Supermodel Chrissy Teigen has announced that she is planning to remove her breast implants. Teigen said she wants to get back to her normal size and hence decided to opt for the removal of silicone implants. 
 
The 34-year-old model made the announcement to her fans on Instagram, after revealing on Twitter that she had undergone a coronavirus test. 
 
Along with a black and white topless shot, Teigen wrote, "So I posted myself getting a COVID test on the twitter, as I'm getting surgery soon. A lot of people are understandably curious (and nosey!) so I'll just say it here: I'm getting my boobs out!" 
 
"They’ve been great to me for many years but I’m just over it. I’d like to be able to zip a dress in my size, lay on my belly with pure comfort! No biggie! So don’t worry about me! All good. I’ll still have boobs, they’ll just be pure fat. Which is all a tit is in the first place. A dumb, miraculous bag of fat," she further added. 
 
Several of her celebrity pals reacted on her post. 
 
Naomi Campbell wrote "be safe", while Michelle Pfeiffer replied with a folded hands emoji. 
 
Singer Natasha Bedingfield wrote, "I miss having big boobs from breastfeeding but smaller is so so much easier to dress for sure." 
 
Teigen joins several other prominent stars who have got breast implants removed and opted for a more 'natural look'. 
'Baywatch' star Pamela Anderson had got her's removed in 1999 because they "just didn't feel right anymore". 
Victoria Beckham had opted for breast enhancement in the late 1990s - a fact that she denied at that time but later, after getting it removed, admitted to it. 
 
Teigen is known for her honest social media posts. The model has previously shared photos of her breastfeeding her daughter Luna, in a bid to normalize natural nursing. 
 
Teigen, who also has a son, Miles, with husband, singer John Legend.

Supermodel Chrissy Teigen has announced that she is planning to remove her breast implants. Teigen said she wants to get back to her normal size and hence decided to opt for the removal of silicone implants.

Supermodel Chrissy Teigen has announced that she is planning to remove her breast implants. Teigen said she wants to get back to her normal size and hence decided to opt for the removal of silicone implants. The 34-year-old model made the announcement to her fans on Instagram, after revealing on Twitter that she had undergone a coronavirus test. Along with a black and white topless shot, Teigen wrote, "So I posted myself getting a COVID test on the twitter, as I'm getting surgery soon. A lot of people are understandably curious (and nosey!) so I'll just say it here: I'm getting my boobs out!" "They’ve been great to me for many years but I’m just over it. I’d like to be able to zip a dress in my size, lay on my belly with pure comfort! No biggie! So don’t worry about me! All good. I’ll still have boobs, they’ll just be pure fat. Which is all a tit is in the first place. A dumb, miraculous bag of fat," she further added. Several of her celebrity pals reacted on her post. Naomi Campbell wrote "be safe", while Michelle Pfeiffer replied with a folded hands emoji. Singer Natasha Bedingfield wrote, "I miss having big boobs from breastfeeding but smaller is so so much easier to dress for sure." Teigen joins several other prominent stars who have got breast implants removed and opted for a more 'natural look'. 'Baywatch' star Pamela Anderson had got her's removed in 1999 because they "just didn't feel right anymore". Victoria Beckham had opted for breast enhancement in the late 1990s - a fact that she denied at that time but later, after getting it removed, admitted to it. Teigen is known for her honest social media posts. The model has previously shared photos of her breastfeeding her daughter Luna, in a bid to normalize natural nursing. Teigen, who also has a son, Miles, with husband, singer John Legend.

Chrissy Teigen to remove breast implants, gets tested for COVID-19 as precaution

British police will not take an action against Prime Minister Boris Johnson's senior advisor Dominic Cummings, who breached the coronavirus lockdown weeks ago.

"Dominic Cummings did break lockdown rules when he made a 50-mile journey to Barnard Castle, an investigation by Durham Police has concluded. But the force said it would not be taking any further action against Mr Cummings," the Telegraph reported.

Dominic Cummings, Johnson's Chief Strategy Advisor, defended a journey to his parents' home in Durham, north-east England, as reasonable and legal, and the UK prime minister has so far stuck by him with Downing Street reiterating the same line.

Cummings had masterminded the 2016 campaign to leave the European Union, and is a close aide of Johnson's.

Cummings came under pressure when the Daily Mirror and Guardian newspapers reported he had travelled 400 km (250 miles) to Durham in northern England with his wife -- when Britain was under a strict lockdown to combat the coronavirus outbreak. His wife had COVID-19 symptoms.

"I believe that in every respect he has acted responsibly and legally," Johnson told a news conference.

Johnson's office had earlier said Cummings made the journey to ensure his 4-year-old son could be properly cared for by relatives if he too fell ill.

The 'Observer' and 'Sunday Mirror' have reported that Cummings was seen in the north east of England on two more occasions, after recovering from his COVID-19 symptoms.

On Sunday, newspapers report that witnesses saw Cummings in Barnard Castle, more than 25 miles from Durham, on April 12.

Two days later, on April 14, he was seen in London. According to a witness, he was spotted again in Houghall Woods near Durham on April 19.

Downing Street, however, branded the reports as inaccurate.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-pm-johnson-backs-cummings-despite-calls-to-quit-over-coronavirus-lockdown-travel-300808">Also read |&nbsp;UK PM Johnson backs Cummings despite calls to quit over coronavirus lockdown travel</a>

British police will not take an action against Prime Minister Boris Johnson's senior advisor Dominic Cummings, who breached the coronavirus lockdown weeks ago. "Dominic Cummings did break lockdown rules when he made a 50-mile journey to Barnard Castle, an investigation by Durham Police has concluded.

British police will not take an action against Prime Minister Boris Johnson's senior advisor Dominic Cummings, who breached the coronavirus lockdown weeks ago. "Dominic Cummings did break lockdown rules when he made a 50-mile journey to Barnard Castle, an investigation by Durham Police has concluded. But the force said it would not be taking any further action against Mr Cummings," the Telegraph reported. Dominic Cummings, Johnson's Chief Strategy Advisor, defended a journey to his parents' home in Durham, north-east England, as reasonable and legal, and the UK prime minister has so far stuck by him with Downing Street reiterating the same line. Cummings had masterminded the 2016 campaign to leave the European Union, and is a close aide of Johnson's. Cummings came under pressure when the Daily Mirror and Guardian newspapers reported he had travelled 400 km (250 miles) to Durham in northern England with his wife -- when Britain was under a strict lockdown to combat the coronavirus outbreak. His wife had COVID-19 symptoms. "I believe that in every respect he has acted responsibly and legally," Johnson told a news conference. Johnson's office had earlier said Cummings made the journey to ensure his 4-year-old son could be properly cared for by relatives if he too fell ill. The 'Observer' and 'Sunday Mirror' have reported that Cummings was seen in the north east of England on two more occasions, after recovering from his COVID-19 symptoms. On Sunday, newspapers report that witnesses saw Cummings in Barnard Castle, more than 25 miles from Durham, on April 12. Two days later, on April 14, he was seen in London. According to a witness, he was spotted again in Houghall Woods near Durham on April 19. Downing Street, however, branded the reports as inaccurate. Also read | UK PM Johnson backs Cummings despite calls to quit over coronavirus lockdown travel

UK police to not take action against PM Johnson's advisor Cummings

The economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic for Gulf states has done far more than play havoc with their revenue base and fiscal household. It has propelled massive structural change to the top of their agenda in ways that economic diversification plans had not accounted for.

Leave aside whether Gulf states can continue to focus on high-profile, attention-grabbing projects like Neom, Saudi Arabia’s $500 billion&nbsp;21st century futuristic city on the Red Sea.

Gulf rulers’ to-do list, if they want to get things right, is long and expensive without the burden of trophy projects. It involves economic as well as social and ultimately political change.

Transparency and accurate and detailed public reporting go to the core of these changes.

They also are key to decisions by investors, economists, and credit rating companies at a time when Gulf states’ economic outlook is in question. Many complain that delays in GDP reporting and lack of easy access to statistics complicates their decision-making.

Nonetheless, if there is one thing autocratic Gulf governments have going for themselves, beyond substantial financial reserves, it is public confidence in the way they handled the pandemic, despite the fact that they failed to initially recognize crowded living circumstances of migrant workers as a super spreader.

Most governments acted early and decisively with lockdowns and curfews, testing, border closures, repatriation of nationals abroad, and, in Saudi Arabia, suspension of pilgrimages.

To be sure, Gulf countries, and particularly Saudi Arabia that receives millions of Muslim pilgrims from across the globe each year, have a long-standing history of dealing with epidemics. Like Singapore, South Korea, and Taiwan, they were better prepared than Western nations.

History persuaded the kingdom to ban the umrah, the lesser Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca, in late February, days before the first case of a COVID-19 infection emerged on Saudi soil.

Beyond public health concerns, Saudi Arabia had an additional reason to get the pandemic right. It offered the kingdom not only an opportunity to globally polish its image, badly tarnished by human rights abuses, power grabs, and the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, but also to retain religious influence despite the interruption in the flow of pilgrims to the kingdom.

“Saudi Arabia is still a reference for many Muslim communities around the world,” said Yasmine Farouk, a scholar of Saudi Arabia at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

It also allowed Saudi Arabia to set the record straight following criticism of its handling of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) in 2012 when the kingdom became the epidemic’s epicenter and in 2009 when it was hit by the H1N1 virus.

Saudi Arabia is also blamed for contributing to a public health catastrophe in Yemen with its frequent indiscriminate bombings.

A country in ruins as a result of the military intervention, Yemen has grappled for the past four years with a cholera epidemic on the kingdom’s borders.

Trust in Gulf states’ handling of the current pandemic was bolstered by degrees of transparency on the development of the disease in daily updates in the number of casualties and fatalities.

It was further boosted by a speech by King Salman as soon as the pandemic hit the kingdom in which he announced a raft of measures to counter the disease and support the economy as well as assurances by agriculture minister Abdulrahman al-Fadli that the crisis would not affect food supplies.

Farouk suggested that government instructions during the pandemic were followed because of “trust in the government, the expertise and the experience of the government [and] trust in the religious establishment, which actually was following the technical decisions of the government.”

To be sure, Farouk acknowledged, the regime’s coercive nature gave the public little choice.

The limits of government transparency were evident in the fact that authorities were less forthcoming with details of public spending on the pandemic and insight into available medical equipment like ventilators and other supplies such as testing kits.

Some Gulf states have started publishing the daily and total number of swabs but have yet to clarify whether these figures include multiple swabbings of the same person.

“It is likely that publics in the Middle East will look back at who was it that gave them reliable information, who was it who was there for them,” said political scientist Nathan Brown.

The question is whether governments will conclude that transparency will be needed to maintain public confidence as they are forced to rewrite social contracts that were rooted in concepts of a cradle-to-grave welfare state but will have to involve greater burden-sharing.

Gulf governments have so far said little about burden-sharing being allocated equitably across social classes nor has there been transparency on what drives investment decisions by sovereign wealth funds in a time of crisis and changing economic outlook.

Speaking to the Financial Times, a Gulf banker warned that the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman “needs to be careful what he spends on . . . Joe Public will be watching.”

Headed by Prince Mohammed, the kingdom’s sovereign wealth fund has gone on a $7.7 billion USD shopping spree buying stakes in major Western blue chips, including four oil majors: Boeing, Citigroup, Disney, and Facebook. The Public Investment Fund is also funding a bid for English soccer club Newcastle United.

The banker suggested that Saudi nationals would not appreciate “millionaire footballer salaries being paid for by VAT (value-added tax) on groceries.” He was referring to this month’s hiking of sales taxes in the kingdom from five to 15 per cent.

The fragility and fickleness of public trust were on display for the world to see in Britain’s uproar about Dominic Cummings, a close aide to Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who violated lockdown instructions for personal reasons. Johnson is struggling to fight off demands for Mr Cummings’ dismissal.

To be sure, senior government officials and business executives in the Gulf have cautioned of hard times to come.

A recent Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry survey of CEOs predicted that 70 per cent of the United Arab Emirates’ companies would go out of business in the next six months, including half of its restaurants and hotels and three-quarters of its travel and tourism companies.

Saudi Finance Minister Mohammed Al-Jadaan warned earlier this month that the kingdom would need to take “painful” measures and look for deep spending cuts as a result of the collapse of oil prices and significantly reduced demand for oil.

Aware of sensitivities, Al-Jadaan stressed that “as long as we do not touch the basic needs of the people, all options are open.”

There was little transparency in Al-Jadaan’s statements on what the impact would be on employment-seeking Saudi nationals in a labour market where fewer migrant workers would be available for jobs that Saudis have long been unwilling to accept.

It was a missed opportunity considering the 286 per cent increase in the number of Saudis flocking to work for delivery services.

The increase was fueled by an offer by Hadaf, the Saudi Human Resources Development Fund, to pay drivers $800&nbsp;a month, as well as a newly-found embrace of volunteerism across the Gulf.

The surge offered authorities building blocks to frame expectations at a time when the kingdom’s official unemployment rate of 12 per cent is likely to rise.

It suggested a public acknowledgement of the fact that well-paying, cushy government positions may no longer be as available as they were in the past as well as the fact that lesser jobs are no less honourable forms of employment.

That may be the silver lining as Gulf states feel the pressure to reinvent themselves in a world emerging from a pandemic that potentially will redraw social, economic, and political maps. 
 
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

The economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic for Gulf states has done far more than play havoc with their revenue base and fiscal household. It has propelled massive structural change to the top of their agenda in ways that economic diversification plans had not accounted for.

The economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic for Gulf states has done far more than play havoc with their revenue base and fiscal household. It has propelled massive structural change to the top of their agenda in ways that economic diversification plans had not accounted for. Leave aside whether Gulf states can continue to focus on high-profile, attention-grabbing projects like Neom, Saudi Arabia’s $500 billion 21st century futuristic city on the Red Sea. Gulf rulers’ to-do list, if they want to get things right, is long and expensive without the burden of trophy projects. It involves economic as well as social and ultimately political change. Transparency and accurate and detailed public reporting go to the core of these changes. They also are key to decisions by investors, economists, and credit rating companies at a time when Gulf states’ economic outlook is in question. Many complain that delays in GDP reporting and lack of easy access to statistics complicates their decision-making. Nonetheless, if there is one thing autocratic Gulf governments have going for themselves, beyond substantial financial reserves, it is public confidence in the way they handled the pandemic, despite the fact that they failed to initially recognize crowded living circumstances of migrant workers as a super spreader. Most governments acted early and decisively with lockdowns and curfews, testing, border closures, repatriation of nationals abroad, and, in Saudi Arabia, suspension of pilgrimages. To be sure, Gulf countries, and particularly Saudi Arabia that receives millions of Muslim pilgrims from across the globe each year, have a long-standing history of dealing with epidemics. Like Singapore, South Korea, and Taiwan, they were better prepared than Western nations. History persuaded the kingdom to ban the umrah, the lesser Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca, in late February, days before the first case of a COVID-19 infection emerged on Saudi soil. Beyond public health concerns, Saudi Arabia had an additional reason to get the pandemic right. It offered the kingdom not only an opportunity to globally polish its image, badly tarnished by human rights abuses, power grabs, and the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, but also to retain religious influence despite the interruption in the flow of pilgrims to the kingdom. “Saudi Arabia is still a reference for many Muslim communities around the world,” said Yasmine Farouk, a scholar of Saudi Arabia at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. It also allowed Saudi Arabia to set the record straight following criticism of its handling of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) in 2012 when the kingdom became the epidemic’s epicenter and in 2009 when it was hit by the H1N1 virus. Saudi Arabia is also blamed for contributing to a public health catastrophe in Yemen with its frequent indiscriminate bombings. A country in ruins as a result of the military intervention, Yemen has grappled for the past four years with a cholera epidemic on the kingdom’s borders. Trust in Gulf states’ handling of the current pandemic was bolstered by degrees of transparency on the development of the disease in daily updates in the number of casualties and fatalities. It was further boosted by a speech by King Salman as soon as the pandemic hit the kingdom in which he announced a raft of measures to counter the disease and support the economy as well as assurances by agriculture minister Abdulrahman al-Fadli that the crisis would not affect food supplies. Farouk suggested that government instructions during the pandemic were followed because of “trust in the government, the expertise and the experience of the government [and] trust in the religious establishment, which actually was following the technical decisions of the government.” To be sure, Farouk acknowledged, the regime’s coercive nature gave the public little choice. The limits of government transparency were evident in the fact that authorities were less forthcoming with details of public spending on the pandemic and insight into available medical equipment like ventilators and other supplies such as testing kits. Some Gulf states have started publishing the daily and total number of swabs but have yet to clarify whether these figures include multiple swabbings of the same person. “It is likely that publics in the Middle East will look back at who was it that gave them reliable information, who was it who was there for them,” said political scientist Nathan Brown. The question is whether governments will conclude that transparency will be needed to maintain public confidence as they are forced to rewrite social contracts that were rooted in concepts of a cradle-to-grave welfare state but will have to involve greater burden-sharing. Gulf governments have so far said little about burden-sharing being allocated equitably across social classes nor has there been transparency on what drives investment decisions by sovereign wealth funds in a time of crisis and changing economic outlook. Speaking to the Financial Times, a Gulf banker warned that the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman “needs to be careful what he spends on . . . Joe Public will be watching.” Headed by Prince Mohammed, the kingdom’s sovereign wealth fund has gone on a $7.7 billion USD shopping spree buying stakes in major Western blue chips, including four oil majors: Boeing, Citigroup, Disney, and Facebook. The Public Investment Fund is also funding a bid for English soccer club Newcastle United. The banker suggested that Saudi nationals would not appreciate “millionaire footballer salaries being paid for by VAT (value-added tax) on groceries.” He was referring to this month’s hiking of sales taxes in the kingdom from five to 15 per cent. The fragility and fickleness of public trust were on display for the world to see in Britain’s uproar about Dominic Cummings, a close aide to Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who violated lockdown instructions for personal reasons. Johnson is struggling to fight off demands for Mr Cummings’ dismissal. To be sure, senior government officials and business executives in the Gulf have cautioned of hard times to come. A recent Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry survey of CEOs predicted that 70 per cent of the United Arab Emirates’ companies would go out of business in the next six months, including half of its restaurants and hotels and three-quarters of its travel and tourism companies. Saudi Finance Minister Mohammed Al-Jadaan warned earlier this month that the kingdom would need to take “painful” measures and look for deep spending cuts as a result of the collapse of oil prices and significantly reduced demand for oil. Aware of sensitivities, Al-Jadaan stressed that “as long as we do not touch the basic needs of the people, all options are open.” There was little transparency in Al-Jadaan’s statements on what the impact would be on employment-seeking Saudi nationals in a labour market where fewer migrant workers would be available for jobs that Saudis have long been unwilling to accept. It was a missed opportunity considering the 286 per cent increase in the number of Saudis flocking to work for delivery services. The increase was fueled by an offer by Hadaf, the Saudi Human Resources Development Fund, to pay drivers $800 a month, as well as a newly-found embrace of volunteerism across the Gulf. The surge offered authorities building blocks to frame expectations at a time when the kingdom’s official unemployment rate of 12 per cent is likely to rise. It suggested a public acknowledgement of the fact that well-paying, cushy government positions may no longer be as available as they were in the past as well as the fact that lesser jobs are no less honourable forms of employment. That may be the silver lining as Gulf states feel the pressure to reinvent themselves in a world emerging from a pandemic that potentially will redraw social, economic, and political maps. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Lessons Gulf states have learned from coronavirus pandemic

A Bhopal-based man hired a 180-seater A320 plane of a private carrier to ferry four family members to New Delhi, in a bid to avoid crowd at the airport and in flight amid the coronavirus crisis.

The person is a liquor baron, and he chartered the aircraft to send his daughter and her two children and their maid, who were stuck in Bhopal since the last two months due to the coronavirus-induced lockdown.

According to aviation experts, the cost of hiring an Airbus-A320 is about Rs 20 lakh.

The plane arrived in Bhopal from Delhi on Monday with the crew only and flew back with just four passengers.

There was no medical emergency, an airline official said, refusing to divulge any further details.

Domestic commercial flight services resumed from Monday, after a nearly two-month break due to the coronavirus-enforced lockdown.

(with inputs from PTI)

A Bhopal-based man hired a 180-seater A320 plane of a private carrier to ferry four family members to New Delhi, in a bid to avoid crowd at the airport and in flight amid the coronavirus crisis.

A Bhopal-based man hired a 180-seater A320 plane of a private carrier to ferry four family members to New Delhi, in a bid to avoid crowd at the airport and in flight amid the coronavirus crisis. The person is a liquor baron, and he chartered the aircraft to send his daughter and her two children and their maid, who were stuck in Bhopal since the last two months due to the coronavirus-induced lockdown. According to aviation experts, the cost of hiring an Airbus-A320 is about Rs 20 lakh. The plane arrived in Bhopal from Delhi on Monday with the crew only and flew back with just four passengers. There was no medical emergency, an airline official said, refusing to divulge any further details. Domestic commercial flight services resumed from Monday, after a nearly two-month break due to the coronavirus-enforced lockdown. (with inputs from PTI)

Madhya Pradesh man hires a 180-seater plane to ferry four family members

Spain has said it sees no reason to stop the use of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) to treat COVID-19 patients even as European governments moved on Wednesday to halt the use of the anti-malaria drug.

Several European nations, including France, Italy and Belgium, followed a World Health Organisation decision on Monday to pause a large trial of hydroxychloroquine due to safety concerns.

A UK regulator said on Wednesday that a separate trial was also being put on hold, less than a week after it started. The study, being led by the University of Oxford and partly funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, was expected to involve as many as 40,000 healthcare workers.

After early reports that it might help some patients, regulators in several countries had allowed hydroxychloroquine to be used as a potential COVID-19 treatment.

US President Donald Trump was a particularly strong supporter, describing the drug as a "gamechanger." He later announced he was taking it to prevent infection.

However, more recent studies have raised serious safety issues. British medical journal The Lancet has reported coronavirus patients receiving hydroxychloroquine were more likely to die and experience dangerous irregular heartbeats. A Lancet study found a higher mortality rate among COVID-19 patients who had received HCQ.

Spanish health watchdog, AEMPS, said the paper published by&nbsp;Lancet&nbsp;was not conclusive enough to stop testing it at Spanish hospitals.

On the contrary, on Wednesday, France's health ministry had cancelled a decree in place for nearly two months that had allowed hospital doctors to dispense it in specific situations for COVID-19.

Medicines agencies in France and Italy said the drug should not be used for COVID-19 outside clinical trials. Belgium's regulator said trials aiming to evaluate the drug should also take potential risks into consideration.

Germany is looking at The Lancet study and the WHO's decision but has not made any decision about new guidance on hydroxychloroquine.

The US Food and Drug Administration has allowed healthcare providers to use hydroxychloroquine for COVID-19 through an emergency-use authorisation, but has not approved them to treat it.

(with inputs from Reuters) 
&nbsp;

Spain has said it sees no reason to stop the use of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) to treat COVID-19 patients even as European governments moved on Wednesday to halt the use of the anti-malaria drug.

Spain has said it sees no reason to stop the use of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) to treat COVID-19 patients even as European governments moved on Wednesday to halt the use of the anti-malaria drug. Several European nations, including France, Italy and Belgium, followed a World Health Organisation decision on Monday to pause a large trial of hydroxychloroquine due to safety concerns. A UK regulator said on Wednesday that a separate trial was also being put on hold, less than a week after it started. The study, being led by the University of Oxford and partly funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, was expected to involve as many as 40,000 healthcare workers. After early reports that it might help some patients, regulators in several countries had allowed hydroxychloroquine to be used as a potential COVID-19 treatment. US President Donald Trump was a particularly strong supporter, describing the drug as a "gamechanger." He later announced he was taking it to prevent infection. However, more recent studies have raised serious safety issues. British medical journal The Lancet has reported coronavirus patients receiving hydroxychloroquine were more likely to die and experience dangerous irregular heartbeats. A Lancet study found a higher mortality rate among COVID-19 patients who had received HCQ. Spanish health watchdog, AEMPS, said the paper published by Lancet was not conclusive enough to stop testing it at Spanish hospitals. On the contrary, on Wednesday, France's health ministry had cancelled a decree in place for nearly two months that had allowed hospital doctors to dispense it in specific situations for COVID-19. Medicines agencies in France and Italy said the drug should not be used for COVID-19 outside clinical trials. Belgium's regulator said trials aiming to evaluate the drug should also take potential risks into consideration. Germany is looking at The Lancet study and the WHO's decision but has not made any decision about new guidance on hydroxychloroquine. The US Food and Drug Administration has allowed healthcare providers to use hydroxychloroquine for COVID-19 through an emergency-use authorisation, but has not approved them to treat it. (with inputs from Reuters)

Spain will not stop use of HCQ to treat COVID-19 patients, unlike other European nations

The outbreak of coronavirus has not only pushed all of us inside our homes but led to a digital revolution of sorts. From meetings to entertainment- everything has gone digital.

The outbreak of coronavirus has not only pushed all of us inside our homes but led to a digital revolution of sorts. From meetings to entertainment- everything has gone digital. Amid lockdown, entertainers have opted to reach out to their fans on the digital space with new songs, live chats and even exclusive digital premieres. Bollywood superstar Madhuri Dixit-Nene, who recently released her debut single ‘Candle’ on Facebook and Instagram, feels digital space has immense potential and its reach is wider. “Content on digital has the power to reach a global audience and its great,” says the actress in an exclusive chat with WION. The actress was one of the early celebrities to tap into the potential of digital space when a few years back she started her dance tutorial videos ‘Dance With Madhuri’ on the digital space. Dixit credits her husband Dr Shriram Nene for being futuristic. “My husband is very good at technology and he believed in the potential of the platform long back. Eventually, all the screens are going to finally merge. How you consume your entertainment will be up to you- whether you go to the theatre or whether you watch it on your TV screen or you watch it while travelling on your phones.” View this post on Instagram Thanks for all the good wishes and birthday love! Wanted to give some love back to you. Sharing an exclusive preview of my first ever single. Will share the song soon. It's called Candle and it's about hope, something we need in large supply right now. A post shared by Madhuri Dixit (@madhuridixitnene) on May 15, 2020 at 2:40am PDT × Owing to the lockdown, several filmmakers are opting for a direct digital release of their films and there is a raging debate going on whether OTT platforms will completely replace theatres in the future. Dixit, who has ruled Bollywood for nearly three decades, feels that the magic of watching a film in theatre will never fade away. “So I think a few things will change but a few things will always be there like the whole experience of watching a film in a theatre and watching it with everyone- laughing and crying with everyone- that has a different feel altogether.” “There will always be films made specifically for the big screen. Digital platforms are great for independent kind of movies, who want to tell stories their own way and in their own rhythm. When you release something on any of these OTT platforms, you reach out to a global audience immediately. And so you can make films the way you want to make them. In the language you want to make them and spread it across the universe,” she adds. View this post on Instagram Happy, excited & a little nervous! Here's my first ever song, out for all of you to enjoy. #Candle out now exclusively on Facebook and Instagram. Hope you love it as much as we enjoyed creating it! A post shared by Madhuri Dixit (@madhuridixitnene) on May 22, 2020 at 11:41pm PDT × Dixit’s debut single ‘Candle’ has been exclusively premiered on social media platforms Facebook and Instagram. The actress states that the idea of the song came before the pandemic hit the world. She had recorded the song in Los Angeles. “People used to always ask me, ‘how have you overcome all the troubles in your life and maintained a sense of balance?’ And so I thought I should sing about that - When you're faced with difficulties in life, you feel like nothing is working for you, one has to reach within oneself. You'll have to create that spark or flame, which can burn really bright and emerge stronger. So that was the spirit that I wanted to convey through the song.” Produced by Dixit and Dr Nene along with Narinder Singh (who also composed the song) and penned by Michael Ochs. “We associate a candle with peace, hope. It is a metaphor for positivity. The whole world is going through a sense of despair right now. And we thought maybe this is the when we can release a song and say, you know, that there is hope, please don't give up on hope, positivity, faith. The idea was to make people realise that it's okay. You know, we are going to come out of this stronger together. So, this song was conceptualised before the COVID crisis hit but the video was shot amid lockdown.” The video has Dixit singing with montage shots of health workers who are working round the clock to combat the deadly disease. “We were very clear that we wanted to pay our tribute to the frontline workers who are (in this case) the candles that are burning the brightest right now. They are risking their lives. They're staying away from their children, their family and working to keep us safe and healthy. Then, there daily wage workers who are also suffering a lot due to this pandemic -so these are the candles who are burning the brightest, and we paid an ode to them through this song,” the actress added. Commenting on the incidents of violence against healthcare workers in Indore a month back, the actress said that one needs to understand the plight of healthcare workers and their sacrifice for society. "They have to be respected.” Dixit revealed how her husband helped her in filming her portions in the video, at their Mumbai home. Her family, which includes her two teenage sons, often get into jam sessions. “My husband plays the guitar, my two sons know how to play the tabla and the piano. They’ve been learning from a young age and are interested in music.” View this post on Instagram Huge shout out to all of you, for your generosity! Please let’s continue supporting the war against Covid-19. If you missed the concert, watch it now, link in bio. Click on the video to donate, 100% of proceeds go to the India COVID Response Fund by @give_india #SocialForGood A post shared by Madhuri Dixit (@madhuridixitnene) on May 4, 2020 at 2:42am PDT × “I feel that dance, music, or any form of art is like a best friend forever. It will always be with you. It's a place you can go for solace. It's a stress buster. It's a place you can go for happiness,” the actress said who is known for her dancing skills. Dixit along with her husband turned producers in 2019 and made a Marathi film called 'Bucket List' which had her playing the lead role. There is one more Marathi film in the pipeline, she reveals and states that she is not against the idea of producing a Hindi film in the near future. She is also set to make her digital debut in a web series that’s been produced by Karan Johar’s Dharma Production. Before we sign off, we ask- after all these years, having achieved so many accolades for her work and earning superstardom, what keeps her going? “I think the thirst to learn more, do more. It's just that art is like part of my life. And it's something that I love doing.”

Madhuri Dixit to WION: Digital platform reaches out to a global audience but magic of cinema halls will stay

In an era that is to be defined by 4th Industrial Revolution where Artificial Intelligence, Big Data and Internet of Things are increasingly expected to play major roles, having the advantage over 5G technology is likely to be a key determinant of an upcoming great power rivalry.&nbsp;

However, geopolitical developments during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is likely to either dampen or delay China's grand global 5G strategy that is also critical to Beijing’s Digital Silk Road plans. The relatively small group of nations led by the United States (US) that acted against Chinese plans in the pre-COVID period may expand as increasingly more nations are concerned about Beijing’s reliability due to its behaviour — involves accountability, responsibility and propaganda — during the current pandemic. &nbsp;

Gaining technological supremacy has been one of the key features of geopolitical rivalries in modern history, and it is no different for the ongoing US-China rivalry. Realising this, President Donald Trump has waged a global campaign against Huawei — main Chinese 5G player, other one is ZTE — since the last couple of years alleging China of 5G technology-related intellectual property theft and raised national security issues due to espionage-related concerns. Consequently, to limit Huawei’s capacity to provide 5G equipment, specifically at affordable rates, in the US and beyond, the Trump administration has announced several measures against Huawei, including the most recent one during the pandemic that restricts “Huawei’s ability to use US technology and software to design and manufacture its semiconductors abroad” as the US alleged Huawei of undermining its export control measures. &nbsp;

The US government has used rising anti-China sentiments during the pandemic domestically and externally to its advantage and imposed new restrictions. This new measure by the US is likely to impact Huawei’s R&amp;D work and raise its business costs substantially as chipmakers are not allowed to supply chips to Chinese company if they are based on the American technology; moreover, there are no Chinese technological alternatives at present. The measure will also impact the companies that are associated with Huawei components across the world, including the EU, thereby, damaging Huawei’s main international sales pitch, affordability. This action has attracted so much attention that the Chinese government has threatened to retaliate against American companies that have a big presence in China if the US continues with any such further measures. &nbsp;

While the Trump administration has been maintaining the consistent act against Huawei domestically, it has also been persuading its partners across the globe to ban Huawei in gaining access to their respective telecommunication networks. Some of its allies like Japan, Australia and New Zealand have gone forward with the US plans in banning Huawei, some like Canada and the European Union (EU) were still under discussion before the pandemic. EU member states were divided over the issue as China holds influence over several nations of the Union. Further, in disappointment to the US before the pandemic, the United Kingdom (UK) reluctantly provided limited access to Huawei some months ago. &nbsp;

Nonetheless, as the questions against China arise over its accountability towards the virus origins, reliability over the supply chains dependence and propaganda through global media blitzkrieg, the anti-Chinese lobby in the UK seems to have lapped up the opportunity to convince Boris Johnson administration to act against Huawei as British media suggests. The Financial Times last week reported that the UK government is making plans “to force a full phase-out of Huawei from Britain’s 5G networks” in the next three years. This is a strong shift in the UK’s approach towards Huawei in just a few months. &nbsp;

In the last week of January 2020, the European Commission recommended strict rules, instead of an outright ban, against any high-risk 5G suppliers including “exclusions for key assets considered as critical and sensitive”, and “strategies… to ensure the diversification of vendors”. Similarly, in February 2020, German ruling party’s members supported a position paper that called for limiting the participation of foreign vendors in 5G network rollout in a compromise as an anti-Chinese group among the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) have been piling up pressure on the Merkel administration for an outright ban of Huawei. Further, CDU’s coalition partner, Social Democratic Party, is asking for equipment suppliers’ political reliability vis-à-vis their home countries' governing system, which can dampen chances of companies like Huawei when the draft bill that asks for additional requirements from 5G network suppliers will face the parliamentary test. Handelsblatt has reported that Deutsch Telekom and Vodafone are already considering to remove Huawei equipment from the sensitive core of their networks considering domestic political preferences and rising business costs due to the US actions.&nbsp;

While these suggestions do not call for an outright ban as the US would have liked, they nonetheless are in favour of more stringent regulatory regime against the foreign vendors like Huawei. Moreover, it should come as no surprise if local EU 5G players like Nokia and Ericsson are prioritised over the foreign ones by EU member states as the industrial strategy under the new French-German COVID-19 recovery plan suggests. The French-German deal calls for strengthening “screening towards non-EU investors in strategic sectors”, and “accelerating the adaptation of state aid and competition rules” in the European competition policy. &nbsp;

Further, in sort of a policy priority, Josep Borrell Fontelles, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, recently in a column that was published in several media outlets suggested that the state-centric Chinese approach stands opposite to the “the EU’s multi-stakeholder approach based on respect for fundamental rights and freedoms” in the cyber domain; also, he called for avoiding dependence on China in strategic sectors. These developments suggest that Huawei’s access to most of the OECD market is likely to get restricted, which would limit China’s ambitions both politically and economically. &nbsp;

ASEAN is one region where Huawei is likely to have better run among high-value markets, except in Vietnam. While Vietnam has not banned Huawei, it claims to have developed native 5G tech through Viettel, Vietnam’s largest telecommunications company operated by the country’s defence ministry, which experts suggest provides an incentive to bypass China’s Huawei. The company has suggested that it doesn’t have plans to work with Huawei for now. The situation isn’t likely to change much as China ramps up the aggression in the South China Sea. Also, other major emerging economies like Brazil and India are yet to take a call in this regard. &nbsp;

India was one of the early countries to raise espionage-related concerns over Huawei almost a decade ago. While the government has allowed Huawei for trials, it is facing ambiguity over the issue as the country’s strategic community is seriously worried about national security issues. The situation is only likely to get tight due to ongoing border skirmishes at India-China border and also the Indian government’s plans to bring strong data protection law, which talks about localising data. &nbsp;

Moreover, there have been a couple of interesting developments over Indian 5G in the recent past. First, Airtel, which have an advocate of Huawei, has inked a $1 billion deal with Nokia — as uncertainty over Huawei’s access prevails — to modernise and expand its 4G network, which will also be used for the future 5G purposes. Second, Reliance Jio, currently India’s largest telecommunications company, claimed to have developed own in-house 5G tech. Also, Jio has proudly claimed that it is the only company in the world that doesn’t use any Chinese equipment in its 4G and 5G networks and will maintain this going forward. &nbsp;

All these events suggest the growing hardship for Chinese 5G plans across the world as it faces the campaign led by the US. As the geopolitics during the pandemic unravels, one should not expect the situation to get any better for Huawei; especially when China has ramped up the military aggression in the East China Sea, South China Sea, Taiwan Strait, Hong Kong and India-China border region. The international community — especially stakeholders at the receiving end of the Chinese aggression and the West that cares for international norms and human rights — is not likely to ease its stance anytime soon if the pandemic hostility prevails. &nbsp;

&nbsp; 
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp;

In an era that is to be defined by 4th Industrial Revolution where Artificial Intelligence, Big Data and Internet of Things are increasingly expected to play major roles, having the advantage over 5G technology is likely to be a key determinant of an upcoming great power rivalry.

In an era that is to be defined by 4th Industrial Revolution where Artificial Intelligence, Big Data and Internet of Things are increasingly expected to play major roles, having the advantage over 5G technology is likely to be a key determinant of an upcoming great power rivalry. However, geopolitical developments during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is likely to either dampen or delay China's grand global 5G strategy that is also critical to Beijing’s Digital Silk Road plans. The relatively small group of nations led by the United States (US) that acted against Chinese plans in the pre-COVID period may expand as increasingly more nations are concerned about Beijing’s reliability due to its behaviour — involves accountability, responsibility and propaganda — during the current pandemic. Gaining technological supremacy has been one of the key features of geopolitical rivalries in modern history, and it is no different for the ongoing US-China rivalry. Realising this, President Donald Trump has waged a global campaign against Huawei — main Chinese 5G player, other one is ZTE — since the last couple of years alleging China of 5G technology-related intellectual property theft and raised national security issues due to espionage-related concerns. Consequently, to limit Huawei’s capacity to provide 5G equipment, specifically at affordable rates, in the US and beyond, the Trump administration has announced several measures against Huawei, including the most recent one during the pandemic that restricts “Huawei’s ability to use US technology and software to design and manufacture its semiconductors abroad” as the US alleged Huawei of undermining its export control measures. The US government has used rising anti-China sentiments during the pandemic domestically and externally to its advantage and imposed new restrictions. This new measure by the US is likely to impact Huawei’s R&D work and raise its business costs substantially as chipmakers are not allowed to supply chips to Chinese company if they are based on the American technology; moreover, there are no Chinese technological alternatives at present. The measure will also impact the companies that are associated with Huawei components across the world, including the EU, thereby, damaging Huawei’s main international sales pitch, affordability. This action has attracted so much attention that the Chinese government has threatened to retaliate against American companies that have a big presence in China if the US continues with any such further measures. While the Trump administration has been maintaining the consistent act against Huawei domestically, it has also been persuading its partners across the globe to ban Huawei in gaining access to their respective telecommunication networks. Some of its allies like Japan, Australia and New Zealand have gone forward with the US plans in banning Huawei, some like Canada and the European Union (EU) were still under discussion before the pandemic. EU member states were divided over the issue as China holds influence over several nations of the Union. Further, in disappointment to the US before the pandemic, the United Kingdom (UK) reluctantly provided limited access to Huawei some months ago. Nonetheless, as the questions against China arise over its accountability towards the virus origins, reliability over the supply chains dependence and propaganda through global media blitzkrieg, the anti-Chinese lobby in the UK seems to have lapped up the opportunity to convince Boris Johnson administration to act against Huawei as British media suggests. The Financial Times last week reported that the UK government is making plans “to force a full phase-out of Huawei from Britain’s 5G networks” in the next three years. This is a strong shift in the UK’s approach towards Huawei in just a few months. In the last week of January 2020, the European Commission recommended strict rules, instead of an outright ban, against any high-risk 5G suppliers including “exclusions for key assets considered as critical and sensitive”, and “strategies… to ensure the diversification of vendors”. Similarly, in February 2020, German ruling party’s members supported a position paper that called for limiting the participation of foreign vendors in 5G network rollout in a compromise as an anti-Chinese group among the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) have been piling up pressure on the Merkel administration for an outright ban of Huawei. Further, CDU’s coalition partner, Social Democratic Party, is asking for equipment suppliers’ political reliability vis-à-vis their home countries' governing system, which can dampen chances of companies like Huawei when the draft bill that asks for additional requirements from 5G network suppliers will face the parliamentary test. Handelsblatt has reported that Deutsch Telekom and Vodafone are already considering to remove Huawei equipment from the sensitive core of their networks considering domestic political preferences and rising business costs due to the US actions. While these suggestions do not call for an outright ban as the US would have liked, they nonetheless are in favour of more stringent regulatory regime against the foreign vendors like Huawei. Moreover, it should come as no surprise if local EU 5G players like Nokia and Ericsson are prioritised over the foreign ones by EU member states as the industrial strategy under the new French-German COVID-19 recovery plan suggests. The French-German deal calls for strengthening “screening towards non-EU investors in strategic sectors”, and “accelerating the adaptation of state aid and competition rules” in the European competition policy. Further, in sort of a policy priority, Josep Borrell Fontelles, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, recently in a column that was published in several media outlets suggested that the state-centric Chinese approach stands opposite to the “the EU’s multi-stakeholder approach based on respect for fundamental rights and freedoms” in the cyber domain; also, he called for avoiding dependence on China in strategic sectors. These developments suggest that Huawei’s access to most of the OECD market is likely to get restricted, which would limit China’s ambitions both politically and economically. ASEAN is one region where Huawei is likely to have better run among high-value markets, except in Vietnam. While Vietnam has not banned Huawei, it claims to have developed native 5G tech through Viettel, Vietnam’s largest telecommunications company operated by the country’s defence ministry, which experts suggest provides an incentive to bypass China’s Huawei. The company has suggested that it doesn’t have plans to work with Huawei for now. The situation isn’t likely to change much as China ramps up the aggression in the South China Sea. Also, other major emerging economies like Brazil and India are yet to take a call in this regard. India was one of the early countries to raise espionage-related concerns over Huawei almost a decade ago. While the government has allowed Huawei for trials, it is facing ambiguity over the issue as the country’s strategic community is seriously worried about national security issues. The situation is only likely to get tight due to ongoing border skirmishes at India-China border and also the Indian government’s plans to bring strong data protection law, which talks about localising data. Moreover, there have been a couple of interesting developments over Indian 5G in the recent past. First, Airtel, which have an advocate of Huawei, has inked a $1 billion deal with Nokia — as uncertainty over Huawei’s access prevails — to modernise and expand its 4G network, which will also be used for the future 5G purposes. Second, Reliance Jio, currently India’s largest telecommunications company, claimed to have developed own in-house 5G tech. Also, Jio has proudly claimed that it is the only company in the world that doesn’t use any Chinese equipment in its 4G and 5G networks and will maintain this going forward. All these events suggest the growing hardship for Chinese 5G plans across the world as it faces the campaign led by the US. As the geopolitics during the pandemic unravels, one should not expect the situation to get any better for Huawei; especially when China has ramped up the military aggression in the East China Sea, South China Sea, Taiwan Strait, Hong Kong and India-China border region. The international community — especially stakeholders at the receiving end of the Chinese aggression and the West that cares for international norms and human rights — is not likely to ease its stance anytime soon if the pandemic hostility prevails. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Coronavirus impact: Geopolitical developments deepen China’s global 5G woes

Countries around the world have eased lockdown restrictions. Gyms, pools, bars, tourist sites have been reopened. Social distancing seems to be the mantra of the post-lockdown world.

Gravitas: Living with a virus: The new normal?

The European Commission is set to unveil a plan to borrow on the market and then disburse to EU member states 500 billion euros in grants and 250 billion in loans to help them recover from their coronavirus slump.

The aim is also to protect the European Union's single market of 450 million people from being splintered by divergent economic growth and wealth levels as the 27-nation bloc emerges from its deepest ever recession expected this year.

It is needed because countries such as Italy, Spain, Greece, France and Portugal, burdened with high debt and heavily reliant on tourism, will find it more difficult than more frugal northern nations to restart their economies through borrowing.

European Economy Commissioner Paolo Gentiloni said on Twitter that the total sum proposed for the recovery fund was 750 billion euros.

Four EU officials and diplomats confirmed the split between grants and loans that the EU executive arm is due to announce around 1130 GMT in the European Parliament, and one senior EU diplomat called the plan a "sensible" proposal.

The euro jumped on the report of the 750 billion euro figure to trade at 1.1022 against the dollar, up from 1.0932.

The recovery fund package is in addition to the EU`s long-term budget for 2021-27, which the Commission will propose being set at 1.1 trillion euros, two of the sources said.

The 500 billion euros in grants is in line with the wishes of the EU`s two biggest economies - France and Germany - though some nations would rather see the recovery package comprise only loans.

The package would also provide guarantees that could draw in many times more in private cash by reducing the risk of various investments.

But it is the grants, financed through joint borrowing, that worry the Netherlands, Sweden, Austria and Denmark. The borrowing will have to be repaid, meaning higher national contributions to the EU budget in the future or new taxes assigned to the EU.

The Commission is expected to propose new revenue streams. They are most likely to come from a tax on plastics, some money from the CO2 emissions trading scheme, a digital services tax, national corporate taxes and an import levy on goods produced in countries with lower CO2 emissions standards than the EU.

The Commission floated such ideas two years ago but failed to garner enough support among governments.

It also wants to phase out all rebates that various countries now enjoy on their contributions to the EU budget, to halve the amount of customs duties that governments keep and to have a bigger share of the Value Added Tax paid to the EU.

(with inputs from Reuters)

The European Commission is set to unveil a plan to borrow on the market and then disburse to EU member states 500 billion euros in grants and 250 billion in loans to help them recover from their coronavirus slump.

The European Commission is set to unveil a plan to borrow on the market and then disburse to EU member states 500 billion euros in grants and 250 billion in loans to help them recover from their coronavirus slump. The aim is also to protect the European Union's single market of 450 million people from being splintered by divergent economic growth and wealth levels as the 27-nation bloc emerges from its deepest ever recession expected this year. It is needed because countries such as Italy, Spain, Greece, France and Portugal, burdened with high debt and heavily reliant on tourism, will find it more difficult than more frugal northern nations to restart their economies through borrowing. European Economy Commissioner Paolo Gentiloni said on Twitter that the total sum proposed for the recovery fund was 750 billion euros. Four EU officials and diplomats confirmed the split between grants and loans that the EU executive arm is due to announce around 1130 GMT in the European Parliament, and one senior EU diplomat called the plan a "sensible" proposal. The euro jumped on the report of the 750 billion euro figure to trade at 1.1022 against the dollar, up from 1.0932. The recovery fund package is in addition to the EU`s long-term budget for 2021-27, which the Commission will propose being set at 1.1 trillion euros, two of the sources said. The 500 billion euros in grants is in line with the wishes of the EU`s two biggest economies - France and Germany - though some nations would rather see the recovery package comprise only loans. The package would also provide guarantees that could draw in many times more in private cash by reducing the risk of various investments. But it is the grants, financed through joint borrowing, that worry the Netherlands, Sweden, Austria and Denmark. The borrowing will have to be repaid, meaning higher national contributions to the EU budget in the future or new taxes assigned to the EU. The Commission is expected to propose new revenue streams. They are most likely to come from a tax on plastics, some money from the CO2 emissions trading scheme, a digital services tax, national corporate taxes and an import levy on goods produced in countries with lower CO2 emissions standards than the EU. The Commission floated such ideas two years ago but failed to garner enough support among governments. It also wants to phase out all rebates that various countries now enjoy on their contributions to the EU budget, to halve the amount of customs duties that governments keep and to have a bigger share of the Value Added Tax paid to the EU. (with inputs from Reuters)

EU to unveil massive stimulus plan for post-coronavirus phase

Lockdown rules ease around the world

Coronavirus trackers are calling a choir practice in Washington, US that happened in March a superspreader event -- which goes on to illustrate how easily the deadly virus can pass from person to person.

Scientists have already found choir members to be susceptible to contracting the virus, but they believe singing is not the only pathway of the spread. The novel coronavirus is likely spread when choir members greet each other, share drinks and talk closely with each other.

In this case, however, the act of singing itself may have spread the virus in the air and onto surfaces, according to a report from Skagit County Public Health published on Tuesday.

The virus is thought to primarily spread through droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes.

Two choir members died of COVID-19 after attending the March 10 practice of the Skagit Valley Chorale.

The rehearsal was held nearly two weeks before the state's stay-at-home order, and people were not wearing masks.

The singers felt their first symptoms -- cough, fever, muscle pain or headaches -- one to 12 days after the practice.&nbsp;

Of the 61 people attending the event, 53 fell ill, which is an 87 per cent infection rate.

Another example of a superspreader choir was from Amsterdam. As many as 102 people -- of its 130 members -- were infected.

Experts now suggest the event explains how easily coronavirus can pass from one person to another -- though studies conducted by the World Health Organisation say the virus mainly spreads through larger droplets that don't stay in the air.

Coronavirus trackers are calling a choir practice in Washington, US that happened in March a superspreader event -- which goes on to illustrate how easily the deadly virus can pass from person to person.

Coronavirus trackers are calling a choir practice in Washington, US that happened in March a superspreader event -- which goes on to illustrate how easily the deadly virus can pass from person to person. Scientists have already found choir members to be susceptible to contracting the virus, but they believe singing is not the only pathway of the spread. The novel coronavirus is likely spread when choir members greet each other, share drinks and talk closely with each other. In this case, however, the act of singing itself may have spread the virus in the air and onto surfaces, according to a report from Skagit County Public Health published on Tuesday. The virus is thought to primarily spread through droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Two choir members died of COVID-19 after attending the March 10 practice of the Skagit Valley Chorale. The rehearsal was held nearly two weeks before the state's stay-at-home order, and people were not wearing masks. The singers felt their first symptoms -- cough, fever, muscle pain or headaches -- one to 12 days after the practice. Of the 61 people attending the event, 53 fell ill, which is an 87 per cent infection rate. Another example of a superspreader choir was from Amsterdam. As many as 102 people -- of its 130 members -- were infected. Experts now suggest the event explains how easily coronavirus can pass from one person to another -- though studies conducted by the World Health Organisation say the virus mainly spreads through larger droplets that don't stay in the air.

Fifty-three members of a US choir contracted coronavirus in a 'superspreader' event!

The pandemic has redefined human interaction. Our expressions are now masked, courtesy face masks. How do we then understand the changing body language?

Gravitas: The Interview: Barbara and Allan Pease

China was perhaps the first country to introduce a contact tracing app to contain the spread of&nbsp;coronavirus. China’s health QR code system rate a person’s likely health status with green, orange or red colours, signifying whether the individual is safe, at high risk or a carrier of the virus.

The health tracking QR codes, which have played a key part in the country’s fight against coronavirus, now look set to play a much broader role in daily life as the eastern city of Hangzhou proposed to expand the use of the health codes post-pandemic.

Calling it a firewall to enhance people’s “health and immunity”, officials in Hangzhou plan to use the codes to assign a health status to a citizen, which will be generated through digital medical records. The citizens will be ranked based on their health and lifestyle - how much they exercised, their eating and drinking habits, whether they smoked and even how much they slept the night before. 
 
<a href="Also Read: Coronavirus pandemic heightening heatwave health risks">Also Read: Coronavirus pandemic heightening heatwave health risks</a>

Hangzhou is home to Chinese tech giant Alibaba. Its affiliate Ant Financial, alongside social media giant Tencent, developed the QR code app. The health QR code was added as a feature on Alipay, one of the largest digital payments systems in China, making it the ultimate surveillance weapon.&nbsp;

According to a report in the Chinese press, authorities can track not just coronavirus infection, but also your financial and transport data. More than one billion people in China are covered by these QR codes now.&nbsp; 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/why-australia-has-more-to-lose-than-china-in-trade-row-301189">Also Read: Why Australia has more to lose than China in trade row</a> 
 
The southern city of Guangzhou has already expanded its health code platform to include services that help residents book online consultations with local hospitals and buy face masks. Fujian province has said it wants to expand its QR codes to encompass medical treatment and drug purchases.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, the move has set off a firestorm of criticism from thousands of users on social media, fuelling debate about privacy and data security. 
 
(With inputs from Reuters)

China was perhaps the first country to introduce a contact tracing app to contain the spread of coronavirus. China’s health QR code system rate a person’s likely health status with green, orange or red colours, signifying whether the individual is safe, at high risk or a carrier of the virus.

China was perhaps the first country to introduce a contact tracing app to contain the spread of coronavirus. China’s health QR code system rate a person’s likely health status with green, orange or red colours, signifying whether the individual is safe, at high risk or a carrier of the virus. The health tracking QR codes, which have played a key part in the country’s fight against coronavirus, now look set to play a much broader role in daily life as the eastern city of Hangzhou proposed to expand the use of the health codes post-pandemic. Calling it a firewall to enhance people’s “health and immunity”, officials in Hangzhou plan to use the codes to assign a health status to a citizen, which will be generated through digital medical records. The citizens will be ranked based on their health and lifestyle - how much they exercised, their eating and drinking habits, whether they smoked and even how much they slept the night before. Also Read: Coronavirus pandemic heightening heatwave health risks Hangzhou is home to Chinese tech giant Alibaba. Its affiliate Ant Financial, alongside social media giant Tencent, developed the QR code app. The health QR code was added as a feature on Alipay, one of the largest digital payments systems in China, making it the ultimate surveillance weapon. According to a report in the Chinese press, authorities can track not just coronavirus infection, but also your financial and transport data. More than one billion people in China are covered by these QR codes now. Also Read: Why Australia has more to lose than China in trade row The southern city of Guangzhou has already expanded its health code platform to include services that help residents book online consultations with local hospitals and buy face masks. Fujian province has said it wants to expand its QR codes to encompass medical treatment and drug purchases. Meanwhile, the move has set off a firestorm of criticism from thousands of users on social media, fuelling debate about privacy and data security. (With inputs from Reuters)

China's 'health scores' for citizens here to stay?

A recently conducted survey has found that over 28 per cent Americans believe that Bill Gates intends to use the coronavirus vaccine to plant microchips in people for surveillance purposes.

This survey also found that 44 per cent Republicans believe the conspiracy, while 19 per cent Democrats agreed that it was possible. A majority of Democrats (52 per cent) identified the theory as false.

Conducted by Yahoo News and YouGov, over 1,640 Americans were questioned about this possibility in the last week of May.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trumps-magic-drug-hydroxychloroquine-may-be-killing-coronavirus-patients-across-the-globe-study-300863" hreflang="en">Trump's magic drug hydroxychloroquine may be killing coronavirus patients across the globe: Study</a>

The conspiracy theory has made rounds across social media since the race to develop a vaccine amped-up. Many believe this microchip will be used to track people, and to eradicate 15 per cent of the global population.

However, The Bill and Melinda Gates foundation has not undertaken or supported any vaccine driven coronavirus research, especially not involving microchips.

The foundation did fund a study in the beginning of the pandemic, but that was to develop an identifier of sorts only detectable by a smartphone. Gates is also working on the concept of a “digital identity” which would store people’s medical records and personal documents on the cloud with access only to the owner. Conspiracy theories combined these two unrelated projects to suggest that mass human microchipping may be inevitable.

Anti-vaccination groups add to woes

Anti-vaccination groups also increasingly gaining traction across the Europe and the US, many of whom believe that vaccinations cause autism and other lifelong ailments, and believe it is surveillance technology. Commonly called “anti-vaxxers”, they refuse to vaccinate or to get kids vaccinated, putting large scores of populations vulnerable to health issues.

In pictures:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/americans-spend-memorial-day-weekend-at-beaches-and-parks-amid-pandemic-rage-300896" hreflang="en">Americans spend Memorial Day weekend at beaches and parks amid pandemic rage</a>

The overall number of global coronavirus cases has surpassed the 5.4 million mark today, while the deaths increased to 345,064.

The total number of cases stood at 5,408,301, the Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed in its latest update.&nbsp;

Currently, the US has the world's highest number of cases and deaths at 1,643,098 and 97,711, respectively.

A recently conducted survey has found that over 28 per cent Americans believe that Bill Gates intends to use the coronavirus vaccine to plant microchips in people for surveillance purposes.

A recently conducted survey has found that over 28 per cent Americans believe that Bill Gates intends to use the coronavirus vaccine to plant microchips in people for surveillance purposes. This survey also found that 44 per cent Republicans believe the conspiracy, while 19 per cent Democrats agreed that it was possible. A majority of Democrats (52 per cent) identified the theory as false. Conducted by Yahoo News and YouGov, over 1,640 Americans were questioned about this possibility in the last week of May. Also read: Trump's magic drug hydroxychloroquine may be killing coronavirus patients across the globe: Study The conspiracy theory has made rounds across social media since the race to develop a vaccine amped-up. Many believe this microchip will be used to track people, and to eradicate 15 per cent of the global population. However, The Bill and Melinda Gates foundation has not undertaken or supported any vaccine driven coronavirus research, especially not involving microchips. The foundation did fund a study in the beginning of the pandemic, but that was to develop an identifier of sorts only detectable by a smartphone. Gates is also working on the concept of a “digital identity” which would store people’s medical records and personal documents on the cloud with access only to the owner. Conspiracy theories combined these two unrelated projects to suggest that mass human microchipping may be inevitable. Anti-vaccination groups add to woes Anti-vaccination groups also increasingly gaining traction across the Europe and the US, many of whom believe that vaccinations cause autism and other lifelong ailments, and believe it is surveillance technology. Commonly called “anti-vaxxers”, they refuse to vaccinate or to get kids vaccinated, putting large scores of populations vulnerable to health issues. In pictures: Americans spend Memorial Day weekend at beaches and parks amid pandemic rage The overall number of global coronavirus cases has surpassed the 5.4 million mark today, while the deaths increased to 345,064. The total number of cases stood at 5,408,301, the Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed in its latest update. Currently, the US has the world's highest number of cases and deaths at 1,643,098 and 97,711, respectively.

28% Americans believe Bill Gates intends to microchip people using coronavirus vaccine

Australia is emerging from its devastating bushfires when the coronavirus struck and now some tourist dependant towns are facing a double disaster. Watch report.

Pandemic bites into Australia bushfire recovery: Victims try rebuilding life again

The 13 edition of&nbsp;National People's Congress is underway in Beijing. Today marks the second plenary meeting.

This&nbsp;session&nbsp;of China’s top legislative body will have a two-fold focus: economy and optics.

All countries are reeling from the effects of coronavirus, which is why all major economies are toying with different ideas to fix the crisis.

Additionally, China wants to project the facade of normalcy to the world, that the country is now back in business.

<h6><img alt="o" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="bff56682-4e4c-4ce4-907c-650af1e79bae" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design-5_3.jpg" /> 
A security staff looks on after the second plenary session of the National People’s Congress (NPC)at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on May 25, 2020 | AFP 
&nbsp;</h6>

The day began with Li Zhanshu, the chairman of the NPC standing committee delivering a work report. Li summed up what the standing committee had done in face of the pandemic.

“Since the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak, the npc standing committee has acted promptly and performed its lawful duty. We made the decision to completely ban illegal trade and consumption of wildlife”, Zhanshu said.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="http://13.235.153.162/videos/gravitas-whats-happening-at-chinas-national-peoples-congress-301037/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

On Sunday, Chinese President Xi Jinping met leaders from the Hubei province, which is now witnessing a resurgence of cases after the initial epicentre was able to flatten the curve.

Xi told the Hubei deputies that the pandemic is a test of China's grassroot governance.

In pictures:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/post-pandemic-nightclub-experience-in-china-gives-a-glimpse-of-the-future-300883" hreflang="en">Post-pandemic nightclub experience in China gives a glimpse of the future</a>

“This epidemic is a test of our grassroots governance system and the level of its capacity. It further highlights the role of our grassroots units such as neighbourhood office, community centre, town-level and village-level committees”, Jinping said.

Xi also commended the efforts of a Hubei doctor. “I saw you on TV, it was about you treating an 87-year-old man. I am so impressed”, he said.

There will be two broad messages coming out of these chambers over the next couple of days. One may be about China not being the perpetrator but the victim of the coronavirus. Secondly, that the dragon has defeated the virus under Xi's leadership.

The 13 edition of National People's Congress is underway in Beijing. Today marks the second plenary meeting. This session of China’s top legislative body will have a two-fold focus: economy and optics.

The 13 edition of National People's Congress is underway in Beijing. Today marks the second plenary meeting. This session of China’s top legislative body will have a two-fold focus: economy and optics. All countries are reeling from the effects of coronavirus, which is why all major economies are toying with different ideas to fix the crisis. Additionally, China wants to project the facade of normalcy to the world, that the country is now back in business. A security staff looks on after the second plenary session of the National People’s Congress (NPC)at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on May 25, 2020 | AFP The day began with Li Zhanshu, the chairman of the NPC standing committee delivering a work report. Li summed up what the standing committee had done in face of the pandemic. “Since the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak, the npc standing committee has acted promptly and performed its lawful duty. We made the decision to completely ban illegal trade and consumption of wildlife”, Zhanshu said. × On Sunday, Chinese President Xi Jinping met leaders from the Hubei province, which is now witnessing a resurgence of cases after the initial epicentre was able to flatten the curve. Xi told the Hubei deputies that the pandemic is a test of China's grassroot governance. In pictures: Post-pandemic nightclub experience in China gives a glimpse of the future “This epidemic is a test of our grassroots governance system and the level of its capacity. It further highlights the role of our grassroots units such as neighbourhood office, community centre, town-level and village-level committees”, Jinping said. Xi also commended the efforts of a Hubei doctor. “I saw you on TV, it was about you treating an 87-year-old man. I am so impressed”, he said. There will be two broad messages coming out of these chambers over the next couple of days. One may be about China not being the perpetrator but the victim of the coronavirus. Secondly, that the dragon has defeated the virus under Xi's leadership.

NPC's second plenary session in China: What can we expect?

India's health ministry said that the country's fatality rate due to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/covid-19-tamil-nadu-reports-805-cases-punjab-records-21-cases-300989">coronavirus</a> is 2.87 per cent which is among the lowest in the world.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/6535-new-positive-cases-146-deaths-in-the-last-24-hours-india-continues-its-high-daily-spikes-301062">Also Read:&nbsp;6,535 new positive cases, 146 deaths in the last 24 hours:</a>&nbsp;

The ministry said that the recovery rate from COVID-19 continues to improve and presently stands at 41.61 per cent.

A total of 60,490 patients have recovered so far from coronavirus, the ministry informed.

The health ministry said there have been 4.4 deaths due to coronavirus per lakh population have been reported for the world, while India has reported about 0.3 deaths per lakh population which is amongst the lowest in the world.

"It's been due to lockdown, timely identification, and management of coronavirus cases," the ministry said.

Meanwhile, ICMR Director General Dr. Balram Bhargava said that testings have gone up in the last few months with 1.1 lakh samples being tested daily.

As the virus contiuned to spread, the Uttarakhand health department reported 51 more coronavirus cases taking the total number of cases to 400, of which 329 are active cases. Four people have died due to the virus in the state.

Rajasthan reported &nbsp;176 new coronavirus cases and one death in the last 24 hours taking the total number of cases in the state to 7,476. The death toll in the state due to the virus has risen to 168.

India's health ministry said that the country's fatality rate due to coronavirus is 2.87 per cent which is among the lowest in the world. Also Read: 6,535 new positive cases, 146 deaths in the last 24 hours: The ministry said that the recovery rate from COVID-19 continues to improve and presently stands at 41.

India's health ministry said that the country's fatality rate due to coronavirus is 2.87 per cent which is among the lowest in the world. Also Read: 6,535 new positive cases, 146 deaths in the last 24 hours: The ministry said that the recovery rate from COVID-19 continues to improve and presently stands at 41.61 per cent. A total of 60,490 patients have recovered so far from coronavirus, the ministry informed. The health ministry said there have been 4.4 deaths due to coronavirus per lakh population have been reported for the world, while India has reported about 0.3 deaths per lakh population which is amongst the lowest in the world. "It's been due to lockdown, timely identification, and management of coronavirus cases," the ministry said. Meanwhile, ICMR Director General Dr. Balram Bhargava said that testings have gone up in the last few months with 1.1 lakh samples being tested daily. As the virus contiuned to spread, the Uttarakhand health department reported 51 more coronavirus cases taking the total number of cases to 400, of which 329 are active cases. Four people have died due to the virus in the state. Rajasthan reported 176 new coronavirus cases and one death in the last 24 hours taking the total number of cases in the state to 7,476. The death toll in the state due to the virus has risen to 168.

Coronavirus fatality rate at 2.87% among lowest in the world: Health ministry

Brazil still backs hydroxychloroquine despite the suspension of trials of the drug by the World Health Organisation. Watch report.

Brazil stands by hydroxychloroquine: Questions the lancet study of HCQ

The anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine has been touted as a potential cure to COVID-19 by many experts. However, a new study shows that the drug may be killing people.

Ever since global leaders, especially Donald Trump endorsed the drug, the public confidence in it to prevent coronavirus has increased. In fact, the US president recently claimed to be taking the medicine to avoid contracting COVID-19.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="wionews.com/world/britain-begins-hydroxychloroquine-trial-to-test-coronavirus-prevention-300216" hreflang="en">Britain begins hydroxychloroquine trial to test coronavirus prevention</a>

Published in the Lancet online medical journal, the paper claims that the rush to quickly use the drug on patients may not be a great idea. A lot of doctors have been prescribing it without evidence of its potency against the virus. Earlier researches have made it abundantly clear that the drug could cause heart irregularities, and has been used to treat malaria.

The researchers in the paper believe that the drug should no longer be administered on patients, unless in a research setting.

A french doctor started treating his patients with the drug first.

<h6><img alt="pp" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="49fafbe6-6ce4-474a-bf4b-3db403166746" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design-2_6.jpg" /> 
A pharmacy tech holds pills of Hydroxychloroquine at Rock Canyon Pharmacy in Provo, Utah, on May 20, 2020 | AFP 
&nbsp;</h6>

Even though the drug is otherwise safe for malaria patients, it may be fatal for people carrying COVID-19, for we’re still learning new details of the virus everyday.

The researchers 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.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="wionews.com/world/amid-rising-cases-brazils-health-ministry-recommends-hydroxychloroquine-to-treat-coronavirus-cases-299967" hreflang="en">Amid rising cases, Brazil's health ministry recommends hydroxychloroquine to treat coronavirus cases</a>

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.

“This is the first large-scale study to find statistically robust evidence that treatment with chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine does not benefit patients with Covid-19,” said Prof Mandeep R Mehra, lead author of the study in conversation with The Guardian.

“Instead, our findings suggest it may be associated with an increased risk of serious heart problems and increased risk of death. Randomised clinical trials are essential to confirm any harms or benefits associated with these agents. In the meantime, we suggest these drugs should not be used as treatments for Covid-19 outside of clinical trials”, he added.

Many scientists have suggested ending the use of hydroxychloroquine in treating coronavirus patients.

The anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine has been touted as a potential cure to COVID-19 by many experts. However, a new study shows that the drug may be killing people.

The anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine has been touted as a potential cure to COVID-19 by many experts. However, a new study shows that the drug may be killing people. Ever since global leaders, especially Donald Trump endorsed the drug, the public confidence in it to prevent coronavirus has increased. In fact, the US president recently claimed to be taking the medicine to avoid contracting COVID-19. Also read: Britain begins hydroxychloroquine trial to test coronavirus prevention Published in the Lancet online medical journal, the paper claims that the rush to quickly use the drug on patients may not be a great idea. A lot of doctors have been prescribing it without evidence of its potency against the virus. Earlier researches have made it abundantly clear that the drug could cause heart irregularities, and has been used to treat malaria. The researchers in the paper believe that the drug should no longer be administered on patients, unless in a research setting. A french doctor started treating his patients with the drug first. A pharmacy tech holds pills of Hydroxychloroquine at Rock Canyon Pharmacy in Provo, Utah, on May 20, 2020 | AFP Even though the drug is otherwise safe for malaria patients, it may be fatal for people carrying COVID-19, for we’re still learning new details of the virus everyday. The researchers 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. Also read: Amid rising cases, Brazil's health ministry recommends hydroxychloroquine to treat coronavirus cases 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. “This is the first large-scale study to find statistically robust evidence that treatment with chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine does not benefit patients with Covid-19,” said Prof Mandeep R Mehra, lead author of the study in conversation with The Guardian. “Instead, our findings suggest it may be associated with an increased risk of serious heart problems and increased risk of death. Randomised clinical trials are essential to confirm any harms or benefits associated with these agents. In the meantime, we suggest these drugs should not be used as treatments for Covid-19 outside of clinical trials”, he added. Many scientists have suggested ending the use of hydroxychloroquine in treating coronavirus patients.

Trump's magic drug hydroxychloroquine may be killing coronavirus patients across the globe: Study

the World Health Organisation has said it is putting its solidarity trial on HCQ and chloroquine on temporary 'pause' to review its benefits and harms.

WHO temporarily suspends clinical trials of HCQ

Coronavirus pandemic continues to wreak havoc around the globe with over 5.4 million cases and 345,064 fatalities.

The total number of cases stood at 5,408,301, the Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed in its latest update.&nbsp;

Currently, the US has the world's highest number of cases and deaths at 1,643,098 and 97,711, respectively.

This pandemic coincides with the revival of the anti-vaccination movement which is increasingly gaining traction across Europe and the US, many of whom believe that vaccinations cause autism and other lifelong ailments, and believe it is surveillance technology.

Commonly called “anti-vaxxers”, they refuse to vaccinate or to get kids vaccinated, putting large scores of populations vulnerable to health issues.

<h6><img alt="pp" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="4677c6b3-f03d-4c4e-b760-48243e130a12" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design-2_9.jpg" /> 
A man holds a sign against vaccination at an anti-coronavirus lockdown demonstration in Hyde Park in London on May 16, 2020, following an easing of lockdown rules in England during the novel coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic. Fliers advertising 'mass gatherings' organised by the UK Freedom Movement to oppose the government lockdown measures and guidelines put in place to halt the spread of coronavirus in parks around the UK calling for attendees to bring a picnic and music have been circulating on social media. People are being asked to "think carefully" before visiting national parks and beaches on the first weekend since coronavirus lockdown measures were partially eased in England | AFP 
 
&nbsp;</h6>

Recently, Bill Gates has been at the centre of COVID-19 discourse. The founder of Microsoft earlier warned the world against a pandemic and called for greater&nbsp;preparedness.

In a bizarre turn of events, a recently conducted survey has found that over 28 per cent Americans believe that Bill Gates intends to use the coronavirus vaccine to plant microchips in people for surveillance purposes. Gates has pledged $300 million for COVID-19 vaccine research.

Many anti-vaxxers believe that that a vaccine developed at express-speed could be unsafe. The protesters say that vaccines are nothing but chemicals that the government injects into its citizens without their consent.

Today, anti-vaxxers are filling town squares of major European cities such as Berlin, Zurich, and Vienna.&nbsp;The resistance is beginning to trouble governments as they ease lockdowns to re-boot their economies.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/28-americans-believe-bill-gates-intends-to-microchip-people-using-coronavirus-vaccine-300988" hreflang="en">28% Americans believe Bill Gates intends to microchip people using coronavirus vaccine</a>

Such protests have been taking place in prominent US cities for at least five years.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has just reported a steep decline in the number of American children receiving their routine immunisations.&nbsp;In 2019, the anti-vax movement caused the return of measles to the US.

Many people in Europe are refusing vaccinations now. For instance, in Switzerland - 20 per cent of the people say they will not get vaccinated. 18 per cent Austrians feel the same way. In Germany - 9 per cent of the population is opposed to vaccines. Over 10 per cent Britons reject vaccinations.

According to a YouGuv survey - only half of surveyed Americans are willing to get vaccinated.

Coronavirus pandemic continues to wreak havoc around the globe with over 5.4 million cases and 345,064 fatalities. The total number of cases stood at 5,408,301, the Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed in its latest update.

Coronavirus pandemic continues to wreak havoc around the globe with over 5.4 million cases and 345,064 fatalities. The total number of cases stood at 5,408,301, the Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed in its latest update. Currently, the US has the world's highest number of cases and deaths at 1,643,098 and 97,711, respectively. This pandemic coincides with the revival of the anti-vaccination movement which is increasingly gaining traction across Europe and the US, many of whom believe that vaccinations cause autism and other lifelong ailments, and believe it is surveillance technology. Commonly called “anti-vaxxers”, they refuse to vaccinate or to get kids vaccinated, putting large scores of populations vulnerable to health issues. A man holds a sign against vaccination at an anti-coronavirus lockdown demonstration in Hyde Park in London on May 16, 2020, following an easing of lockdown rules in England during the novel coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic. Fliers advertising 'mass gatherings' organised by the UK Freedom Movement to oppose the government lockdown measures and guidelines put in place to halt the spread of coronavirus in parks around the UK calling for attendees to bring a picnic and music have been circulating on social media. People are being asked to "think carefully" before visiting national parks and beaches on the first weekend since coronavirus lockdown measures were partially eased in England | AFP Recently, Bill Gates has been at the centre of COVID-19 discourse. The founder of Microsoft earlier warned the world against a pandemic and called for greater preparedness. In a bizarre turn of events, a recently conducted survey has found that over 28 per cent Americans believe that Bill Gates intends to use the coronavirus vaccine to plant microchips in people for surveillance purposes. Gates has pledged $300 million for COVID-19 vaccine research. Many anti-vaxxers believe that that a vaccine developed at express-speed could be unsafe. The protesters say that vaccines are nothing but chemicals that the government injects into its citizens without their consent. Today, anti-vaxxers are filling town squares of major European cities such as Berlin, Zurich, and Vienna. The resistance is beginning to trouble governments as they ease lockdowns to re-boot their economies. Also read: 28% Americans believe Bill Gates intends to microchip people using coronavirus vaccine Such protests have been taking place in prominent US cities for at least five years. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has just reported a steep decline in the number of American children receiving their routine immunisations. In 2019, the anti-vax movement caused the return of measles to the US. Many people in Europe are refusing vaccinations now. For instance, in Switzerland - 20 per cent of the people say they will not get vaccinated. 18 per cent Austrians feel the same way. In Germany - 9 per cent of the population is opposed to vaccines. Over 10 per cent Britons reject vaccinations. According to a YouGuv survey - only half of surveyed Americans are willing to get vaccinated.

Anti-vaccination movement surges across Europe and US as pandemic soars

Domestic flight operations resume in India on Monday with Delhi-Pune and Mumbai-Patna flights being among the first to take off, according to reports.&nbsp;

The very first of these flights took off from Terminal 3 of the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi today at 5 AM and landed in Pune at 6:42 AM. 
&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The first flight from Delhi's IGI airport since resumption of domestic flight operations, lands at Pune. A passenger who has arrived in the city by the flight says,"I was nervous before the flight but all passengers were taking precautions. Very few people travelling right now". <a href="https://t.co/NgBY9L6h4i">pic.twitter.com/NgBY9L6h4i</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1264744387054956544?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 25, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/maha-tn-west-bengal-seek-delay-in-restarting-flights-as-coronavirus-cases-rise-300734">Also read |&nbsp;Maha, TN, West Bengal seek delay in restarting flights as coronavirus cases rise</a>

Passengers are being screened using a thermometer gun before boarding the aircraft, while visuals showed Food &amp; Beverage (F&amp;B) and retail outlets opening at the IGI Airport as well.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/domestic-flights-resume-from-may-25-here-are-the-dos-and-donts-for-flyers-300154">Also read: Domestic flights resume from May 25 — Here are the dos and don'ts for flyers</a> 
 
Those who took first flights included paramilitary personnel, army men, students and migrants, who failed to book a ticket on special trains being run by the railways.

Many said they shelled out more to reach the airport as there were limited public transport options available.

(With inputs from PTI)

Domestic flight operations resume in India on Monday with Delhi-Pune and Mumbai-Patna flights being among the first to take off, according to reports. The very first of these flights took off from Terminal 3 of the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi today at 5 AM and landed in Pune at 6:42 AM.

Domestic flight operations resume in India on Monday with Delhi-Pune and Mumbai-Patna flights being among the first to take off, according to reports. The very first of these flights took off from Terminal 3 of the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi today at 5 AM and landed in Pune at 6:42 AM. The first flight from Delhi's IGI airport since resumption of domestic flight operations, lands at Pune. A passenger who has arrived in the city by the flight says,"I was nervous before the flight but all passengers were taking precautions. Very few people travelling right now". pic.twitter.com/NgBY9L6h4i — ANI (@ANI) May 25, 2020 × Also read | Maha, TN, West Bengal seek delay in restarting flights as coronavirus cases rise Passengers are being screened using a thermometer gun before boarding the aircraft, while visuals showed Food & Beverage (F&B) and retail outlets opening at the IGI Airport as well. Also read: Domestic flights resume from May 25 — Here are the dos and don'ts for flyers Those who took first flights included paramilitary personnel, army men, students and migrants, who failed to book a ticket on special trains being run by the railways. Many said they shelled out more to reach the airport as there were limited public transport options available. (With inputs from PTI)

Amid rising COVID-19 cases, domestic flight services resume after two months

The city of Manaus in Brazil currently has 39,155 confirmed cases of COVID-19, and had witnessed 1,182 deaths. It is considered one of the hardest hit cities in the country.

The mayor of Manaus, Arthur Virgilio Neto recently asked Brazilian President to “resign… shut up, and stay at home”. He further told CNN that Bolsonaro was seeking dictatorship”. Neto claimed that the president dreams to be dictator, “but is too stupid”.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/brazil-records-second-highest-covid-19-cases-as-bolsonaro-downplays-it-as-little-flu-300970" hreflang="en">Brazil records second highest COVID-19 cases as Bolsonaro downplays it as 'little flu'</a>

The mayor of a city that houses 2 million people accused the president of being “co-responsible” for the increasing death count.

Neto claimed that in the early stages of the pandemic, he asked messaged Bolsonaro - "Please Mr. President, shut up and stay at home”.

Now, he only wants his resignation. "Resign, resign, resign, because he doesn't govern Brazil”, he told CNN.

Bolsonaro had earlier called Neto a "piece of s**t”.

<img alt="p" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d2fa9827-e623-427c-89c7-a5e97e014db2" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design_102.jpg" />

Second-most global cases

Brazil now has the second-most reported cases of coronavirus in the world, surpassing Russia. With 363,211 cases, Brazil has become the latest epicentre of the virus.

Even though the US still has the most number of confirmed cases (over 1,600,000), the rate of infection across the United States is now seeing signs of slowing down.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/indigenous-tribals-in-brazil-are-dying-twice-as-much-as-the-national-average-due-to-covid-19-300952" hreflang="en">Indigenous tribals in Brazil are dying twice as much as the national average due to COVID-19</a>

According to Johns Hopkins University tracker, over 22,666 people have died in Brazil due to COVID-19 so far. 149,911 people have recovered so far.

Just on Sunday, Bolsonaro took out a rally with his supporters. He was not wearing any protective gear and was neither practicing social distancing norms, even as numbers continue to surge.

Even though he emerged outside the presidential palace donning a mask, he soon removed it to shake hands with supporters.

The city of Manaus in Brazil currently has 39,155 confirmed cases of COVID-19, and had witnessed 1,182 deaths. It is considered one of the hardest hit cities in the country.

The city of Manaus in Brazil currently has 39,155 confirmed cases of COVID-19, and had witnessed 1,182 deaths. It is considered one of the hardest hit cities in the country. The mayor of Manaus, Arthur Virgilio Neto recently asked Brazilian President to “resign… shut up, and stay at home”. He further told CNN that Bolsonaro was seeking dictatorship”. Neto claimed that the president dreams to be dictator, “but is too stupid”. Also read: Brazil records second highest COVID-19 cases as Bolsonaro downplays it as 'little flu' The mayor of a city that houses 2 million people accused the president of being “co-responsible” for the increasing death count. Neto claimed that in the early stages of the pandemic, he asked messaged Bolsonaro - "Please Mr. President, shut up and stay at home”. Now, he only wants his resignation. "Resign, resign, resign, because he doesn't govern Brazil”, he told CNN. Bolsonaro had earlier called Neto a "piece of s**t”. Second-most global cases Brazil now has the second-most reported cases of coronavirus in the world, surpassing Russia. With 363,211 cases, Brazil has become the latest epicentre of the virus. Even though the US still has the most number of confirmed cases (over 1,600,000), the rate of infection across the United States is now seeing signs of slowing down. Also read: Indigenous tribals in Brazil are dying twice as much as the national average due to COVID-19 According to Johns Hopkins University tracker, over 22,666 people have died in Brazil due to COVID-19 so far. 149,911 people have recovered so far. Just on Sunday, Bolsonaro took out a rally with his supporters. He was not wearing any protective gear and was neither practicing social distancing norms, even as numbers continue to surge. Even though he emerged outside the presidential palace donning a mask, he soon removed it to shake hands with supporters.

Brazilian mayor asks Bolsonaro to 'resign, shut up, and stay at home' as death toll mounts

Brazil now has the second-most reported cases of coronavirus in the world, surpassing Russia. With 363,211 cases, Brazil has become the latest epicentre of the virus.

Even though the US still has the most number of confirmed cases (over 1,600,000), the rate of infection across the United States is now seeing signs of slowing down.

According to Johns Hopkins University tracker, over 22,666 people have died in Brazil due to COVID-19 so far. 149,911 people have recovered so far.

Brazil is now increasingly becoming the primary hotspot of coronavirus, as President Jair Bolsonaro continues to downplay it as a “little flu”.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/indigenous-tribals-in-brazil-are-dying-twice-as-much-as-the-national-average-due-to-covid-19-300952" hreflang="en">Indigenous tribals in Brazil are dying twice as much as the national average due to COVID-19</a>

Just on Sunday, Bolsonaro took out a rally with his supporters. He was not wearing any protective gear and was neither practicing social distancing norms, even as numbers continue to surge.

Even though he emerged outside the presidential palace donning a mask, he soon removed it to shake hands with supporters.

The World Health Organization had recently announced South America as the epicentre of COVID-19, which started off in Wuhan, then battered European countries especially Italy and France. After which, it caused major fatalities in the US, where the infection rate is currently slowing down.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="http://wionews.com/videos/us-restricts-travel-from-brazil-brazil-is-worlds-second-worst-hit-covid-19-country-300826/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

With healthcare infrastructure crumbling across the country, especially in the indigenous regions, scores of natives are now infected.

According to Articulation of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil (APIB), the mortality rate among the native population is twice as much as the the rest of the country’s population.

Brazil currently has over 900,000 indigenous people, out of whom 980 have now tested positive for coronavirus, which is capable of spreading very quickly. 125 natives have died so far, putting the indigenous community’s mortality rate at 12.6 per cent, as opposed to the national average of 6.4 per cent.

Recently, US President Donald Trump suspended travel from Brazil. As part of this move, non-Americans planning to come to the US shouldn’t have spent any of their last 14 days in Brazil, and if found so, they shall not be allowed to enter the country.

(With inputs from Reuters and AFP)

Brazil now has the second-most reported cases of coronavirus in the world, surpassing Russia. With 363,211 cases, Brazil has become the latest epicentre of the virus.

Brazil now has the second-most reported cases of coronavirus in the world, surpassing Russia. With 363,211 cases, Brazil has become the latest epicentre of the virus. Even though the US still has the most number of confirmed cases (over 1,600,000), the rate of infection across the United States is now seeing signs of slowing down. According to Johns Hopkins University tracker, over 22,666 people have died in Brazil due to COVID-19 so far. 149,911 people have recovered so far. Brazil is now increasingly becoming the primary hotspot of coronavirus, as President Jair Bolsonaro continues to downplay it as a “little flu”. Also read: Indigenous tribals in Brazil are dying twice as much as the national average due to COVID-19 Just on Sunday, Bolsonaro took out a rally with his supporters. He was not wearing any protective gear and was neither practicing social distancing norms, even as numbers continue to surge. Even though he emerged outside the presidential palace donning a mask, he soon removed it to shake hands with supporters. The World Health Organization had recently announced South America as the epicentre of COVID-19, which started off in Wuhan, then battered European countries especially Italy and France. After which, it caused major fatalities in the US, where the infection rate is currently slowing down. With healthcare infrastructure crumbling across the country, especially in the indigenous regions, scores of natives are now infected. According to Articulation of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil (APIB), the mortality rate among the native population is twice as much as the the rest of the country’s population. Brazil currently has over 900,000 indigenous people, out of whom 980 have now tested positive for coronavirus, which is capable of spreading very quickly. 125 natives have died so far, putting the indigenous community’s mortality rate at 12.6 per cent, as opposed to the national average of 6.4 per cent. Recently, US President Donald Trump suspended travel from Brazil. As part of this move, non-Americans planning to come to the US shouldn’t have spent any of their last 14 days in Brazil, and if found so, they shall not be allowed to enter the country. (With inputs from Reuters and AFP)

Brazil records second highest COVID-19 cases as Bolsonaro downplays it as 'little flu'

The Wuhan Coronavirus has infected more than 50,00,000 people worldwide. India now accounts for 2.2% cases in the world. WION's Executive Editor Palki Sharma Upadhyay has the latest numbers.

Gravitas: Wuhan Coronavirus: More than 50,00,000 infected worldwide

Coronavirus cases in the US are growing. More than 93,000 Americans have died. But, President Donald Trump says US topping the world in Coronavirus cases is a 'badge of honour'. WION's Executive Editor Palki Sharma Upadhyay tells you how protests against the Trump administration are growing.

Gravitas: Trump is 'proud' of the high number of Covid cases in US

The Covid-19 pandemic has pushed Japan into a recession. Why is the Japanese economy struggling? WION's Executive Editor Palki Sharma Upadhyay gets you a report.

Gravitas: Japan faces worst post-war slump

Atleast 10,000 health workers in Iran have been infected with the Coronavirus. Meanwhile, 40 million people have been unemployed in the US during this pandemic. WION's Executive Editor Palki Sharma Upadhyay gets you the big global developments for Thursday.

Gravitas: Coronavirus: The big global developments for May 21

From ginger to honey to hot air, fake cures are spreading faster than the Coronavirus. WION's Executive Editor Palki Sharma Upadhyay gets you a fact-check.

Gravitas: Fact-check: Fake Coronavirus cures

A nurse who contracted the Coronavirus in San Francisco lost more than 20 kilograms. He shared shocking images of how his body transformed due to the disease. WION's Executive Editor Palki Sharma Upadhyay tells you more.

Gravitas: Shocking weight loss from Coronavirus

The National People's Congress is an annual affair. But this year, the gathering of the Communist Party was different. WION's Executive Editor Palki Sharma Upadhyay tells you how the spectre of the coronavirus hangs over the entire event.

Gravitas: China's biggest annual political circus

covid-19-0

Covid 19, News on Covid 19, stories on Covid 19, articles on Covid 19, Covid 19 stories at Wion, Covid 19 news, Covid 19 latest news

covid 19-0