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Hot Documents

• Joint Chiefs of Staff Message to the Joint Force Joint Chiefs of Staff 12 Jan 2021 -- "As Service Members, we must embody the values and ideals of the Nation. We support and defend the Constitution. Any act to disrupt the Constitutional process is not only against our traditions, values, and oath; it is against the law. On January 20,202 1, in accordance with the Constitution, confirmed by the states and the courts, and certified by Congress, President-elect Biden will be inaugurated and will become our 46th Commander in Chief."
• National Maritime Cybersecurity Plan to the National Strategy for Maritime Security WH Dec 2020, Released 05 Jan 2021
• Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report: The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices' Ethical Principles for Allocating Initial Supplies of COVID-19 Vaccine — United States, 2020 CDC 23 Nov 2020
• DHS 2020 Homeland Threat Assessment DHS 06 Oct 2020
• GEC Special Report: Pillars of Russia's Disinformation and Propaganda Ecosystem DoS Aug 2020
• Russia UK House of Commons Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament 21 Jul 2020
• Fighting Covid-19 - China in Action SSIO-PRC 07 Jun 2020

15 January 2021

Other Security News

• Statement From Acting Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller on Announcement of DOD Inspector General Investigation DoD 15 Jan 2021
• At Request of Secretary of the Army & U.S. National Guard, Governor Andrew Cuomo Deploys Additional 250 Members of New York National Guard to Washington, D.C. for Inauguration Security New York State 15 Jan 2021
• Pelosi seeks criminal charges for lawmakers complicit in Capitol riots Press TV 15 Jan 2021 -- US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says members of Congress found to have been complicit in the storming of the Capitol should face prosecution.
• Pentagon investigates white supremacists in US military after Capitol riots Press TV 15 Jan 2021 -- Far-right and white supremacist extremists have been actively recruiting in the US military, the Department of Defense has acknowledged, announcing an investigation into the extent of extremist ideologies among active-duty personnel.
• Pentagon Agrees to Provide 25,000 Troops for Biden Inauguration Sputnik 15 Jan 2021 -- The US Defense Department in a press release said that it will provide 25,000 troops in Washington DC to ensure security during next week's inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden.
• Pelosi Warns Any Congress Member Who Abetted Capitol Riots May Face Prosecution Sputnik 15 Jan 2021 -- Suggestions that the rioters that stormed the US Capitol on 6 January were assisted by some congressional members have emerged over the week, with House Majority Whip James Clyburn alleging that the Capitol attackers were aware of certain office locations inside the building.
• Arrests Mount in US Capitol Riot With Nearly 300 Suspects Identified VOA 15 Jan 2021 -- U.S. prosecutors investigating the deadly Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol by supporters of President Donald Trump have identified nearly 300 individuals suspected of involvement in the violent rampage that left five people dead, officials announced Friday.
• State Department Terrorist Designation Reviews and Amendments US Dept. of State 14 Jan 2021 -- The Department of State has amended the terrorist designations of Lashkar i Jhangvi (LJ) and ISIL Sinai Peninsula (ISIL-SP) to include additional aliases. These aliases have been added to LJ and ISIL-SP's designations as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTO) under Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, and as Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGT) under Executive Order 13224.
• State Department Terrorist Designations of HASM and Its Leaders and Maintenance of PIJ FTO Designation US Dept. of State 14 Jan 2021 -- The Department of State has increased sanctions against Harakat Sawa'd Misr – also known as HASM – by designating the group as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) under section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).
• Mexico Exonerates Former Defense Minister of Drug Related Charges VOA 15 Jan 2021 -- Mexican prosecutors are not going to pursue criminal charges against a former defense minister arrested in the United States for allegedly collaborating with Mexico's most powerful drug cartel, the office of attorney general said in a statement.

COVID-19 Pandemic News

• Worldwide COVID-19 Deaths Top 2 Million VOA 15 Jan 2021 -- COVID-19 deaths worldwide exceeded 2 million Friday, according to Johns Hopkins University, a year after the coronavirus was first detected in Wuhan, China.
• WHO Calls on All Nations to Begin Vaccination Programs Within 100 Days VOA 15 Jan 2021 -- World Health Organization officials said Friday that they would like to see vaccination programs under way in every country in the world within the next 100 days, with frontline health workers and high-risk groups prioritized.
• As COVID deaths pass two million worldwide, Guterres warns against self-defeating 'vaccinationalism' UN News 15 Jan 2021 -- With more than two million lives now lost worldwide to COVID-19, the UN Secretary-General appealed on Friday for countries to work together and help each other to end the pandemic and save lives. In a video statement, Secretary-General António Guterres noted that the absence of a global coordinated effort has worsened the pandemic's deadly impact.
• COVID-19 committee stresses need for equitable vaccine access, more data sharing UN News 15 Jan 2021 -- As COVID-19 cases spike in parts of Europe, Africa and the Americas, and new variants of the virus emerge in some countries, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) on Friday called for greater global collaboration in ending the pandemic.
• Equitable access to vaccines now WHO's most urgent focus: Tedros People's Daily 15 Jan 2021 -- The most urgent focus now for the World Health Organization (WHO) is ensuring that all countries have access to vaccines on an equitable basis, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Thursday.

United States

• Biden Will Seek to Increase Federal Support to Speed Up Vaccine Rollout VOA 15 Jan 2021 -- U.S. President-elect Joe Biden unveiled a plan Friday to speed up the U.S. COVID-19 vaccine rollout, including increased federal funding, creation of thousands of vaccination centers and use of the Defense Production Act to expand the production of vaccination supplies.
• US COVID Death Toll Rapidly Approaching 400k, Says Johns Hopkins VOA 15 Jan 2021 -- The numbers for the coronavirus pandemic continue upward, with more than 93 million global infections and nearly 2 million worldwide deaths, according to the Johns Hopkins University Coronavirus Resource Center.
• Largest Multi-Site Distribution Complex in DOD Delivers for Operation Warp Speed DoD News 14 Jan 2021 -- As part of Operation Warp Speed's mission to develop and distribute COVID-19 vaccine, Defense Logistics Agency Distribution began shipping Moderna COVID-19 vaccine to Defense Department employees outside the continental U.S., the deployed U.S. Navy Fleet and a limited number of locations within the continental U.S., Dec. 22.
• Statement by Acting Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller on Operation Warp Speed Vaccine Doses Delivered Today DoD 15 Jan 2021
• DOD Awards $69.3 Million Contract to CONTINUUS Pharmaceuticals to Develop US-based Continuous Manufacturing Capability for Critical Medicines DoD 15 Jan 2021 -- On Jan. 15, 2021, the Department of Defense (DoD), in coordination with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), awarded a $69.3 million contract to CONTINUUS Pharmaceuticals Inc. to develop a domestic production capability for critical active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and final dosage form medicines using their proprietary integrated continuous manufacturing (ICM) technology. ICM enables rapid, on-demand production of medicines from API to final dosage form without interruption in a fully-automated, small-footprint facility.
• Rush Transcript: Governor Cuomo Announces New Record High Number of COVID-19 Test Results Reported New York State 15 Jan 2021

China

• Chinese president on global vaccine cooperation People's Daily 15 Jan 2021 -- From promising to make its vaccines a global public good to joining the COVAX facility backed by the World Health Organization, China has been active in promoting global vaccine cooperation advocated by Chinese President Xi Jinping.
• Use of COVID-19 vaccines follows strict requirements, procedures: HKSAR gov't People's Daily 15 Jan 2021 -- A spokesman for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government said on Thursday that COVID-19 vaccines used in Hong Kong must satisfy the relevant requirements and procedures, and obtain emergency use approval in accordance with the Prevention and Control of Disease (Use of Vaccines) Regulation, with a view to ensuring the safety, efficacy and quality of the vaccines.
• China's Tianjin finds coronavirus on ice cream with imported ingredients People's Daily 15 Jan 2021 -- Authorities in north China's Tianjin Municipality are tracing ice cream contaminated with coronavirus after three samples tested positive for the virus.
• China's Heilongjiang reports 43 confirmed, 68 asymptomatic COVID-19 cases People's Daily 15 Jan 2021 -- Northeast China's Heilongjiang Province reported 43 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 68 asymptomatic infections on Wednesday, local health authorities said on Thursday.
• Chinese mainland reports 135 new locally transmitted COVID-19 cases People's Daily 15 Jan 2021 -- The Chinese mainland on Thursday reported 144 newly confirmed COVID-19 cases, of whom 135 were locally transmitted and the rest arrived from outside the mainland, the National Health Commission said Friday.
• China's Jilin reports 14 asymptomatic COVID-19 cases People's Daily 15 Jan 2021 -- Northeast China's Jilin Province on Thursday reported 14 asymptomatic infections of the novel coronavirus, the provincial health commission said Friday.
• China province closes kindergartens, training institutions over COVID-19 People's Daily 15 Jan 2021 -- Several regions in northeast China's Jilin Province have suspended in-person classes at kindergartens, after-school training institutions and youth activity centers due to COVID-19 outbreaks in parts of the country.
• Construction of COVID-19 quarantine units begins in northern China Press TV 15 Jan 2021 -- Chinese authorities have begun the construction of 3,000 makeshift quarantine units in Shijiazhuang, the capital of northern Hebei Province, state media reported on Friday (January 15).

Europe

• Germany records highest daily death toll since start of COVID-19 People's Daily 15 Jan 2021 -- Another 1,244 COVID-19 deaths have been reported in Germany in a 24-hour period, the highest daily figure since the start of the pandemic, official data showed on Thursday.
• France orders stricter COVID-19 rules amid new variant fears People's Daily 15 Jan 2021 -- French Prime Minister Jean Castex on Thursday announced a new series of stricter COVID-19 rules -- among them an earlier nationwide curfew -- as the pandemic "is under control" but remains "worrying" because of the new rapidly spreading variants.
• UK bans arrivals from South American countries, Portugal over new coronavirus variant People's Daily 15 Jan 2021 -- The British government on Thursday announced its decision to ban arrivals from more than a dozen South American countries and Portugal starting from Friday, after the detection of a new coronavirus variant.
• UK records 55,761 new cases of COVID-19, 3.2 mln people now vaccinated SPA 15 Jan 2021 -- Britain recorded 55,761 new cases of COVID-19 on Friday, an increase on the 48,682 cases recorded the previous day, with the number of people receiving a first dose of the vaccination rising to 3.2 million, according to government data, Reuters reported.
• UK records 1,248 new COVID-19 deaths, down from record level SPA 15 Jan 2021 -- Britain reported 1,248 new deaths within 28 days of a positive COVID-19 test on Thursday, down from a record high of more than 1,500 seen the previous day, Reuters reported.
• Britain to Require COVID-19 Tests for Visitors to Prevent New Strains VOA 15 Jan 2021 -- British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced Friday that travel corridors into the nation would be closed to fight the spread of COVID-19.

Russia

• Russia records 24,763 new COVID-19 cases People's Daily 15 Jan 2021 -- Russia confirmed 24,763 new COVID-19 cases over the last 24 hours, taking its nationwide tally to 3,495,816, the country's COVID-19 response center said Thursday.

India

• India's Active Caseload further contracts to 2.13 Lakh India PIB 15 Jan 2021 -- India's total Active Caseload continues to manifest a sustained downward movement. It has dropped to 2.13 lakh (2,13,027) today.
• COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout India PIB 15 Jan 2021 -- The Union Minister of Health & Family Welfare, Dr. Harsh Vardhan, today reviewed preparations for the launch of the nationwide COVID19 vaccination drive scheduled to begin tomorrow. The Union Minister visited the Dedicated COVID Control Room which has been setup at the Nirman Bhawan premises of the Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare.

Iran

• Iran COVID-19 death toll hits 83 IRNA 15 Jan 2021 -- Death toll caused by COVID-19 pandemic over the past 24 hours hit 83, spokeswoman for Iran's Ministry of Health and Medical Education Sima Sadat Lari said on Friday.

South Korea

• South Korea Reports 513 New Coronavirus Cases SPA 15 Jan 2021 -- South Korea's new Coronavirus cases stayed in the 500s for the fourth consecutive day on Friday, Yonhap News Agency reported.

Saudi Arabia

• Prince Turki bin Hazloul Receives 1st Dose of Coronavirus' Vaccine SPA 15 Jan 2021 -- Prince Turki bin Hazloul bin Abdulaziz, Deputy Governor of Najran Region, received here today the first dose of Coronavirus' vaccine.
• 173 New Confirmed Covid-19 Cases, 181 Recoveries Reported, in Saudi Arabia SPA 15 Jan 2021 -- The Ministry of Health announced, in a statement, here today that 173 new confirmed cases of the novel Coronavirus (Covid-19) have been reported, in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, bringing the total number to 364,613, including 1,918 active cases undergoing treatment.

Taiwan

• Taiwan reports one new COVID-19 case -- an Indonesian worker CNA 15 Jan 2021 -- Taiwan reported a new imported case of COVID-19 on Friday involving an Indonesian national who arrived in the country last month to go to work on a fishing boat, according to the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC).

Brazil

• Sinovac vaccine awaits Brazil emergency approval despite 'unscientific' comparison with mRNA Global Times 15 Jan 2021 -- Brazil's health regulator Anvisa on Thursday urged AstraZeneca and Sinovac-Butantan to submit further documentation required for their COVID-19 vaccines' getting emergency use approval on Sunday.
• Brazil exceeds 1,000 deaths, 60,000 cases of COVID-19 for 3rd straight day People's Daily 15 Jan 2021 -- Brazil recorded more than 1,000 deaths from the coronavirus for the third consecutive day, reporting 1,131 deaths in the last 24 hours, bringing the national death toll to 207,095, the government said Thursday.

Turkey

• Turkish president gets COVID-19 vaccine People's Daily 15 Jan 2021 -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday received his first dose of vaccine as the country has started mass vaccination against COVID-19.
• Turkey begins mass COVID-19 vaccination with Sinovac's jabs People's Daily 15 Jan 2021 -- Turkey launched Thursday the mass vaccination program against COVID-19 with the vaccines developed by China's Sinovac company.

Venezuela

• Venezuela's Guaido rejects central bank deal to buy COVID-19 vaccines Press TV 15 Jan 2021 -- Venezuelan authorities say opposition figure Juan Guaido has rejected a deal, proposed by the Central Bank, to purchase coronavirus vaccines in Britain, where $1bn worth of Venezuelan gold is seized under US and UK sanctions.
• Russia Working With Venezuela to Ship Sputnik V Coronavirus Vaccine, Envoy Says Sputnik 15 Jan 2021 -- Moscow and Caracas are exploring ways to ensure the delivery of the Russian Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine to Venezuela, which is expected to start by the end of January, Russia's ambassador to Venezuela, Sergei Melik-Bagdasarov, told Sputnik on Friday.

Other Countries

• Oxford COVID-19 vaccine boss warns Australia against delaying immunizations People's Daily 15 Jan 2021 -- A scientist who led the development of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine has warned Australia against delaying its rollout.
• UAE Reports 3,407 New Cases of Covid-19 SPA 15 Jan 2021 -- The United Arab Emirates reported 3,407 new cases of the novel Coronavirus (Covid-19), bringing the total number of cases to 246,376.
• Paraguay Registers Russia's Sputnik V Vaccine, RDIF Head Says Sputnik 15 Jan 2021 -- The Paraguayan Health Ministry approved Russia's Sputnik V vaccine against the coronavirus, the vaccine was registered under the emergency use authorisation procedure without additional clinical trials in the South American country, the Russian Direct Investment Funds (RDIF) said on Friday.
• Mexico's Nuevo Leon State Poised to Purchase, Produce Russia's Sputnik V Vaccine Sputnik 15 Jan 2021 -- The Mexican state of Nuevo Leon intends to begin negotiations with Russian representatives over the purchase of the Sputnik V vaccine against COVID-19, Manuel de la O Cavazos, the state minister of health, told the El Universal newspaper, adding that the vaccine will likely be produced in the Mexican region as well.

14 January 2021

Other Security News

• U.S. House votes to impeach Trump, making him 1st U.S. president impeached twice People's Daily 14 Jan 2021 -- A majority of lawmakers in the U.S. House on Wednesday voted for impeaching President Donald Trump over "incitement of insurrection," making him the first president to be impeached twice.
• Trump condemns mob violence in Capitol riot after House impeaches him People's Daily 14 Jan 2021 -- Shortly after being impeached by the House on Wednesday, U.S. President Donald Trump condemned the mob violence in the U.S. Capitol riot, while calling for national unity.
• No Place in DOD for Extremism, White Supremacy, Officials Say DoD News 14 Jan 2021 -- There is no place in the Defense Department for those who espouse extremist views, DOD officials said today.
• Law Enforcement Boosts Defenses Around US Capitol VOA 14 Jan 2021 -- Six days before the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden, officials are tightening security in Washington, D.C., for what is expected to be a solemn ceremony shorn of the usual crowds following last week's deadly attack on the U.S. Capitol by supporters of President Donald Trump.
• Some 7,000 National Guards Already Deployed to Washington for Biden Inauguration Sputnik 14 Jan 2021 -- The US National Guard has already deployed about 7,000 troops to support security during the upcoming Joe Biden inauguration on January 20 and plans to triple this number closer to the event, a National Guard general, Daniel Hokanson, said.
• 20,000 US troops to deploy for Biden's inauguration as FBI warns of more pro-Trump violence Press TV 14 Jan 2021 -- About 20,000 US troops are to be deployed to Washington, DC for President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration next week as concerns rise about the likelihood of "extremist violence" ahead of the January 20 event.
• US Slams 14 of MS-13's 'Highest-Ranking' Leaders With Terrorism Charges, 3 At-Large Sputnik 14 Jan 2021 -- MS-13, otherwise known as Mara Salvatrucha, is an international criminal organization considered one of the most notorious street gangs within the Western Hemisphere. The group originated in Los Angeles, California, in the 1970s and gained notoriety over the decades for its ruthlessness as its reach extended across the US and Central America.
• MS-13 'Board of Directors' Charged with Terrorism VOA 14 Jan 2021 -- Federal authorities indicted the "board of directors" of the MS-13 gang on terrorism charges Thursday.
• MS-13's Highest-Ranking Leaders Charged with Terrorism Offenses in the United States US Dept. of Justice 14 Jan 2021 -- Earlier today, an indictment was unsealed in Central Islip, New York charging 14 of the world's highest-ranking MS-13 leaders who are known today as the Ranfla Nacional, which operated as the Organization's Board of Directors, and directed MS-13's violence and criminal activity around the world for almost two decades.
• Bangladesh protests against Pompeo's remarks on al-Qaida presence People's Daily 14 Jan 2021 -- The Bangladeshi government has protested against a recent statement of U.S. Secretary of State Michael Pompeo over the presence of al-Qaida terrorist group in Bangladesh.

COVID-19 Pandemic News

• WHO Europe Chief: 95% of World's Vaccines Being Administered in 10 Countries VOA 14 Jan 2021 -- The World Health Organization's ((WHO)) European chief says 95% of the 23.5 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines that have been administered around the world so far have been given out in just 10 countries.
• Over 90 mln confirmed COVID-19 cases worldwide reported to WHO People's Daily 14 Jan 2021 -- The number of COVID-19 cases worldwide has surpassed 90 million, reaching 90,054,813 as of Wednesday, according to the latest numbers from the World Health Organization (WHO).

United States

• Statement by Acting Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller on Operation Warp Speed Vaccine Doses Delivered Today DoD 14 Jan 2021
• New variant of COVID-19 found in Wisconsin People's Daily 14 Jan 2021 -- Wisconsin health officials said on Wednesday a new strain of COVID-19 virus has been detected in the U.S. Midwest state.
• U.S. COVID-19 cases surpass 23 mln -- Johns Hopkins University People's Daily 14 Jan 2021 -- The total number of COVID-19 cases in the United States topped 23 million on Wednesday, according to the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University.

China

• WHO Experts Arrive in China to Probe Pandemic's Origins VOA 14 Jan 2021 -- A team of experts from the World Health Organization arrived in the central Chinese city of Wuhan on Thursday to investigate the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic.
• As WHO Begins COVID-19 Probe, Speculation, Tensions Abound VOA 14 Jan 2021 -- After months of negotiations and accusations that China was obstructing an independent investigation, a team of World Health Organization experts has landed in Wuhan, China, where they will try to uncover the origin of the coronavirus that has killed nearly 2 million people globally.
• WHO expert team for origin-tracing of novel coronavirus arrives in China People's Daily 14 Jan 2021 -- An international expert team of the World Health Organization (WHO) arrived in China's Wuhan on Thursday.
• China Reports First COVID Death in 8 Months VOA 14 Jan 2021 -- China has reported its first COVID-19 death in eight months amid a surge in the northeast as a World Health Organization team arrived in Wuhan to investigate the beginning of the pandemic.
• Gene sequence of two COVID-19 cases in NE China's Heilongjiang similar to those in Dalian last Dec Global Times 14 Jan 2021 -- According to virus gene sequencing, the two COVID-19 cases amid the fresh outbreak in Wangkui county of Suihua city, Northeast China's Heilongjiang Province had 12 genomic variants, which were highly homologous to the cases in Dalian, Northeast China's Liaoning Province last December, the local anti-epidemic authority announced at Thursday's press conference.
• COVID-19 death in Hebei exposes anti-virus loopholes in villages Global Times 14 Jan 2021 -- North China's Hebei Province reported a death from COVID-19 on Thursday, becoming the country's first coronavirus fatality in about eight months. The case might not be a direct indication that the virus has become more pathogenic but sounds an alarm regarding loopholes in epidemic control in rural areas as most patients in the outbreaks this winter are elderly people from villages with many suffering from chronic diseases.
• Hospital environment in N China's Inner Mongolia tests positive for COVID-19 Global Times 14 Jan 2021 -- A hospital in North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region reported on Thursday that its environment tested positive for COVID-19. The hospital immediately conducted closed management and started nucleic acid testing for the personnel on site and an epidemiological investigation.
• Hebei builds 3,000 makeshift facilities for quarantine amid surging COVID-19 infections Global Times 14 Jan 2021 -- Shijiazhuang, North China's Hebei Province, the epicenter of the most recent COVID-19 outbreak, began building 3,000 makeshift housing units to be used as quarantine venues for COVID-19 patients on Wednesday amid surging infections.
• China's first COVID-19 death in eight months had underlying disease and was previously critically ill Global Times 14 Jan 2021 -- China on Thursday reported its first local COVID-19 fatality in about eight months since May 17, a female patient from North China's Hebei Province who had an underlying disease and had been extremely ill before she died on Wednesday afternoon.
• Jilin reports 3 asymptomatic COVID-19 cases who travels on a train bound for Beijing, prompting emergency search of all passengers Global Times 14 Jan 2021 -- Northeast China's Jilin Province reported seven new asymptomatic COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, among whom three traveled on a train that runs from Jiamusi, a city in Heilongjiang Province to Beijing on January 5. An urgent search and testing of all passengers on that train has been prompted.
• At least 17 countries have purchased China-produced COVID-19 vaccines Global Times 14 Jan 2021 -- More countries announced they would purchase China's COVID-19 vaccines or start mass inoculations using them, as senior officials of various countries stressed the safety of the Chinese vaccines despite some Western media questioning their efficacy and safety.
• Big virus resurgence highly unlikely People's Daily 14 Jan 2021 -- It is highly unlikely that China will experience a major resurgence of the novel coronavirus during the upcoming Spring Festival, given that the nation has created containment measures to quickly identify, isolate and control any possible outbreaks, a health official said on Wednesday.
• China's sharing on fighting COVID-19 helps Africa better prepare for pandemic, says expert People's Daily 14 Jan 2021 -- Working closely with China in terms of sharing information on combating COVID-19 has enabled the Africa Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) to prepare better for the pandemic, a senior African official said Wednesday.
• China's Hebei reports 47 new locally transmitted confirmed COVID-19 cases People's Daily 14 Jan 2021 -- North China's Hebei Province reported 47 new locally transmitted confirmed COVID-19 cases between midnight Wednesday and 10 a.m. Thursday, Vice Governor Xu Jianpei said on Thursday.
• Coronavirus found in Inner Mongolia hospital People's Daily 14 Jan 2021 -- Authorities in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region said they have discovered the novel coronavirus in environmental samples from a local hospital.
• Chinese mainland reports 124 new locally transmitted COVID-19 cases People's Daily 14 Jan 2021 -- The Chinese mainland on Wednesday reported 138 newly confirmed COVID-19 cases, of whom 124 were locally transmitted and the rest arrived from outside the mainland, the National Health Commission said Thursday.
• China's Hebei reports 81 confirmed COVID-19 cases People's Daily 14 Jan 2021 -- North China's Hebei Province reported 81 locally transmitted confirmed COVID-19 cases and four locally transmitted asymptomatic cases on Wednesday, the provincial health commission said on Thursday.
• COVID-19 patients in recent Hebei outbreak average 50 yrs of age: official People's Daily 14 Jan 2021 -- The COVID-19 patients infected during the recent outbreak in north China's Hebei Province have an average age of 50, a health official said Wednesday.
• China to expand COVID-19 vaccination to include people aged over 60 People's Daily 14 Jan 2021 -- China will expand the target population for COVID-19 vaccination to include elderly people aged over 60 years old, a health official said Wednesday.
• China tightens passenger traffic control in medium, high-risk areas People's Daily 14 Jan 2021 -- China's Ministry of Transport has called on local authorities to strengthen control over passenger traffic plying in and out of areas designated medium- and high-risk for COVID-19 to curb the latest resurgence in cases.
• China's Hebei reports 90 locally transmitted COVID-19 cases People's Daily 14 Jan 2021 -- North China's Hebei Province reported 90 locally transmitted confirmed COVID-19 cases and 15 local asymptomatic cases on Tuesday, the provincial health commission said on Wednesday.
• China's Heilongjiang reports 40 confirmed COVID-19 cases People's Daily 14 Jan 2021 -- Northeast China's Heilongjiang Province reported 40 confirmed domestically transmitted COVID-19 cases and 50 new asymptomatic infections between 12:00 a.m. and 7 p.m. Wednesday, local health authorities said on Wednesday evening.
• Isolation center under construction in Hebei after COVID-19 outbreak People's Daily 14 Jan 2021 -- Construction workers on Wednesday started building a centralized medical observation center in Shijiazhuang, capital of north China's Hebei Province, where clustered COVID-19 cases occurred.
• China's Shijiazhuang tests over 10 million residents in three days after COVID-19 resurgence People's Daily 14 Jan 2021 -- Capital of north China's Hebei province Shijiazhuang kicked off mass nucleic acid tests for its residents on Jan. 6, after locally transmitted confirmed COVID-19 cases were recently reported.
• Lockdowns Imposed as Northeastern Chinese Provinces Report Spike in Coronavirus Cases Radio Free Asia 14 Jan 2021 -- The COVID-19 pandemic produced spikes cases in northeastern China's Heilongjiang province this week, prompting an order for its 37.5 million residents to stay home, while Hebei, the province that surrounds Beijing, reported scores of new cases and its first coronavirus death in nearly eight months, authorities said.

Europe

• Germany calls for int'l solidarity to fight pandemic People's Daily 14 Jan 2021 -- German Health Minister Jens Spahn called for international solidarity to overcome the COVID-19 crisis. "No country, no party, no government can defeat the virus alone. It can only be done together," Spahn said in a speech to the German parliament on Wednesday.
• Portugal announces new nationwide lockdown to contain COVID-19 People's Daily 14 Jan 2021 -- Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa announced on Wednesday a new period of general confinement as a measure to stem the exponential growth in COVID-19 infections in recent days.
• Portugal receives first batch of Moderna coronavirus vaccine People's Daily 14 Jan 2021 -- The Portuguese Ministry of Health said on Wednesday that the country had received the first shipment of 8,400 doses of COVID-19 vaccine produced by U.S. biotechnology company Moderna.
• UK records highest daily death toll since start of COVID-19 People's Daily 14 Jan 2021 -- Another 1,564 have died within 28 days of a positive test, the highest daily increase since the pandemic began in the country, according to official figures released Wednesday.

Russia

• Moscow To Reopen Schools, Extend Other Coronavirus Curbs RFE/RL 14 Jan 2021 -- Moscow authorities have extended restrictions against COVID-19 for another week, with the exception of pupils returning to schools from January 18.
• Russia's Sputnik V Vaccine Rollout To Expand Globally Despite Western Media Claims, RDIF Chief Says Sputnik 14 Jan 2021 -- The Russian vaccine created at the Gamaleya Research Centre in Moscow is being rolled out internationally in the race to control the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the chief executive of Russia's sovereign wealth fund said on Thursday.
• WHO Ready to Speed Up International Certification of Russia's Sputnik V Vaccine, Official Says Sputnik 14 Jan 2021 -- The international certification of the Russian vaccine against the coronavirus, Sputnik V, is at the stage of WHO approval and the organisation is ready to help in speeding up this process, technical officer for immunisation at WHO Regional Office for Europe, Oleg Benes, said at a briefing with Russian-language media.

India

• Number of COVID-19 Cases in India Rises by 16,946 to Over 10.5Mln SPA 14 Jan 2021 -- India has confirmed 16,946 new cases of the coronavirus over the past 24 hours, with the total number of those infected having reached 10,512,093, the country's Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said on Thursday, according to Russian Sputnik News Agency.
• India reports less than 20,000 Daily New Cases since past 7 days India PIB 14 Jan 2021 -- The ongoing trend of contraction of India's daily new cases continues. India has recorded less than 20,000 daily new cases since the last 7 days.
• PM to launch Pan India Rollout of COVID-19 Vaccination drive on 16 January India PIB 14 Jan 2021 -- Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will launch the pan India rollout of COVID-19 vaccination drive on 16th January, 2021 at 10:30 AM via video conferencing. This will be the world's largest vaccination program covering the entire length and breadth of the country.
• India's COVID-19 tally rises to 10,512,093 People's Daily 14 Jan 2021 -- India's COVID-19 tally rose to 10,512,093 on Thursday, as 16,946 new cases were registered during the past 24 hours, the latest data from the federal health ministry showed.

Iran

• Iran COVID-19 death toll drops to 81 IRNA 14 Jan 2021 -- COVID-19 death toll in Iran has dropped to 81 over the past 24 hours, spokeswoman for Iran's Ministry of Health and Medical Education Sima Sadat Lari said on Thursday.

Japan

• Japan to suspend entry of all non-resident foreign nationals People's Daily 14 Jan 2021 -- Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga on Wednesday said the entry of all non-resident foreign nationals into the country will be suspended as part of a coordinated effort to curb the further spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Saudi Arabia

• Health Ministry: 169 New Confirmed Cases of COVID-19 Reported in Saudi Arabia SPA 14 Jan 2021 -- The Ministry of Health said in statement today that 169 new confirmed cases of Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) have been reported in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; thus bringing the total number to 364,440 confirmed cases, including 1,929 active cases, receiving necessary medical care. Of these, there are 302 critical cases, while the health condition of the rest is stable.

Taiwan

• Hundreds more hospital workers to be tested after 2 COVID cases found CNA 14 Jan 2021 -- The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) said Thursday that another 300-400 employees at a hospital in northern Taiwan will be tested for COVID-19, after a doctor and a nurse there recently contracted the virus.

Philippines

• Philippines prefers Chinese COVID-19 vaccines, calling them "safe, sure and secure" People's Daily 14 Jan 2021 -- Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has defended the purchase of the COVID-19 vaccines developed by the Chinese makers, saying the Chinese vaccines are "safe, sure, and secure."
• Philippines approves Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for emergency use People's Daily 14 Jan 2021 -- The Philippines' Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authorized the emergency use of Pfizer Inc and BioNTech SE's COVID-19 vaccine, FDA head Enrique Domingo said on Thursday.

Brazil

• Brazil registers 60,899 new coronavirus cases, 1,274 new COVID-19 deaths SPA 14 Jan 2021 -- Brazil has had 60,899 new confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus reported in the past 24 hours, and 1,274 deaths from COVID-19, the health ministry said on Wednesday.
• Brazilian COVID-19 Variant May Pose Risk to Vaccines' Effectiveness, UK Gov't Adviser Warns Sputnik 14 Jan 2021 -- The adviser said experiments to gauge how the immune system recognises the South African and Brazilian variants of the coronavirus are currently underway.
• Brazil's COVID-19 vaccination drive to begin end of January, says health minister People's Daily 14 Jan 2021 -- Brazil's vaccination campaign against COVID-19 will begin at the end of January in pandemic hotspot Manaus, capital of northern Amazonas state, Health Minister Eduardo Pazuello said on Wednesday.

Mexico

• Mexico begins vaccination against COVID-19 at 879 hospitals Global Times 14 Jan 2021 -- Some 879 hospitals in Mexico on Wednesday simultaneously began vaccination against the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), giving priority to healthcare workers.
• Mexico's Coronavirus Death Toll Rises to 136,917 SPA 14 Jan 2021 -- Mexico reported 15,873 new confirmed coronavirus cases and 1,235 more fatalities on Wednesday, according to the health ministry, bringing its total to 1,571,901 infections and 136,917 deaths, Reuters reported.

Other Countries

• 270 Million COVID Vaccine Doses Headed for African Continent VOA 14 Jan 2021 -- The African Union says the continent is set to receive about 270 million doses of coronavirus vaccine and wants to see them distributed equitably.
• Ecuador sees three more cases of coronavirus variant Global Times 14 Jan 2021 -- Ecuador detected three more cases of the coronavirus variant first identified in the United Kingdom, bringing the total number of such cases in the South American country to four, Health Minister Juan Carlos Zevallos said on Wednesday.
• Indonesia starts massive COVID-19 vaccination drive with Sinovac jabs People's Daily 14 Jan 2021 -- Indonesia launched its massive COVID-19 vaccination program on Thursday with health workers as the main priority group, a day after President Joko Widodo received the first shot developed by China's biopharmaceutical company Sinovac Biotech.
• Turkish health minister gets jab of Chinese vaccine ahead of national rollout People's Daily 14 Jan 2021 -- Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca on Wednesday received the Chinese COVID-19 Sinovac vaccine along with Turkey's advisory science council members, one day before the nationwide vaccination begins.
• Ukraine's cooperation with Sinovac allows starting mass COVID-19 vaccination in first half of 2021 People's Daily 14 Jan 2021 -- The cooperation with Chinese biopharmaceutical company Sinovac Biotech will help Ukraine start vaccination in the first half of 2021 with safe vaccines, the development director of Lekhim Group Mikhail Rensky said in an exclusive interview with Xinhua on Wednesday.
• UAE Announces 3,382 New COVID-19 Cases, 2,671 Recoveries, 3 Deaths in Last 24 Hours SPA 14 Jan 2021 -- The UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention, MoHAP, announced that it conducted 126,625 additional COVID-19 tests over the past 24 hours, using state-of-the-art medical testing equipment.
• China Promises Myanmar 300,000 Vaccine Doses VOA 14 Jan 2021 -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has promised to provide Myanmar with 300,000 doses of coronavirus vaccine, according to the website of State Counselor and de facto head of state Aung San Suu Kyi.
• Motivation Behind Malaysia's State of Emergency Questioned VOA 14 Jan 2021 -- The Malaysian government's surprise state of emergency, declared this week to help beat back a surging coronavirus outbreak, may be more of a bid by Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin to preserve his slipping grip on power, some analysts say.
• Indonesian President Widodo receives Chinese COVID-19 vaccine People's Daily 14 Jan 2021 -- Indonesian President Joko Widodo on Wednesday received the COVID-19 vaccine shot developed by China's biopharmaceutical company Sinovac Biotech.