ITK Daily | January 16
Happy Monday.
Here’s today’s ITK Daily.
To be ITK, know this:
Today: The start of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
+ The theme is "Cooperation in a Fragmented World."
+ German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is the only G7 leader coming.?
+ The US sends Labor Secretary Marty Walsh, US Trade Representative Katherine Tai, and Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Christopher Wray.
+ Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected to deliver an address on Wednesday.
Davos confronts a new world order: The COVID-19 pandemic, the invasion of Ukraine, a trend toward autocracy, and economic inequalities challenge the World Economic Forum’s relevance.?NYT
Turkish elections: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan again hinted that elections might be brought forward to May from the originally scheduled June date.
Emmanuel Macron?has expressed hope for visiting South Korea in the coming months to hold talks with President Yoon Suk Yeol.
Sweden is navigating an international identity crisis: War in Ukraine and economic activism in Europe are causing Stockholm to nuance traditional stances.?Martin Sandbu
This village is standing in the way of Germany’s coal revival: Europe’s largest economy is expanding a lignite mine to help it weather the energy crisis, but climate change activists are resisting.?Bloomberg
German police finish clearing site of violent anti-coal protests: AFP reports police on Sunday said they had almost finished clearing climate activists from a German village being razed to make way for a coal mine expansion, as both sides accused each other of violence.
Reuters: South Africa's president to skip WEF to deal with crippling power cuts at home
War in Tigray may have killed 600,000 people, peace mediator says: Conflict came to an end after two years of fighting and was marked by waves of violence against civilians.?FT
Brasilia: The dream city that crumbled when reality moved in: Brazil’s capital, hit by riots last week, was built as a socialist utopia that would coax workers off the beach. Now the concrete is cracking, and the poor are priced out.?The Times
The pro-Bolsonaro riot is part of a global contagion: Populism, polarization, and post-truth politics are expanding rapidly.?Moisés Naím?
+ Moisés Naím is the author of The Revenge of Power: How Autocrats are Reinventing Politics for the 21st Century
Colombia’s $20bn takeover battle turns ugly after year-long fight: Allegations of media favoritism and poor governance fly as stakes rise for billionaire Jaime Gilinski.?FT
Peru declares state of emergency in Lima after deadly protests: Dozens killed as police clash with demonstrators demanding the resignation of Dina Boluarte.?FT
Peru declares state of emergency in Lima over protests: Peru declared a state of emergency in the capital Lima and three other regions, Agence France-Presse reported, following anti-government protests that have left more than 40 dead.
The lure of Singapore: Chinese flock to ‘Asia’s Switzerland’: Geopolitical tension has increased the city-state’s attraction as a financial outpost and safe haven. But can it maintain its neutrality??FT
+ “In a world where China is looking for friends, it gets a warm reception in Singapore. At the same time, Wall Street and US companies increasingly see us as a premium alternative to other hubs.”
In China, Xi Jinping faces a difficult year on several fronts: The pivot away from ‘zero Covid’ could have profound health, social, political, and economic impacts.?WSJ
The Xi nobody saw coming: China’s hardline leader has reversed his decisions on a wide range of policies, wrongfooting the rest of the world.?Ruchir Sharma
China’s bid to leave covid behind could determine global economy’s fate: The US, European, and Japanese economies are seen in the latest forecasts as likely to underperform.?WP
Taiwan's ruling party elects VP as new leader to spearhead revival: Lai to take the reins as questions swirl over his pro-independence stance.?Nikkei
New Japan-US defense ties will make Kim Jong Un 'think twice': CSIS Japan chair says discussion on Taiwan contingency to deepen after the summit.?Nikkei
+ "Until now, China and?North Korea, quite honestly, have not had to worry about a response from Japan itself?to an attack. But this decision that Japan has made changes that."
The Fight of His Life review: Joe Biden, White House winner: Chris Whipple’s assured account of the president’s first two years in power after beating Trump is fascinating and timely.?Guardian
Why do documents marked secret keep showing up in strange places??Matthew Connelly
+ Matthew Connelly is the author of the forthcoming book The Declassification Engine: What History Reveals About America’s Top Secrets.
Can America rediscover what made it great??Christopher Buskirk
Despite everything you think you know, America is on the right track: Yes, America is a wounded giant—but it always has been, and the case for optimism is surprisingly strong.?David Brooks
Auburn banned TikTok, and students can’t stop talking about it: The school’s prohibition brings a geopolitical fight front and center for TikTok’s biggest fans: young Americans.?NYT
When geopolitics lands in Lee County, Alabama, you know it's a disruptive world.
The impact of corporate politics: A lesson learned from Nokia: The maker of the world’s best-selling mobile devices that sold more than 250 million units of its 1100 and 1110 — Nokia Corporation. The company once became a shining light in the telecommunications and electronics industry from 1865 to 2006.?Joshua Romero
Alibaba, Huawei race to gain edge in Southeast Asia's cloud market: Chinese tech firms build out a network of data centers, tapping into a booming sector.?Nikkei
+ Doing business with a Chinese cloud company carries risk because of?tensions between the US and China.
+ The US State Department has warned American companies not to use cloud services offered by Chinese providers over national security concerns.
Paris to hold referendum on e-scooter rental services: Parisians will vote on whether or not to ban the 15,000 scooters operated by companies Lime, Dott, and Tier in Paris on April 2.?Le Monde
+ The simple question for the referendum on April 2: "Do we or don't we continue with free-floating rental scooters?"
+ 15,000 for-rent scooters currently operate in Paris.
+ Privately owned scooters are not targeted in the referendum.
Carl Hahn, VW CEO who brought the Beetle to America, dies at 96?Bloomberg
For Porsche and Lamborghini, going off-road means big bucks: The luxury automakers are making adventure vehicles and cashing in.?Bloomberg
BYD challenges Tesla for global electric vehicle sales supremacy: China’s top plug-in car maker has been expanding its model lineup, geographic footprint, and manufacturing capacity to overtake Elon Musk.?Bloomberg
Today: The Australian Open tennis tournament starts in Melbourne.
US alpine ski racing’s $500,000-per-kid problem: A rising emphasis on youth racing and travel drives ‘financial doping’ in an already pricey sport, narrowing the Olympic pipeline.?WSJ
+ The total cost for a junior ski racing career can top $500,000, according to a 2019 survey by US Ski & Snowboard of ski clubs, academies, and colleges.
Qatar targets the Premier League after World Cup success: The desert state is hunting for strategic investments in the sports industry.?FT
Enjoy the ride + plan accordingly.
-Marc?
Marc A. Ross | Chief Communications Strategist @ Caracal
Caracal produces ITK Daily.
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