The Daily BriefPublished on EGF: 03.05.2018 U.S. Naval Update Map: May 3, 2018 — This map shows the approximate locations of U.S. Carrier Strike Groups and Amphibious Ready Groups. Link China Puts an Economic Backwater in the Spotlight — Designating isolated Hainan province as the country's first free trade port will allow Beijing to take some policy risks as it pursues its next economic evolution. Link Morocco: Government Cuts Ties With Iran With an Eye Toward Saudi Arabia — By accusing Tehran of arming separatists, Rabat not only serves its own security needs, but also wins favor with Riyadh and others that seek to contain Iranian influence. Link Congo: Problems for Miner of Copper and Cobalt Only Multiply — The Democratic Republic of the Congo is trying to get a larger share of the jackpot generated by its copper and cobalt. That move is adding to the problems facing Glencore PLC, one of the country's larger mining operators. Link EU: The Budget Battle Begins — The European Commission has presented its multi-annual budget proposal, kicking off debate among members states, which will fiercely protect their interests. Link Global PerspectivesTwo Years in, Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 Is No Bed of Roses — Stratfor contributor Anisa Mehdi writes that nobody said overhauling Saudi Arabia's economy would be easy. But the daily operations at an industrial rose farm near King Khalid Air Base reveal some of the logistical challenges that lie ahead. Link Stratfor GraphicHainan, China's smallest province, will soon play a large role in the central government's efforts to reassert power over the country's provinces and further the process of opening the Chinese economy. ForumsContribute to the conversation. Share your thoughts in our forum section to engage with our analysts, editors and fellow Stratfor Worldview subscribers. A U.S. district court judge has ordered that Iran must compensate the victims of 9/11 to the tune of $6 billion, despite findings of the 9/11 commission that no direct link existed between Iran and the attacks. The case was initially introduced in 2004 but was adjudicated only after the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act passed in 2016. The law opened the door for U.S. courts to assign responsibility for terrorist acts. Although Iran won't likely be forced to pay any judgment, the case provides an example for how the law may be used in the future. Theme of the Week: Globalization EvolvedIt’s difficult to ignore some of the benefits of globalization. Goods became cheaper, markets became more accessible, and people moved more freely across borders. But those benefits came at the expense of jobs and, depending on whom you ask, national identities throughout the developed world. Central to the debate on globalization is U.S. President Donald Trump, who has often railed against globalization's effects on U.S. immigration and trade. Although Trump's sentiments have won him admiration from his followers, his protectionist trade policies have brought fears of a potential trade war with China. As the United States continues its attempts to counter China's economic rise, Trump is sending a delegation of his top economic advisers — including U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, National Economic Council Director Larry Kudlow and protectionist trade hawk Peter Navarro — to Beijing. Link |
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