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Italy to begin easing Covid restrictions

AFP/Editor

The Italian government said Wednesday it plans to gradually lift Covid-19 restrictions from next week, with restaurants and movie theatres set to reopen.

Authorities said restaurants will be allowed to serve patrons outdoors from Monday, but only in yellow zone areas where the risk of contagion is deemed low.

Cinemas, theatres and concert halls can also reopen the same day with 50 percent capacity. 

Schools and universities will be allowed to resume in-person classes as well, and travel between yellow zones will resume.

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However a 10pm to 5am curfew will remain in place.

During the next stage beginning May 15, outdoor pools will reopen and malls, which currently are operating weekdays only, will be allowed to operate on weekends.

From June 1, bars and restaurants can serve patrons indoors but only from 5am to 6pm. Gyms will also be given the green light to resume business.

Stadiums at that time will reopen for the public at 25 percent capacity. The number of spectators, however, cannot exceed 1,000 in open-air venues and 500 in indoor venues.

From June 15, fairs will be allowed to take place and beginning July, conference venues, theme parks and spas can resume operations.

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Italian media said the majority of regions in Italy will be classified yellow zones from Monday, thus allowing for Covid restrictions to be gradually lifted nationwide.

The easing of controls comes as the country is still registering 300 deaths on average per day because of the pandemic that has so far killed 117,000 people.

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Central America

Senator Van Hollen Meets with Deported MS-13 Member in El Salvador; Trump and Bukele React

U.S. Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen, representing the state of Maryland, held a meeting in El Salvador with deported MS-13 gang member Kilmar Ábrego García, a member of the criminal group classified by the U.S. government as a terrorist organization.

“Kilmar Ábrego García, miraculously resurrected from the ‘extermination camps’ and ‘torture chambers,’ now sipping margaritas with Senator Van Hollen in the tropical paradise of El Salvador!” wrote President Nayib Bukeleon X (formerly Twitter), sharing photos of Van Hollen, Ábrego García, and a lawyer sitting together at a Salvadoran hotel.

The deported gang member is seen wearing a plaid shirt and a flat-brimmed cap, seated at a table with glasses and coffee cups. The senator also shared images of the meeting on his own social media accounts.

Bukele reaffirmed that Ábrego will remain in El Salvador and will not be returned to the United States.

“Now that his health has been confirmed, he has earned the honor of remaining under the custody of El Salvador,” Bukele added.

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Former U.S. President Donald Trump criticized the senator’s meeting with Ábrego on Truth Social, calling Van Hollen “a fool” for advocating for Ábrego’s return to the U.S.

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International

Pope Francis Appears for Easter Blessing, Calls for Peace and Religious Freedom

Pope Francis, still recovering from pneumonia, appeared on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican on Easter Sunday and, with a faint voice, wished a “Happy Easter” to the thousands of faithful gathered to celebrate the Resurrection of Christ.

A month after being discharged from a lengthy hospital stay, the presence of the 88-year-old pontiff had remained uncertain, with the Vatican not confirming his attendance ahead of time.

Eventually, the pope made a brief appearance in a wheelchair shortly after 12:00 p.m. (10:00 GMT) to deliver his traditional “Urbi et Orbi” blessing (“to the city and to the world”).

Although no longer wearing an oxygen cannula, the Argentine Jesuit relied on a close aide to read his Easter message, which touched on major global conflicts.

Francis condemned the “dramatic and unworthy humanitarian crisis” in Gaza and called for a ceasefire, while also expressing concern over the “growing climate of antisemitism spreading across the globe.”

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He further emphasized the importance of religious freedom and freedom of thought, stating that without mutual respect, “peace is not possible.”

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International

Thousands rally nationwide against Trump’s threat to U.S. democracy

Thousands of protesters gathered on Saturday (April 19, 2025) in major cities like New York and Washington, as well as in small communities across the United States, in a second wave of demonstrations against President Donald Trump. The crowds denounced what they view as growing threats to the country’s democratic ideals.

In New York City, demonstrators of all ages rallied in front of the Public Library near Trump Tower, holding signs accusing the president of undermining democratic institutions and judicial independence.

Many protesters also criticized Trump’s hardline immigration policies, including mass deportations and raids targeting undocumented migrants.

“Democracy is in grave danger,” said Kathy Valyi, 73, the daughter of Holocaust survivors. She told AFP that the stories her parents shared about Adolf Hitler’s rise to power in 1930s Germany “are happening here now.”

In Washington, demonstrators voiced concern over what they see as Trump’s disregard for long-standing constitutional norms, such as the right to due process.

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