Roberto Abraham Scaruffi

Eurasia Review: News & Analysis

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• Philippines: Rights Group Backs ‘Death Squad’ Probe
• Hezbollah’s Nasrallah Warns Israel Against Attacking Iran
• Saudi Marries 14 Times Hoping For A Child
• The Original Shabiha – OpEd
• Japan, South Korea Clash As China Watches – Analysis
• A New Mediator For Syria – OpEd
• Mongolia: Ulaanbaatar Signs Up Nature’s Engineers To Restore River
• Russian Orthodox Church Asks For Clemency For Convicted Pussy Riot Members
• Syria Denies Defection Of Vice President
• eBay Bans Sales Of Potions, Spells And Curses
• Crunch Time For Egypt’s Civil-Military Relations – Analysis
• Iran Viewpoint: Current Trend In US-Iran Relations A Road To Hell – OpEd
• Mecca Summit: Peace Initiative Or One-Upmanship – Analysis
• Russia To Focus On Its Far East At APEC 2012 – Analysis
• Syria: Brahimi And Aid Agencies Bring Relief – Analysis
• Burma President Launches An ‘Investigation Commission’ For Rakhine State – OpEd
• Paraguay: No More Restrictions To Transgenic Corn
• Ecuador: Legislative Reforms Favor Mining Companies
• The Ryan Budget – OpEd
• UK Blows Fuse In Assange Asylum Case
• Kasparov May Face Jail For Biting Policeman
• Seven Principles: Who Owns Our Politicians? – OpEd
• Soccer Weaves A Thread Through Syrian Rebels And Assad Forces – Analysis
• Real Energy For A New American Renaissance – OpEd
• Yemen: 19 Soldiers Killed In Al Qaeda Attack
• Obama: Congress Should Back Plan To Hire Teachers – Transcript
• Anthrax Drug Death Sparks Fear Of Europe-Wide Pandemic
• Yemen: Al-Qaida Carries Out Deadly Attack

Philippines: Rights Group Backs ‘Death Squad’ Probe Posted: 18 Aug 2012 09:44 PM PDT New York-based Human Rights Watch has urged Philippine government action on hundreds of extra-judicial killings that took place in Davao City from 2005 to 2009. On Wednesday, the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) released a report verifying that 206 of 375 reported killings during that period were attributed to Mindanao’s so-called Davao Death Squad. The [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.

Hezbollah’s Nasrallah Warns Israel Against Attacking Iran Posted: 18 Aug 2012 09:38 PM PDT After numerous Israeli media reports about imminent military attacks on Iran, Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of the militant Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah, announced that in case of such an attack on Iran, his organization will not hesitate to target Israel with rockets. In a speech marking Quds Day and the end of Ramadan, delivered at [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.

Saudi Marries 14 Times Hoping For A Child Posted: 18 Aug 2012 09:26 PM PDT A Saudi man hailing from the northern city of Arar has set a record by marrying 14 times during the last 37 years. Mutlaq Sulaiman, 53, said he wedded 14 women with the hope of getting a child. According to a report carried by Al-Watan Arabic daily on Saturday, Sulaiman’s wives belonged to various nationalities [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.

The Original Shabiha – OpEd Posted: 18 Aug 2012 09:22 PM PDT By Mohammad D. Who were the first Shabiha? How was the word coined? And how did their numbers spread? The following stories about a few shabiha pioneers are based on my personal experiences in Latakia, Syria in the 1970′s and 1980′s so I can vouch for their truth. I have refrained from embellishment or recounting [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.

Japan, South Korea Clash As China Watches – Analysis Posted: 18 Aug 2012 09:15 PM PDT By Parameswaran Ponnudurai China and North Korea may be rubbing their hands in glee over the rapid deterioration in relations between Japan and South Korea, the top two U.S. military allies in Asia. Ties between the two neighboring economic powers and vibrant democracies plummeted to levels unseen in recent years when South Korean President Lee [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.

A New Mediator For Syria – OpEd Posted: 18 Aug 2012 09:06 PM PDT By Nurettin Yigit Lakhdar Brahimi, Algeria’s former foreign minister and a veteran diplomat, has confirmed that he will replace Kofi Annan as the international mediator on Syria with an altered mandate. Annan is stepping down at the end of August after six months in the role because he said his Syria Peace Plan was hampered [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.

Mongolia: Ulaanbaatar Signs Up Nature’s Engineers To Restore River Posted: 18 Aug 2012 09:00 PM PDT By Pearly Jacob Ulaanbaatar is importing foreign experts to combat falling water levels in Mongolia’s third longest river. Qualifications include sharp incisors, flat tails and webbed toes. Meet the Eurasian beaver (Castor fiber). If all goes according to plan, the task of restoring the headwaters of the Tuul River will be left to these rotund [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.

Russian Orthodox Church Asks For Clemency For Convicted Pussy Riot Members Posted: 18 Aug 2012 08:53 PM PDT (RFE/RL) — The Orthodox Church in Russia has asked for clemency to be shown to three women from the punk feminist group Pussy Riot. The three were sentenced on August 17 to two years in prison after performing a song against President Vladimir Putin in a Moscow cathedral in February. The sentence followed Judge Marina [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.

Syria Denies Defection Of Vice President Posted: 18 Aug 2012 08:50 PM PDT Syria is denying reports that Vice President Farouq al-Shara has defected. Syrian state television Saturday quoted a statement from Shara’s office as saying the 73-year-old Sunni Muslim “never thought for a moment about leaving the country.” The channel also said Shara welcomed the U.N. appointment Friday of veteran Algerian diplomat Lakhdar Brahimi as international envoy [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.

eBay Bans Sales Of Potions, Spells And Curses Posted: 18 Aug 2012 07:23 PM PDT Cursing an enemy with a hex or finding a charm to make your lover forever faithful has just become a little harder, as eBay has banned the sale of all forms of ‘magic’ through the online auction site, beginning in September. “eBay regularly reviews categories and updates our policies based on customer feedback. We are [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.

Crunch Time For Egypt’s Civil-Military Relations – Analysis Posted: 18 Aug 2012 07:00 PM PDT By Moataz El Fegiery President Morsi’s sudden ouster of the first ranks of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) seems to have settled the power struggle between the Muslim Brotherhood (MB) and the military in the formers’ favour. Since the fall of Hosni Mubarak on February 11, 2011, executive authority in Egypt was [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.

Iran Viewpoint: Current Trend In US-Iran Relations A Road To Hell – OpEd Posted: 18 Aug 2012 06:44 PM PDT By Shahir ShahidSaless Many experts maintain that Iran’s current quest for a superior role in the region is to tackle new security challenges that are caused by the aggressive policies of the US since 2003, as well as the United States’ heavy military presence in the immediate proximity of Iran’s borders and in the region. [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.

Mecca Summit: Peace Initiative Or One-Upmanship – Analysis Posted: 18 Aug 2012 06:41 PM PDT By Saeed Naqvi At the emergency OIC summit in Mecca, Iran’s President Ahmedinejad, Supreme Leader Khamenei’s foreign Policy Adviser, Ali Akbar Velayati, President’s senior adviser Mojtaba Samareh-Hashemi, Head of Presidential office Esfandiar Rahim Mashaee, Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi were all present. Did King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia host such a high powered Iranian delegation [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.

Russia To Focus On Its Far East At APEC 2012 – Analysis Posted: 18 Aug 2012 05:55 PM PDT By R. Nastranis As Russia gets ready for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit on September 7-8 off the coast of the far eastern city of Vladivostok, on the forgotten Russky Island, it is hoping to align the grouping’s priorities with its development goals, especially in Siberia and the Far East. It is the first [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.

Syria: Brahimi And Aid Agencies Bring Relief – Analysis Posted: 18 Aug 2012 05:50 PM PDT By Richard Johnson As the crisis spawned by the on-going Syrian conflict deteriorated, with “a sharp rise in the number of Syrians fleeing to Turkey and Jordan”, the United Nations announced August 17 that veteran diplomat Lakhdar Brahimi will be the new Joint Special Representative of the world organization and League of Arab States for [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.

Burma President Launches An ‘Investigation Commission’ For Rakhine State – OpEd Posted: 18 Aug 2012 05:41 PM PDT By Zin Linn Burma has initiated the formation of an ‘Investigation Commission’ for an independent enquiry into recent horrific sectarian violence in the Rakhine state, which the United Nations human rights envoy to Burma said was one of the country’s one various human rights challenges at present. The president of Myanmar (Burma), Thein Sein, signed [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.

Paraguay: No More Restrictions To Transgenic Corn Posted: 18 Aug 2012 05:37 PM PDT Paraguay’s Health and Social Welfare Ministry’s Aug. 6 approbation of the consumption of genetically modified corn VT Triple Pro, produced by US-based transnational corporation Monsanto, was described by peasant organizations as “an attack against peasant culture and food sovereignty.” The approbation made transgenic corn available for human consumption as it considered transgenic corn innocuous for [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.

Ecuador: Legislative Reforms Favor Mining Companies Posted: 18 Aug 2012 05:18 PM PDT By Luis Ángel Saavedra The Ecuadoran government is committed to promoting large-scale mining, and to do so it must implement national legislation that, although contrary to constitutional principles, satisfies the economic interests of multinational mining companies that have been reluctant to invest in the country until they are guaranteed total control over the royalties the [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.

The Ryan Budget – OpEd Posted: 18 Aug 2012 05:11 PM PDT The political left is doing the St. Vitus dance over Paul Ryan’s budget. This is the proposal Ryan put forth as Chairman of the House Republican Budget Committee to deal with the nation’s fiscal crisis. Democrats are labeling it as “radical,” and “extremist,” especially Ryan’s plans to reform Medicare. The president has called the Ryan [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.

UK Blows Fuse In Assange Asylum Case Posted: 18 Aug 2012 05:08 PM PDT The concerted and orchestrated campaign to capture Wikileaks founder Julian Assange and ultimately to hand him over to the tender mercies of a kangaroo court in the US, where he would likely be tried for spying and other possibly capital offenses, continues as Britain threatens the Ecuadoran Embassy with a police assault in a move [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.

Kasparov May Face Jail For Biting Policeman Posted: 18 Aug 2012 05:01 PM PDT Russian chess grandmaster-turned-opposition activist Garry Kasparov, who supported the jailed Pussy Riot members, can follow them to prison over a clash with police, media said on Saturday. Police said Kasparov bit on the finger one of several officers dragging him away from a Moscow court where three Pussy Riot members were convicted on Friday over [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.

Seven Principles: Who Owns Our Politicians? – OpEd Posted: 18 Aug 2012 03:01 PM PDT By Stuart Littlewood ‘People in public life are not always as clear as they should be about where the boundaries of acceptable conduct lie.’ – Nolan Committee. “Who will own Mitt Romney if he is elected?” asks Philip Giraldi after Romney’s trip to Israel to raise campaign funds. The Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1966, [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.

Soccer Weaves A Thread Through Syrian Rebels And Assad Forces – Analysis Posted: 18 Aug 2012 02:52 PM PDT Soccer, never distant from Middle Eastern politics, weaves its own thread through the brutal battle for the future of Syria, wracked by the Arab world’s most protracted and most bloody revolt against autocratic rule to date. If Syrian nation youth team goalkeeper Abdelbasset Saroot symbolized for much of the past 17 months the resilience of [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.

Real Energy For A New American Renaissance – OpEd Posted: 18 Aug 2012 02:50 PM PDT Sensible, responsible energy policies must replace today’s subsidies and crony corporatism By Paul Driessen America needs more economic growth, domestic manufacturing, jobs – and secure, affordable energy to make those things happen. Presidential candidate Mitt Romney understands that achieving this goal requires unleashing American ingenuity, reducing excessive regulatory strangleholds on businesses and working capital, and [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.

Yemen: 19 Soldiers Killed In Al Qaeda Attack Posted: 18 Aug 2012 02:45 PM PDT Nineteen Yemeni soldiers were killed on Saturday in an armed attack and a suicide car bomb attack on the headquarters of the intelligence service in Aden, the main city in the south of the country, said an official of the security involving Al Qaeda. “The death toll rises to 19 soldiers killed. Nine soldiers and [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.

Obama: Congress Should Back Plan To Hire Teachers – Transcript Posted: 18 Aug 2012 02:42 PM PDT With students starting to head back to school, President Obama used this week’s address to discuss the critical role that education plays in America’s future. Nothing is more important to a child’s education than a great teacher. Unfortunately, tens of thousands of teachers will not be going back to school this year, partially because of [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.

Anthrax Drug Death Sparks Fear Of Europe-Wide Pandemic Posted: 18 Aug 2012 02:39 PM PDT A drug addict in Blackpool, UK, died from an anthrax infection, sparking concerns of a pan-European outbreak of the rare disease. ­Medical experts suggested that the death was caused by contaminated heroin, Reuters reported. The incident comes in the wake of similar anthrax outbreaks in Europe. The Blackpool infection is the only fatal case thus [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.

Yemen: Al-Qaida Carries Out Deadly Attack Posted: 18 Aug 2012 02:28 PM PDT Yemeni officials say suspected al-Qaida militants have attacked intelligence headquarters in the southern city of Aden, killing at least 14 Yemeni soldiers and security personnel. Intelligence sources and witnesses say the militants attacked the building from two sides Saturday, firing rocket-propelled grenades and automatic weapons. At least seven soldiers were wounded. The militants managed to [...] To continue reading this article, click on the headline.