Debate about opening times Shop on Sundays until Christmas?

Status: 19.06.2021 2:58 p.m.

Brick-and-mortar retail suffered a lot in the pandemic, while online retailing gained tremendously. DIW, Städtebund and the trade association HDE are now calling for more flexible opening times to help stimulate the economy. The union ver.di warns. The President of the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW), Marcel Fratzscher, calls for opening hours to be relaxed in view of the difficult situation of many retailers. “A liberalization of the shop opening times is urgently required so that the stationary retail trade can assert itself in the competition against the online trade and secure jobs,” said Fratzscher to the “Handelsblatt”.

Flexibility required until the end of the year

The economist stood by the side of the trade association HDE. He had suggested leaving the shops open on Sundays at least until the end of the year. This gives retailers the chance to make up at least part of the sales lost during the lockdowns and would also be a signal to people that the city centers are open again. In addition, there should be more reliable rules for a legally secure occasional Sunday opening.

The Association of Towns and Municipalities also spoke out in favor of it. “We now have to do everything we can to ensure that our inner cities and town centers do not become deserted,” said managing director Gerd Landsberg to the “Handelsblatt”. “It would be a positive signal to allow additional Sunday opening hours.” Landsberg referred to the threatening situation of the trade and the danger for hundreds of thousands of jobs.

“Small but important signal”

Over 100,000 retail stores could close or not open at all, Landsberg said. This would put almost 500,000 jobs at stake. The online trade, on the other hand, was open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and was able to increase its sales to over 72 billion euros last year due to the pandemic. Additional Sunday opening hours would therefore be “a small but important signal that the city centers and town centers have a future”.

“Development cannot be reversed”

Fratzscher explained: “Due to the pandemic, there was a massive shift towards online trading, which will not be completely reversed even after the pandemic.” However, fair competitive conditions did not mean that people could shop online 24 hours a day, seven days a week, but stationary retail trade had a “tight corset” and had to be closed on Sundays.

“Instead of sanctions or charges for online trading, politics should make stationary retailing more attractive,” said Fratzscher. In addition to more flexible shopping times, this also includes modern urban concepts that make inner cities more attractive again. “This not only has an immediate economic value, it is also very important from a social and societal perspective that people meet and come into contact with one another.”

Ver.di sees “general attack”

The FDP already supported the HDE’s advance as a suitable economic aid for the retail sector. The trade union ver.di, on the other hand, rejected him as an overly short-sighted “general attack on the trade workers, their families, but also on the Basic Law”.

We packed our bags this morning and are ready to march on Mount Everest! The altitude at the foot of Mount Everest has reached more than 5,000 meters. This gives me mixed joys and sorrows. Hi, I never dared to think that we could also climb Mount Everest (at the foot). Worry is that the body cannot bear the altitude sickness. In this mood, we are driving on the mountain road, the highest peak in the world. According to online information: Mount Everest, which means “Our Lady” in Tibetan, is the highest peak in the world at 8,848 meters above sea level. It is located on the border between China and Nepal in the middle section of the Himalayas, just south of Tingri County, Xigaze Region, Tibet. The peak is covered with snow all year round, a holy sight. The Mount Everest region has 4 peaks above 8000 meters and 38 peaks above 7000 meters, which is known as the third-class of the earth. We drove off at 6:00 in the morning to take a photo of the sunrise at the foot of Mount Everest. We put on thick down jackets, hats and gloves, fully armed in the cold morning, waiting patiently for the sunrise, half an hour later, the sun will not Reluctantly rising from the east, suddenly the reddishness of the snow-capped mountains was reflected, and it was fleeting. We chose the location of Mount Everest to be poor, and we were afraid of physical exhaustion, so we didn’t dare to go too close and too far away , I feel that the photo effect of Mount Everest is not very ideal. On the top of the mountain opposite to Mount Everest, an old Tibetan woman came to us. She was holding a basin in her hand. There were many ancient fossils in it, shaped like shells. According to her, this was buried underground on Mount Everest. Fossils formed over thousands of years are sold to everyone. One costs 80-100 yuan. I’m afraid it is fake, so I didn’t buy it. I regret it now, even if it is fake, what about? It is not easy for the elderly to live on the plateau, even if it is to help the poor, even if it is to buy a souvenir, alas, I don’t know how they had that idea at the time. The top of Mount Everest is covered with snow and ice all year round. The glacier covers an area of ​​10,000 square kilometers. Although we did not photograph the magnificent beauty of Mount Everest, it is also a rare experience in life to witness the true face of Mount Everest with our own eyes! At this moment, the sun was already hanging high in the sky, and we put away the photographic equipment and rushed to our place. All the girls and the driver Ali Wang (middle) took a group photo in front of Mount Everest. When we arrived at the new place of residence, we all allocated our rooms and arranged our luggage. A team of people went to the famous Mount Everest base camp to check in and shoot without worrying about the fatigue. For the sake of environmental protection, I can only go to Mount Everest Base Camp by horse-drawn carriage. This makes me happier. It has been a long time since I took a horse-drawn carriage. It’s also very interesting to feel the sound of ticking horseshoes echoing on the mountain road in the wild. . Sitting on the carriage, the wind was very strong, and a chill was blowing towards me, but this couldn’t conceal my excitement. We followed the carriage driver to sing a familiar Tibetan folk song, and the beautiful tunes were flying in the sky… The carriage drove for about an hour and a half, and finally arrived at the Everest Base Camp, the so-called Everest Base Camp, but it was a canvas tent built by the Tibetans here. Somewhat disappointed me, the excitement came down immediately, and I had no choice but to Take a picture in front of the stone stele that was erected. The stele reads in various words: “Mount Everest Base Camp, elevation: 5200m”. In the Everest Base Camp, there are attentive Tibetan girls waiting for the arrival of tourists in front of every tent, welcoming you to enter the tent and drink sweet tea. We have been running outside for so long, and our bodies have long been frozen. Drink a cup Hot sweet tea is very necessary to warm the body. After staying in the base camp for an hour, we went down to the Rongbuk Monastery residence to shoot the sunset. In the evening, everyone was photographing the sunset on the mountain outside the residence. At about eight o’clock, the teammates who photographed the sunset came back. Everyone went to a small restaurant for dinner. The small restaurant was opened by Tibetan compatriots. The environment was not very good and there were too many people. , The meal is simple, it can fill the stomach on the plateau, and there can be no too high requirements. We stayed in the inn at Rongbuk Monastery. The accommodation conditions were very poor. The room only had two small wooden beds. The quilts covered were not cleaned for a long time. Fortunately, everyone prepared sleeping bags and could get in to sleep. I looked up at a small light bulb that was flickering on and off from the ceiling of the roof. There was no electricity in the middle of the night, so I could only use my flashlight to illuminate. The night on Mount Everest was a painful experience for me. Due to altitude sickness, I felt like I was suffering all night, too sad. I couldn’t sleep all night, I had difficulty breathing, and I needed to gasp to feel a little bit better. Once I lay down, it was difficult to breathe. I could only sit or stand all night, and couldn’t lie down at all. There is no way, in the end I have to go outside to see the stars and observe the twinkling starry sky. Only in this way can I turn the pain into pleasure, so that my breathing seems to be smoother. Because of sleepless night, I will never forget it! There is another thing worth remembering in Mount Everest, and this thing makes me especially touched! The spirit of friendship is carried forward in a difficult environment! One of our teammates in the three cars is a boy from Hong Kong. He is 1.8 meters tall and tall and burly. Unexpectedly, he just got down on the way to Mount Everest. When he arrived at the base camp, he remained unconscious at night. The three male team members who were in the same room kept bringing him water, feeding medicine, picking up urine, and looking for a doctor. They were so busy that they stayed up all night. In fact, everyone has different degrees of reaction on the plateau, and many people did not know each other before they came, and the common hobbies have come together. They do their best to take care of others regardless of their personal safety. This kind of selfless dedication and friendship Spirit is worth learning! Early the next morning, everyone was panicked when they saw the poor health of this teammate, and agreed to send him back to Lhasa for treatment. Since there was no car to go down the mountain at night, they had to wait until dawn. At dawn, after we waited for the eco-car to arrive, a Tibetan compatriot helped him put him on the eco-car, and the eco-car immediately set off to run down the mountain… Later, the Hong Kong guy was treated in the hospital and recovered. He returned to Hong Kong and his physical condition improved greatly. At that time, the doctor diagnosed him as suffering from pulmonary edema. He also said that if he came late for a while, his life would be in danger. Unforgettable day and night experience on Mount Everest! I think that I don’t know if I will come here in this life. The magnificent scenery of Mount Everest is indeed unforgettable, but the body’s endurance has reached its limit, which makes me feel lingering fears every time I remember! Goodbye, Mount Everest! I have imprinted your majesty and majesty deeply in my mind……..

Tariff round 2021 The fight for the collective agreement

Status: 15.06.2021 12:43 p.m.

The economy in Germany will recover in 2021 after the slump as a result of the pandemic. The unions are now calling for some significant wage increases. Your goals and the collective bargaining agreements for 2021 at a glance. Falling numbers of new corona infections and the progress made in vaccination will lead to an economic recovery in Germany in 2021. The growing global economy supports the demand for goods “Made in Germany”. At the same time, inflation is rising significantly. With their sometimes high demands, the unions want all the more to ensure that the collective bargaining agreements in 2021 do not result in any real wage losses for employees.

background 06/18/2021

The trade unions and employers naturally assess the scope for wage increases differently in this situation. Collective bargaining is therefore programmed. You can find an overview of the major collective bargaining rounds in 2021 here:

* Source: WSI tariff archive; Note d. Red .: The table only shows the percentage wage claims and collective bargaining agreements. We have not listed special regulations such as one-off payments, profit sharing, wage increases by fixed sums (for all employees regardless of the respective income), vacation, etc. in order to keep the table clearer and comparable.

Ryanair aircraft at Stansted Airport, North East London, England. (Photo: AFP/VNA) On June 15, Ryanair (Republic of Ireland) confirmed that it did not support the application flight ban instead of entering Belarusian airspace for the long term, instead, the authorities of countries need to talk to Belarus to avoid a repeat of the emergency landing situation as happened last month with this airline. Earlier, on May 23, the Belarusian authorities requested a Ryanair airliner emergency landing at the airport in Minsk after receiving a bomb threat. After searching and making sure there were no security threats, the plane continued on its way to Lithuania. Belarus insists its actions were legal and will open an investigation into the false alarm. It also accused Western countries of politicizing the matter, claiming that Belarus had requested a Ryanair plane to land to arrest opposition figure Roman Protasevich and insisted it was just a coincidence. Following the allegation, the European Union (EU) and the UK banned Belarusian airlines from flying over their airspace and issued safety guidelines advising European airlines to avoid Belarusian airspace and only fly over in an emergency. Speaking to a UK Parliament committee, Ryanair chief executive Michael O’Leary said the air transport industry depends heavily on long-term “unlimited” access to all international airspace. Therefore, this CEO called for an early restoration of unlimited access to Belarusian airspace and said that EU and UK officials, in coordination with international partners, should work with the Belarusian side to ensure no repeat the problem that happened with this company. According to CEO Ryanair , the politicization of airspace zones is not the way to solve the problem because it will harm the aviation industry in particular and international connectivity in general.

Photo: Reuters Specifically, when asked about the possibility of Amazon and Facebook being affected by the new proposal, Ms. Yellen said: “It will include companies with large profits and those companies mentioned above, I believe, will be in the bottom line. among affected companies by almost any definition.” Photo: Reuters A joint agreement by the G7 finance ministers recently said it would solve the tax avoidance problem of “the largest and most profitable multinational enterprises”. Reuters says Amazon has a lower profit margin than most other tech giants, and European countries are concerned that Amazon could avoid additional taxes with the US’s initial proposals to the G7. Photo: Forbes For its part, Facebook is open to the changes the G7 team is discussing. The largest social network on the planet also accepts the fact that it may pay more taxes in many countries, Nick Clegg, Facebook’s global affairs director, told Reuters . Photo: Variety “Facebook has long called for a global tax overhaul and welcomes the significant changes introduced by the G7,” Clegg said on Twitter. “Today’s agreement is an important first step toward certainty for business and improving public confidence in the world tax system.”

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said that Moscow is pursuing normalization of relations with Washington and called on the US to also take responsibility in these efforts. (Source: Press TV) In the context that the summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart Joe Biden will take place in a week in Geneva, Switzerland, Deputy Minister Ryabkov said: “This is really an important event in the world. international agenda. We hope this event will answer many questions.” The Russian diplomat said that he did not know after this contact whether a sustainable trend towards solving problems and normalizing relations could be guaranteed, but Russia would pursue this. . This is the crux of all the tasks Russia is trying to solve today, Ryabkov said, calling on the Biden administration to be “as responsible and capable as Moscow” to achieve it. this. The Russian Deputy Minister said that at the current stage of development of international relations, time passes faster than what the two countries have done, referring to the Treaty on the Reduction of Strategic Offensive Arms (New START). The Russian diplomat said that, despite just renewing the Treaty, “the US midterm elections are approaching and the countdown to the 5-year extension of New START is happening very quickly”, so need not waste time and focus on achieving a certain new modern paradigm of arms control. “We need not only to find a solution to the question of whether there is an opportunity to de-escalate tensions, but also to the problem of a new ‘security equation’ in relations between the two countries. Russia is also ready for this.” (according to TASS)

From the beginning of the fourth epidemic until now, the Department of Science, Technology and Training (Ministry of Health) has also directed health human resource training institutions nationwide to prepare and be ready to mobilize staff and lecturers. , students and students volunteered to participate in the prevention and control of Covid-19 epidemic. On May 27, the Ministry of Health mobilized staff, lecturers, trainees and students to volunteer to support the provinces of Bac Giang and Bac Ninh with the number of volunteers supporting 375 people. In which, Hanoi Medical University has 120 people, Thai Nguyen University of Medicine and Pharmacy has 104 people, Vietnam Academy of Traditional Medicine has 36 people, Hai Phong University of Medicine and Pharmacy has 65 people, University Nursing Nam Dinh has 50 people. The delegations were present in Bac Giang province today. Particularly, the delegation of Nam Dinh University of Nursing will be present tomorrow (May 28). Currently, 1,976 officials and students from 15 universities and colleges of medicine and pharmacy are participating in epidemic prevention and control activities in 13 provinces and cities: Bac Ninh, Bac Giang, Hanoi, and Ho Chi Minh City. Minh, Hai Phong, Nam Dinh, Thai Binh, Can Tho, Da Nang, Quang Nam, Binh Dinh, Thua Thien – Hue, Dien Bien, K Hospital and assist the Department of Preventive Medicine (Ministry of Health) in implementing Currently monitoring, evaluating and reporting epidemic developments by provinces. As of 12 p.m. on May 27, 34 training institutions have informed the Department of Science, Technology and Training (Ministry of Health) the number of officials, lecturers, students and students who are willing to participate in supporting the department. , against the Covid-19 epidemic when mobilized was 23,888 people. Step 1: Visit https://www.bluezone.gov.vn or download directly at App Store or CH Play. Step 2: Once downloaded, the application will ask for permission to use Bluetooth to record contact with other Bluezone installed users. If Bluetooth is not open, drag the status bar and turn on Bluetooth; or go to Settings, select Bluetooth and turn it on. Step 3: Once the installation is done, click Scan Around. If someone near you less than 2m has used Bluezone, the application will automatically identify these users and put them in the contact list.

Instagram icon. Illustration According to the Vietnam News Agency correspondent in New York, in a letter to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, the attorney generals of the states and territories pointed out that the results of many studies have shown the harmful effects of children using use social networks. There are many issues affecting children’s mental and physical health and many cases related to cyberbullying at a time when children are not yet able to face the challenges when they have an account. private social network. They argue that there are more secure ways for children to connect with family and friends than by connecting on social media. For her part, New York State Attorney General Letitia James raised concerns around online harassment, the potential for children to become victims of adult “predators”, mental health issues as well as Facebook’s gaps in data protection and privacy. According to Ms. Letitia, there are too many concerns around allowing Facebook to continue pursuing this idea, so the heads of judicial agencies in 44 US states and territories called on Facebook to abandon plans to release a version. Instagram Kids. This is the new pressure that Facebook has to face when it announced its intention to release a version of Instagram Kids for children under 12 years old from March this year. The very next April, Democratic congressmen sent a letter to CEO Zuckerberg criticizing the plan. In the latest response on May 10, Facebook spokeswoman Stephanie Otway emphasized that parents know their children are on social networks, so Facebook wants to improve the situation by offering solutions. giving them control over what their kids are doing online. The company is working with child psychologists to prioritize the safety and privacy of children, said Stephanie. In addition, Facebook will also work with authorities and parliamentarians on these concerns. For his part, CEO Zuckerberg said that if supervised, the use of social networks can help children more connected with friends. Meanwhile, talking to the Wall Street Journal, Adam Mosseri, in charge of Instagram, said that the plan to create an online playground for children is in its infancy at an early stage and if it is born, it will certainly be a tool to help fathers. Parents manage their children’s activities better and this playground will be completely ad-free. Facebook currently bans children under 13 from using this social network, but according to CEO M.Zuckerberg, many children still lie about their age to create their own login accounts.

World Health Organization (WHO) Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. Photo: Reuters At a press conference on the same day, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus affirmed that global inequality in access to vaccines remains one of the biggest risks to efforts to end the pandemic. According to WHO data, high- and middle-income countries that account for 53% of the world’s total population have received 83% of global vaccines. In contrast, low- and middle-income countries that account for 47 percent of the world’s population received only 17 percent of vaccines. Therefore, the head of the global health agency believes that cooperation is the only choice for the world to achieve the above goal. “We cannot defeat this pandemic through competition. If competition for resources or geopolitical advantage, the virus will prevail,” said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. Previously, on May 7, WHO approved the BBIBP-CorV Covid-19 vaccine developed by China’s Sinopharm pharmaceutical company for use in emergencies. China has decided to provide 10 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine to WHO’s COVAX global vaccine access mechanism, to meet the needs of developing countries. This move will help alleviate vaccine shortages globally, especially in low- and middle-income countries. Step 1: Visit https://www.bluezone.gov.vn or download directly at App Store or CH Play. Step 2: Once downloaded, the application will ask for permission to use Bluetooth to record contact with other Bluezone installed users. If Bluetooth is not open, drag the status bar and turn on Bluetooth; or go to Settings, select Bluetooth and turn it on. Step 3: Once the installation is done, click Scan Around. If someone near you less than 2m has used Bluezone, the application will automatically identify these users and put them in the contact list.

At the Baeksang Awards 2021 that just took place, Suzy made the audience admire again with visual “top of the top”. Suzy’s beauty is already brilliant, but the outfit she wears is even more remarkable. This is a design from Dior’s Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2019 collection. Although it is not the latest model, the fact that Suzy can wear a Dior high-class dress on the red carpet is enough to make netizens admire, proving how favored Suzy is by Dior. However, many people think that Suzy doesn’t fit this dress very well, because the design and material of the outfit make Suzy look less elegant. Even Vietnamese fans confirmed that this dress model can only be worn by Angela Baby with a very slim body. At the 2020 Baeksang Awards, Suzy surprised with a Haute Couture Spring Summer 2020 design also by Dior. This is also the first time the famous French fashion house allows its Haute Couture high-end outfit to appear on the red carpet of a Korean event. At that time, netizens admired that Suzy was pampered by Dior but still frankly commented that Suzy was not as beautiful as its model. The fact that Suzy wore a Haute Couture dress for two years in a row proves that the position of the “national first love” with Dior is truly remarkable. However, netizens also noticed the confusion between the roles of Suzy and Jisoo. Suzy is just the face of Dior in Korea while Jisoo is a global ambassador, which is one level higher than Suzy. Yet until now, Jisoo has never been able to put on a high-class Dior design, even if it’s just for a magazine shoot or an advertisement, let alone attend an event like this.

Recently, however, a coalition of 44 US attorneys general signed a letter to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, listing reasons and citing research suggesting Facebook should not continue with the plan. develop the Instagram app for kids. One of the reasons listed in the letter is: Facebook has had many controversies in the past related to protecting children’s privacy; other research also shows that social media can harm children both physically and mentally; children do not have a complete understanding of privacy and can easily become targets of anonymous criminals; especially the large percentage of young Instagram users surveyed have experienced cyberbullying on this app. It seems that with the development of Instagram for Kids, Facebook not only failed to meet the need, but even created another need, as the platform mainly appeals to children with or without Instagram accounts. In short, an Instagram platform for young children will be harmful for a multitude of reasons. The attorney general urged Facebook to drop its plans to launch this new platform. In a statement released by Attorney General Maura Healey, the head of the coalition, she cited Zuckerberg’s rejection of the idea that social media is harmful to children. The statement points out that there is much evidence and research that contradicts Zuckerberg’s denial. Currently, children under the age of 13 are not allowed to own an Instagram account unless the description of the profile clearly states that the account is being managed by a parent or guardian. Back in March, Instagram released a blog post showing their efforts to protect minors under the age of 18 on the platform. The AG Alliance believes that this is not enough, especially for those under 13 years old. According to Gsmarena

The global chip shortage has hit automakers hard, especially Ford, as it said it would have to cut production in half in the second quarter. In the latest move, auto industry groups have pressed the Biden administration to secure chip supplies for manufacturing plants. The new alliance will include a number of large chip companies such as AT&T, Cisco Systems, General Electric, Hewlett Packard Enterprise and Verizon Communications. The group announced that it will resist government actions to support the industry, which is struggling in production because of the chip shortage problem. Tech companies like Apple or Microsoft are also affected by the situation, but much less severely than automakers. Last month, the iPhone maker said it could lose $3 to $4 billion in sales in the current quarter because of chip shortages. According to Reuters

In a letter to Facebook CEO on May 10, the attorneys wrote: “Using social networks can harm the health and spirit of children, who are not equipped to overcome the challenges of owning. social network account. Furthermore, Facebook has a history of failing to protect the well-being of children on its platform ”. A Facebook spokesperson said the company has just researched Instagram ideas for children and is committed to not showing any ads in the version for children under 13. Facebook agrees that every version of Instagram must prioritize safety and privacy first. The social network consults with experts in the areas of child development, child safety and mental health. On Twitter, Massachusetts attorney Maura Healey criticized Instagram for children as “a shameful attempt to exploit and profit from vulnerable people”. The letter citing articles from 2019 indicates that the Messenger Kids app, intended for 6-12 year olds, “contains serious design flaws, allowing children to overcome restrictions on online interaction and join groups. Chat with strangers, not approved by parents ”. Last month, the Ad-Free Childhood Campaign also urged Zuckerberg not to create a child version because it would put children at “great risk.” Du Lam (Reuters)

At Germany’s largest electricity producer, shareholders are pressing for a faster coal exit. “With CO2 emissions of almost 69 million tons in 2020, RWE is still an emissions heavyweight in Europe,” criticized the sustainability specialist from the Sparkasse fund subsidiary Deka Investment at the virtual general meeting. It is therefore necessary to accelerate the phase-out of lignite. She also sees the issue of wind energy not being adequately represented on the Supervisory Board. “Wind power is a big topic for future power generation and for RWE. The importance of the division is currently not adequately reflected in the supervisory board. The necessary competence is still missing here,” she said. Union Investment expert Henrik Pontzen argues similarly. The sustainable transformation of the energy industry is a marathon. The first kilometers have been made with the focus on renewable energies. He appealed to future RWE boss Markus Krebber to speed up the renovation.

2.6 billion euros in compensation

The outgoing RWE CEO Rolf Martin Schmitz assured the shareholders that the company management was working hard to make the company more and more sustainable. Schmitz described reports that RWE could sell its fossil fuels or outsource them from the group as “pure speculation”. The public law contract on the coal phase-out set “narrow limits of action for such measures”. RWE will receive compensation of 2.6 billion euros for the premature shutdown of all lignite power plants by 2038. Schmitz was confident that the EU Commission would wave this aid through in the ongoing investigation.

RWE wants to be climate neutral by 2040

The company, which used to be strongly focused on nuclear power and coal, is transforming itself into one of the largest producers of green electricity in Europe. By swapping business areas with long-standing rival E.ON, Schmitz had significantly expanded green electricity generation at RWE and given it a boost. At the end of April, the previous CFO Krebber took over the helm at RWE. He wants to expand the green electricity business by 2022 alone with investments of five billion euros. After the coal phase-out agreed with the federal government, the generation of electricity from this climate-damaging fuel is to end in 2038 at the latest. RWE wants to generate climate-neutral electricity by 2040.

“Climate killer with worldwide consequences”

For environmentalists, this is not happening fast enough. Climate activists who demonstrated in front of the headquarters in Essen complained that RWE still generated 79 percent of its electricity from coal, gas and uranium last year. Thus the group remains “a climate killer with worldwide consequences”. The new CEO Krebber must liquidate the lignite division by 2030 at the latest, demanded the environmental organization Greenpeace, if the company wants to meet the Paris climate protection target.

The orchid varieties, no matter how unique they are, cannot be confirmed that they are “mutant orchids”. Photo: internet. Orchids, the reason for having an amazing variety of designs, colors, and fragrances today is because it is the product of genetic mutations that have been around for thousands of years. Genetic mutations include mutation mutations and recombinant mutations. Mutant mutations can be genetic mutations (loss, addition, replacement of nucleotides pair) or chromosomal mutation (fragment, repetition, inversion, transition, polyploid). The cause of mutation is natural agents such as radiation, ultraviolet rays, heat shock, herbicides … Recombinant mutations are new combinations of genes that have been rearranged in the offspring to create New and different style compared to parents, grandparents, old grandparents. This is due to the independent dissociation, the cross-exchange of the chromosomes. For orchids and other pollen plants, insects (bees, butterflies) also contribute to diversity when pollinating from one plant to another, from one variety to another. Thanks to the genetic variation that they Lan Orchidaceae becoming one of the largest family of plants in the world, with about 28,000 natural species and 100,000 hybrid species; The number of species and genera of orchids has continuously increased over time (Vietnamese Wikipedia). According to the book Vietnamese orchids of Tran Hop (1998) our country has about 137-140 genera, including over 800 species of wild orchids. However, it is impossible to confirm that a certain orchid species detected or collected in the forest was created by mutation or recombination. Adding the tail “mutant spread” is arbitrary. Photo: internet. In fact, the majority of orchids in our country are collected from natural forests or imported for farming. In the country, there is no announcement about orchids created by mutation method. Flower Research Center – Fruit and Vegetable Research Institute, the leading flower agency has started to select and create new orchid varieties by crossbreeding and mutating, but the results are also new at the beginning. Therefore, someone lucky to discover a beautiful and rare orchid variety in the forest or accidentally bought a rare orchid branch at the Buoi market – Hanoi for example, they could give it a name, but adding the tail “mutant spread” is arbitrary. The question is why a group of people intentionally added the tail “mutant spread” and massively propagated and promoted, sold millions and billions of money per eye and bud, while still not knowing how beautiful the face of the flower was. have buyers? Because, there are many people who think or try to explain that the new “mutant orchid” is beautiful, strange, unique than an orchid variety due to hybrid “recombination” or “normal orchid” … tendon “mutation” has hit on the psychology of curiosity, lightheadedness, gullibility of ignorant people. In a nutshell, a series of “mutant orchid” varieties are being propagated and widely advertised, with tens and hundreds of billions of deals is unusual, absolutely no scientific and practical basis, only can say this is a bold game “cheats”. The sensational way of calling “mutation” has hit the curious, light-hearted, gullible mentality of ignorant people. Photo: internet. Actually, the law also has provisions to limit this situation. The Law on Crop Production in 2018 requires that new varieties must be disclosed (name, origin, difference …) before being circulated in the market, however this regulation will not take effect until 2022. In addition, the Intellectual Property Law 2009 stipulates to grant protection to owners of new orchid varieties, even if new varieties are searched, discovered in the forest or collected from orchid collections, if proven. The new variety that is truly different from other orchids has been widely known to the market. However, in order for the law to come to life, apart from the State need to pay more attention to the trees that we have long considered as “secondary”, when there is a market, it becomes “main”, the flower producers and traders. True orchids need to gather, expose the tricks of doing business that are dishonest, not transparent, to build a very promising orchid industry in our country.

In April, on many streets of Hanoi such as Thuy Khue, To Huu, Nguyen Trai … lilies were covered with carts carrying flowers. Hanoi is in a hurry, and the stuffiness of normal days suddenly becomes poetic and romantic. For Hanoians, this is a gentle and pristine flower like a Hanoi girl, simple but elegant. Perhaps so, for a long time, the trumpet has entered the musical and musical poetry, and has become a symbol of the early summer days of the Capital. According to florists, at this time, the lilies are mainly like “ta trumpets”: the flowers are small and short, but when they bloom, the petals turn white, giving off a gentle fragrance. Lilies are popular because they are easy to care for, the bulbs are cheap and can be replanted. If well cared for, a tuber can have up to 15-16 flowers. According to many traders, lilies are usually planted mainly in September and October, but have to wait until April next year to be harvested. Lilies are very “sensitive”, outdoors the flowers must always be soaked in water to avoid wilting. Each petal is white and the sweet scent of the lilies is half as if to keep a little of the spring air, half bustling with the golden rays of early summer. Driving through roads such as Thuy Khue, Phan Dinh Phung, Lang Ha, Thanh Nien, … hardly anyone can hold back the pristine beauty, the gentle scent of the trumpet. People in a hurry are willing to stop by the roadside flower bouquets to choose to buy some beautiful lilies at the beginning of the season. Flower lovers also do not miss the opportunity to capture the capital’s poetic moments during the lilies season. Although coming quickly and quickly, the lilies season always leaves many problems, strangely remembered./.

Israeli security forces patrol the Citadel in Jerusalem. Documentary photo: AFP / VNA This square is originally a traditional gathering point for Palestinians during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. In recent days, the city of Jerusalem has seen its worst violence in years, stemming from Israel’s decision to block Palestinians from entering the Damascus Gate after praying. Tensions are heightened after a series of videos posted online showing Arab youths attacking radical orthodox Jews, then violent Jews also went down the street to attack Arabs. On April 22, at least 125 Palestinians were injured in repeated clashes with Israeli police. A police spokesman said the decision to remove the barrier was made by police after consulting with local leaders, religious leaders and assessing the situation. “Our forces are still deployed in the field and it is impossible for the violence to increase,” the official added. Several young Palestinian men have been arrested by police. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on April 24 called for “restraint on all sides” after several nights of clashes between Israeli police and Palestinians in its annexed areas in East Jerusalem.

Somali Government soldiers patrol the streets of Mogadishu. (Photo: AFP / VNA) Security Council United Nations On April 23, (UN Security Council) passed a statement calling on factions in Somalia to end the violence and immediately return to dialogue in the spirit of considering this as an urgent matter and not setting conditions. This move shows that the Security Council is very concerned about the crisis situation in Somalia. In the release released, members Security Council All expressed concern about the continued political stalemate here and disagreement among leaders of this country over the issue of electoral patterns. Before that, on March 31st, after the emergency meeting, the Security Council was call upon Somali government please resolve the issues related to the electoral process. The legitimate administration of President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, more commonly known as Farmajo, has caused controversy since February when his term ended with a new presidential election still not being conducted. By early April, a bill to extend his presidency by two years was introduced, bypassing the Senate after it was passed by the House of Representatives. Government opposition parties have voiced their opposition because it is an unconstitutional act to cling to power and the bill itself has been criticized by the international community. Somalia’s president and leaders of the five semi-autonomous states in the country last September reached an agreement that paved the way for presidential and parliamentary elections in late 2020 and early 2021 but This plan was broken by controversy surrounding the voting process and since then many rounds of negotiations have not been held to resolve this deadlock issue.

One test site COVID-19 in Brazil. (Photo: THX / TTXVN) On April 23, credit rating agency Moody’s warned that the Brazilian government’s failure to impose ceiling regulations on public spending on support for people and businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic would Negatively affect the credit profile of this country. Moody’s Vice President Samar Maziad said that the credit rating agency kept its assessment of Brazil’s solvency at “Ba2” with a stable outlook. However, Mr. Maziad said that the Brazilian government’s view of the pandemic as an exception in order not to apply regulations on the public spending ceiling, will adversely affect the credit rating of the country’s ability to pay debts . In addition, Moody’s Vice President Samar Maziad also highlighted the expectation that the Brazilian authorities will maintain their previous commitment on the issue. consolidate fiscal year in the coming years. In 2020, the budget deficit of Brazil has reached the equivalent of 14% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), making the public debt of Latin America’s largest economy a record 90% of GDP. The poor fiscal situation in the past year was due to the fact that the government had to increase public spending in order to reduce the economic impact of the COVID-19 epidemic on citizens and businesses. On April 7, in the context of a strong outbreak of COVID-19 across the country, the Brazilian government had to resume an emergency assistance program for the poor to overcome the effects of pandemic COVID-19 with a budget of about 8 billion USD./.

Retail consultant Mary Portas was among those calling for the stimulus package.

In the UK, celebrities such as retail consultant Mary Portas, beauty magnate Charlotte Tilbury, fashion designer Charlie Casely-Hayford and Henry Holland were among the callers of Main’s stimulus package. covered. The new aid package should be structured similarly to the restaurant bailout package in the summer of 2020, they said.

Specifically, the Government has paid 50% of the cost of goods purchased at stores with less than 10 employees and capped at £ 10, with rollout times from Monday to Wednesday, taking place during round a month this summer.

Independent stores have been hit hard by the pandemic, says Ross Bailey, founder of the “Street rescue” campaign and chief executive of retail rental market Appear Here. In particular, it is estimated that retail stores of non-essential goods, mainly independent stores, lost £ 22 billion in sales by 2020, with the number of customers down 40%.

Often, family-style small businesses can’t adopt plans for employees to take temporary leave because there are still a small number of online orders that need to be processed, Bailey said.

According to statistics, the UK has more than 11,000 stores that have permanently disappeared from the streets and shopping malls by 2020. Meanwhile, online shopping, mushrooming during the pandemic. The figures show that 38% of retail sales were done online in February, up 18% from last year.

To resolve the above situation, recently, the British Minister of Finance Rishi Sunak announced, retail stores can extend the business tax reduction until July.

Previously, the British Government also announced that retail stores could reopen from April 12, 2021, and could sell until 10 p.m. and six days a week. This is a move to save the British government’s retail stores after months of closure.

However, Ross Bailey, founder of the “Street Rescue” campaign, argues that more substantial intervention is needed: “With the right support, independent stores can thrive. Otherwise, we will lose community cohesion, where transaction is based on human connection and experience, which is hard to replace online transactions, ”affirmed Ross Bailey.

Artwork: Reuters

WHO spokesperson Fadela Chaib said: “There is a rather serious problem that an urgent need to enact an emergency measure to stop the sale of wildlife living in traditional food markets, as a preventive measure. prevent. We need to know that most emerging infectious diseases originate from wild animals. Stopping the sale of live animals that are unsafe for food will reduce the risk of future transmission of the virus. This is not a new recommendation, but the Covid-19 translation has brought new attention to this threat with its enormous consequences. ”

In addition, WHO is also urging governments to close markets selling wild mammals if they are not fully implemented.

By the end of 2019, the first cases related to the Covid-19 epidemic had been recorded in Wuhan, China, and quickly broke out into a pandemic around the world. Although no official conclusions are available, preliminary research results show that SARS-CoV-2 virus was first detected at wildlife markets in Wuhan. This virus spreads to humans through intermediates, possibly pangolins. Earlier last year, the International Fund for the Protection of Nature in the Asia-Pacific also called for an end to wildlife trade and consumption in the region.

Miss Myanmar Peace Han Lay is staying in Thailand after a speech calling for the world to support her people.

The cultural and artistic life is paralyzed. The shadow from the political crisis still lies in the country of these golden towers.

Artists spread the message everywhere

Myanmar is still sinking in days of political instability, a series of areas severely affected, including culture and arts.

All over the newspapers, Burmese artists and celebrities do not appear in splendid costumes, lavish lights or on majestic films, expensive music videos … Thousands of artists fall in. unemployed or having to be lost in foreign countries. Many people took to the streets to call for peace.

CNN said actress Paing Phyo Thu, one of Myanmar’s highest-paid stars, declared to go to the streets to protest against the authorities. She is not even afraid to withdraw her budget to support those who have to quit their jobs to join the protest. Currently, her husband, director Na Gyi, is also running away after being listed as a wanted.

“We want the audience to know that we are always there for them. Knowing that speaking out like this is very dangerous, we have no way back now. We will fight to the end. Whether or not the order has been issued or not, as long as I am alive, I will oppose the military government that is bullying and killing the people, ”said Paing Phyo Thu.

Actress Phyoe Thu regularly participates in marches in Yangon city after the political upheaval took place

Currently, many artists and celebrities have to leave their families to avoid being wanted from the authorities such as: Actor Payeti Oo, director Ko Pauk, actor Lu Min, director Wine, singer Anatga …

The case of Miss Myanmar Peace Han Lay is an example. On the stage of the world level competition, Han Lay made practical calls for the international community to pay attention to the instability problem in his homeland and join hands to help them through the dark period.

A few days later, she was immediately put on the wanted list. Luckily, 9x is supported by the Head of the contest BTC for the cost and job opportunity in Thailand. However, Han Lay still does not stop worrying about relatives back home.

Even worse, many artists were arrested by the military, currently unknown whereabouts. Famous model and actress Paing Takhon was arrested on April 8 for speaking out against the coup. Takhon’s sister told Reuters news agency that the military arrested her brother at 4:30 a.m. at their parents’ home in Yangon. Security forces dispatched eight military trucks and about 50 soldiers to arrest Takhon, not sure where to take the actor. Before that, on April 6, the country’s most famous comedian, Zarganar, was also arrested.

Composing inspiration opposed the coup

Actor Paing Takhon was arrested by the authorities

The news website Coda Story said that while many artists and people took to the streets to call for an end to the violence, the wave of protests still crept through art products, especially music.

A series of rappers day and night produce songs that protest against the coup. “Dozens of tracks by hip-hop artists living in Myanmar and abroad have been uploaded to social media platforms and streaming sites, including Facebook, YouTube and Soundcloud. Music marks a new front in the ongoing information war against the military authorities, ”commented writer Burhan Wazir.

One of the most famous works is “End Game” by Nay Ye Khant, Adjustor, Yung Hugo, GRACEe, D-Vision, Young Yair and EilliE. The work currently has more than 200,000 views on YouTube. The song depicts the current persecution of Myanmar’s dictatorship – the country’s third stage of military rule since its independence from Britain in 1948 – as a war for freedom and democracy. .

Coda Story expressed appreciation for this form of calling. Because, for many years, hip-hop rap has been at the forefront of rallies around the globe. In the US, “Black Lives Matter” has called on dozens of MCs, including Run The Jewels, Meek Mill and Ty Dolla Sign, to release songs highlighting police brutality, racism and inequality. .

In another development, British rappers responded to the knife crime crisis in their own country. Artists in Hong Kong have expressed their support for the pro-democracy movement.

Dr. Jane M. Ferguson, a professor of Southeast Asian history and anthropology at Australian National University in Canberra believes that the pervasiveness of anti-coup rap plays an important role in the protest movement. of Myanmar.

“It offers a creative and fun package that captures the audience’s attention, but it can also ignite support over generations,” she explains.

Not only music, graffiti artist Si Thu Aung, from Mandalay, has been diligently painting walls in towns and cities for the past six weeks. “We have no weapons, we only have art, so we will revolt with our art, until people know our voice all over the world,” said Si Thu Aung. with Coda Story.

Khin Myat Myat Naing, a travel blogger with more than 750,000 wanted followers, said authorities were worried about posts supporting the overturned civilian government. “I will run and do my best for those who have been arrested,” Khin Myat Myat Naing stated on his personal page.