As the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/not-a-joke-william-shakespeare-from-warwickshire-gets-coronavirus-jab-in-uk-after-margaret-keenan-348372">United Kingdom</a> began administering people with the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, the World Health Organization(WHO) said the "effects of the vaccines in providing some kind of immune barrier is still far off."

Watch:

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/wion-fineprint-india-to-review-vaccine-applications-on-dec-9-348398/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"We are in a constant situation where we have widespread transmission. But vaccines are great tools, they will be very helpful," WHO spokesperson Margaret Harris said, adding, "the things that must be done to prevent an increase, an uptick, a surge or whatever you want to call it are the public health measures."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pfizer-biontech-vaccine-has-favourable-safety-profile-with-no-specific-safety-concerns-identified-us-fda-report-348388">Also Read:&nbsp;US FDA backs Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine&nbsp;</a>

Meanwhile, Pfizer chief executive Albert Bourla said the company did not "cut any corners" while rolling out the<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/90-year-old-grandma-becomes-first-in-the-world-to-receive-coronavirus-jab-outside-trial-348296"> vaccines</a>.

The vaccine has "been tested in the exact same way as we are testing any vaccine that is circulating out there," Bourla asserted, adding,"this vaccine actually was tested, because of the scrutiny, with even higher standards in terms of how we do things."

Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine comes even as the coronavirus-related deaths continue to climb across the world with over 1.5 million casualties and more than 65 million infection cases.

"Always there are people who are sceptical about <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/is-natural-immunity-from-covid-better-than-a-vaccine-347985">vaccines</a>, but I have to say they are wrong," the Pfizer CEO said.&nbsp;

"I can imagine that in this case, because the products, the vaccines or the medicines are developed very fast that it is even worse because it has been severely politicised, particularly in the US," he said referring to the Trump administration.

"That makes people confused. They don't know who to believe and what to believe because the discussion was happening on political rather than on scientific terms," he said.

On those who are sceptical about taking the vaccine jab, Bourla said: "I understand their concerns, but they need to think twice."

"The decision to vaccinate, or not, is not affecting only your health. It is affecting the health of others, and likely the health of people you love," he said.

"If you don't vaccinate you are becoming the weak link that will allow the virus to replicate."

As the United Kingdom began administering people with the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, the World Health Organization(WHO) said the "effects of the vaccines in providing some kind of immune barrier is still far off.

As the United Kingdom began administering people with the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, the World Health Organization(WHO) said the "effects of the vaccines in providing some kind of immune barrier is still far off." Watch: "We are in a constant situation where we have widespread transmission. But vaccines are great tools, they will be very helpful," WHO spokesperson Margaret Harris said, adding, "the things that must be done to prevent an increase, an uptick, a surge or whatever you want to call it are the public health measures." Also Read: US FDA backs Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine Meanwhile, Pfizer chief executive Albert Bourla said the company did not "cut any corners" while rolling out the vaccines. The vaccine has "been tested in the exact same way as we are testing any vaccine that is circulating out there," Bourla asserted, adding,"this vaccine actually was tested, because of the scrutiny, with even higher standards in terms of how we do things." Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine comes even as the coronavirus-related deaths continue to climb across the world with over 1.5 million casualties and more than 65 million infection cases. "Always there are people who are sceptical about vaccines, but I have to say they are wrong," the Pfizer CEO said. "I can imagine that in this case, because the products, the vaccines or the medicines are developed very fast that it is even worse because it has been severely politicised, particularly in the US," he said referring to the Trump administration. "That makes people confused. They don't know who to believe and what to believe because the discussion was happening on political rather than on scientific terms," he said. On those who are sceptical about taking the vaccine jab, Bourla said: "I understand their concerns, but they need to think twice." "The decision to vaccinate, or not, is not affecting only your health. It is affecting the health of others, and likely the health of people you love," he said. "If you don't vaccinate you are becoming the weak link that will allow the virus to replicate."

Effects of the vaccine in providing 'immune barrier' is still far off: WHO

Canada has been preaching human rights to India and Switzerland has made a career out of calling itself a neutral country - the arbiter of dispute and the upholder of human rights.

A new report is making waves, it says Justin Trudeau wanted to engage with China militarily. He wanted the PLA to train with Canadian forces. The report has been published by a Canadian newspaper.

It claims that the Trudeau government wanted to joint military drills with China. It had invited PLA for winter military exercises, however, the drills never too place after the Canadian chief of defence staff cancelled the plan.

General Jonathan Vance seems to have gone against the will of the Trudeau government. The reason was pressure from the United States - Canada's neighbour and ally. America believed that drills like these could benefit the PLA.

Prime Minister Trudeau reportedly "raged at the Canadian armed forces" for cancelling the training mission that's the claim from a news outlet called rebel news. Canada's relationship with China has gone downhill since.

The country arrested Meng Wanzhou, the chief financial officer of Huawei. China hit back with the arrest of two Canadians. Canada spoke in support of Hong Kong protesters. China said Trudeau's five eyes alliance could be poked and blinded.

Trudeau has been left to explain why he wanted military exercises with China in the first place. After this, Switzerland and China struck a secret deal. A deal that allowed Chinese spies to operate freely on Swiss territory - a deal that made Swiss taxpayers foot the bill of Chinese spy operations.

The Swiss called it a "readmission agreement". It was signed in 2015 for five years and the agreement expired on Monday. However, it may be renewed as reports say efforts are on. Switzerland kept the agreement a secret for more than four years. Finally, in August it admitted that there was such a deal.

A human rights campaign group has shared English translation of the deal which laid out the terms for Chinese agents and how they will operate in the country.

Chinese agents were allowed to travel to Switzerland. They were allowed to interview suspected Chinese nationals the ones whom Switzerland wished to deport which took place in under a veil of secrecy.

It was an unprecedented arrangement which allowed for no oversight of Chinese spies as no accountability for the methods was used or what they did with the deported individuals.

Reports say this deal allowed the Chinese agents to travel unofficially. Europe has open borders. Once one enters Switzerland there is access to the entire European Union even though Switzerland is not a part of the EU but it is covered under the Schengen visa.

A person can travel almost anywhere on the continent. No one can say where these Chinese spies went and what they did. No atter what China does it gets a free pass in the free world because countries which preach others about rights and propriety bend over backwards to accommodate Beijing.

Canada has been preaching human rights to India and Switzerland has made a career out of calling itself a neutral country - the arbiter of dispute and the upholder of human rights.

Canada has been preaching human rights to India and Switzerland has made a career out of calling itself a neutral country - the arbiter of dispute and the upholder of human rights. A new report is making waves, it says Justin Trudeau wanted to engage with China militarily. He wanted the PLA to train with Canadian forces. The report has been published by a Canadian newspaper. It claims that the Trudeau government wanted to joint military drills with China. It had invited PLA for winter military exercises, however, the drills never too place after the Canadian chief of defence staff cancelled the plan. General Jonathan Vance seems to have gone against the will of the Trudeau government. The reason was pressure from the United States - Canada's neighbour and ally. America believed that drills like these could benefit the PLA. Prime Minister Trudeau reportedly "raged at the Canadian armed forces" for cancelling the training mission that's the claim from a news outlet called rebel news. Canada's relationship with China has gone downhill since. The country arrested Meng Wanzhou, the chief financial officer of Huawei. China hit back with the arrest of two Canadians. Canada spoke in support of Hong Kong protesters. China said Trudeau's five eyes alliance could be poked and blinded. Trudeau has been left to explain why he wanted military exercises with China in the first place. After this, Switzerland and China struck a secret deal. A deal that allowed Chinese spies to operate freely on Swiss territory - a deal that made Swiss taxpayers foot the bill of Chinese spy operations. The Swiss called it a "readmission agreement". It was signed in 2015 for five years and the agreement expired on Monday. However, it may be renewed as reports say efforts are on. Switzerland kept the agreement a secret for more than four years. Finally, in August it admitted that there was such a deal. A human rights campaign group has shared English translation of the deal which laid out the terms for Chinese agents and how they will operate in the country. Chinese agents were allowed to travel to Switzerland. They were allowed to interview suspected Chinese nationals the ones whom Switzerland wished to deport which took place in under a veil of secrecy. It was an unprecedented arrangement which allowed for no oversight of Chinese spies as no accountability for the methods was used or what they did with the deported individuals. Reports say this deal allowed the Chinese agents to travel unofficially. Europe has open borders. Once one enters Switzerland there is access to the entire European Union even though Switzerland is not a part of the EU but it is covered under the Schengen visa. A person can travel almost anywhere on the continent. No one can say where these Chinese spies went and what they did. No atter what China does it gets a free pass in the free world because countries which preach others about rights and propriety bend over backwards to accommodate Beijing.

How Canada, Switzerland stuck a secret deal with China

Xi Jinping's wants to sell vaccines to the world to repair China's global reputation and erase the charges of a cover-up in Wuhan.

It is the official national priority of the Communist Party which it has said on record. Wuhan virus vaccines are a national priority with big money and resources invested. Now some candidates are ready to sell, so Beijing is using diplomacy to tap foreign buyers.

As of November, Chinese vaccines had already reached 15 countries. They are under trial in several countries. However, the world knows little about these shots but China is selling them by the lot.

Chile wants 60 million doses of Coronavac - a vaccine made by Chinese manufacturer Sinovac. Indonesia has placed orders for 50 million doses of Sinopharm's vaccine. Turkey too could buy up to 50 million shots of Chinese vaccines.

In China, authorities inoculated more than one million citizens with the vaccines which is the biggest human trial in the world but there is no solid clinical evidence of the efficacy of Chinese vaccines.

Sinovac's Coronavac and Sinopharm's vaccine candidate are believed to be the frontrunners. According to the medical journal The Lancet, Sinovac has only published data from the first and second phase of trials while Sinopharm that has distributed nearly a million shots already hasn't published any data at all.

Despite these concerns, governments are lining up to buy Chinese vaccines.

Xi Jinping's wants to sell vaccines to the world to repair China's global reputation and erase the charges of a cover-up in Wuhan. It is the official national priority of the Communist Party which it has said on record.

Xi Jinping's wants to sell vaccines to the world to repair China's global reputation and erase the charges of a cover-up in Wuhan. It is the official national priority of the Communist Party which it has said on record. Wuhan virus vaccines are a national priority with big money and resources invested. Now some candidates are ready to sell, so Beijing is using diplomacy to tap foreign buyers. As of November, Chinese vaccines had already reached 15 countries. They are under trial in several countries. However, the world knows little about these shots but China is selling them by the lot. Chile wants 60 million doses of Coronavac - a vaccine made by Chinese manufacturer Sinovac. Indonesia has placed orders for 50 million doses of Sinopharm's vaccine. Turkey too could buy up to 50 million shots of Chinese vaccines. In China, authorities inoculated more than one million citizens with the vaccines which is the biggest human trial in the world but there is no solid clinical evidence of the efficacy of Chinese vaccines. Sinovac's Coronavac and Sinopharm's vaccine candidate are believed to be the frontrunners. According to the medical journal The Lancet, Sinovac has only published data from the first and second phase of trials while Sinopharm that has distributed nearly a million shots already hasn't published any data at all. Despite these concerns, governments are lining up to buy Chinese vaccines.

Now, China positions global vaccine distribution to erase Wuhan cover-up

As the US Food and Drug Administration(FDA)&nbsp;officials get set to meet over approval for the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/european-medicines-agency-hacking-pfizer-biontech-confirm-vaccine-documents-unlawfully-accessed-348845">Pfizer-BioNTech </a>vaccine, the United States on Thursday recorded the highest death toll in 24 hours with over 3,000 coronavirus-related fatalities.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pfizer-biontech-full-results-appear-in-new-england-journal-of-medicine-348901">Also Read:&nbsp;Pfizer-BioNTech 'full results' appear in New England Journal of Medicine</a>

The United States is the worst-hit country with the virus with over 289,400 deaths and more than 15.3 million cases.

The US FDA in a preliminary report&nbsp;earlier had said that the Pfizer-BioNTech&nbsp;vaccine had a "favourable safety profile"&nbsp;while adding that it “met the prescribed success criteria” in a clinical analysis after releasing two separate studies.

The US health agency found the Pifzer-BioNTech helped in “reduction in the risk of confirmed COVID-19 occurring at least seven days after Dose 2” including "reduction in the risk of confirmed severe COVID-19 anytime after dose 1."

The 53-page review report was presented ahead of the detailed independent analysis to be carried out by the FDA.

Reports earlier said the vaccine could be avaliable this weekend for emergency use authorisation(EUA), however US health secretary Alex Azar indicated it could be early next week.

The FDA is set to review Moderna, Johnson &amp; Johnson and AstraZeneca vaccines as the country continues to grapple with the virus.

As the US Food and Drug Administration(FDA) officials get set to meet over approval for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, the United States on Thursday recorded the highest death toll in 24 hours with over 3,000 coronavirus-related fatalities.

As the US Food and Drug Administration(FDA) officials get set to meet over approval for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, the United States on Thursday recorded the highest death toll in 24 hours with over 3,000 coronavirus-related fatalities. Also Read: Pfizer-BioNTech 'full results' appear in New England Journal of Medicine The United States is the worst-hit country with the virus with over 289,400 deaths and more than 15.3 million cases. The US FDA in a preliminary report earlier had said that the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine had a "favourable safety profile" while adding that it “met the prescribed success criteria” in a clinical analysis after releasing two separate studies. The US health agency found the Pifzer-BioNTech helped in “reduction in the risk of confirmed COVID-19 occurring at least seven days after Dose 2” including "reduction in the risk of confirmed severe COVID-19 anytime after dose 1." The 53-page review report was presented ahead of the detailed independent analysis to be carried out by the FDA. Reports earlier said the vaccine could be avaliable this weekend for emergency use authorisation(EUA), however US health secretary Alex Azar indicated it could be early next week. The FDA is set to review Moderna, Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca vaccines as the country continues to grapple with the virus.

AS FDA officials meet, US records highest coronavirus death toll in 24 hours

The New England Journal of Medicine&nbsp;of Medicine&nbsp;on Thursday published the full results of the Pfizer-BioNTech(BNT162b2) <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indias-covid-19-tally-rises-to-9764-lakh-with-31521-fresh-cases-348829">coronavirus</a> vaccine trial declaring that it was "95 per cent effective in preventing COVID-19".

Watch:

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The journal said the<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/now-saudi-arabia-approves-pfizer-biontech-covid-19-vaccine-348889">&nbsp;Pfizer-BioNTech </a>vaccine efficacy was "(generally 90 to 100%) was observed across subgroups defined by age, sex, race, ethnicity, baseline body-mass index, and the presence of coexisting conditions."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/european-medicines-agency-hacking-pfizer-biontech-confirm-vaccine-documents-unlawfully-accessed-348845">Also Read:&nbsp;Pfizer-BioNTech confirm vaccine documents 'unlawfully accessed'</a>

"The safety profile of the vaccine was characterized by short-term, mild-to-moderate pain at the injection site, fatigue, and headache," it said, adding,"the incidence of serious adverse events was low and was similar in the vaccine and placebo groups."

The medical journals said that vaccine ensured "protection" for persons 16 years of age or older. &nbsp;"Safety over a median of 2 months was similar to that of other viral vaccines," it informed.

Pfizer-BioNTech had declared last month that its vaccine was 95 per cent effective against COVID-19 beginning 28 days after the first dose. It had evaluated 170 confirmed cases of COVID-19 while asserting that "safety data milestone" required by US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) was achieved as it was "well tolerated across all populations with over 43,000 participants enrolled."

The report comes as US FDA officials are set to begin the process of approval from today as the United States which is the worst-hit country grapples with the virus. The UK began administering doses on Tuesday across the country starting with the elderly population and health workers.

According to the company, during the trial, there were 42 per cent global participants and 30 per cent US participants with racially and ethnically diverse backgrounds, and 41 per cent global and 45 per cent US participants who were 56-85 years of age.

"These results met our prespecified success criteria, which were to establish a probability above 98.6 per cent of true vaccine efficacy," the New England Journal said, adding, "two-dose regimen of BNT162b2 (30 μg per dose, given 21 days apart) was found to be safe and 95 per cent effective against COVID-19."

The report comes as the virus continues to ravage people's lives and destroy economies worldwide recording over 65 million infected cases and more than 1.5 million fatalities.

The New England Journal of Medicine of Medicine on Thursday published the full results of the Pfizer-BioNTech(BNT162b2) coronavirus vaccine trial declaring that it was "95 per cent effective in preventing COVID-19".

The New England Journal of Medicine of Medicine on Thursday published the full results of the Pfizer-BioNTech(BNT162b2) coronavirus vaccine trial declaring that it was "95 per cent effective in preventing COVID-19". Watch: The journal said the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine efficacy was "(generally 90 to 100%) was observed across subgroups defined by age, sex, race, ethnicity, baseline body-mass index, and the presence of coexisting conditions." Also Read: Pfizer-BioNTech confirm vaccine documents 'unlawfully accessed' "The safety profile of the vaccine was characterized by short-term, mild-to-moderate pain at the injection site, fatigue, and headache," it said, adding,"the incidence of serious adverse events was low and was similar in the vaccine and placebo groups." The medical journals said that vaccine ensured "protection" for persons 16 years of age or older. "Safety over a median of 2 months was similar to that of other viral vaccines," it informed. Pfizer-BioNTech had declared last month that its vaccine was 95 per cent effective against COVID-19 beginning 28 days after the first dose. It had evaluated 170 confirmed cases of COVID-19 while asserting that "safety data milestone" required by US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) was achieved as it was "well tolerated across all populations with over 43,000 participants enrolled." The report comes as US FDA officials are set to begin the process of approval from today as the United States which is the worst-hit country grapples with the virus. The UK began administering doses on Tuesday across the country starting with the elderly population and health workers. According to the company, during the trial, there were 42 per cent global participants and 30 per cent US participants with racially and ethnically diverse backgrounds, and 41 per cent global and 45 per cent US participants who were 56-85 years of age. "These results met our prespecified success criteria, which were to establish a probability above 98.6 per cent of true vaccine efficacy," the New England Journal said, adding, "two-dose regimen of BNT162b2 (30 μg per dose, given 21 days apart) was found to be safe and 95 per cent effective against COVID-19." The report comes as the virus continues to ravage people's lives and destroy economies worldwide recording over 65 million infected cases and more than 1.5 million fatalities.

Pfizer-BioNTech 'full results' appear in New England Journal of Medicine

China on Thursday revoked visa exemptions for US diplomats visiting <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-blasts-crazy-us-sanctions-over-hong-kong-vows-firm-countermeasures-348332">Hong Kong</a> after the Trump administration imposed restrictions on Chinese officials this week.

Watch:

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The US government had said earlier that it would freeze any assets and bar travel to the United States of 14 vice-chairs of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress who allegedly spearheaded China's national security law imposed in Hong Kong in June.

The US government has also imposed sanctions on Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam who is backed by Beijing.

"In light of the severe interference from the US on Hong Kong that harms China's internal affairs and essential interests, China has decided to implement reciprocal sanctions on US administrative officials," China's foreign ministry said.

"Congress staff and non-governmental organization staff who are vile on Hong Kong issues and who should take more responsibility on Hong Kong, as well as their immediate family members," it said.

"China has also decided to revoke visa exemption treatment to travel to Hong Kong and Macau, for US diplomatic passport holders," the foreign ministry informed.

The Chinese foreign ministry while imposing sanctions urged the outgoing Trump administration "to stop interfering in Hong Kong affairs and stop interfering in China's domestic affairs."

The Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Hua Chunying, however, declined to name US officials against whom sanctions were imposed or the star date of the sanctions.

China on Thursday revoked visa exemptions for US diplomats visiting Hong Kong after the Trump administration imposed restrictions on Chinese officials this week.

China on Thursday revoked visa exemptions for US diplomats visiting Hong Kong after the Trump administration imposed restrictions on Chinese officials this week. Watch: The US government had said earlier that it would freeze any assets and bar travel to the United States of 14 vice-chairs of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress who allegedly spearheaded China's national security law imposed in Hong Kong in June. The US government has also imposed sanctions on Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam who is backed by Beijing. "In light of the severe interference from the US on Hong Kong that harms China's internal affairs and essential interests, China has decided to implement reciprocal sanctions on US administrative officials," China's foreign ministry said. "Congress staff and non-governmental organization staff who are vile on Hong Kong issues and who should take more responsibility on Hong Kong, as well as their immediate family members," it said. "China has also decided to revoke visa exemption treatment to travel to Hong Kong and Macau, for US diplomatic passport holders," the foreign ministry informed. The Chinese foreign ministry while imposing sanctions urged the outgoing Trump administration "to stop interfering in Hong Kong affairs and stop interfering in China's domestic affairs." The Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Hua Chunying, however, declined to name US officials against whom sanctions were imposed or the star date of the sanctions.

China revokes visa exemptions for US diplomats visiting Hong Kong, Macau

After the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/eus-medicines-agency-responsible-for-vaccine-approval-suffers-cyber-attack-348654">European Medicines Agency</a> (EMA) said it was targeting in a cyber attack, US pharma giant Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech said its coronavirus vaccine was "unlawfully accessed" with documents relating the vaccine being accessed.

EMA is the chief European regulator&nbsp;responsible for approving the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/coronavirus-scare-on-cruise-ship-a-false-alarm-singapore-says-348814">coronavirus</a> vaccine. The EMA has still not disclosed who caused the attack and exactly how much damage was done during the attack. The EMA had said that it was investigating the cyber attack along with law enforcement agencies.

The EMA has stipulated December 29 as the date to review the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine which is already being underway in Britain. Moderna's vaccine will be reviewed by January 12 by the European medicine agency.

Watch:

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Pfizer said it was "unaware of any personal data being accessed" as BioNTech declared that "unaware that any study participants have been identified through the data being accessed."

"The EMA has assured us that the cyberattack will have no impact on the timeline for its review," both two companies assured.

Earlier this year Britain had accused Russian-based hackers of targeting labs conducting<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/sri-lanka-cremates-muslim-covid-19-victims-against-religious-wishes-348632"> coronavirus</a> vaccine research with reports claiming in the Spanish media that with Spanish laboratories reportedly being attacked by Chinese cybercriminals.

According to the Wall Street Journal, cybercriminals had tried to attack pharmaceutical companies developing vaccines including Johnson &amp; Johnson, Novavax, AstraZeneca and South Korean laboratories.

After the European Medicines Agency (EMA) said it was targeting in a cyber attack, US pharma giant Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech said its coronavirus vaccine was "unlawfully accessed" with documents relating the vaccine being accessed.

After the European Medicines Agency (EMA) said it was targeting in a cyber attack, US pharma giant Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech said its coronavirus vaccine was "unlawfully accessed" with documents relating the vaccine being accessed. EMA is the chief European regulator responsible for approving the coronavirus vaccine. The EMA has still not disclosed who caused the attack and exactly how much damage was done during the attack. The EMA had said that it was investigating the cyber attack along with law enforcement agencies. The EMA has stipulated December 29 as the date to review the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine which is already being underway in Britain. Moderna's vaccine will be reviewed by January 12 by the European medicine agency. Watch: Pfizer said it was "unaware of any personal data being accessed" as BioNTech declared that "unaware that any study participants have been identified through the data being accessed." "The EMA has assured us that the cyberattack will have no impact on the timeline for its review," both two companies assured. Earlier this year Britain had accused Russian-based hackers of targeting labs conducting coronavirus vaccine research with reports claiming in the Spanish media that with Spanish laboratories reportedly being attacked by Chinese cybercriminals. According to the Wall Street Journal, cybercriminals had tried to attack pharmaceutical companies developing vaccines including Johnson & Johnson, Novavax, AstraZeneca and South Korean laboratories.

European Medicines Agency hacking: Pfizer-BioNTech confirm vaccine documents 'unlawfully accessed'

The Russian media hit out at a report that claimed the country presents a "geopolitical risk of threats to supply" of helium which is &nbsp;"finite resource".

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russian-spies-hacked-ukrainian-energy-firm-at-center-of-trumps-impeachment-274153">Also Read:&nbsp;Russian spies hacked Ukrainian energy firm at center of Trump impeachment</a>

The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/big-push-into-helium-could-have-the-world-on-russias-string-348830">New York Times </a>in its report said that that "Siberia holds some of the largest known untapped reserves of natural gas with high levels of helium, and Russia is preparing for a major leap in production when its new complex of factories comes online next year."

NYT said that Russia is "well-positioned to supply China and the technology industry on the US West Coast" and the Gazprom the Russian company is "will export canisters of cryogenically cooled liquid helium from the Pacific Ocean port of Vladivostok."

The report said after ramping up production by the middle of the decade "Russia expects to produce 25 per cent to 30 per cent of all helium used worldwide without breaking a sweat". <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-signs-offshore-pipeline-agreement-with-russian-energy-giant-gazprom-195970">Gazprom</a> said in September that its Siberian helium machine was more than 60% completed, the report said.

The report said US and Qatar at present generate vast amounts of world’s helium but Russia is already self-sufficient, however, the US has exited the business which the NYT report claims would allow Russia to become a major exporter from 2021.

The report claimed that the US holds 2.8 billion cubic feet of helium in an "abandoned gas field outside Amarillo, Texas".

"It has raised worries that Russia could bring to helium the same politically influenced trading practices that worry buyers of Russian natural gas and crude oil," the NYT report said.

There are several uses for liquid helium which is widely used in MRI machines also to propel space rockets including in welding and printing computer chips and is seen as a "critical resource".

The report also mentioned the controversial <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/proposed-us-sanctions-on-nord-stream-2-pipeline-is-unfair-competition-russia-347540">Nord Stream 2 </a>natural gas pipeline linking Russia to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/germany-threatens-to-put-nord-stream-2-project-on-hold-as-russia-fails-to-cooperate-in-navalny-probe-326080">Germany</a> which has been embargoed by the Trump administration with its "complicated mix of politics and economics influences the Kremlin’s decisions."

The Russian media hit out at a report that claimed the country presents a "geopolitical risk of threats to supply" of helium which is "finite resource". Also Read: Russian spies hacked Ukrainian energy firm at center of Trump impeachment The New York Times in its report said that that "Siberia holds some of the largest known untapped reserves of natural gas with high levels of helium, and Russia is preparing for a major leap in production when its new complex of factories comes online next year.

The Russian media hit out at a report that claimed the country presents a "geopolitical risk of threats to supply" of helium which is "finite resource". Also Read: Russian spies hacked Ukrainian energy firm at center of Trump impeachment The New York Times in its report said that that "Siberia holds some of the largest known untapped reserves of natural gas with high levels of helium, and Russia is preparing for a major leap in production when its new complex of factories comes online next year." NYT said that Russia is "well-positioned to supply China and the technology industry on the US West Coast" and the Gazprom the Russian company is "will export canisters of cryogenically cooled liquid helium from the Pacific Ocean port of Vladivostok." The report said after ramping up production by the middle of the decade "Russia expects to produce 25 per cent to 30 per cent of all helium used worldwide without breaking a sweat". Gazprom said in September that its Siberian helium machine was more than 60% completed, the report said. The report said US and Qatar at present generate vast amounts of world’s helium but Russia is already self-sufficient, however, the US has exited the business which the NYT report claims would allow Russia to become a major exporter from 2021. The report claimed that the US holds 2.8 billion cubic feet of helium in an "abandoned gas field outside Amarillo, Texas". "It has raised worries that Russia could bring to helium the same politically influenced trading practices that worry buyers of Russian natural gas and crude oil," the NYT report said. There are several uses for liquid helium which is widely used in MRI machines also to propel space rockets including in welding and printing computer chips and is seen as a "critical resource". The report also mentioned the controversial Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline linking Russia to Germany which has been embargoed by the Trump administration with its "complicated mix of politics and economics influences the Kremlin’s decisions."

Russia's push towards helium could present 'geopolitical risk of threats to supply': Report

With a momentary hiss of gas escaping a canister, the limp red balloon suddenly came to life, filled with helium.

After a practiced twirl of her fingers, Anastasia Bukhiyeva, an employee at a party supply shop in Moscow, attached a string, and the balloon floated up to a net under the ceiling, joining dozens of others in this upside-down system of storage.

Russian party balloons are more or less the same as balloons anywhere else but for one distinction: The helium is from Russia.

Soon, though, Russian helium could be used all over the world.

A huge production facility in Siberia is nearing completion, one that some analysts say could disrupt the global market for the lighter-than-air gas, which plays an increasingly critical role in industries like medical technology, space exploration and national security.

The United States and Qatar together generate the vast majority of the world’s helium. But Russia, already self-sufficient, plans to become a major exporter starting next year.

This ambition, in the works for years now, coincides with the U.S. government’s exit from the helium business after decades as a major supplier. It has raised worries that Russia could bring to helium the same politically influenced trading practices that worry buyers of Russian natural gas and crude oil.

Like oil and natural gas, helium is a finite resource. It is usually extracted as a byproduct of natural gas, and it is slowly becoming scarcer because, once released, it is too light to be contained by gravity and floats into space, lost forever.

And analysts expect demand to rise over time.

Initially, the new Russian supply might lower prices, said Michael Dall, an economist specializing in industrial chemicals at research firm IHS Markit. But longer term, he said, “the dynamics could become more political, something similar to OPEC,” which manipulates prices by raising or lowering the production of oil.

“The geopolitical risks of threats to supply, and potential supply outages, will rise,” Dall said. “And the way demand is going, helium is going to be highly sought after.”

Liquid helium is the coldest thing on Earth, with a boiling point of minus 452 degrees Fahrenheit. This exceptional property, plus the fact that it is not flammable and does not interact with other gases, makes it essential in devices ranging from MRI machines to rocket engines.

Liquid helium circulates inside MRI machines to cool the superconducting magnets that produce the scans that help doctors detect diseases in patients. In space travel, helium is used several ways, including to pressurize tanks of rocket fuel. (It remains a gas even at the low temperatures of liquid hydrogen.)

It is useful in welding and in printing computer chips, and if magnetic levitation trains ever take off, it could be a critical resource in that industry, said Christopher J. Cramer, vice president for research at the University of Minnesota, which buys helium for its laboratories.

Given its wide use, “people began to get nervous about helium supply,” Cramer said.

Medical device makers and scientists have questioned helium’s continued use in party balloons, where about 10% of the world’s supply winds up. The American Chemical Society calls helium an endangered element.

“Just like certain animals here on Earth, there are endangered elements, too,” the society’s website says. The society recommends that people “opt not to buy helium balloons.”

Siberia holds some of the largest-known untapped reserves of natural gas with high levels of helium, and Russia is preparing for a major leap in production when its new complex of factories comes online next year, operated by Gazprom, Russia’s huge natural gas producer. The company will export canisters of cryogenically cooled liquid helium from the Pacific Ocean port of Vladivostok, well-positioned to supply China and the technology industry on the U.S. West Coast.

Others also see opportunity in helium. Qatar plans new refineries, and companies are prospecting for new deposits in the United States, Canada and Africa, said Phil Kornbluth, a helium analyst and founder of a consultancy focused on the global market for the gas.

Still, after ramping up to full production in the middle of this decade, Russia expects to produce 25% to 30% of all helium used worldwide.

It will do so without breaking a sweat, so vast are its reserves, analysts say. In fact, Gazprom has the ability to reserve extracted helium in Siberia by injecting it back into the natural gas fields — essentially taking its helium off the market — which is one reason for concerns about price manipulation in the future. Gazprom declined to comment for this article.

In other commodity markets where Russia has a finger on the scale of prices, such as natural gas in Europe, a complicated mix of politics and economics influences the Kremlin’s decisions. Its Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline project, intended to connect Russian gas fields to Germany, for example, has been fiercely opposed by the White House as a means of stoking dependence on Russia.

Helium has been a focus of countries’ national security policies for more than a century.

The U.S. government began stockpiling the gas in the 1920s, when zeppelins seemed to have a future in military air power, a role that never came. Still, the Federal Helium Reserve holds in the porous rock of an abandoned gas field outside Amarillo, Texas, about 2.8 billion cubic feet of helium owned by the American people — enough for an armada of blimps, or about 3 billion balloons if Congress decided to throw a big party instead.

The 1996 Helium Privatization Act required the Bureau of Land Management, which runs the site, to sell the entire reserve to privatize the helium market. Periodic auctions became a major source of helium for industry and created a benchmark for global prices, affecting the cost of everything from balloons to MRI scans. Private American companies will still produce helium. But the government reserve is expected to hold its last auction in 2023.

The change in the market is coinciding with Russia’s debut as a major supplier.

Gazprom said in September that its Siberian helium machine was more than 60% completed. Photos of the main refinery depict a panoramic scene of pipes and cooling towers, rising in a remote forest. When it opens, it will be the largest helium plant in the world, Gazprom says.

“Possibly, this factory could hand Russia world leadership in helium,” a Russian business news site, Rambler, reported in an article exuberantly headlined “A Flight to the Sun: A New Russian Factory Will Influence the Global Helium Market.”

With so much helium expected to begin coming online next year, Russian balloon sellers are hoping for some benefit, too. In the Soviet era, the gas was reserved mostly for the space industry, the military and scientists.

Helium balloons were an afterthought and a rarity. “I never had helium balloons when I was a child,” said Bukhiyeva, the clerk at the Moscow store. It is called Shariki 24, or Balloons 24, open around the clock.

She sells mylar unicorns and rainbows and has balloons in the shapes of all the letters in the Cyrillic alphabet, to spell messages.

Bukhiyeva saw no downside to Russia’s becoming a helium superpower. Balloons will become cheaper, she said. “It will be great.” 
&nbsp;

With a momentary hiss of gas escaping a canister, the limp red balloon suddenly came to life, filled with helium. After a practiced twirl of her fingers, Anastasia Bukhiyeva, an employee at a party supply shop in Moscow, attached a string, and the balloon floated up to a net under the ceiling, joining dozens of others in this upside-down system of storage.

With a momentary hiss of gas escaping a canister, the limp red balloon suddenly came to life, filled with helium. After a practiced twirl of her fingers, Anastasia Bukhiyeva, an employee at a party supply shop in Moscow, attached a string, and the balloon floated up to a net under the ceiling, joining dozens of others in this upside-down system of storage. Russian party balloons are more or less the same as balloons anywhere else but for one distinction: The helium is from Russia. Soon, though, Russian helium could be used all over the world. A huge production facility in Siberia is nearing completion, one that some analysts say could disrupt the global market for the lighter-than-air gas, which plays an increasingly critical role in industries like medical technology, space exploration and national security. The United States and Qatar together generate the vast majority of the world’s helium. But Russia, already self-sufficient, plans to become a major exporter starting next year. This ambition, in the works for years now, coincides with the U.S. government’s exit from the helium business after decades as a major supplier. It has raised worries that Russia could bring to helium the same politically influenced trading practices that worry buyers of Russian natural gas and crude oil. Like oil and natural gas, helium is a finite resource. It is usually extracted as a byproduct of natural gas, and it is slowly becoming scarcer because, once released, it is too light to be contained by gravity and floats into space, lost forever. And analysts expect demand to rise over time. Initially, the new Russian supply might lower prices, said Michael Dall, an economist specializing in industrial chemicals at research firm IHS Markit. But longer term, he said, “the dynamics could become more political, something similar to OPEC,” which manipulates prices by raising or lowering the production of oil. “The geopolitical risks of threats to supply, and potential supply outages, will rise,” Dall said. “And the way demand is going, helium is going to be highly sought after.” Liquid helium is the coldest thing on Earth, with a boiling point of minus 452 degrees Fahrenheit. This exceptional property, plus the fact that it is not flammable and does not interact with other gases, makes it essential in devices ranging from MRI machines to rocket engines. Liquid helium circulates inside MRI machines to cool the superconducting magnets that produce the scans that help doctors detect diseases in patients. In space travel, helium is used several ways, including to pressurize tanks of rocket fuel. (It remains a gas even at the low temperatures of liquid hydrogen.) It is useful in welding and in printing computer chips, and if magnetic levitation trains ever take off, it could be a critical resource in that industry, said Christopher J. Cramer, vice president for research at the University of Minnesota, which buys helium for its laboratories. Given its wide use, “people began to get nervous about helium supply,” Cramer said. Medical device makers and scientists have questioned helium’s continued use in party balloons, where about 10% of the world’s supply winds up. The American Chemical Society calls helium an endangered element. “Just like certain animals here on Earth, there are endangered elements, too,” the society’s website says. The society recommends that people “opt not to buy helium balloons.” Siberia holds some of the largest-known untapped reserves of natural gas with high levels of helium, and Russia is preparing for a major leap in production when its new complex of factories comes online next year, operated by Gazprom, Russia’s huge natural gas producer. The company will export canisters of cryogenically cooled liquid helium from the Pacific Ocean port of Vladivostok, well-positioned to supply China and the technology industry on the U.S. West Coast. Others also see opportunity in helium. Qatar plans new refineries, and companies are prospecting for new deposits in the United States, Canada and Africa, said Phil Kornbluth, a helium analyst and founder of a consultancy focused on the global market for the gas. Still, after ramping up to full production in the middle of this decade, Russia expects to produce 25% to 30% of all helium used worldwide. It will do so without breaking a sweat, so vast are its reserves, analysts say. In fact, Gazprom has the ability to reserve extracted helium in Siberia by injecting it back into the natural gas fields — essentially taking its helium off the market — which is one reason for concerns about price manipulation in the future. Gazprom declined to comment for this article. In other commodity markets where Russia has a finger on the scale of prices, such as natural gas in Europe, a complicated mix of politics and economics influences the Kremlin’s decisions. Its Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline project, intended to connect Russian gas fields to Germany, for example, has been fiercely opposed by the White House as a means of stoking dependence on Russia. Helium has been a focus of countries’ national security policies for more than a century. The U.S. government began stockpiling the gas in the 1920s, when zeppelins seemed to have a future in military air power, a role that never came. Still, the Federal Helium Reserve holds in the porous rock of an abandoned gas field outside Amarillo, Texas, about 2.8 billion cubic feet of helium owned by the American people — enough for an armada of blimps, or about 3 billion balloons if Congress decided to throw a big party instead. The 1996 Helium Privatization Act required the Bureau of Land Management, which runs the site, to sell the entire reserve to privatize the helium market. Periodic auctions became a major source of helium for industry and created a benchmark for global prices, affecting the cost of everything from balloons to MRI scans. Private American companies will still produce helium. But the government reserve is expected to hold its last auction in 2023. The change in the market is coinciding with Russia’s debut as a major supplier. Gazprom said in September that its Siberian helium machine was more than 60% completed. Photos of the main refinery depict a panoramic scene of pipes and cooling towers, rising in a remote forest. When it opens, it will be the largest helium plant in the world, Gazprom says. “Possibly, this factory could hand Russia world leadership in helium,” a Russian business news site, Rambler, reported in an article exuberantly headlined “A Flight to the Sun: A New Russian Factory Will Influence the Global Helium Market.” With so much helium expected to begin coming online next year, Russian balloon sellers are hoping for some benefit, too. In the Soviet era, the gas was reserved mostly for the space industry, the military and scientists. Helium balloons were an afterthought and a rarity. “I never had helium balloons when I was a child,” said Bukhiyeva, the clerk at the Moscow store. It is called Shariki 24, or Balloons 24, open around the clock. She sells mylar unicorns and rainbows and has balloons in the shapes of all the letters in the Cyrillic alphabet, to spell messages. Bukhiyeva saw no downside to Russia’s becoming a helium superpower. Balloons will become cheaper, she said. “It will be great.”

Big push into helium could have the world on Russia’s string

Before Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine was proved highly successful in clinical trials last month, the company offered the Trump administration the chance to lock in supplies beyond the 100 million doses the pharmaceutical maker agreed to sell the government as part of a $1.95 billion deal over the summer.

But the administration, according to people familiar with the talks, never made the deal, a choice that now raises questions about whether the United States allowed other countries to take its place in line.

While two vaccines, including Pfizer’s, have proved to be highly effective against COVID-19, and a third also appears at least moderately effective, supplies are shaping up to be scarce in the coming months as infections, hospitalizations and deaths surge to new highs.

And while Pfizer is now negotiating with the administration to provide more of its vaccine, people familiar with the talks say the company cannot guarantee that it will be able to deliver more than the initial 100 million doses — enough to inoculate 50 million people since its vaccine requires two shots — before perhaps next June.

After it signed its federal contract in late July, Pfizer went on to seal deals with other governments, including the European Union, which last month finalized an agreement to acquire 200 million doses from Pfizer and its German partner, BioNTech. On Tuesday, Britain will begin inoculating its population with the vaccine.

President Donald Trump has hailed the development of the vaccine as a victory for his administration, even though Pfizer, unlike the developer of the other most promising vaccine, Moderna, took no upfront money from the government’s Operation Warp Speed development program.

On Tuesday, Trump is holding a White House event to promote the program’s role and plans to issue an executive order that applies his “America First” philosophy to the pandemic by proclaiming that other nations will not get the U.S. supplies of its vaccine until Americans have been inoculated.

The executive order by itself appears to have no real teeth and does not expand the U.S. supply of doses, according to a description of the order on Monday by senior administration officials. But it provides Trump with a talking point to rebut any criticism about the limited initial supply of the vaccine.

The order is being issued “to ensure that the United States government prioritizes getting the vaccine to American citizens before sending it to other nations,” according to a draft statement. The decision by the White House to issue the executive order was reported by Fox News.

Since the beginning of the vaccine development efforts early this year, some experts have been concerned that nationalism could complicate efforts to distribute the vaccine equitably around the world. Until now the United States has declined to participate in international efforts to supply low-income countries with vaccines.

Asked if the Trump administration had missed a crucial chance to snap up more doses for Americans, a spokeswoman for the Department of Health and Human Services said, “We are confident that we will have 100 million doses of Pfizer’s vaccine as agreed to in our contract, and beyond that, we have five other vaccine candidates, including 100 million doses on the way from Moderna.”

The federal contract signed in July called for Pfizer to deliver 100 million doses by March at a cost of $19.50 a dose — if its vaccine worked. It gave the government the option to request 100 million to 500 million additional doses. It was one of six contracts that the Trump administration signed with vaccine-makers in a strategy intended to hedge its bets and maximize the chances of success.

Accounts differ over the timing of the discussions between Pfizer and federal officials about locking in extra doses. Several people said that during late summer or early fall, Pfizer officials repeatedly warned the Trump administration that demand could vastly outstrip supply and urged it to preorder more doses, but were turned down.

One senior administration official, who spoke to reporters on Monday on the condition of anonymity, said that any company offering hundreds of millions of doses before it had proof its vaccine worked “was just not going to get the government’s money.”

Another person familiar with the negotiations said talks about possible additional doses began in early October. Michael Pratt, a spokesman for the Department of Health and Human Services, declined to comment on the discussions, but said that “an important part of any negotiation is having established timelines for delivery and production amounts.”

In a statement, Pfizer, an American company with headquarters in New York, said that “any additional doses beyond the 100 million are subject to a separate and mutually acceptable agreement,” and that “the company is not able to comment on any confidential discussions that may be taking place with the U.S. government.”

So far, only Pfizer has won emergency approval from a Western government. British regulators authorized it less than a week ago, after late-stage clinical trial results showed the vaccine was about 95% effective. The Food and Drug Administration is expected to follow suit in the United States as early as this weekend.

The agency may also soon approve another vaccine developed by Moderna, a small firm based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. But doses supplied by Pfizer and Moderna will initially be extremely scarce — enough to vaccinate about 22.5 million people before the end of the year — and federal officials have said vaccines will not be widely available to Americans until well into next year, even as the daily death toll continues to climb with more than 280,000 lives lost to date.

Originally, the White House cast Tuesday’s vaccine event as a kind of a victory lap for Trump. The president has repeatedly noted that his administration threw the might of the federal government behind vaccine development, a farsighted move that contrasted with its now nearly yearlong failure to curb the pandemic’s spread.

But some high-profile players will not be there. Representatives for Moderna and Pfizer said the company executives did not plan to attend. A senior administration official said on Monday that the companies were not included because the event would also include a top regulator from the FDA, Dr. Peter Marks, who is reviewing their vaccine applications.

Despite its “America First” theme, a major component of the executive order directs federal agencies to develop a policy for eventually selling or donating any additional doses to other countries.

“Once we’ve ensured the ability to meet the needs of the American people, it would then be in the interest of the United States to facilitate international access to a COVID vaccine,” a senior administration official told reporters on Monday.

The bulk of the global supply of vaccines has been claimed by wealthy countries like the United States, Canada, Britain and countries in Europe, leading to criticism that people in low- and middle-income countries will be left behind. The United States, for example, has declined to participate in a global initiative, called Covax, that is meant to make a vaccine available globally.

The federal government settled on 100 million doses from Pfizer in part because it was supporting a portfolio of other candidates, and because it was uncertain how well the company’s vaccine would perform in late-stage clinical trials, federal officials said.

Pfizer has struggled to meet initial expectations. This summer, the company predicted that it would have 100 million doses by the end of the year, but in November, it said manufacturing challenges forced the company to scale that back to 50 million. Vaccine manufacturing is notoriously unpredictable, and any number of factors — from shortages of raw ingredients to contaminated batches — could cause further setbacks.

As negotiations continue for additional doses, Pfizer is in a strategically important position, given that it is one of only two companies with applications pending in the United States for emergency authorization. If other vaccines prove to be promising, Pfizer could lose its leverage to dictate the terms of its agreements with the federal government.

The United States could use the Defense Production Act to compel Pfizer to prioritize the federal government in its domestic factories. But Pfizer and BioNTech have a duplicate production line in Europe, limiting the United States’ ability to control Pfizer’s global supply. Forcing Pfizer to serve the United States first could also be diplomatically delicate, given the company’s deals with other governments.

Warp Speed officials and Pfizer are still in regular contact, and more commitments to Pfizer and Moderna could be made in the coming weeks and months, one official said. But by January, a new administration will most likely play a significant role in how much more to invest in Pfizer before it could receive a full license of its vaccine from the FDA, when investments may shift to the private market.

But while both Pfizer and Moderna appear to have achieved success beyond what researchers even hoped, some of the other vaccine-makers fell behind. Top federal health officials and outside experts have questioned the clinical trial data presented by AstraZeneca, a British-based company that is working with University of Oxford researchers.

Novavax, another vaccine-maker that received huge support from the Trump administration, has delayed the start of its Phase 3 clinical trial in the United States in part because of setbacks in manufacturing enough doses for its trial. It has now said that it plans to start this month.

Johnson &amp; Johnson has said it could report early results of its vaccine trial by January, and another Operation Warp Speed participant, Sanofi, has said it plans to start its late-stage vaccine trial before the end of the year.

Unlike other vaccine-makers, Pfizer spurned federal subsidies for developing and manufacturing, shouldering the financial risk of the vaccine project itself.

In a recent interview with The New York Times, the company’s chief executive, Dr. Albert Bourla, said he worried that government oversight would slow his firm’s work, not accelerate it. And he feared federal funding would come with strings attached. That has left Warp Speed officials with a less complete week-to-week understanding of the company’s manufacturing.

Before Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine was proved highly successful in clinical trials last month, the company offered the Trump administration the chance to lock in supplies beyond the 100 million doses the pharmaceutical maker agreed to sell the government as part of a $1.

Before Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine was proved highly successful in clinical trials last month, the company offered the Trump administration the chance to lock in supplies beyond the 100 million doses the pharmaceutical maker agreed to sell the government as part of a $1.95 billion deal over the summer. But the administration, according to people familiar with the talks, never made the deal, a choice that now raises questions about whether the United States allowed other countries to take its place in line. While two vaccines, including Pfizer’s, have proved to be highly effective against COVID-19, and a third also appears at least moderately effective, supplies are shaping up to be scarce in the coming months as infections, hospitalizations and deaths surge to new highs. And while Pfizer is now negotiating with the administration to provide more of its vaccine, people familiar with the talks say the company cannot guarantee that it will be able to deliver more than the initial 100 million doses — enough to inoculate 50 million people since its vaccine requires two shots — before perhaps next June. After it signed its federal contract in late July, Pfizer went on to seal deals with other governments, including the European Union, which last month finalized an agreement to acquire 200 million doses from Pfizer and its German partner, BioNTech. On Tuesday, Britain will begin inoculating its population with the vaccine. President Donald Trump has hailed the development of the vaccine as a victory for his administration, even though Pfizer, unlike the developer of the other most promising vaccine, Moderna, took no upfront money from the government’s Operation Warp Speed development program. On Tuesday, Trump is holding a White House event to promote the program’s role and plans to issue an executive order that applies his “America First” philosophy to the pandemic by proclaiming that other nations will not get the U.S. supplies of its vaccine until Americans have been inoculated. The executive order by itself appears to have no real teeth and does not expand the U.S. supply of doses, according to a description of the order on Monday by senior administration officials. But it provides Trump with a talking point to rebut any criticism about the limited initial supply of the vaccine. The order is being issued “to ensure that the United States government prioritizes getting the vaccine to American citizens before sending it to other nations,” according to a draft statement. The decision by the White House to issue the executive order was reported by Fox News. Since the beginning of the vaccine development efforts early this year, some experts have been concerned that nationalism could complicate efforts to distribute the vaccine equitably around the world. Until now the United States has declined to participate in international efforts to supply low-income countries with vaccines. Asked if the Trump administration had missed a crucial chance to snap up more doses for Americans, a spokeswoman for the Department of Health and Human Services said, “We are confident that we will have 100 million doses of Pfizer’s vaccine as agreed to in our contract, and beyond that, we have five other vaccine candidates, including 100 million doses on the way from Moderna.” The federal contract signed in July called for Pfizer to deliver 100 million doses by March at a cost of $19.50 a dose — if its vaccine worked. It gave the government the option to request 100 million to 500 million additional doses. It was one of six contracts that the Trump administration signed with vaccine-makers in a strategy intended to hedge its bets and maximize the chances of success. Accounts differ over the timing of the discussions between Pfizer and federal officials about locking in extra doses. Several people said that during late summer or early fall, Pfizer officials repeatedly warned the Trump administration that demand could vastly outstrip supply and urged it to preorder more doses, but were turned down. One senior administration official, who spoke to reporters on Monday on the condition of anonymity, said that any company offering hundreds of millions of doses before it had proof its vaccine worked “was just not going to get the government’s money.” Another person familiar with the negotiations said talks about possible additional doses began in early October. Michael Pratt, a spokesman for the Department of Health and Human Services, declined to comment on the discussions, but said that “an important part of any negotiation is having established timelines for delivery and production amounts.” In a statement, Pfizer, an American company with headquarters in New York, said that “any additional doses beyond the 100 million are subject to a separate and mutually acceptable agreement,” and that “the company is not able to comment on any confidential discussions that may be taking place with the U.S. government.” So far, only Pfizer has won emergency approval from a Western government. British regulators authorized it less than a week ago, after late-stage clinical trial results showed the vaccine was about 95% effective. The Food and Drug Administration is expected to follow suit in the United States as early as this weekend. The agency may also soon approve another vaccine developed by Moderna, a small firm based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. But doses supplied by Pfizer and Moderna will initially be extremely scarce — enough to vaccinate about 22.5 million people before the end of the year — and federal officials have said vaccines will not be widely available to Americans until well into next year, even as the daily death toll continues to climb with more than 280,000 lives lost to date. Originally, the White House cast Tuesday’s vaccine event as a kind of a victory lap for Trump. The president has repeatedly noted that his administration threw the might of the federal government behind vaccine development, a farsighted move that contrasted with its now nearly yearlong failure to curb the pandemic’s spread. But some high-profile players will not be there. Representatives for Moderna and Pfizer said the company executives did not plan to attend. A senior administration official said on Monday that the companies were not included because the event would also include a top regulator from the FDA, Dr. Peter Marks, who is reviewing their vaccine applications. Despite its “America First” theme, a major component of the executive order directs federal agencies to develop a policy for eventually selling or donating any additional doses to other countries. “Once we’ve ensured the ability to meet the needs of the American people, it would then be in the interest of the United States to facilitate international access to a COVID vaccine,” a senior administration official told reporters on Monday. The bulk of the global supply of vaccines has been claimed by wealthy countries like the United States, Canada, Britain and countries in Europe, leading to criticism that people in low- and middle-income countries will be left behind. The United States, for example, has declined to participate in a global initiative, called Covax, that is meant to make a vaccine available globally. The federal government settled on 100 million doses from Pfizer in part because it was supporting a portfolio of other candidates, and because it was uncertain how well the company’s vaccine would perform in late-stage clinical trials, federal officials said. Pfizer has struggled to meet initial expectations. This summer, the company predicted that it would have 100 million doses by the end of the year, but in November, it said manufacturing challenges forced the company to scale that back to 50 million. Vaccine manufacturing is notoriously unpredictable, and any number of factors — from shortages of raw ingredients to contaminated batches — could cause further setbacks. As negotiations continue for additional doses, Pfizer is in a strategically important position, given that it is one of only two companies with applications pending in the United States for emergency authorization. If other vaccines prove to be promising, Pfizer could lose its leverage to dictate the terms of its agreements with the federal government. The United States could use the Defense Production Act to compel Pfizer to prioritize the federal government in its domestic factories. But Pfizer and BioNTech have a duplicate production line in Europe, limiting the United States’ ability to control Pfizer’s global supply. Forcing Pfizer to serve the United States first could also be diplomatically delicate, given the company’s deals with other governments. Warp Speed officials and Pfizer are still in regular contact, and more commitments to Pfizer and Moderna could be made in the coming weeks and months, one official said. But by January, a new administration will most likely play a significant role in how much more to invest in Pfizer before it could receive a full license of its vaccine from the FDA, when investments may shift to the private market. But while both Pfizer and Moderna appear to have achieved success beyond what researchers even hoped, some of the other vaccine-makers fell behind. Top federal health officials and outside experts have questioned the clinical trial data presented by AstraZeneca, a British-based company that is working with University of Oxford researchers. Novavax, another vaccine-maker that received huge support from the Trump administration, has delayed the start of its Phase 3 clinical trial in the United States in part because of setbacks in manufacturing enough doses for its trial. It has now said that it plans to start this month. Johnson & Johnson has said it could report early results of its vaccine trial by January, and another Operation Warp Speed participant, Sanofi, has said it plans to start its late-stage vaccine trial before the end of the year. Unlike other vaccine-makers, Pfizer spurned federal subsidies for developing and manufacturing, shouldering the financial risk of the vaccine project itself. In a recent interview with The New York Times, the company’s chief executive, Dr. Albert Bourla, said he worried that government oversight would slow his firm’s work, not accelerate it. And he feared federal funding would come with strings attached. That has left Warp Speed officials with a less complete week-to-week understanding of the company’s manufacturing.

Trump administration passed on chance to secure more of Pfizer vaccine

With a key deadline passing Tuesday that all but ends his legal challenges to the election, President Donald Trump’s frenzied campaign to overturn the results has reached an inflection point: Certified slates of electors to the Electoral College are now protected by law, and any chance that a state might appoint a different slate that is favorable to Trump is essentially gone.

Despite his clear loss, Trump has shown no intention of stopping his sustained assault on the American electoral process. But his baseless conspiracy theories about voting fraud have devolved into an exercise in delegitimizing the election results, and the rhetoric is accelerating among his most fervent allies. This has prompted outrage among Trump loyalists and led to behavior that Democrats and even some Republicans say has become dangerous.

Supporters of the president, some of them armed, gathered outside the home of the Michigan secretary of state Saturday night. Racist death threats filled the voice mail of Cynthia A. Johnson, a Michigan state representative. Georgia election officials, mostly Republicans, say they have received threats of violence. The Republican Party of Arizona, on Twitter, twice called for supporters to be willing to “die for something” or “give my life for this fight.”

“People on Twitter have posted photographs of my house,” said Ann Jacobs, the chair of the Wisconsin Elections Commission, who alerted her neighbors and the police about the constant threats. She said another message mentioned her children and said, “I’ve heard you’ll have quite a crowd of patriots showing up at your door.”

Trump himself has contacted numerous Republican state officials, pressing them to help him overturn the election he clearly lost. He has subjected others to repeated public shamings, lambasting governors to take action they are not legally allowed to take to keep Trump in power.

But absent a single significant victory in his dozens of lawsuits — and with a key defeat delivered by the Supreme Court on Tuesday — the president’s crusade is now as much a battle against the electoral process itself, as he seeks to cast doubt on free and fair elections and undermine Joe Biden before he takes the oath of office.

“There is long-term damage when this kind of behavior is normalized,” Jeff Flake, a former Republican senator from Arizona, said on Twitter. “It is not normal, and elected Republicans need to speak out against it.”

Last week, a top Republican election official in Georgia, Gabriel Sterling, implored the president to stop attacking the voting process in the state, saying it had prompted threats against officials and poll workers.

Tuesday’s procedural deadline, known as safe harbor, serves as something of a guarantee that Congress must count the slate of electors certified by the deadline, and acts as an accelerant to resolve any outstanding election disputes. It also likely limits further legal challenges to halt or disrupt the official certification of electoral votes that Biden needs to claim the presidency.

The president, however, dismissed the date as insignificant, saying on Tuesday that the true deadline arrives on Jan. 6 when Congress meets to approve certification.

Many Republican leaders in critical swing states are standing behind the president’s false narrative, unwilling to contradict his claims. Along with the president, their stance is further convincing tens of millions of Americans that the electoral process is too corroded to legitimately deliver the presidency to anyone whose name is not Trump.

Those supporters have started to flood the voicemails, cellphones and inboxes of dozens of elected officials across the country with angry messages and threats, as well as countless officials who handle local elections. The tenor has seemed to grow more menacing as Trump’s efforts appear even more unlikely to succeed, some officials said.

“They’re getting more angry, and we’ve been getting emails all the time, all hours of the day and night,” said Jennifer O’Mara, a Democratic state representative in Pennsylvania. She said her staff had been subjected to threats, as had her Republican colleagues. “A lot of calls are saying we won’t be forgetting.”

Jocelyn Benson, the secretary of state in Michigan, said she had just finished putting up Christmas decorations with her 4-year-old son when she heard dozens of Trump supporters shouting outside her home. Some chanted “Stop the Steal” and demanded an audit of Michigan’s election results, which showed Biden winning by roughly 154,000 votes.

“Ever since the president first tweeted at me and every time there is an additional attempt to spread false information, you see an uptick in the threats,” Benson said in an interview Tuesday. “And now apparently, they’re in front of my house, in the dark of night, in this very private, quiet residential neighborhood. We are concerned not only for the safety of my family, but my neighbors as well.

“This challenging, divisive moment that we find ourselves in, the only way to get out of it is for elected officials on both sides of the aisle to condemn what’s happening.”

Malcolm Kenyatta, a Democratic state representative from Pennsylvania, said he received dozens of emails every day. “It’s a bit more pronounced when you’re Black and queer like I am, that they go down the rabbit hole of parroting all the nastiness and vitriol that we see from the president all the time,” he said.

He said one person created a fake email address under his own name and then sent him profane threats.

Darrin Camilleri, a Democratic state representative in Michigan, said he had received one email that said, “Be prepared to take your last meal,” and another that read, “We’re looking forward to bring back firing squads.”

Camilleri said his parents were also receiving harassing and threatening calls. “We’ve sent more than 20 death threats to the House sergeants to look into,” he said.

The safe harbor deadline all but ensures Biden will receive the 270 votes in the Electoral College he needs to win the presidency, and most likely wind up with 306, the same total Trump won in 2016 (two defected, however). Though Congress will determine which states meet the safe harbor deadline, it is traditionally considered met when a state certifies its votes.

As of Monday, all but one state — Hawaii — had certified their elections.

Though the safe harbor deadline is technically about the relationship between states and Congress, it also largely insulates states that have certified their election results from legal challenges

“It plays into litigation because courts are aware of this deadline and want to give the states this benefit, so they do their best to try to comply with it,” said Richard L. Hasen, an election law expert at the University of California, Irvine.

But despite more than a century of precedent, allies of the president are continuing to file baseless lawsuits seeking to upend the election. On Tuesday, the Texas attorney general filed an audacious lawsuit in the Supreme Court against four other states — Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Georgia — with more claims of election irregularities, and no evidence to support them.

Texas asked the justices to put its case on an exceptionally fast track, but the court has acted with measured deliberation in considering similar requests and may defer consideration of whether to hear the suit until it can have no practical impact.

And the Republican legal efforts were dealt yet another loss late Tuesday afternoon, when the Supreme Court rejected a request by Republicans in Pennsylvania to overturn election results in the state.

There were no dissenting opinions.

With a key deadline passing Tuesday that all but ends his legal challenges to the election, President Donald Trump’s frenzied campaign to overturn the results has reached an inflection point: Certified slates of electors to the Electoral College are now protected by law, and any chance that a state might appoint a different slate that is favorable to Trump is essentially gone.

With a key deadline passing Tuesday that all but ends his legal challenges to the election, President Donald Trump’s frenzied campaign to overturn the results has reached an inflection point: Certified slates of electors to the Electoral College are now protected by law, and any chance that a state might appoint a different slate that is favorable to Trump is essentially gone. Despite his clear loss, Trump has shown no intention of stopping his sustained assault on the American electoral process. But his baseless conspiracy theories about voting fraud have devolved into an exercise in delegitimizing the election results, and the rhetoric is accelerating among his most fervent allies. This has prompted outrage among Trump loyalists and led to behavior that Democrats and even some Republicans say has become dangerous. Supporters of the president, some of them armed, gathered outside the home of the Michigan secretary of state Saturday night. Racist death threats filled the voice mail of Cynthia A. Johnson, a Michigan state representative. Georgia election officials, mostly Republicans, say they have received threats of violence. The Republican Party of Arizona, on Twitter, twice called for supporters to be willing to “die for something” or “give my life for this fight.” “People on Twitter have posted photographs of my house,” said Ann Jacobs, the chair of the Wisconsin Elections Commission, who alerted her neighbors and the police about the constant threats. She said another message mentioned her children and said, “I’ve heard you’ll have quite a crowd of patriots showing up at your door.” Trump himself has contacted numerous Republican state officials, pressing them to help him overturn the election he clearly lost. He has subjected others to repeated public shamings, lambasting governors to take action they are not legally allowed to take to keep Trump in power. But absent a single significant victory in his dozens of lawsuits — and with a key defeat delivered by the Supreme Court on Tuesday — the president’s crusade is now as much a battle against the electoral process itself, as he seeks to cast doubt on free and fair elections and undermine Joe Biden before he takes the oath of office. “There is long-term damage when this kind of behavior is normalized,” Jeff Flake, a former Republican senator from Arizona, said on Twitter. “It is not normal, and elected Republicans need to speak out against it.” Last week, a top Republican election official in Georgia, Gabriel Sterling, implored the president to stop attacking the voting process in the state, saying it had prompted threats against officials and poll workers. Tuesday’s procedural deadline, known as safe harbor, serves as something of a guarantee that Congress must count the slate of electors certified by the deadline, and acts as an accelerant to resolve any outstanding election disputes. It also likely limits further legal challenges to halt or disrupt the official certification of electoral votes that Biden needs to claim the presidency. The president, however, dismissed the date as insignificant, saying on Tuesday that the true deadline arrives on Jan. 6 when Congress meets to approve certification. Many Republican leaders in critical swing states are standing behind the president’s false narrative, unwilling to contradict his claims. Along with the president, their stance is further convincing tens of millions of Americans that the electoral process is too corroded to legitimately deliver the presidency to anyone whose name is not Trump. Those supporters have started to flood the voicemails, cellphones and inboxes of dozens of elected officials across the country with angry messages and threats, as well as countless officials who handle local elections. The tenor has seemed to grow more menacing as Trump’s efforts appear even more unlikely to succeed, some officials said. “They’re getting more angry, and we’ve been getting emails all the time, all hours of the day and night,” said Jennifer O’Mara, a Democratic state representative in Pennsylvania. She said her staff had been subjected to threats, as had her Republican colleagues. “A lot of calls are saying we won’t be forgetting.” Jocelyn Benson, the secretary of state in Michigan, said she had just finished putting up Christmas decorations with her 4-year-old son when she heard dozens of Trump supporters shouting outside her home. Some chanted “Stop the Steal” and demanded an audit of Michigan’s election results, which showed Biden winning by roughly 154,000 votes. “Ever since the president first tweeted at me and every time there is an additional attempt to spread false information, you see an uptick in the threats,” Benson said in an interview Tuesday. “And now apparently, they’re in front of my house, in the dark of night, in this very private, quiet residential neighborhood. We are concerned not only for the safety of my family, but my neighbors as well. “This challenging, divisive moment that we find ourselves in, the only way to get out of it is for elected officials on both sides of the aisle to condemn what’s happening.” Malcolm Kenyatta, a Democratic state representative from Pennsylvania, said he received dozens of emails every day. “It’s a bit more pronounced when you’re Black and queer like I am, that they go down the rabbit hole of parroting all the nastiness and vitriol that we see from the president all the time,” he said. He said one person created a fake email address under his own name and then sent him profane threats. Darrin Camilleri, a Democratic state representative in Michigan, said he had received one email that said, “Be prepared to take your last meal,” and another that read, “We’re looking forward to bring back firing squads.” Camilleri said his parents were also receiving harassing and threatening calls. “We’ve sent more than 20 death threats to the House sergeants to look into,” he said. The safe harbor deadline all but ensures Biden will receive the 270 votes in the Electoral College he needs to win the presidency, and most likely wind up with 306, the same total Trump won in 2016 (two defected, however). Though Congress will determine which states meet the safe harbor deadline, it is traditionally considered met when a state certifies its votes. As of Monday, all but one state — Hawaii — had certified their elections. Though the safe harbor deadline is technically about the relationship between states and Congress, it also largely insulates states that have certified their election results from legal challenges “It plays into litigation because courts are aware of this deadline and want to give the states this benefit, so they do their best to try to comply with it,” said Richard L. Hasen, an election law expert at the University of California, Irvine. But despite more than a century of precedent, allies of the president are continuing to file baseless lawsuits seeking to upend the election. On Tuesday, the Texas attorney general filed an audacious lawsuit in the Supreme Court against four other states — Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Georgia — with more claims of election irregularities, and no evidence to support them. Texas asked the justices to put its case on an exceptionally fast track, but the court has acted with measured deliberation in considering similar requests and may defer consideration of whether to hear the suit until it can have no practical impact. And the Republican legal efforts were dealt yet another loss late Tuesday afternoon, when the Supreme Court rejected a request by Republicans in Pennsylvania to overturn election results in the state. There were no dissenting opinions.

As Trump rails against loss, his supporters become more threatening

The end of the Cold War brought about a new global order and the emergence of globalisation as the world came closer with the world wide web, lowering of trade barriers and the rise of transnational companies and a free market.

However, 2020 has seen the biggest disruption of this order. China under Xi Jinping has exported the Wuhan virus and brought the world to a standstill. The pandemic exposed the shortcomings of the global systems as it forced a hard reset and raised a question: who will lead the post-pandemic world?

Not the United States under Donald Trump, it has all but abandoned the global leadership role. America withdrew from multilateral agreements and struggled to handle the pandemic. Joe Biden will have to pick up the pieces, heal a pandemic-crippled America before thinking about global leadership.

Beijing would love to play this role. It has the money and the might but China won't lead the world. Its record is too poor and intentions too obvious. So the question remains - what kind of power equations will 2021 see?

The post-pandemic world will be a multi-polar world with multiple leaders as opposed to a single big player. The pandemic has exposed a lack of global leadership and India stepped in where it could despite challenges at home, India showed that it is capable of working for the global community.

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi set up a response fund for ASEAN countries. India supplied emergency medicines to the United States and even China. India's Vande Bharat flight evacuated &nbsp;1.2 lakh foreigners and the world is leaning on India for vaccine manufacturing.

India has promised to supply vaccines to some of the low and middle-income countries including neighbours Bangladesh and Nepal.

India's Serum Institute has struck a deal with GAVI to supply vaccines to many countries.&nbsp;

India already produces 60 per cent of the developing world's vaccines. It is the world's leading vaccine manufacturer. During the pandemic, India not only engaged in health diplomacy but also strengthened its strategic partnerships.

While India stood by France in its fight against Islamic radicalism, it also explored new avenues of cooperation with the Gulf. Prime Minister Modi called for the SAARC and G20 meetings as India engaged not only with the QUAD countries but also reached out to its immediate neighbourhood.

As the world prepares for a new order, India is ready to claim its place. A continent-sized country, with 1/6th of the world's population and a proven ability to lead the world during a crisis.

The task before New Delhi now is to get its economy going, aim for greater global outreach, develop stronger relations with like-minded countries, improve trade and tech ties and get the Dragon off its back.

India's strategy for leadership in the post-pandemic world will be to leverage the partnership model.

The end of the Cold War brought about a new global order and the emergence of globalisation as the world came closer with the world wide web, lowering of trade barriers and the rise of transnational companies and a free market.

The end of the Cold War brought about a new global order and the emergence of globalisation as the world came closer with the world wide web, lowering of trade barriers and the rise of transnational companies and a free market. However, 2020 has seen the biggest disruption of this order. China under Xi Jinping has exported the Wuhan virus and brought the world to a standstill. The pandemic exposed the shortcomings of the global systems as it forced a hard reset and raised a question: who will lead the post-pandemic world? Not the United States under Donald Trump, it has all but abandoned the global leadership role. America withdrew from multilateral agreements and struggled to handle the pandemic. Joe Biden will have to pick up the pieces, heal a pandemic-crippled America before thinking about global leadership. Beijing would love to play this role. It has the money and the might but China won't lead the world. Its record is too poor and intentions too obvious. So the question remains - what kind of power equations will 2021 see? The post-pandemic world will be a multi-polar world with multiple leaders as opposed to a single big player. The pandemic has exposed a lack of global leadership and India stepped in where it could despite challenges at home, India showed that it is capable of working for the global community. India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi set up a response fund for ASEAN countries. India supplied emergency medicines to the United States and even China. India's Vande Bharat flight evacuated 1.2 lakh foreigners and the world is leaning on India for vaccine manufacturing. India has promised to supply vaccines to some of the low and middle-income countries including neighbours Bangladesh and Nepal. India's Serum Institute has struck a deal with GAVI to supply vaccines to many countries. India already produces 60 per cent of the developing world's vaccines. It is the world's leading vaccine manufacturer. During the pandemic, India not only engaged in health diplomacy but also strengthened its strategic partnerships. While India stood by France in its fight against Islamic radicalism, it also explored new avenues of cooperation with the Gulf. Prime Minister Modi called for the SAARC and G20 meetings as India engaged not only with the QUAD countries but also reached out to its immediate neighbourhood. As the world prepares for a new order, India is ready to claim its place. A continent-sized country, with 1/6th of the world's population and a proven ability to lead the world during a crisis. The task before New Delhi now is to get its economy going, aim for greater global outreach, develop stronger relations with like-minded countries, improve trade and tech ties and get the Dragon off its back. India's strategy for leadership in the post-pandemic world will be to leverage the partnership model.

India eyes bigger role in post-pandemic world

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Zee News Rajasthan

Editor

Rustam

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