Month: February 2021

Categories
Health

Pfizer PFE This autumn 2020 earnings fall brief, however income beats expectations

Pfizer PFE Q4 2020 earnings fall short, but revenue beats expectations

Pfizer said Tuesday it expects to sell about $ 15 billion in coronavirus vaccine doses this year and make a profit on the high 20% sales margin for the vaccinations.

At the time of its fourth quarter earnings release, Pfizer was forecasting revenue of between $ 59.4 billion and $ 61.4 billion for this year and anticipating high pre-tax adjusted earnings of 20% for the vaccine.

The company also raised its full-year earnings guidance from $ 3.10 to $ 3.10-3.20, citing “additional improvements” to its guidance for vaccine sales.

According to Refinitiv’s average estimates, Pfizer performed in the fourth quarter compared to Wall Street expectations.

  • Adjusted EPS: 42 cents compared to 48 cents expected.
  • Revenue: $ 11.68 billion versus $ 11.43 billion expected.

Revenue rose 12% from $ 10.44 billion in the same quarter last year to $ 11.68 billion – better than analysts expected.

Pfizer shares were down 2.8% in midday trading.

“As a company, we have seen the culmination of Pfizer’s decades of transformation into a pure science and innovation-driven company,” said CEO Albert Bourla in a press release. “Our ability to move forward quickly and use the latest scientific knowledge to address the world’s major medical challenges has been tested by the COVID-19 pandemic.”

The company’s Covid-19 vaccine, which it makes together with German partner BioNTech, was the first to be approved for emergency use in the United States

Pfizer, like other Covid vaccine manufacturers, is struggling to meet demand for shots which, hopefully, will help end the pandemic. Recently, the French pharmaceutical company Sanofi was asked for help with making cans.

In slides released ahead of the earnings call, Pfizer plans to ship 200 million doses of its coronavirus vaccine to the U.S. by May, earlier than originally forecast in July.

The company also said it could potentially deliver 2 billion doses globally by the end of this year, as healthcare providers can extract an additional sixth dose of the vaccine from the vials. In December, the Food and Drug Administration announced that additional doses from vials could be used after the cans were discarded due to labeling confusion.

The company also said Tuesday it would be “ready to respond” if a variant of Covid shows evidence of bypassing its vaccine. In the past few weeks, U.S. health officials, including Dr. Anthony Fauci, raised concerns that vaccines currently on the market may not be as effective against new, more contagious strains of the virus.

Novavax said Thursday its vaccine was only 49% effective against B.1.351, the highly contagious strain in South Africa. Johnson & Johnson also said its vaccine was less effective against the strain. On Friday, his one-time vaccine was 66% effective overall, but only 57% in South Africa.

A study conducted by Pfizer found that the new, highly contagious strains in the UK and South Africa had little impact on the effectiveness of the vaccine. Nevertheless, Pfizer is developing a booster shot to protect itself from the new variants. Moderna and Novavax are also developing modified vaccines.

In the slides, Pfizer said that patients “likely need regular boosting to maintain the immune response and counter newly emerging variant strains.”

Categories
Entertainment

Dan + Shay’s Response to Fan’s “Tequila” Cowl on TikTok

Dan + Shay's Response to Fan's "Tequila" Cover on TikTok

If you’ve ever wondered how to get your celebrities to react to your Instagram DMs, here’s a strategy that might work: add a voice recording they just can’t resist. It definitely worked for TikToker Sharon Rowland, who after one too many drinks recorded a quick cover of Dan + Shay’s “Tequila” and announced the recording to the country duo. . . while still drunk.

Imagine her surprise when she woke up the next day to a response from her favorite musicians, even if it was just a simple “heart” and a few emojis. She may not have been the greatest singer of all time, but I have to say that the high note and whisper hit really different in the end and it seems like Dan + Shay thought the same thing.

But the exchange didn’t stop there. After Sharon shared their interaction on their TikTok Sunday, the video immediately went viral and once again caught the duo’s attention. Dan + Shay then filmed reactions to the clip of Sharon’s, um, loud singing, and honestly I can’t make up my mind which video is the funniest. In one clip, Dan tries hard to get in tune with her singing on his piano, while in another, Shay-lip is synchronized with the sound with a whole range of emotions. Prepare for a good belly laugh beforehand and watch Sharon’s original video with Dan + Shay’s answers.

Categories
Business

Delaying second AstraZeneca vaccine dose does work, examine exhibits

Delaying second AstraZeneca vaccine dose does work, study shows

A health worker shows a vial of the Covid-19 coronavirus vaccine from AstraZeneca-Oxford at Patan Hospital near Kathmandu on January 27, 2021.

PRAKASH MATHEMA | AFP | Getty Images

The UK’s decision to postpone AstraZeneca University Oxford’s second shot of coronavirus vaccine has proven to be an effective strategy, according to results from a new study.

Oxford University researchers found that the Covid-19 vaccine was 76% effective at preventing symptomatic infection for three months after a single dose, and that the rate of effectiveness increased with a longer interval before the first and second dose.

“The effectiveness of the vaccine after a single standard dose of the vaccine from the 22nd to the 90th day post-vaccination was 76% … and the modeled analysis showed that protection did not diminish during this initial 3-month period,” said the Study that was reviewed by The Lancet Medical Journal and published as a preprint on Tuesday found.

The effectiveness rate increased to 82.4% when at least 12 weeks were before the second dose. When the second dose was given less than six weeks after the first, the rate of effectiveness was 54.9%.

“These analyzes show that greater vaccine effectiveness is achieved with a longer interval between the first and second dose and that a single dose of vaccine is highly effective in the first 90 days, which further supports current policy,” the report said .

The UK’s current strategy is to vaccinate as many people as possible with a single dose first and postpone the second dose for up to 12 weeks. The idea is that a first dose will provide at least some of the protection and allow more people to have access to the vaccines while their availability is limited.

The decision to delay the administration of a second booster dose has sparked controversy, with some questioning whether it might reduce the effectiveness of the vaccine in preventing severe Covid-19 infection.

However, the UK Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunization supported the approach. The UK is also delaying the second dose of Pfizer BioNTech vaccine, a move vaccine makers have warned about, arguing that there is no data to support a delay.

The study also provided key data on whether the vaccine reduced transmission of the virus, a previously unknown and crucial question for policy makers looking to lift measures to lock down the economy.

Based on weekly swabs from volunteers in the UK study, a 67% reduction in transmission was found after the first dose of the vaccine.

Effective strategy

This latest study supports the UK Government’s decision and concludes that vaccination programs “aiming to vaccinate a large proportion of the population with a single dose, with a second dose given after a period of three months, are an effective strategy to reduce disease and may be the optimum for pandemic vaccine introduction when supply is limited in the short term. “

The study used additional data from ongoing clinical trials of the vaccine. A separate announcement from AstraZeneca on Wednesday showed that the vaccine also prevented serious illness from Covid-19, with no serious cases and no hospital stays more than 22 days after the first dose.

The vaccine was approved by the UK Medicines Agency on December 30th and, as a shot made in the UK, makes up most of the country’s previously hailed successful vaccination program.

The UK is well on its way to vaccinating its four top priority groups (those over 70, residents and workers in nursing homes, frontline health and social workers and the most clinically vulnerable), which number around 15 million people by mid-February to have.

By February 1, over 9.6 million people had received a first dose of the vaccine, and just under 500,000 had received two doses, according to government figures.

Professor Andrew Pollard, chief investigator of the vaccine study at Oxford and co-author of the study, said, “These new data provide an important review of the intermediate data used by more than 25 regulatory agencies, including MHRA and EMA, to grant vaccine emergency approval.”

“It also supports the policy recommendation of the Joint Vaccination and Immunization Committee for a 12-week prime-boost interval as it seeks the optimal approach to initiation and assures us that people will be protected before 22 days after a single are dose of the vaccine. “

The researchers also hope to release data on the new coronavirus variants in the coming days and expect the results to be broadly similar to those already reported by other vaccine developers: that the current vaccines are effective against mutations in the virus.

Germany, France and Sweden currently do not recommend the AstraZeneca vaccine for people over 65 because of insufficient study data on this age group. However, the vaccine maker and the UK government have defended the sting, saying the data available shows it is safe and effective. Further analysis will be available shortly.

Categories
Health

Have You Had Covid-19? Examine Says You Might Want Solely One Vaccine Dose

Have You Had Covid-19? Study Says You May Need Only One Vaccine Dose

Shannon Romano, eine Molekularbiologin, kam Ende März mit Covid zusammen, ungefähr eine Woche nachdem sie und ihre Kollegen ihr Labor im Mount Sinai Hospital geschlossen hatten. Zuerst kam es zu schwächenden Kopfschmerzen, gefolgt von einem Fieber, das weiter anstieg, und dann zu qualvollen Körperschmerzen. „Ich konnte nicht schlafen. Ich konnte mich nicht bewegen “, sagte sie. “Jedes meiner Gelenke tut nur innerlich weh.”

Es war keine Erfahrung, die sie wiederholen wollte – niemals. Als sie Anfang dieses Monats für den Covid-19-Impfstoff in Frage kam, bekam sie den Schuss.

Zwei Tage nach ihrer Injektion entwickelte sie Symptome, die sich sehr vertraut anfühlten. “Die Art und Weise, wie mein Kopf schmerzte und mein Körper schmerzte, war die gleiche Kopfschmerzen und Körperschmerzen, die ich hatte, als ich Covid hatte”, sagte sie. Sie erholte sich schnell, aber die intensive Reaktion ihres Körpers auf den Stoß überraschte sie.

Eine neue Studie könnte erklären, warum Dr. Romano und viele andere, die Covid hatten, diese unerwartet intensiven Reaktionen auf den ersten Schuss eines Impfstoffs melden. In einer am Montag online veröffentlichten Studie stellten Forscher fest, dass Personen, die zuvor mit dem Virus infiziert waren, nach dem ersten Schuss häufiger über Müdigkeit, Kopfschmerzen, Schüttelfrost, Fieber sowie Muskel- und Gelenkschmerzen berichteten als diejenigen, die noch nie infiziert waren. Covid-Überlebende hatten sowohl nach der ersten als auch nach der zweiten Dosis des Impfstoffs weitaus höhere Antikörperspiegel.

Basierend auf diesen Ergebnissen, sagen die Forscher, benötigen Menschen, die Covid-19 hatten, möglicherweise nur einen Schuss.

“Ich denke, eine Impfung sollte ausreichen”, sagte Florian Krammer, Virologe an der Icahn School of Medicine am Berg Sinai und Autor der Studie. “Dies würde auch Personen vor unnötigen Schmerzen bewahren, wenn sie die zweite Dosis erhalten, und es würde zusätzliche Impfstoffdosen freisetzen.”

Eine zweite am Montag veröffentlichte Studie bestätigt die Idee. Die Studie umfasste 59 Beschäftigte im Gesundheitswesen, von denen 42 zuvor Covid hatten (mit oder ohne Symptome). Die Forscher bewerteten die Nebenwirkungen nicht, stellten jedoch fest, dass diejenigen, die zuvor infiziert waren, auf den ersten Stoß mit hohen Antikörperniveaus reagierten, vergleichbar mit den Mengen, die nach der zweiten Dosis bei Menschen beobachtet wurden, die noch nie infiziert waren. In Laborexperimenten banden diese Antikörper an das Virus und verhinderten, dass es in die Zellen eindrang. Um die Impfstoffversorgung zu erweitern, kommen die Autoren zu dem Schluss, dass diejenigen, die zuvor Covid hatten, in die Prioritätenliste aufgenommen werden sollten und nur eine Dosis des Impfstoffs erhalten sollten, während die Versorgung begrenzt ist.

Während einige Wissenschaftler dieser Logik zustimmen, sind andere vorsichtiger. Eine Änderung der Anzahl der Dosen könnte “einen wirklich kniffligen Präzedenzfall” schaffen, sagte E. John Wherry, Direktor des Instituts für Immunologie der Universität von Pennsylvania. “Wir nehmen keine FDA-Zulassungen für beispielsweise ein Chemotherapeutikum entgegen und werfen dann einfach den Dosierungsplan weg”, sagte er.

Dr. Wherry wies auch darauf hin, dass Menschen mit leichten Fällen von Covid offenbar niedrigere Antikörperspiegel aufweisen und möglicherweise keinen Schutz gegen ansteckendere Varianten des Virus haben. Es kann auch schwierig sein zu identifizieren, welche Personen zuvor infiziert wurden. “Die Dokumentation wird zu einem wirklich potenziell chaotischen Problem für die öffentliche Gesundheit”, sagte er.

Nebenwirkungen nach der Impfung sind völlig zu erwarten. Sie zeigen, dass das Immunsystem eine Reaktion auslöst und besser darauf vorbereitet ist, eine Infektion abzuwehren, wenn der Körper mit dem Virus in Kontakt kommt. Die Impfstoffe von Pfizer und Moderna können besonders gut eine starke Reaktion hervorrufen. Die meisten Teilnehmer an den Studien der Unternehmen berichteten von Schmerzen an der Injektionsstelle, und mehr als die Hälfte berichtete von Müdigkeit und Kopfschmerzen.

Die klinischen Studien mit den zugelassenen Impfstoffen von Pfizer und Moderna, an denen jeweils mehr als 30.000 Teilnehmer teilnahmen, legen nahe, dass die meisten Menschen nach dem zweiten Stoß die schlimmsten Nebenwirkungen haben. Und in der Moderna-Studie hatten Menschen, die zuvor infiziert waren, tatsächlich weniger Nebenwirkungen als diejenigen, die dies nicht getan hatten.

Aber anekdotisch hören Forscher von einer wachsenden Anzahl von Menschen wie Dr. Romano, die sich nach einem Schuss krank fühlten. “Sie beschreiben diese Symptome viel energischer”, sagte Dr. Wherry.

Das entspricht dem, was Dr. Krammer und seine Kollegen in ihrer neuen Studie gefunden haben, die noch nicht in einer wissenschaftlichen Zeitschrift veröffentlicht wurde. Die Forscher bewerteten die Symptome nach der Impfung bei 231 Personen, von denen 83 zuvor infiziert waren und 148 nicht. Beide Gruppen berichteten weithin über Schmerzen an der Injektionsstelle nach der ersten Dosis. Aber diejenigen, die zuvor infiziert worden waren, berichteten häufiger von Müdigkeit, Kopfschmerzen und Schüttelfrost.

Das Team untersuchte auch, wie das Immunsystem bei 109 Personen auf den Impfstoff reagierte – 68 davon waren zuvor nicht infiziert und 41 waren infiziert – und fand in der letzteren Gruppe eine robustere Antikörperantwort. Die Zahlen sind jedoch gering, und daher müssen die Schlussfolgerungen der Studie mit mehr Forschung weiter untersucht werden, sagten Experten.

Es ist nicht unbedingt überraschend, dass zuvor infizierte Personen möglicherweise intensivere Reaktionen erfahren. Beide Aufnahmen enthalten genetisches Material, das den Körper zur Herstellung von Spike-Proteinen anspornt, den knorrigen Vorsprüngen auf der Oberfläche des Coronavirus. Menschen, die bereits mit dem Virus infiziert wurden, haben Immunzellen, die darauf vorbereitet sind, diese Proteine ​​zu erkennen. Wenn die Proteine ​​nach der Impfung auftauchen, greifen einige dieser Immunzellen an und die Menschen fühlen sich krank.

Dr. Susan Malinowski, eine Augenärztin in Michigan, die im März Covid-19 hatte, hatte zweifellos das Gefühl, dass ihr Körper angegriffen wurde, nachdem sie den Moderna-Impfstoff erhalten hatte. Sie bekam den ersten Schuss vor dem Mittagessen am Silvesterabend. Beim Abendessen wurde ihr langsam schlecht. Sie verbrachte die nächsten zwei Tage elend im Bett.

„Ich hatte Fieber. Ich hatte Schüttelfrost. Ich hatte Nachtschweiß. Ich hatte überall in meinem Körper Schmerzen “, sagte sie. “Ich war nach dem Impfstoff tatsächlich kranker als mit Covid.”

Fragen zu schwereren Impfreaktionen bei Personen, die Covid bereits hatten, wurden auf einer Sitzung eines Expertenausschusses am 27. Januar gestellt, der die Zentren für die Kontrolle und Prävention von Krankheiten berät.

Dr. Pablo J. Sánchez, ein Komiteemitglied des Forschungsinstituts des Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, bemerkte, dass er von Menschen gehört habe, die auf den Impfstoff schlechter angesprochen hätten als ihre früheren Erfahrungen mit Covid-19. Er schlug vor, eine Frage zur vorherigen Infektion zu den Informationen hinzuzufügen, die die CDC von den Impfstoffempfängern anfordert. “Es wird nicht gefragt”, sagte Dr. Sánchez. “Ich denke, das ist wirklich wichtig.”

Covid19 Impfungen >

Antworten auf Ihre Impfstofffragen

Bin ich in meinem Bundesstaat für den Covid-Impfstoff berechtigt?

Derzeit können mehr als 150 Millionen Menschen – fast die Hälfte der Bevölkerung – geimpft werden. Aber jeder Staat trifft die endgültige Entscheidung darüber, wer zuerst geht. Die 21 Millionen Beschäftigten im Gesundheitswesen des Landes und drei Millionen Einwohner von Langzeitpflegeeinrichtungen waren die ersten, die sich qualifizierten. Mitte Januar forderten Bundesbeamte alle Bundesstaaten auf, die Berechtigung für alle über 65-Jährigen und für Erwachsene jeden Alters mit Erkrankungen zu öffnen, bei denen ein hohes Risiko besteht, dass sie schwer krank werden oder an Covid-19 sterben. Erwachsene in der Allgemeinbevölkerung stehen am Ende der Reihe. Wenn Gesundheitsbehörden von Bund und Ländern Engpässe bei der Verteilung von Impfstoffen beseitigen können, sind alle ab 16 Jahren bereits im Frühjahr oder Frühsommer förderfähig. Der Impfstoff wurde bei Kindern nicht zugelassen, obwohl derzeit Studien durchgeführt werden. Es kann Monate dauern, bis ein Impfstoff für Personen unter 16 Jahren verfügbar ist. Aktuelle Informationen zu den Impfrichtlinien in Ihrer Region finden Sie auf Ihrer staatlichen Gesundheitswebsite

Ist der Impfstoff frei?

Sie sollten nichts aus eigener Tasche bezahlen müssen, um den Impfstoff zu erhalten, obwohl Sie nach Versicherungsinformationen gefragt werden. Wenn Sie nicht versichert sind, sollten Sie den Impfstoff trotzdem kostenlos erhalten. Der Kongress hat in diesem Frühjahr ein Gesetz verabschiedet, das es Versicherern verbietet, eine Kostenteilung wie eine Zuzahlung oder einen Selbstbehalt anzuwenden. Es bestand aus zusätzlichen Schutzmaßnahmen, die es Apotheken, Ärzten und Krankenhäusern untersagten, Patienten, einschließlich nicht versicherter Patienten, in Rechnung zu stellen. Trotzdem befürchten Gesundheitsexperten, dass Patienten in Schlupflöcher geraten, die sie für Überraschungsrechnungen anfällig machen. Dies kann bei Personen der Fall sein, denen zusammen mit ihrem Impfstoff eine Arztbesuchsgebühr berechnet wird, oder bei Amerikanern, die bestimmte Arten der Krankenversicherung haben, die nicht unter die neuen Vorschriften fallen. Wenn Sie Ihren Impfstoff von einer Arztpraxis oder einer Notfallklinik erhalten, sprechen Sie mit ihnen über mögliche versteckte Kosten. Um sicherzugehen, dass Sie keine Überraschungsrechnung erhalten, ist es am besten, wenn Sie Ihren Impfstoff an einer Impfstelle des Gesundheitsministeriums oder in einer örtlichen Apotheke erhalten, sobald die Aufnahmen breiter verfügbar sind.

Kann ich wählen, welchen Impfstoff ich bekomme?Wie lange hält der Impfstoff? Brauche ich nächstes Jahr noch einen?

Das ist zu bestimmen. Es ist möglich, dass Covid-19-Impfungen genau wie die Grippeimpfung zu einem jährlichen Ereignis werden. Oder es kann sein, dass der Nutzen des Impfstoffs länger als ein Jahr anhält. Wir müssen abwarten, wie dauerhaft der Schutz vor den Impfstoffen ist. Um dies festzustellen, werden Forscher geimpfte Menschen aufspüren, um nach „Durchbruchsfällen“ zu suchen – jenen Menschen, die trotz Impfung an Covid-19 erkranken. Dies ist ein Zeichen für eine Schwächung des Schutzes und gibt Forschern Hinweise darauf, wie lange der Impfstoff hält. Sie werden auch die Spiegel von Antikörpern und T-Zellen im Blut geimpfter Personen überwachen, um festzustellen, ob und wann ein Auffrischungsschuss erforderlich sein könnte. Es ist denkbar, dass Menschen alle paar Monate, einmal im Jahr oder nur alle paar Jahre Booster benötigen. Es geht nur darum, auf die Daten zu warten.

Benötigt mein Arbeitgeber Impfungen?Wo kann ich mehr erfahren?

Dr. Tom Shimabukuro von der CDC, der dem Ausschuss Sicherheitsdaten vorlegte, sagte, dass die Agentur das Problem untersucht. “Derzeit gibt es nur begrenzte Daten dazu, aber wir suchen nach Möglichkeiten, um bessere Informationen zu erhalten”, sagte er.

Menschen, die Covid hatten, scheinen „auf die erste Dosis zu reagieren, als wäre es eine zweite Dosis“, sagte Akiko Iwasaki, Immunologe an der Yale School of Medicine. Eine Dosis ist also wahrscheinlich “mehr als genug”, sagte sie.

Eine Anfang dieses Monats veröffentlichte Studie berichtete, dass das Überleben einer natürlichen Infektion einen Schutz von 83 Prozent vor einer erneuten Infektion innerhalb von fünf Monaten bot. “Zwei Dosen zusätzlich zu geben, scheint vielleicht übertrieben”, fügte sie hinzu.

Shane Crotty, Immunologe am La Jolla Institute for Immunology, wies darauf hin, dass eine intensivere Impfreaktion typischerweise einen besseren Schutz bedeutet. Wenn jemand eine große Reaktion auf die erste Dosis hätte, “würde ich erwarten, dass das Überspringen dieser zweiten Dosis sinnvoll wäre und dass die zweite Dosis wahrscheinlich unnötig ist”, sagte er.

Andere Immunologen schlagen jedoch vor, dass sich jeder an zwei Dosen hält. “Ich bin ein großer Befürworter der richtigen Dosierung und des richtigen Zeitplans, denn so wurden die Studien durchgeführt”, sagte Maria Elena Bottazzi, Immunologin am Baylor College of Medicine in Houston.

Und zwei Schüsse zu bekommen scheint keine Gefahr für diejenigen zu sein, die Covid hatten.

Dennoch wünscht sich der Augenarzt Dr. Malinowski, es gäbe weniger Fragen und mehr Antworten. Wenn die Nebenwirkungen von Impfstoffen bei bereits infizierten Menschen wirklich stärker sind, könnten Gesundheitsbeamte den Menschen einen Hinweis geben, sagte sie.

“Es wäre schön zu wissen, dass Sie vielleicht zwei Tage lang nicht aufstehen können”, sagte Malinowski. Sie hat beschlossen, nicht für eine zweite Dosis zurückzukehren.

Dr. Romano vom Mount Sinai Hospital wird voraussichtlich im Februar zum zweiten Mal erschossen und ist sich nicht sicher, was sie tun wird. “Meine Freunde, die Immunologen sind, wir haben das alle unter uns besprochen”, sagte sie. „Wahrscheinlich bekomme ich es. Aber ich möchte noch ein bisschen darüber nachdenken, bevor ich es tue. “

Denise Grady und Apoorva Mandavilli haben zur Berichterstattung beigetragen.

Categories
Business

Golden Globes 2021 Nominations: Predictions, The right way to Watch

Golden Globes 2021 Nominations: Predictions, How to Watch

The Golden Globes have always been a strange ritual. The statues are awarded by a secret group of foreign journalists, of whom only 89 vote. The grand prizes are divided into dramatic and comedic categories, often in a confusing way. Oddly enough, foreign language films are not allowed to compete for the most prestigious awards.

That year, however, the surreal nature of the affair was heightened by a question from the pandemic era: Are the globes actually happening?

The five nominees for best drama could easily have zero ticket sales. Almost every controversial film has been released online or is still waiting to be released. Many cinemas have now been closed for 11 months.

Small golden trophies are difficult to care for for many people, including some in Hollywood, when the coronavirus is still killing more than 1,000 Americans a day. Others will no doubt hail the Golden Globes as a goofy distraction – a dependable balm of celebrity deductibles and the malicious glee you’ve seen.

Amy Poehler and Tina Fey will return as hostesses. The ceremony is scheduled for February 28th and will air on NBC.

The globes supposedly exist to honor outstanding achievements in film and television. But the real reason this show has to go on is money. NBC pays the Hollywood Foreign Press Association and its production partner Dick Clark Productions an estimated $ 65 million per year for broadcast rights. About 18 million people turned up last year.

Globe nominations are sought-after marketing tools. Studios and streaming services will quickly launch expensive advertising campaigns based on the numbers. For the first time since the beginning of the pandemic, moviedom will have a national platform that can be used as a lift-up rally: “I’m still here!”

The globes can also help steer a driving Oscar race on some kind of course. (The Oscars are slated for April 25th.) David Fincher’s fading “flaw” about Old Hollywood could use a Globe nomination or five right now. While “Hillbilly Elegy” was widely ridiculed, Globes voters may have been able to take Glenn Close away by recognizing their scene-eating mamaw. (It would be her 15th nomination.)

In truth the globes do not predict much. Over the past 20 years, the Globes and the Oscars have agreed on the best picture winners 50 percent of the time. Last year, Globe voters voted “Once Upon a Time … In Hollywood” and the war drama “1917” as best in class. Neither won the Academy Awards, which recognized the genre busting “Parasite”.

In accordance with their rules, the group did not nominate Parasite, a foreign language film, for Best Picture Globe.

What crazy specials await you this time around when the nominations are announced starting at 8:35 a.m. Eastern on Wednesday:

Netflix, only a competitor on the film side of the Globes since 2016, will dominate to a staggering extent. There are domestic films in the competition – “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” “Mank,” “Da 5 Bloods,” “The Prom” – as well as films it bought in pandemic-stricken traditional studios, particularly Aaron Sorkin’s “The Trial of “the Chicago 7.” Among the television categories, the streaming service has established crowd-pleasers (“The Crown”, “Ozark”) and brilliant new hits (“Bridgerton”, “The Queen’s Gambit”).

Amazon is also going to get a ton of nominations, with Regina King’s “One Night in Miami,” a fact-based drama about a meeting of four black luminaries that is positioned to nod for best drama, best director, and best screenplay Picking Best Supporting Actor (for Leslie), Odom Jr., who plays Sam Cooke). And Globe voters will surely honor “Borat Subsequent Movie”, which appeared on Amazon Prime Video in October, among others in the categories “Best Comedy” and “Music”.

Some forecasters are also betting that the disrespectful superhero series “The Boys” will receive a nomination for Best Television Drama from Amazon, which would be a big deal given that the popular show, now in season two, has been largely overlooked by award groups.

The Hollywood Foreign Press Association has been attacked in recent years for neglecting inclusion and diversity. At the latest ceremony, for example, the group once again presented an all-male list of directors who did not nominate women like Greta Gerwig (“Little Women”) and Olivia Wilde (“Bookmaker”).

Expect a correction this year. It looks like both King and Chloé Zhao (“Nomadland”) will be recognized. To this mix Spike Lee is likely to be added for “Da 5 Bloods”. The war drama sparked a strong critical reaction, and Lee has been nominated three times by the group (most recently for directing “BlacKkKlansman”).

And this year, his children Satchel and Jackson will serve as Golden Globe Ambassadors, a job that traditionally takes winners off the stage. It wouldn’t be a family matter if Spike wasn’t there too.

The best actor in a drama category can also reflect a wide range of talents, including Chadwick Boseman (“Ma Rainey’s Black Butt”), Steven Yeun (“Minari”), Delroy Lindo (“Da 5 Bloods”) and Riz Ahmed ( “Sound of Metal”) and Anthony Hopkins (“The Father”) all in the mix for nominations. Tom Hanks could rise up for his cross-border commuter “News of the World”.

But the actresses’ nominations are likely to make the noise.

Globus voters might include a legend, Sophia Loren, for her role as a Holocaust survivor who runs a daycare for children of local prostitutes on Netflix’s The Life Ahead. Or they could give this slot to an actress who represents the future, Zendaya, who received praise for her performance in Malcolm & Marie, a romantic black and white drama (Netflix again).

Meryl Streep, a 25-time Globe nominee and eight-time winner, has received two nominations for best actress in a comedy or musical, one for her exaggerated “prom” performance and one for playing a writer trying to stand out reconnect with her friends in “Let Them All Talk.” Streep would likely compete against Bulgarian actress Maria Bakalova for her ultra-raw but surprisingly sweet twist in “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm”.

The TV Supporting Actress category, as usual, has a variety of candidates that add a little suspense. Will voters give way to both Gillian Anderson and Helena Bonham Carter of The Crown? Also competing are Uzo Aduba (“Mrs. America”), Letitia Wright (“Small Ax”), Annie Murphy (“Schitt’s Creek”), Jessie Buckley (“Fargo”), Marielle Heller (“The Queen’s Gambit”) and Julia Garner (“Ozark”). Garner and Aduba won Emmys for their accomplishments last year.

Without a foreign-language film kerfuffle, the globes would not be. This time the group has an egg in the face because Lee Isaac Chung’s “Minari” has to make a foreign language contribution – although Mr. Chung is an American director, the film was shot in the US and funded by American companies and it focuses on an immigrant family, who pursues the American dream.

But the characters in “Minari” mostly speak Korean. As a result, the Globe rules require that they be relegated to the best foreign language film race. It cannot be considered for the grand prize.

“Hamilton”, on the other hand, will likely benefit from the group’s rules. As a recorded stage performance, “Hamilton” does not qualify for the Oscars. But the HFPA has no such hang-up. So expect Lin-Manuel Miranda’s musical to show up for Best Comedy or Musical Nominee.

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World News

Siemens earnings Q1 2021

Siemens earnings Q1 2021

wallix | iStock Editorial | Getty Images

Siemens raised its full-year guidance on Wednesday after a strong first fiscal quarter in which orders, sales, and net income exceeded market expectations.

The German conglomerate recorded an increase in adjusted EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) by 39%, while the net profit for the period from October to December from 1.1 billion euros in the same period to 1.5 billion euros (1, $ 81 billion) rose the previous year.

Orders rose 15%, with the company leading faster-than-expected recoveries in China and Germany after the Covid-19 downturn. For the entire fiscal year 2021, Siemens now expects a net profit of between 5 and 5.5 billion euros.

“What we are seeing in Asia and especially in China is the massive demand, especially for industries or end markets that benefit greatly from people like the games industry and the like staying at home,” Siemens CEO Joe Kaeser told Annette Weisbach on Wednesday CNBC.

Kaeser also noted that China’s global export model also helped stimulate demand for lockdown-friendly industries.

“You think of smartphone games and the like, and that’s where the demand was the greatest, and these are very modern industries. So these are very automated lines and they need a lot of manufacturing software to automate them. That’s why we got in that area benefits a lot. “

However, he suggested that Germany and the rest of Europe would be more of a “catch-up” game than a long-term growth opportunity. Kaeser predicted that the US will be the biggest opportunity for the second half of the calendar year and through 2022.

Categories
Politics

California asks Federal Maritime Fee to take motion on delivery delays

California asks Federal Maritime Commission to take action on shipping delays

A container ship enters the port of Los Angeles on February 1, 2021 in San Pedro, California.

Mario Tama | Getty Images

Just a week after CNBC’s two-month investigation into shipping companies’ rejection of US agricultural exports, California is urging the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) to take immediate action. A letter to the FMC was signed by several state officials requesting immediate action to review the airlines’ export policies.

Shipping companies turned down hundreds of millions of dollars in US agricultural export containers in October and November and instead sent empty containers to China to fill with more profitable Chinese exports, according to the CNBC investigation.

In the letter received from CNBC, state officials said, “We seek your assistance in addressing the current delays and ongoing shipping problems in California ports, which are having a significant impact on the business of companies across the state. In particular, the business of our The Agriculture Sector, who is heavily dependent on the export markets is badly affected. “

California, the letter reads, is the country’s largest agricultural exporter and producer, with more than $ 21 billion in annual agricultural exports requiring and supporting an estimated 157,800 full-time jobs. These exports benefit the economy directly by generating $ 25 billion in additional economic activity.

The call for proposals letter comes after FMC announced in November an investigation into trade with key ports in California, New York, and New Jersey to determine whether airlines’ refusal to ship US exports was a violation against the Shipping Act.

The law makes it unlawful for air carriers to “improperly refuse to do business or negotiate,” “boycott or take other concerted action that will result in an improper refusal” or “engage in behavior that involves the use of intermodal services inappropriately restrict “.

The FMC declined to comment.

The World Shipping Council (WSC), whose members control approximately 90 percent of the global container fleet, and the Pacific Merchant Shipping Association (PMSA) responded to California officials and urged better communication between them compared to the involvement of the FMC.

In a two-page letter to CNBC, the two groups accused the record surge in imports from China as a catalyst for the port’s efficiency and the associated fees that importers and exporters pay.

The WSC and PMSA listed the export sales of the various farms exported from the Port of Los Angeles, saying they were “up significantly” year over year. The group then called it a “false impression that California’s agricultural exports are being excluded from access to the international supply chain”.

CNBC previously reported that while agricultural export volumes for 2020 were larger than 2019 due to the U.S. Phase One trade agreement with China, purchases fell short of targets. According to the Peterson Institute for International Economics, China imported $ 100 billion of the U.S. goods agreed under the deal – roughly 58% of the targeted $ 173.1 billion. Exports are only official once they have been transported and processed in the country of destination. However, the increase in agricultural exports pales in comparison to the increased ration of empty export containers.

CNBC launched its own review of import and export data, and concluded that the airlines rejected an estimated 177,938 containers, called TEUs (20-foot equivalents), in October and November. This was the result of an analysis of the data compiled by the Census Bureau and the ports of Los Angeles, Long Beach, California and New York and New Jersey. The total value of lost export trade from these ports is $ 632 million.

Prioritize empty export containers

The data showing the increase in empty containers being shipped back to China corresponds to the timing of the carriers who informed agricultural exporters in mid-October that they would prioritize empty export containers over agricultural exports.

The air carriers also said they would raise prices on US agricultural exports if the goods were moved. The rise in agricultural export fees continues. Last week, ZIM Integrated Shipping Services announced agricultural exporters that they would be introducing surcharges for all cargo from the US to China and other Asian countries between $ 150 and $ 500 per container starting Feb.17.

CNBC asked ZIM for a comment.

According to the CNBC investigation, the total export container deficit for the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles was 136,392 TEU. An estimated 41,546 TEU were denied from the ports of New York and New Jersey.

To calculate the value of the potential trade loss resulting from the rejection of agricultural exports, CNBC used the containerized agricultural export price for soybeans / oilseeds / grain in the Port of Los Angeles, which can be found on the US Census website, USA Trade Online.

The value of this export is USD 3,552 per TEU. The value of the lost trade is likely to be higher as the value of the Ag’s raw materials fluctuates widely. Soybeans are at the lower end of the commercial value spectrum.

This balance was calculated using the difference between the actual empty exports in 2020 and the share of export empty in 2019.

However, CNBC analysis shows that the pattern of the growing US export container deficit extends beyond October and November.

Based on the trade data, empty container exports began to rise as early as June for Los Angeles, July for Long Beach, and August for New York and New Jersey. From July to November a total of 297,997 TEU from the ports of Los Angeles, Long Beach as well as New York and New Jersey were denied a container deficit of USD 1.1 billion.

“The core problem is that a rapidly recovering China has revived its export economy and pays huge premiums for containers, which makes it more profitable to send them back empty than to refill them,” said Peter Friedmann, executive director of the Agriculture Transportation Coalition. “In the Port of Los Angeles, three out of four boxes returning to Asia are empty, compared to the normal rate of 50%. Food is piling up in the wrong places.”

Read the full letter:

Categories
Business

China deliveries slide in January for electrical automobile start-up Li Auto

China deliveries slide in January for electric car start-up Li Auto

A Li Xiang One Hybrid SUV is on display at the China Import and Export Fair Complex, China, during the 18th Guangzhou International Auto Show on November 23, 2020.

Li Zhihao | Visual China Group | Getty Images

BEIJING – At the beginning of 2021, Chinese automaker Li Auto is in third place behind its start-up competitors Nio and Xpeng with a drop in deliveries in January.

Li Auto, listed on Nasdaq, said late Monday, Eastern Time, it shipped 5,379 Li One SUVs in January. That is less than 6,126 deliveries in December and less than Nios 7,225 and Xpeng’s 6,015 deliveries in January.

Li Auto also announced that it will establish a new research and development center in Shanghai for autonomous driving and other technologies related to electric vehicles.

Li Auto’s shares fell the hardest among competitors in US trading on Tuesday, down 5.7% from losses of about 4.6% for Xpeng and 2.1% for Nio. Tesla shares rose 3.9%.

Competition for high-end electric SUVs increased in January, and Tesla announced it would soon begin shipping its China-made Model Y at a price close to that of Nio and Li Auto cars. Tesla delivered 180,570 electric cars worldwide in the last three months of 2020 alone.

The Li One SUV is the first and so far only model from Li Auto. According to China’s Passenger Car Association, it was the best-selling high-end electric SUV in 2020 and even made it into the top 10 list of high-end SUVs overall along with Nio.

According to Morgan Stanley analysts, the Li One SUV is characterized by its fuel tank that can charge the battery and extend the range by 620 kilometers to a total of 800 kilometers.

One of the biggest concerns Chinese consumers have when buying an electric car is whether the battery will run out too quickly, with no charging station nearby, or with long charging times.

Deliveries of 5,379 Li One SUVs in January still quadrupled from the same period last year, and cumulative deliveries have exceeded 38,900 since the vehicle launched in December 2019, according to Li Auto.

That is less than half of the over 82,800 vehicles that Nio delivered cumulatively at the end of January. Nio has three SUV models on the market and plans to start delivering a sedan next year.

Categories
Health

Senate confirms Pete Buttigieg as Transportation secretary

Senate confirms Pete Buttigieg as Transportation secretary

Pete Buttigieg speaks at the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation nomination hearings to review his awaited nomination for Secretary of Transportation in Washington.

Ken Cedeno | Reuters

The U.S. Senate confirmed Pete Buttigieg as Secretary of Transportation on Tuesday, presenting the former presidential candidate with a myriad of challenges – from President Joe Biden’s environmental priorities to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Buttigieg, the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, easily received approval from the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation last week after a largely amicable hearing. He was asked about issues related to Covid-19, the much-needed improvement in infrastructure, and strengthening the powers of the Federal Aviation Administration if he were to lead the DOT, which has 55,000 employees.

The Senate approved Buttigieg’s 86-13 nomination with an overwhelming majority.

In the first two weeks, Biden’s government has already taken strict measures regarding transportation measures to contain the spread of Covid-19. Biden extended an entry ban for most non-US citizens who have recently been to Brazil, the UK and much of Europe. On Tuesday, the US government asked passengers to wear masks on planes, trains, buses, ferries and other means of transport.

Buttigieg’s DOT could become a driving or limiting force in the adoption of new technologies, especially autonomous and electric vehicles.

Biden has already directed federal agencies to consider revising the Trump administration’s lowered fuel emission standards for vehicles. He also said he plans to replace the government’s fleet of cars and trucks with U.S.-assembled electric vehicles

The 39-year-old will be the first openly gay person to hold a cabinet position and one of the youngest ever.

– CNBC’s Michael Wayland contributed to this article.

Categories
Business

Biden’s Stimulus: Democrats Pace Forward on Financial Help Bundle

Biden's Stimulus: Democrats Speed Ahead on Economic Aid Package

WASHINGTON – The Democrats took the first step on Tuesday to enforce President Biden’s $ 1.9 trillion economic rescue plan. A budget maneuver was used that could eventually make the measure law without Republican support.

The move advanced the two-pronged strategy that Mr Biden and the Democratic leaders are using to expedite the bailout package through Congress: show Republicans that they have the votes to pass an ambitious spending bill with only Democratic backing, bid however, to negotiate some details, hopes for Republican support.

“We’re not going to water down, waver or delay,” said Senator Chuck Schumer, Democrat of New York and majority leader, in the Senate. “There is nothing in the process itself that prevents bipartisanism.”

The 50-49 line enabled Democrats to move Mr Biden’s plan forward through a budget vote that would allow him to vote by simple majority and bypass the need for Republican support. (Senator Patrick J. Toomey, Republican from Pennsylvania, was absent and did not vote because he was held up by snow.)

The vote came the day after 10 Republican senators in the White House met with Mr Biden to receive a smaller package worth $ 618 billion that they said could win both parties’ support.

Mr. Biden and Treasury Secretary Janet L. Yellen virtually met with Senate Democrats over lunch Tuesday afternoon.

On the call, Mr Biden spoke “about the need for Congress to respond boldly and quickly,” Mr Schumer said afterwards. “He made a very strong point of the need for a big, bold package. He said he told Senate Republicans that the $ 600 billion they proposed was way too small. “

While Mr Biden said he had told Republicans he was ready to make some changes to his proposal, he and Ms. Yellen told the group that if the Senate approved the Republican plan, “we would have been bogged down in the Covid crisis for years.” according to Mr. Schumer.

Senate Democrats could approve the budget resolution as early as Friday. On Tuesday, a key Democratic Senator announced he would back it: Joe Manchin III of West Virginia, who is a key swing vote, agreed to move the budget process forward “because we are dealing with the urgency of Covid-19 need crisis. “

“But let me be clear – and these are words I shared with President Biden – our focus must be on the Covid-19 crisis and the Americans hardest hit by this pandemic,” Manchin said in a statement signaling he could still vote against aspects of Mr Biden’s plan that he opposes. “I will only support proposals that will get us through and end the pain of this pandemic.”

Mr Manchin also reiterated his opposition to Mr Biden’s proposal to raise the federal minimum wage to $ 15 an hour, which could force Democrats to remove it from their legislative package.

The budget resolution would direct congressional committees to draft laws that could include Mr Biden’s stimulus proposal, which would include $ 1,400 in direct payments for many Americans, funding for vaccine distribution, reopening schools, and other measures. The committees would work to finalize the plan while the Senate is due to hold an impeachment trial against former President Donald J. Trump on charges of the January 6 attack on the Capitol.

The introduction met opposition from Republicans, who discussed the proposal with Mr Biden in the White House on Monday night, warning against pursuing it through reconciliation. Many of these senators voted for the 2017 tax cut bill, which Republican leaders passed through reconciliation without a single democratic vote.

Some Republican Senators viewed Mr. Biden as receptive to their proposals, but said his Chief of Staff Ron Klain shook his head dismissively during the Republican presentation, according to one participant in the meeting.

“It’s not a good signal that he’s taking a take-it-or-leave approach after his president made an inaugural address on the basis of unity,” said Senator Todd Young, Republican of Indiana.

Senator Mitch McConnell, Kentucky Republican and the minority leader who campaigned for reconciliation for both tax cuts and a failed attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act under Trump, said the group of 10 Republicans who met with the president did Leaving the White House in Faith Mr Biden was more interested in compromising than his co-workers or Mr Schumer.

“They chose a completely partisan path,” McConnell said of Senate Democrats.

Lawmakers have started pushing for changes to the Biden plan, including the Democrats who on Tuesday pushed for its costs to be partially offset by the repeal of a business tax break approved by Congress last year.

More than 100 lawmakers, led by Texas Representative Lloyd Doggett and Rhode Island Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, say the move – and a related change that would effectively increase taxes for some businesses in the coming years – reduce borrowing The federal aid package could decrease by as much as $ 250 billion.

“The best place to start for Republicans calling for closer assistance is to get rid of the $ 250 billion hedge fund manager and real estate speculator premium that previously put them under CARES,” Doggett and Whitehouse said in a written Explanation.

The tax cuts in question, which focus on so-called net operating losses, were incorporated into a bailout bill passed in March as the pandemic spread and the nation was in the middle of a recession. They were temporary setbacks to a corporate deduction restriction under the 2017 tax law that Republicans passed and signed by Mr Trump. In fact, the March provision enabled some companies that had suffered large losses in recent years to reduce their tax charges on the federal government by using those losses to offset taxes on profits made over the past five years.

Proponents of the tax break – including Congressional Republicans and corporate groups – said the move would allow a cash inflow to companies suffering from the pandemic.

Democratic lawmakers on Tuesday proposed repealing the change that related to losses from 2018 to 2020 and making the Trump-era limit on repatriation of net operating losses permanent.

Mr Biden also faced pressure Tuesday to cut his spending plans and compromises with Republicans from an influential corporate group that had welcomed his original proposal.

In a four-page letter to Mr. Biden and the leaders of Congress, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce said lawmakers should prioritize money in its economic aid package for vaccine distribution, reopening of schools and childcare facilities. She urged them to tie extra months of assistance to the long-term unemployed to economic conditions in the states, cut aid when the economy improves, and provide less aid to the unemployed than Mr Biden has suggested.

The chamber also urged Mr Biden to reduce the number of Americans who are eligible for direct payments, citing statistics showing the majority of households earning more than $ 50,000 a year did not lose any income in the pandemic .

But Jen Psaki, the White House press secretary, told reporters Tuesday that Mr. Biden was planning to send payments to a large group of families, including some with six-figure incomes. Quoting a hypothetical couple in Scranton who made $ 120,000 a year, she said Mr. Biden believed “they should get a check.”

Carl Hulse contributed to the reporting.