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Other Security News
COVID-19 Pandemic News

Other Security News

• ODNI Releases Intelligence Community Assessment of Foreign Threats to the 2020 U.S. Elections Director of National Intelligence 16 Mar 2021 -- The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) today released the declassified Intelligence Community (IC) assessment of foreign threats to the 2020 U.S. federal elections. The document is a declassified version of a classified report that the IC provided to the President, senior Executive Branch officials, and Congressional leadership and intelligence oversight committees on January 7, 2021.
• U.S. Intelligence Says Iran, Russia Carried Out Influence Operations During 2020 Election RFE/RL 16 Mar 2021 -- Russia and Iran both conducted misinformation operations to influence the 2020 U.S. presidential race between Joe Biden and Donald Trump, according to a U.S. intelligence report.
• US: Russia, Iran Meddled in November's Election; China Held Back VOA 16 Mar 2021 -- A just-released assessment by U.S. intelligence officials finds Russia and Iran, joined by a handful of other countries and groups, did seek to influence the outcome of the November 2020 presidential election. But the assessment also concludes that, despite repeated warnings by a number of top officials, China ultimately decided to sit it out.
• Joint Statement from the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security Assessing the Impact of Foreign Interference During the 2020 U.S. Elections DHS 16 Mar 2021 -- The Department of Justice (DOJ), and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), including the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), released today key findings and recommendations from a joint report to the President issued last month on the impact of foreign governments and their agents on the security and integrity of the 2020 U.S. federal elections.
• US Army Memo Reveals Leadership Opposed Deploying National Guard Ahead of Capitol Riot - Report Sputnik 16 Mar 2021 -- In light of the deadly Capitol riot, law enforcement leadership have been heavily criticized for a series of security failures, especially as it took hours for officials to regain control of the situation. Recent hearings held on Capitol Hill revealed to lawmakers that it took over three hours before the National Guard was cleared for deployment.
• Statement by Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas Regarding the Situation at the Southwest Border DHS 16 Mar 2021
• USNORTHCOM-USSOUTHCOM Joint Press Briefing DoD 16 Mar 2021 -- Air Force General Glen D. VanHerck, Commander, U.S. Northern Command; Navy Admiral Craig S. Faller, Commander, U.S. Southern Command
• Northcom, Southcom Leaders Discuss Border, Hemispheric Security at Hearing DoD News 16 Mar 2021 -- An increase in migrants coming across the southern border, threats to the Western Hemisphere by China, and solutions to those and other problems were discussed today at a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing.
• Ukraine Accuses Russia Of Fresh Cyberattack RFE/RL 16 Mar 2021 -- Ukraine's State Security Service (SBU) said on March 16 it had prevented a large-scale cyberattack by Russian hackers targeting classified government data.
• Kyrgyzstan Repatriates Dozens Of Children Born To Militants In Iraq RFE/RL 16 Mar 2021 -- Kyrgyzstan has brought back dozens of children from Iraq, becoming the latest Central Asian state to repatriate its citizens since thousands from the region went to fight with extremist groups in Iraq and Syria.

COVID-19 Pandemic News

• Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) - Weekly Operationl Update WHO 16 Mar 2021
• Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) - Weekly Epidemiological Update WHO 16 Mar 2021

United States

• Air Force update for COVID-19 US Air Force 16 Mar 2021
• More COVID-19 fatalities discovered in U.S.: media People's Daily 16 Mar 2021 -- While COVID-19 deaths head lower and there are raising hopes the United States is turning a corner as vaccinations continue, states around the country are steadily finding previously unreported deaths that are causing data confusion, reported The Wall Street Journal on Monday.
• U.S. sees sharp drop in new COVID-19 cases, deaths as vaccination accelerates People's Daily 16 Mar 2021 -- The United States has witnessed the lowest single-day increase of COVID-19 cases and deaths since last winter as vaccination efforts are accelerated across the nation.

China

• Roundup: Vaccination top strategy of China's current COVID-19 response: officials People's Daily 16 Mar 2021 -- Nearly 65 million COVID-19 vaccine doses had been administered across China by Sunday, Li Bin, deputy head of the National Health Commission, told a press conference in Beijing on Monday.
• Beijing relaxes COVID-19 restrictions, offers convenience to lorry drivers People's Daily 16 Mar 2021 -- China's capital Beijing is relaxing its COVID-19 restrictions starting March 16, according to a press conference held on March 15.
• Chinese mainland reports no new locally transmitted COVID-19 cases People's Daily 16 Mar 2021 -- The Chinese mainland reported no new locally transmitted COVID-19 cases on Monday, the National Health Commission said Tuesday.
• China to donate 300,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines to UN peacekeepers PLA Daily 16 Mar 2021 -- China's permanent representative to the United Nations, Zhang Jun, on Monday notified UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres of China's intention to donate 300,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines to UN peacekeepers, with priority to be given to peacekeepers working in Africa, said the Chinese mission.
• China Reports 13 New COVID-19 Cases SPA 16 Mar 2021 -- The Chinese mainland reported 13 new COVID-19 cases during the past 24 hours.

Europe

• Europe's Medical Regulator to Rule on AstraZeneca Safety VOA 16 Mar 2021 -- Europe's medical regulator, the European Medicines Agency, will announce Thursday its findings on the safety of AstraZeneca's coronavirus vaccine as more European Union countries suspend its use over fears it might be linked to blood clots. Critics say governments are putting politics over science.
• France Battles a Third Wave of COVID Infections VOA 16 Mar 2021 -- Despite the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccines, France is once again under pressure to take new measures to curb a new spread of the virus in the country.
• Sweden and Venezuela become latest states to shun AstraZeneca vaccine over safety concerns Press TV 16 Mar 2021 -- After reports of abnormal blood clotting in recipients of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, Sweden has become the latest European country to suspend the administration of the Oxford-made vaccine.

Russia

• Russia-Controlled Crimea Temporarily Lifts Pandemic Restrictions To Mark Annexation Anniversary RFE/RL 16 Mar 2021 -- Authorities in the Russian-controlled Ukrainian Black Sea peninsula of Crimea have temporarily lifted coronavirus pandemic restrictions to mark the seventh anniversary of the region's annexation by Moscow.
• Russia Reports 9,393 New COVID-19 Cases SPA 16 Mar 2021 -- Russia on Tuesday reported 9,393 new COVID-19 cases, including 1,533 in Moscow, pushing the national infection tally to 4,409,438 since the pandemic began, according to Reuters.
• Russia Submitted All Documents for COVID-19 Vaccine Registration in EU Sputnik 16 Mar 2021 -- Russia has submitted all the necessary documents to register its coronavirus vaccine in the European Union, and relevant effort continues, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday, also warning against politicising the vaccine issue.

India

• India scales several peaks in its fight against COVID19 India PIB 16 Mar 2021 -- In its collaborative fight against the COVID19 pandemic, India has scaled several peaks today. In a significant development, the total vaccination coverage in India has crossed the3.29 crore.
• COVID19 Vaccination-Day 60 India PIB 16 Mar 2021 -- The cumulative number of COVID19 vaccine doses administered in the country has crossed 3.48Crore today.
• Demand for Indian COVID-19 Vaccines India PIB 16 Mar 2021 -- Ministry of External Affairs has received several requests for the supply of Indian manufactured COVID-19 vaccines from various foreign countries.

Pakistan

• Pakistani president, wife receive Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine jabs Global Times 16 Mar 2021 -- Pakistani President Arif Alvi and his wife Samina Alvi on Monday received their COVID-19 jabs with the Sinopharm vaccine in Islamabad, according to a statement from the president's office.

Iran

• Iran Talks Up Homegrown COVID-19 Vaccines In Show Of Self-Reliance RFE/RL 16 Mar 2021 -- Iran is boasting that its ability to make coronavirus vaccines exemplifies its self-sufficiency, with one top official comparing the feat to its ability to build missiles.
• COVID-19 claims 97 lives in past 24 hours in Iran: Official IRNA 16 Mar 2021 -- Some 97 more Iranians have died from the the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) over the past 24 hours bringing the total deaths to 61,427, Iran's Health Ministry spokeswoman Sima Sadat Lari said on Tuesday.
• Iran unveils another COVID-19 vaccine, Fakhra IRNA 16 Mar 2021 -- Phase one of a clinical trial for another Iranian COVID-19 vaccine, Fakhra - named after the martyred nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh - kicked off, with his son receiving the first dose.
• Iran unveils another Iranian COVID-19 vaccine named "Fakhra" ISNA 16 Mar 2021 -- The first phase of a clinical trial for another Iranian COVID-19 vaccine named "Fakhra" was launched on Tuesday with Defense Minister Brigadier General Amir Hatami and Health Minister Saeed Namaki in attendance.
• Iran's IRGC unveils homegrown rapid test kits for coronavirus Press TV 16 Mar 2021 -- Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has unveiled a new generation of homegrown test kits that allow the rapid diagnosis of the new coronavirus.
• Iran unveils COVID-19 vaccine named to honor assassinated scientist Fakhrizadeh Press TV 16 Mar 2021 -- Iran has unveiled a new COVID-19 vaccine developed by the Defense Ministry's research center formerly headed by nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, who was assassinated in a suspected Israeli-linked terror attack late last year.

Saudi Arabia

• Ministry of Health: 354 New Confirmed Cases of COVID-19 Reported in Saudi Arabia SPA 16 Mar 2021 -- The Ministry of Health announced today that 354 new confirmed cases of Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) have been reported in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; thus bringing the total number to 383,106 confirmed cases, including 3,398 active cases receiving necessary medical care. Of these, there are 560 critical cases, while the health condition of the rest is stable.

Taiwan

• Only a third of medical workers willing to get AstraZeneca vaccine CNA 16 Mar 2021 -- Only a third of medical workers at hospitals that treat COVID-19 patients in Taiwan are willing to get the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, according to preliminary results of a Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) survey.

Brazil

• Brazil's Coronavirus Case Tally Tops 11.5 Million - Health Ministry SPA 16 Mar 2021 -- The number of cases of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) recorded in Brazil has exceeded 11.5 million, and more than 279,000 people have died since the beginning of the pandemic, the country's Health Ministry said in a statement.
• US Department of Health admits to pressuring Brazil into rejecting Russian Sputnik V vaccine Press TV 16 Mar 2021 -- The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has admitted that it used "diplomatic relations" to force Brazil to reject authorization of the Russian coronavirus vaccine Sputnik V amid rising death toll.

NATO

• Speech by NATO Deputy Secretary General, Mircea Geoană, at the NATO Lessons Learned conference NATO 16 Mar 2021 -- (As delivered)
• Alliance scientists study the military impact of COVID-19 NATO 16 Mar 2021 -- NATO's network of over 6,000 scientists and engineers continue to support efforts to tackle the effects of COVID-19. The network recently completed a study analysing the military impact of the pandemic over the next six years. The study looks at the impact of COVID-19 on a range of military functional areas, such as personnel, intelligence, operations, logistics, planning, communications, training and civil affairs.

Other Countries

• Aussie doctors ill-equipped for next stage of COVID vaccine rollout: medical bodies People's Daily 16 Mar 2021 -- Leading medical groups have warned that Australia is ill-equipped for the next phase of the COVID-19 vaccine rollout.
• UN Urges Cambodians to End Hate Speech Amid Worsening Coronavirus Outbreak Radio Free Asia 16 Mar 2021 -- Discrimination against people who have contracted COVID-19 can often prove more dangerous than the disease itself, a United Nations body in Cambodia warned Tuesday, following a rash of hate speech on social media targeting perceived "superspreaders" amid a coronavirus outbreak in the country.
• Kuwait Reports 1,314 New Cases of Covid-19 SPA 16 Mar 2021 -- Kuwait reported 1,314 new cases of the Novel Coronavirus (Covid-19), during the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of lab-confirmed cases to 212,169.
• UAE Announces 2,018 new COVID-19 Cases, 2,651 Recoveries, 4 Deaths in Last 24 Hours SPA 16 Mar 2021 -- The UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) announced that it conducted 208,085 additional COVID-19 tests over the past 24 hours, using state-of-the-art medical testing equipment.
• Jamaica to Begin Mass Vaccinations of Top Gov't Officials Over 60 Years Old VOA 16 Mar 2021 -- Jamaica will begin administering COVID-19 vaccinations Tuesday to top government officials, including Cabinet members, Parliamentarians and heads of ministries and government agencies who are at least 60 years of age.