External Affairs Minister Jaishankar Visits China to Mend Strained Ties
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar is in China for the first time in five years, marking a significant high-level effort to normalize relations strained since the 2020 border clashes. During a meeting with Chinese Vice President Han Zheng in Beijing, Jaishankar noted the steady improvement in ties since October and expressed confidence in maintaining the positive trajectory. The visit, which includes an SCO foreign ministers' meeting, comes after the Chinese embassy called the Dalai Lama's succession a "thorn" in bilateral relations.
US Threatens Russia with Tariffs, Pledges New Weapons Pipeline for Ukraine
President Donald Trump has threatened Russia with "very severe tariffs" if a peace deal for Ukraine is not reached within 50 days, marking a shift in his stance. The announcement came during a meeting with NATO's chief, where a new plan was also discussed for European allies to purchase US military equipment, including Patriot missiles, and transfer it to Ukraine. The move aims to pressure Moscow to negotiate an end to the war, which has seen escalating civilian casualties.
FAA and Boeing Defend Fuel Switches Amid Air India Crash Investigation
Following a fatal Air India Boeing 787 crash that killed 260 people, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Boeing have asserted that the aircraft's fuel control switch design is not an "unsafe condition." This comes after a preliminary Indian report highlighted that the fuel switches were cut off just after takeoff. Indian pilot associations have raised concerns about a potential bias towards pilot error in the investigation and are demanding a transparent, fact-based inquiry, with some considering legal action for inclusion in the probe.
Indian Railways to Install CCTV Cameras in All 74,000 Coaches
Indian Railways has announced a major passenger safety initiative to install CCTV cameras in all of its approximately 74,000 coaches and 15,000 locomotives nationwide. To protect privacy, cameras will be placed in common areas near doorways. Each coach will have four dome-type cameras, while locomotives will have six. The high-quality cameras are specified to provide clear footage even in low light and at speeds over 100 kmph, with potential for AI-based analysis to enhance security for millions of daily travelers.
Manipur Insurgents Modifying Looted Arms into Sniper Rifles, Officials Say
Security officials in Manipur report a dangerous escalation in the ongoing ethnic conflict, with insurgent groups from both Meitei and Kuki communities modifying looted police weapons into makeshift sniper rifles. By adding specialized telescopes and altering gun butts, they are increasing the range and lethality of standard .303 and assault rifles, enabling long-distance attacks. This development indicates a tactical shift in the conflict. Security forces have recently recovered hundreds of such modified weapons in raids across the state's valley and hill districts.
Aviation Regulator Orders Mandatory Checks on Boeing Jets' Fuel Switches
India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has ordered all airlines to inspect the fuel control switch locking mechanisms on their Boeing 787 and 737 aircraft by July 21. The directive follows a preliminary report on last month's fatal Air India crash, which found the fuel switches were cut off just after takeoff. The issue was flagged in a non-mandatory US FAA bulletin in 2018. The new order makes the checks compulsory, impacting over 150 aircraft in India.
Retail Inflation Eases to a 6-Year Low of 2.1% in June
India's headline retail inflation dropped to 2.1% in June, its lowest level in over six years, according to data from the National Statistics Office (NSO). The significant decline from May's 2.82% is attributed to a favorable base effect and falling prices for key food items like vegetables, pulses, and milk. Wholesale price inflation also entered negative territory. The cooling inflation provides relief to consumers and may influence the Reserve Bank of India's upcoming monetary policy decisions.
Supreme Court Upholds Five-Year Ban on Students Islamic Movement of India
The Supreme Court has dismissed a plea challenging a judicial tribunal's order that confirmed the five-year extension of the ban on the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI). A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta upheld the tribunal's July 2024 decision, which was constituted under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). The Centre had extended the ban in January 2024. SIMI was first declared an unlawful association in 2001, and the ban has been periodically extended since.
Centre Urges States to Launch Crackdown on Fake Fertilizers
Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has written to all Chief Ministers, urging them to take immediate and stringent action against the sale of counterfeit and substandard fertilizers. He stressed the need for consistent monitoring, systematic sampling, and strict legal action, including cancelling licenses and filing FIRs against offenders. Chouhan also called for an end to the forced tagging of nano-fertilisers with conventional ones and asked states to launch campaigns to educate farmers on identifying genuine products to protect their livelihoods.
Government Pushes for Health Warnings on Popular Indian Snacks
The Union Health Ministry is spearheading a campaign to put health warnings on popular Indian snacks like samosas and jalebis to combat rising obesity and lifestyle diseases. The initiative requires government departments and other bodies to display information on sugar, oil, and trans-fat content in their cafeterias. Starting with a pilot at AIIMS Nagpur, the goal is to expand the campaign nationwide, encouraging citizens to make more informed and healthier dietary choices.
Former Diplomat Shringla and 26/11 Prosecutor Nikam Among 4 Nominated to Rajya Sabha
President Droupadi Murmu has nominated four new members to the Rajya Sabha, filling vacancies in the upper house of Parliament. The nominees are former Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla, who was India’s G20 coordinator; Ujjwal Nikam, the special public prosecutor in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks case; historian and Padma Shri awardee Meenakshi Jain; and Kerala BJP leader C. Sadanandan Master. The nominations bring distinguished individuals from public service, law, academia, and social work into the Council of States.
Indian Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla Begins Return Journey from ISS
Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, India's first astronaut aboard the International Space Station (ISS), is preparing to return to Earth after a historic 18-day mission. The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft carrying Shukla and his three crewmates is scheduled to undock on Monday. During his stay, Shukla conducted over 60 scientific experiments, including microalgae research, and engaged in outreach activities. In a farewell message, he echoed Rakesh Sharma's famous words, saying that from space, today's ambitious and confident India looks 'Saare Jahan se Accha'.
Internet Suspended in Haryana's Nuh Ahead of Tense Religious Procession
The Haryana government has suspended mobile internet and bulk SMS services in Nuh district for 24 hours and deployed heavy security ahead of the Brij Mandal Jalabhishek Yatra. The precautionary measures aim to prevent a repeat of the deadly communal clashes that erupted during the same religious procession in 2023, which killed six people. Authorities have also banned the carrying of weapons, the use of drones, and the sale of meat along the procession route to maintain law and order.
Hungary's Oldest Library Races to Save 100,000 Books from Beetle Infestation
In Hungary, the 1,000-year-old Pannonhalma Archabbey is undertaking a massive preservation effort to save 100,000 historic books from a drugstore beetle infestation. Restorers are placing the books, some centuries old, into hermetically sealed bags filled with pure nitrogen for six weeks to suffocate the insects, which feed on the bookbinding glue. Experts believe the infestation was worsened by climate change, as rising temperatures allow the beetles to have more reproductive cycles annually, posing a growing threat to cultural heritage worldwide.
Indian Astronaut Completes Microgravity Experiments on International Space Station
Indian astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla has successfully completed all seven assigned microgravity experiments during his 18-day mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS). ISRO announced that the experiments, which included studies on tardigrades, myogenesis, and sprouting seeds, were all completed as planned. Shukla and the Axiom-4 mission crew have begun their return journey to Earth, marking a significant milestone for India's human spaceflight program and contributions to space-based scientific research.