KEY COVID NOS. WORLDWIDE

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

               World    11,44,050            /             54,64,747            /             3,895     /             3,17,86,540               /             701.1

1             USA        2,65,132              /             8,48,124              /             447        /             1,41,72,041               /             2,540

2             UK          1,57,758              /             1,48,893              /             42           /             28,13,263               /             2,176

3             France   67,461   /             1,24,212              /             270        /             19,83,416            /               1,897

4             Spain     93,190   /             89,573   /             42           /             14,78,291            /               1,915

5             Italy       68,052   /             1,37,786              /             140        /             11,25,052            /               2,284

6             Russia    16,343   /             3,11,353              /             835        /             6,94,880              /               2,132

7             Germany              26,345   /             1,13,074              /             196        /             6,43,461               /             1,343

8             Netherlands        14,536   /             20,971   /             14           /             4,51,439              /               1,220

9             Mexico  1,671     /             2,99,544              /             19           /             3,78,810              /               2,287

10           Turkey   44,869   /             82,795   /             160        /             3,78,585              /             966

11           Poland   6,422     /             97,601   /             9             /             3,66,184              /               2,583

12           Vietnam               15,936   /             33,021   /             190        /             3,48,798              /               335

13           Canada 13,578   /             30,369   /                            /             3,43,542              /             794

14           Belgium                              /             28,331   /                            /             3,39,285              /               2,429

15           Norway                /             1,305     /                            /             3,09,061              /             238

16           Switzerland         6,883     /             12,334   /             4             /             3,07,328              /               1,410

17           Argentina            44,396   /             1,17,245              /             41           /             2,67,670               /             2,559

18           Ireland  16,986   /             5,912     /                            /             2,56,803              /               1,178

19           Greece  36,246   /             20,990   /             80           /             2,50,299              /               2,029

20           Honduras                            /             10,434   /                            /             2,44,937              /               1,029

25           India      37,379   /             4,82,017              /             83           /             1,71,830              /               344

66           Philippines           4,084     /             51,586   /             16           /             24,992   /             462

89           Sri Lanka              365        /             15,037   /             18           /             12,135   /             698

90           Pakistan               708        /             28,943   /             2             /             11,124   /             127

95           Bangladesh         674        /             28,081   /             4             /             9,288     /             168

IRAN VOWS REVENGE IF TRUMP NOT PUT ON TRIAL

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said that former United States President Donald Trump must face trial for his alleged role in the assassination of top general Qassem Soleimani two years ago, otherwise, Iran will have revenge.

While speaking on the second anniversary of the assassination of Soleimani, Raisi said that Trump must be "tried and judged" under the (Islamic) law of retribution.

Iran and its allies held emotional commemorations for General Soleimani and his Iraqi lieutenant who were assassinated in a US drone strike at Baghdad airport on January 3, 2020.

A convicted murderer can be executed unless the family of the victim agree to take "blood money" through reconciliation, as per Iran's Islamic laws.

"If Trump and (former secretary of state Mike) Pompeo are not tried in a fair court for the criminal act of assassinating General Soleimani, Muslims will take our martyr's revenge," Raisi said in a speech on Monday (January 3) as quoted by Reuters.

"The aggressor, murderer and main culprit - the then president of the United States - must be tried and judged under the (Islamic) law of retribution, and God's ruling must be carried out against him," Raisi added.

On Sunday, Iran urged the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) in a letter to hold the United States and Israel to account, according to Iranian media.

WORLD POWERS VOW TO STOP SPREAD OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS

Five global nuclear powers pledged on Monday to prevent atomic weapons spreading and to avoid nuclear conflict, in a rare joint statement ahead of a review of a key nuclear treaty later this year.

“We believe strongly that the further spread of such weapons must be prevented,” said permanent UN Security Council members China, France, Russia, the U.K. and U.S., adding: “A nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought.”

The statement was issued after the latest review of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) — which first came into force in 1970 — was postponed from its scheduled date of January 4 to later in the year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Putting aside current differences that have caused major tensions between both China and Russia and their Western partners, the five world powers said they saw “the avoidance of war between nuclear-weapon states and the reduction of strategic risks as our foremost responsibilities.”

“As nuclear use would have far-reaching consequences, we also affirm that nuclear weapons — for as long as they continue to exist — should serve defensive purposes, deter aggression, and prevent war,” they said according to the text released by the White House.

They added: “We each intend to maintain and further strengthen our national measures to prevent unauthorised or unintended use of nuclear weapons.”

US, ALLIES WILL ‘RESPOND DECISIVELY’ TO RUSSIAN INVASION: JOE BIDEN TO UKRAINE

US President Joe Biden assured Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a phone call on Sunday that the United States and its allies will “respond decisively” if Russia invades Ukraine any further.

The stern warning for Moscow came just days after Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin exchanged warnings over Ukraine.

Biden told Putin in a video call the US and allies will inflict “serious costs and consequences” and Putin warned of a “complete rupture” in ties.

“President Biden made clear that the United States and its allies and partners will respond decisively if Russia further invades Ukraine,” the White House said in a readout of Biden’s call with Zelenskyy.

Biden underscored the commitment of the United States and its allies and partners to the principle of “nothing about you without you” and “reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity”.

In a Tweet, Zelenskyy praised the “unwavering support” that Ukraine has received from the US.

“We made it clear to President Putin that if he makes any more moves and goes into Ukraine, we will have severe sanctions. We will increase our presence in Europe with our Nato allies and it will be a heavy price to pay for it,” Biden told reporters in a day after the call on New Year’s eve.

28% PAKISTANIS THINK COVID-19 PANDEMIC HAS ENDED: REPORT

A survey by a market research company in 34 countries showed that Pakistan had the highest share of those who thought the pandemic was over.

The survey, titled 'Covid-19: Will The Pandemic Ever End and How Will We Know?' conducted by Ipsos showed that 28 per cent Pakistanis were of the opinion that the pandemic had already come to an end, compared with a mere 9 per cent of people in other countries, reported Dawn.

The survey sampled 22,023 adults aged between 18-74 years and was conducted in Pakistan, United States, Canada, Malaysia, South Africa, Turkey, Australia, Brazil, Mainland China, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Japan, Spain, Argentina, Belgium, Chile, Colombia, Denmark, Hungary, India, Israel, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, Peru, Poland, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Sweden and Switzerland.

Replying to another question, at least 14 per cent believed that the pandemic may never end, reported Dawn.

Meanwhile, with the positivity rate on the rise, Pakistan Planning Minister Asad Umar on Monday warned that there is clear evidence of another COVID-19 wave as cases of the new variant, Omicron, are increasing, particularly in Karachi, reported Dawn.

TAIWAN DEPLOYS FIRST ADVANCED F-16V FIGHTER SQUADRON

Taiwan held a ceremony on Thursday to commission the first squadron of its most advanced F-16 fighter, a US-made jet that will strengthen the island's defences against threats by China.

President Tsai Ing-wen oversaw the ceremony at an air base in the southern city of Chiayi alongside Sandra Oudkirk, Washington's de facto ambassador to Taiwan.

"This represents the steadfast promise of the Taiwan-US partnership," Tsai said.

"I trust that in holding fast to democratic values, there will definitely be more countries with similar values who will stand with us on this front."

The F-16V is an upgraded and much more sophisticated version of Taiwan's other ageing F-16 fighters which date back to the 1990s. The island also has French-made Mirage jets and its own indigenous warplane.

A fourth-generation multi-role fighter, the F-16V boasts more advanced radar systems as well as more sophisticated weaponry, navigation and electronic warfare systems.

It is however less advanced than fifth-generation fighters like China's J-20, Russia's Su-57 as well as the US-made F-22 and F-35 warplanes.

Taiwan is in the middle of upgrading 141 older F-16s to make them the V version and has also ordered 66 new F-16Vs.