Japan will begin discussions this month on whether a fourth shot of a COVID-19 vaccine is necessary as some countries start offering second booster doses to their most vulnerable people.

If fourth doses are administered six months after third shots, a second booster rollout could begin as early as this summer.

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2022/03/11/national/covid-vaccines-fourth-doses/

Europe saw some of the biggest growth in arms imports among world regions before Russia went to war with Ukraine, and the continent is expected to bolster defense capabilities in the coming decade, according to a report.

A study by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute showed imports of major arms by European states between 2017 and 2021 rose 19% compared to the previous five years. European states accounted for 13% of global arms transfers in that time, up from 10% in the previous five-year period, the report said.

The largest arms buyers in Europe were the U.K., Norway and Netherlands, the report said. Imports for the region were set to accelerate with other European countries recently placing large orders for new weaponry, particularly combat aircraft from the U.S, according to the study.

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2022/03/14/world/europe-weapons-russia-war/

On Thursday, Chinese media pounced on a Russian claim that the US tested bat coronaviruses in Ukrainian laboratories.

The supposed findings have provided China with an avenue to support its narrative on COVID-19's origin.

Vampires and 'secret US bio-weapons labs' have also emerged in the conspiracy theories touted in China.

Cross a love for vampires with the invasion of Ukraine, and one ends up with secret US biological weapons that led to the spread of COVID-19, at least according to Chinese social media users and state-affiliated news outlets.

https://www.businessinsider.com/ukraine-china-vampires-secret-bioweapons-covid19-origin-weibo-2022-3

MOSCOW. KAZINFORM - Russia’s COVID-19 case tally rose by 41,055 over the past day to 17,376,241, the anti-coronavirus crisis center reported on Monday, TASS reports. In relative terms, the growth rate reached 0.24%. As many as 2,712 people were hospitalized with COVID-19 in Russia over the past day, down 15% from a day earlier. The number of hospitalized patients decreased in 50 regions. The situation remained unchanged in eight regions. A day earlier, 3,191 people were rushed to hospitals. Moscow reports fewer than 1,000 daily COVID-19 cases for the first time since September 23, 2020. The COVID-19 cases in the Russian capital surged by 957 over the past day versus 1,437 a day earlier, reaching 2,722,292, according to the anti-coronavirus crisis center. St. Petersburg’s COVID-19 cases increased by 1,547 over the past day versus 1,923 a day earlier, reaching 1,478,684. Patients' deaths Russia’s COVID-19 death toll surged by 533 over the past day to 361,344, the anti-coronavirus crisis center told reporters on Monday. A day earlier 596 COVID-19 deaths were registered. The average mortality rate remained at 2.08%, according to the crisis center.

https://www.inform.kz/en/russia-s-covid-19-cases-surge-by-almost-41-000-crisis-center_a3910899