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Joes Biden, US president announces a 200 million vaccine doses target for the US for his first 100 days. The initial 100 million target was met in 58 days.

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The death toll from coronavirus reaches 200,000 in Mexico, the third highest after the US and Brazil. Vaccine supplies are low in Europe affecting the vaccination drive. 

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Angela Merkel of Germany and other EU leaders decided to back "global supply chains" and declined to support the EU Commission in Brussels at a virtual summit attended by 27 leaders of the EU states. It was also attended briefly by Joe Biden. Ursula von Leyen said 21 million doses of vaccine had been shipped from EU to Britain, of which 1 million were from Astra Zeneca and the rest from Pfizer and other makers of vaccines. A total of 77 million doses made in the EU wer shipped to 33 countries since 1 December 2020. Governments of Netherlands, Ireland, Belgium and Sweden were not in favor of blocking shipments from the UK because of the effect on supply chains. Pfizer is strongly opposed to the move to block shipments. Merkel emphasized the need to respect the global supply chains while making efforts to ensure EU countries get a fair share of vaccine supplies. The problems of UK vs Britain on vaccine supplies comes from the yield problems at a Belgium plant of Astra Zeneca and the company's refusal to divert supplies from the UK. Of the 120 million promised only 30 million could be delivered to EU. The UK's contract with Astra Zeneca states that supplies from its plants in Oxford and Staffordshire must be delivered to Britain first. The UK is facing an acute shortage of second doses even though it has given 31 million jabs. At this time 45 out of 100 people in the UK have jabs, compared with 13 out of 100 in the EU.   ...

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A discussion on India's relations with Bangladesh as prime minister Modi visits Bangladesh to promote economic cooperation. Bangladesh has focused its efforts on economic development in the last decade.

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Engineer and climber Kelsey Olson makes cell towers for 5G infrastructure work. WSJ shows her at work - she has no fear of heights. Ms. Olson is 36, and Denver based division manager of Tower Engineering Professionals, a North Carolina company that helps telecom companies upgrade to 5G. She joined at age 23. She not only manages about 10 engineers to design the structures, but also works outdoors with teams that inspect these towers and retrofit with new equipment for 5G. Once high up in a climb in the Pacific Northwest, she could see a purple sunset, from way above the pine trees. 

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Joe Biden, US president says the US will have 300 million vaccine doses by the end of July. 200 million more vaccine doses, with 100 million from Pfizer and 100 million from Moderna are part of new finalized purchases by the Biden government in February 2021. Biden says vaccine supplies were in much worse shape than he thought after the last 2 months of the Trump administration led to distractions that affected handling of the pandemic. 

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Unemployment drops to 5% in Britain for the three months to January 2021.

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As the Israeli election happens on March 24, 2021, prime minister Netanyahu's popularity has increased because of his handling of the vaccination drive and the pandemic. Defense minister Gantz who was the rival for prime minister has seen his popularity drop to new lows.

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Queen Elizabeth leads tributes to the National Health Service for "the grief and loss felt by so many," as Britain pauses for a minute's silence, on the first anniversary of the lockdown of March 23, 2020. She offers flowers to St. Bart's hospital, after the recovery of Prince Phillip who was in hospital for one month for heart surgery and recovery. Pictures of a canon preparing for a outdoor garden service at Durham Cathedral, and lighting of candles at other cathedrals, offer glimpses of a solemn moment of silence, and the nurturing of hope for the recovery.

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Germany's chancellor Angela Merkel says she will not support the moves by the EU commission to impose export bans on export of Astra Zeneca vaccines made in EU countries to Britain. A Dutch factory has 4 million doses of this vaccine ready for shipment.  Merkel says, "there are a huge range of international interdependencies when it comes to vaccine production. You have to be very careful when it comes to imposing export bans. You have to take a close look at supply chains."  Merkel's action comes as Britain makes an effort to talk to German and French leaders for a fair way to allocate supplies of vaccine. France and Germany see the need for the principles of "reciprocity" and "equivalence" to be covered in settling the differences on vaccine supplies. Equivalence refers to the sense that there should not be a big gap between EU and non EU countries in vaccine access. On March 24, Britain had vaccinated 45 of 100 people in the country, and EU had vaccinated only 13 people in a hundred. ...

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A draw how you feel, sketch how you feel on electronic pad, offered to readers by The Times, on the first anniversary of the lockdown in Britain. On the verge of a third lockdown, readers look for ways to restore their mental health,

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The Hindustan Times looks back at one year of lockdowns in India and the progress made. India now has the second largest number of vaccinations in the world at about 45 million and a long way to go.

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French Premier Castex makes an effort to reassure the public in France as he takes the jab in Paris. The Astra Zeneca vaccine is back in use in France and new trials from the US show its 100% effectiveness in prevention of hospitalization and deaths, 79% effectiveness in preventing symptomatic illness. Experts also say it is safe.

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A look at one year of lockdown in France in pictures from FR24.

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Following the pandemic France is boosting aid to Africa increasing foreign aid and combining development agencies to target funding to create value for the people of Africa. The aid to all parts of the world increased from 10.9 billion euros to 12.8 billion euros in 2020, By 2022 the target for Macron and France is 0.55% of GDP for world aid.