Angela Merkel

"A politically enforced release of patents is, in my opinion, the wrong way to go," Merkel said on Thursday.

In a democratic country like India, we don't elect a commander but we elect a leader because he is the one who knows the way, goes the way and shows the way. Politics is not the only source of producing leaders.

Leaders would benefit from taking inspiration from Merkel, acknowledging their mistakes and offering real apologies

The weekly infection rate per 100,000 people stood at 107 nationwide on Monday, up from the mid-60s three weeks ago.

Regions where infection rates are relatively low, though not as low as previously envisioned, will be able to open nonessential stores, museums and other facilities on a limited basis.

Germany imposed a partial lockdown from the beginning of November, and then tightened restrictions in the middle of December as new infection numbers soared.

Germany had largely contained the spread of the virus in the spring but has been hit hard by a second wave of infections.

Europeans find it tough to point out what is really essential during the lockdown

Germany was reunited on October 3, 1990, after four decades of Cold War division.