Facebook to pay News Corp
Weeks after Australia passed a world-first law to make technology platforms pay for news, Facebook has struck a content-supply deal with News Corp, which controls around 70% of newspaper titles in the country as well as several TV networks. It had spearheaded a lobbying campaign for the new law. Divisive talks led to Facebook temporarily blocking all Australian news content last month. The details of the deal weren’t disclosed. Sources: FT, BBC, CNBC, Reuters.
Tesla’s new technoking
Elon Musk gave himself a new job title--Technoking of Tesla--in regulatory filings with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. He maintains the chief executive position. The company’s chief financial officer has been renamed Master of Coin. Musk is no stranger to unconventional names. His son with Canadian musician Grimes is called X Æ A-12. Sources: The Guardian, FT, BBC, CNBC.
VW’s electric future
German carmaker Volkswagen is planning to establish six battery factories for electric vehicles by 2030, expecting 70% of sales in Europe to be electric by the end of the decade. The plants would have combined capacity to produce enough cells for 5m cars annually. Northvolt in Sweden received a $14m order from VW, which is increasing its stake in the battery maker. VW is also planning on spending €400m on fast-charging points as part of a European initiative by 2025. Sources: FT, CNBC, TechCrunch.
Navalny moved to prison camp
Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny has been moved to a penal colony north-east of Moscow, describing the facility as a “real concentration camp” on his Instagram account. Russia has resisted calls to release Navalny, who was arrested after landing in Moscow from Germany, where he had been treated for poisoning with nerve toxin novichok. Conditions at the camp have been described as torture-like by previous inmates. Sources: The Guardian, CNN, Reuters.
US confirms first Native American cabinet secretary
The US Senate has confirmed Deb Haaland as the secretary of the interior, making her the first Indigenous cabinet secretary in US history. A member of New Mexico’s Laguna Pueblo tribe, Haaland will be responsible for land, seas and natural resources, and tribal affairs. The Interior Department is set to play a crucial role in the Biden presidency’s push to combat climate change and conserve nature. Sources: Reuters, The Guardian, NPR, New York Times.
Beijing wants Jack Ma to shed media assets
The Chinese government is reportedly pressing Jack Ma’s Alibaba conglomerate to sell some of its media assets, including Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post. Alibaba’s portfolio features print, broadcast, digital, social media and advertising assets, including a stake in China’s Weibo, a platform similar to Twitter. The government is concerned over the amount of influence on public opinion Alibaba holds. Sources: Bloomberg, The Guardian, Wall Street Journal.
Catholic Church won’t bless same-sex unions
The Vatican on Monday said same-sex unions were a sin and a choice, adding that their blessing could not be “considered licit.” Pope Francis, who previously said homosexual people have a right to a family but also that homosexuality was a sin if acted upon, approved the statement. Sources: BBC, CNN, Washington Post.
EU takes legal action over UK protocol breach
The European Commission has launched legal action against the UK, saying the country unilaterally easing trading rules for Northern Ireland breached EU-UK Brexit agreements. However, both sides appear to be looking to settle the matter out of court. The UK earlier this month said it would extend grace periods relaxing procedures and checks on businesses trading in Northern Ireland until October. Sources: BBC, Sky, FT.
Commission supports Lux-Brussels train upgrade
Commission vice-president Frans Timmermans and transport commissioner Adina Vălean have in principle agreed to support a faster rail connection between Luxembourg and Brussels. Transport minister François Bausch (déi Gréng) and his Belgian counterpart Georges Gilkinet had appealed for funds as part of the EU’s Green Deal and the Next Generation relaunch plan. EU officials suggested setting up a working group to establish details of the project. Source: Transport ministry.
Latest Luxembourg covid-19 update
Four people died after testing positive for Sars-CoV-2 on Sunday, the government said in its latest update, with the pandemic death toll nearing 700. Out of 657 tests carried out, 49 people tested positive (7.46%). 95 people were being treated in hospital for complications caused by the coronavirus (up from 93 the day before), with another 25 patients in intensive care (stable). Source: Health ministry.
DKV not implicated in hospital’s alleged vaccine scheme
Private health insurer DKV on Monday denied an RTL report saying it was involved in planning a coronavirus vaccination campaign together with the Robert Schuman Hospitals group. The group’s president Claude Schummer told public broadcaster Radio 100,7 that he had planned to procure vaccine doses for around 100,000 people and that these enquiries had been sanctioned by the group’s board, but also said DKV was not implicated. Sources: Radio 100,7, RTL, Delano, Paperjam.
Luxembourg ready to vaccinate 95,000 people a week
Prime minister Xavier Bettel (DP) told lawmakers that Luxembourg has infrastructure in place to administer 95,000 coronavirus vaccine jabs per week. But to put the infrastructure to a test there aren’t enough vaccine doses. Luxembourg has halted inoculations with the AstraZeneca vaccine, but according to Bettel Pfizer/BioNTech should speed up deliveries next month and the arrival of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine could further help the vaccination drive. Sources: RTL, L’essentiel.
Employer union mulls rapid test strategy
The Union des entreprises luxembourgeoises, an interest group representing private-sector employers, is in talks with the government about a strategy to use rapid tests within companies. Details on who will cover costs, which sectors will get tested and how often are still being discussed, the UEL said. The government is also planning on rolling out rapid tests in schools after the Easter break. Source: Paperjam.
Oscar nominations for Luxembourg co-productions
Romanian documentary Collective, co-produced by Luxembourg’s Samsa Film, on Monday earned a double Oscar nomination and can hope for a trophy in the best documentary and best international film categories. Animated feature Wolfwalkers, co-produced by Ireland’s Cartoon Saloon and Luxembourg’s Mélusine Productions, was also nominated. Source: Delano.
France to return Klimt painting with Nazi history
Gustav Klimt’s masterpiece “Rosebushes under the Trees” will be returned to the heirs of the original owner--Nora Stiasny--who was forced to sell the painting in Nazi-annexed Austria in 1938. She was later deported and died in Poland in 1942. France’s Musée d’Orsay acquired the work in 1980, unaware of its history. Sources: France24, AP, Le Quotidien.
Today’s breakfast briefing was written by Cordula Schnuer