In an unusual move, PM Modi took to social media to trash speculation about govt planning curbs on foreign travel, dismissing it as “totally false” and emphasising that there is “not an iota of truth in this”. Responding to a media report that said govt was considering a tax, cess or surcharge on foreign travel, Modi wrote on X, “There is no question of putting such restrictions on foreign travel. We remain committed to improving ‘Ease of Doing Business’ and ‘Ease of Living’ for our people.” The PM’s move underlined his resolve to stop any rumour that conveys an impression of panic about the state of economy from gaining ground after he made an appeal to people to conserve fuel, defer non-essential foreign trips and not buy gold for a year to save India’s forex reserves.
Covid-19 death toll nearly three times higher than official count: WHO
22.1 million excess deaths recorded globally between 2020 and 2023NEW DELHI: The Covid-19 pandemic caused an estimated 22.1 million excess deaths globally between 2020 and 2023, nearly three times higher…