US Navy chief Admiral John Richardson said his recent visit to India was a "critical opportunity" to strengthen ties between the two navies and sharing views on a multilateral approach in maintaining maritime domain awareness in the strategic Indo-Pacific region.

Richardson, who was on a three-day visit to India, met his Indian counterpart Admiral Sunil Lanba and other senior officers and discussed joint exercises between the two navies amid rising Chinese influence in the Indo-Pacific region.

He told reporters in Washington that both the countries have explored ways to make the growing relationship between the US Navy and the Indian Navy "more vibrant". 

Commandos of the National Security Guard, NSG, scaled the Mount Everest, the world's highest peak, in their maiden attempt. 

The NSG  in a statement said in New Delhi today that a seven-member team led by Lt Col J P Kumar, successfully unfurled the Indian flag at the 8,848-metre tall peak at about 7 am today. The team adopted the southeastern approach via South Col in Solukhumbhu region of Nepal.

NSG Director General Sudeep Lakhtakia congratulated the team, saying "Everest demands doggedness, tenacity, perseverance, courage and multiple skills to survive in toughest conditions. 

US President Donald Trump has rolled out a merit-based immigration system from which foreigners, including hundreds and thousands of Indian professionals and skilled workers, waiting to get Green Cards or permanent legal residency stand to benefit. He made the announcement in his Rose Garden speech yesterday. 

President Trump said under the proposed system permanent legal residency would be given based on points for their age, knowledge, job opportunities and civic sense. 

The proposals significantly increase the quota for skilled workers from the existing nearly 12 per cent to 57 per cent. Besides, immigrants will be required to learn English and pass a civics exam prior to admission.

In Saudi Arabia, authorities have granted exit visas to 450 stranded Indian workers and their repatriation will begin soon. 

This was announced by India's Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Dr. Ausaf Sayeed yesterday on the occasion of Iftar to share the meal with the workers. 

He added that the  Indian Embassy is working to obtain exit visas for the remaining workers.

India’s overall exports, combining Merchandise and Services, in April this year is estimated to be around 44 billion US dollars with a positive growth of 1.34 per cent over the April last year. 

According to the Ministry of Commerce & Industry data released today, overall imports in last moth is estimated to be around 53 billion dollars with a positive growth of 4.5 per cent over corresponding period of last year. 

Taking merchandise and services together, overall trade deficit for last month is estimated at around nine billion dollars as compared to around seven billion dollars in the same period last year.

To combat online extremism, India has decided to sign an international call initiated by the governments of France and New Zealand along with top social media companies after the Christchurch attacks.

The document called "Christchurch Call To Action" was signed and adopted on Wednesday with participation from 26 nations, including France, New Zealand, European Commission, Ireland, Norway, Senegal, Canada, Jordan, UK, Indonesia, Australia, Germany, Japan, Spain, Netherlands, Sweden and India.

India was represented by the Secretary, Ministry of Information and Technology, Ajay Prakash Sawhney.

US President Donald Trump has declared a national emergency to protect American computer networks from foreign adversaries. 

Mr. Trump signed an executive order which effectively bars US companies from using foreign telecoms believed to pose a security risk to the country. 

Mr Trump does not name any company specifically in the order. However, analysts suggest it is mainly directed at Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei.

A number of countries - including the US - have raised concerns that the company's products could be used by China for surveillance. Huawei has said its work does not pose any threat. The US is also embroiled in an escalating trade war with China.

Austria has approved a law aimed at banning the headscarf in primary schools. However, patka head covering worn by Sikh boys or the Jewish kippa would not be affected, says the government. 

The law was proposed by the ruling right-wing government.

Representatives of both parts of the governing coalition, the centre-right People's Party (OeVP) and the far-right Freedom Party (FPOe), have said that the law is targeted at the Islamic headscarf.

FPOe education spokesman Wendelin Moelzer said the law was a signal against political Islam while OeVP MP Rudolf Taschner said the measure was necessary to free girls from subjugation.

Reserve Bank of India has released a vision document for ensuring a safe, secure, convenient, quick and affordable e-payment system. 

The move comes as the apex bank expects the number of digital transactions to increase more than four times to 8,707 crore in December 2021. 

According to RBI release on Wednesday the 'Payment and Settlement Systems in India: Vision 2019 - 2021', with its core theme of 'Empowering Exceptional E-payment Experience', envisages to achieve "a highly digital and cash-lite society" through the goal posts of competition, cost-effectiveness, convenience and confidence (4Cs).

The RBI said the payment systems landscape will continue to change with further innovation and entry of more players which is expected to ensure the optimal cost to the customers and freer access to multiple payment system options.

India has joined a major global initiative to combat terrorism and extremism online and secure the internet. 

The initiative -- 'Christchurch call to action' --  has been named after the New Zealand city where 51 people were killed in an attack on mosques. 

It was launched in Paris yesterday by India, France, New Zealand, Canada and several other countries. 

The declaration on Christchurch call to action said a free, open and secure internet is a powerful tool by which to promote connectivity, enhance social inclusiveness and foster economic growth. 

It said the internet is, however, not immune from abuse by terrorist and violent extremist actors, and there is a need for collective efforts globally to secure the internet from terror groups. This was tragically highlighted by the terrorist attacks in Christchurch which were designed to go viral, it said.