I. PIOCY - Russian President State visit to Cyprus
The President of the Russian Federation Mr Dmitry Medvedev arrives in Cyprus tomorrow night for a state visit, accompanied by a Russian delegation. Mr Medvedev will be welcomed at Larnaca Airport by the Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr Marcos Kyprianou. On Thursday morning, the official welcoming ceremony will be held at the Presidential Palace, during which the President of the Republic of Cyprus Mr Demetris Christofias will welcome the Russian President. Mr Medvedev will inspect the Guard of Honour and lay a wreath at the statue of the late President of the Republic of Cyprus Archbishop Makarios III, and a moment of silence will be observed. The two Presidents will introduce their official delegations and then proceed to the Presidential office for a tête-à-tête meeting. This will be followed by official talks and the signing of the visitors' book by Mr Medvedev. An action plan, bilateral agreements and memoranda will also be signed, followed by the decoration of President Christofias by the President of the Russian Federation with the Decoration of Friendship and statements to the Press. Afterwards Mr Medvedev will have a meeting with the President of the House of Representatives Mr Marios Garoyian at the House of Representatives and later on with Archbishop Chrysostomos II at the Archbishopric Palace. He will also inaugurate, together with President Christofias, the Russian Commercial Bank. In the evening, the President of the Republic Mr Demetris Christofias will give a banquet dinner in honour of the President of the Russian Federation at the Presidential Palace, during which he will decorate Mr Medvedev with the Grand Collar of the Order of Makarios III. Later Mr Medvedev will travel to Larnaca Airport for his departure for Moscow. The Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Ambassador of the Russian Federation to the Republic of Cyprus Mr Vyacheslav D. Shumskiy will bid him farewell.
New proposals on a missile defense plan for Europe will be presented to Moscow at a Russia-NATO Council summit in November, the alliance's spokesman said on Monday. Such a joint project will bring Russia and NATO closer, James Appathurai said. The summit will take place in Lisbon on November 20. NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen has called for the creation of missile defenses in Europe, but Russia says a serious assessment of missile risks should be carried out before starting on the project. Rasmussen has said a new Euro-Atlantic missile defense system would liven up the EU allies’ ties with the United States and the alliance’s relationship with Russia. The leaders of 28 NATO countries should invite Russia to participate in the project at the November summit, he told journalists in September. But the U.S.’s plans to deploy an anti-ballistic missile shield in Eastern Europe remains a bone of contention between Moscow and NATO. The U.S. says it would defend NATO territories against a possible missile threat from Iran, but Russia says there is no threat.
III. THEWALTERS - Heroes: Mortals and Myths in Ancient Greece
October 11 - January 3, 2011, "Heroes: Mortals and Myths in Ancient Greece" is an international loan exhibition organized by the Walters Art Museum. What makes a person a hero or heroine? This exhibition explores the human need for heroes through the arts of one of the oldest and most influential cultures in history. Heroes are sometimes portrayed as superhuman protagonists while at other times as average people who rise above the ordinary. Statues, reliefs, vases, bronzes and jewelry illustrate the lives of heroes and heroines, including their tasks, adversaries, challenges, failures and private moments. The exhibition features over 100 objects from U.S. and European museums as well as pieces from the Walters' collection. Admission is Free. Click here for more information.
IV. TIME - Study: Want to Drop a Few Pounds? Lie in Bed
Next time your alarm clock sounds, you can hit the snooze button in good conscience: sleeping in may help you lose fat.A study released Tuesday in the Annals of Internal Medicine compared two groups of people who were trying to lose weight. One was randomly assigned to sleep 5.5 hours each night for two weeks, while the other was able to sleep 8.5 hours. The study found that the sleep-deprived group had higher levels of ghrelin — a hormone that drives appetite. The New York Times reports: “The bottom line is that if people are trying to diet and lose weight for health reasons, it makes sense to get a sufficient amount of sleep,” said Dr. Plamen D. Penev, an assistant professor of medicine at the University of Chicago and the senior author of the study. “If they're not getting enough sleep as they diet, they may have higher levels of hunger and be struggling to adhere to the regimen.” Both groups lost about 6.5 lbs. over the course of the experiment, but the well-rested group lost more of the weight from fat, not muscle. Of note: the participants had to spend their nightly assigned sleep hours in bed, but not necessarily sleeping. Resting, it turns out, worked just as well. The study had an insignificant sample size (just 10 adults), but the results were significant enough to warrant further investigation.
V. GIZMOCRUNCH - Google TV Details On Official Website
As we all know Google TV will be launched this fall but before that to promote as well as to provide more information on it Google has come up with a website with full details of the new TV service. The website Google TV provides a quick tour of the TV service, give details on features of Google TV as well as a rough idea on what kind of shows that will be aired on it and how one can get the service. Some of the Google TV features mentioned on the website include: A search box which will allow the users to search for any program that they want to watch. Google Chrome web browser to allow users to access everything on the web from watching web videos to chatting with friends. Apps like Netflix, Twitter, CNBC, Pandora, Napster, NBA Game Time, Amazon Video On Demand and Gallery. Starting early next year, apps from Android Market will work on Google TV as well. Users will also be able to use their Android phone or iPhone to control Google TV instead of using a remote control. Users can also "Fling" what they're watching, listening to, or doing on their phone by sending it to their TV with the press of a button. Users can browse the web or open an app and watch TV on the same screen simultaneously. Read more on the features of Google TV on the web address provided. After looking at the website we can say that Google TV definitely looks interesting and to grab attention of many. We hope to provide you with more information on it as well as on the release date of Google TV as soon as we get it.
VI. B92 - Bosnia: Large number of invalid ballots
International observers say the number of invalid ballot papers in Sunday's elections in Bosnia is cause for concern. They have supported an investigation into this, announced by the electoral commission (CIK). PACE, OSCE and NATO observers held a news conference in Sarajevo on Monday. Meanwhile, the EU and the United States have called on leaders in Bosnia-Herzegovina to find common ground and reach agreement on forming the government. State Department spokesman Philip Crowley spoke to reporters after the October 3 elections in Bosnia appeared to perpetuate the country's persistent ethnic divisions, RFE/RL reported. High International Representative in Bosnia Valentin Inzko stated that he did not expect the government to be formed this year, and mentioned February 2011 as the likely date, according to reports. Elections in Bosnia on Sunday were held for all federal, entity and cantonal bodies. The post-war Bosnia is made up of the Serb republic, RS, and the Muslim-Croat Federation entities. The latter is further subdivided into cantons. The still partial results of the voting show that it was marked by as many as 70,000 invalid ballots, the defeat of Haris Silajdžić, who ran for the Bosniak (Muslim) seat in the country's presidency, and the convincing victory of Milorad Dodik, who became the new RS president.
VII. BLIC - Kosovo – Serbian Jerusalem
Church officials who attended enthronement ceremony of the Serbian Patriarch, left Kosovo and Metohija with mixed emotions. They spoke to ‘Blic’ about the joy for attending such "historical event" but also about the sorrow they felt seeing the circumstances in which Serbian Orthodox Church and people are living in in Kosovo and Metohija. "I feel that I am at a place where there is no truth, no justice and no law. In the Czech Republic all having their roots there enjoy the same rights. This is not the case here. The Almighty sees the history and it is on us to wait for His judgement," Hristifor, the Archbishop of the Czech Church says. "Serbian Patriarch is an open human being ready to accept people as they are." Chrysostomos, leader of the Cypriot Church compares Cyprus and Serbia and says "we are similar... All of us representing the Orthodox Church are ready to cope with difficulties but also to fight. Serbian nation is not alone in that struggle. That is the similarity between you and us. I am sure that our two nations shall resurrect." For him Serbian Patriarch Irinej is "a man of decision and order." The Littoral Head of the Jerusalem Patriarchy Teofilakt and also Archbishop of the Jordan Church says that "a historical event has taken place at the Patriarchy in Pec... But what I have seen around me in Kosovo is sad. Our church, too is acting in several politically divided areas, Palestine and Israel, but nevertheless we are united. There is attempt that Serbian Church is split, too and I pray God not to allow that to happen." The Littoral Head of the Albanian Orthodox Church Ignjatije admits to feel anxiety. "I see now this situation in Kosovo. I feel anxiety. We Orthodox Albanians felt sympathy with the Serbian people and Church during bombing and today. But I also feel great joy here at the Patriarchy in Kosovo. I know, I feel it is for the Serbs and their Church your Jerusalem." Domentian, the Littoral Head of Vidin (Bulgarian Church) said "We of the Bulgarian Church feel sorry when our fraternal church and its people are suffering, but we are also happy that the Serbian Patriarch has been enthroned at this historical place. He is a moderate and a dignified person." Enthronement of the Serbian Patriarch at the Pec Patriarchy was attended by 40 high officials of all Orthodox churches and about 30 high representatives of other Christian churches and traditional religious communities. The Vatican envoy, the Archbishop Kurt Koch said to have been attending the enthronement ceremony for the first time. Church officials, the Prime Minister, ministers and opposition leaders yesterday attended reception at the Patriarchy in Belgrade on the occasion of enthronement of the Serbian Patriarch Irinej.