Pope Francis waves to faithful at the end of the weekly general audience in the Paul VI hall at the Vatican, Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2020. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
By Nicole Winfield
Pope Francis endorsed same-sex civil unions for the first time as pope while being interviewed for the feature-length documentary “Francesco,” which had its premiere at the Rome Film Festival on Wednesday.
The papal thumbs up came midway through the film that delves into issues he cares about most, including the environment, poverty, migration, racial and income inequality, and the people most affected by discrimination.
“Homosexual people have the right to be in a family. They are children of God,” Francis said in one of his sit-down interviews for the film. “What we have to have is a civil union law; that way they are legally covered.”
While serving as archbishop of Buenos Aires, Francis endorsed civil unions for gay couples as an alternative to same-sex marriages. However, he had never come out publicly in favor of civil unions as pope.
Director Evgeny Afineevsky had remarkable access to cardinals, the Vatican television archives, and the pope himself. He said he negotiated his way in through persistence, and deliveries of Argentine mate tea and Alfajores cookies that he got to the pope via some well-connected Argentines in Rome.
As we celebrate Black History Month, Cheddar is highlighting prominent Black Americans who are carving their own historic paths and trailblazing in their fields. Today we feature rap icon and entrepreneur, Jay-Z.
Cann, a cannabis-infused beverage company, announced today a $27 million Series A funding round from existing investors like Imaginary Ventures and a roster of new celebrity investors including Nina Dobrev, Adam Devine, Zoey Deutch, Jordan Cooper, Sara Foster, and Rosario Dawson. Cann is also announcing its first international expansion with the brand's launch in Canada. Jake Bullock, co-founder and CEO of Cann, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Soul Machines is a company that creates autonomously animated digital people in the metaverse and the digital worlds of today. The startup based in New Zealand recently raised the equivalent of $70 million USD, in a funding round led by Softbank's Vision Fund 2. Soul Machines says it helps to bring digital workforces to life for some of the biggest brands in the world, and creates digital twins of celebrities to reimagine the future of digital entertainment. Greg Cross, co-founder and CBO of Soul Machines, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
One in eight men in the U.S. will have prostate cancer during their lifetime, and the disease is almost 73% higher in black men than white men. The sixth annual Blue Jacket Fashion Show benefited non-profit advocacy group 'Zero - The End of Prostate Cancer' and its efforts to raise awareness and funding to support prostate cancer patients. Reginald Tucker-Seeley, vice president of health equity at Zero, joined Cheddar News to discuss.
The end of 3G is upon us. On Tuesday, AT&T became the first major provider to disable its 3G services, and T-Mobile and Verizon plan to follow suit later this year. The shutdowns are expected to impact millions of vehicles that use 3G networks for updates, remote connection, and certain emergency and convenience features. Lance Ulanoff, the U.S. Editor-in-Chief of TechRadar, joined Cheddar's Closing Bell to discuss the ramifications of the changeover.
Sunshine Foss, co-founder of Happy Cork, joins Cheddar News to discuss her Brooklyn business providing black-owned liquor brands a space in the community.
Smart data capture company Scandit recently announced a $150 million Series D funding round led by Warburg Pincus, propelling the company to unicorn status with a valuation of more than $1 billion. Scandit develops augmented reality and mobile computer vision technologies that tap into the cameras on smart devices. The startup's platform can be used to interact with retail items and have a more personalized experience while shopping. Scandit says its technology is also being used by industries like transportation, healthcare, and manufacturing. Samuel Mueller, co-founder and CEO of Scandit, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
The Peacock reboot of the beloved Will Smith sitcom "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air," simply re-titled as "Bel-Air," takes a different, dramatic approach compared to the '90s comedy. Actor Cassandra Freeman joined Cheddar News to discuss bringing a revamped Aunt Viv to life with the updated backdrop in mind. "When I first heard about it I just thought why would anyone want to mess with a classic? It's a classic for a reason," she said. "And then after a year I finally saw the trailer that Morgan Cooper, our creator made and it was amazing."
