Eurotopics.net

Many people hear the latest figures on coronavirus deaths even before breakfast, as breaking news on their smartphones or the radio. As a society, this means we are thinking about death again, more than we have for a long time - even those of us who have not yet lost any relatives or friends to the virus. What effect does this have? And is it not legitimate to want to suppress thoughts of mortality?

After months of protests the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) has stripped Belarus of the right to co-host the World Championship this year. Commentators welcome this outcome but are not happy about the way it came about.

After his arrival in Moscow Alexei Navalny was sentenced to 30 days in prison. The trial was held in a police station and the charge was violation of registration requirements. The Kremlin critic called on his supporters via Youtube to protest: "Not for me, but for you, for your future." Commentators discuss what a threat Navalny represents for the Kremlin.

The newly elected US President Joe Biden wants to halt construction of the Keystone XL oil pipeline and invest in gas instead, according to Canadian media. Due to the estimated damage to the environment the project was already halted by Obama in 2015 but revived again by Trump. Biden plans to shift the focus in other energy policy areas as well, with two trillion dollars already earmarked for the endeavour.

The Dutch government has resigned over a child-benefits scandal just two months ahead of the general election. More than 20,000 parents, most of them with migrant backgrounds, were falsely accused of fraud by the authorities and ordered to repay thousands of euros in daycare subsidies. Victims' lawyers are talking of institutional racism. For the press, the government's resignation is not the end of the affair.