Africa

U.S. defense officials have told The Daily Beast that the Obama administration has turned down Pentagon plans to go after ISIS/Islamic State in Libya. The Islamic State is gaining ground in Libya and Sirte, the former dictator Muammar Gaddafi’s home city, is now the epicenter for the terror group in Libya and north Africa. The Daily Beast reports: In recent weeks, the U.S. military—led by its Africa and Special Operations Commands—have pushed for more airstrikes and the deployment of elite troops, particularly in the city of Sirte.

The news keeps getting better for Donald Trump, a man who is fortunate in his critics and enemies:

Inserting himself into the Republican presidential race, Pope Francis on Wednesday suggested that Donald J. Trump “is not Christian” because of the harshness of his campaign promises to deport more immigrants and force Mexico to pay for a wall along the border.

How quickly the official narrative changes.

Just several months ago, in October, we reported that the now-rattled largest European bank, Deutsche Bank, boosted its forecast for German 2016 GDP to 1.9% from 1.7% saying that "although the external and the financial environment have deteriorated we have lifted our 2016 GDP call... drivers are stronger real consumption growth due to lower oil prices/stronger EUR and the surge in immigration."

Submitted by Constantin Gurdgiev via True Economics blog,

Global growth leading indicators are screaming it, Baltic Dry Index is screaming it, PMIs are screaming it, BRICS are living it, and now Ifo surveys are showing it: global economy is heading into a storm.

The latest warning is from the Ifo World Economic Climate Index.

Per Ifo release:

Submitted by Dalan McEndree via OilPrice.com,