amid | Common News Update

Apr112021 by adminNo Comments

Brazil’s virus outlook darkens amid vaccine supply snags

Technology

RIO DE JANEIRO -- April is shaping up to be Brazil’s darkest month yet in the pandemic, with hospitals struggling with a crush of patients, deaths on track for record highs and few signs of a reprieve from a troubled vaccination program in Latin America's largest nation.The Health Ministry has cut its outlook for vaccine supplies in April three times already, to half their initial level, and the country’s two biggest laboratories are facing supply constraints.The delays also mean tens of thousands more deaths as the particularly contagious P.1 variant of COVID-19 sweeps Brazil. It has recorded about 350,000 of the 2.9 million virus deaths worldwide, behind only the U.S. toll of over 560,000.Brazil's seven-day rolling average has increased to 2,820 deaths per day, compared with the global a...

Apr92021 by adminNo Comments

St. Vincent volcano erupts twice in Caribbean amid evacuation

World

April 9 (UPI) -- A volcano on the southeastern Caribbean island of St. Vincent erupted twice Friday, hours after displaying increased seismic activity and prompting a mass evacuation of residents and visitors. St. Vincent is the largest of a chain of islands in the Lesser Antilles that make up the country St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The country's National Emergency Management Organization announced the eruption of La Soufriere volcano. Advertisement The agency tweeted that the volcano erupted four days shy of the 42nd anniversary of its 1979 explosion and that ash plumes Friday reached 20,000 feet and blew eastward. The second eruption was smaller than the first. St. Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves issued an evacuation order on Thursday for those in the "red ...

Apr72021 by adminNo Comments

Iran sets new record for virus infections amid holiday surge

Health

Iran has shattered its daily record for new coronavirus infections for the second consecutive day, with 20,954 new cases reported on WednesdayByThe Associated PressApril 7, 2021, 10:00 AM• 1 min readTEHRAN, Iran -- Iran has shattered its daily record for new coronavirus infections for the second consecutive day, with 20,954 new cases reported on Wednesday.The country is in the midst of one of the most severe surges of the coronavirus to date, following a two-week public holiday for Nowruz, the Persian New Year, which drove millions to travel to vacation spots across the country and congregate in homes in defiance of government health guidelines.For months, Iran has struggled to curb the worst outbreak of the coronavirus in the Middle East. Wednesday's case count brought the total number of...

Apr32021 by adminNo Comments

Italy enters 3-day Easter lockdown amid vaccination snags

Health

ROME -- Italy entered a three-day nationwide coronavirus lockdown Saturday to deter Easter travel and get-togethers even as the country's variant-fueled spike in new infections began to wane.The government had announced last month that it would place all regions into the strictest “red zone” lockdown over the Easter weekend to limit the chances of contagion, taking the same precautions it enforced over Christmas and New Year’s.Travel between regions and visits to relatives were being limited through Monday. Nonessential shops were closed and restaurants and bars were only open for take-out.“People are tired, but they are aware that protecting health is essential in these times,” said Maj. Fabio Palletta, a Carabinieri military police officer manning a checkpoint in Rome on Saturday, one of...

Mar242021 by adminNo Comments

Israel election: Netanyahu falls short of majority amid vote count

World

ReutersIsraeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu could struggle to secure enough seats in parliament to stay in power, incomplete results from Tuesday's election show.With about 90% of votes counted, his right-wing bloc is course to win 59 seats - two short of the threshold.In a surprise development, an Arab party which is projected to win five seats could hold the balance of power.The final outcome will among other things determine the course of Israel's relations with the Palestinians.The Arab party, Raam, has not declared whether it will support the efforts of Mr Netanyahu - an unnatural ally - to form a government or those of the bloc opposed to him remaining in office.Those parties have garnered 56 seats, according to the latest tally, and although backing from Raam could give them a sufficient n...