé

A tour of London with the collective making architecture more conscious: POoR Collective works with local communities to co-design spaces they actually want to use. They took us around some of their favourite spots in the capital. FT

WSJ: James Earl Jones, stage and screen actor and voice of Darth Vader, dies at 93

*** Sport ***

Questions remain after police briefly detain Miami Dolphins star Tyreek Hill: WSJ reports a police union and the NFL player’s agent are offering different accounts of what happened before Sunday’s game.

Tyreek Hill’s unsettling question should bother us all: The Miami Dolphins wide receiver asked a piercing question after he was detained by police on his way to work: What if he wasn’t Tyreek Hill? Candace Buckner


Enjoy the ride + plan accordingly.

-Marc 

Marc A. Ross | Chief Communications Strategist @ Caracal