KEY COVID NOS. WORLDWIDE

Pos   /   Country   /   New Daily cases   /   Total Deaths   /        Daily Deaths /           Active Cases   /           Deaths/1M Pop

               World    3,67,455              /             39,53,294            /             7,443     /             1,14,45,090        /             507.2

1             USA        10,653   /             6,19,948              /             275        /             49,00,358            /             1,862

2             Brazil     64,903   /             5,16,119              /             1,917     /             12,18,050            /             2,411

3             India      45,699   /             3,98,484              /             816        /             5,43,718              /             286

4             Russia    20,616   /             1,34,545              /             652        /             3,74,975              /             922

5             UK          20,479   /             1,28,126              /             23           /             3,25,105              /             1,878

6             Argentina            24,065   /             93,668   /             526        /             2,91,788              /             2,054

7             Mexico  1,661     /             2,32,608              /             44           /             2,80,831              /             1,786

8             Iran        12,717   /             84,127   /             142        /             2,46,421              /             989

9             Indonesia            20,467   /             58,024   /             463        /             2,28,835              /             210

10           Colombia             25,880   /             1,05,934              /             608        /             1,98,830              /             2,060

11           Honduras                            /             6,922     /                            /             1,61,100              /             688

12           South Africa       13,347   /             60,264   /             226        /             1,54,226              /             1,004

13           Poland   123        /             75,005   /             26           /             1,53,047              /             1,984

14           Spain     7,091     /             80,829   /             40           /             1,21,799              /             1,728

15           Turkey   5,846     /             49,687   /             53           /             83,375   /             583

16           Iraq        6,558     /             17,156   /             35           /             80,470   /             417

17           Bangladesh         7,666     /             14,388   /             112        /             78,348   /             87

18           Costa Rica           1,857     /             4,661     /             13           /             69,422   /             907

19           Malaysia              6,437     /             5,108     /             107        /             62,844   /             156

20           Bolivia   1,633     /             16,631   /             50           /             62,362   /             1,406

25           Philippines           4,479     /             24,557   /             101        /             50,037   /             221

39           Pakistan               735        /             22,254   /             23           /             32,153   /             99

U.S. HOUSE PASSES RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF INDIA’S COVID-19 FIGHT

The US House has passed a resolution recognizing the devastating impact of COVID-19 in India and expressing the sense of the House of Representatives to urgently facilitate assistance.

Congressman Brad Sherman, the Democratic Co-Chair of the House Caucus on India and India Americans, was joined by Rep. Steve Chabot in introducing the resolution last month.

"The resolution stands with the people of India as they collectively work to stem the spread of COVID-19," said Congressman Sherman. "The US must work with our partners around the world to quell the virus everywhere it persists."

"As Co-Chair of the House Caucus on India and Indian Americans, I am pleased my colleagues came together today to pass this important resolution expressing the House's support for India during this trying time," Chabot said. "India's COVID-19 second wave has caused immense suffering, both in India and among the Indian American community many of whose members have family in India. Our close ties to India and India's support for us early in the pandemic call for our support. As case rates continue to decline, we must help them finish the battle against the second wave and win the war against COVID-19 altogether."

According to an official release, the resolution recognizes the efforts of the Biden administration to deliver urgently needed medical supplies to India, and urges the delivery of additional, much needed medical supplies and in-kind medical supply donations to help India quell this devastating second wave of COVID-19.

US PRESSURE WON’T CHANGE OUR TIES WITH CHINA: PAK PM

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan Tuesday said it was very unfair of the United States and Western powers to force countries like Pakistan to take sides and downgrade their ties with China.

He made these observations in an interview with state broadcaster China Global Television Network (CGTN). An excerpt of the interview was shared on the prime minister’s Instagram account.

"It is very unfair for the US & other western powers to force countries like us to take sides. We should have good relations with everyone. It's not going to happen that if pressure is put on Pakistan to changes it relationship or downgrade its relationship with China. It won't happen."

"The relationship with China is very deep. It's not a relationship between governments, its people to people relationship. To sum up, whatever will happen, our relationship between the two countries, no matter what pressure is put on us, is not going to change."

Replying to a question about the Pakistan-China friendship in the regional context, Imran Khan said Pakistan had always had a very special relationship with China: that relationship has only gotten stronger with time and both always stand together at international forums.

RED CROSS WARNS INDONESIA FACES CORONAVIRUS CATASTROPHE

Indonesia needs to urgently increase medical care, testing and vaccinations as the number of new infections in the country has rapidly increased and left it “on the edge of a COVID-19 catastrophe,” the Red Cross said on Tuesday.

The group said its coronavirus hospital in Bogor, outside of Jakarta, was “overflowing” and emergency tents had been set up to be able to house more patients. It was a similar scene at other hospitals near the capital, including in at the Bekasi city hospital that had 90% of its beds filled.

“We are seeing record number of infections, but every statistic is a person who is suffering, grieving or struggling to support the people they love,” Sudirman Said, secretary general of Indonesian Red Cross, said in a statement. “Our medical teams are providing lifesaving care, with hospitals full to the brim and oxygen supplies critically low.” The surge in Indonesia, the world’s fourth most populous nation, is being blamed in part on the delta variant of the virus, which was first spotted in India and is thought to be more contagious. Indonesia reported more than 20,600 new cases on Monday and more than 400 deaths.

Indonesia has seen more than 2.1 million cases since the pandemic began and more than 57,500 deaths, both the most in Southeast Asia.

Less than 5% of adults in the nation of 270 million people have been fully vaccinated. The Red Cross called for global action so countries such as Indonesia can get the vaccines they need.

CHINA CERTIFIED MALARIA-FREE AFTER 70-YEAR FIGHT, SAYS WHO

China was certified as malaria-free on Wednesday by the World Health Organisation, following a 70-year effort to eradicate the mosquito-borne disease.

The country reported 30 million cases of the infectious disease annually in the 1940s but has now gone four consecutive years without an indigenous case.

“We congratulate the people of China on ridding the country of malaria,” said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

“Their success was hard-earned and came only after decades of targeted and sustained action. With this announcement, China joins the growing number of countries that are showing the world that a malaria-free future is a viable goal,” he said.

Countries that have achieved at least three consecutive years of zero indigenous cases can apply for WHO certification of their malaria-free status. They must present rigorous evidence — and demonstrate the capacity to prevent transmission re-emerging.

China becomes the 40th territory certified malaria-free by the Geneva-based WHO.

ISRAELI FOREIGN MINISTER LAPID INAUGURATES EMBASSY IN UAE

Israel’s new Foreign Minister inaugurated its Embassy in the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday and offered an olive branch to other former adversaries, saying: “We’re here to stay.”

During his two-day visit, the first to the West Asian nation by an Israeli Cabinet Minister since the countries established ties last year, Yair Lapid was also due to inaugurate a Consulate in Dubai and sign a bilateral deal on economic cooperation.

“Israel wants peace with its neighbours — with all its neighbours. We aren’t going anywhere. The Middle East is our home,” Mr. Lapid said during the ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Abu Dhabi high-rise office serving as a temporary Embassy. “We’re here to stay. We call on all the countries of the region to recognise that,” he said, according to a transcript.

CANADA WEATHER: DOZENS DEAD AS HEATWAVE SHATTERS RECORDS

Dozens of people have died in Canada amid an unprecedented heatwave that has smashed temperature records.

Police in British Columbia have responded to almost 70 sudden deaths since Monday, the majority of them involving elderly people.

They said the heatwave baking the region was a contributing factor.

On Tuesday, Canada recorded its highest ever temperature for a third straight day - 49.5C (121F) in Lytton, British Columbia.

Before this week, temperatures in Canada had never passed 45C.

"This weather can be deadly for vulnerable members of our community, especially the elderly and those with underlying health issues," he added. "It is imperative we check on them," Canadian Police Cpl Mike Kalanj, who is based in the Vancouver suburb of Burnaby, said on Tuesday.

SPAIN MOVES STEP CLOSER TO GENDER SELF-IDENTIFICATION

The Spanish government on Tuesday approved the draft of a bill to allow anyone over the age of 14 to change gender legally without a medical diagnosis or hormone therapy, the Equality Ministry said.

The draft bill, which will go to a public hearing before another reading in the cabinet and a vote in the lower house of parliament, removes the requirement for two years of hormone therapy and a psychological assessment to switch gender in official records.

"This is an historic day after more than 15 years without any legislative progress," Equality Minister Irene Montero told a news conference.