Other Security News
COVID-19 Pandemic News

Other Security News

• Jury Convicts ISIS 'Beatle' for Role in Hostage-Taking Scheme that Resulted in the Deaths of American, British and Japanese Citizens US Dept. of Justice 14 Apr 2022 -- A federal jury convicted a militant fighter for the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a foreign terrorist organization, on all eight charges that were brought against him in the United States relating to his participation in a brutal hostage-taking scheme that resulted in the deaths of four American citizens, as well as the deaths of British and Japanese nationals, in Syria.
• Member of Daesh 'Beatles' Found Guilty of Kidnap and Murder of US Hostages in Syria Sputnik 14 Apr 2022 -- El Shafee Elsheikh was charged with several counts over his role in the murder of American journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff, as well as their aid workers Kayla Mueller and Peter Kassig.
• 'Justice Prevailed,' Say Families of Hostages Tortured in Syria VOA 14 Apr 2022 -- The families of American hostages kidnapped and killed in Syria by Islamic State militants welcomed a guilty verdict handed down Thursday by a U.S. court.
• U.S. Warns Of Malware That Could Allow Access To Critical Industrial Controls RFE/RL 14 Apr 2022 -- Several U.S. government agencies have issued a joint alert warning of the discovery of malicious cybertools capable of gaining access to industrial control systems.
• Afghan Farmers Fear For Livelihoods As Taliban Bans Opium RFE/RL Gandhara 14 Apr 2022 -- Wali Jan, a farmer in the southern Afghan province of Uruzgan, is expected to soon harvest poppies from his half-hectare farm.

COVID-19 Pandemic News

• WHO Warns Against Letting Guard Down on COVID-19 VOA 14 Apr 2022 -- Latest reports put the global number of COVID-19 cases at 502 million, including 6.19 million deaths. The World Health Organization says that is the lowest number of COVID-19 deaths recorded since the early days of the pandemic more than two years ago.
• Pfizer-BioNTech Say COVID-19 Booster Protects Kids 5-11 Against Omicron VOA 14 Apr 2022 -- U.S. pharmaceutical company Pfizer and its German COVID-19 vaccine partner, BioNTech, announced Thursday recent trials show booster doses of its vaccine effectively protect healthy children ages 5 to 11 from the omicron variant of the coronavirus.
• COVID-19 still a global health emergency despite drop in cases, deaths: WHO People's Daily 14 Apr 2022 -- As the number of new COVID-19 cases and deaths continues to decline, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday that the pandemic remains a public health emergency, advising countries to be prepared to scale up COVID-19 response rapidly.

United States

• Shanghai's daily cases may peak this week; total infections may reach 700,000 in outbreak: experts Global Times 14 Apr 2022 -- The number of Shanghai's daily new COVID-19 cases may peak this week and the fresh wave may finish as early as the end of next month, experts said, although China's financial hub reported a record high number of daily new infections on Thursday, bringing the total infections in Shanghai to more than 250,000 since March.
• Surges in COVID-19 infections in Shanghai stem from delayed release of screening data, family infections and logistics transmission Global Times 14 Apr 2022 -- Despite the fact that local residents in Shanghai have been locked down at home for over two weeks, some even as long as over one month, the daily increases in confirmed and asymptomatic COVID-19 infections remain high. The local disease control authority attributed the situation to the delay of the release of screening data, family infections and transmission via logistics.
• All cities, prefectures in NE China's Jilin achieve goal of COVID clearance in communities Global Times 14 Apr 2022 -- Northeast China's Jilin Province has achieved the goal of COVID clearance in its communities, according to a press conference on Thursday. Changchun, capital of Jilin Province, has cleared all its COVID-19 cases in its communities after 45 days of a hard battle against the Omicron outbreak. This means all the cities and prefectures in the province have achieved the goal of zero new cases in communities.
• China's CDC issues instructions for home quarantine, requires independent toilet Global Times 14 Apr 2022 -- The Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention issued specific instructions for home quarantine receivers on late Wednesday, which require independent toilet.
• Over 300 COVID-19 patients discharged from Shanghai's largest makeshift hospital People's Daily 14 Apr 2022 -- A total of 322 COVID-19 patients were released from medical observation and left the National Exhibition and Convention Center (NECC), Shanghai's largest makeshift hospital, on Thursday morning, local authorities said.
• Northeast China's Changchun City halts community transmission of COVID-19 People's Daily 14 Apr 2022 -- Changchun, capital of northeast China's Jilin Province, has cut off all COVID-19 transmission chains out of its quarantine areas, according to a press conference held on Thursday.
• Inflatable COVID-19 testing lab improves Shanghai's screening capacity People's Daily 14 Apr 2022 -- An inflatable laboratory for COVID-19 nucleic acid testing that was recently put into operation in Shanghai's Xuhui District has helped improve the city's testing efficiency, local authorities said Thursday.
• Chinese mainland reports 2,999 new local confirmed COVID-19 cases People's Daily 14 Apr 2022 -- The Chinese mainland on Wednesday reported 2,999 locally transmitted confirmed COVID-19 cases and 26,391 new asymptomatic carriers, according to the National Health Commission's report Thursday.
• 2,024 COVID patients discharged from hospitals on Chinese mainland People's Daily 14 Apr 2022 -- A total of 2,024 COVID-19 patients were discharged from hospitals after recovery on the Chinese mainland on Wednesday, the National Health Commission said in its Thursday report.
• Emigration inquiries spike in China amid grueling COVID-19 lockdowns, restrictions Radio Free Asia 14 Apr 2022 -- As a citywide lockdown continued in Shanghai and around 100 cities imposed more limited COVID-19 curbs, immigration consultancies said they are receiving a record number of inquiries from people hoping to get out of China for good.
• Hong Kong changes law, forcing owners to give up pets 'believed' to have COVID-19 Radio Free Asia 14 Apr 2022 -- Authorities in Hong Kong have changed the law to force people to hand over pets and other animals believed infected with COVID-19 for 'humane dispatch,' as police have been tasked with investigating activists who tried to save hamsters from a cull in January, the city's top health official has said.
• U.S. CDC extends transportation mask order on rise of COVID-19 cases People's Daily 14 Apr 2022 -- The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on Wednesday the mask order remains in effect for public transit while the agency assesses the potential impact of the rise of COVID-19 cases.

China

• Hubei doctors battle Omicron in Shanghai; unified discharging standards established at makeshift hospitals Global Times 14 Apr 2022 -- Shanghai has established unified discharging standards for COVID-19 patients and their average hospitalization period has been shortened to about one week at makeshift hospitals, Shanghai local authorities said on Wednesday.
• Shanghai reports 2,573 new local confirmed COVID-19 cases, 25,146 asymptomatic carriers People's Daily 14 Apr 2022 -- Shanghai reported 2,573 confirmed locally transmitted COVID-19 cases and 25,146 local asymptomatic carriers on Wednesday, the municipal health commission said Thursday.
• HKSAR chief executive says 3-day rapid antigen test exercise meets expectations People's Daily 14 Apr 2022 -- Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Carrie Lam on Wednesday said the three-day mass rapid antigen test (RAT) exercise had achieved its intended goals of better understanding the overall COVID-19 situation in Hong Kong.
• 80 percent elderly in Beijing vaccinated against COVID-19 People's Daily 14 Apr 2022 -- Nearly 3.44 million over-60s in Beijing, or 80 percent of the city's elderly population, have been vaccinated against COVID-19 as of 4 p.m. Wednesday, local authorities said.

India

• India's Cumulative COVID-19 Vaccination Coverage exceeds 186.22 Cr India PIB 14 Apr 2022 -- India's COVID-19 vaccination coverage has exceeded 186.22 Cr (1,86,22,76,304) as per provisional reports till 7 am today. This has been achieved through 2,26,31,632 sessions.
• COVID - 19 Vaccination Update - Day 454 India PIB 14 Apr 2022 -- India's COVID-19 vaccination coverage has crossed 186.29 Crore (1,86,29,33,775) today. More than 5 lakh (5,56,637) Vaccine Doses have been administered till 7 pm today. More than 2.38 Crore (2,38,27,974) vaccine doses have been administered to 12-14 years age group so far. More than 2.50 Crore (2,50,19,494) Precaution Doses for the identified categories of beneficiaries (HCWs, FLWs and Over 60 years) for COVID vaccination have been administered so far. The daily vaccination tally is expected to increase with the compilation of the final reports for the day by late tonight.
• Update on COVID-19 Vaccine Availability in States/UTs India PIB 14 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 14 Apr 2022

Iran

• COVID-19 kills 33 more Iranians over past 24 hours IRNA 14 Apr 2022 -- The number of deaths from the coronavirus pandemic in Iran increased to 140,744 with 33 more Iranians killed by the deadly disease over the past 24 hours, Iran's Health Ministry announced on Thursday.

Taiwan

• Taiwan breaks record for 2nd day with 874 new domestic COVID-19 cases CNA 14 Apr 2022 -- Taiwan on Thursday reported 874 new domestic COVID-19 cases, breaking its daily record for the second consecutive day, according to the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC).
• Taiwan's new domestic COVID-19 cases rise to record 874 CNA 14 Apr 2022 -- Taiwan on Thursday reported 874 new domestic COVID-19 cases, breaking its daily record for the second consecutive day, but most infections are still either mild or asymptomatic, according to the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC).
• Taiwan to requisition 40 million COVID rapid tests a month: premier CNA 14 Apr 2022 -- Taiwan's Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) announced Thursday that the government has begun requisitioning COVID-19 rapid antigen tests, and aims to obtain 40 million tests a month.
• High COVID transmission rates could last to September: health expert CNA 14 Apr 2022 -- A health expert said Thursday that Taiwan may not see low levels of COVID-19 transmission until September, while highlighting two "weaknesses" the country faces as it shifts from a strategy based on COVID elimination to one based on mitigation.
• Taiwan adjusts criteria for admitting COVID-19 patients to hospitals CNA 14 Apr 2022 -- Taiwan's Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) said Thursday that it has adjusted the criteria for admitting COVID-19 patients to hospitals, in order to maintain capacity and ensure patients receive the medical care they need.

Other Countries

• Africa experiencing longest-running decline in COVID-19 infections UN News 14 Apr 2022 -- COVID-19 cases in Africa have fallen for the past 16 weeks, and deaths have dropped during the last eight, marking the longest-running decline in infections on the continent since the start of the pandemic, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday.