Monday, January 9, 2023

Five German News Stories

 1.  On the arrest of the two Iranian brothers for the poison attack plan....the story this morning has fallen from a top ten story.  What's generally said today....the FBI apparently views Telegram boards and noted the older brother asking how to make the particular poison in question (ricin).  German cops now acknowledge that the two guys had not yet gotten the materials, but the fear was they'd overcome this shortly.  As for the raid....500 fire department, police, and medical folks were involved.  I should note that the two have been in Germany for around seven years.  

2.  The S-Bahn folks in Berlin say that new technology will be applied in May of this year....to 'warn' people by smart-phone....of S-Bahn wagon 'load'.  It'll go out as real-time data.  It may be unpleasant news for some in the rush hour....realizing the next three subway trains that you might take....are already warned as 'overflowing'.

3.  Significant amount of criticism coming up over Covid PCR test costs.  The fed gov't figured around in mid-2020....material cost for the test would be around 22 Euro....so the manpower cost and profit differed wildly.  Way over 1-billion Euro over-spent, but no one really stood there object.

4.  Lot of police/environmentalist conflict around the Lutzerath area of Germany (NW region)....over a coal-region.  Police were attacked by protest folks with rocks/stones.  Some indicator that more demonstrations will occur over the next month. 

5.  Some chatter that a draft law will be created (SPD Party push) where if you hold a blank-gun or crossbow....you have to have a weapon's license.  Presently, there is a law on crossbows.....that you have to be eighteen or older....to have one.  

Probably will be some discussion as this gets noted in the Bundestag....why not machetes as well.  

How many blank-guns or crossbows are there?  Unknown.  No one seems to care enough....to mandate some count.  

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