The funeral followed Communist Party protocol, which his daughter said he would have not have wanted. The move drew widespread criticism from fans, including comparisons to censorship during the country’s military dictatorship. Three lawmakers who represent the more pro-European wing of Britain’s governing Conservatives resigned from their party in protest of hard-liners’ influence on much of the E.U. The Roman Catholic Church: Pope Francis and other church leaders convene today for an unprecedented conference on clerical sexual abuse. Ahead of that gathering, our Op-Ed columnist Frank Bruni weighs in on a different problem confronting the church: its treatment of gay Catholics.

Source: New York Times February 20, 2019 19:41 UTC