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Eri Machii, founded AfriMedico, a nonprofit organization designed to deliver medicine to remote regions in countries in Africa. She worked in Niger under a Japanese Overseas Cooperation Volunteers program after two years working as a pharmacist. There she learned about the dangers in Africa in remote villages where travel and delivery expenses were high and infrastructure lacking. She devised a method of Okigusuri for Africa where as in traditional Japan medicines were left in a kit in villages and people paid only for what they used. Payment is done by cell phone using the M-Pesa money transfer system. Maichii learned about okigusiri as a system used in Japan throughout its history in places where infrastructure was lacking, lack of universal health insurance, and large families living together. She found that this was true for distant villages in countries like Tanzania where she implemented the system under AfriMedico. 20 volunteers helped found the organization and Tanzania pharmacist network helped guide them in setting it up. Large amounts of medicine taken at one time reduce the cost of transport. Use of the system of medikits in urban areas helped subsidize the village use. This is a system that has great potential for medicine delivery in many parts of Africa and Asia that have the same problem of access to basic medicine kits- so that treatment can be done earlier in the process for quicker less costly recovery, improving general health conditions. One can think of Indonesia, Philippines, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, West and East African countries as having potential for wider use of this system. As people pay for only the medicines used using cell phones the system has wide applicability from cost and access point if supported by private and governmental agencies in these countries.   ...

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This story from "Japan Untold Stories" looks at the use of blue light in Japan's railway stations as a way to reduce the suicide rate. Studies show it has worked with the suicide rate since 2013 falling by as much as 84%. It is attributed to making persons more aware of what they are doing. It is based on a nudge technique of influencing behaviour.

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This editorial in The Economist magazine points out that the doggedness of prime minister Theresa May now looks like pig-headedness. The crisis is of poor leadership. It also exposes two deeper problems in the Leave campaigns distorted message that it is possible for Britain to leave the EU, "to take back control" without making it harder to for British business and the economy to trade with its partners in Europe. It also exposes concerns of democracy that see the referendum as the only message from the people- the general election of 2017 brought Conservatives to power without a majority in parliament changing the picture about the referendum's message. Particularly since the referendum Leave campaign presented a distorted  message leaving out what the cost would be for Britain.  Ejection from the single market, decline of industy from finance to carmaking, destablisation of Northen Ireland peace agreement, exit bill of 50 bill euros was not advertised in the Leave campaign. Buses with posters of immigrants streaming across borders in Europe presented an emotional message recklessly sold to voters. Representing the will of the people can be claimed now by all sides, says the Economist. Leaving Europe on March 29 deadline with no deal would be bad for Europe and economic upheaval for Britain. Discerning the will of the people should not be the work of squabbling MP's or backbenchers in parliament. The only practical and sensible way out of this mother of all messes is to go back to the people and get a new opinion with broad daylight thrown on the realities facing Britain.   ...

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The S-400 antiaircraft missile defense system used by Russia is changing the way U.S. operates as an undisputed air power. It has not been tested in operations yet it has affected use of U.S. air power in difficult spots around the world. Russia says it is its way of contesting a U.S. led world order. Purchases of the system by China and India allow Russia to spread the cost of the system with a smaller budget for defense. 

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Each party, is trying to put pressure on the other with dueling bills in Congress, as the federal government shutdown continues in the U.S.  Mr. Trump's proposal includes the $5.7 billion to construct a steel barrier along the border with Mexico.    

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Over $30 billion in loans and investments from Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates helps Pakistan delay borrowing from the IMF. The IMF loan was needed with arapidly depleting foreign exchange reserves and trade deficit. Saudis and UAE will provide Pakistan immediate loans of $12 billion. Pakistan attended the recent Saudi investment summit setup by Prince Salman. Pakistan's reserves are just $6.9 billion, enough for 2 months of imports. 

China is expected to provide $2 billion to $3 billion in loans. Pakistan's Imran Khan government says China needs to build more factories than infrastructure to create jobs. China is developing the port of wadar, and Saudis plan to build a refinery near the port. The refinery would help cut the trade deficit by reducing oil imports.

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The 6.6% growth for 2018 is the lowest since 1990. Sharply lower growth was seen in the closing months of 2018 after a economic slowdown and trade tensions with the U.S.

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The failure of the iPhone XR is leading to a Japanese supplier for the model Japan DIsplay Inc. to seek a bailout from investor groups in China and Taiwan.

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Foxconn Technology Group, largest assembler of iPhones, plans to reduce its dependence on Chinaby building plants in India. Foxconn head, Terry Gou, plant to visit India after next month. The continued trade tensions between U.S. and China are leading to many companies looking at diversifying their supply chains away from China.Manufacturing high end phones in India would help Apple get around the 20% tariff on imported phones because Apple is losing market share with its high prices. Foxconn already makes phones in India for Xiaomi. Foxconn is also looking at Vietnam.

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The transforming factory landscape in China as the economy slows down and workers are harder to find.

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French president Macron is skipping attending the Swiss Davos conference in 2019, as he attends to pressing problems at home. A year ago after attending Davos Macron appeared as a champion of globalization and took some risky actions in the euphoria over his win- stripping job protections at a sensitive time of rising inequality, and abolishing a decades old wealth tax. The election showed a regional and urban-rural divide in France even though Macron gained a large majority in the Assembly. The yellow vested protestors showed no particular allegiance to parties, only showing a sense of dissatisfaction with neglect of working class struggling to make a living. All that is changed now after yellow vested protestors rioted week after week over neglect of working class issues.Macron has resisted pressure to reinstate the wealth tax. He has suspended plans to increase fuel taxes and introduced 10 billion euro worth measures to boost purchasing power of working class French people, a major demand of the yellow vests. A series of town hall meetings are planned for Macron to listen to the voices he has not paid enough attention to before in his aloof style of governing. ...

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A fragmented political landscape and slowing economic growth are two challenges facing the European Union in 2019.

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The recent history of two companies making kitchen cooking tools one in Germany and one in Italy also tell the story of the economies of the two countries since the start of the euro currency. Italy's economy has grown by 7%, Germany's by 31%. The Piedmont region's household income fell by 5% to 21,000 euros while the North Rhine Westphalia region's income was up by 18% to 26,000 euros since 2007. These are the two regions where Bialeti and Zwilling are located. A major issue with the euro is that countries like Italy or Spain could not devalue their currencies to become more competitive. Russia for example has used a devalued currency to become more competitive and return to economic growth. Zwilling sales have tripled to 700 million euros while Bialetti's sales have fallen 20% from a similar starting point of 200 million euros. Bialetti even had to give an equity stake to a New York hedge fund in a debt restructuring deal.