Morning headlines – January 20th 2021

Coronavirus and vaccines

• China has stopped the doctors, in December 2019, from warning the people over the SARS-CoV-2 threat. Doctors from Wuhan, the place the COVID-19 pandemic started, knew since December 2019 that the virus is dangerous and it can be quickly spread, from one individual to another, but the communist authorities have stopped them from saying anything about it, the British channel ITV News said.
• The United States have recorded more than 400.000 deaths due to COVID-19.
• The UE wants 70% of the Europeans to be vaccinated until the summer. The European Commission wants to ask the member states to coordinate their efforts to have more than 70% of the population vaccinated against coronavirus.
• Germany extends the lockdown until the midst of February, says Digi24.
• The vaccination strategy is changing. The government plans on adopting a project for the modification and completion of the Government’s Decision 1031/2020 on the vaccination strategy for COVID-19 in Romania.
• The ministers will get vaccinated. The vice-prime ministers Dan Barna and Kelemen Hunor and members of the Government will be vaccinated on Wednesday at the Emergency University Hospital.

Global military and political events

• The Trump era is close to an end. In 10 hours (7pm in Romania) the inauguration ceremony of Joe Biden as the 46^th American president will start.
• No extremism in the US Army. The future chief of Pentagon, Lloyd Austin, had committed, on Tuesday, to fight against extremism among US soldiers, after soldiers dressed in civilians have participated at the riots form the Capitol Hill, says AFP.
• NATO and the EU want closer relations with the United States. The North Atlantic Alliance and the European Union are pleased to collaborate with president-elect Joe Biden to strengthen the relations with the United States, said, Tuesday evening, the NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg, says AFP.
• The US reenters the nuclear treaty with Iran. The future US State Secretary, Antony Blinken, has confirmed, on Tuesday, that the Biden administration is ready to reenter the nuclear Iranian treaty if Tehran will resume its commitments, also asking for a longer agreement, says AFP.
• Israeli tanks have attacked Gaza. Israel has responded with tank strikes to a missiles attack from Gaza.

Romania’s defence and security

• Pollution in the capital. Bucharest’s air was very polluted on Tuesday evening, way above the dangerous limit, says Mediafax.
• Protests. Trade unionists affiliated to Publisind Federation are organizing Wednesday a protest in front of the Justice Ministry. CNS Cartel Alfa trade unionists are continuing, on Wednesday, with protests at the Finances Ministry.
• The future of the Romanian Television. The parliament is debating, Wednesday, the present and future of the national television, says Agerpress.