United Nations child protection experts are cracking down on Vatican delegates on how Roman Catholic officials handled the decades-long sexual abuse of minors by priests, saying they still need to speak up and reveal more information in order to put guilty priests behind bars.
In his first-ever New Year's Eve address as Pope, Pope Francis went off-script and called for hope, and an end to the violence, as more than 90,000 people gathered in Rome to hear his address.
At 12pm Central European Time Pope Francis delivered his first Christmas Day speech as Pontiff and offered his blessing to the 70 thousand worshippers present.
"Resa por mi" (Pray for me), compassionate words spoken in Spanish by Pope Francis, otherwise known as El Papa Francisco, who was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina to Italian parents.
Cuban-born American singer Gloria Estefan broke cultural barriers with chart-topping hits, such as "Rhythm Is Gonna Get You" and "Conga." She's hailed as one of the most successful crossover performers in music history yet she never forgets her birthplace, often paying tribute to her Cubita Linda.
Malala Yousafzai, 16-year-old educational and women's rights activist, is nothing short of remarkable; she made that apparent with her recent appearance on The Daily Show.
Pope Francis begins a weeklong visit to Brazil today. The pontiff will visit churches and slums and hospitals in Rio de Janeiro and other parts of the country.
