Other Security News
COVID-19 Pandemic News

Other Security News

• Portland Riots Read-out: August 5 DHS 05 Aug 2020
• Rewards for Justice - Reward Offer for Information on Foreign Interference in U.S. Elections US Dept. of State 05 Aug 2020 -- The U.S. Department of State's Rewards for Justice (RFJ) program, which is administered by the Diplomatic Security Service, is offering a reward of up to $10 million for information leading to the identification or location of any person who works with or for a foreign government for the purpose of interfering with U.S. elections through certain illegal cyber activities.
• Briefing With Special Envoy Lea Gabrielle On the GEC Special Report: Pillars of Russia's Disinformation and Propaganda Ecosystem US Dept. of State 05 Aug 2020 -- Special Briefing by Lea Gabrielle, Special Envoy and Coordinator of the Global Engagement Center

COVID-19 Pandemic News

• Coronavirus disease (COVID-2019) situation report - 198 WHO 05 Aug 2020
• WHO: Young People Should Ask Themselves: 'Do I Really Need to Go to that Party?' VOA 05 Aug 2020 -- World Health Organization officials Wednesday urged young people to fight the urge to go parties and other gatherings to help prevent new outbreaks of COVID-19.
• Number of Young People with COVID Soars VOA 05 Aug 2020 -- There's been a three-fold rise in the number of cases of COVID-19 among young people over the last five months, the World Health Organization says, blaming the jump on a lack of attention to social distancing.
• One person dying of COVID-19 every 15 seconds: Tally Press TV 05 Aug 2020 -- The number of people who have died of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has now surpassed 704,000 around the world, with one person dying every 15 seconds on average, according to a Reuters tally.

United States

• State Officials Announce Latest COVID-19 Facts California Department of Public Health 05 Aug 2020
• COVID-19 Daily Testing Dropping in US, AP Reports VOA 05 Aug 2020 -- Daily testing for the coronavirus in the United States is falling, even while the death toll rises, the Associated Press reported Wednesday.
• Remarks by President Trump in a Meeting with Governor Ducey of Arizona The White House 05 Aug 2020
• DOD Awards $104 Million for Procurement of Syringes in Support of U.S. COVID-19 Vaccination Campaign DoD 05 Aug 2020 -- On August 4, the Department of Defense's (DOD) Joint Acquisition Task Force (JATF), in support of the Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) Strategic National Stockpile (SNS), awarded $104 million in contracts to procure syringes and safety needles, enabling the nationwide administration of a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved COVID-19 vaccine, once one is available.
• HHS, DOD Collaborate With Johnson & Johnson to Produce Millions of COVID-19 Investigational Vaccine Doses DoD 05 Aug 2020 -- The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Department of Defense (DoD) announced an agreement with the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson, to demonstrate large-scale manufacturing and delivery of the company's COVID-19 vaccine candidate. Under the terms of the agreement, the federal government will own the resulting 100 million doses of vaccine.
• U.S. short of plan to get vaccine to communities of color hit by COVID-19 People's Daily 05 Aug 2020 -- Despite its efforts to develop a vaccine against the COVID-19 pandemic, the United States lacks a plan to get shots to communities of color affected by the coronavirus, according to a piece published in U.S. magazine Politico on Monday.
• Trump says U.S. COVID-19 pandemic under control even as death toll rises People's Daily 05 Aug 2020 -- U.S. President Donald Trump said the coronavirus pandemic is as well-controlled in the United States as it can be, despite the fact that over 155,000 American people have died amid rising infections, according to media reports.
• Trump says COVID-19 is 'receding' in US People's Daily 05 Aug 2020 -- President Donald Trump said Monday that the coronavirus is "receding" in the United States, one day after his White House Coronavirus Task Force coordinator said the country has entered a "new phase" of the pandemic that is increasing outbreaks in both rural and urban areas.
• New York City erects quarantine checkpoints to curb coronavirus SPA 05 Aug 2020 -- New York City will put up COVID-19 quarantine checkpoints at key entry points to ensure that travelers from 35 states on New York state's travel advisory comply with the state's 14-day quarantine mandate, Reuters quoted Mayor Bill de Blasio as saying on Wednesday.
• U.S. CDC Reports 4,698,818 Coronavirus Cases SPA 05 Aug 2020 -- The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Tuesday reported 4,698,818 cases of the coronavirus, an increase of 49,716 cases from its previous count, and said that the number of deaths had risen by 733 to 155,204, according to Reuters.
• U.S. Economic and Humanitarian Assistance Boost U.S. Leadership in Continued Global COVID-19 Response Efforts US Dept. of State 05 Aug 2020 -- The United States continues to lead the world in the fight against COVID-19, with $20.5 billion now allocated from across the U.S. Government to benefit the global response. This incredible effort, made possible by the generous American taxpayers, includes funding for vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics; preparedness efforts; and State Department and USAID foreign assistance funding.
• US to Pay Johnson and Johnson $1 Billion for COVID-19 Vaccine VOA 05 Aug 2020 -- The U.S. has agreed to pay Johnson and Johnson more than $1 billion to create 100 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine in a deal announced Wednesday by the company.
• New York City to Use Checkpoints to Monitor COVID-19 Quarantine Compliance VOA 05 Aug 2020 -- New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Wednesday plans to set up COVID-19 quarantine checkpoints in key areas to better enforce quarantine regulations.

China

• Chinese Woman Sues City, Provincial Government Over Virus Cover-up Radio Free Asia 05 Aug 2020 -- A woman whose father died of coronavirus in the central Chinese city of Wuhan has become the fourth person to sue the authorities over their public health response, RFA has learned.
• Asymptomatic coronavirus carrier from Xinjiang sparks wide disinfection in Hangzhou Global Times 05 Aug 2020 -- Hangzhou in East China's Zhejiang Province has reported an asymptomatic COVID-19 case on Wednesday. The case, a 19-year-old man from Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, has raised concerns over possible loopholes in detecting potential coronavirus carriers.
• Four in NE China's Dalian on credit blacklist for disrupting COVID-19 test site Global Times 05 Aug 2020 -- Four people in Dalian of Northeast China's Liaoning Province were put on credit blacklist after disrupting a local COVID-19 test site on July 25. Two of them were detained for 15 days and the other two for 5 days.
• Dalian reports zero new COVID-19 cases for first time in 14 days Global Times 05 Aug 2020 -- The city of Dalian in Northeast China's Liaoning Province, which was recently hit by a new COVID-19 outbreak, reported zero new confirmed cases for the first time in the past 14 days, local health officials announced on Wednesday.
• Whether to conduct citywide testing a decision for HKSAR govt to make Global Times 05 Aug 2020 -- It is up to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government to decide whether to launch a citywide COVID-19 nucleic acid testing, but as long as they seek help, the central government will actively provide support to them, an official from the national health commission said Wednesday amid heated discussions on whether it is necessary and possible for Hong Kong to have citywide screening.
• China's COVID-19 testing capacity leading the world Global Times 05 Aug 2020 -- China's COVID-19 testing capacity can fully meet domestic demand and with a very high accuracy rate, authorities said Wednesday, and the most rapid nucleic acid testing products can deliver results within 30 minutes.
• COVID-19 testing capacity in China able to meet full demand Global Times 05 Aug 2020 -- China's COVID-19 testing capacity can fully meet domestic demand and with high accuracy rate, authorities said on Wednesday, and more fasting testing products are expected before autumn.
• China's daily COVID-19 testing capacity hits 4.84 million Global Times 05 Aug 2020 -- China's COVID-19 testing capacity can fully meet domestic demand, authorities said on Wednesday.
• Xinjiang COVID-19 resurgence originates from same source People's Daily 05 Aug 2020 -- Epidemiological analysis showed that the COVID-19 resurgence in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region originated from the same infection source, authorities said Tuesday.
• Chinese mainland reports 27 new confirmed COVID-19 cases People's Daily 05 Aug 2020 -- Chinese health authority said Wednesday that it received reports of 27 new confirmed COVID-19 cases on the Chinese mainland Tuesday, including 22 locally-transmitted ones.

Europe

• France "highly likely" to face second wave of COVID-19 in coming months: scientific council People's Daily 05 Aug 2020 -- As COVID-19 cases flared up and the number of patients requiring life support surged after declining for four months, a second wave of the coronavirus epidemic is highly expected this autumn or winter in France, the country's scientific council predicted.
• France's New COVID-19 Cases up 1,695, More Than Two-Month High SPA 05 Aug 2020 -- France reported 1,695 new COVID-19 infections over 24 hours, at 194,029, the highest daily increase since May 30, when they were up by 1,828, Reuters quoted health ministry data as showing today, on Wednesday.
• UK's Failure to Introduce Timely COVID-19 Border Policy Considered Serious Mistake, MPs Say Sputnik 05 Aug 2020 -- A UK cross-party parliamentary committee said in a report published on Wednesday that the government's failure to impose special border measures at the early stage of the COVID-19 pandemic was a "serious mistake" that led to many more people contracting the coronavirus.
• COVID-19 Spells Trouble For Europe's Pensions, and Skyscrapers VOA 05 Aug 2020 -- Commercial landlords across Europe are bracing for prolonged repercussions from the coronavirus. While they argue offices will remain just as important after the pandemic as before, corporate bosses are starting to rethink their office space needs and many white-collar employees say they would prefer to continue to work largely from home.
• Belgium's COVID-19 Cases Surging VOA 05 Aug 2020 -- A Belgian health official Wednesday warned COVID-19 is spreading "intensively" in the country, with the number of patients admitted to Belgium's intensive care units doubling in the past month.
• Greece Grapples with Dramatic Spike in COVID-19 Infections VOA 05 Aug 2020 -- Greece has recorded its biggest spike in COVID-19 infections since emerging from a nationwide lockdown three months ago. The country's virus-free status – relative to others in Europe - has largely faded since allowing tourists to visit again. But now authorities are largely blaming young Greeks for the dramatic rise in infections, accusing them of socializing recklessly and not acting responsibly.

India

• India tests more than 6 lakh tests in 24 hours, for 2nd day in a row India PIB 05 Aug 2020 -- India has continued testing more than 6 lakh COVID-19 samples for the second consecutive day. The resolve of Union and State/UT Governments to follow aggressive testing as the first important step in the early detection and treatment/home isolation of COVID-19 positive cases has resulted in India rapidly increasing the number of tests done per day.
• India records highest ever single day recoveries of 51,706 India PIB 05 Aug 2020 -- India has recorded the highest ever single day recoveries in the last 24 hours. With a sharp increase of 51,706 COVID-19 patients recovering, the recovery rate has reached a new high of 67.19% and continues to improve each day. The recoveries till now total up to 12,82,215, more than twice the active cases.
• India's COVID-19 cases surpasses 1.9 million mark People's Daily 05 Aug 2020 -- India's health ministry on Wednesday announced that the country has surpassed 1.9 million COVID-19 cases, reaching 1,908,254.

Iran

• COVID-19 kills 185 more Iranians over past 24 hours IRNA 05 Aug 2020 -- Iran's Health Ministry spokeswoman Sima Sadat Lari said on Wednesday that some 185 more Iranians have died from coronavirus disease (COVID-19) over the past 24 hours bringing the total deaths to 17,802.

South Korea

• S.Korea reports 33 more COVID-19 cases, 14,456 in total People's Daily 05 Aug 2020 -- South Korea reported 33 more cases of COVID-19 as of 0:00 a.m. Wednesday local time compared to 24 hours ago, raising the total number of infections to 14,456.

Saudi Arabia

• Health Ministry: 1,389 New COVID-19 Cases, 1,626 New Recoveries Reported, in Saudi Arabia SPA 05 Aug 2020 -- The Ministry of Health announced in a statement here today that 1,389 new confirmed cases of novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) have been reported, in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, bringing the total number to 282,824 cases, including 34,490 active cases undergoing treatment.

Taiwan

• Japanese engineer diagnosed with COVID-19 after working in Taiwan CNA 05 Aug 2020 -- A Japanese engineer who had worked in northern Taiwan for just over a month has tested positive for COVID-19 after returning to Japan on Aug. 1, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) said Wednesday.
• Cities again mandate mask-wearing in indoor spaces as virus resurges CNA 05 Aug 2020 -- Four Taiwan cities -- Taipei, New Taipei, Tainan and Taichung-- have reintroduced mandatory mask-wearing in certain indoor places, after several foreign nationals returning to their home countries from Taiwan tested positive for COVID-19, sparking fears of a resurgence of local infections.

North Korea

• Red Cross Activities Brisk in DPRK KCNA 05 Aug 2020 -- The DPRK Red Cross Society has launched activities for protecting the people from the current crisis in the anti-epidemic work.

Canada

• Canadians divided over COVID-19 vaccination: survey People's Daily 05 Aug 2020 -- Canadians show different attitudes toward getting vaccinated when a COVID-19 vaccine becomes available in the country, according to a survey released by the Canadian Angus Reid Institute on Tuesday.
• Anti-COVID-19 measures to last years even with vaccine: Canadian health officials People's Daily 05 Aug 2020 -- Canadians shouldn't expect a COVID-19 vaccine to end the coronavirus pandemic and return to normal, Canada's Chief Public Health Officer Theresa Tam said on Tuesday.

Brazil

• COVID-19 deaths in Brazil tops 95,000 with 2.8 mln infections Global Times 05 Aug 2020 -- Brazil on Tuesday marked another grim milestone of the COVID-19 pandemic, registering more than 95,000 deaths from the disease after 1,154 patients died the previous day.
• Brazil records 51,603 new COVID-19 cases, death toll rises to 95,819 -ministry SPA 05 Aug 2020 -- Brazil reported 51,603 new cases of the novel coronavirus and 1,154 deaths from the disease caused by the virus in the past 24 hours, Reuters cited the health ministry saying on Tuesday.

Other Countries

• Chinese medics arrive in Azerbaijan to help fight COVID-19 Global Times 05 Aug 2020 -- A team of Chinese medical experts arrived in Baku, Azerbaijan on Tuesday to share their knowledge of and experience in COVID-19 treatment with their Azerbaijani counterparts.
• Non-compliance with mandatory face mask orders "disgusting": Australian PM People's Daily 05 Aug 2020 -- Australia's Prime Minister (PM) has called for Australians refusing to comply with mandatory face mask orders to "get real."
• Chinese Workers and Gamblers Illegally Stream Into Laos to Avoid Quarantine Radio Free Asia 05 Aug 2020 -- Laos has detained and deported hundreds of Chinese nationals in recent months for illegally entering the country to sidestep a mandatory 14-day coronavirus quarantine period and head straight to casinos to gamble or work, sources in the country told RFA.
• 10 Million Afghans Likely Infected and Recovered From COVID-19: Survey VOA 05 Aug 2020 -- An official survey conducted in Afghanistan finds the coronavirus have likely infected nearly a third of the country's population, or roughly 10 million people.
• COVID-19: 10 Million Afghans Said To Have Virus; Russian Regional Leader Tests Positive RFE/RL 05 Aug 2020 -- The global death toll from the coronavirus is more than 700,000, with more than 18.5 million infections confirmed, causing mass disruptions as governments continue to try to slow the spread of the respiratory illness.
• Singapore hit by record dengue outbreak as Covid-19 pandemic rolls on SPA 05 Aug 2020 -- Singapore has confirmed 22,403 cases of dengue this year, according to the National Environment Agency (NEA), breaking the 2013 record of 22,170 cases, according to dpa.
• Mexico Reports 6,148 Coronavirus Cases, 857 More Deaths SPA 05 Aug 2020 -- Mexico's health ministry on Tuesday reported 6,148 new confirmed coronavirus cases and 857 additional fatalities, bringing the total in the country to 449,961 cases and 48,869 deaths, according to Reuters tally.
• South Africa: UN health agency sends experts to help battle against COVID-19 UN News 05 Aug 2020 -- new "surge team" of leading UN health experts is on its way to South Africa to ramp up the COVID-19 response there, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday.
• New Coronavirus Clusters Emerge in Jakarta Office Buildings VOA 05 Aug 2020 -- Two months ago, Jakarta transitioned away from large-scale social restrictions imposed to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus, allowing people like Sri Hendary to resume normal activities like working at the office.