Tuesday, 21 January 2020

Tuesday Morning Briefing: Day one at the World Economic Forum

DAY 1: 2020 WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM

Thousands of miles from his Washington impeachment trial, President Trump took center stage at Davos to tout the success of the U.S. economy, while criticizing the Federal Reserve. “The Fed raised rates too quickly and has lowered them too slowly,” Trump said, taking aim at the central bank’s policy decisions.

↑ Donald Trump delivers a speech during the 50th World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, Jan. 21, 2020. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

Swiss officials foiled an apparent spying operation by Russians posing as plumbers in Davos, a Swiss newspaper reported, but police did not confirm key details of the account.

Greta Thunberg, who has inspired a new generation of activists to attend the forum in Davos this year, urged world leaders to listen to young people.

“I’m not a person that can complain about not being heard,” she said, prompting laughter from the audience at a panel session. “The science and voice of young people is not the center of the conversation, but it needs to be.”

Breakingviews: The gayest Davos in history still isn’t gay enough The forum prides itself on tackling some of the challenging issues facing humanity. But on at least one front – the rights of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people – the assemblage is uncharacteristically shy.

For Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam, the forum is a chance to convince global business and political leaders that the Asian financial hub is back on track. After more than seven months of turmoil Hong Kong’s status as a financial center has come under scrutiny as sometimes violent demonstrations paralyzed parts of the city and forced businesses to close, posing the most serious popular challenge to Chinese President Xi Jinping since he took power in 2012.

Impeachment

↑ Trump gestures as he walks out of the Marine One helicopter as he arrives for the #WEF20. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

Donald Trump’s impeachment trial begins in earnest in the Senate in a rare use of the constitutional mechanism for ousting a president that has only deepened the polarization of U.S. voters ahead of the presidential election in November. Here's what happens next.

Abuse of power and obstruction, explained: Click here to read about the two charges, or 'articles of impeachment,' approved by the House of Representatives.

Business

Exclusive: Apple dropped plan for encrypting backups after FBI complained

Apple dropped plans to let iPhone users fully encrypt backups of their devices in the company’s iCloud service after the FBI complained that the move would harm investigations, six sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.

7 min read

Huawei CFO's legal team to contest U.S. extradition in day two of Canada hearing

Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou is set to return to a Vancouver court today where her lawyers will build on their arguments against the U.S. extradition request that they say is based on a sanctions violation and not bank fraud.

4 min read

China coronavirus claims sixth victim as holiday travel heightens infection risks

The death toll from the flu-like virus outbreak in China climbed to six as authorities reported a surge in new cases, with fears that hundreds of millions of people traveling for the Lunar New Year holiday will accelerate the infection rate.

6 min read

Central banks join forces to look at future digital currencies

Major central banks are looking at the case for issuing their own digital currencies, the Bank of England and ECB said, amid a growing debate over the future of money and who controls it.

3 min read

Top Stories on Reuters TV

McConnell proposes rules for Trump trial

Impeachment   1:35

Thunberg: 'Pretty much nothing has been done'

Davos   1:19
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