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Catholic bishops condemn ‘mockery of Christianity’ at Olympics ceremony
Catholic bishops condemn ‘mockery of Christianity’ at Olympics ceremony
French bishops complained on Saturday about the “scenes of derision and mockery of Christianity” during the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympic Games which has upset some conservatives and has drawn mixed reviews.
The opening had offered “wonderful moments of beauty, joy, rich emotions, and was universally praised,” a statement from the French Bishops’ Conference said.
“However, this ceremony unfortunately included scenes of derision and mockery of Christianity, which we deeply regret,” the bishops said.
While they did not refer to specific scenes, the ceremony featured a segment entitled “Festivity” which began with a group sat at a table, including several drag queens, which was reminiscent of the Last Supper, the final meal Jesus is said to have taken with his apostles.
It was set to music by lesbian activist DJ Barbara Butch.
“We think of all Christians across the continents who were hurt by the excesses and provocation of certain scenes. We hope they understand that the Olympic celebration extends far beyond the ideological biases of a few artists,” added the bishops.
The statement was co-signed by the “Holy Games”, a sports programme funded by the Catholic church.
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Some conservative and far-right politicians in France have also expressed outrage over what they criticised as a “woke” parade, which featured LGBT+ performers and a racially diverse cast.
The four-hour ceremony took place under driving rain, with athletes sailing down a six-kilometre (four-mile) stretch of the river Seine on 85 boats.
Entertainers performed from river-side monuments, the banks and on bridges.
“To all Christians worldwide who watched the opening ceremony and felt insulted by this drag queen parody of the Last Supper, know that it is not France speaking, but a leftist minority prepared for any provocation,” far-right politician Marion Marechal wrote on X.
A spokesman for France’s far-right National Rally party, Julien Odoul called the ceremony “a ransacking of French culture.”
Arch-conservative Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban meanwhile railed against the “weakness and disintegration of the Western world” which he said was illustrated by the opening ceremony.
“Western values were considered for a long-time as universal but are seen as increasingly unacceptable and rejected by many countries in the world,” Orban said in Romania.
Show artistic director Thomas Jolly, who is gay, had pledged last week that the ceremony would celebrate “diversity” and “otherness.”
Catholic bishops condemn ‘mockery of Christianity’ at Olympics ceremony
News
Tinubu extremely wealthy, can’t loot Nigeria’s treasury, says minister
Tinubu extremely wealthy, can’t loot Nigeria’s treasury, says minister
The Minister of State for Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, has described President Bola Tinubu as an epitome of wealth with no interest to loot Nigeria’s resources.
Olawande stated this while speaking at the Joint Union Negotiating Council’s week of the Federal Ministry of Youth Development branch in Abuja.
The minister also appealed to Nigerians to be patient with the president, noting that in no distant time there will be positive changes.
He said, “I urge you to be patient with this administration. In no distant time, the country will take good shape and the lives of the citizens will be transformed.
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“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is not a pauper; he is an acknowledged epitome of wealth and so it cannot be said of him that he desires to loot the treasury of Nigeria.”
Olawande continued, “He has seen money and as a result of this, he is not interested in looting the nation’s treasury.”
He emphasized that the administration is putting in efforts to transform the lives of Nigerians through various policies of the federal government.
Olawande thanked the staff of the ministry for being supportive of the government policies and assured them that their welfare will not be compromised.
Tinubu extremely wealthy, can’t loot Nigeria’s treasury, says minister
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BREAKING: Nigeria’s inflation rate slows for second consecutive month to 32.15% – NBS
BREAKING: Nigeria’s inflation rate slows for second consecutive month to 32.15% – NBS
Nigeria’s headline inflation rate eased to 32.15% in August 2024 down from the 33.40% recorded in July 2024, reflecting a decrease of 1.25 percentage points.
This represents the second consecutive monthly slowdown in inflation after easing in the previous month.
This is according to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) report published by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
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However, on a year-on-year basis, the August 2024 inflation rate was 6.35 percentage points higher than the 25.80% rate recorded in August 2023, indicating a significant increase over the past year.
On a month-on-month basis, the inflation rate in August 2024 stood at 2.22%, slightly lower than July’s rate of 2.28%, signaling a slower pace in the increase of the average price level compared to the previous month.
BREAKING: Nigeria’s inflation rate slows for second consecutive month to 32.15% – NBS
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Edo poll: Six persons arrested in Benin hotel with fake PDP letterheads, forged signatures
Edo poll: Six persons arrested in Benin hotel with fake PDP letterheads, forged signatures
Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force have arrested six young men in a hotel located in the Government Reserved Area (GRA) of Benin City with fake letterheads, stamps, and forged signatures belonging to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its chieftains.
The young men, who were apprehended with incriminating materials such as printers, mobile phones, power banks, laptops, and a photocopy machine, are believed to have been involved in drafting and circulating fake PDP letters and statements.
Their objective was to paint the PDP as instigators of unrest ahead of the forthcoming Edo governorship election, scheduled for Saturday, September 21, 2024.
The arrest, which was made following a tip-off, uncovered an elaborate scheme allegedly designed to discredit the PDP and its leaders by sending fabricated documents to unsuspecting journalists.
These fake letters and statements, according to police sources, were intended to portray the party as warmongers and troublemakers in the run-up to the critical election.
A police officer involved in the operation, who asked to remain anonymous, revealed that the suspects had been using the hotel as their base of operations for weeks.
“We found that these individuals were using forged PDP letterheads, stamps, and signatures to create fake documents.
“Their goal was to send out these documents to journalists in an attempt to misrepresent the PDP and create an atmosphere of tension ahead of the elections,” the officer said.
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In addition to the counterfeit materials, the police discovered that the young men had several technological devices, including laptops and printers, which they used to produce and disseminate the fraudulent documents.
“Their setup was sophisticated. They had everything they needed to make the documents appear legitimate, from forged letterheads to printers.
“We also found power banks, mobile phones, and a photocopy machine, which they used to mass-produce the fake letters,” the officer added.
Further investigation has revealed that the six young men were funded by a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.
Meanwhile, another police source disclosed that the Nigeria Police Force, Edo State Command, has come under intense pressure from senior APC figures, who are reportedly pushing for the release of the arrested men.
“Since the arrest, there has been immense pressure on us from certain chieftains within the APC, urging the command to release these individuals.
“We believe that their involvement with these young men is being covered up, and they are worried about the potential fallout from this arrest,” the source noted.
A journalist with one of the prominent national newspapers, who had been unknowingly receiving fake statements from the group, expressed shock upon hearing about the arrests.
“It’s alarming to think that we’ve been receiving statements from people who were impersonating the PDP. This shows how low some people will go to try and sabotage the other party. The integrity of this election is now under serious question,” the journalist stated.
The Edo State Police Command has yet to issue an official statement on the matter, but sources within the command say investigations are ongoing, and the suspects remain in custody.
Edo poll: Six persons arrested in Benin hotel with fake PDP letterheads, forged signatures
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