Written by Econintersect
Early Bird Headlines 11 Sep 2018
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, published Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 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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​Special notice: Due to staff travel there will be no Early Bird columns Wednesdy, Thursday, and Friday September 12-14.
Global
- Asia markets mixed; Hong Kong’s Hang Seng stays in bear market (CNBC) Asia markets were mixed on Tuesday as Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index ended the trading day in bear territory for the second day. The U.S. dollar index was lower at 94.931 as of 3:41. Brent crude futures contract was up by 0.61% at $77.84 per barrel. U.S. crude futures were also slightly up by around 0.24% at $67.7 per barrel. Spot gold was mostly unchanged at $1,195.79 an ounce at 0654 GMT. U.S. gold futures edged up 0.1% to $1,201.60.
- New High-Res Map of Antarctica Shows the Icy Continent in Astonishing Detail (Live Science) A new map of Antarctica’s surface is so detailed, it almost seems as though if you put your hand on it you could trace the bumps in the ice ridges curving up the Antarctic Peninsula. Researchers compiled the stunning topographic map from high-resolution photos that were collected over six years by a group of satellites orbiting hundreds of miles above Earth. To create the map, millions of images were processed by one of the world’s largest supercomputers, called the Reference Elevation Model of Antarctica (REMA), according to a statement released by the University of Minnesota. The map offers a resolution of 8 meters (about 26 feet).
- If U.S. sanctions end up cutting off Iranian oil supply completely, oil prices will likely hit $100 per barrel, said Fereidun Fesharaki, founder and chairman of consultancy FACTS Global Energy.
- What’s currently holding back oil prices from moving higher is the ongoing trade friction between the U.S. and China, Fesharaki said.
U.S.
- Voters are enthusiastic about the economy, but it has not translated into a better approval rating for President Donald Trump, according to a new Quinnipiac University poll.
- Republicans have primarily touted the economy as they try to stop Democrats from taking a House majority.
- Trump was touting economic figures on his Twitter on Monday morning as he faces fresh pressure over a Bob Woodward book.
- Trump Job Approval (Weekly) (Gallup) Trump is still at 40% approval in this poll, higher than a number of others reported in the last several days.
- Documents Reveal Maria Butina Has Offered to Betray Her Lover (a GOP Operative) (Rolling Stone) Their love story may have bridged the divide between the plains of South Dakota and the wilds of Siberia, but the five-year romance between GOP consultant Paul Erickson and alleged Russian agent Maria Butina may be headed for a crack-up – leaving Erickson in legal jeopardy. In a federal court filing, prosecutors allege that Butina has offered to flip on Erickson – who is also identified as “Person 1″ in case documents.
- Trump’s latest boast about the economy isn’t even close to accurate (CNN) See also next article. President Donald Trump spent the morning bragging about the economy. At least one of his claims didn’t come close to being true. The president said in a tweet:
“The GDP Rate (4.2%) is higher than the Unemployment Rate (3.9%) for the first time in over 100 years!”
- The President Claimed Something That Has Happened 23% of the Time Just Happened for the First Time (Twitter)
- Hurricane Florence nears Category 5 strength as it moves toward the Southeast coast (CNN) The southern East Coast of the United States is bracing for the arrival of Hurricane Florence as the storm — already packing winds of up to 140 mph — neared Category 5 strength Tuesday. More than 1 million people face mandatory evacuation orders in coastal areas of North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. One year after major storms ravaged the Gulf Coast and Puerto Rico, officials warned those in Florence’s path not to underestimate the threat the storm poses. See also Hurricane Florence: more than 1m ordered to evacuate in Virginia and South Carolina (The Guardian). This storm progress is frequently updated by Sig Silber: September 10, 2018 Weather and Climate Report – Major Hurricane Expected to Land Thursday.
Syria
- US holds military exercise in Syria in response to Russian military threats (CNN) More than 100 US troops began an unexpected exercise in southern Syria on Friday in direct response to a series of Russian military threats, according to a US defense official. The exercise was detailed in a statement from the US Central Command but did not mention that the command ordered the exercise specifically after a September 1 warning from Russia that it was going to enter a restricted area of southern Syria where US troops are located, the official said. The exercise, which may last for several days, involves US troops flying into the coalition’s At Tanf garrison by assault helicopter and conducting live fire drills.
Russia
- Russia kicks off massive war games ahead of Putin-Xi meeting (CNN) Russia kicked off its largest war games since the fall of the Soviet Union on Tuesday, ahead of a bilateral meeting between President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping in the far eastern city of Vladivostok. At least 300,000 troops, 36,000 vehicles and 1,000 aircraft will take part in the Vostok 2018 exercises, according to the Russian Ministry of Defense. They’ll be joined by thousands of troops from China and Mongolia, which the Chinese Defense Ministry insisted wasn’t “directed against any third party” and would focus purely on “defenses, firepower strikes and counterattack“.
Japan
- Japan’s Shinzo Abe looks set to secure grip on power (Financial Times) Shinzo Abe has vowed to continue the economic stimulus known as “Abenomics” while his longtime rival Shigeru Ishiba attacked the Japanese prime minister’s failure to raise wages at the start of a party leadership contest. At a joint press conference on Monday to launch a 10-day campaign, cut short by last week’s earthquake in Hokkaido, Mr Abe and Mr Ishiba clashed over the economy and the constitution. With polls of the ruling Liberal Democratic party electorate suggesting Mr Abe was on course for an overwhelming victory, Mr Ishiba’s gamble in forcing a leadership election now seems more likely to strengthen the prime minister than bring him down. An expected landslide victory could ensure Abe becomes Japan’s longest ruling PM ever.
North Korea
- First two U.S. troops from North Korean remains identified (Reuters) The U.S. military has identified the first two American troops from 55 boxes of human remains from the 1950-53 Korean War that North Korea handed over in July, the agency leading the analysis said on Monday.
- Trump planning second North Korea summit after Kim’s ‘very warm’ letter (The Guardian)
- White House ‘already in the process of coordinating’ meeting
- President praises Kim Jong-un for changes to military parade
China
- China reportedly set to ask WTO for permission to impose sanctions on US (CNBC) China will reportedly seek permission from the World Trade Organization (WTO) to impose sanctions on the U.S. next week, amid an escalating trade war between the world’s two largest economies. The request cites Washington’s non-compliance with a ruling in a dispute over U.S. dumping duties that Beijing initiated in 2013, Reuters reported, citing a meeting agenda seen on Tuesday.
- Copper Crash Reflects China Slowdown (Twitter)
Brazil
- Jailed Lula to bow out of Brazil’s presidential race: sources (Reuters) Jailed former Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva will throw in the towel on Tuesday in his legal battle to run in the Oct. 7 election and allow his Workers Party to announce running mate Fernando Haddad as its candidate, party sources told Reuters.
Canada
- US, Canada will meet Tuesday, earlier than expected on NAFTA (The Hill) The U.S. and Canada will resume high-level talks on Tuesday, which is earlier than expected, on the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Canadian Foreign Minister and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer will meet to try to hammer out the final complex details of a North American agreement with the aim of including all three countries in the 24-year-old deal, according to news reports. Discussions had not been expected to get going again until the end of the week.
