Posts
Breaking
News
A
fast-growing wildfire has forced thousands of residents from homes in
Colorado Springs, Colorado, and nearby communities as firefighters
struggled to contain out-of-control and wind-stoked blazes in several
western US states
Armed
groups have targeted an oil pipeline in the eastern Syria city
of Dayr al-Zawr, but there is no immediate report of
casualties.
Global
economy
The
United States is headed for what economists are calling
a "fiscal cliff" at the end of this year, when
huge government spending cuts are due to kick in at the
same time as a big jump in tax rates.
After
almost two years of emergency summits yielding stop-gap measures
that have eroded its credibility, the European Union plunges
into a crucial week for its debt crisis.
“The
global economy continues to falter and the pace of that slowdown is
picking up. Recent data showed that German consumer confidence
dropped the most since 1998, as Italian confidence dropped to an
all-time record low. The level of Spain’s non-performing
loans reached the highest since 1994.”
The
outflow of foreign-currency deposits from Argentina's banking system
showed no sign of slowing last week, as nervous savers withdrew 522
million dollars from bank accounts.
Military/intelligence
NATO
is to hold an emergency meeting after Turkey yesterday accused Syria
of downing one of its fighter jets in international airspace, raising
fears that tensions could soar in the tinderbox region.
hibiting trade in oil and financial services to ramp up pressure
on President Bashar al-Assad's regime to end bloodshed.
Interfax
reports that a ship carrying Russian helicopters to Syria, which
turned back after its insurance was cut, is expected to resume its
journey accompanied by at least one other vessel.
In
the era of remote-controlled drones, invisible planes and microwave
guns, no military innovation should come as a surprise. But among the
array
Venezuela
has recalled its ambassador to Paraguay and suspended oil export to
protest the impeachment of Paraguay’s President Fernando
Lugo, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.
Fatal
incident in bar in Indian Ocean city comes a day after US embassy
issued "imminent attack" warning
Environmental/disasters
An
earthquake has hit a mountainous area of southwest China, killing
at least four people and injuring more than 100, state media
reported
In
every disaster there's usually one photo that captures the essence of
the event. The photo of the scared looking seal swept away from the
Lake Superior Zoo by floodwaters does the trick for me on this
one. I'm tempted to call this "The Great Duluth Seal Flood of
2012."
Civil
unrest/revolution
Thousands
of Thai “Red Shirts” rally in Bangkok to demand the
judiciary to stay out of the country’s politics, saying they
have returned to attend to unfinished business.
Following
days of unrest sparked by rising food prices, protests demanding
regime change have widened over the week.
Energy/resources
Europe
NatWest's
online forum becomes a diary of disillusionment as those unable
to go to the bank's branches run out of money
The
newly elected Greek coalition government will seek a two-year
''bailout holiday'' from some of the harshest elements of the
European Union and International Monetary Fund package.
Crucial
discussions about Greece's indebtness have been postponed, because of
health problems affecting both the prime minister and the finance
minister.
Goldman
Sachs Asset Management chairman Jim O’Neill says he would consider
the Bank of England governor’s role if approached.
Accountant
will not be penalised for role in auditing European banking arm
of Lehman Brothers, after 18-month investigation
The
British government has expressed concerns that Argentina may use
the 2012 Olympic Games in London as a platform to protest
against the UK’s occupation of the Malvinas (Falklands).
Rate,
violence of hate attacks rises (Greece)
China
As
the Chinese economy continues to sputter, prominent corporate
executives in China and Western economists say there is evidence that
local and provincial officials are falsifying economic
statistics to disguise the true depth of the troubles.
Japan
Egypt
The
Muslim Brotherhood's Mohamed Mursi has won the bitterly contested
race for Egypt's first democratically-elected president, prompting
scenes of jubilation amongst the thousands gathered in Cairo's
Tahrir Square to hear the long-awaited election results
Egyptian
president-elect Mohamed Morsi, the first Islamist head of state in
the Arab world's most populous nation, has delivered an encouraging
speech stating that under his rule Christians and Muslims will unite
and make Egypt proud and great again.
Muslim
Brotherhood candidate, now president-elect, vows in victory speech to
"restore rights" to Egyptian people.
USA
Tropical
Storm Debby has meandered on an uncertain track toward the Florida
coast, bringing strong winds and waves that forced the closure of
about a quarter of offshore oil and gas production in the Gulf
of Mexico.
The
outer bands of Tropical Storm Debby lashed Florida on Sunday,
spawning two apparent tornadoes in the central part of the state that
killed one woman, a county spokeswoman said.
Denver's
record-breaking heat Friday sets the stage for a potentially hotter
day today, warns the National Weather Service
If
nothing else, the collapse of MF Global has made one thing clear: The
notion that customer assets were safe was a sham.
Why
Congress Won’t Touch Jamie Dimon: JPM Derivatives Prop Up US
Debt
When
Jamie Dimon, CEO of JPMorgan Chase Bank, appeared before the Senate
Banking Committee on June 13, he was wearing cufflinks bearing the
presidential seal. “Was Dimon trying to send any particular
message by wearing the presidential cufflinks?” asked
CNBC editor John Carney. “Was he . . . subtly hinting that
he’s really the guy in charge?”
JPMorgan
& Other Financials Still Receiving Billions Annually From U.S.
Taxpayer: TARP Institutionalized, When Dimon Should
Be Institutionalized
Is
JPMorgan worried about its potential $18 billion dollar loss? Perhaps
not, when it could be offset by $14 billion in United States taxpayer
subsidies – that’s 77 percent of its total net income in the last
four quarters!
Australia/NZ
JULIAN
ASSANGE hopes his bid for political asylum at the Ecuadorean
embassy in London will elicit diplomatic guarantees that he will
not be prosecuted by the US on espionage and conspiracy
charges.
AUSTRALIA'S
big banks have been ranked the most profitable in the developed
world for the second year running by the influential Bank for
International Settlements.
MELBOURNE'S
property market hits the half-way point next weekend in a
dampened and dismal state and coming school holidays are not
likely to give it a boost.
ECONOMIC
uncertainty and tough domestic conditions are expected to keep a lid
on takeover activity among Australian corporates as deal-making
sputters to a three-year low.
Soldiers
returning from Afghanistan are having urine tests to check if they
have absorbed radioactivity from American depleted uranium
munitions.
Media/internet
The
Vatican has turned to a Fox News reporter for help to improve its
relations with the media amid communications blunders and a leaks
scandal. The Holy See hired the Channel’s Rome correspondent for
the position of senior communications adviser.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.