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Vatican Court Convicts Former Pope Adviser Of Financial Crimes

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A Vatican court has jailed former Pope Francis’s adviser, Italian Cardinal Angelo Becciu, to five and a half years in prison for financial irregularities.

Becciu, 75, was the highest-ranking Vatican official ever to face such charges, and he was even considered a papal contender himself.

The trial focused on a London real estate transaction that resulted in massive losses for the Catholic Church.

He vehemently refuted the claims, which included embezzlement and misuse of office.

Cardinal Becciu’s lawyer stated that his client was innocent and that he would file an appeal.

He was on trial alongside nine other people. All were judged guilty on certain counts and not guilty on others.

vatican

Vatican Court Convicts Former Pope Adviser Of Financial Crimes

The trial, which uncovered infighting and intrigue at the highest levels of the Vatican, had been ongoing for two and a half years.

Cardinal Becciu was found guilty of embezzlement after three judges deliberated for more than five hours, according to Court President Giuseppe Pignatone.

Others, including financiers, attorneys, and ex-Vatican personnel, were charged with a variety of offenses, including fraud, money laundering, and abuse of office. They all denied doing anything wrong.

“We reaffirm Cardinal Angelo Becciu’s innocence and will appeal,” Becciu’s lawyer, Fabio Viglione, said following the ruling. “We respect the ruling, but we will definitely appeal.”

The first case in which a Cardinal was tried in a Vatican court was fraught with intrigue and skulduggery. It involves claims of financial misconduct at the Vatican’s highest levels, cloak-and-dagger activities typical of the Holy See’s hidden society.

vatican

Vatican Court Convicts Former Pope Adviser Of Financial Crimes

It was centered on a structure, not in the Vatican or even Rome but a thousand kilometers distant in London – 60 Sloane Avenue in affluent Chelsea, a former Harrod’s warehouse.

The Vatican spent more than €200 million ($220 million; £170 million) 2014 to acquire a 45% interest in the structure, which was to be turned into luxury flats.

By 2018, the Vatican’s Secretariat of State had chosen to buy the property outright, investing an additional 150 million euros. Cardinal Becciu, the Vatican’s Substitute for General Affairs at the time – effectively the Pope’s chief of staff – is said to have signed off on the entire agreement.

Raffaele Mincione, an Italian financier with a base in London who oversaw the acquisition, placed the funds in a trust that included a portion for charitable purposes.

When the Secretariat eventually sought financial assistance from the Vatican’s bank, it prompted suspicion – and a Vatican police raid, which resulted in the charges against Becciu, Mincione, and eight others.

However, the probe into Becciu’s affairs was not restricted to the London property transaction.

vatican

Vatican Court Convicts Former Pope Adviser Of Financial Crimes

The cardinal was also accused of directing large quantities of money to his native diocese of Sardinia, some of which allegedly went to his family. It was also claimed that he paid about €600,000 to another of the accused, Cecilia Marogna, to assist in the release of a nun kidnapped in Mali.

Prosecutors claimed she instead spent the majority of the money on luxury items and vacations. Marogna, who had volunteered her services to them as an intelligence expert, paid multiple visits to Becciu’s home. Both denied any sexual interaction.

Becciu became the first cardinal ever tried for financial crimes due to the charges against him. It also prompted Pope Francis to deprive him of some rights, notably the opportunity to vote in a future conclave to choose Francis’ successor.

Following the Pope’s removal from office in 2020, he held a press conference to declare his innocence.

“Until 6:02 p.m. on Thursday I felt like a friend of the Pope, a faithful executor of his will,” the cardinal stated. “Then the Pope says he no longer has faith in me.”

The entire controversy became a test case for Pope Francis’ goal of cleaning up the Vatican’s finances, which had long been beset by scandal, bedeviling Francis’ predecessor, Benedict XVI’s reign.

The lawsuit’s outcome could have far-reaching consequences for Francis’ record as a reformer.

SOURCE – BBC

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Trudeau Rocks to Taylor Swift While Montreal Burns

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Trudeau, Montreal

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has come under fire yet again after a video surfaced on X, showing him dancing at a Taylor Swift performance while anti-Nato protestors ransacked downtown Montreal.

Trudeau attended Taylor Swift’s concert in Toronto on Friday night. Before Taylor Swift approached the stage, X shared a viral video of him dancing and singing along to the song “You Don’t Own Me.”

The image of Trudeau dancing amid violent protests in Montreal generated widespread indignation online. Some social media users even compared Trudeau to the ancient Roman dictator Nero, known for “fiddling while Rome burned.”

Don Stewart, a Member of Parliament (MP) representing part of Toronto, called out the prime minister in a post on X.

“Lawless protesters run roughshod over Montreal in violent protest. The Prime Minister dances,” Stewart wrote. “This is the Canada built by the Liberal government.”

“Bring back law and order, safe streets and communities in the Canada we once knew and loved,” the MP added.

On Saturday, the day after Taylor Swift’s concert, Trudeau condemned the anti-NATO protests, calling them “appalling.”

Anti-NATO activists set off smoke bombs and marched through Montreal’s streets waving Palestinian flags. According to the Montreal Gazette, rioters set fire to automobiles and battled with police.

Pro-Palestinian protests

Protesters also tossed tiny explosives and metal objects at officers. At one point, the mob torched an effigy of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Police used tear gas and batons to disperse the gathering, and three persons were arrested for attacking officers and impeding police operations.

Masked protesters were seen burning flares and bashing storefront windows in videos and photographs shared on social media. Pro-Palestinian protests have been taking place across Canada since the Israel-Gaza conflict began late last year.

Critics have lambasted Trudeau for doing nothing to stop the violent pro-Palestinian marches, with some claiming he has fueled anti-Israel sentiment in Canada.

On Friday, Trudeau stated that Canada would respect the orders of the International Criminal Court (ICC), which issued an arrest warrant for Mr Netanyahu, even if it meant arresting the Israeli prime leader on Canadian soil.

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Calgary Zoo Admits Human Error in Death of Baby Gorilla

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Baby Gorilla, Calgary Zoo
The zookeeper's negligence caused the death of a 2-year-old baby gorilla

The Calgary Zoo has admitted in a public statement that a zookeeper’s negligence caused the death of a 2-year-old baby gorilla. Eyare, a newborn gorilla, died last week after being slammed in the head by a hydraulic door.

The accident occurred when a zoo worker attempted to separate Eyare from the rest of the gorilla tribe for a solitary training session.

The gorilla died from significant head injuries, according to the zoo’s statement.

“This tragedy has struck us all in the deepest way imaginable,” Colleen Baird, director of animal care at the Calgary Zoo, said during a news conference. “Eyare’s brief but meaningful existence gave so much joy to our community, and all will sorely miss her. We will do everything possible to prevent repeat accidents.”

According to Baird, the staff member involved was immediately removed from the workplace and will be reassigned to another area of the zoo. The Calgary Zoo stated that it would take preventive steps, such as specialist personnel training and animal behavioral training, to avoid a similar incident.

Calgary Zoo Questioned

It is not the first time an animal at the zoo has died from negligence at the Calgary Zoo. A capybara was accidentally crushed by a hydraulic door similar to the one that killed Eyare in 2019.

An otter died in 2016 after being entangled in an “unauthorized” pair of jeans that a zookeeper had dropped in its enclosure. In 2013, a penguin died in “a freak accident” after swallowing a stick.

Animal Justice, a Canadian group that promotes animal welfare, has called for an independent investigation of animal safety and oversight at the Alberta facility.

“The Calgary Zoo appears to have a higher rate of animal deaths compared to other zoos, and in light of Eyare’s death there should be a systematic review of the zoo’s operations and practices, conducted transparently by the government or another outside party,” according to Camille Labchuk, the executive director of Animal Justice.

The Calgary Zoo refuted that it has more animal deaths than other zoos, emphasizing that it adheres to operating requirements and has maintained accreditation by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ independent Accreditation Commission since 1978.

“We love and care for more than 4,000 animals representing over 100 species that call our zoo home,” stated a Calgary Zoo representative.

“Human error-related deaths in animals are quite infrequent. We have lost two animals in the last ten years: a North American river otter in 2016 and ‘Eyare’ this week.

While rare, even one human-caused death is too many. These unfortunate instances have served as vital learning experiences, prompting us to examine and tighten protocols to provide the greatest level of care.”

Baird said at the news conference that using hydraulic doors is “common practice with accredited zoos,” adding that the facility will consider switching to alternate doors to improve safety.

The Calgary Zoo, which established the Wilder Institute in 2021, caters to nearly 4,000 creatures, including six more western lowland gorillas.

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Canada’s Lotto Max Jackpot Climbs to $80M

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lotto max, Canada

Lotto Max in Canada has reached $80 million for only the second time in Canadian lottery history. Friday’s draw sought a winner for a $75 million pool, but the top reward remained unclaimed as of Saturday, increasing the jackpot.

Only once did the jackpot reach $80 million in September, when it broke the previous record. Before that, the prize was $75 million, a record.

The Lotto Max prize maximum was boosted earlier this year, enabling for jackpots of more than $70 million. The cap is now at $80 million.
While a greater fee may encourage more people to play, the odds of winning the lottery remain extremely low.

According to the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation, the odds for a $5 ticket are around one in 33,294,800.

While there was no jackpot winner in Friday’s draw, someone did match six of the seven winning numbers, plus a bonus, earning them a payout of more than $320,000.

Lotto Max History

Lotto Max is one of three national lottery games in Canada, overseen by the Interprovincial Lottery Corporation. The game was introduced on September 19, 2009, and its inaugural draw occurred on September 25, 2009. It replaced Lotto Super 7.

The odds of winning the Lotto Max are 1 in 33,294,800. This is correct to a point but misleading.

Let’s have a look at the rules:

  1. Players choose 7 numbers out of 50
  2. Numbers cannot be repeated
  3. Numbers are automatically sorted into ascending order
  4. Each play buys 3 lines
  5. Each play costs $5

Seeing that players choose 7 out of 50 non-repeating numbers, the equation for the total number of possible combinations (this is different from permutations where the order in which the numbers appear is significant) when playing the Lotto Max is 50! / (7! x 43!)

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