United States

• Global share market settles after stormy start to year (Reuters)
• Stocks Extend Losses as Yen, Gold Rise on Lingering China Unease (BBG)
• China battles to shore up stocks, yuan after globe-shaking slide (Reuters)
• China Said to Intervene in Stocks After $590 Billion Selloff (BBG)
• Volkswagen faces billions in penalties as U.S. sues for environment violations (Reuters)
• Obama tightens gun rules, requires more background checks (Reuters)
• Obama to Announce Expansion of Background Checks for Gun Purchases (WSJ)

After yesterday's historic -6.9% rout in the Shanghai Composite, which saw the first new marketwide circuit breaker trading halt applied to Chinese stocks (on its first day of operation), many were wondering if the Chinese government would intervene in both the once again imploding stock market, as well as China's plunging and rapidly devaluing currency.

THE DRAIN CONTINUES: U.S. Exports More Gold To Hong Kong Than It Produces

Posted with permission and written by Steve St. Angelo, SRSrocco (CLICK FOR ORIGINAL)

Submitted by John Whitehead via The Rutherford Institute,

“When it gets down to having to use violence, then you are playing the system’s game. The establishment will irritate you – pull your beard, flick your face – to make you fight. Because once they’ve got you violent, then they know how to handle you. The only thing they don’t know how to handle is non-violence and humor.”

- John Lennon

Yes, the government is corrupt.

Submitted by Michael Lebowitz via 720Global.com,

“It’s self-defeating to use the wrong monetary policy.”  -Ben Bernanke