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250,000 Corona-Tote in the USA
Anyone in Germany who still believes the coronavirus isn’t that bad should look to the United States – ignorance and denial have contributed significantly to a sad new record there. The country now has 250,000 crown deaths. In the last 60 days alone, 50,000 Americans have died.
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump is still entrenched in the White House and doing virtually nothing about the crisis. By the time his successor Joe Biden takes office on January 20, the United States could have already clearly passed the 300,000 death mark.
There are also Trump dead: he had always played down the threat posed by the virus. At the moment, it is particularly hard to hit states where Republican governors and other Trump supporters have long flatly opposed the mandatory use of masks or other precautionary measures. In some of these states a rethink is beginning, in Iowa the governor Kim Reynolds has made the mask mandatory for the first time.
A South Dakota nurse recently appeared on US television and reported that some people in her hospital refused to believe, even on their deathbed, that the coronavirus was a real threat to their lives. “They die and scream, ‘It can’t be,'” Jodi Doering tells CNN.
The good news, despite everything, is that the rapid spread of the virus in the United States is also accelerating tests for vaccines. This way, companies can more quickly reach the number of sick test subjects required for vaccine approval. Pharmaceutical giant Pfizer and its German partner Biontech want to submit their application for emergency approval for their new vaccine protection to the responsible FDA in the United States “in the next few days.” In the United States, the first vaccinations could therefore begin as early as the end of the year.
Will Poland and Hungary fold?
The dispute between the EU and the heads of government of Poland and Hungary begins a new cycle today. A solution must be sought in a videoconference of the EU heads of state and government. Earlier this week, the governments of Hungary and Poland blocked the EU budget and planned crown aid for troubled member states totaling € 1.8 trillion with their veto.
Ahead of Thursday’s meeting, the governments of Poland and Hungary reiterated their stubborn stance. As is well known, we want to block the introduction of the so-called rule of law mechanism by veto. The new regulation provides that countries such as Poland and Hungary may lose their right to EU aid if, for example, they act against the independence of the judiciary. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán accused the EU of “blackmail”. The president of Poland Andrzej Duda spoke of a “dictation” from Brussels.
These are the usual right-wing populist phrases. Chancellor Angela Merkel as EU Council President is expected to mediate in the dispute. According to the agency’s reports in Berlin, a government spokesperson said the federal government would not shy away from linking future EU payments to the rule of law. There would be “unchanged and intense” discussions with all involved.
Meanwhile, the German economy is pushing for a quick settlement to the dispute and the rapid release of European Crown aid funds. Payments are one of the most important prerequisites for economic recovery in Europe. Above all, major export partners of the German economy such as France, Italy and Spain are urgently dependent on money. “The EU must overcome the budget freeze as quickly as possible,” BDI CEO Joachim Lang asked.
Faced with the commission of inquiry into the bankruptcy of the former Dax Wirecard group, things could get interesting today. Former Wirecard boss Markus Braun will likely testify at least in part about budget fraud at his former company. This was announced by the financial politician of the Fdp Florian Toncar.
This is relevant to case investigators like Toncar, because they are trying to find out to what extent the federal government has failed in relation to the alleged scams in the company. It should also be clarified in what form the group could have influenced political decisions in Berlin through lobbyists.
The former head of Wirecard Braun, otherwise detained in Augsburg, must appear in person in Berlin before the special committee of the Bundestag. The Federal Court of Justice (BGH) on Tuesday rejected his lawyers’ request to testify via video broadcast only.
Winner of the day …
… is the US aircraft manufacturer Boeing. After 20 months on the ground, his 737-Max machines can fly again. The US FAA lifted a flight ban imposed after two accidents with hundreds of deaths. Boeing’s shares have risen significantly.
FAA chief executive Steve Dickson said of the decision he felt “one hundred percent” comfortable with the idea of his family being in one of the cars. During the test flights for the re-registration of the 737-Max, he also took over the steering wheel. Technical changes to the aircraft type have made it “impossible” to repeat such accidents. Then always have a good flight.
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Your Roland Nelles
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