News Briefs Vaccines Paraguay's historic alliance with Taiwan means the government can't directly buy vaccines from Chinese producers: Paraguay, which has a population of 7 million, has only been able to obtain 163,000 doses. The U.S. has urged Paraguay against switching allegiance to Beijing. This week Paraguay's foreign minister spoke bluntly on television, saying U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken told President Mario Abdo Benítez that Taiwan and the U.S. are Paraguay's allies. "But we ask these strategic allies for proof of their love. Before holding hands, you have to at least take us to the movies," said Foreign Minister Euclides Acevedo.