Âu

[Triển]

Ai cũng yêu thiên nhiên mà.

Rõ ràng trong ngọc trắng ngà
Dày dày sẵn đúc một tòa thiên nhiên
(Nguyễn Du)

Thiên nhiên mà bị hủy hoại thì người ta gọi là thiếu điện nước. Kìa, nghe đồn Mỹ đi canh chừng vụ điện nước nè.

[Triển]

Daily record 952 deaths as Germany enters lockdown

The record death toll for a single day coincided with the country beginning new, tougher COVID-19 lockdown restrictions. Reinforced measures are expected to run at least until January 10, affecting stores and schools.


German hospitals in certain regions have been approaching capacity as infections rise

Germany's Robert Koch Institute reported a record 952 deaths on Wednesday, the country's highest daily death toll since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. The previous record, set less than one week ago, was 598.

Germany also recorded 27,728 new infections as the country entered a stricter lockdown which closed schools and most shops nationwide.

The total number of deaths from coronavirus-related problems reached 23,427. The total number of infections reported by the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) since the beginning of the pandemic stands at 1,379,238, with just over 1 million of those since registered as having recovered.

The number of new infections per 100,000 people in the last seven days stood at 179.8 as an average across Germany, according to the RKI. In some parts of the country, such as Saxony, the figure was much higher. The government aims to bring this number down to 50 — the level at which it says it's still possible to reliably trace the contacts of those infected.

The infection rate was stable or slightly falling among younger age groups, but was still rising among older people who are more likely to suffer more serious problems in connection with the new virus.

A ray of hope came in the form of an announcement from the EU vaccine regulator that the approval for the BioNTech-Pfizer vaccine will be brought ahead — following pressure from German Health Minister Jens Spahn — meaning that Germany could begin immunizing people as early as December 29.
Which services may remain open during the lockdown?

• Grocery stores
• Weekly markets
• Pick-up and delivery services
• Shops selling drinks, health foods, baby-related goods, medical supplies, and pet and animal supplies
• Chemists, pharmacies, and drug stores
• Opticians and hearing care services
• Gas stations
• Banks
• Post offices
• Laundromat
• Newspaper stands
• Christmas tree vendors
• Wholesalers

Bookstores may also remain partially open, depending on the state, for "click-and-collect" services.

ab/msh (dpa, AFP, Reuters)

/* src.: https://www.dw.com/en/coronavirus-da...own/a-55955713

[Triển]

văn(g) minh thụt lùi.
Độc tài vô vị.

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LGBT rights: Hungary passes law banning same-sex adoption

The Hungarian parliament has approved a draft law that would effectively ban same-sex adoption. It also tightens the definition of marriage and the family unit.

Hungarian lawmakers on Tuesday passed a law that bans same-sex couples from adopting children.

Prime Minister Viktor Orban's conservative government proposed the legislation earlier this year, and his Fidesz party has a two-thirds majority in parliament.


Orban controls two-thirds of the Hungarian parliament

The law says only married couples can adopt children and single people can only adopt with special permission from the state.

Adoption by gay and lesbian couples had been possible until now if one partner applied as a single person.

Hungarian Family affairs minister Katalin Novak, a conservative who promotes the traditional family model, would now have to give her approval to requests from single people.

Gay marriage is forbidden in Hungary.

Hungary's parliament also backed a change to the constitution that defined what a family is. "The mother is a woman, the father is a man," the amendment said.


The 2019 Gay Pride march in Budapest

Rights groups and LGBT activists say it excludes alternative family types. They also argue the changes have been rammed through at a time when protests have been severely restricted owing to the coronavirus pandemic.

The move comes after one of Fidesz's MEPs resigned from his post after being caught at a gay sex party in Brussels in breach of local coronavirus restrictions.

Jozsef Szajer, a married 59-year-old father of one, was found by police in a nearby street with blood on his hands after trying to flee the scene by climbing through a window.

Szajer was one of Orban's most loyal lieutenants for many years, helping him author some of his socially conservative policies.

Orban's government, which champions a hard line on immigration, has made several constitutional reforms since coming to power in 2010.

jf/rc (AFP, Reuters)



/* src.: https://www.dw.com/en/lgbt-rights-hu...ion/a-55947139

[Triển]

EU countries to launch vaccination programs on same day

European Commission head Ursula von der Leyen has called for unity — and vaccinations before Christmas. She said poorer non-EU countries will also get vaccines, as Germany announces its vaccine rollout date.


European Commission President von der Leyen says there is much hard work ahead but progress is being made

With pressure mounting on the European Medicines Agency (EMA) to speed up its review of the new BioNTech-Pfizer coronavirus vaccine, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told European parliamentarians that all 27 member states could be able to begin vaccination programs on the same day, possibly before Christmas.

Her speech to the bloc's lawmakers stressed unity and hard work ahead. Noting that the EMA has decided to expedite its hearing on the efficacy and safety of the BioNTech-Pfizer vaccine from December 29 up to the 21st, von der Leyen expressed confidence that the virus could be beaten.

She noted that the BioNTech-Pfizer vaccine was the first of six to be reviewed, all of which the bloc has already ordered to be able to administer each as soon as they are approved for use. "Finally, within a week, the first vaccine will be authorized so that vaccinations can start immediately and more will follow in the new year," she said.

Von der Leyen also released a tweet expressing the need for unity: "This is a huge task. So let's start rapidly with the vaccination together, as 27, on the same day. As we have been united through the pandemic, we will get out of it together & united."

Unified approach, so far

On Wednesday evening local time, Germany announced it aims to roll out the BioNTech and Pfizer vaccine against the coronavirus on December 27, the Berlin city government stated. The announcement followed a meeting between Health Minister Jens Spahn and health officials from Germany's 16 federal states.

It is not known whether this will be the same date as the other 27 member states.

Priority will given to seniors in care homes, Berlin city government announced.

Also Wednesday. French Prime Minister Jean Castex said that France could begin vaccinations "in the last week of December" if "all conditions are met."

Although individual EU member states have the option of issuing emergency authorization of the vaccines, the bloc has, until now, resisted such moves, preferring instead to act as one — abiding by a somewhat lengthier but more solid review period — to make sure that every country is treated the same.

Lawmakers react to vaccine plans

EU Commission Vice President Margaritis Schinas echoed von der Leyen's optimism, saying, "This vaccine will be a Christmas gift for all Europeans if all goes well."

Though Michael Roth, Germany's Minister of State for Europe, urged caution: "We need to also be careful that we don't succumb to political pressures when it comes to the authorization processes." Roth said it was important to get the vaccine rollout right rather than being first.

Pressure has mounted within the EU as the UK, Canada and the US have already begun administering the German-US vaccine.

Von der Leyen also addressed the issue of ensuring low and middle-income countries have access to the potentially life-saving vaccine. She told parliamentarians, "In total, we have bought more than enough doses for everyone in Europe. And we will be able to support our neighbors and partners around the world through COVAX so that no one is left behind."

The COVAX initiative was launched by the World Health Organization (WHO), the European Union and France to provide all countries access to safe and effective vaccines.

kmm, js/rc (AFP, dpa)

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[Triển]

Tin dữ:
Nghe tin chưởng môn phái Tới Bến
bị nhiễm trùng. Mong chưởng môn
bằng an dưỡng bệnh tại điện Thiên
Thai (Elysée).

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EN DIRECT - Covid-19 : Emmanuel Macron testé positif


Le président français a été "diagnostiqué positif à la Covid-19 ce jour", indique l'Elysée dans un communiqué. Ce diagnostic a été établi suite à un test RT-PCR réalisé dès l’apparition de premiers symptômes. "Conformément aux consignes sanitaires en vigueur applicables à tous, le Président de la République s’isolera pendant 7 jours. Il continuera de travailler et d’assurer ses activités à distance", fait savoir l'Elysée. Emmanuel Macron devait se rendre au Liban, le 22 et 23 décembre, ce voyage est annulé.


Par ailleurs, cas-contact, Jean Castex, qui devait présenter la stratégie de vaccination, est absent.


/* src.: https://www.lci.fr/sante/en-direct-c...f-2173022.html

[Triển]

Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf says coronavirus approach 'has failed'


Getty Images - Sweden's King Carl XVI Gustaf says 2020 was a terrible year

Sweden's king has said his country "failed" to save lives with its relatively relaxed approach to the coronavirus pandemic.

King Carl XVI Gustaf made the remarks as part of an annual TV review of the year with the royal family.

Sweden, which has never imposed a full lockdown, has seen nearly 350,000 cases and more than 7,800 deaths - a lot more than its Scandinavian neighbours.

Prime Minister Stefan Lofven said he agreed with the king's remarks.

"Of course the fact that so many have died can't be considered as anything other than a failure," Mr Lofven told reporters.

Referring to the government's strategy, Mr Lofven added that "it's when we are through the pandemic that the real conclusions can be drawn".

In the programme, the king says: "I think we have failed. We have a large number who have died and that is terrible.

"The people of Sweden have suffered tremendously in difficult conditions. One thinks of all the family members who have happened to be unable to say goodbye to their deceased family members. I think it is a tough and traumatic experience not to be able to say a warm goodbye."

When asked if he was afraid of being infected with Covid-19, the king - who is 74 - said: "Lately, it has felt more obvious, it has crept closer and closer. That's not what you want."

Instead of relying on legal sanctions, Sweden appeals to citizens' sense of responsibility and civic duty, and issues only recommendations. There are no sanctions if they are ignored.

Sweden has never imposed a nationwide lockdown or the wearing of masks, and bars and restaurants have remained open.

However, earlier this week, schools across the Stockholm region were asked to switch to distance learning for 13 to 15-year-olds for the first time as soon as possible. The measure was announced in response to rising Covid-19 cases.

This came a week after a nationwide decision on 7 December to switch to remote learning for those over 16.

And on Monday, new nationwide social-distancing recommendations for the Christmas period came into force, replacing similar region-specific guidelines.

Swedes are advised to meet a maximum of eight people, gather outdoors if possible and avoid travelling by train or bus.

A formal ban on public gatherings of more than eight people remains, affecting events such as concerts, sports matches and demonstrations.

'Voluntary'

Sweden's state epidemiologist, Anders Tegnell, in November explained the strategy relied on a combination of legal and voluntary measures.

He told the BBC that this was, in the Swedish context, "the combination that we really believe is the best one".

According to an official report released earlier this week, the strategy failed in its effort to protect the elderly in care homes - for which the government has admitted responsibility.

Over 90% of Covid-related deaths have been among those aged 70 and over, and nearly half of all Covid deaths have been in care homes, the government says.

Mr Tegnell said his agency (Sweden's Public Health Agency) was not responsible for directing the elderly care system, and added all stakeholders needed to help to improve the situation to make sure the elderly did not get infected.

He said he thought Sweden had become better at protecting older people, and that no country had succeeded entirely in that area - even Germany was being hit hard right now, he told Swedish radio on Wednesday.

Sweden has had more deaths than the rest of the Nordic countries combined. This has led to criticism from the country's neighbours, Norway, Denmark and Finland, that its less strict approach is putting their own measures at risk.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Lofven also said he felt many experts had underestimated the second wave.

"I think most in the profession did not see such a wave incoming. There was instead talk of different clusters," he said in an interview with daily Aftonbladet.

/* src.: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-55347021

[Triển]

Công trang.

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Covid-19 pandemic: Sweden reverses face mask guidelines for public transport

Sweden's government is recommending wearing face masks on public transport during the rush hour, reversing its earlier Covid guidance.

Sweden, which has never imposed a full lockdown, has seen nearly 360,000 cases and 8,000 deaths - many more than its Scandinavian neighbours.

The country had previously been one of only a few nations not to recommend masks in public outside of healthcare settings.

(more)

[Triển]

Vượt qua nỗi sợ thanh xà bạch xà, thẩm phán cho đốn rừng làm xe.

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German court allows Tesla to partially clear forest for new factory

BERLIN/FRANKFURT (Reuters) - A German court on Friday ruled Tesla could partially proceed with clearing a forest to build a manufacturing site near Berlin.

Environmentalists had gone to court in the eastern city of Frankfurt an der Oder in an attempt to stop Tesla from clearing the forest, arguing that cutting down more trees could endanger hibernating reptiles.

A temporary halt in clearing had been in force while a regional court studied the matter.

In Friday’s ruling, the Berlin-Brandenburg Higher Administrative Court said it would ban clearing by Tesla in peripheral areas of the site, ruling in favor of environmentalists.

But the court said the stoppage for the rest of the area could not be justified.

Tesla in Europe and the environmental groups did not immediately respond to a request for comment outside of normal business hours.

Reporting by Ralf Bode and Tom Sims; Editing by Alistair Bell

/* src.: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-t...KBN28S32L?il=0

[dulan]

...

N5, có virus mới gì bên Anh mà Đức và nhiều nước không cho chuyến bay từ Anh vào hả, dulan chưa đọc hết bên bbc tiếng Việt.
Rầu ghê...

...

[Triển]

...

N5, có virus mới gì bên Anh mà Đức và nhiều nước không cho chuyến bay từ Anh vào hả, dulan chưa đọc hết bên bbc tiếng Việt.
Rầu ghê...

...

Con SARS-CoV-2 biến dạng và xuất hiện ở Anh lan rộng và xuất hiện ở Nam Phi. Cho nên Hòa Lan và Bỉ cấm không cho máy bay của Anh hôm qua hạ cánh. Hôm nay thì đến lượt Đức và một số quốc gia khác cũng kiểm soát người từ Anh sang.

Vì y khoa chưa biết nhiều về con biến dạng này nên nhà chức trách các nước Châu Âu khác ngăn không cho lan vô nước mình trước để có thời gian tìm hiểu.

PS: theo bản tin BBC: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-55391257 và các nguồn tin khác.