United States

Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump has compared the People’s Republic of China to a rapist and has vowed to turn the situation around. Referring to China’s high number of exports relative to the U.S., Trump said: “We can’t continue to allow China to rape our country, and that’s what they’re doing” CNN reports: Trump has repeatedly accused China of manipulating its currency to make its exports more competitive on the global market and has claimed that China is “killing” the U.S. on trade.

• Puerto Rico Development Bank Won’t Make Most of a Debt Payment Monday (WSJ)
• Why the jump in futures? Tokyo slide keeps mood downbeat (Reuters)
• Indiana to test Donald Trump’s staying power with evangelicals (Reuters)
• Gold Rallies Above $1,300 for First Time Since January 2015 (BBG)
• This Tech Bubble Is Bursting (WSJ)
• Valeant’s CEO Was Key Force on Pricing (WSJ)
• US banks sound caution on commercial property loans (FT)
• As oil plows through $45 a barrel, U.S. producers rush to lock in prices (Reuters)

It has been a busy weekend for mostly negative newsflow.

A popular Iranian newspaper has called on the government to intercept US cargo ships stationed in the Persian Gulf in retaliation to America freezing Iran’s assets.  Kayhan newspaper urged the government to take action, after Iran’s appeal to the UN to stop US violations of state immunity and seizure of assets fell on deaf ears. Presstv.com reports: Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif wrote to UN chief Ban Ki-moon on Thursday to ask him to intervene with his “good offices,” but the United Nations said it would intervene should both parties request it.

Authored by Eric Zuesse via Strategic-Culture.org,