Implode-Explode Heavy Industries news feed

Crimean Crisis: All Eyes on Merkel

Wed, 05 Mar 2014 16:29:01 GMT

``As the conflict with Russia over Crimea intensifies, Germany is playing a central role in communications with Russian President Vladimir Putin. But the international community has doubts that Chancellor Angela Merkel can pull it off.''

Russia Tries to Keep Moldova From Getting Close to EU

Wed, 05 Mar 2014 16:26:13 GMT

``"Sixty percent of Moldovans believe things were better in the Soviet era," says Chirila. "And now a resurgent Russia is offering them an alternative with their Customs Union and deceiving them into believing that they can return into the lap of the former empire. They don't understand what the EU represents."''

Spring fails in Ukrainian plunderland - Pepe Escobar

Wed, 05 Mar 2014 16:04:55 GMT

If a wide-ranging poll were to be conducted today, it would reveal that the majority of Ukrainians don't want to be part of the EU - as much as the majority of Europeans don't want the Ukraine in the EU. What's left for millions of Ukrainians is the bloodsucking IMF, to be duly welcomed by "Yats" (as Prime Minister Yatsenyuk is treated by Vic "F**k the EU" Nuland).
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The endgame is all but written; Moscow controls an autonomous Crimea for free, and the US/EU "control", or try to plunder, disaster capitalism-style, a back of beyond western Ukraine wasteland "managed" by a bunch of Western puppets and oligarchs, with a smatter of neo-nazis.

Russia cancels Ukraine's gas discount and demands $1.5bn

Wed, 05 Mar 2014 02:17:04 GMT

``"They failed to pay off the debt, I think it's $1.5bn as of today, and if they don't pay for February it's going to be $2bn. So if you don't pay, then let's go back to regular prices."''

European Dependency On Gazprom: Chart

Tue, 04 Mar 2014 16:12:54 GMT

``One of the big dynamics underlining the Russia/Ukraine situation is the extent to which much of Europe is dependent on Russia for natural gas. In particular, there's a lot of dependency on the goliath purveyor of natural gas, Gazprom.''

Putin Advisor Threatens With Dumping US Treasurys, Abandoning Dollar If US Proceeds With Sanctions

Tue, 04 Mar 2014 16:11:21 GMT

``... his advice is that "authorities should dump US government bonds in the event of Russian companies and individuals being targeted by sanctions over events in Ukraine." Glazyev said the United States would be the first to suffer in the event of any sanctions regime.''

Russia And China Stand In Agreement On Ukraine

Tue, 04 Mar 2014 16:01:02 GMT

``So much for "isolating" Russia. The Chinese government is publicly siding with Russia on the crisis in Ukraine, and that is very bad news for the United States. Not only does it mean that the U.S. is essentially powerless to do anything about the situation in Ukraine, it also means that Russia and China are starting to understand how much economic leverage that they really have.''

Ukraine: UK rules out Russia trade curbs?

Tue, 04 Mar 2014 03:17:43 GMT

``The document, which was photographed as a senior official carried it into a meeting in Downing Street, says that "the UK should not support for now trade sanctions or close London's financial centre to Russians", while it confirms that ministers ARE considering - along with other EU countries - visa restrictions and travel bans on key Russian figures. ''

Russia demands surrender of Ukraine's Crimea forces

Mon, 03 Mar 2014 18:19:01 GMT

``Russia's military has given Ukrainian forces in Crimea until dawn on Tuesday to surrender or face an assault, Ukrainian defence sources have said.''

1st Ukrainian President Kravchuk Warns of World War III and Vows to Take up Arms

Mon, 03 Mar 2014 18:12:46 GMT

``"I call on the Russian authorities to stop. Between our peoples should not be war. Does Russia not understand that this is the beginning of World War III?" he warned. ''

Growing Crisis in Its Backyard Snares Russia - Ukraine

Sat, 01 Mar 2014 15:52:32 GMT

Mr. Yanukovych's appeal for Russia "to secure my personal safety," and reports that he will hold a news conference in the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don on Friday, have made it clear that the Kremlin has quietly provided at least tacit assistance to a humiliated leader who has been abandoned even by his own political supporters.
The seizure of the regional Parliament building in Crimea by masked gunmen vowing loyalty to Russia, and not Ukraine, has renewed fears that Mr. Putin could be provoked into a military intervention like the one in 2008 when Russian troops poured into Georgia to defend a breakaway region, South Ossetia, that it now recognizes as an independent country.

Ukraine news: Russia invades Crimea to 'protect its Black Sea naval fleet' as tensions soar

Sat, 01 Mar 2014 15:29:01 GMT

``Tension in the Crimea grew tonight as the Russian government finally confirmed it had sent soldiers into the troubled region... Moscow insisted its soldiers were on a mission to "protect Black Sea Fleet's positions".''

Tatars In Crimea Caught In a Complex Conflict With Ethnic Russians And Ukrainians

Sat, 01 Mar 2014 02:08:06 GMT

``In Simferopol, Crimea's regional administrative capital, street brawls have broken out between protesters who support Moscow's influence in the region and those who favor a Kiev free from what they view as interference from the Russians. According to reports, during the demonstrations Crimean Tatars shouted "Glory to Ukraine!" and "Crimea is not Russia!," while pro-Moscow demonstrators chanted "Russia!" in rebuttal. RIA Novosti, a Moscow-based news agency, reported that the Russian government is committed to "protecting the interests" of ethnic Russians in Ukraine as well as the Russian naval base in Sevastopol.''

Ukraine pleads for Britain and US to come to its rescue as Russia accused of 'invasion'

Fri, 28 Feb 2014 15:46:18 GMT

Arsen Avakov, who was named interior minister on Thursday, said that the international airport in Sebastopol had been blocked by Russian forces. Sebastopol has for the past 230 years been home to Russia's Black Sea fleet -- a key strategic hub for Moscow, as ships and submarines based there are just north of Turkey and can reach the Mediterranean to influence the Middle East and the Balkans.
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A day earlier, pro-Russian gunmen had seized control of Crimea's regional parliament and government building, and Crimea's regional assembly voted to hold a referendum on May 25 to expand the region's autonomy from Kiev and replaced the local government with a pro-Moscow official.

'A Perfect Storm': The Failure of Venezuela's New President

Fri, 28 Feb 2014 15:32:19 GMT

``He was hand-picked by Hugo Chávez, but Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has lost control of the country's economy. Vast protests have been the result, but the government in Caracas has shown no signs of bending. ''

Putin orders test of Russian forces amid Ukraine crisis

Fri, 28 Feb 2014 15:18:10 GMT

``Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday ordered a test of the "battle readiness" of military forces deployed in the western and central areas of the country, a likely show of Kremlin muscle to reassure ethnic Russians in Ukraine that their rights and interests will be defended.''

Ukraine revolution: Britain offers cash to Kiev as the world waits on Putin

Tue, 25 Feb 2014 18:49:38 GMT

``Britain has offered to help fund an international financial rescue package for Ukraine amid mounting fears that Russia may intervene following the country's revolution.''

Ukraine: Russian Ships Carrying Soldiers Said To Be En Route To Sevastopol

Tue, 25 Feb 2014 13:47:28 GMT

``Today at 12:00 from the Russian port of Temryuk should arrive in Sevastopol, the large landing ship "Nikolai Fil'chenkov" with 200 soldiers on board. This was reported today by the chairman of the Ukraine "Freedom" faction Oleg Tyagnibok citing sources in the Crimean.''

Japan Trade Deficit Swells to Record as Import Costs Surge

Fri, 21 Feb 2014 22:35:16 GMT

Japan's trade deficit widened to a record in January as surging import costs weigh on Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's campaign to drive a sustained recovery. The 2.79 trillion yen ($27.3 billion) shortfall reported by the Ministry of Finance in Tokyo today exceeded the 2.49 trillion yen median estimate in a Bloomberg News survey of 28 economists. Imports rose 25 percent from a year earlier and outbound shipments gained 9.5 percent.
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Swelling energy imports are contributing to the trade shortfall, with all of Japan's 48 operable reactors shut for inspections after the 2011 Fukushima nuclear crisis, and no set date for restarting them. Electric utilities' output from fossil-fuel thermal plants rose to a record in January.

European regulator concerned about new Fed rules for foreign banks

Wed, 19 Feb 2014 20:40:50 GMT

"We will carefully examine the new rule with the aim of assessing its potential impact on the 'global level playing field' in the area of banking markets, which is relevant for all financial actors, including EU banks, in order to compete on an equal footing on global markets," said Chantal Hughes, a spokeswoman for Michel Barnier, the European commissioner for internal market and services.
The Fed's Board of Governors voted unanimously Tuesday to require Barclays, Deutsche Bank and other large foreign banks doing business in the U.S. to hold more capital in reserve to guard against losses and undergo stress tests to determine their financial health.