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It was not always so that Jude Bellingham would even play for Englans. Tuchel England's coach left Bellingham out of the England squad in earlier selections when Jude was not in top form. During the World Cup he has played with such passion and form that he and Harry Kane, with Rice, Stones and Saka have carried England right into the semi finals and with some luck into the World Cup Soccer Final. Teams from Germany, Brazil have fallen, Italy failed to qualify, Argentina barely made it to the semifinals with Messi in tears in the final moments of the game. In this kind of game Bellingham and Kane are still standing.

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With the game tied at 1-1 and also in overtime, Paraguay win over Germany in penalty kicks shootout, one of the biggest upsets at World Cup Soccer 2026.

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Norway vs England buildup for soccer World Cup quarter finals in The Guardian.

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Internal Bank of England data showing Britain inside European Union 6-8% higher GDP and 75 billion pounds of higher exports of goods in 2025. This is the only objective assessment one can accept in judging what would be best for British workers and their families.  Also lost on the 2014 -2016 period that led to referendum on Brexit in 2016 just three years later is that it came after the 2009-2011 period for recovery from the financial crisis, the first entry of Conservatives and sharp austerity cuts in public spending by 2012, and the period of Covid that followed just 3 years after 2016 in 2019. The process of improving productivity and increasing competitiveness that could have happened, is a cost Britain suffered from Brexit becoming topic No.1, skewing priorities from reindustrializing to debate on a non priority item Brexit- with a lost decade as a result in addition to the 8% of GDP and 75 billion pounds that could add to these numbers. In this way UK lost about 10% of its GDP and 100 billion pounds of exports that without the that  additional public investment  did not happen from 2009 financial crisis, from Brexit divisiveness, followed by Covid. The result is 1.5% growth in GDP in UK compared to closer to 3% in the US. The lower growth alone can mean additional losses in exports in 2025 than are seen in numbers, and additional losses in GDP. This is the economic weakness  that hangs over Britain as it tries out a new leader in 2026. Only a bold action plan under a bold leader can reverse this decline. As shown elsewhere on these pages in Lyrarc, this is why a new leader needs to articulate a bold and well thought out plan to execute with the support of the British people. Andy Burnham has the potential to make this happen starting in 2026 over the next 5-7 years. He has to build on the work he did in the Greater Manchester region, and like Modi in India applying the lessons learned in his home state of Gujarat, step by step, year by year, build the industrial and economic capacity of Britain by 2035. It is not a feat for the timid, struggles will abound, yet it can be done with one step following the previous step in a continuous stride. In fact Burnham can now work with India to add about 1% of GDP because of the close trading relationship and centuries long synergies with India to get closer to 3% growth in GDP per year. At that point public spending and investment would rise to propel further growth. It is in the interest of every sector in Britain to pull together, the same in India, to lift these two main countries of the Commonwealth by the bootstraps. ...

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German medium scale industries lose markets to imports from China 2026. For the first time Gemany imports more capital goods from China thanit exports there. The Mittelstand or midsize companies were the backbone of the German economy and thrived on exports which are now at risk from Chinese exports of capital goods at much lower prices. The result is layoffs in many of these companies in towns across Germany. Germany's machine tool exports to China are down by 30% in the first quarter of 2026. About 10,000 jobs are lost every month in Germany as a result of this stiff competition in price and quality. Industrial output in Germany is about 10% less in 2026 compared to 2022 and 15% less in energy intensive sectors.

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UK Reform Party has taken large donations from cryptocurrency companies. Reform leader Nigel Farage has received a 5 million pound gift from a cryptocurrency firm. What does this mean for cryptocurrency regulation in the UK as a world financial center, if Reform wins a general election and appoints the next Governor of the Bank of England when Andrew Bailey retires in 2028. This is discussed in The Guardian. The banking system of the US, UK and large countries was set up over many years and currency is only issued by a central bank with the financial backing of the nation. Cryptocurrency cannot on the basis of technology take that role without posing risks and destabilizing the financial system. The gradual splitting of society by the information economy, neglect of infrastructure, pharmaceutical pricing, banking speculation as in 2009 crisis, have been eroding some of the basic structures of democracy for the last two decades from within.  The wars in the Middle East policies, and the open borders migration policies, were effects from outside. What this has led to is counter to what one would expect. To fight open borders and the marginalization of some parts of the working class DJT Republicans have used whatever resources were available at the time in the 2024 presidential election. The cryptocurrency firms used this in opportunistic fashion to affect regulation of this currency by supporting the reelection bid of DJT in 2024 by making large donations. This has led to less regulation of cryptocurrency firms. Is this in the best interests of the Nation? Will this destabilize the banking system in ways that have happened before in the deregulation of banks before the 2009 financial crisis? In Britain a new Bank of England governor will be appointed after Andrew Bailey's term expires in 2028. Reform party in UK if elected as government would appoint the next Governor of the Bank of England. Reform's growing popularity is a result of Conservatives and Labour failing to take action on open borders, asylum hotels, and migration policy, following an ECHR code of rights that is inappropriate to such migration. What this means is that unexpected things happen as a result. Cyrptocurrency risks of destabilizing the banking system increase as a result of failure of parties on migration. This could be more destabilizing for Britain because of its role as a financial centre than the industrialized  economies such as Germany, China, and industrializing economies such as India. It poses risks in the US yet Federal Reserve Governor Walsh can exercise his own judgement about cryptocurrency and Congress can exercise oversight, the large banks can act to show the risks of destabilizing that cryptocurrency can pose. For Britain it is particularly dangerous as the US is also an industrialized power compared to Britain's focus on finance alone. Andrew Bailey can ignore lobbying by Reform Party in 2026 (Farage met with the Governor of the Bank of England), yet what happens if Reform appoints the next Governor in 2028? These are questions Britain needs to ponder. It is also why Andy Burnham is Britain's last chance to get things right on migration to the point that the British people feel good and proud of their heritage and history, British neighborhoods across the country feel safe and secure, and Britain shifts to reindustrialize its economy with partners in China and India, the European Union, and the US. A former Deputy Governor of the Bank of England, Sir Charlie Bean told the BBC about donations of Christopher Harbonne, who has a 13% ownership interest in cryptocurrency firm,Tether. "Stablecoins are only stable if they have the appropriate regulatory environment… But there is right now an unsurprising regulatory race to the bottom amid the potential for greater profits." He added: "When funds are coming from major shareholders of such large financial institutions, there is a clear potential conflict of interest here, for example, in the appointment of a new Bank of England governor. Transparency is one solution." ...

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Malik Tillman scores for US 2-0 win over Bosnia World Cup Soccer 2026. The 22 year old plays for Bayer Leverkusen. He is the son of a German mother and a American father, chose to play for the US for the 2022 World Cup. Tillman says he has played better, this is not his best. "Pretty low, to be honest.” “I wasn’t satisfied in halftime, especially because of my set pieces. But a World Cup knockout stage game, scoring a goal, it’s of course amazing.” This is the first time in 24 years that the US has entered the round of 16 in World Cup soccer and the goal moments were celebrated by watch parties across American cities east to west and by a vast audience on television in the US and the rest of the world.

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France's 2750 kms of TGV track and 300 TGV trains making 1.8 billion euros profit a month. Double decker trains such as on the Marseille to Paris 750 kms route are popular. These trains are very quiet and efficient. Doubledecker trains are also popular. Bordeaux, Lyon, Lille, Strasbourg can be reached, and Geneva, Brussels, London, Zurich. It is the best high speed network in comfort and efficiency, food, in the world, with large group of international travelers. France did this after the 1973 oil crisis.LGV-Sud-Est was completed in two phases in 1981 and 1983. By contrast Britain faile to build ahigh speed rail line and work has dragged on for years. Germany has a similar but smaller network. China's only started in 2008 built over 17 years to 2025. India's is starting now with the latest Japanese technologies and should be connected major Indian cities by 2030, with the first line Ahmedabad to Mumbai complete in 2027.

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The story of Al Thani Emir of Qatar and Qatar's impact on the Middle East using its LNG resources. He led the country from 1995 to 2013  when Qatar set up the state airline, a television network Al-Jazeera, and the US base Al-Udeid, gaining a presence in the Middle East through its LNG supplies.  North Dome is the huge gas field in Qatar. In contrast to Saudi policy and UAE policy Qatar supported the Muslim Brotherhood and the Arab Spring movements. When these movements lost momentum Qatar continued its own foreign policy in competition with the Saudis and UAE.  Native Arab Qataris are only 330,000 out of a population of 3.1 million in Qatar, the rest mostly South Asians. There are 25,000 Britishers in Qatar. The South Asians are underpaid workers from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka who built the soccer stadiums during the World Cup 2022. The discovery of oil and gas has changed the region and created a region with this kind of population mix with wide disparities in income and wealth. As late as 1998 the GDP was only $10 billion growing to $115 billion by 2008 and $208 billion in 2025. ...

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Oil prices expected to drop from $70 per barrel to $60 per barrel in July 2026 easing oil crisis in advanced and developing nations. A drawdown of inventories by 163 million barrels happened to OECD countries in the 4 months of the Hormuz crisis. Advanced European nations will replenish their inventories starting in the 4th quarter, the US next year in 2027, China with a billion barrels in inventory is not in a hurry to replenish at this time. Factors improving the situation are that the UAE has increased production and sends it though Fujairah that is separate from Hormuz after it left the OPEC oil organization (which sets production quotas for members to control prices). Kuwait is doing the same. Saudis have also increased production routing it away from Hormuz. The advanced countries have learned from the Hormuz crisis. China has changed its oil consumption policy to use it more efficiently one of the big changes from the Hormuz crisis. Instead of importing 10 million barrels a day oil China now imports 6 million barrels a day. China was always a prolific user of oil and as long as oil was plentiful China did not pay enough attention on how to use oil as efficiently as some European nations and Japan are doing. During the crisis the rest of the world including India had time to figure out ways of running their economies using less oil and will continue to do so knowing that Hormuz had allowed one country (Iran) to put the whole family of developing nations in Africa and Asia, Latin America at risk. Hormuz channel itself has opened and about 40-60 ships are making their way through each day. There are risks that Iran will try to close Hormuz again or that the war will restart and this means all nations advanced and developing nations are finding and securing alternative oil supplies. US is also increasing production through its oil base and oil base of its allies, and American plus European oil companies will act to increase supplies and new sources of oil to prevent the world being threatened again in the way it was at Hormuz in 2026. ...

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Brent crude drops to $73 a barrel on June 24 2026.

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In 2025 Vienna a much smaller city built 3 times the home built in London. To reach the western European homes per capita London wold have to build 1.1 million new homes. In 2025 London set a target to build 88,000 homes- it actually built 4,170 homes. Population increased in 2025 by 100,000. One project after 4 years was delayed- local planning officers after 9000 pages of documentation did not approve it because tearing down 2 drab office buildings was "erasing an interesting period inindustrial history" in addition to saying it lacked detail. There just isn't the urgency to build homes and just too many reasons allowed to delay building. This leads to sky high prices dampening demand. Economic growth takes a big hit. This is holding back London and the whole country, an no one takes responsibility.

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VW plans to do 50,000 job cuts in 20206-2027 with oversupply of cars in the European market including Chinese cars.

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How China by not buying oil can keep oil prices low. China's reserves are full and even during April to June 18 during closure of Hormuz did not use oil stocks. It appears that China simply cut the use of oil, increased renewable energy and used coal supplies. This has relieved pressure on oil prices. The US by increasing supplies and countries like China, India, Germany reducing their oil use will help prices of oil remain low in July 2026 compared to the surge to $125 during the first time Hormuz was closed in April-May 2026.

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In WSJ 2026 survey about 40% of Ameircans see themselves as middle class, 22% upper middle class and 31% working class. Census Bureau also provides insights into income of Americans and where they fall in income terms. Census Bureau .has five quintiles of 20% each with the following dollar incomes separating each quintile- $35,000, $65,000, $105,000, $175,000, over $175,000. Cost of living (education, automobiles, housing, food, gas) has risen to the point that $175,000 does not feel like middle class today and makes college education, housing, automobiles less affordable. This is the major issue of 2026.

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"Saving America's Story" by the White House Domestic Policy Council - getting America's story told right and protecting its heritage and aspirational values, the issue the Nation faces in 2026. A new report "Saving America's Story" is issued by the administration as a result of an executive order DJT signed in March 2025.The report’s “central finding” - that “museum leadership has explicitly adopted an ideological framework that no longer treats the American story as a shared national inheritance to be taught or celebrated, but as a political instrument to divide, dispirit, and discourage our citizens.” “To the extent that there is a story told at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, it is not one of ‘the victory of freedom and genius of our country’ but one of regret, tragedy, and shame." Why is this important- seen from the outside world the ideals set out in the Declaration of Independence are the best ideas of the Enlightenment in Europe, have inspired the French Revolution in the 1790's, have inspired billions of people in Asia, Africa and Latin America in 1800, in 1900, and in the 1950's in the fight against Colonialism of the European Empires, leading to billions of people and many nations gaining freedom. Washington, Jefferson, and Lincoln are not just the founding fathers of America but also in a way founding fathers of the principles that inspired these people and who created the Modern World we know today. ...

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Asking Congress to pass Save America Act DJT says 278000 noncitizens on voting rolls, on July 16 2025 in address to Nation. The fight is for voter ID's and verifying voters, limiting mail in voting.

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SCOTUS to decide on birthright citizenship in July 2026. Not since the days of FDR in the 1930's a century ago has there been so much tension between the government and the US Supreme Court.

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Gas prices at pump drop by 4% on June 24, 2026 in the US, even as oil prices drop by a third from over $100 a barrel to less than $70 as ships make it though Hormuz channel.

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Fentanyl is a danger. There is also a bigger danger in the form of synthetic drugs that are the new and greatest danger in 2026 and beyond, which all countries need to be aware of and for which prepare an effective response.

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Iran wants to suspend the Oman US route in Hormuz channel to control navigation- the US wants to keep it open for open seas navigation July 7 2026. 30-50 ships make it through Hormuz. US revokes Iran's oil shipment out of Hormuz as a result, and makes strikes on Iranian  missile launching facilities used to disrupt open seas navigation on the Omani side protected by the US. US tries to set back channels to IRGC military that controls Iran, but IRGC does not carry out regular ongoing talks, talking only at the pressure of the president of Iran working with Pakistan, Turkey and Qatar to convince IRGC authorites. China has reduced its need for the barrels coming out of Hormuz, may not go back to getting Hormuz barrels. UAE has found alternative routes to ship and increased supplies, Saudis doing the same. India and Japan looking for alternative sources of oil including US and Venezuelan supplies. Most of the buyers of Hormuz oil reluctant to go back to getting Hormuz barrels. In this sense the situation has changed, from when the war began. Oil prices could rise from $70 to $76 , and a bit more, but the old situation of Iran threatening oil supplies of the poorer developing countries of the world including China, India, Indonesia, Philippines, Sri Lanka, most of Asia and Latin America, African countries, countries that cannot afford oil prices of $100 is something the world does not need. And the tide is shifting to alternative supplies, conservation that adds enough barrels of oil as China and India, Japan, Germany, are doing, and the US also to some extent. By 2027 alternative supplies will have increased to pull the world out of this place called Hormuz, to where it becomes an insignificant source of unreliable supplies. ...

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PM Modi's mention of this key incident to the Indonesian Parliament in July 2026. Biju Patnaik's secret flight to Jakarta then under Dutch recolonization in 1947, with Sukarno and Hatta under house arrest, to get Sukarno and Hatta out of Indonesia to New Delhi for India to give formal recognition to Indonesia.

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Andy Burnham's first speech as a Labour leader July 16 2026- historic address to the British people for a time to hope in every corner of Britain for the first time in 40 years. After 40 years of destructive politics, a time when ordinary people would say "Labour is us."