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Prime minister Modi's visit to the US comes at a time when US president Biden is eager to show the US is fully engaged in the Indo-Pacific region with its allies in the Quad 4 countries- Australia, Japan and India. The recently announced Aukus defense agreement brought together 2 members of the Quad 4 the US and Australia, plus the UK. Aukus is designed to strengthen US presence as a naval power in the Indo-Pacific region in the Indian and Pacific oceans around India, Southeast Asia, China, and across the Pacific. After a futile engagement in Afghanistan the US is reorganizing its presence where it is strongest- in the oceans. In a way that Britain once did in the eighteenth and nineteenth century, the US is dominant in the high seas. US naval power far exceeds that of all navies in the world combined. This is meant to reassure India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam, Australia and Japan, which together have close to twice the population of China, that the US has not diminished its presence in any way from that it had in the 1950's following the Second World War. With this new framework India enters discussions that will focus on health to deal with the pandemic and its after effects, with security and rule of law in the Indo-Pacific region, with trade, technology, new supply chain manufacturing structure in which India plays a key role. With this new focus and clearing past engagements made by other US  presidents, including some mistaken policies, the US emerges as a new force in the Indian ocean, China seas and Pacific ocean region.  On September 23 Modi meets Tim Cook for what could be new supply chain arrangements that Apple could be preparing as it and other US corporations build new supply chain structures to rebuild US manufacturing technologies capabilities that were lost to China over the period 2000-2020. During that period manufacturing technology knowhow was shifted out of the US in a mistaken policy that assumed design and invention were sufficient for the US to keep. The first step in this direction was a change of CEO's at Intel Corp with US president Biden pushing for new US technology reclaiming policy. Following that the new CEO at Intel Corp, Patrick Gelsinger, completely reassessed Intel's mistaken policies of ceding its entire semiconductor manufacturing technologies capabilities to Taiwan and China. Intel made a U turn and is now investing all or most of $50 billion in the US instead of in China or Taiwan.  On September 24 Modi meets Mr Biden to discuss trade, investment, defense, and security. On the same day the leaders of Japan, Australia, Mr. Suga and Mr. Morrison join Modi and Biden for the Quad 4 talks. Indian infrastructure capabilities and Indian economic growth would be key goals to strengthen India along its land borders along Tibet occupied region and Himalayas as part of the overall effort to build a new US and allied presence in Asia.  On September 21 Modi attends a Covid Summit that will look at the way forward in the aftermath of the pandemic and ways to vaccinate the remaining unvaccinated population in the world, as well as vaccination passports.  ...

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After losing 100 ships in the Irish Sea in 1859 to storms Britain setup the Shipping Forecast in 1861 under Admiral FitzRoy. This was the first storm warning system on which British ships depended for the next 100 years and most of the period Britain ruled the high seas. In 1925 the first long wave transmission of Weather Shipping went out from the Air Ministry in London. Millions depended on the forecast. For eons says Grace Linden in NYT there was nothing but stars and estuaries, the wind and the shore. The old supply chain of the Industrial Revolution in Britain was based on shipping, and on the shipping forecast, and too the realms of exploration all the way to the new continent of Australia, so a national treasure.

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At a time when multilateral financial and other institutions are not working properly on behalf of countries in the Global South, the G20 is seen as the place where the poor countries can find a voice. The African Union was admitted to the G20 nations with the support of India and the US at the New Delhi Summit. Before this the only nation from Africa was South Africa. The other countries are the original G8- US, Canada, Germany, France, European Union, Britain, Italy, Japan. These countries represented the already advanced economies. To these nations were added the newly advanced economies of Russia, South Korea and China, Australia for 11 economies. The 7 rapidly developing nations added are India, Indonesia, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, South Africa.

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Questions raised in this Hindustan Times report about whether India's participation in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization makes sense now after the pandemic and the new arrangement in global affairs. New supply chains and trade alliances formed after the pandemic are likely to be very different after the pandemic and formed with dominant consideration of each nation's economic interests including manufacturing in the home country.  India joined the SCO to forge ties with the central Asian countries. But this no longer makes sense as India's manufacturing ties with individual nations such as Britain, Japan, Taiwan and the U.S., European Union may make more sense and build on "Made in India" initiatives than older thinking and approaches. Britain after Brexit, Japan and Taiwan after a realignment of trade relations, are keen on expanding business and trade, investment ties with India. India has many opportunities to pursue for mutual economic benefit with these countries. Germany, France and other EU countries, the U.S. are also keen on expanding trade and investment with India to boost their economies after the pandemic. This is a crucial juncture for India to plan for the next 10 years for a changing world in which India becomes a dominant story in manufacturing. Australia's participation in the RCEP may also not be long term under the prevailing climate of trade relations with China. Australia India trade can be expanded with new efforts.  ...

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Batters Kohli against Australia and Sharma with Rahul against New Zealand, with the help of spinners Chakravarty and Kuldeep set India on the path to win Champions Trophy cricket games in 2025.

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Leaks of conversations Mr. Trump had with leaders of Mexico and Australia early in the Trump administration resulted in the effort to protect sensitive discussions on a separate high security server. This is now the subject of inquiry in the impeachment inquiry by Democrats in the House of Representatives into president Trump's discussion with Ukrainian president Zelensky. The impeachment inquiry stems from the call with the Ukrainian president in which Democrats say Trump asked Ukraine to look into corruption at a company in which Democrat Joe Biden's son was a board member, and storing this information on a top security server.

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China is increasing use of domestic coal and reducing Australian coal imports in an effort to increase energy security and become self sufficient in coal. Spot price of thermal coal used to generate electricity is expected to drop by 39% in 2019. Coking coal used for steel production will decline by 38% as China uses more costly local coal and the steel industry in Europe, India and the U.S. lowers production with lower coal demand. The world consumed less coal in 2019 over 2018. Largely from less coal used in electricity generation which dropped by 2.5%.

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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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Hernandez and Qin provide this exceptional account of the thoughts and feelings of the 150 million young people in China who are single children of parents, through intervews and description of this generation in Chinese media. Local media calls this generation very lonely because of the lack of a brother or sister, without cousins, uncles and aunts. These children were doted on by their parents and have grown up in an unususal way because of the extraordinary attention they received- unlike what is happening throughout the rest of the world. Were they lucky? Not really, because they now have to face the burden of supporting aging parents alone, without the help of siblings. And for the policymakers there is another shock of realizing that such a precipitate action of a one-child policy from 1990 onwards may have undermined other goals by creating a rapidly aging population and shrinking workforce to support them, especially when Latin America and other poor countries with high birth rates have seen these birth rates plummet over time as living standards and education improved. A 2013 study by Australian researchers shows these children having tendency to show selfishness, pessimism and risk aversion. The other shock for policymakers is that the cost of getting a good education and the scarce number of places in good schools, is leading parents to not have that second child. ...

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Closed vaccination centers in Rome soon after the Italian government with EU backing stopped a shipment of Astra Zeneca vaccines made in Italy that were being sent to Australia, show the extent of lack of clear direction in the EU on vaccination. Both the European Medicines Agency and the British Health and Medicines Regulatory agency have said that the Astra Zeneca vaccination of people has benefits that far outweighs any reports of risk from rare kind of blood clots. A professor of Imperial College, London, says that "the pause is a disaster for the vaccination uptake in Europe, which was already on slightly unsteady ground in some countries." 

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President Biden is taking his time to conduct trade negotiations says this story in the WSJ. The economic plan and help for manufacturing business is a higher priority. Biden is skeptical about the Trans Pacific Trade Agreement negotiated by president Obama and has concerns for the protection of American labor. There is a sense that such trade agreements are not in the American interest of reviving its manufacturing base. Trade negotiations with China are to be conducted from a position of strength. To do this president Biden wants to consult closely with Australia, Europe, and Japan before proceeding with trade talks. For these reasons trade talks are a lesser priority for the Biden administration.

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Friedman in the NYT says China overreached especially since 2012 on trade, technology transfers, and in relations with American allies Australia, India, Japan, and America underperformed for its people by not investing in infrastructure, in workers incomes and in health and public services, education. Underinvestment in the very structure and backbone of American society while billions were wasted in foreign wars and in misallocation of investments by Silicon Valley and other investors. The coronavirus failure to get adequate warning through WHO and China's cooperation for American teams to be admitted immediately after January 10 request by the U.S. for Wuhan was a turning point.  

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The countries that would be affected the most from a slowdown in China are the commodity producer countries- Australia, Brazil, S. Africa, Chile. Other countries include Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam. Currencies such as the Australian dollar, the South African Rand, the Brazilian Real and the Chilean peso would decline in value. South Korea, Taiwan and Japan which supply large machinery for construction and manufacturing would be affected. Oversupply of steel and other products in China would mean higher exports causing a drop in steel prices and prices of other items. There would be a decline in commodity prices. Germany which provides the high tech machinery for China's industrialization will be affected. Exports growth to China from Germany increased by 44% in 2010. It has been pointed out that China is the seventh largest export market for Germany, coming after France, the U.S., the Netherlands, the U.K., Italy and Austria, exports to EU countries being the largest market for Germany. A global economic slowdown, with the Chinese slowdown as a part of this would impact German exports, leading to a slower growth in Germany. The U.S. would be affected also because exports were picking up in 2010-2011, and remain the one bright spot for the U.S. economy's recovery....

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For decades without the leadership needed and the collaboration of the entire tech sector and health systems the goal of getting a patients record on the computer or on a phone app anywhere in the US across all health systems was out of America's grasp. This was happening even in countries such as Indonesia and India which were vastly improving health outcomes through their apps of patient health records available across the entire country. The US finally is making that effort which should help not only treat patients but give patients better control of their food, alternative ideas on what to eat and for exercise, other ways to improve their health. CMS Medical Records Interoperability Framework brings together 21 networks to align to it, 60 companies to work collaboratively, and 30 companies to try and improve patient health outcomes and their health in general. Australia, Indonesia and countries in Europe have done this, says Health Secretary Robert Kennedy. It is time the US did so also. ...

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There is a close relationship between Quantas and the Australian government giving it control of 61% of the Australian market. As the national airline of Australia it is 51% owned by domestic investors. It was founded in 1920, nationalized in 1947, and private investors were slowly given a stake in the airline after 1990. Quantas received $900 million in government aid during the pandemic. Quantas management illegally outsourced jobs for 1700 baggage handlers to prevent union action. In the last year it made $1.8 billion in profits. Yet its reputation has suffered from its handling of baggage handlers and workers demand for higher wages.

 

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Losses and layoff at Qantas Airways as it faces increasing competition. On domestic routes price competition from Virgin Australia has reduced prices by 20% for business class compared to 2003 adjusted for inflation, according to Australia's Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics. The mining boom had provided Qantas with higher margins in domestic flights to distant locations within Australia. Qantas also faces competition from Etihad Airways, Singapore Airlines and Air New Zealand, all airlines with state backing.