EU money intended for underfunded public-benefit research such as preparing for a pandemic has been diverted by the pharmaceutical industry into areas where it can make more money, according to a scathing new report.
Officials in Brussels wanted to co-fund research that would have ensured the European Union (EU) was better prepared for a pandemic akin to the one we are experiencing today. But their partners, the big pharmaceutical companies, rejected the proposal, ensuring that taxpayer money would go instead into studies with more potential for commercial application. In short big-pharma lobbyists were allowed to steer billions of euros of public funds as they saw fit, a damning new report claims.
The target of the criticism is the Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI), a public-private partnership that was equally funded, between 2008 and 2020, by the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA) lobbying group and the European Commission to the tune of 5.3 billion euros (US$5.8 billion). The money is supposed to go to areas of “unmet medical or social need,” but, in practice, corporate priorities dominate the decision-making, according to the non-governmental organization Corporate Observatory Europe (COE).
“We were outraged to find evidence that the pharmaceutical industry lobby EFPIA not only did not consider funding biopreparedness (ie, being ready for epidemics such as the one caused by the new coronavirus, COVID-19) … but opposed it being included in IMI’s work when the possibility was raised by the European Commission in 2017,” a new COE report said.
The rejected proposal would have directed money into refining computer simulations and the analysis of animal testing models, potentially speeding up regulatory approval of vaccines, according to the Guardian. But a spokeswoman for the IMI called the report “misleading”.
“The research proposed by the EC in the biopreparedness topic was small in scope,” she said. “IMI’s projects have contributed, directly or indirectly, to better prepare the research community for the current crisis, the Ebola+ programme or the ZAPI project.”
ZAPI, or the Zoonotic Anticipation and Preparedness Initiative, was launched in 2015 with a budget of 20 million euros (US$21.8 million) after the Ebola epidemic a year prior. The COE report said it exemplifies a pattern of “belated interventions when an epidemic is already underway,” much like this year’s emergency funding of coronavirus research.
The think tank questioned whether EU public money was well applied through IMI. Much of it went into research into cancer, Alzheimer’s disease and diabetes – areas that are potentially profitable and thus are given close attention by private business. But epidemic preparedness, HIV/AIDS, and poverty-related and neglected tropical diseases have been overlooked by the initiative, the report said.
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Three people were shot dead by unidentified assailants in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s North Waziristan district on Sunday, police said.
The incident occurred in Mirali town, according to police officials. The deceased were identified as Zubaidullah Khan, Farmanullah Khan and Naimatullah Khan.
Zubaidullah Khan was a Civil Services of Pakistan officer who had served on different posts in Islamabad. He had been visiting his village on Eid.
They had been on their way back home after meeting relatives when the attackers opened fire on them, officials said.
The assailants managed a clean getaway from the scene. Police said they were investigating the matter.
The Iranian-flagged tanker ‘Fortune’ has arrived at its final destination, docking at El Palito port on Venezuela's northern coast. The vessel is the first of five Iranian tankers that set sail for Caracas loaded with fuel.
BREAKING NEWS: The Iranian oil/chem Handymax tanker, FORTUNE, which loaded 43 million liters of gasoline during mid-March at Port Shahid Rajaee, Iran, has now moored at berth 2 at the refinery of El Palito, Venezuela, situated west of capital city, Caracas. #OOTT@MarineTrafficpic.twitter.com/rvpbHsxnQl
— TankerTrackers.com, Inc.⚓️🛢 (@TankerTrackers) May 25, 2020
Satellite images showed the tanker completing a berthing operation at El Palito refinery with the help of two Venezuelan tug boats shortly after midnight on Monday local time.
#BREAKING
as you see the tracking map,both Venezuelan tugs pushing Fortune tanker for berthing at El Palito port.
— Sayed Abolfazl🇮🇷🇻🇪🇷🇺🇾🇪🇱🇧🇸🇾 (@IRI_SEAMAN) May 25, 2020
In order to ensure that the ship reached Venezuela’s shores without any incident, the tanker was escorted by the Venezuelan Navy as it passed through the nation’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
The ‘Fortune’ will be followed by another four tankers – the ‘Clavel,’ the ‘Forest,’ the ‘Faxon’ and the ‘Petunia.’ They are expected to bring a total of more than 1.5 million barrels of fuel to Venezuela, which – despite being oil-rich – has faced an energy crisis due to biting US sanctions.
Several hours before the much-awaited arrival of the ‘Fortune,’ the ‘Forest’ became the second tanker from the mini-flotilla to cross into Venezuela’s EEZ. The vessel was reportedly met by the country’s navy as well.
Congratulations!!! to the Iranian Oil Tanker Forest the SECOND Oil Tanker of 5 that has now entered Venezuela EEZ! Long Live Iran Long Live Venezuela ⚓️🇮🇷❤️🇻🇪⚓️ Mabruk to All!!!😍 pic.twitter.com/RkhqODtwSq
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has urged his army’s top brass to boost the country’s “strategic forces” and put them on high alert, as reports that he may be seriously ill have yet to cease completely.
The call-to-arms was made at a high-profile gathering of military commanders and members of North Korea’s security services, state news agency KCNA reported on Sunday.
Presided over by Kim Jong-un, the meeting focused on “the persistent military threats, big or small, of the hostile forces” and ways to “reliably contain these,” the agency reported without directly quoting the commander-in-chief.
Ramping up the army’s firepower and the “strike ability” of its artillery units was one of the matters discussed by military leaders, with the talks proceeding to other, much more powerful means of warfare.
New policies were put forth at the meeting to further increase the nuclear war deterrent of North Korea, and put the strategic armed forces on a high alert in line with the general requirements of the building and development of the armed forces of the country.
KCNA didn’t specify the time and date of the meeting. North Korea itself conducted a series of missile launches earlier this year, testing what appeared to be short- and medium-range missiles as well as rocket artillery shells.
The revival of testing activity came on the heels of stalling denuclearization talks between Pyongyang and Washington, in which the latter demanded that North Korea give up nuclear devices first before getting any concessions from the US.
Kim’s reported participation at the “enlarged meeting” with army and security chiefs came several weeks after he officially opened a plant in South Pyongan province in early May. Both appearances this month further erode the gossip – which has still not completely vanished from media coverage – that he might be seriously ill or incapacitated by botched cardiovascular surgery.
Those rumors have been actively spread by the Western media, even though they lacked any solid proof and were substantiated only with accounts from various “intelligence” and “defector” sources.
The US is pursuing policies that risk creating a protracted conflict with Beijing, China’s foreign minister has said. There is growing friction between the two nations over the Covid-19 pandemic and the situation in Hong Kong.
“It has come to our attention that some political forces in the US are taking China-US relations hostage and pushing our two countries to the brink of a new Cold War,” Wang Yi told reporters on Sunday.
Washington has turned up its rhetoric and threats toward Beijing as the two countries continue to lock horns on a range of economic, political and security issues.
US lawmakers have vowed to introduce legislation that would impose sanctions on Chinese officials for “violating Hong Kong’s independence.” It came in response to Beijing’s new security law for the semi-autonomous region, which, critics said, strips people of their freedom. China, however, maintains that it is aimed at strengthening the bond between Hong Kong and the mainland. It has vowed to retaliate with sanctions of its own.
The Trump administration has also pressed China on its alleged role in the Covid-19 pandemic, claiming that Beijing was not forthcoming about the illness. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has even suggested that the virus may have originated from a laboratory in Wuhan, where the health crisis began. The Chinese government has repeatedly challenged Washington to back up its incendiary claims with evidence. Pompeo later admitted that there was no definite proof of that, yet refused to drop the allegation completely.
Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Sunday has said that befitting response will be given to India if it goes for any misadventure against Pakistan.
Talking to media in Multan after offering Eid prayer, the foreign minister said Pakistan wants peace and its policy of restraint should not be taken as weakness.
He said he has contacted General Secretaries of the United Nations and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, drawing their attention towards gross human rights violations in Occupied Kashmir at the hands of Indian occupation forces.
He said he has informed them that India may launch a false flag operation against Pakistan to divert world attention from its own internal situation.
He said India has increased oppression in Occupied Kashmir in the garb of COVID-19 outbreak.
Shah Mahmood Qureshi said the world should take notice of New Delhi’s inhuman treatment of Kashmiris in Occupied Kashmir and minorities, especially Muslims, in India.
Eid-ul-Fitr is being celebrated with traditional and religious fervour across Pakistan today.
Eid prayers were offered at mosques and more than 300 Eidgahs in all cities and towns of the country. Special prayers were offered for the well-being of the country while in sermons the Ulema highlighted the significance and philosophy of Eid-ul-Fitr. In a rare occasion, Eid-ul-Fitr is being celebrated on the same day across the country.
Special prayers were also offered for the progress and prosperity of the country and welfare of the Muslim Ummah.
Due to the coronavirus outbreak, special care was taken to make sure Eid congregations were held at open places, mosques and Eidgahs in all major cities and towns while following strict standard operating procedures (SOPs) of social distancing and other precautionary measures.
Security has been beefed up in different parts of the country including the federal capital to avoid any untoward incident on the auspicious occasion.
In the federal capital, the main Eid congregation was held at the Faisal Mosque where top government officials and envoys of Muslim countries offered Eid prayers along with others.
Information Minister Senator Shibli Faraz said it was a rare occasion where across the country Eid would be celebrated on the same day.
In a tweet, Faraz Pakistan under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan is progressing towards a united and prosperous country.
He said we must not forget the pain of families who lost their loved ones in yesterday's air crash while celebrating Eid.
President, prime minister extend Eid greetings
President Arif Alvi is his message on the occasion of Eid urged the nation to keep adhering to the precautionary measures as the whole world was being ravaged by the deadly COVID-19.
He said the whole nation with solidarity and precautionary measures would face the critical challenge of coronavirus.
The president added that Eid-ul-Fitr had special significance due to the holy month of Ramadan as the day heralded with the award for performing the religious obligations and strengthening the spirit of patience and sympathy.
“The day teaches us to adopt all those qualities of humanity, sacrifice and patience as a permanent part of our lives which will pave the way for earning the divine blessings,” he added.
The president further said sharing joys of this holy occasion, the day reminded them to also include the needy and deserving people in these pleasures by paying special attention to such segments of the society.
Prime Minister Imran Khan in his message stressed upon the nation to pay special attention to the plight of needy, neglected and down-trodden segments of society while observing the auspicious event of Eid-ul-Fitr by extending all possible support, sympathy and care.
The prime minister also emphasised upon the observance of precautionary measures and government’s devised SOPs concerning the virus as with such approach the people could save lives of their loved ones and the countrymen.
Felicitating the nation and whole Muslim world, he observed that they were fortunate ones for reaping the blessings of the holy month of Ramadan.
Berlin should pile pressure on Moscow instead of criticizing the American withdrawal, a US envoy told the German Foreign Minister as the two NATO allies clash over the US move to ditch the Open Skies Treaty.
Washington announced its intention to withdraw from the Open Skies Treaty (OST), which has been in force since 2002, earlier this week, unnerving its NATO allies in Europe.
Among those calling to preserve the vital multilateral deal that allows for surveillance flights over the territories of its signatories was Germany’s Foreign Minister Heiko Maas.
Germany's top diplomat sounded the alarm that the looming US withdrawal would “significantly reduce” the scope of the treaty, adding that Berlin would “work intensively” with “like-minded partners” to talk the US out of leaving the treaty in the following six months.
The rhetoric from the European powerhouse did not sit well with the US ambassador to Germany, Richard Grenell, who has courted controversy in the past over his repeated attempts to lecture Berlin on a range of domestic issues, from its military spending to the construction of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline.
“Instead of complaining about the US reaction, Heiko Maas should have ramped up pressure on Russia in recent years so that it meets its obligations [under the Open Skies Treaty] ,” Grenell said in an interview with Rheinische Post on Saturday.
The ambassador reiterated Washington’s mantra that “Russia has not adhered to the Open Skies agreement for a long time,” lamenting that Germany still plans to abide by the OST despite the US concerns.
Germany is not the only country to have voiced its objections to the US move. In a joint statement, the foreign ministers of ten EU countries, including Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Sweden and the Netherlands, called the pact “a crucial element of the confidence-building framework.”
Maas’s call was echoed by Brussels, with EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell pointing out that the treaty, which has allowed for more than 1,500 observation flights over various countries since 2002, “provides transparency and predictability.”
“Withdrawing from a treaty is not the solution to address difficulties in its implementation and compliance by another party,” Borrell said in a statement.
Russia has repeatedly denied the US accusations of not fulfilling its obligations under the OST, insisting that it has restricted flights over its territory only as a tit-for-tat response to similar moves by the US and its allies.
Despite being unsatisfied with the United States’ own compliance, Moscow expressed readiness to negotiate with Washington and “do everything possible to keep the treaty intact.”
Police have deployed water cannons to break up a sparse crowd demonstrating against a sanctioned anti-lockdown rally in Hamburg, Germany, that saw dozens turn out while minding social distancing rules.
Police had to intervene after a small group of about 120 counter-protesters, many of them clad in black hoodies, repeatedly ignored police requests to stay clear of the ‘Vigil for the Basic Law’ rally against the lockdown measures on Saturday.
The counter-demonstrators, who showed up unannounced, lacking any permission from the authorities, argued that the anti-lockdown rally attracted many right-wing extremists. “Against conspiracy fantasies, anti-semites and the right-wing agenda,” one of the posters read.
Hamburger Wetter: Polizei setzt Wasserwerfer ein, um Gegendekundgebung aufzulösen. Trotz eingehaltenem Mindestabstand pic.twitter.com/tvAnHlxSa4
Although both rallies ended without a major incident, scuffles broke out between police and counter-protesters. A bottle was hurled at the officers from the crowd, police said. One person was arrested but was released later.
— KatharinaSchipkowski (@Kat_Schipkowski) May 23, 2020
The anti-lockdown gathering was greenlit to go ahead after organizers agreed to cap the number of its participants at 750 instead of some 3,500-4,000, as originally requested. The Hamburg Administrative Court ruled to limit the number of those who could join the rally so police would be able to enforce the social distancing guidelines, imposed to stem the coronavirus pandemic.
Less than 20 minutes after the meeting officially kicked off, at about 3:17 p.m. local time, the maximum allowed number of participants had already arrived, police said, noting that it had to block more people from coming.
The demonstrators stood several feet apart from each other, chanting slogans and holding anti-lockdown banners, some of which read: “The right to distance instead of a ban on contacts,”“Free accessible tests for everybody instead of the quarantine for everybody” as well as “Stop the corona madness! Basic law now!”
The participants of the rally denounced the government’s response to the outbreak, which has seen some 177,850 testing positive for Covid-19, including 8,216 who have died as a result of the disease.
One of the speakers at the rally argued that more people have died due to planned surgeries being postponed than from the virus itself. There have also been calls to make future vaccinations voluntary, although the authorities have never said that the coronavirus shot would be mandatory.
Several dozen rallies for and against the lockdown measures were also held in Berlin, including outside the Reichstag building, home to the German parliament.
— Hinnerk Feldwisch-Drentrup (@hfeldwisch) May 23, 2020
That gathering also prompted a counter-action, with demonstrators branding those opposing the coronavirus restrictions “tin foil hats” and “Nazis.” Some 1000 police were deployed to ensure social distancing. In the wake of the protests, some 180 people faced administrative and criminal charges for violating the restrictions, including The Infectious Diseases Protection Act, police said.
The first of five Iranian tankers carrying fuel to Venezuela has entered the nation’s exclusive economic zone, tracking data shows. Earlier, Tehran threatened the US with retaliation for interfering with the vessels’ passage.
Iranian-flagged oil tanker ‘Fortune’ reached Venezuela’s EEC (Exclusive Economic Zone) late on Saturday, vessel tracking data from Refinitiv Eikon suggests.
Hashtag #GraciasIran [Thank you, Iran] has been launched on Twitter to mark the occasion, with netizens hailing the cooperation between Tehran and Caracas in defiance of the de facto naval blockade by the US.
Against all odds, the brave town of Iran sends 5 gasoline tankers to Venezuela, defying the coercive and illegal measures of the USA, against Venezuela,
'Fortune' is followed by the other four Iranian tankers - the Clavel, the Forest, the Faxon and the Petunia - all en route to Venezuela’s shores. The vessels are expected to deliver a total of about 1.5 million barrels of oil to Caracas. Despite boasting the world’s largest proven oil reserves, the country has been struggling to cover its domestic supply needs, with its energy industry ravaged by crippling US sanctions.
Famed Pakistani celebrities Hina Altaf and Aagha Ali have tied the knot to each other in a beautiful nikkah ceremony that took place on Friday.
According to initial reports, the duo got married on the blessed day of Jummah Tul Wida in a private event.
Confirming the news, Altaf turned to Instagram to pour out immense love for Ali in a loving note.
"From hating each other to becoming friends ... best friends and than partners for life. All I thought about him was wrong. This man won my heart. I have not seen someone so loyal and caring. Keeping my happiness above everything," she wrote.
The starlet added, "Today we promised each other for making our new life, filled with happiness and laughter, trusting each other and being honest to each other. END OF THE DAY this is what we both wanted. 22-May-2020 on the blessed day of juma tul wida got nikkah-fied. @aaghaaliofficial I LOVE YOU."
Altaf's post featured the newly-married couple's loved-up pictures from the nikkah ceremony.
On the occasion, Altaf chose to don an embellished ivory traditional outfit, with her groom wearing a matching sherwani.
Beijing has reported no new Covid-19 infections for the first time since the pandemic erupted last year, but as the virus dies out in its original epicenter, South America has quickly emerged as a major hotspot.
China’s National Health Commission said it confirmed zero new cases of the virus on Saturday – a first since the country began tallying infections in January – and reported only two suspected cases, one of them imported from abroad.
Good News! Chinese mainland reports ZERO daily new #COVID19 case! 2 suspected cases reported – 1 imported case in Shanghai and 1 domestic in NE#China's Jilin. pic.twitter.com/6SElh7UxUX
The lethal illness first emerged late last year in the Chinese city of Wuhan, spreading across the country to infect some 84,000 people, killing in excess of 4,600. But with aggressive containment measures that put tens of millions of citizens under strict lockdown, Beijing appears to have largely brought the contagion under control, reporting a only slow trickle of new cases as the virus took hold elsewhere in the world.
While the United States remains the top epicenter with more than 1.6 million infections, South America has quickly overtaken other regions for the number-two spot, with the World Health Organization (WHO) warning of a dramatic spike in cases there.
“In a sense, South America has become a new epicenter for the disease,” Dr Mike Ryan, the WHO's top emergencies expert, told a press conference on Friday, noting that Brazil is “clearly the most affected.”
Over the last week in Brazil, health officials have reported tens of thousands of new infections each day, bringing its current disease toll to more than 330,000, rapidly eclipsing Russia as the second-worst-affected nation. Brazil has also counted more than 21,000 fatal cases, nearly seven times more than Peru, the region’s next hardest-hit country.
Though no vaccine, or even a reliable treatment, currently exists for the coronavirus, Brazilian authorities have approved widespread use of the anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine as a therapy, after receiving shipments of raw materials for the chemical from India last month. The drug has shown early promise as a treatment, but its effectiveness has yet to be proven in a clinical setting. A new study in the Lancet journal, meanwhile, suggests the medicine could cause heart complications and even death, showing little or no benefit to Covid-19 patients.
Since the pandemic broke out last December, more than 5.2 million people have been sickened and some 338,000 killed worldwide, making it one of the deadliest viral outbreaks since the 1918 Spanish Flu.
Instead of casting grudges aside to fight the coronavirus, anti-Russia elements in the US are striving to make the Kremlin a scapegoat, Moscow has said, decrying the new US grant to “expose Russian health disinformation.”
The Russian Foreign Ministry has issued a rebuke to the US Department of State over its newly-published grant notice on Friday. The grant “opportunity” will see a hefty sum of money – some $250,000 – awarded to “an organization with experience in counter Russian disinformation, analysis and programming,” which will have to “produce a report on Russian and Soviet health-related disinformation campaigns” under the watchful eye of “subject matter experts” from the State Department’ Russia Directorate. The prospective contractors will have till June 20 to apply for the grant.
Wouldn't it be more useful to allocate $ 250,000 to save someone’s lives, @StateDept? Instead of "Exposing Russian Health Disinformation"
➡️ https://t.co/Hv3CydUgBX
The ministry said that such a move at a time when all countries should be pooling efforts to combat the Covid-19 outbreak has revealed the true colors of those in charge of the US State Department’s day-to-day operations.
The ministry argued that the State Department staffers seem to be “working their own program,” paying little attention to the signals coming from US President Donald Trump, who has recently greenlighted a shipment of 200 ventilators to Russia, the first 50 of which arrived in Moscow on Thursday. The life-saving equipment is part of a $5.6 million “humanitarian donation” the US has earmarked to Russia. Moscow has said it’s “grateful” for the help, having itself sent a planeload of medical supplies and equipment, including face masks and ventilators to coronavirus-hit New York in early April.
Hailing the mutual assistance, the State Department also struck a reconciliatory tone, with a spokesperson telling CNBC on Tuesday that the US “seeks a better relationship with Russia on many fronts,” adding that both countries “will no doubt” provide humanitarian assistance to each other again if such a need arises.
The mixed signals coming from the US show that “powerful Russophobes” still wield much clout both in Washington and within the American government, “never ceasing to engage in the destructive activity,” the foreign ministry said.
Wouldn't it be more useful to allocate this $250,000 to the countries in need of assistance, to save someone’s life?
The likely targets of the future “counter-disinformation” campaign will be the Russian media, such as RT and Sputnik, the ministry predicted. While the Russian outlets have been repeatedly accused of spreading fake news over the pandemic by mainstream media in the West, the allegations have so far rung hollow, with a recent report by a UK watchdog pointing out that such claims against RT are based on bad methodology.
