France’s Government, A Ceasefire Flip-Flop, & X’s Fleeing Advertisers

September 6, 2024

Hello, readers – happy Friday! Today, we’ll be talking about France’s prime minister, a ceasefire deal (or lack thereof), Haiti’s ongoing crisis, spyware in Colombia, Verizon’s big purchase, how things are going for Kamala, and Twitter’s advertisers.

Here’s some good news: The northern bald ibis was brought back from extinction in central Europe after 300 years, so scientist “foster parents” are teaching the birds their migration routes. Also, this week, the New Orleans private school where two students cracked a centuries-old mathematical equation has received its first $100,000 from Charles Barkley. Barkley was inspired by the story of the two girls, and said he wanted to donate $1 million to the school. 

Our publisher, Tim Hsia, has shared some of his thoughts over on LinkedIn about when to say “yes” to everything and when you can start saying “no.”

“Nonsense and beauty have close connections.” – E.M. Forster

Macron Finds His Man

Apparently, Emmanuel Macron would rather partner with France’s right wing than strike a deal with anybody resembling a leftist. Yesterday, the centrist French president named Michel Barnier, a veteran conservative politician, as his choice for prime minister. The 73-year-old has spent 50 years in politics, serving as France’s foreign minister and E.U. commissioner, though he’s probably best known as the E.U.’s chief Brexit negotiator.

Opposition leaders on both sides of the aisle were quick to voice their disappointment (putting it nicely) in Macron’s choice. Jean-Luc Melenchon, a leader in France’s left wing, said that Macron “has stolen the election from the French people” by not naming a leftist as his PM pick given that a leftist coalition holds the most seats in parliament, while far-right leader Marine Le Pen described Barnier as a “fossil.” Ouch.

Despite Le Pen’s zinger, her far-right National Rally party has tentatively backed Barnier’s nomination. The right’s alliance with Macron’s centrist coalition will secure the two groups more leverage in the government, but National Rally has warned that it’s willing to pull out of the uneasy alliance if its immigration, security, and economic concerns are not properly addressed. 

Deal Or No Deal? 

Earlier this week, Israel allowed a wave of health workers into Gaza to vaccinate Palestinian children against polio. The disease has become a growing concern as the enclave’s infrastructure has been decimated thanks to the IDF’s bombings. Just hours after the first phase of that vaccination campaign wrapped up, Israel dropped bombs on a hospital in central Gaza, killing at least four people and wounding a number of women and children.

Meanwhile, the conflict shows no signs of coming to an end. On Thursday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that there is no ceasefire or hostage deal in the making, and added that the White House’s portrayal that a ceasefire is 90% complete is “exactly inaccurate.” Oof.

U.S. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told the press that he wasn’t “going to get into a public back and forth through all of you in the press with Prime Minister Netanyahu,” but then doubled down on the back and forth, adding, “I will just say that this process has at times been cumbersome. We have faced setbacks and setbacks and more setbacks, and without question, we here in the administration are frustrated that we still haven’t been able to conclude this deal.” Does this mean we’re finally seeing some cracks in the U.S.-Israel relationship? Probably not, but only time will tell.

Playing Hot Potato With Haiti

• Despite the deployment of a U.N.-backed, Kenyan-led security force in Haiti earlier this year, the situation in the Caribbean nation has yet to improve. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Haiti yesterday, meeting with local leaders and assessing the situation in the island nation. 
• The current peacekeeping force, which is led by Kenyan police, is being largely funded by the U.S. and Canada. To cut its costs, the U.S. is considering backing a U.N. peacekeeping operation, which would provide security forces with more equipment and funding. Unfortunately, U.N. peacekeeping forces don’t have the best history in their Haitian operations – the last time U.N. troops were in Haiti, they introduced cholera to the country and committed sexual violence. 

Petro’s Power Play

• Colombian President Gustavo Petro has called for an investigation into his country’s purchase of Pegasus, a spyware that can be remotely installed on people’s mobile phones to access their microphones, cameras, and data. The surveillance technology was purchased in a secret cash transaction by Petro’s predecessor, Iván Duque, and was used to spy on his political rivals – including Petro himself.
• According to Petro, Colombia’s police intelligence agency had purchased Pegasus at an undisclosed date by sending two $5.5 million cash payments to NSO, the Israeli surveillance firm that developed the spyware. The president has tapped Colombia’s attorney general to investigate the illicit purchase and what, if anything, police dug up using the spyware. 

More Mixed Nuts

• Putin says he wants Harris to win 2024 election (Axios)
• Munich police fatally shoot a man they believe was planning to attack the Israeli Consulate (AP)
• US secures release of 135 political prisoners from Nicaragua (BBC)
• Pope and imam of Southeast Asia’s largest mosque make joint call to fight violence, protect planet (AP)
• New Maori Queen anointed following the death of her father (CNN)
• School and work are suspended in parts of southern China as Typhoon Yagi edges closer (AP)

Verizon Adds Some Fiber To Its Diet

• Verizon announced yesterday that it is buying Frontier Wireless for $20 billion. Frontier has invested over $4 billion over the last four years to upgrade and expand its fiber network, which Verizon is eager to leverage. Verizon also plans to use the acquisition to expand its programs for AI and smart devices. 
• Frontier has 7.2 million fiber locations and has plans to build out an additional 2.8 million by the end of 2026. However, some experts aren’t sure it’s a strategic move – “Frontier’s paltry 3.5% national fiber coverage (again, according to the FCC’s broadband map as of end of 2023) would leave Verizon with a combined fiber footprint that still covers less than 13% of the country,” said one researcher. 

Even Presidential Candidates Procrastinate

• Talk about coming in under the wire. Just five days before the first debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Trump (though it’s technically the second debate of the presidential race), Harris’ camp agreed to the rules laid out for the face-off – specifically, the fact that microphones will be muted while the other person is talking. 
• Harris also got some good (though slightly unreliable) news this week. Allan Lichtman, the historian who correctly predicted the winner of 9 out of the 10 most recent presidential elections, has made his pick for this year, and things are coming up Kamala. Lichtman bases his prediction on thirteen “big picture true-false questions that tap into the strength and performance of the White House Party.” Eight of them are in favor of Harris, while three are in favor of Trump – but Lichtman reminded everyone that they still have to get and vote. 

More Nuts In America

• New details emerge about the 14-year-old suspect and victims in the deadliest school shooting this year (CNN)
• Pro-Palestinian protests return to campuses adding election complication (NBC)
• Texas attorney general sues county for trying to mail registration forms to unregistered voters (CNN)
• Liz Cheney says she’s voting for Kamala Harris (CBS)
• Storm tracker: National Hurricane Center tracking 5 disturbances in Atlantic (USA Today)
• Courtroom clash in Trump’s election interference case as the judge ponders the path ahead (AP)

The Former Blue Bird Might Fly Into The Red

• According to a new survey, a significant portion of X’s ad-buyers are going to become ex-X-ad-buyers next year. The survey of marketers, conducted by global market research firm Kantar, shows that 26% of advertisers plan to reduce their ad spending on the platform in 2025. That pullback, if it actually occurs, would mark the biggest-ever withdrawal from an online advertising platform in recorded history…not that the recorded history of online advertising platforms is very long, but that’s still a remarkable statistic.
• “Advertisers have been moving their marketing spend away from X for several years,” said one director at Kantar. “X has changed so much in recent years and can be unpredictable from one day to the next — it’s difficult to feel confident about your brand safety in that environment.” 
• The survey also found that just 4% of marketers believe that X provides “brand safety,” meaning the guarantee that ads are not shown next to offensive or inappropriate content. Not helping the platform is CEO Elon Musk’s own posting habits, which have become increasingly anti-semitic and right-wing over the years.

More Loose Nuts

• Alex Morgan announces she’s retiring from pro soccer and is expecting her second child (CBS)
• Neon’s Rise to the Top With ‘Longlegs,’ ‘Parasite’ & Rivalry With A24 (Hollywood Reporter)
• Google’s AI-powered Ask Photos feature begins U.S. rollout (TechCrunch)
• Generative AI backlash hits annual writing event, prompting resignations (Ars Technica)
• New species of titanosaur identified amid group of ancient skeletons found in Spain (ABC)
• More water worlds than we thought might support life (Ars Technica)

Please consider making a donation to Daily Pnut, an independently operated and bootstrapped publication. Many thanks to everyone who already supports us!

Team Thoughts

Kayli – I can’t decide if the muted microphones will help or hinder the candidates, but I guess we’ll find out on Tuesday.

Marcus – Considering Macron’s tight relationship with Bernard Arnault, the owner of LVMH and one of the richest men on the planet, his decision here definitely makes a lot of sense.