Vatican:Church Won't Bless Same-Sex Unions; Church Can Welcome Gay People, Not Unions

The Vatican declared today (March 15, 2021) that the Catholic Church won't bless same-sex unions since God "cannot bless sin," according to the Yahoo News website.

The Vatican's orthodoxy office, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, issued a formal response to a question about whether Catholic clergy have the authority to bless gay unions.The answer, approved by Pope Francis, was "negative."

The note distinguished between the church's welcoming and blessing of gay people, which it upheld, but not their unions. 

Israeli Study:Aspirin Can Prevent Getting COVID; Those Taking Aspirin Less Likely to Test Positive

 Aspirin -- one of the oldest and most widely used drugs -- is preventing COVID-19 infections, Israeli scientists have claimed in "exciting" findings, the Times of Israel website reports today (March 14, 2021). 

In the peer-reviewed research, they found that in a sample of Israeli PCR tests, patients who take small doses of aspirin were 29 percent less likely to test positive. They cross-referenced 10,477 results with medical records covering what preventive drugs patients take. 

"We were really excited to see a big reduction in the proportion of people testing positive, and this gives a promising indication that aspirin, such a well-known and inexpensive drug, may be helpful in fighting the pandemic," Milana Frenkel-Morgenstern of Bar-Ilan University told the Times of Israel.

She also mentioned another finding: Aspirin users who are diagnosed with COVID-19 are likely to have a shorter illness -- by about two days -- and be less likely to suffer from after-effects of the coronavirus.

Syria's Civil War Has Now Gone on for 10 Years; Bid for Democratic Reforms, Assad's Ouster Fail

 Ten years after the start of a revolution, Syria is in ruins and in danger of collapse, the UPI website reports today (March 13, 2021). 

Although President Bashar al-Assad has survived the civil war and remains in power, there is no solution in sight to restore peace and end the population's suffering. 

The major protests that broke out in Syria on March 15, 2011, marking the start of the revolution, soon expanded to towns and cities across the country. They have demanded democratic reforms and Assad's ouster to end four decades of oppressive rule. 

While Assad is trying to consolidate his hold on power and is preparing for presidential elections in the coming months, he is facing an even bigger threat: The economy is collapsing due to the impact of war, destruction, debts, corruption, militia rule, and mismanagement of diminishing resources. 

Biden: All US Adults Eligible for Vaccine by May1; Sees Sense of Normalcy Occurring in US by July 4

 President Joe Biden told the U.S. last night he wants to make all adults eligible for a coronavirus vaccine by May 1, and urged Americans to stay vigilant or face more restrictions, the Reuters website reports today (March 12, 2021).

In a forceful but somber speech from the White House on the first anniversary of the pandemic lockdown, Biden said if Americans pulled together there could be a greater sense of normalcy by July 4th, Independence Day.

The date is a new goal for the president and a projection of hope amid a pandemic that has killed more than 530,000 people in the U.S., the most of any country.

St. Pat's Day Canceled in Ireland Due to COVID; Ireland Has Reported 4,500 Coronavirus Deaths

 It will be a masked and restrained St. Patrick's Day in Ireland, with the government maintaining its highest "Level 5" restriction on businesses and the Irish public as it attempts to turn back a January spike in coronavirus cases, the America Media website reports today (March 11, 2011).

A year ago on March 11, Ireland suffered its first COVID-19 death. This year on March 6 its  prime minister, Micheal Martin, celebrated the "good news" that Ireland had distributed half a million coronavirus vaccinations about two months after the first inoculation.

With a population of 4.8 million, Ireland has reported 225,000 cases and 4,500 deaths from the coronavirus. It is one of the 10 European countries where the British variant of the virus is now dominant. 

Beth Moore Quits Southern Baptist Denomination; Due to Sex Abuse,Christian Nationalism,Race Talk

 Author and Bible teacher Beth Moore is breaking ties with the Southern Baptist denomination, the Christian Headlines website reports today (March 10, 2021).

"I am still a Baptist, but I can no longer identify with Southern Baptists," Moore said.

Widespread sex abuse, the rise of Christian Nationalism, and the current debate over Critical Race Theory within the denomination have all played a part in Moore's departure. 

Biden's Dog Bites a White House Security Staffer; Two White House Dogs Go to Biden Home in Del.

 Two German Shepherds belonging to President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden were returned to the Biden family home in Delaware last week after aggressive behavior at the White House involving  Major Biden, the CNN website reports today (March 9, 2021). 

Major, who was adopted by Biden in November 2018 from a Delaware animal shelter, had a biting incident with a member of the White House security.The incident was serious enough to have the dogs moved to Wilmington, Delaware, where they remain.

 "[Major, 3,and Champ, 10,] are still getting acclimated and accustomed to their surroundings and new people..." said White House press secretary Jen Psaki, She added the injury was handled by the White House medical unit.