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Kristina Johnson is the new chancellor of the SUNY education system in New York state. About 440,000 students are enrolled in the SUNY system. Johnson is an engineer who studied at Stanford for her masters and doctoral degrees. She headed the engineering school at Duke and set up the new interdisciplinary engineering  center for applied sciences and medicine at Duke in 2007-2009. She is also an inventor with 42 patents, some are being used in technology to take pictures of cancerous cells. In 2009 she was made undersecretary of energy in the Obama administration. SUNY is expanding access to lower income students with Governor Cuomo's Excelsior scheme to fund tution for students whose parents make less than $125,000.

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Security is at the heart of India's foreign policy. S. Jaishankar points this out at Thiruvanathapuram. He says this was true of the effort at Balakot and even in the midst of Covid at the Line of Actual Control with China when India sent up enormous numbers of troops to defend the border. This is also behind the stand with China that security and LAC comes first in all relations with China. Trade and exchanges all come in the context of LAC, settle the LAC issues first then we can proceed with better bilateral relations, this is what India is telling China.  There are good reasons for this. India has a large border in the most formidable terrain of the Himalayas which is also close to the plains of India in the LAC with China. Any difficulties at the border would weaken India's secuerity and weaken development efforts in the same way that Japan sought to weaken Chinese development through invasion in the 1930's. Tibet looms out of the past. When China invaded Tibet Nehru's couple of pages in Discovery of India on China show that he had no idea of the China that had emerged with Mao and the CCP in its historical struggle against Japanese nationalists and imperialists. He had an idea of China that came from the Buddhist period and India's links from the past. The ruthless Japanese invasion that China confronted on its soil, and British colonial incursions before that, had already transformed the China of the past, which now under Mao in 1948 may have sought more defensible borders by extending them to Tibet as a buffer state. Historically the British had never tolerated Russian or other European or Japanese interference in the border states such as Tibet. There was also the question of capacity. By the time of the invasion of Tibet in the early 1950's China had already fought the Korean War with the US. India's army and defense forces were just coming out of partition and ill equipped for the task of defending the borders in Tibet region. Current governments in a more normal setting cannot change this part of history, yet can take full recognition of the facts that this has created. A strong defense has to be created for defending a border that extends for thousand of miles now that China has unlawfully occupied Tibet. On it also depends a strong and vigorous development effort that helps build the kind of modern defenses as the economy grows and absorbs new technologies rapidly. Both defense and development go together, one cannot have defense without rapid modernization and development, and one cannot have rapid modernization and development without defense. A weak defense would lead to distractions in development leading to the lack of rapid modernization and development as the intruding power interferes in insidious ways in the internal and external links of the country. This is the lesson of colonial interference of western powers in Asia. As Brendan Simms shows in his new book, Europe - Struggle for Supremacy 1500 to the Present, it is also the lesson of a different kind of colonialism inside Europe since 1500, where weaker states inside Europe fell behind with interference in turns by the imperial powers of France, UK, Austria-Hungary, Prussia and Russia. Poland, Finland, Czech Republic in the past and even Ukraine today are just some examples of what can happen when one loses sight of this principle. Poland and the Polish Commonwealth in the 19th century, Hungary right down to 1956, and China in the 1910-1930, India in the 18th and 19th century were weakened internally even after recognizing the problem, so that recognition of the problem is not an adequate condition to prevent countries from facing such foreign interference. ...

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U.S. senior Republican Senators Lindsay Graham of South Carolina and John McCain of Arizona, are getting ready to launch a wide ranging probe of Russian interference in the U.S. 2016 presidential election through cyber attacks. The probe is not limited to DNC hacking and the concern is not just that any one candidate was targeted but for the integrity of the American election process. Even though it is not mentioned in this report in the Washington Post by Demirjian, Senators and Congressmen from the Republican Party in charge of key committees of oversight on foreign policy and defense now see it as their responsibility to prevent an enlargement of cyberattacks as Germany and France face elections. Mr. Trump has said in an interview with Time magazine that Russia was not responsible for cyber attacks, that it "could have been China, it could have been some guy in New Jersey." Senator McCain is readying a probe into cyber attacks into U.S. weapons systems, and U.S. military, as the issue widens in its scope and significance for the West and for the U.S. and its allies in Europe and Asia. Senate Select Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr (N.C.) will be working closely with McCain, Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman, on this particular issue and Senator Mitch McConnell has been apprised of the discussions, according to this report in WP. Senator Graham said- "They'll keep doing more here until they pay a price." Graham will hold a series of investigative hearings in 2017 about Russian meddling and "misadventures throughout the world."  This will include new legislation.  Graham told CNN on Dec. 7, 2016 in strong language- "I am going after Russia in every way you can go after Russia. I think they are one of the most destabilizing influences on the world stage. I think they did interfere with our election, and I want Putin personally to pay the price." During the debates Governor Pence of Indiana, the Vice President elect took a strong position on Russia, and the Vice President's positions on foreign policy and defense are similar to that of the Republican leaders in Congress.  It is hard to remember a time in the post war period when there was such a distinct difference in foreign policy and defense as it relates to Russia between a Republican president and both a Republican Congress and almost all Republican governors. Senator Corker from Tennessee, who heads the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, is on the short list to be Secretary of State. A related story in the WSJ shows the selection of military leaders for key intelligence, defense and homeland security, and Gen. Petraeus considered for foreign policy, as diverging from historical practice of keeping civilian oversight preeminent in the U.S.. Rep. Peter King, an early supporter of Trump, who is on committees for intelligence and counterterrorism told MSNBC, that he is confident that Trump will not be "taken in by Putin." The U.S. Republican dominated Congress has taken a strong position on Russian interference in Syria and Ukraine. In the House of Representatives Republican Rep. Devin Nunes from California and Rep. Mac Thornberry from Texas are leading efforts on cyber and intelligence as heads of their committees. ...

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The Indian economy is expected to grow at 8.9% instead of the 9.2% estimated earlier for 2021-2022.

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Greece's minister for migration tells the Times that seven charities including one in London form part of a chain stretching from Somalia to Britain in which smugglers move migrants illegally.  One of the seven charities is in London and is seen as colluding with human traffickers who are putting lives of migrants at risk. Greece has 70,000 migrants living in squalid refugee centres. Of these 17,000 are on islands in the Aegean sea. Europe cannot cope with all these migrants illegally making the crossing, much less during this pandemic. It has also unsettled the countries where migrants are settled on a humanitarian basis as there is at the same time serious neglect of poverty stricken communities inside Europe who are not getting the assistance they deserve. The result is even less focus on the development needs, on infrastructure, education and healthcare of the countries in Europe where migrants are headed, with the attention diverted to the migrants issue. Economic progress in Europe and rapid development could not only improve the condition of people in all communities, it could also help finance more foreign aid development project assistance to Africa and other countries. This would if vigorously done keep people in their home countries and help fulfill their development aspirations there, which is the better way.  Chancellor Merkel of Germany should have opted for a better way by setting up a program for aspiring migrants in the countries of Africa with a generous visa program offering training and technological skills, which could then be brought back to the country in Africa where it could generate jobs and opportunities with the necessary capital from European and other financial institutions and governments. This effort made in alliance with Britain and France could be powerful in its impact. Instead a haphazard three years of migration led to internal divisions, loss of confidence in the CDU and the SDP, FDP parties in coalitions, ending up where it should have started in the first place- reducing the migration to a trickle, returning some migrants back to their countries, and focussing on bringing economic assistance and development assistance to African countries for opportunities in these countries and a brighter future so that no one would want to leave and drift on oceans in tiny boats in the first place. The condition of the people in Africa is not so hopeless that the best they can do is to send their young people to drift on boats on the high seas in the hope of refugee status. China has shown that the there is a path from famine during the years following the Great Leap Forward to the development of today. India is doing that now and can repeat that story. Japan and South Korea, Taiwan have done this after devastating wars and out of nothing. Imagine what the world would be like if all these people in Asia set out on small boats for Europe.       ...

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U.S. will no longer allow Chinese flights to the U.S. if U.S. airlines are not given permission for flights to China. Chinese airlines continued flights to the U.S. after U.S. airlines stopped flying in February and March. Air China, China Southern, Xiamen, and China Eastern operate reduced flights to the U.S. President Trump's order could bar flights starting June 16, or earlier.

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Britain's effort to build its wind energy industry and objections from the European Union is the subject of this report in The Guardian. British government goal of 60% UK manufactured goods in supply chains including for large wind farms to power the UK.

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This editorial in the Economist says Scots should get fiscal autonomy, and manage their own affairs including setting minimum wage, and tax rates. It says England should not subsidize Scotland as it currently does, and this will lead to Scotland bearing additional cost of about 8 billion pounds. It reminds readers that only about 50% of Scottish voters voted for the Scottish National party in the 2015 general election, and once Scotland has to balance its own books voters would have a chance to rethink the level to which they want a welfare state. As in Quebec the nationalist party may not have the same voter support when it has to tackle the difficult tasks involved in self government. This also means Scots would not be voting on how to manage affairs in England, leading to a federation for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

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Asbit faces months of protests in Hong Kong with no end in sight China decides to take the long view. Carrie Lam has said that China is playing the long game in Hong Kong as it has too much stake in world affairs and its trading relations. This is particularly true today with trade tensions with the U.S. and a wary Europe. 

The story is one of two cultures, with Hong Kong very different from the culture president Jinping and Mainlanders know. There is little space in between so being patient appears to be the best way. Jinping met Carrie Lam recently in China and says he trusts Carrie Lam, a civil servant in the British tradition, who is caught between the two conflicting cultures and wants to take a break from the chaotic situation in which she can rarely go out without meeting protesters.

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Speaker Johnson tells Politico that he plans to take up Ukraine aid in a separate bill. It would  be one Ukraine aid only bill or combined with Israel aid. He said it would happen using the House's suspension calendar. He sees it coming up on Ukraine aid on a stand alone basis. Suspension calendar requires a two thirds majority to pass bills and this means a large number of Democratic votes. Separating Israel and Ukraine aid is under consideration. The Freedom Caucus and some Republicans are not favoring bringing up the Ukraine aid bill. A government funding bill comes to the floor of Congress next week. Johnson says of the raucous Freedom Caucus that he has been always philosophically aligned with it with the same core principles as a lifelong movement conservative.The only difference is in tactics, and its never personal, Johnson says.

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Stiglitz wants to put money in places where it will be spent immediately, unemployment compensation, in state and local governments hands to build critical infrastructure, state education budgets and environment spending for benefits in the long run, only limited help in the mortgage mess to the deserving and to reduce foreclosures, and no money to upperclass Americans who won't be spending much of it anyway.

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Paletta, Hilsenrath and Solomon give an exceptional journalism report on the silence and tension in the room at the meeting on Monday, October 13, 2008, at 3.00 pm in the Treasury building. It was an historic meeting between Treasury Secretary Paulson, Fed chairman Bernanke, and FDIC chairwoman Sheila Bair on one side, and the head of America's leading banks on the other side. The situation was explained, the bankers asked questions, bankers were not allowed to negotiate, and at one point Bernanke had to intervene saying there was no need for this meeting to have a confrontational tone. Wells Fargo's Kovacevich asked why banks had to accept a capital injection. Kenneth Lewis of Bank of America softened the tone of the meeting by saying that "any one of us who doesn't have a healthy fear of the unknown isn't paying attention." Even before the meeting an anxious John Mack of Morgan Stanley asked Paulson for the reason for the meeting and Paulson told him, "come on down, you will be pleased." John Mack who had fought so many rumors of the firm's demise, was surely pleased with the $10 billon injection of capital in Morgan Stanley by the government in return for preferred share and a dividend of 5%, which helped assure markets about Morgan Stanley's future. Goldman Sach's also received $10 billion. The meeting was ended at 4.30pm. Before this Timothy Geithner, head of the New York Fed, acting as the point man went around handing each CEO a term sheet with a place to sign. Another meeting was setup for 6.30 pm and at that time all the term sheets were returned - and all were signed. There was no meeting. Treasury officials and Fed officials and others had hoped that the intervening time would give CEO's a time to talk to their boards, to think things over, and clear their heads. In a few hours the government took preferred shares in the nation's leading banks and injected $125 billion into the largest banks. Treasury injected $25 billlion in Bank of America, Citigroup, and JP Morgan Chase, And between $20 and $25 billion in Wells Fargo, and $3 billion in Bank of New York Mellon, and $3 billion in State Street. Another $125 billon would be injected into other smaller banks in coming days. Officials at Treasury, Fed and FDIC and other government officials hoped this would give a "confidence shock" to the nation's banking system. ...

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The most accurate study so far of what age groups get affected by coronavirus comes from the Office of National Statistics in Britain, showing that children are as likely to get infected as adults. Estimates in modeling created jointly by Public Health England and the Cambridge University show 18% of children in the data from 5  to 14 years age are infected by the virus in England, compared to 18% in the adults over 45 years age.  Across all age groups the modeling data found that there is no difference between age categories for infection by the coronavirus.

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The first 20 billion euros in a 300 billion euros plan of the European Commission for renewable energy transition in EU countries is approved. 15 billion euros will come from the innovation fund. And 5 billion euros from selling carbon dioxide emission licenses to industries sooner than planned from the Eu carbon market "market stability reserve." Of the 300 billion euros plan for energy transition to renewable 225 billion euros will come from unclaimed money in the European Union Covid 19 recovery fund.

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New fixed rate 30 year US mortgages have interest rates of 7% in September 2023. Interest rates on car loans also have become much higher. The American Association of Realtors says the typical American family cannot afford to buy a median priced home. The typical American household would need 42 weeks of income to buy a new car up from 33 weeks in 2020. Car buying is unaffordable for buyers now because of high car prices and high interest rates on car loans, says the chief of Moody's Analytics.

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NYT looks at the $19 billion renovation of Kennedy Airport in New York. Smart ways are being adopted to avoid tying up the highways around the airport with trucks by sending stone and other supplies from quarries 125 miles away by water up the Hudson river to a waterside dock on the 5000 acre Kennedy campus. The executive director of The Port Authority of New York that runs the Kennedy Airport, one of the busiest in the world, says this avoids 300,000 truck trips spanning 1.5 million miles. 

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This article in The Times says Britain is now on the path to slow decline similar to the situation in the 1970's with the Brexit situation- with a deal or without a deal. Of the options now open he favors a second referendum and supports Remain. 

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Germany, the UK and Canada offer additional models for health care insurance that vastly improve results for dollar spent over the dysfunctional U.S. model. Here Jamie Daw take a look at the German social health insurance system which dates back to hte period of Bismarck in 1884. The German system is funded through progressive taxation which charges for healthcare based on incomes not on health needs.

About 100 nonprofit health insurers provide insurance and all Germans are required to have health insurance. Contributions to sickness funds are centrally pooled and allocated using a formula to insurers. Insurers can only charge small out of pocket fees limited to 2% of income annually. Sickness funds combine market power to negotiate lower prices.

Administrative and governance costs are 3% in Canadian system and 5% in the German system. 

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This report in WSJ says president Trump's trade policies have flopped so far. Part of the reason are Mr. Trump's tax policies which acted like a stimulus to the U.S. economy at a time when the world economy and China were slowing, even though this created a large fiscal deficit. Increase in interest rates by the U.S. Federal Reserve increased the value of the U.S. dollar against other currencies making imports cheaper. The Trump tariffs are in play in negotiations with the Chinese government, and the WSJ argues that Trump's tax policies are in play too. Not that the Trump threat of tariffs has not accomplished its initial intent of getting China to the negotiating table in a serious way for the first time since it joined the WTO, and reminding it of its WTO obligations and obligations for maintaining a level trading field free of state sponsored subsidies to reduce competition. Economists argue this proves that the trade deficit is influenced only by macro or larger economic influences such as the strength of your currency and demand for imports. In the long run the Trump tariff action may work, yet the tax policies may prove inconsistent in increasing the fiscal deficit without producing gains in investment in infrastructure and other vital areas of investment in the economy that would provide benefits to society. ...

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Churchill came up with the idea of British restaurants that serve nutritious meals at reasonable cost so that no family would suffer from lack of access to healthy food at moderate prices. This would insulate people from the high prices during the war in the 1940's for food and energy. The Guardian shows these public diners in 1940's Britain. At its peak there were more British restaurants of this kind than McDonalds's or Weatherspoon's exist today. There is a need for this type of government supported food place that serves affordable meals serving quality food ethically produced as a new form of national infrastructure. Nourish Scotland is calling for reviving it today. It tackles health inequality and food insecurity. Abigail McCall, project officer at Nourish Scotland, says- "For other aspects of our wellbeing – water, transport, healthcare, even wifi – we have built the public infrastructure to ensure that everyone has quality, universal access. We are missing that in relation to food,” said Abigail McCall, project officer at Nourish Scotland. “Poor diets have overtaken smoking as the leading cause of preventable ill health for some time now. We need the government to make a bold intervention in our food environment, and invest in delivering what the market doesn’t: healthy, climate-friendly food in a convenient way and at an affordable price."   ...