Other Security News
COVID-19 Pandemic News

Other Security News

• United States Files Complaint to Forfeit 280 Cryptocurrency Accounts Tied to Hacks of Two Exchanges by North Korean Actors US Dept. of Justice 27 Aug 2020 -- "China urges the US to immediately stop provocations, strictly manage and control its maritime and air military operations, strictly restrain the behaviors of its front-line naval and air forces, so as to avoid any contingency," said Senior Colonel Li Huamin, spokesperson for the Southern Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA), in a written statement on Friday.
• Nevada Air Guard MAFFS activation extended as western wildfires rage US Air Force 27 Aug 2020 -- Nevada Air National Guard aircrew equipped with the U.S. Forest Service's Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System saw their firefighting activation orders extended as fires continue to threaten life and property across California.
• Utah National Guard Black Hawks help fight California fires Army News 27 Aug 2020 -- The Utah National Guard is sending two UH-60L Black Hawk helicopters and nine Soldiers to California to help battle deadly wildfires.
• Remarks by President Trump in Briefing on Hurricane Laura | FEMA Headquarters The White House 27 Aug 2020
• Louisiana National Guard responds to Hurricane Laura Army News 27 Aug 2020 -- Hundreds of members of the Louisiana National Guard were assisting first responders in the response to Hurricane Laura Thursday.

COVID-19 Pandemic News

• Globally, 1 in 3 children missed out on remote learning when COVID-19 shuttered schools UN News 27 Aug 2020 -- For at least 463 million children whose schools closed due to COVID-19, "there was no such a thing as remote learning," the head of the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) said on Thursday, as the agency launched a new report outlining the limitations of remote learning and exposing the deep inequalities in access.
• UN: COVID-19 Pandemic Triggers Global Education Crisis VOA 27 Aug 2020 -- The United Nations is calling on governments worldwide to prioritize education, warning the COVID-19 pandemic is putting the future of a whole generation of children on the line.
• Pandemic Leaves Nearly Half-a-Billion Children Without Access to Distance Learning VOA 27 Aug 2020 -- With the total number of worldwide COVID-19 cases surpassing 24 million, including more than 824,000 deaths, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) says nearly one-third of the world's schoolchildren are unable to participate in remote learning.
• Digital finance becomes lifeline during COVID-19 crisis: UN report People's Daily 27 Aug 2020 -- A United Nations report launched Wednesday said that digital finance has become a lifeline during the crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
• WHO: People With Mild or No Symptoms Still Need to Be Tested VOA 27 Aug 2020 -- The World Health Organization says it is important to test people who have been exposed to COVID-19 even if they are showing mild symptoms or no symptoms at all.
• Global COVID-19 cases surpass 24 mln -- Johns Hopkins University People's Daily 27 Aug 2020 -- Global COVID-19 cases surpassed 24 million on Wednesday, according to the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University.

United States

• Statement from the Press Secretary Regarding the Administration's Purchase of 150 Million Rapid COVID-19 Tests The White House 27 Aug 2020
• State Officials Announce Latest COVID-19 Facts California Department of Public Health 27 Aug 2020
• Rush Transcript: Governor Cuomo Announces 20 Straight Days with COVID-19 Infection Rate Below 1 Percent New York State 27 Aug 2020
• Five Former CDC Directors Speak Out About Ending Coronavirus Pandemic VOA 27 Aug 2020 -- Former directors of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the world-renowned American agency that has long taken the lead in fighting communicable diseases, are voicing unusual criticism of the U.S. handling of the novel coronavirus pandemic and the CDC's limited role in that effort.
• Not testing asymptomatic carriers will lead US epidemic into 'vicious circle,' Chinese experts warn Global Times 27 Aug 2020 -- The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has changed its COVID-19 testing guidelines, saying people without symptoms will not be tested even if they are close contacts of a confirmed patient. With the number of COVID-19 infections in the US climbing to 6 million, Chinese experts warned that allowing such a huge loophole would lead the US into a "vicious circle."
• Republicans boast about Trump's COVID-19 response in spite of facts: report People's Daily 27 Aug 2020 -- The majority of Americans believes that U.S. President Donald Trump and his administration have failed to handle the COVID-19 pandemic properly, a CNN report has said.
• U.S. COVID-19 cases surpass 5.8 mln: Johns Hopkins University People's Daily 27 Aug 2020 -- The total number of COVID-19 cases in the United States surpassed 5.8 million on Wednesday, according to the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University.
• COVID-19 resurgence in fall could prompt double-dip recession: Fed official People's Daily 27 Aug 2020 -- A resurgence of COVID-19 infections in the fall could drag the U.S. economy into a double-dip recession, a senior U.S. Federal Reserve official said on Wednesday.
• U.S. CDC changes guidelines for COVID-19 testing People's Daily 27 Aug 2020 -- The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has changed its COVID-19 testing guidelines, no longer recommending testing for most people without symptoms.
• U.S. reports 37,086 New Confirmed COVID-19 Cases, 1,142 Deaths SPA 27 Aug 2020 -- United States of America reported today 37,086 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 1,142 death cases.

China

• 12 imported COVID-19 patients successfully discharged from Shanghai hospital Global Times 27 Aug 2020 -- A total of 12 imported cases of COVID-19 were discharged from hospital in Shanghai after receiving treatment, the Shanghai Health Commission announced on Thursday.
• HKSAR gov't confirms relaxation of social distancing measures People's Daily 27 Aug 2020 -- The government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) on Thursday confirmed that some social distancing measures will be eased from Friday in response to a retreat in new COVID-19 cases.
• Chinese mainland reports no new locally-transmitted COVID-19 cases People's Daily 27 Aug 2020 -- No new locally-transmitted COVID-19 cases were reported Wednesday across the Chinese mainland, the National Health Commission said Thursday.
• Chinese military medical experts help with Sierra Leone's COVID-19 fight PLA Daily 27 Aug 2020 -- The Chinese Military Medical Expert Group (CMMEG) in Sierra Leone has been playing an active role in the country's fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, the team told Xinhua in an interview.

Europe

• WHO Reports 10% 'Uptick' in European COVID-19 Cases VOA 27 Aug 2020 -- The World Health Organization (WHO) says Europe has seen a significant "uptick" in COVID-19 cases in the last two weeks, with 32 out of 55 state parties and territories in the regions experiencing an increase rate of more than 10 percent.
• Europe Races to Reopen Schools Amid COVID-19 Resurgence VOA 27 Aug 2020 -- European governments are preparing to reopen schools in coming days for the new academic year, as health experts say it's vital for children to resume education. Most pupils have not attended school for six months, since lockdowns were imposed in March to contain the coronavirus pandemic.
• Germany's COVID-19 cases increase by 1,507 to 237,936 People's Daily 27 Aug 2020 -- Germany's COVID-19 cases rose by 1,507 within one day to 237,936, the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) said on Thursday.
• Guidance on masks for staff and school pupils in England updated Press TV 27 Aug 2020 -- The current government has made a great number of U-turns in recent months; the most recent, the shift in policy on facemasks for schools announced on Tuesday, could adversely affect children returning to school in England next month.
• Spain Diagnoses 3,781 New Coronavirus Cases SPA 27 Aug 2020 -- Spain diagnosed 3,781 new coronavirus infections in the past 24 hours, health emergency coordinator Fernando Simon told a news briefing on Thursday, slightly higher than the 3,594 reported the previous day, according to Reuters.

Russia

• Three More COVID-19 Vaccines Being Registered in Russia, Health Minister Reveals Sputnik 27 Aug 2020 -- Three more vaccines against the coronavirus are currently in the process of registration in Russia, the country's Health Minister Mikhail Murashko said on Thursday.

India

• States urged to proactively limit COVID transmission and keep the mortality below 1% India PIB 27 Aug 2020 -- Cabinet Secretary holds a video conference (VC) with the Chief Secretariesand Health Secretaries of nine States and one UT at 1030 hrs today.
• With more than 9 lakh tests in last 24 hour, India tests nearly 3.9 crore India PIB 27 Aug 2020 -- India strategic approach for COVID-19 response and management- "TEST TRACK TREAT"- emphasises the key principle of high level of testing on a sustained basis leading to early diagnosis. Timely diagnosis furnishes opportunities to isolate or hospitalise the positive cases adequately in advance for appropriate treatment. This in turn facilitates lower mortality rates and speedy recovery.
• India Reports Record Daily Jump of 75,760 Coronavirus Infections SPA 27 Aug 2020 -- India reported on Thursday a record daily jump of 75,760 coronavirus infections, taking its total caseload to 3.31 million as cases surged across the country, data from the federal health ministry showed, according to Reuters.

Iran

• Official: COVID-19 kills 117 more in Iran IRNA 27 Aug 2020 -- Iran's Health Ministry spokeswoman Sima Sadat Lari said on Thursday that some 117 more Iranians have died from coronavirus disease (COVID-19) over the past 24 hours bringing the total deaths to 21,137.

South Korea

• Why S. Korea faces COVID-19 resurgence Global Times 27 Aug 2020 -- South Korea, once praised as a model for response to the COVID-19 pandemic, currently faced a resurgence as mistrust and misinformation about the government's quarantine measures spread among the conservative members of a church in Seoul.

Saudi Arabia

• Health Ministry: 1,019 COVID-19 Cases Detected, 1,310 New Cases Recovered in the Kingdom SPA 27 Aug 2020 -- The Ministry of Health announced in a statement here today that 1,019 new confirmed cases of novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) have been reported in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, bringing the total number to 311,855 cases, including 21,815 active cases undergoing treatment.

Taiwan

• Low rates of COVID-19 exposure found in Changhua antibody study CNA 27 Aug 2020 -- A testing program for COVID-19 antibodies carried out by Changhua County has found low rates of exposure among high-risk population groups, in a significant validation of Taiwan's efforts to control the disease.
• Adimmune starts COVID-19 vaccine trial CNA 27 Aug 2020 -- Taiwanese drug maker Adimmune Corp. on Thursday said it has started the first phase of human trials for its experimental COVID-19 vaccine this week, with Phase 2 likely to follow in November if everything goes well.
• Tsai highlights Taiwan's COVID-19 efforts with Australia CNA 27 Aug 2020 -- President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) on Thursday highlighted cooperative efforts between Taiwan and Australia in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, and called for closer economic ties between the two countries.

New Zealand

• New Zealand confirms seven new cases of COVID-19 People's Daily 27 Aug 2020 -- New Zealand confirmed seven new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, including one imported case and six community outbreak cases, as the government outlined rules for the use of face coverings on public transport.
• New Zealand outlines use of face coverings on public transport People's Daily 27 Aug 2020 -- Wearing a face covering on public transport is the right thing to do and will help keep New Zealanders safe from COVID-19, New Zealand's Health Minister Chris Hipkins said on Thursday.

Australia

• Aussie gov't pledges funding to help poorer countries access COVID-19 vaccine People's Daily 27 Aug 2020 -- The Australian government has pledged funding to a global effort to ensure that poorer countries have cheap access to a COVID-19 vaccine.
• COVID-19 spread among Australian healthcare workers "unacceptable": acting chief medical officer People's Daily 27 Aug 2020 -- Australia's Acting Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Paul Kelly has described the number of healthcare staff who have caught COVID-19 as "unacceptable."

Other Countries

• COVID-19 Spread Adds to Woes of War Refugees in Myanmar's Rakhine State Radio Free Asia 27 Aug 2020 -- After 20 months of war and years of communal tensions, the people of western Myanmar's Rakhine state face a new threat from surging COVID-19 infections since mid-August that many fear could spread to thousands of refugees sheltering in overcrowded camps, lawmakers and health officials said Thursday.
• 'Widespread' COVID-19 transmission, limited testing, deepen Syria's humanitarian woes UN News 27 Aug 2020 -- COVID-19 is having a dramatic impact on health services in Syria, where limited testing is obscuring the real extent of the pandemic, the UN's Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator said on Thursday.
• Travelers flying from Brazil to China must undergo nucleic acid tests: embassy Global Times 27 Aug 2020 -- The Chinese Embassy in Brazil announced on Thursday that all travelers flying to China from Brazil – including those transiting via Brazil – must provide nucleic acid test results for COVID-19 taken within 72 hours of their boarding, starting from Sep 7. The announcement comes as the country is reporting rising numbers of confirmed cases and possible cases of re-infection.
• Asia-Pacific countries report more COVID-19 cases as testing capacity enhanced People's Daily 27 Aug 2020 -- Asia-Pacific countries kept reporting more confirmed COVID-19 cases on Wednesday as governments ramped up testing to detect potential infections.
• Uzbek Charity Group Accused Of Embezzling Anti-Coronavirus Funds RFE/RL 27 Aug 2020 -- Uzbekistan has charged the head and other staff at the local charity foundation Mercy and Heath with embezzling about $273,000 that had been donated to fight against the coronavirus pandemic in the Central Asian country.
• Kyrgyz Authorities Allow Friday Prayers As Kazakhstan Also Lifts Some Coronavirus Restrictions RFE/RL 27 Aug 2020 -- Muslims in Kyrgyzstan will be allowed to return this week to mosques for Friday Prayers for first time in months, authorities say.
• Nigeria to Resume International Flights for First Time in 5 Months VOA 27 Aug 2020 -- Nigeria says it will resume international flights into and out of the country on Saturday for the first time in five months.
• Peru Medical Workers Protest Lack of Protective Gear for Treating COVID-19 Patients VOA 27 Aug 2020 -- Health care workers in Peru protested outside the Ministry of Health and one of largest hospitals in the capital, Lima, Wednesday, demanding better working conditions and pay as infections of the novel coronavirus spread among their colleagues.
• Jordan exploiting coronavirus pandemic to quell protests against opposition crackdown: HRW Press TV 27 Aug 2020 -- Human Rights Watch (HRW) says Jordanian authorities are taking advantage of the coronavirus pandemic to suppress ongoing public protests against the detention of leading members of the opposition-run teachers' union.