Other Security News
COVID-19 Pandemic News

Other Security News

• ISIS 'Beatle' Sentenced to Life Imprisonment for Hostage-Taking Scheme that Resulted in the Deaths of American, British, and Japanese Citizens US Dept. of Justice 19 Aug 2022 -- The highest-ranking fighter for the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a foreign terrorist organization, to have ever faced a jury trial in the United States was sentenced today to life imprisonment for 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.
• Statement by Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco on the Sentencing of El Shafee Elsheikh US Dept. of Justice 19 Aug 2022 -- "Today, the men and women of the Department of Justice and our criminal justice system delivered justice. Today, we remember the four Americans for whom it was delivered: James Foley, Kayla Mueller, Steven Sotloff, and Peter Kassig. Each was in Syria serving others when they were taken hostage and murdered by ISIS—James and Steven were there to report on the brutality of ISIS and Kayla and Peter to help those suffering under its rule."
• CISA and Election Security Partners Hold Tabletop the Vote Exercise in Preparation for 2022 Midterm Elections CISA 19 Aug 2022 -- The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), in coordination with the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS) and the National Association of State Election Directors (NASED), hosted the nation's largest annual election security exercise this week.
• WHO recommends two new lifesaving medicines to treat Ebola UN News 19 Aug 2022 -- The World Health Organization (WHO) has called for countries to improve access to two lifesaving Ebola medicines, in its first guidelines on the viral disease, published on Friday.
• WHO Approves Lifesaving Ebola Drugs VOA 19 Aug 2022 -- The World Health Organization says clinical evidence shows two monoclonal antibody treatments are effective at saving the lives of many people stricken with the deadly Ebola virus.
• WHO makes new recommendations for Ebola treatments, calls for improved access WHO 19 Aug 2022 -- The World Health Organization (WHO) has published its first guideline for Ebola virus disease therapeutics, with new strong recommendations for the use of two monoclonal antibodies. WHO calls on the global community to increase access to these lifesaving medicines.

COVID-19 Pandemic News

United States

• Department of the Army updates Total Army COVID-19 vaccination statistics US Army 19 Aug 2022 -- The U.S. Army updated COVID-19 vaccination rates and exemption requests for the Total Army as of August 18, 2022.

China

• Experts: COVID Lockdowns Likely to Exacerbate Chinese Repression in Xinjiang, Tibet VOA 19 Aug 2022 -- Fresh outbreaks of COVID-19 in Xinjiang and Tibet this month have turned China's two western frontier regions into lockdown zones. According to Chinese media, authorities divided the COVID-affected areas of the autonomous regions into high-, medium- and low-risk zones.
• Chinese mainland reports 559 new local confirmed COVID-19 cases People's Daily 19 Aug 2022 -- The Chinese mainland on Thursday reported 559 locally-transmitted confirmed COVID-19 cases, of which 441 were in Hainan Province, the National Health Commission said Friday.

India

• India's Cumulative COVID-19 Vaccination Coverage exceeds 209.27Cr India PIB 19 Aug 2022 -- India's COVID-19 vaccination coverage has exceeded 209.27Cr (2,09,27,32,604) as per provisional reports till 7 am today. This has been achieved through 2,78,10,025sessions.
• Update on COVID-19 Vaccine Availability in States/UTs India PIB 19 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 19 Aug 2022

Iran

• COVID-19 kills 66 more Iranians over past 24 hours IRNA 19 Aug 2022 -- The number of deaths from the coronavirus pandemic in Iran increased to 143,288 with 66 more Iranians killed by the deadly disease over the past 24 hours, Iran's Health Ministry announced on Friday.

Taiwan

• Taiwan reports 22,819 new COVID-19 cases, 32 deaths CNA 19 Aug 2022 -- Taiwan on Friday reported 22,819 new cases of COVID-19 and 32 deaths from the disease, according to the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC).
• Border opening dependent on BA.5 COVID cases: CECC CNA 19 Aug 2022 -- The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) on Friday said the time frame for implementing a draft plan submitted by the Tourism Bureau for easing COVID-19 border restrictions would depend on a possible surge of new BA.5 cases.

North Korea

• Respected Comrade Kim Jong Un Meets with KPA Medics and Makes Congratulatory Speech KCNA 19 Aug 2022 -- Kim Jong Un , general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and president of the State Affairs of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, on Thursday met and congratulated medics of the Korean People's Army (KPA) who fulfilled their sacred duty of defending the capital city and the people and performed undying feats in the top-level emergency anti-epidemic campaign.
• Ceremony of Awarding Party and State Commendations to KPA Medics Held KCNA 19 Aug 2022 -- Party and state commendations were conferred on medics of the Korean People's Army (KPA) who made distinguished military merits in the top-level emergency anti-epidemic campaign for defusing the health crisis in the capital in response to the special order of the Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK).

Other Countries

• Fiji, Tonga stress importance of COVID-19 safety measures, immunization People's Daily 19 Aug 2022 -- Fiji and Tonga have stressed the importance of COVID-19 safety measures together with immunization as the two South Pacific island nations continue to record more COVID-19 cases.