(Vatican Radio) Protests are planned after Poland's Parliament rushed through a controversial law that will enable the government to appoint judges without consultation with judicial circles. Plans are also underway to allow the justice minister to get rid of all of the country's Supreme Court judges and appoint new ones, adding to international concerns about Poland's democratic credentials. Listen to the report by Stefan Bos: Under cover of darkness and without consultation beforehand the ruling Law and Justice party introduced controversial legislation that critics say will erode the independence of the judiciary. But as the governing party and its have a comfortable majority, the law was soon passed by parliament in the middle of the night. Under the legislation, the justice minister and parliamentarians will have the power to appoint judges without consulting judicial officials.The right-wing nationalist government claims the reforms are needed be...
(Vatican Radio) Protests are planned after Poland's Parliament rushed through a controversial law that will enable the government to appoint judges without consultation with judicial circles. Plans are also underway to allow the justice minister to get rid of all of the country's Supreme Court judges and appoint new ones, adding to international concerns about Poland's democratic credentials.
Listen to the report by Stefan Bos:
Under cover of darkness and without consultation beforehand the ruling Law and Justice party introduced controversial legislation that critics say will erode the independence of the judiciary.
But as the governing party and its have a comfortable majority, the law was soon passed by parliament in the middle of the night.
Under the legislation, the justice minister and parliamentarians will have the power to appoint judges without consulting judicial officials.
The right-wing nationalist government claims the reforms are needed because the judiciary is corrupt and serves only the elite.
POLITICAL PRESSURE
However don't tell that to prominent Professor Ewa Letowska, a former judge who served on the country’s constitutional tribunal and the supreme administrative court. Under the changes, "the Minister of Justice, who is also the Prosecutor General, would have the possibility of influencing through the National Council of the Judiciary, appointments in the judiciary, essentially deciding who continues to be a judge and who becomes one," she said.
Letowska also fears the end of the high court in its current form saying the government only wants to leave judges that are acceptable to the justice minister. She views this as "alarming" as "nobody going to court wants" a judge to face political pressure to make a certain decision.
The bill must now be signed by the president to become law, but a protest against the change was scheduled to take place in the capital Warsaw on Sunday.
Since it came to power in 2015, the Polish government has passed a series of controversial reforms.
They triggered mass protests and concerns within the European Union over the perceived crackdown on the judiciary and press freedom in the EU member state.
LONDON (AP) -- As a kid, Garbine Muguruza sat in awe in front of the TV as the Williams sisters accumulated Grand Slam titles. They were her role models....
LONDON (AP) -- As a kid, Garbine Muguruza sat in awe in front of the TV as the Williams sisters accumulated Grand Slam titles. They were her role models....
ISTANBUL (AP) -- Waving large red Turkish flags, tens of thousands joined a national unity march in Istanbul on Saturday, converging at the iconic July 15 Martyrs' Bridge to mark the anniversary of the failed military coup attempt that 250 people died resisting....
ISTANBUL (AP) -- Waving large red Turkish flags, tens of thousands joined a national unity march in Istanbul on Saturday, converging at the iconic July 15 Martyrs' Bridge to mark the anniversary of the failed military coup attempt that 250 people died resisting....
HONOLULU (AP) -- Karen Hastings was in her 31st floor Honolulu apartment when she smelled smoke. She ran out to her balcony, looked down, and saw flames five floors below her....
HONOLULU (AP) -- Karen Hastings was in her 31st floor Honolulu apartment when she smelled smoke. She ran out to her balcony, looked down, and saw flames five floors below her....
Senior religious leaders drawn from different faiths in the country under the auspices of the Multi Sectoral Forum have made an appeal to government bodies to conduct the coming general election in a credible, peaceful, free and fair manner.In their statement issued at the end of the meeting held in Nairobi on 13th, July, 2017 the religious leaders stated that the primary factor that would cause conflict during and after the elections is credibility. “For this reason, we call upon all stakeholders to do all that is required of them for the elections to be credible,” read the statement.In ensuring credible election, the religious leaders listed some of the preventive measures against violence as commitment by all actors to resolve disputes through courts, severe and immediate punishment for incitement to violence and hate speech and intolerance to disparaging of the courts calling on the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to ensure that all electoral...
Senior religious leaders drawn from different faiths in the country under the auspices of the Multi Sectoral Forum have made an appeal to government bodies to conduct the coming general election in a credible, peaceful, free and fair manner.
In their statement issued at the end of the meeting held in Nairobi on 13th, July, 2017 the religious leaders stated that the primary factor that would cause conflict during and after the elections is credibility. “For this reason, we call upon all stakeholders to do all that is required of them for the elections to be credible,” read the statement.
In ensuring credible election, the religious leaders listed some of the preventive measures against violence as commitment by all actors to resolve disputes through courts, severe and immediate punishment for incitement to violence and hate speech and intolerance to disparaging of the courts calling on the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to ensure that all electoral systems are functional, staff members are well trained and competent and that stake holders monitor IEBC processes and system.
They urged all the security agencies to ensure security coverage for all Kenyans and to firmly deal with the perpetrators of hate speech and Incitement to violence as is provided for in the law adding that special focus should be put on stopping the current wave of intimidation and violence being vested on women candidates.
The religious leaders urged Kenyans not to vote for any candidate who incite their followers into violence saying that, anyone seeking to offer elective leadership must be held to account to respect and uphold the rights of all Kenyans especially those who do not support them.
They reminded all Kenyans that, for each position being contested for in the coming elections, there will be only one winner. “As such, each candidate in these elections has a very high chance of losing to their competitors. We advise every Kenyan to prepare for this eventuality, and especially to recognize that life will continue regardless of the outcome of the elections,” read the statement in part.
The Religious leaders expressed their confidence and support for the IEBC, which is the 0nly constitutionally, mandated agency to conduct elections and announce results.
“Let us all Increase our prayers for the nation so that God will grant us to have justice, unity, peace, liberty and prosperity in our nation. We remind all Kenyans that rigging elections is a grave sin. Our desire as religious leaders is that we have clean elections that result in election of credible leaders,” concluded the statement.
Apostolic Nuncio to Zambia and Malawi Most Rev. Julio Murat has challenged the faithful to be today’s missionaries.In his homily during the Holy Mass held for Catholic Bishops of Zambia who are meeting for their third 2017 plenary and Catholic Secretariat staff in Lusaka, Archbishop Julio Murat called on the bishops, priests, religious men and women and the lay faithful to ask themselves what they should do to make Christ present in Zambia today.“We, who are baptised, must ask ourselves what we should do to make Christ present in Zambia,” he said.As the Catholic Church concludes the 125 years celebrations of Catholicism in Zambia on 15th July 2017, Archbishop Murat added that the faithful should emulate the first disciples and early missionaries who left everything to follow Christ.“There is need to leave everything, our preferences and follow Jesus. To preach the good news of Jesus, to preach the beauty of our Catholic faith with courage and firmness and m...
Apostolic Nuncio to Zambia and Malawi Most Rev. Julio Murat has challenged the faithful to be today’s missionaries.
In his homily during the Holy Mass held for Catholic Bishops of Zambia who are meeting for their third 2017 plenary and Catholic Secretariat staff in Lusaka, Archbishop Julio Murat called on the bishops, priests, religious men and women and the lay faithful to ask themselves what they should do to make Christ present in Zambia today.
“We, who are baptised, must ask ourselves what we should do to make Christ present in Zambia,” he said.
As the Catholic Church concludes the 125 years celebrations of Catholicism in Zambia on 15th July 2017, Archbishop Murat added that the faithful should emulate the first disciples and early missionaries who left everything to follow Christ.
“There is need to leave everything, our preferences and follow Jesus. To preach the good news of Jesus, to preach the beauty of our Catholic faith with courage and firmness and more especially with our lives,” he said.
By Mwenya Mukuka; Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB) Communication Office
(Vatican Radio) Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches, wraps up a week-long visit to Ukraine on Monday.He made the trip as a sign of solidarity with the faithful of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church in the wake of continued conflict in the eastern regions of the country.Listen to Devin Watkins’ report: Cardinal Leonardo Sandri agreed to the week-long visit to Ukraine at the invitation of Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, the head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church.The first stop of Cardinal Sandri’s visit was to Maidan Square in the capital Kiev. There he prayed silently at the cross erected to mark the Euromaidan Protests of 2014. He placed a floral homage and lit a candle for the victims.The Prefect for the Congregation for the Oriental Churches was accompanied by Archbishop Shevchuk and the Apostolic Nuncio to Ukraine, Archbishop Claudio Gugerotti.While in Kiev, he prayed at the tomb of the late Cardinal Lubomyr Hu...
(Vatican Radio) Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches, wraps up a week-long visit to Ukraine on Monday.
He made the trip as a sign of solidarity with the faithful of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church in the wake of continued conflict in the eastern regions of the country.
Listen to Devin Watkins’ report:
Cardinal Leonardo Sandri agreed to the week-long visit to Ukraine at the invitation of Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, the head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church.
The first stop of Cardinal Sandri’s visit was to Maidan Square in the capital Kiev. There he prayed silently at the cross erected to mark the Euromaidan Protests of 2014. He placed a floral homage and lit a candle for the victims.
The Prefect for the Congregation for the Oriental Churches was accompanied by Archbishop Shevchuk and the Apostolic Nuncio to Ukraine, Archbishop Claudio Gugerotti.
While in Kiev, he prayed at the tomb of the late Cardinal Lubomyr Husar, who died just over a month ago.
Cardinal Sandri also blessed and celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Cathedral of the Exarchate of Kharkiv, currently under construction.
During the homily, Cardinal Sandri said, “On both human and Christian levels, love for truth with which the apostles entrusted us prohibits us from accepting the silence which has fallen on the conflict in Ukraine and on the suffering which has befallen tens of thousands of people.”
The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church visited by Cardinal Sandri is an Eastern rite church that is in communion with the Pope.
Heading into the eastern regions of the country later in the week, Cardinal Sandri visited Kramatorsk and Sloviansk, areas which were recaptured after the occupation of 2014 and are near the 'grey zones' of Donbass.
There he prayed before the hollowed out shells of buildings and cracked pavement, through which grass had grown as a testament to the world’s neglect of the region.
Yet hope and a helping hand had the last word, as Cardinal Sandri visited a Caritas shelter offering food and accompaniment for the hundreds of children whose lives have been forever changed by the shock and trauma of war.
LONDON (AP) -- Garbine Muguruza already knew what it's like to lose to a Williams in the Wimbledon final. Now she knows how it feels to beat one for a championship at the All England Club....
LONDON (AP) -- Garbine Muguruza already knew what it's like to lose to a Williams in the Wimbledon final. Now she knows how it feels to beat one for a championship at the All England Club....
BOISE, Idaho (AP) -- A giant aircraft that can fly high above oceans on intercontinental flights instead jets in low and slow over a flaming forest, trailing a long plume that settles on the ground and creates a wildfire-stopping barrier....
BOISE, Idaho (AP) -- A giant aircraft that can fly high above oceans on intercontinental flights instead jets in low and slow over a flaming forest, trailing a long plume that settles on the ground and creates a wildfire-stopping barrier....
