Sam Dastyari, Roy Moore, Rex Tillerson, Bruce Brown, Felicity Aston
Caracal Business Insider | Daily
December 12, 2017
Curation and commentary from Marc A. Ross
Caracal Business Insider = Global Business News at the Intersection of Politics + Policy + Profits.
Reporting from Alexandria, Virginia
GEOECONOMICS
US, Japan, and South Korea host joint missile tracking drills: DW reports, the US, South Korea, and Japan have started joint exercises to track missiles from North Korea, Seoul's military has said. The two-day drills come just weeks after Pyongyang launched its most advanced missile to date.
China goes on logistics buying spree to support ‘new Silk Road’: FT reports, the acquisitions across Eurasia to enhance trade flows double to $32.2 billion.
China, Taiwan spar over Chinese diplomat's invasion threat: Reuters reports, a threat by a senior Chinese diplomat to invade Taiwan the instant any U.S. warship visits the self-ruled island has sparked a war of words, with Taipei accusing Beijing of failing to understand what democracy means.
China's top paper says Australian media reports are racist: Reuters reports, Australian media reports on Chinese interference in Australia are racist and paranoid, China’s top newspaper said on Monday, stepping up a war of words over concerns in Australia about Chinese influence in the country.
China influence fears cost a rising political star his job: WSJ reports, the downfall of a prominent lawmaker is fueling a growing sense of unease in Australia about Chinese influence in the country’s domestic affairs and raising tensions with its most important trading partner.
The Times: Australian senator Sam Dastyari to quit over China business links
The West faces up to reality: China won’t become ‘more like us’: The make-believe that Beijing would eventually embrace Western values is over.
WSJ - Andrew Browne
About 40 percent of all Bitcoins are held by about 1,000 users.
Trump approves new Russia sanctions for violating Cold War arms pact: Reuters reports, the Trump administration is levying new sanctions on Russia it hopes will force it to comply with a Cold War-era nuclear arms treaty it has violated by deploying a banned cruise missile, according to a senior administration official.
Erdogan calls Israel 'terrorist state': AFP reports, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday described Israel as a "terrorist state" and vowed to use "all means to fight" against the US recognition of Jerusalem as the country's capital.
Global weapons sales: Sales by the world's 100 biggest arms producers increased 1.9% from the previous year to reach $374.8 billion.
Sales by South Korean firms increased by over 20% in 2016, to $8.4 billion.
EU prepares to discuss a long-delayed trade deal with Britain: WSJ reports, following a Brexit divorce accord, European leaders may finally authorize negotiations at a summit this week on the outlines of a future trade deal with Britain.
French schools to have choirs, but no mobile phones: AFP reports, the French government has announced that mobile phones will be banned in French schools by September 2018 and that choirs will be introduced over the next two years.
By September 2018, all of France’s 7,000 collèges will have choirs, where children will have the choice to sing two hours a week.
AMERICAN POLITICS
Today: Alabama voters go to the polls in a race between Republican nominee Roy Moore and his Democratic challenger Doug Jones. All indications suggest the race will depend on turnout.
#ALSEN: From Ellis Insight: The preponderance of closing polling suggests that Roy Moore will win a tight election, but the possibility of a Doug Jones upset remains a realistic one. Because the Alabama Democrats are so badly outnumbered, however, Mr. Jones will need a maximum turnout of his supporters in addition to a below average Republican participation rate in order to claim this Senate seat.
@politicoalex: NEWS: Nebraska RNC committeewoman Joyce Simmons has RESIGNED over committee's support for Roy Moore
NBC News: Focus on Flynn, Trump timeline suggests obstruction is on Mueller’s mind
Ex-spy chief: Russia’s election hacking was an ‘intelligence failure’: Politico reports, the former acting CIA director Michael Morell says the agency missed the meddling until it was too late.
Rex Tillerson could leave as secretary of state in February.
FT: Energy stocks climb as Brent tops $65 a barrel
ENTERPRISE
VW chief breaks ranks on diesel, suggesting end to subsidies: NYT reports, the chief executive of Volkswagen said on Sunday that the German government should consider phasing out the subsidies that encourage Europeans to buy diesel cars, a startling change of position by the company largely responsible for diesel’s popularity in Europe. Müller is the first German auto boss to publicly suggest that the government should stop subsidizing diesel, a step that would certainly hasten the technology’s demise. Though cautiously formulated, his comments represented a major turnaround.
Chinese auto giant to end petrol vehicle sales by 2025: AFP reports, Beijing Automotive Group Co (BAIC) chairman Xu Heyi said over the weekend the company will phase out sales of conventional cars in Beijing by 2020 and nationwide by 2025, according to the official Xinhua news agency.
CNBC: Renault just showed a demo car whose headlights change color when it's self-driving
Apple is nearing a deal to acquire the music identification app Shazam.
AOTY: Apple names meditation app Calm its 2017 App of the Year.
Google Maps is preparing to launch a new feature that will give public transit users real-time updates as they travel.
QOTD: “If you don’t buy the culture of the brand, you’re not going to buy the product.” —Ian Rogers
Westfield, an operator of marquee malls, agreed to a $15.7 billion takeover offer from shopping-center giant Unibail-Rodamco.
Westfield sells to France’s Unibail to create $72 billion shopping mall group: FT reports, Unibail-Rodamco’s $25bn deal for Australia’s Westfield to forge 104-property company.
PepsiCo has reserved 100 of Tesla's new electric Semi trucks.
TRENDS
What’s the military’s role in fighting fake news? C4ISRNET reports, the US military has numerous teams and major funding directed toward fighting cyber adversaries, with serious resources dedicated to protecting networks and delivering effects in the cyber domain. But what’s the military’s role when it comes to combating information warfare and the “fake news” that continues to evolve as a battlefront? https://goo.gl/XMBDEP
AFP: Tokyo airport to be 'scattered' with robots for 2020 Olympics
CULTURE
LAT: Bruce Brown, who turned surfing into a cultural phenomenon with 'The Endless Summer,' dies at 80
@wsl: Bruce Brown, the legendary filmmaker of The Endless Summer, inspired many to surf and follow their dreams
Golden Globes 2018: The complete list of nomineeshttps://goo.gl/L2Z9k9
Who will win Best Picture: “Call Me By Your Name,” “Dunkirk,” “The Post,” “The Shape of Water” or “Three Billboards”?
WSJ: ‘The Shape of Water’ leads Golden Globes
The most-read New York Times stories of 2017https://goo.gl/VkhjLP
SPORT
LAT: LiAngelo Ball, LaMelo Ball sign with Lithuanian basketball team
The making of The University of Adidas at Louisville: ESPN reports, how former Louisville athletic director Tom Jurich leveraged big deals and big-time basketball to build the university into a sports powerhouse, only to watch it burn amid charges of excess, exploitation, and corruption. https://goo.gl/47nGWC
The first woman to ski across Antartica alone: A profile of polar explorer Felicity Aston. https://goo.gl/1k1dvW