Other Security News
COVID-19 Pandemic News

Other Security News

• Background Press Call by Senior Administration Officials to Preview the President's National Biodefense Strategy The White House 18 Oct 2022
• FACT SHEET: Biden-⁠Harris Administration Releases Strategy to Strengthen Health Security and Prepare for Biothreats The White House 18 Oct 2022
• Lafarge Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Provide Material Support to Foreign Terrorist Organizations US Dept. of Justice 18 Oct 2022 -- A global building materials manufacturer and its subsidiary pleaded guilty today to a one-count criminal information charging them with conspiring to provide material support and resources in Northern Syria from 2013 to 2014 to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) and the al-Nusrah Front (ANF), both U.S.-designated foreign terrorist organizations. Immediately following the defendants' guilty pleas this morning, U.S. District Judge William F. Kuntz II sentenced the defendants to terms of probation and to pay financial penalties, including criminal fines and forfeiture, totaling $777.78 million.
• Assistant Attorney General for National Security Matthew G. Olsen Delivers Remarks on Lafarge Guilty Plea US Dept. of Justice 18 Oct 2022
• Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco Delivers Remarks Announcing a Guilty Plea by Lafarge on Terrorism Charges US Dept. of Justice 18 Oct 2022
• French Company, Syrian Unit Plead Guilty to Material Support for Terrorism VOA 18 Oct 2022 -- In the first case of its kind, a large French industrial company and its now defunct Syrian subsidiary, both long accused of human rights violations during the Syrian conflict, pleaded guilty on Tuesday to conspiring to provide material support to Islamic State and the al-Nusrah Front.
• Briefing via Telephone with United States Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas US Dept. of State 18 Oct 2022
• Opening of High-Level Conference on "International and Regional Border Security and Management Cooperation to Counter Terrorism and Prevent the Movement of Terrorists" OSCE 18 Oct 2022 -- The International High-Level Conference on "International and Regional Border Security and Management Cooperation to Counter Terrorism and Prevent the Movement of Terrorists" opened today in Dushanbe, Tajikistan.
• Taliban Turns Blind Eye To Opium Production, Despite Official Ban RFE/RL Gandhara 18 Oct 2022 -- In the spring, the Taliban announced a ban on the cultivation, trafficking, and use of illicit narcotics in Afghanistan, the world's biggest producer of opium.

COVID-19 Pandemic News

• Statement on the thirteenth meeting of the International Health Regulations (2005) Emergency Committee regarding the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic WHO 18 Oct 2022

United States

• Trump administration interfered with federal response to COVID-19: congressional report People's Daily 18 Oct 2022 -- A U.S. congressional panel released a new report on Monday detailing efforts by the Trump administration to politicize federal response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

China

• Chinese mainland reports 208 new local confirmed COVID-19 cases People's Daily 18 Oct 2022 -- The Chinese mainland on Monday reported 208 locally transmitted confirmed COVID-19 cases, the National Health Commission said Tuesday.

India

• India's Cumulative COVID-19 Vaccination Coverage exceeds 219.37 Cr India PIB 18 Oct 2022 -- India's COVID-19 vaccination coverage has exceeded 219.37 Cr (2,19,37,66,738) as per provisional reports till 7 am today.
• COVID-19 UPDATE India PIB 18 Oct 2022
• Union Health Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya chairs High Level Meeting to review status of COVID-19 in the country India PIB 18 Oct 2022 -- Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Dr Mansukh Mandaviya today chaired a meeting with public health experts and officials to review the COVID19 pandemic situation in the country, status of vaccination drive and the Global scenario of new variants of Covid-19.Dr. V K Paul, Member (Health) NITI Aayog was also present during the meeting.
• New Wave of COVID-19 Looms in India With The Emergence of Omicron Subvariants Sputnik 18 Oct 2022 -- As India gears up to celebrate Diwali, the festival of lights, followed swiftly by Govardhan Puja, a celebration dedicated to Lord Krishna, and Bhai Dooj which marks the relationship between brothers and sisters, new BQ.1, BF.7 and XBB subvariants of omicron have started to emerge after outpacing many rival strains in Europe and the US.

Iran

• COVID-19 kills 4 more Iranians over past 24 hours IRNA 18 Oct 2022 -- The number of deaths from the coronavirus pandemic in Iran increased to 144,527 with 4 more Iranians killed by the deadly disease over the past 24 hours, Iran's Health Ministry announced on Tuesday.

South Korea

• S.Korea reports 33,248 new COVID-19 cases People's Daily 18 Oct 2022 -- South Korea reported 33,248 new COVID-19 cases as of midnight Monday compared to 24 hours ago, raising the total number of infections to 25,164,695, the health authorities said Tuesday.

Taiwan

• Taiwan reports 44,884 new COVID-19 cases, 33 deaths CNA 18 Oct 2022 -- Taiwan reported 44,884 new COVID-19 infections and 33 deaths from the disease Tuesday, according to the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC).

Other Countries

• Malaysia reports 1,210 new COVID-19 infections, 6 more deaths People's Daily 18 Oct 2022 -- Malaysia reported 1,210 new COVID-19 infections, as of midnight Monday, bringing the national total to 4,868,402, according to the health ministry.
• 1.4 million Canadian adults report prolonged COVID-19 symptoms People's Daily 18 Oct 2022 -- About 1.4 million Canadian adults indicated they had symptoms at least three months after a positive COVID-19 test or suspected infection, Statistics Canada said on Monday.
• Singapore reports 5,196 new COVID-19 cases People's Daily 18 Oct 2022 -- Singapore reported 5,196 new cases of COVID-19 on Monday, bringing the total tally to 2,017,261.
• Philippines logs 1,938 new COVID-19 cases, 37 more deaths People's Daily 18 Oct 2022 -- The Philippines reported 1,938 new COVID-19 infections on Monday, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the Southeast Asian country to 3,984,815.