Author: nuwuser

The European Commission said it will require pharmaceutical companies producing COVID-19 vaccines in the EU to register in advance any exports of doses to third countries. The register is expected to be put into effect this week, and will keep track of which EU producers make vaccine exports and how many doses they ship outside of the bloc. Under the plan, vaccine makers would also need a license to export doses made in the EU. “The EU will take any action required to protect its citizens and its rights,” said Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides earlier Monday. The EU rollout of COVID-19 vaccines has been criticized for its sluggish start, with per capita vaccination rates lagging behind the United States and United Kingdom. British-Swedish pharma company AstraZeneca is under pressure from EU leaders after the company warned last week it would fall far short of supply targets.The AstraZeneca vaccine still needs to be approved in the EU, with regulators expected to announce their decision on Friday. BioNTech-Pfizer, which produces doses in Germany and Belgium, also announced last week that it would have to cut delivery of doses to EU countries due to supply problems.

U.S. President Joe Biden signed four executive orders on Tuesday addressing racial inequity. The orders were regarding: housing inequities, eliminating privately-operated criminal detention centres, a memorandum for the heads of executive agencies, tribal consultations strengthening nations and nation-relations, and condemning and combatting racism, xenophobia against Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders.

The Senate tabled an effort by Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) to force a vote on the constitutionality of former President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial, but the vote offered an indicator for how Republican senators — who overwhelmingly voted for Paul’s measure — feel about the trial. Paul’s motion was killed on a 55-45 vote, with five Republicans joining all Democrats, meaning 45 Republicans voted for Paul’s effort. Republican Sens. Mitt Romney of Utah, Ben Sasse of Nebraska, Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania crossed party lines to vote with Democrats. In order to convict Trump at his trial, at least 17 Republicans will need to vote with all Democrats when the trial begins next month. Significantly, Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell sided with Paul in the vote — a potential indicator that he agrees the constitutionality of impeaching a former President is in question. Paul argued after the vote that the fact that 45 Republicans sided with him “shows that impeachment is dead on arrival.” “If you voted that it was unconstitutional then how in the world would you ever hope to convict somebody for this?” Paul asked, adding ,”45 of us, almost the entire caucus, 95% of the caucus, voted that the whole proceeding was unconstitutional. This is a big victory for us. Democrats can beat this partisan horse as long as they want — this vote indicates it’s over, the trial is all over.” Paul, a Kentucky Republican, told reporters earlier in the day, “I think there will be enough (votes) to show that more than a third of the Senate thinks that the whole proceeding is unconstitutional, which will show that ultimately they don’t have the votes to do an impeachment.”

New York Times’ Maggie Haberman shares her reporting that former President Donald Trump has a list of people, including Georgia’s Republican governor, that he wants to punish for their role in not helping to illegally overturn the 2020 election.

Deforestation has left only 20 percent of the once gigantic Atlantic Forest. Cities such as São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro depend on the rainforest for their water supplies. Two sisters are realizing their childhood dream by planting new trees there.

It’s still far too early to offer a timetable for easing the Covid restrictions. That’s the warning from the health secretary for England Matt Hancock.

Council on Foreign Relations President Richard Haass discusses some of the major foreign policy issues President Biden will be confronted with. Aired on 01/25/2021.