Tag Archives: europe

International, U.S.

No more open borders in Europe, no thanks to the U.S. & European wars in the Middle East & North Africa

Denmark announced that starting July 5, no more open borders.  They blame drug trafficking and illegal immigrants.

Since the U.S. led invasion of Afghanistan drug trafficking has skyrocketed across Central Asia and into Europe.  Many of the drugs come from U.S. occupied Afghanistan.

The NATO attacks on Libya have greatly increased what European governments are calling illegal immigration (most of whom are actually war refugees, no thanks to the European/U.S./NATO war on Libya).

Denmark is not the first EU member to close its borders.  France and Italy closed their borders with each other, for the same reasons as Denmark.  In the case of France and Italy, French officials discovered that Italy was giving refugees (I mean illegal immigrants), mainly from Tunis and Libya, EU visas then putting them on trains bound for France.

Other EU members are complaining about the violation of the European Union’s “open borders” policy, but Denmark claims their border closure will not affect commerce.

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Global Great Depression: IMF warns of global collaspe if Europe goes down the economic toilet

“Given the euro area’s role in the global economy, success in addressing the sovereign debt crisis and raising growth has a significant impact elsewhere.”-IMF report

June 21, a new report by the International Monetary Fund says European economic collapse could bring on a Global Great Depression.

All international finance eyes are focused on what happens with Greece.  There could be a domino effect if Greece defaults.  A check of history will show that a similar situation happened prior to the U.S. Stock Market Crash of 1929, which eventually led to the Great Depression in the U.S.

Here’s a little reminder: Germany was forced to pay the United Kingdom and France (and some other countries) huge reperations after losing the First World War.  The U.K. and France owed the United States big time money for saving their butts during the war.  U.S. corporations were banking on that money from U.K. and France, and actually ran their businesses on debt thinking ‘no problem the French and British will pay up’  (it was called “The Roaring Twenties”).  Well, the victors of the First World War made things so bad for Germany there was no way they could make the reparations payments, so they defaulted.  As a result, the U.K. and France defaulted on their payments to the United States.  As a result, U.S. corporations defaulted leading to the Crash of ’29.

Basically the IMF is saying we are in a similar situation with the current debt crisis in Europe.

International

Iranian clerics warning of European style Erhal Revolutions

“The European nations will certainly rise up against their politicians and leaders who made them submit to the cultural and economic policies of the U.S. and the Zionists.”-Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei

The West has been referring to the uprisings in the Middle East and North Africa as “popular uprisings”, but in locally they’re known as “Erhal” (Irhal).  Very loosely translated it means “throw the bums out!”.

For the past several days Iranian clerics have predicted that the Erhal movements will hit Europe.  It’s not because of religion, but because of social/economic injustice brought upon the common people by their own leaders.

One cleric predicts revolutions for all the world’s countries: “They (the revolutions) will slowly cross all boarders.”-Hojjatoleslam Kazzem Sediqi

International, Opinion

Europe calling refugees “migrants”, proof that war in Libya not about protecting people

According to international law a refugee is a person who’s been forced to leave their home, due to war or other violence in their home country.  They are supposed to be given certain protections under international law.

The Europeans, along with the United States, were so keen on escalating the violence in North Africa (Libya), yet they don’t want to deal with the flood of refugees that are a natural result of war!  Instead the Europeans are calling the people fleeing the war, “migrants”.  In this way the Europeans don’t have the same legal requirements as they would if they called them refugees.

In fact, the Europeans are scrambling to figure out how to get rid of these refugee/migrants. The Europeans are even going so far as to dismantle one of the corner stones of the European Union, free travel across borders.  The EU is now considering adopting a law that would allow them to close their borders.

How hypocritical is this?  The “Western world” launches a war against North African countries, in the name of supporting freedom and democracy, and then they refuse to help any of the people fleeing the violence!

For those people out their who think the military action of U.S. led NATO is still about “protecting civilians”, please explain why refugees, ooops, I mean migrants are being treated like sh*t by the Europeans.

Fukushima, Technology

Black Week in Ukraine, Chernobyl anniversary, still seeking funds with ongoing clean up efforts

25 years after the deadly nuclear accident at the Chernobyl plant, the Ukraine is still struggling to deal with the disaster.

This week is Black Week, the official anniversary of the nuclear accident, which happened on 26 April 1986.  31 people were killed, as a direct result of the disaster, and many more have suffered cancers, and children being born with defects.

The amazing thing is that clean up efforts continue, and the Ukraine is struggling to pay for it.   Officials are trying to raise U.S.$ 1 billion for future clean up projects.

Fukushima, Technology

Germany will dump nuke plants ASAP

The German government announced that they will end the use of nuclear power plants as soon as possible.

Germany is prepared to spend the money necessary to make renewable clean energy sources their main power supply by 2020.  Germany will keep its coal and natural gas fire electrical plants in operation.

International

Food Crisis: World Food prices in “Danger Zone”, creating Mass Poverty

The U.S. based World Bank says international food prices have entered the “danger zone”, and are heading towards the “tipping point”.

World Bank president, Robert Zoellick, blames in on several things.

People in countries where the economies are good, are buying more meat.  The problem is that increasing meat production means more grain crops going to ranchers, instead of food for people.  Crops used for bio-fuels, instead of food,  is also a problem.

Then there’s a supply system problem; it’s taking longer to rebuild stocks of basic food ingredients, once they are used up.  This is made worse by the fact that many countries are facing lower crop production mainly because of climate change (cold wx, flooding and drought).

Add to that oil.  Petroleum is used for fertilizers, pesticides, etc, and that is adding to the cost of food production.

One country, China, is so scared of lack of food that they’re buying up huge tracts of land in Africa for food production.

Zoellick says this is a long term problem, we’re only at the beginning of higher food prices.  Also, while countries with more money to buy food are seeing higher prices, the poorer countries are paying far more for their food.

Zoellick says just since last year the higher prices have pushed 44 million people into poverty.  He predicts another 10% increase in food prices will push another 10 million people into poverty.

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Iran strikes back at Europe, refuses to fuel European airlines

“In a retaliatory move, we have stopped providing fuel to European aircraft.”-Vice-President Mohammad Reza Rahimi

For some time several European countries have refused to fuel up Iranian passenger planes that land at their airports.  After repeated requests by Iran, countries like Germany and United Kingdom, still refuse on the grounds that they are following the latest sanctions placed against Iran by President Obama.

Iran now says it will not fuel passenger planes from those countries, that land in Iran.

Germany’s Lufthansa says they will have to come up with a plan, because they can no longer get fuel in Tehran.  Netherland’s KLM says they’re not worried because they fuel up in Greece on their way back from Iran.

The sanctions placed on Iran by Obama do not specifically say that Iranian airlines can not be fueled.

Business/Economics, Fukushima

VW was looking to buy Isuzu, rethink after March 11 disasters

Volkswagen has been considering taking over Japan’s Isuzu, in a joint venture with Germany’s truck maker MAN.  They’re a little hesitant after the 11 March 2011 disasters.

VW is also working on a partnership with Suzuki.  The German car maker has cited cultural differences as problems getting into the Japanese market, but now has to consider the damaged ‘just in time’ production practices in Japan, which is causing the current severe parts shortages.

Fukushima

Toyota halts European production

Toyota is suspending production at all its European factories.

Plants in Britain, France, Turkey and Poland will be closed for several days on April 21, 22, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29 and May 2.

Toyota also said they have yet to decide what they’ll do after that.  The parts supply problem in Japan does not show signs of lessening.  Toyota might be force to continue with sporadic factory shut downs, with all its plants.