Esch-Belval vaccine centre
The vaccination centre at the Maison des matériaux in Esch-Belval opens today. The schedule and opening hours for the second vaccination centre in the grand duchy are the same as for the Victor Hugo Hall vaccination centre in Limpertsberg. The government says invitations to get a jab are being sent out by mail to relevant individuals for each of the successive phase of the vaccination deployment. As Delano reported, on Friday during a media briefing, health minister Paulette Lenert said that vaccine centres in Ettelbrück and Mondorf are also due to start operating soon. They had not opened during the first phase as there was not enough vaccine to warrant the move, she explained.
Military ups presence in Myanmar
Concerns for pro-democracy protestors in Myanmar grew on Sunday as the military cut off the country’s internet and armoured cars were reportedly seen on the streets of Yangon, Myitkyina and Sittwe. The Guardian says that internet-monitoring service Netblocks reported connectivity in Myanmar had fallen to 14% of ordinary levels. In its report, the BBC cited a tweet from Tom Andrews, the UN special rapporteur on Myanmar, saying “It's as if the generals have declared war on the people of Myanmar.” Reuters said in the early hours of Monday that the internet had been resorted following an overnight suspension. The embassies of the European Union and 13 other nations called on security forces to “refrain from violence against demonstrators and civilians.”
WHO team couldn’t get raw data from Wuhan
Dominic Dwyer, an Australian infectious diseases expert who was part of a World Health Organization-led team investigating the origins of the covid-19 pandemic, says China refused to provide the researchers with the raw data they requested. Dwyer told Reuters that obtaining such data was “standard practice for an outbreak investigation” and was particularly interesting for the covid-19 pandemic as only half of the 174 cases identified from the early phase of the outbreak had exposure to the Huanan market, which was long regarded as the first super-spreader of the coronavirus. Dwyer said he wouldn’t speculate as to why China didn’t hand over the data, “whether it’s political or time or it’s difficult...”
Triple A for Luxembourg
As we reported on Saturday, ratings agency DBRS Morningstar reconfirmed Luxembourg’s AAA rating and even scored the grand duchy highly for its transparency. The agency included environmental, social and governance (ESG) aspects in its methodology for the first time.
Republican mavericks face backlash
The seven Republican senators who voted in favour to convict Donald Trump at his impeachment on charges of inciting insurrection have started to feel the wrath of their home state parties. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana has already been formally censured by his party, and Ben Sasse of Nebraska faces a similar fate. But Cassidy told CNN that he think Trump’s force is on the wane. “The Republican Party is more than just one person,” he said. CNBC and Forbes have more.
Carlo Wagner
Former Luxembourg health minister Carlo Wagner, who was in the cabinet of the Junker-Polfer government from 1999 to 2004, has died at the age of 67 after a long illness. Wagner was also the mayor of Wormeldange and an MP from 1994 to 1999 and again from 2004 to 2013.
Too much Dogecoin concentration says Musk
Elon Musk continues to hold court via Twitter on the swaying fortunes of cryptocurrencies. In his latest musing, Musk said that too much concentration of Dogecoin among its major holders “is the only real issue imo” and that he would give his full support to major Dogecoin holders who sell most of their coins. Mint says that Dogecoin has been “among the obsessions of retail investors this year”, as it rose to a high of 8.4 cents on 8 February from about 1 cent at the beginning of 2021. Reuters also reports.
Separatists win in Catalonia
The three parties calling for independence from Spain for Catalonia are on course to have 74 seats in the new 135-strong regional government following elections on Sunday. With 99% of ballots counted, separatists won 50.9% of the vote. On the other hand, far-right unionist party Vox has managed to win 11 seats and will enter Catalonia's parliament for the first time. The BBC and France24 have details.
Royals mark 40th anniversary
Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa celebrated 40 years of marriage on Sunday. The royal couple were married on St. Valentin’s Day in 1981. The royal court has issued new photos and shared their joy via Twitter.
Meghan and Harry expecting
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have confirmed that they are expecting a second child, as reported by the BBC and Sky News.
Hotel quarantine
Two travellers in quarantine in hotels in Honk Kong and Sydney shares their experiences on video with the BBC.
Today's breakfast briefing was written by Duncan Roberts