Ash from an Icelandic volcano spared EU parliament President Jerzy Buzek from a potentially awkward meeting with Pope Benedict XVI in Rome on Friday (16 April).
Mr Buzek was to meet the pontiff and his "foreign minister" Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone amid the unfolding child abuse scandal which has seen the pope blamed for protecting abusive priests and Cardinal Bertone saying that homosexuality is a root cause of paedophilia - a classic tenet of homophobia.
Liberal MEPs and gay right...
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Already a member? Login hereAndrew Rettman is EUobserver's foreign editor, writing about foreign and security issues since 2005. He is Polish, but grew up in the UK, and lives in Brussels. He has also written for The Guardian, The Times of London, and Intelligence Online.
Andrew Rettman is EUobserver's foreign editor, writing about foreign and security issues since 2005. He is Polish, but grew up in the UK, and lives in Brussels. He has also written for The Guardian, The Times of London, and Intelligence Online.