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Health minister Paulette Lenert held a joint press conference with prime minister Xavier Bettel on Wednesday afternoon, her first public appearance since returning to work following a three-week absence. Screenshot: Luxembourg government YouTube. 

Lenert returns to the podium

Health minister Paulette Lenert, who returned to work on Monday after a three-week break following a brief hospitalisation, on Wednesday took to the podium at a joint press conference with prime minister Xavier Bettel. Her appearance has been a familiar site since the start of the coronavirus pandemic in Luxembourg in March 2020. On her official Facebook page, Lenert said she was happy to resume work. “As it is impossible to answer every single one of them, I would like to thank you all for the kind words and the support I received during that time!”

MyGuichet overburdened as AstraZeneca waiting list opens

Social media reports on Wednesday evening indicated that the government’s MyGuichet website was experiencing problems handling demand to register for the AstraZeneca covid vaccination. The site opened a waiting list for the 30 to 54-year old age group, but several users reported problems and faced having to restart their application process after being timed out on the site. By early Thursday morning the site seemed to be fully accessible again. Delano has rolling coverage.

Bankers see alarming trend in falling results

The Luxembourg bankers’ association has said results for 2020 showing net earnings for the Luxembourg banking sector were down 18.1% are an “alarming trend”. ABBL chairman Guy Hoffmann said he expects further rationalisation of the sector through mergers, restructuring and even closures. Delano and Paperjam (in French) have reports.

Becker takes reins at LuxSE

Julie Becker officially took on the role of CEO of the Luxembourg Stock Exchange on Wednesday, replacing Robert Scharfe who had been at the helm for nine years. Becker had been deputy CEO since December 2019 and is the founder of the Luxembourg Green Exchange (LGX). Scharfe’s final act was to announce the exchange’s annual results for 2020, which saw profit returned to 2018 levels. Delano has a report.

Pharma companies promote vaccine boosters

BioNTech co-founder Dr Ozlem Tureci has said that because vaccine-induced immunity against coronavirus is expected to decrease over time, a third shot of the vaccine her company developed with Pfizer may be necessary. Indeed, she told CNBC that an annual jab, like that taken for seasonal flu, may be the best bet to prevent contracting the virus. Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel has already said that his company hopes to have a booster shot for its two-dose vaccine available in the autumn.

Vaccine could lead to relaxed rules

The European Centre for Disease Control has suggested that the wearing of masks and social distancing could be relaxed in member states in certain situations where fully vaccinated people meet with other fully vaccinated individuals, or where fully vaccinated young and middle-aged adults meet unvaccinated people. Delano reports.

Oxygen shortage leaves India facing covid “storm”

At least 24 patients died in a hospital in western India on Wednesday after oxygen supply was disrupted following a leak in a gas tank A nationwide shortage of oxygen has led to security being ramped up amid fears of looting supply trucks. Prime minister Narendra Modi said the country faces a coronavirus “storm” that could overwhelm its health system. Reuters and the BBC have reports.

German legal challenge to EU recovery plan dismissed

The EU’s €750bn covid stimulus package received a boost on Wednesday when Germany’s constitutional court in Karlsruhe dismissed legal challenges brought by eurosceptics who fear such borrowing could become a permanent EU policy. Germany is one of ten member states still to ratify the stimulus package. Despite opposition in some countries, including Poland, the EU hopes the monies can start being disbursed across all 27 member states in July. CNBC and Euractiv have more.

US launches federal probe into Minneapolis police

US Attorney General Merrick Garland on Wednesday announced that the Justice Department will launch an investigation into whether the Minneapolis police department engaged in systemic “unconstitutional or unlawful policing.” The Washington Post, CBS and Fox have more.

Mass arrests at Navalny protests

Reports suggest that well over 1,000 people were arrested at rallies across Russia in support of jailed opposition leader Alexei Navalny on Wednesday. The protests were timed to coincide with an address by Vladimir Putin in which he warned the West not to cross a “red line” with Russia. The BBC, CNN, Deutsche Welle and The Wall Street Journal have reports.

Bomb kills four in Pakistan hotel attack

A car bomb attack on a hotel in the city of Quetta in south-western Pakistan has left four dead and around a dozen injured. According to the country’s interior minister, the Chinese ambassador and his delegation were booked into the hotel but were not inside when the explosion occurred. The Guardian and Reuters have details.

Indonesian submarine missing

Indonesian navy ships are searching for one of its submarines which went missing with 53 people on board while conducting a drill north of the island of Bali. Indonesia has called on Australia and Singapore to help in the search, the BBC reports.

Italian pulls a 15-year sickie

An Italian public health employee has allegedly managed to take off work for 15 years while still drawing his salary. Nicknamed the “king of absentees” by the Italian press, the hospital worker in the Calabrian city of Catanzaro had apparently not shown up for work since 2005. In that time, he accumulated a total of €538,000 in pay. The Guardian has the full story.

Today's breakfast briefing was written by Duncan Roberts