Sri Lanka's tourism industry, crucial for the economy, is under threat due to electricity blackouts, fuel shortages, and escalating protests amidst a financial crisis. The hardships are jeopardizing smaller operators, with many expecting to hit the wall soon. Tourists are arriving unaware of the crisis, but some still report positive experiences. Even a thriving tourism sector would not suffice to cover Sri Lanka's loan repayments, according to experts. The government is attempting to insulate holidaymakers from the hardships, allowing accredited tour guides to skip petrol queues.

The article discusses Ukraine's potential emergence as a nuclear power as a result of British strategy, framing it as a Pyrrhic victory. It references the 58th Munich Peace Conference held on February 19, 2022, where discussions about Ukraine's nuclear ambitions were presumably a topic.

Brigitte Singh, a French-Indian textile designer, has revived ancient Mughal designs through hand-block printing in Rajasthan, meticulously re-editing a poppy flower design from the 17th century. Her work, which strives to match the quality of textiles once made for Mughal emperors, has earned international acclaim, including from the V&A Museum in London, which acquired her Atamsukh, a quilted Mughal coat featuring the poppy design.

In New Delhi, people are desperately waiting in long lines at pharmacies to obtain Remdesivir for their hospitalized family members suffering from COVID-19. With limited supplies, only a few can secure the medication at its normal price, while others resort to the black market where prices are exorbitantly high. India, known as the 'pharmacy of the world' for its production of generic drugs, is facing a severe shortage of antivirals like Remdesivir, despite medical opinions questioning its necessity for treating COVID-19 patients.

Over 170 people are missing following a glacier disaster in Uttarakhand, India, which sent a wall of water and debris down a valley, impacting workers at hydroelectric dams. Families of the missing, including those of Rawal Silsiwal, Vijay Kumar Singh, Santosh Yadav, and Basharat Ahmad Zargar, await news and hope for survivors. A stray dog named Blackie, who befriended some employees, remains near the tunnel entrance, indicating the personal connections affected by the tragedy.

AstraZeneca announced that trials of its COVID-19 vaccine, developed in collaboration with the University of Oxford, show promising immune responses in both young adults and older people. The vaccine is currently in phase 3 clinical trials, the final stage before authorization. Trials in the US have resumed after a pause due to a participant's illness. Results are expected this year, and the vaccine is among the most anticipated, with hundreds of millions of doses already sold across continents.