(Eds: Adds details) New Delhi, May 11 () Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said reduction of transmission rate of the novel coronavirus and gradual increase in public activities while adhering to all guidelines are the "twofold" challenges and now the Centre and states will have to work towards achieving the twin objectives.Addressing chief ministers via a video conference, the prime minister also said he is of the "firm view that the measures needed in the first phase of lockdown were not needed during the second phase and similarly the measures needed in the third phase are not needed in the fourth," according to an official statement.The prime minister reaffirmed the importance of 'do gaz doori' (a distance of two yards) and added that suggestion of "night curfew" raised by many chief ministers would surely reaffirm the feeling of caution among people.Referring to the resumption of train services, Modi said it was needed to rev up the economic activity. But, he made it clear that services on all routes will not be resumed and that only a limited number of trains would ply.Nearly two months after it suspended operations of passenger trains over the coronavirus crisis, the railways will resume services with 15 pairs of trains on select routes from Tuesday.Referring to the twin objectives, he said "We can now focus our strategy in this battle against coronavirus, as should be the case. We have a twofold challenge –- to reduce the transmission rate of the disease, and to increase public activity gradually, while adhering to all the guidelines. We will have to work towards achieving both these objectives."As thousands of migrant workers reach their native states on board special trains, Modi also emphasised on the need to stop the spread of COVID-19 to rural areas.Rendered jobless due to lockdown, scores of migrant workers have started returning to their home states.About the concerns raised by several chief ministers during the lockdown period, Modi said suggestions made by the states for a "roadmap on economy" have been given "due consideration".The prime minister asked the chief ministers to share by May 15 a broad strategy on how they want to deal with lockdown regime in their states."I request you all to share with me by May 15, a broad strategy on how each one of you would want to deal with the lockdown regime in your particular states. I want states to make a blueprint on how to deal with various nuances during and after gradual easing of the lockdown," he said.The chief ministers in their suggestions on reviving the economy have sought support to micro, small and medium enterprises, infrastructure projects such as power, easing of interest rates on loans and assured market access to agricultural produce, the statement said.Compulsory quarantining of the stranded Indians returning from abroad by air and sea routes was also highlighted.Modi said, "We must understand that the world has fundamentally changed post COVID-19." "Now the world will be pre-corona, post-corona just like the case of the world wars. And this would entail significant changes in how we function," the PM was quoted as saying in the statement.Modi pointed out that the new way of life would be on the principle of "Jan se lekar jag tak" (from an individual to the whole of humanity)."We must all plan for the new reality," he said.The prime minister said the country will need an all-encompassing approach to deal with various challenges that will arise before it."With the onset of monsoon, there will be proliferation of many non-COVID-19 diseases, for which we must prepare and strengthen our medical and health systems," he said.Modi asked the policy-makers to also keep in mind how to embrace new models of teaching and learning in the education sector.Referring to tourism, the prime minister said he saw potential for domestic tourism "but we need to think of the contours of the same".Modi said he continues to feel optimistic as not even a single state sounded despondent and that this collective determination will make India win the fight against COVID-19.He also pointed out that the post-COVID era will also bring opportunities that India must leverage. NAB NSD

Focus should be on reducing COVID-19 transmission rate, increasing public activity gradually: PM

New Delhi, Apr 9 () Here are the latest updates on the coronavirus crisis in India and other parts of the world on Thursday.9.32 pmFive stray cats caught from a COVID-19 ward of Kasargod general hospital die, prompting officials to send organs of the animals for detailed examination in Thiruvananthapuram.9.15 pmThe total number of coronavirus infections in Gujarat shoot up to 262, death toll rose to 17 with the addition of one more fatality. 8.49 pmDon't mention Nizamuddin Markaz in bulletins on COVID-19: Delhi Minorities Commission to health dept8.44 pmAn elderly man died and 47 new coronavirus cases surfaced in Rajasthan, taking the COVID-19 count to 430.8.43 pmMaharashtra records 229 new COVID-19 cases, count rises to 1,364 and 25 deaths8.26 pm3 fresh COVID-19 cases reported in Haryana, total cases rise to 156. 8.19 pmThe Group of Ministers (GoM) on COVID-19 in a meeting on Thursday discussed the containment and management plans for the novel coronavirus8.19 pmEight new COVID-19 cases were recorded in Jharkhand in the last 24 hours, taking the state's tally to 138.16 pmOver 200 new coronaviruscases found in Maharashtra, count rises to 1,346.8.16 pmCops thrash two junior doctors in Bhopal, probe ordered. 8.04 pmA 80-year old woman from Gadag district becomes the sixth COVID-19 related fatality in Karnataka; 16 new cases reported instate, tally rises to 197.7.58 pmLufthansa group's SWISS airline says it is conducting a special flight from Delhi to Zurich to repatriate Swiss citizens and other European nationals.7.53 pmAs many as 96 people in Tamil Nadu test positive for COVID-19, majority of them returnees from Tablighi jamat event in Delhi. 7.40 pm Punjab witnesses spike in COVID-19 cases with 24 more people contracting the infection, pushing total count to 130 in the state. 7.39 pmA 70-year-old coronavirus patient died while three new cases of the infection were found in Mumbai's Dharavi, one of the biggest slums in Asia.7.27 pmDeath rate due to coronavirus in Madhya Pradesh stands at 7.50 per cent, which is more than double the national COVID-19 fatality rate of 3.25 per cent 7.27 pmKerala set to become first state in country to commence convalescent plasma therapy to treat critically ill COVID-19 cases on trial basis. 7.27 pm Three more coronavirus patients die in Pune, taking toll in district to 21.7.18 pmDeath toll due to coronavirus rises to 169 and number of cases climb to 5,865 in the country, registering an increase of 591 cases and 20 deaths in the last 24 hours, 7.14 pmTata Sky, Airtel DTH to air HRD Ministry's educational Swayam Prabha channels during lockdown. 6.50 pm Prime Minister Narendra Modi urges people to download the 'Aarogya Setu' mobile application. 6.46 pm One more person tests positive for coronavirus in Ladakh, taking the total number of cases in the Union Territory to four. 6.43 pm Record 16.6 million people have sought US jobless aid since coronavirus. 6.42 pm India and Russia deliberate on the fast evolving global situation arising out of the coronavirus. 6.35 pm As almost all commercial passenger aircraft in India have been grounded due to COVID-19 lockdown, aviation regulator DGCA issued guidelines for their storage and subsequent return to service. 6.11 pm Biocon Ltd Chairperson Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw says it is "impractical" to implement the Supreme Court's order to make all coronavirus tests free. 6.10 pm Ahmedabad remains the worst-hit by coronavirus in Gujarat with 50 fresh cases, the highest-ever in a day, taking total number of infections to 133. 6.09 pm The Federal Reserve announces another series of financing facilities to provide USD 2.3 trillion to support the US economy amid the coronavirus pandemic. 5.56 pm Two more coronavirus positive patients detected in Noida and one in Greater Noida, taking the total number of COVID-19 cases in Gautam Buddh Nagar to 63. 5.53 pm Goa government decides not to allow around 100 seafarers to enter the state in view of the coronavirus threat after they requested for disembarkment from their ship 5.52 pm Biotech entrepreneur Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw says actual coronavirus cases in the country will be at least four times the reported count. 5.49 pm A top official and a health worker at a state-run hospital in West Bengal's Howrah district test positive for COVID-19. AAR KJ

Coronavirus: Latest updates on COVID-19 from across the world

(Eds: Combining related stories) New Delhi, May 1 () India will now be under lockdown till May 17 with a complete ban on air travel, trains and inter-state road transport for the general public while educational institutions, theatres, malls, hotels and bars will also remain shut, the government announced on Friday but gave some relaxations for various business activities and people's movement within areas with limited or no COVID-19 cases. The decision to extend the lockdown by two more weeks after May 3, when the second phase of these restrictions was scheduled to end, came amid a continuous rise in the number of people testing positive for the deadly virus infection across various states, including in major metropolitans, with the nationwide tally crossing 35,000. The death toll has crossed 1,100. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had first announced a 21-day nationwide lockdown from May 25, which was later extended by two more weeks to contain the virus spread. However, several experts have cautioned that the lockdown is severely impacting economy and many rating agencies and industry bodies have forecast a sharp dip in the country's economic growth rate for the current fiscal with a few even estimating an overall GDP decline. All major urban centres including Delhi and Mumbai have been identified as 'red zones' or areas with large numbers of cases and therefore not much relaxations would be applicable to them beyond already permitted ones for those involved in essential services. Special trains also began operating during the day, which also happened to be the Labour Day, to help lakhs of migrant workers stranded for over a month at various urban centres due to the lockdown with many of them having rendered jobless and homeless, reach their native places, including in different states. Separately, Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat announced at a special press brieing, along with the three service chiefs, that the armed forces will express their gratitude to all "corona warriors" on Sunday by conducting fly-pasts, showering petals on hospitals treating COVID-19 patients and illuminating naval vessels. Besides, the Army will conduct mountain band displays along some COVID-19 hospitals in almost every district. Rawat also said it is not proper to conclude that the novel coronavirus outbreak is a result of biological warfare. US President Donald Trump had earlier said that the deadly virus originated from a virology lab in China's Wuhan city before it spread across the world and claimed over 233,000 lives and shattered global economies. But Trump's comments undercut a rare public statement from his own intelligence community, which stated no such assessment has been made by them whether the COVID-19 outbreak began through contact with infected animals or if it was the result of an accident at a laboratory in Wuhan. While several countries including Italy, Switzerland, New Zealand, Austria and various states of the US have begun easing their respective lockdowns, India has decided to implement the third phase of its own lockdown, while providing specific relaxations to less affected and 'virus-free' areas by classifying districts and cities into red, orange and green zones. But, some activities will remain prohibited throughout the country, irrespective of the zone, and these include air travel, rail, metro and inter-state movement by road, running of schools, colleges, and other educational and training hospitality services, cinema halls, malls, gymnasiums, sports complexes, as per an order issued by the Union Home Ministry. All social, political, cultural and other kinds of gatherings and religious places or places of worship for public will also remain shut, the order said. Outside the containment zone falling within red zones, certain more activities are prohibited in addition to those banned throughout the country and these include plying of cycle rickshaws and auto-rickshaws, running of taxis and cab aggregators, intra-district and inter-district plying of buses, as also barber shops, spas and saloons. Activities allowed in red zones with restrictions would include movement of individuals and vehicles for permitted activities, with a maximum of two persons (besides the driver) in four-wheelers and with no pillion rider in two-wheelers. Industrial establishments in urban areas including Special Economic Zones (SEZs), Export Oriented Units (EOUs), industrial estates and industrial townships with access control have been permitted. Construction activities in urban areas will be limited to in-situ construction (where workers are available on site and no workers are required to be brought in from outside) and construction of renewable energy projects. Shops in urban areas, for non-essential goods, are not allowed in malls, markets and market complexes. However, all standalone shops, neighbourhood shops and shops in residential complexes are permitted to remain open in urban areas, without any distinction of essential and non-essential. E-Commerce activities in red zones are permitted only for essential goods. Private offices can operate with up to 33 per cent strength as per requirement, with the remaining persons working from home. All government offices can function with senior officers of the level of Deputy Secretary and above at full strength, and up to one-third of remaining staff. Commercial and private establishments allowed in red zones include print and electronic media, IT and IT enabled services, data and call centres, cold storage and warehousing services, private security and facility management services, and services provided by self-employed persons, except for barbers. In orange zones, taxis and cab aggregators will also be permitted with one driver and one passenger only, while inter-district movement of individuals and vehicles will be allowed for permitted activities only. Four-wheeler vehicles will have maximum two passengers besides the driver and pillion riding will be allowed on two-wheelers. In green zones, all activities are permitted except those prohibited throughout the country irrespective of the zone. However buses and bus depots can operate with maximum 50 per cent capacity. Earlier in the day, the Union Health Ministry listed 130 districts in the country in red zone, 284 in orange zone and 319 in green zone. This classification of districts is to be followed by states and UTs till May 10 and the will be revised on a weekly basis or earlier if required, Major cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Pune, Bengaluru and Ahmedabad have been designated as red zones in the new classification. A district will be considered under green zone if there has been no confirmed cases of COVID-19 so far or there is no reported case since last 21 days in the district. Red zone districts are those considered to be infection 'hotspots', decided on the basis of number of active cases, doubling rate of confirmed cases and extent of testing and surveillance feedback. Districts which are neither defined as a red or green zone, would be considered as an orange zone. The Health Ministry also said India has ramped up production of COVID-19 protective gears and medical equipment to reduce its dependence on foreign countries for these items which are in high demand globally due to the pandemic. In its evening update, the Ministry said the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in India has risen to 35,365 with 1,152 deaths, while 9,065 people have so far recovered. ACB SKL MPB ASK PLB BJBJ

COVID-19: Lockdown extended for two more weeks; 'Considerable relaxations' for safer zones

<ul><li>Sonu Sood recently received UNDP’s Special Humanitarian Action Award.</li><li>He has emerged as a knight in shining armour and been applauded for his humanitarian work to send thousands of stranded migrants back home during the lockdown. </li><li>His rising affinity on social media has also helped him get popular in the brandverse. </li><li>We speak to experts to find out if the recognition from UNDP will finally help get Sonu Sood longer brand deals and bigger brands now. </li></ul>Sonu Sood, who plays an antagonist in most of his movies, is becoming India’s hero in real life. On September 30, he was honoured with the Special Humanitarian Action Award by the United Nations Development Programme for his selfless efforts to help people in challenging times. In the beginning of the lockdown, Sood and his team launched an initiative called #GharBhejoAbhiyaan that helped thousands of migrants who were longing to come back home. He later launched #<a href="https://twitter.com/PravasiRojgar?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1286322666580742144%7Ctwgr%5Eshare_3&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.socialsamosa.com%2F2020%2F08%2Fsonu-sood-campaigns-endorsements-through-the-lockdown%2F">PravasiRojgar</a> to help jobless migrants find a job and restore their livelihoods. He sent a few smartphones to students in Haryana who couldn’t afford online classes and helped students stranded across the globe return to the country safely. Soon, newspapers made special cartoons on him to celebrate the knight in shining armour and #Isupporttheherosonusood started trending on Twitter. It is for his philanthropic work that Sood is becoming popular even in the brandverse. Indian brands like Pepsi, Lay’s, Tata Tea Premium, Stayfree India, Edelweiss Tokio Life, Godrej Interio, WhiteHat Jr, ZEE5, to name a few, have approached him to help spread awareness on different social causes. Even in his brand work, Sood has spoken about the importance of wearing a mask, recognising everyday warriors around us, supporting local craftsmen, etc. Since he acted like a ‘Vighnaharta’ during the lockdown, Mangaldeep Agarbatti also approached him during the festival of Ganesh Chaturthi. Sonu Sood’s relief efforts for the migrants during the COVID-19 lockdown earned him praise from all quarters. He emerged a hero for his selfless, kind-hearted efforts for the community. It was due to his selfless image and uniqueness that brands started capitalizing on his growing popularity. Ergo, his brand value is also increasing subsequently. According to media reports, Sood is worth $17 million. However, it was only in early September that Acer signed a long-term deal with him. Sharing why the brand decided to on-board Sood, Sooraj Balakrishnan, Head-Marketing, Acer India said, “Apart from his exemplary work in cinemas where he is a well-renowned actor cutting across India, Sonu Sood has stood out in 2020 as an example of selfless service and humanitarian work that positively impacted and benefited thousands, if not lakhs of people in need during the pandemic. His contribution to empowering people echoes with Acer India’s brand mantra of empowering people through technology.” Balakrishnan agreed that Sood’s rising popularity is an indication that the consumers are looking for honest and real work now. He said, “People are looking for brands and public figures who have a purpose to make positive changes with honest and real work. Glamour alone will not sell and people like Sonu have really used his position for the good of people. I can vouch for his humbleness, genuine passion to help, and dedication to the cause during my interactions with him. Acer is proud to have him as our brand ambassador and we wish him more recognition for his work.” Apart from trust, caring, empathetic, relatability, and style, Kalyan Ram Challapalli, Chief Strategist and Founder, WolfzHowl Strategic Instigations, said one should also note his Bollywood-led personality attributes to evaluate him as a brand endorser. he is known for a good body (with muscles etc;), a sense of style (fashion) etc Challapalli said, “Brand Sonu Sood can also include attributes of health, fitness, style and fashion. In addition to this whether it is his “Arundhati” (Telugu – Tollywood Blockbuster) villain portrayal or other such south movies, he also has some traction in South Indian Movies and hence South of India as well (usually not a easy feat for a character artiste to achieve). Hence, Sonu Sood as brand ambassador represents trust, empathy, style, fitness and a pan-national appeal. But with the masses. Hence categories he can be used as a brand ambassador for are possibly: Agri-Fintech, Micro-Finance, Health Foods, Sports and Fitness Categories, Fashion category etc; But at a mass and masstige segments level.” Keeping these attributes in mind, Challapalli said that he can endorse brands in mass and masstige categories. “He can also represent “return to roots” desi culture brands across consumer segments. As a brand ambassador he can take “Ayurvedic or Indian natural products based health - Immunity” to both the higher economic strata consumers and the lower economic strata consumers. He can also be a good brand ambassador for democratisation of Insurance, or home loans, or even mutual funds to the masses and to ‘Bharat’,” said Challapalli. Sonu Sood’s social currency Harish Bijoor, Brand-Strategy expert and Founder, Harish Bijoor Consults Inc pointed out that the audience on social media is looking for real heroes now. Bijoor said, “Sonu Sood is the new hero. The new hero of a new generation that is driven more by social media accolades than traditional media praise. Social media seems to recognise the real star as opposed to the promoted star. This works for Sonu Sood. He and his image is pushed by an army of social media participants who chase the real as opposed to the made up.” Sood has 7.3 million followers on Instagram and 4.1 on Twitter. He became the talk of the town during the lockdown. As a result, his popularity on Google Search also peaked. The top searched topics included Sonu Sood Help, Sonu Sood Scholarship, <keyword id="10031923" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="sonu-sood-helpline">Sonu Sood Helpline</keyword>, Sonu Sood hotel juhu, <keyword id="10031921" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="sonu-sood-net-worth">Sonu Sood net worth</keyword> 2020. <div type="image" title="sonu sood google trends" msid="78414547" hostid="261"></div> During the period of January to September 2020, Sood was the most searched term in Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Uttrakhand, Telegana respectively. <div type="image" title="india-map" msid="78414550" hostid="261"></div>(Values are calculated on a scale from 0 to 100, where 100 is the location with the most popularity as a fraction of total searches in that location, a value of 50 indicates a location which is half as popular.) Sood’s impact on brand’s social image How will getting someone like Sonu Sood, who is a humanitarian influence, help how people look at a brand? Archana Jain, Founder and MD, PR Pundit, said, “The COVID-19 pandemic has had a deep impact on consumers. Consumer attitudes are changing. New socio-economic behavioural patterns are being witnessed. Global discourse centered around purpose and ethics is taking centre stage and scoring high on relevance in an increasingly values-driven world. An association with Sonu Sood therefore helps brands raise their bar on trust and dependability. Brands are able to foster a meaningful connection with the informed and empowered consumers and attach themselves to the value proposition of humaneness (demonstrated by his philanthropic work).” On how brands are looking for rays of hope in unsung heroes, Jain added, “Universally, people seek heroes in times of distress. With the heightened interest around all-things COVID-19, many brands have been shining the spotlight on heroes who have contributed selflessly for the betterment of society. Some have singled out the unsung warriors and some acknowledged personalities. Sonu Sood will always be remembered as the knight in shining armour who came to save thousands in need in their bleak times.” N Chandramouli, CEO, TRA Research said, “When someone achieves popularity by the work done, a reputation builds around the person - which is transmitted beliefs about respect. This transmitted belief spreads as more many hear about the person, also driving the person to try and achieve greater heights. Brands are self-centered in their approach, and naturally do not take Sonu Sood as an ambassador because of their philanthropic nature, but instead so that his 'goodness' rubs on them too. He has already been seen as a 'messiah', and even non-migrant travel or food based requests come to him, sometimes for books for education or to help a poor farmer's family. Since he has been open and accessible to most such requests, he has become an icon for the poor and needy. This is suff is like a movie-story, and he, the hero who is a do-gooder for society. Brands may not use him in PR too directly, primarily because it will not be appropriate to be seen directly promoting a brand by talking about it. Instead, advertising is slightly more distanced from PR, and therefore his presence as a brand's ambassador, is something that will look more appropriate. PR, as we often say, is essentially a trust building tool, and for Sonu, he has already built all the trust by demonstrating firmness of action.” Will recognition from UNDP help get Sonu Sood more brand deals now? Chandramouli said that Sonu Sood will be now known internationally, which might help him get more brand recognition. He said, “With UNDP's award he joins an exclusive group of international actors in different UN awards who have contributed to society beyond their call of duty, and his name will become more global. He will also come in the consideration sets of international brands which are looking at India as one of their key markets. Being a household name in India, brands will be able to reach their consumers through his endorsements.” Challapalli said that Sonu Sood will get more brands now. However, he is more likely to be approached by massy brands than aspirational.

As Sonu Sood wins a UNDP award, will we see a jump in his brand value?

<h2><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta, FileIn this Nov. 17, 2010 file photo, then-Rep.-elect Joe Walsh, R-Ill., speaks on Capitol Hill in Washington.</div></div></div></h2><h2>Who is Joe Walsh?</h2>Current job: Conservative talk radio host.Age: 57Family: Walsh has been married twice. He is currently married to Helene Walsh, who served in the Illinois House of Representatives from 2018 to 2019. Walsh has three children and two step-children. Hometown: North Barrington, Illinois Political party: RepublicanPrevious jobs: Congressman, history teacher, political consultant.<h2>Could Joe Walsh win the Republican nomination?</h2>Walsh is running against President Donald Trump and former <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/who-is-bill-weld-bio-age-family-key-positions-2019-5">Massachusetts Gov. Bill Weld</a> for the Republican nomination for president. Not to put too fine a point on it, but the reality is that Walsh is probably not going to be the Republican nominee for the presidency in 2020. As leader of the Republican Party a candidate like Trump has considerable home-field advantage when it comes to orchestrating the primary process, and the presidency offers unparalleled awareness numbers that Walsh and his rival Weld will not share.Nevertheless, Trump would be remiss to simply dismiss this duo of competitors out of hand. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/42-percent-republicans-could-back-gop-trump-primary-challenger-poll-2019-4">Insider conducted a national SurveyMonkey Audience poll in late April</a> that asked Republicans "What best describes your view about the prospects for a Republican primary in 2020?"Among respondents who identified as at least slightly conservative, 13% said, "I would absolutely support a qualified candidate who challenged President Trump in the Republican primary," 11% said, "I would probably support a qualified Republican candidate who challenged President Trump in the primary," and 18% said, "I support the president, however I am open to other qualified Republican primary challengers."Potentially, Walsh or Weld could tap into that 42%. More likely, neither will be able to leverage that into a winning constituency.<h2>What are Joe Walsh's policy positions?</h2><ul><li>On healthcare:<ul><li>Walsh is a staunch opponent of the Affordable Care Act, known as "Obamacare," and supports repealing the law in favor of a free market system.</li><li>In 2013, Walsh <a href="https://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20130110/chicago/joe-walsh-suggests-breaking-law-fight-obamacare-chicago/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">suggested breaking the law</a> and to "engage in civil disobedience" to defy Obamacare in Chicago.</li><li>While in Congress, Walsh supported several bills that aimed to either repeal Obamacare in its entirety or to strip key aspects of the law.</li><li>After he was sworn in, Walsh said he would not accept congressional healthcare benefits because it went against his opposition to government-sponsored healthcare.</li></ul></li><li>On immigration: <ul><li>Walsh has long said that immigration is a key issue that he and his listeners care about.</li><li><a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/what-joe-walsh-thinks-about-immigration-climate-change-and-trump" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Speaking to PBS Newshour's Judy Woodruff</a> in August, Walsh said he would end the Trump administration policy of separating migrant children from their families at the southern border.</li><li>Walsh also said he would be "tougher" on people who try to illegally enter the US, but added that he would allocate more resources toward dealing with asylum cases because those represent legal border crossings. "It's our responsibility to hear those claims," he said.</li></ul></li><li>On climate change:<ul><li>Walsh previously said the science behind climate change is "<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20101120021006/http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2010/11/loser-bean-i-didnt-underestimate-walsh.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">not definitive</a>" and that the US's economic interests should precede any discussion on combatting climate change.</li><li>But last month, Walsh criticized Trump for skipping a key G7 meeting about addressing climate change. Walsh told Woodruff he believes human activity impacts climate change.</li><li>He also criticized the Republican Party for its relative lack of action on the matter, telling Woodruff, "The Republican Party has to acknowledge it's a problem. This president won't." </li></ul></li><li>On campaign finance/election reform:<ul><li>Walsh has not spoken publicly about his views on campaign finance and election reform.</li></ul></li><li>On abortion: <ul><li>When he first ran for Congress in 1996, Walsh campaigned on a more liberal platform and said he was in favor of abortion rights. </li><li>But in 2010, when he ran for a congressional seat as part of the ultra-conservative Tea Party movement, Walsh came out firmly against abortion.</li><li>In October 2012, Walsh ignited controversy when he said abortion is <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/oct/19/republican-joe-walsh-abortion-absolutely-unneccesary" target="_blank" rel="noopener">never medically necessary</a> to save the life of the mother and therefore, such an exception should not exist in abortion laws.</li></ul></li><li>On LGBTQ rights:<ul><li>Walsh said he is a strong supporter of "<a href="https://votesmart.org/public-statement/484693/issue-position-family-issues#.XV6pRMopCfA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">traditional marriage</a>" and believes "a marriage can only exist between one man and one woman."</li><li>While he was in Congress, Walsh <a href="https://votesmart.org/candidate/key-votes/116545/joe-walsh/76/sexual-orientation-and-gender-identity#.XV6pFMopCfA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">voted</a> to prevent federal funds from being used in ways that would counteract the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).</li><li>Walsh has <a href="https://www.huffpost.com/entry/joe-walsh-lgbt-community-terrorists_n_4868614" target="_blank" rel="noopener">called</a> LGBTQ activists "constitutional terrorists" and <a href="https://mobile.twitter.com/walshfreedom/status/1007666743760834560" target="_blank" rel="noopener">once said</a> that a "transgender 'man' is a woman."</li><li>He also said Christian vendors <a href="https://twitter.com/walshfreedom/status/892136755058667521?lang=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">should be allowed</a> to turn away LGBTQ customers.</li></ul></li><li>On education: <ul><li>Walsh's congressional campaign website said he advocated for "market-based solutions to education reform and urban poverty."</li><li>He also ran the Daniel Murphy Scholarship Fund, a privately-funded program in Chicago that gave scholarships to low-income students to help them attend private high schools.</li><li>He's also raised money for the American Education Reform Council and the Milton and Rose Friedman Foundation, both of which advocate for school choice.</li><li>Walsh is <a href="https://twitter.com/walshfreedom/status/526537624698507264" target="_blank" rel="noopener">staunchly opposed to Common Core</a>.</li></ul></li><li>On guns:<ul><li>When he ran for Congress in 1996, Walsh said he was in favor of gun control. But when he ran as a Republican in 2010, Walsh came out in strong support of the Second Amendment.</li><li>He <a href="https://www.ontheissues.org/IL/Joe_Walsh_Gun_Control.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">co-sponsored</a> the Firearms Interstate Commerce Reform Act, which would have loosened restrictions on interstate gun purchases.</li><li>In 2018, Walsh <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/08/27/that-time-joe-walsh-was-duped-into-promoting-arming-small-children/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> on Sacha Baron Cohen's comedy show, "Who Is America?" that he supported a program that would arm children from ages 4 to 12. He later denied he said that, but video footage showed Walsh repeatedly endorsed the program.</li><li>Walsh supports arming school employees to prevent school shootings, and ending gun-free zones in schools and military bases.</li></ul></li><li>On criminal justice reform:<ul><li>Walsh said he <a href="https://twitter.com/WalshFreedom/status/1031657668006608898" target="_blank" rel="noopener">supports</a> reforming the criminal justice system but has not detailed any specifics on how he would do it.</li></ul></li><li>On trade:<ul><li>Walsh supports a free trade system and came out strongly against Trump's trade war with China and his decision to raise tariffs.</li><li>Walsh has also <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/14/opinion/joe-walsh-trump-primary.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> Trump is "clueless" on trade.</li></ul></li><li>On foreign policy: <ul><li>Walsh holds strong pro-Israel views. He opposes a "two-state solution" and called the idea "insanity."</li><li>He's advocated for Israel to annex Palestinian territory and for Palestinians to have "limited voting power" in the Jewish state.</li><li>Walsh also once said that American Jews tend to skew liberal and side with Palestine instead of Israel.</li><li>Walsh has endorsed far-right leaders around the globe, including France's Marine Le Pen, who is notorious for her Islamophobic views.</li><li>He's also a strong supporter of Indian prime minister Narendra Modi, whom he once referred to as being "kind of like a Tea Party free market guy in India, which I found very appealing."</li></ul></li><li>On taxes:<ul><li>Walsh is in favor of extending the Bush era tax cuts and abolishing the estate tax.</li><li>He also favors cutting the capital gains tax and the corporate tax rate.</li></ul></li><li>On jobs and the economy: <ul><li>Walsh said while he was in Congress that the reluctance of small businesses to hire and an uncertainty on tax policy was what led to joblessness.</li><li>He's sharply criticized the Occupy movement - which was prominent in 2011 and 2012 - as being made up of "generally spoiled, pampered, unfocused, clueless young people and a smattering of other people who don't understand this country and are advocating anti-American solutions."</li><li>Walsh also said that anyone who would "advocate socialist solutions to certain problems in this country ... they don't understand this country."</li></ul></li></ul><h2>What are Joe Walsh's political successes?</h2><ul><li>Walsh won a congressional seat in 2010 after an uphill battle facing off against a six-person Republican primary field.</li><li>He's garnered strong support from younger Republicans because of his opposition to the Republican establishment.</li></ul><h2>How much money has Joe Walsh raised?</h2>Walsh announced his primary challenge against Trump late last month, so there isn't enough publicly available information on his fundraising. This page will be updated when his campaign releases its numbers for this quarter.<h2>Could Walsh beat the Democratic nominee?</h2>A situation in which Walsh bests sitting president Trump in the primary would doubtless reveal a political talent heretofore invisible in the former congressman. Were he to pull that off, a Democratic contender would certainly have cause for concern. Still, this possibility is fairly remote. <h2>Read more of our stories on Joe Walsh:</h2><ul class="read-more-links"><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/joe-walsh-gop-primary-challenge-could-hurt-trump-2020-election-2019-8" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-analytics-position="3">Trump will likely survive his primary challenge from Joe Walsh - but history suggests that it could hurt him in the general election</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/joe-walsh-addresses-inflammatory-tweets-save-gop-from-trump-2019-8" data-analytics-position="4">Joe Walsh wants to beat Trump and save the Republican party. But he still defends calling Haiti a 's---hole country.'</a><a data-read-more-link="" data-e2e-name="read-more-link"></a><a data-read-more-link="" data-e2e-name="read-more-link"></a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/joe-walsh-george-kellyanne-conway-2020-campaign-2019-8" data-analytics-position="9">Joe Walsh reportedly wants to troll Trump by recruiting George Conway, the husband of White House counselor Kellyanne Conway, to work on his 2020 campaign</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/joe-walsh-2020-run-against-trump-2019-8" data-analytics-position="12">Tea Party firebrand and former GOP Rep. Joe Walsh announces he's running against Trump in the 2020 Republican primary</a></li></ul> <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/megyn-kelly-details-sexually-harassed-roger-ailes-fox-news-2017-11">Megyn Kelly details how she was allegedly sexually harassed by Roger Ailes, then advised to 'just steer clear of him'</a></h3> <div> </div> </div>

Joe Walsh is running for president in 2020. Here's everything we know about the candidate and how he stacks up against the competition.

Very soon it will be time for other channels to lose TRP and shows will seem less entertaining. Are you wondering why? Well, the big show of Indian television, <keyword id="26022" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="100" keywordseo="bigg-boss">Bigg Boss</keyword>, is coming back for its 8th consecutive season. Unadulterated drama, passionate love stories and a lot more sizzlers await you on the small screen. But before the show hits the screen, here is a peek at celebrities who are expected to appear in the show as contestants. 
 
1. <keyword id="14606" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Shiney-ahuja">Shiney Ahuja</keyword> 
For Shiney Ahuja, there can be no better way to make a comeback. With a controversial past and the current state of joblessness, Bigg Boss can give a new lease of life to the star. 
 
2. <keyword id="1721650" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Lulia-Vantur">Lulia Vantur</keyword> 
Are you wondering who she is? Lulia is the girl who hit the headlines when rumours were rife that she was dating none other than Salman Khan. It will be quite interesting to watch how she interacts with her ‘alleged’ beau (in case Sallu is there on the show). 
 
3. <keyword id="11647" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Alok-Nath">Alok Nath</keyword> 
After becoming an Internet sensation in no time with Babuji and Sanskaari jokes trending on Twitter, it was natural for Alok Nath to become a part of this drama. 
 
4. <keyword id="597184" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Poonam-Pandey">Poonam Pandey</keyword> 
With her track record of controversies, Poonam makes an ideal choice to be on the controversial reality show. But how would she survive without posting her hot pictures on social networking sites for 3 months? 
 
5. Hansika Motwani 
From a child actor to a leading lady in Southern cinema, Hansika has come a long way and is all set to make her reality TV debut. It will be fun to watch the hottie raising the heat and the channel’s TRP. 
 
6. Shaan 
Sweeter than the Bengali rasgulla, singer Shaan is also expected to be a part of the show. We just hope the soulful singer doesn’t lose his sweetness when he counters loads of roughness on the show. 
 
7. Rajneesh Duggal 
A model who gets romantically linked to a beauty on the show has been a Bigg Boss norm. Can the model-turned-actor Rajneesh Duggal fill in the gap and assure entertainment on the show? 
 
 
8. Deepika Singh 
It seems the television’s ideal bahu-turned-police inspector Sandhya (aka Deepika) has some serious fun and publicity on mind. Is that her way to get an entry to Bollywood? 
 
9. Bharti Singh 
Amid all the high-flying drama and non-stop tamasha, it will be quite a relief to watch Bharti tickling your funny bone. We just hope she doesn’t lose her sense of humour when plagued by controversies and a quirky atmosphere. 
 
10. Ameesha Patel 
This show has boosted the dwindling careers of many and may just help Ameesha Patel in that way. Ameesha was last seen in the movie Shortcut Romeo and needs to be in the forefront as she was in the days of Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai. 
 
11. Shanti Dynamite 
Ranked as one of the 50 Sexiest Women of Asia by British newspaper Eastern Eye, Uganda-born Shanti runs her own production company in India that shoots adult music shows, AIDS awareness programmes and sex education material. She also claims to be the first Indian Playboy girl. 
 
12. Karan Tacker 
A popular TV star, who is currently wooing the judges on another popular dance reality show, Karan Tacker is yet another expected contestant. Will he be able to woo the ladies inside the house? 
 
13 &amp;14. Gurmeet Choudhary and Debina 
After watching Apurva and Shilpa creating some lovely moments on-screen, it’s time to welcome yet another star couple. And this time it is going to be Gurmeet and Debina. The two were last seen in Khatron Ke Khiladi. 
 
15. Sunil Grover 
Rumours are rife that star comedian Sunil Grover may also become a part of the much-talked-about reality show. If this happens, we are not likely to miss even a single episode.

Bigg Boss Season 8: Take A Sneak Peak At 15 Probable Contestants

<div class="KonaFilter image-container float_right"><div class="image on-image"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/simajr/4182166296">Flickr/sima dimitric</a></div></div>In the 20th century the planet's population doubled twice. It will not double even once in the current century, because birth rates in much of the world have declined steeply. 
But the number of people over 65 is set to double within just 25 years. 
This shift in the structure of the population is not as momentous as the expansion that came before. But it is more than enough to reshape the world economy.
According to the UN's population projections, the standard source for demographic estimates, there are around 600m people aged 65 or older alive today. That is in itself remarkable; the author Fred Pearce claims it is possible that half of all the humans who have ever been over 65 are alive today. But as a share of the total population, at 8%, it is not that different to what it was a few decades ago.
By 2035, however, more than 1.1 billion people--13% of the population--will be above the age of 65. This is a natural corollary of the dropping birth rates that are slowing overall population growth; they mean there are proportionally fewer young people around. The "old-age dependency ratio"--the ratio of old people to those of working age--will grow even faster. In 2010 the world had 16 people aged 65 and over for every 100 adults between the ages of 25 and 64, almost the same ratio it had in 1980. By 2035 the UN expects that number to have risen to 26.
In rich countries it will be much higher (see chart). Japan will have 69 old people for every 100 of working age by 2035 (up from 43 in 2010), Germany 66 (from 38). Even America, which has a relatively high fertility rate, will see its old-age dependency rate rise by more than 70%, to 44. Developing countries, where today's ratio is much lower, will not see absolute levels rise that high; but the proportional growth will be higher. Over the same time period the old-age dependency rate in China will more than double from 15 to 36. Latin America will see a shift from 14 to 27.
<h3>Three ways forward</h3>
The big exceptions to this general greying are south Asia and Africa, where fertility is still high. Since these places are home to almost 3 billion people, rising to 5 billion by mid-century, their youth could be a powerful counter to the greying elsewhere. But they will slow the change, not reverse it. The emerging world as a whole will see its collective old-age dependency rate almost double, to 22 per 100, by 2035.
The received wisdom is that a larger proportion of old people means slower growth and, because the old need to draw down their wealth to live, less saving; that leads to higher interest rates and falling asset prices. Some economists are more sanguine, arguing that people will adapt and work longer, rendering moot measures of dependency which assume no one works after the age of 65. A third group harks back to the work of Alvin Hansen, known as the "American Keynes", who argued in 1938 that a shrinking population in America would bring with it diminished incentives for companies to invest--a smaller workforce needs less investment--and hence persistent stagnation.
The unexpected baby boom of 1946-64 messed up Hansen's predictions, and unforeseen events could undermine today's demographic projections, too--though bearing in mind that the baby boom required a world war to set the stage, that should not be seen as a source of hope. But if older people work longer and thus save longer, while slowing population growth means firms have less incentive to invest, something close to what Hansen envisaged could come about even without the sort of overall population decline he foresaw. A few months ago Larry Summers, a Harvard professor and former treasury secretary, argued that America's economy appeared already to be suffering this sort of "secular stagnation"--a phrase taken directly from Hansen.
Who is right? The answer depends on examining the three main channels through which demography influences the economy: changes in the size of the workforce; changes in the rate of productivity growth; and changes in the pattern of savings. The result of such examination is not conclusive. But, for the next few years at least, Hansen's worries seem most relevant, not least because of a previously unexpected effect: the tendency of those with higher skills to work for longer, and more productively, than they have done to date.
The first obvious implication of a population that is getting a lot older without growing much is that, unless the retirement age changes, there will be fewer workers. That means less output, unless productivity rises to compensate. Under the UN's standard assumption that a working life ends at 65, and with no increases in productivity, ageing populations could cut growth rates in parts of the rich world by between one-third and one-half over the coming years.
<h3>Have skills, will work</h3>
Amlan Roy, an economist at Credit Suisse, has calculated that the shrinking working-age population dragged down Japan's GDP growth by an average of just over 0.6 percentage points a year between 2000 and 2013, and that over the next four years that will increase to 1 percentage point a year. Germany's shrinking workforce could reduce GDP growth by almost half a point. In America, under the same assumptions, the retirement of the baby-boomers would be expected to reduce the economy's potential growth rate by 0.7 percentage points.
The real size of the workforce, though, depends on more than the age structure of the population; it depends on who else works (women who currently do not, perhaps, or immigrants) and how long people work. In the late 20th century that last factor changed little. An analysis of 43 mostly rich countries by David Bloom, David Canning and Günther Fink, all of Harvard University, found that between 1965 and 2005 the average legal retirement age rose by less than six months. During that time male life expectancy rose by nine years.
Since the turn of the century that trend has reversed. Almost 20% of Americans aged over 65 are now in the labour force, compared with 13% in 2000. Nearly half of all Germans in their early 60s are employed today, compared with a quarter a decade ago.
This is in part due to policy. Debt-laden governments in Europe have cut back their pension promises and raised the retirement age. Half a dozen European countries, including Italy, Spain and the Netherlands, have linked the statutory retirement age to life expectancy. Personal financial circumstances have played a part, too. In most countries the shift was strongest in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis, which hit the savings of many near-retirees. The move away from corporate pension plans that provided a fraction of the recipient's final salary in perpetuity will also have kept some people working longer.
But an even more important factor is education. Better-educated older people are far more likely to work for longer. Gary Burtless of the Brookings Institution has calculated that, in America, only 32% of male high-school graduates with no further formal education are in the workforce between the ages of 62 and 74. For men with a professional degree the figure is 65% (though the overall number of such men is obviously smaller). For women the ratios are one-quarter versus one-half, with the share of highly educated women working into their 60s soaring (see chart). In Europe, where workers of all sorts are soldiering on into their 60s more than they used to, the effect is not quite as marked, but still striking. Only a quarter of the least-educated Europeans aged 60-64 still work; half of those with a degree do.
It is not a hard pattern to explain. Less-skilled workers often have manual jobs that get harder as you get older. The relative pay of the less-skilled has fallen, making retirement on a public pension more attractive; for the unemployed, who are also likely to be less skilled, retirement is a terrific option. Research by Clemens Hetschko, Andreas Knabe and Ronnie Schöb shows that people who go straight from unemployment to retirement experience a startling increase in their sense of well-being.
Higher-skilled workers, on the other hand, tend to be paid more, which gives them an incentive to keep working. They are also on average healthier and longer-lived, so they can work and earn past 65 and still expect to enjoy the fruits of that extra labour later on.
This does not mean the workforce will grow. Overall work rates among the over-60s will still be lower than they were for the same cohort when it was younger. And even as more educated old folk are working, fewer less-skilled young people are. In Europe, jobless rates are highest among the least-educated young. In America, where the labour participation rate (at 63%) is close to a three-decade low, employment has dropped most sharply for less-skilled men. With no surge in employment among women, and little appetite for mass immigration, in most of the rich world the workforce looks likely to shrink even if skilled oldies stay employed.
<h3>Legacy of the void</h3>
A smaller workforce need not dampen growth, though, if productivity surges. This is not something most would expect to come about as a result of an ageing population. Plenty of studies and bitter experience show that most physical and many cognitive capacities decline with age. A new analysis by a trio of Canadian academics based on the video game "StarCraft II", for instance, suggests that raw brainpower peaks at 24. And ageing societies may ossify. Alfred Sauvy, the French thinker who coined the term "third world", was prone to worry that the first world would become "a society of old people, living in old houses, ruminating about old ideas". Japan's productivity growth slowed sharply in the 1990s when its working-age population began to shrink; Germany's productivity performance has become lacklustre as its population ages.
But Japan's slowed productivity growth can also be ascribed to its burst asset bubble, and Germany's to reforms meant to reduce unemployment; both countries, ageing as they are, score better in the World Economic Forum's ranking for innovation than America. A dearth of workers might prompt the invention of labour-saving capital-intensive technology, just as Japanese firms are pioneering the use of robots to look after old people. And a wealth of job experience can counter slower cognitive speed. In an age of ever-smarter machines, the attributes that enhance productivity may have less to do with pure cognitive oomph than motivation, people skills and managerial experience.
Perhaps most important, better education leads to higher productivity at any age. For all these reasons, a growing group of highly educated older folk could increase productivity, offsetting much of the effect of a smaller workforce.
Evidence on both sides of the Atlantic bears this out. A clutch of recent studies suggests that older workers are disproportionately more productive--as you would expect if they are disproportionately better educated. Laura Romeu Gordo of the German Centre of Gerontology and Vegard Skirbekk, of the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis in Austria, have shown that in Germany older workers who stayed in the labour force have tended to move into jobs which demanded more cognitive skill. Perhaps because of such effects, the earnings of those over 50 have risen relative to younger workers.
<h3>Saving graces</h3>
This could be good news for countries with well-educated people currently entering old age--but less so in places that are less developed. Nearly half of China's workers aged between 50 and 64 have not completed primary school. As these unskilled people age, their productivity is likely to fall. Working with his IIASA colleagues Elke Loichinger and Daniela Weber, Mr Skirbekk tried to gauge this effect by creating a "cognition-adjusted dependency ratio". They compared the cognitive ability of people aged 50 and over across rich and emerging economies by means of an experiment which tested their ability to recall words, and used the results to weight dependency ratios. This cognition-adjusted ratio is lower in northern Europe than it is in China, even though the age-based ratio is far higher in Europe, because the elderly in Europe score much more strongly on the cognitive-skill test. Similarly adjusted, America's dependency ratio is better than India's.
If skill and education determine how long and how well older people work, they also have big implications for saving, the third channel through which ageing affects growth. A larger group of well-educated older people will earn a larger share of overall income. In America the share of male earnings going to those aged 60-74 has risen from 7.3% to 12.7% since 2000 as well-educated baby-boomers have moved into their 60s. Some of these earnings will finance retirement, when those concerned finally decide to take it; more savings by people in their 60s will be matched by more spending when they reach their 80s. But many of the educated elderly are likely to accumulate far more than they will draw down towards the end of life. Circumstantial evidence supports this argument. Thomas Piketty, a French economist, calculates that the average wealth of French 80-year-olds is 134% that of 50- to 59-year-olds, the highest gap since the 1930s. For the next few years at least, skill-skewed ageing is likely to mean both more inequality and more private saving.
At the same time governments across the rich world (and particularly in Europe) are trimming their pension promises and cutting their budget deficits, both of which add to national saving. Reforms designed to trim future pensions mean that, regardless of their skill level, those close to retirement are likely to save more and that governments will spend less per old person. The European Commission's latest forecasts suggest overall pension spending in the EU will fall by 0.1% of GDP between 2010 and 2020, before rising by 0.6% in the subsequent decade. That is not insignificant, but it is far less than some of the breathless commentary about the "burden" of ageing implies.
Taken together, the net effect of high saving by educated older workers and less-generous pensions is likely to be an unexpected degree of thrift in the rich world, at least for the next few years. If the money saved finds productive investment opportunities it has the potential to boost long-run growth. But where will these opportunities be? In principle, two possibilities stand out. One is rapid innovation in advanced economies. The second is fast growth in emerging economies--especially younger, poorer ones.
Unfortunately, more capital currently flows out of emerging economies into the rich world than the other way. The most successful emerging economies have built up huge stashes of foreign currency; many are leery of depending too much on foreign borrowing. Even if that were to change, the youthful economies of south Asia and Africa are too small to absorb huge flows of capital from those countries that are ageing fast.
And in the rich world, despite lots of obvious innovation, particularly in computer technology, both productivity growth and investment have been tepid of late. That may be a hangover from the financial crisis. But it could also be a structural change. The price of capital goods, notably anything to do with computers, has fallen sharply; it may be that today's innovation is simply less investment-intensive than it was in the manufacturing age. And the ageing population itself may deter investment. Fewer workers, other things being equal, means the economy needs a smaller capital stock, even if some of those workers are clever old sticks. And an ageing population spends differently. Old people buy fewer things that require heavy investment--notably houses--and more services, whether in health care or tourism.
<h3>Not destiny, but not nothing</h3>
Demographic trends will shape the future, but they do not render particular outcomes inevitable. The evolution of the economy will depend on the way policymakers respond to the new situation. But those policy reactions will themselves be shaped by the priorities of older people to a greater extent than has previously been the case; they will be a bigger share of the population and in democracies they tend to vote more than younger people do.
On both sides of the Atlantic, recent budget decisions appear to reflect the priorities of the ageing and affluent. Annuities reform in Britain increased people's freedom to spend their pension pots; the disappearance of property-tax reform spared homeowning older Italians a new burden; America's budget slashed spending on the young and poor while failing to make government health and pension spending any less generous to the well-off. Few rich-country governments have shown any appetite for large-scale investment, despite low interest rates.
A set of forces pushing investment down and pushing saving up, with no countervailing policy response, makes the impact of ageing over the next few years look like the world that Hansen described: one of slower growth (albeit not as slow as it would have been if older folk were not working more), a surfeit of saving and very low interest rates. It will be a world in which ageing reinforces the changes in income distribution that new technology has brought with it: the skilled old earn more, the less-skilled of all ages are squeezed. The less-educated and jobless young will be particularly poorly served, never building up the skills to enable them to become productive older workers.
Compared with the dire warnings about the bankrupting consequences of a "grey tsunami", this is good news. But not as good as all that.

A Generation Of Old People Is About To Change The Global Economy

<keyword id="71" type="POSITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Prime-Minister">Prime Minister</keyword> <keyword id="6354477" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Narendra-Modi">Narendra Modi</keyword>, in an interview to ANI, said the opposition alleging that his government is a 'suit-boot ki sarkaar' is definitely better and more acceptable than being labelled a 'suitcase' (ki sarkaar), and satirically added, that after ruling for sixty years, the <keyword id="1575" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Congress">Congress</keyword> has suddenly remembered the poor. 

	Excerpts:
 

	1. In a scale of 1-10, how would you grade your government?
 

	It is for the people of this country to grade and evaluate us. How can I take away their right? I have presented my report card to the country. Recently, media has published the findings of some surveys. You would already have seen them. I can only say that we have laid a solid foundation on which the people can rate us.
 

	2. You came in with the promise of 'Acche Din.' Have you been able to meet the goals that you set for yourself in the first year of the government?
 

	Yes. I am fully satisfied with the work that we have done. The most satisfying part of this year is that we have lived up to the promise that our intentions will be pure and our actions will be driven by long-term national interest. Recall the situation one year ago. Massive corruption at various levels of Government gave rise to scams on a regular basis. Our precious natural resources were going into the hands of a chosen few. In contrast, there are neither any charges of corruption against my Government nor any scandals. Corruption was seen as the biggest problem. We have given a clean, transparent and efficient Government. Burey Dino Ki Vidayee Hui hai. (Bad days are over). Is this not Acche Din for the country?
 

	3. What has been the single big success in the past year? 
 

	The achievements and successes of my government are numerous. However, I know that the success of a government's journey lies in reaching the last man. Therefore, our efforts were directed towards the poor and marginalized. We have also paid special attention to remote corners of the country. Our objective is to transform quality of life, infrastructure and services. We have worked simultaneously on all fronts which bring a smile on the face of the common man. I can give you some examples. From controlling food prices to enhancing farm productivity; improving Railways to strengthening Roads; generating electricity to its 24x7 availability; building school toilets to setting up IITs, IIMs and AIIMS; building houses for the homeless to upgrading our heritage cities; cleaning surroundings to bridging the digital divide; making world class products to skilling and employment generation; strengthening the banking system to funding the unfunded; ensuring labour welfare to providing social security to common man; rejuvenating rivers to irrigating fields; from enhancing co-operation with States to deepening foreign relations; we have worked at an energetic pace and with innovative spirit. 
 Bringing back black money was a major electoral promise, but then your party president, <keyword id="6355521" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Amit-Shah">Amit Shah</keyword> gave the word 'jumla' to it and Arun Shourie criticized the procedures adopted by the finance ministry. How committed is your government in bringing back black money to India? 

	My Government is fully committed on the issue of Black Money. We want to crack down severely on tax evasion and black money. I had taken up this issue with world leaders during the G-20 summit. In our very first cabinet meeting, we formed an SIT. Then, we presented a new legislation in Parliament which is very stringent. We want to make it more difficult to evade taxes and siphon money abroad. We are also aggressively pursuing cases against those who have stashed funds illegally in foreign banks. Recently the names of some such persons have been revealed. We are also trying to move towards cashless transactions. We want to make maximum use of ICT in our tax administration.
 

	At the same time, we want to remove the discretion which causes corruption and generation of Black Money. Hence, we promulgated ordinances in sectors like coal and mines. It has proved to be a good step. We have generated Rs. 3.30 lakh crore for the country so far through transparent auction of some coal mines. Similar is the case with auction of spectrum. I can say that if your intentions are noble, you are sure to get success and required support.
 

	5. Key bills like the Land Acquisition Bill has got stiff opposition from the opposition. They have been able to create doubts about the government's intention. What do you have to say? 
 

	Opposition to our Land Bill is totally unjustified and unfortunate. We have not made any changes for private industry. Moreover, if you have money, you don't need a Land Acquisition Act to accumulate land. Some individuals have done so in Rajasthan, Haryana, Shimla, Delhi etc. Land acquisition becomes necessary for government-driven strategic and development activities, especially in undeveloped areas. 
 

	This too is done mostly by State Governments. We have made changes only in response to demands of the States. The benefits of these changes will also accrue to the rural poor in terms of irrigation, housing, electrification, as well as better physical and social infrastructure.
 
 

	In this country, the Land Acquisition Act was almost 120 years old. The Congress-led Governments used the same Act after independence. Suddenly, before the last Parliamentary elections, the Congress went to another extreme by legislating an Act which is neither in the interest of farmers nor in the interest of the country's development. 
 

	Now, they are not even ready to sit and discuss. We believe in dialogue with all political parties. I have personally appealed in Parliament that we are ready to open a dialogue with political parties and consider their suggestions. I hope that the parties will cooperate on issues of larger national importance without getting into political calculations. 
 

	6. How are you going to convince the farmers of this country that you mean well?
 

	The proposed Land Acquisition Bill focuses on benefitting the farmer and balancing the long-term interests of the nation. The world is changing fast. Even farmers need canals to irrigate, roads to transfer products from farms to markets. They need hospitals, schools and houses. Farmers want modern amenities in their vicinity and jobs in formal sectors for their sons and daughters. I have always believed that if we want inclusive development, we need amenities. We need to match the development of such amenities with agricultural growth. This is what the Bill strives to do while safeguarding the interests of farmers. Our amendments only aim to do away with the bureaucratic bottlenecks in the 2013 Act. I am sure the farmers of this country will understand where their real welfare lies.
 

	7. Agriculture is in distress in the country. To a large extent the problem is endemic and decades of mismanagement have resulted in the present situation but how does your government plan to stem the tide of farmer suicides and farming stress?
 
 The root causes of the problem find mention in your question itself. This is a very important issue and the Government is concerned about it. We have responded to the recent agrarian crisis with alacrity. We have undertaken several reforms. The <keyword id="6362177" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="union-government">Union Government</keyword> has enhanced the relief norms for compensation against crop loss by 50%. 

	The limit of minimum crop damage, for grant of compensation, has been reduced from 50% to 33%. Norms have been relaxed to allow procurement of damaged food grains at MSP rates. The target of agricultural credit has been enhanced in our two consecutive budgets. 
 

	But as you said, the problem in agriculture is endemic. Nothing much was done for six long decades. But we have started long-term steps for the farm sector. To address the issue of access to irrigation for every farm, and efficient utilization of water, the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) has been started. Blue Revolution which aims to improve production and productivity in the fisheries sector is also an action point. We have launched the soil health card scheme. The price stabilization fund with a corpus of Rs. 500 crores has also been set up for perishable commodities. Rashtriya Gokul Mission has been commenced with the objective of conserving and developing indigenous cattle breeds. We have made honest and sincere efforts for rural development. I have recently launched the Kisan Channel for giving timely information to farmers on inputs and markets. In the coming days, I would like to see more focused action on increasing Farm Productivity; Rural Industrialization; Skill Development in rural areas and rural trades, and faster Investments in Rural Infrastructure including cold chain.
 

	8. The opposition has termed your government as suit boot ki sarkar. What is your take on this allegation? 
 

	Suit-boot is definitely more acceptable than suitcase. After ruling for sixty years, the Congress has suddenly remembered the poor. People of this country have suffered and remained poor due to shortsighted policies of the Congress. Many countries of the world have surpassed us on all accounts including poverty removal. Congress did incremental work so as to keep the issue relevant for next election. Did the coal and spectrum scandals or the CWG fiasco benefit the poor? Everyone knows who were their beneficiaries - some chosen industrialists and contractors. The result of Congress's politics and governance of sixty years is that poverty is still our biggest challenge. One-fourth of the families are without shelter. Health, education, water, electricity and roads are even bigger unrealised dreams for a large number of citizens of this country. You should ask them- If you were pro-poor, why does poverty still exist in India?"
 

	9. Opposition says that your government is pro-industrialists.
 

	Those who gave away precious natural resources like coal and spectrum to their favourite industrialists have no right to say this. We are working for the common man of the country. 
 
 
 
 

	We implemented the Jan Dhan scheme and opened more than 14 crore bank accounts for financial inclusion. Earlier also, there were banks, as well as people without bank accounts. What did they do all these years?
 

	The so called pro-poor have been just repeating that there is leakage in subsidy. We used technology to ensure that LPG subsidy reaches the targeted person directly; We have launched MUDRA Bank for financing 6 crore small vendors and businesses 61% of whom are SCs, STs, OBCs and Minorities; We have launched the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana which the Congress did not think of in sixty years; We have planned to see that by 2022, no family remains without a roof over its head; The Soil Health Card scheme has been launched to enhance farm productivity and reduce expenses, thereby enhancing the farmer's income. 
 

	We have come out with a comprehensive social security scheme for the poor and marginalised, old and those with low income levels; Swachh Bharat Mission has been started to see that health and hygiene issues of the poor do not affect the working capacity and output of the poor and labourers; Railways, on which the common man travels, is being changed for the better.
 

	We have set up the Skill Development Ministry to enhance employability of the youth to whom we are committed to provide jobs through initiatives like 'Make in India'. In the past, the country had been led into an economy of jobless growth.
 

	We provided for reservation of women in the police forces of Union Territories. This was done even when there were no elections around the corner. 
 

	Through the regime of coal auction that we have put in place, more than Rs. three lakh crore have already been generated for the less-developed states of India. This money will be used for the poor of those states.
 
 These are just a few examples. Why were these things not done in the past sixty years. Who prevented them? Their worry is not that we are not pro-poor. Their worry is that they are being exposed as not being pro-poor. People are asking them: "If <keyword id="6360789" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Modi-Government">Modi Government</keyword> can think and do this in six to nine months, why could you not think and do it in sixty years." 

	10. You have travelled to 17 countries in 12 months...something that nobody expected you to do as you were seen as a novice on foreign policy matters. But you seem to enjoy running the country's foreign policy. Any comments? 
 

	Foreign engagements are international obligations on the part of the Prime Minister. All Prime Ministers have to do this. Moreover, this is an integrated world. We have to attend international, multilateral and bilateral summits, and build ties with our neighbours and other nations. Our foreign policy is mature and there is a full-fledged mechanism to pursue it. I have only added an element of dynamism to it. We have strived to strongly further our economic cooperation in the Asia-Pacific Region. We have endeavoured to nurture new economic partnerships and tap reserves of energy, minerals, technology and finance from major economies.
 
 11. In real terms, do you see that the Chinese will actually deliver on the financial pledge they have done, that the US will open up its markets for India, that Pakistan will give up its anti-India agenda? That our smaller neighbours will stop seeing us as a bully? Yes, I am sure that the commitments and agreements will be implemented. We have received a commitment from the Government of <keyword id="6355311" type="COUNTRY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Japan">Japan</keyword> for facilitating public and private funding of 3.5 trillion Yen - or approximately $35 billion dollars - over the next five years; there are agreements with China on two industrial parks and intended investments of 20 billion US dollars; there are investment plans of about 42 billion U.S. dollars from U.S. companies over the next five years. <keyword id="6358826" type="COUNTRY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Russia">Russia</keyword> has proposed to manufacture helicopters in India. With Australia and Canada, we have signed civil nuclear cooperation agreements, and other agreements to strengthen our energy security. With the United States, we have moved forward in implementation of the civil nuclear agreement and signed a significant partnership agreement to use renewable energy for rapidly expanding rural access to energy. There has been good response from financial institutions, including pension funds from Korea, Canada, Australia and the US. There is a strong support in all major economies for our "Make in India" programme. 

	In the neighbourhood, there has been forward movement on the 5600 MW Pancheshwar project in Nepal, that was stuck for the last 25 years. Similarly, with Bangladesh we have settled the land boundary issue. We are working with a spirit of mutual benefit. There is no question of bullying anyone. Our recent help to Nepal during the natural calamity shows that our approach is brotherly. With Pakistan too, we will pursue our long-standing approach. We will continue our efforts to advance cooperation and connectivity, without compromising our national security. 
 

	12. If we were to return to domestic issues, you have come for criticism from many for not being able to reign in vitriolic elements in your party who have made disparaging remarks against minorities. What do you say? 
 

	Our Constitution guarantees religious freedom to every citizen and that is not negotiable. The tradition of welcoming, respecting and honouring all faiths is as old as India itself. As Swami Vivekananda said: We believe not only in universal toleration, but we accept all religions as true. This principle of equal respect and treatment for all faiths has been a part of India's ethos for thousands of years. And that is how it became integral to the Constitution of India. Our Constitution did not evolve in a vacuum. It has roots in the ancient cultural traditions of India. I expect that everyone will understand and respect this.
 

	13. Why do some elements in your party feel emboldened to say awful things even though they ought to know that a Prime Minister of India cannot really support bigots in his cabinet? 
 

	I have said this before and I say it again: any discrimination or violence against any community will not be tolerated. My position on this is very clear: Sab ka saath, sab ka vikas. We stand for each of the 1.25 billion Indians regardless of caste or creed and we will work for the progress of each of them. Every faith in our country has equal rights; it is equal not only before the law but also before society. 

	 
	As published in ET.

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<div class="image-container" style="width:800px"><div class="image">REUTERS</div></div>
When those of us in the Western world look at <keyword id="1334" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="China">China</keyword>, we often do so through the prism of the expatriate, usually a young(ish) Westerner living in one of the country's major metropolitan areas. 
However, these expats are not always the most reliable narrators. Even websites that cater to expats are full of stories of foolish, usually drunken, <a href="http://shanghaiist.com/2013/06/14/nanjing_police_help_french_laowai_find_his_apartment_after_he_forgets_which_building_he_lives_in.php">"laowai" humiliating themselves in one manner or another</a>. 
Given how this community is a window into China — and perhaps also China's window into into the West — they probably deserve study, and a new book out this week in the U.S. attempts to do that. 
Tom Carter, both an <keyword id="6468264" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="expat">expat</keyword> and "laowai" in China since 2006, chronicles the expat experience as editor of "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Unsavory-Elements-Stories-Foreigners-Loose/dp/9881616409/ref=cm_lmf_tit_1">Unsavory Elements</a>" (a Chinese nickname for foreigners, perhaps one step above "foreign devils"). Featuring 28 essays from foreigners, the book is meant to show some kind of unifying experience amongst a relatively disparate community.
While most of the essays are by relatively established writers (the New Yorker's Peter Hessler is one notable example), they offer a good glimpse of the variety of the expat experience in China. Perhaps the seediest story is Carter's own story, a snapshot of a his trip to a brothel in an unnamed Chinese city (a story that was "so insensitive," <a href="http://www.timeoutshanghai.com/features/Books__Film-Book_reviews/11883/Unsavory-Elements.html">Time Out Shanghai felt forced to ask Carter about</a> "his motives for writing it") but others offer more family friendly fare (for example, Alan Paul’s road trip through remote Sichuan province with his young family).
"Unsavory Elements" comes out in the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Unsavory-Elements-Stories-Foreigners-ebook/dp/B00DKMP0KK/">United States this week and you can buy it on Amazon here</a>. Business Insider spoke with Carter in an effort to understand what he really things about the experience of foreigners in China. 
Business Insider: What made you want to edit this book? Your previous book was photography-based, why the shift?
Tom Carter: During my 2-year, 35,000-mile journey across China back in ’06-’08, my backpack was constantly filled with <keyword id="5050" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="books">books</keyword> – more books than anything else, which made my pack quite unwieldy – including the memoirs of many of the authors who would later contribute to Unsavory. The snapshots that I took during my travels ultimately resulted in the creation of my own book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/CHINA-Portrait-People-Tom-Carter/dp/9889979942">CHINA: Portrait of a People</a>, which was well received and inspired me to pursue photojournalism professionally.
<div class="image-container float_left" style="width:480px"><div class="image">Courtesy of Tom CarterTom Carter (R)</div></div>But, as it happened, in the following years the photojournalism industry basically collapsed (due in part to the decline of print media and the advent of digital devices). While I was sitting around waiting for interviews and job offers that never came, I started working on other literary projects, such as this anthology, for fun.
I conceived Unsavory Elements as a tribute to all those expat authors in China that had inspired me during my travels with their tales and prose. I reached out to them to commission all-new stories – I did not know any of them personally but everyone was accessible and receptive – and found I had a knack for editing. It was an entirely organic, grassroots project that perfectly exemplifies the unpredictable, fluid spirit of expatriate life in China, where anyone can reinvent themselves, and where even if one door of opportunity closes on you, another will usually open.
BI: Is there something unique about the expat community in China as opposed to say, expats in Japan or France?
TC: I can’t speak on France – my only knowledge of the expatriate scene there comes from Henry Miller’s Tropic of Cancer – but I did used to live in Tokyo. Gaijin and laowai share many quandaries, such as our host countries’ deep-rooted mistrust and openly xenophobic attitudes towards outsiders (“No Foreigners Allowed” signs are just as common in Shinjuku as they are in Shenyang).
And yet, my impression was that Japan’s expat community has an air of privilege and conceit to it; gaijin appreciate Japan for its opulent comforts, its meticulous perfections, its soft-spoken sensibilities, and seem to abhor the uncertainties and disquieting disorder of a developing nation. They really are quite precious, those gaijin.
China’s expat scene, on the other hand, is like a great big rowdy saloon from America’s Wild West days,

with dusty explorers, try-your-luck prospectors and even the occasional outlaw laowai riding in from the hazy horizon to find their fortunes in this final frontier … or simply to get in adventures that no developed country like Japan could ever offer.
BI: Why do you think so many people move to China?
TC: China truly has become the new land of opportunity, where westerners of all walks, defeated by this ongoing global recession, have replaced the Chinese as the world’s economic refugees; a “floating population” of blonde-haired, blue-eyed migrant laborers blown in by fate and free-trade treaties onto the red shores of China, destitute and dragging plaid peasant bags bursting with emotional and financial baggage.
I’m being lyrically sensationalistic here, but beneath my playful prose is the harsh truth: America is seeing its end of days. China is our largest foreign creditor – the Communist Party basically owns us – we’ve exported most of our manufacturing base (that iPad you are reading this article on was assembled by an adolescent from Anhui), and our “land of the free” ethos has regressed to a totalitarian police state echoing Cultural Revolution-era China.
The irony of this reversal of roles is not lost on me, nor on the nearly 1 million foreigners living and working in China today, an (unofficial) number that has increased 10% year-on-year for the past decade. All said, I am less inclined to think we are moving to China so much as we are fleeing the west.
BI: Do you think the view of foreigners in China has changed over the years?
TC: Mark Kitto, a contributor to the Unsavory anthology, writes a humorously-vain account about how local authorities wanted to immortalize his likeness into a statue – and as soon as they did they tore it down! I think this story is an apt metaphor for China’s historical love-hate relationship with foreigners, where one moment they are idolizing westerners like superstars and the next they are fumigating us like some invasive species (an analogy that Jonathan Watts touches on in his essay).
If you look back at history, China is one of the few countries that have instituted systematic purges of “foreign devils” over the centuries, most notably the wholesale slaughter of thousands of Christians during the bloody Boxer Uprising and the Cultural Revolution persecutions of any Chinese who associated with westerners.
Foreigners in China have advanced (some might argue regressed) over the centuries from unremitting missionaries and exploitative opium operations to backpackers and businessmen, but the purges continue to take place to this day at the whim of the ever-capricious Communist Party, including last year’s state-sponsored looting of Japanese businesses and vehicles, and the campaign’s official government artwork of a fist smashing down on the characters for “foreigners.” My anthology’s title “Unsavory Elements” is a cheeky reference to one of the Party’s many pet names for us.
BI: Could you make out any common themes? Did anything in the stories surprise you?
TC: The lighthearted tone of the book is emulated in part after my backpacking days when I’d just sit around a hostel laughing and swapping short stories with other travelers and transients about our various adventures.
<div class="image-container float_left" style="width:300px"><div class="image">Via Tom Carter</div></div>But beneath the fun reading I was surprised to find a subtext of heavier themes shared by all the writers, such as how modernism and the country’s break-neck development have done more to disrupt the society than enhance it, yet, for all of New China’s pretentious pomp and steel-and-glass glitz, there remains an undercurrent of thousands-years-old traditions that will always define this culture and dictate their decisions.
BI: There are a lot of stories about the bad behavior of foreigners in China floating online. In Unsavory Elements, some of the stories (including your own) perhaps further the image of foreigners as, well, unsavory. Do you think that the influence of foreigners on China is a good thing?
TC: To be fair, the anthology is a well-balanced mix of family-friendly fare – such as Alan Paul’s “National Lampoon’s Vacation”-esque road trip across Sichuan with his family, and Susan Conley and her children using street food as a means to acclimate – as much as the backpackers behaving badly, or should I say Gweilo Gone Wild, contingent, like Dominic Stevenson tossed in a Shanghai prison for drug dealing or Susie Gordon during her decadent evening of ketamine, cocktails and karaoke.
Admittedly, my own story, about a boy’s night out to a brothel, has made the most ripples: Time Out Shanghai called it “offensive and implicitly exploitative”, which I accepted gracefully as their professional interpretation. I was prepared for this critical fallout and decided to martyr myself because, as the editor, it would have been disingenuous to exclude a story about prostitution, which is rampant in China.
But then the Time Out review online was overrun by clique of “fem-pats” (not my phrase; I borrowed that from one of the website’s comments; I think it refers to those angry, lonely, single female expats in China who are overlooked by western males seeking Chinese girlfriends) who, not even having read the book, knee-jerkingly called for my “arrest and deportation from China” because, they believed, I patronized an underage prostitute.
All things considered, I think China is more of an influence on the expats who live here than we are on it…though, if my own story is any indication, this “When in China” outlook can get us into trouble.
BI: Is there a danger when writing about the expat experience, of "otherizing" China — playing up the weirdness too much, falling into tropes?
TC: Absolutely. There are many “gonzo adventure” books out there – I don’t want to name them because they are rather lame – about how “unusual” and “mystifying” China is.

Commercial publishers, especially travel magazines, love to otherize this country and its people, as it plays off the west’s ignorance, which is unfortunate because beyond the obvious cultural differences, it is a beautiful, traditional culture with a complex, rich history.
 
My photo-book CHINA: Portrait of a People sought to dispel the widely held belief that the Chinese are a single, homogeneous race – there are over 56 different ethnicities of Chinese – so I am conscious about the tendency to otherize China. And I think the final result of Unsavory Elements echoes the comedic if not slightly tragic reality of our situation here as outsiders: we, not the Chinese, are the weird ones.
BI: How has the book been received by the expat community? Has the Chinese reaction been different?
TC: It’s been a mixed response from both demographics. We debuted Unsavory Elements to a sold-out session at the Shanghai Literary Festival: over 250 attendees. But our session at Beijing’s Capital Literary Festival was only 25 people! Having lived in both cities, my interpretation is that the rough-and-tumble expats in Beijing are more likely to go seek their own adventures, whereas Shanghai’s colonialist-minded expats have less opportunity, or inclination, to explore “real China”, and therefore prefer to experience China vicariously. That’s just my cursory analysis.
As far as the Chinese, I can’t imagine many if any are aware of this or other English-language books. China’s book market is growing fast, however, so getting Unsavory Elements translated into Chinese is a priority for my publisher. We’ve received positive reviews from all the state-operated English-language new agencies such as China Daily and Global Times, so there is obviously an interest in our lives here as “waiguoren,” outsiders.
But truthfully, I think the Chinese government couldn’t care less about what foreigners in China are up to or what we have to say so long as we don’t speak it in a language that 1.3 billion people can understand, and so long as we are not raising hell about the Three Taboo Ts.
BI: A lot of people featured in the book began as English teachers — do you think that influences the relationship they have with the country?
TC: Indeed, many of this anthology’s most respected writers such as Peter Hessler and Michael Meyer got their start as English teachers in China. And yet there is this stigma surrounding English teaching where we are utterly despised by the white-collar expatriate community and even by our own Department of State. Whether this is due to our perceived status as bottom-feeders detritivorously foraging Asia for any job that will hire a white face, or because they think we are aiding and abetting America’s successor, I don’t know, but the derision towards English teachers is palpable.
I too got my start in China as a teacher (after responding to an ad on Craigslist which turned out to be a scam and left me homeless and jobless my first week here) and eventually wound up teaching 1,500 primary school students entirely myself, a baptism by fire if there ever was one. I then went on to teach business English to companies in Beijing. Honestly, I can think of no other career path that places you so directly in the heart of Chinese culture and society like teaching does, or gives you a better ground view of the future of this country.
For this reason, I was adamant about including at least a couple stories from the classroom, including Michael Levy’s account of being offered vast sums of money by the principal of his school to write college entrance exams for his students, and Matt Muller’s observational piece about being in a class full of indifferent high school students with no ambition for higher education. When read together, these stories offer a contrasting glimpse into China’s widening economic disparity, from perspectives that no executive and no journalist could ever obtain.
<div class="image-container float_left" style="width:480px"><div class="image"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lo96K5YLcb8&amp;feature=player_embedded">Reuters / Youtube</a></div></div>BI: A lot of the people writing in the book have since left the country, and some — such as, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/why-expat-businessmen-are-leaving-china-2012-9">famously Mark Kitto</a> — have said they intend to leave soon. Do you perceive there to be an exodus of people leaving? If so, what would you put that down to?
TC: Regarding the so-called exodus, I don’t believe that more foreigners are departing China than arriving. Sure, certain western corporations are looking for the next burgeoning nation to exploit now that China’s economy is on a downturn. But good riddance to the expense-account expats. Of the laowai who are leaving because of pollution or whatever, in the past year it’s become a kind of trend to publish your “Why I’m Leaving China” goodbye letter. What most people don’t know is that Mark Kitto, who is to be credited, or blamed, for starting this trend, never left!
And this fact speaks volumes about our love affair with China, a love-it or hate-it kind of place, to the point that even when we want to leave, we really can’t. I had this happen to me too, where after living here for four straight years I moved to Japan for a year, and then to India for another year, but each time I found myself drawn back to China. I now concede this is where destiny intends me to be.
But of the authors in this anthology who have left, such as Pete Hessler to Egypt and Jon Watts to South America, the fact that they can continue to write so passionately about China is a testament to how close to our hearts this culture and its people are.
BI: After editing the book and hearing many stories, what advice would you give to a young man or woman about to move to China?
TC: Read. There really are so many inspirational memoirs and travelogues about China, including all the ones penned by the contributors of this anthology, which will give you a good understanding of what you are getting yourself into. But I feel a bit hypocritical proffering this advice, as I myself had not ever read a single book about China prior to moving here – I came on a lark because I wanted to travel the world and go on adventures but didn’t have any money to do so – and was completely oblivious of Chinese culture and its history. I learned as I went along, total immersion, which upon reflection was not the easiest way, especially in a challenging country like China. Reading memoirs, and learning from the first-hand insight of others, can help ease your transition.

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