Wuhan lab samples hold no close relatives to virus behind COVID

After years of rumours that the virus that causes COVID-19 escaped from a laboratory in China, the virologist at the centre of the claims has presented data on dozens of new coronaviruses collected from bats in southern China. At a Read More …

UK: NHS staff ‘may have treated Covid with poor PPE’

A former Welsh health minister has said that NHS staff may have treated Covid patients during the pandemic with inadequate PPE. Former first minister Vaughan Gething, who was in charge of the health service from 2016 to 2021, returned to Read More …

Genetic ghosts suggest Covid’s market origins

A team of scientists say it is “beyond reasonable doubt” the Covid pandemic started with infected animals sold at a market, rather than a laboratory leak. They were analysing hundreds of samples collected from Wuhan, China, in January 2020. The Read More …

UN official: Terrorists using pandemic to stoke extremism

The U.N. counter-terrorism chief warned Tuesday that terrorists are exploiting the COVID-19 pandemic and appealing to new “racially, ethnically and politically motivated violent extremist groups.” Vladimir Voronkov spoke at the U.N. Security Council’s 20th anniversary commemoration of the pivotal resolution Read More …

Lebanese Armed Forces, U.S. Navy Conduct Resolute Union Virtually Amid COVID-19 Pandemic

MANAMA, Bahrain — The Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) and U.S. Navy are conducting Resolute Union (RU) 20, an explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) and maritime security operations bilateral military exercise being held from 27 July to 9 August. RU20 is the Read More …

Terrorist groups must not be allowed to exploit ‘fragilities’ caused by global health pandemic

As COVID-19 continues to disrupt the world’s health systems, economies and local communities, the UN Secretary-General on Monday highlighted how the pandemic has laid bare vulnerabilities to “new and emerging forms of terrorism”, such as cyberattacks, bioterrorism and the misuse Read More …

IATA Launches Aviation Security Intelligence Portal

Geneva – The International Air Transport Association (IATA) launched the Security Risk Intelligence Portal (SRIP)—an incident reporting tool to help airlines mitigate and manage security risks. The portal also includes the latest state and airport restrictions and requirements imposed as Read More …