Work crews in Cyprus have accidentally unearthed four rare clay coffins estimated to be some 2,000 years old, the country's Antiquities Department director said Wednesday. Maria Hadjicosti said the coffins adorned with floral patterns date from the east Mediterranean island's Hellenistic to early Roman periods, between 300 B.C. and 100 A.D. She said the coffins were dug up this week from what is believed to be an ancient cemetery in the eastern coastal resort of Protaras. Hadjicosti said similar coffins dating from the same period have been discovered. Two such coffins are on display in the capital's Archaeological Museum, while three others remain in storage there. But she called the latest find significant because the coffins were untouched by grave robbers. "The undisturbed coffins will help us add to our knowledge and understanding of that period of Cyprus history," Hadjicosti said. She said other items found at the site included human skeletal remains, glass vessels and terra cotta urns, indicating that the cemetery was in use over a long period of time. The official said the cemetery is one of several found throughout island's northeast, but scientists don't know which undiscovered settlement the bodies came from. Crews stumbled on the coffins — or sarcophagi — while working to complete a sidewalk at the resort. Excavations on Cyprus have uncovered settlements dating back to around 9000 B.C. Cyprus then saw successive waves of colonization, including Phoenicians, Mycenaean Greeks, Romans and, in the Middle Ages, Franks and Venetians. The island was conquered by Ottoman Turks in 1571 and became part of the British Empire in 1878 before winning independence in 1960.
II. 9NEWS - Greek police seize two 'ancient' statues
Police in southern Greece have seized a rare twin pair of 2500-year-old marble statues and arrested two farmers who allegedly planned to sell them abroad for 10 million euro, authorities said on Tuesday. Archaeologists said on Tuesday the statues are "outstanding works of art" and may have come from a temple or cemetery in a lost ancient city in the Peloponnese region in southern Greece. Both are in excellent condition, but lack sections of their lower legs and were gashed by a plough or digging machinery. They stand 1.82 metres and 1.78 metres high, and were probably carved by the same sculptor out of thick-grained island marble between 550-520 BC, at the height of the archaic period of sculpture. The statues are of the stiff, highly formalised Kouros type widespread in the 7th and 6th centuries BC which portrayed gods, heroes or aristocrats and were painted in bright colours. From the 5th century on, Greek sculpture became more fluid and lifelike, culminating in the naturalism of the Hellenistic era. Although the precise spot of the find is still unclear, authorities believe it may coincide with the lost ruins of Tenea, a city that according to ancient writers lay between Corinth and Mycenae and was first populated by prisoners of war brought back by victorious Greeks from the Trojan War - recorded in Homer's Iliad. A similar, but slightly earlier statue discovered in what may have been Tenea's cemetery is displayed in Munich. Archaeologists hope to find the missing leg sections because the breaks are recent.
III. TAIWANNEWS - Experts: Weak justice system failing Kosovo
A think tank says Kosovo's feeble justice system is chasing away foreign investment and hampering its call for more recognitions as an independent state. The International Crisis Group said in a report published Wednesday that Kosovo "struggles with uneven rule of law and a weak justice system that is failing its citizens." It says institutions are "prone to political interference and abuse of office" and cautions that "organized crime and corruption are widespread and growing." So far 68 countries have recognized Kosovo's independence from Serbia, including the U.S. and most countries in the EU. Serbia has vowed to block further recognition and has Russia's support. The EU has a 2,000 strong police mission that deals with war crimes and organized crime.
IV. RIANOVOSTI - Medvedev says N.Caucasus corruption threatens national security
Corruption in Russia's North Caucasus republics threatens national security and directly aids militants, President Dmitry Medvedev said on Wednesday. Speaking at a meeting of a presidential council on developing civil society, Medvedev said corruption in the volatile region "threatens national security and weakens state and social institutions." He also said that "Unfortunately, corruption in this region is a fact of direct aid to separatists." At the same meeting, the head of the Civil Dignity movement said that certain courts in the region had no credibility whatsoever. "In a range of North Caucasus republics - I won't name in which ones right now - the courts are totally discredited," Ella Pamfilova said. "Something needs to be done about this." However, Medvedev, a former lawyer, dismissed her comments, saying he was "categorically against such remarks" because they could lead to a "collapse of the legal system. Yes, among our judges there are people who take bribes and are afraid to make decisions," Medvedev admitted, saying however that "These are our courts and we are to implement their decisions." He also singled out unemployment as a major problem in the region. "The total number of unemployed of working age in the region is over 800,000. This is around 20%, but if we include the unregistered [jobless] this number is much bigger," he said.
V. YAHOONEWS - NATO, Russia to link tactical anti-missile systems
NATO and Russia said on Wednesday they intend to boost efforts to develop a joint system to protect their troops from attack by short-range missiles. Neither Russia nor NATO face imminent threats from such battlefield weapons. But cooperation in this field is seen as opening the way for the former Cold War rivals to work together on developing a much wider anti-missile system designed to protect Europe and North America against Iran's nascent long-range missile capability. The Theater Missile Defense System used now by some NATO nations is based on upgraded versions of the U.S. Patriot anti-aircraft missiles. Russia has its own S-300 Gladiator short-range system. The short-range battlefield systems are separate from President Barack Obama's proposal for a much more sophisticated ballistic missile defense system for Europe. NATO nations are likely to approve that at a summit next November in Lisbon, Portugal. NATO has already urged Moscow to join into the wider, territorial missile defense system, identifying Iran's missile program as a threat to both Russia and NATO's 28 member states. "More than 30 countries have or are developing ballistic missiles, not all of whom are friends. Iran is an obvious example," NATO spokesman James Appathurai said. Typically, the range of battlefield missiles is about 300 kilometers (nearly 200 miles). While Iranian tactical weapons would be unable to reach either Russia or NATO countries, they could be employed against U.S. and NATO troops in neighboring Afghanistan and Iraq.
VI. JPOST - PA: Israel endangers talks
Senior Palestinian Authority negotiator Saeb Erekat blames Israel for jeopardizing the talks with the Palestinians, saying it "Continues to create provocations and facts on the ground, in expanding settlements and making arrests within PA areas." Erekat emerged Wednesday from the latest meeting with US Envoy George Mitchell. According to Israel Radio, the discussion achieved little progress, mainly dealing with PA complaints against Israeli actions, with the Palestinians hoping that the US can rein in Israel. The PA is considering allowing the permanent stationing of NATO forces in the future Palestinian state, London-based pan-Arab daily Al-Quds al-Arabi reported Palestinian sources saying Wednesday. The NATO forces would be able to prevent arms smuggling into the future state and to monitor that it would remain demilitarized. Under any peace agreement likely to be formulated between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, Israel would expect the Palestinian entity to remain demilitarized. The Palestinian Authority will also ask NATO and the US to commit to “defending the Palestinian state from Israel," were relations to break down and were Israel to threaten the future Palestinian state with invasion, the report said. The report said the Palestinian Authority was willing to consider 1:1 land-swaps based on the 1967 borders on up to 4% of the territory beyond the green line, despite their official position, based on negotiations with the Olmert government of no more than 2% territorial exchanges. The Palestinian Authority takes into account that the territory needed to create the ‘safe passage’ between Gaza and the West Bank, would be part of the 4% land swap. Meanwhile, PLO general-secretary Yasser Abed Rabbo said on Wednesday that Israel was not interested in negotiations and would do everything to derail them as soon as possible, Israel Radio reported.
A new podcast -- "Conversations with Metropolitan Jonah" -- is now available on Ancient Faith Radio at ancientfaith.com/podcasts/conversations. In his interview with Archpriest Eric Tosi, Secretary of the Orthodox Church in America, His Beatitude reflects on the forthcoming Episcopal Assembly, the OCA's 16th All-American Council, the work of the Strategic Planning Committee, the OCA's departmental ministries, and much more. The podcast is part of a series initiated shortly after Metropolitan Jonah's election in 2008.