Friday 28 July 2017

Friday Morning Briefing

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Palestinians react as a stun grenade explodes in a street at Jerusalem's Old city outside the compound known to Muslims as Noble Sanctuary and to Jews as Temple Mount.

 

U.S. Senate Republicans failed to dismantle Obamacare, Russia ordered the U.S. to cut diplomatic staff and an Amazon wobble created ripples across worldwide stock markets.

 


U.S.

 

In a stinging blow to President Donald Trump, U.S. Senate Republicans failed to dismantle Obamacare, falling short on a major campaign promise and perhaps ending a seven-year quest by their party to gut the healthcare law. Voting in the early hours, three Republican senators, John McCain, Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski, crossed party lines to join Democrats in a dramatic 49-to-51 vote to reject a ‘skinny repeal’ bill that would have killed some parts of Obamacare.

 

Reuters TV: McCain's 'no' vote kills GOP healthcare bill 

 

Top Trump lieutenant Scaramucci lashes colleagues in obscene rant

 

In New York, Trump to use gang violence to press for deportations

 

Boy Scouts of America apologizes for Trump's 'political rhetoric'

 

Consumers, businesses likely spurred U.S. economic pickup in second quarter

 


Russia

 

The U.S. Senate voted almost unanimously on Thursday to slap new sanctions on Russia, putting President Donald Trump in a tough position by forcing him to take a hard line on Moscow or veto the legislation and infuriate his own Republican Party. The legislation all but dashes Trump's hopes for warmer ties with Moscow as his administration is dogged by congressional and special counsel investigations into Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election to sway it in Trump's favor.

 

Russia orders U.S. to cut diplomatic staff, says to seize diplomatic property

 


 

Business

 

An earnings miss by Amazon that hit U.S. technology stocks overnight rippled through into other markets, with Asian stocks retreating from recent highs and European tech shares opening sharply lower. Amazon's stock tumbled over 2 percent on Thursday after it reported a slump in profits, as its rapid and costly expansion into new shopping categories and countries showed no sign of slowing. 

 

Baidu rebound buys time for reinvention

 

Value of U.S. deals in China sinks on rising trade tensions 

 

Japan to hike tariffs on frozen beef imports from U.S., other nations 

 

Exclusive: Not Made in America - Wal-Mart looks overseas for online vendors

 

Starbucks puts spotlight on China as U.S. growth cools

 


 

Cyber Risk

 

North Korea is behind an increasingly orchestrated effort at hacking into computers of financial institutions in South Korea and around the world to steal cash for the impoverished country, a South Korean state-backed agency said in a report. In the past, suspected hacking attempts by North Korea appeared intended to cause social disruption or steal classified military or government data, but the focus seems to have shifted in recent years to raising foreign currency, the South's Financial Security Institute said. 

 

Flush times for hackers in booming cyber security job market

 

Wall Street's top U.S. regulator must improve how it protects against cyber attacks: report

 


 

A bonnet macaque sits on consecrated idols of snakes as it drinks milk offered by a devotee during the Hindu festival of Nag Panchami, inside a temple on the outskirts of Bengaluru, India.


South America

 

The U.S. government ordered family members of employees at its embassy in Venezuela to leave on Thursday as a political crisis deepened ahead of a controversial vote critics contend will end democracy in the oil-rich country.

 

Breakingviews: Colombia's peace dividend won't come easy

 


 

Middle East

 

With relative calm in southwest Syria since a ceasefire was reached in early July, civil defense services in rebel-held Deraa have shifted focus to clearing unexploded cluster bombs left by air strikes. 

 

Saudi coalition downs Yemen rebel missile near Mecca

 

Filth spreads Yemen's deadly cholera outbreak

 

Commentary: Why it’s risky for the U.S. to label Iran’s IRGC a terror group

 


 

Asia

 

Pakistan's Supreme Court on Friday toppled Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who resigned after the court ruled he was unfit to hold office and ordered a criminal investigation into his family over corruption allegations.Sharif's ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz  party, which has a majority in parliament, is expected to name a new prime minister to hold office until elections due next year 

 

Japan joins U.S. in imposing new sanctions on North Korea

 

Floods kill 120 in India's Gujarat, with industry and cotton hit