Other Security News
COVID-19 Pandemic News

Other Security News

• Daesh vows 'revenge' attacks in Europe over killing of former leader Press TV 18 Apr 2022 -- The Daesh terrorist group has vowed "revenge" over the killing of its former leader, urging supporters to take advantage of the conflict in Ukraine to stage attacks in Europe.
• Russia's FSB Says Thwarted Terrorist Attack in Cherkessk, 3 Daesh Supporters Detained Sputnik 18 Apr 2022 -- The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) said on Monday thwarted a terrorist attack in the city of Cherkessk and detained three supporters of the Daesh*.
• Islamic State Khorasan Claims Rocket Attack on Uzbekistan VOA 18 Apr 2022 -- A regional affiliate of Islamic State on Monday said it had carried out a rocket attack on Uzbekistan from neighboring Afghanistan, the first strike by the terrorist group against the Central Asian nation.
• Cybersecurity Group Says Catalan Leaders Targeted With Spyware VOA 18 Apr 2022 -- A group of Catalan separatists, including several members of the European Parliament, other politicians, lawyers and activists from Spain's northeastern region, had their phones hacked with a controversial spyware called Pegasus, a cybersecurity firm said Monday.

COVID-19 Pandemic News

• Experts warn COVID-19 pandemic not over as global cases surpass 500 mln People's Daily 18 Apr 2022 -- In a statement released Wednesday, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced the COVID-19 pandemic remains a "public health emergency of international concern," a day before WHO statistics showed the global caseload passed the 500-million threshold.

United States

• Joint Statement Between the United States, Belize, Germany, Indonesia, and Senegal on the Announcement of the Second Global COVID-19 Summit The White House 18 Apr 2022
• Second Global COVID-19 Summit to Be Held May 12 VOA 18 Apr 2022 -- The White House has announced the United States will co-host the second global COVID-19 summit virtually on May 12 to discuss increasing efforts to end the pandemic internationally and prepare for future variants of the coronavirus.
• US Judge Strikes Down National Mask Mandate on Airplanes VOA 18 Apr 2022 -- A U.S. federal judge has ruled a national mask mandate on airplanes and other public transportation is not lawful, overturning a Biden administration policy.

China

• Shanghai Reports First Deaths from Omicron Outbreak VOA 18 Apr 2022 -- Shanghai has announced its first deaths since the omicron version of the coronavirus broke out in the Chinese city in March. The three elderly people who died Sunday all had underlying conditions and were unvaccinated, according to officials.
• Chinese censors, police go after list of Shanghai dead, zero-COVID critics Radio Free Asia 18 Apr 2022 -- Ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP)-backed censors have deleted an online list of people who died as a result of the Shanghai lockdown, and blocked the URL after internet users saved it to a blockchain-based site.
• Foreign students 'taken from Shanghai' as teachers resign from international schools Radio Free Asia 18 Apr 2022 -- The Shanghai lockdown has prompted an exodus of foreign students and teaching staff, as the city reported its first deaths from COVID-19.
• China's Shanghai reports three COVID-19 deaths, first since lockdown Press TV 18 Apr 2022 -- China has reported the deaths of three people from COVID-19 in Shanghai first time since the bustling commercial center was placed under lockdown last month.
• Chinese top health authority slams wrong claims about 'coexisting with COVID' and 'virus just like flu' Global Times 18 Apr 2022 -- China's top health authority urged local officials across the country to curb the epidemic spread as soon as possible, resolutely oppose the wrong claims such as "coexisting with COVID" and "the virus becoming flu,'' and adhere to the country's dynamic zero-case policy to reach the anti-epidemic result at the minimum cost, according to an article published on Monday.
• Shanghai reports three COVID-19 related deaths due to underlying diseases for the first time amid the latest flare-up Global Times 18 Apr 2022 -- Shanghai on Monday reported that three senior patients infected with COVID-19 died on Sunday, this is the first time the city announced COVID-19 related deaths amid this round of flare-up.
• 733 COVID-19 patients discharged from hospital in Shanghai People's Daily 18 Apr 2022 -- A total of 733 patients were discharged from the hospital on Sunday after recovery from COVID-19 in Shanghai, local authorities said Monday.
• Port city Dalian registers 12 asymptomatic infections related to an apparel factory importing fabrics from neighboring countries Global Times 18 Apr 2022 -- A total of 12 asymptomatic COVID-19 infections reported on Thursday and Friday in the port city Dalian, Northeast China's Liaoning Province, are related with an apparel factory which imported fabrics from neighboring countries.
• HKSAR gov't official urges public to take 3rd, 4th COVID-19 vaccine doses timely People's Daily 18 Apr 2022 -- Patrick Nip, secretary for the civil service of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government, Sunday urged the public to take their third and fourth doses of COVID-19 vaccines timely.
• Chinese mainland reports 2,723 new local COVID-19 cases People's Daily 18 Apr 2022 -- The Chinese mainland Sunday reported 2,723 locally-transmitted confirmed COVID-19 cases, of which 2,417 were in Shanghai, according to the National Health Commission's Monday report.
• 1,637 COVID-19 patients discharged from hospitals on Chinese mainland People's Daily 18 Apr 2022 -- A total of 1,637 COVID-19 patients were discharged from hospitals after recovery on the Chinese mainland on Sunday, the National Health Commission said in its Monday report.
• Shanghai: 2,417 local confirmed, 19,831 asymptomatic COVID-19 cases People's Daily 18 Apr 2022 -- China's economic hub Shanghai reported 2,417 confirmed locally transmitted COVID-19 cases and 19,831 local asymptomatic carriers on Sunday, the municipal health commission said Monday.
• China nucleic acid testing capacity at 51.65 mln samples a day People's Daily 18 Apr 2022 -- Chinese nucleic acid testing agencies can process 51.65 million samples per day, the State Council joint COVID-19 prevention and control mechanism team said Sunday.

India

• India's Cumulative COVID-19 Vaccination Coverage exceeds 186.54 Cr India PIB 18 Apr 2022 -- India's COVID-19 vaccination coverage has exceeded 186.54 Cr (1,86,54,94,355) as per provisional reports till 7 am today. This has been achieved through 2,27,52,392 sessions.
• COVID - 19 Vaccination Update - Day 458 India PIB 18 Apr 2022 -- India's COVID-19 vaccination coverage has crossed 186.70 Crore (1,86,70,36,390) today. More than 15 lakh (15,12,703) Vaccine Doses have been administered till 7 pm today. More than 2.46 Crore (2,46,64,959) vaccine doses have been administered to 12-14 years age group so far. More than 2.55 Crore (2,55,48,534) 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 18 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 18 Apr 2022

Iran

• Daily coronavirus death toll drops to 25 in Iran IRNA 18 Apr 2022 -- The number of deaths from the coronavirus pandemic in Iran increased to 140,854 with 25 more Iranians killed by the deadly disease over the past 24 hours, Iran's Health Ministry announced on Monday.

Taiwan

• Taiwan reports 1,390 new domestic COVID-19 cases, 90 imported CNA 18 Apr 2022 -- Taiwan on Monday reported 1,390 new domestic COVID-19 cases, a new record high, as well as 90 imported cases, according to the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC).
• Taiwan reports record high 1,390 new domestic COVID-19 cases CNA 18 Apr 2022 -- Taiwan on Monday reported a new record high of 1,390 new domestic COVID-19 cases, marking the fourth consecutive day more than 1,000 domestic cases have been recorded.
• Taiwan reports 1,303 new COVID-19 cases People's Daily 18 Apr 2022 -- Taiwan on Saturday reported 1,303 new COVID-19 cases, comprising 1,210 locally transmitted cases and 93 imported cases, the island's disease monitoring agency said on Sunday.

Other Countries

• Brazil Lifts Coronavirus-Related Public Health Emergency Sputnik 18 Apr 2022 -- The Brazilian government is lifting the public health emergency announced in the country at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, about two years ago, Health Minister Marcelo Queiroga said.