ROME (AP) — Pope Francis is vowing to rid the Catholic Church of sexual abuse and offering prayers to victims of former Cardinal Theodore McCarrick. Wednesday’s pledge came a day after the Vatican released its detailed report into the decadeslong church cover-up of McCarrick’s sexual misconduct. Francis concluded his weekly general audience by recalling that…
Pfizer says an early peek at its vaccine data suggests the shots may be 90% effective at preventing COVID-19. Monday’s announcement doesn’t mean a vaccine is imminent. The interim analysis, from independent data monitors, looked at 94 infections recorded so far in a study that has enrolled nearly 44,000 people. Pfizer did not provide any…
WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrat Joe Biden has overtaken President Donald Trump in Pennsylvania and Georgia. That puts Biden on the cusp of winning the presidency since the election hinges on the outcome of tight contests in those battleground states. The new results Friday come as Trump is trying to undermine confidence in this week’s election.…
WASHINGTON (AP) — The fate of the U.S. presidency is still hanging in the balance. On the day after Election Day, President Donald Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden are battling over three familiar battleground states — Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania — that could prove crucial in determining who wins the White House. It is…
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Starting with the primary election in March, St. Louis voters will pick their mayor and other elected officials on a nonpartisan basis. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that city voters on Tuesday approved a measure requiring nonpartisan elections for mayor, comptroller, aldermanic president and alderman. The measure passed with nearly 70%…
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on the presidential campaign (all times local): 12:20 p.m. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says she’s “absolutely certain” that Democrats will “solidly hold” onto their House majority. On an Election Day conference call with reporters, the California Democrat said “this election is about nothing less than taking back the soul of America, whether…
COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Voters on Tuesday will choose to give Republican Gov. Mike Parson a full four years in charge of Missouri or to give the job to Democrat Nicole Galloway. The race between the former sheriff, Parson, and the state auditor, Galloway, can be viewed as a referendum on Parson’s hands-off approach to…
America’s fight over masks has reached a new front: polling places. On Election Day, voters across the country will face varying rules about masks at polling places as officials try to balance safety precautions with the constitutional right to vote. Most states, even ones with broad mask mandates, are stopping short of forcing voters to…
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri election officials are predicting a strong turnout in Tuesday’s general election. Figures provides by the secretary of state’s office show that local election authorities are forecasting a statewide voter turnout of 75%. If that comes true, it would be the highest percentage turnout since 1992. About 828,000 people already…
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — State health officials are reporting more than 6,900 new cases of the COVID-19 virus in Illinois and 36 more deaths. The 6,943 new infections reported Friday top the new cases Thursday by about 580. The Public Health department says more than 402,000 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Illinois and more…