Connect with us

Vaccine Race, Donald Trump, SpaceX: your Monday briefing

 


(Would you like to receive this briefing by email? Here is the registration.)

Hello.

Covered Russian plans for a nationwide coronavirus vaccination campaign, Britain’s dilemma if President Trump loses in November and a far-right group in Germany.

Russia plans mass vaccination after shortened trials

Russia is planning a nationwide vaccination campaign in October with a vaccine against the coronavirus that has yet to complete clinical trials. The announcement raised international concerns that the country would vaccinate the public without fully testing its product.

Officials said, amid accelerated testing, approval would be expected this month well before the year-end date suggested by Western regulators. Winning the world race would be a symbol of national pride.

But critics say Russia has cut corners in research on other products and that the US, Canadian and UK governments have accused Russian hackers of trying to steal vaccine research.

In addition, the largest vaccine manufacturer in the world, the Serum Institute is betting on a vaccine being tested with scientists from the University of Oxford. The company plans to mass-produce hundreds of millions of doses of the vaccine, which might not even work. But if that’s the case, Adar Poonawalla, the CEO of Serum, will have what everyone maybe wants in massive amounts before everyone else.

A US vaccine: Earlier this year, officials set an ambitious October deadline for a publicly available vaccine. Now, some involved in the project say they fear political intervention to produce one before the November elections.

Related: In Moscow, Young Russians are partying again, seeking a return to normal life and willing to risk a coronavirus outbreak. We are people, not robots, and we want to have a life, said a bar patron (and doctor).

New British dilemma: what if Trump loses?

Few countries have worked harder than Britain to please President Trump. But with Mr. Trump trailing in the polls to former Vice President Joseph Biden Jr., British officials are waking up to the troubling prospect that Mr. Trump could be out of power next year.

In Paris and Berlin, a defeat for Trump would be welcome as he has split alliances, threatened a trade war and tried to dismantle the European project. But in Mr Biden, Britain would face a president who opposes Brexit, cares about Ireland and may have little interest in a trade deal.

What It Means: Experts say risk is a gradual slide into irrelevance. Mr Bidens’ focus, they said, would be on mending fences with Berlin and Paris, and not on celebrating a special relationship with London which received much attention from his predecessor.

And then: Pro-government newspapers started arguing that President Biden would be better for Britain, and Boris Johnson, the prime minister, has already tried to keep Mr Trump at bay, even though he avoids to offend him.

Brazilian leader gives in to pressure to protect the Amazon

European governments and foreign investors have pressured Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro to stop deforestation in the Amazon.

And it seems to be working. The man who a year ago insisted the Amazon is ours has set up a military operation to defend it and has banned intentional forest fires used for clearing, although environmentalists and foreign officials who have pressed Brazil on conservation issues fear actions are little more than damage control. given that the economy is in great difficulty.

Leverage points: Brazil’s bad environmental reputation has jeopardized two important foreign policy objectives. One is a trade agreement with the EU and the other joins the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. Both require Brazil to comply with labor and environmental standards.

Example: This week, Nordea Asset Management, a large European investment firm, announced that it had pulled Brazilian meat processing giant JBS SA out of its funds due to the company’s role in deforestation and Other problems.

If you have 12 minutes, it’s worth it.The German case points to a bigger far-right threat

Germany has started to deal with far-right networks which officials say are much larger than they realized.

Our correspondent takes a look at the Northern Cross group, which foresaw a legendary moment for Day X when committed far-right extremists would gather and kill political enemies and those who defend migrants and refugees. The group, which included former police officers and soldiers, was discovered more than three years ago, but only recently came to trial.

Here is what else is happening

Italy: Less than two years after the collapse of a bridge in Genoa killed 43 people, Italy will inaugurate a replacement on Monday. But locals fear that’s not enough to revive their aging port city, and government critics say its handling of the consequences is troubling for investors.

British politician: A Tory lawmaker in Britain was arrested over the weekend after a former employee accused him of raping her, according to British reports. The lawmaker, who has not been publicly identified, has been released on bail.

New nuclear power plant in the Middle East: On Saturday, the United Arab Emirates became the first Arab country to open a nuclear power plant, raising concerns over the introduction of more nuclear programs in the Middle East. Israel and Iran also have nuclear capabilities.

Snapshot: Above, the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft splashing around in the Gulf of Mexico on Sunday. The capsule carrying astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley was NASA’s first crewed landing since 1975.

Speaking: Prince Manvendra of India is one of the few LGBTQ rights activists in the world with high-profile royal ties. His journey from a lonely childhood to global advocacy included death threats and disinheritance.

Bake: This highly textured salad has its bite of farro, crunchy spicy chickpeas and sweetness of roasted corn and minced fennel.

Listen and Watch: Beyoncs Black Is King, released Friday, is a visual album tied to last year’s Disney remake of The Lion King. A handful of our critics have looked at it from different angles, including Vanessa Friedman, who described the amount of fashion on display as overwhelming.

Taste: Our wine review offers a selection of verdicchios. These white wines from the Marche region, on the Adriatic coast of Italy, offer a simple refreshment while carrying notes of complex aromas and flavors.

At Home has our full collection of ideas on what to read, cook, watch and do.

And now for the Back Story on Maos China, covered by my father, still echoes

As father, as daughter: Alexandra Stevenson, a Times correspondent who covers China’s economy from Hong Kong, took a look at reports her father, William Stevenson, did for the Toronto Star and The Star Weekly in the 1950s as one of the first foreign journalists to work in China after the Communist takeover.

Here is an excerpt from an article she wrote on how much of what he described is still recognizable.

My father left behind written notes and newspaper clippings, stacks of passports with visas, photos and transcripts from his first and subsequent trips to China. They allowed me to imagine conversations we could have had in the six years since his death. The conversations about how the country he saw back then brimming with hope and enthusiasm but also tightly controlled are in some ways the same today.

His first trip to China lasted two months and thousands of miles. He met Mao Zedong (whom he tapped on the shoulder behind his camera, mistaking the president for a humble courtier blocking his shot) and Zhou Enlai, the then prime minister and foreign minister. But he also spoke to factory workers, actors, newspaper publishers and traders.

He described being filled with hope for the human spirit he witnessed. But he also felt desperate because a government-provided manager was never too far away, ready to silence anyone who strayed too far from the Communist Party line.

China has defied any blanket statement. And yet, he wrote in a notebook, under current leadership, the way the government silences alternative views makes it difficult not to.

A version of this exists today. I have a long list of names of people who wouldn’t talk to me because I work for The New York Times, portrayed in the Chinese state media as the source of slander and lies. Sources I interviewed privately are later threatened by local police, while nationalist rhetoric dominates state media.

Several months after I returned to Hong Kong, the Chinese government in March expelled my American colleagues in a diplomatic dispute with the United States. Over the past month, Beijing tightened its grip on Hong Kong with a new national security law, threatening free speech and other civil liberties in the city.

That’s it for this briefing. See you next time.

Isabelle

Thanks to Melissa Clark for the recipe, and Theodore Kim and Jahaan Singh for the rest of the break. You can reach the team at [email protected].

PS We were listening to The Daily. Our final episode is about a writer exploring the potentially constructive force of female anger, today’s Heres crossword puzzle mini-game, and a hint: UFO pilot (five letters). You can find all of our puzzles here. Times Magazine Editor-in-Chief Caitlin Roper will become Executive Producer of Scripted Projects, working alongside Hollywood producers using our stories for fictional projects inspired by our reporting.

What Are The Main Benefits Of Comparing Car Insurance Quotes Online

LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / June 24, 2020, / Compare-autoinsurance.Org has launched a new blog post that presents the main benefits of comparing multiple car insurance quotes. For more info and free online quotes, please visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/the-advantages-of-comparing-prices-with-car-insurance-quotes-online/ The modern society has numerous technological advantages. One important advantage is the speed at which information is sent and received. With the help of the internet, the shopping habits of many persons have drastically changed. The car insurance industry hasn't remained untouched by these changes. On the internet, drivers can compare insurance prices and find out which sellers have the best offers. View photos The advantages of comparing online car insurance quotes are the following: Online quotes can be obtained from anywhere and at any time. Unlike physical insurance agencies, websites don't have a specific schedule and they are available at any time. Drivers that have busy working schedules, can compare quotes from anywhere and at any time, even at midnight. Multiple choices. Almost all insurance providers, no matter if they are well-known brands or just local insurers, have an online presence. Online quotes will allow policyholders the chance to discover multiple insurance companies and check their prices. Drivers are no longer required to get quotes from just a few known insurance companies. Also, local and regional insurers can provide lower insurance rates for the same services. Accurate insurance estimates. Online quotes can only be accurate if the customers provide accurate and real info about their car models and driving history. Lying about past driving incidents can make the price estimates to be lower, but when dealing with an insurance company lying to them is useless. Usually, insurance companies will do research about a potential customer before granting him coverage. Online quotes can be sorted easily. Although drivers are recommended to not choose a policy just based on its price, drivers can easily sort quotes by insurance price. Using brokerage websites will allow drivers to get quotes from multiple insurers, thus making the comparison faster and easier. For additional info, money-saving tips, and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ Compare-autoinsurance.Org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc. "Online quotes can easily help drivers obtain better car insurance deals. All they have to do is to complete an online form with accurate and real info, then compare prices", said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company. CONTACT: Company Name: Internet Marketing CompanyPerson for contact Name: Gurgu CPhone Number: (818) 359-3898Email: [email protected]: https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ SOURCE: Compare-autoinsurance.Org View source version on accesswire.Com:https://www.Accesswire.Com/595055/What-Are-The-Main-Benefits-Of-Comparing-Car-Insurance-Quotes-Online View photos



picture credit

ExBUlletin

to request, modification Contact us at Here or [email protected]