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Cannes Film Festival rocked as $1 million worth of red carpet ‘loaner’ jewels are stolen

"Jewellery worth more than $1 million due to be loaned to stars treading the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival was stolen in a pre-dawn heist on Friday but the coveted Palme d’Or trophy was safe, officials said. In a scenario itself worthy of a movie, thieves broke into the room of an American employee of Swiss bijoutier Chopard, ripped a safe off the wall and made off with the jewels, according to police reports. Last year, thieves made off with four watches worth 400,000 euros ($513,000) belonging to football stars Souleymane Diawara and Mamadou Niang who were in Cannes for the festival." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingCannes Film Festival rocked as $1 million worth of red carpet ‘loaner’ jewels are stolen

In-Flight Thieves Targeting Airline Travelers’ Carry-On Bags

"Travel experts such as Hobica say theft on planes is a growing problem, with bags getting swiped, valuables stolen and pockets picked. Jewelry, money and medications are often the sought-after prizes. One of the reasons in-flight thefts are rising is because more travelers are trying to avoid checking their bags these days. 'People don’t want to pay the check-bag fee,' Hobica said, adding, 'They also know there can be a lot of theft from baggage handlers.' More passengers carrying on luggage means overhead bins are packed. Travelers often cannot use an overhead bin near their seats, putting their valuables out of sight." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingIn-Flight Thieves Targeting Airline Travelers’ Carry-On Bags

$625K in gold stolen at Miami International Airport

"A box containing $625,000 in gold arrived in Miami but disappeared about an hour and a half later, Miami-Dade police say. An American Airlines plane arrived at Miami International Airport from Guayaquil, Ecuador, and docked at Gate D3 at 4:42 a.m. Tuesday, according to a Miami-Dade Police Department incident report. A tug arrived at the plane from Gate D6, according to the report. It then drove away with the cart holding the plane's cargo at 5:22 a.m. Surveillance video showed the tug continue to D37 before it entered an alley and disappeared from the video. The cart was found in front of Gate D19 at 6:20 a.m. but without the box containing the gold." Continue reading →

Continue Reading$625K in gold stolen at Miami International Airport

As Thieves Troll Spanish Farmland, Villagers Begin Patrols

"Police officials say they have seen a steady rise in the crime rate in rural areas since 2009. Just about everything is a target. Three hundred onions one night. A rubber irrigation hose the next. In Albelda, thieves have taken diesel fuel, nail guns, electric clippers — even shampoo and soap that workers use. Elsewhere in Spain, particularly in coastal regions like Valencia where there is a lot of farming, villagers are organizing themselves into patrols, too. It is not a trend that police officials like much. But they understand it. In many areas, there are too few officers to cover acres and acres of farmland. And yet there are few useful alternatives to a watchful eye." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingAs Thieves Troll Spanish Farmland, Villagers Begin Patrols

Soros To Germany: Introduce Eurobonds or Hit The Bricks

"George Soros made an assertion aimed at the heart of the euro crisis: Germany should either agree to introduce 'Eurobonds' – which would mutualize the public debts of all of the euro zone member states – or step out of the way and leave the euro, so that the remaining member states could move forward with debt mutualization." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingSoros To Germany: Introduce Eurobonds or Hit The Bricks

Yes, Soros Sold Off Gold (But Then Bought Gold Miners)

"The mood on metals has soured and thus one is left with two options: Expect more of the same as gold pursues another leg down or fight the trend, presumably under an assumption that it has run its course. Soros seems to have made up his mind. And in doing so has surprised us. With Soros it's probably a case of watching what he does, not what he says – as the article points out, he loves to mislead the public by giving voice to one opinion while investing in an entirely different way. Also, Soros is about as big an insider as there is. If anyone understands the near-term future of metals prices it might be him. What exactly does he know?" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingYes, Soros Sold Off Gold (But Then Bought Gold Miners)

Switzerland reintroduces immigration quotas after sudden influx of Europeans

"Switzerland will begin restricting residence permits to citizens from 17 European Union countries, including the UK, on June 1st. The measure, approved by the federal government and announced by the immigration department on Wednesday, was triggered by a safeguard clause in the freedom of movement agreement signed by the Swiss with the EU. The clause allows for the Swiss to restrict immigrants from the EU unilaterally until May 31st, 2014. It can be enacted if the number of residence and short stay permits issued to EU workers exceeds by at least 10 percent the average number of annual permits issued in the previous three years." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingSwitzerland reintroduces immigration quotas after sudden influx of Europeans

Tories begin defecting to Nigel Farage’s UKIP over ‘loons’ slur

"Local Conservative party campaigners, including the chairman of one constituency association, will this week pledge their support for Nigel Farage after one of David Cameron’s allies described grassroots Tories as 'mad, swivel-eyed loons'. Six members of the Tory group on Merton council in south London are quitting. One, Richard Hilton, who has been acting chairman of the local Conservative association, said he would join Ukip because the insult was 'the final straw'. Lord Howe, the former chancellor, claimed Mr Cameron was 'losing control' of the party to growing euroscepticism." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingTories begin defecting to Nigel Farage’s UKIP over ‘loons’ slur

German Anti-Euro Party a Growing Challenge for Merkel

"Though the German left is splintered among three, or even four, parties, the right is a monolith. There is the CDU, its Bavarian wing known as the Christian Social Union, and its favorite coalition partner, the Free Democrats (FDP). But this election year is different. With the birth of the anti-euro party Alternative for Germany (AfD), Merkel is facing competition from within her own clientele. Furthermore, though her preferred strategy has been that of maintaining complete silence about the AfD so as not to lend it credibility, there are many in Merkel's party who disagree with that approach. And they are increasingly giving voice to their displeasure." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingGerman Anti-Euro Party a Growing Challenge for Merkel

Europeans Rapidly Losing Faith in EU Project

"Europe's ongoing economic crisis and lasting currency woes are beginning to rapidly erode faith among Europeans in the EU project. That is the result of a new survey undertaken by the renowned Pew Research Center in Washington D.C. and released on Monday evening. In just one year, the share of Europeans who view the European Union project favorably plummeted from 60 percent in 2012 to just 45 percent this year. Furthermore, only in Germany does a majority continue to support granting more power to Brussels in an effort to combat the ongoing crisis." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingEuropeans Rapidly Losing Faith in EU Project