There is an expression of Jesus' in this Sunday's Gospel that always draws our attention and which needs to be properly understood. As he is on his way to Jerusalem, where death on the cross awaits him, Christ confides in his disciples: "Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division."
Here is the final part of a Vatican translation of Benedict XVI's Q&A session with priests from the dioceses of Belluno-Feltre and Treviso, Italy, during the Pope's vacation.
Europe and America US Middle East and its peripheral geographic areas lie at the heart of this process. In the wake of the 2003 invasion of Iraq France, Germany
Iraqi Kurdish officials expressed deepening concern yesterday at an upsurge in fierce clashes between Kurdish guerrillas and Iranian forces in the remote border area of north-east Iraq, where Tehran has recently deployed thousands of Revolutionary Guards.
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution has referred to the Islamic front as the ultimate winner of the war against the hegemonic powers. Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said that the world arrogance sees the unity of Muslims as a threat to its hegemony. "In addition to Britain, the US and Zionist intelligence services are also doing their best to undermine the unity of Muslims." He expressed confidence that the enemies of Islam, headed by the US, are doomed to failure in their conflict with Muslims.
The 3rd round of nuclear talks between Iran and the UN nuclear watchdog would be the "final round" of the talks to remove remaining ambiguities over Iran's peaceful nuclear program.
Reports that the Bush Administration will put Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on the terrorism list can be read in one of two ways: it's either more bluster or, ominously, a wind-up for a strike on Iran. Officials I talk to in Washington vote for a hit on the IRGC, maybe within the next 6 months. "IRGC IED's are a casus belli for this Administration. There will be an attack on Iran."
Fact is, we are now Roveless. Despite his unusual pasty whiteness and the political angst Rove created, George W. Bush benefited greatly from Rove's hard work and intellect. But there is another Rove – perhaps a bit less trusted within the inner circle. Three things come to mind, and I believe they matter when we consider Rove's departure and what it means to the country.
US military drill designed to enhance homeland security in the event of a nuclear terrorist attack has some officials and media outlets funded by billionaire George Soros warning it may be a "false flag" operation leading to the detonation of a real nuclear device to set the stage for martial law. The exercise, part of the "Noble Resolve" program of the US Joint Forces Command, is set for tomorrow through Friday in Portland, Oregon.
World stocks rose today, regaining some ground after the US Federal Reserve cut a key bank lending rate.
European central banks are standing ready this week to take further steps to ease the credit squeeze following the US Federal Reserve's unexpected move on Friday to stem the turmoil in money and credit markets.
Switzerland's top banker has warned of massive losses from the unfolding credit crisis, describing the collapse in US lending standards as "unbelievable". Jean-Pierre Roth, president of the Swiss National Bank, said market turmoil was far from over as tremors from the sub-prime debacle continued to rock the world. "We're certainly not at the end of the story. There are question marks surrounding the development of the American economy. Something unbelievable happened. People who had neither income nor capital got credit with very attractive conditions. Now reality is striking back."
So is Bernanke repeating Greenspan's error and injecting another syringe-full of moral hazard into Wall Street's bloodstream? Or has he cleverly avoided delivering a full-scale bailout while taking action to prevent a seizure in the credit markets from bringing down the US economy? At this stage, it's impossible to know.
First, the bad news. Don't be fooled by Friday's bounce. We are not out of the woods yet. If anything, the Fed's decision to rescue markets by throwing money at the problem supports our view that this summer's financial crisis threatens the wider economy.
It is hard to overstate the seriousness of the global financial crisis. Yet the world's central monetary authorities - the central banks - have been culpably slow to recognise how dangerous things have become. The resulting carnage in the financial system of the whole euro area will make the present global financial crisis, serious though it is, seem almost insignificant.
The Fed's moves shows that it believes the markets' problems have become a threat to the broader economy. For that reason, calming the markets should be seen as only a necessary first step toward addressing much bigger issues - issues that President Bush and his aides continue to deny.
This universal phenomenon, known as the "post-lunch dip," represents a collision of biology and economics. It is entirely natural for humans to want to go to sleep about 7 hours after they have awakened. What is happening in the body that it craves rest after lunch?
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