The Greek Orthodox Church has demanded that Greece ease restrictions on in-person worship, as the European nation begins to reopen following a coronavirus shutdown, the Christian Post website reports today (April 30, 2020).
While Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis plans to lift certain restrictions enacted in March to curb the spread of the pandemic, a ban on in-person religious services will remain.
Church spokesman Metropolitan of Nafpaktos Hierotheos has taken issue with the decision. "What do they really think the Church is?" stated Hierotheos. "Do they consider it like any other supermarket or union or nail and hair salon?"
The Orthodox Church is the established religion in Greece with about 90 percent of the population identifying as Orthodox Christian.
Thursday, April 30, 2020
Wednesday, April 29, 2020
Trump Signs Order to Keep Meat Plants Open; Does So to Prevent Absence of Meat in Markets
President Trump signed an executive order today (April 29, 2020) using the Defense Production Act to require meat processing plants to keep operating, according to the Newsy website.
It classifies those plants as "critical infrastructures" while the U.S. faces a potential meat shortage.
Two of the nation's largest pork processing plants are now closed due to coronavirus outbreaks.
A White House official said the administration's action is designed to prevent multiple long-term plant shutdowns that could lead to a supply drop of 80% in supermarkets.
It classifies those plants as "critical infrastructures" while the U.S. faces a potential meat shortage.
Two of the nation's largest pork processing plants are now closed due to coronavirus outbreaks.
A White House official said the administration's action is designed to prevent multiple long-term plant shutdowns that could lead to a supply drop of 80% in supermarkets.
Tuesday, April 28, 2020
US Food Supply Chain Has Begun Breaking Down; COVID-19 May Soon Block Meat Delivery to Stores
Our nation's food supply chain to grocery stores is starting to break down due to the coronavirus, the New American website reports today (April 28, 2020).
Farmers have been plowing under crops that have no markets to ship them to, and area food banks say they cannot get enough food to continue operations.
John Tyson, chairman of the board at Tyson Foods Inc., warned about the impending crisis in a full-page ad published April 26 in the New York Times and other newspapers in which he warned, "The food supply chain is breaking."
Tyson said the prospect of closing down pork, beef, and chicken plants because of the coronavirus has made the U.S. supply chain "vulnerable."
Farmers have been plowing under crops that have no markets to ship them to, and area food banks say they cannot get enough food to continue operations.
John Tyson, chairman of the board at Tyson Foods Inc., warned about the impending crisis in a full-page ad published April 26 in the New York Times and other newspapers in which he warned, "The food supply chain is breaking."
Tyson said the prospect of closing down pork, beef, and chicken plants because of the coronavirus has made the U.S. supply chain "vulnerable."
Monday, April 27, 2020
New Zealand Asserts It Eliminated Coronavirus; Had Less Than 1500 COVID-19 Cases, 19 Deaths
New Zealand says it has stopped community transmission of COVID-19, in effect eliminating the virus, the BBC website reports today (April 27, 2020).
With new cases in single figures for several days -- including just one yesterday -- Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the virus was "currently" eliminated.
Officials have warned against complacency, saying it does not mean a total end to new coronavirus cases.
New Zealand has reported fewer than 1,500 cases of coronavirus and 19 deaths.
With new cases in single figures for several days -- including just one yesterday -- Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the virus was "currently" eliminated.
Officials have warned against complacency, saying it does not mean a total end to new coronavirus cases.
New Zealand has reported fewer than 1,500 cases of coronavirus and 19 deaths.
Sunday, April 26, 2020
Saudi Arabia Bans Flogging as a Punishment; Human Rights Groups Condemned Cruel Act
Saudi Arabia has abolished flogging as a punishment, the state human rights commission said yesterday, hailing the move a "major step forward" in the reform program launched by the king and his powerful son, the Yahoo News website reports today (April 26, 2020).
Court-ordered floggings in Saudi Arabia -- sometimes extending to hundreds of lashes -- have long drawn condemnation from human rights groups.
The state human rights commission said that the latest reform would ensure that no more convicts were sentenced to flogging.
In the future, judges will have to choose between handing down fines or jail sentences, or non-custodial alternatives like community service.
Court-ordered floggings in Saudi Arabia -- sometimes extending to hundreds of lashes -- have long drawn condemnation from human rights groups.
The state human rights commission said that the latest reform would ensure that no more convicts were sentenced to flogging.
In the future, judges will have to choose between handing down fines or jail sentences, or non-custodial alternatives like community service.
Saturday, April 25, 2020
Italy Uses Cannons to Disinfect Many Towns; Italians to End Lockdown,Start "New Normal"
Italian authorities are using snow cannons to disinfect entire towns in the Alps region of Italy ahead of the relaxation of lockdown measures, the Euro News website reports today (April 25, 2020).
Mounted on trucks, snow cannons -- usually used to cover ski slopes with snow -- are blasting tons of disinfectant.
Diluted hydrogen peroxide is being sprayed on roads, walls, and buildings in the town of Val Gardena.
Italy currently has Europe's highest death toll from COVID-19, and is behind only the U.S. in global terms. But Italy is getting ready for the second phase of its lockdown, under which people will be allowed to slowly return to a "new normal."
Mounted on trucks, snow cannons -- usually used to cover ski slopes with snow -- are blasting tons of disinfectant.
Diluted hydrogen peroxide is being sprayed on roads, walls, and buildings in the town of Val Gardena.
Italy currently has Europe's highest death toll from COVID-19, and is behind only the U.S. in global terms. But Italy is getting ready for the second phase of its lockdown, under which people will be allowed to slowly return to a "new normal."
Group Asks Churches Resume Services on May 3; Attendance Canceled for Weeks Due to COVID-19
A national Christian conservative legal nonprofit group is calling on churches nationwide to resume in-person worship services on May 3 while following appropriate safety protocols, arguing that "now is the time to act" after weeks of in-person services being suspended due to COVID-19, the Christian Post website reports today (April 25, 2020).
The Liberty Counsel this week announced an initiative, called Be Open Church Sunday, encouraging churches to open their doors on the Sunday before the National Day of Prayer observance on May 7.
The legal center contends that churches are "more essential than ever" but must be reopened with "appropriate measures of sanitization and appropriate social distancing between families."
"We chose May 3 because it is part of that phase one of the 'Opening America Again' [proposal] that the president [Donald Trump] issued as guidelines," Legal Counsel founder and attorney Met Staver told the Christian Post.
The Liberty Counsel this week announced an initiative, called Be Open Church Sunday, encouraging churches to open their doors on the Sunday before the National Day of Prayer observance on May 7.
The legal center contends that churches are "more essential than ever" but must be reopened with "appropriate measures of sanitization and appropriate social distancing between families."
"We chose May 3 because it is part of that phase one of the 'Opening America Again' [proposal] that the president [Donald Trump] issued as guidelines," Legal Counsel founder and attorney Met Staver told the Christian Post.
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