MOSCOW: Russia reported 895 new COVID-19 deaths on Tuesday, the most recorded in a single day since the pandemic began, with the Kremlin blaming the slow pace of vaccinations and a more virulent virus.
Cases are rising after a third wave over the summer and officials are considering bringing back safety restrictions, although they say a Moscow lockdown is not being looked at.
The coronavirus task force reported 25,110 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours. The record daily death toll is Russia’s sixth in recent weeks.
“The numbers are really very bad, and this is indeed a cause for concern. The main reason is the insufficient level of vaccination,” said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
“The virus is getting more virulent... As a rule, those who have not been vaccinated are severely ill and unfortunately die,” he told reporters on a conference call.
Russia has administered both shots of a coronavirus vaccine to 42.2 million people and needs to inoculate 35.9 million more to reach collective immunity, Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova said.
Around 7.6 million people need booster shots, she said during a televised government meeting chaired by President Vladimir Putin.
Russia, which has a population of over 142 million, has approved four domestically-made vaccines for use.
Vaccine hesitancy has hampered the inoculation drive. Russians often cite a general fear of new medical products and distrust of the authorities as their reason for refusing the vaccination.
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Kremlin blames record COVID-19 deaths on slow vaccination rate
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Kremlin blames record COVID-19 deaths on slow vaccination rate
- Cases are rising after a third wave over the summer and officials are considering bringing back safety restrictions
- Coronavirus task force reported 25,110 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours
Taiwanese reporter accused of bribing military officers to leak information to China
- District court orders detention of television reporter surnamed Lin and five current and retired military officers
TAIPEI: A journalist in Taiwan was detained Saturday on allegations of bribing army officers to provide military information to people from mainland China, as the self-ruled island cracks down on potential infiltration from China.
Taiwan’s Qiaotou District Prosecutors Office said in a statement that a district court ordered the detention of a television reporter surnamed Lin and five current and retired military officers. The statement didn’t identify the journalist, but CTi TV issued a statement about the detention of its reporter Lin Chen-you.
The company said that it does not know the details of the case, but called for a fair judicial process, adding “God bless Taiwan.”
While Taiwan regularly pursues espionage cases within the government and military, allegations against journalists are unusual.
Beijing, which claims Taiwan as its own territory and threatens to take control of the island by force if necessary, has been increasing military pressure against the island. Last month, China’s military launched large-scale drills around it for two days after a Washington announcement of large-scale arms sales to Taiwan.
Prosecutors accuse Lin of paying amounts ranging from several thousand to tens of thousands of Taiwan dollars (tens to hundreds of US dollars) to current military officers in exchange for their providing information to “Chinese individuals.” The office didn’t specify who the Chinese people were or whether they were linked to the Chinese government.
Authorities raided the premises of the reporter and nine current and retired military personnel on Friday as part of an investigation into violations of Taiwan’s national security and corruption laws and disclosure of confidential information. CTi said that its offices were not raided.
According to Lin’s Facebook page, he was a political reporter and anchor covering the island’s legislature.
China and Taiwan have been governed separately since 1949, when the Communist Party rose to power in Beijing following a civil war. Defeated Nationalist Party forces fled to Taiwan, which later transitioned from martial law to multiparty democracy.
Taiwan’s Qiaotou District Prosecutors Office said in a statement that a district court ordered the detention of a television reporter surnamed Lin and five current and retired military officers. The statement didn’t identify the journalist, but CTi TV issued a statement about the detention of its reporter Lin Chen-you.
The company said that it does not know the details of the case, but called for a fair judicial process, adding “God bless Taiwan.”
While Taiwan regularly pursues espionage cases within the government and military, allegations against journalists are unusual.
Beijing, which claims Taiwan as its own territory and threatens to take control of the island by force if necessary, has been increasing military pressure against the island. Last month, China’s military launched large-scale drills around it for two days after a Washington announcement of large-scale arms sales to Taiwan.
Prosecutors accuse Lin of paying amounts ranging from several thousand to tens of thousands of Taiwan dollars (tens to hundreds of US dollars) to current military officers in exchange for their providing information to “Chinese individuals.” The office didn’t specify who the Chinese people were or whether they were linked to the Chinese government.
Authorities raided the premises of the reporter and nine current and retired military personnel on Friday as part of an investigation into violations of Taiwan’s national security and corruption laws and disclosure of confidential information. CTi said that its offices were not raided.
According to Lin’s Facebook page, he was a political reporter and anchor covering the island’s legislature.
China and Taiwan have been governed separately since 1949, when the Communist Party rose to power in Beijing following a civil war. Defeated Nationalist Party forces fled to Taiwan, which later transitioned from martial law to multiparty democracy.
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