international german employees are standing down over claims they made hundreds of thousands of euros from brokering deals for face masks with more on the scandal here's our europe correspondent. make no bones about it this is a big scandal here in germany pandemic profiteering isn't a look any party wants to be tarnished with and this is part of the ruling coalition here including angela merkel's christian democratic union party the representative of the party nicolas lobel has said he's going to step down at the next election this is after his company allegedly made around a quarter of a 1000000 euro from being the middleman in deals when it came to pee pee and masks during this pandemic may not be good enough for some sort of said he needs to go right now and not wait until the election in the autumn however he said he is sorry for what he's done so far but he isn't the only one that's been involved in this scandal we've also heard. from the very insistent party the c s u is facing a corruption probe after he's understood to have taken away a 6 figure sum for being the middle man again in deals involving masks he's already said he's not going to run in september he has stood down from his position as the deputy leader of the union parliamentary group but he's denied any wrongdoing what this is prompted is well senior figures including members of angular merkel's cabinet coming out and saying there's no way this can be tolerated in condemning those 2 politicians to collect a commission that it's again to earn money through mediation in emergency situations is not possible that destroys trust in our democracy those who fill their own pockets with essential goods such as masks do not represent the people but the lowest interests it's understandable why the center right block is circling the wagons there's obviously a bundestag election coming up in september but before that just next sunday there's 2. oughtn't regional elections as well and they want the candidates involved not to be as distant from this particular scandal as possible there's also a want to not get more fuel to a fire or frustration that is seen people demonstrate against the way the government has handled the pandemic here in germany and it's not just a german issue we've also seen those protests taking place across europe. with. a level of hopes it will surely only be added to when it starts coming out that m.p.'s that politicians were enriching themselves personally during this pandemic journalist and author thomas fassbender told us that public anger over the issue will damage the ruling party. i think that definitely the christian democrats as a party at the forthcoming for coming elections will take a hit there's 'd no question there is anger about this the interesting thing here is that mr lube it just last year was the subject of a completely unrelated corruption or misbehavior commercial misbehavior case within his own party the man has been known for a sort of potentially shady behavior is there where allegations and nevertheless the party sort of shut their eyes and that is of course 'd the dangerous thing it's not just a matter of the law as such of the letter of the law but also. 'd about the way it is applied. maher downing street has been criticized for spending millions of pounds or refer bushman's to hold white house style media briefings and in another echoing today from across the pond britain's prime minister boris johnson is setting up a charity so donors can fund renovations of his official residence but for many in the u.k. all this money would be better spent on health care staff working on the front line . should bourses interest sure sure sure is about is i mean trish could be a pole for us will still be a pole looking after all nurses and doctors and everybody that works in austria people favorite us are the probably did. you answer people from the brother from the people looking. for a present from health workers. who can often prefer more people. i'm not sure we do to be free will of course it's really hard to do a lot of other things like remove the local issues of making sure the whole population is properly covered but what can you do if they say this is going to ask you yes sir of course but you know when you when when when i'm going to hospital table i think the nurse is an essay for me then you know that's what would be necessary for me to make sure you can have enough pay and they've got enough motivation to work on lies are important decoration. while the u.k. government insists that difficult economic circumstances to mean that it can only afford a one percent pay hike the national health service staff with inflation predicted to reach $1.00 and a half percent this year that would likely result in a real term pay cut and this is union to say to say that they deserve more and is preparing for strikes political commentator anthony weber says the government's priorities are completely wrong. but the media companies don't actually need these. facilities one those are sure to derail a finer. witnesses shortage of finance money should go in and sue. you know more sensible directions logical directions like. giving the nation a start but it does. rather a pool message that the government's proposed to spend money on promoting its only interest is we're not prepared to spend money on people who have been looking after people who are building a hospital i'm uncertain of people who like the n.h.s. star would respect the nurses and so on well that said the government has extended its thermal a scheme until september pay 80 percent of people's wages for hours they can't work during the pandemic and in predicting that the cash will help to get the economy back on track but in the latest episode of out is going underground the british economic historian robert skidelsky does question the numbers. they think there's a lot of pent up demand that there are a lot of savings that people haven't been able to spend and that as the shops and entertainment places reopened people will flock to these places with their extra spending power and that'll make the whole thing revived but if you look at it realistically i'm very skeptical about this because national income has fall or it's fallen by 10 percent cent in 2020 that means savings of all there as you know some people will have extra savings but what about all those whose incomes have fall they're not going to have extra spending power we're talking about people who are being made unemployed because small businesses are closing going bankrupt and or cutting down on their start and rather than keeping that population on firm earlier than i would try and provide work for them and especially young people. it's really central region of lathi i want to make the russian sputnik the vaccine and as i asked the government to consider its proposal well as he also plans to buy a 1000000 doses of the shotgun the country's health minister to say he is in favor of the russian chap. in my opinion if the vaccine works in this safe i do not really care about the nationality of the scientists who developed it therefore i am open to sputnik v. as well as to other vaccines should the european medicines agency in the italian medicines agency give their approval we are ready to cooperate with russia even very soon as one in v.a. has already been approved in 2 countries hungary and her back here it does come as the baucus criticised coronavirus an accolade inoculation in member states that he a region's health truth told us about an approval process for sputnik. was that more. it's necessary to produce vaccines in house in order to be self-reliant and avoid the problems we've recently faced including the difficulties with job supplies and on time deliveries autonomy will benefit everyone in this case we've always treated the sputnik vaccine with great respect paying particular attention to the scientific evidence behind it therefore we had no reservations about it off we saw the in that explanations of its validity in the medical journal the lancet and by the last there are small and zone international institute for infectious diseases in row we've always said that the efficacy and safety of vaccines are the main thing whereas the origin doesn't matter to us. unfortunately we can't say decisions absolutely independently and always have to wait for the approval by regulators will so hope for a fast track process so that it doesn't get bogged down in excessive red tape because we are in emergency and in great need of doses in italy we don't expect to see any disputes around the sputnik vaccine because we believe it will contribute to the common good and protect the health of our citizens. joe biden's covert relief bill has finally passed through the senate after amendment votes and last minute negotiations but while $1.00 trillion dollars of aid may seem like a lot of money people may actually get less than they did under donald trump ask you taylor explains why. ungar in america especially for children has soared to historic levels unexpected medical bills have created a serb just families desperate for in america the richest country in all the world we have incredible hunger what how is this possible as the u.s. continues its brutal battle with one invisible enemy an old one has of ram just poverty but for those one in 10 americans who lost that job and same never recovered all those 3 in 10 low income families who worry whether next meal is coming from good news joe biden promised you a helping hand no one should work 40 hours a week you live in poverty and it wasn't just higher wages no biden was also going to rip open the government's wallet and hand out those support checks the american rescue plan is going to keep the commitment of $2000.60 already gone out $1400.00 checks to people who need it. this is money directly in people's pockets and with control of the house of representatives the senate and the white house the only trinity nothing could stop the democrats puffing that kind of bill no out of touch a little greedy republicans not even trump no it was a done deal right but we obviously are now alternately sending. money to less people in the trump administration this is not the promise that we need. conservative democrats have fossil divides in the admin sense fewer and less generous relief checks than the trans admin did so not a done deal biden promised one thing with has $1.00 trillion dollar aid package the house then took a stab at it and the senate now taken a not the stab at it and it's a wounded form almost $12000000.00 fewer adults will get the relief bite and pledged unemployment benefits are finishing a month earlier than planned and as for raising minimum wage to $15.00 well courtesy of some democrat senators who vetoed it that won't be happening and if you're wondering what an elected official offering in the face of the people they saw it looks like well hey you go. to cinema cinema no i'm sure go it's a big thumbs up from have for $174000.00 annual salary but if you thought biden himself was brain child this bill was as devastated by this well think again he is comfortable with where the negotiations stand he is controversial and knows there will be tweaks at the margin so if these tweaks mean that american struggling to stay afloat amid the biggest recession in the u.s. in decades on getting the money who it is what national democrats particularly nancy pelosi and chuck schumer have chosen to do is crimes through a 1.9 trillion package that includes things like funding on the national endowment for the arts and national endowment of humanities and the subway in silicon valley to help nancy pelosi constituents and while the washington elite did eventually realize that splashing $100000000.00 on a subway in the richest town in america wouldn't sit well with those people standing in line to food banks when will it realize that it works for we the people and not me myself and i. saskia taylor there well the mainstream media were delighted by the bill with the washington post initially branding it a defining move by biden but it was then forced to change its headline after a backlash on light showers money on americans could washington post exaggerate biden situations in the mockridge desk way probably not shameful. will who make it rain with a check that still doesn't cover a whole month's rent soak up all of the money show us my fellow pulls the amounts are being paid or just a drop in the in the bucket the payments are proof that their faith and they buy the ministries was well founded and the reality is of course that much more of their covert relief bill is going to other causes another interest groups in the us you know we have a constitution and the government has grown by leaps and bounds beyond what the original intentions were at this point the number in the duties of the american federal government have. the number of tourists arguments over laughable you know the last coded stimulus package had billions and billions being sent to foreign countries this one has everything from money for amtrak which is a perennial loser of public money. 3000000000 in aid to aircraft manufacturers almost 300000000 for the national government for the arts and all while people are suffering and i would add while there are clear signs that the global average age for us treasuries which is the us debt seems to be waning this is a heck of a time to be incurring a lot more debt. than crowds have rallied in the lebanese capital beirut for a 7th consecutive days desperation and anger sparked by an economic downturn pushes more people to the brink protesters barricaded 3 main roads leading into the capital last week the country's currency brittany becoming the last straw for many who have seen prices of consumer goods need to triple since the crisis erupted in 2019 history of nearly half the population of 6000000 into poverty white diet jumps and savings reporting from the capital now his local journalist linda to me. i think downtown the return tickets have blocked the roads they blocked them with burning tires conscienceless trash bins they set trash bins unfired basically every . he is angry at the further collapse of the lebanese lira to the dollar the lebanese pound reached $10800.00 lebanese the rest to a dollar which is very much under president that the protesters are very angry at the government for being so inefficient for not being able to form a cabinet that would unlock the $1000000000.00 promised by the i.m.f. should the reforms be finally implemented it's been close to 7 months now that lebanon has been without a proper functioning government because situations that is very very. very. we close this road because this is our land our country and we have become poor we have endured so much that's why we are closing the roads again and won't let anyone pass. on we are starving we are here at martyr square setting tires on fire because the price of a loaf of bread has risen to $3000.00 lebanese pounds and that of a kilogram of rice to $7000.00 all while the dollar keeps rising there seems to be no end in sight a lot of people a lot of lebanese people are thrown deeper into poverty and a lot of people are desperate they're fleeing the country they're now jobless they're left with absolutely no hope and this is why they're expressing their anger and frustration out on the streets of beirut. now face coverings in public and no longer allowed in switzerland in a referendum promoted by the right wing swiss people's party voters now really supported the ban that will include the burqa or the cab worn by muslim women while there are several exemptions to the new rule it does allow face covering for security climate and health reasons proposal for the ban didn't mention islam directly officially saying it was a and stopping violent street protestors from wearing masks but the leading swiss islamic group has already called the vote a dark day for muslims. this is my my my. so i wouldn't like to someone to force me keep it up or else take it. this way that obviously they. vote no we have religious freedom we have freedom of expression you can say we have freedom and then not give it it being frees been able to show our face respect in women's dignity heaven our own identity and therefore i do not understand the discourse of people who want to imprison women the hind this veil. i said no to this initiative because feminist ideas are being used for something which on the contrary obstructs liberty of choice this is also borderline center for big so this goes against my will yes they also i think of switzerland or some other european countries already have full or partial bans on veils in public places including belgium and austria the 1st to introduce the move 10 years ago was france which has since repeatedly fallen under a wave of criticism for violating personal liberties ok well it's the place i'm go to enroll for your political ends not to have aid work directly from me into knowing foundation in geneva and an organization for interreligious dialogue and cooperation you both very welcome appreciate your time to start with you i know you've got family members of the actually took part in this referendum and voted for the ban can you just explain why they did that and why you think there's so much support for it. thank you if we just let right now that question sorry half a brain a go ahead. i think that the met chara tee off that this was people who have voted for the ban of face coverings has decided so not specially trying to hurt muslim people living in their country but rather thinking of their own cultural identity and preserving it in the long run this is what i definitely can see and of course the covering of the face by. a bus or left wing demonstrators in the streets who often cause harm also against police and other people we also know that from germany quite a lot it's also an argument so it's not a decision which was specifically taken against muslim people but of course for muslim people who insist in covering women's faces it is a major problem i can understand that point ok i have let's bring you in now because a leading swiss islamic group is said that this is a dark day for muslims many people do you think it was targeting the muslim community unfairly. you know let me go back to the location against the. november 2000 and like you know and now we have we. which it should and they shouldn't the muslim community support. what is important that all the time we were clearing this problem of. i have nothing to do 1st. with the sun and in the same state that don't exist even he's here in switzerland and in europe exist but in university students see that there is a lot more dense woman wearing this kind of thought we don't need to look we have to present things to. block this kind of people who we're all to control for security there ceases what we think here that it is always the same it's always the strategy of this extremist party you'll most muslims and islam behind you know civil laws but when we look at death it's very very bad for us because we want to leave out the whole spirit in switzerland which is a neutral. country as people who live lives will tell you that you want freedom this is the best big democratic ok. fundamental laws so why they are continuing to use this strategy to put us out of the society and to divide the citizens between who believe don't believe we want to live peace and and in solidarity all right let me just bring in mona to respond to some of that her faith because we have to say right now when you look at the campaign that was led i think by vs was people's party was a big poster of a muslim woman in a veil with the with the with the big letters underneath saying stop extremism i mean that is very divisive and i've heard the arguments that people are saying this is just about stopping people from wearing face masks particular protests or whatever but when you look at the actual campaign that led up to this referendum you can understand what happened to your set. of course i mean political campaigns are always emotionalizing but i think it's not fair to reduce the campaign just to the s.v.p. party because it's the people of switzerland who had the last say and who voted and i think they really thought about the results about the long term also following up of the referendum quite well and i just see a division among the swiss people. giora tivo tit for the ban of pork us off the face coverings but also a small majority for example voted for free market union with indonesia which is the largest muslim country in the world so how can you reduce this decision just sue in a phobia racist against muslims this is simply not true this is not fair towards this with people and i think we should always remember that it is. guaranteed by the un and chart that peoples have their right of self-determination and if we just turn our at the situation around and if we imagine that we had a similar referendum in an icelandic country like in pakistan or like in saudi arabia and the question would be would you allow would you like to allow people or women wearing bikini in public beaches for example i'm pretty sure that 95 percent or even 1009 percent of the people would vote against it and the people who have come from other countries working for example in saudi arabia they are used to wearing a bikini in beaches and for them it's nothing wrong nothing bad and so they have to accept the laws and rules that country so it's important also to. allow people to steer their own cultural development which is in the long term very important ok let me just bring in half a to respond to some of that then yes basically it's up to the people to decide you know what laure should run their country was put up for a vote and this was the result you know what i want to say to my dear friend that we know what democracy and we're not using emotional rhetorical the program of fault here just recently about the minarets in 2009 or yesterday about covering the face everybody knows that. that was not a lot of the minarets interests are learned and there is no not a lot of women wearing this up in switzerland so it is always just here you used to fight muslims and islam and if you say that it's not fear i don't know that a lot of people's vote against but it's there is a lot of religious and small. releases in german country the parts of switzerland where people have never seen a woman listening up and not. don't exist in switzerland they vote for this law no what they consider to my neighbor we have to love those. written in the conspiracy of the country which school. district don't. we as muslims we say we don't want to be used by extremists from one side or the other as we want to live. in streatham in and give maturity and. human rights to how they can use the clothes or are using we're running out of time here . point i just write in a response to that. well i think it's very important to acknowledge that muslim people in switzerland and all over europe enjoy religious freedom and that baring a face wail and building a minaret is not part of the core beliefs of islam. written down in their could so you can live your religion freely and the question also is why have you chosen to come to switzerland knowing very well that it's a christian country which even wears the cross in its flag in its national flag so i think you were quite clear about that when you came to switzerland and you can lift your religious freedom in your mosques and nobody will ever bother you also expressing your thoughts and it is also clear that a society shall have the right to set certain limits to long term developments inside the society which can hamper also their cultural identity and their own religious freedom and maybe switzerland is not a good example for that but in switzerland people are at least allowed to vote but if you look at some cities for example in great britain if you look at some cities in southern france or some parts of brussels you see that their original society has that mission it has gone and people also.