Category Archives: International

International, U.S.

World War 3: Mujahideen free several hundreds of prisoners in Pakistan, after U.S. officials say Drone strikes will continue

Pakistani prison officials say an early morning raid by hundreds of militants, on the Bannu prison, near the Afghan border.

The attack began at 01:30 hours, April 14, 2012.

Pakistani officials say at least 400 prisoners were freed, but some were re-captured or voluntarily gave up.  Mujahideen claim 1,200 prisoners were freed.   The prison is said to be able to hold nearly 1,000 people.

The attack came hours after U.S. officials told Pakistani officials that the United States would continue terror drone attacks.

International, U.S.

What Economic Recovery? IMF accepts Chinese Yuan policy against U.S. dollar, Japan loans IMF billions to bail out Europe, IMF says it’s not enough!

April 15, 2012, Japanese Finance Minister Jun Azumi, announced that Japan will lend $50 billion USD to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to help bail out the European economies.

The IMF says at least $500 billion USD is now needed to bail out Europe!

On April 14, IMF managing director Christine Lagarde, said she welcomes the Chinese Yuan:  “I would like to welcome this important step by the People’s Bank of China to increase the flexibility of their currency. This underlines China’s commitment to re-balance its economy toward domestic consumption and allow market forces to play a greater role in determining the level of the exchange rate.”

The Bank of China said it will allow the value of the yuan to fluctuate by at least 1%, against the U.S. dollar, when international markets open on Monday.  Up ’till now the Chinese central bank has allowed only a half percent fluctuation.

However, some analysts say allowing the value of the Chinese yuan to fluctuate more could result in even more volatility/instability for world markets.

 

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Global Economic War: Israel sues Bank of America

Israel’s Bank Hapoalim has filed a $720 million USD lawsuit against BoA.

Officials with Bank Hapoalim says BoA lied about the mortgage securities it sold to Israel.  BoA is also accused of violating its contracts regarding the sale of those securities.

Bank Hapoalim suffered more than $1 billion USD in losses in the 2008/2009 mortgage/credit crunch fiasco.

 

International, U.S.

World War 3: Major Mujahideen offensive, embassies attacked, U.S./NATO forces attacked, Mujahideen say this is the “official” beginning of their Spring Offensive

April 15, 2012, the U.K. embassy in Kabul was hit by two rockets, probably RPGs.  The house where one embassy official lived was also attacked with Rocket Propelled Grenades.

Several large explosions and lots of gunfire heard in Kabul.  U.S. and German embassies attacked.  German officials say they have taken no casualties.  U.S. officials say their embassy is in lockdown mode, no casualties at this time.

Witnesses say Afghan Parliament building, as well as the Russian and Iranian embassies, were also attacked.

Hotels used by foreign officials have been attacked.  Firefights ongoing between Mujahideen and Afghan government forces in the Zambaq Square area of Kabul.

A U.S. led soldier was killed at an airbase near Jalalabad.

In Paktika Province a government building has been taken over by Mujahideen.  Afghan government forces are engaging.  A mine was planted at a Gardiz city school, which went off wounding several children.

In Nangahar Province several large explosions and firefights.  A suicide bomber targeted the U.S. led provincial reconstruction team building.  Two suicide bombings at the local airport.  Several people killed.  Local officials say firefights ongoing.

In Kandahar a local policeman was killed when a suicide bomber targeted his police truck, with a explosives laden tricycle.

Sunday’s attacks by Mujahideen come after the Afghan government announced they had killed three “prominent Taliban leaders” on Saturday, in Nuristan Province.

International Security Assistance Force (ISAF)  had also claimed to have killed 14 militants in the past 24 hours.

 

International, U.S.

World War 3: Herat airport attacked, NATO helicopter down, Australia makes vague Defense pact with Afghanistan, U.S. will keep special ops in Afghanistan

Overnight five rockets hit the Herat airport in western Afghanistan, according to local police. No further info.

A local official in Khost Province says a U.S./NATO/ISAF helicopter went down.  ISAF confirms, but as is SOP for ISAF they refuse to give any details.

“The Australian Defense Minister said Australia is interested in forging a strategic partnership with Afghanistan.”-statement from Afghanistan’s President Hamid Karzai

The above statement has Australians wondering what’s going on?  In five weeks the Australian government is going to sign some kind of deal with Afghanistan, that could cost Australian taxpayers hundreds of millions of Australian dollars.

The Afghan Embassy in Australia also said the deal would involve ”security, development, trade and investment, cultural and people-to-people links and migration and humanitarian affairs”.  According to Australian media, Australian officials haven’t mentioned a thing about any such “deal”.

What the Australian government has said, in response to questions, is that such a deal was mentioned in a speech by the Prime Minister back on November 21, 2011!

However, that “mention” was vague: “This kind of co-operative country to country approach is an important framework for our long term plans. We seek an enduring relationship with Afghanistan beyond 2014 as Afghanistan takes on responsibility for its own security and governance.’‘-Julia Gillard, Prime Minister of Australia

U.S. Admiral Bill McRaven, the head of U.S. special operations, has revealed that the so called U.S. troop withdrawal in 2014 is actually a troop replacement.

He said regular troops will be replaced with special operations teams that will shepard the Afghan government forces.

However, according to the Associated Press, this plan hasn’t even been presented to Defense Secretary Panetta, or President Obama.  The plan was put together in February by several high ranking military officials, including Central Command’s General James Mattis and overall Afghanistan war commander General John R. Allen.

Pentagon officials say this is one of many plans that are meant to keep a U.S. combat troop presence in Afghanistan, while at the same time drawing down the majority of troops.

 

 

International, U.S.

World War 3: Russia to station naval fleet off Syria…Permanently

“A decision has been made to deploy Russian warships near the Syrian shores on a permanent basis.”-unnamed Russian Defense Ministry official

April 13, 2012, Russia’s Defense Ministry announced that a Russian naval fleet will continuously patrol the Mediterranean Sea, near the Syrian coastline.

The Black Sea Fleet will deploy to Syria around May.   Currently the Russian Kashin class guided missile destroyer Smetlivy is patrolling near Syria.

International, U.S.

H3N2: First child case in U.S. state of Utah. Old folks home hit in Ireland.

April 12, 2012, a girl in Utah has become the first child in the U.S. to be infected with H3N2v swine flu, this year.  Back at the beginning of March three elderly people died from H3N2 in Maryland.

Utah state officials will not say how old she is.  She reportedly recovered after taking tamiflu.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said she became ill after visiting a pig farm.  However, many of the previous H3N2 cases in the U.S. did not involve exposure to pigs.

H3N2v is related to H1N1.

In Fahan, Donegal, Ireland, a nursing home has been hit by the virus.

On April 9 it was reported that 14 people had become infected, with six dying.

Government officials reprimanded the nursing home for not reporting the illnesses sooner: “The lesson to be learned is, where you are dealing with vulnerable people in a private or a public nursing home, keep the Department of Health informed when anything … outside the norm occurs so we can help.”-Kathleen Lynch, Minister of State for the Elderly

The European Centre for Disease Prevention & Control said at least 12 old people throughout Europe have died since February 2012 (not counting the recent Irish cases).  They also say the number of deaths involving old people is surprising, since most studies are saying it’s children that are most vulnerable to H3N2v.

 

 

 

 

International, U.S.

Pacific Ring of Fire: April 12, Two quakes hit Gulf of California, four more in Sumatra

For April 12, 2012, around and adjacent to the Pacific Ring of Fire (PRoF) there have been 10 magnitude 5+ quakes.

Gulf of California: 6.2 and 6.9  (USGS saying the epicenters were in the Gulf of California, but news media reporting it being felt in Mexico City)

West Coast northern Sumatra: two 5.0s, 5.1 and 5.3

East coast Honshu, Japan:  5.3 and 5.6

North Indian Ocean (adjacent to/borders PRoF): two 5.0s

International, U.S.

World War 3: U.S. led forces kill Afghan teacher. Locals taking the law into their own hands; ears being cut off. Australian C-130 attacked

April 12, 2012, Afghans in Faryab Province are protesting the killing of a teacher the night before, by U.S. led forces.

Protestors clashed with local police, at least two protestors are dead, 20 wounded.

International Security Assistance Force admit that U.S. led forces killed two civilians on April 11.  One in Faryab Province, the other in Kandahar Province.

ISAF claims the men were connected to anti-government Mujahideen, but the protestors in Faryab Province say the teacher had no connections to any militant group.

In Kandahar witnesses, and the provincial police chief, say U.S. troops shot and kill a man who was walking with his daughter.  The U.S. troops gave no explanation for the killing.

ISAF also stated that another U.S. led troop was killed on April 12.  As is their SOP they did not give details.  At least 109 occupation troops have been killed so far this year.

In Kundunz Province a suicide bomber killed three civilians and two police officers, wounding another five civilians.

In Kapisa Province Afghan government officials escaped with their lives after their vehicle ran over a mine.  The mine exploded, only one official was wounded, they were riding in a protected police vehicle.

In Helmand Province a civilian vehicle ran over a mine, which killed two children and wounded six other people.  As a result locals turned on the man who planted the mine, and cut off his ears, before police arrived.

However, the locals prevented the police from arresting him, and said they will prosecute and punish the man themselves.

Recently Afghan villagers stoned to death two men who had killed a old man they claimed was spying for the United States.

The Australian Minister of Defense, Stephen Smith, was riding in a C-130 when it came under attack while taking off from Kandahar airbase.

“The Hercules was immediately placed in full lockdown with all occupants ordered to don helmets and assume crouching positions on the floor of the plane.”-News Limited

The C-130 was not the target of the rocket attack. Kandahar airbase is constantly attacked and even the Australian Defense Minister said it was “not uncommon or unusual at Kandahar”.