Pope Francis accepts the resignation of Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, one of the US Catholic Church's most prominent figures who has been at the centre of a widening sexual abuse scandal.

Australian institutions "seriously failed" children in their care with tens of thousands sexually assaulted, the final report from a five-year inquiry says as it recommends that celibacy among Catholic priests should be voluntary to help curb abuse.

Catholic Church abuse movie "Spotlight" is named best picture, the top award at Oscar ceremony, after an evening peppered with pointed punchlines from host Chris Rock about the #OscarsSoWhite controversy that has dominated the industry.

Leonardo DiCaprio wins his long-awaited first Oscar for revenge epic "The Revenant" but journalism drama "Spotlight" took best picture in a surprising end to Hollywood's glittering awards season.

One of the US's most senior public health officials has revealed the "strongest evidence to date" of the effect on babies of the Zika virus.

One of the Catholic Church's most senior prelates has said that birth control could "offer a solution" to the impacts of climate change.

A 79-year old Colombian man becomes the first person in the country to die legally by euthanasia.

One of Ireland's most senior Catholic clerics has called for the Church to take a "reality check" following the country's overwhelming vote in favour of same-sex marriage.