AssociatedPress 31/10/2012 - Raw: After Sandy, New Yorkers Head Back to Work , Raw: Bloomberg Rings Opening Bell at NYSE , Conn. Governor: "We're Making Real Progress"

Two days after superstorm Sandy brought New York to a standstill, residents itching to get back to work walked over the Brooklyn Bridge Wednesday morning. Subway service remains closed. (Oct. 31) Raw: After Sandy, New Yorkers Head Back to Work Raw: Bloomberg Rings Opening Bell at NYSE New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has rung the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange. The exchange was closed for two days because of the effects of Hurricane Sandy. (Oct. 31) Conn. Governor: "We're Making Real Progress" Connecticut Governor Dannel P. Malloy says utility companies are making progress in restoring power to communities across his state. He also vowed that Connecticut would be prepared for election day. (Oct. 31) Raw: Coast Guard Surveys Sandy Floods The U.S. Coast Guard released video of a helicopter crew conducting an over-flight of New Jersey and New York coast and waterways following Hurricane Sandy. (Oct. 31) CDC: Continuing to See Meningitis Cases An official with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says health workers continue to see meningitis cases, given the incubation period for the disease can be long. A Mass. pharmacy is blamed for tainted injections, so far killing 28. (Oct. 31) Raw: Sandy Leaves Boats Piled on Staten Island In the Great Kills neighborhood of Staten Island, damage from superstorm Sandy sent yachts from the harbor into homes. (Oct. 31) Traders Return to NYSE, Issues Remain Traders returned to the floor of the New York Stock Exchange Wednesday, two days after the exchange shut down due to the effects of Hurricane Sandy. They acknowledge that minor issues remain, but not enough to disrupt trading. (Oct. 31) Romney: America Going Through Trauma Now Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney resumed campaigning Wednesday following a brief break during superstorm Sandy. He told a crowd in Florida to pray for the victims and urged the country to come together. (Oct. 31) Raw: Sandy Throws Roller Coaster Into the Ocean In New Jersey, superstorm Sandy destroyed several blocks of Atlantic City's world-famous boardwalk and wrecked several other boardwalks up and down the coast. A Seaside Heights roller coaster was left partially submerged in the ocean. (Oct. 31) Raw: New York Transformer Explodes After Sandy Amateur video appears to capture the explosion of a ConEdison transformer exploding in the aftermath of superstorm Sandy, as seen from Brooklyn, New York, on Monday. (Oct. 31) The Youth Vote: Potential Game Changer Could the youth vote be a game changer for the 2012 presidential election? As college students and recent grads face an uncertain economic future, both candidates are courting their vote. (Oct. 31) How Superstorm Sandy Could Affect the Election One week before a close election, superstorm Sandy has confounded the presidential race, leading many to ponder whether the election might be postponed. (Oct. 31) N.J. Girl Provides an Oasis From the Storm An 11-year-old Hoboken, New Jersey girl whose home survived Sandy without losing power is helping other in the community recharge and get in contact with loved ones. (Oct. 31) Raw: N.J. Gov. Meets With Sandy Victims New Jersey Governor Chris Christie was in Sayreville Wednesday meeting with people whose homes were lost or damaged in superstorm Sandy. (Oct. 31) Utility Crew: 'Trying to Assess the Situation' About 6 million homes and businesses were still without power, two days after superstorm Sandy struck. Utility crews were assessing the situation Wednesday in New Jersey. (Oct. 31) Obama in NJ: "We Are Here for You" Speaking in Brigantine, New Jersey Wednesday President Barack Obama told those recovering from superstorm Sandy: "We are here for you, and we will not forget." (Oct. 31) Sandy Busts Up New Jersey, Rebirth Promised The New Jersey shore is dealt a punishing blow by Sandy, with storm devastation on a wide scale. The local economy is expected to take a blow, especially in Atlantic City. But the governor is vowing to rebuild. (Oct. 31) Raw: Destroyed Homes, Flooding in Cedar Bonnet The New Jersey coastal town of Cedar Bonnet is dealing with widespread damage leftover from superstorm Sandy, including destroyed homes and flooding. (Oct. 31) AP Top Stories Here's the latest news for Wednesday, October 31: Pres. Obama tours storm damage; Romney back on campaign trail; NYC Marathon will go on; Giants celebrate World Series victory. First Person: Sandy Forces NYC Steak Sale A respected New York steakhouse in the blackout zone, Old Homestead, realized its meat was going to go bad and decided to grill what was left and sell steaks on the sidewalk for $10. A center-cut sirloin usually goes for $47. (Oct. 31) Raw: 'Amazing Despair' in N.J. After Storm In Belmar, New Jersey, streets remain flooded and the town's boardwalk has literally been swept on to the front lawns. Day 2 into the superstorm cleanup, and many still have no power and their food supplies are dwindling. (Oct. 31) NJ Homeowner: 'It's As Catastrophic As It Gets' Joe Ciliberto, who owns a weekend home on the Jersey shore, gave a tour of his damaged home on Wednesday, two days after Sandy wreaked havoc on the region. Cilberto said the superstorm was the worst one he has ever experienced. (Oct. 31) First Person: Riding Out Sandy on N.J. Coast After superstorm Sandy, New Jersey's southern barrier islands have been left in tatters, with ruined beach front homes, flooded streets and damaged utilities. On Cedar Bonnet Island, residents talk about riding out the storm and what comes next. (Oct. 31) Raw: Trick-or-Treating in NYC After Sandy Despite power outages caused by Superstorm Sandy, some parents in New York City took their children out trick-or-treating. One mother said she wanted to 'make it as normal as possible.' (Oct. 31) Raw: Evacuation at Bellevue Hospital in NYC New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg said 500 patients were being evacuated from Bellevue Hospital because of storm damage. The hospital has run on generators since the storm. (Oct. 31) First Person: Life Inside N.J. Sandy Shelter A Jersey Shore shelter that planned to aid several dozen residents as Monday's superstorm developed has instead been aiding as many as two hundred. The residents in Brigantine, NJ are ready to return home now that the clean-up has begun. (Oct. 31) New York Struggles Back After Killer Storm Two days after Superstorm Sandy rampaged across the Northeast, killing at least 72 people, New York struggled Wednesday to find its way. Swaths of the city were still without power, and all of it was torn from its daily rhythms. (Oct. 31) Raw: Mind-bending Art Works at Chalk Art Fest On a stretch of asphalt in Sarasota, Florida's downtown, dozens of artists from around the world are sketching, rubbing and painting chalk on the pavement. They are in town for the fifth annual Sarasota Chalk Festival. (Oct. 31) Breezy Point Fire 'Just Complete Devastation' In New York, residents of the flooded beachfront neighborhood of Breezy Point in returned home to find fire had taken everything the water had not. A huge fire destroyed perhaps 100 homes. (Oct. 31) Raw: As Blackouts Linger, New Yorkers Adjust Two full days after Superstorm Sandy ripped through the Northeast, those who lost power tried to make the best of a situation that was beyond their control while utilities struggled to restore electricity. (Oct. 31) Today in History for Nov. 1st Highlights of this day in history: The Stamp Act takes effect; The United States explodes the first hydrogen bomb; Sistine Chapel paintings are first shown to the public; Algerian nationalists rebel against French rule; NFL's Walter Payton dies. (Nov. 1 Raw: Ky. Chemical Train Derailment Evacuations Flames from a derailed train car sent people rushing out of neighborhoods and an entire town near Louisville on Wednesday while firefighters tried to douse the chemical blaze. Some people forced from their homes faced a night in shelters. (Oct. 31) Raw: Seaside Heights, NJ Scenes of Devastation The Police Chief of Seaside Heights, NJ describes his town as "total devastation." Superstorm Sandy wrecked the town's boardwalk and left homes broken into splinters and buried under sand. (Nov. 1) Sandy Busts Up New Jersey, Rebirth Promised The New Jersey shore is dealt a punishing blow by Sandy, with storm devastation on a wide scale. The local economy is expected to take a blow, especially in Atlantic City. But the governor is vowing to rebuild. (Oct. 31)

AssociatedPress 30/10/2012 - Raw: Patients Moved As NYC Hospital Loses Power , Raw: New York City Skyline Without Power , Raw: Shaken NJ Residents Escape Sandy Flooding

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg says backup power has been lost at New York University hospital and the city is moving people out. The hospital complex is in lower Manhattan where flooding has been reported. (Oct. 30) Raw: Patients Moved As NYC Hospital Loses Power Raw: New York City Skyline Without Power New York City's skyline was without power Monday night following landfall of the Superstorm Sandy. New York's utility company cut power to 6, 500 residents of lower Manhattan to lessen the damage caused by flooding. (Oct. 30) Raw: Shaken NJ Residents Escape Sandy Flooding A group of Weehawken, NJ residents needed help from rescue personnel to get to safety during superstorm Sandy Monday night. (Oct. 30) Raw: Fire Destroys 50 NYC Homes A huge fire destroyed at least 50 flooded homes in the Breezy Point section of New York City's Queens Borough. An FDNY spokesman says nearly 200 firefighters are on the scene. Audio quality as incoming. (Oct. 30) FDNY: 25 Rescued From Fire by Boat Firefighters used a boat to rescue 25 people from a huge fire in Queens, New York on Monday. At least five buildings were burning on the heavily flooded street. (Oct. 30) Raw: Shaken NJ Residents Escape Sandy Flooding A group of Weekhawken, NJ residents received help from rescue personnel as they fled their home to safety amid flooding Monday night. At least 13 deaths have been blamed on Sandy, a huge storm that has pounded much of the eastern U.S. (Oct. 30) Sandy Dumps Heavy Snow on Mountain Regions Although Sandy's damage to coastal areas in the Northeast has gripped the nation's attention, it has also dumped large amounts of snow in the mountain regions of Tennessee, NC and other states. (Oct. 30) AP Top Stories Here's the latest news for Monday, Oct. 29: Forecasters: Sandy closer to southern New Jersey; Crane dangles Here's the latest news for: Tuesday, October 30th: Rain and flood threat to persist after Sandy; Queens fire follows Sandy flooding; Sandy forces Does Obama Still Get Black Voters' Approval? The African-American community overwhelmingly supported President Barack Obama in the 2008 election, but the relationship hasn't been without its challenges. (Oct. 30) Raw: Pumpkin Farmers Benefiting From Drought The drought conditions plaguing farmers in Michigan and other parts of the country have created a boon for pumpkin farmers like Tim Vala in Nebraska. (Oct. 30) Raw: New York City Awakens to Storm Damage New York City awakened Tuesday to a flooded subway system, shuttered financial markets and hundreds of thousands of people without power. In one part of the city a flooded underground parking garage led to a six car pileup. (Oct. 30) Raw: Tanker Ship Teetering Off NYC Coast A large tanker ship was teetering off the coast of Staten Island, New York Wednesday following the onslaught of Superstorm Sandy that has crippled much of the Northeast. (Oct. 30) After Sandy, Darkness and Damp in New York The day after hurricane-turned-superstorm Sandy moves ashore, what is left behind is damage on a massive scale. Among the hardest-hit areas: New York City and the New Jersey coast, site of wind, rain and fire. (Oct. 30) AP Photos: Capturing Sandy's Wrath AP photographers braved the worst from former-hurricane Sandy to capture the most compelling images of the storm. (Oct. 30) Mayor: Death Toll in NYC After Storm Is Up to 10 New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg says the death toll in the city from the huge storm is up to 10. He also says it could be three days or more before power is restored to hundreds of thousands of people now in the dark. (Oct. 30) Christie: "This Is a Huge Undertaking" New Jersey Governor, Chris Christie outlined the devastation in his state as he prepared to embark on a helicopter tour of the areas damaged by superstorm Sandy. He says twice as many people are affected by Sandy, than by Hurricane Irene. (Oct. 30) Talk Shows Give Nominees Important Boost Day time talk shows and late night comedy programs are getting a second look from political strategists as President Barack Obama and GOP nominee Mitt Romney battle to boost turn out among their supporters on election day. (Oct. 30) Romney Collects Food for Sandy Victims In the wake of superstorm Sandy, GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney held a "storm relief event" in Kettering, Ohio, at the same arena as his previously scheduled political rally and with the same celebrity line-up. (Oct. 30) Atlantic City Officials: It Could've Been Worse In New Jersey, Sandy destroyed several blocks of Atlantic City's world-famous boardwalk and wrecked several other boardwalks up and down the coast. (Oct. 30) Raw: Downed Trees, Rising Water After Sandy Streets in the nation's capital were nearly empty the morning after Sandy swept through the region. Residents who did venture outside found trees and water in their path. (Oct. 30)

ActualidadRT - 29/10/2012 ,El huracán Sand 'golpea las puertas' de Nueva York ,Celebran una misa en memoria de hijos inmigrantes desaparecidos ,Irán y Argentina entablan el diálogo sobre el atentado de la AMIA

El huracán Sandy que se encuentra a unos 415 kilómetros al sur-sudeste de Nueva York, se fortaleció al aumentar sus vientos máximos sostenidos a 150 kilómetros por hora y amenaza la costa noreste de EE.UU. con un peligroso oleaje. Por la próxima llegada del huracán Sandy a la costa de Estados Unidos han sido cancelados miles de vuelos como precaución ante el fenómeno. Al menos 7.500 vuelos procedentes o con destino a varias ciudades de la costa este de EE.UU. han sido cancelados. Según las previsiones meteorológicas, las urbes más afectadas por el huracán serán Nueva York, Washington y Filadelfia. La inminente llegada del huracán a la Gran Manzana ha llevado a las operadoras de la Bolsa de Nueva York a suspender las operaciones físicas en el parqué de Wall Street este lunes, y posiblemente también el martes, en el marco de las medidas decretadas por las autoridades. El huracán Sandy 'golpea las puertas' de Nueva York Celebran una misa en memoria de hijos inmigrantes desaparecidos En México, las madres de los inmigrantes que desaparecieron durante sus intentos por llegar al territorio estadounidense han asistido a una misa celebrada en su memoria. El analista político Alfredo Gutiérrez argumenta que estos actos ayudan a crear conciencia y solidaridad en la población latinoamericana. Irán y Argentina entablan el diálogo sobre el atentado de la AMIA Los representantes de Irán y Argentina se reunieron el lunes en Ginebra, en la sede europea de la ONU, para dialogar sobre la investigación del atentado en la Asociación Mutual Israelita Argentina de Buenos Aires (AMIA), que el 18 de julio de 1994 provocó la muerte de 84 personas y dejó más de 300 heridos. Mueren al menos 2 personas por el temporal en Argentina El temporal de viento y lluvia que azota desde el domingo a la capital argentina y la provincia de Buenos Aires dejó al menos 2 muertos y 3 heridos. Además, las autoridades informaron que unas 1.800 personas tuvieron que ser evacuadas en Buenos Aires por desbordamientos de ríos e inundaciones. Nueva Zelanda empieza a investigar el espionaje ilegal contra Dotcom La Policía de Nueva Zelanda empieza la investigación sobre el supuesto espionaje ilegal contra el fundador del portal Megaupload, Kim Dotcom. El espionaje podría haber sido llevado a cabo por parte de la Oficina Gubernamental de Seguridad, la agencia de inteligencia del país, según informó hoy el Partido Verde neozelandés. Se cree que la Oficina espió a Dotcom y a su socio holandés, Bran van der Kolk, ambos con permiso de residencia en el país, entre el 16 de diciembre de 2011 y el 20 de enero de este año, el día en el que fueron detenidos, apoyándose en la información brindada por la Policía neozelandesa. La participación rusa en el canal nicaragüense diversificaría la inversión El proyecto de la construcción de un canal interoceánico en Nicaragua podría despertar el interés de Rusia, según considera el Gobierno del país centroamericano. El analista internacional Eduardo Berezán opina que el papel de la inversión rusa sería muy importante para la región, pues aportaría diversificación. Policías turcos dispersan con violencia a manifestantes antiislamistas "¡Turquía es laica y seguirá siendo laica!", fueron las palabras coreadas por los participantes de la manifestación en Ankara, la capital del país, dedicada al Día de la República. La Policía turca utilizó gases lacrimógenos y cañones de agua para dispersar a las decenas de miles de manifestantes que, pese a la prohibición de las autoridades, se concentraron en la capital para conmemorar el 89 º aniversario de la República. La prohibición fue justificada por razones de seguridad y temor a posibles provocaciones. "Occidente no debe violar en Siria el principio de no intervención De acuerdo con el analista político Hugo Moldiz, el movimiento de los Países No Alineados podría desempeñar un papel "muy importante" para alejar cualquier amenaza de intervención externa en Siria. El ciclón Sandy deja al menos 11 víctimas mortales en EE.UU. Al menos 11 personas fallecieron como consecuencia de las condiciones provocadas por el huracán Sandy en los estados de Nueva Jersey, Nueva York, Maryland, Pensilvania y Connecticut, informa AP. La oficina del gobernador del estado de Nueva York, Andrew Cuomo, confirma al menos cinco muertes vinculadas con Sandy. Se informa que una de las víctimas, un hombre de 30 años, murió al ser golpeado por un árbol caído en Queens, Nueva York. Aunque la velocidad de los vientos sostenidos de Sandy ha disminuido a 130 kilómetros por hora al tocar tierra, el fenómeno meteorológico sigue teniendo la fuerza de un huracán, según comunica el Centro Nacional de Huracanes con sede en Miami. El epicentro de la ´súper tormenta´ se encuentra actualmente a 15 kilómetros de Filadelfia.

rtrussian 23/10/2012 - Выборы в Венесуэле: история одного события , События в Сирии обнажили противоречия в Ливане , Старт ракеты "Союз" с Байконура (ПРЯМАЯ ТРАНСЛЯЦИЯ)

Съемочная группа RT подробно освещала президентские выборы 2012 в Венесуэле, в результате которых главой страны остался Уго Чавес. Пришло время поделиться впечатлениями от этой поездки со зрителями. Выборы в Венесуэле: история одного события События в Сирии обнажили противоречия в Ливане В городе Триполи на севере Ливана произошли столкновения между сторонниками сирийского президента Башара Асада и ливанской оппозицией. Люди опасаются роста напряженности в городе, так как боевики все еще остаются на улицах. Корреспондент RT Пола Слиер сообщает, что события в Сирии обнажили политические и религиозные противоречия в Ливане. Старт ракеты "Союз" с Байконура (ПРЯМАЯ ТРАНСЛЯЦИЯ) Прямая трансляция старта корабля "Союз ТМА-06М" с новым международным экипажем МКС. Пилотировать корабль будет россиянин Олег Новицкий. Он и его коллеги - российский бортинженер Евгений Тарелкин и бортинженер НАСА Кевин Форд - в четверг присоединятся на борту МКС к россиянину Юрию Маленченко, астронавту НАСА Суните Уильямс и астронавту японского космического агентства ДжАКСА Акихико Хосидэ, которые работают на орбитальной станции с середины июля. Перед стартом в космос Для всех членов экипажа, отправившихся во вторник на МКС на борту корабля "Союз", это первый полет в космос. Корреспондент RT Люси Кафанов была с ними до самого старта. 10 лет со дня захвата "Норд-Оста" 23 октября исполнилось 10 лет со дня захвата террористами Театрального центра на Дубровке, где проходил мюзикл "Норд-Ост". Трагедия унесла жизни 130 человек. Хаос в Ливии спустя год после смерти Каддафи После убийства ливийского лидера Муаммара Каддафи прошел уже год. Оппозиция и ее сторонники за рубежом были уверены, что "свободная Ливия" будет жить в мире и благоденствии, на деле же оказалось, что новая власть не слишком отличается от старой. Рассказывает корреспондент RT Ирина Галушко. Обама и Ромни обсудили Россию на дебатах Во вторник состоялись третьи — заключительные — дебаты между кандидатами на пост президента Соединенных Штатов. Как и ожидалось, взгляды действующего президента и кандидата-республиканца схожи по большинству вопросов, но отношения с Россией — исключение. Рассказывает корреспондент RT Гаяне Чичакян. Дебаты кандидатов в президенты США от третьих партий Трансляция дебатов кандидатов в президенты США от третьих партий. В прямом эфире встретятся либертарианец Гари Джонсон, кандидат от «Зеленых» Джилл Стейн, Вирджил Гуде, которого выдвигает «Партия Конституции», и Роки Андерсон от «Партии справедливости».

rtrussian 22/10/2012 - Столкновения албанцев с полицией в Косово , "Роснефть" покупает "ТНК-BP" , Ромни и Обама ближе, чем кажется

Полиция Косова разогнала десятки местных албанцев, протестовавших против переговоров между премьер-министром автономии Хашимом Тачи и главой правительства Сербии Ивицей Дачичем. Встреча, прошедшая на прошлой неделе, была первой с момента объявления Косова о своей независимости. Албанцы пытались не пустить Тачи в здание парламента после "преступных" переговоров с сербским премьером. Столкновения албанцев с полицией в Косово "Роснефть" покупает "ТНК-BP" "Роснефть" станет единственным владельцем "ТНК-BP". Компания договорилась с британской BP о приобретении её 50-процентной доли в обмен на 17,1 миллиарда долларов и 12,84% акций "Роснефти". Таким образом, "Роснефть" станет крупнейшей нефтяной компанией мира, а BP - крупнейшим миноритарным акционером российской компании. Об этой сделке глава "Роснефти" Игорь Сечин рассказал президенту России Владимиру Путину. Ромни и Обама ближе, чем кажется Заключительная серия предвыборных дебатов в США посвящена внешней политике. Действующий президент Барак Обама и республиканец Митт Ромни идут вровень и, скорее всего, прибегнут к наиболее жестким заявлениям, чтобы убедить перейти на свою сторону избирателей, которые еще не определились. Впрочем, между кандидатами может быть меньше различий, чем это кажется на первый взгляд. Репортаж корреспондента RT Гаяне Чичакян. Резня в Бени-Валиде продолжается Вот уже 18 дней продолжается осада ливийского города Бени-Валид. За это время погибло, по меньшей мере, 26 человек - это число увеличивается с каждым днем. Корреспондент RT Ирина Галушко рассказывает о конфликте.

RTAmerica 22/10/2012- Birth defects skyrocket in Iraq after US invasion ,White House denies secret peace talks with Iran , Third party candidates square off on RT-America

Since the US lead invasion in Iraq in 2003, children with birth defects and reports of miscarriages have been on the rise in the war torn country. According to the Environmental Contamination and Toxicology Bulletin, in the past seven years the rate of birth defects and miscarriages has shot up an astounding 60 percent and 45 percent respectively, leaving many wondering what is causing this. RT's Liz Wahl has more. Birth defects skyrocket in Iraq after US invasion White House denies secret peace talks with Iran Over the weekend, The New York Times published an article affirming that the US and Iran will take part in nuclear peace talks after the November presidential election. During the race to the White House, Iran has taken the spotlight when it comes to US foreign policy and many are doubtful that talks will curb Iran's nuclear ambitions. Although the White House has publicly denied the talks, many believe the article wasn't completely inaccurate. Adam Pourahmadi, producer for HuffPost Live, joins us with his take on the recent article and break down what's going on. Third party candidates square off on RT-America On Monday night, President Obama and Mitt Romney will exchange verbal blows for the last time during this election year. This, the last of three debates, will draw millions of viewers, but most Americans are not aware that the debates are not over. On Tuesday, the third-party candidates will square off and show their stance on different topics and demonstrate the American people have options. Christina Tobin, founder of Free and Equal Elections, gives us the latest on tomorrow's debate. Will US talk to Iran? The New York Times article about the US' role in dealing with Iran sparked a major discussion ahead of Monday's presidential debate on foreign policy. Two days before the debate, the article suggested that the White House had reached an agreement with Iran to pursue direct talks on the country's nuclear ambitions. The White House and Iranian officials publicly denied the information, though. To discuss what happened and to look at it in few different ways, RT's Kristine Frazao is joined by Patricia DeGennaro, a senior fellow at the World Policy Institute. RT presents Third Parties debate ignored by MSM President Obama and Mitt Romney are meeting tonight for their third and final debate and they will be discussing the Foreign Policy. The other presidential candidates will be debating tomorrow night and next week as well, those are Libertarian Gary Johnson , Green Party's Jill Stein, the Justice Party's Rocky Anderson and Virgil Goode of the Constitutional Party. The debate in Chicago tomorrow will be hosted by Larry King and RT's Big Picture host Thom Hartmann will be attending and debating as well as working as a commentator and analyst. He is joining us in DC studio for more on the debates.

RTAmerica 20/10/2012 - The Resident -- Could Republicans hack the Presidential election?

Many Americans anticipate the 2012 Presidential election to be a tight race, but what if the companies behind the voting machines on Election Day have strong political ties with Republicans? Lori Harfenist of The Resident takes to the streets of New York City to ask if Mitt Romney could steal this election? The Resident -- Could Republicans hack the Presidential election?

RTAmerica - 19/10/2012 - CIA demands more drones ,Assange vs Britain: Political standstill ,Koch brothers threaten employees against voting for Obama

CIA Director David Petraeus is urging the White House to expand the agency's drone fleet, insisting it will allow the agency to carry on with its missions in Pakistan, Yemen and North Africa. The Pentagon is also planning to increase its inventory by 35% in the future. So in total the US has 791 operational drone right now and is planning to buy another 732. Are those military machines really necessary? Lieutenant Col. Anthony Schaffer of Advanced Defense Studies joins RT's Meghan Lopez. CIA demands more drones Assange vs Britain: Political standstill Wikileaks founder Julian Assange has been locked up in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London for four months and the political stalemate between the whistleblower and the UK shows no signs of progressing to a possible solution. Assange has been labeled an enemy of the US for the exposure of sensitive information by the US military. So when will this standstill end? Meghan Lopez has more. Koch brothers threaten employees against voting for Obama There are 18 days left until Americans will go to the polls to exercise their civil duty and vote for their next president. The mainstream media has exploited the battle between Mitt Romney and President Obama and to some this election is crucial in determining the future of America. Reports that employers are intimidating employees to voter for a particular candidate have surfaced and Mike Elk, labor journalist for In These Times, breaks down how employers are trying to impose their political will on employees. Buckling up cats and dogs?! While unemployment in New Jersey is the highest it has been in 30 years - at 9.8 percent, some state lawmakers are busy debating the future of pets inside cars. A bill proposing buckling up cats and dogs that are not in a carrier would make the nanny state the first in the U.S. to make restraining pets a rule, even though the Governor has promised to veto the legislation if it reaches his desk. Should lawmakers be wasting their time on bills like this? RT's Anastasia Churkina finds out. Taxation without representation angers DC residents Washington DC is considered to be the symbol of American power and freedom. However as the saying goes - the District has a long history of taxation without representation. DC residents have no members representing them in either the House or the Senate and yet they pay their taxes like everyone else and in many cases much higher taxes. RT's Liz Wahl looks at how this works and how the people feel about it.

primetimeru - 22/10/2012 - Expat tube 19 October 2012

Expat tube 19 October 2012

primetimeru - 21/10/2012 - Polish plumber Russian-style: migrant tolerance brochure verges on ridiculous - Uphill work for Russian eco-cars

Polish plumber Russian-style: migrant tolerance brochure verges on ridiculous Uphill work for Russian eco-cars

CapitalAccount 15/10/2012 - Depression-Proof Banking and Monetary Mayhem in Myanmar w/Chris Mayer! ,

Welcome to Capital Account. Finance Chiefs from around the world are concerned about another global recession, the eurozone crisis, the US fiscal cliff and a slowdown in major emerging economies. They can't seem to agree on what to do about these concerns however. This is according to accounts from the Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg citing news from the IMF's gathering over the weekend. Now, news from the IMF is naturally a "Big Picture" deal, but it's easy to lose sight of the nuances in the global economy when one focuses on multi-national corporations or global policy institutions. This brings us to a topic that we cover today with our guest Chris Mayer, author of Capital & Crisis. Chris travels the world looking for investment opportunities, and his travels recently had him visiting a country that most americans know about mainly through stories of self-emolating monks or sectarian tensions. This country is Myanmar, and it presents some interesting opportunities for investing, as well as one very interesting feature of "monetary mayhem," as Chris Mayer puts it. Apparently, the only foreign currency the people of Myanmar accept is the US dollar, despite all of its problems with only one caveat. The dollars must be in mint condition, and we do mean mint...not even creased dollars are accepted! And, is the CEO of Morgan Stanley a "reformer" relative to his too big to fail peers, as he is reportedly trying to get the bank to run a less risky, less complex bank model? That's how he's been cast by some in the mainstream press, but what about banks that have stuck to conservative, vanilla banking even during the boom times? Some of these banks have survived despite losing major market share to financial sausage factories like JP Morgan for example. How does this work, and are there investment opportunities for what our guest Chris Mayer calls, Depression-Proof banks? Chris Mayer, author of "World Right Side Up: Investing Across Six Continents," joins us for the show to discuss all of these topics and more! And last but not least, in today's "Loose Change," Lauren and Demetri tackle the latest absurd comments uttered by Federal Reserve Chief Ben Bernanke, who recently spoke out against "the benefits of currency management." He slammed emerging economies like China and Brazil, which are resisting pressures on their appreciating currencies by soaking up the excess dollars printed by Bernanke and his ilk through their own money printing. Is this a case of do as I say not as I do? Or is Bernanke really this clueless? And what about Europe? The latest news from the continent that bore the greatest tales of feudalism is that we may actually be witnessing the birth of feudalism 2.0. Demetri explains how the death of bankruptcy law and sovereign default has moved the world closer to what we lived under during the middle ages. Central Planner Idol Worship and the Return of Feudal Banking! In today's episode of "Loose Change," Lauren and Demetri tackle the latest absurd comments uttered by Federal Reserve Chief Ben Bernanke, who recently spoke out against "the benefits of currency management." He slammed emerging economies like China and Brazil, which are resisting pressures on their appreciating currencies by soaking up the excess dollars printed by Bernanke and his ilk through their own money printing. Is this a case of do as I say not as I do? Or is Bernanke really this clueless? And what about Europe? The latest news from the continent once littered with feudal manors suggests that we may actually be witnessing the birth of feudalism 2.0. Demetri explains how the death of bankruptcy law and sovereign default has moved the world closer to what we lived under during the middle ages...A world lit only by fire!

CapitalAccount 12/10/2012 - Algorithmic Trading to Algorithmic Campaigning, Behind the Political Scene w/Sasha Issenberg

Welcome to Capital Account. Last night was the US vice presidential debate between Joe Biden and Paul Ryan. If you pay attention to the message, the commentary, the fact-checking, the alternative analysis and criticism, or even the horse race coverage, there may still be much that you are missing. What about the stuff that goes on behind the curtains, deep within campaign war rooms? Well, campaigning has come a long way in the past twelve years. Specifically, technology and science has made available techniques and strategies to campaigns that were, until now, used far more extensively on Wall Street and other industries. The use of these technologies has enabled things like data mining, modeling and behavioral analysis of voters to target the electorate more efficiently, and with greater effect than ever before. These techniques have been particularly advantageous to "get out the vote" efforts, but much progress remains to be made. Our guest, the Victory Lab author Sasha Issenberg, says political campaigns have historically been resistant to innovation - he'll tell us how that has changed in recent years, particularly since the 2008 presidential cycle. Since we often cover the field of algorithmic trading, we thought: what about algorithmic campaigning? Just as in finance, when deploying technology to areas once governed by human beings, complexity becomes an issue, not just for those using these new technologies, but for the reporters and journalists on the campaign trail who are tasked with covering the candidates. What is there that the rest of us are missing as a result, and what is the greatest thing we can take away? Sasha Issenberg, author of the Victory Lab, is here to tell us. Plus, the E-U wins the nobel peace prize, a prize that has often come with strings of dubious attachment. What is the nobel committee up to this time around? And what is our friend Jamie Dimon and his firm JP Morgan up to now? They saw a big earnings jump this quarter, and the CEO himself attributed much of this to mortgage refinancing. Demetri and Lauren talk about this, as well as Lauren's comedy routine in today's "Loose Change!

CapitalAccount 11/10/2012 - Jamie Dimon Replaces Jesus at the Temple and Lends Long to the Orthodox Church! , Stephen Leeb: the Missing Presidential Debate on Trickle Up Economics & the Energy War

At yesterday's Q&A, Father Andrew from the Vatopedi monastery in Mount Athos, had a very interesting question for Jamie Dimon. He said that his church was interested in borrowing for the long-term...specifically, 600+ years. Imagine the int erest payment on that float? What was funny though, was Jamie Dimon's response. Speaking with an almost divine sense of self, Jamie responded to the Father by saying: "How much do you want to borrow? I know we bank churches...if we give you money and you shouldn't borrow, we are going to get blamed for that too, so sometimes we say to you "no, we are not going to do it and its not good for you either"...Its like selling too much liquor to someone or letting them have that 5th drink at the bar or whatever and so, but, i'll give you all the help. Send me an email and i'll give you all the information you need." So much for banishing the money changers from the temple. But this isn't the only place where Jamie Dimon channeled images from the past. The famous PR man for John D. Rockefeller, the somewhat less famous Ivy Lee, had encouraged the once richest man in the world to engage in certain acts of philanthropy as a means of cleaning up his image. One of these was handing out dimes to children on the street. We found it striking that Jamie Dimon talked about philanthropy and charity during his Q&A to the good folks over at the CFR yesterday. It is laughable, of course, since what passes as philanthropy in his mind is really just a reshuffling of a fraction of the money that we have unwillingly put at risk in order to backstop unrealized losses for him and his bankrupt counterparties. At least Rockefeller was actually giving away dimes to children. In the case of Dimon, he is picking the child's pocket of a dollar, and handing back a doctored penny in return. So much for progress...Lauren and Demetri discuss this matter and more on today's "Loose Change." Stephen Leeb: the Missing Presidential Debate on Trickle Up Economics & the Energy War Welcome to Capital Account. The global rate cutting contest continues with two central banks reducing interest rates in the past 24 hours. The Central Bank of Brazil and the Central Bank of South Korea lowered rates by a quarter point, while China continued its easing policy to offset tight liquidity conditions. We talk to Dr. Stephen Leeb, chairman of Leeb Capital Management, about the impact of global loose monetary policy on commodity prices. Plus, tonight is the only Vice Presidential debate of the 2012 Presidential elections featuring Paul Ryan and Joe Biden. As pundits talk about "what's at stake" tonight, we ask if there is a dirty little secret no one mentions? Our guest, Stephen Leeb, weighs in on the bigger picture; resource and energy issues you aren't likely to hear in the US Vice Presidential debates. For years we have been told that wars in the Middle East, the Persian Gulf and other oil rich areas, are for security. We have been told that bailing out the biggest banks is about protecting Main Street from a financial fallout on Wall Street. We have been told that the Fed's purchases of mortgage backed securities will help homeowners and the economy, creating jobs and spurring employment. Is any of this true? If US wars were driven, in part, by a need to secure a depleting resource, oil, why wouldn't the government be spending that money on alternative energy at home? If bailouts were about stemming the economic crisis, why not bail out the holders of fraudulent mortgages? If the Fed wanted to help homeowners, why wouldn't they set up lending facilities as they did with the banks, lending directly to indebted households and mortgage holders? We talk to Stephen Leeb, author of the book "Red Alert", about the narrative given to the America public, and large industry, including big banks, oil companies, and military contractors, who want to preserve the status quo. Also, Christine Lagarde, Managing Director of the IMF, said Greece should be given an extra two years to meet its budget targets. What is driving high-level leaders to make sure Greece stays in the Eurozone? We ask Stephen Leeb if Greece is better off in the Eurozone, and continuing to service its debt, or is it better off out? And will we see criminal charges for actions surrounding JP Morgan's multi-billion dollar trading losses? Federal authorities are using taped phone calls to build criminal cases, according to Dealbook. Yesterday, Jamie Dimon, speaking about the London Whale losses, said "Punish us for our mistake, which was a shareholder mistake, it didn't cost anyone else any money." Really? It doesn't cost us to subsidize a TBTF bank, running enormous risks and realizing huge losses whenever you feel like it? In today's "Loose Change," we have a mash up of Jamie Dimon's best moments from yesterday's CFR press event.

CapitalAccount 10/10/2012 - Nigel Farage on the Rise of UKIP, the Fall of Europe, and the Parallels for the US , Capital Account asks Jamie Dimon about the Failed Bear Stearns Acquisition at the CFR!

Nigel Farage on the Rise of UKIP, the Fall of Europe, and the Parallels for the US Welcome to Capital Account. Nigel Farage is a UK politician with a strong US following. He has seen his own party, UKIP, grow from a fringe faction to a viable mainstream alternative. By turning his European Parliamentary position into a bully pulpit for a growing movement of euro-skeptics, he has managed to ride an alternative political wave sweeping across the Atlantic. And many of his speeches before the EU have gone viral on the internet, particularly on the financial blogosphere in the United States, making the man and his United Kingdom Independence Party a force to be reckoned with. Nigel Farage joins us in studio to discuss all this, as well as what happens behind the scenes of Europe's Parliament and give us a sneak peak at his relationship with other MEPs behind the new iron curtain! Also, the IMF said Europe's banks may need to sell as much as 4.5 trillion dollars in assets through 2013 if policy makers fall short of their pledges to curb the crisis. This is 18 percent more than previously estimated. The failure to implement fiscal tightening could force EU banks to shrink assets, according to the IMF, and this painful deleveraging might crimp growth. We talk to Nigel Farage, leader of the UK Independence Party and Member of European Parliament, about how much pain is still left in the Eurozone. We ask him if he has been surprised at all, by the resilience of Eurozone leaders in their resolve to keep the monetary union together, and if he see's a timeline for a Grexit, a Spexit, and perhaps even an exit of France from the Franco-German Pact! And Jamie Dimon was in Washington today, speaking at the Council on Foreign Relations. We are weeks away from the one year anniversary of MF Global's collapse. Since JP Morgan was a major counterparty and custodial bank of MF global, Capital Account tracked Jamie Dimon down to ask him about what he knew in the weeks before the broker's collapse. We also took him to task on the Bear Stearns acquisition and the civil fraud suit. Stay tuned to find out what he said at the end of the show! Capital Account asks Jamie Dimon about the Failed Bear Stearns Acquisition at the CFR! JP Morgan CEO Jamie Dimon, said the bank did the Federal Reserve a "favor" by acquiring Bear Stearns in 2008 and that the bank has lost up to 10 billion dollars related to its acquisition through litigation, write downs, etc. Jamie Dimon was in Washington D.C., at the Council on Foreign Relations, where Capital Account segment producer Justine Underhill asked him if he now regretted working with the Fed to acquire Bear Stearns. Specifically, the New York Attorney General's filing of a civil lawsuit alleging fraud related to mortgage securities at Bear is what sparked the market's concern. Below we have some of Jamie Dimon's response: Dimon said JP Morgan Chase was asked by the government to buy Bear Stearns "at great risk to ourselves." When asked if he would reconsider acquiring Bear Stearns knowing what he knows know about the company, Jamie Dimon said: "it's real close," and said that his board wouldn't let him. Dimon said the 10 billion dollars in Bear-related losses can be put in the "unfair category," adding that he "thinks the government should think twice before they punish businesses every single time something goes wrong." Here's the Q&A from the press conference with Dimon's attempt to settle the score.

BBCWorldwide 15/10/2012 - Carlos Ghosn and Vineet Nayar - Ideas Exchange - BBC

Carlos Ghosn and Vineet Nayar - Ideas Exchange - BBC Two more head of international business meet to exchange ideas. Carlos Ghosn spent 18 years at Europe's largest tyre maker, Michelin, before joining Renault in 1996. He has turned around the fortunes of Japanese carmaker Nissan and has been at the helm of the Renault-Nissan alliance since 2005. Vineet Nayar has been at HCL Technologies (HCLT), a global IT services company, for more than a quarter of a decade. He became president in 2005 and since then HCLT's workforce has tripled to 85,000 people. Now chief executive, he believes companies need to listen to their employees if they are ever going to meet the needs of their customers.

BarackObamadotcom 16/10/2012 - President Clinton Explains Mitt Romney's $5 Trillion Tax Cut

President Clinton Explains Mitt Romney's $5 Trillion Tax Cut Share this: http://OFA.BO/7GJS7j Tweet this: http://OFA.BO/GAjtKE President Clinton explains Mitt Romney's $5 trillion tax cut and how middle class families with children will get an average tax increase of $2,000 to pay for $250,000 in tax cuts for multi-millionaires. As President Clinton shares: "In the first debate, Governor Romney said that he wasn't really going to cut taxes on upper income people—he only wanted to cut taxes for middle class people. That's not true."

BarackObamadotcom 15/10/2012,Character - Obama for America TV Ad , My Day with President Obama - OFA Ohio , Jay-Z: The Power of Our Voice

Character - Obama for America TV Ad John Glenn: "Growing up in Ohio you learn to size up a person by their character and that's why I'm supporting President Obama. He stood firm against the doubters and help rescue the auto industry. He's taken on big corporations and foreign powers when they threatened our jobs, our freedom, our way of life—and you know he means what he says: that's the Ohio way. Barack Obama has earned my vote and my trust." My Day with President Obama - OFA Ohio Gotta vote? Go here: http://OFA.BO/oGXkhJ What's it like to see the President of the United States speak? Tali documents her experience when she attended President Obama's grassroots event at Kent State University. Jay-Z: The Power of Our Voice Jay-Z shares why it is important to exercise your right to vote and how President Obama represents the power of our voice. As Jay-Z shares: "For so long, there was this voice that was silenced out there as far as exercising your right to vote. I think it was a voice that was silent because people had lost hope. They didn't believe that their voice mattered or counted." "Now people are exercising their right, and you are starting to see the power of our vote. He made it mean something for the first time for a lot of people. " President Obama Visits the OFA Henderson, Nevada Office Volunteers describe what it was like for President Obama to stop by the OFA Henderson field office. After bringing a a few pizzas to fire up the office, President Obama sat down to make some calls and talk with volunteers. The Real Mitt Romney: Remember What He's Said Before During the Republican primary, Mitt Romney held a lot of town hall meetings where he explained his extremely conservative positions—the same one's he's trying to hide now because his advisors said they're electorally "suicidal." So when you see Romney in the town hall debate this Tuesday, remember what he's said before. Will the real Romney show up? Or will it be the say-anything deal closer? President Obama in Madison: "On October 22nd, Wisconsin Gets to Start Voting Early." President Obama shares the choice in the election and why it's important to register to vote and to vote. On October 22nd, Wisconsinites are able to register to vote and vote at their early vote locations. Go to vote.barackobama.com for all the information you need: http://OFA.BO/e3Dp4d Obama Pride: Billie Jean King Billie Jean King shares her life experiences and why she supports President Obama. As Billie Jean shares: "Every generation stands on the shoulders of the generations before—just like I do. And I'm very thankful to all those people that suffered so that I could have a better life. When I was going through all my suffering I use to always imagine what I'd like the world to look like and we are certainly much closer to it than ever—and I know that President Obama is very responsible for this happening because he stood up for us." Obama Pride: Ricky Martin Ricky Martin shares why he's standing with President Obama and what you can do to make sure he's re-elected for a second term. As Ricky shares: "As a parent, I'm especially thankful that the President is working to end bullying because no one should be afraid to walk down the street holding hands with the person they love." Obama Pride: LGBT Americans for Obama Jane Lynch, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Billie Jean King, George Takei, Wanda Sykes, Zachary Quinto, and Chaz Bono share why they're supporting President Obama and why Mitt Romney isn't the choice for them.

AssociatedPress 16/10/2012,Today in History for October 16th ,Physicist Explains Skydiver's Supersonic Speed , NLCS Game 2: Giants Top Cardinals 7-1

Highlights of this day in history: John Brown raids Harper's Ferry; France's Marie Antoinette beheaded; John Paul II chosen as pope; Chile's ex-dictator Augusto Pinochet detained; 'Baby Jessica' rescued; Novelist James Michener dies. (Oct. 16) Physicist Explains Skydiver's Supersonic Speed Nick Warner, a physics professor at the Univ. of Southern California, says the lack of air resistance was key when Felix Baumgartner broke the sound barrier after he jumped from his balloon-tethered capsule 24-miles above earth. (Oct. 15) NLCS Game 2: Giants Top Cardinals 7-1 Ryan Vogelsong pitched the San Francisco Giants to a 7-1 win over the St. Louis Cardinals in San Francisco on Monday. (Oct. 16) 'Beasts of the Southern Wild' Gets Oscar Buzz Director Benh Zeitlin and first-time actress Quvenzhane Wallis talk about the filming of 'Beasts of the Southern Wild' and the Oscar buzz surrounding it. (Oct. 15) Squirrel Population Invades the Northeast Up and down the East Coast of the United States people are reporting seeing more and more squirrels, and they are doing more than gathering nuts for the winter. (Oct. 16) Man Accused of Scamming Broadway Producers A New York man is in federal custody, accused of defrauding the producers of a Broadway show. Mark Hotton is accused of taking up to $15m through a series of scams. (Oct. 16) Women in Hollywood Celebrated by Elle Cate Blanchett and Octavia Spencer talk about the opportunities they get in the movie business as women, while Uma Thurman and Emma Watson react to the awards given to them at Elle magazine's 19th annual Women in Hollywood event. (Oct. 16) AP Top Stories Here's the latest news for Tuesday, October 16th: Obama-Romney debate Tuesday; Sec. Clinton says she's responsible for consulate security; Guantanamo tribunal continues; Maine prostitution case names released. South Dakota Executes Prison Guard's Killer South Dakota executed Eric Robert on Monday. Robert, who killed a prison guard during a failed escape attempt, is the first person executed in that state since 2007. (Oct. 16) ShowBiz Minute: Bynes, Depp, Fey Amanda Bynes pleads not guilty to unlicensed driving; Johnny Depp goes into publishing; Tina Fey and Amy Poehler to host Golden Globes. (Oct. 16)

ActualidadRT 16/10/2012 ,La crisis de los misiles: La guerra nuclear que nunca estalló ,Panamá estudia implementar el euro como moneda de curso legal ,

Se cumplen cincuenta años de la crisis de los misiles cubanos que llevó la tensión entre la URSS y EE.UU. hasta el máximo. El reportaje de nuestra corresponsal María Stárostina nos acerca la visión de algunos testigos de aquel momento decisivo de la diplomacia. José Testón ha vivido en este lugar los últimos 20 años. A primera vista, es una zona rural como cualquiera; sin embargo, este agricultor cubano cree que como esta no hay otra tierra en toda la isla. "Para mí la importancia que tiene eso fue que ahí era la protección de Cuba por la Unión Soviética. Entonces yo creo que es un lugar histórico", opina José. En 1962 en Pinar del Río, provincia occidental de Cuba, se alojaba uno de los regimientos soviéticos que se habían desplazado para proteger la isla de una posible invasión norteamericana. En aquel entonces, la Mayor de las Antillas era un joven Estado socialista que acaba de resistir un intento de cambio de poder. Tras el fracaso en la playa Girón, Washington empezó a preparar una nueva operación. Panamá estudia implementar el euro como moneda de curso legal El presidente de Panamá, Ricardo Martinelli, tras un encuentro con la canciller alemana, Angela Merkel, ha expresado su deseo de introducir el euro como moneda de curso legal en su país. Mientras que la zona euro sigue siendo el principal foco de preocupaciones de la economía mundial y la posibilidad de un eventual colapso de la moneda única europea se antoja cada vez más factible, Panamá busca mecanismos para implantar esa divisa paralelamente al dólar estadounidense. "En Panamá, la moneda de libre circulación es el dólar estadounidense y le dije a la canciller que estamos estudiando las vías para que el euro se convierta en otra moneda de curso legal y que sea aceptada en el mercado panameño", señaló el presidente centroamericano durante una rueda de prensa en Berlín. EE.UU. calla sobre leyes antiprotestas en Perú por sus intereses mineros En Perú reciben con entusiasmo a la secretaria de Estado norteamericana Hillary Clinton. Esta visita oficial llega poco después de que el secretario de Defensa de EE.UU., Leon Panetta, ofreciera al presidente Humala "asistencia en la lucha contra el terrorismo y el narcotráfico". Por su parte, el presidente Ollanta Humala, destacó que en la reunión que duró una hora se ha "coincidido también en la importancia de la salud y la educación como mecanismos de lucha contra la desigualdad y para generar capacidades en las poblaciones más pobres".

Decenas de heridos y detenidos en disturbios estudiantiles en México 15/10/2012 - Concurrida marcha en Chile en apoyo a reos mapuches que están en huelga de hambre ,EE.UU. subió un 32% sus exportaciones a Irán pese a las sanciones

Al menos 60 personas resultaron heridas y más de un centenar fueron detenidas durante los enfrentamientos entre estudiantes y la Policía en el estado Michoacán, en el oeste de México, la noche de este lunes. Concurrida marcha en Chile en apoyo a reos mapuches que están en huelga de hambre Miles de personas de diversas etnias indígenas participaron en una manifestación en la capital chilena, en apoyo a los cuatro reos mapuches que se mantienen en huelga de hambre para exigir la nulidad del juicio en el que dos de ellos fueron condenados. EE.UU. subió un 32% sus exportaciones a Irán pese a las sanciones Washington aprovechó las sanciones internacionales contra Irán para aumentar casi en una tercera parte sus exportaciones al país persa. Así lo revelan los datos de la Oficina del Censo de EE.UU. Las ventas de distintas mercancías estadounidenses a Irán se dispararon un 32,3% entre enero y agosto de este año, frente al mismo período del 2011. Cuba condena a cuatro años a un político español por homicidio imprudente La justicia cubana ha condenado al político español conservador Ángel Carromero a cuatro años de prisión por un delito de homicidio en el accidente de tráfico en el que murieron los opositores cubanos Oswaldo Payá y Harold Cepero. Se disuelve el Parlamento de Israel El presidente de la Knéset, Reuven Rivlin, la ha declarado disuelta después de una votación que daba luz verde a la convocatoria de elecciones legislativas anticipadas para enero próximo. La iniciativa fue promovida por el primer ministro israelí ante las dificultades que enfrentaba en sus intentos de aprobar los presupuestos para el 2013. Assange responde a las críticas de Anonymous por un 'banner' en WikiLeaks Julian Assange ha publicado una carta en respuesta a las críticas del grupo de los piratas informáticos de Anonymous. Este colectivo se indignó por un 'banner' del sitio Wikileaks que exigía a los usuarios a donar dinero para apoyar a ese medio.

Moscow dumps U.S. arms dismantle aid program

Russia no longer wants the U.S.'s help dismantling Soviet-era weapons of mass destruction... Moscow has decided to pull-out of an agreement reached with Washington in the early '90s, shortly after the collapse of the USSR.

Freedom for one Pussy Riot member

Moscow City Court has freed one of the Pussy Riot girls... But the two others jailed for inciting religious hatred at Chist the Saviour Cathedral failed to get their sentences reduced.

Financial War in Iran, Riots in Greece and Jobless Conspiracies in the US!

Welcome to Capital Account. The IMF lowered growth forecasts and warned of a world-wide recession in its World Economic Outlook report. This was the IMF's bleakest assessment of global growth prospects since the 2009 recession, according to the Wall Street Journal. Is the IMF late to the party? It upgraded growth prospects for only one major nation from its previous forecast: the US! Did the IMF take into account that the US is in a QE induced coma? We talk to Mike Shedlock about the meaning behind the IMF's report. Also, the US jobs numbers released by the BLS last week are still making headlines. The downturn in the unemployment rate during the election season prompted some high profile people, such as former GE CEO Jack Welch, to suggest that President Obama's team manipulated the data. Our guest, Mike Shedlock, Investment Advisor for Sitka Pacific Capital, is here to dispel the conspiracy theories around the drop in unemployment. In 2003 Austan Goolsbee, who later became an Obama aide, argued that in previous economic downturns "the unemployment rate has been low only because government programs, especially Social Security disability, have effectively been buying people off the unemployment rolls and reclassifying them as not in the labor force.'' He cites the loosening of the standards to qualify for disability payments in the 1980s and 1990s as a reason for the increase of those in the disability system, a form of 'invisible unemployment.' The trend of rising disability insurance has continued in this recent economic downturn. We talk to Mike Shedlock, author of the popular blog Mish's Global Economic Analysis, about factors that cloud and complicate the unemployment picture. Plus, Angela Merkel is in Athens offering words of support for her Greek counterpart. Talk is cheap, far more expensive are the conditions for more bailouts and debt write-downs! Words of support don't pay the bills or reignite a stalled economy. Lauren and Demetri look at how the mainstream media has misrepresented the problems in Greece. Also, Iran faces hyperinflation...or does it? Lauren and Demetri discuss the economic impact of sanctions and price controls in today's "Loose Change."

Joe Biden's Pre-Debate Gaffe meets Jon Corzine's Orange Jumpsuit w/James Koutoulas!

Welcome to Capital Account. The first US vice presidential debate of the 2012 presidential race is a few days away. During the 2008 Obama administration's post-election transition, Biden called former Senator, Governor, and CEO of Goldman Sachs and MF Global, Jon Corzine, for advice. Corzine was at the helm of one of the largest bankruptcies in US corporate history: the bankruptcy of brokerage firm MF Global. Customer money is still missing from MF Global and not a single person has been held accountable. It was a year ago this month that the brokerage collapsed. We welcome James Koutoulas, co-founder of the Commodity Customer Coalition (CCC) and CEO of Typhon Capital Management, back onto the program to give us a long over-due update on MF Global, Jon Corzine, and the status of that 1.6 billion dollars that so popularly "vaporized." Vaporized indeed. Many contend that customer money was actually stolen to meet margin calls on Corzine's risky European bond trades after the firm's credit rating was downgraded. Others believe that these funds were being used on a regular basis to cover margin calls months in advance of the firm's collapse. Gary Gensler, former Goldman Sachs banker, recused himself and the CFTC from handling the bankruptcy, letting SIPC handle it instead, even though there were only 100 million dollars in securities accounts versus $6.4 billion in futures. We tell you about the safe harbor provision that allows derivatives to cut the line in bankruptcy court. We break it down in Word of the Day! And last but not least, the Merchants of Venice want to secede from Italy. Lauren and Demetri banter about the latest calls for independence from Italy by Venetian separatists in "Loose Change." Indipendenza Veneta, a newly-founded pro-independence movement, held a rally in the ancient city on Saturday, calling for an urgent referendum to be held on the issue. Separatists want to carve out a new country in north-eastern Italy which would comprise Venice, the surrounding region of Veneto and parts of Lombardy, Trentino and Friuli-Venezia Giulia. The "Repubblica Veneta", as it would be known, would encompass about five million people. A poll conducted by Corriere della Sera in September found that 80 per cent were in favor of independence.

Word of the Day: Safe Harbor

Given our discussion about MF Global with James Koutoulas, the word of the day is Safe Harbor. So what exactly is Safe Harbor? Safe Harbor protections in the Bankruptcy Code include: Provisions that protect nondebtor counterparties from the normal course in bankruptcy. Many transfers of cash or securities made in the final weeks before a bankruptcy, for example transfers used to meet margin calls on OTC derivatives, are not subject to clawbacks, as long as the parties involved claim they had no knowledge of fraud. Let's take a look at one of the ways it has been used: In the case of MF Global, when more than 1.6 billion dollars of customer money went missing from customer accounts, one would assume that the money would go back to the customers once properly discovered right? Not necessarily under the safe harbor provisions. Companies that received hundreds of millions in transfers of MF Global customer funds in their final days may simply get to keep that money! And they would be within their legal right to do so! Also, any collateral MF Global posted with counterparties before the bankruptcy, those counterparties may get to keep! These assets are beyond the reach of creditors. This would be as if you bought a car you didn't know was stolen, and when the owner of the car came to take back the car, the Safe Harbor would be used to protect you from having to return the car to its rightful owner. So, unlike what would happen to ordinary citizens outside of their dealings with banks, creditors and customers can sail into safe harbors when they are dealing with stolen assets by saying they didn't know they were stolen. The Safe Harbor provisions are supposedly intended to avoid a financial ripple effect, where a large firm's bankruptcy infects the market as a whole by providing immunity to other market entities. However if counterparties are not incentivized to perform due diligence on each other, and instead rely on the ability to liquidate the other's collateral upon bankruptcy, a large counterparty failure easily leads to a fire sale of all posted collateral. So much for the systemic risk argument! The provisions were first introduced into the Bankruptcy Code in 1982, in a very limited manner, safe harbors have since been expanded over the years, most recently in 2005 as part of the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act (BAPCPA). The 2005 act extended safe harbor provisions to include repo and swap agreements, in addition to futures contracts and securities agreements. And who were some of the biggest lobbyists for this act? Bank of America, CitiGroup, JP Morgan, Merrill Lynch, and the American Banker's association. These 5 entities spent over 6 million dollars to get this bill passed. The poorly named Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act arguably neither prevents abuse nor protects consumers. And the big losers today may be customers who are trying to recover funds such as those at MF Global that sunk with the ship and are in a so called safe harbor. And now you know what it is.

How High-Frequency & Algorithmic Trading open the Floor for a Flash Crash

This is a Capital Account, web-extra from our Thursday, September 27th interview with former NYMEX board and executive committee member David Greenberg; a 25-year veteran crude oil trader. David lectures at major universities around the country and is a frequent guest lecturer for the finance program at both Hofstra University and the Whitman School of Management at Syracuse University. He also teaches a course on the transition to electronic trading at the Museum of American Finance. In this web-extra, David Greenberg (www.greenbergcapital.com) breaks down exactly how and why algorithmic trading can create price vacuums in markets that, given the right of circumstance, could create dramatic price drops unlike anything that one could expect to see in a market where sell and buy orders are filled by humans and not machines. The Flash Crash of March 2010 is a perfect example.

Chris Martenson on what Job Numbers, the Fed, and a Drop in Oil Prices are Hiding!

Welcome to Capital Account. The ECB plans to use its unlimited bond buying program, known as OMT, to buy sovereign bonds for one or two months and then suspend purchases during an assessment period, according to Reuters. Attempts to reflate the global credit supply have truly reached new levels. The central bank has gone from traditional monetary policy of setting interest rates, to buying US treasuries and government agency debt, to then buying mortgage backed securities to bolster the housing market. All this is done under the guise of the Fed's "dual mandate" of promoting full employment and price stability. And yet, the only thing central bankers have managed to achieve as they break the laws of physics is to inverted time and space and suck whatever duration is left out of the bond market. To help us contemplate life after the death of interest rates and the credit system, we talk to Chris Martenson, author of "The Crash Course." Among other things, we ask Dr. Martenson how he thinks the issue of credit expansion is compounded by global energy resource depletion and population growth. Meanwhile, August consumer credit rose more than forecast according to the Fed. The 18.12 billion dollar rise, the most in three months, was driven by borrowing for education and automobiles. We ask Chris Martenson, if this a sign that the credit bubble is reflating or if we are we past the deflationary point of no return. And the unemployment rate dipped to 7.8 percet, with a massive 873,000 jump in jobs reported by the household survey, the largest gain in almost a decade. However most of the job gains were involuntary, part-time positions. We talk to Chris Martenson about what the numbers really mean and how to factor in exponential population growth as an unaccounted for headwind to employment going forward.

Kathleen Taylor and David Neeleman - Ideas Exchange - BBC

Two more heads of international business meet to exchange ideas. Kathleen Taylor, chief executive of Canada's Four Seasons luxury hotel group, is credited with taking the company outside its traditional markets and jumpstarting the largest expansion in its history. David Neeleman made his name in the airline business, founding US low-cost airlines Morris Air and JetBlue. The Brazilian-born American entrepreneur then founded Brazilian carrier Azul in 2008, seeing good opportunities in South America's fastest-growing economy.

Panetta: US Sends Troops to Jordan

The United States has sent military troops to the Jordan-Syria border to help build a headquarters in Jordan and bolster that country's military capabilities in the event that violence escalates along its border with Syria. (Oct. 10)

Moscow Court Frees 1 of 3 Pussy Riot Members

A Moscow appeals court has freed one of the jailed Pussy Riot members but upheld the two-year prison sentence for the two others. (Oct. 10)