Pope wants abuse claims handled faster

VATICAN CITY • Pope Francis is studying how to speed up the handling of allegations of sexual abuse by clergy, the Vatican said, after a high-profile case in Chile put a new spotlight on the scandal.

The topic was a main point of discussion in three days of meetings between the Pope and a group of nine cardinals from around the world who gather four times a year at the Vatican to discuss reform, finances and other issues.

REUTERS

Le Pen under formal probe over ISIS images

PARIS • France's far-right leader Marine Le Pen was placed under formal investigation yesterday on suspicion of disseminating violent images over tweets she posted of executions by ISIS, a judicial source said.

The investigation relates to three graphic images of ISIS executions she posted on Twitter in December 2015.

REUTERS

Signal from universe's first stars detected

PARIS • A signal from the universe's first stars, born a cosmic heartbeat after the Big Bang, has been detected for the first time, astronomers said, setting the science world aflutter.

The observation came after a decade-long quest. Fingerprints of the stars, already active 13.6 billion years ago, were picked up by a dining table-sized radio spectrometer in the Australian desert.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

Man admits to raping, assaulting 40 women

VALENCIENNES (France) • A French grandfather was charged after confessing to raping and sexually assaulting "around forty" women in a series of attacks since the 1990s.

The married 57-year-old was arrested on Monday after police used his number plates to connect him with the rape of a woman last week across the border in Belgium. DNA evidence then matched him to that found on several rape victims.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE