SEEK PEACE

“In this, her first Easter sermon since becoming spiritual leader of the world's Anglicans, Sarah Mullally pleaded for an end to, quote, the violence and destruction in the Middle East. She added, may all people of the region receive the peace, justice, and freedom they long for.”

“President Trump has not said anything about the missing airmen. But earlier today, he threatened to unleash, quote, all hell if the Strait of Hormuz wasn't open by Monday.”

“Thousands gathered in front of St. Peter's Basilica for Mass where Pope Leo led his Easter message with a prayer, offering a reminder of faith and continuity for Christians around the world. The Pope also called for peace and urged the world not to grow numb to war and suffering.”

“Flights are more expensive because fuel prices are increased due to the Strait of Hormuz being mostly closed for the last four weeks. In the Middle East region, aviation data showed more than 46,000 flights cancelled since February 28th, when the US and Israel began attacking Iran.”

“President Trump also issued a profane threat to Iran on Easter Sunday morning. He said starting Tuesday, the US will bomb power plants and bridges if Iran doesn't open the Strait of Hormuz. The president has issued a series of contradictory statements on the Strait, saying that it would open naturally when the war ends, or that European countries should open the Strait themselves.”

“Gasoline prices have jumped sharply since the US and Israel launched their war against Iran. That's expected to push the annual inflation rate back above 3% when the price index for March is released on Friday. Core inflation, which strips out volatile energy and food prices, is also expected to be higher in March than it was in February.”

“As for humans who have looked at the moon our entire lives, it just looked different out the window, and that is wild. It just really put our place in the universe in perspective.”

“This Easter, only about a dozen priests were praying inside the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, where it's believed Jesus died and was resurrected. Auxiliary Bishop William Schomali says holy places without pilgrims is like a body without soul, and he urged politicians to choose the way of peace, forgiveness, and reconciliation.”

“Oil is a globally priced commodity, so even though we won't have a physical shortage here because we've got Canada for heavy oil and we produce our own, the reality is that the price is global and there's a real physical shortage. And so we don't escape that price impact, and that translates to what it costs a refiner to buy the crude and therefore what you pay for gasoline at the pump.”

“In his Easter address, Pope Leo said that peace cannot be achieved through weapons or threats. At a time when political leaders in the United States and in Israel have employed religious language to justify the war in Iran, the Pope said that the Christian story is one of non-violence. The Pope also called on each individual to take action and not be desensitized by the suffering and death of others.”

“Easter comes this year into a world torn by wars in the Middle East and Ukraine, and at a time of great political strife in the US., yet Christians around the world celebrate, as they have for millennia, the resurrection of Christ, as the triumph of light over darkness, peace over violence, life over death.”

“A US. Air Force officer who, along with another crew member, ejected from a jet shot down in Iran on Friday was rescued by US forces Sunday morning. President Trump announced the rescue on social media, calling it, quote, one of the most daring search and rescue operations in US history.”

“Reopening of the Straits will be slow because it may have been mined. Also, the logistics of getting all the ships that are trapped in out and the ones that are out in will be slow. Repair, there's been a lot of damage to infrastructure. We don't know how bad.”

“At the weekend box office, the Super Mario Galaxy movie took the top spot with an estimated $130 million in ticket sales. That's the biggest opening of the year for a Hollywood film. The Illumination and Nintendo co-production capitalized on kids' spring break vacations, and despite mixed reviews, audiences were happy.”

“Hundreds of TSA workers resigned during the recent pay disruption, and experts say it can take months to hire and train replacements. That means staffing levels can vary by airport and even by the time of day, creating unpredictable wait times for travelers.”