Despite curbs and curfews, India on Tuesday reported more than one fifty thousand coronavirus cases, though the tally was a bit less than the previous day's figure, the federal health ministry said in a report. Meanwhile, markets across India remained flooded with people as the country is struggling to stave off the rapidly spreading Omicron variant of the deadly virus. The United Nations on Tuesday launched the "biggest ever appeal" for humanitarian aid for Afghanistan for 4.4 billion U.S. dollars. The Taliban takeover has triggered an economic meltdown that has tipped millions into poverty and made Afghanistan one of the world's worst humanitarian crises. Continuous heavy snowfall has brought life to a standstill in the illegally-occupied region of Gilgit Baltistan. Locals say the heavy snowfall and bad road conditions are causing difficulties to travellers, making the region an accident-prone area, but the government is least bothered. Nepal has started vaccinating children aged 12 and above against COVID-19 with Moderna's vaccine as the infection fueled by the Omicron variant grips the Himalayan nation. Sri Lanka's President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has asked China to help restructure debt repayments as part of efforts to help the island nation weather a worsening financial crisis. Sri Lanka has to repay about 4.5 billion dollars in debt this year, reports suggest. Cold wave in parts of northern India continued to make life difficult for the residents on Tuesday, while fog reduced visibility early in the morning. People were seen wearing multiple layers of clothing and some of them set bonfires to keep themselves warm. In a bid to revive the rich cultural heritage of India's Jammu and Kashmir, authorities in the Union Territory have organized theatre shows in the Valley. Despite harsh winters, scores of theatre lovers are rejoicing performances, which are showcasing the history and tradition of Kashmir.
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