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.
Play Ball! Today is Major League Baseball's opening day. President Trump orders the deployment of federal law enforcement agents to more U.S. cities. Tesla's stock is up 280% this year. And Kim Kardashian West has broken her silence on her husband's recent public comments.
The poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research finds that only about 1 in 10 Americans say daycare centers, preschools and K-12 schools should start the school year like any other.
Sneakermakers, Jesse Tran and Son Chu created the sneaker line, Rens, where products are made from recycled coffee grounds.
Here are the headlines you Need2Know for Wednesday, July 22, 2020.
As the coronavirus pandemic drags on, a new poll from NORC at the University of Chicago finds it's having different effects on Americans’ economic well-being.
Oxford University announced that its vaccine trial with AstraZeneca is showing promising results. Congress is back in session and lawmakers are debating another stimulus package. What we know so far on the shooting of Judge Esther Salas's family. And SNL could be returning to the studio in the fall.
Former Education Secretary Margaret Spellings talks about the chaos around the issues of reopening schools amid the pandemic.
Hundreds of workers are rallying outside the Trump International Hotel in Manhattan and the Massachusetts Statehouse to protest systemic racism and economic inequality.
No one can go to concerts, so it seems they've decided to make their own music. Searches for and purchases of musical instruments and music editing software have been increasing during the coronavirus crisis.
The Amal, or Hope, orbiter is the Arab world’s first interplanetary mission.
