Pope Leo XIV Makes Historic Apology For Holy See’s Own Role In Legitimizing Slavery

Pope Leo XIV Makes Historic Apology For Holy See’s Own Role In Legitimizing Slavery

Pope Leo XIV made a historic apology on Monday for the role the Holy See itself played in legitimizing slavery and for having failed to condemn it for centuries, calling the Vatican’s record a “wound in Christian memory.” Past popes have apologized for Christians’ involvement in the trans-Atlantic slave trade. But no pope has ever publicly acknowledged, much less apologized for, the role that past popes themselves played in giving European sovereigns explicit authority to subjugate and enslave “infidels.” History’s first U.S.-born pope, whose family history includes both enslaved people and slave owners, delivered the apology in his first encyclical,...

Pope Calls For Robust Regulation Of AI In Manifesto That Ponders The Future Of Humanity

Pope Calls For Robust Regulation Of AI In Manifesto That Ponders The Future Of Humanity

Pope Leo XIV called Monday for robust regulation of artificial intelligence and for its developers to work for the common good rather than profit, issuing a sweeping manifesto on safeguarding humankind as the technology impacts everything from work to war. “Magnifica Humanitas” (Magnificent Humanity), Leo’s first encyclical, has been eagerly awaited ever since history’s first U.S.-born pope announced days after his election that he considered AI to be the biggest challenge facing humanity today. In the text, Leo denounced the “culture of power” driving the AI race, especially in developing ever more sophisticated methods of remote warfare. He declared that...

Nigeria’s Military Says Troops Rescued 92 People Abducted By Jihadi Militants

Nigeria’s Military Says Troops Rescued 92 People Abducted By Jihadi Militants

Ninety-two people who were abducted by jihadi extremists have been rescued by troops in Nigeria’s conflict-battered northeast region, the country’s military said Sunday. The abductees — 52 males, 33 females, and seven children — were rescued along the Buratai–Kamuya road in the Biu area of Borno State, military spokesperson Sani Uba said in a statement. The militants were “forcibly herding” their victims off the road and into the bush before they were intercepted by the soldiers, Uba said. “Converging on the terrorists in a well-coordinated pursuit toward the Mangari-Dora general area, Operation HADIN KAI troops engaged the insurgents and forced...

Moroccan King Pardons Senegalese Fans Jailed Over Chaotic Africa Cup Final

Moroccan King Pardons Senegalese Fans Jailed Over Chaotic Africa Cup Final

Morocco’s king on Saturday granted an official pardon to 18 Senegalese soccer fans jailed over hooliganism linked to a chaotic Africa Cup of Nations final that saw supporters attempt to storm the field, the Royal Cabinet said. The 18 Senegalese fans were sentenced in February to prison terms of up to a year on charges including damaging sporting facilities and committing violence during a sporting event. Some have already completed their sentences. “Given the long-standing fraternal ties between the Kingdom of Morocco and the Republic of Senegal, and on the occasion of (Muslim holiday) Eid al-Adha, King Mohammed VI has...

Lithuania Suspects Foreign Involvement In Data Leak Of Over 600,000 National Register Entries

Lithuania Suspects Foreign Involvement In Data Leak Of Over 600,000 National Register Entries

Lithuanian authorities are on high alert after a massive data leak involving more than 600,000 entries from national data registers, which is believed to have been executed by another country. The Lithuanian general prosecutor’s office on Friday announced the leak was primarily from registers of real estate and legal entities accessed by using login credentials of institutions authorized to receive the data. The head of the State Enterprise Centre of Registers, Adrijus Jusas, resigned Monday following the leak. The authorities immediately implemented additional cybersecurity measures, including blocking the accounts of suspected data users and restricting access with a requirement to...

Bystander In Serious Condition After Fatal Shooting Near White House Checkpoint

Bystander In Serious Condition After Fatal Shooting Near White House Checkpoint

A bystander who was struck by gunfire after a man fired on a checkpoint outside the White House and was fatally shot by U.S. Secret Service officers remained in serious but stable condition Sunday. The Secret Service said the bystander, who has not been identified, suffered a gunshot wound described as not life-threatening. It was not clear how he was shot. Authorities have released few additional details about the early Saturday evening shooting. The District of Columbia Metropolitan Police Department said the suspect, identified as 21-year-old Nasire Best, started shooting toward a White House security checkpoint when Secret Service officers...