POLICE OFFICER-FATAL SHOOTING-VIGIL
Sharpton leads vigil to remember SC police shooting victim
NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) β The Rev. Al Sharpton has called for unity during a vigil at the site in North Charleston, South Carolina, where 50-year-old Walter Scott was fatally shot by a police officer.
A small crowd assembled Sunday afternoon under cloudy skies in the grassy, fenced-in area to pray for Scott, his family and for justice.
Scott was shot after fleeing a traffic stop April 4. Then-officer Michael Slager initially said Scott was shot after a tussle over his stun gun, but witness video surfaced showing Scott being shot as he ran away. Slager was fired and has been charged with murder.
Scott’s funeral was held Saturday.
Before leading prayer, Sharpton said, “Whether we are Christian, Muslim, or Jewish or not at all, this is an outrage and is a moral challenge to this nation.”
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225-a-09-(The Reverend Al Sharpton, speaking during vigil at site where Walter Scott was shot)-“a good beginning”-The Reverend Al Sharpton says the vigil is bringing people together to demand justice. (12 Apr 2015)
< 227-a-13-(The Reverend Al Sharpton, speaking during vigil at site where Walter Scott was shot)-“is a outrage”-The Reverend Al Sharpton says Walter Scott’s shooting offends people of all religious backgrounds. (12 Apr 2015) < 226-a-08-(The Reverend Al Sharpton, speaking during vigil at site where Walter Scott was shot)-“of our cousins”-The Reverend Al Sharpton says Walter Scott shouldn’t have been shot to death. (12 Apr 2015) < TEACHER-GAY COMMENTS Catholic school teacher suspended for gay remarks reinstated SOMERVILLE, N.J. (AP) β A Catholic school teacher who was suspended after she wrote a Facebook post saying that gays “want to reengineer western civ into slow extinction” has been reinstated. Patricia Jannuzzi was put on administrative leave last month and was asked to disable her Facebook page when her comments drew wide publicity. One of Jannuzzi’s posts compared a lesbian relationship to news of Egyptian men being beheaded. Gannett New Jersey reports that a letter was sent Friday to faculty and staff members at Immaculata High School in Somerville saying Jannuzzi had been reinstated, but adding that Catholic teachers should communicate the faith in “a way that is positive and never hurtful.” In the letter, the pastor of the Church of the Immaculate Conception noted Jannuzzi’s “otherwise good reputation as an educator over 30 years at Immaculata.” VATICAN-ARMENIANS Pope calls Armenian slaughter ‘1st genocide of 20th century’ VATICAN CITY (AP) β Pope Francis has used the politically explosive word “genocide” to describe the slaughter of Armenians 100 years ago by the Ottoman Empire. Francis celebrated Mass in the Armenian Catholic rite Sunday in St. Peter’s Basilica to mark the centenary. Even though an estimated 1.5 million Armenians died, the Turkish government has long denied it was genocide and responded Sunday by withdrawing its ambassador to the Vatican. Turkey’s Foreign Ministry said the Pope’s statement was “based on prejudice, which distorts history and reduces the pains suffered in Anatolia under the conditions of the First World War to members of just one religion.” Francis, who has close ties to the Armenian community from his days in Argentina, defended his pronouncement by saying it was his duty to honor the memory of the innocent men, women, children, priests and bishops who were killed. Sound: 193-a-16-(Aram I (AH’-rahm the first), head of Armenian Apostolic Church, in service marking the 100th anniversary of the slaughter of Armenians, via Vatican TV)-“are closely interconnected”-Aram I, the head of the Armenian Apostolic Church, during the Vatican’s service marking the 100th anniversary of the slaughter of Armenians, says genocide is a crime against humanity. (12 Apr 2015) < 194-a-06-(Lucy Deukmejian (duhk’-MAY’-jhee-an), Lebanese Armenian, in AP interview)-“as it is”-Lebanese Armenian Lucy Deukmejian says she’s proud of Pope Francis. (12 Apr 2015) < 147-r-27-(Sound of Pope Francis, speaking Italian, at Mass in the Armenian Catholic rite in St. Peter’s Basilica honoring the centenary)–Sound of Pope Francis saying in Italian that it is important to honor those killed in the “genocide” and that “concealing or denying evil is like allowing a wound to keep bleeding without bandaging it.” (12 Apr 2015) < 146-r-30-(Sound of Pope Francis, speaking Italian, at Mass in the Armenian Catholic rite in St. Peter’s Basilica honoring the centenary)–Sound of Pope Francis saying in Italian that the first of three “massive and unprecedented human tragedies” last century struck Armenians and is widely considered ‘the first genocide of the twentieth century.” (12 Apr 2015) < 092-c-17-(Nicole Winfield, AP correspondent)-“the twentieth century”-AP correspondent Nicole Winfield reports Pope Francis has honored the slaughter of hundreds of thousands of Armenians 100 years ago with a politically explosive declaration using the word “genocide.” (12 Apr 2015) < 094-c-17-(Nicole Winfield, AP correspondent)-“indeed a genocide”-AP correspondent Nicole Winfield reports the pope’s link to Armenian communities dates back to his years in Argentina. (12 Apr 2015) < 093-c-11-(Nicole Winfield, AP correspondent)-“and move on”-AP correspondent Nicole Winfield reports the pope’s declaration was meant not only for Turkey, but for countries like the United States which have avoided using the word “genocide” officially because of their ties to Turkey as an ally. (12 Apr 2015) < 095-c-16-(Nicole Winfield, AP correspondent)-“constitute a genocide”-AP correspondent Nicole Winfield reports the controversial declaration is sure to anger Turkey. (12 Apr 2015) < VATICAN-CHILE BISHOP Pope’s sex abuse advisors meet in Rome over Chile bishop VATICAN CITY (AP) β Four members of Pope Francis’ sex abuse advisory commission have voiced their concerns about Francis’ appointment of a Chilean bishop accused of covering up for the country’s most notorious molester. The four met Sunday with Francis’ point-man on abuse, Cardinal Sean O’Malley of Boston, who they say agreed to relay their concerns to the pope about the appointment of Juan Barros as bishop of Osorno in southern Chile. Victims of Chile’s most notorious abuser, the Rev. Fernando Karadima, say Barros knew of and even witnessed Karadima’s abuse decades ago. Barros was a protege of the charismatic Karadima, who was punished by the Vatican in 2011 for sexually abusing minors. Barros has denied wrongdoing and insisted he didn’t know about the abuse until reading 2010 news reports. The Vatican has defended the appointment. VATICAN-HOLY YEAR-MERCY Pope: Church must be ‘oasis of mercy,’ not severe fortress VATICAN CITY (AP) β Pope Francis has proclaimed a Holy Year of efforts by the Catholic Church to extend mercy. At St. Peter’s Basilica Saturday evening, he listened as a Vatican prelate read excerpts from a papal decree in which Francis proclaimed an “Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy.” The Holy Year begins on Dec. 8 with Francis opening the normally closed Holy Door in the back of the basilica, and ends on Nov. 20, 2016. Francis says the church must talk about God “in a more accessible way” and avoid “fortress” mentalities because its credibility depends on more mercy and less severity. He announced that in cathedrals worldwide, a special “door of mercy” will stay open during Holy Year so churches become an “oasis of mercy.” ORTHODOX EASTER With candles, prayers, Orthodox Christians celebrate Easter JERUSALEM (AP) β In the Holy Land and around the world, Orthodox Christians have celebrated their own Easter Sunday. Roman Catholics and Protestants observed Easter the previous Sunday, following the Gregorian calendar, while Orthodox Christians adhere to the older Julian calendar. Thousands of them packed Christianity’s holiest shrine in Jerusalem. The Greek Orthodox Patriarch in the Holy Land, Theophilos III, led Easter service at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, where Christian tradition holds that Jesus was crucified, buried and resurrected. In Egypt, Coptic Christians marked Easter with midnight Mass, holding candles and praying. In Russia, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and President Vladimir Putin attended an Easter Mass at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow. And on the eastern Aegean island of Chios, men fired off handmade rockets overnight to mark Easter as part of a traditional ceremony. ISLAMIC STATE Video: Islamic State group destroys ancient ruins of Nimrud BAGHDAD (AP) β An online video purports to show Islamic State militants bombing ruins at the ancient Iraqi city of Nimrud. The video shows militants using sledgehammers, jackhammers, a bulldozer and ultimately explosives to level the site, located near the militant-held city of Mosul. An Iraqi Antiquities Ministry official, speaking Sunday on condition of anonymity, said all the items at Nimrud were authentic. In March, both Iraqi and United Nations officials warned the site had been looted and damaged. The video conformed to other Associated Press reporting about the militants’ attack. One militant on the video said: “God has honored us to remove all of these idols and statutes.” The Islamic State group, which holds a third of Iraq and neighboring Syria in its self-declared caliphate, has been destroying ancient relics they say promote idolatry that violates their fundamentalist interpretation of Islamic law. Authorities also believe they’ve sold others on the black market to fund their atrocities. Sound: 191-a-16-(Fawaz Gerges (FAH’-wahz JUR’-jehs), international relations professor, contemporary Middle East studies lecturer, London School of Economics, in interview)-“a totalitarian vision”-Middle East analyst Fawaz Gerges says Islamic State militants want to wipe out the past and future of the populations under their control. COURTESY: Sky News ((mandatory on-air credit)) (12 Apr 2015) < 190-a-14-(Fawaz Gerges (FAH’-wahz JUR’-jehs), international relations professor, contemporary Middle East studies lecturer, London School of Economics, in interview)-“for the hardcore”-Middle East analyst Fawaz Gerges says the militants are trying to appeal to their hardcore base of support by cleansing Iraq of artifacts they believe go against their religious teachings. COURTESY: Sky News ((mandatory on-air credit)) (12 Apr 2015) < 192-a-11-(Fawaz Gerges (FAH’-wahz JUR’-jehs), international relations professor, contemporary Middle East studies lecturer, London School of Economics, in interview)-“humanity as well”-Middle East analyst Fawaz Gerges says the Islamic State group must be eliminated in part to preserve the global cultural heritage it is trying to destroy. COURTESY: Sky News ((mandatory on-air credit)) (12 Apr 2015) < 148-r-04-(Sound of explosion then recorded background singing, in online militant video purportedly showing the destruction of parts of the ancient Iraqi Assyrian city of Nimrud. AP has now way of independently verifying the content or date of the video.)–Sound of a massive explosion, then recorded background singing from an online militant video purportedly showing the destruction of parts of the ancient Iraqi Assyrian city of Nimrud. ((Nimrud is pronounced NIHM’-rood)). (12 Apr 2015) < 151-r-07-(Sound of unidentified militant, speaking Arabic, in online militant video purportedly showing the destruction of parts of the ancient Iraqi Assyrian city of Nimrud. AP has now way of independently verifying the content or date of the video.)–Sound of unidentified militant saying in Arabic that “God has honored us in the Islamic State to remove all of these idols and statutes worshipped instead of Allah.” (12 Apr 2015) < 150-r-12-(Sound of recorded background singing and men shouting as they break through marble antiquties and knock them over, in online militant video purportedly showing the destruction of parts of the ancient Iraqi Assyrian city of Nimrud. AP has now way of independently verifying the content or date of the video.)–Sound of recorded background singing and men shouting as they break through a series of marble antiquties and knock them over, in an online militant video purportedly showing the destruction of parts of the ancient Iraqi Assyrian city of Nimrud. (12 Apr 2015) < 149-r-05-(Sound of jackhammers and recorded background singing, in online militant video purportedly showing the destruction of parts of the ancient Iraqi Assyrian city of Nimrud. AP has now way of independently verifying the content or date of the video.)–Sound of jackhammers ripping through marble antiquities from an online militant video with music soundtrack purportedly showing the destruction of parts of the ancient Iraqi Assyrian city of Nimrud. ((Nimrud is pronounced NIHM’-rood)) (12 Apr 2015) < HUNGARY-HOLOCAUST Jewish leader says worried about Hungary’s far-right BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) β The president of the World Jewish Congress has expressed concern about the increasing popularity of Hungary’s far-right Jobbik party. Ronald Lauder, who spoke Sunday during the March of the Living Holocaust commemoration, told The Associated Press that Jobbik’s support among young voters was especially worrisome and showed that Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s Fidesz party and the opposition Socialists “are not giving them any hope.” Lauder said that many younger voters were turning to the party led by Gabor Vona not because of anti-Semitism but because “they’re looking for an alternative. They’re looking for something different.” Lauder said dialogue with Jobbik was key and that he believed “it’s important to speak to anybody who’s willing to listen.” AUSTRIA-CHURCH THIEVES Austria: 3 arrested for stealing money during church service VIENNA (AP) β Austrian police say three intoxicated men were arrested after they brazenly stole collection money during a service at a Russian Orthodox church in Vienna but were detained by the outraged congregation. Police said witnesses reported that the three first tried to make off with a collection box from the church around 9 p.m. Saturday but were stopped and thrown out by a priest. Around an hour later, they returned to the church during a service and marched up to the altar, where one of them broke open the collection box and took about 90 euros ($95) in cash. He then shared out the money with his accomplices. A police statement Sunday said that the men then tried to leave the church but an “enraged congregation” stopped them.
