The European Union&nbsp;will have enough Covid-19 vaccine doses to cover 70 per cent of its adult population by mid-July due to higher production within the bloc, a senior official said Tuesday.

"Fifty-three factories are producing vaccines in the EU. Our continent is now the largest producer in the world after the United States," internal markets commissioner Thierry Breton told French daily Le Figaro in an interview.

"I am now certain of how many doses are currently in production and I know how many millions will be delivered each week," he said.

"This allows me to assure you that we well have by mid-July the number of doses necessary for vaccinating 70 per cent of the European Union's adult population," he said, citing the threshold many health experts say is necessary to achieve "herd immunity."

European Union governments have faced fierce criticism over the bloc's joint vaccine procurement efforts, which saw a slow start to its inoculation drive even as programmes raced ahead in Britain and the US.

Already half of American adults have had at least one dose, and as of Monday anyone over 18 can sign up for a shot.

In the EU, by contrast, just over 20 percent of adults have received at least one jab, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.

Breton insisted that Europe would catch up in the coming months,&nbsp;with production capacity "that will reach 200 million doses a month by this summer."

But he poured cold water on the idea of using Russia's Sputnik V vaccine anytime soon, after Germany opened discussions with Moscow this month without waiting for coordinated EU action.

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) is evaluating Sputnik's safety and efficiency, but "it still lacks some essential data," Breton said.

And even if approved, "we'll have to find production capacity, because the Russians do not have large production sites and are looking for industrial partners in Europe which are already fully mobilised."

"For all these reasons, I don't think significant quantities of Sputnik will be available for Europe before the end of 2021," he said.

(With input from agencies)

The European Union will have enough Covid-19 vaccine doses to cover 70 per cent of its adult population by mid-July due to higher production within the bloc, a senior official said Tuesday.

The European Union will have enough Covid-19 vaccine doses to cover 70 per cent of its adult population by mid-July due to higher production within the bloc, a senior official said Tuesday. "Fifty-three factories are producing vaccines in the EU. Our continent is now the largest producer in the world after the United States," internal markets commissioner Thierry Breton told French daily Le Figaro in an interview. "I am now certain of how many doses are currently in production and I know how many millions will be delivered each week," he said. "This allows me to assure you that we well have by mid-July the number of doses necessary for vaccinating 70 per cent of the European Union's adult population," he said, citing the threshold many health experts say is necessary to achieve "herd immunity." European Union governments have faced fierce criticism over the bloc's joint vaccine procurement efforts, which saw a slow start to its inoculation drive even as programmes raced ahead in Britain and the US. Already half of American adults have had at least one dose, and as of Monday anyone over 18 can sign up for a shot. In the EU, by contrast, just over 20 percent of adults have received at least one jab, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Breton insisted that Europe would catch up in the coming months, with production capacity "that will reach 200 million doses a month by this summer." But he poured cold water on the idea of using Russia's Sputnik V vaccine anytime soon, after Germany opened discussions with Moscow this month without waiting for coordinated EU action. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) is evaluating Sputnik's safety and efficiency, but "it still lacks some essential data," Breton said. And even if approved, "we'll have to find production capacity, because the Russians do not have large production sites and are looking for industrial partners in Europe which are already fully mobilised." "For all these reasons, I don't think significant quantities of Sputnik will be available for Europe before the end of 2021," he said. (With input from agencies)

EU to have COVID-19 vaccine doses for 70% of adults by mid-July

Google&nbsp;Earth on Thursday added a timelapse feature to the popular platform, providing a glimpse into how climate change, urbanisation and deforestation have altered the planet over the last four decades.

Created with 24 million satellite images, along with 800 curated videos and interactive guides, the feature allows users to see a timelapse of any place on the planet, using inputs from the NASA, US&nbsp;Geological Survey's Landsat program, and the European Union's Copernicus program.

Climate change is causing more frequent and severe flooding, droughts, storms and heatwaves as average global temperatures rise to new records.

Google&nbsp;Earth's timelapse tool shows the change in coastlines, sprawling expansion of cityscapes and agricultural lands, as well as simultaneous recession of glaciers, forests and rivers.

One video shows rapid transition of forests near Bolivia into villages and farms, a major cause for deforestation in the Amazon rainforest; while another shows the recession of the Columbia Glacier in Alaska by 20 kilometers due to global warming.

Scientists have warned that a rise in global emissions of greenhouse gases may lead to extreme weather conditions and higher risks from natural disasters.

(With input from agencies)

Google Earth on Thursday added a timelapse feature to the popular platform, providing a glimpse into how climate change, urbanisation and deforestation have altered the planet over the last four decades.

Google Earth on Thursday added a timelapse feature to the popular platform, providing a glimpse into how climate change, urbanisation and deforestation have altered the planet over the last four decades. Created with 24 million satellite images, along with 800 curated videos and interactive guides, the feature allows users to see a timelapse of any place on the planet, using inputs from the NASA, US Geological Survey's Landsat program, and the European Union's Copernicus program. Climate change is causing more frequent and severe flooding, droughts, storms and heatwaves as average global temperatures rise to new records. Google Earth's timelapse tool shows the change in coastlines, sprawling expansion of cityscapes and agricultural lands, as well as simultaneous recession of glaciers, forests and rivers. One video shows rapid transition of forests near Bolivia into villages and farms, a major cause for deforestation in the Amazon rainforest; while another shows the recession of the Columbia Glacier in Alaska by 20 kilometers due to global warming. Scientists have warned that a rise in global emissions of greenhouse gases may lead to extreme weather conditions and higher risks from natural disasters. (With input from agencies)

Google Earth adds time-lapse feature for satellite imagery to show impacts of climate change

The EU will not renew COVID-19 vaccine contracts next year with AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson.

Report: EU to end AstraZeneca, J&J contracts at expiry

According to the reports, EU Commission has decided not to renew COVID-19 vaccine contracts next year with AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson (J&J).

Report: EU to end AstraZeneca and J&J vaccine contracts at expiry

Slovenia's foreign minister Anže Logar has batted for strong ties with India while calling for European Union to increase engagement with countries in the Indo Pacific. Speaking exclusively to our Principal Diplomatic Correspondent Siddhant Sibbal, Logar said, "India is a very interesting and very welcome partner for cooperation...see many common positions that we can take together".

Exclusive: Slovenia foreign minister bats for stronger ties with India

Germany's lead data protection regulator for Facebook said on Tuesday that it was taking action against the social network to prevent the collection of personal data from users of its WhatsApp messaging app.

The regulator in the city-state of Hamburg said that it had opened emergency proceedings against Facebook after WhatsApp earlier this year informed users that they would need to consent to new data terms or stop using the service.

"We have reason to believe that the data sharing policy between WhatsApp and Facebook is being impermissibly enforced due to the lack of voluntary and informed consent," said Hamburg's data protection officer Johannes Caspar.

Caspar, who leads domestic oversight of Facebook under Germany's federal system as its country office is in Hamburg, said he was opening a formal administrative procedure "to prevent an illegal mass exchange of data", with a view to reaching a decision before May 15.

A WhatsApp spokesperson said: “Our recent update includes new options&nbsp;people will have to message a business on WhatsApp, and provides further transparency about how we collect and use data.

"To be clear, by accepting WhatsApp’s updated terms of service, users are not agreeing to any expansion in our ability to share data with Facebook, and the update does not impact the privacy of their messages with friends or family."

The regulatory action opens a new front in Germany over Facebook's privacy policies, with the national antitrust regulator already waging a legal battle over data practices it alleges reflect an abuse of the social network's market dominance.

Since 2018, online privacy has been subject to a European Union rulebook, called the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Under the GDPR, Ireland leads oversight of Facebook because the company's European headquarters is there.

Caspar said that he was seeking to impose a three-month freeze on WhatsApp's collection of user data, citing "extraordinary circumstances" foreseen in the GDPR. The measures can be extended by the European Data Protection Board, a forum that groups regulators from the bloc's 27 member states.

Germany's lead data protection regulator for Facebook said on Tuesday that it was taking action against the social network to prevent the collection of personal data from users of its WhatsApp messaging app.

Germany's lead data protection regulator for Facebook said on Tuesday that it was taking action against the social network to prevent the collection of personal data from users of its WhatsApp messaging app. The regulator in the city-state of Hamburg said that it had opened emergency proceedings against Facebook after WhatsApp earlier this year informed users that they would need to consent to new data terms or stop using the service. "We have reason to believe that the data sharing policy between WhatsApp and Facebook is being impermissibly enforced due to the lack of voluntary and informed consent," said Hamburg's data protection officer Johannes Caspar. Caspar, who leads domestic oversight of Facebook under Germany's federal system as its country office is in Hamburg, said he was opening a formal administrative procedure "to prevent an illegal mass exchange of data", with a view to reaching a decision before May 15. A WhatsApp spokesperson said: “Our recent update includes new options people will have to message a business on WhatsApp, and provides further transparency about how we collect and use data. "To be clear, by accepting WhatsApp’s updated terms of service, users are not agreeing to any expansion in our ability to share data with Facebook, and the update does not impact the privacy of their messages with friends or family." The regulatory action opens a new front in Germany over Facebook's privacy policies, with the national antitrust regulator already waging a legal battle over data practices it alleges reflect an abuse of the social network's market dominance. Since 2018, online privacy has been subject to a European Union rulebook, called the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Under the GDPR, Ireland leads oversight of Facebook because the company's European headquarters is there. Caspar said that he was seeking to impose a three-month freeze on WhatsApp's collection of user data, citing "extraordinary circumstances" foreseen in the GDPR. The measures can be extended by the European Data Protection Board, a forum that groups regulators from the bloc's 27 member states.

German regulator taking action against WhatsApp  over 'illegal' data collection

European Union has now taken on China and Russia over the crisis in Myanmar. The European Union has accused China And Russia of hampering a united international response to Myanmar's military coup and the resulting civilian death.

News Alert: EU Foreign Policy Chief Borrell slams China, Russia

European drug regulators are undertaking review of rare blood clots in four people in the United States of America who have received Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine.

Johnson & Johnson vaccine review follows blood clot cases

EU Commission chief Ursula Von Der leyen left without a seat as Turkey President Erdogan & EU Council head Charles Michel snap up the only 2 chairs during Ankara meet. Confusion or Sexism?

'SofaGate': Turkish Sofa arrangement hits European Union

The United States is prepared to remove sanctions on Iran to resume compliance with the Iran nuclear deal, including those that are inconsistent with the 2015 pact, the US&nbsp;State Department said on Wednesday, without providing details.

"We are prepared to take the steps necessary to return to compliance with the JCPOA, including by lifting sanctions that are inconsistent with the JCPOA," State Department spokesman&nbsp;Ned&nbsp;Price&nbsp;told reporters. He was referring to the pact formally called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

Diplomats from major powers and the European Union met separately on Wednesday with Iran and the United States to discuss what sanctions Washington might remove and what nuclear curbs Tehran might observe in an effort to bring both back into compliance with the 2015 nuclear deal, a US&nbsp;official said.

Longtime foes the United States and Iran have said they do not expect quick breakthroughs in the talks that began in Vienna on Tuesday, with European and other diplomats as intermediaries because Tehran rejects face-to-face talks for now.

Former US&nbsp;President Donald Trump withdrew from the 2015 deal, which lifted economic sanctions on Iran in return for curbs to its nuclear program, and he reimposed US&nbsp;sanctions, prompting Iran to violate the accord's atomic limitations.

The deal's remaining parties. Iran, Britain, China, France, Germany, and Russia,&nbsp;agreed on Tuesday to form two expert-level groups whose job is to marry lists of sanctions that the United States could lift with nuclear obligations Iran should meet.

Diplomats said the working groups, which are chaired by the European Union and exclude the United States, met on Wednesday. A US&nbsp;official said on condition of anonymity that the US&nbsp;delegation in Vienna had been briefed on the discussions.

(With inputs from agencies)

&nbsp;

The United States is prepared to remove sanctions on Iran to resume compliance with the Iran nuclear deal, including those that are inconsistent with the 2015 pact, the US State Department said on Wednesday, without providing details.

The United States is prepared to remove sanctions on Iran to resume compliance with the Iran nuclear deal, including those that are inconsistent with the 2015 pact, the US State Department said on Wednesday, without providing details. "We are prepared to take the steps necessary to return to compliance with the JCPOA, including by lifting sanctions that are inconsistent with the JCPOA," State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters. He was referring to the pact formally called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). Diplomats from major powers and the European Union met separately on Wednesday with Iran and the United States to discuss what sanctions Washington might remove and what nuclear curbs Tehran might observe in an effort to bring both back into compliance with the 2015 nuclear deal, a US official said. Longtime foes the United States and Iran have said they do not expect quick breakthroughs in the talks that began in Vienna on Tuesday, with European and other diplomats as intermediaries because Tehran rejects face-to-face talks for now. Former US President Donald Trump withdrew from the 2015 deal, which lifted economic sanctions on Iran in return for curbs to its nuclear program, and he reimposed US sanctions, prompting Iran to violate the accord's atomic limitations. The deal's remaining parties. Iran, Britain, China, France, Germany, and Russia, agreed on Tuesday to form two expert-level groups whose job is to marry lists of sanctions that the United States could lift with nuclear obligations Iran should meet. Diplomats said the working groups, which are chaired by the European Union and exclude the United States, met on Wednesday. A US official said on condition of anonymity that the US delegation in Vienna had been briefed on the discussions. (With inputs from agencies)

US prepared to lift sanctions on Iran to resume compliance with nuclear deal

The European Union has expressed major worries over Russian troop movements around Ukraine, with its foreign policy chief Josep Borrell pledging the bloc's support for the latter.

"Following with severe concern the Russian military activity surrounding Ukraine," Borrell tweeted after a phone call with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba on Sunday. "Unwavering EU support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity."

Borrell said he would hold further talks on the issue with Ukraine's top diplomat and foreign ministers from the EU's 27 nations at a meeting later this month.&nbsp;

Ukraine this week accused Russia of massing thousands of military personnel on its northern and eastern borders as well as on the Crimean peninsula annexed by Moscow in 2014.&nbsp;

The Kremlin did not deny the recent troop movements, but insisted that Moscow was "not threatening anyone".&nbsp;

The long-simmering conflict has claimed more than 13,000 lives since 2014, according to the United Nations. Western leaders -- including new US President Joe Biden -- have said they are standing by Ukraine.&nbsp;

The European Union has expressed major worries over Russian troop movements around Ukraine, with its foreign policy chief Josep Borrell pledging the bloc's support for the latter.

The European Union has expressed major worries over Russian troop movements around Ukraine, with its foreign policy chief Josep Borrell pledging the bloc's support for the latter. "Following with severe concern the Russian military activity surrounding Ukraine," Borrell tweeted after a phone call with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba on Sunday. "Unwavering EU support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity." Borrell said he would hold further talks on the issue with Ukraine's top diplomat and foreign ministers from the EU's 27 nations at a meeting later this month. Ukraine this week accused Russia of massing thousands of military personnel on its northern and eastern borders as well as on the Crimean peninsula annexed by Moscow in 2014. The Kremlin did not deny the recent troop movements, but insisted that Moscow was "not threatening anyone". The long-simmering conflict has claimed more than 13,000 lives since 2014, according to the United Nations. Western leaders -- including new US President Joe Biden -- have said they are standing by Ukraine.

EU expresses concern over Russian activity near Ukraine

When Europe shifts right, there are no half measures.

It's a full-on plunge into populism, expansionism and ethnic-racial politics.

The last time, this happened, the world suffered as ruthless dictators ran riot, free nations were invaded and millions died.

Watch&nbsp;|&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-european-leaders-discuss-right-wing-alliance-375063/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Today as the European left fails to deliver, the European right is re-emerging.

But what are its ambitions this time? Will the continent once again be carved up on ideological lines?

Let's first look at some context.

Also read | <a href="http://wionews.com/world/european-union-denounces-chinas-harassment-of-foreign-journalists-374990">European Union denounces China's 'harassment' of foreign journalists</a>

On Thursday, three powerful right-leaning politicians met in Budapest, the Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Polish PM Mateusz Morawiecki and Italian leader Matteo Salvini.

They were laying the groundwork for a new European project, a right-leaning political grouping within the continent.

This isn't a new idea and the EU parliament already has a right-leaning alliance.

It is led by the European People's Party, but last month, Orban quit this alliance.

He feels it is playing second fiddle to the European left.

The question is what unites this proposed alliance?

Orban briefly touched upon this, the NATO, Europe's Atlantic commitment and liberty, dignity, Christianity, family and national sovereignty.

The recent wave of migration into Europe has multiplied the continent's diversity.

This has come with its own drawbacks like radicalisation and a series of Islamist attacks.

Leaders like Orban believe in the singularity of Europe and Christianity.

His new alliance would champion a Christian Europe.

Orban also talks about family and it makes sense from a Christian perspective.

The Hungarian PM is not a fan of abortion or gay rights and during his tenure, he has limited both.

Poland recently enforced a near-total ban on abortion.

And in Italy, Salvini is known for making rounds at anti-abortion conferences.

Europe's right-wing dream is basically a conservative Christian kingdom.

Does this mean a withdrawal from the European Union? The Polish prime minister doesn't think so.

In fact, he says the alliance wants to boost solidarity.

"We want to promote solidarity but not at the expense of weaker (nations). Europe should not dictate the stronger ones, those who are bigger or stronger today. European solidarity should be based on common values," he said.&nbsp;

"Europe should not dictate," is a popular slogan in Eastern Europe.

Beyond the cosmetics in Brussels, the EU is an endless bureaucratic pit.

There are tens of thousands of standards that include the size of a loaf of bread, the length of the exhaust pipe on your car, amongst more.&nbsp;

But there is an upside to this as the regulations extend to democratic practices like freedom of speech.

Brussels has long accused Orban of running Hungary into lawlessness.

The Hungarian PM does not appreciate this evaluation.

There is no single reason for this right-wing renaissance which is a combination of anti-migration rhetoric, the self-glorifying politics of the left and an aversion to a multi-cultural Europe.

However, forging this alliance won't be easy.

Both Orban and Salvini are close to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Poland on the other hand has a love-hate relationship with Moscow and so navigating the Russian question will not be easy.

Europe is fertile ground for right-wing politics, a trend that was reinforced by the pandemic.

The EU effectively cut off vaccine trade and spent big bucks to sweep up millions of doses.

These are classic right-wing strategies.

Orban and his allies are playing to a gallery that is already on its feet applauding.

The ambitions of this new alliance are clear, which is a conservative Europe with regressive controls on citizens.

The EU has long dictated other countries on policies.

So is it going to disown these three members? The chances are highly unlikely.&nbsp;

But if this new alliance does materialise, we could see some heated face-offs in the European Parliament.

And with the wave of right-wing populism spreading across Europe, such a political divide could be the end of European solidarity or whatever is left of it.

When Europe shifts right, there are no half measures. It's a full-on plunge into populism, expansionism and ethnic-racial politics. The last time, this happened, the world suffered as ruthless dictators ran riot, free nations were invaded and millions died.

When Europe shifts right, there are no half measures. It's a full-on plunge into populism, expansionism and ethnic-racial politics. The last time, this happened, the world suffered as ruthless dictators ran riot, free nations were invaded and millions died. Watch | Today as the European left fails to deliver, the European right is re-emerging. But what are its ambitions this time? Will the continent once again be carved up on ideological lines? Let's first look at some context. Also read | European Union denounces China's 'harassment' of foreign journalists On Thursday, three powerful right-leaning politicians met in Budapest, the Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Polish PM Mateusz Morawiecki and Italian leader Matteo Salvini. They were laying the groundwork for a new European project, a right-leaning political grouping within the continent. This isn't a new idea and the EU parliament already has a right-leaning alliance. It is led by the European People's Party, but last month, Orban quit this alliance. He feels it is playing second fiddle to the European left. The question is what unites this proposed alliance? Orban briefly touched upon this, the NATO, Europe's Atlantic commitment and liberty, dignity, Christianity, family and national sovereignty. The recent wave of migration into Europe has multiplied the continent's diversity. This has come with its own drawbacks like radicalisation and a series of Islamist attacks. Leaders like Orban believe in the singularity of Europe and Christianity. His new alliance would champion a Christian Europe. Orban also talks about family and it makes sense from a Christian perspective. The Hungarian PM is not a fan of abortion or gay rights and during his tenure, he has limited both. Poland recently enforced a near-total ban on abortion. And in Italy, Salvini is known for making rounds at anti-abortion conferences. Europe's right-wing dream is basically a conservative Christian kingdom. Does this mean a withdrawal from the European Union? The Polish prime minister doesn't think so. In fact, he says the alliance wants to boost solidarity. "We want to promote solidarity but not at the expense of weaker (nations). Europe should not dictate the stronger ones, those who are bigger or stronger today. European solidarity should be based on common values," he said. "Europe should not dictate," is a popular slogan in Eastern Europe. Beyond the cosmetics in Brussels, the EU is an endless bureaucratic pit. There are tens of thousands of standards that include the size of a loaf of bread, the length of the exhaust pipe on your car, amongst more. But there is an upside to this as the regulations extend to democratic practices like freedom of speech. Brussels has long accused Orban of running Hungary into lawlessness. The Hungarian PM does not appreciate this evaluation. There is no single reason for this right-wing renaissance which is a combination of anti-migration rhetoric, the self-glorifying politics of the left and an aversion to a multi-cultural Europe. However, forging this alliance won't be easy. Both Orban and Salvini are close to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Poland on the other hand has a love-hate relationship with Moscow and so navigating the Russian question will not be easy. Europe is fertile ground for right-wing politics, a trend that was reinforced by the pandemic. The EU effectively cut off vaccine trade and spent big bucks to sweep up millions of doses. These are classic right-wing strategies. Orban and his allies are playing to a gallery that is already on its feet applauding. The ambitions of this new alliance are clear, which is a conservative Europe with regressive controls on citizens. The EU has long dictated other countries on policies. So is it going to disown these three members? The chances are highly unlikely. But if this new alliance does materialise, we could see some heated face-offs in the European Parliament. And with the wave of right-wing populism spreading across Europe, such a political divide could be the end of European solidarity or whatever is left of it.

As European right re-emerges, what are the ambitions now?

The European Union on Friday condemned the "harassment" of foreign journalists in China after a BBC correspondent left the country in the face of legal threats and pressure from authorities.

John Sudworth said he had quit China for Taiwan,&nbsp;along with his Irish journalist wife,&nbsp;after a "full-on propaganda attack" from the authorities due to his reporting on Xinjiang rights abuses and the coronavirus pandemic.&nbsp;

"This is the latest case of foreign correspondents being driven out of China as a result of continuous harassment and obstruction to their work, coming on top of the expulsion of at least 18 correspondents last year," a spokesperson for EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said in a statement.&nbsp;

"The EU has repeatedly expressed its concerns to the Chinese authorities at the undue working restrictions imposed on foreign journalists&nbsp;and reported related harassment."

"Foreign correspondents play an important role in imparting information across frontiers and contributing to strengthening mutual understanding between the EU and China."

Press freedom groups say the space for reporters to operate in China is increasingly tightly controlled, with journalists followed on the streets, suffering harassment online and refused visas.&nbsp;

At least 18 foreign correspondents were expelled by China last year, during a tit-for-tat row with the United States that decimated the international press presence in the country.

China's foreign ministry on Wednesday said Sudworth had not given any notice of his departure, and it strongly condemned the&nbsp;BBC's reporting on Xinjiang, COVID-19 and Hong Kong.

"We never threatened him," foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told a regular daily news briefing. "We don't know why he left because he didn't say goodbye."

Announcing Sudworth's move, the&nbsp;BBC&nbsp;said in a statement that he remained its China correspondent.

"John's work has exposed truth the Chinese authorities did not want the world to know," it said.

Last month, China barred the&nbsp;BBC&nbsp;World News from being aired in response to what the Chinese embassy in London called "relentless fabrication of 'lies of the century' in reporting China."

One flashpoint was a&nbsp;BBC&nbsp;report in February that women in Xinjiang's internment camps for Uighurs were subject to rape, sexual abuse and torture.

China has repeatedly said the&nbsp;BBC's report was false and it has also forcefully denied other claims of human rights abuses in Xinjiang raised by western governments and rights groups.

Sudworth was not one of the&nbsp;BBC&nbsp;journalists credited in the Xinjiang report, though he has been criticised by name by the Chinese foreign ministry as well as Chinese state and Communist Party-backed media for his reporting.

Retaliation

Chinese state media recently reported that unnamed people and entities in Xinjiang were preparing to sue the&nbsp;BBC&nbsp;over reports related to the region. The state media reports did not include details of a suit and no corresponding notices were made public on local court sites.

"I think those people are trying to protect their own rights and interests through legal means, but such acts have nothing to do with the Chinese government," spokeswoman Hua said.

The Foreign Correspondents' Club of China said that Sudworth had left at short notice on March 23 with his wife Yvonne Murray, a journalist for Irish broadcaster RTE.

It said Sudworth had spent the past two years on visas of one-, three- and six-month durations - shorter than the usual one-year for foreign correspondents.

"Abuse of Sudworth and his colleagues at the&nbsp;BBC&nbsp;form part of a larger pattern of harassment and intimidation that obstructs the work of foreign correspondents in China and exposes their Chinese news assistants to growing pressure," an FCCC statement said.

"We urge China to live up to its stated commitment to facilitate unhindered reporting in China. In particular, the FCCC calls for an end to dangerous, personal attacks on individual reporters and foreign media outlets."

China expelled more than a dozen foreign journalists working for US&nbsp;media organisations in 2020. That year saw a “rapid decline in media freedom”, the FCCC said in a report this month.

Several foreign correspondents have relocated to Taiwan from China. A foreign ministry spokeswoman in Taiwan said she could not comment on individual cases but said: "We welcome all reporters from media outlets to come to Taiwan and enjoy the freedom of the press and speech."

The European Union on Friday condemned the "harassment" of foreign journalists in China after a BBC correspondent left the country in the face of legal threats and pressure from authorities.

The European Union on Friday condemned the "harassment" of foreign journalists in China after a BBC correspondent left the country in the face of legal threats and pressure from authorities. John Sudworth said he had quit China for Taiwan, along with his Irish journalist wife, after a "full-on propaganda attack" from the authorities due to his reporting on Xinjiang rights abuses and the coronavirus pandemic. "This is the latest case of foreign correspondents being driven out of China as a result of continuous harassment and obstruction to their work, coming on top of the expulsion of at least 18 correspondents last year," a spokesperson for EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said in a statement. "The EU has repeatedly expressed its concerns to the Chinese authorities at the undue working restrictions imposed on foreign journalists and reported related harassment." "Foreign correspondents play an important role in imparting information across frontiers and contributing to strengthening mutual understanding between the EU and China." Press freedom groups say the space for reporters to operate in China is increasingly tightly controlled, with journalists followed on the streets, suffering harassment online and refused visas. At least 18 foreign correspondents were expelled by China last year, during a tit-for-tat row with the United States that decimated the international press presence in the country. China's foreign ministry on Wednesday said Sudworth had not given any notice of his departure, and it strongly condemned the BBC's reporting on Xinjiang, COVID-19 and Hong Kong. "We never threatened him," foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told a regular daily news briefing. "We don't know why he left because he didn't say goodbye." Announcing Sudworth's move, the BBC said in a statement that he remained its China correspondent. "John's work has exposed truth the Chinese authorities did not want the world to know," it said. Last month, China barred the BBC World News from being aired in response to what the Chinese embassy in London called "relentless fabrication of 'lies of the century' in reporting China." One flashpoint was a BBC report in February that women in Xinjiang's internment camps for Uighurs were subject to rape, sexual abuse and torture. China has repeatedly said the BBC's report was false and it has also forcefully denied other claims of human rights abuses in Xinjiang raised by western governments and rights groups. Sudworth was not one of the BBC journalists credited in the Xinjiang report, though he has been criticised by name by the Chinese foreign ministry as well as Chinese state and Communist Party-backed media for his reporting. Retaliation Chinese state media recently reported that unnamed people and entities in Xinjiang were preparing to sue the BBC over reports related to the region. The state media reports did not include details of a suit and no corresponding notices were made public on local court sites. "I think those people are trying to protect their own rights and interests through legal means, but such acts have nothing to do with the Chinese government," spokeswoman Hua said. The Foreign Correspondents' Club of China said that Sudworth had left at short notice on March 23 with his wife Yvonne Murray, a journalist for Irish broadcaster RTE. It said Sudworth had spent the past two years on visas of one-, three- and six-month durations - shorter than the usual one-year for foreign correspondents. "Abuse of Sudworth and his colleagues at the BBC form part of a larger pattern of harassment and intimidation that obstructs the work of foreign correspondents in China and exposes their Chinese news assistants to growing pressure," an FCCC statement said. "We urge China to live up to its stated commitment to facilitate unhindered reporting in China. In particular, the FCCC calls for an end to dangerous, personal attacks on individual reporters and foreign media outlets." China expelled more than a dozen foreign journalists working for US media organisations in 2020. That year saw a “rapid decline in media freedom”, the FCCC said in a report this month. Several foreign correspondents have relocated to Taiwan from China. A foreign ministry spokeswoman in Taiwan said she could not comment on individual cases but said: "We welcome all reporters from media outlets to come to Taiwan and enjoy the freedom of the press and speech."

European Union denounces China's 'harassment' of foreign journalists

The European Union drug regulator said on Wednesday that it has not identified any "specific risk factors" of the Oxford-AstraZeneca <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus-vaccine">coronavirus&nbsp;vaccine</a>, but is carrying out further analysis.&nbsp;

"At present, the review has not identified any specific risk factors, such as age, gender or a previous medical history of clotting disorders, for these very rare events," the European Medicines Agency in a statement said.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/germany-halts-use-of-astrazeneca-covid-19-vaccine-for-under-60s-374492/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The announcement comes after some European countries have limited its use only to the elderly population.&nbsp;

The German government on Tuesday said that Oxford-AstraZeneca's vaccine will be used only for over 60-year-olds after the country's regulatory body found "very rare but very serious cases of thrombosis".&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/biontech-pfizer-say-their-covid-19-vaccine-has-100-efficacy-in-12-15-year-olds-374524">BioNTech-Pfizer say their Covid-19 vaccine has 100% efficacy in 12-15 year olds</a>

Der Spiegel magazine on Tuesday reported that Germany's medicines regulator has confirmed 31 cases of blood clots in people vaccinated with the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine and nearly all cases were being detected in young and middle-aged women.

Canada on Monday also halted the drug's use for people under-55s "pending further analysis".&nbsp;

In France, the vaccine can only be used by people over 55s and Spain has taken the same measure for those under-65.&nbsp;

Earlier, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the EU's health body both have shrugged off blood clot fears related to the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, calling it safe to use after probes.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

The European Union drug regulator said on Wednesday that it has not identified any "specific risk factors" of the Oxford-AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine, but is carrying out further analysis.

The European Union drug regulator said on Wednesday that it has not identified any "specific risk factors" of the Oxford-AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine, but is carrying out further analysis. "At present, the review has not identified any specific risk factors, such as age, gender or a previous medical history of clotting disorders, for these very rare events," the European Medicines Agency in a statement said. Watch | The announcement comes after some European countries have limited its use only to the elderly population. The German government on Tuesday said that Oxford-AstraZeneca's vaccine will be used only for over 60-year-olds after the country's regulatory body found "very rare but very serious cases of thrombosis". Also read | BioNTech-Pfizer say their Covid-19 vaccine has 100% efficacy in 12-15 year olds Der Spiegel magazine on Tuesday reported that Germany's medicines regulator has confirmed 31 cases of blood clots in people vaccinated with the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine and nearly all cases were being detected in young and middle-aged women. Canada on Monday also halted the drug's use for people under-55s "pending further analysis". In France, the vaccine can only be used by people over 55s and Spain has taken the same measure for those under-65. Earlier, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the EU's health body both have shrugged off blood clot fears related to the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, calling it safe to use after probes.

EU says no age-related risk of AstraZeneca vaccine found so far

Alphabet unit Google will contribute 25 million euros ($29.3 million) to the newly set up European Media and Information Fund to combat fake news, the company said on Wednesday, amid criticism tech giants are not doing enough to debunk online disinformation.

The COVID-19 pandemic and the US election last year spurred a massive spike in misinformation, with some blaming social media for not being more proactive in tackling the issue while regulators have indicated they may take action via heavy-handed restrictions.

The European Media and Information Fund, launched by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation and the European University Institute last week, aims to enlist researchers, fact-checkers, not-for-profits and other public interest-oriented bodies to help in the fight against fake news.

"While navigating the uncertainty and challenges of the last year, it has proven more important than ever for people to access accurate information, and sort facts from fiction," Matt Brittin, head of Google's EMEA Business &amp; Operations, said in a blog post.

The fund has a duration of five years. The European Digital Media Observatory, which is a European Commission project set up last year and whose members include fact-checkers and academic researchers, will evaluate and select the projects.

Alphabet unit Google will contribute 25 million euros ($29.3 million) to the newly set up European Media and Information Fund to combat fake news, the company said on Wednesday, amid criticism tech giants are not doing enough to debunk online disinformation.

Alphabet unit Google will contribute 25 million euros ($29.3 million) to the newly set up European Media and Information Fund to combat fake news, the company said on Wednesday, amid criticism tech giants are not doing enough to debunk online disinformation. The COVID-19 pandemic and the US election last year spurred a massive spike in misinformation, with some blaming social media for not being more proactive in tackling the issue while regulators have indicated they may take action via heavy-handed restrictions. The European Media and Information Fund, launched by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation and the European University Institute last week, aims to enlist researchers, fact-checkers, not-for-profits and other public interest-oriented bodies to help in the fight against fake news. "While navigating the uncertainty and challenges of the last year, it has proven more important than ever for people to access accurate information, and sort facts from fiction," Matt Brittin, head of Google's EMEA Business & Operations, said in a blog post. The fund has a duration of five years. The European Digital Media Observatory, which is a European Commission project set up last year and whose members include fact-checkers and academic researchers, will evaluate and select the projects.

Google to contribute $29 million to new European Union fund to fight fake news

EU chiefs Charles Michel and Ursula von der Leyen will travel to Turkey on April 6 for a meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, an EU spokesman said Monday.&nbsp;

EU leaders said at a summit last week they were ready to improve cooperation with Ankara if Erdogan maintained the current "de-escalation", following a spike in tensions over the eastern Mediterranean last year.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/nato-vs-nato-in-turkey-eu-rift-256136/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The EU threatened sanctions on Ankara over a row between&nbsp;Turkey&nbsp;and EU member Greece last year over maritime jurisdiction in the eastern Mediterranean but halted the plans after a more constructive tone from&nbsp;Erdogan.

Von der Leyen welcomed Ankara's change in stance on the eastern Mediterranean but said the relationship between the bloc and aspiring member&nbsp;Turkey&nbsp;was still fragile.

"Turkey&nbsp;has shown a more constructive attitude including in its bilateral relations with several EU member states. These are positive and welcomed steps on which we must try to build on," Von der Leyen said.

Negotiations could still take several years to complete and the EU is concerned that Erdogan could change course as he seeks a bigger regional role for&nbsp;Turkey, moving against the EU.

"If&nbsp;Turkey&nbsp;does not move forward constructively, it returns to unilateral actions or provocations in particular in the Eastern Mediterranean, of course, would suspend this cooperation measures," the former German defence minister said.

EU chiefs Charles Michel and Ursula von der Leyen will travel to Turkey on April 6 for a meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, an EU spokesman said Monday.

EU chiefs Charles Michel and Ursula von der Leyen will travel to Turkey on April 6 for a meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, an EU spokesman said Monday. EU leaders said at a summit last week they were ready to improve cooperation with Ankara if Erdogan maintained the current "de-escalation", following a spike in tensions over the eastern Mediterranean last year. The EU threatened sanctions on Ankara over a row between Turkey and EU member Greece last year over maritime jurisdiction in the eastern Mediterranean but halted the plans after a more constructive tone from Erdogan. Von der Leyen welcomed Ankara's change in stance on the eastern Mediterranean but said the relationship between the bloc and aspiring member Turkey was still fragile. "Turkey has shown a more constructive attitude including in its bilateral relations with several EU member states. These are positive and welcomed steps on which we must try to build on," Von der Leyen said. Negotiations could still take several years to complete and the EU is concerned that Erdogan could change course as he seeks a bigger regional role for Turkey, moving against the EU. "If Turkey does not move forward constructively, it returns to unilateral actions or provocations in particular in the Eastern Mediterranean, of course, would suspend this cooperation measures," the former German defence minister said.

European Union chiefs to visit Turkey on April 6

Britain is close to striking a vaccine deal with the European Union as soon as this weekend that will remove the threat of the bloc cutting off supplies, The Times reported on Saturday.&nbsp;

Under the agreement, the EU will remove its threat to ban the export of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines to Britain, it added.&nbsp;

In return, the British government will agree to forgo some long-term supplies of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine that had been due to be exported from a factory in Holland run by AstraZeneca's subcontractor Halix, the newspaper reported.&nbsp;

However, the EU has never threatened a ban on the export of vaccines, but has only said it could block on a case-by-case basis specific vaccine shipments to countries with higher vaccination rates or that do not export vaccines to the EU.&nbsp;

"We are only at the start of discussions with the UK. There are no talks over the weekend," an EU Commission source said on Saturday, adding that sending vaccines produced at Halix was not part of the talks.&nbsp;

A second EU source had previously said that the EU has no intention of sharing with Britain the vaccine substance from Halix, which is estimated to have already produced enough for about 15-20 million doses, and can produce the equivalent of 5 million shots per month.&nbsp;

The British government, Pfizer-BioNTech, and AstraZeneca were not immediately available for comment.&nbsp;

The EU's rebuff follows Britain's repeated refusal to share with Brussels AstraZeneca doses produced at two factories in the UK.&nbsp;

On Friday, the European Medicines Agency approved the Halix production site in the Netherlands that makes the AstraZeneca vaccine and a facility in Marburg in Germany producing BioNTech/Pfizer shots.&nbsp;

The EU's clearing of the vaccine site comes as the union is banking on it boosting deliveries in the second quarter and accelerate the slow pace of inoculations in the bloc.&nbsp;

Europe's troubled vaccine rollout has led to a quarrel with Britain, which has imported 21 million doses made in the EU, according to an EU official. Britain says it did a better job negotiating with manufacturers and arranging supply chains.&nbsp;

The EU says that Britain should share more, notably to help make up the shortfall in contracted deliveries of AstraZeneca shots.&nbsp;

Brussels and London sought to cool tensions on Wednesday, declaring they were working 'to create a win-win situation and expand vaccine supply for all our citizens'.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) &nbsp;

Britain is close to striking a vaccine deal with the European Union as soon as this weekend that will remove the threat of the bloc cutting off supplies, The Times reported on Saturday.

Britain is close to striking a vaccine deal with the European Union as soon as this weekend that will remove the threat of the bloc cutting off supplies, The Times reported on Saturday. Under the agreement, the EU will remove its threat to ban the export of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines to Britain, it added. In return, the British government will agree to forgo some long-term supplies of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine that had been due to be exported from a factory in Holland run by AstraZeneca's subcontractor Halix, the newspaper reported. However, the EU has never threatened a ban on the export of vaccines, but has only said it could block on a case-by-case basis specific vaccine shipments to countries with higher vaccination rates or that do not export vaccines to the EU. "We are only at the start of discussions with the UK. There are no talks over the weekend," an EU Commission source said on Saturday, adding that sending vaccines produced at Halix was not part of the talks. A second EU source had previously said that the EU has no intention of sharing with Britain the vaccine substance from Halix, which is estimated to have already produced enough for about 15-20 million doses, and can produce the equivalent of 5 million shots per month. The British government, Pfizer-BioNTech, and AstraZeneca were not immediately available for comment. The EU's rebuff follows Britain's repeated refusal to share with Brussels AstraZeneca doses produced at two factories in the UK. On Friday, the European Medicines Agency approved the Halix production site in the Netherlands that makes the AstraZeneca vaccine and a facility in Marburg in Germany producing BioNTech/Pfizer shots. The EU's clearing of the vaccine site comes as the union is banking on it boosting deliveries in the second quarter and accelerate the slow pace of inoculations in the bloc. Europe's troubled vaccine rollout has led to a quarrel with Britain, which has imported 21 million doses made in the EU, according to an EU official. Britain says it did a better job negotiating with manufacturers and arranging supply chains. The EU says that Britain should share more, notably to help make up the shortfall in contracted deliveries of AstraZeneca shots. Brussels and London sought to cool tensions on Wednesday, declaring they were working 'to create a win-win situation and expand vaccine supply for all our citizens'. (With inputs from agencies)

Britain nearing vaccine deal with European Union: Report 

Coronavirus cases are surging across the European Union. Amid the recent spike and vaccine vows the EU held its virtual vaccine summit recently. In the crucial summit, leaders of the 27 member states discussed possible measures to ramp up vaccination supply as well as inoculations across the block.

EU Vaccine's Summit: Members highlight disparity in vaccine supply across EU

France's foreign minister on Friday accused the United Kingdom of blackmailing the European Union over <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus-vaccine">coronavirus vaccine </a>deliveries.&nbsp;

"The United Kingdom has taken great pride in vaccinating well with the first dose except they have a problem with the second dose," Jean-Yves Le Drian told France Info radio, as reported by news agency AFP.

Watch |&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/uk-pm-johnson-suggests-pubs-might-require-customers-to-produce-vaccine-certificate-373216/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"You are vaccinated when you have had both doses. Today there are as many people vaccinated with both in France as the United Kingdom," he said.

He added that Britain is "handicapped" now because it hurried to vaccinate people with the first dose, but now faces a shortage of the second one, thereby using "blackmail" tactics.&nbsp;

Also read | <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>

"You can't be playing like this, a bit of blackmail, just because you hurried to get people vaccinated with a first shot, and now you're a bit handicapped because you don't have the second one," the foreign minister said.&nbsp;

The comments came in the backdrop of EU-UK row on an AstraZeneca plant in the Netherlands, which Prime Minister Boris Johnson argues is part of the British supply chain.

Reacting to this, the EU warned the UK on Thursday that it would ban coronavirus vaccines export to the country and other nations with plenty of drugs if they don't commit their deliveries to the bloc.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

France's foreign minister on Friday accused the United Kingdom of blackmailing the European Union over coronavirus vaccine deliveries. "The United Kingdom has taken great pride in vaccinating well with the first dose except they have a problem with the second dose," Jean-Yves Le Drian told France Info radio, as reported by news agency AFP.

France's foreign minister on Friday accused the United Kingdom of blackmailing the European Union over coronavirus vaccine deliveries. "The United Kingdom has taken great pride in vaccinating well with the first dose except they have a problem with the second dose," Jean-Yves Le Drian told France Info radio, as reported by news agency AFP. Watch | "You are vaccinated when you have had both doses. Today there are as many people vaccinated with both in France as the United Kingdom," he said. He added that Britain is "handicapped" now because it hurried to vaccinate people with the first dose, but now faces a shortage of the second one, thereby using "blackmail" tactics. Also read | France accuses Russia of using its Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine as 'propaganda' tool "You can't be playing like this, a bit of blackmail, just because you hurried to get people vaccinated with a first shot, and now you're a bit handicapped because you don't have the second one," the foreign minister said. The comments came in the backdrop of EU-UK row on an AstraZeneca plant in the Netherlands, which Prime Minister Boris Johnson argues is part of the British supply chain. Reacting to this, the EU warned the UK on Thursday that it would ban coronavirus vaccines export to the country and other nations with plenty of drugs if they don't commit their deliveries to the bloc.

France hits out at UK over 'blackmail' of coronavirus vaccine deliveries

Amid the recent spike in COVID-19 cases, the EU is holding a virtual vaccine summit in which leaders of the 27 member states are discussing possible measures to ramp up vaccination supply as well as inoculations across the block. French President Emmanuel Macron expresses frustration over the lagging vaccination drive during the summit.

EU Vaccine Summit: Macron expresses frustration over lagging vaccination drive

Amid the recent spike in COVID-19 cases, the EU is holding a virtual vaccine summit in which leaders of the 27 member states are discussing possible measures to ramp up vaccination supply as well as inoculations across the block.

Your Story: Vaccine failures cast shadow over EU summit as COVID surges

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Thursday that cooperation between allies was more important than at any time in recent history and that relations with NATO and the European Union would be crucial to overcoming challenges.

Speaking on the last day of his three-day visit to Brussels, Blinken continued what many European officials said was a charm offensive to win back the support of allies sidelined during four abrasive years under US&nbsp;President Joe Biden's predecessor Donald Trump.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-will-not-push-allies-into-us-or-them-choice-on-china-says-antony-blinken-372854" hreflang="en">US will not push allies into 'us-or-them choice' on China, says Antony Blinken</a>

"I came here very much with one particular focus in mind, and that was to make clear the United States' determination to revitalise our alliances and partnerships," Blinken said alongside Belgium's Foreign Minister Sophie Wilmes.

He later told US&nbsp;diplomats in Brussels he wanted to mend and "modernise" relationships to focus on new challenges, which he has listed as China's rise, COVID-19, climate change, a newly assertive Russia and keeping a technological edge on rivals.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/antony-blinken-pushes-turkey-over-russian-s-400-at-nato-373120/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"There's a greater premium than any time since I've been involved in these issues, on finding ways to work together, again," said Blinken, a long-time Biden confidant involved in US&nbsp;foreign policy for decades.

Blinken won European Union support on Wednesday for a US&nbsp;plan to confront Chinese power together through a formal dialogue that Beijing had hoped to avoid, praising EU officials who Trump actively sought to undermine.

"A basic tenet of the Biden-Harris administration is consulting with our friends, early and often," Blinken said.

Biden will address EU leaders via video conference later on Thursday, the first such gesture since President Barack Obama did so in 2009.

Issues remain, however, including Turkey's purchase of Russian missiles and discussions with Moscow to buy more, and the Nord Stream 2 pipeline under construction between Russia and Germany, which Blinken reiterated that Washington opposes.

"Some of our allies are moving in the wrong direction," he said on Wednesday, referring to backsliding on democracy in Hungary, Poland and Turkey, although he did not name countries.

He stressed that alliances need to serve U.S. interests and that NATO allies must help pay for their own security, saying: "We can't sustain effective alliances without showing how they deliver for the American people."

But China's decision on Monday to retaliate strongly against Western sanctions over human rights abuses has appeared to bring Europe and the United States closer together. European governments have summoned Chinese envoys to explain measures against EU nationals that were seen as going far beyond what Brussels imposed.

"We're convinced that it is (through) enduring relationships, like the one between our countries, and like the ones that exist through the European Union and through NATO ... that we can overcome any of these challenges," Blinken said.

Citing the "devastating" COVID-19 pandemic, Blinken promised to work with the EU and NATO on global distribution of vaccines, and to ensure they are prepared for future pandemics.

While insisting Europe does not have to choose between the United States and China, Blinken insisted throughout his trip that the West must show authoritarian states that democracy is a superior system and stand up for liberal values.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Thursday that cooperation between allies was more important than at any time in recent history and that relations with NATO and the European Union would be crucial to overcoming challenges.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Thursday that cooperation between allies was more important than at any time in recent history and that relations with NATO and the European Union would be crucial to overcoming challenges. Speaking on the last day of his three-day visit to Brussels, Blinken continued what many European officials said was a charm offensive to win back the support of allies sidelined during four abrasive years under US President Joe Biden's predecessor Donald Trump. Also read| US will not push allies into 'us-or-them choice' on China, says Antony Blinken "I came here very much with one particular focus in mind, and that was to make clear the United States' determination to revitalise our alliances and partnerships," Blinken said alongside Belgium's Foreign Minister Sophie Wilmes. He later told US diplomats in Brussels he wanted to mend and "modernise" relationships to focus on new challenges, which he has listed as China's rise, COVID-19, climate change, a newly assertive Russia and keeping a technological edge on rivals. "There's a greater premium than any time since I've been involved in these issues, on finding ways to work together, again," said Blinken, a long-time Biden confidant involved in US foreign policy for decades. Blinken won European Union support on Wednesday for a US plan to confront Chinese power together through a formal dialogue that Beijing had hoped to avoid, praising EU officials who Trump actively sought to undermine. "A basic tenet of the Biden-Harris administration is consulting with our friends, early and often," Blinken said. Biden will address EU leaders via video conference later on Thursday, the first such gesture since President Barack Obama did so in 2009. Issues remain, however, including Turkey's purchase of Russian missiles and discussions with Moscow to buy more, and the Nord Stream 2 pipeline under construction between Russia and Germany, which Blinken reiterated that Washington opposes. "Some of our allies are moving in the wrong direction," he said on Wednesday, referring to backsliding on democracy in Hungary, Poland and Turkey, although he did not name countries. He stressed that alliances need to serve U.S. interests and that NATO allies must help pay for their own security, saying: "We can't sustain effective alliances without showing how they deliver for the American people." But China's decision on Monday to retaliate strongly against Western sanctions over human rights abuses has appeared to bring Europe and the United States closer together. European governments have summoned Chinese envoys to explain measures against EU nationals that were seen as going far beyond what Brussels imposed. "We're convinced that it is (through) enduring relationships, like the one between our countries, and like the ones that exist through the European Union and through NATO ... that we can overcome any of these challenges," Blinken said. Citing the "devastating" COVID-19 pandemic, Blinken promised to work with the EU and NATO on global distribution of vaccines, and to ensure they are prepared for future pandemics. While insisting Europe does not have to choose between the United States and China, Blinken insisted throughout his trip that the West must show authoritarian states that democracy is a superior system and stand up for liberal values.

West needs to revitalise alliances more than ever, says US Secretary of State Blinken

A stockpile of 29 million doses of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine that were found languishing in a facility in Italy became the new flash point on Wednesday in the conflict between the pharmaceutical company and the European Union, as the bloc prepared to unveil stringent export restrictions primarily meant to stop drugmakers from sending doses abroad.

Italian authorities found the vaccines in a site visit, European Union officials said, at a factory near Rome that is contracted to fill and finish COVID-19 vaccine vials for AstraZeneca.

Italian authorities went to the site after receiving an alert from the European Commission, which found a discrepancy between what the company said it was producing in European Union facilities, and what the facilities themselves were reporting.

The presence of so many doses raised suspicions that the pharmaceutical company was trying to find a way to export them to Britain or elsewhere, something the bloc has demanded that AstraZeneca stop doing until the company fulfills its promises for deliveries.

The European Union was meant to receive more than 100 million vaccine doses from AstraZeneca in the first quarter of this year, but has received only 16.6 million. The supply shortage has helped to derail vaccination efforts across the 27 member countries and contributed to embarrassingly slow inoculation rates on the continent.

What has most irked the European Union is that AstraZeneca has been consistently delivering on its contract with Britain while letting the bloc take the brunt of its production failures that have diminished supplies. AstraZeneca has denied it has violated its EU contract. The bloc took the first step last week to litigate the issue by activating an amicable dispute mechanism with AstraZeneca, but there is no indication either party intends to take it to court.

The bloc tried to force AstraZeneca to deliver more doses by introducing a system of export authorizations on Feb. 1, but only one AstraZeneca shipment, a small batch headed to Australia, has been blocked since that came into force.

On Wednesday, the European Union introduced a stricter export-control plan that aims to crack down on exports, as the bloc fears AstraZeneca deliveries will also disappoint in the second quarter as the bloc confronts a third wave of infections and extended lockdowns.

EU officials said there was no evidence that the stockpile in Italy, first reported by the Italian daily La Stampa, was bound for Britain. They said the company, when confronted about the doses, said that 16 million doses were bound for the EU market and 13 million to countries under the Covax initiative that aims to get doses to poorer nations. Those latter exports would be exempt from EU controls, as they are deemed to be of humanitarian nature.

AstraZeneca did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The officials said they had asked AstraZeneca for additional information about where the active ingredient in the vaccine vials found in Italy had been manufactured — a question aimed at forcing the company to provide more information about its supply chain and production capacity.

For AstraZeneca, the dispute over the Italian doses was the latest in a series of communications blunders with health officials on both sides of the Atlantic that have soured the company’s relationship with several governments.

Some American officials learned about a snag in the company’s clinical trials last year from the news media. The company’s U.S. trial was paused for nearly seven weeks last fall, in part because AstraZeneca was slow to provide U.S. regulators with evidence that the vaccine had not caused a neurological illness. (Investigators later concluded the symptoms were not linked to the vaccine.)

But analysts believe that some of AstraZeneca’s manufacturing difficulties are also a reflection of the company’s ambitious global distribution plans. It had intended to make as many as three billion doses this year, in part by contracting its manufacturing to plants all over the world. Other vaccine makers, by contrast, are relying on only a few facilities.

That global network of factories, analysts said, had the potential to create complications in the company’s supply chain, though it is also part of what has made the vaccine so critical to the global vaccination effort.

A stockpile of 29 million doses of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine that were found languishing in a facility in Italy became the new flash point on Wednesday in the conflict between the pharmaceutical company and the European Union, as the bloc prepared to unveil stringent export restrictions primarily meant to stop drugmakers from sending doses abroad.

A stockpile of 29 million doses of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine that were found languishing in a facility in Italy became the new flash point on Wednesday in the conflict between the pharmaceutical company and the European Union, as the bloc prepared to unveil stringent export restrictions primarily meant to stop drugmakers from sending doses abroad. Italian authorities found the vaccines in a site visit, European Union officials said, at a factory near Rome that is contracted to fill and finish COVID-19 vaccine vials for AstraZeneca. Italian authorities went to the site after receiving an alert from the European Commission, which found a discrepancy between what the company said it was producing in European Union facilities, and what the facilities themselves were reporting. The presence of so many doses raised suspicions that the pharmaceutical company was trying to find a way to export them to Britain or elsewhere, something the bloc has demanded that AstraZeneca stop doing until the company fulfills its promises for deliveries. The European Union was meant to receive more than 100 million vaccine doses from AstraZeneca in the first quarter of this year, but has received only 16.6 million. The supply shortage has helped to derail vaccination efforts across the 27 member countries and contributed to embarrassingly slow inoculation rates on the continent. What has most irked the European Union is that AstraZeneca has been consistently delivering on its contract with Britain while letting the bloc take the brunt of its production failures that have diminished supplies. AstraZeneca has denied it has violated its EU contract. The bloc took the first step last week to litigate the issue by activating an amicable dispute mechanism with AstraZeneca, but there is no indication either party intends to take it to court. The bloc tried to force AstraZeneca to deliver more doses by introducing a system of export authorizations on Feb. 1, but only one AstraZeneca shipment, a small batch headed to Australia, has been blocked since that came into force. On Wednesday, the European Union introduced a stricter export-control plan that aims to crack down on exports, as the bloc fears AstraZeneca deliveries will also disappoint in the second quarter as the bloc confronts a third wave of infections and extended lockdowns. EU officials said there was no evidence that the stockpile in Italy, first reported by the Italian daily La Stampa, was bound for Britain. They said the company, when confronted about the doses, said that 16 million doses were bound for the EU market and 13 million to countries under the Covax initiative that aims to get doses to poorer nations. Those latter exports would be exempt from EU controls, as they are deemed to be of humanitarian nature. AstraZeneca did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The officials said they had asked AstraZeneca for additional information about where the active ingredient in the vaccine vials found in Italy had been manufactured — a question aimed at forcing the company to provide more information about its supply chain and production capacity. For AstraZeneca, the dispute over the Italian doses was the latest in a series of communications blunders with health officials on both sides of the Atlantic that have soured the company’s relationship with several governments. Some American officials learned about a snag in the company’s clinical trials last year from the news media. The company’s U.S. trial was paused for nearly seven weeks last fall, in part because AstraZeneca was slow to provide U.S. regulators with evidence that the vaccine had not caused a neurological illness. (Investigators later concluded the symptoms were not linked to the vaccine.) But analysts believe that some of AstraZeneca’s manufacturing difficulties are also a reflection of the company’s ambitious global distribution plans. It had intended to make as many as three billion doses this year, in part by contracting its manufacturing to plants all over the world. Other vaccine makers, by contrast, are relying on only a few facilities. That global network of factories, analysts said, had the potential to create complications in the company’s supply chain, though it is also part of what has made the vaccine so critical to the global vaccination effort.

Cache of 29 Million AstraZeneca doses in Italy raises EU suspicions

The European Union imposed sanctions on four Chinese officials accused of responsibility for abuses against Uyghur Muslims. This is the EU's first sanction against Beijing since 1989.

WION Fineprint: EU sanctions four Chinese officials over Uighur abuses

The European Union on Sunday (Indian time) urged Turkey to reverse its decision to withdraw from Istanbul Convention on women's rights. The treaty has been designed to prevent violence against women.

"Now is the time to show leadership and enhance global efforts to fight violence against women and girls, not to retreat. This is why we cannot but regret deeply and express incomprehension towards the decision of the Turkish government to withdraw from this convention that even bears the name of Istanbul. This decision risks compromising the protection and fundamental rights of women and girls in Turkey," said Josep Borrell, EU's foreign policy chief in a statement.

"The Istanbul Convention is the first international legally binding instrument to combat violence against women and domestic violence. It aims at ensuring essential legal protection to women and girls across the world. This is today more important than ever, as violence against women and girls has increased to new levels worldwide as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and of the many conflicts, where women are primary victims. We, therefore, cannot but urge Turkey to reverse its decision," he said further

Borrell said that Turkey's decision sent a dangerous message across the world. The Istanbul Convention is EU-backed human rights accord. Turkey was the first country to ratify the convention. It was adopted in Istanbul in 2011.&nbsp;

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's government declared Turkey's exit from the accord on March 20.

The European Union on Sunday (Indian time) urged Turkey to reverse its decision to withdraw from Istanbul Convention on women's rights. The treaty has been designed to prevent violence against women.

The European Union on Sunday (Indian time) urged Turkey to reverse its decision to withdraw from Istanbul Convention on women's rights. The treaty has been designed to prevent violence against women. "Now is the time to show leadership and enhance global efforts to fight violence against women and girls, not to retreat. This is why we cannot but regret deeply and express incomprehension towards the decision of the Turkish government to withdraw from this convention that even bears the name of Istanbul. This decision risks compromising the protection and fundamental rights of women and girls in Turkey," said Josep Borrell, EU's foreign policy chief in a statement. "The Istanbul Convention is the first international legally binding instrument to combat violence against women and domestic violence. It aims at ensuring essential legal protection to women and girls across the world. This is today more important than ever, as violence against women and girls has increased to new levels worldwide as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and of the many conflicts, where women are primary victims. We, therefore, cannot but urge Turkey to reverse its decision," he said further Borrell said that Turkey's decision sent a dangerous message across the world. The Istanbul Convention is EU-backed human rights accord. Turkey was the first country to ratify the convention. It was adopted in Istanbul in 2011. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's government declared Turkey's exit from the accord on March 20.

EU asks Turkey to rethink exit from women's rights treaty

Leading EU countries are set to resume AstraZeneca vaccinations after the European medical regulator said the jab was "safe and effective" and not associated with a higher blood clot risk.

The announcement from the European Medicines Agency (EMA) came after the WHO and Britain's health watchdog both said it was far riskier to not get the shot as several countries face a worrying rise in coronavirus cases.&nbsp;Several European countries, to this end, said they would soon resume vaccinations.

The list of these countries includes Germany, France, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Lithuania, Latvia, Slovenia and Bulgaria.

EMA chief Emer Cooke said Thursday that its "committee has come to a clear scientific conclusion: this is a safe and effective vaccine" after an investigation into the AstraZeneca jab.

"The committee also concluded that the vaccine is not associated with an increase in the overall risk of thromboembolic events or blood clots," she added.

However,&nbsp;the agency said it "cannot rule out definitively" a link to a rare clotting disorder.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The UK health regulator also said there were no links between blood clots and the Pfizer vaccine.&nbsp;

The World Health Organisation (WHO) repeated that it was better to take the AstraZeneca vaccine than not.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/eu-uk-regulator-shrug-off-astrazeneca-vaccine-concerns-371478">Also read |&nbsp;EU, UK regulator shrug off AstraZeneca vaccine concerns</a>

AstraZeneca's chief medical officer Ann Taylor said that "vaccine safety is paramount and we welcome the regulators' decisions which affirm the overwhelming benefit of our vaccine in stopping the pandemic".

Norway and Sweden, however, said they were not ready to resume using the vaccine. The Norwegian Institute of Public Health said it "took note" of the EMA's ruling, but it was "premature" to draw conclusions and it would announce its own opinion by the end of next week.

Meanwhile, France on Thursday became the latest nation to toughen Covid restrictions, announcing a month-long limited lockdown for Paris and several other regions to try and stave off a third wave of infections that has overwhelmed hospitals.&nbsp;

The measures fall short of a full-blown lockdown, but will see non-essential shops closed and outdoor movement restricted in the affected regions, while schools are to stay open.&nbsp;

French Prime Minister Jean Castex announced the new measures as well as saying he would get the AstraZeneca vaccine "to show that we can have complete confidence in it".

Bulgaria and Ukraine also readied for tougher restrictions to stem rising cases, while the WHO issued a grim update on ballooning infections in Central Europe and the Balkans.

Italy, the first European country to become engulfed by the pandemic, held a national day of mourning Thursday, with a ceremony in Bergamo, the northern city that became known as "Italy's Wuhan" -- the Chinese city where the first Covid-19 cases were identified.

Italy chose March 18 for the memorial to coincide with the day in 2020 when the army had to step in to carry away scores of coffins from Bergamo's overwhelmed crematorium.

(with inputs from agencies)

Leading EU countries are set to resume AstraZeneca vaccinations after the European medical regulator said the jab was "safe and effective" and not associated with a higher blood clot risk.

Leading EU countries are set to resume AstraZeneca vaccinations after the European medical regulator said the jab was "safe and effective" and not associated with a higher blood clot risk. The announcement from the European Medicines Agency (EMA) came after the WHO and Britain's health watchdog both said it was far riskier to not get the shot as several countries face a worrying rise in coronavirus cases. Several European countries, to this end, said they would soon resume vaccinations. The list of these countries includes Germany, France, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Lithuania, Latvia, Slovenia and Bulgaria. EMA chief Emer Cooke said Thursday that its "committee has come to a clear scientific conclusion: this is a safe and effective vaccine" after an investigation into the AstraZeneca jab. "The committee also concluded that the vaccine is not associated with an increase in the overall risk of thromboembolic events or blood clots," she added. However, the agency said it "cannot rule out definitively" a link to a rare clotting disorder. The UK health regulator also said there were no links between blood clots and the Pfizer vaccine. The World Health Organisation (WHO) repeated that it was better to take the AstraZeneca vaccine than not. Also read | EU, UK regulator shrug off AstraZeneca vaccine concerns AstraZeneca's chief medical officer Ann Taylor said that "vaccine safety is paramount and we welcome the regulators' decisions which affirm the overwhelming benefit of our vaccine in stopping the pandemic". Norway and Sweden, however, said they were not ready to resume using the vaccine. The Norwegian Institute of Public Health said it "took note" of the EMA's ruling, but it was "premature" to draw conclusions and it would announce its own opinion by the end of next week. Meanwhile, France on Thursday became the latest nation to toughen Covid restrictions, announcing a month-long limited lockdown for Paris and several other regions to try and stave off a third wave of infections that has overwhelmed hospitals. The measures fall short of a full-blown lockdown, but will see non-essential shops closed and outdoor movement restricted in the affected regions, while schools are to stay open. French Prime Minister Jean Castex announced the new measures as well as saying he would get the AstraZeneca vaccine "to show that we can have complete confidence in it". Bulgaria and Ukraine also readied for tougher restrictions to stem rising cases, while the WHO issued a grim update on ballooning infections in Central Europe and the Balkans. Italy, the first European country to become engulfed by the pandemic, held a national day of mourning Thursday, with a ceremony in Bergamo, the northern city that became known as "Italy's Wuhan" -- the Chinese city where the first Covid-19 cases were identified. Italy chose March 18 for the memorial to coincide with the day in 2020 when the army had to step in to carry away scores of coffins from Bergamo's overwhelmed crematorium. (with inputs from agencies)

EU countries to resume AstraZeneca jabs after 'safe' verdict

In what can potentially be a major start of a post-Brexit legal battle between the European Union and UK, the EU has announced that it will take legal action against UK over Gibraltar tax.&nbsp;The legal action has been launched to force Britain to recover 100 million euros ($120 million) in tax exemptions for multinational firms operating in Gibraltar.

European Commission vice-president Margrethe Vestager said the UK had failed to claw back the sum despite the EU deeming the tax breaks "illegal state aid".

The sum, equivalent to $119 million, is small relative to many EU state subsidy cases, but the case is the latest in a string of spats between the EU and post-Brexit Britain.

"The aid granted by Gibraltar in the form of corporate tax exemption for passive interest and royalties gave an unfair advantage to some multinational companies," Vestager said.

"More than two years after the Commission adopted this decision, the aid has still not been recovered in full and sufficient progress has not been made in restoring competition," she said.&nbsp;

"That is why we have decided to refer the United Kingdom to the Court of Justice for failing to implement this decision."

The United Kingdom left the European Union last year, but the case dates back to a period before Brexit over which Brussels says the European Court of Justice still has jurisdiction.

(With AFP inputs)

In what can potentially be a major start of a post-Brexit legal battle between the European Union and UK, the EU has announced that it will take legal action against UK over Gibraltar tax.

In what can potentially be a major start of a post-Brexit legal battle between the European Union and UK, the EU has announced that it will take legal action against UK over Gibraltar tax. The legal action has been launched to force Britain to recover 100 million euros ($120 million) in tax exemptions for multinational firms operating in Gibraltar. European Commission vice-president Margrethe Vestager said the UK had failed to claw back the sum despite the EU deeming the tax breaks "illegal state aid". The sum, equivalent to $119 million, is small relative to many EU state subsidy cases, but the case is the latest in a string of spats between the EU and post-Brexit Britain. "The aid granted by Gibraltar in the form of corporate tax exemption for passive interest and royalties gave an unfair advantage to some multinational companies," Vestager said. "More than two years after the Commission adopted this decision, the aid has still not been recovered in full and sufficient progress has not been made in restoring competition," she said. "That is why we have decided to refer the United Kingdom to the Court of Justice for failing to implement this decision." The United Kingdom left the European Union last year, but the case dates back to a period before Brexit over which Brussels says the European Court of Justice still has jurisdiction. (With AFP inputs)

EU takes legal action against UK over Gibraltar tax

AstraZeneca jab had left the European Union completely divided over the fear of blood clotting which could lead to further complications resulting in death. But now the European Medicine Agency has confirmed that the vaccine is actually pretty safe.

COVID-19 Vaccine: European Union drug regulator says AstraZeneca jab is safe

EU health regulator on Thursday said that 'no evidence'&nbsp;was found of any direct links between either AstraZeneca or Pfizer Covid vaccine and blood clots.

"The committee has come to a clear scientific conclusion: this is a safe and effective vaccine," European Medicines Agency (EMA) chief Emer Cooke told a press conference after an investigation.

The remarks by the EMA&nbsp;come after the UK health regulator on Thursday also shrugged off concerns regarding Pfizer and Oxford <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus-vaccine">coronavirus vaccines</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Britain's health regulator on Thursday said it had found no evidence between Oxford-AstraZeneca's&nbsp;coronavirus vaccine&nbsp;and cases of blood clots after several countries halted the use of its jabs over safety fears.&nbsp;

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) also said that they did not find any relation even between Pfizer-BioNTech's vaccine and blood clots.&nbsp;

"There is no evidence that blood clots in veins is occurring more than would be expected in the absence of vaccination, for either vaccine," said June Raine, chief executive of the independent MHRA, as quoted by news agency AFP.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/india-astrazeneca-vaccinations-will-go-on-with-full-vigour-371400/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Earlier, the European Medicines Agency (EMA), has said that it had detected "no indication" of a major problem and the number of clots after receiving the AstraZeneca shot is not higher than the group of people who are unvaccinated.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trust-in-astrazeneca-vaccine-is-shaken-in-europe-371386">Trust in AstraZeneca vaccine is shaken in Europe</a>

Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) on Thursday continued to urge nations to use the Oxford jab.&nbsp;

"The WHO Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety is carefully assessing the latest available safety data," the WHO said in a statement on Wednesday. 
&nbsp;

EU health regulator on Thursday said that 'no evidence' was found of any direct links between either AstraZeneca or Pfizer Covid vaccine and blood clots. "The committee has come to a clear scientific conclusion: this is a safe and effective vaccine," European Medicines Agency (EMA) chief Emer Cooke told a press conference after an investigation.

EU health regulator on Thursday said that 'no evidence' was found of any direct links between either AstraZeneca or Pfizer Covid vaccine and blood clots. "The committee has come to a clear scientific conclusion: this is a safe and effective vaccine," European Medicines Agency (EMA) chief Emer Cooke told a press conference after an investigation. The remarks by the EMA come after the UK health regulator on Thursday also shrugged off concerns regarding Pfizer and Oxford coronavirus vaccines. Britain's health regulator on Thursday said it had found no evidence between Oxford-AstraZeneca's coronavirus vaccine and cases of blood clots after several countries halted the use of its jabs over safety fears. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) also said that they did not find any relation even between Pfizer-BioNTech's vaccine and blood clots. "There is no evidence that blood clots in veins is occurring more than would be expected in the absence of vaccination, for either vaccine," said June Raine, chief executive of the independent MHRA, as quoted by news agency AFP. Watch | Earlier, the European Medicines Agency (EMA), has said that it had detected "no indication" of a major problem and the number of clots after receiving the AstraZeneca shot is not higher than the group of people who are unvaccinated. Also read | Trust in AstraZeneca vaccine is shaken in Europe Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) on Thursday continued to urge nations to use the Oxford jab. "The WHO Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety is carefully assessing the latest available safety data," the WHO said in a statement on Wednesday.

EU, UK regulator shrug off AstraZeneca vaccine concerns

The European Union (EU) threatened to invoke emergency powers to block&nbsp;European&nbsp;exports of Covid-19 vaccines to ensure "reciprocity" with other suppliers, urging Britain to send Europe more jabs.

EU chief Ursula von der Leyen gave her warning as Brussels unveiled its plan for a vaccine travel certificate, part of its effort to free up travel despite an emerging third wave of the pandemic.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uks-boris-johnson-to-get-astrazeneca-vaccine-as-he-dismisses-safety-fears-371185" hreflang="en">UK's Boris Johnson to get AstraZeneca vaccine as he dismisses safety fears</a>

"All options are on the table," the former German defence minister said, warning that the vaccine situation would be addressed among EU leaders at talks next week.

"We are in the crisis of the century, and I'm not ruling out any anything for now, because we have to make sure that Europeans are vaccinated as soon as possible," she said and briefly alluded to emergency powers last used during the OPEC oil shock of the 1970s.

British foreign minister Dominic Raab hit back, accusing the Commission of brinkmanship and calling for an explanation after the government had received assurances that the EU did not intend to curb exports that are under contract.

"I think it takes some explaining because the world's watching... It also cuts across the direct assurances that we had from the Commission," Raab said. "We expect those assurances and legal, contracted supply to be respected."

"Frankly, I'm surprised we're having this conversation. It is normally what the UK and EU team up with to reject, when other countries with less democratic regimes than our own engage in that kind of brinkmanship."

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/eu-chief-proposes-digital-green-certificates-and-stricter-curbs-on-vaccine-exports-371168" hreflang="en">EU Chief proposes 'digital green certificates' and stricter curbs on vaccine exports</a>

Europe's vaccination campaign has struggled to get off the ground due to delayed deliveries, as well as a bitter row with pharma giant AstraZeneca and fears over the safety of its vaccine.

The EU has already set up special oversight of vaccine exports in which manufacturers contracted to supply Europe must declare if they intend to export doses outside the bloc.

Most of the EU's worry is over Britain, home of the AstraZeneca vaccine, where the inoculation campaign has progressed at a much faster pace than in the EU.

Brussels has accused London of operating a de facto export ban to achieve its vaccine success, a claim furiously denied by Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government.

Digital vaccine certificates

Von der Leyen spoke as six EU countries complained to Brussels about reduced deliveries that are hampering the bloc's already troubled inoculation campaign struggling amid reduced deliveries by AstraZeneca.

Further complicating matters, various EU nations including its largest members Germany, France and Italy this week halted AstraZeneca shots pending safety checks.

The EU's announced travel certificate, meanwhile, is intended to help restore freedom of movement within the bloc for citizens inoculated against the coronavirus.

The certificate will show "whether the person has either been vaccinated, or has a recent negative test, or has recovered from Covid, and thus has antibodies," von der Leyen said.

The idea is to allow inoculated tourists to get around restrictions on non-essential travel that have spread across Europe, as a second and third wave of Covid-19 infections brought much intra-EU travel to a standstill.

"With this digital certificate we aim to help member states reinstate the freedom of movement in a safe, responsible and trusted manner."

The plan, however, will face stiff resistance from many member states, a key concern being that those still awaiting vaccinations would be discriminated against.

In addition, some member states are worried that the legal path to create the pass, which would include approval by&nbsp;European&nbsp;Parliament, will take too long, with the summer holidays just three months away.

The commission is adamant that the process can be fast-tracked and is working to have it ready by June.

The International Air Transport Association, the airline industry group, urged member states to approve the certificate "very soon".

"We should see something similar all around the world if it can help reopening air travel everywhere," said IATA head Alexandre de Juniac.

The European Union (EU) threatened to invoke emergency powers to block European exports of Covid-19 vaccines to ensure "reciprocity" with other suppliers, urging Britain to send Europe more jabs.

The European Union (EU) threatened to invoke emergency powers to block European exports of Covid-19 vaccines to ensure "reciprocity" with other suppliers, urging Britain to send Europe more jabs. EU chief Ursula von der Leyen gave her warning as Brussels unveiled its plan for a vaccine travel certificate, part of its effort to free up travel despite an emerging third wave of the pandemic. Also read: UK's Boris Johnson to get AstraZeneca vaccine as he dismisses safety fears "All options are on the table," the former German defence minister said, warning that the vaccine situation would be addressed among EU leaders at talks next week. "We are in the crisis of the century, and I'm not ruling out any anything for now, because we have to make sure that Europeans are vaccinated as soon as possible," she said and briefly alluded to emergency powers last used during the OPEC oil shock of the 1970s. British foreign minister Dominic Raab hit back, accusing the Commission of brinkmanship and calling for an explanation after the government had received assurances that the EU did not intend to curb exports that are under contract. "I think it takes some explaining because the world's watching... It also cuts across the direct assurances that we had from the Commission," Raab said. "We expect those assurances and legal, contracted supply to be respected." "Frankly, I'm surprised we're having this conversation. It is normally what the UK and EU team up with to reject, when other countries with less democratic regimes than our own engage in that kind of brinkmanship." Also read: EU Chief proposes 'digital green certificates' and stricter curbs on vaccine exports Europe's vaccination campaign has struggled to get off the ground due to delayed deliveries, as well as a bitter row with pharma giant AstraZeneca and fears over the safety of its vaccine. The EU has already set up special oversight of vaccine exports in which manufacturers contracted to supply Europe must declare if they intend to export doses outside the bloc. Most of the EU's worry is over Britain, home of the AstraZeneca vaccine, where the inoculation campaign has progressed at a much faster pace than in the EU. Brussels has accused London of operating a de facto export ban to achieve its vaccine success, a claim furiously denied by Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government. Digital vaccine certificates Von der Leyen spoke as six EU countries complained to Brussels about reduced deliveries that are hampering the bloc's already troubled inoculation campaign struggling amid reduced deliveries by AstraZeneca. Further complicating matters, various EU nations including its largest members Germany, France and Italy this week halted AstraZeneca shots pending safety checks. The EU's announced travel certificate, meanwhile, is intended to help restore freedom of movement within the bloc for citizens inoculated against the coronavirus. The certificate will show "whether the person has either been vaccinated, or has a recent negative test, or has recovered from Covid, and thus has antibodies," von der Leyen said. The idea is to allow inoculated tourists to get around restrictions on non-essential travel that have spread across Europe, as a second and third wave of Covid-19 infections brought much intra-EU travel to a standstill. "With this digital certificate we aim to help member states reinstate the freedom of movement in a safe, responsible and trusted manner." The plan, however, will face stiff resistance from many member states, a key concern being that those still awaiting vaccinations would be discriminated against. In addition, some member states are worried that the legal path to create the pass, which would include approval by European Parliament, will take too long, with the summer holidays just three months away. The commission is adamant that the process can be fast-tracked and is working to have it ready by June. The International Air Transport Association, the airline industry group, urged member states to approve the certificate "very soon". "We should see something similar all around the world if it can help reopening air travel everywhere," said IATA head Alexandre de Juniac.

'Crisis of century': EU threatens ban on coronavirus vaccine exports to UK

european-union

European Union, News on European Union, stories on European Union, articles on European Union, European Union stories at Wion, European Union news, European Union latest news

european union

EU to have COVID-19 vaccine doses for 70% of adults by mid-July

Google Earth adds time-lapse feature for satellite imagery to show impacts of climate change

Report: EU to end AstraZeneca, J&J contracts at expiry

Report: EU to end AstraZeneca and J&J vaccine contracts at expiry

Exclusive: Slovenia foreign minister bats for stronger ties with India

German regulator taking action against WhatsApp over 'illegal' data collection

News Alert: EU Foreign Policy Chief Borrell slams China, Russia

Johnson & Johnson vaccine review follows blood clot cases

'SofaGate': Turkish Sofa arrangement hits European Union

'SofaGate': Turkish Sofa arrangement hits European Union

US prepared to lift sanctions on Iran to resume compliance with nuclear deal

EU expresses concern over Russian activity near Ukraine

As European right re-emerges, what are the ambitions now?

European Union denounces China's 'harassment' of foreign journalists

EU says no age-related risk of AstraZeneca vaccine found so far

Google to contribute $29 million to new European Union fund to fight fake news

European Union chiefs to visit Turkey on April 6

Britain nearing vaccine deal with European Union: Report

EU Vaccine's Summit: Members highlight disparity in vaccine supply across EU

France hits out at UK over 'blackmail' of coronavirus vaccine deliveries

EU Vaccine Summit: Macron expresses frustration over lagging vaccination drive

Your Story: Vaccine failures cast shadow over EU summit as COVID surges

West needs to revitalise alliances more than ever, says US Secretary of State Blinken

Cache of 29 Million AstraZeneca doses in Italy raises EU suspicions

WION Fineprint: EU sanctions four Chinese officials over Uighur abuses

EU asks Turkey to rethink exit from women's rights treaty