A Somali suspect accused of staging a brazen high-seas attack on a U.S.-flagged ship off Africa's coast is due in a Manhattan court. Abdiwali Abdiqadir Muse will be in federal court on Tuesday. He was brought to New York last year for what's believed to be the first U.S. piracy prosecution in more than a century. He has pleaded not guilty to piracy under the law of nations and hostage-taking. Prosecutors say Muse led four pirates who stormed the Maersk Alabama April 8, 2009 as it carried humanitarian supplies 280 miles off Somalia's coast. Navy snipers fatally shot three pirates and freed the ship's captain to end the standoff.
Iran said Tuesday it expects the U.S. and its allies to accept a nuclear fuel swap deal despite initial skepticism, as key U.N. Security Council member China welcomed the proposal as a way of reviving negotiations over Tehran's nuclear activities. The U.S. and some of the other world powers involved in the standoff said a deal reached with outside mediation by Turkey and Brazil on Monday failed to ease their concerns that Iran is ultimately intending to develop a nuclear weapons capability. Iran is offering to trade much of its enriched uranium for fuel rods needed for a medical research reactor in Tehran. It is similar to a U.N.-drafted deal proposed in October that would have deprived Iran — at least temporarily — of the material it would need to produce a nuclear warhead. The White House showed deep skepticism about the new pact, noting that it allows Iran to keep enriching uranium, giving it a possible pathway to weapons. "Given Iran's repeated failure to live up to its own commitments, and the need to address fundamental issues related to Iran's nuclear program, the United States and international community continue to have serious concerns," White House press secretary said on Monday. On Monday, the official IRNA news agency [reported] Iran would continue to enrich uranium to the 20 percent level — a statement sure to trigger alarm among the U.S. and other nations pushing Iran to stop enrichment altogether. Besides the U.S., the other nations involved in standoff with Iran are Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China. Washington has been leading an effort to get the six nations to push through new U.N. sanctions. Turkey's foreign minister on Tuesday urged the United States and its allies to stop discussions on more U.N. sanctions, saying that would "spoil the atmosphere."
III. JPOST - Israeli Gov’t rejects Iran deal as a ruse
The Israeli government described the latest Iranian nuclear deal as a trick designed to prevent the imposition of UN Security Council sanctions. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu met with the "Septet" of seven key ministers on Tuesday, to discuss Israel's response to the Iranian nuclear fuel reprocessing agreement, brokered by Brazil and Turkey. Netanyahu instructed ministers not to make any public pronouncements before they had agreed a united response. Ministers concluded that the latest agreement is a maneuver to prevent the UN Security Council from agreeing on sanctions. They concluded the Iranian ruse will probably succeed as the Security council will be forced to study the new proposals. Iran signed the agreement with Turkey and Brazil on Monday, in the face of growing likelihood of UN Security Council sanctions. Turkey and Brazil are currently non-permanent members of the Security Council, and Brazil is seeking a permanent seat on the council. Both countries have strong economic ties with Iran and are seeking a greater role in the Middle East. The new agreement is similar to an earlier agreement, also used to offset sanctions, in which Iran was supposed to ship its enriched uranium to Russia, for processing into fuel rods that could not be used for weapons. On that occasion, Iran refused to implement the agreement. The US, Britain and Germany have responded to the agreement with caution and are continuing to push for sanctions. Russia and China have welcomed the deal, but Medvedev has advised caution.
A senior Al-Qaeda militant had been planning an attack against the football World Cup which kicks off in South Africa next month, an Iraqi security spokesman said on Monday. The 30-year-old Saudi national, who was arrested two weeks ago, had been in contact with Al-Qaeda number two Ayman al-Zawahiri as part of his planning for the attack, though no further details were made available. Abdullah Azzam Saleh Misfar al-Qahtani "participated in the planning of a terrorist act in South Africa during the World Cup," Baghdad security spokesman Major General Qassim Atta said at a news conference in the Iraqi capital. He added that Qahtani, who was in charge of "security" for the terror network in Baghdad, was in contact "with the terrorist Ayman al-Zawahiri to organise the plan hatched by Al-Qaeda." Zawahiri is Al-Qaeda's number two and deputy to Osama bin Laden. In Johannesburg, South African police said they were making inquiries about the reported threat from Iraq. "The South African police are still working on getting confirmation," Nonkululeko Mbatha, spokeswoman for the national police chief, told AFP. "I don't know anything about that. We've not been consulted or informed," police spokesman Vish Naidoo told AFP. "We must phone Iraq. That's the next step," he said. National police chief Bheki Cele said last week that he knew of no security threat to the World Cup, the world's biggest sporting event which starts on June 11.
V. ANA - Greece on FYROMacedonia
Alternate Foreign Minister Dimitris Droutsas, speaking on the sidelines of the Council of Ministers at the Council of Europe on Tuesday, appealed to the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) to come to the negotiating table in a constructive manner for a solution to the issue of the name. Droutsas said that on the part of FYROM there is "abuse at international organisations," while adding that "Greece has made all the necessary moves, in close understanding and coordination with the Secretariat of the Council of Europe. We have received all the assurances that all documents, all the actitivities of the Council of Europe will bear the official name. Every other stance, every other activity by this country is not compatible with its hopes of becoming a member-state of the European Union." He further said that "Greece has a steadfast and clear position. We desire in a constructive way the solution to the issue of the name. We are trying for a solution under the auspices of the UN. We hope and we appeal to Skopje's political leadershiop to come at last themselves too in a constructive way to the negotiating table. It is up to them to focus on this issue of a solution and it is up to them to pave their country's way for the EU and the future." In the morning session and with his own political intervention, Droutsas wished "every success to the demanding mission" that the new presidency is assuming but expressed at the same time his regret over Skopje's insistence on using the term "Macedonian." He said that "we regret that the authorities of FYROM decided to use officially the term 'Macedonian' to determine the Presidency that their country is assuming rotatively." Droutsas reminded that the Ministers Council decision 95/23 determined unanimously that "for all the purposes within the Council of Europe, reference to this country will be taking place under the temporary name FYROM, for as long as the resolving of the difference that has appeared regarding the name of the country is pending." The Greek minister underlined that the use of the adjective "Macedonian" is yet another attempt by Skopje to monopolise the term, as well as an evident effort to sidestep their obligations. He further said that Skopje "are violating the letter and the spirit of decision 95/23 which the Council of Europe observed with strictness and which has constituted the established practice of all the international regional Organisations."
VI. SOFIAECHO - Risk of social unrest in Kosovo
The absence of a significant process of reconciliation between the communities in Kosovo, which declared its independence from Serbia in 2008, together with economic difficulties, continues to present the risk of social unrest, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon’s special representative for Kosovo, Lamberto Zannier, told the UN Security Council. UNMIK administered Kosovo from 1999 when North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato) forces drove out Yugoslav troops amid bloody ethnic fighting between Serbs and Albanians, but it gave up its administrative role after the February 2008 independence declaration in Pristina. The declaration was rejected by Serbia, which still seeks a robust role from the mission as opposed to that envisaged by the authorities in Kosovo’s capital. With UNMIK’s facilitation, the sides continue to have direct dealings on missing persons – according to Red Cross estimates there are still 1862 people missing across Kosovo – but "regrettably, direct practical cooperation between Belgrade and Pristina has not extended" to other areas generally, he said. Zannier said that the situation in Kosovo had remained stable, although the potential for volatility and instability, especially in northern Kosovo, remains. "The absence of a significant process of reconciliation between the communities continues to be a challenge and that, coupled with economic difficulties, continues to present the risk of social unrest," he said. He was presenting to the Security Council Ban’s latest report, which highlighted UNMIK’s unique position to facilitate dialogue between the communities and called for ongoing international support for the operation. Serbia won UN General Assembly backing to refer to the court the question of Kosovo’s independence. The court’s ruling will have non-binding status. The main concern of Kosovo institutions is the interference which the ICJ opinion might have in the process of talks and they expressed this concern to international diplomats, the newspaper said. The paper said that Belgrade too insisted that the process of talks should take place after the ICJ opinion, and that Belgrade was planning to use the court’s opinion as a basis for talks. Addressing the Security Council, Jeremić said that despite the setbacks on the ground, "a new, more promising moment" was being approached, and he expressed his belief that the opinion of the ICJ would create an unprecedented opportunity to achieve a strategic compromise between Serbs and Albanians, Serbian news agency Tanjug said. "This year can be the year of our shared success. I want to assure this Council that Serbia stands ready to flexibly engage in all sincerity, for our intent is neither to freeze the conflict, nor to triumph or to subjugate," Jeremić said.
VII. ORTHODOXYTODAY - Elder Paisios: Prayer is a Powerful Weapon
Do not forget there we are going through difficult times and much prayer is needed. You must remember the great need that people have for prayer today and the great expectation God has of us to pray. Praying for the general outrageous condition of the whole world that Christ may have pity on his creations for they are heading for destruction. Pray for his divine intervention in our outrageous time for the people are heading into general confusion, into madness, and an impasse. God has called for us to pray for the people, who have so many problems. The poor people don't even have time to cross themselves. If we who are monks and nuns don't pray then who will? The soldier in wartime is on alert always ready with his boots on. The monk must also be on alert. How I would have loved to be a Maccabee, to withdraw to the mountains and prayed constantly for the world. We must help everyone with our prayer and not let the devil have his way with them. The devil has acquired rights. Not because God has given him permission, but because he doesn't want to violate man's free will. This is why we can help through prayer. When one is pained over the prevailing condition of the world and prays, then people can be helped, without violating free will. If you continue with the grace of God a little further we can begin to make some progress on the issue of prayer, to put into effect a certain order, to be a radar station of prayer, for the urgency of the times require it. We must organize a prayer task force. You must wage war with the komboschini (prayer rope). Pray with pain in your heart for the world. Do you know what great power such prayer has? I am deeply hurt to see monks acting in human ways and not with prayer through God in matters which are difficult to achieve by human means. God can put everything in order. When one does good spiritual work, then, through prayer alone, one can build monasteries, equip them with all the necessary things and help the whole world. There is no need to even work, as long as one prays. A monk must try not to worry over every little difficulty, whether it is personal or affects a fellow human being, or even the general state of society, but should instead resort to prayer and send, through God, many divine powers. After all, a monk's work is precisely the work of prayer, and if any monk has not realized this, his life is without meaning. For this reason, he must know that every worry which urges him to seek human solutions to various problems, the suffering and headaches, is a result of demonic temptation. When you see yourself worried about matters which have no human solution you don't put them in God's hands, you must understand that this is a machination of the devil, to distract you from prayer, which God can send not only divine power but many divine powers, and this help will not then be simply divine help but a miracle from God. From the moment we begin to be troubled and anxious we prevent God from intervening. We tend to put our reasoning first rather than God, the divine will, so that we may deserve divine help. The devil tries by craftily misdirecting a monk's love, to limit him into a worldly love, to a human way of helping his fellow human beings, whereas the monk can move in his own space in his own field, which is to be a wireless operator of prayer, the unique service God has given him to do. All the other things a monk may do through his human efforts are of secondary importance. Also it is better for the monk to help others with his prayer that his words. If he does not have the power to keep someone from doing evil then he should help him from afar through prayer, otherwise he may himself be harmed. A prayer from the heart has more power than a thousand words especially for someone who won't listen. Even though people say that I help those who come to here to see me, I consider my true help to people to be my reading of the Psalms for an hour and half each day. I view all else as entertainment; people come and tell me their problems and I give them some advice, some spiritual counsel. As such any help they may receive is not from me, for it is the prayer that really helps. If I could devote all my time for prayer, I think I would be helping people more. Let's say I see two hundred suffering people a day; are there only two hundred people suffering in the world? If I see no one and spend all day praying for the whole world, then I see everyone. This is why I tell people, "I prefer to talk to God about you, rather than to talk to you about God. This is better for you, but you don't understand me." In these difficult years let us not neglect the work of prayer. Prayer is security; it is communication with God. Do you see what Abba Isaac says? God will not ask us why we did not pray, but why we did not have a relationship with Christ and allowed the devil to torment us."