Maldives&nbsp;began a&nbsp;night-time&nbsp;curfew&nbsp;from Thursday to control a doubling of daily coronavirus&nbsp;infections&nbsp;that was fuelled by crowds at a local election and family gatherings during the ongoing Muslim fasting month of Ramzan.

The Health Protection Agency announced the&nbsp;curfew&nbsp;on Wednesday&nbsp;after&nbsp;government data showed daily cases grew to 734 from 318 a week ago. Most of the cases reported on Wednesday were in the crowded capital Male.

Restrictions have been placed on movement between islands, although there are no curbs on tourists headed to private island resorts if they can produce a negative&nbsp;COVID-19&nbsp;test. The health agency also ordered mandatory physical distancing in mosques.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="Former President of Maldives Mohamed Nasheed injured in a suspected bomb attack">Former President of Maldives Mohamed Nasheed injured in a suspected bomb attack</a>

"The numbers are very high. If we are not able to significantly lower these numbers, we are going to face very difficult days. So we have to get ready," said Mabrook Azeez, the spokesman for the President's Office.

There were large gatherings during the council elections held on April 10, and mass groupings have only increased during Ramzan, with communal prayers being held without any physical distancing in the capital Male.

Australian cricketers and staff involved in the Indian Premier League are headed to the&nbsp;Maldives&nbsp;after&nbsp;the tournament's abrupt suspension over the coronavirus crisis in India. They will quarantine there before heading home.

Vaccination queues in the&nbsp;Maldives&nbsp;have also lengthened during Ramadan due to shortened hours, with thousands lining up without any physical distancing to get their shots.

Azeez said the government is looking for foreign medical workers and local volunteers to staff the main public hospital in Male.

Maldives began a night-time curfew from Thursday to control a doubling of daily coronavirus infections that was fuelled by crowds at a local election and family gatherings during the ongoing Muslim fasting month of Ramzan.

Maldives began a night-time curfew from Thursday to control a doubling of daily coronavirus infections that was fuelled by crowds at a local election and family gatherings during the ongoing Muslim fasting month of Ramzan. The Health Protection Agency announced the curfew on Wednesday after government data showed daily cases grew to 734 from 318 a week ago. Most of the cases reported on Wednesday were in the crowded capital Male. Restrictions have been placed on movement between islands, although there are no curbs on tourists headed to private island resorts if they can produce a negative COVID-19 test. The health agency also ordered mandatory physical distancing in mosques. Also read: Former President of Maldives Mohamed Nasheed injured in a suspected bomb attack "The numbers are very high. If we are not able to significantly lower these numbers, we are going to face very difficult days. So we have to get ready," said Mabrook Azeez, the spokesman for the President's Office. There were large gatherings during the council elections held on April 10, and mass groupings have only increased during Ramzan, with communal prayers being held without any physical distancing in the capital Male. Australian cricketers and staff involved in the Indian Premier League are headed to the Maldives after the tournament's abrupt suspension over the coronavirus crisis in India. They will quarantine there before heading home. Vaccination queues in the Maldives have also lengthened during Ramadan due to shortened hours, with thousands lining up without any physical distancing to get their shots. Azeez said the government is looking for foreign medical workers and local volunteers to staff the main public hospital in Male.

Maldives imposes night curfew after steep jump in COVID-19 infections

The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits fell below 500,000 last week for the first since the COVID-19 pandemic started more than a year ago, signaling the labor market recovery had entered a new phase amid a booming economy.

World Business Watch: US weekly jobless claims drop below 500,000, layoffs lowest since 2000

World's largest economy US is recovering at a fast pace. Businesses and households improved their balance sheets late last year with the help of government support, but some consumers and the smallest businesses continued to struggle.

World Business Watch: US households and businesses facing unequal recovery

Florida&nbsp;Governor&nbsp;Ron DeSantis, a potential Republican US presidential candidate in 2024, signed into&nbsp;law&nbsp;Thursday an election security bill certain to please supporters of Donald&nbsp;Trump, but which critics warn poses blatant barriers to voting.

By implementing SB90, which restricts voting by mail, requires valid&nbsp;voter&nbsp;identification and prohibits use of private funds to finance campaigns,&nbsp;Florida&nbsp;joins a growing list of Republican-run states that have tweaked&nbsp;voter&nbsp;laws&nbsp;following&nbsp;Trump's baseless charge of fraud in last year's election.

DeSantis signed the&nbsp;law&nbsp;in Palm Beach near the private Mar-a-Lago club where&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;has resided since leaving the White House in January.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="'From the Desk of...': Donald Trump launches his own social media space">'From the Desk of...': Donald Trump launches his own social media space</a>

The event itself stirred controversy. Supporters of the former president were in attendance, and Fox News — seen by many as pro-Trump&nbsp;— was the only television network allowed, as other local channels were barred entry.&nbsp;

In a statement, DeSantis said the bill will "strengthen the security of our elections." As he signed the measure he defended one of its many controversial elements: the restriction of vote-by-mail drop boxes.

"They need to be monitored," DeSantis told morning show Fox &amp; Friends as supporters behind him cheered. "You can't just leave these boxes out where there's no supervision."

Although there was no suspicion of fraud in&nbsp;Florida&nbsp;during November's presidential election, DeSantis said the&nbsp;law&nbsp;will ensure Floridians that "your vote is going to be cast with integrity and transparency."

More Democrats than Republicans voted by mail in November because of the pandemic and these ballots helped tip the balance in favor of&nbsp;Trump's Democratic rival Joe Biden.

Suffering reelection defeat,&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;claimed&nbsp;voter&nbsp;fraud — a baseless charge dismissed by dozens of courts across multiple states.

Florida&nbsp;Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, the only Democrat elected in the state's administration, accused DeSantis of signing the&nbsp;law&nbsp;to satisfy&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;and his&nbsp;base, whose support the&nbsp;governor&nbsp;seeks as he weighs his political future.

"The only fraud that I saw was by the Republicans," Fried told reporters.

"We know that the only reason to sign this piece of legislation... was for one person," she said, referring to&nbsp;Trump.

Critics of the new measure say the bill, approved last week by&nbsp;Florida's Republican-controlled legislature, is a form of&nbsp;voter&nbsp;suppression.

"Republicans across the country know they're failing to connect with and deliver for the American people, so they’ve decided their winning playbook centers on making it harder for them to make their voices heard," said Democratic National Committee chair Jaime Harrison.

The NAACP Legal Defense Fund said it "creates barriers and burdens that impact all&nbsp;Florida&nbsp;voters, and disproportionally impacts the ability of Black voters, Latino voters and voters with disabilities to cast their ballot."

Unlike many other countries, the United States does not issue national identification cards.

Identity during US elections is verified through a driver's license or other forms of acceptable ID, which some people, disproportionally low-income and minority Americans, do not have.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a potential Republican US presidential candidate in 2024, signed into law Thursday an election security bill certain to please supporters of Donald Trump, but which critics warn poses blatant barriers to voting.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a potential Republican US presidential candidate in 2024, signed into law Thursday an election security bill certain to please supporters of Donald Trump, but which critics warn poses blatant barriers to voting. By implementing SB90, which restricts voting by mail, requires valid voter identification and prohibits use of private funds to finance campaigns, Florida joins a growing list of Republican-run states that have tweaked voter laws following Trump's baseless charge of fraud in last year's election. DeSantis signed the law in Palm Beach near the private Mar-a-Lago club where Trump has resided since leaving the White House in January. Also read: 'From the Desk of...': Donald Trump launches his own social media space The event itself stirred controversy. Supporters of the former president were in attendance, and Fox News — seen by many as pro-Trump — was the only television network allowed, as other local channels were barred entry. In a statement, DeSantis said the bill will "strengthen the security of our elections." As he signed the measure he defended one of its many controversial elements: the restriction of vote-by-mail drop boxes. "They need to be monitored," DeSantis told morning show Fox & Friends as supporters behind him cheered. "You can't just leave these boxes out where there's no supervision." Although there was no suspicion of fraud in Florida during November's presidential election, DeSantis said the law will ensure Floridians that "your vote is going to be cast with integrity and transparency." More Democrats than Republicans voted by mail in November because of the pandemic and these ballots helped tip the balance in favor of Trump's Democratic rival Joe Biden. Suffering reelection defeat, Trump claimed voter fraud — a baseless charge dismissed by dozens of courts across multiple states. Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, the only Democrat elected in the state's administration, accused DeSantis of signing the law to satisfy Trump and his base, whose support the governor seeks as he weighs his political future. "The only fraud that I saw was by the Republicans," Fried told reporters. "We know that the only reason to sign this piece of legislation... was for one person," she said, referring to Trump. Critics of the new measure say the bill, approved last week by Florida's Republican-controlled legislature, is a form of voter suppression. "Republicans across the country know they're failing to connect with and deliver for the American people, so they’ve decided their winning playbook centers on making it harder for them to make their voices heard," said Democratic National Committee chair Jaime Harrison. The NAACP Legal Defense Fund said it "creates barriers and burdens that impact all Florida voters, and disproportionally impacts the ability of Black voters, Latino voters and voters with disabilities to cast their ballot." Unlike many other countries, the United States does not issue national identification cards. Identity during US elections is verified through a driver's license or other forms of acceptable ID, which some people, disproportionally low-income and minority Americans, do not have.

Florida governor tightens voter law in appeal to Trump base

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called for the&nbsp;release&nbsp;Friday of four&nbsp;Hong&nbsp;Kong&nbsp;democracy&nbsp;activists&nbsp;who were jailed for taking part in a&nbsp;vigil&nbsp;for victims of Beijing's 1989&nbsp;Tiananmen&nbsp;Square crackdown.

"The United States stands with the people of&nbsp;Hong&nbsp;Kong&nbsp;and rejects the sentencing of&nbsp;activists&nbsp;for attending a&nbsp;Tiananmen&nbsp;commemoration," Blinken wrote&nbsp;on&nbsp;Twitter.

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The United States stands with the people of Hong Kong and rejects the sentencing of activists for attending a Tiananmen commemoration. All those imprisoned for nonviolent exercise of guaranteed freedoms should be freed immediately.
— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecBlinken/status/1390526958300184582?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 7, 2021</a></blockquote>
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"All those imprisoned for nonviolent exercise of guaranteed freedoms should be freed immediately," he added.

Joshua Wong, Lester Shum, Tiffany Yuen and Janelle Leung - four prominent youth&nbsp;activists&nbsp;in their twenties, were jailed after pleading guilty to taking part in an "unauthorised assembly" last year&nbsp;on&nbsp;the 4&nbsp;June&nbsp;Tiananmen&nbsp;anniversary.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hong-kong-activist-joshua-wong-given-additional-jail-term-for-tiananmen-square-vigil-383142/amp">Hong Kong: Activist Joshua Wong given additional jail term for Tiananmen Square vigil</a>

For the past three decades,&nbsp;Hong&nbsp;Kong&nbsp;has marked the anniversary of Beijing's deadly 1989 repression of protests in&nbsp;Tiananmen&nbsp;Square with massive candlelight vigils.

But last year's event was banned for the first time, with police citing the coronavirus pandemic and security fears following huge democracy protests that roiled&nbsp;Hong&nbsp;Kong&nbsp;the year before.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/honk-kong-activist-joshua-wong-gets-10-more-months-in-jail-over-tiananmen-vigil-383163/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Tens of thousands defied the ban and massed peacefully at the&nbsp;vigil's traditional site in Victoria Park.

Since then, prosecutors have brought charges against more than two dozen prominent democracy&nbsp;activists&nbsp;who showed up at the&nbsp;vigil, the latest in a string of criminal cases that have ensnared the city's beleaguered democracy movement.

Joshua Wong, one of the city's most recognisable democracy&nbsp;activists, is currently serving 17.5 months in jail for two convictions linked to the 2019 demonstrations.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hong-kong-activist-joshua-wong-pleads-guilty-over-illegal-assembly-381552">Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong pleads guilty over 'illegal assembly'</a>

He was handed a consecutive 10 months of jail for the new conviction, which will start once current sentences are finished.

Shum, 27, was given six months while Yuen, 27, and Leung, 26, were both handed four months.

Wong, Shum and Yuen have also been charged under a new national security law Beijing imposed&nbsp;on&nbsp;the city last year to stamp out dissent. They face up to life in jail if convicted.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called for the release Friday of four Hong Kong democracy activists who were jailed for taking part in a vigil for victims of Beijing's 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called for the release Friday of four Hong Kong democracy activists who were jailed for taking part in a vigil for victims of Beijing's 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown. "The United States stands with the people of Hong Kong and rejects the sentencing of activists for attending a Tiananmen commemoration," Blinken wrote on Twitter. The United States stands with the people of Hong Kong and rejects the sentencing of activists for attending a Tiananmen commemoration. All those imprisoned for nonviolent exercise of guaranteed freedoms should be freed immediately. — Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) May 7, 2021 × "All those imprisoned for nonviolent exercise of guaranteed freedoms should be freed immediately," he added. Joshua Wong, Lester Shum, Tiffany Yuen and Janelle Leung - four prominent youth activists in their twenties, were jailed after pleading guilty to taking part in an "unauthorised assembly" last year on the 4 June Tiananmen anniversary. Also read | Hong Kong: Activist Joshua Wong given additional jail term for Tiananmen Square vigil For the past three decades, Hong Kong has marked the anniversary of Beijing's deadly 1989 repression of protests in Tiananmen Square with massive candlelight vigils. But last year's event was banned for the first time, with police citing the coronavirus pandemic and security fears following huge democracy protests that roiled Hong Kong the year before. Tens of thousands defied the ban and massed peacefully at the vigil's traditional site in Victoria Park. Since then, prosecutors have brought charges against more than two dozen prominent democracy activists who showed up at the vigil, the latest in a string of criminal cases that have ensnared the city's beleaguered democracy movement. Joshua Wong, one of the city's most recognisable democracy activists, is currently serving 17.5 months in jail for two convictions linked to the 2019 demonstrations. Also read | Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong pleads guilty over 'illegal assembly' He was handed a consecutive 10 months of jail for the new conviction, which will start once current sentences are finished. Shum, 27, was given six months while Yuen, 27, and Leung, 26, were both handed four months. Wong, Shum and Yuen have also been charged under a new national security law Beijing imposed on the city last year to stamp out dissent. They face up to life in jail if convicted.

US calls on Hong Kong to release Tiananmen vigil activists

Germany rejected US' proposal to waive patent protection for COVID-19 vaccines and threatens to derail this proposal. German Chancellor Angela Merkel's office said that the protection of intellectual property is a source of innovation and must remain so in the future.

Germany opposes US-backed global waiver on protection for COVID-19 vaccines

The Florida governor, Ron DeSantis, has signed a bill imposing new limits on voting by mail and using ballot drop boxes. The White House swiftly criticized the law, saying Florida is “moving in the wrong direction”.

Florida governor tightens restrictions on mail voting and ballot drop boxes

China&nbsp;said Friday the&nbsp;risk&nbsp;of&nbsp;damage&nbsp;from&nbsp;a&nbsp;rocket&nbsp;falling back to&nbsp;Earth&nbsp;was "extremely&nbsp;low" after the United States warned it could crash down&nbsp;on&nbsp;to an inhabited area.

Military experts in the US expect the body of the Long March 5B&nbsp;rocket, which separated&nbsp;from&nbsp;Beijing's space station, to come down sometime around Saturday or Sunday, but warned it was difficult to predict where it will land and when.

But Beijing downplayed the&nbsp;risk&nbsp;of danger.

"The probability of causing harm to aviation activities or (on&nbsp;people and activities)&nbsp;on&nbsp;the ground is&nbsp;extremely&nbsp;low," foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said.

Most of the&nbsp;rocket&nbsp;components would likely be destroyed upon&nbsp;re-entry&nbsp;into the atmosphere, he added, saying authorities "will inform the public of the situation in a timely manner".

China&nbsp;has poured billions of dollars into space exploration in efforts to reflect its rising global stature and growing technological might, following in the extra-terrestrial footsteps of the United States, Russia and Europe.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-closely-tracking-uncontrolled-chinese-rocket-re-entering-atmosphere-pentagon-383094">US closely tracking uncontrolled Chinese rocket re-entering atmosphere: Pentagon</a>

As fevered speculation over the&nbsp;rocket's trajectory back to&nbsp;Earth&nbsp;pinballed across social media, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin&nbsp;on&nbsp;Thursday said the US military had no plans to shoot it down.

"We have the capability to do a lot of things, but we don't have a plan to shoot it down," Austin told journalists.

Hopefully, he said, the&nbsp;rocket&nbsp;will land "in a place where it won't harm anyone... the ocean, or someplace like that".

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/concerns-mount-as-giant-chunk-of-chinese-rocket-is-falling-to-earth-382914">Concerns mount as giant chunk of Chinese rocket is falling to Earth</a>

Even if the&nbsp;rocket&nbsp;or parts of it do fall&nbsp;from&nbsp;the sky, without breaking up&nbsp;on&nbsp;re-entry, there is a good chance it will just splash down into the ocean&nbsp;on&nbsp;a planet made up of 70 per cent water.&nbsp;

But Austin suggested that the Chinese were negligent in letting the&nbsp;rocket&nbsp;body fall out of orbit, saying those who were in the "space domain" should "operate in a safe and thoughtful mode".

'Nation of science'

Space has become the latest theatre for the big power play between&nbsp;China&nbsp;and the United States.

The launch of&nbsp;China's first module of its "Heavenly Palace" space station in April,&nbsp;housing life support equipment and living space for astronauts,&nbsp;was a milestone in Beijing's ambitious plan to establish a permanent human presence in space.

President Xi Jinping called it a key step in "building a great nation of science and technology".

With the retirement of the International Space Station after 2024,&nbsp;China's could become the only space station in&nbsp;Earth's orbit.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/china-launches-first-module-for-new-space-station-381270">China launches first module for new space station</a>

Although Chinese space authorities have said they are open to foreign collaboration, the scope of that cooperation is as yet unclear.

The European Space Agency has sent astronauts to&nbsp;China&nbsp;to receive training in order to be ready to work inside the Chinese space station once it is launched.

China&nbsp;also said in March it was planning to build a separate lunar space station with Russia.

The facility, planned for either the surface or in the orbit of the Moon, would house experimental research facilities and would be Beijing's biggest international space cooperation project to date.

The Long March&nbsp;rocket&nbsp;is not the first time&nbsp;China&nbsp;has lost control of a spacecraft as it returns to&nbsp;Earth.&nbsp;

The space laboratory Tiangong-1 disintegrated upon&nbsp;re-entry&nbsp;into the atmosphere in 2018, two years after it had stopped working, though Chinese authorities denied they had lost control of the ship.&nbsp;

China said Friday the risk of damage from a rocket falling back to Earth was "extremely low" after the United States warned it could crash down on to an inhabited area.

China said Friday the risk of damage from a rocket falling back to Earth was "extremely low" after the United States warned it could crash down on to an inhabited area. Military experts in the US expect the body of the Long March 5B rocket, which separated from Beijing's space station, to come down sometime around Saturday or Sunday, but warned it was difficult to predict where it will land and when. But Beijing downplayed the risk of danger. "The probability of causing harm to aviation activities or (on people and activities) on the ground is extremely low," foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said. Most of the rocket components would likely be destroyed upon re-entry into the atmosphere, he added, saying authorities "will inform the public of the situation in a timely manner". China has poured billions of dollars into space exploration in efforts to reflect its rising global stature and growing technological might, following in the extra-terrestrial footsteps of the United States, Russia and Europe. Also read | US closely tracking uncontrolled Chinese rocket re-entering atmosphere: Pentagon As fevered speculation over the rocket's trajectory back to Earth pinballed across social media, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Thursday said the US military had no plans to shoot it down. "We have the capability to do a lot of things, but we don't have a plan to shoot it down," Austin told journalists. Hopefully, he said, the rocket will land "in a place where it won't harm anyone... the ocean, or someplace like that". Also read | Concerns mount as giant chunk of Chinese rocket is falling to Earth Even if the rocket or parts of it do fall from the sky, without breaking up on re-entry, there is a good chance it will just splash down into the ocean on a planet made up of 70 per cent water. But Austin suggested that the Chinese were negligent in letting the rocket body fall out of orbit, saying those who were in the "space domain" should "operate in a safe and thoughtful mode". 'Nation of science' Space has become the latest theatre for the big power play between China and the United States. The launch of China's first module of its "Heavenly Palace" space station in April, housing life support equipment and living space for astronauts, was a milestone in Beijing's ambitious plan to establish a permanent human presence in space. President Xi Jinping called it a key step in "building a great nation of science and technology". With the retirement of the International Space Station after 2024, China's could become the only space station in Earth's orbit. Also read | China launches first module for new space station Although Chinese space authorities have said they are open to foreign collaboration, the scope of that cooperation is as yet unclear. The European Space Agency has sent astronauts to China to receive training in order to be ready to work inside the Chinese space station once it is launched. China also said in March it was planning to build a separate lunar space station with Russia. The facility, planned for either the surface or in the orbit of the Moon, would house experimental research facilities and would be Beijing's biggest international space cooperation project to date. The Long March rocket is not the first time China has lost control of a spacecraft as it returns to Earth. The space laboratory Tiangong-1 disintegrated upon re-entry into the atmosphere in 2018, two years after it had stopped working, though Chinese authorities denied they had lost control of the ship.

China says 'extremely low' risk of damage from rocket debris

A global democracy survey has found that most of the world sees the U.S as a bigger threat than China and Russia. Has America's claim to the guardianship of democracy been busted? How did regimes like China & Russia rank higher?

Gravitas: Survey pegs the U.S as a bigger threat than China & Russia

The new US position in support of lifting&nbsp;patents&nbsp;on&nbsp;Covid-19&nbsp;vaccines&nbsp;has&nbsp;taken attention away from an equally significant change by Washington, which plans to open up trade in the raw materials used to make them.

After&nbsp;having recently taken heat for blocking such exports, Commerce Secretary Katherine Tai said Wednesday that the US government would "work to increase the raw materials needed to produce those&nbsp;vaccines".

The assertion was hidden at the bottom of the statement unveiling Washington's remarkable reversal of its position&nbsp;on&nbsp;Covid-19&nbsp;vaccine&nbsp;patents, which coincides with a shortage of doses in emerging and developing nations as cases surge in some countries.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-backs-india-led-fight-to-waive-covid-vaccines-patents-383092">US backs India-led fight to waive Covid vaccines patents</a>

Long legal and economic policy debates likely lie ahead about waiving&nbsp;vaccine&nbsp;patents, particularly at the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

Meanwhile, the difficulties faced by some laboratories in obtaining components to manufacture&nbsp;vaccines&nbsp;look set to stymie the drive to ramp up production.

Two labs have recently spoken out about their difficulties, laying the blame at Washington's door.

Germany's Curevac said it could&nbsp;not secure supplies of certain materials from the United States.

Several days earlier, India's Serum Institute, the world's largest&nbsp;vaccine&nbsp;manufacturer, called&nbsp;on&nbsp;US President Joe Biden to step in.

"Respected @POTUS, if we are to truly unite in beating this virus,&nbsp;on&nbsp;behalf of the&nbsp;vaccine&nbsp;industry outside the US, I humbly request you to lift the embargo of raw material exports out of the US so that&nbsp;vaccine&nbsp;production can ramp up," the company's president Adar Poonawalla wrote&nbsp;on&nbsp;Twitter.

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Respected <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>, if we are to truly unite in beating this virus, on behalf of the vaccine industry outside the U.S., I humbly request you to lift the embargo of raw material exports out of the U.S. so that vaccine production can ramp up. Your administration has the details. 🙏🙏
— Adar Poonawalla (@adarpoonawalla) <a href="https://twitter.com/adarpoonawalla/status/1382978713302683653?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 16, 2021</a></blockquote>
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There is no actual embargo&nbsp;on&nbsp;exporting&nbsp;vaccine&nbsp;components. Instead, Biden, like his predecessor Donald Trump, invoked the Defense Production Act,&nbsp;which normally concerns wartime,&nbsp;to confront the pandemic.

While it does not explicitly ban exports, it puts the US government first in line to buy certain products made in the country.

US officials have previously played down the possible effect of the law&nbsp;on&nbsp;global&nbsp;vaccine&nbsp;production.

"There's just more global manufacturing happening everywhere in the world than suppliers can currently support,"&nbsp;a US official told a White House briefing late last month&nbsp;on&nbsp;condition of anonymity.

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Dry ice and sorbitol

Over the past two months, a number of public and private actors have noted the shrinking supply of components needed to manufacture&nbsp;vaccines.

At least 50 components, perhaps as many as 100, go into the jabs.

They include items like the glass vials to ship them, as well as certain types of plastics needed for containers used in the manufacturing process.

Then there are the ingredients themselves.&nbsp;

Curevac is particularly concerned about nucleotides, a building block for the messenger RNA&nbsp;vaccines&nbsp;like the one it is developing.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-germany-rift-on-covid-vaccine-waiver-endangers-fight-against-deadly-virus-383349">US-Germany rift on Covid vaccine waiver endangers fight against deadly virus</a>

The shortage of raw materials is hardly surprising as the pharmaceutical industry expects to double production to 10 billion doses this year.

Richard Hatchett, who heads the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), which along with the World Health Organization and Gavi co-runs the Covax&nbsp;vaccine&nbsp;distribution initiative, spoke already in March of seeing "increasing signs of strain within supply chains".

Companies were "beginning to report spot shortages of critical materials, raw materials, critical consumables, even equipment that is necessary for&nbsp;vaccine&nbsp;manufacturing," he said.

He was speaking at a meeting of the principal actors in the sector, including WHO and the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations (IFPMA).

Already the consensus was that the free circulation of&nbsp;vaccine&nbsp;components was critical, given that a large number of countries are involved in their production.

OECD data from 2018 show how thoroughly&nbsp;component&nbsp;production is intertwined across the globe.

China dominates production of the glass storage vials, while the United States leads in the manufacturing of syringes.

France is a major producer of certain stabilisers like sorbitol, while Germany is big in the production of&nbsp;vaccine&nbsp;preservatives, and Mexico and China both are important manufacturers of additives that enhance the effects of&nbsp;vaccines.

Meanwhile, the Netherlands is a leader in the production of dry ice used to transport&nbsp;vaccines&nbsp;that need to be kept at ultra-low temperatures.

The new US position in support of lifting patents on Covid-19 vaccines has taken attention away from an equally significant change by Washington, which plans to open up trade in the raw materials used to make them.

The new US position in support of lifting patents on Covid-19 vaccines has taken attention away from an equally significant change by Washington, which plans to open up trade in the raw materials used to make them. After having recently taken heat for blocking such exports, Commerce Secretary Katherine Tai said Wednesday that the US government would "work to increase the raw materials needed to produce those vaccines". The assertion was hidden at the bottom of the statement unveiling Washington's remarkable reversal of its position on Covid-19 vaccine patents, which coincides with a shortage of doses in emerging and developing nations as cases surge in some countries. Also read | US backs India-led fight to waive Covid vaccines patents Long legal and economic policy debates likely lie ahead about waiving vaccine patents, particularly at the World Trade Organisation (WTO). Meanwhile, the difficulties faced by some laboratories in obtaining components to manufacture vaccines look set to stymie the drive to ramp up production. Two labs have recently spoken out about their difficulties, laying the blame at Washington's door. Germany's Curevac said it could not secure supplies of certain materials from the United States. Several days earlier, India's Serum Institute, the world's largest vaccine manufacturer, called on US President Joe Biden to step in. "Respected @POTUS, if we are to truly unite in beating this virus, on behalf of the vaccine industry outside the US, I humbly request you to lift the embargo of raw material exports out of the US so that vaccine production can ramp up," the company's president Adar Poonawalla wrote on Twitter. Respected @POTUS, if we are to truly unite in beating this virus, on behalf of the vaccine industry outside the U.S., I humbly request you to lift the embargo of raw material exports out of the U.S. so that vaccine production can ramp up. Your administration has the details. 🙏🙏 — Adar Poonawalla (@adarpoonawalla) April 16, 2021 × There is no actual embargo on exporting vaccine components. Instead, Biden, like his predecessor Donald Trump, invoked the Defense Production Act, which normally concerns wartime, to confront the pandemic. While it does not explicitly ban exports, it puts the US government first in line to buy certain products made in the country. US officials have previously played down the possible effect of the law on global vaccine production. "There's just more global manufacturing happening everywhere in the world than suppliers can currently support," a US official told a White House briefing late last month on condition of anonymity. Dry ice and sorbitol Over the past two months, a number of public and private actors have noted the shrinking supply of components needed to manufacture vaccines. At least 50 components, perhaps as many as 100, go into the jabs. They include items like the glass vials to ship them, as well as certain types of plastics needed for containers used in the manufacturing process. Then there are the ingredients themselves. Curevac is particularly concerned about nucleotides, a building block for the messenger RNA vaccines like the one it is developing. Also read | US-Germany rift on Covid vaccine waiver endangers fight against deadly virus The shortage of raw materials is hardly surprising as the pharmaceutical industry expects to double production to 10 billion doses this year. Richard Hatchett, who heads the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), which along with the World Health Organization and Gavi co-runs the Covax vaccine distribution initiative, spoke already in March of seeing "increasing signs of strain within supply chains". Companies were "beginning to report spot shortages of critical materials, raw materials, critical consumables, even equipment that is necessary for vaccine manufacturing," he said. He was speaking at a meeting of the principal actors in the sector, including WHO and the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations (IFPMA). Already the consensus was that the free circulation of vaccine components was critical, given that a large number of countries are involved in their production. OECD data from 2018 show how thoroughly component production is intertwined across the globe. China dominates production of the glass storage vials, while the United States leads in the manufacturing of syringes. France is a major producer of certain stabilisers like sorbitol, while Germany is big in the production of vaccine preservatives, and Mexico and China both are important manufacturers of additives that enhance the effects of vaccines. Meanwhile, the Netherlands is a leader in the production of dry ice used to transport vaccines that need to be kept at ultra-low temperatures.

After shift on vaccine patents, US backs freer flow of components

For decades, each generation of computer&nbsp;chips got&nbsp;faster&nbsp;and more power-efficient because their most basic building blocks, called transistors, got smaller.

The pace of those improvements has slowed, but International Business Machines Corp on Thursday said that silicon has at least one more generational advance in store.

IBM&nbsp;introduced what it says is the world's first 2-nanomere chipmaking&nbsp;technology. The&nbsp;technology&nbsp;could be as much as 45%&nbsp;faster&nbsp;than the mainstream 7-nanometre chips in many of today's laptops and phones and up to 75% more power efficient, the company said.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="Scientists fuse nature with tech as 'robo-plants' surge">Scientists fuse nature with tech as 'robo-plants' surge</a>

The&nbsp;technology&nbsp;likely will take several years to come to market. Once a major manufacturer of&nbsp;chips,&nbsp;IBM&nbsp;now outsources its high-volume&nbsp;chip&nbsp;production to Samsung Electronics Co Ltd but maintains a&nbsp;chip&nbsp;manufacturing research centre in Albany, New York that produces test runs of&nbsp;chips and has joint&nbsp;technology&nbsp;development deals with Samsung and Intel Corp to use&nbsp;IBM's&nbsp;chipmaking&nbsp;technology.

The 2-nanometre chips will be smaller and&nbsp;faster&nbsp;than today's leading edge 5-nanonmetre chips, which are just now showing up in premium smartphones like Apple Inc's iPhone 12 models, and the 3-nanometre chips expected to come after 5-nanometre.

The&nbsp;technology&nbsp;IBM&nbsp;showed on Thursday is the most basic building block of a&nbsp;chip: a transistor, which acts like an electrical on-off switch to form the 1s and 0s of binary digits at that foundation of all modern&nbsp;computing.

Making the switches very tiny makes them&nbsp;faster&nbsp;and more power efficient, but it also creates problems with electrons leaking when the switches are supposed to be off. Darío Gil, senior vice president and director of&nbsp;IBM&nbsp;Research, told Reuters in an interview that scientists were able to drape sheets of insulating material just a few&nbsp;nanometers thick to stop leaks.

"In the end, there's transistors, and everything else (in&nbsp;computing) relies on whether that transistor gets better or not. And it's not a guarantee that there will be a transistor advance generation to generation anymore. So it's a big deal every time we get a chance to say there will be another," Gil said.

For decades, each generation of computer chips got faster and more power-efficient because their most basic building blocks, called transistors, got smaller. The pace of those improvements has slowed, but International Business Machines Corp on Thursday said that silicon has at least one more generational advance in store.

For decades, each generation of computer chips got faster and more power-efficient because their most basic building blocks, called transistors, got smaller. The pace of those improvements has slowed, but International Business Machines Corp on Thursday said that silicon has at least one more generational advance in store. IBM introduced what it says is the world's first 2-nanomere chipmaking technology. The technology could be as much as 45% faster than the mainstream 7-nanometre chips in many of today's laptops and phones and up to 75% more power efficient, the company said. Also read: Scientists fuse nature with tech as 'robo-plants' surge The technology likely will take several years to come to market. Once a major manufacturer of chips, IBM now outsources its high-volume chip production to Samsung Electronics Co Ltd but maintains a chip manufacturing research centre in Albany, New York that produces test runs of chips and has joint technology development deals with Samsung and Intel Corp to use IBM's chipmaking technology. The 2-nanometre chips will be smaller and faster than today's leading edge 5-nanonmetre chips, which are just now showing up in premium smartphones like Apple Inc's iPhone 12 models, and the 3-nanometre chips expected to come after 5-nanometre. The technology IBM showed on Thursday is the most basic building block of a chip: a transistor, which acts like an electrical on-off switch to form the 1s and 0s of binary digits at that foundation of all modern computing. Making the switches very tiny makes them faster and more power efficient, but it also creates problems with electrons leaking when the switches are supposed to be off. Darío Gil, senior vice president and director of IBM Research, told Reuters in an interview that scientists were able to drape sheets of insulating material just a few nanometers thick to stop leaks. "In the end, there's transistors, and everything else (in computing) relies on whether that transistor gets better or not. And it's not a guarantee that there will be a transistor advance generation to generation anymore. So it's a big deal every time we get a chance to say there will be another," Gil said.

IBM unveils 2-nanometre chip technology for faster computing

A&nbsp;deal&nbsp;to salvage the&nbsp;Iran&nbsp;nuclear&nbsp;accord is&nbsp;possible&nbsp;in the coming weeks&nbsp;before&nbsp;the Islamic republic holds&nbsp;elections&nbsp;in June, a senior State Department official said Thursday, a day&nbsp;before&nbsp;talks were due to resume in Vienna.

The official also confirmed "there are active discussions, indirect discussions," underway with Tehran to secure the "immediate" release of US citizens being held in&nbsp;Iran, but did not say if that was a condition for a US return to the accord.

Also read-&nbsp;<a href="Nuclear deal possible in weeks if Iran takes political decision: US">Nuclear deal possible in weeks if Iran takes political decision: US</a>

Indirect negotiations began in early April in Vienna between Washington and Tehran, with the other signatories to the 2015&nbsp;deal&nbsp;-- Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the European Union -- acting as intermediaries.

The goal is to find a way back to the accord known by its acronym JCPOA, which former US president Donald Trump walked away from and which his successor Joe Biden wants to&nbsp;revive.

For that to happen, the United States and&nbsp;Iran&nbsp;must agree on the lifting of the sanctions reinstated by Trump and on Tehran's commitment to follow the terms of the&nbsp;deal.

Once Trump walked away from the 2015 agreement, the Islamic republic started to abandon the constraints on its production of&nbsp;nuclear&nbsp;material.

The three initial rounds of talks were described as "serious" and "productive" by the US official, who asked not to be named.

Russia has said it wants an agreement concluded in a fortnight,&nbsp;before&nbsp;the campaign for&nbsp;Iran's June 18 presidential&nbsp;election&nbsp;overshadows the talks. Washington has not ruled out this possibility.

"Is it&nbsp;possible&nbsp;to get a&nbsp;deal&nbsp;before&nbsp;the Iranian&nbsp;elections? Absolutely," said the State Department official.

"It's doable because this is not rocket science -- it's not inventing a new&nbsp;deal, it's reviving one that has been undermined," the official said.&nbsp;

The official admitted the main variable in the equation was how much&nbsp;Iran's leadership really wants to achieve an agreement.

"If&nbsp;Iran&nbsp;makes a political decision that it genuinely wants to return to the JCPOA as the JCPOA was negotiated, then it could be done relatively quickly and implementation could be relatively swift," he said.&nbsp;

"We don't know if&nbsp;Iran&nbsp;has made that decision," the official said.

That question may be answered in Friday's talks, the official said, noting: "We'll just have to see whether the next round actually moves things forward or whether we still are faced with unrealistic demands by&nbsp;Iran."

In parallel with the&nbsp;nuclear&nbsp;talks, Iranian media reported last weekend that there was an agreement between Tehran and Washington for the release of prisoners held by each side.

Despite the detailed reports, both sides now deny such an accord.

"There's no&nbsp;deal," an US official said, accusing&nbsp;Iran&nbsp;of "unspeakable cruelty" for putting out stories that raised the hopes of families of those held.

Nevertheless, the official said, "we want it to be resolved sooner rather than later. . . &nbsp;We want to&nbsp;deal&nbsp;with the detainees immediately."

A deal to salvage the Iran nuclear accord is possible in the coming weeks before the Islamic republic holds elections in June, a senior State Department official said Thursday, a day before talks were due to resume in Vienna.

A deal to salvage the Iran nuclear accord is possible in the coming weeks before the Islamic republic holds elections in June, a senior State Department official said Thursday, a day before talks were due to resume in Vienna. The official also confirmed "there are active discussions, indirect discussions," underway with Tehran to secure the "immediate" release of US citizens being held in Iran, but did not say if that was a condition for a US return to the accord. Also read- Nuclear deal possible in weeks if Iran takes political decision: US Indirect negotiations began in early April in Vienna between Washington and Tehran, with the other signatories to the 2015 deal -- Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the European Union -- acting as intermediaries. The goal is to find a way back to the accord known by its acronym JCPOA, which former US president Donald Trump walked away from and which his successor Joe Biden wants to revive. For that to happen, the United States and Iran must agree on the lifting of the sanctions reinstated by Trump and on Tehran's commitment to follow the terms of the deal. Once Trump walked away from the 2015 agreement, the Islamic republic started to abandon the constraints on its production of nuclear material. The three initial rounds of talks were described as "serious" and "productive" by the US official, who asked not to be named. Russia has said it wants an agreement concluded in a fortnight, before the campaign for Iran's June 18 presidential election overshadows the talks. Washington has not ruled out this possibility. "Is it possible to get a deal before the Iranian elections? Absolutely," said the State Department official. "It's doable because this is not rocket science -- it's not inventing a new deal, it's reviving one that has been undermined," the official said. The official admitted the main variable in the equation was how much Iran's leadership really wants to achieve an agreement. "If Iran makes a political decision that it genuinely wants to return to the JCPOA as the JCPOA was negotiated, then it could be done relatively quickly and implementation could be relatively swift," he said. "We don't know if Iran has made that decision," the official said. That question may be answered in Friday's talks, the official said, noting: "We'll just have to see whether the next round actually moves things forward or whether we still are faced with unrealistic demands by Iran." In parallel with the nuclear talks, Iranian media reported last weekend that there was an agreement between Tehran and Washington for the release of prisoners held by each side. Despite the detailed reports, both sides now deny such an accord. "There's no deal," an US official said, accusing Iran of "unspeakable cruelty" for putting out stories that raised the hopes of families of those held. Nevertheless, the official said, "we want it to be resolved sooner rather than later. . . We want to deal with the detainees immediately."

US says 'possible' to revive Iran nuclear deal before vote

The&nbsp;COVID-19&nbsp;pandemic has caused nearly 6.9 million&nbsp;deaths across the world,&nbsp;more&nbsp;than&nbsp;double&nbsp;the number&nbsp;officially recorded, a new analysis from the University of Washington's Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) estimated.

Deaths go unreported as most countries only record those that occur in hospitals or of patients with a confirmed infection, the report showed.

The&nbsp;IHME&nbsp;is an independent health research organization that provides comparable measurement of the world's health problems and has been cited in the past by the White House and its reports are watched closely by public health&nbsp;officials.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="India to see over 1 million deaths by the start of August: US study projects">India to see over 1 million deaths by the start of August: US study projects</a>

The reported&nbsp;COVID-19&nbsp;mortality is strongly related to the levels of testing in a country, the&nbsp;IHME&nbsp;said.

"If you don't test very much, you're most likely to miss&nbsp;COVID&nbsp;deaths," Christopher Murray, director of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, said in a briefing call with journalists.

IHME&nbsp;estimated total&nbsp;COVID-19&nbsp;deaths by comparing anticipated&nbsp;deaths from all causes based on pre-pandemic trends with the actual number of all&nbsp;deaths caused during the pandemic.

In the United States, the analysis estimated&nbsp;COVID-19&nbsp;related&nbsp;deaths of&nbsp;more&nbsp;than&nbsp;905,000.&nbsp;Official&nbsp;figures from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Wednesday estimated 575,491&nbsp;deaths due to the novel coronavirus.

The CDC did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on the report.

The report only includes&nbsp;deaths caused directly by the virus, not&nbsp;deaths caused by the pandemic's disruption to healthcare systems and communities.

"Many countries have devoted exceptional effort to measuring the pandemic's&nbsp;toll, but our analysis shows how difficult it is to accurately track a new and rapidly spreading infectious disease," Murray said.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused nearly 6.9 million deaths across the world, more than double the number officially recorded, a new analysis from the University of Washington's Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) estimated.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused nearly 6.9 million deaths across the world, more than double the number officially recorded, a new analysis from the University of Washington's Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) estimated. Deaths go unreported as most countries only record those that occur in hospitals or of patients with a confirmed infection, the report showed. The IHME is an independent health research organization that provides comparable measurement of the world's health problems and has been cited in the past by the White House and its reports are watched closely by public health officials. Also read: India to see over 1 million deaths by the start of August: US study projects The reported COVID-19 mortality is strongly related to the levels of testing in a country, the IHME said. "If you don't test very much, you're most likely to miss COVID deaths," Christopher Murray, director of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, said in a briefing call with journalists. IHME estimated total COVID-19 deaths by comparing anticipated deaths from all causes based on pre-pandemic trends with the actual number of all deaths caused during the pandemic. In the United States, the analysis estimated COVID-19 related deaths of more than 905,000. Official figures from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Wednesday estimated 575,491 deaths due to the novel coronavirus. The CDC did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on the report. The report only includes deaths caused directly by the virus, not deaths caused by the pandemic's disruption to healthcare systems and communities. "Many countries have devoted exceptional effort to measuring the pandemic's toll, but our analysis shows how difficult it is to accurately track a new and rapidly spreading infectious disease," Murray said.

Global COVID-19 death toll more than double official estimates - IHME

An Italian court convicted two Americans on Wednesday for murder of a policeman near their Rome hotel in 2019 while they were on a summer holiday, sentencing them to the maximum life in prison.

Two American tourists given life sentences for killing police officer in Italy

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken landed in Kiev in a show of support for Ukraine in its standoff with Russia and to push officials to tackle corruption. The top US diplomat landed in the Ukrainian capital ahead of a day that includes talks with President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Antony Blinken arrives in Kiev to lend support to Ukraine

Under former US President Donald Trump, Washington pressurised its allies to pack up oil imports from Iran just because it wanted to put “maximum pressure” on the Islamic republic. Around the same time, Washington also put pressure on fellow NATO members to up their military budgets. It also pressed US allies to fight Huawei.

US President Joe Biden promised to put an end to this maximalist approach towards diplomacy. But just 100 days into office, Biden seems to have changed his mind. Washington is pressing Taiwan to supply microchip so that the Biden administration can revive and drive the American economy.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-us-is-pressing-taiwan-for-microchips-383079">Watch |</a>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-us-is-pressing-taiwan-for-microchips-383079/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Microchips are tiny wafers of semiconducting materials and are needed in smartphones, computers and gaming consoles. Each car has over 1,000 microchips which help in controlling the car radio, the climate control system, tyre pressure etc. Currently, there is a global shortage of microchips and automakers are feeling the pinch.

From General Motors to Ford, auto-companies have been forced to shut plants and press break on production in the US. This has threatened Biden's promise of accelerating economic recovery. Autoworkers are facing cuts in their hours and wages. Additionally, this has threatened Biden's approval ratings as he stares at mid-term elections and Democrats struggle to hold their House majority.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/taipei-to-dispatch-military-aircraft-ships-to-counter-chinese-activities-in-taiwan-strait-382948" hreflang="en">Taipei to dispatch military aircraft, ships to counter Chinese activities in Taiwan Strait</a>

The situation is so dire that in April, the White House convened a summit to address chip shortage. Now, America is exporting its problem and directing the pressure towards an ally.

Taiwan has the world's largest semiconductor manufacturing industry and the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) is among the world's leading microchip producers and makes nearly 12 million microchips a year.

America wants these wafers to be shipped to US automobile companies. But the demand for Taiwanese microchips is not limited to the US alone. The TSMC, for example, has clients across Europe, Japan, South Korea, even China but Washington wants priority. The US is leveraging its position as Taiwan's main defence exporter. As the main foreign source of weapons, Taiwan need US to defend itself from China.

“Not a day goes by that we don't push on that”, said US Secretary of Commerce, Gina Raimondo told an executive from General Motors. “There are so many American jobs on the line”, she added. US is betting on Taiwan's vulnerability against an increasingly aggressive China.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/economic-warfare-against-tech-sector-taiwan-bans-recruitment-for-jobs-in-china-to-combat-brain-drain-381547" hreflang="en">Economic warfare against tech sector: Taiwan bans recruitment for jobs in China to combat brain drain</a>

Trump's legacy of pressing adversaries and allies alike still lingers in the White House. American diplomacy under Biden is increasingly being shaped by national politics.

Be it the refugee cap, or helping a natural ally like India in times of a global healthcare crisis, Biden believes in testing the waters at home first. And he is not shy of escalating pressure on an ally if it serves his national interest. Biden promised to be different from Rrump when he declared “America is back”. But 100 days in office and America is back to its old tactics.

Under former US President Donald Trump, Washington pressurised its allies to pack up oil imports from Iran just because it wanted to put “maximum pressure” on the Islamic republic.

Under former US President Donald Trump, Washington pressurised its allies to pack up oil imports from Iran just because it wanted to put “maximum pressure” on the Islamic republic. Around the same time, Washington also put pressure on fellow NATO members to up their military budgets. It also pressed US allies to fight Huawei. US President Joe Biden promised to put an end to this maximalist approach towards diplomacy. But just 100 days into office, Biden seems to have changed his mind. Washington is pressing Taiwan to supply microchip so that the Biden administration can revive and drive the American economy. Watch | Microchips are tiny wafers of semiconducting materials and are needed in smartphones, computers and gaming consoles. Each car has over 1,000 microchips which help in controlling the car radio, the climate control system, tyre pressure etc. Currently, there is a global shortage of microchips and automakers are feeling the pinch. From General Motors to Ford, auto-companies have been forced to shut plants and press break on production in the US. This has threatened Biden's promise of accelerating economic recovery. Autoworkers are facing cuts in their hours and wages. Additionally, this has threatened Biden's approval ratings as he stares at mid-term elections and Democrats struggle to hold their House majority. Also read: Taipei to dispatch military aircraft, ships to counter Chinese activities in Taiwan Strait The situation is so dire that in April, the White House convened a summit to address chip shortage. Now, America is exporting its problem and directing the pressure towards an ally. Taiwan has the world's largest semiconductor manufacturing industry and the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) is among the world's leading microchip producers and makes nearly 12 million microchips a year. America wants these wafers to be shipped to US automobile companies. But the demand for Taiwanese microchips is not limited to the US alone. The TSMC, for example, has clients across Europe, Japan, South Korea, even China but Washington wants priority. The US is leveraging its position as Taiwan's main defence exporter. As the main foreign source of weapons, Taiwan need US to defend itself from China. “Not a day goes by that we don't push on that”, said US Secretary of Commerce, Gina Raimondo told an executive from General Motors. “There are so many American jobs on the line”, she added. US is betting on Taiwan's vulnerability against an increasingly aggressive China. Also read: Economic warfare against tech sector: Taiwan bans recruitment for jobs in China to combat brain drain Trump's legacy of pressing adversaries and allies alike still lingers in the White House. American diplomacy under Biden is increasingly being shaped by national politics. Be it the refugee cap, or helping a natural ally like India in times of a global healthcare crisis, Biden believes in testing the waters at home first. And he is not shy of escalating pressure on an ally if it serves his national interest. Biden promised to be different from Rrump when he declared “America is back”. But 100 days in office and America is back to its old tactics.

What does US pressure on Taiwan for microchips say about Biden administration?

A group of US lawmakers is demanding that airlines refrain from outsourcing jobs if they want to be eligible for a third round of federal payroll aid, after learning that United Airlines has sought bids to outsource catering work at five airports.

As United Airlines weighs outsourcing catering, US lawmakers demand new curbs on federal aid

According to ADP's monthly employment report, US Private payrolls grew by 742,000 last month in April. The Wednesday reading marks a fourth straight month of job growth and places private-sector payrolls at their highest since March 2020, when the pandemic first rocked the US economy.

World Business Watch: US private payrolls climb by 742,000 as labor market improves

President Joe Biden's administration has announced that the United States will support an initiative at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) to waive Trade Related Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) protection for COVID-19 vaccines.

US supports global waiver of intellectual property protection for COVID-19 vaccines

The U.S. has a record of bullying its allies. U.S. President Joe Biden promised to be different, but his administration is now pressing Taiwan. What for? Microchips. U.S. wants priority in the supply chain.

Gravitas: U.S. is pressing Taiwan for microchips

US Trade Representative Katherine Tai said that while intellectual property rights for businesses are important, Washington "supports the waiver of those protections for Covid-19 vaccines"

WHO lauds US' decision to lift patent protections on Covid vaccine

The US trade deficit jumped to a record high in March amid roaring domestic demand, which is drawing in imports, and the gap could widen further as the nation's economic activity rebounds faster than its global rivals.

World Business Watch: US trade deficit hits record $74.4 billion in March

Free&nbsp;beer, free doughnuts, savings bonds, government officials and businesses are teaming up to encourage Americans to get vaccinated against <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">COVID-19</a>.

President Joe Biden wants 70 per cent of adults to have received at least one shot by Independence Day on July 4 and overcoming vaccine hesitancy is key to reaching the goal.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-president-joe-biden-aiming-for-70-adults-to-get-first-covid-shot-by-july-4-382818">US President Joe Biden aiming for 70% adults to get first Covid shot by July 4</a>

"We know there are millions of Americans who need a little bit of encouragement to get the shot," Biden told reporters at the White House on Tuesday.

Some 56 per cent of American adults, more than 145 million people, have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine but the pace of vaccination has been declining lately.

Federal, state and local officials are partnering with pharmacies, restaurants, breweries, supermarkets and sports teams to come up with incentives to get people to get their shots. &nbsp;&nbsp;

In New Jersey, Governor Phil Murphy launched a "Shot and a&nbsp;Beer" programme to encourage vaccination.

"Any New Jerseyan who gets their first vaccine dose in the month of May and takes their vaccination card to a participating brewery will receive a free&nbsp;beer," Murphy tweeted.

The offer is only open, of course, to residents of the "Garden State" who are over the age of 21, the legal drinking age in the United States.

Governor Ned Lamont of the state of Connecticut unveiled a similar "Free Drink" promotion with participating restaurants last month.

In Washington, Mayor Muriel Bowser urged residents of the nation's capital to "come get vaccinated and grab a&nbsp;beer, on us" at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

'Motivate them'&nbsp;

In West Virginia, Governor Jim Justice announced that the state will offer $100 savings bonds to residents aged 16 to 35 who get vaccinated.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/reaching-herd-immunity-is-unlikely-in-the-us-experts-now-believe-382589">Reaching ‘herd immunity’ is unlikely in the US, experts now believe</a>&nbsp;

"Our kids today probably don't really realize just how important they are in shutting this thing down," Justice said. "I'm trying to come up with a way that's truly going to motivate them, and us, to get over the hump."

"They're not taking vaccines as fast as we'd like them to take them," Justice said. "If we really want to move the needle, we've got to get our younger people vaccinated."

In Maryland, Governor Larry Hogan said state employees who get vaccinated will receive $100.

They also must agree to receive any booster shots recommended by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or they will have to reimburse the $100.

"Incentives like this are another way to reinforce the importance of getting vaccinated, and we strongly encourage businesses across the state to consider offering incentives to their workers as well," Hogan said.

Krispy Kreme is offering a free glazed doughnut to anyone who presents their COVID-19 vaccination card at one of its stores.&nbsp;

According to a survey conducted in March by the Kaiser Family Foundation, 25 per cent of Americans aged 18 to 29 are adopting a "wait and see" attitude towards being vaccinated.

Among US adults, 61 per cent said they had been vaccinated or intended to do so as soon as possible while 17 per cent said they were adopting a "wait and see" approach and 13 per cent said they will "definitely not" get vaccinated.

Free beer, free doughnuts, savings bonds, government officials and businesses are teaming up to encourage Americans to get vaccinated against COVID-19. President Joe Biden wants 70 per cent of adults to have received at least one shot by Independence Day on July 4 and overcoming vaccine hesitancy is key to reaching the goal.

Free beer, free doughnuts, savings bonds, government officials and businesses are teaming up to encourage Americans to get vaccinated against COVID-19. President Joe Biden wants 70 per cent of adults to have received at least one shot by Independence Day on July 4 and overcoming vaccine hesitancy is key to reaching the goal. Also read | US President Joe Biden aiming for 70% adults to get first Covid shot by July 4 "We know there are millions of Americans who need a little bit of encouragement to get the shot," Biden told reporters at the White House on Tuesday. Some 56 per cent of American adults, more than 145 million people, have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine but the pace of vaccination has been declining lately. Federal, state and local officials are partnering with pharmacies, restaurants, breweries, supermarkets and sports teams to come up with incentives to get people to get their shots. In New Jersey, Governor Phil Murphy launched a "Shot and a Beer" programme to encourage vaccination. "Any New Jerseyan who gets their first vaccine dose in the month of May and takes their vaccination card to a participating brewery will receive a free beer," Murphy tweeted. The offer is only open, of course, to residents of the "Garden State" who are over the age of 21, the legal drinking age in the United States. Governor Ned Lamont of the state of Connecticut unveiled a similar "Free Drink" promotion with participating restaurants last month. In Washington, Mayor Muriel Bowser urged residents of the nation's capital to "come get vaccinated and grab a beer, on us" at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. 'Motivate them' In West Virginia, Governor Jim Justice announced that the state will offer $100 savings bonds to residents aged 16 to 35 who get vaccinated. Also read | Reaching ‘herd immunity’ is unlikely in the US, experts now believe "Our kids today probably don't really realize just how important they are in shutting this thing down," Justice said. "I'm trying to come up with a way that's truly going to motivate them, and us, to get over the hump." "They're not taking vaccines as fast as we'd like them to take them," Justice said. "If we really want to move the needle, we've got to get our younger people vaccinated." In Maryland, Governor Larry Hogan said state employees who get vaccinated will receive $100. They also must agree to receive any booster shots recommended by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or they will have to reimburse the $100. "Incentives like this are another way to reinforce the importance of getting vaccinated, and we strongly encourage businesses across the state to consider offering incentives to their workers as well," Hogan said. Krispy Kreme is offering a free glazed doughnut to anyone who presents their COVID-19 vaccination card at one of its stores. According to a survey conducted in March by the Kaiser Family Foundation, 25 per cent of Americans aged 18 to 29 are adopting a "wait and see" attitude towards being vaccinated. Among US adults, 61 per cent said they had been vaccinated or intended to do so as soon as possible while 17 per cent said they were adopting a "wait and see" approach and 13 per cent said they will "definitely not" get vaccinated.

Free beer and doughnuts to promote vaccines in US

President Joe Biden on Tuesday announced a goal to vaccinate 70% of US adults with at least one COVID-19 jab by the July 4 and said the government would inoculate 12-15-year-olds as soon as allowed.

Biden aims to inoculate 70% US adults with one dose by July 4

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