Nepal has formally requested India to recognise its biometric National Identity (NID) card as a valid travel document for cross-border journeys, alongside passports and citizenship certificates. The proposal has been sent to New Delhi through diplomatic channels and is awaiting India's response. Nepal says the secure biometric card, which includes fingerprints, facial images and iris scans, will simplify travel by land and air as the country gradually phases out citizenship certificates. More than 4.5 million Nepalis have received the card so far. Officials from both countries have also discussed improving cross-border travel records and coordination. (PC: NDTV)

A merchant vessel carrying 4 Indian nationals was struck at Ukraine's Odesa Port, the Indian Embassy in Kyiv confirmed on Sunday. The embassy said 2 crew members are safe, while information about the remaining 2 is still awaited. The vessel, MV AGN Ragnar, was hit on Saturday at the Black Sea port, which has faced repeated attacks since the Russia-Ukraine war began in 2022. The Indian mission said it is closely monitoring the situation. The incident comes days after 4 Indian seafarers were killed in another strike at Odesa, prompting India to issue a fresh safety advisory for those working on vessels in the Black Sea. (PC: X)

The Trump administration suffered a legal setback after a US federal appeals court refused to revive its proposed $100,000 fee on new H-1B visa applications for highly skilled foreign workers. The administration had introduced the steep fee increase as part of its effort to discourage companies from hiring foreign workers instead of Americans. The court's decision blocks the proposal from moving forward, providing relief to employers and prospective H-1B applicants, including thousands of Indian professionals who rely on the programme for employment in the United States. The ruling means the proposed fee will not be implemented unless further legal or policy changes occur, easing uncertainty surrounding new H-1B applications.2. (PC: The Indian Express)

UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham has reshuffled his Cabinet. Three Indian-origin Labour MPs got front-bench posts. Kanishka Narayan is now Minister for Artificial Intelligence. Satvir Kaur and Harpreet Uppal also got key roles. With Uma Kumaran, a junior Foreign Office minister, the front bench now has two Hindu and two Sikh ministers. Seema Malhotra and Preet Kaur Gill, both close to former PM Keir Starmer, moved to the backbenches. Lisa Nandy stays on as Culture Secretary. Narayan was born in Bihar. Kaur's parents ran a saree shop in Southampton. Uppal once worked on Burnham's mayoral campaign.

A 23-year-old woman from Punjab, Damanpreet Kaur, was allegedly strangled to death at her home in Edmonton, Canada. Police have arrested her 22-year-old Indian-origin live-in partner, Ritish Kumar, and charged him with second-degree murder. Kaur was taken to hospital after officers found her with suspicious injuries on July 9. She died on July 12. Police said, “The case is being treated as an intimate partner homicide.” An autopsy confirmed she died from strangulation. Kaur had moved to Canada nearly five years ago on a student visa. A fundraiser is helping bring her body back to India. (PC: GoFundMe)

1 Indian sailor was killed after the commercial ship MV OMORFI came under attack in the Black Sea on July 18, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said. 2 other Indian crew members on board are safe. The ship had 10 crew members, including three Indians. The MEA said the Indian Embassy in Moscow is helping the family of the deceased. "India unequivocally condemns such attacks targeting commercial shipping," the ministry said. It also expressed concern over growing threats to global shipping and urged all sides to ensure the safety of civilian vessels and uninterrupted international trade.

Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk rejected allegations of racism during an interview with The Economist, citing his personal and professional life. Musk said his partner, Shivon Zilis, is half-Indian and that one of their four children bears the middle name Sekhar, honouring Indian-American Nobel laureate Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar. He added that his companies employ senior executives “of all races” and insisted, “I’m not a racist.” Musk also admitted he “got carried away” while leading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) under the Trump administration, saying he should have focused more on his companies. He also defended his immigration views and reiterated criticism of Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey casting.

A Mozambique-flagged LPG tanker carrying 28 Indian crew members came under attack in Iranian territorial waters on Friday amid escalating Iran-US tensions. The Indian Embassy in Tehran confirmed the incident, identifying the vessel as DISHA, and said all 28 Indian nationals on board are safe. The embassy added that it is in close contact with Iranian authorities and is closely monitoring the situation. Officials have not disclosed the extent of damage to the tanker or identified those responsible for the attack. The incident has heightened concerns over the safety of commercial shipping in the region as hostilities between Iran and the United States continue to intensify. (PC: News18)

An Indian sailor was killed after commercial vessel MV Omorfi came under attack while transiting the Black Sea on July 18, prompting India to strongly condemn attacks on commercial shipping. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the ship was sailing in Russian territorial waters with 10 crew members, including three Indian nationals. One Indian died in the attack, while the two others are safe. India said its mission in Russia is assisting the victim's family and urged all parties to protect civilian seafarers, maritime navigation and global trade. The incident follows another deadly strike on MV Golden Leo, where four Indian sailors were killed and one critically injured.

India on Friday strongly objected to China's continued activities in parts of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, saying Beijing is undertaking projects on Indian territory under its illegal occupation. Responding to media queries, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said China has remained in illegal occupation of Indian territory in Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh since 1963, and India has consistently conveyed its objections. He reiterated that India respects China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, but Beijing has not reciprocated. The remarks followed External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar's statement that India, not China, has legitimate sovereignty concerns. New Delhi also reiterated its opposition to Chinese projects in Pakistan-occupied Jammu & Kashmir.