
India Reopens Taj Mahal as Pandemic’s Second Wave Ebbs
Voice of America
NEW DELHI - India’s iconic Taj Mahal monument reopened Wednesday as a devastating second wave of the coronavirus pandemic begins to ebb, prompting authorities to ease restrictions.
A steep decline in new infections this month has encouraged major cities such as New Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru to reopen vast swathes of the economy, including tourist sites, hotels, shopping malls and restaurants. But after reports came in of crowded markets and packed rail stations, doctors warned of a possible resurgence.
Local officials and navy personnel attend a joint Iranian, Russian and Chinese military drill in the Gulf of Oman, Iran, on March 12, 2025. (Iranian Army Office via AFP) Chinese navy troops attending a joint naval drill with Iran and Russia stand on the deck of their warship in an official arrival ceremony at Shahid Beheshti port in Chabahar in the Gulf of Oman, Iran, on March 11, 2025.

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi waves as he arrives for Mauritius' 57th National Day celebrations at the Champ De Mars, Port Louis, Mauritius, March 12, 2025. India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi, left, and his Mauritius counterpart Navin Ramgoolam pay homage after laying a wreath at the Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Botanical Garden during his State visit, in Pamplemousses, Mauritius, March 11, 2025. FILE - Sailors walk on the deck of the INS Imphal, a stealth guided-missile destroyer, at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai, Dec. 22, 2023.

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