KEY COVID NOS. WORLDWIDE

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

               World    6,49,473              /             44,63,876            /             10,379   /             1,80,44,397        /             572.7

1             USA        1,44,362              /             6,48,126              /             1,130     /             76,96,984            /             1,945

2             UK          30,838   /             1,31,854              /             174        /             12,77,322            /             1,931

3             Iran        40,623   /             1,03,357              /             709        /             6,59,826              /             1,213

4             Russia    18,833   /             1,77,614              /             794        /             5,54,257              /             1,216

5             Spain     10,072   /             83,527   /             190        /             5,23,805              /             1,786

6             Brazil     31,014   /             5,75,829              /             885        /             5,08,336              /             2,687

7             Turkey   19,191   /             54,995   /             230        /             4,58,961              /             644

8             France   24,853   /             1,13,572              /             153        /             4,42,061              /             1,736

9             Mexico  6,543     /             2,53,526              /             371        /             4,06,109              /             1,943

10           India      51,016   /             4,35,788              /             737        /             3,28,956              /             312

11           Indonesia            19,106   /             1,28,252              /             1,038     /             2,73,750              /             463

12           Malaysia              20,837   /             14,553   /             211        /             2,62,713              /             443

13           Japan     16,858   /             15,663   /             32           /             2,15,490              /             124

14           Honduras             1,141     /             8,670     /             27           /             2,15,436              /             860

15           Argentina            8,119     /             1,10,806              /             197        /             2,08,965              /             2,426

16           Vietnam               10,811   /             9,014     /             348        /             1,97,974              /             92

17           Thailand               17,165   /             9,788     /             226        /             1,92,334              /             140

18           South Africa       10,346   /             79,953   /             369        /             1,64,389              /             1,329

19           Poland   233        /             75,324   /             8             /             1,55,358              /             1,993

20           Iraq        7,670     /             20,337   /             75           /             1,41,021              /             493

22           Philippines           12,067   /             32,264   /             303        /             1,27,703              /             290

24           Pakistan               4,075     /             25,094   /             91           /             91,046   /             111

32           Bangladesh         5,249     /             25,513   /             114        /             65,688   /             153

G7 FAILS TO SWAY BIDEN TO DELAY AF WITHDRAWAL

US President Joe Biden turned down pleas from other G7 leaders for extending the deadline for the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan.

A tweet from the White House skipped the deadline extension aspect and said Biden discussed at G7 a continuation of “our close coordination on Afghanistan policy, humanitarian assistance and evacuating citizens and vulnerable Afghans”.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the G7 had agreed on a roadmap for “future engagement with the Taliban, but are currently insisting on ‘safe passage’ beyond the August 31 deadline”. Sensing US firmness in pulling out, India and Russia have decided to set up a permanent bilateral channel for consultations to discuss Afghanistan.

“It is important for the two strategic partners to work together,’’ said an MEA readout of the 45-minute conversation between PM Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

PM Modi had on Monday conferred with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Afghanistan. Along with Italy and Spain, Berlin is playing an important role in evacuations from Kabul and has soldiers on the ground.

Separately, NSA Ajit Doval flagged to his BRICS counterparts, including from Russia and China, cross-border terrorism by groups such as Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) which enjoy state support and threaten peace and security.

Their activities tend to slip under the radar during global talks on terrorism in the region and were flagged by Doval at the virtual meeting of “BRICS High Representatives Responsible for National Security”, which he had hosted.

AFGHAN CRISIS: TALIBAN TO SEND TEAM TO PANJSHIR FOR TALKS

On a tense day around Panjshir Valley when the resistance forces stalled probes by Taliban fighters, reports said its spokesman’s call for peace was being followed up with a delegation that will meet Ahmad Massoud.

The Taliban attempted to enter Panjshir Valley through a pass from the adjoining Badakhshan province but were unable to do so. Major Wazir Akbar, an Afghan army commando who has joined the Panjshir fighters, said the counterattack at Anjuman Pass claimed many victims.

In Kabul, Taliban spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid called on “our brothers in Panjshir” for talks while a Taliban leader confirmed that a delegation will “meet with Ahmad Massoud himself and a number of other people who are involved in the Panjshir case.”

Ahmad Massoud, one of the Resistance-2 leaders, has said its forces have adequate stores of ammunition and arms to withstand a Taliban assault.

Panjshir is surrounded by Badakhshan, Takhar and Baghlan provinces, which are under Taliban control.

US IN TALKS WITH TALIBAN VIA POLITICAL, SECURITY CHANNELS

The United States is in talks with the Taliban on a daily basis through political and security channels, and is also consulting allies and partners on the ongoing evacuation progress from the Kabul airport, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said. He, however, reiterated the US did not trust the Taliban.

US President Joe Biden sent the head of the CIA to meet the Taliban's leader in the highest-level diplomatic encounter since the militant group took over the Afghan capital, two US sources said. CIA Director William Burns met Taliban leader Abdul Ghani Baradar in Kabul, a US official and a source familiar with government activity said on Tuesday. Both spoke on condition of anonymity.

National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said the conversation with the Taliban covered every aspect of what’s happening in Kabul and how they need to ensure that there is facilitated passage to the airport for American citizens and third-country nationals.

The US, he said, was also consulting closely with its allies and partners on the evacuation and its progress. "We believe we are making enormous progress," he said. Separately, State Department spokesperson Ned Price said Special US Representative for Afghan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad and his team were in contact with the Taliban.

OZ EVACUATES OVER 50 FEMALE AFGHAN ATHLETES

Australia evacuated more than 50 female Afghan athletes and their dependents after lobbying by prominent figures from the sporting world, Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reported on Tuesday.

Australia has for more than a week been evacuating its citizens and some of its former staff from its embassy after the Taliban seized control of Kabul. About 1,000 people have been evacuated on Australian flights and ABC reported that among them were about 50 female athletes and their dependents, after their plight had drawn the support of several prominent former sporting figures.

Fifpro, the worldwide association for professional footballers that has also been heavily involved in efforts to get the athletes out, confirmed the group evacuation without giving numbers. “We are grateful to the Australian government for evacuating a large number of women footballers and athletes from Afghanistan,” Fifpro said. “These women, both as athletes and activists, have been in a position of danger and on behalf of their peers around the world we thank the international community for coming to their aid.”

CHINESE PREZ’S ‘THOUGHTS’ TO BE TAUGHT FROM PRIMARY SCHOOLS TO VARSITIES

China will include “Xi Jinping Thought”, a collection of the Chinese president’s policies and opinions, in its national curriculum, to be taught from primary schools all the way to university, the education ministry has said.

The integration of Xi’s ideas into the curriculum will help establish “Marxist beliefs” among the country’s youth, the ministry said in a set of new guidelines issued on Tuesday.

“The ‘Guide’ clearly requires that Xi Jinping’s thoughts on socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era be fully integrated into the curriculum and teaching materials. It should cover basic education, vocational education, and higher education,” the ministry said.

While some universities in China have already included Xi’s thoughts and analysis on political thought and diplomacy in its curriculum, it’s the first time that the president’s ideas and ideals are being included for all students of all ages in the national curriculum.

Formally known as “Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era”, it is headlined by the central principle of the Communist Party of China’s (CPC) leadership over all aspects of Chinese life.

“Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era” was added to the country’s constitution in 2018.

HARRIS SLAMS BEIJING FOR ‘COERCION’ IN SCS

China continues to “coerce, intimidate and make claims” to the vast majority of the South China Sea even as its actions undermine the rules-based order and threaten the sovereignty of nations, US Vice President Kamala Harris said here on Tuesday, asserting that America stood with its allies.

Harris, in a speech as part of her three-day visit to Singapore, said America's vision included the freedom of navigation which is vital to all. “The livelihood of millions of people depend on the trade that flow through these sea lanes each day” she said.