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Sunday 30 March 2014

march 29,2014: News Updates

JPM’s Top Commercial Bankruptcy Lawyer Dead in a Minivan Hit & Run

China currency liberalization to be a 'seismic event': Australia

SYDNEY Thu Mar 27, 2014
(Reuters) - China realizing its ambitions to internationalize the yuan is likely to be a "seismic event" for global markets, leading to large capital flows and perhaps a new reserve currency, a top Australian central banker said on Wednesday.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/27/us-australia-cenbank-renminbi-idUSBREA2O20A20140327

Bundesbank, PBOC in Pact to Turn Frankfurt Into Renminbi Hub (1)

By Angela Cullen and Weixin Zha March 28, 2014
Germany’s Bundesbank and the People’s Bank of China agreed to cooperate in the clearing and settling of payments in renminbi, paving the way for Frankfurt to corner a share of the offshore market.

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-03-27/frankfurt-sets-sights-on-yuan-offshore-trade-as-xi-visits-merkel

China EximBank lends $1.2 billion to German firms for Chinese ships: Xinhua

BEIJING Sat Mar 29, 2014 4:00am GMT
(Reuters) - Export-Import Bank of China (EximBank) will lend $1.2 billion to German shipping firms Peter Dohle Shiffahrts-KG and Bernhard Schulte for the purchase of Chinese ships, the official Xinhua news agency reported.

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2014/03/29/us-china-germany-shipping-idUKBREA2S03B20140329

Lufthansa Pilot Strike to Cancel Hundreds of Flights April 2 to 4

The strike, which will run from midnight on April 2 until 11:59 p.m. (2159 GMT) on April 4, will likely result in the cancellation of hundreds of flights, and will be the third strike to hit Frankfurt, Europe’s third largest hub and Lufthansa’s home base, within six weeks.

http://skift.com/2014/03/28/lufthansa-pilot-strike-to-cancel-hundreds-of-flights-april-2-to-4/


 Revealing Tunisia's corruption under Ben Ali

New World Bank report shows how Tunisia's ousted Ben Ali regime tailored laws to enrich cronies at the public's expense.

http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2014/03/revealing-tunisia-corruption-under-ben-ali-201432785825560542.html


EU to review energy policy: Merkel

English.news.cn   2014-03-28 06:07:48
BERLIN, March 27 (Xinhua) -- German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Thursday that the European Union would review its energy policy and reduce its reliance on Russian oil and gas.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/2014-03/28/c_126325655.htm

Merkel highlights Russia sanctions during visit by Canada's Harper


German Chancellor Angela Merkel has expressed hope alongside her Canadian counterpart Stephen Harper that further sanctions against Russia won't be necessary. She also praised a recent free trade deal with Canada.

http://www.dw.de/merkel-highlights-russia-sanctions-during-visit-by-canadas-harper/a-17526408

Trade, Crimea to set tone as China's Xi heads to Germany


Berlin (AFP) - Chinese President Xi Jinping begins a landmark visit to fellow export powerhouse Germany Friday, the third leg of his European tour, expected to cement flourishing trade ties and focus on the Crimea crisis.

http://news.yahoo.com/trade-crimea-set-tone-chinas-xi-heads-germany-021957663.html;_ylt=A0LEVzzuIDVTGQcAE9RXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTB0NDAwYXNwBHNlYwNzYwRjb2xvA2JmMQR2dGlkA1NNRTQwMV8x

Iceland Dismantles the Corrupt - Then Arrests Ten Rothschild Bankers

Submitted by ronb28135 on Fri, 03/28/2014

The best part, is that they have arrested ALL Rothschild/Rockefeller banking puppets, responsible for the Country’s economic Chaos and meltdown. Last week 9 people were arrested in London and Reykjavik for their possible responsibility for Iceland’s financial collapse in 2008, a deep crisis which developed into an unprecedented public reaction that is changing the country’s direction..."

http://www.dailypaul.com/315530/iceland-dismantles-the-corrupt-then-arrests-ten-rothschild-bankers

Money from the gods: Iceland's auroracoin & a new kind of independence

The "Massive Gift" That Keeps On Giving: How QE Boosted Inequality To Levels Surpassing The Great Depression

march 28 14
A week ago, the official truth about QE, once upon a time mischaracterized as being a means to boost US employment (which is misreported in such an optimistically biased way that even the Fed now admits is ridiculous, and had to scrap its forward guidance as a result) and grow the economy, emerged when the Fed's Fisher admitted that "QE was a massive gift intended to boost wealth."

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-03-29/massive-gift-keeps-giving-how-qe-boosted-inequality-levels-surpassing-great-depressi

Thousands march against Haiti's Martelly in Port-au-Prince (0:55)

March 29 - Demonstrators call for the resignation of President Michel Martelly in Haiti's capital.

http://uk.reuters.com/video/2014/03/29/thousands-march-against-haitis-martelly?videoId=300392973&videoChannel=1






Thursday 27 March 2014

March 27, 2014: News Updates


 BOE to Sign Agreement With China on Yuan Clearing Next Week

By Lyubov Pronina Mar 26, 2014 5:15 PM GMT+0000
The Bank of England and People’s Bank of China plan to sign an agreement next week to enable the clearing and settlement of yuan transactions in London as the U.K. seeks to become an offshore hub for trading the currency.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-03-26/boe-to-sign-agreement-with-china-on-yuan-clearing-next-week.html



Crete Protests Against Syria’s Chemicals Weapons Disposal in Mediterranean Sea

March 24, 2014
Over 5000 Cretans from every corner of the island flooded Arkadi Sunday, March 23, to rally against the destruction of Syria’s chemical weapons in the Mediterranean Sea.
The most contentious part of the project, includes a plan to neutralize some 20 tons of mustard gas and neurotoxic agents in international waters between Gavdos, a tiny island off the shore of Crete, and Malta, on board a 648-foot U.S vessel acting as a mobile station for destroying chemical weapons.

http://revolution-news.com/crete-protests-syrias-chemicals-weapons-disposal-mediterranean-sea/



 March 26, 2014, 6:20 p.m. EDT

Citi, four other banks see capital plan rejected by Fed

‘Needless to say, we are deeply disappointed by the Fed’s decision,’ CEO says

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/citi-four-other-banks-see-capital-plan-rejected-by-fed-2014-03-26

Obama says 'bigger nations cannot simply bully smaller ones'. Wait... what?

UN Gen Assembly adopts resolution backing Ukraine's territorial integrity

Published time: March 27, 2014
 One hundred UN member countries voted in favor of the resolution, while 11 voted against and 58 abstained. The resolution is non-binding.
Armenia, Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, North Korea, Nicaragua, Russia, Sudan, Syria, Venezuela and Zimbabwe were the nations, which said ‘no’ the UN resolution.

http://rt.com/news/ukraine-russia-crimea-resolution-609/


 Greece Said to Be in Line for 8.3 Billion-Euro Rescue Payment

By Rebecca Christie, Nikos Chrysoloras and Sandrine Rastello Mar 27, 2014
Greece is set to receive a commitment from euro-region authorities as soon as mid-April for a payment of 8.3 billion euros ($11.4 billion) in the next step in the country’s aid program, three officials familiar with the negotiations said.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-03-27/greece-said-to-be-in-line-for-8-3-billion-euro-rescue-payment.html

 Ukraine Unlocks $27 Billion International Aid Deal

By Daryna Krasnolutska and Daria Marchak Mar 27, 2014 12:34 PM GMT+0000
Ukraine reached a preliminary deal with the International Monetary Fund to unlock $27 billion of international support to avert default and limit economic damage from a four-month political crisis. Bonds and stocks gained.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-03-27/ukraine-reaches-deal-for-imf-bailout-of-as-much-as-18-billion.html


Ukraine Parliament Rejects IMF's Bailout Terms (As US Passes Ukraine Aid Bill)

mar 27 14
The US Senate is more than happy to hand over a few billion and confirm sanctions:

    *SENATE PASSES UKRAINIAN AID BILL WITH RUSSIAN SANCTIONS
    *HOUSE PASSES VERSION OF UKRAINIAN AID, RUSSIAN SANCTIONS BILL

But, it seems the IMF's requirements for Ukraine's bailout are too much for the locals to bear:

    UKRAINE PARLIAMENT FAILS TO SUPPORT FIRST BID TO PASS ANTI-CRISIS LAW REQUIRED FOR IMF DEAL

Lawmakers will continue to work on the bill as it seems they approve the top-line budget but not the taxes required to get there... beggars can be choosers again maybe?

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-03-27/ukraine-parliament-rejects-imfs-bailout-terms-us-passes-ukraine-aid-bill

Turkey Blocks YouTube After New Audio Leaks

March 27, 2014
The Turkish national telecoms authority, Telecommunication Presidency (TİB) sent an order to all internet service providers and told them to block access to Youtube from Turkey today. This decision was been made right after Prime Minister Erdoğan said “Youtube is behind Twitter!”

http://revolution-news.com/turkey-blocks-youtube-new-audio-leaks/


Kirch suits prompt new probe, raid of Deutsche HQ, Bloomberg says

March 25, 2014 10:18 AM
Prosecutors are now investigating Deutsche Bank employees and attorneys who represented the bank and the bank's Frankfurt headquarters was raided as part of the new probe into fraud allegations, reported Bloomberg.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/kirch-suits-prompt-probe-raid-141803613.html;_ylt=A0LEV1NobzNT5mAASRVXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTB0Mjk3b2U1BHNlYwNzYwRjb2xvA2JmMQR2dGlkA1NNRTI4OF8x

German Prosecutors Add Board Member Stephan Leithner to Deutsche Bank Probe

IB TimesBy M Rochan | IB Times – 21 hours ago

German prosecutors, probing whether Deutsche Bank employees gave misleading evidence in the civil lawsuit brought by the heirs of late media mogul Leo Kirch, have expanded their investigation to include a second bank board member.

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/german-prosecutors-add-board-member-stephan-leithner-deutsche-104311573.html#S1wmVxQ

Document: JPMorgan Chase Bets $10.4 Billion on the Early Death of Workers

Families of young JPMorgan Chase workers who have experienced tragic deaths over the past four months, have been kept in the dark on many details, including the fact that the bank most likely held a life insurance policy on their loved one – payable to itself. Banks in the U.S., as well as other corporations, are allowed to make multi-billion dollar wagers that their profits from life insurance policies on employees will outstrip the cost of paying premiums and other fees. Early deaths help those wagers pay off.

http://wallstreetonparade.com/2014/03/document-jpmorgan-chase-bets-10-4-billion-on-the-early-death-of-workers/

Ex-Washington Post exec found dead at hot-spot

03/26/14
A former vice president of The Washington Post was found dead on the floor at a Hell’s Kitchen hot spot, surrounded by a needle, a pipe and pills, sources said.

http://nypost.com/2014/03/26/ex-washington-post-exec-found-dead-at-hot-spot/

Bill 4 Passes: B.C. Parks Now Officially Open…To Pipelines and Drilling

A little-known Bill, the Park Amendment Act, that will drastically alter the management of B.C. parks is set to become law today, creating controversy among the province’s most prominent environmental and conservation organizations. The passage of Bill 4 will make way for industrial incursions into provincial parklands including energy extraction, construction of pipelines and industry-led research.

http://desmog.ca/2014/03/25/bill-4-passes-b-c-parks-now-officially-open-pipelines-and-drilling


UK threatened to shut down Guardian for printing Snowden leaks

Obama, Pope Francis meet for first time

ABC, CBS, CNN, FOX, NBC All Want Your Chemtrail Photos

Paraguayans hold nationwide strike

Wednesday 26 March 2014

March 26, 2014: News Updates

China currency liberalisation to be a "seismic event" - Australia

SYDNEY Wed Mar 26, 2014 8:11am IST
(Reuters) - China realising its ambitions to internationalise the yuan is likely to be a "seismic event" for global markets, leading to large capital flows and perhaps a new reserve currency, a top Australian central banker said on Wednesday.

http://in.reuters.com/article/2014/03/26/australia-cenbank-renminbi-idINDEEA2P02A20140326?type=economicNews



 Silence on ECB Bank Review May Break on Legal Blind Spot

mar 26/14
The European Central Bank will soon find out how hard it can be to keep a secret.
The ECB’s plan to keep its health check on euro-area lenders under wraps until the completion of a stress test in October could be undermined by national rules requiring disclosure far sooner.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-03-26/silence-on-ecb-bank-review-may-break-on-legal-blind-spot.html



Bank of America to pay $9.3 billion to settle mortgage bond claims

Wed Mar 26, 2014 4:42pm EDT
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Bank of America will pay $9.3 billion to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to settle claims that it sold them faulty mortgage-backed securities during the housing bubble, a U.S. regulator said on Wednesday.

http://ca.reuters.com/article/businessNews/idCABREA2P23720140326



Push in Sardinia for online vote on independence from Italy

Published time: March 26, 2014
he island of Sardinia plans to hold an online referendum on independence from Italy, following in the footsteps of country’s northeastern Veneto region, where a similar vote revealed high separatist moods.

Over 2 million people in Veneto took part in the internet referendum on March 16-21, with 89 per cent of them voting in favor of cutting ties with Rome.

http://rt.com/news/sardinia-vote-independence-italy-417/



‘Too big to fail’ status gives US banks ‘free pass’ – Fed study

Published time: March 26,

http://rt.com/business/us-banks-crisis-fed-325/




Breakingviews: Italy’s corp gov purge could backfire (2:33)


Mar. 26 - Rome wants state-controlled firms to eject board members under criminal investigation for financial offences. Probity is laudable but this plan could hurt the innocent and create harmful uncertainty.

http://uk.reuters.com/video/2014/03/26/reuters-tv-breakingviews-italys-corp-gov-purge-coul?videoId=299112280&videoChannel=117765




California state Sen. Leland Yee arrested in corruption case

Updated 1:14 pm, Wednesday, March 26, 2014

http://www.sfgate.com/crime/article/Leland-Yee-arrested-in-corruption-case-5350602.php



3 Secret Service agents benched before Obama trip

By JOSH LEDERMAN / Associated Press / March 25, 2014

http://boston.com/news/nation/washington/2014/03/25/secret-service-agents-benched-before-obama-trip/rrU3QghbdbXzcaEzSDHUZM/story.html




Banks have already been paid for mortgages

If banks sell mortgages to investors, via the securitisation industry, how were they ever bust?
Pension funds, insurance companies, hedge funds, etc, buy mortgages and pay banks the principal, plus a premium up front as a lump-sum payment.Therefore, the bank is paid in full, once, for the mortgage....

http://www.irishexaminer.com/viewpoints/yourview/banks-have-already-been-paid-for-mortgages-261658.html






*This story aired on FOX news and was immediately removed.

Air France said Wednesday that a plane carrying 495 passengers and 22 crew was diverted on its way from Shanghai to Paris after Russia closed part of its airspace because of the launch of a Russian spacecraft to the International Space Station.


https://web.archive.org/web/20140326193729/http://www.foxnews.com/world/2014/03/26/air-france-superjumbo-with-45-passengers-diverted-after-russia-closes-airspace/




Snag delays arrival of Soyuz capsule carrying Russian-American crew at space station

Published March 25, 2014
BAIKONUR, Kazakhstan –  An engine snag has delayed the arrival of a Russian spacecraft carrying three astronauts to the International Space Station until Thursday, NASA said on Wednesday.

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2014/03/25/snag-delays-arrival-soyuz-capsule-carrying-russian-american-crew-at-space/



The new billionaire political bosses-

march 26 14
Charles and David Koch should not be blamed for having more wealth than the bottom 40 percent of Americans put together. Nor should they be condemned for their petrochemical empire. As far as I know, they’ve played by the rules and obeyed the laws.
They’re also entitled to their own right-wing political views. It’s a free country.
But in using their vast wealth to change those rules and laws in order to fit their political views, the Koch brothers are undermining our democracy. That’s a betrayal of the most precious thing Americans share.

http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2014/03/26/356132/the-new-billionaire-political-bosses/


Opinion: Time to rein in the climate change carbon baggers

Why are World Economic Forum, IMF and World Bank being so obstinate in maintaining an increasingly discredited position?

http://www.vancouversun.com/opinion/op-ed/Opinion+Time+rein+climate+change+carbon+baggers/9646666/story.html

Vatican removes German 'bishop of bling' over luxury home

VATICAN CITY Thu Mar 27, 2014 12:33am IST
(Reuters) - The Vatican removed a German bishop on Wednesday because he spent 31 million euros ($43 million) of Church funds on an extravagant residence when Pope Francis was preaching austerity.

http://in.reuters.com/article/2014/03/26/us-vatican-germany-idINBREA2P0SJ20140326

Rothschild Inherits a Semiconductor Patent For Freescale Semiconductors -

Bloomberg editor resigns over disagreements with editorial policy

 Does Our System Select for Incompetent Sociopaths?   (March 26, 2014)

What is the shelf life of a system that rewards confidence-gaming sociopaths rather than competence?
Let's connect the dots of natural selection and the pathology of power.

http://www.oftwominds.com/blogmar14/sociopaths3-14.html

Egypt's Sisi to resign as minister, pave way for presidential bid-report

Wed Mar 26, 2014 3:11pm EDT
CAIRO (Reuters) - Field Marshal Abdel Fattah al-Sisi was expected to step down as Egypt's defense minister on Wednesday, paving the way for him to run for president in an election he is expected to win easily.

http://ca.reuters.com/article/topNews/idCABREA2P0XE20140326






Tuesday 25 March 2014

March 25, 2014: News Updates


Russia to Launch its Own Payment System, the ‘Universal Electronic Card’, to Bypass Visa, Mastercard etc

The 8:30 AM Gold Dump, Carry Pump Is Right On Time

03/25/2014

This morning's pre-open is dominated by deja vu all over again. Just as we saw yesterday, right on cue at 830ET, gold (and silver) are unceremoniously dumped and USDJPY is pumped so as to ensure stocks look shiny for the US open (and Biotech can be dumped to the next greater fool). Oil is not moving, 30Y bonds are weaker, and the USD is flat... all makes perfect sense if you don't think about it.

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-03-25/830-am-gold-dump-carry-pump-right-time


Iraq Buys Massive 36 Tonnes Of Gold In March

Published in Market Update  Precious Metals  on 25 March 2014

http://www.goldcore.com/goldcore_blog/Iraq_Buys_Massive_36_Tonnes_Of_Gold_In_March



Venezuela's Maduro Averts Military Coup, Arrests Three Air Force Generals

A day after Venezuela formally devalued its currency by way of the new and improved FX central planning system SICAD II, which sent the official value of the Bolivar 89% lower, the government desperately needed a distraction. It got just that when earlier today Socialist par excellence Nicolas Maduro announced that he had narrowly avoided a coup after he arrested three air force generals suspected of plotting an uprising against the leftist government.

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-03-25/venezuelas-maduro-averts-military-coup-arrests-three-air-force-generals


 **Philippines prepares for historic peace deal

MILF rebels in the Philippines are about to sign a breakthrough peace deal to end the 40-year conflict.

 25 Mar 2014 12:42

Cotabato City, Philippines - Weeks before Benigno Aquino III was elected president of the Philippines in 2010, the rebel group Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) hosted a secret meeting with a high-ranking US embassy official and two American dignitaries....
Four years into his presidency, Aquino is set to oversee the signing of a final peace agreement with the MILF, the country's largest Muslim rebel group. Supporters hope the deal creating the autonomous Bangsamoro region will bring an end to 40 years of armed conflict in Mindanao that has killed at least 120,000 people and displaced more than two million. It is expected to be signed this Thursday, March 27.

http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2014/03/philippines-prepares-historic-peace-deal-milf-201432411220461644.html


SEC Is Probing Dealings by Banks and Companies in Loan Securities

Updated March 24, 2014 8:16 p.m. ET
The Securities and Exchange Commission is investigating whether a Wall Street boom in complicated bond deals is creating new avenues for fraud, according to people close to the probes.

http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303949704579459721396289900?mod=WSJ_hp_LEFTWhatsNewsCollection&mg=reno64-wsj



U.K. to Sell $7 Billion Lloyds Bank Stake to Money Managers

By Gavin Finch and Ambereen Choudhury Mar 25, 2014
The government is selling a 7.5 percent stake to money managers to cut its holding to about 25 percent, U.K. Financial Investments Ltd., which manages the government’s stake in the lender, said in a statement. The 5.35 billion shares will be sold at a price set by an accelerated bookbuilding, UKFI said.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-03-25/u-k-starts-selling-4-23-billion-pound-stake-in-lloyds-banking.html


What A Bank Run In China Looks Like: Hundreds Rush To Banks Following Solvency Rumors

Swiss set to make British ex-UBS banker head of financial regulator

ZURICH Tue Mar 25, 2014 9:10pm GMT
(Reuters) - The Swiss government is set to appoint British-born former banker Mark Branson as the first non-Swiss national to head its financial regulator, two sources said, just as the body probes currency markets and prepares for a major review of big banks.

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2014/03/25/uk-finma-branson-idUKBREA2O1LL20140325


IRS Rules Bitcoin Is Property (Not Currency)

After less than three months consideration, the IRS has issued its statement clarifying th etax treatment of Bitcoins (and other virtual currencies) before the April 15th Deadline. The finding, summarized, is that Vitual currencies will be treated as property (not as a currency) which, as WSJ notes, means an investor who buys bitcoin would typically have a capital gain or loss when it’s sold. The price of Bitcoin is rising modestly on this news...

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-03-25/irs-rules-bitcoin-property-not-currency


French consumer watchdog sues Facebook, Twitter and Google

March 25, 2014 -- Updated 1753 GMT (0153 HKT)
Paris (CNN) -- France's top consumer watchdog filed a lawsuit Tuesday against Facebook, Twitter and Google, accusing them of breaching Internet users' privacy, in the latest crackdown against data-collection policies.

http://edition.cnn.com/2014/03/25/world/europe/france-social-media-lawsuit/


 Malaysian Air, Boeing Data on Plane Sought in U.S. Court

By Andrew Harris and Erik Larson Mar 25, 2014 8:24 PM GMT+0000
Malaysian Airline System Bhd. (MAS) and Boeing Co. (BA) records on Flight 370’s maintenance and crew are being sought by a law firm representing the father of one of the missing flight’s passengers, the opening salvo in what may end up being a barrage of litigation over the plane’s disappearance.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-03-25/malaysian-air-boeing-data-on-plane-sought-in-u-s-court.html


Two killed at US Navy base in Virginia

Tue Mar 25, 2014 3:5PM GMT
Two people aboard a guided-missile destroyer at a US Navy base in Norfolk, Virginia, were shot and killed late Monday.

http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2014/03/25/355991/2-killed-at-us-navy-base-in-virginia/



‘Queen could be axed in new Scotland’

A senior Scottish National Party (SNP) has floated the idea of axing the Queen in an independent Scotland if the Scottish people voted ‘yes’ in a referendum to be held in September this year.

http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2014/03/25/356017/independent-scotland-could-ditch-queen/


Sydney's Catholic Archdiocese has assets over $1 billion, royal commission told

Kim Dotcom’s Mega to get listing at New Zealand stock exchange

Published time: March 25, 2014 20:12
Mega, a cloud storage service founded by cyber fugitive Kim Dotcom, is heading for the New Zealand stock market for NZ$210 million ($179 million) via a back door listing.

http://rt.com/business/dotcom-mega-stock-exchange-193/

Chileans demand constitution reform

Sun Mar 23, 2014 7:59AM GMT
Chileans have held a demonstration in the capital, Santiago, to demand constitutional reform.

http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2014/03/23/355755/chileans-demand-constitution-reform/





Sunday 23 March 2014

March 23, 2014: News Updates

 World’s Richest Gain $26 Billion as Sanctions Hit Russia

The 300 wealthiest people on Earth added $25.6 billion to their collective net worth this week as the U.S. government imposed economic sanctions on several Russian billionaires.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-03-21/world-s-richest-gain-26-billion-as-sanctions-hit-russia.html



How China Imported A Record $70 Billion In Physical Gold Without Sending The Price Of Gold Soaring



How (& Why) JPMorgan & COMEX Should Be Sued For Precious Metals Manipulation

 Korea Exchange Seeks Cut of $3 Billion Illegal Gold Trade

By Heesu Lee Mar 23, 2014
South Korea’s equity exchange will start offering physical gold trades for the first time today, as the government seeks to curb as much as $3 billion of black-market transactions.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-03-23/korea-exchange-seeks-cut-of-3-billion-illegal-gold-trade.html




Putin prompted states to arm to teeth: Harper

The Canadian prime minister says Russia’s decision to incorporate and send troops into the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea prompts world nations to "arm themselves to the teeth."

http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2014/03/23/355772/harper-says-putin-sparked-arms-race/


Visa, Mastercard block US-sanctioned Russian banks

Military Airbus breaks down with Queen Sofía on board: fourth mechanical failure this year

By: thinkSPAIN , Sunday, March 23, 2014
A PLANE carrying Queen Sofía from Guatemala to Spain suffered a breakdown during a 'technical' stop in the Dominican Republic – the fourth mechanical failure of an aircraft carrying a Spanish statesperson in as many months.

http://www.thinkspain.com/news-spain/24103/military-airbus-breaks-down-with-queen-sofia-on-board-fourth-mechanical-failure-this-year



March 23, 2014, 8:59 AM

Report: Germans seize cocaine on its way to Vatican

CIA orchestrating breakup scenario: Dr. Tarpley

“The CIA is promoting the breakup of national states. The policy is mini states, macro states, failed sates, partitioned studies and so forth,” said Dr. Webster Griffin Tarpley in a Saturday interview with Press TV.

http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2014/03/23/355753/cia-seeks-to-break-up-world-nations/


Venice votes to split from Italy as 89% of the city's residents opt to form a new independent state

Insider Selling Reaches 25-year High as Smart Money Dumps Stocks Before The Coming Crash

Turkish military shoots down Syrian warplane

Israel closes embassies all over the world as diplomats go on indefinite strike

Above 6,000 German companies to be hit by sanctions on Russia- export body

Mass march for political reform in Chile ends in clashes (PHOTOS)

 Anti-austerity protesters march in Spain

Thousands of protesters from across Spain called for an end to austerity measures amid the country's economic crisis.
Last updated: 23 Mar 2014 00:58

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/europe/2014/03/anti-austerity-protesters-march-spain-2014322192956618925.html


 Twitter ban sparks outrage in Turkey

Turkey's president, the opposition and the EU criticise the ban, introduced just days before crucial local elections.

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/europe/2014/03/twitter-ban-sparks-outrage-turkey-2014321122127628337.html


 Protesters Storm Taiwan Cabinet Office on China Trade Pact Anger

Bill Clinton identified in lawsuit against his former friend and pedophile Jeffrey Epstein who had 'regular' orgies at his Caribbean compound that the former president visited multiple times

Are UFO experts being murdered? New book to investigate 'pattern' of deaths

Saturday 22 March 2014

March 21, 2014: News Updates


Petrodollar Alert: Putin Prepares To Announce "Holy Grail" Gas Deal With China

Submitted by Tyler Durden on 03/21/2014

Russia is preparing the announcement of the "Holy Grail" energy deal with none other than China, a move which would send geopolitical shockwaves around the world and bind the two nations in a commodity-backed axis. One which, as some especially on these pages, have suggested would lay the groundwork for a new joint, commodity-backed reserve currency that bypasses the dollar, ...

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-03-21/petrodollar-alert-isolated-west-putin-prepares-announce-holy-grail-gas-deal-china



Goldman Doubles Down Its Hate On The Best Performing Asset Of 2014: Gold

 03/21/2014 - 17:12

As gold completes its golden cross today and remains by far the best-performing asset of 2014, we thought it intriguing that Goldman Sachs' commodity group would issue a strong "sell your gold" recommendation... of course, when Goldman's clients are selling, who is buying? As a reminder, the last time the bank was extremely bearish on gold (about a year ago), our skepticism at the time was well warranted as Goldman was in fact the largest buyer of gold in the following quarter.

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-03-21/goldman-doubles-down-its-hate-best-performing-asset-2014-gold



 Credit Suisse Pays $885 Million to Settle FHFA Lawsuits

Turkey blocks Twitter days before vote as PM fights scandal

Canada Financial Minister resigns ...

now today Alberta premier resigns

Malaysia flight riddle: How can a passenger plane go missing in the age of universal surveillance?

Who Just Dumped $220 Million Nasdaq Futures In 1 Second?

 on 03/21/2014 - 15:40

At 10:27:21 ET, the Nasdaq 100 e-mini futures contract suddenly dropped on extreme activity as someone decided it was an opportune time to dump 3000 contracts or around $220 million notional. As Nanex notes, the ETF - QQQ - also collapsed (with over 1200 trades in 1 second) as bids and offers were crossed and markets went flash-crashy for a few tenths of a second. The questions is - who was it?

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-03-21/who-just-dumped-220-million-nasdaq-futures-1-second


JPMorgan Agrees to Sell Commodities Unit for $3.5 Billion

 Irish Bad Bank Said to Plan Sale of $418 Million Property Loans

By Neil Callanan and Donal Griffin Mar 19, 2014

NAMA was set up in 2009 by the government to take over 74 billion euros of risky commercial real estate loans held by Ireland’s banks and sell them over as many as 10 years.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-03-19/irish-bad-bank-said-to-plan-sale-of-418-million-property-loans.html



Tuesday 18 March 2014

March 18,2014: News Updates

Hi Everyone!  Sorry for the delays in posting the latest updates.  Due to internet issues, TN will be going out only a few times a week instead of daily.  I will not be posting a full update today as I am still way behind, BUT.... to wet your whistle:

Venice votes in referendum on splitting from Rome

 16 March 2014 Last updated at 16:30 GMT

Voting has begun in Venice and the surrounding region on whether to break away from Italy.
Recent opinion polls suggest that two-thirds of the four million electorate favour splitting from Rome, but the vote will not be legally binding.
The poll was organised by local activists and parties, who want a future state called Republic of Veneto.
This would be reminiscent of the sovereign Venetian republic that existed for more than 1,000 years.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-26604044


Banker, 28, kills himself in TWELFTH finance suicide this year


    Kenneth Bellando jumped to his death on March 12
    He worked at Levy Capital Partners and had previously trained as an analyst at JPMorgan and Paragon Capital Partners

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2583385/Banker-28-kills-TWELFTH-finance-suicide-year.html#ixzz2wKnPA3x1



US Freezes Diplomatic, Consular Relations With Syria; Orders Non-US Personnel to Leave Country

WASHINGTON March 18, 2014 (AP)
Associated Press
US freezes diplomatic, consular relations with Syria; Orders non-US personnel to leave country.

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/obama-invites-g7-leaders-meeting-europe-week-discuss-22953560



 18 March 2014 Last updated at 16:19 GMT

Two dead in Seattle news helicopter crash near Space Needle

In this image made from video provided by KOMO-TV, smoke rises from the scene of a news helicopter crash outside the KOMO-TV studios near the space needle in Seattle 18 March 2014 Broadcaster KOMO said the helicopter was trying to take off from its roof when it crashed
Two people were killed when a news helicopter crashed in central Seattle at the foot of the
landmark Space Needle, fire officials have said.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-26634632


Saturday 15 March 2014

March 14, 2014: News Updates




I will be away from the computer for the weekend so there will be no Transpicuous News Updates tomorrow evening.... unless something very major happens.

D


Ukrainian gas oligarch Firtash arrested in Vienna on FBI warrant

VIENNA Thu Mar 13, 2014 1:46pm EDT
(Reuters) - Industrialist Dmytro Firtash, one of Ukraine's most influential oligarchs with close links to Russia through his gas interests, has been arrested in Austria at the request of the United States.
Austria's Federal Crime Agency said on Thursday that Firtash was held on Wednesday on suspicion of violating laws on bribery and forming a criminal organization in the course of foreign business deals.
Ukraine's Foreign Ministry said: "Our embassy in Austria has confirmed that Dmytro Firtash has been detained at the request of the (U.S.) Federal Bureau of Investigation. He is now being held in a detention center."

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/13/us-ukraine-austria-firtash-idUSBREA2C14V20140313




 14 March 2014 Last updated at 21:19 GMT

US regulator sues 16 banks for alleged Libor rigging

A US regulator has sued 16 banks for allegedly manipulating the London interbank offered rate (Libor).
The Libor rate is used to set trillions of dollars of financial contracts, including mortgages and financial transactions around the world.
The regulator said the manipulation caused substantial losses to 38 US banks which were shut down during and after the 2008 financial crisis.
The sued banks include Barclays, HSBC, Citigroup and Royal Bank of Scotland.

http://www.bbc.com/news/business-26584942


China's Li Keqiang warns investors to prepare for wave of bankruptcies

China is braced for a wave of industrial bankruptcies as its slowing economy forces companies with sky-high debts to the wall, the country's premier has said.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/mar/13/china-li-keqiang-wans-investors-bankruptcies


The World Is Screaming For A New Financial System

3/14/2014
One of the key lessons we can take away from history is that the global financial system changes… frequently....
The Chinese, which have their own economic issues to deal with, are starting to dump Treasuries in record numbers.
Central banks are buying up more gold. Foreign countries are entering into bilateral currency swap arrangements with one another. And world governments are starting to (rather embarrassingly) demand that the US get its budget and fiscal house in order.
Most tellingly, though, member nations of the International Monetary Fund are starting to revolt.

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-03-14/world-screaming-new-financial-system


 China’s Big Four Banks See $70 Billion Vanish From Stocks

By Ye Xie and Weiyi Lim Mar 14, 2014 9:45 AM GMT+0100
The world’s most-profitable banks have never been so unloved by stock investors.
China’s four-biggest lenders, which reported $126 billion of earnings in the 12 months through September, sank to the lowest valuations on record in Hong Kong trading yesterday. The MSCI China Financials Index dropped to an almost decade low versus the global industry benchmark while the market value of Industrial & Commercial Bank of China Ltd., the nation’s largest lender, fell below net assets for the first time on March 12.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-03-13/china-s-big-four-banks-see-70-billion-vanish-from-stocks.html



Stocks: Global risks take center stage

By CNNMoney Staff  @CNNMoneyInvest March 14, 2014: 8:11 AM ET
U.S. stocks fell Thursday on worries about global tensions and more bad economic news out of China. The Dow fell more than 230 points while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq were off by more than 1%.

http://money.cnn.com/2014/03/14/investing/premarkets/index.html?iid=HP_LN&hpt=hp_bn1



Alert! Copper Has Plummeted – Plunge In S&P 500 Could Be Next – Here’s Why


Copper has just met the lower resistance line of its descending triangle pattern and should it break throughCopper-USFS that resistance the price for copper could fall like a stone. That, in turn, would have a MAJOR “watch out below” impact on the future level of the S&P 500. Let me explain.
Historically, copper has been a barometer of economic growth exhibiting a high positive correlation with the performance of the S&P 500. 6 months ago (the end of August, 2013) the two categories began diverging from each other – not just a little bit – but dramatically – and continue to do so (the S&P 500 is UP 13%; copper is DOWN 11%). That suggests that there is less demand and that growth is slowing down.

http://www.munknee.com/alert-copper-has-plummeted-plunge-in-sp-500-could-be-next-heres-why/


Navy warship accidentally fires torpedo at nuclear dockyard

12:14PM GMT 14 Mar 2014
Military chiefs have launched a major investigation after a Royal Navy warship accidentally fired a torpedo at a nuclear dockyard.
HMS Argyll was moored at Devonport Naval base in Plymouth when the 9ft missile suddenly shot out of its starboard side during a training drill.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/industry/defence/10697895/Navy-warship-accidentally-fires-torpedo-at-nuclear-dockyard.html


BP can bid for US government contracts again

Published time: March 14, 2014 13:23
​The Environmental Protection Agency in the US is again allowing BP to bid for US government contracts. The company had been barred following a guilty verdict in a case surrounding the Deepwater Horizon disaster of April 2010.
The move will allow BP to enter into new contracts with the US government, including in the Gulf of Mexico, meaning hundreds of millions of dollars of new business. It signifies a large step in the company’s recovery from the accident, which has been costly both to its finances and reputation.

http://rt.com/business/bp-back-us-contracts-798/



Bank of England: Financiers compelled to return bonuses for ‘misbehavior’

Published time: March 14, 2014 10:27
Edited time: March 14, 2014 11:00
UK “bad bankers” may be forced to return the last 6 years of bonuses, as the Bank of England is seeking to make top management more responsible for the lenders’ performance and avoid a repetition of the mis-selling and rate manipulation scandals.
The ruling would cover all the 1,700 firms authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA), such as banks, building societies, credit unions, insurers and major investment houses.

http://rt.com/business/boe-proposes-bonus-clawback-778/


Wireless electricity? It's here    

By Matthew Ponsford and Nick Glass, CNN
March 14, 2014 -- Updated 1351 GMT (2151 HKT) | Filed under: Innovations

http://edition.cnn.com/2014/03/14/tech/innovation/wireless-electricity/index.html?hpt=hp_c6



Helicopter Crash: N Ireland's Richest Man Dies

Sky NewsSky News – 5 hours ago
Northern Irish peer and businessman Lord Ballyedmond was one of the four men killed in a helicopter crash in Norfolk.

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/norfolk-helicopter-crash-peer-among-victims-063208731.html#ZMvsi5X




Thursday 13 March 2014

March 13, 2014: News Updates

Trader kills self in finance world’s latest suicide

March 12, 2014 | 5:45pm
A Manhattan trader was killed Tuesday morning by a speeding Long Island Rail Road commuter train, marking at least the seventh suicide of a financial professional this year.
Edmund (Eddie) Reilly, 47, a trader at Midtown’s Vertical Group, jumped in front of an LIRR train at 6 a.m. near the Syosset train station.

http://nypost.com/2014/03/12/trader-throws-self-in-front-of-train-in-finance-worlds-latest-suicide/



Investigators Suspect Missing Airplane Flew On for Hours

march 13 2014
U.S. investigators suspect that Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 stayed in the air for about four hours past the time it reached its last confirmed location, according to two people familiar with the details, raising the possibility that the plane could have flown on for hundreds of additional miles under conditions that remain murky.
Aviation investigators and national security officials believe the plane flew for a total of five hours, based on data automatically downloaded and sent to the ground from the Boeing Co. 777's engines as part of a routine maintenance and monitoring program.

http://m.asia.wsj.com/article_email/SB10001424052702304914904579434653903086282-lMyQjAxMTA0MDEwMzExNDMyWj?mobile=y#



 Serbia’s Vucic Promises U.A.E.’s Billions in Election Bid

By Gordana Filipovic and Dana El Baltaji Mar 13, 2014 12:00 AM GMT+0100
Aleksandar Vucic, the favorite to become Serbian prime minister after elections this month, is campaigning as the candidate who can bring home investment from the United Arab Emirates, including a $4 billion plan to redevelop Belgrade’s waterfront.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-03-12/serbia-s-vucic-promises-u-a-e-s-billions-in-election-bid.html



UAE formula

In letters addressed to the Prime Minister and dated January 13, 2014, the Minister of Agriculture and former Minister of Economic Affairs, appealed to Stuart to take up an offer from the oil-rich Arabs to restore this country to economic growth.

Estwick also told his boss that the United Arab Emirates were interested in helping Barbados re-establish its investment grade rating and ensuring that it returns to a path of debt sustainability.

The former Minister of Economic Affairs advised Prime Minister Stuart that the traditional use of the International Monetary Fund, World Bank and Inter-American Development Bank as sources of fiscal and debt support and development capital, caused governments to rely too much on the Bretton Woods institutions model of assistance.

http://www.barbadostoday.bb/2014/02/07/uae-formula/



French prime minister says euro 'a bit' overvalued

PARIS Thu Mar 13, 2014 8:03pm GMT
(Reuters) - France's prime minister said on Thursday that the euro was "a bit" overvalued, but said that should not discourage France from making efforts to regain competitiveness.

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2014/03/13/uk-france-budget-idUKBREA2C21G20140313



Taiwan banks advised to conduct risk control amid RMB devaluation

03/13/2014
Taiwan's financial regulator has said it will not set a cap on the amount of Chinese yuan deposits allowed to be held in the country, but has advised banks to do their best to conduct risk control.

http://www.wantchinatimes.com/news-subclass-cnt.aspx?id=20140313000055&cid=1203



China warns of dangerous Russia sanctions 'spiral'

march 13 2014
(Reuters) - China's top envoy to Germany has warned the West against punishing Russia with sanctions for its intervention in Ukraine, saying such measures could lead to a dangerous chain reaction that would be difficult to control.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/13/us-ukraine-crisis-china-idUSBREA2C0PB20140313



Ukraine Aid Delayed Due To, What Else, Congressional Bickering

mar 13/2014
With Russia warning of "boomerangs" and China threatening "unforeseeable consequences" it appears gridlock in Washington is (coincidentally) enabling the US to sit out the first round of shenanigans responses over this weekend's Crimea referendum.
    *KERRY SAYS `WE NEED AID FOR UKRAINE AND WE NEED IT NOW'
But as AP reports, Congress won't be able to authorize aid to Ukraine until after March 24 amid disagreements among several Republican. Simply put, No Aid For You...

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-03-13/ukraine-aid-delayed-due-what-else-congressional-bickering



 ETFs Get $41 Billion Erasing Stock Withdrawals on Economy

By Lu Wang, Joseph Ciolli and Callie Bost Mar 13, 2014 5:00 AM GMT+0100
More than $41 billion has returned to U.S. exchange-traded funds that own shares in the past four weeks, reversing withdrawals that swelled to as much as $40.2 billion last month, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Cash has flowed back as the MSCI All-Country World Index rallied 5.8 percent from the four-month low it reached Feb. 4, when turmoil in emerging markets spurred speculation the global recovery would slow.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-03-13/etfs-get-41-billion-erasing-stock-withdrawals-on-economy.html


 Uzbek leader's daughter faces cash probe

Swiss authorities widen $910m money laundering investigation to include Gulnara Karimova, a former ambassador in Geneva.
Last updated: 12 Mar 2014 14:35
The eldest daughter of Uzbekistan's president has been named as a suspect in a Swiss money laundering investigation into deals worth at least $910m conducted while she was an ambassador in Geneva.
Gulnara Karimova, 41, lost diplomatic immunity when she left her position representing Uzbekistan at the UN last July.

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/asia/2014/03/uzbek-leader-daughter-faces-cash-probe-2014312124726127190.html



Special court maintains decision to indict Musharraf on March 14

march 13 2014
ISLAMABAD: The special court maintained its decision to indict former president General (retd) Pervez Musharraf on March 14 while hearing the treason case on Thursday, Express News reported.

http://tribune.com.pk/story/682333/special-court-maintains-decision-to-indict-musharraf-tomorrow/



UAE summons Iraq envoy to protest Saudi terror accusations

AFP
20 hours ago
Abu Dhabi (AFP) - The United Arab Emirates summoned Iraq's ambassador on Wednesday to protest accusations by Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki that Saudi Arabia was supporting terrorism, state media reported.

http://news.yahoo.com/uae-summons-iraq-envoy-protest-saudi-terror-accusations-140816882.html



 Cash Abroad Rises $206 Billion as Apple to IBM Avoid Tax

By Richard Rubin Mar 12, 2014 7:47 PM GMT+0100
The largest U.S.-based companies added $206 billion to their stockpiles of offshore profits last year, parking earnings in low-tax countries until Congress gives them a reason not to.
The multinational companies have accumulated $1.95 trillion outside the U.S., up 11.8 percent from a year earlier, according to securities filings from 307 corporations reviewed by Bloomberg News. Three U.S.-based companies -- Microsoft Corp. (MSFT), Apple Inc. and International Business Machines Corp. -- added $37.5 billion, or 18.2 percent of the total increase.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-03-12/cash-abroad-rises-206-billion-as-apple-to-ibm-avoid-tax.html


Maltese MEPs vote against stronger money laundering law


Labour, Nationalist MEPs vote against stronger anti-money laundering law that was heavily criticised by online gaming businesses
12 March 2014, 4:19pm
Five Maltese MEPs have voted against a parliamentary resolution on the review of Europe’s anti-money laundering rules, the Fourth Anti-Money Laundering Directive that is expected in late 2014.

http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/europe_2014/36817/maltese_meps_vote_against_stronger_money_laundering_law#.UyFfIU0wnIU



Jordan parliament wants Israeli envoy kicked out

march 12 14
MPs call ambassador 'dog' and 'pig' demand government expel him within a week
Jordan's Parliament gave the government until Tuesday to expel Israel's ambassador to Amman from the country, threatening to topple the government if it didn't, CNN's Arabic channel reported on Wednesday. Lawmakers were enraged following the Monday shooting of a Jordanian judge by Israeli soldiers, calling the envoy, Daniel Nevo a "pig" and a "dog."

http://www.i24news.tv/en/news/israel/diplomacy-defense/140312-jordan-parliament-wants-israeli-envoy-kicked-out


How the NSA Plans to Infect ‘Millions’ of Computers with Malware

By Ryan Gallagher and Glenn Greenwald 12 Mar 2014,
The classified files – provided previously by NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden – contain new details about groundbreaking surveillance technology the agency has developed to infect potentially millions of computers worldwide with malware “implants.” The clandestine initiative enables the NSA to break into targeted computers and to siphon out data from foreign Internet and phone networks....
...In some cases the NSA has masqueraded as a fake Facebook server, using the social media site as a launching pad to infect a target’s computer and exfiltrate files from a hard drive. In others, it has sent out spam emails laced with the malware, which can be tailored to covertly record audio from a computer’s microphone and take snapshots with its webcam. The hacking systems have also enabled the NSA to launch cyberattacks by corrupting and disrupting file downloads or denying access to websites.

https://firstlook.org/theintercept/article/2014/03/12/nsa-plans-infect-millions-computers-malware/


New York hospital warns patients of possible HIV, hepatitis exposure


NEW YORK Thu Mar 13, 2014 1:19am EDT- 3 hours ago
(Reuters) - A New York hospital on Wednesday alerted more than 4,200 patients who may have received insulin of possible exposure to hepatitis viruses and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) due to possible blood contamination, officials and local media said.

South Nassau Communities Hospital in Oceanside on Long Island, near New York City, said patients may have received insulin from a pen reservoir - not a single-use disposable needle - that could have been used on more than one patient.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/13/us-usa-newyork-hospital-idUSBREA2C0B320140313

McDonald's hit by worker lawsuits claiming it steals wages

mar 13 2014
(Reuters) - McDonald's Corp workers in three U.S. states filed lawsuits this week against the fast-food chain, alleging it is stealing wages by forcing them to work off the clock, by cheating them out of overtime and by denying them rest breaks.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/13/us-mcdonalds-lawsuit-idUSBREA2C1IQ20140313


Libyan ex-premier Zeidan flees to Europe

March 13 2014
Former Libyan prime minister Ali Zeidan has fled to Europe. Unconfirmed reports that he flew via Malta to Germany have not been verified.  Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat told the state-owned Maltese television TVM that Zeidan stopped over on the Mediterranean island nation late on Tuesday.
Maltese government sources quoted by Reuters said Zeidan left on board a private plan bound for Germany. This was not confirmed by German authorities.

http://www.dw.de/libyan-ex-premier-zeidan-flees-to-europe/a-17492737


6 killed in ambulance aircraft crash in Colombia

March 13, 2014 9:31 am
BOGOTA, Mar 13 –Colombian authorities confirmed on Wednesday that an ambulance aircraft crashed near Villavicencio's Vanguardia airport in the central Meta department, killing six people.

http://balita.ph/2014/03/13/6-killed-in-ambulance-aircraft-crash-in-colombia/


Bahrainis demand exit of Saudi forces

Thu Mar 13, 2014 7:34AM GMT
Bahraini anti-regime protesters have once again poured onto the streets to demand an end to the Saudi occupation of their country.

http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2014/03/13/354467/bahrainis-demand-exit-of-saudi-forces/

1000s of Argentineans march for pay rise

-March 12/14
Thousands of teachers and government workers have taken to the streets of Argentina's capital, Buenos Aires, calling for a pay rise.

http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2014/03/13/354475/argentineans-march-for-pay-rise/







Wednesday 12 March 2014

March 12, 2014: News Updates


Gas leak blamed for fatal New York explosion

Wednesday 12 March 2014 16.59
Two residential buildings in Manhattan have exploded and collapsed killing at least two people and injuring 18 others.
The explosion struck the buildings at 116th Street and Park Avenue in the East Harlem neighbourhood of New York, where witnesses said they were jolted awake by what sounded like an earthquake.


http://www.rte.ie/news/2014/0312/601807-building-collapses-in-manhattan-new-york/



Malaysian plane disappearance linked to 9/11: Barrett

Malaysia
Malaysia's Department of Civil Aviation's Director General Azharuddin Abdul Rahman briefs reporters on search and recovery efforts within existing and new areas for missing Malaysia Airlines plane, on Monday, March 10, 2014 in Sepang,Malaysia.(file photo)
Wed Mar 12, 2014 7:24AM GMT
Transponder signals mysteriously disappear. Jetliners veer off course, then vanish without a trace. Seemingly impossible cell phone calls add to the mystery.
It happened on 9/11. Now it has happened again in Malaysia.
Family members of the passengers on Malaysian Airlines MH370 report getting ring tones when they call their missing loved ones. Social networking sites show the missing passengers "on-line." The airline reports getting ring tones on the crew's cell phones. 

http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2014/03/12/354317/malaysian-plane-incident-linked-to-911/


 

Malaysia Airlines flight direction unclear to Malaysian authorities

Chief denies report that military tracked jet far from where it last contacted air traffic control
The Associated Press Posted: Mar 12, 2014 12:50 AM ET
More than four days after a Malaysian jetliner went missing en route to Beijing, authorities acknowledged Wednesday they didn't know which direction the plane carrying 239 passengers was heading when it disappeared, vastly complicating efforts to find it.

Amid intensifying confusion and occasionally contradictory statements, the country's civil aviation authorities and the military said the plane may have turned back from its last known position between Malaysia and Vietnam, possibly as far as the Strait of Malacca, a busy shipping lane west of Malaysia.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/malaysia-airlines-flight-direction-unclear-to-malaysian-authorities-1.2569129


Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 search crowdsourced by U.S. firm

Internet users can search for the missing plane in satellite images of ocean
Thomson Reuters Posted: Mar 11, 2014 6:08 PM ET Last Updated: Mar 11, 2014 11:05 PM ET
A U.S. company has put crowdsourcing to work in the search for a missing Malaysia Airlines jetliner, inviting internet users to comb through satellite images of over 3,100 square kilometres of ocean for any sign of wreckage, the company says.
Colorado-based DigitalGlobe Inc. used two of its satellites to collect imagery from an area between the Gulf of Thailand and the South China Sea where the Boeing 777-200ER with 239 passengers and crew on board was at first believed to have crashed after it went missing early on Saturday, the firm said on its website Tuesday.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/malaysia-airlines-flight-mh370-search-crowdsourced-by-u-s-firm-1.2568677


 Russia Calls U.S. Aid to Ukraine Illegal Amid Standoff

By Kateryna Choursina, Volodymyr Verbyany and Ilya Arkhipov Mar 12, 2014 5:51 AM GMT+
Russia stood by deposed Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych and called possible U.S. aid to the new government in Kiev illegal, as the standoff with Western governments over Crimea intensified.
Financial support sought by the U.S. for Ukraine’s interim leadership would violate American law barring aid to any regime that uses force to take power, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement yesterday. Russia considers the ouster of Moscow-backed Yanukovych a coup, a claim rejected by the U.S.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-03-12/russia-calls-u-s-aid-to-ukraine-illegal-amid-standoff.html



US uses law on aid to post-coup governments as ‘political football’

march 11 2014
The US has double standards when it comes to suspending aid to countries where the authorities have been overthrown by force, Egypt and Ukraine are a clear example, Jeffrey Steinberg, Executive Intelligence Review senior editor, told RT.
RT: Ukraine's deposed leader claims Washington is breaking its own laws when offering money to the current authorities in Kiev. So does Yanukovich have a point here?

http://rt.com/op-edge/us-egypt-ukraine-aid-194/


Has Blackwater been deployed to Ukraine? Notorious U.S. mercenaries 'seen on the streets of flashpoint city' as Russia claims 300 hired guns have arrived in country

    Unidentified armed men seen on the streets of Donetsk in east Ukraine
    Russian diplomat claims 300 mercenaries had arrived in Kiev this week
    Mercenaries in the region could give Putin pretext for military action
    Donetsk has been the scene of big pro-Russian demonstrations this week
Speculation was growing last night that American mercenaries had been deployed to Donetsk after videos emerged of unidentified armed men in the streets of the eastern Ukrainian city.
At least two videos published on YouTube earlier this week show burly, heavily armed soldiers with no insignia in the city, which has been gripped by pro-Moscow protests.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2576490/Are-Blackwater-active-Ukraine-Videos-spark-talk-U-S-mercenary-outfit-deployed-Donetsk.html#ixzz2vjNaqoS7


US war games in Black Sea 'speak in clear voice' to Russia: White House

Wed Mar 12, 2014 3:19AM GMT
White House press secretary Jay Carney says US military exercises with Romanian and Bulgarian warships in the Black Sea "speak in a clear voice" to Russia.
"We obviously have provided stepped-up assistance to those countries in this case," Carney said on Tuesday.
The Obama administration has sent 12 F-16 fighter jets and 300 American troops in Poland this week. Six F-15C Eagles and more than 60 American had also arrived at Siauliai air base, Lithuania.

http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2014/03/12/354294/us-war-games-message-for-russia-wh/


Saudi chameleon: What next, jihad in Crimea?

Published time: March 11, 2014 08:40

http://rt.com/op-edge/crimea-terrorism-saudi-tatars-050/

Bond Trading Grinds To A Halt: Goldman Set To Report Weakest Q1 Since 2005; Revenues Down As Much As 25% Elsewhere

march 12/14
The topic of disappearing bond market liquidity and volume has been beaten to death on this site over the past several years. Nothing new here: thanks to the Fed's central-planning mission creep which has made efficient and fair markets into a surreal mockery, first equity, and then fixed income trading has been made irrelevant as there is no longer such a thing as price discovery, and with it have disappeared liquidity in the two largest equity and fixed income markets in the world.
It got so bad even the TBAC was openly complaining to the Treasury last August that there is no longer a bond market in the conventional sense, with the clear implication that since there are barely any fixed income transactions, Wall Street can't make money on either flow or prop trading side of things (and also warned that if and when the selling starts in earnest, watch out below). Alas, since Wall Street was explicitly fighting the Fed (remember: the main reason there is no volume is because nobody is selling) Wall Street has once again lost, and despite its appeals, the time to pay the piper has come. Said payment will be taken out of bank Q1 earnings which as everyone knows, will continue the declining trend seen in recent years (so much for that whole Net Interest Margin fable), but to learn just how bad, we go to the FT which reports that fixed income groups across Wall Street "are set for their worst start to the year since before the financial crisis, with revenue declines of up to 25%."
The punchline: "Analysts now expect Goldman Sachs to record its weakest first quarter since 2005 and JPMorgan Chase and Bank of America are forecast to see their lowest revenues since they bought Bear Stearns and Merrill Lynch, respectively, in 2008."

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-03-12/bond-trading-grinds-halt-goldman-set-report-weakest-quarter-2005-much-25-down-elsewh


Big fine imposed on ex-Goldman trader Tourre in SEC case

NEW YORK Wed Mar 12, 2014 2:49pm EDT
(Reuters) - A U.S. judge on Wednesday ordered former Goldman Sachs Group Inc trader Fabrice Tourre to pay more than $825,000 after a jury found him liable for defrauding investors in a subprime mortgage product that failed during the financial crisis.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/12/us-goldmansachs-sec-tourre-idUSBREA2B11220140312



Ex-Credit Suisse banker pleads guilty to fraud, set to aid tax inquiry

By Evan Perez, CNN
March 12, 2014
Washington (CNN) -- A former Credit Suisse banker pleaded guilty on Tuesday to fraud charges, setting the stage for prosecutors to challenge claims by the Swiss bank that helping wealthy Americans evade taxes was the work of a few rogue bankers.

http://edition.cnn.com/2014/03/11/business/credit-suisse-banker-arrested/index.html?hpt=hp_bn1


JP Morgan home loan whistleblower gets $64 mn reward

Published time: March 11, 2014 14:35
The JP Morgan whistleblower who revealed the bank's flawed home loans scandal is being given a $64 million reward. The bank was fined $614 million for the debacle.

http://rt.com/business/jpmorgan-whistleblower-mortgage-fraud-106/


When Interest Rates Rise – It’s Game Over

March 11, 2014
I just looked at the US debt clock.
Did you know that the total value of everything that America produces is LESS than the value of the US national debt?
Pretty shocking. But, it gets worse.
If you look at the US debt clock, you see that our ‘official debt’ is something like $17.5 trillion. THAT part of the debt is covered by the US Treasury Department when they issue bills, notes and bonds.
Unfortunately, there’s a TON of future debt rolling down on us. When you’re looking at the US Debt Clock webpage, that debt is at the bottom of the page, labelled US Unfunded Liabilities – about $128.22 trillion (right now). The US Treasury Department does NOT cover that debt, yet. (But, they will – in the future.)

http://www.omegashock.com/2014/03/11/when-interest-rates-rise-its-game-over/



Mar 12, 2014

Internet Tim Berners-Lee: the Web Needs a Magna Carta

Twenty-five years after he proposed what would eventually turn into the World Wide Web, British inventor Tim Berners-Lee called for an online Magna Carta to protect the Internet from the influences of governments and corporations.
Berners-Lee says the world needs a “global constitution — a bill of rights.” Jemima Kiss writes in the Guardian

http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2014/03/12/tim-berners-lee-the-web-needs-a-magna-carta/


Is bitcoin a derivative? US regulator weighs oversight

Published time: March 12, 2014 00:24
The US derivatives regulator is considering whether to regulate digital currencies such as bitcoin, the agency’s head said, as governments the world over begin to address how to handle mercurial cryptocurrency.
“We are looking into that,” Mark Wetjen, acting chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), said Tuesday, Reuters reported. “It’s been initiated, there’s been an internal discussion at the staff level.”
The CFTC regulates the commodity futures and options markets. Wetjen said the agency is analyzing whether digital currency falls under its purview as a watchdog over commodity manipulation.


http://rt.com/usa/united-states-bitcoin-regulation-226/


U.S. surprises oil market with sale from strategic reserve

WASHINGTON Wed Mar 12, 2014 7:10pm GMT
(Reuters) - The United States will hold the first test sale of crude from its emergency oil stockpile since 1990, offering a modest 5 million barrels in what some observers saw as a subtle message to Russia from the Obama administration.

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2014/03/12/us-usa-energy-reserves-idUKBREA2B12V20140312


Special Report: How China's official bank card is used to smuggle money

MACAU Wed Mar 12, 2014 2:58am GMT
(Reuters) - Growing numbers of Chinese are using the country's state-backed bankcards to illegally spirit billions of dollars abroad, a Reuters examination has found.
On a recent day at the Choi Seng Jewellery and Watches company, a middle-aged woman strode to the counter past dusty shelves of watches. She handed the clerk her UnionPay card and received HK$300,000 ($50,000) in cash. She signed a credit card receipt describing the transaction as a "general sale", stuffed the cash into her handbag and strolled over to the Ponte 16 casino next door.
The withdrawal far exceeded the daily limit of 20,000 yuan, or $3,200, in cash that individual Chinese can legally move out of the mainland. "Don't worry," said a store clerk when asked about the legality of the transaction. "Everyone does this."

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2014/03/12/us-china-unionpay-special-report-idUKBREA2B00820140312


Former Heinz CEO Gets $110 Million As Firms Cuts 3,400 Jobs

03/11/14
Heinz was bought by Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathawy (and 3G Capital) in February 2013 for $28 billion. Since then the firm has cut 3,400 jobs and closed factories in an effort to boost profits as they pay current boss Bernardo Hees $9.2 million. However, as The BBC reports, the most stunning dichotomy in this tale is former Heinz CEO William Johnson's $110.5 million payday for the final eight months of 2013... Perhaps more worryingly, Buffett has proclaimed this a "model for future buys." When will the President replace Immelt with Buffett as his jobs advisors?

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-03-11/former-heinz-ceo-gets-110-million-firms-cuts-3400-jobs


'Slavery - and its consequences - should end'

03/11/14
How can the wrongs of slavery be put right? Fourteen Caribbean states are considering legal action against their former European colonizers. Jamaican Verene Shepherd is fighting with them for reparations.

http://www.dw.de/slavery-and-its-consequences-should-end/a-17487028



Japanese scientist calls for own ground-breaking stem cell study to be retracted

Published time: March 12, 2014 01:04
Edited time: March 12, 2014 01:37
One of the co-authors of a recent study promising to revolutionize the synthesis of stem cells has called for the entire research to be retracted after he reviewed the test data and reportedly found multiple problems, including “questionable images.”

http://rt.com/news/stem-cell-study-retraction-070/


Saint John council votes to stop putting fluoride in water

CBC News Posted: Mar 11, 2014 6:50 AM AT Last Updated: Mar 11, 2014 1:42 PM AT
Saint John will no longer add fluoride to the city's water.
Despite the urging of dentists and doctors at Monday's meeting of city council, the majority of councillors decided the treatment was not a worthwhile expense and voted to stop the practice.
For Coun. Ray Strowbridge, the decision came down to dollars and cents.
"The business case for the way fluoride is delivered in this city is an epic fail," he said.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/saint-john-council-votes-to-stop-putting-fluoride-in-water-1.2567770

Thousands clash with police as Turkish teenager buried

ISTANBUL Wed Mar 12, 2014 3:22pm EDT
(Reuters) - Riot police clashed with demonstrators in several Turkish cities for a second day on Wednesday as mourners buried a teenager wounded in protests last summer, unrest which a defiant Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan cast as a plot against the state.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/12/us-turkey-protests-idUSBREA2A0XP20140312