Other Security News
COVID-19 Pandemic News

Other Security News

• Navarro's accusation 'completely groundless'; China not interested in US election: FM Global Times 20 Aug 2020 -- China has no interest in interfering in the 2020 US presidential election, and remarks by White House trade advisor Peter Navarro accusing the Democratic Party and the Communist Party of China of being in cahoots in the 2020 US presidential election to beat Donald Trump are "completely groundless," the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Thursday.

COVID-19 Pandemic News

• COVID-19 Pandemic Will Double Number of People Facing Hunger, Aid Group Says VOA 20 Aug 2020 -- A humanitarian aid organization says the novel coronavirus pandemic is likely to aggravate the world's food insecurity and hunger crisis.
• Use COVID lessons to 'do things right' for the future, urges UN chief UN News 20 Aug 2020 -- Lessons learnt from efforts to address the global pandemic must be used to "do things right for the future", UN Secretary-General António Guterres has said, addressing a gathering of leading parliamentarians.

United States

• DOD Announces $17.4 Million in Defense Production Act Title III COVID-19 Actions DoD 20 Aug 2020 -- Today, the Department announces four Defense Production Act Title III actions to sustain and strengthen essential domestic industrial base capabilities in molecular diagnostic testing, satellite communications, laser electronics, and aircraft engine repair.
• State Officials Announce Latest COVID-19 Facts California Department of Public Health 20 Aug 2020
• Survey says two-thirds believe U.S. handling of COVID-19 crisis unsuccessful People's Daily 20 Aug 2020 -- Results of an NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll released Sunday showed 61 percent of participants believe Washington's COVID-19 management strategy has been unsuccessful.
• Back-to-school season challenges U.S. COVID-19 control People's Daily 20 Aug 2020 -- Students are returning to university campuses across the United States amid an increase in new COVID-19 cases, adding challenges to the country's control of the widely spread virus.
• U.S. COVID-19 cases surpass 5.5 mln: Johns Hopkins University People's Daily 20 Aug 2020 -- NEW YORK, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- The total number of COVID-19 cases in the United States surpassed 5.5 million on Wednesday, according to the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University.
• US COVID-19 Fatality Rates Drop as Health Experts Gain 'Better Understanding' of Virus Sputnik 20 Aug 2020 -- The fatality rate associated with COVID-19 is falling in most US states, according to an analysis by The Hill.

China

• Chinese vaccine maker to hold Phase III clinical trials in Peru Global Times 20 Aug 2020 -- The China National Biotec Group (CNBG) announced Thursday it will start its Phase ? clinical trials of COVID-19 vaccines in Peru and Morocco, vowing to help the world fight the epidemic, even as foreign media hypes China's so-called vaccine diplomacy.
• Hong Kong bans Air India flights for 2 weeks over imported COVID-19 cases People's Daily 20 Aug 2020 -- Air India has been banned from flying to Hong Kong for two weeks after a dozen of passengers onboard a flight operated by the airline have tested positive for COVID-19, Hong Kong's Center for Health Protection (CHP) said on Wednesday.
• China capable of containing COVID-19 resurgence in autumn, winter: expert People's Daily 20 Aug 2020 -- China is confident of being able to control a COVID-19 epidemic resurgence in autumn and winter based on recent epidemic containment experience over more than six months, a health expert said Wednesday.
• China updates COVID-19 diagnosis, treatment protocol People's Daily 20 Aug 2020 -- China's health authorities have published the latest version of the "Diagnosis and Treatment Protocol for Novel Coronavirus Pneumonia."
• Chinese mainland reports no new locally-transmitted COVID-19 cases People's Daily 20 Aug 2020 -- No new locally-transmitted COVID-19 cases were reported Wednesday across the Chinese mainland, the National Health Commission said Thursday.

Europe

• UK records second-highest daily COVID cases since June SPA 20 Aug 2020 -- Britain recorded 1,182 new coronavirus cases on Thursday, the second-highest daily total since June 21, government figures showed.
• Germany's Confirmed Coronavirus Cases Rise by 1,707 to 228,621 SPA 20 Aug 2020 -- The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany increased by 1,707 to 228,621, data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases showed on Wednesday, according to Reuters.

Russia

• WHO Begins Discussions on Russia Vaccine VOA 20 Aug 2020 -- The World Health Organization's (WHO's) Europe office said it has begun discussions with Russia regarding the COVID-19 vaccine that the nation approved last week without the advanced trials normally required to prove a vaccine works.

India

• With higher number of patients getting cured, India's total Recoveries Reach nearly 21 lakh India PIB 20 Aug 2020 -- With more patients recovering and being discharged from hospitals and home isolation (in case of mild and moderate cases), India's total COVID-19 recoveries have reached nearly 21 lakh today.
• On a steady march, India conducts record high of more than 9 lakh tests in a single day India PIB 20 Aug 2020 -- On the path of a steady rise, India has scaled a new peak in daily testing.

Iran

• Official: 139 more Iranians die from COVID-19 over past 24 hours IRNA 20 Aug 2020 -- Some 139 people in Iran have died as a result of the coronavirus disease over the past 24 hours, Iranian Health Ministry spokeswoman Sima Sadat Lari said on Thursday.
• Tehran to extend coronavirus restrictions for another week IRNA 20 Aug 2020 -- Head of the headquarters for the management of operations against coronavirus in Tehran Alireza Zali announced that coronavirus-related restrictions will be extended for another week in Tehran.

Japan

• Tokyo reports 339 more Cornoavirus cases, tops 300 for 1st time in 5 days SPA 20 Aug 2020 -- Tokyo reported on Thursday 339 additional cases of novel coronavirus infection, topping the 300 mark for the first time since Saturday, the metropolitan government said, according to Kyodo News Agency.

Saudi Arabia

• Health Ministry: 4,526 New Recoveries Reported in Saudi Arabia SPA 20 Aug 2020 -- The Ministry of Health announced in a statement here today that 1,287 new confirmed cases of novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) have been reported, in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, bringing the total number to 303,973 cases, including 24,949 active cases undergoing treatment.

Taiwan

• Adimmune gets green light to start human trials of COVID-19 vaccine CNA 20 Aug 2020 -- An experimental COVID-19 vaccine developed by Taiwanese maker Adimmune Corp. has been given the green light to start human trials, making it the first in the country to receive approval, Taiwan's Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said Thursday.

Australia

• Australian PM withdraws comments on mandatory COVID-19 vaccine People's Daily 20 Aug 2020 -- Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has walked back his suggestion that a COVID-19 vaccine could be made mandatory.
• Potential COVID-19 Vaccine Won't Be Compulsory, Australian Government Says VOA 20 Aug 2020 -- International visitors to Australia may be required to have a vaccination against COVID-19 under government plans. Canberra says it has secured the rights to the Oxford University vaccine in the United Kingdom, which is thought to be one of the front runners in the global race to find an effective treatment.

Other Countries

• Africa's confirmed COVID-19 cases surpass 1.13 mln: Africa CDC SPA 20 Aug 2020 -- The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Africa surged to 1,136,246.
• Africa CDC calls for boosting COVID-19 surveillance, testing, care for people Global Times 20 Aug 2020 -- The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) on Wednesday urged African governments to rapidly scale up surveillance, testing, contact tracing and care for people with COVID-19 amid rapid spread of the virus across the continent.
• COVID-19: African countries urged to promote a safe return to school UN News 20 Aug 2020 -- School closures implemented to protect students from COVID-19, are hurting them in other ways, while the long-term impact of this disruption to education could create a "lost generation" in Africa, two UN agencies said on Thursday.
• Africa Health Officials Call for Children to Return to School VOA 20 Aug 2020 -- Experts from the World Health Organization and the United Nations Children's Emergency Fund say it's urgent and essential that children across the African continent return to school soon, and safely. To that end, the U.N. agencies have formulated guidelines to make school openings safer on the continent.
• Ukraine receives assistance from 30 countries during COVID-19 pandemic: official Global Times 20 Aug 2020 -- During the coronavirus pandemic, Ukraine has received humanitarian aid from 30 countries and nine international organizations, Ukrainian First Deputy Foreign Minister Emine Dzheppar said on her official Facebook page on Wednesday.
• WHO official says COVID-19 situation in Lebanon "dangerous" People's Daily 20 Aug 2020 -- Iman al-Shankiti, World Health Organization (WHO) representative in Lebanon, warned on Wednesday that the COVID-19 situation in Lebanon is very "dangerous."
• Zambia's VP tests positive for COVID-19 People's Daily 20 Aug 2020 -- Zambia's Vice-President Inonge Wina has tested positive for COVID-19, the presidency's office said on Wednesday.
• Syrian health ministry receives Iran's medical aid shipment aimed at fighting COVID-19 Press TV 20 Aug 2020 -- Iran has sent a medical aid shipment to Syria to support the Arab country's health ministry better combat the COVID-19 pandemic, Syria's state media says.