Today in the News:
– Pope Benedict XVI resigning on Feb. 28 due to age, health concerns
– Horsemeat scandal widens across European Union
– Grammy success for Fun, Gotye and Mumford and Sons
Pope Benedict XVI announced Monday that he would resign Feb. 28 — the first pontiff to do so in nearly 600 years. The decision sets the stage for a conclave to elect a new pope before the end of March. He emphasized that carrying out the duties of being pope — the leader of more than a billion Roman Catholics worldwide — requires “both strength of mind and body.” especially in today’s world, subject to so many rapid changes and shaken by questions of deep relevance for the life of faith. The move sets the stage for the Vatican to hold a conclave to elect a new pope by mid-March. Benedict called his choice “a decision of great importance for the life of the church.” The Pope’s leadership of 1.2 billion Catholics has been beset by a child sexual abuse crisis that tarnished the Church, one address in which he upset Muslims and a scandal over the leaking of his private papers by his personal butler. Currently there is no clear front-runner to replace Pope Benedict, but whoever it may be, some big shoes will have to be filled.
French ministers are to hold talks with key players in the meat industry as the horsemeat scandal widens to up to 16 countries. Seven French supermarket chains have withdrawn frozen beef meals made by Findus and Comigel. The move followed the discovery that foods sold in Europe and the UK labelled as beef contained 100% horsemeat. The scandal has raised questions about the complexity of the food industry’s supply chains across the EU. It has already had an impact on distributors in the UK, France, Sweden, Ireland and Romania. Food products may be affected in 11 other EU countries. So far all fingers are pointing towards Romania, with claims that one of its slaughterhouses is responsible. The Romanian President Traian Basescu has warned that his country could face potential export restrictions and lose credibility “for many years” if his country’s butchers are revealed to be the root of the problem. Yup sounds about right.
The 55th Grammy Awards have taken place in Los Angeles, with Fun, Gotye and Mumford and Sons among the winners. Fun’s anthem We Are Young, featuring Janelle Monae, was named song of the year, with the New York band going on to win the best new artist prize. Gotye’s international hit Somebody That I Used To Know received the record of the year, one of three prizes received by the Belgian-Australian artist. Surprised Mumford and Sons took home the album of the year prize for Babel. Adele won best pop solo performance for her live version of Set Fire to the Rain, but what on earth were her stylists thinking when they put her in that
Today in the News:
– Pope Benedict XVI resigning on Feb. 28 due to age, health concerns
– Horsemeat scandal widens across European Union
– Grammy success for Fun, Gotye and Mumford and Sons
Pope Benedict XVI announced Monday that he would resign Feb. 28 — the first pontiff to do so in nearly 600 years. The decision sets the stage for a conclave to elect a new pope before the end of March. He emphasized that carrying out the duties of being pope — the leader of more than a billion Roman Catholics worldwide — requires “both strength of mind and body.” especially in today’s world, subject to so many rapid changes and shaken by questions of deep relevance for the life of faith. The move sets the stage for the Vatican to hold a conclave to elect a new pope by mid-March. Benedict called his choice “a decision of great importance for the life of the church.” The Pope’s leadership of 1.2 billion Catholics has been beset by a child sexual abuse crisis that tarnished the Church, one address in which he upset Muslims and a scandal over the leaking of his private papers by his personal butler. Currently there is no clear front-runner to replace Pope Benedict, but whoever it may be, some big shoes will have to be filled.
French ministers are to hold talks with key players in the meat industry as the horsemeat scandal widens to up to 16 countries. Seven French supermarket chains have withdrawn frozen beef meals made by Findus and Comigel. The move followed the discovery that foods sold in Europe and the UK labelled as beef contained 100% horsemeat. The scandal has raised questions about the complexity of the food industry’s supply chains across the EU. It has already had an impact on distributors in the UK, France, Sweden, Ireland and Romania. Food products may be affected in 11 other EU countries. So far all fingers are pointing towards Romania, with claims that one of its slaughterhouses is responsible. The Romanian President Traian Basescu has warned that his country could face potential export restrictions and lose credibility “for many years” if his country’s butchers are revealed to be the root of the problem. Yup sounds about right.
The 55th Grammy Awards have taken place in Los Angeles, with Fun, Gotye and Mumford and Sons among the winners. Fun’s anthem We Are Young, featuring Janelle Monae, was named song of the year, with the New York band going on to win the best new artist prize. Gotye’s international hit Somebody That I Used To Know received the record of the year, one of three prizes received by the Belgian-Australian artist. Surprised Mumford and Sons took home the album of the year prize for Babel. Adele won best pop solo performance for her live version of Set Fire to the Rain, but what on earth were her stylists thinking when they put her in that