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IEA Director Fatih Birol says conservation of energy plans should be undertaken by all nations. He says Gulf countries and Saudi oil output will not be the same even when the war ends and the shipping lanes in the Hormuz Straits will not be handling the volumes of 100 ships that passed through the sea channel before the Iran War. Yet he says the best solution is for opening the Straits of Hormuz. This raises some serious questions about depending on the Straits of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf for oil supplies in 2027 and beyond. Can conservation, new sources of oil, acceleration of renewable energy use and electric car technologies lead to making the Middle East oil supplies becoming redundant, doing without this supply or turning it into a marginal source which would lower oil prices even further to the $50 level? Energy use decline for the same or higher GDP levels have potential in the US, China and India. Japan and Germany have cut energy use by about 50% in Japan and 35% in Germany with slightly higher Real GDP levels than 1996 in Japan and a 50% increase in Germany over a 30 year period( using 2015 as base year).  Major renewable energy gains have been made in the last 10 years with solar and wind technologies and electric car technologies. Much of the gains in electric car technologies lies ahead and this would cut crude oil significantly for cars and trucks which makes up 60-70% of oil use. Add to this conservation technologies. Other sources of oil can be found. And Venezuelan, Alaskan oil can be ramped up to replace volatile sources from the Middle East.  ...

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France's support to Taiwan in upgrading a 6 ship Lafayette frigate fleet supplied in 1991. In 1992 France supplied Taiwan with 60 Mirage jets. 

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The Johnson & Johnson single dose vaccine gets approval in the U.S. It is 85% effective in preventing severe illness, and 66% effective overall against moderate cases.

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Even though it is called Ag bank there is only a minute fraction of agricultural or village lending.

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US Border wall is at $39 billion in the House version vs. $62 billion investment in the Senate version of US 3B Tax Cuts Bill 2025. The $6.5 billion in savings from the earlier figure of $46.5 billion in the House bill are justified says Rand Paul, head of the Homeland Security Committee in Congress, as most of the goals for border security can be achieved with the lower amount. The WSJ Editorial Board agrees with Rand Paul.

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The 64 mile highway known as the Gardez-Khost Highway has cost $121 million upto this point. The final cost is expected to reach $176 million. At $2.8 million a mile the cost overruns on this projects are over 100%. Parts of the road run through Taliban territory and may never be completed. Security for the project has cost $43.5 million, according to USAID officials. This involves among other things payments to a local figure named Arafat. The road connects two provinces, Paktia and Khost, and runs through rugged mountain terrain at 9000 feet. At the original estimate of $69 million it was considered a good investment for linking these areas to Kabul.

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India is running a large current account deficit with imports exceeding exports. The curent account deficit for the year ending March 31 was $88.2 billion, about 4.8% of GDP. With foreign investment declining remittances from Indians abroad are a major source of incoming capital. Indians overseas sent about $69 billion in remittances home in 2012, increasing from $63 billion in 2011, according to the World Bank. In August 2013 India's central bank relaxed restrictions on interest rates for overseas Indian rupee accounts and on foreign currency denonimated deposits. This has led to a sharp increase in remittances by Indians overseas, with HDFC bank reporting a 30% increase in remittance volumes in June 2013 compared to January 2013.

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Britain is on track to deliver the first dose to the entire population of 60 million by the end of June. This report shows a graph showing the timeline.

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About 90 countries are seeking help from the International Monetary Fund, the IMF. And 60 countries are seeking help from the World Bank. The IMF has about $1 trillion to lend. The World Bank has $160 billion to give out. 

The World Bank headed by Mr. Malpass has given India $1 billion for screening, contact tracing and lab diagnostics, to produce personal protective equipment, and set up isolation wards. 

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A Focaldata poll that shows 63% of the British public now believes in 2023 that Brexit created more problems than it solved. Only 21% believe it solved more problems than it created. Years of austerity policies, Brexit, the cost of living crisis, have created new challenges for Labour to tackle.

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A New York Times/CBS poll shows 69% of Americans polled between March 21-25, 2012, feel the U.S. should not be involved in a war in Afghanistan. This is up from 53%, in a poll only 4 months before this poll.

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How the state of Maharashtra was formed from Bombay state that included Gujarat, by making language as a basis of state formation offers clues for India's economic and political solutions to the problem of modernizing the country in the way Japan and China have done. The same is true for Gujarat.  Gujarat added the princely states of Saurashtra. The original Bombay state did not include Saurashtra or the Vidarbha and Marathwada regions of today's Maharashtra state. Vidarbha and Marathwada were added to create Maharashtra, Saurashtra was added to create Gujarat. Voting patterns have given the party that is pushing hardest for modernization of infrastructure with speed and scale favorability in most regions of Maharashtra except Marathwada regions and most regions of Gujarat except Saurashtra. The Bombay city region that forms a large part of the voting population in Maharashtra came first under the influence of British, then Gujarati business, then trade unions, followed by a Mumbai for Marathis movement, and now an integration of the Marathi movement into one that reaches for leadership for modernization on a national scale.   Bombay city is itself being dug up in a way Tokyo in the 20's and 60's must have been, or Shanghai in the 90's, 1912 sites have been dug up for a next generation Metro system of trains, a bullet train to Ahmedabad and New Delhi and for bridges across the Arabian sea, new expressways. Projects that were stalled for decades because of political stalling inaction are now being pushed ahead to be finished in 2-3 years or half the time. In Japan in the 20's the incentive was Japan's resurgence, in the 60's its recovery from world war. In China in the 90's the rush to modernize after the Japanese invasion and failed attempts in the 60's. In India today it is the rush to modernize after the British Empire's extraction of wealth from the country since 1850, and the failed attempts twice in the 60's and 90's.   ...

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The 3 week old government in Italy, led by former EU commissioner, Mario Monti, announced a three year plan of 30 billion euros in tax increases, spending cuts, reform of pension plans, and efforts to boost growth. Monti said at a news conference that "Italians are to blame for our public debt, and we risk compormising everything we've accomplished in the past 60 years." Under the new plan retirement age for women in the private sector would be increased from 60 to 66 years by 2018, bringing it in line with retirement ages for men. Italy's Labor minister, Elsa Fornero, broke down in tears as she described the change, saying it was necessary to avoid "collective impoverishment." Italy faces the difficult task of refinancing $400 billion in short term debt coming up for renewal in 2012, just as bond yields for Italy have spiked to over 7%. Because Italy lacks an extensive day care system, women helped raise grandchildren after early retirement at age 60. Other changes were to impose a 1.5% one time tax on money repatriated back to Italy under a tax amnesty scheme setup by former premier Berlusconi. Action was taken against widespread tax evasion by banning cash payments above 1000 euros. Stimulus measures of 10 billion euros are designed to boost small business and reduce high youth unemployment running at 29%. Companies get tax breaks of 2 billion euros if they hire young people....

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As the first day of talks happens in Brussels between Barnier of the EU and Davis of Britain, EU officials say Britain must meet spending pledges it made of 60 billion euros. Britain says there are different legal views on what is owed. Experts see little chance the two sides can reach an agreement by the deadline of March 2019. With the fragile coalition government in Britain talks appear to be very precarious with no clear view what Brexit means.

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Hillary Clinton's estate tax plan would increase the estate taxes on the largest estates from 40% today and her proposed 45% to the higher figure of 65% proposed by Senator Bernie Sanders. Compared to the current $5.45 million exemption only the first $3.5 million would be exempt from estate tax for individuals ($7 million for a married couple). The top rate of 65% would apply to individuals with over $500 million. Beyond $10 million a 50% rate, and beyond $50 million a 55% rate.

The latest proposal adds $260 billion over 10 years adequate to pay for simplified small business taxes, and for expanding child tax credit.  Over 10 years Clinton would increase taxes by $1.5 trillion to pay for expanded education assistance, paid family leave and other programs. She would increase federal revenue by 4% and have the burden fall on only a small portion of households.

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Le Monde shows Fontainebleau Forest just 60 miles from Paris as a adaptable forest with ONF help 2025. ONF is the National Forestry Office in France, and its regional unit's deputy head, Mr. Boudin, describes how ONF has made this forest a lab for adaptable forests management. Its DEPERIS protocol puts drones over the forest to categorize 765 trees in categoreis from A to D. About 40% of the forest is suffering effects of shortage of water as the forest is on a sandy plain increasing the effects of drought and heat in summers. Another ONF plan is to plant 60,000 seedlings of downy oak, beech and other saplings each year, protecting areas of trees that need protection. In this way it is 20 years of other forests in other parts of the world.

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Exxon added a provision not to add CEO of Pioneer Sheffield to its board, for FTC permission in closing a deal by Exxon to buy Pioneer for $60 billion in stock. This was after the FTC raised questions about the Pioneer CEO on collusion with OPEC to raise oil prices.

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A new plan for the eurozone crisis from the German Council of Experts which would create a European Redemption Fund to take over sovereign debts in excess of 60% of GDP, and impose constitutional brakes on spending on troubled eurozone coutries.

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China plans to retaliate against the Chinese operations of Ericsson and Nokia if Huawei is banned in 5G networks in Europe, following the U.S. ban. Planned by China are export controls on Ericsson and Nokia in China banning export of its products made in China. The German decision is to be made by September. Britain has already banned Huawei participation in its 5G networks.

Experts say this effort by China would lead to European companies redrawing their supply chains which they are already doing after the pandemic.  Nokia is doing this and Ericsson is also planning to shift production to other parts of Asia, or back to Europe or North America.

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Many people in the US turning 65 years have just opted to retire in this pandemic. This is changing the fabric of the American labor force in 2023, says NYT. This means the Fed will carry on the fight against inflation longer as there is a shortage of people in the labor market.

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The President tells the AFL-CIO representing 60 unions and 12.5 million American workers- 

"I truly believe this country is about to take off. I really believe it. We've got a fight on our hands. And my question to you is simple: Are you with me?"

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A house that inspired Henrik Ibsen in writing the play Peter Gynt is in the far north of Norway. Ig is 150 miles from Oslo. It was recently renovated with several centuries old wooden structures. The owner's grandfather personally brought the message of Norway's independence from Sweden to the Swedish king in 1905.

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Couples divide their finances down the middle 50-50 or if one earns more 60-40 being common. This takes care of common household expenses. Transparency and clarity is important for doing this. Women marrying later in life already manage their finances and make a small shift to doing this as a couple. 

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The married couple standard deduction for 2023 is up 7% to $27,700. If you are a senior and over 65 years or blind this goes up by $3000 to $30,700. The Medicare tax deduction comes in if you are self employed or have an LLC so that you can deduct for Medicare and for Medigap policies.

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This story about companies in Australia that have tried a four day week shows employees using two mini weeks working Monday and Tuesday, taking off Wednesday and back to work for Thursday and Friday. It shows employees planning their Mondays and Tuesday miniweek in such a way that they can handle important work and meetings ahead of time. They come back recharged and renewed on Thursday, with Wednesday as the day to break up the work week in two. This has increased productivity at these companies. This is also a useful idea for older employees who work part time and work past usual retirement ages of 60 or 65 years as longevity increases in many countries. This enables retaining the vast experience of older workers in the workplace and promoting the health of older workers by keeping them active. As Japan, the U.S. and Europe and even China become aging societies this is becoming ever more important.  For worker on five day weeks this offers creative ideas to have a four and half day week giving workers a morning off or an afternoon off to recharge with sports or recreation activity or exercize, then coming back to work recharged in the afternoon. Other variations can also be used which promote productivity and employee satisfaction to get more of the most valuable work done more effectively and with enthusiasm, pushing less important work and time wasting out of the way. Employees generally would take charge of their work day and come up with creative and efficient ways of organizing their mini work weeks. ...