Michael's 7 News Stories - 12 November

I. Remembering our Veterans Now and Always

It is that time of the year once again – remembering the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of the year, when the First World War finally came to an end. While this unfortunately did not bring about a total end to all wars, and the wars that came after it may be considered in more unspeakable terms that those who were there during World War I could probably not even begin to imagine, it is nevertheless a time that is worth commemorating. It is no longer a surprise, therefore, that all over America there were a lot of things – big and small – that were being done to remember those who have fought so valiantly in the name of America. In an elementary school in Kodiak, Alaska, young children were given homework on Tuesday afternoon — thank a veteran for the services they have rendered on Veteran’s Day, as recounted by a feature on the Kodiak Daily Mirror. It was a good thing that there were several of them on hand and available to thank in person – a good couple of dozen, all sons and daughters of Kodiak. They represented all five branches of the United States Armed Forces. On Veteran’s Day, First Lady Michelle Obama was at the George Washington University. Also there was Dr. Jill Biden, and together they helped launch Mission Serve, the new civilian-military initiative from Service Nation. During her speech, Mrs. Obama acknowledged the various sacrifices that our soldiers and their respective families have to endure in order to serve their country and their countrymen. She also acknowledged how the veterans who have left military life are equipped with skills that are very much needed by the civilian community, which invariably make them valuable assets to the community. Indeed, Veterans Day is great way of placing a spotlight on our soldiers and the lives that they lead. Remembering them, however, should not be confined to a single day. They need our constant support and remembrance as they lay their lives on the line for the good of the country.

II. Hasan's Ties Spark Government Blame Game

The mystery over whether the military knew Fort Hood shooting suspect Nidal Hasan was communicating with a radical Muslim imam lapsed into finger-pointing ahead of congressional investigations looking into the Army psychiatrist's contacts with any extremists. Two government officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the case on the record, said the Washington-based joint terrorism task force overseen by the FBI was notified of communications between Hasan and the imam overseas, and the information was turned over to a Defense Criminal Investigative Service employee assigned to the task force. The communications were gathered by investigators beginning in December 2008 and continuing into early this year. That defense investigator wrote up an assessment of Hasan after reviewing the communications and the Army major's personnel file, according to these officials. Meanwhile, a group of doctors overseeing Hasan's medical training discussed concerns about his overly zealous religious views and strange behavior months before the shooting, the Associated Press reported today. A military official familiar with discussions about Hasan says Hasan as a psychiatrist in training was belligerent, defensive and argumentative in his frequent discussions of his Muslim faith. The disclosure came as questions swirled about whether opportunities were missed to head off the massacre in which 13 died and 29 were wounded last Thursday - a familiar, early stage in the investigation of headline-grabbing crimes when public officials involved in a case often speak anonymously as they try to shift any blame to rivals in other agencies.

III. Afghan firing line for Greek forces?

A proposal by the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan foresees the transfer of a 122-strong Greek construction battalion (TESAF) from the northwestern province of Herat, which is considered relatively safe, to Farah, in the country’s west, which is the site of frequent suicide bombings by the Taliban, military sources have told Kathimerini. According to the same sources, the Greek Defense Ministry has said that it has not approved the transfer, noting that it was proposed when the previous conservative government had been in power. According to the proposal, reportedly put forward by Italian troops leading the ISAF effort in Herat, there are no more major construction projects for TESAF in the province and the Greek contingent’s contribution is needed in Farah. In the event that TESAF is transferred, the battalion would be be boosted with an additional 20 officers, bringing the total size of the contingent to 142. The project that TESAF would undertake in Farah, according to sources, would be the construction of a military camp for ISAF forces there, currently being accommodated in prefabricated buildings and other temporary accommodation. A parallel proposal by NATO for Greek troops to take over the management of Kabul’s international airport next March, as they did between December 2005 and March 2006, would result in the total number of Greek officers in Afghanistan increasing to 300. NATO’s new proposal reportedly foresees Greece taking over at the airport for a year rather than six months.

IV. Britain offers land for Cyprus reunification

The UK would give up tracts of its military bases in Cyprus if reunification talks are successful, Gordon Brown said yesterday. After meeting President Dimitris Christofias, the Prime Minister urged the leaders of the divided Greek and Turkish populations to be "courageous" in efforts to secure a United Nations- brokered deal. He said: "An offer has been made to the United Nations to make available just under 50 per cent of the territory of the UK's Sovereign Base Areas to a unified Cyprus in the event of a solution. It will be up to the two leaders to negotiate what happens with this land. "Today, my message to Cyprus's leaders and to their people is: you can make history; be bold, be courageous; the UK will support you." The two base areas – Akrotiri and Dhekelia – were retained under UK jurisdiction when Cyprus was granted independence in 1960 but are military not "colonial" territories. They cover 98 square miles – which is 3 per cent of the Mediterranean island's total land area – but around 60 per cent of that is privately-owned and around 7,000 Cypriots live within them. The Foreign Office said the base areas, which are entirely military, would be able to function as normal within the reduced land area. RAF Akrotiri, an air base on the southern coast, has acted as a key staging post for British forces en route to the Gulf and elsewhere in the region.

V. Gunmen Kill Top Somali Judge Known for Stiff Pirate Sentences

Gunmen have killed a top Somali judge who had sentenced many pirates and human traffickers to long jail terms, the security minister for northern Somalia said Thursday. Mohamed Said Samatar said three men were arrested Thursday over the killing of High Court Judge Mohamed Abdi Aware. In addition to jailing suspected pirates, Aware also recently jailed four members of Somalia's Islamic insurgency. Eyewitness Mohamud Dahir said masked men with pistols shot the judge in the head and chest several times as he left a mosque Wednesday evening in the port city of Bossaso. "These gangs hate him for his justice. We suspect one of them may have something to do with his assassination," said Aware's cousin, Abdulahi Jama. Aware was also a member of Puntland's Supreme Judicial Council, which supervises the judiciary and nominates senior judicial officials. Samatar says Puntland legislator Ibrahim Ilmi Warsame was also shot dead Wednesday as he sat in a restaurant with friends. It was not immediately clear if the killings were linked. Somalia has not had an effective central government for 18 years, although Puntland has set up a semiautonomous government and the northern region of Somaliland has declared its independence. Warlords overthrew longtime dictator Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991. They then turned on each other, plunging Somalia into chaos and anarchy.

VI. "Tadić should invite pope to Serbia"

A religion analyst says that when it comes to the Vatican, "the important issues for Serbia are European integrations". Živica Tucić spoke for B92 as President Boris Tadić is in Rome, where he will, among others, meet with the head of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Benedict XVI. Tucić listed that church's position toward Kosovo's status and a "sort of a benevolent stance" of Catholic countries toward Serbia as other important issues. “I think that Tadić should invite the pope to visit Serbia without setting a precise date,” he pointed out. The analyst stressed that there were about five percent of Catholics living in Serbia and that they had the right to receive a visit from their religious leader. The Vatican, as an important subject of international law, "has its expectations from Serbia", he continued. Tucić continued to say that Vatican's refusal to recognize Kosovo "did not have much influence in the Catholic countries, because every each decided about its foreign policy". “The reasons why the Vatican did not recognize Kosovo have more to do with inter-church relations between the Roman Catholic Church and the Orthodox Christianity in general. In any case, it is a good thing and Serbia considers it a great gesture from Vatican, and should appreciate it” said he.

VII. Meeting possible between Pope, Patriarch Kirill

Relations between the Russian Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches are improving and a meeting between Pope Benedict XVI and the Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, may be on the cards, a Russian Orthodox bishop said. "Today it can be said that we are moving to a moment when it becomes possible to prepare a meeting between the Pope and the Patriarch of Moscow," Archbishop Hilarion of Volokolamsk, the head of the Department for External Church Relations, told reporters in Moscow. "There are no specific plans for the venue or timing of such a meeting but on both sides there is a desire to prepare it," the Archbishop said. Preparations for such a meeting must involve finding "a common platform on all remaining points of dispute," the Archbishop said. One such issue are relations between the Uniate community and Orthodox believers in Ukraine. In the early 1990s, "the fragile interdenominational balance was upset and a serious situation took shape that still exists," Archbishop Hilarion said. At the same time, conversion of Orthodox believers into Catholicism is less of a problem today than it was a decade ago, he said. Benedict XVI is "a very reserved, traditional man who does not seek the expansion of the Catholic Church to traditionally Orthodox regions," the Archbishop said. When Benedict XVI, shortly after being elected Pope, met with Metropolitan Kirill (the present Russian Patriarch, then head of the DECR), a papal visit to Russia "was taken off the agenda as now it appears to us to be impossible," the bishop said. After Metropolitan Kirill has been elected Patriarch, "one can hope for further steps" in Orthodox-Catholic dialogue because the Patriarch "will continue the line on relations with Christians of other denominations that he pursued as part of his former activities," the Archbishop said.

Michael's 7 Top Stories - 11 November

I. Greek Orthodox Priest Mistaken for Terrorist

A Marine reservist was charged with attacking a Greek Orthodox priest he said he thought was a terrorist. The reservist, Lance Cpl. Jasen D. Bruce, is accused of hitting the Rev. Alexios Marakis over the head with a tire iron and chasing him for three blocks on Monday evening before Tampa police officers intervened. Father Marakis, a Greek Orthodox priest visiting from Crete, told the police he had stopped to ask for help after getting lost. Mr. Bruce told the police he heard Father Marakis yell, “Allahu akbar!” — Arabic for “God is great,” said a police spokeswoman, Laura McElroy. Father Marakis, however, does not speak Arabic, Ms. McElroy said; he speaks Greek. Lance Corporal Bruce’s lawyer said his client was the one attacked.

II. "Political Correctness" Prevented Probe Into Hasan E-Mails

The claim comes as officials in different branches of law enforcement and the military squabble over who knew what when about Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan's leanings toward faith-inspired violence, and as charges fly that 'political correctness' prevented officials from taking action and is still being used as a crutch in explaining the rampage after the fact. Investigators would have been "crucified" over First Amendment rights if they had launched a full-scale probe into e-mails Fort Hood massacre suspect Army Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan allegedly sent to a radical imam, a government investigator told Fox News. The claim comes as the squabble grows among officials in different branches of law enforcement and the military over who knew what, and when, about Hasan's leanings toward faith-inspired violence, and amid charges that "political correctness" prevented officials from taking pre-emptive action. "Had we launched an investigation of Hasan we'd have been crucified," the investigator said, adding that the communications were shared with the "appropriate chains." But even after the attacks, some have been reluctant to cite religion as a factor, as evidence has mounted that the alleged gunman's Muslim faith was at least a partial factor in the decision to mount the attack. Witnesses report hearing Hasan yell "Allahu Akbar" -- "God is Great" -- during the rampage. Hasan once gave a presentation justifying homicide bombings, according to witnesses. In one presentation, he also urged the military to let Muslim members leave the service to avoid "adverse" effects. But "political correctness" has been cited as a reason why warning signs from Hasan were potentially overlooked by the military in the first place. Some see Hasan being treated the same way in the wake of the shooting. Bernard Goldberg, a former CBS News correspondent, took the media to task for its coverage. "What's the story line they run with? Religion? Of course not. Can't do that. He's a Muslim," he said Friday on Fox News' "The O'Reilly Factor." Fox News contributor Monica Crowley called that assessment "incredible." "I think he's knee-deep in political correctness, as so many people are, including now, as we know, the United States military. Political correctness is turning out to be the death of this country," she said.

III. Pirates seize Greek ship off Seychelles

Suspected Somali pirates hijacked a Greek-owned bulk carrier Wednesday with 22 crew members aboard. MV Filitsa was seized in the early morning about 460 miles (740 kilometers) northeast of the Seychelles as it headed toward Durban, South Africa. There have been more than 100 pirate attacks and at least 39 hijackings off the east Africa this year. In late October, Somali pirates seized a private yacht in the Indian Ocean, taking Paul and Rachel Chandler hostage. They have demanded a $7 million ransom for the British couple's release, but the government has refused to pay as a matter of long-standing policy. Two vessels were attacked the day after the Chandlers set sail. One of them -- a cargo ship -- was successfully boarded and seized off the Seychelles, while the other fought off its attackers near the Kenyan coast. Pirates are still holding a Spanish fishing boat, the Alakrana, which they seized on October 2 off Somalia's coast. Days later, they transferred three of the fishing boat's 36 crew members to land.

IV. Greece, Serbia on W. Balkans initiative

Serbian President Boris Tadić conferred Tuesday in Athens with Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou. Tadić thanked him for his initiative for the Western Balkan countries' integration in the European Union by 2014, his office said. Tadić and Papandreou also spoke about Serbia's EU integration, visa liberalization, fighting organized crime and regional situation. Tadić's visit to Greece precedes his visit to Rome where he will confer with Italian President Giorgio Napolitano on November 12, the release says. One day later, Tadić will head a Serbian government delegation to the Serbian-Italian summit. From Rome, he will travel to Berlin to confer with Chancellor Angela Merkel on November 16. That meeting will be "one of the first" Merkel will have with foreign statesmen since her re-election, it was announced. The top-level talks in Athens, Rome and Berlin are part of Tadić's endeavors for securing EU countries' support to the forthcoming EU decisions on visa liberalization and Serbia's integration process, the statement concluded.

V. Cyprus government reacts to British bases offer

Cyprus reacted coolly Wednesday to an offer made by Britain to cede about half of its sovereign territory on the island to facilitate a peace agreement between Greek and Turkish Cypriots. Foreign Minister Marcos Kyprianou said the Greek Cypriots want a solution and the reunification of the former British colony does not need any other motive. "Presently we should concentrate on the talks and if Britain wishes to effectively assist the process for a solution to the problem it should exert pressure and influence on Turkey, so that it becomes more constructive in the talks for a settlement," Kyprianou said. A Cyprus government spokesman said President Demetris Christofias expected to discuss the offer with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown later Wednesday in London. "A similar offer was included in the Annan Plan but we must wait for further information," the spokesman said. Britain has maintained two separate "sovereign bases" on its former colony even after Cyprus gained independence in 1960. The offer to cede half the territory of the military bases was made Tuesday by the British High Commissioner to Alexander Downer, the advisor of the U.N. Secretary General on Cyprus. The solution proposed by the United Nations in 2002, known as the Annan Plan, was accepted by the Turkish Cypriot community but was rejected by the Greek side by a 76 percent majority in 2004. Talks between the Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities restarted in September 2008 with the aim of reaching a solution and reunifying Cyprus, which was partitioned in 1974 when Turkey sent troops and occupied the northern third of the island.

VI. Russia, S.Ossetia to report in Geneva on possible Georgian attack

Russia and the South Ossetia are set to raise the issue of a possible Georgian attack on its former territories during the Geneva talks on situation in the Caucasus to begin on Wednesday. The Geneva talks are backed by the UN, the EU and the OSCE and involve Georgia, Russia, South Ossetia and Abkhazia. The previous, seventh round of talks took place in September.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin said Russia had "alarming facts" that show that Tbilisi was still counting on using force to regain control over its former republics of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. He also said that Russia would again raise the question of concluding treaties on the non-use of force between Georgia and its former republics. South Ossetia said it would also present "conclusive evidence" that a new Georgian aggression against the former republic is being prepared. The Georgian delegation plans to raise the issue of four Georgian teenagers, detained in South Ossetia reportedly while in possession of grenades and explosive substances. In a similar move, South Ossetia will urge the release of three of its nationals apparently abducted from its territory by Georgian special services on October 13, 2008. Russia recognized the independence of the former Georgian republics of Abkhazia and South Ossetia last August after a five-day war with Georgia over the latter, which was attacked by Tbilisi in an attempt to bring it back under central control.

VII. Coptic Blogger in Egypt Threatens Hunger Strike

A Coptic Christian blogger in Egypt held in prison for more than a year without charge said today he will go on a hunger strike unless authorities grant his next application for release. Hani Nazeer, a 28-year-old high school social worker from Qena, Egypt and author of the blog “Karz El Hob,” received word today that his latest application for release, sent to the Ministry of the Interior a week ago, was denied. His attorneys said they would re-apply for his release tomorrow. The interior ministry did not “supply the grounds for refusal” according to Rawda Ahamad, Nazeer’s lead defense attorney. “He has no charges against him,” Ahamad said. “He is not a criminal. He must be released immediately. He’s an innocent man – anyone exposed to this severe injustice would do the same.” On Oct. 3, 2008, Nazeer was arrested by Egypt’s State Security Investigations (SSI) and sent to Burj Al-Arab prison. Although police never charged him with any crime, Nazeer has been detained for more than a year under Egypt’s administrative imprisonment law. Nazeer ran afoul of SSI officers a few days before his arrest when a group of local teenagers visited his website and clicked on a link to an online copy of “Azazil’s Goat in Mecca,” a novel written under the pseudonym “Father Utah.” The book is a response to “Azazil,” a novel by Yusuf Zidane, critical of Christianity. Insulting religion is illegal in Egypt, but the law is enforced unequally. Zidane’s critique of Christianity garnered him fame and awards throughout the Arab world. Nazeer’s website link cost him his freedom, despite the fact that police have never publicly produced any evidence linking Nazeer to Utah’s work. After Nazeer was arrested, posts continued on Utah’s website. This week’s application will be sent to a court within the Ministry of the Interior. But under the emergency law, police officials have the power to ignore court orders. When local police execute a court order to release prisoners held under Egypt’s emergency law, security police commonly re-arrest them minutes later. The law, enacted after the 1981 assassination of President Anwar Sadat, allows authorities to hold people without charge. Eid estimated that there are approximately 14,000 people imprisoned under this law. In 2005, while running for re-election, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak promised to replace the contested law. But in May of 2008, the Egyptian government extended the law for two more years. Mamdouh Nakhla, an attorney and civil rights activist in Egypt, said oppression of Coptic Christians is common and that many police officers in Egypt are the “agents of persecution.” At best, he said, they are complicit in acts of persecution. At worst, he added, police collude with others hostile to Christianity.

Michael's 7 Top Stories - 10 November

I. Tear down last 'wall' on Cyprus

Attending celebrations to mark the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou on Monday called on Europe to tear down the last remaining wall within its borders, namely, the wall that still separates and divides the island of Cyprus. "As Greeks and as Europeans we must shout out: Tear down the last wall, the one that divides Cyprus in two," Papandreou underlined in his address. The Greek premier underlined that a free and united Europe should not tolerate walls or occupation forces, and promised to fight for a Europe free of any kind of "wall". "This is the kind of Europe we want and it is not just our intention but also our promise to fight for such a Europe and for the Cyprus that we envisage," he emphasised. Papandreou described the current day as a "historic anniversary" when Germans and European citizens stood up and demanded that the Berlin Wall be torn down, "along with all walls that trapped the so many people of Europe in totalitarianism, autocracy, fixations and prejudices, opening the horizons for democracy and freedom." These heroic actions and moments underlined the "wager of democracy, which is to daily tear down walls that keep citizens away from politics and do not put him at its centre," the premier said.

II. Barack Obama skips Berlin Wall ceremonies

There was one world leader absent for today’s commemorations marking the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. Surprisingly enough, it’s President Barack Obama, who found time last year to give a campaign speech there last year, which Der Spiegel summed up as “People of the World, Look at Me”. The White House has cited a packed schedule, though looking at it he had nothing much on yesterday (brief chat to reporters about healthcare – by far his biggest priority) and just blah briefings and a bill signing today until a metting this evening with Benjamin Netanyahu. This time, Der Spiegel has reported it as “Barack Too Busy”. But Obama is, of course, making time to trot over to Norway to receive the Nobel Peace Prize in December. Didn’t seem to have too much of a problem clearing the diary for that – though his acceptance of the prize and decision to give a another soaring, historical, epoch-marking etc etc speech there will be looked back on as a colossal political mistake and sign of hubris. Perhaps Obama felt that celebrating the role of the United States in bringing down the wall would be a bit triumphalist and not quite in keeping with his wish to present America as a declining world power anxious to apologise for sundry historic misdeeds. Maybe he didn’t really want to be associated with that warmonger Ronald Reagan. Whatever the reasons, it’s another revealing mistake by Obama.

III. Obama, Medvedev to discuss START, N.Korea, Iran in Singapore

The U.S. and Russian presidents will discuss strategic arms cuts, as well as North Korea and Iran, during a meeting in Singapore during the weekend, the White House said Monday. "Obviously, we'll continue to talk through issues that they've spent time working on, most notably the START Treaty that expires I believe the 5th of December, and continue discussions about North Korea and Iran," White House spokesman Robert Gibbs told journalists. Barack Obama and Dmitry Medvedev will meet during a summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation member states. APEC forum meetings began on Sunday and will culminate in a summit on November 14-15. START I (the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty), the basis for Russian-U.S. strategic nuclear disarmament, is valid until December 5. The two countries' leaders have expressed the hope that a new pact will be ready before it expires. Six-party talks involving the two Koreas, the U.S., Russia, Japan and China on the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula ground came to a halt in April when North Korea walked out of negotiations in protest against the United Nations' condemnation of its missile tests.The West suspects Iran of pursuing a secret nuclear weapons program but the Islamic Republic says it needs nuclear power solely for civilian purposes. APEC comprises 21 states, including Australia, Indonesia, China, Malaysia, Russia, South Korea, Singapore, the United States, and Japan.

IV. Kosovo vote against UN Resolution 1244

There are no conditions for Serbs to take part in the local elections in Kosovo on November 15, Minister for Kosovo Goran Bogdanović told B92. Bogdanović said that these would be the first elections organized against UNSC Resolution 1244. "Serbs who would take part in the elections should ask themselves how much that would help Serbia save Kosovo and Metohiija," he noted. “We cannot deprive anyone of their democratic right to vote and we don’t want to, but we are sending a clear message that there are no conditions for Serbs to vote in the elections because they are against Resolution 1244,” stated the minister.

V. Israel says major cities in Hezbollah rocket range

Israel's army chief says Hezbollah guerrillas now possess tens of thousands of rockets, some capable of reaching the country's major cities. Officials say Maj. Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi told lawmakers Tuesday that some of the rockets can fly up to 200 miles (325 kilometers). That would put Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, as well as Israel's secretive nuclear reactor in the southern desert, into rocket range. Last week, Israel seized a ship that it says was carrying hundreds of tons of weapons to the Lebanese guerrilla group. Israel and Hezbollah fought a bitter, monthlong war in 2006. Ashkenazi delivered his assessment to a parliamentary hearing. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because the meeting was closed.

VI. Radical Imam Praises Alleged Fort Hood Shooter

The personal Web site for a radical American imam living in Yemen who had contact with two 9/11 hijackers is praising alleged Fort Hood shooter Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan as a hero. The posting Monday on the Web site for Anwar al Awlaki, who was a spiritual leader at two mosques where three 9/11 hijackers worshipped, said American Muslims who condemned the attacks on the Texas military base last week are hypocrites who have committed treason against their religion. Two U.S. intelligence officialstold The Associated Press the Web site was Al Awlaki's. They spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence collection. Anwar said the only way a Muslim can justify serving in the U.S. military is if he intends to "follow in the footsteps of men like Nidal."

VII. Secretary Clinton's Remarks: Dinner Honoring the Visit of the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew

Good evening, and please be seated. I want to welcome all of you to the Ben Franklin Room here on the eighth floor of the State Department for such a special occasion. It is indeed an honor for me to welcome His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, whom I have had the great honor and personal pleasure of getting to know over the years... His All Holiness and I have had the pleasure of meeting a number of times since I first visited him as First Lady at the Patriarchate in 1995, but one of our most memorable times together came when Archbishop was enthroned in New York 10 years ago. A lot has happened in the intervening decade, but one thing that has not changed is his All Holiness´s commitment not only to his church and to the people of the church, but to the world, and the work that he has done, which is so important to us all. The institution of the Ecumenical Patriarchate dates to the dawn of Christianity and His All Holiness is the 270th successor of St. Andrew the Apostle. Now, one might think that someone who carries such a mantle of history, such a legacy of service and faith, would be, you know, a little stuffy. (Laughter.) But those of us who know him know nothing could be further from the truth. He is a person of such great warmth and humor and care and concern, and his tireless work for religious tolerance, his award-winning advocacy on behalf of the environment - he´s been a champion for dealing with the global challenges of our time... I particularly appreciate what he did in the aftermath of 9/11, when he united leaders from across the religious spectrum to condemn the terrorist attacks and call for harmony among the world´s faithful. His campaign on behalf of religious freedom and peaceful coexistence has helped to bridge divides among believers. And the United States has been proud to support his calls for religious tolerance, both in Turkey and around the world. It is one of the reasons that President Obama and I have been so vocal about the need to reopen Halki Seminary and protect the rights of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. We have raised these issues repeatedly and publically, and will continue to do so until they are addressed....

Michael's 7 Top Stories - 09 November

I. OCL conference hears clarity on quest for unity

Metropolitan Jonah of the Orthodox Church in America spoke in the final week of October at the Orthodox Christian Laity conference in Ligonier, Pennsylvania. He provided clarity to the laity on the requirements placed upon the American jurisdictions by the recent Chambesy conference. The international conference in June sent a requirement to all American Orthodox bishops to meet together and determine a course of action to approach a unified American Orthodoxy. Metropolitan Jonah, whose Orthodox Church in America did not take part in Chambesy IV, welcomed the process. He encouraged the laity to recognize that the leadership of the Church will make the hardest decisions, but the laity must nonetheless be very involved with each other. "Part of the challenge is simply to be together: to work together, to pray together, and for our children to grow up together, our seminarians to study and pray together and our people to marry one another. There is a gradual process of integration that will take generations and will eventually result in a completely unique American Orthodoxy," he said in a presentation at the Thursday night session in Ligonier. Metropolitan Jonah conceded that all jurisdictions including the OCA must give up their own structures to form a new church. This concession was a welcome offering to a discussion that has been complicated by territorial and ethnic claims from a variety of parties, as well as worries about what properties, activities, and claims several authorities would be required to abandon, transfer, or share in the hypothetical new order. "When the time comes for that autocephaly, then the vision that we were given in 1970 will be fulfilled in something much greater than we are ourselves," he said. Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew completed a rare visit to the United States several days ago. During his visit, he met with Metropolitan Jonah, who said he was encouraged by the Patriarch's public words and also by their private conversation.

II. Russia, US restart nuclear disarmament talks

Russia and the United States on Monday resumed what is expected to be the last round of marathon talks to renew a key nuclear disarmament treaty which is due to expire next month. "The negotiations resumed this morning at the Russian mission and will last about a month until December 5," a Russian diplomat told AFP. Delegations from the two countries are divided into "four working groups on specific subjects," and should "meet alternately at the Russian mission and the American mission during this period," added the source. The latest negotiations mark the eighth round since May in a bid by the two to conclude a treaty to replace the landmark 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) which expires on December 5. Russian foreign ministry spokesman Andrei Nesterenko said last week: "We hope that this will be the last round and that by December 5 we will have agreed a new accord." A Kremlin source quoted in the Russian press meanwhile said the two Cold War foes plan to sign the accord before Obama receives his Nobel Peace Prize on December 10, marking a major foreign policy achievement for the US leader. Moscow indicated Thursday that the latest US proposal on START was "constructive."

III. Muslims watch U.S. moves

The Muslim world is watching how the United States will act on the stalled process for Palestinian-Israeli peace and wondering how one of the main sticking points, the Israeli settlements, will be resolved, the world's top diplomat for Islam said on Saturday. Arab discontent over statements from Washington seen as favoring Israel culminated this week when Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said he did not want to run in an upcoming poll, citing disappointment with US President Barack Obama. Abbas's frustration with Obama centered on the US administration backing away from support for demands for a «freeze» on Israel settlement building in the occupied West Bank and an endorsement of Israel's view that settlement expansion should not be a bar to resuming peace talks. «We would like to keep our hopes that President Obama's commitments and good intentions will translate into reality but, of course, we've found that the whole negotiation comes back to square one,» said Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, secretary general of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC). Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has refused to halt construction in the settlements, many of which the Jewish state plans to annex under any eventual peace accord. Palestinian elections are scheduled for January 24, though few are anxious to take on Abbas's role, throwing into doubt the reconciliation of fighting Palestinian factions as well as the peace process with Israel.

IV. Turkey defends invitation to Bashir

Abdullah Gul, president of Turkey, accused the European Union yesterday of "interfering" by asking Ankara to withdraw an invitation for Omar Hassan al-Bashir, Sudan's indicted president, to attend an Islamic summit in Istanbul. The row threatens to stir fresh tensions between Turkey and its western allies after a month in which Turkish leaders have forged trade links with Iran and Syria and provoked a crisis in relations with Israel by ejecting it from joint military exercises. Turkey's hosting of next Monday's meeting of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference, which Mahmoud Ahmadi-Nejad, Iran's president, is likely to attend alongside Mr Bashir, will boost Ankara's image as a key player in the region and wider Muslim world.

But it will raise fears that this more assertive foreign policy could set it at odds with its traditional allies. "Why are they interfering? Who are they to deliver a note to us?" Mr Gul said, according to the Anatolian news agency.

V. Cyprus President hopes Europeans to assist efforts to solve problem

President of the Republic of Cyprus Demetris Christofias said on Monday that the wall dividing Nicosia still stands, a fact the Europeans are aware of, and expressed hope that the Europeans would assist efforts to solve the Cyprus problem and reunite the island. Speaking at Larnaca Airport before departing for Berlin, where he will attend celebrations to mark the anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, President Christofias said Germany was divided after World War II and the victory of the allied forces, while Cyprus has been divided for 35 years due to the Turkish invasion. President Christofias said Europe could contribute to efforts to solve the Cyprus problem and the ongoing talks between the leaders of the two communities, so that an agreement could be reached for a bizonal bicommunal federation in line with international and European law.

VI. Cypriot ghost town waits for life to begin again

An eerie silence lingers over Varosha, an abandoned Greek Cypriot neighborhood left in beachfront limbo since war split the Mediterranean island. Derelict apartment blocks and crumbling hotels riddled with bullet holes sit on empty beaches behind barbed-wire fencing after Varosha's 15,000 residents fled in 1974, when a Turkish invasion split Cyprus. Since then Varosha -- the Greek Cypriot quarter of the now Turkish Cypriot-controlled city of Famagusta has been sealed off. Turkish soldiers patrol a perimeter fence, with visitors only allowed to look at Varosha from afar. If peace talks between estranged Greek and Turkish Cypriots succeed, Varosha could be one of the first Greek Cypriot areas to be revived, one of scores of abandoned areas creating a buffer separating the island's Turkish and Greek populations for three decades. Varosha was once a suburb renowned for its artistic vibrancy and as a thriving business hub. What remains is reminiscent of an abandoned movie set. Snapshots taken by witnesses show furniture and upholstery still hanging from once pristine balconies that were badly damaged by the fighting.

VII. Serbs visit cemetery in southern Kosovska Mitrovica

Some 300 Serbs from northern Kosovska Mitrovica visited, on All Souls’ Day, the Orthodox cemetery in the southern, Albanian part of town, accompanied by members of the Kosovo Police Service. There were no incidents at the cemetery, where the Albanian vandals desecrated and destroyed more than 80 percent of the gravestones. In the southern part of Kosovska Mitrovica, more than 500 gravestones were destroyed and desecrated at the Serbian cemetery, while there is no damaged monuments at the Albanian cemetery in the northern part of the city. Serbs claim that the All Souls’ Day is their only chance when, accompanied by police, they can visit the graves of deceased relatives and friends in the southern part of Mitrovica, and added that more and more tombstones are damaged each year.

Michael's Top 7 News Stories - 06 November

I. Ecumenical Patriarch Makes Historic Visitation to AHEPA

His All Holiness Bartholomew I, Archbishop of Constantinople, New Rome, and Ecumenical Patriarch of the Orthodox Christian Church, made a historic visitation to AHEPA International Headquarters on Thursday, November 5. His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios accompanied His All Holiness. The Ecumenical Patriarch expressed appreciation for the AHEPA family's support and the great relationship it has with the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. Moreover the Ecumenical Patriarch noted the tremendous respect the AHEPA family has for His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios. Finally, His All Holiness stated that he looks forward to hosting the AHEPA family at the Phanar for Easter this spring. "We are extremely honored and deeply grateful that His All Holiness agreed to make this historic visitation to our international headquarters, and that His All Holiness was joined by our spiritual leader in the United States, Archbishop Demetrios," said Karacostas. "The AHEPA family cherishes its long-standing relationship with the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, and we look forward to continuing our strong support of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and Archdiocese. This was truly a momentous and joyous occasion."

II. Turkey makes new overtures to Greece

Sources say Turkey's prime minister has personally proposed a new level of cooperation with Greece, its neighbor and long-time rival. The proposal was delivered to the Greek government this week in the form a personal letter from Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to Greek counterpart George Papandreou that was hand delivered by Turkey's new ambassador to Athens. The letter specifically proposes a joint council to discuss key Aegean matters including the reunification of Cyprus and illegal immigration. A top Turkish diplomat told the Daily Zaman that his government acknowledges there are long-running issues between the two nations but nothing serious enough that it should prevent an increased level of cooperation between governments.

III. 77.9% of Cypriot Turks want two separate countries in Cyprus

77.9% of Cypriot Turks want two countries in Cyprus as a solution to the Cyprus issue, iKypros reports citing a sociological research executed by Cyprus Social and Economic Research Centre (KADEM). Great number of the respondents – 75.1%, would like for the issue to be solved on the basis of a confederation with restricted authorities of central government, while some 50.4% support the idea for a federation with strong central government. Asked how they would have voted on the “Annan” plan today, 30% of the people inquired gave a positive answer. Great part of the respondents – 63%, thinks that the direct negotiations between the leaders of the two communities will not bear any positive result.

IV. Cyprus backs Serbia's bid for EU membership

Cyprus' foreign minister says Serbia is ready to start talks to join the European Union. Markos Kyprianou says Serbia's refusal to recognize the independence of its breakaway province Kosovo should not hurt its EU membership bid. Kosovo declared its independence last year. About 60 countries have recognized its independence, including the United States and most of the European Union. Cyprus is among several EU members, including Spain and Greece, that do not recognize an independent Kosovo. Kyprianou says he's disappointed that the implementation of an EU-Serbia association agreement is being delayed because of "objections by some EU partners." Kyprianou spoke Friday after meeting his Serbian counterpart Vuk Jeremic.

V. U.S. stopped Israeli attack on weapons ship

The United States vetoed an Israeli plan to attack a ship bearing weapons allegedly from Iran to Hezbollah, according to a report in an Arabic-language newspaper. A-Sharq Al-Awsat reported Friday that Israeli sources said Israel wanted to attack the ship this week but the United States had insisted it not to do. Instead, the Israeli navy captured and boarded the vessel early Wednesday off the coast of Cyprus and brought it to the port of Ashdod, where 500 tons of weapons were taken off the ship. Ha'aretz reported that the ship's cargo of arms first traveled on an Iranian ship, but was unloaded in Egypt and put on the Francop, a German-owned ship run by a Cyprus company. The crew of that ship apparently had no knowledge that the cargo it received was weapons, including ammunition, artillery shells, rockets and hand grenades. The Israeli navy estimates that it included 300 tons of weapons and more than 3,000 rockets. Israel believes the cargo was headed for Hezbollah; Hezbollah has denied any connection to the ship.

VI. Russia, Georgia “in secret talks” on border reopening

Russia and Georgia are in secret negotiations to reopen the only checkpoint on their land border, according to Kommersant newspaper. The Upper Lars checkpoint was closed by Russia back in 2006. While officially it was explained by a need for reconstruction, the move came soon after a spy scandal between Moscow and Tbilisi. Several Russian officers were arrested in Georgia in late September of that year and accused of espionage. The Russian military and diplomats said that the charges were ungrounded, but in just a few days Russia stopped issuing visas to Georgians and started evacuating its citizens from Georgian territory. Also, the Russian consumer watchdog banned the imports of some Georgian goods, including wine and mineral water. The closure of Upper Lars – the only legal crossing of the land border – was viewed by many as another episode in the confrontation. In late 2008, Moscow reported that the construction work at the checkpoint was over, but it was not re-opened due to Tbilisi’s reluctance. In addition, the two countries have completely severed diplomatic relations after the war in South Ossetia. Now the issue is close to a resolution, the Kommersant daily reports.

VII. Two Orthodox monks publish a punk-style zine in the USA

Two monks for the St. Herman of Alaska Brotherhood monastery in Platina, California, publish a punk zine Death to the World. "These kids (punks - IF) are sick of themselves. They feel out of place in this world. We try to open up to them the beauty of God's creation and invite them to put to death 'the passions,' which is what we mean by 'the world,' Father Damascene (Christensen). He publishes the zine together with Father John, previously a punker himself. Their monastery under protection of the Serbian Orthodox Church was established by a well-known Orthodox theologian and ascetic hieromonk Seraphim (Rose), Miloserdie.ru reports. "We talk about the idea of suffering because that is what the kids feel most strongly. We show that there can be meaning in suffering," Father Damascene says. The first issue was published in December 1994. Its front cover shows an elderly monk wearing glasses and holding a skull. The upper caption reads "Death to the World: The Last True Rebellion", and the back cover shows the caption: "They hated me without a cause".

Michael's Top 7 Stories - 5 November

I. 'Green Patriarch' Meets with Obama to Discuss Climate Change

The spiritual leader of the world's 300 million Orthodox Christians met with President Obama on Tuesday and raised the issue of climate change, following up on a conversation they had engaged in during the president’s visit to Turkey. “The President with his kindness and openness received me and my delegation with love and honor,” said Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to the press as he was exiting the White House. During the more than half an hour meeting, Bartholomew talked about climate change and commended the president for his initiatives, urging him for an even more intensive campaign on behalf of ecological responsibility. Obama, in return, thanked the Orthodox leader for his moral and ethical leadership for all the world’s faith communities in responding to environmental concerns. Bartholomew, known to many as the “green patriarch,” has gained a reputation as a prominent environmentalist, putting the support of the patriarchate behind various international environmental causes. In a speech delivered later that day at Georgetown University, Bartholomew said each "crime against the natural world" is a sin and that people must ask God to forgive them for causing harm to His creation. “For humans to cause species to become extinct and to destroy the biological diversity of God’s creation… for humans to degrade the integrity of Earth by causing changes in its climate, by stripping the Earth of its natural forests, or destroying its wetlands… for humans to injure other humans with disease… for humans to contaminate the Earth’s waters, its land, its air, and its life, with poisonous substances… these are sins,” he stated. Near the close of Bartholomew's meeting with the president, Obama reportedly stressed his appreciation for the unique role of the Ecumenical Patriarch as the leader of the Orthodox Christian world, and the unique character of the Ecumenical Patriarchate as an institution.

II. Erdogan indicates willingness to talk

Momentum in Greek-Turkish relations appears to be building following Prime Minister George Papandreou’s visit to Istanbul in the first days of his premiership, as it emerged yesterday that his counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan has sent him a letter calling for a strengthening of ties between the two countries. The new Turkish ambassador to Athens, Mehmet Hasan Gogus, handed the letter to Alternate Foreign Minister Dimitris Droutsas on Tuesday. The Greek government has made no official statement on the content of the letter, as diplomatic protocol dictates that the sender reveals the details. However, reports in Turkey have suggested that Erdogan said he wants to improve relations with Greece in all areas and consequently put forward some suggestions about ways in which the two countries could cooperate. Diplomatic sources said it was too early to evaluate this move by Erdogan, which is being seen as a response to Papandreou’s decision to hold talks with Turkish officials just a few days after coming to power. It is expected that Papandreou will respond to the letter in the next few days. During a visit to Athens yesterday, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said that he will press ahead with efforts to reach a reunification deal on Cyprus, one of the main stumbling blocks in Greek-Turkish relations. “The UN has high expectations for a settlement and I believe this momentum must be maintained,” said Ban before talks with Papandreou. “My Cyprus envoy Mr Alexander Downer will continue to talk with the leaders of the two communities.” Ban also met with President Karolos Papoulias, who insisted that “no solution [on Cyprus] can be found without putting an end to the consequences of the [Turkish] invasion and occupation.”

III. Nimetz calls on Greece, FYROM for talks in New York

An announcement by a UN Secretariat spokesman on Wednesday said that (UN mediator on the issue of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia's (fYRoM) name) Matthew Nimetz has proposed a new meeting with the representatives of Greece and fYRoM, during the week beginning on November 16. The announcement said that during statements made to the press on Wednesday by the Secretary General and the Greek prime minister in Athens, the Secretary General noted that his personal envoy on talks between Greece and fYRoM, Matthew Nimetz, is willing for the talks to resume as soon as both sides are ready. It was further pointed out that the Secretary General mentioned that it is an encouraging fact that the Greek prime minister told him that "Greece is ready" and "will fully support" the "continuous facilitating role" of Nimetz. The announcement also stressed that Nimetz mentioned that he is in contact with the sides and has proposed the holding of a meeting in New York during the week beginning as of November 16.

IV. Georgian Opposition Wants U.S. To Renounce Recognition Of Kosovo

The chairman of Georgia's opposition Labor Party is in Washington to discuss Georgian-U.S.-Russian relations and the recognition of Kosovo and Georgia's breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, RFE/RL's Georgian and Russian services report. Labor Party Secretary-General Joseph Shatberashvili told RFE/RL that the main goal of Shalva Natelashvili's visit to Washington is "to start a dialogue with Moscow and Washington” on Moscow’s recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia and Washington’s recognition of Kosovo. Shatberashvili says that Labor Party leaders believe that if Washington would revoke its recognition of Kosovo's independence it would cause Russia to reconsider its decision to recognize Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent states. Shatberashvili did not specify with whom Natelashvili is scheduled to meet in Washington. Shatberashvili said that after the talks in the United States, Natelashvili -- who is known as one of Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili's "most consistent critics" -- will travel to Moscow to hold similar talks with Russian officials. Moscow recognized the Georgian republics as independent countries after a brief war with Georgia in August 2008.

V. Russia: Bosnia & Herzegovina should decide on NATO themselves

A decision on Bosnia and Herzegovina’s accession to NATO is up to that country’s people to make, Russian FM Sergey Lavrov said at a press conference in Sarajevo. However, he added, this should be preceded by the closing of the Office of the High Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Lavrov added. “I have congratulated Bosnia and Herzegovina on the election as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council. Bosnia and Herzegovina will vote independently. I hope it will make sovereign decisions rather than wait for approval from higher representatives,” the Russian Foreign Minister said. The Presidium of Bosnia and Herzegovina unanimously voted for the country’s accession to NATO, according to Bosnian Foreign Minister Sven Alkalaj. He said there is no alternative to integration into NATO and 75% of the country’s population support this, he noted.

VI. Pet cat in U.S. catches swine flu

A cat in Iowa has tested positive for H1N1 swine flu, the first time a cat has been diagnosed with the new pandemic strain, the American Veterinary Medical Association said on Wednesday. The 13-year-old cat apparently caught the virus from one of the people living in the house, the group said in a statement. It has recovered and does not appear to have infected anyone or anything else. Pigs are the original source of the H1N1 virus and it has been found in several herds, as well as in a pet ferret. Ferrets are especially susceptible to human influenza viruses. "Two of the three members of the family that owns the pet had suffered from influenza-like illness before the cat became ill," Iowa Department of Public Health Veterinarian Dr. Ann Garvey said in a statement. "This is not completely unexpected, as other strains of influenza have been found in cats in the past." Both the cat and its owners have recovered from their illnesses.

VII. Coptic Blogger in Egypt Pressured to Convert in Prison

A Coptic Christian blogger in Egypt entering his second year of prison without charge is being pressured to convert to Islam in exchange for his freedom, his attorneys said. On Oct. 3, 2008, Hani Nazeer, a 28-year-old high school social worker from Qena, Egypt and author of the blog “Karz El Hob” (“Love Cherries”), was arrested by Egypt’s State Security Investigations (SSI) and sent to Burj Al-Arab prison. Although police never charged him with any crime, Nazeer has been detained for more than a year under Egypt’s administrative imprisonment law. Gamel Eid, executive director of the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI), the group representing Nazeer, said Nazeer was arrested unfairly and now is being coerced to abandon his faith. complains about that, it happened, and it’s true,” said Eid. “But the police do it in a subtle way. They do it by inspiring the inmates to suggest to Nazeer that if he converts to Islam, police will work to get him out of prison.” Nazeer is confined in what is commonly known as the “general population” area of the prison, meaning he is housed with both violent and non-violent felons. Nazeer told his attorneys he is often treated harshly. Despite this, Eid said Nazeer is constant in his faith.

Michael's 7 Top Stories - 4 November

I. Obama Hosts Spiritual Father of 300 Million Orthodox Christians at the White House

President Obama met privately this morning with His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, who has served in that role for 18 years as spiritual father of the roughly 300 million Orthodox Christians worldwide. His All Holiness is known as the "Green Patriarch" for being a leading environmentalist, and hosted a conference on the environment in New Orleans when he arrived in the United States almost two weeks ago. While the Ecumenical Patriarch and the president discussed the environment, the more complicated issue is the ongoing struggle by Orthodox Christians for religious freedom in Turkey. The Turkish government has refused to recognize Bartholomew as being the worldwide leader of his Church, has insisted on being involved in the selection in future Patriarchs, and has confiscated thousands of properties belonging to the Orthodox Church. This was their second meeting after Mr. Obama met with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew in Istanbul on April 7th. After the meeting, I asked His All Holiness about his priorities during his time here in Washington, and he said meeting with the highest representatives of the Obama administration is part of that - noting that he just met with Mr. Obama, he'll meet with Vice President Biden tomorrow, and will have dinner with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Thursday. The Ecumenical Patriarch is also due to meet with Congressional leaders on Wednesday. "This is an honor for us, for our Church, and it is a concrete sign of the respect the American administration has for institutions with long history and valuable service to the human kind such as the Ecumenical Patriarchate," Patriarch Bartholomew said. "The Ecumenical Patriarchate is not simply the religious center, the center creating civilization, it has contributed much to the European culture and civilization. It is there. We must not forget it. It is there in Istanbul, the former Constantinople for 17 entire centuries. This interest of the White House is well understood."

II. Republicans Gain in U.S. State Elections

The U.S. Republican Party is cheering victories in governor's races in two states that played a pivotal role in Democrat Barack Obama's 2008 presidential election victory. Many observers say the results are a referendum on Mr. Obama's policies. In an off-year election seen by some political pundits as a measure of support for President Barak Obama's popularity after his first year in office, the opposition Republicans have picked up the state house (governor's mansion) in two formerly Democratic states. In Virginia, Robert McDonnell, defeated Democratic state Senator Creigh Deeds by an overwhelming margin of 59 percent to 41 percent. McDonnell is the first Republican to win the governor's office since 2001. He celebrated his victory in the state capitol, Richmond, Virginia. In New Jersey, Democratic Governor Jon Corzine was rejected in his bid for a second term, losing to Republican Christopher Christie, a former federal prosecutor. Christie used New Jersey's struggling economy as the focal point of his campaign. Both McDonnell and Christie attracted support from independents, who voted in large numbers for Mr. Obama last year. Political analysts say Tuesday's vote suggests many independents are dissatisfied with the president's policies on such issues as the economy and health care. Political pundits say the results in Virginia and New Jersey indicate the opposition Republicans are energized, heading into next year's midterm Congressional elections.

III. UN chief vows to push for Cyprus peace deal

UN chief Ban Ki-moon vowed on Wednesday to press ahead with efforts to reach a settlement between Greek and Turkish communities living on the divided Mediterranean island of Cyprus. “The UN has high expectations for a settlement (in Cyprus) and I believe this momentum must be kept up,” Ban said in Athens ahead of talks with Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou. “My Cyprus envoy Mr Alexander Downer will continue to talk together with the leaders of the two communities,” the UN secretary general added. Ban said he felt there was a “strong effort to facilitate this process “ on both sides and find a solution to the 35-year-old dispute. Cyprus President Demetris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat have been locked in UN-brokered negotiations over the island’s reunification for over a year. While Christofias’ administration is internationally recognised, Talat’s Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) is only recognised by Turkey. The Turkish Cypriots, backed by Ankara, want a settlement by the end of the year or early 2010 and are calling on the UN and Western powers to intervene to end the diplomatic deadlock. But Cyprus President Christofias told a Turkish newspaper on Tuesday that he did not expect any breakthrough before December. The Mediterranean island has been divided since 1974 when Turkey occupied the northern third of the island in response to an Athens-engineered coup in Nicosia aimed at uniting Cyprus with Greece.

IV. Israel seizes ship 'carrying weapons for Hezbollah'

Israeli naval special forces today seized a civilian cargo ship near Cyprus which they said was carrying weapons, including rockets, destined for the Hezbollah militant group. The ship, flying an Antiguan flag, was boarded and brought to an Israeli port after ammunition and weapons "disguised as civilian cargo" were found on board, the Israeli military said. It was intercepted 100 miles west of the Israeli coastline and brought to Ashdod.Matan Vilnai, the deputy Israeli defence minister, said the weapons included Katyusha rockets. Vilnai claimed they were destined for Hezbollah, the Lebanese militant group that fought a month-long war with Israel in 2006 and which Israel claims is Iranian-supported. Hezbollah fired thousands of Katyusha rockets into Israel during the conflict. "There were Katyusha, whose purpose is to hit civilians," Vilnai told Israeli Army Radio. He said the crew of the container ship had probably been unaware of the cargo they were carrying. Israel's defence minister, Ehud Barak, suggested the weaponry was heading to either Lebanon or Syria, saying it was destined for "the terrorist arena in the north". He described the operation to seize the ship as "another success against the relentless attempts to smuggle weapons to bolster terrorist elements threatening Israel's security".

V. UN to launch new talks to end dispute between Greece and FYROM

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Wednesday that his special envoy was prepared to launch new talks in an effort to resolve an 18-year name dispute between Greece and its northern neighbor, provisionally called Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM). "My special envoy, Matthew Nimetz, hopes to keep up the momentum for development on the main issue between Greece and FYROM and is set to restart the process of negotiations when the parties are ready," Ban said. The United Nations formally refers to the country as the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), while Skopje prefers the name Republic of Macedonia. The secretary-general, on an official visit to Athens, said, "Greece is ready and will fully support and facilitate this effort." Greece and its northern neighbour have been at loggerheads over the right to the name of "Macedonia" since 1991, when Macedonia declared independence from Yugoslavia. Athens claims the name dispute implies territorial claims on its own northern province of Macedonia, where Alexander the Great was born. UN-led negotiations on the issue have proved fruitless and Greece used its veto to block Macedonia from becoming a member of NATO. The name issue has also slowed Skopje's integration into the European Union. Skopje was granted EU candidate status in 2005, but Athens has threatened to veto the beginning of the talks if a solution is not found to the name issue.

VI. Belgrade prepares to set up NATO mission

The foreign affairs and defense ministries are wrapping up preparations for opening the Serbian mission at NATO HQ, daily Večernje Novosti writes. According to the Belgrade newspaper, the government recently named Branislav Milinković as Serbia’s ambassador to the western military alliance, and he will most likely submit his credentials by the end of the year. The question of finding a location for the Serbian mission in Brussels is expected to be taken care of soon, as well as all other personnel related issues, the article says. The daily writes that the Serbian ambassador to NATO will not be alone at the mission, as a military representative "will be dispatched as well". the point of the mission will be to improve cooperation and everyday communication with NATO, participate in the work of 100 expert committees, and improve what the daily refers to as cooperation with "50 member-states" of the "political" alliance.

All missions of countries that are participating in the Partnership for Peace program are also located in the NATO headquarters, in the offices designated for partners. The enormous NATO complex is located on the outskirts of Brussels.

VII. Georgia's FM renounces Russian citizenship

Georgia's foreign minister renounced his Russian citizenship Wednesday, formally cutting ties with Moscow that were formed in the Soviet era. Grigol Vashadze, 51, an ethnic Georgian and veteran diplomat, graduated in 1981 from a prestigious Moscow university and served in the Soviet Foreign Ministry before the Soviet Union's collapse.His appointment as Georgia's foreign minister in December 2008 was seen as an attempt to reach out to Russia following the war the previous August. Relations between the two former Soviet republics remain deeply strained, however. A Russian parliament member recently called for stripping Vashadze of his citizenship. Parliament refused to act on the grounds that under Russian law citizens cannot be deprived of their citizenship. Vashadze said his decision would make it easier for Russia. He sent his Russian passport and a letter renouncing his citizenship to Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev, Vashadze told journalists before Wednesday's government meeting. His wife, famous ballerina and former Bolshoi Theater star Nino Ananiashvili, remains a Russian citizen. She is currently the artistic director of the ballet in Tbilisi, Georgia's capital.

Michael's Daily 7 - 3 November

I. Orthodox Christians celebrate independence in America

Orthodox bishops in America are now free to use the A-word. That's autocephaly -- meaning a self-governing church that doesn't answer to an authority overseas. America is now divided into overlapping ethnic jurisdictions, most of which answer to a church in Eastern Europe or the Middle East. Many of those overseas churches had squelched talk of autocephaly for their mission dioceses in places such as the Americas and Australia. But in June they unanimously called for all bishops in each of those regions to assemble and make decisions about their own territories. "It is a transition that will lead us, as quickly as possible, to our goal of a united, autocephalous American Church," said Metropolitan Jonah, national leader of the Russian-rooted Orthodox Church in America. He encouraged the national conference of Orthodox Christian Laity, which met in Ligonier this week, to embrace the new unity process. It will have far greater impact on bishops and priests than on laity, he said, but the laity will be crucial to the changes that count. "Part of the challenge is simply to be together: to work together, to pray together, and for our children to grow up together, our seminarians to study and pray together and our people to marry one another. There is a gradual process of integration that will take generations and will eventually result in a completely unique American Orthodoxy," he said in a Thursday night speech. When the Russian Orthodox Church declared the Orthodox Church in America autocephalous in 1970, it hoped that would be the basis of a single American church. Instead, Metropolitan Jonah said, all jurisdictions, including his own, must give up their own structures to form a new church. While a new American church mustn't be limited by ethnicity, it must honor all of its heritages, Metropolitan Jonah said. He suggested using his own church's model of having both territorial dioceses and non-geographical dioceses for parishes that need ethnic ministries. "We need to ... figure out a way in which not only our history but all of the other histories -- the Romanian experience, the Albanian experience, the Greek experience -- all of that is seen not as just their experience but our common experience," he said. A united American Orthodoxy will be more effective than the current ethnic groups in lobbying for the rights of persecuted Christians in Turkey, Sudan and elsewhere, he said. Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople, the first among equals of the Orthodox patriarchs, is visiting the U.S. this week and next. Metropolitan Jonah met with him, and felt encouraged by the patriarch's public words and their private conversation.

II. Clinton criticizes Turkey for shrinking Christian population

Former U.S. President Bill Clinton on Monday criticized Turkey over shrinking its Christian population by closing the Halki International Seminary. Speaking at a conference on "Leadership for Sustainable Success," Clinton asked that "You have to think: While your population is growing, why is your Christian Orthodox community shrinking? Do you think it is better for the Christian Orthodox community to fall under the influence of the Russian church?" he added. Halki seminary has received international attention in recent years. In 1999, Clinton, who was then U.S. President, visited Halki during his visit to Turkey and urged former Turkish President Suleyman Demirel to allow the reopening of the school. In October 1998, both houses of the United States Congress passed resolutions that supported the reopening of Halki. The European Union has also raised the issue as part of its negotiations over Turkish accession to the EU. In a speech before the Turkish Parliament on April 6, U.S. President Barack Obama re-affirmed the need for Turkey to allow the reopening of Halki Seminary. However, the school remains closed, and there is strong opposition to reopening it from Turkey's nationalist parties.

III. Turkey sued for $400bln in US for Cyprus property

A US-based group, Class Action, is filing a $400 bln lawsuit against Turkey with regard to claims by owners of property in Cyprus’ northern Turkish occupied areas, who are seeking the use and enjoyment of their property. A press release, issued in Washington on the matter, said that “on Monday, October 19, 2009, a Class Action lawsuit is being filed against the Republic of Turkey for depriving hundreds of thousands of property owners their rights to use and enjoy their property in northern Cyprus.” It explains that the deprivation of the use and enjoyment of property started with the wrongful invasion and occupation of 40% of the island nation of the Republic of Cyprus in 1974, that continues to this day. “Despite recent findings of mass murders sites of civilians and others condemned by the international community, the Republic of Turkey has failed to cooperate with the civilized world,” it adds. Unfortunately, it continues, “the deplorable conduct” of the Republic of Turkey continues in cooperation with the Turkish Cypriot regime, an illegitimate and unrecognized entity operating through the presence of the Turkish military. To this day, it notes, the Turkish Cypriot occupation regime through the use of the Turkish military deprive the plaintiffs and the Class the rights to use, enjoy or return to their properties in violation of international law and the laws of the U.S. This lawsuit seeks compensation for the denial of the use and enjoyment of the properties belonging to approximately 200,000 refugees and others who were forced to leave by military force, some of whom paying with their lives, by the Republic of Turkey in concert with the illegal regime in occupied Cyprus. The Turkish military equipment used to wrongfully occupy and displace the plaintiffs and the Class from their property was sold and originated from the United States that by law requires that U.S. military equipment acquired by Turkey not be used in an offensive manner, the press release notes.

IV. 'Westernized' Woman Allegedly Hit by Dad's Car Dies

A young Iraqi woman whose father allegedly hit her with his car because she had become too Westernized died from her injuries Monday after laying in a coma for nearly two weeks. Noor Faleh Almaleki, 20, underwent spinal surgery and had been in a hospital since Oct. 20, when police say her father ran down her and her boyfriend's mother with his Jeep as the women were walking across a parking lot in the west Phoenix suburb of Peoria. The other woman, Amal Khalaf, is expected to survive. Faleh Hassan Almaleki, 48, fled after the attack but was arrested Thursday when he arrived at Atlanta's airport, where he was sent from the United Kingdom after authorities denied him entrance. Family members had told police that Almaleki attacked his daughter because he believed she had become too Westernized and was not living according to his traditional Iraqi values.

V. Strong earthquake in western Greece

An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.7 hit western Greece this morning, but there have been no reports of injuries or material damage. Athens Geodynamic Institute says the undersea quake struck at 07:25 a.m.Tuesday near the Ionian sea island of Zakynthos, 205 miles west of Athens. The epicenter of the earthquake was undersea near the island of Zakynthos, some 335 kilometers west of Athens. Experts said that the area is one of the seismically most active in Europe, with building standards on Zakynthos and nearby Kefalonia "very high".

VI. Serbia expects ICJ decision in its favor

Boris Tadić says he "deeply believes" that the ICJ ruling on the legality of the unilaterally declared independence of Kosovo will be in Serbia's favor. "I am deeply convinced that the decision of the ICJ will be made in Serbia's favor, as this is a violation of international law," the Serbian president stressed in an interview for the Italian news agency ANSA on Tuesday. He spoke ahead of the Italian-Serbian summit in Rome, due to be held on November 13. "If violation of international law is acceptable, then crises will appear in many parts of the world," he added. Tadić also pointed out that Serbia reacted to the Kosovo Albanian secessionist act "in a peaceful and restrained manner". "We have suggested a resolution to this case to the UN and initiated proceedings at the ICJ in The Hague. When it comes to Kosovo, there has been a violation of international law and Serbia decided to defend its territorial integrity with diplomatic means," Tadić said. He added that "regardless of the ICJ's decision, Serbia will insist on continuing negotiations and finding a compromise solution". "Serbia does not recognize Kosovo's independence, but it will remain determined to find a peaceful solution through dialogue," Tadić underscored.

VII. French, Russians in battle over ownership of Orthodox cathedral

Worshippers in the French city of Nice took on the Russian state on Monday in a court battle over the ownership of the biggest Russian Orthodox cathedral outside the mother country. The onion-domed cathedral of St Nicholas was built for Russians – many of them aristocrats - who holidayed or settled on the French Riviera on land first purchased by Alexander II in 1865. It was completed in 1912 – five years before the Bolshevik Revolution. The church's parish council argues that Tsar Nicholas II paid for the building work with his own money. But the Russian state claims he used imperial funds belonging to the mother country. Antoine Chatin, the parishioners' lawyer, said that Alexander II had first purchased the land to build a memorial to his oldest son and heir, Nicholas Alexandrovitch, who died there aged 21 of meningitis, and that the act of acquisition expressly mentioned the tsar's "personal desire" to buy it. The names of three tsars are written in the land registry, he said. Alain Condino, a lawyer representing the Russian state, argued that the contract signed in 1865 contained the phrase "in the name of the emperor of all Russias" and that the land was bought with funds from the ministry of the imperial court. Mr Condino said an edict by Nicholas II dated 1908 stipulated the "effective owner" was the cabinet of the tsar, a state body. Mr Condino said the parish council wanted to keep control of the church "for financial reasons", as the entrance fee is €3 (£2.70). The cathedral is a listed building in France and contains precious works including 300 icons. The parishioners' lawyer said that by claiming ownership, the Russian state hoped to bring the cathedral under the control of the patriarchate of Moscow, and thus under the influence of the Kremlin. The parish council has since 1931 been affiliated to the rival patriarchate of Constantinople. The case continues.

Michael's Daily 7 - 2 November

I. Orthodox head brings 'green' views to D.C., visit White House

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, the spiritual head of the world's 250 million to 300 million Orthodox Christians, arrived in Washington on Sunday night bearing the standard as the world's foremost religious leader on environmental issues. But one of his first tasks in the areawill be a visit to a Greek Orthodox parish in Annapolis on Monday, where he will celebrate the 18th anniversary of his enthronement to his Istanbul-based See. The 69-year-old patriarch, who has been touring the United States since Oct. 20, spent the first five days of his 18-day visit leading a "Religion, Science and the Environment" symposium in New Orleans. It is the most recent of many efforts that have earned him the sobriquet of the "green patriarch." During a 1997 trip to the United States, he hosted an environmental summit in Santa Barbara, Calif., where he called the destruction of the environment "a sin" and offered "a vision of repentance" for those who have acted as "materialistic tyrants" toward God's creation. The six days he will spend in Washington, including a Tuesday lecture at Georgetown University and a Wednesday speech at the Brookings Institution, will also deal with the topic. His web site, www.patriarchate.org, has a link to a Facebook discussion on Orthodoxy's contribution to the environmental movement and links to several YouTube videos of the patriarch, including Bartholomew's recent speech at the New Orleans aquarium. On Oct. 25, the Wall Street Journal printed his guest editorial that called for believers and nonbelievers in God alike to work together to save the earth. "The natural environment unites us in ways that transcend doctrinal differences," he wrote. He will visit President Obama at the White House on Tuesday afternoon. On Wednesday, after the Brookings speech, he will attend a lunch in his honor on Capitol Hill, meet privately with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and attend a dinner in his honor hosted by Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. at the vice president's residence.

II. Cyprus leaders to dicuss property issue

President of the Republic of Cyprus Demetris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat will meet again on Monday in the framework of the ongoing UN-led direct negotiations for a solution to the Cyprus problem, during which they will continue discussion on the chapter of property. The meeting will start at 1600 local time and will take place in the UN Protected Area of Nicosia. Speaking to the press after the last meeting of the leaders on October 27, Alexander Downer, UN Secretary-General Special Adviser on the Cyprus problem said that the two leaders will discuss again the chapter of property and will discuss the criteria concerning this issue, which he described as ''one of the most difficult issues'' of the Cyprus problem. Property was also discussed on October 22. In statements after the meeting on October 22, President Demetris Christofias had said that the Greek Cypriot side and the Turkish Cypriot side maintain their positions on matters of principle regarding the chapter of properties. He added that the only common position of both sides on the chapter of properties is that owners are recognised as such but the Greek Cypriot side gives priority to the owner, whereas the Turkish Cypriot side to the current user. Christofias and Talat began UN-led talks in September 2008 in a bid to achieve a mutually agreed solution to the problem of Cyprus, divided since 1974 when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. The two leaders have entered the second phase of the talks for the ''second reading'' of the six chapters of the Cyprus problem, namely, governance and power-sharing, property, EU matters, economic matters, territory and security and guarantees.

III. Turkey juggles roles as it pursues closer ties with the West, Iran

As the West seeks to pressure Iran for concessions on its nuclear program, Turkey, a Muslim nation with Western ties, is playing to both sides of the dispute amid new questions about its loyalties. Turkey has no formal role in the talks over Iran's nuclear activities and lacks the clout to be anything more than a facilitator. But it also plays a unique role as an ally of both NATO and of Iran. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan chided the US and other nuclear-armed powers for perceived double standards on Iran, during a recent trip to Pakistan and Iran. That reflected Turkey's goal of staking out its independence from the West while preserving the alliance. In Tehran on Wednesday, Erdogan said he did not intend to play the role of «go-between» on Iran, and that the permanent members of the UN Security Council should take the «first step,» so that efforts to prevent nuclear weapons proliferation can win global support. Erdogan has also said Iran is pursuing a «peaceful, humanitarian energy initiative» and that its conduct in recent negotiations is sincere. Turkey also refrained from criticizing Iran after the Islamic Republic's disputed election in June. Such remarks on Iran's nuclear program have raised concerns that Turkey's Islamic-oriented government, frustrated by a faltering bid to join the European Union, is turning away from the West.

IV. Russian: Bosnia no “powder keg”

Russian ambassador to Sarajevo Aleksandr Harchenko said that "he would not classify Bosnia-Herzegovina as a powder keg". He also said that Russia supports the territorial integrity and sovereignty of that country. “Russia does not believe that Bosnia-Herzegovina is a powder keg and believes that, despite the radicalization of the situation, there is a chance for the domestic politicians to reach an agreement,” Harchenko said. “Any change to the Dayton agreement, and to the Constitution, can only be a domestic product, the role of the international community should be advisory,” Harchenko added. He said that Russia supports the continuation of dialogue, but that the "priority is the transition of the Office of the High Representative (OHR)", Deutsche Welle reports. “After the transition of the OHR into the role of a special EU envoy, if there is desire for doing so, the issue of constitutional changes also can be discussed through domestic talks and the help of the international community,” stated Harchenko. The top Russian diplomatic envoy to Bosnia told the Federal TV in Sarajevo that he supports Republic of Srpska (RS) Prime Minister Milorad Dodik, "when his stance is in accordance with Dayton principles”. Harchenko stressed that the upcoming Lavrov visit to Sarajevo will be a chance for strengthening of relations between the two countries. He added that Russia "wants to develop economic relations with Bosnia-Herzegovina, not only the RS".

V. Russia, Britian hope for better ties

The foreign ministers of Russia and Britain said on Monday they hope their talks will help improve ties between the two countries marred by a series of disputes. Opening talks with Foreign Secretary David Miliband in Moscow, Sergei Lavrov said: "We hope our political contacts today and yesterday will ...create conditions for settling current disputes." Miliband is Britain's first top diplomat to visit Russia in five years. Miliband said he hopes their talks will help add "depth and drive" to Russian-British ties. British-Russian relations have been consistently frosty since the diplomatic fallout following the death of Russian security defector Alexander Litvinenko in London three years ago. Russia refused to extradite a key suspect in the murder, leading to tit-for-tat expulsions of diplomats. Other disputes have included Russian authorities' pressure on the British Council, Britain's refusal to extradite fugitive Russian businessmen, and Britain's criticism over Russia's conflict with Georgia in August 2008.

VI. Tower of London suspends beefeaters in harassment inquiry

The Tower of London has suspended two beefeaters as part of an investigation into alleged harassment of its first female Yeoman Warder. A third is under investigation over charges of bullying Moira Cameron, 44, who two years ago became the first female beefeater in the tower's 1,000-year history. Tower authorities launched an internal investigation over the weekend of 24-25 October in response to allegations of several instances of harassment. It is understood that one person has received a police caution for defacing Cameron's entry on the online encyclopedia Wikipedia. Cameron qualified to be a Yeoman Warder – beating five men to the job – in July 2007 after completing the required minimum 22 years in the armed forces. The Tower of London said in a statement: "We can confirm that three Yeoman Warders are under investigation in response to allegations of harassment. Two have been suspended. We take such allegations very seriously and our formal harassment policy makes it clear that this is totally unacceptable." It said an investigation was already under way and should conclude within two to three weeks. "Meanwhile, the Tower of London is a close-knit community and, understandably, this is a difficult time for us all." The Tower's Yeoman Warders date back to 1485, and their nickname, beefeaters, is thought to derive from the daily ration of meat they received.

VII. World's oldest submerged town, 5,000 years old

Archeologists say the world's oldest submerged town, located off the southern Laconia coast of Greece, dates back to 5,000 years ago. Final Neolithic ceramics found during the five-year study project showed that the city of Pavlopetri was at least 1,200 years earlier than previously thought. A collaborative team of experts at Nottingham University and the Ephorate of Underwater Antiquities of the Hellenic Ministry of Culture found 150 square meters of new buildings as well as ceramics that show the city was occupied throughout the Bronze Age - from at least 2800 to 1100 BCE. The newly found buildings could be the first example of a pillar crypt ever discovered on the Greek mainland, ScienceDaily reported. “This site is unique in that we have almost the complete town plan, the main streets and domestic buildings, courtyards, rock-cut tombs and what appear to be religious buildings, clearly visible on the seabed," said underwater archaeologist at Nottingham University's Archaeology Department, Dr. Jon Henderson. "Equally as a harbor settlement, the study of the archaeological material we have recovered will be extremely important in terms of revealing how maritime trade was conducted and managed in the Bronze Age." “It is a rare find and it is significant because as a submerged site it was never re-occupied and therefore represents a frozen moment of the past," said Elias Spondylis, Ephorate of Underwater Antiquities of the Hellenic Ministry of Culture in Greece. Researchers also produced a detailed plan of the town, which consisted of at least 15 separate buildings, courtyards, streets, two chamber tombs and at least 37 cist graves.