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COVID-19 Pandemic News

Other Security News

• Remarks by President Biden on Russia The White House 15 Apr 2021
• Holding Russia To Account US Dept. of State 15 Apr 2021 -- "Today, we announced actions to hold the Russian Government to account for the SolarWinds intrusion, reports of bounties on U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan, and attempts to interfere in the 2020 U.S. elections."
• Treasury Sanctions Russia with Sweeping New Sanctions Authority US Treasury 15 Apr 2021 -- Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury took multiple sanctions actions under a new Executive Order (E.O.) targeting aggressive and harmful activities by the Government of the Russian Federation. Treasury's actions include the implementation of new prohibitions on certain dealings in Russian sovereign debt, as well as targeted sanctions on technology companies that support the Russian Intelligence Services' efforts to carry out malicious cyber activities against the United States.
• Background Press Call by Senior Administration Officials on Russia The White House 15 Apr 2021
• A Letter on Blocking Property with Respect to Specified Harmful Foreign Activities of the Government of the Russian Federation The White House 15 Apr 2021
• Executive Order on Blocking Property with Respect to Specified Harmful Foreign Activities of the Government of the Russian Federation The White House 15 Apr 2021
• FACT SHEET: Imposing Costs for Harmful Foreign Activities by the Russian Government The White House 15 Apr 2021
• US Further Punishes Russia for Cyberattacks, Election Meddling VOA 15 Apr 2021 -- The United States cannot allow a foreign power to intervene with impunity in American elections, President Joe Biden said Thursday, after he took action to punish Russia for that and a major cyberattack.
• U.S. To Expel 10 Russian Intel Officers, Target Debt With Sanctions RFE/RL 15 Apr 2021 -- U.S. media reports say sanctions looming against Russia in retaliation for alleged election interference and hacking will include the expulsion of 10 intelligence officers from the United States as well as targeting all Russian debt issued after April 14.
• North Atlantic Council Statement following the announcement by the United States of actions with regard to Russia NATO 15 Apr 2021 -- NATO Allies support and stand in solidarity with the United States, following its 15 April announcement of actions to respond to Russia's destabilising activities. Allies are taking actions individually and collectively to enhance the Alliance's collective security.
• U.S. Expels Russian Diplomats, Targets Debt Market As Kremlin Vows Retaliation RFE/RL 15 Apr 2021 -- The United States has imposed wide-ranging sanctions on Russia in retaliation for election interference, cyberattacks, and what Washington described as Moscow's other "harmful" foreign activities.
• Biden administration imposes sweeping sanctions on Russia Press TV 15 Apr 2021 -- The administration of US President Joe Biden has announced sweeping sanctions against Russia accusing it of being involved in a recent major cyber espionage operation against the United States.
• Treasury Escalates Sanctions Against the Russian Government's Attempts to Influence U.S. Elections US Treasury 15 Apr 2021 -- Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) took sweeping action against 16 entities and 16 individuals who attempted to influence the 2020 U.S. presidential election at the direction of the leadership of the Russian Government.
• Russia: Foreign Office summons Russian ambassador UK FCDO 15 Apr 2021 -- The Foreign Office has summoned the Russian ambassador over the SolarWinds cyber attack and its recent malign activity.
• Russia: UK and US expose global campaign of malign activity by Russian intelligence services UK FCDO 15 Apr 2021 -- The UK and US share US concerns about malign activity by Russia and have attributed a cyber attack to the Russian intelligence service.
• Russia: UK exposes Russian involvement in SolarWinds cyber compromise UK FCDO 15 Apr 2021 -- The UK government has for the first time today exposed details of the SVR's cyber programme.
• Iranian Opposition Group Members Charged In Denmark With Financing Terrorist Activity RFE/RL 15 Apr 2021 -- Denmark's public prosecutor has charged three members of an Iranian Arab opposition group with financing and supporting terrorist activity in Iran and aiding Saudi intelligence services.
• Deputy Secretary General participates in NATO Cyber Defence Pledge Conference NATO 15 Apr 2021 -- NATO Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoană outlined NATO's adaptation to cyber threats in a keynote speech at the NATO Cyber Defence Pledge Conference 2021 on Thursday (15 April 2021).

COVID-19 Pandemic News

United States

• Over 30% of US Adults Fully Vaccinated, CDC Says VOA 15 Apr 2021 -- More than 30% of U.S. adults, about 78.5 million, are fully vaccinated for COVID-19, according to new data released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
• Decision on Fate of Johnson & Johnson Vaccine Delayed by US Advisory Panel VOA 15 Apr 2021 -- An independent panel of U.S. health experts is delaying a final decision about Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine as they get more information about it and possible links to a very rare but dangerous blood clot.
• U.S. CDC advisors meet on Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine after blood clots reported People's Daily 15 Apr 2021 -- An advisory body of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) met on Wednesday to discuss next steps on Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine after rare blood clotting cases emerged in six recipients.
• US Records 73,622 New Cases and 831 Deaths from COVID-19 SPA 15 Apr 2021 -- The United States of America recorded, during the past 24 hours, 73,622 confirmed cases and 831 deaths due to the novel coronavirus.
• United States Reports 76,120 New COVID-19 Cases SPA 15 Apr 2021 -- The United States of America reported 76,120 new confirmed COVID-19 cases and 769 deaths, during the past 24 hours.

China

• All military personnel should be inoculated with COVID-19 vaccines: PLA military experts Global Times 15 Apr 2021 -- Military experts from the People's Liberation Army (PLA) said that as a professional organization, it is critical for military personnel to be fully inoculated with the COVID-19 vaccine, the PLA Daily's WeChat official account reported on Thursday.
• 12.5 mln people in Beijing vaccinated against COVID-19 People's Daily 15 Apr 2021 -- Beijing has administered more than 20 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines as of 12 p.m. Thursday, according to the municipal government.
• Chinese mainland reports 10 new imported COVID-19 cases People's Daily 15 Apr 2021 -- The Chinese mainland on Wednesday reported 10 new COVID-19 cases, all imported, the National Health Commission said Thursday.
• China's Yunnan reports no new COVID-19 cases People's Daily 15 Apr 2021 -- Southwest China's Yunnan Province, where new locally-transmitted COVID-19 cases began to emerge in late March, reported no new confirmed cases on Wednesday, the provincial health commission said on Thursday.

Europe

• COVID-19 Deaths Among Oldest Europeans Reach Lowest Level Since Pandemic Began VOA 15 Apr 2021 -- COVID-19 cases are declining among Europeans 80 and older and death rates in the age group are at the lowest level since the pandemic began, according to a World Health Organization official.
• France Records 43,505 New COVID-19 Cases SPA 15 Apr 2021 -- France reported 43,505 new confirmed COVID-19 cases and 297 deaths, during the past 24 hours.
• UK Records 2,491 New Cases of COVID-19 SPA 15 Apr 2021 -- The United Kingdom recorded 2,491 new cases of the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) and 38 deaths, during the past 24 hours.
• Italy hits pause on J&J coronavirus vaccine plans just ahead of rollout People's Daily 15 Apr 2021 -- Italy has paused its rollout plans for the U.S.-made Johnson &Johnson vaccine just before it was set to begin distribution of the one-dose jab, a government official said.

Russia

• Good Science, Bad Marketing? Russia's Sputnik Vaccine Is Plagued By Controversy, Missteps RFE/RL 15 Apr 2021 -- In January, Vasily Vlassov, 67, got sick with COVID-19. He was lucky, the Moscow academic said. His symptoms weren't bad, and he's had no lingering aftereffects.

India

• India's Cumulative Vaccination Coverage exceeds 11.44Crores India PIB 15 Apr 2021 -- The cumulativenumber of COVID19 vaccine doses administered in the country has crossed 11.44 Cr today. Four days Tika Utsav was observed from 11th to 14th April 2021 to give boost to vaccination activities across the country covering the public and private sectors. The total vaccination figures during the Tika Utsav saw a jump of 1,28,98,314 vaccine doses being administered to people of the eligible population groups across the country.
• COVID19 Vaccination-Day 90 India PIB 15 Apr 2021 -- The total vaccinations across the country have crossed the 11.70 crore mark today with more than 26.02 lakh vaccine doses administered till 8 pm. Today, 67,400 COVID Vaccination Centres (CVCs) were operational, marking a rise of an average of 22,400 operational Vaccination Centres (45,000 CVCs on an average are functional on any given day). Workplace vaccinations have also enabled such a high turnout of beneficiaries.
• Union Health Ministry Issues Regulatory Pathways for foreign produced COVID-19 Vaccines India PIB 15 Apr 2021 -- In a radical reform measure, the Union Government on 13th April 2021 had approved a significant streamlining and fast tracking of regulatory system for COVID-19 vaccines approved for restricted use by US FDA, EMA, UK MHRA, PMDA Japan or which are listed in WHO Emergency Use Listing (EUL).
• Union Home Secretary Chairs High Level meet to review the status of COVID-19 Status and Public Health Measures taken by Madhya Pradesh India PIB 15 Apr 2021 -- Union Home Secretary Shri Ajay Kumar Bhalla along with Shri Rajesh Bhushan, Union Health Secretary chaired a high-level meeting today to review the status of COVID19 in Madhya Pradesh and the public health measures taken for surveillance, containment and management of COVID19 by the health authorities.
• COVID 'Tika Utsav' witnesses growth in number of COVID Vaccination Centres and Daily Vaccinations India PIB 15 Apr 2021 -- India has been scaling multiple peaks in its effort to vaccinate vulnerable sections of its population against the COVID-19 virus.
• Update on COVID-19 India PIB 15 Apr 2021 -- Medical oxygen is a critical component in the treatment of COVID affected patients.
• Over 200,000 new cases take India's COVID-19 tally to over 14 million People's Daily 15 Apr 2021 -- India's COVID-19 surge continues as over 200,000 (200,739) cases were registered during the past 24 hours, taking the total tally to over 14 million (14,074,564), said the latest data released by the federal health ministry on Thursday.
• India Registers Record 200,739 New COVID-19 Cases SPA 15 Apr 2021 -- India registered 200,739 new COVID-19 cases within the past 24 hours, marking the largest daily increase since the start of the outbreak, the national Ministry of Health said on Thursday, according to Sputnik News Agency.

Iran

• Iran buys 60 million doses Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine IRNA 15 Apr 2021 -- Iranian Ambassador in Moscow Kazem Jalali said on Thursday that Iran bought 60 million doses of the Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine from Russia.
• 400k doses of Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine arrives in Iran: Official IRNA 15 Apr 2021 -- The spokesman of Customs Administration of Iran said on Thursday that the shipment of 400 thousand doses of COVID-19 vaccine has arrived at Imam Khomeini Airport in Tehran.
• COVID-19 kills 321 more people in Iran IRNA 15 Apr 2021 -- Some 321 more Iranians have died from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) over the past 24 hours bringing the total deaths to 65,680 Iran's Health Ministry spokeswoman Sima Sadat Lari said on Thursday.
• Mass production of Iran's Razi-Cov Pars Covid19 Vaccines to come in late August IRNA 15 Apr 2021 -- Razi Vaccine and Serum Research Institute, a coronavirus vaccine producer in Iran, said Thursday that mass production of its Cov Pars COVID-19 vaccine would come in late August.
• Iran Signs Deal To Buy 60 Million Sputnik Vaccine Doses From Russia RFE/RL 15 Apr 2021 -- Iran's ambassador to Moscow says Tehran has signed a contract with Russia to purchase 60 million doses of the Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine.

Saudi Arabia

• Health Ministry: 985 New Confirmed COVID-19 Cases, 661 Recoveries Reported in Saudi Arabia SPA 15 Apr 2021 -- The Ministry of Health announced today in a statement that 985 new confirmed cases of the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) have been reported in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, bringing the total number to 402,142, including 9,249 active cases.

Taiwan

• Taiwan confirms one new imported COVID-19 case CNA 15 Apr 2021 -- Taiwan confirmed one new imported case of COVID-19 on Thursday, involving a Taiwanese girl under the age of 5, who recently returned from Indonesia, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) said.
• Moderna vaccines to arrive in May, more AstraZeneca by June 15 CNA 15 Apr 2021 -- A shipment of COVID-19 vaccines from the American pharmaceutical company Moderna Inc. will arrive in Taiwan in May, the first in an order of 5.05 million doses, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) said Thursday.

North Korea

• Emergency Anti-epidemic Work Intensified in DPRK KCNA 15 Apr 2021 -- Emergency anti-epidemic units at all levels in the DPRK are further intensifying emergency anti-epidemic work to cope with the world health crisis, bearing in mind that slackening anti-epidemic work even a moment will put the wellbeing of the country and the people at irrecoverable risk.

Cambodia

• Cambodia places capital, neighboring city under 14-day lockdown to curb COVID-19 People's Daily 15 Apr 2021 -- Cambodia decided to place its Phnom Penh capital city and neighboring Ta Khmau city under a 14-day lockdown in a bid to contain the spread of COVID-19, Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen said in a decision on Wednesday night.
• Cambodians Rush to Markets as Hun Sen Imposes COVID Lockdown Radio Free Asia 15 Apr 2021 -- Residents of Phnom Penh rushed to stock up on food and other supplies on Thursday as word spread of a lockdown ordered by Prime Minister Hun Sen to combat the coronavirus pandemic in the capital and surrounding Kandal province, sources said.

Other Countries

• Africa's COVID-19 cases near 4.37 mln: Africa CDC People's Daily 15 Apr 2021 -- The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Africa has reached 4,369,844 as of Wednesday, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said.
• Thailand's daily COVID-19 cases reach new high for 2nd straight day People's Daily 15 Apr 2021 -- Thailand on Thursday recorded 1,543 new COVID-19 infections, hitting a record high for the second consecutive day and bringing the nationwide tally to 37,453.
• Egypt to use Cairo's int'l exhibition center for mass COVID-19 vaccination: minister People's Daily 15 Apr 2021 -- Egyptian Health Minister Hala Zayed said on Wednesday that the government is preparing the vast Cairo International Convention and Exhibition Centre for mass COVID-19 vaccination, noting the center can accommodate 10,000 citizens daily.
• Argentines urged to stay home amid new wave of COVID-19 People's Daily 15 Apr 2021 -- Argentina's Health Minister Carla Vizzotti on Wednesday urged people to limit their activity to just "essential" tasks, such as going to work or taking children to school, amid a new wave of outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease.
• Morocco Records 596 New Cases of Coronavirus SPA 15 Apr 2021 -- Morocco recorded 596 new cases of the novel coronavirus during the past 24 hours, bringing the total number to 504,260.
• Kuwait Reports 1,402 New Covid-19 Cases SPA 15 Apr 2021 -- Kuwait reported 1,402 new cases of the Novel Coronavirus (Covid-19), and 4 deaths during the past 24 hours.
• Tunisia records 2,123 New Coronavirus Cases SPA 15 Apr 2021 -- During the past 24 hours, Tunisia has recorded 2,123 new cases of the novel coronavirus, and 84 deaths, it was reported today.