2008 Woodie Awards
World & Nation
Ratzinger Elected Pope, Becomes Benedict XVI
David Simon
Issue date: 4/22/05 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
In the shortest-ever congregation of the College of Cardinals, Germany's Joseph Ratzinger became the successor of Pope John Paul II. He chose the name Benedict XVI when he accepted the papacy.
It did not take the 115 cardinals more than three rounds of voting and a day to give decisive support to Ratzinger, who, according to unconfirmed reports, might have received 90 percent of the votes. Previously, Ratzinger, reputed to belong to the conservative wing of the Catholic Church, served as the main theological advisor to Pope John Paul II.
Tens of thousands of pilgrims greeted the new pope as he made his first public appearance. World leaders sent their congratulations to the new pontiff, President George W. Bush calling Benedict XVI "a man of great wisdom and knowledge."
The new pontiff defined his most important task as "to work towards the unity of all of Christ's followers," as he celebrated his first Mass Wednesday morning in Rome.
The cardinals' first vote was followed by a misunderstanding: the color of the smoke rising up from the chimneys of the Sistine Chapel was light grey, so some news agencies issued reports announcing the election of a new pope.
This was the first papal election where steps were taken to prevent such misunderstandings. John Paul II ordered that bells should also toll after the decision to avoid the confusion that was the prelude to his election.
In the United States, the new pope was given a cool reception. According to a CNN poll, 74 percent of the American Catholics claim that they will choose to follow their own conscience, even if it is opposed to the new pope's teachings. About two-third of American Catholics expressed confidence that the new pope will be able to handle sexual harassment scandals, however almost sixty percent expressed their disapproval with the pope's opposition to birth control.
House OKs Alaska Oil Drilling
Late Wednesday, the House of Representatives passed a resolution as part of a broader energy bill that would allow oil drilling in a protected wildlife refuge part of Alaska. The wells will produce up to one million barrels of oil per day if the development is completed. Energy companies are also provided with more than 8 billion dollars of tax breaks over ten years.
The Democratic legislators opposing the motion claim that the bill will funnel billions of dollars to energy companies, while it will do little to decrease gas prices. Representative Ed Markey (D-Mass.) said that the bill does nothing to make automobiles more energy-efficient and therefore does not solve the country's fundamental energy problems. An attempt to require automakers to increase fuel efficiency to a fleet average of 33 miles per gallon was defeated.
Alaskan environmentalists are also concerned that drilling fields, platforms and pipelines will endanger polar bears, caribou and migrating birds.
President George W. Bush asked Congress on Wednesday to pass an energy bill by the summer. According to Republican legislators, the bill will bring about the stabilization of energy prices on the medium and long run and will give the nation a more balanced and diversified energy portfolio.
(Sources: New York Times, CNN, LA Times, MSNBC)
It did not take the 115 cardinals more than three rounds of voting and a day to give decisive support to Ratzinger, who, according to unconfirmed reports, might have received 90 percent of the votes. Previously, Ratzinger, reputed to belong to the conservative wing of the Catholic Church, served as the main theological advisor to Pope John Paul II.
Tens of thousands of pilgrims greeted the new pope as he made his first public appearance. World leaders sent their congratulations to the new pontiff, President George W. Bush calling Benedict XVI "a man of great wisdom and knowledge."
The new pontiff defined his most important task as "to work towards the unity of all of Christ's followers," as he celebrated his first Mass Wednesday morning in Rome.
The cardinals' first vote was followed by a misunderstanding: the color of the smoke rising up from the chimneys of the Sistine Chapel was light grey, so some news agencies issued reports announcing the election of a new pope.
This was the first papal election where steps were taken to prevent such misunderstandings. John Paul II ordered that bells should also toll after the decision to avoid the confusion that was the prelude to his election.
In the United States, the new pope was given a cool reception. According to a CNN poll, 74 percent of the American Catholics claim that they will choose to follow their own conscience, even if it is opposed to the new pope's teachings. About two-third of American Catholics expressed confidence that the new pope will be able to handle sexual harassment scandals, however almost sixty percent expressed their disapproval with the pope's opposition to birth control.
House OKs Alaska Oil Drilling
Late Wednesday, the House of Representatives passed a resolution as part of a broader energy bill that would allow oil drilling in a protected wildlife refuge part of Alaska. The wells will produce up to one million barrels of oil per day if the development is completed. Energy companies are also provided with more than 8 billion dollars of tax breaks over ten years.
The Democratic legislators opposing the motion claim that the bill will funnel billions of dollars to energy companies, while it will do little to decrease gas prices. Representative Ed Markey (D-Mass.) said that the bill does nothing to make automobiles more energy-efficient and therefore does not solve the country's fundamental energy problems. An attempt to require automakers to increase fuel efficiency to a fleet average of 33 miles per gallon was defeated.
Alaskan environmentalists are also concerned that drilling fields, platforms and pipelines will endanger polar bears, caribou and migrating birds.
President George W. Bush asked Congress on Wednesday to pass an energy bill by the summer. According to Republican legislators, the bill will bring about the stabilization of energy prices on the medium and long run and will give the nation a more balanced and diversified energy portfolio.
(Sources: New York Times, CNN, LA Times, MSNBC)