Quickie Round-up

Been slack maintaining entries. Twitter is a much faster medium with a sense of immediacy.  Quite addictive.  Been like a heroin junkie on twitter lately. Twitter more suited to churning information, which I'm doing right now. Blogger's a snail in comparison but it's a wonderful medium for more involved discussion of information. So what's been happening: Middle East Iraq Kurds (with help of US bombing) have taken x3 Iraq towns.  Trouble up north.  From map someone sent me on Twitter the other day, they've to a long way to go.  The map was dotted with towns that Islamic State had taken. Iran Diplomatic meeting with Saudi Arabia. These two are competitors rather than allies, I understand. Iran is alleging industrial sabotage and claims to have apprehended x4 spies, who are being interrogated. Story of a shot down Israeli drone spying on nuclear is in the news, but I haven't checked it out yet.  How slack is that? From recollection, Fars News mentioned Iran has one of the world's largest gas resources.  A few countries are clamouring for business, by the sound of it. Iran will meet UN's Catherine Ashton on Sept 1 (from recollection) to further discuss the nuclear energy matter -- which has been an ongoing discussion for ages now b/c the west (and probably other interests) are trying to block Iran's bid for nuclear enrichment.  West fear of nuclear power / weapons potential, so want Iran to SCALE DOWN -- which is the OPPOSITE of what they want. Iran's been subject to sanctions.  If I understand correctly, it is not permitted to use/trade in US dollars (which is international currency), is not permitted to do electronic transfers and it would most likely be subject to trade restrictions (specifics of which I don't recall, if I've come across that in my travels).  Anyway, the US can make that kind of blockage when it comes to currency and trade because it has big representation (voting rights when it comes to IMF and is influential re WTO and actually controls the international currency and impacts international economy through its Federal Reserve).  So US tends to have an upper hand. But that may alter in the future b/c the Chinese economy is not that far off the US economy - 16 point something percent of global GDP versus US 19 point something.  However, at this point, US has the voting rights and representation advantage because China has a meagre representation compared to the US. Saudi Arabia Chopped off something like 19 heads since Aug. 4th.  Yet it is on the UN Human Rights Council. Saudi Arabia very close US ally and appears to be a close business partner.  Shell (while foreign owned / non-US 'owned') has an arm with it's head office based in Texas and it's HUGE. Saudi Arabia happens to be a 50% partner in projects. Saudi Arabia is hosting a 'Friends of Syria' pow-wow.  But it is actually friends of the Syrian *opposition*.  So it's kind of like a false advertising title, no? Attendees: Turkey, US, Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Egypt & Jordan. So that pretty much tells you who's with the US (who's against Syria -- well, against the current rulers, I gather) and it gives you a peak into part of the dynamics of control of this part of the world. Interesting that Italy's in the mix.  Wonder why Italy's involved.  Know it's EU/NATO involved ... what has it got to do with the Middle East? All of them:  imperialists.  History of imperialism.  And current imperialism in the form of big money corporations.  But Italy's broke, I think.  So what's it doing? Italy's maybe some kind of pawn?  Probably the immigration pawn.  Everyone's jumping 'ship' from North Africa and entering Europe through Italy (as well as Spain, I believe).  So maybe their role is something to do with immigration due to wars? Nope.  Syria is next to Israel.  The immigration is launching itself from Libya, where there's a people smuggling trade going on, I think.  It was referred to as 'human trafficking' but I'd say they mean 'people smuggling'.  Don't know for sure yet. Syria Assad government is probably struggling.  There's the US and everybody else against that government.  The west their M/E allies have tried to unseat him by supplying rebel militias with weapons and thus encouraging the bid to topple the Assad government. The opposition, I believe, is assorted militias rather than one political/military body attacking the government. Syria has asserted that there will be no air bombing in its territory without its prior consent -- ie re the bombing of Islamic State militias the US intends to do in Iraq (which it wants to extend or may wish to extend to Syria, where they are also dominant (I believe). The laugh is, US probably funded and armed these people in the first place.  I'm not entirely clear on that but it looks like they might have. In my travels, it was asserted that Assad is playing the rebel militias off against each other.  I don't know that.  That was just someone's opinion.  Not clear to me how this could be an advantage to him - ie this backing of rebels who are fighting his troops.  Doesn't make sense to me. Israel Bombing of Gaza resumed.  Something like 360 bombs dropped by Israel and deaths over 100 Palestinians since 19th, I believe. Stray mortars from Syria have landed Golan Heights.  Prior Syrian territory claimed by Israel during Six Day War 1967.  Now Israeli controlled.  Too rushed to double-check at the moment.  Anyway, deemed strays. Lebanon Massive strike of electric energy company.  Company not profitable.  Power blackouts.  Something like 2,000 workers are contract workers.  They want full-time employment.  Problem of state subsidy, lack profitability plus claims that workers clock on but don't perform -- ie take off.  Anyway, looks like worker are burning stuff outside the premises and blocking management from entering. Libya Tripoli taken over by rebel forces.  Finally got the airport.  Burned. Italy MASSIVE monthly spending on patrols: #EU - Italy picks up 3,500 refugees at sea this weekend!.. spends 9.5 mil euros ($13 mil) PER MONTH air/sea patrols>http://goo.gl/xCuNuw #Italy rescue 70,000 North African refugees since start Oct 2013 patrols> Libya launching point. 'Human trafficking'> http://goo.gl/E9QBhs Spain Doing it hard.  Unemployment at 25%.  Farmers cracking the shits over the EU sanctions (really US-EU-NATO when you consider the dynamics).  Costing them big time not being able to supply Russia. Poland Someone enterprising found a partial way around sanctions.  Investment in Belarus + intensive preservation + Belarus (& ors) being in 'Customs Union' (Eurasian), means side-stepping (to some degree) the anti-Russian sanctions and being able to unload produce to Russia. France Ooh, la la.  Big problems.  Government dissolution.  Economic minister badmouthed France policy and Hollande called for dissolution and new cabinet.  Eco min not happy that spending cuts are to finance tax cuts for corporations in bid to increase employment.  Eco minister pissed at tight fisted Germany not stimulating economy, I think. Eurozone Things are crap.  Economy stalling.  Will probably resort to QE. #EU - sounds like Eurozone *deflation* .. 'ailing bloc'... ECB quantitative easing? >>  http://goo.gl/Sw0JvX Described as a 'last resort' measure.  But this has been done before.   New to watching politics and economics, so I'm not up on exactly what it is apart from buying up 'assets' (in form of bonds, I think). UK, Japan and one other has done this before. Serbia Big problem with hazardous industrial waste -- accumulated, historic also.  Contamination fears. Elections in Republic of Serbia - part of B/H.  Serbia says will not interfere. Former diplomat to Turkey (and expert on Islamic affairs) claims neighbouring Turkey has an expansionist agenda. Two dairy companies will supply Russia, as Serbia will not bow to the EU anti-Russian sanctions.  Serbia is in negotiations to join EU and is not fully fledged member, so can do what it wants, I suppose. And that's the end of the round up because I could go on forever and not cover everything that's going on right now.  And while I'm summarising I'm hanging to check on latest news I'm missing out on! There's so much happening!!!

Above is just a quickie (and not necessarily complete) round-up from memory of last day or so events/news.

Excuse typos.  In hurry.

UKRAINE - Andrei Stenin Murdered (Uncomfirmed Report)

Last day not only marked a breakthrough in the Luhansk finally the People's Republic of Russian humanitarian aid convoy, but the fact that they found in the car burned body Photographer Andrew Stenina. As I predicted back on August 16 (see my post "The fate of Andrei Stenina - he's dead"), photographer Stenin dead, found in a burned-out car. Burned to the point of [non] recognition, along with cameras, all lenses in splinters flew from the heat. Together with Stenin in the car found two more corpses. In the practice of intelligence agencies around the world to conceal the real cause of death of the victim, are used more or less the same methods. It resets the dead body from a height (from a high floor of the building), throw the body under the runaway train, or convenient to burn it in the car. [...]  My opinion is expressed by an additional 16 August, it was such a quote: "Most likely, Stenina, not wanting this way, tortured during the investigation. In judicial practice, it is called" excess performance. "Do not hit there, trying to get to testify, and not with the force. Speech, and then Anton Gerashchenko refutation of Internal Affairs of Ukraine should be understood in a way that he let slip that Andrew was in the hands of the SBU. Gerashchenko blurted out that Stenin in the hands of the SBU, before Stenina tortured. Then he was forced to reverse. Meanwhile, appeared today (ie, 16 August EL) information that Stenin declared Ukraine wanted - this is a direct proof that Kiev sweeps tracks. " Next, I'm talking about what to expect. "Now it is expected that the body will throw Stenina the territory controlled by militias and try to blame the murder Stenina to them." Which is what happened. Vehicles with three burnt bodies, one of them - the body Stenina detected yesterday militias on the territory they control. Google Translate from source: here.

Translation comes out a bit garbled.

Basically, photographer Russian Andrei Stenin, who has been documenting the independence supporters defence of East Ukraine went 'missing' on 12th August (from recollection).

Ukraine's Anton Gerashchenko let slip that he was in the hands of the SBU, as the above says.  However, he backtracked and later claimed that this was a 'mistake'.

Meanwhile, the writer of the above post (that's been translated from Russian) says he'd predicted this as the likely outcome regarding missing Andrei Stenin.

So the writer is saying that he has predicted Stenin would be tortured and then disposed of to cover up evidence.

The guys defending East Ukraine (Novorossiya) have no motive to kill their photojournalist.

SBU is Sluzhba Bezpeky Ukrayiny - here.  Roughly translates to Security Service of Ukraine.  The head is Valentyn Nalyvaichenko.

Article: 'The 9 Biggest Myths About ISIS'

The 9 Biggest Myths About ISIS By Zack Beauchamp http://www.vox.com Posted 2014-08-23 06:14 GMT http://www.aina.org/news/20140823021434.htm

Appears an interesting overview.

Don't know enough about the Middle East to assess how accurate that overview is.

However, there's no mention of the US role in stirring up the conflict in the Middle East, so this could just be a one-sided US biased view.

Anyway, it's one for the Middle East politics buffs, I guess.

Saudi Arabia - UN Human Rights Council Member - Beheaded 19 since August 4th

Saudi Arabia Sustains UN Human Rights Council Membership Despite Beheading 19 People in 17 Days Human Rights Watch: 'Another dark stain on the kingdom's human rights record.' Maria Khan By Maria Khan August 22, 2014 22:57 BST Saudi Arabia, a member of the UN Human Rights Council, has beheaded 19 people since August 4, reported the Human Rights Watch (HRW). Out of the 19 people who were beheaded, eight where convicted of non-violent offences, seven for drug smuggling, while one was charged with sorcery. http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/saudi-arabia-sustains-un-human-rights-council-membership-despite-beheading-19-people-17-days-1462308

Unbelievably, SA is also a member of the UN Human Rights Council.

Saudi Arabia - Shia cleric Ayatollah Nimr Baqr al-Nimr, who has been sentenced to death by crucifixion and beheading

Protest demands Saudi regime frees dissident cleric Saturday, August 23, 2014 By Tony Iltis, Melbourne Protesters took to the streets of Melbourne on August 16 to condemn human rights abuses by Saudi Arabia and to call for the release of Shia cleric Ayatollah Nimr Baqr al-Nimr, who has been sentenced to death by crucifixion and beheading for calling for religious freedom in the kingdom. Saudi Arabia is both an absolute monarchy and a theocracy. The regime promotes a Wahhabi interpretation of Sunni Islam, notorious for narrowly defining Islam and intolerance toward other beliefs. The oil-rich kingdom, created with Western support in the early 20th century, claims ideological legitimacy from possession of the holy cities Mecca and Medina. Less than a quarter of the population are Wahhabi. Paradoxically, while Saudi Arabia is the closest ally of the US in the Arab world, its brutally repressive, misogynist and theocratic system provides much of the evidence for Islamaphobic Western propagandists making the case that Islam is violently anti-democratic. Western reporting of the wave of unrest in the Arab countries since the beginning of 2011 ignored large protests in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province, where most of the country’s fossil fuel industry is based. The Eastern Province is home to most of the Shia minority, who form 10 to 15% of the Saudi population but are viewed as heretics by the Wahhabi establishment. Nimr was condemned to death for speaking out in support of protesters and calling for freedom of religious belief. Speakers at the rally said that Nimr’s message was that Sunni and Shia Muslims, and non-Muslims, should all be free and equal, not just in Saudi Arabia, but throughout the Middle East. Speakers condemned Saudi and Western support for religious sectarian forces in Iraq, Syria, and other countries of the region, and condemned the IS (Islamic State) terrorist group for its brutality and genocide of religious minorities such as the Yazidi and Christian communities. Speakers also drew attention to Saudi Arabia’s de facto alliance with Israel and pledged solidarity with the Palestinians. Marching to the Human Rights Commission, protesters’ chants and signs called for democracy, peace, religious freedom and independence for Palestine and condemned the Saudi regime, the US, Israel and IS. https://www.greenleft.org.au/node/57150

Blown away by this information.

Saudi Arabia is a US business partner (Shell).

RUSSIA'S MIKHAIL FRIDMAN & ORS buy DEA from GERMANY'S RWE

Germany clears RWE unit sale Posted on » Saturday, August 23, 2014 FRANKFURT: Germany's economy ministry approved the sale of utility RWE's oil and gas unit DEA to a Russian investor, despite tensions between Russia and the West over the Ukraine crisis. The go-ahead announced yesterday removes the biggest hurdle for the 5.1 billion euro ($6.9bn) sale, a major plank in RWE's struggle to reduce a debt burden of more than 30bn euros. As part of the deal, Russian tycoon Mikhail Fridman and his co-investors will get stakes in about 190 oil and gas licences or concessions in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. Relations between Russia and the West were already deteriorating over Ukraine, when the deal was announced in March. Deputy Economy Minister Stefan Kapferer said the government found that the deal would not endanger Germany's energy supply and the buyer consortium's European Union base had also been a decisive factor. The EU's antitrust watchdog has already given the green light but regulators in a few other countries, which RWE declined to name, have yet to give their approvals. DEA has operations in about a dozen countries, including Britain, Norway, Denmark and Egypt. The German government could theoretically have used a clause in its foreign trade law that allows it to block takeover deals that threaten 'public safety and order', but it would have been an unprecedented move. RWE, Germany's largest power producer, has earlier said it expected the deal to be finalised this year. http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/NewsDetails.aspx?storyid=384437

If Germany's largest power producer is selling off to reduce debt, could it be that things aren't too good in the economy or is this just them overreaching and wanting to scale back risk?

Anyway, some Russian investor has the go ahead to acquire DEA and it looks to be just a bit of red tape holding things up.

Mikhail Fridman is a Russian Ukranian-Jewish businessman - wikipedia here.  Second richest person in Russia.  Among others, founded:

"Genesis Philanthropy Group whose purpose is to develop and enhance Jewish identity among Russian-speaking Jews worldwide." wikipedia

Involved in the luxury house privatisation sale scandal.  Officials:  "were indicted for "appropriation of managed property committed by an organized group on a particularly large scale".  But slap on the wrist response, so state endorsed??

Ukraine - National Bank of Ukraine - Ceiling Limit Bumped re Mandatory Sale Receipts in Foreign Currency

National Bank increases mandatory currency sales to 100%, from 50% Journal Staff Report KIEV, Aug. 20 – The National Bank of Ukraine, effective August 21, 2014, has upped the ceiling limit to 100% from 50% for the mandatory sale of receipts of companies and private entrepreneurs in foreign currency on the Ukrainian interbank forex market. This is stipulated in NBU resolution No. 515 dated August 20 on the regulation of the situation on the forex market, which will be in effect until November 21, 2014. The document also retains a clause under which payments for exports or imports of commodities should be effected within 90 days. http://www.ukrainianjournal.com/index.php?w=article&id=19027

Guessing the National Bank of Ukraine is the reserve bank.

Do not understand 'mandatory sale of receipts' part. 

Not really clear on any of this.  This is a look-up job.  LOL

Didn't know that you can sell what you're owed on stock market, if that's what this is.

The foreign currency part would mean that they really *want* foreign currency - so that's where the mandatory fits in, I guess.