New pope elected
Politics
New pope elected
May 9, 2025 | 7:06 PM GMT
Robert Prevost, an American cardinal, was elected pope May 8 taking the name Leo XIV. He is the first American to lead the Catholic Church. Cheers erupted as he stepped onto a balcony overlooking St. Peter's Square in the Vatican to address the crowd that had gathered and more than a billion Catholics around the world.
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Newsweek
4 hours ago
- Newsweek
DOJ Sues Against Law That Church Threatened To Excommunicate Priests Over
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The Department of Justice has filed a lawsuit against a new law that demands priests report child abuse revealed during private confession. One American Archbishop and other Catholic Church figures warned priests will be excommunicated for obiding by Washington State's new law set to take effect on July 27. Why It Matters The issue spotlights the enduring tension between religious freedom and the state's duty to protect children from abuse. The laws proponents argue it's necessary to help safeguard against child abuse, while critics argue that compelling clergy to breach the confessional seal damages their ability to practise religion freely. The outcome may influence how other states approach mandated reporting requirements for clergy, especially as constitutional and civil rights groups enter the debate. Stock image shows a priest in the confessional recites the rosary awaiting penitent. Stock image shows a priest in the confessional recites the rosary awaiting penitent. Getty Images What To Know The Democrat-led state of Washington passed a law in May requiring clergy to report any suspected child abuse and neglect learned during confession, which was previously exempt, within 48 hours of hearing of it. The Archdiocese of Seattle responded, saying: "Catholic clergy may not violate the seal of confession—or they will be excommunicated from the Church." Archbishop Paul Etienne of Seattle said: "Priests cannot comply with this law if the knowledge of abuse is obtained during the Sacrament of Reconciliation." The Justice Department's lawsuit backed the Catholic leaders in a legal filing on Monday, arguing the law "unlawfully targets clergy and, specifically, Catholic priests" and "directly interferes with and substantially burdens this sacred rite" of confession. "Complying with [new law] SB 5375 under these circumstances would place Catholic priests fundamentally at odds with the core tenets and beliefs of their religion, and even prohibit them from continuing to serve as priests in the Catholic church," it added. "Under Catholic canon law, priests are "prohibited completely from using knowledge acquired from confession to the detriment of the penitent even when any danger of revelation is excluded." Washington Senator Noel Frame, a Democrat who sponsored the initial bill, has rejected church leaders' talk of excommunicating priests, and suggested the church change its own rules. "I am reminded that Canon law has changed many times over the years in the Catholic faith and there's nothing to say they cannot change their rules to allow the reporting of real time abuse and neglect of children," she told NPR last month. "That is within their power to change and I think they should so." The Justice Department, in a news release announcing the lawsuit, argued the bill "violates the free exercise of religion for all Catholics, and requires Catholic priests to violate the confidentiality seal of Confession" and would deprive them of the free exercise of religion, something protected under the first amendment and the equal protection clause of the fourteenth amendment. They added that this would subject them to "immediate excommunication from the Catholic Church." What People Are Saying Mark Shanahan, who teaches American politics at the University of Surrey in the U.K., told Newsweek via email on Tuesday: "The DoJ has a history of intervening where States impose laws that appear to impinge on citizens' rights to practice religion freely. In so doing, it is upholding rights enshrined by the First Amendment. While the Washington Senate Bill may be making the headlines now, it's just the latest in a long line of state laws that have fallen foul of Constitutional rights." Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division said in a release: "Laws that explicitly target religious practices such as the Sacrament of Confession in the Catholic Church have no place in our society. Senate Bill 5375 unconstitutionally forces Catholic priests in Washington to choose between their obligations to the Catholic Church and their penitents or face criminal consequences, while treating the priest-penitent privilege differently than other well-settled privileges. The Justice Department will not sit idly by when States mount attacks on the free exercise of religion." In a statement to KOIN 6 News, Washington Governor Bob Ferguson, who signed the law, said: "It is disappointing, but not surprising, to see the DOJ seek to shield and protect child abusers." What Happens Next The law is set to go into effect on July 27. Meanwhile, it is facing another lawsuit from bishops of the Archdiocese of Seattle and the dioceses of Spokane and Yakima who raised concerns about religious freedom.
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
Bezos ‘forced to move Venice wedding party'
Jeff Bezos has reportedly been forced to move his Venice wedding celebrations after residents threatened to fill the city's canals with inflatable crocodiles to stop guests arriving. Mr Bezos, the Amazon founder and one of the richest people in the world, had been expected to hold a party at a 16th-century hall in the city centre as part of three-day celebrations for his wedding to Lauren Sanchez. However, the couple are now moving the event to a more secure location following protest threats by residents accusing him of effectively shutting down Venice. Some demonstrators had claimed they would throw inflatable crocodiles into the canals leading to the Scuola Grande della Misericordia to block celebrity guests arriving on water taxis or gondolas. Tommaso Cacciari, a member of the No Space for Bezos protest group, said: 'This is a big victory for us. 'Who would have thought that we could change the plans of one of the richest men on the planet?' He added that a demonstration planned for Saturday – thought to be the main day of celebrations – will still go ahead. 'We'll leave the periphery of the city to them but we will be reclaiming the centre of Venice.' The wedding will reportedly be moved to the Arsenale (Arsenal in English), a huge complex of boat yards, basins, warehouses and canals where Venetians built warships and merchant vessels for centuries. Until the 18th century, it was Europe's largest industrial complexes. Surrounded by crenelated walls, the Arsenale will be much easier to secure than the Scuola Grande della Misericordia, which has easy public access. There is an elaborately decorated gateway at its main entrance guarded by a group of large stone lions, one of which was taken from the Greek island of Delos. Alongside the threat of angry Venetians, the switch was also prompted by heightened concerns of potential terrorist threats to the wedding because of the tense situation in the Middle East and war between Israel and Iran. There are worries that members of the Trump family attending the celebration, including Donald Trump Jr and Ivanka Trump, could be targets. Darco Pellos, Venice's police chief, said: 'We have raised the level of alert as a result of the international situation so as to guarantee the security of tourists and residents. 'Private events with a high international profile will be monitored closely,' he added, referring to the Bezos wedding. Dozens of private jets are expected to arrive at Venice's Marco Polo airport, bringing guests from as far afield as Los Angeles, Tanzania, London and Budapest. But before the celebrations, Mr Bezos, 61, and his fiancée threw a foam party on board the Koru, his $500 million (£371 million), three-masted superyacht. 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They have said that hosting the wedding is emblematic of how Venice has sold its soul to tourism at the expense of residents, who have faced acute housing shortages, the closure of basic services and the replacement of local businesses by trinket shops and trattorias. They will have to face-off, however, against a rival group taking the opposite stance – that the wedding will bring Venice and Italy millions of euros in revenue and the Amazon founder should be welcomed. Rallying under the slogan 'Yes Venice Can', the group consists of Venetian hoteliers, restaurant owners and business associations. In a statement, they said: 'We cannot allow a noisy minority to discredit the image of this city in the eyes of the world. 'We will put on the very best welcome for Bezos, as we always do for those who choose Venice as a holiday destination or as a backdrop to big events. Venice is a city that welcomes people – it doesn't turn them away.' It added that Venice has 'always been a crossroads of cultures, travellers, merchants and famous people'. More than 90 private jets are expected to fly into Marco Polo this week, bringing Hollywood celebrities and tech tycoons from around the world. Flight documents have shown there is a Gulfstream G650ER coming from Los Angeles that belongs to Kim Kardashian, according to Corriere della Sera, the Italian newspaper. A flight from Tanzania will bring Paul Tudor Jones II, a billionaire hedge fund manager, while a plane from Valencia will transport David Geffen, the film producer and record company executive. Kylie Jenner will reportedly arrive from Budapest, while Oprah Winfrey, the chat show host, will fly in from New York City. Bill Gates, the Microsoft founder, will travel from Brussels, closely followed by Lachlan Murdoch, one of the sons of Rupert Murdoch, who will come from London. Lady Gaga and Sir Elton John are also reported to be attending. On Monday, activists staged a fresh protest against the wedding, unfurling a giant banner in St Mark's Square that read: 'If you can rent Venice for your wedding, you can pay more tax.' The demonstration was organised by Greenpeace and Everyone Hates Elon, a British campaign group. Clara Thompson, a Greenpeace campaigner, said: 'While Venice is sinking under the weight of the climate crisis, billionaires are partying like there is no tomorrow on their mega-yachts. 'This isn't just about one person – it's about changing the rules so no billionaire can dodge responsibility, anywhere. 'The real issue is a broken system that lets billionaires skip out on taxes while everyone else is left to foot the bill. That's why we need fair, inclusive rules – and they must be written at the UN.' A spokesman from Everyone Hates Elon said: 'As governments talk about hard choices and struggle to fund public services, Jeff Bezos can afford to shut down half a city for days on end just to get married. 'Just weeks ago, he spent millions on an 11-minute space trip. If there was ever a sign that billionaires like Bezos should pay wealth taxes, it's this.' Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Bloomberg
6 hours ago
- Bloomberg
Italy's Monte dei Paschi Share Sale Draws Scrutiny From Brussels
The Italian government's sale of shares in Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena SpA has spurred scrutiny from European Union regulators, amid reports that some investors were sidelined from the process. The European Commission 's competition branch has started to dig deeper into the November 2024 stake sale in a move that could eventually provoke a full-blown state aid investigation, according to people familiar with the matter.
