France: street demonstrations for solidarity” “

A demonstration called “Solidarity on Earth” was held in the Place de la Bastille in Paris on Saturday, 13 October, as part of World Food Day. Its aim was to press the candidates for the legislative and presidential elections in France for a greater commitment in the daily struggle against poverty. The demonstration – which […]

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Churches united at the side ” “of the weakest ” “

An appeal to work together against social exclusion: it was launched by the European Diaconal Forum, following the European Commission’s adoption of a draft joint report on “social inclusion” which reveals that 9% of the population of Europe is permanently living below the minimum poverty threshold and a further 9% in danger of poverty. The […]

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in brief" "

United Kingdom: interreligious ” “appeal for peace” “

Religious leaders united in the struggle against terrorism. In a meeting held in recent days, and attended by British Prime Minister Tony Blair, 20 religious leaders, including the archbishop of Liverpool, Msgr. Patrick Kelly, vice president of the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, representing Cardinal Murphy-O’Connor, expressed the conviction that “the great evil of […]

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France: Christian ” “film week” “

The 7th Christian Film Week opened in France on Wednesday 17 October; it will run till 23 October. This year it is proposing some twenty films produced and realized on the theme of fear. The films were chosen by a committee chaired by Msgr. Jean-Michel di Falco, auxiliary bishop of Paris, and composed of theologians, […]

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Austria: a new auxiliary bishop for Vienna” “

The newly appointed second auxiliary bishop of the diocese of Vienna is a Salesian, Father Ludwig Schwarz, hitherto director of the Pontifical Mission-Aid Society in Austria. His appointment was made public by the Holy See in recent days. He will flank Msgr. Helmut Kratzl, the present auxiliary bishop of the diocese headed by Cardinal Christoph […]

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European Union" "

NATO’s commitment against terrorism” “

Following its decision to have recourse to the collective defence sanctioned under article 5 of its foundation Treaty, NATO has confirmed its acceptance of the American request that contingents of the Atlantic Alliance be deployed in the Eastern Mediterranean, in the Balkans and in the United States. It has also agreed to provide intelligence support, […]

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Meeting of ” “EU Ministers of Defence” “

The informal Council of EU Ministers of Defence (Brussels, 11/12 October) was the occasion to reaffirm the need to accelerate the formulation of the European Policy of Security and common Defence (PESD) provided by the Treaties of Maastricht and Amsterdam. In view of the present crisis, accompanied by the possibility of a massive redeployment of […]

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European Council of Ghent” “

The informal Summit of heads of state and of government of the Union is being held in Ghent, in Belgium, on 19 October. The four main points on the agenda are the following: preparations for the introduction of the EURO, on the basis of a joint report by the president of the ECOFIN Council Reynders, […]

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press review" "

International dailies” “

“The Pope’s frailty is causing concern in the Vatican”. That’s the front-page headline of the Herald Tribune of 16/10, which just on the day on which John Paul II was celebrating the completion of the 23rd year of his pontificate, brought back into the spotlight of international debate the question of the papal “succession”, or […]

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agenda" "

EU legislation” “

In the course of the last week the following legislative acts and communications, among others, came into force: · Draft Regulation of the Council, presented by the Commission, relating to specific restrictive measures against specified persons and bodies, aimed at combating international terrorism (COM(2001)569 definitive, 2/10/2001); · Resolution of the Council on the contribution of […]

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