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In India's southern coastline state of Kerala, PM Modi has pursued a strategy of working with the CPI led government on development projects, and at the same time contested elections to set up a BJP government in the state. The capital city of Trivandrum (Thiruvananthapuram) local election has led to a BJP municipal government in 2026. In an address to supporters in Trivandrum PM Modi said he was gratified by the results in elections for the capital city of Trivandrum (Thiruvananthapuram), and wanted to make it India's model city., It reminded him he said of the situation in Gujarat when the BJP party won elections in Ahmedabad for the first time in 1987 for city government. By showing good governance in Ahmedabad, BJP was able to win elections in the state and provide good government and industrialization for Gujarat for the decades since 2001 when Modi formed the state government. This bodes well for Kerala said the Indian PM. Many schemes for improving the welfare of farmers, for people in health, housing and small business loans are coordinated by the federal, state and city governments to get the best results and this speeds up industrialization and modernization in the Indian model to create the kind of results China and Japan achieved in their heyday. ...

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US Congress cuts to Corporation for Public Broadcasting (NPR and PBS) of $1.1 billion for 2 years. It passes Senate 51-48. $7.9 billion in cuts to foreign aid programs were passed in the Senate bill. Native American and tribal radio stations in 9 states are protected.

Note that no cuts to HIV $400 million which is protected, and also for maternal care and malaria, and tuberculosis. These programs will be protected with new language. Also protected, by Senator Moran of Kansas, are food aid programs used by farmers- Food for Peace, Food for Education and child nutrition.

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The need for earth friendly diets is shown in this editorial in The Guardian. Animal based products account for 57% of greenhouse gas emissions compared to 29% for food from plants. An outsize meat and dairy industry accounts for about 15% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions according to UN message in 2021. Mr. Dimpleby is Britain's food minister. He says a 30% reduction in meat eating would make it possible to have sustainable land use in Britain. The Guardian says high income countries are eating double the meat, poultry and fish products that they should be eating for living within the planetary sustainable living boundaries- that is to have no net environmental damage. Go back to the periods before 1600 and European, American, high income countries consumption of animal based foods was a fraction of what it is today.  A new legal regime is seen as a fair, just and sustainable living oriented solution. The Netherlands is doing just this to reduce the size of its large animal and dairy industry as a step towards more sustainable living and planet. It is not easy to convince farmers yet the public supports such a move. With the fires, floods and drought in Europe there is increasing awareness that action needs to be taken even where it is difficult.  ...

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WSJ reports in Feb 25, 2026 that most of the Mexican states and the Cancun, Tulum, Puerta Vallarta and other coastal tourist areas are controlled by different drug cartels. It is a collapse of good governance in a neighboring state for the US along a continent size border with huge ramifications for the US ignored by administrations ion the US for three decades (Bush-Clinton-Bush-Obama), along with collapse in governance across Latin America. Only now are the dangers and effects on the US being fully grasped.

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US naval blockade of Iran includes tracking the 1500 ships in the shadow fleet that operate in the area- WSJ on how the US is doing it. For ships going in shadow ships can disguise their destination, when coming out in these waters it is difficult to do this and the US has good tracking ability. For the US the operation this is something it is already doing in waters of the Atlantic around Venezuela, and which the US has air and sea capabilities of the US Navy.

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This report in The Guardian provides and interactive way of understanding easily what is happening in Ukraine that is affecting the world's grain supplies. The severe impact is in Africa and Arab countries such as Egypt that depend heavily on Ukraine and Russia for wheat imports. Prices are now twice or three times for food supplies that put severe constraint with lack of funds in heavily indebted countries. World Food Programme lacks funds for supplies to Yemen and other countries affected by war or drought conditions. The heat wave has also reduced agricultural production by 5-10% in countries that normally export from Europe such as France.

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Compared to Ford's $27.3 billion debt load, GM -with the bankruptcy enabling it to shed much of its debt- has only $8.1 billion in debt. Ford chairman William Ford says Ford will pay off its debt as quickly as possible.

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World Central Kitchen a major relief agency for food aid to Gaza is now in difficult conditions in supplying food aid to Gaza after bombing leading to deaths of  aid workers. The US and EU make condemnations of the incidents.

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Ford making plans to put 2 plants one in Nanjing, China, and one in Thailand with about $1 billion investment combined suggests Ford is looking at GM's strategy and planning for a new era in automobile production, one that makes more cars in high growth regions of Asia. The demand is expected to grow largest in India, China and the rest of Asia. And these cars will have to cost a lot less than they are today for the lower purchasing power of Asia's new middle clases and lower middle classes which are growing in numbers. Meantime the costs in the US are still high even after reducing the health care burden through the health care trust that GM negotiated with the UAW. The UAW agreement with GM reduces labor costs for new workers but existing workers costs continue to be at the levels from before. And non assembly new workers not all new workers get paid at lower rates than the existing rates. So the progress in labor costs is still short of where GM or Ford needs to see it to compete effectively worldwide. Meantime the automobile markets continue to change and grow worldwide. The American car companies cannnot wait, they have to make decisions based on the labor situation in the US and their response is to build new capacity in the Asian markets, even while maintaining labor peace at home so as not to have upheavals in the domestic markets in the USA. New product and designs can still be handled in the USA so GM could agree to make commitments for manufacturing new product at plants in the USA, while at a minimum getting the UAW to agree to take over health care responsibility and agree on the playing field in labor costs for the future, which would have to take into account global competition and not just a labor social contract from another era. Ford's 2 investments are in alliance with Mazda, of which it owns 33%, and which generated $168 million in profits in 2006. Of the product in Thailand 80% will be exported to the rest of Asia excluding China and India, and also to S. Africa and Australlia and New Zealand. It will make about 100,000 cars. Currently Thgailand exports about 650,000 vehicles out of production of 1.25 million vehicles. About 70% of exports are pickup trucks....

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Raheem Sterling tries to meditate before going to sleep, as he says to stay in "a good place, to get relaxed, and to be thankful and grateful for the day."

Sterling says "I am trying to get everything as one connected and to stay in a good place."

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After a period when Democrats let the narrative be shaped by "the entitlements crisis" and questioning the legacy of president Roosevelt- who many including Mr. Trump believe setup the groundwork for the prosperity of the early postwar years in America- the vision of the New Deal and FDR is back, says Glickman in the Washington Post. He says the New Deal order lasted from 1932 to 1980 when president Reagan was elected. Conservatives were skeptical about the New Deal, and Democrats such as Al Gore joined the Conservatives with their faith in limited government and unregulated or less regulated markets. To this was added the faith Democrats such as Mr. Clinton put in a new policy of openness in trade with China that ultimately led to todays $ 1 billion a day deficit with China. There is a new sense says Glickman that the tide is reversing and that FDR is now seen as the new ideal for a fairer and better America, and better investment in the people of America. ...

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Gazprom's shares have ratings even lower than BP's. They are trading at 3.6 times 2010 earnings. 40% of Gazprom's gas is sent to Europe. Gas use in Europe is falling. It fell 6% in 2009. LNG use is expanding in Europe as Europe diversifies its energy access- LNG constituted 8% in 2004 and went up to 14% in 2009- with Russian market share dropping from 28% to under 25%.