(Vatican Radio) Clashes broke out in central Athens on Thursday as about 40,000 people marched to the Greek Parliament during a general strike.The strike was called to protest planned pension reforms that are part of the country's third international bailout.Listen to the report by John Carr in Athens: Riot police battled demonstrators in central Athens today in a one-day general strike that’s the biggest blow yet against the year-old left-led government of Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras.The strike was called to protest fresh pension cuts and tax rises mandated by Greece’s creditors. Demonstrators threw petrol bombs at the police in front of the Parliament building, where thousands had gathered. At the same time farmers, protesting what they call crushing new taxation, have been blocking Greece’s main roads and land border points for two weeks.They vow not to stop until the government backtracks.As the demonstrations were occurring, officials...
(Vatican Radio) Clashes broke out in central Athens on Thursday as about 40,000 people marched to the Greek Parliament during a general strike.
The strike was called to protest planned pension reforms that are part of the country's third international bailout.
Listen to the report by John Carr in Athens:
Riot police battled demonstrators in central Athens today in a one-day general strike that’s the biggest blow yet against the year-old left-led government of Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras.
The strike was called to protest fresh pension cuts and tax rises mandated by Greece’s creditors.
Demonstrators threw petrol bombs at the police in front of the Parliament building, where thousands had gathered.
At the same time farmers, protesting what they call crushing new taxation, have been blocking Greece’s main roads and land border points for two weeks.
They vow not to stop until the government backtracks.
As the demonstrations were occurring, officials of the creditors pressured the government for more welfare cuts.
The cuts are up for debate in the Greek Parliament later this month. Tsipras has a majority of just three in the chamber. If he loses the welfare vote, then his government falls and the future of Greece’s economic bailouts and recovery is again in serious doubt.
The pro-life flag from the Pro-Life Flag Project (www.prolifeflag.com). / Credit: Pro-Life Flag Project (www.prolifeflag.com)Toronto, Canada, Apr 25, 2024 / 12:50 pm (CNA).The International Pro-Life Flag will not fly over Toronto Catholic schools this May.Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB) trustees voted against an April 23 motion proposed by trustee Michael Del Grande that the pro-life flag fly outside all schools and the Catholic Education Centre during the month of May, just as the board voted to fly the Pride flag in June.Del Grande's motion was defeated at the April 23 board meeting when only Garry Tanuan supported Del Grande's motion. The eight other board members in attendance and the two student trustees opposed his proposal.Though Del Grande could not muster enough backing from his colleagues, his plan, which would have also directed all TCDSB schools to teach an exclusively pro-life curriculum on May 9, the day of the National March for Life, garnered bois...
null / ShutterstockCNA Staff, Apr 25, 2024 / 10:52 am (CNA).Following a recent Vatican declaration on human dignity, the Catholic bishops of England and Wales condemned medical and social transgenderism while encouraging a "sensitive" response in a pastoral reflection released on Wednesday.The Vatican's doctrinal office came down strongly against gender ideology, stating that "all attempts to obscure reference to the ineliminable sexual difference between man and woman are to be rejected."The Catholic bishops of England and Wales followed the Vatican's lead in their April 24 statement, "Intricately Woven by the Lord," which encouraged rooting pastoral care in "acceptance … of the body as created." "We cannot encourage or give support to reconstructive or drug-based medical intervention that harms the body," they wrote. "Nor can we legitimize or uphold a way of living that is not respectful of the truth and vocation of each man and each woman, called to ...
null / ShutterstockCNA Staff, Apr 25, 2024 / 11:30 am (CNA).Louisiana State Police have obtained a new search warrant to collect documents from the Archdiocese of New Orleans as part of an ongoing investigation into Church abuse in that state.State police spokesman Jacob Pucheu confirmed to CNA on Thursday that the bureau had obtained the warrant as part of its investigation into "numerous complaints of child sexual abuse" leveled at the archdiocese. The inquiry was first launched in 2022, he said."As part of the ongoing investigation, on Monday, April 22, 2024, SVU investigators obtained an additional search warrant to collect information and documents from the Archdiocese of New Orleans," Pucheu told CNA."The archdiocese is cooperating with investigators to fulfill the terms of the search warrant," he said. "This investigation remains ongoing with no further information available at this time."Pucheu declined to directly provide a copy of the warrant, saying that "since it is...