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NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has called on India, China, and Brazil to pressure Russian President Vladimir Putin towards peace, warning that continued economic ties with Moscow could “slam back” on them.

His remarks come as India faces criticism for ramping up imports of discounted Russian oil since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. However, European and NATO countries remain major buyers of Russian energy, Firstpost reported.

The EU leads in liquefied and pipeline gas imports, while NATO member Turkey is the top importer of Russian oil products—highlighting a double standard in Western criticism.

The Indian Embassy in Iran has issued a new advisory urging Indian citizens to reconsider non-essential travel to Tehran due to escalating tensions in the Middle East, according to Firstpost.

The embassy advised Indians currently in Iran to stay alert, monitor developments closely, and consider commercial flights or ferry services if planning to leave the country.

This caution follows recent clashes involving Iran, Israel, and the United States. Last month, Israel launched strikes on Iranian nuclear and military sites under “Operation Rising Lion,” prompting retaliatory missile and drone attacks from Iran. The US supported Israel and conducted its own strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities on June 22 as part of “Operation Midnight Hammer”, Firstpost reported.

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said the US is making real progress in opening up India’s markets, crediting his tariff policies for breaking long-standing trade barriers.

“We’re going to have access into India,” he said, linking the shift to his tougher trade stance, according to Firstpost.

While no formal deal has been announced, talks are underway in Washington with an Indian delegation led by top negotiator Rajesh Agrawal. Trump said a deal is close, though some issues remain — particularly around India’s agriculture and dairy sectors.

Unlike other major partners, India has not received a formal tariff warning, adding weight to hopes for an agreement soon, Firstpost reported.

US President Donald Trump has again claimed he helped avert a nuclear conflict between India and Pakistan after the Pahalgam attack. During a meeting with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, Trump said US trade diplomacy played a key role in easing tensions following India’s Operation Sindoor, Firstpost reported.

While Pakistan has credited Trump’s mediation, India has consistently denied any such involvement.

S. Jaishankar, the Indian External Affairs Minister, met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Monday ahead of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Foreign Ministers meeting. He conveyed greetings from Indian President Murmu and Prime Minister Modi, underlining India's commitment to improving relations while trying to settle lingering border concerns resulting from the 2020 Ladakh standoff, Firstpost reported.

In discussions with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Jaishankar acknowledged the “good progress” made in easing tensions over the past nine months but emphasized the need for continued efforts to avoid disputes. He also called for removing trade barriers to enhance economic ties and urged a firm, shared stance on “zero tolerance” towards terrorism.

This visit marks Jaishankar’s first to China since the military clashes began, signaling a cautious but positive step toward better cooperation, according to Firstpost.

Indian Air Force Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, the first Indian to set foot on the International Space Station (ISS), is returning to Earth aboard the Axiom-4 (Ax-4) mission, which undocked on Monday. Splashdown is expected off the California coast on 15 July at 3:00 PM IST, Xinhua reported.

Shukla, a decorated Indian Air Force pilot, was part of the four-member Ax-4 crew that arrived at the ISS on 26 June. The team conducted 60 scientific experiments, including seven from India’s space agency ISRO.

Shukla is only the second Indian to travel to space, following Rakesh Sharma in 1984. His mission, backed by ISRO, is seen as a key step toward India’s upcoming human spaceflight programme, Gaganyaan, planned for 2027, according to Xinhua.

Three schools in Delhi received bomb threat emails on Monday, triggering swift action from authorities. The targeted institutions included two Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) schools in Prashant Vihar and Dwarka Sector 16, and an Indian Navy school in Chanakyapuri, Xinhua reported.

Police teams, along with bomb disposal and dog squads, conducted thorough searches at all three locations. Nothing suspicious was found, and the threats were confirmed to be hoaxes. An investigation is underway to trace the source of the emails through their IP addresses.

Similar hoax threats in the past have caused widespread disruption in schools, hospitals, airlines, and hotels across India, according to Xinhua.

Nine people lost their lives and eleven others were injured after a truck overloaded with mangoes overturned in Andhra Pradesh’s Annamayya district on Sunday night.

The lorry, carrying around 40 tons of mangoes with 20 workers seated on top, toppled in Pullampeta area of Annamayya district, about 387 km southwest of Amaravati, the capital city of Andhra Pradesh while trying to avoid an oncoming car. Many were crushed under falling crates, according to Xinhua.

Rescue teams and locals rushed to help. Police suspect overloading played a major role, though investigations are ongoing.

Minister of External Affairs of India Dr. S. Jaishankar met Chinese Vice President Han Zheng in Beijing on Monday, reaffirming India’s support for China’s presidency of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) — a key regional bloc focused on security, economic, and political cooperation, Firstpost reported.

He noted steady progress in India-China ties since the 2024 Modi-Xi meeting and welcomed the resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, calling it widely appreciated in India.

Amid global uncertainties, Jaishankar emphasized the need for open, honest dialogue between neighbours. He is also set to hold bilateral talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, according to Firstpost.

A flag-hoisting ceremony is set to take place at the Ram temple in Ayodhya in November with thousands of special guests expected to attend and Prime Minister Narendra Modi likely to be the chief guest.

An official of the temple trust, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told PTI that the Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra trust has shortlisted two dates in November for this significant event. Preparations for the ceremony are gaining momentum.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi might be present as the chief guest on this auspicious occasion,” the official said. According to sources within the temple, the Ram flag will be hoisted atop the 161-foot-high spire of the temple. In addition, flags will also be hoisted on the spires of all other temples within the complex, marking a major milestone towards the completion of the temple’s construction.

Anil Mishra, a trustee of the Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra told PTI, “The final program is still being prepared. As soon as it is ready, it will be shared.”

Temple sources further told PTI that the flag-hoisting ceremony is expected to be as grand as the consecration of Lord Ram. The trust is preparing an extensive guest list that includes saints, religious leaders, distinguished dignitaries and devotees from across India and abroad. The trust estimates that thousands of guests will witness this second historic occasion following the consecration ceremony of the deity Ram Lalla.

A senior official from the Ayodhya administration confirmed that preparations are in full swing to welcome the guests. The temple trust and the administrative machinery have started booking rooms in hotels, while arrangements are also being made in major dharamshalas and guest houses across the city, the official added. According to temple sources, astrologers are determining the most auspicious time for the ceremony in November. Discussions are underway to finalise one of the two proposed dates—Nov 16 or Nov 25.

Lord Vishnu took birth on earth in the Treta Yuga as a prince in the royal household of King Dashrath in Ayodhya (now, also referred to as Ram Janmabhoomi) to his first queen, Kaushalya. His eighth avatar was nothing short of a challenge as he endured all the hardships, despite being a man of great principles. Centuries have passed, but his life continues to inspire millions of people across the globe. And the man, blessed with divine powers was none other than Shri Rama, the one who is hailed as Maryada Purushottam. The story of Shri Rama’s birth is a fascinating one. Read on to know how the divine powers planned Lord Rama's arrival on earth.

At least nine people were killed and five others injured when part of the Gambhira Bridge collapsed in India’s western Gujarat state on Wednesday morning, sending vehicles plunging into the Mahisagar River.

The bridge, built in 1985 in Vadodara district, gave way unexpectedly, according to state officials. Rescue teams continue to search the river as recovery efforts remain ongoing, according to Al Jazeera.

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the tragedy “deeply saddening” and offered condolences to the victims’ families. Poor infrastructure safety has long troubled India, with a 2022 bridge collapse in Gujarat killing over 130 people.

Leaked audio verified by the BBC reveals that former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina authorised the use of lethal force against student-led protests last year. In the recording, Hasina is heard instructing security forces to “shoot wherever they find protesters.”

The protests, initially sparked by opposition to civil service job quotas, escalated into a mass movement that led to Hasina’s ousting after 15 years in power. UN investigators estimate up to 1,400 people were killed in the unrest, marking the worst violence in Bangladesh since the 1971 war.

Hasina, now in India, is being tried in absentia at a special tribunal for crimes against humanity. Prosecutors plan to use the leaked 18 July phone call as key evidence. Independent forensic analysis by the BBC and experts confirmed the recording’s authenticity and ruled out manipulation.

Despite denials from Hasina’s Awami League party, legal experts say the recording clearly establishes her direct role in the violent crackdown, BBC reported.

India has reported two new cases of Nipah virus in the southern state of Kerala, resulting in the death of an 18 year old girl and leaving a 38 year old woman in critical condition. The cases were confirmed by the National Institute of Virology, according to Xinhua.

The teenager, referred to a hospital in Kozhikode from Kottakkal, was declared brain-dead on arrival whereas other patient developed symptoms nearly 20 days ago and is undergoing treatment.

The resurgence of the virus has raised fresh concerns among health officials. The World Health Organization describes Nipah as a zoonotic virus that causes severe illness in humans, often leading to encephalitis, coma, and death, Xinhua reported.

BRICS has expanded from a forum of four emerging economies in 2006 to a bloc of 11 nations by 2024, positioning itself as a non-Western alternative for global economic cooperation. Originally conceived in 2001 by economist Jim O’Neill, the group includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, with recent additions aimed at strengthening multilateralism, according to Firstpost.

Key initiatives, such as the New Development Bank and alternative trade arrangements, have attempted to minimize dependency on Western-dominated institutions like the IMF and World Bank. However, the group faces increasing internal and external challenges.

Internally, China’s push to lead the bloc and align it with its larger anti-Western agenda backed by Russia has created worries, particularly among founding members like as India. Externally, US President Donald Trump has threatened 100 percent tariffs if the BRICS pursues dedollarization or introduces a common currency, Firstpost reported.

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, speaking at the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI) Summit in New Delhi, called for urgent reforms in global governance. He said legacy institutions are ill-equipped to address current challenges such as climate change, pandemics, terrorism, and cybersecurity, according to Firstpost.

Modi emphasized the need to amplify the voice of the Global South in international decision-making and highlighted the African Union’s inclusion as a permanent G20 member under India’s presidency as a step toward greater global equity.

England were held up by India captain Shubman Gill's patient century as their bowlers fought admirably on day one of the second Test at Edgbaston, BBC reported.

After captain Ben Stokes opted to bowl first again, his bowlers battled against Gill's calmness and another flat pitch to limit India to 310-5 at the close.

Chris Woakes bowled KL Rahul off the inside edge in a fine new-ball spell and Brydon Carse found extra bounce to have Karun Nair caught at slip for 31 shortly before lunch.

But opener Yashasvi Jaiswal complied an elegant 87 and after he was caught behind off Stokes, Rishabh Pant put on 47 with Gill as the new-ball zip faded in the Birmingham sunshine.

England hung in, however, and Pant's patience broke after tea when he hit Shoaib Bashir to long-on for 25. Nitish Kumar Reddy was bowled shouldering arms to Woakes in the next over, according to BBC.

That left India at risk of collapse but Gill remained unflustered and reached three figures for the second match in a row in 199 deliveries. He put on 99 with Ravindra Jadeja to see out the final 90 minutes of play.