Other Security News
COVID-19 Pandemic News

Other Security News

• France-Turkey Dispute Grows Over Cartoons and Influence in Africa VOA 29 Oct 2020 -- The war of words between France and Turkey over cartoons portraying Islam's Prophet Muhammad, triggered by the recent beheading of a French teacher, continues to escalate. But behind the diplomatic storm over freedom of expression versus religious sensitivity is a bitter rivalry for influence in Africa.
• UN strongly condemns knife attack inside Nice church which left three dead UN News 29 Oct 2020 -- The UN Secretary-General on Thursday strongly condemned a knife attack inside a French church in the southern French city of Nice, which reportedly left three worshippers dead.
• French Authorities Identify Suspect in Deadly Knife Attack VOA 29 Oct 2020 -- French authorities have identified the suspect in a knife attack that left three dead in the southern city of Nice.
• Wisconsin Activates 400 National Guard Troops to Support Election Officials, Governor Says Sputnik 29 Oct 2020 -- The US state of Wisconsin will mobilize about 400 National Guard troops to support local election officials working at polls in the days ahead and on the Election Day, November 3, the Office of Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers said in a press release.
• DHS and CBP Celebrate 400 Miles of New Border Wall System DHS 29 Oct 2020 -- Today the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) celebrated the construction of nearly 400 miles of new border wall system, in high priority locations across the Southwest border under the Trump Administration.
• Hackers Could Unleash Ransomware Attacks on US Health System, US Officials Warn VOA 29 Oct 2020 -- Cyber criminals could soon unleash a wave of ransomware attacks targeting U.S. hospitals and health care providers, according to a statement released by three federal agencies, including the FBI.
• U.S. Senator Urges Administration To Sanction Russians Indicted For Cyberattacks RFE/RL 29 Oct 2020 -- The highest-ranking Democrat on the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee is calling on the Trump administration to impose targeted sanctions on five Russian nationals indicted last week by the Justice Department for a series of cyberattacks.
• 2 Sentenced to Death in Deadly 2015 Mali Attacks VOA 29 Oct 2020 -- A Malian court sentenced to death a suspected jihadist and his co-defendant for killing more than two dozen people in attacks targeting foreigners in 2015.

COVID-19 Pandemic News

• COVID-19 robs children in poor countries of nearly four months of school UN News 29 Oct 2020 -- The COVID-19 pandemic has robbed children in the poorest countries of nearly four months of schooling, compared to six weeks of lost education for their counterparts in high income countries, according to a report published on Thursday by the UN educational and cultural organization, UNESCO; the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the World Bank.
• Reduce risk to avert 'era of pandemics', experts warn in new report UN News 29 Oct 2020 -- Unless there is a "seismic shift" in how countries collectively deal with infectious diseases, future pandemics will emerge more often, spread more rapidly, cause greater damage to the global economy and kill more people than COVID-19, international experts warned in a UN-backed report published on Thursday.

United States

• White House Task Force Warns of 'Unrelenting' Spread of COVID-19 VOA 29 Oct 2020 -- The White House Coronavirus Task Force warned Thursday of an "unrelenting" spread of the virus, particularly across the western half of the country, Reuters reported.
• Fauci says U.S. may not return to normal until end of 2021 or into 2022 People's Daily 29 Oct 2020 -- Life for many Americans may not return to normal until the end of 2021 or into 2022, Anthony Fauci, director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and the nation's top infectious expert, said Wednesday.
• NYS COVID-19 test positivity rate down to 2nd lowest in U.S. People's Daily 29 Oct 2020 -- New York State's COVID-19 test positivity rate was ranked the second lowest in the Unite States, Governor Andrew Cuomo tweeted on Wednesday, quoting statistics from Johns Hopkins University Coronavirus Resource Center (CRC).
• Fauci says US may not be back to normal till 2022 as COVID-19 cases continue to surge Press TV 29 Oct 2020 -- Top US infectious diseases expert Anthony Fauci warns that everyday life for many people may not return to normal until 2022, despite President Donald Trump's baseless claims that the coronavirus pandemic "will end quickly."
• US to Pay Hundreds of Millions for Questionable COVID-19 Antibody Treatment Sputnik 29 Oct 2020 -- The US Departments of Defense (DoD) and Health and Human Services (HHS) are buying 300,000 doses of a COVID-19 antibody treatment despite the fact that it does not seem to be effective in treating severe cases of COVID-19.
• State Officials Announce Latest COVID-19 Facts California Department of Public Health 29 Oct 2020

China

• COVID-19 patients in Kashi will move to Urumqi hospital for better treatment Global Times 29 Oct 2020 -- COVID-19 patients identified in Kashi, Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region will be transferred to the regional capital city Urumqi for more professional treatment, a Xinjiang-based expert told the Global Times on Thursday.
• Man tests positive for coronavirus 19 days after returning to China from oversea Global Times 29 Oct 2020 -- A 43-year-old man in Puyang of Central China's Henan Province tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday, 19 days after returning to China from Guinea, the local health authority announced on Thursday. He was diagnosed as an asymptomatic patient on Wednesday.
• COVID-19 likely spread by cold-chain products People's Daily 29 Oct 2020 -- Chinese scientists have discovered that the COVID-19 outbreak in Beijing in June was likely to have been triggered by cold-chain imports from overseas, adding to mounting evidence that the virus can be transmitted from contaminated cold-chain products to humans.
• Chinese mainland reports 47 new confirmed COVID-19 cases, including 23 in Xinjiang People's Daily 29 Oct 2020 -- Chinese health authority said Thursday that it received reports of 47 new confirmed COVID-19 cases on the Chinese mainland Wednesday, including 23 that were domestically transmitted and 24 imported.

Europe

• France to go back into nationwide lockdown as COVID-19 second wave hits hard Global Times 29 Oct 2020 -- France will go into national lockdown starting from Friday to stem the second wave of the coronavirus epidemic, President Emmanuel Macron announced on Wednesday evening.
• France, Germany Impose New Lockdown Measures as COVID-19 Cases Soar VOA 29 Oct 2020 -- A rising tide of new coronavirus cases has prompted the leaders of France and Germany to impose a new round of lockdowns to stop the spread of the virus.
• France to go back into nationwide lockdown as COVID-19 second wave hits hard People's Daily 29 Oct 2020 -- France will go into national lockdown starting from Friday to stem the second wave of the coronavirus epidemic, President Emmanuel Macron announced on Wednesday evening.
• France's Macron Warns Second COVID-19 Outbreak Will be Harder, More Deadly Than First Sputnik 29 Oct 2020 -- French President Emmanuel Macron has said that the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic will be tougher and more deadly than the spring outbreak, as the disease continues to circulate widely across French mainland.
• Merkel Defends German Coronavirus Restrictions VOA 29 Oct 2020 -- German Chancellor Angela Merkel Thursday defended new coronavirus restrictions to lawmakers and lashed out at those who tried to dismiss the infection as harmless as the number of cases hit a new high.
• Germany reports record daily increase with over 16,000 COVID-19 infections People's Daily 29 Oct 2020 -- Germany on Thursday reported 16,774 new COVID-19 infections, the highest daily increase since the pandemic hit the country, according to Germany's disease control agency the Robert Koch Institute (RKI).
• Germany to implement tighter COVID-19 restrictions People's Daily 29 Oct 2020 -- Effective Nov. 2, Germany's federal and state governments have agreed to introduce sweeping contact restrictions on everyday life to curb the steep rise of COVID-19 infections, the German Press Agency (dpa) reported on Wednesday.
• Belgium reports 104 COVID-19 deaths in one day People's Daily 29 Oct 2020 -- The Belgian health institute Sciensano released Wednesday the COVID-19 death figure of 104 recorded on Monday, the highest daily number since the start of the second wave.
• Soaring COVID-19 cases prompt European countries to reimpose lockdowns People's Daily 29 Oct 2020 -- A massive second wave of COVID-19 infections has prompted European countries to tighten their preventive measures, including reimposing lockdowns, to stem the spread of the coronavirus.
• Scottish Pubs to Reopen Without Alcohol as Sturgeon Reveals New 5-Tier Coronavirus System Sputnik 29 Oct 2020 -- Following the introduction of the three tier coronavirus restrictions in England, the Scottish government has announced its five tier system which will be brought in on a regional level depending on the geographical severity of the outbreak.
• UK Gov't 'Under Pressure' as Scientists Warn COVID-19 Cases Could Triple Next Month Sputnik 29 Oct 2020 -- The second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom in recent weeks has seen the infection numbers surpass those registered in spring, and led to a three-tier restriction system across the country.
• UK Reports 280 New COVID-19 Deaths, 7-Day Total More Than Doubles SPA 29 Oct 2020 -- The United Kingdom today, on Thursday reported 280 new deaths of people who had tested positive for COVID-19 within the previous 28 days, bringing the total in the last seven days to 1,608, an increase of 52.6% on the previous seven-day period, according to Reuters.
• UK records another 24,701 coronavirus cases with 310 deaths People's Daily 29 Oct 2020 -- Another 24,701 people in Britain have tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the total number of coronavirus cases in the country to 942,275, according to official figures released Wednesday.
• Bulgarian President In Quarantine After Aide Tests Positive For COVID-19 RFE/RL 29 Oct 2020 -- Bulgarian President Rumen Radev is self-isolating after his chief of staff tested positive for coronavirus, his office says.

Russia

• Russia's Putin Says No to Lockdown Despite Spiking COVID Cases VOA 29 Oct 2020 -- Russia reported record numbers of infections and deaths from the novel coronavirus on Thursday, the latest sign that the country is again struggling to contain an outbreak that Kremlin officials only recently portrayed as largely under control.
• Mayor Of Ufa, Capital Of Russia's Bashkortostan, Dies Of COVID-19 RFE/RL 29 Oct 2020 -- The mayor of Ufa, the capital of Russia's Bashkortostan region, Ulfat Mustafin, has died of COVID-19 at the age of 61.

India

• India registers exponential rise in Testing India PIB 29 Oct 2020 -- India has demonstrated a consistent increase in the COVID-19 testing infrastructure since Jan 2020 resulting in an exponential increase in its testing numbers. The country's testing capacities have been ramped up multiple times. 15 lakh tests can be done very day now.
• Union Health Secretary reviews the status of and public health response measures to COVID-19 in West Bengal, Delhi and Kerala India PIB 29 Oct 2020 -- Shri Rajesh Bhushan, Union Health Secretary reviewed the status of COVID in the States/UT of West Bengal, Kerala and Delhi and their public health response measures in a meeting held through Video Conferencing today, in the presence of Dr V K Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog, and Dr Balram Bhargava, DG, ICMR. Health Secretaries from the States/UT, NHM MD, DGHS and other senior health officials participated virtually. Concerns regarding rising cases in these States/UT were highlighted in the meeting.
• India's women minister tests positive for COVID-19 People's Daily 29 Oct 2020 -- India's federal Minister for Women and Child Development Smriti Irani Wednesday tested positive for COVID-19.

Iran

• Official: COVID-19 kills 399 more in Iran IRNA 29 Oct 2020 -- Iran's Health Ministry spokeswoman Sima Sadat Lari said on Thursday that a total of 399 more Iranians have died from coronavirus disease (COVID-19) over the past 24 hours bringing the total deaths to 34,113.

Japan

• Japan's COVID-19 cases surpass 100,000, Tokyo's infections on rise People's Daily 29 Oct 2020 -- Japan recorded 306 new confirmed COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, showed preliminary figures released on Thursday afternoon.
• Japan's Total Coronavirus Cases Top 100,000 SPA 29 Oct 2020 -- Japan's cumulative total of confirmed novel coronavirus cases topped 100,000 today, on Thursday, according to a tally based on official data, amid a recent uptick in the number of new infections coinciding with a resumption in economic activity, Kyodo reported.

Saudi Arabia

• Ministry of Health: 435 New Confirmed Cases of COVID-19 Reported in Saudi Arabia SPA 29 Oct 2020 -- The Ministry of Health said in a statement today that 435 new confirmed cases of Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) have been reported in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, bringing the total number to 346,482 cases, including 8,114 active cases receiving necessary medical care. Of these, there are 776 critical cases, while the health condition of the rest is stable.

Taiwan

• Taiwan Marks 200 Days Without New Domestically Transmitted COVID-19 Cases VOA 29 Oct 2020 -- Taiwan's Centers for Disease Control reported Thursday the nation has now gone 200 days without any domestically transmitted cases of COVID-19, highlighting the island's continued success at keeping the virus under control even as cases surge in other parts of the world.
• Taiwan reports 3 COVID-19 cases, marks 200 days without local infection CNA 29 Oct 2020 -- Taiwan confirmed three new imported cases of COVID-19 on Thursday and marked 200 days since its last reported domestic infection on April 12, according to the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC).

Other Countries

• COVID-19 death toll in Mexico surpasses 90,000 People's Daily 29 Oct 2020 -- The death toll from the novel coronavirus in Mexico has reached to 90,309 on Wednesday with 495 more deaths during the past 24 hours, the Health Ministry said.
• Indonesia reports 3,565 new coronavirus infections, 89 deaths SPA 29 Oct 2020 -- Indonesia reported 3,565 new coronavirus infections on Thursday, taking the total to 404,048, data from the country's health ministry showed, according to Reuters.
• South African President Self-Quarantining after Possible COVID Exposure VOA 29 Oct 2020 -- South African President Cyril Ramaphosa is self-quarantining at home after coming into contact with a dinner guest who tested positive for COVID-19.
• Peru Extends COVID-19 State of Emergency Another Month VOA 29 Oct 2020 -- Peru is extending the restrictions aimed at containing the spread of the coronavirus for another month.