Nationwide Survey: Most Farmers Can't Afford Fertilizer
www.fb.org

... An overwhelming majority of America's farmers who responded to a nationwide survey say they cannot afford to purchase enough fertilizer to get them through the year. The percentage who pre-purchased fertilizer varies significantly by region.

Conducted by the American Farm Bureau Federation April 3-11, the survey shows 70% of respondents say fertilizer is so expensive that they will not be able to buy all the fertilizer they need.

More than 5,700 farmers, both Farm Bureau members and non-members, from every state and Puerto Rico took the survey. Farm Bureau economists analyzed the results in the latest Market Intel.

The analysis reveals that almost 8 in 10 farmers in the southern U.S. say they can't afford all needed supplies this year, followed by the Northeast and West at 69% and 66%, respectively, compared to 48% of the farmers in the Midwest.

Just 19% of farmers in the South prebooked fertilizer purchases in advance of planting season. In the Northeast, only 30% of farmers prebooked, followed by 31% in the West, and 67% in the Midwest. Even with higher pre-booking rates, almost one in three Midwestern farmers still report entering the season without securing all of their fertilizer needs.

The conflict in the Middle East sent fertilizer and fuel prices soaring. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz is keeping critical fertilizer supplies and crude oil from reaching global markets, putting a squeeze on supplies around the world.

"Spring planting decisions depend heavily on access to fertilizer and diesel fuel, both of which have been impacted by geopolitical risks that have disrupted global markets," the Market Intel states. "Since the escalation of tensions in the Middle East, nitrogen fertilizer prices have risen more than 30%, while combined fuel and fertilizer costs have increased roughly 20% to 40%.

Urea prices have increased by 47% since the end of February, marking the largest month-to-month percentage increase in the price of urea. These increases are occurring when many producers were already facing tight margins for many consecutive years." ...

Donald Trump Branded 'Dangerous and Corrupt Gangster' by British Political Leader
www.yahoo.com

...Donald Trump has been branded a "dangerous and corrupt gangster" by a politician in the UK.

Speaking at the House of Commons, the leader of Britain's Liberal Democrats party accused the US President of being "immoral." He also urged Prime Minister Keir Starmer to advise King Charles to cancel his upcoming visit to the United States. The monarch is due to travel to America later this year to mark the anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. ...

The Cost of America's War with Iran
iranwarcost.com

Industry - State of the Nation (1983)
www.youtube.com

Lyrics excerpt ...

genius.com

...
[Verse 1]
I see them marching off to war
They're looking so heroic
I'm told they won't be gone for long
But that's a lie and they know it
Ten thousand gone they won't return
Never to be seen again
Strategic games is all we learn in the end
But they say

[Chorus]
Don't you worry about the situation
A message from the telephone
They out there fighting for the state of the nation
I'm waiting a chance to come home
They always have to fight the alienation
And realize I'm fighting alone

[Verse 2]
When nightmares memories fades to dust
We'll get back on our feet again
This war has nothing to do with us
But somehow we're still involved in it

[Chorus]
Well, don't you worry about the situation
A message from the telephone
They out there fighting for the state of the nation
I'm waiting a chance to come home
Well, don't you worry about the situation
A message from the telephone
They always have to fight the alienation
And realize I'm fighting alone

[Bridge]
There's no place like home
There's no place like home
There's no place

I don't want to be anywhere else
There's no place like home
There's no place like home
There's no place

I don't want to be anywhere else
There's no place like home
There's no place like home
There's no place

I don't want to be anywhere else
There's no place like home
There's no place like home
There's no place

I don't want to be anywhere

[Chorus]
Don't you worry about the situation
They out there fighting for the state of the nation
Don't you worry about the situation

A message from the telephone
They always have to fight the alienation
And realize I'm fighting alone
They out there fighting for the state of the nation
I'm waiting a chance to come home
They always have to fight the alienation
And realize I'm fighting alone

[Outro]
There's no place like home
There's no place like home
There's no place like home
There's no place like home
...

Which Countries Have Shown the Largest Declines in Positive Views of the United States Since Trump's Return?
factually.co

... Executive summary-

Global polling shows the sharpest drops in favorable views of the United States since Donald Trump's return concentrated in North America and northern Europe, with Mexico, Sweden, Poland and Canada repeatedly cited as having the largest year-to-year falls in positive sentiment [1][2][3]. Multiple independent surveys -- Pew Research Center, YouGov, Ipsos and national reporting -- converge on a pattern of double digit declines in allied democracies rather than in every region [4][5][6].

1. Mexico and Sweden: the biggest single drops reported

Pew's multicountry survey finds Mexico recorded one of the largest declines, with favorable views of the U.S. falling from 61% in 2024 to 29% in 2025 -- a 32point drop that Pew highlights as among the largest changes across its 24country sample [1]. DW's reporting, relying on the same Pew data, echoes that Mexico and Sweden saw the steepest falls overall, with Sweden down 28 points (from 47% to 19%) between 2024 and 2025 [2].

2. Poland, Canada and other NATO partners: big hits to allied goodwill

Pew and contemporaneous press reporting single out Poland (down roughly 22 points), Canada (down about 20 points) and Sweden as NATO allies where U.S. favorability plunged substantially after Trump's return [3][7][1]. YouGov and the Chicago Council analysis broaden the pattern across Europe, noting roughly eight-point average declines in seven major European democracies and sharper falls -- 20 points in Denmark, 12 in Sweden -- in northern Europe [8][5].

3. Canada stands out in other trackers as well

Ipsos' international tracker records one of the largest single country collapses in perceptions of the U.S., finding Canada's share saying the U.S. would have a positive influence fell from 52% in late 2024 to 19% in spring 2025 -- a 33point fall the firm calls the largest recorded for any country in their series [6]. That mirrored Pew's finding of a large Canadian decline in overall favorability from 54% to 34% year-over-year [1]. ...

'He's a lot of fun to be with': Trump and Epstein were close friends for 15 years (2025)
www.theguardian.com

... As Trump tries to claim he was not a fan' of Epstein, photos, videos and anecdotes paint a picture of their relationship ...

It was a friendship that spanned three different decades. To Donald Trump, Jeffrey Epstein was a "terrific guy". Epstein believed himself to be Trump's "closest friend", and praised the future president as "charming".

The relationship would eventually break down, the men falling out over a bidding war on a property in Florida. And after Epstein was convicted of child sex offences in 2008, Trump distanced himself from the financier, claiming he was "not a fan" and wondering, in recent days, why his supporters would "waste time and energy" on demanding that FBI and Department of Justice files on Epstein be released.

But photos, videos and anecdotes paint a picture of a close friendship, of two middle-aged men who repeatedly partied together both alone and with their partners, including with Melania Knauss, who would go on to become Trump's third wife.

"I've known Jeff for 15 years. Terrific guy," Trump told New York magazine in 2002. "He's a lot of fun to be with. It is even said that he likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side."

Trump's insight into Epstein's predilections would be proved true in macabre fashion, when Epstein was found guilty in 2008 of sexually abusing girls aged between 14 and 17 years old. When Epstein was charged with sex trafficking of minors, in 2019, Trump attempted to play down their relationship, insisting: "I knew him like everybody in Palm Beach knew him." Trump said the pair had fallen out years earlier, and claimed: "I was not a fan of his."

But during the 15 years that the men were friends, there were plenty of incidents that displayed Trump and Epstein's closeness.

The New York Times reported that ...

Jeffrey Epstein Calls 'Closest Friend for 10 Years' Donald Trump a 'Horrible Human Being' in Newly Released Audio (2024)
www.yahoo.com

... Jeffrey Epstein speaks candidly about Donald Trump in newly released audio from a 2017 interview with author Michael Wolff.

In the above recording, which was authenticated by The Daily Beast, Epstein claims he used to be Trump's "closest friend for 10 years." There are anecdotes about the two undergoing a similar procedure to address their male pattern baldness and their interest in women. ...

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Tells Trump To 'Keep Hitting Iran Hard': Report (March 18, 2026)
www.news18.com

... Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman urged US President Trump to "continue hitting the Iranians hard" amid the US-Israel war, which has killed over 2,100 people. ...

Sony just handed its TV business to TCL (January 2026)
www.tomsguide.com

... Sony is spinning out its TV and home audio business and has announced that Chinese company TCL will take a 51% controlling interest.

Sony will retain a 49% stake, and TCL will continue to use the "Sony" and "Bravia" branding as part of the deal.

"The joint venture will operate globally, handling the full process from product development and design to manufacturing, sales, logistics, and customer service for products including televisions and home audio equipment," Sony said in a statement ...