"In 1960, the USSR accused the U.S. of running an aerial spying program over its territory. Our government denied it to the American people, only admitting it when confronted with the captured U-2 pilot Gary Powers. Americans were genuinely shocked that their government would lie to them. Today the lying has become so routine that people are no longer shocked. There can be no true democracy when government manipulates the people with spin, hype, propaganda, phony 'leaks,' and outright lies." -- Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

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Ok folks, you can add another $300,000,000,000 to the growing pile of missing money, according to this article shared by (and with our gratitude to) E.E.:

The EU can’t find most of Russia’s $300bn of frozen reserves

Now this story, as you can see, dates from Feb 23 of this year, and here it is, already May, and as I've read this story, for the life of me I cannot recall reading, or seeing, or hearing, anything about it until now, on any of the lamestream propatainment media of the West. Nadda. Nichts. Nothing.

But wait, there's more, and its almost comical in its breathtaking implications:

Following Moscow's military operation in Ukraine, Western countries imposed sanctions against the (Central Bank of Russia). These sanctions include freezing $300bn of Russia's gold and foreign currency reserves held in Europe and the US, as well as prohibiting all transactions related to the management of the regulator's reserves and assets, and transactions with any legal entity, organisation, or body acting on behalf or at the direction of the (Central Bank of Russia).

However, according to recent reports, the EU legal enforcement authorities have only been able to identify €33.8bn of the €250bn held in Europe, which has been frozen. The remaining funds have not been found and presumably remain under Russian control.

Tags: ECONOMY, EUROPE, RUSSIA/ UKRAINE /BELARUS /CRIMEA
Posted on: May 29 06:43

Russia's international reserves dropped by 1.2%, or $6.9bn, in a week to $582.1bn as of February 17, 2023, according to a statement released by the Central Bank of Russia (CBR) on February 27, due to negative revaluation and transactions under the new budget rule. (chart)

That number includes the $300bn of reserves seized by the West in the first week of the Russo-Ukraine war; however, it appears that the Kremlin might have access to a lot of that money after all. The EU legal authorities have admitted they can’t find most of it, reports Delfi.

As of February 10, international reserves were valued at $589bn, comprising foreign currency, Special Drawing Rights (SDRs), a reserve position in the International Monetary Fund and monetary gold. These reserves represent highly liquid foreign assets available to the CBR and the Russian government.

Tags: ECONOMY, EUROPE, RUSSIA/ UKRAINE /BELARUS /CRIMEA
Posted on: May 29 06:42

How do I know?

The usual Ukie propo pushers are all talking about a “Russian Provocation“ there tonight. So much so that is the top trending on Twitter at the moment.

Could explain why the Senate handed out secure Sat Phones this week…
And would be the excuse to start US Airstrikes against Russia.

Tags: FUKUSHIMA/NUKE DISASTERS, RUSSIA/ UKRAINE /BELARUS /CRIMEA, WAR/DRAFT/ VETERAN AFFAIRS
Posted on: May 29 06:41

In the vast realm of the internet, a handful of websites have emerged as global giants. Mainstays like YouTube and Facebook capture billions of users and shape our online experiences. But occasionally, new waves of innovation can shake up this list, which is exactly what’s happening now with generative AI.

Using data from web analytics firm SimilarWeb, Visual Capitalist's Nick Routley delves into the top 25 websites based on their most recent traffic numbers.

Tags: COMPUTERS/INTERNET
Posted on: May 29 06:40

The end of World War II in 1945 was a turning point for democracies around the world.

Before this critical turning point in geopolitics, democracies made up only a small number of the world’s countries, both legally and in practice. However, over the course of the next six decades, the number of democratic nations would more than quadruple.

Interestingly, as Visual Capitalist's Freny Fernandes details below, studies have found that this trend has recently reversed as of the 2010s, with democracies and non-democracies now in a deadlock.

In this visualization, Staffan Landin uses data from V-DEM’s Electoral Democratic Index (EDI) to highlight the changing face of global politics over the past two decades and the nations that contributed the most to this change.

Tags: CURRENT EVENTS, DICTATORSHIP
Posted on: May 29 06:40

Government ethics watchdogs say the president’s friendship poses a potential conflict of interest. How has massive foreign aid been used, and who has benefited from it?

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy isn’t the only one demanding more military assistance from Joe Biden to protect Kiev from Russian forces. So, too, is a close Biden friend and financial backer, who owns several luxury car dealerships around the Ukrainian capital.

By sending billions of dollars in weapons and other military aid to help defend Ukraine, Biden also is securing the investments of millionaire car magnate John Hynansky, a Ukrainian American and longtime supporter of the president.

Over the course of Biden’s political career, Hynansky and his family have contributed more than $100,000 to his campaigns, Federal Election Commission records show. Hynansky family members have been guests at the White House, and Hynansky has floated hundreds of thousands of dollars in loans to Biden family members, property records show. Hynansky’s son, Michael, who helps run his car empire, lent the use of his Lear jet to Biden when he was a senator.

Since Russia started shelling the area around Kiev in February 2022, the U.S. government has spent $77 billion to help Ukraine rebuild and repel future attacks.

Tags: POLITICS/ ELECTIONS/ CORRUPTION, RUSSIA/ UKRAINE /BELARUS /CRIMEA, WAR/DRAFT/ VETERAN AFFAIRS, WHITE HOUSE
Posted on: May 29 06:39