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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.