Other Security News
COVID-19 Pandemic News

Other Security News

• Reward Offers for Information to Bring Conti Ransomware Variant Co-Conspirators to Justice US Dept. of State 06 May 2022 -- The Department of State is offering a reward of up to $10,000,000 for information leading to the identification and/or location of any individual(s) who hold a key leadership position in the Conti ransomware variant transnational organized crime group.
• Trump sought strikes on Mexico, said 'no one would know it was us', book reveals Press TV 06 May 2022 -- Former US defense secretary Mark Esper in his new book reveals that then-president Donald Trump asked him in 2020 about launching missiles into Mexico to "destroy the drug labs" and kill cartels.
• Trump Suggested Striking Mexican Drug Labs With Missiles - Report Sputnik 06 May 2022 -- Former President Donald Trump dismissed his Secretary of Defense Mark Esper in November 2020 shortly after the presidential election. Esper's memoirs 'A Sacred Oath: Memoirs of a Secretary of Defense During Extraordinary Times' is scheduled to be released on May 10.
• Ex-Pentagon Chief Esper Confirms Trump Wanted 250,000 US Troops on Southern Border Sputnik 06 May 2022 -- Former Defense Department Secretary Mark Esper confirmed in an interview that President Donald Trump's administration wanted to deploy 250,000 active-duty US troops to the southern border to deter migrant caravans.

COVID-19 Pandemic News

• Nearly 15 mln deaths directly or indirectly linked to COVID-19: WHO People's Daily 06 May 2022 -- The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday that almost 15 million deaths globally were directly or indirectly associated with the COVID-19 pandemic by the end of 2021.

United States

• Department of the Army announces updated COVID-19 vaccination statistics US Army 06 May 2022 -- The U.S. Army announced updated COVID-19 vaccination rates and exemption requests as of May 05, 2022.
• US to Bring No Pandemic Funds to Global COVID-19 Summit VOA 06 May 2022 -- With the coronavirus killing an estimated 15 million people worldwide, including nearly 1 million in the United States, the Biden administration, despite a lack of funding for domestic and international pandemic response, is set to mobilize a global effort to end the acute phase of COVID-19.
• U.S. reaches 1 million COVID-19 deaths at "stunning speed:" report People's Daily 06 May 2022 -- The United States on Wednesday surpassed 1 million COVID-19 deaths, according to data compiled by NBC News, a number equivalent to the population of San Jose, California, the 10th largest city in the country.

China

• Shanghai vows to firmly implement dynamic zero policy after CPC leadership meeting Global Times 06 May 2022 -- A day after a CPC top leadership meeting warned against attempts to distort, question or dismiss China's anti-COVID policy, Shanghai on Friday vowed to stick to the dynamic zero-COVID strategy and push forward the decisive battle against the epidemic.
• Pursuing zero-COVID policy is to avoid citywide lockdowns as much as possible: top Chinese health expert Global Times 06 May 2022 -- Pursuing dynamic zero-COVID policy does not mean citywide lockdowns, on the contrary, one of the goals for zero-COVID policy is to avoid citywide lockdowns as much as possible, Liang Wannian, China's head of the COVID response expert panel under the National Health Commission, said at a Friday press conference.
• Shanghai vows to continue decisive battle against epidemic, stick to dynamic zero-COVID policy after CPC top leadership meeting Global Times 06 May 2022 -- Shanghai said on Friday that it will continue to push forward the decisive battle against the epidemic and stick to the dynamic zero-COVID policy, after the meeting of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee on COVID-19 prevention work was held in Beijing on Thursday.
• HKSAR chief executive sees off mainland medical workers supporting pandemic fight People's Daily 06 May 2022 -- Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Carrie Lam on Thursday bade farewell to the last section of the mainland medical team departing Hong Kong during an appreciation and farewell ceremony organized by the HKSAR government.
• 1,602 COVID-19 patients discharged from hospitals on Chinese mainland People's Daily 06 May 2022 -- A total of 1,602 COVID-19 patients were discharged from hospitals after recovery on the Chinese mainland on Thursday, the National Health Commission said in its Friday report.
• China will surely win anti-COVID war in Shanghai, with time-tested epidemic control policy: top leadership People's Daily 06 May 2022 -- China will surely win the war against COVID-19 with its scientific and effective epidemic control policy that will stand the test of time, according to a meeting of the top leadership on Thursday.
• Chinese mainland reports 356 new local confirmed COVID-19 cases, 245 in Shanghai People's Daily 06 May 2022 -- The Chinese mainland on Thursday reported 356 local confirmed COVID-19 cases, of which 245 were in Shanghai, according to the National Health Commission's report Friday.
• Beijing adds four COVID-19 high-risk areas People's Daily 06 May 2022 -- Beijing added four high-risk areas for COVID-19 on Thursday, with two in Chaoyang District and two in Fangshan District, according to local authorities.
• Shanghai reports 245 confirmed, 4,024 asymptomatic local COVID-19 cases People's Daily 06 May 2022 -- China's Shanghai reported 245 confirmed locally transmitted COVID-19 cases and 4,024 local asymptomatic cases on Thursday, the municipal health commission said Friday.

India

• Delhi vs. WHO: What Is India's True COVID Death Toll? VOA 06 May 2022 -- India's government has rejected a new World Health Organization report that says the country's death toll from COVID-19 is about 10 times higher than the official count, and the highest in the world.
• India's Cumulative COVID-19 Vaccination Coverage exceeds 189.81 Cr India PIB 06 May 2022 -- India's COVID-19 vaccination coverage has exceeded 189.81 Cr (1,89,81,52,695) as per provisional reports till 7 am today. This has been achieved through 2,35,44,994 sessions.
• COVID - 19 Vaccination Update - Day 476 India PIB 06 May 2022 -- India's COVID-19 vaccination coverage has crossed 189.98 Crore (1,89,98,80,551) today. More than 15 lakh (15,44,728) 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 06 May 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 06 May 2022 --
  189.81 cr vaccine doses have been administered so far under Nationwide Vaccination Drive

Iran

• COVID-19 kills 12 Iranians over past 24 hours IRNA 06 May 2022 -- The number of deaths from the coronavirus pandemic in Iran increased to 141,157 with 12 more Iranians killed by the deadly disease over the past 24 hours, Iran's Health Ministry announced on Friday.

Taiwan

• Taiwan reports 36,213 new COVID-19 cases, 10 deaths CNA 06 May 2022 -- Taiwan on Friday reported 36,213 new COVID-19 cases, a single-day high, and 10 deaths from the disease, according to the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC).

Other Countries

• Africa: COVID has 'pushed back' democracy, Ukraine war further raises risks UN News 06 May 2022 -- Already reeling from COVID-19, the fighting in Ukraine has introduced significant and worrying new risks likely to heavily impact Africa, UN development experts warned on Friday.