Other Security News
COVID-19 Pandemic News

Other Security News

• Trump Held Secret Meetings in Days Leading Up to Capitol Riot, Ex-Press Secretary Tells Jan. 6 Panel Sputnik 20 Jan 2022 -- Stephanie Grisham, who served as press secretary and communications director for the Trump White House, resigned from the administration following the US Capitol riot on January 6, 2021. In November 2021, Grisham urged the House Select Committee panel to look into White House call logs, noting that Trump was "paranoid of leaks".
• US Supreme Court Blocks Trump's Attempt to Keep Records From January 6 Congressional Panel Sputnik 20 Jan 2022 -- The US Supreme Court blocked an attempt by former President Donald Trump to keep White House records related to the January 6 Capitol riot from the US House Select Committee investigating the incident, according to a court order.
• US Capitol Riot Probe Seeks Ivanka Trump's Cooperation VOA 20 Jan 2022 -- The congressional committee investigating the January 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol on Thursday asked former President Donald Trump's daughter to voluntarily cooperate with its probe.
• Cyber and Critical Technology Partnership with Australia: Foreign Secretary's statement UK FCDO 20 Jan 2022 -- Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has agreed a new Cyber and Critical Technology Partnership with Australia's Foreign Minister Marise Payne.

COVID-19 Pandemic News

• WHO Recommends Nations Lift or Ease COVID-19-Related Travel Bans VOA 20 Jan 2022 -- The World Health Organization this week recommended nations lift or ease their existing COVID-19-related travel restrictions, saying they could exacerbate economic and social stress related to the pandemic.

United States

• US Travel Advisory Dismays Canadians Amid Omicron Wave VOA 20 Jan 2022 -- Canadians, quietly prideful about their relatively high rates of COVID-19 vaccination and face mask compliance, were taken aback last week when the United States declared the country unsafe and advised Americans not to travel across their northern border.
• DHS to Require Non-U.S. Individual Travelers Entering the United States at Land Ports of Entry and Ferry Terminals to be Fully Vaccinated Against COVID-19 DHS 20 Jan 2022 -- Beginning on January 22, 2022, DHS will require non-U.S. individuals seeking to enter the United States via land ports of entry and ferry terminals at the U.S.-Mexico and U.S.-Canada borders to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 and provide related proof of vaccination, as COVID-19 cases continue to rise nationwide. These new restrictions will apply to non-U.S. individuals who are traveling for both essential and non-essential reasons. They will not apply to U.S. citizens, Lawful Permanent Residents, or U.S. nationals.
• U.S. logs over 1 mln daily COVID-19 cases again People's Daily 20 Jan 2022 -- The United States added over 1 million COVID-19 cases again on Tuesday, after setting a global record of over 1.36 million daily cases earlier this month, according to latest data from Johns Hopkins University.

China

• Beijing tightens COVID-19 test requirements for cold chain logistics workers Global Times 20 Jan 2022 -- Beijing now requires workers in the imported cold chain food industry to hold COVID-19 nucleic acid negative test certificates within three days, instead of the previous seven days, as the capital city strengthens epidemic prevention measures amid the recent flare-up.
• Number of new COVID-19 cases on Chinese mainland continues to decline People's Daily 20 Jan 2022 -- The number of new locally transmitted COVID-19 cases reported on the Chinese mainland continued to decline on Wednesday, according to the National Health Commission (NHC) 's Thursday report.

Europe

• Austrian Parliament Approves Mandatory COVID Vaccination Starting February Sputnik 20 Jan 2022 -- Following this development, Austria essentially becomes the first European country to introduce mandatory vaccination against COVID-19.

India

• India's Cumulative COVID-19 Vaccination Coverage exceeds 159.67 Cr India PIB 20 Jan 2022 -- With the administration of more than 73 lakh Doses (73,38,592) vaccine doses in the last 24 hours, India's COVID-19 vaccination coverage has exceeded 159
• COVID - 19 Vaccination Update - Day 370 India PIB 20 Jan 2022 -- India's COVID-19 vaccination coverage has crossed 160
• Update on COVID-19 Vaccine Availability in States/UTs India PIB 20 Jan 2022 -- The Union Government is committed to accelerating the pace and expanding the scope of COVID-19 vaccination throughout the country
• COVID-19 UPDATE India PIB 20 Jan 2022

Pakistan

• Pakistan Records 6,808 New Cases of COVID-19 SPA 20 Jan 2022 -- Pakistan recorded 6,808 confirmed cases of the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) and 5 deaths in the past 24 hours.

Iran

• COVID-19 kills 20 more Iranians over past 24 hours IRNA 20 Jan 2022 -- The number of deaths from the coronavirus disease in Iran increased to 132,152 with 20 more Iranians killed by the deadly disease over the past 24 hours, Iran's Health Ministry announced on Thursday.

South Korea

• S.Korea Records 6,603 New Cases of COVID-19 SPA 20 Jan 2022 -- South Korea recorded today 6,603 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours.

Saudi Arabia

• Ministry of Health Reports 5,591 New COVID-19 Cases, 5,238 Recoveries in Saudi Arabia SPA 20 Jan 2022 -- The Ministry of Health (MoH) announced the registration of 5,591 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 5,238 recoveries in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia during the past 24 hours.

Taiwan

• Taiwan reports 37 new COVID-19 cases, including 13 domestic CNA 20 Jan 2022 -- Taiwan confirmed 37 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, consisting of 13 domestic cases and 24 imported cases, with no deaths from the disease, according to the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC).
• Taiwan introduces COVID vaccine mandate for some entertainment venues CNA 20 Jan 2022 -- Starting Friday, people will be required to show proof that they have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 before being allowed to enter certain adult entertainment venues, and Taiwan's digital COVID-19 certificates will be more widely available, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) announced Thursday.

North Korea

• North Korea Expands China Trade, But Wider Pandemic Approach Unclear VOA 20 Jan 2022 -- North Korea this week resumed railway imports from China for the first time since its lockdown began in 2020, potentially signaling a new phase in its approach to the pandemic.

Other Countries

• Morocco Records 9,061 New Cases of COVID-19 SPA 20 Jan 2022 -- Morocco recorded 9,061 new cases of the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of infections to 1,078,002.
• Kuwait Records 4,510 New Infections with COVID-19 SPA 20 Jan 2022 -- Kuwait recorded 4,510 new infections with the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), in the past 24 hours, bringing the infection tally to 484,150.
• Tunisia Records 12,698 New Cases of COVID-19 SPA 20 Jan 2022 -- Tunisia recorded 12,698 new infections with the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), and 14 deaths as well, during the past 24 hours.
• UAE Announces 3,014 New COVID-19 Cases, 4 Deaths in Last 24 Hours SPA 20 Jan 2022 -- The Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) announced that it conducted 504,831 additional COVID-19 tests over the past 24 hours, using state-of-the-art medical testing equipment, according to WAM News Agency.
• Egypt Records 1379 New Cases of COVID-19 SPA 20 Jan 2022 -- Egypt recorded 1379 new cases afflicted with novel coronavirus (COVID-19) and 33 deaths in the past 24 hours.
• Cases drop for first time as Africa's fourth COVID-19 wave ebbs UN News 20 Jan 2022 -- For the first time in Africa since the peak of the Omicron wave, weekly COVID-19 cases dropped significantly and deaths dipped, the World Health Organization (WHO) informed on Thursday.
• New Cases of COVID-19 in Africa Drop Significantly VOA 20 Jan 2022 -- The World Health Organization reports a significant drop in the number of new cases of COVID-19 in Africa for the first time since the omicron variant began widely circulating on the continent two months ago.
• West Africa: Extreme poverty rises nearly 3 per cent due to COVID-19 UN News 20 Jan 2022 -- Extreme poverty in West Africa rose by nearly three per cent in 2020, another fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, a UN-backed report launched on Thursday that looks at the socio-impact of the crisis has revealed.