Written by Econintersect
Early Bird Headlines 04 December 2019
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.
Please share this article – Go to very top of page, right hand side for social media buttons.
Key Articles
Global
- Asia stocks fall as Trump says trade deal with China may be delayed (CNBC) Stocks in Asia were lower on Wednesday after U.S. President Donald Trump said overnight that he may delay a trade deal with China till after the 2020 U.S. presidential election. The U.S. dollar index was lower at 97.765 after falling from levels above 97.9 seen earlier. Oil prices were up in the afternoon of Asian trading hours, with international benchmark Brent crude futures adding 0.72% to $61.26 per barrel. U.S. crude futures also gained 0.66% to $56.47 per barrel. Spot gold was up 0.1% at $1,478.81 per ounce, as of 0403 GMT. U.S. treasury yields were higher.
.
U.S.
- A grave charge and a momentous turn in the Trump impeachment inquiry (CNN) The stunningly consequential accusation spelled out in the Democrats’ impeachment report represents the most sweeping effort yet to capture the span of President Donald Trump’s alleged offense and to boil it into a crisp indictment. In effect, the 300-page House Intelligence Committee summary of witness testimony, timelines and phone records accused Trump of perpetrating one of the most serious political crimes in the history of the United States.
- READ: Republican Report On The Impeachment Inquiry (NPR) Republicans have argued that the entire impeachment inquiry, overseen by Rep. Adam Schiff, the chair of the House Intelligence Committee, was unfair and did not provide Trump or his legal team the opportunity to respond to allegations. Trump himself has labeled the inquiry a sham. The Republican report reiterates the claim that Ukrainian officials tried to meddle in the 2016 presidential election. U.S. intelligence agencies have previously dismissed that claim – instead noting that it was Russia that interfered in the process. See also House Republicans defend Trump’s actions in new report responding to impeachment inquiry (CNN)
- How Democrats’ missing witnesses could fill in the Ukraine story (The Hill) The stonewalling from several key witnesses at the center of President Trump’s dealings with Ukraine is not stopping Democrats from plowing ahead with their fast-moving inquiry. Rather than wait to secure their testimony, Democrats say they can move forward because other witnesses have corroborated a whistleblower complaint that sparked the inquiry in September. Not pictured below is former White House counsel Don McGahn, who refuses to testify without a court order.
.
India
- The Reserve Bank of India is expected to further slash rates on Thursday after recent data revealed economic growth slowed to a six-year low in September.
- The central bank has cut rates by 135 basis points since January, but those moves have not transmitted to the broader economy as many lenders remain hesitant to lend.
- Increasingly, experts say the RBI may have a policy dilemma in its hands: On one hand, it needs to accommodate monetary policy to help spur India’s economic growth; on the other hand, it needs to address the rebound in inflation due to rising food prices.
.
China
- China warns U.S. over Uighur bill, raising doubts over early trade deal (Reuters) China warned on Wednesday that the U.S. House of Representatives bill calling for a tougher U.S. response to Beijing’s treatment of its Uighur Muslim minority will impact bilateral cooperation, casting further doubts on a near-term deal to end the trade war.
.
Other important articles
Global
- U.S. Adults’ Knowledge About The World (Gallup, National Geographic) Spoiler: In some cases it is very low.
U.S.
- Black Friday saw empty stores and fewer shoppers, signaling the death of the shopping bonanza as we know it (Business Insiders)
- Devin Nunes sues CNN for $435M over ‘false and defamatory’ Ukraine story (Fox News)
- Giuliani: Lawyers are telling me to sue Fox News host for libel (Washington Examiner)
- Fact-checking House Republicans’ impeachment report defending Trump on Ukraine (Politifact)
- The GOP’s Ukraine Report Incriminates Trump (Slate) He gave his personal lawyer the power to extort a foreign government.
- Graham says he’s ‘1,000% confident’ Russia meddled in 2016 US election — not Ukraine (CNN) This is a rare break with the president.
- Here are the 5 biggest revelations from the newly released FBI interview notes from the Mueller investigation (Business Insider)
UK
- Boris Johnson said patients should have to pay to use the NHS so they will ‘value’ it more (Business Insider) Spoiler: In a 1995 column unearthed by Business Insider, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson called for patients to be charged to use the National Health Service to prevent free care being “abused” by people who can afford to pay.
- Jeremy Corbyn on the offensive over Donald Trump’s plans for NHS (The Guardian) Labour leader questions US president’s assertion that he has no interest in health service.
Germany
- Don’t rush out of coalition, warns popular German SPD youth boss (Reuters)
- The Guardian view on Germany’s Social Democrats: turning left is a risky but necessary gamble (The Guardian)
North Korea
.
