Good Morning,
Covid Europe
We didn’t have to be in this alarming situation for yet another winter, yet here we are it seems. The uptake of vaccines is not as high as it could/should be so Covid cases in Europe are climbing fast and hospital beds already filling.
The World Health Org says now 700,000 more may die of Covid-19 in Europe and parts of Asia by May. Austria has now imposed a lockdown and other countries are considering the same.
France, Germany and Greece - could also soon make booster jabs a requirement for their citizens to be considered fully vaccinated.
In Russia the daily death toll is up over 1200 per day and Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said is "no end in sight" to the Covid-19 pandemic in Russia.
I have taken the third shot of vaccine myself, as a booster shot. No side effect. Not even a sore arm. And it means my protection from Covid is almost complete for at least this winter. What the future holds for annual shots, no one knows yet but there are many studies that are due in the next few months that will tell us about long term immunity.
The WHO Europe director, Dr Hans Kluge, urged those who were still unvaccinated to get the jab.
"All of us have the opportunity and responsibility to help avert unnecessary tragedy and loss of life, and limit further disruption to society and businesses over this winter season," he said.
Waukesha Suspect
Darrell Brooks Jr. is the Milwaukee man who appeared in court Tuesday charged with five counts of first degree murder, in the horrific attack on a Christmas parade Sunday that has left more than 60 people injured and 6 dead.
Overnight an 8 year old boy died of his injuries after Brooks drove his SUV through the crowd fleeing from a domestic incident. Little Jackson Sparks was marching in the parade with his baseball team when he was run down. Others who died were part of the dancing grannies ranging in age from 52 to 81yr old Wilhelm Hospel.
Brooks has a long history with at least 10 criminal charges since 1999, and was recently charged in November, with running over a woman at a gas station after punching her in the face. He was released on Nov 16 on a 1000 dollars bail in that case, so there are serious questions being asked of the Wilwaukee District Attorneys office.
Police Murder Mandatory Sentence
A new law will come into effect in Britain which makes the murder of any emergency worker punishable by life in prison. It includes police, prison officers, firefighters, and paramedics and will be applicable unless there are "truly exceptional circumstances".
The law is called ‘Harpers Law’ named after PC Andrew Harper who was killed on duty after being dragged by a car in August 2019. His widow has successfully campaigned for the change in law. Three teenagers were jailed on manslaughter charges in his death.
Royal Anger
Buckingham Palace has issued a rare statement criticizing the BBC and expressing fury over a documentary which purports to show the Princes were leaking negative news about each other to the media, in the middle of their disagreements over Harry’s wife Meaghan Markle.
Some of the leaks to newspapers include accusations Markle was abusive to her staff and some were driver out of the palace.
The news of warring bothers has been steadfastly denied by Prince William’s spokespeople, and the BBC is said to no longer be welcome by the Royal family over the documentary which included a private investigator who hacked into the phone of one of Prince Harry’s former girlfriend.
Other News…
-the markets are wobbly after Covid rates soar in Europe and parts of Asia. And that despite the U.S. decision to release 50 million barrels of crude from emergency reserves to curb the rising price of gas. But many say a reduction in supply by producing nations is a huge concern.
-A federal jury in Cleveland on Tuesday found that three of the nation’s largest pharmacy chains — CVS Health, Walmart and Walgreens — had substantially contributed to the crisis of opioid overdoses and deaths in two Ohio counties.
-British P.M. Boris Johnson is said to be coming under pressure from his own party to quit, after a series of corruption scandals topped of by a rambling speech this week to business leaders which saw Johnson lose his place, and then start a bizarre ad lib about the cartoon Peppa Pig. In his speech, Johnson refers electric cars saying EVs may not have the “vroom vroom vrah vrah”. Johnsons political career may have lost it’s “vroom vroom”.
Have a good day everyone!
Dana
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-59397182
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-berkshire-59394783
https://eu.jsonline.com/story/news/crime/2021/11/23/darrell-brooks-wisconsin-suspect-christmas-parade-deaths-face-charges/8728881002/
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/royals-bbc-over-overblown-documentary-25526285