UK Councils Have ‘Conflict Of Interest’ On Fracking – Report – 28 April 2014

Local authorities in the UK who play a significant part in deciding the future of fracking in the country have made indirect investments in energy companies who would be responsible for drilling and extraction projects, the Independent reports.

Councils that have been picked out as responsible for potential fracking areas have assets in firms by way of their pension funds, according to the report published late on Sunday.
The newspaper pointed out that Lincolnshire County Council’s pension fund has 1.9 million pounds ($3.2 million) invested in French company, Total. Total was the first major oil company to make incursions into Britain with the intention of seeking shale gas profit.

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US-Based Ex-Barclays Staff Charged By UK In Libor Scandal – 28 April 2014

The UK filed its first criminal proceedings against scandal-struck US-based Libor traders on Monday over the alleged rigging of global benchmark interest rates. Three former Barclays traders are to be charged, according to the UK’s Serious Fraud Office.

Jay Vijay Merchant, Alex Julian Pabon and Ryan Michael Reich are the three former New-York based Barclays employees who have been charged by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) with conspiracy to defraud.
“He is not guilty of this offense and will vigorously contest these allegations at his forthcoming trial,” British law firm Hickman & Rose, which is representing Reich, said in a statement. The lawyers for the remaining two men were not available for comment, reported Reuters.

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Internet Explorer Users Risk Having Their Computers Taken Over – 28 April 2014

A major security flaw affecting several versions of Microsoft’s Internet Explorer web browser was discovered over the weekend, and the percentage of computer users that could be compromised by the exploit is absolutely staggering.

Bill Gates’ Microsoft Corp. announced on Saturday that Internet Explorer versions 6 through 11 are all vulnerable to a glitch that when properly exploited can give hackers remote access to a victim’s computer.

When combined, versions nine through 11 of the browser accounted for 26.25 percent of all web traffic in 2013, security firm FireEye claimed over the weekend. If all vulnerable versions are accounted for, however, then upwards of 56 percent of the browsers currently in use around the world are reportedly in danger of being exploited.

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Anti-Kiev Protesters Barricade City Hall In Eastern Ukraine – 28 April 2014

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Anti-government protesters have seized administrative buildings, including the City Hall and prosecutor’s office in yet another city in Donetsk region, eastern Ukraine. Protesters announced an indefinite rally and are erecting barricades.

On Monday morning, a group of armed men wearing camouflage were reported to have taken control of a police office in the city of Konstantinovka, some 60 kilometers from Donetsk. No violence was reported during the takeover.

Local police confirmed that a group of armed men entered the building, but deny the fact that it was seized and insists that the police office is working as usual.

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ZeroHedge – The Elephant In The Room: Deutsche Bank’s $75 Trillion In Derivatives Is 20 Times Greater Than German GDP – 28 April 2014

It is perhaps supremely ironic that the last time we did an in depth analysis of Deutsche Bank’s financial situation was precisely a year ago, when the largest bank in Europe (and according to some, the world), stunned its investors with a 10% equity dilution. Why the capital raise if everything was as peachy as the ECB promised it had been? It turned out, nothing was peachy, and in fact DB would proceed to undergo a massive balance sheet deleveraging campaign over the next year, in which it would quietly dispose of all the ugly stuff on its balance sheet during the relentless Fed and BOJ-inspired “dash for trash” rally in a way not to spook investors about everything else that may be beneath the Deutsche covers.

Read the full story at: www.zerohedge.com / link to original article

ZeroHedge – Goldman Sachs Strongly Suggests Clients Sell Them Their Treasury Bonds – 28 April 2014

The last time Goldman Sachs urged clients to “sell”, it was gold – and in the next quarter, they were the largest acquirer of the precious metal via ETFs. So when the muppet-murdering bank suggests this morning that, while “we have been caught in choppy action” there is a slow awakening of Treasury bears and recommends shifting from a neutral to short-duration position in bonds… one can’t help but wonder just what the bank will do with all the bonds clients sell to them…

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James Corbett – The Corbett Report – Interview 868 – The Power Hour: Of Boogeymen And Billionaires – 28 April 2014

Link to podcast

James joins Joyce Riley for his twice-monthly appearance on The Power Hour radio show. This time they discuss the geopolitical and economic ramifications of the Ukraine crisis, the creation of the Russian boogeyman, Obama’s Asia visit and Russia’s pivot to China. We also take your calls and discuss the latest Bitcoin news.

James Corbett – The Corbett Report – Interview 867 – Aileen Mioko Smith On The Japanese Reactor Restarts – 28 April 2014

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The Japanese Nuclear Regulatory Agency is currently considering applications from 8 different utilities companies to restart 17 of the nation’s 54 nuclear reactors, which have been taken offline in the wake of the Fukushima crisis. Today we talk to Aileen Mioko Smith of Green Action Japan about the anti-nuclear movement in Japan and their efforts to stop the reactor restarts from happening.

www.corbettreport.com / link to original article

Steve Lendman – More Lawless US Sanctions On Russia – 28 April 2014

On April 28, a duplicitous White House press secretary statement said in part:

“The United States has taken further action today in response to Russia’s continued illegal intervention in Ukraine and provocative acts that undermine Ukraine’s democracy and threaten its peace, security, stability, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.”

“Since April 17, Russia has done nothing to meet its Geneva commitments and in fact has further escalated the crisis.”  

ZeroHedge – NY Rep. Michael “I’ll Break You In Half” Grimm Indicted On 20 Counts Of Fraud – 28 April 2014

NY Republican Congressman, and former FBI agent (ironically), Michael Grimm – who became infamous for threatening an NY1 reporter “I’ll throw you off the fucking balcony… I’ll break you in half” – has been indicted on campaign finance charges as well as mail, wire, and healthcare fraud. Oh and since he seemed such a trustworthy and honest chap after his apology for the prevous threats, he is also being charged with perjury after lying about all the other shit he did… Welcome to American politics… As AP reports, he has pleaded not guilty to the 20-count federal indictment.

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