Maldives has banned tourists from South Asia, cutting off an escape route for wealthy Indians fleeing their own country s COVID-19 crisis.
The atoll nation s Ministry of Tourism and immigration authority announced the temporary ban on Tuesday, which applies to all visa holders from India, Nepal, Bhutan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, as well as people who have transited those countries in the past 14 days.
The ban, effective Thursday, will be in place until further notice as Maldives tries to control a surge in coronavirus cases, which jumped from around 100 new cases in mid-April to 1,572 on Wednesday.
That s the highest number of daily new cases in the country since the start of the pandemic, according to the Health Protection Agency.
Amitabh Bachchan isn’t done helping India as it continues to grapple with the deadly second wave of the coronavirus that has crippled the country’s healthcare system and left more than 200,000 dead.
After speaking out at the Vax Live fund-raiser that saw the likes of Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez in attendance, Bachchan also used his fame at the ‘Breathe For India’ fund-raiser that he stated has raised close to Rs400 million.
In his personal capacity, the ‘Gulabo Sitabo’ star also revealed he has donated a separate Rs150 million to help those desperate in the country for oxygen, medical supplies, hospital beds and more.
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Bollywood film stars as well as those from South India are joining hands with cricketers and other personalities for a virtual fundraiser in an attempt to raise 10 crore rupees ($1.3 million) for the coronavirus crisis in India.
Set to be held for two hours on Sunday,
from 6pm (4.30pm UAE time), the I Breathe For India: Covid Crisis Relief fundraiser is driven by the Give India foundation and will feature conversations, poetry recitals and musical performances.
Stars who have signed up for the cause include Bollywood celebrities Amitabh Bachchan, his son Abhishek Bachchan, actor couple Genelia and Riteish Deshmukh, Anil Kapoor, Anupam Kher, Kriti Sanon and producer Karan Johar. South Indian stars Rana Daggubati and Samantha Akkineni