Bundestag Climate protection in Fast track

Status: 06/24/2021 4:41 a.m.

The Bundestag wants to pass the stricter climate protection law today. The opposition speaks of a quick shot – and doubts the effect.

From Martin Polansky, ARD capital studio

The federal government hastily got the new climate protection law in motion. At the end of April, the Federal Constitutional Court ruled: The previous Climate Protection Act of 2019 must be improved because the measures to reduce emissions from 2031 are inadequate. After the decision in Karlsruhe, there would actually have been time until the end of next year to remedy the deficiencies. But the Union and the SPD wanted to prove their ability to act again in terms of climate protection.

Environment Minister Svenja Schulze from the SPD speaks of a “very important week for climate protection in Germany”. “This means that climate neutrality will become law in Germany in 2045. And with this, we will fulfill the mandate of the Federal Constitutional Court in the shortest possible time and ensure a fair balance between the generations.” The Karlsruhe judges had emphasized that future generations could be burdened too much in their freedoms by climate protection measures, if not changed in time.

2045 greenhouse gas neutral

The amendment now stipulates that Germany is to become greenhouse gas neutral as early as 2045 – i.e. from then on it will not emit more carbon dioxide than is absorbed primarily through forests. To achieve this, the annual savings targets for power plants, industry, traffic, agriculture and buildings are tightened.

And after a long turmoil, the federal government has agreed on some immediate measures: for example, additional wind turbines and solar systems in the coming year and simplified repowering, in which old wind turbines are replaced by new and higher ones. Communities should also benefit financially when they provide open space for solar systems.

And: The federal government has launched an eight billion euro investment program to accelerate the energy transition. “We want to involve the citizens with us. We want to get people excited about climate protection. That is why we rely on the promotion of environmental technologies,” says the chairwoman of the Union in the Bundestag Environment Committee, Anja Weisgerber from the CSU. “And we want to prevent jobs from being relocated due to excessively strict climate protection requirements. We achieved that in the agreement.” Some in the Union and the SPD are concerned that voters’ enthusiasm for climate protection could wane as soon as it becomes concrete and costly. Therefore, the SPD has blocked plans of the Union to increase the CO2 price for fuel, heating oil and natural gas, which has been in effect since the beginning of the year, more quickly.

Costs for the tenants?

At the same time, the CO2 costs for heating remain entirely with the tenants. The Union did not want to burden the landlords additionally. And: CDU / CSU have blocked the SPD’s plans for a significantly faster expansion of renewable energies. Because new wind turbines and power lines are unpopular in many places.

Criticism comes from the environmental expert of the Greens Oliver Krischer: “We have agreements in the smallest details that hardly make a difference in the matter,” he says. “And there is no progress at all with the major measures such as phasing out coal, refurbishing buildings, or switching off combustion engines.”

“A quick shot”

The Left and the FDP speak of an election maneuver. The federal government does not have a clear plan for climate protection, says the FDP environmental expert Lukas Köhler: “What the federal government is doing now is a quick shot that is neither coordinated at European level nor in any way really stipulates that it works efficiently and purposefully. ” With the government majority of the Union and SPD, the tightened climate protection is likely to pass the Bundestag today. The current federal government no longer has to achieve the new climate targets. To this end, future governments will be bound to the goal of greenhouse gas neutrality in 2045

background

Fight against Corona What speaks for and against child vaccinations

Status: 06/22/2021 8:57 a.m.

The debate about whether children should be vaccinated against Corona is in full swing. Companies are pressing ahead with their studies for the approval of a vaccine for young children as well. What is the current state of research?

From Axel John, SWR

Just a few steps from the magnificent Gendarmenmarkt in Berlin is the rather inconspicuous Hausvogteiplatz. But what is sensational is what happens there in a sober office building. The Association of Research-Based Drug Manufacturers (VfA) has its headquarters here. The experts maintain contact with pharmaceutical companies all over the world – also when it comes to corona vaccine research, which is still under high pressure.

Particularly strict requirements for tests with minors

A team of specialists is constantly collecting the latest data from all over the world. Rolf Hömke is also there. The biochemist is an expert in research and drug safety. “When developing a new drug, it is standard that the preparation is initially only tested on adults. If these results are correspondingly good, studies with minors follow.” However, a prerequisite is a medical benefit in children and adolescents. Hömke gives an example: “A new antibiotic, for example, is also needed for children – but a preparation against prostate cancer is not.” Even higher requirements would apply to the tests in order to avoid stress in young people as far as possible. Both parents must have agreed together. The conditions also demanded that the children also say yes as soon as possible. “Money cannot be earned with such participation. The test subjects receive an expense allowance. The participants are mostly idealists or sick people who hope for an effective treatment.”

Intermediate results of the vaccine test series for children under twelve years of age BioNTech / Pfizer started a study in March 2021 with children aged six months and younger than twelve years. In the first phase, a small number of minors initially received different doses. In the current phase II, around 4500 young people are to be tested for the effectiveness of the vaccine in more than 90 facilities in the USA, Finland, Poland and Spain. Here researchers analyze the respective immune response. Results could be available from September.

Moderna reported the start of the phase II / III study in March. More than 6,700 children between six months and under twelve years of age in the United States and Canada are expected to participate. Here, too, it was initially about the best dosage. The effectiveness is then checked in the further course.

With the vaccine from AstraZeneca investigations began at Oxford University in February. Several hundred young people and children between the ages of six and under 18 should take part. The study has been temporarily stopped by the British authorities after reports of very rare side effects with thrombosis.

Janssen / Johnson & Johnson started testing his vaccine with adolescents aged twelve and over in April 2021. If the interim results are good, younger test persons should join the group. However, this study is also currently on hold.

Sinovac has been testing its CoronaVac vaccine in China since the beginning of May. In phase II, minors between the ages of three and 17 are to be tested here.

Source: VfA

STIKO sees no rush

Professor Dr. Fred Zepp follows vaccine development with great interest. On the one hand, Zepp is a member of the Standing Vaccination Commission (STIKO). The committee drew up the recommendations for the sequence of corona vaccinations. Zepp was also director of the Center for Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine at the Mainz University Hospital for many years. He believes it is imperative that vaccines be developed for minors as well. This is particularly important for high-risk patients such as children with chronic cardiopulmonary diseases, emphasizes Zepp. “The mRNA vaccine process is an impressive development with excellent prospects. But we do not yet have any broad experience with children,” explains Zepp. For him it is important that the development of an adult’s organism is differentiated. The acute side effects can usually be recognized in the first twelve to 16 weeks. “With infants or children, on the other hand, I have an organism that is subject to constant development. That is why I say: We are currently under no time pressure in this group and should wait for further study results.” In addition, there are hardly any children in Europe who are seriously ill with Covid-19. Less than 80 children in Germany were being treated in an intensive care unit because of Corona. There have also been very few deaths that are even below the rate of flu. Zepp is also referring to a few cases in adolescents in the USA who developed heart muscle inflammation after the second vaccination with BioNTech. The authorities are currently investigating whether there is a connection. “The coronavirus will continue to change. I expect that the older population could also be affected here.”

“The pathogen spreads unhindered, especially in children”

In Munich, Matthias Kromayer leans over the latest results from corona vaccine research in children. The microbiologist recommends vaccinating minors according to the relevant studies and approvals – regardless of the vaccine. Kromayer works on the board of MIG AG. The company is currently investing in 30 start-ups. In 2008, BioNTech received a good 13 million euros as an initial investment from MIG.

For Kromayer, a vaccination rate of 70 to 80 percent in the population is the goal. “Then there is a good chance of paralyzing the spread of the virus and mutated variants. The pathogen spreads unhindered, especially in children. They are closer together and cannot yet adhere to the hygiene rules,” explains Kromayer. According to the Federal Statistical Office, there are more than 8.5 million people under the age of twelve in Germany. For Kromayer, this group is so large that it should not be ignored in the fight against pandemics. At the same time, children have a much stronger immune system that can deal with Corona much better. In this way, fewer pathogens would presumably be transmitted: “The vaccine side effects in children are likely to be very limited, but the resulting protection for other population groups is high. That should be weighed up.”

Politicians do not want to commit themselves yet

In Berlin, too, the Federal Ministry of Health has long since registered the emerging debate. Whether and to what extent children should also be vaccinated in the fight against Corona is still silent. Upon request, the press office simply declares: “The results of studies and possible approval by the European authorities remain to be seen.”

According to BioNTech / Pfizer, reliable results from the currently ongoing study series can be expected from September onwards. By then, at the latest, the discussion about the best vaccination strategy will really start

Framatome sent a warning letter to the US government. In the letter, Framatome asked for the support of the US Department of Energy, according to CNN. Framatome is the company that helped build and provide technical support for the Taishan nuclear plant, located about 130 km west of Hong Kong. CNN added that Washington must “hold a number of high-level meetings and discussions with Paris after receiving the letter”. At the same time, the US and Chinese authorities also “contacted to discuss the matter”. Even so, US officials do not believe the situation poses a serious safety threat to residents or workers at the plant. Framatome (France) warned of an “imminent radiation threat” at the Taishan nuclear plant in Guangdong province. Photo: Power-Technology China General Nuclear Power Corporation (CGN) later announced on Taishan’s website: “Taishan’s Unit 1 is operating normally and Unit 2 was reconnected to the grid last week. before and after the overhaul”. These units have a total capacity of 3.3 gigawatts and entered service in 2018 and 2019, respectively. CGN owns a 51% stake in the Taishan joint venture. Framatome’s parent company, Electricite de France SA (EDF), holds a 30% stake, with the rest belonging to Yuedian Utilities (China) in Guangdong province. Framatome claims it is “assisting in resolving the performance issue related to the Taishan nuclear power plant”, while citing available data showing that “the plant is still operating within safe parameters”. The EDF on June 14 confirmed that there was an “increase in the concentration of noble gases” in the cooling system of the Taishan plant. “The presence of some noble gases (chemically inert elements such as argon, helium or neon) is a phenomenon that has been observed during reactor operation,” the EDF said. The information was published at a time when the province of Guangdong, China’s industrial center, suffered a power shortage, forcing more than 20 cities to split electricity to a number of companies and factories. China is the world’s third-largest nuclear power market, after the US and France, with many new reactors under construction. The country has not recorded any serious nuclear accidents.

In 2005, the beauty appeared in a fashion show with a youthful outfit with a white tank top and pink pleated skirt. Specifically, Paris Hilton’s shirt received many controversies with the slogan “Stop being poor”. Many people consider her image to show contempt and disdain for the lower classes in society. This tagline is actually edited by photoshop technology. Photo: NY Post. After 16 years, she officially spoke up about the story of wearing clothes that meant to offend others and said it was just a product of photo editing technology. “I’ve never worn that shirt. It was photoshopped. Everyone thinks it’s true, but it’s not,” Paris Hilton said. Then, the beauty emphasized that do not trust what you read every day on social networks. According to sources from the archives of KnowYourMeme , the photo was edited for the purpose of disparaging the spoiled Hilton sisters. Because in the 2000s, Paris used to be a face with a strong influence on the fashion world around the world. Recently, Paris Hilton attracted attention when being proposed. During the conversation with On Air with Ryan Seacrest , the bride-to-be shows off her sparkling diamond ring. Jewelers estimate the ring to be worth around $2 million. The design was designed by fiance Carter Reum in conjunction with jeweler Jean Dousset. Paris Hilton is happy with businessman Carter Reum. Photo: GQ.

According to the Vice , DarkSide’s message does not directly refer to the Colonial Pipeline attack, but is titled “Regarding the Latest News”. The group said its actions were unrelated to politics. The cyber attack on May 7 caused the Colonial Pipeline’s fuel pipeline system to stop working. Photo: Bloomberg. “We are a non-political group, not involved in geopolitics. Don’t tie us to a government or look for other motives… Our aim is to make money, not to cause problems for society,” a DarkSide representative wrote on a website belonging to the dark web. According to the Washington Post , some US officials believe that DarkSide is the hacker group behind the Colonial Pipeline attack. Also in the new statement, DarkSide said it will change the way it works and selects targets. “From today, we will examine and analyze each company that partners want to encrypt to avoid social consequences,” the group wrote. On May 7, Colonial Pipeline announced that it had to disconnect some systems after discovering it was “a victim of a cyber attack”. According to the Business Insider , this move caused more than 8,046 km of fuel pipes and some computer systems of Colonial Pipeline to stop working. In an updated statement on May 8, the company representative confirmed that the software used for the attack was in the form of ransomware, which encrypts files in the system and requires victims to pay if they want to get it. again. The company hired a cybersecurity firm to investigate the severity of the attack. The DarkSide hacker group spoke out after the alleged implementation of a cyber attack against the Colonial Pipeline. Photo: Motherboard. According to information on its website, Colonial Pipeline transports about 45% of all fuel consumed on the East Coast of the United States. On May 9, the company said that while the main pipelines are still closed, some smaller pipelines have been reactivated. In response to the incident, the US Department of Transportation has declared a state of emergency in 17 states and Washington to lift restrictions on carriers and drivers assisting in fuel shortages. The declaration of emergency will be in effect until the end of the state of affairs, or until 23:59 on June 8 (local time). After the Colonial Pipeline incident, gasoline prices in the US increased more than 3% to $2,217 per gallon – the highest price since May 2018. Experts warn that the price of gas raw materials may increase further if Colonial Pipeline does not reopen the pipeline in the next few days. How did the FBI hack the suspect’s iPhone? Cellebrite has invented a phone-cracking technology that makes it easier for the FBI to investigate.

DV last month

Only when I was “failed to get a bachelor’s degree is a problem with IQ”

That company is disgusting

Related reports↓↓↓

HR recruitment claims that “I cannot pass the undergraduate IQ test. There is a problem.” Where does the sense of superiority come from?

Was again this month

“Not working overtime is rubbish” Offended

What kind of human suffering is this…

According to media reports

A netizen is looking for a job on an online recruitment platform

What I did not expect is

Can’t find this job

But was inexplicably humiliated by the recruited HR

↓↓↓

recently

A netizen posted a picture on a workplace platform

Cited by many netizens

The picture shows a company in Guangzhou recruiting developers

The company’s HR asked candidates if they could accept overtime

Inquiries from job seekers

Is there any overtime pay?

This was originally a commonplace thing

But the company’s HR said

“Please lower your profile before entering the workplace

Study hard instead of worrying about overtime”

At last

Under the premise that the candidate does not have excessive language

Throw “We don’t collect garbage” if

After this wonderful job application experience was exposed

Netizens spit in an instant

“It’s so hard to hit a worker”

Selected data on April 23 Tesla announced the accident vehicle data again late at night Tesla re-issued a document on the 22nd night, saying that it fully accepts the decisions of the State Administration of Market Supervision and the Zhengzhou City Market Supervision Administration, and does its best to actively cooperate with all relevant investigations, and earnestly fulfill its main responsibility for quality and safety, and provide consumers with High-quality and safe products and services. Tesla said that as of April 21 so far, it has provided complete driving data half an hour before the accident, and has proactively contacted relevant parties to communicate and report the relevant situation on many occasions. (China News Service) The torch relay of the Tokyo Olympics is now the first person infected with the new crown, a male police officer NHK reported on April 22 that the Tokyo Olympic Organizing Committee announced that a male police officer who had participated in the traffic control work of the Olympic torch in Xiangshan County on April 17 tested positive for the new crown. This is the first time a new crown-infected person has appeared among the staff of the Tokyo Olympic torch relay. The infected person is a male police officer in his 30s from the Transportation Department of the Takamatsu Kita Police Station. According to reports, during the course of his duty, the police officer did not have any contact with people along the torch relay. (Overseas Network) In the first quarter, Shanghai’s per capita income exceeded 20,000 yuan, and the per capita income of eight provinces exceeded the national level From the data point of view, in the first quarter of this year, the top ten provinces with per capita disposable income of residents were Shanghai, Beijing, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Tianjin, Guangdong, Fujian, Shandong, Chongqing and Liaoning. Among them, the per capita disposable income of residents in the first eight provinces exceeds the national average, and these eight provinces all come from the eastern coastal areas. The per capita disposable income of Shanghai residents reached 21,548 yuan in the first quarter, making it the only province with more than 20,000 yuan. As Shanghai has a large number of multinational companies and financial institutions such as the Shanghai Stock Exchange, the headquarters economy, R&D and innovation are very prominent, which attracts a large number of talents, and these groups have higher incomes. (China Business News) The British government cuts 95% of aid to China, leaving 900,000 pounds Recently, British Foreign Minister Raab announced that in this fiscal year’s official development assistance funds, aid to China will be cut by 95%, leaving less than 1 million pounds. The Conservative Government has boldly stated that it will allocate 0.7% of the country’s income every year for international aid. According to the British “Mirror” report, due to the impact of the new crown natural disaster, the anti-epidemic “man-made disaster” and the economic shock of Brexit last year, this expenditure will be reduced to 0.5% this fiscal year. The US “Politician” News Network added that one-third of the UK’s official development assistance funds are still invested in the “Indo-Pacific” and South Asia. The aid funds to China will be cut by 95%, leaving 900,000 pounds (approximately 8.13 million yuan) to fund open society and human rights projects. Some netizens on Weibo ridiculed that the British aid is not as good as the one-year revenue of some Internet celebrity shops in Changsha. In July last year, the British Department of International Development announced that the British government directly and indirectly provided assistance to China of 71.6 million pounds in 2018. (Observer Network) South Korea imported kimchi in the first quarter from China Yonhap News Agency recently reported that the export value of kimchi in the first quarter of this year was 46.57 million U.S. dollars, breaking a single-season export record. Imports amounted to 38.5 million U.S. dollars, and the trade balance achieved a surplus of 8.068 million U.S. dollars, the highest since April 2009. According to reports, the export value of kimchi in the first quarter of this year increased by 54.3% year-on-year, and the import value increased by 7.4%. From the perspective of import and export volume, the export volume was 11,181 tons and the import volume was 67,940 tons. Exported kimchi was US$4,165 per ton, much higher than the US$567 of imported kimchi. All imported kimchi originates from China. From the perspective of the kimchi export market, exports to Japan were US$24.72 million, an increase of 67.9% year-on-year, exports to the US were US$8.46 million, an increase of 80.6%, and exports to Hong Kong were US$2.34 million, an increase of 50.3%. (Forbes Chinese website)