South Africa

De-Dollarization Du Jour: Russia Backs BRICS Alternative To SWIFT

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– De-Dollarization Du Jour: Russia Backs BRICS Alternative To SWIFT (ZeroHedge, May 29, 2015):

Back in February, Russia detailed a SWIFT alternative that would link 91 domestic banks to the Central Bank of Russia.

On the one hand, the plan represented yet another move towards global de-dollarization but on the other, was borne out of necessity when Russia began to believe it may be expelled from SWIFT as punishment for its support of rebels in Ukraine. Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev warned of “unlimited consequences” if the West decided on a punitive SWIFT freeze.

Two months later, Moscow would receive a seat on the SWIFT board.

Now, Russia is taking de-dollarization a step further by suggesting that a BRICS alternative to SWIFT may be in the cards. RT has more:

Read moreDe-Dollarization Du Jour: Russia Backs BRICS Alternative To SWIFT

It’s Happening – More US Allies Join The Anti-Dollar Alliance

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Anti-Dollar-Alliance

– It’s Happening – More US Allies Join The Anti-Dollar Alliance (Sovereign Man, March 18, 2015):

The United States government just went from “Please, baby, don’t leave me,” to frustrated threats and whining.

After the UK announced it will join new China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) as a founding member late last week, Germany, France and Italy decided yesterday to follow Britain’s lead and join as well.

Welcome to the beginning of the end of the US dollar’s domination. It’s happening.

For the past few decades America was the undisputed global economic and political superpower.

The entire world happily used the US dollar, and hence, the US banking system. More importantly, the world happily placed its trust in the US government.

But there’s a limit to how irresponsible, reckless, and threatening you can be. Eventually such behavior catches up to you.

That time has now come.

Read moreIt’s Happening – More US Allies Join The Anti-Dollar Alliance

GMO Maize Transgenes Penetrate Small Farmers Seed Supplies in South Africa

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‘Mission accomplished’ for the ‘Big 6’ pesticide and GMO corporations (BASF, Bayer, Dupont, Dow Chemical Company, Monsanto, and Syngenta).

– GM Maize Transgenes Penetrate Small Farmers Seed Supplies in South Africa (Sustainable Pulse. March 11, 2015):

A first study of its kind has found that GM maize transgenes have penetrated the informal seed supplies of smallholder farmers in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. The study screened for transgenes in external fields, home gardens and local household seed holdings in a village where GM insect-resistant maize had been previously grown from 2001–2008 and also analysed the seed management practices of farmers there.

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Genetically modified (GM) crops were introduced in South Africa in 1997. By 2013, South Africa had 2.3 million hectares of GM crops under cultivation, 78% of which was insect-resistant and/or herbicide-tolerant maize.

Read moreGMO Maize Transgenes Penetrate Small Farmers Seed Supplies in South Africa

‘Isolated’ Russia Ratifies $100 BILLION BRICS New Development Bank

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(L-R) Russian President Vladimir Putin, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, Chinese President Xi Jinping and South African President Jacob Zuma join their hands at a group photo session during the 6th BRICS summit in Fortaleza July 15, 2014. (Reuters/Nacho Doce)

– Russia ratifies $100bn BRICS New Development Bank (RT, Feb 20, 2015):

The Russian State Duma has ratified the $100 billion BRICS bank that’ll serve as a pool of money for infrastructure projects in Russia, Brazil, India, China and South Africa, and challenge the dominance of the Western-led World Bank and the IMF.

The New Development Bank is expected to start fully functioning by the end of 2015, according to the Russian Finance Ministry.

Read more‘Isolated’ Russia Ratifies $100 BILLION BRICS New Development Bank

China’s Stocks Worth 50% More Than Rest Of BRICS Combined

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– China’s Stocks Worth 50% More Than Rest Of BRICS Combined (ZeroHedge, Dec 19, 2014):

Thanks to the massive surge of speculative trading account openings, Chinese stocks are up 28% in the last month and a stunning 52% since China unleashed ‘QE-Lite’. This has sent the total market capitalization of China’s stocks soaring relative to the rest of the BRICS. In fact, Chinese stocks are now worth 55% more than Brazil, Russia, India, and South Africa combined… the most ever.

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South African Rand Tumbles To 7-Month Lows As Central Bank Governor Steps Down

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– South African Rand Tumbles To 7-Month Lows As Central Bank Governor Steps Down (ZeroHedge, Sep 18, 2014):

In a surprise for the market, South Africa’s Reserve Bank chief Gill Marcus has announced she will not be available for another term when her contract is up in November. On the heels of an expected decision to leave rates unchanged, this has sent the Rand tumbling to its lowest since February. While Marcus exporessed every confidence in her successor, it appears the market is less confident (for now). Forget the economy, sell ZAR because the true leader of the nation’s wealth is to step down…

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Africa an El Dorado for South Africa’s Agribusiness Giants

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– Africa an El Dorado for South Africa’s Agribusiness Giants (Sustainable Pulse, Sep 2, 2014):

The African Centre for Biosafety (ACB) has Tuesday, released its new report titled, “Africa an El Dorado for South Africa’s Agribusiness Giants,” which shows the extent to which South African agribusinesses dominate the farm to fork agribusiness value chain in Africa-worth billions of dollars.

Read moreAfrica an El Dorado for South Africa’s Agribusiness Giants

First BRICS Bank, Now BRICS Food Bank

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– First BRICS Bank, Now BRICS Food Bank (ZeroHedge, Aug 7, 2014):

Despite President Obama’s dictating that Russia is increasingly “isolated,” it appears they have found a whole new set of friends to play with in the global trade sandpit. In retaliation to Western sanctions, Putin yesterday unveiled a total food import ban from all sanctioning nations, and, just as the BRICS created their own ‘IMF-lite’ away from Washington’s prying eyes, Russia plans to substitute banned goods with not just domestic supplies but imports from Latin America, China, and several other nations. Agriculture Minister Nikolai Fedorov said “no food shortages are expected,” but more isolation for the West…

Russia is already turning away trucks at the border and cancelling orders (as FruitNet reports)

Read moreFirst BRICS Bank, Now BRICS Food Bank

BRICS Plan To Become “Political Alliance” To Reform The International Financial System

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–  BRICS Plan To Become “Political Alliance” To Reform The International Financial System (ZeroHedge, July 19, 2014):

As the world slowly turns against US Dollar hegemony, it appears the BRICS are pressing to fill any gaps. Having created the BRICS Bank “alternate to The West-controlled IMF or World Bank,”Xinhua reports that Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov believes the BRICS mechanism has been fully developed and can now transform into a political alliance to “reform the international financial system.”

BRICS-happy

As Xinhua reports,

The BRICS mechanism has been fully developed and can transform into a political alliance, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Friday.

“BRICS grows and matures in all directions,” the diplomat told state-run Rossiya 24 TV channel.

Read moreBRICS Plan To Become “Political Alliance” To Reform The International Financial System

When You See This Happen, You Know It’s Game Over For The Dollar

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In my opinion gold in (extended or permanent) backwardation is signalling a total loss of confidence in the $US Dollar and is a clear sign that the dollar endgame is here.

The Great Depression will soon look like a walk in the park.

Dollar-Endgame

– When You See This Happen, You Know It’s Game Over For The Dollar (ZeroHedge, July 16, 2014):

Exactly 70 years ago to the day, hundreds of delegates from 44 nations were busy at work in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire creating a brand new financial system.

World War II had just ended. Europe was in ruin.

And since the US was simultaneously the largest economy in the world, the primary victor in the war, and the only major power with its productive capacity intact, it was easy to dictate terms: the dollar would dominate the new system.

Every nation would hold dollars as the primary reserve currency, and the dollar would be redeemable for gold at $35/ounce.

Read moreWhen You See This Happen, You Know It’s Game Over For The Dollar

BRICS Establish $100 Billion Bank And Currency Reserves To Cut Out Western Dominance

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See also:

– 9 EU Countries Ready To Block Economic Sanctions Against Russia

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(L to R) Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, China’s President Xi Jinping and South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma join their hands during the official photograph of the 6th BRICS summit in Fortaleza, Brazil, on July 15, 2014 (AFP Photo)

– BRICS establish $100bn bank and currency reserves to cut out Western dominance (RT, July 15, 2014):

The group of emerging economies signed the long-anticipated document to create the $100 bn BRICS Development Bank and a reserve currency pool worth over another $100 bn. Both will counter the influence of Western-based lending institutions and the dollar.

The new bank will provide money for infrastructure and development projects in BRICS countries, and unlike the IMF or World Bank, each nation has equal say, regardless of GDP size.

“BRICS Bank will be one of the major multilateral development finance institutions in this world,” Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday at the 6th BRICS summit in Fortaleza, Brazil.

Read moreBRICS Establish $100 Billion Bank And Currency Reserves To Cut Out Western Dominance

Shocking Climate Change Update

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GOT FOOD?

polar-bear

– “Megablizzard” forecast for eastern Australia (Ice Age Now, June 23, 2014):

“Best snowfalls in a decade.” Maybe the “storm of the century.”

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– Aleutian volcanoes waking up (Ice Age Now, June 23, 2014):

Five volcanoes now simultaneously active, the most activity in 26 years.

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– Record snowfall in Norway (Ice Age Now, June 23, 2014):

First time since records began that snow has been recorded in June.

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– Surprise Snowstorm Clobbers Rockies (Ice Age Now, June 23, 2014):

June 20, 2014 – “A bizarre June snowstorm hit Glacier National Park in Montana and parts of Utah and Idaho this week,

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– Confirmed – Earth’s protective magnetic shield is weakening (Ice Age Now, June 22, 2014):

The most dramatic declines are occurring over the Western Hemisphere, says European Space Agency.

Read moreShocking Climate Change Update

South African White Bread Contaminated with Monsanto’s GM Soya

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– South African White Bread Contaminated with Monsanto’s GM Soya (Sustainable Pulse, May 21, 2014):

The African Centre for Biosafety (ACB) has today brought into sharp focus the white bread industry in South Africa with the release of its new report ‘GM Contamination, Cartels and Collusion in South Africa’s Bread Industry.’

The report shows that the white bread tested contains high levels of Monsanto’s genetically modified (GM) soya and that most companies are unashamedly flouting GM labelling laws and undermining the consumer’s right to know. The nation consumes about 2.8 billion loaves of bread a year, handing over more than R28 billion of their hard-earned cash to a cartel comprising Tiger Brands, Premier Foods, Pioneer Foods and Foodcorp, that controls the wheat-to-bread value chain. Roughly a quarter of South Africans live below the bread line and price fluctuations in bread – our second most important staple food after maize – has hit the poor the hardest.

Read moreSouth African White Bread Contaminated with Monsanto’s GM Soya

Shareholders question Lonmin over Marikana massacre

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– Shareholders question Lonmin over Marikana massacre (The Bureau of Investigative Journalism, Jan 30, 2014):

Shareholders of British platinum mining company Lonmin used the company’s Annual General Meeting today to ask questions about inquiries into the Marikana massacre of August 2012, when 34 striking miners were killed at the company’s South African mine.

The FTSE 250 company held its AGM in London and presented figures from its annual accounts showing an increase in profit. It also noted that it had exceeded production targets and moved from a debt of $421m at September 2012 to net cash of $201m.

Read moreShareholders question Lonmin over Marikana massacre

John Pilger: South Africa: 20 Years Of Apartheid By Another Name

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South Africa - Twenty Years of Apartheid by Another Name
Soweto, July 1985 (image by Photo: Paul Weinberg)– South Africa: 20 years of apartheid by another name (John Pilger, April 13, 2014):

On my wall in London is my favourite photograph from South Africa. Always thrilling to behold, it is Paul Weinberg’s image of a lone woman standing between two armoured vehicles, the infamous “hippos”, as they rolled into Soweto. Her arms are raised, fists clenched, her thin body both beckoning and defiant of the enemy.

It was May Day 1985; the last great uprising against apartheid had begun. Twelve years later, with my thirty-year banning from South Africa lifted, there was a pinch-me moment as I flew into Jan Smuts and handed my passport to a black immigration officer. “Welcome to our country,” she said.

Read moreJohn Pilger: South Africa: 20 Years Of Apartheid By Another Name

Why Did BRICS Back Russia on Crimea?

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Why Did BRICS Back Russia on Crimea

– Why Did BRICS Back Russia on Crimea? (The Diplomat, March 31, 2014):

The BRICS’s support for Russia shows the Western-dominated post-Cold War order is eroding.

There’s been no shortage of reports and commentaries on the crisis in Ukraine and Crimea, and Russia’s role in it. Yet one of the more notable recent developments in the crisis has received surprisingly little attention.

Namely, the BRICS grouping (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) has unanimously and, in many ways, forcefully backed Russia’s position on Crimea. The Diplomat has reported on China’s cautious and India’s more enthusiastic backing of Russia before. However, the BRICS grouping as a whole has also stood by the Kremlin.

Read moreWhy Did BRICS Back Russia on Crimea?

South Africans Protest For Lack Of Basic Services

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South Africans Protest for lack of Basic Services

– South Africans Protest for lack of Basic Services (The Real Agenda News, Feb 11, 2014):

The poorest in South Africa are vociferously protesting the lack or inadequacy of basic services such as clean water or electricity. More and more former black ghettos of the apartheid era and slums are being added to the list of places where people do not enjoy the minimum conditions.

Residents have taken to the streets to demand a modicum of dignity after 20 years of so-called democracy. The civil unrest is felt from one end of the country and even in Cape Town residents of the villages were organized in a march to the center to demand improvements.

Read moreSouth Africans Protest For Lack Of Basic Services

Breakthrough Energy Conference: Michael Tellinger: Advanced Ancient Technology And The Ubuntu Movement (Video)

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Related info:

– First Civilisation on Earth Discovered in Southern Africa:

Scholars have told us that the first civilisation on Earth emerged in a land called Sumer some 6000 years ago. The persistent research by South Africans Michael Tellinger, Johan Heine and a team of leading scientists, over an extend seven-year period, has resulted in astonishing new archaeological and scientific discoveries. It shows that the Sumerians and even the Egyptians inherited all their knowledge from an earlier advanced civilisation that lived at the southern tip of Africa more than 200,000 years ago… mining gold.

Read moreBreakthrough Energy Conference: Michael Tellinger: Advanced Ancient Technology And The Ubuntu Movement (Video)

Nelson Mandela And The Mossad – Israeli Archives (Veterans Today)

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– Mandela and the Mossad – Israeli Archives (Veterans Today, Dec 22, 2013):

JTA Report: Mandela received Mossad training

[Editors Note: Nothing new or surprising here…rabid Zionists playing the South Africans from both ends…courting Mandela on one and then working in the SA joint nuclear and biological weapons programs, the latter being quite nasty. The Zios wanted a bio weapon that would only kill Arabs and the SAs wanted one that would only kill black folks.

Our Intel agencies eventually knew this but of course would never tell the American people, who they worked for. Not telling people things also gives you power over them. What is in the American Intel archives on Israel is shocking beyond belief, and yet not a single warning has ever gone out about the threat as that would make our political class look like they were in the bag, which they were…are.

We have a long running issue of questionable loyalties here. The Intel people of course don’t trust the politicians, even the President sometimes, from whom they hide what they feel is too dangerous to know. So the question is, in that case, who are they working for? Who do they really report in those cases, other than themselves?… Jim W. Dean ]

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December 20, 2013 6:44am

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“No one’s friend – Everyone’s enemy”

(JTA) — Nelson Mandela received training from Israel’s Mossad in the 1960s, an Israeli government document has revealed.

Mandela, the former South African president and anti-apartheid leader who died earlier this month, was trained by Mossad agents in weaponry and sabotage in 1962, according to a report Thursday in Haaretz that was based on a document in the Israel State Archives labeled “Top Secret.”

The document, a letter sent from the Mossad to the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem, said Mossad operatives also attempted to encourage Zionist sympathies in Mandela, Haaretz reported.

Read moreNelson Mandela And The Mossad – Israeli Archives (Veterans Today)

Putin: ‘Will We Help Syria? We Will’ – ‘I Do Not Want To Think That Any Other Country Will Be Subjected To Any External Aggression’

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– Russia will help Syria in case of external aggression (Itar Tass, Sep 6, 2013):

The United States, Turkey, Canada, France, Saudi Arabia and Britain back the strike on Syria at the G20 summit, Russian President Vladimir Putin said.

Speaking at a final press conference, Putin said Russia, China, India, Indonesia, Brazil, South Africa and Italy came against military actions in Syria.

Read morePutin: ‘Will We Help Syria? We Will’ – ‘I Do Not Want To Think That Any Other Country Will Be Subjected To Any External Aggression’

China Sides With Russia In Opposing Military Strikes On Syria

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– China sides with Russia in opposing military strikes on Syria (RT, Sep 5, 2013):

China joined Russia in its opposition against military strikes on Syria ahead of the G20 summit on Thursday. Beijing said the use of force would cause a swing in oil prices, thereby hurting the global economy.

“Military action would have a negative impact on the global economy, especially on the oil price – it will cause a hike in the oil price,” China’s vice finance minister, Zhu Guangyao, said at a pre-G20 briefing in St. Petersburg.

The remark was echoed by other members of the BRICS bloc, Reuters reported. Aside from China, the bloc consists of emerging economies including Brazil, Russia, India, and South Africa.

Read moreChina Sides With Russia In Opposing Military Strikes On Syria

BRICS Nations Plan New Bank To Replace World Bank, IMF

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– BRICS Nations Plan New Bank to Bypass World Bank, IMF (Bloomberg, March 26, 2013):

The biggest emerging markets are uniting to tackle under-development and currency volatility with plans to set up institutions that encroach on the roles of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund.

The leaders of the so-called BRICS nations — Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa — are set to approve the establishment of a new development bank during an annual summit that began today in the eastern South African city of Durban, officials from all five nations say. They will also discuss pooling foreign-currency reserves to ward off balance of payments or currency crises.

Read moreBRICS Nations Plan New Bank To Replace World Bank, IMF