India

It took three days to pump millions of litres of water out of the dam, after Rajesh Vishwas dropped the device while taking a selfie.

By the time it was found, the phone was too water-logged to work.

Vishwas claimed it contained sensitive government data and needed retrieving, but he has been accused of misusing his position.

The food inspector dropped his Samsung phone, worth about 100,000 rupees (NZ$2000), into Kherkatta Dam, in the central Indian state of Chhattisgarh, on Sunday.

State police have arrested more than 2,400 people since Friday.

This includes husbands and relatives of alleged child brides, as well as priests who officiated the marriages.

BBC reports Opposition leaders have called the drive a "farce", alleging it disproportionately targets Muslims.

But Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma says that his government's "war" is against child marriage and doesn't target one community.

In 2022, the number of billionaires in the country increased to 166 from 102 in 2020, the report said.

Meanwhile, it added that the poor in India "are unable to afford even basic necessities to survive".

BBC reports the charity called on India's finance minister to levy a wealth tax on the ultra-rich to tackle this "obscene" inequality.

Pooja went missing on 22 January 2013 when she was seven years old. She says she was picked up from outside her school in Mumbai city in the western Indian state of Maharashtra by a couple who lured her with an ice-cream.

On 4 August, she was found in what is being described as "a miraculous escape". Her mother, Poonam Gaud, says she is over the moon with happiness.

"I had given up hope of ever finding my daughter. But the gods have been kind to me," she says.

Chasing 378 for victory, England got off to a flying start before the loss of three quick wickets forced them on to the back foot.

Root, batting on 76, combined with Bairstow in a 150-run stand for the unbroken fourth wicket to put England's chase back on track.

England were 259-3 at stumps needing 119 for a series-levelling victory.

England's highest successful run chase came in 2019 when they reached a 359-run target in an Ashes test against Australia on the back of Stokes's brilliant unbeaten century.

Some states shut down the internet and suspended train and bus services on Monday.

Protesters are demanding the rollback of the plan to hire soldiers on a fixed four-year term, saying it would shatter their dreams of a secure job.

They have taken to the streets, blocking roads and torching trains.

Several opposition political parties have given their support to the protests. But the government has refused to cancel the plan, though it has been trying to allay the fears of protesters.

Millions of people have been stranded while emergency workers have struggled to reach those affected.

Forecasters are warning that the flooding is expected to get worse over the next few days.

Some Bangladesh government officials have described the recent flooding as the country's worst since 2004.

Unrelenting rains over the last week have inundated vast swathes of the country's north-east region, exacerbated by run-off from heavy downpours across mountains in neighbouring India.

The property owners in Uttar Pradesh were told to vacate their homes beforehand.

Muslims have been protesting after anti-Islamic comments made by two leading members of the governing BJP.

Police have arrested more than 300 people in connection with the unrest.

The remarks were made by BJP spokeswoman Nupur Sharma during a TV debate in May. The BBC is not repeating Ms Sharma's remarks as they are offensive in nature.

The region should now expect a heatwave that exceeds the record temperatures seen in 2010 once every three years.

Without climate change, such extreme temperatures would occur only once every 312 years, the Met Office says.

Forecasters say temperatures in north-west India could reach new highs in the coming days.

More than 70 people were in the building when the fire started and police broke windows and used ropes to rescue people.

Some 20 fire engines were used to put out the blaze near Mundka metro station in the west of India's capital.

A short circuit is thought to have started the fire.

Indian media report that two arrests have been made.

Offering his condolences over the loss of lives, Prime Minister Narendra Modi promised 200,000 rupees (£2,118; $2,580) to next-of-kin in compensation for each death.