A United Nations wildlife trade body, CITES, has decided not to restrict India from importing endangered species, overturning an earlier recommendation to curb such imports following an investigation into the Ambani-run Vantara Zoo. Concerns were raised by Germany and the EU after discrepancies emerged in trade data, and questions were raised about the origins of some animals. Several countries including India, the U.S., Japan, and Brazil opposed the ban, calling it premature and unsupported by strong evidence, prompting CITES to revoke the stricter measure. (PC: X)

At the Dubai Air Show, the Russian Knights aerobatic team paid a moving tribute to Wing Commander Namansh Syal, the Indian Air Force pilot who died when his Tejas jet crashed during a demonstration. A Russian pilot shared a heartfelt message, calling the moments after the tragedy “difficult to describe,” and said their performance was flown “in memory of our brothers who did not return.” The gesture underlines deep camaraderie among aviators even across national boundaries.

Mossad says it has broken up a major Hamas terror network operating in Europe. The agency claims the group planned attacks in countries such as Germany and Austria on orders from senior Hamas leaders. Several operatives were arrested, and hidden weapons, including handguns and explosives, were found in Vienna. Mossad says the weapons belonged to Muhammad Na’im, son of senior Hamas official Basem Na’im. The agency also claims Hamas leaders in Turkey and Qatar were involved in guiding these plots. Investigations are still on, and officials say the network aimed to target Israeli and Jewish civilians once instructed to act. (PC: India Today)

  On the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Johannesburg, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Australia’s Anthony Albanese and Canada’s Mark Carney to announce a new trilateral Australia-Canada-India Technology & Innovation (ACITI) Partnership. The alliance will deepen cooperation in emerging technologies, clean energy, AI, and resilient supply chains, including critical minerals. Its aim: to foster sustainable development, bolster democratic tech collaboration, and meet in early 2026 to begin concrete action. (PC: Mint)

At the G20 Summit in Johannesburg, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged a radical rethink of global development, proposing six new G20-led initiatives rooted in India’s civilisational philosophy of “Integral Humanism.” His plan includes a Global Traditional Knowledge Repository, an Africa Skills Multiplier Initiative, a Global Healthcare Response Team, a Drug-Terror Nexus Countering Initiative, an Open Satellite Data Partnership, and a Critical Minerals Circularity Initiative. Modi stressed that conventional growth models have often excluded people and harmed nature, calling for development that is inclusive, sustainable, and deeply rooted in human values. (PC: AP)

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor lauded the White House meeting between former US President Donald Trump and New York Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, calling their post-election civility a model for democratic politics. He tweeted that rivals should “fight passionately” during elections but “cooperate in the common interests of the nation” once the votes are counted. The BJP, meanwhile, welcomed his remark — using it to chide Congress leadership. Spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala said Tharoor’s post was a “cryptic” reminder to his own party to prioritise India over the Gandhi family. (PC: AFP)

At the first-ever 2025 G20 Summit hosted on African soil, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for a redefinition of global development and launched three major initiatives including: a Global Traditional Knowledge Repository, a G20-Africa Skills Multiplier aiming to train one million trainers, and a G20 initiative to counter the drug-terror nexus. He emphasized inclusive growth, particularly for regions historically underserved, and highlighted India’s civilizational values and sustainable growth frameworks. India’s proposals arrive amid a looming U.S. absence and shifting global alliances. (PC: X)

The G20 Summit in Johannesburg concluded with the adoption of a joint declaration, despite a U.S. boycott, emphasizing multilateralism and the urgency of climate change.Prime Minister Narendra Modi proposed three major initiatives: a G20 Initiative on Countering the Drug–Terror Nexus, a Global Healthcare Response Team for emergencies, and the Africa Skills Multiplier Initiative to train one million African professionals. On the sidelines, PM Modi announced the Australia-Canada-India Technology and Innovation (ACITI) Partnership and met with UN Chief Guterres and British PM Starmer. European leaders also discussed peace plans for Ukraine. (PC: Reuters)

An Indian Air Force Tejas fighter jet crashed during the Dubai Airshow on Friday, killing the pilot. The jet was performing a barrel roll when it appeared to lose balance and dropped too close to the ground. Experts said the aircraft may not have had enough height or speed to pull up again. Some also suggested the possibility of an engine flameout. The crash is only the second in Tejas’s 24-year history. The incident came a day after the government dismissed rumours of an oil leak in the same jet. The IAF has not yet confirmed the exact cause. (PC: India Today)

A US commission has said that China used the India-Pakistan conflict in May to test its modern weapons in real combat. The US-China Economic and Security Review Commission reported that China deployed systems like the HQ-9 air defence, PL-15 missiles, and J-10 fighter jets during the four-day clash. The report said China used the moment to promote its defence technology and later offered advanced jets and missile systems to Pakistan. It also accused China of running a disinformation campaign to harm Rafale jet sales. China denied all claims, calling the report biased. The conflict ended with a ceasefire on May 10. (PC: AFP)