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Texas-India Vaccine Diplomacy Announces Covid Vaccine For $1.5 Per Dose

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The COVID-19 vaccine will be released for emergency use in India soon: Top US scientist
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Houston:
The Texas-India vaccine diplomacy, a collaboration for shared global health between Indian pharmaceutical company Biological E and the Texas Children''s Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine, has led to the development of a cost-efficient vaccine against COVID-19 for USD 1.50 per dose, according to a top American scientist.
Addressing the annual 2021 gala of the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Houston (IACCGH) on Saturday, Dr Peter Hotez, Dean National School of Tropical Medicine; professor of pediatrics, molecular virology and molecular biology, at Baylor College of Medicine, said the collaboration has led to the development of the low-cost people''s vaccine in record times.
It will help vaccinate the world's low-income countries in the coming months to fill the 9 billion gap, Hotez said.
"The COVID-19 vaccine, which will be released for emergency use in India soon, will produce 100 million doses per month. It has been tough, but the most fulfilling activity I've ever been involved with," he said.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) respects the Biological E, he said.
"It mentioned, once a vaccine is released in India, we will most likely move pretty close to do emergency assistance for global usage, so the world can benefit from it as well," Hotez said.
"Our shared goal is to make this vaccine available not only for India, but all of the world's low- and middle-income countries as a means to end the pandemic," Hotez said during his keynote address.
"We are being contacted by various middle-income countries in Asia and Africa, and working to transfer our production cell bank to them or have them work directly through Bio-E," he said.
Hotez said that this adventure would never have happened without the brilliance of Indian scientists and various Texas philanthropists, including Texas Children Hospital and M D Anderson Foundation, who raised USD 7 million for vaccine development.
Appreciating Indian vaccine producers amidst thunderous applause from over 600 attendees at the 22nd IACCGH gala, Hotez said, "India's vaccine producers are actually "India's gift to the world".
For decades, producers like the Serum Institute of India, Biological E and Bharat Biotech have established the unique ecosystem needed to provide vaccines for measles, whooping cough, and tetanus to the world's low- and middle-income countries, he said.
"Since our vaccine uses an older yeast fermentation technology, we needed a manufacturing partner who could do this under a quality umbrella and without failure. It wasn't easy to find one, but the answer was only India after we were connected to Biological E, through mutual colleagues, who work with the Gates Foundation," he said.
Without the need of patents, the production cell bank was transferred to Biological E and then began exchanging reagents and knowledge, speaking several times a week via Zoom or phone, Hotez said.
"We worked together to co-develop the vaccine, which in clinical trials looked great, potentially offering protection as good as mRNA vaccines but for a fraction of the price USD 1.50 per dose, and simple refrigeration and easy to administer," he said.
"There are over 1 billion people in Sub-Saharan Africa, 650 million in Latin America, another 1 billion people in smaller, low-income Asian countries, who need to be vaccinated badly.
"Altogether, we needed 9 billion doses of vaccines, a daunting task in a short period of time. The mRNA and adenovirus vectored vaccines were always going to be made in sufficient amounts for North America and Europe but not the rest of the world due to its cost," Hotez said.
He also warned that there are dark forces at work seeking to undermine vaccines.
"At least 100,000 lost their lives to Delta and "anti-science aggression" from the political right, but we need to uncouple anti-science from far-right extremism. Ultimately science will save mankind," he said.
India's Ambassador to the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu, who was the chief guest at the gala, highlighted the deepening of the strategic relationship between India and the US.
This relationship is a meeting of minds and hearts, he said.
"US global strategic partnership continues to grow from strength to strength, the landmark visit of the Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) for the India-US bilateral summit and the first in-person Quad Leaders'' Summit recently is a testament to the enduring ties between the two countries," Mr Sandhu said.
"As India enters the 75th year of independence, we continue to make rapid strides in building a prosperous and secure country. I am confident that the Indian American community here will further contribute to these efforts and further deepen the India-US partnership," he said.
Since this was Mr Sandhu's first visit to Houston, he visited NASA, BAPS Temple, University of Houston, a post office named after Sikh police officer Sandeep Singh Dhaliwal and held meetings with elected officials, healthcare professionals, business leaders from a range of fields.
"These engagements provided political momentum to move the relationship forward. From health sector cooperation to combating climate change to partnership in critical and emerging technology to strategic cooperation in the Indo Pacific, there is no sphere of human activity that is untouched by India-US relationship," Sandhu told PTI.
Ambassador Mr Sandhu said that during discussion with President Joe Biden, Prime Minister Narendra Modi identified five Ts that would define the partnership, tradition, talent, trade, technology and trusteeship.
All the five aspects are underscored by a defining element of trust between the two countries. The Prime Minister's visit was a demonstration of that trust and of the enduring strength in our partnership, he said.
"Broadly, our relations are focused on five key areas: strategic and defence relations, cooperation in the healthcare sector (may like to mention - DFC - Biological E finalisation of financing last week), cooperation in the areas of climate change and energy, technological and innovation cooperation and lastly the knowledge partnership," Sandhu added.
The gala was attended by Houston''s top industry leaders, elected federal and local officials, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, Congressmen and their representatives, Consul General of India in Houston Aseem R Mahajan, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, Harris county Judge Lina Hidalgo, Fort Bend Indian American Judge K P George.
IACCGH founder and executive director Jagdip Ahluwalia spoke of the chamber''s efforts in dealing with the fallout of the pandemic and promoting entrepreneurship during these challenging times and extending help both locally and by sending medical equipment to India to combat Covid crisis early this year.
Tarush Anand, President IACCGH, said: "We were able to host webinars addressing new employment law issues created by the pandemic, doing business globally in these trying times, providing real solutions in a virtual world".
The honorees at this year''s gala included Lifetime Achievement Award for Dr David Leebron, President Rice University, for outstanding leadership that has made Rice University a globally recognised, top notch educational and research institute.
IACCGH woman of the year was awarded to Sultana Mangalji for her contribution to the early development of Westmont hospitality group and her role of fulfilling the group''s social corporate responsibility.
Corporate Citizen of the year award was given to LyondellBasell-for lead role in co-founding the Alliance to end plastic waste (AEPW) and recycling of plastics. Special Award was given to US SBA and Wallis Bank for public-private partnership.
Sewa International was honoured with the Community Service Award for its selfless service and frontline efforts to help those impacted by the pandemic.
 
 
source <a href="https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/texas-india-vaccine-diplomacy-announces-covid-vaccine-for-1-5-per-dose-2595935">https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/texas-india-vaccine-diplomacy-announces-covid-vaccine-for-1-5-per-dose-2595935</a>

news world Texas-India Vaccine Diplomacy Announces Covid Vaccine For $1.5 Per Dose

The COVID-19 vaccine will be released for emergency use in India soon: Top US scientist Houston: The Texas-India vaccine diplomacy, a c...

PM Modi To Present India's Climate Action Agenda At COP26

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PM Modi landed in Glasglow on Sunday night. (File)
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Glasgow:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be presenting the formal position on India's climate action agenda and lay out the best practices and achievements in the sector at the COP26 summit in Glasgow on Monday.
During the high-profile segment of the World Leaders' Summit, the Prime Minister is scheduled to deliver a national statement alongside other world leaders and India's statement will come after that of Prime Minister of Poland Matuesz Morawiecki, with Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan set to follow.
"Landed in Glasgow. Will be joining the COP26 Summit, where I look forward to working with other world leaders on mitigating climate change and articulating India's efforts in this regard," PM Modi said on Twitter soon after he landed Glasgow from the G20 Summit in Rome on Sunday night.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Landed in Glasgow. Will be joining the <a href="https://twitter.com/COP26?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@COP26</a> Summit, where I look forward to working with other world leaders on mitigating climate change and articulating India's efforts in this regard. <a href="https://t.co/G4nVWknFg1">pic.twitter.com/G4nVWknFg1</a>
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1454940494216273920?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 31, 2021</a></blockquote>
PM Modi was received to the notes of Scottish bagpipes as he arrived at his hotel in Glasgow, where he was greeted by a large group of Indian diaspora representatives with chants of "Bharat Mata Ki Jai".
On Monday morning, he is scheduled to hold a meet and greet with around 45 Indian diaspora representatives from Glasgow and Edinburgh, including prominent medics, academics and business people.
He will also meet the Indian winner of Prince William's Earthshot Prize, Delhi-based recycling firm Takachar founder Vidyut Mohan, and 14-year-old prize finalist from Tamil Nadu Vinisha Umashankar, inventor of a solar-powered ironing cart.
He will then proceed for the opening ceremony of day one of the World Leaders' Summit of the 26th Conference of Parties (COP26) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), being held at the Scottish Event Campus (SEC) in Glasgow.
PM Modi's bilateral meeting with his British counterpart Boris Johnson is expected to take place soon after Monday's opening ceremony, which will include cultural performances and a speech by Johnson.
Johnson has said the summit will be the "world's moment of truth" and has urged world leaders to make the most of it.
"The question everyone is asking is whether we seize this moment or let it slip away," he said, ahead of the two-week conference.
According to official sources, the Johnson-Modi talks are expected to be quite brief and will focus on the UK-India climate partnership as well as a stock-take of the 2030 Roadmap for stronger UK-India Strategic Partnership - signed by the two leaders during a virtual summit in May this year.
PM Modi is expected to reiterate his invitation for Johnson to visit India.
"Both governments remain committed to the implementation of the Roadmap, within prescribed timelines. Accordingly, we are looking to launch negotiations in November 2021 for an Interim Agreement to be signed in March 2022 and eventually a comprehensive agreement, if all goes according to schedule, by November 2022," India's High Commissioner to the UK, Gaitri Issar Kumar, said ahead of the prime ministerial talks.
It would be the first in-person meeting between PM Modi and Johnson following the latter's twice cancelled visit to India earlier this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The bilateral meeting will be followed by a leader-level COP26 event entitled Action and Solidarity: The Critical Decade, for which the UK has extended a special invitation for Modi to deliver an address on the subject of "adaptation".
"India is among the top countries in the world in terms of installed renewable energy, wind and solar energy capacity. At the WLS, I will share India's excellent track record on climate action and our achievements," PM Modi said in a statement ahead of the summit.
"I will also highlight the need to comprehensively address climate change issues including equitable distribution of carbon space, support for mitigation and adaptation and resilience building measures, mobilisation of finance, technology transfer and importance of sustainable lifestyles for green and inclusive growth," he said.
At the end of day one of the World Leaders' Summit on Monday, PM Modi will join more than 120 Heads of Government and Heads of State at a special VVIP reception at Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum - one of Scotland's most popular visitor attractions.
The reception will also involve members of the royal family, including Prince Charles and wife Camilla and Prince William and wife Kate Middleton. Queen Elizabeth II was due to attend this special reception but pulled out last week after a medical advice against travel.
 
 
source <a href="https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/pm-modi-to-present-indias-climate-action-agenda-at-cop26-2595827">https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/pm-modi-to-present-indias-climate-action-agenda-at-cop26-2595827</a>

news world PM Modi To Present India's Climate Action Agenda At COP26

PM Modi landed in Glasglow on Sunday night. (File) Glasgow: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be presenting the formal position on Indi...

US Covid Origins Report Is Without Credibility, Says China

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<div class="ins_instory_dv_cont"><img alt="US Covid Origins Report Is Without Credibility, Says China" src="https://c.ndtvimg.com/2020-04/ru5bsc2g_wuhan-lab-afp-650_625x300_20_April_20.jpg" title="US Covid Origins Report Is Without Credibility, Says China" /></div>
China has consistently denied allegations that Covid virus was leaked from a lab in Wuhan (File)
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Shanghai:
A declassified U.S. intelligence report saying it was plausible that the COVID-19 pandemic originated in a laboratory is unscientific and has no credibility, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said in a statement on Sunday.
The updated U.S. intelligence briefing, published on Saturday, said that a natural origin and a lab leak were both plausible hypotheses to explain how SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19, first infected humans, but that the truth may never be known.
In a response Sunday on the website of China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Wang said "a lie repeated a thousand times is still a lie", adding that U.S. intelligence services "have a reputation for fraud and deception."
"The tracing of the origins of the novel coronavirus is a serious and complex issue that should and can only be researched through the cooperation of global scientists," he said.
China has consistently <a href="https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/china-slams-us-over-covid-origin-report-political-and-false-2594409" target="_self">denied allegations that the virus was leaked</a> from a specialist laboratory in the city of Wuhan, where COVID-19 was first identified at the end of 2019.
Wang also repeated China's calls for the United States to open up its own laboratory at Fort Detrick to international experts.
A joint study by China and the World Health Organization published this year all but ruled out the theory that COVID-19 originated in a laboratory, saying that the most likely hypothesis was that it infected humans naturally, probably via the wildlife trade.
Critics said the study failed to investigate the Wuhan labs and did not examine the raw data required to understand the virus's early transmission routes.
The WHO last month established a new Scientific Advisory Group on Pandemic Origins (SAGO) and called on China to supply the raw data to help any new investigation. China has declined, citing patient privacy rules.
In an open letter to WHO Director General Tedros last week, a group of scientists critical of the organisation said that although they welcomed a new investigation into COVID-19's origins, the proposed composition of the SAGO panel lacked the necessary skills and impartiality.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
 
 
source <a href="https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/us-covid-19-origins-report-is-without-credibility-says-china-2595671">https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/us-covid-19-origins-report-is-without-credibility-says-china-2595671</a>

news world US Covid Origins Report Is Without Credibility, Says China

China has consistently denied allegations that Covid virus was leaked from a lab in Wuhan (File) Shanghai: A declassified U.S. intellig...

Back Down In 48 Hours Or Face Action: Britain To France In Fishing Row

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Britain says it is issuing licences to vessels that can prove they have previously fished in UK waters.
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London:
Britain told France on Monday that it must back down within 48 hours in a fishing row that threatens to spiral into a wider trade dispute or face tortuous legal action under the Brexit trade deal.
France says Britain has refused to grant its fishermen the correct number of licences to operate in British waters and has said it could impose targeted measures from Tuesday, including tightening some checks on trucks moving between the neighbours.
Britain says it is issuing licences to vessels that can prove they have previously fished in UK waters.
The row intensified last week when the French seized a British dredger, the Cornelis Gert Jan, in French waters near Le Havre, saying it did not have the required licences, though the boat's owner said it had all the appropriate documents.
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Asked over what time frame France should back down, Truss said: "This issue needs to be resolved in the next 48 hours."
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"The French have made completely unreasonable threats, including to the Channel Islands and to our fishing industry, and they need to withdraw those threats or else we will use the mechanisms of our trade agreement with the EU to take action," Foreign Secretary Liz Truss told Sky News.
"The French have behaved unfairly. It's not within the terms of the trade deal. And if somebody behaves unfairly in a trade deal, you're entitled to take action against them and seek some compensatory measures. And that is what we will do if the French don't back down," Truss said.
Asked over what time frame France should back down, Truss said: "This issue needs to be resolved in the next 48 hours."
DISTRACTION
The row also risks being a distraction at the COP26 climate summit which began in Scotland on Sunday.
Paris has said it could ban British fishing boats from unloading in French ports, carry out additional licence checks on British vessels, tighten controls of trucks and reinforce customs and hygiene controls if talks fail.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Sunday he had been "puzzled" to read a letter from Paris to the European Union. Sent by French Prime Minister Jean Castex, it called on the bloc to demonstrate there was "more damage to leaving the EU than to remaining there".
The fishing issue dogged Brexit talks for years, not because of its economic importance but because of its political significance. If not resolved, it could trigger the beginning of dispute measures in the Brexit trade deal as early as this week.
When asked why the fishing issue, a long source of discord between France and Britain, had again soured ties, Truss suggested it might have something to do with next year's presidential election in France.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
 
 
source <a href="https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/france-uk-fishing-row-france-has-48-hours-to-back-down-in-fishing-row-warns-liz-truss-2595639">https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/france-uk-fishing-row-france-has-48-hours-to-back-down-in-fishing-row-warns-liz-truss-2595639</a>

news world Back Down In 48 Hours Or Face Action: Britain To France In Fishing Row

Britain says it is issuing licences to vessels that can prove they have previously fished in UK waters. London: Britain told France on ...

US Says Afghanistan's Ex-President Vowed To Fight Till Death, But Fled: Report

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The Taliban took over Kabul on August 15 this year following which ex-President Ashraf Ghani fled
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Washington:
United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said that former Afghan President Ashraf Ghani had promised to fight to the death if the Taliban did not go along, he fled the country instead, local media reported.
Citing an interview to "CBS Face The Nation" talk-show, Dawn reported that Mr Blinken spoke to Mr Ghani on the night of August 14 and emphasised him on accepting to transfer the power to a Taliban-led government in Kabul which would have included all the aspects of the Afghan society.
In response, Mr Ghani assured of the same, however, he would be ready to fight to the death if the Taliban do not go along.
"And the very next day, he fled Afghanistan. So, I was engaged with President Ghani over many weeks, many months," Dawn quoted Blinken as saying.
Mr Blinken also said that the US State Department was reviewing everything including the actions taken by the US administration to learn "every possible" lesson from the last 20 years, reported Dawn.
The Taliban had taken over Kabul on August 15 this year following which former President Ashraf Ghani had fled the nation.
 
 
source <a href="https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/us-secretary-of-state-antony-blinken-says-afghanistans-ex-president-ashraf-ghani-promised-to-fight-to-death-but-fled-report-2595629">https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/us-secretary-of-state-antony-blinken-says-afghanistans-ex-president-ashraf-ghani-promised-to-fight-to-death-but-fled-report-2595629</a>

news world US Says Afghanistan's Ex-President Vowed To Fight Till Death, But Fled: Report

The Taliban took over Kabul on August 15 this year following which ex-President Ashraf Ghani fled Washington: United States Secretary o...

Breaking: #PoopyPantsBiden Becomes #1 Trend on Social Media After He Cancels Vatican Events — Sunday Night Live

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Owen Shroyer breaks down Joe Biden’s latest disastrous junket to Europe, where rumors and reports emerged alleging that he soiled himself during his Vatican visit, prompting social media to start trending #PoopyPantsBiden.
The Big Tech purge is here! Follow <a href="https://www.infowars.com/posts/the-big-tech-crackdown-is-accelerating-follow-infowars-on-these-growing-alternative-platforms/">Infowars and Alex Jones on other growing platforms</a> now to stay informed as the information blackout accelerates.
 
 
source <a href="https://www.infowars.com/posts/breaking-poopypantsbiden-becomes-1-trend-on-social-media-after-he-cancels-vatican-events-sunday-night-live">https://www.infowars.com/posts/breaking-poopypantsbiden-becomes-1-trend-on-social-media-after-he-cancels-vatican-events-sunday-night-live</a>

news Breaking: #PoopyPantsBiden Becomes #1 Trend on Social Media After He Cancels Vatican Events — Sunday Night Live

Owen Shroyer breaks down Joe Biden’s latest disastrous junket to Europe, where rumors and reports emerged alleging that he soiled himself d...