Johnson&nbsp;&amp;&nbsp;Johnson&nbsp;will supply up to 220 million doses of its single-shot COVID-19 vaccine to the African Union's 55 member states from the third quarter of 2021, the drugmaker said on Monday.

J&amp;J, through its unit Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, entered into a deal with the African Vaccine Acquisition Trust (AVAT), which could order an additional 180 million doses, for a combined total of up to 400 million doses through 2022.&nbsp;

"We need to immunize at least 60% of our population in order to get rid of the virus from our continent. The J&amp;J agreement enables us to move towards achieving this target," said John Nkengasong, director of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

Earlier this month, Europe approved J&amp;J single dose COVID-19 vaccine. The United States, Canada and Bahrain have also approved the shot.

Late last year, J&amp;J said it and the GAVI vaccine alliance expected to enter into a deal that would provide up to 500 million doses of the company's vaccine to COVAX, the programme backed by the World Health Organization, through 2022.

Johnson&nbsp;&amp;&nbsp;Johnson&nbsp;has established a global manufacturing and supply network for its COVID-19 vaccine, collaborating with nine partners across four continents, including Aspen Pharmacare in South Africa.

Johnson & Johnson will supply up to 220 million doses of its single-shot COVID-19 vaccine to the African Union's 55 member states from the third quarter of 2021, the drugmaker said on Monday.

Johnson & Johnson will supply up to 220 million doses of its single-shot COVID-19 vaccine to the African Union's 55 member states from the third quarter of 2021, the drugmaker said on Monday. J&J, through its unit Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, entered into a deal with the African Vaccine Acquisition Trust (AVAT), which could order an additional 180 million doses, for a combined total of up to 400 million doses through 2022. "We need to immunize at least 60% of our population in order to get rid of the virus from our continent. The J&J agreement enables us to move towards achieving this target," said John Nkengasong, director of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. Earlier this month, Europe approved J&J single dose COVID-19 vaccine. The United States, Canada and Bahrain have also approved the shot. Late last year, J&J said it and the GAVI vaccine alliance expected to enter into a deal that would provide up to 500 million doses of the company's vaccine to COVAX, the programme backed by the World Health Organization, through 2022. Johnson & Johnson has established a global manufacturing and supply network for its COVID-19 vaccine, collaborating with nine partners across four continents, including Aspen Pharmacare in South Africa.

Johnson & Johnson in deal to supply COVID-19 vaccine to African Union member states

Ten Chinese military aircraft including fighter jets entered the southwestern corner of&nbsp;Taiwan's air defence identification zone on Monday, the island's defence ministry said, in a further escalation of tension across the sensitive&nbsp;Taiwan&nbsp;Strait.

The island's defence ministry said the air force deployed missiles to "monitor" the incursion into the southwestern part of its air defence identification zone. It also said its planes warned the Chinese aircraft, including by radio.

It marked the largest incursion to date by the Chinese air force since&nbsp;Taiwan's defence ministry began disclosing almost daily Chinese military flights over the waters between the southern part of&nbsp;Taiwan&nbsp;and the&nbsp;Taiwan-controlled Pratas Islands in the South China Sea last year.

Some of the Chinese aircraft flew in the airspace to the south of&nbsp;Taiwan&nbsp;and passed through the Bashi Channel which separates the island from the Philippines,&nbsp;Taiwan's defence ministry said in a statement.

China, which claims&nbsp;Taiwan&nbsp;as its own territory, has stepped up military activities near the democratic island in recent months, a move&nbsp;Taiwan&nbsp;says jeopardizes regional stability.

The presence of so many Chinese combat aircraft on Friday's mission -&nbsp;Taiwan&nbsp;said it was made up of four nuclear-capable H-6K bombers and 10 J-16 fighter jets, among others - was unusual and came as the island's air force suspended all training missions after two fighter jet crashes this week.

Earlier on Friday,&nbsp;Taiwan&nbsp;and the United States signed their first agreement under the administration of new president Joe Biden, establishing a Coast Guard Working Group to coordinate policy, after China's passing of a law that allows its coast guard to fire on foreign vessels.

While the United States, like most countries, has no formal diplomatic ties with&nbsp;Taiwan, it is bound by law to help&nbsp;Taiwan&nbsp;defend itself and is the island's main arms supplier.

Ten Chinese military aircraft including fighter jets entered the southwestern corner of Taiwan's air defence identification zone on Monday, the island's defence ministry said, in a further escalation of tension across the sensitive Taiwan Strait.

Ten Chinese military aircraft including fighter jets entered the southwestern corner of Taiwan's air defence identification zone on Monday, the island's defence ministry said, in a further escalation of tension across the sensitive Taiwan Strait. The island's defence ministry said the air force deployed missiles to "monitor" the incursion into the southwestern part of its air defence identification zone. It also said its planes warned the Chinese aircraft, including by radio. It marked the largest incursion to date by the Chinese air force since Taiwan's defence ministry began disclosing almost daily Chinese military flights over the waters between the southern part of Taiwan and the Taiwan-controlled Pratas Islands in the South China Sea last year. Some of the Chinese aircraft flew in the airspace to the south of Taiwan and passed through the Bashi Channel which separates the island from the Philippines, Taiwan's defence ministry said in a statement. China, which claims Taiwan as its own territory, has stepped up military activities near the democratic island in recent months, a move Taiwan says jeopardizes regional stability. The presence of so many Chinese combat aircraft on Friday's mission - Taiwan said it was made up of four nuclear-capable H-6K bombers and 10 J-16 fighter jets, among others - was unusual and came as the island's air force suspended all training missions after two fighter jet crashes this week. Earlier on Friday, Taiwan and the United States signed their first agreement under the administration of new president Joe Biden, establishing a Coast Guard Working Group to coordinate policy, after China's passing of a law that allows its coast guard to fire on foreign vessels. While the United States, like most countries, has no formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan, it is bound by law to help Taiwan defend itself and is the island's main arms supplier.

Taiwan reports large incursion by Chinese air force

The mysterious glow in the centre of the Milky Way galaxy&nbsp;could be due to dark matter, as per a recent study.

Astronomers have been perplexed by the&nbsp;Galactic Center GeV Excess (GCE) ever since it was discovered in 2009.

Due to the very high densities of dark matter predicted to be present in the central region of our galaxy, the inner Milky Way is expected to be the single brightest source of dark matter annihilation radiation in the sky.

This region is astrophysically rich and complex, however, making the task of separating dark matter annihilation products from backgrounds potentially challenging.

NASA's Fermi Gamma-Ray Space Telescope observes&nbsp;and identifies gamma rays from dark matter annihilations occurring cosmologically, as well as within the Galactic Halo, dwarf galaxies, microhalos, and the inner region of the Milky Way.

With Fermi, astronomers at long last have a superior tool to study how black holes, notorious for pulling matter in, can accelerate jets of gas outward at fantastic speeds.

Physicists are able to study subatomic particles at energies far greater than those seen in ground-based particle accelerators. And cosmologists are gaining valuable information about the birth and early evolution of the Universe.

In this study, the&nbsp;region surrounding the Galactic Center, a dark&nbsp;matter particle&nbsp;is annihilating with a cross-section within a factor of a few of the value predicted for a thermal relic.

However, researchers&nbsp;exclude the possibility that these photons originate from an astrophysical source or sources with similar morphology and spectral shape to those predicted in an annihilating dark matter scenario.

The mysterious glow in the centre of the Milky Way galaxy could be due to dark matter, as per a recent study. Astronomers have been perplexed by the Galactic Center GeV Excess (GCE) ever since it was discovered in 2009.

The mysterious glow in the centre of the Milky Way galaxy could be due to dark matter, as per a recent study. Astronomers have been perplexed by the Galactic Center GeV Excess (GCE) ever since it was discovered in 2009. Due to the very high densities of dark matter predicted to be present in the central region of our galaxy, the inner Milky Way is expected to be the single brightest source of dark matter annihilation radiation in the sky. This region is astrophysically rich and complex, however, making the task of separating dark matter annihilation products from backgrounds potentially challenging. NASA's Fermi Gamma-Ray Space Telescope observes and identifies gamma rays from dark matter annihilations occurring cosmologically, as well as within the Galactic Halo, dwarf galaxies, microhalos, and the inner region of the Milky Way. With Fermi, astronomers at long last have a superior tool to study how black holes, notorious for pulling matter in, can accelerate jets of gas outward at fantastic speeds. Physicists are able to study subatomic particles at energies far greater than those seen in ground-based particle accelerators. And cosmologists are gaining valuable information about the birth and early evolution of the Universe. In this study, the region surrounding the Galactic Center, a dark matter particle is annihilating with a cross-section within a factor of a few of the value predicted for a thermal relic. However, researchers exclude the possibility that these photons originate from an astrophysical source or sources with similar morphology and spectral shape to those predicted in an annihilating dark matter scenario.

Mysterious glow in Milky Way's centre could be due to dark matter

Russia has agreed a deal for more than 60 million doses of its Sputnik V vaccine to be produced in China from May, the jab's developer said on Monday.

The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), which has financed the development of the jab, said it and Shenzhen Yuanxing Gene-tech Co. "have agreed to cooperate on production of over 60 million doses" of Sputnik in China.

The RDIF, Russia's sovereign wealth fund that has backed the development of the vaccine, said that the amount of the two-dose vaccine would be enough to vaccinate some 30 million people, adding that production would begin in May.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/russias-sputnik-v-vaccine-to-be-manufactured-in-india-345136">Russia's Sputnik V vaccine to be manufactured in India</a>

"Cooperation with Shenzhen Yuanxing Gene-tech will enable us to produce&nbsp;Sputnik&nbsp;V in China, thus increasing the capacities to provide additional amounts as we see rising demand for the Russian vaccine globally," CEO Kirill Dmitriev said in a statement.

Earlier,&nbsp;India's Stelis Biopharma&nbsp;partnered with Russia's sovereign fund to make at least 200 million doses of&nbsp;Sputnik&nbsp;V,&nbsp;its parent company said on Friday, taking the nation's total output of the COVID-19 vaccine to more than half a billion doses.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/france-accuses-russia-of-using-its-sputnik-v-covid-19-vaccine-as-propaganda-tool-373370">France accuses Russia of using its Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine as 'propaganda' tool</a>

The announcement by the parent, Strides Pharma Science, of a pact with the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) follows similar deals by Indian pharmaceutical firms Gland Pharma and Hetero.

"The significant vaccine volumes which will be produced jointly with Stelis will help to widen access to the vaccine on a global scale," Kirill Dmitriev, chief executive of the Fund, said in a statement.

Sputnik&nbsp;V, developed by Moscow's Gamaleya Institute, has proved 91.6 per cent&nbsp;effective against COVID-19 and has been approved for use in more than 50 countries, with the Fund signing supply deals with more than 13 nations.

India, the world's largest vaccine maker, has now become one of the biggest producers of the shot outside Russia. Other countries producing it include Brazil, China and South Korea.

The West has accused Beijing and Moscow of using their vaccines as tools to win geopolitical clout.

Russia and China have rejected claims that they are seeking to use coronavirus vaccines to project their influence and accused Western countries of hoarding vaccines to the detriment of poor nations.

The&nbsp;Sputnik&nbsp;V vaccine has been registered in 57 countries, with a total population of more than 1.5 billion people.

Russia has agreed a deal for more than 60 million doses of its Sputnik V vaccine to be produced in China from May, the jab's developer said on Monday. The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), which has financed the development of the jab, said it and Shenzhen Yuanxing Gene-tech Co.

Russia has agreed a deal for more than 60 million doses of its Sputnik V vaccine to be produced in China from May, the jab's developer said on Monday. The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), which has financed the development of the jab, said it and Shenzhen Yuanxing Gene-tech Co. "have agreed to cooperate on production of over 60 million doses" of Sputnik in China. The RDIF, Russia's sovereign wealth fund that has backed the development of the vaccine, said that the amount of the two-dose vaccine would be enough to vaccinate some 30 million people, adding that production would begin in May. Also read| Russia's Sputnik V vaccine to be manufactured in India "Cooperation with Shenzhen Yuanxing Gene-tech will enable us to produce Sputnik V in China, thus increasing the capacities to provide additional amounts as we see rising demand for the Russian vaccine globally," CEO Kirill Dmitriev said in a statement. Earlier, India's Stelis Biopharma partnered with Russia's sovereign fund to make at least 200 million doses of Sputnik V, its parent company said on Friday, taking the nation's total output of the COVID-19 vaccine to more than half a billion doses. Also read| France accuses Russia of using its Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine as 'propaganda' tool The announcement by the parent, Strides Pharma Science, of a pact with the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) follows similar deals by Indian pharmaceutical firms Gland Pharma and Hetero. "The significant vaccine volumes which will be produced jointly with Stelis will help to widen access to the vaccine on a global scale," Kirill Dmitriev, chief executive of the Fund, said in a statement. Sputnik V, developed by Moscow's Gamaleya Institute, has proved 91.6 per cent effective against COVID-19 and has been approved for use in more than 50 countries, with the Fund signing supply deals with more than 13 nations. India, the world's largest vaccine maker, has now become one of the biggest producers of the shot outside Russia. Other countries producing it include Brazil, China and South Korea. The West has accused Beijing and Moscow of using their vaccines as tools to win geopolitical clout. Russia and China have rejected claims that they are seeking to use coronavirus vaccines to project their influence and accused Western countries of hoarding vaccines to the detriment of poor nations. The Sputnik V vaccine has been registered in 57 countries, with a total population of more than 1.5 billion people.

Russia approves deal to produce 60 million doses of Sputnik vaccine in China

As town meetings go, the discussion was fairly routine, meandering from what Memorial Day celebrations might look like in the second year of the coronavirus pandemic, to a federal grant application for bulletproof vests for police officers.

But when the time came for the trustees in West Chester Township, Ohio, to deliver personal remarks at the group’s most recent meeting, the board’s chairman, Lee Wong, who is Asian American, did something unusual.

Wong removed his suit jacket and his tie and unbuttoned his dress shirt, according to a video of the board’s March 23 meeting, which has since drawn widespread attention. Then, he lifted his undershirt, revealing scars on his chest that he said he got while serving in the U.S. Army.

Wong, 69, said he could no longer endure the indignities of prejudice against Asian Americans or having people question his loyalties to America.

“Here is my proof,” he said. “Now is this patriot enough? I’m not ashamed to walk around anymore. Before I was inhibited. People looked at me strange.”

It was the board’s first meeting since March 16, when a gunman killed six women of Asian descent in a series of attacks on massage businesses in the Atlanta area, leaving eight people dead.

Prosecutors are weighing whether to classify the shootings as a hate crime, but the rampage came amid a rise in violent crimes targeting people of Asian descent across the United States, which advocates say has been exacerbated by pandemic-related racism.

Wong immigrated to the United States from the island of Borneo in 1971, according to a profile about him in The Cincinnati Enquirer last year when he ran unsuccessfully for the state Senate.

He is a Republican, though the township board is a nonpartisan body, the Enquirer reported. He was first elected to the board in West Chester Township, a northern suburb of Cincinnati, in 2005.

About halfway through the board’s meeting, Wong said he would depart from protocol and had something that he wanted to share.

He said he came to the United States when he was 18 and once had been assaulted in a racially motivated attack in Chicago. For too long, Wong said, he had put up with racism but had been too afraid to speak out because he feared facing more discrimination and abuse.

“In the last few years, things are just getting worse and worse,” he said. “There are some ignorant people that will come up to me and say that I don’t look American or patriotic enough. Now, that really gets my goat.”

He said that Asian Americans had been subjected to widespread prejudice, particularly restaurant workers.

“They are hardworking Americans,” he said. “Some even served in the U.S. armed forces — not Chinese army. U.S. Army.”

Noting that he had been a U.S. citizen for quite some time, Wong said that he had served in the U.S. Army for 20 years. He got the scars while serving at Fort Jackson in South Carolina, The Journal-News of Hamilton, Ohio, reported.

Efforts to reach Wong on Sunday were not immediately successful, but he told CNN that he got the scars after undergoing multiple surgeries for cuts that got infected during combat training.

“People question my patriotism, that I don’t look American enough,” Wong said at the meeting. “They cannot get over this face.”

Wong said the country had significant work to do to address bigotry.

“You know prejudice is hate,” he said. “We need to be kinder, gentler to one another, because we are all the same. We are one human being on this earth.”

As town meetings go, the discussion was fairly routine, meandering from what Memorial Day celebrations might look like in the second year of the coronavirus pandemic, to a federal grant application for bulletproof vests for police officers.

As town meetings go, the discussion was fairly routine, meandering from what Memorial Day celebrations might look like in the second year of the coronavirus pandemic, to a federal grant application for bulletproof vests for police officers. But when the time came for the trustees in West Chester Township, Ohio, to deliver personal remarks at the group’s most recent meeting, the board’s chairman, Lee Wong, who is Asian American, did something unusual. Wong removed his suit jacket and his tie and unbuttoned his dress shirt, according to a video of the board’s March 23 meeting, which has since drawn widespread attention. Then, he lifted his undershirt, revealing scars on his chest that he said he got while serving in the U.S. Army. Wong, 69, said he could no longer endure the indignities of prejudice against Asian Americans or having people question his loyalties to America. “Here is my proof,” he said. “Now is this patriot enough? I’m not ashamed to walk around anymore. Before I was inhibited. People looked at me strange.” It was the board’s first meeting since March 16, when a gunman killed six women of Asian descent in a series of attacks on massage businesses in the Atlanta area, leaving eight people dead. Prosecutors are weighing whether to classify the shootings as a hate crime, but the rampage came amid a rise in violent crimes targeting people of Asian descent across the United States, which advocates say has been exacerbated by pandemic-related racism. Wong immigrated to the United States from the island of Borneo in 1971, according to a profile about him in The Cincinnati Enquirer last year when he ran unsuccessfully for the state Senate. He is a Republican, though the township board is a nonpartisan body, the Enquirer reported. He was first elected to the board in West Chester Township, a northern suburb of Cincinnati, in 2005. About halfway through the board’s meeting, Wong said he would depart from protocol and had something that he wanted to share. He said he came to the United States when he was 18 and once had been assaulted in a racially motivated attack in Chicago. For too long, Wong said, he had put up with racism but had been too afraid to speak out because he feared facing more discrimination and abuse. “In the last few years, things are just getting worse and worse,” he said. “There are some ignorant people that will come up to me and say that I don’t look American or patriotic enough. Now, that really gets my goat.” He said that Asian Americans had been subjected to widespread prejudice, particularly restaurant workers. “They are hardworking Americans,” he said. “Some even served in the U.S. armed forces — not Chinese army. U.S. Army.” Noting that he had been a U.S. citizen for quite some time, Wong said that he had served in the U.S. Army for 20 years. He got the scars while serving at Fort Jackson in South Carolina, The Journal-News of Hamilton, Ohio, reported. Efforts to reach Wong on Sunday were not immediately successful, but he told CNN that he got the scars after undergoing multiple surgeries for cuts that got infected during combat training. “People question my patriotism, that I don’t look American enough,” Wong said at the meeting. “They cannot get over this face.” Wong said the country had significant work to do to address bigotry. “You know prejudice is hate,” he said. “We need to be kinder, gentler to one another, because we are all the same. We are one human being on this earth.”

An Asian American official bared his chest, revealing scars from his army service

Facebook said on Monday it planned two new undersea cables to connect Singapore, Indonesia and North America in a project with Google and regional telecommunication companies to boost internet connection capacity between the regions.

"Named Echo and Bifrost, those will be the first two cables to go through a new diverse route crossing the Java Sea and they will increase overall subsea capacity in the trans-pacific by about 70 per cent," Facebook Vice President of Network Investments, Kevin Salvadori said.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/facebook-google-ceos-suggest-ways-to-reform-key-internet-law-372984" hreflang="en">Facebook, Google CEOs suggest ways to reform key internet law</a>

The cables, according to the executive, will be the first to directly connect North America to some of the main parts of Indonesia and will increase connectivity for the central and eastern provinces of the world's fourth most populous country.

Salvadori said "Echo" is being built in partnership with Alphabet's Google and Indonesian telecommunications' company XL Axiata and should be completed by 2023.

Bifrost, which is being done in partnership with Telin, a subsidiary of Indonesia's Telkom, and Singaporean conglomerate Keppel is due to be completed by 2024.

The two cables, which will need regulatory approval, follow previous investments by Facebook to build up connectivity in Indonesia, one of its top five markets globally.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/hacktivism-adding-to-woes-of-cybersecurity-at-alarming-rate-373454" hreflang="en">'Hacktivism' adding to woes of cybersecurity at alarming rate</a>

While 73 per cent&nbsp;of Indonesia's population of 270 million are online, the majority access the web through mobile data, with less than 10 per cent using a broadband connection, according to a 2020 survey by the Indonesian Internet Providers Association.

Swathes of the country, remain without any internet access.

Facebook said last year it would deploy 3,000 km (1,8641 miles) of fibre in Indonesia across twenty cities in addition to a previous deal to develop public Wi-Fi hot spots.

Aside from the Southeast Asian cables, Facebook was continuing with its broader subsea plans in Asia and globally, including with the Pacific Light Cable Network (PLCN), Salvadori said.

"We are working with partners and regulators to meet all of the concerns that people have, and we look forward to that cable being a valuable, productive transpacific cable going forward in the near future," he said.

The 12,800 km PLCN, which is being funded by Facebook and Alphabet, had met U.S government resistance over plans for a Hong Kong conduit. It was originally intended to link the United States, Taiwan, Hong Kong and the Philippines.

Facebook said earlier this month it would drop efforts to connect the cable between California and Hong Kong due to "ongoing concerns from the U.S. government about direct communication links between the United States and Hong Kong".

Facebook said on Monday it planned two new undersea cables to connect Singapore, Indonesia and North America in a project with Google and regional telecommunication companies to boost internet connection capacity between the regions.

Facebook said on Monday it planned two new undersea cables to connect Singapore, Indonesia and North America in a project with Google and regional telecommunication companies to boost internet connection capacity between the regions. "Named Echo and Bifrost, those will be the first two cables to go through a new diverse route crossing the Java Sea and they will increase overall subsea capacity in the trans-pacific by about 70 per cent," Facebook Vice President of Network Investments, Kevin Salvadori said. Also read| Facebook, Google CEOs suggest ways to reform key internet law The cables, according to the executive, will be the first to directly connect North America to some of the main parts of Indonesia and will increase connectivity for the central and eastern provinces of the world's fourth most populous country. Salvadori said "Echo" is being built in partnership with Alphabet's Google and Indonesian telecommunications' company XL Axiata and should be completed by 2023. Bifrost, which is being done in partnership with Telin, a subsidiary of Indonesia's Telkom, and Singaporean conglomerate Keppel is due to be completed by 2024. The two cables, which will need regulatory approval, follow previous investments by Facebook to build up connectivity in Indonesia, one of its top five markets globally. Also read| 'Hacktivism' adding to woes of cybersecurity at alarming rate While 73 per cent of Indonesia's population of 270 million are online, the majority access the web through mobile data, with less than 10 per cent using a broadband connection, according to a 2020 survey by the Indonesian Internet Providers Association. Swathes of the country, remain without any internet access. Facebook said last year it would deploy 3,000 km (1,8641 miles) of fibre in Indonesia across twenty cities in addition to a previous deal to develop public Wi-Fi hot spots. Aside from the Southeast Asian cables, Facebook was continuing with its broader subsea plans in Asia and globally, including with the Pacific Light Cable Network (PLCN), Salvadori said. "We are working with partners and regulators to meet all of the concerns that people have, and we look forward to that cable being a valuable, productive transpacific cable going forward in the near future," he said. The 12,800 km PLCN, which is being funded by Facebook and Alphabet, had met U.S government resistance over plans for a Hong Kong conduit. It was originally intended to link the United States, Taiwan, Hong Kong and the Philippines. Facebook said earlier this month it would drop efforts to connect the cable between California and Hong Kong due to "ongoing concerns from the U.S. government about direct communication links between the United States and Hong Kong".

Facebook ties up with Google for project to lay down new undersea cables

Dr.&nbsp;Deborah&nbsp;Birx, who coordinated the White House coronavirus task force under President Donald Trump, believes the COVID-19 death toll in the United States would have been substantially lower if the government had responded more effectively.

In an interview with CNN, parts of which were released before broadcast later on Sunday,&nbsp;Birx&nbsp;said there was an "excuse" for the initial surge of deaths last year as the government grappled with the start of the pandemic.

"There were about 100,000 deaths that came from that original surge,"&nbsp;Birx&nbsp;said. "All of the rest of them, in my mind, could have been mitigated or decreased substantially."

More than 542,000 people have died from COVID-19 in the United States,&nbsp;and almost 30 million have been infected.

Trump downplayed the outbreak in its early stages, resisted mitigation efforts and criticized harsh lockdown measures imposed to stop the spread of the virus. He repeatedly eschewed guidance on mask-wearing that health experts say prevents the spread of the disease.

Birx, who has since left the government, said in the interview that she received a "very uncomfortable" call from Trump after describing how widespread the virus was in an interview with CNN in August, during which she told people living in rural areas that they were not immune.

Trump, who tested positive for and then recovered from the virus in October, was running for re-election at the time.

"Everybody in the White House was upset with that interview and the clarity that I brought about the epidemic,"&nbsp;Birx&nbsp;said.

"I got called by the president," she said. "It was very uncomfortable, very direct, and very difficult to hear."

Birx&nbsp;at times faced criticism for not standing up more forcefully in public to Trump's misinformation about the pandemic, including his dangerous suggestion that Americans could consume bleach to kill the virus.

Trump went on to hold large rallies in the final months of the presidential election campaign despite public health guidance warning against large gatherings. He lost to Democrat Joe Biden, who campaigned largely on a promise to take the pandemic more seriously than his opponent.

Birx&nbsp;became sidelined in the final months of Trump's administration, and White House briefings about the pandemic largely ceased.

She was not offered a position in Biden's White House and now works in the private sector.

Dr. Deborah Birx, who coordinated the White House coronavirus task force under President Donald Trump, believes the COVID-19 death toll in the United States would have been substantially lower if the government had responded more effectively.

Dr. Deborah Birx, who coordinated the White House coronavirus task force under President Donald Trump, believes the COVID-19 death toll in the United States would have been substantially lower if the government had responded more effectively. In an interview with CNN, parts of which were released before broadcast later on Sunday, Birx said there was an "excuse" for the initial surge of deaths last year as the government grappled with the start of the pandemic. "There were about 100,000 deaths that came from that original surge," Birx said. "All of the rest of them, in my mind, could have been mitigated or decreased substantially." More than 542,000 people have died from COVID-19 in the United States, and almost 30 million have been infected. Trump downplayed the outbreak in its early stages, resisted mitigation efforts and criticized harsh lockdown measures imposed to stop the spread of the virus. He repeatedly eschewed guidance on mask-wearing that health experts say prevents the spread of the disease. Birx, who has since left the government, said in the interview that she received a "very uncomfortable" call from Trump after describing how widespread the virus was in an interview with CNN in August, during which she told people living in rural areas that they were not immune. Trump, who tested positive for and then recovered from the virus in October, was running for re-election at the time. "Everybody in the White House was upset with that interview and the clarity that I brought about the epidemic," Birx said. "I got called by the president," she said. "It was very uncomfortable, very direct, and very difficult to hear." Birx at times faced criticism for not standing up more forcefully in public to Trump's misinformation about the pandemic, including his dangerous suggestion that Americans could consume bleach to kill the virus. Trump went on to hold large rallies in the final months of the presidential election campaign despite public health guidance warning against large gatherings. He lost to Democrat Joe Biden, who campaigned largely on a promise to take the pandemic more seriously than his opponent. Birx became sidelined in the final months of Trump's administration, and White House briefings about the pandemic largely ceased. She was not offered a position in Biden's White House and now works in the private sector.

Former top US virus official slams Trump’s pandemic response, citing needless deaths

March 29 in history: Discover of brightest asteroid, US involvement in Vietnam War ends and more

US&nbsp;Secretary of State Antony&nbsp;Blinken on Sunday expressed concerns about the ''methodology and the process'' behind a forthcoming WHO report on the&nbsp;origin of coronavirus.

Blinken said in an interview that China ''apparently helped the World Health Organization&nbsp;write the report''.

However, Blinken hinted that the Biden administration will not take punitive action against China for its handling of the outbreak.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/who-postpones-coronavirus-origin-report-likely-to-be-out-next-week-370924">WHO postpones coronavirus origin report, likely to be out next week</a>

While Blinken said there needed to be "accountability for the past" and echoed calls from other Biden officials for Beijing to be transparent about the 2019 outbreak, he noted that their "focus needs to be on building a stronger system for the future."

<ul data-layout="list-hierarchical-xs">
</ul>

"I think the issue for us is to make sure that we do everything possible to prevent another pandemic even as we're working through this one or at the very least to make sure that we can mitigate in much more effective ways any damage done if something happens in the future," he said.

His comments mark a sharp contrast to his&nbsp;predecessor, Mike Pompeo&nbsp;and the Trump administration, which had referred to the deadly disease as the "Wuhan virus" and called for China to be punished.

An international expert mission to Wuhan has concluded that it was very likely that Covid first passed to humans from a bat through an intermediary animal, while all but ruling out a lab incident.

The experts said that the intermediary host hypothesis was deemed "likely to very likely", while the theory that the virus escaped from a laboratory was seen as "extremely unlikely", according to the final version of the long-awaited report.

&nbsp;

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Sunday expressed concerns about the ''methodology and the process'' behind a forthcoming WHO report on the origin of coronavirus.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Sunday expressed concerns about the ''methodology and the process'' behind a forthcoming WHO report on the origin of coronavirus. Blinken said in an interview that China ''apparently helped the World Health Organization write the report''. However, Blinken hinted that the Biden administration will not take punitive action against China for its handling of the outbreak. Also read| WHO postpones coronavirus origin report, likely to be out next week While Blinken said there needed to be "accountability for the past" and echoed calls from other Biden officials for Beijing to be transparent about the 2019 outbreak, he noted that their "focus needs to be on building a stronger system for the future." "I think the issue for us is to make sure that we do everything possible to prevent another pandemic even as we're working through this one or at the very least to make sure that we can mitigate in much more effective ways any damage done if something happens in the future," he said. His comments mark a sharp contrast to his predecessor, Mike Pompeo and the Trump administration, which had referred to the deadly disease as the "Wuhan virus" and called for China to be punished. An international expert mission to Wuhan has concluded that it was very likely that Covid first passed to humans from a bat through an intermediary animal, while all but ruling out a lab incident. The experts said that the intermediary host hypothesis was deemed "likely to very likely", while the theory that the virus escaped from a laboratory was seen as "extremely unlikely", according to the final version of the long-awaited report.

Blinken expresses concern on WHO report over origin of coronavirus

Several brands have come under attack on Chinese social media over the past comments they&nbsp;have made about labour conditions in Xinjiang, part of a diplomatic row between China and the West.

Nike and&nbsp;Adidas&nbsp;were the latest caught up in a backlash prompted by a Chinese government call to stop foreign brands from tainting China's name as internet users found statements they had made in the past on Xinjiang.

Some internet users said they would stop buying Nike and will support local brands such as Li Ning and Anta, while others told Adidas to leave China.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uighur-muslims-protest-against-treatment-amid-chinese-foreign-ministers-visit-373092" hreflang="en">Uighur Muslims protest against treatment amid Chinese foreign minister's visit</a>

Activists and U.N. experts say that more than 1 million Muslim&nbsp;Uighurs and other Turkic Muslims are being held against their will in harsh camps in the remote western region.

Chinese state media had singled out H&amp;M on Wednesday over a statement reported last year where the Swedish fashion retailer said it was deeply concerned by reports of accusations of forced labour in Xinjiang, and that it did not source products from the Chinese region.

However, there are&nbsp;still some brands that are yet to raise their voices against&nbsp;China's human rights abuses. These include 83 brands which are&nbsp;directly or indirectly benefiting from China's&nbsp;abusive labour programs.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-china-targets-nike-and-hm-over-ban-on-xinjiang-cotton-373202">Watch |</a>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-china-targets-nike-and-hm-over-ban-on-xinjiang-cotton-373202/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

These brands include,&nbsp;Abercombie &amp; fitch,&nbsp;Acer,&nbsp;Adidas, Puma, Lacoste, Tommy Hilfiger, Skechers, Panasonic, Amazon, Apple and Microsoft. This data is based on supplier lists, media reports&nbsp;and details of claimed suppliers by respective factories.

According to report by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute,&nbsp;more than 80,000 Uighurs were transfered out of Xinjiang between 2017 and 2019.

They were&nbsp;were sent to factories far away from home, forced to live in segregated dormitories as well as undergo&nbsp;lessons in mandarin and ideological training.

In these factories, they are&nbsp;subjected to constant surveillance and are&nbsp;are forbidden from celebrating their festivals. If&nbsp;they refuse to comply, the&nbsp;they are sent to detention camps.

The report states&nbsp;that 27 factories in 9 Chinese provinces&nbsp;are part of this abusive labour program.

In July 2020, Adidas and Lacoste pledged to cut down on forced labour supply chains. While in November, Apple was lobbying against a bill to stop companies benefiting from forced labour.

Several brands have come under attack on Chinese social media over the past comments they have made about labour conditions in Xinjiang, part of a diplomatic row between China and the West.

Several brands have come under attack on Chinese social media over the past comments they have made about labour conditions in Xinjiang, part of a diplomatic row between China and the West. Nike and Adidas were the latest caught up in a backlash prompted by a Chinese government call to stop foreign brands from tainting China's name as internet users found statements they had made in the past on Xinjiang. Some internet users said they would stop buying Nike and will support local brands such as Li Ning and Anta, while others told Adidas to leave China. Also read| Uighur Muslims protest against treatment amid Chinese foreign minister's visit Activists and U.N. experts say that more than 1 million Muslim Uighurs and other Turkic Muslims are being held against their will in harsh camps in the remote western region. Chinese state media had singled out H&M on Wednesday over a statement reported last year where the Swedish fashion retailer said it was deeply concerned by reports of accusations of forced labour in Xinjiang, and that it did not source products from the Chinese region. However, there are still some brands that are yet to raise their voices against China's human rights abuses. These include 83 brands which are directly or indirectly benefiting from China's abusive labour programs. Watch | These brands include, Abercombie & fitch, Acer, Adidas, Puma, Lacoste, Tommy Hilfiger, Skechers, Panasonic, Amazon, Apple and Microsoft. This data is based on supplier lists, media reports and details of claimed suppliers by respective factories. According to report by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, more than 80,000 Uighurs were transfered out of Xinjiang between 2017 and 2019. They were were sent to factories far away from home, forced to live in segregated dormitories as well as undergo lessons in mandarin and ideological training. In these factories, they are subjected to constant surveillance and are are forbidden from celebrating their festivals. If they refuse to comply, the they are sent to detention camps. The report states that 27 factories in 9 Chinese provinces are part of this abusive labour program. In July 2020, Adidas and Lacoste pledged to cut down on forced labour supply chains. While in November, Apple was lobbying against a bill to stop companies benefiting from forced labour.

Which foreign brands are feeding China's slave camps in Xinjiang

India and its neighbouring country Bangladesh&nbsp;have a history forged in the battlefield.

The two countries&nbsp;share a border, dozens of rivers and&nbsp;most importantly,&nbsp;a common culture.

The key role played by India in the&nbsp;birth of Bangladesh cannot be overlooked&nbsp;and since then, despite roadblocks, the two countries have maintained close relations.

Here's a round-up of the bilateral ties between the two countries&nbsp;from inception to the present day:

Long before colonial cartographers chalked up South Asia,&nbsp;India and Bangladesh shared a common land.

In 1947, the country currently known as Bangladesh was called East Pakistan.

After 20 years of hardship, there were rumours of dissent that East Pakistan wanted independence.

The Indian army was welcomed as liberators in Dhaka.&nbsp;They had turned the tide against West Pakistani forces. They fought shoulder-to-shoulder with Bangladeshi freedom fighters. This joint campaign remains the cornerstone of bilateral ties after 50 years.

The next year,&nbsp;in 1972,&nbsp;Indira Gandhi visited Dhaka.&nbsp;The Indo-Bangladesh treaty of friendship, cooperation and peace was signed. Although the&nbsp;two sides looked set for bigger things, Mujibur Rahman's assassination in 1975 acted as&nbsp;a turning point.

The army took control and&nbsp;steered&nbsp;Bangladesh&nbsp;towards majoritarian politics. In 1991, democracy returned in the country along with warmer ties with India.

In 2010, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina visited New Delhi signalling&nbsp;a decade of booming relations.

According to a 2014 PEW&nbsp;survey,&nbsp;70 per cent of Bangladeshis have a favourable opinion of India. However, the&nbsp;ties have gone from symbolism to substance recently.&nbsp;It was a natural progression.

The&nbsp;two countries share a 4096-kilometre border and 54 rivers.&nbsp;

In 2015,&nbsp;India and Bangladesh signed the land border agreement. Both sides promised to exchange border enclaves. Thus settling a decades-long border confusion.

They set up a&nbsp;joint rivers commission&nbsp;in 1972.&nbsp;Both sides seldom agree on water-sharing. But the conflict remains inside the commission. In 1996,&nbsp;they signed a 30-year treaty on sharing water from the Ganga.

Bangladesh is currently India's biggest trade partner in the South Asian region.&nbsp;To strengthen and encourage Bangladesh's trade and commerce, India has given several concessions to Dhaka, including duty-free access to Bangladeshi products into the Indian markets.

New Delhi is also working continually to reduce Non-Tariff Barriers (NTB). To encourage trade, India is developing the Integrated Check Post in 10 border crossing points to lower NTBs, according to Observer Research Foundation. New Delhi's attempts to boost trade with Bangladesh saw fruitful results, as in 2019 Bangladesh's exports to India witnessed an increase of 43 per cent from the previous year.

Both countries are members of SAARC, BIMSTEC, the Indian Ocean Rim Association and the Commonwealth.

Recently, Bangladesh&nbsp;backed India's election to the UN Security Council. The armed forces from both sides regularly conduct joint drills like exercise Sampriti and Milan.

India has extended its hand of friendship whenever Bangladesh faced crises. During the coronavirus crisis, India provided medical training to Bangladeshi professionals, test kits and medicines, besides the dispatch of vaccine consignments.&nbsp;New Delhi gifted 2 million doses of the COVID&nbsp;vaccines to Dhaka,

The&nbsp;Teesta River is a point of contention for the two countries. While&nbsp;India claims 55 per cent&nbsp;of the river's waters, Bangladesh is unhappy with its share.

The Teesta river originates in Sikkim, flows through the northern parts of West Bengal, before entering Bangladesh and joining the Brahmaputra river.

The flow of the river is crucial for Bangladesh from December to March during which the country requires 50 per cent of the river's water supply.

Hundreds of illegal&nbsp;migrants&nbsp;cross the porous border&nbsp;putting economic pressure on India.&nbsp;New Delhi's plan to document illegal migrants and deport them&nbsp;is viewed with concern in Dhaka.

Bangladesh's participation in the China-led belt and road initiative is a cause of concern for India due to the&nbsp;growing closeness between a key ally and a strategic rival.

On Saturday, Prime Minister Modi will hold talks with his Bangladesh counterpart, Sheikh Hasina, when all issues related to bilateral concerns are expected to be discussed, according to Bangladesh foreign ministry officials.

India and its neighbouring country Bangladesh have a history forged in the battlefield. The two countries share a border, dozens of rivers and most importantly, a common culture.

India and its neighbouring country Bangladesh have a history forged in the battlefield. The two countries share a border, dozens of rivers and most importantly, a common culture. The key role played by India in the birth of Bangladesh cannot be overlooked and since then, despite roadblocks, the two countries have maintained close relations. Here's a round-up of the bilateral ties between the two countries from inception to the present day: Long before colonial cartographers chalked up South Asia, India and Bangladesh shared a common land. In 1947, the country currently known as Bangladesh was called East Pakistan. After 20 years of hardship, there were rumours of dissent that East Pakistan wanted independence. The Indian army was welcomed as liberators in Dhaka. They had turned the tide against West Pakistani forces. They fought shoulder-to-shoulder with Bangladeshi freedom fighters. This joint campaign remains the cornerstone of bilateral ties after 50 years. The next year, in 1972, Indira Gandhi visited Dhaka. The Indo-Bangladesh treaty of friendship, cooperation and peace was signed. Although the two sides looked set for bigger things, Mujibur Rahman's assassination in 1975 acted as a turning point. The army took control and steered Bangladesh towards majoritarian politics. In 1991, democracy returned in the country along with warmer ties with India. In 2010, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina visited New Delhi signalling a decade of booming relations. According to a 2014 PEW survey, 70 per cent of Bangladeshis have a favourable opinion of India. However, the ties have gone from symbolism to substance recently. It was a natural progression. The two countries share a 4096-kilometre border and 54 rivers. In 2015, India and Bangladesh signed the land border agreement. Both sides promised to exchange border enclaves. Thus settling a decades-long border confusion. They set up a joint rivers commission in 1972. Both sides seldom agree on water-sharing. But the conflict remains inside the commission. In 1996, they signed a 30-year treaty on sharing water from the Ganga. Bangladesh is currently India's biggest trade partner in the South Asian region. To strengthen and encourage Bangladesh's trade and commerce, India has given several concessions to Dhaka, including duty-free access to Bangladeshi products into the Indian markets. New Delhi is also working continually to reduce Non-Tariff Barriers (NTB). To encourage trade, India is developing the Integrated Check Post in 10 border crossing points to lower NTBs, according to Observer Research Foundation. New Delhi's attempts to boost trade with Bangladesh saw fruitful results, as in 2019 Bangladesh's exports to India witnessed an increase of 43 per cent from the previous year. Both countries are members of SAARC, BIMSTEC, the Indian Ocean Rim Association and the Commonwealth. Recently, Bangladesh backed India's election to the UN Security Council. The armed forces from both sides regularly conduct joint drills like exercise Sampriti and Milan. India has extended its hand of friendship whenever Bangladesh faced crises. During the coronavirus crisis, India provided medical training to Bangladeshi professionals, test kits and medicines, besides the dispatch of vaccine consignments. New Delhi gifted 2 million doses of the COVID vaccines to Dhaka, The Teesta River is a point of contention for the two countries. While India claims 55 per cent of the river's waters, Bangladesh is unhappy with its share. The Teesta river originates in Sikkim, flows through the northern parts of West Bengal, before entering Bangladesh and joining the Brahmaputra river. The flow of the river is crucial for Bangladesh from December to March during which the country requires 50 per cent of the river's water supply. Hundreds of illegal migrants cross the porous border putting economic pressure on India. New Delhi's plan to document illegal migrants and deport them is viewed with concern in Dhaka. Bangladesh's participation in the China-led belt and road initiative is a cause of concern for India due to the growing closeness between a key ally and a strategic rival. On Saturday, Prime Minister Modi will hold talks with his Bangladesh counterpart, Sheikh Hasina, when all issues related to bilateral concerns are expected to be discussed, according to Bangladesh foreign ministry officials.

India-Bangladesh ties: A warm friendship despite turbulence

India's worst-hit state Maharashtra, including its capital&nbsp;Mumbai, will be under a nightly curfew from Sunday following a sharp rise in coronavirus infections, officials said.

India as a whole has seen a renewed surge in new infections in recent weeks.&nbsp;Maharashtra in western India, home to around 110 million people, has seen the biggest rise, recording on Thursday more than 35,000 new infections in 24 hours, the highest yet.

Mumbai&nbsp;recorded over 5,500 cases on Friday, almost doubling its highest daily count of last year.

Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray warned Friday of even stricter restrictions if people do not follow guidelines on social distancing and mask-wearing, local media quoted him as saying.

"I have no intention of imposing a lockdown, but given the growing number of patients, there is a possibility that the health facilities that we have set up on a large scale across the state will also be reduced," Thackeray said.

India has recorded almost 12 million infections, the third-highest behind the United States and Brazil, although per capita rates and the number of fatalities are considerably lower.

The renewed jump in cases has prompted India, which many other poorer countries were relying on for supplies including through the Covax initiative, to put the brakes on exports of vaccines.

India's worst-hit state Maharashtra, including its capital Mumbai, will be under a nightly curfew from Sunday following a sharp rise in coronavirus infections, officials said.

India's worst-hit state Maharashtra, including its capital Mumbai, will be under a nightly curfew from Sunday following a sharp rise in coronavirus infections, officials said. India as a whole has seen a renewed surge in new infections in recent weeks. Maharashtra in western India, home to around 110 million people, has seen the biggest rise, recording on Thursday more than 35,000 new infections in 24 hours, the highest yet. Mumbai recorded over 5,500 cases on Friday, almost doubling its highest daily count of last year. Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray warned Friday of even stricter restrictions if people do not follow guidelines on social distancing and mask-wearing, local media quoted him as saying. "I have no intention of imposing a lockdown, but given the growing number of patients, there is a possibility that the health facilities that we have set up on a large scale across the state will also be reduced," Thackeray said. India has recorded almost 12 million infections, the third-highest behind the United States and Brazil, although per capita rates and the number of fatalities are considerably lower. The renewed jump in cases has prompted India, which many other poorer countries were relying on for supplies including through the Covax initiative, to put the brakes on exports of vaccines.

Maharashtra announces night curfew after sharp rise in COVID cases

Author

Zee News Rajasthan

Editor

Vyomica Berry

Home

Live Tv

Latest

World

India

Business

Entertainment

Sports

Opinions

Videos

Photos

Gravitas

Lifestyle

Science

Tech

Rajasthan News in Hindi: In-depth coverage of Rajasthan Crime, Political News, Education, Rajasthan Weather Update and Latest Rajasthan News on Zee News Rajasthan.