As global travel opens up getting an understanding of the infection rates around the world is useful to understand the risk. The US, India and Brazil have seen the highest number of confirmed cases, followed by France, Russia, the UK and Turkey. Very few places have been left untouched.

The Biden administration is investigating a recent spate of mysterious health incidents reported by American diplomats and other government employees in Vienna, say US officials.

Some of the symptoms are similar to those first reported by US diplomats and spies in Havana, Cuba, in 2016 and 2017, for which no definitive cause has yet been determined.

US officials said more than 20 new cases are being looked at by medical teams at the State Department and elsewhere, including the Pentagon and the CIA.

"In co-ordination with our partners across the US government, we are vigorously investigating reports of possible unexplained health incidents (UHI) among the US Embassy Vienna community," the State Department said.

"Any employees who reported a possible UHI received immediate and appropriate attention and care."

Some believe the unexplained injuries, which include brain damage, are the result of microwave or radio wave weapons, but despite years of study, there is no consensus as to what or who might be behind the incidents or whether they are actual attacks.

South America is always a challenge to work in. This will more than likely create protests/violence and further challenges. Understanding the geopolitical landscape is important.

Venezuelan agents have arrested a key opposition figure on charges of terrorism and treason.

Freddy Guevara was in his car when he was detained on a highway in the capital Caracas. The left-wing government accuses him of having ties to "extremist groups" and foreign governments.

Mr Guevara is a close ally of opposition leader Juan Guaidó, who said that he was threatened by armed men as he went to help Mr Guevara. Mr Guaidó's wife Fabiana Rosales tweeted that hooded men with weapons entered the basement of their home and surrounded Mr Guaidó's vehicle. He was not however detained.

Venezuela's Attorney-General Tarek Saab said Mr Guevara would be charged with "the crimes of terrorism, attacks against the constitutional order, conspiracy to commit a crime and treason".

The 35-year-old broadcast live on social media from the car as he was detained, apologising to his family for their "suffering". His current whereabouts are unknown, his staff posted on Twitter.

South Africa is deploying the military to tackle riots that have broken out over the jailing of former president Jacob Zuma.

Shops were looted and buildings set on fire on Monday as Zuma challenged his sentence at a hearing in the top court. At least six people have been killed and 200 arrested since the unrest began last week. Zuma was convicted of contempt of court after failing to attend an inquiry into corruption during his presidency.

The 79-year-old, who denies corruption, handed himself in to police last week to begin his 15-month sentence. He is hoping to get the sentence rescinded or reduced at the Constitutional Court hearing. However, legal experts say his chances of success are slim.

The case has sparked an unprecedented legal drama in South Africa, which has never seen a former president jailed before.

THE CHIEF of the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has stated that ransomware is the key cyber threat facing the UK and urged members of the public and the business community to take it seriously. Delivering the Royal United Services Institute’s (RUSI) Annual Security Lecture in an online format, Lindy Cameron warned of the “cumulative effect” of failing to properly deal with this rising threat.

Cameron also revealed the threat faced by Think Tanks, noting that it’s “almost certain” that the primary cyber threat they face is from nation state espionage groups. It’s highly likely the latter will seek to gain strategic insights into Government policy and commercially sensitive information.

The CEO of the NCSC – which is a part of GCHQ – has also warned that, for the majority of UK citizens and organisations, the primary key threat is not state actors, but cyber criminals.

Ugandan Transport Minister and former army commander, General Katumba Wamala, has been injured while his daughter and the driver were killed in an assassination attempt carried out by unknown attackers on motorcycles.