Showing posts with label News. Show all posts
Showing posts with label News. Show all posts
Bencana Tanah Karo Yang Belum Usai
Mnshn Pesaing Baru Twitter
Anggota parlemen Inggris dari Partai Konservatif Louise Mensch meluncurkan layanan mikroblog mnshn untuk menyaingi Twitter.
Mensch, pengguna aktif Twitter dengan pengikut hampir 60.000 orang mengatakan, ia frustrasi dengan layanan Twitter.
Mnshn memungkinkan para pengguna menulis pesan hingga 180 huruf atau karakter, 40 huruf lebih banyak dibandingkan Twitter.
Ibukota Baru Korea Selatan di Sejong
Korea Selatan meresmikan "ibukota mini" yang dibangun sebagai pusat pemerintahan baru.
Pusat pemerintahan ini terletak di Sejong, kota yang berjarak 120 km di selatan ibukota saat ini, Seoul.
Bercocok tanam cabai terpedas di dunia cabai habanero
Cabai habanero merupakan jenis cabai yang terpedas didunia. Di Indonesia cabai ini lebih dikenal dengan nama cabai gendol. Cabai habanero ini memiliki beberapa varian yang tingkat kepedasannya tidak diragukan lagi.
Wanita Jatuh di Plaza Semanggi
Polisi masih belum bisa memastikan penyebab kematian wanita yang tewas di parkiran Plaza Semanggi. Belum Diketahui, apakah wanita tersebut tewas akibat bunuh diri atau karena kecelakaan.
"Kita masih belum bisa memastikan apakah korban bunuh diri atau kecelakaan disana
"Kita masih belum bisa memastikan apakah korban bunuh diri atau kecelakaan di
Perusahaan Terhijau versi Greenpeace
Lembaga pecinta lingkungan Greenpeace mendapuk Nokia di posisi teratas dalam daftar perusahaan elektronik dengan produk yang ramah lingkungan. Sementara posisi Toshiba dan Samsung anjlok dan keluar dari sepuluh besar setelah dianggap gagal menghilangkan bahan berbahaya dari produknya.
Dalam laporannya, Greenpeace menilai produk Nokia 'paling hijau' di antara produsen elektronik lainnya yang mereka teliti. Vendor ponsel asal Finlandia tersebut dikuntit oleh Sony Ericsson dan Philips di posisi kedua dan ketiga.
Toshiba dan Samsung harus rela keluar dari sepuluh besar. Posisi Toshiba melorot dari peringkat 3 ke 14, sedangkan Samsung turun dari peringkat 7 ke 13.
Mereka dinilai gagal untuk memenuhi komitmen menghilangkan bahan PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride) dan BFR (Brominated Flame Reterdants) dalam produk mereka.
Nine killed in latest China school rampage
Seven children and the owners of a kindergarten were hacked to death in northwest China on Wednesday, the latest in a string of assaults on schools, prompting officials to vow to "strike hard" to calm public alarm.
Eleven children were wounded in the attack soon after the school day started in Nanzheng county, a rural corner of Shaanxi province, the official Xinhua news agency reported.
Two children were in serious condition.
A 48-year-old man, Wu Huanming, used a kitchen cleaver to kill five boys and two girls as well as the mother-son team who owned and ran the private kindergarten, Xinhua said.
Eleven children were wounded in the attack soon after the school day started in Nanzheng county, a rural corner of Shaanxi province, the official Xinhua news agency reported.
Two children were in serious condition.
A 48-year-old man, Wu Huanming, used a kitchen cleaver to kill five boys and two girls as well as the mother-son team who owned and ran the private kindergarten, Xinhua said.
A Libyan plane carrying 104 people crashed
A Libyan plane carrying 104 people crashed Wednesday on approach to Tripoli's airport, leaving a field scattered with smoldering debris that included a large chunk of the tail painted with the airline's brightly colored logo. A 10-year-old Dutch boy was the only known survivor.
The Dutch prime minister said everyone on the Afriqiyah Airways Airbus A330-200 arriving from Johannesburg, South Africa, was killed except the child, whose survival was hailed as a miracle.
The boy was taken to a hospital in Tripoli and was undergoing surgery for injuries including broken bones. Libyan TV showed video of the dark-haired child lying in a hospital bed with a bandaged head and wearing an oxygen mask. He had intravenous lines in one arm and appeared to be conscious.
The Dutch prime minister said everyone on the Afriqiyah Airways Airbus A330-200 arriving from Johannesburg, South Africa, was killed except the child, whose survival was hailed as a miracle.
The boy was taken to a hospital in Tripoli and was undergoing surgery for injuries including broken bones. Libyan TV showed video of the dark-haired child lying in a hospital bed with a bandaged head and wearing an oxygen mask. He had intravenous lines in one arm and appeared to be conscious.
Indonesia Tuan Rumah Pertemuan Pakar Virus Dunia
Association of antiVirus Asia Researchers (AVAR), merupakan ajang rutin pertemuan para pakar bidang virus dan Malware yang digelar setiap tahunnya. Setelah sebelumnya diadakan diberbagai negara, untuk tahun ini Indonesia bakal kebagian jatah.
AVAR adalah organisasi non profit komunitas pemerhati sekuriti khususnya antivirus untuk wilayah Asia Pasifik. Namun, karena perkembangan ekonomi dunia yang secara perlahan bergeser ke Asia Pasifik dimana negara-negara seperti China, India, Indonesia dan Rusia menjadi negara yang memiliki potensi perkembangan sangat besar. Maka secara de facto, AVAR sudah menjadi konferensi para pemerhati malware dunia.
AVAR adalah organisasi non profit komunitas pemerhati sekuriti khususnya antivirus untuk wilayah Asia Pasifik. Namun, karena perkembangan ekonomi dunia yang secara perlahan bergeser ke Asia Pasifik dimana negara-negara seperti China, India, Indonesia dan Rusia menjadi negara yang memiliki potensi perkembangan sangat besar. Maka secara de facto, AVAR sudah menjadi konferensi para pemerhati malware dunia.
Chinese democracy leader Zhou Yongjun jailed for fraud
A former student leader of the Tiananmen Square democracy movement has been sentenced to nine years in jail, the latest in a series of tough prison terms to be handed down by the Chinese authorities.
The arrest of Zhou Yongjun aroused widespread controversy in Hong Kong, whose police handed him to their counterparts in mainland China after he tried to enter the former British colony from the United States on a false Malaysian passport.
The arrest of Zhou Yongjun aroused widespread controversy in Hong Kong, whose police handed him to their counterparts in mainland China after he tried to enter the former British colony from the United States on a false Malaysian passport.
Taleban defectors 'are rejoining insurgency'
Almost a quarter of the low-ranking Taleban commanders lured out of the insurgency in southern Afghanistan have rejoined the fight because of broken government promises and paltry rewards, a scathing report on reintegration claims.
Nato plans to spend more than $1 billion (£648 million) over the next five years tempting Taleban foot soldiers to lay down their arms.
But research by a Kabul-based thinktank warns that those efforts could make matters worse by swelling the ranks of the insurgency, exacerbating village level feuds and fuelling government corruption.
Nato plans to spend more than $1 billion (£648 million) over the next five years tempting Taleban foot soldiers to lay down their arms.
But research by a Kabul-based thinktank warns that those efforts could make matters worse by swelling the ranks of the insurgency, exacerbating village level feuds and fuelling government corruption.
India to repeal anti-gay law as second Gay Pride is held
As India held only its second national Gay Pride march yesterday, officials said that the country was planning to repeal a law against homosexuality that was introduced by the British almost 150 years ago.
India is one of the few professed liberal democracies in the world that still has such a law. The others are mostly Islamic or authoritarian, and even China lifted its ban in 1997.
Successive governments have long argued that Indian society is too conservative to accept repealing Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code — under which sex “against nature” is punishable by up to ten years in prison. India’s leaders have come under increasing pressure in recent years from activists who say that the law, introduced in 1860, violates civil liberties and encourages the spread of HIV by forcing homosexuals underground.
India is one of the few professed liberal democracies in the world that still has such a law. The others are mostly Islamic or authoritarian, and even China lifted its ban in 1997.
Successive governments have long argued that Indian society is too conservative to accept repealing Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code — under which sex “against nature” is punishable by up to ten years in prison. India’s leaders have come under increasing pressure in recent years from activists who say that the law, introduced in 1860, violates civil liberties and encourages the spread of HIV by forcing homosexuals underground.
South Korean ship ‘hit by North Korean torpedo’
The South Korean naval ship sunk last month was hit by a North Korean torpedo, according to reports today.
The claim will heap more pressure on Lee Myung Bak, the South Korean President, to respond to one of the worst military acts of provocation since the Korean War.
The South Korean Defence Ministry declined to comment on the claim by the Yonhap news agency, the latest in a series of reports suggesting that the mysterious sinking of the naval corvette, Cheonan, last month was a deliberate and unprovoked attack by North Korea.
The claim will heap more pressure on Lee Myung Bak, the South Korean President, to respond to one of the worst military acts of provocation since the Korean War.
The South Korean Defence Ministry declined to comment on the claim by the Yonhap news agency, the latest in a series of reports suggesting that the mysterious sinking of the naval corvette, Cheonan, last month was a deliberate and unprovoked attack by North Korea.
Satu Lagi Maling Uang Negara: Gubernur Sumatera Utara
Komisi Pemberantasan Korupsi menetapkan Syamsul Arifin sebagai tersangka. Juru bicara KPK, Johan Budi S.P., mengatakan Gubernur Sumatera Utara ini diduga menyelewengkan anggaran pendapatan dan belanja daerah Langkat, Sumatera Utara, pada 2000-2007.
Korupsi tersebut, menurut Johan, terjadi saat Syamsul menjabat pemimpin daerah di kabupaten tersebut. "Ini soal dugaan penyalahgunaan APBD," kata Johan di kantornya kemarin. Ia menjelaskan, jumlah dugaan kerugian keuangan negara dalam kasus ini semula Rp 102,7 miliar. Tapi, di tengah pengusutan, Syamsul mengembalikan duit sekitar Rp 61 miliar. "Sehingga kerugian negara menjadi Rp 51 miliar," katanya.
Korupsi tersebut, menurut Johan, terjadi saat Syamsul menjabat pemimpin daerah di kabupaten tersebut. "Ini soal dugaan penyalahgunaan APBD," kata Johan di kantornya kemarin. Ia menjelaskan, jumlah dugaan kerugian keuangan negara dalam kasus ini semula Rp 102,7 miliar. Tapi, di tengah pengusutan, Syamsul mengembalikan duit sekitar Rp 61 miliar. "Sehingga kerugian negara menjadi Rp 51 miliar," katanya.
Di Hari Kartini, Danramil Wanita Pertama di Sulawesi Dilantik
Untuk memperingati Hari Kartini yang jatuh hari ini, Panglima Kodam VII Wirabuana, Mayor Jenderal Hari Krisnomo, melantik Lettu Chk (K) Nurrahmi sebagai Komandan Rayon Militer (Danramil) 1408-06 Mamajang, di lapangan Makoramil, jalan Lanto Dg Pasewang, Makassar, Rabu (21/4/2010).
Menurut Pangdam VII dalam pidato amanatnya, Nurrahmi merupakan anggota Korps Wanita Angkatan Darat (Kowad) pertama yang menjabat Danramil di bagian timur Indonesia dan wanita kedua di Indonesia setelah Danramil 01 Jatinegara Kodam Jaya, yang dijabat oleh Kapten CBa (K) Lili Febiyanti.
"Dalam pembinaan karir personel, komando tidak membedakan status prajurit pria atau wanita, tetapi yang utama adalah kompetensi dan kemampuan personel dalam menduduki jabatan tersebut," ungkap Hari di depan para prajuritnya.
Sementara Nurrahmi yang dilantik bertepatan dengan perayaan Hari Kartini merasa terharu dan sangat bahagia. Tidak henti ia menitikkan air matanya saat berkumpul dengan sanak familinya yang menunggu di pinggir lapangan upacara.
Anggota Kowad Kodam VII Wirabuana yang baru mengabdi selama 3 tahun sebagai perwira karir ini juga pernah mengharumkan nama bangsa Indonesia, ketika mempersembahkan medali emas pada Sea Games Filipina 2006 dalam cabang olahraga Karate.
Menurut Pangdam VII dalam pidato amanatnya, Nurrahmi merupakan anggota Korps Wanita Angkatan Darat (Kowad) pertama yang menjabat Danramil di bagian timur Indonesia dan wanita kedua di Indonesia setelah Danramil 01 Jatinegara Kodam Jaya, yang dijabat oleh Kapten CBa (K) Lili Febiyanti.
"Dalam pembinaan karir personel, komando tidak membedakan status prajurit pria atau wanita, tetapi yang utama adalah kompetensi dan kemampuan personel dalam menduduki jabatan tersebut," ungkap Hari di depan para prajuritnya.
Sementara Nurrahmi yang dilantik bertepatan dengan perayaan Hari Kartini merasa terharu dan sangat bahagia. Tidak henti ia menitikkan air matanya saat berkumpul dengan sanak familinya yang menunggu di pinggir lapangan upacara.
Anggota Kowad Kodam VII Wirabuana yang baru mengabdi selama 3 tahun sebagai perwira karir ini juga pernah mengharumkan nama bangsa Indonesia, ketika mempersembahkan medali emas pada Sea Games Filipina 2006 dalam cabang olahraga Karate.
Benazir Bhutto's assassination was preventable
Pakistan's military-led former government failed to protect former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto before her 2007 assassination and intelligence agencies hindered the subsequent investigation, a U.N. commission concluded in a report released Thursday.
The three-member investigative panel issued a scathing report Thursday afternoon, concluding that the suicide bombing that killed Bhutto "could have been prevented" and that police deliberately failed to pursue an effective investigation into the killings.
The three-member investigative panel issued a scathing report Thursday afternoon, concluding that the suicide bombing that killed Bhutto "could have been prevented" and that police deliberately failed to pursue an effective investigation into the killings.
Thai PM hands security control to military
Thailand's prime minister handed security operations entirely to the country's military Friday after three anti-government protest leaders' bold escape from a hotel surrounded by security forces.
"The important problem now is the terrorism," Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said, referring to what authorities say is a terrorist group mixing among protesters. He spoke in a televised broadcast after three days of silence amid the tumult in his country.
The prime minister also acknowledged that "police forces were trying to capture some of the Red Shirt leaders, but it was not successful." He admitted that many government efforts failed.
The chief of the Center for the Resolution of Emergency Situations will be Army Chief General Anupong Paochinda instead of Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaungsuban, he said.
Earlier, while Thai security authorities surrounded a Bangkok hotel, three men were lowered from a third-floor window and fled in a waiting truck -- even as security forces searched the hotel. Police said two officers were left with them to carry out negotiations, a development officials with the protesters confirmed.
As government forces surround the hotel, the deputy prime minister announced that "regular" demonstrators had been infiltrated by "terrorists" with clear intention to do harm. He called on the innocent demonstrators to separate themselves from the terrorists and not be used as human shields.
At least 23 people were killed in deadly police-protester clashes over the weekend, the Bangkok Emergency Medical Service said. More than 850 others were wounded in the clashes, the service said.
An estimated 1,000 demonstrators had gathered outside the SC Park Hotel, but dispersed shortly after the leaders escaped.
The protesters, known as "Red Shirts," for their clothing, have been demanding for days that Abhisit dissolve parliament and call new elections. In addition, Red Shirts leader Weng Tojirakarn said the group wants the prime minister to leave the country.
The Red Shirts are supporters of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in a bloodless military coup in 2006.
On Monday, Thailand's election commission -- an independent government body that oversees races and can disqualify candidates -- recommended the dissolution of Abhisit's party. The commission accused the Democrat Party of accepting an $8 million campaign donation from a private company and for mishandling funds the commission allocated to it.
The commission's recommendation will now be considered by the country's attorney general's office. If it agrees, the country's Constitution Court will ultimately issue a ruling.
If the 64-year-old party is dissolved, its senior leaders -- including Abhisit -- will be banned from politics for five years. The process can take up to six months.
But if successful, it will be eerily reminiscent of events two years ago that brought the Democrats to power.
In 2008, the court dissolved the then-ruling People Power Party, citing electoral fraud.
The court's decision barred Thaksin's predecessor, Somchai Wongsawat, from holding public office for five years. Somchai and the anti-government protesters, the Red Shirts, share a commonality.
Somchai is Thaksin's brother-in-law, and his People Power Party was often accused of being a proxy presence for Thaksin.
Thaksin fled the country in 2008 while facing trial on corruption charges that he says were politically motivated. But he remains hugely popular.
Speaking at a forum at Johns Hopkins University in Maryland this week, Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Pirmoya called Thaksin a "bloody terrorist" who has to return home to serve jail time before he is allowed to participate in politics again.
He blamed Thaksin for Thailand's unrest and criticized countries such as Russia, Germany and the United Arab Emirates, which have allowed the former prime minister in.
"Everyone is playing naive, closing their eyes and so on, simply because he was once an elected leader," Kasit said. "Hitler was elected, Mussolini was elected, even Stalin could say that he was elected also but what did they do to their very society?"
Weng, the anti-government leader, denied the foreign minister's claims that Thaksin was funding the current movement -- saying the money is coming from donations.
"The important problem now is the terrorism," Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said, referring to what authorities say is a terrorist group mixing among protesters. He spoke in a televised broadcast after three days of silence amid the tumult in his country.
The prime minister also acknowledged that "police forces were trying to capture some of the Red Shirt leaders, but it was not successful." He admitted that many government efforts failed.
The chief of the Center for the Resolution of Emergency Situations will be Army Chief General Anupong Paochinda instead of Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaungsuban, he said.
Earlier, while Thai security authorities surrounded a Bangkok hotel, three men were lowered from a third-floor window and fled in a waiting truck -- even as security forces searched the hotel. Police said two officers were left with them to carry out negotiations, a development officials with the protesters confirmed.
As government forces surround the hotel, the deputy prime minister announced that "regular" demonstrators had been infiltrated by "terrorists" with clear intention to do harm. He called on the innocent demonstrators to separate themselves from the terrorists and not be used as human shields.
At least 23 people were killed in deadly police-protester clashes over the weekend, the Bangkok Emergency Medical Service said. More than 850 others were wounded in the clashes, the service said.
An estimated 1,000 demonstrators had gathered outside the SC Park Hotel, but dispersed shortly after the leaders escaped.
The protesters, known as "Red Shirts," for their clothing, have been demanding for days that Abhisit dissolve parliament and call new elections. In addition, Red Shirts leader Weng Tojirakarn said the group wants the prime minister to leave the country.
The Red Shirts are supporters of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in a bloodless military coup in 2006.
On Monday, Thailand's election commission -- an independent government body that oversees races and can disqualify candidates -- recommended the dissolution of Abhisit's party. The commission accused the Democrat Party of accepting an $8 million campaign donation from a private company and for mishandling funds the commission allocated to it.
The commission's recommendation will now be considered by the country's attorney general's office. If it agrees, the country's Constitution Court will ultimately issue a ruling.
If the 64-year-old party is dissolved, its senior leaders -- including Abhisit -- will be banned from politics for five years. The process can take up to six months.
But if successful, it will be eerily reminiscent of events two years ago that brought the Democrats to power.
In 2008, the court dissolved the then-ruling People Power Party, citing electoral fraud.
The court's decision barred Thaksin's predecessor, Somchai Wongsawat, from holding public office for five years. Somchai and the anti-government protesters, the Red Shirts, share a commonality.
Somchai is Thaksin's brother-in-law, and his People Power Party was often accused of being a proxy presence for Thaksin.
Thaksin fled the country in 2008 while facing trial on corruption charges that he says were politically motivated. But he remains hugely popular.
Speaking at a forum at Johns Hopkins University in Maryland this week, Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Pirmoya called Thaksin a "bloody terrorist" who has to return home to serve jail time before he is allowed to participate in politics again.
He blamed Thaksin for Thailand's unrest and criticized countries such as Russia, Germany and the United Arab Emirates, which have allowed the former prime minister in.
"Everyone is playing naive, closing their eyes and so on, simply because he was once an elected leader," Kasit said. "Hitler was elected, Mussolini was elected, even Stalin could say that he was elected also but what did they do to their very society?"
Weng, the anti-government leader, denied the foreign minister's claims that Thaksin was funding the current movement -- saying the money is coming from donations.
Pope expresses 'shame and sorrow' to abuse victims
Pope Benedict XVI told a group of sexual abuse victims Sunday that he feels "shame" for what they suffered within the church and will make sure their abusers are brought "to justice," the Vatican announced.
One of the victims, Joseph Margo, said the meeting was "very emotional" -- and left even the pope "with tears in his eyes."
On a trip to Malta, the pontiff met with eight men who said they were abused by Catholic priests when they were children, the Vatican said. The group prayed together, and then the pope spoke individually with each of the men.
"He was deeply moved by their stories and expressed his shame and sorrow over what victims and their families have suffered," the Vatican said in a statement.
"He prayed with them and assured them that the church is doing, and will continue to do, all in its power to investigate allegations, to bring to justice those responsible for abuse and to implement effective measures designed to safeguard young people in the future."
The pope also "prayed that all the victims of abuse would experience healing and reconciliation, enabling them to move forward with renewed hope," the Vatican said.
The eight men are among a group of 10 on the Mediterranean island who have come forward saying Catholic priests abused them at a local orphanage during the 1980s and 1990s.
Joseph Margo said Sunday's encounter with the pontiff had a strong impact. "I made peace with the Church," Magro said immediately after the meeting.
The 20-minute encounter, held in the chapel of the papal embassy in Malta, was only Benedict's third meeting with victims of sexual abuse -- and the first amid the recent chorus of criticism of the church's response to the crisis and of Benedict's own history of handling sexual abuse cases.
The pontiff met with five victims of sexual abuse in Washington during his April 2008 trip to the United States, and with five other victims in July 2008 in Australia.
The Maltese crisis has rocked this tiny island nation of some 400,000, which is 94 percent Catholic, in part because one victim has linked the abuse he suffered at the orphanage to a horrific crime he committed in 1991, murdering a homosexual man. Gaetano Scerri -- who recently completed a 20-year prison sentence -- told a newspaper that "the abuse, the rapes and the beatings" made him "a pitiless person, full of rage." Scerri did not take part in Sunday's meeting.
Benedict made no public reference to the sexual abuse scandal during his brief two-day trip to Malta, aside from a brief remark aboard the papal plane from Rome that the church is "wounded by our sins." A papal spokesperson later characterized the remark as a "discreet reference" to the sexual abuse crisis.
Tens of thousands of people attended an open-air Mass in the capital of Valletta, but the pope did not address the issue in his homily.
The private meeting with victims was "intense" but "serene," according to the Rev. Federico Lombardi, Vatican spokesman.
While the victims who took part in the meeting were generally hopeful about its significance, the largest organization for victims of priestly sex abuse in the United States was more skeptical.
"We are sure these brave men deserve anything that can help their healing and we hope they feel better," said Barbara Dorris of the Survivors' Network of those Abused by Priests.
"However, the pope's professions of 'sorrow' don't keep one child-molesting cleric away from kids, expose one corrupt bishop or make one child more secure," Dorris said. "That is where the pope's focus should be."
After the encounters in 2008, the initial reaction from the victims was largely positive. Over time, however, some have argued that whatever momentum they generated has been squandered by the church's failure to adopt sweeping policy changes to weed out predator priests and to hold bishops accountable who failed to stop the abuse.
Recently, two of the victims who met Benedict XVI in Washington in 2008 announced plans to stage a large gathering of victims in St. Peter's Square in Rome in late October, calling it a "Day of Reform" to demand the Vatican adopt tough new policies on abuse.
The Malta stop was the first of five international trips the pope has planned this year.
One of the victims, Joseph Margo, said the meeting was "very emotional" -- and left even the pope "with tears in his eyes."
On a trip to Malta, the pontiff met with eight men who said they were abused by Catholic priests when they were children, the Vatican said. The group prayed together, and then the pope spoke individually with each of the men.
"He was deeply moved by their stories and expressed his shame and sorrow over what victims and their families have suffered," the Vatican said in a statement.
"He prayed with them and assured them that the church is doing, and will continue to do, all in its power to investigate allegations, to bring to justice those responsible for abuse and to implement effective measures designed to safeguard young people in the future."
The pope also "prayed that all the victims of abuse would experience healing and reconciliation, enabling them to move forward with renewed hope," the Vatican said.
The eight men are among a group of 10 on the Mediterranean island who have come forward saying Catholic priests abused them at a local orphanage during the 1980s and 1990s.
Joseph Margo said Sunday's encounter with the pontiff had a strong impact. "I made peace with the Church," Magro said immediately after the meeting.
The 20-minute encounter, held in the chapel of the papal embassy in Malta, was only Benedict's third meeting with victims of sexual abuse -- and the first amid the recent chorus of criticism of the church's response to the crisis and of Benedict's own history of handling sexual abuse cases.
The pontiff met with five victims of sexual abuse in Washington during his April 2008 trip to the United States, and with five other victims in July 2008 in Australia.
The Maltese crisis has rocked this tiny island nation of some 400,000, which is 94 percent Catholic, in part because one victim has linked the abuse he suffered at the orphanage to a horrific crime he committed in 1991, murdering a homosexual man. Gaetano Scerri -- who recently completed a 20-year prison sentence -- told a newspaper that "the abuse, the rapes and the beatings" made him "a pitiless person, full of rage." Scerri did not take part in Sunday's meeting.
Benedict made no public reference to the sexual abuse scandal during his brief two-day trip to Malta, aside from a brief remark aboard the papal plane from Rome that the church is "wounded by our sins." A papal spokesperson later characterized the remark as a "discreet reference" to the sexual abuse crisis.
Tens of thousands of people attended an open-air Mass in the capital of Valletta, but the pope did not address the issue in his homily.
The private meeting with victims was "intense" but "serene," according to the Rev. Federico Lombardi, Vatican spokesman.
While the victims who took part in the meeting were generally hopeful about its significance, the largest organization for victims of priestly sex abuse in the United States was more skeptical.
"We are sure these brave men deserve anything that can help their healing and we hope they feel better," said Barbara Dorris of the Survivors' Network of those Abused by Priests.
"However, the pope's professions of 'sorrow' don't keep one child-molesting cleric away from kids, expose one corrupt bishop or make one child more secure," Dorris said. "That is where the pope's focus should be."
After the encounters in 2008, the initial reaction from the victims was largely positive. Over time, however, some have argued that whatever momentum they generated has been squandered by the church's failure to adopt sweeping policy changes to weed out predator priests and to hold bishops accountable who failed to stop the abuse.
Recently, two of the victims who met Benedict XVI in Washington in 2008 announced plans to stage a large gathering of victims in St. Peter's Square in Rome in late October, calling it a "Day of Reform" to demand the Vatican adopt tough new policies on abuse.
The Malta stop was the first of five international trips the pope has planned this year.
Explainer: What are the protests in Thailand about?
Thousands of anti-government protesters have once again brought Thailand's capital to a standstill, as they seek to unseat a leadership -- led by Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva -- they say is illegitimate and undemocratic.
They support Thaksin Shinawatra, who was prime minister from 2001 to 2006, before he was ousted in a bloodless coup. After his removal, he continued to play a role in Thai politics -- even from outside of the southeast Asian nation.
What is happening now?
Until protesters stormed the parliament building, the demonstrations had been largely peaceful. But there are fears there could be a repeat of the violence that left two dead and more than one hundred injured this time last year..
Haven't these protests been going on for a long time?
Yes, Thailand has been embroiled in political chaos for years and many here are growing weary with the instability. Ever since Thaksin came to power, there have been protesters opposing his allegedly corrupt and autocratic rule. Those protesters donned yellow shirts (the color of the king) and occupied the two main airports in Bangkok, until finally the pro-Thaksin government was brought down by a court ruling. In revenge Thaksin's supporters copied the yellow shirt tactics and took to the streets in red shirts.
Why do the sides divide on colors?
It's an easy way for them to create an identity. It all started with the yellow shirts wearing a color associated with Monday, the day of the week that Thailand's revered king was born on. That was designed to show their allegiance to the king, and more broadly the traditional elite which has dominated Thai politics for years. Thaksin's supporters then picked a color to distinguish themselves from the yellow-shirts.
Why are they arguing?
Essentially this is a classic power struggle. It's easy to portray this as simply rich against poor, but it is much more complicated than that, as illustrated by the fact that the reds leader is in fact a multi-billionaire. Thaksin rode to power by enacting populist policies which gained huge support from the rural poor. His radical approach ruffled a lot of feathers among the elite, who felt he was in danger of becoming too big for his boots, and could erode their position.
The "civil society" also become concerned over allegations of corruption and his brutal war on drugs, which saw summary executions. He was also criticized for his heavy handed response to violence in the Muslim dominated south.
Finally the army decided to oust him in a coup, which had the backing of the aristocratic elite and much of the middle class, who were becoming uneasy with the cult of personality growing around Thaksin. That set the stage for an embittered power struggle, between Thaksin loyalists and those loyal to the army, aristocracy and their traditional Democrat Party.
What are the wider implications of the protests?
If the divisions in Thailand can't be healed it could lead to a deteriorating security situation which would have wider implications for the region. Thailand's relations with Cambodia are especially frosty since Thaksin was appointed economic adviser to Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen. The worst case scenario would see Cambodia drawn into the dispute, with Thaksin using the country as a political base, adding to the already considerable tensions on the border.
So who is Thaksin?
Visionary leader or venal despot: Opinions vary, like the color of the shirts his supporters and detractors wear. If you sport red, you think Thaksin was the only prime minister to offer the rural poor a voice and real benefits; if you wear yellow, you view him as akin to Ferdinand Marcos: greedy, self-serving and dangerous.
What is not in dispute is that he won two elections, was the only Thai prime minister to serve a full-term in office and is still hugely popular. But critics say he bought his support and was only in politics to help himself.
What is he accused of?
In 2008 he was found guilty and sentenced in absentia to two years in prison for a land deal that enabled his wife to buy a valuable city plot for a fraction of its true value.
The case currently being considered by the Supreme Court relates to the transfer of shares in his communications company Shin Corporation. The prosecution alleges he illegally transferred the shares to his family, who then sold them to the Singapore government's Temasek without paying tax.
The court will also rule on whether Thaksin's government implemented policies that benefited his businesses, including a low interest loan from the Thai government to the Myanmar government to buy equipment from Shin Corp, a change in tax laws that benefited Shin Corp and changes to satellite laws that helped Shin Corp.
What does Thaksin's defense team say?
The defense team argues that neither Thaksin nor his wife owned the Shin Corp shares while he was prime minister, selling them to their son before he took office. It was their son who decided to sell Shin Corp to the Singaporeans. The defense also claims that the Assets Scrutiny Committee -- which has led the investigation in this case -- was politically motivated, having been appointed after the coup that ousted Thaksin, and therefore was biased against him.
How much money is at stake?
76.6 billion baht (about US$2.3 billion dollars). That is the total value of his and his family's assets that are currently frozen in Thailand. But there is speculation that he has a great deal more money elsewhere.
Why bother going after Thaksin when so many other Thai leaders have been perceived to be corrupt?
Well, Thailand certainly has had a checkered history. But current Premier Abhisit Vejjajiva is widely believed to be honest and free from any taint of corruption. He wants to give the country a fresh start by showing no one is above the rule of law and that means ensuring Thaksin isn't allowed to get away with his alleged corruption, even though he is in exile. However, many analysts say this case is not just about corruption, but more about Thaksin's challenge to the Thai political elite that has ruled for decades.
The theory goes that Thaksin was dangerously popular and refused to submit to powerful factions in the army, privy council and aristocracy -- hence the 2006 coup and the lengthy efforts to shut him down.
They support Thaksin Shinawatra, who was prime minister from 2001 to 2006, before he was ousted in a bloodless coup. After his removal, he continued to play a role in Thai politics -- even from outside of the southeast Asian nation.
What is happening now?
Until protesters stormed the parliament building, the demonstrations had been largely peaceful. But there are fears there could be a repeat of the violence that left two dead and more than one hundred injured this time last year..
Haven't these protests been going on for a long time?
Yes, Thailand has been embroiled in political chaos for years and many here are growing weary with the instability. Ever since Thaksin came to power, there have been protesters opposing his allegedly corrupt and autocratic rule. Those protesters donned yellow shirts (the color of the king) and occupied the two main airports in Bangkok, until finally the pro-Thaksin government was brought down by a court ruling. In revenge Thaksin's supporters copied the yellow shirt tactics and took to the streets in red shirts.
Why do the sides divide on colors?
It's an easy way for them to create an identity. It all started with the yellow shirts wearing a color associated with Monday, the day of the week that Thailand's revered king was born on. That was designed to show their allegiance to the king, and more broadly the traditional elite which has dominated Thai politics for years. Thaksin's supporters then picked a color to distinguish themselves from the yellow-shirts.
Why are they arguing?
Essentially this is a classic power struggle. It's easy to portray this as simply rich against poor, but it is much more complicated than that, as illustrated by the fact that the reds leader is in fact a multi-billionaire. Thaksin rode to power by enacting populist policies which gained huge support from the rural poor. His radical approach ruffled a lot of feathers among the elite, who felt he was in danger of becoming too big for his boots, and could erode their position.
The "civil society" also become concerned over allegations of corruption and his brutal war on drugs, which saw summary executions. He was also criticized for his heavy handed response to violence in the Muslim dominated south.
Finally the army decided to oust him in a coup, which had the backing of the aristocratic elite and much of the middle class, who were becoming uneasy with the cult of personality growing around Thaksin. That set the stage for an embittered power struggle, between Thaksin loyalists and those loyal to the army, aristocracy and their traditional Democrat Party.
What are the wider implications of the protests?
If the divisions in Thailand can't be healed it could lead to a deteriorating security situation which would have wider implications for the region. Thailand's relations with Cambodia are especially frosty since Thaksin was appointed economic adviser to Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen. The worst case scenario would see Cambodia drawn into the dispute, with Thaksin using the country as a political base, adding to the already considerable tensions on the border.
So who is Thaksin?
Visionary leader or venal despot: Opinions vary, like the color of the shirts his supporters and detractors wear. If you sport red, you think Thaksin was the only prime minister to offer the rural poor a voice and real benefits; if you wear yellow, you view him as akin to Ferdinand Marcos: greedy, self-serving and dangerous.
What is not in dispute is that he won two elections, was the only Thai prime minister to serve a full-term in office and is still hugely popular. But critics say he bought his support and was only in politics to help himself.
What is he accused of?
In 2008 he was found guilty and sentenced in absentia to two years in prison for a land deal that enabled his wife to buy a valuable city plot for a fraction of its true value.
The case currently being considered by the Supreme Court relates to the transfer of shares in his communications company Shin Corporation. The prosecution alleges he illegally transferred the shares to his family, who then sold them to the Singapore government's Temasek without paying tax.
The court will also rule on whether Thaksin's government implemented policies that benefited his businesses, including a low interest loan from the Thai government to the Myanmar government to buy equipment from Shin Corp, a change in tax laws that benefited Shin Corp and changes to satellite laws that helped Shin Corp.
What does Thaksin's defense team say?
The defense team argues that neither Thaksin nor his wife owned the Shin Corp shares while he was prime minister, selling them to their son before he took office. It was their son who decided to sell Shin Corp to the Singaporeans. The defense also claims that the Assets Scrutiny Committee -- which has led the investigation in this case -- was politically motivated, having been appointed after the coup that ousted Thaksin, and therefore was biased against him.
How much money is at stake?
76.6 billion baht (about US$2.3 billion dollars). That is the total value of his and his family's assets that are currently frozen in Thailand. But there is speculation that he has a great deal more money elsewhere.
Why bother going after Thaksin when so many other Thai leaders have been perceived to be corrupt?
Well, Thailand certainly has had a checkered history. But current Premier Abhisit Vejjajiva is widely believed to be honest and free from any taint of corruption. He wants to give the country a fresh start by showing no one is above the rule of law and that means ensuring Thaksin isn't allowed to get away with his alleged corruption, even though he is in exile. However, many analysts say this case is not just about corruption, but more about Thaksin's challenge to the Thai political elite that has ruled for decades.
The theory goes that Thaksin was dangerously popular and refused to submit to powerful factions in the army, privy council and aristocracy -- hence the 2006 coup and the lengthy efforts to shut him down.
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