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.
The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits fell last week to 860,000, a historically high figure that reflects economic damage from the coronavirus outbreak.
Music streaming social platform, Lum, is gaining popularity after closing a $3 million Series II funding and a partnership with singer/songwriter Ne-Yo. Ne-Yo, along with Lum co-founder, Max Ferguson, joined Cheddar to discuss benefits for artists and fans in joining the platform.
Hurricane Sally has lumbered ashore near Gulf Shores, Alabama, as a Category 2 storm, with top winds of 105 mph.
Hurricane Sally crawls ashore along the Gulf Coast as a major flooding event; a major foreign policy victory for President Trump; everything that Apple just announced, and more.
Arthur Blank, Atlanta Falcons owner and Home Depot co-founder, joined Cheddar to discuss business values beyond making a profit and the NFL's stance on racial inequality issues today.
Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer says the city has agreed to a settlement with the family of Breonna Taylor that includes a $12 million payment and police reforms after the Black woman was fatally shot by police who burst into her home at night.
A nurse at an immigration detention center in Georgia says authorities performed questionable hysterectomies, refused to test detainees for COVID-19 and shredded medical records.
Dole has pledged to bring healthier options to 1 billion people by 2025 in the company's new #SunshineForAll initiative. Dole's North American president, Brad Bartlett, joined Cheddar to discuss the campaign kickoff in Jackson, Mississippi.
Smoke from the western fires now visible over NYC as Trump and Biden spar on the climate. Plus, Hurricane Sally latest and a major discovery in space.
This year's Macy’s Thanksgiving parade has been reimagined for the coronavirus pandemic.
