I. REUTERS - It's official: An asteroid wiped out the dinosaurs
A panel of 41 scientists from across the world reviewed 20 years' worth of research to try to confirm the cause of the so-called Cretaceous-Tertiary (KT) extinction, which created a "hellish environment" around 65 million years ago and wiped out more than half of all species on the planet. Scientific opinion was split over whether the extinction was caused by an asteroid or by volcanic activity in the Deccan Traps in what is now India, where there were a series of super volcanic eruptions that lasted around 1.5 million years. The new study, conducted by scientists from Europe, the United States, Mexico, Canada and Japan and published in the journal Science, found that a 15-kilometre (9 miles) wide asteroid slamming into Earth at Chicxulub in what is now Mexico was the culprit. The asteroid is thought to have hit Earth with a force a billion times more powerful than the atomic bomb at Hiroshima. Scientists working on the study analyzed the work of paleontologists, geochemists, climate modelers, geophysicists and sedimentologists who have been collecting evidence about the KT extinction over the last 20 years. Geological records show the event that triggered the dinosaurs' demise rapidly destroyed marine and land ecosystems, they said, and the asteroid hit "is the only plausible explanation for this."
II. WASHINGTONTIMES - The Cyprus "incursion" was an invasion
We appreciate James Morrison's Feb. 23 item "Recall Demanded" (Embassy Row, Geopolitics), which reported on the American Hellenic Institute's response to comments made by U.S. Ambassador James Jeffrey to a Turkish newspaper. Journalism such as this is important in bringing to the forefront important issues that usually do not receive as much attention as other foreign policy issues. However, the article contains several misstatements of fact about the background of the Cyprus issue. The Turkish military action against the Republic of Cyprus on July 20, 1974, was not an "incursion," but rather an illegal cross-border invasion of another sovereign nation, accomplished with the illegal use of U.S.-supplied arms. The right-wing perpetrators of the coup, who were sponsored by the Greek junta in Athens, lasted in power for just eight days. Whatever the intent of the perpetrators of the coup, they fell from power, and the legitimate government of Cyprus was restored on July 23, 1974. Nevertheless, Turkey launched its second invasion, expelling the Greek Cypriot population and occupying nearly 40 percent of the territory of Cyprus. It was these "military moves" that resulted in "a division of the island." Turkey continues to illegally occupy Cyprus with more than 40,000 troops. It also has altered the demographics of the occupied area with the creation in 1983 of the so-called Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), in defiance of United Nations resolutions. The TRNC is recognized only by Turkey. Finally, Turkey continues to ship settlers from mainland Turkey to occupied Cyprus in violation of the Geneva Conventions and international law. The number of settlers now totals more than 180,000.
The US House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee has approved a resolution that recognizes the World War I-era deaths of Armenians in Ottoman-era Turkey as an act of “genocide”. After hours of discussion, the House of Foreign Affairs Committee barely passed the resolution with a 23-22 vote that labels the murder of an estimated 1.5 million Armenians during World War I as genocide. However, the Committee’s decision is only another step in recognizing the genocide. The 23-22 vote now sends the measure to the full House of Representatives, where the prospects for passage are uncertain. In 2007 a similar notion was adopted by the Foreign Affairs Committee; however, it never made to the next level. After intense pressure by the Bush administration, who feared passage of the resolution would harm their war effort in the Middle East, the resolution was not brought to the House floor. Despite US President Barack Obama’s vows during the 2008 presidential campaign to recognize the killings of Armenians as genocide, the White House had urged against the vote, fearing that it could anger Washington’s NATO ally, Turkey. However, last year at the annual White House statement on the day marking the Armenian remembrance, Obama also failed to call the killings a “genocide”. It’s estimated that up to 1.5 million Armenians were killed by the Ottoman Turks during World War I. Many historians call this the “first genocide of the 20th century.” A number of countries – including Germany, Russia, Italy, France, Canada, Greece and most of the US states, as well as the Vatican, the European Parliament and the World Council of Churches have denounced the killings as genocide. Turkey however, says the death toll has been inflated and those killed were the victims of civil war and unrest, denying that genocide had taken place. Ankara insists, in order for Armenia to have diplomatic and economic relations with Turkey, it should drop its claim for international recognition of genocide.
IV. RADIOSRBIJA - US, Serbia relations very positive
US Ambassador in Belgrade Mary Warlick said US-Serbia relations were very positive and that the USA strongly supports Serbia’s EU integrations, while Serbia could play an important role in the region. She told Belgrade daily BLIC her task is to follow the new tone instilled in mutual relations by US Vice-President Joseph Beiden, during his visit to Belgrade last year and to develop a new chapter in those relations. Despite differences in the opinion on some issues, such as the Kosovo one, the USA wants to build strong relations with Serbia. The annual US aid programme of 50 million USD is aimed at supporting reforms to promote Serbia’s integrations in the EU and in global institutions, she said. The USA is finding ways to enhance the business dimension of mutual relations as much as possible, she said.
V. KATHIMERINI - Warning over Ganic extradition
Bosnia’s Foreign Minister Sven Alkalaj warned Belgrade yesterday about its demand to extradite a former Bosnian leader arrested in Britain. Alkalaj told his Serbian counterpart in a telephone conversation that the extradition of Ejup Ganic was “not the way to improve relations” between Belgrade and Sarajevo, which have remained fragile since the 1992-95 war. “I told him that we are lodging a serious protest with the Serbian government and demanding that it withdraw the request for Ganic’s extradition, as a step toward further strengthening neighborly relations,” the independent Bosnian news agency ONASA quoted Alkalaj as saying. However, Serbia has not withdrawn its request, Alkalaj said. Ganic was arrested at London’s Heathrow Airport on Monday on a warrant issued by Serbia, which wants him for the killing of 18 soldiers and officers in an attack on a Yugoslav army convoy in May 1992. Ganic was a member of the Bosnian presidency at the time. However, Bosnia believes he should stand trial there and not in Serbia and has launched a rival extradition request. A British judge refused to free Ganic on Wednesday, saying the risk that he would flee was too high. Ganic is to appear in court on Tuesday. Bosnian Muslim leader Haris Silajdzic voiced disappointment that a British court had denied bail for Ganic following his arrest. Silajdzic’s office voiced “disbelief regarding the decision and moves by British authorities since the beginning of the case.” It said in a statement that the Bosnian ambassador to Britain and Ganic’s lawyers and family had not been allowed to visit him. “Due to this open violation of laws and international obligations since his arrest, Ganic is in a complete isolation and has no information about his case,” said Silajdzic, the Muslim member of Bosnia’s joint presidency.
VI. RIANOVOSTI - Russia pins hope on "pragmatic politicians" in Georgia
Moscow said on Friday it linked the improvement of soured relations with Tbilisi to 'realistically minded' political figures in Georgia. The statement came in the wake of a Thursday meeting in Moscow between Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and one of Georgia's opposition leaders, Nino Burdzhanadze. The statement said Russia and Georgia need to search for a way out of the impasse in their relations, which "is key to peace in the Trans-Caucasus." Moscow stressed that it linked the restoration of relations "with those political figures in Georgia who take a realistic view of the current situation in the region." The ministry said various aspects of "the current complex state of Russian-Georgian relations" were discussed and that "despite the ongoing crisis and the absence of diplomatic relations between Russia and Georgia, it is essential to search for a way out of this impasse." Burdzhanadze also met with Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. The former speaker of the Georgian parliament, once an ally of President Mikheil Saakashvili, came to Moscow for talks with Russian political leaders, saying that such dialogue was crucial for Georgia. Burdzhanadze is one of a growing number of Georgian opposition leaders seeking to start political dialogue between Russia and Georgia, calling it crucial for Georgia's future. Former Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Nogaideli has visited Moscow several times in recent months. However, Georgian parliamentary deputies loyal to Saakashvili have already accused Burdzhanadze of "treason" over her Moscow visit.
VII. PBSNEWSHOUR - In Egypt, Religious Tensions Erupt in Violence
The church is carved out of El Mokattam, a giant bluff on the outskirts of Cairo. Egypt's Coptic Church is one of Christianity's earliest, and its history goes back to 42 A.D. This church was built in the 1990s by wealthier members of the Copt community, many living abroad. But most of the Copts in Egypt today are poor and a distinct minority in a country that is now 90 percent Muslim. They often complain about being discriminated against. Sometimes, religious tension has escalated into violence. Six Copt worshipers and a Muslim guard were gunned down outside a church on January 7, the day Coptic and orthodox churches celebrate Christmas. The attack was an apparent retaliation for the alleged rape of a Muslim girl by a Christian man. The funerals for the dead brought forth more violence, this time angry Copts clashed with police. Author and democracy activist Alaa Al Aswany blames the tension on a steady rise in the Wahabi brand of religious conservatism, much of it imported from and financed by Saudi Arabia and, he says, promoted endlessly on television. To watch the video segment or read the transcript, click here.