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The $1 trillion infrastructure and defense dund created by removing a constitutional brake in March 2025 opens the road to investment in an  highly underfunded rail system in Germany which has parts of the system dating back to the 1900 period. First to be upgraded is the Hamburg to Berlin line which has the most passenger and freight traffic in Germany. One can see signs of this everywhere, landing at the Frankfurt main rail station one can see a building falling apart that dates back to the 1900 period, that is a sign of the way infrastructure was neglected in Germany till now.

The economic growth under Merkel was somewhat of a mirage as it was dependent on the automobile industry with little investment in renewable energy technologies, dependence on lower priced energy from Russia, huge neglect of infrastructure and childcare, and lack of future vision for Germany.

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The complex relations of Jordan and Saudis with US and Israel, in June 2025.  There is also the perception and actions of the two American parties Republicans and Democrats that have exacerbated the situation. This see saw of relations under the two parties in the US has only served to exacerbate the relations and draw the US into Middle East conflicts that have their origins in British colonial rule and interests of western oil companies from 1900.  During the Reagan period American involvement under Defense Secretary Rumsfeld to support the Iraqi invasion of Iran in a balancing act. And just a year earlier the Democrat Carter's efforts to look at the Islamic revolution as a response to the CIA's intervention in Iran's internal affairs under Eisenhower's Foreign minister Dulles to secure oil supplies, and efforts to find a way to good relations with Iran. This was followed by the Democrat Obama negotiating with Iran, normalizing relations and Democrat Biden handing over Iranian assets  of hundreds of billions of dollars that were used DJT says to build its military that had suffered badly under the earlier western sanctions under Republican Trump.  It has led to some of the migration from Syria after Russian involvement that flooded Germany with millions of migrants and destabilized European countries democratic processes. These earlier interactions between US and Iran have turned into an Iranian effort to develop its nuclear capabilities bringing the situation faced today, and showing the failure to find solutions of everything tried before and not helping the people of the Arab World and the Gulf regions.   ...

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Pressed by tariffs from DJT China is trying to become technologically sufficient, yet this comes at a considerable cost, says this report in WSJ. Made in China 2025 was put out in 2014 when president Xi was beginning his plans for the Chinese economy. It is 2025 now and a look at the nation's investment plans show China putting $250 billion a year in advanced manufacturing sectors from automobiles to solar panels and AI, says Centre for Strategic and International Studies CSIS in Washington. This is giving China an edge but at the cost of using up valuable resources and some wasted spending at a time of stagnant government revenues. China's new production needs new markets with overcapacity such as in the electric automobile industry. This overcapacity comes at a cost when the US and other countries are restricting imports from China with new trade policies. During the DJT first term in 2016 China pulled back reference to make in China 2025 but this was temporary and China's 2021 Economic Plan puts top priority to be self sufficient in Science and Technology. Industrial support for EV's went from $15 billion in 2019 to $45 billion in 2023 (CSIS). 48% of 11 million new vehicles were EV's in 2024 with BYD and Geely the main ones of 100 brands. In shipbuilding $132 billion was invested in 2010-2018 taking China from 5% in 1999 to 48% of total manufacturing of shipbuilding in 2025 worldwide. The same is true for manufacturing aircraft and chemicals. ...

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Chancellor Merz New Year Message to Germany 2025, reflects on the events of 2025 with the DJT US administration distancing itself from Europe in favor of a peace agreement in the Ukraine war- with Europe left to take responsibility for defending it's region. By December 2025 the US asserted the Monroe Doctrine and made securing the western hemisphere the top priority, not Europe. Merz and SPD's Lars Klingsbeil removed the constitutional brake on spending placed by Merkel and passed a bill in parliament by December 2025 for a one trillion dollar infrastructure buildup and defense buildup. “Germany is a great country that has, time and again, reinvented itself, emerged stronger from crises, given rise to new cohesion and offers all of its citizens a livable and lovable home.” “We are not the victims of extraneous circumstances. We are not at the mercy of great powers. Our hands are not tied.” A similar situation is happening in South Asia as India faces China over a long border in the Himalayas and India puts up roads, bridges, tunnels and airstrips in the Himalayan border regions.   ...

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The Global Carbon Project said in its assessment that carbon dioxide emissions are down 7% in 2020. This was more than the reduction in 1945 and 2009. Emissions were cut by 2.4 billion metric tons. Emissions are down because of lockdowns and people staying at home, less travel.

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Arsenal on top of Premier League December 2025- but barely over Manchester City. Odegaard excels.

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The Indian 2024 election involved huge giveaways and caste based selection that takes India backwards, which explains some of the gains of opposition parties in Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra, two large states. As the WSJ points out giveaways to buy votes for Rs 1 lakh for every woman in the state of Uttar Pradesh with population of 120 million women was part of the strategy used by a leading opposition party. Caste selection was carefully deployed by another large political party in Uttar Pradesh. Fears and misinformation about the BJP party changing the Indian Constitution to remove protection of lower castes enshrined in the Constitution by Ambedkar, was also a factor that swung votes to the opposition. The effects of the pandemic and the unemployment levels for a largely rural population in Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra in north and west of India played a role as the BJP failed to get an outright majority following its majority wins in 2014 and 2019. The Opposition parties and the BJP main difference is that the Opposition parties have accepted the leakages of funds as part of the culture that has prevailed since 1960 which makes rapid development and modernization impossible as the pool of funds for investment in infrastructure is diminished. BJP party under Modi has fought this leakage every step of the way and by executing projects of infrastructure with on time delivery created the prospects of India modernizing and industrializing the way Japan and China have achieved. The other difference is the execution and the Master Plan Gati Shakti developed by BJP and Modi and a 20 year execution model developed in Gujarat state by Modi from 2001 to 2021. This has made India the fifth largest economy in the world with plans to make it the third largest by 2030 and do what Japan and China have achieved in Asia. It is not really about religion or so called Hindutva that is driving the hard work it is about making India a modern industrial nation with the standard of living of US, Europe, Japan and China.   ...

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Lars Kingbeil SPD parliamentary head March 2025 negotiations with CDU head Merz for a new government in Germany following federal elections. Combined the 2 parties have 45% of the vote with the Left having 9% and the Greens 12% in Opposition and AfD having 21%. In addition Wagenknecht and FDP received 9% of the vote. About 80 percent of the German vote still went to non far right parties in a period of immigration anxiety and economic contraction. Strong action on immigration should by Merz and the CDU that was missing from Scholz and SPD, and weak economic leadership from Scholz limited by the FDP's Lindner Finance minister replaced by CDU under business friendly Merz should change Germany's situation in the next 4 years. It will making immigration issues fade by 2027 and help Germany's economy rebound with investments in key areas.  Merkel and Merz are very different leaders. Merkel a pastor's daughter with a physics background lacks the business background in capital markets of Merz and the ability to understand the mood and thinking of Germans in the industrial west and south of the country and in Bavaria's Munich region (CSU). ...

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With misinformation and harassment online  during election year 2024 Annalena Baerbock, foreign minister of Germany, says "democracy did'nt fall from the sky. We have to protect it" Elections take place in Mexico, European Union, India, Britain and France, in 2024 as online media spreads misinformation. Baerbock says the yardstick of women's rights is a crucial one. If women are in danger it is a bad omen for society." Peter Limbourg of DW says "Even in dark times optimism is a better way to handle it. Because pessimists normally do not contribute to solutions." Hendrik Wurst stressed "the critical role of promoting media literacy in the digital age," something that is done through the efforts of Lyrarc.com by bringing in the best articles from leading media publications in the world on all topics to create educated informed mindsets that shape better lives and societies, and by keeping it open to all to access.

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GM benefits from strong pricing for EV's. It has an average price of $50750 for EV's sold in the third quarter 2023. Higher interest rates are slowing demand in the EV market. GM will not make 400,000 EV's in America by mid 2024, yet GM executives say they will not change the target of 1 million EV's made in North America by the end of 2025.

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A retired Air Force general who was Associate Director of Military Affairs at CIA 2021-2024 working with Central Command on special missions is known to DJT since 2019. Lt. Gen. Dan Caine, a F-16 fighter pilot, is the choice for Joint Chiefs in 2025. He is a 1990 graduate of Virginia Military Institute where he graduated with a degree in economics. He got a Masters degree in Air Warfare from American Military University.

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The UN Biodiversity Conference will now be held in Montreal in December 2022 instead of being postponed to 2023 for its Kunming, China location. China has delayed large events including the Asian Games to be held in the country because of its zero Covid policy. China has faced repeated lockdowns in 2021 and 2022 even as the world was opening up after vaccination campaigns and milder symptoms for Omicron cases.

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Added sugar is the big culprit in the way we age, and in our general health, the diseases we get. This is not just about obesity, its about metabolic health- getting only the amount of sugar that is good for us. Unknowingly if we are not careful, not checking labels and without any advantage we end up taking added sugar when we eat packaged foods. About 70% of packaged foods contain this added sugar. Most adults in the U.S. and other countries get 17 teaspoons of added sugar a day or twice the 9 teaspoons that is recommended for men and three times the 6 teaspoons a day recommended for women. For children the recommended limit is 3 teaspoons. Just by being a bit careful and removing this added sugar from our diet we can enjoy much better health. It is not giving us much because we can still have some sugar in healthy natural foods, in fruits and vegetables, and a smaller amount of plain sugar. After the first couple of days of a change one may not even notice this. By so much has our sugar intake grown particularly with packaged foods, that a small change can bring big results in health and healthy living style. ...

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Mitchell Starc's bowling proves deadly for England in the Ashes Cricket Test Series 2025.

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Connection between inflation and spending (fiscal stuff) by the government is misunderstood or misstated, say Wharton Prof. Smetters. Doug Holtz-Eakin former CBO budget director agrees.  Does higher growth mean higher inflation? It depends. The climate change action renewable energy subsidies are expected to increase growth by 0.2%, yet this should reduce fossil fuel costs, mitigating effect on inflation of government spending. Will higher deficits increase inflation? Again it depends. In 2021 direct financial help for households during the pandemic led to a third of the higher inflation in 2021, 2022 and first half of 2023. Inflation peaked at 9.1%. In 2023 the deficit is up significantly but it is mostly of the accounting kind with lower tax revenues by $278 billion from capital gains taxes due to a stock market slump in 2022, and higher interest costs of $136 billion.

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One of the changes in 2023 in Germany is the increasing acceptance of the use of the English language as Germany opens up to the world under the Scholz administration. Chancellor Scholz from Hamburg with its close ties to northern Europe and Britain, Foreign Minister Baerbock who studied at the London School of Economics, and Christian Lindner FDP leader from Bonn, use English as an alternative language to reach a broader audience. The FDP and Lindner are pushing for the use of English as an alternative second language in public administration.  DW.com looks at the changes and what they mean for the future and the next generation.

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The Independence Hall Philadelphia, speech by Joe Biden was in retrospect a turning point in America from the chaotic politics of the last 5 years, following a decades long fracturing of the social fabric of America. That fracturing had many causes, all of which have been identified by president Biden and leaders in Congress such as Mr. Schumer and Senators Coon, Hickenlooper, and others, who are working nonstop on legislation and funding of America's new priorities. These are priorities of protecting working class families, building their savings, supporting education and healthcare for working class families, building back better America's crumbling infrastructure, tackling climate change, financing renewable energy, rebuilding America as a manufacturing leader for the world. It is because of this effort that candidates who support this effort prevailed in Pennsylvania, Nevada, and Arizona for Democrats to retain the Senate and be competitive in the House of Representatives. Only complacency led to unexpected losses in New York state for the House of Representatives leading to loss of the House by a small margin. This NYT report looks at what happened in 2022 and what this means for securing the country's key priorities to build hope for the future of America and of the free world.  ...

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Cost of living action on oil and food prices, and wage gains by workers, the overall economic expansion and jobs, will play a role in Northampton County, Saginaw County and Hillsborough County, in the states of Pennsylvania, Michigan and New Hampshire. Other counties in Georgia, Arizona, Wisconsin affected by the same issues and hurt by the demanufacturing in the US from the Reagan era, the sense of falling behind in places like Bethlehem, Pennsylvania will determine the direction of the US in 2024.

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The former commander of the NATO US forces in Europe 2014-2018, Gen. Ben Hodges, says the war could end in 2023 with air support to Ukraine. Hodges tells DW.com's Ines Pohl, that the only red line for Washington's support in Ukraine is "boots on the ground." Hodges says Ukraine must retake Crimea to maintain the international rules based order and the UN Charter.

About the Russian offensive in Feb 2023 Hodges says Russia was attempting to "surge" a new offensive but it does not have the capability to launch a "major' one. "They don't have the armored forces, the ability to break through," and that it will not change the "overall operational environment in Ukraine." This is the first serious assessment of the new phase in the war on an overall basis looking at the larger picture of Russian and Ukraine plus outside support capabilities. 

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A provision in tax code letting companies expense investments in US including R&D in 5 years expired in 2022. For budget reasons it was not renewed. The DJT Big Beautiful Bill lets US companies expense R&D in 1 year compared to the 15 years in overseas investments. This is leading to a surge in R&D investment and hiring by companies. Fed's Powell sees this as one of the big positive factors for the US economy in 2025-2028.

The change lowers cost of hiring by 20-25% and this means more engineers and other people are going to be hired.

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How AI is costing America a lot in 2025-2026. $400 billion in investment in 2025 alone that is diverted from essential infrastructure repair and renovation in the US and for investing in making pharmaceuticals in the US, housing, and education, childcare, investing in the future in renewable energy.

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Income of $63,000 a year is what an average full time worker makes in the US and $140,000 what it takes to build a middle class life in the US in 2025. It is unlike the days of their parents say young people when most people could afford to buy a home if they worked full time. In 2025 engineers making $90,000 say they cannot make room for a down payment at that salary, or afford the cost of having one or two children. 

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The chairman of the Economic Advisory Council to the Indian prime minister, says India will grow at an accelerated pace after the worst effects of the pandemic are over by 2021. The changes introduced by the prime minister in the economy should make a big difference in growth. Compared to the growth with centralization in India Acts of 1919 and 1935 when there were concerns about holding avast country together, future growth will be based on decentralization, says Bibek Debroy, who is also a member of Niti Aayog.