Catholic Church Sex Abuse Scandal
The Vatican faces a growing controversy, mirroring the one faced by Catholic Churches in America when allegations of sexual abuse surfaced several years ago. Pope Benedict XVI is a central figure in the scandal as it has emerged that during his time as archbishop of Munich, a German priest in treatment for pedophilia was allowed to return to working with children. In the late 1990s, as a senior Vatican official, Bendict’s deputy stopped the trial of a Wisconsin priest accused of molesting deaf boys. So far, the church has responded as if the media is simply trying to run a smear campaign against the Church and the pope.
US Russia Nuclear Deal
The White House achieved a tangible foreign policy accomplishment Friday as it brokered a nuclear arms proliferation deal with Russia. President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev reached an agreement for both countries to reduce the number of nuclear weapons either country could deploy by one-third. The agreement leaves both countries with an arsenal of about 1,500 weapons.
The treaty now goes to the Senate for ratification where it must overcome some Republican skepticism. Sixty-seven votes are required for passage.
Iraq Election Results
According to results released Friday, Iyad Allawi, a former prime minister has emerged as the winner of Iraq’s election. Earlier, Nouri al-Maliki, the incumbent running against Allawi, appeared the likely winner. He is now claiming fraud, but a UN commission overseeing the election has rejected his claim. Allawi must now engage the other Iraqi parties in order to build a coalition government with 163 parliamentary seats.
Health care reform and Texas
On Tuesday, President Barack Obama signed into law the largest expansion of healthcare since the passage of Medicare and Medicaid in the 1960s. The controversy surrounding the legislation’s passage has not ended, however; Democrats who supported the bill continue to report death threats and acts of vandalism. At the moment, about 14 state attorney generals, including Texas’ Greg Abbott, plan to file a lawsuit against the mandate which will kick in several years from now requiring all individuals to have health insurance. They claim it is unconstitutional, but prominent legal scholars doubt their case will succeed.