Tag: India

  • Indian actor thanks Pakistan for ‘bada dill’ amid COVID

    Swara Bhasker has thanked Pakistan for showing kindness to India “during this devastating times”.

    “Heartening to see Pakistani civil society and social media reach out in solidarity and kindness to India, during this devastating time,” wrote the actor on social media.

    She continued: “This despite the fact that our media and mainstream public discourse have consistently mocked and vilified Pakistanis.”

    “Thank you for your bada bada dil padosi,” she added.

    Twitter in Pakistan trended with hashtags showing solidarity to India, which also melted Kangana Ranaut’s heart, prompting her to thank Pakistan for extending prayers.

    Prime Minister Imran Khan and other cabinet members also extended their prayers for India and Faisal Edhi had also written a letter to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi offering help in tackling COVID-19 in India.

    Atif Aslam also extended his prayers for the neighbouring country.

    India recorded over 350,000 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours ending 8 am Monday, taking the country’s total infections to over 1.73 crores. Of these, over 28 lakh cases are currently active while 1.43 crore people have recovered after testing positive. With 2,812 new fatalities, the death toll is now over 1.95 lakh, The Indian Express has reported.

    As per Indian media reports, from the first wave of COVID-19, the demand for medical oxygen had increased from 700 metric tonnes per day to 2,800 metric tonnes per day. However, in the past few days, the demand has reached nearly 5,000 metric tonnes per day.

  • Rich Indians reportedly fleeing to UAE on private jets, paying fare as high as $38,000

    Rich Indians reportedly fleeing to UAE on private jets, paying fare as high as $38,000

    Rich and affluent Indians are reportedly fleeing India to escape the COVID-19 pandemic, and the demand for private jets and fares has increased drastically.

    United Arab Emirates (UAE) decided to suspend flights from India and people had time till Sunday to travel back to UAE.

    Online price for one way fare has increased almost ten times. Flights from Mumbai to Dubai would cost as much as 80,000 Indian Rupees ($1,400).

    Tickets for the New Delhi to Dubai route were going for more than 50,000 rupees, five times more than the average rate. Moreover, no tickets were on offer from Sunday when the 10-day flight suspension comes into force.

    For private jets, the fare is ridiculously high. The spokesperson for a charter company total that
    “We have requested more aircraft from abroad to meet the demand. It costs $38,000 to $50,000 to hire a 13-seater jet from Mumbai to Dubai, and US$31,000 to hire a six-seater aircraft.”

    “People are making groups and arranging to share our jets to get a seat. We’ve had some queries for Thailand but the demand is for Dubai,” he maintained.

    According to the latest figures, UAE is home to around 3.3 million Indians which accounts to a third of Dubai’s total population.

    The UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority has ordered that those who are coming from India must stay in 14 days quarantine.

  • Indian woman gets married to COVID positive man in PPE kit

    Indian woman gets married to COVID positive man in PPE kit

    An Indian couple recently tied the knot inside a coronavirus ward at the Alappuzha Media College in Kerala. Sarath Mon and Abhirami got married inside the Covid ward after the groom tested COVID-19 positive a few days back. The bride showed up at the hospital in a PPE kit.

    According to details, Sarath, who was working abroad, had tested positive during the arrangements of his wedding. Later, his mother was also tested positive for the virus. Both Sarath and his mother Jijimol were admitted to the Covid ward.

    After taking necessary permissions from the District Collector and other concerned authorities, the marriage was held inside the ward. The bride and a relative entered inside the Covid ward in a PPE.

    The family and relatives decided to hold the marriage on the fixed date on April 25 instead of delaying it further.

    Read more – ‘Distance makes the heart grow fonder’: Mumbai Police tells man wanting to see girlfriend amid lockdown

    The groom’s mother handed over the garlands to the couple and they tied the knot.

  • In a first, Kangana thanks Pakistan for extending prayers

    In a first, Kangana thanks Pakistan for extending prayers

    Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut has made headlines every now and then. Apart from her argument on nepotism, the actress has also been very vocal about her dislike of Pakistan. However, as Twitter in Pakistan trends with hashtags showing solidarity to India, Kangana’s heart, too, turned soft. But she was still misinformed about one detail.

    Taking to Twitter, Kangana wrote: “Heartwarming to see top trend from Pakistan #PakistanstandswithIndia. Narendra Modi provided the country with the vaccine. Nice to see them appreciate his kindness and reciprocate with love. We too acknowledge their empathy in these testing times.” But the actress was misinformed about the vaccine available in Pakistan.

    Pakistan is currently administering Sinopharm and Sputnik, which have been sent from China and Russia, respectively. Some users also clarified that the vaccines in Pakistan were not supplied to them by India.

    https://twitter.com/Little_knightss/status/1385846303574269953?s=19
    https://twitter.com/talkingcurves/status/1385834239837540352?s=19

    As of Saturday, the coronavirus death toll in India stood at 1,66,10,481 with 2,624 fatalities reported in 24 hours, out of which Maharashtra saw the maximum casualties (773) followed by Delhi with 348 daily deaths, reported the Hindustan Times.

    People across the country are scrambling for life-saving oxygen supplies, while patients lay dying outside hospitals. There is a shortage of life-saving medicines and hospital beds too.

    Meanwhile, Prime Minister Imran Khan has also expressed solidarity for the people of India in the current wave of COVID-19.

  • Prayers for India: PM Imran, cabinet ministers tweet in solidarity

    On Saturday, Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan tweeted:

    “I want to express our solidarity with the people of India as they battle a dangerous wave of COVID-19. Our prayers for a speedy recovery go to all those suffering from the pandemic in our neighbourhood & the world. We must fight this global challenge confronting humanity together.”

    Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry tweeted that in these difficult times, “our prayers are with people of India”.

    Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi expressed support for the people of India in the current wave of COVID-19.

    Apart from PM Imran and cabinet ministers, Pakistanis also expressed their solidarity with India. #PakistanStandsWithIndia trended as number 1 on Twitter.

    Yesterday, Faisal Edhi wrote to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi offering help in tackling COVID-19 in India.

    According to BBC, India has recorded nearly a million infections in three days, with 346,786 new cases overnight into Saturday. [hyperlink

  • VIDEO: Indian police officer requests Muslims to pray for coronavirus pandemic to end

    VIDEO: Indian police officer requests Muslims to pray for coronavirus pandemic to end

    A video of a police officer in Mumbai requesting the Muslim community to pray for the coronavirus pandemic to end during Ramzan on a loudspeaker has gone viral on social media.

    Main ne suna hai kay taraweeh ki namaz mein bohat jaldi suni jati hai to aap namaz me yahi mangna ke COVID hamare shehar se, hamare daish se jaldi chala jae (I have heard that Taraweeh prayers are heard, so please that COVID leaves our city and the country soon), the policeman can be heard saying in the video.

    Meanwhile, Pakistanis are extended their prayers for residents of it’s neighbouring country as India fights a deadly second wave.

    Prime Minister Imran Khan, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry and Minister for Foreign Affairs Shah Mahmood Qureshi also extended their prayers for India.

    #PakistanstandswithIndia and #IndiaNeedOxygen were some of the top trends on the microblogging website.

    Farhan Saeed, Shaan and Shoaib Akhtar were also among those who prayed for those suffering in India.

    Earlier on Friday, the Managing Trustee of Edhi Foundation Faisal Edhi wrote a letter to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and offered help to manage the deadly second wave of coronavirus in India.

    India posted a record tally of 346,786 coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, while daily deaths from COVID-19 also jumped by a record, government data released on Saturday showed.

    As per Indian media outlets, from the first wave of COVID-19, the demand for medical oxygen had increased from 700 metric tonnes per day to 2,800 metric tonnes per day. However, in the past few days, the demand has reached nearly 5,000 metric tonnes per day.

  • ‘As a neighbouring friend, we sympathise with you’: Faisal Edhi offers India help

    Managing Trustee of Edhi Foundation Faisal Edhi, in a letter to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has offered help to manage the deadly second wave of coronavirus in India.

    “We, at the Edhi Foundation, have been closely following the current impact that the COVID-19 crisis has had on the people of India,” read the letter. “We are very sorry to hear about the exceptionally heavy impact that the pandemic has had on your country, where a tremendous number of people are suffering immensely.”

    Faisal further wrote: “As a neighbouring friend, we sympathise with you greatly and during this strenuous time, we would like to extends our help in the form of a fleet of 50 ambulances along with our services to assist you in addressing, and further circumventing the health conditions.”

    “We will arrange all the necessary supplies that our team needs to assist the people of India,” added the letter further.

    “I, Faisal Edhi, Managing Trustee of the Edhi Foundation, am personally offering to lead and manage the humanitarian team from my organisation,” said Faisal.

    He continued: “Importantly, we are not requesting any other assistance from you, as we are providing the fuel, food, and other necessary amenities that our team will require.”

    “Our team consists of emergency medical technicians, office staff, drivers, and supporting staff,” stated Faisal further. “In order to implement our proposed service, we only request your permission to enter India as well as any necessary guidance from the local administration and police department.”

    “We look forward to assisting you in managing the current humanitarian crises, and hope only to provide our help in whatever way that we can, for the benefit of the people of India,” he concluded.

    On Thursday, India recorded the world’s highest daily tally of 314,835 COVID-19 infections in a single day and hospitals in India are running out of medical oxygen. As per the Indian media news outlet, In the first wave of Covid-19, the demand for medical oxygen had increased from 700 metric tonnes per day to 2,800 metric tonnes per day. However, in the past few days, the demand has reached nearly 5,000 metric tonnes per day.

  • ‘Quetta blast was a suicide attack’: Sheikh Rasheed

    Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed said on Thursday that the blast at Serena Hotel in Quetta was a suicide attack. He said this was a foreign attempt to destabilise Pakistan. “Pakistan Army and the people of Pakistan will defeat such designs.” Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed the responsibility for the Quetta blast yesterday. Five people were killed and more than a dozen injured in the deadly attack.

    All law enforcement agencies are on high alert at the instructions of the Interior Ministry. Talking about the attack, Sheikh Rasheed said the suicide bomber stayed inside the car. “C4 explosives weighing between 60 to 70 kilogrammes were used in the attack”. Evidence has been sent for forensic analysis.

    The interior minister also said that social media was misused during the past few days by foreign elements who are behind efforts to destabilise Pakistan. “An estimated 250,000-300,000 social media accounts were created in India.” “These foreign forces cannot see Pakistan prosper and progress,” said the minister. 

    China strongly condemned the terrorist attack. A statement by the Chinese embassy in Pakistan said that Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Nong Rong was leading a delegation on a visit to Quetta on the same day. “When the attack occurred, the Chinese delegation was not in the hotel. Till present, no reports of casualties of Chinese citizens in the attack have been received.”

    Prime Minister Imran Khan tweeted that he is deeply saddened by the loss of innocent lives in the condemnable and cowardly terrorist attack in Quetta yesterday. “Our nation has made great sacrifices in defeating terrorism and we will not to allow this scourge to rise again. We remain alert to all internal and external threats.”

  • Learn how to wear a mask from Madhuri Dixit

    India is in the grip of a deadly second wave of the coronavirus. During the ongoing crisis in the country, people are trying to help in every way they can.

    Madhuri Dixit also stepped in to play her part by posting a video of herself showing how to properly wear a mask to avoid getting infected with the virus.

    In the video, Madhuri can be seen showing the right and the wrong way of wearing a mask.

    On Thursday, India marked a grim milestone in the COVID-19 pandemic reporting 314,835 new cases in the last 24 hours, the highest one-day tally anywhere, Reuters has reported. The previous record one-day rise in cases was held by the United States, which had 297,430 new cases on one day in January, though its tally has since fallen sharply.

    Meanwhile, India will let all citizens aged over 18 get COVID-19 vaccinations from May 1, the government said on Monday.

    Meanwhile, at least 22 patients died on April 21 in a hospital in western India after a disruption to their oxygen supply caused by a leaking tank, the health minister said, as a nationwide surge in coronavirus cases soaks up supplies of the crucial gas.

  • 22 COVID patients die after oxygen leak in Indian hospital

    22 COVID patients die after oxygen leak in Indian hospital

    At least 22 patients died on Wednesday in a hospital in western India after a disruption to their oxygen supply caused by a leaking tank, the health minister said, as a nationwide surge in coronavirus cases soaks up supplies of the crucial gas.

    The incident in the city of Nashik, one of India’s worst-hit areas, happened after the tank of gas leaked, said Rajesh Tope, the health minister of Maharashtra, the richest state, where the city is located.

    “Patients who were on ventilators at the hospital in Nashik have died,” Tope said in televised remarks.

    “The leakage was spotted at the tank supplying oxygen to these patients. The interrupted supply could be linked to the deaths of the patients in the hospital.”

    The world’s second-most populous nation reported 295,041 new infections on Wednesday for the world’s highest daily rise, stretching its hospitals to breaking point, officials said.

    On Tuesday, hospitals in Delhi, the capital, said they had enough oxygen left for just another eight to 24 hours, while some private institutions had enough for only four or five.

    The situation was so severe that some people had tried to loot an oxygen tanker, forcing authorities to beef up security, said the health minister of the neighbouring state of Haryana.

    “From now, I’ve ordered police protection for all tankers,” Anil Vij told Reuters.

    Television showed images of people with empty oxygen cylinders crowding refilling facilities as they scrambled to save stricken relatives in hospital.

    “We were completely blocked out of supplies yesterday but by the end of the day we received some and it is helping us today,” said Charu Sachdeva, an official at the state-run Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute & Research Centre in the capital.

    In the northern city of Lucknow, one man said a hospital had asked him to arrange oxygen supplies for his uncle or take him away since it had run out.

    Delhi, a city of 20 million people, recorded 28,395 new cases and 277 deaths on Tuesday, its highest tally since the pandemic began. Every third person tested for coronavirus proved positive. Several high-profile figures like former PM Manmohan Singh and former Congress president Rahul Gandhi have also tested positive for the virus.

    Read more – PM Imran wishes Manmohan Singh a speedy recovery

    About 80 of 142 hospitals in Delhi had no beds left for virus patients, government figures showed.

    India faces a coronavirus “storm” overwhelming its health system, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a national address overnight, adding that authorities were working with states and private firms to deliver oxygen with “speed and sensitivity”.

    Delhi, like large parts of India, let its guard down when the virus seemed to be under control, allowing big gatherings such as weddings and festivals as daily infections fell to fewer than 1,000 during the winter, health experts said.