the big story (late edition)

Bishop Blames Jewish People for Sex Scandal Row

Bishop's hideous and unfounded anti-Semitic attacks are a setback to a church trying to repair its image in the wake of a sex scandal cover-up by the current Pope. Is the sleeping giant of institutional anti-Semitism awake with some of the church hierarchy?

A furious transatlantic row has erupted over quotes that were attributed to a retired Italian bishop, which suggested that Jews were behind the current criticism of the Catholic church's record on tackling clerical sex abuse.

A website quoted Giacomo Babini, the emeritus bishop of Grosseto, as saying he believed a "Zionist attack" was behind the criticism, considering how "powerful and refined" the criticism is.

The comments, which have been denied by the bishop, follow a series of statements from Catholic churchmen alleging the existence of plots to weaken the church and Pope Benedict XVI.

Allegedly speaking to the Catholic website Pontifex, Babini, 81, was quoted as saying: "They do not want the church, they are its natural enemies. Deep down, historically speaking, the Jews are God killers."

The interview was spotted on Friday by the American Jewish Committee, which said Babini was using "slanderous stereotypes, which sadly evoke the worst Christian and Nazi propaganda prior to world war two".

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earlier:

Is the World's Second Biggest Economy On the Ropes?

Debt, declining population, unfavorable immigration, and older demographics - these are recipes for disaster for Japan

Iceland has approximately the 101st biggest economy in the world.

Dubai is also tiny.

Greece is somewhat bigger, with the 27th biggest economy.

When Iceland, Dubai and Greece tanked, that was horrible ... but not catastrophic.

Portugal - the 37th biggest economy - may be next. It would be horrible if Portugal tanks.

But Spain is also in real trouble. As the 9th biggest economy, a default by Spain could be major.

But none of these are in the same ballpark as Japan - the world's 2nd biggest economy. Only the U.S. is bigger.

So it is newsworthy that S & P cut Japan's sovereign credit rating

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earlier:

Collateral Murder: US Troops Fire on Bus of Civilians in Kandahar

US troops open fire on bus as Afghans were on their way to work. Some of the wounded, 18 so far, were in critical condition, and the death toll could rise as five civilians had been killed, including one woman

KABUL, Afghanistan — American troops raked a large passenger bus with gunfire near the southern city of Kandahar on Monday morning, killing as many as five civilians and wounding 18, Afghan authorities and survivors said.

The attack infuriated Kandahar leaders and could harm public opinion before perhaps the most important offensive of the war, a campaign that is intended to take control of the Kandahar region from the Taliban this summer.

Hundreds of demonstrators gathered around a bus station on the western outskirts of Kandahar, shouting anti-American chants and blocking the road for an hour, according to people in the area.

The American military confirmed the shooting but there were disputes over details, including whether the troops who fired on the bus had first shot flares and warned the driver to stay back.

One of the bus passengers and a man who identified himself as the driver said that an American convoy about 70 yards ahead of the bus opened fire as the bus began to pull to the side of the road to allow another military convoy traveling behind to pass.

The two convoys and the bus were on the main highway in Sanzari, about 15 miles west of Kandahar city. All of the windows on one side of the bus were shot out.

Troops opened fire on the bus just after daybreak as it was taking dozens of passengers to Nimruz Province, said Zalmy Ayoubi, a spokesman for the Kandahar provincial governor.

Some of the wounded were in critical condition, and the death toll could rise, local officials said.

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*RELATED: “This is How These Soldiers Were Trained to Act”