India will recommence issuing tourist visas to Chinese citizens starting July 24, 2025, after a five-year suspension triggered by the 2020 Galwan border clashes and COVID-19 disruptions . This marks the first issuance of such visas since 2020, following a gradual diplomatic thaw—Beijing resumed student and business visas in 2022, and direct flights were reinstated in March 2025 . The Indian embassy in China confirmed that applications will be accepted via online form followed by in-person document submission at visa centers in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou . Chinese officials welcomed the move, calling it a “positive” step to enhance people-to-people ties.  

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in London on July 23 for a two-day official visit, aimed at signing the long-awaited India–UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA). He will meet UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer to discuss economic, defence, climate, tech, and education ties under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. The FTA will make 99% of Indian exports to the UK duty-free, benefitting key sectors like textiles, pharma, and auto parts. Bilateral trade hit USD 55 billion in 2024, up 10% from 2023. Modi and Starmer have met twice in the past year. Modi heads to Maldives next for maritime cooperation talks. (PC: X/Narendra Modi)

Over 100 humanitarian and rights groups, including MSF, Save the Children, and Oxfam, have warned of mass starvation in Gaza, with people and aid workers "wasting away." Gaza's health ministry reported 43 malnutrition-related deaths since Sunday. The UN says nearly 100,000 women and children suffer from severe acute malnutrition. With aid blocked, markets bare, and prices soaring, doctors report children dying from starvation. Aid groups blame Israel’s blockade and accuse it of killing over 1,050 Palestinians seeking food. Israel denies targeting civilians and blames UN agencies for delivery failures, despite 4,500 lorries entering Gaza over two months, including baby food. (PC: BBC)

Israel and Ukraine have agreed to begin talks focused on countering the "threat" posed by Iran, marking closer ties between the two nations. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga called Iran an "existential threat" at a Kyiv press conference with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, the most senior Israeli official to visit Ukraine since 2023. Both countries accuse Iran—Russia's ally—of destabilizing actions, including supplying drones to Moscow. Saar thanked Ukraine for opposing Iranian nuclear ambitions, while Kyiv backed Israel’s recent bombing of Iranian sites. The new dialogue aims to address shared security concerns and limit Iran's military and technological capabilities. (PC: NDTV)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in London for a two-day UK visit (23–24 July), aiming to finalize the long-awaited India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA). The deal, under negotiation for three years, could eliminate tariffs on 99% of Indian exports and 90% of UK goods, doubling bilateral trade to USD 120 billion by 2030. PM Modi will meet UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and King Charles III, with talks covering defence, AI, semiconductors, and climate. India is also expected to raise concerns over Khalistani extremism in the UK. The Ministry of External Affairs hailed the visit as a “new chapter” in ties.

Monsoon-triggered disasters have claimed 76 lives and left 34 missing in Himachal Pradesh since June 22, officials reported. Torrential rains have caused 40 flash floods, 23 cloudbursts, and 25 landslides, resulting in an estimated loss of ₹1,247 crore. As of Wednesday, 385 roads, including National Highways 70 and 707, remain shut due to landslides, with 252 closures in Mandi alone. Additionally, 263 power transformers and 220 water supply schemes are affected. Light to moderate rainfall continued across the state, with Manali recording 57 mm. The State Emergency Operation Centre is coordinating relief efforts amid ongoing disruptions. (PC: HT)

Dr. Salvador Plasencia, 43, has pleaded guilty in a Los Angeles court to four counts of ketamine distribution linked to the death of actor Matthew Perry. While Plasencia did not provide the fatal dose, he supplied Perry with ketamine in the weeks before the "Friends" star was found dead in October 2023. The doctor admitted buying the drug from another physician and selling it at inflated prices. Sentencing is set for December 3, with Plasencia facing up to 40 years in prison. The case involves five individuals, including the alleged “Ketamine Queen,” Jasveen Sangha, who has pleaded not guilty. (PC: NDTV)

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has ruled that countries can sue each other for climate change damages, including historic emissions. Though non-binding, the opinion allows climate-vulnerable nations like Vanuatu and the Marshall Islands to seek compensation for loss and damage caused by rising seas and extreme weather. The case was initiated by Pacific Island students and supported by dozens of developing nations. The court also warned that failing to act ambitiously breaches the Paris Agreement. Legal experts call it a “historic affirmation” of the right to climate justice. The ruling could influence national courts globally. (PC: BBC)

India's Rishabh Pant was taken to a hospital in Manchester after a painful injury on Day 1 of the 4th Test against England. A yorker from Chris Woakes struck his right toe, causing bleeding and swelling. Pant, in visible pain, could not stand and was taken off the field in an ambulance. He had scored 37 runs before the injury. The BCCI confirmed scans are underway and the medical team is monitoring him. Head coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Shubman Gill are concerned. If ruled out, it will be a big blow for India, already trailing 1-2 in the series. (PC: PTI)

Two UK families received the wrong bodies of loved ones who died in the June 12 Air India crash in Ahmedabad. A lawyer said one coffin held the remains of two different people, while another had no match with the family’s DNA. The bodies were sent in sealed coffins after DNA tests by a government hospital. Air India had no role in the mix-up. India’s Foreign Ministry said proper rules were followed. A full inquiry is being sought. The crash killed 260 people. Some bodies were quickly buried in India, while 12 were sent to the UK for funerals. (PC: India Today)