Pope urges support for Mideast Christians

NICOSIA, Cyprus – Pope Benedict XVI appealed Saturday for support for embattled Christian communities in the Middle East, calling them a vital force for peace in the region.

Benedict's three-day pilgrimage to Cyprus is part of preparations for a crisis summit of Middle East bishops in Rome in October. Many bishops from the region have traveled to Cyprus to see Benedict and receive a working paper for the summit that will be made public Sunday.

War and harsh economic conditions have led to the exodus of thousands of Christians from the Holy Land, Iraq and elsewhere in recent years.

Meeting with Orthodox Christian Archbishop Chrysostomos II, Benedict said the continuing conflict in the Middle East "must be a source of concern to all of Christ's followers."

"No one can remain indifferent to the need to support in every way possible the Christians of that troubled region, so that its ancient churches can live in peace and flourish," Benedict said.

Benedict has walked a careful diplomatic path since arriving Friday on this divided eastern Mediterranean island. Cyprus was ethnically split in 1974 when Turkey invaded after a coup by supporters of union with Greece. Turkish Cypriots declared an independent republic in the north in 1983, but only Turkey recognizes it, and it maintains 35,000 troops there.

Shortly after Benedict's arrival, the Cypriot archbishop launched a harsh attack against Turkey, accusing it of ethnic cleansing and of aiming to take over the entire island.

Benedict has not responded directly to the Greek Cypriot leaders. On Saturday, he called for a "just settlement" of outstanding issues.

President Dimitris Christofias kept it up Saturday when Benedict visited him at the presidential palace in the divided capital. He urged the international community to put its larger geopolitical interests aside and pressure Turkey to reach an accord reunifying the island.

Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu last month resumed long-running peace talks after a two-month pause.

While Benedict has no plans to visit northern Cyprus, his spokesman said it is likely the pope will meet with a Muslim delegation.

In addressing members of Cyprus' tiny Catholic community, he stressed the importance of interreligious dialogue for the Catholic community, a reference to the overwhelmingly Muslim Turkish Cypriots.

"Only by patient work can mutual trust be built, the burden of history overcome, and the political and cultural differences between peoples become a motive to work fore deeper understanding," Benedict said.
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Associated Press writer Menelaos Hadjicostis contributed to this report from Nicosia.

Israeli forces board Gaza-bound aid vessel

JERUSALEM – Israeli forces seized a Gaza-bound aid vessel without meeting resistance on Saturday, preventing it from breaking an Israeli maritime blockade of the Hamas-ruled territory days after a similar effort turned bloody.

The military said its forces boarded the 1,200-ton Rachel Corrie cargo ship from the sea, not helicopters.

The takeover stood in marked contrast to a violent confrontation at sea earlier this week when Israeli commandos blocked a Turkish aid vessel trying to break the blockade. At the time, Israeli commandos rappelled from helicopters and a clash with passengers left nine pro-Palestinian activists dead.

Army spokeswoman Lt. Col. Avital Leibovich says Saturday's takeover took only a few minutes and that the vessel was being taken to Israel's Ashdod port.

The Irish ship — named for an American college student who was crushed to death by a bulldozer in 2003 while protesting Israeli house demolitions in Gaza — was carrying hundreds of tons of aid, including wheelchairs, medical supplies and cement.

The standoff has raised international pressure on Israel to lift the 3-year-old blockade that has plunged the territory's 1.5 million residents deeper into poverty.

Activists on board the boat, including Irish Nobel Peace Prize laureate Mairead Corrigan, had said they wouldn't resist if Israeli soldiers tried to take over their vessel.

This latest attempt to breach the blockade differs significantly from the flotilla the Israeli troops intercepted on Monday, killing eight Turks and a Turkish-American after being set upon by a group of activists.

Nearly 700 activists had joined that operation, most of them aboard the lead boat from Turkey that was the scene of the violence. That boat, the Mavi Marmara, was sponsored by an Islamic aid group from Turkey, the Foundation for Human Rights and Freedom and Humanitarian Relief. Israel outlawed the group, known by its Turkish acronym IHH, in 2008 because of alleged ties to Hamas. The group is not on the U.S. State Department list of terror organizations, however.

By contrast, the Rachel Corrie was carrying just 11 passengers from Ireland and Malaysia, whose effort was mainly sponsored by the Free Gaza movement, a Cyprus-based group that has renounced violence. Nine crew were also on board.

Drogba facing World Cup heartbreak

SION , Switzerland (AFP) – Ivory Coast saw off Japan 2-0 in a pre-World Cup friendly on Friday, but captain Didier Drogba may miss the World Cup after suffering a fractured forearm that may keep him out of the event.

Drogba fired home an early deflected free-kick but then injured his right arm and was forced to go off after just 18 minutes following a seemingly innocuous clash with Brazilian-born Japanese defender Marcus Tulio Tanaka.

"Didier Drogba has not for the moment pulled out (of the squad)," the Ivorian Football Federation (FIF) said in a statement on its website, as rumours abounded that the player would not recover in time.

Drogba gave way to CSKA Moscow forward Seydou Doumbia and hurried off for a scan at a hospital in the Swiss town of Sion which hosted the game.

Elephants' coach Sven-Goran Eriksson said: "Didier Drogba was injured just above the elbow.

"We do not know if he will be able to play the World Cup. Of course it is very worrying. He is our skipper and our best player.

"I have not as yet spoken to him but what is certain is that he was in great pain."

French media reports quoted Drogba as saying he would miss the tournament.

L'Equipe sports daily reported on its website: "After tests the player confirmed to us he would not be able to play in the World Cup."

Following his hospital scan Drogba was seen by reporters with his arm in a sling and held protectively under his vest.

Team-mate Kolo Toure, who scored the second goal, said: "Of course without Didier Drogba we are not the same team but we have good players with abundant qualities."

Drogba helped the Ivorians open the scoring just three minutes before going off, hammering goalwards a free kick which was deflected in off Tanaka.

Manchester City's Toure added the clincher ten minutes from time to complete the win and give the Elephants a fillip, the injury to Drogba notwithstanding.

The Ivorians ought to have seen off weak opponents by a larger margin and Doumbia wasted several opportunities, firing over after Toure set him up on the half hour and then firing off target seconds before the break.

Aruna Dindane also went close as Japan struggled to hold their lines.

Toure finally claimed his goal when he turned in following a Saka Tiene free kick.
Swede Eriksson praised the team's overall performance.

"We played well with a lot of discipline," said the former England boss.

Shunsuke Nakamura might have given the Japanese something to cheer but his free kick five minutes after the interval was taken smartly by Ivorian keeper Boubacar Barry.

Japan coach Takeshi Okada said he was on the whole satisfied with his team's performance.

"We were up against a good team with good players," said Okada.

"But we put some good moves together. We were tight in defence which helped us prevent our rivals from increasing their pace on us.

"We were there for some good duels. I'm satisfied with the way that we used the ball up front. We knew how to keep it simple."

Japan must now try to find some form ahead of their Group E meetings with further African opposition in the shape of Cameroon as well as Denmark and Holland while Ivory Coast will go up against Brazil, Portugal and North Korea in Group G.

PM visits scene of gun massacre 'tragedy'

WHITEHAVEN, England (AFP) – Prime Minister David Cameron on Friday visited injured survivors of a gun massacre which killed 12 people, calling it "the most appalling tragedy".

Cameron also hailed the "incredible" bravery of local people and emergency service workers caught up in the deadly rampage by 52-year-old taxi driver Derrick Bird, which was reportedly linked to his financial problems.

His visit came as police in the rural and normally peaceful Lake District of northwest England battled to work out exactly what prompted Bird to launch a three-hour killing spree which claimed the life of his twin brother, among others.

The local area has "suffered the most appalling tragedy and it will have a huge impact on the community," Cameron told reporters after meeting survivors and police.

"I wanted to come here to show the government wanted to listen, wanted to show how much it cares about what has happened here."

Britain already has some of the tightest gun laws in the world but Cameron said these would be re-examined after the dust has settled.

He said "lots of questions" would have to be asked "and we have to make sure that we answer those questions and do everything we can to help them (local people) through that process."

In the towns and villages where Bird struck before turning the gun on himself, local people were struggling to come to terms with what happened.

"Everyone will pull together and get through it but it's tragic. In the wider community here, everybody knows somebody affected," said Anne-Marie Hodgson, who runs a cafe in Frizington, where Bird killed his family's lawyer.

June Skelton added: "Even if somebody's got money problems, why take innocent people, why not go out to the woods and top himself without ruining 12 families' lives?"

Local Church of England churches were open throughout the day to allow people to pray and reflect on the horror wrought on their towns and villages.

As well as killing 12, Bird also wounded 11 people as he drove through the area, calling people over to his car before opening fire or taking pot shots from the window.

He took his own life in a wood near the village of Boot as police closed in.

Officers recovered a shotgun and a .22 rifle fitted with a telescopic sight. Police confirmed Bird had valid licences for both.

More than 100 officers were working to retrace Bird's deadly journey through an area popular with hill walkers to establish why a man described by neighbours as a "normal bloke" caused such mayhem.

One of his friends, a fellow taxi driver, said Bird had been worried about an investigation by tax authorities into his finances.

"He said: 'They have caught me with £60,000 (90,000 dollars, 70,000 euros) in the bank, the tax people'. He just said: 'I'll go to jail'," said Mark Cooper, 45, who had known Bird for 15 years.

Reports suggested Bird argued with his twin brother David over the money and their mother's will, but David's three daughters denied any family rift.

Rachel, Tracey and Katie paid tribute to their father, a "loving character".

"We would like to take this opportunity to say there was absolutely no family feud. Our Dad's only downfall was to try and help his brother," they said, in an apparent hint at discord within the family.

Police confirmed they were investigating whether financial troubles could have triggered the massacre but would not comment further.

Bird had also argued with other taxi drivers the night before the killings, and reportedly told them: "There's going to be a rampage tomorrow."

Bird's brother and his family lawyer, 60-year-old Kevin Commons, were thought to be among the first victims before he drove to the taxi rank in the town of Whitehaven and shot dead a fellow cabbie.

Other victims included Jane Robinson, 66, gunned down as she delivered catalogues door-to-door and farmer's son Garry Purdham, 31, who was shot as he repaired a fence.

People who knew "Birdy", as the killer was widely known, described a quiet but popular man who lived alone. He was divorced, had two children and recently became a grandfather.

Thai leader goes abroad to salvage country's image

BANGKOK – Thailand's prime minister Friday planned his first overseas trip since last month's bloody protests in Bangkok, hoping to salvage the country's hammered tourism industry and blighted image.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva's primary task will be to restore confidence among investors and tourists when he attends the World Economic Forum of East Asian leaders in Vietnam on Sunday, the government spokesman said.

While in Hanoi, Abhisit also will meet with counterparts from the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations and top business executives from the region, said spokesman Panithan Wattanayagorn.

"The theme here is recovery," Panithan said, citing the two-month anti-government protests as a key reason for economic decline in once booming Thailand. Nearly 90 people were killed and some 1,800 injured during the protests, which ended in a bloody crackdown May 19.

The government estimates that the vital tourism industry, which will take months if not years to fully recover, lost up to $2.2 billion as a result of the crisis.

In a World Economic Forum report published last month, Thailand fell 10 places to number 60 among the 125 countries indexed. The rankings show Thailand's competitiveness slipping, something which could effect the flow of foreign investment.

During the trip, Panithan said that the prime minister would also update the international community on the progress of his government's reconciliation "road map".

"It is necessary for (foreign governments and investors) to understand this healing process," he said.

Abhisit has been grounded in Thailand for more than two months as Red Shirt protesters demanding new elections occupied Bangkok's prime commercial district, sending tourists packing and shops closing.

Since then, Abhisit has tried to mend Thailand's image, meeting with diplomats and the foreign media to brief them on the political developments.

Although the situation in Bangkok has calmed down in recent days, the capital and 23 other provinces are still under emergency decrees and many analysts say the deep rifts in Thai society will not be easy to fix.

Roman Catholic bishop's driver charged with murder

ISTANBUL – A Turkish man was charged Friday with murder in the stabbing death of a Roman Catholic bishop, the Vatican's apostolic vicar in Anatolia, for whom he worked as a driver, a court said.

The killing of Monsignor Luigi Padovese outside his home in the Mediterranean port of Iskenderun on Thursday was the latest in a string of attacks in recent years on Christians in predominantly Muslim Turkey, where Christians make up less than 1 percent of the 70 million population.

The 26-year-old driver, Murat Altun, confessed to the killing, his lawyer Cihan Onal said.

"The murder is not politically motivated," Onal told the state-run Anatolia news agency. "My client is suffering from mental problems. He confessed to all the details of the killing."

Turkish authorities also said the murder did not appear to be politically motivated.

The court in Iskenderun ordered Altun jailed pending trial. No trial date has been set.

Onal said the driver would undergo medical tests to determine his mental health.
"In his statement, at one point he said he killed him after receiving a message from God," Onal said. "He can't explain why he committed the murder. In fact, he is giving conflicting accounts."
Onal rejected allegations that Altun, a Muslim, had converted to Christianity.

Padovese had been due to fly to Cyprus on Friday with his chauffeur to meet Pope Benedict, who is going to the island to invite Roman Catholic clerics in the Middle East to a synod in Rome.

Turkish authorities and a Franciscan nun, Sister Eleonora de Stefano, who reportedly had spoken to Padovese on the phone less than an hour before his slaying, said the bishop's driver was lately suffering from serious depression.

Sister de Stefano said Padovese had asked her "to cancel Murat's ticket for Cyprus as well for himself because he hadn't been feeling well," the Italian agency ANSA has reported.

"Since Murat was suffering from a serious depression for at least two weeks.

Recently, he frequently met with Monsignor Padovese, who was trying to help him," ANSA quoted the nun as saying. "He had even asked him to accompany him to Cyprus, but the driver refused."

Turkish authorities said the body of Padovese could be flown home after an autopsy in the southern city of Adana.

The Turkish government has paid tribute to Padovese, who was appointed apostolic vicar in Anatolia in 2004, with Culture Minister Ertugrul Gunay saying he had "made important contributions to the culture of tolerance through his services in Hatay."

There has been several attacks on Christians in Turkey in recent years.

In 2007, a Roman Catholic priest in the western city of Izmir, Adriano Franchini, was stabbed and slightly wounded in the stomach by a 19-year-old man after Sunday Mass. The man was arrested.

The same year, a group of men entered a Bible-publishing house in the central Anatolian city of Malatya and killed three Christians, including a German national. The five alleged killers are now standing trial for murder.

In 2006, amid widespread anger in Islamic countries over the publication in European newspapers of caricatures of Islam's Prophet Muhammad, a 16-year-old boy shot dead a Catholic priest, Father Andrea Santoro, as he prayed in his church in the Black Sea city of Trabzon. The boy was convicted of murder and sentenced to 18 years in prison.
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Associated Press Writer Frances D'Emilio in Rome contributed to this report.

Obama shelves trip to Indonesia, Australia

WASHINGTON – Grappling with the worst oil spill in the nation's history, President Barack Obama has abruptly scrapped a trip to Indonesia and Australia for the second time this year.

The president informed the leaders of both countries of the news in phone calls Thursday night, offering his "deep regret" and pledging to reschedule soon, White House press secretary Robert Gibbs announced in a statement just after midnight.

Obama was to depart on a weeklong trip to both countries, along with a quick stop in Guam, on June 13.

Asked the reason for the delay, Gibbs told The Associated Press that Obama was staying home "to deal with important issues, one of which is the oil spill."

Obama had a sensitive political decision to make: Risk putting off two allies in a strategic part of the world once again or endure all the downsides, including an inevitable level of backlash, for being on the other side of the world during a huge crisis at home.

The domestic agenda proved dominant.

Already, his administration faces scrutiny for its leadership in trying to end the oil spill in the Gulf even as the White House insists it has been forceful from the start. What began with an exploding oil rig on April 20 has turned into an environmental disaster.

Obama had planned this Asia trip in March — first shortening it to be in Washington and lobby for health care legislation and then scrapping it altogether to stay for the final crucial days of debate on that top domestic priority.

Congress ultimately passed the health care law after a huge investment from Obama.

Obama called Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to explain his decision on Thursday.

Gibbs said Obama planned to meet with both leaders separately on the sidelines of the G-20 meeting, which is to be held near the end of June in Canada.

The announcement came as Defense Secretary Robert Gates was meeting with Indonesian defense officials at a security conference in Singapore. Gates spokesman Geoff Morrell said the postponement did not come up in the meeting.

As the trip drew closer and attempts by the BP oil company to plug the gushing oil well proved futile, speculation grew that Obama would be forced to delay the visit for a second time.
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AP National Security Writer Anne Gearan contributed to this report from Singapore.