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Wintry scenes after unexpected snow band sweeps central New Mexico
This morning, many in the area woke up to a couple of inches on the snow as a blast of winter weather unexpectedly hit the region overnight. The snow began around 11 p.m. Tuesday and ended early Wednesday. The Sunport received 3.1 inches of snow, according to the National Weather Service while places such as Edgewood received as much as 6.1 inches. 3.9 inches was also reported Tuesday night in Santa Fe. Multiple agencies told KOB 4 they did know this storm was coming and they were able to prepare crews in time, just not how much. Looking at the roads now, you'd never know the metro got hit with a major snow storm overnight. "Two o'clock, it just started really coming down, and unfortunately, when these last few storms have hit, they've hit right at like the time when the temperatures are dropping before the morning commute," said Kimberly Gallegos with New Mexico Department of Transportation.
https://www.sott.net/article/465851-Wintry-scenes-after-unexpected-snow-band-sweeps-central-New-Mexico
Wintry scenes after unexpected snow band sweeps central New Mexico
This morning, many in the area woke up to a couple of inches on the snow as a blast of winter weather unexpectedly hit the region overnight. The snow began around 11 p.m. Tuesday and ended early Wednesday. The Sunport received 3.1 inches of snow, according to the National Weather Service while places such as Edgewood received as much as 6.1 inches. 3.9 inches was also reported Tuesday night in Santa Fe. Multiple agencies told KOB 4 they did know this storm was coming and they were able to prepare crews in time, just not how much. Looking at the roads now, you'd never know the metro got hit with a major snow storm overnight. "Two o'clock, it just started really coming down, and unfortunately, when these last few storms have hit, they've hit right at like the time when the temperatures are dropping before the morning commute," said Kimberly Gallegos with New Mexico Department of Transportation.
https://www.sott.net/article/465851-Wintry-scenes-after-unexpected-snow-band-sweeps-central-New-Mexico
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Spain hit by yet another mass protest over rising prices
As many as 150,000 farmers, ranchers and hunters marched Sunday through Madrid to protest the Spanish centre-left government's failure to tackle soaring prices exacerbated by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The mass demonstration came a day after thousands of demonstrators, called by the far-right Vox party, protested against rising food, energy and fuel prices. Hoisting Spanish flags and blowing whistles, demonstrators walked Sunday through the central avenues of the capital, often led by tractors blaring their horns. Slogans stamped on protest banners read "Costs continue to rise," or "We are ranchers on the way to extinction" and "S.O.S rural world."
https://www.sott.net/article/465852-Spain-hit-by-yet-another-mass-protest-over-rising-prices
Spain hit by yet another mass protest over rising prices
As many as 150,000 farmers, ranchers and hunters marched Sunday through Madrid to protest the Spanish centre-left government's failure to tackle soaring prices exacerbated by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The mass demonstration came a day after thousands of demonstrators, called by the far-right Vox party, protested against rising food, energy and fuel prices. Hoisting Spanish flags and blowing whistles, demonstrators walked Sunday through the central avenues of the capital, often led by tractors blaring their horns. Slogans stamped on protest banners read "Costs continue to rise," or "We are ranchers on the way to extinction" and "S.O.S rural world."
https://www.sott.net/article/465852-Spain-hit-by-yet-another-mass-protest-over-rising-prices
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Russian stocks on the rebound after markets reopen
Trading was suspended since February 28 Russia's stocks continued to rise sharply on Thursday as the Moscow Exchange reopened for limited trading this week, after suspending most of its transactions on February 28. The ruble-based MOEX benchmark went up more than 11% to 2,743 points. The dollar-denominated RTS index of leading Russian stocks was down slightly, to 888.59 points. The Moscow Exchange resumed trading in 33 Russian equities, including shares of Gazprom, Sberbank, Aeroflot, and other domestic firms. Oil majors Rosneft and Lukoil were both up by 20% and 16%, respectively. Aluminum company Rusal rose more than 14%, while Norilsk Nickel jumped more than 22%. Short-selling on stocks will be banned, the central bank announced earlier. Foreign investors will not be able to sell stocks or OFZ ruble bonds until April 1. The MOEX nosedived on February 24, when Russia launched a military operation in Ukraine. On February 28, trading was suspended until further notice as Western...
https://www.sott.net/article/465853-Russian-stocks-on-the-rebound-after-markets-reopen
Russian stocks on the rebound after markets reopen
Trading was suspended since February 28 Russia's stocks continued to rise sharply on Thursday as the Moscow Exchange reopened for limited trading this week, after suspending most of its transactions on February 28. The ruble-based MOEX benchmark went up more than 11% to 2,743 points. The dollar-denominated RTS index of leading Russian stocks was down slightly, to 888.59 points. The Moscow Exchange resumed trading in 33 Russian equities, including shares of Gazprom, Sberbank, Aeroflot, and other domestic firms. Oil majors Rosneft and Lukoil were both up by 20% and 16%, respectively. Aluminum company Rusal rose more than 14%, while Norilsk Nickel jumped more than 22%. Short-selling on stocks will be banned, the central bank announced earlier. Foreign investors will not be able to sell stocks or OFZ ruble bonds until April 1. The MOEX nosedived on February 24, when Russia launched a military operation in Ukraine. On February 28, trading was suspended until further notice as Western...
https://www.sott.net/article/465853-Russian-stocks-on-the-rebound-after-markets-reopen
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Russian chess star banned by International Chess Federation for political statements
Russian grandmaster Sergey Karjakin has been hit with a six-month ban by the chess authorities after the 32-year-old issued support for Russia's military operation in Ukraine. Karjakin, who was born in Crimea and changed his nationality from Ukrainian to Russian in 2009, will miss the forthcoming Candidates Tournament between June 16 and July 7 barring a successful appeal, after the International Chess Federation (FIDE) imposed sanctions. Karjakin had already found himself blacklisted from several chess events due to his political stance, with chess organizations in both the UK and Norway telling him that he is no longer welcome. He has also been the subject of bans by the Grand Chess Tour and from Chess.com.
https://www.sott.net/article/465854-Russian-chess-star-banned-by-International-Chess-Federation-for-political-statements
Russian chess star banned by International Chess Federation for political statements
Russian grandmaster Sergey Karjakin has been hit with a six-month ban by the chess authorities after the 32-year-old issued support for Russia's military operation in Ukraine. Karjakin, who was born in Crimea and changed his nationality from Ukrainian to Russian in 2009, will miss the forthcoming Candidates Tournament between June 16 and July 7 barring a successful appeal, after the International Chess Federation (FIDE) imposed sanctions. Karjakin had already found himself blacklisted from several chess events due to his political stance, with chess organizations in both the UK and Norway telling him that he is no longer welcome. He has also been the subject of bans by the Grand Chess Tour and from Chess.com.
https://www.sott.net/article/465854-Russian-chess-star-banned-by-International-Chess-Federation-for-political-statements
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Mother Superior reported to the Vatican for Covid vaccine stance & prayers for jab deaths, rejects recent UK news article as 'misinformation'
Mother Superior responds to Sunday Times article on complaints against her submitted to Vatican Mother General Marilla clarified 'misinformation' and provided a backstory to shed light on statements shared in a recent article. The Mother Superior of London's Tyburn convent issued a statement in response to an article saying she was reported to the Vatican after sisters complained they felt "under pressure not to have the vaccine." Mother General Marilla, whose revelation that she had received 50 prayer requests for people who died after COVID jabs went viral last year, responded yesterday to the Sunday Times article "Antivax Mother General reported to the Vatican," to correct misinformation about her and her convent, and provide missing information about her approach to COVID "vaccination" for her sisters.
https://www.sott.net/article/465855-Mother-Superior-reported-to-the-Vatican-for-Covid-vaccine-stance-prayers-for-jab-deaths-rejects-recent-UK-news-article-as-misinformation
Mother Superior reported to the Vatican for Covid vaccine stance & prayers for jab deaths, rejects recent UK news article as 'misinformation'
Mother Superior responds to Sunday Times article on complaints against her submitted to Vatican Mother General Marilla clarified 'misinformation' and provided a backstory to shed light on statements shared in a recent article. The Mother Superior of London's Tyburn convent issued a statement in response to an article saying she was reported to the Vatican after sisters complained they felt "under pressure not to have the vaccine." Mother General Marilla, whose revelation that she had received 50 prayer requests for people who died after COVID jabs went viral last year, responded yesterday to the Sunday Times article "Antivax Mother General reported to the Vatican," to correct misinformation about her and her convent, and provide missing information about her approach to COVID "vaccination" for her sisters.
https://www.sott.net/article/465855-Mother-Superior-reported-to-the-Vatican-for-Covid-vaccine-stance-prayers-for-jab-deaths-rejects-recent-UK-news-article-as-misinformation
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Army drops 'leg tuck' from fitness test after women struggled with it
The Army announced Wednesday it was scrapping the "leg tuck" from its Army Combat Fitness Test for good, and replacing it with a plank, after data showed women were failing at even doing one. "The Army's decision to remove the leg tuck comes after a study from RAND concluded that the exercise did not correctly measure core strength in all Soldiers, as it relied on Soldiers' upper body strength as well. Instead, the plank exercise provides all Soldiers a similar testing experience and allows the Army to accurately assess all Soldiers' core strength," an Army press release explained. The leg tuck was one of a six-event test, aimed at testing a soldier's core strength. It required soldiers to hang from a bar and raise their knees to their elbows. The minimum to pass was one leg tuck.
https://www.sott.net/article/465856-Army-drops-leg-tuck-from-fitness-test-after-women-struggled-with-it
Army drops 'leg tuck' from fitness test after women struggled with it
The Army announced Wednesday it was scrapping the "leg tuck" from its Army Combat Fitness Test for good, and replacing it with a plank, after data showed women were failing at even doing one. "The Army's decision to remove the leg tuck comes after a study from RAND concluded that the exercise did not correctly measure core strength in all Soldiers, as it relied on Soldiers' upper body strength as well. Instead, the plank exercise provides all Soldiers a similar testing experience and allows the Army to accurately assess all Soldiers' core strength," an Army press release explained. The leg tuck was one of a six-event test, aimed at testing a soldier's core strength. It required soldiers to hang from a bar and raise their knees to their elbows. The minimum to pass was one leg tuck.
https://www.sott.net/article/465856-Army-drops-leg-tuck-from-fitness-test-after-women-struggled-with-it
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Head of National Institutes of Health caught off-guard by first questions on email urging 'takedown' of the Great Barrington Declaration
Dr. Francis Collins, a top U.S. health official, was caught off-guard when he was asked for the first time about a report issued by members of Congress that revealed new information, including the email Collins sent urging a "takedown" of the Great Barrington Declaration, according to an email obtained by The Epoch Times. Collins, the head of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) until Dec. 19, 2021, called for a "quick and devastating published takedown" of the declaration, which called for a more balanced approach to combating the COVID-19 pandemic, in an email in October 2020. The email, sent just days after the document was authored by three epidemiologists, was made public by a congressional panel near the end of 2021.
https://www.sott.net/article/465857-Head-of-National-Institutes-of-Health-caught-off-guard-by-first-questions-on-email-urging-takedown-of-the-Great-Barrington-Declaration
Head of National Institutes of Health caught off-guard by first questions on email urging 'takedown' of the Great Barrington Declaration
Dr. Francis Collins, a top U.S. health official, was caught off-guard when he was asked for the first time about a report issued by members of Congress that revealed new information, including the email Collins sent urging a "takedown" of the Great Barrington Declaration, according to an email obtained by The Epoch Times. Collins, the head of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) until Dec. 19, 2021, called for a "quick and devastating published takedown" of the declaration, which called for a more balanced approach to combating the COVID-19 pandemic, in an email in October 2020. The email, sent just days after the document was authored by three epidemiologists, was made public by a congressional panel near the end of 2021.
https://www.sott.net/article/465857-Head-of-National-Institutes-of-Health-caught-off-guard-by-first-questions-on-email-urging-takedown-of-the-Great-Barrington-Declaration
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Israeli lawmakers tear into Zelensky for Holocaust comparisons in Knesset speech
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's speech to the Knesset on Sunday evening was received with mixed responses from Israeli lawmakers, with some calling it "outrageous" and others supporting the "distressed" president. Several MKs harshly criticized Zelensky for drawing comparisons between the Holocaust and Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and seemingly ignoring some Ukrainians' complicity in the Nazi-led genocide. "I admire the Ukraine president and support the Ukrainian people in heart and deed, but the terrible history of the Holocaust cannot be rewritten," Communications Minister Yoaz Hendel tweeted. Hendel noted that part of Nazi Germany's genocide of Jews "was also carried out on Ukrainian land." He added that while "the war is terrible, the comparison to the horrors of the Holocaust and the Final Solution is outrageous." Hebrew media outlets quote unnamed senior ministers railing at Zelensky's "outrageous comparison." "Zelensky also distorted the part his country played in...
https://www.sott.net/article/465858-Israeli-lawmakers-tear-into-Zelensky-for-Holocaust-comparisons-in-Knesset-speech
Israeli lawmakers tear into Zelensky for Holocaust comparisons in Knesset speech
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's speech to the Knesset on Sunday evening was received with mixed responses from Israeli lawmakers, with some calling it "outrageous" and others supporting the "distressed" president. Several MKs harshly criticized Zelensky for drawing comparisons between the Holocaust and Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and seemingly ignoring some Ukrainians' complicity in the Nazi-led genocide. "I admire the Ukraine president and support the Ukrainian people in heart and deed, but the terrible history of the Holocaust cannot be rewritten," Communications Minister Yoaz Hendel tweeted. Hendel noted that part of Nazi Germany's genocide of Jews "was also carried out on Ukrainian land." He added that while "the war is terrible, the comparison to the horrors of the Holocaust and the Final Solution is outrageous." Hebrew media outlets quote unnamed senior ministers railing at Zelensky's "outrageous comparison." "Zelensky also distorted the part his country played in...
https://www.sott.net/article/465858-Israeli-lawmakers-tear-into-Zelensky-for-Holocaust-comparisons-in-Knesset-speech
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19 years since the US invasion of Iraq, has the West learned any lessons?
Almost two decades and an estimated million deaths later, the media is beating the drums of war again The US-led invasion of Iraq in March, 2003 was a war now accepted to have been built on lies and is said to have killed as many as one million Iraqis. However, despite the horrific bloodshed inflicted on the Iraqi people, the Western public seem to have forgotten so many of the lessons that should have been taken away from the disaster that was the Iraq War. In the build-up to the war on Iraq, Americans were told that eliminating Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, was necessary for world peace. This was due to his alleged possession of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) as well as his alleged links with Al-Qaeda, among a number of other claims about Hussein's genocidal ambitions. Britain's then-prime minister, Tony Blair, even likened Saddam Hussein to Adolf Hitler; this was at a time when anti-Middle Eastern sentiment was high and the 9/11 attacks were ripe in the minds of the Western...
https://www.sott.net/article/465859-19-years-since-the-US-invasion-of-Iraq-has-the-West-learned-any-lessons
19 years since the US invasion of Iraq, has the West learned any lessons?
Almost two decades and an estimated million deaths later, the media is beating the drums of war again The US-led invasion of Iraq in March, 2003 was a war now accepted to have been built on lies and is said to have killed as many as one million Iraqis. However, despite the horrific bloodshed inflicted on the Iraqi people, the Western public seem to have forgotten so many of the lessons that should have been taken away from the disaster that was the Iraq War. In the build-up to the war on Iraq, Americans were told that eliminating Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, was necessary for world peace. This was due to his alleged possession of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) as well as his alleged links with Al-Qaeda, among a number of other claims about Hussein's genocidal ambitions. Britain's then-prime minister, Tony Blair, even likened Saddam Hussein to Adolf Hitler; this was at a time when anti-Middle Eastern sentiment was high and the 9/11 attacks were ripe in the minds of the Western...
https://www.sott.net/article/465859-19-years-since-the-US-invasion-of-Iraq-has-the-West-learned-any-lessons
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Home Depot's 'privilege' memo leaked online
Home Depot in Canada has come under fire after a Twitter user leaked what appears to be an in-house worksheet educating workers on the concept of privilege as it pertains to race, religion, sexuality, and social status. The document titled 'Unpacking privilege' attempts to define the different types of privilege and how it manifests in everyday life and encourages Home Depot workers to confront their own privilege and discuss it with "uninformed" family members, colleagues, and friends, even if it's "not an easy conversation" and the other person is being "defensive." Some of the definitions presented in the worksheet include: Social Privilege - "special, unearned advantage or entitlement, used to one's own benefit or to the detriment of others" and White Privilege - "societal privileges that benefit white people beyond what is commonly experienced by people of color under the same social, political, and economic circumstances."
https://www.sott.net/article/465860-Home-Depots-privilege-memo-leaked-online
Home Depot's 'privilege' memo leaked online
Home Depot in Canada has come under fire after a Twitter user leaked what appears to be an in-house worksheet educating workers on the concept of privilege as it pertains to race, religion, sexuality, and social status. The document titled 'Unpacking privilege' attempts to define the different types of privilege and how it manifests in everyday life and encourages Home Depot workers to confront their own privilege and discuss it with "uninformed" family members, colleagues, and friends, even if it's "not an easy conversation" and the other person is being "defensive." Some of the definitions presented in the worksheet include: Social Privilege - "special, unearned advantage or entitlement, used to one's own benefit or to the detriment of others" and White Privilege - "societal privileges that benefit white people beyond what is commonly experienced by people of color under the same social, political, and economic circumstances."
https://www.sott.net/article/465860-Home-Depots-privilege-memo-leaked-online
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Experts warned for decades that NATO expansion would lead to war: Why did nobody listen to them?
Russia's military offensive in Ukraine has been underway for a month now. It has already led to a global economic crisis stemming from disruptions in supply chains and rising energy prices. And although the beginning of the hostilities came as a surprise to the whole world, the current state of affairs was not unpredictable - international relations experts have been warning about the risk of this escalation for the past 30 years. Why didn't politicians in the West listen to their advice, instead of allowing war to break out in Europe, and fuel and food prices to skyrocket at home? RT explains.
https://www.sott.net/article/465861-Experts-warned-for-decades-that-NATO-expansion-would-lead-to-war-Why-did-nobody-listen-to-them
Experts warned for decades that NATO expansion would lead to war: Why did nobody listen to them?
Russia's military offensive in Ukraine has been underway for a month now. It has already led to a global economic crisis stemming from disruptions in supply chains and rising energy prices. And although the beginning of the hostilities came as a surprise to the whole world, the current state of affairs was not unpredictable - international relations experts have been warning about the risk of this escalation for the past 30 years. Why didn't politicians in the West listen to their advice, instead of allowing war to break out in Europe, and fuel and food prices to skyrocket at home? RT explains.
https://www.sott.net/article/465861-Experts-warned-for-decades-that-NATO-expansion-would-lead-to-war-Why-did-nobody-listen-to-them
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Taliban leaves shocked students in tears by unexpectedly extending ban on girls in school
The Taliban's de-facto government in Afghanistan announced Wednesday that schools would remain closed to high school-aged girls across the country until a plan is drawn up that will allow for their education to resume in accordance with Islamic Sharia law and Afghan culture. The news came as a surprise after an earlier indication from the country's education ministry that all Afghan children would be able to return to classrooms, and it left many students in tears. Aziz Ahmad Rayan, a spokesman for the Ministry of Education, said Wednesday at a news conference that the directive had come down from Taliban leadership that "all girl's school and high school above grade 6 should be informed to suspend their lessons until further notice and a plan is drawn in accordance with Afghan culture and Islamic law." The decision to keep older girls out of school was made in the southern province of Kandahar, the birthplace of the Taliban, in a high-level leadership meeting in the presence of...
https://www.sott.net/article/465862-Taliban-leaves-shocked-students-in-tears-by-unexpectedly-extending-ban-on-girls-in-school
Taliban leaves shocked students in tears by unexpectedly extending ban on girls in school
The Taliban's de-facto government in Afghanistan announced Wednesday that schools would remain closed to high school-aged girls across the country until a plan is drawn up that will allow for their education to resume in accordance with Islamic Sharia law and Afghan culture. The news came as a surprise after an earlier indication from the country's education ministry that all Afghan children would be able to return to classrooms, and it left many students in tears. Aziz Ahmad Rayan, a spokesman for the Ministry of Education, said Wednesday at a news conference that the directive had come down from Taliban leadership that "all girl's school and high school above grade 6 should be informed to suspend their lessons until further notice and a plan is drawn in accordance with Afghan culture and Islamic law." The decision to keep older girls out of school was made in the southern province of Kandahar, the birthplace of the Taliban, in a high-level leadership meeting in the presence of...
https://www.sott.net/article/465862-Taliban-leaves-shocked-students-in-tears-by-unexpectedly-extending-ban-on-girls-in-school
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Western elites are exploiting the Ukraine conflict to lower the standard of living
It's impossible to escape the constant undertone of the need to sacrifice for the greater global good or else be viewed as a selfish prick. And now, you risk even worse branding by the thought police if you don't fall in line with this new outlook: That of a Putin-enabler. Since Russia launched its military campaign in Ukraine, Western elites have been arguing that we all must collectively and senselessly concede to lowering our basic standards of living in order to hit back at President Vladimir Putin. In reality, all it does is allow them to continue to profit from our increasingly lowered expectations while all we get in return is the satisfaction of our own virtue signaling. French Minister of the Economy Bruno Le Maire called on all the French to "make an effort" on their energy consumption to cope with the rising prices. People should "realize that we're entering into a new world" amid the conflict in Ukraine, in which we "must accelerate our independence vis-à-vis fossil...
https://www.sott.net/article/465863-Western-elites-are-exploiting-the-Ukraine-conflict-to-lower-the-standard-of-living
Western elites are exploiting the Ukraine conflict to lower the standard of living
It's impossible to escape the constant undertone of the need to sacrifice for the greater global good or else be viewed as a selfish prick. And now, you risk even worse branding by the thought police if you don't fall in line with this new outlook: That of a Putin-enabler. Since Russia launched its military campaign in Ukraine, Western elites have been arguing that we all must collectively and senselessly concede to lowering our basic standards of living in order to hit back at President Vladimir Putin. In reality, all it does is allow them to continue to profit from our increasingly lowered expectations while all we get in return is the satisfaction of our own virtue signaling. French Minister of the Economy Bruno Le Maire called on all the French to "make an effort" on their energy consumption to cope with the rising prices. People should "realize that we're entering into a new world" amid the conflict in Ukraine, in which we "must accelerate our independence vis-à-vis fossil...
https://www.sott.net/article/465863-Western-elites-are-exploiting-the-Ukraine-conflict-to-lower-the-standard-of-living
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Jittery market: Austrian energy giant OMV limits diesel spot sales until further notice
Earlier this week, we quoted the heads of some of the world's biggest independent energy trades, who spoke at the FT Commodities Global Summit in Lausanne, Switzerland and unveiled a dire forecast for the diesel market: "The thing that everybody's concerned about will be diesel supplies. Europe imports about half of its diesel from Russia and about half of its diesel from the Middle East," said Russell Hardy, chief of Switzerland-based oil trader Vitol. "That systemic shortfall of diesel is there." As a reminder, Russian supplies account for about 15% of Europe's diesel consumption, according to the FT which carried their comments. Hardy said the shift to more diesel consumption over gasoline in Europe had helped to create shortages of the fuel. He added that refineries could boost their diesel output in response to higher prices at the expense of other oil-derived products to shore up supply, but warned that rationing was a possibility.
https://www.sott.net/article/465864-Jittery-market-Austrian-energy-giant-OMV-limits-diesel-spot-sales-until-further-notice
Jittery market: Austrian energy giant OMV limits diesel spot sales until further notice
Earlier this week, we quoted the heads of some of the world's biggest independent energy trades, who spoke at the FT Commodities Global Summit in Lausanne, Switzerland and unveiled a dire forecast for the diesel market: "The thing that everybody's concerned about will be diesel supplies. Europe imports about half of its diesel from Russia and about half of its diesel from the Middle East," said Russell Hardy, chief of Switzerland-based oil trader Vitol. "That systemic shortfall of diesel is there." As a reminder, Russian supplies account for about 15% of Europe's diesel consumption, according to the FT which carried their comments. Hardy said the shift to more diesel consumption over gasoline in Europe had helped to create shortages of the fuel. He added that refineries could boost their diesel output in response to higher prices at the expense of other oil-derived products to shore up supply, but warned that rationing was a possibility.
https://www.sott.net/article/465864-Jittery-market-Austrian-energy-giant-OMV-limits-diesel-spot-sales-until-further-notice
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Moscow, Tehran developing SWIFT alternative - Iranian ambassador
Russia and Iran have been cooperating to connect their interbank messaging systems in order to bypass the SWIFT financial transactions network, Kazem Jalali, ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Russia, said on Thursday. Both countries are facing severe Western sanctions, making settlements in trade through SWIFT difficult or impossible. "We are making efforts in this direction..." Jalali told reporters, as quoted by RIA Novosti news agency. Last month, seven Russian banks were severed from SWIFT, effectively denying them access to international markets. The ban was part of the latest Western sanctions targeting Russia over its military operation in Ukraine. Russia has its own payment mechanism called the Financial Message Transfer System (SPFS) that has similar functionality and allows the transmission of messages in the SWIFT format. It was created as an analogue to SWIFT that has been developed by the Bank of Russia since 2014.
https://www.sott.net/article/465865-Moscow-Tehran-developing-SWIFT-alternative-Iranian-ambassador
Moscow, Tehran developing SWIFT alternative - Iranian ambassador
Russia and Iran have been cooperating to connect their interbank messaging systems in order to bypass the SWIFT financial transactions network, Kazem Jalali, ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Russia, said on Thursday. Both countries are facing severe Western sanctions, making settlements in trade through SWIFT difficult or impossible. "We are making efforts in this direction..." Jalali told reporters, as quoted by RIA Novosti news agency. Last month, seven Russian banks were severed from SWIFT, effectively denying them access to international markets. The ban was part of the latest Western sanctions targeting Russia over its military operation in Ukraine. Russia has its own payment mechanism called the Financial Message Transfer System (SPFS) that has similar functionality and allows the transmission of messages in the SWIFT format. It was created as an analogue to SWIFT that has been developed by the Bank of Russia since 2014.
https://www.sott.net/article/465865-Moscow-Tehran-developing-SWIFT-alternative-Iranian-ambassador
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CEOs of major US airlines urge Biden to drop masks on planes
The CEOs of major US airlines are urging President Biden to drop his "outdated" federal mask requirements for planes and airports. The chief executives of American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines and several other passenger and cargo carriers made the request in an open letter on Wednesday. They have called on Biden to let his federal mask mandate expire next month and get rid of COVID-19 testing requirements for incoming international travelers. "Now is the time for the Administration to sunset federal transportation travel restrictions," the letter read.
https://www.sott.net/article/465866-CEOs-of-major-US-airlines-urge-Biden-to-drop-masks-on-planes
CEOs of major US airlines urge Biden to drop masks on planes
The CEOs of major US airlines are urging President Biden to drop his "outdated" federal mask requirements for planes and airports. The chief executives of American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines and several other passenger and cargo carriers made the request in an open letter on Wednesday. They have called on Biden to let his federal mask mandate expire next month and get rid of COVID-19 testing requirements for incoming international travelers. "Now is the time for the Administration to sunset federal transportation travel restrictions," the letter read.
https://www.sott.net/article/465866-CEOs-of-major-US-airlines-urge-Biden-to-drop-masks-on-planes
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New York a city under siege, as staggering crime wave roils politics, challenges Left
The NYPD's new anti-gun units hit the streets last week and not a moment too soon. New York City is in the midst of a staggering crime wave. Over the past weekend, 29 people were shot in 24 separate incidents, the Daily News reported. According to the latest NYPD statistics, major felonies in the city increased 58% in February 2022, in year over year comparisons to February 2021. Murders rose 10%. Felony assaults rose 22%. Rapes increased 35%. Robberies increased 56%. Hate crimes — largely against Jews and Asian-Americans — surged 189%. Crimes in the transit systems — mainly the subways — were up 73%. New York is a city under siege. Every day brings a new horror story. A child is assaulted in Times Square. A young woman is stabbed to death in her Chinatown apartment. A senior citizen is hacked to death by a wheelchair-bound transgender two-time convicted murderer. A madman smears feces on a woman's face in a subway station, is released on bail, and arrested again after hurling a...
https://www.sott.net/article/465867-New-York-a-city-under-siege-as-staggering-crime-wave-roils-politics-challenges-Left
New York a city under siege, as staggering crime wave roils politics, challenges Left
The NYPD's new anti-gun units hit the streets last week and not a moment too soon. New York City is in the midst of a staggering crime wave. Over the past weekend, 29 people were shot in 24 separate incidents, the Daily News reported. According to the latest NYPD statistics, major felonies in the city increased 58% in February 2022, in year over year comparisons to February 2021. Murders rose 10%. Felony assaults rose 22%. Rapes increased 35%. Robberies increased 56%. Hate crimes — largely against Jews and Asian-Americans — surged 189%. Crimes in the transit systems — mainly the subways — were up 73%. New York is a city under siege. Every day brings a new horror story. A child is assaulted in Times Square. A young woman is stabbed to death in her Chinatown apartment. A senior citizen is hacked to death by a wheelchair-bound transgender two-time convicted murderer. A madman smears feces on a woman's face in a subway station, is released on bail, and arrested again after hurling a...
https://www.sott.net/article/465867-New-York-a-city-under-siege-as-staggering-crime-wave-roils-politics-challenges-Left
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Lawsuit accuses NYPD of secretly building 'rogue' DNA database
A lawsuit filed Monday accuses the New York Police Department (NYPD) of collecting genetic materials from thousands of citizens in a secret attempt to create a "rogue" DNA database. Legal Aid Society, in a post on social media announcing the federal lawsuit, said: "For decades, the NYPD has used dishonest tactics to obtain New Yorkers' DNA, including those as young as 11-years-old, by offering bottles of water or cigarettes to our clients detained at local precincts." The organization accused the NYPD: "of keeping citizens' DNA permanently stored in a rogue local database," saying it "continuously compares past and future crime scene DNA evidence against this database, which has led to wrongful arrests and prosecutions." The NYPD has previously said it would review its DNA database after discreetly collecting thousands of the samples, according to CBS News. But the Legal Aid Society said in its post that the database "only continues to grow."
https://www.sott.net/article/465868-Lawsuit-accuses-NYPD-of-secretly-building-rogue-DNA-database
Lawsuit accuses NYPD of secretly building 'rogue' DNA database
A lawsuit filed Monday accuses the New York Police Department (NYPD) of collecting genetic materials from thousands of citizens in a secret attempt to create a "rogue" DNA database. Legal Aid Society, in a post on social media announcing the federal lawsuit, said: "For decades, the NYPD has used dishonest tactics to obtain New Yorkers' DNA, including those as young as 11-years-old, by offering bottles of water or cigarettes to our clients detained at local precincts." The organization accused the NYPD: "of keeping citizens' DNA permanently stored in a rogue local database," saying it "continuously compares past and future crime scene DNA evidence against this database, which has led to wrongful arrests and prosecutions." The NYPD has previously said it would review its DNA database after discreetly collecting thousands of the samples, according to CBS News. But the Legal Aid Society said in its post that the database "only continues to grow."
https://www.sott.net/article/465868-Lawsuit-accuses-NYPD-of-secretly-building-rogue-DNA-database
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Indian Oil Corporation buys Russian crude at deep discount
Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), the nation's top oil firm, has bought as much as 3 million barrels of crude oil that Russia had offered at steep discount to prevailing international rates, sources said. The purchase, made through a trader, is the first since Russia's February 24 invasion of Ukraine that brought international pressure for isolating Putin administration. Sources aware of the matter said IOC bought Urals crude for May delivery at a discount of USD 20-25 a barrel to dated Brent. As the US and other western nations slapped sanctions on Moscow, Russia has begun offering oil and other commodities at discounted prices to India and other large importers. IOC made the purchase on modified terms that require the seller to deliver it to the Indian coast so as to avoid any complications that sanctions may lead to in arranging shipping and insurance. Unlike the sanctions the US imposed on Iran over its controversial nuclear programme, oil and energy trade with Russia has not been...
https://www.sott.net/article/465869-Indian-Oil-Corporation-buys-Russian-crude-at-deep-discount
Indian Oil Corporation buys Russian crude at deep discount
Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), the nation's top oil firm, has bought as much as 3 million barrels of crude oil that Russia had offered at steep discount to prevailing international rates, sources said. The purchase, made through a trader, is the first since Russia's February 24 invasion of Ukraine that brought international pressure for isolating Putin administration. Sources aware of the matter said IOC bought Urals crude for May delivery at a discount of USD 20-25 a barrel to dated Brent. As the US and other western nations slapped sanctions on Moscow, Russia has begun offering oil and other commodities at discounted prices to India and other large importers. IOC made the purchase on modified terms that require the seller to deliver it to the Indian coast so as to avoid any complications that sanctions may lead to in arranging shipping and insurance. Unlike the sanctions the US imposed on Iran over its controversial nuclear programme, oil and energy trade with Russia has not been...
https://www.sott.net/article/465869-Indian-Oil-Corporation-buys-Russian-crude-at-deep-discount
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The Biden administration is cooking the books on illegal immigrant arrests
The Biden administration is attempting to put a positive spin on its dangerous enforcement guidelines through unreliable data. The Biden administration has delayed for months an annual illegal immigration report that contains crucial statistics about this key national security issue, as the U.S. border crisis keeps breaking records since Joe Biden took the presidential office.
https://www.sott.net/article/465870-The-Biden-administration-is-cooking-the-books-on-illegal-immigrant-arrests
The Biden administration is cooking the books on illegal immigrant arrests
The Biden administration is attempting to put a positive spin on its dangerous enforcement guidelines through unreliable data. The Biden administration has delayed for months an annual illegal immigration report that contains crucial statistics about this key national security issue, as the U.S. border crisis keeps breaking records since Joe Biden took the presidential office.
https://www.sott.net/article/465870-The-Biden-administration-is-cooking-the-books-on-illegal-immigrant-arrests
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Greece hit with snow on the first day of Spring
Greece has been dusted with snow as temperatures across the country have dropped on Sunday, which is the first day of Spring. Sunday marks the Spring Equinox, when the Sun passes over the Equator, bringing with it roughly the same amount of daylight and nighttime. Often, the Spring Equinox brings with it warmer weather, but not this year. Snowfall began early Sunday morning in the northern suburbs of Athens, and sleet and rain fell in the center of the Greek capital. According to experts, the snowfall and low temperatures will continue throughout the day and may even extend into Monday. Much of the country is currently experiencing rainstorms, sleet, and light snowfall in what is an unseasonably wintry storm for the first day of spring.
https://www.sott.net/article/465871-Greece-hit-with-snow-on-the-first-day-of-Spring
Greece hit with snow on the first day of Spring
Greece has been dusted with snow as temperatures across the country have dropped on Sunday, which is the first day of Spring. Sunday marks the Spring Equinox, when the Sun passes over the Equator, bringing with it roughly the same amount of daylight and nighttime. Often, the Spring Equinox brings with it warmer weather, but not this year. Snowfall began early Sunday morning in the northern suburbs of Athens, and sleet and rain fell in the center of the Greek capital. According to experts, the snowfall and low temperatures will continue throughout the day and may even extend into Monday. Much of the country is currently experiencing rainstorms, sleet, and light snowfall in what is an unseasonably wintry storm for the first day of spring.
https://www.sott.net/article/465871-Greece-hit-with-snow-on-the-first-day-of-Spring
