Roberto Abraham Scaruffi

Eurasia Review: News & Analysis

---

• India’s RAW Operations In South Asian Countries – OpEd
• How Far Right Will Anti-Obama Pendulum Sway? – OpEd
• Snobby Political Parties Spin Out Of The Box – OpEd
• India’s Billy Graham Laid To Rest
• Iran Viewpoint: Morsi’s Presence In Tehran: Reasons And Consequences – OpEd
• Iran’s Military Chief Wants To Sue U.S. Treasury
• Legal Trade In Small Arms Doubles In Six Years
• Dagestan: Spiritual Leader Of Muslims Killed In Suicide Blast
• How The Private Sector Didn’t Solve Ghana’s Water Crisis – OpEd
• Cooler Waters Help Diminish Hurricane Isaac’s Punch
• WSN Action Plan No. 2 For Syria: New Democratic Constitution, Cut Diplomatic Relations, Sea-Blockade – OpEd
• Israel’s Contested Space In Historical Perspective – Analysis
• Can NAM Leaders Reduce Distances Between US And Iran? – Analysis
• Economic Cold War: Russia And US Battle For Influence In Western Hemisphere – Analysis
• Peru Confronts Its Past – Analysis
• Forest Management For A Changing World
• Green Tea Extract Powerful New Weapon In Cancer Treatment Armoury?
• Germany’s New ‘Renewable’ Energy Policy – OpEd
• Kindle-Only E-Books Purchases, Downloads Hit 100 Million
• Iran: Proposed Penal Code Deeply Flawed
• Burma: Government Removes More Than 2000 Names From ‘Blacklist’
• Cardinal Dolan To Close Democrat Convention – OpEd
• Hydraulic Fracturing: Critical For Energy Production, Jobs, And Economic Growth – Analysis
• EPA Fuel Efficiency Standards: Goals Are Not Policies – OpEd
• The Two Parties’ Challenges In Paul Ryan – Analysis
• Norway Energy Profile: Europe’s Largest Oil Producer – Analysis
• European Court Of Human Rights Hears Tymoshenko Case
• US: Romney Secures Republican Presidential Nomination
• How Romney Keeps Lying Through His Big White Teeth – OpEd
• Resilience Amidst Conflict: Women Of Kashmir – Analysis

India’s RAW Operations In South Asian Countries – OpEd Posted: 28 Aug 2012 09:59 PM PDT By Isha Khan India’s premier intelligence outfit Research and Analysis Wing (RAW)’s operations against the regional countries are conducted with great professional skill and expertise. Central to the operations is the establishment of a huge network inside the target countries. It uses and targets political dissent, ethnic divisions, economic backwardness and criminal elements within these [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.

How Far Right Will Anti-Obama Pendulum Sway? – OpEd Posted: 28 Aug 2012 09:41 PM PDT By Boris Volkhonsky One of the latest surprises in US cultural life is the unexpected success a new documentary “2016: Obama’s America” had at the box offices over the past weekend. The film based on a book by a famous conservative author and film maker Dinesh D’Souza who once served as Ronald Reagan’s policy advisor [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.

Snobby Political Parties Spin Out Of The Box – OpEd Posted: 28 Aug 2012 09:37 PM PDT By Maria Ivanova In an age where everyone wants to be young, politicians quickly figured out that speaking to the young meant reaching the whole population. The revolutionary first term pre-election campaign of the acting U.S. President Barack Obama demonstrated the power of appealing to the younger (and youngish) generation. Obama’s spin-doctors used the digital [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.

India’s Billy Graham Laid To Rest Posted: 28 Aug 2012 09:28 PM PDT By Bijay Kumar Minj Hundreds of mourners yesterday braved heavy rains to attend the burial of world renowned Indian evangelist, who championed the cause of persecuted Christians in Muslim and communist countries. Peramangalam Porinju Job, who was known as India’s Billy Graham, was buried at York Cemetery, New Delhi. Job died of heart attack Aug. [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.

Iran Viewpoint: Morsi’s Presence In Tehran: Reasons And Consequences – OpEd Posted: 28 Aug 2012 09:24 PM PDT By Davoud Ahmadzadeh Holding of the 16th summit meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) in Tehran is one of the biggest international events which Iran has hosted following the Islamic Revolution and is a good opportunity to promote Iran’s diplomatic might and reduce regional tensions. Iran has, therefore, set its eyes on further expansion of [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.

Iran’s Military Chief Wants To Sue U.S. Treasury Posted: 28 Aug 2012 09:21 PM PDT The Chief of General Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces says he is going to file a suit against the U.S. Treasury for blacklisting him. General Hassan Firouzabadi told the Fars News Agency on Sunday: “I want to file suit against the U.S. Treasury to see in what way they oppose humanitarian service and efforts [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.

Legal Trade In Small Arms Doubles In Six Years Posted: 28 Aug 2012 09:18 PM PDT By Rita Emch The legal international trade in small arms, light weapons, their parts and ammunition is worth at least $8.5 billion (SFr8.15 billion) annually, according to the Swiss-led Small Arms Survey 2012. This figure, released on Monday at the United Nations in New York, is more than double the previous estimate from 2006. According [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.

Dagestan: Spiritual Leader Of Muslims Killed In Suicide Blast Posted: 28 Aug 2012 09:14 PM PDT A Muslim leader of the Russian Republic of Dagestan has been assassinated in his home, according to law enforcement sources. Sheikh Said Afandi died after a suicide bomber apparently set off an explosive device in his house. ­According to police officers on the ground, at least six other people died in the blast, including the [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.

How The Private Sector Didn’t Solve Ghana’s Water Crisis – OpEd Posted: 28 Aug 2012 09:11 PM PDT By Judith Amanthis Seventy percent of Ghanaian homes don’t have a WC or a pit latrine. Piped water, if you have it at all, is intermittent, so water in your tap depends on whether you can afford a domestic reservoir. In 2005, the World Bank secured a private sector solution to the water crisis in [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.

Cooler Waters Help Diminish Hurricane Isaac’s Punch Posted: 28 Aug 2012 09:06 PM PDT Seven years after the powerful Category 3 Hurricane Katrina caused widespread devastation along the Gulf Coast, a Category 1 Hurricane Isaac, with maximum sustained winds of 80 miles per hour (70 knots), is making landfall today in southeast Louisiana. And one of the reasons why Isaac is not Katrina is the path it took across [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.

WSN Action Plan No. 2 For Syria: New Democratic Constitution, Cut Diplomatic Relations, Sea-Blockade – OpEd Posted: 28 Aug 2012 08:59 PM PDT By Dr. Hubertus Hoffmann One year ago, very early compared to other actors, (when “only” 1,000 civilians had been killed – the figure is now more than 20,000) the World Security Network presented on August 11, 2011 “Proposals for Innovative Actions in Syria”to stop the killing: “The continuation of the killing of more than 1000 [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.

Israel’s Contested Space In Historical Perspective – Analysis Posted: 28 Aug 2012 08:43 PM PDT By Jeremy Black In a crowded world employing precise means of measurement in order to define and represent boundaries, it is understandable that the past is scrutinized to provide historical credence for such frontiers. However, for most of human history, major empires, instead of clear lines, had zones of authority in their border areas, zones [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.

Can NAM Leaders Reduce Distances Between US And Iran? – Analysis Posted: 28 Aug 2012 08:38 PM PDT By Saeed Naqvi When this writer returned from Teheran after the Ayatullahs had securely entrenched themselves, the New Delhi Bureau Chief of the New York Times asked me with touching innocence: “Who are Shias?” In other words, a foreign correspondent from as respected a publication as NYT did not in the eighties know Shias as [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.

Economic Cold War: Russia And US Battle For Influence In Western Hemisphere – Analysis Posted: 28 Aug 2012 08:36 PM PDT By Darya Vakulenko The current economic competition between the Russian Federation and the United States in the Western Hemisphere bears striking similarity to the political antagonism prevalent during the Cold War. This deep seated rivalry still influences world affairs, as the United Nations Security Council cannot enact any major decision without an agreement between those [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.

Peru Confronts Its Past – Analysis Posted: 28 Aug 2012 07:45 PM PDT By W. Alex Sanchez Nations trying to come to terms with violence from their recent pasts have a difficult road ahead, and the Andean country of Peru is no exception. The country is grappling with a host of issues stemming from its violent struggle against insurgent movements in the 1980s and 1990s. In the short [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.

Forest Management For A Changing World Posted: 28 Aug 2012 07:38 PM PDT (CORDIS) — When it comes to devising a forest management strategy, recommendations for rotation lengths, thinning years and thinning intensities are usually made. However, a new EU-funded study from Finnish researchers now suggests that in light of uncertain growth and economic conditions, these methods may no longer be the most effective. Writing in the journal [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.

Green Tea Extract Powerful New Weapon In Cancer Treatment Armoury? Posted: 28 Aug 2012 07:35 PM PDT (CORDIS) — A team of Scottish researchers has successfully used a chemical compound found in green tea to treat two types of skin cancer. The researchers, from the Universities of Strathclyde and Glasgow, developed a specific method for applying the extract, known as epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), directly to tumours. Writing in the journal Nanomedicine, the [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.

Germany’s New ‘Renewable’ Energy Policy – OpEd Posted: 28 Aug 2012 07:31 PM PDT Wind and solar power + soaring electricity prices = outsourced jobs + more coal burning. Meanwhile, eco activists demand “sustainable lifestyles” – for other people By Kelvin Kemm It is amazing how biased the international media is when it comes to reporting on energy generation, specifically electricity. In mid-August, Germany opened a new 2200MW coal-fired [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.

Kindle-Only E-Books Purchases, Downloads Hit 100 Million Posted: 28 Aug 2012 07:23 PM PDT Kindle owners have been busy since the debut of the Kindle Lending Library last November, purchasing, downloading, or borrowing titles more than 100 million times, PC Magazine reports. Amazon announced the milestone on Tuesday, Aug 28 citing popular Kindle-only titles like Helen Bryan’sWar Brides, which has been purchased or borrowed more than 270,000 times, and [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.

Iran: Proposed Penal Code Deeply Flawed Posted: 28 Aug 2012 07:20 PM PDT Proposed amendments to Iran’s penal code would violate the rights of accused people and criminal defendants, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today. Iranian authorities should suspend enactment of the proposed amendments and undertake a major overhaul of the country’s abusive penal laws. The 48-page report, “Codifying Repression: An Assessment of Iran’s New [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.

Burma: Government Removes More Than 2000 Names From ‘Blacklist’ Posted: 28 Aug 2012 07:18 PM PDT More than 2,000 names have been excised from Burma’s blacklist, according to a report published in state newspaper The New Light of Myanmar. However, 4,083 names remain on the list, according to the statistics quoted in the article. “The government is lifting the ban on them in accord with the reforming system,” said the paper’s [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.

Cardinal Dolan To Close Democrat Convention – OpEd Posted: 28 Aug 2012 07:16 PM PDT Over the past week, Cardinal Dolan has been hammered by liberals for accepting an invitation to give benediction at the Republican National Convention (RNC). Now that he will close both conventions, they look even more foolish. Here’s a sample of what Dolan’s critics have said. Andrew Sullivan called Dolan “The Republican Party Cardinal.” The Boston [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.

Hydraulic Fracturing: Critical For Energy Production, Jobs, And Economic Growth – Analysis Posted: 28 Aug 2012 07:03 PM PDT By Nicolas Loris While Americans continue to be disappointed by dismal jobs reports and a high unemployment rate, one of the few recent bright spots in the U.S. economy has been energy production, particularly the shale oil and shale gas revolution. In fact, the Yale Graduates Energy Study Group calculated that in 2010 alone, the [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.

EPA Fuel Efficiency Standards: Goals Are Not Policies – OpEd Posted: 28 Aug 2012 06:54 PM PDT The EPA issued new rules requiring the average fuel efficiency of new cars and trucks to get 54.5 miles per gallon by 2025. President Obama said, “These fuel standards represent the single most important step we’ve ever taken to reduce our dependence on foreign oil.” The new standard is a goal, not a policy. The [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.

The Two Parties’ Challenges In Paul Ryan – Analysis Posted: 28 Aug 2012 06:50 PM PDT By Brian Thorn The race for the presidency of the United States changed on August 11, 2012 in Norfolk, Virginia, when Mitt Romney looked up at Paul Ryan from a crowd of supporters. Beside the retired battleship USS Wisconsin, Ryan, recently announced as Romney’s vice presidential running mate, explained the urgency of the coming election: [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.

Norway Energy Profile: Europe’s Largest Oil Producer – Analysis Posted: 28 Aug 2012 06:45 PM PDT (EIA) — Norway, the largest holder of natural gas and oil reserves in Europe, provides much of the oil and gas consumed on the continent. In fact, Norway was the second largest exporter of natural gas in the world after Russia, and the seventh largest exporter of oil. In 2010, crude oil, natural gas, and [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.

European Court Of Human Rights Hears Tymoshenko Case Posted: 28 Aug 2012 06:36 PM PDT (RFE/RL) — Lawyers for jailed former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko have presented their client’s case to the European Court of Human Rights. Tymoshenko contends that her conviction on charges of abuse of office and subsequent seven-year jail sentence were politically motivated, that no judicial review was conducted into her detention, that the conditions of [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.

US: Romney Secures Republican Presidential Nomination Posted: 28 Aug 2012 06:21 PM PDT Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney has secured his party’s nomination to run for the highest office in the United States. Republican party delegates from across the country cast more 1,144 votes for Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, during a roll call late Tuesday. Former New Hampshire governor John Sununu started the formal nomination process Tuesday, [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.

How Romney Keeps Lying Through His Big White Teeth – OpEd Posted: 28 Aug 2012 05:09 PM PDT “We’re not going to let our campaign be dictated by fact-checkers,” says Neil Newhouse, a Romney pollster. A half dozen fact-checking organizations and websites have refuted Romney’s claims that Obama removed the work requirement from the welfare law and will cut Medicare benefits by $216 billion. Last Sunday’s New York Times even reported on its [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.

Resilience Amidst Conflict: Women Of Kashmir – Analysis Posted: 28 Aug 2012 05:07 PM PDT By Zainab Akhter In armed conflict, the experiences of women are varied. From victims to survivors, and from peace-builders to perpetrators of conflict, the categories of classification are indeed numerous. In the context of the conflict in Kashmir, however, what are the new opportunities that have been created for them? And what are their roles [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.