Morning headlines – January 13th 2021

Coronavirus and vaccines

•  Brazil says the Chinese vaccine Sinovac only has a 50,4% effectiveness, after a study of a group of researchers in this country, announces Reuters. Also, Indonesia approved the vaccine, on Monday, based on intermediate data which shows the vaccine is only 65% effective, says Digi24. Turkish researchers have stated last month that the CoronaVac vaccine developed by Sinovac has a 91,25% effectiveness after making an intermediate analysis.
• Ukraine lacks a vaccine. As it could not buy a vaccine so far, Kiev asks the UE for help, after the Ukrainian government has refused to procure the Sputnik V vaccine, developed by Russia, says Reuters.
• The Israeli authorities have announced on Tuesday that they consider vaccinating the kids with ages above 12, starting from March.
• There were 675.968 coronavirus cases recorded in Romania and 16.881 people have died due to the virus. The first doses of the Moderna vaccine were already received and the authorities are preparing the launch of the second phase of the vaccination, on January 15^th. There are tensions between the mayors and the Government on the necessary funds, says Mediafax.
•  The colonel dr. Valeriu Gheorghita has stated that in the second phase of the vaccination 1.066 vaccination centers will be functional, which will make it possible to vaccinate more than 100.000 people per day. Gheorghita also said that there have been identified the chronic diseases: diabetes, chronic cardiovascular diseases, chronic pulmonary diseases, ontological and autoimmune diseases and immunodepression to enter the second phase of the vaccination. As for the scheduling, Gheorghita said the online platform will be ready on January 15^th and the scheduling will be made individually, through the family doctor or the call center services.

Global military and political events

•  The US is stressed. The federal authorities are taking security measures for the official inauguration of president Joe Biden, which will take place on January 20^th. The FBI has warned that there will be violent actions in the country if president Donald Trump will be impeached. Vice-president Mike Pence has refused, on Tuesday, to call on the 25^th Amendment of the US Constitution against president Donald Trump, says AFP. The House of Representatives from the Congress is debating and voting, today, the suspension of the White House leader, the second since its mandate started. The Chiefs of Staff of the US military have transmitted a joint message to the service members saying the violent rebellion from last week was an assault on the US constitutional process and is also a breach of the law, says Reuters. The State Department has announced that it will cancel the visit to Taiwan of the US ambassador to UN, Kelly Craft, scheduled for Wednesday to Friday, given the cancellation of all visits of US diplomats abroad, says AFP.
• Europe closes the doors for Pompeo. The last tour of the US State Secretary Mike Pompeo is lacking the visibility we were used to. High European officials from Luxemburg and Brussels are avoiding Pompeo’s visits, given the sensitive political and diplomatic context the US administration finds itself in.
• Iran exposed. Mike Pompeo is accusing the Tehran authorities for hosting a subsidiary of the Al-Qaida terrorist network, the Iranian Foreign Affairs Minister, Mohmmad Javad Zarif, denying, indeed, the allegations.
• Political crisis in Kuweit. All the ministers have resigned only a month after the government was established.
• Uganda has blocked, on Tuesday, all social media networks, only two days before the presidential elections.
• Russia proposes the US 5 years extension of the New START Treaty. The statement was made on Tuesday by the Russian ambassador to Washington, Anatoly Antonov, during an online seminar, says Tass.
• Israel has attacked, on Wednesday morning, a weapons deposit from East of Syria, killing 5 military and 11 foreign militants, according to the Syrian Observatory Human Rights.

Romania’s defence and security

•  Protest. Syndicalists from the police, prisons, social assistance and public administration are protesting, on Wednesday, in front of the Minister of Labor and Social Protection and other similar actions are also developed in front of the city halls from Bacau, Timis and Cluj.
• CCR could rule today on the transfer of land from Romexpo to the Chamber of Commerce, on the Government's notification on the law according to which the pension point is increased by 40% and on President Iohannis' notification on the law on the unlimited mandate of the rectors.
• Breakdown of the reactor 1 from Cernavoda. The unit will be stopped on Friday night.