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The founder of a far-right, unofficial Catholic media group has resigned for an unspecified violation of the organization's morality clause, the group said in a statement Tuesday. Michael Voris stepped down as president of St. Michael’s Media and Church Militant, a Michigan-based enterprise established to address what Voris’ official biography calls “the serious erosion of the Catholic faith in the last 50 years." “Michael Voris has been asked to resign for breaching the Church Militant morality clause,” the organization said in its statement. “I consider this a gift from God.”Church Militant is often critical of Pope Francis, and has elevated extremist voices like those of Milo Yiannopoulos and echoed popular refrains from mainstream conservatives. In 2017, a confidant of Pope Francis singled out Church Militant for criticism.

Persons: Michael Voris, Voris, “ Michael Voris, ”, “, Pope Francis, Milo Yiannopoulos, Joseph Strickland —, Antonio Spadaro, Donald Trump’s, ” Voris, Spadaro Organizations: Catholic, St, Michael’s Media, Church Militant, Associated Press, Militant, Archdiocese, AP, U.S . Conference of Catholic Bishops, Capitol, Lilly Endowment Inc Locations: Michigan, Detroit, Texas, Baltimore

☆ The Coastal State Where Home Insurance Is Relatively Affordable
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-12 | by ( Arian Campo-Flores | Meggan Haller For The Wall Street Journal | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

MOBILE, Ala.—When Kelly and Mike Francis saw the home-insurance quotes for the house they wanted to buy here last spring, they had sticker shock. The couple decided to take out a different policy from a little-known insurer that included reduced coverage of an aging roof, which made the house vulnerable to hurricanes and other fierce weather that batter the Gulf Coast. At about $4,500 a year, it was cheaper than a comprehensive policy, but they could still barely swing it.

Persons: Kelly, Mike Francis

☆ Pope Francis to Attend COP28 Climate Change Conference in Dubai
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-02 | by ( Francis X. Rocca | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

‘Our future is at stake, the future of our children and grandchildren,’ Pope Francis said about the COP28 climate conference. Photo: Vatican Media/Zuma PressROME—Pope Francis said he would travel to the COP28 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Dubai next month, becoming the first pontiff to participate in such an event. The pope’s presence at the conference will be one of his most significant gestures drawing attention to protection of the environment, which he has made a signature issue of his pontificate.

Persons: ’ Pope Francis, Zuma Press ROME — Pope Francis Organizations: Vatican Media, Zuma Press, COP28 United Locations: Dubai

☆ Pope, on Visit to Military Cemetery, Says There Are No Real Winners in War
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-02 | by ( Nov. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Philip PullellaROME (Reuters) - There are no real winners in any war, Pope Francis said on Thursday during a visit to a World War Two military cemetery, with conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine on his mind. The cemetery, in an area of Rome that was the scene of street fighting during World War Two, is the final resting place of about 425 soldiers from Britain and its former colonies who died while fighting in Italy. Truncated lives, lives without a future, here," he said"I thought of the parents, of the mothers who received that letter: 'Madam, I have the honour of telling you your son is a hero.' So many tears in these truncated lives," he said. So many people, young and not so young, in the wars of the world, even those closer to us, in Europe and beyond ... so many dead".

Persons: Philip Pullella ROME, Pope Francis, Francis, Israel, Philip Pullella, Gareth Jones Organizations: Roman Catholic Church Locations: East, Ukraine, Commonwealth, Gaza, Rome, Britain, Italy, Europe

☆ Pope says he will attend COP28 climate summit in Dubai, a first by a pontiff
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-01 | by ( Philip Pullella | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Pope Francis leads the weekly general audience in Saint Peter's Square at the Vatican, October 18, 2023. The pope told Italy's state-run RAI television TG1 news in an interview that he expected to be in Dubai Dec. 1-3. In Dubai, the pope is expected to drive home his recent appeal for action to curb global warming. Francis, 86, has made protection of the environment one of the hallmarks of his papacy and met last month with COP28 President Sultan al-Jaber. Failure in Dubai, Francis said in the document, "will be a great disappointment and jeopardize whatever good has been achieved thus far".

Persons: Pope Francis, Italy's, Francis, Sultan al, Jaber, Deum, Joe Biden, Philip Pullella, Diane Craft, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: Vatican, Handout, REUTERS, Rights, RAI, TG1, Thomson Locations: Saint Peter's, Dubai, el, Sheikh, Egypt, Glasgow, Scotland

☆ Pope says two-state solution needed for Israel-Palestine
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-01 | by ( Philip Pullella | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Fadi Whadi Acquire Licensing RightsVATICAN CITY, Nov 1 (Reuters) - Pope Francis said on Wednesday a two-state solution was needed for Israel and Palestine in order to put an end to wars such as the current one and called for a special status for Jerusalem. With that wise solution, two states. The Oslo accords, two well-defined states and Jerusalem with a special status," Francis said in an interview with Italy's RAI broadcaster. Israel has consistently rejected suggestions that the city, which is sacred to Christians, Muslims and Jews, could have a special, or international, status. The war between Israel and Hamas, he said, should not make people forget other conflicts, including in Ukraine, Syria, Yemen and Myanmar.

Persons: Fadi, Pope Francis, Francis, Yitzhak Rabin, Yasser Arafat, Bill Clinton, Ehud Barak, Arafat, Israel, Gazans, Keith Wier, Franklin Paul, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: REUTERS, CITY, TG1, Hamas, Italy's RAI, Palestine Liberation, U.S, Thomson Locations: Gaza, Israel, Palestine, Jerusalem, Oslo, Israeli, Arab East Jerusalem, Ukraine, Syria, Yemen, Myanmar

ROME (AP) — Pope Francis said Wednesday that he will travel to Dubai for three days during the COP28 climate conference hosted there. Francis said during an interview on Italian television network RAI that he would depart for Dubai on Dec. 1 and stay until Dec. 3. Excerpts of the interview were broadcast on Wednesday evening and recorded a few hours earlier. Francis offered no details of his trip's program, including any appearance at the conference. The first Conference of the Parties, as COP is formally called, was held in 1995 in Berlin, and the gathering has since been held in various cities and on different continents.

Persons: — Pope Francis, Francis Organizations: ROME, RAI, of Locations: Dubai, Berlin

Khan’s office has opened an investigation into potential war crimes by Israel in Gaza in the 2014 war. THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN KILLED IN THE CONFLICT SOARSThe number of children killed in the blockaded Gaza Strip since the start of the Hamas-Israel earlier this month has exceeded the number of children killed in armed conflict every year globally since 2019, international charity Save the Children said Sunday. It also mentioned the deaths of 33 children in the occupied West Bank and 29 children killed in Israel. The militant group Hezbollah, Hamas’ allies in Lebanon, has clashed with Israeli troops along the Lebanon-Israeli border since the Gaza war erupted on Oct. 7. PALESTINIAN RED CRESCENT SAYS ISRAEL ORDERS GAZA HOSPITAL TO EVACUATEJERUSALEM — A spokesperson for the Palestinian Red Crescent says Al-Quds Hospital in Gaza City received two calls from Israeli authorities Sunday morning demanding it evacuate.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu, “ ‘, ”, Israel, Karim Khan, Khan, “, Jason Lee, ” U.N, António Guterres, Guterres, Hamas ’, ” Guterres, Rishi Sunak’s, Emmanuel Macron, Macron, VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis, “ Let’s, ” Francis, Ibrahim Faltas, Jonas Gahr Støre, U.N, Israel’s, ” Tedros Adhanom, Tarik Jasarevic, Nebal Farsakh, ” Thomas White, ” Mahmoud, Abdallah Sayed Organizations: Saturday, Health Ministry, Hamas, West Bank, ICC, Criminal, Gaza, Gaza Health Ministry, Country, MINISTER, LONDON, UN, UNIFIL, VATICAN CITY, ISRAEL HELSINKI — Norway’s, NRK, “, United Nations, MINISTRY, FIRE, WHO, World Health Organization, JERUSALEM, Palestinian, Pentagon, UNITED NATIONS, . Security Council, United Arab Emirates Locations: Gaza, Israel, EGYPT, GAZA, Rafah, Egypt, Cairo, Kathmandu, ISRAEL, ”, LEBANON BEIRUT, Lebanon, Houla, Naqoura, Ukraine, Palestine, St, NORWAY'S, Norwegian, Norway, “, UN, FIRE KATHMANDU, Nepal, GAZA CAIRO, PALESTINIAN, Al, Quds, Gaza City, SYRIA DAMASCUS, Syria, Iranian, Iraq, U.S, Assad, GAZA'S, CAIRO, Gaza’s

(AP) — Asa Hutchinson said Saturday that the campaign manager for his beleaguered bid for the Republican presidential nomination is departing, but the former Arkansas governor said he is not dropping out of the crowded race. Hutchinson confirmed that Rob Burgess will leave on Oct. 31, and the candidate said he planned other changes to his campaign. Hutchinson, who entered the 2024 race in April, has struggled to make in-roads as an anti-Donald Trump candidate. Before Hutchinson entered the race, he said Trump's latest White House run was the “worst scenario” for the GOP. I've always been of the view that's going to change, and I still have that view.”___Associated Press writer Michelle Price in Las Vegas contributed to this report

Persons: — Asa Hutchinson, Hutchinson, Rob Burgess, Donald Trump, “, ” Burgess, Burgess, Trump, Trump's, Will Hurd, Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, Perry Johnson, Larry Elder, reevaluating who's, ” Hutchinson, I've, Michelle Price Organizations: Republican, Associated Press, CNN, AP, Trump, GOP, Texas Rep, Miami Mayor, Conservative, Associated Locations: Arkansas, New York, Las Vegas

☆ Intesa CEO hopes to keep reins with Catholic philosophy for 'many years'
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

"We can do that because we already spend 300 million euros a year for social causes," Messina said. Intesa has among core shareholders charitable banking foundations inspired by Catholic values, commonly referred to in Italy as "Catholic finance". "I hope to have the honour to continue to lead our company for many years with this philosophy," Messina said. At the helm since 2013, Messina has made the digital switch a key plank of his long-term strategy for Intesa, with a view to cutting costs and focusing resources on wealth management and insurance operations. Intesa this year launched both Isybank, a cloud-based, low-cost mobile bank to serve younger, mass-market clients, and Fideuram Direct, a digital wealth management service targeting younger private banking clients.

Persons: Carlo Messina, Messina, Intesa, " Messina, Pope Francis, Valentina Za, Tomasz Janowski Organizations: MILAN, Thomson Locations: Italy, Messina

Conservative talk radio host Larry Elder announced Thursday that he was ending his 2024 Republican campaign for president and endorsing former President Donald Trump. Johnson also backed Trump on his way out of the race, while Hurd endorsed former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley. Elder found little visibility in a primary race dominated by Trump and including other high-profile figures such as Haley, former Vice President Mike Pence, Florida Gov. But a majority of voters ended up voting against removing Newsom, making the vote count in the replacement contest irrelevant. A lawyer who grew up in Los Angeles' rough South Central neighborhood, Elder attended an Ivy League college and then law school.

Persons: Larry Elder, Donald Trump . Elder, Gavin Newsom, Joe Biden, Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, Will Hurd, Perry Johnson, Johnson, Trump, Hurd, Nikki Haley, ”, Elder, Haley, Mike Pence, Ron DeSantis, Sen, Tim Scott, Vivek Ramaswamy, Elder wasn't, Newsom, “ Organizations: Conservative, Republican, California Gov, Trump, GOP, Miami Mayor, United Nations, Twitter, Florida Gov, Republican National Committee, Federal, Democratic, Ivy League, Fox News Locations: America, Texas, Florida, U.S, California, COVID, Los Angeles, Central

☆ The Incoherence of Pope Francis
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-24 | by ( William Mcgurn | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

Main Street: Hong Kong’s Jimmy Lai goes to jail—and Pope Francis says nothing. (12/07/20) Images: Reuters/Zuma Press Composite: Mark KellyPope Francis called President Biden on Sunday to talk about Gaza. The papal phone call came amid Israel’s public criticism of the Vatican’s tendency to treat the Israel Defense Forces as morally equivalent to the Hamas terrorists who targeted, attacked and butchered unarmed Israeli civilians. Israel’s irritation was kicked off by a joint statement on Oct. 7, the day of the Hamas attack, from the Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem. But the statement didn’t name Hamas, and it called for the “cessation of all violent and military activities that bring harm to both Palestinian and Israeli civilians.”

Persons: Hong, Jimmy Lai, —, Pope Francis, Mark Kelly Pope Francis, Biden, Jerusalem, “, ” Organizations: Zuma, Israel Defense Forces Locations: Gaza, Jerusalem

☆ Qualcomm unveils new PC laptop chip with AI features for 2024
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-24 | by ( Stephen Nellis | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A smartphone with a displayed Qualcomm logo is placed on a computer motherboard in this illustration taken March 6, 2023. Qualcomm executives said that the company's new Snapdragon Elite X chip will be available in laptops starting next year and has been redesigned to better handle artificial intelligence tasks like summarizing emails, writing text and generating images. Qualcomm will be the first to market with a chip to challenge Apple, whose laptop and desktop computers have more than doubled their market share since the iPhone maker introduced custom-designed chips in 2020. Qualcomm claimed on Tuesday that the X Elite is faster than Apple's M2 Max chip at some tasks and more energy efficient than both Apple and Intel (INTC.O) PC chips. Reporting by Stephen Nellis in San Francisco; Editing by Lisa ShumakerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Alex Katouzian, Katouzian, Francis Sideco, You've, Sideco, Stephen Nellis, Lisa Shumaker Organizations: Qualcomm, REUTERS, Microsoft, Reuters, Nvidia, Devices, Apple, Intel, TIRIAS, Thomson Locations: San Diego , California, San Francisco

☆ Pope Francis and Biden Discuss Israel-Hamas War
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-22 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Pope Francis spoke with President Biden by phone on Sunday, after the pope called for the continued flow of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip and the release of hostages. The two talked for about 20 minutes, according to the Vatican, discussing “situations of conflict in the world and the need to identify paths to peace." The White House said Biden discussed his efforts "to ensure delivery of food, medicine, and other humanitarian assistance to help alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza."

Persons: Pope Francis, Biden Organizations: Gaza Locations: Gaza

Pope Francis leads the Angelus prayer from his window at the Vatican, October 22, 2023. In his call with Pope Francis, Biden, who is a Catholic, condemned the attack by Hamas and affirmed the need to protect civilians in Gaza, the White House said. They also discussed Biden's recent visit to Israel and efforts for delivery of food, medicine, and other humanitarian assistance in Gaza, according to the White House. The pope has several times called for the release of hostages taken by Hamas during its Oct. 7 attack. "Brothers, stop," Pope Francis said.

Persons: Pope Francis, Joe Biden, Biden, Antony Blinken, Francis, Peter's, Pope Francis said, Kanishka Singh, Crispian Balmer, Andrea Ricci Organizations: Vatican, Handout, REUTERS Acquire, WASHINGTON, VATICAN CITY, Sunday, Hamas, White, United, Food Program, Thomson Locations: VATICAN, Israel, Palestinian, Gaza, St, Washington, Vatican City

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican businessman Perry Johnson suspended his long-shot bid for president on Friday after failing to gain traction in the race. Johnson said the fact that he wasn't permitted to participate in the debates played a major role in his decision. Johnson spent money earlier this year to run an ad during the Super Bowl targeting voters in Iowa, the first state to vote on the GOP presidential field, touting his plan to cut federal spending by 2% every year. He announced his presidential bid in early March shortly after speaking at the opening day of the annual Conservative Political Action Conference. The businessman earned a fortune starting Michigan-based Perry Johnson Registrars Inc., which certifies if businesses are meeting industrial standards.

Persons: Perry Johnson, Johnson, hadn't, “ I've, ” Johnson, Donald Trump, Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, Will Hurd, hadn’t, ” Organizations: WASHINGTON, — Republican, Republican National Committee, RNC, Republican, Miami Mayor, Federal, Commission, GOP, Michigan, Bowl, Conservative Political, Conference, Inc, Republicans Locations: United States, Texas, Iowa, Michigan

☆ Pope Francis may attend global climate talks in Dubai
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-19 | by ( Philip Pullella | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Pope Francis leads the weekly general audience in Saint Peter's Square at the Vatican, October 18, 2023. Vatican Media/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsVATICAN CITY, Oct 19 (Reuters) - Pope Francis may attend the COP28 climate conference starting next month in Dubai, Vatican sources say, to drive home his recent appeal for action to curb global warming. It would be the first time a pope has attended a U.N. climate change conference since they began in 1995. Other Vatican sources put the probability that the pope would go to the Nov. 30-Dec. 12 event as high as 90 percent. Failure in Dubai, Francis said in the document, "will be a great disappointment and jeopardize whatever good has been achieved thus far".

Persons: Pope Francis, Francis, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Joe Biden, Sultan al, Jaber, Philip Pullella, Deborah Kyvrikosaios Organizations: Vatican, Handout, REUTERS, CITY, State, Reuters, Catholic, Thomson Locations: Saint Peter's, Dubai, Vatican, Rome, el, Sheikh, Egypt, Glasgow, Scotland, Mongolia, French, Marseilles

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Two Vatican trials are coming to a head this week and posing uncomfortable questions for the Holy See, given they both underscore Pope Francis’ power as an absolute monarch and the legal, financial and reputational problems that can arise when he wields it. The rationale: The pope hired Milone and then wanted him out, and the court has no right to judge his decisions. For Vatican prosecutors, that amounted to extortion. The Vatican is the lone absolute monarchy left in Europe, with Francis wielding supreme legislative, executive and judicial power. While he delegates that power on a day-to-day basis, he is still pope and what he says goes.

Persons: Pope Francis ’, Libero Milone, Francis, “, ”, Milone, Vatican, Gianluigi, Rene Bruelhart, Tommaso Di Ruzza, didn’t, Monsignor Edgar Pena Parra, Torzi, Pena Parra, Bruelhart, Filippo Dinacci, Di Ruzza, Roberto Borgogno, Di Ruzza's, –, Filippo Di Giacomo, Francis ’ Organizations: VATICAN CITY, Vatican, ” Prosecutors, Prosecutors, Islamic, RAI Locations: London, British, Torzi, Britain, Luxembourg, Vatican, Europe

☆ Pope Francis Calls for Humanitarian Corridors for Gaza
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-15 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Pope Francis appealed for humanitarian corridors in Gaza as Israel prepares to invade the enclave. Speaking after his noon prayer at the Vatican on Sunday, the pope asked that "children, the sick, the elderly, women and all civilians not be victims of the conflict." The pope also repeated his call for the release of hostages held by Hamas. "Brothers and sisters, many have already died," Francis said. "Please, let no more innocent blood be shed, neither in the Holy Land, nor in Ukraine or anywhere else.

Persons: Pope Francis, Francis Locations: Gaza, Israel, Ukraine

☆ Pope Urges Release of All Hamas Hostages, Concerned by Gaza Siege
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-11 | by ( Oct. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: 1 min

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Francis on Wednesday called on militant Islamist group Hamas to release all hostages captured during its weekend attack on Israel, while expressing grave concerns about the "total" Israeli siege imposed on Gaza. "I pray for those families who saw a feast day turn into a day of mourning, and I ask that the hostages be immediately released," he said during his weekly audience. Referring to Israel's response to Hamas, Francis said: "It is the right of those who are attacked to defend themselves, but I am very worried by the total siege in which Palestinians in Gaza live, where there have also been many innocent victims."

Persons: Pope Francis, Francis said Organizations: VATICAN CITY, Hamas Locations: Israel, Gaza

[1/2] Pope Francis looks on as he leads the weekly general audience in Saint Peter's Square at the Vatican, October 11, 2023. REUTERS/Remo Casilli Acquire Licensing RightsVATICAN CITY, Oct 11 (Reuters) - Pope Francis, in his strongest comments since the start of the conflict in Gaza, on Wednesday called for the release of all hostages taken by Hamas militants and said Israel has a right to defend itself. On Saturday, Hamas gunmen from the Gaza Strip rampaged through parts of southern Israel, in the deadliest Palestinian militant attack in Israel's history. The pope's mention of Israel's right to self defence followed diplomatic pressure from Israel for him to make such a statement, following earlier statements from the pope and Vatican officials which Israel saw as too timid. But I would like to hear stronger words about Israel's right to defend itself."

Persons: Pope Francis, Remo Casilli, Israel, Raphael Schutz, Francis, Bernadette Baum Organizations: Vatican, REUTERS, CITY, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Saint Peter's, Gaza, St, Israel, Palestine, Rome

Another Republican presidential candidate has dropped out of the crowded 2024 field. He said the need to rally around one candidate to defeat former President Donald Trump had become increasingly clear. The GOP front-runner remains hugely popular in the Republican Party, despite making history as the first president to be impeached twice and inciting the Capitol insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021. The Florida governor officially launched his 2024 presidential campaign on May 24 in a glitch-marred Twitter announcement, casting himself as Trump’s only legitimate Republican rival. The wealthy biotech entrepreneur and author of “Woke, Inc.” kicked off his presidential campaign on Feb. 21 with a video and op-ed.

Persons: Will Hurd, Nikki Haley, Donald Trump, Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, Robert F, Kennedy Jr, America's, Roe, Wade, Trump, DeSantis, Trump's Jan, ” Pence, Pence, Scott, “, ”, Christie, ” Christie, “ Tucker Carlson, Gavin Newsom, Johnson, Joe Biden, Biden, Marianne Williamson, John F, Kennedy, West, Meg Kinnard Organizations: Republican, Former, Miami Mayor, GOP, Democratic, White House, White, U.S . Capitol, Republican Party, Disney, Pence, Trump, U.S, Capitol, South, Black Republican, United Nations, Trump Cabinet, Inc, America, Fox News, California Gov, Michigan, Bowl, DEMOCRATIC, Department of Peace, Biden, Green Party Locations: Former Texas, Lago, U.S, Florida, Iowa, South Carolina, North Charleston, Charleston, Jersey, New Hampshire, Arkansas, Bentonville, New York, Dakota, Fargo ., America, Washington, Boston

Hurd failed to qualify for both the first GOP debate in Milwaukee in August and the second debate the following month in Simi Valley, California. “America is at a crossroads and it’s time to come together and make Joe Biden a one-term president,” Haley wrote on X in response to Hurd's endorsement. Hurd was hoping to resonate with voters seeking a pro-business Republican with a strong national security background who was also unafraid to seek bipartisan consensus. “President Biden can’t solve these problems — or won’t,” Hurd said in his announcement video. “Donald Trump is running to stay out of prison,” Hurd declared at a July GOP dinner in Iowa.

Persons: —, Will Hurd, Nikki Haley, Donald Trump, “, Biden, ” Hurd, Haley, Hurd, Joe Biden, ” Haley, Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, Hurd wasn’t, ”, Texas ’, Trump, wasn’t, Biden can’t, Donald Trump —, “ Donald Trump Organizations: WASHINGTON, — Former Republican Texas, GOP, Twitter, United Nations, Trump, Republican, Miami Mayor, Republican National, Republican Party, RNC, CIA, Texas, ”, Biden, U.S, “, Senate, White Locations: U.S, South Carolina, Milwaukee, Simi Valley , California, “ America, Pakistan, San Antonio, El Paso, Texas, Mexico, Iowa

☆ US government shutdown possible later this year but no impact on rating - Fitch
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

A jogger runs by the U.S. Capitol as the deadline to avert a partial government shutdown approaches at the end of the day on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., September 30, 2023. REUTERS/Ken Cedeno/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNEW YORK, Oct 4 (Reuters) - Credit rating agency Fitch said on Wednesday the ousting of U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy meant a government shutdown later this year was possible, although it would not affect its U.S. sovereign rating. "Given the fact that the House speaker was ousted right after the continuing resolution was agreed, we expect political brinkmanship around government funding negotiations will remain tense and a shutdown later this year can't be ruled out," Richard Francis, a senior director at Fitch, said in a podcast. A shutdown would not impact Fitch's rating as the country's "deterioration in governance" was already captured in Fitch's downgrade of the U.S. in August, Francis said. Reporting by Davide BarbusciaOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Ken Cedeno, Fitch, Kevin McCarthy, Richard Francis, Francis, Davide Barbuscia Organizations: U.S, Capitol, REUTERS, Fitch, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S

Rarely in recent times has a Vatican gathering generated as much hope, hype and fear as this three-week, closed-door meeting, known as a synod. But it nevertheless has drawn an acute battle line in the church’s perennial left-right divide and marks a defining moment for Francis and his reform agenda. Even before it started, the gathering was historic because Francis decided to let women and laypeople vote alongside bishops in any final document produced. While they have secured some high-profile positions in the Vatican and local churches around the globe, the male hierarchy still runs the show. Asked specifically about church blessings for same-sex unions, Francis suggested they could be allowed as long as such benedictions aren’t confused with sacramental marriage.

Persons: — Pope Francis, Francis, Francis ’, “, ”, JoAnn Lopez, Lopez, Cardinal Raymond Burke, ” Burke, Cardinal Robert Sarah, Burke, Francis didn’t Organizations: VATICAN CITY, Catholic Church, Catholic Locations: Indian, Seattle, Toronto, U.S, ”

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