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• OS *: Windows XP
• Processor: 1.5
• Memory: 1 GB RAM
• DirectX: Version 9.0
• Storage: 400 MB available space
• OS *: Windows 7 or above
• OS: OSX 10.10
• OS: OSX 10.13

© 2022 Fantasy Flight Games. The Lord of the Rings and the names of the characters, items, events and places therein are trademarks of Middle-earth Enterprises, LLC under license to Fantasy Flight Games

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Journeys in Middle-earth

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The Lord of the Rings: Journeys in Middle-earth

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Latest updates

• - Bug fix in the Chronicles.
• - Various bug fixes.

Product Details

Developer info.

• [email protected]
• http://www.fantasyflightgames.com/en/more/customer-service/
• More apps by this developer

Product features

• Companion app for the Journeys in Middle-earth board game by Fantasy Flight Games
• 1-5 players
• Cooperative gameplay
• Fight monsters, embark on quests, explore Middle-earth!

Product description

User data privacy, technical details.

• Access information about networks
• Open network sockets
• Read from external storage
• Access the vibration feature
• Write to external storage

Customer reviews

Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.

To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.

Customers say

Customers like the storyline, gameplay, and difficulty level of the mobile application. They mention it's a lot of fun diving into the story, and that it has a feature to turn the difficulty down. They also appreciate the ease of use, saying it'll be easy to follow the prompts given.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Customers find the storyline amazing, with great gameplay and scaled difficulty. They say it's fun diving into the story, with good adventures. They also say the game has good variety to gameplay and allows for replayability.

"...With the map generation changing each Adventure allows for replayability ...." Read more

"...Players are also able to save there adventures , preferably in-between their adventures, as the game will keep track of the cards and gear they have..." Read more

"...If you can get a fellowship of friends together it's a lot of fun diving into the story . It's been consistently surprising...." Read more

"...So that, if you sign in, you gain access. What a waste.Again, great game . Get it. You'll love it." Read more

Customers find the difficulty level of the mobile application very challenging. They also appreciate the feature to turn the difficulty down. Overall, customers recommend starting on the easy difficulty setting.

"...the boxes when coming to what most are looking for - Challenge, Exciting/Unknown , and Heroes defeating minions.10 out of 10!!" Read more

"...It's been consistently surprising.The game is very challenging before you learn the pace of the game and how to optimally play your..." Read more

"Amazing game. Great gameplay and scaled difficulty . You will need to work together!!! Has a good variety to gameplay." Read more

Customers find the mobile application easy to use and intuitive. They say it's awesome for solo play or a group, and that it handles a lot of tasks.

"...Finally the app handles a lot of tasks , like XP and items per hero, to make it much smoother of a experience...." Read more

"...The app is intuitive as players will be able to easily follow the prompts given ...." Read more

"... Easy to learn . Awesome for solo play or a group!" Read more

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The Lord of the Rings: Journeys in Middle-earth

The Lord of the Rings: Journeys in Middle-earth

• View history

The Lord of the Rings: Journeys in Middle-earth , released in 2019, is an adventure board game set in Middle-earth in which up to 5 players may participate in events of The Lord of the Rings . It was designed by Nathan I. Hajek and Grace Holdinghaus and is published by Fantasy Flight Games , Delta Vision Publishing, Hobby World , Asmodée , and others in China, Poland, Brazil, and South Korea.

Two expansions have been released: Shadowed Paths , in 2020, which adds a Mirkwood campaign and many characters and items, and Spreading War , in 2021, focusing on the military affairs of Gondor and Rohan during the climax of the War of the Ring and adding a great many game-features.

The game and its expansions include multiple character figurines. Gameplay is accompanied by the Journeys in Middle-earth app, available on the App Store, Google Play, and Steam .

In the year it was released, Journeys in Middle-earth won Best Solo Game in Dice Tower's 13th Annual Gaming Awards .

External links [ ]

• Spreading War expansion
• Shadowed Paths expansion
• Journeys in Middle-earth at boardgamegeek.com
• Lord of the Rings

Journeys in Middle-earth 12+

Fantasy flight games, designed for ipad.

• 4.0 • 159 Ratings
• Offers In-App Purchases

Screenshots

Description.

*A companion app for the Journeys in Middle-earth board game from Fantasy Flight Games. Embark on your own adventures in J.R.R. Tolkien’s iconic world with The Lord of the Rings: Journeys in Middle-earth, a fully-cooperative board game for one to five players! During every game, heroes must band together on a perilous adventure to battle powerful foes, discover lost treasures, uncover forgotten lore, and customize their skills according to their role within their Fellowship. This companion app dictates the setup of each encounter, tracks your party’s inventory and skills, and resolves combat while you brave the looming forests, quiet clearings, and ancient halls of Middle-earth.

Version 1.6.1

- Bug fix in the Chronicles. - Various bug fixes.

Ratings and Reviews

159 Ratings

Great! For feedback...

I’m enjoying this companion app very much! Might I make some suggestions as someone who also played the living card game and thought the same for that game: it would be great to have an update that overhauled some of the visuals and audio in the app. Perhaps when an enemy appears, besides just the description have some cool art (even if still art) and some neat audio effects. Maybe when searching a cairn or bush have a nice image/art pop up too. When attacking after entering values perhaps have a nice quick animation of a hero or enemy swinging a weapon....basically some nice visuals/audio to go along with each descriptive element. Finally, I think it would be good when the players decide who’s turn is next, to have a portrait button on the app to press so the app knows who is going next. This way it can know if someone can’t attack ranged because gimli is selected, etc. or to know when someone has exhausted their 2 actions for that round, etc. All in all very good but I think can be improved greatly with some really nice artwork and audio as descriptions pop up.

Great app, needs more campaigns

I love this game, and the app is amazing. It really is genius and makes this game unlike anything I’ve played before. Here are a few things I’d like to see: -More campaign options. This was actually a huge disappointment. The game is expensive, so to play 13 adventures and then be finished with the campaign, with no other campaigns available, is kind of a bummer. Yes we will go replay Bones of Arnor with new characters again and it will be different and fun, but still, there should be more options for a game that’s nearly $100. I know another will be coming out to purchase, but it seems like it should have started with 3-4 available. - I love the narrator at the beginning and end of the campaign. I would love it if there was an option to have the narrator read the flavor in each adventure - There is no way that I can find to “undo” or go back to reread something that just happened. There were a few times we skipped over something too quickly, or hit a wrong button, then couldn’t go back. - An option to keep the screen awake would be nice. -The “chronicle” button on our app doesn’t work in some adventures, but does in other. It just sort of crashes and closes the app when we try to go to it. Again, the app is amazing and as far as I know, really unique. Since it’s so new I hope a couple of these things get taken care of!

The road goes ever on and on...

Going to try to keep this short and try to add useful suggestions as I play the game. Sooo... the game is awesome. FFG has come up with an amazing game, very impressive. The app helps to reinforce the Middle-earth theme with great graphics and immersive but unobtrusive audio track (including both music and ambient sounds of nature). Normal when I open a new FFG game I expect it to be very rules-heavy and complex. Not the case here! With just a little bit of patience I was able to get my 10 y.o. Playing this very easily. Suggestions- On the player cards each Stat Icon has a specific shape and a unique color. The app, when instructing you to make a skill test, only displays the Stat’s *shape* displayed in white. It would make it much easier to quickly identify which stat to use if the app displayed it in the corresponding color. Easy fix that could really make things less confusing for new players. Thanks for a great game!

App Privacy

The developer, Fantasy Flight Games , indicated that the app’s privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer’s privacy policy .

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Information

• The Hunt for the Ember Crown $6.99
• The Haunting of Dale $6.99
• Poison Promise $6.99
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When The Lord Of The Rings Takes Place In Middle-earth's Timeline

• Frodo's story in The Lord of the Rings is just a small part of Tolkien's vast Middle-earth timeline spanning thousands of years.
• Among other events, the primary timeline starts with the First Age when Elves first woke up in Middle-earth, thousands of years before Frodo's journey.
• Calculating Tolkien's timeline is complex due to various ages, Valian years, and solar years, making it challenging to pinpoint exact durations.

Tolkien's Middle-earth timeline extends far beyond The Lord of the Rings , with Frodo's story only taking up a small portion of a much larger picture. Some of the earliest of Tolkien's stories occurred during the First Age when the Elves first woke up in Middle-earth several thousand years before Frodo inherited the One Ring. Still, even this isn't as far back as this fictional history goes, as several events took place before the First Age. The way Tolkien measured all of this was highly complicated , and given the sheer number of years Tolkien's work spans, it can quickly become confusing.

A quick summary of Tolkien's Middle-earth timeline would start with the god Eru Ilúvatar's creation of the Timeless Halls and the Ainur (Valar and Maiar), followed by his creation of Arda, or the world. From here began the Years of the Valar, which saw the Valar's first war with their fellow, Melkor, and the destruction of Two Lamps that gave light to the realm. This began the Years of the Trees (referring to the Two Trees of Valinor) and the First Age, the period in which Elves, Men, and Dwarves woke up in Middle-earth.

How To Watch The Lord Of The Rings Movies In Order (Chronologically & By Release Date)

The Hobbit explores a time period before the Lord of the Rings, meaning Peter Jacksons movies can be watched in more than one viewing order.

The Lord Of The Rings Is Set Over 11,000 Years Since The First Age Began

The First Age of Middle-earth spanned approximately 4,902 years (though this is debated) and was when all the chaos involving Morgoth's war with the Elves and Men and the Silmarils took place. Then came the Second Age, which is when The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is set. This period lasted 3,441 years, ending with Sauron's first defeat and Isildur's claim of the One Ring. The Third Age of Middle-earth sees Isildur betrayed by the One Ring, and Gollum lays claim to it on his birthday. This is also the age in which Bilbo Baggins finds the Ring and gives it to his nephew, Frodo, on their shared birthday.

Frodo sets out from the Shire with Sauron's One Ring in Third Age 3018. This would have been about 11,361 years after the start of the First Age , putting into perspective just how massive Tolkien's timeline really is. Of course, the start of the First Age isn't technically the beginning of everything, and the span of the Years of the Trees is still debated today, which makes the precise placement of The Lord of the Rings within Tolkien's timeline challenging to calculate.

Why The Lord Of The Rings' Timeline Is So Complicated

Only parts of middle-age's timeline is counted in solar years.

Though part of Tolkien's timeline is counted using solar years, this was only true after the Two Trees of Valinor were destroyed. The trees had contained all the light of Arda, and when they were destroyed, the Valar used what little remained to make the Sun and Moon. Naturally, a solar year calendar couldn't be used without a sun , so time was counted using Valian Years before this happened. Tolkien initially said that one Valian Year was 9.582 solar years. However, later, he said it was actually 144 solar years—a pretty significant difference.

Tolkien initially said that one Valian Year was 9.582 solar years. However, later, he said it was actually 144 solar years...

The above conclusion that Frodo's story is set about 11,000 years after the start of the First Age follows Tolkien's initial exchange rate between Valian and solar years. Of course, those who believe that a Valian year is actually 144 years would come up with a much larger number (71,849 years, to be exact). Then, there are the recorded 3,500 Valian years before the Years of the Trees, known as the Years of the Valar, and the unrecorded period before Eru created Arda. The years just keep packing on, making it harder and harder to know for sure how long Tolkien's complete works span.

Tolkien changed a Valian year to equal 144 years in his notes, but he never fully reconstructed the timeline to fit this. Since, this exchange rate doesn't work with the described events of the timeline, the lower rate is commonly used.

How Many Years The Lord Of The Rings' Story Lasts

Frodo's lord of the rings journey lasted a lot longer in the books.

Thankfully, the timeline got much easier to calculate by the time the Third Age rolled around. Bilbo Baggins turned 111 in Third Age 3001, and this was when Frodo Baggins inherited the One Ring. Though the new Ring-bearer set off shortly after in Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings movies, he stuck around the Shire for an additional 17 years in the books while Gandalf figured out whether the trinket truly was Sauron's weapon. So, Frodo leaves with Sam, Merry, and Pippin on September 23, Third Age 3018, wakes up in Rivendell on October 24th, and begins the next leg of his journey with the Fellowship on December 25th.

Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings movie skipped over the 17-year time jump, making Frodo's departure from the Shire far more urgent and sudden than in the book.

Frodo reached Mordor and destroyed the One Ring on March 25, Third Age 3019, six months after he left the Shire. Then, two years later, in Third Age 3021, he departed from the Gray Havens for the Undying Lands to live out his life in peace , thus ending his story. This means that the central events of The Lord of the Rings spanned 20 years , though most of this was lost in a time jump. In all, it's interesting to think that of the tens of thousands of years that Tolkien outlined for Middle-earth's history, Frodo's Lord of the Rings journey only covers six months of it.

The Lord of the Rings

The Lord of the Rings is a multimedia franchise consisting of several movies and a TV show released by Amazon titled The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. The franchise is based onJ.R.R. Tolkien's book series that began in 1954 with The Fellowship of the Ring. The Lord of the Rings saw mainstream popularity with Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies.

Movie(s) The Lord of the Rings (1978), The Lord of The Rings: The War of The Rohirrim, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

Created by J.R.R. Tolkien

First Film The Lord of the Rings (1978)

Cast Benjamin Wainwright, Mike Wood, Norman Bird, Bilal Hasna, Sara Zwangobani, Daniel Weyman, Markella Kavenagh, Megan Richards, Charlie Vickers, Michael Scholes, William Squire, Christopher Guard, Lenny Henry, Cynthia Addai-Robinson, John Hurt, Liv Tyler, Hugo Weaving, Sean Astin, Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Sean Bean, Andy Serkis, Evangeline Lilly, Lee Pace, Richard Armitage, Martin Freeman, Luke Evans, Karl Urban, Benedict Cumberbatch, Cate Blanchett, Ismael Cruz Cordova, Morfydd Clark, Shaun Dooley, Billy Boyd, Orlando Bloom, Viggo Mortensen, Miranda Otto, Luke Pasqualino, Ken Stott, John Rhys-Davies, James Nesbitt, Ian Holm, Dominic Monaghan, Christopher Lee, Brian Cox, Brad Dourif, Anthony Daniels

TV Show(s) The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power

Character(s) Sadoc Burrows, Queen Regent Mriel, Marigold Brandyfoot, Poppy Proudfellow, Nori Brandyfoot, Arondir, Radagast, Smaug, King Thranduil, Tauriel, Ori, Dori, Nori, Gloin, Oin, Kili, Fili, Bombur, Bofur, Bifur, Balin Dwalin, Thorin Oakenshield, Wormtongue, Aldor, Saruman, Bilbo Baggins, Galadriel, Aragorn, Celeborn, Pippin Took, Samwise Gamgee, Legolas, Frodo Baggins, Sauron, Gollum, Boromir, Gandalf

Video Game(s) The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria, The Lord of the Rings Online, The Lord Of The Rings: Gollum, Middle-Earth: Shadow of War

40 Facts About Elektrostal

Written by Lanette Mayes

Modified & Updated: 01 Jun 2024

Reviewed by Jessica Corbett

Elektrostal is a vibrant city located in the Moscow Oblast region of Russia. With a rich history, stunning architecture, and a thriving community, Elektrostal is a city that has much to offer. Whether you are a history buff, nature enthusiast, or simply curious about different cultures, Elektrostal is sure to captivate you.

This article will provide you with 40 fascinating facts about Elektrostal, giving you a better understanding of why this city is worth exploring. From its origins as an industrial hub to its modern-day charm, we will delve into the various aspects that make Elektrostal a unique and must-visit destination.

So, join us as we uncover the hidden treasures of Elektrostal and discover what makes this city a true gem in the heart of Russia.

Key Takeaways:

• Elektrostal, known as the “Motor City of Russia,” is a vibrant and growing city with a rich industrial history, offering diverse cultural experiences and a strong commitment to environmental sustainability.
• With its convenient location near Moscow, Elektrostal provides a picturesque landscape, vibrant nightlife, and a range of recreational activities, making it an ideal destination for residents and visitors alike.

Known as the “Motor City of Russia.”

Elektrostal, a city located in the Moscow Oblast region of Russia, earned the nickname “Motor City” due to its significant involvement in the automotive industry.

Home to the Elektrostal Metallurgical Plant.

Elektrostal is renowned for its metallurgical plant, which has been producing high-quality steel and alloys since its establishment in 1916.

Boasts a rich industrial heritage.

Elektrostal has a long history of industrial development, contributing to the growth and progress of the region.

Founded in 1916.

The city of Elektrostal was founded in 1916 as a result of the construction of the Elektrostal Metallurgical Plant.

Located approximately 50 kilometers east of Moscow.

Elektrostal is situated in close proximity to the Russian capital, making it easily accessible for both residents and visitors.

Known for its vibrant cultural scene.

Elektrostal is home to several cultural institutions, including museums, theaters, and art galleries that showcase the city’s rich artistic heritage.

A popular destination for nature lovers.

Surrounded by picturesque landscapes and forests, Elektrostal offers ample opportunities for outdoor activities such as hiking, camping, and birdwatching.

Hosts the annual Elektrostal City Day celebrations.

Every year, Elektrostal organizes festive events and activities to celebrate its founding, bringing together residents and visitors in a spirit of unity and joy.

Has a population of approximately 160,000 people.

Elektrostal is home to a diverse and vibrant community of around 160,000 residents, contributing to its dynamic atmosphere.

Boasts excellent education facilities.

The city is known for its well-established educational institutions, providing quality education to students of all ages.

A center for scientific research and innovation.

Elektrostal serves as an important hub for scientific research, particularly in the fields of metallurgy , materials science, and engineering.

Surrounded by picturesque lakes.

The city is blessed with numerous beautiful lakes , offering scenic views and recreational opportunities for locals and visitors alike.

Well-connected transportation system.

Elektrostal benefits from an efficient transportation network, including highways, railways, and public transportation options, ensuring convenient travel within and beyond the city.

Famous for its traditional Russian cuisine.

Food enthusiasts can indulge in authentic Russian dishes at numerous restaurants and cafes scattered throughout Elektrostal.

Home to notable architectural landmarks.

Elektrostal boasts impressive architecture, including the Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord and the Elektrostal Palace of Culture.

Offers a wide range of recreational facilities.

Residents and visitors can enjoy various recreational activities, such as sports complexes, swimming pools, and fitness centers, enhancing the overall quality of life.

Provides a high standard of healthcare.

Elektrostal is equipped with modern medical facilities, ensuring residents have access to quality healthcare services.

Home to the Elektrostal History Museum.

The Elektrostal History Museum showcases the city’s fascinating past through exhibitions and displays.

A hub for sports enthusiasts.

Elektrostal is passionate about sports, with numerous stadiums, arenas, and sports clubs offering opportunities for athletes and spectators.

Celebrates diverse cultural festivals.

Throughout the year, Elektrostal hosts a variety of cultural festivals, celebrating different ethnicities, traditions, and art forms.

Electric power played a significant role in its early development.

Elektrostal owes its name and initial growth to the establishment of electric power stations and the utilization of electricity in the industrial sector.

Boasts a thriving economy.

The city’s strong industrial base, coupled with its strategic location near Moscow, has contributed to Elektrostal’s prosperous economic status.

Houses the Elektrostal Drama Theater.

The Elektrostal Drama Theater is a cultural centerpiece, attracting theater enthusiasts from far and wide.

Popular destination for winter sports.

Elektrostal’s proximity to ski resorts and winter sport facilities makes it a favorite destination for skiing, snowboarding, and other winter activities.

Promotes environmental sustainability.

Elektrostal prioritizes environmental protection and sustainability, implementing initiatives to reduce pollution and preserve natural resources.

Home to renowned educational institutions.

Elektrostal is known for its prestigious schools and universities, offering a wide range of academic programs to students.

Committed to cultural preservation.

The city values its cultural heritage and takes active steps to preserve and promote traditional customs, crafts, and arts.

Hosts an annual International Film Festival.

The Elektrostal International Film Festival attracts filmmakers and cinema enthusiasts from around the world, showcasing a diverse range of films.

Encourages entrepreneurship and innovation.

Elektrostal supports aspiring entrepreneurs and fosters a culture of innovation, providing opportunities for startups and business development .

Offers a range of housing options.

Elektrostal provides diverse housing options, including apartments, houses, and residential complexes, catering to different lifestyles and budgets.

Home to notable sports teams.

Elektrostal is proud of its sports legacy , with several successful sports teams competing at regional and national levels.

Boasts a vibrant nightlife scene.

Residents and visitors can enjoy a lively nightlife in Elektrostal, with numerous bars, clubs, and entertainment venues.

Promotes cultural exchange and international relations.

Elektrostal actively engages in international partnerships, cultural exchanges, and diplomatic collaborations to foster global connections.

Surrounded by beautiful nature reserves.

Nearby nature reserves, such as the Barybino Forest and Luchinskoye Lake, offer opportunities for nature enthusiasts to explore and appreciate the region’s biodiversity.

Commemorates historical events.

The city pays tribute to significant historical events through memorials, monuments, and exhibitions, ensuring the preservation of collective memory.

Promotes sports and youth development.

Elektrostal invests in sports infrastructure and programs to encourage youth participation, health, and physical fitness.

Hosts annual cultural and artistic festivals.

Throughout the year, Elektrostal celebrates its cultural diversity through festivals dedicated to music, dance, art, and theater.

Provides a picturesque landscape for photography enthusiasts.

The city’s scenic beauty, architectural landmarks, and natural surroundings make it a paradise for photographers.

Connects to Moscow via a direct train line.

The convenient train connection between Elektrostal and Moscow makes commuting between the two cities effortless.

A city with a bright future.

Elektrostal continues to grow and develop, aiming to become a model city in terms of infrastructure, sustainability, and quality of life for its residents.

In conclusion, Elektrostal is a fascinating city with a rich history and a vibrant present. From its origins as a center of steel production to its modern-day status as a hub for education and industry, Elektrostal has plenty to offer both residents and visitors. With its beautiful parks, cultural attractions, and proximity to Moscow, there is no shortage of things to see and do in this dynamic city. Whether you’re interested in exploring its historical landmarks, enjoying outdoor activities, or immersing yourself in the local culture, Elektrostal has something for everyone. So, next time you find yourself in the Moscow region, don’t miss the opportunity to discover the hidden gems of Elektrostal.

Q: What is the population of Elektrostal?

A: As of the latest data, the population of Elektrostal is approximately XXXX.

Q: How far is Elektrostal from Moscow?

A: Elektrostal is located approximately XX kilometers away from Moscow.

Q: Are there any famous landmarks in Elektrostal?

A: Yes, Elektrostal is home to several notable landmarks, including XXXX and XXXX.

Q: What industries are prominent in Elektrostal?

A: Elektrostal is known for its steel production industry and is also a center for engineering and manufacturing.

Q: Are there any universities or educational institutions in Elektrostal?

A: Yes, Elektrostal is home to XXXX University and several other educational institutions.

Q: What are some popular outdoor activities in Elektrostal?

A: Elektrostal offers several outdoor activities, such as hiking, cycling, and picnicking in its beautiful parks.

Q: Is Elektrostal well-connected in terms of transportation?

A: Yes, Elektrostal has good transportation links, including trains and buses, making it easily accessible from nearby cities.

Q: Are there any annual events or festivals in Elektrostal?

A: Yes, Elektrostal hosts various events and festivals throughout the year, including XXXX and XXXX.

Elektrostal's fascinating history, vibrant culture, and promising future make it a city worth exploring. For more captivating facts about cities around the world, discover the unique characteristics that define each city . Uncover the hidden gems of Moscow Oblast through our in-depth look at Kolomna. Lastly, dive into the rich industrial heritage of Teesside, a thriving industrial center with its own story to tell.

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The Fight Over the Next Pandemic

The deadline for a new international pandemic plan was last week. so far, negotiations have failed..

This transcript was created using speech recognition software. While it has been reviewed by human transcribers, it may contain errors. Please review the episode audio before quoting from this transcript and email [email protected] with any questions.

From The New York Times, I’m Michael Barbaro. This is “The Daily.”

[MUSIC PLAYING]

Today, at the height of the COVID pandemic, nearly 200 countries started negotiating a plan to ensure they did better when the next pandemic inevitably arrives. Their deadline for that plan was last week.

My colleague Apoorva Mandavilli explains why so far, those negotiations have failed.

It’s Thursday, June 6.

So, Apoorva, something that was supposed to happen and happen right now that I think most of us didn’t even was ever in the works hasn’t happened. And that’s a global plan for the next pandemic. So tell us this entire story.

Think back to 2021, the very worst days of COVID when we had thousands of people dying in the US and in the rest of the world. There was just so much confusion about whether to wear masks or not, whether to close schools. And it was very difficult to think what any country should do.

And so in the middle of that chaos and confusion —

The Eagle has landed.

Carrying the hopes of a country, the first shipment of coronavirus vaccines reach Australian skies.

— we did get the vaccines.

You’re watching right now history being made, one of the first people in the entire country right here to get dose number two of the Pfizer vaccine.

Then all of a sudden, there was this hope. But the thing is that those vaccines were really mostly available in the richer countries.

Parts of Asia and Latin America have recorded a spike in COVID fatalities amid medical supply and vaccine shortages.

Few people in Africa have been vaccinated. Some countries don’t have any vaccines at all.

So we in the United States and a lot of countries in the European Union and some of the other high and middle income countries had the vaccines.

Rich countries have enough doses to vaccinate everyone nearly three times over, whilst poor countries don’t have enough to even reach health workers and people at risk.

But elsewhere in the world, there were no vaccines really. It became obvious to some low and middle income countries that they were not going to do very well in this pandemic. There were all these advanced purchase orders from the richer countries. And they were having some very tough negotiations with pharma companies that were charging them more than they were charging the rich countries.

And by the end of that horrible, horrible year, more than 90 percent of people in the richer countries had had two doses of vaccine. But 2 percent of people in low income countries had had any vaccines. So that really just striking inequity made people realize this was just a mess. We did not know how to deal with the pandemic.

The time to act is now.

So in December 2021, by the end of this year of inequity —

We must not allow the memories of this crisis to fade and go back to business as usual.

— the World Health Organization brought together all the countries —

The impacts on our societies, economies, and health, especially for the poor and the most vulnerable, are too significant.

— and launched this process to come up with a playbook to really think about how all the countries of the world need to prevent and respond to the next pandemic and do it in a way that would protect everybody, rich and poor, across the world. And the WHO decided that this discussion could not be just an informal conversation between health ministers, that this needed to be an international treaty, a legally binding treaty so that every country has to take this very seriously and everybody agrees on how to do this next time.

Hmm. So at the very height of COVID’s awfulness, these countries in the WHO are saying, we know you all are very, very busy fighting this pandemic. It is taking up all your time and energy. But we need you to now start to think about how badly this is going and not just fight the current pandemic but start planning on a better way to fight the next one. That’s kind of a big ask.

It is a big ask, but what is the alternative? That we come to the next pandemic and have a repeat of all of the chaos and confusion we saw during COVID? So I think it was an acknowledgment that we needed it. We needed to come up with a plan. And it became obvious that part of that plan needed to be a way to repair the mistrust that had formed between low income countries and high income countries and that without repairing that, we just did not really stand a good chance of fighting the next pandemic.

Right. And, of course, the thing about a global pandemic is that any weak link, any country that’s not doing its part or getting what it needs, becomes a problem for every other country. That’s the nature of a pandemic. We need — we talked about this with you, we talked about this with our colleagues throughout the pandemic — a system where there’s a strong program and plan in every country so that the virus can be stamped out.

Exactly. I mean, in the United States, more people died because of variants than they did because of the original virus. And a lot of those variants started in countries that did not have access to vaccines.

OK, so what do these talks start to actually look like? And just how many countries end up being involved in them?

So all of the countries that are member states of the World Health Organization were involved in this. 194 countries.

And they all sent delegates to meet to draft something and then to discuss every aspect of it and try to come to a consensus. And the goal was to get that to a point where all the countries were ready to sign off on it by May 2024. They had meetings over a period of two and a half years to talk through this. Some sections they all agreed on pretty easily. You can imagine the general goals like, yes, we should have a good plan to fight a pandemic. Or yes, we should have good research on vaccines and drugs, things like that, the general sort of philosophical goals everybody agrees on.

Right. Principles are always the easiest thing to negotiate.

The easiest thing to negotiate. But then you start getting into how this happens, right? And it’s actually kind of interesting. In the draft, if you look at the drafts, they have areas that are green, which means everybody sort of agreed, and yellow, which means they’re starting to come to an agreement, their sort of general consensus, and then white, which means it’s really no agreement. They’re just not even on the same page. And when you look at what’s green across all of these drafts, the philosophical goal is green from the start, no problem.

The yellow started to come slowly, these areas of consensus, things like, for example, safety measures in the labs that work with dangerous viruses. And that’s not just because one of the theories about COVID is that the virus leaked from a lab. We know from long before COVID that lab safety is very important for making sure that those dangerous viruses don’t get out into the world. There is also agreement around how countries should do surveillance to see what outbreaks might be emerging. And some of that stuff is tricky.

Why is it tricky? I mean, isn’t there a pretty standard playbook for trying to detect a virus and what to do once you detect it?

Sure. But there are some things that are big sticking points like money. Not all countries have the resources to do the kind of surveillance that they need to do. And so who funds that? And then some countries have vested interests, like Argentina wouldn’t want any rules that forbid export of certain kinds of meat products because that’s a big part of their economy.

There are countries where live animal markets are a thing, and not just in China, which we’re all familiar with, is another origin theory for COVID. Lots of other countries rely on these markets. And they don’t want to have very strict rules about which animals can be held together and how densely packed they can or can’t be. So when you start to get into the details there, it is actually difficult to reach consensus on some of these things.

But they have made a lot of progress. And they have come to yellow and green on some important things like that every country should have a health care workforce trained to respond to a pandemic, that they should make best efforts to have local production of things like vaccines and drugs, and that they should provide all of these resources to their own citizens. Things like that, those are all under agreement. They’re all green now.

So what exactly is holding these negotiations back? What ends up being the biggest remaining conflict?

It won’t surprise you to hear, Michael, that the biggest conflict is exactly what all of this began with, which is the lack of access that low income countries have to things like vaccines.

There have been interesting proposals in the drafts and one in particular that would solve at least some of this issue. But it’s been very difficult to convince rich countries, middle income countries, and low income countries that that proposal would be of great benefit to everybody involved.

We’ll be right back. So, Apoorva, tell us about this particular proposal that could do a lot of work to solve the inequities at the center of these negotiations and why that proposal has created so much conflict.

The heart of the section that has really created the most conflict is whether low income countries get access to vaccines in a timely manner and at a cost that is affordable to them. And all the low income countries recognize that they don’t have a lot of bargaining power. They were treated pretty poorly by pharma companies during this past pandemic. And so they’ve been thinking about setting things up so that that does not happen again, that the next time around, they are not left behind.

Right. But like you said, they don’t have a lot of power to bargain.

They don’t. But there have been times when poor countries have come up with a way to make everybody else realize that they’re essential to this whole process. So let me give you an example of this that really, I think, illustrates how much everybody else needs the low income nations during an outbreak.

So in 2006, Indonesia was battling a bird flu outbreak. And they had been very dutifully sending samples of the virus that they had in their country to the World Health Organization labs to analyze. And that information helps pharma companies develop things like vaccines.

Or tests, right.

Or tests. And in this particular case, the Indonesian Health Ministry approached the World Health Organization to say, look, we’ve given you these samples. We have people dying in our country. And we need access to vaccines and drugs. And the WHO told them, sorry, we don’t directly distribute any of that. You have to talk to the manufacturers.

And this is where that leverage becomes really important because Indonesia did not actually have leverage with these pharma companies. And so the vaccine manufacturer told them that they would sell them vaccines but at commercial prices that that country cannot afford. And then a drug manufacturer told them that they did not have enough drugs to give Indonesia because richer countries had placed enough purchase orders that there was a delay of two years. So [LAUGHS]: Indonesia was so angry about all of this that they declined to share any more samples with the WHO.

So Indonesia basically says, we will never again make the mistake of promptly sharing information about a potentially deadly pathogen because we learned that we get nothing in return.

Right. And understanding that realization also has driven a lot of the conversation in the drafting of this treaty where low income countries have essentially said, we recognize that you need us to share these samples. But we are not going to do that unless you can promise to us that we will get some access to vaccines and drugs that you make based on the samples we give you. So we want something in return for the information we provide to you.

What is the specific proposal that comes from this realization?

Yeah, this proposal has created a lot of controversy, so there are versions of it. But the most recent one says essentially that if the low income countries share their samples with the WHO that pharma companies have to give the WHO 10 percent of the vaccines they make as a donation and then 10 percent either at a non-profit cost or just a deeply discounted rate also to the WHO. And then the WHO would distribute that 20 percent of vaccines that they get from the pharma companies to the countries that are in most need.

Hmm. So this proposal, which feels very innovative, is the ultimate manifestation of poor countries’ power in this dynamic. If they don’t get vaccines, then the big countries will never get the information about a virus that’s necessary for there to have ever been a vaccine. It’s really interesting.

It is. And this is the biggest chip that low income countries have. So they are not willing to budge on this. But guess who doesn’t like this? Pharmaceutical companies and the countries that really support the interests of the pharmaceutical companies. And that includes the United States, Germany, Switzerland, some of the big players, places where these companies are a big presence and a very powerful lobby.

What specifically have these pharmaceutical companies and the countries like the US that have so many of them said about this proposal?

So the countries, they are willing to give in principle and say that the pharmaceutical companies will voluntarily give some of the vaccines to the WHO, but they don’t want it mandated. Whereas the low income countries, they want it to be really codified so that there is no loophole. And the conversations have gone round and round on that one word, “voluntary.”

Apoorva, is it safe to assume that a country like the US, which, of course, has a booming and very profitable pharmaceutical industry, won’t sign on to these proposals unless that word “voluntary” is in the deal, that they cannot abide by one where it’s mandatory that these big pharmaceutical companies have to give up so much of their vaccine to poorer countries?

They are not going to say that in so many words, but yes. And the United States actually has come up with some very nice plans to help some of these low income countries set up infrastructure and be prepared for pandemics. But I think crossing pharmaceutical companies is not a place they will go.

Hmm. So is that really the only big obstacle left in these negotiations? Or is there anything else?

Oh, there’s lots more.

There has been so much misinformation and disinformation around this whole issue just like there has been about every aspect of COVID. And a lot of it centers around the hesitation and the opposition that many populist leaders have expressed. In the US, for example, there are Republican senators and governors who have come out against the treaty. And they say that this is a power grab by the WHO, that it is going to allow the director general of the WHO to tell the US what to do, whether to have mask mandates, whether to have vaccine mandates, none of which is true, by the way.

And in a bid to counter some of that misinformation, there is actually an explicit line in the treaty saying that the treaty respects the sovereignty of all the individual nations. They’ve tried to address that head on. But it hasn’t really made all of that chatter go away.

Mm-hmm. How much does this practically matter, the fact that a handful or perhaps more than a handful of Republicans in the US are skeptical of this and think ideologically speaking that it oversteps the bounds of what a treaty should do? I mean, ultimately, do they have any power over whether the US signs this treaty?

They do because delegates can agree to this treaty at the WHO, but everybody has to bring it back to their home countries. And in the US, the treaty then has to be approved for ratification by the Senate. You have to have a two thirds majority in the Senate say, yes, we agree to this treaty. So if you have a number of Republican senators who are absolutely opposed to it, it may not pass.

Mm. So it very much feels like so many of the issues that made everyone think this treaty was necessary, inequities between rich countries and poor countries and misinformation and ideological skepticism of how to handle a pandemic to begin with that really defined COVID for us, that those forces are now making it very hard for this treaty to actually be reached. They never really went away.

They never went away. It felt like there was about five seconds when everyone was united in thinking that we needed something different, and there was a lot of goodwill. But a lot of that has evaporated. And we’re getting very quickly to a point where people have forgotten what COVID looked like and felt like and what the devastation was like and have gone back to old positions on we don’t want to share. We don’t want to give anything away. Everything for us first. All of the thinking that led to the problems during COVID.

So what realistically happens now? And do you based on your reporting think that this treaty has any real chance of being completed and passed by the 194 countries involved in it?

Well, the draft was supposed to be finalized at the meeting last week of the World Health Assembly. And that didn’t happen. But they did set a deadline to say that the negotiations will continue. And then they’ll hope to have something done by next year’s meeting.

But there’s just so much in flux right now. There are elections all over the world. Who knows what Donald Trump will do if he gets elected? We know that he withdrew from the WHO the last time around. And he has even said that he may shut down the pandemic preparedness office in the White House. So he’s not particularly invested in this whole topic, this whole issue.

And in the meantime, we already have so many threats that are really picking up. For global health experts and for reporters like myself who watch all this stuff, it’s a bit alarming that we now have bird flu right here in the United States. And the next pandemic, pretty much every expert I talk to agrees it’s not a question of if, but when. And if we had had this treaty ready, if we can ever have this treaty ready, we would be so much better prepared for something like that to happen. But it just doesn’t seem all that likely right now.

Well, Apoorva, thank you very much. We appreciate it.

We’ll be right back.

Here’s what else you need to know today. In a last minute about face, New York Governor Kathy Hochul said she would block a long awaited tolling plan known as congestion pricing that was set to begin at the end of the month. The program, the first of its kind in the US, would have charged as much as $15 for cars entering the busiest parts of Manhattan. The goal was to alleviate traffic, reduce pollution, and raise money for the city’s aging subway system. But Hochul argued that the tolls threatened the city’s fragile economic recovery after the pandemic.

And on Thursday, former romantic partners of Hunter Biden, the president’s son, testified in a Delaware courtroom about the depths of his drug addiction and the toll that it took on them. The testimony, including how much Hunter Biden spent on drugs and the type of drugs he used, was designed to establish that he was a chronic drug abuser who lied when he claimed to be sober on an application for a handgun in 2018.

Today’s episode was produced by Alex Stern, Carlos Prieto, and Stella Tan with help from Will Reid and Rikki Novetsky. It was edited by Lexie Diao and Devon Taylor, contains original music by Marion Lozano, Pat McCusker, and Diane Wong, and was engineered by Chris Wood. Our theme music is by Jim Brunberg and Ben Landsverk of Wonderly.

That’s it for “The Daily.” I’m Michael Barbaro. See you tomorrow.

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• May 31, 2024   •   31:29 Guilty
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Hosted by Michael Barbaro

Featuring Apoorva Mandavilli

Produced by Alex Stern ,  Carlos Prieto ,  Stella Tan ,  Will Reid and Rikki Novetsky

Edited by Lexie Diao and Devon Taylor

Original music by Marion Lozano and Pat McCusker

Engineered by Chris Wood

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At the height of the Covid pandemic, nearly 200 countries started negotiating a plan to ensure they would do better when the next pandemic inevitably arrived. Their deadline for that plan was last week.

Apoorva Mandavilli, a science and global health reporter for The Times, explains why, so far, the negotiations have failed.

On today’s episode

Apoorva Mandavilli , a science and global health reporter for The New York Times.

Background reading

Countries failed to agree on a treaty to prepare the world for the next pandemic before a major international meeting.

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The Daily is made by Rachel Quester, Lynsea Garrison, Clare Toeniskoetter, Paige Cowett, Michael Simon Johnson, Brad Fisher, Chris Wood, Jessica Cheung, Stella Tan, Alexandra Leigh Young, Lisa Chow, Eric Krupke, Marc Georges, Luke Vander Ploeg, M.J. Davis Lin, Dan Powell, Sydney Harper, Mike Benoist, Liz O. Baylen, Asthaa Chaturvedi, Rachelle Bonja, Diana Nguyen, Marion Lozano, Corey Schreppel, Rob Szypko, Elisheba Ittoop, Mooj Zadie, Patricia Willens, Rowan Niemisto, Jody Becker, Rikki Novetsky, John Ketchum, Nina Feldman, Will Reid, Carlos Prieto, Ben Calhoun, Susan Lee, Lexie Diao, Mary Wilson, Alex Stern, Sophia Lanman, Shannon Lin, Diane Wong, Devon Taylor, Alyssa Moxley, Summer Thomad, Olivia Natt, Daniel Ramirez and Brendan Klinkenberg.

Our theme music is by Jim Brunberg and Ben Landsverk of Wonderly. Special thanks to Sam Dolnick, Paula Szuchman, Lisa Tobin, Larissa Anderson, Julia Simon, Sofia Milan, Mahima Chablani, Elizabeth Davis-Moorer, Jeffrey Miranda, Maddy Masiello, Isabella Anderson, Nina Lassam and Nick Pitman.

Apoorva Mandavilli is a reporter focused on science and global health. She was a part of the team that won the 2021 Pulitzer Prize for Public Service for coverage of the pandemic. More about Apoorva Mandavilli

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