Links 3 January 2017

Macro Markets & Investing

• Swiss say goodbye to banking secrecy – SwissInfo
• Trump, Putin and the rise of nostalgic nationalism – FT
• Euro-area manufacturing expands at the fastest rate since April 2011 – Bloomberg
• Bitcoin jumps above $1,000 for first time in 3 years – Business Insider

Asia

• Donald Trump’s Indonesian business partner considers running for president | Billionaire developer Hary Tanoe, who is building two Trump resorts, says he has ‘access’ to the US president-elect – The Guardian
• Singapore is beating Hong Kong in the race to build a fintech hub – Bloomberg
• Japanese white-collar workers are already being replaced by artificial intelligence – Blogs of War

Europe/Middle East

• French president warns: “Democracy, freedom, social rights, Europe and even peace, all of that becomes vulnerable, reversible. In history, there are moments when everything can change dramatically – Euronews
• Investigatory Powers Act goes into force, putting UK citizens under intense new spying regime – Independent (Big Brother is watching youse…)
• Istanbul nightclub attack: ISIS claims responsibility – CNN
• Universal basic income trials being considered in Scotland – The Guardian
• At least 22 killed after suicide bomber targets crowded Baghdad market – FoxNews
• Jean-Claude Juncker blocked EU curbs on tax avoidance, cables show – The Guardian
• Saudi Arabia executed 153 in 2016, including 47 on a single day – Asiaage (disgusting, a nation that should be roundly condemned each and every single day for its human rights abuses)

Americas

• ‘Obama & other Muslims not welcome here’: Convenience store’s signs spark outrage – Miami Herald
• ‘Mammoth’s penis’ found on north Norfolk coast – EDP (Trump has not called it his, but you can be sure its huuge)
• Trump’s pick for Labor Secretary doesn’t think workers should get breaks. – Motherjones
• Trump Claims Knowledge Of The Russian Hacking Allegations That U.S. Intelligence Does Not Have – Redstate (anyone still think this goose was the right choice?)
• Don’t bother fixing Obamacare – go for universal care instead: Tony May – PennLive

Terra Nullus

• Australia breaks with New Zealand over support for Israel – Australian Herald
• Melbourne beach gastro risk as poo levels rise following record rain – ABC News
• What can we expect from climate politics in 2017 – ABC News (poo…lots of poo flung around but nothing done)
• Senator David Leyonhjelm calls to restrict pension, says being poor ‘nothing to be proud of’ – ABC (he may have a point here, if lacking some eloquence)

Other:

• Costa Rica completes 2016 without having to burn a single fossil fuel for more than 250 days. 98.2% of Costa Rica’s electricity came from renewable sources in 2016. – Digital Journal
• Titanic sank due to enormous uncontrollable fire, not iceberg, experts claim – Rarely seen images of the Titanic before it left Southampton have furthered researchers’ theory that a fire may have been the root cause of the 1912 disaster – Independent
• Bill and Melinda Gates back an implant that could prevent HIV – Engadget
• One of World’s Most Dangerous Supervolcanoes Is Rumbling – Nationalgeographic