ITK Daily | February 28
Happy Tuesday.
Here’s today’s ITK Daily.
To be ITK, know this:
Bloomberg: UK, EU seal new post-Brexit deal on Northern Ireland trade
WP: Britain and EU reset relations with new post-Brexit deal for Northern Ireland
The Times: We’ve taken back control, says Sunak as he hails Brexit breakthrough
UK and EU strike deal on Northern Ireland protocol: Politico reports UK’s Rishi Sunak hails ‘new chapter’ in relations with the EU — but now has to sell the deal to skeptics.
+ @MarketBlondes: Sunak doing a good job of squaring a circle such that it is indistinguishable to the naked eye, even though it still exists
Why did the EU move so much more with this Brexit deal? The Times
How Rishi Sunak got the Brexit deal over the line The Times
Can Sunak’s Brexit breakthrough unite the Tory party? The opposition to the Windsor Framework will not come from Labour. It will come from the Prime Minister’s own backbenchers. Freddie Hayward
The new Brexit deal is the best Britain can expect. Support it: Both the Tories and the Democratic Unionist Party should get behind the new agreement with the EU. Economist
AFP: US, Poland, and Germany may hold joint manoeuvres: minister
Bloomberg: Yellen makes surprise visit to Ukraine to reinforce US support
Economic aid to Ukraine is vital Janet Yellen
The strengths and weaknesses of Volodymyr Zelenskyy: War hasn’t done anything to temper the Ukrainian leader’s impatience with the complexities of governing. Politico
Arming Ukraine: How war forced the EU to rewrite defense policy: Brussels ripped up its playbook with a bold move to use a recently formed fund to send billions of euros in weapons to Kyiv. FT
Russia launches new wave of Iranian-made drones against Ukraine: WSJ reports Saudi foreign minister visits Kyiv amid growing military cooperation between Tehran and Moscow.
AFP: Macron to outline France's revamped Africa policy ahead of four-nation trip
France will reorganize military bases in Africa, says Macron: DW reports ahead of a trip to Africa, French President Emmanuel Macron has outlined plans for a "noticeable reduction" in France's troop presence on the continent. France also intends to co-run African bases with African countries.
Macron plans 'noticeable reduction' of French troops in Africa: The French president was speaking ahead of a four-nation tour of central African countries. Paris has fallen out with new military authorities in Mali and Burkina Faso. Le Monde
Friday: President Joe Biden will host German Chancellor Olaf Scholz at the White House.
Today: Former LA Mayor Eric Garcetti finally gets his chance at Senate confirmation as US Ambassador to India.
White House says no consensus on COVID origin: WSJ reports there is no consensus within the Biden administration over the origins of the pandemic, an official said after the disclosure of an Energy Department assessment that the coronavirus likely leaked from a Chinese lab.
The Times: Taiwan to criminalise spreading rumours as it prepares for possible war with China
CIA chief says China has doubts about its ability to invade Taiwan: Russia’s struggles in Ukraine may be causing Beijing to have more trepidation. WSJ
US aims to pull ex-Soviet Republics from Russian, Chinese orbits: WSJ reports Blinken to meet Central Asian officials in Kazakhstan, as the countries try to stay neutral in the Russia-Ukraine war.
Nikkei: Japan, US race to modernize alliance facing multiple threats
A war with China would be unlike anything Americans faced before Ross Babbage
+ Ross Babbage is the author of the forthcoming book “The Next Major War: Can the US and Its Allies Win Against China?”
Richard Haass on America’s relationship problems with China: The foreign-policy expert says US-China relations are the worst they’ve ever been. Intelligencer
Why can’t Democrats explain themselves on China? Biden has yet to find the rhetoric to describe his views on America’s global rival — and that’s a big problem. Alexander Burns
Great power competition comes for the South Pole CSIS
+ 55 countries are party to the Antarctic Treaty, and 30 countries maintain 82 research stations.
+ All five of the official Antarctic “gateway cities” are in democracies: Cape Town in South Africa, Christchurch in New Zealand, Hobart in Australia, Punta Arenas in Chile, and Ushuaia in Argentina.
Liberals ignored CSIS warning on 2019 candidate accused in Chinese interference probe: sources Global News
Global News: Trudeau defends Han Dong amid report CSIS warned of foreign influence concerns
AP: Tens of thousands protest Mexico’s electoral law changes
Mexican president dismisses protests against election system overhaul: WSJ reports mass demonstrations signal deep divisions in Mexico ahead of next year’s presidential election.
Amlo’s strongman act is weakening Mexico: The president’s attacks on national institutions threaten democracy and stability. Gideon Rachman
Today: The Courage to Be Free: Florida's Blueprint for America's Revival by Ron DeSantis drops.
+ The book's first excerpt was published in Rupert Murdoch's NY Post.
+ DeSantis started his media tour Sunday night by giving his first interview about the book to Mark Levin, on Fox News’ “Life, Liberty & Levin.”
+ “My father’s from western Pennsylvania, my mother’s from Northeastern Ohio... it was kind of those Rust Belt values that raised me.”
Let's end the use of "Rust Belt."
The Great Lakes-Seaway system serves an economic region that includes 8 states and 2 provinces.
If the region were a country, it would have one of the largest economies in the world – larger than that of Japan, Germany, Brazil, or the United Kingdom.
Preaching freedom, Ron DeSantis leads by cracking down: In his new book, “The Courage to Be Free,” the Florida governor and potential Republican presidential candidate offers a template for governing based on an expansive vision of executive power. Jennifer Szalai
Ron DeSantis’s scorn-filled book sets tone for potential campaign: In ‘The Courage to Be Free,’ the Florida governor says America is threatened by ‘elites’ and ‘woke’ corporations. Manuel Roig-Franzia
AP: DeSantis moves toward GOP presidential bid on his own terms
GOP donors in New York await a parade of presidential hopefuls: NYT reports Donald Trump’s support in the city’s wealthy political circles is waning as 2024 rivals and potential candidates, including Nikki Haley and Mike Pence, make the rounds.
Washington doesn’t think Ron DeSantis can win: Democrats are blasé about the Florida governor, while Republicans know he won’t beat Donald Trump. Ben Judah
Conservatives have a new rallying cry: Down with ESG: A Federalist Society veteran is heading up a multimillion-dollar effort to push anti-ESG messaging and legislation. WSJ
WP: Marianne Williamson to head to NH and SC in longshot bid against Biden
The case for a primary challenge to Joe Biden: There must be some freethinking Democrat who’s willing to get in the race. Mark Leibovich
President Biden’s succession problem Greg Craig
+ Energy Secretary Granholm to headline energy track at SXSW Conference.
Democratic Rep. Elissa Slotkin announces Senate run in Michigan: WP reports the US House member and former CIA analyst is seen by many top Democrats as a formidable contender in a key battleground.
Indian Americans rapidly climbing political ranks: The 2024 cycle reflects huge strides in representation: A decade ago, “it was inconceivable that someone named Raj Goyle — let alone Rajeev Goyle — would run for office in Wichita,” said Goyle, a former Kansas lawmaker. NYT
SpaceX delays launch of astronaut crew set for International Space Station: WP reports the scrubbed liftoff comes days after the Russian space agency sent a rescue spacecraft to the station to replace a damaged one.
The Deliveroo dystopia: How London dehumanized a collapsed courier: Riders like Mohamed are invisible to us until something goes wrong. Anoosh Chakelian
Nikkei: Tim Hortons coffee chain expands to Singapore, Malaysia in Marubeni pact
AI-powered search engines driving concerns over accuracy, bias: A new Morning Consult survey finds that more than 3 in 5 adults are at least somewhat concerned over the accuracy of results, bias, and misinformation in artificial intelligence-powered search engines — and with data privacy and foreign interference in AI systems more broadly.
20 people who matter in UK tech: As the British government unveils a raft of new tech legislation, politicians, civil servants, regulators, and lobbyists are vying for influence. Politico
UK cities set to host fintech hubs to help drive innovation: Government-backed plans will be coordinated by the new Centre for Finance, Innovation, and Technology. FT
Crypto firms brace for ‘carpet-bombing moment’ in US as Europe beckons: Politico reports the EU's openness toward crypto is a striking turnaround.
Bloomberg: Stellantis to cut up to 2,000 workers in Italy this year
Nikkei: Nissan to spend $250m on US plant to boost EV motor production
The US has billions for wind and solar projects. Good luck plugging them in. An explosion in proposed clean energy ventures has overwhelmed the system for connecting new power sources to homes and businesses. NYT
+ “It doesn’t matter how cheap the clean energy is. If developers can’t get through the interconnection process quickly enough and get enough steel in the ground, we won’t hit our climate change goals.” -- Spencer Nelson, managing director of research at ClearPath Foundation.
Global miners gear up for energy transition with deals and investments: Executives expect the Inflation Reduction Act to increase demand for metals, including copper. WSJ
Axel Springer is going all in on America: The controversial German publisher thinks it can conquer the digital news market. Economist
Nokia launched a new logo and brand image: The company redesigned its logo for the first time in decades to move the company from being seen as just a phone company to one that is a B2B technology powerhouse. The new logo, according to CNN, features five different shapes coming together to spell NOKIA.
+ The font is sleeker, and the classic shade of blue associated with the brand is replaced with various colors depending on placement.
+ The changes were announced before the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, which kicked off today.
Driving recognition for Nokia as a B2B tech powerhouse Lippincott
Reuters: White House gives agencies 30 days to impose federal device TikTok ban
Canadian federal government banning social media platform TikTok from government phones: CBC reports the Chief Information Officer of Canada made the decision following a review. The review found that TikTok's data collection methods could lead to cyber-attacks.
WP: TikTok to be available in Mercedes-Benz E-class sedans
Pfizer in talks to acquire Seagen in deal likely valued at more than $30 billion: WSJ reports the potential deal would help the drug company add to its lineup of cancer treatments.
WP: Adidas has $500 million worth of Kanye West sneakers and no good options
AFP: 'Everything Everywhere' wins (nearly) all at SAG Awards
Everything Everywhere All at Once is the undeniable Oscars front-runner Nate Jones
'Best chef in the world' Guy Savoy stripped of Michelin star: The 69-year-old has held Michelin's top three-star status since 2002 for his Monnaie de Paris restaurant overlooking the Seine. Le Monde
Chris rock is finally ready to talk about Will Smith’s Oscar slap: The stand-up comedian, going live with a new Netflix special a week before the Oscars, spent the past year on tour and working out material on the infamous Oscar slap. WSJ
Sciences Po Paris turns to arts education: The prestigious French university will soon inaugurate a new chair dedicated to the visual arts. Then, in a few months, another one will be dedicated to the performing arts. Le Monde
His PhD took 53 years. Now, he has a new philosophy on life. WP
Is the four-day workweek going to be another luxury that divides America? WP
Surf’s up…in Duluth…in February—‘It’s liquid ice, dude’: Minnesota port on Lake Superior has big waves, especially in a mammoth arctic storm. WSJ
I thought baseball games were too slow. Now they’re too fast? Hang onto your caps—the fading pastime is installing clocks and accelerating its tortoise-like pace of play. Jason Gay
The Times: Lionel Messi named FIFA’s player of the year for seventh time
AFP: Argentina's World Cup-winning coach Scaloni to stay till 2026
Enjoy the ride + plan accordingly.
-Marc
Marc A. Ross | Chief Communications Strategist @ Caracal
Caracal produces ITK Daily.
Geopolitics is disrupting every business and industry.
Caracal is here to help.
Caracal is a geopolitical business communications firm specializing in global business issues at the intersection of globalization, disruption, and politics.
Caracal believes that to be a world-class geopolitical business communicator, you need global street smarts coupled with holistic, high-frequency, and high-low communications.