Amid unfolding sex-abuse scandals, Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Cardinal Donald Wuerl as archbishop of Washington.

A Turkish court on Friday convicted Andrew Brunson on terror-related charges, but released him from house arrest and allowed him to leave Turkey.

Pope Francis acknowledged Tuesday that priestly sex abuse scandals are outraging the Catholic faithful and driving them away, and said the church must change its ways if it wants to keep future generations.

Pope Francis has decreed that the death penalty is "inadmissible" under all circumstances and that the Catholic Church must work to abolish it, changing official church teaching to reflect his view that all life is sacred and there is no justification for state-sponsored executions.

Vice President Mike Pence is threatening NATO ally Turkey with economic sanctions over a detained American pastor held on terror and espionage charges.

The world waited patiently as each child was saved from the cave in Thailand. For one Buddhist monk, he was ecstatic to hear they were safe.

Pope Francis' reported comments to a gay man that "God made you like this" have been embraced by the LGBT community as another sign of Francis' desire to make gay people feel welcomed and loved in the Catholic Church.

President Donald Trump celebrated the National Day of Prayer by announcing a White House initiative that he said would underpin policies recognizing the "vital role" of religion in the country.

The Whiteville mother who wowed crowds with her Little Town of Bethlehem at Christmas has another creation to show off, just in time for Easter.