Ken Stanford

Pope Francis is assembling a panel of experts to advise him on sex abuse in the clergy - a task that will involve looking at how to protect children from pedophiles, how to better screen men for the priesthood and how to help victims who have already been harmed.

The U.S. economy grew at a 3.6 percent annual rate from July through September, the fastest since early 2012. But nearly half the growth came from a buildup in business stockpiles, a trend that could reverse in the current quarter and hold back growth.

In many cases a trip to the doctor

The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits tumbled 23,000 last week to 298,000, nearly a six-year low that shows companies are laying off fewer workers.

A kitchen fire in a house in Clermont early Thursday caused about $5,000 in damage, according to Hall County Fire Marshal Scott Cagle.

A day after being sued by legally married, gay engineers, the nation's largest freight rail carriers announced they will provide health care benefits to the same-sex spouses of their employees.