Eurotopics.net

Research into a coronavirus vaccine is being conducted at high speed around the world. Germany's health minister Jens Spahn expects a vaccine for "early next year," he said on Friday. However commentators doubt a vaccine can stem the virus to the point that life without restrictions will be possible once more.

In Finland, hackers have stolen the data of around 40,000 patients treated at the Psychotherapy Center Vastaamo. After Vastamoo refused to pay 450,000 euros as requested, hundreds of files were published online and in some cases made available for download. The blackmailers have also been contacting patients directly since the weekend and attempting to extort money from them directly.

In the new documentary Francesco, Pope Francis speaks out in favour of legally recognised partnerships for homosexual couples, saying that they "have a right to a family". The official view of the Catholic Church so far is that homosexual acts are "intrinsically disordered" and go against nature. Not all observers see Francis's words as a deviation from this position.

The European Parliament's renowned Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought has gone to the opposition in Belarus in 2020. The award honours the Coordination Council, activists like Svetlana Tikhanovskaya and committed personalities like Svetlana Alexievich, the Parliament declared. Europe's press questions whether the 50,000 euros in prize money are a significant show of support.

Donald Trump and Joe Biden have squared off in their second and final TV debate. This time the discussion was more tempered than in the first debate, in which Trump barely let Biden get a word in and both candidates insulted each other. Almost 50 million Americans have already voted by mail. Were the candidates able to win over undecided voters last night?