World News

Russian natural gas destined for Europe was flowing through Ukraine’s pipeline system Tuesday, January 20, raising hopes of an end to a two-week blockade that impacted nearly 20 countries, officials said.

With freezing temperatures across most of Europe, there was heated anger, Thursday, January 15, especially in Eastern Europe about the suspension in natural gas deliveries from Russia through Ukraine. The gas crisis comes at a difficult time for leading politicians, especially in Bulgaria, where some 2,000 people have demanded the government’s resignation over allegations of corruption.

The Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, Dominique Strauss-Kahn, has warned that the world economy will decline more than previously anticipated.

With the death toll of Israel’s offensive in the Gaza Strip reportedly rising to over 900 and Hamas militants firing rockets deep into Israel, anti and pro-Israel protests have spread throughout the world, with some of them turning violent.

Eastern Europe was anxiously awaiting the resumption of natural gas deliveries from Russia Monday, January 12, after Russian energy giant Gazprom said Ukraine signed a fresh copy of a gas transit monitoring agreement.

Russia said late Sunday, January 11, that a deal to resume the supply of natural gas to Europe is off, crushing hopes of Europeans suffering without heat this unseasonable cold winter.

European Union monitors arrived in Kyiv Saturday, January 10, amid international pressure on Ukraine and Russia to settle their dispute over natural gas prices that has effected shipments to some 20 countries.

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin asked state-run energy giant Gazprom to cease all deliveries of natural gas into Ukraine, destined for Europe, Russian state media reported Wednesday, January 7, despite reports that over a dozen people in Europe already froze to death as temperatures dropped.

Amid tight security, the United States embassy in Iraq’s capital Baghdad was open for business Tuesday, January 6, after a dedication ceremony to open what is the largest embassy compound in the world.

Iran says tens of thousands of students are preparing themselves for suicide attacks against Israel, in revenge for the Israeli offensive against militants of the Hamas group in the Gaza Strip.

Japan has asked several companies to help it develop more geothermal power plants linked to its 108 active volcanoes, about 10 percent of the world’s total.

A tense calm returned Sunday, January 4, to Kosovo’s second largest and most ethnically divided town of Mitrovica, following clashes between Serbs and ethnic Albanians in which at least six people were injured.

Recovery work continued Monday, January 5, after at least four people were killed and dozens more injured as two powerful earthquakes hit Indonesia over the weekend, cutting power lines and destroying buildings, officials said.

The European Union was to hold a special meeting Monday, January 5, to discuss a major energy crisis, after Russia accused Ukraine of stealing natural gas destined for Europe.

A strong earthquake rattled Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan for about a minute on Sunday. A 6.2-magnitude earthquake struck the northeastern province of Badakhshan in the Hindu Kush mountains, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

January 19, 2005 (MEMRI) — The following are excerpts from the televised confessions of Muayed Al-Nasseri, who commanded Saddam Hussein’s “Army of Muhammad” throughout 2004. The confessions were aired by an Iraqi TV channel that operates from the UAE, Al-Fayhaa TV, and were monitored and translated by the MEMRI TV Project.

“What’s needed is …something analogous to the ancient acropolis, where today’s diversity of national and ethnic customs and religious traditions can be celebrated and upheld for the enrichment of everybody….The new acropolises will… provide opportunity for sacred expression needed to bind the people of the planet into a viable, meaningful, and sustainable solidarity.”[2] [Dean James Morton, Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York, 1996 UN Conference on Human Settlements]

The science of transgenics is moving forward despite bad publicity surrounding genetically modified foods. When it involves ‘enhancing the human species,’ the Bible has something to say.

NEW YORK (BP)–A small group of policy experts will be watching the actions of the United Nations Millennium Summit for further evidence of what one analyst described to CNSNews.com as a “frightening” push for global governance.

New York — A kind of spiritual bonhomie was on public display during much of the Millennium World Peace Summit, with religious leaders, attired in their vestments and finery, issuing carefully crafted declarations and prayers for peace.