Thursday 16 August 2018

Thursday Morning Briefing: U.S.-Turkey spat becomes Trump's latest boost to the dollar

Highlights

President Donald Trump has repeatedly called for a weaker dollar in a bid to help U.S. exporters, but his recent trade policies, including the imposition of import tariffs on some Turkish goods, have had the opposite effect.

The United States ruled out removing steel tariffs that have contributed to a currency crisis in Turkey even if Ankara frees a U.S. pastor, as Qatar pledged $15 billion in investment to Turkey, supporting a rise in the Turkish lira.

Hümeyra Pamuk  @humeyra_pamuk

Key test today for #Turkey’s new finance chief Albayrak as he is due to hold an investor call w/3,000 participants. People who knew him praised his “energy & hard work” but the market believes he is yet to prove his credibility. Our story: https://reut.rs/2BfOInh

7:37 AM - August 16, 2018

united states

Trump moved to penalize a sharp critic yesterday, revoking the security clearance of Obama-era CIA Director John Brennan for making what he called “a series of unfounded and outrageous allegations” about his administration.

Hundreds of U.S. newspapers devoted print space to a coordinated defense of press freedom and a rebuke of Trump for saying some media organizations are enemies of the American people.

An increasing number of women in Hollywood, boosted by the #MeToo movement, are starting to exert influence behind the TV camera and to break on-screen stereotypes.

myanmar

Reuters found more than 1,000 examples on Facebook that call the Rohingya dogs, maggots and rapists, and urge they be shot or exterminated. A secretive operation called 'Project Honey Badger' set up by the social media giant to combat hate speech in Myanmar is failing to end the problem.

Peter Hirschberg  @phirschberg1

A day after a Reuters investigation lifted the lid on why Facebook has failed to stem hate speech in Myanmar against the Rohingya, the company has issued a statement saying it was 'too slow' to react. https://reut.rs/2MrMOnN

7:24 AM - August 16, 2018
Reuters Top News  @Reuters

Two Reuters journalists have been detained in Myanmar since for 248 days. See our full coverage: https://reut.rs/2yPnwus

10:20 AM - August 16, 2018

commentary

Columnist Peter Apps looks at the latest battle in Ghazni, here Afghan troops and Taliban fighters fought for the future of Afghanistan. If the Taliban had captured Ghazni, Apps writes, it would have been the first major urban victory since a short-lived 2015 takeover of Kunduz. Instead, they demonstrated their limitations in a war in which violence and negotiation are very much part of the same process.

environment

Judge orders Keystone XL pipeline review in setback for Trump

A federal judge in Montana ordered the U.S. State Department to do a full environmental review of a revised route for the Keystone XL crude oil pipeline, a move that could delay the project and prove a setback for the Trump administration.

3 min read

Scientists seek new ways to combat Florida's growing 'red tide'

Scientists in Florida are on the cusp of developing promising methods to control toxic algae blooms like the “red tide” that has been killing marine life along a 150-mile stretch of the Gulf Coast.

4 min read

Canada to phase out crop chemicals linked to bee deaths

The Canadian government said it would move to restrict use of two types of crop chemicals that have been linked to deaths of aquatic insects and bees, in a victory for environmentalists and the latest setback for companies that sell the pesticides.

3 Min Read

Texas, refineries urged to plan storm shutdowns to cut pollution

Texas environment regulators should coordinate shutdowns of oil refineries and other petrochemical plants during major storms to avoid big releases of air pollution like during last year’s Hurricane Harvey, a report said.

3 min read

Top Stories on Reuters TV

China, U.S. will restart talks to solve trade war

World   1:47

Kim Jong Nam murder trial to continue

World   1:50
at