US House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee Republicans said on Monday they opposed Democratic-led legislation intended to boost competitiveness with China and push Beijing on human rights, meaning the panel will likely advance the bill this week with only Democratic support. 
 
A spokesperson for Representative Michael McCaul, the top committee Republican, said he opposed the 'Ensuring American Global Leadership and Engagement Act',&nbsp;or Eagle Act, which the committee will consider on Wednesday. 
 
The desire for a hard line in dealings with China is one of the few truly bipartisan sentiments in the deeply divided US&nbsp;Congress, which is narrowly controlled by President Joe Biden's fellow Democrats. 
 
However, the two parties disagree on how best to deal with China. For example, Republicans object to provisions in the Eagle Act that would authorise funding for climate initiatives. 
 
But Republicans also said they felt the Eagle Act calls for too many studies and would be a missed opportunity to take meaningful action like tightening control of technology exports and regulating access to some types of sensitive personal data, such as Americans' health information. 
 
"It's largely just a messaging bill," a Republican aide said. 
 
The Eagle Act was introduced in May by Democratic Foreign Affairs Chairman Gregory Meeks. 
 
The Senate on June 8 passed by a strong bipartisan 68-32 majority its own sweeping China bill, the "US&nbsp;Innovation and Competition Act," or USICA, which authorises about $190 billion for provisions to strengthen US&nbsp;technology and research, and approved $54 billion to increase US&nbsp;production and research into semiconductors and telecommunications equipment. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

US House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee Republicans said on Monday they opposed Democratic-led legislation intended to boost competitiveness with China and push Beijing on human rights, meaning the panel will likely advance the bill this week with only Democratic support.

US House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee Republicans said on Monday they opposed Democratic-led legislation intended to boost competitiveness with China and push Beijing on human rights, meaning the panel will likely advance the bill this week with only Democratic support. A spokesperson for Representative Michael McCaul, the top committee Republican, said he opposed the 'Ensuring American Global Leadership and Engagement Act', or Eagle Act, which the committee will consider on Wednesday. The desire for a hard line in dealings with China is one of the few truly bipartisan sentiments in the deeply divided US Congress, which is narrowly controlled by President Joe Biden's fellow Democrats. However, the two parties disagree on how best to deal with China. For example, Republicans object to provisions in the Eagle Act that would authorise funding for climate initiatives. But Republicans also said they felt the Eagle Act calls for too many studies and would be a missed opportunity to take meaningful action like tightening control of technology exports and regulating access to some types of sensitive personal data, such as Americans' health information. "It's largely just a messaging bill," a Republican aide said. The Eagle Act was introduced in May by Democratic Foreign Affairs Chairman Gregory Meeks. The Senate on June 8 passed by a strong bipartisan 68-32 majority its own sweeping China bill, the "US Innovation and Competition Act," or USICA, which authorises about $190 billion for provisions to strengthen US technology and research, and approved $54 billion to increase US production and research into semiconductors and telecommunications equipment. (With inputs from agencies)

US House Republicans oppose Democratic-led China bill

Tanzania will spend $470 million buying vaccines and supporting economic sectors hit hard by the coronavirus, President Samia Suluhu Hassan said on Monday. 
 
Since Hassan took office after the death of then-president John Magufuli in March, the government has changed tack from playing down the pandemic to calling for social distancing and emphasising mask wearing in public. 
 
Issuing the first data on infections since May 2020, Hassan said there were more than 100 COVID-19 patients in Tanzania as of last Saturday, with 70 of them being provided oxygen. 
 
Half of the cash will be spent on vaccines, protective gear and other medical equipment, Hassan said, with the rest going to stimulate sectors that are reeling from the crisis. 
 
She did not give details about the sectors but tourism, one of the top foreign exchange earners, has been one of the worst hit. 
 
"There are many organisations which are ready to support us," she told Tanzanian news editors. 
 
There is currently no coronavirus vaccination programme in Tanzania, but the country has applied to join the World Health Organization-backed COVAX vaccine-sharing project. 
 
The government is working with healthcare partners to develop a plan to distribute vaccines. 
 
"Any Tanzanian who wants to be inoculated will be inoculated," Hassan said. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

Tanzania will spend $470 million buying vaccines and supporting economic sectors hit hard by the coronavirus, President Samia Suluhu Hassan said on Monday. Since Hassan took office after the death of then-president John Magufuli in March, the government has changed tack from playing down the pandemic to calling for social distancing and emphasising mask wearing in public.

Tanzania will spend $470 million buying vaccines and supporting economic sectors hit hard by the coronavirus, President Samia Suluhu Hassan said on Monday. Since Hassan took office after the death of then-president John Magufuli in March, the government has changed tack from playing down the pandemic to calling for social distancing and emphasising mask wearing in public. Issuing the first data on infections since May 2020, Hassan said there were more than 100 COVID-19 patients in Tanzania as of last Saturday, with 70 of them being provided oxygen. Half of the cash will be spent on vaccines, protective gear and other medical equipment, Hassan said, with the rest going to stimulate sectors that are reeling from the crisis. She did not give details about the sectors but tourism, one of the top foreign exchange earners, has been one of the worst hit. "There are many organisations which are ready to support us," she told Tanzanian news editors. There is currently no coronavirus vaccination programme in Tanzania, but the country has applied to join the World Health Organization-backed COVAX vaccine-sharing project. The government is working with healthcare partners to develop a plan to distribute vaccines. "Any Tanzanian who wants to be inoculated will be inoculated," Hassan said. (With inputs from agencies)

Tanzania to spend $470 million on vaccines, coronavirus-damaged economy

Australia's deputy prime minister was fined for failing to wear a mask in a service station in violation of COVID-19 prevention orders, the authorities said on Tuesday, the country's most powerful person to face repercussions for non-compliance. 
 
Barnaby Joyce, who returned as leader of the Nationals coalition partner a week earlier, was spotted by a member of the public paying for fuel without a mask in his electorate about 500 km (310 miles) north of Sydney on Monday, the police said. 
 
The person called Crime Stoppers, an emergency hotline, and officers went to the service station where "inquiries revealed a 54-year-old man was not wearing a face mask while in the store", New South Wales state police said in a statement. 
 
Joyce, who was not identified in the police statement, was fined A$200 ($151) for breaching a public health order by not wearing a 'fitted face covering when in indoor area of retail/business premises'. 
 
A spokesman for Joyce was not immediately available for comment, but the outspoken country member confirmed the incident in an interview on Monday with News Corp-owned cable broadcaster Sky News. 
 
He said he was on his way to the airport, realised he had forgotten to buy fuel for his partner, "fuelled the car up with fuel, went in, 30 seconds later $200 it cost me because I didn't wear one of these (a mask)," he told the broadcaster, according to a report in News Corp newspapers. 
 
"That's life," Joyce added. 
 
The fine adds to a list of powerful public figures, who have received fines for breaching virus containment rules. 
 
In April 2020, the New South Wales arts minister resigned after being fined A$1000 for breaching stay-home orders in the initial days of the country's anti-coronavirus response. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

Australia's deputy prime minister was fined for failing to wear a mask in a service station in violation of COVID-19 prevention orders, the authorities said on Tuesday, the country's most powerful person to face repercussions for non-compliance.

Australia's deputy prime minister was fined for failing to wear a mask in a service station in violation of COVID-19 prevention orders, the authorities said on Tuesday, the country's most powerful person to face repercussions for non-compliance. Barnaby Joyce, who returned as leader of the Nationals coalition partner a week earlier, was spotted by a member of the public paying for fuel without a mask in his electorate about 500 km (310 miles) north of Sydney on Monday, the police said. The person called Crime Stoppers, an emergency hotline, and officers went to the service station where "inquiries revealed a 54-year-old man was not wearing a face mask while in the store", New South Wales state police said in a statement. Joyce, who was not identified in the police statement, was fined A$200 ($151) for breaching a public health order by not wearing a 'fitted face covering when in indoor area of retail/business premises'. A spokesman for Joyce was not immediately available for comment, but the outspoken country member confirmed the incident in an interview on Monday with News Corp-owned cable broadcaster Sky News. He said he was on his way to the airport, realised he had forgotten to buy fuel for his partner, "fuelled the car up with fuel, went in, 30 seconds later $200 it cost me because I didn't wear one of these (a mask)," he told the broadcaster, according to a report in News Corp newspapers. "That's life," Joyce added. The fine adds to a list of powerful public figures, who have received fines for breaching virus containment rules. In April 2020, the New South Wales arts minister resigned after being fined A$1000 for breaching stay-home orders in the initial days of the country's anti-coronavirus response. (With inputs from agencies)

Australia deputy PM fined for not wearing mask in breach of COVID-19 rules

Chinese President Xi Jinping urged Chinese Communist Party members to remain loyal and continue to serve the people, after awarding a new medal of the highest honour to 29 party members on Tuesday. 
 
The party is marking the 100th year of its founding on Thursday, when Xi is expected to make a longer speech about its future. 
 
The medal award ceremony took place in Beijing's Great Hall of the People with much fanfare and was broadcast live on national television. 
 
The 'July 1 medal', announced in 2017 and given out for the first time on Tuesday, is part of Xi's efforts to shore up the image of the party. 
 
Xi commended recipients and urged all party members to "firmly keep the loyalty and love for the party and the people close to one's heart, turn that into action, dedicate everything, even your precious life, to the party and the people". 
 
The recipients included soldiers, community workers and professionals in the arts and science. 
 
The party had 91.9 million members in 2019, or 6.6% of China's population. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

Chinese President Xi Jinping urged Chinese Communist Party members to remain loyal and continue to serve the people, after awarding a new medal of the highest honour to 29 party members on Tuesday.

Chinese President Xi Jinping urged Chinese Communist Party members to remain loyal and continue to serve the people, after awarding a new medal of the highest honour to 29 party members on Tuesday. The party is marking the 100th year of its founding on Thursday, when Xi is expected to make a longer speech about its future. The medal award ceremony took place in Beijing's Great Hall of the People with much fanfare and was broadcast live on national television. The 'July 1 medal', announced in 2017 and given out for the first time on Tuesday, is part of Xi's efforts to shore up the image of the party. Xi commended recipients and urged all party members to "firmly keep the loyalty and love for the party and the people close to one's heart, turn that into action, dedicate everything, even your precious life, to the party and the people". The recipients included soldiers, community workers and professionals in the arts and science. The party had 91.9 million members in 2019, or 6.6% of China's population. (With inputs from agencies)

Chinese Communist Party awards medals in run-up to anniversary

More than 100 people gathered for a beach vigil Monday night to commemorate victims and those still missing after last week’s condo collapse near Miami.

Family members, friends and residents sat cross-legged in the sand, holding glow-in-the-dark candle sticks and white roses as the sound of waves filled the air. People remained mostly silent as they grieved at the end of the fifth day of a harrowing search for survivors. Hopes have been dimming and frustration has built around the slow pace of rescue efforts.

A half-circle formed around Michelle Cash and her husband, Rich Gausman, who led a “sound healing” session on the beach behind the Four Seasons Hotel at the Surf Club. “Hope” was spelled in the nearby sand with wet seaweed and candlesticks.

As the session went on, people wiped away tears. Others clasped their hands in prayer. A cool breeze offered reprieve from the sweltering heat.

“The pain, the suffering that has been going on in this community will never be understood. Days will pass, months will pass, America, the world will forget about this,” said Leo Soto, 26, who started a makeshift memorial wall near the collapse site. “We have to live through this. We’ll never forget about this.”

Naomi Romo and Alfredo Garcia of Miami brought three bouquets of flowers to the vigil. Romo was in the same graduating class as Nicky Langesfeld, who lived in Unit 804 and is among those missing. Although Romo said she did not know Langesfeld well, she often passed her in the hallway when they both attended Ronald W. Reagan Doral Senior High School.

“It’s a person that you grew up seeing. I’ve seen her since middle school,” said Romo, a 25-year-old therapist. “Everything has been a shock. I’m just here to give any kind of support that I can offer.”

More than 100 people gathered for a beach vigil Monday night to commemorate victims and those still missing after last week’s condo collapse near Miami. Family members, friends and residents sat cross-legged in the sand, holding glow-in-the-dark candle sticks and white roses as the sound of waves filled the air.

More than 100 people gathered for a beach vigil Monday night to commemorate victims and those still missing after last week’s condo collapse near Miami. Family members, friends and residents sat cross-legged in the sand, holding glow-in-the-dark candle sticks and white roses as the sound of waves filled the air. People remained mostly silent as they grieved at the end of the fifth day of a harrowing search for survivors. Hopes have been dimming and frustration has built around the slow pace of rescue efforts. A half-circle formed around Michelle Cash and her husband, Rich Gausman, who led a “sound healing” session on the beach behind the Four Seasons Hotel at the Surf Club. “Hope” was spelled in the nearby sand with wet seaweed and candlesticks. As the session went on, people wiped away tears. Others clasped their hands in prayer. A cool breeze offered reprieve from the sweltering heat. “The pain, the suffering that has been going on in this community will never be understood. Days will pass, months will pass, America, the world will forget about this,” said Leo Soto, 26, who started a makeshift memorial wall near the collapse site. “We have to live through this. We’ll never forget about this.” Naomi Romo and Alfredo Garcia of Miami brought three bouquets of flowers to the vigil. Romo was in the same graduating class as Nicky Langesfeld, who lived in Unit 804 and is among those missing. Although Romo said she did not know Langesfeld well, she often passed her in the hallway when they both attended Ronald W. Reagan Doral Senior High School. “It’s a person that you grew up seeing. I’ve seen her since middle school,” said Romo, a 25-year-old therapist. “Everything has been a shock. I’m just here to give any kind of support that I can offer.”

Victims and those missing in condo collapse are remembered at a beach vigil

India's drug regulator DCGI has granted permission to Mumbai-based pharmaceutical company Cipla to import Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine for restricted emergency use in the country, official sources said on Tuesday.

Moderna's vaccine will be the fourth COVID-19 jab to be available in India after Covishield, Covaxin and Sputnik. 
"Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) has granted permission to Cipla to import Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine for restricted emergency use in the country as per the provisions of the New Drugs and Clinical Trial Rules , 2019 under Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940," a source told PTI.

In separate communications, Moderna on June 27 informed DCGI that the US government has agreed to donate a certain number of doses of its COVID-19 vaccine through COVAX to India for use here and sought an approval from the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) for the vaccines.

On Monday, Cipla, on behalf of the US pharma major, requested the drug regulator for import and marketing authorisation of these jabs.&nbsp;"This permission is for restricted use in emergency situations in public interest. The firm has to submit 7 days safety assessment of the vaccine in first 100 beneficiaries before rolling out of vaccine for further immunisation programme, according to the approval order," an official said.

On Monday, Cipla filed the application seeking permission for import of Moderna's vaccine referring to DCGI notices dated April 15 and June 1 according to which if the vaccine is approved by the USFDA for EUA, the vaccine can be granted marketing authorisation without bridging trial and assessment of safety data of first 100 beneficiaries of vaccines shall be submitted before rolling out in immunisation programme.

Also, the requirement of testing of every batch by Central Drugs Laboratory (CDL), Kasauli can be exempted if the batch/lot is released by the CDL of country of origin, however, summary lot protocol review and scrutiny of documents shall be undertaken by the laboratory for batch release according to standard procedures, Cipla said referring to the DCGI's new revised rules.

Further, Moderna through a separate communication has informed that the US government has agreed to donate a certain number of doses of the Moderna vaccine, mRNA-1273, through COVAX to the government of India for use in the country and has submitted the dossiers through e-mail.

"This correspondence is to request the CDSCO to open a file for approval of these urgently needed vaccines," Moderna said.

On June 1, in a bid to expedite the rollout of vaccines, the DCGI decided to waive testing of batches at CDL for foreign-manufactured vaccines that have been approved by international drug regulators such as the US FDA, the UK's MHRA or the WHO.

The central government in April issued detailed guidelines and proactively eased entry of foreign made COVID-19 vaccines approved by US FDA, EMA, UK's MHRA and Japan's PMDA, and WHO's Emergency Use Listing into India.

According to the guidelines, these vaccines will not need to undergo prior bridging trials. The provision was further amended to waive off the trial requirement altogether for the well-established vaccines manufactured in other countries.

India's drug regulator DCGI has granted permission to Mumbai-based pharmaceutical company Cipla to import Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine for restricted emergency use in the country, official sources said on Tuesday.

India's drug regulator DCGI has granted permission to Mumbai-based pharmaceutical company Cipla to import Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine for restricted emergency use in the country, official sources said on Tuesday. Moderna's vaccine will be the fourth COVID-19 jab to be available in India after Covishield, Covaxin and Sputnik. "Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) has granted permission to Cipla to import Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine for restricted emergency use in the country as per the provisions of the New Drugs and Clinical Trial Rules , 2019 under Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940," a source told PTI. In separate communications, Moderna on June 27 informed DCGI that the US government has agreed to donate a certain number of doses of its COVID-19 vaccine through COVAX to India for use here and sought an approval from the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) for the vaccines. On Monday, Cipla, on behalf of the US pharma major, requested the drug regulator for import and marketing authorisation of these jabs. "This permission is for restricted use in emergency situations in public interest. The firm has to submit 7 days safety assessment of the vaccine in first 100 beneficiaries before rolling out of vaccine for further immunisation programme, according to the approval order," an official said. On Monday, Cipla filed the application seeking permission for import of Moderna's vaccine referring to DCGI notices dated April 15 and June 1 according to which if the vaccine is approved by the USFDA for EUA, the vaccine can be granted marketing authorisation without bridging trial and assessment of safety data of first 100 beneficiaries of vaccines shall be submitted before rolling out in immunisation programme. Also, the requirement of testing of every batch by Central Drugs Laboratory (CDL), Kasauli can be exempted if the batch/lot is released by the CDL of country of origin, however, summary lot protocol review and scrutiny of documents shall be undertaken by the laboratory for batch release according to standard procedures, Cipla said referring to the DCGI's new revised rules. Further, Moderna through a separate communication has informed that the US government has agreed to donate a certain number of doses of the Moderna vaccine, mRNA-1273, through COVAX to the government of India for use in the country and has submitted the dossiers through e-mail. "This correspondence is to request the CDSCO to open a file for approval of these urgently needed vaccines," Moderna said. On June 1, in a bid to expedite the rollout of vaccines, the DCGI decided to waive testing of batches at CDL for foreign-manufactured vaccines that have been approved by international drug regulators such as the US FDA, the UK's MHRA or the WHO. The central government in April issued detailed guidelines and proactively eased entry of foreign made COVID-19 vaccines approved by US FDA, EMA, UK's MHRA and Japan's PMDA, and WHO's Emergency Use Listing into India. According to the guidelines, these vaccines will not need to undergo prior bridging trials. The provision was further amended to waive off the trial requirement altogether for the well-established vaccines manufactured in other countries.

Cipla gets DCGI nod to import Moderna's Covid vaccine for restricted emergency use in India: Sources

Britain on Tuesday condemned the 'disgusting' harassment of the government's top medical adviser, Chris Whitty, after footage emerged on social media of two men grabbing him around the head as he walked down the street. 
 
Jeering loudly and grinning at the camera, the men are seen in the film, published on Twitter, manhandling Whitty, 55, who has become one of the nation's most prominent officials because of his regular appearances at coronavirus pandemic briefings. 
 
They hold onto him before he manages to break free and walk away across the road.

"This is disgusting and these thugs must be found and charged. Zero tolerance for harassing a public servant," Nadhim Zahawi, the vaccines minister, said on Twitter.

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This is disgusting and these thugs must be found and charged. Zero tolerance for harassing a public servant. <a href="https://t.co/hrdHbAoBgK">https://t.co/hrdHbAoBgK</a>
— Nadhim Zahawi (@nadhimzahawi) <a href="https://twitter.com/nadhimzahawi/status/1409631647402663936?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 28, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Health Secretary Sajid Javid said it was 'appalling and totally unacceptable'.

"We will not tolerate this sort of behaviour towards our public servants. The men behaving in this disgraceful way should be ashamed," Javid said.

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I’ve seen the video of the CMO being harassed. It’s appalling and totally unacceptable. The CMO works tirelessly on behalf of the country. We will not tolerate this sort of behaviour towards our public servants. The men behaving in this disgraceful way should be ashamed.
— Sajid Javid (@sajidjavid) <a href="https://twitter.com/sajidjavid/status/1409760381208252418?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 29, 2021</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

 
Police said the matter was being investigated. It was not clear from the footage when the incident took place. 
 
"We are aware of a video being shared online showing an incident in St James’s Park," police said on Twitter. "Officers spoke to all those involved at the time and their details were taken." 
 
It is not the first time that Whitty or other senior officials have faced harassment, having previously been targetted by those who are opposed to the COVID-19 vaccine rollout or lockdown restrictions. 
 
Last week, England’s deputy chief medical officer Jonathan Van-Tam was verbally abused as he walked into a government building by a protester. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

Britain on Tuesday condemned the 'disgusting' harassment of the government's top medical adviser, Chris Whitty, after footage emerged on social media of two men grabbing him around the head as he walked down the street.

Britain on Tuesday condemned the 'disgusting' harassment of the government's top medical adviser, Chris Whitty, after footage emerged on social media of two men grabbing him around the head as he walked down the street. Jeering loudly and grinning at the camera, the men are seen in the film, published on Twitter, manhandling Whitty, 55, who has become one of the nation's most prominent officials because of his regular appearances at coronavirus pandemic briefings. They hold onto him before he manages to break free and walk away across the road. "This is disgusting and these thugs must be found and charged. Zero tolerance for harassing a public servant," Nadhim Zahawi, the vaccines minister, said on Twitter. This is disgusting and these thugs must be found and charged. Zero tolerance for harassing a public servant. https://t.co/hrdHbAoBgK — Nadhim Zahawi (@nadhimzahawi) June 28, 2021 × Health Secretary Sajid Javid said it was 'appalling and totally unacceptable'. "We will not tolerate this sort of behaviour towards our public servants. The men behaving in this disgraceful way should be ashamed," Javid said. I’ve seen the video of the CMO being harassed. It’s appalling and totally unacceptable. The CMO works tirelessly on behalf of the country. We will not tolerate this sort of behaviour towards our public servants. The men behaving in this disgraceful way should be ashamed. — Sajid Javid (@sajidjavid) June 29, 2021 × Police said the matter was being investigated. It was not clear from the footage when the incident took place. "We are aware of a video being shared online showing an incident in St James’s Park," police said on Twitter. "Officers spoke to all those involved at the time and their details were taken." It is not the first time that Whitty or other senior officials have faced harassment, having previously been targetted by those who are opposed to the COVID-19 vaccine rollout or lockdown restrictions. Last week, England’s deputy chief medical officer Jonathan Van-Tam was verbally abused as he walked into a government building by a protester. (With inputs from agencies)

'Disgusting': UK's chief medical adviser harassed

Don Joyce, a Nokia director working from home at a remote lake cottage in Canada, recently abandoned his painfully slow phone-line internet in favour of satellite broadband service Starlink, offered by Elon Musk's SpaceX. 
 
Starlink, which cost him C$600 dollars (US$486) for hardware and a lofty C$150 monthly subscription, provides 'blindingly fast' speeds when uploading videos or streaming movies, he said. 
 
But the beta test customer said he experiences dropouts during calls on Microsoft Teams and Zoom.

"If you're in the city and you have alternatives, I wouldn't recommend it. But if you're in the country, like in the middle of nowhere and you're getting pathetic internet service, then it's definitely a competitor." 
 
For billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, founder of electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla Inc, the success of one of his biggest bets may come down to just how many people like Joyce are out there. 
 
Musk on Tuesday is expected to discuss Starlink's progress in a speech at the Mobile World Congress telecommunications event, an audience with a lot at stake in the fate of Starlink. If the service is successful, it could vastly expand the reach of broadband internet around the world, connect Tesla vehicles, and even provide a new platform for traders and others with exotic internet needs, people familiar with the Starlink plan said. 
 
But to do that, it must avoid the fate of similar satellite ventures that have preceded it. 
 
"Not bankrupt, that would be a big step," Musk said last year. "That's our goal." 
 
SpaceX's Starlink division launched its 'Better Than Nothing Beta program' in the United States last October, with data speeds up to a competitive 150 megabits per second. Early reviews are mixed, with some users complaining of the problems that have always plagued satellite internet: sensitivity to weather. 
 
Recent heat waves have caused new problems. 
 
"I'm gonna have to spray it with a garden hose to reboot my internet... That just feels so wrong," a Reddit user who said he lives in Arizona posted earlier this month, along with an error message saying "Offline: Thermal shutdown" and "Starlink will reconnect after cooling down". 
 
SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell in April said the firm has 'a lot of work to do to make the network reliable'. The company on Tuesday did not have an immediate comment. 
 
Service should improve with more satellites and other improvements: Starlink has launched over 1,700 of its 260 kilogram satellites so far, and envisions more than 40,000. 
 
The economics are daunting nonetheless. Musk has said Starlink could serve less than 5% of internet users and still generate $30 billion a year in revenue. Critics called that wishful thinking. 
 
"Is the demand there for tens of millions of subscribers at that price point?" asked analyst Tim Farrar, president at TMF Associates. "In most parts of the world, if you said to someone, your broadband service will cost you 100 US&nbsp;dollars a month, they'd be like, incredulous." 
 
He said there might be wealthy people in isolated areas, "but there's just not very many of those people". 
 
He said Starlink would also struggle for enough capacity to support that level of demand, especially as people are consuming more data for video streaming. That would mean "significant additional expenditure on upgrading the satellites and adding more satellites."

Don Joyce, a Nokia director working from home at a remote lake cottage in Canada, recently abandoned his painfully slow phone-line internet in favour of satellite broadband service Starlink, offered by Elon Musk's SpaceX.

Don Joyce, a Nokia director working from home at a remote lake cottage in Canada, recently abandoned his painfully slow phone-line internet in favour of satellite broadband service Starlink, offered by Elon Musk's SpaceX. Starlink, which cost him C$600 dollars (US$486) for hardware and a lofty C$150 monthly subscription, provides 'blindingly fast' speeds when uploading videos or streaming movies, he said. But the beta test customer said he experiences dropouts during calls on Microsoft Teams and Zoom. "If you're in the city and you have alternatives, I wouldn't recommend it. But if you're in the country, like in the middle of nowhere and you're getting pathetic internet service, then it's definitely a competitor." For billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, founder of electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla Inc, the success of one of his biggest bets may come down to just how many people like Joyce are out there. Musk on Tuesday is expected to discuss Starlink's progress in a speech at the Mobile World Congress telecommunications event, an audience with a lot at stake in the fate of Starlink. If the service is successful, it could vastly expand the reach of broadband internet around the world, connect Tesla vehicles, and even provide a new platform for traders and others with exotic internet needs, people familiar with the Starlink plan said. But to do that, it must avoid the fate of similar satellite ventures that have preceded it. "Not bankrupt, that would be a big step," Musk said last year. "That's our goal." SpaceX's Starlink division launched its 'Better Than Nothing Beta program' in the United States last October, with data speeds up to a competitive 150 megabits per second. Early reviews are mixed, with some users complaining of the problems that have always plagued satellite internet: sensitivity to weather. Recent heat waves have caused new problems. "I'm gonna have to spray it with a garden hose to reboot my internet... That just feels so wrong," a Reddit user who said he lives in Arizona posted earlier this month, along with an error message saying "Offline: Thermal shutdown" and "Starlink will reconnect after cooling down". SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell in April said the firm has 'a lot of work to do to make the network reliable'. The company on Tuesday did not have an immediate comment. Service should improve with more satellites and other improvements: Starlink has launched over 1,700 of its 260 kilogram satellites so far, and envisions more than 40,000. The economics are daunting nonetheless. Musk has said Starlink could serve less than 5% of internet users and still generate $30 billion a year in revenue. Critics called that wishful thinking. "Is the demand there for tens of millions of subscribers at that price point?" asked analyst Tim Farrar, president at TMF Associates. "In most parts of the world, if you said to someone, your broadband service will cost you 100 US dollars a month, they'd be like, incredulous." He said there might be wealthy people in isolated areas, "but there's just not very many of those people". He said Starlink would also struggle for enough capacity to support that level of demand, especially as people are consuming more data for video streaming. That would mean "significant additional expenditure on upgrading the satellites and adding more satellites."

Musk set to tout Starlink progress as cost, demand hurdles linger

Russia checked the readiness of its air defence system in Crimea, the peninsula it annexed from Ukraine in 2014, as Ukraine and NATO countries held military drills in the Black Sea, the Interfax news agency reported on Tuesday. 
 
The Sea Breeze military drills follow a rise in tensions between NATO and Moscow, which said last week it had fired warning shots and dropped bombs in the path of a British warship to chase it out of Black Sea waters off the coast of Crimea. Britain rejected Russia's account of the incident.

In the military exercise in the Black Sea and southern Ukraine, more than&nbsp;30 countries are taking part, despite Russian calls to cancel the drills.

Russia says Crimea is its territory, but the peninsula is internationally recognised as part of Ukraine.

Russia's embassy in Washington called last week for the drills to be cancelled, and the Russian defence ministry said it would react if necessary to protect its own national security.

Sea Breeze 2021 will last two weeks and involve about 5,000 military personnel from NATO and other allies, and around 30 ships and 40 aircraft. US missile destroyer USS Ross and the US Marine Corps will take part.

Ukraine says the main goal is to gain experience in joint actions during multinational peacekeeping and security operations.

Relations between Kyiv and Moscow plummeted after Russia seized Crimea and over Russia's support for a separatist rebellion in eastern Ukraine.

Tension rose again this year when Russia massed troops on the border with Ukraine, where some of them remain along with their equipment.

(With inputs from agencies)

Russia checked the readiness of its air defence system in Crimea, the peninsula it annexed from Ukraine in 2014, as Ukraine and NATO countries held military drills in the Black Sea, the Interfax news agency reported on Tuesday.

Russia checked the readiness of its air defence system in Crimea, the peninsula it annexed from Ukraine in 2014, as Ukraine and NATO countries held military drills in the Black Sea, the Interfax news agency reported on Tuesday. The Sea Breeze military drills follow a rise in tensions between NATO and Moscow, which said last week it had fired warning shots and dropped bombs in the path of a British warship to chase it out of Black Sea waters off the coast of Crimea. Britain rejected Russia's account of the incident. In the military exercise in the Black Sea and southern Ukraine, more than 30 countries are taking part, despite Russian calls to cancel the drills. Russia says Crimea is its territory, but the peninsula is internationally recognised as part of Ukraine. Russia's embassy in Washington called last week for the drills to be cancelled, and the Russian defence ministry said it would react if necessary to protect its own national security. Sea Breeze 2021 will last two weeks and involve about 5,000 military personnel from NATO and other allies, and around 30 ships and 40 aircraft. US missile destroyer USS Ross and the US Marine Corps will take part. Ukraine says the main goal is to gain experience in joint actions during multinational peacekeeping and security operations. Relations between Kyiv and Moscow plummeted after Russia seized Crimea and over Russia's support for a separatist rebellion in eastern Ukraine. Tension rose again this year when Russia massed troops on the border with Ukraine, where some of them remain along with their equipment. (With inputs from agencies)

Russia checks Crimea air defence system as Ukraine, US start Black Sea drills: Interfax

Johnson &amp; Johnson will not be undertaking local trials for its single-shot COVID-19 vaccine in India and is looking at ways to accelerate its availability in the country, the Economic Times reported on Tuesday, citing a company spokesperson. 
 
J&amp;J said in April it was in talks with India's government to begin a bridging clinical study of its Janssen COVID-19 vaccine candidate in the country. 
 
In late May, India said it would scrap local trials altogether for 'well-established' vaccines manufactured in other countries. 
 
The US-based drugmaker is exploring how to accelerate the availability of its vaccine in India, the Economic Times report said.&nbsp; 
 
Over 41 million COVID-19 vaccine doses were administered across India last week, with pandemic-induced restrictions being eased further. 
 
Experts have said widespread vaccination remains one of the best tools to avoid the kind of devastation India saw during its second wave of the pandemic. 
 
J&amp;J did not immediately respond to a request for comment. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

Johnson & Johnson will not be undertaking local trials for its single-shot COVID-19 vaccine in India and is looking at ways to accelerate its availability in the country, the Economic Times reported on Tuesday, citing a company spokesperson.

Johnson & Johnson will not be undertaking local trials for its single-shot COVID-19 vaccine in India and is looking at ways to accelerate its availability in the country, the Economic Times reported on Tuesday, citing a company spokesperson. J&J said in April it was in talks with India's government to begin a bridging clinical study of its Janssen COVID-19 vaccine candidate in the country. In late May, India said it would scrap local trials altogether for 'well-established' vaccines manufactured in other countries. The US-based drugmaker is exploring how to accelerate the availability of its vaccine in India, the Economic Times report said. Over 41 million COVID-19 vaccine doses were administered across India last week, with pandemic-induced restrictions being eased further. Experts have said widespread vaccination remains one of the best tools to avoid the kind of devastation India saw during its second wave of the pandemic. J&J did not immediately respond to a request for comment. (With inputs from agencies)

J&J scraps India Covid vaccine trial, aims to accelerate availability: Report

The United States hopes for more stable and profitable relations with Russia but if the latter continues to 'attack', then Washington will respond, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a newspaper interview published on Tuesday. 
 
"If Russia continues to attack us, or to act as it did with the SolarWind attacks, the intrusions into our elections and the aggression against Navalny, then we will respond," he told Italian daily La Repubblica. 
 
Blinken, who was in Rome for a meeting on international efforts to combat Islamist militia, was referring to cyberattacks and the role of jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukraine-us-to-start-black-sea-military-drills-despite-russian-protest-394463">Ukraine, US to start Black Sea military drills despite Russian protest</a> 
 
Earlier this month, US&nbsp;President Joe Biden told Russian President Vladimir Putin at a summit in Geneva that certain critical infrastructure should be 'off-limits' to cyberattacks. 
 
China was 'the most complicated'&nbsp;when it came to relations, Blinken added, but said the United States respected the different relations countries had with China and that it would not ask any of them to choose between the two countries, a Reuters report said. 
 
"It is, however, true that when we deal with China, as an opponent, a rival or a partner, we are much more effective if we act together," he added.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-test-fires-new-intercontinental-ballistic-missile-report-394503">Russia test-fires new intercontinental ballistic missile: Report</a> 
 
Blinken also said that Italy had made important efforts in drafting legislation aimed at protecting its 5G network from 'unreliable sellers' and that it should continue to carry out checks should investments from other countries arrive. 
 
The United States has lobbied Italy and other European allies to avoid using equipment made by Huawei in their next- generation networks, saying the Chinese company could pose a security risk. Huawei has rejected the accusations. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

The United States hopes for more stable and profitable relations with Russia but if the latter continues to 'attack', then Washington will respond, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a newspaper interview published on Tuesday.

The United States hopes for more stable and profitable relations with Russia but if the latter continues to 'attack', then Washington will respond, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a newspaper interview published on Tuesday. "If Russia continues to attack us, or to act as it did with the SolarWind attacks, the intrusions into our elections and the aggression against Navalny, then we will respond," he told Italian daily La Repubblica. Blinken, who was in Rome for a meeting on international efforts to combat Islamist militia, was referring to cyberattacks and the role of jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny. Also Read: Ukraine, US to start Black Sea military drills despite Russian protest Earlier this month, US President Joe Biden told Russian President Vladimir Putin at a summit in Geneva that certain critical infrastructure should be 'off-limits' to cyberattacks. China was 'the most complicated' when it came to relations, Blinken added, but said the United States respected the different relations countries had with China and that it would not ask any of them to choose between the two countries, a Reuters report said. "It is, however, true that when we deal with China, as an opponent, a rival or a partner, we are much more effective if we act together," he added. Also Read: Russia test-fires new intercontinental ballistic missile: Report Blinken also said that Italy had made important efforts in drafting legislation aimed at protecting its 5G network from 'unreliable sellers' and that it should continue to carry out checks should investments from other countries arrive. The United States has lobbied Italy and other European allies to avoid using equipment made by Huawei in their next- generation networks, saying the Chinese company could pose a security risk. Huawei has rejected the accusations. (With inputs from agencies)

US eyes more stable, profitable ties with Russia, Blinken tells paper

French carmaker Renault said on Monday, it had sealed partnerships with China's Envision AESC and France's Verkor to produce electric car batteries in northern France. 
 
Carmakers globally are racing to keep ahead of rivals in producing cleaner vehicles, a technology shift that is already prompting Germany's Volkswagen to build six battery cell plants of its own in Europe. 
 
Renault made the announcement, which confirmed earlier media reports, before a visit of President Emanuel Macron to the Douai site in northern France where Envision is investing up to 2 billion euros ($2.4 billion) close to 'Renault ElectriCity' electric car hub to create 2,500 new jobs by 2030. 
 
Renault also said it signed a memorandum of understanding with the French start-up Verkor to co-develop and then manufacture high-performance batteries, with a view to owning a more than 20% stake in Verkor. 
 
"The combination of these two partnerships with Renault ElectriCity will create nearly 4,500 direct jobs in France by 2030, while developing a robust battery manufacturing ecosystem in the heart of Europe," the statement said. 
 
Envision AESC's gigafactory in Douai will have a capacity of 9 gigawatt hours (GWh) in 2024 and with aim of reaching 24 GWh by 2030. 
 
The proximity of the Envision AESC’s gigafactory to Renault ElectriCity production sites at Douai, Maubeuge and Ruitz, will create 700 additional jobs in the Hauts-de-France region. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

French carmaker Renault said on Monday, it had sealed partnerships with China's Envision AESC and France's Verkor to produce electric car batteries in northern France.

French carmaker Renault said on Monday, it had sealed partnerships with China's Envision AESC and France's Verkor to produce electric car batteries in northern France. Carmakers globally are racing to keep ahead of rivals in producing cleaner vehicles, a technology shift that is already prompting Germany's Volkswagen to build six battery cell plants of its own in Europe. Renault made the announcement, which confirmed earlier media reports, before a visit of President Emanuel Macron to the Douai site in northern France where Envision is investing up to 2 billion euros ($2.4 billion) close to 'Renault ElectriCity' electric car hub to create 2,500 new jobs by 2030. Renault also said it signed a memorandum of understanding with the French start-up Verkor to co-develop and then manufacture high-performance batteries, with a view to owning a more than 20% stake in Verkor. "The combination of these two partnerships with Renault ElectriCity will create nearly 4,500 direct jobs in France by 2030, while developing a robust battery manufacturing ecosystem in the heart of Europe," the statement said. Envision AESC's gigafactory in Douai will have a capacity of 9 gigawatt hours (GWh) in 2024 and with aim of reaching 24 GWh by 2030. The proximity of the Envision AESC’s gigafactory to Renault ElectriCity production sites at Douai, Maubeuge and Ruitz, will create 700 additional jobs in the Hauts-de-France region. (With inputs from agencies)

Renault seals electric car battery deals with Envision, Verkor

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