Year: 2021

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis is calling on all those who work with children, starting from the Catholic church, to join together in a “preventative alliance” to better prevent sexual and other abuse of youngsters. In a message to a conference in Rome Thursday about keeping children safe, Francis said the church’s own efforts

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (AP) — The National Toy Hall of Fame has inducted American Girl dolls and the strategy board game Risk, recognizing each for their influence on the toy industry. Also inducted Thursday was sand, which it calls perhaps the most universal and oldest toy in the world. All three were honored during a ceremony

By BOBBY CAINA CALVAN and CHRISTOPHER RUGABER Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — As the U.S. economy rebounds from the ongoing pandemic, many women are choosing to sit out the labor force. The pandemic has laid bare the disproportionate burdens many women shoulder in caring for children or aging parents, as well as highlighted the

By JUSTIN SPIKE Associated Press BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — The leaders of four Central European nations have met in Hungary’s capital where they urged visiting South Korean President Moon Jae-in to consider investing in a rapid train line connecting Budapest and Polish capital Warsaw. The potential rail investment is a major initiative of the Visegrad

AHMED AL-HAJ Associated Press SANAA, Yemen (AP) — Security officials say that at least 200 fighters were killed in clashes between Yemen’s government forces and Houthi rebels in and around the strategic central province of Marib over the last two days. Officials said Thursday that most of the casualties belonged to the Houthi forces, who

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — Argentine Vice President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner has undergone a successful hysterectomy. Presidential spokeswoman Gabriela Cerruti says the operation had been planned for several weeks. Officials didn’t say why it was needed. But the clinic says she’s in good general health after Thursday’s laparoscopic procedure. The official Telam news agency

By MARIAM FAM and NOREEN NASIR Associated Press As a wary world watches to see the Taliban’s policies for women, many girls and young women in Afghanistan are afraid the future they’ve envisioned may become out of reach. They worry about missing out on big career goals as well as little freedoms and hobbies that

By MATT OTT AP Business Writer SILVER SPRING, Md. (AP) — The average long-term mortgage rate in the U.S. ticked back down this week following several weeks of increases. Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac reported Thursday that the average rate for a 30-year mortgage fell to 3.09% from 3.14% last week. Last year at this time

ROME (AP) — The United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organization says world food prices are the highest since July 2011, reflecting reduced wheat harvests and higher palm-oil prices. The Rome-based agency said Thursday that international prices of its sample food commodities basket rose by 3% in October, for a third straight month of increases. Reduced

By GRAHAM DUNBAR AP Sports Writer GENEVA (AP) — Two Swiss skiers that do not want to be vaccinated against the coronavirus will miss the first men’s downhill race of World Cup ski season in Canada because the country requires international visitors to have two doses to enter. Swiss teammates Urs Kryenbühl and Ralph Weber