Roberto Abraham Scaruffi

Eurasia Review: News & Analysis

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• Japan-South Korea Diplomatic Standoff Over Takeshima/Dokdo – Analysis
• New York State’s Money-Road To Nowhere – OpEd
• Ethiopia: Claims Prominent Muslims Detained In Crackdown
• Palestinians Being Drawn Into Fight In Syria
• Assad Government ‘Enemy of God’, Says Ex-Syrian PM
• Mrs. Obama Guilt-Trips Olympic Wunderkind Over 300 Calorie “Sin”? – OpEd
• Obama May Bypass Lawmakers With Cybersecurity Executive Order – OpEd
• Hindus Hail Russian Prosecutors’ Statement Of Not Seeking Bhagavad Gita Ban‏
• Spain: Fireworks Display Gone Wrong Injures 28 At Festival
• Israel To Demand Guarantee Obama Will Attack Iran – OpEd
• Drone On The Range – OpEd
• America After The Sikh Temple Shooting – OpEd
• Shifting Truths In Sinai: Who Stands To Gain From Carnage? – OpEd
• An Immigration Bonus For Singaporeans?: Making The Foreigner More Acceptable – Analysis
• Stand Together As Friends Of 30 Million Afghans – OpEd
• Cindy Sheehan: No Dancing? No Thanks! – OpEd
• Ron Paul: Legalize Competing Currencies – OpEd
• Whose Plan Destroys Medicare: Obama’s Or Romney-Ryan’s? – OpEd
• Afghanistan And Beyond Through The Eyes Of Moscow – Analysis
• Apple Expected To Launch iPhone 5 Sept. 21
• Italy’s Public Debt Hits Record High
• The Relevance Of Bangabandhu – Analysis
• The Persecuted Rohingyas Of Myanmar: Need For Political Accommodation And India’s Role – Analysis
• Chinese Inroads Into Bhutan: Diplomatic Gimmick Or Strategic Reality? – Analysis
• Nepal: Status Quo Is Not A Solution – Analysis
• Morocco Looks To Entrepreneurship To Create Jobs
• Give Bernanke A Pink Slip – OpEd
• Recognizing Bosnia’s Constituent Ethnic Identities – Analysis
• Syria, Late In The Day: Are Negotiations Still Possible? – OpEd
• Gaza Residents ‘Stranded Abroad’ As Egypt Denies Visas

Japan-South Korea Diplomatic Standoff Over Takeshima/Dokdo – Analysis Posted: 15 Aug 2012 01:33 AM PDT By Shamshad A. Khan South Korean President Lee Myung Bak’s surprise visit to Dokdo (known as Takeshima in Japan) over which Japan also claims sovereignty has worsened diplomatic relations between Tokyo and Seoul. On August 10, hours after Lee’s visit to the disputed territory, Japan recalled its ambassador to Seoul. Japan is also considering the [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.

New York State’s Money-Road To Nowhere – OpEd Posted: 15 Aug 2012 01:28 AM PDT DAs are “shifting the burden of taxation onto local residents and small businesses” By Mary Kay Barton Local, state, and federal political favors have created an artificial and unsustainable industry: industrial wind power. Voters in every state need to understand what is going on in New York, so that the same things don’t happen to [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.

Ethiopia: Claims Prominent Muslims Detained In Crackdown Posted: 15 Aug 2012 01:21 AM PDT The Ethiopian government should immediately release 17 prominent Muslim leaders arrested as part of a brutal crackdown on peaceful Muslim protesters in Addis Ababa, Human Rights Watch said today. A court is expected to rule during the week of August 13, 2012, on whether to bring charges against the detainees who have been held for [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.

Palestinians Being Drawn Into Fight In Syria Posted: 15 Aug 2012 01:20 AM PDT When mortar shells slammed into Yarmouk, Syria’s largest Palestinian camp, in early August, killing at least 20 people, many Palestinians in Syria saw it as a wake-up call. “It was the third time Yarmouk was attacked, but the casualty number has never been so high,” said a Palestinian activist who gave his name as Moh [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.

Assad Government ‘Enemy of God’, Says Ex-Syrian PM Posted: 15 Aug 2012 01:18 AM PDT Former Syrian prime minister Riad Hijab appeared publicly Tuesday for the first time since his defection, calling President Bashar al-Assad’s government an “enemy of God” and saying it is collapsing. In a news conference in the Jordanian capital Amman, Hijab said he defected last week from the government and joined the 17-month Syrian uprising of [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.

Mrs. Obama Guilt-Trips Olympic Wunderkind Over 300 Calorie “Sin”? – OpEd Posted: 15 Aug 2012 01:14 AM PDT Sixteen year-old Olympian gold medalist Gabby Douglas—a model of sweet humility, giving “all the glory to God”—had her well-deserved turn in the spotlight with Jay Leno last night, and was treated to a dose of humiliation from our self-appointed nutrition czarina, Mrs. Obama. Asked what she did to celebrate her stunning performance in London, Miss [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.

Obama May Bypass Lawmakers With Cybersecurity Executive Order – OpEd Posted: 15 Aug 2012 01:11 AM PDT Senate Republicans recently blocked cybersecurity legislation, but the issue might be revived by the White House, a federal law enforcement official told the Law Enforcement Examiner on Monday. The Obama administration officials haven’t forgotten the power of an executive order signed by their boss that could be used to address cybersecurity if the Senate and [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.

Hindus Hail Russian Prosecutors’ Statement Of Not Seeking Bhagavad Gita Ban‏ Posted: 15 Aug 2012 01:08 AM PDT Hindus have welcomed the reported statement of Russian prosecutors of not disputing the rejection by Tomsk regional court in Siberia (Russia) of proposed move to ban their ancient scripture Bhagavad Gita (Song of the Lord). Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, said that it was a “step in the right [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.

Spain: Fireworks Display Gone Wrong Injures 28 At Festival Posted: 14 Aug 2012 06:25 PM PDT Twenty-eight people were injured as a cache of fireworks accidentally went off in a Spanish church amid festival celebrations. While the display turned out to be more dangerous than entertaining, it still was a beautiful sight to watch. ­The fireworks were part of the Nit de l’Alba (Night of the Dawn) festival, which is traditionally [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.

Israel To Demand Guarantee Obama Will Attack Iran – OpEd Posted: 14 Aug 2012 06:23 PM PDT Israel in recent days has become a Hall of Mirrors in which wherever members of the war camp look in the media, they see an infinite regress of leaks and self-serving articles which promote the war narrative.  There are about eight main talking points for war and Haaretz features two or three articles every day [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.

Drone On The Range – OpEd Posted: 14 Aug 2012 06:21 PM PDT By Jim Hightower Get ready, America. Here comes “the next latest and greatest thing in aviation.” Wow, what could it be? Maybe the airlines are going to drop all of their ridiculous rip-off fees. That’d be great! No, no, not that kind of aviation. You probably won’t find this breakthrough so great. It’s the arrival [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.

America After The Sikh Temple Shooting – OpEd Posted: 14 Aug 2012 06:18 PM PDT By Valarie Kaur On Friday, I participated in a memorial for the victims of the 4 August shooting in a Sikh temple in Oak Creek, Wisconsin. I am a third-generation Sikh American, and as the ceremony drew to a close, I tweeted, “May this not be the last moment the nation watches and mourns with [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.

Shifting Truths In Sinai: Who Stands To Gain From Carnage? – OpEd Posted: 14 Aug 2012 06:16 PM PDT Two Toyota Land Cruisers filled with about 15 well-built gunmen in ski masks and all-black outfits appear seemingly out of nowhere. Behind them is vast, open desert. They approach a group of soldiers huddled around a simple meal as they prepare to break their Ramadan fast. The gunmen open fire, leaving the soldiers with no [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.

An Immigration Bonus For Singaporeans?: Making The Foreigner More Acceptable – Analysis Posted: 14 Aug 2012 06:08 PM PDT In order to make Singaporeans more receptive to foreigners, it may be worth considering making the benefits of their presence more tangible to Singaporeans through an “Immigration Bonus” for citizens from a revenue pool of immigrant labour levies. By Yolanda Chin, Nadica Pavlovska and Norman Vasu Immigration has clearly become the hot button issue of [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.

Stand Together As Friends Of 30 Million Afghans – OpEd Posted: 14 Aug 2012 01:36 PM PDT By Hakim and Kathy Kelly Here is a simple, reachable step towards peace in Afghanistan: build international relationships by befriending the Afghan Peace Volunteers Ali and Abdulhai and bringing their forgotten, alternative voices of non-violence to the United States – support their U.S. visa re-applications.   The Afghan population is estimated at 30 million, with [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.

Cindy Sheehan: No Dancing? No Thanks! – OpEd Posted: 14 Aug 2012 01:31 PM PDT I sent out a fundraising appeal to my contacts on Aug 12 which HORRIFICALLY said that I was going to have FUN being Roseanne Barr’s running mate on the Peace and Freedom Party ticket this election cycle. How dare I think that politics could be “FUN?” Only one person was upset with me, but I [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.

Ron Paul: Legalize Competing Currencies – OpEd Posted: 14 Aug 2012 01:27 PM PDT I recently held a hearing in my congressional subcommittee on the subject of competing currencies. This is an issue of enormous importance, but unfortunately few Americans understand how the Federal Reserve and Treasury Department impose a strict monopoly on money in America. This monopoly is maintained using federal counterfeiting laws, which is a bit rich. [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.

Whose Plan Destroys Medicare: Obama’s Or Romney-Ryan’s? – OpEd Posted: 14 Aug 2012 01:23 PM PDT Stumping in Florida, Mitt Romney charged President Obama’s Affordable Care Act will “cut more than $700 billion” out of Medicare. What Romney didn’t say was that his running-mate’s budget — approved by House Republicans and by Romney himself — would cut Medicare by the same amount. The big difference, though, is the Affordable Care Act [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.

Afghanistan And Beyond Through The Eyes Of Moscow – Analysis Posted: 14 Aug 2012 01:20 PM PDT By Habibe Ozdal Afghanistan bears importance for Russia; for the sake of relations with NATO and the US, and for the stability of Central Asia, which Russia considers as its natural zone of influence, as well. The war in Georgia; which was triggered by the West clearing the way of membership to NATO for Ukraine [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.

Apple Expected To Launch iPhone 5 Sept. 21 Posted: 14 Aug 2012 01:15 PM PDT Apple is planning a press conference Sept. 12 where some are saying the company will debut the new iPhone. iMore first started reporting that Apple would debut the new iPhone at a special event on Sept. 12 with a Sept. 21 release date, according to unnamed sources. The new iPad mini and iPod nano are [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.

Italy’s Public Debt Hits Record High Posted: 14 Aug 2012 01:12 PM PDT (EurActiv) — Italy’s public debt hit an all-time high in June of almost €2 trillion and the annual budget deficit was also bigger than a year before, due largely to Italy’s share of bailouts for other eurozone states, the central bank announced. Public debt at the end of June rose €6.6 billion to €1.973 trillion, [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.

The Relevance Of Bangabandhu – Analysis Posted: 14 Aug 2012 01:09 PM PDT By Bhaskar Roy Every August 15 observers of Bangladeshi politics are taken back to that fateful day in 1975 when a group of young army officers stormed Dhaka in a meticulously planned operation. The entire family of Sk. Mujibur Rahman, known as the founder of the nation, was gunned down. Even his son, nine year [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.

The Persecuted Rohingyas Of Myanmar: Need For Political Accommodation And India’s Role – Analysis Posted: 14 Aug 2012 12:58 PM PDT By Gautam Sen The Rohingyas, numbering nearly a million and thereby constituting a significant portion of the approximately 55 million population of Myanmar, are recognised by the UN as one of the most persecuted ethnic minorities in the world. The level of persecution has only varied over the past few years, and has worsened now. [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.

Chinese Inroads Into Bhutan: Diplomatic Gimmick Or Strategic Reality? – Analysis Posted: 14 Aug 2012 12:55 PM PDT By Medha Bisht The past few months have been an exciting phase in Bhutan’s foreign policy. Some political analysts are questioning Bhutan’s resistance to establishing diplomatic ties with China, while others have asserted publicly that Bhutan-China relations are inevitable and would become a diplomatic reality in the years to come. Amidst these competing voices, Bhutan, [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.

Nepal: Status Quo Is Not A Solution – Analysis Posted: 14 Aug 2012 12:51 PM PDT By Dr. S. Chandrasekharan On the surface, everything looks calm and quiet in Nepal. Perhaps the political leaders think that the present status quo eminently suits them and they can take their own time to find a solution for the current constitutional impasse. This does not appear to be a correct reading of the situation. [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.

Morocco Looks To Entrepreneurship To Create Jobs Posted: 14 Aug 2012 12:49 PM PDT By Siham Ali Faced with the thorny problem of unemployment, Morocco is looking to make it easier for youths to start a business and create their own jobs. Authorities have proposed the self-employment solution as part of their governmental programme. MPs have also called on a number of occasions for the entrepreneurial sector to be [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.

Give Bernanke A Pink Slip – OpEd Posted: 14 Aug 2012 12:46 PM PDT You don’t need to comb the pages of the Wall Street Journal or the Financial Times to know what’s going on with the economy. Just take a look at Bloomberg Bonds and skip-down to the price/yield section on 10-year US Treasuries. That will tell you everything you need to know. As of Monday, yields are [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.

Recognizing Bosnia’s Constituent Ethnic Identities – Analysis Posted: 14 Aug 2012 12:31 PM PDT A solution for Bosnia and Herzegovina is to be found in the progressive development of an enlightened, conflict-transformative civic culture that recognizes the country’s constituent ethnic identities along the lines of the Dayton Constitution and treats them in a non-discriminatory fashion. By Dražen Pehar When one enjoys the privilege of conversing with intellectual opposition as [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.

Syria, Late In The Day: Are Negotiations Still Possible? – OpEd Posted: 14 Aug 2012 12:28 PM PDT In the face of continued stalemate between the Syrian government and the opposition, a useful next step would be to explore the possibility of setting an agenda of issues that could be the basis of negotiations. By Rene Wadlow With increasing violence in Syria highlighted by the killing of the Defence elite on 18th July, 2012 [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.

Gaza Residents ‘Stranded Abroad’ As Egypt Denies Visas Posted: 14 Aug 2012 12:26 PM PDT A number of Palestinians say they are stranded abroad because Egypt has denied them transit visas to return to Gaza. Palestinians in Lebanon, Turkey, Libya and Kenya have contacted Ma’an, saying they were refused Egyptian visas. Gaza residents can only enter or leave the enclave via the Rafah crossing on Egypt’s border due to Israel’s [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.