Headline

Meet Two Women Who Uncovered Clergy Sex Abuse In Colombia

Published

4 years ago

February 3, 2022

They were working for a Catholic bishop and had clear-cut orders from Pope Francis himself — probe reports of pedophile priests in a city in Colombia.

What these two investigators — two Catholic women with experience conducting criminal probes — found was an utter bombshell: a network of predatory clergymen that sexually abused at least 20 people, reportedly taking turns with one of them.

The abuse was committed in Villavicencio, a central Colombian city of half a million people with a cathedral in the town square, and parts of the surrounding area that fall under one archdiocese.

The pope says fighting clergy sex abuse is one of his priorities, and in 2019, he told the bishop of Villavicencio, Oscar Urbina, to investigate alleged abuses by priests.

The bishop turned to Olga Cristancho, 68, a seasoned former prosecutor, and Socorro Martinez, 59, who used to work in the attorney general’s office and has experience probing massacres in Colombia, a country that endured decades of conflict involving government forces, leftist rebels, right-wing paramilitaries, and drug traffickers.

But shortly after the church probe began, these two women distanced themselves from Urbina, suspecting a cover-up and launching an investigation of their own.

Cristancho said she was shocked by what she learned.

“I never dreamed of such a thing,” she told AFP. The women sleuths gathered evidence despite what they called interference from the bishop.

Among their finds: one man told them priests started abusing him at age 15 and took turns doing so.

Priests also used code words to communicate with each other, Cristancho said.

“One would say to the other, ‘I am sending you a CD,’ but that meant, ‘I am sending you that boy’,” Cristancho said.

The two investigators sent the conclusions of their effort to the Vatican in 2019 — and are still awaiting a response.

A book published last year by journalist Juan Pablo Barrientos is based on their work and goes further, with testimony implicating 38 priests in sexual abuse. The church tried in vain to censor it.

– ‘I felt dirty’ -The church has quietly sent away 20 of the priests accused of abuse. So far, two others are in prison after being convicted of abusing a 13-year-old choir boy.

“It will be up to the courts, both judicial and canon, to render a verdict,” said William Prieto, a priest and spokesman for the archdiocese, in the church’s only public comment on this scandal.

Colombian prosecutors opened their own investigation, and in late January, Cristancho and Martinez gave testimony. The attorney general’s office declined an AFP request for comment.

Urbina’s office also declined AFP requests for comment.

One of the victims is a man who for this story is being identified as Miguel.

As a child, his family used to vacation in Villavicencio, and his parents would send him to a rectory to see an uncle who was a priest.

There, a seminarian abused Miguel, forcing him into oral sex.

“He knew how to manipulate my uncle’s trust, my family’s trust, so that I would go to bed with him,” Miguel said in an interview during which he hid his face.

As an adult, he said he suffered from suicidal thoughts and depression.

Headline

Taliban Attacks Kill 23 In Northwestern Pakistan

Published

3 hours ago

October 11, 2025

Editor

The Pakistani Taliban on Saturday claimed responsibility for deadly attacks in several northwestern districts that killed 20 security officials and three civilians.

The attacks, which included a suicide bombing on a police training school, were carried out on Friday in several districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province that borders Afghanistan.

Militancy has surged in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa since the withdrawal of US-led troops from neighbouring Afghanistan in 2021 and the return of the Taliban government in Kabul.

Eleven paramilitary troops were killed in the border Khyber district, while seven policemen were killed after a suicide bomber rammed an explosives-laden car into the gate of a police training school, which was followed by a gun attack.

Five people, including three civilians, were killed in a separate clash in Bajaur district, security officials told AFP on Saturday.

The Pakistani Taliban, the Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP), claimed responsibility for the attacks in messages on social media. The group is separate from but closely linked with the Afghan Taliban.

The attacks came hours after Afghanistan’s Taliban government accused Pakistan of “violating Kabul’s sovereign territory”, a day after two explosions were heard in the capital.

Pakistan did not say if it was behind the blasts in Kabul, but said it had the right to defend itself against surging border militancy.

Islamabad accuses Afghanistan of failing to expel militants using Afghan territory to launch attacks on Pakistan, an accusation that authorities in Kabul deny.

The TTP and its affiliates are behind most of the violence — largely directed at security forces.

Including Friday’s attacks, at least 32 Pakistani troops and three civilians have been killed this week alone in the border regions.

AFP

Headline

US Threatens To Sanction Countries That Vote For Shipping Carbon Tax

Published

3 hours ago

October 11, 2025

Editor

The United States on Friday threatened to impose sanctions and take other punitive action against any country that votes in favor of a carbon tax on maritime transportation to be implemented through a UN agency.

“We will fight hard to protect our economic interests by imposing costs on countries if they support” the Net Zero Framework, said a joint statement by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his counterparts at the departments of energy and transportation.

Members of the London-based International Maritime Organization (IMO) are set to vote next week on the adoption of the Net Zero Framework (NZF) agreement aimed at reducing global carbon emissions from the shipping sector.

Washington, however, described the proposal as imposing “a global carbon tax on the world.”

Since returning to power in January, US President Donald Trump has reversed Washington’s course on climate change, denouncing it as a “scam” and encouraging fossil fuel use by deregulation.

In the statement, Rubio, Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the Trump administration “unequivocally rejects” the NZF proposal.

They threatened a range of punishing actions against countries that vote in favor of the framework, including: visa restrictions; blocking vessels registered in those countries from US ports; imposing commercial penalties; and considering sanctions on officials.

“The United States will be moving to levy these remedies against nations that sponsor this European-led neocolonial export of global climate regulations,” the statement said.

Headline

Top 10 Most Powerful Countries In The World In 2025 And Why

Published

3 hours ago

October 11, 2025

Editor

Power in the global arena is no longer measured by military strength alone; for powerful countries, it encompasses economic resilience, political influence, technological advancement, cultural impact, and the ability to shape international alliances.

A new ranking by US News, developed in partnership with the BAV Group (a division of WPP) and Professor David Reibstein from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, highlights the countries that command the greatest global influence in 2025.

How the Rankings Were Compiled
The Power Sub-Ranking by US News was determined based on an equally weighted average of five key attributes that signify a country’s global might:

Top 10 Most Powerful Countries in the World (2025)

United States – With a GDP of $30.34 trillion and a population of about 347 million, the U.S. remains the world’s most powerful nation, driven by its unmatched military, technological innovation, and global leadership.

China – The Asian powerhouse holds the second spot with a $19.53 trillion GDP and 1.415 billion people, maintaining significant influence in global trade, manufacturing, and diplomacy.

Russia – Despite economic challenges, Russia retains its strategic importance and military dominance, with a GDP of $2.2 trillion and a population of 143.8 million.

United Kingdom – The UK’s global clout stems from its strong economy ($3.73 trillion GDP) and active role in international politics and defense alliances.

Germany – As Europe’s largest economy, Germany boasts a GDP of $4.92 trillion and a population of 83.9 million, solidifying its leadership in technology, industry, and diplomacy.

South Korea – With a $1.95 trillion GDP and a population of 51.6 million, South Korea’s rise reflects its technological innovation and growing military strength.

France – A key European player with a $3.28 trillion GDP, France continues to wield influence through its diplomatic reach, defense capabilities, and global culture.

Japan – Boasting a $4.39 trillion GDP and 123.7 million people, Japan remains a technological and economic force in Asia.

Saudi Arabia – The kingdom’s $1.14 trillion economy and control over global energy markets reinforce its growing geopolitical importance.

Israel – With a $550.91 billion GDP and a population of 9.38 million, Israel earns its place among the top 10 thanks to its advanced military and leadership in innovation and technology.