How Korean Moon’s Unification Church became largest landowner in Paraguay and established world’s largest narcotics empire
The South Korean religious organisation founded by self-proclaimed messiah Sun Myung Moon bought a remote piece of land in Paraguay about a quarter century ago, hoping to create an oasis for followers. Now the area is a hub for global drug trafficking.
It’s chaos in US education as Black teachers quit citing burnout, low pay and politics
Nationally, about 80 per cent of American public school teachers are white, even though white students no longer represent a majority in public schools. Having teachers who reflect the race of their students is important, researchers say, to provide students with role models who have insight into their culture and life experience.
Birthday gift: Film actor Kevin Spacey sheds tears as London jury quashes sexual assault charges
Three men accused the Oscar winner of aggressively grabbing their crotches, describing him as “vile” and a “slippery, snaky” predator. A fourth, an aspiring actor, said he awoke to the actor performing oral sex on him after going to Spacey’s London apartment for a career advice and a beer and either falling asleep or passing out.
It’s now official: Taylor Swift has more No.1 albums than any woman in history
Previously, Barbra Streisand held the record, with 11 No.1 albums. Swift ties Drake’s record of 12 No. 1 records, but sits just behind Jay-Z, who has 14 No.1 albums to his name and the Beatles, who have 19.
The Art of Kissing: Vatican’s next doctrinal guardian defends book on healing powers of lips
An article published earlier this month on Catholic news agency Zenit said that “everyone is talking about Monsignor Víctor Manuel Fernández … and above all about his kisses.” Criticism of the archbishop, whose appointment was seen by some as an attempt to break with the past, has come from conservative religious figures in the United States.
How Hollywood twin strikes have hit radio, TV schedules in US as actors and scripters keep off screen
The flow of films to theatres is protected from an immediate hit because movies take two to three years to produce. But future releases, such as Marvel’s “Blade” and “Thunderbolts,” have been delayed and more are expected to be put on hold until the labour conflicts are resolved. Promotional events for forthcoming movies still to be released will be cancelled
US film industry faces worst strike in 63 years after Hollywood actors joined writers on picket lines
The walkout by SAG-AFTRA, which represents actors from bit-part players to Hollywood’s biggest movie stars, will effectively shutter the studios’ remaining US-based productions of film and scripted television. It will also hamper many overseas shoots involving SAG-AFTRA talent, such as Paramount Pictures’ sequel to “Gladiator,” which director Ridley Scott has been shooting in Morocco and Malta.
People’s diva’ Aretha Franklin’s sons battle over handwritten wills five years after her death
The dispute is pitting a son against other sons. Ted White II believes papers dated in 2010 should mainly control the estate, while Kecalf Franklin and Edward Franklin favour a 2014 document. Both were discovered in Franklin’s suburban Detroit home, months after her death from pancreatic cancer in 2018 at age 76.
Pope Francis’s footprint on Church stronger as he declares he’ll elevate 12 churchmen to cardinals
Whether Pope Francis will name even more cardinals depends on how long he lives. Francis spent nine days in hospital after surgery for an abdominal hernia last month. His recovery is going well and he is due to visit Portugal from August 2-4 and Mongolia from August 31 to September 4.
Pope prays for family of ‘Vatican girl’ who vanished 40 years ago, a gangster alleged was brought into the Vatican to be molested
Theories about Orlandi’s disappearance have run the gamut from speculation it was linked to a plot to kill Pope John Paul II, to suggestions that she was kidnapped by the Rome underworld, to accusations she was the victim of a priestly paedophile group.