This Week in Explainers: How dangerous is it to consume dry ice?

It’s been a significant week for India. There’s been a lot that has captured people’s attention — from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s first visit to Srinagar since Article 370 was abrogated to the heinous and horrific rape of a Spanish biker in Jharkhand.

Indians also reeled from the news of how several nationals were being duped and conned into joining the Russian military and then fighting on the frontlines of the Ukraine war. This situation also led to the death of one resident of Hyderabad by the name of Mohammed Afsan.

There’s also the terrible water crisis that Bengaluru is contending with. Taps have gone dry, prices of water tankers are sky rocketing and people are going without baths.

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Now, as we sit back and relax over the weekend, there are those who may missed out on the big news from across the country. Are you wondering what happened and why it happened? Fear not, our weekly roundup will get you reacquainted with the big news that happened.

1) India is known for its hospitality and welcoming nature. Each year, several tourists from across the world travel to the country to visit its length and breadth. One such tourist was a Spanish woman, who was travelling across the country on her motorbike, along with her husband. However, the journey turned into their worst nightmare when seven men attacked her and her husband and then brutally gang-raped her. Want to know what happened and the authorities’ reaction? Read here .

2) The Russia-Ukraine war has been raging on for more than two years now and there’s seems that there’s no hope of it ending soon. While the gunbattle continues, it hit closer home this week when news emerged that seven men from Punjab and Haryana had been duped into joining the Russian military and were now on the frontlines of the Ukraine war. The families of these men are now appealing for help from the government of India.

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This is becoming a growing worry for India, as earlier too, a group of young men complained of how they had been lured with the promise of better jobs , only to find themselves being a part of the war.

And the concern for their well-being is rising, as news came in that one of the youth, who had been duped, died in Russia on Wednesday night.

3) On the topic of Indians working abroad, there’s some good news from the United Arab Emirates. The Indian consulate in Dubai has devised a life insurance scheme for blue-collar workers ensuring that their families will get compensation of up to Dh75,000 (Rs 17 lakh) in case of the employee’s death, be it due to accidents or natural causes.

But why is this significant? Read our essay to understand how this new scheme will benefit lakhs of Indians who work in the UAE.

4) Here’s a doozy from Gurugram. Five people who had visited an eatery ended their meal with mouth freshener that the server brought them. However, shortly after consuming the mouth freshener, they started feeling a burning sensation in their mouths and started coughing up blood.

Five people have been hospitalized after eating Mouth Freshner at a Gurugram Restaurant 😱 pic.twitter.com/gsFFiAxVy1

— Rosy (@rose_k01) March 4, 2024

What caused this to happen? It appears that the server mistakenly served the five dry ice instead of mouth freshener. Read here to understand just how dangerous dry ice can be when ingested.

5) Karnataka’s capital Bengaluru is back in the news this week. Albeit for the wrong reasons. People have been left with dry taps and are forced to not bathe or wash their cars or water their plants owing to a severe water crisis .

But what’s the cause for the Garden City to be parched? Why is the metro struggling to provide water to its citizens? We have the answers for you.

6) India’s UPI (Unified Payments Interface) has gone global. From France to Sri Lanka, several countries across the globe are supporting UPI payments. And according to India’s officials, the UPI could also help developing countries. How so, you ask? Read our explainer on this to find out more.

And with this, you are all caught up with the big stories from India. Liked what you read and want more? Bookmark this page .

And before we forget, here’s a read you might find interesting. Have you ever been told, ‘Sit up, slouching is bad’? Well, it’s not as bad as you think and here’s why .