It is hoped that Novavax’s protein-based, and thus more traditional, vaccine could persuade holdouts who worry about the current mRNA vaccine’s safety profile to take the plunge. It would add a fifth vaccine to the EU’s arsenal, next to those of Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson.
EU leaders discussed their response to a pandemic situation that’s quickly evolving. “Urgent administration of booster shots” and “overcoming vaccine hesitancy,” which also entails “addressing disinformation,” remained primary goals, though it was agreed to “take forward the implementation of COVID-19 therapeutics via joint procurement.”
On Wednesday, the newly established formation, composed of the People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD), Democrats 66 (D66), Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) and the Christian Union (CU) presented its coalition agreement. Mark Rutte (VVD) is expected to be appointed Prime Minister for a fourth term.
The question of whether EU law had primacy over Hungarian law with respect to immigration was avoided by redirecting the issue away from conflicting legal claims.
About 44,000 Austrians gathered at the capital’s Heldenplatz once more last Saturday to protest their government’s measures to combat the ongoing COVID pandemic.
While he has a history of denouncing certain policies of the Hungarian government, Emmanuel Macron last week said he regarded Prime Minister Viktor Orbán as a political opponent but also as a European partner.
The Court of Justice declared that member countries are “free to decide whether or not to allow marriage and parenthood for persons of the same sex under their national law.” But the Court ruled that Bulgaria had to recognize the child’s Spanish birth certificate and issue an ID.
On Friday, the Australian-born whistleblower was informed that the United States government won an appeal over his extradition in London’s High Court. Charged on 18 counts, Assange oversaw the publication of classified information, altogether constituting the largest leak in U.S. history. Mainly composed of U.S. military records and diplomatic cables, his accuser claims the leaks had endangered lives.
More of a mission statement by each world leader than an actual in-depth discussion of the topic, some of the core themes at the summit addressed the strengthening of their own democracies, safeguarding rights and freedoms, and promoting egalitarianism wherever possible. Threats posed by ‘authoritarianism,’ ‘populism,’ and ‘fake news’ were common throughout.
German security officials issued a statement that a planned Islamist attack had been foiled over the summer. A man who had been trying to buy weapons and make explosives had been arrested in the northern city of Hamburg.
During the swearing-in ceremony Scholz, a professed non-believer, opted to drop the phrase “so help me God.” It makes him the second Chancellor to do so since Gerhard Schroeder.
With the Rothschild family agreeing to the deal, the Dutch can soon admire the self-portrait on home turf. The Rijksmuseum, which already houses a sizable number of Rembrandts, plans to give it a place of honour.
