LyrArc Article Gist
About half of Conservative voters voted for Reform UK in 2024 election says this Ipsos report in 2024 showing how Britain voted by ethnic, gender and education. This brought Reform UK to 17-19% of voters over the age of 45. More recently reports show three in ten voters saying there are too many asylum seekers in their neighborhood and this makes up 70% of Reform UK supporters as reported by Ipsos. This has brought the UK Reform vote from about 17-19% to double to 34% in 2025 polls. Labour is only at 25% and Liberals at 11% and Conservatives doing poorly.

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PM Sakae Takaichi visit to India for deepening ties July 3 2026- she is a music fan and shown trying to play Indian music on PM Modi's site. PM Modi calls Sanae a younger sister in his welcoming speech, and Sanae's speech shown on the PM's Office of Japan above in adjacent article shows how the two countries have the same goals. It is also the land of Dogen and Japanese Buddhism which originated in India in the Bihar region, the land of Buddha Gaya, India, India being the cradle land of Buddhism. During the Indian Renaissance by 1900 Swami Vivekananda visited Yokohama and other places in Japan, and showed India's deep attachment to Buddhism, and the Buddha as part of the religious life of Bharat for over two thousand years of Asian history. There is a deep reverence for places like Nara and its Buddhist history, its temples, and that Sanae Takaichi comes from Nara was of special significance to India, as PM Modi said. The deeper significance of this is that there is a moral law of the universe and this is expressed in the Buddhist and the Vedic scriptures of India, China and Japan. By bringing Japan into this fold India as the cradle of the Vedic culture and the culture of Buddhism that went from Bodh Gaya, India, to China and then to Japan and Korea, is doing its own duty and responsibility to the world of nations of the European cultures that includes the Americas and Africa. By doing this it closes the chapter of European colonial interactions with Asia that led to Japan's militarization through 1945, and China/Korea's militarization, to set a new course for Asia based on the thousand years of Asian history following the advent of the Buddha to the Vedic cultures when relative peace prevailed in Asia.  ...

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India's Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal sets out the new Foreign Trade Policy. It moves away from giving incentives to exporters to remission of taxes and lower costs for smaller medium sized enterprises. The new export target is for goods and services exports to reach 2 trillion dollars by 2030 from $760 billion in 2023. The new policy will go into effect in April 2023. India's exports have grown 75% from $435 billion in 2015 to $760  billion in 2023. Under the new policy Indian exporters can source goods in one country and send them to a third country without touching Indian shores. Wider engagement will take place with States and Districts to promote exports at grassroots level. DGFT, Director General of Foreign Trade offices of DGFT will interact with district collectors to push exports. India's Commerce Ministry will also conduct a massive global outreach sectorally and country wise in tandem with the External Affiars Ministry  over the next 4-5 months. E commerce hubs will be established to generate $200-$400 billion in e-commerce exports. India's share of world trade is very low and needs to be pushed up to 7-10% says Commerce Secretary Sunil Barthwal. ...

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A stunning World Cup 2026 stadium in Monterrey, Mexico, Mexico's business capital in the mountainous north. It is called the Estadio BBVA after the name of the Spanish bank that sponsors it. It overlooks the Sierra Madre Oriental mountains around the city, giving it a nice background. It is 144 miles from the US border and with sweeping vistas of the Cerro de la Silla mountain. Four games will be played here- one of 16 venues for World Cup 2026.  Gills in its futuristic steel exterior enable it to let air in from breezes that blow in so that fans can be cool when it is hot 82-93 degrees F. Local team Rayados play here and  multinational drinks company FEMSA funded the $200 million to build the stadium. Rayados has asked Sergio Ramos of Spain to join and it plays another local team Tigres every year with about 51,000 fans in the stadium. Women's soccer is also popular in Mexico.

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Germany leads in balcony solar installation- 1 million installed in 2023-2025 ($200 to $1200 solar modules installed on baconies. The boom is the largest in Europe for solar balcony installations. Japan is sending a delegation to learn from Germany. Renewables overtook coal for first time worldwide. In Germany the cost of this electricity from soalr balcony installs is half that of electricity from the grid. Berlin University Applied Sciences says it pays for itself in 4-7 years, after that the electricity has no cost. Solar modules life is 30 years, batteries life is 7-10 years. With 4 modules about half the needs for electricity for a household can be met.

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Mary -Louise Parker in movie Young Washington 2026 as Washington's mother Mary Ball. Here she talks to Marc Myers of the WSJ about her childhood growing up as an Army officer's daughter in different bases before settling down in Arizona. Her fight with shyness till she over compensated. Her father's confidence in her and pointing to her the prospect of going to the North Carolina Institute of Arts, where she learnt the craft of acting. She moved to New York for different roles including one in "Weeds."  She is 61 years, and lives with 2 sons 19 years and 22 years, in a large apartment in Brooklyn that overlooks the water with views of sunsets which she enjoys. It was Mary Ball who told her son not to join the British Navy, wanting to keep him in America. Washington joined the British forces in North America after a career as a surveyor. Land and landholdings were important at the time and as a surveyor with important connections to prominent British families Washington built his career, and further enhanced it by joining the British forces against Indian raids and the French in the coveted Ohio territory. Where did Washington get his keen knowledge of history and the Enlightenment thinkers that enabled him to grasp the ideas of Jefferson? Washington was like the first Chief Justice Marshall in the same communities at the time in the Virginia colony. Both were mentored by a major British landowner who built a large library in the colony that both were able to go to and learn what they later used to start the struggle for a new Nation. It shows the importance of books and libraries, of knowledge during the Enlightenment period in shaping the minds of the Nation's founding fathers- Jefferson, Marshall, Washington, Madison, Samuel Adams and others. ...

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Hormuz channel on July 13, 2026 -Iran Memorandum with US is meaningless as IRGC military in Iran and elected Iran government are in a power struggle. Every time the elected president confirms a ceasefire and opening of Hormuz by Iran to all shipping without tolls, the IRGC makes a show of agreeing under pressure from Pakistan, Turkey, Qatar and Egypt, then next day IRGC asserts that Hormuz is closed and all shipping take place on the Iranian side only with tolls. This means Iran is shutting down the Omani side of Hormuz channel which was opened by the US. This is against international law and open navigation of the seas for shipping. The result is that the US government and DJT have lost any confidence in negotiating with the IRGC who make the decisions. The US response is to restart the naval blockade, to be paid for by tolls at 20% to pay all costs of US to ensure safety of oil tankers. The news media is taking the Iranian side which is against the poor countries freely accessing energy and oil supplies at reasonable prices (Egypt, Indonesia, Philippines, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, India and China a population of close to 4 billion people). Media does this by putting titles like "Iran is playing the long game," because of the opposition to the DJT administration by Democrats. The opposition Democrats fail to address the question about Iran having a nuclear weapon and the resulting danger to the region. DJT administration response is also to find alternative supplies to Hormuz so that India, China and other countries can meet their oil needs outside of Hormuz. As shown in Lyrarc this has already take place and China, India, Japan, cutting back its fuel use after prolific use of oil, and replacing it with renewable energy, more efficient use of energy. ...

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German Defense Chief Carsten Breuer emphasizes deterrence as the best defense in relations with Russia as Germany pushes ahead with meeting defense needs undee Merz in 2025. An exclusive April 2025 interview with Breuer of DW.com. 

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There is much uncertainty about the federal elections in Germany in 2025. Four years back in 2021 Olaf Scholz had 51% of people polled saying he would make a good chancellor. This is down to 26% in Feb 2025. Merz of CDU is at 32% and Habeck of Greens at 25%. The Greens are holding onto 14% similar to 2021 with the SPD Social Democrats of Scholz at a low of 18% down from 25% in 2021. CDU is at 32% compared to 24% in 2021. AFD moving from 11% in 2021 to 21%. The immigration issue and the weak economy with the Ukraine war has hit SPD hard. The Scholz coalition also failed to invest in the economy with the FDP of Finance Minister Lindner acting as a brake on needed investment in infrastructure. The result is that the German economy burdened with higher costs for energy and a faltering auto industry is showing zero growth. The most likely outcome is a CDU coalition with the Greens and the SPD with Merz as chancellor. There is athreshold for gettinginto parliament of 4%. At this time a breakaway faction of Left parties of Wagenknecht and the FDP are both polling below 4%. The AfD is at 21% and hoping to gain from the immigration issue. Much of the uncertaintly comes from 18% of voters not planning to vote, and the 13% of voters who have not made up their mind yet and will do so on election day. ...

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Pew Research Center analysis of Biden's 2020 victory shows which groups played the big part in Biden's win. First time voters in 2018, 6% of total voters, mostly younger voters gave Biden a 26% margin over Trump. Other parts of the electorate that shifted in 2020 are Independents and Moderates who shifted to Biden. Catholics also shifted to Biden. Substantial leads in these voting blocs made the difference for Biden. In Arizona with Latinos, and Pennsylvania with the black population Biden did better than in the overall US electorate. In 2024 these same blocs are likely to play a key part. President Biden's visit to Ireland was well planned, his appeal to Irish roots genuinely felt and the connection made. His appeal to manufacturing workers is now based on accomplished results in fighting for worker's rights from teachers to railroad workers. Biden launched his campaign in front of a union audience, saying he saw things from the perspective of Scranton, and the working people he grew up with. In 2016 third party candidates got 6% of the vote, in 2020 only 2%. Of these voters Biden gained a 25% margin over Trump. Biden split the men's vote with Trump in 2020, compared to Trump's 11 point lead in 2016. Biden also maintained the share of women's votes of 54%  in the 2020 election. In 2024 the abortion issue is a significant factor for women. ...

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Nvidia moves from 5 billion in profit 2022 to $120 billion in 2025 with AI Chips.

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For 51 million seniors over 65 years the $4000 added deduction in the Big Beautiful Bill 2025 would take the standard deduction for married to $40,000 a year in 2025 and $41,100 in 2026.This is in lieu of eliminating the tax on social security benefits entirely which was originally considered but could not be done under the budget reconciliation rules used to pass this DJT budget. For married taxpayers it is phased out after reaching $250,000 of income. What does $4000 provision over 65 years cost? It costs $66 billion over 3 years, and needs renewal in 2028. Eliminating taxes on social security benefits entirely would cost $1.4 trillion over 10 years or over 3 years $420 billion with a lot of it going to income earners with income over $100,000 or $150,000. It makes sense that this was avoided, and the political appeal being still in place for an ideal situation where when it comes to social security where middle class incomes of $200,000 are not taxed-as consider that it costs that much to just have a middle class life in these costly times.  ...

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French parliament passes 2025 PM Bayrou Budget. Two no confidence motions are defeated from Insoumise party of Melenchon. Parti Socialiste and National Rally RN support the budget to get it passed. France passes through uncertainty as the Bayrou government is in it's first year and the National Assembly is divided.

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Much of the US jobs market is stalled with a "noticeable deterioration" by June says the Fed. Companies are not laying off people, yet they are also not hiring. The class of 2025 faces a job market with a real slowdown. Hiring has dropped 44% compared to June 2022 says one payrolls company Gusto looking at data from 400,000 businesses. The economy has 4% unemployment, yet for new college graduates it is 6.6% for 12 months ending May 2025. Some companies are pushing back dates of hire into 2026. 

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Drone incursions into German airspace and closure of airports and cancelled flights December 2025.

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US frustration with Russian intransigence on ending the war. By October 2025 DJT administration pushes for an end to the war with hopes for a Budapest summit. This is delayed and the US announces sanctions on Russian oil companies on October 22, 2025, when Russia shows no interest in ending the war except on its own terms.

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DW report Christmas eve 2025 from Kviv- families sheltered in metro stations with air raids alerts for 10 hours. Ukraine's Zelensky meets US president in Washington DC on December 27 2025.

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Another clear warning from Britain under Boris Johnson the failures from that time could still affect the US if it copies Johnson. Krugman looks at Project 2025 that has received the backing of the former president. He points to one aspect of this blueprint for a Trump second term, how civil service would be overhauled to remove civil servants not meeting the requirements put forth by the new administration. He says this takes America backwards. Till 1883 when president James Garfield set up an independent civil service in the US people employed by the government were routinely chosen from the winning party leading to flaws and much instability, weak administration. In Britain this type of effort of Project 2025 was tried under Boris Johnson by using an adviser who wanted to blow up parts of the British civil service for not cooperating. That experiment failed badly and the adviser was fired with much recrimination, Johnson being discredited, and administrative failures. Project 2025 would shut down the Education Ministry and the Homeland Security Ministry, for even more upheaval of the civil service. Not to mention the proposal to reverse the founding of the central bank the Federal Reserve in 1909 under Woodrow Wilson that stabilized the economy after banking panics. These are clear dangers. ...

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England in Ashes Third Test, Adelaide, Australia, December 2025- batting collapse.

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This report in DW.com presents a situation where supply of oil runs out as demand way exceeds supply as shale oils in US are depleted, and no new reserves are found. A story in WSJ last week reports that the salty water from shale oil extraction is injected back into reservoirs at a rate that creates serious problems in the Permian Basian of the US including East Texas. The IEA forecast in 2026 shows about 97 million b/d of production and demand slightly exceeding this in both 2030 and 2050 which would suggest defossilization has not taken place. Yet the US pullout from defossilization under DJT is sure to be reversed by future governments in as short as 3 years, and the current DJT policy is simply a response to the cost of living concerns of the majority of Americans. The scenario that fossil fuels will be required forever is promoted by the oil companies and by OPEC+ including Russia. But this situation will reverse as the cost of living crisis and the low wages and incomes, loss of factory jobs, low savings, health care inflation, is tackled under the DJT administration and the US economy becomes stronger with lower inflation.  This scenario of  steady oil demand can be reversed if China and India and Europe push ahead with renewable energy and technological change as is happening today, and will not be seriously impacted when the US joins the battle with its renewable energy push in 2028. This is not just an optimistic scenario, it is a balanced one as private industry in the US will sense this and move ahead with development of new technologies for renewable energy so as not to fall behind and to pioneer on their own. That is the history of innovation in the US for the last 100 years and will not change. ...

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The US budget deficit for 2022 comes down to $1.4 trillion in 2022 from $2.6 trillion in 2021 after end of much emergency pandemic spending.

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Flat payment rates for Medicare Advantage to Insurers by the DJT administration which is questioning how health care needs of the country remain unmet and US healthcare comparing very unfavorably with other advanced countries in Europe and Japan and also in India. Some of this is because of the behaviour and practices of the health and pharmaceutical industries in the US. The 2027 payment by government for Medicare Advantage is 0.09 percent. In 2026 it was about 5%. In 2025 it was -0.16 percent and in 2024 it was -1.12% under the Biden administration showing a great deal of dissatisfaction with funding Medicare Advantage. Medicare Advantage was set up by the Bush Republicans in 2003 who set it up with the nice sounding name Medicare Modernization Act. It was an effort to help the insurance companies with government money. Today in the second term of DJT in 2026 affordability is what American people care about most and the DJT administration is unhappy with the insurance companies. Dr. Mehmet Oz is in charge of Medicare and Medicaid Services Agency of the federal government and he says about Medicare Advantage and new policy to save “taxpayers from unnecessary spending (on Medicare Advantage) that is not oriented towards addressing real health needs.” The DJT Kennedy-Oz approach is for comprehensive digital information linking all medical providers, making America healthy again, cutting through the dense fog created over the last 2 decades, making pharmaceutical costs as affordable as the best in European nations, and refusing to subisidize if delivery is poor and health results are poor.   ...

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Critical points in Burnham's program for Britain in speech on June 29 2026 as at the Manchester People's History Museum covered by The Guardian- Devolution- "It will be about offering new opportunities to extend devolution in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland by taking power deeper down." Cost of living "We will set out 10-year plans to bring down the cost of … essentials to individuals, families and businesses." Reindustrialize Britain region by region "We will support every region to set clear and credible industrial ambitions – and provide the support to achieve them." Burnham said he will “safeguard sovereign manufacturing and production capability across the country in critical sectors like steel, defence, energy, food and farming”.  Public ownership of Utilities for major services such as water, energy, transport. Work done in transport in Manchester as a sound example. "We will ensure all parts of the UK are able to take greater public control of essential services like water, housing, energy and transport …" Housing supply- a huge housing building program. Britain has lost almost 1.5m council homes since the 1980s and around the same number of people are now on housing waiting lists and have been there for a very long time. Streets and Neighborhoods pulled out of decline.  "Shouldn’t we make our high streets the symbols of Britain’s renaissance?" Education and Employment- "We need a complete rethink of how we support the next generation to succeed, and it has to start with the education system." Reform of Westmeinster and Whitehall- "They require radical change if the country is to get back on track." ...

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German economy shrinks by 0.3% in second quarter 2025.