In brief: Documentary better than ‘Argo’, former P.M. says
Toronto – A former Canadian prime minister said Thursday the real story of how a former Canadian ambassador protected Americans during the 1979 Iran hostage crisis is a “better story” than Ben Affleck’s Oscar-winning picture “Argo.”
Joe Clark, Canada’s prime minister in 1979, made the remarks at a screening of the documentary “Our Man in Tehran” at the Toronto International Film Festival.
“Argo” came under criticism from some Canadians, including former ambassador Ken Taylor, who said he felt slighted by “Argo” because it makes Canada look like a meek observer to CIA heroics.
“I think the truth is the better story,” Clark said to applause.
Egypt’s state of emergency extended by two months
Cairo – Egyptian authorities on Thursday signaled their intention to keep a tight lid on dissent by extending by two months the national state of emergency days before it was to expire.
The move, effective immediately, was announced by the office of interim President Adly Mansour hours before the start of Egypt’s weekend. Presidential spokesman Ihab Badawy said the decision had been made in light of “the state of security in the country.”
The state of emergency was imposed after a crackdown Aug. 14 on supporters of deposed President Mohammed Morsi, which killed hundreds of people, mainly backers of the fundamentalist Muslim Brotherhood. Morsi, who was democratically elected, was ousted in a military-led coup July 3.
In the weeks since that confrontation, the military-backed government has clamped down on Morsi’s followers, arresting and rounding up hundreds of them. The crackdown lately has widened to include activists and journalists not specifically associated with the Brotherhood.
Priest recalled to Rome amid probe in Dominican Republic
Vatican City – The Vatican said Thursday it was cooperating with prosecutors in the Dominican Republic who are investigating its ambassador for alleged sexual abuse of teenage boys, an explosive case that has raised legal questions about the Holy See’s responsibilities when accused priests come from within its own ranks.
The Vatican spokesman, the Rev. Federico Lombardi, denied the Vatican was trying to shield Archbishop Jozef Wesolowski by recalling him to Rome before Dominican prosecutors had announced their investigation.
The Holy See recalled Wesolowski on Aug. 21 and relieved him of his job as apostolic nuncio after the archbishop of Santo Domingo, Cardinal Nicolas de Jesus Lopez, told Pope Francis about the allegations in July.
Dominican prosecutors announced their investigation last week, largely in response to local media reports of allegations of sexual misconduct by Wesolowski, 65, as well as a friend and fellow Polish priest, who is also outside the country.
Dominican prosecutor Bolivar Sanchez has said he has interviewed seven boys between 13 and 18 years old as part of the investigation.
Wesolowski is the highest-ranking Vatican official to be investigated for alleged sex abuse, and his case has raised questions about whether the Vatican, by removing Wesolowski from Dominican jurisdiction, had effectively placed its own church investigation ahead of that of authorities in the Caribbean nation.