I. BUSINESSWEEK - Turkish Cypriots hold new anti-austerity protest
Turkish Cypriot opposition parties and unions are holding a new protest in divided Cyprus' breakaway north against an austerity package they say Turkey has unfairly foisted on them. Wednesday's protest comes in the wake of a rally last month that badly strained relations between the Turkish Cypriots and the Turkish government. Cyprus was split in 1974 when Turkey invaded. The north is only recognized by Turkey, which maintains some 35,000 troops there.
II. YNETNEWS - Germany: Islamism behind attack on U.S. forces
A German security official said Arif Uka, the Kosovo-Albanian gunman who shot dead two U.S. airmen in an attack on their bus at Frankfurt airport on Wednesday, cried "Allahu Akhbar" ("God is Greatest") before opening fire and German federal prosecutors said that the attack is being investigated as a possible act of terrorism. Both President Barack Obama and Chancellor Merkel condemned the attacks saying that everything will be done and no effort will be spared to find out what happened.
III. FOREIGNPOLICY - Bedlam at the Border [Exclusive Photos]
The border crossing between Tunisia and Libya reaced a crisis point on Tuesday and Tunisian boarder guards beat people with sticks and fired their guns into the air in an attempt to control the crowds... In an attempt to keep them from climbing over the border wall. There are many horrific scenes playing out at the border, some even carried out mock executions. An estimated 140,000 people are trying to flee Libya, and around half that number has already entered Tunisia. With food, water and shelter a major issue, bottles of water and loaves of bread have been seen falling from the sky -- thrown by volunteers on the Tunisian side of the border. The situation is quickly turning into a humanitarian emergency.
IV. YAHOONEWS - Gaddafi bombs oil areas, Arabs study peace plan
While Muammar Gaddafi's forces struck at rebel control of oil export hubs in Libya's east for a second day on Thursday and as Arab states weighed a plan to end turmoil Washington said could make the nation "a giant Somalia," rebels called for U.N.-backed air strikes on those foreign mercenaries fighting for Gaddafi. This call for a no-fly zone echoes Libya's deputy U.N. envoy demand, who now opposes Gaddafi. Rebels also where heard shouting, in support of President George W. Bush and referring to a no-fly zone imposed on Iraq in 1991, "Bring Bush! Make a no fly zone, bomb the planes."
V. TIMESOFMALTA - 400 U.S. Marines in Greece for Libya deployment
The U.S. Souda base on the Greek island of Crete, welcomed 400 U.S. Marines that have been dispatched there ahead of deployment on warships off to Libya. The troops are from North Carolina and will later join two U.S. warships in the Mediterranean. The USS Kearsage and the USS Ponce are already in route to Libya. With a fleet of helicopters and medical facilities, the U.S. contingent can support humanitarian efforts, as well as military operations.
Chechen Islamist rebel leader, Doku Umarov, Russia's most wanted man, has issued an appeal for recruits for a "total war" against the Russian state, in a new video message posted on Thursday. Standing between two younger men one of whom clutched onto a Kalashnikov rifle with a grenade launcher, Umarov said "A total war is in progress, fight the enemy where ever you can... Jihad is becoming necessary for all of us... Spring has come, so, brothers, I ask you to step up Jihad against enemies of Allah. Today children don't have to ask their parents for permission to start Jihad, wives don't have to ask their husbands' permission... I call on you to destroy Allah's enemies wherever you have them, wherever your hands reach you may open a front... When there is a total war, there are no more civilian objects or civilian population." The tone has become much more Islamist in tone and much more violent as it has spread to neighbouring regions.
As our attention has moved from Egypt to cover "current" topics such as Libya, or even, Charlie Sheen, some would like to see the media light to shine on Christians who were struggling to survive in Egypt even before the Hosni Mubarak government collapsed. To help in this effort, Coptic Orthodox Bishop Serapion spoke at the Convention Center in Los Angeles Sunday afternoon about the Copts' vision and hope for rebuilding Egypt. Bishop Serapion's mentor and Coptic priest, Daoud Boutros was stabbed to death in his apartment on Febuary 20. Also that day, Egyptian military forces began destroying fences protecting ancient Coptic monasteries, leaving the monks and monasteries vulnerable to attacks. On Feb. 23, military forces opened fire on monks and young people, wounding many severely. Coptic Orthodox Christians form 10 to 20 percent of the 79 million population in Egypt.