Other Security News
COVID-19 Pandemic News

Other Security News

• Member of Georgia Chapter of Oath Keepers Pleads Guilty to Seditious Conspiracy and Obstruction of Congress for Efforts to Stop Transfer of Power Following 2020 Presidential Election US Dept. of Justice 29 Apr 2022 -- Defendant Participated in Plot to Use Force to Oppose Execution of U.S. Laws, Including the Attack on the Capitol During the Certification Proceeding
• Democratic Republic of the Congo - UNICEF urges parents and children in Equateur Province to take safety precautions after second confirmed fatality from most recent Ebola virus outbreak UNICEF 29 Apr 2022 -- UNICEF has urged parents and children living in the western province of Equateur to maintain the utmost vigilance amid the 14th and latest outbreak of Ebola virus which first emerged on the outskirts of the provincial capital Mbandaka.
• Myanmar Rebel Group Denies Role in Alleged Drugs-for-Weapons Scheme VOA 29 Apr 2022 -- A prominent armed group in Myanmar fighting the military regime that seized control of the country's government last year denies claims in a U.S. court complaint of conspiring with Japan's yakuza crime syndicate to buy surface-to-air missiles with a mix of cash and drugs.

COVID-19 Pandemic News

United States

• Department of the Army announces updated COVID-19 vaccination statistics US Army 29 Apr 2022 -- The U.S. Army announced updated COVID-19 vaccination rates and exemption requests as of Apr. 27, 2022.
• Fauci says U.S. is transitioning out of "pandemic phase" People's Daily 29 Apr 2022 -- The United States is transitioning out of the "pandemic phase," and has entered the "control stage" of the pandemic, said the White House's chief medical adviser Anthony Fauci.
• New CDC study finds 75 pct of U.S. children infected with COVID-19 by February People's Daily 29 Apr 2022 -- More than half of all Americans and about 75 percent of kids had been infected by COVID-19 by the end of February this year, according to a new study on antibodies by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
• COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations among U.S. children on rise People's Daily 29 Apr 2022 -- Both COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations among children in the United States are rising, according to U.S. multimedia broadcasting group KXLY.

China

• Dynamic zero-COVID strategy seen as 'purchase insurance for 1.4 billion Chinese people': top expert Global Times 29 Apr 2022 -- Why won't China adopt a "lying flat" strategy in face of Omicron like some Western countries do? Liang Wannian, head of the expert group in China's epidemic response and disposal leading group, said that to passively respond to Omicron is not China's option as the country still faces unbalanced medical resources.
• Beijing to suspend performance, entertainment venues, close cinemas during May Day holidays Global Times 29 Apr 2022 -- Beijing will apply strict control measures across the city's scenic spots and cultural venues during the upcoming May Day holidays due to the current COVID-19 outbreak.
• Dynamic zero provides a window period for China: top health expert Global Times 29 Apr 2022 -- If China prepares adequately by using the window period created by dynamic zero, the country will surely defeat the COVID-19 epidemic, Liang Wannian, head of the COVID-19 response expert panel under the National Health Commission (NHC), said on Friday.
• Fighting Omicron does not mean lockdown and citywide nucleic acid: top Chinese health expert Global Times 29 Apr 2022 -- The latest Omicron variant-fueled epidemic waves in Beijing and Shanghai is a test of the governance capacity of these megacities, Liang Wannian, head of the COVID-19 response expert panel under China's National Health Commission (NHC), said at a press conference on Friday, noting that with a population of more than 20 million people, the rapid and insidious spread of the Omicron mutant strain has placed higher demands on these megalopolises in terms of the organization and implementation of anti-epidemic measures, such as the ability to detect cases and to provide medical treatment.
• More people now in lower-risk areas for COVID-19 in Shanghai People's Daily 29 Apr 2022 -- Shanghai has readjusted its three-tiered classification of COVID-19 risk areas according to recent nucleic acid screening results, and more people are now in areas with lower risk, local authorities said Friday.
• Top epidemiologist rebuts claim dynamic "zero-COVID" approach harms economic growth People's Daily 29 Apr 2022 -- A leading Chinese epidemiologist on Friday rebutted the claim that China's dynamic "zero-COVID" policy has impeded the country's economic growth, saying the approach does not run counter to economic development and normal production and life.
• China to further increase COVID-19 vaccination rate among elderly People's Daily 29 Apr 2022 -- China has called for joint efforts to further improve the vaccination rate among the elderly and other key groups, a Chinese health official said Friday.
• Shanghai new COVID-19 cases: 5,487 confirmed, 9,545 asymptomatic People's Daily 29 Apr 2022 -- China's Shanghai reported 5,487 confirmed locally transmitted COVID-19 cases and 9,545 local asymptomatic carriers on Thursday, the municipal health commission said Friday.
• China's resolute measures against Omicron pay dividends People's Daily 29 Apr 2022 -- Following the onslaught of Omicron in Shanghai and the northeastern province of Jilin, Beijing has moved ever faster to curb the spread of new clusters.
• HKSAR chief executive stresses staying vigilant in fighting COVID-19 People's Daily 29 Apr 2022 -- Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Carrie Lam on Thursday stressed that the HKSAR government will not let its guard down in fighting COVID-19 despite dwindling infections in the global financial hub.
• Shanghai new COVID-19 cases: 5,487 confirmed, 9,545 asymptomatic People's Daily 29 Apr 2022 -- China's Shanghai reported 5,487 confirmed locally transmitted COVID-19 cases and 9,545 local asymptomatic carriers on Thursday, the municipal health commission said Friday.
• Over 81 pct of senior citizens fully vaccinated in China People's Daily 29 Apr 2022 -- About 215 million people aged 60 and above, or 81.44 percent of the age group, have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 on the Chinese mainland, a health official said Thursday.
• Confirmed COVID-19 cases in China continue to drop for 10 days: official People's Daily 29 Apr 2022 -- The numbers of confirmed COVID-19 cases and asymptomatic carriers under medical observation in China have seen a fluctuating downward trend in recent 10 days, an official said Thursday.
• Chinese mainland reports 5,646 new local COVID-19 cases, 5,487 in Shanghai People's Daily 29 Apr 2022 -- The Chinese mainland on Thursday reported 5,646 locally transmitted confirmed COVID-19 cases, of which 5,487 were in Shanghai, according to the National Health Commission's report Friday.
• China's commerce ministry boosts supply of necessities to regions with COVID-19 resurgences People's Daily 29 Apr 2022 -- China's commerce ministry has been sparing no effort to boost the supply of daily necessities for regions experiencing COVID-19 resurgences, the Ministry of Commerce said on Thursday.
• Beijing schools to start holiday one day earlier over COVID-19 People's Daily 29 Apr 2022 -- All primary and secondary schools, kindergartens and secondary vocational schools in Beijing will start the May Day holiday one day ahead of schedule due to the COVID-19 epidemic, local authorities said Thursday.

India

• India's Cumulative COVID-19 Vaccination Coverage exceeds 188.65 Cr India PIB 29 Apr 2022 -- India's COVID-19 vaccination coverage has exceeded 188.65 Cr (1,88,65,46,894) as per provisional reports till 7 am today. This has been achieved through 2,32,59,791 sessions.
• COVID - 19 Vaccination Update - Day 469 India PIB 29 Apr 2022 -- India's COVID-19 vaccination coverage has crossed 188.87 Crore (1,88,87,42,162) today. More than 20 lakh (20,30,807) Vaccine Doses have been administered till 7 pm today. 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 29 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 29 Apr 2022

Iran

• COVID-19 kills 14 more Iranians over past 24 hours IRNA 29 Apr 2022 -- The number of deaths from the coronavirus pandemic in Iran increased to 141,072 with 14 more Iranians killed by the deadly disease over the past 24 hours, Iran's Health Ministry announced on Friday.

Taiwan

• Taiwan reports 12,313 new COVID-19 cases, two deaths CNA 29 Apr 2022 -- Taiwan on Friday reported 12,313 new COVID-19 cases, most of which were domestic infections, and two deaths from the disease, according to the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC).
• Taiwan reports 11,974 new local COVID-19 cases People's Daily 29 Apr 2022 -- The latest COVID-19 resurgence in Taiwan is still raging, with single-day newly reported local cases reaching 11,974, data from the island's disease monitoring agency showed Friday.<