UK - What has a Papal Encyclical calling on the world to end its use of fossil fuels and to pray to God for the success of the global “climate summit” in December got in common with the Greek euro crisis, the ominous rift between the West and Russia, and the shambles Europe is making over the desperation of African and Syrian refugees to find safety this side of the Mediterranean? They are all different aspects of the two greatest acts of political make-believe of our time, so all-pervasive that it is hard for us to grasp just how much effect they are having on all our lives.
USA - Today Nomi Prins, who was the keynote speaker that just addressed the Federal Reserve, IMF and the World Bank, warned King World News that there is no saving this global financial system in the second of a series of powerful interviews that have now been released.
UK - It may be time to [keep] money under the mattress. High profile fund managers explain how to prepare for a 'systemic event'. The manager of one of Britain’s biggest bond funds has urged investors to keep cash under the mattress.
UK - British banks risk returning to the reckless lending of the pre-crash years, Handelsbanken’s UK chief has told the Telegraph, in a sign that new hazards are developing in the economy. Instead of focusing on good quality loans and customer service, Anders Bouvin said he can see that “some banks are becoming very focused on lending volumes.”
UK - UKIP Leader Nigel Farage writing for Breitbart London on the occasion of the bi-centenary of the Battle of Waterloo: "What happened at Waterloo was that Britain and her allies overcame the maniac who wanted to build a United States of Europe. When I think of the British Guards with their Dutch colleagues in the hell of Hougoumont, outnumbered, and being battered by heavy artillery, I realise that the upcoming referendum is our Hougoumont.”
UK - A top Anglican theologian has warned that traditional Christian teaching, such as believing that Jesus is the son of God, could become "criminalized" in the UK in light of the government's new anti-extremism orders. The Telegraph reported on Monday that the Rev Mike Ovey, a former lawyer and now principal of Oak Hill Theological College in London, was referring to British PM David Cameron's new "Extremism Disruption Orders" proposal. Ovey warned that the measures would be a "disaster area" for mainstream religious teaching.
USA - What is the purpose of Jade Helm? How does it relate to the political and economic environment facing the United States? And what are some possible scenarios that may take place in coming months and years? Make no mistake, this isn’t about ensuring Americans are safe from terrorists. In fact, all the evidence suggests that certain elements within the US government have come to the conclusion that the terrorists are, in fact, the American people:
VATICAN - People who manufacture weapons or invest in weapons industries are hypocrites if they call themselves Christian, Pope Francis said on Sunday. Francis issued his toughest condemnation to date of the weapons industry at a rally of thousands of young people at the end of the first day of his trip to the Italian city of Turin.
USA - As the stock market surged close to all-time highs and the Federal Reserve hinted it wouldn't raise interest rates, former Representative Ron Paul (Republican for Texas) reiterated his fears that the US economy is not sustainable, predicting a huge crash in the near future.
USA - These are turbulent times for the relationship between Israel and its closest ally, the US. In part, it is due to the lack of chemistry between the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and the US President, Barack Obama. But there are issues of substance too. Their difficult relationship was hardly improved by Mr Netanyahu's decision, during Israel's recent general election campaign, to accept an invitation from the Republican Party leadership to give a joint address to Congress.
INDIA - President Obama’s efforts to sign a nuclear deal with Iran have sparked an outcry from other countries to a point where foes are now becoming friends. Saudi Arabia and many of the Arab nations are fearful of a nuclear Iran. They should be, because its leaders have openly declared their desire to conquer, and their willingness to use nuclear weaponry to combat their foes.
ISRAEL - Left to themselves, certain of Israel’s potentially nuclear adversaries could bring the Jewish state into eternal darkness, into fire, into ice. It is essential, therefore, that the country’s leadership take appropriate steps to ensure that any failure of national deterrence would never spark a regional nuclear war. In this connection, it is especially important that the IDF continue to plan conceptually around a distinctly fundamental understanding: Nuclear deterrence and conventional deterrence are not separate or discrete security postures. Always, these core protective strategies are more or less critically interrelated.
USA - “It turns out that if you wanted every person in the world to move to Texas, finding room for everyone wouldn't be your biggest problem. If the entire world's population - 7 billion people - lived at the same density level as New York City, we could all fit within the borders of the Lone Star State. This doesn't mean that the whole world could actually live in Texas, considering the need for farmland, industrial space, and energy production.
USA - Have you ever wondered how a politician disliked by most could fill a room with screaming supporters giving the perception they have your local communities support? Look no further than a company called “Crowds on Demand”, a company who hires multi-talented actors who are experts of improvisational theatre to provide the illusion of support for a candidate. Nothing draws a crowd, like a crowd.
UK - Vicar attacks York Minster rainbow flag blessing plan as ‘offensive and provocative’. A vicar is facing a storm of protest after likening homosexuality to paedophilia and serial adultery as he attacked plans to drape a giant rainbow flag from the steps of York Minster in solidarity with lesbian, gay, and transgender rights.