Trump 2.0

The shape of things to come?!

Donald Trump threatens to impose reciprocal tax on India

The US President-elect said India charges 'a lot' adding that he would retaliate with the same tax that New Delhi imposes on import of US products.

Reciprocity to be key for next US Government

"Reciprocal, if they tax us, we tax them the same amount. They tax us, we tax them. They're taxing us and we haven't been taxing them", Trump told reporters. "Perhaps the most important element of my plan to make America extraordinarily wealthy again is reciprocity. It's a word that's very important in my plan because we generally don't charge tariffs", he said.

Sends mixed signals to China

* Trump's tariff threat against India comes a day after his sweeping offer to work with China, "to solve all

   problems of the world.

* After winning the presidential election in November, Trump had called for trade sanctions against China,

   Mexico and Canada. Now he has added India to the list. Trump had targeted India in his first term as well.

$ 77.51 billion 

India's exports to US in FY 24, while imports aggregated at $ 42.2 billion

Tailpiece.

Got up at a half past 4, the chores and was ready by a quarter to 8. Vincent arrived on time and I set off for attending Paulson's dad's - Josettan - pre-funeral mass at his place.

Offered my condolences.

Returned and drove Crazy to the petrol bunk to top up with fuel and check tyre pressure.

Sukesan fixed up the Christmas star at the corner of our balcony.

Kochi is the hotspot for Ganja.

Ganja flow to Ernakulam rises as harvest season begins in Orissa.

* In Kochi city alone, seven major ganja seizures have been reported since 01 Nov, with the police recovering         70.1 kg of the narcotic substance.

* Under the jurisdiction of the Ernakulam Rural police, as many as 10 major ganja seizures were reported

   during the same period and 67 kg of ganja recovered.

* The excise has recovered around 52 kg of ganja since 01 Nov, having started anti-narcotics drives ahead

   of the Christmas and New Year celebrations.

Tailpiece.

 

Got up at a half past 4, the chores and was ready by a 5' past 6. Sukesan had reached our gate by a quarter past 6 and he dropped me at the Perunthatta Siva kshetram.

Ramakrishnan, the karmi, conducted the 'bali tharpanam' efficiently as usual.

Both Lekha and I went to Dr (Mrs) Sodhi for our cough and cold review and were put on another round of medicines.

A quiet Wednesday. Had carried out the usual Wednesday morning aarathi of the house.

Lekha had gone to town for :-

    * collecting ration from the stand.

    * buying grocery from the Harisree supermarket.

    * buying our fruit basket.

    * the bank for pulling out money.

Surat may be stitch in time.

Bangladesh hangs by a thread!

Surat is single-handedly dismantling Bangladesh's garment industry.

84% of Bangladesh's exports

4 million employed, including 65% women

11%  of their GDP

Top clothing brands are ditching Bangladesh as Islamists rise and minorities face massacre. With democracy replaced by mobocracy, Surat emerges as the safer choice for global giants.

Tailpiece.

Got up at my usual time, the chores and was ready by a quarter past 10.

A quiet Tuesday.

Jimmy comes by around a quarter past 12 and takes our photographs for the canteen smart cards.

In Syria today......

The fight is now between rebel factions supported by the US (SDF) and its NATO ally, Turkey (SNA).

SDF consists mainly of Kurds - the Shias - whom Turkey considers terrorists, all out to carve out Kurdistan from the territories belonging to Turkey, Syria, Iraq and Iran. SNA (the Syrian National Army), on the other hand, is being funded and trained by Turkey.

The US feels only the SDF can give a stable government that would accommodate different warring factions.

Iran and Russia, though 'beaten' temporarily, will want their pound of flesh too.

....Dangerous times!

Tailpiece.

Got up a trifle late, the chores and was ready by a quarter to 10.

The maid was at work today.

A quiet Monday!

The President of South Korea impeached.

The first impeachment in South Korea in 40 years!

South Korea's parliament, yesterday, impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol over his martial law decree. The parliament passed the motion 204-85. 

Hundreds of thousands of people gathered near the parliament roared in jubilation. Yoon's presidential powers and duties were subsequently suspended and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo took over presidential powers.

Tailpiece.

Got up at my usual time, the chores and was ready by a quarter to 10.

A quiet Sunday.

Yedukumar and Raji had dropped by after attending a wedding here.

Celebrations in Syria.

Thousands of Syrians gathered yesterday in Damascus' main mosque for the first Muslim Friday prayers since the downfall of former President Bashar Assad, while crowds celebrated.

The gatherings were a symbolic moment for the change of power in Syria, a week after insurgents swept into Damascus, ousting the Assad-led state that had ruled the country for a half century.

Tailpiece.

Got up at my usual time, the chores and was ready by a quarter to 10.

The maid was at work.

A quiet weekend.

Karthik Poornima.

Got up at 5, the chores and was ready by a half past 7. Chambu dropped me at the nearby bus stop from where I gat the second bus to Thampanoor. Got a blueline a/c deluxe superfast bus to Thrissur and I was hurtling northward by a trifle past 8.

Had three wash room breaks. Kottarakkara was a washout - for both, me and the driver. So, he'd escorted me at Thiruvalla. The second was after lunch at the hotel a trifle ahead of the Kottayam bus stand. The third was on landing, at Thrissur.

Befriended a fellow traveller, Mr Thomas, a Higher secondary School teacher from the Government HSS, Koothattukulam. He was aware of my grandfather and has promised to keep in touch. He's polio-stricken from the age of 2. Nice fella!

Reached Thrissur by a half past 5; boarded an RTC bus to Guruvayur but it took a circuitous route via Vadanappalli, Chettuva road and Chavakkad before reaching Guruvayur!

I reached home just in time to see Lekha light up the last set of the 'Karthika deepams'!

The rest of the evening went off fine with us watching our favourite television serials.