5.2 Magnitude Earthquake MINAHASA, SULAWESI, INDONESIA - 17th Oct 2011

A magnitude 5.2 earthquake has struck Minahasa, Sulawesi, Indonesia at a depth of 300 km (186 miles), the quake hit at 02:02:41 UTC Monday 17th October 2011.
The epicenter was 79 km ( 48.9 miles) Northwest of Manado, Sulawesi, Indonesia
No Tsunami Warning Issued - No reports of Damage or Injuries reported at this time

4.7 Magnitude Earthquake VANUATU - 17th Oct 2011

A magnitude 4.7 earthquake has struck Vanuatu at a depth of 69.4 km (43.1 miles), the quake hit at 01:46:33 UTC Monday 17th October 2011.
The epicenter was 95 km ( 59 miles) SSE from Port-Vila, Vanuatu
No Tsunami Warning Issued - No reports of Damage or Injuries reported at this time

4.6 Magnitude Earthquake VANUATU - 17th Oct 2011

A magnitude 4.6 earthquake has struck Vanuatu at a depth of 135.4 km (84.1 miles), the quake hit at 00:19:02 UTC Monday 17th October 2011.
The epicenter was 53 km ( 32 miles) NNE of Luganville, Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu
No Tsunami Warning Issued - No reports of Damage or Injuries reported at this time

4.3 Magnitude Earthquake TAJIKISTAN - 17th Oct 2011

A magnitude 4.3 earthquake has struck Tajikistan at a depth of 47.1 km (29.3 miles), the quake hit at 00:03:54 UTC Monday 17th October 2011.
The epicenter was 58 km ( 36 miles) North of Kulob (Kulyab), Tajikistan
No reports of Damage or Injuries reported at this time

4.4 Magnitude Earthquake SOUTH OF THE FIJI ISLANDS - 16th Oct 2011

A magnitude 4.4 earthquake has struck South of the Fiji Islands at a depth of 524 km (325.6 miles), the quake hit at 23:50:47 UTC Sunday 16th October 2011.
The epicenter was 459 km ( 285 miles) SSW of Ndoi Island, Fiji
No Tsunami Warning Issued - No reports of Damage or Injuries reported at this time

4.7 Magnitude Earthquake MINDANAO, PHILIPPINES - 16th Oct 2011

A magnitude 4.7 earthquake has struck Mindanao, Philippines at a depth of 90.6 km (56.3 miles), the quake hit at 23:41:18 UTC Sunday 16th October 2011.
The epicenter was 89 km ( 55 miles) ESE of General Santos, Mindanao, Philippines
No Tsunami Warning Issued - No reports of Damage or Injuries reported at this time

Cash-strapped households turn to leftovers (personally, I love leftovers)

The number of Britons cooking with leftovers to feed their families has risen dramatically in recent months as cash-strapped shoppers try to make their household budgets stretch further.

A third of all shoppers say that they are cooking with leftover food and scraps more than they were at the start of the year, according to a survey into shopping habits by the IGD, the food and grocery industry body.

Going forward, four in ten shoppers say that they intend to make better use of leftovers to feed their families in the months ahead.

The austere measures come in the face of rising prices on the high street and declining disposable incomes.

A survey of 1,000 shoppers by the IGD also revealed a rise in people cooking meals for their family from scratch to save money. Four in ten people said that they are cooking complete meals from scratch rather than using pre-prepared foods such as sauces and ready meals. This compares with just over a quarter of shoppers in 2008.

Half of all shoppers said that they are comparing prices between different supermarkets far more than they were, the IGD said. Increased shopping around by consumers has resulted in a price war between the big retail chains such as Tesco, J Sainsbury and Waitrose, who have increased the number of money-off promotions they are running. more

British graduates not fit to start work, say majority of bosses

A growing number of British students do not graduate from school with adequate or basic skills to join the workforce, a survey of bosses has found.

The survey of some of the country's biggest businesses found three in four bosses believe graduate skills are poor.

The poll, of firms including HSBC, Santander, KPMG and Procter & Gamble, found widespread concern over the quality of potential recruits.

Researchers found that thousands of young people arrive at interviews without the "vital employability skills" required by employers such as having a suitable grasp of English, being punctual and having a general "can do" attitude.

The study, commissioned by the Young Enterprise charity, found that the problems compounded the current recruitment crisis affecting young people from teenage school leavers through to university graduates.

Asked to identify which skills were lacking in their new recruits, one told researchers that there were "too many to list". more

Wars: Killing the economy

If you look at recent developments in foreign exchange (FOREX), you will find, in particular, the Canadian dollar continues to crush the U.S. dollar. The figure of 14.32 million dollars of debt finally reached in May 2011, a staggering 98% of GDP (Gross Domestic Product). To continue our military occupation in Iraq, U.S. taxpayers pay: $ 270 million per day, 8.4 billion dollars a month, a total of $ 600 million dollars spent and approved war spending, $ 200 billion for 2008 bringing the cumulative total to $ 800 billion.

Most of the factors contributing to increase the price band include the United States occupation of Iraq, Saudi Arabia being attacked by terrorists temporarily affected the supply of oil, speculative investments by financial investors. The financial crisis itself has affected all the major banks in the United States and many other places as about $600 billion dollars has already been spent on the war in Iraq. Such attacks against oil refineries in Saudi Arabia, for example, will have a devastating effect on the U.S. economy as well as in European countries supporting the U.S. policy towards Iran.

Total economic impact of the war in Iraq is difficult, at best, if not impossible, to obtain a precise set. The war has diverted the money, which probably would have gone to more productive sectors of the U.S. economy. One of the possible consequences is that the dollar is suffering from tremors because of growing concern about the direction in which America is going and how the political climate will impact the dollar value. Approximately 57% of this debt was the responsibility of the Bush years (2000-2008), with the exception of the cost of war in Iraq, while 43% of this debt is responsibility of the Obama administration. more

Is power beginning to shift from America to China?

Is this the new mantra that is ultimately going to change U.S. economy structurally? Importantly, the current U.S. output is generally lower in U.S than the potential output throughout the 2000s. Many nations have to address these issues in the future. We see Japan has worked through its challenges with an aging population. With this structure model, the more the U.S. consumers spends and save less, more the GDP grows. Global economic collapse was averted in 2009 and the global economy has stabilized and strengthened some in 2010. India, as China is emerging as powerful engines of global growth. The United States is clearly no longer the most important factor in global growth that it once was.

The growth of the U.S. economy is relatively stable and conservative against countries like China and India. China is now the second largest economy in the world, beating Japan. With an average level of GDP growth at 10% for the last 30 years, Shanghai is destined to become the world leader in financial 2020. China is rapidly moving beyond just a technologically backward player and becoming more of a dominant force in the global economy. Recent data from China top decision-makers show that the Chinese are in no hurry to change the current value of the dollar-Yuan relationship.

United States remains the world’s largest economy, but with a growth rate of less than 1% in the last quarter, with nearly double-digit growth in India and China, there is little doubt that the U.S. will lose its status as the world’s largest economy within a decade, if trends continue. Chinese and Indian markets are very high in the number of citizens in each country and the desire of their governments to dynamically grow their economies. Rumor persists that Shanghai may allow foreign investment in Yuan-dominated private equity and venture in capital funds in the near future. China is now facilitating transactions in Yuan, between banks and companies in Hong Kong and transfer money to buy wealth management products.

China is moving aggressively to secure sources of raw minerals to ensure that economic development can continue. It has invested heavily in Australian mining companies to the point at which Australia now receives a substantial part of gross domestic product of minerals in China. Since the power transfer is happening from the United States and Europe to Asia, so do the central bank gold holdings also shift from United States and Europe to Asia? We cannot hamstring our economy with Obama’s cap and trade policy. We are Americans and we are pro-America, but we are also realistic. Let us invest in areas where the money can be made. source

The Coming Depression: How does one survive?

As a consumer, before the economic collapse, you could get any service or product that you needed quite easily. You had the choice of buying this product / service, or just jump in the car get to the store and get it! Many analysts believe that the U.S. dollar will decline, rather crash in the near future. Crash of the U.S. dollar would be a historic event. The US dollar has been an international currency of trade since the WWII as the global economy in general and US economy boomed. In contrast, the U.S. economy is witnessing one of the worst crisis of all time. It is often said that this recession is comparable to the Great Depression. The housing crash contributed majorly to this depression, but this did not happen overnight. Several factors contributed to the housing crash resulting foreclosure igniting the house prices to fall to their all time low.

Every sector is not sure when an economy faces a recession, but there are some areas that are somewhat resistant to the financial crisis, and some recover quickly compared to other companies. The truth is: the wealth-building strategies that have worked over the last six decades will not work for the next six years. Last week, the White House was confused whether or not to keep the eight thousand dollar tax credit for first time home buyers. This administration is not sure, what is going to happen with new home sales numbers after this program is not available next month.

The fall in the housing prices that consumers feel poorer and more cautious about splurging. Some investors certainly seem not too confused by all this pain in the “real” economy. We are on the verge of an international monetary collapse, and you better be prepared for it. The monetary collapse is real and has been in the fabric and the financial plans of One World Government financiers for at least 80 years. It is true that some time back the British Pound had shown some promise, however, it has returned to lose the fight, in the grey weather of British recession. The poor economic situation of the United States, rising unemployment and falling home prices has opened the way for an uncertain future and the road to recovery will undoubtedly be long and tedious. more

Global Economic Collapse: Will it Happen? (A refresher)

The U.S. economy is the largest economy in the world. U.S. economic collapse has left the entire world economy on the brink of economic problems. The coming economic collapse of America is arguably the greatest collapse in world history. The only countries able to sustain this collapse are the countries that have a strong currency. The signs of global economic collapse to confirm that yes, indeed something very critical is going to happen. When governments cannot sell their debt in the market, making it impossible for them to continue to operate without some kind of disturbance or agitation.

Inflation is simply printing more money. Having more money in circulation chasing the same amount of goods and services is rising prices. Many of the American Founding Fathers were exposed to the adverse effects of currency in circulation during the American Revolution. A strong indicator of confidence in the U.S. dollar down is a steady increase in the “spot price” of gold and silver in the past eleven years. It seems that the global economy is rolling towards total collapse, is closer than we have been forecasting. The situation is quite serious. If bondholders eventually end up with a permanent loss, governments around the world will have more difficulty in borrowing money and financing their operations with debt.

Protests, riots, economic crisis, spiking oil and food prices are all symptoms of a bigger problem, which unfortunately cannot be resolved because governments lack the political will to change course. The National Inflation Association estimated that by 2015, Americans will be spending nearly 40% of their income on food, and less than 10% on housing. The purpose of this post is to send an alarm, a warning shot and a warning to the truth that governments are not explaining it to you the aftermath of the coming depression. With collaborated Information it is clear that we are going to experience some big changes in the financial world.

This collapse of our great currency will be rapid, possibly occurring overnight as devaluation put by our government. The economic collapse to come to America is real. This can certainly happen again, but what surprises me is that most people sit back and let their hard earned wealth stolen by the hidden tax called inflation. Various survival techniques and strategic planning systems are required to manage this hara-kiri of economy system, that is taking the world by storm. Is it bad? Yes, mark my word! but it is necessary for you so that things can be recovered and we can start again. As Charity begins at home, the recovery can also start at home with us. source

What controls the economy? YOU!

What really controls the economy? Forget interest rates, forget deficits, forget the Fed, forget Iraq, forget who is ruling the country. In fact, forget about everything that makes the news. America’s Job Depression – which is what it deserves to be called – is the worst financial disaster to hit this country since the Great Depression. The world trade decreased significantly, when the countries started implementing trade tariffs to protect their local economies. Many of us are lucky not to have experienced the Great Depression. We do not know what it means to be hungry, to have unemployment 30%, to be not able to find a job, but are we really lucky. Are we not heading in that direction?

Let me say that I do not compare with depression and desperation, and there is certainly a clear distinction between the two. People outside of our country see an American dream with a job, good house, car and a good life. The reality of today’s Americans in 2011 is different: their new American dream is to get out of debt. According to US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average American household brings home about $ 49,639 (2010) after tax. Housing, transportation and food consume two-thirds of that income. This not only creates jobs but also puts money into the hands of all the people who get jobs so they can turn around and buy goods and services they need – to create more jobs. Not exactly rocket science.

The truth is that we are experiencing the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression era. Originating in the United States, the economic downturn is affecting all the major players in the global economy. The Great Depression was the worst economic crisis in American history, and which spread to virtually the entire industrialized world. When the Fed decides to raise rates, they will be able to say with precision how many companies will go bankrupt, how many people will lose their jobs, how many homes will be foreclosed?

The United States just a few years left of a solid economic growth with a consequent increase in the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA). After that, beginning no later than 2012-13, a terrible decline in the economy will begin and might last until the year 2025. The first step in the fight against despair is to assume responsibility of your own life and your own situation. I promise that if you do not, you will slip deeper into despair. source

Unemployment, unemployment and more unemployment

Although the U.S. economy is recovering and creating jobs (atleast that’s what the government says), investors and analysts expect the Federal Reserve to leave interest rates unchanged, this year. In a recent report released, it was stated that a weakening U.S. economy is setting the stage for lower interest rates. The only way to really know what direction you should go is to ask a local expert in mortgage lending or real estate. The Fed claimed that their policies, after the Long Term Capital Management losses, had been successful. The Federal Reserve policy actions are now causing another bubble to form – perhaps one that is worst than the others.

In August, Standard & Poor’s downgraded the U.S. Treasury Debt from an AAA rating to an AA+ rating. S&P indicated that one of the major reasons why they decreased the rating was due to Congress’ plan to reduce the country’s debt did not satisfy S&P’s standards for stabilizing our country’s economic situation. S&P’s explanation seems hypocritical given that S&P was one of the reasons we are in this financial crisis. One of the silver linings from this crisis is that mortgage rates will decrease or remain low. FED, the central bank of America, decided to keep the interest rates low and continue the Quantitative Easing in its meeting. The latest report on US Unemployment released this morning indicates that the unemployment rate remained above 9%, making the markets tumble. On the contrary, what is Canada doing that we aren’t – their Unemployment Rate has fallen to 7.1% in the last quarter as Canadian Economy has created approximately 61000 jobs.

The price climbed back up relatively fast after the announcement so the effect on the markets was fairly minimal. In a modern environment of economic interdependence, money flows from around the globe increasingly affect individual, corporate and national wealth through nothing more than the changing value of currency relationships. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, reminded the US Senate Budget Committee “we are experiencing what seems likely to be the calm before the storm.” The chairman’s remarks were in reference to entitlement spending. more

China's debt spree returns to haunt

Bail-outs are coming thick and fast in China. In less than a week the authorities have had to step in to prop up the banks, rescue the insolvent railway system and save the near bankrupt city of Wenzhou from a spectacular debt crash.

It is proving harder than expected for the central bank to manage a calibrated "soft-landing" after letting rip with credit to counter the Great Recession. The loan spree raised credit from 100pc to almost 200pc of GDP (on IMF estimates), including off-books trusts, letters of credit and sub-radar loans from Hong Kong.

The 30pc annual pace of loan growth is unprecedented in any major country in modern history. It is double the pace of America's housing boom and Japan's Nikkei bubble in the late 1980s. It may match US loan growth in the late 1920s.

The Communist Party is now struggling to cope with the fall-out. On Monday, the state investment fund Central Huijin began buying stakes in China's four top banks to restore confidence and halt the slide in share prices.

The relief rally ignited bank shares on Tuesday. Agricultural Bank of China surged 13pc in Hong Kong. Shanghai's bourse jumped 4pc but is still down 60pc from its peak in late 2008.

China's finance ministry is quietly intervening to underwrite China's railway system. This behemoth is drowning with $300bn of debts after breakneck expansion, is in arrears on $25bn of debts to its two largest suppliers and has run out of money to pay workers on the Lanzhou-Chonqing rail project. more

Manufacturing sector shrinks for third month: UK

Britain's manufacturing sector shrank more than expected in August, marking a third successive month of contracting output.

Declines in the production of wood and paper products, as well as metals, were the main drivers of a 0.3pc fall in manufacturing output according to the latest Office for National Statistics data.

It was a slightly bigger decrease than the 0.2pc dip forecast by economists, and followed a 0.2pc fall in July after the ONS revised the figure down. Previously it had estimated that manufacturing output increased by 0.1pc in July.

"The latest numbers add to a growing sense of gloom about the health of the UK economy in the third quarter," said Chris Williamson, chief economist at Markit.

Andrew Goodwin, senior economic advisor to the Ernst & Young ITEM Club, said the data and other industry surveys suggested there was "a tough winter in prospect" for Britain's manufacturers.

"Even on a best-case scenario it’s likely to be well into next year before manufacturers enjoy any sort of pickup," he said. more

Yetis 'do exist' -- according to Russians

Yetis do exist and live in the Siberian mountains, according to a region that has found "indisputable proof" of the existence of the hairy beasts in an expedition, it has been claimed.

The Russian coal-mining region of Kemerovo said in a statement on its website that footprints and possibly even hair samples belonging to the yeti were found on the research trip to its remote mountains.

"During the expedition to the Azasskaya cave, conference participants gathered indisputable proof that the Shoria mountains are inhabited by the 'Snow Man'," the Kemerovo region administration said.

The expedition was organised after Kemerovo's governor invited researchers from the United States, Canada, and several other countries to share their research and stories of encounters with the creature at a conference.

"They found his footprints, his supposed bed, and various markers with which the yeti marks his territory," the statement said. The collected "artifacts" will be analysed in a special laboratory, it said.

Yetis, or Abominable Snowmen, are hairy ape-like creatures of popular myth, that are generally held to inhabit the Himalayas. more

Should Occupy Wall Street instead be "Occupy Washington"?

Is the US prepared to "deal" with the Occupy Wall Street movement? Are Americans being goaded into disobedience?

Snapshots of the Occupy Wall Street protest movement: "Get out and be vocal"

Is Occupy Wall Street too disorganized and aimless to succeed?

Racing vet Dan Wheldon dies at Vegas IndyCar race

Two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Dan Wheldon died Sunday after he was involved in a multi-car wreck at an IndyCar race in Las Vegas, IndyCar CEO Randy Bernard said.

The race was stopped and the remaining drivers, many of whom were visibly emotional after emerging from a meeting with IndyCar officials, will do a five-lap salute in Wheldon's honor, Bernard told reporters.

More than a dozen cars were involved in the fiery crash. Video of the accident showed cars spinning out of control, bursting into flames, and shooting smoke and debris into the air.

Championship contender Will Power and Rookie of the Year candidate J.R. Hildebrand were also involved in the crash, according to the official Twitter page of the IZOD IndyCar Series.

Wheldon, 33, was in line to win $5 million if he captured the checkered flag at Sunday's race.

After his second Indy 500 victory, Wheldon talked with CNN's "American Morning" about the intensity of the race track.

"We're doing speeds in excess of 225 miles per hour. With this race, you never know what can happen. It's about staying focused and you really don't ever let off the power unless you have to," he said. source

As Maximus once asked the stunned masses: "Are you not entertained?"

"I AM NOT MOVING": An Occupy Wall Street short film that EVERY American and world citizen needs to watch

This video will be added to the "We are the 99%" page due to the importance of its message and the need to spread it far and wide. Share it. Send it. Repost it. Link it.

The rebellion is steadily spreading across the United States and the world. Today is it peaceful and the protestors gentle and reasonable and more than open for discussion. When at last the machinery of the world police states goes one step too far -- and it's already dangerously close to being on the edge -- the enormous crowds of today will manifest into the unfathomable mobs of tomorrow. They may not be peaceful. They may, due to hunger, desperation or exasperation, have exchanged their ballots for bullets, and their voices for war cries.

The 1% has been warned. There is absolutely no excuse they can entertain on the day of their own judgement for not having been as reasonable as the 99% once was, and their pleas will find the train long gone.

Sincerely, and in dedication of these rebellious heroes,

The Coming Crisis, and the 99%.

Comment requests have been updated!

Hello everyone, we've updated the comment requests, which can be found at the bottom of the About/Contact page. They're just minor changes, but important to know if you would like your comments to remain published after posting them.

Thanks!

--Matt

4.5 Magnitude Earthquake KEPULAUAN TALAUD, INDONESIA- 16th Oct 2011

A magnitude 4.5 earthquake has struck Kepulauan Talaud, Indonesia at a depth of 90.6 km (56.3 miles), the quake hit at 17:54:04 UTC Sunday 16th October 2011.
The epicenter was 317 km ( 197 miles) North from Ternate, Moluccas, Indonesia
No Tsunami Warning Issued - No reports of Damage or Injuries reported at this time

D-FOX: Please contact us if you can read this.

To D-fox: if you're reading this, please contact us at thecomingcrisis@gmail.com. It's important -- we believe.

UN finds 'systematic' torture in Afghanistan

A United Nations report has found "compelling evidence" that Afghan intelligence officials at five detention centres "systematically tortured detainees for the purpose of obtaining confessions and information".

In the report published on Monday, the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said torture was practised systematically in some Afghan intelligence detention centres and children were among those who had suffered.

The report singled out National Directorate Security (NDS) facilities in the provinces of Herat, Kandahar, Khost and Laghman, as well as the national headquarters of the NDS counter-terrorism department in Kabul, the Afghan capital.

"Nearly all detainees tortured by the National Directorate Security reported the abuse took place during interrogations and was aimed at obtaining a confession or information," the report said.

The findings were based on interviews, conducted from October 2010 to August 2011, with 379 pre-trial detainees and convicted prisoners at 47 detention centres across the country, the UNAMA said.

General Carsten Jacobsen, a spokesman for the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanstan, told Al Jazeera: "We knew that there were certain installations in which mistreatment was happening....which is why we stopped the transfer of detainees to certain facilities in the south."

When asked why ISAF continued to transfer detainees while knowing that torture was taking place in some of the facilities, he answered that "not the entire prison system of Afghanistan is under suspicion, and it is very clear it is in individual facilities in which this mistreatment happened there systemically." more

Fuel shortage cuts wings of Russian airlines

Russian traders are alarmed at the sudden disappearance of aviation fuel from the market.

They say a hike in prices is imminent, with a fuel deficit likely before the end of October.

The main factor behind the deficit is thought to be the growing number of passengers using airlines in Russia, whereas the oil refineries around Moscow and Moscow regions ceased operating at full capacity. Additionally, in September, the Defense Ministry made a large order for aviation fuel.

This comes just as Russia's last remaining budget airline Avianova is quitting the market. Early on Monday morning the company announced a shortage of funds had forced it to cease operations – much to the dismay of its passengers.

Avianova is not the first low-cost operator to have its wings clipped. Domestic competitor Sky Express has also struggled, a problem many attribute to conditions on the ground.

“Russia’s aviation infrastructure is not yet prepared for low-cost business models as the industry cannot provide alternative airports or fuel suppliers,” former Sky Express marketing director Max Poberezhnik, from Aviacassa.Ru, told RT. “Most of the services provided to low-cost airlines are monopolized, and as a result it’s impossible to make a ticket price significantly lower.” more

Nobel economists say euro zone needs fiscal union

Two Americans were awarded the Nobel prize for economics on Monday for work that was lauded as laying for foundation for modern macroeconomic analysis, but the two winners said they had no easy answers for the debt crisis plaguing Europe.

Christopher Sims and Thomas Sargent were awarded the prize by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences for their work that governments can use to gauge the effects of policy.

But even without any clear answers on a way out for Europe from its debt crisis, Sims said the euro zone must create a fiscal union to avoid the collapse of its common currency.

"If the euro is to survive, the euro area will have to work out a way to share fiscal burdens," Sims said in a press conference at Princeton University, where he is a professor.

Governments of the 17-nation euro zone are trying to resolve a debt crisis that threatens to spread from weaker economies in Greece, Portugal and Ireland to the region's bigger counties, including Italy. Much of Europe shares the euro currency but individual countries do not vouch for one another's debts.

The European Central Bank could need some "central fiscal backing" by euro zone countries, Sims added. more

All shelters closing in hard-hit Ishinomaki: Japan

Officials in the city of Ishinomaki in Miyagi Prefecture are closing the last remaining shelters for survivors of the March 11th earthquake and tsunami. Residents and volunteers have renewed their vow to rebuild their community.

About 50 of them gathered on Monday at one of the last remaining evacuation centers. All shelters will be closed on Tuesday because city authorities have finished building temporary housing units.

The survivors presented letters of gratitude and flowers to the volunteers who helped run the shelter. Some of them performed a traditional lion dance.

They also shared memories of the 7 months they spent at the evacuation center.

One man in his 60s said he will be sad to be separated from other survivors because they supported each other. He said he will hold onto the memory of the shelter and move forward. He also vowed to make a fresh start and return to where he used to live.

Ishinomaki is one of the areas in Japan's northeast that was hit hardest by the earthquake and tsunami. About 50,000 people were staying at the city's 250 evacuation centers at one point. source

Dad Taking Photos of Daughter Is Banned From Braehead Mall on Terror Concerns

A father taking pictures of his daughter at a shopping center near Glasgow, Scotland, says he was banned from the mall and threatened with having his camera phone confiscated in the interest of preventing terrorism when he refused to delete the photos.

Chris White, 45, says police were called last week after he took photos of his 4-year-old daughter, Hazel, eating ice cream at Braehead shopping center, and a security guard approached him and asked him to delete the pictures and then banned him from the mall, the Daily Record reports.

The security guard allegedly told White that taking photos in the shopping center is "illegal" and that security could confiscate White's camera phone under the Prevention of Terrorism Act.

"I explained I had taken two photos of my daughter eating ice cream and that she was the only person in the photo, so I didn't see any problem," White said.

"I also said that I wasn't that willing to delete the photos and there seemed little point as I had actually uploaded them to Facebook."

Police arrived on the scene shortly afterward.

White says one of the police officers was "quite intimidating," but allowed him to keep his camera phone in exchange for offering his full details, including name, place of birth, age, employment status and address. more

$1.9 million in overtime to police NY 'occupy' protest

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

As the protest on Wall Street enters its fourth week, police officers are keeping their posts around the perimeter of the park at the center of it all. And with no end in sight, the cost of constant police surveillance will continue to rise at a time when Mayor Michael Bloomberg has ordered citywide budget cuts.

The NYPD has already spent $1.9 million, mostly in overtime pay, to patrol the area near Zuccotti Park, where hundreds of protesters have camped out for several weeks. Though cold weather is on the way in, protesters don't plan on leaving anytime soon. They're prepared to stay put for the long haul.

"The bottom line is that people want to express themselves, and as long as they obey the laws, we allow them to," Bloomberg told reporters Monday when asked about the protesters' staying power. "If they break the laws, then we're going to do what we're supposed to do — enforce the laws."

Last week, Bloomberg ordered all agencies to prepare to cut expenses by a total of $2 billion during the next 18 months. Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said the budget cuts may cause the cancellation of a new class of police officers entering the academy in January. more

Chinese village unveils skyscraper taller than the Chrysler Building

A once-sleepy village in the countryside of eastern China celebrated its 50th anniversary Saturday by unveiling an incongruous addition to its skyline: a skyscraper taller than the Chrysler Building.

The 74-story Longxi International Hotel towers 328 meters (1,076 feet) above the village of Huaxi and cost 3 billion yuan ($472 million) to build, according to the state-owned China Daily newspaper. View gallery here

If not nuclear, then what?

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Ocean trawl reveals 'megavirus'

The largest virus yet discovered has been isolated from ocean water pulled up off the coast of Chile.

Called Megavirus chilensis, it is 10 to 20 times wider than the average virus.

It just beats the previous record holder, Mimivirus, which was found in a water cooling tower in the UK in 1992.

Scientists tell the journal PNAS that Megavirus probably infects amoebas, single-celled organisms that are floating free in the sea.

The particle measures about 0.7 micrometres (thousandths of a millimetre) in diameter.

"It is bigger than some bacteria," explained Prof Jean-Michel Claverie, from Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France.

"You don't need an electron microscope to see it; you can see it with an ordinary light microscope," he told BBC News.

Viruses cannot copy themselves; they need to invade a host cell if they want to replicate.

Like Mimivirus, Megavirus has hair-like structures, or fibrils, on the exterior of its shell, or capsid, that probably attract unsuspecting amoebas looking to prey on bacteria displaying similar features.

A study of the giant virus's DNA shows it to have more than a thousand genes, the biochemical instructions it uses to build the systems it requires to replicate once inside its host. more

The Search for a More Perfect Kilogram

The official US kilogram — the physical prototype against which all weights in the United States are calibrated — cannot be touched by human hands except in rare circumstances. Sealed beneath a bell jar and locked behind three heavy doors in a laboratory 60 feet under the headquarters of the National Institute of Standards and Technology 20 miles outside Washington, DC, the shiny metal cylinder is, in many ways, better protected than the president.

“Everything is a potential contaminant,” says Patrick Abbott, a NIST physicist responsible for maintaining it. “There are hydrocarbons on people. There’s water in the air.”

The American prototype is one of some four dozen such national standards around the world, and each of those, in turn, is accountable to an even higher authority: a regal artifact called the international prototype kilogram. Familiarly known as Le Grand K and held in a vault just outside of Paris under three bell jars, it dates back to the 1880s, when it was forged by the British metallurgist George Matthey from an alloy of nine-tenths platinum and one-tenth iridium. As a metric unit, the kilogram is “equal to the mass of the international prototype,” according to the official definition. In other words, as metrologists like to point out, it has the remarkable property of never gaining or losing mass. By definition, any physical change to it alters the mass of everything in the cosmos. more

Fukushima, Japan still spewing radiation worldwide

Japan: New Radiation Limits set Fukushima

Senate Bill 510: Organic Farmer Fined 5000 For Growing Crops On Own Land

Why Israel can't be a 'Jewish State'

The Israeli government's current mantra is that the Palestinians must recognise a "Jewish State". Of course, the Palestinians have clearly and repeatedly recognised the State of Israel as such in the 1993 Oslo Accords (which were based on an Israeli promise to establish a Palestinian state within five years - a promise now shattered) and many times since. Recently, however, Israeli leaders have dramatically and unilaterally moved the goal-posts and are now clamouring that Palestinians must recognise Israel as a "Jewish State".

In 1946, the Anglo-American Committee of Inquiry concluded that the demand for a "Jewish State" was not part of the obligations of the Balfour Declaration or the British Mandate. Even in the First Zionist Congress in Basel in 1897, when Zionists sought to "establish a home for the Jewish people", there was no reference of a "Jewish State". The Zionist Organisation preferred at first to use the description "Jewish homeland" or "Jewish Commonwealth". Many pioneering Zionist leaders, such as Judah Magnes and Martin Buber also avoided the clear and explicit term "Jewish State" for their project of a homeland for Jews, and preferred instead the concept of a democratic bi-national state.

Today, however, demands for a "Jewish State" from Israeli politicians are growing without giving thought to what this might mean, and its supporters claim that it would be as natural as calling France a French State. However, if we consider the subject dispassionately, the idea of a "Jewish State" is logically and morally problematic because of its legal, religious, historical and social implications. The implications of this term therefore need to be spelled out, and we are sure that once they are, most people - and most Israeli citizens, we trust - will not accept these implications. more

The class warfare the rich don't understand

There have been rumblings in the corners of the Tea party movement for some time, but the minute president Obama announced that he was going to ask wealthy Americans to kick in a small bit more in taxes to help pay for some infrastructure improvements in his jobs proposal, the Republicans have been clutching their pearls and gasping for breath like Aunt Pittypat awaiting the arrival of the marauding Yankees.

GOP leader Rush Limbaugh called for the smelling salts, saying "If [Obama] would get all of this actually passed, it would represent perhaps a fatal blow to the US private sector ... I don't know how anyone could even argue about the fact that this is on purpose anymore. To boldly lie that it's not class warfare? It is class warfare. Specifically and purposefully class warfare."

Republican economic guru Paul Ryan dolefully declared, "Class warfare may make for good politics, but it makes for rotten economics. We don't need a system that seeks to divide people. We don't need a system that seeks to prey on people's fear, envy, and anxiety." Indeed. What could be more destructive to the average American than to ask the upper one per cent to kick in what amounts to tip money? The guilt they will feel at such unfairness is bound to create a profound spiritual crisis throughout the land. more

4.6 Magnitude Earthquake FOX ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA - 16th Oct 2011

A magnitude 4.6 earthquake has struck the Fox Islands, Aleutian Islands, Alaska at a depth of 54.6 km (33.9 miles), the quake hit at 17:33:12 UTC Sunday 16th October 2011.
The epicenter was 165 km ( 102 miles) East of Atka, Alaska
No Tsunami Warning Issued - No reports of Damage or Injuries reported at this time

5.4 Magnitude Earthquake SIMEULUE, INDONESIA - 16th Oct 2011

A magnitude 5.4 earthquake has struck Simeulue, Indonesia at a depth of 45.8 km (28.5 miles), the quake hit at 17:16:21 UTC Sunday 16th October 2011.
The epicenter was 192 km ( 119 miles) South of Meulaboh, Indonesia
No Tsunami Warning Issued - No reports of Damage or Injuries reported at this time

Occupy Italy: Infiltrators/Provocateurs Hijack Rally in Rome - 16th Oct 2011

Kenyan Forces 'Hunting Rebels In Somalia' - 16th Oct 2011

Kenyan troops have crossed the border into war-torn Somalia in pursuit of Islamist rebels suspected of a spate of kidnappings, according to reports.

The al Shabaab group is accused of being behind several recent attacks on foreigners in Kenya, including an incident in September when a British man was killed and his wife taken hostage.

Judith Tebbutt, 56, was taken from the Kiwayu Safari Village after her husband David, 58, was murdered.

Reports said Kenyan military forces entered southern Somalia on Sunday and were "pursuing al Shabaab across the border".

It comes a day after Kenya's minister of internal security George Saitoti told a news conference that his nation would hunt down the Islamist militia.

"For the first time our country is threatened with the most serious level of terrorism," he said. Read More

TO THE PEOPLE OF EARTH: The Time for a Revolution is Now!

Occupy Madrid: this is how it is done - 15th Oct 2011

5.2 Magnitude Earthquake NORTHERN XINJIANG, CHINA - 16th Oct 2011

A magnitude 5.2 earthquake has struck Northern Xinjiang, China at a depth of 45.3 km (28.1 miles), the quake hit at 13:44:50 UTC Sunday 16th October 2011.
The epicenter was 122 km ( 75 miles) ENE of Yining, Xinjiang, China
No reports of Damage or Injuries reported at this time

4.7 Magnitude Earthquake NORTH OF ASCENSION ISLAND - 16th Oct 2011

A magnitude 4.7 earthquake has struck North of the Ascension Island at a depth of 9.9 km (6.2 miles), the quake hit at 12:39:10 UTC Sunday 16th October 2011.
The epicenter was 644 km ( 400 miles) NNE of Ascension Island
No Tsunami Warning Issued - No reports of Damage or Injuries reported at this time

CityBank New York Close Your Bank Account and Get Arrested! - 15th Oct 2011

IMPORTANT VIDEO: The link to this was sent in by a concerned reader

Earthquake activity not being reported Megler, Washington - 16th Oct 2011

For the past two weeks the Seismic Station in Megler, Washington has picked up a severe Increased in activity. We know that many earthquakes go unreported or get downgraded upgraded or disappear after they have been listed.

Although there is some slight rumbling on the other stations around Alaska and the Northwest Coast nothing like this spike of activity showing during the past 2 weeks at the Megler, Washington Station.

It has calmed down from this morning, however why have none of these earthquakes been recorded or listed?

Fukushima: Rainfall brings Re-contamination - 16th Oct 2011

As the crisis at the Fukushima No. 1 Nuclear Plant drags on, worries are growing particularly among Fukushima Prefecture residents over drawn-out and in some cases apparently futile nuclear decontamination operations.

The unease is especially strong in areas in and around mountains that must be repeatedly decontaminated, as every rainfall brings a new batch of radioactive substance-contaminated leaves and soil washing down from the hills. Since some 70 percent of Fukushima Prefecture is mountainous, such instances of regular recontamination could occur over a broad area, while the same effect has also been observed in some undeveloped areas of cities.

The central government is considering paying for any decontamination operations conducted by local governments at sites with radiation emissions of 1 millisievert per year or more, but residents in places faced with regular recontamination after every major rainfall are concerned the national government may not keep the cleanup funding flowing.

The city of Fukushima decontaminated its Onami and Watari district in July and August after a surge in local radiation levels. In the week following the end of the operation, the city took fresh radiation readings at 885 points, of which seven actually registered levels exceeding those found before the decontamination. One gutter measured even showed a rise from 3.67 microsieverts per hour before the cleanup to 4.63 after the work.

"Radiation increased close to the mountains and in spots where water and soil washed down the slopes," the Fukushima Municipal Government stated. Read More

Fukushima Radiation sickness spreading to Tokyo, Government Researchers Claim "Public Paranoia"

5.0 Magnitude Earthquake OFFSHORE VALPARAISO, CHILE - 16th Oct 2011

A magnitude 5.0 earthquake has struck offshore Valparaiso, Chile at a depth of 37.6 km (23.3 miles), the quake hit at 10:39:47 UTC Sunday 16th October 2011.
The epicenter was 66 km ( 41 miles) North from Valparaiso, Chile
No Tsunami Warning Issued - No reports of Damage or Injuries reported at this time

1250 dead birds recovered so far as Salvage workers work overnight to pump oil off stricken ship, New Zealand - 16th Oct 2011

Salvage workers are pumping oil off the stricken container ship Rena and will continue working overnight on Sunday.

The ship has been wedged on Astrolabe Reef since 5 October and about 350 tonnes of fuel has spilled so far, polluting the ocean and nearby Bay of Plenty beaches.

For the last two days salvage crews have been in a race against time, preparing to pump the remaining 1300 tonnes of heavy fuel oil off the Rena before it breaks up.

A spokesperson for Svitzer Salvage, Matthew Watson, says the plan is to have as few people as possible working to reduce the number at risk.

Mr Watson says changing weather conditions, coupled with the tilt of the fractured ship and oil-splashed surfaces, make it a risky operation.

Maritime New Zealand's salvage co-ordinator Bruce Anderson says he received a plan from the salvage crew that will allow them to stay on the vessel overnight and all of Monday. Read More

**

Maritime New Zealand has acknowledged another oil release is likely at some stage because of Rena's position on the Astrolabe Reef.

There have been 1250 dead birds recovered so far.

A total of 181 birds, including 143 little blue penguins, have been taken to the Oiled Wildlife Recovery Centre.

Maritime New Zealand says anyone who discovers wildlife affected by the oil spill should contact the Wildlife Response Team.

Maritime New Zealand says close to 5000 people have now volunteered to help clean up oil which has washed up from the Rena. Read More

4.7 Magnitude Earthquake SOUTH OF THE FIJI ISLANDS - 16th Oct 2011

A magnitude 4.7 earthquake has struck South of the Fiji Islands at a depth of 229.2 km (142.4 miles), the quake hit at 10:22:18 UTC Sunday 16th October 2011.
The epicenter was 447 km ( 278 miles) Southwest of Nuku'Alofa, Tonga
No Tsunami Warning Issued - No reports of Damage or Injuries reported at this time

New England seacoast seeing harbor seal die-off, cause unknown - 16th Oct 2011

A total of 94 harbor seals have washed up along the New England coast from Maine to just north of Boston since Sept. 1, and officials have no idea why, according to a spokesperson from the New England Aquarium in Boston.

The unusual spectacle grabbed everyone's attention around Sept. 29, according to Tony Lacasse, spokesperson for the New England Aquarium, when surfers at Rye Beach noticed a group of deal harbor seals washed ashore.

"When we sent a veterinarian, they found six dead harbor seals," Lacasse said. "Some had been dead a couple weeks some had been dead a couple days."

That particular day was a lunar high tide, with big surf, according to Lacasse, who said that all the flotsam, a piece of pier, or a carcass would all come up at the same time.

"Two carcasses were fresh," Lacasse said. "The very first thing we ruled out was foul play. A lot of harbor seal pups come up dead."

Harbor seal pups have a 30 percent mortality rate, he said. "By the end of July they are on their own, and don't have the foraging skills to survive."

Lacasse said that 98 percent of the dead harbor seals have been one year old harbor pups, also called "young of the year." Read More

5.5 Magnitude Earthquake KURIL ISLANDS, RUSSIA - 16th Oct 2011

A magnitude 5.5 earthquake has struck the Kuril Islands, Russia at a depth of 119 km (73.9 miles), the quake hit at 09:47:13 UTC Sunday 16th October 2011.
The epicenter was 380 km ( 236 miles) Southwest of Severo-Kuril'sk. Kuril Islands, Russia
No Tsunami Warning Issued - No reports of Damage or Injuries reported at this time

4.7 Magnitude Earthquake OFF THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN - 16th Oct 2011

A magnitude 4.7 earthquake has struck off the East Coast of Honshu, Japan at a depth of 12.3 km (7.6 miles), the quake hit at 09:46:01 UTC Sunday 16th October 2011.
The epicenter was 156 km ( 96 miles) East of Mito, Honshu, Japan
No Tsunami Warning Issued - No reports of Damage or Injuries reported at this time

'Fox Adviser' Fraud Probe' being Considered by the Police - 16th Oct 2011

Detectives are to consider whether to investigate Adam Werritty - the friend of former defence secretary Liam Fox - over allegations of fraud.

Labour MP John Mann said he had written to police to look at whether Mr Werritty and the former minister had broken the law.

He told the Sunday Telegraph: "Mr Werritty gave out business cards saying he was an adviser to Dr Fox.

"If that is not the case and he was getting money - for whatever purpose - by misrepresenting his relationship with the defence secretary, that cannot be right."

A City of London Police spokesman confirmed the force had received an allegation of fraud.

Sky reporter Mark Stone said: "At this stage we do not know how much evidence the police will be able to mount and whether there is a case to answer."

Dr Fox is also facing more pressure over his involvement in soliciting donations for a company that funded Mr Werritty.

Prominent Tory backers have reportedly complained that Mr Fox "misled" them about how the money would be used. Read More

El Hierro Update: scientists claim that evolution of the volcanic eruption may have four phases after Third Eruption occured - 15th Oct 2011

Scientists at the National Geographic Institute (IGN) and National Research Center have confirmed, in the afternoon today, the leadership of the Civil Protection Plan for Volcanic Risk, a fissure eruption type submarine in shallow waters.

the researchers IGN-CSIC, spotted at the inspection carried out from a helicopter in the header area of ​​the spot, about 2,400 meters from the nearest point on the coast, numerous steaming lava fragments in suspension , in an area of ​​approximately 100 meters and surrounded by rows of gas bubbles. Also have observed a change in the color of the head, and this is more dark and turbulent aspect. This would mean that the eruption is occurring within 150 feet deep.

With this information, the direction of the Plan gave the order to close off access to the village of La Restinga, and prohibit air and sea traffic in the area. In this sense, Professor Ignacio Lozano vessel ceased research and returned to port.

Evening Update:

The culmination of all of them depend on the amount of magma expelled

Scientists at the National Geographic Institute (IGN) and the Centro Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), have confirmed, this afternoon (Saturday 15^th October 2011), the eruptive process of El Hierro is a surtseyana like rash, consisting of four phases. However, they said that the completion of these depend on the amount of magma that is expelled by the volcano.

As explained by the coordinator of the team of scientists from CSIC, Ramon Ortiz, the first phase, the effects have been seen today, is the expulsion of "lava bubbles that carry gas and once they break the surfice." In a second stage, according to Ortiz, "you will see a white column of steam" that will give way to the third phase to be observed "black colored explosions known as rooster tails." Finally, you can view "the growth of a small island where a fountain of lava flow type pump".

Ramon Ortiz also said that the diameter of the mouth of the volcano should be about one meter in diameter and it has caused a strain on the island of about five centimeters. He said that the eruption will be visible when you are 60 meters deep.

As you may recall, the Canary Islands Government raised the emergency red light, Level 1, in which, in addition to the mandatory evacuations, mobilization of the necessary resources for intervention activities and logistics have been activated. This was transmitted PEVOLCA \nd address to the people of La Restinga, which must follow the recommendations of the authorities and members of civil protection.

For his part, Director General of Security and Emergency, Juan Manuel Santana, announced that Sunday 16^th October 2011 will bring another meeting of the Steering Committee PEVOLCA, which is to be attended by President of the Government, Paulino Rivero, and the director and adviser Plan Economy, Finance and Security, Javier Ortiz. The meeting will take place at 13:00 pm in the City of El Pinar. Source

Pilot and passenger Die as they crash into forested area in Switzerland - 15th Oct 2011

Swiss police said Saturday that a pilot and a passenger died after their Piper aircraft crashed in a forested area in the country's northwest.

Canton Police said a 29-year-old British resident and a 40-year-old resident of Neuchatel, Switzerland, died in Friday's crash in the outskirts if the village of Fontaines-sur-Grandson, in Canton of Vaud.

The aircraft, a registered Piper, had taken off from the airfield of Colombier was heading to Amiens, France. The plane lost contact with air traffic control 30 minutes after take-off, police said.

Police did not offer any additional information about the two victims.

The cause of the accident remained unknown. Police asked potential witnesses to call a hotline. Source

Death toll from 2 months of lashing rain rises to 297 in Thailand - 16th Oct 2011

The death toll from the worst floods in half a century to hit Thailand continues to rise.

By early Sunday morning, the number stood at 297 from two months of lashing rain, with more than 8.5 million in 61 provinces affected by the rising waters, authorities said.

More rain was predicted for Sunday in some provinces and in the capital city, Bangkok.

In the ancient city of Ayutthara, one of the worst-hit regions, military trucks moved slowly down the main street, cutting through a constant river of water, passing out aid to those who can get close.

Anyone with a boat used it to transport aid or to help neighbors carry their possessions from flooded houses. Others used rubber tires of slabs of Styrofoam.

In Bangkok, crews worked feverishly, widening canals and strengthening flood barriers to protect the city.

"I have to say here that there is a lot of water coming to Bangkok but the situation not critical yet," said Bangkok Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra. Read More

Russian Kids make their own Insane bungy jump

Handyman quizzed in disappearance of Baby Lisa as National Guard join hunt for the missing child -16th Oct 2011

A handyman is being questioned in connection with the disappearance of baby Lisa.

Johnny Tanko was seen in the neighbourhood the night 10-month-old Lisa Irwin was reported missing from her crib at her parents' Kansas City home.

The odd job man, known locally as 'Jersey' was arrested on unrelated charges and is now being questioned as to Baby Lisa's whereabouts, NBC station KSNW reported. He is not a suspect in the case.

The new lead comes as the National Guard were called in to help with the search.

Missouri Governor Jay Nixon has ordered the deployment of 25 members of the Guard's Military Police Company to join the hunt for the missing child today.

The baby's mysterious disappearance on October 4 has gripped the nation for the last 12 days.

But with no suspects the family have been growing increasingly desperate for new leads.

Diapers found at an empty house near Baby Lisa's home have been there for some time, authorities said yesterday.

Police will continue to investigate a backpack found alongside the diapers, Kansas City Police Department's Steve Young said, according to Fox News. Read More

Occupy the world: Rome burns as Wall Street protests spread over globe and dozens held after 20,000 take over Times Square

More than 70 people were arrested in New York's Times Square as protesters jostled with police on Saturday after thousands marched from the city's Financial District to midtown Manhattan.

The protesters swamped the iconic square, stopping traffic as the numbers swelled to 20,0000 in what was thought to be the largest Occupy demonstration in the U.S. so far.

The arrests marred what police said was a largely orderly march, one day after the privately-owned Zuccotti Park's landlord backed down from an attempt to move the demonstration.

Many of the protesters in Times Square came from around the country and did not come up from the encampment.

The New York demonstration came as protesters held marches across the world. In Rome shop windows were smashed, reporters attacked and cars torched as the global 'day of rage' erupted into violence.

Hundreds of thousands of people gathered at more than 950 demonstrations in more than 80 countries as protesters marked four weeks since the rallies against the global financial system began. Read More

300.000 Babies Stolen and Sold: BBC exposes 50-year scandal of baby trafficking by the Catholic church in Spain

Up to 300,000 Spanish babies were stolen from their parents and sold for adoption over a period of five decades, a new investigation reveals.

The children were trafficked by a secret network of doctors, nurses, priests and nuns in a widespread practice that began during General Franco’s dictatorship and continued until the early Nineties.

Hundreds of families who had babies taken from Spanish hospitals are now battling for an official government investigation into the scandal.
Several mothers say they were told their first-born children had died during or soon after they gave birth.

But the women, often young and unmarried, were told they could not see the body of the infant or attend their burial.

In reality, the babies were sold to childless couples whose devout beliefs and financial security meant that they were seen as more appropriate parents. Read More

Global Revolution: Anti-Greed Demos Go On Amid Global Protests - 16th Oct 2011

Anti-capitalist protesters in London continued their demonstrations through the night as the movement that began in New York spread worldwide.

Thousands had flocked to the area around the London Stock Exchange in an effort to replicate the growing protests taking place in the US' financial centre, Wall Street.

The day of global action saw violent clashes in Italian capital Rome, with demonstrations inspired by the movement also starting in New Zealand, parts of Asia and elsewhere in Europe.

Thousands took to the streets in cities including Frankfurt, Berlin, Vienna, Lisbon, Paris, Auckland and Tokyo.

Around 5,000 people also marched at the scene of the initial Occupy Wall Street protests in New York.

In London, protesters pitched tents outside St Paul's Cathedral as night fell, after police cordoned off the home of the Stock Exchange in Paternoster Square.

Scotland Yard had said it would be "illegal and disrespectful" to camp in front of the cathedral, where Wikileaks founder Julian Assange was among several people who addressed the crowd

But a spokesman for the Metropolitan Police later said: "We are not going to move anyone at this time." Read More