Thursday 21 June 2012

Today's stories


Global Ponzi meltdown/House of Cards

"The global financial crisis has barely started and is likely to last for at least another 15 to 20 years as major economies cut debt levels, according to Jamil Baz, one of Europe's most prominent hedge fund managers."







Fault lines/flashpoints/powder kegs/military/war drums

"New Zealand and the United States have signed an agreement to bolster defense co-operation in the Asia-Pacific region."





Global unrest/mob rule/angry people/torches and pitchforks

"Coal miners in northern Spain have fired homemade rockets and hurled rocks at police as weeks of protests escalated into violence."




Energy/resources

"Higher-than-expected use of air conditioning amid unseasonable heat is putting pressure on scarce electricity. This summer, blackouts will be a real possibility in South Korea."






Got food? 


"Soybean continues to stay higher for third straight day of the week in both global as well as in Indian market on the back of thin supplies in the domestic markets in India and hot and dry weather conditions in US."




Environment/health



Japan 

"Japan's parliament approved government guarantees on insurance for crude oil cargoes from Iran on Wednesday, paving the way for it to become the first of Iran's big Asian oil buyers to get round new European Union sanctions."


And just yesterday we learned that Toyota will cut its domestic capacity 10%. -- RF

"Foreign investors owned a record 8.3 percent of Japanese government bonds (JGBs) at the end of fiscal 2011, the Bank of Japan said June 19, creating jitters surrounding the nation's debt problem."


China

"China's State Council renewed a government pledge to restructure the industry that produces rare-earth minerals, but it gave no sign it will lift export quotas that are the subject of a challenge by the U.S. and other big economies."

"In the northeastern Chinese city of Heihe, buildings along the Amur River are brightly illuminated at night, while lights are dim in Russia’s Blagoveshchensk on the opposite bank.

"Heihe, a city of about 200,000 in Heilongjiang province, depends entirely on Russia for its electricity supply."


UK

"NHS hospitals are using end-of-life care to help elderly patients to die because they are difficult to look after and take up valuable beds, a top doctor has warned."


"The Cabinet Secretary, Sir Jeremy Heywood, has said spending cuts could continue until 2020, according to sources at a well-known think-tank."


US

"The central bank expanded its 'Operation Twist' by $267 billion, meaning it will sell that amount of short-term securities to buy longer-term ones to keep long-term borrowing costs down. The program, which was due to expire this month, will now run through the end of the year."





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