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President Trump's willingness to use U.S. economic strength through tariffs, sanctions and other methods comes from the view that in the decade of the 1990s and 2000s U.S. worker and the U.S. was suckered by others. In this situation it was seen as acceptable to use U.S. tariffs and economic pressure to fix a global trading system and a China trade surplus with the U.S. exceeding $300 billion a year. Mr. Lighthizer it should be remembered, now the top trade negotiator with China was also the trade negotiator with Japan when it enjoyed a similar trade surplus with the U.S. during the Reagan administration. Economic pressure did not have to be ratcheted up to this level with Japan at the time. Japan was an ally at the time in the Cold War, Today China is seen as both a global competitor in world affairs and a technological competitor. Unlike the situation with Japan many Republican and Democratic administrations had failed to tackle the growing trade imbalance with China till it had become unsustainable. The views of Mr. Trump on trade were views articulated by Mr. Lighthizer for the last ten years resulting in a shift in opinion on trade in the U.S. by 2016 where a majority of people in the U.S. felt that globalization and world trade was working against American workers and industry. Mr. Trump as a Republican was both responding to the failure of others to tackle trade issues hurting the U.S. worker and business, as well as rallying support from workers, farmers and business to his party.   ...

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China's economic growth has slowed further to 6.1% for 2019 following trade tensions and tariff war with the U.S. Further decline in economic growth is expected.

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The local police station in Japan is a friendly place called koban. Most lost items are returned here. It is most unusual for something lost like a wallet or a iphone not to be returned.

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Problems with loans in the New York taxi services and efforts to set up a $500 million loan rescue program for taxidrivers who were sold medallions at exorbitant prices.

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Neil Irwin in the NYT why the U.S. China Phase 1 Trade Agreement is more than a hill of soyabeans as he puts it, more than about all the soyabeans that the U.S. farmers can sell to China. China's economy was seeing the effect of U.S. tariffs. Additional tariffs to cover all imports from China to the U.S. would have worsened this. China avoided this by agreeing to Phase 1. The U.S. had looked for some enforcement mechanism based on China putting this down in a written agreement particularly for avoiding subsidies to state enterprises and improper access to U.S. advanced technologies. China's reluctance to do this led to Mr. Trump saying that China had reversed its position and Trump expanding the tariffs stage by stage. These issues are now set aside for Phase 2 still to be negotiated. Both sides taking what they could get. China relief from the threat of tariffs on all exports. The U.S. under Mr. Lighthizer's negotiating leadership retaining the enforcement idea through the tariffs that are still in place of 25% on half of China's exports to the U.S. The bonus for Mr. Trump is the goodwill China generates by agreeing to buy all the U.S. farmers can produce, farmers having not only stood behind Mr. Trump but also forming a key part of his support base. China will continue to compete in technological areas with the U.S., and the state enterprise model which worked for China as Mr. Xi tells visitors will continue. Phase 2 is just that Phase 2, when and if it can be negotiated between Trump with his negotiator Lighthizer and Xi with his negotiator Liu He. On key points neither side is budging. A key goal for Mr. Trump is to put the trade surplus China enjoys of $300 plus billion a year with the U.S. on a serious downward path, and bring so many of the jobs and manufacturing back home. On this trade data for 2019 and the plan for 2020 of both countries is clear. It should be down each year by 10-20% for the next few years, a major achievement of Mr. Lighthizer, who did the same with  Japan under president Reagan. ...

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Ellen Barry of the NYT gives this exceptional story of how an old paper mill in Maine is rescued from liquidation by a Chinese investor needing pulp for making cardboard boxes at mills in China. The owner of the Chinese company Ms. Zhang built her business converting recycled scrap from the U.S. at mills in China into cardboard boxes used for shipping products. It is the largest manufacturer of this kind in China. The Chinese government stopped the import of scrap from the U.S. leading to the immediate need for new sources of pulp material for eight mills in China making the paper boxes. Ms. Zhang uses traditional methods including Feng Shui from ancient Chinese culture to make sure all the spirits are favorable for the enterprise. Hundreds of peach trees were planted along a tall fence around a nearby cemetery.  Zhang grew up as the eldest daughter with 7 siblings during the Cultural revolution upheaval in China and went to work at a young age. The work ethic is deeply built into her family where she is revered for her hard work and enterprising spirit. ...

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Japan's 38 year old Environment Minister Shinjiro Koizumi sets himself up as a role model by taking two weeks off as paternity leave over 3 months after the birth of his first child.  Mr. Koizumi says in a country where paternity leave is not common: "I hope my child care leave will serve as a spur for everyone in the Environment Ministry to take child care leave without hesitation and advance a style of work in which that is easy." Japan's Shinzo Abe government encourages men to take childcare leave, as this is part of the campaign to get more working age mothers into the workplace. In Japan eligible employees can take upto 52 weeks off of parental leave at reduced pay, accordoing to OECD. The government hopes to get 13% of fathers to take paternity leave in 2020, compared to only 6% in 2019. One reason for the low rate is culture in the workplace- most employees fear bosses and colleagues do not think favorably of this. Making this culture change is the difficult part. ...

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Issues of work-life balance are growing for doctors as more doctors ages 40-54 years face burnout or negative effects on health. Nearly half of doctors in the U.S. 40-54 years of age in a survey of 15,000 physicians report feeling burned out from work hours and administrative tasks. Younger doctors 25-39 years, and older ones 55-73 years also reported high rate of burnout at 38% and 39%. Overall for all physicians about half of all physicians said they would take a substantial pay cut to get a better work-life balance. What this survey and report by Medscape shows is that no age group, career stage, gender or specialty is immune to this problem, says Colin West, professor of Medicine and researcher on physician well being at the Mayo Clinic.

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The U.S. and China sign Phase 1 of the trade agreement in a sign of reduction of trade tensions between the two countries. Difficult issues of state subsidies under China's state enterprise model of development, and technological competition were put off for the future. China made the deal possible by agreeing to double its purchases of agricultural products, and offering to purchase about $200 billion in American goods and services over the next two years. This gives relief to farmers, a key part of Mr.Trump's support base. This also helps achieve a key Trump and U.S. goal of cutting the U.S. trade deficit with China quickly, just as happened decades ago with Japan.  See the related article and link on how for the first time in decades China's trade surplus with the U.S. is now set on a path for permanent decline. It dropped significantly in 2019 by 12.5% even though China's imports from the U.S. dropped by 21%, based on Chinese customs data released for 2019. With China increasing these imports significantly and the U.S. holding on to tariffs of 25% on $250 billon of China's exports to the U.S. which are outside the Phase 1 agreement, the downward course is set for the next few years for correction of a dangerous trade imbalance. That imbalance was allowed to develop over successive Republican and Democratic administrations. China already has the European Union as its first leading trading partner and south east Asia as its second. China plans to not be so closely intertwined with the U.S. in trade, and yet preserve its state sponsored development model and drive to compete in technology. China's increased purchases from the U.S. of $200 billon are broken down in terms of farm products- $32 billion, manufactured goods- $80 billion, energy products- $50 billion, services $35 billion. In effect the U.S. gets its goal of cutting the unsustainable China trade surplus quickly and with certainty in 3-5 years. China uses the period to transition for less trade linkage with the U.S. yet preserving its state sponsored model of development and drive for technological advancement.   ...

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Sedentary life styles and stress are leading to an increase in heart disease in the U.S. and more younger patients in their 40's having heart disease. This includes places in Colorado.

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For the first time in decades the U.S. trade deficit with China is falling significantly. China's exports to the U.S. dropped 12.5% to $296 billion in 2019 from $323 billion in 2018, according to Chinese customs data. Actually China's trade surplus with the U.S would have fallen even more had not the U.S. exports to China declined by 21%. With the Phase 1 trade deal negotiated recently U.S. exports to China will increase significantly, while 25% tariff on $250 billion in Chinese goods still in place limits China's exports. This means in 2021 and 2022 and years ahead China's surplus should shrink much faster achieving one of the principal goals of Mr. Trump and his trade negotiator Mr. Lighthizer. Mr. Lighthizer was chosen by Mr. Trump for having accomplished a similar goal decades back in the eighties with Japan's surplus. Even though China has not stated this in writing, American officials have said China will increase purchases of American goods and services by at least $200 billion over the next 2 years from 2017 levels. China and the U.S. have essentially agreed that the two economies so tightly intertwined works to the detriment of the U.S. with the Chinese surplus creating tensions. China will now have the European Union as the largest trading partner followed by south east Asian countries, and other regions. China decided that its priority is technological development and was unwilling to meet U.S. demands to reduce its efforts for technological competition and access to western technologies. Instead opting for shifting it economy away from dependence on exports to the U.S. in a gradual way. The other demand of the U.S. for stopping state subsidies is also a concession China is not willing to make as it sees it as an economic feature of its business model that is working and a competitive advantage.  This leaves the U.S. with a limited win so that trade and resulting jobs can be brought into favoring the U.S. a key Trump goal, and not a win in the technological competition with China which will continue. ...

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The Iran nuclear deal of 2015 begins to unravel as the European Union takes the first step towards the reimposing of sanctions. Britain, France and Germany triggered a dispute settlement mehanism in the agreement which can result in the United Nations reimposing international sanction on Iran's economy, banks, and top officials within 2 months. This follows Iran's resumption of nuclear activities banned under the agreement. Earlier the U.S. withdrew from the agreement and the European Union tried to save the agreement. Recent tensions and the U.S. insistence on the renegotiating for a new agreement have led to this collapse of the 2015 nuclear agreement with Iran.

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The Australian bushfires may have killed more than a billion animals, according to estimates by Chris Dickman, ecology professor at the University of Sydney. The vastness of this year's fires leave some species little chance for survival. The government of New South Wales  state airdropped thousands of pounds of carrots and sweet potatoes to endangered brush-tailed wallabies that survived by taking refuge in the rocks.

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This story in the WSJ shows how the Phase 1 deal between the U.S. and China was negotiated in November and December 2019. As a bargaining chip for negotiations on a Phase 2 deal the U.S. has preserved tariffs of 25% on $250 billion in imports from China, and the reduced tariff  of 7.5% on $120 billion of imports. In Phase 1 Mr. Trump convinced the Chinese leadership that he was serious about going ahead with further tariffs to cover all of China's exports to the U.S.by a December deadline. This was also Mr. Kushner's message to the Chinese ambassador. In talks China gave easy concessions on agricultural imports and offered to buy twice the amount of soyabeans and other food imports- which helps Mr. Trump with farmers in the U.S. At the same time difficult concessions on enforcement to change subsidies to Chinese state owned companies were put off. China formally says it is an issue of Chinese sovereignty. It is also seen as a part of the Chinese business model that is working and China is in no hurry to change this. It has offered to step back from asking foreign companies to transfer technology in exchange for market access. On technology issues and subsidies the tough negotiating issues on which the U.S. has insisted for changes, China has held back. Phase Two is not likely to happen at least not till after the election, as China wants to be able to develop its own technology rivaling the U.S. and Europe, without the kind of formal enforcement the U.S. is demanding. In the long run it plans a shift to an economy that is less dependent on the U.S. for imports which may be in the interest of both countries, as U.S. manufacturing has shriveled over two decades hurting American jobs as a result.   ...

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Iraq has $3 billion at the New York Federal reserve Bank in overnight deposits, needed for the Iraqi economy's smooth operation. Loss of access to this account would hurt the Iraqi dinar currency with sharp devaluation. It would also hurt workers, spending and the Iraqi economy.

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The oldest professional soccer player and goal scorer is Kazuyoshi Miura who signed for the 35th season in Japan. He signed a one year contract extension with Japanese soccer team Yokohama FC. He is 52 years old. He started playing for Brazil's Santos in 1982 at the age of 18. He played for Genoa in Italy and Zagreb in Croatia, and is with Yokohama FC since 2005. He says he still has the same passion for soccer that he had at the age of 18 when playing for Santos in Brazil.

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Iran attributed the shooting down of a Ukrainian passenger plane at Tehran airport to an "unintentional human error." Of the 167 passengers 82 were Iranians, 57 Canadians, and 11 Ukrainians. The plane was on Tehran Kiev flight when it was mistaken for a hostile plane.

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Living longer and healthier lives the sixty year old of today may look like a 40 year old. Working years may now be much longer say experts. Instead of 30 years, it could be 40 or 50 years. People may need to engage with meaningful work longer to have the stimulation that comes from work that interests them. The work may even be broken up in increments of 20 years, each devoted to different areas of interest. Experts say the friendship and stimulation from work is better than that in bingo halls, beaches or on a golf cart. Working part time or going back to school is in the works. It makes more sense too to accumulate savings longer as the official social security retirement ages are being extended to beyond 66 years. In fact the only age group where labor participation is already growing is in the over 55 years age group. In this sense the struggle to preserve older pension schemes retiring early look more like a thing of the past, even though they arouse passions such as in mass protests in France on this issue. ...

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China has used the experience gained from an earlier SARS outbreak to tackle the virus outbreak in 2019 which started at a food market in Wuhan. Early detection, strict quarantines, and other measures, were taken. A viral pneumonia outbreak happened in Wuhan, a city of 19 million. 59 people were quarantined and the largest food and seafood market in Wuhan was shut down quickly. Between the first case on December 12 to the detection of the new strain of coronavirus in 1 month, China acted with speed, showing China's strength in public health resources and research labs.

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Beyond the waste of natural gas when it is flared in areas lacking ways to store and transport small amounts of gas there is the issue of environmental degradation. Large quantities of natural gas in the Permian basin and North Dakota are simply burned to make way for oil production. It is simply uneconomical to transport it to users. Yet this is an issue not just of waste but of the environment too. Flaring of natural gas near oil wells is causing 1% of global greenhouse gas emissions, say experts. 

In places like Iraq this is a problem because of frequent power shortages in the country. Russia, Iran, Iraq and the U.S burn the natural gas near oil wells that is equivalent to the gas used in France, Germany, Belgium combined. In eastern Siberia or in the Sahara desert, North Dakota,  this is in the wilderness areas far from end markets.