As many as 55 Missionaries of Charity had been removed from the electoral roll, as had thousands of other people – mostly Bengalis – in the controversial revision imposed by the central government in New Delhi. Exit polls suggest the BJP is in the lead, but there are many doubts about their reliability as the controversy has driven turnout up to almost 93%. Official results on 4 May.

Among the causes are uncontrolled price rises, rising costs, ageing trees and the ‘stepchild’ treatment of a crop once considered gold. Field productivity levels are set to halve by 2025. Yet this sector has played a key role in the island’s economic development, driving employment and mitigating the impact of climate change.

Foreign Minister Abbas Arakhchi’s visit to St Petersburg has confirmed that, following the invasion of Ukraine, Iran has become an “irreplaceable supplier” to the Russian army, which has been weakened by problems with arms production and heavy losses at the front. Meanwhile, Moscow’s know-how is now making Tehran’s drone attacks more effective in terms of navigation and precision.

Oceania’s small island nations are among the hardest hit by the fuel crisis. As the world's most diesel-dependent region, domestic transportation, food supplies, and access to healthcare are already under pressure, with Tuvalu declaring a state of emergency. China is watching, while New Zealand is asking the United States for help.

China's National Cultural Heritage Administration published a list of the 10 most important discoveries in 2025 with excavations in very different regions of the country, covering both the dawn of Chinese civilisation and the evolution of imperial dynasties. This is part of Xi Jinping's drive to boost cultural identity.

Leo XIV spoke about his apostolic visit, "a message of peace" amid "wars" and "violations of international law,” an opportunity for “African peoples [. . .] to make their voices heard”, “strengthening bridges" in Algeria, and “countering the various forms of neo-colonialism” in Cameroon. In Angola, hope can resist the “empty promises of the powerful." The pope also mentioned the song by prisoners in Bata praising God.