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  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Napier man charged after prohibited firearms found in children’s bedrooms

    Source: New Zealand Police

    Five prohibited firearms are out of circulation after Police seized them while executing a search warrant at the home of a firearms licence holder in Napier.

    Detective Senior Sergeant James Keene says the arrest of the 42-year-old man and seizure of the firearms followed close co-operation between Eastern Districts Police and the Firearms Safety Authority, after concerns about the man’s fitness to hold a firearms licence.

    “One of the most disturbing aspects of the arrest involved the discovery of five prohibited firearms, military-style semi-automatics, in children’s bedrooms,” said DSS Keene.

    “The firearms were not locked away as required and ammunition was also accessible. Officers were concerned that vulnerable children could have access to the firearms. The man also did not have the necessary endorsement on his firearms license to possess prohibited firearms,” said DSS Keene.

    The Firearms Safety Authority – Te Tari Pūreke had earlier suspended the man’s firearms licence after he was involved in a driving incident.

    “This case is an excellent example of frontline Police and the Firearms Safety Authority working together to share real-time intelligence that enables risk assessments and interventions to keep the public safe,” said Authority Executive Director Angela Brazier.

    “It is a privilege to possess and use firearms. All licence holders must act in the interests of personal and public safety. We know from daily engagement with licence holders that most are fit and proper to use a firearm, understand their obligations and have no trouble meeting them,” said Angela Brazier.

    The man faces a total of 14 firearms and driving charges include drink driving, dangerous driving and failing to stop to ascertain injury; as well as unlawful possession of prohibited firearms, prohibited parts, prohibited ammunition and prohibited magazines, unlawful possession of a pistol, and using a document to obtain property. He is currently remanded in custody.

    Anyone with concerns about a potential firearms offence can phone Police on 105, or 111 if life is in immediate danger. Anonymous calls can be made to Crime Stoppers 0800 555 111.

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: The 2024–25 NFP self-review return is due by 31 October

    Source: New places to play in Gungahlin

    Non-charitable not-for-profits (NFPs) with an active Australian business number (ABN) need to lodge an annual NFP self-review return to notify their eligibility to self-assess as income tax exempt. The return is due each year between 1 July and 31 October.

    If your organisation’s 2023–24 return is overdue, you will need to lodge that return before your 2024–25 return.

    If you aren’t sure if your NFP is charitable, or you’re waiting on the outcome of your charity registration with the ACNC, check out the article in this edition of NFP news Lodging the NFP self-review return if your NFP may be charitable.

    How to lodge

    You can lodge online, through our self-help phone service, or with a registered tax agent.

    Once you’ve set up access, Online services for business is the quickest way to lodge your NFP SRR. If you’ve lodged your 2023–24 NFP self-review return, your answers will be pre-populated in your 2024–25 return based on your last lodgment. When you lodge, make sure you review your answers before you submit your return.

    For step-by-step guidance on how to update your ABN details and set up access to ATO online services, check out our Update, connect and lodge (PDF, 184 KB)This link will download a file flowchart.

    If you are experiencing difficulties lodging online, you can still lodge your return using our automated self-help phone service on 13 72 26. You’ll need your NFP’s ABN and a reference number from any letter we’ve posted to your NFP.

    Before you lodge, use the NFP self-review return question guide to preview the questions in the return and prepare your answers before lodging.

    One of the questions on the return asks whether your organisation has and follows clauses in its governing document that prohibit the distribution of income or assets to members while it is operating and winding up.

    We are providing additional support to NFPs and have extended the due date to update governing documents from 30 June 2025 to 30 June 2026 for organisations that have not made any distributions of income or assets to members. To get the extension, answer ‘Yes’ to the question in the return about your NFP’s governing document.

    If you need more help with getting ready to lodge, there are plenty of useful tools and information available to help you understand the NFP self-review return at ato.gov.au/NFPtaxexempt.

    Stay up to date

    • You can read more articles in the Not-for-profit newsroom and, if you haven’t already, subscribeExternal Link to our free monthly newsletter Not-for-profit news to be alerted when we publish new articles.
    • For updates throughout the month, Assistant Commissioner Jennifer Moltisanti regularly shares blog posts and updates on her LinkedInExternal Link profile. And you can check out our online platform ATO CommunityExternal Link to find answers to your tax and super questions.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: First Partner meets with farm communities, immigrant support groups in the Inland Empire

    Source: US State of California Governor

    Jul 7, 2025

    Perris, California — On June 18, 2025, the First Partner visited the Inland Empire to meet with California communities impacted by the Trump Administration’s federal immigration raids. 

    The First Partner visited TODEC, a local nonprofit organization that’s become a lifeline for immigrant families, offering legal support, food distribution, social services, and mental health resources for those in need. Staff and families impacted by the federal immigration raids gathered to share their stories. Later in the day, the First Partner and the TODEC team dropped food donations to farmworkers fearful of leaving their homes due to ongoing and indiscriminate ICE raids.

    “I listened to accounts from grandmothers, mothers, and children—of families afraid of leaving their homes, fathers who committed suicide because they were unable to work. This is a campaign of terror on American soil—aimed at some of the hardest working people on earth—and the farms who supply our nation’s food. In addition to being morally unconscionable, the actions of the federal administration are economically disastrous. California is the world’s fifth largest producer of agricultural products. That doesn’t happen without the hands, the hearts, and the labor of immigrant workers.”

    Jennifer Siebel Newsom

    “We’re grateful for the First Partner’s compassion and for showing up for this community. She listened and saw firsthand the suffering these families are enduring, but also saw their resilience. At a time when too many are turning away from what is happening here, she is leaning in.”

    Luz Gallegos, Executive Director, TODEC.

    For almost 40 years, TODEC has been a hub for healing, organizing, advocacy, and community transformation led by the people who live and work in rural Inland communities. TODEC has operated a 24/7crisis hotline for the past 30 years and provides connection to mental health supports, home-based deliveries of groceries, medicine, other essential needs, financial assistance for families in dire need, and more.

    In addition to supporting local residents with affirmative immigration remedies and other legal services, the organization has been a longtime supporter of commonsense immigration reforms dating back to the Reagan Administration—advocating for legal pathways that allow people to safely live, work, and continue contributing in California.

    The First Partner is an advocate for California’s farmers and agricultural communities. She helped architect California’s nation-leading Farm to School program, which now provides healthy meals to nearly half of the state’s school children by working with local organic farms. She also championed the Universal Meals program, which ensures that all Californian students have access to two free school meals each day that are delicious, nutritious, and locally-sourced. 

    The First Partner is a leading advocate for the mental health and well-being of all Californian children. Under the leadership of Governor Gavin Newsom and First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom, California has invested billions in the California Youth Behavioral Health Initiative to ensure that mental health services are available, affordable, and accessible to youth whenever they need support, wherever they may be. Through this initiative, children and their families can access free online behavioral health services (BrightLife Kids, Soluna, Mirror), video and print resources (California Positive Parenting, Thriving Kids and California Healthy Minds, Thriving Kids), and online training to recognize and respond to trauma and stress in kids (Safe Spaces). These resources are available at no-cost in Spanish and English language.

    First Partner, Press releases

    Recent news

    Jul 7, 2025

    News SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the deployment of skilled Urban Search and Rescue Team members to Texas to assist with ongoing response efforts related to severe flooding impacts. “California stands with all those who have lost loved ones,…

    Jul 7, 2025

    News What you need to know: California added area the equivalent of Glacier National Park to its conserved lands and coastal waters in just the last year – marking significant progress toward its goal of 30% conservation by 2030. SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom…

    Jul 7, 2025

    News SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments: Thanne Berg, of Albany, has been appointed Deputy Director of Site Mitigation and Restoration Program at the California Department of Toxic Substances Control. Berg has been Acting…

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: First Partner meets with farm communities, immigrant support groups in the Inland Empire

    Source: US State of California Governor

    Jul 7, 2025

    Perris, California — On June 18, 2025, the First Partner visited the Inland Empire to meet with California communities impacted by the Trump Administration’s federal immigration raids. 

    The First Partner visited TODEC, a local nonprofit organization that’s become a lifeline for immigrant families, offering legal support, food distribution, social services, and mental health resources for those in need. Staff and families impacted by the federal immigration raids gathered to share their stories. Later in the day, the First Partner and the TODEC team dropped food donations to farmworkers fearful of leaving their homes due to ongoing and indiscriminate ICE raids.

    “I listened to accounts from grandmothers, mothers, and children—of families afraid of leaving their homes, fathers who committed suicide because they were unable to work. This is a campaign of terror on American soil—aimed at some of the hardest working people on earth—and the farms who supply our nation’s food. In addition to being morally unconscionable, the actions of the federal administration are economically disastrous. California is the world’s fifth largest producer of agricultural products. That doesn’t happen without the hands, the hearts, and the labor of immigrant workers.”

    Jennifer Siebel Newsom

    “We’re grateful for the First Partner’s compassion and for showing up for this community. She listened and saw firsthand the suffering these families are enduring, but also saw their resilience. At a time when too many are turning away from what is happening here, she is leaning in.”

    Luz Gallegos, Executive Director, TODEC.

    For almost 40 years, TODEC has been a hub for healing, organizing, advocacy, and community transformation led by the people who live and work in rural Inland communities. TODEC has operated a 24/7crisis hotline for the past 30 years and provides connection to mental health supports, home-based deliveries of groceries, medicine, other essential needs, financial assistance for families in dire need, and more.

    In addition to supporting local residents with affirmative immigration remedies and other legal services, the organization has been a longtime supporter of commonsense immigration reforms dating back to the Reagan Administration—advocating for legal pathways that allow people to safely live, work, and continue contributing in California.

    The First Partner is an advocate for California’s farmers and agricultural communities. She helped architect California’s nation-leading Farm to School program, which now provides healthy meals to nearly half of the state’s school children by working with local organic farms. She also championed the Universal Meals program, which ensures that all Californian students have access to two free school meals each day that are delicious, nutritious, and locally-sourced. 

    The First Partner is a leading advocate for the mental health and well-being of all Californian children. Under the leadership of Governor Gavin Newsom and First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom, California has invested billions in the California Youth Behavioral Health Initiative to ensure that mental health services are available, affordable, and accessible to youth whenever they need support, wherever they may be. Through this initiative, children and their families can access free online behavioral health services (BrightLife Kids, Soluna, Mirror), video and print resources (California Positive Parenting, Thriving Kids and California Healthy Minds, Thriving Kids), and online training to recognize and respond to trauma and stress in kids (Safe Spaces). These resources are available at no-cost in Spanish and English language.

    First Partner, Press releases

    Recent news

    Jul 7, 2025

    News SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the deployment of skilled Urban Search and Rescue Team members to Texas to assist with ongoing response efforts related to severe flooding impacts. “California stands with all those who have lost loved ones,…

    Jul 7, 2025

    News What you need to know: California added area the equivalent of Glacier National Park to its conserved lands and coastal waters in just the last year – marking significant progress toward its goal of 30% conservation by 2030. SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom…

    Jul 7, 2025

    News SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments: Thanne Berg, of Albany, has been appointed Deputy Director of Site Mitigation and Restoration Program at the California Department of Toxic Substances Control. Berg has been Acting…

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: TGS Q2 2025 Operational and Financial Update

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    OSLO, Norway (8 July 2025) – TGS ASA (“TGS”), a leading global provider of energy data and intelligence, routinely publishes a quarterly operational update six working days after quarter-end. For Q2 2025, it also includes a financial update.

    The table below shows TGS’ normalized Ocean Bottom Node (OBN) crew count¹:  

      Q2 2025 Q2 2024
    Normalized crew count Contract1 1.7 2.7
    Normalized crew count Multi-client1 1.1 0.0

    1) The table shows the average number of crews in operation when assuming a normalized crew size.

    The table below shows TGS’ allocation of active seismic streamer 3D vessel capacity2:

      Q2 2025 Q2 2024
    Contract 55% 28%
    Multi-client 23% 36%
    Steaming 9% 14%
    Yard 7% 6%
    Stacked/Standby 6% 16%
    Number of vessels 6 6

    2) The statistics include only active seismic 3D streamer vessels (capacity working on New Energy Solutions projects are excluded).

    Based on preliminary reporting from operating units, management of TGS expects IFRS revenues to be approximately USD 332 million in Q2 2025, compared to USD 224 million in Q2 2024 (USD 353 million proforma⁴ in Q2 2024).

    Produced revenues³ are expected to be approximately USD 306 million in Q2 2025, compared to USD 215 million in Q2 2024 (USD 381 million proforma⁴ in Q2 2024).

    Produced multi-client revenues are estimated to be approximately USD 135 million in Q2 2025, compared to USD 115 million in Q2 2024 (USD 194 million proforma⁴ in Q2 2024). Multi-client investment is expected to be approximately USD 120 million in Q2 2025, compared to USD 52 million in Q2 2024 (USD 92 million proforma⁴ in Q2 2024).

    Contract revenues amounted to approximately USD 171 million in Q2 2025, compared to USD 100 million in Q2 2024 (USD 187 million proforma⁴ in Q2 2024).  

    Kristian Johansen, CEO of TGS commented: “After several strong quarters, Q2 came in below expectations mainly due to three main factors. First, the end-of-quarter data licensing came in below internal forecasts, with several data licensing deals being postponed. Second, we encountered challenging operational conditions and stand-by time on one of our streamer projects, negatively impacting revenue recognition. Third, lower-than-expected JV-partner participation on certain multi-client projects resulted in recognition of higher multi-client investments and lower contract revenues. Discussions with our clients support our view that exploration activity will gradually increase from today’s levels. The successful offshore licensing round in Brazil and the recent announcement of a lease sale in the US Gulf of America are both positive drivers in facilitating more seismic activity in two of our key markets.”

    TGS will release its Q2 2025 results at 07:00 a.m. CEST on 17 July 2025. CEO Kristian Johansen and CFO Sven Børre Larsen will present the results at 09:00 a.m. CEST, webcasted live.

    The webcast can be followed live via this link:

    https://channel.royalcast.com/landingpage/hegnarmedia/20250717_2/

    ³For the purpose of Produced revenues, multi-client revenues committed prior to completion of projects are recognized on a percentage of completion basis. This differs from IFRS reporting, where revenues committed prior to completion are recognized when the customers receive access to the finished data.

    Adjustments between preliminary IFRS and Produced revenue numbers for Q2 2025: Preliminary reported IFRS revenue: USD 332 million

    – Revenue recognized from performance obligations met during Q2 for completed projects: USD 95 million

    + Revenue recognized under Produced during Q2: USD 69 million

    = Preliminary reported Produced revenue: USD 306 million

    ⁴Proforma considers TGS acquisition of PGS, which was completed 1 July 2024.

    For more information, visit TGS.com (http://www.tgs.com) or contact:

    Bård Stenberg, VP IR & Communication

    Tel.: +47 992 45 235

    E-mail: investor@tgs.com

    About TGS

    TGS provides advanced data and intelligence to companies active in the energy sector. With leading-edge technology and solutions spanning the entire energy value chain, TGS offers a comprehensive range of insights to help clients make better decisions. Our broad range of products and advanced data technologies, coupled with a global, extensive and diverse energy data library, make TGS a trusted partner in supporting the exploration and production of energy resources worldwide. For further information, please visit www.tgs.com (https://www.tgs.com/).

    Forward Looking Statement

    All statements in this press release other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements, which are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict and are based upon assumptions as to future events that may not prove accurate. These factors include volatile market conditions, investment opportunities in new and existing markets, demand for licensing of data within the energy industry, operational challenges, and reliance on a cyclical industry and principal customers. Actual results may differ materially from those expected or projected in the forward- looking statements. TGS undertakes no responsibility or obligation to update or alter forward-looking statements for any reason.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: TGS Q2 2025 Operational and Financial Update

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    OSLO, Norway (8 July 2025) – TGS ASA (“TGS”), a leading global provider of energy data and intelligence, routinely publishes a quarterly operational update six working days after quarter-end. For Q2 2025, it also includes a financial update.

    The table below shows TGS’ normalized Ocean Bottom Node (OBN) crew count¹:  

      Q2 2025 Q2 2024
    Normalized crew count Contract1 1.7 2.7
    Normalized crew count Multi-client1 1.1 0.0

    1) The table shows the average number of crews in operation when assuming a normalized crew size.

    The table below shows TGS’ allocation of active seismic streamer 3D vessel capacity2:

      Q2 2025 Q2 2024
    Contract 55% 28%
    Multi-client 23% 36%
    Steaming 9% 14%
    Yard 7% 6%
    Stacked/Standby 6% 16%
    Number of vessels 6 6

    2) The statistics include only active seismic 3D streamer vessels (capacity working on New Energy Solutions projects are excluded).

    Based on preliminary reporting from operating units, management of TGS expects IFRS revenues to be approximately USD 332 million in Q2 2025, compared to USD 224 million in Q2 2024 (USD 353 million proforma⁴ in Q2 2024).

    Produced revenues³ are expected to be approximately USD 306 million in Q2 2025, compared to USD 215 million in Q2 2024 (USD 381 million proforma⁴ in Q2 2024).

    Produced multi-client revenues are estimated to be approximately USD 135 million in Q2 2025, compared to USD 115 million in Q2 2024 (USD 194 million proforma⁴ in Q2 2024). Multi-client investment is expected to be approximately USD 120 million in Q2 2025, compared to USD 52 million in Q2 2024 (USD 92 million proforma⁴ in Q2 2024).

    Contract revenues amounted to approximately USD 171 million in Q2 2025, compared to USD 100 million in Q2 2024 (USD 187 million proforma⁴ in Q2 2024).  

    Kristian Johansen, CEO of TGS commented: “After several strong quarters, Q2 came in below expectations mainly due to three main factors. First, the end-of-quarter data licensing came in below internal forecasts, with several data licensing deals being postponed. Second, we encountered challenging operational conditions and stand-by time on one of our streamer projects, negatively impacting revenue recognition. Third, lower-than-expected JV-partner participation on certain multi-client projects resulted in recognition of higher multi-client investments and lower contract revenues. Discussions with our clients support our view that exploration activity will gradually increase from today’s levels. The successful offshore licensing round in Brazil and the recent announcement of a lease sale in the US Gulf of America are both positive drivers in facilitating more seismic activity in two of our key markets.”

    TGS will release its Q2 2025 results at 07:00 a.m. CEST on 17 July 2025. CEO Kristian Johansen and CFO Sven Børre Larsen will present the results at 09:00 a.m. CEST, webcasted live.

    The webcast can be followed live via this link:

    https://channel.royalcast.com/landingpage/hegnarmedia/20250717_2/

    ³For the purpose of Produced revenues, multi-client revenues committed prior to completion of projects are recognized on a percentage of completion basis. This differs from IFRS reporting, where revenues committed prior to completion are recognized when the customers receive access to the finished data.

    Adjustments between preliminary IFRS and Produced revenue numbers for Q2 2025: Preliminary reported IFRS revenue: USD 332 million

    – Revenue recognized from performance obligations met during Q2 for completed projects: USD 95 million

    + Revenue recognized under Produced during Q2: USD 69 million

    = Preliminary reported Produced revenue: USD 306 million

    ⁴Proforma considers TGS acquisition of PGS, which was completed 1 July 2024.

    For more information, visit TGS.com (http://www.tgs.com) or contact:

    Bård Stenberg, VP IR & Communication

    Tel.: +47 992 45 235

    E-mail: investor@tgs.com

    About TGS

    TGS provides advanced data and intelligence to companies active in the energy sector. With leading-edge technology and solutions spanning the entire energy value chain, TGS offers a comprehensive range of insights to help clients make better decisions. Our broad range of products and advanced data technologies, coupled with a global, extensive and diverse energy data library, make TGS a trusted partner in supporting the exploration and production of energy resources worldwide. For further information, please visit www.tgs.com (https://www.tgs.com/).

    Forward Looking Statement

    All statements in this press release other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements, which are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict and are based upon assumptions as to future events that may not prove accurate. These factors include volatile market conditions, investment opportunities in new and existing markets, demand for licensing of data within the energy industry, operational challenges, and reliance on a cyclical industry and principal customers. Actual results may differ materially from those expected or projected in the forward- looking statements. TGS undertakes no responsibility or obligation to update or alter forward-looking statements for any reason.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Kholo Capital provides Bayport South Africa with a R200 million mezzanine debt growth funding facility to support the roll out of the Bayport South Africa (SA) Financial Wellness Solutions Programme

    Source: APO


    .

    Kholo Capital Mezzanine Debt Fund I (“Kholo Capital”) (www.KholoCapital.com) announced today the injection of a R200 million mezzanine debt growth funding facility into Bayport Securitisation (“Bayport South Africa” or “Bayport SA”) to support the roll out of the Bayport SA Financial Wellness Solutions Programme. Bayport SA is committed to alleviating employee over-indebtedness in South Africa and promoting long-term financial wellness of employees. This is achieved by offering them with practical debt solutions, which include debt reduction through negotiating settlement terms and discounts with creditors, halting legal action where possible, and improving employees’ credit scores, through its financial wellness solutions programme.

    Through the Bayport SA Financial Wellness Programme, Bayport SA addresses the widespread issue of over-indebtedness among South African employees. By providing tailored debt reductions (wherein the benefit of all settlement discounts negotiated with creditors is passed to the employees), debt consolidation and rehabilitation solutions, Bayport enables employees to regain financial stability and improve their long-term financial standing. The programme includes structured debt management processes and financial literacy initiatives, ensuring that employees not only reduce their debt obligations and debt repayments resulting in financial breathing room but also develop healthier long-term financial habits.

    Recent market data indicates that more than 60% of employed individuals in South Africa are struggling with over-indebtedness, while less than 14% of the South African population can afford to retire. Alarmingly, an average of 74% of income is spent on debt repayments, with 49% of all consumers falling more than one month behind on at least one loan. These findings highlight a critical socioeconomic issue that not only affects individual well-being and family units, but also impacts workplace productivity, stability, and staff morale.

    As a vital component of its initiative, Bayport SA offers employees, through partnerships with employers, a structured 10-week financial wellness journey aimed at providing both immediate relief and fostering long-term behavioural change. Employees can expect significant improvements in monthly cash flow (i.e., including significant debt reduction), enhanced expense management, and the ability to effectively plan for future financial milestones. The program includes personal financial health assessments, individualized coaching, and practical exercises to build sustainable financial habits. Additionally, employees engage in peer-led group sessions that promote accountability and support the development of effective money management practices.

    To further amplify the financial wellness program’s impact, Bayport SA supplies a range of digital tools and support services. These include a gamified financial wellness app that facilitates goal tracking and provides access to educational resources, along with one-on-one sessions with personal money coaches throughout the journey. The Bayport SA Academy offers online financial education and workshops to enhance financial literacy, while structured emergency credit facilities provide responsible short-term relief as an alternative to high-cost payday loans.

    Bayport SA is currently in partnership with more 70 employers across various industries in South Africa, including blue-chip corporations in FMCG, financial services, telecommunications, automotive, and mining sectors, as well as government entities at local, provincial, and national levels.

    Mokgome Mogoba, Managing Partner and Founder at Kholo Capital, remarked: “The positive ESG and social impact on the South African society by Bayport SA is substantial as the company provides significant debt relief to over-indebted employees. We are very passionate about financial inclusion and this investment achieves that. Bayport SA’s intervention in the South African economy is significant and measurable. Settlement discounts negotiated with creditors on behalf of employees can range between 25% and 80% of the total debt amount outstanding. The average increase in monthly disposable income is R7,450, representing 32.8% of the average basic salary of R22,865. This increase in financial flexibility is directly correlated with a substantial reduction in the total debt amount outstanding and reduction in monthly debt repayment obligations.”                                                                                                                        

    Zaheer Cassim, Managing Partner and Founder at Kholo Capital, asserted: “Bayport SA’s securitization program, is one of the best in South Africa. There has never been any payment defaults or covenant breaches, even during the challenging period of the COVID-19 pandemic. The securitization program is supported by leading South African institutional investors and South African banks. Bayport SA is also highly regarded for its first-class management team, transparent reporting practices and strong management engagement, with regular investor reporting and quarterly meetings with investors. The business is supported by strong shareholders of reference which include the Public Investment Corporation (PIC). We are very pleased with this investment in Bayport SA, and we look forward to supporting this highly talented and highly motivated management team in their vision to grow the business, by providing financial wellness solutions to the South African people.”

    Alfred Ramosedi, Chief Executive Officer of Bayport SA, commented: “We are proud to partner with Kholo Capital, whose commitment to impact investing aligns seamlessly with our mission to drive meaningful financial change. As one of South Africa’s leading financial wellness companies, this funding will enable us to scale our reach and deepen our impact – empowering even more South Africans with the tools and support to break free from debt and build financially resilient futures.”

    Norton Rose Fulbright acted as legal counsel to Kholo Capital and Werksmans acted as legal counsel for Bayport SA.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Kholo Capital.

    Notes to Editors

    About R1,4 billion Kholo Capital Mezzanine Debt Fund I

    Please keep Kholo Capital Mezzanine Debt in mind whenever equity funding is needed, we can plug some of the equity funding gap with mezzanine debt loan funding (subordinated loans) so that shareholders don’t give up too much equity and don’t suffer too much equity dilution.

    The R1,4bn Kholo Capital Mezzanine Debt Fund provides mezzanine debt funding R70m to R205m to medium sized businesses generating minimum R25m EBITDA per annum. We can invest in all sectors including real estate (but excluding primary mining, resources, commodities, primary farming, micro lending, gambling, ammunition, hard liquor and tobacco). However, we can invest in mining services/products, mining logistics/transportation, mineral processing, and Agri-processing.

    We provide growth capital and acquisition funding to mid-market companies with operations in South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Swaziland, or Lesotho. Investment tenor 4 to 7yrs targeting returns above 17% (interest rate plus equity upside). Leverage up to 3,5x to 4x Total Debt (senior debt and mezzanine debt) to EBITDA and/or up to 80% LTV.

    Kholo Capital is passionate about investing in sectors of the Southern African economy with high social impact including financial inclusion, affordable housing, healthcare, education, renewable energy, food security, ICT, and infrastructure. Our guiding business principles include commitment to add sustainable value to our investee companies and to adhere to the best ESG practices. The Fund uses the United Nation’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals as guiding principles with key focus on those linked to job creation and sustainable growth.

    We also fund share buy backs, refinancing of shareholder loans and dividend recaps. We also fund management buy-outs, leveraged buyouts and private equity buy-outs.

    We can also pay down portion of senior debt bank funding especially where the senior debt has steep capital repayments, in order to create cashflow headroom for the business. Mezzanine debt loan funding is typically 5-6yr flexible bullet loan funding with capital repayable right at the end on the maturity of the loan. The business only has to service interest payments during the loan tenor thereby creating cashflow headroom and the business can re-invest the excess cashflows for growth.

    Business or project must be generating minimum R25m EBITDA per annum at the time of investment. Meaning we can’t fund greenfield projects or new developments on a ring-fenced basis. We can look at greenfield opportunities or new projects provided there is an external guarantee (i.e., third party guarantee) from a business (i.e., balance sheet) that generates the minimum R25m EBITDA. The guarantee can fall away once the business meets the threshold and covenants are met.

    Also, we can’t fund distressed assets or big turnarounds.

    Kholo Capital is a specialist alternative investment fund management company with deep experience and track record in private markets. It was founded in 2020 by Mokgome Mogoba and Zaheer Cassim. The Kholo Capital investment team has more than 100 years of collective credit and investment experience and is highly skilled in senior debt, mezzanine debt and private equity. The investment team has a strong track record in the credit and investment space and has invested in excess of R50bn of mezzanine debt, private equity and senior debt investment transactions in over 90 transactions in more than 10 African countries. Kholo Capital is managed by a cohesive, dynamic and nimble team and the management team has worked together over the last 21 years.

    Website: www.KholoCapital.com

    Website: www.Bayport.co.za

    For more information contact:
    Mokgome Mogoba
    Managing Partner – Kholo Capital Mezzanine Debt Fund I
    mokgome@kholocapital.com
    Tel: +27-79-631-5860

    Zaheer Cassim
    Managing Partner – Kholo Capital Mezzanine Debt Fund I
    zaheer@kholocapital.com
    Tel: +27-83-786-0845

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • PM Modi gets warm welcome from Indian diaspora as he arrives in Brasília for state visit

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday received a warm welcome from members of the Indian diaspora as he arrived in the Brazilian capital for a State Visit. Touched by the gesture, PM Modi described it as a “memorable welcome” and praised the diaspora for staying connected with their roots.

    “Landed in Brasília a short while ago. The Indian community accorded a memorable welcome, once again highlighting how passionate our diaspora is and how connected they remain with their roots,” PM Modi wrote on X.

    PM Modi arrived in Brasília to the beats of a traditional Brazilian Samba Reggae performance after wrapping up a “very productive” visit to Rio de Janeiro for the 17th BRICS Summit. The Indian Prime Minister, who is in the capital for a State Visit, was received at the airport by Brazil’s Defence Minister Jose Mucio Monteiro Filho.

    During his stay in Brasília, PM Modi will meet President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva to discuss various issues related to India-Brazil relations.

    PM Modi also shared on X, “At Brasília airport, the Batala Mundo band played some wonderful compositions. Theirs is a global effort to promote Afro-Brazilian percussion, in particular the Samba Reggae from Salvador da Bahia, Brazil.”

    Earlier, the Prime Minister described his Rio de Janeiro visit as “very productive”.

    “Now on the way to Brasília for the State Visit. Will hold detailed talks with President Lula on different aspects of India-Brazil ties. The Rio leg of my Brazil visit was very productive. We had extensive deliberations at the BRICS Summit. I compliment President Lula and the Brazilian Government for the work they’ve done through their BRICS Presidency in making this platform even more effective. My bilateral meetings with world leaders will also boost India’s friendship with various nations,” PM Modi said in a post on X.

    Earlier on Monday, PM Modi praised BRICS for prioritising key global issues such as the environment and health security. He underlined these subjects as crucial for humanity’s future, adding that for India, climate justice is not merely a choice but a moral obligation.

    Speaking at the BRICS session on Environment, COP-30, and Global Health, PM Modi said climate change and environmental protection have always been top priorities for India. “For us, it is not just about energy, it is about maintaining a balance between life and nature,” the Prime Minister said.

    “I am glad that under the chairmanship of Brazil, BRICS has given high priority to important issues like environment and health security. These subjects are not only interconnected but are also extremely important for the bright future of humanity.

    “This year, COP-30 is being held in Brazil, making discussions on the environment in BRICS both relevant and timely. Climate change and environmental safety have always been top priorities for India. For us, it’s not just about energy, it’s about maintaining a balance between life and nature. While some see it as just numbers, in India, it’s part of our daily life and traditions. In our culture, the Earth is respected as a mother. That’s why, when Mother Earth needs us, we always respond. We are transforming our mindset, our behaviour, and our lifestyle,” he said.

    He added, “Guided by the spirit of ‘People, Planet, and Progress’, India has launched several key initiatives — such as Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment), ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ (A Tree in the Name of Mother), the International Solar Alliance, the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure, the Green Hydrogen Mission, the Global Biofuels Alliance, and the Big Cats Alliance.

    “During India’s G20 Presidency, we placed strong emphasis on sustainable development and bridging the gap between the Global North and South. With this objective, we achieved consensus among all countries on the Green Development Pact. To encourage environment-friendly actions, we also launched the Green Credits Initiative.”

    —IANS

     

  • PM Modi arrives in Brasília for state visit, to hold talks with President Lula

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in the Brazilian capital Brasília on Monday, marking the second leg of his visit to Brazil after concluding a “very productive” trip to Rio de Janeiro for the 17th BRICS Summit.

    Upon his arrival, Prime Minister Modi was received at the airport by Brazil’s Defence Minister Jose Mucio Monteiro Filho.

    During his State Visit, the Indian Prime Minister is scheduled to hold bilateral discussions with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

    Briefing reporters on Sunday, India’s Ambassador to Brazil, Dinesh Bhatia, said that both sides are expected to sign four agreements or memorandums of understanding (MoUs). These will cover cooperation in renewable energy, counterterrorism, agricultural research between the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and Brazil’s Embrapa, and the exchange and mutual protection of confidential information.

    A relationship rooted in shared values

    India and Brazil share a multifaceted relationship which was elevated to a Strategic Partnership in 2006. The two countries also work closely in global and plurilateral forums such as BRICS, IBSA, G20, G-4, the International Solar Alliance and the Global Biofuel Alliance.

    The bilateral relationship is underpinned by a shared vision for a just global order, democratic values and the commitment to foster economic growth with social inclusion.

    Historically, the cultural exchanges between Brazil and India date back to the Portuguese colonial era. Indian cattle breeds like Gir and Kankrej, exported to Brazil in the early 20th century, have significantly contributed to Brazil’s dairy industry. The popularity of Brazilian television series such as Caminho das Indias has also enhanced India’s image in Brazilian popular culture.

    Diplomatic relations were formally established in 1948, with embassies opened in the same year. India’s embassy shifted from Rio de Janeiro to Brasilia in 1971.

    Strengthening economic ties

    The trade relationship between India and Brazil remains robust. In 2024-25, bilateral trade reached USD 12.2 billion, with Indian exports accounting for USD 6.77 billion and imports from Brazil at USD 5.43 billion. Major Indian exports include petroleum products, agro-chemicals, pharmaceuticals and engineering goods. Brazilian exports to India primarily comprise crude oil, soya oil, gold, raw sugar and cotton.

    Indian investments in Brazil are estimated at over USD 6 billion, while Brazilian investments in India are around USD 1 billion. Prominent Indian firms operating in Brazil include Tata Motors, Mahindra Tractors, Infosys, Wipro and Sun Pharma, among others. Conversely, Brazilian companies such as Vale, Stefanini and WEG have a presence in India.

    High-level visits and parliamentary exchanges

    In recent years, high-level exchanges have imparted momentum to the relationship. President Jair Bolsonaro paid a state visit to India in January 2020 and was the Chief Guest at India’s Republic Day Parade. During the visit, an Action Plan was adopted to strengthen the Strategic Partnership, leading to the signing of 15 agreements across diverse sectors.

    Parliamentary engagement has also expanded. Speaker of the Lok Sabha, Om Birla, led a delegation to attend the BRICS Parliamentary Forum in Brasilia in June 2025 and held meetings with Brazilian parliamentary leaders. Earlier, Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, Harivansh, participated in the G20 Parliamentary Speakers’ Summit in November 2024.

    Recently, a multi-party parliamentary delegation led by Dr. Shashi Tharoor visited Brasilia to discuss cross-border terrorism following the Pahalgam attack. They met Vice President Geraldo Alckmin and senior Brazilian officials.

    Expanding frontiers: space, energy and health

    India and Brazil collaborate in space technology through agreements for peaceful use of outer space and satellite tracking. India notably launched Brazil’s Amazonia-1 satellite in 2021.

    In oil and gas, Brazil is India’s largest upstream investment destination in the Americas, with Indian PSUs investing over USD 3.5 billion. The nations are also co-founders of the Global Biofuel Alliance, launched at the 2023 G20 Summit in New Delhi.

    Health and traditional medicine are other areas of cooperation. Ayurveda and Yoga are recognised under Brazil’s national policy of alternative medicine, and the two countries have agreed to collaborate on health surveillance, technology transfer and research.

     

  • King Charles hosts Macron in first European state visit since Brexit

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Britain’s King Charles will welcome French President Emmanuel Macron to Windsor Castle on Tuesday for the first state visit by a European leader since Brexit in a trip aimed at celebrating the return of closer political ties between the countries.

    The grand ceremonial event will be the first for Macron, who enjoys a good personal relationship with the king. The last state visit to Britain by a French president was in 2008, when Nicolas Sarkozy was a guest of the late Queen Elizabeth.

    Britain has been trying to reset ties with European allies since Prime Minister Keir Starmer was elected last year. The talks this week will focus on a range of issues, including how to stop people-smuggling and improving economic and defence ties at a time when the United States is retrenching from its traditional role as a defender of European security.

    Although there have been tensions over the shape of post-Brexit ties and how to stop asylum seekers from crossing the Channel in small boats, Britain and France have been working closely together to create a planned military force to support Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire with Russia.

    Sebastien Maillard, an associate fellow at London’s Chatham House think tank, said the two sides were seeking to repair some of the damage done by the Brexit negotiations in the run up to Britain leaving the EU in 2020, “when France was more or less playing the bad cop”.

    While Macron’s three-day visit is filled with meetings about economic issues and foreign affairs, the first day of the visit is largely focused on pageantry, and heavy in symbolism.

    Prince William and his wife Kate will greet Macron and his wife Brigitte at a military airport in London and will accompany them to Windsor where they will be officially welcomed by the king and Queen Camilla, and gun salutes.

    They will then travel in a carriage procession through Windsor’s streets, attend a military parade and then have lunch with the royal family at the castle.

    On Tuesday afternoon, Macron will travel back to London to speak to lawmakers in the parliament. The day will end with a state dinner at Windsor Castle, including speeches by the king and Macron in front of about 150 guests.

    MIGRANTS’ RETURN DEAL

    The following day Starmer will host Macron at Downing Street where they will discuss how to stop the flow of tens of thousands of asylum seekers across the Channel.

    British officials are hoping that Macron will agree to a pilot of an asylum seekers’ returns deal. This would involve Britain deporting one asylum seeker to France in exchange for another with a legitimate case to be in Britain, thereby disrupting the business model of people-smuggling gangs.

    A record number of asylum seekers have arrived in Britain on small boats from France in the first six months of this year. Starmer, trailing behind Nigel Farage’s insurgent, right-wing Reform UK party in the polls, is under pressure to come up with a solution.

    France has previously refused to sign up to such an agreement, saying Britain should negotiate an arrangement with all the EU countries.

    On Thursday, Starmer and Macron will host a UK-France summit to discuss other bilateral issues and how to support Ukraine. The two could also announce further cooperation on nuclear investment, such as at Sizewell C.

    Macron’s visit is a sign of a new era in relations.

    Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said in his memoirs published last year that Macron wanted to punish Britain after it voted to leave the EU in 2016.

    Britain and France in recent years have publicly clashed over fishing rights and a submarine alliance that united Britain, Australia and the United States, but left France on the sidelines.

    (Reuters)

  • Hopes fade for Texas flood victims as death toll tops 95

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Search teams plodded through muddy riverbanks and flew aircraft over a flood-ravaged central Texas landscape on Monday as hopes dimmed for finding more survivors among dozens still missing from a disaster that has claimed at least 96 lives, many of them children.

    Three days after a torrential predawn downpour transformed the Guadalupe River into a raging, killer torrent, a Christian girls’ summer camp devastated by the flash flood confirmed that 27 campers and counselors were among those who had perished.

    Ten girls and a camp counselor were still unaccounted for, officials said on Monday, as search-and-rescue personnel faced the potential of more heavy rains and thunderstorms while clawing through tons of muck-laden debris.

    The bulk of the death toll from Friday’s flooding was concentrated in and around the riverfront Hill Country town of Kerrville, including the ill-fated grounds of Camp Mystic.

    By Monday afternoon, the bodies of 84 flood victims – 56 adults and 28 children – were recovered in Kerr County, most of them in the county seat of Kerrville, according to the local sheriff.

    As of midday Sunday, state and local officials said 12 other flood-related fatalities had been confirmed across five neighboring south-central Texas counties, and that 41 other people were still listed as missing outside Kerr County.

    The New York Times, one of numerous news media outlets publishing varying death tolls on Monday, reported that at least 104 people had been killed across the entire flood zone.

    ‘ROUGH WEEK’ AHEAD

    While authorities continued to hold out hope that some of the missing would turn up alive, the likelihood of finding more survivors diminished as time passed.

    “This will be a rough week,” Mayor Joe Herring Jr said at a briefing on Monday morning.

    Camp Mystic, a nearly century-old Christian girls’ retreat on the banks of the Guadalupe was at the epicenter of the disaster.

    “Our hearts are broken alongside our families that are enduring this unimaginable tragedy,” the camp said in a statement on Monday.

    Richard “Dick” Eastland, 70, Mystic’s co-owner and director, died trying to save children at his camp from the flood, multiple media, including the Austin American-Statesman reported. He and his wife, Tweety Eastland, have owned the camp since 1974, according to its website.

    “If he wasn’t going to die of natural causes, this was the only other way, saving the girls that he so loved and cared for,” Eastland’s grandson, George Eastland, wrote on Instagram.

    MISHAP IN THE SKY

    Authorities lost one of their aviation assets on Monday when a privately operated drone collided in restricted airspace over the Kerr County flood zone with a search helicopter, forcing the chopper to make an emergency landing. No injuries were reported, but the aircraft was put out of commission, according to the Kerr County Sheriff’s Office.

    National Weather Service forecasts on Monday predicted that up to 4 more inches of rain could douse Texas Hill Country, with isolated areas possibly receiving as much as 10 inches (25 cm).

    Allison Santorelli, a meteorologist with the NWS Weather Prediction Center in College Park, Maryland, said the potential for renewed flooding was particularly heightened by the saturated condition of the soil and mounds of debris already strewn around the river channel. A flood watch was posted until 7 p.m.

    State emergency management officials had warned on Thursday, ahead of the July Fourth holiday, that parts of central Texas faced the possibility of flash floods based on National Weather Service forecasts.

    But twice as much rain as was predicted ended up falling over two branches of the Guadalupe just upstream of the fork where they converge, sending all of that water racing into the single river channel where it slices through Kerrville, City Manager Dalton Rice said.

    Rice said the outcome, the result of an unpredictable combination of circumstances, was unforeseen and unfolded in a matter of two hours.

    “Why didn’t we evacuate? Well, evacuation is a delicate balance,” he said in response to reporters’ questions on Monday. “If you evacuate too late, you then risk putting buses, or cars, or vehicles or campers on roads into low-water areas, trying to get them out, which then can make it even more challenging.”

    “It’s very tough to make those calls, because what we also don’t want to do is cry wolf.”

    The chief meteorologist for commercial forecaster AccuWeather, Jonathan Porter, said authorities had ample time to move people to higher ground before the flood struck.

    Rice and other public officials, including Governor Greg Abbott, said the circumstances of the flooding, and the adequacy of weather forecasts and warning systems, would be scrutinized once the immediate situation was brought under control.

    Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer on Monday asked a government watchdog to investigate whether budget cuts imposed by the Trump administration contributed to any delays or inaccuracy in forecasting the floods.

    U.S. Senator Ted Cruz, a Texas Republican, said there would be time to examine whether more could have been done to prevent the loss of life but that now was not the time for “partisan finger-pointing.”

    (Reuters)

  • China warns Trump on tariffs, threatens retaliation on supply chain deals

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    China warned the Trump administration on Tuesday against reigniting trade tension by restoring tariffs on its goods next month, and threatened to retaliate against nations that strike deals with the United States to cut China out of supply chains.

    Washington and Beijing agreed to a trade framework in June that restored a fragile truce, but with many details still unclear, traders and investors on both sides of the Pacific are watching to see if it will unravel or lead to a lasting detente.

    On Monday, President Donald Trump began notifying trade partners of sharply higher U.S. tariffs from August 1, after he delayed all but 10% of his April duties on most countries to give them time to strike deals with the world’s largest economy.

    China, initially singled out with tariffs exceeding 100%, has until August 12 to reach an agreement with the White House to keep Trump from reinstating additional import curbs imposed during tit-for-tat tariff exchanges in April and May.

    “One conclusion is abundantly clear: dialogue and cooperation are the only correct path,” the official People’s Daily said in a commentary, referring to the exchanges in the current round of China-U.S. trade tension.

    The article was signed “Zhong Sheng”, or “Voice of China”, a term the paper uses to express views on foreign policy.

    Reiterating Beijing’s view that Trump’s tariffs amount to “bullying”, the paper added, “Practice has proven that only by firmly upholding principled positions can one truly safeguard one’s legitimate rights and interests.”

    The remarks set the stage for another round of tariff war should Trump stick to what the ruling Communist Party’s official daily said was “a so-called ‘final deadline.’”

    The average U.S. tariff on Chinese exports now stands at 51.1%, while the average Chinese duty on U.S. goods is 32.6%, with both sides covering all their trade, the Peterson Institute for International Economics said.

    The paper also took a swipe at regional economies that are considering striking tariff reduction deals with the United States that cut China out of their supply chains.

    Last week, Vietnam secured a tariff reduction to 20% from 46% with a deal for goods “transshipped” through it, typically originating from China, to be subjected to a levy of 40%.

    “China firmly opposes any side striking a deal that sacrifices Chinese interests in exchange for tariff concessions,” the paper said.

    “If such a situation arises, China will not accept it and will respond resolutely to protect its legitimate interests.”

    (Reuters)

  • Netanyahu meets Trump at White House as Israel, Hamas discuss ceasefire

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    U.S. President Donald Trump, hosting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Monday, said the United States had scheduled talks with Iran and indicated progress on a controversial effort to relocate Palestinians out of Gaza.

    Speaking to reporters at the beginning of a dinner between U.S. and Israeli officials, Netanyahu said the United States and Israel were working with other countries who would give Palestinians a “better future,” suggesting that the residents of Gaza could move to neighboring nations.

    “If people want to stay, they can stay, but if they want to leave, they should be able to leave,” Netanyahu said.

    “We’re working with the United States very closely about finding countries that will seek to realize what they always say, that they wanted to give the Palestinians a better future. I think we’re getting close to finding several countries.”

    Trump, who initially demurred to Netanyahu when asked about the relocating of Palestinians, said the countries around Israel were helping out. “We’ve had great cooperation from … surrounding countries, great cooperation from every single one of them. So something good will happen,” Trump said.

    The president earlier this year floated relocating Palestinians and taking over the Gaza Strip to turn it into the “Riviera of the Middle East.” Gazans criticized the proposal and vowed never to leave their homes in the coastal enclave. Human rights groups condemned the plan as ethnic cleansing.

    Trump and Netanyahu met for several hours in Washington while Israeli officials continued indirect negotiations with Hamas aimed at securing a U.S.-brokered Gaza ceasefire and hostage-release deal. Netanyahu returned to the Blair House guest house late on Monday, where he is due to meet Vice President JD Vance at 9:30 EDT on Tuesday.

    Netanyahu’s visit follows Trump’s prediction, on the eve of their meeting, that such a deal could be reached this week. Before heading to Washington, the right-wing Israeli leader said his discussions with Trump could help advance negotiations under way in Qatar between Israel and the Palestinian militant group.

    It was Trump’s third face-to-face encounter with Netanyahu since returning to office in January, and came just over two weeks after the president ordered the bombing of Iranian nuclear sites in support of Israeli air strikes. Trump then helped arrange a ceasefire in the 12-day Israel-Iran war.

    Trump said his administration would be meeting with Iran. “We have scheduled Iran talks, and they … want to talk. They took a big drubbing,” he said.

    Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff said the meeting would take place in the next week or so.

    Trump said he would like to lift sanctions on Iran at some point. “I would love to be able to, at the right time, take those sanctions off,” he said.

    Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said in an interview released on Monday that he believed Iran could resolve its differences with the United States through dialogue.

    Trump and his aides appeared to be trying to seize on any momentum created by the weakening of Iran, which backs Hamas, to push both sides for a breakthrough in the 21-month Gaza war.

    The two leaders, with their top advisers, held a private dinner in the White House Blue Room, instead of more traditional talks in the Oval Office, where the president usually greets visiting dignitaries.

    Outside, hundreds of protesters, many wearing Palestinian keffiyeh scarves and waving Palestinian flags, gathered near the White House, waving banners that read “Stop Arming Israel” and “Say No to Genocide”. They also called for Netanyahu’s arrest, referring to the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant against the Israeli leader over alleged war crimes in Gaza.

    Netanyahu met earlier on Monday with Witkoff and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. He planned to visit the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday to see congressional leaders.

    During their meeting, Netanyahu gave Trump a letter that he said he had used to nominate the U.S. president for the Nobel Peace Prize. Trump, appearing pleased by the gesture, thanked him.

    Ahead of their visit, Netanyahu told reporters Israeli negotiators were driving for a deal on Gaza in Doha, Qatar’s capital.

    Israeli officials also hope the outcome of the conflict with Iran will pave the way for normalization of relations with more of its neighbors such as Lebanon, Syria and Saudi Arabia.

    SECOND DAY OF QATAR TALKS

    Witkoff, who played a major role in crafting the 60-day ceasefire proposal at the center of the Qatar negotiations, will travel to Doha this week to join discussions there, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters earlier on Monday.

    In a sign of continued gaps between the two sides, Palestinian sources said Israel’s refusal to allow the free and safe entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza remains the main obstacle to progress in the indirect talks. Israel insists it is taking steps to get food into Gaza but seeks to prevent militants from diverting supplies.

    On the second day of negotiations, mediators hosted one round and talks were expected to resume in the evening, the Palestinian sources told Reuters.

    The U.S.-backed proposal envisages a phased release of hostages, Israeli troop withdrawals from parts of Gaza and discussions on ending the war entirely.

    Hamas has long demanded a final end to the war before it would free remaining hostages; Israel has insisted it would not agree to halt fighting until all hostages are released and Hamas dismantled.

    Trump told reporters last week that he would be “very firm” with Netanyahu on the need for a speedy Gaza deal and that the Israeli leader also wanted to end the war.

    Some of Netanyahu’s hardline coalition partners oppose halting military operations but, with Israelis having become increasingly weary of the Gaza war, his government is expected to back a ceasefire if he can secure acceptable terms.

    A ceasefire at the start of this year collapsed in March, and talks to revive it have so far been fruitless. Meanwhile, Israel has intensified its military campaign in Gaza and sharply restricted food distribution.

    Gazans were watching closely for any sign of a breakthrough. “I ask God almighty that the negotiating delegation or the mediators pressure with all their strength to solve this issue, because it has totally became unbearable,” said Abu Suleiman Qadoum, a displaced resident of Gaza city.

    The Gaza war erupted when Hamas attacked southern Israel in October 2023, killing around 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. Some 50 hostages remain in Gaza, with 20 believed to be alive.

    Israel’s retaliatory war in Gaza has killed over 57,000 Palestinians, according to the enclave’s health ministry. Most of Gaza’s population has been displaced by the war and nearly half a million people are facing famine within months, according to United Nations estimates.

    Trump has been strongly supportive of Netanyahu, even wading into domestic Israeli politics last month by criticizing prosecutors over a corruption trial against the Israeli leader on bribery, fraud and breach-of-trust charges that Netanyahu denies.

    (Reuters)

  • MIL-OSI Security: USS PEARL HARBOR (LSD 52) Sailors perform general quarters drill [Image 3 of 5]

    Source: United States Navy (Logistics Group Western Pacific)

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    PACIFIC OCEAN (July 2, 2025) U.S. Navy Boatswain’s Mate 1st Class Paul Aldana, from Phoenix, Arizona, acts as a scene leader during a general quaters drill on the bridge wing of the Harpers Ferry-class amphibious dock landing ship USS Pearl Harbor (LSD 52) in the Pacific Ocean on July 2, 2025. Now in its 21st iteration, the Pacific Partnership series is the largest annual multinational humanitarian assistance and disaster management preparedness mission conducted in the Indo-Pacific. Pacific Partnership works collaboratively with host and partner nations to enhance regional interoperability and disaster response capabilities, increase security and stability in the region, and foster new and enduring friendships in the Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Alexander Bussman)

    Date Taken: 07.01.2025
    Date Posted: 07.03.2025 00:12
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  • MIL-OSI Security: USS PEARL HARBOR (LSD 52) Sailors perform general quarters drill [Image 3 of 5]

    Source: United States Navy (Logistics Group Western Pacific)

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    PACIFIC OCEAN (July 2, 2025) U.S. Navy Boatswain’s Mate 1st Class Paul Aldana, from Phoenix, Arizona, acts as a scene leader during a general quaters drill on the bridge wing of the Harpers Ferry-class amphibious dock landing ship USS Pearl Harbor (LSD 52) in the Pacific Ocean on July 2, 2025. Now in its 21st iteration, the Pacific Partnership series is the largest annual multinational humanitarian assistance and disaster management preparedness mission conducted in the Indo-Pacific. Pacific Partnership works collaboratively with host and partner nations to enhance regional interoperability and disaster response capabilities, increase security and stability in the region, and foster new and enduring friendships in the Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Alexander Bussman)

    Date Taken: 07.01.2025
    Date Posted: 07.03.2025 00:12
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  • MIL-OSI Security: USS PEARL HARBOR (LSD 52) Sailors perform general quarters drill [Image 3 of 5]

    Source: United States Navy (Logistics Group Western Pacific)

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    PACIFIC OCEAN (July 2, 2025) U.S. Navy Boatswain’s Mate 1st Class Paul Aldana, from Phoenix, Arizona, acts as a scene leader during a general quaters drill on the bridge wing of the Harpers Ferry-class amphibious dock landing ship USS Pearl Harbor (LSD 52) in the Pacific Ocean on July 2, 2025. Now in its 21st iteration, the Pacific Partnership series is the largest annual multinational humanitarian assistance and disaster management preparedness mission conducted in the Indo-Pacific. Pacific Partnership works collaboratively with host and partner nations to enhance regional interoperability and disaster response capabilities, increase security and stability in the region, and foster new and enduring friendships in the Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Alexander Bussman)

    Date Taken: 07.01.2025
    Date Posted: 07.03.2025 00:12
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  • MIL-OSI Security: Commodore, Maritime Component Commander, New Zealand Defence Force Visits COMLOG WESTPAC, July 2, 2025 [Image 1 of 3]

    Source: United States Navy (Logistics Group Western Pacific)

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    SINGAPORE (July 2, 2025) Rear Adm. Todd Cimicata, left, Commander, Logistics Group Western Pacific/Task Force 73 (COMLOG WESTPAC/CTF-73), greets Commodore Shane Arndell, Maritime Component Commander, New Zealand Defence Force, during a scheduled visit to Sembawang Naval Installation, July 2, 2025. COMLOG WESTPAC supports deployed maritime forces, along with regional Allies and partners, to sustain Western Pacific operations. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Moises Sandoval/Released)

    Date Taken: 07.01.2025
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    Source: United States Navy (Logistics Group Western Pacific)

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    SINGAPORE (July 2, 2025) Rear Adm. Todd Cimicata, left, Commander, Logistics Group Western Pacific/Task Force 73 (COMLOG WESTPAC/CTF-73), greets Commodore Shane Arndell, Maritime Component Commander, New Zealand Defence Force, during a scheduled visit to Sembawang Naval Installation, July 2, 2025. COMLOG WESTPAC supports deployed maritime forces, along with regional Allies and partners, to sustain Western Pacific operations. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Moises Sandoval/Released)

    Date Taken: 07.01.2025
    Date Posted: 07.08.2025 00:44
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  • MIL-OSI Security: Commodore, Maritime Component Commander, New Zealand Defence Force Visits COMLOG WESTPAC, July 2, 2025 [Image 1 of 3]

    Source: United States Navy (Logistics Group Western Pacific)

    Issued by: on

    SINGAPORE (July 2, 2025) Rear Adm. Todd Cimicata, left, Commander, Logistics Group Western Pacific/Task Force 73 (COMLOG WESTPAC/CTF-73), greets Commodore Shane Arndell, Maritime Component Commander, New Zealand Defence Force, during a scheduled visit to Sembawang Naval Installation, July 2, 2025. COMLOG WESTPAC supports deployed maritime forces, along with regional Allies and partners, to sustain Western Pacific operations. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Moises Sandoval/Released)

    Date Taken: 07.01.2025
    Date Posted: 07.08.2025 00:44
    Photo ID: 9167912
    VIRIN: 250702-N-ED646-9134
    Resolution: 7667×5121
    Size: 5.64 MB
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  • MIL-OSI Security: Commodore, Maritime Component Commander, New Zealand Defence Force Visits COMLOG WESTPAC, July 2, 2025 [Image 3 of 3]

    Source: United States Navy (Logistics Group Western Pacific)

    Issued by: on

    SINGAPORE (July 2, 2025) Rear Adm. Todd Cimicata, right, Commander, Logistics Group Western Pacific/Task Force 73 (COMLOG WESTPAC/CTF-73), and Commodore Shane Arndell, Maritime Component Commander, New Zealand Defence Force, pose for a photo during a scheduled visit to Sembawang Naval Installation, July 2, 2025. COMLOG WESTPAC supports deployed maritime forces, along with regional Allies and partners, to sustain Western Pacific operations. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Moises Sandoval/Released)

    Date Taken: 07.01.2025
    Date Posted: 07.08.2025 00:44
    Photo ID: 9167914
    VIRIN: 250702-N-ED646-1859
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  • MIL-OSI Security: Commodore, Maritime Component Commander, New Zealand Defence Force Visits COMLOG WESTPAC, July 2, 2025 [Image 3 of 3]

    Source: United States Navy (Logistics Group Western Pacific)

    Issued by: on

    SINGAPORE (July 2, 2025) Rear Adm. Todd Cimicata, right, Commander, Logistics Group Western Pacific/Task Force 73 (COMLOG WESTPAC/CTF-73), and Commodore Shane Arndell, Maritime Component Commander, New Zealand Defence Force, pose for a photo during a scheduled visit to Sembawang Naval Installation, July 2, 2025. COMLOG WESTPAC supports deployed maritime forces, along with regional Allies and partners, to sustain Western Pacific operations. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Moises Sandoval/Released)

    Date Taken: 07.01.2025
    Date Posted: 07.08.2025 00:44
    Photo ID: 9167914
    VIRIN: 250702-N-ED646-1859
    Resolution: 7307×5219
    Size: 6.83 MB
    Location: SG
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  • MIL-OSI Security: Commodore, Maritime Component Commander, New Zealand Defence Force Visits COMLOG WESTPAC, July 2, 2025 [Image 3 of 3]

    Source: United States Navy (Logistics Group Western Pacific)

    Issued by: on

    SINGAPORE (July 2, 2025) Rear Adm. Todd Cimicata, right, Commander, Logistics Group Western Pacific/Task Force 73 (COMLOG WESTPAC/CTF-73), and Commodore Shane Arndell, Maritime Component Commander, New Zealand Defence Force, pose for a photo during a scheduled visit to Sembawang Naval Installation, July 2, 2025. COMLOG WESTPAC supports deployed maritime forces, along with regional Allies and partners, to sustain Western Pacific operations. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Moises Sandoval/Released)

    Date Taken: 07.01.2025
    Date Posted: 07.08.2025 00:44
    Photo ID: 9167914
    VIRIN: 250702-N-ED646-1859
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  • Japan will continue trade talks with US for mutually beneficial deal, Ishiba says

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said on Tuesday that he would continue negotiations with the U.S. to seek a mutually beneficial trade deal, after President Donald Trump announced 25% tariffs on goods from Japan starting August 1.

    Trump on Monday started notifying trade partners, from major suppliers like Japan and South Korea to minor players, of steep U.S. tariff hikes, but later indicated a willingness to delay implementation if countries made acceptable proposals.

    While Tokyo and Washington have yet to reach a deal, Ishiba noted that recent talks had helped Japan avoid even steeper tariffs of around 30-35% as suggested previously by Trump.

    “We have received a proposal from the United States to swiftly proceed with negotiations towards the newly set August 1 deadline, and that depending on Japan’s response, the content of the letter could be revised,” Ishiba said at a meeting with cabinet ministers to discuss Japan’s strategy on tariffs.

    Japan will “actively seek the chance of an agreement that benefits both countries, while protecting Japan’s national interest,” he added.

    Ishiba also asked his cabinet ministers to take steps to mitigate the blow from tariffs on industries and jobs.

    The latest development in the U.S. trade war drove the dollar up to a two-week high of 146.24 yen, potentially lifting already rising import costs.

    Japan failed to clinch a deal with the U.S. before a July 9 expiration of a temporary pause on reciprocal tariffs, due to its focus on eliminating a 25% tariff on automobiles – a mainstay of its export-reliant economy.

    With an upper house election on July 20, Ishiba has repeatedly said Japan will not make “easy concessions” for the sake of an early deal with Washington.

    Recent media polls have shown Ishiba’s ruling coalition may fail to maintain a majority in the upper house, which could complicate trade negotiations, analysts say.

    U.S. tariffs also add to woes for Japan’s economy, which shrank in the first quarter on soft consumption.

    Real wages in May fell at the fastest pace in nearly two years, while the government on Monday made the bleakest assessment on the economy in nearly five years.

    “While Japan likely averted the worst-case scenario, 25% tariffs would still hurt exporters’ profits by up to 25%,” said Kazuki Fujimoto, an analyst at Japan Research Institute.

    “If corporate profits worsen, it’s hard to avoid companies from toning down on efforts to hike wages,” he added.

    (Reuters)

  • Japan will continue trade talks with US for mutually beneficial deal, Ishiba says

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said on Tuesday that he would continue negotiations with the U.S. to seek a mutually beneficial trade deal, after President Donald Trump announced 25% tariffs on goods from Japan starting August 1.

    Trump on Monday started notifying trade partners, from major suppliers like Japan and South Korea to minor players, of steep U.S. tariff hikes, but later indicated a willingness to delay implementation if countries made acceptable proposals.

    While Tokyo and Washington have yet to reach a deal, Ishiba noted that recent talks had helped Japan avoid even steeper tariffs of around 30-35% as suggested previously by Trump.

    “We have received a proposal from the United States to swiftly proceed with negotiations towards the newly set August 1 deadline, and that depending on Japan’s response, the content of the letter could be revised,” Ishiba said at a meeting with cabinet ministers to discuss Japan’s strategy on tariffs.

    Japan will “actively seek the chance of an agreement that benefits both countries, while protecting Japan’s national interest,” he added.

    Ishiba also asked his cabinet ministers to take steps to mitigate the blow from tariffs on industries and jobs.

    The latest development in the U.S. trade war drove the dollar up to a two-week high of 146.24 yen, potentially lifting already rising import costs.

    Japan failed to clinch a deal with the U.S. before a July 9 expiration of a temporary pause on reciprocal tariffs, due to its focus on eliminating a 25% tariff on automobiles – a mainstay of its export-reliant economy.

    With an upper house election on July 20, Ishiba has repeatedly said Japan will not make “easy concessions” for the sake of an early deal with Washington.

    Recent media polls have shown Ishiba’s ruling coalition may fail to maintain a majority in the upper house, which could complicate trade negotiations, analysts say.

    U.S. tariffs also add to woes for Japan’s economy, which shrank in the first quarter on soft consumption.

    Real wages in May fell at the fastest pace in nearly two years, while the government on Monday made the bleakest assessment on the economy in nearly five years.

    “While Japan likely averted the worst-case scenario, 25% tariffs would still hurt exporters’ profits by up to 25%,” said Kazuki Fujimoto, an analyst at Japan Research Institute.

    “If corporate profits worsen, it’s hard to avoid companies from toning down on efforts to hike wages,” he added.

    (Reuters)

  • Japan will continue trade talks with US for mutually beneficial deal, Ishiba says

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said on Tuesday that he would continue negotiations with the U.S. to seek a mutually beneficial trade deal, after President Donald Trump announced 25% tariffs on goods from Japan starting August 1.

    Trump on Monday started notifying trade partners, from major suppliers like Japan and South Korea to minor players, of steep U.S. tariff hikes, but later indicated a willingness to delay implementation if countries made acceptable proposals.

    While Tokyo and Washington have yet to reach a deal, Ishiba noted that recent talks had helped Japan avoid even steeper tariffs of around 30-35% as suggested previously by Trump.

    “We have received a proposal from the United States to swiftly proceed with negotiations towards the newly set August 1 deadline, and that depending on Japan’s response, the content of the letter could be revised,” Ishiba said at a meeting with cabinet ministers to discuss Japan’s strategy on tariffs.

    Japan will “actively seek the chance of an agreement that benefits both countries, while protecting Japan’s national interest,” he added.

    Ishiba also asked his cabinet ministers to take steps to mitigate the blow from tariffs on industries and jobs.

    The latest development in the U.S. trade war drove the dollar up to a two-week high of 146.24 yen, potentially lifting already rising import costs.

    Japan failed to clinch a deal with the U.S. before a July 9 expiration of a temporary pause on reciprocal tariffs, due to its focus on eliminating a 25% tariff on automobiles – a mainstay of its export-reliant economy.

    With an upper house election on July 20, Ishiba has repeatedly said Japan will not make “easy concessions” for the sake of an early deal with Washington.

    Recent media polls have shown Ishiba’s ruling coalition may fail to maintain a majority in the upper house, which could complicate trade negotiations, analysts say.

    U.S. tariffs also add to woes for Japan’s economy, which shrank in the first quarter on soft consumption.

    Real wages in May fell at the fastest pace in nearly two years, while the government on Monday made the bleakest assessment on the economy in nearly five years.

    “While Japan likely averted the worst-case scenario, 25% tariffs would still hurt exporters’ profits by up to 25%,” said Kazuki Fujimoto, an analyst at Japan Research Institute.

    “If corporate profits worsen, it’s hard to avoid companies from toning down on efforts to hike wages,” he added.

    (Reuters)

  • Japan will continue trade talks with US for mutually beneficial deal, Ishiba says

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said on Tuesday that he would continue negotiations with the U.S. to seek a mutually beneficial trade deal, after President Donald Trump announced 25% tariffs on goods from Japan starting August 1.

    Trump on Monday started notifying trade partners, from major suppliers like Japan and South Korea to minor players, of steep U.S. tariff hikes, but later indicated a willingness to delay implementation if countries made acceptable proposals.

    While Tokyo and Washington have yet to reach a deal, Ishiba noted that recent talks had helped Japan avoid even steeper tariffs of around 30-35% as suggested previously by Trump.

    “We have received a proposal from the United States to swiftly proceed with negotiations towards the newly set August 1 deadline, and that depending on Japan’s response, the content of the letter could be revised,” Ishiba said at a meeting with cabinet ministers to discuss Japan’s strategy on tariffs.

    Japan will “actively seek the chance of an agreement that benefits both countries, while protecting Japan’s national interest,” he added.

    Ishiba also asked his cabinet ministers to take steps to mitigate the blow from tariffs on industries and jobs.

    The latest development in the U.S. trade war drove the dollar up to a two-week high of 146.24 yen, potentially lifting already rising import costs.

    Japan failed to clinch a deal with the U.S. before a July 9 expiration of a temporary pause on reciprocal tariffs, due to its focus on eliminating a 25% tariff on automobiles – a mainstay of its export-reliant economy.

    With an upper house election on July 20, Ishiba has repeatedly said Japan will not make “easy concessions” for the sake of an early deal with Washington.

    Recent media polls have shown Ishiba’s ruling coalition may fail to maintain a majority in the upper house, which could complicate trade negotiations, analysts say.

    U.S. tariffs also add to woes for Japan’s economy, which shrank in the first quarter on soft consumption.

    Real wages in May fell at the fastest pace in nearly two years, while the government on Monday made the bleakest assessment on the economy in nearly five years.

    “While Japan likely averted the worst-case scenario, 25% tariffs would still hurt exporters’ profits by up to 25%,” said Kazuki Fujimoto, an analyst at Japan Research Institute.

    “If corporate profits worsen, it’s hard to avoid companies from toning down on efforts to hike wages,” he added.

    (Reuters)

  • Amarnath Yatra proceeds smoothly, over 90,000 pilgrims have ‘darshan’ in five days

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The annual Amarnath Yatra has been progressing peacefully over the past five days, with the number of pilgrims steadily increasing each day. As of Tuesday, over 90,000 devotees have undertaken the sacred pilgrimage since it commenced on July 3.

    On Tuesday, another batch of 7,541 pilgrims departed for the Kashmir Valley. According to officials, these Yatris left the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in Jammu in two escorted convoys.

    “The first escorted convoy, comprising 148 vehicles and carrying 3,321 pilgrims, departed at 2:55 a.m. for the Baltal base camp. The second convoy, consisting of 161 vehicles and 4,220 pilgrims, left at 4:03 a.m. for the Nunwan (Pahalgam) base camp,” said officials.

    In addition to those arriving from Bhagwati Nagar, many pilgrims are reaching the Valley directly and registering on the spot at the transit camps and base camps, according to the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB), which oversees the pilgrimage.

    In light of the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, authorities have ensured stringent security measures this year. A multi-layered security apparatus has been deployed, with an additional 180 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) supplementing the existing presence of the Army, BSF, CRPF, SSB, and local police. Security forces are stationed across all transit camps and along the entire route from Jammu to the holy cave shrine.

    Local residents have once again extended wholehearted support to the Yatra, reaffirming their long-standing tradition of hospitality. In a poignant gesture following the Pahalgam attack, locals welcomed the first batch of pilgrims at Qazigund – the Valley’s entry point via the Navyug Tunnel – with garlands and placards, expressing solidarity and sorrow.

    This year, the Yatra will continue for 38 days, concluding on August 9, coinciding with the auspicious festivals of Shravan Purnima and Raksha Bandhan.

    (With inputs from IANS)

  • Amarnath Yatra proceeds smoothly, over 90,000 pilgrims have ‘darshan’ in five days

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The annual Amarnath Yatra has been progressing peacefully over the past five days, with the number of pilgrims steadily increasing each day. As of Tuesday, over 90,000 devotees have undertaken the sacred pilgrimage since it commenced on July 3.

    On Tuesday, another batch of 7,541 pilgrims departed for the Kashmir Valley. According to officials, these Yatris left the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in Jammu in two escorted convoys.

    “The first escorted convoy, comprising 148 vehicles and carrying 3,321 pilgrims, departed at 2:55 a.m. for the Baltal base camp. The second convoy, consisting of 161 vehicles and 4,220 pilgrims, left at 4:03 a.m. for the Nunwan (Pahalgam) base camp,” said officials.

    In addition to those arriving from Bhagwati Nagar, many pilgrims are reaching the Valley directly and registering on the spot at the transit camps and base camps, according to the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB), which oversees the pilgrimage.

    In light of the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, authorities have ensured stringent security measures this year. A multi-layered security apparatus has been deployed, with an additional 180 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) supplementing the existing presence of the Army, BSF, CRPF, SSB, and local police. Security forces are stationed across all transit camps and along the entire route from Jammu to the holy cave shrine.

    Local residents have once again extended wholehearted support to the Yatra, reaffirming their long-standing tradition of hospitality. In a poignant gesture following the Pahalgam attack, locals welcomed the first batch of pilgrims at Qazigund – the Valley’s entry point via the Navyug Tunnel – with garlands and placards, expressing solidarity and sorrow.

    This year, the Yatra will continue for 38 days, concluding on August 9, coinciding with the auspicious festivals of Shravan Purnima and Raksha Bandhan.

    (With inputs from IANS)

  • Amarnath Yatra proceeds smoothly, over 90,000 pilgrims have ‘darshan’ in five days

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The annual Amarnath Yatra has been progressing peacefully over the past five days, with the number of pilgrims steadily increasing each day. As of Tuesday, over 90,000 devotees have undertaken the sacred pilgrimage since it commenced on July 3.

    On Tuesday, another batch of 7,541 pilgrims departed for the Kashmir Valley. According to officials, these Yatris left the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in Jammu in two escorted convoys.

    “The first escorted convoy, comprising 148 vehicles and carrying 3,321 pilgrims, departed at 2:55 a.m. for the Baltal base camp. The second convoy, consisting of 161 vehicles and 4,220 pilgrims, left at 4:03 a.m. for the Nunwan (Pahalgam) base camp,” said officials.

    In addition to those arriving from Bhagwati Nagar, many pilgrims are reaching the Valley directly and registering on the spot at the transit camps and base camps, according to the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB), which oversees the pilgrimage.

    In light of the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, authorities have ensured stringent security measures this year. A multi-layered security apparatus has been deployed, with an additional 180 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) supplementing the existing presence of the Army, BSF, CRPF, SSB, and local police. Security forces are stationed across all transit camps and along the entire route from Jammu to the holy cave shrine.

    Local residents have once again extended wholehearted support to the Yatra, reaffirming their long-standing tradition of hospitality. In a poignant gesture following the Pahalgam attack, locals welcomed the first batch of pilgrims at Qazigund – the Valley’s entry point via the Navyug Tunnel – with garlands and placards, expressing solidarity and sorrow.

    This year, the Yatra will continue for 38 days, concluding on August 9, coinciding with the auspicious festivals of Shravan Purnima and Raksha Bandhan.

    (With inputs from IANS)

  • Amarnath Yatra proceeds smoothly, over 90,000 pilgrims have ‘darshan’ in five days

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The annual Amarnath Yatra has been progressing peacefully over the past five days, with the number of pilgrims steadily increasing each day. As of Tuesday, over 90,000 devotees have undertaken the sacred pilgrimage since it commenced on July 3.

    On Tuesday, another batch of 7,541 pilgrims departed for the Kashmir Valley. According to officials, these Yatris left the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in Jammu in two escorted convoys.

    “The first escorted convoy, comprising 148 vehicles and carrying 3,321 pilgrims, departed at 2:55 a.m. for the Baltal base camp. The second convoy, consisting of 161 vehicles and 4,220 pilgrims, left at 4:03 a.m. for the Nunwan (Pahalgam) base camp,” said officials.

    In addition to those arriving from Bhagwati Nagar, many pilgrims are reaching the Valley directly and registering on the spot at the transit camps and base camps, according to the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB), which oversees the pilgrimage.

    In light of the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, authorities have ensured stringent security measures this year. A multi-layered security apparatus has been deployed, with an additional 180 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) supplementing the existing presence of the Army, BSF, CRPF, SSB, and local police. Security forces are stationed across all transit camps and along the entire route from Jammu to the holy cave shrine.

    Local residents have once again extended wholehearted support to the Yatra, reaffirming their long-standing tradition of hospitality. In a poignant gesture following the Pahalgam attack, locals welcomed the first batch of pilgrims at Qazigund – the Valley’s entry point via the Navyug Tunnel – with garlands and placards, expressing solidarity and sorrow.

    This year, the Yatra will continue for 38 days, concluding on August 9, coinciding with the auspicious festivals of Shravan Purnima and Raksha Bandhan.

    (With inputs from IANS)