607 active infections in Luxembourg
Latest figures from the ministry of health show that 48 people tested positive for coronavirus out of a total of 9,991 tested in the 24 hours to Wednesday evening. There are currently 607 active infections in the grand duchy, and 23 people are being treated in hospital--3 in intensive care.
Dogs sniff out millions at Findel
Two dogs from the Luxembourg customs administration have discovered cash worth around €2 million hidden in baggage at Findel airport over the last three weeks. The cash found by Dutch Shepherds Gwen et Syrah was in various currencies, including euros and British pounds. Some of it was bound for Istanbul.
Trump downplayed covid pandemic
Renowned journalist Bob Woodward has claimed in a new book that US president Donald Trump told him in March that he was playing down the seriousness of the Covid-19 health crisis because he didn’t want to cause panic. CNN has audio of the conversation. The president on Wednesday defended his action, saying he was a “cheerleader for this country.” Reuters, CNBC and The Washington Post have more.
Brexit: backlash over Internal Markets Bill
The UK government has come under fire from several quarters over proposed new legislation that allows ministers to modify elements of the Withdrawal Agreement it signed with the EU in January. A spokesman for prime minister Boris Johnson said the Internal Markets Bill was required because the Withdrawal Agreement had been delivered “at pace” in “challenging circumstances”. Ireland’s Taoiseach Micheál Martin, the EU’s chief negotiator Michel Barnier and European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen have all expressed concern that the new legislation breaks international law and undermines trust in the UK. The BBC, The Guardian and The Telegraph all have reports and analysis.
Crisis after Moria refugee camp fire
Greece’s migration minister, Giorgos Koumoutsakos, has said the country is facing an “unprecedented humanitarian crisis” after fire destroyed Europe’s largest refugee camp on the island of Lesbos. Around 13,000 people have been left homeless by the disaster. The Guardian and the BBC report.
AstraZeneca vaccine trials paused
One of the leading players in the race to find a vaccine for Covid-19, AstraZeneca, has stopped its trails of a new drug after a participant showed neurological symptoms. An independent committee is now reviewing the safety data after the participant, a UK woman, displayed symptoms associated with a condition where the spinal cord becomes inflamed. Live Science and Business Insider have in-depth analysis of what this all means for progress on the vaccine, which was being produced together with Oxford University.
Belarus: Znak is latest to be seized
The Guardian reports that Belarus campaigner Maxim Znak was hauled from the office of the country’s opposition coordination council by unidentified men in ski masks on Wednesday. He is the latest figure to be taken or forced into exile since protest started against president Alexander Lukashenko.
Norwegian nominates Trump for peace prize
Far right Norwegian politician Christian Tybring-Gjedde has nominated US president Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize. “The committee should…judge him on the facts,” Tybring-Gjedde told Fox News. “For his merit, I think he has done more trying to create peace between nations than most other peace prize nominees.” The BBC, which says the barrier to entry is low, looks at the implications of the nomination.
West coast wildfires continue to rage
Over 20 wildfires are still wreaking havoc in California and parts of Oregon, Reuters reports. Oregon governor Kate Brown says five towns have all but been destroyed, while three fatalities were reported in California. The BBC has impressive video of the scale of the fires.
Academy to set diversity standards for best picture
There has been mixed reaction to an announcement by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences that as of 2024 only films that meet certain diversity standards will be eligible for a best picture nomination at the 2025 Oscars. The new rules require criteria to be met both on and off screen. The Hollywood Reporter, Forbes and Sky News have more.
Today’s breakfast briefing was written by Duncan Roberts