Other Security News
COVID-19 Pandemic News

Other Security News

• Final Defendant in Michigan Governor Kidnapping Plot Sentenced to Over 19 Years in Prison US Dept. of Justice 28 Dec 2022 -- Barry Croft Jr., 47, of Bear, Delaware, was sentenced today to 235 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for conspiracy to kidnap the Governor of Michigan, conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction against persons or property, and knowingly possessing an unregistered destructive device, which was a commercial firework refashioned with shrapnel to serve as a hand-grenade.
• Number of Cyberattacks Against Russia Increased by 80% in 2022: Senior Diplomat Sputnik 28 Dec 2022 -- The number of cyberattacks against Russia increased by 80% this year against the backdrop of Moscow's special operation, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Oleg Syromolotov said in an interview with Sputnik.
• Russian RaHDit Hackers Unveil Data on Over 70 Ukrainians Involved in Cyberoperations Sputnik 28 Dec 2022 -- The Russian hacker group RaHDit on Wednesday published information on its website NemeZida on over 70 Ukrainian soldiers and officers responsible for cyberdefense and hacking operations.

COVID-19 Pandemic News

United States

• US Imposing Mandatory COVID Tests on Travelers From China VOA 28 Dec 2022 -- Federal health officials have announced that, because of the surge in coronavirus cases in China, nearly all airline passengers from the country will have to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test to enter the United States starting January 5. The only exceptions will be those younger than age 2.
• US to impose mandatory COVID-19 tests for travelers from China Press TV 28 Dec 2022 -- US health officials have said the United States will impose mandatory COVID-19 tests on travelers from China, accusing Beijing of not sharing enough information about the surge in coronavirus cases there.
• US says passengers from China will be required to present negative COVID test Radio Free Asia 28 Dec 2022 -- Passengers arriving in the United States from China, Hong Kong and Macau will be required to present a negative COVID-19 test from no more than two days before departure, the U.S. health authorities announced Wednesday.
• US to Require Travelers From China to Test Negative for COVID-19 Before Entry - CDC Sputnik 28 Dec 2022 -- The United States will require international travelers coming from China regardless of nationality to test negative for the novel coronavirus prior to entering the country, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on Wednesday.

China

• Plan to open border with mainland China sparks fears in Hong Kong Radio Free Asia 28 Dec 2022 -- Hong Kong leader John Lee on Wednesday announced plans to open the city's internal border with the rest of China by mid-January, sparking fears that the current wave of mass COVID-19 infections sweeping the country will engulf the city, sparking a run on medical resources.
• Border between mainland, HK to reopen before January 15: Chief Executive Global Times 28 Dec 2022 -- Chief Executive of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) has announced plans to reopen the border with the Chinese mainland before January 15 next year. Hong Kong society is rolling up its sleeves for the reopening after the border was closed for three years.
• China launches second round of residents' COVID infection survey, keeping abreast of epidemic development Global Times 28 Dec 2022 -- Many places in China, including Beijing, Henan, Hainan and Sichuan provinces, have launched the second round of surveys to learn about the situation of residents infected with the coronavirus. According to the results released so far, the infection rate in Sichuan has exceeded 63.5 percent, which is 16.59 percent higher than the previous survey.
• China to lift anti-COVID measures for all imported cold-chain foods, non-cold-chain items Global Times 28 Dec 2022 -- Chinese customs announced on Wednesday that it would revoke anti-COVID-19 measures, including nucleic acid testing, at ports of entry for all imported cold-chain foods and non-cold-chain items, effective January 8, when the country is scheduled to downgrade COVID-19 to Class B management.
• Anti-COVID restrictions on international flights to end from January 8: CAAC Global Times 28 Dec 2022 -- The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), the country's civil aviation regulator, said on Wednesday that it will lift COVID-19 travel restrictions from January 8, vowing to restore international passenger traffic, subdued for three years due to the pandemic.
• Hospitals scramble to cope with elderly influx People's Daily 28 Dec 2022 -- Fever clinics and emergency rooms in Beijing are racing to boost the number of critical care beds to cope with rising hospitalizations among older COVID-19 patients.
• Changes to COVID management policies explained People's Daily 28 Dec 2022 -- The National Health Commission announced late Monday that it will reclassify the novel coronavirus, changing it from "novel coronavirus pneumonia" to "novel coronavirus infection" and simultaneously downgrading management of the disease from Class A to Class B in accordance with the national law on infectious disease prevention and treatment, as of Jan 8.
• China to downgrade COVID-19 management to Class B People's Daily 28 Dec 2022 -- China will downgrade management of COVID-19 to Class B and cancel quarantine requirements on inbound travelers from Jan. 8, 2023, China's top health authority announced recently.
• China to Lift COVID-19 Testing Requirement for Travelers From January 8: Customs Service Sputnik 28 Dec 2022 -- China will lift the COVID-19 testing requirement for people entering the country from January 8, 2023, the General Administration of Customs said on Wednesday.
• GT Yearender: China shifts COVID policy with necessary conditions Global Times 28 Dec 2022 -- Editor's Note: After three years' hard efforts to keep COVID-19 at bay, China has optimized its virus response and come up with a major shift in its epidemic policy by downgrading COVID management and announcing the reopening of international borders from January 8, 2023. Global Times talked with frontline medical workers, experts and ordinary Chinese people, refuting some Western media narratives that China's sudden U-turn in policy had left many unprepared. The changing virus variant, accelerated mass vaccination and enhanced medical resources all laid out the foundation for COVID response adjustment.
  
• China strengthens COVID-19 response for key groups, locations People's Daily 28 Dec 2022 -- China has stepped up its epidemic prevention and control measures for key locations, organizations and population groups, amid its shift in COVID-19 response policy, according to documents released on Monday.
• Experts decode China's shift in COVID response policies People's Daily 28 Dec 2022 -- China's National Health Commission (NHC) announced on Monday that the country will downgrade its level of COVID-19 management from the current Class A to a less strict Class B starting from Jan. 8, 2023.

India

• COVID-19 UPDATE India PIB 28 Dec 2022 -- 220.07 cr Total Vaccine doses (95.12 cr Second Dose and 22.38 cr Precaution Dose) have been administered so far under Nationwide Vaccination Drive
• India's 1st COVID-19 nasal vaccine to be rolled out next month People's Daily 28 Dec 2022 -- India's vaccine maker Bharat Biotech International Limited (BBIL) announced the price of newly-developed COVID-19 nasal vaccine iNCOVACC on Tuesday, saying the vaccine would be rolled out from the fourth week of January 2023.

Iran

• Iran registers no new COVID death in past 24 hours IRNA 28 Dec 2022 -- The number of deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic in Iran stayed unchanged at 144,677 with another zero death day over the past 24 hours, Iran's Health Ministry announced on Wednesday.

Taiwan

• Taiwan reports 28,168 new COVID-19 cases, 25 deaths CNA 28 Dec 2022 -- Taiwan on Wednesday reported 28,168 new COVID-19 infections and 25 deaths from the disease, according to the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC).
• Travelers from China to be subjected to saliva PCR tests at border CNA 28 Dec 2022 -- Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) head Victor Wang (王必勝) announced Wednesday that travelers from China will be required to undergo a saliva COVID-19 test when they arrive in Taiwan starting on Jan. 1.