ITK Daily | November 27

Canada, Nikki Haley, Hydrogen, Booker Prize, Cricket, plus 1,000 more actionable insights.

ITK Daily is geopolitical business intelligence for communications pros.?

Happy Monday.

Here’s today’s ITK Daily.

To be ITK, know this:?

*** Globalization + Statecraft ***

After 50 days, Israel has lost control of the war: The longer the ceasefire lasts, says Michael Clarke, a visiting professor in defense studies at King’s College London, the greater will be the pressure on the war cabinet in Tel Aviv to keep hostage exchanges going. The Times

Bloomberg: Israel, Hamas look to extend truce after more hostages are freed

Israel-Hamas war: Fragile truce holds for third day of hostage and prisoner exchange: Le Monde reports seventeen hostages were handed over to the Red Cross on Sunday afternoon, including a 4-year-old American girl. Israel in exchange has freed 39 Palestinian prisoners as part of the deal.

Bloomberg: Boris Johnson joins London march against antisemitism

WP: White House grapples with internal divisions on Israel-Gaza

Bloomberg: Israel, Ukraine aid unlikely before 2024, GOP’s Turner says

How Ukraine’s two million mines led to a lethal stalemate with Russia: Russia has turned Ukraine into the largest minefield in history, making fighting, farming or going for a walk almost impossible in some areas. Christina Lamb meets the people trying to clear a path. The Times

Manpower becomes Ukraine’s latest challenge as it digs in for a long war: Kyiv seeks to persuade younger recruits with better endurance and higher skills to join up. FT

WP: Russian and Chinese executives discuss Russia-Crimea tunnel project

Bloomberg: China says pathogens are behind spike in respiratory illnesses

China says surge in respiratory illnesses is not caused by novel virus: Le Monde reports in a statement on Sunday, the Chinese health ministry attributed the dramatic rise in respiratory illnesses to the flu and other known pathogens.

Young Chinese women are defying the Communist Party Leta Hong Fincher

Biden-Xi summit: A positive step in managing complex US-China ties: There was no reset but the San Francisco summit was a vital step to stabilizing the relationship amid challenging times. Chan Heng Chee

China, Japan, South Korea agree to boost trilateral ties, seek summit: Straits Times reports the foreign ministers of China, Japan, and South Korea agreed on Nov 26 to restart cooperation among the Asian neighbours and pave the way for a summit of their three leaders – Chinese President Xi Jinping, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol – in the latest move to ease tensions in the vital region.

South Korea's stock short-selling ban raises political questions: Experts, media see potential negative impact of 'populism' ahead of April election. Nikkei

Nikkei: Japan PM Kishida's approval rating sinks to new low of 30%

Today: Vietnamese President Vo Van Thuong pays a state visit to Japan,

Bloomberg: Malaysia to allow visa-free entry to Chinese, Indian citizens

Straits Times: Singapore President Tharman to make working visit to US from Nov 27 to Dec 4

Bloomberg: Australia is edging closer to meeting its 2030 emissions target

Thursday: COP28 starts - The 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference starts in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Battle for influence rages in heart of Wagner’s operations in Africa: The death of the mercenary group’s leader has created a window of opportunity in the Central African Republic for Western powers to offer an alternative. NYT

Why are Ukrainian special forces fighting Russia's Wagner mercenaries in Sudan? A Ukrainian source contacted by Le Monde confirmed that Ukrainian special forces, who cover military intelligence, are currently positioned in Sudan. Le Monde

Sierra Leone's government says it has regained control after attack on military armory: Le Monde reports gunmen then attacked major detention centers, freeing or abducting prisoners. The country is under a national curfew until further notice.

France's military presence in Africa faces an uncertain future: Le Monde reports C?te d'Ivoire, Senegal, Gabon, Djibouti, Chad... The agenda is still unclear for the remaining French forces on the continent after the departure of troops from Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger.

Geert Wilders to ‘moderate’ his stance in bid for Dutch premiership: FT reports far-right party set to resume exploratory talks with potential coalition partners on Monday.

Jeremy Hunt’s search for an elusive growth strategy: The chancellor would benefit from a system with fewer fiscal events, and more focus on policy. Martin Wolf

Bloomberg: Argentina’s Milei heads to US, invites Lula to inauguration

Argentina is a textbook case of ‘fiscal dominance’: Some wonder whether US deficits could similarly fuel inflation; it all depends on the Fed. Greg Ip

Canada inflation continued to ease in October: WSJ reports the pace for the country’s CPI was in line with expectations.

How geopolitics caught up with Canada: The country once saw itself as nearly immune from the world’s problems. But it is now immersed in stand-offs with India and China. FT

*** Politics + Elections ***

Nikki Haley’s challenge: Keep anti-Trump GOP vote, add some Trump backers: WSJ reports her recent surge in GOP polls tests appetite for a more traditional Republican.

Nikki Haley is edging ahead of DeSantis. Is Trump in her sights? The Times reports South Carolina’s former governor is quietly building momentum for the Republican nomination. In her hometown, voters are wondering if she can upset all the odds

WP: CEO of pro-DeSantis super PAC resigns amid rising tensions

Why the next seven weeks are so critical in the race for President Michelle Cottle

Cannabis redraws US’s 2024 electoral map: Republicans and Democrats face an electorate that increasingly favors looser marijuana laws. FT

Members of Congress head for the exits, many citing dysfunction: NYT reports more than three dozen incumbents have announced they will not seek re-election next year. Some are running for other offices, while others intend to leave Congress altogether.

*** Disruption + Innovation ***

Bloomberg: OpenAI engineers earning $800,000 a year turn rare skillset into leverage

The French catering world is in free fall: 'Remote working is a curse for us': Le Monde reports the challenges for caterers are on the rise, whether from rising inflation, absent or lower-spending customers, difficulties repaying loans taken out during the COVID-19 period or rising energy bills. The number of bankruptcies has skyrocketed.

Bloomberg: EY in talks to close London Bridge headquarters as staff WFH

‘Zoom fatigue’ may take toll on the brain and the heart, researchers say: Videoconference participants in a small study reported feeling tired, drowsy, and ‘fed up,’ and testing revealed brain wave data backing that up. WP

Friday: China begins requiring export permits for some graphite products, another attempt to control critical mineral supply in response to challenges to its global manufacturing dominance.

Bloomberg: Changan Auto, Huawei sign memo to set up smart-car systems unit

Tesla vs. Toyota is the new hot battle in cars Tim Higgins

Hydrogen fuel is gaining traction with truckers: Some operators say it allows trucks to drive farther and faster, but the technology is far behind development of battery-cell electric vehicles. WSJ

Nuclear power: Divergent political perceptions in France and Germany: Le Monde reports by its very nature, nuclear energy requires a strong state, which fits in well with France's Jacobin tradition. This contrasts Germany, a federal state, where nuclear energy symbolizes existential danger and the deprivation of citizens' rights.

Wednesday: Hong Kong lists the first exchange-traded fund tracking some of Saudi Arabia's largest companies like Aramco.The Times: Eurostar services from Amsterdam to London suspended until 2025

Alibaba founder Jack Ma starts ready-made food company: Nikkei reports the new Chinese business comes amid Ma's reported interest in agriculture tech.

*** Culture ***

In Georgia, the independent spirit of cinema: In Tbilisi, young filmmakers are trying to preserve their freedom of expression, against a backdrop of geopolitical tension. Le Monde

Paul Lynch wins Booker Prize for his dystopian novel 'Prophet Song': Le Monde reports the Irish writer won the prestigious literary award on Sunday with what judges called a 'soul-shattering' novel about a woman's struggle to protect her family as Ireland collapses into totalitarianism and war.

*** Sport ***

Verstappen ends season in style with record-breaking victory in Abu Dhabi Grand Prix: Le Monde reports the the three-time world champion came home almost 18 seconds ahead of his nearest rival, Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, in Abu Dhabi on Sunday.

The Utah Jazz enter their experimental post-cable phase: Bloomberg reports with its regional sports network shuttered, the team has taken charge of its broadcasts. The rest of the NBA—as well as baseball and hockey—is watching.

Michigan is better than Ohio State. They could be unstoppable. I can’t believe I typed that sentence, but it’s the truth. Jason Gay

Cricket, a political tool for India's Narendra Modi: The Indian prime minister was counting on the national team's victory over Australia in the World Cup final on November 19, to boost his popularity a few months ahead of the general election. But in politics, as in sport, nothing is ever certain. Le Monde

Enjoy the ride + plan accordingly.

-Marc?

Marc A. Ross | Chief Communications Strategist @ Caracal

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