Lithuania, Australia, New Zealand, Venezuela, Gambia
Marc Ross Daily
February 18, 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
✔️ Pence and Merkel offer contrasting visions of global security
✔️ War on plastic will dent oil demand
✔️ Obama quietly gives advice, but no endorsement
✔️ Northern Virginia is keeping Amazon’s 25,000 jobs
✔️ NBA announces new Africa basketball league
ROSS RANT
Bloomberg Sound ON: Trump tariffs, national emergency, and Amazon (Podcast): Bloomberg Chief Washington Correspondent Kevin Cirilli delivers insight and analysis on the latest headlines from the White House and Capitol Hill, including conversations with influential lawmakers and key figures in politics and policy. Kevin discussed the fallout from Amazon’s decision to drop their NYC expansion plans, President Trump’s national emergency declaration to build a wall and the progress on trade talks with China with guests Marc Ross, founder of Caracal Global and Bloomberg News Congressional reporter Anna Edgerton. Listen here: https://bloom.bg/2SHtOFS
GLOBALIZATION
Pence and Merkel offer contrasting visions of global security: FT reports, discord and division between US and allies on show at Munich conference.
Trump policies unite allies against him at security forum: Reuters reports, in 2009, then Vice President Joe Biden came to Munich to "press the reset button" with Russia. A decade later he came again to offer the world better relations, this time with his own country.
WP: Trump foreign policy under attack from all sides at European security conference
Rana Foroohar: Donald Trump’s ill-timed rift with Europe: There is an opportunity for a new transatlantic alliance to benefit both US and EU.
Lithuanian spy case recalls Soviet-era practices: DW reports, Lithuania has been stunned by the arrest of a scion of the country’s most controversial political dynasty. The repercussions could impact the result of an ongoing trial in Vilnius.
German export machine braced for global shocks: With free trade and open borders under threat, a debate on how to protect businesses is set to divide coalition politicians.https://on.ft.com/2SGZPhs
Trade war hits SE Asia, growth down for first time in 3 years: Nikkei reports, US-China dispute weighs on Singapore and Thailand economies in 2019.
FT: Data leak reveals China is tracking almost 2.6m people in Xinjiang
Security researcher’s discovery suggests extensive use of facial recognition.
NYT: Chinese and Iranian hackers renew cyberattacks on US companies
Dozens of corporations have been hit, including Boeing, T-Mobile andGeneral Electric, along with multiple US agencies, according to people briefed on the episodes.
Security experts believe the renewed aggression is a result of Trump’s withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal last year, and his recent trade conflict with China.
Australian political parties hit by cyber attack: FT reports, ‘sophisticated state actor’ to blame for intrusion just months before election, PM says.
Nikkei: 'State actor' hit Australian parliament in cyberattack, says PM
FT: Australia to fast-track UK trade pact in event of no-deal Brexit
Minister pours cold water on British ambition to join TPP.
New Zealand tourism faces Huawei backlash from China: Nikkei reports, Wellington's 5G snub puts the economy at risk, experts say.
Seven MPs resign from Labour in challenge to Corbyn: FT reports, split by pro-EU moderates comes ahead of crucial parliamentary votes on Brexit.
Scotland dreads Brexit. But is it enough to boost sentiment for Scottish independence? https://wapo.st/2N0hSc2
Saudi crown prince pledges $20bn to Pakistan: FT reports, Mohammed bin Salman kicks off tour that is expected to include India and China.
DW: US military planes carrying aid arrive near Venezuelanborder
As US amasses aid on Venezuelan border, Colombian city braces for showdown: WP reports, Cucuta, population 750,000, has for years been overwhelmed by the massive migration over its border. Now there is concern about a massive protest and a benefit concert set for next weekend.
Venezuela’s opposition reaches out to Russia and China: FT reports, Juan Guaidó wants to establish diplomatic ties with Nicolás Maduro’s biggest allies.
Bloomberg: Trump to ramp up pressure on Maduro to leave Venezuela
OTD: In 1965 the Gambia became independent from the UK.
Indian soldiers killed in clashes with militants: DW reports, a gunbattle with militants in disputed Kashmir has left four Indian troops dead. It comes just days after the worst attack on government forces in the region's history, to which India promised a "jaw-dropping" response.
DISRUPTION
Christof Ruhl: The war on plastic will dent oil demand more than anticipated: Companies are underestimating the importance of changed consumer attitudes.
POLITICS
Heather Nauert, who was Trump’s pick to serve as US ambassador to the UN, has withdrawn from consideration.
Timothy O'Brien: In Trump’s world, he never loses: His Rose Garden speech declaring a national emergency and his decades of self-aggrandizement are more closely related than you might think.https://bloom.bg/2DNeWLS
WP: Bill Weld defends decision to run against Trump, says Republicans ‘want to have no election’
@GovBillWeld: "It is time for all people of good will to take a stand and plant a flag...It's for this reason that I have today established an Exploratory Committee to pursue the possibility for my running for the Presidency of the United States as a Republican in the 2020 election."
NYT: Obama quietly gives advice, but no endorsement, to Democrats
Former President Barack Obama has counseled more than a dozen candidates on how to win the White House in 2020 — but he has no plans to pick a favorite.
The discreet role he has taken on reflects his longstanding ambivalence about acting as a partisan political leader.
Minouche Shafik: Populists have a point, the system has to change: The economic insecurity and fears about identity that they exploit must be addressed.
THOUGHT LEADER TACTIC OF THE DAY
Submit four opinion editorials engaging both national and regional news outlets.
COMMERCE
FT - Editorial: The chastening fallout of Amazon’s hunt for HQ2: Companies and politicians can learn from the ill-fated New York deal.
WSJ: Amazon’s New York project foundered on labor organizing, opposition to subsidies
Amid backlash, talks to resolve differences failed to allay company’sgrowing unease.
LAT: Amazon's New York retreat heralds a new era of corporate welfare fights
Northern Virginia is keeping Amazon’s 25,000 jobs, and wants you to know it: NYT reports, Their message: Their region has its act together, they have been far more prepared, and they were free of drama.
Amazon’s New York ‘disaster’ reminds leaders to address gentrification https://wapo.st/2SWVBBx
In bid to conquer Oscars, Netflix mobilizes savvy campaigner and huge budget: NYT reports, Lisa Taback, who worked on awards campaigns for best picture winners like “The Artist” and “The King’s Speech,” is in charge of the lavish effort behind “Roma.”
Porsche customers in the UK should brace for a price hike of up to 10 percent in case of a hard Brexit, the carmaker warned.
Flybmi is shutting down due to rising fuel prices, carbon costs and uncertainty around Brexit.
Payless ShoeSource is closing its roughly 2,100 US locations in what is likely to be the largest-ever retailer liquidation by number of stores.
CULTURE
Israeli Film 'Synonyms' wins 2019 Berlinale Golden Bear award: DW reports, Nadav Lapid's quasi-autobiographical quest for identity on the silver screen takes the Golden Bear at the Berlinale 2019. Meanwhile, "So Long, My Son" by Chinese director Wang Xiaoshuai won two Silver Bear awards.
SPORT
Today: Chelsea play Manchester United in the FA Cup fifth round @ 2:30 pm ET
Female German referee causes Bundesliga broadcast to be canceled in Iran: DW reports, Iranian state TV did not broadcast a Bundesliga soccer match because of the presence of a woman as referee, media say. The Islamic country censors the showing of women in "revealing" clothes such as football shorts.
Barack Obama reportedly set for role with NBA-backed African basketball league: WP reports, the NBA is helping to establish a new professional basketball league in Africa and it has the enthusiastic support of Barack Obama. In fact, the former president will reportedly have a role with the league, although the extent of his involvement has yet to be announced. Over the weekend, before the NBA All-Star Game in Charlotte, the league announced a partnership with FIBA, basketball’s international governing body, to create the Basketball Africa League. Set to debut in 2020, the BAL will feature 12 teams from across the continent, with qualifying tournaments to be held later this year.
NBA announces new Africa basketball league: DW reports, the 12-team professional league in Africa will start playing in January 2020. The NBA said the new league will help develop basketball in Africa and create economic opportunities.