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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday submitted bills to Ukraine's parliament seeking a 90-day extension of both martial law and general mobilization.

If approved, the measures will now remain in effect until November 5, beyond their current expiry date of August 7, Xinhua reported.

Martial law and mobilization have been repeatedly extended since they were first enacted in February 2022, following Russia’s full-scale invasion.

Vietnam’s two biggest cities, Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, are ramping up measures as dengue cases surge sharply, officials said Monday.

Hanoi reported 34 new infections last week, a rise from the previous week, with health officials warning of more cases as the city enters peak season, according to Xinhua.

In Ho Chi Minh City, six dengue-related deaths have been confirmed this year. The city logged 838 new cases last week, pushing the yearly total to 14,370—up over 150 percent from last year.

Residents are being urged to clear standing water and report mosquito breeding spots through a health app, Xinhua reported.

Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen has slammed the Trump administration’s proposed 30 percent tariffs on EU exports as “absolutely unacceptable.” Speaking alongside EU trade chief Maros Sefcovic, he said the bloc is open to a fair deal but ready to respond if talks fail, Xinhua reported.

Sefcovic said the EU is preparing €72bn in countermeasures and stressed that any final agreement must be approved by all 27 member states and the European Parliament.

UK has resumed processing Syrian asylum claims, seven months after halting them following the fall of President Bashar al-Assad, who ruled Syria for over two decades, according to BBC.

Asylum Minister Dame Angela Eagle said decisions can now move forward as clearer information is available, allowing some cases to proceed and possible returns to Syria to begin. Over 7,000 Syrians had been left in limbo, many in temporary accommodation.

More than 20 have already returned voluntarily, and enforced returns could start later this year. New guidance states that general unrest in Syria isn’t enough to claim asylum—each case must show personal risk, BBC reported.

Certain groups, like Alawites and Kurds in Turkish-backed areas, may still face danger. Refugee organisations welcomed the move but warned Syria remains unsafe for many and urged fair, case-by-case reviews.

The Pentagon has signed a $200m deal with Elon Musk’s xAI to deploy its Grok chatbot across government departments. Part of the “Grok for Government” program, the contract supports the Trump administration’s push for expanded AI use in national security, BBC reported.

Grok 4, the latest version, will be integrated into classified systems with custom tools and support. Similar $200m contracts were awarded to Anthropic, Google, and OpenAI.

The deal comes days after Grok faced backlash for antisemitic outputs. Musk blamed the issue on the bot being “too compliant” and said fixes are underway.

Though Musk recently resigned from his government role after clashing with Trump over spending policy, xAI continues to deepen its federal ties, according to BBC.

The US Supreme Court has approved President Donald Trump’s plan to lay off nearly 1,400 employees at the Department of Education, in a 6-3 ruling that overturned a lower court block.

Education Secretary Linda McMahon called the decision a “significant win,” supporting Trump’s push to downsize the federal government and shift education control to the states, Firstpost reported.

Justice Sonia Sotomayor, joined by Justices Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson, issued a strong dissent, warning the move could undermine civil rights enforcement and overstep Congress’s authority.

Democratic-led states including California, New York, Illinois, and Massachusetts, along with national teachers’ unions, have filed lawsuits arguing the layoffs threaten student loans, special education, and funding for low-income schools. School officials warn of severe disruptions nationwide, according to Firstpost.

US President Donald Trump has delivered a stern ultimatum to Moscow: stop the war in Ukraine within 50 days or face sweeping 100 percent tariffs, as well as penalties on countries that continue to trade with Russia, BBC reported.

Speaking at the White House with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, Trump confirmed a significant arms deal in which billions of dollars in US military equipment, including Patriot missile systems, will be supplied to NATO and quickly delivered to Ukraine. Rutte described it as a "big step," noting that numerous European governments have already committed funding.

Though Trump began his second term aiming for a quick peace with Russian President Putin, he now appears frustrated by Russia’s escalating aggression. “We’re very, very unhappy,” he told reporters.

Trump’s envoy Keith Kellogg met with Ukrainian President Zelensky in Ukraine, who welcomed the renewed support and discussed strengthening Ukraine’s air defense, according to BBC.

Meanwhile, Russian forces seized more territory in eastern Ukraine as drone and missile strikes pushed civilian casualties to a three-year high. In response, Zelensky proposed naming Yulia Svyrydenko as prime minister, calling it a “crucial time” for Ukraine.

DeerHack 2025, a student-led hackathon organized by the Deerwalk Institute of Technology (DWIT), concluded on July 13 after three days of coding, collaboration, and technical workshops. Billed as Nepal’s largest student-organized hackathon, the event brought together aspiring developers, designers, and tech enthusiasts from across the country.

The hackathon opened with a pre-event session that included a keynote address by data consultant Mala Deep Upadhaya, followed by networking activities and team-building games. Participants from outside the capital were hosted near Bhaktapur Durbar Square, allowing them to experience the area's cultural heritage.

Throughout the main event at the DWIT Complex in Sifal, participants worked in teams to develop tech-based solutions. The program featured technical mentorship, interactive sessions, and workshops, including one on GitHub and version control. Several sponsors set up stalls, and brand activations were conducted by CF MOTO and other partners.

The final day of DeerHack 2025 focused on project presentations, where participating teams pitched their ideas to a panel of judges. After careful evaluation, winners were announced across various categories. Team SAGEA was declared the overall winner of the hackathon. Team NASCENT won in the Interactive Technology category, while Tech Tacticos was recognized for their work in Data Science and Machine Learning. The Open Innovation category was won by Techtonics, and Team Syntax was awarded in the Ed-Tech category.

The event was supported by multiple partners, including Nepal Investment Mega Bank (NIMB), Annapurna Media Network, Devfolio, and others. Organizers say DeerHack 2025 aimed to foster innovation and problem-solving skills among students while promoting a collaborative tech ecosystem.