Libya:US committed,Cypriot effort,Greek proposal;Kosovo request;UN "offensive"?;Pirates attack;Spiritual Struggle

I. AJC - Clinton: U.S. committed to NATO mission in Libya

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton assured NATO allies on Thursday that Washington was prepared to do what it takes to ensure the success of NATO's mission in Libya and called on U.S. partners in Europe and elsewhere to boost pressure on Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi to step down from power. Clinton is in Berlin for two days of NATO meetings hoping to bridge differences over how the alliance should proceed in the Libya operation.

II. WFP - Cyprus: Efforts must continue to find peace in Libya

Cyprus' foreign minister Markos Kyprianou has stressed efforts must continue to find peace in Libya during talks with his Libyan counterpart Thursday, despite the failure of an African Union proposal and said he had proposed "some ideas" to end the crisis during his one-hour meeting with Abdul-Ati al-Obeidi, but did not provide details. Kyprianou said al-Obeidi reaffirmed his government's commitment to a peace initiative proposed by the African Union recently, the call for an end to hostilities and continued co-operation on humanitarian assistance. Libyan rebels rejected the AU proposal because it did not say Moammar Gadhafi must relinquish power. Kyprianou also stressed to al-Obeidi the need for an immediate cease-fire by all sides and to protect the civilian population. He also said that Libya's unity and territorial integrity must be safeguarded per European Union positions.

III. EKATHIMERINI - Crete proposed as hub for Libya huminatrian effort

Greece has offered to act as a hub for humanitarian aid to Libya once the United Nations begins its efforts to get supplies to citizens in the war-torn country, it has emerged. Crete would be used to ferry humanitarian assistance to Libya. Sources said that UN Secretary General has agreed to Greece’s proposal. Greece supports a political solution to the battle between Colonel Muammar Gadhafi’s regime and the rebels. Athens is currently allowing foreign fighter jets to use two bases in Greece to take part in the NATO-led operation to maintain a no-fly zone over Libya.

IV. EMG - Kuçi asks Greece to recognize Kosovo

During a recent visit to Greece, Hajredin Kuçi [Kosovo Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice], met with Ioannis-Alexios Zeppos, State Secretary in the Greek Foreign Affairs Ministry Ioannis-Alexios Zeppos. During the meeting, Kuçi asked that the Greek Government recognize an independent Kosovo, as well as for a reduction of insurance taxes for Kosovo cars entering Greece. According to a press released issued by Kuçi, it was reported that Zeppos said he would make efforts to help Kosovo in regard to the conversation topics.

V. REUTERS - Analysis: No more Mr. Nice Guy: New U.N. policy or a phase?

The United Nations appears to be working hard to shed its duck-and-cover image -- deploying attack helicopters in Ivory Coast, backing rebels in Libya and lecturing Middle Eastern leaders on how to govern. But diplomats and analysts say it is unclear whether the unusually aggressive recent U.N. approach to some of the conflicts on its agenda indicates a metamorphosis into a tougher, more pro-active world body or just a brief phase. One expert said that the United Nations Secretary General is "more confident on human rights issues, and the Security Council finally living up to its responsibility to protect civilians at risk of mass atrocities, the U.N. appears stronger and has set new standards that it will need to uphold more consistently around the world." The new burst of U.N. assertiveness, during which Ban and Western council members have repeatedly invoked the doctrine of the "responsibility to protect," has left some analysts wondering why the United Nations has not taken a similar approach to other smoldering conflicts on its agenda, which include Western Sahara, Cyprus and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Maybe, as one council diplomat suggested, market relevance helped motivate action in Libya - oil and gas - and Ivory Coast - cocoa and coffee.

VI. CNN - Report: Piracy at a record high, 142 in first quarter

According to a new report, in the first three months of 2011, piracy may be at an all-time high. There have been 142 pirate attacks worldwide, with 97 of the attacks from off the coast of Somalia. During these attacks, 18 vessels were hijacked and 344 crew members were taken hostage, seven crew members have been killed and 34 injured. One of the deadly attacks occurred in February when four Americans were killed after Somali pirates hijacked their 58-foot yacht off the coast of Oman. U.S. prosecutors announced this week that they had indicted a man believed to be one of the leaders of that pirate attack.

VII. ORTHODOXWAYOFLIFE - Four Things Essential for Our Spiritual Struggle

Saint Hesychius give this advice on our struggle to overcome the passions: One who is engaged in the spiritual struggle must have at every moment the following four things: humility, extreme attentiveness, refutation (of the thoughts) and prayer. Humility, in so far as its adversaries in combat are the demons of pride, so that he will have at hand Christ's help in his heart, for ' the Lord resists the proud.' (James 4:6; 1Peter 5:5) Attentiveness, so that one does not allow the heart to have any thought, no matter how good it seems. Denial, so that as soon as one has detected a thought that has come, he may repulse it immediately with anger. Prayer, so that after refuting a thought, one may immediately cry out to Christ with 'groanings which cannot be uttered' (Romans 8:26) Then the ascetic will see the enemy bound or chased by the honorable name of Jesus, like dust by the wind, or like smoke that vanishes with it's dreams. Saint Hesychius adds the following on the importance of prayer: One who does not have prayer that is free from the thoughts is without a weapon for battle. I understand prayer to be that which is carried unceasingly within the depths of the soul, so that the enemy who is secretly fighting may be vanquished and scorched by this invocation to Christ. For you must look with the sharply focused eye of the mind so that you will recognize what has entered into it, and after doing so, immediately cut off the head of the snake through refutation, and at the same time call on Christ with groaning. Through experience you will come to know God's invisible help; then you will see clearly the true condition of the heart. Saint Theophan advises in his commentary on the teaching of Saint Hesychius: A person whose decision to belong to the Lord is sincere cannot by-pass the path described. He may preform great labors and get around things in various ways, but until he comes upon this path, it is to no purpose. I am pointing you directly to the path so that you do not wander all over the place. Be more diligent in your undertaking, and you will find success. However, you must labor with all your might, because without labor there will be nothing.

Israel,Turkey&Flotilla;NATO not slow,France&Russia;EU,FYROM;Med Diet;Kosovo Serbs;Byzantine Icons,Cyprus

I. HAARETZ - Israel to Turkey: Help us thwart upcoming Gaza flotilla

Israel contacted Turkey concerning a Gaza aid flotilla planned for May of this year, reiterating Israel's objection to a breaking of Gaza's naval blockade and its willingness to transfer aid to the Strip via legal channels. Security officials and the Foreign Ministry have been preparing feverishly for the expected arrival of another Gaza flotilla in late May. More than 1,000 leftists and pro-Palestinian activists are expected to take part in the flotilla, which sources say will include more than 20 vessels of various sizes. In recent weeks, Jerusalem has engaged in a large-scale diplomatic effort aimed at pressuring heads of states in countries from which ships are expected to sail, to discourage their citizens from taking part. Israel's ambassador to Ankara said that the missive Israel sent out to Turkey did not indicate whether or not the flotilla would be stopped by force, saying: "Our position in this matter is known and international law allows us to intervene if the ships pose a security threat."

II. REUTERS - Rasmussen says NATO not slow to act in Libya

NATO was not too slow to act in Libya, its Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said on Wednesday. "I don't agree with (the description of) NATO being slow, we have kept a very high operational tempo," Rasmussen told reporters at a meeting of foreign ministers to discuss Libya's future. "Our operations will end when there is no longer a threat to civilians on the ground."

III. RIANOVOSTI - France to ditch NATO, embrace Russia if National Front comes to power

The ultra-right National Front will pull France out of NATO and forge a privileged partnership with Russia if it wins next year's presidential election, its leader Marine Le Pen said on Wednesday. "I believe that France's interests are in Europe, but in Great Europe, especially including its partnership with Russia," she said during a party congress. A privileged partnership with Russia is necessitated by "obvious civilization and geostrategic factors" as well as France's "energy security interests." She also pledged to revise the country's relations with the United States and pull France out of NATO, saying that the National Front has from day one been opposed to NATO membership. Marine Le Pen said on Friday France would also dump the euro and impose heavy levies on imports to boost French industry.

IV. THECANADIANPRESS - EU's Barroso urges FYROMacedonia to step up reforms, solve name issue with Greece

European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso urged FYROMacedonia to speed up reforms and make an extra effort to solve the name issue with neighbouring Greece in order to get the country closer to the EU and NATO. Barroso said that FYROMacedonia needs to reform the judiciary and public administration as well as step up the fight against corruption and organized crime and that it was "essential" to resolve the name dispute with Greece "as soon as possible." FYROMacedonia and Greece have been an odds for almost two decades over the name Macedonia, with Greece alleging that use of the name implies territorial claims on its own region of Macedonia. Athens has been blocking the landlocked Balkan country's efforts to join NATO since 2008 and has threatened to also block Skopje's attempts to join the European Union. Although the European Commission in 2009 recommended that the EU open membership talks with FYROMacedonia, no date has been set. FYROMacedonia has been a candidate for membership since 2005.

V. EKATHIMERINI - Mediterranean diet battles metabolic syndrome

A recent study suggests that following the Mediterranean diet helps reduce the risk of developing metabolic syndrome, a set of health disorders which can be responsible for diabetes and cardiovascular disease. According to the study, a diet that is low in animal fats and rich in fruit, vegetables and fiber can reduce the risk of metabolic syndrome by up to 19 percent or even 25 percent when combined with light exercise. The direct link between the Mediterranean diet and metabolic syndrome is the main conclusion of the study. The study defines the Mediterranean diet as the following: Using olive oil instead of other fats in cooking or other oils when consumed raw; daily intake of fresh fruit, vegetables, wholegrain cereals and low-fat dairy products; weekly intake of fresh fish, poultry, dried nuts and pulses; low consumption of red meat (only twice a month); moderate consumption of alcohol, with meals.

VI. B92 - Patriarch: Serbs in Kosovo suffer like no other nation in Europe

Serbian Orthodox Church Partiarch Irinej said that Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija live in constant fear and that many have laid down their lives for the right to stay on their homesteads at the time when European forces came to stabilize the situation in Kosovo and protect the local population. "Many more people were killed in this period than before the peacekeeping forces arrived, and this is a tragedy," Irinej said and added that chaos dominates in the territory of Kosovo. According to the patriarch, a great number of people want to return to Kosovo but cannot go back because of the lack of stability and normal living conditions. Maybe some better, safer times would come when many people would be able to return, Irinej said.

VII. FINANCIALMIRROR - Two stolen Byzantine icons recovered by Church of Cyprus

Two Byzantine icons of the 18th century depicting Apostles Andreas and Iacovos, were located in Dusseldorf, Germany and recovered by the Church of Cyprus. Their origin, read the Church of Cyprus’ statement, is believed to be a monastery or church in the occupied areas of Cyprus, although reports indicate they come from the Monastery of Agios Anastasios in Peristeronopigi, Famagusta. They were taken out of Cyprus illegally and were up for sale in Europe, following the plundering and looting of Christian churches during the 1974 Turkish invasion. Thousands more icons remain unaccounted for, it added. Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkish troops invaded and occupied 37% of its territory. Hundreds of religious and archaeological artifacts have been stolen from the occupied areas, many of which have found their way in the black market. Some have been repatriated, others are still in the hands of illegal art dealers.

IHH-Gaza flotilla;Georgia,NATO;FYROM;Acropolis Museum;Belarus blast;European shopping;Serb Nuns learn Albanian

I. JPOST - IHH to delay next flotilla until after Turkey elections

The Turkish IHH organization has said that it will delay its participation in the upcoming flotilla to Gaza scheduled for June until after elections in Turkey. the group will wait to see if Turkey's Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan will be reelected during the June elections before it decides to send the Mavi Marmara ship back to the Gaza Strip. A Turkish representative from the organization told Israel Radio that the decision was not made as a result of international pressure. At the beginning in of April, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu spoke on with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, asking him to work toward stopping the planned flotilla. Netanyahu told Ban that the flotilla was being organized partly by radical Islamists, whose aim is to provoke and cause violence.

II. RIAN - Georgia takes part in NATO exercises

Georgia is taking part in computer-assisted war games as part of the NATO Partnership for Peace (PfP) program. The VIKING-2011 is the 6th in a series of major joint peacekeeping exercises that brings together military and civilian personnel from 24 NATO and partner countries. The drills started last week and will continue until April 15. Georgia is hosting the VIKING-2011 at the Vaziani military base near the capital, Tbilisi, while the main coordination center of the exercise is located in Sweden. All activities in the exercise are simulated through computers and role-played by personnel via the PfP Simulation Network. Georgia has long been pursuing NATO membership, but its bid to get a Membership Action Plan - an essential step on the path to membership - at the NATO summit in Bucharest in 2008 was rejected due to pressure from Germany and France. Instead, the alliance merely stated that the country would join at an unspecified date in the future.

III. B92 - FYROMacedonian president accuses Greek nationalists

FYROMacedonian President Gjeorge Ivanov said that the Danube countries will be the first to feel the impact of the stability in the Balkans, and that is why they are advocating EU enlargement. The time has come for political and economic unification of Europe. Ivanov spoke out against "Greek nationalists who want Macedonia to change its constitutional name". The dispute between Skopje and Athens over the name of FYROMacedonia will certainly be on the agenda in the meetings with Hungarian officials. The Greeks claims that the name the Republic of Macedonia shows Skopje's territorial pretensions, as this has been the name of a northern Greek province since ancient times. Greece has blocked Skopje from joining NATO and from starting EU accession talks despite having been a membership candidate since 2005.

IV. AFP - Official Data: Acropolis Museum is Greece's top site

The Acropolis Museum was Greece's top tourist draw in 2010, eclipsing for the first time the ancient Athens citadel whose sculptures it showcases. Over 1.3 million people queued to visit the country's newest museum between January and December last year. By comparison, the Acropolis citadel itself drew just over 990,000 people last year after being hit with several strike shutdowns in a broader protest movement against unpopular austerity cuts imposed by the debt-hit government. Inaugurated in June 2009, the new museum includes a section reserved for the disputed Parthenon Marbles, currently at the British Museum in London.

V. RTT - Belarus Blast Suspects Held

On Tuesday, Belarusian authorities have detained several people over Monday's deadly bomb attack on the Minsk subway which killed 12 people and wounded 126. The suspects were rounded up after investigators came out with images of two men believed to have carried out the blast. It was during evening rush hour that the bomb, packed with nails and ball bearings, exploded at Oktyabrskaya station and police say it may have been remote-controlled. The blast occurred at around 5.55 p.m. local time as commuters were alighting from a train. Oktyabrskaya station is a major railhead in the former Soviet Republic connecting two metro lines in the capital Minsk. It is located hardly 100 meters away from the main presidential office and residence. Following the blasts, authorities have installed metal detectors at some of the capital's metro stations.

VI. CESKAPOZICE - Eurostat: Czechs, Romanians shop longest

Czechs tied with Romanians for the most time in Europe spent shopping per week according to a Eurobarometer report on consumer empowerment released April 11. The Eurobarometer report issued by the EU statistical arm Eurostat noted that "On average consumers in the Czech Republic and Romania spend most time shopping (3.8 hours per week), though it should be noted that 10 percent of Czechs and 17 percent of Romanians don’t know how much time they spend shopping. The average time spent shopping per week is also relatively high in Bulgaria, Austria and the UK (3.7 hours each)." There was also a divide between new and old EU members, with respondents in the 12 states that joined in 2004 and 2007 spending more time shopping, 3.6 hours on average, than those in EU-15, at 3.2 hours. As might be expected, across the EU women spend more time shopping, some 3.7 hours in a typical week, than men who racked up 2.8 hours.

VII. AFP - Serb nuns learn language of Albanian Muslims

Serb Orthodox monastery in religiously polarised Kosovo is breaking stereotypes by making its nuns learn Albanian so they can talk to Muslim villagers who come to pray at a statue of the Virgin Mary. Muslims from all over Kosovo flock to the Sokolica monastery because they believe its 14th-century sculpture of the Virgin with Christ can cure deaf-mute children and help childless couples fall pregnant. The famous sculpture, known as the Sokolac Virgin, is adorned with gold necklaces, bracelets and strings of pearls from grateful visitors -- Christians and Muslims. "When they ask how to pray, we tell them to pray in their own language and in the way they are taught to...," the 67-year-old head of the monastery, Mati Makarija, told AFP. The monastery is settled in rugged volcanic mountains that overlook the ethnically divided city of Mitrovica, where relations between Serb Orthodox Christians and Albanian Muslims are tense. Sokolica is surrounded by the Muslim village of Boletin whose residents are regular visitors. "Our door is open for them. If they think our sacred sculpture can help them, then they are welcome," said Makarija. As part of her effort to welcome all faiths, Makarija has instructed her nuns to learn Albanian, which is vastly different to Serbian and spoken by very few Serbs. "Speaking languages of each other is a must," Makarija said. "I don't want them to talk to the neighbours and Albanians who visit the monastery in English but in Albanian." "I am always looking for (Albanian) textbooks. I might be too old for it already but my nuns have to learn Albanian," insisted Makarija, who speaks English, German and Greek.

Libya:NATO Ops;UNSG:Cyprus;Kosovo&Roma;Milicic NBA auction;Abkhazia;Russia:Skype&Gmail ban;"When Passions Strike,Seek the Lord"

I. REUTERS - FACTBOX: NATO military operations against Libya's Gaddafi

Here are a few of the latest available details of Western military operations in Libya. The following NATO countries are participating in the alliance's operation UNIFIED PROTECTOR: Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Denmark, France, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Qatar, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Britain, United States. NATO forces have total of 195 aircraft at their disposal. Since NATO assumed command of Western military operations in Libya, its aircraft have made 1,325 sorties, including 527 intended as strike missions. On April 7, it conducted 155 sorties and 54 strike missions. Not all strike sorties have led to targets being hit. A total of 19 vessels are patrolling the Mediterranean to enforce a U.N.-mandated arms embargo.

II. FINANCIALMIRROR - UNSG: No timetable in Cyprus peace talks

According to U.S. congressional sources, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon has made it clear thta there is no timetable in the ongoing dialogue on the Cyprus question. During a meeting he had with members of the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee and replying to comments by Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ), the UN Secretary General rejected any suggestion that there are timetables in the negotiations on the Cyprus problem. He noted at the same time that despite the fact that the desired progress has not been achieved, the effort to find a negotiated settlement is continuing. UN-led negotiations are currently underway between Cyprus President Demetris Christofias and the leader of the Turkish Cypriot community Dervis Eroglu to reunite the country, under a federal roof.

III. FOXNEWS - EU's Kosovo official urges integration of Gypsies

The top European Union representative in Kosovo has urged authorities to do more to integrate the country's minority Romas, also known as Gypsies. The Romas were a target of revenge attacks by ethnic Albanians in 2004, forcing many to flee their homes. Many of them are subject to forced returns from European countries where they escaped as illegal immigrants. Kosovo is one of Europe's poorest regions.

IV. SI - Milicic to auction NBA title ring for charity

Darko Milicic is auctioning the 2004 NBA championship ring he won with the Detroit Pistons to raise money and awareness for children dealing with the terminal illness Batten's disease. Batten's is a neurological disorder that affects mostly children and gradually causes blindness, seizures and death. Milicic is also auctioning off the championship belt that was given to him by Rasheed Wallace. "Whatever money (I raise) is going to be good because those treatments cost a lot and those people can't afford it,'' Milicic said before his Minnesota Timberwolves played the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday night. Milicic became familiar with the condition after he and his wife read a newspaper story in his native Serbia about a family confronted with it. Out of the blue, he paid for four children to travel to China for stem cell treatments. The treatments cost $35,000 each. So Milicic is trying to raise more money until doctors come up with more affordable treatments in the United States and elsewhere. He got the idea from Ron Artest, who auctioned off his Lakers championship ring to raise money for mental health programs in schools. Those interested can purchase raffle tickets for $2 to be entered in the drawing. Milicic said it will stay open for about two months before a winner is chosen. He is also giving away an all-expenses paid trip to an NBA finals game in June. To purchase, click here.

V. AFP - Russian border guard killed in Abkhazia: report

Russia said Friday that one of its border guards had been killed in Georgia's breakaway Abkhazia region in an attack it blamed on Georgian police. The incident occurred in the Moscow-backed region, which was recognised as an independent state by the Kremlin following Russia's five-day war with Georgia in the summer of 2008. The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) said its border guard was killed by a member of the Georgian interior ministry's anti-terror committee. Two Georgian policemen were also killed in the gun battle, news agencies quoted a local FSB spokesman as saying. But Georgia denied this, saying that that the men who were killed were not policemen but criminals who were wanted by the authorities in Tbilisi.

VI. RIANOVOSTI - Russia will not ban Skype, gmail, hotmail despite security concerns

Russian Communications Minister Igor Shchegolev said on Friday the government had no plans on banning foreign online communications services such as Skype, gmail or hotmail, which are very popular in Russia. Shchegolev made the comment after a Federal Security Service (FSB) official told a government telecommunications commission that these internet services should be banned as using foreign encoding programs, which hampers FSB investigations.

VII. ORTHODOXWAYOFLIFE - When Passions Strike, Seek the Lord

Attacking the thoughts that lead us to actions that are not in keeping with the teachings of Christ is a simple matter. Attack with vigor! We have to see them as something we hate and forcefully take a stand and they will desist. Of course it is most helpful when we have developed a prayer practice which is with us at all times (i.e. the Jesus Prayer). Then we will know when and how to subdue the attack. The lesson is clear. When we are tempted we can escape by retreating to our inner chambers of our heart and stand before the Lord, "Lord have mercy on me a sinner." If we do this any passion will leave us undisturbed.

Libya:Rebels,NATO,Russia,Greece&Gaddafi;Kosovo,UN Res 1244;EU,Ivory Coast;Japan's fish;"No Passion is too Small"

I. JP - Libyan rebels demand that NATO do more

NATO's efforts to overthrow Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi are getting criticised by the very people they are trying to help. In the rebel stronghold Benghazi, people hold signs thanking France, the UK and the US, but say NATO's involvement is making things worse. During a press conference rebel leaders said that since NATO took control, air strikes have become less effective and that the international community bears the responsibility of putting NATO at the helm. They added, "Who is NATO? What are they doing? The United Nations have imposed NATO over our heads but they haven't done anything." At NATO headquarters in Brussels, commanders say they're doing their best.

II. VOR - Russia: NATO should not arm Libyan rebels

Libyan rebel military leader, General Abdul-Fatah Younis, recently reproached NATO for the sluggishness of its actions, saying that the rebels are swift to inform NATO on Gaddafi’s troops, while NATO takes too long to make decisions. Younis threatened to ask the UN to stop the operation if NATO doesn’t change its ways. However, Russia wants an explanation for NATO’s possible arming of Libyan rebels, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated: "The UN should be considering the Libyan issue on a regular basis, whatever the calls from Benghazi or Tripoli might be. NATO is still following resolution 1973, being accountable to the UN.

III. ZYA - Greece: Kadhafi not part of Libya's political future

Greek Foreign Minister Dimitris Droustas said that "There is nobody in the international community who can imagine Libya's political future with Moamer Kadhafi." Droustas also expressed scepticism on the embattled regime's claims to be seeking dialogue with the rebels fighting to take control of the country since February. Greece is traditionally close to the Arab world and its government has kept channels of communication to Kadhafi open throughout the conflict. At the same time, Athens has opened military bases to its NATO allies for the application of a UN mandate to keep Kadhafi's forces from killing civilians in their efforts to crush the insurgency. Greece late on Monday said it was shutting down its embassy in Tripoli but insisted it was not abandoning peace efforts.

IV. B92 - UN must assume role in Kosovo dialogue, UNSC Resolution 1244 compliance

Kosovo Minister Goran Bogdanović met on Tuesday with the head of the UN mission in Kosovo, Lamberto Zannier and told him that the UN has not been involved in the Belgrade-Priština dialogue but should be and assume a role in the process. Both agreed that "any unilateral moves from either side could destabilize the situation" in the province and that dialogue "is the only way to solve problems." Bogdanović reiterated Belgrade's long-held stance that "the UN is the highest authority of legitimate international presence in Kosovo, and that it must act in line with its mandate." Zannier offered assurances that UNMIK will continue to work in line with UNSC Resolution 1244 in all areas, including external representation.

V. VOA - EU Adds New Sanctions on Ivory Coast's Gbagbo

As Ivory Coast leader Laurent Gbagbo tries to withstand a military assault by opponents, the international community is adding to the pressure by banning its members from buying bonds or securities from the Gbagbo government or providing it with loans. The only exception would be for funds used for humanitarian purposes. The Eu already has a travel ban and asset freeze in place agaist Gbagbo and some of his aides. The EU, along with the United Nations, African Union, and West African bloc ECOWAS, has demanded that Gbagbo cede power to rival Alassane Ouattara, who most countries recognize as the winner of last year's presidential election.

VI. RN - Russia suspends fish imports from Japan due to radiation risk

Russia has suspended imports of fish and seafood from 242 Japanese plants in the wake of the accident at the Fukushima nuclear power plant, which led to a leakage of radioactive water into the ocean. "The restrictions were introduced after an analysis of threats and risks which arose after the accident on the Fukushima-1 nuclear power plant, the Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Oversight said in a statement.

VII. OWOL - No Passion is too Small

There is no Passion that is too small. All must be controlled. Saint Theophan says, No matter how small or weak a passion appears, it is necessary to regard it as if it were the largest and most powerful. How do we go about driving them out? Saint Theophan tells us this is the proper use of our anger. He says, How can you drive them out? Through inducing wrath that is hostile to them, or by getting angry within yourself against it as quickly as possible. A passion cannot be sustained without your inner support. So when you rise up against it in a strong way it is destroyed and its strength vanishes. The slightest sympathy towards it will sustain it. Prophet David says in the Psalms, Be angry, and sin not (Ps 4:5). In other words be angry at the passion and then you will not sin. As soon as you detect even the smallest passion, rise up against it with strength. Realize that this is an attack on your relationship with God. Its action separates you from Him. Use your anger in a constructive way to aid you in coming closer to God.

BestBeaches;GreekTablet,1490 BC;Gaddafi;Tadić,Sarkozy;Pirates;Japan,Russian help;Islamists,Christianophobia

I. INDEPENDENT - Poll: Europe's best beach getaways, Cyprus, Greece top list

According to a survey released April 5, by TripAdvisor, Cyprus nabbed two of the top three beach destinations in Europe, with Ayia Napa - which made its name as a notorious party paradise - in top place. Protaras, another Cypriote tourist resort more popular with families, took third place, just below the Greek island of Skiathos, a small island famous for its white sand beaches. Top Ten Beach Destinations in Europe: 1. Ayia Napa, Cyprus; 2. Skiathos, Greece; 3. Protaras, Cyprus; 4. Mykonos, Greece; 5. Oludeniz, Turkey; 6. St. Ives, England, UK; 7. Alcudia, Balearic Islands, Spain; 8. San Vito lo Capo, Sicily, Italy; 9. Calvia, Balearic Islands, Spain and 10. Villasimius, Sardinia, Italy.

II. NYTIMES - Greek Tablet May Shed Light on Early Bureaucratic Practices

A fragment of a clay tablet bearing archaic writing from an early period of state formation in Greece, more than 3,400 years ago, has been uncovered in the middle of an olive grove in southwest Greece, near the modern village of Iklaina. The tablet, only 2 inches by 3 inches, dates to sometime from 1490 to 1390 B.C. Clay tablets were made and used to keep state records so early in Mycenaean history and seems to be a “page” from a bookkeeper’s note pad. Not meant to be saved as a permanent record, it was not baked in a kiln , but ended up in a refuse dump, where a fire hardened the clay for posterity. Previous excavations had yielded clay writing tablets from 1200 B.C., close to the approximate time of the supposed Trojan War, and some references to Iklaina as an administrative center associated with Pylos. Archaeologists are only beginning to consider the implications of the discovery. It suggests that political states in ancient Greece originated at least a century and a half earlier than had been documented.

III. EMG - Greek Foreign Minister: "No issue of Gaddafi coming to Greece"

Greek Foreign Minister Dimitris Droutsas said that in the recent meeting between Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou and acting Libyan Foreign Minister Abdulati Al-Obeidi, there was no discussion of either Muammar Gaddafi leaving libya or of him coming to Greece. Droustas added that Greece is "in constant contact" with both the Libyan regime and the rebels.

IV. B92 - Tadić and Sarkozy to meet in France

Serbian President Boris Tadić will meet with French counterpart Nicolas Sarkozy during his April 6-8 visit to France and it will be an opportunity to strengthen the relations between the two countries. The meeting with focus on strategic partnership. Serbia has already signed similar agreements with China and Italy, while another one with Russia has also been announced. The document is meant to include cooperation in culture, science, education, economy and Serbia's EU integration.

V. EURASIAREVIEW - Somali Pirates Hold At Least 56 Vessels, 886 Hostages

According to Ecoterra, as of Monday, at least 56 foreign vessels plus two barges are in Somali hands against the will of their owners, while at least 886 hostages or captives – including a South-African yachting couple and a Danish yacht-family with three children and two friends – are being held.

VI. RFERL - Japan Seeks Russian Help On Nuclear Crisis

Japan has asked Russia to send a floating treatment plant used to decommission nuclear submarines to help Japan contain radiation from the earthquake- and tsunami-hit Fukushima nuclear power complex. The vessel, called the "Landysh," is reported capable of treating radioactive liquid with chemicals and storing it in a cement form. The request was disclosed as workers at the Fukushima plant have begun pumping contaminated water into the Pacific Ocean in order to free storage space for even more highly radioactive water. Since the March 11 earthquake and tsunuami, workers have been struggling to stabilize the Fukushima plant, which has leaked substantial amounts of radiation into the air, soil and sea in the area.

VII. INTERFAX - Russian Orthodox Church fears Islamists' arrival in Arab world

Speaking to a delagation of the American-Israeli Public Affairs Committee in Moscow on Tuesday, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk , the head of the Synodal Department for External Church Relations said, "Changes in political regimes and a collision of interests of different social forces may lead to uncertainty, violence and lawlessness," expressing fears that religious extermists may seize power in North Africa and in the Middle East. Adding, "We have been observing growth in Christianophobia, which may deteriorate into a plunder of Christian churches and killings of Christians. The world community must rise to defend the basic human right to freely choose a religion and to live abiding by the religious norms and principles."