Other Security News
COVID-19 Pandemic News

Other Security News

• Summary of the Reengagement of Detainees Formerly Held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba Director of National Intelligence 09 Aug 2022 -- The Director of National Intelligence submits this summary consistent with direction in Section 506I of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. § 3105), which states:
• Imposing Sanctions on Virtual Currency Mixer Tornado Cash US Dept. of State 08 Aug 2022 -- The United States is sanctioning virtual currency mixer Tornado Cash for its involvement in laundering a portion of the more than $600 million stolen by Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) hackers in one of the largest known virtual currency heists to date.
• U.S. Treasury Sanctions Notorious Virtual Currency Mixer Tornado Cash US Treasury 08 Aug 2022 -- Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned virtual currency mixer Tornado Cash, which has been used to launder more than $7 billion worth of virtual currency since its creation in 2019. This includes over $455 million stolen by the Lazarus Group, a Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) state-sponsored hacking group that was, in the largest known virtual currency heist to date. Tornado Cash was subsequently used to launder more than $96 million of malicious cyber actors' funds derived from the June 24, 2022 Harmony Bridge Heist, and at least $7.8 million from the August 2, 2022 Nomad Heist. Today's action is being taken pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13694, as amended, and follows OFAC's May 6, 2022 designation of virtual currency mixer Blender.io (Blender).
• Trump Says Mar-a-Lago Home in Florida Raided by FBI VOA 08 Aug 2022 -- Former U.S. President Donald Trump said FBI agents have raided his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida.
• Trump says Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida raided by FBI agents People's Daily 09 Aug 2022 -- Former U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday evening that his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, had been raided by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
• China steps up cyberattacks, disinformation campaigns targeting Taiwan Radio Free Asia 08 Aug 2022 -- Cyber attacks and a Chinese disinformation campaign targeting the democratic island of Taiwan throw the spotlight on Beijing's use of hybrid warfare in the wake of Pelosi's visit, a Taiwanese military official said on Monday.

COVID-19 Pandemic News

China

• NW China's Xinjiang reports 274 COVID-19 cases in a week; imported variant triggers flare-up Global Times 08 Aug 2022 -- The virus in the current COVID-19 outbreak in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region belongs to the evolutionary branch of Omicron sub-variant BA.5.2 that was initially imported from overseas, local health authorities said on Monday, noting that the current epidemic prevention and control situation in Xinjiang region remains complex and grim.
• SW China's Xizang reports 22 COVID cases, ending 920-day zero record Global Times 08 Aug 2022 -- Southwest China's Xizang (Tibet) Autonomous Region recorded 22 COVID-19 cases on Sunday, local health authorities said on Monday, marking the end of the region's 920-day record of no cases.
• HK cuts arrivals' hotel quarantine to 3 days, 'an exploration based on mainland's dynamic zero-COVID policy' Global Times 08 Aug 2022 -- People arriving in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) from overseas will be required to be quarantined in designated hotels for three days instead of seven, starting from Friday, HKSAR Chief Executive John Lee announced at a news conference on Monday.
• Chinese coastal cities issue warnings of imported COVID-19 cases to fishermen in wake of flare-ups in Hainan Global Times 08 Aug 2022 -- Multiple coastal Chinese cities have issued warnings of imported COVID-19 cases as the fishing season is approaching while the domestic and overseas epidemic prevention and control remains complex and grim.
• China faces risk of imported monkeypox, alert and monitoring needed: medical experts Global Times 08 Aug 2022 -- China faces risk of imported monkeypox epidemic as the virus is rapidly spreading in the world, Chinese experts warned, noting that the country should maintain high vigilance, strict monitoring and timely alert signals to prevent the zoonotic infectious disease.
• China's Sanya launches all-out efforts to combat COVID-19 resurgence People's Daily 08 Aug 2022 -- Sanya, a coastal resort city in south China's Hainan Province, is moving rapidly to stem its latest COVID-19 outbreak with medics, frontline workers and over 4,000 volunteers joining the fight.
• Chinese mainland reports 324 new local confirmed COVID-19 cases People's Daily 08 Aug 2022 -- The Chinese mainland on Sunday reported 324 locally-transmitted confirmed COVID-19 cases, of which 259 were in Hainan Province, the National Health Commission said Monday.
• Coronavirus Omicron Subvariant Spreading Rapidly in China's Hainan Sputnik 08 Aug 2022 -- A major spike in COVID-19 cases has been registered on the Chinese island of Hainan and local authorities are taking drastic measures to prevent the spread of the infection.

India

• India's Cumulative COVID-19 Vaccination Coverage exceeds 206.56 Cr India PIB 08 Aug 2022 -- India's COVID-19 vaccination coverage has exceeded 206.56 Cr (2,06,56,54,741) as per provisional reports till 7 am today. This has been achieved through 2,73,95,158 sessions.
• COVID - 19 Vaccination Update - Day 570 India PIB 08 Aug 2022 -- India's COVID-19 vaccination coverage has crossed 206.84 Crore (2,06,84,91,043) today. More than 26 lakh (26,69,118) 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 08 Aug 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 08 Aug 2022

Iran

• Iran's daily new COVID deaths at 54 IRNA 08 Aug 2022 -- Iran's Health Ministry on Monday announced that 54 people had lost their lives to COVID-19 over the past 24 hours.

Taiwan

• Taiwan reports 15,412 new COVID-19 cases, 26 deaths CNA 08 Aug 2022 -- Taiwan on Monday reported 15,412 new cases of COVID-19, all but 206 of which were domestic infections, and 26 deaths from the disease, according to the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC).

North Korea

• National Meeting for Emergency Anti-Epidemic Review to Be Held in DPRK KCNA 08 Aug 2022 -- The Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea and the Cabinet of the DPRK decided to hold a national meeting for emergency anti-epidemic review early in August to review the successes, experience and lessons in the state emergency anti-epidemic work in a comprehensively way and confirm the new orientation of the anti-epidemic policy. -0-
• Epidemic Spread and Treatment Results in DPRK KCNA 08 Aug 2022 -- According to information of the state emergency anti-epidemic headquarters, no new COVID-19 fever cases were reported from 18:00 of August 6 to 18:00 of August 7 throughout the country. -0-
• Risks Threatening Stable Anti-epidemic Environment Eliminated in DPRK KCNA 08 Aug 2022 -- Consistently conducted in the DPRK is the work to find risks that may threaten the stably controlled and managed anti-epidemic environment and take timely measures for eliminating them.