Global aid oil spill;WarCriminal,BIH;Iran cheers US loss,boycotts"Zionist"brands;Israel-Russia help;Visa-free EU-Russia;EU Crucifix ban?

I. AOL - After Repeated Offers, U.S. Finally Accepts Foreign Help with Oil Spill

Since the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico began more than two months ago, other countries have offered to assist with the cleanup effort. But until Tuesday, Washington has not taken them up on the offer. Now, the State Department says it will accept assistance from 12 countries and international organizations, of which only one, Japan, has been identified. According to Foreign Policy magazine, the United States has previously declined offers to help from Canada, Croatia, France, Germany, Ireland, Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway, Romania, Republic of Korea, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United Nations.

II. B92 - Fugitive war criminal to return to Croatia

Convicted war criminal Branimir Glavaš, who is currently a fugitive in Bosnia-Herzegovina, intends on returning to Croatia, according to his lawyer. Attorney Veljko Miljević said that Glavaš expressed his wishes to return to Croatia even before the meeting of the Supreme Court was held regarding his appeal a month ago. Miljević was commenting on the media speculation that Glavaš wanted to return to Croatia so he would not have to serve his sentence in Bosnia-Herzegovina. The Zagreb District Court found Glavaš guilty of war crimes last year and sentenced him to ten years in prison for crimes committed against Serb civilians in Croatia. The other five co-dependents received sentences of in between five and eight years. Before the conviction could be confirmed, Glavaš fled to Bosnia, where he also has citizenship, which makes extradition to Croatia impossible. The verdict states that Glavaš in 1991 ordered the arrest, torture and murder of seven Serb civilians. They were killed and thrown into the Drava River with their hands tied and mouths covered with tape. Glavaš was also convicted of the torture and murder of Čedomir Vučković and the torture of Đorđe Petrović in the garage of the Osijek Secretariat for National Defense, which he headed in 1991. Co-defendant Ivica Krnjak received an eight-year sentence, while Gordana Getoš Magdić received seven, and Dino Kontić, Tihomir Valentić and Zdravko Dragić were each sent to jail for five years. Glavaš was the first Croatian politician convicted of war crimes. During his stay in Bosnia, Glavaš addressed the Croatian public and his supporters several times via messages and videos.

III. AFP - Iran minister cheers US, England, France cup defeats

Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki has said the United States, England and France deserved to be eliminated in the World Cup for imposing nuclear sanctions on Tehran, newspapers reported on Wednesday. "In this World Cup you see a meaningful correlation between politics and diplomacy and football," Mottaki was quoted as saying by Tehran Emrouz newspaper. "Those who played a key role in new sanctions against Iran such as America, England and France were eliminated in the early stages and some countries that were somehow involved in sanctions did not get into higher rounds," he said. Iranians are fervent football enthusiasts but their national team did not qualify for this year's World Cup in South Africa. In a US-led move the UN Security Council this month adopted a fourth set of sanctions against Iran over its controversial nuclear programme, which world powers fear is masking a covert weapons drive despite Iran's denial. France went down in the group stages, while England and the United States were eliminated in the last 16 knock-out round. Iran played in the 2006 World Cup in Germany but failed to make it to the second round. The media grilled football officials for months over the team's poor performance. Iran's best game in its three appearances in the World Cup was in 1998, when they beat the US team 2-1.

IV. JPOST - Iran to boycott 'Zionist' brands

Coca-cola, IBM and Intel are on Ahmadinejad's no-buy list. Iran has banned "Zionist companies" in an amendment signed by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Army Radio reported Wednesday. The blacklist is made up of "Jewish-owned" American companies like IBM, Intel and Coca-Cola. The boycott comes as a reaction to American and UN sanctions against Iran. The amendment was added to a new law passed in reaction to the Gaza flotilla entitled "The Palestinian Support Law," in which Iran seeks to support Palestinians while isolating Israel, Army Radio reported. The Iranian Foreign Ministry is responsible for making sure the boycott is carried out. This comes a day after Israel's ambassador to the US, Michael Oren, warned that Iran might respond to sanctions passed against it in the US last week with terrorist violence in the Middle East. Oren stated that it is basically a matter of seeing who can hold out longer and that the international community must perservere in enforcing the sanctions. He added that Teheran would respond to the sanctions by either returning to the negotiating table or by starting a war in the Middle East.

V. TVR - Netanyahu asks Russia to urge HAMAS to release Gilad Shalit

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu of Israel has asked Russia to work connections and urge HAMAS to release the Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit who was taken prisoner during Israel’s special operation on the Gaza border back in 2006. Netanyahu made his request during his meeting with the Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Jerusalem recently. Earlier Lavrov reiterated that Russia would continue cooperation with HAMAS since the movement has come to power through election.

VI. RIANOVOSTI - Russia ready for visa-free regime with EU

Russia is technologically prepared to introduce a visa-free regime with European Union, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday. "We are ready for a visa-free regime with European countries. There is no unified opinion on the issue in united Europe. We are not in a hurry, we understand that the issue is complicated - 27 counties, many opinions," Putin said at the Engineering Technologies-2010 international forum. He emphasized that such decisions are always taken jointly. "We have always acted on the assumption of this fact and we will continue this in the future. We are open to transfer to a visa-free regime and we are ready for the move," he said. During the Russia-EU summit held on May 1-June 31 in Rostov-on-Don, Russia passed the EU a draft agreement on abolishing the visa regime.

VII. FOXBLOGS - Europe To Ban Crucifix In Italian Schools?

The Italian government has appealed a ruling from the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg that would remove crucifixes from Italian public schools. The government made its appeal today before the Grand Chamber of the Court, in a case that the Vatican and many European nations will be watching closely. Ten other countries signed on to show their support for Italy in the case, several of them Orthodox strongholds, including Greece, Russia and Cyprus. The case stems from a woman who argued that that all the classrooms in her children’s school in a small town in Italy – a secular country -- had crucifixes on the wall. While Italian courts ruled against her, the European Court of Human Rights upheld her argument last November, maintaining there had been a violation of the right to education, as wall as freedom of thought, conscience and religion. The crucifix on the wall, the judgment said, “restricted the right of parents to educate their children in conformity with their convictions, and the right of children to believe or not believe.” Italian officials have argued that the crucifix is not only a religious symbol but also a cultural one, part of the national identity. Scottish Cardinal Keith O’Brien said the court’s decision could have sweeping implications, and that that what’s at stake is the “precious religious heritage of many people and nations across Europe.” Italy’s appeal will be studied by the Grand Chamber of the Court, whose decisions are final. Court officials say no decision is expected for six to nine months.

Afghani assault;Hamas spy;Medvedev nuke traffic;UN-Cyprus;Kosovo partition;IOCC aid,Kyrgyzstan;Sts Peter,Paul Feast

I. WASHINGTONPOST - U.S. and Afghan forces launch major assault in eastern province of Konar

A force of about 700 U.S. and Afghan troops launched a major assault along Afghanistan's border with Pakistan in an attempt to destroy a growing insurgent haven and blunt rising violence in the area. The assault represents one of the largest in eastern Afghanistan in the past several years and reflects growing concern among U.S. commanders and Afghan leaders that Taliban insurgents are seeking to intensify pressure in the east as troops prepare for a tough summer of fighting in the south. Afghan officials had been complaining for several weeks that the Afghan Taliban, which traditionally has been strongest in Kandahar and Helmand provinces in the south, had been infiltrating the province as part of an effort to open a second front. Some Pakistani Taliban fighters, who are only loosely connected to the Afghan insurgents, also had sought sanctuary in the area, fleeing a Pakistani army attack on the other side of the border, U.S. officials said. The Afghan army, police and border force made up about 60 percent of the attacking force and played a central role in planning the assault, U.S. officials said. The district subgovernor in the valley had been a mujaheddin commander decades earlier and battled occupying Soviet forces in the same mountains. U.S. officials said that the heaviest fighting in the district had ended by Monday morning and that U.S. and Afghan forces had shifted their effort to reestablishing the Afghan police and local government in the district's main village.

II. CANADIANPRESS - Hamas spy fights to stay in California as US seeks to deport him for links to terrorism

Mosab Hassan Yousef says he will be killed if he is deported from the United States to the West Bank. The oldest son of one of Hamas' founders, he was an Israeli spy for a decade, and he abandoned Islam for Christianity, further marking him a traitor. He is scheduled to plead his case Wednesday to an immigration judge in San Diego, four months after publishing memoirs that say he was one of the Shin Bet security agency's best assets and was dubbed The Green Prince, a reference to his Hamas pedigree and the Islamists' signature green colour. Yousef's case seems straightforward: Helping Israel find and kill members of the militant group would make him a marked man back home. Nearly two dozen members of Congress wrote Homeland Secretary Janet Napolitano this week that Yousef would be in "grave danger" in the Middle East. Former CIA Director James Woolsey says his deportation would discourage other potential spies. "It is not an exaggeration to say that such an action would set us back years in the war on terrorism," Woolsey wrote in a letter released by Yousef's attorney. "Mosab's deportation would be such an inhumane act it would constitute a blight on American history." But the Department of Homeland Security isn't convinced and wants him gone, calling him "a danger to the security of the United States" who has "engaged in terrorist activity." Homeland Security called Yousef a terrorist danger when it denied asylum in February 2009 and, in court documents provided to The Associated Press by Yousef's attorney, says he "discusses his extensive involvement with Hamas in great detail" in his recent memoir. It cites a passage in which Yousef identifies five suspects in a 2001 suicide bombing to a Shin Bet official and admits that he drove them to safe houses. It was not more specific in its pre-hearing briefing about the threat he may pose to the U.S. Yousef says his intelligence work for Israel required him to do anything he could to learn about Hamas and that neither he nor Israel knew they were suspects in the suicide bombing when he gave them rides. The U.S. government considers Hamas a terrorist organization. Hamas says it provides schools and other social benefits to residents in the areas it controls.

III. RIANOVOSTI - Medvedev calls for strict monitoring of nuclear material trafficking

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev believes that strict monitoring of nuclear material trafficking and maintaining high security standards in the nuclear sphere is crucial for modern society. "At this stage, creating effective mechanisms that rule out the unauthorized acquisition of nuclear materials and technologies has special importance. This approach was endorsed at the recent Nuclear Security Summit and NPT Review Conference," Medvedev said in a letter to a plenary session of the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism. "The key issues of nuclear nonproliferation and finding the best mechanisms for combating the threat of nuclear terrorism are on the agenda of your meeting. Only coordinated measures can solve these global problems," the letter said. Medvedev said that the Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism has grown stronger over the past year and is now "firmly on the path towards practical implementation. We expect that the number of participants who share common goals will continue to grow steadily. Russia is committed to ... continuing work on enhancing and strengthening the global nuclear nonproliferation regime," the president said.

IV. FINANCIALMIRROR - UN encourages Eroglu to grasp opportunity for a solution in Cyprus

Secretary General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon has encouraged the Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu “to grasp the current political window of opportunity to reach a settlement”. The UN Secretary General held a meeting on Monday in New York, with the Turkish Cypriot leader, during which they discussed the Cyprus problem. Speaking after the meeting, a UN Spokesman has said that Ban expressed hope that “the two leaders would make serious advances in the coming months, understanding that this would require compromises on both sides”. “Mr. Eroglu expressed his commitment to finding a settlement, noting that he believed that it could be achieved by late 2010 with goodwill, a spirit of give and take, and reciprocal political will and compromise”, he concluded. Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkish troops invaded and occupied 37% of its territory. Peace talks are currently underway between President Demetris Christofias and the leader of the Turkish Cypriot community Dervis Eroglu, under UN auspices.

V. B92 - West could propose Kosovo partition

State Secretary in Serbia’s Ministry for Kosovo, Oliver Ivanović, said that the West could propose a partition of Kosovo for pragmatic reasons. “I am afraid of western pragmatism, because that pragmatism offers some solutions that could influence a territorial partition. The question of territory will no be put on the table by us, or the Albanians,” Ivanović said, adding that the West might realize that it cannot solve the Kosovo problem in any other way and propose a partition. “But, I repeat, it is not a question of territory in Kosovo. The identity of the Serbs is tied to Kosovo, no matter where they live, in Croatia, Serbia, Canada or America,” Ivanović said. In recent talks with British Minister David Lidington, the “Cyprus model” was proposed regarding Serbia’s entrance into the EU, Ivanović said. “This means that Serbia would enter the EU with all of its territory, including Kosovo, but when it enters the EU, European rules will not be applied to Kosovo,” Ivanović said, adding that Cyprus entered the EU as a whole, but the European rules and visa liberalization were not implemented on the northern part of Cyprus. He said that Kosovo and Serbia have had separate mechanisms for integration since 2003, and that there is a large difference in the number of European standards achieved between the rest of Serbia and Kosovo. He said that Kosovo’s status will not be solved without Serbia, and Serbia “has no intention, now or later, to accept Kosovo independence,” Ivanović said. When he was told that the EU does not want another Cyprus, Ivanović said that this proposal was good because there was no other solution, and that the EU cannot leave the Balkans on the sidelines, because it would be a problem for them as well.

VI. IOCC - Medical Aid arrives to Assist Refugees Fleeing Kyrgyzstan

International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC) is delivering medical supplies to assist refugee families who have fled ethnic violence in Kyrgyzstan this month. Tens of thousands of ethnic Uzbeks fled the violence and crossed the border into Uzbekistan to seek safety while others remain displaced within Kyrgyzstan. IOCC is providing medical care for the refugees and displaced – mostly women, children and the elderly – in the form of an Emergency Health Kit with enough medicine and supplies to treat 10,000 people. The kit, valued at $421,000, is being provided in cooperation with Medical Teams International (MTI) and will arrive at Tashkent today. MTI staff will then immediately transport the kit to the eastern Uzbek city of Andijan and along the Uzbekistan/Kyrgyzstan border. You can help the victims of disasters around the world, like the refugee crisis in Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, by making a financial gift to the IOCC International Emergency Response Fund, which will provide immediate relief as well as long-term support through the provision of emergency aid, recovery assistance and other support to help those in need. To make a gift, please visit www.iocc.org. IOCC is the official humanitarian aid agency of the Standing Conference of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas (SCOBA) and a member of the ACT Alliance, a global coalition of churches and agencies engaged in development, humanitarian assistance and advocacy.

VII. OCA - Feast: The Holy Glorious and All-Praised Leader of the Apostles, Peter & Paul

Today the Holy Church piously remembers the sufferings of the Holy Glorious and All-Praised Apostles Peter and Paul. St. Peter, the fervent follower of Jesus Christ, for the profound confession of His Divinity: "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God," was deemed worthy by the Savior to hear in answer, "Blessed art thou, Simon ... I tell thee, that thou art Peter [Petrus], and on this stone [petra] I build My Church" (Mt.16:16-18). On "this stone" [petra], is on that which thou sayest: "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God" it is on this thy confession I build My Church. Wherefore the "thou art Peter": it is from the "stone" [petra] that Peter [Petrus] is, and not from Peter [Petrus] that the "stone" [petra] is, just as the Christian is from Christ, and not Christ from the Christian. Do you want to know, from what sort of "rock" [petra] the Apostle Peter [Petrus] was named? Hear the Apostle Paul: "Brethren, I do not want ye to be ignorant," says the Apostle of Christ, "how all our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; and all were baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; and did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ" (1 Cor.10: 1-4). Here is the from whence the "Rock" is Peter. Our Lord Jesus Christ, in the final days of His earthly life, in the days of His mission to the race of man, chose from among the disciples His twelve Apostles to preach the Word of God. Among them, the Apostle Peter for his fiery ardor was vouchsafed to occupy the first place (Mt.10:2) and to be as it were the representative person for all the Church. Therefore it is said to him, preferentially, after the confession: "I will give unto thee the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth, shall be bound in the heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth: shall be loosed in heaven" (Mt.16: 19). Therefore it was not one man, but rather the One Universal Church, that received these "keys" and the right "to bind and loosen." And that it was actually the Church that received this right, and not exclusively a single person, turn your attention to another place of the Scriptures, where the same Lord says to all His Apostles, "Receive ye the Holy Spirit" and further after this, "Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them: and whose soever sins ye retain, are retained" (John 20: 22-23); or: "whatsoever ye bind upon the earth, shall be bound in Heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth, shall be loosened in heaven" (Mt.18:18). Thus, it is the Church that binds, the Church that loosens; the Church, built upon the foundational cornerstone, Jesus Christ Himself (Eph 2:20), doth bind and loosen. Let both the binding and the loosening be feared: the loosening, in order not to fall under this again; the binding, in order not to remain forever in this condition. Therefore "Iniquities ensnare a man, and everyone is bound in the chains of his own sins," says Wisdom (Prov 5:22); and except for Holy Church nowhere is it possible to receive the loosening. After His Resurrection the Lord entrusted the Apostle Peter to shepherd His spiritual flock not because, that among the disciples only Peter alone was pre-deserved to shepherd the flock of Christ, but Christ addresses Himself chiefly to Peter because, that Peter was first among the Apostles and as such the representative of the Church; besides which, having turned in this instance to Peter alone, as to the top Apostle, Christ by this confirms the unity of the Church. "Simon of John" -- says the Lord to Peter -- "lovest thou Me?" -- and the Apostle answered: "Yea, Lord, Thou knowest that I love Thee"; and a second time it was thus asked, and a second time he thus answered; being asked a third time, seeing that as it were not believed, he was saddened. But how is it possible for him not to believe That One, Who knew his heart? And wherefore then Peter answered: "Lord, Thou knowest all; Thou knowest that I love Thee." "And sayeth Jesus to him" all three times "Feed My sheep" (John 20:15-17). Besides this, the triple appealing of the Savior to Peter and the triple confession of Peter before the Lord had a particular beneficial purpose for the Apostle. That one, to whom was given "the keys of the kingdom" and the right "to bind and to loose," bound himself thrice by fear and cowardice (Mt.26:69-75), and the Lord thrice loosens him by His appeal and in turn by his confession of strong love. And to shepherd literally the flock of Christ was acquired by all the Apostles and their successors. "Take heed, therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock," the Apostle Paul urges church presbyters, "over which the Holy Spirit hath made you overseers, to feed the Church of the God, which He hath purchased with His own blood" (Acts 20:28); and the Apostle Peter to the elders: "Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof not by constraint, but willingly: not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind: neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being examples to the flock. And when is appeared the Prince of pastors, ye will receive unfading crowns of glory" (1 Pet. 5:2-4). It is remarkable that Christ, having said to Peter: "Feed My sheep," did not say: "Feed thy sheep," but rather to feed, good servant, the sheep of the Lord. "Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?" (1 Cor.1:13). "Feed My sheep". Wherefore "wolfish robbers, wolfish oppressors, deceitful teachers and mercenaries, not being concerned about the flock" (Mt.7:15; Acts 20:29; 2 Pet 2:1; John 10:12), having plundered a strange flock and making of the spoils as though it be of their own particular gain, they think that they feed their flock. Such are not good pastors, as pastors of the Lord. "The good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep" (John 10:11), entrusted to Him by the chief Shepherd Himself (1 Pet 5:4). And the Apostle Peter, true to his calling, gave his soul for the very flock of Christ, having sealed his apostleship by a martyr's death, is now glorified throughout all the world. The Apostle Paul, formerly Saul, was changed from a robbing wolf into a meek lamb. Formerly he was an enemy of the Church, then is manifest as an Apostle. Formerly he stalked it, then preached it. Having received from the high priests the authority at large to throw all Christians in chains for execution, he was already on the way, he breathed out "threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord" (Acts 9:1), he thirsted for blood, but "He that dwells in the Heavens shall laugh him to scorn" (Ps 2:4). When he, "having persecuted and vexed" in such manner "the Church of God" (1Cor.15:9; Acts 8:5), he came near Damascus, and the Lord from Heaven called to him: "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me?" and I am here, and I am there, I am everywhere: here is My head; there is My body. There becomes nothing of a surprise in this; we ourselves are members of the Body of Christ. "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me; it is hard for thee to kick against the goad" (Acts 9:4-5). Saul, however, "trembling and frightened", cried out: "Who art Thou, Lord?" The Lord answered him, "I am Jesus Whom thou persecutest." And Saul suddenly undergoes a change: "What wantest Thou me to do?" -- he cries out. And suddenly for him there is the Voice: "Arise, and go to the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do" (Acts 9:6). Here the Lord sends Ananias: "Arise and go into the street" to a man, "by the name of Saul," and baptize him, "for this one is a chosen vessel unto Me, to bear My name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel" (Acts 9: 11, 15, 18). This vessel must be filled with My Grace. "Ananias, however, answered: Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he hath done to Thy saints in Jerusalem: and here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Thy Name" (Acts 9:13-14). But the Lord urgently commands Ananias: "Search for and fetch him, for this vessel is chosen by Me: for I shall show him what great things he must suffer for My name's sake" (Acts 9:11, 15-16). And actually the Lord did show the Apostle Paul what things he had to suffer for His Name. He instructed him the deeds; He did not stop at the chains, the fetters, the prisons and shipwrecks; He Himself felt for him in his sufferings, He Himself guided him towards this day. On a single day the memory of the sufferings of both these Apostles is celebrated, though they suffered on separate days, but by the spirit and the closeness of their suffering they constitute one. Peter went first, and Paul followed soon after him. Formerly called Saul, and then Paul, having transformed his pride into humility. His very name (Paulus), meaning "small, little, less," demonstrates this. What is the Apostle Paul after this? Ask him, and he himself gives answer to this: "I am," says he, "the least of the Apostles... but I have labored more abundantly than all of them: yet not I, but the grace of God, which was with me" (1 Cor.15:9-10). And so, brethren, celebrating now the memory of the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, remembering their venerable sufferings, we esteem their true faith and holy life, we esteem the innocence of their sufferings and pure confession. Loving in them the sublime quality and imitating them by great exploits, "in which to be likened to them" (2 Thess 3: 5-9), and we shall attain to that eternal bliss which is prepared for all the saints. The path of our life before was more grievous, thornier, harder, but "we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses" (Heb 12: 1), having passed by along it, made now for us easier, and lighter, and more readily passable. First there passed along it "the author and finisher of our faith," our Lord Jesus Christ Himself (Heb 12: 2); His daring Apostles followed after Him; then the martyrs, children, women, virgins and a great multitude of witnesses. Who acted in them and helped them on this path? He Who said, "Without Me ye can do nothing" (John 15: 5).

US-RussiaMissileDefense;Iran Nukes;Pirates;Spontaneous Combustion;FYROM;Kosovo-Methohija;Orthodox-RomanCatholics

I. RIANOVOSTI - U.S. to cooperate with Russia on global missile defense system

The United States is ready to cooperate with Russia toward the creation of a global missile defense system, the U.S. Ambassador to Russia said on Monday. "We will continue this dialogue so that Russia and we can work together on the creation of a global missile defense system," John Beyrle said in Russian while speaking to students and staff at a Moscow university. U.S.-Russia relations have seen a dramatic increase since Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and his U.S. counterpart Barack Obama announced last year a new policy of resetting bilateral ties and overcoming Cold-War era set-backs. Although Obama scrapped last September earlier plans to deploy missile defense elements in the Czech Republic and Poland, Washington has not given up on its European missile shield initiative. In May, the United States opened a temporary military base in northern Poland, just 80 km (50 miles) from the border of Russia's Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad, in accordance with an agreement negotiated under former President George Bush in 2008 - a move which drew much criticism from Russia. The United States is also in talks with Bulgaria and Romania on deploying elements of the U.S. missile shield on their territories from 2015.

II. FOXNEWS - Iran Rejects All Nuclear Talks Until August to 'Punish' West Over Sanctions

Iran's president says Tehran will not hold talks with the West over its disputed nuclear program until late August to "punish" world powers for imposing tougher economic sanctions. The U.N. Security Council approved new sanctions against Iran earlier this month over Tehran's refusal to halt uranium enrichment. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad told reporters Monday in Tehran that the decision is aimed at "punishing them (the West) to teach them the custom of talking to our nation." The U.S. and some of its allies accuse Iran of seeking to develop nuclear weapons. Iran denies the charge.

III. WSJ - Somali Pirates Hijack Singapore Ship

Somali pirates on Monday hijacked a Singaporean-flagged ship carrying a poisonous chemical, officials said. The Golden Blessing was seized approximately 60 miles off the northern tip of Somalia in the Gulf of Aden, said Lt. Col. Per Klingvall, a spokesman for the European Union's antipiracy force. All 19 Chinese crew members are reported to be safe, he said. The ship was reported to be on its way from Saudi Arabia to India. Col. Klingvall said the 14,445-ton chemical tanker was carrying a cargo of glycol ethylene, which is used in antifreeze, when it was captured. The vessel, owned by Golden Pacific International Holdings Ltd. and chartered out to Shanghai Dingheng Shipping Co. Ltd., was moving toward the Somali coast after the hijacking. In a statement, the Singapore Maritime and Port Authority said it "is working with relevant government agencies and the ship owner, and is monitoring the situation closely." Somali pirates hold more than a dozen ships and several hundred crew members. The waters surrounding Somalia, including the Gulf of Aden, which connects the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean, are known to be among the world's most dangerous. An international flotilla, including warships from the U.S., European Union, North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Japan and China, has been patrolling the area to protect a sea lane that links Asia to Europe.

IV. FNP - Spontaneous combustion blamed for deck fire

Spontaneous combustion of a dead plant in a hanging planter is being blamed for a Sunday afternoon fire that caused damage estimated at $3,000 to a townhouse on Chase Court. Frederick County Fire Marshal Marc McNeal said excessive heat caused the dead plant to catch fire at 2:07 p.m. The hanging basket attached to a rear deck rail fell to the deck, causing it to burn and damaging vinyl siding. About 20 firefighters spent about 10 minutes extinguishing the blaze in the 5700 block of Chase Court. No one was injured, according to the fire marshal.

V. FOCUS - There is hope for FYROMacedonia name dispute solution

UN Special Representative for the name dispute between Macedonia and Greece, Matthew Nimetz, intensified actions and contacts with the two countries, which raises hopes that the issue might be solved, Macedonian Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski said, as cited by Macedonian Vecer daily. Gruevski’s statement comes as a respond to the thesis of Belgian Foreign Minister Steven Vanackere, who believes that the name row will be solved in several weeks. “We keep regular contact with Greek Prime Minister Georgios Papandreou so as to improve the situation and the relations between the two countries and to create favorable grounds for UN mediator Matthew Nimetz to make a proposal that is acceptable for both parties,” Gruevski remarked.

VI. B92 - Rights in Kosovo-Metohija

Minister for Kosovo and Metohija Goran Bogdanović opened late Sunday this year's Vidovdan (St. Vitus Day) poetry reading at the SPC monastery of Gračanica. Speaking at the Serbian Orthodox monastery located near the Serb enclave, Bogdanović and said that official Belgrade does not want to infringe on the rights on any resident of Kosovo and wishes to find a way for everyone to live together. "It is not our intention to humiliate anyone because we know what that means. We do not intend to make anybody feel like the loser. We want to look for solutions, defend what is ours, and make the survival of our institutions, people and church possible," Bogdanović said. He added that Serbs need to be patient and persevere through these difficult times by drawing strength from their roots. On Monday, the Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC) and the Serb people are marking the religious and national holiday Vidovdan and 621 years since the 1389 Battle of Kosovo when Serbs fought to defend their lands and Christianity from the Ottoman Empire.

VII. VATICANRADIO - Pope Benedict Welcomes Orthodox Cooperation in Middle East Synod, Sts. Peter and Paul Feast

A delegation from the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople has arrived in Rome to take part in celebrations marking the Feast of of Sts. Peter and Paul. Their visit reciprocates one made by a delegation of the Holy See to Istanbul, for the feast of St. Andrew, earlier this year. The delegation is led by His Eminence Gennadios (Limouris), Metropolitan of Sassia, His Excellency Bartholomais (Ioannis Kessidis), Bishop of Arianzós, Assistant Metropolitan of Germany and the reverend deacon Thedoros Meimaris. On Monday morning the Holy Father greeted them in private audience. Speaking to them in English, he praised progress in Catholic Orthodox dialogue and asked for their close cooperation in the October Synod of Bishops for the Churches in the Middle East: The Pope welcomed the Ecumenical Patriarch’s decision to send a delegation to “participate in the work of the Synodal Assembly. He said : “I am certain that the theme of ecumenical cooperation between the Christians of that region will receive great attention”. “The difficulties that the Christians of the Middle East are experiencing are in large measure common to all: living as a minority, and yearning for authentic religious freedom and for peace”. Pope Benedict also stated that “dialogue is needed with the Islamic and Jewish communities”. The Catholic Church and the Orthodox Churches celebrate the feast of the martyrdom of the Apostles Peter and Paul on the same day. It is one of the most ancient of the liturgical year, and in the words of the Pope, “it testifies to a time when our communities were living in full communion with one another”. To read the Pope's entire text, please click here.

Iraqis, al-Qaeda;"Burger Diplomacy";Orthodox-Catholic-Russia-Poland;Patriarch,EU apology;Turkey pressed;KoreanWar;NewJersey

I. WIREUPDATE - Iraqi security forces arrest suspected al-Qaeda

Iraqi security forces arrested a suspected al-Qaeda in Iraq member during searches in Mosul on Friday, the U.S. Army said. Several suspected criminal associated were also arrested. Iraqi security forces, along with U.S. advisors, searched several buildings for a suspected al-Qaeda in Iraq member who is allegedly involved in the facilitation of foreign fighters. "Information and evidence gathered at the scene led Iraqi forces to identify and arrest the warranted individual and one suspected [al-Qaeda in Iraq] criminal associate," the U.S. Army said in a statement, without identifying the suspects. During another operation approximately 34 kilometers (21 miles) northwest of Baghdad, Iraqi security forces and U.S. advisors searched two buildings for a suspected al-Qaeda in Iraq leader who is allegedly involved in improvised explosive device production. The security force searched the two buildings, which were approximately 330 meters (0.20 mile) apart, leading to the discovery of machine gun ammunition and several assault vests with full weapon magazines. "The information and evidence gathered at the scene led Iraqi forces to identify and arrest four suspected [al-Qaeda in Iraq] criminal associates," the statement said. The operations were conducted pursuant to a warrant issued by an Iraqi judge, the military added.

II. RT - Obama and Medvedev hang out at burger joint

Barack Obama has treated Dmitry Medvedev to lunch at a common burger place, surprising its staff and patrons in the process. The presidents signed cards, shook hands and posed in pictures for those who dared to ask. The American president ordered two "real American burgers" for the both of them, choosing cheddar cheese, jalapeno and mushrooms for Dmitry Medvedev and cheddar cheese, salted onions, lettuce and tomatoes and some pickles for himself. “This is on me. I am a big spender, I wanna show off,” joked Obama when the Russian president suggested assisting him with the payment. “Haven't had a burger in a while. Lunch with Obama at Ray's Hell Burger” Dmitry Medvedev wrote on his Twitter account after the meeting. Since the launch of his Twitter account on June 23, Dmitry Medvedev has been actively updating it (KremlinRussia_e – the English version, KremlinRussia – the Russian) with details of his visit’s schedule, pictures of him in Apple’s office and with Obama at the press conference, as well as reactions to hot topics like the gas spat with Belarus. After lunch at the joint press conference, Medvedev discussed with Obama the advantages Twitter has over the presidential phone line. “As a personal passion of the president and during his visit to Silicon Valley this week, he was at the headquarters of Twitter, where he opened his own account,” Obama said. “I have one as well, so we may finally be able to throw away those red phones that have been sitting around for so long.” Thursday’s events finalized Dmitry Medvedev's visit to the US. Both presidents left for the G8 and subsequent G20 summits in Canada afterwards.

III. INTERFAX - Russian Orthodox Church and Catholic Church of Poland seek to reconcile people of two countries

The Moscow Patriarchate and the Catholic Church work on a joint document covering church contribution to Russia-Poland reconciliation. The first session of the working group of the Russian Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church in Poland on the elaboration of a document on the contribution of Churches to reconciliation between peoples of Russia and Poland took place in Warsaw on June 24, the synodal Department for External Church Relations reports. The Moscow Patriarchate was represented by Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, head of the DECR, the Catholic Church in Poland – by the Primate of Poland Archbishop Henryk Muszynski. The working group discussed two versions of the document prepared by the Orthodox and Catholic delegations, reached agreement on its structure and main contents, and decided that they will consider the grievances of the past in the spirit of Christ compassion and mutual forgiveness, whereas experts will make thorough research into the authenticity of historical facts and interpret them. The major part of the document will contain definitions of the spheres of cooperation between the two Churches at present and in the future for the good of the peoples of Poland and Russia. The next session is due to take place in Moscow.

IV. B92 - Serbian Patriarch wants apology from EU office

Serbian Orthodox Patriarch Irinej expressed "deep concern" over the incorrect translation of the part of Pieter Feith's recent address before the EP. The EU representative in Kosovo spoke about the stance of the Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC) towards Kosovo. The patriarch now requested that the EU office in Belgrade apologizes for the "grave error". The patriarch sent a letter to EU Belgrade office chief Peter Sorensen expressing extreme disappointment over the translation of Feith's views on the situation in the southern Serbian province. In his address in the European Parliament on Tuesday, Feith noted that “the transition of the Serbian Orthodox Church towards a more moderate approach in Kosovo is another positive development,” it is stated in the patriarch's letter. The letter adds that the same sentence in the Serbian translation distributed by the EU office in Belgrade might be interpreted to mean that the transition of the Serbian Orthodox Church towards a more moderate approach to the Kosovo issue was another positive development. "There is a big difference between 'a more moderate approach in Kosovo' and 'a more moderate approach to the Kosovo issue'," the letter said. Patriarch Irinej demanded a public correction and apology from the EU office for this serious error, it was stated in the letter of the Patriarch and the Holy Synod of the Serbian Orthodox Church. The statement indicates that the attitude of the Serbian Orthodox Church on the status of the southern Serbian province is clear and that the Church neither changed nor intends to change its stance on the issue which has been clearly regulated by the Serbian Constitution and the will of the country's people. It is the standpoint of the Church that Kosovo is an integral part of Serbia and that the self-proclaimed independence of the province by the Kosovo Albanians and part of the international community is an illegal act contrary to international law, it was stated in the letter.

V. THEPARLIAMENT - EU urged to press Turkey on Cyprus negotiations

The EU has been urged to press Turkey to help speed up reconciliation negotiations on the divided island of Cyprus. The appeal comes in the wake of the latest round of talks between leaders from the island's Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities. According to a senior Greek Cypriot aide, the discussions, which took place in a UN-patrolled buffer zone in Nicosia on Wednesday, " failed to make any progress whatsoever" on the thorny issue or property rights. This focuses on property and land Greek Cypriots were forced to abandon in the north of the island following the 1974 Turkish invasion. Speaking exclusively to TheParliament.com, George Iacovou, a close aide of Greek Cypriot president Demetris Christofias, lambasted the Turkish Cypriot negotiators for making a set of "totally unreasonable" proposals at the meeting. These included, he said, an insistence that even in any final agreement Cyprus should still retain "two economies and two foreign policies". The Turkish side, he said, also insisted at the meeting that under any solution to the Cyprus problem, Turks should be afforded immediate freedom of movement in areas such as labour, goods and services, as is currently enjoyed in EU member states. Up to 90,000 Greek Cypriots say that property and land belonging to them which they were forced to leave in 1974 should be returned. But Iacovou said the Turkish Cypriot negotiators "merely" offered to pay compensation "and then only at one tenth of the actual value of these properties". He said there were also "unworkable" proposals tabled on how EU affairs should be conducted under any reunification of the island. Branding some of the demands as "obnoxious" he said the EU "must do more" to pressure Turkey to "come up with more reasonable proposals."

VI. CNN - Tensions high in Korean peninsula on 60th anniversary of war

North and South Korea marked the 60th anniversary of the Korean War with sober commemorations and sharp rhetoric as tensions continued to ripple between the two countries over the sinking in March of a South Korean warship. North Korea -- which took the opportunity to blame the United States for causing nearly $65 trillion in "human and material damage" over the last six decades -- continued to ramp up its rhetoric, accusing America of "persistently antagonizing" the country over the sinking of the Cheonan. South Korea blames North Korea for the sinking, which left 46 people dead, but Pyongyang hotly denies the claim. Top South Korean officials on Friday urged the North to stop its provocations as they honored the war dead at ceremonies. The North Korean People's Army invaded South Korea on June 25, 1950, in what would become known as the Korean War. The fighting ended on July 27, 1953, when an armistice agreement was signed. Since there has never been a peace treaty, the Korean War has technically never ended. While there have been efforts over the years to defuse hostilities and pursue peace and stability, great anguish has emerged over the Cheonan, which South Korea says was sunk by a torpedo. At a national ceremony on Friday commemorating the start of the war, South Korean President Lee Myung-bak urged North Korea to stop what he says are military provocations. The Yonhap news agency quoted him as saying "our ultimate goal is not a military confrontation but peaceful reunification." In another ceremony in South Korea, Defense Minister Kim Tae-young said, "the Cheonan incident reminded us of the sad reality of the divided South and North." The U.S. Congress on Thursday recognized the war anniversary and paid tribute to veterans, noting that 37,000 U.S. soldiers died in the war and around 8,000 were reported missing. Around 28,000 U.S. troops are now stationed in South Korea. The causes of the Korean War stem back to the 1940s, when the 38th parallel division of Korea occurred and the two newly-formed countries became ideologically opposite, with the North as communist and the South as capitalist. North Korea invaded the South in 1950 to achieve its goal of Korean unification under communist rule.

VII. NYT - A Garden Crawl Through the Garden State, New Jersey

New Jersey is the Garden State, but that nickname wasn’t always so secure. Unofficially, it dates to at least 1876, when Abraham Browning of Camden likened “our Garden State” to “an immense barrel, filled with good things to eat and open at both ends, with Pennsylvanians grabbing from one end and New Yorkers from the other.” But in 1954, when the State Legislature voted to add the moniker to license plates, Governor Robert B. Meyner vetoed the measure, saying, “I do not believe that the average citizen of New Jersey regards his state as more peculiarly identifiable with gardening for farming than any of its other industries or occupations.” He was overruled. Nowadays New Jersey ranks second among states in blueberry production, third in cranberries and spinach and fourth in bell peppers, peaches and head lettuce, the official state Web site, nj.gov, boasts. The New Jersey Botanical Garden, in Ringwood, in the northern part of the state, was the most pleasant surprise: an enchanting collection of specimens. It helps to stop at the visitors’ center, which offers a map and brochures about each specialty garden. Equally worth a trip is the 127-acre Frelinghuysen Arboretum, in Morris Township, which describes itself as “part English-style park, part flower gardens, part working farm” built around a Colonial Revival home. A little farther south, in Bernardsville, is the Cross Estate Gardens, within Morristown National Historical Park. Drive right up to the mansion, a Queen Anne-style summer retreat dating to 1905 (now closed), and park in the circular driveway. The very appealing gardeLikewise, the “sunken garden and lagoon” features marble urns, a staircase flanked by lions, a bridge, a fountain and a wonderful view of Lake Carasaljo, but no plants or flowers to speak of. The formal garden, a maze of boxwood hedges, has seen better days and had none of the advertised annuals or perennials on my visit. But there is a gem here: a one-acre Japanese garden designed by Takeo Shiota, who plotted Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden, which, when it opened in 1915, was the first public Japanese garden in America. Shiota was known for traveling all over Japan — on foot — to learn the natural landscape.ns, laid out in the 1930s, are entered through a nearby wooden gate. Drive south, to the Pine Barrens, stopping in Lakewood at Georgian Court University. The campus, once the winter estate of the robber baron Jay Gould’s son George Jay Gould, is home to the Sister Mary Grace Burns Arboretum. The wonderful aroma of fresh-cut grass was in the air. Little wonder: the largest garden here — the so-called Italian garden — is more grass, statuary and flowering trees than flowers. Amid its formal design, with crisscrossing paths, pergolas and Greek-god statuary, are groves of Colorado blue spruce, Norway spruce, yellow poplar and Southern magnolia. In nearby Princeton, you can enjoy fantasies of paying a call on the governor as you drive past a columned mansion on the way to the parking lot of the Morven Museum & Garden, which was the New Jersey governor’s mansion from 1945-81. This 18th-century home of Richard Stockton, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, was converted to a museum in 2004, and its lower floors are now galleries for furniture and decorative arts. The five-acre property, fronted by a stately lawn, counts as the garden. On one side a horse chestnut walk blooms in spring with delicate pink-and-white flowers. Out back, a square lawn is bordered by blue milkweed, irises and blue bells, along with deep red peonies. Going Down Those Garden Paths: NEW JERSEY BOTANICAL GARDEN 2 Morris Road, Ringwood; (973) 962-9534, njbg.org. Open daily 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Free. FRELINGHUYSEN ARBORETUM 53 East Hanover Avenue, Morris Township; (973) 326-7600; arboretumfriends.org. Open from 9 a.m. to dusk daily. Free. CROSS ESTATE GARDENS Old Jockey Hollow Road, Bernardsville, in Morristown National Historic Park; (973) 539-2016, Ext. 210 (National Park Service); crossestategardens.org. Open from dawn to dusk. Free. SISTER MARY GRACE BURNS ARBORETUM Georgian Court University, 900 Lakewood Avenue, Lakewood; (732) 987-2373, georgian.edu/arboretum. Open 8 a.m. to dusk daily. Free. MORVEN MUSEUM & GARDEN 55 Stockton Street, Princeton; (609) 924-8144, historicmorven.org. Open Wednesday to Friday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, noon to 4 p.m. Closed on holidays. Gardens are free. For the museum: $5; $4 for students and those 60 or older; free for children under 8.

Iraqi Freedom;Medvedev Tweets, Obama;Israeli gas find;Greece-FYROM talks;Serbia-EU integration;Icon Painting,Prisoners

I. KXXV - Operation Iraqi Freedom to transition to new operation this fall

Military officials say Operation Iraqi Freedom will transition to Operation New Dawn this fall. In a video teleconference Thursday morning on Fort Hood, Ltd. General Robert Cone discussed the transition which becomes official on September 1. As the new the Iraqi Government begins and Iraqi Security Forces continue to take the lead in providing security, U.S. Forces, including Fort Hood units, continue to transition from combat operations to stability operations. The commanding general discussed the changes, including the impact on Fort Hood units currently deployed and units deploying to Iraq.

II. WSJ - Medvedev Tweets U.S. Visit

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev arrives today in Washington for talks with President Barack Obama. And we’ll be watching for updates in near-real time on Medvedev’s brand-new Twitter account. That’s right: On a visit Wednesday to the microblogging site’s San Francisco headquarters, the Russian president signed up for his own Twitter account — @KremlinRussia – and began furiously posting tweets. The Kremlin’s top honcho posted pictures of the view from his hotel room, as well as from a visit with Apple founder Steve Jobs. And Medvedev – or his minions – have been kind enough to post English-language translations of the Kremlin tweets. So in the spirit of things, we’ll welcome Russia’s tweeter-in-chief to Washington with a classic bit of Russian Internet slang: Превед!

III. USATODAY - Obama, Medvedev live

Here is the play-by-play from today's short news conference by President Obama and Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev. They are expected to take four questions. 2:06 p.m. -- Starting about 20 minutes late, President Obama begins his opening statement. Says that when he came into office, the U.S.-Russian relationship "had drifted" and needed "re-setting." He cites successes: A new arms cut deal, new sanctions on Iran, improved intelligence and counter-terrorism efforts. But he adds that the two nations still disagree on some issues, including the 2008 Russian invasion of Georgia. Pledges further economic cooperation with Russia, and says he supports Medvedev's bid to join the World Trade Organization. Also cites Medvedev's visit this week to "Twitters" -- it's really called Twitter -- and jokes that tweets may be a new method of U.S.-Russian communication: "We may finally be able to get rid of those red phones." 2:16 p.m. -- In his opening statement, Medvedev -- speaking with an interpreter -- lauds the cheeseburger lunch he and Obama shared: "It's not quite healthy, but it's very tasty." Emphasizes the economic nature of his trip, including a visit to Silicon Valley in California. Looks forward to more work at this weekend's G-20 summit in Canada, including development of "a new financial order." Also notes that both the U.S. Senate and the Russian Duma must still ratify the new arms cut treaty. Question time. 2:26 p.m. -- Carol Lee of Politico asks Obama if the change of commanders in Afghanistan -- replacing Stanley McChrystal with David Petraeus -- will change his plans to begin withdrawing troops in July of 2011; she also asks Medvedev -- whose nation once lost a war in Afghanistan -- what advice he might give Obama on the war. Obama says he made a change in personnel, not policy. Adds that July of next year will see the start of "a transition phase" in which Afghanistan begins to take control of its military and security forces -- it doesn't mean the U.S. will simply turn off the lights and take off. He notes that Petraeus helped write the plan that included the July 2011 date, and that the pace of troop withdrawal will be evaluated in due course. Obama adds that the "issues" with McChrystal did not stem from policy, but his magazine comments. Medvedev declines the offer to give Obama advice on Afghanistan. "This is hard topic, a difficult one," Medvedev says. 2:35 p.m. -- A Tass reporters notes that the U.S. has been backing Russian membership in the World Trade Organization for a decade -- what's the hold-up? He also asks Medvedev about his recent trip to Silicon Valley. Obama says 99 percent of the WTO technical issues have been resolved, and "this is something we want to get resolved." Notes that WTO members have been concerned about transparency in the Russian trade and financial systems. Adds that he discussed issues of poultry trade with Medvedev, and jokes that it's odd to be talking to the Russian president "about chicken." Medvedev stumps again for WTO membership, and hopes to resolve issues by the end of September. Notes that he and Obama talked about "swine" trade as well as chicken. He then talks about Silicon Valley, and hopes that high-tech firms like Cisco will become "strong partners" of Russia. 2:43 p.m. -- A Reuters reporter cites this weekend's G-20 summit in Canada and asks Obama if he thinks China will follow through on its pledge of currency reform. "The initial signs were positive," Obama replies, "but it's too early to tell." Says Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner will stay on top of the issue. As for the G-20, Obama says "all countries" are going to have to start moving in different directions if they are to revive the global economy together. 2:48 p.m. -- A Russian newspaper reporter asks the presidents about unrest in Kyrgyzstan. Medvedev says Russia still sees the embattled country as a "strategic partner" and hopes that new elections will produce a stable government. Otherwise, there is the risk that Kyrgyzstan will break up into "separate parts." Obama says the U.S. is also monitoring event in Kyrgyzstan and hopes for a "peaceful resolution." End of news conference.

IV. YNET - Israel willing to use force to protect gas finds

National Infrastructure Minister Uzi Landau said Thursday that Israel is willing to use force in order to protect the natural gas reserves discovered off its northern shores. During an interview with the Bloomberg news agency the minister responded to Lebanon's claims that some of the Leviathan and Tamar oil sites, estimated to be worth some $40 billion, are within its territorial waters. Earlier this month, Lebanon's Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri claimed that Israel was ignoring the fact that according to the map the reserves are partly within Lebanon's territorial waters. Last week, Lebanese Energy Minister Gebran Basil said that his country will not allow Israel "or any company serving Israeli interests to drill gas that is in our territory." He noted that Beirut has warned the American Noble Energy company, which is involved in the drills, not to come near its territory. It should be noted that a large part of the area containing the gas reserves is within Cyprus's territorial waters. Landau noted that a previous disagreement between Israel and Cyprus regarding the location of their joint naval border had already been settled.Cyprus has also issued its own tender for oil drills and the Israeli-American partnership responsible for the Israeli drills won 30% of the license. It is slated to begin drilling gas in Cyprus within the coming years in exchange for future royalties. No such arrangements, however, can be reached with Lebanon, as Israel does not maintain diplomatic relations with it. Therefore, there is no agreed-upon joint naval border between the two countries. Moreover, Israeli and Lebanese maps of the Mediterranean Sea are not coordinated. For example, Lebanese maps indicate Israel's northern border stretches west of Rosh HaNikra grottoes whereas Israeli maps mark it west of Metula.

V. KATHIMERINI - Papandreou, Gruevski push name talks

Prime Minister George Papandreou and his counterpart from the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) Nikola Gruevski met for the second time in a week yesterday, as the prospect of the two countries settling the dispute over the latter country’s name appears to be growing stronger. The two leaders met on the sidelines of the summits the Southeast European Cooperation Process (SEECP) and Southeast European Culture Corridors in Istanbul and both suggested in their public comments that progress is being made. “With Nikola, we have taken an initiative and have made a fresh effort to confront the problem that continues to trouble both countries,” said Papandreou, who has taken an active role in trying to resolve the problem by speaking directly to Gruevski. However, the Greek premier stressed that the United Nations still has a role to play. “The UN mediation process played an important role and we are ready for a solution that can be accepted by the two parties. These negotiations are not secret but rather open and public initiatives for finding a solution within the framework of the UN-led negotiations.” Papandreou and Gruevski met last week in Brussels on the sidelines of the European Council summit amid reports that the two sides are likely agree on the use of the Vardar River, the longest river running through FYROM, as a geographical qualifier in the country’s name. So, rather than Republic of Macedonia, Greece’s neighbor would be known as Republic of Vardar Macedonia or Republic of Macedonia (Vardar). “Athens understands now that Macedonia wants a solution,” said Gruevski. “These meetings are useful and increase the probability that a solution will be found.” FYROM’s prime minister added that the two sides were seeking a solution that would “not hurt Greece, nor Macedonia and its citizens, who will voice their opinion in a referendum.”

VI. B92 - Spain wants Serbia's rapid integration

Spain will continue to advocate Serbia's rapid integration into the EU even after the ICJ announces its opinion on Kosovo. This is according to Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos, who made the statement after his meeting on Wednesday in Madrid with Serbian Parliament Speaker Slavica Đukić-Dejanović. The International Court of Justice is expected to rule in the case of the legality under international law of the Kosovo Albanian unilateral independence proclamation. The Spanish minister told Serbian citizens that Spain was their friend on Serbia's irreversible journey to the EU, a statement from the Serbian Parliament said. Spain is one of the five EU member states that have not recognized the independence of Serbia's southern province and Đukić-Dejanović thanked Moratinos for the principled support to Serbia's efforts toward preserving its territorial integrity and sovereignty over its entire territory, within its UN-recognized borders, the news release said. Đukić-Dejanović and Moratinos discussed Serbia's European integration and the parliament speaker stressed the importance of Spain's engagement, as the ratification of the Stabilization and Association Agreement with Serbia was launched during the Spanish tenure of the EU rotating presidency. The Serbian delegation, which in addition to the parliament speaker also includes Deputy Speaker Judita Popović and head of the parliamentary Group of Friendship with Spain Nikola Lazić, attended a part of the session at which Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero pointed out that significant steps for the Western Balkans' European prospects, particularly in unfreezing the ratification of SAA with Serbia, were made during the Spanish presidency.

VII. PRAVMIR - Teaching Icon Painting to Prisoners

I was sick and you came to visit me, I was in prison and you came to be with me. – Mt 25:36. I worked as a psychiatric nurse for 37 years, the last 24years at the Old Vaasa Hospital, a criminal-psychiatric hospital established by the State of Finland. Here there are 125 patients, including murderers, drug users, alcoholics, and people with multiple problems. The last six years I was a leader icon and art therapy groups. I suggested using icon painting as a form of therapy to the chief professor of the hospital. Once the idea was accepted, I was given a free hand in designing the programs so long as it stayed within the limits of the curing principle of the hospital — “limiting love, guarded freedom, tender violence,” the professor’s motto. After having done all the preparations needed, our initial group of three patients began to work, meeting three or four times monthly, with each session lasting for three hours. We continued together for one year. Participants received many supportive comments from friends and heard much appreciation for their growing skill in painting. Others became interested in joining our group — suddenly the number of the painters increased to seven with more standing in the queue. Though the activity increased, the time and frequency of the sessions stayed the same. Some of the participants painted only one icon, but there were those who painted as many as seven. Many gave their first icon to someone close to them. Some painted in this group for three years. During the work we sometimes discussed religion, but there were no restraints on what we might discuss — anything from world politics to astronomy. However most of the time we were quiet. In general, participants preferred a room where they could enjoy the peace of silence and concentrate on their own thoughts. To an outsider, it would have been a very surprising sight — someone with a history of violence very carefully painting the face of Christ, or a man who had committed serious crimes standing reverently before an image of the Mother of God. Little by little one could notice positive changes among the icon painters: They began to dress better, to pay more attention to the other people; they became more open to each other within the group; they started to encourage each other. Someone new to the group would be consoled by such words as, “It was hard for all of us in the beginning.” When a new icon was finished, we admired it together. Many were surprised and even embarrassed with what they had achieved: “Was I really able to paint this?” The painters were happy to take their icons into their living quarters to show to the other patients and staff. Some began to participate more actively the religious services arranged by the priest of the hospital. Many became more interested in religious questions. Every summer we made a real pilgrimage to the Monastery of New Valamo in Heinvesi. Afterward, these journeys were discussed often and at great length. Every December there was a feast arranged in the hospital, with the priest of the Orthodox parish coming to bless icons painted during the year. He and the chaplain of the hospital gave untiring support to my work. Our group also visited icon exhibitions and finally we organized an exhibition of our own icons and art. So many different things and events have happened in these six years — many joyful days, but also sorrow was often present. However the most distinctive feeling was gratitude to be able to do this work. I often remember the words of Mother Theresa: “When everything is well, joy lights up the face.” Though I am now retired, the icon painting therapy project continues. During the two years before my departure, I was able to prepare a successor. She had been painting with our group and now is the leader. Sometimes I visit my painting group, as the members wished when I retired. Anneli Ojanpera lives in Vhkyr, Finland. The translation of her report is by the iconographer Alexander Wikstrom, who teaches at the New Valamo Lay Academy.

McChrystal,Afghans?;DecoyJews;Israel-Cyprus ties;Greeks go home;Kosovo arrests;Russians in Sudan;G20,Christians in Turkey

I. CNN - What's the fuss, Afghans ask about McChrystal controversy

Washington may be up in arms over General Stanley McChrystal's comments to Rolling Stone magazine about the U.S. mission in Afghanistan and how some of his colleagues are handling it -- but some in Afghanistan are asking what the fuss is all about. Many among the local population in Kabul say that McChrystal revamped the forgotten war, putting it on a different path and instilling a counter-insurgency strategy (COIN) in an attempt to regain the trust of the Afghan people. He instilled a new hope, they argue, for those Afghans who actually backed the war effort, also angering the Taliban -- which ramped up their PR -- in the battle for hearts and minds. President Hamid Karzai has vocally expressed his support for General McChrystal and called him the "best" commander for the war in Afghanistan, according to his spokesman Waheed Omar. He added that McChrystal is a man of great integrity who understands the Afghan people and their culture and that Karzai hopes president Barack Obama will not replace the commanding general with someone else. McChrystal and Karzai have built a strong relationship in the year he has been in Afghanistan, flying to districts and provinces in order to gain the support of villagers while showing a united front. He hasn't just been sitting around NATO headquarters barking orders say local officials - he's been going out in the field, meeting with soldiers and most importantly meeting with Afghans. General Mohammad Zahir Azimi, the spokesman for the Afghan defense ministry, explained that McChrystal's knowledge of Afghanistan stems from his discussions with Afghans. He stated that McChrystal is a frequent attendee at village council meetings -- known as "shuras" -- throughout the country, where he listens to their problems, concerns and needs. The Ministry of Defense, which is being pushed by the U.S. and NATO to add more troops to their arsenal, is also standing behind McChrystal. "Since the arrival of General McChrystal to Afghanistan many of our problems have been solved," ministry spokesman Azimi told CNN, "including problems with civilian casualties, unlawful detentions. He has also improved the coordination between Afghan and international forces on and off the battlefield." By focusing on building infrastructure and civilian issues, Azimi adds, McChrystal has been able to win back some Afghan support. But with the firestorm in the United States, the Afghan voices are being muffled again.

II. TELEGRAPH - Dutch police use 'decoy Jews' to stop anti-Semitic attacks

Lodewijk Asscher, Amsterdam's mayor, has ordered the new decoy strategy to cut the number of verbal and physical attacks on Jews, amid fears that anti-Semitic "hate crime" is on the rise. "Jews in at least six Amsterdam neighbourhoods often cannot cross the street wearing a skullcap without being insulted, spat at or even attacked," according to local reports. Amsterdam police already disguise officers as "decoy prostitutes, decoy gays and decoy grannies" in operations to deter street muggings and attacks on homosexuals or the city's red light district. Police in the Dutch city of Gouda have claimed the use of officers disguised as apparently frail old age pensioners has helped cut street crime. "If we receive several reports of street robbery in a certain location, we send out the granny. That soon quietens things down," said a spokesman.

III. JPOST - Israel relations with Cyprus never better

One positive ricochet from the recent tension with Turkey has been an improvement in Israel’s ties with Cyprus, something one senior diplomatic official said has been very helpful in dealing with the issue of boats setting sail for Gaza. Cyprus could not have “been better” in the aftermath of the Gaza flotilla incident on May 31, when nine people were killed after the IDF stopped a Turkish-flagged boat from breaking the naval blockade of Gaza. “We would have had many more problems” without the cooperation of Cyprus, the senior official said. For instance, a week after the incident, the Cyprus-based Free Gaza Movement announced it was leaving for London after the Cyprus government refused to let the organization use its ports as staging points for the Gaza-bound boats. “Cyprus is not happy to have us here. They are cooperating with the Israelis and we don’t like this,” one of the movement’s heads, Greta Berlin, told the Chinese Xinhua press agency. “It is time for us to go.” Xinhua quoted the Cyprus government as saying its decision had been taken to protect what it called “vital national interests.” The senior diplomatic official said the breakdown of relations with Turkey had also led to a strengthening of Israel’s ties with Turkey’s northern neighbor, Bulgaria, as well as with Romania. According to government officials, as Turkey no longer allows the Israel Air Force to train in Turkish airspace, maneuvers may in the future take place over Romania. Likewise, as tens of thousands of Israeli tourists who in years past have gone to Turkey are now looking for other venues, Israeli travel agents – according to Israeli government officials – are looking to Cyprus, Bulgaria and Romania as possible alternatives, and are eagerly being courted by tourist professionals there.

IV. FIFA - Rueful Greeks head for home

As far as Greece coach Otto Rehhagel is concerned, the fact his side went into their final game in Group B with a genuine chance of progressing to the Round of 16 is a cause for celebration in itself: “Russia, Czech Republic, Sweden and Croatia aren’t even here so I’d like to congratulate my team once again. They couldn’t have given any more.” Yet though the Greeks are heading home earlier than they would have liked, they at least managed to improve on their showing at their only previous appearance in the world finals. Pointless and goalless at USA 1994, the Pirate Ship looked far more at home on the big stage this time around, collecting a win against Nigeria and causing problems for the mighty Albiceleste. Taking stock of his side’s performances over the last few days, goalkeeper Alexandros Tzorvas believes they have every reason to be satisfied: “In 1994 we didn’t score a single goal and conceded ten, and the new generation wanted to erase memories of that. To get over the disappointment of the first game and answer the criticism that came our way - some of it justified - was very rewarding and we achieved something we can be proud of.” Greece’s misfortune was to come up against the toughest side in the group in their most important game. And though they mounted a fierce rearguard action, they could not contain the potent Argentinian strike force for the full 90 minutes. “We defended really well for most of the game but it’s extremely difficult to play against footballers of such a high standard,” commented Tzorvas. “They’re the strongest side in the tournament so far, and we tried to stand up to the challenge and do the very best we could.” “We can leave with our heads held high,” said fellow squad member Alexandros Tziolis. “When you play against a team that strong the only thing you can really do is defend as well as you can and try and hit on the counter whenever possible.” On the bright side for Rehhagel’s men, they can voyage home safe in the knowledge that they have set a new FIFA World Cup finals landmark for Greek football, a possible springboard for future success, starting with the upcoming qualifiers for UEFA EURO 2012.

V. CANADIANPRESS - EU police in Kosovo arrest war crimes suspect, look for 2 more

EU police in Kosovo say they have arrested a man suspected of torturing prisoners in camps set up by ethnic Albanian guerrillas in northern Albania during the 1998-99 Kosovo war. Kristiina Herodes, a spokeswoman for the 2,000 strong EU police mission in Kosovo, said Wednesday the force "carried out a house search and arrested a male suspect" in Djakovica, a town close to Kosovo's western border with Albania. She says two more suspects have been identified. This is the second arrest related to the alleged torture of prisoners in detention centres run by the Kosovo Liberation Army. The guerrilla force used Albania's north as a base from which to supply and organize its volunteer force in Kosovo fighting a separatist war against Serbia.

VI. RIANOVOSTI - Russia sends fresh peacekeepers to Sudan

Russia will airlift about 120 personnel to Sudan Wednesday as part of an international peacekeeping operation there, the Defense Ministry said. Russian peacekeepers have been in Sudan since April 2006, providing transport services for UN military observers, escorting freight shipments and carrying out rescue and other operations. They are rotated every six months. The Russian peacekeeping contingent in Sudan comprises 120 personnel and four Mi-8 helicopters equipped to United Nations standards. In March and April, the Russian helicopter unit transported almost 1,800 passengers and more than 86 metric tons of cargo as part of preparations for the country's general elections. The Russian peacekeepers also delivered ballots to polling stations in southern Sudan. Personnel from the group were awarded UN medals in May for their outstanding performance in the region. The UN Mission in Sudan was established in 2005 to monitor the peace agreement between the government in Khartoum and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement in southern Sudan, which ended the longest-running civil war in Africa.

VII. CALGARYHERALD - G20 must do more to protect Christians in Turkey

Visualize the Vatican without Catholics or Jerusalem with no Jews. Better yet, imagine Mecca without Muslims. Silly, is it not? The international community would never tolerate such things. But alas, the soul of Christianity is vanishing in Turkey today and hardly anyone is heeding the call for help. The Ecumenical Patriarchate, the holiest centre of Orthodoxy, is being systematically suffocated by Turkish authorities. Despite calls for human rights reforms in Turkey, the government in Ankara continues to discriminate against religious minorities. As a result, the survival of the 1,700-year-old Patriarchate is uncertain. In the fourth century, Constantine the Great allowed Christianity to flourish and founded a new capital in present-day Istanbul. The "New Rome," strategically situated along the shores of the Bosporus, was an indispensable link for commercial activity between Europe and Asia. The associated economic, political and cultural advantages allowed the Byzantine Empire to become the most powerful force for many centuries. In 1453, however, Sultan Mehmed's army took control of the capital. Although the Empire died, the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church lived on. Following licentious looting after the siege of Constantinople that included the trashing of the Hagia Sophia basilica, the Sultan sought someone for the Ecumenical throne to be responsible for the Orthodox population. After the Holy Synod chose a monk named Gennadios as leader, Mehmed pronounced, "Be Patriarch and may Heaven protect you! On every occasion count upon my friendship and enjoy all the privileges possessed by your predecessors." These words were often cited to safeguard the activities of the Patriarchate. For 500 years of Ottoman rule thereafter, the Mother Church coexisted peacefully with Turkish authorities. In addition to carrying out its spiritual authority, it regulated the secular affairs of Christians. When nations began gaining their independence from the Ottomans, the Ecumenical Patriarchate ceased its civic role, becoming again a purely religious institution, which it remains to this day. It is therefore deplorable that the Ecumenical Patriarchate, despite guarantees under the Treaty of Lausanne, faces numerous problems that threaten its existence. These include the continued illegal closure of the Theological School of Halki and restrictions on Church elections. The inability to train new hierarchs coupled with the requirement that Patriarchs be Turkish citizens is a cruel combination that may soon create a spiritual vacuum in Christianity. Furthermore, the Patriarchate -- in spite of existing before even the idea of Turkey -- has no legal status or identity in the country! Ankara refuses even to recognize the title "Ecumenical" -- a sixth-century ecclesiastical designation recognized throughout the world. The majority of faithful under the jurisdiction of His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, for example, are outside Turkey -- including roughly 500,000 in Canada. The Canadian government, regrettably, has remained largely silent on the plight of the Patriarchate. The United States, European Union and United Nations have each called on Turkey to take restorative measures that strengthen the status of its non-Muslim communities. When President Barack Obama addressed the Turkish National Assembly last year, he remarked that, "Freedom of religion and expression lead to a strong and vibrant civil society that only strengthens the state, which is why steps like reopening Halki Seminary will send such an important signal inside Turkey and beyond." Moreover, the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination has specifically called on Ankara to redress the situation of its Orthodox population. Without a concerted and sustained international effort, it is unlikely that Turkey will ameliorate the position of the Patriarchate. As 2010 is an international year for Canada, it is in this context that Prime Minister Stephen Harper can make a meaningful difference. As host of the G8 and G20. Summits (the latter includes Turkey) Canada has the chance to champion the existing international consensus in support of the spiritual centre of Orthodoxy. The Prime Minister has maintained that the public does not want its government to "sell out important Canadian values -- our belief in democracy, freedom, human rights . . . to the almighty dollar." If this is the policy toward some countries (e. g., China) should it not be the policy for all countries? Turkey -- regardless of the size of its economy and population and strategic geographic location -- should not be given a pass on its human rights responsibilities. Canada can help save the living institution that is Orthodoxy and the historical mission of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. The international community must work to prevent a great moral void in Christianity, akin to the Vatican vanishing -- 300 million faithful are counting on them.

Cyprus,Sudan ship probed,Phoenician dig;PACE,Kosovo,N.Caucasus;Hezbollah's targets;US Afghan Commander;Met Jonah hosts Archbishop Justinian

I. REUTERS - Cyprus probes weapons on Sudan-bound ship

Cyprus has intercepted a vessel carrying military equipment thought to be bound for Sudan, under an arms embargo by the United Nations and the European Union. Authorities said on Tuesday the Antigua and Barbuda flagged cargo vessel had been prevented from leaving Cypriot waters since June 11, when it anchored off the southern port of Limassol requesting refuelling. "There is material (on board) which is considered prohibited from leaving Cyprus right now," Commerce Minister Antonis Paschalides told Cyprus radio. "When we speak of prohibited material it means explosives or military material." Police said the vessel was sailing to Sudan and then Singapore. An official from Sudan's foreign ministry on Tuesday said he had no information on the vessel in Cyprus. Asked about the cargo, Paschalides said: "I cannot specify right now what material it is, whether it is tanks, not tanks or other things, but there is definitely military material which comes under export control." A security source said authorities were investigating whether the cargo contravened a U.N. arms embargo on all armed groups operating in Sudan's Darfur region, the site of a seven-year conflict pitting government troops and allied militias against rebel fighters. The European Union, of which Cyprus is a member, also has a blanket ban on arms shipments to Sudan.

II. AP - Digs in Cyprus uncover more of Phoenician fort

Digs in Cyprus have uncovered what may be soldiers' barracks belonging to a sprawling Phoenician fortress that was the island's largest ancient administrative hub dating back at least 2,500 years, the Cypriot Antiquities Department director said Monday. Maria Hadjicosti said the discovery this year of the two building complexes in the ancient kingdom of Idalion, some 10 miles (16 kilometers) south of the modern-day capital Nicosia, offers more proof of the site's significance. "The discoveries further reinforce Idalion's role as the island's largest center of administration in ancient times," Hadjicosti said. The Phoenician kings of Kition, a southern coastal town about 14 miles (23 kilometers) southeast of Idalion — now known as Larnaca — had conquered the Greek-ruled city in the middle of the 5th century B.C. and governed it for around 150 years. Ink inscriptions on 300 marble slabs and pottery shards found at the site over nearly two decades of digs in the 2-square kilometer (square-mile) site indicate how Phoenicians collected taxes from Idalion's residents. Excavations on Cyprus have uncovered settlements dating back to around 9000 B.C. Cyprus then saw successive waves of colonization, including Mycenaean Greeks, Phoenicians, 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.

III. B92 - Council of Europe discusses Kosovo

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) is today discussing the situation in Kosovo, said reports. Pieter Feith spoke about Kosovo at the European Parliament (EP) headquarters in Strasbourg in his capacity as head of the International Civilian Office (ICO) in Priština. He is also EU's representative in the province. The discussion about Kosovo will for Serbia be the most important part of the summer sitting of the assembly. There will not be any Kosovo Albanian government representatives at the meeting. Rapporteur of the CoE Political Affairs Committee and former Swedish Defense Minister Bjorn von Sydow has prepared a report on Kosovo in which he points out the neutrality of the CoE and insists primarily on standards and rather than status. The Swedish official in his report also stressed poor rule of law in Kosovo, pointing out problems of minority communities and corruption, including in institutions, according to reports. Kosovo's ethnic Albanians unilaterally declared independence in February 2008, which Serbia rejected as an illegal act of secession. The proclamation has been recognized by 22 of EU's 27 member-states, and the territory has not been able to join the UN.

IV. RIANOVOSTI - Situation in North Caucasus remains 'serious and delicate'

The situation in the North Caucasus remains "most serious and most delicate", the PACE rapporteur said during the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE)'s plenary session on Tuesday. "The worst and most massive violations of human rights take place [In the North Caucasus]," Dick Marty from the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights said, adding Russian authorities must fight terrorism "in conformity with their own legislation and with their international commitments." In March, the rapporteur visited Ingushetia, Chechnya and Dagestan, where he met the presidents of all three republics as well as prosecutors, human rights activists and local residents. Following his visit to the North Caucasus, Marty said the situation in Grozny has totally changed in comparison with 2004. "We saw for ourselves that the entire center has been rebuilt and no outward signs of the war are visible," he said. PACE parliamentarians said the international community should cooperate with Russian authorities in combating terrorism, "guarantee adequate protection to Chechen exiles" whom they have received in their territory and "consider with the greatest care and caution extradition requests in respect of exiles from the North Caucasian republics who would risk being killed, subject to torture or an unfair trial."

V. YNET - Hezbollah nearly assassinated senior Israeli figure

"Hezbollah almost assassinated a senior Israeli figure," reported officials close to the organization to Kuwaiti newspaper al-Rai, which ran the item on Tuesday. The report is not corroborated by any other source. The newspaper reported that Hezbollah "managed to follow" an Israeli official deemed a "fat fish" while he was on vacation at a resort. Reportedly, Hezbollah cells stationed on the site nearly assassinated the Israeli, but the operation was called off at the last minute over the Gaza-bound flotilla raid three weeks ago. According to the sources, Hezbollah chose to cancel the hit so as not to provide Israel an opportunity to diverge world attention from "the Israeli piracy operation on international waters." The sources claimed that the Israeli official was "rewarded his life" and that he was called to return to Israel in order to deal with various aspects of the flotilla affair. Ever since the February 2008 assassination of Imad Mughniyeh in Damascus, Hezbollah has emphasized that the organization will respond when and where it sees fit. The newspaper also reported that Hezbollah has declined comment on the publication, but that sources close to the organization reported that Hezbollah leadership has already issued directives on how to respond should Nasrallah or any other top-ranking leader, be they military or political, be assassinated.

VI. YAHOONEWS - US Afghanistan commander ordered to White House

US commander in Afghanistan General Stanley McChrystal was ordered to the White House to personally explain his criticism of the president and his senior advisers, a top US official said. "McChrystal has been directed to attend (Wednesday's) monthly meeting on Afghanistan and Pakistan in person" rather than appear in a secure satellite teleconference "to explain to the Pentagon and the commander in chief his quotes in the piece about his colleagues," a White House official said.In a profile in the magazine Rolling Stone, McChrystal jokes sarcastically about Vice President Joe Biden for his skepticism of the commander's war strategy, and imagined ways of "dismissing the vice president with a good one-liner." McChrystal also told the magazine that he felt "betrayed" by the US ambassador to Kabul, Karl Eikenberry, in a White House debate over war strategy last year. And an unnamed McChrystal adviser says in the article that the general came away unimpressed after meeting with Obama in the Oval Office a year ago. "It was a 10-minute photo op," the general's adviser says. "Obama clearly didn't know anything about him, who he was... he didn't seem very engaged," the adviser added. A McChrystal aide also called the national security adviser, Jim Jones, a retired general, a "clown" who is "stuck in 1985." McChrystal issued a statement late Monday apologizing for his remarks to the magazine.

VII. OCA - Metropolitan Jonah welcomes Archbishop Justinian to St. Nicholas Cathedral

His Beatitude, Metropolitan Jonah and His Eminence, Archbishop Justinian of Naro-Fominsk, Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA, concelebrated the Divine Liturgy at Saint Nicholas Cathedral on Sunday, 20 June 2010. The Liturgy marked Archbishop Justinian's first visit to the cathedral. According to a press release posted on the website of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA, the occasion testified to "the most warm and cordial relations between the Orthodox Churches in America and Russia [that] have developed and strengthened for the benefit of the peoples of both countries." At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, the hierarchs exchanged gifts, while Archbishop Justinian offered greetings from His Holiness, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, expressing the Patriarch's brotherly support for Metropolitan Jonah's position as Primate of the Orthodox Church in America. He also congratulated Metropolitan Jonah on the feast of Saint Jonah of Moscow, the Metropolitan's patron.