Other Security News
COVID-19 Pandemic News

Other Security News

• Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for ISIS-inspired Bombing in New York City Subway Station in 2017 US Dept. of Justice 22 Apr 2021 -- A New York man was sentenced today to life in prison for detonating a bomb in a New York City subway station. He admitted that he conducted the terrorist attack on behalf of the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization.

COVID-19 Pandemic News

United States

• Department of Defense Leaders Update Reporters on DOD COVID-19 Efforts DoD 22 Apr 2021 -- Dr. Terry Adirim, Acting Assistant Secretary Of Defense For Health Affairs; Lieutenant General Ronald Place, Director, Defense Health Agency
• Over 200 mln COVID-19 shots administered in U.S. People's Daily 22 Apr 2021 -- More than 200 million shots of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in the United States as of Wednesday, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

China

• Beijing Urges WHO Leader Not to Pursue 'Lab Leak' Theory VOA 22 Apr 2021 -- China is lashing out at the chief of the World Health Organization for suggesting that more study is needed into the possibility that the coronavirus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic initially escaped from a laboratory in Wuhan, China.
• Zhuhai achieves 80% of vaccination rate, first among Chinese cities Global Times 22 Apr 2021 -- Zhuhai in South China's Guangdong Province had vaccinated over 1.4 million residents by Tuesday, becoming the first Chinese city to have realized a vaccination rate of over 80 percent of people between the ages of 18 and 59.
• BioNTech vaccine mass production in China close to ready, may get go-ahead before July Global Times 22 Apr 2021 -- The COVID-19 mRNA vaccine co-developed by German-based BioNTech and China's Fosun Pharma can be rolled out in the Chinese mainland very quickly once it receives authorization, as key steps for mass production are close to ready, the Global Times learned from a source on Thursday.
• Latest study on China's COVID-19 vaccine encouraging: expert People's Daily 22 Apr 2021 -- Research data on China's Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine published by Chilean health authorities last week showed very positive, encouraging signs and high vaccine efficacy, said a Chinese health expert Wednesday.
• Chinese mainland reports 6 new COVID-19 cases, all imported People's Daily 22 Apr 2021 -- The Chinese mainland on Wednesday reported six new COVID-19 cases, all of which were imported, the National Health Commission said in its daily report on Thursday.

Europe

• German Bundestag passes nationwide "emergency brake" COVID-19 rules People's Daily 22 Apr 2021 -- Germany's Bundestag (lower house of Parliament) agreed on Wednesday on nationwide binding rules for stricter measures in the fight against the third COVID-19 wave and high infection rates.
• German court clears path for EU COVID-19 recovery fund People's Daily 22 Apr 2021 -- Germany's Federal Constitutional Court rejected on Wednesday an urgent appeal against the European Union's (EU) comprehensive COVID-19 recovery fund, clearing an immediate legal obstacle for the country to take part in its launch.
• UK Records 2,729 New Cases of Covid-19 SPA 22 Apr 2021 -- United Kingdom recorded, in the past 24 hours, 2,729 new confirmed cases of the novel Coronavirus (Covid-19) as well as 18 deaths.
• UK Records 2,396 New Cases of COVID-19 SPA 22 Apr 2021 -- The United Kingdom recorded 2,396 new cases of the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), along with 22 deaths in the past 24 hours.
• Hungary Sees Reopening Terraces, Shortening Of Curfew As Vaccinations Gain Momentum RFE/RL 22 Apr 2021 -- Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's chief of staff says he expects the reopening of restaurant terraces and a shortening of a curfew at night from April 24 as the country's vaccination campaign allows for a further reopening of the economy.
• Belgium Records 5,113 New Cases of Coronavirus, 33 Deaths SPA 22 Apr 2021 -- Belgium recorded 5,113 new cases of the coronavirus and 33 deaths in the past 24 hours.

Russia

India

• India's Hospitals Buckle Under Lethal Second Pandemic Wave VOA 22 Apr 2021 -- Hospitals in India are running desperately short of beds, medical oxygen and key drugs for coronavirus treatment as a lethal second wave of the pandemic brings the country's health care system to a breaking point.
• India Reports World's Biggest Single-Day Total of COVID-19 Infections VOA 22 Apr 2021 -- India reported 314,835 new COVID-19 infections Thursday, the highest one-day total posted by any nation during the yearlong global pandemic.
• India's Oxygen Woes: Delhi and Haryana Desperate for O2 as COVID Patients Gasp for Breath Sputnik 22 Apr 2021 -- COVID patients in India's capital Delhi are in urgent need of oxygen as the second wave of the virus wreaks havoc in the country, which recorded 314,835 new infections in the last 24 hours, the world's highest daily tally since the start of the pandemic.
• Worsening epidemic in India hampers recovery, chills foreign investment Global Times 22 Apr 2021 -- A recent surge of COVID-19 cases in India, which media reports said could possibly get out of control, will be another major hit to the nation's economy and could also discourage foreign investment, experts said on Thursday.
• India's Cumulative Vaccination Coverage exceeds13.23 Crores India PIB 22 Apr 2021 -- The cumulativenumber of COVID19 vaccine doses administered in the country hascrossed13.23 Cr today as part of the world's largest vaccination drive.
• COVID19 Vaccination-Day 97 India PIB 22 Apr 2021 -- The total vaccinations across the country has crossed more than 13.5 crore mark today with more than 30 lakh vaccine doses administered till 8 pm.
• Serum Institute of India (SII) has NOT contracted all its production of COVID vaccine to the Centre till 25th May 2021 India PIB 22 Apr 2021 -- There have been some media reports suggesting that Serum Institute of India (SII) has contracted all its production till 25th May 2021 to the Centre, and therefore till that date the State governments will not be able to procure vaccine from SII.
• India registers record daily spike of over 310,000 COVID-19 cases People's Daily 22 Apr 2021 -- India's COVID-19 tally reached 15,930,965 on Thursday as a record single day spike of 314,835 new cases was recorded in the country.
• India Posts Daily Rise of over 300,000 COVID-19 Cases, Record Death Toll SPA 22 Apr 2021 -- India on Thursday reported more than 300,000 coronavirus cases over the last 24 hours, the highest daily global total, while COVID-19-related deaths also jumped by a record, according to Reuters.

Iran

• Official: Iran imports 6th batch of Russia's Sputnik V IRNA 22 Apr 2021 -- The spokesman for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Kianoush Jahanpour on Thursday said that Iran received the 6th batch of Russia's Sputnik V vaccine today.
• COVID-19 kills 453 more people in Iran IRNA 22 Apr 2021 -- Some 453 more Iranians have died from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) over the past 24 hours bringing the total deaths to 68,366, Iran's Health Ministry said on Thursday.

Saudi Arabia

• Health Ministry: 1,055 New Confirmed COVID-19 Cases, 1,086 Recoveries Reported in Saudi Arabia SPA 22 Apr 2021 -- The Ministry of Health announced today in a statement that 1,055 new confirmed cases of the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) have been reported in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, bringing the total number to 409,093, including 9,776 active cases.

Taiwan

• Taiwan confirms four new imported COVID-19 cases CNA 22 Apr 2021 -- Taiwan on Thursday confirmed four new imported cases of COVID-19, bringing the number of cases in the country to 1,086, according to the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC).

Syria

• Syria receives first COVID-19 vaccines, for most vulnerable UN News 22 Apr 2021 -- More than 250,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine arrived in Syria on Thursday from the UN-backed COVAX initiative, to inoculate the country's frontline health workers.
• Over 250,000 COVID-19 Vaccine Doses Delivered to Syria VOA 22 Apr 2021 -- The Syrian government and the country's last rebel-controlled enclave received their first doses of COVID-19 vaccines Thursday.

Other Countries

• African Children Missing Out on Life-Saving Vaccines Due to COVID-19 VOA 22 Apr 2021 -- The World Health Organization warns that millions of children in Africa are not receiving life-saving vaccinations against preventable killer diseases because most efforts are focused on ending the COVID-19 pandemic. Latest WHO figures find more than 4.4 million COVID-19 cases on the African continent, including 118,000 deaths.
• Argentina calls for equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines People's Daily 22 Apr 2021 -- Argentina's President Alberto Fernandez on Wednesday called for equitable distribution of vaccines against the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
• Cambodians in Coronavirus Lockdown Demand Assistance, Not Subsidized Goods Radio Free Asia 22 Apr 2021 -- A government plan to alleviate financial hardship by providing food and supplies at subsidized prices will do little to assist residents of Cambodia's capital region in the midst of a coronavirus lockdown because they have no money to buy the goods, sources said Thursday, a week into the stay-at-home order.
• Human Rights Law NGO Hits Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand for Using Coronavirus to Control Media Radio Free Asia 22 Apr 2021 -- An international human rights law NGO Thursday criticized the governments of Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam for using the COVID-19 pandemic to enact new laws that would allow them to more tightly control the media.
• Morocco Records 600 New Cases of COVID-19 SPA 22 Apr 2021 -- Morocco recorded, during the past 24 hours, 600 new cases of the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), bringing the total number of lab-confirmed cases to 507,938.
• Oman Reports 1,508 New COVID-19 Cases SPA 22 Apr 2021 -- Oman reported 1,508 cases of the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), 16 deaths and 1,301 recoveries during the past 24 hours.
• Tunisia Records 2,603 New Covid-19 Cases SPA 22 Apr 2021 -- Tunis recorded 2,603 new cases of the novel Coronavirus (Covid-19), and 75 deaths, during the past 24 hours.
• Kuwait Reports 1439 New Cases of COVID-19 SPA 22 Apr 2021 -- Kuwait recorded, during the past 24 hours, 1439 new cases of the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) as well as 14 deaths, due its complications.
• Turkey to Start Using Russian Vaccine Sputnik V Soon, Health Minister Says Sputnik 22 Apr 2021 -- Turkey will soon start using the Russian coronavirus vaccine Sputnik V, the country's health minister, Fahrettin Koca, said on Thursday.