Sunday, 15 March 2015

News headlines - 03/14/2015

Media Wars



Who's buying what message as the EU ramps up support for their own broadcasting arsenal and Ferguson is back in the spotlight-this time the cops were shot.


News Links, March 13, 2015



## Global Ponzi meltdown/House of Cards ##
This is why bitcoin won't go away anytime soon
About 80 percent of bitcoin volume is now driven by the Chinese yuan, according to data from Goldman Sachs. The U.S. dollar is the second most used currency for transactions, followed by the euro, the bank said in a new report.
Despite being officially opened with much ceremony in March 2011, to date, no regular commercial flight has ever landed or taken off from the "ghost" airport.

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

 US Asks Vietnam To Stop Helping Russian Bomber Flights: Report
The United States has asked Vietnam to stop letting Russia use a former U.S. base to refuel nuclear-capable bombers engaged in shows of strength over the Asia-Pacific region, exposing strains in Washington's steadily warming relations with Hanoi.
The Secret Saudi Ties to Terrorism
Saudi Arabia, working mostly through Israel's Prime Minister Netanyahu, is trying to enlist the U.S. on the Sunni side of a regional war against Iran and the Shiites. But that alliance is complicated by Saudi princes who support al-Qaeda and other Sunni terrorists.
Major nations hold talks on ending U.N. sanctions on Iran - officials
Major world powers have begun talks about a United Nations Security Council resolution to lift U.N. sanctions on Iran if a nuclear agreement is struck with Tehran, a step that could make it harder for the U.S. Congress to undo a deal, Western officials said.
## Global unrest/mob rule/angry people/torches and pitchforks ##

 Two officers shot outside Ferguson police headquarters

## Energy/resources ##
Saudi Exec Expects $1 Trillion Drop In Energy Investments
A high-ranking Saudi Aramco executive says the plunge in energy prices already has caused many in the industry to cut spending on oil and gas projects, and the trend probably will continue for a few years, perhaps reaching a cut of $1 trillion in investments.
A Company That Helicopters Oil Workers to Offshore Rigs Is Taking a Beating
Western Canadian oil and gas output declines
Oil and natural gas production from frontier prospects in the Northwest Territories is on a steady decline, federal Canadian data show Wednesday.
Energy firms battle to keep lights on during eclipse
France's nuclear love affair too strong to let Areva fail
Iraq builds up debts as oil price drops
Iraq is building up debts to the oil companies developing its giant fields, industry sources said, a further sign of how the oil-price drop is putting a squeeze on revenues in Opec's second-largest producer.

## Got food? ##
Western corn rootworm is getting the EPA's attention
A destructive insect's growing resistance to genetically modified corn seeds is costing American farmers as much as $2 billion annually, and now U.S. regulators may weigh in on the matter with moves that could affect both farmers and corporate agriculture giants such as Monsanto.


South Africa faces food shortage
South Africa is facing the prospect of looming food shortages in the next 10 years as the country struggles to attract new talent to its ageing crop of commercial farmers, according to Deloitte.
China's Polluted Soil and Water Will Drive up World Food Prices
China's push for more intense farming has kept its city dwellers well-fed and helped lift millions of rural workers out of poverty. But it has come at a cost. Ecosystems in what should be one of the country's most fertile regions have already been badly damaged—some beyond repair—and the consequences will be felt across the world.
"Its ongoing decline reflects robust supply conditions as well as ongoing weakness in many currencies versus the U.S. dollar, which appear set to continue," Michael Griffin, FAO's dairy and livestock market expert, said, in the statement. In addition, high crop production around the world and low crude oil prices also helped cap global food prices.

## Intelligence/security/internet/cyberwar ##

 Privacy advocates encourage Mattel to shut down Hello Barbie toy
Japanese websites allegedly hacked by Islamic State group

## Propaganda ##

 Nuland's Mastery of Ukraine Propaganda
In House testimony, Assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland blamed Russia and ethnic-Russian rebels for last summer's shoot-down of MH-17 over Ukraine, but the U.S. government has not substantiated that charge. So, did Nuland mislead Congress or just play a propaganda game?

## Systemic breakdown/collapse/unsustainability ##

American Millennials are among the world's least skilled
Four utilities to decommission five aging nuclear reactors
To avoid paying enormous sums for new safety measures, four electric power companies plan to decommission five nuclear reactors that have been operating for about 40 years, sources said March 12.
Japan to lower food self-sufficiency rate target for 1st time
Japan's current food self-sufficiency ratio target of 50 percent will be lowered to 45 percent for the 10-year period through fiscal 2025, after the country failed to meet the goal in recent years, farm ministry sources said Thursday.

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