TODAY NEWS ON July 11, 2025

Source: The print media ( The Hindu, Indian express and others )

Axiom-4 mission : Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla’s stay in ISS extended, NASA says crew to undock on July 14

Indian astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla who is part of the Axiom-4 (Ax-04) mission at the International Space Station (ISS) along with his three crew members are expected to undock from the orbiting laboratory on July 14, 2025. “Of course we are watching the station programme and watching the Axiom-4 mission carefully. Obviously we need to undock that mission, the targeted time to undock the mission is July 14,” said Steve Stich, manager, NASA Commercial Crew Program. Group Captain Shukla’s Ax-4 to the ISS was launched on June 25, 2025, from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Vadodara bridge collapse: Repeated warnings on poor condition of bridge were ignored, say activists

After at least 18 people were killed when a section of the Gambhira bridge over the Mahisagar river collapsed in Padra taluk of Gujarat’s Vadodara district, social activists, Opposition leaders and local residents have alleged that authorities ignored repeated warnings about the “dangerous condition” of the four-decade-old structure.

Aadhaar has been actively used for voter enrolment in earlier elections

Even as the Supreme Court on Thursday (July 10, 2025) asked the Election Commission of India (ECI) to include Aadhaar in the list of documents for enrolment during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar, a glance through the instructions issued by the poll panel for the SIR shows Aadhaar has been mentioned only once.

Maharashtra Assembly passes public security Bill; law won’t be misused: CM

The Maharashtra Assembly on Thursday (July 10, 2025) passed the Maharashtra Special Public Security Bill, 2024, aimed at preventing “unlawful activities of Left Wing Extremist organisations or similar groups”. The Bill will now be tabled in the Legislative Council.

MEA slams Punjab CM for mocking PM’s travels to Global South countries

The Government of India on Thursday (July 10, 2025) disassociated itself from the comments made by Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, where he mocked Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s just-concluded five-nation tour of countries with “population of 10,000” and for the awards he received there. In a sternly worded statement, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) objected to the comments made by a “high state authority about India’s relations with friendly countries from the Global South”.

J&K High Court seeks MHA response on long-term visa status of deported Pakistan woman

The Jammu and Kashmir High Court on Thursday (July 10, 2025) sought a response from the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) regarding the status of the long-term visa (LTV) application of a 62-year-old housewife who was deported to Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack.

NITI Aayog suggests reduced ‘core’ grant support for State S&T bodies

The NITI Aayog has recommended that the Department of Science and Technology (DST) cut its ‘core grant support’ for State Science and Technology Councils and pare them down to ‘project-based support’. The recommendations are part of a report, ‘Roadmap for Strengthening State Science and Technology Councils’, made public on Thursday (July 10, 2025).

Maharashtra introduces bill to ‘curb’ Left-wing extremism

The Maharashtra government introduced a revised draft of the Special Public Security Bill aimed at curbing ‘left-wing extremist organisations’ in the Assembly on Thursday (July 10, 2025). Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, introducing the Bill in the Assembly, said that the Bill is necessary to contain Maoism in the State. He said that while at least four districts in the State were affected by Left Wing extremism earlier, only two taluks are now affected. He said that such organisations are against the Constitution of India. Mr. Fadnavis said more than 12,500 suggestions received from the public have been taken into consideration while finalising the Bill. It includes provisions for an ‘Advisory Board’, which will be headed by the Chief Justice of the High Court or a retired Chief Justice.

Supreme Court posts plea on July 14 seeking government help to save Nimisha Priya awaiting execution in Yemen

The Supreme Court on Thursday (July 10, 2025) agreed to hear on Monday (July 14, 2025) an organisation fighting to save the life of a Malayali nurse, Nimisha Priya, whose execution has been tentatively fixed for July 16 by the Republic of Yemen for the murder of a local man there. A Bench of Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and Joymalya Bagchi, meanwhile, asked ‘Nimisha Priya — International Action Council’, the organisation represented by senior advocate Raghenth Basant and advocate Subhash Chandran KR, to immediately serve an advance copy of their plea to the office of the Attorney General of India to facilitate any diplomatic efforts, if possible, to protect her from the gallows. The execution of Ms. Priya is reportedly scheduled for July 16 and Directs the petitioner organisation to serve an advance copy of their petition to the AG office for possible early diplomatic interventions.

Magnitude 4.4 earthquake hits Haryana, tremors felt in Delhi-NCR

An earthquake of magnitude 4.4 struck near Jhajjar in Haryana on Thursday (July 10, 2025), sending tremors across the Delhi-NCR region. The epicentre was 3 km northeast of Jhajjar and 51 km west of Delhi. The earthquake struck at a depth of 10 km at 9.04 a.m., the National Centre for Seismology said. Besides Jhajjar, the tremors were felt in neighbouring Rohtak and Gurugram districts, Panipat, Hisar and Meerut. In Delhi, panic gripped neighbourhoods soon after the tremors were felt and people gathered in the open.

Indian team to visit U.S. again to seek clarity, further negotiate on trade deal

An Indian team of negotiators will be travelling to the U.S. once again to seek clarity regarding several of the U.S.’ most recent announcements, including a proposed 10% tariff on BRICS countries, as well as to continue negotiations for a mini deal and an overall Bilateral Investment Treaty. According to sources and trade experts, the prospect of a BRICS tax despite tariff letters having already been sent to several BRICS countries calls into question the sanctity of a trade agreement with the U.S. A government official confirmed to The Hindu that India was going to seek additional clarity on this. “We are engaged with the U.S. team virtually, and an Indian team will be heading to the U.S. soon,” the official said. “Along with clarity on this, negotiations will continue on the mini deal as well as the overall Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA).”

U.N. urges U.S. to reverse sanctions on expert over Gaza criticism

The UN called on Washington on Thursday (July 10, 2025) to reverse its decision to sanction a U.N. expert who has repeatedly accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza and has criticised U.S. policy on the war there.

Kremlin says the Ukraine peace process has not stalled

The Kremlin said on Thursday (July 10, 2025) that Russia did not think peace talks on Ukraine had stalled despite Donald Trump’s remarks about Russian President Vladimir Putin and Washington’s resumption of some weapons to Ukraine. Earlier, Mr. Trump said that he was not happy with Mr. Putin and accused the Kremlin chief of throwing “a lot of bullshit”. The United States is delivering artillery shells and mobile rocket artillery missiles to Ukraine, two U.S. officials told Reuters. Asked by Reuters if the peace process on Ukraine was stalled due to Mr. Trump’s remarks and the resumption of U.S. weapons deliveries, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters: “No, I don’t think so. You cannot say that.”

Bangladesh ex-PM Sheikh Hasina formally indicted in crimes against humanity case

Bangladesh’s deposed Premier Sheikh Hasina was on Thursday (July 10, 2025) formally indicted in a crimes against humanity case by the country’s International Crimes Tribunal, media reports said. The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) ordered a crimes against humanity case against the ousted Prime Minister, former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan and former Inspector General of Police Abdullah Al Mamun for their attempts to suppress the July-August student-led protests last year. Mr. Mamun has pleaded guilty and petitioned to turn state’s witness in the case, according to the bdnews24 news portal.

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen comfortably survives confidence vote

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen comfortably survived a vote of no confidence on Thursday (July 10, 2025), as an overwhelming number of European Union (EU) lawmakers rejected a censure motion against her. The motion contained a mix of allegations against Ms. Von der Leyen, including text messaging privately with the chief executive of vaccine maker Pfizer during the COVID-19 pandemic, misuse of EU funds and interference in elections in Germany and Romania. The motion was defeated in a 360-175 vote against it, with 18 lawmakers choosing to abstain during a plenary session at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France.

Sachin Tendulkar’s portrait unveiled in MCC Museum at Lord’s

A portrait of the legendary Sachin Tendulkar was unveiled in the MCC Museum at Lord’s before the start of the third Test between India and England in London on Thursday (July 10, 2025). The portrait, which has been painted by Stuart Pearson Wright from a photograph taken by the artist at his home 18 years ago, will remain in the MCC Museum until later this year and will then be relocated to the Pavilion. “As the work progressed, so did Pearson Wright’s approach, eventually ending with oil on abraded aluminium. The abstract background illustrates Tendulkar’s timelessness, unrestricted by any era or specific location,” a release said.