Today’s morning news wrap covers updates related to business, defence, education and international relations. US commerce secretary Lutnick expressed optimism about forthcoming US-India trade deal, citing the strong rapport between US President Trump and PM Modi as a key facilitator. Meanwhile, seismic activity rocked the region as a 6.2-magnitude earthquake struck near the Greece-Turkey border. In Pakistan, controversy erupted as Punjab assembly speaker Malik Ahmed Khan defended LeT leader Saifullah Kasuri, linked to the Pahalgam attack, by attending a rally with him and Talha Saeed. Back in India, the latest PLFS data revealed an overall literacy rate of 80.9%, with Mizoram, Lakshadweep, and Kerala leading the charts. On the defence front, Russia reaffirmed its commitment to delivering the remaining S-400 units to India by 2026, ahead of a planned visit by Putin later this year.US commerce secretary Lutnick says US-India trade deal expected ‘in not too distant future’Speaking at the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum in Washington, Lutnick noted that the strong and positive rapport between US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi paves the way for smoother trade negotiations.“Earlier countries get a better deal. That’s the way it is. So those who come in, you know, July 4th to July 9th, there’s just going to be a pile. I think India is trying hard to be one of the earlier countries, which I appreciate. But these, these kind of deals used to take two or three years, and we’re trying to get them done in a month, which is, you know, just not the ordinary DNA of trading relationships between countries. But what I hope to achieve is we would like market access, we would like our businesses to have reasonable access to the markets of India,” he said. Read full story6.2 magnitude earthquake hits Greece, tremors felt in TurkeyThe earthquake struck near the Turkish border, according to the European Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC), which reported the tremor at a depth of 68 kilometers (42 miles).Turkey’s disaster management agency reported that a 5.8-magnitude earthquake struck the coastal town of Marmaris, along the Mediterranean, early Tuesday. Read full storyPakistan’s Punjab speaker backs Pahalgam attacker at rallyMalik Ahmed Khan defended Lashkar-e-Taiba deputy chief Saifullah Kasuri by appearing at a rally alongside him and Talha Saeed, son of LeT chief Hafiz Saeed. When questioned by reporters, the speaker of the assembly of Pakistan’s largest province dismissed concerns, claiming Kasuri—implicated in the Pahalgam terror attack—should not be treated as an accused without due investigation. He also pointed to a personal link to Kasur, the town that hosted the May 28 rally.Talha’s appearance alongside Kasuri surfaced at a time when foreign policy circles were abuzz with discussions about Kasuri and his jihadist associates celebrating what they claimed was revenge for Pakistan’s partition following its defeat in the 1971 war. Read full storyWith gender & urban-rural gaps still on, India clears literacy exam with 80.9%Mizoram (98.2%), Lakshadweep (97.3%), Kerala (95.3%), Tripura (93.7%), and Goa (93.6%) have emerged as the top five States and Union Territories with the highest literacy rates among individuals aged seven and above, as per the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) 2023–24. Released by the National Sample Survey Office under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, the report places India’s overall literacy rate for this age group at 80.9%, while the literacy rate for those aged five and above stands at 79.7%. The findings are based on a nationally representative sample covering all states and UTs. Read full storyCommitted to give remaining S-400s to India by 2026, says RussiaRussia remains committed to completing the delivery of the remaining S-400 air defence system units to India by 2025–2026, Russian deputy chief of mission Roman Babushkin said on Monday, noting the system’s effective performance during recent India-Pakistan tensions. Babushkin also mentioned that Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is expected to visit India soon, paving the way for the upcoming India-Russia summit, which will include President Vladimir Putin’s visit later this year. Read full story