Startup guru death
Among the people to have lost their lives to covid was Jérôme Grandidier, 50, who founded and presided over company innovation partner LuxFactory. According to Paperjam, Grandidier was originally from Nancy and began his career in Luxembourg in 1992 with Econocom. In 2002, he took over SIT Group, which he transformed into Telecom Luxembourg Private Operator in 2009. A talented entrepreneur who specialised in transition management, fundraising and digital transformation, he also had the idea to launch a crypto asset under the name MySardines.
Thanksgiving covid spike warning
The number of global confirmed coronavirus cases reached 62.6 million on Sunday while the death toll crept closer to 1.5m, data from John Hopkins University shows.
US health officials warned on Sunday of a post-Thanksgiving spike in coronavirus infections, deaths and stress on hospitals and their staff if people did not wear masks and physically distance (New York Times). The US had 13.3m cases, and close to 267,000 deaths at the time of writing.
A study has found that the UK’s four-week lockdown cut virus cases by 30%. The measures are due to end this week. Bloomberg
Restrictions around Europe during the Christmas holiday season vary widely. As several countries relax partial lockdown restrictions, Politico offers this primer.
And in Luxembourg
Over 1,130 people tested positive for coronavirus on Friday and Saturday, Luxembourg’s government reports. There were 12 further deaths over the two days, bringing the country’s death toll to 312 since the start of the pandemic. 203 people were in hospital, of which 42 in intensive care, according to the latest government figures. Follow our rolling coverage here.
A Luxembourg petitioner is meanwhile calling for people who repeatedly fail to comply with covid-19 restrictions to be made to pay their medical fees in case of infection. The cost of hospitalisation in intensive care amounts to approximately €38,500 per person. Delano
Private security patrol gare
Luxembourg City has hired private security staff to assist police in the Gare district of the capital. The six officers are contracted to work in the area, which in the past has attracted drug dealers and petty criminals, until the end of January. Delano
Public digital service boost
Luxembourg has launched a lab aimed at accelerating improvements in digital public services. The GovTech project, which launched last Thursday, is calling for experiences and ideas from startups, freelancers, companies and researchers. Delano
White Island case
New Zealand’s workplace regulator has filed charges against 13 parties following the 2019 White Island eruption that killed 22 people. Reuters
Trump’s Chinese blacklist
The Trump administration was this week expected to add Chinese tech company SMIC and offshore oil and gas producer CNOOC to a blacklist of alleged Chinese military companies. It means US investors will be blocked from buying securities from listed firms starting in 2021. The latest names bring the total number of Chinese companies affected to 35. Reuters
All-female press team
President elect Joe Biden announced he has appointed an all-female senior press team, to be led by Kate Bedingfield. On Monday, the Democrat leader will receive his first presidential daily briefing. Biden is set to be sworn into office on 20 January. BBC news, Bloomberg
Australian pm demands China apology
Australia’s prime minister Scott Morrison is seeking an apology from Beijing after a Tweet showed a false image of an Australian soldier holding a knife to the throat of an Afghan child. The image was posted by Zhao Lijian, a spokesperson for the foreign affairs ministry. Reuters
Maradona death inquiry
Prosecutors seized medical files from the doctor of the late Diego Maradona as part of an investigation into his death following a heart attack. No charges have been brought against Doctor Leopoldo Luque or anyone else but the probe will continue. Luque told reporters there was no medical error and that he was not responsible for the football star’s death. Reuters
Paris police charged
Three Paris police officers were on Sunday being held for beating a black music producer during an arrest a week ago. The victim, Michel Zecler, was later released without charge. The violent incident was captured on CCTV and has been widely circulated on social media, sparking outcry in the press as well as demonstrations against police violence in France on Friday and Saturday. French president Emmanuel Macron condemned the attack as “unacceptable” in a video statement, saying “France is a country of order and freedom, not gratuitous and arbitrary violence”. Reuters, Politico, The Guardian.
Close shave for Grosjean
Formula 1 driver Romain Grosjean sustained minor burns after his vehicle crashed and was engulfed in flames at the Bahrain Grand Prix on Sunday. Dramatic footage of the crash showed the car skidding off the track and splitting in two when it hit a barrier. Grosjean, who was trapped for 10 seconds, eventually climbed unaided from the flames. Euronews
Agenda
Luxembourg’s parliament will host two public sessions: on Tuesday to discuss the state’s contributions towards measures covered by national health service the CNS during the pandemic, Eurojust and raising animals raised for fur.
On Thursday, debates will focus on political investments for the compensation and intergenerational sovereign funds. There will also be a debate on the VAT law.
From Wednesday, 2 December, 3,200 archive files will be made available through the national digital archives, Anlux.
Today’s Breakfast Briefing was written by Jess Bauldry.