Bhinneka News Online: Friday Morning Briefing: U.S. allies hit back at steel, aluminum tariffs

Friday, 1 June 2018

Friday Morning Briefing: U.S. allies hit back at steel, aluminum tariffs

Highlights

Canada and Mexico retaliated after Washington imposed tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, while the European Union had its own reprisals ready to go, reviving investor fears of a global trade war.

As a young man, Barry Shrewsbury dug coal in the West Virginia mines and spent his time off hunting and fishing in the rolling hills. Now, at 62, he struggles to breath and accomplish basic tasks such as shopping and showering, and relies on a federal fund for ex-miners with black lung disease to pay for an oxygen tank and doctor visits.

America’s leading group of cancer doctors is wary of new Trump administration proposals for lowering drug costs, warning that patients must not be barred from medicines that could help them.

Sarah White

@Reuters_SarahW

Momentous day in Spain as Rajoy to be ousted from office. It's been a long time coming - the corruption scandals have swirled around the PP for ages - but somehow seemed impossible after Rajoy survived so many previous challenges. https://reut.rs/2J24kxZ

4:-01 AM - Jun 1, 2018

2018 FIFA World Cup

Breakingviews: Germany may not be the bookies’ clear favorite to lift the trophy. But a data dive into player values, population and other factors predicts the team will emerge victorious. Listen to the Viewsroom podcast here.

After Nike kitted out more teams for the first time in 2014, Adidas has fought back, this year sponsoring 12 teams. German brand Puma is a distant third, with just four relatively lowly teams in the competition, compared to the eight it kitted out in 2014. Find out more on the kit manufacturers throughout the world cup tournaments.

World

During the Cold War, Sonnenallee was an unremarkable street with a checkpoint that drew attention only at Easter when West Berliners visited their relatives in the East. Nicknamed “Little Beirut,” it was known for its Lebanese stores and smoky cafes playing old Arab songs. Then, in 2015, the street was given new life. An influx of refugees, mostly Syrians, turned Sonnenallee into one of the busiest streets in the capital.

Shrouded in Chinese military secrecy and hidden from the eyes of journalists, Beijing’s build-up of man-made islands on reefs deep in the maritime heart of Southeast Asia is a vexing story to report. Reuters Backstory takes a look at using satellites to count buildings in South China Sea.

Russian journalist Arkady Babchenko said he collaborated in a plot to fake his own death because he feared being targeted for assassination like former Russian spy Sergei Skripal. He said he was he was given a T-shirt with bullet holes in it to wear, and that pig’s blood was poured over him.

Commentary: A Trump-Kim summit can succeed if the U.S. president sees the talks as the start of a process -- not something that has to be done by the end of his first term, writes Philip W. Yun, a former State Department official who took part in talks with North Korea between 1998 and 2010.

Reuters Top News

@Reuters

@Reuters journalists Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo have been detained in Myanmar for 172 days. Follow updates on the case: https://reut.rs/2Hb6aqu

4:16 AM - JUN 1, 2018

Sponsored by Barclays: Automation’s delayed economic impact Workplace automation is increasing, yet key economic indicators seem unaffected. Why aren’t unemployment, wages and productivity responding? Find out.

Business

Google's 'Reserve' tool winning converts, taking search to next level

Alphabet’s Google is drawing thousands of new customers to gyms and salons each month through an appointment-booking tool released last year, Reuters has learned, a quiet step in the company’s transition to the next generation of search.

7 Min Read

Deutsche Bank gets key investor backing as S&P doubts strategy

Deutsche Bank and its biggest investor sought to reassure shareholders and staff of its financial strength after a ratings downgrade questioned its ability to implement a plan to return to profitability.

5 min read

Canada to U.S.: Explain that $30 billion farm spending war chest

Canada wants the United States to explain why its lawmakers have made an additional $30 billion available to support U.S. farmers hit by trade woes, and how Washington might distribute the money, according to a document published by the World Trade Organization.

3 min read