Global News

Israel Gets Fire Sale Deal on F-35s

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F-35 Joint Strike Fighter

 – Israel Gets Fire Sale Deal on F-35s, Upping Numbers | Germany to Lithuania: No Tanks for You (Defense Industry Daily, Feb 23, 2015):

  • Israel will order another 14 F-35sexternal link for $110 million a piece, including logistical support, training, parts and maintenance, which appears to be a much better price than the U.S. itself has been able to manage. The 14 fighters will join an earlier order of 19 jets. An option to acquire 17 more has been secured, bringing the total to 50, which has been Israel’s goal in fielding two squadrons of 25 fighters each.
  • Germany has rejected a request for Boxer tanks from Lithuania, according to Die Weltexternal link (German). The paper cited concerns for Germany’s own preparedness (recently called into question with “rapid reaction” troops found to be operating without rifle barrels during a NATO exercise.)

…

20 Central Banks Have Cut Rates In 2015 After “Surprise” Rate Cut By Israel To Record Low 0.1%

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– 20 Central Banks Have Cut Rates In 2015 After “Surprise” Rate Cut By Israel To Record Low 0.1% (ZeroHedge, Feb 23, 2015):

Last week it was 19 central banks (including the ECB which accounts for 19 nations) which had cut rates in 2015, mostly in “surprise”, unexpected easing decisions. Moments ago the number became 20 when the Israel central bank just cut its interest rate by 0.15% to 0.1%, the lowest on record, a move which once again caught the market by surprise as only 3 of 23 analysts had predicted it.

Here is the decision from the Israel Central Bank, which may or may not be buying more shares of AAPL at the ATH:

Read more20 Central Banks Have Cut Rates In 2015 After “Surprise” Rate Cut By Israel To Record Low 0.1%

Commodities Crushed: WTI Plunges To $48 Handle, Copper Breaks Key Support

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– Commodities Crushed: WTI Plunges To $48 Handle, Copper Breaks Key Support (ZeroHedge, Feb 23, 2015):

Perhaps the world is beginning to realize that “it’s the demand, stupid” as crude oil prices are collapsing this morning (not helped by “all out production” news from Oman). While ‘markets’ rallied peculiarly after last week’s epic surge in inventories and production data, that has all been given back as one trader noted “the market got ahead of itself, even though the rig count has been falling it is not until mid-yr that we are going to see some impact on supply.” WTI is back under $49.  To complete the gloom, Copper is probing lower, breaking key support with projections to 222.50 if this move takes shape.

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BOUGHT – The Truth Behind Vaccines, Big Pharma & Your Food (Documentary)

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Bought-Documentary

– BOUGHT – The Truth Behind Vaccines, Big Pharma & Your Food (Video)

…Is Your Family’s Health Being Traded For Profit?

New BOUGHT Documentary Exposes Ugly Truth
Behind Vaccines, GMO’s and Big Pharma…

ABOUT THE BOUGHT FILM:

You’re about to see how Wall Street has literally “BOUGHT” your and your family’s health.

The food, vaccine, drug, insurance and health industry are a multi-BILLION dollar enterprise… focused more on profits than human lives. The BOUGHT documentary takes viewers deep “inside the guts” of this despicable conspiracy…

Featuring exclusive interviews with the world’s most acclaimed experts in research, medicine, holistic care and natural health… Bought exposes the hidden (and deadly) story behind it all.

Syriza MP Asks $330bn Question: “How Will 4-Month Extension Improve Our Negotiating Position?”

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20150223_syriza

– Syriza MP Asks $330bn Question: “How Will 4-Month Extension Improve Our Negotiating Position?” (ZeroHedge, Feb 23, 2015):

While the tone may not be as vociferous as historic Syriza MEP Manolis Glezos’ recent statements over the Greek ‘new deal’, the rhetoric of Costas Lapavitsas (newly-elected Syriza MP) blog post is clearly questioning the decision-making of his party’s leadership. With regards “our commitment to the Greek people, we have deep concerns,” he begins, detailing five major questions that must be answered, perhaps most importantly, “What exactly will change in the next four months of ‘extension’, so that the new negotiation with our partners to become of better places? What will prevent the deterioration of the political, economic and social situation of the country?”

Via Costas Lapavitsas blog,

The agreement of the Eurogroup is not completed, partly because we do not know yet what ‘reforms’ will be proposed by the Greek government today (Monday, February 23) and which of them will be accepted. But those who have been elected on the basis of SYRIZA program and believe the promises of Thessaloniki as our commitment to the Greek people, we have deep concerns. It is our obligation to record. 

Read moreSyriza MP Asks $330bn Question: “How Will 4-Month Extension Improve Our Negotiating Position?”

Greece Misses 1st Commitment: Delays Reform List Delivery Until Tuesday

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– Greece Misses 1st Commitment: Delays Reform List Delivery Until Tuesday (ZeroHedge, Feb 23, 2015):

Well that didn’t take long…

  • *GREECE TO SUBMIT LIST OF REFORM COMMITMENTS TO EU TOMORROW: OFFICIAL

So we are less than 3 days into the ‘new deal’ and Greece has missed its first deadline. We can’t help but wonder if the initial draft, just as we warned, was thrown up all over by the Germans.

As George Saravelos, strategist at Deutsche Bank notes:

Read moreGreece Misses 1st Commitment: Delays Reform List Delivery Until Tuesday

Record Low Baltic Dry Casualties Emerge: Third Dry-Bulk Shipper Files For Bankruptcy In Past 3 Weeks

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– Record Low Baltic Dry Casualties Emerge: Third Dry-Bulk Shipper Files For Bankruptcy In Past 3 Weeks (ZeroHedge, Feb 23, 2015):

The unintended consequences of a money-printed, credit-fueled, mal-investment-boom in commodities (prices – as opposed to physical demand per se) and the downstream signals that sent to any and all industries are starting to bite. The Baltic Dry Index has plunged once again to new record lows and the collapse of the non-financialized ‘clean’ indicator of the imbalances between global trade demand and freight transport supply has the real-world effects are starting to be felt, as Reuters reports the third dry-bulk shipper this month has filed for bankruptcy… in what shippers call “the worst market conditions since the ’80s.”

Spot the credit-based mal-investment boom

Commodities-Baltic-Dry-Index-Collapse

After 2 brief days of very marginal gains, The Baltic Dry Index dropped again…

Baltic-Dry-Index-Collapse

As Reuters reports,

A third dry cargo shipper has filed for bankruptcy this month following a collapse in freight rates to historic lows in what shippers call the worst market conditions since the 1980s.

Read moreRecord Low Baltic Dry Casualties Emerge: Third Dry-Bulk Shipper Files For Bankruptcy In Past 3 Weeks

The Lie We Live (Video)

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27.01.2015

Description:

Exposing the truth about our corrupt world and what humanity has become.

This is a short documentary film I made and wrote questioning our freedom, the education system, corporations, money, the American capitalist system, the US government, world collapse, the environment, climate change, genetically modified food, and our treatment of animals.

Alan Greenspan Warns: There Will Be a ‘Significant Market Event … Something Big Is Going To Happen’

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federal-reserve-quantitaive-easing-printing-moneygreenspan-cfrDie Rothschilds - Eine Familie beherrscht die Welt
Rothschild puppet Greenspan.

FYI.

– Federal Reserve Insider Alan Greenspan Warns: There Will Be a “Significant Market Event… Something Big Is Going To Happen” (SHFTplan, Feb 22, 2015):

With the Federal Reserve printing trillions upon trillions of dollars to keep the economic system afloat, many investors and financial pundits have surmised that the fundamental economic problems facing the United States during the crash of 2008 have been resolved. Stocks are, after all, at historic highs.

But the insiders know different. And if there’s any single person out there who understands U.S. monetary policy and its long-term effects on domestic and global affairs it’s former Federal Reserve chairman Alan Greenspan. As the head of the world’s most powerful central bank for nearly two decades he’s privy to the insider conversations and government machinations that have brought us to where we are today.

Read moreAlan Greenspan Warns: There Will Be a ‘Significant Market Event … Something Big Is Going To Happen’

‘Flagrant aggression:’ Damascus livid after Turkey’s incursion onto Syrian soil

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– ‘Flagrant aggression:’ Damascus livid after Turkey’s incursion onto Syrian soil (RT, Feb 22, 2015):

The Syrian government has said a Turkish incursion into the north of the country was an act of “flagrant aggression.” Damascus said it would hold Ankara responsible after they went into Syria to evacuate personnel and relics from a holy tomb.

Syria said the Turkish government had informed the Syrian consulate in Istanbul about its plans regarding the tomb of Suleyman Shah in northern Syria. Shah was the grandfather of the founder of the Ottoman Empire.

However, Turkey didn’t wait for permission from Damascus and mounted a rescue operation to the tomb, to salvage its relics and evacuate 40 Turkish soldiers who had been guarding it.

Read more‘Flagrant aggression:’ Damascus livid after Turkey’s incursion onto Syrian soil

Greek Infighting Begins After Historic Syriza Member Slams Agreement, Apologizes For “Contributing To Illusion” Of Change

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Manolis Glezos

– Greek Infighting Begins After Historic Syriza Member Slams Agreement, Apologizes For “Contributing To Illusion” Of Change (ZeroHedge, Feb 22, 2015):

As the divergence between Syriza’s leadership perspective on debt talks – “success…won the battle” – and the Greek voters – “It looks to me that nothing has changed” – grows ever wider, and on the heels of apparent near mutiny last week, there is growing division in the ranks of the newly elected party. Syriza MEP Manolis Glezos penned a stunning rebuke of the party’s apparent U-turn and asks his electorate for forgiveness… “there can be no compromise between oppressor and oppressed… Pity, and pity again… I apologize to the Greek people because I have contributed to this illusion… before it is too late, let us react!” 

In an article uploaded on the website of his Movement for Active Citizens, Keep Talking Greece notes Manolis Glezos – the historic member of the Greek left (best known for his participation in the World War II resistance) – expresses his deep disappointment about the way Syriza handles with the negotiations and calls for party members to decide if they accept this situation.

Read moreGreek Infighting Begins After Historic Syriza Member Slams Agreement, Apologizes For “Contributing To Illusion” Of Change

50 Shades Of Greece

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50 shades of greece

– 50 Shades of Greece (The Automatic Earth, Feb 22, 2015):

When it comes to the ongoing Greek question, I see a lot of people eagerly jump to conclusions, after the ‘debt deal’, that I don’t think are justified; certainly not yet. The overall conviction in the press seems to be that Syriza has given in on just about all fronts, and Germany and Dijsselbloem are the big winners.

But since that may well be the exact position Syriza wants ‘the other side’ to be in, where they think they have prevailed, one will have to try and think a few steps ahead before judging the situation. There’s far more grey area here than many pundits seem to assume, easily 50 shades of it.

Read more50 Shades Of Greece

After Spike In Earthquake Activity , New Fukushima Leak Sees 70 Times Increase In Radiation

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– After Spike In Earthquake Activity , New Fukushima Leak Sees 70x Increase In Radiation (ZeroHedge, Feb 22, 2015):

It has been a disturbing week for Japan, not due to any recent economic calamity resulting from Abenomics, but because for the first time since the catastrophic 2011 earthquake, the nation has been rocked with a series of ever stronger tremors, with two 6.0+ stronger quakes recorded in just the past 2 days:

Japan quakes_0

The quakes come at an awkward time, just a few short months before Japan’s government aims to restart its first nuclear reactor by around June, following the Fukushima devastation.

While it is unclear if it is directly related to the recent surge in tectonic activity, overnight another radioactive water leak in the sea was detected at the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant, the facility’s operator TEPCO announced. Contamination levels in the gutter reportedly spiked up 70 times over regular readings.

The levels of contamination were between 50 and 70 times higher than Fukushima’s already elevated radioactive status, and were detected at about 10 am local time (1.00 am GMT), AFP reported. After the discovery, the gutter was blocked to prevent leaks to the Pacific Ocean.

Read moreAfter Spike In Earthquake Activity , New Fukushima Leak Sees 70 Times Increase In Radiation

Alarming epidemic causing mass die-off along California coast — “Nasty, cheese-like lesions” prevent birds from eating, breathing — Newly discovered parasite being blamed — Experts: “Surprising… Very concerning… Sudden increase is disturbing” (GRAPHIC PHOTOS)

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birds_lesions_CA

– Alarming epidemic causing mass die-off along California coast — “Nasty, cheese-like lesions” prevent birds from eating, breathing — Newly discovered parasite being blamed — Experts: “Surprising… Very concerning… Sudden increase is disturbing” (GRAPHIC PHOTOS) (ENENews, Feb 21, 2015):

San Luis Obispo (SLO) Tribune, Feb 18, 2015 (emphasis added): I am a volunteer at Pacific Wildlife Care… there is an ongoing problem throughout California with band-tailed pigeons that have grown sick or are dying of Trichomoniasis – a protozoan that causes lesions to form in the throat and nasal passages.

San Francisco Chronicle, Feb 2, 2015: Mass pigeon deaths alarm biologists — An alarming increase in the number of dead and dying band-tailed pigeons along the California coast… apparent victims of a parasite… The sudden increase in mortality is disturbing, [Krysta Rogers, Calif. Dept. of Fish & Wildlife] said… “[It] is very concerning… Right now, it’s really hard to estimate mortality because… if there are deaths in remote locations, we’re not getting reports.”… [The parasite] lives in the mouth and throat of infected birds, causing lesions in the mouth or esophagus that eventually block the passage of food. Infected birds die from starvation or suffocation.

Read moreAlarming epidemic causing mass die-off along California coast — “Nasty, cheese-like lesions” prevent birds from eating, breathing — Newly discovered parasite being blamed — Experts: “Surprising… Very concerning… Sudden increase is disturbing” (GRAPHIC PHOTOS)

Texas Prison Riot: 2,800 Inmates To Be Moved From Now ‘Uninhabitable’ Facility

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– Texas prison riot: 2,800 inmates to be moved from now ‘uninhabitable’ facility (RT, Feb 22, 2015):

After 2,000 inmates, mostly immigrants, took over a Texas prison in a riot over poor medical services, federal authorities have decided to relocate all the detainees from the now “uninhabitable” correctional facility.

The riot at the Willacy County Correctional Center erupted on Friday afternoon, when prisoners refused to eat breakfast or report for work to protest medical services at the facility.

The prison was practically run over by the inmates, who continue to hold down the fort. It still remains unclear what medical service issues had upset the inmates. Only around 800 to 900 inmates have refused to riot in a facility that holds some 2,900 people, most of whom are immigrants with criminal record.

Read moreTexas Prison Riot: 2,800 Inmates To Be Moved From Now ‘Uninhabitable’ Facility

Worst Spying In World History – Worse Than Any Dystopian Novel – Is Occurring RIGHT NOW

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obama-big-brother

– Worst Spying In World History – Worse Than Any Dystopian Novel – Is Occurring RIGHT NOW (Washington’s Blog, Feb 21, 2015):

NSA Spying Worse than Stasi or Nazi Germany, J. Edgar Hoover … Or Orwell’s 1984

We noted in 2012 that Americans are the most spied upon people in world history.

Top NSA officials previously said that we’ve got a “police state” … like J. Edgar Hoover – or the Stasi – on “super steroids”.

Spying by the NSA is also worse than in Nazi Germany:

Read moreWorst Spying In World History – Worse Than Any Dystopian Novel – Is Occurring RIGHT NOW

The Media Is “Run By A Tiny Group Of Politically Motivated Moguls”, And “Controlled By The CIA”

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ingsoc

– The Media Is “Run By A Tiny Group Of Politically Motivated Moguls”, And “Controlled By The CIA” (ZeroHedge, Feb 21, 2015):

While the US media is delighted to entertain the population with the latest diversionary “scandal” about what Rudy Giuliani may or may not have said about the president, to be replaced with another tabloid scandal in the next week and another the week after, things in the UK have suddenly become quite complicated as the entire facade of the media as one working on behalf of the “common man” and seeking to unearth the truth and publish “all the news that’s fit to not anger one’s advertisers” has come crashing down, in the aftermath of the Telegraph scandal which started last week when a “Political Commentator Quits Over HSBC Coverage, Accuses Telegraph Of “Fraud On Readers” followed by “Guardian Slams Telegraph Suggesting HSBC Coverage Was Biased Due To Owners’ £250 MM Loan From Bank.”

Read moreThe Media Is “Run By A Tiny Group Of Politically Motivated Moguls”, And “Controlled By The CIA”

War And Petroleum Reserves

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kuwaiti-oil-fires

– War And Petroleum Reserves (philosophyofmetrics, Feb 16, 2015):

In the interest of analytical balance, we would do well to consider the possibility of war strategies when it comes to the global stockpiling of petroleum reserves.  In the years leading up to the German invasion of Poland, the world witnessed dramatic decreases in the price of oil as well as massive increases in petroleum inventories, especially as the Texas fields began to produce.

These shifts in the global oil markets ran parallel to the deflation which had begun in October, 1929, and as such, we can see the same pattern repeating today as oil prices collapse, inventories are growing, and world wide deflation is deepening.

Read moreWar And Petroleum Reserves

China Pivots Everywhere

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Pepe Escobar is the roving correspondent for Asia Times/Hong Kong, an analyst for RT and TomDispatch, and a frequent contributor to websites and radio shows ranging from the US to East Asia.

– China pivots everywhere (RT, Feb 20, 2015):

By Pepe Escobar

The world’s leading economy is on a roll as it enters a new year in the Chinese zodiac. Welcome to the Year of the Sheep. Or Goat. Or Ram. Or, technically, the Green Wooden Sheep (or Goat).

Even the best Chinese linguists can’t agree on how to translate it into English. Who cares?

The hyper-connected average Chinese – juggling among his five smart devices (smartphones, tablets, e-readers) – is bravely advancing a real commercial revolution. In China (and the rest of Asia) online transactions are now worth twice the combined value of transactions in the US and Europe.

Read moreChina Pivots Everywhere

What Ordinary Greeks Think Of Friday’s Deal: “We Went Through Two Months Of Agony To Realize We Are Still A Debt Colony”

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euronews greece

– What Ordinary Greeks Think Of Friday’s Deal: “We Went Through Two Months Of Agony To Realize We Are Still A Debt Colony” (ZeroHedge, Feb 22, 2015):

For all the third-party analysis, punditry and opinions such as this one by the Irish finance minister Michael Noonan:

“Their political problem is that this a reversal of their election position. There is absolutely nothing on the table that could be considered a concession. They’re now compromising and compromising quite significantly,” he told national broadcaster RTE, but made clear Athens had little choice. “The biggest threat to Greece was that their banking system would go belly up next Wednesday.”

Noonan said Greece now faces another bailout on top of the two totaling 240 billion euros that it has taken since 2010. Friday’s deal had been “the first set of discussions to ensure Greece doesn’t collapse next week”, said Noonan. “Once you get them into the safe space for the next four months, there’ll be another set of discussions which will effectively involve the negotiation of a third program for Greece.”

… when it comes to Friday’s deal it all boils down to two things: promises, now broken:

Read moreWhat Ordinary Greeks Think Of Friday’s Deal: “We Went Through Two Months Of Agony To Realize We Are Still A Debt Colony”