KEY COVID NOS. WORLDWIDE

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

               World    5,73,946              /             51,37,771            /             7,733     /             1,94,73,741               /             659.1

1             USA        98,983   /             7,87,878              /             1,309     /             92,37,248            /               2,361

2             UK          38,263   /             1,43,360              /             201        /             15,87,711            /               2,097

3             Russia    36,626   /             2,59,084              /             1,247     /             10,40,618            /               1,774

4             Germany              60,753   /             98,908   /             248        /             5,29,849              /               1,175

5             Ukraine 18,668   /             78,754   /             769        /             5,00,079              /               1,816

6             Turkey   23,867   /             74,202   /             229        /             4,36,577              /             867

7             Mexico  735        /             2,91,241              /             37           /             3,44,016              /               2,227

8             Poland   24,239   /             79,624   /             463        /             3,43,348              /               2,107

9             Netherlands        20,760   /             18,829   /             44           /             3,04,123              /               1,096

10           Honduras             139        /             10,371   /             9             /             2,48,169              /               1,025

11           Belgium               12,388   /             26,444   /             41           /             2,41,856              /               2,268

12           Iran        6,251     /             1,28,531              /             125        /             1,95,181              /               1,504

13           France   20,294   /             1,18,321              /             50           /             1,84,153              /               1,807

14           Brazil     11,977   /             6,11,898              /             374        /             1,70,863              /               2,851

15           Czechia 22,479   /             31,709   /             27           /             1,65,007              /               2,953

16           Vietnam               9,849     /             23,337   /             67           /             1,57,039              /               237

17           Norway 2,475     /             995        /             43           /             1,45,367              /             182

18           India      10,197   /             4,64,153              /             301        /             1,28,555              /               332

19           Italy       10,172   /             1,32,965              /             72           /             1,27,085              /               2,204

20           Austria  14,416   /             11,848   /             41           /             1,26,149              /               1,305

66           Pakistan               270        /             28,628   /             10           /             22,387   /             126

94           Bangladesh         266        /             27,934   /             6             /             8,056     /             167

ALLEGATIONS THAT MOUNTBATTEN INFLUENCED INDIA-PAK BOUNDARY RAISED IN UK TRIBUNAL

A question mark has been raised at a tribunal in London over the impartiality of Lord Mountbatten and whether he sought to interfere with the boundary drawn between India and Pakistan at Partition.

The allegations were made during a first-tier tribunal (information rights) hearing as to whether all the private diaries of and correspondence between Lord and Lady Mountbatten — held by the University of Southampton within the Broadlands archives — should be made public. Clara Hamer, representing British author Andrew Lownie who has written a book on the Mountbattens and is seeking full disclosure of the Mountbatten papers, told the tribunal that Mountbatten’s diary entry on July 12, 1947 reveals that he had dinner with British judge Sir Cyril Radcliffe, the chair of the Boundary Commission, and Christopher Beaumont, its secretary, but his entry from the day after has been redacted on the basis that it could prejudice the UK’s relations with India and Pakistan.

Hamer said: “The issue of whether Mountbatten was impartial and the fact he met with Radcliffe and Beaumont on that date is a matter of importance as this was a time he was not supposed to be having contact with them and this could be evidence of a lack of impartiality by Lord Mountbatten. I would want to ask whether what is redacted on July 13, 1947, is linked to dinner the night before and is to do with drawing up of the boundary of Pakistan. If it is, there is a very strong public interest in full transparency.” Hamer also questioned why Mountbatten’s diary entry from August 6, 1947 — one week before independence — has been redacted. “This would be of particular public interest and importance for historians wishing to understand events at the time,” she said. She said Lownie had taken an educated guess that a meeting of the joint defence council was likely held, which Mountbatten would’ve attended.

US ADDS RUSSIA, CHINA AND 8 OTHERS TO RELIGIOUS FREEDOM BLACKLIST

The United States on Monday added Russia to a blacklist of countries singled out for "egregious violations of religious freedom," the State Department said.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement that he was designating Russia, as well as China and eight other states, as countries of concern "for having engaged in or tolerated 'systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom.'"

Nigeria, which was on the list last year and where Blinken is due to visit this week, was removed.

The other countries still on the US list for "religious freedom violations" are Myanmar, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.

Algeria, Comoros, Cuba and Nicaragua were placed on a watch list.

"The United States will not waiver in its commitment to advocate for freedom of religion or belief for all and in every country," Blinken said.

"In far too many places around the world, we continue to see governments harass, arrest, threaten, jail, and kill individuals simply for seeking to live their lives in accordance with their beliefs."

Blinken on Wednesday began a three-nation tour of Africa, warning of rising threats to democracy on the continent.

MALDIVES REJECTS ‘INDIA OUT’ CAMPAIGN

The Government of Maldives on Wednesday said it “strongly rejects attempts to spread false information” criticising its ties with India, its “closest ally and trusted neighbour”.

A statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said allegations that bilateral cooperation between the Governments of Maldives and India undermines the national security and sovereignty of Maldives are “misguided” and “unsubstantiated”.

“The Government firmly believes that these views are not the sentiments of the general public, but rather that of a small group of individuals with the objective of tarnishing the country’s long-standing cordial ties with India,” the Ministry statement said.

“The cooperation and support provided by the Government of India, specifically on issues of maritime security, is aimed at strengthening the strategic partnership between the two countries and to ensure the safety and stability of the Indian Ocean region,” it said.

It also added that Indian support in areas such as search and rescue capabilities, casualty evacuation, coastal surveillance, and maritime reconnaissance, “directly benefit” the Maldivian people.

Further, the Maldives observed that addressing threats of trans-border terrorism, piracy, narco-trafficking, climate change, cyber security and human trafficking, requires the support and cooperation of all regional and international partners.

“No one country alone can address these issues on its own,” the statement added.

TALIBAN APPEAL TO U.S. TO RELEASE AFGHAN ASSETS

The Taliban called on Wednesday on U.S. Congress members to release Afghan assets frozen after their takeover of the country, warning economic turmoil at home could lead to trouble abroad.

In an open letter, Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi said the biggest challenge facing Afghanistan was financial insecurity, “and the roots of this concern lead back to the freezing of assets by the American government”.

Washington has seized nearly $9.5 billion in assets belonging to the Afghan central bank, and the aid-dependent economy has effectively collapsed — with civil servants unpaid for months and the treasury unable to pay for imports.

Muttaqi said Afghanistan was enjoying stable government for the first time in over 40 years. “Practical steps have been taken towards good governance,” Muttaqi wrote.

Muttaqi said Afghans “understand the concerns of the international community”, but that it was necessary for all sides to take positive steps to build trust. He warned, however, that the economic situation could spark a mass exodus.

VANCOUVER STORM: A STATE OF EMERGENCY HAS BEEN DECLARED IN BRITISH COLUMBIA

A state of emergency has been declared in the Canadian western province of British Columbia after a major storm cut road and rail links in the region.

The Canadian Armed Forces are being deployed to help thousands of stranded residents who have been trapped since the storm hit overnight on Sunday.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau pledged assistance during a visit to Washington DC and said troops would help rebuild.

One woman was killed in a landslide, and two people are missing.

Thousands remain evacuated after an "atmospheric river" - a long strip of moisture in the air that transports water from tropical areas towards the poles - dumped the region's monthly rainfall average in 24 hours.

Officials in the region have attributed the natural disaster to the effects of climate change.

MERKEL: GERMANY HIT BY FULL FORCE OF COVID

Germany is in the grip of a "dramatic" fourth Covid wave, Chancellor Angela Merkel has said on the eve of a crisis meeting with regional leaders.

Daily infections hit a new German record of 52,826 on Wednesday as European governments responded to a surge on much of the continent.

Belgium announced a series of measures in an attempt to avoid a lockdown.

"All the alarm signals are red," said Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, as he told people to limit personal contact.

"Europe's map is quickly going red, and we are the same."

Children in Belgium will have to wear masks from the age of 10, rather than the current age of 12. Working from home will become compulsory from Saturday for four days a week. Passes known as Covid Safe Tickets will be required in theatres, cinemas and museums.

A third booster vaccination will be rolled out for all Belgians by the end of April 2022.

RUSSIA SAYS READY TO DELIVER HUMANITARIAN AID TO AFGHANISTAN

Russia's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vassily Nebenzia said that Moscow will deliver humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan, including food and medicine, in the near future, reported Sputnik.

"The top priority at the moment is providing Afghanistan with urgent humanitarian assistance," Nebenzia said on Wednesday during the UN Security Council meeting on Afghanistan.

Emphasising that Russian supports the role of the UN, Nebenzia said that Moscow is ready to make its contribution towards assistance.

"We support the coordinating role of the United Nations in consolidating international efforts in the area of humanitarian assistance," Sputnik quoted the representative as saying.

"We're prepared to make our contribution to this overall aim."

He also emphasised that in the coming times Moscow will deliver food, medicine and basic goods supplies to Afghanistan.

PAKISTAN PASSES BILL TO HELP KULBHUSHAN JADHAV APPEAL AGAINST DEATH SENTENCE

The Pakistan government on Wednesday pushed through a bill to help Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav appeal against the death sentence given to him by a military court during a joint session of Parliament that was marred by protests by the opposition.

The International Court of Justice (Review and Re-consideration) Act of 2021 is on the same lines as an ordinance issued last year by the Pakistan government to facilitate Jadhav’s right to appeal against the death sentence given to him for alleged involvement in espionage and subversive activities.

Experts said the law would not make a material difference to the case of Jadhav and was more about meeting legal requirements so that he could mount a proper appeal in Pakistani courts. The law allows a foreign national to file a petition in a Pakistani high court for review and reconsideration of a conviction or sentence given by a military court.

It was one of several bills passed during a joint session of Parliament in Islamabad that saw a walk-out by opposition lawmakers.

OVERSEAS PAKISTANIS GET VOTING RIGHTS

Amid strong protests by the opposition, the Imran Khan-led coalition government in Pakistan managed to bulldoze amendments to the Elections Act, 2017 in the joint session of parliament on Wednesday, thereby allowing the use of electronic voting machines (EVMs) and granting voting rights to overseas Pakistanis.

In protest, the opposition tore copies of the agenda and staged a walkout. The opposition and treasury members almost came to blows when the former tried to stop the proceedings of the joint session. Imran’s Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) is considered to be the sole beneficiary if overseas Pakistanis are able to vote through internet. There are approximately 9 million Pakistanis living outside the country and the incumbent PM is said to very popular among them. The voting turnout of overseas nationals is also believed to be much higher than in Pakistan. “The new laws were passed to steal the next election,” Jamaat-i-Islami chief Sirajul Haq said.

PPP chief Bilwal Bhutto Zardari said it was the first time in Pakistan’s history that a government had tried to bring “unilateral” electoral reforms. He said even the Election Commis