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WSJ's Jon Emont shows how a combination of environmental activists, the fires in Indonesian rainforests in 2015- that at one point emitted as much carbon as the US hurting investment in Indonesia- and action taken by the Indonesian government to limit deforestation, have led to cleaning up supply of palm oil through deforestation. Maps show the deforestation that took place before 2015 and between 2015-2021, in Borneo and Sumatra, islands in the Indonesian chain. Opaque supplier connections to plantations all over the country made it difficult to trace the supply of oil from suppliers such as Wanda, KPN and others to Unilever for Dove soap, Mondelez for cookies, and other users of palm oil. It was the concerted and persistent effort of Greenpeace, the Indonesian government and of the companies that made it possible to clean up the supply chain. In 2018-2021 palm oil production increased by only 1%, compared to 22% for the period 2015-2018.

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The launch of 5G is expected to impact every aspect of life in India and act as a transformational force. Mr. Modi said he is happy that school children from rural parts of India, part of a 1.3 billion population, are a part of  this rollout. Students he said were interacting with eminent scientists from the classroom using this technology. He emphasized 4 pillars - cost of device, digital connectivity, cost of data ,and the mindset of Digital First. 

The goal is internet for all. Before 1 gigabyte of data cost Rs 300, now it costs Rs 10.  On average an Indian spends on 14 gigabytes of data a month which costs $150. This means, says Modi, that the poor are saving approximately Rs. 4000 a month. Adding that as the technology is developed locally- "This is not just India's decade, it is the century of India."

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The story of hand woven cloth or khadi is also the story of Mohandas Gandhi and India. Here in Scroll.in Pramod Kapoor tells the story of Mohandas Gandhi's search for the tools that would drive the independence struggle and how in 1921 in Madurai he found the idea of khadi. It was like the idea of the salt march. Always about the dignity of man. Kapoor tells the story of Pamela Hicks, daughter of Mountbatten, the first governor general of India, who says her father told Gandhi, that sending a piece of his hand woven cloth would be like sending the crown jewels. Later, years later, Elizabeth was to tell about this treasured possession to Modi during her two meetings with the Indian leader who started his own version of khadi with Har Ghar Jal, water, life's basic necessity, to all Indian homes by 2024.

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The Washington Post's editorial to leave the $469 million in bonuses alone, do nothing about them, is in effect to leave the whole mindset and manner of thinking that got the country into this mess unchanged. Managers and others responsible for the financial institutions acted irresponsibly, some acted in grossly irresponsible ways, and some in ways that sacrificed the interests of the whole society and fabric of the country. A pause or reset button needs to be pressed here. Managing the recovery, bailouts, recapitalization of banks, geting credit flowing, all this alone will not work. A reset of the values on which the country's strength was originally based, and is now corrupted at all levels is needed. Sure contracts should and will be honred, but contracts that are a mockery of every value that the country is built on, should be distinguished from all other contracts, and the flaws that led to them addressed, as well as their implementation put on pause, till solutions can be found that address all concerns. ...

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The U.S. House of Representatives voted 332 to 94 to approve a budget deal for 2 years negotiated by Rep. Paul Ryan (Republican) and Senator Pat Murray (Democrat). This ends a chapter of 3 years of crisis prone budgeting negotiations and a brief government shutdown from failure to negotiate a deal between the two political parties. Ryan, the vice presidential candidate in the 2012 elections has credibility with all parts of the Republican Party which helped get the deal passed overwhelmingly. On the floor of the House Ryan said about the deal- "This is good government, it's also divided government. And under divided government, we need to take steps in the right direction." Ryan was able to win 169 Republican votes, with 62 against. House Speaker Boehner (Republican) was critical of Tea Party supporters and groups such as Heritage Action, Club for Growth, FreedomWorks and Senate Conservatives Fund opposing the Ryan deal, because he said these groups were pushing the Republican party into places where it did not want to be through "misleading" information and had "lost credibility."...

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David Cote describes his experience as a late bloomer. He describes his experiences taking six years for college, and at 23 living with a pregnant wife in a New Hampshire tenement. With the only heat source a stove for a chilly New Hampshire winter, and not enough money to support three people, it was his wake up call. A lesson learnt from his father who operated a service station stays with him. It is about thinking twice when your pride and emotion drive you in another direction but you have to act smart instead. Decisiveness can be a bad thing, if done the wrong way- coming up with a decision without getting all or as much as possible of the facts and looking at them carefully. The bigger the decision, the bigger the consequences if you get it wrong. For this it helps to have people around a senior manager who do the same, are able to think independently and argue with you about it in a way that keeps the matter objective without it getting emotional.

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Biden's address to Congress after three years of the pandemic marks a turning point for America like Lincoln in 1962 and FDR in 1933. As Biden surveys the damage done to the country not just by Covid loss of 1 million lives, he sees the closing of factories and abandoning of communities that depended on them all over America, abandoned by administrations of either party. Which has led to a loss of faith in the fairness of the system and of democracy itself.  "And two years ago democracy faced its greatest threat since the Civil War. And today though bruised, it remains unbowed and unbroken. . . That's always been my vision for this country, and I know its many of yours. To restore the soul of this nation. To rebuild the backbone of America, America's middle class." Biden sees a complete rebuilding of America to bring back manufacturing, restore American leadership in manufacturing. And invest three hundred billion dollars for the effort that will create jobs and new opportunities.  "For decades, the middle class has been hollowing out, and more than- and no one administration, but for a long time. Too many good paying manufacturing jobs moved overseas. Factories closed down. Once thriving cities and towns that many of you represent became shadows of what they used to be. And along the way, something else we lost. Pride, our sense of self-worth. I ran for president to fundamentally change things, to make sure our economy works for everyone so we can all feel that pride in what we do. To build an economy from the bottom up, not from the top down. Because when the middle class does well, the poor have a ladder up, and the wealthy still do very well. We all do well." "Folks I've been criticized for saying this, but I am not changing my view. We're going to make sure the supply chain for America begins in America. The supply chain begins in America." "And when we do these projects- and again I get criticized for it but I am making no excuses for it- we're going to buy American. We're going to buy American. Folks, and it's totally consistent with international trade rules. Buy American has been the rule since 1933. But for too long, past administrations, Democratic and Republican, have fought to get around it. Not anymore. . . Folks my economic plan is about investing in places and people that have been forgotten. So many of you listening to me tonight, I know you feel it. So many of you felt simply that you've been forgotten. Amid the economic upheaval of the last four decades, too many people have been left behind and treated like they're invisible."   ...

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Boris Johnson leads a new British government that is composed mostly of ministers who want to see Brexit happen, and giving the positions of Home Secretary and Foreign Secretary to persons who do not care what happens as long as Britain leaves the European Union. Johnson's date is October 31st for leaving the EU. Sajid Javid, a former Deutsche Bank AG executive is the new chancellor of the exchequer. Priti Patel is new Home Secretary. Dominic Raab a former lawyer who has called for parliament to be suspended if need be so that Brexit can be pushed through is the new Foreign Secretary. Dominic Cummings who headed the Leave campaign for the Brexit referendum in 2016 is the new adviser at 10 Downing Street. Johnson's strategy is to pack the cabinet with people loyal to his vision of leaving the EU October 31st regardless of what the EU does.  The EU has not changed its position and is even less likely to consider any new Irish border proposals. Three top ministers are opposed to Mr. Johnson's views and resigned. Treasury chief Philip Hammond, Deputy primeminister David Lidington, Justice Secretary David Gauke, all resigned in opposition to Mr. Johnson simply pulling Britain out of the EU. Johnson once said all he feared from Britain abruptly leaving the EU was a shortage of Mars bars. During the election in the Conservative party Mr. Johnson was mostly quiet and avoided any gaffes to sound statesman like, yet as the process unfolds Mr. Johnson is likely to face the same problems faced by his predecessor Mrs. May. Added to this is the new opposition of moderates like Mr. Hammond and Gauke in the Conservative party that could topple the government and lead to a general election with just three vote swing in the other direction doing this. Mr. Johnson has prepared for this by having Mr. Cummings as a top adviser in the event he faces a general election. Meantime the Labour party initially not favoring a second referendum with Mr. Corbyn's ambiguous views on Brexit, as shifted gradually to the leadership and the rank and file all favoring a second referendum and for Remain. As Greg Ip has pointed out in the WSJ this week the conditions have changed with protectionism, nationalism and hostility to globalization, and president Trump not planning concessions of any sort even for the UK in trade negotiations. This means to low productivity of less than 1% to support stifled wages, one would have to add a 3.5% hit to GDP from a no deal Brexit such as Mr. Johnson approves according to the IMF. With the migration issue not what it was three years ago and reduced to a trickle this new situation must be on the minds of Mr. Corbyn, Labour and Conservative moderates. ...

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Indian cricketer Ashish Nehra has the right attitude in sports. He is 38, has decided to play cricket only in certain formats, about 8 matches a year. He is a fast pace bowler for Himachal Pradesh cricket team. Here he shares thoughts with PTI reporter that he does not follow what people say about him, about his age, and does not follow Twitter or Facebook. He says what matters is how he practices for the sport. After 12 surgeries and a injury this year Ashish says he knows what it is to be under the knife. People will say many things if he plays well and even more things if he does badly. Ashish says what matters in the end is how he prepares for the sport, like any sport it is the preparation and long hours of practice that make a difference. What he does and how he plays the selection board and the captain of the team know very well, which is why he was invited to play again for India. Ashish can bowl fast comparable to younger bowlers, and has played for India as long as other veteran players M.S. Dhoni and Harbhajan Singh. He conserves his energy by not playing 5 day Test matches. He can then give 100 percent to the 24 or more balls he may bowl in a game. He bowls at about 140 km per hour. In many ways Ashish has the right attitude for sports. Leaving aside the praise or criticism and concentrating on what is ahead. Not even thinking too far ahead. Sometimes it is just the next game, this year, which needs all the attention and can make all the difference. Playing the right way, working diligently at it, helping coach younger players, is all that really counts, in this sport, or any sport.       ...

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Google antitrust decision in Mehta's Court for over 5 years since lawsuit by DJT in first term. During these 5 years much of the behaviours of monopolies and oligopolies in tech is further entrenched and new technology has created new ripples. The result is an ineffectual ruling that does little to address the original concerns of the Justice Department. Lost in all this commotion is the fact that there are real and present dangers in the situation presented by Google as a gatekeeper for knowledge and information which are a real and present danger to democratic forms of government as Google or social media tech companies can act as arbiters of information, a role that is not given to them under the US Constitution or any of the principles laid down by our founding fathers. Instead of being well informed under such tech monopolies and oligopolies the vast majority of the people will not get the information they need to make decisions to the detriment of the Nation. ...

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US-Swiss trade deal November 2025 for 15% US tariff in exchange for $200 billion in investment in US. This includes access to Swiss markets for the US. The agreement also will let in dairy products and chocolate to the US at 15% tariff to reduce cost of living concerns. Swiss dairy producers and chocolate makers are likely to bear most of the 15% tariff burden because of higher margins. The $2000 rebate to all Americans from tariffs is a good idea of the DJT administration to give Americans protection from the smaller share of the tariffs that are passed on to consumers that are not borne by the producers exporting to the US. Overall in that situation the US will benefit in the restructuring of world trade that the DJT administration will have accomplished without hurting American consumers and bringing large scale investment into the US for jobs and higher wages. This is the part of the DJT Deal that could help America rebuild its manufacturing and economy in new ways.  ...

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Coalition Against Climate Disinformation at the COP30 Belem Brazil Summit. CAAD says about the state of disinformation-

"Big Carbon's spending and Big Tech's algorithms are preventing us from seeing and hearing one another online. Instead, we're exposed to one lie after another."

The frequent fires and floods all over the world which happen suddenly and quickly show the effects and costs of climate change are real. Actions need to be taken on climate change even as the cost of living crisis and struggles of people in China,India and Africa and in the US and EU have to be considered for access to electricity and for cost of living concerns. Fossil only provides a short term transition to a long term plan for the future based on renewable energy, and the fight for climate change action to be renewed by EU, China, Brazil and India as the US sorts out its own problems with the transition.

 

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Of these letters mostly all commend the remarkable efforts of Joe Biden. One by Stanley Saulny stands out. He commends president Biden for his remarkable stamina during the Air Force Academy graduation. He says saluting 921 times and shaking hands 921 times as Biden did that day could not be done without considerable arm and shoulder pain, yet Biden did no complain or boast of his feat, as he wanted to do this for every graduating student. Mr Saunlny is a physician and graduated years ago from the same Air Force Academy where he attended this event as father of a graduating student. He tripped and the media distorted reality as there was a sandbag placed in a trippable way that could not be seen.  

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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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WSJ offers some useful advice in its Invest in Yourself series. Its a good idea to separate this investment into three baskets, your career or professional, the personal- what passions you have and interests you enjoy, and the health- the food and exercize habits that keep you healthy and vibrant. Overinvesting in one financially or in time can lead to hurting the others. For this reason keep a good balance so that you do not burnout and enjoy aspects of the personal and health at the same time as you accomplish your goals for professional growth. Staying motivated and healthy in all the ways possible, doing things you enjoy and are excited about gives you the ability to get to where you would like to be.

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Much of inflation's rise in the US has been transitory after all, says Greg Ip in the WSJ, yet credit Jay Powell at the Fed for his resolute fight against inflation. Gasoline that was over $5.00 a gallon in June when inflation was at 9.1% following Russia's Ukraine war is now $3.27 according to AAA, and this is an important reason why inflation is at 6.5% in December 2023. Demand for autos after pandemic and lockdowns coupled with supply chain problems caused auto prices and used car prices to rise sharply. This is now reversing with price declines. Ultra low interest rates caused a jump in home prices- this is reversing with Jay Powell and the Fed increasing interest rates sharply.

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Britain is too dependent on China for 71 goods that are critical for infrastructure and the economy, says the Jackson Society. This includes industrial chemicals, metal products, and consumer electronics such as mobile phones and laptops.

A group of 20 conservative MP's are seeking an amendment for a trade bill going through parliament, and calling for an audit of imported goods from China, and efforts to make trade deals that reduce this dependency. The group of MP's has written to Liz Truss, the Trade Secretary, and includes former ministers Ian Duncan Smith, David Davis, Owen Paterson. The group of MP's says that the coronavirus pandemic has made all nations reassess their approach to trade and supply chains for security.

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Following Scotland's decision to provide women's hygiene products free can India do the same and provide women's period products free, asks Isha Bhatia. She describes her experience with the lack of hygiene products for periods when she was growing up in India and remembers being handed a dirty cloth by her grandmother. About 70% of all reproductive diseases in women are caused by poor menstrual hygiene. The cost of Rs. 100-250 is too much cost for average Indian families. Only 18% of Indian women have access to sanitary pads. The cost should be brought down with government subsidizing manufacturing of sanitary pads so that it would cost less than 10 rupees or be provided free under government subsidized initiative for women's health.

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Discussions at the cabinet level and with prime minister Johnson now include the possible use of annual covid jabs, the importance of getting the vaccine out before a new mutant strain of the virus that is hard to deal with a year from now. An annual covid jab could deal with new mutant strains of the virus. 

Prime minister Johnson is also having to deal with the issue of letting people in from overseas. If Britain's vaccination drive succeeds it will be all the more important to protect Britain from new mutant strains arriving with people coming from overseas. This will require strict control of people coming from other countries including Europe. The question of closing the borders to to reduce risks is now a serious one.

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Sector by sector infrastructure reviews chaired by the prime minister have resumed as the coronavirus cases fall below 50,000 a day on June 26. The prime minister has done a detailed review from a few ministries including transport and civil aviation. Before the pandemic such reviews were done every quarter. A separate presentation by each sector is given to the full council of ministers so that all ministers are aware of the problems and how they are tackled by each ministry.

Before the second wave of the pandemic the prime minister had met with private industry partners in infrastructure development to push forward with significant progress. The task now is for quick implementation so that time lost from the second wave can be made up.

 

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Such realism is needed today to listen to all so that climate change action on auto carbon emission can be de-politicized and realistic plan can be adopted. Too many floods, fires and adverse events by 2024 for the US not to have a plan and deny climate change does not exist. The Biden administration gives flexibility to automakers to meet auto carbon emissions rules by 2032 by accelerating the progress in the last 3 years as the capital investments, research and learning curve for new technologies, manufacturing improvements and cost reduction, and charging station infrastructure enlargement have taken place by 2030. Biden administration officials clearly understand resistance of carbuyers when the charging stations needed do not exist and costs are high in 2024, and EV technologies are at learning stage.

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Steven Hiltner who went as a child to Budapest from Youngstown, Ohio, makes a connection to what he sees as home in this photo journalistic essay on Budapest. This ancient European city on the Danube river in Hungary has much of the architecture of the Austro-Hungarian period from the 16th century. Hiltner takes one through a nostalgic visit to all parts of Budapest and its history, from Buda across the river to Pest, medieval bridges, St. Matthias Church, amazing historical architecture libraries, Castle hill. He isn't fazed by the current opinion about Mr. Orban and the politics of Eastern Europe. He sees the richness of culture in Budapest absent in the homogenous suburbs of Ohio, and a land beyond time.

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India's Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar tells the 96th Meeting of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry in New Delhi that the word 'Bharat' meaning India from a centuries old expression means a belief and an attitude. "To me, Bharat is actually a belief and an attitude for me, Bharat has an economic dimension. It has a political meaning. It has cultural, social, I would say even personal expressions.. At the end of the day it means don't let other people define you. Try and define yourself. That it has to come from itself because the very term Bharat which is so laden with symbolism actually captures centuries of what we are all about as a people."

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In this analysis of Keir Starmer's speech at the Labour conference inLiverpool in October 2023 The Guardian looks at the scale of the task ahead. Starmer faces the task of the 1997 style decline of public services, the need to channel the Harold Wilson mission to modernize the economy in a time of change, and the Clement Atlee 1945 imperative to build a new Britain "out of the trauma of collective sacrifice." Starmer told delegates- "In 2024 it will have to be all three." Such is the task facing Britain and Starmer in 2024. Something similar is taking place in the US with Biden and Modi in India in 2024, in three of the largest democracies in the world, and two of the oldest.