A state in eastern India, with 99.7 million residents (2023 estimate)
The River Avon at Queen Elizabeth Gardens in Salisbury has been deemed unsafe for bathing after tests show sewage pollution from upstream works. The Environment Agency advised against swimming from May 28; the advisory remained until June 1 as residual contamination cleared. Wessex Water says the issue stems from a blocked sewer, with improvements planned, including near-real-time AI water monitors.
India has been pushing Bengali-speaking Muslims into Bangladesh under a deportation drive that has drawn criticism from rights groups. Bangladesh and India have held border talks to manage crossings and disputes over due process. Tensions rise as both sides pledge coordinated patrols and stronger information sharing.
Two separate firefighting operations are underway after a naphtha-pipeline blaze in West Bengal and a large forest fire near Müritz National Park, Germany, driven by record heat. Firefighters report injuries in the West Bengal incident, while German teams are battling a wildfire in a contaminated site with a 1,000-metre security perimeter.
A child’s rape and murder in Baruipur has sparked protests, a mob lynching, and a police shooting as tensions mount over the BJP government’s handling of women’s safety. Investigations are underway as authorities form a SIT and police recount the scene.
Independent and AP News report on Marian devotion at Bandel Church near Kolkata and a Philippine replica of Mary’s house in Cavite. Both sites illustrate how Marian devotion shapes faith communities across Asia.
A methane gas buildup inside a tunnel at the Teesta Stage VI hydropower project in Sikkim has triggered an explosion, leaving multiple workers trapped. Rescue efforts are ongoing as authorities confirm casualties and intensify search operations in the Himalayan region.
India's education minister, Dharmendra Pradhan, has resigned after weeks of nationwide protests led by the youth-led Cockroach Janta Party (CJP). Tens of thousands of students have protested exam paper leaks and police violence at Jantar Mantar; CJP has suspended its agitation after government assurances but reports of detentions in Assam, West Bengal and Bihar continue.
Prashant Kishor, founder of the Jan Suraaj Party, has defeated BJP candidate Neeraj Kumar in Bankipur by over 19,000 votes, according to the Election Commission of India. This marks Kishor’s first electoral contest and tests Modi’s support among India’s youth amid recent student protests. Bankipur had voted BJP in four consecutive terms since 2010.