ProKurdishLeader,GreekAsylum;Gas-IsraeliCoast;Kosovo-UDI;Germany-NATO;RussianAid-Colombia;US-VenezuelaEnvoy;ApolloStatue,Bulgaria

I. WFP - Turkish pro-Kurdish politician held for entering Greece on fake passport, requests asylum

Greek authorities say a pro-Kurdish politician from a party banned in Turkey has been detained after entering Greece with false papers. Forty-six-year-old Mustafa Sarikaya — a former deputy chairman of Turkey's Democratic Society Party — was stopped last week at the airport in Thessaloniki, a city in northern Greece. Police said he flew in from Cyprus with a fake Bulgarian passport and requested political asylum. Under EU asylum rules, the request must be handled by Cyprus, where Sarikaya entered the EU. On Wednesday, a Thessaloniki court cleared Sarikaya of illegally entering Greece, accepting that he faced political persecution in Turkey. But he will be held pending the asylum process. Turkey shut down the Democratic Society Party in 2009 over alleged ties with Kurdish rebels.

II. VOANEWS - Tests Show Big Natural Gas Find Off Israeli Coast

Israel is hailing a recently discovered natural gas field off the Israeli coast, saying it could turn the country into a major exporter. U.S.-based Noble Energy Wednesday confirmed that the so-called Leviathan gas field contains an estimated 450 billion cubic meters of natural gas. Noble said the field represents its biggest find ever, while Israeli Infrastructure Minister Uzi Landau called the discovery "the most important energy news since the country was founded." Some analysts say the find could be worth as much as $95 billion. The undersea field covers an area of about 325 square kilometers, and is located about 130 kilometers off the coast of the port city of Haifa. Noble Energy President David Stover said the Leviathan field could "position Israel as a natural gas exporting nation." Noble plans to develop the field along with several Israeli companies and plans to do additional appraisals to determine how much natural gas is available. Noble has also been exploring a separate undersea natural gas field nearby, called Tamar. Tamar was the largest gas find in the world in 2009, but Leviathan is almost twice as big. Noble Energy is also working with the Mediterranean island of Cyprus to tap natural gas reserves off its shores. Earlier this month, Israel and Cyprus signed a deal defining the sea border between the two nations.

III. EMG - Only eight states recognized Kosovo's independence in 2010

Kosovo Deputy Foreign Minister Vlora Citaku said on Dec. 28 that Dick Marty's report would negatively affect Kosovo's admission to the Council of Europe and its efforts to garner recognition for its independence, which she described as unsuccessful. The independence recognition process has been unsuccessful because Kosovo was recognized by only eight states in 2010, Citaku told an annual media conference in Pristina. "This is an inadequate number relative to the effort invested," she said, and announced more forceful lobbying for Kosovo's independence. She said that the report would negatively impact on the five EU member states that had not yet recognized Kosovo. Citaku also said that the first negative consequences of Marty's report were already visible. "Our office for bilateral relations has readied documents for Kosovo's application to the Council of Europe, since we had a majority for membership. This kind of a report [Marty's] will definitely have a direct effect on postponing our applications to the CE," Citaku said.

IV. NYTIMES - Germany’s Responsible Military Reform

Germany, like most European countries, is under pressure to cut military spending. But instead of slashing and burning, it has developed a sensible plan that links reduced spending with modernizing reforms that will let it contribute more troops to NATO operations. The proposed reforms would yield more than $13 billion in savings over the next three years (Germany currently spends about $42 billion a year on defense). They would reduce force levels from 250,000 to 185,000, cut the Defense Ministry staff in half, eliminate duplicative weapons programs and save billions more by buying helicopters and other systems “off the shelf” from American, British and European manufacturers. At the same time, the plan calls for creating better-trained, more-professionalized and increasingly robust combat and peacekeeping forces. When the transition is complete, Germany will have at least doubled the number of troops it has available for long-term duty abroad — from roughly 7,000 today to at least 14,000 — and will be able to send them on more challenging missions. Given the multiple challenges now facing NATO, even more would be better. But this is a strong start... Germans, understandably, are wary of professional armed forces and far-flung combat missions. But military meddling is no longer a problem in Germany’s vibrant democracy. The territorial defense mission lost its rationale when the Berlin Wall fell. Since then, the primary threats faced by Germany and NATO have come from aggressive nationalism in the Balkans and terrorism in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

V. RIANOVOSTI - Russia sends humanitarian aid to flood-hit Colombia

A Russian emergencies ministry plane has delivered 26 tons of humanitarian aid to Columbia to help the country tackle the consequences of heavy rains that killed and injured hundreds, local RCN Radio reported. The Il-76 plane carrying 50 tents, 2,000 blankets, two portable electrical power plants, five pumps and more than 500 kilograms (1,100 pounds) of medicines landed in Colombia on Wednesday, the Russian ambassador, Vladimir Trukhanovsky, said in an interview with the radio station. The humanitarian aid sent to the Latin American country is a "sign of the Russian people's readiness to extend a helping hand to Colombia in this difficult period," he said. A total of 301 people have been killed and 292 have been injured as a result of massive landslides caused by downpours, and 62 people remain unaccounted for. The disaster destroyed more than 5,000 houses were damaged other 324,000. A total of 1.32 million hectares of agricultural land have been flooded. The damage from the flooding, the worst to hit Colombia in 40 years, is estimated at $518 million. The country's government has already spent $5.3 million to eliminate the consequences of the disaster.

VI. FORBES - U.S. revokes Venezuelan envoy's visa

The Obama administration has revoked the visa of the Venezuelan ambassador to the United States in a tit-for-tat diplomatic response to Venezuela's rejection of the U.S. choice to be the next envoy to the South American country. Diplomats familiar with the situation said the decision to revoke Bernardo Alvarez Herrera's visa came after Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez withdrew his approval of the administration's choice to represent the U.S. in Caracas, Larry Palmer. The diplomats said Alvarez is currently not in the U.S. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly on the matter. State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley said the U.S. has taken "appropriate, proportional and reciprocal action."

VII. SOFIAECHO - Bulgarian Orthodox priests outraged by Sozopol’s plan for 13 meter statue of Apollo

A decision by Sozopol municipality to erect a 13-metre statue of Apollo at the entrance to the Bulgarian Black Sea town’s seaport has outraged Bulgarian Orthodox Church leaders in Sliven, who say that the plan is an attempt to revive the cult of the pagan god and will cause "irreparable moral and spiritual damage" to the people of Sozopol. It is believed that in ancient times, the seaside town had such a statue, in the days it was called Apollonia Pontica. The Eparchial Council of Sliven called on Christians to oppose the construction. Metropolitan Yoaniki of Sliven was quoted in Bulgarian-language media reports as saying that Sozopol had been Christian for more than 1000 years and current residents had nothing to do with the ancient pagan settlement of Apollonia Pontica. "The comparison by the mayor of Sozopol, that such a statue will make Sozopol like Rio de Janeiro or Barcelona, is untenable because those cities have statues of Christ the Saviour, not some pagan god." Sozopol’s plan is for the statue to be put at the entrance of the port nearby the island of St Kirik. Costs are estimated at half a million leva, to be raised from an allocation in the 2011 municipal budget and from donations. Sozopol municipality’s hope is to have the Apollo statue in place by summer. In 2010, Sozopol made the news in connection with another religious issue – the purported discovery on an island near the town of relics that some claim to be of John the Baptist. At the time of the discovery, then-cabinet minister Bozhidar Dimitrov said that the relics would make Sozopol a "second Jerusalem".

No Santa Claus,Bosnia;Danish cartoon terror;Durban III boycott;Greece-China;EU-Russia energy?;Rep Davis,Bill Clinton;New Year Resolutions,Eternal Life

I. B92 - Santa Claus "banished" from Bosnia

The Islamic Community of Bosnia-Herzegovina has issued a fatwa that states Santa Claus "is neither known or recognized in the Bosniak tradition". Bosniaks (Muslims) are one of the three peoples in that country, the other two being Serbs and Croats, who are Christians. But the fatwa, issued ahead of this year's holidays, meant that no Santa Claus, or its local equivalent, Father Frost, can be seen anywhere in the capital city of Sarajevo, including in kindergartens. The situation was the same in previous years. The Islamic Community said that "there is an attempt to trick Bosniak children with this Christian symbol presented as a neutral character". However, the city administration of Sarajevo will go ahead with its New Year's program for children, that will also feature Santa Claus, but the event will be organized indoors.

II. AFP - Five arrested over Danish cartoon terror plot

The Danish intelligence agency PET said Wednesday it had arrested four men suspected of preparing a massacre at a newspaper which published caricatures of the Prophet Mohammed. A spokeswoman for Swedish intelligence agency Saepo said a fifth man had been arrested in Sweden in connection with the same plot against the Copenhagen-based Jyllands-Posten daily. "These arrests have successfully stopped an imminent terror attack, where several of the suspects ... were going to force their way into the (building which houses the Jyllands-Posten) in Copenhagen and kill as many people as possible," PET head Jacob Scharf said in a statement. The four men arrested in Denmark were a 44-year-old Tunisian, a 29-year-old Swede born in Lebanon, a 30-year-old Swede and a 26-year-old Iraqi asylum seeker. The first three men all lived in Sweden and travelled to Denmark overnight, the PET statement said. According to PET, the man arrested in Stockholm was a 37-year-old Swede of Tunisian background. Scharf said several of the suspects could be described "as militant Islamists with connections to international terror networks." "The arrests underscore the serious terror threat against Denmark and especially against institutions and people connected to the cartoon case," he added. Saepo spokeswoman Katarina Sevcik said "the arrested people have up to now no known connection to the events of December 11." On that day, a man blew himself up near a busy shopping street in central Stockholm, killing only himself in Sweden's first suicide bombing. Jyllands-Posten published a dozen cartoons in 2005 of the Prophet Mohammed that triggereed violent and sometimes deadly protests around the world.

III. THEEPOCHTIMES - Israel, Canada to Boycott Commemoration of Durban Conference Against Racism

The U.N. General Assembly decided last Friday to hold a high-level meeting to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Durban conference against racism in September 2011. Israel and Canada announced they would boycott the event. The Durban process is monitoring the progress of the goals set forth in the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia, and Related Intolerance held in Durban, South Africa, in 2001. It is regarded by Israel and other countries as a political tool for unjust criticism against it and a showcase of anti-Semitism. The 2001 Durban conference concluded that Zionism is a form of racism. In the 2009 Durban follow-up conference, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was a key speaker. Several countries, including the United States and Germany, boycotted that conference. The Israeli Foreign Ministry issued an official statement condemning the decision to hold the conference next year... Voting in favor of the resolution were 104 countries. Twenty-two countries, among them the United States, the U.K., and Australia, voted against it. To read more about the Durban conference on wikipedia, please click here.

IV. ANA - Greece, China shipping sector cooperation expanding

Acceleration and further promotion of bilateral cooperation between Greece and China, focusing on the exchange know-how in the shipping sector, were the main points of recent seminars organised at the initiative of the maritime affairs, islands & fisheries ministry. The signing of a Greece-China cooperation memorandum last June led to the seminars, which were held with the participation of senior executives of leading Chinese shipping companies, and which featured lectures by academicians and senior shipping sector executives. A series of visits to the Piraeus Port Authority S.A., adjacent shipyards, the Merchant Marine Academy and shipping companies' headquarters was also included in the itinerary. Meanwhile, in a report from Beijing, the largest news agency in China and one of the largest in the world, Xinhua, on Saturday inaugurated a new on-line multimedia applications platform, featuring financial news items and economic data about the Far East economic powerhouse.

V. UPI - EU, Russia collide in energy?

Cooperation in the energy sector between Europe and countries in the Russian sphere of influence is growing but not in a dominant way, a regional analyst said. Europe and its allies in the United States are keen to monitor developments in the Eastern European and Central Asian energy sector. Conflicts between Russia and Georgia in 2008 disrupted the flow of oil through the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline and acrimony between Kiev and Moscow has created problems for natural gas deliveries. "(Western allies), as well as Russia, are interested in Caspian energy sources but do not demonstrate the same clear intention to dominate in the region," Marcel de Haas, senior research fellow on security policy at the Netherlands Institute of International Relations Clingendael, told the Azeri news agency. He said energy resources play "a great role" in Western policies in the region. The European Union should integrate its polices in the region but the foreign policy doctrine of Russia defines much of the area as its zone of influence. "This policy is definite today, which we have seen in events in Georgia and Ukraine," he said.

VI. CNN - Dem [Rep. Danny Davis] warns Bill Clinton: Back off

Rep. Danny Davis, a Democrat from Illinois and mayoral candidate in Chicago has a message for former President Bill Clinton: Butt out. Davis, a onetime ally of Clinton's, issued a strongly worded statement Tuesday, in which the Chicago Democrat said he is "seriously concerned and disturbed" by the news Clinton plans to throw his weight behind ex-Obama chief of staff Rahm Emanuel and make a campaign stop in the Windy City next month. "The African American community has enjoyed a long and fruitful relationship with the Clintons, however it appears as though some of that relationship maybe fractured and perhaps even broken should former President Clinton come to town and participate overtly in efforts to thwart the legitimate political aspirations of Chicago's Black community," Davis said in the statement. The pushback from a prominent member of the black community echoes that which greeted Clinton in 2008 as he campaigned on behalf of his wife, a presidential candidate at the time battling then-Sen. Barack Obama for the Democratic presidential nomination. Clinton - long a popular figure in the black community - saw his approval numbers sink among that demographic as he took sharp aim at Obama and questioned the freshman senator's competancy to sit in the Oval Office, sometimes in terms conceived as particularly harsh. Clinton's office has not responded to Davis' comments. The former president's windy city appearance, announced last week by Emanuel's campaign, would be his first campaign stop since the November midterm elections. Emanuel served in the Clinton White House for five years before serving as an Illinois congressman and Obama's top aide, a post he left earlier this year to run for mayor. The Chicago Board of Elections ruled Thursday that he is in fact a Chicago resident, and therefore his name may remain on the ballot for the February 22 election. According to a recent poll, Emanuel is garnering close to 44 percent of support from likely Chicago voters while Davis is far back at 7 percent.

VII. PRAVMIR - Eternal life and New Year's Resolutions

A familiar practice for the New Year is to make resolutions that affect our lives. Usually they involve losing weight, exercising more, and eating more healthily. These are very positive ways to help prolong life. And they are necessary because, as we learn from Scripture, our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit and it is up to us as individuals to take care of the precious life we have received from our Creator. However, there is one thing that I believe we should consider other than our usual resolutions this New Year. We should attempt to really understand that our life on this earth is temporary, and no matter how much we try, we will eventually cease to exist on this earth. As we read in the book of Job, “For we were born but yesterday…Our days on earth are as transient as a shadow.” To make the best use of this fleeting life, we should always remember two important things: First, compared to eternity, life on this earth is extremely brief. Second, earth is only a temporary residence for us. We won’t be here long, therefore we must try not to get too attached. As King David prayed in Psalm 39: “Lord help me to realize how brief my time on earth will be. Help me to know that I am for but a moment more.” In the Bible, life on earth is repeatedly compared to living temporarily in a foreign country. There are constant references to God’s people as: foreigner, alien, stranger, visitor and traveler. We live here now, but we are not permanent residents. We are just passing through. And at some unknown time, our life here will come to an end. King David said, “I am but a foreigner here on earth,” And the apostle Peter explained, “If you call God your Father, live your time as temporary residents on earth.” God also warns us to not get too attached to the things around us because they too are temporary. We are reminded in 1 Corinthians: “Those in frequent contact with the things of the world should make good use of them without becoming attached to them, for this world and all it contains will pass away.” Compared to earlier times in history, the job of life has never been easier for much of the Western world. We have machines to do most everything for us. We make very little, we buy most everything we need, ready to use. We are constantly entertained, amused, and catered to. And with all these fascinating attractions, and enjoyable experiences avail-able today, it is so easy to forget that the pursuit of happiness is not what this life is all about. The pursuit of happiness is not what this life is all about. We must be ever mindful that this life is a test, a preparation and temporary assignment. When we grasp that, then the appeal of our material possessions and entertainments will loose their luster. We must remember that we are preparing for something better. As St. Paul wrote in his 2nd letter to the Corinthians: “The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we cannot see now will last forever.” The fact that earth is not our final destination explains why as followers of Christ, we experience rejection, sorrow, pain and difficulties in this world. It also explains why some of our prayers may seem unanswered or some circumstances seem unfair. This place and our circumstance in it is not the end of our story. The reason that we are not ever completely happy here is because we are not supposed to be! ( that is why there is never enough money, or fame, or drink or food, or success or fun.) Earth is not our final home; we were created for something so much better. Our next life, with our Lord is where we will be truly fulfilled. Truly joyful. Truly loved. Truly peaceful. As C.S. Lewis wrote: All that is not eternal is eternally useless. Our main focus in this life should not be on material prosperity or popular success as the world defines it. The abundant life has nothing to do with material abundance. And faithfulness to God does not necessarily guarantee success in our earthly career. We should not focus so intently on goals, which in the end are temporary. In other words, goals without spiritual, eternal value. The heroes of our faith, in other words the saints and martyrs, provide us all the examples and answers for life lived with an eye toward eternity. St. Paul was faithful to Christ, but ended up in prison. St. John the Forerunner was faithful, but was eventually beheaded. All of the Apostles except for St. John the Theologian were martyred. And millions of faithful Saints of our Church were martyred, their lives ended with no personal fortune left behind. But the end of life (on earth) is not the end! In God’s eyes the Saints are not those who achieve prosperity, success and power in life. We have countless stories of holy men and women of wealth who sold and gave everything away to the poor, or to build hospitals, or monasteries. Our own St. Anthony is one of those saints who gave away all he had, to help those in need. In God’s eyes the Saints are those who treat this life as a temporary assignment and serve Him faithfully, expecting their promised reward in heaven. Our time on earth is not the complete story of our lives. We must wait until we arrive in heaven for the completion of the chapters. It takes dedication and faith to live on earth as a foreigner. It is not easy. When life gets tough, when we’re overwhelmed with doubt, when we wonder if living a life for Christ is worth the effort, we must remember that we are not home yet. And at death we won’t be leaving home, but instead we will be going home. To our eternal home with God. So this year as we all ponder and make our New Year’s Resolutions, let us think about the permanent eternal life rather than this temporary one. Amen.

"Christmas is evil";Turkish plane hijacking;People fear terrorists;UN hiding organ info;Haiti cholera;Iran executes "spy";Archaeology top-10

I. POWERLINE - The Real War on Christmas

For the last couple of years we haven't heard much about the "war on Christmas" here on the U.S., for good reason: political correctness is more annoying than threatening. But around the world, there is an actual war on Christmas, which we have seen in the headlines over the past few days. In Nigeria, on Christmas Eve, "[m]ultiple explosions in central Nigeria have killed 32 people and six others died in attacks by Muslim sect members on two churches in the north...." In the Philippines, "[a] bomb exploded during Christmas Day Mass at a chapel inside a police camp..., wounding a priest and 10 churchgoers." In Cyprus, "troops in northern occupied Cyprus entered at least seven Greek Orthodox churches, stopped the worship services, threw out the people, and in at least one case forced a priest to remove his clerical dress." In England, Muslims have mounted a "Christmas is evil" campaign, as shown in this poster (click here to see poster). That's not to mention what is happening in Iraq, where nearly all Christians outside the Kurdish north discreetly refrained from celebrating Christmas this year. In all of these instances, what is going on is a war, not just against Christmas, but against Christians. In this year's Christmas message, Pope Benedict, to his credit, did refer to the persecution of Christians around the world: May the love of "God-with-us" grant perseverance to all those Christian communities enduring discrimination and persecution, and inspire political and religious leaders to be committed to full respect for the religious freedom of all. Benedict singled out China as a persecutor of Christians, but otherwise was discreet as to the source of such persecution. Yet it is not in China where Christians gathering to celebrate Christmas are in danger of being massacred. I continue to be mystified as to why Christians in America and other developed countries are so indifferent to the fate of their fellow Christians overseas.

II. JPOST - Court imprisons two men for 2007 Turkish plane hijacking

Turkey's state-run news agency says a court convicted a Palestinian man of having ties to al-Qaida and attempting a plane hijacking and sentenced him and his Turkish accomplice to 27 years and six months in prison. The Anatolia agency says the men were sentenced Tuesday. The two, using a fake bomb, attempted to divert an Atlasjet flight to Iran after it took off from "northern" [occupied] Cyprus in 2007. The pilots instead landed in Antalya, on Turkey's Mediterranean coast, on the pretext of refueling and fled the aircraft. The ordeal ended a few hours later with the surrender of the hijackers. Police said the Palestinian suspect had been trained at an al-Qaida camp in Afghanistan in 2004 and the two wanted to join al-Qaida once they reached Iran.

III. RASMUSSEN - Poll: 73% Fear Terrorists More Than Nuclear Attack

Three-out-of-four U.S. voters (73%) fear a terrorist threat more than a nuclear attack. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 16% believe a potential nuclear attack is a greater threat to the United States. This view is shared across all demographic and partisan lines. Last week, by a 71-26 vote, the Senate ratified a nuclear arms agreement known as the START treaty. Half (49%) of the nation’s voters wanted the Senate to confirm the START agreement even though just 27% believe Russia will honor its terms. However, just 30% were following news on the topic Very Closely. These results come at a time when confidence in the War on Terror is at the lowest level in three years. However, the president earns higher ratings for his handling of national security matters than he does on the economy. Polling conducted in October found that 74% believe it’s at least somewhat likely there will be another terrorist attack in the United States in the next year. That figure includes 35% who see a potential attack as Very Likely. Those expectations, while high, are lower than the expectations in May after the Times Square bombing attempt in New York City and last December, just after a Nigerian Muslim’s attempt to blow up an airliner in Detroit. The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on December 21-22, 2010 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. National security issues have faded in importance to voters over the past several years. Rasmussen Reports tracks the importance of several broad issue clusters on a daily basis and the numbers document a dramatic shift in priorities. On Election Day 2004, when George W. Bush was re-elected, more than 40% of voters rated national security matters as the most important issue and only half that number named the economy as most important. By Election Day 2008, when Barack Obama was elected, the numbers were reversed—more than 40% named the economy as number one and only half as many named national security. Over the past two years, the importance of national security issues to voters has fallen even further. As 2010 draws to a close, 43% name the economy as the top issue, 20% name fiscal policy concerns, 13% say they are most interested in domestic policy issues, and only 11% name national security as their highest priority. At the bottom of the list are cultural issues, of highest importance to only 6%. Barring a major foreign policy event or national security threat, it appears likely that voters will remain more focused on the economic impact of the tax cut proposal deal approved by the lame duck Congress rather than the potential impact of the START treaty. Most voters (52%) favored the tax cut deal at the time it was approved.

IV. NOVINITE - Serbia Accuses UNMIK of Hiding Organ Harvesting in Kosovo

Serbia has filed a claim against UN interim administration in Kosovo (UNMIK) at the International Tribunal for ex-Yugoslavia for hiding information about alleged organ harvesting and trafficking. According to information published by Serbian daily Blic, minister Rasim Ljajić has sent a letter to prosecutor Serge Brammertz asking for an investigation of UNMIK 2004-2006 director Søren Jessen-Petersen. "We expect the Criminal Tribunal to start investigations against the UNMIK leadership in that period," said Ljajić to Blic. Last week the Council of Europe adopted a report, drafted by Swiss deputy Dick Marty, and passed by a large 2/3 majority, which argues that PM Hashim Thaci and other Kosovar leaders organized the traffic not only ofweapons and narcotic, but also of human organs, sometimes harevested from involuntary donors. The human rights committee of the Council of Europe adopted a resolution requesting investigation of the matters. Council of Europe Secretary-General Thorbjørn Jagland has called the information in the report "very serious and concerning" and has requested that the allegations not be left unanswered. A plenary Council of Europe resolution is expected in January. Hashim Thaci has already filed a claim of defamation against Dick Marty. In a recent interview for Serbian paper Novosti, Marty said he suspected various authorities were aware of organ harvesting going on in Kosovo.

V. HAITINEWS - Over 2,700 dead in Haiti from cholera

At least 2,707 people have died in Haiti in the cholera epidemic that has affected the impoverished country since mid-October, according to figures released Monday by the public health ministry. The bulletin said that another 128,251 people have been affected by the disease, of whom 68,764 were hospitalised, though 66,876 of them have since been released from medical care. Cholera, which was eradicated in Haiti until the outbreak in October, has spread to all 10 Haitian provinces, with the hardest hit being the northwestern region of Artibonite, where 813 people have died. Next among the provinces most ravaged by the disease are Nord with 501 dead, Nord-Ouest with 216, Grand'Anse with 149, Nord-Est with 120, Sud-Est with 100, Sud with 93, and Nippes with 44. The epidemic, which has affected 105 people in the neighboring Dominican Republic, appeared for the first time in the central city of Mirebalais. A French medical study said that the outbreak was caused by the dumping of human waste in a river from a camp of Nepalese soldiers, members of the UN Mission for the Stabilization of Haiti, or Minustah. The epidemic comes as Haiti is still struggling to recover from the Jan 12 earthquake that left roughly 300,000 dead and more than a million people homeless.

VI. JTA - Iranian executed for spying for Israel

Iran executed a man convicted of spying for Israel. Ali-Akbar Siadat was hanged at a prison in Tehran on Tuesday morning, according to the state Iranian news agency IRNA. He had been found guilty of passing information about the country's military, including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard, to the Mossad, Israel's security service. He was arrested in 2008 while trying to leave the country with his wife and with 29 pages of classified information in his possession. Siadat was charged with "supporting the Zionist regime" by meeting Israeli agents over six years in countries such as Turkey, Thailand and the Netherlands, according to the charges reported by the IRNA. He was paid between $3,000 and $7,000 for each meeting. How he obtained his information was not reported. On Sunday, another Iranian was sentenced to death for working as a spy for Israel. Iran executed an Iranian telecom salesman convicted of spying for Israel in November 2008.

VII. ARCHAEOLOGY - Top 10 Discoveries of 2010

Decades from now people may remember 2010 for the BP oil spill, the Tea Party, and the iPad. But for our money, it's a lock people will still be excited about the year's most remarkable archaeological discoveries, which we explore (along with one "undiscovery"). This was the year we learned that looters led archaeologists to spectacular and unparalleled royal tombs in both Turkey and Guatemala. An unexpected find brought us closer to Pocahontas, and an underwater archaeological survey in the high Canadian Arctic located the ill-fated HMS Investigator, abandoned in 1853. Archaeologists weren't just busy in the field, though. A number of breakthroughs happened in the lab, too. A new radiocarbon dating technique was perfected this year that will allow scientists to date artifacts without harming them. Laboratory analysis of the bones of a close relative of Lucy revealed how early hominins walked. And anthropologists in Germany announced startling news about the Neanderthal genome that might send you scrambling to submit your own DNA for sequencing. For the third year, we also highlight five threatened sites that remind us of how fragile the archaeological record is. They include an ancient city in Iraq that is eroding into the Tigris and a painted cave in Egypt that's being slowly destroyed by well-meaning tourists. But it's not all bad news out there. One of the most alarming stories this year out of the American Southwest was the news that as part of a cost-cutting measure the Arizona state government closed Homolovi Ruins State Park. The closing raised fears that the park's significant cluster of Ancestral Puebloan villages dating from A.D. 1260 to 1400 would be left more vulnerable to looters. But at press time we learned the Hopi Tribe signed an agreement with the state to reopen the park. An innovative government-tribal partnership will allow the descendants of the people who once lived at Homolovi Ruins to safeguard its future. To see the top 10 list, please click here.

Turkish forces,Christmas;Isreal no apology,Turkey,Gas borders;Russia-EU&visas;Mistral;AlbanianPM&Arms;Bishop,KosovoMethohija

I. GREEKREPORTER - Turkish [Forces] Steal Christmas, Stop Holiday Liturgy [in occupied Cyprus]

Turkish forces in the occupied area of Karpasia in [n]orthern Cyprus have presented a new challenge regarding the celebration of Christmas by Christians living in the territory. For the first time in 36 years Christians trapped in the occupied area were forbidden from celebrating Christmas. On Christmas morning, Saturday 25 December 2010, Father Zacharias and a large number of people went to the Church of Saint Sinesios in Rizokarpaso (photo) to begin Matins for Christmas. Meanwhile men of the occupied forces rushed to the church, interrupted the service, urged the priest to remove his vestments, and ordered everyone leave the church. When everyone had left, the doors were sealed. The same happened in the Church of the Holy Trinity where Father Konstantinos was serving. Archbishop Chrysostomos of Cyprus was saddened by the provocative attitude of the occupied forces.

II. VOANEWS - Israel Again Refuses to Apologize for Attack on Turkish Ship

Israel has once again rejected a demand from Turkey that it apologize for its attack on a Turkish ship last May that killed nine people. Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman told a gathering in Jerusalem on Sunday that it is Turkey which needs to apologize to Israel for "supporting terror." The ship, the Mavi Marmara, was sailing to the Gaza Strip with aid supplies when it was boarded by Israeli commandos. Israel said Turkey was breaking a Gaza blockade and that its troops opened fire in self-defense... On Saturday Turkey's foreign minister Ahmet Davutoglu called on Israel to apologize for the attack and pay compensation in order for diplomatic relations to resume. Turkey responded to the attack on the ship by withdrawing its ambassador from Israel. Turkish and Israeli diplomats held "fence-mending talks" in Geneva earlier this month, but the talks failed to end the diplomatic standoff.

III. LATIMES - ISRAEL: Neighbors watchful as Israel demarcates maritime borders with Cyprus

Huge gas fields discovered recently under the Mediterranean seabed have raised high hopes in Israel, a small, high-consumption country seeking alternative energy resources and a greater degree of independence from imports. In a different geopolitical reality, the discovery could benefit the whole region — if it was on speaking terms. Everyone wants to tap natural resources — but this one taps into standing regionalsquabbles. Israel and Lebanon, for example. The deposits extend into areas controlled by Lebanon, and it has accused Israel of moving in on its natural resources. Not so, says Israel, which maintains that the fields lie between its territory and Cyprus. Israel's minister of national infrastructures, Uzi Landau, even said Israel would "not hesitate to use force" to protect the fields and uphold international maritime law. Then there's the Lebanese militia, Hezbollah. Israeli officials have expressed concern that gas rigs off its northern coast would make an attractive target for rockets and terrorist attacks. Maritime borders are a fluid affair. There are several methods for calculating these in lieu of a direct bilateral agreement, which is not an option for Israel and Lebanon. Israel had neglected to sort this out with Cyprus, which "owns" the other end of the Mediterranean. Now the two countries have divvied up the roughly 200 nautical miles between them and the maritime border was demarcated in a recent agreement signed in Nicosia by Cypriot Foreign Minister Markos Kyprianou and Landau. Israeli diplomats say the agreement should secure Israel's economic interests in the Mediterranean. Cyprus says this doesn't conflict with a similar agreement signed with Lebanon, still awaiting ratification in parliament. Now Egypt is watching, to ensure the agreement doesn't infringe on Egyptian maritime territories and its interests. It too has signed a deal with Cyprus. Agreement in the region is a short blanket; cover one side, and someone else's feet stick out. Now Turkey is angry. Although Turkey has no claim to the area demarcated with Israel, the Turkish foreign ministry fiercely criticized the agreement saying it didn't consider "Turkish Cypriot" rights and jurisdiction over the maritime areas of the island. Turkey's 1974 takeover of northern Cyprus remains internationally contested, as Israeli commentators were pleased to point out when Turkish officials slammed the agreement. Turkey has gall to demand rights based on its occupation of northern Cyprus, Israeli diplomatic sources said.

IV. RIANOVOSTI - EU in "no rush" to scrap visa regime with Russia

A senior Russian senator said on Monday the European Union is showing no rush to lift visa requirements for Russia despite Moscow's readiness for the move. The Kremlin has made visa-free travel between Russia and the EU a foreign policy priority. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has repeatedly declared his country's readiness to scrap the visa regime with the EU. However, the European Union has been deadlocked over the thorny issue amid concerns that a visa-free regime could lead to a rise in crime and illegal immigration. Mikhail Margelov, who heads the upper house's international affairs committee, said Brussels cited the notorious corruption in Russia as a main obstacle for scrapping the visa regime. "We understand well that this is one of our priority tasks, but nothing can be done within 24 hours," the senator said. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has launched a wholesale reform to clean up corruption. However, he recently admitted that his crusade has so far yielded few practical results. Russia has slipped to the 154th place in Transparency International's 2010 Corruption Index, down 8 from last year. "Our partners in Europe do not understand the main thing. Abolishing visa requirements for Russia has a great importance for domestic policy. This is a blow to isolationists who still exist in Russian politics and want to separate us by an iron curtain from the rest of the world to build 'something special' in this country," Margelov said. "There are no special states. A state can be either a part of the world civilization or stay outboard. I want my country to become a normal European country. And we are making great efforts to indeed become part of Europe," he said.

V. UPI - Russia, France seal deal on Mistrals

After long and arduous negotiations, Russia has decided to buy at least two of France's Mistral-class helicopter carriers in an unprecedented military deal between the Kremlin and the West... The multimillion-dollar deal was announced by the Kremlin and the Elysee Palace in Paris. "It marks the first time in modern history that Russia has made such a major defense acquisition abroad, illuminating a fast-evolving relationship with former Cold War enemies," The Washington Post reported. That rapidly evolving relationship, the newspaper reported, was best illustrated at a NATO summit last month, when Russian President Dmitry Medvedev agreed to work with NATO on ways to cooperate with the U.S.-led alliance in setting up a missile defense system for Europe. Designed to attack the shore from the sea, the Mistral class is viewed as an ideal weapon for Russia against possible uprising by nearby countries. The price tag for each vessel is estimated at around $380 million and the building venture will be a 50-50 project. The Mistral amphibious assault ship can carry 16 heavy or 35 light helicopters, dozens of tanks, 450 personnel and up to 70 armored vehicles, including 13 battle tanks. Defense News reported that the first Mistral-class shipped is to be completed within 36 months once Russia makes an advance payment scheduled for January... Medvedev and French President Nicolas Sarkozy hail the realization of the unprecedented cooperation, which will benefit industry and employment in our two countries, and which illustrates the will and capacity in France and Russia to develop large-scale partnerships in all areas, including defense and security," the Elysee said. At its inception, the deal drew strong concern from NATO allies who were apprehensive of the transfer of Western naval technology to their former Cold War foe. The sale was also opposed by Georgia, "whose leaders said it would be interpreted as a benediction of Russia's role there during a brief war in the summer of 2008 and the stationing of Russian troops on territory still considered part of Georgia by NATO nations, including France," The Washington Post reported. Russia owns only one Soviet-built aircraft carrier, which is much smaller than its U.S. counterparts and is considered outdated. With its cutting edge technology, the Mistral is prided as the most powerful asset of the French fleet.

VI. B92 - Daily: Albanian PM trafficked arms

Sali Berisha, who is currently Albania's prime minister, was one of the chief arms smugglers during the war in Kosovo. This is according to a report in Belgrade's Politika newspaper this Monday. The daily writes that four ethnic Albanians from Kosovo mentioned Berisha in this context. Their testimonies are part of the Serbian War Crimes Prosecution's investigation into the human organs smuggling case. The case, filed as 33-08, cites statements that said the center for arms trafficking was in Berisha's house in the village of Prifc near Tropoja, in northern Albania. At the time, Berisha was an opposition politician and former Albanian president, during whose time in office military barracks in that country were robbed of weapons and ammunition, with several hundred thousand pieces gone missing. Most of those arms ended up in the hands of the so-called Kosovo Liberation Army, writes Politika. The four witnesses are former members of the KLA arrested by Serbia's security forces during the war in the province. One of them is an ethnic Albanian from the area of the town of Đakovica, formerly a member of the KLA group led by Ramush Haradinaj, who said that it was on Haradinaj's orders that he illegally traveled to Albania in March of 1998 to buy weapons. Another witness, who came from Dečani, said that a group of ten members was organized to go shopping for arms in Albania after they received training under Haradinaj's supervision. The next witness is a Kosovo Albanian from Prizren who had spent many years working in Germany, to return to the province in 1998 in order to join the KLA. He said that in February of that year, he collected 5,800 German marks to buy arms. The last document that mentions Berisha is witness testimony from a Kosovo Albanian from the village of Glođane near Dečani who told investigators that he attended a meeting where Haradinaj told the locals that they must organize to travel to Albania in order to bring in weapons, and that organized attacks on police must start. The war in Kosovo started a year later, in the spring of 1999, and a recent report said that the KLA kidnapped Serbs and other civilians during that year and 2000, imprisoned them and had their organs removed in northern Albania, to sell the prisoners' body parts in the black market.

VII. EMG - Bishop of Raska and Prizren Teodosije enthroned

The newly-elected Bishop of Raska and Prizren Teodosije was enthroned in the reconstructed St George's cathedral church in the southern Kosovo city of Prizren, the seat of Diocese of Raska-Prizren and Kosovo-Metohija, on Sunday. The Divine Liturgy was served by Patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC) Irinej. Addressing Bishop Teodosije and congregation, the patriarch spoke about the suffering experienced by Prizren, the SPC and Serbs in Kosovo-Metohija. “This is a great day, the day of the enthronement of a bishop who should help the SPC pursue its history and existence in Kosovo-Metohija, and instill people with a new hope,” Patriarch Irinej said. He pointed out that the Church has chosen a man in whom it has complete confidence and whom it believes will be able to live up to the tasks of the difficult and dreadful time the Kosovo Serbs live in. Bishop of Raska-Prizren Teodosije, who had previously served as the head of the Visoki Decani Monastery, noted that the 19 years he has spent in Kosovo have been his best school of life. The enthronement ceremony was attended by representatives of the Greek Orthodox Church and monks from Mount Athos, representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church, a number of monks and nuns and around 1.500 believers, mostly from Kosovo-Metohija. The enthronement of Bishop Teodosije and the reception hosted in the new Diocese building in Prizren were also attended by Serbian Interior Minister Ivica Dacic, president's envoy Mladjan Djordjevic, Minister for Kosovo-Metohija Goran Bogdanovic and Minister of Religions Bogoljub Sijakovic. The ceremony was also attended by representatives of the Muslim community in Kosovo, the Roman Catholic and the Evangelist Church, as well as representatives of KFOR, UNMIK, EULEX and European offices in Pristina, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe and the Council of Europe.

Goddess of Love;Israel-Lebanon dispute;Turkish Air Forces;START ratified;Packages explode;Albania-EULEX organs;Bethlehem

I. REUTERS - Goddess of Love emerges into foaming Cypriot row

She may be the ancient Greek Goddess of Love, but a picture of a nude Aphrodite on the new passport of Cyprus has set more than hearts racing. Cypriot diplomats are furious with the interior ministry for failing to consult with the foreign ministry before issuing passports with a depiction of a naked immortal that might offend conservative foreign cultures. "They are worried that civilians and diplomats could get into trouble, particularly traveling to very conservative Islamic countries," the authoritative Phileleftheros daily newspaper wrote on Thursday. The interior ministry said it was too late to change them, the newspaper said. Local legend says Aphrodite (also known as Venus to the ancient Romans) emerged from the sea on a crest of foam just off the Mediterranean island. The image on the new biometric passports is modeled on a Greek marble statue of a completely naked Aphrodite in the Cyprus Museum located in the capital Nicosia.

II. UPI - Israel-Lebanon gas dispute widens

The dispute over vast natural gas fields in the eastern Mediterranean, centered on Israel and Lebanon, has spread to divided Cyprus, which involves longtime rivals Greece and Turkey. Israel's discovery of three large fields containing an estimated 25 trillion cubic feet of gas off its northern coast over the last two years has added a whole new energy dimension to the Arab-Israeli conflict. It has fueled tension between Israel and Lebanon, its northern neighbor, at a time when the Jewish state feels threatened by Iran and its allies, particularly the heavily armed Hezbollah movement in Lebanon. The Beirut government claims that the biggest of the fields, Leviathan, containing up to 16 trillion cubic feet of gas as well as 4.3 billion barrels of oil, extends into Lebanese territorial waters and has warned Israel not to encroach on its turf. The Iranian-backed Hezbollah, which runs its own state within a state and has the most powerful forces in Lebanon, has threatened military action if Israel taps into what it deems Lebanese energy resources. Israel has vowed to retaliate for any attacks on its gas fields and the energy infrastructure that's expected to be developed over the next couple of years. But the stakes have become much higher. A recent U.S. Geological Survey reported that there's up to 122 trillion cubic feet of recoverable gas off the coasts of Syria, Lebanon, Israel and the Gaza Strip. Further south, Egypt is already producing gas and selling it to Israel. On top of all that, the fields extend westward from the Levantine coastline toward Cyprus -- right into another conflict, albeit confined to the diplomatic arena these days, between Greece and Turkey. Cyprus was dominated by Greek Cypriots until 1974, when Turkey invaded... Turkey captured the northern one-third of the island. It maintains 40,000 troops in the self-declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. Only Ankara recognizes the TRNC. The Greek Cypriot government in Nicosia is recognized internationally. On Dec. 17, Cyprus, which has been exploring for offshore oil and gas fields for some time, and Israel signed an agreement in Nicosia dividing the 155 miles of water that separates them down the middle. That defined the maritime border between the island and Israel and delineated their exclusive economic zones, or EEZs, allowing them to move ahead with further exploration in the eastern Mediterranean. Three days later, the Turkish Foreign Ministry tongue-lashed the Israeli ambassador to Ankara, Gaby Levy, and warned, somewhat spuriously, that the agreement undermined efforts to reunify the divided island. The spat deepened a rift between Israel and Turkey... Ankara fears the Greek Cypriots, the majority on the divided island, won't share any wealth they may accrue from offshore gas fields in their 20,400-square-mile EEZ with the Turks in the [so-called] "TRNC"....

III. TURKISHPRESS - Turkish Air Forces: China and Greece not invited to Anatolian Eagle military exercise

Turkish Air Forces stated that China and Greece were not invited to Anatolian Eagle military exercise which would take place between June 13 and 24, 2011. Turkish Air Forces stated in its web-site on Wednesday that several press organs wrote that China and Greece were invited to the Anatolian Eagle which was a military exercise with an international participation. These countries were invited to European Air Chiefs Conference (EURAC) and Global Air Chiefs Conference which would take place in Istanbul between June 1 and 3, 2011 as well as International Air Show which would take place on June 4 and 5, 2011, stated the Air Forces. It added that China and Greece were not taking place in Anatolian Eagle invitation list.

IV. DEUTSCHEWELLE - US Senate ratifies new START accord for nuclear reduction

The US Senate on Wednesday voted to ratify the new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) with Russia, ending weeks of uncertainty over one of President Barack Obama's key foreign policy priorities. The final vote was 71-26, well above the necessary two-thirds majority needed for ratification of New START, with several Republicans joining Democrats in supporting the treaty. Under the accord, Russia and the United States pledge to cut their stockpile of active nuclear warheads to 1,550 within seven years, or about 30 percent from when the first START, signed in 1991, expired a year ago. Both countries would have the right to inspect the other's progress. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov welcomed news of the ratification but said that Moscow would need time to "study" the US document wording, noting that there had been a change in the text since its initial draft. German Chancellor Angela Merkel hailed the news as an "important milestone in the development of a true partnership with Russia," with the treaty to play a part in NATO's strategic concept. Merkel added that she hoped the treaty would lead to further disarmament. NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said that the decision would make a "significant contribution" to regional security and that it would lead to "progress on conventional and nuclear arms control initiatives." Senator John Kerry, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, who argued in favor of the ratification, said the pact would ultimately help efforts to confront nuclear threats from Iran and North Korea. "I am confident that our nation's security, and that of the world, will be enhanced by ratifying this treaty," he said. The treaty "is not simply an agreement to address the lingering dangers of the old nuclear age. It is an agreement that will give us a crucial tool to combat the threats of this new nuclear age." Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev signed New START in April after a year of negotiations between diplomats from the two countries. Approval by the Russian Duma is now all but certain.

V. AJC - Reports: Packages explode at Swiss, Chile embassy

News reports say a package has exploded at Chile's embassy in Rome following a parcel bombing at Switzerland's embassy earlier in the day. The ANSA news agency says one person was believed to be injured in the blast at the Chilean embassy. Police say the person who opened the package at the Swiss embassy was also seriously injured in his hands.

VI. EMG - Albania officially called on EULEX to launch investigation

Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha officially called upon EULEX to launch the investigation based on allegations outlined in the Marty report in regard to illegal transplantations of organs of people captured in Kosovo that was carried out in the north of Albania. We are calling upon EULEX to launch the investigation where they will have all required facilities and full cooperation of Albanian authorities, Berisha stated as Pristina media conveyed. He announced that the Albanian Justice Minister will send a letter to the Hague Tribunal and invite the court to carry out the investigation in Albania even though its jurisdiction covers the territory of the former Yugoslavia only.

VII. CHRISTIANTODAY - "Bethlehem is still the centre of Christian spirituality"

People in the West Bank may be suffering but Christmas remains a time of joy and celebration for Christians in and around Bethlehem, says one leader. According to Ecumenical News International, Minister for Tourism Khouloud Deibes said the birthplace of Jesus remained the centre of Christian spirituality in spite of the difficulties caused by the ongoing conflict between Israelis and Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza. The town’s antiquities attract millions of tourists and pilgrims each year but for Christians living in the region they are places of daily spiritual significance, especially at Christmas. “Christmas is a source of joy and pride for us Palestinians because here it happened … Here we have the time also to celebrate our churches; they are living monuments, not museums,” said Deibes. Christmas, she added, provides an opportunity to highlight the negative impact of the conflict on the Christian presence in the Holy Land. The separation wall and lengthy queues at checkpoints mean that Christians can only travel through the region to visit friends and families with great difficulty. This year, several thousand local Christians were expected to receive special one-month travel permits for the Christmas season, including the Catholic, Greek Orthodox and Armenian celebrations. Deibes said: “We are still under occupation, people are still suffering. Christmas is a good occasion to show how the political situation is negatively impacting the Christian presence in the Holy Land.” Vendors and shop owners in Bethlehem are reporting a boost in business after years of uncertainty and hardship during the intifada, with twelve new shops opening up close to Manger Square and the Church of the Nativity in the last 12 months. Tourism, which has risen 60 per cent on last year’s figures, remains vital to the local economy. According to Bloomberg, the Tourism Ministry estimates that as much as 15 per cent of the Palestinians’ gross domestic product has come from the industry this year. Spokesman for the Palestinian Authority Ghassan Khatib was quoted by Bloomberg as saying: “Bethlehem has a huge weight, culturally and religiously, and this is why it is an area receiving great attention from the Palestinian Authority. “Tourism is one of the main sources of income for the future Palestinian state and for Palestinians now, and we are doing our best to utilise this opportunity.”

Priest:9/11 Health bill;Net Neutrality?;Israel-Turkey crisis;Greece-Russia Visas;Schengen no-go;START elements;CERN-Serbia

I. IBTIMES - Priest pleads for Ground Zero health bill [S.1334]

The Rev. Stephen Petrovich, 58, of Huron, Ohio, is Metropolitan Archbishop Emeritus of his orthodox Ukrainian Church. He does not perform archbishop duties because he is dying, from the damage to his lungs from the air at Ground Zero in 2001. Petrovich spent nearly two weeks at Ground Zero giving last rites to human remains and counseling the living. He expects this Christmas to be his last. He has written the following letter in support of the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act, which will likely come up for a vote in the Senate today or tomorrow. The measure will provide $6.2 billion for permanent healthcare and compensation for the approximately 20,000 Americans who are suffering from illnesses contracted while working at Ground Zero in the weeks following the terrorist attacks. Passage is uncertain. Senators of the United States of America, My name is Rev. Stephan Petrovich. I was a First Responder Chaplain at the World Trade Center; I am now ill and receiving hospice palliative care for the effects of the toxic dust at Ground Zero. I responded to the Call on 9/11 working at the morgue and on the Pile giving last rites to the bodies of the recovered victims. I am terminally ill from 9/11 yet cannot afford the medical treatments I need as my entire Workers Comp check and most of my Social Security goes to home care. I have been borrowing for years now to pay ongoing ($50,000+) medical bills and am now facing winter with $800 in gas arrears that the company is threatening to turn off. This is most likely my last Christmas; I dread to think of all the Responder children and their families who have suffered over the past 10 Christmases. To the Senate I say: we the Responders have done nothing but answer the call to help on 9/11, yet there are people in power who seem to trifle with human life. Money appears to be the root of the problem, yet how can one put a price on human life? Senators, please be assured: we are not seeking to enrich ourselves, we are only asking for help--to live. There is nothing more frightening than being unable to breathe; I know this first hand as I have slept in a chair the past three years as I cannot breathe lying down. I have not attended church in four years due to my health; the next time I attend will be at my own funeral. I implore Senator Enzi: Sir, I understand your concern but Senator, Please! Give us our Health Care and pass S.1334 this most important Bill! In closing, I ask the Senate to please do the right thing by helping the sick and dying and showing mercy to the suffering. Pass S. 1334 for the good of mankind and our great country America. You have been elected by the people, for the people--may this calling bestow you with honor, duty and compassion. I wish to extend to each of you a most happy Holiday Season and only the best of health to you and your families--God Speed. To read more about 9/11 Health Now, please click here.

II. PCMAG - What Do the FCC's Net Neutrality Rules Mean for You?

Net neutrality is in the headlines again, but what does it mean for you? Is this just some wonky, inside-the-Beltway chatter that won't have an impact on our daily lives or an issue that will affect how we access the Web in the future? The short answer is: both. The basic news is that the Federal Communications Commission approved net neutrality rules yesterday and those rules give the commission the authority to step into disputes about how Internet service providers are managing their networks or initiate their own investigations if they think ISPs are violating its rules. One important thing to note is that the FCC hasn't actually released the full text of its net neutrality rules yet. The Republican commissioners voted against the plan yesterday, and according to FCC procedures, the commission must respond to any dissent before releasing its rules. So it could be another day or two before the commission adds that response and publishes the rules. That being said, the FCC did provide an overview of what's included in the order and it breaks down to three high-level rules: transparency; no blocking; and no unreasonable discrimination. Transparency: Does your ISP slow down its network at peak times? Does it have a usage cap? What about roaming fees? The transparency requirement basically requires broadband providers – fixed and wireless – to be more transparent about their activities. They need to be upfront about how they manage their networks, how well (or poorly) their networks perform, as well as details about their plan options and pricing. Most ISPs would argue that they already do this, but if you disagree, you could conceivably take it up with the FCC. No Blocking: Much of this net neutrality debate started in 2007 when Comcast was accused of blocking access to P2P networks like BitTorrent because people using BitTorrent on Comcast's network were slowing down the experience for everyone else. Comcast denied cutting off access completely but said it did delay access to P2P sites during peak times. Under the FCC rules, an ISP would not be able to pick and choose apps or service to block in order to improve network performance. Your ISP would not be able to block access to Netflix's streaming service, for example, or Xbox Live just because a select few people were clogging the system. The rules differ slightly on this for fixed versus wireless. Fixed providers cannot block lawful content, apps, services, or "non-harmful" devices, or charge providers of these services for delivering traffic to and from their networks. Wireless providers, meanwhile, cannot block access to lawful Web sites or block apps that compete with their own voice or video telephony services. It does not apply to mobile broadband app stores. No unreasonable discrimination: A key term being thrown around this week is "network management," which basically governs how an ISP like Comcast or Time Warner Cable runs their operations. Under the FCC rules, ISPs can manage their networks, but it can't be "unreasonable" or discriminate against specific applications. In other words, Comcast could slow down its entire network to handle an influx of users, but it could not cut off a specific, bandwidth-hungry service – like BitTorrent or Netflix or Hulu. The FCC acknowledges that network management is necessary to block harmful things – like malware and child porn – from making its way onto ISP networks. Blocking child porn and spam? Good. Blocking Netflix or BitTorrent because it competes with your own service or eats up bandwidth? Bad. Again, we haven't seen the actual text of the rules, so what makes something "unreasonable"? In a press conference after Tuesday's meeting, an FCC official said the agency has included specific language in its rules to define unreasonable network management. "Generally if there are practices that are targeted for specific use – like controlling spam or malware – [that] would be reasonable," she said. "Certainly things that appear to be discriminatory would be a red flag." Among those things that would probably be unreasonable? Paid prioritization. The whole idea behind net neutrality is that everyone has equal access to the Web; a wealthy company like Amazon should not be able to pay to have their Web site load faster than a mom-and-pop e-commerce site. While this practice of paid prioritization is not strictly banned in the net neutrality rules, the FCC said yesterday that it would likely be deemed unreasonable. "It's a very dynamic marketplace … so everything would have to be evaluated," the FCC official said. "I think there's significant concern about paid prioritization … but it's not ruled out." Can I Report a Violation? If you think your ISP is violating these rules, you can complain to the FCC. The agency has two types of complaint processes: an informal consumer complaint and a more organized formal process. Going forward, consumers can go to the FCC Web site and file their complaint at no charge. This is mainly for those who suspect that something is going on and possibly have a certain amount of proof, but lack the ability (or funds) to pull together a more formal complaint. As Free Press did with its original complaint against Comcast, larger, more organized groups can band together and file a formal complaint with lawyers and fees and affidavits. When asked yesterday if formal complaints would take priority over individual consumer complaints, the FCC said it would evaluate everything individually on its own merits. The agency will also keep tabs on individual complaints to watch for trends that require a larger investigation, the commission said.

III. THEJC - Oil sparks new Israel-Turkey crisis

A new agreement on exploration rights at sea between Israel and Cyprus has once again pushed Israel's relationship with Turkey into a diplomatic crisis. Meanwhile, the talks to end the impasse over Israel's apology for the incident of the Gaza flotilla have bogged down... The Ankara government's latest gripe with Israel is a new treaty, signed last week between Israel and Cyprus, demarking areas of oil and gas exploration rights between the two countries. Turkey does not recognise the Greek-Cypriot government of Nicosia, supporting instead the breakaway Turkish minority on the island, and now claims that the agreement between Jerusalem and Nicosia is "a challenge to Turkey's regional interests". Israel's ambassador to Turkey was summoned last Friday to the Foreign Ministry in Ankara where he was told that the Turkish government demands Israel cancel the agreement. Israel's Foreign Ministry did not comment on the Turkish protest, but a senior diplomat said: "If anyone thought that all it would take was a couple of Turkish planes to fix the ties between the two countries, it is now clear that a lot more work is needed. We still are not clear that Erdogan has any interest in fixing things at all." The agreement with Cyprus is another sign of the warming of ties between Israel and Turkey's regional rival, Greece. The countries have held two joint military exercises in recent months, signed a series of co-operation agreements and prime ministers Netanyahu and George Papandreou have visited each other's capitals....

IV. ARGOPHILIA - Greece and Russia Cut Visa Red Tape

Greece’s Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism, George Nikitiadis’ recent visit to Russia and his participation in a seminar of Hellenic-Russian Federation under the title “Russia – Greece – Cyprus: Political, Economic and Cultural Synergies in Present and Future”, bore fruit with his announced opening of more Greek visa centers in Russia. More specifically, during his visit in Moscow aimed at strengthening tourism relations between Russia and Greece Mr. Nikitiadis suggested the simplification of procedures for visa issuing. After his meeting with representatives of Visa Center there he announced 5 new visa centers will open in Russia, bringing the total to 8 in 2011. These offices will collect all necessary documents, and visas will be issued within a maximum of 48 hours. Moreover, visa centers will cooperate with a private courier service company covering 177 points all over Russia. According to statistics, in 2010 328.000 Russian tourists were issued visa to visit Greece; an upward trend of 52 percent in comparison to 2009, and this increase is expected to be more than 50 percent more in 2011. Mr. Nikitiadis stressed the new governmental strategy for the promotion of Greek tourism product as well. Last but not least, Nikitiadis informed participants about investment opportunities in the tourism sector in Greece and the simplification of relevant procedures through fast track initiatives. Also worth mentioning is that on 20 December Greek government announced the privatization of tourism real estate.

V. WASHINGTONPOST - Elements of New START US-Russia nuclear pact

Chief elements of the U.S.-Russia nuclear arms treaty called New START: NEW LIMITS ON STRATEGIC NUCLEAR WEAPONS: Each side would have to limit their arsenal of warheads ready to launch to 1550. That's down nearly 30 per cent from the limits imposed in the last U.S-Russia nuclear pact, the 2002 Moscow treaty. NEW LIMITS ON MISSILE DELIVERY SYSTEMS: The treaty also limits missiles, bombers and launchers capable of carrying nuclear warheads. Each side will be allowed up to 800 submarine launched ballistic missiles, heavy bombers and intercontinental ballistic missiles, whether they are deployed or not. Of all of these only 700 can be nuclear armed. This halves the limits under the 1991 START treaty. VERIFICATION: The treaty restores elements of the system under the previous START treaty that allowed each side to verify that the other was sticking to treaty terms. The old system expired with the START treaty just over a year ago and neither side has had inspectors on the ground monitoring the other's arsenals since then. The new treaty would include key changes that the Obama administration says would make inspections cheaper and easier. It would add, for instance a numbered inventory of items relevant to the limits in the two arsenals. Each missile and heavy bomber will have unique data identifying it. The treaty would allow 10 short notice inspections of ICBM, submarine and air bases annually and an additional eight inspections of storage facilities for non-deployed warheads. WHAT THE TREATY DOESN'T DO: The treaty does not limit warheads that are in storage and not ready to launch, though it does allow monitoring of those assets. It also does not limit nuclear warheads intended for short range delivery to counter conventional armies. These smaller warheads are known as tactical nuclear weapons. The Obama administration has said it would like to negotiate with Russia new limits on both non-deployed warheads and tactical weapons in a follow-up treaty after New START is ratified. The treaty also does not impose any significant limitations on the countries' ability to build missile defense systems, as critics have charged.

VI. THELOCAL - Berlin blocks Bulgaria, Romania from Schengen

French Interior Minister Brice Hortefeux and German counterpart Thomas de Maiziere told European home affairs commissioner Cecilia Malmstroem in a letter that it was "premature" to let them enter the passport-free travel area in March 2011. The ministers said a decision on the applications would be made once the two former communist bloc nations make "irreversible progress" in the fight against corruption and organised crime, according a copy of the letter seen by news agency AFP. Romanian President Traian Basescu slammed the Franco-German move as "an act of discrimination." Bulgarian officials said they would do their utmost to ease any doubts about their readiness to join. The Schengen area allows more than 400 million citizens to travel across a territory that ranges from Greece to Finland, and Portugal to Poland, without having to pull out a passport. The area includes 22 of the European Union's 27 members plus Iceland, Switzerland and Norway. Romania and Bulgaria joined the EU in 2007. By choice, EU members Britain and Ireland have not joined the travel zone while Cyprus has applied to enter Schengen. Experts from EU states who visited Romania and Bulgaria will present a report in January that will be used by governments to make a decision. Allowing a country to join Schengen must be agreed by members states by unanimity, meaning that France and Germany have veto power over the applications. The decision to block the entry of Romania and Bulgaria follows a summer row over France's deportation of Roma migrants from the two eastern European nations, although the issue was not cited as a reason for the Schengen veto.

VII. EMG - Serbia starts negotiations on CERN membership

Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration and Minister of Science and Technological Development Bozidar Djelic said today that Serbia is starting negotiations on membership in the European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN) and pointed out that membership in this organisation will be of great importance for development of science in Serbia. Djelic told at a news conference at the Serbian government that the membership negotiations will last one year, after which Serbia will get the status of associate member, and it will become a full member of CERN within two to five years. He said that the beginning of membership talks is a great day for Serbia, adding that accession to CERN is very important because this organisation is conducting the greatest scientific experiment in human history - construction of Large Hadron Collider accelerator, in which 40 Serbian scientists are participating. Djelic noted that in addition to Serbia, the countries that will also start membership talks are Slovenia, Cyprus, Israel and Turkey. President of the Commission for Cooperation with CERN Petar Adzic thanked the Serbian government for the support it has given to scientists, adding that membership in CERN is not only an opportunity for physicists, but for all other scientists dealing with biomedicine, engineering and IT. Representative of the Institute for Physics Marija Milosavljevic-Vranjes underlined that CERN membership will give an opportunity to young scientists from Serbia to take part in major international research projects. The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was one of the 12 founders of CERN in 1954, but it left the organisation in 1961. CERN has 20 members and around 30 countries cooperate with this centre in Geneva. To read more about CERN, please click here.

H.Res.252,Can it happen?;Israel-Cyprus pact;Greece-Serbia link;EULEX,organ evidence;PACE talks;START;Arab Christians,Canada

I. RFERL - Turkey Presses Obama On U.S. Armenian [Genocide] Resolution

Turkey's foreign minister says that the country's prime minister urged U.S. President Barack Obama to stop a resolution in the U.S. Congress that would classify as genocide the mass killings of Armenians during World War I. Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu told the Turkish parliament today that Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan wrote Obama a letter warning that if the resolution was passed -- it is up for debate in the House as early as December 21 -- it would harm U.S.-Turkish relations. Armenia estimates that 1.5 million Armenians were killed by Ottoman Turks from 1915 to 1917 and says the deaths amount to genocide. Turkey denies this. To read more about the Armenian Genocide, please visit the Armenian National Institute by clicking here.

II. KATHIMERINI - Turkish ire over Israel-Cyprus pact

Turkish authorities yesterday warned that a bilateral economic deal between Cyprus and Israel aimed at mutual prospecting for oil in the eastern Mediterranean could strain ongoing United Nations-mediated talks aimed at reunifying the divided island. According to Turkey’s semiofficial Anatolia news agency, the Turkish Foreign Ministry’s undersecretary, Feridun Sinirlioglu, warned Gaby Levy, Israel’s ambassador to Turkey, that the deal would have a negative impact. Sinirlioglu argued that “such unilateral moves [on behalf of the Greek Cypriots] that ignore the will of the Turkish-Cypriot side will harm ongoing settlement talks on the island.” Meanwhile, diplomatic sources told Kathimerini that Ankara aims to pressure Israel into breaking its pact with Cyprus. The sources said Ankara may use its ties with Lebanon and militant Shiite movement Hezbollah as a way of exerting pressure on Israel. Nicosia has made similar deals with Lebanon and Egypt, which Turkey also has urged the Arab nations to break. Israel yesterday defended its decision. “This agreement is an issue between Israel and Cyprus and it in no way affects a third country,” Israel’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor was quoted as saying by Agence France-Presse. “We do not see how a third country would have anything to say about it,” he added. Another unidentified Israeli official accused Turkey of “monstrous chutzpah” for using “as an argument its occupation of the northern part of Cyprus to denounce the deal.” The agreement defines the sea border between Cyprus and Israel and delineates an exclusive economic zone between the two countries, allowing them to prospect for oil together. Already the discovery of a huge gas deposit off the Israeli port of Haifa, and close to Cyprus, has fueled great interest in the region’s potential.

III. EMG - "Greek Businesses in Serbia: A Strong Link in Greek-Serbian Bilateral Relations"

Greek conference dubbed “Greek businessmen in Serbia: strong link in Greek-Serbian bilateral relations” held in Belgrade last week under the aegis of the Greek Embassy. Greek Ambassador to Belgrade Dimosthenis Stoidis opened the conference in the Serbian Chamber of Commerce (PKS).Mihailo Vesovic vice president of PKS and Vesna Arsic, State Secretary for International Economic Relations in the Ministry of Economy and Regional Development, have, also, addressed the participants.Moderator of the meeting was the minister plenipotentiary for Economic and Commercial Affairs in the Greek Embassy Stylianos Liagis. Greek Ambassador to Serbia Demosthenis Stoidis said that his country's investments in Serbia have reached about EUR 1.5 million so far, pointing out the importance of the positive Serbian-Greek economic relations. He also said that more than 200 Greek companies are operating in Serbia and that they had mainly invested in banking, energy supply, telecommunications, food industry and construction. State Secretary of Economy and Regional Development Vesna Arsic recalled that under the Hellenic Plan for development and reconstruction of the Balkans, EUR 440 million will be spent, and that more than EUR 100 million will be allocated to Serbia for infrastructural projects. Mrs Vesna Arsic announced that the construction of an eight kilometre section Srpska Kuca–Donji Neradovac, from Bujanovac to Vranje, will soon begin. Addressing the forum of Greek and Serbian businessmen at the Serbian Chamber of Commerce, Arsic said that that this section of Corridor 10 will most likely be completed by mid-2012, stressing that a down payment of €4.5 million has already been secured for the contractor – Greece’s Aktor. Within two months, a tender will be announced for the section from Lesovoj to Srpska Kuca, which will also be financed from the Hellenic Plan, she added. Mrs Vesna Arsic pointed out that total Greek FDI in Serbia 2000-2010 reached about 2 bln EUR while 80 Greek companies operating in Serbia and 150 more have joint venture with domestic companies. Mihailo Vesovic vice president of PKS described Greece as significant Serbia's economic partner; Greece is the 15th foreign trade export parnter and the 21th foreign trade import partner of Serbia. Mr Vesovic highlighted also the bilateral economic relations from the Chamber's viewj presenting the very good ans stable inter-chamber relations. The other discussed topics related to Greek banks in Serbia, Coca-Cola HBC activities in Serbia: a successful story, new product – traditional market etc.

IV. B92 - EULEX asks Marty to provide evidence

EULEX, has asked Council of Europe (CoE) Special Rapporteur Dick Marty to send all the evidence he has to EU prosecutors in Priština. "EULEX has sent a letter to Mr. Marty where we encourage him to provide the prosecutorial authorities within EULEX with any information or evidence that could shed light on the allegations made in his report," EULEX spokesman Blerim Krasnici said quoted by Reuters. In his report about the human organ trafficking, Marty identified the outgoing Kosovo Albanian Prime Minister Hashim Thaci as the leader of the mafia-style group involved in criminal activities including murders, organ, weapons and drug trafficking during and after the war in Kosovo. Marty said who in his report that Thaci and the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) are responsible for the illegal activities. He drafted his report for two years at CoE request after former chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) Carla Del Ponte first published information on human organ trafficking in her book The Hunt, in which she also said she was not allowed to carry out a full investigation of KLA activities.

V. VOICEOFRUSSIA - Russia urges involvement of Abkhazia, S.Ossetia in PACE hearings

Russia calls for the involvement of Abkhazia and South Ossetia in PACE talks on the current situation in the Caucasus. A statement to this effect was made by Konstantin Kosachev, the head of the Russian State Duma’s International Affairs Committee, during his meeting with the chairman of the PACE Monitoring Committee Dick Marty in Moscow on Monday. The meeting came ahead of the upcoming closed-door PACE hearings on the Russian-Georgian dossier. The past couple of years have seen an about-face in PACE stance on the situation in the Caucasus, Kosachev said. We can talk about the Council of Europe’s considerable contribution to the resolution of the respective issues, Kosachev says, citing Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Thomas Hammarberg. We can also single out the PACE report on the humanitarian crisis in the Caucasus in the wake of the 2008 war between Russia and Georgia over South Ossetia. Mapped out by the PACE Migration Committee, the report was based on an unbiased approach to the matter, which was sadly not the case with a slew of other surveys, which were earlier released by the PACE Monitoring Committee, Kosachev complains. Those reports failed to contribute to the resolution of a spate of problems that the people of Abkhazia, South Ossetia and Georgia are currently dealing with. The Russian delegation hails PACE’s present push for doing more to rectify the situation in the Caucasus, Kosachev points out, adding that Moscow’s standpoint is also shared by other countries. The 2008 Caucasus crisis began spiraling when Georgian forces launched a surprise deadly attack on South Ossetia in August of that year in a bid to regain control of its breakaway province. The Georgian aggression caused casualties among civilians and Russian peacekeepers, who were deployed in South Ossetia in accordance with a UN mandate. Moscow was quick to send troops to the conflict zone to compel Georgia to peace. It took Russian forces five days to drive Georgian troops out of the area in a move that infuriated many in the West, who swiftly accused Moscow of a disproportionate use of force. The subsequent months, though, saw a turn-around, with Western media admitting the fact that Georgia instigated the conflict, referring to the use of force against South Ossetia. During the Moscow talks, Kosachev specifically bemoaned the no-show of Abkhazia and South Ossetia officials at the forthcoming PACE hearings, which he said “creates additional problems for a large-scale participation of the Russian delegation in the gathering.”

VI. USATODAY - Obama aides confident about START treaty

The White House is exuding confidence heading into a key Senate vote today on the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty with Russia. Senate Democrats will seek to cut off debate today on the treaty, clearing the way for a final vote on START amid Republican criticism that it could undercut U.S. missile defense efforts. President Obama and Senate Democrats said the treaty will have no effect on missile defense, but will instead cut the number of nuclear weapons and assure inspections of Russia's nuclear arsenal. "The White House believes that before Congress leaves town, that the Senate will ratify the New START treaty," said Obama spokesman Robert Gibbs. The White House picked up a key START endorsement yesterday, when Republican senator Scott Brown of Massachusetts said he would back the treaty. The White House needs at least nine Republicans to win the two-thirds Senate vote necessary to ratify the treaty. In addition, Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, sent a letter to senators calling the treaty "vital to U.S. national security." Russia, meanwhile, objected to Republican proposals to revise the treaty to address the missile defense issue. "It cannot be opened up and become the subject of new negotiations," Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov told the Interfax news agency. Republicans, meanwhile, said Democrats are seeking to rush START through a lame duck session that also included such items as gays-in-the-military and immigration. "No senator should be forced to make decisions like this so we can tick off another item on someone's political check list before the end of the year," said Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.

VII. THESTAR - Al Qaeda-affiliated website targets Arab Christians in Canada

More than 100 Canadian-Arab Christians are listed on an Al Qaeda affiliated website, apparently targeted because of their alleged role in attempting to convert Muslims... The Shumukh-al-Islam website, often considered to be Al Qaeda's mouthpiece, listed pictures, addresses and cellphone numbers of Coptic Christians, predominantly Egyptian-Canadians, who have been vocal about their opposition to Islam. In a forum on the website, one member named Son of a Sharp Sword, says "We are going to return back to Islam and all of the Mujahedeen (holy warriors) will cut off their heads." Three pages of the fundamentalist, Arabic-language website titled "Complete information on Coptics" sets to "identify and name all of the Coptics throughout the world who hope to defame Islam," The website calls the Coptic Christians living abroad "dogs in diaspora," a derogatory reference in Arabic... Coptic Christians are predominantly a part of the Orthodox Church. Coptics are synonymous with Egypt and make up the largest Christian community in the Middle East... Shumukh-al-Islam lists more than 200 Arab Christians in Egypt, Europe and North America. More than 100 of them are listed as being in Canada. According to two of the Coptic men listed on the website, Canadian officials from the RCMP and CSIS met with representatives from the Canadian Coptic Organization in October... The struggle between the Coptic Christians and the Egyptian government has intensified in recent years over what they say are efforts by the government to curtail their religious freedoms. While the existence of such websites is often criticized even by free speech activists, one security expert said they are a treasure trove of intelligence... Intelligence agencies around the world are able to extract information on who is visiting such sites....