Don't You Love Thomas Friedman's Opinion Pieces?

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In Thomas Friedman's latest Opinion piece for The New York Times (8/19/25), he says:  

"I am really trying to be fair in analyzing the Trump-Putin-Zelensky-Europe drama that has been playing out the past few weeks. I am trying to balance President Trump’s commendable desire to end the murderous war in Ukraine with the utterly personalized, seat-of-the-pants, often farcical way he is going about it — including the energy that everyone involved has to expend feeding his ego and avoiding his wrath, before they even get to the hellish compromises needed to make peace.

For now, the whole thing leaves me deeply uncomfortable."

Dear readers, find out why.

Tough Obstacles To Ending the War in Ukraine

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The simple fact that recent meetings between Trump and Zelenskyy, and the larger gathering of European leaders, was conducted in a friendly, co-operative fashion is itself notable given Zelensky's acrimonious White House visit in February and the sometimes contentious relations Trump has had with his European counterparts.

"If I can get to heaven, this will be one of the reasons," he [Trump] said in a Tuesday television interview.

But the path to heaven is narrow, as the saying goes, and there are still numerous obstacles to ending the war in Ukraine.

Today in Global Small Business: America's Busiest Gateway For Imports Sets a New Record

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What's affecting me, my clients, my colleagues and other global small business owners:

• America’s busiest gateway for imports from China set a new record in July, handling the equivalent of more than 1 million import containers for the first time.
• 6 takeaways from Trump's meeting with Putin.
• Trump shifts ceasefire stance and urges Ukraine to agree Russia peace deal.
• Quote of the week:  "It could be said that all armed conflicts are a ludicrous and shameful waste of lives, but World War I has a special place in the history of futility - a war without clear purpose, a war whose resolution would ultimately make the world a far worse place." – Scott Spencer
• Trump, Zelenskyy to meet at White House after Alaska summit with Putin fell short.
• In Alaska, Trump gives Putin more time to grind down Ukraine.

Two Men Guilty of Illegally Exporting U.S. Electronics Used in Russian Weapons In Ukraine

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Two men – Nikolay Goltsev, 38, of Montreal, and Salimdzhon Nasriddinov, 53, of Brooklyn – have pleaded guilty to illegally exporting US electronics used in Russian weapons in Ukraine, the Justice Department said.

Goltsev and Nasriddinov face up to 20 years in prison for conspiring to commit export control violations, the department said in a statement.

"The defendants shipped millions of dollars of US electronics critical to the missiles and drones Russia uses to attack Ukraine, and they now face US prison time for their scheme," Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said.

Read more here.

Grain Importing Nations Are Hurting From Rising Freight Rates

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Trade flows of grains are undergoing significant shifts.  The war in Ukraine will put further pressure on grain-importing countries in Africa and Asia as a reduced number of vessels for delivering cargoes drives up shipping rates, according to the head of the International Chamber of Shipping.

In addition to the situation in Ukraine, freight rates are also being affected by China’s efforts to battle the spread of Covid-19. Hundreds of bulk ships are facing delays off China’s coast as authorities in cities including Shanghai lock down cities. 

Global Businesses Operating in Russia Are: Suspending. Severing Ties. Closing. Exiting. Stopping. Pausing.

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Giant global businesses in every sector are suspending, severing ties, closing, exiting, stopping or pausing activities in Russia following the invasion of Ukraine.

Why it matters: In addition to condemning the invasion, the companies see an impossible environment — from worker safety to the logistics of getting supplies, financial and sales disruption and the complexity of complying with sanctions.

Learn more on what has happened since the invasion began.