Society's ChildS


Handcuffs

Venezuela arrests two Chevron executives in ongoing anti-corruption probe


Venezuelanalysis
Wed, 18 Apr 2018 13:54 UTC
chevron
© REUTERS/ Mike Blake


The Public Prosecution's anti-graft initiative widens its scope to include private sector oil industry employees.

Two Chevron employees were arrested in the Venezuelan city of Puerto La Cruz on Monday, as part of the Bolivarian government's ongoing anti-corruption drive.

Begun last September, Venezuela's hardline campaign against corruption and influence peddling has led to legal action against dozens of employees and executives in the state oil sector, but these are the first arrests targeting personnel from a private foreign company.

According to sources interviewed by Reuters, agents of the Bolivarian Intelligence Services (SEBIN) raided PetroPiar's Puerto la Cruz offices, located in the northeastern Venezuelan state of Anzoategui, to make the arrests.

Comment: See also: Venezuela investigates Colombian largest private bank Banesco in cross-border currency crackdown

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Laptop

Dave Rubin says YouTube demonetized his interview with Thomas Sowell

Annabelle Bamforth
Truth in Media
Sun, 22 Apr 2018 13:49 UTC
Dave Rubin and Thomas Sowell
Political commentator and host of "The Rubin Report" Dave Rubin has claimed that YouTube demonetized a segment of his video interview with famed economist Thomas Sowell. The segment reportedly targeted is the first part of the full interview, titled "Thomas Sowell on Facts and Free Speech."

Rubin is the host of The Rubin Report, an online talk show that covers numerous topics including social issues and politics. Rubin's videos have also featured discussions with public figures including Philip DeFranco, Bob Saget, Jack Conte, John Kasich, Laci Green, Larry King, Roseanne Barr, Austin Petersen, and Adam Carolla.

Comment: Sounds like censorship: YouTube cracks down on vocal Trump supporters Diamond and Silk by demonetizing 95% of their videos

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Dollars

Venezuela investigates Colombian largest private bank Banesco in cross-border currency crackdown


Venezuelanalysis
Sun, 22 Apr 2018 13:03 UTC
bolivar Venezuela currency
© ReutersA street vendor counts bolivar notes as he waits for clients in Caracas, Venezuela, on March 23, 2018.
More than 1,000 bank accounts have been frozen in 19 banks and 105 people arrested for illegal currency trading. 90% of the accounts belong to private bank Banesco.

Venezuelan authorities have launched a probe into Colombian private bank Banesco as part of an operation targeting currency exchange and speculation networks on the border with Colombia.

In recent days, police have arrested 105 suspects and frozen about US$4 million in bank deposits as part of the ongoing investigation.

Venezuelan Vice President Tareck El Aissami announced that 1,133 bank accounts had been frozen in 19 banks, belonging to people linked with the illegal trade in bolivares - Venezuela's national currency - who buy and sell on the border with Colombia.

Comment: Relationships between Venezuela and Colombia have been rocky lately:

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Dollars

Australia's largest lender charged fees to dead clients


RT
Sun, 22 Apr 2018 13:28 UTC
Waverley cemetery in eastern Sydney, Australia
© Tim Wimborne / ReutersWaverley cemetery in eastern Sydney, Australia
Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA), which is the nation's largest lender, has collected fees from customers who it knew had died, a major inquiry has heard.

The inquiry was ordered by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull last year following a series of scandals involving financial misconduct.

CBA told the Banking Royal Commission, which is the country's top form of public hearing, that fees from customers have been regularly collected for services that had not been delivered. Some of its financial planners had billed services to deceased clients.
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Megaphone

Calls intensify for Guatemalan president Morales to resign over allegations of illicit campaign funding


TeleSUR
Sat, 21 Apr 2018 12:42 UTC
Guatemala demonstration Jimmy Morales
© ReutersGuatemalan President Jimmy Morales also faced protest in August of 2017.
"Guatemalans demand...the resignation of Jimmy Morales for corruption, for thievery," read a statement released by several social groups.

Several Guatemalan social groups called for protests Saturday to demand the resignation of the country's president, Jimmy Morales, amid a second round of illicit electoral financing investigations.

"Guatemalans demand, in all (public) squares, the cancellation of the National Convergence Front (FCN-Nation) and the resignation of Jimmy Morales for corruption, for thievery, for believing that he is above the Constitution," read a statement released by the groups on multiple social media platforms.

The call comes after the Office of the Prosecutor, and the International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG) pointed out for the second time that the FCN-Nation party, which is led by Morales, received illicit electoral funding during the campaign.

According to the series of reports, the FCN-Nation did not report funds it had received from prominent members of the business community in the country to the Supreme Electoral Tribunal.

Comment: It's hard to feel any sympathy for Jimmy Morales when his government is bootlicking Zionists:
Guatemala joins US, confirms its embassy move to Jerusalem, thanks Donald Trump

Israel helped the Guatemalan military juntas during the genocide against the Mayan people in the 1980s.

President Guatemala Jimmy Morales said Sunday his country will return their embassy to Jerusalem on May 16, in support of the United States decision to do the same, a move that further reaffirms a decades-long controversial relationship between right-wing Guatemalan governments and successive Israeli governments.

"We've ordered that Guatemala returns and permanently moves its embassy to Jerusalem two days after the United States of America moves its embassy," said Morales during his speech at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) annual meeting in Washington Sunday, to which he was invited after Guatemala's support for Israel.


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Newspaper

France to ban 'misleading' meat terms to describe vegetable-based meat substitutes


BBC
Sun, 22 Apr 2018 12:09 UTC
meat on grill
Only meat-based products will qualify to be labelled "sausages" under the new legislation
Vegetable-based products such as soya steaks or vegetarian sausages marketed as meat substitutes are to be banned in France for "misleading" consumers.

Food producers will no longer be able to use "steak", "sausage" or any other meat term to describe products that are not partly or wholly made up of meat.

The measure will also apply to vegetarian or vegan products marketed as dairy alternatives. Failure to comply will lead to fines of up to €300,000 (£260,000).
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2 + 2 = 4

Why we need to normalize peace

Caitlin Johnstone
Medium
Fri, 20 Apr 2018 00:24 UTC
Normalize peace
National Geographic's Brain Games aired a social experiment a while back which produced some footage which, while jarring, shouldn't surprise anyone who takes an interest in the way people tend to operate when in groups.

A waiting room was filled up with actors for the show, with one real patient waiting for an actual eye doctor's appointment. Every few minutes a bell was rung, at which time all the actors would stand up for no discernible reason and then sit back down. The real patient was confused by this behavior at first, but by the third bell she was standing and sitting in unison with the rest of the herd.
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Attention

Terrorists attack Libyan pipeline - daily output crippled by up to 100k barrels


RT
Sun, 22 Apr 2018 11:35 UTC
Libya oil pipeline
© Esam Omran Al-Fetori / Reuters
A Libya crude oil pipeline, belonging to the al-Waha oil company and running to Sidra port, was attacked and set on fire by an unknown "terrorist group," causing the loss of up to 100,000 barrels per day, state company NOC said.

The National Oil Corporation confirmed the incident, without specifying its cause. Local sources, meanwhile, said that the pipeline was attacked by a "terrorist group."

"An explosion and fire broke out as a result of a terrorist act in one of the valves on the 24-inch crude oil pipeline northwest of the town of Mrada, some 500km east of Tripoli," the petroleum installations guards said earlier, as cited by Xinhua.
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UFO 2

Wayward drone triggers heavy gunfire near Saudi Royal Palace


RT
Sat, 21 Apr 2018 21:09 UTC
Riyadh
© Ian Cumming / Global Look Press
A number of videos have emerged online, showing heavy gunfire in the vicinity of the royal palace in Saudi Arabia's capital Riyadh. The disturbance was caused by a small drone, which entered an off-limits zone, the police said.

The shooting incident occurred late on Saturday, triggering confusion on social media. While one of the initial reports suggested that the shooting erupted when the palace guards targeted a rogue drone which came too close to the king's residence, some feared a terrorist attack or even an unfolding "coup."

Footage purportedly taken at the scene shows military or emergency vehicles with their lights flashing. Multiple gunshots can be heard in the background. Saudi police later confirmed that the shooting was caused by a small commercial drone that entered an off-limits zone, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

An investigation into the identity of the drone's operator and motive has been launched.
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Star of David

Natalie Portman 'unworthy of any honor' says Israeli government minister and calls for her to be stripped of her citizenship


RT
Sat, 21 Apr 2018 20:15 UTC
Natalie Portman
© Mario Anzuoni / ReutersNatalie Portman poses at the premiere for "Annihilation" in Los Angeles
An Israeli government minister has called for actress Natalie Portman to be stripped of her Israeli citizenship, after she refused to attend the Genesis Award ceremony, citing "extremely distressing" recent events.

"From the outset, the idea of granting the Genesis Prize to Natalie Portman was complete craziness," Member of Knesset (MK) Oren Hazan said, as cited by Arutz Sheva. "She's an actress, but she is unworthy of any honor in the State of Israel."

Comment: Natalie Portman says 'enough'! Refuses to accept Israel's equivalent of Nobel Prize based on recent events in Gaza

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