The Ganga Sagar Fair is an annual gathering of Hindu pilgrims on Sagar Island during Makar Sankranti to bathe in the Ganges River’s sacred waters before it reaches the Bay of Bengal. Thousands of Hindus bathed in the Ganges river as they believe they are cleansed of their sins amid soaring Covid-19 cases. Few people were seen wearing masks as part of the current measures in the country to tackle the Omicron variant.

A Hindu man named Ram Phal Tripathi, who came from the state of Uttar Pradesh to bathe in the Ganges with his family, said, “I can’t breathe with the mask. I come here every year to dip in the river. How could I have missed it this year’s Fair?” he said. Last year, there was a significant increase in Covid-19 cases following a religious meeting in the north of the country.

Covid-19 india Makar Sankranti

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EU Warns US Tariffs Could Trigger De Facto Trade Ban

On Jul 14, 2025

EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic warned that a proposed 30% US tariff on European goods would effectively amount to a trade ban, severely disrupting transatlantic supply chains.

Speaking ahead of the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels, Sefcovic expressed disappointment over a letter from US President Donald Trump that halted expected trade progress. “We were close to an agreement,” he said, but now “must prepare for all outcomes.”

The EU has delayed retaliatory measures on $72 billion worth of US goods until August 1, hoping for a negotiated resolution. Sefcovic emphasized that “no one wants a trade war,” while France urged faster preparation for countermeasures and Hungary blamed the EU Commission’s weak response to US pressure.

Danish and Lithuanian ministers echoed calls to avoid escalation but emphasized EU readiness to defend its interests.

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thousands gather at ganges river in india amid soaring covid-19 cases

EU Warns US Tariffs Could Trigger De Facto Trade Ban