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Tensions in the United States. Donald Trump issued a moderate-tone video appeal promising a smooth transfer of power to Joe Biden. “The new administration will be inaugurated on January 20. I am now concentrating on ensuring an orderly and smooth transfer of power. This moment requires healing and reconciliation,” Trump said. Police said a police officer died from injuries sustained during clashes with Trump supporters who stormed the Capitol.
Coronavirus situation:
* In 1993, new cases of COVID-19 were detected in Lithuania, 28 people died. In the last week, an average of around 2,000 new cases, a third less than on Christmas Eve. 2,390 COVID-19 patients are currently being treated in Lithuanian hospitals, 195 of them in resuscitation. New cases of coronavirus continue to be reported in outpatient settings.
* The Minister of Health, Arūnas Dulkys, called for the resignation of the director of the National Center for Public Health, Robertas Petraitis. R. Petraitis’ minister promises to wait until Monday, R. Petraitis himself does not comment on the situation.
* The European Medicines Agency has announced that it will be able to decide at the end of January, much earlier than planned, to authorize a coronavirus vaccine developed by the British company AstraZeneca in collaboration with the University of Oxford. This would be the third vaccine approved by the EU.
* The German company BioNTech has announced preliminary results that the vaccine, developed by itself and Pfizer, is effective against the coronavirus strains identified in the UK and South Africa.
* The European Medicines Agency has allowed doctors to withdraw six doses from each vial of BioNTech / Pfizer vaccine against a vaccine against pandemic coronavirus. Doctors in some European countries have done it before, but in Lithuania, according to established requirements, five doses were taken. The opposition says a much-needed vaccine was missed due to government indecision.
Scanpix Photo / Pfizer / BioNTech coronavirus vaccine
* The European Commission has announced that it has agreed with BioNTech / Pfizer to acquire another 300 million euros. vaccinations This would allow to buy up to 600 million in total. dose. Additional doses will be delivered in the second quarter of the year.
* European Union leaders will hold a separate video conference on January 21 on how to better coordinate the fight against the pandemic, Brussels said.
* The Swedish Parliament passed an anti-pandemic law that gives the government new powers to stop the spread of COVID-19 in a country that has so far relied heavily on non-binding recommendations. The new law, which will take effect on Sunday, will allow the government to close businesses, shops, stop public transportation, the government will also be able to limit the number of people in certain public places and fines will be imposed for violating new restrictions. About 10 million. More than 9,200 people have died from coronavirus in Sweden, which has a population of.
* China has isolated two cities south of the capital, Beijing: lost transport connections, 18 million. Residents are prohibited from leaving the territory. This is an attempt to curb the largest coronavirus outbreak in the past six months.
Changes in the exam. The National Education Agency has proposed a change in the organization of maturity exams this year. The intention is to drop the Lithuanian language and literature test. In previous years, it had been organized since February, only those who passed it could take the Lithuanian language and literature exam. Taking the oral portion of the state foreign language maturity exams remotely is also considered. The ministry promises to make the decision before March 1.
Reports of espionage. Law enforcement officials reported that they referred a Russian spy case to court. Two unknown Lithuanian citizens are charged with collecting information and providing it to an official of the Border Board of the Kaliningrad Region of the Russian Federal Security Service. The defendant was presented with the fictitious identities of Peter and Peter, and he spoke excellent Lithuanian. Both suspects were arrested in March last year and are subject to preventive detention without custody.
Tax incentives. President Gitanas Nausėda and Finance Minister Gintarė Skaistė discussed the possibility of reviewing tax benefits. The Minister announced that the Government plans to convene a working group of experts, which will begin its activities in the spring, and it is possible that separate proposals will be adopted in the spring session of the Seimas. The president says that today, income taxes depend too much on the form of activity and too little on the amount of income.
Offer to Belarus. Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis suggested to the Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlan Cichanouskaja that the Coordination Council convened by her establish an information office that could be recognized by the Government of Lithuania. According to the minister, this type of Belarusian representation could have a similar status to the Lithuanian information offices, which operated abroad during the years of Soviet occupation before the official recognition of the country.
Criticism of environmentalists. Environment Minister Simonas Gentvilas announced that he would abolish the advisory positions of the heads of the Department of Environmental Protection and reduce the communication department. The minister said the advisory positions are expensive and the agency is failing to attract people who can work as ordinary inspectors. Olga Vėbrienė, the head of the department since August last year, has issued a public letter expressing concern about the desire to cut the posts and saying that she is under pressure.
Global warming. The European Union Climate Observatory reported that 2020 equaled 2016 as the warmest year in the history of observations. Scientists say rapid climate change is causing more droughts, heat waves, torrential rains, and massive storms around the world.
Attack on Cameroon. An attack by Boko Haram jihadists has killed 13 civilians in Cameroon, including eight children. The attack was carried out by a suicide bomber. Cameroon is located in southwestern Africa. Boko Haram is active in neighboring Nigeria.
Monsoon rains. In Malaysia, monsoon rains have claimed the lives of six people, nearly 50,000 more. had to be evacuated. The floods caused by the rains are the largest in half a century.
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