Tag Archives: italy

International, U.S.

World War 3: No trial for 5 U.S. soldiers who burned dozens of Qur’ans! Anti-U.S. riots spreading, U.S. & Italy transfers intellegence equipment to FOB Buji

Five U.S. soldiers, accused of burning dozens of Qur’ans in Afghanistan, will not go on trial.

“For the soldiers, it will be serious, they could lose rank. But you’re not going to see the kind of public trial that some here seem to want.”-unnamed U.S. military source

In Pakistan, hundreds are protesting the burning of the Qur’ans.  This while Pakistan’s government launches a new wave of attacks against Pakistani “Taliban”.

Also, a suicide bomber in Pakistan killed at least 23 people.  That attack was reportedly a result of infighting among the Pakistani “Taliban”.

In Yemen, protestors rallying against the burning of the Qur’ans in Afghanistan, were hit by a bomb.  The explosion occurred in Sa’ada Province, an anti-U.S. rebel stronghold.  22 people were wounded.

According to the 438th Air Expeditionary Wing, the United States has been transferring intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems from Shindand Air Base to the small Forward Operating Base (FOB) of Buji.

The operation began back in February.  It involves the 838th Air Expeditionary Advisory Group, U.S. Army Task Forces Griffin, Center and Spearhead, and the Italian army.

Buji is a desolate location. High dry desert. It is northeast of Kandahar, about halfway between Herat and Kandahar on the A1 highway.

 

 

 

 

 

 

International, U.S.

White Horse & World War 3: “Friends of Syria” meeting to determine U.S. military action, it’s all about Iran. China & Russia refuse to attend

On February 24, 2012, between 50 and 80 countries will meet in Tunis for the Friends of Syria conference.  The results of the conference could bypass the United Nations regarding overt foreign intervention in Syria.

China has refused to attend the conference, saying they are true friends of Syria.  Chinese officials also say they were given little notice of the conference, so they are not sure of the true purpose of the meeting.

Russia has refused to attend because: “The opposition is invited, the legal authorities are not. This means we have here what we had in Libya: a contact group was created. There is a feeling that it all aims at supporting ONE part in the country’s internal conflict.”-Aleksandr Lukashevich, Russian Foreign Ministry

According to the Israeli private intelligence agency DEBKA, sources inside the Pentagon say plans have been drawn up for military action.  Which plan is chosen will depend on the news Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, will bring back from the Friends of Syria conference.

DEBKA says the U.K., France, Italy and even Turkey are preparing for military action as well.

A whistleblower inside the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) says the United States has been covertly training the Syrian rebels since May 2011.  Also, as many as 10,000 pro-U.S. Libyans are in Jordan waiting for the invasion.

A political scientist, in Syria, said this was about future war with Iran and Lebanon: “They want a political uprising here in Syria to make the country weak and then go to Iran and Hezbollah.”-Balsam Abu Bulla, political scientist

U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham admitted this is all about Iran: “If the Syrian regime is replaced with another form of government, that doesn’t tie its future to the Iranians, the world is a better place.”

I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest.

 

 

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

What Economic Recovery? Italy becomes second European country to officially hit Double Dip Recession, blame increased budget cuts and unemployment

“The budget cuts are weighing it down…The conditions for a recovery in consumption are not there since unemployment hit a new record.”-Chiara Corsa, UniCredit bank

February 16, 2012, for the second month in a row, Italy’s economy shrank.  Two months in a row of contraction, that’s the official sign of recession.

Belgium was the first European country to officially go into a double dip recession. Interestingly this happened after they finally agreed to a new government, following more than a year without one.

 

 

Business/Economics, International, Technology, U.S.

Corporate Crime: 40 years later, two former executives found guilty of the deaths of 2,000 of their Italian employees! Social health care found them out!

“This is the biggest trial in the world, and in history, as far as safety at work is concerned.”-Raffaele Guariniello, prosecutor

In a precedent setting trial in Italy, two former executives of a company that made fiber cement (cement made with asbestos), were found guilty in the deaths of more than 2,000 of their employees!

Another 1,000 employees, and people who lived near the factories, are now ill.  The Italian Health Ministry investigated due to the high rate of health cases hitting their social health care system, that were directly linked to the fiber cement factories.  The investigation revealed that employees were not given even basic safety gear for use around asbestos.  Things like masks and goggles.

One of the former executives is Belgian baron Jean Louis Marie Ghislain De Cartier De Marchienne, the other is Swiss billionaire tycoon Stephan Schmidheiny.

In his defense, Jean Louis Marie Ghislain De Cartier De Marchienne sent a written statement saying that at the time it was not known how deadly asbestos could be.

The factories were closed in 1986, six years before asbestos was banned in Italy.

The two wealthy one percenters face 16 years in prison, if they’re ever caught.  They were convicted in absentia.

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

World War 3: Iranian media reports suggest that Iran is about to cut off oil to 6 European countries, lack of Human Rights in Europe being blamed

February 15, 2012, confusing reports in the Iranian media.  Unofficial sources (like PressTV, it is not an official Iranian media source) are saying that Iran has blocked oil shipments to six European countries.

However, official sources (like Islamic Republic News Agency [IRNA]) say only that ambassadors from six European countries have been summed to the Iranian government, to discuss “issues”.

The six countries are Italy, Spain, France, Greece, Portugal, and Netherlands.

The IRNA is quoting Iran’s Director General of West Europe Affaires at Foreign Ministry, Hassan Tajik: “Our response is that sanctions cannot affect Iranians’ will, rather, it will have an adverse impact on European people. Europe is in a difficult economic condition and is facing a harsh winter. Iran cannot remain indifferent towards EU oil ban. We do not have any problem in terms of finding customers for our oil and selling it to other countries. However, based on humanitarian policies and given the conditions of European countries, we have decided to send a serious message to the Europeans which are parties to oil contracts. We can instantly replace oil customers.”

In other words it seems like Iran has identified which European countries it would cut off, and has given them warning, but they have not actually cut off the oil at this point.

It’s interesting that Iran is implying that violation of human rights within Europe is a main factor in their decision to possibly cut off the oil.

International, U.S.

What Global Warming? Europe & Asia suffer freezing WX, at least 420 Europeans freeze to death, even North Africa affected

“It’s awful. I had to walk two hours through freezing temperatures just to get to the metro. The area is full of trees that have fallen on cars but no one’s come to help us.”-Federico Maneski, Rome, Italy

While North America is experiencing a warmer than normal winter, Europe and Asia are breaking records.  From record snowfall in Japan and Korea, to record low temps in Europe.

Japan and South Korea had reported record snowfall, and record freezing temps, but not as freezing as the temps in Europe.

As of February 6, at least 420 Europeans, mostly homeless people, have frozen to death!  Finland has hit -40 Celsius (-104 Fahrenheit)!   The deaths of people who do not have access to heat sources range from France, Italy, Poland, Romania to Ukraine.

In Serbia, an area of 70,000 people has been cut off by record snowfall.  Police and military units have to use helicopters to fly in supplies.  In Croatia, a woman gave birth to a daughter with the help of her neighbors in her village, because the road to the hospital was blocked by snow. She named her daughter Snjezana, which means Snow White in Croatian.

The freezing temps have even hit the North African country of Algeria.  16 people were killed when their cars slid off ice covered roads.

 

 

 

 

 

Business/Economics, International, Technology, U.S.

Corporate Incompetence: 20 cases of cancer linked to breast implants, involving more countries, former company president gone missing now wanted by police, insurance companies suing

“We are faced with a health crisis linked to a scam. The whole profession is aware of it.”-Laurent Lantieri, plastic surgeon

The case of Poly Implant Prosthesis (PIP) is spreading to other countries, and several cancer cases could now be linked, and insurance companies are now suing. 

More than 300,000 women, in 65 countries including France, Italy, Spain, U.K., Venezuela, Brazil, Germany and Ukraine could be affected by the PIP silicon breasts.  At least 1000 women in France had their implants rupture.

PIP filed for bankruptcy after they were sued in British court, and lost.  Then it was revealed they were using industrial silicon, instead of medical grade silicon, in their breast implants.  But now important company documents, along with the company’s founder, Jean-Claude Mas, have gone missing and Interpol is looking for them.

In 2010, at least one case of a woman who died from cancer, was being investigated as murder because of her PIP implants.  On December 30, 2011, the French government revealed that at least 20 cases of cancer can be directly linked to PIP: “…there were three cases of lymphoma, 15 cases of breast adenocarcinoma, the most common form of breast cancer, one case of adenocarcinoma of the lung, and one case of acute myeloid leukemia.”-French Health Products Safety Agency

The government of Italy has ordered doctors and hospitals to report women who have PIP made implants.  Brazil and the United Kingdom are telling women with PIP implants to get checked up right away.  Brazil has banned the use of PIP products. France’s National Health Insurance Fund is now suing.  Venezuela’s government says it will pay for removing PIP implants.  In 2000, the U.S. FDA banned PIP products from the being used in the United States.

In a perverted twist, Jean-Claude Mas’s son and daughter have filed papers to create a new silicon implant company, and they list their father as an official consultant.  I wonder if Interpol knows.  The new company is scheduled to open in June 2012.

 

 

 

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Global Economic War: Global Sovereign Open Fund dumping European bonds

Not even a week after it was revealed that the biggest insurance companies in Japan were dumping their European bonds, a major Japanese investment firm reveals it is doing the same.

Kokusai Asset Management says it has sold off all Italian, Spanish and Belgian bonds that were part of its Global Sovereign Open Fund!

The Global Sovereign Open Fund is the largest in Japan, with about U.S.$26 billion in assets.  Kokusai Asset Management says the European bonds they sold off had already lost 8% of their value from the previous year.

Business/Economics, International

What Economic Recovery? Japanese life insurance companies dump European bonds

As a sign of how bad things are getting for European countries, it’s just been revealed that eight major Japanese life insurance companies are dumping their sovereign debt (bonds) from Italy, Ireland, Greece, Portugal and Spain.

All together, the Japanese companies sold off 44% of their bonds, by the end of October.  According to Japanese media, two of the eight insurance companies sold off all their Italian bonds!

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Occupy the World! Greeks attack U.S. Embassy, Hundreds arrested in New York, Bank of America occupied in California, retired Cop says police work for the 1%!

“All the cops are just workers for the 1%…As soon as I’m let out of jail, I’ll be right back here and they’ll have to arrest me again.”-Ray Lewis, retired Philadelphia Police Captain

Don’t think the OWS movement is dead, thousands are trying to shut down Wall Street today, November 17.  Those thousands include health care workers, retired police officers and even investment brokers!

“The fact of the matter is, there is a schism between the rich and the poor and it’s getting wider.”–Gene Williams, bond trader

The NAZI NYPD physically attacked the protestors, so far more than 200 have been arrested.  At one point, when the protestors stared to sign the National Anthem, the NYPD blasted them with sound cannons.

Across the country, in California, at least 100 protestors were arrested after they tried to take over the Bank of America, California HQ, in San Francisco.  For awhile the protestors were successful, disrupting bank operations for about four hours.

In Greece, in what could be a revival of the anti-U.S. revolutionary movement, known as 17 November, thousands of Greeks attacked the U.S. Embassy.  In 1973 the Greek people overthrew the U.S. backed military government. Now they see what’s happening in their country as an attempt by the corporate world, specifically Corporate America, to take over their country again.

More than 20,000 people marched through central Athens, while another 12,000 protesters joined a rally in Greece’s second-largest city, Thessaloniki.  The Greek government called out 6,000 cops to handle the protests.

Thousands of Italians also took to their streets, to protest their new non-elected technocrat controlled government’s draconian budget cuts.  Italian college students tried to use firecrackers as weapons against the cops.

Transportation unions shut down Italian public transportation services for several hours.