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Two studies now show that it isn't that coronavirus just takes away the infirm or elderly who would have died anyway this year or the next. It is taking people away who still had over 10 years to live. Professor Biggs at the London School of Health Hygiene and Tropical Medicine says this is is what is happening from the study he is conducting.

A paper by Scotland based researchers published online by the Wellcome Trust a London based foundation found the average number of years of life lost to coronavirus for healthy adults is 14 for men and 12 for women. Using data from Italy and UK on the kind of long term conditions in the general population , the researchers found that for those suffering from common chronic illnesses and cancer including multiple conditions, the researchers found that people of this type lost about 10 years on average.

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With China's economy contracting China is now reviving the sidewalk trade with hawker stalls, food trucks, and other types of sidewalk retailers. Chinese premier Li Keqiang says small entrepreneurs at the micro level are as important as larger business to keep unemployment low. Li says these small traders are as important "as vital to China as bigger and more high end businesses." He is now promoting these smaller business enterprises and individual business owners saying "we will support you," and praising food stalls for their contributions in the past before China industrialized to "human culinary culture."  Only when the economy took off and large companies emerged were these small businesses forgotten. This reverses the Communist party's instructions to close street vendors. Li says that in Chengdu, population 14 million, 100,000 jobs were created in a few weeks by allowing 36,000 street vendors back on the streets.  In fact the informal economy plays a big role in India and other countries in Asia and Latin America, Africa. ...

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The Portuguese coach Jose Mourinho has been shaking up soccer for along time now. He is still shaking up soccer today as he puts Tottenham at the top of the Premier League, after knocking out Manchester City and drawing with Chelsea.

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Andrew Sparrow of The Guardian describes the prime minister's questions in the British parliament in October 2016. Opposition leader Corbyn brings up Brexit after avoiding the topic for some time. Sparrow uses a tennis analogy that Corbyn as usual has a good serve, asks good questions, but fails to follow up, and so lacks a return of serve. With the pound falling, and more uncertainty about the economy, May says yes to a Brexit debate in parliament, but makes no commitment for a vote.

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Kaname Harada, 98 years, was a Japanese fighter pilot during World War II. Here NYT's Martin Fackler provides this exceptional account of Harada's effort to remind each new generation since 1965 of the horrors of war, and why Japan should not forget the lessons of World War II. In 1965 Harada started teaching kindergarden children at a school he opened to help give a new Japanese generation the right values of peace. Since he retired he gives frequent public speeches on the values of peace, and how Japan has benefitted from the post war peacetime period. He reminds listeners about the horrors of war from his own experience shooting down 19 Allied aircraft from his Zero fighter plane, and being close enough to see the horror stricken faces of Americans in the other planes. Even at the age of 98, Harada's voice has vigor though he suffers from throat cancer. His message is that the best way for Japan to protect its children, and its children's children from war, is never to forget. He says the current generation of leaders were born after the war and have no idea what it is....

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Ancestral community in Kerry County, Ireland meet Governor Kathy Hochul of New York on her visit there. She is the grand daughter of Courtney and Browne who emigrated from this small fishing village to work in a steel mill in Buffalo, New York.

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Should private equity taking stakes in distressed companies benefit while the government and taxpayers get no ownership stakes for the $700 billion they put out- thats the issue for the New York Times in an editorial on Wednesday, September 23, during the days of Congressional hearings and Paulson Bernanke and company failing to budge on this and on help for those facing foreclosure. Those two days saw Paulson and Bernanke facing angry and distraught members of Congress who in question after question brought up these points relentlessly for both days and got simply the same response that something needed to be done quickly and these points could wait. Late Tuesday September 23, Obama and McCain joined the Congressman by urging action but requiring these points be put in.

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Average refund was $3642 for 100 million households in the US, above the $3116 in 2024 tax year by 10 percent. The IRS had sent out $241 billion by April 15, 2026, 14% higher than the $211 billion by April 15 2025. For people in the low wage restaurant industry it makes a big difference. One couple, a chef and a waitress took the no tax on tips and the car loan deductions from the "Big Beautiful Bill" of DJT, and instead of owing $12,000 as in 2024 got a tax refund of $26,000 for 2025 tax year. This family an immigrant from Spain says- “They’re not able to pay us a livable wage. ... If we were only taxed on our wage, not tips, that makes so much more sense for the cost of living here in New York.” 23 million households took the overtime tax deduction. Seniors qualifying got a $6000 deduction to get an additional $1320 in refunds.

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How the Simpson-Bowles Commission recommendations on reducting tax expenditures and the Romney, Feldstein proposals to limit tax deductions and loopholes to make the rich pay more- at the same time as the tax code is simplified with lower rates- offer a basis for moving towards a deficit reduction plan that has support on both sides of the aisle in Congress, of Democrats and Republicans. Jeb Hensarling and Pat Toomey are the Republican members on the Supercommittee to address deficit reduction, who support a balanced approach to raise revenue from taxes and spending. Obama advisor, Chrisitina Romer sees the Simpson-Bowles approach to limting tax deductions as a good starting point for building an agreement. Romer goes so far as to say let the Republicans in Congress decide on infrastructure project selection as there so many worthy infrastructure improvement projects that getting started would be the main objective.

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With the rushed approach adopted by the Trump administration not enough consideration was given to winning support in the House from 25 conservatives in the Freedom Caucus. Without their support the bill cannot be passed in the House of Representatives. The fight also includes one over what are essential health benefits including whether  maternity care would be included. As a result some moderate Republicans are also expressing opposition on the grounds that less people will be covered and fewer benefits will be provided under the Republican House plan called AHCA. President Trump has not involved himself in the details, and the bill comes very early in the first 100 days, leading to the perception that health care has become a partisan conflict without really grappling with the problems of high cost of health care and creating a solution that all can support. Democrats are seen as having made the same error early in Obama administration's first term. President Trump sees this as a much needed win with a drop in his approval ratings, making this even less of an effort to come out with a good plan.  ...

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DW.com looks at the elections in Senegal, Nigeria, South Africa and Namibia, with active civil society, and development efforts in Senegal, efforts to restore the popularity of the ANC in South Africa with new plans for land reform.  

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Craig Fugate, head of FEMA, a former paramedic and first responder during emergencies himself, is down to earth and understands the needs of communities to get back on their feet after natural disasters. He was appointed by president Obama in 2009. He is responsible for the makeover at FEMA since hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans revealing the problems at FEMA.