Notre Dame, THAAD, Terry Gou, Bernie Sanders, Los Angeles Clippers

Notre Dame, THAAD, Terry Gou, Bernie Sanders, Los Angeles Clippers

Caracal Global Daily
April 16, 2019
Curation and commentary from Marc A. Ross

Reporting from Alexandria, Virginia 

Caracal Global Daily  = News + Analysis at the Intersection of Globalization + Disruption + Politics

TOP FIVE

✔️ Notre Dame draws an estimated 13 million visitors a year

✔️ Donald Trump, China savior? Some Chinese say yes

✔️ Uber Eats will deliver to your airport gate

✔️ ‘Stop Sanders’ Democrats are agonizing over his momentum

✔️ JetBlue intends for flights to London

GLOBALIZATION

Notre Dame fire: Built in the 13th century, the medieval cathedral is considered a feat of architecture as much as a religious symbol. It is one of Paris' best-known landmarks and one of the most-visited tourist sites in the world, drawing an estimated 13 million visitors a year.

CNBC: Vuitton and Gucci owners pledge more than $300 million to rebuild Notre Dame after fire

CNN: French billionaires and companies pledge $450 million to rebuild Notre Dame

@AP: BREAKING: French billionaire Bernard Arnault and his group LVMH pledge 200 million euros for Notre Dame's reconstruction.

@LVMH: "In the wake of this national tragedy, the Arnault family and the LVMH Group pledge their support for #NotreDame. They will donate a total of 200 million euros to the fund for reconstruction of this architectural work, which is an integral part of the history of France."

Italy targets Amazon in market dominance probe: AFP reports, Italy's competition authority said Tuesday it had opened an investigation into Amazon for possible abuse of its dominant position in online commerce and logistics. The authority said it suspected that the retail giant had been giving preferential exposure to third-party vendors on its platform only if they subscribed to Amazon's logistics service.

China’s SenseTime sells out of Xinjiang security joint venture: FT reports, facial recognition group’s move follows scrutiny of security operations in region.

Saber rattling: China and US at a dangerous military tipping point: CNBC reports, China is lashing out at South Korea and Washington for the deployment of a powerful missile defense system known as the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system, or THAAD, deposited at the Osan Air Base in South Korea on Monday evening. 

In search for leverage, Trump may be undercutting his own trade deals: NYT reports, Trump has argued that this aggressive and unpredictable negotiating style allows him to extract greater economic concessions than past administrations — and he may be right, at least in the short run. But his approach is causing concern among business groups and foreign officials, who say the uncertainty Mr. Trump loves to sow could undermine the role the United States has traditionally played in setting and stabilizing the global rules of trade, hampering economic growth in the process.

Gideon Rachman: Why Donald Trump is great news for Xi Jinping: The US president has disarmed America in the battle of ideas.

"Trump has been in office long enough for certain patterns to emerge in his behavior. The US president likes to create a crisis, let it run a while and then announce that he has solved it. He will frighten friend and foe alike with dire threats, before striking an agreement that he self-certifies as “tremendous”. In reality, the new deal will often be superficial and the underlying issues will remain largely unaddressed."

"In a few weeks time, the US president will declare a great victory. His loyal aides will play along. But the underlying reality will be that not much has actually changed in the economic relationship between the US and China — in the same way that not much changed in the trade relationship between the US, Canada and Mexico after MrTrump’s team renegotiated the North American Free Trade Agreement."

Donald Trump, China savior? Some Chinese say yes: NYT reports, business leaders and intellectuals say one of Beijing’s toughest critics could force the country to change. Still needed: voices of support from the inside. https://nyti.ms/2V2q81O

The US wants to ban Huawei. AT&T Mexico relies on it. WSJ reports, US officials have told telecom executives around the world to steer clear of Huawei Technologies, calling the company a national-security threat, but that hasn’t prevented AT&T from using the Chinese company’s equipment in Mexico.

China a major threat to Canadian security: Ottawa: Asia Times reports, amid worsening relations between Canada and China, a parliamentary committee in Ottawa has cited Chinese spies and agents as major threats to Canadian security. 

College kids are living like kings in Vancouver’s empty mansions: Globe-trotting landlords can avoid vacancy taxes by renting. It’s the latest twist for a housing market down 8.5% from its peak. https://bloom.bg/2V3OyYI

Tokyo raises concern over Beijing’s industrial policies: FT reports, Japan fears Chinese groups will gain unfair advantage when competing on new technologies.

Okinawa has been eager to expel US troops. A murder-suicide is pouring fuel on those flames. WP reports, last week’s deadly incident in which a US sailor is suspected of killing a Japanese woman is among the high-profile crimes involving American forces in Okinawa that have angered officials and the community for decades.

Foxconn chairman weighs run for Taiwan presidency: FT reports, the founder of the world’s main iPhone supplier to step back from daily operations. Terry Gou is Taiwan's richest person with a net worth of $7.6 billion, according to Forbes.

Indonesians head to the polls: About 193 million residents are eligible to decide who leads the Southeast Asian nation, which is an outpost of democracy and is forecast to be among the world’s biggest economies by 2030.

@APMiddleEast: Libya is on the verge of an all-out war involving a rogues’ gallery of militias, many of which are little more than criminal gangs armed with heavy weapons.

Russia's parliament votes to unplug internet from world: DW reports, the Russian Duma has given its final approval to a bill creating a domestic internet. Lawmakers say it aims to protect Russia from cyber threats — but the law has sparked protest: Critics worry it will allow censorship.

FT: Russia plans Vladimir Putin-North Korea talks, reports say

Moscow prepares meeting next week between president and Kim Jong Un, Kremlin confirms.

DISRUPTION

Uber Eats will deliver to your airport gate: Passengers at Toronto Pearson airport will be able to order food and have it delivered to them at the gate. Launching in Q3 of this year, the pilot program is a joint collaboration between Toronto Pearson, the airport restaurant operator HMSHost and Uber Eats. Customers can order from a selection of restaurants including Caplansky's Deli, Paramount Fine Foods, Smoke's Burritorie, Smashburger or Fionn MacCools.

Rise of the Chief Data Officer (CDO): A new C-suite role is getting traction, and by 2019 it's expected that 90% of large global organizations will have a Chief Data Officer (CDO) on their teams.

According to Pew Research, 91% of Americans “agree” or “strongly agree” that people have lost control over how personal information is collected and used.

By 2025, it’s estimated that 463 exabytes of data will be created each day globally – that’s the equivalent of 212,765,957 DVDs per day.

The robots that manage the managers: More companies are turning to AI-driven apps that aim to help newer bosses with reminders and tips on how to maintain a well-run office. https://on.wsj.com/2V1U2mF

Asia VC cash: Last year, $81 billion was invested in VC-backed startups in Asia across more than 5,000 deals. That's an increase of almost 12x in funding to Asia-based startups since 2013.

POLITICS

Mueller Report: Attorney General William Barr expects to provide special counsel Robert Mueller’s report to Congress and the public on Thursday

Roger Stone asked a federal judge to compel the Justice Department to turn over a full copy of special counsel Robert S. Mueller III’s report on the Russia investigation as part of discovery in his criminal case. 

Stephen Miller emerges: With Kirstjen Nielsen out and Miller ascendant, the White House is preparing to bombard the judicial system with cases that will test the limits of current immigration law.

House panels subpoena Deutsche Bank in Trump inquiry: WSJ reports, two House panels have issued subpoenas to Deutsche Bank and other financial institutions, as Democrats continued to pursue an inquiry into President Trump’s financial interests.

Trump intends to present Tiger Woods with the highest civilian award following his Masters win.

Current national security leadership:

Defense Secretary: Vacant (Acting in place)
DHS: Vacant
UN Ambassador: Vacant (Acting in place)
FEMA Director: Vacant (Acting in place)
Secret Service Director: Vacant
ICE Director: Vacant (Acting in place)
DHS Deputy: Vacant (Acting in place)

Bernie takes lead for Democratic nomination, Mayor Pete on the move: A new national Emerson poll, including 20 Democratic candidates for President, found Senator Bernie Sanders ahead of the pack with 29%, followed by former Vice President Joe Biden at 24%. They were followed by Mayor Pete Buttigieg at 9%, former Rep. Beto O’Rourke and Senator Kamala Harris at 8%, and Senator Elizabeth Warren at 7%. Entrepreneur Andrew Yang and former HUD secretary Julian Castro were at 3%.

‘Stop Sanders’ Democrats are agonizing over his momentum: NYT reports, members of the party establishment who oppose Senator Bernie Sanders have discussed how to handle his candidacy. Others are warning of a schism.

Nathan Robinson: Pete Buttigieg is the Democrats' flavor of the month. Just don't ask what he stands for: Pete Buttigieg is a man with a lot of ‘gold stars’ on his résumé, but why should anybody actually trust him to be on their side? http://bit.ly/2V3KVlF

Bill Weld has formally announced he is running for President of the United States of America and will seek the Republican nomination.

COMMERCE

Publicis makes biggest purchase with $4.4bn Epsilon cash deal: FT reports, ad group acquires digital marketing agency as it steps up business transition.

Huawei chips: Huawei is open to selling Apple its "5G" mobile connectivity chips, company founder Ren Zhengfei has said. So far, Huawei has reserved those chips for its own phones. Apple does not yet have a "5G"-capable device.

Huawei reveals it has no 5G contracts from mainland China: FT reports, disclosure comes as analysts say country has scaled back rollout of technology.

JetBlue intends to launch multiple flights from the East Coast to London, in an attempt to entice trans-Atlantic business away from American and Delta. 

The learning machine: Amazon’s empire rests on its low-key approach to AI: Unflashy but high-powered machine learning powers everything from its fulfilment centres to the cloud. https://econ.st/2UZU1Q9

Netflix changes the way TV production is paid for: FT reports, streaming service will drip-feed $19.3bn to producers over the next five years.

Warner Bros. plans to buy Burbank Studios and occupy new Frank Gehry ‘iceberg’ towers: LAT reports, as part of the deal, Warner Bros. will sell its historic North Hollywood Way facility.

DW: No slowdown for Porsche in China

Volkswagen bets on electromobilty in China: DW reports, the Chinese car market has grown rapidly over the past 20 years, with Germany's VW group now selling every second car there. But as the fat years seem to be over, VW has made a risky bet on electric vehicles for growth

CULTURE

Game of Thrones finally returned Sunday night. I haven't seen one episode.

After complaints that it made light of drug epidemic, Milk Bar renames its famous Crack Pie: WP reports, Chef Christina Tosi wrote that the old name was “getting in the way of letting the gooey, buttery slice bring happiness — my only goal in creating the thing in the first place.”

SPORT

FT: Hopes rise that ‘Tiger effect’ will put swing back into golf

Clippers pull off biggest comeback in playoff history: AFP reports, the Los Angeles Clippers delivered the biggest comeback in NBA playoff history Monday, rallying from a 31-point deficit for a shocking 135-131 win over the two-time defending champion Golden State Warriors.

AFP: F1 in talks over second China GP, road race on cards

Dakar Rally moves to Saudi Arabia for2020 race: DW reports, the world-renowned off-road race had moved from Europe and Africa to South America following major security concerns. Now it's headed to "the deep and mysterious deserts" of Saudi Arabia.

Champions League - Quarterfinals:

Ajax v Juventus (Aggregate 1-1) - Tuesday @ 3:00 pm ET
Barcelona v Manchester United (Aggregate 1-0) - Tuesday @ 3:00 pm ET

Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester City (Aggregate 1-0) - Wednesday @ 3:00 pm ET
Liverpool v Porto (Aggregate 2-0) - Wednesday @ 3:00 pm ET

Shinzo Abe, Li Keqiang, Marshal Haftar, Emmanuel Macron, Bernie Sanders

Shinzo Abe, Li Keqiang, Marshal Haftar, Emmanuel Macron, Bernie Sanders

Caracal Global Daily
April 8, 2019
Curation and commentary from Marc A. Ross

Reporting from Alexandria, Virginia 

Caracal Global Daily  = News + Analysis at the Intersection of Globalization + Disruption + Politics

TOP FIVE

✔️ Libya crisis: Fighting near Tripoli leaves 21 dead

✔️ Merkel to host May for Brexit talks

✔️ House Democratic campaign arm nears war with liberals over primary fights

✔️ Facebook, Google in crosshairs of new UK policy 

✔️ Bernie Sanders finds himself in a new role as front-runner

GLOBALIZATION

Japan's Abe to visit US, France on pre-G20 tour: AFP reports, Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced Monday plans to visit the United States, Canada and France this month before his country hosts the G20 later this year. The tour from April 22 to 29 will also include stops in Italy, Belgium and Slovakia, a foreign ministry official said.

Small US Marine presence in Taiwan could ruffle Chinese feathers: LAT reports, military personnel have staffed the de facto U.S. Embassy in Taiwan periodically since 2005, a U.S. government spokesperson said when announcing the opening date next month for a new compound.

China’s hard edge: The leader of Beijing’s Muslim crackdown gains influence: WSJ reports, Chen Quanguo, the official behind aggressive surveillance and social control in China’s restive Xinjiang region, is gaining prominence in Beijing, and his methods are spreading to other parts of the country.

China to relax residency curbs and boost infrastructure: Reuters reports, China will relax residency curbs in many of its smaller cities this year and increase infrastructure spending, the state planner said Monday, in a fresh push to boost the urban population and revive slowing economic growth. The National Development and Reform Commission said it aims to increase China’s urbanization rate by at least 1 percentage point by the end of this year.

EV subsidy cuts give Chinese automakers more reason to fret:Nikkei reports, larger-than-expected cuts to China's electric vehicle subsidies are set to hasten industry consolidation and help level the playing field for foreign competitors in the world's largest auto market.

World’s biggest inland port puts German rustbelt on China’s map: FT reports, Duisburg is the world’s largest inland port and one of Europe’s biggest transport and logistics hubs. It is also the western terminus of Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s new Silk Road, the Belt and Road Initiative to finance and build infrastructure in more than 80 countries. “The Chinese see Duisburg and its port as their gateway to western Europe,” said Johannes Pflug, the city’s commissioner for China. “That has given it a whole new significance.”

China to 'further open' its doors to Europe, PM Li says ahead of summit: DW reports, China's Li Keqiang has attempted to quell European skepticism towards China's investment approach ahead of this week's EU-China summit. Some fear projects like the Belt and Road initiative aim to bind countries to China.

US companies accelerate lawsuits against China: Nikkei reports, A mounting string of allegations from the US paint a damning portrait of how China's advanced technology sector has rapidly grown due to corporate espionage.

Tesla, Apple, and GE among those who say secrets were stolen.

Clashes rage near Tripoli as UN ceasefire attempt fails: DW reports, at least 21 people have been killed since a Libyan general launched a blitzkrieg campaign to capture Tripoli. A United Nations attempt to secure a temporary cessation of hostilities came to no avail.

BBC: Libya crisis: Fighting near Tripoli leaves 21 dead

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has called for an immediate halt to the fighting and called for talks.

Despite calls for restraint, Marshal Haftar and his Libyan National Army (LNA) is poised to seize control of Tripoli.

The Times: US military pulls out of Libya as rebels close in on Tripoli

Germany's AfD joins Italy's League innew populist coalition: DW reports, the Alternative for Germany is forming a new alliance with Italy's League and other far-right parties after the European Parliament elections. They hope the coalition will shake up the European Union.

Salvini begins EU poll campaign with populists rally: FT reports, Italy’s League leader seeks to forge anti-migration coalition across Europe.

SNL: Theresa May (Kate McKinnon) dreams of a better life as Brexit looms on the horizon. http://bit.ly/2KhoMw3

Brexit Day is now four days away, unless or until (Michel Barnier) the EU agrees a further extension this week.

Peter Oborne: I was a strong Brexiteer. Now we must swallow our pride and think again http://bit.ly/2KeSGRl

"If we are to leave the European Union we want a sensible Brexit. There’s no chance of that just now."

"I did not foresee how one of the biggest arguments against Scottish independence – that Europe would not encourage the break-up of its member states by accepting an independent Scotland as a new member – would be lost after Brexit. I failed to understand how the EU is part of the glue which now holds us together in the United Kingdom."

Brexit-distracted Tories lose voter trust on core issues: poll: As the UK's Conservatives struggle to deliver Brexit, an exclusive poll for Politico suggests the party has lost the trust of voters on core issues. In swing seats across the country, the Tories are trailing Labour on the central issues people most care about, the new Politico-Hanbury tracker poll conducted in battleground constituencies has found. But despite the negative view of the party and its handling of Brexit, Theresa May is still seen as the stronger leader compared to her opposition counterpart Jeremy Corbyn. 

Push for Brexit deal heats up ahead of EU Summit: WSJ reports, EU leaders to weigh a request from May to further postpone Britain’s departure.

Germany's Merkel to host UK PM May for Brexit talks: DW reports, the British Prime Minister is set to ask for another extension to Brexit at an EU summit this week. Beforehand, May is scheduled to hold talks with the German chancellor before also meeting with France's Emmanuel Macron.

Emmanuel Macron ponders his de Gaulle moment with Brexit: FT reports, Britain is seeking to leave the EU at a time of its choosing, and once again finds its European destiny beholden to the calculations of a charismatic French leader — a president who sees de Gaulle as his role model. De Gaulle said No to the UK’s entry. Will French president Emmanuel Macron have a de Gaulle moment, say No to the UK leaving when it wants, and bundle the British out of the door?

France awaits results from Macron's 'Great National Debate': AFP reports, Over three months, France's "Great National Debate" has led to 10,000 local meetings, around two million online contributions and 100 hours of presidential talking. On Monday, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe begins trying to make sense of it all. The debate was launched in January by President Emmanuel Macron as a response to protests by "yellow vest" demonstrators whose nation-wide revolt over living standards created the biggest crisis of his time in office.

By inviting voters to take part, Macron had twin objectives: anger could be channeled away from the streets and into town hall meetings, while he could soften his image by showing he was open to listening. 

DISRUPTION

Amazon is positioning Alexa, its artificial-intelligence assistant, to track consumers’ prescriptions and relay personal health information. 

POLITICS

Kirstjen Nielsen resigned as homeland security secretary.

House Democratic campaign arm nears war with liberals over primary fights: NYT reports, “We reject the DCCC’s attempt to hoard power, which will only serve to keep that talent pool — and Congress itself — disproportionately white and male,” María Urbina, the national political director for Indivisible, a progressive grass-roots group, said of the campaign committee. “Incumbents who engage fully with their constituents shouldn’t fear primaries and shouldn’t rely on the national institutions like the DCCC to suppress challenges before voters ever have a say.”

The federal government now directly owns more than 31% of the total US consumer debt via student loans.

Cory Booker (D-NJ) raised more than $5 million for his presidential election campaign in February and March and has more than $6.1 million in cash on hand.

Iowa Caucus = 310 days away

AP: Bernie Sanders finds himself in a new role as front-runner

"Less than two months into his second White House bid, no other declared candidate in the crowded Democratic field currently has amassed so many advantages: a $28 million war chest, a loyal and enthusiastic voter base and a set of clearly defined policy objectives."

WP: In Iowa, Bernie Sanders and Beto O’Rourke change up their styles to win over skeptical voters

Can Kamala Harris win? The Atlantic reports, no other matchup would be as riveting—or as revealing—as Harris versus Trump. But first she has to get through the primaries.

COMMERCE

Nikkei: Huawei takes 5G fight to India and Pakistan

Region primed for $1.2 trillion tech bonanza over the next five years.

Huawei ban: The UK's GCHQ spy agency thinks Huawei's equipment should be banned from sensitive parts of the country such as Westminster in London—the nerve center of the British government and civil service. Why? The Chinese company's "shoddy" engineering practices.

Facebook is in talks to develop an underwater data cable that would encircle Africa, an effort aimed at driving down its bandwidth costs and making it easier for the social media giant to sign up more users.

Facebook, Google in crosshairs of new UK policy to control tech giants: WSJ reports, London’s proposal for new social-media regulator is one of the broadest yet in a larger movement by countries to assert control over tech giants.

UK unveils sweeping plan to penalize Facebook and Google for harmful online content: WP reports, the proposal marks a major new regulatory threat for an industry that’s long dodged responsibility for what its users say or share.

The crowd-sourced, social media swarm that is betting Tesla will crash and burn: LAT reports, Some use commercial databases to track Tesla-loaded ships from San Francisco to Europe and China. Some are experts at automotive leasing or convertible bonds. Some repost customer complaints about Tesla quality and service. One contributor, whose Twitter handle is TeslaCharts, assembles collected data to offer graphical representations of Tesla’s own reports and $TslaQ’s findings. And some do reconnaissance, posting photos and videos of Tesla storage lots, distribution centers, even the company’s Fremont assembly plant as seen from above.

Nissan Motor Co shareholders ousted Carlos Ghosn as a director on Monday, severing his last tie with the Japanese automaker he rescued from near-bankruptcy two decades ago and from which he is now accused of siphoning funds.

Jaguar Land Rover shuts its UK plants on Monday for five days over Brexit, adding to other shutdowns to leave at least half the country’s car production off-line in what could be a pivotal week for Britain’s divorce from the EU.

Grab to raise additional $2bn to accelerate Indonesia expansion: The mega funding comes as Grab rolls out an aggressive strategy to expand its bouquet of services, from transport to food delivery and payments, as it races Indonesia’s Go-Jek to become an app-for-everything in Southeast Asia, home to about 650 million people.

Japan Times: Nissan shareholders officially oust Carlos Ghosn, bringing 20-year relationship to an end

SPORT

Baylor wins NCAA Women's Basketball Championship.

NCAA Men's Basketball Championship - Line:

Texas Tech v Virginia -1.5

Virginia vs. Texas Tech: Ugliest national championship ever: WSJ reports, there will be a lot of defense. Probably more defense than you care for. And there won’t be many points—which is exactly how both Virginia and Texas Tech like it.

Ren Zhengfei, Sleepmore in Seattle, Bernie Sanders, Karl Lagerfeld

Ren Zhengfei, Sleepmore in Seattle, Bernie Sanders, Karl Lagerfeld

Marc Ross Daily
February 20, 2019
Curation and commentary from Marc A. Ross

Reporting from Alexandria, Virginia 

Marc Ross Daily  = News + Analysis at the Intersection of Globalization + Disruption + Politics

TOP FIVE

✔️ The US cannot crush us, says Huawei founder

✔️ Has Narendra Modi been good for business?

✔️ Farms under the sea could feed the world in 2050

✔️ “Sorry, I’m just trying to get some ranch"

✔️ The Future of Capitalism by Oxford economist Paul Collier

ROSS RANT

"I remember Apple breaking into the creative world. Bringing them out of tech and Tomorrow’s World and into cool." -- Vicki Maguire, chief creative officer, Grey London on Apple '1984.'
 

GLOBALIZATION

The US cannot crush us, says Huawei founder: BBC reports, Ren Zhengfei described the arrest of his daughter Meng Wanzhou, the company's chief financial officer, as politically motivated. The US is pursuing criminal charges against Huawei and Ms Meng, including money laundering, bank fraud and stealing trade secrets. Huawei denies any wrongdoing.

"There's no way the US can crush us. The world cannot leave us because we are more advanced. Even if they persuade more countries not to use us temporarily, we can always scale things down a bit."

Germany follows UK in casting doubt on US Huawei ban: Nikkei reports, allies not convinced on security threat as 5G rollout looms.

Shanghai to launch first 5G railway station.

China to Combine Africa, Latin America investment funds: Caixin: two Belt and Road-focused funds under foreign exchange regulator to get unified management.

North vs South

Trump eases off hard deadline for China tariffs: WSJ repports, Trump gave his firmest indication yet that the U.S. may not increase tariffs on Chinese goods on March 1, despite statements by his top trade official that the US should stick to a firm deadline.

Reuters: Amid trade talks, China urges US to respect its right to develop, prosper

FX pledge sought as part of deal for Trump and Xi to consider: Bloomberg reports, the US is asking China to keep the value of the yuan stable as part of trade negotiations between the world’s two largest economies, a move aimed at neutralizing any effort by Beijing to devalue its currency to counter American tariffs.

China’s Vice Premier to Washington to chat trade deal: Liu He will hold two-day talks with US negotiators starting Thursday. Vice Premier Liu He scheduled to meet U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on Feb. 21-22.

As China talks resume, Trump seeks a win on trade: WSJ reports, as trade negotiations with China resume, the Trump administration is racing to strike a deal that will result in long-term reforms—and prove that tariffs are an effective battering ram to open markets around the world. 

Gary Greenberg: Will 2019 see an end to ‘Made in China’? US-China relations continue to be tense and superpower rivalry is here to stay.

"The ongoing US-China trade war and subsequent spotlight on the MIC2025 strategy is merely a symptom of the rising strategic competition between the two nations. The Chinese cannot and will not make the wholesale changes in their political economy that the US is demanding."

China's antics in South China Sea could change deployments for US troops: Military.com reports, the US military is eyeing new spots in the Asia-Pacific region where it could forward-deploy troops and equipment to counter China's rise, the top commander overseeing operations in that region said this week. 

Joseph Nye: China will not surpass America any time soon: Exaggerated fears about growing Chinese power are counter-productive.

"No country — including China — is about to usurp the US’s place in the world in terms of overall power."

"If the US were to maintain its alliances, the prospects are slight that China could drive it from the western Pacific, much less dominate the world."

Alexander Görlach: Xi Jinping is taking China down a dangerous path: As the world focuses on developments in China's coastal regions, the one-party state is flexing its totalitarian muscle in the northwest of the country. We should not look the other way.

Shuli Ren: The US, not China, is the real currency manipulator: The yuan has been tracking the dollar, so any volatility begins at home in Washington.

Michael Schuman: Why the US and China Can’t Make a Deal: They’ve turned trade talks into a test of strength, and both are overestimating their own. 

Trump + Kim = Meeting number two: Washington and Pyongyang have dispatched several teams to Vietnam ahead of the summit in Hanoi on February 27-28.

End-of-war declaration in sight, but N Korean denuclearization still appears a long shot.

US weighs opening liaison office in North Korea: WSJ reports, the proposal, likely part of a package, comes as President Trump prepares to meet later this month with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

Pyongyang ain't Paris.

Has Narendra Modi been good for business? Tough reforms have recharged confidence, but protectionism and demonetization stain his record. https://s.nikkei.com/2SMtMfT

The Times: Eighth Labour MP quits, blaming ‘Corbyn culture of antisemitism’ 

Brexit = 37 days

Nicola Sturgeon has told French politicians that Scotland must vote for independence because the UK is incapable of accommodating Scottish views.

This city once ruled the Mediterranean. Now it’s eyeing a comeback: In the wake of tragedy, Genoa’s mayor sees an opportunity.https://bloom.bg/2SKuAC0

The Italian Tourist Board spends an astounding 98 percent of its budget on salaries.

Only 13 percent of tourists who come to Italy go to the Mezzogiorno, as the south is known.

Party that promised to clean up Italian politics finds it a messy business: WSJ reports, Italy’s 5 Star Movement rose from a grass-roots campaign against political corruption to an election-winning party. The realities of life in government since last summer, however, are putting it under growing strain.

Italy’s Renzi insists Europe’s populists will not last: FT reports, centrist former PM hails Emmanuel Macron and laments Rome’s loss of influence.

DISRUPTION

The ocean is the new farm: Farms under the sea could feed the world in 2050 (video): http://bit.ly/2SQzde0

30 legendary startup pitch decks: http://bit.ly/2SMNA2C

Stomach-churning challenges: Greenhouse gas emissions from livestock are presenting the food industry with many challenges. Here’s one: gassy cows. “Burping cows are more damaging to the climate than all the cars on this planet,” Barclays said in a report.

Sleepmore in Seattle: A study in Seattle shows the power of starting the day later. The study is already having an impact. School boards in Orlando and Philadelphia are already looking at this example to see if it should make similar changes. In France, backed by advocates pushing the study’s findings, Parisian teenagers will be allowed an extra hour’s sleep before school in a move to improve their health. 

South Korea’s cosmetics industry takes aim at the super young: WP reports, the effort by the industry — known as K-beauty — to reach out to girls as young as 4 is stirring concerns that touch on many core social debates in South Korea, a country that is famous for its exacting beauty norms and has one of the highest rates of plastic surgery in the world.

POLITICS

NYT: Inside Trump’s two-year war on the investigations encircling him

A Times examination revealed the extent of President Trump’s sustained, secretive assault on the machinery of federal law enforcement.

Trump’s efforts have exposed him to accusations of obstruction of justice in the inquiry by the special counsel.

Judge Andrew Napolitano on FNC: If NYT report is accurate, Trump may be implicated in attempted obstruction.

Biden’s polling lead shaky ahead of 2020 decision: Politico reports, new surveys question whether the former vice president is a real front-runner or just has big name-recognition.

@nytimes: Breaking News: Senator Bernie Sanders is running for president again, saying his 2016 policy ideas now have support from many more Americans

Bernie's cash: Sen. Sanders (I-VT) raised more than $4 million on Tuesday from almost 150,000 individual donors after announcing another White House run, according to his campaign.

Politico: ‘Are you with us?’: Bloomberg calls in his chits

The billionaire looks to his philanthropic network for support as he considers 2020 bid.

Michael Bloomberg’s philanthropy has given away $6.4 billion and earned the love and respect of progressive-minded activists across the country.

LAT - Editorial: Relax: Bernie Sanders and the Democrats aren't trying to turn the US into Venezuela

Election 2020 campaign mantra: “Sorry, I’m just trying to get some ranch"

The campaign trail for president is just one long slog to get better condiments.

So you’re running for president in 2020 — now what? A guide to campaigning in South Carolina: Post and Courier reports, not only does the Palmetto State get to call itself the first-in-the-South primary, it will also be a pivotal test for the most diverse field of Democratic candidates in history. And it will happen on Feb. 29, 2020 — just three days before Super Tuesday when California, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Texas and a slew of other states weigh in on who they want to keep running.

LAT: Trump administration to cancel $929 million in California high-speed rail funding

Veep (2019) final season - official trailer http://bit.ly/2SIDa4e

THOUGHT LEADER TACTIC OF THE DAY

Get interviewed on a podcast - do this five times in 2019

COMMERCE

Ericsson chief warns Huawei fears will add to Europe’s 5G delay: FT reports, Focus on Huawei, regulation and high costs risk region falling further behind, says Börje Ekholm.

Hong Kong Disneyland posts $6.88 million loss in last fiscal year, its fourth straight year in the red.

Can capitalism be fixed? In his new book, The Future of Capitalism, Oxford economist Paul Collier lays out a path to restore the ethical foundations of the free-market system in the US and Europe. http://bit.ly/2SNylXt

"The US economy is on the verge of its longest expansion ever, and unemployment sits at a half-century low. Yet public discontent remains high. More than 60 percent of Americans think the country is on the wrong track."

"Europe and the US as riven with geographic, educational, and moral ruptures that have eroded a sense of common destiny. Economic gains, are increasingly monopolized by degree-carrying urbanites whose distinctive morality privileges minorities while less educated rural dwellers languish."

Holman Jenkins: Airbus’s lesson for young socialists: Its A380 debacle shows how hard it is for state planners to outguess markets.

$28 billion = The size of the US toy industry.

Amazon said it aims to make sure that half of its shipments are carbon neutral by 2030.

Apple to target combining iPhone, iPad, and Mac apps by 2021.

Glencore vows to cap global coal production: FT reports, trading and mining group has faced investor pressure over polluting fossil fuel.

CULTURE

Karl Lagerfeld, the prolific fashion designer who turned around the fortunes of Chanel and Fendi, has died in Paris.

@voguemagazine: Karl Lagerfeld, one of the most prolific and widely popular designers of the 20th and 21st centuries, has died in Paris at 85.

RIP Karl Lagerfeld: Eccentric fashion designer known as ‘Kaiser Karl’ who reinvented Chanel.

AFP: New Universe map unearths 300,000 more galaxies

Lara Logan, who joined CBS News as a foreign correspondent in 2002, left the network last year.

SPORT

The Daytona 500 earned a 5.3 rating and 9.2 million viewers on FOX, per Nielsen fast-nationals — flat in ratings and down 1% in viewership from last year (5.3, 9.3M) and down 20% and 23% respectively from 2017 (6.6, 11.9M).

Chelsea has reportedly identified Derby County manager Frank Lampard and Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane as potential replacements for Maurizio Sarri.  

Manchester City's owners have bought a stake in Chinese third-tier club Sichuan Jiuniu FC - their 7th club.

Soccer Matches: Champions League - Round of 16 - Leg 1 of 2:

Atletico Madrid v Juventus @ 3:00 pm ET
Schalke 04 v Man. City @ 3:00 pm ET