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.
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.
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.
Oaxaca, Mexico has been hit by a 5.3 and 5.4 earthquake.
North east Honshu, Japan hit with a 5 and 5.7 quake.
Vanuatu, east of Australia, hit with a 5 quake.
“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.
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.
In a case of government incompetence, the Indian state of Karnataka has decided it was time for family doctors to start addressing the rising cases of swine flu. This after confirmed cases hit 126 on April 12, 2012.
“The role of general practitioners is important now because treatment can be effective only if it is started on time. We have adequate stocks of Tamiflu, the only anti-viral drug for A(H1N1) and vaccines. But the medicines can be effective only if they are administered on time.”-Chandrashekar Malagi, State Health Department
Seven people have died in the state of Karnataka.
In another example of local government incompetence, state health officials have decided against H1N1 screenings at the Bengaluru International Airport!
Most airports in India are screening for the virus, that’s because the whole country is experiencing an epidemic of H1N1.
However, the government of India is trying to calm the public by saying the worst is over, at least in the district of Pune (state of Maharashtra): “It is true that the positive cases are lesser in past few days in Pune district. This is in line with reports that virologists and experts had arrived that the surge in cases is likely to abate in 2-3 weeks.”– Pradeep Awate, Central Health Ministry
The Indian state of Gujarat has just reported its 6th case of H1N1.
In the city of Nashik, state of Maharashtra, two people died. City health officials are taking no chances there, opening six new H1N1 screening centers.
47 people have so far been screened in Nashik, 11 are now in the hospital.
In Mumbai, state of Maharashtra, a 23 year old woman died on April 13.
On April 5, 2012, it was reported that British health officials’ lax response to H1N1 outbreaks resulted in more deaths that during the 2009-2010 outbreak!
The report blamed British politicians who said public health funding was a waste of money and cut the budgets! The result of the budget cutting is; 10% more hospital admissions, 30% more deaths, and 30% more ICU admissions.
On April 4, 2012, officials from United States, Canada and Mexico announced they are working together to create a cross border flu response system.
“…the three countries will work together and with international organizations to develop guidance for influenza surveillance systems for select animal species, as well as guidance on the characterization, case definition, and reporting of novel strains, and on triggers for public health response.” also “…exploring new financing and procurement mechanisms, investments in new and more flexible technology and manufacturing platforms, and coordinating plans for preparedness exercises. The plan also touches on sharing best practices for stockpiling.” also “…identify legal and regulatory challenges for helping each other with personnel and medical countermeasures in a public health emergency.” -CIDRAP
On 07 April 2012, a 36 year old woman went to an Egyptian hospital and died the same day. She tested positive for H5N1.
She is the 5th Egyptian to die from H5N1 this year. So far there have been nine confirmed human cases of H5N1 in Egypt this year.
In Hong Kong, at the beginning of April, a dead oriental magpie robin tested positive for H5N1.
Vietnam began testing the second dose of a new vaccine on 08 April. 1,000 volunteers from the provinces of Thanh Hoa and Ha Nam are taking the vaccines, they got the first dose in March.
The Vietnamese Army Medical Institute will make final analysis of the vaccine, according to European standards.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has approved a new vaccine for poultry.
The vaccine maker, Ceva, says Vectormune HVT AIV vaccine has been tested against several types of bird flu viruses in different parts of the world: “Our research revealed such outstanding potency features and flexibility that we believe this vaccine can dramatically help in improving the control of Avian Influenza.”-Yannick Gardin, Ceva Santé Animale
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”.
“The U.S. Coast Guard is conducting an over flight assessment for a report of a rainbow sheen approximately one mile by 10 miles spotted near the Mississippi Canyon block 807 in the Gulf of Mexico……trying to identify the responsible party.”-Petty Officer Bill Colclough, U.S. Coast Guard
April 12, 2012, the USCG is investigating a report, by Royal Dutch Shell, of an oil spill located between two Shell off shore platforms, near the U.S. state of Louisiana.
Shell says it is not coming from its Mars and Ursa rigs. It could be natural seepage.
The International Energy Agency says international oil stockpiles are so high, and demand is so low, that it expects oil prices to continue to drop.
Isn’t it funny how not even a year ago the oil industry “experts” kept telling us that demand was still high, and that we could expect $150 per barrel, or more?
“Easing first quarter 2012 fundamentals have seen prices recently lose most of the $5 per barrel they gained in March. The muted impact so far is partly because much of this extra supply has been stockpiled on land or at sea.”-IEA statement
But don’t expect lower gas prices, as the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries said, the Northern Hemisphere summer driving season is always used as an excuse to raise prices: “U.S. oil demand remains a key uncertainty to the existing demand assessment. The upcoming driving season might be affected by high retail gasoline prices and the pace of the economic recovery.”-OPEC statement
The International Energy Agency says consumers can blame the high fuel prices on wars and rumors of wars: “We cannot discount the possibility that prices will remain high so long as geopolitical uncertainties remain.”-IEA statement
Sudan launched an offensive to re-take the largest oil field from South Sudan: “Within the next 72 hours, we shall have pushed all of their troops out of our territories.”-Rabie Abdelaty, Sudanese spokesman
The Heglig field produces about 60,000 barrels per day. Last week U.S. supported South Sudan captured the Heglig.
India has just surpassed China, as Iran’s number one oil buyer. In the first quarter of 2012 India imported 433,000 barrels per day from Iran. China’s import rate for Iranian oil was only 256,000 bpd. That’s according to Petrologistics.
It could be that China had made a huge oil deal with Russia, but now Russian courts could threaten that deal.
Russian prosecutors are investigating the 30 year deal, over a discount giving to China. That discount results in a reduction in profits, over the 30 years, of $3 billion USD. Many Russians are not happy about that.
China imports 300,000 bpd from Russia’s Eastern Siberian oil fields.