Tag Archives: banks

Business/Economics, International

Trilateral Commission: European Central Bank to become true central bank of Europe

13 December 2012, after months of trying to create a true central bank of Europe, European Union (EU) members agreed to give the job to the already existent European Central Bank (ECB).

The move is meant to standardize banking policies for EU members.  The ECB will be considered the “supervisor” of EU banks. It also allows the ECB to have full access to information from all EU member banks.

Even the United Kingdom, who is usually opposed to approving anything that would make the European Union stronger, agreed to the deal: “It shows that when you go in with a clear and principled argument and you make your case, then you can succeed and that’s what Britain has done tonight.”-George Osborne, U.K. Chancellor of the Exchequer

International, U.S.

World War 3: U.S. occupation of Afghanistan; 05 – 08 December 2012. U.S. detains teenagers, Israeli style! Mujahideen offensive in Khost! Pakistan predicts increased attacks! Sweden says U.S. attacking hospitals, violation of international law! U.S. military official admits to intentionally targeting children, another violation of international law!

08 December 2012

In Khost Province, in the Sahra Bagh area, Mujahideen claim they attacked a military convoy killing nine U.S./NATO troops.  However, local government sources say three U.S./NATO troops were killed, no comment by ISAF.  Also, in the Bak district, Mujahideen beheaded a man for being a spy.  Also in Bak, provincial security chief, Mohammad Yaqoob Mandozai, said Mujahideen exploded a remote detonated landmine killing two civilians and wounding five civilians as well as four Afghan National Army (ANA) personnel.

The American Civil Liberties Union says U.S. forces are detaining at least 200 Afghan teenaged boys at anyone time, simply to prevent them “from returning to the battlefield”.  U.S. forces would hold the teenagers for about a year at a time, in the infamous prison at Bagram airbase.  Then, they would be released or turned over to Afghan police.

The International Justice Network says their own count shows that U.S. forces are detaining much more than 200 teenagers per year, at more than one prison: “I’ve represented children as young as 11 or 12 who have been at Bagram. I question the number of 200, because there are thousands of detainees at Parwan.”-Tina Foster, International Justice Network

In an interview with the Military Times (not the Marine Corps Times as some reports said), U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel Marion Carrington admitted that not only does U.S. and U.K. forces intentionally go after “military aged males” (which includes teenagers) but they also kill “…children with potential hostile intent.”  There have been numerous cases where children as young as eight were killed by U.S. or U.K. Red Coat forces.  In most of those cases, the children were collecting firewood or tending sheep, but the U.S. led forces claim the children were planting landmines.  Intentionally targeting children is a violation of international laws, and justifying it based on the fact that belong to a people who you’re subjugating is simply a form of ‘racism’, even a former Israeli Defense Force member says so: “The decision about who you consider a legitimate target is less defined by your conduct than the conduct of the people or category of people which you are assigned to belong to…That is beyond troubling. It is also illegal and immoral.”-Amos Guiora, now a law professor at the University of Utah

Outside of Afghanistan, the Bureau of Investigative Journalism has documented more than 200 children intentionally killed by U.S. forces in Pakistan, Somalia and Yemen between 2002 and 2012!

Want more proof that the United States does not respect the rule of law?  Read on.

In Maidan Wardak Province, the Swedish Aid Committee for Afghanistan said that ANA troops, being directed by U.S./NATO personnel, attacked a health clinic in Sebak village at Chak district, a clear violation of Geneva Conventions.  The joint ANA/U.S./NATO troops kidnapped several medical personnel and destroyed the medical equipment.  Apparently the clinic was then used as a FOB (forward operating base) for three days.  ISAF Brigadier General, Gunter Katz, tried to downplay the whole thing by saying NATO troops didn’t know it was a medical facility until after they entered the compound, and that they stayed at the compound for the three days “…due to the cold weather.”   The heliborne assault took place back on 23 October.

In Herat Province, a woman and her son were shot and killed.  Local officials say it was over charges of adultery, however, the police do not think the shooter is a relative. They have arrested three people.

Pakistani intelligence officials say an expected change in Pakistani Taliban leadership will result in fewer attacks inside Pakistan, and increased attacks in Afghanistan: “We are awaiting to witness the change in the current Taliban leader which is commanded by a violent leader and the replacement will hopefully lead to reconciliation of the Taliban group with the government of Pakistan.”-unnamed Pakistani military official

07 December 2012

In Nangarhar Province, the governor said U.S. led forces conducted an illegal night raid in the southern district of Khogyani. Seven people were kidnapped and one wounded when he resisted.  Also, in Sherzad district, locals say the U.S./NATO night raided homes in the Stara Tarma area, killing three people before fleeing in helicopters.

In Logar Province, locals say U.S. led forces night raided homes in the Dado Khel village.  Two people were kidnapped and the residents say their valuables (jewelry and cash) were stolen.

In Kunar Province, locals say U.S./NATO forces night raided an Imam’s home in the Underser area.  The Imam and his brother were kidnapped.  Their cash was stolen (obviously the U.S./NATO troops are being trained by Israeli personnel, standard tactic of IDF personnel is to take the jewelry and cash of the families they destroy).

A man using an underwear bomb tried to assassinate the Afghan National Directorate of Security (NDS) Chief.  The bomb went off, the intelligence boss was wounded.  President Karzai blames it on Pakistan.

In Ghazni Province, local government officials revealed that weapons and ammo have been stolen from government arms depot.  A man is being tried for the thefts, local prosecutors say the man worked in the depot and was selling the weapons to Mujahideen.

In Parwan Province, Mujahideen say they launched a rocket attack on a Korean base, near the provincial capital of Charikar.

06 December 2012

In Nuristan Province,  cops are being sniped by the dozens.  Local government officials say the Mujahideen are using brand new high velocity Dragunov sniper rifles.  They say the local police do not have access to that type of weapon.

In Kunar Province, Mujahideen claim to have hit a U.S. base with six mortar rounds. The base is in Khas Kunar district.

In Ghazni Province, a U.S. led night raid on Ali Khel village, in Deh Yak district, resulted in the gates of three homes being destroyed and one man being kidnapped.

A group of lawyers in United Kingdom are demanding an investigation into accounts of British Red Coats intentionally targeting/killing Afghan children, some as young as 12 years old.

President Karzai again stated that the continued occupation of Afghanistan by U.S. led forces is the main cause for violence in the Central Asian country.

NATO, USMC General John Allen and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, made contradictory statements and blatant lies.  Clinton demanded that the taxpayers of NATO members continue to make huge payments to the government of Afghanistan  (money laundering by government? see previous Afghan reports on Blind Bat News), while the NATO Secretary General, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, said that corruption in Afghanistan is only getting worse (Transparency International says Afghanistan is in the top three most corrupt countries in the world)!  Many countries have pledged to give Afghanistan huge sums of their taxpayers’ money, according to a Reuters report as much as $4.1 billion USD per year after 2014 (and you wonder why they want to raise taxes on you?)!  Outgoing John Allen stated there was a “significant decrease” in violence, hmmm, guess he’s not reading my Afghan reports?

05 December 2012

In Nimroz Province, in Khashrod district, U.S. led forces conducted an early morning raid. Locals say five people were kidnapped and a woman was shot and wounded.

In Helmand Province, Mujahideen claim a Red Coat British AFV (armored fighting vehicle) ran over a landmine, which exploded and killed the entire crew.  Witnesses say two more Red Coat AFVs rushed to the scene, but ran into each other causing one of the AFVs to flip!

In Kandahar Province, Mujahideen say they assassinated a key spy working for U.S. forces.  They say U.S. forces have turned a former residence into a spy headquarters in Kandahar city.

In Nuristan Province, a U.S. led airstrike has killed at least five civilians.  Local government officials say the five people were from one family and were not known to have any political opinions, officials are demanding an investigation.

U.S. led NATO and Russia agreed to increase their Afghan operations in 2013!  Russia and U.S. led NATO will expand the training of the Afghan air force and anti-drug police units.

The Democratic controlled U.S. Senate approved a $631 billion military spending bill, in a 98 to zero vote!  The bill allows 88 billion taxpayer dollars to continue the war in Afghanistan, as well as billions for new nuclear weapons.  It will now be reconciled with the Republican controlled House military spending bill.

International, U.S.

World War 3: U.S. occupation of Afghanistan; 01 – 04 December 2012. More illegal U.S. led night raids! Pakistan threatens military action in Afghanistan! Soldiers running over cops! Longest war in U.S. history!

04 December 2012

In Balkh Province, the people of Chahar Bolak district said U.S. led forces conducted an illegal night raid, which led to the men and women of 15 families being separated from each other, and then the women were raped!

Amnesty International says the U.S. occupation of Afghanistan has resulted in at least half a million people living in refugee camps.  The camps are not equipped to deal with cold winter weather:  “We are in dire need of help, the weather is getting cold but we don’t have blankets, fuel, and warm clothes. I don’t know how to keep my children warm.”-Shahzada Khan, refugee who fled Laghman Province because of the violence caused by the presence of U.S. led forces

Afghan government leaders are angry over statements made by Pakistan’s Interior Minister.  Pakistan is now accusing Afghanistan of being the home base for terrorist operations in Pakistan: “…if they do not halt their terrorist activities in Pakistan…..We will reply if there is any activity from Afghanistan…”-Rahman Malik

Afghan Interior Minister, Mojtaba Patang, criticized Afghan National Police (ANP) saying the ‘national’ police units are totally influenced by local politics: “Our police forces have been linked with the political and other groups, they are not national police forces. Issues are created by regional police forces. They are supporting the crime intentionally or unintentionally in their areas where they belong to and are performing duties in the same areas.”  

03 December 2012

In Nuristan Province, the deputy district governor and chief of intelligence were killed and six cops wounded, after Mujahideen attacked the building they were in.

In Paktia Province, in Masto village, an Afghan National Army troop ran over and killed a policeman.

ISAF said: “Two International Security Assistance Force service members died following an improvised explosive device attack in southern Afghanistan.”

In Uruzgan Province, five people killed, nine wounded, by an explosion near the local Afghan Intelligence Department in Tarinkowt city.  The explosion was the result of a remote detonated motorcycle bomb.

The UN World Health Organization (WHO) and the Afghan Ministry of Public Health, say 10,500 people die from tuberculosis every year in Afghanistan.  In a round-a-bout way they blamed the U.S. occupation.

02 December 2012

In Farah Province, locals in the Gulistan district say U.S. led forces raided homes and kidnapped several people.

In Nimruz Province, local government officials say the U.S. struck a suspected Mujahideen home, killing three people.

In Nangarhar Province, Mujahideen attacked the Jalalabad airbase.  According to local government officials, five suicide bombers attacked at once, then firefights broke out.  Some reports say as many as 18 people killed, 40 wounded. Other reports say the Mujahideen made it onto the airbase complex.  ISAF would only say that there were “…multiple explosions in the vicinity of Jalalabad airport.”

Former Afghan Central Bank Chief, Abdul Qadir Fitrat, said government officials were involved with the collapse of Kabul Bank.   Billions of USD were withdrawn or issued as fraudulent loans.  Several reports say the money went to people in other countries and at least 19 individuals and companies in Afghanistan.  Fitrat says no one has yet to be arrested, and even accused the President of being involved: “In Afghanistan we have president who is acting over the law who is not prepared to be inquired regarding the monetary crime which has been committed by himself and family members.”

01 December 2012

In Paktia Province, in Kahiar Kot district, locals say a U.S./NATO transport plane crashed killing everyone on board.  Locals say it looked like the plane was having technical problems. No word from ISAF.

In Uruzgan Province, a suicide bomber blew up his vehicle killing three people and wounding four others. Also, locals from Char Chino district say U.S. led forces attacked them, killing four people and kidnapping two others.

Deputy Afghan House Speaker, Haji Zahir Qadir, apologized for the beating his body guards gave to a Afghan cop.  The incident took place near a U.S. military base in Wazir Akbar Khan area, right after a suicide bombing.  Apparently the cop thought the body guards were Mujahideen and tried to attack them.

The Afghan government is now investigating the creation of an official provincial Mujahideen Council, in Herat Province. It was formed a few months ago, and involved redistributing captured Mujahideen weapons back to the Mujahideen.  The stated goal of Herat’s Mujahideen Council is to unite all local Mujahideen groups into one powerful organization, that works similar to the U.S. state run National Guard.  One national government official says Herat officials have misused funding for water and energy projects to create the Mujahideen Council.

German defense officials announced they will close down two of their Afghan bases in Baghlan and Kunduz provinces, sometime in 2013.

The United States Senate has voted, 62 to 33, to accelerate the pullout of U.S. troops: “It is time to end this war, end the longest war in United States history!”-Jeff Merkley, Senator from Oregon

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

Some Economic Recovery, for U.S.? Apple reverses outsourcing

07 December 2012, Apple CEO, Tim Cook, revealed that some computer manufacturing will be brought back to the United States.

However, the actual assembly of a specific line of Macs will still be contracted out.  Cook says they’re still figuring out where in the U.S. to assemble the computers.

Analysts say the move amounts to about a $100 million USD investment into the U.S. economy, which is tiny when you realize Apple has at least $1 billion in cash and other investments.  So, don’t expect this insourcing of a new Mac to be the cure all for the U.S. unemployment blues.

 

Business/Economics, U.S.

What Economic Recovery? California: Federal austerity to kill hundreds of thousands of jobs, largest court system in the U.S. to shut down, private sector job loses speeding up!

“As California goes, so goes the rest of the nation.”-phrase usually associated with government regulations originating in California, but it also refers to the economy

Federal government austerity measures (whether it’s the automatic fiscal cliff, or those agreed to by the President and Congress), could go into effect in January 2013 and could result in 225,000 Californians losing their jobs.  More than half of those would be from defense cuts (Almost $500 billion USD in defense cuts are being considered, which could result in at least half a million people losing their jobs across the country).

Defense contractor Northrop Grumman has already announced voluntary buyouts for 200 employees in California and Utah.

The second largest U.S. defense contractor, Boeing, said it will try to cut $1.6 billion from its operations by 2015.  The cuts will affect Boeing’s operations in California, including the selling or demolishing of Boeing property.

The Los Angeles court system (the biggest in the country) will shut down some operations.  Some of the courthouses to be closed are Catalina Island, Hollywood, San Pedro, Whittier and Pomona.  No word on how many people will lose their jobs.  The shut down of the courts will drastically affect civil cases.

Citigroup’s recently announced lay offs will affect about 240 employees in California.

The College of the Redwoods will cut a total of 39 jobs by June 2013.

Geron Corporation to cut 40% of employees after its cancer drug turned out to be a failure.

Entropic, home networking technology supplier to cable and satellite TV companies, will lay off 40 employees.

Memorial Medical Center to lay off 114 people by January 2013.

Dignity Health will let go 50 employees at their Saint John’s hospitals.

Kaiser Permanente officially announced 530 lay offs.

San Diego Hospice laid off 180 employees.

Santa Barbara Bank & Trust: “…468 positions will be eliminated over the course of the next twelve months. 80 percent of those whose positions have been eliminated will not depart the bank until at least April 30, 2013….”

Fourth Wall Studios suddenly laid off about 90% of its staff, reports say the layoffs were driven by a major shareholder: “It was a sudden decision and not necessarily expected by everyone, and I have to leave it at that…”-Jim Stewartson, CEO

The preceding list came from announcements made between 29 November and 06 December 2012.

 

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

What Economic Recovery? Yet another U.S. company invests big, but not in the U.S., in Korea

06 December 2012, for awhile now U.S. President Barack Obama has been touting his desire that U.S. corporations start investing into research right here in the United States.  Yet, a failing U.S. company has decided to spend money it supposedly doesn’t have outside the U.S.

Sears Holdings announced that they are bringing back their old Roadhandler tire brand.  You might think that’s good news, but the new Roadhandler tire is simply a Korean Hankook tire with the Roadhandler name on it.

Hankook tires have good reputation, but in these bad economic times when more and more U.S. citizens are losing their jobs, why couldn’t Sears (a company supposedly going broke) spend their big bucks investing in a quality U.S. made tire?

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Government Incompetence & What Economic Recovery? U.S. made aircraft parts being ripped off by Israeli military and scrap metal dealers, army vehicles and ammo disapearing!

06 December 2012, possibly because of the bad economy in Israel, but investigators now believe that Israeli Defense Force (IDF) personnel are involved in the theft of engines for F-15 and F-16 aircraft.  The engines might have been sold to scrap metal dealers.

The theft of engines took place at Tel Nof air base, near Rehovot, last year.

This is not the only time parts for U.S. made aircraft were stolen.  Last year police raided a scrap metal warehouse in Tel Aviv. It was full of new parts for U.S. made F-15 and F-16 aircraft.

Also, IDF ground forces have revealed that in the past few months several vehicles and at least 1,500 tank rounds went missing from an army base in southern Israel.

The economy is really bad in Israel, and has led to numerous strikes and protests.  The most recent strike involved nurses who said Israeli hospitals are full of sick people who are not being treated due to the fact that there is no money to hire more staff.

Business/Economics, U.S.

Sears & Kmart news: Sears dropped to negative! Looking for more independent owners. Execs get $1 million cash! Sears Hometown stores make big profits! Kmart becomes target for thieves, mostly women!

05 December 2012, Fitch Ratings has dropped Sears Holdings to negative CCC.  Fitch believes it is unlikely Sears/Kmart will recover, and even expects negative earnings in 2013. As other analysts have pointed out, Sears’ assets are still worth more than any expected revenues (one analyst said Sears was worth more dead than alive).

Executives of Sears Holdings got a some early Xmas money, by selling off, or trading in their vested shares of Sears Canada.  Some execs traded in the vested shares for unvested, worth about $280,000.  Those execs who already had unvested shares will get cash. According to paperwork filed with the SEC, the top five Sears Holdings execs got $1 million in cash!

The push to find independent owners of Sears Hometown stores increases, as profits increase. Reports say that profits at independently owned and operated stores jumped 29% from the year before!

In California, Sears returned to Banning, but as a smaller independently owned Hometown store. It’s being run by a former insurance salesman, and stocks only tools and appliances.

Also in California, a new Hometown store in Lake Elsinore is scheduled to open in February 2013. City officials say their tax revenues correlate with Sears’ increased profits in tools and appliances sold at the independent stores: “We certainly can tell based on Riverside County sales tax reports that people are spending money in these categories…”-Kim Joseph Cousins, Lake Elsinore Valley Chamber of Commerce.

Sears is looking for a Hometown owner in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin: “We’re looking for a person who wants to operate a successful business and is customer service oriented. This is an outstanding retail opportunity for a dedicated individual to participate in one of America’s hottest growth opportunities.”-Ed Sosniak, regional development manager for Sears Hometown Stores

Hometown stores are hot, for Sears Holdings, because the onus of paying the rent, utilities and employees is on the independent owner: “The local owner is responsible for start-up and on-going operating expenses associated with the store including: building or leasing a facility; providing in-store fixtures; hiring and training employees; payroll; and insurance…”

Sears makes its money by selling the owner the merchandise.   Hometown stores also employ far fewer people than a full blown Sears.

Sears online sales, cell phone sales, store-to-home sales and web-to-store sales also jumped 28%, however electronics sales crashed 30%!

For Kmart stores there’s been increasing reports of theft.  A man in Florida was captured on video stealing video game systems, four times!  The police are looking for him.

In Wyoming a Kmart was robbed by a woman with a gun (oh no, another one for Bob Costas). What did she want? Prescription drugs!

In Massachusetts, two women were arrested after trying to steal more than $1,000 in merchandise.  And in just the past couple of days, three other women were arrested for trying to steal $130 worth of merchandise!

In Ohio, a Kmart employee was attacked by a man with a box cutter (Bob Costas you better call for the banning of box cutters): “The suspect demanded money and was armed with a box cutter. While the victim was attempting to get his wallet, the suspect began slashing at the victim.”-Ronald Mizner Junior, North Canton Police

In New York, a man who just got out of prison apparently killed himself with drugs (Bob Costas you paying attention).  Police say he was found in a stolen car in a Kmart parking lot.

‘Tis the season

 

 

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

What Economic Recovery? Yet another U.S. company invests big, but not in the U.S., in Japan

05 December 2012, for awhile now U.S. President Barack Obama has been touting his desire that U.S. corporations start investing into research right here in the United States.  Yet, U.S. companies continue to spend that money outside the U.S.

The latest is Qualcomm, who announced they will spend up to $120 million USD, by March 2013, on the failing Japanese company Sharp.

Sharp is now predicting it will lose a record $5.5 billion by the end of March 2013!

Sharp was hoping to be saved by a Taiwanese company, but that deal went south, partly because Sharp’s stock prices are crashing and burning (falling by 75%).

Qualcomm says it’ll use half the $120 million buying up Sharp stocks now, and the other half will be used when Sharp starts showing a profit.  Obviously the California based company has more faith in the Japanese economy than in the U.S. economy.

This could be a money maker for Qualcomm, if Sharp recovers, but if Sharp fails…..

 

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Global Economic War: Japan & India sign deal to use U.S. dollars only!

05 December 2012, Japan and India have signed a currency exchange deal that could prop up the U.S. dollar.

Banking officials from the two Asian countries have been working on the plan for about a year.  It involves the central banks of Japan and India exchanging up to $15 billion USD per year for the next three years.

They say the exchanges done in U.S. dollars will stabilize their own currencies.  It could prop up the value of the U.S. dollar, which would hurt U.S. factories (who’re still operating in the U.S.) who want to export their products. Japan has been blaming the rising value of their yen on the falling value of the U.S. dollar.

India is blaming the value of the European Union’s euro, for the rupee’s problems.

When a country’s money becomes more valuable it actually hurts their exports because it makes their products more expensive to foreign buyers. The only way for any country to achieve high economic growth is to have strong exports, a strong domestic economy can only achieve stagnation at best (relative to the size of the country).