Other Security News
COVID-19 Pandemic News

Other Security News

• Pentagon Confirms Guantanamo Bay Detainee Sufyian Barhoumi Repatriated to Native Algeria Sputnik 03 Apr 2022 -- Sufyian Barhoumi, 48, was initially captured in Pakistan in March 2002, and has remained at the Guantanamo Bay detention facility in Cuba for nearly two decades. Barhoumi did not face trial during his detention, which appeared indefinite until August 2016, when the Algerian national was notified of his eligibility for repatriation.
• Taliban Bans Poppy Cultivation Despite Afghanistan Reeling Under Severe Economic Crisis Sputnik 03 Apr 2022 -- Poppy cultivation has remained a primary source of income for the people of Afghanistan as the country contributes 87% of the world's total production. The last time they came to power twenty years ago, the Taliban* had banned poppy cultivation but faced opposition from a large segment of the population.
• Afghanistan's Taliban Issues Ban On Opium Poppy Cultivation RFE/RL Gandhara 03 Apr 2022 -- Afghanistan's Taliban-led government has banned the cultivation of poppies, which are used to produce opium and other drugs.
• Taliban Ban Opium Poppy Cultivation in Afghanistan VOA 03 Apr 2022 -- The Taliban have outlawed cultivation of drugs, including opium poppy, across Afghanistan, the world's biggest opium producer, which accounts for 85 percent of global production.

COVID-19 Pandemic News

China

• Shanghai launches citywide antigen testing People's Daily 03 Apr 2022 -- Shanghai will conduct citywide antigen testing on Sunday and nucleic acid testing on Monday amid efforts to contain the recent resurgence of COVID-19 cases in the metropolis, according to local authorities.
• Chinese mainland reports 1,455 new local COVID-19 cases People's Daily 03 Apr 2022 -- The Chinese mainland reported 1,455 new locally-transmitted COVID-19 infections on Saturday, the National Health Commission said Sunday.
• China reports record-high five-digit daily infections with Shanghai worst hit, new variant found in Suzhou Global Times 03 Apr 2022 -- The Chinese mainland reported 13,146 local COVID-19 cases on Sunday, including 1,455 confirmed and 11,691 asymptomatic ones, the highest number of daily increase since the latest outbreak, which has already infected over 100,000 people.
• Shanghai to conduct citywide antigen and nucleic acid test successively to efficiently curb Omicron spread Global Times 03 Apr 2022 -- Shanghai decided to conduct a city-wide COVID-19 antigen test on Sunday, and on Monday, city-wide nucleic acid testing will be conducted in a move to eliminate all risk points and break the transmission chain to curb the spread of the epidemic as soon as possible.
• Vice-Premier Sun urges Shanghai to swiftly curb flare-up, stick to 'dynamic zero-COVID' policy Global Times 03 Apr 2022 -- Chinese Vice-Premier Sun Chunlan on Saturday urged Shanghai to make resolute and swift moves to curb the latest flare-up of COVID-19 pandemic there, as the city with a population of more than 25 million is facing the toughest battle to date against the Omicron variant.
• In-depth explainer of China's dynamic zero-COVID policy People's Daily 03 Apr 2022 -- In the spring of 2022, China faces grave challenges in its battle against COVID-19. The country is still working tirelessly to fully contain the spread of the virus in the current wave of the epidemic.
• China further lowers cost of COVID-19 nucleic acid tests People's Daily 03 Apr 2022 -- China has asked local authorities to further lower the price of COVID-19 nucleic acid tests to no more than 28 yuan (about 4.4 U.S. dollars) per person for a single test.

Europe

• Omicron Variant Causes Spike in COVID-19 Cases in Britain VOA 03 Apr 2022 -- Britain is experiencing a record number of COVID-19 cases, with almost 5 million people, or 1 person in every 13 infected, according to official data.

India

• India's Cumulative COVID-19 Vaccination Coverage exceeds 184.66 Cr India PIB 03 Apr 2022 -- India's COVID-19 vaccination coverage has exceeded 184.66 Cr (1,84,66,86,260) as per provisional reports till 7 am today. This has been achieved through 2,21,24,040sessions.
• Update on COVID-19 Vaccine Availability in States/UTs India PIB 03 Apr 2022 -- The Union Government is committed to accelerating the pace and expanding the scope of COVID-19 vaccination throughout the country. The nationwide COVID 19 vaccination started on 16th January 2021. The new phase of universalization of COVID-19 vaccination commenced from 21st June 2021. The vaccination drive has been ramped up through availability of more vaccines, advance visibility of vaccine availability to States and UTs for enabling better planning by them, and streamlining the vaccine supply chain.
• COVID-19 UPDATE India PIB 03 Apr 2022

Iran

• COVID-19 kills 38 more Iranians over past 24 hours IRNA 03 Apr 2022 -- The number of deaths from the coronavirus pandemic in Iran increased to 140,315 with 38 more Iranians killed by the deadly disease over the past 24 hours, Iran's Health Ministry announced on Sunday.

Taiwan

• New domestically transmitted COVID-19 cases on the rise CNA 03 Apr 2022 -- Taiwan reported 280 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday -- 183 domestically transmitted and 97 that originated abroad -- and no new deaths from the disease, according to the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC).
• Most new local COVID-19 cases linked to known clusters: CECC CNA 03 Apr 2022 -- Most of the 183 new domestically transmitted COVID-19 cases reported in Taiwan on Sunday were linked to known clusters, but the origins of some cases were not clear and the final day of a large gathering was called off as case numbers rose.