“‘Venezuela will create a cryptocurrency,’ backed by oil, gas, gold and diamond reserves, Maduro said in his regular Sunday televised broadcast, a five-hour showcase of Christmas songs and dancing. Ironically, Venezuela’s currency controls in recent years have spurred a bitcoin fad among tech-savvy Venezuelans looking to bypass controls to obtain dollars or make internet purchases. Maduro’s government has a poor track record in monetary policy. Currency controls and excessive money printing have led to a 57 percent depreciation of the bolivar against the dollar in the last month alone on the widely used black market.”
Category Archives: Mainstream News
NYC not liable for processing fake deed allowing theft of woman’s home

“Merin, 74, had sued the city for not catching the forgery when the paperwork was first filed, but lost on appeal when the court backed a judge who said she couldn’t prove the city was negligent. The feisty homeowner is fuming and has vowed to fight the decision.”
With the stroke of a pen, 31 million more Americans have hypertension
“Tighter blood pressure guidelines from U.S. heart organizations mean millions more people need to make lifestyle changes, or start taking medication, in order to avoid cardiovascular problems. At the new cutoff, around 46 percent, or more than 103 million, of American adults are considered to have high blood pressure, compared with an estimated 72 million under the previous guidelines in place since 2003. Potentially deadly high blood pressure can be brought under control with a wide array of medications.”
In Duterte’s anti-drug pogrom, police and cameras tell different stories

“Chilling surveillance footage of a drug-war operation in Manila raises fresh doubts about police actions in President Rodrigo Duterte’s brutal anti-narcotics campaign. Reuters obtained the footage, which shows the deadly operation from start to finish.”
Read more: https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/philippines-drugs-surveillance/
China’s banks imperiled as property binge fuels mortgage fraud frenzy

“Gravity-defying property prices in China have spawned widespread home-loan fraud as buyers fear missing out on what seems like a sure bet. Real estate agents, valuation companies and banks themselves are party to the scam.”
Read more: https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/china-risk-mortgages/
Welsh city refuses man’s £7.4 million offer to dig for lost Bitcoin

“Welsh IT worker James Howells says he accidentally threw away a hard drive full of Bitcoin which he believes is now worth more than $100 million (around £74 million). He’s been fighting Newport city council ever since for a permit to look for the computer, which contains over 7,500 units of the cryptocurrency and is buried below thousands of tonnes of rubbish on a landfill site. A spokesperson for the council said James has been told ‘on several occasions’ he will not be given a permit despite his offer of a 10% cut.”
Read more: http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/man-offering-welsh-council-74-13993161
US-Backed Saudi Coalition Should Lift Its Yemen Blockade

“There are no heroes in the civil war between Houthi rebels, who have Iranian backing and were responsible for killing Saleh, and the Saudi-led coalition supporting Yemen’s government. Both sides have inflicted death and suffering on civilians. The Saudi coalition currently has a partial blockade on ports and airfields controlled by the Houthis. Hostilities have already killed or wounded at least 14,000 people in nearly three years, and countless others have died from disease and starvation. Some 1 million people have contracted cholera in part because the lack of fuel has affected the ability to pump clean water.”
Read more: https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2017-12-06/saudi-arabia-should-lift-its-yemen-blockade
Judge halts Indiana city’s code-enforcement property seizure racket

“The judge had particularly harsh words for Hall, who indicated in emails that it would be ‘financially disastrous’ for residents to try to improve their homes, because the homes would be demolished anyway. Such statements, coupled with the city’s policy of not levying fines against LLC-owned homes, undermine the goal of maintaining safety, Mount said.”
Here’s What the World’s Central Banks Really Think About Bitcoin

“The guardians of the global economy have two sets of issues to address. First is what to do, if anything, about the emergence and growth of the private cryptocurrencies that are grabbing more and more attention — with bitcoin climbing above $10,000. The second question is whether to issue official versions.”
Judge bars Starbucks from closing 77 failing Teavana stores

“An Indiana judge has taken an unusual step and temporarily barred Starbucks from closing 77 failing Teavana stores in Simon Property Group malls because the real estate giant was less able to handle the financial pain.”
Read more: https://nypost.com/2017/12/01/judge-bars-starbucks-from-closing-77-failing-teavana-stores/