PARIS 2016: Scenes from the Apocalypse - African Mass Immigration ruins Streets of France

https://youtu.be/Ek1ENuEyWHE

http://beforeitsnews.com/banksters/2016/12/india-millions-rise-up-a...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4092608/Mexico-gas-protests...

Four people are killed and 700 are arrested as anger over gasoline price hikes in Mexico fuels looting and violent protests

• WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT 
• Anger over gasoline prices hikes in Mexico fueled more protests and looting Thursday
• They led to four deaths, the ransacking of at least 300 stores and the arrests of more than 700 people  
• Mexicans were enraged by the 20 per cent fuel price hike announced over the weekend as part of a government deregulation of the energy sector 

Protests and looting fueled by anger over gasoline price hikes in Mexico have led to four deaths, the ransacking of at least 300 stores and the arrests of more than 700 people, officials said.

The country's business chambers said the combination of highway, port and terminal blockades and looting this week forced many stores and businesses to close and threatened supplies of basic goods and fuel.

The scenes of mass lootings came as parents faced the last shopping day to get presents for their children before the January 6 Epiphany or Three Kings Day holiday. 

Two people were found dead near looting in the port city of Veracruz. An official with the state prosecutor said late Thursday that the killers had not yet been identified. 

The official was not authorized to talk to the press and spoke on condition of anonymity. 

Earlier, officials said a bystander was run over and killed by a driver fleeing police also in Veracruz, and a police officer was killed trying to stop robberies at a gas station in Mexico City.

Mexicans were enraged by the 20 per cent fuel price hike announced over the weekend as part of a government deregulation of the energy sector.

While acknowledging the anger, President Enrique Pena Nieto said Thursday he would forge ahead anyway with the deregulated price scheme, which would do away with fuel subsidies and allow gasoline prices to be determined by prevailing international prices.

'I know that allowing gasoline to rise to its international price is a difficult change, but as president, my job is to precisely make difficult decisions now, in order to avoid worse consequences in the future,' Pena Nieto said in a televised address. 

'Keeping gas prices artificially low would mean taking money away from the poorest Mexicans, and giving it to those who have the most.'

Pena Nieto said the other big challenge for Mexico in 2017 was to 'build a positive relationship with the new U.S. administration,' something he said would be done with Mexico's 'unbreakable dignity'.

Police in Mexico's capital said they had arrested 76 people for looting about 29 stores.  

People ransack a store in Veracruz, Mexico, on Thursday. Items are seen in disarray on the floor of the business 

Protests and looting fueled by anger over gasoline price hikes have led to four deaths, the ransacking of at least 300 stores and the arrests of more than 700 people, officials said

Suspects are detained by state police after they were caught looting in Veracruz, Mexico, early Thursday

Romania protests continue over plans to revive corruption bill

http://www.cnn.com/2017/02/06/europe/romania-protests-update/

'Government should resign'

Businessman Cosmin Alexandru, 47, has participated in the protests over the past six days, which have been the largest demonstrations Romania has seen for decades.

Romania scraps proposed corruption bill amid protests

He told CNN Monday: "The ordinance has been withdrawn but has now been introduced almost unchanged into the parliamentary process. They did not withdraw it because they considered it wrong but because of the pressure."

"The only reasonable outcome for me is the government resigning and either put a better government in place or call an election," he added.

He expects, however, that the draft law will eventually be passed.

The original decree, which would have taken effect in about a week, decriminalized corruption that causes damage worth less than about 200,000 Romanian lei, or $48,000.

This could have benefited politicians such as Liviu Dragnea, president of the Social Democrat Party, which recently took power. Dragnea is under investigation over abuse of power allegations and had also previously received a two-year suspended sentence for an elections offense.

The new draft law, while similar to the controversial decree, does eliminate the section that decriminalized damage worth less than 200,000 lei.

Photos: Romanians protest new corruption law

On Sunday, February 5, Romanians turned out for a sixth straight day to demonstrate against a new law passed last week that would decriminalize corruption. Amid the protests Sunday night, the decree was officially repealed in a government statement following an emergency meeting of Prime Minister Sorin Grindeanu's Cabinet.

Photos: Romanians protest new corruption law

Protesters demonstrate in Bucharest on February 5. The new law, which passed on January 31, would have decriminalized corruption that caused damage worth less than about $48,000 (200,000 lei). Liviu Dragnea, president of the ruling Social Democrat Party, and other high-ranking politicians stood to benefit from the new law. Dragnea is under investigation over abuse of power allegations.

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South Korea president Park Geun-hye impeached, could face criminal proceedings

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-03-10/south-korea-hands-down-verdic...

• Park Geun-hye faces possible criminal proceedings, first South Korean president forced from office
• Fears that Ms Park's impeachment could spark violence between supporters and opponents
• Weeks of rallies involving millions of protesters created huge pressure on Ms Park

10 Mar 2017

In an historic ruling, South Korea's Constitutional Court has formally removed impeached President Park Geun-hye from office over a corruption scandal that has plunged the country into political turmoil, worsened an already-serious national divide and led to calls for sweeping reforms.

It was a stunning fall for Ms Park, the daughter of a dictator who rode a lingering conservative nostalgia for her father to a big win in 2012, only to see her presidency descend into scandal.

The unanimous ruling opens her up to possible criminal proceedings, and makes her South Korea's first democratically elected leader to be removed early from office since democracy in the country in the late 1980s.

The court's acting chief judge, Lee Jung-mi, said Ms Park had violated the constitution and law "throughout her term", and despite the objections of parliament and the press, she had concealed the truth and cracked down on critics.

"The removal of the claimee from office is overwhelmingly to the benefit of the protection of the constitution ... We remove President Park Geun-hye from office," Ms Lee told the hearing.

Ms Park denied any wrongdoing.

Ms Park's parliamentary impeachment in December came after weeks of Saturday rallies that drew millions who wanted her resignation.

Overwhelmed by the biggest rallies in decades, the voices of Ms Park supporters were largely ignored. But they recently regrouped and have staged fierce pro-Park rallies since.

People on both sides have threatened not to accept a Constitutional Court decision that they disagree with.

One of Ms Park's lawyers told the court last month that there will be "a rebellion and blood will drench the asphalt" if Ms Park is booted from office.

Many participants at anti-Park rallies had said they would stage a "revolution" if the court rejected her impeachment.

"If Park accepts the ruling and soothes those who opposed her impeachment, things will be quiet," said Yoon Tae-Ryong, a political scientist at Seoul's Konkuk University.

"But looking at what she's done so far, I think that might be wishful thinking."

Prosecutors named Ms Park, who now loses her presidential immunity from prosecution, as an accomplice in two court cases linked to the scandal, suggesting she is likely to be investigated and could face legal proceedings.

Ms Park, 65, was been accused of colluding with her friend, Choi and a former presidential aide, both of whom have been on trial, to pressure big businesses to donate to two foundations set up to back her policy initiatives.

The court said Ms Park had "completely hidden the fact of [Choi's] interference with state affairs".

Ms Park was also accused of soliciting bribes from the head of the Samsung Group for government favours, including backing a merger of two Samsung affiliates in 2015 that was seen as supporting the succession of control over the country's largest "chaebol" — or family owned — conglomerate.

Samsung Group leader Jay Y Lee has been accused of bribery and embezzlement in connection with the scandal and is in detention — his trial began on Thursday.

Park Geun-hye: South Korea's former president arrested over corruption allegations

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-03-31/south-korea-ex-president-park...

• Ms Park has been taken to a detention facility and faces over 10 years in prison
• Her ousting leaves behind a political vacuum amid rising tensions with North Korea
• The scandal has also landed the head of the Samsung Group in detention and on trial

31 March 2017

South Korea's disgraced former president Park Geun-hye — the country's first democratically elected leader to be thrown out of office — has been arrested over high-profile corruption allegations of bribery and abuse of power.

A convoy of vehicles, including a black sedan carrying Ms Park, entered a detention facility near Seoul after the Seoul Central District Court granted prosecutors' request to arrest her.

Many Park supporters waved national flags and shouted "president" as the car entered the facility.

Ms Park can be held in a cell for up to 20 days while she is investigated over allegations that she colluded with a friend, Choi Soon-sil, to pressure big businesses to contribute to now-defunct foundations set up to back her policy initiatives.

A judge at the Seoul Central District Court said in a statement that "the cause and the need for the warrant are recognised as the main charges against her have been verified and as evidence could be destroyed".

Ms Park gave about eight hours of testimony at the same court on Thursday and was held at the prosecutors' office next door while the judge studied the evidence and arguments to decide on whether to issue the arrest warrant.

On Thursday, Ms Park, 65, arrived expressionless at the court to plead her case that she should not be arrested or held while prosecutors investigate the scandal.

Ms Park argues that she does not pose a flight risk and will not try to tamper with evidence

She and Ms Choi have both denied any wrongdoing.

Ms Park's removal from office capped months of paralysis and turmoil over the corruption scandal that also landed the head of the Samsung conglomerate in detention and on trial.

Her impeachment this month has left a political vacuum, with only an interim president pending a May 9 election, at a time of rising tensions with North Korea over its weapons program and with China, which is angry over South Korea's decision to host a US anti-missile system.

Prosecutors said on Monday that Ms Park was accused of soliciting companies for money and infringing upon the freedom of corporate management by using her power as the president.

She was was questioned for 14 hours by prosecutors last week.

She could face more than 10 years in jail if convicted of receiving bribes from bosses of big conglomerates, including Samsung Group chief Jay Y Lee, in return for favours.

Ms Park may be given a bigger cell than other inmates in a Seoul detention facility, but she would be subject to the same rules on everything from meals to room inspections, former prosecution and correctional officials have said.

She was removed from office when a constitutional court upheld her impeachment by parliament.

The ruling sparked protests by hundreds of her supporters, two of whom were killed in clashes with police outside the court, and a celebratory rally by those who had demanded she be removed from office.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/21/world/americas/venezuela-riots.h...

At Least 12 Die as Rioting Breaks Out in Venezuela

Employees worked on Friday to clean a supermarket that was one of the stores looted overnight in El Valle, a neighborhood in Caracas, the Venezuelan capital. CreditMeridith Kohut for The New York Times

At least a dozen people were killed as the streets of Caracas, Venezuela, erupted into a night of riots, looting and clashes between government opponents and the National Guard late Thursday and early Friday, with anger from two days of pro-democracy demonstrations spilling into unrest in working-class and poor neighborhoods.

The attorney general’s office in Venezuela said 11 people had died of electrocution and gunshot wounds “in acts of violence” in El Valle, a neighborhood of mixed loyalties, where armored vehicles struggled to contain crowds of looters. In Petare, a working-class section in eastern Caracas, a protester was shot dead at the entrance to the city’s largest barrio, said Carlos Ocariz, the district mayor.

Throughout the night, the sounds of banging pots and pans reverberated through the capital, a traditional form of protest known as the “cacerolazo,” which has taken on greater significance as the country struggles with shortages of food.

Liang-Ming Mora, 43, a resident of El Valle, described watching from the window of her high-rise apartment as her neighbors threw objects at National Guardsmen and residents of a nearby area descended onto the streets, burning tires and looting stores.

The crowd, she said, moved through the neighborhood, destroying a large supermarket, a liquor store and other businesses.

“They wanted to loot the bakery, too,” Ms. Mora said, but people shouted, “No, not the bakery, no!” — apparently sparing one of the few places that could still supply the neighborhood with bread.

The clashes are a challenge to Venezuela’s opposition politicians, who have been trying to channel resentment over President Nicolás Maduro’s growing power into a peaceful protest movement. Many thousands of people gathered on Wednesday and Thursday, flooding the capital and parts of other cities, to demand that elections be scheduled.

Bolívar notes on the floor of a looted supermarket in Caracas. CreditMeridith Kohut for The New York Times

The government has responded by trying to repress the protests with rubber bullets and tear gas. Making matters worse, bitterness against the government has been boiling over as the country struggles with severe shortages of food and medicine, forcing Venezuelans to wait in lines for hours for basics like cornmeal.

The anger was apparent into the early hours on Friday. In videos posted on social media, people screamed as gunshots were fired into dark streets and looters broke store windows. Protesters were captured on videos in cat-and-mouse games, throwing stones and other objects at soldiers. Fires burned in the streets.

At one point during the night, clashes became so heavy that a nearby children’s hospital was evacuated after a ward filled with tear gas. The government said security forces were responding to an attack on the hospital by opposition protesters.

Mary Carmen Laguna Andrade, 23, who lives in El Valle, said she had watched as looters prowled the streets into the early hours of the morning.

A supermarket in Caracas on Friday after it was looted. CreditMeridith Kohut for The New York Times

“They passed my house with food, liquor bottles, shopping carts, computers and even a motorcycle they’d stolen,” she said.

Some residents took to the streets to support the government.

A crowd gathered in Fuerte Tiuna, a military base that is also home to large public housing complexes built by the government, chanting in defense of the country’s so-called Socialist revolution. “Neighbors, listen, join the struggle!” chanted the crowd, which was not interrupted by the security forces.

While both the government and the opposition have held protests this year, unrest surged after a decision last month by the Supreme Court, which is controlled by the president’s supporters, to dissolve the Legislature.

The move was widely condemned, and Mr. Maduro eventually ordered the court to reverse much of the ruling. It was not enough, though, to persuade large portions of the country that the president was still committed to democratic rule.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4457290/Brazilians-clash-po...

Protesters fight pitched battles with riot police as general strike by 35million Brazilians turns ugly

• 35 million Brazilians stayed away from work across the country during the strike on Friday
• Dramatic images show police firing tear gas at protesters who are ransacking their cities and starting fires
• They are furious at proposed changes to labour laws and the pension system by President Michael Temer

Violent clashes between public and police marred a national strike in Brazil that saw 35 million citizens stay away from work. 

Millions stayed home on Friday, and thousands flooded the streets in anger against labour law and pension reforms, raising questions about whether President Michel Temer will be able to push his proposals through Congress.

Temer's administration argues that more flexible labor rules will revive a moribund economy and warns the pension system will go bankrupt without changes. 

Unions and other groups called for the strike, saying that the changes before Congress will make workers too vulnerable and strip away too many benefits.

Demonstrators and police clash during a strike in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, earlier today. Millions stayed home, but thousands flooded the streets in anger

A riot police officer fire tear gas toward demonstrators during the protest, which raises questions about whether President Michel Temer will be able to push his proposals through Congress

Demonstrators set barricades on fire in Vale do Anhangabau in Sao Paulo. Unions and other groups called for the strike, saying that the changes before Congress will make workers too vulnerable and strip away too many benefits

Demonstrators stand near a burning barricade on BR-116 road

A bus burns. Public transport largely came to a halt across much of Brazil on Friday

The Elites Have Destroyed The Status Quo's Ability To Self-Correct

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-05-03/elites-have-destroyed-stat...

Bread (SSI, welfare, Universal Basic Income, etc.), circuses (the corporate media, social media, etc.) and social "progressive" crumbs (gender-neutral bathrooms, etc.) are highly effective means to distract us from the core dynamic of our status quo: the transformation of our middle-class society to a neofeudal society of New Nobility, debt-serfs and a bread-and-circus-consuming lumpen-proletariat class.

Though this chart is from 2010, the recent data is even more lopsided in favor of the top tranche of wealth: data updated to 2013 (latest available):

Rather than address this rising inequality directly, the self-serving Elites have promoted propaganda and policies that protect their gains while obfuscating the reality that most American households have been losing ground for decades, a decline that has been masked by replacing real income with rising debt.

The rapid concentration of wealth has also concentrated political power in the hands of a few who seamlessly combine public and private modes of power.

This wealth and power protects the self-serving Elites from the perverse consequences of their dominance. Their precious offspring rarely serve at the point of the American military's spear, they never lose their jobs or income when corporations shift production (and R&D, etc.) overseas, and they are never replaced with illegal immigrants paid under the table.

The self-serving elites' accountability? Zero.

Systems that lose their ability to self-correct collapse. The self-serving elites and fiefdoms that have crippled the system's feedback mechanisms to protect their power, wealth and income think they're "winning" by imposing a new neofeudal order. But all they're really doing is insuring the demise of the entire system.

Redefining The Middle Class: It Isn't What You Earn & Owe, It's What You Own That Matters

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-05-03/redefining-middle-class-it...

No wonder the "middle class" has lost political power - it has lost the economic power of the ownership of productive assets.

Longtime correspondent Mark G. observed that the key phrase in yesterday's excellent commentary by correspondent Ron G. is property-owning middle class. Mark wrote: "It appears to me that the income bracket method used today isn't very informative."

Here is Ron's commentary again:

"The American economy and people are not being served by a government that was designed to be a Democratic Republic, whose architecture and balance of power depended on a property-owning middle class to be the countervailing force against Oligarchy; given the irreversible nature of the market and technology that contributed to the decline of the US middle class, (globalization, automation and AI), it is apparent that we will stay on this downward track of the middle class for the immediate future, and therefore more disparity, dispossession, and coercion will be needed to maintain control, and to me this means a future of intimidation, censorship and continued involuntary servitude."

What does property-owning actually mean? to answer that, we have to tease apart earnings, debt and what assets are owned.

The core contradiction in the present-day version of capitalism is between production and consumption: The system must produce goods and services that can be sold at a profit, and there has to be consumers who are able to buy the goods and services.

Over time, the focus in our culture and economy has shifted from production to consumption, and from acquiring capital to credit-funded consumption. The balance between production and consumption is dynamic and can become dangerously asymmetric; if there are only producers and no consumers, the goods and services pile up unsold and enterprises go bankrupt. If there are only consumers and no producers, the system eats its seed corn (capital) and sinks into impoverishment.

As Mark noted, the income of a household reflects very little of this distinction. Many households enjoy incomes above $100,000 annually but they own essentially nothing. By income alone, we categorize the household as "middle class."

But if we consider their total debt load, their ownership of income-producing assets and assets they own free and clear--essentially nothing--then they must be re-categorized as well-paid proletarians.

So what happens when we redefine the qualifications of "middle class" from what you earn and owe to what you own free and clear that generates income? How many American households qualify as "middle class" under this new definition?

Longtime readers know I have addressed the characteristics of the middle class in some depth for many years. For example:

What Does It Take To Be Middle Class? (December 5, 2013)

The Destabilizing Truth: Only the Wealthy Can Afford a Middle Class... (May 6, 2014)

Under this new definition, every household one housing-bubble-burst away from the destruction of their home-equity "wealth" isn't really middle class. Neither are households a paycheck or two away from insolvency.

In Endangered Species: The Self-Employed Middle Class (May 2015), I reported on the results of poring over IRS income and deduction data. Of the 141 million taxpayers reporting income, only 7 million earn a middle class income from an enterprise they own (sole proprietorship or professional corporation).

Compare this to what the wealthy own. Note that the bottom 90%'s assets are largely the family home, an asset which is offset by a heavy burden of debt. The wealthy own income-producing assets: business equity, stocks, bonds, trusts and rental real estate.

No wonder the "middle class" has lost political power--it has lost the economic power of the ownership of productive assets, which is the foundation of political power. A class of well-paid proletarians burdened with debt is not middle class --it is a class of debt-serfs who have been persuaded that debt-fueled consumption is wealth because this delusion is politically useful to the self-serving elites who own the wealth and thus the power.

Mark's conclusion is sobering: "With no genuine middle class exerting power we are left merely with competing groups of oligarchs, with both groups recruiting supporters in the plebeian "mob".   This most resembles Rome  when the Republic was breaking down.  I would therefore not rule out civil war, or even a political partition.   Proletarians have much less to lose in such an event than a real middle class."

Greek parliament passes austerity cuts as Molotov-throwing protesters clash with police in Athens

The latest batch of austerity measures was passed late on Thursday with 153 votes secured by the ruling coalition government of PM Alexis Tsipras’ Syriza party and the Independent Greeks (ANEL), while 128 opposition deputies voted against the measures in the 300-seat parliament.

WATCH MORE: Protesters clash with police at anti-austerity protest ...

People took to the streets of Greece’s capital for the second consecutive day to protest new pension and tax-break cuts. The protest turned violent at some point as a small group of masked demonstrators threw Molotov cocktails and other projectiles at the police, who fired tear gas and pepper spray.

The protest was staged by the country’s major trade unions.

An estimated 10,000 to 15,000 people gathered in front of the parliament building in Athens' Syntagma Square, AP reports. The situation escalated as a small group of masked demonstrators started to throw petrol bombs and other projectiles at the police. Police responded with tear gas and pepper spray.

Two people were detained and one arrested by the police in the aftermath of the clashes, according to ANA news agency. Law enforcement agencies reportedly confiscated an axe and a hammer from the arrested man.

Riot police walk among flames by petrol bombs, Athens, Greece, May 18, 2017. © Costas Baltas / Reuters

A post of the iconic Evzones Presidential Guards near the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, located in front of the parliament, was set alight by a Molotov cocktail.

Riot police stand among flare smoke, Athens, Greece, May 18, 2017. © Costas Baltas / Reuters

The clashes erupted as Prime Minister Tsipras was delivering a speech in parliament defending the controversial proposed legislation, which includes pension cuts and further tax hikes through 2020. The legislation is a part of measures to convince international creditors to release a €7.5 billion bailout tranche and grant Greece further debt relief.

While the ongoing protest will hardly have any impact on the ongoing political process, they indicate that the Greek society lost its faith in politicians, Professor of Social Anthropology in the VU Amsterdam University, Prof. Dr. Dimitris Dalakoglou believes.

“The reality is that unless the people storm the parliament there will be no real difference there. However, what you can see is a symbol and example of what is going on right now in Greek society,” Dalakoglou told RT.

“It is more relevant what happens outside the parliament than what happens inside, because the government has no consent, and the political parties have no consent, so whttps://on.rt.com/8c1rhatever they vote the society believes that they all are the same, they all are the same policy with a different name.”

“These people rioting and clashing with the police outside the parliament right now and protesting for the last two days, during the general strike yesterday, are the important political agent of the moment in Greece,” he added.

Source: https://on.rt.com/8c1r

Vatican cardinal hit with sex assault offenses takes leave, will fight charges

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2017/06/29/vatican-cardinal-hit-with-s...

June 29, 2017

Australian police charged a top Vatican cardinal on Thursday with multiple counts of "historical" sexual assault offenses, a stunning decision certain to rock the highest levels of the Holy See.

Cardinal George Pell, Pope Francis' chief financial adviser and Australia's most senior Catholic, said in an early morning appearance at the Vatican that he would take a leave of absence as the Vatican's finance czar and would return to Australia to fight the charges. He denied the accusations and denounced what he called a "relentless character assassination" in the media.

Pell is the highest-ranking Vatican official to ever be charged in the church's long-running sexual abuse scandal.

Police Deputy Commissioner Shane Patton in Australia's Victoria state said police have summonsed Pell to appear in court to face multiple charges of "historical sexual assault offenses," meaning offenses that generally occurred some time ago. Patton said there are multiple complainants against Pell, but gave no other details on the allegations against the cardinal. Pell was ordered to appear in Melbourne Magistrates Court on July 18.

For years, Pell, 76, has faced allegations that he mishandled cases of clergy abuse when he was archbishop of Melbourne and, later, Sydney. But more recently, Pell himself became the focus of a clergy sex abuse investigation, with Victoria detectives flying to the Vatican last year to interview the cardinal. It is unclear what allegations the charges announced Thursday relate to, but two men, now in their 40s, have said that Pell touched them inappropriately at a swimming pool in the late 1970s, when Pell was a senior priest in Melbourne.

Patton told reporters in Melbourne that none of the allegations against Pell had been tested in any court, adding: "Cardinal Pell, like any other defendant, has a right to due process."

Specific details about the multiple complaints brought against Pell were not detailed by Victoria State Police Deputy Commissioner Shane Patton.

“The charges were today served on Cardinal Pell’s legal representatives in Melbourne and they have been lodged also at the Melbourne Magistrates Court. Cardinal Pell is facing multiple charges in respect of historic sexual offences,” Patton said, according to news.com.au.

The charges are a new and serious blow to Pope Francis, who has already suffered several credibility setbacks in his promised "zero tolerance" policy about sex abuse. The charges will also further complicate Francis' financial reform efforts at the Vatican, which were already strained by Pell's repeated clashes with the Italian-dominated bureaucracy. Just last week, one of Pell's top allies, the Vatican's auditor general, resigned without explanation two years into a five-year term, immediately raising questions about whether the reform effort was doomed.

Vatican spokesman Greg Burke said Pope Francis had learned with "regret" of the charges and had granted Pell a leave of absence to defend himself. He said the Vatican's financial reforms would continue in his absence.

Pell's actions as archbishop came under intense scrutiny in recent years by a government-authorized investigation into how the Catholic Church and other institutions have responded to the sexual abuse of children. Australia's Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse -- the nation's highest form of inquiry -- has found shocking levels of abuse in Australia's Catholic Church, revealing earlier this year that 7 percent of Catholic priests were accused of sexually abusing children over the past several decades.

Last year, Pell acknowledged during his testimony to the commission that the Catholic Church had made "enormous mistakes" in allowing thousands of children to be raped and molested by priests over centuries. He conceded that he, too, had erred by often believing the priests over victims who alleged abuse. And he vowed to help end a rash of suicides that has plagued church abuse victims in his Australian hometown of Ballarat.

Australia has no extradition treaty with the Vatican. But in a statement from the Sydney Archdiocese, Pell said he would return to Australia "as soon as possible," following advice and approval by his doctors. Last year, Pell declined to return to Australia to testify for the third time before the Royal Commission, saying he was too ill to fly. He instead testified via video conference from Rome.

The Blue Knot Foundation, an Australian support group for adult survivors of childhood abuse, said the decision to charge Pell sent a powerful message to both abuse survivors and society as a whole.

"It upholds that no one is above the law, no matter how high their office, qualifications, or standing," the group's head of research, Pam Stavropoulos, said in a statement.

The charges put the pope in a thorny position. In 2014, Francis won cautious praise from victims' advocacy groups when he created a commission of outside experts to advise him and the broader church about "best practices" to fight abuse and protect children.

But the commission has since lost much of its credibility after its two members who were survivors of abuse left. Francis also scrapped the commission's signature proposal -- a tribunal section to hear cases of bishops who covered up for abuse -- after Vatican officials objected.

In addition, Francis drew heated criticism for his 2015 appointment of a Chilean bishop accused by victims of helping cover up for Chile's most notorious pedophile. The pope was later caught on videotape labeling the parishioners who opposed the nomination of being "leftists" and "stupid."

Francis appointed Pell in 2014 to a five-year term to head the Vatican's new economy secretariat, giving him broad rein to control all economic, administrative, personnel and procurement functions of the Holy See. The mandate has since been restricted to performing more of an oversight role.

https://www.facebook.com/MikeCernovich/videos/1239060086223041/?pnr...

https://www.facebook.com/Fox32Chicago/videos/10155949361273797/?pnr...

PROTESTS ERUPT in Hamburg, Germany regarding the G20 Summit where President Trump today met with Vladimir Putin and several other world leaders.

www.nbcnews.com/storyline/venezuela-crisis/venezuela-vote-oppositio...

Venezuela Vote: Opposition Taken From Homes After Controversial Poll

by REUTERS

Anti-government demonstrators hold candles during a vigil in honor of those who have been killed during clashes between security forces and demonstrators in Caracas, Venezuela Ariana Cubillos / AP

Venezuelan security officials seized two opposition leaders from their homes in overnight raids, their families said on Tuesday, after they urged protests against a new legislative superbody widely denounced as anti-democratic.

Leopoldo Lopez and Antonio Ledezma were both under house arrest, the former for his role in leading street protests against President Nicolas Maduro in 2014 and the latter on charges of plotting a coup.

Leopoldo Lopez, left, and Antonio Ledezma AFP - Getty Images

"12:27 in the morning: the moment when the dictatorship kidnaps Leopoldo at my house," Lopez's wife Lilian Tintori wrote on Twitter.

She posted a link to a video that appeared to show Lopez being led into a vehicle emblazoned with the word Sebin, Venezuela's intelligence agency.

The Information Ministry did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.

Lopez and Ledezma are both former mayors in Caracas, and high-profile critics of Maduro.

 Opposition Leaders Arrested Amid Venezuela's Economic and Political Chaos 1:27

They had called on Venezuelans to join protests over Sunday's election of the constituent assembly, which supersedes an opposition-controlled congress that a pro-Maduro Supreme Court had already stripped of its powers.

At least 10 people were killed in unrest during the vote, which was boycotted by the opposition and criticized around the world as an assault on democratic freedoms.

"They have kidnapped @leopoldolopez because he simply would not break under the pressures and false promises of the regime," wrote Freddy Guevara, a legislator from Lopez's Popular Will party.

Vanessa Ledezma said she held Maduro responsible for what happened to her father.

"The Sebin just took him," she wrote on Twitter, posting a video of intelligence agents taking Ledezma, who was dressed in pajamas.

He was granted house arrest in 2015 after being imprisoned on charges of leading a coup against Maduro.

Lopez was granted house arrest in July following three years in prison for his role in anti-government street protests in 2014. His release was considered a major breakthrough in the country's political standoff.

Lopez's lawyer, Juan Gutierrez, wrote on Twitter that "there is no legal justification to revoke the house arrest measure." 

CAUGHT ON VIDEO: LOOTING BEGINS IN HOUSTON

AUGUST 29 2017

FROM A LINK:

The looters are descending on Houston. And they rob and steal what they can according to a video repot of Blue Live Matters. A video, uploaded to YouTube, shows people walking back and forth between vehicles and stores that have had the front doors broken in. Two young males could be seen walking away with TVs over their heads.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2e6L_66QSY

Looting Begins In Houston

A woman's desperate plea for help in St. Maarten: "people are killing themselves for water and bread" HURRICANE IRMA

SEPTEMBER 12 2017

http://www.lagaceta.com.ar/nota/744370/actualidad/desesperado-pedid...

https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=es&tl=en&js=y&...

"We are alive today, but if they do not get us out of here, I do not know how much we are going to put up with. The street is war," he said.

The desperate request for help from a Spanish woman has shaken the world. Sara Cerezo is a young woman living on the island of St. Maarten, which has been totally devastated by Hurricane Irma.

In her facebook account, the 27-year-old girl sent a shocking message asking for help to her contacts after the devastating hurricane.

We're alive today, but if they do not get us out of here, I do not know how much we're going to put up with, the street is war." People kill each other. ... The people are desperate, there is no food, there is no water, there is no gas, they only have to kill each other, "says the woman in a video he posted on the social network.

The young woman - in addition - assures that the information that arrives is not real and that they are not protected because, she says, St. Maarten is already a dangerous zone. It is that after the passage of the hurricane hundreds of looting and serious disturbances took place that caused the deployment of the military forces.

In the recording, which shows how her house on the island has been completely devastated, this woman, by profession odontologist, explains that they are not safe and denounces that the information that is being given from that place is not true.

"There are not ten dead, there are thousands dead. The bodies are floating in the streets, in the sea, everywhere," he says.

And he adds: "The information you are getting is not true, the dead are not true, the protection is not true.We have nothing.Please, we are desperate, come help us.
"

St. Maarten is a small island just 87 km2 that is 240 kilometers east of Puerto Rico.
Until the arrival of Irma was one of the most important destinations of the Caribbean;
now its inhabitants do not know how to return to normal.

www.nbcmontana.com/news/kcfw/threats-close-multiple-nw-montana-scho...

Threats close multiple NW Montana schools

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4958772/IAN-BIRRELL-Barcelo...

Spain braces for an explosive week as thousands join the great white tide to halt potential bloodshed: IAN BIRRELL reports from Catalonia as the region's push for independence puts Spain on the brink

• More than 5,500 protesters chanted 'Let's talk' in Catalan during one protest 
• Demonstrations have been held in some 50 Spanish cities by opposing sides
• In Madrid, protesters were wearing the Spanish colours calling for unity 
• Catalan leaders have described the results of last week's referedum as binding 

They came in their thousands wearing white, releasing balloons and begging their leaders to start peace talks to prevent Spain’s crisis over Catalonia’s push for independence spiralling out of control.

Demonstrations in 50 Spanish cities highlighted the seriousness of the situation confronting one of Europe’s most important nations.

In Barcelona 5,500 protesters chanted ‘Let’s talk’ in Catalan.

Thousands of people gathered yesterday in Sant Juame square in Barcelona urging 

There were violent scenes last week as riot police tried to prevent people voting in Catalonia

Thousands of people wearing white took to the streets of Barcelona calling for talks rather than a unilateral declaration of independence in front of the Generalitat of Catalonia

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5023203/Catalonia-explode-v...

Madrid imposes direct rule on Catalonia just 40 minutes after the region FINALLY declared independence as Spanish Prime Minister calls for 'calm' amid fears of violence on streets

• The Catalan parliament has voted 70 to 10 - with two blank ballots - to declare its independence from Spain 
• In response, the Spanish senate in Madrid has dismantled Catalonia's autonomy by invoking article 155
• Spanish PM Mariano Rajoy said he wanted to 'shut down' the Catalan regional parliament in a speech today  
• Catalan MPs opposed to the region's independence stormed out of parliament before the vote in protest
• Jubilant Catalans were seen dancing in the streets of Barcelona in response to the news of the declaration
• But shares in Catalan banks fell sharply in response to the news - dragging the entire stock market with them
• Both EU and USA, meanwhile, have backed Spain after the vote - with the US also backing use of article 155

The Catalan Parliament has voted to declare independence from Spain, prompting the national government to impose direct rule on the region just 40 minutes later. 

But before the vote, opposition parties stormed out of parliament in protest - with pro-independence MPs draping their empty seats with Catalan flags. 

In response, the Spanish government in Madrid has invoked article 155 of the country's constitution, dismantling Catalonia's autonomy. 

Carles Puigdemont may now face arrest for sedition following the vote.

Independence was approved with 70 MPs in favour, 10 against and two blank ballots in the 135-member parliament.

After the vote, Puigdemont said: 'Today our legitimate parliament, that came out of a democratic election, has taken a very important step. The legitimate representative of the citizens have followed the people's mandate.

'Now we are facing times when we will need to keep calm and peaceful and always keep dignity, as we've always done.

'Long live Catalonia!' 

Pro-independence groups have vowed a campaign of civil disobedience to protect public buildings on the event of a crackdown by Madrid, which may involve the feared national riot police and even the army.        

Thousands of Catalans gathered outside the parliament building and cheered and danced after the motion passed.

The Spanish prime minister wrote on Twitter immediately after the vote: 'I ask all Spaniards to remain calm. The rule of law will restore legality in Catalonia.' 

Spain's government will meet at 5pm UK time to discuss the crisis.

Thousands of protesters in Barcelona cheer in response to the news that the Catalan parliament has voted to declare independence from Spain

President Puigdemont and Vice President Oriol Junqueras exchanged congratulatory embraces and handshakes after the vote.

He added in his remarks after the vote: 'It is the institutions and also the people who have to work together to help build a country, a society…'

The European Union will only deal with the central government in Madrid, according to the president of the European Council Donald Tusk.

'For EU nothing changes. Spain remains our only interlocutor. I hope the Spanish government favours force of argument, not argument of force,' Tusk wrote on Twitter. 

The US State Department, meanwhile, said Catalonia is an integral part of Spain and backed the Spanish government's measures to keep the country united. 

There are fears the developments could lead to violence as Spain attempts to impose direct rule on the rebellious region. 

The main secessionist group in Catalonia, the Catalan National Assembly (ANC), called on civil servants not to follow orders from the Spanish government after Madrid authorised direct rule over the region. 

The ANC called on Catalan civil servants to respond with 'peaceful resistance'. 

Shares in Catalan banks fell sharply in response to the news - dragging the entire stock market with them.

CaixaBank, Spain's third largest lender, fell by around five per cent while Sabadell, the country's fifth biggest bank, fell roughly six percent.   

Nearly 1,700 companies have moved their headquarters outside of Catalonia since the referendum.  

Speaking to senators earlier today, Rajoy said Spain had to force Catalonia to submit to the Spanish constitution.

He also attacked the region for 'mocking democracy' in a way reminiscent of the era of fascist Spanish leader Francisco Franco, and said he wanted 'a return to legality'.

The prime minister urged lawmakers to 'proceed to the dismissal of the president of the Catalan government, his vice-president and all regional ministers' during a widely applauded speech.

It comes after the region held an independence referendum on October 1 that the Spanish government deemed illegal and during which over 800 people were hurt in clashes.  

The approved proposal for independence made by the ruling Catalan coalition Junts pel Si (Together for Yes) and their allies of the far-left CUP party said: 'We establish a Catalan Republic as an independent and sovereign state of democratic and social law.' 

MPs from the opposition Socialists and Citizens parties, who walked out before the vote, had announced earlier that they would boycott the vote.

As America Gives Thanks, Homelessness Continues To Set New Records In Major Cities All Over The Nation

http://theeconomiccollapseblog.com/archives/as-america-gives-thanks...

If the economy is doing just fine, then why is homelessness at levels not seen “since the Great Depression” in major cities all over the country?  If the U.S. economy was actually in good shape, we would expect that the number of people that are homeless would be going down or at least stabilizing.  Instead, we have a growing national crisis on our hands.  In fact, within the past two years “at least 10 cities or municipal regions in California, Oregon and ... have declared a state of emergency because the number of homeless is growing so rapidly.

Things are particularly bad in southern California, and this year the Midnight Mission will literally be feeding a small army of people that have nowhere to sleep at night…

Thanksgiving meals will be served to thousands of homeless and near-homeless individuals today on Skid Row and in Pasadena and Canoga Park amid calls for donations and volunteers for the rest of the year.

The Midnight Mission will serve Thanksgiving brunch to nearly 2,500 homeless and near-homeless men, women and children, according to Georgia Berkovich, its director of public affairs.

Overall, the Midnight Mission serves more than a million meals a year, and Berkovich says that homelessness hasn’t been this bad in southern California “since the Great Depression”…

Berkovich said the group has been serving nearly 1 million meals a year each year since 2013.

“We haven’t seen numbers like this since the Great Depression,” she said.

And of course the official numbers confirm what Berkovich is claiming.  According to an article published earlier this year, the number of homeless people living in Los Angeles County has never been higher…

The number of homeless people in Los Angeles has jumped to a new record, as city officials grapple with a humanitarian crisis of proportions remarkable for a modern American metropolis.

Municipal leaders said that a recent count over several nights found 55,188 homeless people living in a survey region comprising most of Los Angeles County, up more than 25% from last year.

If the California economy is truly doing well, then why is this happening?

We see the same thing happening when we look at the east coast.  Just check out these numbers from New York City…

In recent years the number of homeless people has grown. Whereas rents increased by 18% between 2005 and 2015, incomes rose by 5%. When Rudy Giuliani entered City Hall in 1994, 24,000 people lived in shelters. About 31,000 lived in them when Mike Bloomberg became mayor in 2002. When Bill de Blasio entered City Hall in 2014, 51,500 did. The number of homeless people now in shelters is around 63,000.

For New York, this is the highest that the homeless population has been since the Great Depression, and city leaders are trying to come up with a solution.

Meanwhile, things are so bad in Seattle that “400 unauthorized tent camps” have popped up…

Housing prices are soaring here thanks to the tech industry, but the boom comes with a consequence: A surge in homelessness marked by 400 unauthorized tent camps in parks, under bridges, on freeway medians and along busy sidewalks. The liberal city is trying to figure out what to do.

Are you noticing a theme?

Homelessness is at epidemic levels all over the U.S., and this crisis is getting worse with each passing day.  Some communities are trying to care for their growing homeless populations, but others are simply trying to force them to go somewhere else.  They are doing this by essentially making it illegal to be homeless.  In some cities it is now a crime to engage in “public camping”, to “block a walkway” or to create any sort of “temporary structure for human habitation”.  These laws specifically target the homeless, and they are very cruel.

Many of us tend to picture the homeless as mostly lazy older men that don’t want to work and that instead want to drink or do drugs all day.

But the truth is that women and children make up a significant percentage of the homeless.  In fact, the number of homeless children in our country has increased by about 60 percent since the end of the last recession.

And there are thousands upon thousands of military veterans that are homeless.  For example, a 34-year-old man named Johnny that served in the Marine Corps recently used his last 20 dollars to buy fuel for a woman that had run out of gas and was stranded along I-95 in Miami…

Pulled over on the side of I-95, McClure, 27, was approached by a homeless man named Johnny. She was apprehensive at first, but Johnny told her to get back into her car and to lock the doors while he walked to get her help. He went to a nearby gas station, used his last $20 fill a can and brought it back to fill up her car.

Grateful, but without a dollar to repay him, McClure promised she would come back with something.

In the weeks since, she’s returned to the spot along I-95 where Johnny stays with cash, snacks and Wawa gift cards. Each time she’s stopped by with her boyfriend, Mark D’Amico, they’ve learned a bit more about Johnny’s story, and become humbled by his gratitude.

Deciding that they wanted to do even more for Johnny, they started a GoFundMe page for him and have since raised approximately $250,000.

So it looks like there is going to be a happy ending to Johnny’s story, but the truth is that more people are falling into homelessness with each passing day.

If things are this bad now, how much worse will they become as the economy really starts slowing down?  Already, we have shattered the all-time yearly record for retail store closings, and we still have more than a month to go.  The following is from a CNN article entitled “Is This The Last Black Friday?”…

A record number of store closures — 6,735 — have already been announced this year. That’s more than triple the tally for 2016, according to Fung Global Retail and Technology, a retail think tank.

And there have been 620 bankruptcies in the sector so far this year, according to BankruptcyData.com, up 31% from the same period last year. Prominent names such as Toys R Us, Gymboree, Payless Shoes and RadioShack have all filed this year, and Sears Holdings (SHLD), which owns both the iconic Sears and Kmart chains, has warned there is “substantial doubt” it can remain in business.

Sadly, analysts are projecting that the number of store closings could be as high as 9,000 next year.

Yes, there are some areas of the country that are doing well right now, but there are many others that are not.

Let us always remember to have compassion on those that are struggling, because someday we may be the ones that end up needing some help.

Israel: Thousands take to the streets to protest corruption

https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5060849,00.html

As the evening began, some 500 people arrived at Zion Square in Jerusalem. They held up signs saying "We want a personal example," and "We deserve clean politics" and called out "Shame, shame!"

Protest organizer journalist Yoaz Hendel was the first to speak, clarifying: "I'm here today not because I'm against Netanyahu, but because I'm in favor of the State of Israel. I'm here because this is how I was raised in the religious Zionist sector, with a mix of Jabotinsky and Rabbi Kook. I'm here because we cannot live with 'divide and conquer.' We cannot live while my leadership doesn't see the value of setting a personal example and walking humbly."

"There is no contradiction between supporting the settlement enterprise and supporting morality," Hendel stressed.

Protesters in Jerusalem (Photo: Yoav Dudkevitch)

Former defense minister Moshe Ya'alon called for unity. "When we fought, was wounded and lost soldiers and family members, we didn't ask, nor did our enemies, whether we were Right, Left, or from other ethnicity," he said.

"This kind of unity is needed not just in the IDF and not just in war, but unfortunately short-term political interests led to division. Leadership needs to unite and not divide," Ya'alon continued.

Former defense minister Ya'alon speaking at the rally (Photo: Yoav Dudkevitch)

"Why do politicians turn the issue of morality into a matter of Left and Right?" he lamented. "We need to demand our leaders to set a personal example. In my experience, setting a personal is a condition of trust. And I'm warning that when this trust is shaken, state security is also shaken."

 

Ya'alon added that when asked what keeps him up at night, it is not the Iranian nuclear threat, but rather "the corruption that is chipping away at society, hurting equal opportunities, and comes at the expense of our health," he said. "Corruption gives citizens the feeling injustice is being done. This is a bigger danger than the threats posed by Iran, Hezbollah, Hamas or ISIS." 

Signs at the Jerusalem protest, including Bible quotes: 'Walk humbly,' 'Be a pure 'May our camp be pure' (Photo: Yoav Dudkevitch)

 

Former Otzma LeYisrael MK Aryeh Eldad, meanwhile, asserted that "No honest man can agree with a corrupt government. Netanyahu is trying to convince us that if he falls, the Left wing will rise to power, and I share this fear. If the national camp chooses a trustworthy candidate, there is no reason the exchange of government will lead to the rise of the Left."

 

The Likud Party rejected the Jerusalem protest: "The right-wing is not buying this bluff. Everyone knows this is not a protest against corruption, but rather a satellite protest of the left-wing demonstration on Rothschild Boulevard, the entire purpose of which is to bring down the Likud government. Right-wing voters are unimpressed by a handful of naïve and interest-driven people who collaborate with the Left, and they will not repeat the mistake of bringing down a Likud government and leading to a disaster of another Oslo Accod."

Protesters in Tel Aviv (Photo: Motti Kimchi)

In Tel Aviv, several thousand people gathered on Rothschild Boulevard for the fourth week of protests, calling out "Mandelblit is a failure, he won't get to the Supreme Court," "We'll send the mafia to history's garbage can," "the country is ours, not Netanyahu's" and "Bibi Netanyahu, go to Maasiyahu Prison."

 

They held up signs saying "Corrupted, go home" among others.

Social justice activist Aybee Binyamin, one of the organizers of the Tel Aviv protests, praised the rally in Jerusalem. "The victory this week is much bigger because the moral right-wing realized it must join us and fight corruption and the corrupted," he said.

"A year ago, outside Mandelblit's home in Petah Tivka, there were only a few of us. Today, we're here and in 16 other locations, more determined than always," Binyamin added. "The gatekeepers, the Knesset and the opposition let us down."

Protesters in Tel Aviv (Photo: Motti Kimchi)

 

Some 300 people gathered in Haifa to protest, including elderly people, parents with children, national religious Jews. They chanted slogans such as: "Corrupted Bibi, we'll see you in court" and "Mandelblit, we'll never forgive or forget the cover up." 

"This struggle is not just against corruption, but in support of a different kind of culture to serve democracy," said one of the speakers, Motti Ashkenazi, who spearheaded a protest against the government following the 1973 Yom Kippur War.

"It's not about whether the prime minister is corrupted, but whether Netanyahu's conduct corrupts others," he added.

Ashkenazi noted in regards to the Haifa Bay ammonia crisis that the prime minister "allows endangering the lives of the residents of Haifa, only to increase the profits of the Trump brothers (who own Haifa Chemicals). It's not just corruption, but horrible disregard of human lives."

Also in northern Israel, close to 200 people also demonstrated at the Tzemach Junction, some 300 in Afula and some 100 in Rosh Pina.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5223609/Two-Iranian-protest...

'Death to the Ayatollah': Iranian protests get bloody as two demonstrators are 'shot dead' after angry crowds burn down a government building and torch cars while thousands take to streets to call for revolution in biggest revolt since 2009

• Protests spreading across Iran at night after earlier clashes at Tehran University
• Video appears to show two young men shot dead in the western city of Dorud
• Government offices set fire to, Supreme Leader's picture pulled down by crowd 
• Donald Trump tweeted speech in which he said oppressive regimes can't last

A videos posted on social media appeared to show two young Iranian men lying motionless on the ground and covered with blood and a voiceover said they had been shot dead by police.

It claimed security forces fired on protesters in the western town of Dorud and killed at least two as other protesters in the same video were chanting, 'I will kill whoever killed my brother!'.

Other videos showed protesters setting fire to a government office in the city of Khorramabad while in the capital Tehran, demonstrators were filmed tearing down a picture of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Protesters set fire to a government office in the city of Khorramabad as the protests continued into the night 

Demonstrators burnt cars in Tehran after violent clashes earlier in the day at the city's university

Demonstrators attacked a town hall in Tehran as protests spilled into a third night despite government warnings against any further 'illegal gatherings' and moves to cut off the internet on mobiles.

After a day of clashes between rock throwing protesters and riot police, who responded with tear gas, at Tehran University, the demonstrations continued after dark and spread across the country.

There was chaos earlier around the capital's university as hundreds took to the streets, blocking traffic and shouting slogans against the regime.

Travel restrictions and a near-total media blackout from official agencies, made it difficult to confirm the reports.

The demonstrations appear to be the largest to strike the Islamic Republic since the protests that followed the country's disputed 2009 presidential election.

Thousands already have taken to the streets of cities across Iran, beginning at first on Thursday in Mashhad, the country's second-largest city and a holy site for Shiite pilgrims.

Israelis continue protests against Netanyahu ‘corruption’

https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20180101-israelis-continue-protes...

This is the fifth week of protests against the Israeli Prime Minister

Thousands of Israelis have continued to protest in Tel Aviv against Benjamin Netanyahu’s alleged corruption, Quds Press reported on Sunday. This is the fifth week of protests against the Israeli Prime Minister.

The demonstrators have been calling for the speeding-up of legal procedures related to the investigations into the allegations of bribery and the misuse of public funds. Demonstrators are reported to be calling for Netanyahu to step down after accusing him of sitting on top of official corruption in Israel.

According to reports, financial and ethical corruption among senior Israeli officials has reached a record level. As well as Netanyahu, the former Chairman of the Government Coalition, David Bitan, and Interior Minister Arie Deri are implicated.

Netanyahu first served as Prime Minister of Israel from 1996. On 31 March, 2009, he was sworn in for the second time and is now serving his fourth term in office.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5262257/Starving-mob-beat-c...

Starving mob beat cattle to death with rocks in desperate search for food and four people are killed during looting in Venezuela as country's economic collapse continues

• Dozens of men shout 'we are hungry' and 'people are suffering' as they beat cow
• Opposition congressman Carlos Paparoni said as many as 300 cattle were killed
• Four people died in recent protests against President Maduro's socialist regime 
• WARNING: DISTURBING CONTENT 

A shocking video showing a starving Venezuelan mob beating a cow to death with stones has gone viral amid violent protests that have left four people dead.

Dozens of men shout 'we are hungry' and 'people are suffering' as they surround the cow in the field, throwing stones at it and beating it with a stick.

The helpless animal was slaughtered at the Hacienda Miraflores, in the fishing village of Palmarito in Merida, during a day deadly of civil unrest and looting in the state.

Dozens of men shout 'we are hungry' and 'people are suffering' as they surround the cow in the field (pictured), throwing stones at it and beating it with a stick

The helpless animal was slaughtered at the Hacienda Miraflores, in the fishing village of Palmarito in Merida, during a day of civil unrest and looting in the state. Pictured: The mob chasing it down 

Looting has been increasing in the provinces since Christmas, with food shortages and hyperinflation leaving millions of people hungry, though the capital, Caracas, has so far been largely unaffected. Pictured: Men appearing to loot a petrol tanker elsewhere in Venezuela 

When the animal finally falls to the ground in the footage, more villagers gather around - presumably to begin the distribution of its meat. 

According to local media, dozens of cows were killed by the crowds at several different ranches.   

'They're hunting. The people are hungry!' says the narrator of the video, who filmed the incident from his car.

When the animal finally falls to the ground in the footage, more villagers gather around - presumably to begin the distribution of its meat. Pictured: A man carrying what looks like part of the cow away from the field 

http://keranews.org/post/venezuelas-deepening-crisis-triggers-mass-...

Venezuela's Deepening Crisis Triggers Mass Migration Into Colombia

A crowd waits to cross the border into Colombia over the Simón Bolívar bridge in San Antonio del Táchira, Venezuela, in July 2016.

Venezuela's downward economic spiral has led to widespread food shortages, hyperinflation and now mass migration. Many Venezuelans are opting for the easiest escape route — by crossing the land border into Colombia.

There were more than half a million Venezuelans in Colombia as of December, according to the Colombian immigration department, and many came over in the last two years. Their exodus rivals the number of Syrians in Germany or Rohingya in Bangladesh. Ian Bremmer, president of the Eurasia Group, a political risk consulting firm, calls it the world's "least-talked-about" immigration crisis.

"I appreciate the offers of financial and other aid from the international community," Santos said last week. "We need it because unfortunately this problem gets worse day by day."

Santos suggested that the crisis will last as long as Nicolás Maduro, Venezuela's increasingly authoritarian president, remains in power. His socialist economic policies have led to a collapse of the local currency and inflation expected to hit 13,000 percent this year, according to the International Monetary Fund. Still, Maduro is widely expected to secure another six-year term in the April 22 election, in part, because the most popular opposition candidates have been banned from running.

Earlier this month, Santos announced measures to tighten the border but the immediate result has been a spike in new arrivals as Venezuelans rush to cross the frontier before the new rules take hold. Families clog the bridge spanning the Táchira River, the busiest border crossing between the two countries, as they push baby strollers, carry boxes and drag roller luggage into Colombia.

For many, their first stop comes a few feet inside Colombian territory, in the Norte de Santander region, where they unload their jewelry to dealers who purchase precious metals. At one shop, newcomers pull off their rings and unpin their brooches and necklaces. Workers use files and acids to check the purity of the metal. Then shop owner José Alvarado negotiates prices.

He offers the equivalent of about $7 for a woman's silver bracelet and $275 for a man's gold ring, but he rejects a watch for its dubious quality. A Venezuelan who fled his homeland two years ago, Alvarado says he understands what his compatriots are going through. He says the most heartbreaking case was a couple that sold their wedding rings after 40 years of marriage.

"People cry a lot when they sell their jewelry. But they have no choice," he says.

Indeed, Venezuelans need the cash as they travel deeper into Colombia or journey south to Ecuador, Peru, Chile and Argentina.

On the border bridge, several Venezuelans employed by Colombian travel agencies hawk bus tickets. Passage to Lima sells for $241, while Buenos Aires costs twice as much. These freelance agents live on the Venezuelan side of the border and say they too want to get away. But lacking money and passports, they can only dream about the destinations they are trumpeting.

A few miles up the road, in the Colombian border city of Cúcuta, a new business has sprung up to take advantage of the crisis. In the city plaza, hair dealers are looking for clients to sell them locks for making hair extensions. They wear signs around their necks stating, "we buy hair," and shout out the same message.

Nearly all their customers are penniless Venezuelans, including Jefferson Márquez. He arrived two days ago from the Venezuelan city of Mérida with the hair of his 14-year-old cousin in a plastic bag. He sells it for about $4, which he plans to send back to his family.

Another potential vendor is Karelis Nieves. She worked at a supermarket in the Venezuelan city of Maracay but says the business collapsed after it was expropriated by the government. Nieves, 23, came to Colombia last month and is trying to scrounge up money to support her parents and 2-year-old daughter back home. But the hair broker requires locks that are at least a foot-and-a-half long. After pulling out his measuring tape, he informs Nieves that her flowing brown hair is a few inches too short.

There are other ways to get by, including selling street food, working construction and busking.

Street musician Jesús García says he fled to Colombia four months ago. Due to the collapse of Venezuela's currency, his salary as a mechanic on an oil rig was no longer enough to feed his family of four. Masterly on the harp, García has teamed up with a Venezuelan guitarist and the duo plays Venezuelan folk music, called llanero. The spare change people toss into their open guitar case adds up to about $10 a day — more than García made for a week's work in Venezuela.

But others resort to prostitution or street crime to survive, says Carlos Luna, head of the Cúcuta Chamber of Commerce. In addition, he points out that throngs of Colombians who moved to Venezuela during that country's periodic oil booms — or to escape from violence during Colombia's long-running guerrilla war — are now returning.

Luna says Cúcuta must not open refugee centers because he says they would only attract more Venezuelan migrants and exacerbate the problem. However, churches and charities now run a few soup kitchens and shelters where migrants are allowed to stay for 48 hours until they move on to their next destination.

One of the kitchens near the border bridge serves 1,000 lunches per day, including today's meal of chicken and spaghetti. Among the diners is Danny Márquez, who arrived the day before. He used to run a thriving business selling cleaning supplies in Venezuela. But the economic crisis drove him bankrupt. He used to be solidly middle class and is clearly distraught at having to ask for food.

"This is the first time in my life that I've set foot in a soup kitchen," says Márquez, who has tears in his eyes.

He plans to resettle in Chile. But Márquez is bitter about having to abandon his homeland.

"I resisted for two years," he says. "I vowed to myself: 'I'm not leaving. I'm not leaving. I'm not leaving.' But then things became impossible."

Social unrest, Kandel, Germany 4 March 2018  , People marching against Merkel immigration  policies . https://www.facebook.com/554887781512295/videos/609111376089935/?hc...

WHAT'S HAPPENING IN SAUDI ARABIA? GUNFIRE ERUPTS NEAR ROYAL PALACE

4/21/18

http://www.newsweek.com/what-happening-saudi-arabia-king-flees-gunf...

Updated | Gunfire was heard near Saudi Arabia's royal palace Saturday, prompting widespread speculation as authorities said a toy drone drone was downed.

"An official Riyadh district police spokesman said that at about 19:50 p.m. on Saturday, 5/8/1439 a security screening point in the Al-Khuzama district of Riyadh noticed a small, remote-controlled recreational aircraft (drone) flying without being authorized to do so, which required security personnel at the security point to deal with it in accordance with their orders and instructions in this regard," the official Saudi Press Agency reported.

"The competent authorities have initiated investigative action on the circumstances of the incident," it added, without commenting on any potential casualties.

As photos and videos of the gunfire emerged on social media, London-based Saudi human rights activist Ghanem al-Masarir claimed that King Salman was moved to the King Khalid Military City in northeastern Saudi Arabia. Some twitter accounts, especially those visibly supportive of Saudi rival Qatar, suggested a coup attempt was unfolding, while others dismissed this, saying they believed a drone had flown too close to the palace, prompting security forces to open fire and down it.

'Time for a Moral Confrontation': Poor People's Campaign Launches With Local Rallies Nationwide

All of Chile's 34 bishops RESIGN over a sex abuse and cover-up scandal after crisis meeting with the Pope

• Pope Francis has accused Chile's bishops of destroying evidence of sex crimes 
• Francis said the entire Chilean church hierarchy was collectively responsible
• In a leaked 2,300-page report, the pope blasted the entire Chilean church hierarchy for their 'grave defects' in handling abuse cases
• All 34 Chilean bishops have now offered to resign following the crisis meeting 

19 May 2018

All 34 Chilean bishops who attended a crisis meeting this week with Pope Francis about the cover-up of sexual abuse in their country have offered to resign, it has emerged.

The bishops also apologised to Chile, the victims of abuse and the pope for the scandal as they released an extraordinary joint statement.

It was not immediately clear if the pope had accepted their resignation.

The bishops announced at the end of an emergency summit with Pope Francis that all 31 active bishops and three retired ones in Rome had signed a document offering to resign and putting their fate in the hands of the pope.

Francis can accept the resignations one by one, reject them or delay a decision.

It marked the first known time in history that an entire national bishops conference had offered to resign en masse over scandal, and laid bare the devastation that the abuse crisis has caused the Catholic Church in Chile and beyond.

Calls had mounted for the resignations after details emerged of the contents of a 2,300-page Vatican report into the Chilean scandal leaked early Friday.

Francis had accused the bishops of destroying evidence of sex crimes, pressuring investigators to minimize abuse accusations and showing 'grave negligence' in protecting children from paedophile priests.

In one of the most damning documents from the Vatican on the issue, Francis said the entire Chilean church hierarchy was collectively responsible for 'grave defects' in handling cases and the resulting loss of credibility that the Catholic Church has suffered.

'No one can exempt himself and place the problem on the shoulders of the others,' Francis wrote in the document, which was published by Chilean T13 television and confirmed as accurate Friday by the Vatican.

In a statement in response, the Chilean bishops said the contents of the document were 'absolutely deplorable' and showed an 'unacceptable abuse of power and conscience,' as well as sexual abuse.

They asked forgiveness to the victims, the pope and all Catholics and vowed to repair the damage.

Francis summoned the entire bishops' conference to Rome after admitting that he had made 'grave errors in judgement' in the case of Bishop Juan Barros, who is accused by victims of Chilean priest, the Rev. Fernando Karadima, of witnessing and ignoring their abuse.

But the scandal grew beyond the Barros case after Francis received the report written by two Vatican sex crimes experts sent to Chile to get a handle on the scope of the problem.

Their report hasn't been made public, but Francis cited its core findings in the footnotes of the document that he handed over to the bishops at the start of their summit this week.

And those findings are damning.

(continued)

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5744503/Chilean-bishops-off...

ZetaTalk Chat Q&A for May 31, 2018

http://zetatalk.com/ning/31ma2018.htm

Pope retirement

Once again the enigmatic Q shows his insights and accuracy. It is May, and the Pope is murmuring about resigning. It was early April that Q predicted a “terrible May” for the Pope. What would the issue be? The rampant pedophilia in the Catholic church was in the past hidden from the public as the Church threatened the victims and paid them for silence. Then there was a period of time where these practices were exposed in the media, with many priests being expelled. Past practices haunt those still in charge of the Church, and even the innocent are tainted by what others have done.

Federal court rules Constitution gives right to carry guns in public. Just in time for the expected LAWLESSNESS and CHAOS headed our way during the coming Cataclysms.  JULY 25, 2018

https://americanmilitarynews.com/2018/07/federal-court-rules-consti...

A U.S. federal appeals court on Tuesday ruled that the Second Amendment of the Constitution guarantees the right to openly carry a gun in public for self-defense.

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reached a two-to-one decision, finding that the state of Hawaii infringed on plaintiff George Young’s rights when it denied him a permit the state requires to openly carry a gun in public on two occasions.

The federal appeals court ruled that the U.S. Constitution’s Second Amendment guarantees the right to openly carry a gun in public for self-defense, making the San Francisco-based court the sixth U.S. appeals court to interpret the Second Amendment that way.

Hawaii is one of 15 states that requires a license or permit to openly carry a handgun.

In 2008, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled for the first time that the Second Amendment protected an individual’s right to keep guns at home for self-defense.

Honduras Border, Central America:

A caravan of Honduran migrants arrives at the border with Guatemala
The goal of more than a thousand immigrants, including entire families, is to reach the United States.

The objective of the more than one thousand immigrants, among which there are entire families, is to arrive in the United States, which has already warned that it will not let them pass, as well as the Guatemalan and Mexican authorities.

A group of a thousand and a half Honduran migrants heading to the United States, to which they are increasingly joining, came to the border with Guatemala this Sunday (14.10.2018), according to organizers and witnesses.

From:

https://translate.google.com/?hl=es#es/en/Am%C3%A9rica%20Latina%0AL...(Reuters%2FJ.%20Cabrera%20)%0A%0AUn%20grupo%20de%20un%20millar%20y%20medio%20de%20migrantes%20hondure%C3%B1os%20en%20direcci%C3%B3n%20a%20Estados%20Unidos%2C%20a%20los%20que%20cada%20vez%20se%20van%20uniendo%20m%C3%A1s%2C%20lleg%C3%B3%20a%20la%20frontera%20con%20Guatemala%20este%20domingo%20(14.10.2018)%2C%20seg%C3%BAn%20organizadores%20y%20testigos.

Caravan continues at Guatemala-Mexico Bridge Border: 

Although the first groups of Honduran migrants crossed into Mexico today, after authorities of the Consulate of that country indicated that they will extend humanitarian visas and pass them on their way to the United States. Thousands of people who were in front of the metal gate threw it and went to the Mexican side.

https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=es&tl=en&js=y&...

FRANCE Yellow vests Gilets jaunes

BREAKING NEWS - The "yellow vests" take action (1 dead, +400 wounded)

http://www.wikistrike.com/2018/11/les-gilets-jaunes-passent-a-l-act...

http://video.lefigaro.fr/figaro/video/revivez-les-moments-forts-des...

Review on 18 November

1 death

409 wounded including 14 people in serious condition

Nearly 300,000 protesters

The "yellow vests" began to gather on Saturday, November 17 at dawn to block roads and strategic points across the country. This unprecedented "general mobilization" of citizens against rising fuel prices is to be followed live on franceinfo.

About 1,500 ACTIONS are expected in the territory, of which only a hundred were reported: blocking roads, supermarkets, gas stations ...

Near the Paris ring road, Porte Maillot, protesters with a few signs gathered before 7am.

Three-quarters of the French support the movement and 15% plan to participate, according to an Odoxa survey conducted for Franceinfo and Le Figaro.

Grounds for grievances have widened beyond the rise in fuel prices to a more comprehensive denunciation of the government's taxation policy and lower purchasing power.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yellow vests, the contagion: Belgium and Bulgaria have started!

http://www.wikistrike.com/2018/11/gilets-jaunes-la-belgique-et-la-b...

Vests make children across Europe, as the movement of yellow vests pushed in the streets of France 1.2 million protesters according to the union of "police angry" and that brought together 10.5 million people in total (activists and sympathizers) is exported beyond the borders of France.

In Belgium, yellow vests have blocked roundabouts and fuel depots , especially in Wallonia, blocking traffic. In this country, a political movement will be launched for the next elections , which can give ideas to the French, only missing a leader.

In Bulgaria too, yellow vests took to the streets in Sofia as in other big cities of the country.

Thousands of Bulgarians blocked on Sunday the main roads and border posts between Bulgaria and Turkey and between Bulgaria and Greece to protest the soaring fuel prices in a context of dissatisfaction due to the low standard of living in the country. the poorest country in the European Union.

Embryos of calls for demonstration are also born in other EU countries. What is happening in France could well be anchored in time thanks to the participation of our European neighbors.

The rising cost of living is the common denominator. And this problem goes beyond France alone.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
British army prepares to quell anti-Brexit riots

http://www.wikistrike.com/2018/11/l-armee-britannique-se-prepare-a-...

According to the Sunday Times of November 18, 2018, the British Army was tasked with preparing to maintain order in the big cities of the United Kingdom alongside the police.

Australian Court Finds Cardinal Pell Guilty of Sexual Abuse.

A Melbourne court has reportedly convicted the Vatican’s finance chief, Cardinal George Pell, of sexually abusing two choir boys in the 1990s when he was archbishop of Melbourne.

By Thomas D. Williams, 12 Dec 2018.

https://www.breitbart.com/faith/2018/12/12/australian-court-finds-c...

After more than three days of deliberations, the court handed down a guilty verdict Tuesday by a unanimous consent of the jury. If the verdict is confirmed, it will be the highest-ranking condemnation of a Church official for a crime of sexual abuse.

Last year, Cardinal Pell requested a dispensation from his duties in Rome to travel to Melbourne to defend himself against the charges against him, which he has always denied. The Holy See has not yet commented on the reports.

The trial has been kept under strict secrecy, after a judge placed a gag order on all press coverage of the trial in Australia. Now, however, several Australian media outlets have reported that Pell has been found guilty of all charges.

The gag order, which still remains in place in Australia, was reportedly granted to “prevent a real and substantial risk of prejudice to the proper administration of justice.”

Pell continues to maintain his innocence and will almost certainly appeal the decision.

“All along I have been completely consistent and clear in my total rejection of these allegations,” Pell said last year. “News of these charges strengthens my resolve and the court proceedings now offer me an opportunity to clear my name and then return back to Rome to work.”

During the course of the trial, the cardinal has resided in a house of the diocese, although the Australian Church has noted that Pell personally paid for all the expenses of his defense.

The cardinal will face a second trial early next year on separate charges that he “sexually offended” two boys while playing games in a swimming pool in his home town of Ballarat, Victoria, in the 1970s when Pell was a priest in the area.

The prelate has always forcefully denied these accusations as well, and his lawyer, Robert Richter, said in 2017 that there is “voluminous” evidence to show that “what was alleged is impossible.”

Pell had been tapped by Pope Francis in 2014 to conduct a serious reform of Vatican finances, but met with increasing resistance as he began discovering large sums of money that had not been recorded in financial statements: 94 million euros in the Secretariat for State, later followed by nearly 1 billion euros in various other departments.

The Secretariat of State, the Administration of the Patrimony of the Holy See (APSA), and the Governorate of the Vatican City State reportedly resisted implementing tighter rules on transparency, compliance, and accounting, “largely because they might reveal corrupt practices or involve a loss of power among the so-called ‘old guard.’”

-----

Q post - Dec 12 2018 11:00:11 (EST)

https://8ch.net/qresearch/res/4272091.html#4272168

Q post - Dec 12 2018 11:29:43 (EST)

https://8ch.net/qresearch/res/4272091.html#4272632

CHINA PREPARES FOR 'PERIOD OF MAJOR CHANGE NEVER SEEN IN A CENTURY' IN 2019 NEW YEAR'S SPEECH  12/31/18

Chinese President Xi Jinping has shared his aspirations for the upcoming year in a speech signaling an era of great change as his country prepares to celebrate seven decades of communist rule.

Wishing viewers and listeners an early Happy New Year from Beijing, Xi recalled Monday that "time stops for no one, and the seasons keep changing." He praised the country's rapid economic development, efforts to combat poverty and pollution, as well as "the hard work of people from all of China's ethnic groups, who are the trail-blazers of the new era." The Chinese leader said the nation would continue to support peaceful initiatives worldwide, such as his ambitious "One Belt, One Road" project to expand Beijing's economic footprint abroad.

"Looking at the world at large, we're facing a period of major change never seen in a century," Xi said. "No matter what these changes bring, China will remain resolute and confident in its defense of its national sovereignty and security. And China's sincerity and goodwill to safeguard world peace and promote common development will remain unchanged.

"We will continue to push ahead with the joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative, and continue to advocate for the development of a community of shared future for mankind. And we will work tirelessly for a more prosperous and beautiful world," he added.

https://www.newsweek.com/china-major-change-2019-new-years-1276040

General Strike in India: 200 Million Workers Oppose the Government’s Labor Law

http://www.leftvoice.org/General-Strike-in-India-200-Million-Worker...

On Wednesday, 200 million workers took part in the second day of a general strike in India against the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whose labor law worsens working conditions and prevents unionization.

A strike called by a dozen union federations in India has for the second day affected several cities throughout the country, including its capital, New Delhi, paralyzing part of public transportation, trade and banking services.

The strike was called in protest against the labor policies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Diverse unions that organized 200 million workers throughout the country led the strike, with a strong presence in the states of Kerala (south), Bengal (east), Odisha (east), Maharashtra (west), Karnataka (southwest) and Delhi (north), authorities and local media reported.

In the capital, hundreds of workers also called a demonstration at Parliament to demand that lawmakers oppose the central government’s labor policies.
According to the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), one of the strike’s organizers, the workers are protesting unemployment, the rising price of food and other basic goods and the government’s measures that roll back employees’ health care benefits.

The rising unemployment and prices of basic products were already damaging the life conditions of the Indian working class. In this context of discontent, the new labor law makes the workers’ situation more desperate.

The unions have said the law would increase the superexploitation of employees and annihilate the rights of trade unions.

According to the Asia News website, the law “enables the government to assume a discretionary power when it comes to recognizing or not workers organizations, effectively eliminating the current negotiation, based on the joint consensus of employees, employers and government.”

According to The Telegraph, the unions have also said that "under the current regulations, factories that employ more than 100 workers must go through the lengthy bureaucratic process of seeking government approval to lay off staff. In attempt to free up the businesses during an economic downtown, Mr Modi’s government has proposed that factories with less than 300 workers should be allowed to make redundancies without the need for state approval".

Workers are also demanding the approval of a social security act to protect workers’ health care, pensions and to establish a minimum wage of 24,000 rupees (almost 300 euros) for the transport sector.

French riot police are now using semi-automatic weapons with live ammunition against Yellow Vest protestors as Macron's law and order crisis spirals

• Officers were filmed brandishing weapons by Arc de Triomphe in Paris today
• Riot police were on crowd control duty today facing off a mob of Gilet Jaunes
• Rifles at demonstration by unarmed citizens show how Macron crisis intensifies
• Last week former conservative minster said live fire should be used on 'thugs'

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6586991/French-riot-police...

French riot police have deployed semi-automatic weapons with live ammunition against Yellow Vest protestors for the first time.

Officers were filmed brandishing Heckler & Koch G36 weapons by the Arc de Triomphe in Paris on Saturday afternoon.

The presence of semi-automatic rifles at a demonstration by unarmed French citizens shows how President Emmanuel Macron’s law and order crisis spirals. 

It comes after former conservative minister Luc Ferry called for live fire to be used against the ‘thugs’ from the Yellow Vest movement who he says 'beat up police'. 

Riot police were on crowd control duty today facing off a mob of Gilet Jaunes or Yellow Vests - named after the bright high-visibility clothing.

Live ammunition 30 cartridge magazines could be seen as officers marched the streets, although none were used as 5000 police were deployed on the streets of the French capital.

Yellow Vest protestor Gilles Caron said: ‘The CRS with the guns were wearing riot control helmets and body armour – they were not a specialised firearms unit.

‘Their job was simply to threaten us with lethal weapons in a manner which is very troubling. We deserve some explanations.’

The CRS are known for their tough approach to policing, frequently using distinctively wide-barrelled guns to fire flash-ball projectiles and tear gas canisters.

But until now, the guns used have mainly been associated with specialist military units, as well as the elite GIPN police intervention squads, and the BAC anti-criminal brigade.

A French National Police spokesman confirmed that the CRS were equipped with H&K G36s on Saturday, but would not discuss their operational use ‘for security reasons’.

A G36 was stolen from inside a police van during a similar Yellow Vest demonstration by the Arc de Triomphe on December 1.

A number of vehicles belonging to the 21stIntervention Company of the Paris Prefecture were stormed, suggesting that the theft was an opportunistic one during a day of intense violence, when the Arc de Triomphe itself was vandalised.

Last week, Luc Ferry, who was France’s education minister in the early 2000s, responded to a series of attacks on police by the Yellow Vests by calling for live fire against them.

r Ferry, who is now a full time philosopher, said: ‘What I don’t understand is that we don’t give the means to the police to put an end to this violence.'

When it was suggested that guns might lead to wounding or worse, Mr Ferry said: ‘So what? Listen, frankly, when you see guys beating up an unfortunate policeman on the floor, that’s when they should use their weapons once and for all! That’s enough.’

Police were attacked in major cities including Paris on Saturday on an Act 9 Day of Rage by the Yellow Vests, who have pledged to continue their campaign calling for social, political and economic reforms indefinitely.

Mr Macron’s government has launched a crackdown on their methods, pledging a new anti-riot law to deal with them. 

The Yellow Vest Movement Has Gone Global

https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2019-01-20/yellow-vest-movement-has-...

The Yellow Vest anti-government movement started in France on November 17, when over 300,000 people across France protested a carbon tax on fuel that French President Emmanuel Macron touted as evidence of France's leadership when it comes to mitigating climate change. 

The Yellow Vest protests quickly evolved into a general anti-government movement - with hundreds of thousands of angry French citizens taking to the streets for ten straight weeks of mostly peaceful protests marked with pockets of violence, looting and mayhem. 

What's more - the movement has gone worldwide - with perhaps the most notable protests outside France taking place in Belgium, where Brussels riot cops have dealt with week after week of protesters blocking oil depot and throwing hard objects at them. 

#YellowVests march on #Brussels amid ongoing political turmoil pic.twitter.com/hNBgxiFGaX

— srb news (@srbnews0) January 20, 2019

On December 8, Belgians attempted to breach a riot barricade while calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Charles Michel, resulting in around 100 arrests. 

And while most of the protests outside of France happened last month, this is a good list to note where discontent is mounting. 

• Bulgaria: Yellow Vests began protesting the same weekend as the French movement - coming out in force on November 16 to protest in front of parliament and demand the resignation of the government. 
• Canada: Yellow Vest protests have taken place in more than a dozen cities across Canada - largely campaigning against the carbon price, Canada's participation in the UN's Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration, the Trudeau administration and other issues. 
• Croatia: Croatians came out in force on December 15, gathering in Ban Jelacic Square. 

• Egypt: An Egyptian A lawyer was arrested and jailed for 15 days after he posted a picture of himself wearing a Yellow Vest in support of the French protests. 
• Finland: Finns came out in force in mid-December as well, gathering in front of Parliament in opposition to the UN's Global Migration pact. 
• Germany: Marching in solidarity with the French, German Yellow Vests similarly came out against the UN migration pact. 
• Iraq: Yellow Vests demonstrated in Basra, Iraq on December 5 to protest poor job opportunities among other things. They were reportedly fired upon with live ammunition by police. 

• Ireland: Hundreds of people gathered in the center of Dublin to protest the "perceived failures of the Government." 

• Israel: Yellow Vests held a rally at the Azrieli Centre Mall in Tel Aviv on December 14. 

• Italy: There have been several ongoing Yellow Vest protests in Italy over the last several months, with some protesting the government's hard-line stance against illegal migrants, and other pro-government activists protesting against the EU. In January, Italy's ruling government came out in support of the Yellow Vest movement, which AFP noted was "extremely rare for European leaders to back anti-government protesters in a fellow member state." 
• Netherlands: The Dutch joined the party at the beginning of December, blocking roads, roundabouts and tollbooths. 
• Pakistan: Hundreds of engineers came out in December to protest government services and pay. 

• Poland: Polish Yellow Vests protested in November and December, blocking the A2 motorway outside of Warsaw, demanding compensation for pigs they were required to slaughter, as well as the import of unlabeled Ukrainian agricultural products. 

Poland, November 2018#YellowVests #GiletsJaunes pic.twitter.com/4xX99Sw6PX

— Fair Yuze #MinisterOfGodsWrath (@Fairyuze1) December 16, 2018

• Portugal: On 21 December 2018, a "Coletes Amarelos" or "Yellow Vest" rally was held under the slogan "Vamos Parar Portugal", roughly translating to "Let's Bring Portugal to a Halt".

• Russia: Yellow Vests protested right before Christmas in Moscow's Hyde Park against increased parking fees. "I’m a driver with 20 years of experience, and I can understand that the authorities want to free the city and make it accessible to pedestrians," said resident Tamara Papuashvili, adding " it's just a disgrace. You can use the metro, but there are more and more people there, it just cannot cope."

• Serbia: Civil rights organisation "Združena akcija Krov nad glavom" began using yellow vests in its protests to show solidarity with the French protesters, as well as opposition to high fuel prices. Serbians have protested for six weeks in a row. 

• Taiwan: The Tax and Legal Reform League which has been protesting against high taxes since 2016 organized a yellow vest march on December 19. 

• Tunisia: A derivative group, the Gilets Rouges (Red Vests), called for protests over the ailing economy. 

Tunisia Catches Yellow Vest Infection#Tunisia #Yellowvesthttps://t.co/e93g7009Vz pic.twitter.com/Wu3SPlBPiW

— Mohamed Al Maeeni (@redbey) December 17, 2018

• United Kingdom: UK Yellow Vests are mostly right wing, pro-Brexit groups who have held rallies in London and other UK cities. 

"It Feels Apocalyptic" - A Letter From Zimbabwe, Where The Country Remains In Total Shutdown

Zimbabwe is once again at the brink of economic collapse, making a mockery of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s claim that the country is open for business.

https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2019-01-20/it-feels-apocalyptic-lett...

As Bloomberg reports,  many shops and factories have shut their doors because of a lack of customers and those that continue to trade are open to haggling over prices to secure hard currency. At an appliance shop in the capital, Harare, a salesman whispers that a Whirlpool Corp. washing machine priced at about $5,000 if paid for electronically will sell for $1,500 in cash, while at a nearby electrical warehouse, a $600 invoice is whittled down to $145 for payment in dollar bills.

But, as OilPrice.com's Tsvetana Paraskova reports, Zimbabwe is on a three-day nationwide strike and protests are erupting in the streets after the government of the southern African country doubled fuel prices, making gasoline sold in Zimbabwe the most expensive gasoline in the world. 

We are now in our third day of complete shutdown throughout the whole of Zimbabwe.

Banks are closed, schools are closed, roads are closed in and out of the main towns and transport systems have shut down.

There are no newspapers to be bought, the Internet has been shut down by the government and everything is at a complete standstill.

People are too afraid to move around as a result of the burning of vehicles by vigilante groups and the complete dearth of any updated information or warnings due to the total social media blackout. This means that no WhatsApp messages or photos can be sent, no one can access Facebook or Messenger, and the situation is very tense.

In some centres it almost feels apocalyptic. We have heard gunfire, and before the Internet was closed down, saw pictures of dead and wounded people. It is unclear how many people have died but before the media blackout, it was reported that there had been five deaths and more than 200 people had been arbitrarily arrested.

Elements of the police and military are also involved in ensuring that there is a complete shutdown. People in civilian dress armed with AK-47 rifles have been seen in some areas. It is clear that these are military personnel.

Amnesty International has condemned the military crackdown and has called on the Zimbabwean authorities to ensure restraint by security forces and respect the public’s right to protest.

Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights reported prior to the blackout that they had received reports of soldiers and police breaking into homes in townships overnight and assaulting suspected demonstrators.

Contacts in the diplomatic corps and the political opposition are also completely in the dark, along with the rest of us.

This morning I spoke to Nelson Chamisa, leader of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) Alliance, and it is clear that no one knows what is going on because the entire country has been effectively silenced.

I have also spoken to lawyers regarding the arrest once again of Pastor Evan Mawarire who inadvertently triggered the highly successful #ThisFlag social media protest action in April 2016 because he could no longer afford to pay school fees. This led to his arrest on trumped up charges and his high profile court case. Since then, his activities have been under constant surveillance.

Police officers arrive at his flat this morning in central Harare and took him to the Law and Order section, charging him under a false charge of incitement to commit public violence.

The crisis was precipitated on Sunday (January 13) by President Emmerson Mnangagwa when he announced a shock increase of 200 percent in the fuel price – this in a country with more than 90 percent unemployment and where the struggle to survive escalates daily. Mr Mnangagwa promptly left the country for Russia and has not returned. Reports say that he has gone there to “discuss Russian assistance to modernise the military”.

Right now the situation remains eerie and uncertain. If this goes on for much longer, the humanitarian crisis will escalate. We cannot buy food because the shops are all closed and transport systems have closed down. Most of the hospitals are without essential medicines and also staff because doctors and nurses can’t even get to work.

This is an unprecedented situation in Zimbabwe and internationally. Even in wartime Europe, the people could get newspapers, transport systems operated, retail outlets were still open and people could communicate.

I cannot send you an e-mail or a photograph – it is a very weird situation.

The only thing we can do at this point is to ask for your prayers as we face this time of escalating fear and uncertainty.

Pentagon to send 3,750 troops to border with Mexico  Published time: 3 Feb, 2019 20:21

https://www.rt.com/usa/450512-troops-border-mexico-pentagon/

"yellow vests" - FRANCE UPDATE

09/02/2019

"yellow vests": a few thousand protesters across the country, clashes in Paris

http://www.lefigaro.fr/actualite-france/2019/02/09/01016-20190209AR...

https://translate.google.com.ar/translate?hl=es&sl=fr&tl=en...

VIDEOS - They were about 51,400 across France, according to the Interior Ministry. Some clashes broke out. In Paris, a protester had his hand torn off at midday, at the height of the National Assembly.

They had announced it in several Facebook events: "Let nothing go as long as Macron and the 5th Republic will not be dismissed!

"Yellow Vests" Act XIII: a vigipirate vehicle burned in Paris

TRADUCED PHOTO FROM FRENCH

https://www.facebook.com/events/347255952539958/

GENERAL STRIKE ILLIMITED
BEGINNING FEBRUARY 5 2019

TOTAL BLOCKAGE ALL FRANCE

Vatican treasurer Cardinal George Pell found guilty of child sex charges.

Melbourne, Australia (CNN) - One of the most powerful men in the Roman Catholic Church was found guilty of multiple historical child sex offenses at a secret trial in Melbourne in December, the existence of which can only now be revealed.

By Hilary Whiteman and Ben Westcott, February 26, 2019.

https://edition.cnn.com/2019/02/25/australia/cardinal-george-pell-v...

Australian Cardinal George Pell, 77, is almost certain to face prison after a jury found him guilty of one charge of sexual penetration of a child and four charges of an indecent act with or in the presence of a child in the late 1990s.

The conviction of Pell, the Vatican treasurer and a close adviser to Pope Francis, will send shockwaves through the church, which is already reeling from accusations of sexual abuse committed by priests worldwide.

Pell is the most senior Catholic official to be found guilty of child sex offenses to date. His conviction brings the escalating international controversy around the abuse of children in Catholic institutions straight to the doors of the Holy See.

A court order banning media reporting of Pell's five-week long trial, which began in November 2018, was lifted by Chief Judge Peter Kidd on Tuesday.

The prosecution's case hinged on the testimony of one man, who said Pell sexually abused him and another boy in Melbourne's historic St. Patrick's Cathedral after mass one Sunday.

-----

Under Australian law, all details of the first trial, including its existence, were suppressed due to concerns they could prejudice future juries.

The court order was lifted after the crown prosecutor chose to not proceed with a planned second trial into further child sex allegations against Pell.

Pell has repeatedly maintained his innocence. His legal team confirmed on Tuesday they had filed an appeal against the guilty verdict.

The Vatican has yet to comment on the verdict. Pope Francis quietly removed Pell from his small council of advisors for "reasons of advancing age" in December, before the news of the cardinal's conviction became public.

(Read more)

-----

Q post - Feb 25 2019 20:08:29 (EST)

https://8ch.net/qresearch/res/5384047.html#5384495

The highest number of internally displaced people on record

28 million new internal displacements due to general conflicts of violence and natural disasters.

One of these events was caused by the struggles between Syria and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the raising of an intercommunal tension between Cameroon, Ethiopia and Nigeria generated a cipher from 10.8 million people displaced by conflicts and violence. In fact, the number of IDPs who tried to return to their homes have had to deal with a lot of new issues counting damage on infrastructure, the disappearance of basic services and property destruction.

39% of new internal displacements were triggered by conflict and 61% by natural disasters.

Extreme weather events were responsible for the majority of the 17.2 million new displacements associated with disasters in 2018. Tropical cyclones and monsoon floods led to mass displacement in the Philippines, China and India, mostly in the form of evacuations. California suffered the most destructive wildfires in its history, which displaced hundreds of thousands of people.

https://watchers.news/2019/05/13/the-highest-number-of-internally-d...

White House launches tool to report censorship on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter  SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS should advance FREEDOM OF SPEECH.

‘If you suspect political bias caused such an action to be taken against you, share your story with President Trump’

On Wednesday, the White House launched a new tool for people to use if they feel they’ve been wrongly censored, banned, or suspended on social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter.

“Too many Americans have seen their accounts suspended, banned, or fraudulently reported for unclear ‘violations’ of user policies,” the site reads. “No matter your views, if you suspect political bias caused such an action to be taken against you, share your story with President Trump.”
"“Too many Americans have seen their accounts suspended, banned, or fraudulently reported”"

A Twitter spokesperson responded to the new tool saying, “We enforce the Twitter Rules impartially for all users, regardless of their background or political affiliation. We are constantly working to improve our systems and will continue to be transparent in our efforts.”

Facebook, Google, and YouTube did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

https://www.theverge.com/2019/5/15/18626785/white-house-trump-censo...

Trump to invoke Insurrection Act that authorizes National Guard, military action inside U.S. borders

According to sources cited by The Daily Caller, President Trump is poised to invoke the Insurrection Act to fight for America’s survival against the ongoing invasion of illegals who are flooding the United States as a tactic to destroy the country from within. The Daily Caller is now reporting:

According to multiple senior administration officials, the president intends to invoke the “tremendous powers” of the act to remove illegal immigrants from the country.

The Insurrection Act, passed by Congress in 1807, allows the president to deploy National Guard and U.S. military troops to combat “rebellion” against the United States of America. The Act has been invoked by other presidents to quell violent uprisings such as the L.A. Riots.

https://www.newstarget.com/2019-05-17-trump-to-invoke-insurrection-...

Hong Kong Airport Cancels Flights as Protesters Flood In

https://www.wsj.com/articles/hong-kong-airport-cancels-flights-as-t...

HONG KONG—Hong Kong’s airport authority canceled more than 100 flights Monday afternoon as thousands of demonstrators thronged the city’s airport to protest police for their handling of this summer’s long-running protests.

After the bloodiest night of clashes with police in 10 weekends of unrest, crowds filled the airport’s departure and arrival halls Monday, expanding a smaller sit-in at the terminal that has run since Friday. Hong Kong’s airport authority said the assembly has seriously disrupted flights and all check-in service for outbound flights as of 3.30 p.m. Its website showed more than 130 flights canceled.

DEUTSCHE BANK STOCK PRICE GOES TOWARD "INSOLVENT"

15 AUGUST 2019

https://halturnerradioshow.com/index.php/en/news-page/world/deutsch...

The price of Stock in Germany's Deutsche Bank has fallen to 5.849 EUROS which equals 6.53 Dollars.

This means a bank which has underwritten several QUADRILLION in Derivatives contracts, appears HEADED TOWARD being insolvent.

Thus, the Derivatives contracts they have underwritten appear to be close to having no value because the bank would not have enough money to cover them.

Today, August 15, 2019, could mark the end of the Global Financial System. Hold your breath; if Deutsche goes under, it would be like the Lehman Brothers collapse - but on steroids -- about a thousand times worse.

Renowned geopolitical and financial cycle expert Charles Nenner says if there was ever a global canary in the coal mine warning for the financial system, it is Germany’s Deutsche Bank (DB).

Late last year, Nenner predicted if DB stock went below $8 a share, “You should be worried.” Recently, DB stock hit all-time lows and now sits around the $7.40 per share level.

Nenner warned on May 22, “I see it can hold up to late July, and then it can go to $6.50 (per share)..."

If it breaks below $6.40, it can go out of business. So, it’s a very serious situation... I think all the markets can have a bounce in a couple of days to the end of July. That’s why DB might hold up, but if it gets below $6.40, the world is in trouble.”

This is not a hyped prediction considering the IMF called DB the “most systemically dangerous bank” in the world in 2016. If DB does break $6.40, do we get a daisy chain of default around the world? Nenner says:

“It is a very dangerous situation. I don’t think DB is the only one. They just got caught.

I think if you look at the balance sheets very closely of other banks, especially Europe and Italian banks, you will see a lot of troubling signs also. I don’t think it’s only Deutsche Bank. It’s much more...

If it breaks $6.40, the downside price target is zero. If everybody watches my analysis and it does go below $6.40, everybody is going to run for the exits.”

The masses are awoken!  Now view the main culprit near the Sun!

Protesting Climate Change, Young People Take to Streets in a Global Strike

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/20/climate/global-climate-strike.html

Anxious about their future on a hotter planet and angry at world leaders for failing to arrest the crisis, masses of young people poured into the streets on every continent on Friday for a day of global climate protests. Organizers estimated the turnout to be around four million in thousands of cities and towns worldwide.

It was the first time that children and young people had demonstrated to demand climate action in so many places and in such numbers around the world.

They turned out in force in Berlin, where the police estimated 100,000 participants, with similar numbers in Melbourne and London. In New York City, the mayor’s office estimated that 60,000 people marched through the narrow streets of Lower Manhattan, while organizers put the total at 250,000. By the dozens in some places, and by the tens of thousands in others, young people demonstrated in cities like Manila, Kampala and Rio de Janeiro. A group of scientists rallied in Antarctica.

“You had a future, and so should we,” demonstrators chanted as they marched through New York City.

Then, “We vote next.”

Banners in Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, ranged from serious to humorous. One read, “Climate Emergency Now.” Another said, “This planet is getting hotter than my imaginary boyfriend.” In Mumbai, children in oversize raincoats marched in the rain. A sign in Berlin declared, “Stop the Global Pyromania.”

“Right now we are the ones who are making a difference. If no one else will take action, then we will,” Greta Thunberg, the 16-year-old Swedish climate activist whose one-person strikes in Stockholm helped ignite a global movement, told demonstrators in New York City. “We demand a safe future. Is that really too much to ask?”

Whether this global action solves the problem that the protesters have identified — arresting greenhouse gas emissions to stave off a climate catastrophe — now depends on how effectively climate advocates can turn Friday’s momentum into sustained political pressure on governments and companies that produce those emissions.

Nowhere is that more true than in the United States, which has produced more emissions than any country since the start of the industrial age, and which is now rolling back a suite of environmental regulations under President Donald Trump. Organizers said there were demonstrations in all 50 United States.

More here

Food Crisis 2019: It’s Looking Bad, Bad, Bad at a Global Level

Oct 3, 2019  As shown in an article by CNBC, China’s hog herd may drop by 55% from fatal swine fever. Knowing that China is the #1 pork producer. That’s a pretty devastating news. To add fuel to the fire, the deadly African Swine Fever has currently been testified in 36 countries around the world, spreading all over Southeast Asia, through parts of Europe, and has been found in Africa too.

Unusually long-lasting and deadly monsoons in India are leading to widespread crop failures in the nation. India is one of the top exporters of onions globally, selling 2.2 billion kilograms overseas. After the prolonged monsoon rains, India has decided to ban its onion export. The extended monsoon has also damaged key kharif crops, including pulses, oilseeds and cotton, as well as soy beans in India. Since September 2019, food prices have soared by more than 200% in the country.