People: Loughlin, Giannulli fighting new charges – Berkshire Eagle

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Loughlin, Giannulli fighting new charges

“Full House” actress Lori Loughlin and her fashion designer husband are contesting expanded charges against them in the college admissions bribery scandal.

Lawyers for Loughlin and Mossimo Giannulli entered not guilty pleas on their behalf Tuesday to charges of conspiracy to commit federal program bribery.

Earlier this month, the couple waived their right to appear in federal court in Boston to answer to the latest counts.

Prosecutors added the bribery charge for 11 parents who previously pleaded not guilty in the case. Another 19 parents have pleaded guilty or agreed to do so.

Loughlin and Giannulli are accused of paying $500,000 to get their two daughters into the University of Southern California as fake athletic recruits. Their daughters no longer attend USC.

The couple previously pleaded not guilty to fraud and money laundering.

Pope in Thailand to boost Catholic minority

Pope Francis arrived in Bangkok on Wednesday to begin a tour of Thailand and Japan, beginning a mission to boost the morale of those countries’ tiny minority Catholic communities and speak about issues of concern including human trafficking and peacemaking.

He is expected to highlight his admiration in Thailand for the community’s missionary ancestors who brought the faith to this Buddhist nation centuries ago and endured bouts of persecution as recently as the 1940s.

Francis was greeted by Surayud Chulanont, former prime minister and head of King Maha Vajiralongkorn’s Privy Council.

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His warmest welcome, however, came from his second cousin, Sister Ana Rosa Sivori, who has been a missionary in Thailand since the 1960s and will serve as his translator during his time here. On stepping down from the plane, the first thing Francis did — even before his official welcome from Surayud — was to hug his cousin.

Tom Hanks learns he’s related to Mister Rogers

(The Washington Post)

Tom Hanks unintentionally found a more immersive form of method acting: sharing DNA with his character.

Hanks, 63, recently discovered he’s related to Fred Rogers of “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” fame. Hanks plays the beloved television personality in his upcoming film “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood.”

Hanks and Rogers share a great-great-great-great-great grandfather, making the two sixth cousins, according researchers at Ancestry.com. The genealogy company constructed Hanks’s family tree by using its database of more than 20 billion online historical records, a company representative told CBS News.

Entertainment news show “Access Hollywood” broke the news to Hanks and his wife, fellow actor Rita Wilson, at a New York City screening for the coming film.

Rogers died in 2003 of stomach cancer. “Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood” was on air from 1968 to 2001.

Hanks’ movie hits theaters Friday.

Today’s birthdays: Actress Marlo Thomas is 82. Actress Goldie Hawn is 74. Singer Livingston Taylor is 69. Actress Nicollette Sheridan is 56. TV personality Rib Hillis (“Extreme Makeover: Home Edition”) is 49. TV host Michael Strahan (“Good Morning America,” ”Live With Kelly and Michael”) is 48. Singer Carly Rae Jepsen is 34. Actor Sam Palladio (“Nashville”) is 32.

— The Associated Press

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