17 Mar, 2023 13:18

Political opposition to bank bailout growing in Switzerland

The government is assessing a range of options to rescue Credit Suisse

Switzerland’s conservative Swiss People’s Party disagrees with the government plan to rescue the country’s second largest bank, Credit Suisse, a representative of the party, which is the country’s largest, said on Thursday.

“The government shouldn’t give Credit Suisse a state guarantee,” a member of the party’s leadership team, Thomas Matter, said, adding that “the Swiss National Bank was responsible for providing liquidity to Credit Suisse, and the SNB has acted.”

Meanwhile, a spokesman for Switzerland’s second-largest party, the Social Democrats, said his party is less opposed to the state aid but seeks “complete transparency.”

The response comes after Credit Suisse received a credit line of nearly $54 billion from the Swiss National Bank to bolster its liquidity and reassure investors that the investment bank can stay afloat.

The Swiss authorities are running through a wide range of scenarios to rescue the country’s second-biggest bank. One of the most discussed options is for Credit Suisse to be acquired by its larger rival, UBS, as the ailing lender cannot operate as a standalone bank, some analysts say.

Meanwhile, both lenders are reportedly opposed to a forced tie-up and see a takeover as a measure of last resort, Bloomberg reported on Thursday, citing sources familiar with the discussions.

UBS seeks to focus on its “wealth-centric standalone” strategy and is unwilling to take on risks related to Credit Suisse, the outlet said, while Credit Suisse, for its part, wants to buy time to get a handle on its problems after it received a liquidity backstop. In a memo to employees on Thursday, Credit Suisse CEO Ulrich Koerner said that the lender would prioritize its plans to strengthen the bank.

Another option, according to Bloomberg’s sources, is to break up the lender and sell off the parts.

Credit Suisse shares plummeted to an all-time low this week after its largest shareholder, Saudi National Bank, refused to provide further financial assistance following a report by the Swiss lender of its “material weakness.”

The Zurich-based bank has recently been battling to recover from a string of scandals and losses that have shaken the confidence of investors and clients. Customer outflows in the fourth quarter totaled over 110 billion Swiss francs ($120 billion).

(I remember three years ago on this board, Credit Swiss and French banks were over leveraged, under water and were going to destroy the EU. As usual they ignored the risk and the boomerang is back.A couple of weeks agothere was a post where jews sent subversives to Russia to create communism to destroy the country and people, the jews from Germany started Hitler, to create WWII and created the constant refrain of how 6 million jews were killed, while Russians lost 25 million people beating back the Nazis and saving the jews, etc. But the Russians get no praise. And before all this Swiss (not known as jews) married into American and Swiss and other countries Banker families and have been running this scam since the early 1900s or longer, to this day! It’s time for the supposedly neutral Swiss that run the world, along with the rest of them to deal with their karma and full exposure. I’m remembering this not in specific order, it was a long document, but you get the gist!)

https://www.rt.com/business/573133-credit-suisse-rescue-opposition/

18 Mar, 2023 00:39

Biden questions ICC powers

The US leader has commented on “war crimes” charges against the Russian president

US President Joe Biden admitted on Friday that Washington doesn’t recognize the International Criminal Court, butagreed with its claimsthat Russian President Vladimir Putin committed “war crimes” in Ukraine.

“Well, I think it's justified,” Biden told the White House press corps before boarding a helicopter on Friday evening, when asked about the ICC. “But the question is, it’s not recognized internationally by us, either. But I think it makes a very strong point.” (WTF cares what he thinks, he’s braindead, and some other entity speaks through him.)

Putin “clearly committed war crimes,” Biden said in response to another reporter. He also said the accusations ofChinese payments to members of his family were “not true,” and that the banking crisis in the US has calmed down. (What is wrong with Bidan, if he is doing China’s bidding, which he is, Russia should watch their back.)

Earlier in the day, the Hague-based ICC accused Putin of “unlawful transfer of population,” along with Russian children’s rights commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova. The claim appears to be based on the Kiev government’s interpretation of Russian efforts to evacuate children away from frontline areas that the Ukrainian military has targeted, often with NATO-supplied weapons.

The Kremlin and the Russian Foreign Ministry dismissed the announcement asmeaningless, pointing out that Russia is not a party to the ICC’s Rome Statute, and that the court has no jurisdiction in the country whatsoever.

Other Russian officials said the ICC had just self-destructed and demonstrated how “worthless and insignificant” Western-backed institutions have become. Former president and deputy chair of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev compared theICC “warrant” to toilet paper. (Kek, he is quite funny)

Though the ICC was modeled after the US-backed “tribunals” for Yugoslavia and Rwanda, Washington withdrew from it in 2002 and passed a law authorizing “all means necessary and appropriate” – including military force – to release any American, or national of an allied country, should they be detained by the court.

Some45 statesdo not recognize the court’s jurisdiction, including China, India, Israel, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye.

https://www.rt.com/news/573169-biden-icc-recognized-putin/

When did Bidan put reporters behind a wrought iron fence? Trump talked to them daily up close.

>>18527788

Damn if I could have got one more 7, but I’m happy with that, gratitude is worth having

7788 digits are coolio

>>18527695

I was listening to bannon and they were asking for donations of people in need, andboth Bannon and the guest, never give to the Red Cross

>>18527725

At the beginning Kim says two men Mr. Clark and Trump. Jeffrey Clark who worked at the DOJ for years even under Barr was persecuted by the FBI last year. He’s on Bannon a lot, and Bannon always says he will be the US Attorney General under Trump’s second term. Clark does not say a word or react to what Bannon says.Is this the Mr. Clark that Kim prophesied. If so, Jeffrey Clark is Brilliant and advanced in the ways of the DOjExpert at Natural Resources, what is Trump’s speciality economy by managing natural resources:

Clark resigned from the Department of Justice on January 14, 2021, after controversy over his post-election actions.[9]

After the end of the Trump administration, Clark was briefly named the Chief of Litigation and Director of Strategy at the conservative-libertarian New Civil Liberties Alliance.[10][11][12] On December 1, 2021, the House committee on the January 6 attack voted to recommend contempt of Congress charges against Clark after he refused to comply with a subpoena.[13]

As of June 2022 Clark worked as a Senior Fellow and Director of Litigation at the Center for Renewing America, a conservative think tank founded by his friend Russell Vought, former director of the Office of Management and Budget.[14]

Early life and career

Clark was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He graduated from Father Judge High School in the Holmesburg section of Northeast Philadelphia.[15] He was on the parliamentary debate team at Harvard College, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in economics and history in 1989. He received a Master of Arts in urban affairs and public policy from the University of Delaware in 1993, and a Juris Doctor from the Georgetown University Law Center in 1995.[2]

After graduating from law school, Clark clerked for Judge Danny J. Boggs of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit (Cincinnati, Ohio).[16]

Clark joined Kirkland & Ellis as a lawyer during 1996–2001 and 2005–2018. During 2001–2005, he served in the George W. Bush administration as Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Environment and Natural Resources Division of the Justice Department.[16] At Kirkland & Ellis, Clark represented the United States Chamber of Commerce in lawsuits challenging the federal government's authority to regulate carbon emissions and the Environmental Protection Agency's "endangerment finding," while also a part of the team representing BP in lawsuits related to the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill.[17]

From 2012 to 2015, he was a member of the governing council of the American Bar Association's Administrative Law Section.[2] He is also a member of the Federalist Society.[18]

Assistant Attorney General

Edit

In June 2017, Clark was nominated by President Donald Trump to become the United States Assistant Attorney General for the Environment and Natural Resources Division.[19] He was confirmed by the Senate on October 11, 2018.[20] Within the division, Clark "developed a reputation for pushing aggressive conservative legal principles and taking a hands-on approach that drew kudos from some colleagues but often frustrated career lawyers on his team."[21]

Clark had opposed regulation of greenhouse gases.[22] In 2010, he had characterized US efforts to regulate greenhouse gases as "reminiscent of kind of a Leninistic program from the 1920s to seize control of the commanding heights of the economy."[23][24]

While Assistant Attorney General, Clark tried to delay the DOJ in seeking criminal and civil charges against North Dakota pipeline operator Summit Midstream Partners for its role in the largest-ever inland spill of waste water from oil drilling. Clark's attempts to delay the case led prosecutors under his supervision to go directly to Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen with the prosecutors arguing that Clark's rationale for delaying the case was inconsistent with "decades of case law". Ultimately, the DOJ proceeded with the case, which would become one of the largest water pollution cases in U.S. history. Summit Midstream Partners ultimately pleaded guilty and incurred $36.3 million in civil penalties.[25]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeffrey_Clark

>>18527755

That seemsnotablethe clip could be a Little longer but interesting

>>18527766

Go on wikileaks and Clinton, she and he have massive control of Ireland. She’s tied up the Irish mob, not only there but the US

>>18527776

They will kill him before he gets here. A plane crash, Pompeo planned it long ago

17 Mar, 2023 23:48

Germany exposes Ukraine asylum trick

Kiev has offered Russian deserters sanctuary in Germany, apparently without asking Berlin

For months, the Ukrainian military and intelligence services have tried to entice Russian soldiers to desert and surrender, promising them asylum in European countries such as Germany and the Netherlands. This week, the German government said that no such program existed.

Ukraine is “playing a very cynical game with Russian soldiers who are considering deserting,” the German outlet NachDenkSeiten noted on Friday, pointing to the letter Bundestag member Andrej Hunko (Die Linke) sent to the Interior Ministry about the promises made by Kiev, and the response he received.

“Is it true that Russian deserters have the opportunity to apply for asylum in Germany through the Ukrainian state project ‘I Want to Live,’ and what other similar or comparable programs is the federal government aware of, through which Russian deserters in Ukrainian captivity can apply for asylum in EU member states, including Germany?” Hunko asked in his letter, sent on Wednesday.

“No. The federal government is also not aware of any other similar or comparable programs as related to your question,” responded Mahmut Ozdemir, the parliamentary secretary for the Interior Ministry.

The project Hunko mentioned is run by the Ukrainian coordination center for prisoners of war, with the cooperation of the defense ministry and intelligence service. The program’s spokesman Vitaly Matvienko toldthe US-funded broadcaster Current Time last October that Russians who surrender “can apply for asylum in Germany and the Netherlands,” whose governments have “previously said that they are ready to accept such prisoners of war.”

Kiev’s offer “has obviously turned out to be a fake,” Hunko told NDS, but added that the idea itself makes sense, and that Die Linke wants Berlin to set up an actual asylum program for war objectors – from Russia and Ukraine alike.

Ozdemir’s response doesn’t just mean that the Ukrainian government has been less than honest, however. It also casts doubt on the public pronouncements of his own ministry from September last year, after Moscow announced a partial call-up of reservists.

On September 23, Interior Minister Nancy Faeser offered political asylum to “anyone who courageously opposes Putin’ regime” – as quoted by her spokesman, Maximilian Kall – while government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit said that Germany wanted a “viable solution” for the anticipated influx of Russian deserters. Meanwhile, Justice Minister Marco Buschmann tweeted that “anyone who hates [Russian President Vladimir] Putin’s path and loves liberal democracy is warmly welcomed in Germany.”

How many – if any – Russians actually tried to avail themselves of this offer, or the Ukrainian program, remains unclear.

https://www.rt.com/news/573167-germany-ukraine-russian-deserters/

17 Mar, 2023 22:26

‘John Wick’ star Lance Reddick dies aged 60

The character actor reportedly passed away from “natural” causes that have not been made public (Covid shot)

Character actor Lance Reddick, best known for his role as Lt. Cedric Daniels on ‘The Wire,’died “suddenly…from natural causes” on Friday, his publicist Mia Hansen told the Hollywood Reporter. His body was reportedly found at his Studio City apartment around 9:30am. Reddick was 60 years old.

While Reddick was already an established actor in several television series including HBO’s OZ when he was called to read the script for The Wire, his role on that show as the stern-faced Lt. Cedric Daniels made him a household name, and he was soon offered larger roles in films, including the John Wick franchise.

He appears in the fourth John Wick film, due out later this month, and had several other completed projects in the pipeline, including John Wick spinoff The Ballerina and a remake of White Men Can’t Jump.

Reddick has also lent his distinctive voice to video games, voicing Destiny 2 star Commander Zavala and serving as both voice and face of Sylens in the Horizon games Zero Dawn and Forbidden West.

Reddick’s co-stars and collaborators paid tribute to the actor on social media. The Wire creator David Simon called him a “consummate professional, a devoted collaborator, a lovely soul and a friend,” while his Wire co-star Wendell Pierce described him as a “man of great strength and grace. As talented a musician as he was an actor. The epitome of class.”

Reddick leaves behind his wife Stephanie and two children, Yvonne and Christopher.

https://www.rt.com/pop-culture/573166-lance-reddick-actor-dies/

18 Mar, 2023 00:18

US resumes Black Sea drone flights but keeps a distance

A Global Hawk drone stayed at least100 km from Crimeaafter the Reaper crash

The US military sent another spy drone over the Black Sea on Friday, keeping far away from the restricted airspace in which a MQ-9 drone crashed earlier this week, after being intercepted by Russian jets.

Flight tracking sites showed an UAV with the callsignForte10, identified as a RQ-4 Global Hawk, circling over Romanian airspace before flying south and east. The drone circled over the eastern part of the Black Sea, but never came closer than 100 kilometers to Crimea.

The Black Sea portion of the mission took only two hours,instead of the usual twelve, noted one pro-Ukrainian observer on Twitter, callingit “definitely the strangest route that I have ever seen the RQ-4 take.”

Unnamed US officials later confirmed the mission to Reuters, saying it was the first such flight since Tuesday’s incident. However, the Pentagon had previously said another drone had been dispatched to monitor the possible salvage operation by the Russian navy.

On Tuesday morning, two Russian jets intercepted an American MQ-9 Reaper that was inside the restricted airspace without a transponder, according to the Russian Defense Ministry. Moscow said the drone lost lift due to erratic maneuvers and dropped into the water. The incident happened about 60 kilometers southwest of Sevastopol.

The US military’s European Command accused the Russian pilots of “unsafe and unprofessional” flying, eventually releasing a video that showed jets repeatedly dousing the drone with fuel. According to the US, the drone crashed after a Russian jet struck its propeller. The Russian military said neither airplane made contact with the UAV.

After the incident, the Pentagon’s top military and civilian leadership reached out to their Russian counterparts for the first time in months, while the State Department summoned Moscow’s envoy to Washington.

Ambassador Anatoly Antonov later said he had conveyed to his hosts the position that US drones have no business flying so close to Russia. Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said both pilots will receive an award for their actions.

The US military said on Thursday it was “weighing the costs and benefits” of further drone operations and “taking a close look” at their routes in order to reduce the risk of more incidents.

Washington has admitted to providing Ukraine with intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance information in the conflict against Russia, while insisting it is not a party to the hostilities. US and NATO spy aircraft routinely fly over the Black Sea and approach Crimea, sometimes just before Ukrainian forces launch attacks on the Russian peninsula.

https://www.rt.com/news/573168-us-drone-black-sea-russia/

Thats a huge drone

17 Mar, 2023 11:07

China looks to cement energy ties with Russia – ambassador

Bilateral cooperation in the oil and gas sector has been growing recently

Beijing intends to build a closer partnership with Moscow in the energy sector to jointly strengthen international energy security and the stability of industrial supply chains, Chinese Ambassador to Russia Zhang Hanhui told RIA Novosti on Friday.

According to the diplomat, the two nations have boosted cooperation in the oil and gas sector in recent years by jointly implementing major projects, thus demonstrating the high potential to further strengthen energy ties.

Zhang emphasized Russia’s role as a leading supplier of oil to China for many years in a row. Last year, China reportedly purchased 86.25 million tons of Russian oil, which is 8% more than the previous year.

The envoy also highlighted that Russian LNG deliveries in 2022 amounted to more than 6.5 million tons, and that the annual volume of deliveries through the eastern branch of the Power of Siberia natural gas pipeline had reached a record high of 11.5 billion cubic meters.

“Since being launched, the Yamal LNG project has been operating steadily, and the implementation of the Arctic LNG-2 project has been proceeding at an accelerated pace,” he stated. “An intergovernmental agreement on gas supplies from Russia to China via the Far East gas pipeline was recently ratified, and the sides intend to start implementing this project without delay,” added Zhang.

In February, Moscow andBeijing signed an agreement for additional natural gas supplies to China via the Far Eastern Route. The project will entail construction of a cross-border section across the Ussuri River between the already operational Russian pipeline and the Chinese city of Hulin. After reaching full capacity, the route will have annual capacity of 10 billion cubic meters (bcm). The total volume of annual gas deliveries by Russian energy giant Gazprom to China is expected to increase to 48 bcm once the project is launched.

https://www.rt.com/business/573120-china-energy-ties-russia/