Church says Cardinal Pell returning to Vatican in crisis

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Cardinal George Pell, Pope Francis’ former finance minister, will soon return to the Vatican during an extraordinary economic scandal for the first time since he was cleared of child abuse allegations in Australia five months ago, a church agency said Monday. Pell will fly...

Japan Catholic Church sued for damages in alleged sex abuse

TOKYO (AP) — A woman has filed a suit against the Roman Catholic Church in Japan alleging that a priest raped her four decades ago, as the church's unfolding worldwide sexual abuse crisis gradually reaches Japan. The civil lawsuit, filed this week in Sendai District Court, seeks 56.1 million yen...

German bishops set up system for larger sex abuse payments

BERLIN (AP) — The Catholic Church in Germany is setting up a new system to compensate survivors of sexual abuse by clergy that will provide for payments of up to about 50,000 euros ($58,400) to each victim. Victims will be able to apply for payments under the new system starting Jan. 1, the head of the...

Australia state leader welcomes Israeli extradition ruling

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — An Australian state leader on Tuesday described an Israeli court decision to extradite a former teacher wanted in Australia on charges of molesting children as a victory for abuse victims. Daniel Andrews is premier of Victoria state where Malka Leifer is accused of molesting...

Israel court says woman can be extradited in child sex case

JERUSALEM (AP) — An Israeli court on Monday approved the extradition of a former teacher wanted in Australia on charges of child sex abuse, potentially paving the way for her to stand trial after a six-year legal battle. Malka Leifer, a former educator who is accused of sexually abusing several former...

Lawyers: Israel court agrees to extradite woman wanted on child sex abuse charges in Australia after 6-year legal battle

JERUSALEM (AP) — Lawyers: Israel court agrees to extradite woman wanted on child sex abuse charges in Australia after 6-year legal battle.

Former VA doctor pleads guilty to molesting patients

A former doctor at a Veterans Affairs hospital in West Virginia pleaded guilty Thursday to federal charges that he molested three male patients and violated their civil rights. Jonathan Yates pleaded guilty in court filings to three counts of depriving veterans of their civil rights under color of law, which...

Mexico asks info on alleged migrant abuse at US centers

MEXICO CITY (AP) — The Mexican government said Wednesday it has requested information from the United States about claims that migrants were subjected to hysterectomies at a detention center in Georgia and that a migrant allegedly suffered sexual abuse at a facility in Texas. “A formal request has...

Michigan considers extension for lawsuits naming late doctor

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Two Michigan lawmakers sought Wednesday to expand the state's statute of limitations for some sexual assault cases to allow more time for accusers of the late sports doctor Robert Anderson to file lawsuits against the University of Michigan. State Reps. Ryan Berman, a Commerce...

Nicaraguans testify of abuses in crackdown on protests

MANAGUA, Nicaragua (AP) — Eighteen Nicaraguans who say they suffered torture and sexual abuse at the hands of their country's security forces testified to a panel of legal and psychological experts this week, determined not to allow the pandemic to further forestall their search for justice. The exercise,...