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.
Hawaii officials will hold a lottery to distribute invasive goats that are overrunning an important historical and cultural site.
Firefighters are working in extreme temperatures across the U.S. West and struggling to contain wildfires as another heat wave baked the region, straining power grids.
Indian officials say lightning has killed at least 38 people across two states over the past 24 hours.
Heritage Auctions in Dallas said that the 1996 Nintendo 64 video game sold Sunday, breaking its previous record price for the sale of a single video game
Carlo and Baker bring you up to speed on what was a busy news weekend: more extreme heat in the West, scary COVID stats, the space race is on, Italy stuns Wembley (and Prince George) and more.
Authorities say a 6-year-old Kentucky girl who was snatched from her bike by a stranger was found quickly, returned to her family and a suspect has been charged with kidnapping.
For most aficionados, a sparkling wine can be called champagne only if it comes from the region of France with that name and is made under certain regulations.
Fast-moving Tropical Storm Elsa hit the New York City region with heavy rain and high winds, toppling trees and hindering some commuter rail service as it churned its way toward New England.
Tropical storm warnings in the Northeast, more extreme heat in the Southwest, and shellfish baked alive in the Northwest. The climate emergency is here. In less depressing news, space history will be made this weekend, Marvel's Black Widow looks at a huge open and our new Spelling Bee champ. Plus, the kitchen junk drawer...love or hate?
Jill and Carlo have the latest on a growing crisis in Haiti, the Delta strain now dominant in the U.S., and more. Plus, Carlo talks about his experience at the big NYC ticker-tape parade for essential workers and what we all owe them for upholding society.
