Church

Published 25 December 2020 Share close Share page Copy link About sharing Related Topics Coronavirus pandemic More than 500 people packed a church for a zero-distanced carol service on the Isle of Man - thought to be one of the largest in the British Isles. Residents have been living without restrictions since 15 June as there is no spread of Covid-19 on the island. The congregation at Kirk Braddan near Douglas enjoyed a mix of carols and contemporary Christmas classics. Rev Daniel Richards said he hoped it would offer "a light in the darkness" to those affected by the pandemic. There have been a total of 374 cases of the virus on the island since March, including 25 deaths. However, strict border controls and isolation rules have allowed nearly all restrictions to be lifted for six months and life has almost returned to normal. The only three active cases on the …

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Here's what's happening Friday with the coronavirus pandemic in the U.S.: THREE THINGS TO KNOW TODAY — California’s deadly Christmas was marked by pleas to avoid holiday gatherings outside the home and indoor church services in what could be a make-or-break effort to curb a coronavirus surge that already has filled some hospitals well beyond normal capacity. — U.S. factories have been cranking out goods during much of the pandemic at rates that are remarkably close to normal. However, manufacturers are concerned they may not be able to keep pace until most of the country is vaccinated because the coronavirus continues to surge in areas where many plants are based. — As much of the country experiences spiking virus rates, a reprieve from a devastating surge of the coronavirus in the Upper Midwest has given cautious relief to health officials, though they worry that infections remain rampant and holiday gatherings could reignite the worst outbreaks of the …

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Kanye West, who rose to fame 12 years ago on the strength of a church-inspired gospel march called "Jesus Walks," is trying to keep his faith. "Deliver us serenity / Deliver us peace," he sings on "Ultralight Beam," an opening cut so remarkable that it's striking to think it wasn't initially intended to appear on the album. West's voice is relatively unadorned—no distortion, no 808s & Heartbreak manipulations—while the surrounding track is a pause-and-release cavalcade of gospel voices, silky trumpet figures and snippets of prayer (the final of which is delivered by legendary gospel artist Kirk Franklin). In one of the album's most rousing verses, 22-year-old Chance the Rapper hops from Arthur (the '90s PBS cartoon) to "This Little Light of Mine," the civil rights–era anthem inspired by biblical passages. The song, in all its expansive generosity, is the direct inverse of "On Sight," the bracing Yeezus opener that drew the reluctant admiration of Lou Reed. It's an …

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England is bracing for harsh new coronavirus restrictions to come in tomorrow after MPs overwhelmingly backed another national lockdown. It means that various businesses will be forced to shut, people will again be urged to stay at home and social mixing will be all but banned from Thursday, November 5, to Wednesday, December 2. But despite this being the second lockdown of its kind, there are a number of key differences with the restrictions last time around. Many fear that the looser nature of the incoming measures mean they could be extended, or leave the country facing a third lockdown at a later date. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he faced no alternative to the nuclear option of a lockdown, amid fears that the NHS could be overwhelmed by a new spike in Covid-19 cases and as the likes of France and Germany announced similarly draconian steps. Below, we take a look at some of the changes between the rules for England’s looming lockdown and what people could …

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At age 13, Sky Brown has made history with her bronze medal win at the Olympics after becoming Britain’s youngest summer Olympian but she’s not only known for her skateboarding success. At 13 years and 23 days, she eclipsed Margery Hinton’s longstanding record of 13 years and 43 days – from when she competed in swimming in the 1928 Games – to become Britain’s youngest competitor. As well as smashing Olympic records, Sky also has had more careers already than many people have in a lifetime, becoming a hit on social media and smashing it on reality TV. Basically, it seems like there’s nothing she can’t do. A true Gen Z star, Sky has never been coached in skateboarding, instead learning tricks from YouTube. But that’s not the extent of her knowledge of social media, with the star racking up a huge following. Who is Sky Brown? Sky is a professional skateboarder who was selected for Team GB for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. She secured a bronze medal during the …

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This year, eight mosques in northern Ivory Coast and Ivindo National Park in Gabon have landed one of the coveted places on UNESCO's World Heritage List. In addition to the two sites in Africa, the responsible committee at its 44th session in the Chinese port city of Fuzhou named 16 candidates from Europe and another 16 from other world regions as new World Heritage Sites. The geographic imbalance in UNESCO's awarding of titles is not new. Almost half of the 1154 UNESCO World Heritage Sites are in Europe, fewer than 100 in Africa. Kenyan George Abungu has a simple explanation for this: "The process is too Eurocentric." Latest additions to UNESCO World Heritage list Danube Limes, Germany, Austria, Slovakia The Danube Limes, as part of the border of the ancient Roman Empire, has also been designated as a new World Heritage Site. The Lower Germanic Limes along the Rhine had previously been included in the World Heritage list. In Germany the Danube Limes extends over …

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Published 1 January Share close Share page Copy link About sharing Related Topics Coronavirus pandemic It will take two years to rebalance the Isle of Man's books as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, according to the chief minister. Howard Quayle said the island had been "on course" to post a £11m surplus this year, sufficient to "plug the public sector pension black hole". However, the impact of Covid-19 has already cost the island £190m. Mr Quayle said while "we can't be complacent, so far we are in a strong position" to recover within two years. 'No manual' Reflecting on the island's response to the pandemic, he said the government had been forced to make "tough decisions" that "impacted people lives". At the height of the pandemic, schools were closed, many businesses were forced to shut their doors, non-essential travel was banned and a 40mph national speed …

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Published 24 December 2020 Share close Share page Copy link About sharing Related Topics Coronavirus pandemic The coronavirus pandemic has reminded communities of their "fragility", the Isle of Man's bishop has said. Rt Rev Peter Eagles said the tumultuous year had exposed "the vulnerability of even an island nation like ours" when confronted with a "new reality". While 2020 would leave "scars", the Bishop of Sodor and Man said it would also "strengthen and unite us". Strict border controls and isolation rules mean island life on the island has largely returned to normal. But the bishop said the pandemic had still left people with "sadness and grief that remain unresolved, and that people will carry forward". He continued: "We have to be honest and say we have come out of it as best as we possibly could, and for that we're grateful I think." 'New future' Although …

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STUFF Justice Minister Kris Faafoi has detailed the Government's proposed changes to hate speech laws. OPINION: Sticks and stones will break my bones, the childhood rhyme goes, but names will never hurt me. Yet as we grow up, we realise the power of words. Cowards vilify minorities online. A passer-by murmurs insinuations at someone who looks different walking past them in the street (which happens to my sister-in-law with depressing regularity). Almost unbelievably, after the Christchurch mosque attacks, Islamophobic abuse rose by an astonishing 1300 per cent , according to an Auckland University study. It’s understandable, then, that the hate speech law changes proposed are based on the notion that words do tangible harm. We can debate this, but certainly the suggested penalties reflect that belief. As many as three years in jail for hate speech, and fines of up to $50,000. The matter is urgent. Submissions on the hate speech proposals close on Friday​; the …

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Sen. Tammy Duckworth honored Joe Biden's late son Beau, a fellow Iraq War veteran, while slamming President Donald Trump Advertisement Sen. Tammy Duckworth Sen. Tammy Duckworth | Credit: DNC2020 During the final night of the Democratic National Convention on Thursday, Sen. Tammy Duckworth dug into President Donald Trump's performance as commander-in-chief while speaking about the sacrifices of U.S. military families. Duckworth, who lost her right leg near the hip and her left leg below the knee in 2004 while serving in Iraq when her helicopter was shot down, spoke in support of Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and honored his late son Beau's own military service in Iraq as a U.S. Army major. Get push notifications with news, features and more. + Follow Following You'll get the latest updates on this topic in your browser notifications. "Joe knows the fear military families live …

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