Mystery Trader To Collect On Financial Meltdown?
Suspicion increases about so-called Bin Laden trades as markets tumble after bank run
Prison Planet September 17, 2007
Paul Joseph Watson
A run on the Northern Rock bank in Britain has increased the possibility that a mystery trader could stand to collect around $2 billion should a panic send markets tumbling during the course of this week, as investors have predicted.
Last month, we reported on the mystery trader who risks losing around $1 billion dollars after placing 245,000 put options on the Dow Jones Eurostoxx 50 index, which led many analysts to speculate that a stock market crash preceded by a new 9/11 style attack or another catastrophe could take place before or during the third week of September.
The anonymous trader only stands to make money if the market crashes by a third to a half before September 21st, which is when the put options expire.
Following the run on the Northern Rock bank in Britain, specialist investors are now warning of an imminent and severe correction in the markets.
�The credit cycle has turned, bad debts are soaring, banks will go bust and stock markets will fall much further,� Ken Murray, the founder and chief executive of Blue Planet Investment Management, told the Financial Times today , shortly after selling half the equities in his portfolio.
The Northern Rock crisis was followed by Alan Greenspan's warning that both the US and UK housing markets are on the verge of a major downturn as Prime Minister Gordon Brown holds an emergency meeting with US Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson today.
Thousands of people around Britain queued for hours at Northern Rock branches throughout Friday and Saturday attempting to withdraw their money as the global credit crunch sunk its teeth in again following the sub-prime mortgage fallout in the US.
Analysts from TheStreet.com dismissed last month's so-called Bin Laden trades as nothing out of the ordinary , but still noted that the transactions outstrip anything else seen in a year.
Though the current climate will undoubtedly send stocks tumbling, to see a downturn of a full third within a week is unlikely bar a catalyzing outside event like the announcement of military operations against Iran or a terror attack in the west on the scale of 9/11.
"TerrorStorm is something that should be seen by everyone, no matter what their stance/affiliation/political bent. " - Rich Rosell, Digitally Obsessed UK Get TerrorStorm on DVD today
Monday, September 17, 2007
US security firm Blackwater banned from Iraq
UK Daily Mail September 16, 2007 JASON LEWIS
The DNA of a seven-month-old baby girl has been added to the police's national database designed to identify criminals.
The disclosure reignited the row over the growth of Britain's DNA register, which is the biggest in the world.
Human rights groups accuse the Government of building a genetic record of the entire UK population by stealth.
It was revealed this year that more than 100,000 DNA samples had been taken from children, aged ten to 16, who have never been charged or convicted of any crime.
Now the news that a baby's genetic profile is stored on the system saw leading campaigners react with horror and disgust.
She is one of 47 children under ten whose DNA has been recorded and will be retained by the police until after their deaths.
Civil liberties organisation Liberty said the baby girl's case was "a chilling example of how out of control the DNA database has become".
Children can be added to the register only with their parents' agreement, but Liberty director Shami Chakrabarti said: "This baby has not given her consent to be on this criminal database. Who knows the circumstances that led to her parent or guardian agreeing to put her profile on the system?"
She added: "DNA is the most intimate material. It can be used to identify who your parents are, and indicate your life expectancy.
"Should the police be able to keep this information about this little girl � and thousands like her � forever?"
Commons Home Affairs Committee chairman Keith Vaz said that the case was "unbelievable".
The former Europe Minister added: "This is not what this system was set up for and I will be demanding an explanation from Ministers."
The Mail on Sunday has learned that the baby's DNA sample was taken earlier this year by West Yorkshire Police.
According to the National Policing Improvement Agency, it was loaded on to the database "with parental/guardian consent as a volunteer victim".
A West Yorkshire Police spokesman confirmed they had taken the baby's DNA, but said it was at the request of West Midlands Police.
However, the Birmingham-based force refused to discuss the circumstances of the case.
Amazingly, a spokeswoman claimed they could not find any details without the child's name or date of birth.
The information about the baby girl's record came out after a Freedom of Information request by The Mail on Sunday which revealed that DNA samples of 47 children under ten were kept on the system.
Gavin McKinnon, of the NPIA, said profiles of 38 children were put on the register by police in England and Wales and nine by forces in Scotland.
Two of the English and Welsh samples were taken "following police contact", the others were "volunteered with written consent of a parent or guardian".
He added: "Separate written consent is also needed to load the sample on to the database."
In Scotland, where the age of criminal responsibility is eight, the nine samples were provided by children who had been arrested for an offence.
Mr McKinnon said that in England and Wales "officers cannot take samples from a child under ten without a parent or guardian's consent."
He added: "Volunteer samples for upload to the database can play an important role in an investigation."
They are normally taken to "eliminate an individual's profile" � for example, witnesses at a crime scene � and where there is a "need to establish a family link as part of an investigation".
A Home Office spokeswoman said samples from children under ten were only taken and retained on the database "with explicit written consent" of their parents.
She said: "Anyone can apply to the chief constable of the force that took the sample to ask for it to be removed."
But civil rights campaigners say that, in practice, it is very difficult to get your DNA wiped off the register.
Last week lawyers from Liberty finally won a six-month battle with Avon and Somerset Constabulary to have the DNA of an innocent 13-year-old boy removed from the national database. He had been falsely accused of writing graffiti.
The database permanently retains the DNA of approximately four million people.
This month Appeal Court judge Lord Justice Sedley called for it to be expanded to include everyone living in or visiting the UK.
"TerrorStorm is something that should be seen by everyone, no matter what their stance/affiliation/political bent. " - Rich Rosell, Digitally Obsessed UK Get TerrorStorm on DVD today
The DNA of a seven-month-old baby girl has been added to the police's national database designed to identify criminals.
The disclosure reignited the row over the growth of Britain's DNA register, which is the biggest in the world.
Human rights groups accuse the Government of building a genetic record of the entire UK population by stealth.
It was revealed this year that more than 100,000 DNA samples had been taken from children, aged ten to 16, who have never been charged or convicted of any crime.
Now the news that a baby's genetic profile is stored on the system saw leading campaigners react with horror and disgust.
She is one of 47 children under ten whose DNA has been recorded and will be retained by the police until after their deaths.
Civil liberties organisation Liberty said the baby girl's case was "a chilling example of how out of control the DNA database has become".
Children can be added to the register only with their parents' agreement, but Liberty director Shami Chakrabarti said: "This baby has not given her consent to be on this criminal database. Who knows the circumstances that led to her parent or guardian agreeing to put her profile on the system?"
She added: "DNA is the most intimate material. It can be used to identify who your parents are, and indicate your life expectancy.
"Should the police be able to keep this information about this little girl � and thousands like her � forever?"
Commons Home Affairs Committee chairman Keith Vaz said that the case was "unbelievable".
The former Europe Minister added: "This is not what this system was set up for and I will be demanding an explanation from Ministers."
The Mail on Sunday has learned that the baby's DNA sample was taken earlier this year by West Yorkshire Police.
According to the National Policing Improvement Agency, it was loaded on to the database "with parental/guardian consent as a volunteer victim".
A West Yorkshire Police spokesman confirmed they had taken the baby's DNA, but said it was at the request of West Midlands Police.
However, the Birmingham-based force refused to discuss the circumstances of the case.
Amazingly, a spokeswoman claimed they could not find any details without the child's name or date of birth.
The information about the baby girl's record came out after a Freedom of Information request by The Mail on Sunday which revealed that DNA samples of 47 children under ten were kept on the system.
Gavin McKinnon, of the NPIA, said profiles of 38 children were put on the register by police in England and Wales and nine by forces in Scotland.
Two of the English and Welsh samples were taken "following police contact", the others were "volunteered with written consent of a parent or guardian".
He added: "Separate written consent is also needed to load the sample on to the database."
In Scotland, where the age of criminal responsibility is eight, the nine samples were provided by children who had been arrested for an offence.
Mr McKinnon said that in England and Wales "officers cannot take samples from a child under ten without a parent or guardian's consent."
He added: "Volunteer samples for upload to the database can play an important role in an investigation."
They are normally taken to "eliminate an individual's profile" � for example, witnesses at a crime scene � and where there is a "need to establish a family link as part of an investigation".
A Home Office spokeswoman said samples from children under ten were only taken and retained on the database "with explicit written consent" of their parents.
She said: "Anyone can apply to the chief constable of the force that took the sample to ask for it to be removed."
But civil rights campaigners say that, in practice, it is very difficult to get your DNA wiped off the register.
Last week lawyers from Liberty finally won a six-month battle with Avon and Somerset Constabulary to have the DNA of an innocent 13-year-old boy removed from the national database. He had been falsely accused of writing graffiti.
The database permanently retains the DNA of approximately four million people.
This month Appeal Court judge Lord Justice Sedley called for it to be expanded to include everyone living in or visiting the UK.
"TerrorStorm is something that should be seen by everyone, no matter what their stance/affiliation/political bent. " - Rich Rosell, Digitally Obsessed UK Get TerrorStorm on DVD today
France warning of war with Iran
BBC September 17, 2007
French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner says the world should prepare for war over Iran's nuclear programme.
"We have to prepare for the worst, and the worst is war," Mr Kouchner said in an interview on French TV and radio.
He was speaking ahead of a visit to Russia on Monday, during which Iran is likely to feature prominently.
Iran's nuclear programme will also be one of the main issues for the UN nuclear watchdog's annual conference, starting in Vienna on Monday.
Iran denies it is trying to acquire nuclear weapons, and says it only wants nuclear power to generate electricity for civilian purposes.
But it has repeatedly rejected UN demands to give up the enrichment of uranium, which the US and other Western states fear is being diverted to a nuclear weapons project.
Tougher approach
Mr Kouchner said negotiations with Iran should continue "right to the end", but that an Iranian nuclear weapon would pose "a real danger for the whole world".
He said a number of large French companies had been asked not to tender for business in Iran. "We are not banning French companies from submitting. We have advised them not to. These are private companies."
"But I think that it has been heard and we are not the only ones to have done this."
Mr Kouchner will seek agreement with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov over tighter UN sanctions to try to force Iran to give up enrichment, the French foreign ministry says.
Russia has a UN Security Council veto over any new sanctions, and its support is seen as vital for any new approach. It also has perhaps the greatest leverage over Tehran, as the supplier of fuel for its nuclear reactor.
But Mr Kouchner said even in the absence of UN action, the European Union should prepare its own sanctions against Iran.
"We have decided while negotiations are continuing, to prepare eventual sanctions outside the ambit of UN sanctions. Our good friends, the Germans, suggested that," he said.
'Playing for time'
Iran has warned that any new punishments could push it to stop co-operating with the UN nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
The IAEA's members meet this week in Austria, with Iran likely to top the agenda.
The director of the organisation, Mohamed ElBaradei, has been criticised in the West over a new deal with Iran to clear up questions about its past nuclear activities. The US and its allies believe the deal just gives Iran more time, during which they fear it will advance its nuclear programme.
Since becoming foreign minister earlier this year, Mr Kouchner has not shied away from controversy.
Last month he was quoted as saying the Iraqi government was "not functioning" and seemed to hint that Prime Minister Nouri Maliki should resign, provoking an angry reaction from Baghdad.
The BBC's diplomatic correspondent Jonathan Marcus says France has changed its approach to world affairs under its new President Nicolas Sarkozy, adopting a harder line on several issues, and seeking to improve relations with the United States.
But it is the tougher rhetoric aimed at Tehran which will please Washington the most, he says.
Until now the UN Security Council has imposed economic sanctions on Iran, but did not allow for military action.
The United States has not ruled out a military attack against Iran to prevent it from acquiring a nuclear weapon.
"TerrorStorm is something that should be seen by everyone, no matter what their stance/affiliation/political bent. " - Rich Rosell, Digitally Obsessed UK Get TerrorStorm on DVD today
French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner says the world should prepare for war over Iran's nuclear programme.
"We have to prepare for the worst, and the worst is war," Mr Kouchner said in an interview on French TV and radio.
He was speaking ahead of a visit to Russia on Monday, during which Iran is likely to feature prominently.
Iran's nuclear programme will also be one of the main issues for the UN nuclear watchdog's annual conference, starting in Vienna on Monday.
Iran denies it is trying to acquire nuclear weapons, and says it only wants nuclear power to generate electricity for civilian purposes.
But it has repeatedly rejected UN demands to give up the enrichment of uranium, which the US and other Western states fear is being diverted to a nuclear weapons project.
Tougher approach
Mr Kouchner said negotiations with Iran should continue "right to the end", but that an Iranian nuclear weapon would pose "a real danger for the whole world".
He said a number of large French companies had been asked not to tender for business in Iran. "We are not banning French companies from submitting. We have advised them not to. These are private companies."
"But I think that it has been heard and we are not the only ones to have done this."
Mr Kouchner will seek agreement with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov over tighter UN sanctions to try to force Iran to give up enrichment, the French foreign ministry says.
Russia has a UN Security Council veto over any new sanctions, and its support is seen as vital for any new approach. It also has perhaps the greatest leverage over Tehran, as the supplier of fuel for its nuclear reactor.
But Mr Kouchner said even in the absence of UN action, the European Union should prepare its own sanctions against Iran.
"We have decided while negotiations are continuing, to prepare eventual sanctions outside the ambit of UN sanctions. Our good friends, the Germans, suggested that," he said.
'Playing for time'
Iran has warned that any new punishments could push it to stop co-operating with the UN nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
The IAEA's members meet this week in Austria, with Iran likely to top the agenda.
The director of the organisation, Mohamed ElBaradei, has been criticised in the West over a new deal with Iran to clear up questions about its past nuclear activities. The US and its allies believe the deal just gives Iran more time, during which they fear it will advance its nuclear programme.
Since becoming foreign minister earlier this year, Mr Kouchner has not shied away from controversy.
Last month he was quoted as saying the Iraqi government was "not functioning" and seemed to hint that Prime Minister Nouri Maliki should resign, provoking an angry reaction from Baghdad.
The BBC's diplomatic correspondent Jonathan Marcus says France has changed its approach to world affairs under its new President Nicolas Sarkozy, adopting a harder line on several issues, and seeking to improve relations with the United States.
But it is the tougher rhetoric aimed at Tehran which will please Washington the most, he says.
Until now the UN Security Council has imposed economic sanctions on Iran, but did not allow for military action.
The United States has not ruled out a military attack against Iran to prevent it from acquiring a nuclear weapon.
"TerrorStorm is something that should be seen by everyone, no matter what their stance/affiliation/political bent. " - Rich Rosell, Digitally Obsessed UK Get TerrorStorm on DVD today
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