Michael's List - Greek Artifacts, Gaza; Turkey's Call Rejected; EU President, Cyprus; Richest Country; Bosnian Serbs; St. Vladimir's on Fox; Epiphany

I. CHINA VIEW - Ancient Greek artifacts discovered in southern Gaza

A number of ancient Greek relics were discovered in southern Gaza Strip, a Hamas official in Gaza said Monday. "These pieces include pottery fragments, black basalt rocks and a piece painted with the Red Cross, in addition to the discovery of some walls and arches and a large number of ancient coins," said Asa'ad Ashour, protection director in the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities of the deposed Hamas government. The Ministry had put its grip on the site of ancient ruins on the border town of Rafah after it was found by accident. The Ministry also launched a project to excavate and document "Tel Zo'rob" Archaeological site, when it found a long narrow basement under the ground end up with a large rock. "The site was discovered by workers by coincidence, so we came and put our grip on it because it's considered an ancient ruins site," said Ashour, adding that "it still requires a lot of hard work and exploration. It's like a narrow passage located underground which is built in a sort of descending stairs, at the end of this passage is the border line with Egypt and we discovered some ancient letters on the rock," he added. Around 1,500 ancient coins belonging to the Greek era have been found in the site. The coins were in an earthen pot buried since that period.

II. SOFIA ECHO - Greece, Cyprus reject Turkey’s call for five-party summit on Cyprus

Exchanges between Greek prime minister George Papandreou and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan are raising some hopes of a new dynamic in negotiations on Cyprus, but Athens and Nicosia have made it clear that they do not accept Ankara’s call for five-party talks on the future of the island. Cyprus has been divided since the 1974 invasion by Turkey, which continues to maintain a military deployment in the part designated "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" which Ankara is alone in recognising. On October 30, Erdogan wrote to Papandreou with a series of proposals on solving bilateral disputes including Cyprus and the long-standing row about air space in the Aegean. Media reports said that Papandreou had composed a reply, underlining that he welcomed Ankara’s readiness to solve the problems but, among other things, rejecting the idea of a multilateral summit on Cyprus outside the existing UN-backed process. Turkish media said earlier that Ankara wanted a summit involving Greece, Turkey, Cyprus, the "Northern Cyprus" state on the future of the island, with some reports saying that Ankara also wanted the United Kingdom to participate. While there had been a positive sign in the October 9 meeting between Erdogan and Papandreou, Greece’s alternate foreign minister Dimitris Droutsas has made clear that Athens wants to see Turkey make genuine progress on a number of reforms if it wants to make progress in its EU hopes. "(Turkey) must fully respect international law and Greece’s territorial integrity; it must respect human and minority rights; it must protect the rights of the Greek minority in Turkey; it must respect religious freedoms and protect the Ecumenical Patriarchate rather than obstruct its operation; it must cooperate effectively on tackling illegal migration; it must contribute constructively to the resolution of the Cyprus issue. it must have good neighbourly relations with everyone; it must normalise its relations with the Republic of Cyprus and of course, since we’re talking about December, it must implement the Protocol on the Customs Union vis-a-vis the Republic of Cyprus. At the European Council, we will judge Turkey based on the actions it has taken or not taken – rigorously and objectively. All the options are on the table and no one should take us for granted," Droutsas said. Meanwhile, against a background of Cypriots being unable to access their property in the Turkish-occupied north, one of the several key elements of the dispute, the Greek Orthodox Church of Cyprus has announced court action because of inability to access and worship at churches and monasteries in the occupied north.

III. FINANCIAL MIRROR - EU President to visit Cyprus

EU President Herman van Rompuy will visit Cyprus as part of his tour to the capitals of EU countries where he will meet with leaders of EU member states to prepare the informal European Council Summit, on February 11. Rompuy will arrive in Cyprus on January 21 and will have a working lunch with President Demetris Christofias. Today he visited Romania where he met with the President of the country Traian Basescu and Prime Minister Emil Boc. On Tuesday he will visit London to have a working breakfast with British PM Gordon Brown.

IV. EXAMINER - Luxembourg is richest country in the world by GDP

Luxembourg heads the list with more than two and a half times the EU27 average (276%), while Ireland (135%) and the Netherlands (134%) recorded levels about one third above average. Austria, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Germany, the United Kingdom and Belgium were between 15% and 25% above the EU average. France, Spain and Italy registered GDP per inhabitant between 0% and 10% above the EU average, while Cyprus, Greece and Slovenia were between 0% and 10% below the average. The Czech Republic, Malta, Portugal, and Slovakia were between 20% and 30% lower than the EU average. Estonia, Hungary, Lithuania, Latvia and Poland were between 30% and 50% lower, while Romania and Bulgaria were between 50% and 60% below the EU average. Luxembourg $113,044; Norway $95,062; Switzerland $67,385; Denmark $62,626; Ireland $61,810; Iceland $55,462; Sweden $52,790; Netherlands $52,019; Finland $51,989; Austria $50,098; Belgium $47,108; France $46,016; Germany $44,660; UK $43,785; Italy $38,996; Spain $35,332; Cyprus $32,772; Greece $32,005; Slovenia $27,149; Portugal $22,997; Czech Rep. $21,028; Malta $20,202; Slovak Rep. $17,630; Estonia $17,299; Croatia $15,628; Hungary $15,542; Latvia $14,997; Lithuania $14,086; Poland $13,799; Russia $11,807; Turkey $10,472; Romania $9,292; Bulgaria $6,857; Serbia $6,782; Belarus $6,234; Macedonia $4,657; Bosnia $4,625; Albania $4,074; Ukraine $3,920; Montenegro $3,800; Moldova $1,809. The GDP has traditionally been the benchmark for determining the health of an economy and every country strives to achieve higher growth rates. However the GDP overlooks one major fact which is how much are the benefits of the economic growth percolating to the weakest sections of society.

V. B92 - Exiting Croat leader says he’d attack Bosnian Serbs

Outgoing Croatian President Stjepan Mesić said that he would send the military to cripple RS if it called a secession referendum. The Croatian military, according to Mesić, would incapacitate the Republic of Srpska (RS) in case there was a referendum on independence in this Bosnian entity. Mesić said, according to Rijeka daily Novi List, that if Republic of Srpska (RS) Prime Minister Milorad Dodik was to call a referendum for toppling the Dayton Agreement, he would send the Croatian military immediately, which would cripple the RS, “which would then have to disappear”, by closing the corridor by near the northern town of Brčko. At Tuesday’s informal meeting with journalists, Mesić said that Croatia is a Dayton Agreement guarantor, and that if he were the president at the time that such a referendum was announced, he would use the military against RS in the corridor near the Sava River.

VI. WORLD FAITH NEWS - Fox Business Network to feature St. Vladimir's Orthodox Seminary

The TV show “The Economic Repor t,” hosted by Greg Gumbel, will feature St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary, in Yonkers, NY, on Fox Business Network, Saturday, January 30, 2010. The program is part of a segment on trends and issues related to “Leading Developments in Faith Based Higher Education” as part of the show Focus on Emerging Issues series. The segment highlights St. Vladimir's as an exemplary Christian institution that is making creative adjustments to the economic downturn. Recently, St. Vladimir's established a “Going Green” campus initiative to provi de a response to the growing ecological crisis and to address the issue of institutional sustainability. "Orthodox Christianity ecologically involves the relationship with the inhabited earth, the human community, and the natural eco-system in which we live," says The Very Rev. Dr. Chad Hatfield, chancellor and CEO of the seminary. "We are implementing sustainable practices across our twelve-acre campus, exploring alternative energy sources, and caring for God’s creation." Likewise, Very Rev. Dr. John Behr, dean of the seminary, notes, "Theology and education for ministry are not simply academic pursuits. An Orthodox theological education is far more encompassing and demanding than offered in a typical institution of higher learning.” Beyond being a graduate school of theology, the seminary is also a center for theological research and reflection. Established in 1938, the seminary prepares students for ministry as bishops, priests, deacons, lay leaders, and scholars in Orthodox churches in the U.S. and worldwide. Among its graduates are the current patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, His Holiness Abune Paulos, and the current head of the Orthodox Church in America, His Beatitude Metropolitan Jonah. Airtimes for the program are: 2:30 p.m. ET; 1:30 p.m. CT; 12:30 p.m. MT; and 11:30 a.m. PT.

VII. RIANOVOSTI - Russians bathe in icy cold water to celebrate Epiphany

Russia is celebrating Epiphany on Tuesday, with thousands of believers across the country taking dips in icy cold water - a ceremony believed to cleanse them of sin and heal their illnesses. Epiphany is one of the Great Feasts, marking the baptism of Jesus Christ by John the Baptist in the Jordan River and the beginning of his ministry, and the Russian Orthodox Church celebrates it on January 19 in line with the Julian calendar. The feast’s peculiar feature is the rite of the Great Blessing of Water, performed in Russian churches twice - on January 18, on the eve of the feast, and on Epiphany proper, after Divine Liturgy. Holy water is then given to believers, who store it for long periods and use it to cure illnesses and bless themselves or things and premises around them. Some people think any water - even from the taps on the kitchen sink - poured or bottled on Epiphany becomes holy. Western Christians observe it January 6 in line with the Gregorian calendar, or, in some countries on the Sunday after January 1. On that day Western Christian tradition commemorates the visit of the Magi to the child Jesus. Epiphany is also known in the Orthodox Church as Theophany, which means the shining forth and manifestation of God. On that day, according to Gospels, the Holy Trinity manifested itself to mankind: Jesus, the Son of God, dipped himself in the Jordan, the voice of his Father was heard from Heaven, and the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus in the form of a dove. Honoring an old Russian tradition, believers dive into ice holes, usually made in the form of a cross, in lakes, rivers and other water bodies, as temperatures across Russia vary from zero to minus sixty degrees Celsius, the figures for the Moscow Region ranging these days from -10 to -25. The bathing, also popular among nonbelievers, can be performed in 37 special places in the Russian capital after waters there are blessed by Orthodox priests. The Emergency Situations Ministry said over 60,000 people are expected to make their ice dives after midnight and during the day on Tuesday, adding that 260 ministry rescuers will monitor the safety of swimming. The president of Russia’s Cold Treatment and Sports Winter Swimming Federation said it is impossible to fall ill after dipping into icy water on Epiphany. “Physicists have established that on Epiphany the crystalline structure of water changes on Earth, including in the human organism that consists of 75% water. Water self-purifies, so even an unprepared person won’t catch a cold when swimming in cold water on Epiphany,” Vladimir Grebyonkin said.

Michael's List - Gaza Rockets; Cyprus's Future; Greek Economy; Karabakh dispute; Kosovo's battle; Mini ice-age; OCA: Sanctity of Life Sunday

I. HAARETZ - Gaza rocket hits Israel for fifth consecutive day

A Qassam rocket fired by Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip struck the Western Negev on Monday, a day after an Israel Air Force assault killed three Islamic Jihad men posed at a launching ground in the coastal territory. There were no casualties or damages reported in the incident Monday. Israeli security forces were summoned to the area to identify the location of the rocket. The IAF strike Sunday came hours after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed a "powerful response" to recent rocket and mortar shell attacks from the coastal territory. The strike targeted a cell as its members, which included a senior Jihad field commander, were launching rockets at Israel. Four mortar shells were also fired at Israel from Gaza on Sunday, but they exploded on the Palestinian side of the border. Addressing an increase of rocket fire into Israel from Gaza, Defense Minister Ehud Barak on Monday advised Gaza's Hamas rulers to "watch their step, and not to cry crocodile tears if they force [Israel] to take action."

II. UK PRESS - Intensive talks over Cyprus future

Rival leaders on the divided island of Cyprus have launched a round of intensified talks aimed at paving the way for a potential peace deal this year. President Dimitris Christofias, a Greek Cypriot, and breakaway Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat have started six day-long sessions, hoping to overcome obstacles that hindered progress during 60 meetings over the past 16 months. Real progress would restore the talks' credibility and rekindle hope among jaded Cypriots that their leaders can tackle a decades-old dispute that is hindering Turkey's EU membership bid and harming EU-Nato cooperation. "It is imperative that agreement is reached on a range of matters by the end of the month," Nicosia University International Law professor Tim Potier said. "Warm words or little more than that, by the end of the month, would suggest that the process is likely to end in failure. The leaders of the two communities have to lead the nation, otherwise others, with alternative ambitions, will lead it for them." Talks are focusing on power-sharing under a future federal structure, the economy and EU matters. But they appeared to be on shaky ground even before they started. New Turkish Cypriot proposals leaked last week reportedly include separate rights to sign international agreements and control of the Mediterranean island's air space. Government spokesman Stefanos Stefanou called the proposals "unacceptable" and warned they could not constitute the basis for negotiations. Mr Talat is under pressure to avoid concessions before elections in April, with his hardline opponent Dervis Eroglu leading opinion polls. Mr Christofias is also facing criticism from his Greek Cypriot coalition partners, the Socialist EDEK and centre-right Diko, who say he has already made too many accommodations for Talat. Cyprus was split in 1974 when Turkey invaded after a coup by supporters of union with Greece. The island joined the European Union in 2004, but only Greek Cypriots enjoy the benefits.

III. BUSINESS WEEK - EU: Greek Budget Deficit Is ’Very Critical’ for Bloc

Olli Rehn, the European Union official picked to tackle the region’s fiscal crisis, said the 27-nation bloc faces “a very critical situation” over Greece’s budget deficit. “The Greek government is aware of the seriousness of the situation,” Rehn told a European Parliament committee today during his confirmation hearing in Brussels. “The commission is assessing the matter with major concern,” he said, adding that “in the course of this month or next month we will have to deal with Greece’s excessive deficit.” The International Monetary Fund will send a team to Greece tomorrow after the government in Athens requested technical assistance in tackling the euro area’s largest deficit, the IMF said today. In the context of regular surveillance, the fund will explore possibilities for help on pension reform, tax policy, tax administration and budget management, a spokeswoman for the Washington-based lender said in a statement. The risk for Rehn. a 47-year-old Finn with a doctorate from the University of Oxford and a lifelong passion for soccer, is that failure to cajole Greece into cutting the budget shortfall, estimated at 12.7 percent of gross domestic product last year, could further undermine its fiscal rules and hurt the bonds of other EU nations struggling to get their deficits under control. Prime Minister George Papandreou in December said the country will aim for a 4 percentage-point cut in the deficit instead of an originally planned 3.6 points. The premium investors demand to hold Greek bonds instead of German bunds has widened to 217 basis points from 37 points two years ago.

IV. RIA NOVOSTI - Karabakh dispute to be focus of Lavrov's visit to Armenia

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will discuss Nagorny Karabakh during his visit to Armenia on January 13-14, a Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Monday. Lavrov will meet with Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan and Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandyan. "The focus will be the exchange of views on the continuation of negotiations on a settlement in Nagorny Karabakh in the context of mediation efforts undertaken by Russia to resolve the conflict," Andrei Nesterenko said. Bilateral cooperation and the situation in the wider Caucasus are also expected to be discussed, he said, noting that despite the recession, trade and economic, military and political, humanitarian and interregional cooperation between Russia and Armenia are developing. The conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nagorny Karabakh first erupted in 1988, when the region claimed independence from Azerbaijan to join Armenia. Over 30,000 people are estimated to have died on both sides between 1988 and 1994, when a ceasefire was agreed. Nagorny Karabakh has remained in Armenian control and tensions between Azerbaijan and Armenia have persisted. The OSCE Minsk Group, comprising the United States, Russia and France, is a mediator in the conflict.

V. B92 - Battle for new Kosovo talks in 2010

Belgrade daily Blic writes that the Serbian government will be calling for new negotiations for the Kosovo status solution in 2010. Steps have been taken to immediately, “literally the day after the opinion of the International Court of Justice in The Hague is given, to call a meeting of the UN Security Council”, says the newspaper. “A fast push and fast progress” will then begin in order to get new negotiations and finding a solution between Belgrade and Priština, Blic writes. The daily’s source said that without this, Serbia’s strategic goal of EU membership will not be possible. “The open question of Kosovo is halting Serbia’s EU progress, hurting relations with American as the largest world power without whom there is no political or economic progress, it is also straining relations with the most influential and prosperous European countries and making Serbian unable to become a true leader in the region, because real friendly relations with its neighbors are not possible,” the article continues. In the region, only Romania and Bosnia-Herzegovina have not recognized Kosovo’s unilaterally proclaimed independence, and of the others, only Montenegro has yet to send an ambassador to Priština, Blic says. Belgrade, “naturally”, writes this newspaper, reacts negatively to every step towards cooperation with Kosovo by its neighbors, “deteriorating” relations in the region. Even though political analysts and experts maintain that the search for Kosovo solution cannot be fast or easy, the government is dedicated to making “fast progress” in solving Serbia’s main problem this year, Blic writes.

VI. DAILYMAIL UK - The mini ice age starts here

The bitter winter afflicting much of the Northern Hemisphere is only the start of a global trend towards cooler weather that is likely to last for 20 or 30 years, say some of the world’s most eminent climate scientists. Their predictions – based on an analysis of natural cycles in water temperatures in the Pacific and Atlantic oceans – challenge some of the global warming orthodoxy’s most deeply cherished beliefs, such as the claim that the North Pole will be free of ice in summer by 2013. According to the US National Snow and Ice Data Centre in Colorado, Arctic summer sea ice has increased by 409,000 square miles, or 26 per cent, since 2007 – and even the most committed global warming activists do not dispute this. The scientists’ predictions also undermine the standard climate computer models, which assert that the warming of the Earth since 1900 has been driven solely by man-made greenhouse gas emissions and will continue as long as carbon dioxide levels rise. For Europe, the crucial factor here is the temperature of the water in the middle of the North Atlantic, now several degrees below its average when the world was still warming. But the effects are not confined to the Northern Hemisphere. Prof Anastasios Tsonis, head of the University of Wisconsin Atmospheric Sciences Group, has recently shown that these MDOs move together in a synchronised way across the globe, abruptly flipping the world’s climate from a ‘warm mode’ to a ‘cold mode’ and back again in 20 to 30-year cycles. 'They amount to massive rearrangements in the dominant patterns of the weather,’ he said yesterday, ‘and their shifts explain all the major changes in world temperatures during the 20th and 21st Centuries. 'We have such a change now and can therefore expect 20 or 30 years of cooler temperatures.’ Prof Tsonis said that the period from 1915 to 1940 saw a strong warm mode, reflected in rising temperatures. But from 1940 until the late Seventies, the last MDO cold-mode era, the world cooled, despite the fact that carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere continued to rise. In 1974, a Time magazine cover story predicted ‘Another Ice Age’, saying: ‘Man may be somewhat responsible – as a result of farming and fuel burning [which is] blocking more and more sunlight from reaching and heating the Earth.’ Prof Tsonis said: ‘Perhaps we will see talk of an ice age again by the early 2030s, just as the MDOs shift once more and temperatures begin to rise.’ Like Prof Latif, Prof Tsonis is not a climate change ‘denier’. There is, he said, a measure of additional ‘background’ warming due to human activity and greenhouse gases that runs across the MDO cycles. But he added: ‘I do not believe in catastrophe theories. Man-made warming is balanced by the natural cycles, and I do not trust the computer models which state that if CO2 reaches a particular level then temperatures and sea levels will rise by a given amount. 'These models cannot be trusted to predict the weather for a week, yet they are running them to give readings for 100 years.’ Prof Tsonis said that when he published his work in the highly respected journal Geophysical Research Letters, he was deluged with ‘hate emails’. He added: ‘People were accusing me of wanting to destroy the climate, yet all I’m interested in is the truth.’ He said he also received hate mail from climate change sceptics, accusing him of not going far enough to attack the theory of man-made warming. The work of Profs Latif, Tsonis and their teams raises a crucial question: If some of the late 20th Century warming was caused not by carbon dioxide but by MDOs, then how much?

VII. OCA - ARCHPASTORAL MESSAGE OF HIS BEATITUDE METROPOLITAN JONAH FOR SANCTITY OF LIFE SUNDAY 2010 [January 24]

Dearly Beloved in Christ: As Orthodox Christians, we strongly affirm the value and sanctity of all human life, from the moment of conception to the final breath one takes. This affirmation is theologically based, in that each person bears within him or her self the image of God, and has the potential to fulfill that image by likening him/herself to God. To artificially terminate life is to transgress on that which is holy; it is unthinkable, a grave sin. Every one of our churches and our homes bear the image of the infant Christ cradled in the arms of His Mother, an image that is supremely human, and supremely divine. It is the image of divine Motherhood, that the Son of God was conceived, borne and nurtured by His Most Pure Mother. God is thus revealed in the Motherhood of the Virgin; bearing us in Her holy embrace of love. This image also reveals God's love for us, that he became like us in every way--a fetus in His Mother's womb, an infant in Her arms, a little child. God has sanctified every aspect of human life, becoming what we are that He might make us like Himself. As Orthodox, every aspect of our lives is iconic. Every child is an image of the Christ Child, every person an image of God. Each bears infinite potential to attain to the Likeness, to sainthood, to holiness. Marriage also is an icon, as the union of man and woman in the flesh blessed by God, and bringing forth the fruit of children, is an image of our union with one another in Christ in the Kingdom. Christian marriage and family are the sacred context not only for the rearing of children, but as the basic core of our identity and reference point of stability. The family is the place where we are nurtured and accepted, find solace and consolation, and thus the faithful family becomes the place where these very human emotions and feelings are filled with grace and sanctified. Whether we are very young or very old, the family is the context of our life, in which we work out our salvation. We experience God's Fatherhood, and divine Motherhood; we experience the nurturing love which becomes a participation in divine communion. And as we breathe our last, should we not remember the image of the crucified Christ, carried in the arms of his mother, in her grief, the grief of every mother for her child? We affirm the sanctity of life, made holy by the incarnation of the Christ. We affirm that every stage of our life has been sanctified. We affirm marriage of one man and one woman as the foundation of the family, the image of our union with God, and the means of sanctifying the lives of all members of that family by the grace of love and divine communion. These are desperate times. Our society is in despair. It is a despair that manifests itself in the breakdown of essential relationships, of marriage and family. Continued unemployment leads to hopelessness, and the breakdown of trust that one is able to provide; this leads to the breakdown of marriages, and the bitterness that goes with it. Returning soldiers, with posttraumatic stress just below the surface, enter into relationships that often turn brutal and abusive. Marriage, and the very family itself are in question, with the issue of homosexual unions. The majority of marriages end in divorce, and the majority of children grow up without fathers or mothers; and how many pregnancies end in abortion? Despair is the primary context which could make it even possible for a mother to destroy her unborn child. We offer, always, the way to healing and reconciliation for those who have fallen short and fallen into sin, in an embrace of love. We offer hope to those who have lost hope through the guilt of sin. We offer consolation to those in sorrow. We offer support and guidance to build families that work out their salvation together, and become the rock and foundation of our culture. Through these things, re-incarnating Christ's love and redemption in hearts, in real faces, in institutions of concrete service and healing, we offer hope to our people, our culture, our society, and through that hope, joy as we see God reborn in our lives and in those of all around us.

Michael's List - Bosnia-Israel; Serbia slams Croatia; Spain supports Serbia; EU, the Balkans, Turkey; Russia: "destroy" militants; Orthodox Christmas

I. YNET - Bosnia to Israel: No al-Qaeda activities in Bosnia

Bosnia's Foreign Minister has phoned his Israeli counterpart to protest against suggestions that Bosnia is a potential breeding ground for terrorists. Sven Alkalaj said in a statement Thursday that such claims hurt Bosnia's international reputation. Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said on Tuesday he has information that the Balkan region is "the next destination" for al-Qaeda and other Islamic extremist groups to set up operations and pointed to areas populated by Bosnians and Albanians. Alkalaj said the Bosnian intelligence service and international organizations say there are no terrorist training camps and no terrorist cells in Bosnia-Herzegovina. He asked Lieberman to share any credible information.

II. B92 - Serbia slams Crotia in strongly worded statement

President Boris Tadić today reacted to his Croatian counterpart Stjepan Mesić's decision to shorten prison sentence of a Croat war criminal. Mesić on Thursday reduced by one year jail time served by Siniša Rimac, convicted of killing 23 ethnic Serb civilians in Croatia in 1991. Today, Tadić said that Mesić's move was an "anti-civilizational" gesture that cannot be justified. "When the outgoing Croatian president pardons a criminal who killed Serb children just because they are of a different ethnicity, then that is an act that deserves every condemnation, a deeply anti-civilizational and anti-European decision [coming] from the other side of common sense," said the president. Tadić also pointed out that Mesić's "regrettable decision" was only one in a series, including today's visit to Priština, "which is in a very efficient manner spoiling relations with Serbia, leaving a serious and unnecessary burden to his successor". Tadić stressed that it is the task of all regional countries to fully cooperate with the Hague Tribunal, and that this means that those war criminals tried before domestic courts must get their deserved punishment. "That punishment must be justice and innocent victims served, and should in no way be reduced or annulled through discretionary decisions which essentially make crime relative and relieve the most horrid criminals of their guilt," the president said in his statement.

III. RadioSrbija - Spain against Kosovo Independence

As the new Chair of the EU, Spain will continue talks on the EU enlargement to include the West Balkans and will remain firmly in position not to recognize Kosovo's unilaterally declared independence - said Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos. Noting that the Madrid is resolutely against Kosovo secession from Serbia, Moratinos indicated that it is necessary to maintain stability in the region and create conditions for constructive development of the Province. Pointing that the settlement of the dispute between authorities in Skopje and Athens on the name Macedonia is of particular importance for the regional stability, and, the Chairman of the Council of Ministers said that in the process of finding a solution, intensive consultations are underway with officials of Serbia, Montenegro and Albania.

IV. Katimerini - EU president Spain reaches out to Balkans

Spain said on Tuesday as the current holder of the European Union presidency that it is “fundamental” for the bloc to open its doors to new members, especially from the Balkans. Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos told reporters that “there is no longer any reason to put obstacles in the way of a policy of open doors” now that the Lisbon Treaty, which aims to streamline decision-making in the 27-nation bloc, has taken effect. “It is fundamental to send this message,” he added during a meeting with European correspondents in Madrid. French President Nicolas Sarkozy and several other EU leaders had argued that the bloc would not be able to take in new members without the Lisbon Treaty, which was initially rejected by Irish voters in a referendum in June 2008 but later approved in a second vote in October. Last month, Serbia formally applied for EU membership, almost 15 years after the Balkan wars that followed the breakup of the former Yugoslavia. Bosnia-Herzegovina is “the most fragile” of the nations of the former Yugoslavia, and Spain will dedicate greater attention to it during its six-month presidency of the EU, Moratinos said. Spain will not recognize Kosovo’s independence during its EU presidency but will have a “constructive attitude” toward its authorities, he added. Madrid has backed Turkey’s entry into the EU, a move opposed by heavyweights like France and Germany.

V. IrelandOn-Line - EU to open accession talks with Turkey 'in six months'

The EU hopes to open accession talks with Turkey in the next six months, according to Spain who hold the current EU Presidency. It is understood talks will focus on four new policy areas. The Spanish Foreign Minister said he is hoping for progress in a dispute between Turkey and Cyprus which is blocking Ankara's bid to join the 27-nation bloc.

VI. RT - Medvedev: “As far as [North Caucasus] militants are concerned,... They should be physically destroyed.”

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev had called for further action to destroy militants in the North Caucasus. “As far as militants are concerned, our policy remains unchanged. They should be physically destroyed,” said President Medvedev at a meeting with Alexander Bortnikov, Director of the Federal Security Service (FSB). “This should be done in a tough manner and regularly because, unfortunately, the underground militant movement continues to exist,” he added. “We should not close our eyes to it and give some figures which may be non-existent. We should act resolutely and consistently all over the territory. If militants are detected in some place, they should be searched for and destroyed,” Medvedev said, adding, “Our task is to create a normal living environment on the territory of our southern republics.” It comes two days after the January 6 attack on a traffic police station in Russia's southern republic of Dagestan. A suicide bomber killed at least 5 policemen and injured 24 people, including 18 policemen. The head of Russia’s Interior Ministry Rashid Nurgaliev said that he is sure the terror act will be uncovered. “The potential of Dagestan's police and the first results of their inquiry into this terrorist attack confirm that this crime will be solved. However, investigators will have to analyze a long chain of events,” Nurgaliev told journalists on Friday. The minister added that some militants involved in the terror act were killed in a security operation on Thursday. “The information available to us confirms that this action was aimed at undermining stability and security in the republic,” Nurgaliev added.

VII. RFE/RL - Believers Mark Orthodox Christmas

From Russia to Ethiopia, Orthodox Christians who follow the Julian calendar are celebrating Christmas today. In Moscow, Patriarch Kirill celebrated a midnight Mass at Christ the Savior Cathedral. It was Kirill's first Christmas as leader of the Russian Orthodox Church. President Dmitry Medvedev was among some 4,000 people attending the service, which was broadcast on national television. "Christmas is a great celebration for all Orthodox Christians," churchgoer Tamara told Reuters. "It's renewal. It's good -- beauty and hope for a bright future." Prime Minister Vladimir Putin was in Kostroma, on the banks of the Volga River to celebrate Christmas mass. During Soviet times thousands of churches were demolished, including Christ the Savior Cathedral, which was rebuilt in the late 1990s. Orthodox Christmas became a public holiday in Russia following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Russia's Interfax news agency quoted the Moscow Patriarchate as saying there are some 30,000 Russian Orthodox churches around the world that will be marking Christmas on January 7 as well as other churches that still use the Julian calendar. Under the Gregorian calendar, used by other, predominantly Western churches and commonly in secular life, Christmas falls on December 25. Christmas celebrations were marked by tensions in some parts of the world. In the Balkans, Serbian President Boris Tadic celebrated Orthodox Christmas in Kosovo. Tadic spent the night with monks, lighting candles, burning yule logs, and attending midnight Mass at the Serbian Orthodox medieval monastery of Visoki Decani. Flanked by Bishop Teodosije of the monastery, Tadic pledged to come to the monastery "every year," adding that the sacred place represented "a guarantee of our identity." About 100 ethnic Albanians protested the visit, marching toward the 14th-century monastery, waving Albanian flags, and chanting anti-Serb slogans. The protesters were kept away from the monastery by NATO peacekeepers. In the West Bank town of Bethlehem, the traditional birthplace of Jesus, hundreds of pilgrims watched a procession led by the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem, Theophilos III. Palestinian riot police escorted the cleric to the Church of the Nativity to the sound of protests by Palestinians accusing Theophilos of selling land to Israelis. Celebrations turned violent in southern Egypt, where angry Christian Copts clashed with police today. The violence came after unidentified gunmen opened fire on a crowd leaving a church after Christmas Mass in the southern town of Nagaa Hammadi, killing six Copts and a Muslim policeman. According to government figures, Christians make up approximately 10 percent of Egypt's population, though many Christians say they believe the real figure is higher.

Michael's List: Yemen; Caucasian TV; Cyprus Talks Critical; Ephiphany; Orthodox Christmas Eve; Jonah: "Shatter the Idols"

I. ONENEWSNOW - Yemen: a terrorist haven

The retired naval officer who commanded the USS Cole when it was hit by terrorists nine years ago in Yemen says that country is clearly becoming a haven for al-Qaeda activity. The New York Times recently reported that the U.S. government had intelligence from Yemen before Christmas that leaders of an al-Qaida branch there were talking about "a Nigerian" being prepared for a terrorist attack. A Nigerian man, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, is now charged with trying to destroy a Northwest Airlines aircraft that was headed to Detroit from Amsterdam on Christmas Day. The Times reports that Abdulmutallab told FBI agents he was connected to the al-Qaeda affiliate, which operates largely in Yemen and Saudi Arabia by a radical Yemeni cleric whom he contacted online. If corroborated, Abdulmutallab's travel to Yemen for explosives and terrorist instruction underscores the emergence of that country as a major hub for al-Qaeda, perhaps beginning to rival the terror network's base in Pakistan. Kirk Lippold was the commander of the USS Cole when it was attacked by al-Qaeda terrorists on October 12, 2000, while at anchor in the Yemeni port of Aden to obtain fuel. He weighs in on the situation. "Clearly Yemen has become a key place for al-Qaeda to recruit, train, and now conduct operations from," he says. "We should not be returning any [Guantanamo Bay] detainees back to them like the administration did just before Christmas. We should in fact be trying to figure out if Yemeni's government can't do it, then we will." Lippold explains that he does not want to put troops on the ground any more than anyone else does, but he feels the United States must be able to defend its national interests if that country is on its way to becoming a failed state.

II. RT - The First Caucasian: Georgian TV attack on Russia?

Georgian public broadcasting has launched one of its most ambitious projects. The new TV channel claims to give an alternative perspective on world events. But many experts see it as an anti-Russian info campaign. The First Caucasian TV channel is broadcasting news in the Russian language, but from a Georgian perspective. Giya Chanturia, general director of Georgian Public Broadcasting, says that there are many things to talk about for the new channel. “There are many controversial questions we want to address in Georgia, as well as all over the post-Soviet space,” Chanturia said. “We believe people have the right to hear the truth straight from us about Georgia.” Producers say there was a dire need for a Russian-language channel in the Caucasus. Zurab Dvalia, general producer at First Caucasian, claims that Russian remains the main language for a great number of people. “We all came out from the Soviet Union, so we want to tell the truth in this language,” Dvalia told RT. But it’s the truth with a Georgian twist. Ahead of its launch, First Caucasian made assurances that they will not feature any propaganda, just news about Georgia. But the very first broadcast made it clear that its rhetoric is not much different from that of the Georgian government, except that now it is being voiced in the Russian language. The channel has already compared Russian President Medvedev to Vladimir Lenin when it comes to choosing a political course, blatantly accused Moscow of preparing for a war with Ukraine over the Crimean peninsula, and featured extensive clips of an interview with President Mikhail Saakashvili saying Russia lacks democratic culture, which his country has already achieved – all within the first half hour of its broadcast. Former Georgian Ambassador to Russia Erosi Kitsmarishvili says he will avoid watching First Caucasian at all costs. He himself runs an opposition TV channel, and knows the power the media wields firsthand. “It would’ve been a good idea for the Caucasus region, if it weren’t another propaganda outlet for the Georgian government to voice its viewpoint,” Kitsmarishvili said. “It will not make relations between Russia and Georgia better – quite the contrary, it has a good chance of complicating them further.” First Caucasian topped off its New Year’s broadcast with an astrological forecast. Bleak predictions of an impending unrest in the Caucuses, ethnic and political conflicts – the future of Russia-Georgia relations look anything but rosy, according to the channel. And while the channel’s management continues to stress that they are focusing on facts, so far there is very little evidence the channel will say anything that hasn’t already been heard from Saakashvili’s government. Feliks Stanevsky, Russian ambassador to Georgia from 1996 to 2000, also said that it is a clear and blatant attempt to erode the friendship that has grown through the centuries between the Russian and Georgian people. “It's out-and-out propaganda, no doubt about that,” Stanevsky said. “It's going to be an anti-Russian TV station. The channel's target audience is Russian speakers in Georgia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Abkhazia, South Ossetia and I do not rule out the possibility it might also be broadcast in southern Russia. I am sure the channel will aim to turn all possible countries against Russia, above all the West and… Ukraine.”

III. EURACTIV - Cyprus talks accelerate ahead of crucial poll

The president of Cyprus and the Turkish Cypriot leader have expressed their strong hope that 2010 will be the year that the Cyprus problem is resolved. But observers note that they have little time left, with elections in the occupied northern part of the island expected to bring to power a hardliner. In a joint statement released after their last meeting in 2009, held under the framework of direct negotiations aimed at solving the Cyprus problem, Cypriot President Demetris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat also announced the dates of intensified talks to be held in January 2010, the Cypriot press reported. The meetings will take place on 11-13 and 18-20 January at the residence of the UN's Special Representative to the UN Protected Area. According to their statement, ''in these meetings, the leaders will strive towards more convergence on governance and power-sharing, the economy and EU matters. They also will continue their discussions on the property issue". Christofias noted that there is no goal of reaching a settlement before April elections in the northern, Turkish-occupied area of Cyprus, and that talks will continue after the "so-called elections" with whoever becomes leader of the Turkish Cypriot community. Christofias rejected any notion of an interim settlement, noting that there is no such prospect. Asked about the matter, he said Turkey violates international law, UN principles and human rights conventions. The press in Cyprus also quoted Christofias as saying that his government is lobbying the international community to put pressure on Turkey to change its stance on the Cyprus problem.

IV. ANA - Epiphany celebrated throughout Greece with Blessing of the Waters

The religious feast of Epiphany was celebrated throughout Greece on Wednesday with the traditional Blessing of the Waters. The ritual commemorates Jesus' baptism in the river Jordan, and according to St. John Chrysostom the day is called Epiphany, (from the Greek word for 'manifestation', 'epifaniea') because Jesus Christ manifested Himself to all people not when He was born but, rather, when He was baptized. On Epiphany daring Greeks brave the cold waters to dive for the cross after it has been blessed by a priest and thrown into the water, and the one who recovers the cross is blessed with good luck throughout the year. Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens and All Greece officiated at the main ceremony in Piraeus, Greece's largest port, attended by President of the Republic Karolos Papoulias, while members of the Greek Seals dove for the cross. Representing the government at the ceremony was economy, competitiveness and shipping minister Louka Katseli, while main opposition New Democracy (ND) was represented by MP Yiannis Tragakis. Other officials in attendance included Parliament's first vice president Grigoris Niotis, MPs from the Piraeus electoral districts, mayor Panagiotis Fassoulas, and prefect Yiannis Michas. Prime minister George Papandreou attended the Epiphany ceremony on the eastern Aegean island of Lesvos, while main opposition ND leader Antonis Samaras attended the ceremony in his home town of Pylos. In Athens, the city's mayor Nikitas Kaklamanis and culture and tourism development minister Pavlos Geroulanos attended the Blessing of the Waters at the Reservoir (Dexameni) in Kolonaki district. In Thessaloniki, the ceremony was officiated by Metropolitan Anthimos, and attended by defence minister Evangelos Venizelos, Popular Orthodox Rally (LAOS) leader George Karatzaferis, Thessaloniki prefect Panagiotis Psomiadis and mayor Vassilis Papageorgopoulos.

V. RADIOSRBIJA - Today is Christmas Eve

The Serbian Orthodox Church and its believers are celebrating the Christmas Eve today and Christmas tomorrow. On this day the believers go to the woods for an oak tree, which is burned later in the household fireplace, as a symbol of light and warmth that brings the family members closer. The floor is covered in hay in order to represent the cave in Bethlehem where Christ was born. In churches all over Serbia the evening liturgies are served, and in Belgrade the midnight liturgy will be served by Episcope Atanasije. On Christmas, the holy liturgy will be served by Metropolitan Amfilohije, who is the guardian of the Patriarch throne. Christmas is preceded by 40 days of fasting, but on the holiday the food is plentiful. Christmas is a family holiday and is traditionally celebrated at home. It is believed that on that day all those who had quarrels over the year should make peace and forgive all the insults.

VI. ITAR-TASS - Orthodox Christians all over Russia mark Christmas Eve

Christians conclude a four-week fast during which they confess their sins and receive communion. Divine services reminding one of the great event marking the advent of the new era are to be held closer to midnight. Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia is to recite Christmas Eve liturgy in the Novospassky Monastery (the New Monastery of the Saviour). He will begin a nightly festive service in the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour at ten p.m. In the evening of January 7, the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church *ROC) will officiate Christmas Great Vespers. Festive services are to be held at night and in the morning in almost 30, 000 churches of the ROC worldwide.

VII. OCA: Metropolitan Jonah challenges college students to "shatter the idols" in today's society

Over 200 young adults attending the annual Christmas conference at Antiochian Village here during the last week of December 2009 listened intently as His Beatitude, Metropolitan Jonah challenged them to "shatter the idols" worshiped by today's society. "The gods so many have been taught about don't exist," Metropolitan Jonah said in his keynote address, adding that only by surrendering to Jesus Christ can the true meaning of life be discovered. "By becoming vessels of God's will, we actively cooperate with God, allowing Him to work through us to bring others to salvation," Metropolitan Jonah told the students. "For example, think about your friends who went to war and are now experiencing difficulties in their lives. How can you reach out to them? With love and compassion." Metropolitan Jonah also touched on the importance of maintaining a serious prayer life, the centrality of the resurrection as "the lens through which we see everything," the importance of engaging non-Orthodox Christian peers in exploring the faith, and the need for outreach ministries and mission work. "In the end, however, it's all about salvation," Metropolitan Jonah stated. "We have a wonderful gift, but we must share it."

Greece - FYROM, Serbia, Obama Socialist?, Turkish Military Violations, His All Holiness, France's Orthodox Seminary

I. FOCUS: Greece builds bridges, Skopje pulls them down

Athens. While Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou was calling Skopje to solve the dead-lock the name dispute has fallen into, the foreign minister of the Former Yugoslavian Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) blamed Athens for the dispute, Greek Makedonia newspaper writes. In interview to Serbian Novosti newspaper, Papandreou pointed at the national red line in the name dispute with Skopje and remarked that Greece has made a fundamental step forward accepting a name with geographic term as a basis of name dispute’s solution and appealed for FYROM to do the same and thus the two courtiers to meet midway. In an interview to Vecer newspaper, Antonio Milososki accused Greece of trying to impose its position of the powerful and expressed his pessimism for possible solution to this dead-lock.

II. NOVINITE: Serbia Offers Itself as Mediator in Greece-Macedonia Name Dispute

Serbian President Boris Tadic has declared Tuesday the desire of his country to become a mediator in the notorious name dispute between Greece and Macedonia. Tadic made this statement in Belgrade during a meeting of ambassadors which was also attended by Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou. “George Papandreou has once again given us his support on our road of European integration. This is the man who launched Agenda 2014, when all of southeastern Europe should become part of the EU, a hundred years after the start of the First World War. There are hardly any issues on which we have a different stance. There are hardly any problems our countries and Europe are facing on which we have different positions. I can say that our partnership has a significant strategic dimension,” said Tadić Monday night during his official meeting with the Greek leader, as quoted by B92. The Macedonia name dispute has been going since the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia declared its independence in 1991. Because of it, Greece has already vetoed Macedonia’s NATO accession, and has caused the postponement of giving Macedonia a date for starting EU accession negotiations.

III. ANA: Greece reiterates support for Serbia

Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou on Monday reiterated Athens' standing and energetic support for Serbia's EU accession, in a published press interview appearing in the Serbian capital on the occasion of Papandreou's official visit here. "Greece fully supports Serbia's EU accession prospects and will stand by the Serbian people in this long and demanding phase," Papandreou was quoted as saying in an interview published in the Monday edition of the Belgrade daily "Vecernje Novosti". Regarding the thorny Kosovo issue and whether Greece has been pressured to recognise Kosovo's unilaterally declared independence, Papandreou stated that Athens' position on the issue "is known and will not change." "The stability of the greater region and international law remain the cornerstones of our policy and in this spirit we are focusing on efforts that are aimed at the creation of a safe and prosperous environment for all people in Kosovo, the Serb community included," Papandreou stated, adding that "the protection of the cultural and religious heritage in Kosovo is immensely important and our involvement in the region is proof of our dedication to these goals. This means that preserving the Serbian cultural and religious heritage is a top priority for everyone in the EU." Asked about the still unresolved fYRoM "name issue", Papandreou reminded that "Greece wishes a definitive settlement of the issue", while noting that the oft-repeated "national red line" is clear. "We have made an important step by saying that we will accept a name with a geographic qualifier. We expect from our neighbors to do the same and meet us half way." He also underlined that Greece welcomes a recent EU foreign ministers' council decision as regards the implementation of the interim agreement. Papandreou stated that the Thessaloniki Agenda, drawn up during the previous Greek EU Presidency, is still the cornerstone for the western Balkans' EU course, adding that the accession pace will depend on the performance of each individual country as regards agreed upon principles and preconditions. Moreover, he also expressed a conviction that Serbia's efforts toward this direction will produce specific results soon. Finally, he cited his proposal for a new "road map", one aimed at further facilitating the course toward the European integration in full compliance with existing EU standards and criteria, as he again cited 2014, the 100th anniversary of the start of WWI, as a symbolic date.

IV: RT: Barack Obama - a socialist in disguise?

With the multi-billion dollar bailout of banks and the White House's plans to reform public services, socialism was a buzzword in the US in 2009. Yet many are undecided whether Barack Obama is really socialist-oriented. For all the protests and public rage that Americans unloaded in 2009, one word remained a favorite amid the outcry. “I believe in the Constitution and Declaration of Independence and I feel that the country is turning into socialism,” said one participant at a rally in Washington DC. From the “Tea Parties” to TV news channels, socialism was the boogieman of 2009, a villain seeking to swallow America’s precious capitalism. Barack Obama, the first black US President, spent hundreds of billions bailing out banks, auto companies, and reforming the healthcare system – blurring the lines between public and private entities. Weighing in on public opinion, Harlem Pastor James David Manning accused Obama of attempting to install a clandestine Karl Marx philosophy. “This two-tongue liar, this quasi-Muslim, socialist, communist, Marxist freak called Barack Hussein Obama!” Pastor James David Manning says about the American president. However, following Wall Street’s greed-inspired financial meltdown, US publications have asked if the father of communism was right and whether capitalism inevitably does lead to a destructive end. For many citizens the “S” word denotes a government takeover of guns, property and freedom, but to rapper and activist “Immortal Technique”, the archaic fears of old are a far cry from today’s reality. “The police department – aren’t they a paid-for entity by the government? The fire department? No one considers them a socialist entity. The post office, isn’t that a socialist entity? Anyone who’s ever been in the military… you know what socialism is as a caricature more than anyone else in the world, because if you get a tooth pulled out, the government is paying for it, you are not,” says Felipe Andres Coronel, AKA “Immortal Technique”. However, trend forecaster Gerald Celente says critics should fear resurging sympathies for Mussolini, not Marx. “Socialism is egalitarianism. It’s when everybody shares equally in something. And the government is in control of the system. It’s not socialism. It’s fascism. People are misunderstanding it because they’re afraid to call a spade a spade. It’s too ugly to look at,” Gerald Celente says. America begins 2010 suffering something of an identity crisis, divided over which economic system works best. What most agree on is that the model in place up until this point has failed to prevent a great recession that continues to take its toll on the people.

V. CYPRUS: Cyprus protests over national airspace violations by Turkish military aircraft

The Republic of Cyprus’ Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ambassador Minas Hadjimichael sent a letter to the UN Secretary-General on 18 December 2009 protesting over ongoing violations of the international air traffic regulations and the national airspace of the Republic of Cyprus by military aircraft of the Turkish Air Force, recorded from 1 October to 26 November 2009. Mr Hadjimichael conveys in the letter the Cyprus Government’s strong protest over the continued violations by Turkey and calls for their immediate cessation. He further adds the following: “Turkey’s policy of non-observance of rules and regulations governing international aviation continues to gravely jeopardize flight safety and perpetuate insecurity and apprehension on the island. Furthermore, Turkey’s systematic attempts to undermine the sovereignty and unity of the Republic of Cyprus by promoting an illegal secessionist entity, arrogating to itself, inter alia, the right to control part of the airspace of the Republic of Cyprus, further complicate the efforts to build trust and confidence between the two communities. Such policies and actions provide ample demonstration of the irresponsible behaviour of a country that now serves as a non-permanent member of the Security Council. It was regrettable that in the recent report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations operation in Cyprus (S/2009/609), there was not a reference to the aforementioned violations by Turkey, since these violations had been mentioned in the previous report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations operation in Cyprus (S/2009/248). The Government of Turkey should heed the call of the international community, abide by the Charter of the United Nations and respect the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of the Republic of Cyprus, thus contributing to the creation of the required conditions for the achievement of a viable solution to the Cyprus problem, according to the agreed basis endorsed by numerous Security Council resolutions.” The letter of Ambassador Hadjimichael was circulated yesterday as a document of the UN General Assembly, under agenda item 21, and of the Security Council.

VI. GAZETTE: The Crucified Patriarch

The Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, Bartholomew, who is the spiritual head of 300 million Orthodox Christians round the world, created a stir recently with an interview on CBS’s “60 Minutes”. According to the Patriarch Orthodox Christians are treated as second-class citizens in Turkey and sometimes he feels “crucified”. Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu regarded the comment as “an undesired slip of the tongue” and Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arinc dismissed the criticism as “unacceptable”. But despite the furore the interview has once again shed light on Turkey’s treatment of minorities. It should be noted that Turkey’s definition of ‘minority’ differs from Europe’s. According to the Treaty of Lausanne (1923), which delineates the borders of modern Turkey, minorities are defined as non-Muslim. But the Council of Europe’s Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities (1995), which Turkey has not signed, applies ethnic, linguistic and cultural criteria. This complicates a settlement of the Kurdish question, as the Kurds are not officially recognized by Turkey as a minority. And the Alevis, who constitute 15-20 percent of the Turkish population, are still struggling for the recognition of their religion, as Turkish schools mainly teach Sunni Islam. The Patriarchate of Constantinople dates from the founding of the city in 330, and since the division of Christianity in the 11th century the Patriarch ranks with the Pope of Rome. However, he is not recognized by Turkey as the Ecumenical Patriarch but only as the Bishop of Fener, the district of Istanbul where the Church’s buildings are located. At the beginning of the last century there were two million Greeks in Turkey, but because of the disastrous Greek invasion in 1920 and the subsequent population exchange one and a half million left. After a pogrom in Istanbul in 1955 directed at the city’s Greek minority a further 150,000 left, so that today there are only 4,000 in the whole of Turkey. The Turkish state has confiscated a great deal of property, including churches and schools, belonging to the Patriarchate, but in 2008 the European Court of Human Rights found that Turkey had unlawfully confiscated an orphanage on the island of Prinkipos (Büyükada). And last year the Court ruled that Turkey had violated the property rights of its Greek minority when it seized a church and land on the Aegean island of Bozcaada. It was therefore embarrassing when the Turkish prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, last month inaugurated the headquarters of the Secretariat for Turkey’s entry into the EU. The building was previously a school confiscated from the Greek Orthodox community in Ortaköy in Istanbul. Another thorn in Turkey’s side is the Greek Orthodox seminary on the island of Heybeliada in Istanbul. The seminary was closed in 1971 after a law was passed banning private higher education. As a result, it is no longer possible to train Greek Orthodox priests, who must have Turkish nationality. In an interview with the Turkish daily Milliyet Patriarch Bartholomew said that the Patriarchate was dying from lack of oxygen. The Lausanne Treaty, which Turkey claims to abide by, stipulates that non-Muslims have the right to administer their own schools and religious institutions, but until now this article has been ignored. Bartholomew has visited Erdogan to explain the situation but has received no response. Last July Turkey launched a project costing 23 million euros to promote Turkish culture in France. But a closer look at the Mediterranean island of Cyprus can also give an insight into Turkish culture. The northern part of Cyprus, which is a member of the EU, has since 1974 been occupied by Turkey and has gradually been turned into a Turkish province. Last year the Helsinki Commission issued a report describing how more than 500 churches and monasteries have been destroyed, and valuable icons, frescoes and mosaics have been looted. As part of this “cultural cleansing” a large number of settlers have been imported from Anatolia, so the original Turkish Cypriots are now a minority. Since September 2008 the leaders of the two population groups, Demetris Christofias and Mehmet Ali Talat, have negotiated determinedly to reunite the island and to avoid that part of Europe’s cultural heritage falls under Turkish domination.

VII. VOA: Russian Orthodox Church Opens its First Seminary Outside the Former Soviet Union

The Russian Orthodox Church has opened its first seminary outside the former Soviet Union - in a small French town outside Paris. The institution is starting modestly but has big ambitions: to serve Russia's growing diaspora and foster closer ties between Eastern and Western Christian churches. The building is an old convent. But the nuns are gone and their Roman Catholic crosses have been traded for Russian icons and incense. The students are on the front lines of a bold experiment launched by the Russian Orthodox church, the first pupils of the church's first seminary in the West. The seminary was officially inaugurated in November and it is starting modestly with about a dozen students enrolled in its five-year program. Most are from Russia and former Soviet republics, but there are plans to diversify and grow the student body to 40 over the next few years, with the seminarians also earning master's degrees in theology from the Sorbonne University in Paris. Some students will return home after graduating. But others are being groomed to serve Russia's far-flung diaspora that has ballooned after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Establishing a Russian Orthodox seminary in the West was the idea of Patriarch Kirill, who was elected to head the Moscow church in February. Orthodox priest and researcher at the French National Center for Scientific Research, Stephen Headley, says Patriarch Kirill wants to train priests to serve parishes wherever Russian expatriates are located. The relationship between the seminary and the French Catholic Church reflects more broadly the warming ties between the Vatican and the Russian Orthodox Church after centuries-old divisions. The dialogue has intensified under the current leaders, Pope Benedict XVI and Patriarch Kirill, who have met several times in the past. Although differences remain, Father Headley, the Orthodox researcher, believes the leaders are focusing on ways they can work together. "I think there was a conscious decision on the part of the Vatican and the Moscow Patriarchate to try to cooperate on the social level, which talks about the re-Christianization of western Europe and the Christian roots of western Europe, because that would be a more fruitful and productive venue for them to work on," Headley said. On a practical level, Father Headley believes the two churches may eventually lobby for causes they believe in. Both Pope Benedict and Patriarch Kirill have conservative views on matters like euthanasia, abortion and homosexuality. Russian Orthodox church expert Michael Bourdeaux, who founded the British Keston Institute, agrees. "If the Catholic and Orthodox churches came closer together, they would form a huge beacon for conservatism in the world today. Conservatism in terms of theology which they share, and conservatism in terms of sexual morality, morality in society in general," Bourdeaux said. As night falls, the students at the Epinay seminary put their books aside and head for the large, plain room that serves as the school's chapel. They chant for Vespers service in Russian, with director Siniakov chiming in in French. Asked earlier what the Orthodox Church can offer the West, student Anekcandroviych thinks for a while. His answer: spirituality. He says for many Russians, the Orthodox faith is not just a matter of rules and rituals. The Orthodox faith, he says, is alive.

Michael's List - Genocide at ICJ; Greece - Serbia; FYROM; Cyprus "Butts Out" Smokes; Bulgaria Compensation Claim; Russia - Ukraine; Chinese Orthodox

I. B92: Serbia files genocide lawsuit against Croatia

Serbia has filed its genocide countersuit against Croatia on Monday before the International Court of Justice (ICJ). The document includes information on crimes committed against Croatia's ethnic Serb population in Gospić, Sisak, Pakračka Poljana, Karlovac, Osijek, Paulin Dvor, Medački Džep (Medak Pocket), and during the so-called Operation Storm. The court has been given information on victims, and not only those that were killed in conflicts between 1991-1995, but also those murdered after the war as they tried to return to their homes they left as refugees. The lawsuit against Croatia contains a historical account of Serbo-Croatian relations, with a focus on World War II. In this context, the massive killing of Serbs in the Jasenovac concentration camp will also be mentioned. Croatia filed genocide charges against Serbia to the ICJ in The Hague immediately after the 1999 NATO bombing of Yugoslavia, calling for the Belgrade to punish all perpetrators of war crimes and to return cultural property to Croatia and pay for war damages as well, in an amount to be confirmed by the court.

II. ANA: Greek support for Serbia's EU course

Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou on Monday reiterated Athens' standing and energetic support for Serbia's EU accession, in a published press interview appearing in the Serbian capital on the occasion of Papandreou's official visit. "Greece fully supports Serbia's EU accession prospects and will stand by the Serbian people in this long and demanding phase," Papandreou was quoted as saying in an interview published in the Monday edition of the Belgrade daily "Vecernje Novosti". Regarding the thorny Kosovo issue and whether Greece has been pressured to recognise Kosovo's unilaterally declared independence, Papandreou stated that Athens' position on the issue "is known and will not change." "The stability of the greater region and international law remain the cornerstones of our policy and in this spirit we are focusing on efforts that are aimed at the creation of a safe and prosperous environment for all people in Kosovo, the Serb community included," Papandreou stated, adding that "the protection of the cultural and religious heritage in Kosovo is immensely important and our involvement in the region is proof of our dedication to these goals. This means that preserving the Serbian cultural and religious heritage is a top priority for everyone in the EU." Papandreou stated that the Thessaloniki Agenda, drawn up during the previous Greek EU Presidency, is still the cornerstone for the western Balkans' EU course, adding that the accession pace will depend on the performance of each individual country as regards agreed upon principles and preconditions. Moreover, he also expressed a conviction that Serbia's efforts toward this direction will produce specific results soon. Finally, he cited his proposal for a new "road map", one aimed at further facilitating the course toward the European integration in full compliance with existing EU standards and criteria, as he again cited 2014, the 100th anniversary of the start of WWI, as a symbolic date.

III. EXAMINER: Greece - We must meet Skopje halfway

Greek Prime Minister Georgios Papandreou (Panhellenic Socialist Movement), in an interview with Belgrade-based newspaper Vecernje Novosti said that Greece wants a permanant settlement over the name issue with Skopje. He stated that "...we will accept the name Macedonia with geographical determinant. We expect our neighbour to do a similar thing and to meet us halfway". Ever since Macedonia declared its independence from Yugoslavia in 1991, Macedonia and its southern neighbor Greece have been locked in a dispute over the use of the country's constitutional name of the "Republic of Macedonia" (Republika Makedonija). Greece claims that the use of the name "Macedonia" implies territorial aspirations towards it own northernmost province of Macedonia. The Macedonian constitution has a clause that states the country has no territorial aspirations against its neighbors. Historical claims are at play here as well; Greece claims that ancient Macedonia was Greek, and that the Macedonians of antiquity were Greeks. Macedonia claims the ancient Macedonians were not Greek and were a distinct ethnic group. Greece blocked Macedonia's NATO accession talks in 2008 due to these reasons, and its European Union accession talks were put on told as well and will be "revisted" during the Spanish presidency.

IV. TAIWAN NEWS: Cyprus stubs out cigarettes on New Year's Day

Cypriots will breathe easier New Year's Day when an indoor smoking ban takes effect in a bid to curb some of the highest levels of passive smoking in Europe. The ban covers establishments such as nightclubs, coffee shops, betting shops and even elevators. Outdoor patios and other open-air spaces are exempt. Offenders will face fines of up to (EURO)2,000 ($2,900). Anti-smoking activists say the habit kills 600 people every year out of a population of roughly 800,000. Just under a third of Cypriots are regular smokers. European Union surveys show the island leads the bloc in nonsmokers' exposure to secondhand smoke at home with 31 percent and is second only to Greece in workplace exposure with 45 percent.

V. EU OBSERVER: Bulgaria puts price on Turkey's EU membership

Bulgaria is threatening to block Turkey's application to join the European Union unless it pays out billions of euros in compensation for displaced people, in a case dating back to the days of the Ottoman Empire. A Bulgarian cabinet minister without portfolio who runs the country's Agency for Bulgarians Abroad, Bojidar Dimitrov, pressed the claim. "Turkey is surely able to pay this sum, after all, it's the 16th largest economic power in the world," he said, putting a sum of $20 billion (€14 billion) on the settlement. "One of the three conditions of Turkey's full membership of the EU is solving the problem of the real estate of Thracian refugees." The Ottoman Empire in 1913 expelled hundreds of thousands of ethnic Bulgarians from lands lying on the western side of the Bosphorus. It became the Republic of Turkey in 1923 and recognised the rights of the displaced people in a 1925 treaty, but the agreement was never implemented, Bulgaria says. An official in the Bulgarian government's press office, Veselin Ninov, told EUobserver on Monday that Mr Dimitrov's statement reflects government policy and that the dispute is being handled by a Bulgarian-Turkish intergovernmental working group. Mr Ninov described the issue as being "more historical than political." Turkey began EU accession talks in 2005 and has so far opened 12 out of 35 negotiating chapters. Its military occupation of northern Cyprus, an EU member, has so far proved the main stumbling block to progress. But the EU commission is also concerned about Turkey's respect for human rights, while Germany and France are opposed to Turkish EU entry on broader political grounds. The issue of historically displaced people has become increasingly disruptive since the EU's 2004 wave of enlargement. In a recent example, Czech president Vaclav Klaus last year tried to block ratification of the Lisbon Treaty unless the EU inserted a special clause ruling out compensation for Germans expelled from Czechoslovakia after World War II.

VI. RIANOVOSTI: Russia fleet may stay in Ukraine if Tymoshenko becomes president

Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko warned that in case Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko wins presidential elections this month the Russian Black Sea Fleet will remain in Ukraine's Crimea after 2017. Russia's Black Sea Fleet uses a range of naval facilities in Ukraine's Crimea, including a base in Sevastopol, as part of a 1997 lease agreement valid until 2017. "If Tymoshenko becomes the president of Ukraine than the Russian fleet will stay in Ukraine not until May 28, 2017 but for life," Yushchenko told a rally in the Lvov region of traditionally nationalist western Ukraine. Party of Regions leader Viktor Yanukovych, most popular in the Russian-leaning east of Ukraine, is the frontrunner in the January 17 presidential elections, while Prime Minister Tymoshenko, an ally-turned-bitter-rival of Yushchenko, is expected to come second and force a runoff vote. Yushchenko added that the presence of the Russian fleet in Ukraine will be "a destabilizing factor for the country." Relations between Moscow and Kiev have deteriorated markedly during Yushchenko's presidency. Russian leaders have said they hope to establish constructive cooperation with the new Ukrainian president, ruling out any rapprochement with Yushchenko.

VII. GLOBAL TIMES: China - An Orthodox view

With a flowing brown beard and black robes, the Orthodox churchman cuts a curious shape striding past strip-lit convenience stores and real estate sales rooms in noisy Dongzhimen. It makes sense, however, that Father Denis Pozdnyaev would be walking this way, given that the Russian embassy is around the corner. On the grounds of the sprawling diplomatic compound – Beijing's largest – Pozdnyaev preaches to his flock in the newly reappointed and re-consecrated Church of the Repose of Holy Virgin. Set amid the spacious greenery of the embassy, the church, which dates back more than a century, has recently been restored to its former glory. Cleaned and repainted, the church was being used as a garage during much of the Soviet period. Given its compact size and onion dome, its grounds resemble a village church in Crimea or Volgograd. But this is Beijing and the church hopes to give China's small Orthodox community a place to continue growing. Pozdnyaev estimated that his Beijing flock is nearly 400 strong, and that at least 50 regularly attend Sunday service. The figure swells by several hundred more when a festival like Pashca (Orthodox Easter) occurs, even though local law forbids locals from attending services on foreign diplomatic properties. Given Beijing's influx of Russian traders and students, the numbers filling Beijing's only functioning Orthodox church have been steady. Last year more than 300 marched as part of an Easter procession on the grounds of the Russian embassy in Beijing. Apart from Russia and Greece, the Eastern Orthodox church has a significant following across Eastern Europe, but its following in Beijing, explained Pozdnyaev, is very international. Most are Russian "but there are even French, American and British people." Multi-national worshippers brought dyed Paschal eggs for blessing during a recent nighttime Easter procession. The 400 foreigners who attend services at the Church of the Repose of Holy Virgin do not make up the entire local Orthodox congregation. Some 200 Orthodox Chinese in Beijing cannot attend services because the church is located inside the Russian embassy. "I know many of them, but not all," said Pozdnyaev who even in Hong Kong has been helping reach out to believers in the capital. The history of Orthodox Christians in China dates back to the arrival of believers from neighboring Russia in the 17th century. The Russian Orthodox Church opened its mission in Beijing as part of an overseas effort to the Orthodox cause. Given surprisingly lean treatment by the Qing court – which didn't allow other faiths to establish missions – the church would eventually become Russia's diplomatic representation in China, positioning the grounds of its church next to the old city's east gate. In its heyday, the Orthodox church had 300,000 believers in China (a third of them coming from Russian-ruled Manchuria) and over 200 parishes. The founding of the People's Republic of China meant that the church would come under Chinese administration, which was followed by the Sino-Soviet split, leading to the departure of foreign clerics. Soviet leaders meanwhile ordered the destruction of churches on the grounds of the USSR embassy in Beijing. Though only one church has been re-built, there are three total churches in Beijing, all situated on embassy's grounds. There are other Orthodox churches in western Xinjiang (found in Yining and Urumqi), while other Orthodox strongholds can be found in Harbin and Erguna (Inner Mongolia), which have their own churches but no clergy to conduct services. The church's community in Beijing is bigger, thanks to a sizeable local Russian presence, but the congregation in Beijing is dwarfed by the number of Chinese believers in Inner Mongolia, explained Pozdnyaev. As more and more Chinese clerics have died off or left the country, there are no bishops remaining to ordain future clergymen. An estimated 10,000 members of the Chinese Autonomous Church are searching for religious leaders. In a bid to replace veteran Chinese Orthodox churchmen Fr Mikhail Wang and Protodeacon Evangelos Lu Yaofu, both of whom have retired, the local Orthodox community sent a dozen Chinese students to seminaries in Moscow and St Petersburg. Several have already completed their studies and returned to China. Still laymen, the graduates are nonetheless "ready to be ordained in terms of education level and experience of religious life," explained Pozdnyaev. Some of them are working in officially opened Churches in the Chinese mainland. Pozdnyaev hoped local authorities will grant the seminarians permission to practice as priests in China. "The local Chinese community needs Chinese priests, there is no one left today." In November 2009 a high-level delegation of Russian Orthodox clerics travelled to Beijing for talks with the Chinese State Administration for Religious Affairs (SARA) which oversees religions in China. The talks are set to continue as part of an action plan to implement the Treaty on Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation between Russian and China by 2012. Accompanied by senior Russian diplomats, the Russian delegation included a Moscow-based archbishop charged with external church relations.

Michael's List - Women in Workforce, Russian Asteroids 2036, Spain's EU Presidency, Kosovo not forgotten, "Enemies of God", GITMO Worries, Christmas

I. ECONOMIST: Female power - Women in the global workforce

The economic empowerment of women across the rich world is one of the most remarkable revolutions of the past 50 years. It is remarkable because of the extent of the change: millions of people who were once dependent on men have taken control of their own economic fates. It is remarkable also because it has produced so little friction: a change that affects the most intimate aspects of people’s identities has been widely welcomed by men as well as women. Dramatic social change seldom takes such a benign form. Yet even benign change can come with a sting in its tail. Social arrangements have not caught up with economic changes. Many children have paid a price for the rise of the two-income household. Many women—and indeed many men—feel that they are caught in an ever-tightening tangle of commitments. If the empowerment of women was one of the great changes of the past 50 years, dealing with its social consequences will be one of the great challenges of the next 50. At the end of her campaign to become America’s first female president in 2008, Hillary Clinton remarked that her 18m votes in the Democratic Party’s primaries represented 18m cracks in the glass ceiling. In the market for jobs rather than votes the ceiling is being cracked every day. Women now make up almost half of American workers (49.9% in October). They run some of the world’s best companies, such as PepsiCo, Archer Daniels Midland and W.L. Gore. They earn almost 60% of university degrees in America and Europe. Progress has not been uniform, of course. In Italy and Japan employment rates for men are more than 20 percentage points higher than those for women. Although Italy’s female employment rate has risen markedly in the past decade, it is still below 50%, and more than 20 percentage points below those of Denmark and Sweden. Women earn substantially less than men on average and are severely under-represented at the top of organisations. The change is dramatic nevertheless. A generation ago working women performed menial jobs and were routinely subjected to casual sexism—as “Mad Men”, a television drama about advertising executives in the early 1960s, demonstrates brilliantly. Today women make up the majority of professional workers in many countries (51% in the United States, for example) and casual sexism is for losers. Even holdouts such as the Mediterranean countries are changing rapidly. In Spain the proportion of young women in the labour force has now reached American levels. The glass is much nearer to being half full than half empty.

II. AFP: Russia in secret plan to save Earth from asteroid

Russian scientists will soon meet in secret to work on a plan for saving Earth from a possible catastrophic collision with a giant asteroid in 26 years, the head of Russia's space agency said Wednesday. "We will soon hold a closed meeting of our collegium, the science-technical council to look at what can be done" to prevent the asteroid Apophis from slamming into the planet in 2036, Anatoly Perminov told Voice of Russia radio. "We are talking about people's lives," Perminov was quoted by news agencies as telling the radio station. "Better to spend a few hundred million dollars to create a system for preventing a collision than to wait until it happens and hundreds of thousands of people are killed," he said. The Apophis asteroid measures approximately 350 metres (1,150 feet) in diameter and RIA Novosti news agency said that if it were to hit Earth when it passes nearby in 2036 it would create a new desert the size of France. Perminov said a serious plan to prevent such a catastrophe would probably be an international project involving Russian, European, US and Chinese space experts. Interfax quoted him as saying that one option would be to build a new "space apparatus" designed solely for the purpose of diverting Apophis from a collision course with Earth safely. "There won't be any nuclear explosions," Perminov said. "Everything will be done according to the laws of physics. We will examine all of this." In a statement dated from October and posted on its website, the US space agency NASA said new calculations on the path of Apophis indicated "a significantly reduced likelihood of a hazardous encounter with Earth in 2036." "Updated computational techniques and newly available data indicate the probability of an Earth encounter on April 13, 2036, for Apophis has dropped from one-in-45,000 to about four-in-a-million," NASA said. RIA Novosti said the asteroid was expected to pass within 30,000 kilometres (18,600 miles) of Earth in 2029 -- closer than some geo-stationary satellites -- and could shift course to hit Earth seven years years after that.

III. SPANISHNEWS: Spain takes up EU Presidency

Spain is due to take up the EU Presidency on January 1 and the Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero has set four important goals for his country as the day draws nearer. The Spanish PM had reached Cyprus on December 25th as part of a holiday trip. He met Cyprus President Demetris Christofias in Nicosia and was able to draw an outline for the goals during the talks with Christofias. Addressing the reporters after the talks, Zapatero said, “These goals are the financial development and the EU financial future, external relations with the Mediterranean, the Middle East, Latin America, Russia and the inter-Atlantic relations, the broadening of EU citizens’ rights, focusing on equality between the two sexes and the quick implementation of the Lisbon Treaty”. Zapatero also said that he talked about the relations between the two countries and promised full support in the peace talks directed towards the unification of Cyprus. Cyprus had been divided into Greek and Turkish Cypriot areas in 1974 when the Turkish military had intervened as an answer to a coup by Greek army officers. Christofias has assured the Spanish PM that Cyprus is in favor of Turkey’s complete accession to the European Union, but for that to happen, Turkey should not shy away from fulfilling the obligations it has towards Cyprus and the European Union.

IV. RADIOSRBIJA: Kosovo is not condition for Serbia in EU

Serbia will never recognize the independence of Kosovo, and one of the biggest successes of the Serbian state policy in 2009, is that we have received clear assurances from all the major European factors that no one will force Serbia to earn membership in the EU through recognition of the independence of the southern province - Serbian President Boris Tadic stated last night. Stating that some EU states such as Spain, Greece, Cyprus, Romania and Slovakia are very adamant in their position that they will not recognize the independence of Kosovo at any cost, Tadic said that these days some countries announced that they will review their decision to recognize the secession of the Province after the ICJ in the Hague communicates its stance. Responding to citizens' questions in RTS program, the President stressed that the issue of Kosovo should not be an obstacle in the process of European integration of Serbia considering that those are two separate issues. Tadic also said that in the coming days, he will visit Kosovo in order to show that Serbia will not give up fighting for its southern province and its citizens who live there.

V. VOANEWS: Iranian Cleric Calls Opposition 'Enemies of God'

An Iranian cleric close to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamanei says the country's opposition leaders are "enemies of God" who could be executed according to Islamic law. The statement by Ayatollah Abbas Vaez Tabasi came Tuesday as opposition groups reported the arrests of more activists following Sunday's anti-government protests that left eight people dead. At least 20 high-profile opposition figures or their associates have been detained since Sunday. Among them are the brother-in-law of opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi and the sister of Nobel Peace laureate Shirin Ebadi. Dubai TV also says its reporter in Tehran has been missing since Sunday. Opposition Web sites reported new protests and clashes between students and security forces at a university in Tehran Tuesday, as state-run television announced a crackdown on students it accused of being "responsible for seditious acts." State TV broadcast images of pro-government rallies, two days after tens of thousands of people turned the Shi'ite Muslim religious ritual of Ashura into massive anti-government protests. Sunday's violence was the most serious in Iran since protests erupted after the disputed June election that gave President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad a second term in office.

VI. JAXOBSERVER: Airliner Plot Raises Gitmo Worries

The alleged Christmas Day plot to blow up a Detroit-bound airliner further complicates President Obama’s decision to close the Guantanamo Bay detention center and send some of the 198 terrorism suspects held there back to their own countries. National security experts and members of Congress are calling on the White House to halt plans to repatriate more detainees after a branch of al-Qaeda claimed responsibility for the alleged attack attempt. Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula said in an Internet post Monday that the effort to bring down Northwest Flight 253 was in retaliation for U.S. airstrikes against the group in Yemen. Roughly 90 of the detainees at Guantanamo are from Yemen, where al-Qaeda cells have launched attacks and destabilized the government. The incident Friday means “we have the clearest indication yet that the president’s continual release of Guantanamo Bay detainees presents an unacceptable risk to American lives,” said Kirk Lippold, commander of the USS Cole when it was attacked by al-Qaeda in Yemen in 2000. Yemen “is incapable of containing a growing terrorist insurgency.” The nearly 200 detainees held at Guantanamo Bay are “the most dangerous of the terrorists we brought there,” Lippold said. “They are high-level al-Qaeda or Taliban.” When Obama took office in January, he ordered that the prison be closed and that each detainee’s case be reviewed. On Dec. 15, the White House announced plans for the federal government to buy a prison in Thomson, Ill., to house detainees to be tried before military tribunals and those who officials determine cannot be prosecuted or released. The White House has not said whether more detainees are slated to be returned to Yemen. Others say closing Guantanamo could be in jeopardy.

VII. PRAVMIR: Christmas is All about Doing the Unusual

Our friends and peers (others our age) can have a huge influence on our decisions. So often, many of our choices are based on what our friends or peers will think about us because we want to be accepted by them. We avoid doing things that might make us seem unusual or weird to them. Are we wearing the right clothes, listening to the right music, hanging out with the right people? The answers to these questions are heavily influenced by what our friends and peers will say and think of us. However, sometimes the cost of pleasing our friends comes at a very high price. You may have found yourself doing the following things to be accepted and not seem unusual: you may have stopped yourself from befriending someone who’s not cool, because your friends would think you’re weird. You may have starved yourself or are bulimic in order to have the right body image and to be accepted. You may have stopped hanging out with a life-long friend because your new group of friends doesn’t embrace them. You may do drugs or get drunk because it’s the only way to be part of you crew and get attention. You may have changed your personality and your interests and hobbies to fit in with the “in” crowd. You may have been silent about your faith in God because of being ridiculed. You may have laughed at someone because they have no fashion sense. These are just a few examples of the things you may have done so you could be accepted by your friends and not seem unusual or weird to them. The above actions may make our friends happy, but they hurt God. Why? Because God knows that when we do these things, we will not like the person we’ve become. God knows that we won’t feel good about what we’ve done, and we’ll begin to feel empty inside. God doesn’t want you to feel like this. To have the feelings God wants you to have, you need to do those things that you were created by God to do—love God and others. Only then will you truly feel good about yourself and your actions. You also have to be okay with potentially being considered weird or unusual by your “friends” and peers. Believe it or not, the message of Christmas can give us comfort and encouragement to deal with our friends and peers. Christmas is all about God doing something that was considered highly unusual, weird and offensive to many people—He became a human being. This was unusual because God, who created EVERYTHING, who is all powerful, and immortal, freely chose to become mortal, and to experience pain, suffering, love, and everything else humans experience. Jesus’ opponents could not and would not believe that God would do something so unusual and weird. It was not just God becoming a human that was unusual to people, but the things Jesus did while He was on earth, like hanging out with people who weren’t part of the “in” crowd, that caused his opponents to get upset with Him. Our God didn’t let what others thought of Him stop Him from doing what He needed to do, even though it meant that some of His own people would consider Jesus unusual and weird. We too, should not be influenced by our friends just because they might consider us unusual or weird. Don’t be afraid to befriend the person who is not popular; don’t hurt yourself to have a certain body image; return to the personality and interests you had before you changed it to fit in (as long as your personality and interests are pleasing to God☺). Apologize to the person you ridiculed. If someone asks you why you don’t sleep with your boyfriend or girlfriend, tell them that your Church wants you to have that special moment with the one who is willing to spend the rest of their life with you. You may be considered weird or unusual for doing these things, but you’ll feel good about yourself because you’re doing those things that God designed you to do. Keep in mind that when you do those things that are pleasing to God but unusual to your friends, either your friends will learn to accept your decisions or they will not. There’s a possibility that they may not want to be your friends anymore. If that’s the case, then that would be really sad, but, I assure you, there are people your age who will embrace your God-pleasing decisions. May the message of Christmas give you the strength and comfort to do those things that might seem unusual to your friends and peers but perfectly normal to God!