Amid reports of US preparing additional sanctions on the <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">Nord Stream 2</a> natural gas pipeline project, Russia said today that it is a sign of "unfair competition".

Russia said it would defend its interests with the gas pipeline linking Russia and Germany has been halted for a year. US President Donald Trump had imposed sanction last year, the new sanctions would reportedly halt ships from getting insurance.

Germany has defended the Baltic Sea pipeline against opposition by EU countries namely from the Baltic states and Poland including Ukraine which are transit route countries for the pipeline.

Almost all of the 1,230-kilometre of Nord Stream 2 has already been built, however, the Trump administration has threatened sanctions against participating companies.

Germany had earlier threatened sanctions on the project during the Navalny poisoning crisis when Russian authorities were refusing to cooperate. "I hope... that the Russians do not force us to change our position on Nord Stream," German foreign minister Maas said.

Amid reports of US preparing additional sanctions on the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline project, Russia said today that it is a sign of "unfair competition".

Amid reports of US preparing additional sanctions on the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline project, Russia said today that it is a sign of "unfair competition". Russia said it would defend its interests with the gas pipeline linking Russia and Germany has been halted for a year. US President Donald Trump had imposed sanction last year, the new sanctions would reportedly halt ships from getting insurance. Germany has defended the Baltic Sea pipeline against opposition by EU countries namely from the Baltic states and Poland including Ukraine which are transit route countries for the pipeline. Almost all of the 1,230-kilometre of Nord Stream 2 has already been built, however, the Trump administration has threatened sanctions against participating companies. Germany had earlier threatened sanctions on the project during the Navalny poisoning crisis when Russian authorities were refusing to cooperate. "I hope... that the Russians do not force us to change our position on Nord Stream," German foreign minister Maas said.

Proposed US sanctions on Nord Stream 2 pipeline is unfair competition: Russia

The first rigorously tested coronavirus vaccine was given a green light for use Wednesday in Britain. Doses of the vaccine, made by the US pharmaceutical giant Pfizer and a small German company, BioNTech, will be injected starting next week, the government said.

In leaping ahead of the United States to allow mass inoculations, Britain added to the pressure on US drug regulators, who were summoned to the White House on Tuesday by President Donald Trump’s chief of staff to explain why they were not ready to do the same.

Why did Britain authorize a vaccine before the US?

The two countries vet vaccines differently. While US regulators pore over raw data from vaccine makers to validate their results, their counterparts in Britain and elsewhere lean more heavily on companies’ own analyses.

The US Food and Drug Administration also consults an outside panel of experts before it decides. In the case of Pfizer’s vaccine, that panel will meet December 10. British regulators seek opinions from a specialist committee, too, but that group has the flexibility to review data and meet as it needs to. In all, the committee met for more than 40 hours about the Pfizer vaccine, its chairman said Wednesday.

Like US regulators, their British counterparts, whose decisions are seen as influential, have been reviewing vaccine data as it arrived. Experts have been testing vaccines for quality, batch by batch, and reading more than 1,000 pages of data. And different teams worked in parallel, rather than waiting for other parts of the review to finish.

“If you’re climbing a mountain, you prepare and prepare,” Dr. June Raine, the chief executive of Britain’s Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, said Wednesday. “We started that in June.”

When early results arrived November 10, she said, “We were at base camp.” And later, she said, “When we got the final analysis, we were ready for that last sprint.”

What about the rest of Europe?

Britain broke from the European Union’s regulatory orbit to approve a vaccine early, owing to emergency powers that the bloc gives countries in the case of a pandemic. Once Britain consummates its split from the European Union on December 31, those powers to approve vaccines on its own will become permanent.

The countries that remain in the European Union are waiting for its regulator, the European Medicines Agency, to authorize a vaccine. Like the FDA, the European regulator has scheduled a meeting during which it will consult outside experts and offer an opinion on the Pfizer vaccine. That will happen December 29.

The agency’s job is complicated by its obligation to solicit the views of all 27 EU countries. That process has been accelerated during the pandemic, but it will still take several days for countries to weigh in after the December 29 meeting, which is likely to delay vaccinations until early January.

When will the first doses arrive in Britain?

Pfizer plans to ship 800,000 doses to Britain in the coming days. Starting Tuesday night, those doses were being prepared for shipping at a factory in Puurs, Belgium, BioNTech said.

The doses will be packaged in boxes of several thousand doses each, with dry ice keeping them at the South Pole-like temperatures they require, before they are put on trucks or planes and taken to Britain. They will arrive in government distribution warehouses by the weekend, Pfizer said Wednesday.

British hospitals have already begun emailing staff members to schedule vaccinations, with a London hospital system indicating that its first doses will be given at 7 am Monday. Britain placed advance orders for 40 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine but most of those are expected to be administered next year. Each patient needs two, a month apart.

Does authorization in Britain affect other countries’ supply of the vaccine?

The British decision will not in itself bring vaccinations closer anywhere else. But Pfizer executives said Wednesday that they had already heard from other countries that, in light of Britain’s go-ahead, were looking to accelerate their own approval processes.

US regulators, despite months of pressure from Trump, have maintained that they will follow their plan and review Pfizer’s vaccine to the FDA’s standards.

The United States has pre-ordered 100 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine. Most of its supply will come from a separate factory in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Still, many questions remain about how vaccine makers like Pfizer will fulfill the orders of wealthier nations that have procured supplies in advance.

Britain’s ruling offered little relief to poorer countries that could not afford to buy supplies in advance and may struggle to pay for both the vaccines and the exceptional demands of distributing them.

Who will be vaccinated first in Britain?

A government advisory body released its list of vaccine priority groups Wednesday. At the top of the list are nursing home residents and workers, followed by people older than 80 and health and social care workers.

In practice, though, government officials have indicated that frontline hospital workers may be quicker to receive vaccines because of the difficulties of storing and moving the Pfizer vaccine to nursing homes and other sites. It has to be stored at around minus 70 degrees Celsius (minus 94 Fahrenheit) until days before injection.

Pfizer has said that the vaccine can survive for five days in a normal refrigerator. But Britain’s National Health Service still has to consider issues like staffing at non-hospital sites and transport difficulties within the country in deciding how to administer the vaccine.

The National Health Service has roughly 150,000 doctors and more than 330,000 nurses and midwives.

The first rigorously tested coronavirus vaccine was given a green light for use Wednesday in Britain. Doses of the vaccine, made by the US pharmaceutical giant Pfizer and a small German company, BioNTech, will be injected starting next week, the government said.

The first rigorously tested coronavirus vaccine was given a green light for use Wednesday in Britain. Doses of the vaccine, made by the US pharmaceutical giant Pfizer and a small German company, BioNTech, will be injected starting next week, the government said. In leaping ahead of the United States to allow mass inoculations, Britain added to the pressure on US drug regulators, who were summoned to the White House on Tuesday by President Donald Trump’s chief of staff to explain why they were not ready to do the same. Why did Britain authorize a vaccine before the US? The two countries vet vaccines differently. While US regulators pore over raw data from vaccine makers to validate their results, their counterparts in Britain and elsewhere lean more heavily on companies’ own analyses. The US Food and Drug Administration also consults an outside panel of experts before it decides. In the case of Pfizer’s vaccine, that panel will meet December 10. British regulators seek opinions from a specialist committee, too, but that group has the flexibility to review data and meet as it needs to. In all, the committee met for more than 40 hours about the Pfizer vaccine, its chairman said Wednesday. Like US regulators, their British counterparts, whose decisions are seen as influential, have been reviewing vaccine data as it arrived. Experts have been testing vaccines for quality, batch by batch, and reading more than 1,000 pages of data. And different teams worked in parallel, rather than waiting for other parts of the review to finish. “If you’re climbing a mountain, you prepare and prepare,” Dr. June Raine, the chief executive of Britain’s Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, said Wednesday. “We started that in June.” When early results arrived November 10, she said, “We were at base camp.” And later, she said, “When we got the final analysis, we were ready for that last sprint.” What about the rest of Europe? Britain broke from the European Union’s regulatory orbit to approve a vaccine early, owing to emergency powers that the bloc gives countries in the case of a pandemic. Once Britain consummates its split from the European Union on December 31, those powers to approve vaccines on its own will become permanent. The countries that remain in the European Union are waiting for its regulator, the European Medicines Agency, to authorize a vaccine. Like the FDA, the European regulator has scheduled a meeting during which it will consult outside experts and offer an opinion on the Pfizer vaccine. That will happen December 29. The agency’s job is complicated by its obligation to solicit the views of all 27 EU countries. That process has been accelerated during the pandemic, but it will still take several days for countries to weigh in after the December 29 meeting, which is likely to delay vaccinations until early January. When will the first doses arrive in Britain? Pfizer plans to ship 800,000 doses to Britain in the coming days. Starting Tuesday night, those doses were being prepared for shipping at a factory in Puurs, Belgium, BioNTech said. The doses will be packaged in boxes of several thousand doses each, with dry ice keeping them at the South Pole-like temperatures they require, before they are put on trucks or planes and taken to Britain. They will arrive in government distribution warehouses by the weekend, Pfizer said Wednesday. British hospitals have already begun emailing staff members to schedule vaccinations, with a London hospital system indicating that its first doses will be given at 7 am Monday. Britain placed advance orders for 40 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine but most of those are expected to be administered next year. Each patient needs two, a month apart. Does authorization in Britain affect other countries’ supply of the vaccine? The British decision will not in itself bring vaccinations closer anywhere else. But Pfizer executives said Wednesday that they had already heard from other countries that, in light of Britain’s go-ahead, were looking to accelerate their own approval processes. US regulators, despite months of pressure from Trump, have maintained that they will follow their plan and review Pfizer’s vaccine to the FDA’s standards. The United States has pre-ordered 100 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine. Most of its supply will come from a separate factory in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Still, many questions remain about how vaccine makers like Pfizer will fulfill the orders of wealthier nations that have procured supplies in advance. Britain’s ruling offered little relief to poorer countries that could not afford to buy supplies in advance and may struggle to pay for both the vaccines and the exceptional demands of distributing them. Who will be vaccinated first in Britain? A government advisory body released its list of vaccine priority groups Wednesday. At the top of the list are nursing home residents and workers, followed by people older than 80 and health and social care workers. In practice, though, government officials have indicated that frontline hospital workers may be quicker to receive vaccines because of the difficulties of storing and moving the Pfizer vaccine to nursing homes and other sites. It has to be stored at around minus 70 degrees Celsius (minus 94 Fahrenheit) until days before injection. Pfizer has said that the vaccine can survive for five days in a normal refrigerator. But Britain’s National Health Service still has to consider issues like staffing at non-hospital sites and transport difficulties within the country in deciding how to administer the vaccine. The National Health Service has roughly 150,000 doctors and more than 330,000 nurses and midwives.

'We were at base camp': Why the UK approved a vaccine first

A series of cyberattacks is underway aimed at the companies and government organizations that will be distributing coronavirus vaccines around the world, IBM’s cybersecurity division has found, though it is unclear whether the goal is to steal the technology for keeping the vaccines refrigerated in transit or to sabotage the movements.

The findings are alarming enough that the Department of Homeland Security plans to issue its own warning on Thursday to Operation Warp Speed, the Trump administration’s effort to develop and distribute coronavirus vaccines, federal officials said.

Both the IBM researchers and the department’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency said the attacks appear intended to steal the network credentials of corporate executives and officials at global organizations involved in the refrigeration process necessary to protect vaccine doses, or what the industry calls the cold chain.

Josh Corman, a coronavirus strategist at the cybersecurity agency, said in a statement that the IBM report was a reminder of the need for “cybersecurity diligence at each step in the vaccine supply chain.” He urged organizations “involved in vaccine storage and transport to harden attack surfaces, particularly in cold storage operation.”

The cyberattackers “were working to get access to how the vaccine is shipped, stored, kept cold and delivered,” said Nick Rossmann, who heads IBM’s global threat intelligence team. “We think whoever is behind this wanted to be able to understand the entire cold chain process.”

Many of the approaches came in the form of “spear phishing” emails that impersonated an executive at a major Chinese company, Haier Biomedical, which is a legitimate participant in the distribution chain. The email says “we want to place an order with your company,” and includes a draft contract containing malware that would give the attackers access to the network.

Researchers for IBM Security X-Force, the company’s cybersecurity arm, said they believed that the attacks were sophisticated enough that they pointed to a government-sponsored initiative, not a rogue criminal operation aimed purely at monetary gain. But they could not identify which country might be behind them.

Outside experts said they doubted it was China, which has been accused of trying to steal vaccine information from universities, hospitals and medical researchers, because it would be unlike Chinese hackers to impersonate executives at a major Chinese firm.

If they are correct, the lead suspects would be hackers in Russia and North Korea, both of which have also been accused by the United States of conducting attacks to steal information about the process of manufacturing and distributing vaccines. Sometimes it is hard to tell the difference between official hacking operations for the Russian or North Korean governments and those run for private gain.

The motive is also unclear. The attackers may simply be looking to steal technology to move large amounts of vaccine across long distances at extraordinarily low temperatures, which would constitute a classic form of intellectual property theft.

But some cybersecurity experts say they suspect something more nefarious: efforts to interfere with the distribution, or ransomware, in which the vaccines would be essentially held hostage by hackers who have gotten into the system that runs the distribution network and locked it up — and who demand a large payment to unlock it.

“There is no intelligence advantage in spying on a refrigerator,” said James Lewis, who runs the cybersecurity programs at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. “My suspicion is that they are setting up for a ransomware play. But we won’t know how these stolen credentials will be used until after the vaccine distribution begins.”

The IBM researchers provided an account of their efforts in an interview before the company posted its findings. They said the attackers sent out various requests for price and product information, some purportedly on behalf of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, a public-private partnership that helps provide vaccines to developing countries.

Many of the targets were in Asia, but some were European, including the European Commission’s Directorate General for Taxation and Customs Union. IBM noted that the organization has “direct ties to multiple national government networks,” showing that the attackers had a sophisticated understanding of how to identify targets that could get them into many nations.

But other organizations were also targeted, from Taiwan and South Korea to Germany and Italy. Some were involved in the solar panel-driven cooling systems for the vaccine.

The attackers’ emails were addressed to companies that provide key components of the cold chain process. Those include ice-lined boxes for vaccines and the solar panels that can power refrigerated vaccine containers — an important feature in poor countries where electricity can be scarce.

The researchers said the effort seemed aimed at stealing credentials that could have ultimately led the attackers to a trove of information, including timetables for vaccine distribution, lists of vaccine recipients and where doses are being shipped.

IBM could not determine whether the attacks were successful, the company said. The researchers said the attackers targeted one Gavi program started in 2015, before the advent of the coronavirus, to upgrade cold chain equipment for vaccines in dozen of nations.

UNICEF, which is planning vaccine delivery for poorer countries, appears to have been another target. Najwa Mekki, a spokeswoman for the organization, said the IBM researchers alerted officials to the threat to the cold chain system, and “we notified our supply networks and alerted relevant teams to the need to increase vigilance.”

There is no indication so far that the attackers were aiming at Pfizer or Moderna, whose vaccines are expected to be the first ones approved for emergency use in the United States. A spokeswoman for Pfizer said Wednesday that the company’s cold storage equipment was designed by security-conscious experts and custom-built to match the specific requirements of Pfizer’s vaccine, which must be stored at extremely cold temperatures.

A series of cyberattacks is underway aimed at the companies and government organizations that will be distributing coronavirus vaccines around the world, IBM’s cybersecurity division has found, though it is unclear whether the goal is to steal the technology for keeping the vaccines refrigerated in transit or to sabotage the movements.

A series of cyberattacks is underway aimed at the companies and government organizations that will be distributing coronavirus vaccines around the world, IBM’s cybersecurity division has found, though it is unclear whether the goal is to steal the technology for keeping the vaccines refrigerated in transit or to sabotage the movements. The findings are alarming enough that the Department of Homeland Security plans to issue its own warning on Thursday to Operation Warp Speed, the Trump administration’s effort to develop and distribute coronavirus vaccines, federal officials said. Both the IBM researchers and the department’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency said the attacks appear intended to steal the network credentials of corporate executives and officials at global organizations involved in the refrigeration process necessary to protect vaccine doses, or what the industry calls the cold chain. Josh Corman, a coronavirus strategist at the cybersecurity agency, said in a statement that the IBM report was a reminder of the need for “cybersecurity diligence at each step in the vaccine supply chain.” He urged organizations “involved in vaccine storage and transport to harden attack surfaces, particularly in cold storage operation.” The cyberattackers “were working to get access to how the vaccine is shipped, stored, kept cold and delivered,” said Nick Rossmann, who heads IBM’s global threat intelligence team. “We think whoever is behind this wanted to be able to understand the entire cold chain process.” Many of the approaches came in the form of “spear phishing” emails that impersonated an executive at a major Chinese company, Haier Biomedical, which is a legitimate participant in the distribution chain. The email says “we want to place an order with your company,” and includes a draft contract containing malware that would give the attackers access to the network. Researchers for IBM Security X-Force, the company’s cybersecurity arm, said they believed that the attacks were sophisticated enough that they pointed to a government-sponsored initiative, not a rogue criminal operation aimed purely at monetary gain. But they could not identify which country might be behind them. Outside experts said they doubted it was China, which has been accused of trying to steal vaccine information from universities, hospitals and medical researchers, because it would be unlike Chinese hackers to impersonate executives at a major Chinese firm. If they are correct, the lead suspects would be hackers in Russia and North Korea, both of which have also been accused by the United States of conducting attacks to steal information about the process of manufacturing and distributing vaccines. Sometimes it is hard to tell the difference between official hacking operations for the Russian or North Korean governments and those run for private gain. The motive is also unclear. The attackers may simply be looking to steal technology to move large amounts of vaccine across long distances at extraordinarily low temperatures, which would constitute a classic form of intellectual property theft. But some cybersecurity experts say they suspect something more nefarious: efforts to interfere with the distribution, or ransomware, in which the vaccines would be essentially held hostage by hackers who have gotten into the system that runs the distribution network and locked it up — and who demand a large payment to unlock it. “There is no intelligence advantage in spying on a refrigerator,” said James Lewis, who runs the cybersecurity programs at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. “My suspicion is that they are setting up for a ransomware play. But we won’t know how these stolen credentials will be used until after the vaccine distribution begins.” The IBM researchers provided an account of their efforts in an interview before the company posted its findings. They said the attackers sent out various requests for price and product information, some purportedly on behalf of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, a public-private partnership that helps provide vaccines to developing countries. Many of the targets were in Asia, but some were European, including the European Commission’s Directorate General for Taxation and Customs Union. IBM noted that the organization has “direct ties to multiple national government networks,” showing that the attackers had a sophisticated understanding of how to identify targets that could get them into many nations. But other organizations were also targeted, from Taiwan and South Korea to Germany and Italy. Some were involved in the solar panel-driven cooling systems for the vaccine. The attackers’ emails were addressed to companies that provide key components of the cold chain process. Those include ice-lined boxes for vaccines and the solar panels that can power refrigerated vaccine containers — an important feature in poor countries where electricity can be scarce. The researchers said the effort seemed aimed at stealing credentials that could have ultimately led the attackers to a trove of information, including timetables for vaccine distribution, lists of vaccine recipients and where doses are being shipped. IBM could not determine whether the attacks were successful, the company said. The researchers said the attackers targeted one Gavi program started in 2015, before the advent of the coronavirus, to upgrade cold chain equipment for vaccines in dozen of nations. UNICEF, which is planning vaccine delivery for poorer countries, appears to have been another target. Najwa Mekki, a spokeswoman for the organization, said the IBM researchers alerted officials to the threat to the cold chain system, and “we notified our supply networks and alerted relevant teams to the need to increase vigilance.” There is no indication so far that the attackers were aiming at Pfizer or Moderna, whose vaccines are expected to be the first ones approved for emergency use in the United States. A spokeswoman for Pfizer said Wednesday that the company’s cold storage equipment was designed by security-conscious experts and custom-built to match the specific requirements of Pfizer’s vaccine, which must be stored at extremely cold temperatures.

Cyberattacks discovered on vaccine distribution operations

China's state media said today that China's lunar probe Chang'e-5 is on its way back to Earth after completing Moon sampling. Watch: Chang'e-5 was due to collect two kilograms of material from an area known in the Moon known as "Ocean of Storms".

China's state media said today that China's lunar probe Chang'e-5 is on its way back to Earth after completing Moon sampling. Watch: Chang'e-5 was due to collect two kilograms of material from an area known in the Moon known as "Ocean of Storms". It is China's first attempt to collect Moon sampling and the first since the former Soviet Union's Luna 24 mission in 1976. The Moon samples were collected by a robotic vehicle with the sample collection taking upto 19 hours, China's space agency informed. Chinese space scientists have put the return capsule onboard the orbiting module for delivery back to Earth. It is China's first lunar landing since 2013. In January 2019, the Chang'e-4 probe had landed on the far side of the Moon. Chang'e-5 probe had landed on the Moon last Tuesday and had begun drilling on the surface of the Moon hours after landing. The mission is meant to help scientists learn more about the Moon's origins. Chinese foreign ministry said the mission was "revolutionary in increasing human understanding of the history of the Moon." The spacecraft is set to land in northern China's Inner Mongolia region.

China's Chang'e-5 spacecraft returning to Earth with Moon samples: Report

Chinese President Xi Jinping had made an appeal earlier this year for citizens to clean their plates.

The statement kicked off a campaign to conserve food leading many to believe that China is witnessing a shortage. Months after Xi Jinping's appeal, China has launched a global hunt for grains.

Watch |&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-amid-fears-of-food-shortage-chinese-kick-off-global-hunt-for-grains-347028/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Xi Jinping's list of problems keeps growing. It began with the Wuhan virus that led to record unemployment, poverty, economic slowdown and a global backlash. Now, China could be struggling to ensure it has enough food for every citizen.

Earlier this year, Xi Jinping appealed to all Chinese citizens to clean their plates and as if on cue, the Chinese state media began a campaign. Citizens were encouraged to order less while restaurants rewarded those who wiped their plates clean.

In August, restaurants in Chinese cities were rewarding customers to clean their plates with coupons and cash rebates. upmarket hotels like the Marriot trimmed their buffets by taking off dishes from the menus. The price of a buffet at the Sheraton in Ningbo -went down to $22 per person because of the reduced food options.

China undertook the campaign amid fears that it may not have enough fresh food to go around with several food items reportedly in short supply.&nbsp;

There is a shortage of pork after an outbreak of African swine fever. Reports say pork prices in China soared 135 per cent in February this year. Corn could be in short supply too. Reports say this year's corn crop has been ruined by floods with supplies of eggs, seafood and green vegetables affected.

The Chinese state media denies all claims of a food crisis but, Beijing is reaching out to suppliers. It is on a global hunt for supplies. China's imports of barley, corn, sorghum and wheat have jumped by more than 83 per cent. There could reportedly be a shortfall of 20 to 30 million tonnes of grain this season. Beijing could be trying to fill the gap with imports. Buyers have already locked in 17 million tonnes of corn for 2020-21.

China does waste an awful amount of food back in 2015 the Chinese academy of sciences estimated that 17 to 18 million tonnes of food was wasted in China that should be enough to feed a country about the size of South Korea.

China is now the world's largest agricultural importer. It is now banking on the same imports to tackle a looming food crisis.

The United Nations predicts the world is facing a food crisis that hasn't been seen in at least 50 years. China seems to be in the middle of such a crisis and it now could be buying up every grain that is available in the global market.

Chinese President Xi Jinping had made an appeal earlier this year for citizens to clean their plates. The statement kicked off a campaign to conserve food leading many to believe that China is witnessing a shortage.

Chinese President Xi Jinping had made an appeal earlier this year for citizens to clean their plates. The statement kicked off a campaign to conserve food leading many to believe that China is witnessing a shortage. Months after Xi Jinping's appeal, China has launched a global hunt for grains. Watch | Xi Jinping's list of problems keeps growing. It began with the Wuhan virus that led to record unemployment, poverty, economic slowdown and a global backlash. Now, China could be struggling to ensure it has enough food for every citizen. Earlier this year, Xi Jinping appealed to all Chinese citizens to clean their plates and as if on cue, the Chinese state media began a campaign. Citizens were encouraged to order less while restaurants rewarded those who wiped their plates clean. In August, restaurants in Chinese cities were rewarding customers to clean their plates with coupons and cash rebates. upmarket hotels like the Marriot trimmed their buffets by taking off dishes from the menus. The price of a buffet at the Sheraton in Ningbo -went down to $22 per person because of the reduced food options. China undertook the campaign amid fears that it may not have enough fresh food to go around with several food items reportedly in short supply. There is a shortage of pork after an outbreak of African swine fever. Reports say pork prices in China soared 135 per cent in February this year. Corn could be in short supply too. Reports say this year's corn crop has been ruined by floods with supplies of eggs, seafood and green vegetables affected. The Chinese state media denies all claims of a food crisis but, Beijing is reaching out to suppliers. It is on a global hunt for supplies. China's imports of barley, corn, sorghum and wheat have jumped by more than 83 per cent. There could reportedly be a shortfall of 20 to 30 million tonnes of grain this season. Beijing could be trying to fill the gap with imports. Buyers have already locked in 17 million tonnes of corn for 2020-21. China does waste an awful amount of food back in 2015 the Chinese academy of sciences estimated that 17 to 18 million tonnes of food was wasted in China that should be enough to feed a country about the size of South Korea. China is now the world's largest agricultural importer. It is now banking on the same imports to tackle a looming food crisis. The United Nations predicts the world is facing a food crisis that hasn't been seen in at least 50 years. China seems to be in the middle of such a crisis and it now could be buying up every grain that is available in the global market.

China food crisis: Pork, corn in short supply as restaurants trim buffets

For the first time in 30 years, China has been forced to buy rice from India because rice is a staple food item for two-thirds of Chinese and China may not have enough of it.

A few months ago, it was reported that China could be staring at a food crisis. The Wuhan virus, floods, epidemics, locusts and the trade wars triggered a food shortage in China as President Xi Jinping launched a public campaign to control wastage.

Watch |&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-why-china-is-buying-rice-from-india-347030/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Several Chinese experts say China could be in the middle of a food crisis. Beijing has deployed its entire media machinery to fight this charge. The state mouthpieces have countered claims of food crisis with editorials, opinions and videos but they haven't been able to kill the story and now China is buying rice from India.

While the border standoff still continues, it couldn't be more clear that China is short on food supplies. With rice supplies from Thailand, Myanmar and Vietnam having reduced, China needs more rice, so it began importing from India reportedly at discounted prices.

Indian traders have been contracted to export 100,000 tonnes of broken rice for $300 dollars per tonne. Broken rice are fragments of rice grains which are broken in the field during drying or transport or by milling.

Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar and Pakistan have been China's traditional suppliers but this time they haven't been able to supply what China needs, also they were quoting rates which was at least $30 more for a tonne of rice.

India is the world's biggest rice exporter and China is the biggest importer. China needs more rice. In fact, the Dragon needs a lot more than rice with many crises this year having shaken the food supply chains in China, it has forced the Chinese to buy several goods from overseas.

It comes after China's President Xi Jinping called the food wastage in China "shocking" and "distressing". It led to a public campaign in China with restaurants taking special measures to stop wastage.

In Wuhan, the original epicentre of the pandemic, the catering association started limiting the number of portions that one can order in restaurants. They wrote an open letter asking restaurants to be more "mindful" of the amount of food they are served.

A new rule for ordering was created called the "n-1 model" which means a group dining at a restaurant will be served one dish less. So, if there are 10 people, they will be able to order just nine portions of food.

There was a clampdown on any sight of extravagance. The Chinese government started taking down muckbang videos where people eat vast amounts of food quickly. China felt these videos encourage wastage, so they were censored from social media

Some others went a step ahead, a restaurant in central China asked customers to weigh themselves before they order their meals but apologised after facing a backlash. Chinese state media has played a vital role in the campaign.

When the international media raised doubts over the shortage, the Chinese state mouthpieces hit back saying "thriftiness" or the quality of being careful with money or resources especially avoiding waste is a part of Chinese culture - a practice that dates back thousands of years.

At the same time, reports of a bumper harvest kept pouring in. Since September, Xinhua has been reporting that China had bumper harvests of both summer grain and early rice in 2020.

For the first time in 30 years, China has been forced to buy rice from India because rice is a staple food item for two-thirds of Chinese and China may not have enough of it.

For the first time in 30 years, China has been forced to buy rice from India because rice is a staple food item for two-thirds of Chinese and China may not have enough of it. A few months ago, it was reported that China could be staring at a food crisis. The Wuhan virus, floods, epidemics, locusts and the trade wars triggered a food shortage in China as President Xi Jinping launched a public campaign to control wastage. Watch | Several Chinese experts say China could be in the middle of a food crisis. Beijing has deployed its entire media machinery to fight this charge. The state mouthpieces have countered claims of food crisis with editorials, opinions and videos but they haven't been able to kill the story and now China is buying rice from India. While the border standoff still continues, it couldn't be more clear that China is short on food supplies. With rice supplies from Thailand, Myanmar and Vietnam having reduced, China needs more rice, so it began importing from India reportedly at discounted prices. Indian traders have been contracted to export 100,000 tonnes of broken rice for $300 dollars per tonne. Broken rice are fragments of rice grains which are broken in the field during drying or transport or by milling. Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar and Pakistan have been China's traditional suppliers but this time they haven't been able to supply what China needs, also they were quoting rates which was at least $30 more for a tonne of rice. India is the world's biggest rice exporter and China is the biggest importer. China needs more rice. In fact, the Dragon needs a lot more than rice with many crises this year having shaken the food supply chains in China, it has forced the Chinese to buy several goods from overseas. It comes after China's President Xi Jinping called the food wastage in China "shocking" and "distressing". It led to a public campaign in China with restaurants taking special measures to stop wastage. In Wuhan, the original epicentre of the pandemic, the catering association started limiting the number of portions that one can order in restaurants. They wrote an open letter asking restaurants to be more "mindful" of the amount of food they are served. A new rule for ordering was created called the "n-1 model" which means a group dining at a restaurant will be served one dish less. So, if there are 10 people, they will be able to order just nine portions of food. There was a clampdown on any sight of extravagance. The Chinese government started taking down muckbang videos where people eat vast amounts of food quickly. China felt these videos encourage wastage, so they were censored from social media Some others went a step ahead, a restaurant in central China asked customers to weigh themselves before they order their meals but apologised after facing a backlash. Chinese state media has played a vital role in the campaign. When the international media raised doubts over the shortage, the Chinese state mouthpieces hit back saying "thriftiness" or the quality of being careful with money or resources especially avoiding waste is a part of Chinese culture - a practice that dates back thousands of years. At the same time, reports of a bumper harvest kept pouring in. Since September, Xinhua has been reporting that China had bumper harvests of both summer grain and early rice in 2020.

Amid virus & trade wars, China forced to buy rice from India

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As the UK and Russia announced mass <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/how-the-world-has-sped-up-vaccine-approvals-347195">vaccination</a>, the United States recorded 2,700 deaths in 24 hours which is the highest since April, according to Johns Hopkins COVID-19 live tracker.

Watch:

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/uk-pm-would-be-months-before-vulnerable-groups-get-covid-19-vaccine-347249/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The number of infection cases rose 195,121 as the United States continues to grapple the virus. The US is the worst-hit country with the virus with the number of virus cases rising to over 13.9 million along with over 273,848 fatalities.

Amid the rising number of cases, the US &nbsp;Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warned Americans to stay at home and not travel during Christmas in order to combat the infection.&nbsp;

The agency had sent a similar warning during Thanksgiving last month, however, millions travelled leading to a super surge even as the US registers over 150,000 new cases a day.

The CDC said citizens who haven't got themselves tested should avoid "nonessential activities" for ten days after travel. "Testing does not eliminate all risks, but when it's combined with reducing non-essential activities, symptom screening, other precautions such as wearing masks and social distancing, it can make travel safer," CDC epidemiologist Cindy Friedman said.

The rising death toll and infections come even as the US Food and Drug Administration announced it would look into Pfizer's coronavirus <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-to-begin-vaccination-drive-against-covid-19-from-december-5-347225">vaccine</a> application on December 10. CDC has said that health care workers and nursing home residents should be the first to get the COVID-19 vaccine.

Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna had declared that their vaccines were safe and were around 95 per cent effective against coronavirus.

As the UK and Russia announced mass vaccination, the United States recorded 2,700 deaths in 24 hours which is the highest since April, according to Johns Hopkins COVID-19 live tracker.

As the UK and Russia announced mass vaccination, the United States recorded 2,700 deaths in 24 hours which is the highest since April, according to Johns Hopkins COVID-19 live tracker. Watch: The number of infection cases rose 195,121 as the United States continues to grapple the virus. The US is the worst-hit country with the virus with the number of virus cases rising to over 13.9 million along with over 273,848 fatalities. Amid the rising number of cases, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warned Americans to stay at home and not travel during Christmas in order to combat the infection. The agency had sent a similar warning during Thanksgiving last month, however, millions travelled leading to a super surge even as the US registers over 150,000 new cases a day. The CDC said citizens who haven't got themselves tested should avoid "nonessential activities" for ten days after travel. "Testing does not eliminate all risks, but when it's combined with reducing non-essential activities, symptom screening, other precautions such as wearing masks and social distancing, it can make travel safer," CDC epidemiologist Cindy Friedman said. The rising death toll and infections come even as the US Food and Drug Administration announced it would look into Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine application on December 10. CDC has said that health care workers and nursing home residents should be the first to get the COVID-19 vaccine. Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna had declared that their vaccines were safe and were around 95 per cent effective against coronavirus.

US coronavirus daily death toll highest since April; CDC urges citizens not to travel during Christmas

China said today that reports of United States blocking imports of cotton it says are harvested with "slave labour" in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nike-and-coca-cola-lobby-against-xinjiang-forced-labor-bill-346470">Xinjiang</a> region is "fake news of so-called forced labour".

Watch:

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="http://13.235.153.162/videos/us-imposes-new-restrictions-on-products-from-chinas-xinjiang-province-347226/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The New York Times had reported that the US government will issue new entry rules for Chinese Communist Party members travelling to the United States.

The Chinese foreign ministry slammed the move asserting that it shows "hatred and abnormal mindset towards the Communist Party."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-bans-cotton-imports-from-chinese-producer-citing-xinjiang-slave-labour-347087">Also Read:&nbsp;US bans cotton imports from Chinese producer, citing Xinjiang slave labour</a>

Reports said&nbsp;that the Trump administration had issued new rules to curtail travel to the United States by members of the Chinese Communist Party by limiting the maximum validity of travel visas for party members and their families to one month and a single entry.

Earlier, CCP members could obtain visitor visas to the United States for up to 10 years. The move is likely to hit top Chinese officials and business leaders, the report said.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-tightens-visa-rules-for-chinese-communist-party-members-347141">Also Read:&nbsp;US tightens visa rules for Chinese Communist Party members</a>

The Trump administration in its last few weeks has decided to put a stranglehold on China with reports indicating that US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency will "Withhold Release Order" ban on cotton and cotton products from the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/covid-19-outbreak-in-china-shows-ties-with-forced-labour-in-xinjiang-338937">Xinjiang</a> Production and Construction Corps (XPCC).

The new order allows US Customs and Border Protection officials to detain ships containing cotton originating from Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps.

The United States government has alleged that China has held at least 1 million Uighur Muslims in Xinjiang camps and forced them to work even as China says it is a vocational training centre.

China's foreign ministry said, "Their aim is to constrain and oppress relevant parties and enterprises in China and curb China's development." Chinese foreign ministry official said workers in Xinjiang "choose occupations based on their own wishes."

Xinjiang is a major cotton hub of China. The US House of Representatives had earlier in September unanimously voted to ban all imports from Xinjiang but the bill has yet to pass the Senate.

China said today that reports of United States blocking imports of cotton it says are harvested with "slave labour" in Xinjiang region is "fake news of so-called forced labour".

China said today that reports of United States blocking imports of cotton it says are harvested with "slave labour" in Xinjiang region is "fake news of so-called forced labour". Watch: The New York Times had reported that the US government will issue new entry rules for Chinese Communist Party members travelling to the United States. The Chinese foreign ministry slammed the move asserting that it shows "hatred and abnormal mindset towards the Communist Party." Also Read: US bans cotton imports from Chinese producer, citing Xinjiang slave labour Reports said that the Trump administration had issued new rules to curtail travel to the United States by members of the Chinese Communist Party by limiting the maximum validity of travel visas for party members and their families to one month and a single entry. Earlier, CCP members could obtain visitor visas to the United States for up to 10 years. The move is likely to hit top Chinese officials and business leaders, the report said. Also Read: US tightens visa rules for Chinese Communist Party members The Trump administration in its last few weeks has decided to put a stranglehold on China with reports indicating that US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency will "Withhold Release Order" ban on cotton and cotton products from the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps (XPCC). The new order allows US Customs and Border Protection officials to detain ships containing cotton originating from Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps. The United States government has alleged that China has held at least 1 million Uighur Muslims in Xinjiang camps and forced them to work even as China says it is a vocational training centre. China's foreign ministry said, "Their aim is to constrain and oppress relevant parties and enterprises in China and curb China's development." Chinese foreign ministry official said workers in Xinjiang "choose occupations based on their own wishes." Xinjiang is a major cotton hub of China. The US House of Representatives had earlier in September unanimously voted to ban all imports from Xinjiang but the bill has yet to pass the Senate.

US ban of CCP members: Abnormal mindset towards Communist Party, says China

A day after Russian President Putin called for "mass vaccination" against <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/coronavirus-could-have-broken-out-in-us-before-being-officially-confirmed-in-china-347127">coronavirus</a>, Moscow's mayor said the vaccination drive will begin from December 5.

Watch:

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/today-tonight-putin-says-russia-to-produce-2-mn-vaccine-in-next-few-days-347041/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Russian mayor Sergei Sobyanin asserted that teachers, doctors and social workers will be the first to be administered the Sputnik V vaccine.

Russia was the first country to register the coronavirus <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/how-the-world-has-sped-up-vaccine-approvals-347195">vaccine</a> named after the Soviet-era satellite. It is given in two doses with a 21-day gap.

Russian authorities had earlier said they would start mass vaccination from January 2021 as manufacturers said they can produce more than two million doses of the vaccine by end of this year.

Putin's announcement had come just hours after the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-approves-pfizer-biontech-covid-19-vaccine-who-gets-it-first-346957">UK</a> approved the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine rollout from next week.&nbsp;

Russia had earlier reported that the Sputnik V was 95 per cent effective. However, the vaccine is undergoing the third and final stage of clinical trials involving some 40,000 volunteers.&nbsp;

"I would ask you to organise the work so that by the end of next week we will have started this large-scale vaccination," Putin told health officials on Wednesday.&nbsp;

"More than two million doses have been produced or will be produced in the next few days," Putin added. The vaccine will be given free to Russian citizens.

Russia's health minister Mikhail Murashko had said that over 100,000 citizens have so far been<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/vaccines-insufficient-to-prevent-surge-in-coronavirus-for-next-six-months-who-347022"> vaccinated</a> with Sputnik V.

The vaccination drive comes as Russia has recorded over 2,347,401 COVID-19 cases and 41,053 fatalities.

A day after Russian President Putin called for "mass vaccination" against coronavirus, Moscow's mayor said the vaccination drive will begin from December 5. Watch: Russian mayor Sergei Sobyanin asserted that teachers, doctors and social workers will be the first to be administered the Sputnik V vaccine.

A day after Russian President Putin called for "mass vaccination" against coronavirus, Moscow's mayor said the vaccination drive will begin from December 5. Watch: Russian mayor Sergei Sobyanin asserted that teachers, doctors and social workers will be the first to be administered the Sputnik V vaccine. Russia was the first country to register the coronavirus vaccine named after the Soviet-era satellite. It is given in two doses with a 21-day gap. Russian authorities had earlier said they would start mass vaccination from January 2021 as manufacturers said they can produce more than two million doses of the vaccine by end of this year. Putin's announcement had come just hours after the UK approved the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine rollout from next week. Russia had earlier reported that the Sputnik V was 95 per cent effective. However, the vaccine is undergoing the third and final stage of clinical trials involving some 40,000 volunteers. "I would ask you to organise the work so that by the end of next week we will have started this large-scale vaccination," Putin told health officials on Wednesday. "More than two million doses have been produced or will be produced in the next few days," Putin added. The vaccine will be given free to Russian citizens. Russia's health minister Mikhail Murashko had said that over 100,000 citizens have so far been vaccinated with Sputnik V. The vaccination drive comes as Russia has recorded over 2,347,401 COVID-19 cases and 41,053 fatalities.

Russia to begin vaccination drive against COVID-19 from December 5

Kabul’s iconic chicken street was once meant for foreign visitor, today, however, it is struggling to stay afloat amid the decades-long war.

The chicken street was once a thriving market - a narrow thoroughfare where traders hawked Afghan coats, silver ankle bracelets and pots. Despite 30 years of invasions, civil war, Mujahidin rockets and the Taliban’s reign of terror it still exists, and still sells Afghan coats, onyx chess boards, brass dishes and faux-antique.

Though it’s called chicken street but there are no chickens available but one thing this street never lacked was visitors. Foreign tourists used to throng chicken street hoping to buy Afghan antiques but not anymore.

Tourists are now a rarity in chicken street with unsold antiques piling up. Now, embassies and aid groups discourage their workers from shopping at the venue. The security situation around the market has been precarious keeping foreign tourists away.

Lapis lazuli is the big seller here - it’s a blue gemstone found in Afghanistan. Tables, crockery, beads, they make it here with Lapis Lazuli. Items are sold by their weight in pound but there is an acute problem that vendors face.

Outside&nbsp;the mouthwatering smell of kebabs grilling over charcoal in long metal trays on the sidewalks wafts along the street, the chicken street is a mere shadow of its former self. The hope is that once peace returns, tourists will once again throng these narrow streets.

(With Anas Mallick in Kabul)

 
&nbsp;

Kabul’s iconic chicken street was once meant for foreign visitor, today, however, it is struggling to stay afloat amid the decades-long war. The chicken street was once a thriving market - a narrow thoroughfare where traders hawked Afghan coats, silver ankle bracelets and pots.

Kabul’s iconic chicken street was once meant for foreign visitor, today, however, it is struggling to stay afloat amid the decades-long war. The chicken street was once a thriving market - a narrow thoroughfare where traders hawked Afghan coats, silver ankle bracelets and pots. Despite 30 years of invasions, civil war, Mujahidin rockets and the Taliban’s reign of terror it still exists, and still sells Afghan coats, onyx chess boards, brass dishes and faux-antique. Though it’s called chicken street but there are no chickens available but one thing this street never lacked was visitors. Foreign tourists used to throng chicken street hoping to buy Afghan antiques but not anymore. Tourists are now a rarity in chicken street with unsold antiques piling up. Now, embassies and aid groups discourage their workers from shopping at the venue. The security situation around the market has been precarious keeping foreign tourists away. Lapis lazuli is the big seller here - it’s a blue gemstone found in Afghanistan. Tables, crockery, beads, they make it here with Lapis Lazuli. Items are sold by their weight in pound but there is an acute problem that vendors face. Outside the mouthwatering smell of kebabs grilling over charcoal in long metal trays on the sidewalks wafts along the street, the chicken street is a mere shadow of its former self. The hope is that once peace returns, tourists will once again throng these narrow streets. (With Anas Mallick in Kabul)

As Afghanistan's iconic chicken street fades, peace brings new hope

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Zee News Rajasthan

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