After finishing engagements at the BRICS summit in Johannesburg, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will travel to Athens on 25 August for an official visit at the invitation of the Greek PM. Modi will be the first Indian PM in 40 years to visit Greece, with the last visit being in 1983. In Athens, Modi will lay a wreath at the 'Tomb of the Unknown Soldier' and interact with the Indian diaspora. Modi's historic visit after four decades highlights the importance India places on strengthening its bilateral relations with Greece.

Mumbai man Mangesh Ghogre has earned a rare 'Einstein Visa' to the United States thanks to his extraordinary skill at solving crossword puzzles. Mangesh, an investment banker, is one of the elite few to receive the EB-1 'genius' visa for those with exceptional talents. The visa is nicknamed after Albert Einstein. To qualify, individuals must demonstrate great distinction in fields like science, business or arts. Ghogre's uncanny crossword expertise was deemed sufficient to join the ranks of Einstein visa recipients. He can now reside and work in the US due to his puzzling prowess. The EB-1 is an immigration pathway for individuals with skills that can substantially benefit the United States. Mangesh Ghogre's case highlights crossword mastery in the rarefied realm of Einstein visa qualifications.

While India's successful Chandrayaan-3 moon mission drew praise worldwide, some UK journalists sparked controversy with remarks seen as envious and colonialist. After congratulating India's lunar feat, news presenter Patrick Christys suggested Britain should withhold aid money and instead spend it on British taxpayers. He argued for a policy against assisting countries with established space programmes. His views provoked backlash from Indians, who tweeted that the UK stole over £45 trillion from India during colonial rule, leaving it poor. One user said India has now overtaken Britain's economy regardless. Another added the aid money should be subtracted from what the UK looted historically. Journalist Sophie Corcoran echoed halting aid to advanced spacefaring countries like India. The comments faced accusations of racism and jealousy at India's achievements.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the BRICS Business Forum leaders' dialogue in Johannesburg, South Africa on Tuesday as part of the 15th BRICS Summit. In his address, PM Modi pitched India as an economic growth engine for the world, emphasising its rapid development and efforts to modernise infrastructure. He stated India places great importance on BRICS cooperation on issues concerning developing countries globally. Earlier, Modi said the summit would enable BRICS members to identify new areas for collaboration. He will also participate in the main BRICS summit on August 24 after the business forum and leaders' retreat. The PM's visit highlights India's prominent role within the bloc.

US President Joe Biden will travel to India from 7 to 10 September to attend the G20 Leaders' Summit in New Delhi, the White House announced. Biden and G20 partners will discuss joint efforts on issues including the clean energy transition, combatting climate change, mitigating Ukraine war impacts, and poverty reduction. The President will also commend PM Modi's G20 leadership and reaffirm America's commitment to the forum, including by hosting it in 2026. While in India, Biden will emphasise the importance of the US-India partnership on major global challenges. The visit highlights the significance Washington places on ties with New Delhi and its role in the Indo-Pacific.

A viral Twitter thread by software engineer Aanshul Sadaria explains why he turned down opportunities to move to the US. He reveals many assume Indian techies aspire to go abroad, and not doing so can seem lacking competence. However, Sadaria articulates motivations behind committing to an India-based career over the "American Dream". He lost his father in 2021 and wanted to stay close to family, prioritising relationships over leaving home. When asked if he'd ever move to the US in future, Sadaria says maybe to experience the work culture as he loves travel, but would ultimately settle back in India. His perspective challenges assumptions and highlights family priorities.

Bollywood actor Sunny Deol recently attended a special screening of 'Gadar 2' in London as the film continues its successful box office run. Deol said the original 'Gadar', released over 20 years ago, connected deeply with audiences. He was initially hesitant about making a sequel but the story idea during COVID-19 convinced him and the team to revisit the classic. Speaking about future plans, Deol said he wants to cherish 'Gadar 2''s moment and carefully choose his next step. He aims to do cinema that provides larger than life experiences and values, which much of today's films lack. Deol wants subjects that can light up the silver screen again.

The India Club in London, a historic landmark tied to Krishna Menon and the Indian independence movement, is closing permanently on September 17 after a decade-long eviction fight. Owners Yadgar and Phiroza Marker who have been running the place for the last 26 years, regretfully announced the closure last week. The club held deep cultural and emotional significance for Indians in the UK. But freeholders Marston Properties plan to gut the premises and replace it with a luxury hotel. The club’s demise represents the loss of an institution cherished by generations of Indians in Britain.

An Indian couple, Yogesh Nagarajappa and Prathiba Amarnath, their 6-year-old son Yash Honnal from Karnataka were found dead with gunshot wounds in their Baltimore county home last Friday in an apparent murder-suicide. Police responded to a welfare check at the Baltimore County residence. The family members were reportedly last seen alive on Tuesday evening, police said, adding that an autopsy would be conducted by the Office of the Chief Medical Officer to determine the manner and cause of death. Local officials expressed condolences for the tragic loss of innocent life. Police assured no threat to surrounding communities.

Germany's Federal Minister for Digitalisation Volker Wissing used India's Unified Payments Interface (UPI) during a recent visit and was fascinated by the experience. The German Embassy in India praised India's digital infrastructure, calling UPI one of the country's success stories. Wissing was seen in photos and video using UPI to pay a vegetable seller. The Embassy tweeted that UPI enables instant transactions for millions of Indians, and Wissing was able to experience its simplicity first-hand. His positive experience highlights how India's world-class digital payment system is gaining global recognition.