Easter | Common News Update

Apr42021 by adminNo Comments

Easter again celebrated globally among COVID-19 restrictions

World

April 4 (UPI) -- Christians worldwide celebrated Easter Sunday for the second year amid coronavirus restrictions, including lockdowns in some nations, as the death toll mounted despite widespread rollout of life-saving vaccines. COVID-19's deaths and cases have grown exponentially. Last Easter there were 122,600 fatalities and 1,969,718 infections in tracking by Worldometers.info. So far Sunday, the totals are 2,863,566 deaths and 131,817,713 cases. Meanwhile, nearly 653 million doses have been administered with most types requiring two shots among a population of 7.9 billion. Advertisement About 20% of the deaths have occurred in the United States for a total of 554,985, according to Johns Hopkins tracking. And cases are 30,702,245. Though the pandemic is somewhat stabilizing in the Unit...

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...

Apr32021 by adminNo Comments

Covid-19: Italy returns to strict lockdown for Easter

World

EPAItaly has entered a strict three-day lockdown to try to prevent a surge in Covid-19 cases over Easter.All regions are now in the "red zone" - the highest tier of restrictions - as the country battles a third wave, with about 20,000 new cases a day.Non-essential movement is banned, but people are allowed to share an Easter meal at home with two other adults.Churches are also open, but worshippers are being told to attend services within their own regions.For the second year, Pope Francis will deliver his Easter message to an empty St Peter's Square.Following the holiday weekend, different regions will then remain in either "orange zone" or "red zone" restrictions until the end of the month.Italy's restrictions come as countries across Europe try to control a surge in cases of the virus, ...

Mar302020 by adminNo Comments

Coronavirus: Trump extends US guidelines beyond Easter

World

Media playback is unsupported on your device President Donald Trump has said federal coronavirus guidelines such as social distancing will be extended across the US until at least 30 April.He had previously suggested that they could be relaxed as early as Easter, which falls in mid-April."The highest point of the death rate is likely to hit in two weeks," Mr Trump said. He appeared to be referring to peak infection rates that experts fear could overwhelm hospitals.White House medical adviser Dr Anthony Fauci had earlier warned that the virus could kill up to 200,000 Americans.Dr Fauci said that it was "entirely conceivable" that millions of Americans could eventually be infected. The US now has more than 140,000 confirmed cases.As of Sunday ev...

Oct202019 by adminNo Comments

Sri Lanka presidential hopeful vows probe into Easter blasts

World

A former Sri Lankan defense chief who is a front-runner in next month's presidential election said he'll order a fresh probe into the Easter Sunday blasts that killed 263 people by appointing a presidential commission if he wins. Gotabaya Rajapaksa has said the commission would be set up on a request made by Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, a top leader of the Roman Catholic Church in Sri Lanka. Ranjith has previously called for an independent and transparent commission to investigate the attack, which was blamed on Islamic extremists. Rajapaksa, a powerful defense official in the government of his brother, former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, is a favorite to win the Nov. 16 election, in which national security has become the focal point. While addressing an election rally on Saturday, Raja...