Other Security News
COVID-19 Pandemic News

Other Security News

• Attack on Pelosi's husband raises fears of increasing U.S. political violence People's Daily 01 Nov 2022 -- The hammer attack on U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's husband has sparked increased fears over political violence in the United States just weeks before the country's midterm elections, British newspaper The Guardian has reported.
• Michael McFaul: Designating Moscow as Terrorism Sponsor Won't Prevent US From Talking to Russia VOA 01 Nov 2022 -- As Ukrainian forces continue to battle Russian troops in the east and south of the country, Europe and the United States are considering additional pressure to convince Russia's Vladimir Putin to end its invasion.
• US Targets Smugglers Supplying Islamic State in Somalia VOA 01 Nov 2022 -- The United States is trying to curb the flow of weapons to the Islamic State terror group's affiliate in Somalia, taking aim at a smuggling operation that is also helping to arm its al-Qaida-linked rival, al-Shabab, with weapons from Iran.
• US Treasury imposes sanctions on Somali arms network Press TV 01 Nov 2022 -- The United States has imposed sanctions on a Somali weapons trafficking network saying they are supplying arms to Daesh-Somalia and the al-Shabab militant group after twin bombings killed at least 100 in Mogadishu on Saturday.
• Designation of ISIS-Somalia Weapons Trafficking Network US Dept. of State 01 Nov 2022 -- The United States has designated an Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS)-Somalia network of weapons traffickers, their associates, and an affiliated business for facilitating weapons transfers to the terrorist group, as well as Osama Abdelmongy Abdalla Bakr, an ISIS supporter in Brazil. In 2016, senior ISIS leaders directed Bakr to obtain weapons and military equipment for the terrorist group.
• Treasury Sanctions Terrorist Weapons Trafficking Network in Eastern Africa US Treasury 01 Nov 2022 -- Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) took action against the Islamic State in Somalia (ISIS-Somalia), its first designations against this affiliate of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). This action follows OFAC's recent October 17, 2022 designations of al-Shabaab financial facilitators and weapons smugglers, further targeting a network of weapons traffickers, their associates, and an affiliated business that have facilitated weapons transfers to multiple terrorist groups. Several of the individuals designated today have specifically sold weapons to or were active al-Shabaab members.
• American Woman Who Led ISIS Battalion Sentenced to 20 Years US Dept. of Justice 01 Nov 2022 -- A U.S. citizen was sentenced to 20 years in prison today in the Eastern District of Virginia for organizing and leading an all-female military battalion in Syria on behalf of the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization.
• Nigerian Authorities Dismiss Terror Warnings by US, Other Foreign Missions VOA 01 Nov 2022 -- Nigerian authorities on Monday dismissed recent terror warnings by foreign missions for the capital, Abuja, as "false" and "irresponsible." Heads of Nigerian security agencies made the comments to journalists after an emergency security meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari. But security experts are urging Nigerians to take the warnings seriously.
• UK boosts Ukraine's cyber defences with £6 million support package UK FCDO 01 Nov 2022 -- The UK Ukraine Cyber Programme uses world-leading expertise to protect Ukraine's critical national infrastructure and vital public services from cyber attacks.
• Russian Hacker Behind Massive Data Breach Released From U.S. Prison RFE/RL 01 Nov 2022 -- A Russian hacker who was convicted for his leading role in one of the largest data thefts in U.S. history has been released from prison after serving most of his 12-year sentence.
• International Counter Ransomware Initiative 2022 Joint Statement The White House 01 Nov 2022
• Remarks by Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Wally Adeyemo at the International Counter Ransomware Initiative Summit US Treasury 01 Nov 2022 -- Today, as part of the second International Counter Ransomware Initiative Summit, Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Wally Adeyemo hosted participants from 36 countries at Treasury to discuss the whole-of-government approach to the ransomware threat.
• Afghanistan: Opium cultivation up nearly a third, warns UNODC UN News 01 Nov 2022 -- The 2022 opium crop in Afghanistan is the most profitable in years with cultivation up by nearly a third amid soaring prices, and despite the multiple humanitarian and economic crises facing the country and it's Taliban rulers, said the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) on Tuesday.

COVID-19 Pandemic News

United States

• DAF COVID-19 Statistics - Nov. 1, 2022 US Air Force 01 Nov 2022
• COVID-19 takes heavy toll on U.S. kids People's Daily 01 Nov 2022 -- The COVID-19 pandemic has devastated American children's education, especially those in poverty, Voice of America reported on Friday, citing an analysis.
• New variants drive up COVID-19 infections in U.S. People's Daily 01 Nov 2022 -- The COVID-19 cases caused by new variants are growing fast in the United States, according to data released Monday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

China

• Chinese mainland reports 498 new local confirmed COVID-19 cases People's Daily 01 Nov 2022 -- The Chinese mainland on Monday reported 498 locally transmitted confirmed COVID-19 cases, the National Health Commission said Tuesday.
• Guangzhou cancels 888 flights after detecting 527 COVID-19 cases in a single day Global Times 01 Nov 2022 -- The city of Guangzhou in South China's Guangdong Province is facing pressure from imported COVID-19 cases from other provinces and from overseas, and there has also been a local rebound. The manufacturing hub reported 527 locally transmitted COVID-19 cases on Sunday and it has dealt with a total of 260 COVID-related incidents since October 1.

Iran

• COVID-19 kills 4 more Iranians over past 24 hours IRNA 01 Nov 2022 -- The number of deaths from the coronavirus pandemic in Iran increased to 144,580 with four more Iranians killed by the deadly disease over the past 24 hours, Iran's Health Ministry announced on Tuesday.

Taiwan

• Taiwan reports 34,274 new COVID-19 cases, 46 deaths CNA 01 Nov 2022 -- Taiwan reported 34,274 new COVID-19 infections on Tuesday, including 32 imported cases, and 46 deaths from the disease, according to the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC).