Good people, what ever it takes people are running. No. Let me go down the road. Nothing. W. A man made for mimes. The world gets one step closer to its 1st covert 19 vaccine. U. S. Drug maker, pfizer and its german partner biotech. Seek a green light from regulators for their products. They say distribution can begin hours after approval. Also on the show. Farmers in east africa are battling new local swarms. Talk of the u. N. Expert who says Climate Change means that insects plagues could become a more frequent problem. And china offers generous debt really to developing 2, developing economies. 2100000000. 00 in payment extensions covers only a tiny fraction of what african countries go and welcome to the show. Im Stephen Beardsley in berlin. Its good to have you with us. Drug maker, pfizer and its german partner biotech said friday that they were asking u. S. Health regulators for emergency approval of their covert 1000 vaccine. Putting them on track for distribution beginning in december. And the Companies Already have purchased deals with major governments and expect the supply of to 1300000000 doses. By the end of 2021, pfizer has spent about 2000000000. 00 on research and development. Has a cost sharing and Marketing Agreement with german, germany based biotech, which developed the unique messenger r. N. A. Technology for the vaccine. And our financial correspondent, frankfurt, and advised bach has more on the efforts of biotech and pfizer to seek out emergency approval. Pfizer and biotech have announced that they have the application for emergency use with the f. D. A. In the United States for their covert 19 vaccine. They also saying the moment they get approval, they can start to distribute the vaccine against covert 19 and according to reuters, the f. D. A. Approval committee is set to meet between december 8 and 10. The companies are saying they can actually produce as much as 50000 doses of the vaccine that would mean that some 25000000 people can actually get vaccinated until the end of this here, of course, next year will be the big question. Their potential is, as theyre saying, up to 1300000000 doses, financial correspondent, and advice back there. Now, from a pandemic to a plague of locusts have been plaguing the african continent for almost a year now. And now theyre swarming across the somalian capital of mogadishu, destroying vegetation and pastors in an area thats also popular with tourists. The u. N. Food and Agriculture Organization warns of harsh consequences of a continued plague. And not just for somalia. This latest invasion of the flying pest started in the de nile district on the 1st weekend of november, the local administrator fears if the problem is not dealt with. The national scape here could be destroyed in the congress and have been his give us, he wont come to a shocking site. Does it . Locusts had invaded our lands, destroying pasture, and crops. We have a serious problem on our hands and it needs to be tackled immediately with the america. Locals have tried simple measures like banging kitchen utensils together to make loud noises or swiping at them. But these efforts are no match for the swarms descending on their fields. Aerial spraying is generally considered the only effective control method. So, ive been fending off the locust swarms all morning as theyre a threat to our pasture. I call upon our government to join the fight or give us support right now were fighting the locusts by hand. 2020 has seen locust swarms affecting millions of people across the globe, including in fellow subsaharan nations, kenya and ethiopia, as well as arab and Asian Countries like yemen, saudi arabia, and india. The un food and Agriculture Organization says that during plagues, the pests can spread over an area of 29000000 square kilometers, giving them the potential to damage the livelihoods of a 10th of the worlds population. When and joining me now is Keith Cressman, hes the senior locus forecasting officer at the uns food and Agriculture Organization. And he was just in east africa to survey the swarms there. Keith, thanks for joining me on the show. Now, most people understand the devastation that Something Like a wildfire can bring to a landscape. For those of us who arent really familiar with it, can you describe the devastation that a local swarm can bring . Well imagine, you know, youre on the ground, youre a farmer, youre depending on the rainfall to grow your crops. And these crops they, they are your livelihood for your entire family, perhaps your community. Im not only for this year, but you know, also for next year, especially during periods of good rains that we have now. So, you know, you look towards the horizon, you see a cloud and youre quite happy because, you know, thats going to bring the rain that you need for your crops. But as that cloud, you know, approaches your field. You notice that is not the rainfall cloud, but Something Else and its a cloud of insects and, and youve probably heard from grandparents, you know, of the devastating storms in the past. And you, sir, then realize that yes, these are swarms that are coming now into your own fields. And as swarm can easily come into a field in the morning and by mid day, it is the nearly everything in that field. So that means a farmer has lost its entire livelihood for this year, and probably for, for next year to come, as well as a dreadful image. This year has been especially bad for locust swarms in africa, extending to the middle east. Whats behind it . Well its the rainfall, in fact its locusts that are responding to exceptionally good rains. The rains didnt just start this year, they started in 2018, and basically they discontinued nearly nonstop in the main breeding area some since then. So because the locusts to increase dramatically in number and to form these very devastating storms that can, you know, move up to 150 kilometers a day with the winds. And thats what youre seeing now in central somalia, for example, as weather patterns change, can we expect to see more of this, or is this something thats just tied to recent weather patterns . Well, you know that one of the scenarios of Climate Change is more severe rainfall events. In other words, cyclons, you know, heavy rains and floods that were like the ones that initiated the current upsurge at risk facing. And this is likely to impact Eastern Africa because of the nature of the location of these cycles. So indeed, if you know, we see more cycles, youre going to see more locust problems like we have now. All right, Keith Cressman is with the u. N. Food and agricultural organization. Thank you very much for thank you for the annual summit of the worlds 20 leading economies. The g. 20 takes place this weekend and africas growing debt problem is expected to be a major topic. And much of the focus is falling on china, whose Large Infrastructure Projects throughout the continent has left many nations in its debt. But china said friday that it has given 2100000000. 00 worth of debt relief to developing countries. Critics, however, since nowhere near enough its been called the railway to nowhere. Kenya celebrated the opening of this train connecting its capital nairobi, and the port city mumbai, 2017, built in finance street china. It has now become a symbol of the controversy over chinas presence across the continent. China has loaned over 100000000000. 00 to african countries as part of its transcontinental infrastructure program, known as the bolton road initiative. Many african countries were already crippled under the weight of the money they owe china for projects like the money losing kenyan railway. Now the coronavirus pandemic has made it nearly impossible for many to keep up with debt payments. Angola is the biggest debtor to china after taking on billions in loans to build roads and hospitals. Ethiopia is next followed by zambia, which this month became the 1st african country to default on debt and the pandemic kenyas 9000000000. 00. And that comes largely from loans for the railway. Critics say efforts to help poor countries by freezing repayments are only delaying a broader reckoning over africas unsustainable debt load. Chinas 2100000000. 00 and payment extensions covers only a tiny fraction of what african countries and the agreement struck last week by g. 20 leaders to defer repayments until the 2021 offers only a brief reprieve for many nations. And out of some of the other Global Business stories making headlines, airlines will need as much as 80000000000. 00 in additional aid to stay aloft during the coming months. Thats according to the International Air transport association, as countries tighten restrictions to battle. Another wave of corona virus infections, demand for air travel remains low. The sector has already received an estimated 160000000000. 00 in aid. Chinas Aviation Authority says its not yet ready to certify boeing, 737. 00 max, a safe to fly. Meanwhile, european regulators expect a decision on the max by early next year. On wednesday, u. S. Regulators gave boeing the go ahead to return the model to the skies. The max was grounded last year following 2 crashes, which together killed 346 people. General motors will boost investment in electric cars as demand for less polluting vehicles. Again, speed maker of the Chevrolet Volt plans to spend 27000000000. 00 on expanding its electric vehicle fleet over the next 5 years. Thats up from 20000000000. 00. G. M. Wants 40 percent of its cars to be Battery Powered by 2025, over to germany now, where u. S. Pressure on the countrys controversial nord stream to gas pipeline with russia has been constant under a trumpet ministration. The German Government has hoped that might change under president biden, but they stand to be disappointed. No matter who is at the helm, washington seems set on preventing the completion of the 2nd baltic sea pipeline. Joe biden has code north stream to a fat deal for europe. There are just 160 kilometers of the 1200 kilometer pipeline left to finish from the Danish Island of bourne home to the german coast. Denmark says construction can go ahead despite u. S. Attempts to block it. This 2nd north stream pipeline will transport 110000000000 cubic meters of natural gas to germany. Each year. However, the u. S. Is threatening to impose sanctions against all companies in contract is involved in the project. Washington says it will make parts of your too dependent on russian gas and is concerned. It allows supplies to bypass countries like ukraine, in the u. S. As indeed concerned with Europes Energy Security because its fundamental to the National Security of our closest ally. This speaks directly to those concerns or trying to sense that if it was completed, it would hurt both the economic and strategic stability of ukraine. It flies in the face of the European Energy unions own concept on diversification away from Russian Energy resources. There has been criticism of the pipeline from within germany and other european countries, but the e. U. Also opposes the u. S. Interfering in its energy policy. Many here suspect that economic concerns are behind the u. S. Stance. After all, the americans have their own natural gas to sell. And thats it for me and the Business Team here in berlin for more sugar website d. W. Dot com, so much business. And were also on facebook and twitter observed theres a choice as watching claim give us your country. People will make you rich, people will feel provide you with jobs. The oil will take good care of. You may see the boys for the cold on the west coast coming in 2007 made promises. But years later, reality looks really just choose the treatment. Surely youre gonna stream of black coal oil promises. Starts december 4th, coming up today. Prosecution by australian troops. Under port finds sole, joes executive, dozens of afghans during deployment is gone. Now, off dogs are calling for justice plus a flood of repeated flooding. Thats floating vegetable garden and the ducks helping charge protesters