KEY COVID NOS. WORLDWIDE

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

               World    18,20,771            /             57,68,460            /             8,126     /             7,47,12,321               /             740

1             USA        1,56,487              /             9,28,879              /             1,269     /             2,91,45,580               /             2,780

2             France   46,001   /             1,32,923              /             417        /             60,64,658            /               2,029

3             Spain     40,272   /             94,570   /             111        /             33,46,465            /               2,021

4             Brazil     68,540   /             6,32,720              /             431        /             31,25,765            /               2,943

5             Germany              1,38,867              /             1,19,495              /             129        /               29,37,145            /             1,419

6             UK          57,623   /             1,58,363              /             45           /             23,27,796            /               2,313

7             Russia    1,71,905              /             3,36,023              /             609        /             20,21,046               /             2,301

8             Italy       41,247   /             1,49,097              /             326        /             19,90,701            /               2,472

9             Netherlands        77,619   /             21,336   /             4             /             16,58,994            /               1,241

10           Belgium                              /             29,227   /                            /             10,89,046            /               2,504

11           India      67,597   /             5,04,062              /             455        /             9,94,891              /               360

12           Switzerland         9,395     /             12,909   /             1             /             9,00,627              /               1,474

13           Sweden                /             16,143   /                            /             8,50,742              /               1,583

14           Japan     92,865   /             19,324   /             67           /             8,30,664              /             154

15           Norway 17,652   /             1,467     /                            /             8,20,793              /             267

16           Poland   24,404   /             1,06,607              /             10           /             7,51,249              /               2,822

17           Turkey   96,514   /             88,970   /             236        /             7,48,875              /               1,037

18           Portugal               17,019   /             20,258   /             36           /             6,08,147              /               1,996

19           Chile      31,063   /             40,060   /             73           /             5,80,182              /               2,067

20           Denmark              33,013   /             3,909     /             28           /             5,65,552              /               671

38           Bangladesh         9,369     /             28,627   /             38           /             2,30,217              /               171

54           Philippines           6,835     /             54,538   /             12           /             1,16,720              /               487

61           Pakistan               3,338     /             29,516   /             38           /             89,192   /             130

97           Sri Lanka              2,212     /             15,621   /             26           /             23,452   /             725

UKRAINE CRISIS: DIPLOMATIC TALKS HELD IN RUSSIA, US TO DIFFUSE STANDOFF

International efforts to defuse the standoff over Ukraine intensified Monday, with French President Emmanuel Macron holding talks in Moscow and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Washington to coordinate policies as fears of a Russian invasion mounted.

Macron called for de-escalation as he sat down for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin.

“Dialogue is necessary because that's the only thing that will help, in my views, to build a context of a security and stability on the European continent,” Macron said, calling the discussion a possible first step toward de-escalation.

“I'm happy to have this opportunity to have a deep discussion on all these issues ... and to start building an effective response,” he added.

Putin, in turn, hailed France's role in shaping European security and noted that their talks came on a day when the countries signed a friendship treaty 30 years ago.

The Russian president said that some of Macron's proposals "could form the basis of further joint steps", stating that they were "probably still too early to talk about".

The pair will speak again after the French president travels to Kyiv on Tuesday to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

In Washington, it was a disciplined Biden who took to the podium alongside German counterpart, Olaf Scholz. He didn’t commit any gaffes on his position on Russia. He was quizzed about the controversial Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline between Russia and Germany and whether Scholz had given him assurances that he would halt it if Russia invade Ukraine.

“We will bring an end to it,” Biden said at a joint news conference at the White House. “The notion that Nord Stream 2 is going to go forward with an invasion by the Russians -- that’s not going to happen.”

Scholz, who has tended to play up the urgency for diplomacy with Russia, was uncharacteristically forceful in warning about the potential price that the Kremlin could pay. Pressed on whether he would commit to sanctioning Nord Stream 2, Scholz avoided a direct message but switched to English to make plain that there was no daylight between Germany and its allies. He made no effort to dispel Biden’s pledge that the pipeline would be stopped.

EMERGENCY DECLARED IN OTTAWA

A state of emergency has been declared in the Canadian capital of Ottawa as a protest by truckers’ camping there entered its eleventh day on Monday.

The emergency was declared in a brief statement from city mayor Jim Watson on Sunday. The decision was taken “due to the ongoing demonstration”.

“Declaring a state of emergency reflects the serious danger and threat to the safety and security of residents posed by the ongoing demonstrations and highlights the need for support from other jurisdictions and levels of government,” the statement added.

ISRAEL TO ESTABLISH COMMISSION TO PROBE INTO CLAIMS OF POLICE HACKING USING PEGASUS SPYWARE

Israel's government will set up a commission of inquiry to examine reports the police used spyware made by NSO Group to hack the phones of Israeli public figures without authorisation.

Officials, protesters, journalists and a son of former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu were among those targeted, the local newspaper Calcalist said.

A witness in Mr Netanyahu's corruption trial was also allegedly monitored.

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said the reports, if true, were "very serious".

NSO Group, an Israeli surveillance firm, has faced widespread allegations that its hacking software Pegasus has been sold to and misused by authoritarian governments across the world.

The company has insisted that it does not operate the software once it is sold to clients and has previously stated that it could not be used to track Israeli citizens. It has not commented on the latest development.

Pegasus infects phones, allowing operators to extract messages, photos and emails, record calls and secretly activate microphones and cameras.

"This tool (Pegasus) and similar tools are important tools in the fight against terrorism and severe crime. But they were not intended to be used in phishing campaigns targeting the Israeli public or officials, which is why we need to understand exactly what happened," Mr Bennett said in a statement.

The prime minister said he would discuss the matter with the newly appointed Attorney General, Gali Baharav-Miara, and that they would "not leave the public without answers".

RUSSIA RUBBISHES REPORT ON KASHMIR; SAYS IT IS INDO-PAK BILATERAL ISSUE

Russia has rubbished a Russian media report describing Kashmir as another Palestine in the making and reaffirmed its position that it is a bilateral matter between India and Pakistan.

The assertion came days after Redfish digital media outlet tweeted a trailer of a new documentary on Kashmir and carried a line mentioning the allegation.

The Redfish media has been categorised on Twitter as a “Russia state-affiliated media”.

“The Russian official position on the issue of Kashmir and Russia’s principled stance on non-interference in bilateral disputes remain unchanged,” the Russian embassy said in a statement.

“The solution should be found between India and Pakistan only, and it should be based on the achieved agreements, including the Simla Agreement of 1972 and the Lahore Declaration of 1999,” it said.

The embassy also said that the “misleading label of the channel” on Twitter as ‘Russia state-affiliated media’ does not make it automatically related to any state support.

“The channel functions independently with regard to its editorial policy. However, it is hoped that the complexity and historical background of this and other regional issues will be given due understanding and balanced approach, which is expected from any professional media,” the embassy said.

On its website, Redfish described itself as a multi-award-winning digital content creator.

CHINESE TENNIS STAR PENG SHUAI REPEATS SEXUAL ASSAULT DENIAL

Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai said she never accused anyone of sexual assault, in an interview published on Monday, again walking back an allegation that sparked what she described as a “huge misunderstanding”.

The former doubles world number one alleged in a social media post in November that former Chinese vice-premier Zhang Gaoli forced her into sex during a years-long relationship.

The post was swiftly deleted and Peng was not heard from for nearly three weeks, prompting concern around the world about her safety. She has since appeared at some public events, and denied ever making the accusation.

“I never said anyone had sexually assaulted me in any way,” Peng told the French sports daily L’Equipe on Sunday. Peng said she was the one who deleted her allegation from Weibo, China’s Twitter-like platform.

“There was a huge misunderstanding in the outside world following this post,” she said during the interview in the Beijing Winter Olympics bubble.

Peng also told L’Equipe that she was retiring from professional tennis, citing a major injury and disruptions to travel and treatment during the pandemic.

When asked about the worries her absence sparked, Peng said she had “never disappeared”. “It’s just that many people, like my friends or people from the IOC messaged me, and it was simply impossible to answer.”

IRAN NUCLEAR DEAL TALKS TO RESUME IN VIENNA: EU

Iran nuclear deal talks will resume in Vienna on Tuesday, diplomats said on Monday, after negotiators in recent weeks have cited progress in seeking to revive the 2015 landmark accord.

Parties to the deal have been negotiating in Vienna since last year with indirect U.S. participation. Talks were most recently halted at the end of last month, and the negotiators returned to their capitals for consultations.

“The 8th round of the Vienna Talks... attended by China, France, Germany, Russia, United Kingdom, Iran and the United States resume tomorrow in Vienna,” tweeted Alain Matton, spokesman of the EU, which chairs the discussions.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz told the Washington Post in an interview published online on Monday that a successful conclusion of the talks “depends on Iran”.

“We gave them a clear message that now this is the time for decisions and for progress, and not for prolonging the process,” he was quoted as saying.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said the answers “the United States brings tomorrow to Vienna will determine when we can reach an agreement”.

TOURISTS CAN ENTER AUSTRALIA FROM FEB. 21

Australia will reopen its borders to tourists from February 21, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced on Monday, ending some of the world’s strictest and longest-running pandemic travel restrictions.

“It’s almost two years since we took the decision to close the borders to Australia,” Mr. Morrison said, announcing borders will reopen to all visa holders “on the 21st of February of this year”.

“If you’re double vaccinated, we look forward to welcoming you back to Australia,” he said.

Every month of “Fortress Australia” policies has cost businesses an estimated $2.6 billion, according to the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

In recent months, rules have been gradually relaxed for Australians, long-term residents and students.

The latest decision will see almost all remaining caps lifted.

DUBAI TO CHARGE FOR PLASTIC BAGS, AIMS TO OUTLAW IN 2 YEARS

The city-state of Dubai announced Monday it would begin charging a fee on plastic bags used in the sheikhdom, with an aim of outlawing them entirely in two years over environmental concerns.

A statement from the government-run Dubai Media Office said a 25-fil (6 cent) charge would start July 1.

“Sustainability has now become an imperative at the global level, reinforced by changing the behaviours of society in a way that reduces the environmental footprint of individuals,” the government said.

The government said the ban was necessary as both camels and turtles had died from the plastic.

Already, some grocery stores in the skyscraper-studded city have been encouraging the public to bring reusable bags when shopping.