Vatican Gets Tough on Child Abuse, but Not Tough Enough

When the Vatican issued a letter on Monday ordering bishops across the world to draw up tough guidelines for dealing with priests who rape or molest children, it addressed only half the scandal that has been rocking the Catholic Church. To be sure, when it comes to the abusive clerics, the Vatican’s new edict takes a firm stand, obliging local bishops to cooperate with local law enforcement in reporting sex crimes and recommending that policies be put in place to exclude accused priests from public ministry if they pose a continued danger to minors or could be a “cause of scandal for the community.” But what Monday’s letter fails to do is put in place any sanctions on the bishops who oversee those clerics, should they fail to follow through with the recommendations

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China’s ‘Most Dangerous Woman’ Gets a New Forum

The journalist Hu Shuli has often been called “the most dangerous woman in China.” And she may become even more so. As the pioneering editor of China’s most influential business magazine, she managed to publish groundbreaking stories on official ineptitude and financial malfeasance despite China’s tight control of the media.

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Indonesia expected to ditch stoning law

A new law to fatally stone adulterers is unlikely to survive government review in Indonesia, but it highlights the latest push toward stricter Islamic law in the semi-autonomous Aceh province. The law was unanimously rushed through the provincial parliament last month by outgoing lawmakers, who are part of the hardline Prosperous Justice Party

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