KEY COVID NOS. WORLDWIDE

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

               World    6,77,136              /             42,68,881            /             9,967     /             1,57,70,294               /             547.7

1             USA        1,10,630              /             6,31,283              /             650        /             57,58,176               /             1,895

2             UK          29,312   /             1,30,000              /             119        /             12,55,240            /               1,904

3             Brazil     40,460   /             5,59,715              /             1,118     /             7,19,953              /               2,613

4             Spain     21,874   /             81,844   /             71           /             7,02,369              /               1,750

5             Indonesia            35,867   /             1,00,636              /             1,747     /             5,24,011               /             364

6             Russia    22,589   /             1,61,715              /             790        /             5,15,227              /               1,108

7             Iran        39,357   /             92,194   /             409        /             4,82,092              /               1,083

8             India      42,817   /             4,26,321              /             532        /             4,17,238              /               306

9             Mexico  18,911   /             2,41,936              /             351        /             3,81,030              /               1,855

10           France   28,784   /             1,12,046              /             53           /             3,74,022              /               1,712

11           Turkey   26,822   /             51,767   /             122        /             2,92,535              /             607

12           Argentina            13,736   /             1,06,747              /             300        /             2,53,035               /             2,338

13           Thailand               20,200   /             5,503     /             188        /             2,11,076              /               79

14           Malaysia              19,819   /             9,855     /             257        /             2,10,522              /               300

15           Honduras             1,128     /             7,962     /             60           /             1,91,829              /               790

16           Netherlands        2,763     /             17,839   /             7             /             1,84,224              /               1,039

17           Iraq        12,713   /             18,938   /             73           /             1,59,386              /             460

18           Poland   164        /             75,269   /             4             /             1,54,198              /               1,991

19           South Africa       13,263   /             73,415   /             423        /             1,51,991              /               1,221

20           Bangladesh         13,817   /             21,638   /             241        /             1,47,115              /               130

25           Pakistan               4,722     /             23,575   /             46           /             78,595   /             105

29           Philippines           7,342     /             28,231   /             90           /             63,171   /             254

MV ASPHALT PRINCESS' SUSPECTED HIJACKERS HAVE ABANDONED VESSEL OFF UAE: BRITISH NAVY

The hijackers who seized a vessel off the coast of the United Arab Emirates in the Gulf of Oman left the targeted ship on Wednesday, the British navy reported, without elaborating.

The British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations reported that the incident, which it had described as a “potential hijack” the night before, was now “complete.” It did not provide further details.

“The vessel is safe,” the group said, without identifying the ship. Shipping authority Lloyd’s List and maritime intelligence firm Dryad Global had both identified the hijacked vessel as Panama-flagged asphalt tanker Asphalt Princess. The vessel’s owner, listed as Emirati free zone-based Glory International, could not immediately be reached for comment.

Satellite-tracking data for the Asphalt Princess had showed it gradually heading toward Iranian waters off the port of Jask early Wednesday, according to MarineTraffic.com. Later, however, it stopped and changed course back toward Oman, just before the British navy group made its statement.

UNSC SAYS IT DOES NOT SUPPORT THE RESTORATION OF THE ISLAMIC EMIRATE IN AFGHANISTAN

The UN Security Council, currently being presided over by India, declared that it does “not support the restoration of the Islamic Emirate” in Afghanistan, as it expressed concern over the violence in the country.

In a press statement issued by Council President T.S. Tirumurti, members of the 15-nation Council reaffirmed that there is no military solution to the conflict and “declared that they do not support the restoration of the Islamic Emirate”. “The members called on both the Islamic Republic and the Taliban to engage meaningfully in an inclusive, Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process in order to make urgent progress towards a political settlement and a ceasefire,” the statement said.

UK RELAXES COVID TRAVEL CURBS FOR INDIA, INSTITUTIONAL QUARANTINE EXEMPTED

The United Kingdom on Wednesday updated its latest Covid-19 travel update for some countries including India, moving it from the 'red' to 'amber' list with effect from August 8.

According to information available on the UK government website, it says, "India will move to the amber list 4 am, Sunday 8 August (local time)." Apart from India, other countries shifted to the 'amber' list are -- Bahrain, Georgia, Mexico, UAE, and Qatar, and the French overseas territories of Reunion and Mayotte.

Under the legal rules for countries on the amber list, passengers must undertake a Covid-19 test before and after arrival in England.

"You must take the test in the 3 days before you travel to England. On your arrival in England, you must: quarantine at home or in the place you are staying for 10 days. Also, you must take a Covid-19 test on or before day 2 and on or after day 8," it said.

"The UAE, Qatar, India and Bahrain will be moved from the red list to the amber list. All changes come into effect Sun 8th August at 4am," UK Transport Secretary tweeted.

FRESH BLAST IN KABUL INJURES 3; TALIBAN CLAIM ATTACK ON MINISTER’S COMPOUND

A blast near the office of Afghanistan’s main security agency wounded three people on Wednesday hours after a bomb and gun attack on a minister’s compound brought surging Taliban violence to the capital. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the late night Tuesday car bomb and gun attack on the home of acting defence minister Bismillah Mohammadi. The was no immediate claim for the Wednesday blast. Mohammadi survived the attack on his compound in a heavily fortified part of Kabul but the violence was a stark illustration of the deterioration in security as US-led foreign forces complete their withdrawal. Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said his group targeted the minister’s residence as an important meeting was underway there. Government forces battled the attackers for more than four hours and ministry of interior said at least eight civilians were killed and 20 wounded. The explosion on Wednesday near a facility of the National Directorate of Security wounded two civilians and a security official, police said.

'PAKISTAN HAS OTHER OPTIONS': NSA YUSUF TELLS US OVER BIDEN SNUB

Pakistan has other options if US President Joe Biden continues to ignore the country's leadership, National Security Adviser (NAS) Moeed Yusuf has said in an interview to The Financial Times (FT). However, Pakistan NSA Yusuf did not elaborate on his options.

This comment comes amid Islamabad's growing frustration over Joe Biden's snub to Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan. Biden hasn't called Khan since he assumed office in January this year.

"The president of the United States hasn't spoken to the prime minister of such an important country who the US itself says is make-or-break in some cases, in some ways, in Afghanistan -- we struggle to understand the signal, right?" Yusuf said, as quoted by Dawn newspaper.

"We've been told every time that... [the phone call] will happen, it's technical reasons or whatever. But frankly, people don't believe it," he said. "If a phone call is a concession, if a security relationship is a concession, Pakistan has options," he added.

Despite efforts from Pakistan NSA, Islamabad's ties with the US remains in a critical state. Top Pak top officials have been holding a series of meetings with the top US administration officials but 'divergent' views on Afghanistan and China have proved to be a hurdle between both the countries, The Nation reported citing a diplomatic source.

"Divergent views on Afghanistan and China factor are the reason for tense ties between Islamabad and Washington, after the meeting, the US National Security Adviser's tweet was focused on Afghanistan while there was no mention of Afghanistan in Dr Moeed Yousaf's tweet," the source informed.

WILDFIRE REACHES TURKEY POWER PLANT, PROMPTS EVACUATIONS

A coal-fuelled power plant in southwest Turkey and nearby residential areas were being evacuated on Wednesday evening as flames from a wildfire reached inside the plant, a mayor and local reporters said as sirens from the plant could be heard blaring.

Milas Mayor Muhammet Tokat, from Turkey’s main Opposition party, has been warning of the fire risks for the past two days for the Kemerkoy power plant in Mugla Province.

He said late Wednesday that the plant was being evacuated.

Local reporters said the wildfires had also prompted the evacuation of the nearby seaside area of Oren.

Turkey’s Defence Ministry said it was evacuating people by sea as the fires neared the plant.

Authorities have said safety precautions have been taken at the Kemerkoy power plant and its hydrogen tanks had been emptied.

UK TO ADMINISTER COVID-19 VACCINES TO HEALTHY 16- AND 17-YEAR-OLDS

The United Kingdom government announced on Wednesday that it will administer vaccines against the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) to all healthy children between the ages of 16 and 17.

The decision comes after the UK’s Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) issued a recommendation that healthy teenagers aged 16 and 17 should be administered the first dose of Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, which has been approved by Britain’s medical regulator for use for anyone aged 12 and above. The new rollout will include 1.4 million teenagers across the UK.

Health experts have welcomed the decision by saying it is an important step for protecting the young and reducing the transmission of Covid-19