KEY COVID NOS. WORLDWIDE

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

               World    4,26,935              /             53,21,627            /             3,881     /             2,20,03,229               /             682.7

1             USA        38,724   /             8,17,955              /             166        /             99,79,766            /               2,450

2             UK          48,854   /             1,46,439              /             52           /             11,82,669            /               2,141

3             Germany              29,633   /             1,06,331              /             123        /             10,29,281               /             1,263

4             Russia    29,929   /             2,89,483              /             1,132     /             9,86,058              /               1,982

5             France   43,848   /             1,20,431              /             48           /             8,38,407              /               1,839

6             Netherlands        16,588   /             20,112   /             38           /             6,11,153              /               1,170

7             Belgium                              /             27,504   /                            /             4,80,769              /               2,358

8             Poland   19,452   /             88,479   /             65           /             4,50,652              /               2,342

9             Mexico  2,655     /             2,96,620              /             235        /             3,49,683              /               2,266

10           Turkey   17,956   /             79,151   /             182        /             3,46,286              /             924

11           Vietnam               14,638   /             27,839   /             228        /             3,30,492              /               282

12           Italy       19,215   /             1,34,831              /             66           /             2,84,877              /               2,235

13           Ukraine 5,275     /             91,027   /             238        /             2,72,152              /               2,100

14           Czechia 9,080     /             34,451   /             39           /             2,66,781              /               3,208

15           Spain                    /             88,381   /                            /             2,58,074              /               1,889

16           Honduras                            /             10,421   /                            /             2,45,549              /               1,029

17           Norway 1,544     /             1,136     /                            /             2,25,714              /             207

18           Switzerland                        /             11,786   /             1             /             1,99,351              /               1,348

19           Hungary                              /             36,429   /                            /             1,77,596              /               3,785

20           South Africa       37,875   /             90,137   /             21           /             1,64,128              /               1,493

26           India      7,579     /             4,75,434              /             111        /             92,281   /             340

73           Sri Lanka              714        /             14,614   /             19           /             13,237   /             678

76           Philippines           402        /             50,280   /             184        /             11,255   /             450

79           Pakistan               288        /             28,830   /             7             /             9,118     /             127

86           Bangladesh         329        /             28,028   /             6             /             7,147     /             168

G7 READY TO EXPAND SANCTIONS AGAINST RUSSIA

The Group of Seven richest democracies, or G7 nations, on Sunday warned Russia of “massive consequences” if it launches military offensive against Ukraine, news agencies reported citing a draft statement. The continued military build-up in areas close to Ukraine has raised concern over a Russian invasion, with US intelligence officers determining that the attack can take place as early as January 2022. Taking cognisance of the issue, the G7 delegates condemned Russia’s military build-up and called on Kremlin to de-escalate, reported Reuters.

A senior US State Department official on Saturday said "a large number of democratic countries" were ready to join the G7 nations of Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States in taking action.

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, from G7 host Britain said there was "very much a united voice... that there will be massive consequences for Russia in the case of an incursion into Ukraine".

Russia has meanwhile denied planning an attack, saying it is moving the troops to thwart any destabilising behaviour from the United States and Ukraine near border areas.

SAUDI ARABIA BANS TABLIGHI JAMAAT, CALLS IT ‘GATE OF TERROR’

In what can have significant ramifications for India, Saudi Arabia has stunned the Islamic world by banning the Tablighi Jamaat, the Islamist proselytising movement, calling it “one of the gates of terrorism”.

Saudi Arabia’s ministry of Islamic affairs tweeted: “His Excellency the Minister of Islamic Affairs, Dr.#Abdullatif Al_Alsheikh directed the mosques’ preachers and mosques that held Friday prayer temporary to allocate next Friday sermon 5/6/ 1443 H to warn against (Tablighi & Da’wah group) which is called (Al Ahbab).”

The government has directed mosque preachers to inform people that Saudi Arabia is banned from partnering with party groups, including the Tablighi and Da’wah group.

Tablighi Jamaat, a transnational Sunni Islamic missionary movement that focuses on exhorting Muslims and encouraging fellow members to follow the pure form of Sunni Islam.

UK HIKES VIRUS ALERT LEVEL AS OMICRON VARIANT SURGES

UK COVID-19 alert level raised to second-highest tier amid increasing Omicron cases on Sunday.

Britain's COVID alert level has been increased from Level 3 to Level 4 "in light of the rapid increase in Omicron cases", British chief medical officers said in a joint statement, reported Xinhua.

In the statement, the four chief medical officers and the National Health Service (NHS) England national medical director said the emergence of Omicron "adds additional and rapidly increasing risk to the public and healthcare services."

"Early evidence shows that Omicron is spreading much faster than Delta and that vaccine protection against symptomatic disease from Omicron is reduced," said the statement, reported Xinhua.

The statement suggested people should continue to "take sensible precautions including ventilating rooms, using face coverings, testing regularly and isolating when symptomatic."

Level 4 means the virus is "in general circulation" and "transmission is high and direct COVID-19 pressure on healthcare services is widespread and substantial or rising."

Another 1239 Omicron cases have been found in Britain, the biggest daily increase since the COVID-19 variant was detected in the country, taking the total cases found in the country to 3,137, the UK health security agency (UKHSA) confirmed.

Britain reported 48,854 new coronavirus cases, bringing the total number of coronavirus cases in the country to 10,819,515, according to official figures released Sunday.

DUBAI WORLD'S FIRST GOVT TO GO 100% PAPERLESS: CROWN PRINCE

Dubai has become the world's first government to turn 100 per cent paperless, the Emirate's Crown Prince, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, has announced, pointing at savings of 1.3 billion Dirham (USD 350 million) and 14-million-man hours.

All internal, external transactions and procedures in the Government of Dubai are now 100 per cent digital and managed from a comprehensive digital government services platform.

"The achievement of this target marks the beginning of a new stage in Dubai's journey to digitise life in all its aspects – a journey rooted in innovation, creativity, and a focus on the future," said Sheikh Hamdan in a statement on Saturday.

"This accomplishment also reinforces Dubai's status as a world-leading digital capital and its status as a role model in designing government operations and services that enhance customer happiness," he said.

The US, UK, Europe and Canada have expressed plans to digitise government operation on a larger scale, which encompass government procedures and citizen identifications. However, sceptics have argues its vulnerability to cyber attacks.

The Dubai Crown Prince said the government plans to implement advanced strategies to create and enhance digital life in Dubai over the next five decades.

NEW CALEDONIA VOTES TO STAY WITH FRANCE, A RELIEF AMID RISING CHINA CLOUT

Voters in the French island territory of New Caledonia chose overwhelmingly Sunday to stay part of France, in a referendum boycotted by pro-independence forces and closely watched around the South Pacific. French President Macron hailed the result as a resounding confirmation of France’s role in the Indo-Pacific. “Tonight France is more beautiful because New Caledonia decided to stay,” he said. New Caledonia produces about 10% of the world’s nickel — used to make stainless steel, batteries and mobile phones. It also hosts a French military base.

Official results showed 96% of those who took part chose to stay in France. Overall turnout was just 42% — less than half the numbers who showed up in a previous independence referendum last year, where support for breaking away was 46.7%. Separatists expressed disappointment at the result.

The vote was monitored by the UN and regional powers, amid global efforts toward decolonisation and amid growing Chinese influence in the region. Experts have suspected that an independent New Caledonia could be more amenable to Beijing’s advances. “If the French safeguard disappears, all elements would be in place for China to establish itself permanently in New Caledonia,” said international relations analyst Bastien Vandendyck. China is already the biggest single client for New Caledonia’s metal exports.

Other nations in the region, including Fiji, Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea, have already become “Chinese satellites”, he said.