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India’s COVID-19 cases dip from peak, but calls for shutdown mount

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REUTERS

Calls grew for India to impose a nationwide lockdown as new coronavirus cases and deaths held close to record highs on Monday, increasing pressure on the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Reuters reported.

The 366,161 new infections and 3,754 deaths reported by the health ministry were slightly down from recent peaks, taking India’s tally to 22.66 million with 246,116 deaths.

But as many hospitals grapple with an acute shortage of oxygen and beds while morgues and crematoriums overflow, experts have said India’s actual figures could be far higher than reported, Reuters reported.

Sunday’s 1.47 million tests for COVID-19 were this month’s lowest yet, data from the state-run Indian Council of Medical Research showed. The figure compared with a daily average of 1.7 million for the first eight days of May.

The number of positive results from the tests was not immediately clear, however.

Many states have imposed strict lockdowns over the last month while others have placed curbs on movement and shut cinemas, restaurants, pubs and shopping malls.

But pressure is mounting on Modi to announce a nationwide lockdown as he did during the first wave of infections last year, Reuters reported.

He is battling criticism for allowing huge gatherings at a religious festival and holding large election rallies during the past two months even as cases surged.

“A failure of governance of epic and historic proportions,” Vipin Narang, a political science professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the United States, said on Twitter.

On Sunday, top White House coronavirus adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci said he had advised Indian authorities they needed to shut down.

“You’ve got to shut down,” Fauci said on ABC’s “This Week” television show. “I believe several of the Indian states have already done that, but you need to break the chain of transmission. And one of the ways to do that is to shut down.”

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has also called for a “complete, well-planned, pre-announced” lockdown.

New Delhi, the capital, entered a fourth week of lockdown, with tougher curbs such as the shutdown of the suburban rail network, while residents scrambled for scarce hospital beds and oxygen supplies, Reuters reported.

“This is not the time to be lenient,” Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Sunday.

“This phase is so tough, this wave is so dangerous, so many people are dying…the priority at this hour is to save lives,” he said in a televised address.

Global support, in the form of oxygen cylinders and concentrators, ventilators and other medical gear, has poured in.

By Sunday, the world’s largest vaccine-producing nation had fully vaccinated just over 34.3 million, or only 2.5%, of its population of about 1.35 billion, government data shows.

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Afghan and Iranian officials discuss expanding economic cooperation

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Ahmad Jan Bilal, General Director of State-Owned Corporations, met on Tuesday with Iran’s Ambassador to Kabul, Ali Reza Bikdeli, to discuss expanding bilateral economic cooperation and following up on issues raised during his recent visit to Iran.

According to a statement from the General Directorate of State-Owned Companies, the meeting focused on reviewing ways to implement discussions held with Iranian officials during Bilal’s visit.

Bikdeli described the visit as positive and productive, stressing the importance of following up on the issues discussed and taking practical steps to advance bilateral cooperation.

He said Iran is ready to cooperate with Afghanistan in oil and gas exploration, extraction and exports, refinery construction, agriculture, water and electricity.

Bilal, for his part, said the Islamic Emirate is interested in expanding joint cooperation with Iran in energy, agriculture, industrial development and other economic sectors. He added that his office would work with the Iranian side to turn the proposed areas of cooperation into practical initiatives.

Bilal also reaffirmed his office’s commitment to following up on the issues discussed during his recent visit to Iran and working towards their implementation in coordination with Iranian officials.

Bilal recently visited Iran at the head of a delegation, holding talks with several Iranian officials on expanding economic, trade and investment ties, particularly in the state-owned companies sector.

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Ariana Airlines reduces Kabul–Islamabad–Kabul airfares by $20

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Ariana Afghan Airlines announced on Tuesday a reduction in ticket prices for flights on the Kabul–Islamabad–Kabul route from $190 to $170.

According to the airline, passengers can now purchase tickets for this route at $20 less than the previous fare.

The airline has also set a special fare of $150 for students travelling on this route.

Ariana Afghan Airlines said the move aims to reduce travel costs and make air travel more affordable and accessible for passengers and students.

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Afghanistan and Russia discuss expanding economic ties and boosting bilateral trade

During the meeting, Muttaqi stressed that Afghanistan and Russia should expand economic cooperation based on shared interests and mutual benefits.

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Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi has met with Zamir Kabulov, Russian President’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, to discuss strengthening bilateral relations, expanding economic cooperation and increasing trade between the two countries.

During the meeting, Muttaqi stressed that Afghanistan and Russia should expand economic cooperation based on shared interests and mutual benefits.

Kabulov, meanwhile, praised the Islamic Emirate’s efforts to combat drug trafficking and cultivation, saying reports by some international organisations on the issue do not reflect the realities on the ground.

Muttaqi reiterated that the Islamic Emirate remains committed to combating drug cultivation, production and trafficking, describing these efforts as important for the security and stability of both Afghanistan and the wider region.

The meeting comes amid continued efforts by Kabul and Moscow to strengthen diplomatic and economic engagement and explore opportunities for broader bilateral cooperation.

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