Roberto Abraham Scaruffi

Sunday, 3 August 2014

The European Union Times


Posted: 01 Aug 2014 10:20 AM PDT

A new report prepared by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) circulating in the Kremlin states that India’s veto earlier today of a landmark World Trade Organization (WTO) treaty has “shocked the world” and could very well lead to the entire collapse of this Western led global organization that for past 66 years has, in essence, economically destroyed too many once free nations to count.
According to this report, India was forced to take a stand against the West who were attempting to force this sub-continent nation into starving hundreds-of-millions of its own citizens should this WTO treaty taken effect.
In a nutshell, according to press reports, India was facing extreme pressure, mostly from the Obama regime led West, for holding up the Trade Facilitation Agreement under the WTO. It did so because it wants to first settle the question of flexibility to buy and stock as much food as it wants from its farmers. This is important to ensure the implementation of its Food Security Act.
Current WTO rules cap subsidies to farmers at 10 percent of the total value of farm production based on 1986-88 prices. [Example: Wheat: 1986:$2.42 per bushel 2014: $5.93 per bushel]
India, however, had wanted the base of calculating food subsidies updated to current price levels, taking into account inflation and currency movements. Otherwise, the government would not be able to provide subsidized food to some 67 percent of its 1.2 billion people it wishes to cover under its food security law.
Obama regime spokesman, Secretary of State John Kerry, this MoFA report continues, had flown to India to pressure Prime Minister Narendra Modi into signing this treaty but was quickly rebuffed. After which the US then blamed India for the collapse of these talks and stated that by New Delhi taking a hard-line position, the future of the WTO is now on “uncertain ground”.
In a further Indian move against the Obama regime, this report says, the Bank of Russia and the Reserve Bank of India, this week, agreed to set up a working group to devise tools to use their national currencies in bilateral payments bypassing the US Dollar in a further blow to the West.
Important to note of these events, this report continues, is that India in being a member of the anti-Western economic alliance known as BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) that last month signed an historic agreement to break the Obama regimes hegemony over the world by establishing their own monetary system.
Director Domenico Lombardi, an expert on the global economy from the Canadian think tank Center for International Governance Innovation’s (CIGI) global economy program, in commenting on the BRICS establishment of their New Development Bank (NDB) to counter the destructive policies of the Western-led World Bank (WB) and International Monetary Fund (IMF) further stated:
“…one of the main sources of frustrations for the BRICS economies and of course for China in the first place, has “pushed the BRICS countries to come together to try to quash [Western] political power, try to leverage on their rising economic power and provide a political leverage to their rising economic power.”
The BRICS’ new financial institutions, it has been further warned, could also undermine US-EU global dominance as they have had unchallenged sway over the decision-making institutions of global financial governance for 70 years, and the last thing they want to see is competition.
So deadly serious have the US-EU become in trying to maintain their global economic hegemony, MoFA experts in this report say, one need look no further than Libya, where in 2011, Muammar Gaddafi planned toquit selling Libyan oil in US Dollars — demanding payment instead in gold-backed “dinars” (a single African currency made from gold).
Within weeks of Gaddafi announcing his plan to replace the US Dollar, it should be remembered, his regime was attacked by a supposed popular uprising by what were described by the West as rag-tag revolutionaries who curiously announced the designation of the Central Bank of Benghazi as a monetary authority competent in monetary policies in Libya and the appointment of a Governor to the Central Bank of Libya, with a temporary headquarters in Benghazi.
So absolutely astounding was it that these “rag tag” Libyan rebels were able to establish a central bank before they had even formed a government, even Robert Wenzel of the US Economic Policy Journal was forced to admit to CNBC, “I have never before heard of a central bank being created in just a matter of weeks out of a popular uprising.”
Wenzel in his CNBC interview further revealed that foreign powers may have a strong influence over the rebels and stated: “This suggests we have a bit more than a ragtag bunch of rebels running around and that there are some pretty sophisticated influences”.
Most critical to note in this report, however, is its warning that while the whole world is in the middle of a global currency war (i.e. a situation where nations all compete to devalue their currencies the most in order to boost exports), the Obama regime has now “set its sights” on Russia like it did in 2011 against Libya, and in 2003 against Iraq, and in 2000 against Iran…all nations that have sought to break away from the US Dollar.
Even Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff warned the West in 2010 that the last time there was a series of competitive currency devaluations … it ended in World War II.
Sadly, President Rousseff’s warning is being joined by some of the world’s top financial experts who warned this week that “World War III is coming”.
And with India now joining with Russia and China against the US and EU…it looks to be coming much sooner than later.
Source
        
Posted: 01 Aug 2014 06:07 AM PDT

Satellite images Kiev published as ‘proof’ it didn’t deploy anti-aircraft batteries around the MH17 crash site carry altered time-stamps and are from days after the MH17 tragedy, the Russian Defense Ministry has revealed.
The images, which Kiev claims were taken by its satellites at the same time as those taken by Russian satellites, are neither Ukrainian nor authentic, according to a Moscow statement.
The Defense Ministry said the images were apparently made by an American KeyHole reconnaissance satellite, because the two Ukrainian satellites currently in orbit, Sich-1 and Sich-2, were not positioned over the part of Ukraine’s Donetsk Region shown in the pictures.
Moscow claims weather and lighting conditions in the images were not be possible at the dates and times Ukraine claims they were made, the Russian military said.
At least one of the images published by Ukraine shows signs of being altered by an image editor, the statement added.
The Russian ministry also criticized images published by Kiev to back its allegations Russia smuggled heavy weapons over the border and shelled Ukrainian army positions.
The images lack proper timestamps and coordinates, while Kiev didn’t bother to explain why it believes that whatever vehicles are shown in them are Russian, the statement pointed out.
“It’s the latest ‘masterpiece’ in the Ukrainian exercise in conspiracy theories, an attempt to divert responsibility,” the defense ministry said.
“It can take a deserved place next to other allegations against Russia voiced by Kiev that claimed that Russia was responsible for masterminding the Maidan protest and the tragedy in Odessa.”
“Apparently that’s why the real owners of those photos are hesitating to publish them under their own name, since it would derail the myth of the omniscience of their space reconnaissance,” the Russian military said.

A comparison of satellite images published by Russia and Ukraine as presented by Kiev in an attempt to dispute the authenticity of Moscow’s photos. The shadows are cast in different directions in the two images, proving that they could not have been almost at the same time two days apart, as indicated by the timestamps.

A comparison of satellite images published by Russia and Ukraine as presented by Kiev in an attempt to dispute the authenticity of Moscow’s photos. The weather is clearly different, with the Russian image showing a cloudy day, while the image presented by Kiev shows a clear day. The images could not have been taken less than an hour apart, as indicated by the timestamps. The Russian military say the actual weather conditions at the time can be easily double-checked by independent sources.

In another comparison of images used by Ukraine, the image presented by the Russian side was purposely degraded in quality in order to point out some irregularities. No such irregularities are present in the original image, the Russian military said.
Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 crashed in Ukraine’s Donetsk Region, which is engulfed by armed hostilities between Ukrainian troops and armed local militias. The plane was apparently shot down by a missile, although neither the type of missile nor who shot it has yet been properly established.
As a troubled investigation into the tragedy, which claimed almost 300 lives, is underway, Kiev and some Western countries were quick to say that the militias and Russia were culpable for the deed. Kiev said it had no capabilities to take down the plane.
The Russian Defense Ministry published satellite images and radar data, saying that evidence proved that Ukraine had both ground-based anti-aircraft batteries and military aircraft capable of firing an air-to-air missile deployed in the region on the day of the MH17 downing.
Days later Kiev published its own set of images, claiming that those released by Russia were false.
Source
        
Posted: 01 Aug 2014 05:56 AM PDT

Chikingunya, meaning “writhing around in pain”, has hit the American continent for the first time, with 1,200 cases reported in El Salvador and 57 imported cases in the United States of America. This viral disease, carried by the mosquito, was found in the Americas for the first time last December. There is one new case every two minutes in some areas.
The number of cases of Chikingunya has risen to 1,200 in El Salvador, according to the country’s Health Ministry, which confirms this is the first time the disease has been registered in this Central American nation after it spread quickly through the Caribbean. The outbreak started last December in St. Martin (French side), the first appearance in the American continent of this virus which has manifested itself until now in Africa and Asia. New cases have been reported in the US Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico (23 cases) and Guadeloupe (5,190 cases between May 26 and June 1), a rate of one new case every two minutes. There have been a total of 165,990 cases registered by the Pan American Health Organization.
The countries and territories most affected are St. Martin (French side), Martinique, St. Barthelemy, Guadeloupe, and Dominica but it is the cases in Puerto Rico which pose the greatest threat to the USA (imported cases) via travelling aircraft passengers. Health authorities consider the South-Eastern USA as the region with the highest risk due to its proximity to the Caribbean, although potentially all areas where there is a high influx of passengers from affected regions are also at risk.
Chikungunya means “writhing in pain” in the Makonde language (Tanzania and Mozambique). The symptoms are muscular pain, headache, nausea, vomiting, photophobia, fatigue and rash on the trunk and/or limbs. The disease causes a febrile state which lasts between two and five days, followed by terrible pains in the joints which can last for years or months in severe cases, although others last for weeks or even days. Complications are uncommon, and most survive but it can kill elderly or debilitated patients. There is no vaccination or cure. The incubation period is one to twelve days, mostly two or three.
The virus is carried by two species of mosquito, namely Aedes albopictus and Aedes aegypti, although the strain currently affecting the Americas is more probably spread by Aedes aegypti. If the virus mutates to the strain carried by Aedes albopictus, this would create a public health issue in the USA because this type of mosquito is widespread in that country and is also more aggressive.
Prevention measures are to avoid areas of stagnant water and make sure that water cannot lie near inhabited regions in vessels such as plant pots or tires.
Source
        
Posted: 01 Aug 2014 05:51 AM PDT

As the Ebola outbreak continues to cause concern, President Barack Obama has signed an amendment to an executive order that would allow him to mandate the apprehension and detention of Americans who merely show signs of “respiratory illness.”
The executive order, titled Revised List of Quarantinable Communicable Diseases, amends executive order 13295, passed by George W. Bush in April 2003, which allows for the, “apprehension, detention, or conditional release of individuals to prevent the introduction, transmission, or spread of suspected communicable diseases.”
The amendment signed by Obama replaces subsection (b) of the original Bush executive order which referred only to SARS. Obama’s amendment allows for the detention of Americans who display, “Severe acute respiratory syndromes, which are diseases that are associated with fever and signs and symptoms of pneumonia or other respiratory illness, are capable of being transmitted from person to person, and that either are causing, or have the potential to cause, a pandemic, or, upon infection, are highly likely to cause mortality or serious morbidity if not properly controlled.”
Although Ebola was listed on the original executive order signed by Bush, Obama’s amendment ensures that Americans who merely show signs of respiratory illness, with the exception of influenza, can be forcibly detained by medical authorities.
Although the quarantining of people suspected of being infected with the Ebola virus seems like a perfectly logical move, the actual preconditions for this to happen aren’t restricted to just those suffering from the disease.
As we highlighted earlier this week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has measures in place for dealing with an outbreak of a communicable disease which allow for the quarantine of “well persons” who “do not show symptoms” of the disease.
In addition, under the Model State Emergency Health Powers Act, public health authorities and governors would be given expanded police powers to seize control of communications devices, public and private property, as well as a host of other draconian measures in the event of a public health emergency.
When the legislation was introduced, the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons warned that it “could turn governors into dictators.”
Yesterday it was reported that Emory University Hospital in Atlanta was set to receive a patient infected with Ebola. A hospital in Germany also accepted an infected patient earlier this week. Some critics have raised concerns about the risk of deliberately importing infected individuals into the west.
Source
        
Posted: 01 Aug 2014 05:40 AM PDT

Fierce clashes between Ukrainian troops and pro-Russia forces have killed 14 people, including 10 government soldiers in the volatile eastern regions of the country.
Ukrainian military spokesman, Oleksiy Dmytrashkivsky, said Friday that clashes took place in the eastern town of Shakhtersk, some 25 kilometers away from the crash site of Malaysian Airlines Flight MH17.
The spokesman added that the 10 bodies were confirmed to be Ukrainian soldiers and the remaining four have not yet been identified.
According to the Ukrainian army, its forces had been ambushed in the town.
This comes as the military said it was re-launching a broader offensive against pro-Russia forces following a day-long ceasefire; however, it claimed that it would not carry out operations in the immediate vicinity of the MH17 crash site.
Meanwhile, a team of 70 international experts arrived on Friday at the crash site to conduct search operations in a bid to recover the remains of some of the 298 victims of the July 17 crash. Over 200 bodies have so far been found.
The group of experts had been unable to access the area for several days in a row due to fighting around the site.
Pro-Russia forces have repeatedly accused Kiev of blocking access to the crash site by fighting in the area.
Ukraine launched military operations in Donetsk and Lugansk in mid-April to crush pro-Russia forces there. Violence intensified in May after the two flashpoint regions held local referendums, in which their residents voted overwhelmingly in favor of independence from Ukraine.
The United Nations says at least 1,129 people have been killed in the ongoing military campaign in eastern Ukraine.
Source
        
Posted: 01 Aug 2014 05:30 AM PDT
Masses of people are fleeing renewed Israeli bombardment in Gaza.
At least 40 Palestinians have been killed in the Gaza strip on Friday, with Israel also alleging that Hamas had fired early morning rockets. This latest, 72-hour UN-brokered ceasefire, has now officially collapsed.
Soon after the ceasefire started at 8am local time (05:00 GMT), an Israeli tank opened fire in the southern Rafah area, the Gaza Interior Ministry said. At least 40 people were killed in the attack, hospital officials told Reuters.
Israel insisted that the IDF was only responding to Hamas attacks.
“Hamas violated the humanitarian ceasefire which began this morning by firing rockets at Israel from Gaza,” the Jerusalem Post cited the Israeli Foreign Ministry as saying.
The statement went on to allege how it took Hamas “two hours and four minutes to violate the ceasefire.”
Israeli media said that two rockets were intercepted by its Iron Dome defense system over Merhavim Regional Council in the last rocket attack. No injuries were immediately reported.
Reports are emerging that the ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel has been broken, Israel’s military coordinator in Gaza told the UN’s Robert Serry, Haaretz said.
Egyptian authorities have called off truce talks they were hosting between Israel and Hamas, a Palestinian source told Ahram Online, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The source added that Israel has decided to end the 72-hour ceasefire.
Gaza 72-hour ceasefire lasts less than 72 minutes as Israeli tanks open fire and kill 4 Palestinians.
The agreement between Israel and Hamas to pause their hostilities was announced earlier by US Secretary of State John Kerry and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in a joint statement
“We urge all parties to act with restraint until this humanitarian ceasefire begins, and to fully abide by their commitments during the ceasefire,” the statement said.
“This ceasefire is critical to giving innocent civilians a much-needed reprieve from violence. During this period, civilians in Gaza will receive urgently needed humanitarian relief, and the opportunity to carry out vital functions, including burying the dead, taking care of the injured, and restocking food supplies,” Kerry and Ban continued. “Overdue repairs on essential water and energy infrastructure could also continue during this period.”
Israeli and Palestinian delegations were scheduled to begin negotiations in Cairo on a more permanent ceasefire mediated by the Egyptian government.
A representative of Hamas independently confirmed the ceasefire agreement.
“Acknowledging a call by the United Nations and in consideration of the situation of our people, resistance factions agreed to a 72-hour humanitarian and mutual calm that begins… on Friday as long as the other side abides by it,” Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri told Reuters.
“All the Palestinian factions are united behind the issue in this regard,” Abu Zuhri said.
Earlier on Thursday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that the IDF will complete the destruction of Hamas, no matter what.
“We are determined to complete this mission with or without a ceasefire,” Netanyahu said at the start of a cabinet meeting in Tel Aviv. “I won’t agree to any proposal that will not enable the Israeli military to complete this important task for the sake of Israel’s security.”
“Hamas has taken harsh blows from the IDF and ISA,” he said. “We have struck hard at thousands of terrorist targets: command centers, rocket arsenals, production facilities, launch areas and hundreds of terrorists have been killed.”
After 24 days of IDF’s mission, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, the new death toll stands at no less than 1,437 people, Maan reports. On Thursday, 79 Palestinians were killed and 350 injured, health ministry spokesman al-Qidra said in a statement. The toll of those injured now stands at 8,265 people.
Source
        
Posted by Roberto Abraham Scaruffi at 07:01