India now has fifth highest COVID-19 fatalities in the world
- India now has the fifth highest death toll in the world, surpassing Italy with 35,132 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University’s COVID-19 tracker. The seven day rolling average for deaths in India is now 735, next only to the U.S. (1,075) and Brazil (1,052).
- The case fatality rate in the country is now 2.18%, which is “among the lowest in the world.. 24 States and Union Territories have a lesser fatality rate than that of the country,” according to the Health Ministry OSD, Rajesh Bhushan.
Delhi stresses ‘mutual respect’ in ties with Dhaka
- India and Bangladesh recognise the importance of “mutual sensitivity” in fostering good neighbourly relations.
- “We are confident that both sides appreciate mutual sensitivity and mutual respect in building further on this relationship,”
- “India and Bangladesh share a historic and arterial relationship. We will not allow this (temple construction) to hurt ties but I would still urge that India should not allow any development that can fracture our beautiful and deep relationship,”
SC looks to save both animals and crops
- An “anxious” Supreme Court accentuated the urgent need to find an alternative to killing marauding wild animals as vermin even while protecting crops from them.
- “explosives that do not kill” but make a lot of noise and “rubber bullets” to scare off the animals.
- Whether human encroachments into forests are driving wild animals away from their natural habitats, forcing them to foray into human settlements for food. “Encroachments by human is putting pressure on wild animals,”
Australia urges India, China to show restraint
- Australia on Thursday urged India and China to maintain restraint along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and expressed support to the ongoing de-escalation efforts. It said it opposed any attempts to unilaterally alter the status quo, which only served to increase tension.
- Indo-Pacific region was grappling with the enormous challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and reiterated the Australian vision for an open, free, rules based Indo Pacific. “Territorial disputes and competing claims should be resolved peacefully by the claimant countries, and in ways consistent with international law,”