India and the United States are moving closer to finalising the first tranche of a bilateral trade agreement, but an Indian trade official said the deal can only be concluded after Washington completes its Section 301 unfair trade practices investigation. India is seeking assurances that it will not face additional US tariffs after the agreement is signed. The issue is significant because the temporary 10% US tariffs expire on July 24, after which MFN tariffs would apply. The Trump administration has also proposed 12.5% tariffs on India and 53 other countries following a USTR probe. Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said negotiations are progressing rapidly, with both sides targeting a mid-July implementation timeline. (PC: X)

At least seven people were killed and nine others injured after a minibus carrying Indian workers collided with a truck on Emirates Road in Dubai. According to Dubai Police, the truck had reportedly stopped in the middle of the road due to a technical fault when the bus crashed into it from behind. Authorities said five of the injured sustained serious injuries, while four suffered moderate wounds and were shifted to hospital for treatment. The Indian Consulate in Dubai expressed grief over the tragedy, confirmed assistance for affected nationals, and said officials had visited the injured. Investigators are examining the exact circumstances that led to the crash. (PC: Reuters)

India has issued a fresh travel advisory urging citizens to avoid travelling to Iran and advising those already in the country to leave immediately through available transport options. The advisory follows renewed hostilities between Iran and Israel, marked by missile exchanges and retaliatory strikes. The Indian Embassy in Tehran reiterated its earlier warning, citing the deteriorating regional security situation. The escalation saw Iran launch ballistic missiles toward Israel, followed by Israeli strikes on military targets in western and central Iran. Explosions were also reported in Beirut, while the United States issued security alerts in Jordan. The developments have heightened concerns over stability and civilian safety across the region.

A Germany-based engineer, Sushant, sparked an online discussion after sharing five aspects of German workplace culture that surprised him. He noted that employees address everyone, including CEOs, by their first names instead of using titles like “sir” or “madam.” Meetings typically end once the agenda is completed, while lunch breaks are treated as protected personal time. Vacations are respected, with employees considered fully unavailable and not expected to respond to work messages. Sick leave is also taken seriously, without guilt or repeated questioning. Reflecting on his adjustment, Sushant said he still occasionally says “sir” out of habit. The post triggered wider comparisons between Indian and European workplace norms. (PC: HT)

India and the United States are moving closer to a bilateral trade agreement, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said on Sunday. He expressed confidence that the deal would be finalised despite the US launching a Section 301 investigation into alleged unfair trade practices by several countries, including India. “We will protect India’s interests, and I am very confident that the deal will come through,” Goyal said. He added that US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer is expected to visit India within two weeks for further talks. The minister said negotiations are in the final stage and remained hopeful that a mutually beneficial agreement would be reached soon. (PC: PTI)

An Indian-origin woman in the UK has won a 6.6 million pounds (around Rs 85 crore) settlement after a 23-year-long divorce case. Varsha Gohil had divorced her husband, Bhadresh Gohil, in 2002 and initially received a much smaller settlement. Years later, a criminal investigation revealed that her ex-husband had hidden assets linked to money laundering activities. The discoveries led to the reopening of the divorce case. A UK court ruled that part of the wealth was legitimate marital property and awarded it to Varsha. The Court of Appeal recently ended all further appeals, closing the case.

All 24 Indian crew members on an oil tanker were safely rescued after a fire broke out near the Omani coast on Monday. The vessel was operating close to the Strait of Hormuz, an important global shipping route. Earlier reports said the tanker sent an SOS signal after it was reportedly hit by a projectile. The Directorate General of Shipping confirmed that all crew members are safe and no injuries were reported. Maritime authorities have started an investigation to find the cause of the fire. Indian officials are in contact with local agencies and are monitoring the situation closely. (PC: MarineTraffic)

India on Monday expressed deep concern over the renewed military escalation between Israel and Iran, calling for an immediate de-escalation of tensions in West Asia. In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs said the fresh attacks were a matter of serious concern and urged all sides to avoid actions that could worsen the conflict.   The government highlighted the heavy humanitarian and economic costs of the prolonged crisis, saying the conflict has caused significant suffering and affected global energy supplies. India also called for the protection of civilians and urged all parties to continue diplomatic negotiations to restore peace and stability in the region. (PC: HT)

Indian-origin entrepreneurs have emerged as the leading immigrant founders of billion-dollar startups in the United States, according to a report by the National Foundation for American Policy (NFAP). The study found that Indian-born founders have started or co-founded 96 US unicorns, the highest number among all immigrant groups.   India ranked ahead of Israel (60), the United Kingdom (47), China (41) and Canada (30). The report said immigrants founded or co-founded 455 of the 775 US unicorns, accounting for 59% of the country's billion-dollar startups.   Among the notable companies is AI startup Perplexity, co-founded by Indian-origin entrepreneur Aravind Srinivas. The report highlights the growing role of the Indian diaspora in driving innovation, job creation and entrepreneurship across the US technology sector. (PC: The Indian Express)

Indian travellers visiting Cambodia can now make payments using UPI-enabled QR codes at more than 4.5 million merchant locations across the country. The service was launched through a partnership between NPCI International Payments Limited and ACLEDA Bank. The move will allow Indian tourists to pay digitally without carrying large amounts of cash. Officials said the next phase will enable Cambodian travellers to use their local payment apps in India. Cambodia is now the ninth country to accept UPI payments, joining Singapore, the UAE, France, Mauritius, Nepal, Bhutan, Qatar and Sri Lanka in the growing UPI network. (PC: Pexels)