We wish you a beautiful Thursday morning! The public and animal rights activists are rejoicing! The MEPs approved a ban on battery cages for laying hens. Donald Trump messed up again, new PlayStation and Xbox to launch soon and Jen Aniston and Brad Pitt side by side? All that and much more has happened! Our Early Bird brings you an overview of hot news.
Since 2027, hens will enjoy a much more pleasant life! Yesterday, MEPs finally approved a ban on battery cages for laying hens. This step was welcomed not only by the general public, but also by Marek Voršilka, chairman of the OBRAZ - Obránci zvířat association, which is campaigning for a ban on the cage breeding of hens.
"It is a fantastic success not only for the four million Czech hens, but also for animal protection in general. We‘d like to thank all the MEPs who supported the ban on the cage breeding of hens. Our gratitude extends to all those who contributed in the campaign in any way. We are aware that without tremendous social pressure, there would have been no change. All we have to do now is convince the Senate... We firmly believe that the senators will listen to the opinion of the Czech public and confirm the ban on the cage breeding of hen at the next meeting."
It's common knowledge that Donald Trump doesn't think twice before using harsh words. This time he went up against the director of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention Dr. Robert Redfield. At a recent conference, the expert said that face masks or other protective headgear could be a more effective protection against the coronavirus than any potential vaccine, adding that the COVID-19 vaccine was unlikely to be widely available until next spring or summer. But President Donald Trump sharply opposed this claimed and called Redfield "confused".
"I think he made a mistake when he said that. It's just incorrect information. Maybe he didn't understand the question,"
"The vaccine will have tremendous power. It will be extremely strong. It's going to be extremely successful. We won't have a problem."
"In today's hearing, Dr. Redfield answered a question he thought was in regard to the time period all Americans would have completed their Covid vaccination, and his estimate was in the second or third quarter of 2021. He was not referring to when vaccines will be available to all Americans."
New Zealand has pretty much cut itself off from the rest of the world. It decided to fight Covid-19 using very strict measures. Even the parliamentary elections have been postponed. But these restrictions have now taken their toll. The country found itself in the deepest recession since the global financial crisis in 1987. The country's GDP fell by 12.2% between April and June, when the borders were closed. As in many other countries, the sharpest decrease occured in fields such as retail trade, accommodation, restaurants and transport. However, Finance Minister Grant Robertson remains optimistic, claiming that the GDP figures are better than expected. But Westpac's chief economist Michael Gordon takes the opposite view.
It's true that new cases only appear in single numbers in New Zealand, which makes it likely that the country will soon come back to life.
This one is for all you game console enthusiasts out there! Sony has announced the price and launch date of the new PlayStation 5.
If you want to have the latest edition at home, be ready to pay $ 499, i.e. CZK 13,490. The cheaper PlayStation 5 that comes without a disc reader will cost $ 399, i.e. CZK 10,790. Pre-orders start today at select retailers!
The company's rival Microsoft didn't delay the launch of their new game console either. They've recently revealed that the Xbox Series X will cost CZK 13,499, while the cheaper variant will be available for CZK 7,999. Sales will begin on November 10 and you'll be able to pre-order it from September 22.
Forbes magazine compiled a ranking of the richest football players in the world. Lionel Messi's name has recently been making the rounds in the general public, and now he's back on the agenda. With his fortune of $ 126 million, the football star, who will soon take off his Barcelona shirt, overtook even the legendary Cristiano Ronaldo, who can boast "mere" $ 117 million. The bronze medal went to Brazilian striker Paris Saint-Germain Neymar with $ 96 million in his account and his colleague Kylian Mbappe, by far the youngest player in the top 10, placed 4th. His fortune is estimated at $ 42 million.
Jen and Brad together again?! Although the public would certainly like to see that, this scenario is unlikely to occur in their personal lives. However, despite their breakup several years ago, the couple remain friends, and now they have joined forces for a good cause. As comedian Dane Cook revealed on his Instagram account, Pitt and Aniston will meet in front of the screen early today evening to read an hour-long scene from the iconic 1982 comedy Golden Times at Ridgemont High. The reading will be streamed live on the official CORE Facebook page, via TikTok and LiveXLive. In addition to Aniston and Pitt, Morgan Freeman, Julia Roberts, Mathew McConaughey and Sean Penn will also participate. The proceeds will go to the non-profit organizations CORE and REFORM Alliance.
That's all from us today. Remember to keep a positive attitude no matter what happens, because as the philosopher Confucius said: