Written by Econintersect
Early Bird Headlines 28 June 2017
Econintersect: Here are some of the headlines we found to help you start your day. For more headlines see our afternoon feature for GEI members, What We Read Today, which has many more headlines and a number of article discussions to keep you abreast of what we have found interesting.
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Global
Asia markets mostly lower after Senate delays health-care vote, Draghi hints at policy shift (CNBC) Asian indexes traded mostly lower on Wednesday after the softer lead from Wall Street, with the vote on a bill to replace Obamacare in the U.S. delayed. The dollar index tumbled to trade at 96.360, below the 97 handle seen for the last two weeks. Brent crude dipped 0.16% to trade at $46.57 a barrel and U.S. crude traded lower by 0.38% at $44.07. Spot gold had risen 0.2% to $1,249.17 per ounce by 0049 GMT. U.S. gold futures for August delivery climbed 0.2% to $1,249.40 per ounce.
U.S.
Senate GOP delays ObamaCare repeal vote past recess (The Hill) Senate Republicans will head into the July 4 recess without having repealed ObamaCare after deciding on Tuesday to delay the legislation when it became clear it lacked the votes for passage. The decision sets up a situation Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) had long sought to avoid: a recess where his members will take hits over the healthcare fight and a July that might now be taken up by the healthcare debate.
The GOP leader put on a brave face after an emergency meeting at the White House with President Trump and his conference, telling reporters that his members just needed a little bit more time.
Trump tells GOP senators: ‘We’re getting very close’ on passing health-care plan (CNBC) The president sounds hopeful. The Senate is going home.
President Donald Trump tells GOP senators that “we’re getting very close” to reaching a deal on an Obamacare replacement bill.
Senate Republicans are delaying their vote amid opposition from enough GOP senators to sink the proposal.
Buffett Renews Attack on Health Bill as `Relief for Rich Act’ (Bloomberg) Billionaire investor Warren Buffett renewed his attack on the Republican effort to overhaul the U.S. health-care system, saying that it would be a handout to wealthy people like him.
He tells PBS that House version would have cut his taxes
Buffett: I have friends who would save more than $10 million
Dear President Trump: Breaking Up Banks Isn’t So Hard To Do (The Huffington Post) Nome Prins says the legislation is already written – it’s called the Glass-teagall Act. The looming financial crisis doesn’t involve subprime mortgages but an even more complex mixture of financial derivatives that have nothing to do with the basic functions of banking and everyhting to do with casino-like activities.
Trump Administration to Rescind Clean Water Rule (Common Dreams) Statement of Wenonah Hauter, Executive Director, Food & Water Watch:
“In yet another clear signal that the Trump administration cares little for the health and safety of communities across the United States, the EPA is reportedly issuing a proposed rule to undo the Clean Water Rule that was enacted under Obama’s last term. Although far from perfect, the Clean Water Rule was a step in the right direction; now Trump wants to take giant steps backwards in clean water protections, back to the days of massive fish kills and rivers on fire. With each day in office, Trump is firmly cementing his place in history as the worst environmental president to ever hold office.”
Reporter who clashed with Sanders during press briefing: It was a ‘long time coming’ (The Hill) Brian Karem, the Playboy contributor who clashed with Deputy Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders during Tuesday’s White House press briefing, told MSNBC that the spat was a “long time coming.” Karem admitted on “Hardball with Chris Matthews” that he lost his temper, but said that it had been building for months. He accused the White House press team of being unable to admit when they make even the most basic of mistakes. Karem told Matthews::
“Maybe I lost my temper at that moment. But it was a long time coming. It was six months.”
James Comey’s friend hints at impending bombshell in Donald Trump’s Russia scandal (Palmer Report) Hat tip to @surly01. Benjamin Wittes is a Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institute and the Editor in Chief of Lawfare, but of late he’s come front and center for speaking with the media on behalf of his friend, former FBI Director James Comey. And now, in the midst of a number of breaking Trump-Russia developments, Wittes is teasing an impending bombshell in Donald Trump’s Russia scandal.
Is ‘Russiagate’ Collapsing as a Political Strategy? (Common Dreams) Since the election last November, Democratic congressional leaders have been placing the party’s bets heavily on the Russia horse. Is it now pulling up lame? This article says the “winning issue” of Russia is a “losing game“.
Syria
Lawmakers wary of Trump escalation in Syria (The Hill) Washington scrambled Tuesday to make sense of the White House’s statement that the United States has “identified potential preparations” by the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad for another chemical attack. The statement came Monday night with little explanation, and stoked fears among the president’s critics that the United States is moving into the Syrian civil war without a clear strategy.
Ukraine
Manafort Discloses $17 Million in Payments for Ukrainian Work (Bloomberg) President Donald Trump’s former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, received $17.1 million for his work with a Ukrainian political party, according to a registration document he filed with the U.S. government.
Manafort registered Tuesday with the U.S. Justice Department under the Foreign Agents Registration Act, which requires people to disclose any political or quasi-political work they do for foreign entities. Manafort’s filing covered his work on behalf of Ukraine’s pro-Russian Party of Regions between 2012 and 2013.
India
China sends out a strong signal (The Hindu) India and China have continuing scuffles over a disputed area in northeast Kashmir.
China
Chinese GDP will accelerate as the country finally gets leaders who aren’t scared, said a former PBOC advisor.
Expect a new crop of leaders who will make bold changes after 19th Party Congress.
An ongoing probe into several of China’s largest overseas asset buyers is likely to reveal just few cases of misconduct.