Mainstream News

CIA admits to helping overthrow Iran’s democratically elected leader in 1953

"The CIA has publicly admitted for the first time that it was behind the notorious 1953 coup against Iran’s democratically elected prime minister Mohammad Mosaddeq, in documents that also show how the British government tried to block the release of information about its own involvement in his overthrow. Malcolm Byrne, deputy director of the national security archive, has called on the US intelligence authorities to release the remaining records and documents. 'There is no longer good reason to keep secrets about such a critical episode in our recent past. The basic facts are widely known to every school child in Iran,' he said." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingCIA admits to helping overthrow Iran’s democratically elected leader in 1953

Indian gold imports set to resume after 4-week halt as export rule clarified

"A resumption of imports would ease tight domestic supply and prices ahead of a festival and wedding season that kicks off next month. Indian imports would also support benchmark international gold prices, which hit a two-month high on Monday. The confusion centred on a rule that required importers to re-export at least 20 percent of all imports, known as the 80/20 rule. Last week, the Reserve Bank issued detailed guidelines on how the rule would work, but the complexity of the rule had prevented banks from importing immediately. Banks are the main importing agencies for gold into India." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingIndian gold imports set to resume after 4-week halt as export rule clarified

PBS: Do Innocent Citizens Risk Police Seizure of Their Property?

"Property seizure is a profitable practice for local law enforcement agencies, long used to deprive mobsters and drug kingpins. But the police can also take personal goods away from citizens who haven't been proven guilty of a crime. Ray Suarez talks to Sarah Stillman who investigated civil forfeiture for The New Yorker." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingPBS: Do Innocent Citizens Risk Police Seizure of Their Property?

Funds Build Bullish Positions In Precious Metals Futures, Options

"A price rally inspired speculators to build bullish positions in precious metals futures and options traded on the Comex division of New York Mercantile Exchange and the Nymex, confirming many market participants’ expectations that speculators shed short positions when prices rose. The gains in the data released Friday by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission came via a mix of short covering, that is buying back of previously sold positions, and newly added long positions as noted in both the disaggregated and legacy reports. In copper, speculators sheared short positions, and [..] turned net-long for the first time since February." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingFunds Build Bullish Positions In Precious Metals Futures, Options

Spain’s Central Bank Seeks Minimum Wage Suspension

"Spain's central bank called for a suspension of the minimum wage in selected cases, saying a year-old overhaul of labor laws had made the economy more competitive but failed to encourage hiring. The Bank of Spain's recommendation, though not binding on the conservative government, reflects growing concern among policy makers about the country's 27% unemployment rate. Many economists have called for offering lower wages to younger workers; more than half of the job seekers under age 25 are out of work. Germany's minijobs program pays workers up to €450 per month ($592), far less than Spain's legal minimum of €645." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingSpain’s Central Bank Seeks Minimum Wage Suspension

Seattle $15/Hour Minimum Wage Being Pushed

"Washington already has the nation's highest state minimum wage at $9.19 an hour. Now, there's a push in Seattle, at least, to make it $15. That would mean fast food workers, retail clerks, baristas and other minimum wage workers would get what protesters demanded when they shut down a handful of city restaurants in May and others called for when they demonstrated nationwide in July. So far, the City Council and mayoral candidates have said they would consider it in the famously liberal city. One said, however, that it may not be soon." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingSeattle $15/Hour Minimum Wage Being Pushed

Bieber and entourage searched by sniffer dogs at Florida airport after drug ‘tip’

"Plain clothes officers and a dog squad swooped on the singer and his crew's luggage as they unloaded on the curb of the airport in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. TMZ reports law enforcement did not decide to randomly search the luggage but were instead responding to a tip off. According to the site: 'The reason cops searched the bags is because they received an anonymous tip someone in Justin's party had drugs in their luggage. 'Justin's bags, along with the bags of his entourage, were searched. Cops found nothing.' This is not the first time police have searched Justin and his crew." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingBieber and entourage searched by sniffer dogs at Florida airport after drug ‘tip’

King of My Castle? Yeah, Right

"The City by the Bay is going through one of its worst housing shortages in memory. With typical high demand intensified by a regional boom in tech jobs, apartment open houses are mob scenes of desperate applicants clutching their credit reports. The citywide median rental price for a one-bedroom is $2,764 a month, but jumps to $3,500 in trendy areas. One reason for the shortage? Me. I’ve recently joined the ranks of San Francisco landlords who have decided that it’s better to keep an apartment empty than to lease it to tenants. Together, we have left vacant about 10,600 rental units. That’s about five percent of the city’s total." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingKing of My Castle? Yeah, Right

The most expensive home styles in America

"Most people know that a mansion costs much more than a farmhouse. What many might not be aware of is that the style of a home can also have a major impact on its price. A Mediterranean-style home sold in the U.S. costs an average of $1.32 million, while a ranch-style home costs less than a fifth of that. Real estate site Trulia provided 24/7 Wall St. with data on the price and popularity of different home styles for which the average price listed by Trulia was greater than $650,000. Descriptions of home style characteristics and history came from groups including Realtor Magazine and Better Homes & Gardens." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingThe most expensive home styles in America

List of top places with bargain homes; don’t look for California cities

"Looking for a cheap fixer-upper? You might check the list of the 15 best cities for do-it-yourself housing bargains, published this week by RealtyTrac, the Irvine-based real estate data firm. Shocker: No California cities made the list. The five best cities to find a bargain home are in the Rust Belt: Detroit, Chicago, Cleveland, St. Louis and Cincinnati. The rankings come from the number of bank-owned homes that were built before 1960 and are valued under $100,000. There are 3,773 such homes in Detroit, which is more than double Chicago's inventory, which is ranked just below the Michigan city." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingList of top places with bargain homes; don’t look for California cities