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Monday, August 23, 2010

First Ladies,09/11;Clinton,Cyprus,Gaza ship;Iran's missile boat;Slovakia,Kosovo;Russia,Turkey;Pearls to Pigs,Communion to dogs



First Ladies Michelle Obama and Laura Bush are to jointly mark the ninth anniversary of the September 11 attacks at the site where the fourth hijacked plane crashed in a Pennsylvania field. Obama and her predecessor will be the keynote speakers at a ceremony near Shanksville where the heroic acts of the 40 passengers and crew of United Airlines Flight 93 are to be enshrined in a permanent memorial. "We are deeply honored to welcome First Lady Michelle Obama, Mrs. Laura Bush and all of our guests to this important event," said Neil Mulholland, head of the National Park Foundation, which is behind the memorial. "Their show of support honors the lives and memories of these 40 heroes and everyone we lost on September 11, and serves as a valuable reminder of how important this memorial is to preserve and share their story." The 33 passengers and seven crew on Flight 93 wrote themselves into American lore when they mounted an assault against the four Al-Qaeda hijackers that had taken over the plane. They had learnt of the unfolding strikes via cell phone calls and were caught on a flight recorder trying to break into the cockpit, prompting its suicide pilot to send the Boeing 757 into a fatal dive. Flight 93 plowed into a field outside Shanksville, killing all on board. The plane came down less than 20 minutes flying time from Washington, its presumed target either the US Capitol or the White House. At the time, the crash was overshadowed by horrifying scenes at New York's World Trade Center and the Pentagon, turned into infernos by fuel-laden airliners steered on suicide missions by Al-Qaeda hijackers. The September 11 terror strikes were the most devastating on US soil, costing almost 3,000 lives. Obama and Bush will be joined at the ceremony at the future site of the Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville by Interior Secretary Ken Salazar and Pennsylvania governor Ed Rendell, a statement said. "Fundraising is currently under way to complete the memorial which is under construction and set for dedication on September 11, 2011," said the statement from the National Park Foundation.


US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is tomorrow expected to appeal to Cypriots from the diaspora to support the “tough decisions” necessary for a solution to the Cyprus problem, Kathimerini’s Cyprus edition has learned. On Saturday, Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou telephoned Cyprus President Dimitris Christofias to brief him on his phone conversation with Clinton, which reportedly focused on the Cyprus issue. Clinton is due in Nicosia tomorrow to attend a conference of the World Federation of Overseas Cypriots, where she is expected to press Greek Cypriots to back United Nations-mediated peace talks. According to sources, Clinton said she backs a “bizonal, bicommunal” solution. She added that Washington “remains committed to ending the island’s division” but stressed that a solution was in the hands of Cypriot leaders. “The leaders of both communities must remain focused during these complex negotiations,” she was quoted as saying.


The organizers of a Lebanese ship hoping to break Israel's Gaza blockade say they have postponed the trip after Cyprus refused the vessel entry. The ship — the Mariam — cannot travel directly to Gaza because Lebanon is technically at war with Israel, forcing the boat to pass through a third country before heading to the Palestinian territory. Organizers said Sunday they are in contact with Greek authorities to allow the ship to dock there before proceeding to Gaza. They did not give a new departure date. The ship will carry aid and activists, organizers say. Israel has urged Lebanon to prevent the vessel from sailing to Gaza. The Lebanese expedition comes after Israeli commandos boarded a flotilla of Gaza-bound ships on May 31, killing nine activists.


Iran began mass production on two missile-launching assault boats to patrol the country's coastline and shipping routes in the Strait of Hormuz, Iranian state news agency IRNA reported on Monday. IRNA said that the Zolfaqar missile-launching vessel can be used for patrol as well as attack operations, having a "high destructive power." The beginning of production came as part of Iran's "government week," in which the Islamic Republic traditionally unveils its most recent technological advancements. On Sunday, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad introduced an unmanned drone bomber which he dubbed the "ambassador of death." Speaking to a group of officials Ahmadinejad said, "The jet, as well as being an ambassador of death for the enemies of humanity, has a main message of peace and friendship." The 4-meter long unmanned plane, dubbed as Karrar or striker, was inaugurated by Ahmadinejad on Sunday - the national day for the country's defense industry- in a ceremony aired live on state TV. The goal of the aircraft is to "keep the enemy paralyzed in its bases," he said, adding that the jet is for deterrence and defensive purposes. The president championed the country's military self-sufficiency program, and said it will continue "until the enemies of humanity lose hope of ever attacking the Iranian nation." Referring to Israel's occasional threats against Iran's nuclear facilities, Ahmadinejad called any attack unlikely, but he said if Israel did, the reaction would be overwhelming. "The scope of Iran's reaction will include the entire the earth," said Ahmadinejad. "We also tell you — the West — that all options are on the table."


Slovakia's Foreign Minister Mikulaš Dzurinda said that his country is against recognizing Kosovo. He also stressed that the "unilateral secessions is not in the interest of Europe... If Serbs now feel cheated, I can understand that," Dzurinda told Austrian daily Die Presse, recalling that UN SC Resolution 1244, that ended the 1999 war over the province, envisages only a substantial autonomy for Kosovo. Commenting on a statement that Slovakia supported NATO's 1999 attack on Serbia, the Slovak minister said that he "strongly supported offering Slovakia's air space to NATO because he was convinced at the time that Slobodan Milošević's ethnic cleansing was a very bad thing". Durinda said that he was still convinced that the decision was right. "But with the same devotion to the values and principles I now believe that the unilaterally proclaimed independence of Kosovo without Serbia's consent or consideration is unfair," said Dzurinda, whose country is one of five EU member-states that have not recognized the Kosovo Albanian UDI.


Turkey will strike four countries, including Russia, from its list of external security threats in a bid to revise the country's national security strategy, national media reported on Monday. The new national security strategy, the draft of which is to be considered at a National Security Council meeting in October, excludes Russia, Greece, Iran and Iraq from the so-called Red Book - a national security policy document - as "principal external threats," the Milliyet daily said. Turkey regards international terrorism and fundamentalism as its main external threats. Ankara has been closely cooperating with the four former "security threats" in recent years and now regards them as its new partners. Turkey's relations with Russia have greatly improved since Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's Party of Justice and Development came to power in 2002. The draft strategy highlights close bilateral economic cooperation with Russia, good potential in trade and energy, and "a shared vision of stability in the Caucasus."


When I was a kid I had a pet, a cat, and loved it dearly. It slept with me every night and in my teenage years felt at times as my only true friend. But there was no moment during the time we had together, that I confused my pet pal with a true human friend; it remained a cat the entire time. There seems to be however a lot of confusion nowadays about animals and their role in our lives. People treat their animals as family, take them to beauty salons and spas, leave them fortunes in their wills and expect to be joined by them in heaven. Just when I thought I heard it all I just stumbled on a recent news story where an Anglican minister went as far as giving communion to a dog. "It was a simple church act of reaching out to a new congregation member and his pet", the "she" minister swiftly responded to the harsh criticism surrounding her acts. Some may be asking what is the big fuss? The evolutionists might say: as the dogs, after all, we all come from animals; we are all products of the same evolutionary process. Why denying Communion to the dogs, aren't they also called to be saved? What is so distinctive about humans that they get all the benefits? Man is no more unique than the other animals, it is just the refined product of a distillation process that started by chance and eventually led where we are today. As shocking as this recent story may be, the problem of equating people with animals is not new. Even St. Gregory of Nazianz was facing some of the same controversy in the 4th century: "Men say: man is a microcosmos - and they say this thinking they elevate human nature with this grandiose title, but they did not realize that actually they have honored man with the characteristics of the mosquito and the mouse" In the quest to prove that man comes from animals, man is actually diminished to the level of a marginally more advanced living creature and nothing else, having very little to distinguish him from his "close relatives" that still dangle from one tree branch to the other. By reducing man to his animal body, man is actually abridged to matter and any spark of spirituality is completely denied to him. Man becomes an animal with the illusion of grandeur. But, according to Vladimir Lossky "Human perfection does not consist in what makes him resemble with all creation, but in what sets him apart from the created order and makes him resemble his Creator" Man was created differently than the other forms of life. God created the world by a simple "let there be..." but for man He decided to fashion him in a distinctive manner. "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." (Gen 1:26). The resemblance with God that makes man different than animals is the rational origin of his soul. "Animals act on impulse (they have urges) but in man there is also "logic"; it is the Grace of God which comes and establishes itself "logically" upon the soul", says Saint Maximus the Confessor. Animals do not possess rationality and have no free will. They possess however, through their instincts and the spirit of life planted in them, a certain basic understanding of the world, enough for them to never fail in recognizing God and serving His will. This is why Christ did not specifically minister to animals, not because they were unworthy, or because He didn't care about them, but because the creation already knew Him and obeyed him as God. "The ox knows its owner and the donkey its master's crib; But Israel does not know." (Isaiah 1:3). The icon of Nativity shows this clearly by depicting the animals as the first witnesses of the Incarnation. On the other hand man, misusing his God given rationality and betraying his freedom of choice, in his disobedience, has forgotten Who the Master is and has fallen into sin. Because of man and his sin the entire creation has been turned upside down and exists in the corrupted state we see today. Man used to be at peace with all creation; Adam named all the animals and the animals recognized him and did not harm him. (Gen 2:20) But when through sin division was brought in the world animals ceased to recognize man and the entire nature turned against man and against each other. (Gen 3:12-19, Gen 6:12) The current condition of the world is different that what it was in paradise and different than how it will be in the Kingdom of heavens. The cosmos can and will be redeemed and man is its intercessor: "the creation itself [...] will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God." (Rom 8:18-22). We see glimpses of this new order and of the renewed relationship between man and animals in the lives of the saints were we encounter a raven feeding the prophet Elias in the wilderness, lions living with the desert dwellers like St. Paul of Thebes or St. Mary of Egypt, a bear befriending St. Seraphim and so many other examples. This was foretold in the prophecy of Isaiah "The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them." (Isaiah 11:6) These saints have reached again in Christ the state that Adam had in paradise, when man was in harmony with the entire creation giving us all a pre-taste of the kingdom to come. But this harmony does not mean that we can reduce man to the level of an animal nor we can elevate an animal to the level of man. Each have their distinct role in God's providence and they cannot be confused. "All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of animals, another of fish, and another of birds. There are also celestial bodies and terrestrial bodies; but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another." (1Cor 15:39-40). Clearly man was given a distinctive role in creation. Man is the only created being that resembles both the heavens and the earth. Man is lifted to the image of God by his rational soul while his animal body caries the weight of the clay. Thus, by the will of God man is, without overextending his already bloated hubris, the central piece of the created world and by fulfilling his divine purpose he redeems the entire cosmos with him. "All things", argues St. Maximos the Confessor, " which have been created by God, in their diverse natures, are brought together in man as in a melting-pot, and form in him one unique perfection- a harmony composed of many different notes.'" Christ came to redeem man so man can be united with God and through man the whole creation to be made part of this union. Man is called to unite creation with the Creator and the entire nature supports him in His endeavor. This is the proper order of things that man cannot change but can freely choose to respect and use for the accomplishment of his divine potential.

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Israel-Greece ties;Yad Vashem;AHEPA-Ground Zero Mosque,NY MoCs;US.Troop w/drawal;Pakistani flood;St.Michael's, Sitka, Alaska



Israeli and Greek leaders discussed expanding military ties on Tuesday including sharing military know-how and holding joint war games, officials said. Israel has been keen to expand ties with Greece as its relations with Turkey -- another strategic Mediterranean partner -- soured since an Israeli raid on a Turkish-backed aid flotilla to the Gaza Strip in May. As he wrapped up his two-day trip to Greece, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu -- the highest ranking Israeli to visit the country -- said the two nations were "opening a new chapter." He told reporters that he and Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou had discussed military cooperation. An official in Netanyahu's entourage told Reuters these discussions "explored establishing greater cooperation between both countries' military industries and armies." A Greek official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed they "talked about new forms of cooperation on defence and security issues" including the expansion of joint military exercises and sharing technological knowledge. In a symbolic gesture, Papandreou hosted Netanyahu on a trip to an island off the Athens coast on Tuesday, setting sail on a missile boat Israel sold to Greece eight years ago. Papandreou told a joint news conference with the Israeli leader on Monday that they were looking at expanding strategic ties. Israeli officials said a team of experts on security and trade ties would soon meet to map out further details. Netanyahu has said he wants to mend fences with Turkey and that upgrading relations with Greece could further that goal. Greece is Turkey's long-standing rival in the Mediterranean. The came to the brink of war at least twice in the 20th century. Israel sees Greece as more ready to build ties with it because it senses that Athens' traditional Arab allies seem less opposed than in the past, due to shared fears of Iran which many in the West believe is seeking to make a nuclear bomb. "Relations are now developing at great speed due to our common interests," another senior Israeli official told reporters on the sidelines of the trip. Netanyahu is the first Israeli Prime Minister to visit Greece, which only forged full diplomatic ties with the Jewish state in 1990, later than other European countries. Israel and Greece signed a defence cooperation agreement in 1994.


Growing up in the West Bank, Mujahid Sarsur knew next to nothing about the Holocaust and saw little ground to sympathize with a people he saw as his occupier. But thanks to an Israeli roommate overseas, the 21-year-old Palestinian student learned about the Nazi murder of 6 million Jews during World War II and discovered a new understanding of his Israeli neighbors. Now he wants other Arabs to do the same. Sarsur heads one of a handful of Palestinian grass-roots groups seeking knowledge about the Holocaust. On Wednesday, he led a delegation of 22 students to Israel's official Holocaust memorial, Yad Vashem. The students, fasting for Ramadan, listened closely to their Arabic-speaking guide's explanations, and were left wide-eyed by the gruesome images of the death camps. Arab sentiment toward the Holocaust ranges from ignorance about its details to outright denial. Some hold a more complex belief system, acknowledging that the Holocaust did happen, but that they are paying the price by the loss of their land with the creation of the state of Israel after World War II. Last year, in an incident that got international attention, a Palestinian youth orchestra performed a concert for Holocaust survivors in Israel and caused such uproar among Palestinians that it was shut down. Its conductor was banished and blocked from entering a West Bank refugee camp out of concern for her safety. Two years ago, Yad Vashem launched an Arabic version of its website to combat Holocaust denial in the Arab world and provide credible historic material to those who seek it. A similar version in Farsi was aimed at Iran, whose president has called the Holocaust a "myth." Dorit Novak, the director of Yad Vashem's international school for Holocaust studies, called the visit a "blessed initiative" and hoped for continued dialogue to break down the stereotypes on both sides. "I appreciate their principles, their courage, their curiosity and their willingness to come, listen and learn," she said. "The Arab world is exposed to the Holocaust in a very distorted way. I know this is limited outreach, but I am willing to suffice with something limited in the reality in which we live."


The leading membership-based association for the nation’s three million American citizens of Greek heritage, and countless Philhellenes, the American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association (AHEPA), has requested the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to resume negotiations with the representatives of St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in an effort to rebuild the church destroyed at Ground Zero on September 11, announced National President Nicholas A. Karacostas. “The Greek American community is displeased and angered that Port Authority officials have declared that a deal to rebuild St. Nicholas is dead,” Karacostas said. “We view the church to be of national significance given the circumstances of its fate; a fate that has all but been forgotten by officials. We urge the Port Authority to honor its commitment to the congregation of St. Nicholas and resume negotiations to rebuild the church at its rightful place at Ground Zero. Karacostas expressed the organization’s disappointment in a letter sent August 18, 2010 to Mr. Christopher Ward, executive director, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. He added AHEPA will not tolerate additional bureaucratic stall tactics in the effort to rebuild the church, which has served the community at large since 1922.” Founded in 1922 in Atlanta, Georgia, to protect individuals from the evils of bigotry and discrimination, AHEPA is the largest and oldest grassroots association of American citizens of Greek heritage and Philhellenes with more than 350 chapters across the United States, Canada, Greece and Cyprus. The mission of AHEPA is to promote the ancient Greek ideals of Education, Philanthropy, Civic Responsibility, and Family and Individual Excellence through community service and volunteerism. For more information, please visit www.ahepa.org.


As vulnerable congressional Democrats weigh how to respond to President Barack Obama's statements on Muslims' right to build a mosque near ground zero, those in New York and closest to the controversy are staying silent or scrambling away. Democrats control both Senate seats and 27 of the state's 29 Congressional districts, but analysts believe as many as eight House Democrats in the state may be headed to defeat this year. Republicans, hoping to ease Democrats' grip on the state, insist the economy remains the major campaign issue but say the mosque flap could also help move voters their way. From eastern Long Island to more rural upstate areas, House Democrats have been opposing the construction of a $100 million Islamic center two blocks from the World Trade Center site. More than 2,700 people died there on Sept. 11, 2001, at the hands of Islamic terrorists, and the wound remains fresh for many New Yorkers who are still traumatized by the attacks or who lost loved ones that day. The latest Democrat to break with Obama is Rep. John Hall, a two-term incumbent expected to face a strong challenge from Republican Nan Hayworth in the 19th district north of New York City. In a statement released Wednesday, Hall said freedom of religion was essential to democracy but that he hoped the project would be constructed elsewhere. "I think honoring those killed on Sept. 11 and showing sensitivity to their families, it would be best if the center were built at a different location," Hall said. Hall joins three other House Democrats believed to be vulnerable in November who have announced their opposition to the project. In eastern Long Island, four-term Rep. Tim Bishop said ground zero should be a symbol of interfaith understanding. If developers of the Islamic center are seeking such unity, they should move the project, he said. In Staten Island, the most conservative of New York City's five boroughs, Democratic Rep. Mike McMahon said the project was a local matter and shouldn't come under federal jurisdiction. Nonetheless, he said he hoped it would be moved. "I believe a new location is the right compromise so that Muslim Americans can worship without eliciting feelings that push us away from our country's basic tenet of religious acceptance while the families of 9/11 victims obtain the peace of mind they deserve," McMahon said. The matter has even quieted the state's normally garrulous senior senator, Chuck Schumer, who is seeking re-election this year and has yet to weigh in on the controversy that is roiling the state. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, who is also facing voters this fall, has issued terse statements of support for the center but said she would also back efforts to move it if community members decided to do so.


The United States is on track to draw down its forces in Iraq to 50,000 by August 31, but there are doubts President Barack Obama can fulfill his pledge to withdraw all U.S. troops by the end of 2011. The 50,000 remaining will train Iraqi armed forces and police units. Here is a timeline on U.S. forces in Iraq since 2003: March 20, 2003 - U.S.-led forces invade Iraq from Kuwait to oust Saddam Hussein. -- About 125,000 U.S. and British soldiers and Marines are in Iraq. By the end of April, U.S. says it will add 100,000 more soldiers to the U.S.-led invasion force. April 9 - U.S. troops take Baghdad, Saddam disappears. May 1 - President George W. Bush declares hostilities over. -- Between March 20 and May 1, 138 U.S. troops are killed. December 13 - U.S. troops capture Saddam near Tikrit. February 22, 2006 - Bombing of Shi'ite shrine in Samarra sparks widespread sectarian slaughter, raising fears of civil war. February 14, 2007 - Maliki launches U.S.-backed crackdown in Baghdad aimed at pulling Iraq back from brink of civil war. -- Five U.S. combat brigades plus supporting troops, or some 30,000 soldiers, are sent to Iraq between February and mid-June 2007. Besides reducing violence, Washington wanted to create "breathing space" for Iraqi leaders to make progress on laws seen as critical to fostering national reconciliation. June 15 - U.S. military says it has completed its troop buildup, or "surge," to 160,000 soldiers. -- From April to June 2007, 331 U.S. soldiers are killed, the deadliest quarter of the war for the U.S. military. September 10 - U.S. commander in Iraq, General David Petraeus, recommends cutting troops by more than 20,000 by mid-2008. July 22, 2008 - The U.S. military says the last of five extra combat brigades sent to Iraq in 2007 have withdrawn, leaving just under 147,000 U.S. troops in Iraq. November 17, 2008 - Iraq and the United States sign an accord requiring Washington to withdraw its forces by the end of 2011. The pact gives the government authority over the U.S. mission for the first time, replacing a U.N. Security Council mandate. Parliament approves pact after negotiations 10 days later. January 1, 2009 - U.S.-Iraq security pact comes into force, placing 140,000 U.S. troops in Iraq under Iraqi authority. February 27 - New U.S. President Barack Obama announces plan to end U.S. combat operations in Iraq by August 31, 2010, but says will leave up to 50,000 troops to train Iraqi forces. June 30 - All U.S. combat units withdraw from Iraq's urban centers and redeploy to bases outside. June, 4 2010 - U.S. military says there are 88,000 troops in Iraq. Aug 18 - U.S. troop strength in Iraq is 56,000, a senior Obama administration official says. -- The military says that there have been 4,419 U.S. military deaths since the invasion in 2003.


The number of Pakistani flood victims in need urgent humanitarian relief has risen from six million to eight million, the United Nations said on Thursday. "Since it's an evolving situation, things are unfolding. Our estimate has gone up and now eight million are in need of urgent humanitarian assistance," UN humanitarian operations spokesman Maurizio Giuliano told Reuters. Several weeks of flooding in Pakistan has affected 20 million people and about 1/5 of Pakistan's land mass.


The bells of St. Michael’s Orthodox Cathedral in Sitka are expected to ring again in the near future – and ring correctly. In partnership with the Sitka Historical Society, the Orthodox Church has rebuilt the belfry stairs in St. Michael’s, and has cleaned and refurbished the eight bells. All that’s left is teaching a new generation of Sitkans to ring them. The original St. Michael’s Cathedral, built by Russian colonists from hewn timbers, was famously destroyed by fire on New Year’s in 1966. It’s eight-bell carillon rendered into molten slag. The church was rebuilt, and recast bells were reinstalled by 1976. The bells have often rung in Sitka since then, but they haven’t sounded anything like this: This is a historic recording preserved by the National Park Service. It’s believed to be John Williams, or perhaps his nephew Phillip Williams, the last in several generations of his family who did not just ring the bells, but played them. It was recorded around 1960. “It’s not just ringing 1 – 2. You’re using your feet, all of your arms, two or three chords at a time. You actually play melodies. It’s not just ding – dong.” Fr. Sergious Gerken has been the parish priest in Sitka since May of this year. He says there is an extensive body of musical literature for the bells which are tuned – to western ears – in a C-seventh chord. The biggest bell weighs 1400 pounds, and sounds the G note below middle C. I’m standing with Fr. Sergious and Sitka Historical Society director Bob Medinger four stories over Lincoln Street, in the refurbished belfry. I’m not totally comfortable in tall, rickety structures, but the rebuilt cathedral is constructed of iron girders, and looks reassuringly sturdy. Fr. Sergious says there is a 1000-year tradition of bell ringing in Orthodox Christianity, much of it musical, especially during services and holidays, and much of it merely practical. “I have my Mickey Mouse watch and it tells me its 3:30 right now. Who could afford a clock or a watch except the emperor or some rich merchant? So the thing was to be able to ring the bells for matins, for midday, for any special occasion – or alarm. When there’s a fire, church bells ring, everybody congregates. It was a focal point: if a ship comes in you’d be able to notify the rest of the people. This gives us an opportunity to also do something along those lines. Bells were an important part of town.” Between the destruction of the original cathedral, and the hazardous conditions that developed in the wooden stairways and hatches in the reconstructed belfry, Sitka lost its tradition its tradition of bell playing, but that is about to change. Fr. Stephan Mehlich, from the Orthodox diocese in San Anselmo, California, has agreed to visit Sitka in September to train new ringers. Mehlich himself was trained at St. Tikon’s Monastery in South Canaan, Pennsylvania. Bob Medinger says it’s a chance to recapture some of Sitka’s past. “Right now we are in the serious throes of trying to recruit ringers. We’d like to get up to four, perhaps one or two more. Reading music is very important. If you think you’ve got the time and you’d like to do something quite amazing – have quite a view during your work session up there. You can chat with us about the kind of commitment you’d like to make. We’re trying to get Fr. Mehlich up here in the third week of September. Tentatively that’s the week we’re trying to do the training.” St. Michael’s would like to find recruits both within and outside of the Orthodox congregation. Medinger says the Historical Society supports the idea of bringing music back into Sitka’s daily life, whether striking the hour or greeting arriving ships. Some barriers do remain: During work to improve the four flights of steep stairs to the belfry, significant rot was discovered in the floor of the belfry itself. Replacing it has punched a $15,000 hole into the project’s budget. Medinger hopes tour revenue of the refurbished tower may cover some of that cost. He and Fr. Sergious also hope to create a program to allow major donors – even those who don’t read music – a chance to play the bells. Fr. Sergious -- “Oh… Be Quasimodo for a day, that would be great!”

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

NYC Greek Church rebuild, Pelosi "anti-mosque" probe;Iran-IAEA;Japan vs Pirates;Serb returnees;"Macedonia";Cyprus-Russia relations turn 50



Greek Orthodox leaders trying to rebuild the only church destroyed in the Sept. 11 terror attacks expressed shock this week after learning, via Fox News, that government officials had killed a deal to relocate the church. The St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, once a tiny, four-story building in the shadows of lower Manhattan, was destroyed in 2001 by one of the falling World Trade Center towers. Nobody from the church was hurt in the attack, but the congregation has, for the past eight years, been trying to rebuild its house of worship. Though talks between the church and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey stalled last year, church leaders say they've been trying to kick-start discussions ever since. But amid debate over whether a proposed Islamic community center should go forward near Ground Zero, government officials threw cold water on the prospect of any deal with the church -- telling Fox News the deal is off the table. Confronted with the Port Authority's verdict, Father Mark Arey, of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, said it's the first he's heard that. "Negotiations did break off last year. We were expecting to hear from their lawyers -- we never did. We're still expecting to hear from them," he told Fox News. "We're disappointed. ... 130 Liberty Street was promised to us." Arey was referring to the address, about 100 yards away from the original site, where the government earlier proposed relocating the church. The Port Authority and the church announced a deal in July 2008 under which the Port Authority would grant land and up to $20 million to help rebuild the church -- in addition, the authority was willing to pay up to $40 million to construct a bomb-proof platform underneath. Within a year, the deal fell through and talks ended -- apparently for good, according to the Port Authority. The archdiocese and Port Authority now offer sharply conflicting accounts of where things went wrong. The Port Authority has previously claimed the church was making additional demands -- like wanting the $20 million up front and wanting to review plans for the surrounding area. They say the church can still proceed on its own if it wishes. "The church continues to have the right to rebuild at their original site, and we will pay fair market value for the underground space beneath that building," a spokesperson with the Port Authority told Fox News. But Arey said the original site is no good. Archdiocese officials disputed the Port Authority's claims, saying the church has complied with all conditions. "It's not about money," Arey said. He expressed hope that the project can still be salvaged. "This little church deserves to be rebuilt. It's symbolic, not just for Orthodox Christians, not just for Christians, but for all Americans," Arey said, calling the mosque debate "helpful" to the church's cause. "I believe that people around the country are asking themselves the question -- why all this talk about a mosque being built near Ground Zero? What about a little church that was destroyed on 9/11? ... This is basically a bureaucratic impasse. This will dissolve in the face of the American public consciousness." Former New York Gov. George Pataki, who worked with the church as governor, told Fox News on Tuesday that the church should be rebuilt. Father Alex Karloutsos, assistant to the head of the Greek Orthodox Church in America, Archbishop Demetrios, told FoxNews.com that the Port Authority "simply forgot about the church" at Ground Zero. To read more about the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, please click here. To read about St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church at Ground Zero, please click here.


House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said that a proposed Islamic center in New York City was a local issue and that she supports an investigation into how the opposition is being funded. Pelosi told local reporters on Tuesday that the decision over whether to proceed with building an Islamic center, which includes a mosque, near the site of the 9/11 attacks should be left up to the local community. The Speaker also questioned what was motivating the political opposition to the mosque, suspecting that the issue might be being "ginned up" to help Republican candidates. Pelosi is the only high-ranking House Democrat to comment on the mosque at this point, though her approach and tone were markedly different from that taken by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), who on Monday endorsed moving the proposed mosque elsewhere. President Obama has backed the right of developers to build the mosque, though the White House has emphasized that doesn't constitute an endorsement of the building.


Iran's ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Ali Asghar Soltanieh called on the organization to oppose sanctions on Wednesday, Iranian news network PressTV reported. "The IAEA should counter incorrect and unfriendly attitudes including sanctions and resolutions by the UN Security Council which undermine cooperation," Soltanieh reportedly said. "The IAEA should know that Iran had cooperated with the agency beyond its undertakings to show its goodwill and build transparency." Soltanieh reportedly said that Iran is committed to international agreements and has based its nuclear policy on the IAEA, but "will never give up its inalienable rights." The ambassador also said that third-world countries are suspicious of sanctions on Iran, "because they know that if the Islamic Republic does not resist against pressure, Western powers will implement the same plot against them in coming years." Iranian officials continue to insist that the Bushehr nuclear plant has nothing to do with uranium enrichment, PressTV reported. "To decide on the timing of the enrichment activity is a domestic affair and the United States is not entitled to interfere in this issue. The protracted start-up of the Bushehr nuclear reactor demonstrates the scientific and technological capabilities of Iranian scientists," Iranian MP Mohammad Karim Shahrzad reportedly said. Another Iranian MP, Hossein Sobhaninia, added: "The fueling of the Bushehr plant can not be linked to Iran's nuclear enrichment program; Iran is well aware of its responsibilities." Also on Wednesday, PressTV reported that Iranian Army official Ali Shadmani threatened to close the Straits of Hormuz if the US attacks Iran.


After the signing of a land leasing agreement a few weeks ago between Japan and Djibouti allowing the construction of a military facility in Djibouti, Japan will be the third country to have a military base in Djibouti next to US and France. Japan has deployed two military ships and two reconnaissance airplanes to dispose of the pirates attack and as a contribution for the international effort against the piracy in the Gulf of Aden, the ambassador noted. With close to 90 percent of Japanese exports being shipped through the Gulf of Aden North into the Red Sea and the Mediterranean, the Asian country’s international trade had been threatened by Somali pirate attacks. In order to create an internationally recognized transit corridor that provides security for about 30,000 cargo ships that transit the Gulf of Aden every year, some 24 countries formed the Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia under the umbrella of the United Nations to maintain an international naval force in the corridor in January 2009. The group as at April 2010, included 47 countries and 10 international organizations ensuring that there is an average of about 17 naval ships on patrol in the troubled waters on any given day. September last year, Japan and a host of other countries including Britain, Cyprus, Singapore and the United States, in a concerted effort to coordinate international naval patrols, shipping self-protection measures and discourage the payment of millions of dollars in ransom to pirates, came together to sign the “New York Declaration,” an international plan to protect ships and thwart piracy off the coast of Somalia. Explaining why his government needs to have its own facility, Ambassador Kinichi indicated that while Japanese reconnaissance airplanes are now using Djibouti’s airport for landing and refueling his government does not intend to continue seeking accommodation at the US military base for their operational staff on a long-term basis.


Unknown perpetrators demolished three houses of Serb returnees that are under construction in the village of Žač near Istok last night. The construction of the houses for the returnees is being financed by the Kosovo Community and Return Ministry and the construction of 18 more houses was planned. The incident has upset the Serbs in the area. Kosovo police are guarding their tent camp 24 hours a day. Kosovo police Spokesman for the Peć region Zeqir Kelmendi said that the contractor reported the incident around noon. He also explained that a wall in one of the houses had been demolished and that concrete blocks had been scattered around the house and added that Kosovo police were working on identifying the perpetrators. Serbs have been exposed to numerous attacks since their return to the village of Žač.


I'm off today to the country that I dare not name, lest I offend the Greeks. Yes, I'm talking about that neighbouring state just to the north. It calls itself - and is recognised as such by many countries across the world - "the Republic of Macedonia". But Greece is concerned that name implies a territorial claim over its own northern region of Macedonia. So, at the United Nations, the country is officially known as the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, or FYROM. This is an absurd and clumsy compromise that, almost everyone agrees, has long outlived its usefulness. But talks between Greece and FYROM/Macedonia, mediated by the UN, have been dragging on for years, with little sign of progress. At this point you are probably rolling your eyes and sighing in despair, (unless you are from one of the two countries involved, in which case you may be already preparing a furious comment for this blog, informing me that I need to know more about Ancient and Balkan history before I stray into such treacherous waters), but in this part of the world the "name dispute" is important. The two countries have been discussing new names for FYROM/Macedonia that they could both live with. "Republic of Northern Macedonia" and "Republic of Macedonia-Vardar" have been mooted as possibilities. But we soon run into sticking points; the Greeks would like any new name to be adopted by all countries, whereas the government in Skopje has said it should only apply to bilateral relations between it and Athens. It has argued that those countries (a comfortable majority within the UN General Assembly, by the way) that already have recognised "the Republic of Macedonia" could carry on using that name. In one sense, Greece holds some strong cards; it can veto FYROM/Macedonia's accession to the EU and Nato. On the other hand, the Greeks know, regardless of their conviction that they are right, that their insistence on this issue is, to put it politely, frustrating to most of the rest of the world. George Papandreou, the Greek prime minister, must somehow weigh up the competing demands of domestic and international opinion, at a time when his country is reliant on financial support from abroad. I'll be interviewing Nikola Gruevski, the prime minister of "the Republic of Macedonia," in Skopje, the capital. Amongst other things, the Greeks accuse him of appropriating their ancient history, in order to give his country a false sense of identity. For example, he has renamed Skopje's airport as "Alexander the Great Airport", (you won't be surprised to hear that no Greek airlines land there, hence my journey from Athens involves complicated connections, and takes a lot longer than a glance at a map would suggest).


Dmitry Medvedev sent his congratulations to President of Cyprus Dmitris Christofias on the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Cyprus. The message reads, in part: “It is pleasing to see that the longstanding traditions of friendship and cooperation between our countries are growing stronger and progressing. The sincere mutual sympathy and respect that our peoples feel for each other play an important part in consistent development of our bilateral political, trade, economic, and humanitarian partnership. I am sure that the talks we will hold in Cyprus in October will, as always, produce results and help to intensify our fruitful dialogue. We intend to expand our cooperation on the international stage too. In this respect, we are ready to continue joint efforts to consolidate the foundations of security and stability in Europe and the Mediterranean and help to achieve a fair and comprehensive settlement to the Cyprus problem.”

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Ground Zero Mosque;Turkey arms deal;Iran nukes;Israel&Greece;Bosnian Serbs;Korea reunified;Kosovo,Orthodox Church restoration



Negative reactions to President Obama’s remarks about the proposed mosque near Ground Zero are coming from all sides, including members of his own political party. Opponents of the proposed $100 million Muslim cultural center are upset that the president voiced support for the plan at a White House iftar (evening meal to break fast during the Islamic month of Ramadan) Friday without seriously addressing the concern of those against the project, mainly sensitivity to the families of the 9/11 attacks. Some critics contrasted the president’s backing of the Islamic center with his lack of support for Christians. Religious Freedom Coalition Chairman William Murray criticized the president for “ignoring” the need of St. Nicholas, the only church destroyed during the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, which has yet to be rebuilt. Meanwhile, provocative commentator Bill Keller of LivePrayer.com chastised the president for not holding a White House event for the National Day of Prayer but holding an iftar. He also held President Obama responsible for the U.S. government-funded Middle East trip of Imam Feisal Rauf, the man behind the proposed Muslim cultural center. Ralf will be going to the Mideast to build bridges between the United States and Arab countries. Obama on Friday stated in front of members of Congress, religious leaders, activists, and government officials at a White House dinner that he supported the Muslim house of worship. It was the first time that the president made a comment on the emotionally-charged debate. "Let me be clear. As a citizen, and as President, I believe that Muslims have the same right to practice their religion as everyone else in this country," he said. "And that includes the right to build a place of worship and a community center on private property in Lower Manhattan, in accordance with local laws and ordinances... This is America," Obama proclaimed. "And our commitment to religious freedom must be unshakeable." Obama’s support for the mosque was met on Monday with an opposing statement by the No. 1 Democrat in the Senate, Harry Reid. Reid released a statement saying that the mosque should be built elsewhere. “The First Amendment protects freedom of religion,” reads the statement released by Reid’s spokesman, Jim Manley. “Sen. Reid respects that but thinks the mosque should be built some place else.” According to a CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll released Wednesday, nearly 70 percent of Americans oppose the plan to build a mosque near the 9/11 site.


President Barack Obama personally warned Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan his country risks not getting some of the weapons it wants from the U.S. unless it improves relations with Israel, the Financial Times said, quoting an unidentified administration official. Some recent actions by Turkey have increased opposition in Congress to it getting some of the weapons it wants from the U.S., the official said. This may include U.S.-made drones Turkey wants to combat the Kurdish PKK separatist group, the Financial Times said. Obama told Erdogan in June he should tone down criticism of Israel for the May 31 Israeli naval raid on a Gaza Strip-bound aid flotilla in which nine Turkish citizens were killed, the paper said.


Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast dismissed on Tuesday the U.S. demands on Iran to suspend nuclear enrichment activities. Mehmanparast said the White House spokesman should have known that when a nuclear power plant is launched in a country, it would need nuclear fuel too. On Friday, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said, "Russia is providing the fuel (for Iran's Bushehr power plant) and taking the fuel back out," which means that Iran does not need its own enrichment program. "When Iran's nuclear facilities, including the Bushehr Power Plant, are launched, it means that some long-term arrangements should be made in advance for supplying fuel for those facilities, " Mehmanparast told reporters at his weekly press briefing.


Just as Israel and Turkey's relationship is souring, Greece and the Jewish state are making moves to build closer ties. Netanyahu's state visit to Athens is the first by an Israeli prime minister. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu launched Monday a two-day trip to Greece, signaling a warming of relations between the two countries, at the same times as ties deteriorate between Israel and Greece's traditional rival, Turkey. Netanyahu's visit to Greece, the first by an Israeli head of state, was preceded by Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou's groundbreaking Israel visit three weeks ago. While Israeli media have touted the visit as a sign of rapprochement, there are speculations that Israel may be strategically courting Greece in order to replace its strained ties with Turkey. Deutsche Welle Radio's Athens correspondent, Jannis Papadimitriou said that, before Greece, Israel had "already started warming its ties with other traditional rivals in southeastern Europe - for example, with Bulgaria and Cyprus." Papadimitriou added that, "in the last months after Turkey closed its skies to Israeli military aircraft, everything happened very quickly" between Israel and Greece, which did not recognize Israel's statehood until the early 1990s. Both Israel and Greece have distanced themselves from speculations that they are forming an alliance against Turkey. An official travelling with Netanyahu quoted the leader as saying that both Israel and Greece wanted to improve ties with Turkey, and that, "certainly this [visit] doesn't harm that [goal]. It can only help."


Republic of Srpska (RS) Prime Minister Milorad Dodik stated that Israeli President Shimon Peres understands the position of the Serbs in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Dodik, who is on a visit to Israel, said that the Israeli president had said that the wish and aspirations of the peoples in Bosnia-Herzegovina have to be respected and that stability and peace have to be preserved. Dodik also said that he discussed the situation in the Balkans, and that he was informed about the situation Israel is being faced with in its efforts to preserve stability and its state identity. “This was an opportunity for me to underscore that it is evident that the international community and its high representative had carried out political and legal violence in the RS and that it had altered the Dayton Agreement,” said Dodik. Dodik reiterated that he and President Peres had a lot in common on all issues, particularly those relating to Turkey's growing engagement in the Balkans, noting that Turkey is being engaged on the side of a the Bosniak people alone.


South Korean President Lee Myung-bak has proposed a three-stage reunification with North Korea, Chinese news agency Xinhua reported on Sunday. Lee said current inter-Korean ties needed a new paradigm, and it was "imperative that the two sides choose coexistence instead of confrontation, progress instead of stagnation," the agency said. He said Seoul and Pyongyang should build an inter-Korean "peace community" first to assure security and harmony on the Korean Peninsula, then work for an "economic community" for a comprehensive exchange and mutual prosperity. After that, the two sides can establish a genuine "national community", Lee said, according to Xinhua. Lee said it was time for discussing substantive measures for the reunification of the two Koreas, such as "a unification tax" to prepare for the huge financial burden in case the two Koreas realize the reunification, the agency reported. According to a study by a South Korean parliamentary committee, Seoul is expected to bear about 1.3 trillion U.S. dollars cost if the "two Koreas" are reunited, local media said. Lee said, however, that denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula was the most important thing at present, the agency reported.


The Russian Orthodox Church has hailed the government’s decision to donate $2 million for rebuilding damaged Orthodox shrines in Kosovo. Archpriest Nikolai Balashov, deputy head of the Moscow Patriarchate’s department for external church relations told the Voice of Russia the money would go to four major Serbian Orthodox centers in Kosovo – the monasteries of Pec, Decani and Gracanica and the Church of Our Lady of Ljevis. The decision was announced before the death of Patriarch of Pavel of Serbia. His Holiness relished the news. We are glad that this aid has started to come. On June 15, Russia’s Prime Minister Vladimir Putin signed the official order. Restoration is to be carried out in cooperation with UNESECO, and we hope the first practical steps won’t be long in coming.Kosovo is the spiritual core of Serbia, a region where key Serbian Orthodox shrines are located. The Pec Patriarchate is the ancient residence of Serbian patriarchs, the spiritual leaders of Serbs. There, on October 3, the newly-elected Patriarch Irinej of Serbia will be enthroned. The Moscow Patriarchate appreciates government donations for the reconstruction of Orthodox shrines in Kosovo. For the Serbian people, it’s a gesture of solidarity showing that Russian brothers are with them in times of trouble. After some controversy over who precisely should control the restoration of Serbian Orthodox churches in Kosovo, a consensus was reached between Russian and Serbian authorities, the Serb Orthodox Church and international organizations. Father Nikolai said he had no doubt that control would be in the hands of competent people.

Friday, August 13, 2010

God&Man,Ground Zero;Obama, border bill, aid to Russia;Kosovo status;2300yrs.old Cyprus ship;IOCC responds to Russia fires;Holy Panagia, Dormition



Here’s my bottom-line problem with the concatenation of events and trends surrounding the Ground Zero mosque: I see privilege being accorded to Islam, as against situations in which the civil authorities have de-privileged Christianity and Judaism. The reflexive animus against America’s traditional major religions will be recognizable, in what I describe below, to every conservative. Yet in a situation where a very large group of Americans objects to the placement of a particular mosque, government authorities not only don’t privilege the objectors, they castigate them as bigots and override their concerns.There are two relevant tales of Christian developments near Ground Zero. One involves a Greek Orthodox church, St. Nicholas’, which was crushed by the collapse of WTC Tower Two on 9/11. St. Nicholas’ Church was across the street from the World Trade Center. In 2008, a deal was announced with the New York Port Authority to rebuild the church two blocks from its original site. But civil authorities objected to the church’s plans for a larger structure, with a dome and spire in the Greek Orthodox tradition. Their express concern was that the church not be taller than the World Trade Center Memorial. There is no apparent concern about the Park 51 Islamic center being taller than the WTC Memorial (it is). It will not be built as a wholly new structure, of course. But on the other hand, the commercial skyscraper planned by the Port Authority will be a new structure, and it will tower over the WTC Memorial. The principles at work appear to be as follows: new commercial structures may be taller than the Memorial. An Islamic group may occupy a building that is taller than the Memorial and devote it to a religious purpose. But a Christian structure may not be built taller than the Memorial. We must note about St. Nicholas’ that the 2008 deal with the Port Authority entailed a contribution of $20 million from the Authority toward the new building. Certainly, public funding properly gives the Authority some leverage over the structure. St. Nicholas’ hasn’t been singled out for special public benefits, however; it was the only church that was destroyed by the 9/11 attack. Rebuilding it was simply proposed for public funding as part of the overall plan for the 9/11 site. The Port Authority planned to build a platform and foundation for the church, because under the 2008 deal it was to sit on top of a garage and security screening area. In March 2009, Authority officials refused to allow the church to review the plans for the garage and screening area. At that point, talks regarding the church’s rebuilding ground to a halt. The other Christian development is the ongoing question about the fate of the “Ground Zero cross.” This remnant of the WTC was found in the rubble after the 9/11 attack and stood at the site until it was moved to nearby St. Peter’s Church in October 2006, to clear the way for renovations. Atheist organizations, which began objecting to the display of the cross in 2002, oppose its planned incorporation in the WTC Memorial. Although the Port Authority reportedly intends to display the cross at the Memorial, the possibility of a lawsuit by opponents can’t be excluded. Interestingly, there has been no attempt by the MSM or leading politicians to denigrate as bigots the atheists who object to the cross. Nor has the Port Authority’s dilatory approach to rebuilding St. Nicholas’ Church earned it any contumely from them for acting in questionable faith regarding a religious group.


President Obama signed a new border security bill today, but didn't comment on it or the prospects of more immigration legislation down the line. Only photographers were allowed into the Oval Office ceremony. No reporters. The Southwest Border Security Bill provides $60 million "to enhance technology at the border, share information and support with state, local and tribal law enforcement, and increase (federal) presence and law enforcement activities at the border," the White House said in a statement. Regarding new federal help, the Justice and Homeland Security departments will provide "increased agents, investigators and prosecutors, as part of a multilayered effort to target illicit networks trafficking in people, drugs, illegal weapons and money," the statement added. Obama has called for comprehensive immigration reform that includes not only better security on the border, but a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants who are already here. Republican critics support a tighter border, but citizenship proposals amount to amnesty for lawbreakers.


President Boris Tadić has sent 55 of his personal emissaries to as many countries, pleading that they do not recognize Kosovo. Belgrade daily Večernje Novosti writes today that this "diplomatic campaign" is already bearing fruit. What the newspaper refers to as the "shuttle diplomacy" is directed as those countries that are under great pressure to recognize Kosovo, while Tadić's letter explains Belgrade's position after the ICJ advisory opinion and calls on these states not to change their stance on Kosovo. Although new recognitions were announced for the days after the court's ruling, none have materialized thus far. On July 22, the top UN court said that the Kosovo Albanian unilateral declaration of independence, made in February 2008, and rejected by Serbia as an illegal attempt at secession, did not violate international law, since no provision in it actively prohibited such proclamations. The ICJ did not rule on the right to secession and self-determination. Among the countries that the newspaper says "great powers" are pressuring to recognize Kosovo are EU's Slovakia, Romania, Spain, Greece and Cyprus, Caribbean and Central American countries, some members of the Non-Aligned Movement, and former British and French colonies. The government has not revealed the names of Tadić's emissaries, "for diplomatic reasons". Kosovo has been recognized by 69 out of 192 UN member-states. The territory itself has not been able to join the UN.


A marine archaeologist says plenty of olives kept ancient seafarers going aboard a wine-carrying ship that sank off Cyprus' southern coast 2,300 years ago. Stella Demesticha of the University of Cyprus said Thursday that hundreds of olive pits found at the wreck indicate the fruit was a likely a staple of the crew's diet at a time when sailors mostly were limited to dried foods. The vessel's sand-buried hull was found in 2007 at a depth of 45 metres (150 feet) just off the southern coastal village of Mazotos. It was carrying hundreds of wine amphorae — or large terra-cotta vases — from Chios and other Aegean Sea islands. Demesticha said lead rods forming part of an anchor also were found where the ship's bow is thought to be.


The United States is ready to supply firefighting equipment to Russia to help deal with continuing wildfires and peat bog fires caused by abnormally hot weather, the Kremlin press service said. U.S. President Barack Obama made a phone call to his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev late on Thursday to express his condolences about the disastrous environmental situation in Central Russia. "Obama reiterated the U.S. readiness to supply the necessary firefighting equipment and render expert assistance," reads the statement, posted on the kremlin.ru website. A scorching heat wave has gripped much of European Russia since mid-June, which coupled with the worst drought since the 1970s has made the countryside particularly susceptible to wildfires. Thousands of emergency workers and military personnel have been working round the clock for almost three weeks to fight fires in 22 Russian regions, which have so far killed more than 50 people and left over 3,500 homeless. The immediate economic cost of the fires has been estimated at $15 billion.


Experiencing the worst heat wave in Russia since record-keeping began more than 130 years ago, the Russian people have been suffering from uninterrupted high temperatures for the past 50 days and deteriorating air quality as a result of more than 500 active fires burning nationwide. News agencies have reported that more than 50 people have died so far from the fires and an estimated 5,000 others have died as a result of the heat and poor air quality in Western Russia. International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC), in consultation with the Orthodox Church in America, is working with its partners in the Russian Orthodox Church to formulate an appropriate IOCC response to this latest humanitarian crisis. Constantine M. Triantafilou, IOCC Executive Director, expressed his concern at the situation, stating, "We pray for those who have died. Our thoughts and prayers go out to those mourning the loss of loved ones. We are also steadfast in our prayers for all who have been affected by the wildfires." In addition to the immediate concern for the loss of life, it is estimated that approximately one third of Russia's wheat crop has burned. One of the world's largest exporters of wheat, Russia has suspended its wheat exports. You can help the victims of disasters around the world, like the Russian Heat Wave and Wildfires, 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, founded in 1992 as the official humanitarian aid agency of the Standing Conference of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas (SCOBA), has implemented over $330 million in relief and development programs in 33 countries around the world. IOCC has been providing emergency relief to Russia since the organization's first airlift in 1992. Since that time, IOCC has implemented more than $60 million in aid projects throughout the Russian Federation.


The passing of the Holy Virgin is celebrated in different regions of Greece and in many other countries where there is a Greek presence . The Holy Virgin Maria (Panagia) is considered the most holy person of Orthodoxy and her passing is called “The Easter of the Summer”. On Tinos, Mount Athos, and throughout Greece a large group of followers gather at churches and to the processions of the icon of “Megalohari”, or great grace. Many names are given to the Virgin Mary depending on the place where the icons were found. Some of these names are: “Soumela”, “Melikarou”, “Fodeliotissa”, “Thalassini”, “Anemi”, etc. There are over one thousand names and many traditions and legends. Many Christians go to the island of Tinos in the summer to visit the church of “Megalohari” (of great grace). Many of the followers travel from the port to the church on their knees. “Panagia Soumela” In Vermion near the village of Kastania, there is the center of the Pontian Greeks at The Monastery of “Panagia Soumela”. According to tradition, the Evangelist Loucas carved the icon of the Virgin Maria on wood. In the 4th century monks Varnavas and Sofronios, founded in Trapezounta, Turkey the monastery “Panagia Soumela”. After the exchange of populations, the Turkish government gave the holy heirlooms to the Greek government after the actions of the Greek Prime Minister Eleftherios Venizelos in 1931. In 1952 the Greek history of the icon began in the region of Vermio, where the association “Panagia Soumela” in Thessaloniki started the construction of a Monastery near the village of Kastania. By then many Christians travel to the Monastery annualy to visit the icon of the Virgin Maria ‘Soumela’. The garden of Holy Virgin Mary: “The garden of Holy Virgin Mary” is the name given to Mount Athos. According to tradition the Virgin Mary stopped to Mount Athos with John the Evangelist during their trip to Cyprus due to a tempest. She was excited by the beautiful landscape and she ask her son to gift her the place. “Panagia Kosmosotira” (savior of the world): In the southeast of Evros in Ferres, there is the church of Panagia Kosmosotira (the Holy Virgin, Saver of the world). It was built in 1151-52 by Isaakios Komninos son of emperor Alexios Komninos. Panagia Ecossifinissa”: Built in Paggeon, Drama the monastery was founded by Saint Germanos in 518 A.C. Currently outside the monastery there is now a church of the Dormition of the Holy Virgin, the cells of the monks, the priory, the hospice, a chapel of Saint Paraskevi and a museum. The “Easter of the summer” in Grevena: Every summer in the region of Grevena, thousands of immigrants visit the villages and meet their relatives. The center of celebrations is the village of Samarina where thousands of Christians visit “Megali Panagia”. “Panagia Ekatontapiliani”: In Paros there is “Panagia Ekatontapiliani”; one of the greatest byzantine monuments in Greece. The 15th of August holds many areevents, dances and fireworks. On other islands such as in Corfu, Patmos and Ikaria, Christians attend funeral processions for the Holy Virgin. In Dodecanese, the most known name is “Kavouriani” i.e. “of crabs”, because a fisherman found the icon while he was searching for crabs. On Lipsi island there is “Panagia tou Harou” i.e. “of death”. This icon is unique because it is the only one that shows the Virgin Maria to hold the crucifix instead of the child. Since 1942 the icon is adorned with the “lilies of the Virgin Maria”. “Panagia Spiliani” i.e. “of the cave”: Nisiros island holds the “Panagia Spiliani” i.e. “of the cave”. The name originates from the cave in which there icon since 1600 A.C. “Panagia Diasozousa”: On Patmos there is “Panagia Diasozousa” i.e. “the Saver”, the church of the Virgin Mary Apolou, Kampos, the monastery of the Virgin Mary in Livadi, the Koumana in Skala and many more destinations for the Virgin Mary. On the island of Kalimnos there is the “Panagia of Tsoukhouon”, “Kirapsili”, “Arginonton”, “Telendou”, “Pserimou” and “Vothinon." In Astipalea,there is the name “Portaitissa”. There is also the monastery of the Virgin Mary Vlefariotissa and the monastery of the Poulariani. The church of “Panagia Gorgoipikoos” is on the island of Cos and was built in the 15th century. In Asklipio, Rhodes, there is the Church of the Dormition of the Holy Virgin built in the 11th century. There is also a church of the Dormition in Messanagro built the 13th century. Near this region there is also “Panagia Plimiriani”, a small monastery of the 17th century. In the valley of butterflies there is “Panagia Kalopetra” established in 1489. In Lindos there is the church of the Holy Virgin originating in 15th century. In Skiadi there is Panagia Skiadeni, where an ancient temple of Artemis used to lie. In Agiassos, Lesvos an icon of the Holy Virgin with the name “Agia Sion” was located. The monastery of the Holy Virgin in Proussos, Evritania is dedicated to the dormition of the Virgin Mary.It originates from Proussa, Asia Minor. Is is known to be made by Evangelist Loucas.

Thursday, August 12, 2010

US troops,Iraq;S-300,Abkhazia;Obama figure replaced by Bush's;Wahabists,Turkey;Hezbollah's theme park;Greek-Armenian-Assyrians;Kosovo Orthodox Shrines



U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates is standing by a deadline for U.S. troops to withdraw from Iraq by the end of next year, despite a senior Iraqi officer's call for them to stay longer. Gates told reporters Wednesday that the U.S. and Iraqi governments have an agreement setting the deadline for the U.S. withdrawal. He said if a new Iraqi government is formed and wants to talk about extending the U.S. troop presence, the United States is open to that discussion, but the initiative has to come from the Iraqis. Iraq's most senior military officer, Lieutenant Babakir Zebari, says the United States should leave its troops in Iraq until 2020. Zebari told a defense conference in Baghdad that it will be another 10 years before the Iraqi army will be able to ensure the country's security. White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said Wednesday that the United States is on track to end its combat mission in Iraq at the end of the month as planned. He said President Barack Obama is satisfied that the Iraqi military will be able to take over security operations. Fifty-thousand U.S. troops will remain in Iraq to serve as a transitional force. Mr. Obama has set a goal of removing all U.S. troops in Iraq by the end of 2011.


Washington is not surprised by reports that Russia deployed S-300 air-defense systems on the territory of former Georgian republic of Abkhazia, the U.S. Department of State said. Russian Air Force head Col. Gen. Alexander Zelin said on Wednesday S-300 systems had been placed in Abkhazia to protect the airspace of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. He did not say how many S-300s were deployed. "I believe it's our understanding that Russia has had S-300 missiles in Abkhazia for the past two years," Philip Crowley, the department's assistant secretary, told a daily press briefing. "There have been systems in Abkhazia for two years. We can't confirm whether they [Russia] have added to those systems or not... this is by itself is not necessarily a new development. That system has been in place for some time," he added. The Georgian Foreign Ministry described the Russian move as "extremely dangerous and provocative" and threatening "not only the Black Sea region, but European security as a whole." Russia recognized Abkhazia and South Ossetia two weeks after a five-day war with Georgia in August 2008, which began when Georgian forces attacked South Ossetia in an attempt to bring it back under central control. Russia signed agreements with South Ossetia and Abkhazia earlier this year on establishing permanent military bases in the republics. The bases are located in Gudauta, on Abkhazia's Black Sea coast, and in South Ossetia's capital, Tskhinvali. Each base hosts up to 1,700 servicemen, T-62 tanks, light armored vehicles, air defense systems and a variety of aircraft.


Operators of a boardwalk game in the town where the MTV reality show "Jersey Shore" is filmed have removed a caricature of President Barack Obama. It has been replaced by likenesses of former President George W. Bush and Hillary Clinton. Manager Tom Whalen says it's to show the "Walkin Charlie" game that requires patrons to throw baseballs at plates held by the rotating caricatures isn't "anti-Democrat or "anti-Republican." A plastic bag was placed over the Obama character's head after some people earlier this week said it was disrespectful to use the president's likeness.Whalen says a Secret Service agent visited the concession Wednesday and told him none of the employees had urged patrons to throw at the Obama likeness. Whalen says the Obama figure might return in a few weeks.


Two renowned Wahabi ideologists, Isa Umarov and Shamsuddi Batukayev, are hiding in Turkey, the Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov said. "Intelligence information indicates that Isa Umarov, one of the main ideologists of Wahhabism, and Shamsuddi Batukayev, the head of the Sharia court of "Ichkeria" and one of the main Wahabis, are hiding in Turkey," Kadyrov said in an interview to Azeri television. "These people started all this, then escaped and are hiding there and are making efforts to spread Wahhabism and extremism from there," Kadyrov said. Asked by Azeri journalists whether the leaders of illegal armed groups are receiving aid from Azerbaijan, Kadyrov replied that "this support does not exist today." "It used to be, that's for sure. Our terrorists hid under the guise of refugees in Azerbaijan, in Turkey, and in other places," he said. Kadyrov stressed that there is no political agenda in his words. "I don't make political statements. I am talking as a warrior fighting them," he said. Kadyrov said he had met with the Azeri president while visiting Azerbaijan. "We discussed this issue, and I received answers to all of my questions," he said. "Terrorists and extremists are not receiving support in Azerbaijan, and we are really grateful to this country's leadership for that," he said.


If you have an urge to inspect mangled Israeli tanks, toy with a rocket launcher or explore a genuine rock-cut guerrilla bunker, Hezbollah's multi-media theme park in south Lebanon is just the place. The Shi'ite Muslim group, which fought Israel to a stalemate four years ago and has been preparing for the next war ever since, has applied a creative flair to its "resistance tourist landmark" at Mleeta that mirrors its innovative military skills. Here, on the resort's oak-sheathed slopes, the nitty-gritty reality of life as a Hezbollah guerrilla is on display, replete with themes of patriotism and martyrdom, plus a dose of bombast. Despite searing summer heat, more than half a million people have flocked to Mleeta, about 50 km (37 miles) southeast of Beirut, since it opened in May, say Hezbollah guides who conduct tours in English, French, German, Italian as well as Arabic. The Mleeta tour starts in a theatre showing a seven-minute video history of Hezbollah, with ear-splitting martial music. Then comes a museum displaying captured Israeli guns and gear. Wall panels offer a detailed anatomy of Israel's military machine and show satellite pictures -- and map coordinates -- of potential Hezbollah targets in the Jewish state, including its Dimona nuclear reactor in the distant Negev desert. the path ends in "Liberation Square", a garden surrounded by Hezbollah guns and missiles. Stone steps climb up to an esplanade dedicated to the organisation's "martyrs". It seems a safe bet that the Israeli air force will flatten this place early in the next war.


It was a historic day for the Australian Assyrian community as over 2000 people assembled for the unveiling of the world’s first monument to the victims of the Assyrian Genocide to be erected in a public space. In a proud display of solidarity, the Australian Hellenic and Australian Armenian communities were both well-represented, joining members of Federal, state and local politics on an occasion of remembrance and celebration. The Assyrian Genocide Monument at Bonnyrigg in Sydney’s south-western suburbs is an initiative of the Assyrian Universal Alliance – Australian Chapter, with Mr Hermiz Shahen as Secretary. It is dedicated to the victims of the Assyrian genocide (SEYFO) during and after World War One 1914-1918, committed by the Ottoman Turkish Empire as well as the victims of the 1933 Simele massacre in Iraq and all Assyrian martyrs since then. One of the most powerful addresses of the day was delivered by the Hon. Amanda Fazio MLC, President of the Legislative Council of the Parliament of NSW. Focusing on efforts by opponents of the Monument, Ms Fazio stated that “in the way Jewish Holocaust deniers are reviled, so should deniers of the Assyrian, Armenian and Greek Genocides be reviled”. The theme of the shared suffering of the Assyrian, Armenian and Hellenic peoples was echoed by all the speakers, both during the ceremony and during the seminar that followed. Messages of support were also delivered by His Beatitude Mar Meelis Zaia, Metropolitan of the Assyrian Church of the East Australia and New Zealand, Mr Nick Lalich (Member for Cabramatta and Mayor of the City of Fairfield), Senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells (Liberal Senator for New South Wales), the Hon. Ninos Khoshaba (Member for Smithfield), Mr Victor Dominello (Member for Ryde), and Rev. the Hon. Fred Nile MLC. On behalf of the Australian Hellenic Council (NSW), Dr Panayiotis Diamadis (Secretary) spoke about the common desire of the Australian Assyrian, Australian Hellenic and Australian Armenian communities for recognition of their common experience of genocide in the 20th century. The monument unveiling was the latest expression of solidarity by the Australian Hellenic community to the Australian Assyrian community. Thousands of Assyrians found safe haven in Hellas and Cyprus during the Genocide of 1914-1924. Thousands more fled persecution in Republican Turkey and Iraq, before joining relatives in Australia. It is part of a relationship that stretches back millennia. With this joint presence at the monument unveiling, the Australian Assyrian, Australian Hellenic and Australian Armenian communities declared in no uncertain terms their desire for recognition of their common experience of genocide by the political representatives of their adopted homeland.


Moscow fears that NATO's decision to transfer the protection of Serbian Orthodox shrines in Kosovo to the local police maystir up tensions in the region. Spokesman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, Andrey Nesterenko believes that this may lead to distrust of international peacekeepers. NATO made this decision without approval of the Serbian Orthodox Church and is breaching the1244 UN resolution. The resolution was adopted in 1999 and states that Kosovo is an integral part of Serbia and its shrines should be protected by Serbia. The document is still valid, thus, it has to be followed. Monasteries in Gracanica,Visoki Decani and Monastery of the Holy Archangels will be transferred to the police in late August. Many of them areon the UNESCO World Heritage list. In 2004, 35 Orthodox shrines were vandalized and burnt down by Kosovo Albanians,while they saw no resistance from peacekeepers. Russians expert on Serbia Alexander Kravchenko believes that Kosovo military men are interested in controlling local Orthodox sites to make Serbian enclaves recognize the power of Kosovo government. The goal of Kosovo Albanians is to make Serbs leave Kosovo. This decision is another way to push them put of the region. Now all Serbian monasteries are controlled by Kosovo-Albanian companies. They provide them with water, electricity, communal utilities. As this needs to be fixed in agreements it means recognizing Kosovo's state institutions. The Serbian Orthodox Church believes NATO will revoke its decision, especially when many European countries are also concerned with the situation.

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Ground Zero,Imam;Lebanon-US-military asst;Israel-Greece alliance;Arch Tutu letter,Turkey;Kosovo scenario,Romania;Armenian weaponry,Russia fires,Church



"Imam Feisal (Abdul Rauf) will be travelling to Qatar, Bahrain, and the UAE (United Arab Emirates) on a US government-sponsored trip to the Middle East," State Department spokesman Philip Crowley said. "He will discuss Muslim life in America and religious tolerance." Imam Feisal is behind plans for an Islamic centre that includes a mosque, sports facilities, a theatre and restaurant that would be open to all visitors to demonstrate that Muslims are part of their New York community, planners say. But the proposed location, two blocks from the gaping Ground Zero hole, where the Twin Towers were destroyed by Al-Qaeda terrorists on September 11, 2001, killing nearly 3,000 people, has touched raw nerves. And the imam's trip under the auspices of the State Department is being criticised by Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, the ranking Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Peter King, the ranking Republican on the House Homeland Security Committee. "It is unacceptable that US taxpayers are being forced to fund Feisal Abdul Rauf's trip to the Middle East," the pair said in a joint statement. "Abdul Rauf has cast blame for 9/11 on the US, and even refuses to call Hamas what it is - a foreign terrorist organization," they said. "This radical is a terrible choice to be one of the faces of our country overseas. The US should be using public diplomacy programs to combat extremism, not endorse it," they said. "The State Department's selection of Feisal Abdul Rauf to represent the American people through this program further calls into question the administration's policy and funding priorities," they added. When Mr Crowley announced the trip at the daily State Department briefing, he described Imam Feisal as a moderate who has already made two similar government-sponsored trips to Arab and Muslim countries.


Lebanon's defense minister says he would reject any American military assistance to the Lebanese army if it comes with conditions that the weapons not be used against Israel. Elias Murr was commenting Wednesday on a decision by a U.S. congressman to suspend $100 million of aid over concerns the weapons could be turned on Israel and that Hezbollah may have influence over the Lebanese army. Murr says those who want to help the Lebanese army but place conditions on how their funds or weapons are used, should keep the money. He also says a Lebanese soldier who opened fire across the border with Israel earlier in August was acting on orders. The clash killed two Lebanese soldiers, a Lebanese journalist and a senior Israeli officer.


Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is scheduled to go to Athens next week, sources in the Prime Minister’s Office said on Tuesday, adding that this will be the first ever visit by an Israeli premier to Greece. The visit, coming three weeks after Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou visited Israel, is a testament to the rapidly warming ties between the two countries, and – according to sources – is not disconnected to the tension between Israel and Turkey, Greece’s long time adversary. “This trip shows the new dynamism in the relationship between Israel and Greece,” one diplomatic official said. In addition to meeting Papandreou in Israel last month, Netanyahu also coincidentally met him at a Moscow restaurant during a visit there in February. The Prime Minister’s Office would neither confirm nor deny speculation that among the issues that will be discussed will be the possibility of an agreement on allowing Israeli jets to train in Greek skies. Since the deterioration in Israeli-Turkish ties that was accelerated after Operation Cast Lead a year and a half ago, the IAF has been looking for other places – such as Romania, where an IAF helicopter crashed last month – to train. Netanyahu’s discussions in Greece are also expected to address expanding bilateral cooperation in a gamut of areas, including tourism, trade, establishment of a political dialogue and defense issues. The recent sharp deterioration in ties with Turkey has also led to a warming of ties with other traditional Turkish rivals in the region, such as Cyprus and Bulgaria. Both the Cypriot and Bulgarian foreign ministers were in the country earlier this year. In a briefing before Papandreou’s visit here last month, one diplomatic official said that the Greeks – looking at the Israeli-Turkish and Turkish-US tensions – are realizing that strategic alliances in the region are shifting, and that this might be a good time to get closer to Israel as a way of warming ties with Washington. When Israel had a close strategic alliance with Turkey, the official said, Athens gave up any thought of forging such an alliance with Israel. But now that the situation with Ankara has changed dramatically, Athens is seeing more opportunities with Jerusalem.


A letter from Archbishop Desmond Tutu was to be personally delivered by Rev Matthew Esau, Vice-Chair of KHRAG and a delegation of UK supporters to the Turkish Embassy in London, on Tuesday 10 August 2010 at 11.00 am. However despite prior arrangement the delegation were met on the doorstep by a police officer who not only refused entry to the Embassy but informed them he was under strict instructions not to allow the delivery of any letters. Rev Esau was accompanied by supporters of a peaceful resolution to the Kurdish Question, Siobhain McDonagh MP, Jeremy Corbyn MP, Jonathan Fryer, lecturer and Liberal Democrat politician, Frances Webber, human rights lawyer and Ken Livingstone, former Mayor of London. In a letter dated July 2010, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Anglican Archbishop Emeritus of Cape Town and the Chair of ‘The Elders’ called on the Prime Minister of Turkey, Mr Recep Tayyip Erdogan, as the political head of Turkey, to use his office and his influence to bring a lasting end to the conflict in Turkey with regards to the Kurdish question. The Chair of ‘The Elders’ pointed out however that he was “concerned at the escalation of the conflict between the Turkish and the Kurdish peoples in which innocent young people, from both sides, are losing their lives.” Tutu continued, “We know from experience that no-one can emerge as the victor in such a conflict.” Like the situation in the Middle East, where “Peaceful negotiations are the only lasting solution to their problems, we are firmly of the view that the Kurdish question can likewise be resolved through peaceful negotiations with the genuine leadership of the Kurdish people.” Archbishop Emeritus Tutu offered the help of the Kurdish Human Rights Action Group (KHRAG) “a human rights organisation in South Africa (who are) prepared to help in the initiative and (who will) assist in mobilising international support for the peaceful resolution of the Kurdish question in your country.” To download the entire letter in PDF, please click here.

V. VOICEOFRUSSIA - Kosovo scenario in Romania

Ethnic Hungarians in Romania demand a territorial autonomy to Hungarian-populated areas in Romania. Three Hungarian associations linked to the Democratic Union of Romanian Hungarians have filed a request with the UN, accusing Bucharest of breaching the rights of ethnic Hungarians in Romania. Romania’s 1.5 million Hungarians are determined to preserve their ethnic identity and homeland. The Hungarian minority in Romania was formed as a result of the redrafting of borders in Europe after the defeat of Austria-Hungary in the First World War. Thus, 1.5 million Hungarians found themselves living on territories which formally belong to Romania. What makes this conflict yet worse is that Hungary and Romania, both members of the EU and NATO, are dreading whatever conflict there might spring from within. But Hungarians in Slovakia and Slovakians in Hungary are facing similar challenges. The Basques are undermining stability in Spain, souring Spain’s relations with France. And France has to deal with separatist-minded Corsicans. The government of neighboring Italy has long included representatives of the Northern League, who seek independence for the northern areas. In Belgium, conflict between Flanders and Wallonia has disrupted overall effort to form a viable government. And the Cyprus issue is a constant headache in Southeast Europe. Cyprus joined the EU as a single whole but part of it is the self-styled Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus recognized by Turkey. Instead of stabilizing the situation on the continent, the enlargement of NATO and the EU triggered an upsurge in separatism. Expert Alexander Karasev of the Slavic Studies Institute puts the blame on the double standard approach demonstrated by the West. "The world community should produce a decision which would meet the interests of all parties concerned," he says. "The western support of Albanian separatists in Kosovo, including the recent recognition of its unilaterally declared independence by the UN International Court, has encouraged separatists across Europe. Even though Russia has been urging the UN and the OSCE to work out a common approach regarding ethnic minorities, the West stayed deaf to the demands. No wonder then that these ethnic minorities are claiming ever more rights and are set on following the Kosovo scenario." This dangerous trend can also be felt in Canada’s Quebec and in China’s Taiwan, which sends instability waves throughout the whole of the Pacific Rim countries.


Defense Minister Seyran Ohanian says the Armenian government plans to acquire long-range, precision-guided weapons for possible armed conflicts with hostile neighbors, RFE/RL's Armenian Service reports. Ohanian's announcement today followed a meeting of an Armenian government commission on national security that approved two programs envisaging a modernization of the country's armed forces. One of the documents deals with army weaponry, while the other details measures to develop the domestic defense industry. Ohanian said the programs "will qualitatively improve the level of the armed forces in the short and medium terms... The two programs envisage both the acquisition of state-of-the-art weapons and their partial manufacturing by the local defense industry," Ohanian said. "The main directions are the expansion of our long-range strike capacity and the introduction of extremely precise systems, which will allow us to minimize the enemy's civilian casualties during conflicts." Ohanian said that "their application will also allow us to thwart enemy movements deep inside the entire theater of hostilities." He did not specify whether Yerevan will seek to acquire surface-to-surface missiles capable of hitting targets in historic rival Azerbaijan. Ohanian acknowledged that the modernization plan is connected with the risk of another war with Azerbaijan over the disputed breakaway Azerbaijani region of Nagorno-Karabakh. It is not immediately clear whether Yerevan's desire to obtain more powerful weapons is connected with a new Russian-Armenian military agreement expected to be signed soon. The agreement will reportedly take the form of significant changes to a 1995 treaty regulating the presence of the Russian military base in Armenia. Russian and Armenian sources have said in the context of that agreement that Moscow will also commit itself to providing Armenia with "modern and compatible weaponry and [special] military hardware." Armenia and Russia announced plans last month to significantly step up cooperation between their defense industries. According to Baghdasarian, that cooperation includes setting up Russian-Armenian defense joint ventures.


The Russian Orthodox Church has collected 6.5 million rubles ($217,000) for those affected by wildfires, the Moscow Patriarchate said on its website Monday. Wildfires caused by an extreme heat wave are raging in 22 Russian regions. A total of 52 people died in the fires and 472 have received medical assistance. Over 1,900 houses have burned down, leaving 3,500 Russians without a roof over their heads. The Church's Synodal department for charity and social services also invited volunteers to collect and distribute aid to those in need. Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia blessed efforts to help those affected by fires. Special commissions have been set up within the Church to distribute donations. "In these testing times for our nation, we are called upon to unite and render all possible moral and spiritual support to those affected," a senior Church member, Metropolitan Yuvenaly of Krutitsy and Kolomna, said. Yuvenaly himself donated 300,000 rubles ($10,000) from his own pocket.