VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – A European report on Wednesday identified serious failings in the Vatican’s bank and gave the Holy See a negative rating in almost half of the most transparency related criteria.

The milestone report by Moneyval, a department of the Council of Europe, welcomed reforms enacted so far but suggested the Vatican still has a long way to go before it can be included on an international “white list” of countries that abide by global norms on combating money laundering, the financing of terrorism and tax evasion.

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – A European report on Wednesday identified serious failings in the Vatican’s scandal-plagued bank, sharply criticizing its management and giving it a negative rating in almost half the most important transparency-related assessment criteria.

The report, by Moneyval, a department of the Council of Europe, suggests the Vatican still has a long way to go before it can be included on an international “white list” of countries that abide by global norms on combating money laundering, the financing of terrorism and tax evasion.

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – A European report on the Vatican’s efforts to meet international financial transparency standards will recognize progress over the past three years but still give it a failing grade in seven of 16 “key and core” areas, sources familiar with the report say.

The seat of the Catholic Church, long beset by scandals involving its only bank, is trying to win inclusion in a so-called “white list” of countries that take adequate steps to fight money laundering, tax evasion and other financial crimes.

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – A European report on efforts by the Vatican to embrace financial transparency after a series of scandals involving its bank will laud recent reforms but also underscore what remains to be done to reach international standards in all areas.

According to people familiar with the still-secret report, due to be issued on Wednesday by a department of the Council of Europe, the eagerly anticipated evaluation will give the Vatican an overall passing grade in key areas but criticize others.

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – Pope Benedict’s butler, suspected of leaking documents that allege corruption in the Vatican, was denied a requested transfer to house arrest and ordered on Thursday to remain in a small police ‘safe room’, where he prays daily.

The Vatican said a prosecutor had decided to keep Paolo Gabriele, 46, in preventive custody beyond the usual 50 days that Vatican law says a defendant can be held before being ordered to stand trial. The period can be doubled in some cases.

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – Paolo Gabriele, Pope Benedict’s butler who was arrested in May on charges of leaking sensitive documents, will remain in a Vatican police station “safe room” at least until an investigation ends in a few weeks, the Vatican said on Thursday.

Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi told reporters a Vatican prosecutor was expected to end a formal investigation in a few weeks and decide whether to clear the butler or order him to stand trial.

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – The Vatican bank, attempting to project a new image of transparency ahead of a decision by EU financial authorities next month, lifted its veil of secrecy on Thursday by allowing journalists to visit the institution for the first time.

The tour came one month after the bank’s president, Ettore Gotti Tedeschi, was ousted by the board of the bank, in a move he said was aimed at stopping his efforts to make the bank more transparent. The Vatican said he was just a bad manager.

VATICAN CITY, June 27 (Reuters) – The board of the Vatican
bank met on Wednesday to start the hunt for a new president to
replace Ettore Gotti Tedeschi, who was unceremoniously ousted
last month.

The Vatican said the board, which is made up of outside lay
experts, had met to “identify the universally recognised
criteria of professionalism and experience” needed for the job.

ROME (Reuters) – Leonardo da Vinci is sick and no one really knows if he ever will be able to receive visitors again.

Art conservation and restoration experts recently concluded weeks of tests on the famous self portrait of one of history’s greatest geniuses, sketched in the early 1500s when he was in his 60s.