Weekend Reading: 27-28 October 2018

Global Macro / Markets / Investing:

• At Netflix, Radical Transparency and Blunt Firings Unsettle the Ranks – WSJ
• BlackRock’s Next U.S. Hub Will Be Far From Wall Street – WSJ
• The AI Cold War That Could Doom Us All – Wired
• New schemes teach the masses to build AI – The Economist
• Anybody Want Bitcoin Futures? Anybody? – Bloomberg
• Apple’s Radical Approach to News: Humans Over Machines – NY Times
• The Global Tech Backlash Is Just Beginning – WSJ

Americas:

• Pause Interest-Rate Hikes to Help the Labor Force Grow – WSJ
• Trump Considers Closing Southern Border to Migrants – NY Times
• Housing Is Tanking in the Northeast. Guess Why. – Bloomberg
• A Big Reason U.S. Economy Is Accelerating: Government Spending – WSJ
• Mattis expected to send 800 more troops to southern border – CNN
• As Trump showers fire on U.S. central bank, Fed Chair Powell builds GOP support – Washington Post
• Paul Volcker sets a challenge for the next generation – FT
• Sanders Makes Case Against the Saudis (and for Bernie 2020) – NY Mag
• Scaramucci Says Trump ‘Intentionally’ Lies to Inflame Opponents – Bloomberg
• Janet Yellen sounds alarm over plunging loan standards – FT
• U.S. dairy farmers get little help from Canada trade deal – reuters

Europe:

• Tony Abbott: How to save Brexit – Spectator
• The tension between globalisation and democracy – The Economist
• Italy’s face-off with Brussels has echoes of the Greek debt crisis – FT
• European Parliament demands ban on neo-fascist and neo-Nazi groups in the EU – Europarl
• Europe’s parliament calls for full audit of Facebook in wake of breach scandal – Tech Crunch
• The EU Just Voted to Completely Ban Single-Use Plastics – Futurism
• Germany warns citizens to be careful on social media when in Turkey – Taiwan News
• Belgium confirms choice of Lockheed’s F-35 over Eurofighter – Reuters

Asia:

• U.S. Won’t Resume Trade Talks Without Firm Proposal From a Wary China – WSJ
• China’s Government Has Ordered a Million Citizens to Occupy Uighur Homes. Here’s What They Think They’re Doing. – China File
• Bolsonaro’s anti-China rants have Beijing nervous about Brazil – Reuters
• US-China trade war: talks stop until China caves to US demands – VOX
• China denies report it spies on Trump’s iPhone, suggests he get a Huawei instead – SCMP
• Narendra Modi: India plans trade deal to boost exports to China – Economic Times
• Chinese billionaire who plotted with North Korea pops up after 16 years – Nikkei
• China is accused of locking up hundreds of thousands of Muslims without trial in its western region of Xinjiang – BBC

Trans-Tasman:

• Revamped TPP Set to Start This Year With Australia Racing to Ratify – Bloomberg
• Australia’s economic ‘lucky streak’ jeopardised by political infighting, reliance on China, report warns – ABC
• A new report from Infrastructure Australia says close to half the population of the nation’s capitals don’t live within walking distance of public transport – SBS
• No work done after Nationals’ treasurer got $850k water-saving grant – The Age
• Angry Barnaby Joyce lashes out at ‘innuendo’ in heated exchange with Fran Kelly – The Guardian
• Early warnings of child mental health crisis on Nauru fell on deaf ears, health experts say – ABC
• Victoria’s Indigenous treaty on course despite Coalition bid to stop it – The Guardian
• Victorian election roundup: Dutton reprises ‘gang’ fears as Liberals run on crime – The Guardian
• Barnaby Joyce is the Coalition’s disease – The SMH
• Superannuation changes could leave young Australians with no insurance cover – ABC
• Not one government official was consulted about Australia’s major Israel foreign policy shift – The SMH
• Federal anti-corruption body motion could test Coalition control in minority government – ABC
• Superannuation changes could leave young Australians with no insurance cover – ABC
• Coalition to redirect $3.9bn into Drought Future Fund for ‘non-rainy days’ – The Guardian
• Former education minister vetoed $4.2 million in recommended university research grants – The SMH
• Australia: not even close to the most successful economy (Blog post from ex RBNZ economist Michael Reddell) – Croaking Cassandra
• Auckland first home buyers better off by $87 a week compared to 18 months ago – Interest.co.nz

Other:

• Why the world’s recycling system stopped working – FT