KEY COVID NOS. WORLDWIDE

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

               World    3,40,061              /             51,14,942            /             4,397     /             1,92,33,248        /             656.2

1             USA        19,443   /             7,83,549              /             110        /             92,15,204            /             2,348

2             UK          36,517   /             1,42,898              /             63           /             15,93,001            /             2,090

3             Russia    38,823   /             2,55,386              /             1,219     /             10,30,703            /             1,749

4             Ukraine 14,490   /             76,705   /             403        /             5,09,694              /             1,768

5             Germany              29,048   /             98,194   /             35           /             4,62,342              /             1,167

6             Turkey   21,624   /             73,531   /             189        /             4,45,676              /             859

7             Mexico  3,130     /             2,91,089              /             217        /             3,48,792              /             2,226

8             Poland   14,448   /             78,867   /             46           /             3,23,032              /             2,087

9             Netherlands        12,024   /             18,734   /             6             /             2,54,764              /             1,090

10           Honduras                            /             10,353   /                            /             2,48,702              /             1,023

11           Belgium                              /             26,321   /                            /             2,15,650              /             2,258

12           Iran        6,143     /             1,28,167              /             125        /             2,13,602              /             1,500

13           Brazil     4,129     /             6,11,318              /             63           /             1,95,307              /             2,848

14           France   12,496   /             1,18,154              /             17           /             1,60,465              /             1,805

15           Czechia 9,199     /             31,481   /             50           /             1,42,208              /             2,932

16           Vietnam               8,176     /             23,082   /             64           /             1,40,129              /             234

17           Norway 1,156     /             950        /                            /             1,38,624              /             173

18           India                     /             4,63,530              /                            /             1,35,918              /             331

19           Finland                 /             1,216     /                            /             1,19,903              /             219

20           Italy       7,569     /             1,32,775              /             36           /             1,19,230              /             2,200

65           Pakistan               263        /             28,606   /             11           /             22,855   /             126

94           Bangladesh         223        /             27,922   /             4             /             8,064     /             167

TOP DIPLOMATS OF CHINA AND US SPAR OVER TAIWAN

As Biden, Xi prepare for Tuesday’s virtual meet, top diplomats from both countries spar over Taiwan

The lead-up to Tuesday morning’s virtual summit between United States President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping has seen the two countries exchange sharp remarks on Taiwan, one of many thorny issues on which both sides are unlikely to make much headway.

In a telephone call between top U.S. and Chinese diplomats, both sides expressed concerns over the other’s position on Taiwan, with China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi attacking “the U.S.’s wrong words and deeds” and saying that “any connivance of and support for the ‘Taiwan independence’ forces…would only boomerang in the end.”

China last also week hit out at a visit by a U.S. congressional delegation to Taiwan, while the People’s Liberation Army carried out more drills that have followed recent record aerial intrusions into Taiwan’s Air Defence Identification Zone.

In the phone call, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken “expressed concern regarding the PRC’s [People’s Republic of China’s] continued military, diplomatic, and economic pressure against Taiwan” and “urged Beijing to engage in meaningful dialogue to resolve cross-Strait issues peacefully and in a manner consistent with the wishes and best interests of the people on Taiwan.”

Mr. Xi however is expected to reinforce China’s “red lines” on the Taiwan issue in Tuesday’s virtual summit, one of many points of difference on which the two sides are unlikely to reach a meeting of minds.

PORTUGAL BANS BOSSES TEXTING STAFF AFTER-HOURS

Portugal has banned bosses from text messaging and emailing staff out of working hours as part of new laws dubbed "right to rest".

The move is part of changes being introduced to improve work-life balance in response to an expansion of working from home in the country.

Companies with more than 10 staff could face fines if they contact employees outside their contracted hours.

There are also new rules on allowing staff with children to work remotely.

Parents will be allowed to work at home indefinitely without seeking prior approval from their employers until their child turns eight.

And companies may also have to contribute to higher household bills from being home-based, such as energy and internet costs.

However, some elements of the package were not approved by Portugal's parliament, including a "right to disconnect" allowing staff to turn off all work devices out of hours.

‘AF DOESN’T WANT CONFLICT WITH ANY COUNTRY, INCLUDING INDIA’

Afghanistan’s interim foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, in an interview to BBC Urdu, has said that his country does not want conflict with any other country, including India. He added that the Islamic Emirate now controls the entire country and Daesh (IS terror group) has been eliminated from most of Afghanistan. “We do not want Afghanistan to have a conflict with any other country... When we participated in the Moscow conference, the representatives of India, Pakistan and several other countries were also present. We had a positive conversation with New Delhi and others,” Muttaqi responded when asked about relations with India.

Calling IS a threat, he said the Taliban government has eliminated it from a major part of the country. “Previously, 70% of Afghanistan was under the control of the Islamic Emirate and the Daesh only had presence in areas ruled by the former Afghan government,” he said. Muttaqi further said that his country has been acting as a mediator between Pakistan and the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan on the desire of both parties. “The two sides have not yet reached an agreement, but the process has had a good start, leading to a month-long ceasefire,” he said.

He also claimed that the Taliban has fulfilled the international community’s demand for an inclusive government. He said that since the government consisted of representation from all areas and ethnicities, the world should recognise it.

COVID: AUSTRIA INTRODUCES LOCKDOWN FOR UNVACCINATED

About two million people who have not been fully vaccinated against Covid-19 have been placed in lockdown in Austria as the country faces a surge in cases.

"We are not taking this step lightly, but unfortunately it is necessary," Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg said.

Unvaccinated people will only be permitted to leave home for limited reasons, like working or buying food.

The unvaccinated were already barred from visiting restaurants, hairdressers and cinemas, but will now be expected to stay at home.

About 65% of Austria's population is fully vaccinated - one of the lowest rates in western Europe.

Meanwhile, the seven-day infection rate is more than 800 cases per 100,000 people, which is one of the highest in Europe.

Overall, Europe has again become the region most seriously-affected by the pandemic and several countries are introducing restrictions and warning of rising cases.

However, the UK, which has one of the highest Covid infection rates, has yet to reintroduce restrictions, despite health leaders calling for rules like mandatory face coverings in crowded and enclosed spaces to be brought back to avoid a winter crisis.

LIVERPOOL EXPLOSION: THREE ARRESTED UNDER TERRORISM ACT AFTER CAR BLAST AT HOSPITAL

Three men have been arrested under the Terrorism Act after a man was killed in a car explosion outside Liverpool Women's Hospital.

A taxi carrying one passenger pulled up just before 11:00 GMT - as a national two minutes' silence for Remembrance Sunday was due to begin - and exploded.

The passenger was declared dead at the scene and is yet to be formally identified.

The male driver was injured and is in hospital in a stable condition.

Detectives from Counter Terrorism Police North West said three men - aged 29, 26 and 21 - were detained in the Kensington area of the city.

They said they were continuing to keep an open mind about the cause of the blast and were working with Merseyside Police as the investigation continued "at pace". The security service, MI5, is also assisting.

POLAND PM SEEKS NATO INTERVENTION

Nato must take “concrete steps” to resolve the migrant crisis on the Belarus border, Polish PM Mateusz Morawiecki was quoted as saying on Sunday, adding that Poland, Lithuania and Latvia may ask for consultations under Article 4 of the alliance’s treaty. Under Article 4, any ally can request consultations whenever, in the opinion of any of them, their territorial integrity, political independence or security is threatened. “It is not enough just for us to publicly express our concern — now we need concrete steps and the commitment of the entire alliance,” Morawiecki told Polish state-run news agency PAP. Russian President Vladimir Putin, a key backer of Belarus leader Alexander Lukashenko, said that Russia was ready to help resolve the crisis, RIA news agency reported. Morawiecki told PAP that EU leaders would discuss further sanctions against Belarus, including completely closing the border.

GADHAFI'S SON ANNOUNCES CANDIDACY FOR PRESIDENT OF LIBYA

The son and one-time heir apparent of late Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi announced Sunday his candidacy for the country's presidential election next month, Libya's election agency said.

Seif al-Islam submitted his candidacy papers in the southern town of Sabah, the agency said in a statement.

Gadhafi’s son was captured by fighters late in 2011, the year when a popular uprising toppled Gadhafi after more than 40 years in power. Moammar Gadhafi was later killed amid the ensuing fighting that would turn into a civil war.

Seif al-Islam was released in June 2017 after more than five years in detention.