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Ajaz Patel comes from a humble background in Mumbai before moving to New Zealand as a child. Here he recalls the excitement of getting his first cricket spikes. His father worked at his brother's automotive shop in the new country and his mother was a schoolteacher.

Ajaz did the incredible feat of getting all 10 wickets with spin bowling at the Wankhede stadium in Mumbai in his first innings bowling for New Zealand. Like Jim Laker 10 for 53 against Australia in 1956, and Anil Kumble with 10 wickets against Pakistan, Ajaz's effort is a result of hard work, patience, and knowhow, says this report in The Times. And in Azaz's situation he had less experience as his first Test match was played at age 30 years. 

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The EU Council meeting shows 85 billion euros of support to Ukraine. It shows EU's continued support for Ukraine and to begin talks for Ukraine's entry into the European Union. This is a remarkable step as the war in Ukraine enters winter 2023-2024. It also shows that the Ukraine conflict has entered a final stage after stalemate in the war in which Russia would control parts of Ukraine in the east and Crimea, and Ukraine enters the European Union. This would meet Ukrainian people's need for sovereignty and lead to the next step of rebuilding and reconstruction of Ukraine. The result of the war are the expansion of NATO to include Sweden and Finland, and the new idea of NATO as protecting the Eastern European countries from invasion.

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The Fed's Jerome Powell makes a half percentage point rate cut that takes the federal funds rate to between 4.75% and 5.00%.  11 of 12 Fed governors supported the decision for a half percentage point rate cut.

Powell said:

"We are committed to maintaining our economy’s strength. This decision reflects our growing confidence that with an appropriate recalibration of our policy stance, strength in the labor market can be maintained.”

This is the US central bank's, the Fed's response to high cost of living concerns in the US. It provides relief to households with credit card balances, and business with variable rate debt. Rates for corporate debt and mortgages had started declining in anticipation of rate cuts.

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Djokovic who struggled with a knee injury and pain put every effort he could muster into his game. He won over young Spanish player Alcaraz in 2 tiebreakers 7-6, 7-6. The injury happened for a miniscus tear during his quarterfinals game with Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece. He had only 24 hours to recover before the semifinals game against Italy's Mussetti and seemed very worried. It shows the effort put into the games by athletes in the face of adversity. In cycling overcoming tire punctures and precious seconds, in rowing 0.18 seconds separating Netherlands women's scull quad from the second place,  injuries of women's rower Brayshaw in a horse riding accident and a British rower who came back from a surgery after a bike accident to win gold.

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It is shocking to see the virtual lack of cultural or other people to people contacts between the two largest regions in Asia, and most populous regions in the world, India and China. There appears to be a near total lack of understanding on both sides at the university and government level of the importance of setting up these contacts, so that misperceptions do not exist on either side and better relations can be built using such contacts. Rana Mitter, a expert on Modern China at Oxford University, says in an interview in the Times of India, that India and the 1962 conflict occupy less attention in the Chinese mind because other issues such as the relations with the U.S., ASEAN and Japan, take up more space. Mitter says India should emphasize its pluralism, democracy, and peaceful engagement in its external relations.  Mitter puts less emphasis on the 50 day standoff between India and China on the border at Doklam, Bhutan region, when he responds to a question about the risks of a conflict. He points to a bigger problem that affects relations between the two countries- the lack of exchanges that bring Chinese students, faculty, and government personnel to India, the difficulty of obtaining visas. This lack of cultural exchanges between the two countries is a major issue, considering also that trade and business exchanges are taking place and growing during this lack of cultural exchanges.  As a result it appears that business and economic relations guide the China-India relationship today, with people in China's key ministries and government, in universities and local government, lacking an understanding of India. Mitter makes this clear that cultural exchanges need to be established. Even a search for China- India dialogue brings up little information with a location in Beijing but none in India. It is mind boggling that the relations between the two most populous regions in the world are based on a huge lack of contacts and exchanges that would improve perceptions and understanding.  Britain's effort offers a model to follow as Tsinghua University in Beijing, as part of China's C9, has set up cultural exchanges with British universities in the ongoing cultural exchanges between Britain and China. ...

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  US reaches agreement that would restore oil supplies and bring down oil prices. The supply chains may have to be reconstituted for replacing much of the 20% of the oil that flows through Hormuz if the US, Europe,China and India, Japan, rest of the world are to gain from this experience. The only way to understand the change of mind of the DJT US government and the Saudis/UAE/Qatar for bringing an end to the war without immediately fulfilling required nuclear conditions is from the Saudi point of view it has sought to avoid damage to its oil facilities from Iranian drone and missile attacks. From the US point of view it may see that the US + ramped up Venezuelan production by 2027-2028 with increased push for supplies in other parts of the world with better security than Hormuz, could make up for most of the loss in supply from Hormuz. For the remainder acceleration of the renewal energy in Europe and in China, India could reduce dependence on oil from Saudis/Iran.  US Energy Information Administration forecast is for oil prices currently $103 for Brent crude oil to stabilize at $89 at the end of 2026 and $79 in 2027. The year started in 2026 at $60 per barrel. The UAE oil agency ADNOC says it would take 4 months to get 80% of production back on stream and full flows by 1st quarter 2027. Rystad Energy estimates repair and restoration at oil facilities to cost $58 billion. The MAGA base which opposed wars by Bush and Obama in the region would then look at it this way. The billions that Obama poured into Iran for Iran to rebuild its nuclear program would not happen again, as the US would continue its sanctions till all nuclear materials are removed from Iran. Iran would stall in negotiations that are now put off with only a Memorandum to show for commitment of Iran- though an agreement would only be a piece of paper that Iran may not implement as the failed Obama agreement showed- but yet not have the billions of dollars to support its nuclear program. It would give the US, Israel, and the world 10-15 years in which to respond to another nuclear program by Iran. Iran will need $270 billion to repair the damage to industrial facilities, which shows the cost of the war for the Iranian people just to get a nuclear weapon is prohibitive, considering that the Iranian economy was already in trouble before the war. Inflation and the overall economy will be in difficult shape for many years. Public sentiment in Iran may change the future course of Iran away from the course currently pursued. The entire Middle East  region has not benefitted from its dependence on oil. For the rest of the world finding alternative sources of supply is the best way and EU, China, India should accelerate renewable technologies and goals for energy independence shortening the transition from fossil fuels. ...

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This article in German news service DW.com looks at Taiwan and the threat it faces from China. It looks at different scenarios that might erode Taiwan's status as an independent country. Taiwan's foreign minister Joseph Wu sees the internal situation in China as affecting China's approach to Taiwan. He says China "may find Taiwan a convenient scapegoat" because of the internal situation with floods in China, the economy affected by coronavirus, and other problems.

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China's effort under president Xi to expand the state run sector by providing more credit to state run enterprises and expecting private companies to pursue goals of the state's planned economy. Tackling the coronavirus economic impact required state planning and that experience has further renewed the effort to build the state run companies as a reliable partner for the government. There is also a conviction that private companies are unreliable in a large and complex economy as China's.

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Elina Svitolina of Ukraine wins in three sets over Iga Swiatek of Poland to make it to the semifinals of Wimbledon. Svitolina says the war made her stronger, and also made her mentally stronger. "Mentally I don't take difficult situations as like a disaster you know? There are worse things in life." The Ukraine war is a women's war as millions of women became refugees in different parts of Europe including Swiatek's Poland. 

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Since the last Women's World Cup Soccer the Netherlands and other European teams have caught up with the US. The gap no longer exists as shown in the Netherlands US women's soccer game in which the Dutch dominated the first half and led 1-0. The game ended 1-1 but the myths surrounding the US women's soccer team had fallen. The Dutch coach said his team was in better fitness shape than the Americans.

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Frank Press, US president Jimmy Carter's science adviser brought the climate crisis to Carter's attention as early as 1977 in a memo to the president. It was dated July 7, 1977 and had the title - Release of fossil Co2 and Catastrophic Climate Change. The Guardian gives this report on the earliest signs of the climate crisis sent to a president who installed the first solar panels at the White House.

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The housing downturn as a result of sharply higher interest rates as the Fed's Jay Powell takes on surging inflation is very different from the problems of bank's shoddy mortgages of 2008. The 2008 financial crisis was a banking crisis from overleveraging by US banks and the use of questionable mortgages in housing. The rules set down and strict regulation since 2008 protect the housing market from the errors of 2008.

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US president Biden's effort to appeal to all American families and workers in the $2 trillion plan for investment in child care, paid leave, healthcare and education, and the importance of staying away from the divisive and polarizing effect of the Clinton years on Republicans, is part of the new approach of the Biden administration as it tackles America's most important problems with hopes for bipartisan support.

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Xi Jinping visits Russia in an effort to start peace talks between Russia and Ukraine. The Russian leader wrote an article in a Chinese newspaper saying he was grateful for China's "balanced" stance on the conflict," and welcomed China's "constructive" role in ending the conflict. Xi Jinping wrote an article in a Russian newspaper Rossikaya Gazeta saying "complex problems do not have simple solutions."

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One of the side effects of the Ukraine war is the gradually improving relations between the US and Iran. The US released some funds to Iran that were frozen. Here Iran responds by slowing down its buildup of near weapons grade nuclear fuel. In this way president Biden has tackled the difficult problem of Iran's nuclear program in a low profile way, one of the achievements of the Biden administration's foreign policy.

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A career in pictures shown in The Washington Post that stretches back to the 1970's with elections to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors and Mayor of that city. Feinstein ran unsuccessfully for governor before winning the Senate seat from California. She represents the first wave of California's women politicians, followed by Nancy Pelosi who went on to become Speaker in the US Congress, and now Kamala Harris who is vice president.

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Boeing's gumdrop shaped ship that will take Sunita Williams 58 years and Barry Wilmore 61 years  to the International Space Station in May 2024. It launched at 10.34 am on Monday May 6, and will reach the Space Station in 1 day and return a week later to earth. Both Williams and Wilmore have made 2 trips on NASA space shuttle and on Russia's Soyuz vehicles to the International Space Station.

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Not just state support for companies in solar and EV's- the weaker Chinese currency also adds to China's momentum in exports. The US and the EU are determined to avoid a repeat of previous waves of Chinese exports that decimated their industries and industrial regions. US and EU are preparing counter strategies to support their own companies and protect local jobs and lcal communities that thrive only when those jobs exist.

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Macron's decision for snap elections in July is a surprise for his own party Renaissance and for the party he wanted to help Les Republicains of Former president Sarkozy. Prime minister Gabriel Attal was also unaware and had opposed quick elections. Macron's idea that the left parties would not put up one candidate also did not happen as the left parties have united and Laurent Berger is emerging as their candidate. 

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By winning 30% of the vote Pete Magyar of Tisza party in the EU elections 2024 emerges as the second largest after Viktor Orban's Fidesz. This gives Hungary a strong opposition party to the Fidesz. It broadens the centrist parties trying to hold European Union together from the challenges presented over migration issues by AfD in Germany and Wilders party in Netherlands. It is expected to join Leyen's EPP.

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Official results show Putin wins the Russian presidential election with 64.6% of the vote with 90% of precincts counted. Exit polls showed a result of Putin winning by 58-59% of the vote over 4 other candidates. Putin's presidential term will be for 6 years after a constitutional amendment increased the term from 4 years to 6 years. Putin relied on voters outside Moscow and in the provinces for support.

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Putin says in "Direct Line" marathon of questions on December 19, 2025 in a Moscow Hall that the western nations in NATO played dirty tricks on Russia with expanding NATO westwards after promises they would not expand an inch.

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Germany faces serious problems in its vaccination drive and efforts to control the pandemic in November 2021. The rate at which people are getting vaccinated has slowed to 150,000 a day and the percentage of the population that is vaccinated is stuck at 67%. This percentage of 67% fully vaccinated in Germany as of November 3 is much lower than that in Spain, France and Italy.  Spain is at 78%, France at 69% and Italy at 72%. (Data from NYT) This report in the Guardian points out that most of the remaining one third of the population is not eager to get vaccinated as surveys show that the those who have refused to get a jab are unlikely to change their minds.There is also the problem of booster shots. Germany's 16 regions conduct the vaccination drives and with many of the vaccination centers not active since September staff has to be retrained or rehired. This makes it harder to give booster shots to everyone that was vaccinated early by the start of winter. Why is it that Germany lags behind Spain in vaccination? There is a great deal of trust in Spain and Portugal in the health service and people are 100% behind their health system. The other countries that have a low rate of fully vaccinated are the US at 58%, Brazil 57%, Russia at 33%. Even the UK with its well respected National Health Service remains at 68% fully vaccinated. Today the US, Russia, Brazil, European Union countries and India have many of the 5 million deaths from coronavirus. India's vaccination drive is approaching 1100 million vaccinated, yet there is along way to go in getting most of the population fully vaccinated because of the large population of 1.3 billion. This is why the Indian prime minister on the first day of returning from the COP26 climate summit devoted his time to meeting with leaders of different states and heads of districts with low vaccination rates to press home the idea that the effort had to be taken up vigorously in the coming months. ...

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In getting the support of an overwhelming majority of Senators to support Ukraine aid Mitch McConnell plays a key role. His remarks on the floor of the US Senate underscored the gravity of this moment in the Congress: "Make no mistake: Delay in providing Ukraine the weapons to defend itself has strained the prospects of defeating Russian aggression. Dithering and hesitation have compounded the challenges we face. Today’s action is overdue, but our work does not end here. Trust in American resolve is not rebuilt overnight. Expanding and restocking the arsenal of democracy doesn’t just happen by magic.” President Biden's effort will be remembered. It is similar to what happened when Harry Truman had to persuade a war weary country and the US Congress in 1948 to pass bill for aid to Greece and Turkey to prevent an imminent Communist takeover with support from the Soviet bloc. McConnell will be remembered for his action, so will Speaker Mike Johnson and Senator Schumer and other Republicans, Democrats that worked hard to get a decisive vote for Ukraine aid of 79 For to 18 Against, with 15 Republicans and 3 Democrats voting against. Alabama Senator shifted to a yes vote saying most of that $61 billion of aid to Ukraine will be spent in the US to hire American workers in defense industries. A $10 billion loan provision with forgiveness included was a way to get the former president to support it. On the third try America's Congress gets it through in a decisive manner with overwhelming support. This is not unlike the efforts before, when Aid to Greece and Turkey had to be passed through Congress under president Harry Truman in 1948 with both countries facing a danger of Communist takeover supported by the Soviet bloc with only US support keeping democracy in both Greece and Turkey. Even in 1948 to a war weary country Harry Truman had to persist and get the support he did from the US Congress as president Biden did today April 23, 2024. ...