India

In India, the Yamuna, one of the country's sacred rivers, was covered with a toxic foam layer on Monday. According to authorities, the pollution is due to the large influx of sewage and industrial waste.   The Yamuna, a tributary of the Ganges, is one of the most polluted rivers in the country. However, the toxic foam does not stop Hindus from diving into the river to celebrate Chhath Puja's four-day. The incident does disrupt the water supply to some of the surrounding towns, but it is still unclear how many households were affected. For a long time, the authorities have made efforts in vain to clean the Yamuna, but the phenomenon of toxic foam occurs every year. In 2020, a report already revealed that water quality in the river had deteriorated seriously over the past five years....

Severe storms in the western Indian state of Maharashtra have killed at least 72 people. In recent days, a record amount of rain has fallen during the monsoon, the annual rainy season.   Landslides in the Raigad region have killed at least 47 people. Due to a large amount of rain, the ground has turned into mud in many places and is starting to shift. Hundreds of people have been rescued by the air force and navy in recent days. However, much infrastructure has been destroyed by the storm. Roads, bridges and buildings have disappeared. At least four people have died in Mumbai after a building collapsed. At least fifty people are still detained in that region, and the death toll could rise considerably. Regional media reported that this was the heaviest rainfall in Maharashtra in t...

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a televised speech on Monday that all adult Indians can be vaccinated against corona free of charge from June 21.   The federal government will also take over the vaccination policy of the federal states. Under current policy, the federal government only provides free inoculations to the elderly and key caregivers. Vaccinating adults between the ages of 18 and 45 are left to the federal and private hospitals, which may charge a fee. Private hospitals will also play a role in vaccination under the new policy, Modi said in his speech. A quarter of all vaccines will be distributed through private hospitals to those who prefer, for which they may charge a fee of up to 150 Indian rupees (1.70 euros). Currently, about 180 million Indians, or ...