https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Italy in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed Italian police have arrested 18 people, including a mayor, doctors and social workers, for allegedly brainwashing vulnerable children into thinking their parents had abused them so they could then be sold to foster parents. https://www.thelocal.it/20190628/italian-police-uncover-gang-that-brainwashed-children-and-sold-them-to-foster-parents Fri, 28 Jun 2019 11:10:13 +0200 italian-police-uncover-gang-that-brainwashed-children-and-sold-them-to-foster-parents Previously the third-most powerful man in the Catholic Church, Cardinal George Pell has been found guilty of sexually abusing children in a historic case. https://www.thelocal.it/20190227/senior-vatican-cleric-sentenced-for-sex-crimes-in-australia Wed, 27 Feb 2019 10:31:33 +0100 senior-vatican-cleric-sentenced-for-sex-crimes-in-australia Pope Francis vowed that the Catholic Church will never again treat abuse allegations without "seriousness and promptness", calling on abusers to hand themselves in to police. https://www.thelocal.it/20181221/pope-vows-church-will-never-again-ignore-abuse-accusations Fri, 21 Dec 2018 13:08:00 +0100 pope-vows-church-will-never-again-ignore-abuse-accusations A Vatican commission on child protection set up by Pope Francis said Sunday that the fight against abuse must be the priority of the Catholic Church and emphasised the importance of listening to victims. https://www.thelocal.it/20180910/tackling-child-abuse-must-be-churchs-priority-vatican-panel Mon, 10 Sep 2018 13:11:07 +0200 tackling-child-abuse-must-be-churchs-priority-vatican-panel The Vatican dismissed a Chilean deacon over sexual abuse accusations in central Chile, the archdiocese of the city of Rancagua said Friday, amid a widespread abuse scandal gripping the country's Catholic Church. https://www.thelocal.it/20180721/vatican-suspends-chilean-deacon-accused-of-child-abuse Sat, 21 Jul 2018 14:19:23 +0200 vatican-suspends-chilean-deacon-accused-of-child-abuse Up to 50 witnesses could be called to a hearing in March to determine if there is enough evidence for Vatican finance chief Cardinal George Pell to stand trial on sex abuse charges, a court heard on Friday. https://www.thelocal.it/20171006/up-to-50-witnesses-for-cardinal-pell-sex-abuse-hearing Fri, 06 Oct 2017 10:53:37 +0200 up-to-50-witnesses-for-cardinal-pell-sex-abuse-hearing Four people, who were part of a religious community, have been arrested in the Sicilian city of Catania for alleged sexual assault and violence against children. https://www.thelocal.it/20170802/four-arrested-for-alleged-child-abuse-within-religious-community Wed, 02 Aug 2017 11:35:13 +0200 four-arrested-for-alleged-child-abuse-within-religious-community Vatican finance chief Cardinal George Pell, a top advisor to Pope Francis, denied all charges of historical sexual abuse on Wednesday at his first appearance in an Australian court over the allegations. https://www.thelocal.it/20170726/cardinal-pell-denies-abuse-charges-in-australian-court Wed, 26 Jul 2017 10:42:37 +0200 cardinal-pell-denies-abuse-charges-in-australian-court Bishops guilty of "negligence" in dealing with sexual abuse of minors in the Catholic Church can be dismissed, Pope Francis decreed on Saturday. https://www.thelocal.it/20160604/bishops-can-be-fired-over-child-abuse-negligence-pope Sat, 04 Jun 2016 16:06:00 +0200 bishops-can-be-fired-over-child-abuse-negligence-pope A former paedophilia victim has left the Vatican advisory commission on sexual abuse by the clergy, the Vatican announced Saturday, two days after the British campaigner criticized the body in the press. https://www.thelocal.it/20160207/former-victim-leaves-vatican-child-sex-abuse-commission Sun, 07 Feb 2016 11:37:42 +0100 former-victim-leaves-vatican-child-sex-abuse-commission An Italian diplomat detained in the Philippines on child abuse charges insisted he was innocent and applied for bail on Wednesday, as he appeared before a court in deteriorating health. https://www.thelocal.it/20140618/italian-diplomat-seriously-ill-in-philippines-jail Wed, 18 Jun 2014 15:26:48 +0200 italian-diplomat-seriously-ill-in-philippines-jail A Philippine prosecutor said on Monday there was probable cause to charge a detained Italian diplomat for allegedly abusing three street children. https://www.thelocal.it/20140526/italian-diplomat-faces-child-abuse-charges-in-philippines Mon, 26 May 2014 14:53:00 +0200 italian-diplomat-faces-child-abuse-charges-in-philippines An Italian diplomat detained in the Philippines for alleged child abuse will be allowed to leave prison briefly to undergo medical treatment, a government prosecutor said on Wednesday. https://www.thelocal.it/20140514/jailed-italian-diplomat-seeks-medical-care Wed, 14 May 2014 14:28:00 +0200 jailed-italian-diplomat-seeks-medical-care The Vatican on Friday criticized a damning UN report on the Catholic Church's handling of child sex abuse cases, saying it had "grave limits" and accusing UN committee members of following "prejudiced" views. https://www.thelocal.it/20140207/vatican-hits-back-at-prejudiced-un-sex-abuse-report Fri, 07 Feb 2014 16:07:00 +0100 vatican-hits-back-at-prejudiced-un-sex-abuse-report The UN's damning report on the Vatican's handling of child sex abuse cases has turned up the pressure on the Catholic Church to convince a sceptical international community it has adopted a zero-tolerance approach. https://www.thelocal.it/20140206/vatican-under-scrutiny-after-un-sex-abuse-report Thu, 06 Feb 2014 15:16:00 +0100 vatican-under-scrutiny-after-un-sex-abuse-report The Vatican said on Wednesday that it would study a damning UN report accusing it of failing to stamp out child abuse, but slammed criticism of its religious teachings as "interference". https://www.thelocal.it/20140205/vatican-slams-un-interference-on-abortion Wed, 05 Feb 2014 15:31:00 +0100 vatican-slams-un-interference-on-abortion The Catholic Church and Pope Francis have "refused to take action that will protect children", the president of a network for abuse victims has said in response to a damning UN report blasting the Vatican's failure to stamp out child abuse. https://www.thelocal.it/20140205/vatican-refuses-to-stop-child-abuse-victims-group Wed, 05 Feb 2014 13:54:00 +0100 vatican-refuses-to-stop-child-abuse-victims-group The Vatican must remove all child sexual abusers from their posts and turn them over to the police, the United Nations children's rights watchdog said on Wednesday. https://www.thelocal.it/20140205/vatican-must-turn-all-child-abusers-over-to-police-un Wed, 05 Feb 2014 12:56:00 +0100 vatican-must-turn-all-child-abusers-over-to-police-un The Vatican insisted on Thursday it is committed to stamping out sexual abuse by the clergy, as top Church officials were grilled before the UN's child rights watchdog. https://www.thelocal.it/20140116/vatican-faces-un-panel-over-child-abuse Thu, 16 Jan 2014 16:45:00 +0100 vatican-faces-un-panel-over-child-abuse Italy's highest court has overturned the conviction of a 60-year-old man for having sex with an 11-year-old girl, because the verdict failed to take into account their "amorous relationship". https://www.thelocal.it/20131230/paedophile-conviction-overturned-because-girl-in-love Mon, 30 Dec 2013 17:57:00 +0100 paedophile-conviction-overturned-because-girl-in-love