Pope Benedict XVI met with individuals affected by the Roman Catholic Church’s sexual abuse scandals during his visit to Washington, D.C. on Thursday. Benedict spoke and prayed with five abuse victims one-on-one during the surprise meetings, which the Pope personally requested. His visit to the United States continues this weekend, when Benedict will celebrate mass at Yankee Stadium on Sunday.
Senator Barack Obama dismissed Wednesday’s night Democratic presidential debate at a town meeting in Raleigh, NC on Thursday, claiming that it took nearly 45 minutes for substantive issues to be discussed. Obama has recently faced criticism over comments that some claim painted a condescending picture of small-town voters.
The South African government demanded Thursday that the Zimbabwean government release results from the controversial March 29 presidential election. The statement reflected a shift from South African president Thabo Mbeki’s previous statements of support for Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe. Millions of Zimbabwean refugees have fled to South Africa during the economic and political turmoil following the contested election.
Merrill Lynch announced Thursday it would lay off about 2,900 workers after posting a loss of $1.96 billion in the first three months. The lay-offs come after the investment bank eliminated about 1,000 jobs earlier in the year, meaning that the company’s work force will be reduced by 10 percent before the end of the year.
Martinique poet and politician Aimé Césaire died Thursday at the age of 94. Esteemed for his essays and plays as well as his poetry, Césaire championed French West Indian rights throughout his long career. He also served for nearly 50 years as a lawmaker in the lower house of France’s parliament.
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