Midday Roundup: Pope notes natural gender differences in UN address

Manhattan mass. Pope Francis continued his historic visit to the United States today with a speech before the United Nations General Assembly in New York. He echoed themes from statements he made earlier in his visit about environmentalism and social welfare and added to those with stronger admonitions about protecting the unborn and recognizing “the natural difference between man and woman.” The pope has plans to lead mass at Madison Square Garden tonight and to depart tomorrow for Philadelphia, where he will attend the World Meeting of Families.

Moon with a view. Sky-watchers will get a rare treat Sunday night when a supermoon coincides with a total lunar eclipse. Just as the full moon hits the closest point of its elliptical orbit around Earth, the Earth will pass between the sun and moon. That combination hasn’t happened since 1982 and won’t be seen again until 2033.

Out-of-pocket costs. More people may have health insurance because of Obamacare, but for many, it’s getting too expensive to use. President Barack Obama promised Americans his signature healthcare law would lower the average family’s health insurance costs by $2,500 a year. But a study by the Kaiser Family Foundation shows that for individuals on employer health plans, deductibles have risen an average of 67 percent since 2010, when Obamacare became law. The average deductible for single coverage is now just over $1,300 hundred dollars a year. And the cost is much higher for families.

Tragic tour. A crash between a charter bus and an amphibious tour vehicle, known as a duck boat, killed four students in Seattle and created a gruesome scene on a bridge over Lake Union. The bus was carrying foreign exchange students from North Seattle College to an orientation event downtown when the duck boat unexpectedly veered in front of it. Onlookers say one of the vehicle’s wheels appeared to lock up before the crash. All of those killed were aboard the charter bus, and 51 people were taken to area hospitals. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash with an eye on the safety of duck boats, former military vehicles popular with tour companies around the country.

Persona non grata. Two more colleges have stripped comedian Bill Cosby of honorary degrees after allegations he habitually sexually assaulted women throughout his career. Marquette and Fordham universities, both Jesuit schools, said Cosby’s own admissions of having extramarital affairs conflicted with their organizational values. It is the first time either college rescinded an honorary degree, but not a first for Cosby, who has been shunned previously by Central State University, Temple University, and Spelman College.

WORLD Radio’s Jim Henry and The Associated Press contributed to this report.