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The idea that strongmen and populist politics are the problems of Sri Lanka is misleading. In the recovery of 2023-2024 it is PM Ranil Wickremasinghe with the help of PM Modi's financial loan assistance and arrangement through the IMF that put Sri Lanka back on the road to recovery.  Sri Lanka was called Ceylon during the colonial era. It became a Portuguese colony in 1505, and by 1600 a Dutch colony from which the Dutch extracted spices and cinnamon. In 1802 it was transferred by treaty to the British till independence in 1948. British left 1948 a country with an economy generating surplus from exports of coconuts, cinnamon, rubber and tea which financed a generous welfare state with subsidized rice. Under the British literacy was highest in South Asia. The failures were in race relations over two decades of war 1977-2009 by the attitudes of Sinhalese and Tamil leaders, and lack of a role model in northern India as PM Modi offers today for modernization. The second is the colossal failure of the "cut" politics where governments use their office for a cut in every business transaction which PM Modi has fought against with calls for good honest governance. The governments after 2009 continued these policies and let the central banks funds be depleted in the process leading to the financial crisis, inflation and inability to fund imports. Lessons are being learned and PM Modi is setting the path for all of South Asia for investment in infrastructure and modernization, good governance and Vikshit Bharat- developed India 2047. Sr Lanka is part of this vision for South Asia and Indonesia with 1.7 billion people.   ...

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A complete reversal of the Monroe Doctrine (US president Monroe 1817-1825) policies -that kept the American continent north and south free of colonial European powers- is an affront to the US and has cost the US in Latin America. With fentanyl deaths and drug trafficking, migrant trafficking, interference by foreign powers in the Americas In Cuba, Venezuela and other countries, and ports owned by China in South America.  Hong Kong magnate Li Ka-Shing's Hutchison Holdings sale of Panama Canal ports to Black Rock for $23 billion takes place on March 4, 2025. The two ports on both sides of the Panama Canal will now be in American hands. Li Ka Shing started out fleeing from the devastated China of the Sino Japanese war to the British colony of Hong Kong, left school at 15 to work and started out with a small plastics factory in 60's Hong Kong. He then branched out into real estate as Hong Kong's economy expanded, and in the 2000-2020 period with rapid growth of China with US assistance (Clinton and Bush administrations) moved to acquire most of the ports and container terminals in the world. It is these ports that are now being bought back by the US. 23 ports and container terminals in 43 countries will now be sold back by Li Ka-Shing's Hutchison Holdings back to Black Rock under an agreement. None of this could have happened under the lackadiasical policies of previous administrations that led to first affront and then disastrous effects of migrant trafficking and drug trafficking in this hemisphere.   ...

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At the core 66% of people in the US, UK and in Germany, 77% in France, Italy and Spain  in Pew Research in 2024 see the need for big economic changes. Inequality increase are often automatically seen as correlated with deterioration in standard of living. However in practice cost of living concerns and opportunity to do something about it can move in the opposite direction to inequality increases. Cost of living can improve based on gas and electricity prices and access to housing with lower interest rates independent of whether government is or is not intervening in the economy. Some interventions may not work as in the supply side shocks in prices from Covid lockdowns or simply exhaust people's patience without sufficient timely correction. A disquiet index can also move in a different direction from inequality increases when cost of living raises disquiet levels for people, and cultural issues such as transgender in schools create  additional disquiet. Failure to get bipartisanship may leave inequality issues unresolved as happens with one group student loan borrowers stuck in repayment.  In this sense inequality is only one goal and can be elusive if the overall goal of reducing disquiet index are left unresolved. A better quality of life can be achieved in other ways- as with the effort for "a rising tide lifts all boats." This can include the ripple effect of international politics where issues spill over into the US creating cultural disquiet on campuses as happened in 2024 with Israel Gaza conflict. The interplay of local and international starts adding complexity that adds to disquiet index for people in all levels of society.   ...

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This editorial in the Economist says Brazilians deserve a chance to vote in a new general election for a new government that will tackle problems- including overspending that hurts growth by increasing debt, and the deep seated corruption in the political system. But knowing the history of this parliament and the political parties it says this is unlikely. Brazil will be left to deal with the problems under a weak government that does not have the confidence of voters to take needed action. Eventually an election will occur and voters will have an opportunity to choose a new government. Voters should grasp that opportunity to opt for better governance.

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Lessons learned from the earlier wave of Turkish migrants to Germany in the early postwar period, and how Germany is using the lessons learned to integrate the new wave of Arab migrants in 2015 from the beginning. One part of this effort is the openness of educational institutions throughout Germany to offer free language classes and easier access to schools and universities. The media is cooperating in the effort by creating a positive perception of the new migrants to help integration into German society. Many challenges remain, yet German leaders on the centre right and centre left have shown remarkable courage and willingness to tackle the situation with forward looking initiative.

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The lack of funds at the end of the primaries and an extreme position on immigration taken to win close primary contests left Romney with serious problems as he entered the fall presidential elections in the U.S. The Obama campaign sensed the weakness, especially that Romney's new fund raising effort would leave him short of campaigning time in key midwestern states and short of funds to match an attack on his Bain Capital record. The attacks in these states in radio and television advertising created voter unease with Romney compared to Obama about caring for people like themselves. This proved a decisive factor and was hard to overcome say experts.

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The IMF's own stress test of U.S. banks shows that the banks would need $76 billion to create the capital cushion needed. In particular regional and smaller banks have an exposure to commercial real estate loans. In an adverse scenario these banks would have to raise $8 to $13 billion. The IMF review pointed to the issue of coordinating action for the bank regulation, with the Fed, FDIC and state regulators needing to coordinate action. The CFTC and the SEC need to coordinate for regulating futures markets. The IMF's Christopher Towe says Congress failed to provide clear regulatory authority and left the system with overlapping authority.

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Ollanta Humala, is the leading candidate for the presidential election in Peru, with 27% of the vote after 43% of the votes were counted. Kuczynski has 23.6%, of the vote and Keiko Fujimori has 21.8%. Humala, lost a runoff against the current President Alan Garcia in 2006. He is modeling his campaign on the effort by Lula Ignacio Da Silva's when he ran for President of Brazil. Both have credentials viewed as left of centre and want to be viewed as offering a more balanced version of development. In Humala's case the rural areas outside of the capital city of Lima have not seen the benefits of rapid development and modernization.

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Spain's Constitutional Court suspended a planned Nov. 9 referendum in Catalonia. Arturo Mas, the head of the regional government of the Convergence and Union coalition, says he will go ahead with the referendum. One possibility is for new elections to be called in Catalonia, in which case a party Republican Left more determined to win independence could be elected. The political uncertainty is likely to affect Spain's recovery from a long recession and high unemployment. About 25% of Spain's exports come from the Catalan region. A large clock in the centre of Barcelona does the countdown of hours till Nov. 9, 2014, and Catalans are planning more unity demonstrations.

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Former U.S. president Geroge W. Bush in retirement years spends time in Dallas, with time spent on his passions for painting, golf, and mountain biking. He stays out of the discussion of current issues even though many of these issues relating to fairness in economic policy, immigration, security surveillance and the Middle East go back to the time when he was president. Friends say he has simply left behind concern about legacy and moved on focussing on living. Privately he has expressed concern about the Tea Party and America's isolationist tendencies in world affairs. He is also skeptical about the new Iranian government's offer of negotiations on nuclear policy.

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Francois Bayrou the new PM of France speaks a dialect of the Pyrenees mountains, is mayor of Pau, and was a school teacher before entering politics. He has a disdain for extreme positions on both sides left and right, including polarizing politics of Sarkozy. He gave key support to Macron at the right time when he needed it to run for president. He gets along well with Le Pen and has helped Marie Le Pen run for president in the past when she needed support because he felt this was essential for the democratic process. He was not the first choice of Macron and insisted on taking the job over other choices.

Pau is located 31 miles from the Spanish border with a clear view of the Pyrenees mountains. It is an ancient city with a University at Bearns, and a medieval heritage.

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This analysis in the New York Times shows Supreme Court nominee not as conservative as Neil Gorsuch, yet less likely to drift left because of his federal experience. Justice Kennedy who is retiring drifted left on social issues such as abortion and gay rights. A Kavanuagh appointment would bring the conservative majority to 6 - 4.

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The close alliance between the CDU and the CSU in Bavaria appears to be unraveling. The immigrants at German borders have dwindled down a trickle, about 11,000 immigrants today compared to the wave of immigrants entering Germany in 2015. The CSU's prime minister in Bavaria Mr. Soder and the Federal Interior minister from the CSU Mr. Seehofer, blame the conflict between the two parties on the 2015 decision by Merkel on immigration. The German ARD broadcaster shows 62% of Germans favor stronger action on immigration. The pressure on the CSU comes from the gains by the anti-immigration party AfD in recent national elections. The CSU hopes that by shifting its own position on immigration to a standoff with the CDU and Merkel's position it can hold off the Afd in the elections in Bavaria in October 2018. The pressure on Merkel comes from members in the CDU and from the SPD leadership, which have accomodated some of the criticism of open immigration to reduce the immigrants at German borders, yet now see the need to meet any challenges to Merkel's authority. This is why the head of the SPD, Ms. Nahles called Mr. Soder's push for a confrontation on the immigration issue as acting "like a bonzai Trump." The CDU party leaders in Bavaria call for a "axis of the willing" joining leaders of the governments in Austria and Hungary. and the newly elected government in Italy to impose immediate controls on immigration at the borders. Merkel says she is open to different points of view within the CDU-CSU alliance, but action should be based on keeping the European Union together, and be taken after EU meetings in Brussels. Will this result in a fall of the government? Angela Merkel has adapted to the changing situation on immigration leading to the small trickle in new immigrants at German borders today. Even if the AfD anti immigration party joins the CSU the percentage of the vote for the AfD is mainly in the eastern part of Germany, and CSU in Bavaria, with 12.6% voting AfD in 2017 elections, and about 7% voting CSU mainly in Bavaria. This compares with the Left at 8.9%, Greens at 9.2%, and SPD at 20.5% for a combined 38.6% of the vote that favor Merkel's new coalition policies. This combined with the 25% of the vote gained by Merkel's CSU party gives it about 64% of the vote and about 489 seats in the 709 seat German parliament. A test of Merkel's authority is not likely to be sustained. By making this a pro-European position Merkel has shifted the issue from one of immigration which is now minimal and one on which Merkel has adapted her policies to a stand on Germany as leader with France of the European Union. At this particularly sensitive time when Germany and France are negotiating with the U.S. on trade and Britain on Brexit, German public opinion is likely to consider the impact of new elections and more uncertainty as not good for Germany. With the SPD, Left, Greens and CSU having 64% of the vote, and the anti immigrant parties CSU, AFD about 20% concentrated in the less economically developed eastern part and in Bavaria, the chances that Merkel's position would be weakened or her authority challenged is very unlikely.   ...

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In an astonishing contrast to other European countries, including neighbors Norway, FInaland and Denmark, the Swedish government decided to not impose a lockdown, keeping bars, restaurants, hairdressers, gyms, primary and middle schools open. Secondary schools, museums were closed, sports gatherings, gatherings of more than 50 people were not allowed. Social distancing was not enforced, and entirely voluntary. Sweden now has 29000 cases according to Statista and its death rate of 358 per million population is higher than in the U.S. which is 267, and Denmark 93, Finland 53.  Critics such as Lena EInhorn, a virologist, say the Swedish government did not set up a broad testing program, and let a problem develop for elder care in nursing homes. She says a 14 day quarantine of household members of a person infected with the virus would have made a difference. Most action we take for granted was not taken in Sweden. Restaurants that were not required to close spread airborne transmission. Einhorn also says that the government officials have denied it but under their breaths they have acknowledged working on a herd immunity strategy. Denmark has opened schools with social distancing and other measures and reopened its economy. Sweden is in reverse with calls for stricter action and an ongoing debate. No reopening as there was no lockdown, yet considerable and nagging uncertainty. The speed of transmission of coronavirus is the biggest danger, as it can let the numbers grow very quickly if the wrong decisions are taken or something is left out. ...

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Polls before the election show the SPD Social Demcorats, Greens and the Die Linke combined have a small majority of votes in German elections. Die Linke is the left party from the days of the party that ruled the GDR German Democratic Republic or East Germany under communist rule. In Berlin, Bremen, and the east German state of Thuringia the Social Democrats SPD, Greens and De Linke have formed coalition governments. With the emergence of right wing AfD in East Germany, the De Linke has emerged as an alternative to the established parties and the AfD in eastern Germany. Federal governments are difficult to form with the De Linke because of historical opposition to NATO. This may change as two younger leaders are now leading the party and in other policies there is similarity between the democratic socialist views of De Linke, SPD and the environmental policies of the Greens. FDP policy has generally not favored policies that favor working class, infrastructure investment, childcare and other issues important to voters in this election. This leaves the De Linke as a more likely alternative for a Greens SPD coalition partner if it can change to be flexible about its views on NATO. Today policies of president Biden in the US are also friendly to workers and families. This makes such a coalition possible if the socialist parties of the De Linke change to get things done instead of staying on the fringes of government. ...

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Erlanger and Smale of the NYT describe the reaction in Europe, from Chatham House in London, Bruegel think tank in Brussels, and the German Council of Foreign Relations in Berlin, to the election results in the first round in France. There is a sense of relief that the poll results held and that Macron is the front runner, yet a sense that the issues of social justice, taking account of the marginalized need to be addressed. The parliamentary elections in June, soon after the second round of voting, are also seen as a factor as governing without the support of the legislature would mean very little gets done. For the first time the main parties are not being represented in the presidential office, with a fractured Socialist party and the Republican Party candidate not in the second round.  The Dutch elections, followed by the French and German elections could push back the populism in a negative direction of withdrawing from the global community and openness in the economy.  The economic reform message of  Macron resonates in Germany, as France suffers from high unemployment and needs to build a stronger economy. A stronger French economy is the sure way to bring French people together after the divisions of the current election.       ...

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Patricia Kowsmann provides this picture of life in a town on Portugal's northern coast, Viana do Castelo, with a population of 87,000, as Portugal struggles to make a recovery. Viana do Castelo has shipyards and companies making metal bridges for highways. The money losing state owned shipyard was privatized and sold to Martifer SGPS SA to run till 2031. 600 workers at the shipyard were laid off. The new company plans to rehire 400 workers by 2016 but jobs will not be permanent. Companies making the bridges now sell to former Portuguese colonies of Angola, Mozambique, Brazil. 200,000 people have left the country to look for jobs or higer education, including the mayor's daughter in London. Exports are up and now make up 40% of Portugal's GDP, up from 27% in 2009. The economic growth is 0.9% in 2014, after declining 6% 2011-2013. Portugal accepted the last instalment of the bailout loan of 78 billion euros in 2014. It will auction 1.25 billion euros of bonds on July 22, 2015. Unemployment is now declining dropping to 14% from a high of 17%, and higher than the pre crisis level of 11%. Here in this coastal town the mayor Jose Maria Costa cut public employee salaries 15%, and also cut sports and cultural programs. Two food centers provide free lunch and dinner, and half of the 4000 children in school get subsidies for food and transport. A shipyard worker Antonio Gomes Barbosa 64, is one of the laid off workers. His son's architecture company closed and he left Portugal for Angola. Some of his co-workers now work at a shipyard in neighboring Spain....

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Macron refuses to appoint the nominee of the National Popular Front which has the most seats in the National Assembly as the prime minister of France. 

NFP has Lucie Castets, a 37-year-old economist and director of financial affairs at Paris City Hall, as its nominee for prime minister.  Jean-Luc Mélenchon, the LFI president, a key part of the NFP, said Macron was creating an “exceptionally serious situation”.

Marine Tondelier, secretary general of the Greens, says Macron's action was “a disgrace” and “dangerous democratic irresponsibility.” Melenchon calls for censure of any other candidate that is put forward.

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Donald Keene, began teaching Japanese literature at Columbia University in 1955. He has lectured on Japan at Columbia for 56 years! Prof. Keene, 88 years old, taught the final session of a graduate seminar on traditional Japanese Noh plays on April 26, 2011. He started as a freshman at Columbia in 1938 and went on to complete graduate studies at Columbia in Japanese. In his early years he was hooked on Japanese literature after reading the Tale of Genji in 49 cent paperback volumes. During the last session of the seminar he quoted the final lines in "Matsukaze," a play by Japanese writer Kanami. That line says- "all that is left is the wind in the pines."

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The need for food banks is most severe in the post industrial north of Britain. Five years of austerity measures 2009-2013 have left their mark, as have rising prices and stagnant wages. Average hourly earnings are up 7% in that period while the cost of living is up 20%. About 500,000 people are dependent on food aid, triple the number in 2012, according to the Trussell Trust, a Christian charity. A conservative MP says 1 in 5 children go to bed hungry in his constituency of Wycombe. In Hull, one in three children live under the poverty line. Food charities doing most of their work in Africa, now concentrate efforts in the north of Britain.

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The Christian Democrats have their best results in 20 years in the 2013 general elections. The Free Democrats had about 4.5% of the vote, below the 5% threshhold required for representation in parliament. The Alternative for Germany party was close to but missed the 5% threshhold for parliament. The Christian Democrats received 42% of the vote. The Social Democrats won 26% of the vote. The CDU/CSU won 311 seats, the SPD 192 seats, the Left party 64 seats, and the Greens 63 seats in preliminary results. Because the CDU missed an absolute majority by a thin margin in parliament it will have to form a coalition government with one of the other parties, the Greens or the SDP.

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In parts of the country like South Mountain near Phoenix the prison rate is 6 for every 100 people. The overall prison rate according to a Pew study is 1 person for 41 for black people 1 for 96 for Hispanics and 1 for 245 for whites. So Black and Hispanic people are the most overrepresented in the nations prison system. Arizona spends $900 million on corrections. Black people between the ages of 17 and 35 are extinct in South Mountain say some older residents of this area who take care of the grandchildren left behind. The emphasis on law enforcement has created safer quieter neighborhoods but it has also created a problem of missing young people.

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Adolf Merckle, a native of Dresden, left for West Germany after World War II and built up businesses RatioPharm a generics pharmaceutical maker, and Heidelberg Cement. After making a bad bet in shortselling of VW shares, just when the Prosche family moves ran up the price of VW shares from 210 euros to 1000 euros in 2 trading sessions to obtain majority control of VW, Merckle faced losses of several hundred million euros and possible loss of RatioPharm. A badly timed acquisition by Heidelberg Cement also created worsening finances for Merckle's business. When he failed to get a bridge loan Merckle committed suicide. A public outcry prevented the state government there to provide any loans to Merckle.

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Problems in graduate education, too many people taking on lstudent loans that are burdensome, over $100,000, to do research under faculty who are working on more and micrto detail fields that have less and less relevance, so that few jobs exist when they graduate. And faculty jobs are available in small numbers as tenured professors have to retire before their are new openings. Which is why in the situation where faculty work in small cloistered fields doing thier own thing, even important subjects as the role of religion in international relations happen to have been left out. It all suggests that we have asystem of graudate education out of synch with whats required.

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Some of the airlines that are seeing significant increases in airline passengers are Etihad Airways, and Quatar Airways, others like Ryanair, Lufthansa, Air France-KLM, Southwest, singapore, Cathay and LAN airlines are seeing increases in passegers. This separates them from airlines especially in the USA that are having to pay higher fuel prices with a weaker dollar, and lower proportion of international traffic and a very competitive market. As some airlines are shrinking others are buying new fuel efficient planes and moving into routes left by the shrinking airlines, and using their cash reserves to hedge fuel costs, and some like Singapore Airlines are attracting customers with premium services for premium prices.