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The clout of China's environmental agency the State Environment Protection Administration has grown significnatly in the past 12 months. SEPA rejected 110 projects in 2006 for environmental damage, and in 2007 it rejected 187 or about $91 billion worth of projects for environmental damage. China requires environemntal asses ment for sttell mills, power plants and other projects as part of the approval process. So even as criticism of the Chinese government has built up for environmental damage SEPA is getting new clout and the government is rethinking how all these projects can some day come back to haunt the administration for environmental impact if something isnt done very quickly to cancel all projects that dont meet environmental quality standards. This is something to keep watching first because it ensures longterm sustainable economic progress and second it reduces the cost of cleaning up which would reduce economic growth in the future, third because the quality of air and water lead to really sustainable economic development in the future. This is a Watch Link for sustainable economic development. ...

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How the Bush presidency started with hopes in domestic policy that were never to come to fruition. Jacob Weisberg, editor of Slate, reflects on the promise of the Bush State of the Union address of Feb. 2001, and the compassionate conservatism it evoked- the Bush priorities of education, setting higher educaion standards, immigration reform, helping needy and at risk children, health care access. He recalls the words used by Bush in Spanish: "Juntos podemos," we can do it together. As governor of Texas Bush had focussed on racial disparities and gaps in education, winning 27% of black votes and a third of Hispanic votes. Then came 9/11 (2002), weapons of mass destruction (from 2003 onwards), which soon overshadowed the education efforts, grants to extend health insurance coverage, initiative to encourage mentring of at-risk children. The $10 billion program to fight AIDS in Africa and the Caribbean is a part of the Bush legacy, other areas were overcome by the distraction of wars in the Middle East....

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Brazil suffers from a severe shortage of engineers as it expects to grow at 5% through 2010 and at 3-4% after that. Because Brazilian Universities do not turn out enough engineers Brazilan companies in oil, mining and aviation and other sectors are having their own training programs. Brazil's education system is not doing the job. The average Brazilian worker has 6 years of schooling compared to 10 years in S. Korea, 11 in Japan and 12 in the USA, according to the National Confederation of Industry study. Of the few that make it to the university only one in five take up engineering, science math or computing according to a recent World Bank study of links between education and economic growth. Most of the growth in university education is at private universities and these universities find it easier to provide programs in the social sciences and not enough engineering programs exist at these universities. Mexico has a large supply of engineering graduates that have helped it build its automotive and other industry, see the link to this. ...

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India's ruling BJP party wins 103 seats and is leading in one more seat in the 2018 Karnataka state assembly elections. This compares with 40 seats in the last election in 2013. The Congress party won 78 seats down from 122 seats in the 2013 election. A regional party Janata Dal won 37 seats. 113 seats are needed to have a majority and form the next government. The elections here could influence the national elections in 2019. India's tech city of Bangalore is the capital of Karnataka state. For the BJP Party is was critical to win the state as it prepares for the national elections in 2019 to advance its rapid infrastructure development program in India, and increase foreign investment in India's economy.

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India's airline market has grown from 51 million passengers in 2010 to 138 million in 2018. 600 planes are in operation with 859 on order. The airline industry in India is experiencing intense competition and putting some airlines such as Jet Airways in trouble as they compete with low cost carriers such as Indigo.

Jet Airways has temporarily stopped operating its 115 planes on about 1000 routes as it has failed to win new funding. This could lead to higher prices. Fuel prices and depreciation of the rupee hurt Jet Airways.  A problem for Indian airlines is the thin margins and the uncertain oil price environment. Etihad Airways took a 24% stake in Jet Airways but that partnership has not prevented Jet from having problems with lenders.

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Berlin's most famous hospital. Half of Germany's Nobel prize winners for medicine and physiology worked at Berlin Charite Hospital. It was setup in 1710, by 1810 it was a medical university, and today a leading world medical centre. Mr. Navalny is being treated here. It is also a centre in the fight against the pandemic.

Here DW.com gives pictures of the hospital over the 300 years of history. It was part of the controversial period in Germany in the thirties and was part of the GDR after 1945. It was part of the fight against the Ebola virus in 2005 and now leads the fight in Germany against the coronavirus, showing how Germans can play a international role that brings dignity to the German people.

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With roads blocked and subways closed after the heaviest snowstorm in 50 years, Madrid healthcare workers walked long distances to work. Many healthcare workers, nurses, medical residents  walked 10 to 20 kilometres to get to work at hospitals.  In Spain the virus has claimed 51,000 lives and cases are at over 2 million. One nurse took 2 hours 28 minutes to walk to work, saying as he crossed fallen trees and 40 centimetres of snow that he decided if he got there it was ok and if he did not he would turn back.

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Putin's visit to India is intended to continue India Russia dialogue. One of the topics is trade. New trade deals are planned to take pre-pandemic trade from $11 billion to $30 billion by 2025. Trade would go beyond energy to include education, cybersecurity, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, railways, clean energy. By comparison US India trade for the same time period is $146 billion.

Afghanistan is a source of concern for both Russia and India and this will be part of the talks. Russia also participates in several forums with India including BRICS. 

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The WSJ looks at Republican voters from the Iowa and New Hampshire primaries. It finds that about 20% of Republican voters will not vote for the former president Mr.Trump. It also finds that about 65% of voters who are Independent did not support Mr. Trump in the 2 primaries. Mr. Biden is seen as losing about 10% of Democratic voters. A look at 2020 shows former president Trump has lost support among Independents and skeptical Republicans by 2024 stemming from disapproval of the uncertainty and chaotic nature of the presidential years 2016-2020.

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New York City's 11 public hospitals have switched to plant based meals without meat or dairy. Just don't call them vegan, as it may turn off people, says an official of the New York City Health and Hospital Corporation. An Oxford University study shows that plant based diets account for 75% less greenhouse gas emissions than diets with 3.5 ounces of meat a day. Satisfaction is 90%. The hospital system reduced its carbon emissions food related by 36%.  It expects to turn out 800,000 plant based dishes this year at its hospitals. 

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Netherlands is becoming a much more crowded country with housing scarcity and high rents with increasing immigration. At this pace the population which was only 10 million in 1950 and 14 million in 1980 is now 17.2 million and expected to hit 22 million. By 1950 Queen Juliana in her parliament speech was calling for migration to ease congestion, says The Times. 620,000 people migrated to Canada, Australia. and 450,000 returned from Dutch East Indies, now Indonesia. Most parties now oppose the high level of immigration into the urban sprawl of Rotterdam, Utrecht and Amsterdam home to about 9 million people.

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Harris-Walz campaign in Arizona and Nevada August 10, 2024. Harris gains the support of the Culinary Workers union with 60,000 members. 

League of United Latin American Citizens (Lulac), the oldest Latino civil rights group, which usually stays neutral stepped in to endorse the Democratic ticket.

“The politics of hate-mongering and scapegoating Latinos and immigrants must be stopped,” said Domingo Garcia, chairman of Lulac Adelante Pac, in a statement.

“Latinos understand how much is at stake in this election, for not only our community but our democracy.”

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For the first time we hear of "period poverty" in advanced European countries. Scotland charities say there is "period poverty" in Britain as the pandemic hurts incomes across Scotland. Women and girls not having money to buy sanitary products needed during menstruation. The Scottish parliament passes a Period Products Bill to ensure all women have free sanitary products, the legislation costing about 10 million pounds.

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Germany's chancellor gives her support to French president Macron's call for agreement before the summer holidays on a 750 billion euro rescue package. Merkel told 27 leaders of EU countries Europe faces "very, very difficult times" and even said that she was not sure the gravity of the situation was truly understood. The value of the economies of some states could drop by 10% in 2020.

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Japan's GDP fell by 7.8% in the second quarter of 2020 compared with previous quarter. By comparison for U.S. economy GDP was down 9.5% for that quarter. In Japan the increase in the national sales tax from 8% to 10% in October 2019 had already caused a contraction in the economy. It is uncertain how much the second wave of the pandemic will affect the economic recovery.

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Global oil demand is expected to shrink in first quarter 2020, for the first time in 10 years, according to the International Energy Agency. China made up three fourths of growth in oil demand in 2019. The border closures, flight cancellations, and factory closures, are affecting Chinese oil consumption as a result of the coronavirus. China's growth in first quarter is expected to be 3-4% than a year earlier.

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Milk sales have increased by 7% during the coronavirus period in grocery stores in the U.S., reversing 10 years of decline. Yet dairy farmers expect to struggle as sales to restaurants and hotels that use about a third of dairy products were lost during the pandemic..

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Paris RATP transport chief says she will have 70% of the transport system operational on May 11 when the lockdown will be lifted in phases. Only 30% is operating at this time. Social distancing will not be possible on subways so that wearing masks will be required.

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Michelino Sunseri runs up and down Grand Teton at 13,775 feet in 2 hours 50 minutes 10 seconds in Nov. 2025. DJT says it is OK to use a restricted trail. He issues a presidential pardon for Sunseri who was cited by NPS for using that trail.

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Barclays agrees to pay $450 million to settle claims that it manipulated the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR). THE U.S. CFTC set a penalty of $200 million. The Financial Services Authority set a penalty of $92.8 million and the Justice Department in the U.S. imposed a $160 million penalty.

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The US share of Japanese exporting companies went down from 20% to 16% in the 2007-2010 period, while the exports from Japan to China, India, and Brazil have gone up by 25% in the same period. Korean companies like Hyundai and Samsung plunged early into the Indian market. LG and Samsung have a significant share in the electronics and consumer appliance markets in India. By comparison Sony's share is about 5% according to Euromonitor research. Now Japanese compaies are putting a new focus on India. In food products Nissin is expanding aggressively by doubling its noodle making capacity, and making its Ramen brand available in smaller packages costing 10 cents each. The idea is to customize the effort to the unique nature of the Indian market.

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Apparel deflation from chinese imports was 10% at the end of 2007 for last 10 years for the Consumer price index.

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Fitch Ratings reports that 10 of the largest U.S. money market funds have combined assets of $755 billion, and as of May 2011, half of these assets are in instruments issued by European banks. These assets have been held for 5 years. In the event of a crisis it is feared that the funds will withdraw from the European market. Money market fund holdings for the ten largest funds show that no European bank has more than 7% of its short term funding from these money market funds, according to Fitch. A combined withdrawal would affect global credit markets.

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Only 28% of the people in Portugal between 25 and 64 have completed high school . This compares with 85% in Germany, 91% in Czech Republic and 89% for the U.S. Portugal's high-school dropout rate is 37%, one of the highest in Europe. Its reading scores lag behind the OECD average, even after improvements in the last decade. The military dictatorships that ruled Portugal did not emphasize education, and education was neglected for several centuries before that. Even after efforts by the democratically elected governments in recent decades there is a huge gap between Portugal and countries like Ireland. This becomes important for Portugal to build industries and have the technical skilled workers to support these industries. Without this Portugal's financial condition can only get worse. With a technical skilled workforce such as that in Ireland, analysts estimate the growth in GDP would be 1.5% higher. Sharp cuts in education spending are going to make the situation tougher. Portugal lacks industry, yet at the same time cumulative deficits with the rest of the world are over 130 billion euros after years of cumulative deficits. This highlights the problems facing the euro currency countries with vastly different educational systems, industry structures and economic management....

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A Washington Post Univision poll in Feb. 2016 shows 8 of 10 Hispanic voters with a negative impression of Donald Trump, and 7 of these 10 having a "very unfavorable" impression of him. The poll shows Trump's standing with Hispanic voters deteriorating, with a Univision survey in summer 2015 showing 7 in 10 with a negative view, and 6 in 10 "very unfavorable." This is in line with Trump's increasing anti-immigration rhetoric and calls for a wall at the border paid for by Mexico, upping the anti-immigrant rhetoric in 2016.