Hopes for improvements in the rights of religious communities in Turkey in 2009 have once more come to nothing. Alevi Muslims broke off formal talks with the government over denial of their rights. A high-profile lunch with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan in August 2009, attended by five religious minority leaders, including Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, was followed by a visit to two Greek Orthodox sites. But no concrete improvements ensued. Intolerance promoted by Turkey's mainstream media has markedly reduced, but local and ultranationalist newspapers and websites still promote such intolerance. No verdict was reached in 2009 in the long-running trial over the 2007 murder of three Protestants in Malatya, or over the long-running attempts to prosecute two Protestants accused of "defaming Islam". One of the main signs of this has been the lack of progress in resolving long-standing problems, including the ability of communities to acquire genuine legal status and have their leaders fully recognised, and continuing ultra-nationalist attacks on the full equality of citizens who are not either ethnically Turkish, or secular or Sunni Muslim. Equally unresolved are property problems faced by religious communities as diverse as Alevi Muslims, Catholics, the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Greek Orthodox, Protestants, and the Syrian Orthodox Church. Other systemic restrictions on freedom of religion or belief remained untouched in 2009, including: the need for fair teaching about religions and beliefs in schools; the need for the right to train clergy; and the non-recognition of conscientious objection to military service. Some have seen as a positive development the inclusion at a lunch hosted by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on 15 August of five religious minority leaders – four Christian and one Jewish. However, a lunch for more than 150 guests was hardly a venue where serious discussions of the issues that concerned them could take place. One of the five who were there, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, was sitting close to the Prime Minister and was able to declare afterwards that it was good to meet and talk. It is important to note also that some leaders were not invited, including the Chief Rabbi, while several of those who were received their invitations only a day or two before. Accompanied not only by his own entourage but by Patriarch Bartholomew, Prime Minister Erdogan afterwards visited the Buyukada orphanage, which a European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) judgment had ruled should be returned to the Orthodox Patriarchate. They also visited the Aiya Yorgi pilgrimage site on the island. But there have been no moves from the state side to initiate a dialogue leading to results, for example on the reopening of the Halki Seminary, despite repeated invitations from the Patriarchate. While high level engagement with certain minority religious communities may be encouraging, one should note that the format of the dialogues perpetuates the long held position of Turkey that only the ethnic/religious minority groups which it considers were recognised by the 1923 Treaty of Lausanne – notably the Greek Orthodox, Armenian Apostolic and Jews – are recognised. The Treaty spoke vaguely of religious minority rights without naming the minorities, but the Turkish authorities interpret this to exclude communities such as the Roman Catholics, Syriac Orthodox and Lutherans, even though these communities have found ways to function. Because they did not exist or were not recognised in Turkey in 1923, other groups - such as the Baha'is, many (but not all) Protestants, Jehovah's Witnesses, and other even smaller groups such as atheists - still languish with no recognition at all. A more holistic and all-embracing approach, to develop and implement policies that safeguard freedom of religion or belief for all, is essential if the state wishes to overcome the precarious legal position of the various religions or beliefs that exist in today's Turkey.
Underlining the traditionally very good relations between Cyprus and Russia, Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, addressing House President Marios Garoyian and the parliamentary delegation, which is visiting Russia said that the agreement to avoid double taxation will make the economic relations of the two countries more transparent. Referring to the cooperation agreement that will be signed on Tuesday between the Democratic Party and United Russia Party, he said that it will constitute a supplement of the agreement. Garoyian repeated Cyprus’ gratitude to Russia for the support it has granted when other countries had abandoned it. Addressing Garoyian, Putin said that the signing of the agreement between the President of the Democratic Party Garoyian and the United Russia Party, Boris Gryzlov is an important supplement in the cooperation on a state and parliamentary level between the two countries. Referring to the good historically relations between Russia and Cyprus, he said they are developing very well, adding that his government has ratified the agreement for the avoidance of double taxation, adding that this agreement will make the cooperation between the two countries more transparent on the economic level. “Our cooperation is developing well, however cooperation with other partners, just as with Cyprus, is exhibiting a slight decrease due to the world recession”, said Putin, adding that the commercial exchange between the two countries is on a good level. Replying, Garoyian said that his meeting with the Russian Prime Minister is a privilege. He repeated the gratitude of the people of Cyprus towards the government of the Russian federation, the Russian people and the State Duma for the policy of principles and values that the Russian federation has adopted and continues to adopt on Cyprus. He said that during the hard times of the modern history of the Republic of Cyprus, the Russian Federation, the government, the Duma and the Russian people supported the people of Cyprus at a time when others abandoned Cyprus. Garoyian expressed the hope that the small Republic of Cyprus, will be able to contribute in its own way, in promoting the vital interests of the Russian federation and at the same time, “continue to be the best friend of Russia within the EU”.
The Kosovo Albanian government in Priština has set aside EUR 5.7mn to promote Kosovo on some of the world’s leading TV stations. CNN, BBC World News, Euronews, CNN Turk, Bloomberg and Eurosport will start broadcasting a TV commercial today, prepared "with the goal of creating a new image of Kosovo in the world". The media campaign was put together by consortium BBR Saatchi & Saatchi. The 60-second video will be first aired tonight. The 60-second clip will be first aired tonight, with Kosovo President Fatmir Sejdiu and Prime Minister Hashim Thaci announcing the start of the campaign. Paid adds will later also be published in international magazines, such as The Economist and Newsweek. BBR Saatchi & Saatchi won a tender worth EUR 5.7mn to promote "the state of Kosovo" a few months ago, and they expect that the campaign will last for two years.
The political situation in the US is such that the president isn’t strong enough to stand against the Pentagon, said political commentator and author Pat Buchanan who spoke to RT on the situation in Afghanistan. “The generals are jamming the president, saying ‘We need the troops, we need them now, if we don’t get them it’s mission failure, and in this case it will be your responsibility’,” Buchanan noted. He believes they’re trying to force an early decision on Obama. “And I think in some degree they are succeeding: they got the president to say ‘I’m not drawing down troops, I’m going to provide more’,” he continued. The former presidential candidate thinks a victory in Afghanistan will cost the US blood and treasure for years to come. Patrick Joseph “Pat” Buchanan is an American conservative political commentator, author, syndicated columnist, politician and broadcaster.
The focus of the health overhaul debate now shifts to whether Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid can persuade a handful of moderate senators to get behind his new proposal for a government-sponsored insurance plan. That's no sure bet. Even Reid, D-Nev., didn't claim to have the 60 votes needed to pass his proposal when he ended weeks of speculation by announcing that the Senate version of sweeping health care legislation would include a provision for the government to sell health insurance in competition with private insurers. The issue has been the biggest flash point in the health care debate, and government-sponsored insurance had been seen as unlikely to be included in Senate legislation because of opposition from moderates. The House's health care bill, expected to be released as early as this week, is certain to contain a strong provision for a so-called public insurance option, though details aren't final. "I think it's the fairest way to go," Reid told reporters Monday. Individual states would have the choice of opting out of the government plan under Reid's proposal. It still amounted to a victory for liberal lawmakers who have pushed for a public insurance option they contend would create needed competition for private industry and provide affordable choices to consumers. The reaction from moderate Democrats - they fear a public plan could drive insurers out of business and take over the marketplace - ranged from muted to skeptical. The one Republican who has so far lent her support to Democratic health overhaul proposals, Sen. Olympia Snowe of Maine, said she was "deeply disappointed" by Reid's decision. "We hope that Olympia will come back. She's worked hard. She's a very good legislator. I'm disappointed that the one issue, the public option, has been something that's frightened her," Reid said. If Snowe doesn't come back, the fate of Reid's public option could rest in the hands of a few key moderate Democrats including Sens. Ben Nelson of Nebraska, Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas and Mary Landrieu of Louisiana. Landrieu said in a statement that she's still "very skeptical" about a government plan run from Washington but would keep working with Reid to find a "principled compromise." Nelson "is not committing how we will vote regarding any proposal Sen. Reid is advancing," said spokesman Jake Thompson. Lincoln, who's up for re-election in 2010, said through a spokesman she intends to study the details and decide how to vote based on the impact on her home state. The White House released a statement saying Obama was "pleased that the Senate has decided to include a public option for health coverage, in this case with an allowance for states to opt out."
The 2009 White Out T-shirt's cross-like design has spurred complaints from organizations and alumni, including requests that the shirt be taken off of store shelves. The university received complaints and requests earlier in the season from organizations such as the Anti-Defamation League -- a group that fights anti-Semitism -- concerning the shirt's design, Penn State President Graham Spanier wrote in an e-mail Thursday. Spanier wrote that the university did not feel it was appropriate to intervene with the sale of the shirts. Associate Athletic Director Greg Myford said the athletic department also received a complaint about the shirts but did not consider pulling the shirts off of shelves. The white shirts feature a vertical blue line down the center of their front and back and resemble the Penn State football helmet. The words "Penn State White Out" are written horizontally across the top two-thirds of the line on the front, and "Don't be intimidated ... It's just me and 110,000 of my friends" is written across the majority of the back. The shirt was designed by student Emily Sabolsky -- who could not be reached for comment by press time -- in a contest sponsored by the Collegian's business division. Penn State students voted for Sabolksy's design from a slate of other proposals. Sabolsky's resume, posted on her personal Penn State Web page, lists her as a senior majoring in public relations and minoring in Jewish studies. Many students noticed the design's resemblance to a cross. Greg Plumb (junior-neuroscience), when asked if he had seen the 2009 White Out shirt, replied, "The giant cross?" "I thought it was a little bizarre," he said. "I think it's certainly something to consider for future White Out T-shirts, but what's done is done." John Shoemaker (senior-information science and technology) said his mother originally pointed out the cross shape on the T-shirt. He said he did not feel the image was worth complaining about. "There are plenty of things that look like crosses when you look at them," he said. The shirt is not currently in stock at the Penn State Bookstore. Myford said the shirt sold extremely well and that student participation in last year's T-shirt design contest was at an all-time high. But some students refused to buy the shirt on the premise of religious connotations. Michal Berns, Hillel president, said she did not purchase the shirt because of the design. "I know I wasn't the only one," Berns (junior-media law and policy) said. "As Hillel, we're not going to complain. I don't think we have a right to say what [the university] should or shouldn't be doing, but in my personal opinion I think it looks like a cross."
The Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, has made a return visit to the Lower Ninth Ward District of New Orleans, US, to survey the recovery and restoration efforts of the wetland area in Bayou Bienvenue. In January 2006, the Ecumenical Patriarch travelled to New Orleans to witness the devastation of Hurricane Katrina and to pray with the people of New Orleans. The Orthodox leader’s visit this week has been part of his continuing advocacy for the protection of the environment – a commitment which is being highlighted among many faith leaders at the Eighth Religion, Science and Environment Symposium, entitled ‘Restoring Balance: The Great Mississippi River,’ convened in New Orleans. Upon his arrival in the area, the Patriarch walked up a platform overlooking the wetlands and was briefed by local officials on the work of the coastal restoration of the bayou and the re-building of the levees, which would prevent storm waves, allowing trees and other vegetation to flourish again in the area. “We are here again to pray for the victims of Hurricane Katrina and their families and to express our solidarity with the people of New Orleans. We shall also continue to pray and work for the protection of the natural environment,” the Orthodox leader declared to local officials, conservationists and residents of the area. “God compelled you to come and stand with us in our fight to restore the natural environment in this area, which is part of God’s creation,” responded City of New Orleans councilwoman Cynthia Willard-Lewis as she thanked Bartholemew for his visit and his prayers. The Ecumenical Patriarch then went near the waters of the bayou and with other clergy chanted the hymn of the Epiphany. He also toured the area where the levees had broken in the hurricane and met with local residents who have only recently moved back. Earlier in the day on 21 October, Bartholemew had conducted a memorial service at the St Louis Cemetery Number Three, for the victims of Hurricane Katrina and also in memory of the late Archbishop Iakovos of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of North & South America, whose patron saint’s day coincided with the occasion, according to the Orthodox Christian liturgical calendar.