GERMANY - “Dear Chancellor Dr Merkel, “We, the signatories, are doctors from all areas of healthcare, who have been serving people in practices and clinics for decades. During this time, we have witnessed more than one seasonal infection in Germany, most of them with far more severe conditions and significantly more deaths than since January 2020 from COVID infectious diseases. The circumstances of the coronavirus wave in the FRG have been perceived differently than the media and the ongoing warnings of politics, which were unjustified in fact, presented to the public for months. Predictions of individual advisory virologists with millions of seriously ill and hundreds of thousands of deaths in Germany have not been true in any way. According to the data situation, there hasn’t been a threat to the German population from Covid-19 for months. This must be the reason to return to normal life in Germany – a life without restrictions, fear and infection hysteria. We call on politicians and medical professional representatives to refrain from daily public warning and fear machines in the press and talk shows – this creates a deep and unsubstantiated fear among the population.”

UK - Official data is 'exaggerating' the risk of Covid-19 and talk of a second wave is 'misleading', nearly 500 academics told Boris Johnson in open letter attacking lockdown. It is signed by immunologist Dr Charlotte R Bell, paediatrician Dr Rosamond Jones, consultant surgeon and Keith Willison, Professor of Chemical Biology at Imperial College. The doctors and scientists said the Government's response to the coronavirus pandemic has become 'disproportionate' and that mass testing has distorted the risk of the virus. They said tests are likely to be producing high numbers of 'false positive' results and the Government must do more to put infection and death rates within the context of normal seasonal rates. The letter criticised the Government's handling of coronavirus for 'causing more harm than good'. The open letter to the Prime Minister was signed by 469 medics and is titled First Do No Harm - the medical principle that a cure must never be worse than the disease itself. The Government faced a stern rebuke from the UK Statistics Authority this week over its use of data.

USA - US president-elect Joe Biden will hand Boris Johnson a ruthless ultimatum in their first phone call, according to Nigel Farage. Mr Farage said it was "becoming clear" that Joe Biden will warn Mr Johnson to back down on his Brexit demands, or risk serious tensions with the US. Mr Biden, who has Irish roots, has been vocal against Boris Johnson's plans to override parts of the EU withdrawal agreement if no deal is reached with the bloc. Mr Farage told LBC that the election of Joe Biden is a "very very difficult result" for Boris Johnson and Brexit. The leader of the Brexit Party told LBC: "For Brexit, and for Boris, this is a very, very difficult result. What is already becoming clear is that Biden's first phone call with Boris is simply going to say, 'Sign the right deal with Monsieur Barnier, or there is no prospect of a trade deal'. Boris finds himself in a difficult position."

EUROPE - Brussels is facing a new Brexit deadline as the EU and UK conduct crucial talks this week in order to secure a trade deal. Michel Barnier and Lord David Frost will meet in London today in a new bid to break the current Brexit deadlock. Boris Johnson has insisted a deal is there to be agreed between the two sides but No10 has now warned the EU there are only 10 days for a deal to be reached, Politico understands. This has sparked concern in the EU, who need a longer period to finalise details. Due to the ratification process needed for MEPs to sign off on any deal, there is concern on the continent over the reduced timetable. If a deal is agreed by the end of this week, EU sources believe it could still take two parliamentary sessions before MEPs sign off on any deal. European lawmakers have warned a deal will not be agreed by the end of this week - despite Mr Barnier admitting to MEPs last week: "We have to see movement next week if we want an agreement at all."

GERMANY - The infirmity of transatlantic relations is a strategic crisis for Germany. Few countries need America more urgently in Europe than Germany. And not just because Germany is only partially ready to defend itself. In addition to its military protective function, America's second important role is easily overlooked: The United States is the great reinsurer of European unification and thus the peacemaker of Europe. [Note: This is a google translation]

USA - Trump berated and baffled European allies. They aren't sad to see him go. President Donald Trump called Europe a "foe." He said the continent's cities were migrant-ridden, dangerous "no-go zones." He threw leaders into a panic with threats to withdraw from NATO.

VATICAN - In private remarks, the pope has challenged the Catholic Church’s teaching on homosexuality, creating uncertainty among the faithful. The Catechism of the Catholic Church, the authoritative handbook of doctrine published by the Vatican in 1992, states that “homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered,” the inclination to perform them is “objectively disordered” and “under no circumstances can they be approved.” The catechism also states that “men and women who have deep-seated homosexual tendencies… must be accepted with respect, compassion and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided.” Pope Francis hasn’t changed a word of this teaching since his election in 2013. But he has dramatically shifted perceptions of the church’s stand on the subject — most recently with a statement endorsing civil unions for same-sex couples, which appears in a documentary that premiered at the Rome Film Festival last month. Pope Francis’s statement about civil unions is the latest of a series of high-profile comments and gestures that started with what remain the most famous words of his pontificate. In 2013, he responded to a reporter’s question about gay priests by asking, “Who am I to judge?”

JAPAN - The power plant was built on the coast just 4 meters above sea level with five-meter-high breakwater dams, in a tsunami-prone area with waves 10-15 meters high. Furthermore, there had been serious failures by the private company Tepco managing the plant, in the control of the nuclear plant: the safety devices did not come into operation at the time of the Tsunami.

NETHERLANDS - The Netherlands Minister of Health, Hugo de Jonge, announced on October 12 that their government will amend or re-interpret the euthanasia law to permit child euthanasia. In other words, the law would protect doctors who are willing to kill sick children. The current Netherlands euthanasia law permits euthanasia for children as young as 12, when parents or guardians consent; the Groningen Protocol permits euthanasia for disabled newborns. People over the age of 16 are considered adults and can therefore provide consent to euthanasia. De Jonge said that they would permit euthanasia for children between the ages of one and 12, who currently do not qualify to be killed.

USA - Joe Biden was elected the 46th president of the United States on Saturday when Pennsylvania delivered the electoral votes he needed to claim the White House, ending a vitriolic campaign that sorely tested the nation amid a pandemic and deep partisan divisions.

USA - Joe Biden's grandchildren told him he had the won the election when it was called at 11.25am Saturday - then hugged him with his son Hunter. Naomi Biden, Hunter's daughter, tweeted a picture of the moment they celebrated the end of a rollercoaster election and count, as in cities across America crowds took to the streets.

EUROPE - The European Union wanted to keep the Maastricht Treaty secret from the public - but because Denmark was legally obligated to have a referendum on it, copies of the Treaty ended up being leaked to a newspaper in the UK, Ukip founder Alan Sked has told Express.co.uk. The Treaty, though, which greatly increased the powers of the European Commission, was widely unpopular and, according to Ukip founder Alan Sked, was meant to be kept secret from the public.

EUROPE - Brexiteer Ben Habib issued a stark warning to the European Union about the future of the bloc and warned of growing Eurosceptic movements on the continent. During an interview with Express.co.uk, Mr Habib hinted member states, Spain, Greece, Italy and France could one day push to try to leave the European Union. He insisted this was due to the bloc's initial handling of the coronavirus pandemic. He added if Britain makes a success of Brexit, other countries may want to follow in the UK's footsteps. Mr Habib said: "The EU fears greatly that other countries will wish to leave. That is one of the reasons why it cannot allow the UK to have a successful Brexit. Countries such as Greece, Italy, Spain and even France, France is in real trouble, these countries have significant Eurosceptic movements and they are growing.” He said: "There is another reason why the EU cannot allow Britain to have a successful exit. It is because you will then see the Eurosceptic movements in France, Italy, Greece, Spain and eastern parts of the European Union grow. They will really be banging the drum saying we need to get out of the EU."

GERMANY - As the political and economic centre of the world shifts from the Atlantic to the Indo-Pacific, and geostrategic competition increases, Germany, the EU and NATO want closer defence cooperation with nations such as Australia. Germany’s defence minister, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, told an online seminar organised by ASPI that Australia was regarded as a ‘rock of stability’ in the region and had a key role to play in maintaining peace and security. ‘We intend to expand security and defence cooperation with those who share our values in the region, intensify our military contexts and promote dialogue on matters of security.’ Germany planned to send naval vessels to patrol Indian Ocean trade routes next year and it was discussing with the Australian Defence Force the possibility of placing liaison officers aboard Australian naval vessels, she said. ‘We need strong partnerships … between Germany and Australia, but we also need an international network that goes beyond that.’ She added that the relationship with Australia was all-encompassing and not just about security and defence.

GERMANY - Germany has given the green light to purchase jets worth at least €5.4 billion. The air force said that the new aircraft will be equipped with the latest technology and could be used against targets on the ground. The contract is part of the German Defense Ministry's long-term plan to gain at least 93 Eurofighter jets, along with 45 F-18s from Boeing. Decisions on the purchase of the remaining jets are expected after Germany's federal election next year. Germany's ruling grand coalition government as well as the Free Democratic party (FDP), and the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party voted in favor of the billion-dollar purchase. The Left party voted against the deal, and the Greens abstained.