The first consignment of the Pfizer/BioNTech coronavirus vaccine has arrived in the UK.

It has been taken to a central hub at an undisclosed location, and will now be distributed to hospital vaccination centres around the UK.

The UK has ordered 40 million doses - enough to vaccinate 20 million people.

England's deputy chief medical officer said the first wave of vaccinations could prevent up to 99% of Covid-19 hospital admissions and deaths.

Speaking to BBC News, Prof Jonathan Van-Tam said that would be possible if everyone on the first priority list took the vaccine and it was highly effective.

He said it was key to distribute the vaccine "as fast" and at the "highest volume" as possible, but he acknowledged there would need to be some flexibility in the list.

The Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines are made in Belgium and have travelled to the UK via the Eurotunnel.

The order in which people will get the jab is recommended by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) and decided by the government.

Elderly people in care homes and care home staff have been placed top of the priority list, followed by over-80s and health and care staff.

However, because hospitals already have the facilities to store the vaccine at the necessary -70C, the very first vaccinations are likely to take place there - for care home staff, NHS staff and patients - to lower the risk of wasting doses.

Prof Van-Tam told BBC News: "If we can get through phase one [of the priority list] and it is a highly effective vaccine and there is very, very high up take, then we could in theory take out 99% of hospitalisations and deaths related to Covid 19.

"That is why the phase one list is what it is, that is the primary ambition."

Graphic outlining how the Pfizer vaccine will be prioritised among different groups. The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has advised that people are given the vaccine in the following order, although there is likely to be some overlap between groups: 1. residents in a care home for older adults, and their carers 2. everyone aged 80 and over, and frontline health and social care workers 3. everyone aged 75 and over 4. everyone aged 70 and over, and those who are clinically extremely vulnerable 5. everyone aged 65 and over 6. people aged 16 to 64 with underlying health conditions which put them at higher risk of serious disease and death from Covid-19 7. everyone aged 60 and over 8. everyone aged 55 and over 9. everyone aged 50 and over

The UK became the first country in the world to approve the Pfizer vaccine on Wednesday.

Dr Anthony Fauci, the top US infectious disease expert, has apologised for remarks that seemed to criticise the UK's vaccine approval process.

He initially told Fox News: "The UK did not do it as carefully. If you go quickly and you do it superficially, people are not going to want to get vaccinated."

But the UK defended its process, and said the jab is safe and effective.

And speaking later to the BBC, Dr Fauci said: "There really has been a misunderstanding, and for that I'm sorry, and I apologise for that.

"I have a great deal of confidence in what the UK does both scientifically and from a regulator standpoint.

"Our process is one that takes more time than it takes in the UK. And that's just the reality. I did not mean to imply any sloppiness even though it came out that way."

The UK's 40 million doses will be distributed as quickly as they can be made by Pfizer in Belgium, with the first load rolled out next week and then "several millions" throughout December, Health Secretary Matt Hancock has said.

But the bulk of the roll-out across the UK will be next year.

And it could take until April for all those deemed most at-risk to receive the new vaccine, according to NHS England chief executive Sir Simon Stevens.

The arrival of the vaccines comes after the UK became the first country in Europe to surpass 60,000 coronavirus deaths

Official figures show a further 414 deaths within 28 days of a positive test were recorded on Thursday, taking the total to 60,113.

Two other ways of measuring deaths - where Covid is mentioned on the death certificate, and the number of "excess deaths" for this time of year - give higher total figures.

Covid deaths

Only the US, Brazil, India and Mexico have recorded more deaths than the UK, according to Johns Hopkins University.

However, the UK has had more deaths per 100,000 people than any of those nations.

In terms of deaths per 100,000 people, the UK is the seventh-highest country globally, behind Belgium, San Marino, Peru, Andorra, Spain and Italy.

Ulaanbaatar Railway JSC has reached the 100 km mark for the construction of the railway line between Zuunbayan and Tavantolgoi.

On November 30, the railway construction team working on the strategically important “coal line” completed the 4000th section, thus completing 100 km. The milestone has been reached by Ulaanbaatar Railway employees in less than a year. Despite weather conditions becoming harsherwith the arrival of winter, progress continues to be made as a result of proper preliminary preparations.

The railway connecting Chinese border with Mongolia’s giant Tavan Tolgoi coal mine is expected to open in 2022. The line will be yet another nail in the coffin of Australia’s coal exports to China.

Ulaanbaatar /MONTSAME/. At its regular session held today, the Parliament approved the draft law on ratification of the COVID-19 Crisis Emergency Support Loan Agreement between the Government of Mongolia and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) which was submitted by the Standing Committee on Security and Foreign Policy.

The loan of JYP 25 billion or USD 233 million which will be financed by the Japanese side will be spent to stimulate the economy, protect public health, support livelihoods, sustain incomes and improve social security.

63.8 percent or 44 out of 69 participating members of the Parliament supported the bill on ratification of the abovementioned agreement.

Ulaanbaatar /MONTSAME/. In 2021, 824 projects will be implemented in construction sector with the financing from the state budget.

In accordance with the decision to open the operations of woodwork, construction and materials factory starting from December 1, 2225 employees of 100 factories have started working again normally amid the ongoing lockdown.

In 2020, 691 projects in construction sector with financing of a total of MNT 546.3 billion from the state budget was approved. Whereas, 824 projects to be financed with MNT 850.8 billion from the state budget was approved for 2021 as reflected in the budget law.

Of the 824 projects, 516 or 63 percent will be realized with the extent of 2 or more years, which means that the number of projects that will be implemented within one year for 2021 is fewer by 379 compared with 2020.

In addition, the Ministry of Construction and Urban Development conducted the necessary research on ways to organize construction works during the pandemic and developed recommendations and methodologies for construction sites.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - IBM is sounding the alarm over hackers targeting companies critical to the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, a sign that digital spies are turning their attention to the complex logistical work involved in inoculating the world’s population against the novel coronavirus.

The information technology company said in a blog post published on Thursday that it had uncovered “a global phishing campaign” focused on organizations associated with the COVID-19 vaccine “cold chain” - the process needed to keep vaccine doses at extremely cold temperatures as they travel from manufacturers to people’s arms.

The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency reposted the report, warning members of Operation Warp Speed - the U.S. government’s national vaccine mission - to be on the lookout. Understanding how to build a secure cold chain is fundamental to distributing vaccines developed by the likes of Pfizer Inc and BioNTech SE because the shots need to be stored at minus 70 degrees Celsius (-94 F) or below to avoid spoiling.

IBM’s cybersecurity unit said it had detected an advanced group of hackers working to gather information about different aspects of the cold chain, using meticulously crafted booby-trapped emails sent in the name of an executive with Haier Biomedical, a Chinese cold chain provider that specializes in vaccine transport and biological sample storage.

The hackers went through “an exceptional amount of effort,” said IBM analyst Claire Zaboeva, who helped draft the report. Hackers researched the correct make, model, and pricing of various Haier refrigeration units, Zaboeva said.

“Whoever put together this campaign was intimately aware of whatever products were involved in the supply chain to deliver a vaccine for a global pandemic,” she said.

Haier Medical did not return messages seeking comment.

Messages sent to the email addresses used by the hackers were not returned.

IBM said the bogus Haier emails were sent to around 10 different organizations but only identified one target by name: the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Taxation and Customs Union, which handles tax and customs issues across the EU and has helped set rules on the import of vaccines.

Representatives for the directorate-general could not immediately be reached for comment.

IBM said other targets included companies involved in the manufacture of solar panels, which are used to power vaccine refrigerators in warm countries, and petrochemical products that could be used to derive dry ice.

Who is behind the vaccine supply chain espionage campaign isn’t clear.

Reuters has previously documented how hackers linked to Iran, Vietnam, North Korea, South Korea, China, and Russia have on separate occasions been accused by cybersecurity experts or government officials of trying to steal information about the virus and its potential treatments.

IBM’s Zaboeva said there was no shortage of potential suspects. Figuring out how to swiftly distribute an economy-saving vaccine “should be topping the lists of nation states across the world,” she said.

A UN human rights expert today called upon the Mongolian parliament to move forward with a ground-breaking law to protect people who stand up for human rights in the Central Asian country.

“Mongolia has a chance to be a regional leader, and I urge all parliamentarians to support this important law, which would make it easier for human rights defenders to continue their important work,” said Mary Lawlor, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders.

The Human Rights Defender Law, drafted by the National Human Rights Commission of Mongolia with the support of civil society, was submitted to Parliament, the Great State Khural, in May, and should be on its agenda for discussion before mid-December. The law includes a definition of human rights defenders in line with international standards, and provides for their protection. It also foresees establishment of an independent body to prevent and respond to violations of their rights.

“I commend the submission of this law to the parliament, and I hope that all political parties will support it unanimously,” said Lawlor. “If enacted, this law would be the first of its kind in the region, and will send a strong signal of Mongolia’s commitment to human rights.”

The Government of Mongolia and representatives of Canada’s Turquoise Hill (TSX, NYSE: TRQ) have set up a special board committee to conduct an independent review into the cost overruns and delays at the Oyu Tolgoi underground expansion flagged by Rio Tinto (ASX, LON, NYSE: RIO) last year.

Two of the commission’s four members were nominated by Turquoise Hill, Oyu Tolgoi’s majority shareholder, with another two chosen by Erdenes Oyu Tolgoi (EOT), Mongolia’s entity that owns the remaining 34% interest in the massive copper-gold-silver mine.

”The special committee has been charged with selecting and engaging an independent and reputable firm of experts in the field of project management, mine planning, cost management and other related fields,” the Mongolian government said in a separate statement.

Rio’s partners’ show of defiance, worked out late on Monday, comes amid threats of legal action from investors against the company for failing to meet the set cost and timeline for the mine expansion.

The world’s second-largest miner confirmed in July that its most important growth project would be delivered almost two years late and close to $1.5 billion over budget. Rio also lowered at the time its forecast for annual copper output at Oyu Tolgoi open-pit, citing coronavirus-related disruptions.

“Turquoise Hill fully supports our government partner, EOT, in securing an independent and objective review of the cost overruns and delays announced last year,” the company said on Tuesday.

“We believe [the move] is consistent with corporate governance best practices, ensures accountability and transparency and will ultimately serve the best interests of Oyu Tolgoi’s owners – EOT and TRQ – as well as our respective stakeholders,” the company added.

The dispute over funding the expansion’s sudden cost increase began heating up in early November when Turquoise Hill launched arbitration proceedings against the mining giant to get clarity on funding.

Rio Tinto has said it will not allow the Canadian miner, in which it holds a 51% stake, to take on more than $500 million in additional debt, and asked the company to fill up a funding gap of up to $3 billion by reprofiling loans and raising equity.

Minority investors in Turquoise Hill, including US hedge fund Pentwater Capital, oppose Rio’s attempts to force the Canadian miner to conduct an equity raise. The claim there are “much cheaper and more advantageous financing options” available to the company, such as streaming and bond financing.

They also worry about Rio growing its stake in Turquoise Hill through such an equity raising. Investors based this argument on the expectation that Rio would underwrite any shortfall created by minority Turquoise Hill shareholders who do not participate in the raising.

Troubles-plagued

Mongolia has complained about overruns in the past. Much of Oyu Tolgoi’s copper lies deep underground. When Rio finally kicked off the delayed project, profits from surface extraction were meant to pay for digging up more of the copper below.

With time, it became clear the underground mine alone would cost as much as a third more than the original $5.3 billion budget.

Mounting investor activism is just one of the may headaches Rio Tinto has had while building what would rank as one of the world’s three largest copper mines when operating at full capacity – now expected to be by 2025 at the earliest.

Oyu Tolgoi’s expansion cost blowout to hit up to $1.8 billion

The copper-gold mine is located in the South Gobi region of Mongolia, about 550 km south of the capital Ulaanbaatar.

The Mongolian government’s insistence on owning an equity stake in the mine and has also been a major obstacle for Rio to overcome.

A group of legislators recommended last year a review of the 2009 deal that launched construction of the mine. It also advised revoking a 2015 agreement allowing for the now ongoing underground expansion.

Mongolia’s parliament ended up approving a resolution in December last year, which reconfirmed the validity of all the Oyu Tolgoi mine-related agreements. The decision brought an 18-month-long review to a close.

The underground expansion of Oyu Tolgoi is Rio’s most important growth project. Once completed, it is expected to lift the mine’s production from 125,000–150,000 tonnes in 2019 to 560,000 tonnes at peak output.

The Mongolian government on Wednesday decided to reduce the price of processed fuel by 50 percent amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Our people's livelihoods have been badly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, the government decided to reduce the price of processed fuel by 50 percent from Dec. 3 to April 1 in order to support the livelihoods of residents of ger areas of the capital city Ulan Bator during the pandemic," said Prime Minister Ukhnaa Khurelsukh.

The current price of processed fuel is 150,000 Mongolian tugriks (about 52.8 U.S. dollars) per ton.

Mongolia replaced low-grade coal with processed fuel in Ulan Bator in 2019 to curb air pollution. In other words, the processed fuel is currently used only in the capital city, which is home to over half of Mongolia's 3.2 million population.

Around 220,000 households live in Ulan Bator's ger (yurt, or round-shaped dwelling) districts, with no running water, central heating or sewerage systems, according to government data.

As of Wednesday, Mongolia has reported 812 COVID-19 cases, including 380 locally transmitted cases.

The Asian country's nationwide lockdown, imposed on Nov. 12 after reporting its first locally transmitted case, expired on Tuesday.

However, the Mongolian government has extended the lockdown in Ulan Bator and the provinces of Selenge and Arkhangai by 10 days until Dec. 11. Enditem

At the regular press briefing of the Ministry of Health today, December 2, A.Ambaselmaa, a head of Surveillance Department of the National Center for Communicable Diseases (NCCD), reported that the coronavirus was detected in 11 people after testing 12015 people within the past 24 hours.

Six new cases have been recorded in Ulaanbaatar city, three -- in Selenge aimag and two -- Orkhon aimag. No new infections recorded in Darkhan-Uul, Dornogobi, Gobisumber and Arkhangai aimags.

As of today, the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Mongolia has reached 812, with 358 recoveries and 429 local transmission cases.

445 people are undergoing the treatment at the NCCD.

DALLAS (Reuters) - Boeing Co’s 737 MAX staged its first post-grounding flight with media on board on Wednesday, as carriers seek to demonstrate to passengers that the redesigned jet is safe after a 20-month safety ban.

In another display of confidence, European budget airline Ryanair was set to place a hefty order for up to 75 additional 737 MAX jets, industry sources said.

Wednesday’s American Airlines 737 MAX flight was a 45-minute hop from Dallas, Texas, to Tulsa, Oklahoma. It comes weeks before the first commercial passenger flight on Dec. 29, and is part of a public relations effort to allay any concerns about the aircraft.

Boeing’s best-selling jet was grounded in March 2019 after two crashes in five months killed a combined 346 people, marking the industry’s worst safety crisis in decades and undermining U.S. aviation regulatory leadership.

Wednesday’s flight marked the first time anyone besides regulators and industry personnel flew on the MAX since the grounding, which ignited investigations focusing on software that overwhelmed pilots.

The mood on Wednesday’s flight, which included a Reuters reporter, was subdued. Some passengers mingled and chatted before landing, when applause broke out.

Reflecting the COVID-19 pandemic that has roiled commercial aviation, each of the roughly 90 journalists, flight attendants and other American Airlines employees on the flight wore face masks.

Boeing gets 737 MAX order boost from Ryanair: sources

“The history of aviation is built around a chain of safety,” Captain Pete Gamble told passengers just before takeoff. “When the chain of safety breaks it’s up to those of us in the industry to mend it and bring it back.”

Last month, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration cleared the jet following design changes and new training.

A smooth return to service for the MAX is seen as critical for Boeing’s reputation and finances, which have been hit hard by a freeze on MAX deliveries as well as the coronavirus crisis.

Airlines and leasing companies have spent hundreds of billions of dollars buying the latest upgrade of the 737, the world’s most-sold passenger aircraft.

Lured by sharp discounts and anxious to help repair the MAX’s reputation around which they have built their fleet plans, some airlines are now stepping in to show commercial support.

Boeing is bracing for intense publicity from even routine glitches by manning a 24-hour “situation room” to monitor every MAX flight globally, and has briefed some industry commentators on details on the return to service, industry sources said.

“We are continuing to work closely with global regulators and our customers to safely return the fleet to commercial service,” a Boeing spokesman said.

Brazil’s Gol Linhas Aereas Inteligentes is planning a media event for the redesigned MAX this month.

The PR efforts are designed to highlight software and training upgrades which the FAA has said remove any doubt about the plane’s safety.

But crash victims’ family members have protested the return to service, saying it is premature before a final investigative report on the second crash in Ethiopia has been released.

Boeing toned down its original plans for the plane’s return as the crisis dragged on longer than it expected - scrapping a high-profile publicity campaign, a ceremony in the Seattle area and a tour using an Oman Air 737 MAX, industry sources said.

United Airlines is expected to receive the first Max delivery since the grounding, a person familiar with the matter said.

Reporting by Tracy Rucinski in Dallas, Texas; Additional reporting by Marcelo Rochabrun in Sao Paulo, Tim Hepher in Paris; Writing by Eric M. Johnson in Seattle; Editing by David Evans, Matthew Lewis and Gerry Doyle