Category Archives: International

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

What Economic Recovery? Greek Unemployment breaks Records! 60,000 companies went bust!

On May 10, 2012, the Greek Statistical Authority revealed that unemployment continued upward to record levels.

For February 2012, unemployment was at an official record high of 21.7%!

But wait, there’s more!  The reason for the record breaking unemployment was that 60,000 Greek companies went out of business in 2011!  60,000!

Greek business associations say another 60,000 could go bust in 2012!  They blame it all on the “austerity” cuts the Trilateral Commission control government is imposing upon the people of Greece.

On May 6, Greek voters voted to get rid of the U.S. based Trilateral Commission controlled ruling party, but now efforts to create a new government have stalled.

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

What Econimic Recovery? Business profits down, tax collections down, government debt at historic high!

May 11, 2012, the Japanese government reporting that pre-tax profits of Japanese businesses dropped for the first time in the past three years.

For the Japanese fiscal year (which ends in March) 2011 there was a drop of in overall business profits by 13.3%.  This only concerns the 701 companies listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.

The Japanese Finance Ministry also reports that the debt of the Japanese government is at a record high.  It is now at $12 trillion USD!

That’s an increase of $437 billion USD since last year.  It works out to about $90,000 USD for every Japanese citizen!

Officials blame everything on the rising value of the yen, which is being caused by the ongoing nuclear disaster at Fukushima Daiichi, and the lack of economic recovery in the United States.

 

Business/Economics, International, Technology, U.S.

What Economic Recovery? Panasonic reports record loses!

May 11, 2012, Panasonic reporting a record loss for the year ending in March.

Panasonic ended the Japanese year with a net balance of minus $9.8 billion USD, it’s the fourth straight year of loses for the electronics company!

Panasonic officials blame it on a huge drop in TV set sales.  In April, Sony and Sharp gave the same reason for their losses as well, and blamed it on the lack of recovery in the United States.

 

Business/Economics, International, Technology, U.S.

Oil & Gas Prices: U.S. gas reserves up. Iran allows private sector oil sales. OPEC says there is too much oil!

May 10, 2012, Iran announced the discovery of a huge oil field in the Caspian Sea.  The discovery was made while exploring a huge new gas field.

The gas field was discovered in December, and named the Sardar-e Jangal field.  It’s estimated to contain 50 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.

May 9, 2012, Iran’s Oil Ministry is now allowing the private sector to sell up to 400,000 bpd to international customers.

The decision leaves the National Iranian Oil Company, as well as the Iranian central bank, out of any oil sales involving private sector companies. This means those private sector companies can avoid the U.S./European oil sanctions.

Despite U.S. led sanctions against Iranian oil, Turkey (a NATO member) actually increased oil shipments from Iran.

According to the Turkish Statistical Institute, Turkey imported 270,000 bpd of Iranian oil in March. That’s more than double their February imports!

May 10, 2012, officials from OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) members are reporting that there is too much oil in the world markets!

OPEC reported that in April they pumped out 31.62 million barrels per day (bpd). According to Reuters, that’s 1.62 million bpd more than what OPEC intended.

Keep in mind that OPEC does not represent all oil producing countries in the world. Reuters reports that even non-OPEC members increased oil production in April!

However, OPEC, and the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), expect demand for oil to increase, especially since Japan has shut down all its nuclear reactors.

The U.S. EIA also reporting that natural gas supplies increased in the United States.  For the week ending May 4, U.S. natural gas storage is at 2.606 trillion cubic feet.  That’s 44.5% above the five year average. However, analysts expected it to be more!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Idaho, International, U.S.

World War 3: Cops & bombers killed. Drone crash. UN gives 60 vehicles to Afghanistan. Afghan war criminal begs NATO to stay. Prisoner swap deal for Idahoan?

May 10, 2012,  Logar Province, at least three U.S./NATO personnel wounded in rocket attack.  Also, another U.S./NATO recon drone has crashed in Logar Province.

A large co-ordinated suicide bomber attack has left at least six bombers and two Afghan police officers dead.

The attack took place against a government compound in Yahia Khel district, Paktika Province.  Afghan officials did not say that any of the bombers succeeded in exploding themselves, but that the deaths were the results of firefights between the Mujahideen and police.

24 hour, Joint Command Morning operational update for May 10, 2012: 17 tons of explosives found in Kandahar Province.

“Facilitator” captured in Kandahar Province.

In Uruzgan Province Mujahideen tried to ambush a Afghan/occupying force patrol.  ISAF says one Mujahideen was killed.

Operations to capture “leaders” took place in Paktika and Ghazni provinces.

May 9, 2012, General Zahir Azimi said the Afghan army is ready to begin phase 3 of security operations: “Several regions including cities and 230 districts across the country are going to be handed over to Afghan security forces. Afghan national army soldiers have the capabilities to take security lead in cooperation with the other security institutions.”

Phase 3 should take place in the next two weeks.  However, war criminal, and Afghan politician, General Abdul Rashid Dostum, is begging U.S./NATO forces to stay: “President Barack Obama should know that the Taliban group will resume civil war if U.S. and NATO decides for a rapid pullout of their troops from Afghanistan, and there will be no achievements despite efforts international community who have spent billions of dollars and have lost several soldiers.”

Dostum was involved in the murder of hundreds of “Taliban” prisoners in 2001 (known as the Dasht-i-Leili massacre).

May 9, 2012, the United Nations began delivering the first of 60 vehicles to the Afghan government: “I am very happy to announce that as part of our forthcoming donation of around 60 vehicles, we are starting the first round with our crucial partners of the Ministry of Labor and Ministry of Justice.”-Ján Kubiš, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Afghanistan

Afghanistan’s Ministry of Education reports that 550 schools in 11 provinces, mainly for girls, have been closed because of the ongoing war!

The parents of the only known U.S. prisoner of the “Taliban” are demanding that President Obama include their son, Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl, in an upcoming prisoner swap deal.

Bergdahl is from Hailey, Idaho. According to the Idaho Mountain Express, his parents have become frustrated and are pushing for a swap deal for their son and Afghan prisoners in Guantánamo Bay.

“I’m pushing it hard. We started out by trying to encourage the Taliban to take care of our son…. Now, we’re worried that the government isn’t concerned enough to put him on the (negotiating) table.”-Bob Bergdahl

 

International, U.S.

World War 3: Attacks not being reported by ISAF. Drug war designed to raise the price of Opium.

“The price hike will definitely pressure us a lot. The tendency towards cultivation will grow, it will create resistance, law and order issues, and it will raise the casualty rate.”-Zarar Ahmad Muqbel Osmani, Counter Narcotics Minister of Afghanistan

Anti-opium officials in Afghanistan report that a double whammy of poppy field burning by police, and a fungus that is destroying the plant’s ability to produce opium, is resulting in skyrocketing prices for the drug.

The fungus is attacking crops in Helmand, Kandahar and Farah provinces.  Ending opium production was one of the excuses for the continued U.S. occupation of Afghanistan, but the opposite has happened (as it always does where ever the U.S. takes over).

2011 saw a 61% increase in opium production under U.S. occupation.

May 8, 2012, Ghulam Gawas Malayar, the deputy provincial police chief of Farah Province, reports five of his police officers killed after they drove over a mine.

In Paktika Province four Education Ministry workers, and their bodyguard, were killed when their vehicle hit a mine, and then they were ambushed by Mujahideen.  The local education director was wounded.

In Logar Province two police officers were killed in a Mujahideen ambush.

None of these incidents were reported in Tuesday’s 24 hour report given by Afghan government and ISAF officials.  The incidents are being reported by local officials.

May 9, 2012, representatives from the 203 Thunder Brigade, Afghan army, say two of their troops were wounded by an explosion in Paktika Province.

And now for the ISAF 24 hour report (Joint Command Morning operational update) for May 9, 2012.: Once again more missions to capture “leaders”, this time in Kandahar, Helmand, Ghazni and Wardak provinces.

The statement said they captured several Mujahideen, but there was no indication that they actually captured the “leaders” they were going after  (Afghan government sources claim they captured the “leaders”).

In Helmand two big drug busts.  One weighing 470 kilograms (1,030 pounds), the other coming in at 900 kilograms (1,980 pounds).  You gotta wonder; ten years of supposedly fighting the drug trade in Afghanistan, and the result is an increase in drug trafficking!

 

 

 

Business/Economics, International, Technology, U.S.

Terror Drones: April 30 – May 6. Canada to use drones on its own people, new arms race. Drones on trial in U.S.

May 5, 2012, U.S. drone strike kills at least eight people in Pakistan.

May 2, 2012, U.S. drone strikes kill at least 15 people in Yemen.

From April 30 to May 6, the U.S./NATO increased airstrikes in Afghanistan.  They include the use of drones.  The result is an increasing number of civilians deaths.

May 3, 2012: U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan, numb nuts Ryan Crocker, stated that the new military pact between Afghanistan and the United States could allow drone strikes to continue past 2014.

May 5, 2012: U.S. Mormon news source, Deseret News, supports the FAA issuing civilian licenses for drone operation.  Their article points out that many businesses would benefit, like photography, sports, real estate, etc.  Despite the fact that the Federal Aviation Administration has yet to issue civilian licenses, Utah State University has already been using a drone, taking pictures.

May 5, 2012: According to The Canadian Press, the Royal Canadian Air Force will expand the testing of drones to include operations by police: “We know we need to use them, and the Canadian Forces from a capability point of view are moving ahead to ensure there is domestic capability as part of its UAV program in the future.”-Lieutenant General Walter Semianiw

General Semianiw admitted the use of drones by Canadian police is to commit acts of violence: “You must remember that, in Canada, within the domestic construct, I do not have the right to be able to apply lethal force in Canada. That is the responsibility of the police.”

Canadian officials also implied that there is a drone arms race going on between the United States and Canada, by pointing out that the U.S. has military drones patrolling along the U.S.-Canadian border.

Canada has used Israeli made drones in Afghanistan.

May 4, 2012: The Seattle Times opinion piece says that since so many people use the cameras in their cell phones to take pictures of just about anything, then police using drones to take pictures of you in your back yard does not constitute invasion of privacy.

May 3, 2012: It’s the opening stage of the first trial for a U.S. citizen arrested with the use of a drone.  The man arrested was tasered several times, but local police in North Dakota called in a Predator drone because they were concerned for their safety!

What happens at this trial could affect how drones are used by police against the citizens of the U.S.: “There is, furthermore, no existing case law that bars their use in investigating crimes.”-Douglas Manbeck, ND state prosecutor

 

 

International, U.S.

World War 3: U.S. admits to targeting civilians, Karzai says new military pact is finished if such attacks continue.

May 8, 2012, U.S. led ISAF admitted they killed a family of civilians: “At this point in the investigation we are able to confirm the incident and will be formally apologizing in the next couple of days…”-Lieutenant Colonel Stewart Upton, USMC, ISAF

The attack was reported by local Afghan officials on May 7, but the U.S./NATO airstrike actually took place on May 4.

This is not the only recent case, other local Afghan officials are reporting an increase in the number of civilians who are getting killed by U.S./NATO forces.

As a result President of Afghanistan, Hamid Karzai, says the new military pact he signed with President Barack Obama, in a midnight meeting, is threatened.  A spokesman for Karzai said: “Karzai signed the strategic pact with the United States to avoid such incidents (civilian casualties) and if Afghans do not feel safe, the strategic partnership loses its meaning.”

And now for another 24 hour ISAF/Afghan government forces’ seek, destroy or capture report, May 8, 2012: 25 Mujahideen were killed throughout the eastern regions of Afghanistan, including Kabul, Zabul and Paktia provinces.

A “leader” was captured in Faryab Province.

A “bomb maker”, and several Mujahideen were captured in Zabul Province, along with weapons and ammo.

Two Afghan army soldiers were killed, one by an explosion in Logar Province, the other was killed in Maidan Wardak Province.

 

International

One Year Later: Tornadoes slam Japan, blame weird weather

May 6, 2012, Tornadoes hit the Kanto region of Japan.

At least one person was killed, 52 injured and 900 homes destroyed.

Japan’s National Defense Academy says the tornadoes were the result of highly unstable conditions, caused when sunny, warm air clashed with a cold air mass.

Officials are warning that such unstable conditions are expected to increase!

International

World War 3: Israeli government disintigrating, Right Wing Zionists pushing for total control. Netanyahu admits he is an Elite!

May 7, 2012, the right wing Zionists in the Israeli Knesset (parliament) are about to push through a motion to dissolve the current government.

New elections will be held on September 4.  Polls are showing that political parties that are not warmongers would lose if elections were held soon.

On May 6, Prime Minister Binyamin (Benjamin) Netanyahu said: “The achievements of this government are a result of a joint vision and a partnership that was possible due to political stability. We have not had such a stable government in decades.”

In other words, the right wingers are admitting there is growing opposition to them, and they want to get rid of those opposing political parties.  Netanyahu also said the new Israeli government can not be subject to “populism”.

This proves that Israel’s government does not represent to will of the people, as “populism” is a term used to refer to the rule of the people over elites!  In other words, Nentanyahu just admitted that he is one of the “elites”, and he doesn’t give a crap about what the “people” of Israel want!