After the coronavirus pandemic, India is braced for another&nbsp;unwelcome guest&nbsp;in the form of the world's&nbsp;most dangerous migratory pests -&nbsp;locusts.

Large swarms of parasitic bugs entered the country via Pakistan in April and have been feeding on&nbsp;crops, pasture, and fodder. It is the worst locust attack on India in 26 years.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/now-new-challenge-facing-south-asia-in-form-of-locusts-300379">Now, new challenge facing South Asia in form of locusts</a>

The locusts&nbsp;spread from the horn of Africa to Yemen, then flew to Iran before attacking hectares of cotton fields in Pakistan. The pests have now attacked in India.

A single swarm can cover one square kilometer and can&nbsp;ravage crops meant for over 35,000 people with over 80 to 150 million locusts.

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They possess the ability to breed phenomenally and have a long flying range.&nbsp;In a single day, they cover about 150 kilometers. These&nbsp;pests have been giving farmers sleepless nights since winters.

Over the past year, most of the farmlands affected by locusts have lost over one-third of their crops.&nbsp;They usually&nbsp;come to India around June to feed on summer crops but this year&nbsp;they landed in April.

It has jeopardised&nbsp;the agriculture-based economies of several states and there is no quick-fix solution to the&nbsp;pest menace.

Truck loads of pesticides are being sent to different parts of the country but&nbsp;the&nbsp;pests can only be destroyed at night when they settle on the trees.

Even drones are being used to counter this problem but unfortunately it is much bigger due to&nbsp;global warming. The higher temperature even in winter is perfect for locusts to breed.

They have journeyed the world from Africa to West Asia to South Asia.

Locusts arrived in Pakistan from Iran in June 2019 where they devoured the summer crops including cotton, wheat and maize.&nbsp;Although the invasion was expected to subside but it did not. The locusts stayed&nbsp;and spread.&nbsp;

Some of the poorest countries in the world are the worst-affected.&nbsp;Locusts have threatened food security and livelihoods in East and West Africa, South and West Asia, and India.

India is coordinating a joint-effort with Iran and Pakistan to stop the emergence of fresh swarms of locusts.

For India, this is a national calamity.&nbsp;In the past, locusts have caused plagues in the country. But, India has not witnessed any full-blown locust cycles after 1962.&nbsp;The&nbsp;problem&nbsp;cannot be swatted away easily and requires a sustained response&nbsp;like the COVID-19 virus.&nbsp;

After the coronavirus pandemic, India is braced for another unwelcome guest in the form of the world's most dangerous migratory pests - locusts. Large swarms of parasitic bugs entered the country via Pakistan in April and have been feeding on crops, pasture, and fodder.

After the coronavirus pandemic, India is braced for another unwelcome guest in the form of the world's most dangerous migratory pests - locusts. Large swarms of parasitic bugs entered the country via Pakistan in April and have been feeding on crops, pasture, and fodder. It is the worst locust attack on India in 26 years. Also read: Now, new challenge facing South Asia in form of locusts The locusts spread from the horn of Africa to Yemen, then flew to Iran before attacking hectares of cotton fields in Pakistan. The pests have now attacked in India. A single swarm can cover one square kilometer and can ravage crops meant for over 35,000 people with over 80 to 150 million locusts. × They possess the ability to breed phenomenally and have a long flying range. In a single day, they cover about 150 kilometers. These pests have been giving farmers sleepless nights since winters. Over the past year, most of the farmlands affected by locusts have lost over one-third of their crops. They usually come to India around June to feed on summer crops but this year they landed in April. It has jeopardised the agriculture-based economies of several states and there is no quick-fix solution to the pest menace. Truck loads of pesticides are being sent to different parts of the country but the pests can only be destroyed at night when they settle on the trees. Even drones are being used to counter this problem but unfortunately it is much bigger due to global warming. The higher temperature even in winter is perfect for locusts to breed. They have journeyed the world from Africa to West Asia to South Asia. Locusts arrived in Pakistan from Iran in June 2019 where they devoured the summer crops including cotton, wheat and maize. Although the invasion was expected to subside but it did not. The locusts stayed and spread. Some of the poorest countries in the world are the worst-affected. Locusts have threatened food security and livelihoods in East and West Africa, South and West Asia, and India. India is coordinating a joint-effort with Iran and Pakistan to stop the emergence of fresh swarms of locusts. For India, this is a national calamity. In the past, locusts have caused plagues in the country. But, India has not witnessed any full-blown locust cycles after 1962. The problem cannot be swatted away easily and requires a sustained response like the COVID-19 virus.

Now, Locusts attack India's agriculture amid coronavirus pandemic

Police in&nbsp;Hong&nbsp;Kong&nbsp;fired pepper pellets and made 300 arrests as thousands of people took to the streets on Wednesday to voice anger over national security legislation proposed by China, that has raised international alarm over freedoms in the city.

The mass protests in Central, Causeway Bay and Mong Kok followed a morning of relative calm as lawmakers prepared to debate a contentious&nbsp;national anthem law&nbsp;at the Legislative Council.

In the heart of the financial district, riot police fired pepper pellets to disperse a crowd, and elsewhere in the city police rounded up groups of dozens of suspected protesters, making them sit on sidewalks before searching their belongings.

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A heavy police presence around the Legislative Council deterred protesters planning to disrupt the debate of a bill that would criminalise disrespect of the Chinese national anthem. The bill is expected to become law next month.

Angry over perceived threats to the semi-autonomous city's freedoms, people of all ages took to the streets, some dressed in black, some wearing office clothes or school uniforms and some hiding their faces beneath open umbrellas in scenes reminiscent of the unrest that shook&nbsp;Hong&nbsp;Kong&nbsp;last year.

Many shops, banks and offices closed early.

The latest protests follow the Chinese government's proposal for national security legislation aimed at tackling secession, subversion and terrorism in&nbsp;Hong&nbsp;Kong.

The planned laws could see Chinese intelligence agencies set up bases in&nbsp;Hong&nbsp;Kong.

The proposal, unveiled in Beijing last week, triggered the first big street unrest in&nbsp;Hong&nbsp;Kong&nbsp;in months on Sunday, with police firing tear gas and water cannon to disperse protesters.

The United States, Britain, the European Union and others have expressed concern about the legislation, widely seen as a possible turning point for China's freest city and one of the world's main financial hubs.

But Chinese authorities and the Beijing-backed government in&nbsp;Hong&nbsp;Kong&nbsp;say there is no threat to the city's high degree of autonomy and the new security law would be tightly focused.

"It’s for the long-term stability of&nbsp;Hong&nbsp;Kong&nbsp;and China, it won’t affect the freedom of assembly and speech and it won’t affect the city's status as a financial centre,"&nbsp;Hong&nbsp;Kong&nbsp;Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung told reporters.

US&nbsp;President Donald Trump, already at odds with Beijing over trade and the novel coronavirus pandemic, said on Tuesday the United States would this week announce a strong response to the planned legislation.

China responded by saying it would take necessary countermeasures to any foreign interference.

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen pledged humanitarian relief for any&nbsp;Hong&nbsp;Kong&nbsp;people fleeing to the self-ruled island.

Police in Hong Kong fired pepper pellets and made 300 arrests as thousands of people took to the streets on Wednesday to voice anger over national security legislation proposed by China, that has raised international alarm over freedoms in the city.

Police in Hong Kong fired pepper pellets and made 300 arrests as thousands of people took to the streets on Wednesday to voice anger over national security legislation proposed by China, that has raised international alarm over freedoms in the city. The mass protests in Central, Causeway Bay and Mong Kok followed a morning of relative calm as lawmakers prepared to debate a contentious national anthem law at the Legislative Council. In the heart of the financial district, riot police fired pepper pellets to disperse a crowd, and elsewhere in the city police rounded up groups of dozens of suspected protesters, making them sit on sidewalks before searching their belongings. A heavy police presence around the Legislative Council deterred protesters planning to disrupt the debate of a bill that would criminalise disrespect of the Chinese national anthem. The bill is expected to become law next month. Angry over perceived threats to the semi-autonomous city's freedoms, people of all ages took to the streets, some dressed in black, some wearing office clothes or school uniforms and some hiding their faces beneath open umbrellas in scenes reminiscent of the unrest that shook Hong Kong last year. Many shops, banks and offices closed early. The latest protests follow the Chinese government's proposal for national security legislation aimed at tackling secession, subversion and terrorism in Hong Kong. The planned laws could see Chinese intelligence agencies set up bases in Hong Kong. The proposal, unveiled in Beijing last week, triggered the first big street unrest in Hong Kong in months on Sunday, with police firing tear gas and water cannon to disperse protesters. The United States, Britain, the European Union and others have expressed concern about the legislation, widely seen as a possible turning point for China's freest city and one of the world's main financial hubs. But Chinese authorities and the Beijing-backed government in Hong Kong say there is no threat to the city's high degree of autonomy and the new security law would be tightly focused. "It’s for the long-term stability of Hong Kong and China, it won’t affect the freedom of assembly and speech and it won’t affect the city's status as a financial centre," Hong Kong Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung told reporters. US President Donald Trump, already at odds with Beijing over trade and the novel coronavirus pandemic, said on Tuesday the United States would this week announce a strong response to the planned legislation. China responded by saying it would take necessary countermeasures to any foreign interference. Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen pledged humanitarian relief for any Hong Kong people fleeing to the self-ruled island.

Hong Kong: Police arrest 300 as thousands protest over national security laws

Indian cities among world's hottest places in last 24 hours

South Korea reported 40 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, marking the biggest daily spike in 49 days as millions of children go back to school and authorities fight to contain an outbreak stemming from a stretched e-commerce warehouse.

The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) reported 40 new cases as of midnight on Tuesday, bringing the country's total number to 11,265. A day earlier the country recorded 19 new cases.

So far, at least 36 cases have been linked to an outbreak at the logistics centre operated by SoftBank-backed e-commerce firm Coupang in Bucheon, west of Seoul, the KCDC said. It was not immediately clear how many of the cases were reported in the last 24 hours.

About 3,600 people at the facility are being tested. The company said it closed the centre on Monday and began the strongest disinfection measures recommended by authorities.

Coupang benefited from the contactless trend driven by COVID-19 in South Korea, with orders surging for groceries and other products. The logistics centre opened in early March and is in charge of deliveries to western Seoul, a spokeswoman said.

The first case related to the centre was diagnosed on Saturday, and is suspected to be connected with a Seoul nightclub outbreak earlier this month.

South Korea reported 40 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, marking the biggest daily spike in 49 days as millions of children go back to school and authorities fight to contain an outbreak stemming from a stretched e-commerce warehouse.

South Korea reported 40 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, marking the biggest daily spike in 49 days as millions of children go back to school and authorities fight to contain an outbreak stemming from a stretched e-commerce warehouse. The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) reported 40 new cases as of midnight on Tuesday, bringing the country's total number to 11,265. A day earlier the country recorded 19 new cases. So far, at least 36 cases have been linked to an outbreak at the logistics centre operated by SoftBank-backed e-commerce firm Coupang in Bucheon, west of Seoul, the KCDC said. It was not immediately clear how many of the cases were reported in the last 24 hours. About 3,600 people at the facility are being tested. The company said it closed the centre on Monday and began the strongest disinfection measures recommended by authorities. Coupang benefited from the contactless trend driven by COVID-19 in South Korea, with orders surging for groceries and other products. The logistics centre opened in early March and is in charge of deliveries to western Seoul, a spokeswoman said. The first case related to the centre was diagnosed on Saturday, and is suspected to be connected with a Seoul nightclub outbreak earlier this month.

South Korea: Authorities trace spike in new cases to an e-commerce warehouse

Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele said on Tuesday he takes hydroxychloroquine, an antimalarial drug that US&nbsp;President Donald trump has promoted as a way to ward off the novel coronavirus, though experts have warned about its safety.

Bukele told reporters that El Salvador was not promoting it anymore as a treatment, following the recommendation of the World Health Organization, though patients would still be able to take it as a preventative measure if they wished.

"I&nbsp;use it as a prophylaxis, President Trump uses it as a prophylaxis, most of the world's leaders use it as a prophylaxis," Bukele said.

Bukele's forceful response to the coronavirus, including moving to extend a national state of emergency without congressional approval, has prompted criticism that the 38-year-old has shown authoritarian tendencies and exceeded his powers.

Speaking at an event with Bukele, the US&nbsp;ambassador to El Salvador, Ronald Johnson, suggested that he approved of the leader's handling of the pandemic.

"I believe that in crisis situations, oftentimes people must give up a little bit of their freedoms in order to favor the rights and freedoms of the majority and of the whole," he said.

The World Health Organization(WHO) had said on Monday that its "Executive Group has implemented a temporary pause of the hydroxychloroquine arm within the solidarity trial while the data is reviewed by the data safety monitoring board."

In a tweet, WHO chief Tedros said that, ''the Lancet had published an observational study on hydroxycholoroquine &amp; chloraquine &amp; its effects on&nbsp;COVID-19&nbsp;patients that have been hospitalised."

Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele said on Tuesday he takes hydroxychloroquine, an antimalarial drug that US President Donald trump has promoted as a way to ward off the novel coronavirus, though experts have warned about its safety.

Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele said on Tuesday he takes hydroxychloroquine, an antimalarial drug that US President Donald trump has promoted as a way to ward off the novel coronavirus, though experts have warned about its safety. Bukele told reporters that El Salvador was not promoting it anymore as a treatment, following the recommendation of the World Health Organization, though patients would still be able to take it as a preventative measure if they wished. "I use it as a prophylaxis, President Trump uses it as a prophylaxis, most of the world's leaders use it as a prophylaxis," Bukele said. Bukele's forceful response to the coronavirus, including moving to extend a national state of emergency without congressional approval, has prompted criticism that the 38-year-old has shown authoritarian tendencies and exceeded his powers. Speaking at an event with Bukele, the US ambassador to El Salvador, Ronald Johnson, suggested that he approved of the leader's handling of the pandemic. "I believe that in crisis situations, oftentimes people must give up a little bit of their freedoms in order to favor the rights and freedoms of the majority and of the whole," he said. The World Health Organization(WHO) had said on Monday that its "Executive Group has implemented a temporary pause of the hydroxychloroquine arm within the solidarity trial while the data is reviewed by the data safety monitoring board." In a tweet, WHO chief Tedros said that, ''the Lancet had published an observational study on hydroxycholoroquine & chloraquine & its effects on COVID-19 patients that have been hospitalised."

After Trump, El Salvador's President says he is taking hydroxychloroquine

Officials in Isarel are considering to shift&nbsp;the corruption trial of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from the Jerusalem District Court to a different location due to the turmoil caused by having to secure the site for the premier, it was reported.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Netanyahu was required to attend the opening hearing of his trial on Sunday, which involved a major security operation and the closure of roads in the area around the courthouse.&nbsp;

The court was not able to hear any other cases at the time according to the state news agencies.

&nbsp;

In a meeting on Monday, the court officials reviewed the events of the previous day and in the coming weeks the administration, together with Jerusalem District Court President Aharon Farkash and the three judges presiding over the trial, will decided whether to relocate for the rest of the proceedings.

Netanyahu who&nbsp;denies wrongdoing, faces charges of fraud and breach of trust in all the cases, as well as bribery in one of them.

Before entering the courtroom on Sunday, he told the media that the cases against him were fabricated and part of an attempted “political coup” to oust him from power. He is&nbsp;the first serving Israeli premier to stand trial.

The Prime Minister, who was sworn back into office as head of a rare national unity government last week, will be allowed to skip the next hearing, which will take place on July 19, with the judges saying he would not have to return to court until the evidence stage, said

Officials in Isarel are considering to shift the corruption trial of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from the Jerusalem District Court to a different location due to the turmoil caused by having to secure the site for the premier, it was reported.

Officials in Isarel are considering to shift the corruption trial of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from the Jerusalem District Court to a different location due to the turmoil caused by having to secure the site for the premier, it was reported. Netanyahu was required to attend the opening hearing of his trial on Sunday, which involved a major security operation and the closure of roads in the area around the courthouse. The court was not able to hear any other cases at the time according to the state news agencies. In a meeting on Monday, the court officials reviewed the events of the previous day and in the coming weeks the administration, together with Jerusalem District Court President Aharon Farkash and the three judges presiding over the trial, will decided whether to relocate for the rest of the proceedings. Netanyahu who denies wrongdoing, faces charges of fraud and breach of trust in all the cases, as well as bribery in one of them. Before entering the courtroom on Sunday, he told the media that the cases against him were fabricated and part of an attempted “political coup” to oust him from power. He is the first serving Israeli premier to stand trial. The Prime Minister, who was sworn back into office as head of a rare national unity government last week, will be allowed to skip the next hearing, which will take place on July 19, with the judges saying he would not have to return to court until the evidence stage, said

Israeli court mulling change in location of Netanyahu's trial: Reports

The World Health Organization has raised&nbsp;alarm over surge of COVID-19 cases in Latin America,&nbsp;expressed concern Tuesday over signs the spread of the new virus is still accelerating.

"In South America, we are particularly concerned that the number of new cases reported last week in Brazil was the highest for a seven-day period, since the outbreak began," said Carissa Etienne, director of the Washington-based Pan American&nbsp;Health&nbsp;Organization&nbsp;(PAHO).

"Both Peru and Chile are also reporting a high incidence, a sign that transmission is still accelerating in these countries," she said at a weekly briefing.

The Pan American&nbsp;Health&nbsp;Organization, which serves as the regional office for the&nbsp;World&nbsp;Health&nbsp;Organization, has been monitoring the pandemic in Latin America and the Caribbean.

With about 730,000 cases , out of 5 million globally and more than 39,500 deaths from COVID-19 reported as of May 25, Latin America has outpaced Europe and the United States in the number of daily infections.&nbsp;

The Americas have emerged as the new epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic, the World Health Organization (WHO) said in a Tuesday briefing, as a US&nbsp;study forecast deaths surging in Brazil and other Latin American countries through August.

“Now is not the time for countries to ease restrictions,” Carissa Etienne, WHO director for the Americas and head of the Pan American Health Organization, said via videoconference.

The Americas have registered more than 2.4 million cases of the new coronavirus and more than 143,000 deaths from the resulting COVID-19 respiratory disease. Latin America has passed Europe and the United States in daily infections, she said.

“Our region has become the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Etienne said, as other PAHO directors warned there are “very tough” weeks ahead for the region and Brazil has a long way to go before it will see the pandemic end.

Also of concern to WHO officials are accelerating outbreaks in Peru, Chile, El Salvador, Guatemala and Nicaragua.

As Brazil’s daily death rate became the world’s highest on Monday, a University of Washington study warned that the country’s total death toll could climb five-fold to 125,000 by early August.

The forecast from the university’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) came with a call for lockdowns that Brazil’s right-wing president, Jair Bolsonaro, has resisted.

The current data projects COVID-19 deaths in Peru totaling nearly 20,000 by August, IHME said, indicating demand is likely to outstrip of the supply of beds in intensive care units.

The latest IHME model projections see deaths rising to nearly 12,000 in Chile, 7,000 in Mexico, 6,000 in Ecuador, 5,500 in Argentina and to 4,500 in Colombia by August.

One country in the region doing relatively well against COVID-19 is Cuba, where the IHME forecasts a death toll of just 82 by August while testing continues to outpace the outbreak.

The World Health Organization has raised alarm over surge of COVID-19 cases in Latin America, expressed concern Tuesday over signs the spread of the new virus is still accelerating.

The World Health Organization has raised alarm over surge of COVID-19 cases in Latin America, expressed concern Tuesday over signs the spread of the new virus is still accelerating. "In South America, we are particularly concerned that the number of new cases reported last week in Brazil was the highest for a seven-day period, since the outbreak began," said Carissa Etienne, director of the Washington-based Pan American Health Organization (PAHO). "Both Peru and Chile are also reporting a high incidence, a sign that transmission is still accelerating in these countries," she said at a weekly briefing. The Pan American Health Organization, which serves as the regional office for the World Health Organization, has been monitoring the pandemic in Latin America and the Caribbean. With about 730,000 cases , out of 5 million globally and more than 39,500 deaths from COVID-19 reported as of May 25, Latin America has outpaced Europe and the United States in the number of daily infections. The Americas have emerged as the new epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic, the World Health Organization (WHO) said in a Tuesday briefing, as a US study forecast deaths surging in Brazil and other Latin American countries through August. “Now is not the time for countries to ease restrictions,” Carissa Etienne, WHO director for the Americas and head of the Pan American Health Organization, said via videoconference. The Americas have registered more than 2.4 million cases of the new coronavirus and more than 143,000 deaths from the resulting COVID-19 respiratory disease. Latin America has passed Europe and the United States in daily infections, she said. “Our region has become the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Etienne said, as other PAHO directors warned there are “very tough” weeks ahead for the region and Brazil has a long way to go before it will see the pandemic end. Also of concern to WHO officials are accelerating outbreaks in Peru, Chile, El Salvador, Guatemala and Nicaragua. As Brazil’s daily death rate became the world’s highest on Monday, a University of Washington study warned that the country’s total death toll could climb five-fold to 125,000 by early August. The forecast from the university’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) came with a call for lockdowns that Brazil’s right-wing president, Jair Bolsonaro, has resisted. The current data projects COVID-19 deaths in Peru totaling nearly 20,000 by August, IHME said, indicating demand is likely to outstrip of the supply of beds in intensive care units. The latest IHME model projections see deaths rising to nearly 12,000 in Chile, 7,000 in Mexico, 6,000 in Ecuador, 5,500 in Argentina and to 4,500 in Colombia by August. One country in the region doing relatively well against COVID-19 is Cuba, where the IHME forecasts a death toll of just 82 by August while testing continues to outpace the outbreak.

WHO raises alarm over surge in coronavirus cases in Latin America

Tech giant Huawei&nbsp;which was once considered&nbsp;a ticket to China's global supremacy&nbsp;has now become its biggest liability.

Prior to the coronavirus&nbsp;outbreak, the world's opinion regarding the brand&nbsp;was divided.&nbsp;It was being considered&nbsp;as the biggest player while&nbsp;the world was preparing for the 5G network.

The United States tried&nbsp;very hard to block it and&nbsp;to keep it&nbsp;away from lucrative international contracts but had&nbsp;limited success.

However, the tables have turned after the coronavirus pandemic because&nbsp;the momentum is against China and by association, against Huawei.&nbsp;The world has figured out the perfect&nbsp;way to punish Beijing is by&nbsp;blocking Huawei.&nbsp;

The United States has imposed strict bans on the company by making&nbsp;moves to block global chip makers&nbsp;from supplying to the company.

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&nbsp;While the ban was introduced last year, the rules have been&nbsp;tightened and made more effective recently.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
Chip makers that use equipment or technology from America are not allowed to sell to Huawei.&nbsp; It&nbsp;is a serious blow to the brand because the&nbsp;chips are the building blocks of modern tech supply chains and no computing device can be manufactured without them. &nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
When the ban was announced, Huawei immediately slammed&nbsp;America for its decision.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/new-escalation-in-us-china-battle-china-responds-to-huawei-trade-ban-299686/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

On the suggestion of the US, now even Britain is reconsidering not granting the brand entry into its country.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government may ditch the Chinese company as it is&nbsp;planning to end its dependence on it.&nbsp;The British national cyber security centre has launched a probe against the company as well.

Meanwhile, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is also having second thoughts about the company.&nbsp;If these nations go forward and ban Huawei, then there is a huge possibility that others might follow their footsteps.

It appears that the company's rocky path is about to get tougher in the difficult times that lie ahead. 
&nbsp;

Tech giant Huawei which was once considered a ticket to China's global supremacy has now become its biggest liability. Prior to the coronavirus outbreak, the world's opinion regarding the brand was divided.

Tech giant Huawei which was once considered a ticket to China's global supremacy has now become its biggest liability. Prior to the coronavirus outbreak, the world's opinion regarding the brand was divided. It was being considered as the biggest player while the world was preparing for the 5G network. The United States tried very hard to block it and to keep it away from lucrative international contracts but had limited success. However, the tables have turned after the coronavirus pandemic because the momentum is against China and by association, against Huawei. The world has figured out the perfect way to punish Beijing is by blocking Huawei. The United States has imposed strict bans on the company by making moves to block global chip makers from supplying to the company. While the ban was introduced last year, the rules have been tightened and made more effective recently. Chip makers that use equipment or technology from America are not allowed to sell to Huawei. It is a serious blow to the brand because the chips are the building blocks of modern tech supply chains and no computing device can be manufactured without them. When the ban was announced, Huawei immediately slammed America for its decision. On the suggestion of the US, now even Britain is reconsidering not granting the brand entry into its country. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government may ditch the Chinese company as it is planning to end its dependence on it. The British national cyber security centre has launched a probe against the company as well. Meanwhile, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is also having second thoughts about the company. If these nations go forward and ban Huawei, then there is a huge possibility that others might follow their footsteps. It appears that the company's rocky path is about to get tougher in the difficult times that lie ahead.

How Huawei became a liability for China amid COVID-19 crisis

Afghan authorities freed hundreds more Taliban prisoners on Tuesday, as calls grew for the militants to extend a ceasefire on its third and final day.

The historic pause in fighting, only the second in nearly 19 years of war, has mostly held across Afghanistan, providing a rare respite from the conflict's grinding violence.

Authorities said they had released about 900 Taliban prisoners across the country on Tuesday, approximately 600 of them from the notorious Bagram jail near Kabul.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghan-government-frees-2000-taliban-prisoners-during-ceasefire-301022" hreflang="en">Afghan government frees 2,000 Taliban prisoners during ceasefire</a>

The release is part of a pledge by the Afghan government to free up to 2,000 insurgent prisoners in response to the Taliban's three-day ceasefire offer, which began Sunday to mark the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr.

Each former prisoner was given the equivalent of about $65 in Afghan currency. The buses they had boarded at the prison dropped them in Kabul, where they bid goodbyes to each other and took taxis to their homes.

The release of 900 prisoners marked "good progress," Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen said on Twitter.

He added the group will free a "remarkable" number of Afghan security force personnel, but did not specify when.

Afghan authorities hoped the Taliban would extend the ceasefire so delayed peace talks with the insurgents could begin, National Security Council spokesman Javid Faisal said.

Afghan authorities freed hundreds more Taliban prisoners on Tuesday, as calls grew for the militants to extend a ceasefire on its third and final day. The historic pause in fighting, only the second in nearly 19 years of war, has mostly held across Afghanistan, providing a rare respite from the conflict's grinding violence.

Afghan authorities freed hundreds more Taliban prisoners on Tuesday, as calls grew for the militants to extend a ceasefire on its third and final day. The historic pause in fighting, only the second in nearly 19 years of war, has mostly held across Afghanistan, providing a rare respite from the conflict's grinding violence. Authorities said they had released about 900 Taliban prisoners across the country on Tuesday, approximately 600 of them from the notorious Bagram jail near Kabul. Also read: Afghan government frees 2,000 Taliban prisoners during ceasefire The release is part of a pledge by the Afghan government to free up to 2,000 insurgent prisoners in response to the Taliban's three-day ceasefire offer, which began Sunday to mark the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr. Each former prisoner was given the equivalent of about $65 in Afghan currency. The buses they had boarded at the prison dropped them in Kabul, where they bid goodbyes to each other and took taxis to their homes. The release of 900 prisoners marked "good progress," Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen said on Twitter. He added the group will free a "remarkable" number of Afghan security force personnel, but did not specify when. Afghan authorities hoped the Taliban would extend the ceasefire so delayed peace talks with the insurgents could begin, National Security Council spokesman Javid Faisal said.

Afghan government frees 900 Taliban prisoners on last day of truce

The Spanish government has announced&nbsp;a 10-day mourning period to pay tribute to nearly 27,000 confirmed deaths from the coronavirus.

Flags will be hoisted to half-staff in more than 14,000 public buildings across the nation and on Spanish naval vessels until June 5, under the declaration made Tuesday.

King Felipe VI, as Spain's head of state, will preside over a solemn memorial ceremony once the country emerges from the lockdown imposed 2 1/2 months ago, the government said.

The victims were ''men and women whose lives have been suddenly cut short, leaving friends and family in great pain, both from the sudden loss and from the difficult circumstances in which it has occurred,''&nbsp;the Spanish government’s spokeswoman, Minister María Jesús Montero, said.

The period will end with an official ceremony led by the head of state in remembrance of the 26,834 fatalities recorded in the country.

Previously, opposition parties had criticized the left-wing coalition of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez for not paying homage to the victims.

Spain has reported a total of 235,400 confirmed cases of the disease.

The Spanish government has announced a 10-day mourning period to pay tribute to nearly 27,000 confirmed deaths from the coronavirus. Flags will be hoisted to half-staff in more than 14,000 public buildings across the nation and on Spanish naval vessels until June 5, under the declaration made Tuesday.

The Spanish government has announced a 10-day mourning period to pay tribute to nearly 27,000 confirmed deaths from the coronavirus. Flags will be hoisted to half-staff in more than 14,000 public buildings across the nation and on Spanish naval vessels until June 5, under the declaration made Tuesday. King Felipe VI, as Spain's head of state, will preside over a solemn memorial ceremony once the country emerges from the lockdown imposed 2 1/2 months ago, the government said. The victims were ''men and women whose lives have been suddenly cut short, leaving friends and family in great pain, both from the sudden loss and from the difficult circumstances in which it has occurred,'' the Spanish government’s spokeswoman, Minister María Jesús Montero, said. The period will end with an official ceremony led by the head of state in remembrance of the 26,834 fatalities recorded in the country. Previously, opposition parties had criticized the left-wing coalition of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez for not paying homage to the victims. Spain has reported a total of 235,400 confirmed cases of the disease.

Spain announces 10-day mourning period for coronavirus victims

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WHO warns of second wave of COVID-19 as global cases near 5.5 million Countries where coronavirus infections are declining could still face an "immediate second peak" if they let up too soon on measures to halt the outbreak, the World Health Organization said on Monday.

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Top 10 world news today: WHO warns of second wave, Brazil surpasses US and more

Anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine, which is being touted as the cure for the coronavirus pandemic by several experts, is under limelight for the wrong reasons.

According to a study published by one of the world’s most oldest and best known medical journal, Lancet,&nbsp;it&nbsp;raises the risk of death.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trumps-magic-drug-hydroxychloroquine-may-be-killing-coronavirus-patients-across-the-globe-study-300863">Trump's magic drug hydroxychloroquine may be killing coronavirus patients across the globe: Study</a>

The researchers in the paper believe that the drug should no longer be administered on patients, unless in a research setting.

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They&nbsp;took into account 96,000 patients across 671 hospitals between the time period of December 2019 - April 2020.

They found that the fatality rate was much higher among people who were given the drug as opposed to those who weren’t. One out of six patients on hydroxychloroquine died. While only one out of 11 patients not taking the drug dead.

Many patients who were given hydroxychloroquine also recorded cardiac arrhythmias, which makes the lower chamber of the heart to beat irregularly.

Almost 8 per cent of the patients who were being treated with hydroxychloroquine alongside an antibiotic developed irregular heartbeats, as opposed to 0.3 per cent patients who were not given the drug.

Despite the reservations from the scientific community, India continues to use&nbsp;the drug both for treatment and as a post-exposure preventive measure. &nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
In fact, India is one of the largest makers of this drug and is exporting&nbsp;to 55 other countries. &nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
The Indian authorities have recently revised their guidelines. &nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
Use of the drug has to be preceded by an ecg that vulnerable groups will not be given the drug. &nbsp;

While India is&nbsp;following a strict protocol for hcq, some&nbsp;leaders are&nbsp;pushing for the use of drug&nbsp;without any safeguards.

Number one on that list is US President Donald Trump who publicly declared that he is using it after getting a prescription from his doctor.

On the second spot is Brazilian Presient Jair Bolsonaro who said he approved the drug because ''if i were to wait for a protocol, scientific proof, thousands will die.''

However,&nbsp;&nbsp;leaders are pushing for hcq because, it’s the cheapest and most widely available drug. &nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
According to some estimates, it can be made for as little as one dollar a day. &nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
But, people should not blindly follow them because since half knowledge is&nbsp;more dangerous than a pill. &nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
They should listen to their&nbsp;doctors, follow their advice and prevent from&nbsp;self-medication. &nbsp; 
 
&nbsp;

Anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine, which is being touted as the cure for the coronavirus pandemic by several experts, is under limelight for the wrong reasons.

Anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine, which is being touted as the cure for the coronavirus pandemic by several experts, is under limelight for the wrong reasons. According to a study published by one of the world’s most oldest and best known medical journal, Lancet, it raises the risk of death. Also read: Trump's magic drug hydroxychloroquine may be killing coronavirus patients across the globe: Study The researchers in the paper believe that the drug should no longer be administered on patients, unless in a research setting. × They took into account 96,000 patients across 671 hospitals between the time period of December 2019 - April 2020. They found that the fatality rate was much higher among people who were given the drug as opposed to those who weren’t. One out of six patients on hydroxychloroquine died. While only one out of 11 patients not taking the drug dead. Many patients who were given hydroxychloroquine also recorded cardiac arrhythmias, which makes the lower chamber of the heart to beat irregularly. Almost 8 per cent of the patients who were being treated with hydroxychloroquine alongside an antibiotic developed irregular heartbeats, as opposed to 0.3 per cent patients who were not given the drug. Despite the reservations from the scientific community, India continues to use the drug both for treatment and as a post-exposure preventive measure. In fact, India is one of the largest makers of this drug and is exporting to 55 other countries. The Indian authorities have recently revised their guidelines. Use of the drug has to be preceded by an ecg that vulnerable groups will not be given the drug. While India is following a strict protocol for hcq, some leaders are pushing for the use of drug without any safeguards. Number one on that list is US President Donald Trump who publicly declared that he is using it after getting a prescription from his doctor. On the second spot is Brazilian Presient Jair Bolsonaro who said he approved the drug because ''if i were to wait for a protocol, scientific proof, thousands will die.'' However, leaders are pushing for hcq because, it’s the cheapest and most widely available drug. According to some estimates, it can be made for as little as one dollar a day. But, people should not blindly follow them because since half knowledge is more dangerous than a pill. They should listen to their doctors, follow their advice and prevent from self-medication.

Is hydroxychloroquine a miracle drug or a death pill?

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Zee News Rajasthan

Editor

Vyomica Berry

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