The Taj Mahal reopened at sunrise Monday for the first time since March 17. It is limited to 5,000 visitors a day, and all must wear masks. Before the pandemic, up to 70,000 people visited every day.
With more than 5 million coronavirus infections and the world's highest daily tally of new cases, India is expected to become the world's worst-affected country within weeks.
Indian lawmakers were required to get tested for the coronavirus within 72 hours before entering parliament — which met on Monday for the first time since March.
The nation's confirmed coronavirus infections exceed 4.2 million, overtaking Brazil, with 4.1 million. The worst-affected country remains the U.S., far ahead with nearly 6.3 million cases.
"This year, we are facing an extraordinary situation," Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman told a conference last week before GDP figures were released. "We are facing an act of God."
India's fatality statistics might be artificially low because only a small portion of all deaths that occur in India — reportedly around 22%, as of last year — are medically certified.
The 1992 destruction of the Babri mosque in Ayodhya by Hindu extremists sparked riots that killed thousands of Muslims, leaving a deep rift between the country's religious communities.
In the Indian state of Meghalaya, one of the wettest places on Earth, villagers are separated by rivers and valleys. To stay connected, they coax tree roots to grow together into living bridges.
It's been hard to sell the sacrificial animal in India for the Eid al-Adha holiday amid COVID-19. Goat dealers are trying everything from a pageant hosted by a TikTok star to WhatsApp orders.
Heavy rains in the northeastern region have caused flooding and landslides, killing at least 80 people. Workers are also rushing to save species including the greater one-horned rhino.
Some Indians became known TikTok personalities and even earned money and gifts for their content. The government banned the app as tensions flare with China.
