Other Security News
COVID-19 Pandemic News

Other Security News

• Suspected Russian Hackers Behind Massive Breach Accessed Microsoft's Source Code RFE/RL 01 Jan 2021 -- Suspected Russian government hackers behind a massive intrusion of government and private company networks were able to gain access into Microsoft's source code, a key building block for software or operating systems, the tech giant said on December 31.

COVID-19 Pandemic News

United States

• Hopkins: 83.5 Million Global COVID-19 Cases VOA 01 Jan 2021 -- There are 83.5 million global COVID-19 cases and 1.8 million deaths, the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center reported Friday as the new year began.
• US Tops 20 Million Coronavirus Cases VOA 01 Jan 2021 -- The United States topped 20 million coronavirus cases Friday as it began the New Year, according to data from the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center.

China

• Vaccine Seen as Potentially Shoring Up China's Image in Indonesia, the Philippines VOA 01 Jan 2021 -- Chinese supply of a COVID-19 vaccine to Indonesia and the Philippines is likely to strengthen Beijing's image in those countries, despite current resentment of its expansion in the South China Sea, if the vaccines work, analysts say.
• China approves first self-developed COVID-19 vaccine People's Daily 01 Jan 2021 -- China announced on Thursday it had granted conditional marketing authorization for the first COVID-19 vaccine.
• China, Egypt sign letter of intent for COVID-19 vaccine cooperation Global Times 01 Jan 2021 -- China and Egypt signed on Thursday a letter of intent for mutual cooperation on COVID-19 vaccines.

Europe

• Britain Reactivates Emergency Hospitals Amid Surge in COVID Infections VOA 01 Jan 2021 -- British health officials are reactivating emergency hospitals that were built at the start of the pandemic as the country struggles to cope with the spread of a more infectious variant of the coronavirus.
• France's New Coronavirus Cases up 19,348 over 24 Hours SPA 01 Jan 2021 -- The French health ministry reported 19,348 new coronavirus infections over the past 24 hours today, on Friday, slightly less than Thursday's 19,927 and well below Wednesday's more than one-month high of 26,457 but still far from the government's target of less than 5,000 daily additional infections, Reuters reported.
• Italy reports 555 coronavirus deaths on Thursday, 23,477 new cases SPA 01 Jan 2021 -- Italy reported 555 coronavirus-related deaths on Thursday against 575 the day before, the health ministry said, while the daily tally of new infections rose to 23,477 from 16,202.

India

• India's Active Caseload continues on the downward slope; at 2.54 lakh after 179 days India PIB 01 Jan 2021 -- India's total Active Caseload continues to exhibit a sustained downward movement. It has significantly dropped to 2.54 lakh (2,54,254) today. This is the lowest after 179 days. The total active cases were 2,53,287 on 6th July, 2020.
• COVID19 Vaccine Rollout India PIB 01 Jan 2021 -- Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare today chaired a high-level meeting to review preparedness at session sites across the country for COVID-19 vaccination trial run on 2nd January 2021(tomorrow).

Iran

• Official rejects COVID19 vaccine shipment transfer from S. Korea to Iran IRNA 01 Jan 2021 -- Iranian Red Crescent Society spokesman reacted to news regarding transfer of the first COVID19 vaccine consignment from South Korea to Iran, saying no shipment has so far transferred from any country by Red Crescent Society to Iran.
• Iranian diplomat terms int'l cooperation as only way to fight COVID19 IRNA 01 Jan 2021 -- Iranian consul general in Guangzhou referred to mutual aid provided by Iranian and Chinese governments in time of coronavirus, saying international cooperation is the only way to fight COVID-19.
• COVID-19 kills 114 more people in Iran IRNA 01 Jan 2021 -- Some 114 more Iranians have died from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) over the past 24 hours bringing the total deaths to 55,337, Iran's Health Ministry spokeswoman Sima Sadat Lari said on Friday.
• WHO reacts to the Iranian coronavirus vaccine IRNA 01 Jan 2021 -- A world health organization spokesperson has reacted to the Iranian first trial of locally made coronavirus vaccine by saying that the organization 'welcomes all vaccine development programs around the world'.
• Joint cooperation with Cuba in coronavirus vaccine production 'among priorities': Iran official Press TV 01 Jan 2021 -- An Iranian Health Ministry official says the production of coronavirus vaccine in cooperation with Cuba is one of Tehran's priorities after such other alternatives as purchasing from a foreign country and participation in the World Health Organization's COVAX program.

South Korea

• South Korea Reports 1,029 New Coronavirus Cases SPA 01 Jan 2021 -- South Korea's daily new Coronavirus cases rose above 1,000 today, on Friday, Yonhap reported.

Saudi Arabia

• 137 New Confirmed COVID-19 Cases Detected, 228 Recoveries Reported, in Saudi Arabia SPA 01 Jan 2021 -- The Ministry of Health announced in a statement here today that 137 new confirmed cases of the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) have been reported, in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, bringing the total number to 362,878, including 2,567 active cases undergoing treatment.

Taiwan

• Taiwan reports 3 new imported COVID-19 cases Friday CNA 01 Jan 2021 -- Taiwan reported three additional imported cases of COVID-19 on Friday, bringing the total of confirmed cases in the country to 802 since the epidemic began, according to the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC).
• Taiwanese COVID-19 case in Shanghai a recovered patient: CECC CNA 01 Jan 2021 -- A Taiwanese who recently tested positive for COVID-19 in Shanghai was a previous patient who recovered from the disease in Taiwan and is no longer contagious, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) confirmed Friday.
• 106 people with recent U.K. travel history test negative for COVID-19 CNA 01 Jan 2021 -- Taiwan's Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) said Friday that of the passengers with a recent travel history to the United Kingdom, 106 had so far tested negative for COVID-19 upon completion of their mandatory 14-day quarantine.
• Tsai lauds Taiwan's anti-COVID-19 success in New Year's Day speech CNA 01 Jan 2021 -- President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) used her 2021 New Year's Day speech Friday to praise Taiwan's successful response to the COVID-19 pandemic and to make the case for Taiwan's growing importance on the international stage.
• 'Electronic fence' nabs individuals breaching COVID-19 protocols CNA 01 Jan 2021 -- Five people in Taiwan who attended a New Year's Eve concert in violation of COVID-19 protocols were caught Thursday by a mobile phone-based "electronic fence" launched by Taiwan's health authorities.

Other Countries

• Australian states face stricter interstate travel restrictions as COVID-19 cases continue to grow People's Daily 01 Jan 2021 -- As local COVID-19 cases in Australian states of New South Wales (NSW) and Victoria continued to grow, stricter border restrictions are in place across Australia from the first day of the new year.
• Africa CDC envisages most African countries will receive COVID-19 vaccines in 2021 People's Daily 01 Jan 2021 -- The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) Director John Nkengasong on Thursday said he envisages most African countries will start receiving COVID-19 vaccines by the second half of 2021.
• Why Is The World Allowing Turkmenistan To Deny It Has The Coronavirus? RFE/RL 01 Jan 2021 -- Various media reports and independent sources indicate that Turkmenistan is being hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic. Yet Turkmen officials continue to say there have not been any incidents of COVID-19 in the country.