The Editors Guild of India (EGI) Thursday said it “deplores attempts by a section of MEA officials to explain away Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s unwillingness to address unscripted press conferences at home or abroad by stating that, as a successful politician, Prime Minister Modi prefers to communicate directly with his largely rural electorate.”

The India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), under which 99 per cent of Indian goods entering the UK and 90 per cent of UK goods entering India will either be duty-free or attract reduced tariffs.

Sport

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has approved a comprehensive overhaul of its men’s global tournament structure, introducing new formats for the men’s ODI World Cup and men’s T20 World Cup to make every match more competitive and meaningful.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino is facing a complaint over alleged political neutrality breaches, with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) asked to investigate his ties to US President Donald Trump, including his role in a controversial World Cup red-card decision.

Business

For the first time, the retirement fund body Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has credited the interest for its nearly 35 crore member accounts on July 15, way ahead of last year’s disbursement completion in September.

The Union Cabinet approved the construction of two elevated highway corridors worth Rs 25,446 crore along the rivers Varuna and Ganga in Varanasi. The projects come amid mounting congestion in the city, exacerbated by the government’s push to promote religious tourism.

World

Two boats with 500 people aboard may have capsized off Myanmar’s coast ‌in recent days, said UN agencies, as the refugees attempted dangerous sea crossings in search of safety and better living conditions.

US Vice President JD Vance has acknowledged that the Trump administration “absolutely screwed up” its handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files, conceding that the delayed and confusing release fuelled public distrust. At the same time, Vance made fresh claims that the late convicted sex offender had connections to “the highest levels” of both American and Israeli intelligence, though he did not provide evidence to support the allegation.

Education

New Zealand will introduce a series of changes to its Pathway Student Visa (PSV) from July 20, expanding study options for international students by extending English language study, widening eligible study pathways, and easing visa conditions for students progressing through different levels of education.

Private medical colleges have added far more seats than government colleges this year, with Karnataka alone accounting for the single largest increase among all states and emerging as the state with the highest number of medical seats in the country.