Nelson Mandela, the revered South African anti-apartheid icon who spent 27 years in prison, led his country to democracy and became its first black president, died Thursday at home. He was 95.
"He is now resting," said South African President Jacob Zuma. "He is now at peace."
"Our nation has lost its greatest son," he continued. "Our people have lost a father."
A state funeral will be held, and Zuma called for mourners to conduct themselves with "the dignity and respect" that Mandela personified.
"Wherever we are in the country, wherever we are in the world ... let us reaffirm his vision of a society in which none is exploited, oppressed or dispossessed by another," he said as tributes began pouring in from across the world.
President Obama said his first political action was an anti-apartheid protest inspired by Mandela, who "achieved more than could be expected of any man."
“I cannot fully imagine my own life without the example Nelson Mandela set," he said.
Obama called Zuma on Thursday evening to express his heartfelt condolences, according to the White House.
Though he was in power for only five years, Mandela was a figure of enormous moral influence the world over – a symbol of revolution, resistance and triumph over racial segregation.
He inspired a generation of activists, left celebrities and world leaders star-struck, won the Nobel Peace Prize and raised millions for humanitarian causes.
South Africa is still bedeviled by challenges, from class inequality to political corruption to AIDS. And with Mandela’s death, it has lost a beacon of optimism.
In his jailhouse memoirs, Mandela wrote that even after spending so many years in a Spartan cell on Robben Island – with one visitor a year and one letter every six months – he still had faith in human nature.
“No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion,” he wrote in “Long Walk to Freedom.”
“People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.”
Actor Paul Walker, 40, and another person are killed in a single car accident in Valencia.
Actor Paul Walker, who gained fame as an undercover detective in the hugely successful "The Fast and the Furious" franchise, was killed Saturday in a car accident in Valencia, his representatives confirmed. The single vehicle crash occurred about 3:30 p.m. in the 28300 block of Rye Canyon Loop. Deputies from the Santa Clarita Valley sheriff's station and the Los Angeles County Fire Department arrived to find a vehicle engulfed in flames. Two people in the vehicle were pronounced dead at the scene. According to a statement on his Twitter account, Walker, 40, was attending a charity event to aid Filipino victims of Typhoon Haiyan for his organization Reach Out Worldwide, formed in 2010 as a quick response first-aid organization.
"It is with a truly heavy heart that we must confirm that Paul Walker passed away today in a tragic car accident while attending a charity event for his organization Reach Out Worldwide," the statement read. "He was a passenger in a friend's car, in which both lost their lives. We appreciate your patience as we too are stunned and saddened beyond belief by this news."
Officials with the Los Angeles County coroner's office said they were still at the scene and could not confirm the names of either victim.
Representatives with Universal Pictures confirmed Walker's identity and released a statement:
"All of us at Universal are heartbroken. Paul was truly one of the most beloved and respected members of our studio family for 14 years, and this loss is devastating to us, to everyone involved with the 'Fast and Furious' films, and to countless fans. We send our deepest and most sincere condolences to Paul's family."
At the time of his death, Walker, who also starred in "Pleasantville" and "Varsity Blues," was working on the seventh film of the "Fast and Furious" franchise.
Philippines’ representative Megan Young becomes the “most beautiful woman in the world” as she wins the Miss World 2013 title during the pageant's coronation night on September 28 (Saturday) in Bogor, Bali, Indonesia.
A 23-year-old Filipina-American actress turned beauty queen, overtook 126 candidates from all over the globe, earning first ever Miss World title for the Philippines.
Young was one of the favorite, as she won also won the Top Model challenge event and excelled in the Beach Fashion pre-pageant challenge, where she was among the 11 finalists earlier this month.
In the question and answer portion where the candidates were given 30 seconds to tell the judges why they deserve the crown, Young expressed her belief in a “core value of humanity” which guides people's actions. She hopes to use this to show others how they may contribute to society.
For the “Beauty with a Purpose” challenge, Megan chose to extend aid to flood victims in the Philippines.
The new Beauty Queen will be departing to London where she will reside during her reign, according to the tradition of the pageant.
Microsoft has bought Nokia’s struggling mobile phone business for €5.44bn (£4.61bn) in an effort to “accelerate” its challenge to the dominance of Apple and Google.
The deal will see Nokia’s current chief executive, Stephen Elop, join Microsoft and makes him favourite to replace Steve Ballmer, who announced his retirement last month. Labrokes said he was now 4/6 favourite to take the role, with Facebook’s Sheryl Sandberg 7/1 and former Microsoft executive Steve Sinofsky 12/1.
Nokia’s chairman, Risto Siilasmaa, admitted that the Finnish company’s effective exit from the mobile phone business it pioneered was an “emotional” decision but made financial and strategic sense.
He said it lacked the resources to properly promote its Lumia smartphones, which use Microsoft’s Windows Phone operating system, in a sector dominated by the Apple iPhone and handsets running Google’s Android software, particularly Samsung’s Galaxy range.
He said: “The industry is becoming a duopoly with the leaders building significant financial momentum. Nokia alone doesn’t have the resources to fund the required acceleration.”
The struggles of Nokia’s mobile phone business, which accounted for around half the group’s revenues last year, have weighed heavily on profits. In the first half of this year underlying margin was 4pc, it said, but would have been 12pc without having to battle in the fiercely competitive sector.
One Florida woman has taken to a whole new approach to getting what she wants.
Christina Andrews is not happy with her breasts and is looking for a change but instead of forking up the funds herself to purchase a new pair, she’s begging on the roadside.
"I just want bigger boobs, because I'm not happy with the ones that I have," the woman told a local TV station while brandishing her homemade sign.
"I figured this was a good way to do it. People put out signs that they’re homeless. I'm not...I’m just being honest."
Andrews has managed to raise some money for surgery already but we’re not sure how much...
Batting legend Hussey says Lehmann – known as ‘Boof’ — has the personality to restore some sanity before the Ashes series begins in 15 days’ time.
Lehmann was installed on Monday when Cricket Australia sensationally sacked Mickey Arthur after a string of poor results and breaches of discipline.
Hussey said: “Like most people, I was very shocked.
“The toughest thing for the team is going to be to put all this behind them. Playing international cricket, let alone an Ashes series, is extremely tough and you need to be 100 per cent focused.
“It doesn’t help to have all these distractions and it will be tough for the inexperienced players.
“But the decision was made swiftly so hopefully the guys can concentrate properly on preparing for the Ashes.
“I really think Boof can galvanise the team. He is a very level-headed guy, he’s got a great understanding of the game and knows how good teams work.
"I’m very confident he can come in and have an immediate impact.”
Lehmann has already hinted that he wants to utilise the skills and knowledge of former players such as Shane Warne.
And ‘Mr.Cricket’ Hussey, speaking to promote Sky Sports’ covering of the Ashes, is offering his services.
He said: “I’d certainly be willing to help out if they want me to, for sure. Michael Clarke, the captain, wants to do that sort of thing – whenever we’ve been playing in Australia, he always invited a couple of past players to the training sessions.
“I found it invaluable to learn a few lessons from their experience, trying to pick up a tip or two.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin has confirmed that NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden has arrived in Moscow Airport, where he remains in the transit area. He added that Snowden's arrival was unexpected but that he will not be extradited. It comes after Russia's foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, bluntly rejected U.S. demands to extradite Snowden, insisting that Russia has nothing to do with the whistleblower or his travel plans. Lavrov lashed out angrily at Washington for demanding the extradition and warning of negative consequences if Moscow fails to comply. China has also hit back at U.S. accusations that it facilitated the departure of Snowden from Hong Kong saying they were 'groundless and unacceptable'. A foreign ministry spokeswoman said the Hong Kong government had handled the former US intelligence officer's case in accordance with the law.
The U.S. State Department said diplomats and Justice Department officials were engaged in discussions with Russia, suggesting they were looking for a deal to secure his return. 'Given our intensified cooperation working with Russia on law enforcement matters ... we hope that the Russian government will look at all available options to return Mr. Snowden back to the U.S. to face justice for the crimes with which he is charged,' spokesman Patrick Ventrell told reporters. Snowden flew to Moscow after being allowed to leave Hong Kong on Sunday, even though Washington had asked the Chinese territory to detain him pending his possible extradition on espionage charges. Julian Assange, founder of anti-secrecy group WikiLeaks which is assisting Snowden, said the 30-year-old had fled to Moscow en route to Ecuador and was in good health in a 'safe place' but did not say where he was now. Ecuador, like Cuba and Venezuela, is a member of the ALBA bloc, an alliance of leftist governments in Latin America that pride themselves on their 'anti-imperialist' credentials.
Facebook has issued an apology for allowing the personal data of around six million users to be exposed.
The social network acted quickly to rectify a bug that was sharing email addresses, phone numbers and other details of its account holders, but admits it is "upset and embarrassed" by the incident.
"At Facebook, we take people's privacy seriously, and we strive to protect people's information to the very best of our ability," said Facebook in a statement.
"Even with a strong team, no company can ensure 100% prevention of bugs, and in rare cases we don't discover a problem until it has already affected a person's account.
"It's still something we're upset and embarrassed by."
The firm assured users whose data was breached that it was only shared with a small amount of people they know, and insisted that there is no evidence of it being used maliciously.
Facebook is adamant that the glitch will not be reoccurring.
Tim May has resigned from his role as head of the international players' union after becoming frustrated at the way he sees the sport being run.
Ex-Australia spinner May, in charge of the Federation of International Cricketers' Associations (Fica), claims the current system is "failing".
The 51-year-old's departure comes less than a month after he lost his position on the International Cricket Council's cricket committee.
"The players deserve better," said May.
May has been in charge of Fica since 2005 and a member for 16 years.
But he said he was tired of battling the International Cricket Council's executive board, one he claimed was unwilling to make governance changes recommended by the Woolf Report.
The International Cricket Council's independent governance review, headed by Lord Woolf, called for sweeping changes in the administration of cricket and the running of its governing body.
The Woolf Report called for a restructuring of the ICC's executive board to make it more independent and less dominated by the bigger countries.
It also recommended a re-examination of the rights and benefits of the Test-playing full member nations, calling for measures to increase transparency in dealings by the ICC and its members.
"Cricket increasingly seems to be pushing aside the principles of transparency, accountability, independence and upholding the best interests of the global game, in favour of a system that appears to operate through threats, intimidation and backroom deals," May said in a statement.
"Increasingly, the administrators of the game seek to force out or alienate those who question its alleged misuse of power, or those who seek greater transparency, or provide rational argument against the ills of the administration.
"It appears that some administrators just don't want to be held to account to the standards that are expected... the current system is failing us."
England captain Alastair Cook, speaking on behalf of the England team, said May has been a great servant of the game.
"Current players have reason to be very grateful for his hard work and advocacy on our behalf," he added.
Professional Cricketers' Association chief executive Angus Porter added: "Tim has fought tirelessly and fearlessly, not only for cricketers' rights, but also for what is right for cricket."
David Beckham has retired from football, bringing an end to a glittering career on the field. Since his debut for Manchester United two decades ago, the 38-year-old has emerged as arguably the most iconic sportsman of his generation, captaining England, collecting 115 caps, and celebrated as a champion in four different countries - the only British footballer in history to do so. Despite the offer of an extended one-year deal at Paris Saint-German, the 38-year-old has played his last game, bowing out on a high after helping Carlo Ancelotti's side win the French title for the first time in 19 years. Confirming the blockbuster announcement, Beckham said: 'I'm thankful to PSG for giving me the opportunity to continue but I feel now is the right time to finish my career, playing at the highest level.'
Richard Griffiths died after complications following heart surgery. Photograph: Getty
Richard Griffiths, the award-winning actor famous for his roles in Withnail & I and Harry Potter, has died following complications after heart surgery. The celebrated stage and screen star, one of Britain's best-known character actors, was 65.
Tributes poured in for the actor, who died on Thursday at the University Hospital of Coventry and Warwickshire. Daniel Radcliffe, who starred alongside Griffiths in the Harry Potter films, said the actor made any room "twice as funny".
Radcliffe said Griffiths had supported him at two key points in his career, when he first played the young Harry Potter and later when he made his stage debut in Equus.
"In August 2000, before official production had even begun on Potter, we filmed a shot outside the Dursleys', which was my first ever shot as Harry. I was nervous and he made me feel at ease," he said.
"Seven years later we embarked on Equus together. It was my first time doing a play but, terrified as I was, his encouragement, tutelage and humour made it a joy. In fact, any room he walked into was made twice as funny and twice as clever just by his presence. I am proud to say I knew him."
Richard E Grant, who played the title role in Withnail & I, paid tribute to his late co-star on Twitter. He wrote: "My beloved 'Uncle Monty' Richard Griffiths died last night. Chin-Chin my dear friend."
Griffiths was feted for his roles as Withnail's eccentric Uncle Monty in the cult classic and Hector, the unconventional teacher in Alan Bennett's play The History Boys, for which he won the Laurence Olivier Award for best actor, the Drama Desk Award for outstanding actor in a play, the Outer Critics Circle Award for best featured actor in a play, and a Tony Award for best performance by a leading actor in a play.
He gained widespread fame as grumpy Uncle Vernon in the Harry Potter films and was much loved as disillusioned police officer and pie chef, Inspector Henry Crabbe, in the successful TV detective drama series Pie In The Sky.
Sir Nicholas Hytner, director of the National Theatre, said Griffiths' "army of friends" would be devastated by his unexpected death. "Richard Griffiths wasn't only one of the most loved and recognisable British actors – he was also one of the very greatest," he said.
"His performance in The History Boys was quite overwhelming: a masterpiece of wit, delicacy, mischief and desolation, often simultaneously. But that was just one small part of a career that spanned Shakespeare, cutting-edge new plays and major work in film and television."
Hytner, who directed Griffiths in The History Boys and The Habit Of Art, added: "His currency as an actor was truth; as a colleague it was hilarity. His anecdotes were legendary. They were, literally, endless. They would go on for hours, apparently without destination, constantly side-splitting.
"The only way to stop them was to tell him you were walking away, though there were always others in the audience so, as far as I know, he never stopped. He was the life of every party."
Thea Sharrock, who directed Griffiths in Equus, Heroes and Sunshine Boys, said: "I worked with Richard more times than any other actor. Everybody knew he was my favourite. He was the most tender, gentle, kind, generous, loving man. His curiosity was unending, as was his striving for perfection. I cannot imagine a world without all those stories. I will miss him so very, very much."
The producers of Heroes and Equus, David Pugh and Dafydd Rogers, said the actor was a "great man, a great character, a great talent greatly missed".
Griffiths, the son of a steelworker, was born in Thornaby-on-Tees, North Yorkshire, in 1947 were he cared for his deaf parents. He left school at 15 but later studied drama, before joining the Royal Shakespeare Company. He married Heather Gibson in 1980 after they met during a production of Lady Windermere's Fan in 1973.
His portly stature, which made him instantly recognisable on screen, was thought to have been caused by medication he was given as a youngster. He was awarded an OBE for services to drama in 2007.
His agent, Simon Beresford, said his thoughts were with Griffiths' wife and family. "Richard brightened my days and enriched the life of anyone he came into contact with. On stage he allowed us to share in our own humanity and constantly question our differences," he said.
"Richard gave acting a good name. He was a remarkable man and one of our greatest and best-loved actors. He will be greatly missed."
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez died on Tuesday after a two-year battle with cancer, ending 14 years of tumultuous rule that made the socialist leader a hero for the poor but a hate figure to his opponents.
The flamboyant 58-year-old had undergone four operations in Cuba for a cancer that was first detected in his pelvic region in mid-2011. His last surgery was on December 11 and he had not been seen in public since.
"We have just received the most tragic and awful information. At 4.25 p.m. (03.55 p.m. EST) today March the 5th, President Hugo Chavez Frias died," Vice President Nicolas Maduro announced in a televised address, his voice choking.
"It's a moment of deep pain," he said in the address, in which he appeared with senior ministers.
Chavez easily won a new six-year term at an election in October and his death will devastate millions of supporters who adored his charismatic style, anti-U.S. rhetoric and oil-financed policies that brought subsidized food and free health clinics to long-neglected slums.
Detractors, however, saw his one-man style, gleeful nationalizations and often harsh treatment of opponents as traits of an egotistical dictator whose misplaced statist economics wasted a historic bonanza of oil revenues.
Chavez's death opens the way for a new election that will test whether his socialist "revolution" can live on without his dominant personality at the helm.
VICE PRESIDENT MADURO FAVORITE TO WIN ELECTION
The vote should be held within 30 days and will likely pit Maduro against Henrique Capriles, the centrist opposition leader and state governor who lost to Chavez in the October election.
One recent opinion poll gave Maduro a strong lead.
Maduro is Chavez's preferred successor, enjoys support among many of the working class and could benefit from an inevitable surge of emotion in the coming days.
But the president's death could also trigger in-fighting in a leftist coalition that ranges from hard-left intellectuals to army officers and businessmen.
Venezuela has the world's largest oil reserves and some of the most heavily traded bonds, so investors will be highly sensitive to any signs of political instability.
A defeat for Maduro would bring major changes to Venezuela and could also upend its alliances with Latin American countries that have relied on Chavez's oil-funded largesse - most notably with communist-led Cuba, which recovered from financial ruin in the 1990s thanks largely to Chavez's aid.
Chavez was a garrulous figurehead for a global "anti-imperialist" alliance stretching as far as Belarus and Iran, and he will be sorely missed by anti-U.S. agitators.
Maduro said he would ensure the future of Chavez's work.
"We call on all compatriots to guarantee the peace. We, his civil and military compatriots, assume the legacy of Hugo Chavez," Maduro said.
"His project, his flags will be raised with honor and dignity. Commander, thank you, thank you so much, on behalf of these people whom you protected."
After the cancer was diagnosed in June 2011, Chavez went through several cycles of disappearing from the public eye for weeks at a time for treatment in Havana, only to return just as his adversaries were predicting his demise.
His health weakened severely just after his re-election on October 7, possibly due to his decision to campaign for a third term instead of stepping aside to focus on his recovery.
HUMBLE ROOTS
Chavez was raised by his grandmother in a house with a mud floor in rural Venezuela and evoked almost religious passion among poor supporters who loved his folksy charm, common touch and determination to put the nation's oil wealth at their service.
He burst onto the national scene by leading an attempted coup in 1992. It failed and he was imprisoned, but he then formed a political party on his release two years later and swept to power in a 1998 election.
It was the first of four presidential election victories, built on widespread support among the poor.
But Chavez alienated investors with waves of takeovers and strict currency controls, often bullied his rivals, and disappointed some followers who say he focused too much on ideological issues at the expense of day-to-day problems such power cuts, high inflation and crime.
Chavez built a highly centralized political system around his larger-than-life image and his tireless, micro-managing style created something close to a personality cult. He was particularly adept at exploiting divisions within a fractious opposition.
Chavez was briefly toppled in a coup in 2002, but returned triumphantly after his supporters took to the streets.
Apparently realizing the end was nigh, Chavez named Maduro his successor in December, just before his fourth operation, which followed months of grueling chemotherapy and radiation treatment.
MADURO'S PROSPECTS
On February 18, Chavez made a surprise pre-dawn return from Cuba and was taken to a ninth-floor suite of a military hospital in Caracas, surrounded by tight security.
The government published a handful of pictures of Chavez lying in a hospital bed while he was still in Havana - the only time he was seen since the latest surgery. Supporters held tearful vigils around the country to pray for his recovery.
Maduro, 50, will now focus on marshalling support from Chavez's diverse coalition, which includes leftist ideologues, businessmen, and radical armed groups called "colectivos".
Seeking to knock down rumors of tensions at the top of the ruling Socialist Party (PSUV), Maduro has stressed the unity between him and Diosdado Cabello, a powerful former army buddy of Chavez who heads the National Assembly.
Maduro is a former bus driver who rose from union activist to foreign minister and then to president-in-waiting. He won Chavez's confidence by meticulously echoing his vitriolic rhetoric and never airing a dissenting opinion.
Maduro has mimicked Chavez's rabble-rousing style in appearances in recent weeks, peppering speeches with insults aimed at adversaries.
Capriles, Maduro's likely opponent, is a 40-year-old governor of Miranda state who led a hard-fought campaign against Chavez in the October election.
There are clear ideological differences between the 20 or so groups in the opposition's Democratic Unity coalition and without their enmity to Chavez to bind them, the alliance could splinter.
Until recently, polls had shown Capriles would beat any of Chavez's proteges. But the naming of Maduro as Chavez's heir, and the outpouring of emotion that will accompany Chavez's death, have changed the picture.
A survey carried out by local pollster Hinterlaces between January 30 and February 9 gave Maduro 50-percent support, compared to 36 percent for Capriles.
Wall Street investors, who would like to see a more pro-business government in Caracas but have been keen buyers of high-yielding Venezuelan bonds, will be watching closely.
Tributes began pouring in from abroad.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon offered his "deepest condolences" to the people of Venezuela, while Russia's U.N. ambassador Vitaly Churkin told reporters:
"It's a tragedy. He was a great politician."
[courtesy : Routers ]
While there is no chance that asteroid 2012 DA14 will hit Earth this Friday (Feb. 15), the asteroid's flyby is history-making for several other reasons.
For one thing, scientists will have the unprecedented chance to get an up close and personal view of the near-Earth asteroid, which is half the size of a football, as it passes by the planet at a distance of just 17,200 miles (27,000 kilometers).
What do we know about asteroid 2012 DA14?
Asteroid 2012 DA14 is a little guy, compared to some asteroids, although its size has not been pinned down precisely. It is thought to be about 45 meters across (nearly 150 feet across), with an estimated mass of about 130,000 metric tons.
If a space object 150 feet wide were to strike our planet, it wouldn’t be Earth-destroying. But it has been estimated that it would produce the equivalent of 2.4 megatons of TNT. How does that compare with other known impact events on Earth? In 1908, in a remote part of Russia, an explosion killed reindeer and flattened trees. But no crater was ever found. Scientists now believe a small comet struck Earth. That event has been estimated at 3 to 20 megatons. So 2012 DA14 is in the same approximate realm as the Tunguska comet (which, actually, might have been an asteroid instead). It would not destroy Earth, but it could flatten a city.
Of course, about 70% of our world is covered by oceans. That means the most likely landing spot of any incoming asteroid is in the water – not on a city or other populated area.
Astronomers at the Observatorio Astronómico de La Sagra in Spain discovered 2012 DA14 in early 2012. We know 2012 DA14′s orbit is similar to that of Earth. That is one reason the asteroid eluded astronomers until recently. You can be sure that many astronomers are carefully tracking 2012 DA14 now.
Pope Benedict’s resignation raises a host of questions that the Church has not had to face in 600 years. Among them is whether renouncing the papal office (for the reasons Benedict cites for his decision, or for others) ought to become a custom. There are weighty reasons for and against. A long papacy is in itself nothing to criticize. But the job is not obviously one that is suited now (if it ever was) to a man in a certain stage of decline. Benedict’s renunciation of the office may therefore trigger a needed discussion about the mental and physical stamina that any Pope should possess.
Another new question is the role that a living ex-Pope, or “Pope emeritus,” should play in Church affairs, not least in the selection of his own successor. No doubt some commentators will say that Benedict resigned now precisely in order to have some say over who succeeds him. That is poppycock. But the natural tendencies of the papal electors might well conspire with their esteem for Ratzinger to make it difficult for Benedictnotto have some effect on their deliberations. The next Pope will in any event have to chart a new course for integrating his predecessor into the Church’s life.
The main question that Benedict’s resignation raises, however, is not at all new. It is the central question faced by the Church, and in particular the cardinal electors, whenever the Chair of Peter comes vacant. What sort of man, blessed with which ensemble of charisms, does the Church neednow?One part of the answer depends on how the incumbent has understood what is often called, in this context, “the signs of the times.” Where is the ministry of Peter right now? Should the next Pope stay that course, or has there emerged a different set of priorities, calling for a different focus of the papal ministry?
It seems clear enough, for example, that Ratzinger’s own election was due partly to the electors’ desire to continue John Paul II’s work, and to their belief that Ratzinger was the right man for that job. What then lies at the heart of Benedict’s ministry? Here it seems that we might compare him to John XXIII. Most people, I am sure, would regard them as being opposites — Ratzinger was the Church’s “doctrinal watchdog,” while “good” Pope John wanted to “update” the Church, and all that. But, in fact, they are remarkably alike. Both were very aware that secularization has been a mounting tide. Both tried to shape the Church for dealing with it, not by focusing on its evils and condemning them, but by promoting a more effective proclamation of the Gospel.
In other words: The Popes since the Second Vatican Council have tried to engage the secularized world with the Gospel, and not to retreat from it in order to preserve the Gospel intact, as if it were a scroll to be buried until a new age made its reappearance safe and sensible. This policy of energetic engagement with secularism has, according to the eminent Catholic theologian Germain Grisez, not obviously succeeded or clearly failed. It remains the basic challenge of the next papacy. (Islam might be a comparable challenge for the world’s public authorities. But, for the Church’s pastors, Islam is not, and should not be treated as, much more than a partner for respectful conversations and a missionary opportunity.)
One can see Pope John XXIII’s deep faith and his desire to engage with modernity inHumanae Salutis, the apostolic constitution by which he formally convoked Vatican II on Christmas Day 1961. These same concerns animated his interventions during the Council. In my judgment, the strategy evident in that document, which is so dependent on solid faith and hope, has been the strategy of the Popes since John, perhaps especially of John Paul II but not least of all Benedict.
In attempting to understand what has transpired since Vatican II, one should not confuse those who adopted Pope John’s approach — who could be called “progressives” — with those who lacked the genuine faith and hope to proclaim the Gospel more clearly, and who thought that compromising with secularism was the way to go. These latter folks were often among the “progressives” during Vatican II. But afterwards they pursued the “spirit” of the Council, which set aside what it actually taught by advocating adaptation and syncretism — all to make the Church and its teaching more “relevant” to modern society.
Ratzinger bought into Pope John’s approach as a young theologian and adviser to Cardinal Josef Frings at Vatican II, who was one of the leaders of the progressive group at the Council; that is, he supported Pope John’s program of spirited engagement with modern secularized culture and eschewed both sectarian retreat from and a naïve adaptation to it.
Ratzinger never changed his view; he remains a true Vatican II progressive to this very day. So too should be his successor.
— Gerard V. Bradley is a professor of law at the University of Notre Dame.
The website of the US Sentencing Commission was shut down following a cyber attack on January 26, 2012. (File photo)
The hacker group Anonymous has briefly shut down a website belonging to the US Justice Department, following a warning by the Homeland Security about an imminent 9/11-style cyber attack.
The Saturday attack by the group against the US Sentencing Commission (USSC) website has been explained as a kind of revenge for the government’s prosecution against the deceased American dissident blogger Aaron Swart.
The group briefly replaced the USSC’s front page with a letter which claimed that they had accessed secret data at the US Justice Department and threatened to publicize the information unless the US reformed its sentencing laws to make them more proportionate to crimes.
The attack comes after Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano warned on Thursday against the looming threat of a major cyber attack and urged immediate action to prevent a “9/11 in the cyber world.”
According to FBI’s Criminal, Cyber, Response, and Services Branch, the bureau is investigating the cyber attack on the USSC website.
Also in a video posted online, the hackers slammed the government's prosecution of Swartz, who faced a maximum sentence of 31 years in prison and fines of up to USD one million on charges of using the computer networks of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to steal over four million articles from JSTOR, an online archive and journal distribution service.
On January 12, the 26-year-old prominent computer prodigy was found dead in his apartment in the New York borough of Brooklyn.
Brooklyn’s chief medical examiner ruled the death a suicide by hanging, but no further detail was available about the mysterious death.
Last year, Swartz openly criticized the US and the Israeli regime for launching joint cyber attacks against Iran.
The blogger was also vocal in criticizing Washington’s so-called targeted killing operations carried out by US assassination drones in Yemen, Somalia, Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Swartz was critical of monopoly of information by corporate cartels and believed that information should be shared and available for the benefit of society.
In a memorial website, Swartz’s family described his death as “the product of a criminal justice system rife with intimidation and prosecutorial overreach.”
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