Pope Francis on Monday condemned the “atrocities” of sexual abuse by priests and church leaders who covered up the crimes, apologizing to the church community and demanding accountability from leaders in the future.

The letter to the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics was issued less than a week after a withering grand jury report released by the Pennsylvania attorney general alleged that church leaders protected more than 300 “predator priests” in six dioceses across the state for decades at the expense of more than 1,000 victims.

“I acknowledge once more the suffering endured by many minors due to sexual abuse, the abuse of power and the abuse of conscience perpetrated by a significant number of clerics and consecrated persons,” Francis said.

He said it was with “shame and repentance” that he acknowledged the church was slow in responding to the problem.

“We showed no care for the little ones,” the pope wrote. “We abandoned them.”

The abuses detailed in a grand jury report included crimes against children dating back to at least 1947. Victims were as young as 2 years old. Some of the children who were raped were also beaten with whips and shared in a “ring of predatory priests” within the Pittsburgh diocese, the report said. 

A surge in calls to a clergy abuse hotline the attorney general set up is breathing new life into a vast investigation. The hotline has drawn more than 300 calls since the release of the grand jury report.

More: Clergy abuse hotline calls ‘surging’ after scathing grand jury report

More: Why the Roman Catholic Church still struggles with sexual abuse scandals

More: Some priests accused of child sexual abuse were sent to psychiatric clinics for treatment

“We’re answering every call and following up every lead,” Joe Grace, spokesman for state Attorney General Josh Shapiro, told USA TODAY on Sunday.

The pope said the church, too, is working to protect children.

“Looking back to the past, no effort to beg pardon and to seek to repair the harm done will ever be sufficient,” the pope wrote. “Looking ahead to the future, no effort must be spared to create a culture able to prevent such situations from happening, but also to prevent the possibility of their being covered up and perpetuated.”

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Larry Nassar, the disgraced former Michigan State University and USA Gymnastics doctor, has been moved from a federal prison in Tucson.

Nassar, 55, had been an inmate at the U.S. Penitentiary Tucson since February.

On Sunday, the serial sex abuser was listed as an inmate at Oklahoma City’s Federal Transfer Center on the Federal Bureau of Prisons website. The facility is typically used as a holdover location before inmates are moved to a new location. It’s not clear where he will be placed after being held in Oklahoma. 

The move comes weeks after Nassar’s lawyers said in court filings he was assaulted in May after he was released into the general population of the high-security prison, the Detroit News reported. He was subsequently moved out of the general population prior to the move. 

Nassar was transferred to the southern Arizona facility after being sentenced on sexual-assault charges in Michigan. It is the only high-security federal facility that also offers a sex-offender-management program.

The Indianapolis Star first detailed the sexual-assault allegations against Nassar in September 2016. Since then, more than 260 women and girls told law enforcement he sexually abused them. 

Nassar pleaded guilty to child-pornography charges in federal court last summer. He must serve the entirety of his federal sentence before he can serve his state sentences.

If he lives to his 2069 release date, Nassar will then have to serve two-decades-long sentences in Michigan for 10 sexual-assault charges. He would be 105 years old in 2069.

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“Marginal gains” – two words that have become sporting jargon in recent years.

But one Championship club have taken a highly unusual step to try to gain an edge on their opponents.

Norwich City have painted the away dressing room “deep pink”, a colour that is said to lower testosterone levels and have a calming effect on people.

“Pink has an effect, not because it is pink, but because it’s linked to childhood experiences,” said Dr Alexander Latinjak, a lecturer in sport psychology at the University of Suffolk.

“If it is true that pink lowers testosterone levels then the coach should know exactly how to use that advantage tactically.”

Norwich declined to comment, although sporting director Stuart Webber told supporters about the move at a fans’ forum on Thursday.

Painting the opposition’s dressing room pink is not a completely novel idea though – the University of Iowa have previously done it in an attempt to give their American football team the upper hand on their visitors.

In their two games at Carrow Road this season, Norwich have lost 4-3 to West Bromwich Albion and beaten League Two side Stevenage 3-1 in the Carabao Cup, so the jury is out on whether the move is paying off.

“I personally wouldn’t have spent the time bothering to change the locker room colour. There are a lot of things you do before you do that,” Dr Latinjak told BBC Sport.

“Now that teams will know about the pink locker room, they could take counter measures to ensure higher testosterone levels.

“It might even be that players from other teams have some fun – they could go in there all tense but start smiling, and smiling is linked to an improvement in performance.”

Image: PA Images via Getty Images

Facial hair isn’t just about the fuzz on your face. 

At least, not for the hundreds of people who competed in this year’s British Beard and Moustache Championships, which took place in Blackpool, UK on Saturday. For these people, facial hair is a mode of expression. 

The competition – which is open to men, women, and non-binary people with beards — had people celebrating their facial follicles and serving up some of the most extravagant beard lewks you’ve ever seen. 

From the longest hipster-style beards to the most elaborate moustache designs, all beards on the spectrum were represented at the 4th year of the Championships. 

From this octopus-esque style.

Image: PA Images via Getty Images

To this guy taking the handlebar moustache to the next level.

Image: PA Images via Getty Images

We’re here for this look.

Image: PA Images via Getty Images

Tormund Giantsbane, is that you?

Image: PA Images via Getty Images

Is that… is that the Eiffel Tower?

Image: PA Images via Getty Images

This man needs clips to hold up this style, but it’s still pretty amazing. 

Image: Danny Lawson/PA Images via Getty Images

Please, never shave. 

You can find more images and info on the The British Beard and Moustache Championships’ Facebook page.

Federal investigators are examining whether President Donald Trump’s former personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, committed bank and tax fraud worth more than $20 million, according to a media report.

The New York Times, citing anonymous sources, said authorities were focusing on loans obtained for taxi businesses owned by Cohen and his family. The bank loans under examination were provided by Sterling National Bank and Melrose Credit Union, the Times reported. Investigators are looking into whether Cohen obtained the loans by misrepresenting his assets.

Investigators were also considering whether Cohen had violated campaign finance and other laws when he made financial arrangements to pay women to stay silent about alleged affairs with then-candidate Trump in 2016.

Prosecutors may file charges by the end of August, two sources told the Times.

Cohen, who long served as Trump’s fixer, has been under investigation for months. In April, federal investigators for the Southern District of New York seized roughly 4 million files from Cohen’s home, business office and hotel room.

Last week, a court-appointed special master who reviewed the material said investigators would have access to most of those records.

More: Feds win access to records seized from ex-Trump lawyer Michael Cohen

More: Michael Cohen tapes: Here’s what we know about the secret recordings

The investigation has ruptured the once close relationship between Cohen and Trump. In July, Cohen reportedly said the president had been aware of a 2016 meeting at Trump Tower to obtain damaging about Hillary Clinton.

Cohen also released a tape in which he and Trump discuss buying the rights of former Playboy model Karen McDougal’s story about having an affair with Trump.

Contributing: Kevin McCoy

 

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WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump kept up his attacks on Robert Mueller’s office Monday, saying the special counsel is trying to pin something on him by interviewing the White House counsel for some 30 hours.

“Anybody needing that much time when they know there is no Russian Collusion is just someone looking for trouble,” Trump said in a pair of tweets.

Trump, a long-time critic of the special counsel, continued a new line of attack that began over the weekend with news that Mueller’s team has, over the past year, interviewed White House counsel Don McGahn for a total of some 30 hours.

The president does not know for sure what kind of information McGahn may have provided to Mueller, who is investigating possible contacts between Trump’s presidential campaign and Russians who sought to influence the 2016 election on their behalf.

Mueller is also investigating whether Trump has sought to obstruct the Russia investigation.

The renewed attacks on Mueller come at a pivotal time in the probe, as a jury is deliberating bank fraud charges against former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort. Many legal analysts believe Mueller is seeking testimony from Manafort, and a conviction would increase the pressure.

For his part, Trump has defended his campaign aide and suggested he hopes for an acquittal.

In a steady volley of attacks that have gone on for months now, Trump has complained that Mueller’s staff are political partisans. He said they should be investigating opponents who retained an ex-British spy to investigate Trump’s relationship with Russia in the years preceding the 2016 election.

More: Trump confirms that White House counsel interviewed with Mueller

More: White House lawyer Don McGahn: 5 things to know about his cooperation with Russia probe

In his tweets Monday, Trump noted he waived executive privilege in allowing Mueller to speak with McGahn, hoping it would expedite the investigation.

“Disgraced and discredited Bob Mueller and his whole group of Angry Democrat Thugs spent over 30 hours with the White House Councel, only with my approval, for purposes of transparency,” Trump tweeted, misspelling McGahn’s title.

Trump said prosecutors “are enjoying ruining people’s lives and REFUSE to look at the real corruption on the Democrat side … They are a National Disgrace!”

In an addendum, Trump denied both collusion and obstruction with respect to Russia.

“Where’s the Collusion? They made up a phony crime called Collusion, and when there was no Collusion they say there was Obstruction (of a phony crime that never existed),” he said. “If you FIGHT BACK or say anything bad about the Rigged Witch Hunt, they scream Obstruction!”

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Olympic champion Simone Biles became the first woman to win five US Women’s Gymnastics Championships all-around titles and wore an outfit to show her support for survivors of sexual abuse.

The 21-year-old American is continuing her comeback after a two-year break.

In January she was among more than 100 gymnasts to say they were abused by ex-United States team doctor Larry Nassar.

Nassar received a prison sentence of up to 175 years after pleading guilty to criminal sexual conduct.

Biles said the teal leotard she wore during Sunday’s event was the designated colour for survivors of sexual abuse.

“It is for the survivors,” she told ESPN. “I stand with all of them, and I think it’s kind of special to unite.”

Biles announced in November 2016 she would be taking a break from the sport because her body “needs a rest”, adding that she wanted to “go out, have fun and really just embrace the moment”.

On Sunday, less than a month after returning to competition, she became the first woman since 1994 to win all four disciplines on her way to the overall prize.

Biles’ total of 119.850 gave her a 6.55-point margin of victory over nearest challenger and reigning world champion Morgan Hurd.

“I’ve been back for only nine months. I’m so proud of myself,” said Biles on Twitter.

Image: Danny Feld/ABC via Getty images

It’s all very well and good when people go on about chasing your dreams, but surely all that stuff is just wishful thinking, right? Don’t the realities of life often mean that ambitions are too often simply not practical to achieve?

Well, maybe. But not always.

On Sunday, writer Charlotte Clymer shared the story of Kathryn Joosten, who began her acting career at the age of 40. 

Here’s the thread, in full:

So there you have it. No matter how far out of reach a goal may seem, it doesn’t mean it’s unattainable.