Other Security News
COVID-19 Pandemic News

Other Security News

• USS Pinckney Interdicts $4.5 Million in Cocaine US Navy 11 Aug 2020 -- While on routine patrol, approximately 200 nautical miles southwest of Jamaica a helicopter assigned to the "Wolf Pack" of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 75 located the vessel and Pinckney soon arrived on scene. After coordination with the Government of Colombia and Colombian Navy, the vessel was searched and six suspected drug smugglers detained. The mariners are now in Government of Colombia custody.
• Manhattan Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Attempting to Provide Material Support to Terrorist Organization US Dept. of Justice 11 Aug 2020 -- The Department of Justice announced today that Jesus Wilfredo Encarnacion, a/k/a "Jihadistsoldgier," "Jihadinhear," "Jihadinheart," "Lionofthegood," was sentenced to 15 years in prison for attempting to provide material support to Lashkar e-Tayyiba (LeT), a Pakistan-based designated foreign terrorist organization responsible for multiple high-profile attacks, including the infamous Mumbai attacks in November 2008.

COVID-19 Pandemic News

• Coronavirus disease (COVID-2019) situation report - 204 WHO 11 Aug 2020
• Worldwide COVID-19 cases top 20 mln, doubling in 6 weeks SPA 11 Aug 2020 -- It took six months for the world to reach 10 million confirmed cases of the coronavirus. It took just over six weeks for that number to double.
• Stronger coordination needed as COVID-19 pandemic tops 20 million cases People's Daily 11 Aug 2020 -- Global COVID-19 cases reached 20 million on Monday, with more than 730,000 deaths worldwide, according to the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University.
• Over 100 bln USD to be needed to ensure access to COVID-19 vaccines: WHO chief People's Daily 11 Aug 2020 -- For the vaccines alone, over 100 billion U.S. dollars will be needed to ensure everyone everywhere can access the tools to fight the COVID-19 outbreak, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) said Monday.
• Global COVID-19 cases surpass 20 mln -- Johns Hopkins University People's Daily 11 Aug 2020 -- Global COVID-19 cases surpassed 20 million on Monday, according to the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University.

United States

• State Officials Announce Latest COVID-19 Facts California Department of Public Health 11 Aug 2020
• Trump Administration Collaborates With Moderna to Produce 100 Million Doses of COVID-19 Investigational Vaccine DoD 11 Aug 2020 -- Under the leadership of President Trump, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Department of Defense (DoD) today announced an agreement with Moderna, Inc. to manufacture and deliver 100 million doses of the company's COVID-19 vaccine candidate. The federal government will own these vaccine doses.
• US Makes Deal with Biotech Company for 100 Million Doses of Potential COVID-19 Vaccine VOA 11 Aug 2020 -- U.S. President Donald Trump has announced an agreement between the federal government and an American biotechnology company to manufacture and deliver 100 million doses of a COVID-19 vaccine candidate.
• Remarks by President Trump in Press Briefing | August 11, 2020 The White House 11 Aug 2020
• Over 97,000 U.S. children test positive for COVID-19 in latter half of July People's Daily 11 Aug 2020 -- More than 97,000 U.S. children tested positive for COVID-19 in the last two weeks of July, according to new data from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Children's Hospital Association.

China

• Chinese expert team helps Azerbaijan fight COVID-19: FM Global Times 11 Aug 2020 -- The work being done by a group of Chinese medical experts aiding Azerbaijan in its fight against COVID-19 has been warmly welcomed and highly praised by the Azerbaijani government and people, said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian at Tuesday's media briefing.
• Macao quarantine requirement lifted Global Times 11 Aug 2020 -- The State Department announced on Monday it would lift the 14-day quarantine measures for Macao residents when entering the Chinese mainland, effective from Wednesday.
• Travelers with COVID-19 negative report allowed to enter Chinese mainland from Macao without quarantine People's Daily 11 Aug 2020 -- Travelers with a COVID-19 negative test report within seven days will be allowed to enter the Chinese mainland from Macao without a 14-day quarantine since Wednesday, the secretary for social affairs and culture of China's Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) said on Monday.
• 52 COVID-19 patients discharged from hospitals on Chinese mainland People's Daily 11 Aug 2020 -- The National Health Commission said Tuesday that 52 COVID-19 patients were discharged from hospitals after recovery on the Chinese mainland Monday.
• Chinese mainland reports 44 new confirmed COVID-19 cases People's Daily 11 Aug 2020 -- Chinese health authority said Tuesday that it received reports of 44 new confirmed COVID-19 cases on the Chinese mainland Monday, including 31 imported cases and 13 locally-transmitted ones.

Europe

• COVID-19 vaccine could be available by year-end or early next year: report People's Daily 11 Aug 2020 -- European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety Stella Kyriakides said the vaccine may not solve all the problems right away, but will "gradually allow a return to normality" once a "critical mass of citizens, especially among the risk groups" have been vaccinated.
• Coronavirus Stops-Starts Stretching Europeans' Patience VOA 11 Aug 2020 -- The 17-second YouTube video mimicking Prime Minister Boris Johnson's ever shifting guidance on the coronavirus pandemic has attracted tens of thousands of views.
• Spain Overtakes Britain for Most COVID-19 Cases in Europe VOA 11 Aug 2020 -- More than 20 million cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed worldwide as of Monday night, and Spain has overtaken Britain for the highest number of cases in Western Europe.

Russia

• Russian President Putin Says Country is First to Formally Approve Coronavirus Vaccine VOA 11 Aug 2020 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin says his country has become the first in the world to formally approve a new COVID-19 vaccine, despite a lack of data to back up his claims that the drug is safe to administer to humans.
• WHO in Talks With Russia About New Vaccine VOA 11 Aug 2020 -- The World Health Organization said Tuesday said it was holding talks with Russia regarding its recently approved COVID-19 vaccine.
• Meeting with Government members President of Russia 11 Aug 2020 -- "Perhaps, it would be inaccurate to describe some of them as current issues, considering their importance for the country and the entire world. I have been told that the world's first coronavirus vaccine was approved this morning. I am asking Healthcare Minister Mikhail Murashko to share some details on this subject, even though I know that it is quite effective, helps develop immunity and has gone through all the necessary trials."
• Putin: Russia Becomes First Country in the World to Register COVID-19 Vaccine Sputnik 11 Aug 2020 -- Russia's first vaccine against the coronavirus was developed by the Gamaleya Research Institute. Clinical trials of the vaccine were launched on 18 June and all 38 volunteers developed immunity.
• Russia approves world's first COVID-19 vaccine amid concerns over worsening epidemic in winter Global Times 11 Aug 2020 -- Russia said on Tuesday it has approved the world's first COVID-19 vaccine and registered it with the national health department. Chinese experts believe the speed at which Russia is moving to roll out the vaccine reflects the Russia's concerns over the risk of a worsening epidemic in winter.
• Putin Says Russia Has Registered A Coronavirus Vaccine, His Daughter Inoculated, Amid Skepticism RFE/RL 11 Aug 2020 -- President Vladimir Putin said a coronavirus vaccine developed in Russia has been approved for use, despite not undergoing clinical tests and no data being made public.

India

• With nearly 16 lakh Recoveries, India's Recovery rate nearly 70% India PIB 11 Aug 2020 -- The successful implementation of effective containment strategy, aggressive and comprehensive testing coupled with standardized clinical management of the critical patients based on holistic Standard of Care approach, have resulted in a sharp hike in the recovery rate, which is pegged at nearly 70% today.

Iran

• President Rouhani: Efforts to produce coronavirus vaccine should continue till achieving final result IRNA 11 Aug 2020 -- President Hassan Rouhani appreciated those involved in producing medicine and vaccine for diseases, especially COVID-19, saying that good steps have recently been taken in line with producing drug and vaccine for coronavirus and this should continue with strength until final result is achieved.
• Official: COVID-19 kills 184 more in Iran IRNA 11 Aug 2020 -- Iran's Health Ministry spokeswoman Sima Sadat Lari said on Tuesday that some 184 more Iranians have died from coronavirus disease (COVID-19) over the past 24 hours bringing the total deaths to 18,800.
• Political Prisoners Stage Protest In Tehran Jail After A COVID Outbreak Radio Farda 11 Aug 2020 -- Iran Prisons Atlas website says that following the coronavirus outbreak in Tehran's central prison, Evin, several inmates in Ward 8 of the infamous jail held a sit-in protest on Monday, August 10, in the courtyard of the guardhouse.
• Iran's Health Min urges collective measures in region to combat COVID-19 IRNA 11 Aug 2020 -- Iran's Minister of Health and Medical Education Saeed Namaki called on the regional countries to further cooperate in the fight against Coronavirus.

South Korea

• Three New COVID-19 Strains Detected in South Korea as Infections Increase Sputnik 11 Aug 2020 -- South Korea's public health authorities on Monday revealed that three new mutated genome sequences of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, have been detected in the country.

Saudi Arabia

• Ministry of Health: 1,640 Recoveries from COVID-19 in Saudi Arabia, Tally at 255,118 SPA 11 Aug 2020 -- The Ministry of Health said in a statement today that 1,521 new confirmed cases of Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) have been reported in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, bringing the total number to 291,468 cases, including 33,117 active cases receiving necessary medical care. Of these, there are 1,821 critical cases, while the health condition of the rest is stable.
• MoH: ICU beds increased by 120% in Al-Ahsa hospitals SPA 11 Aug 2020 -- The Ministry of Health (MoH) has announced that the intensive care unit (ICU) bed capacity in Al-Ahsa Province hospitals has been increased by 120%, as a part of the Ministry's efforts to upgrade and improve health services in the province to meet the health needs of citizens and residents.

North Korea

• Anti-epidemic Activities Further Intensified in DPRK KCNA 11 Aug 2020 -- Hygienic and anti-epidemic centers across the country are making a strict analysis of water quality in rivers and streams as required by the anti-epidemic regulations in the current rainy season.

Other Countries

• Schools In Armenia To Reopen On September 15, Education Minister Says RFE/RL 11 Aug 2020 -- Schools in Armenia closed since March due to the coronavirus pandemic will reopen their doors to students on September 15, Education Minister Arayik Harutiunian said on August 10.
• Australia Equals Its Deadliest Day of COVID-19 Pandemic VOA 11 Aug 2020 -- Senior government officials in the Australian state of Victoria will Tuesday appear at a parliamentary inquiry into the response to the COVID-19 crisis. Premier Daniel Andrews and other colleagues are expected to face questions about security breaches in the hotel quarantine system for travelers returning from overseas. Australia has had 21,397 confirmed coronavirus infections. 313 people have died.
• New Zealand Reports First New Locally Transmitted COVID-19 Cases in 102 Days VOA 11 Aug 2020 -- New Zealand's prime minister Tuesday issued a lockdown in the country's largest city, Auckland, after the first new locally transmitted cases of COVID-19 in 102 days were discovered there.
• Cuba Re-imposes Partial Lockdown as COVID-19 Cases Surge in Havana VOA 11 Aug 2020 -- A surge of coronavirus cases across Cuba prompted authorities to re-impose some restrictions to prevent the spread of the virus, including closing beaches, restaurants, bars and restricting travel across the island and prohibiting international flights.