Roberto Abraham Scaruffi

Op-Ed Russia Breaking Wall St Oil Price Monopoly By F. William Engdahl The move is part of a longer-term strategy of decoupling Russia's economy and especially its very significant export of oil, from the US dollar.  http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article43934.htm   =========   This Is How You Do a Putin Interview By Alexander Mercouris The fact Ukraine has not brought a claim against Russia to the International Court of Justice shows it knows - and has been warned by Western governments - it would lose.  http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article43936.htm   =========   Syria: Obama's Delusion Over Russian Retreat Continues By Moon Of Alabama As far as Russia is concerned - Assad will stay where he is right now.  http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article43939.htm   =========   Towards the Collapse of Saudi Arabia By Thierry Meyssan While the Saud family enjoys the last few moments of its dictatorship, the decapitation of the leader of the opposition, Nimr al-Nimr, deprives half of the Saudi population of all hope.  http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article43941.htm   =========   What Hillary Knew about Libya By Robert Parry Blumenthal's emails provide a useful window into what was actually happening behind the scenes - and what Secretary of State Clinton knew.  http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article43937.htm   =========   Exceptionalism: A Wile for Imperialism By Kim Petersen and B. J. Sabri No one harnessed the power of militant ideological Wahhabism better than the United States of Jimmy Carter and Zbigniew Brzezinski.  http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article43935.htm   =========   The US in 2016: No Money for Social Programs, Cash to Burn For The military By Andre Damon The US government has poured hundreds of billions of dollars into into military programs like the F-35 fighter, while slashing assistance for the poor, homeless, and hungry.  http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article43938.htm   =========   Obama's Final State of the Union: Lies, Evasions and Threats By Patrick Martin Obama indulged in the glorification of killing that has become an essential part of the degraded spectacle that passes for political discourse in America.  http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article43940.htm   =========

Hard News     Fifteen Yemeni civilians killed in Saudi-led air strike - residents: At least 15 Yemeni civilians were killed in an air strike by a Saudi-led military coalition outside the capital, residents said on Wednesday, as prospects for a new round of U.N.-sponsored talks to end the war in Yemen dimmed.  http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-yemen-security-idUKKCN0UR19220160113 Five Saudi troops killed in Yemen retaliatory operations: Yemen's army and popular committees have killed five Saudi soldiers on the kingdom's soil amid Riyadh's relentless bombardment of its impoverished neighbor.  http://presstv.ir/Detail/2016/01/13/445658/Yemen-Saudi-Arabia-Ansarullah-Asir-Jizan-Marib-/ Gunmen kill two policemen in south Yemen:  Unidentified gunmen Wednesday shot dead two policemen in Yemen's southern city of Aden, a security official said, in the second such attack in as many days.  https://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/2016/Jan-13/331730-gunmen-kill-two-policemen-in-south-yemen.ashx Southeast Turkey operation kills 16 more PKK rebels:  Turkish security forces killed 16 PKK members during ongoing anti-terror operations in southeastern provinces of Sirnak and Diyarbakir on Tuesday, Turkish army said Wednesday.  https://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/2016/Jan-13/331730-gunmen-kill-two-policemen-in-south-yemen.ashx Turkey's security knew about possible attack, failed to stop it - reports:  The Turkish National Intelligence Organization (MIT) issued warnings to security forces that Islamic State (IS, previously ISIS/ISIL) terrorists were targeting tourists and foreign mission buildings prior to Tuesday's attack in Istanbul, Hürriyet reports.  https://www.rt.com/news/328789-turkey-security-terror-attack/ All 3 Russians detained in Turkey belonged to foreign terror groups - Russian state source : The three Russian citizens detained by the Turkish police over ties with Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) were indeed linked with international terrorism, a source in one of Russia's security agencies has said.  https://www.rt.com/news/328749-turkey-russians-terrorism-istanbul/ Assyrians And Kurds Clash For The First Time In North Syria:  Several people have been killed in rare clashes between Assyrian Christians and Kurds in Syria's al-Hasakah province, Al Jazeera has learnt.  http://www.informationng.com/2016/01/assyrians-and-kurds-clash-for-the-first-time-in-north-syria.html Backed by Russian airstrikes, Syrian troops push deeper into rebel stronghold: Backed by relentless Russian airstrikes, Syrian troops a seize a key rebel-held town in the strategic region overlooking the coast, the government and opposition activists said.  http://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2016-01-13/syrian-troops-seize-territory-from-rebels-in-northwest Syria rebels to relinquish nearly half of heavy weapons in Homs truce:  Syrian rebels in a former opposition stronghold in Homs will relinquish nearly half their heavy weapons as part of a landmark truce with the government, the provincial governor said Wednesday.  http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/74681 Syria's rebels reject peace talks unless U.N. resolution implemented:  The groups, which include the powerful Islam Army, mentioned articles 12 and 13 of a resolution that was passed late last year, which calls on the sides in Syria's civil war to allow humanitarian access to all in need and cease attacks on civilians.  http://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-rebels-idUSKCN0UR2EZ20160113 Russia has no plans for quasi-state in Syria, contrary to Erdogan's claims:  Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's claims to the effect Russia's aim in Syria is to create a mini-state around Latakia province is nothing but a propaganda move expected to weaken Moscow's foothold at Syrian crisis settlement talks  http://tass.ru/en/opinions/849332 Putin hints that Russia could grant asylum to Assad:  Russia could grant asylum to Bashar al-Assad if he is forced to leave Syria, Vladimir Putin suggested in an interview with the German tabloid Bild.  http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jan/12/putin-russia-assad-asylum-snowden Kevin Andrews calls for troops on ground, disagrees with government policy:  Former defence minister Kevin Andrews has repeated calls for Australian combat troops to join the fight against Islamic State, the day after the government confirmed it had formally declined the United States request for an increased military contribution.  http://www.watoday.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/kevin-andrews-calls-for-troops-on-ground-as-australia-rejects-latest-us-request-20160113-gm5ffn.html Syria : David Cameron admits 'there aren't enough' moderate fighters on the ground:  David Cameron has admitted that "there aren't enough" moderate Syrian fighters to defeat Isis yet and conceded some of the rebels belong to "relatively hardline Islamist groups".  http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/syria-air-strikes-david-cameron-admits-there-aren-t-enough-moderate-fighters-on-the-ground-and-some-a6808021.html Obama calls on US Congress to authorize use of military force against Islamic State : "If this Congress is serious about winning this war, and wants to send a message to our troops and the world, you should finally authorize the use of military force against ISIL," he says  http://tass.ru/en/world/849070 U.S. military may expand ISIS fight beyond Iraq and Syria:  Defense Secretary Ash Carter signaled Wednesday that the U.S. military will expand efforts to target Islamic State militants beyond the group's territory in Iraq and Syria, potentially involving airstrikes and raids in other Islamic countries.  http://tinyurl.com/zvq5apz Iraqi Warplanes Bomb Daesh Meeting, Killing 11 Terror Group's Leaders: A Daesh commander in charge of the group's Baghdad members was among those killed, along with a close associate of the group's leader Abu Bakr Baghdadi and a senior operative responsible for transferring terrorists to Baghdad, according to the statement.  http://sputniknews.com/middleeast/20160113/1033078860/iraq-daesh-anbar.html Special U.S. targeting force 'now in place' in Iraq, U.S. says:  A new U.S. force of special operations troops has arrived in Iraq and is preparing to work with Iraqi forces to go after ISIS targets, U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter said on Wednesday.  http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/2016/Jan-13/331776-special-us-targeting-force-now-in-place-in-iraq-us-says.ashx Iran Releases Footage From Arrest Of 10 U.S. Sailors:  Iran's state broadcaster just released photos not just of the 10 captured soldiers, which were shown earlier, but of their arrest as well as the seizure of the boat and their weapons. Here is the just released TV footage:  http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-01-13/latest-humiliation-obama-iran-just-released-photos-arrest-10-us-sailors John Kerry thanks Iran for freeing US Navy sailors: "I want to express my gratitude to Iranian authorities for their cooperation ?in swiftly resolving this matter," Kerry said in a statement on Wednesday, according to Reuters.  http://presstv.ir/Detail/2016/01/13/445659/Kerry-US-Navy-sailors/ Palestinian Hunger Striker Reportedly in Critical Condition:  The condition of a Palestinian journalist on a 48-day hunger strike in an Israeli jail is deteriorating, the man's wife and a Palestinian official said Monday.  http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/1.697125 Swedish foreign minister calls for inquiry into Israeli violence:  Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom called on Tuesday for an investigation to determine if Israel was guilty of extrajudicial killings of Palestinians during recent violence there, local media reported.  https://uk.news.yahoo.com/swedish-foreign-minister-calls-inquiry-israeli-violence-140100872.html Israel says Swedish FM not welcome:  The minister, Margot Wallstroem, last week postponed a trip to Israel indefinitely, with Israeli media reports suggesting that Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman did not want to meet her.  http://news.yahoo.com/israel-says-swedish-fm-not-welcome-173447963.html Kuwait MPs approve extra $10 bn for arms:  Kuwait's parliament on Wednesday unanimously approved a request by the oil-rich Gulf state's government for $10 billion in additional funds for military spending during the next 10 years.  http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/2016/Jan-13/331793-kuwait-mps-approve-extra-10-bn-for-arms.ashx Bomb attack kills over dozen in north Cameroon mosque: "The attack took place at 5:40 a.m. (0440 GMT) at a mosque in Kouyape. There were 13 deaths, including the man who blew himself up, and one wounded," a senior local official, who declined to be named, said on Wednesday.  http://presstv.ir/Detail/2016/01/13/445624/Cameroon-bomb-attack-mosque-Kouyape-Nigeria-Boko-Haram/ 14 killed as suicide attack targets polio centre in Pakistan:  A suicide bomber detonated explosives outside a polio eradication centre in Pakistan's western city of Quetta, killing more than a dozen people in the latest deadly assault on the campaign to fight the disease in the country.  http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/01/deadly-blast-hits-anti-polio-centre-pakistan-160113044540957.html Six killed as suicide bomber targets Pakistan consulate in Afghanistan: Afghan security forces exchanged fire with gunmen barricaded in a house near the Pakistani consulate in the eastern city of Jalalabad on Wednesday after a suicide bomber blew himself up, killing as many as six people and wounding two, officials said.  http://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/90046-Blast-close-to-Pakistan-India-consulates-reported-in-Afghanistan Philippines to offer eight bases to US forces: official: The Philippines is set to offer the US military use of eight bases, a military spokesman said Wednesday, after the country's supreme court upheld a security agreement with Washington forged in the face of rising tensions with China.  http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/asia/825248/philippines-to-offer-eight-bases-to-us-forces-official China state news agency criticizes US-Philippines base deal: BEIJING (AP) - China harshly criticized the Philippine Supreme Court's backing of a defense pact allowing American forces, warships and planes to be based temporarily in local military camps, calling the move "stupid" and warning of consequences.  http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/ap/article-3397172/China-state-news-agency-criticizes-US-Philippines-base-deal.html Ukraine, pro-Russia rebels agree new truce deal:  Ukraine and pro-Russian rebels agreed a new truce deal Wednesday that goes into immediate effect and replaces one broken just hours after its signature at the end of last month.  http://www.france24.com/en/20160113-ukraine-pro-russia-rebels-agree-new-truce-deal Julian Assange to be questioned by Swedish prosecutors in London: Lawyers for Wikileaks founder welcome prosecutor's decision to interview Assange at Ecuadorian embassy in bid to break deadlock  http://www.theguardian.com/media/2015/mar/13/julian-assange-wikileaks-swedish-prosecutors-london-interview Canada welcomes 10,000th Syrian refugee:  A plane carrying asylum seekers landed in Toronto late on Tuesday, putting the number of arrivals at 10,121 since November, when Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Liberals took office.  http://www.middleeasteye.net/news/canada-welcomes-10000th-syrian-refugee-2052958964 Michigan's Water Crisis Has Gotten So Bad The National Guard Has Been Deployed: Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder (R) activated his state's National Guard late Tuesday night to help address a growing public health crisis stemming from tap water poisoned with lead.  http://thinkprogress.org/health/2016/01/13/3738923/michigan-water-national-guard/? Homeland Security Asking Hotel Staff to Report Customers for Too Many Condoms: Frequent minibar-restock requests and refusal of maid service for several days also listed among signs you might be a sex trafficker.  https://reason.com/blog/2016/01/12/homeland-security-asking-hotel-staff-to Emails expose close ties between Hillary Clinton and accused war criminal Henry Kissinger: Kissinger met regularly with Secretary Clinton, and applauded her hawkish foreign policy in a handwritten message  http://www.salon.com/2016/01/12/emails_expose_close_ties_between_hillary_clinton_and_accused_war_criminal_henry_kissinger/ Joe diGenova: FBI facing revolt unless Hillary Clinton is charged : "I believe that the evidence that the FBI is compiling will be so compelling that unless [Lynch] agrees to the charges, there will be a massive revolt inside the FBI, which she will not be able to survive as an attorney general. It will be like Watergate. It will be unbelievable."  http://www.wbdaily.com/primary/joe-digenova-fbi-facing-revolt-unless-hillary-clinton-is-charged/ Rubio Promises First Trip to Israel as President: Republican presidential candidate Marco Rubio promised to make a visit to Israel his first foreign trip if he becomes the Republican presidential nominee and goes on to win the White House next fall.  http://jewishinsider.com/5980/rubio-promises-first-trip-to-israel-as-president/ Ted Cruz Didn't Disclose Loan From Goldman Sachs for His First Senate Campaign:  The couple's decision to pump more than $1 million into Mr. Cruz's successful Tea Party-darling Senate bid in Texas was made easier by a large loan from Goldman Sachs, where Mrs. Cruz works. That loan was not disclosed in campaign finance reports.  http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/14/us/politics/ted-cruz-wall-street-loan-senate-bid-2012.html