NewzIntel.com

Category: Asia Pacific

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Universities and Security – Counterterrorism watchdog needed – legal expert – UoA

    Source: University of Auckland (UoA)

    An independent watchdog would shine a light into the shadowy world of security and counterterrorism, says Associate Professor John Ip in a research paper.

    Since the 2019 Christchurch mosque attacks, New Zealand has introduced several counterterrorism laws, significantly expanding state power. Now, a legal expert says it’s time to follow the UK, Australia and Ireland in appointing an independent watchdog to keep that power in check.

    In his paper, ‘The case for an independent reviewer of counterterrorism legislation in New Zealand,’ University of Auckland Law Associate Professor, John Ip, says although necessary, counterterrorism legislation often lacks provision for ongoing oversight.

    Counterterrorism legislation, says Ip, is characterised by a government’s need to react to an incident decisively and quickly, leaving little time for public input, legislative deliberation or scrutiny. Once on the books, counterterrorism legislation is rarely repealed and difficult to ratchet back.

    “This makes scrutiny and oversight essential, especially given the potential impact on individual rights and freedoms.”

    Since 2019, New Zealand has introduced counterterrorism legislation including the Terrorism Suppression (Control Orders) Act, the Counter-Terrorism Legislation Act, and the Counter-Terrorism Acts (Designations and Control Orders) Amendment Act. But Ip says this relative flurry of legislation hasn’t been matched by any permanent oversight mechanism.

    “It’s important that any unintended consequences, gaps and shortcomings are brought to light and that the public have confidence that the powers conferred by counterterrorism legislation are being used appropriately.”

    Ip argues that creating an independent review entity would enhance public understanding, facilitate evidence-based policymaking and augment existing legal and political avenues of scrutiny and oversight.

    “Countries around the world quickly react to acts of terrorism, and in this, we see expansion, or at the very least, some consolidation of the power of the state. We see the creation of a stronger national security state. And as this is happening, we should strengthen the oversight and control of those same institutions.”

    However, the options for oversight currently available, says Ip, have limitations.
    “As is typical of national security matters, secrecy shrouds the operation of counterterrorism law. Secrecy around national security creates a problem – those who might provide oversight often don’t have access to the whole picture.

    “In the courts, legal challenges depend on individuals bringing cases, but secrecy can mean a wrong can’t be established because of a lack of publicly available evidence. When they do hear cases, without a comprehensive picture, judges are also likely to be more deferential.”

    Temporary review bodies such as public inquiries also have limits, says Ip. For example, the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into the 15 March attacks meant that the Commission was not allowed to look into the police’s initial response.

    “These kinds of inquiries and bodies also stop existing once they deliver their final report. If the government chooses not to act on the recommendations, there’s little option in following up or pushing for change later on.

    “These limitations, including that more specialised review bodies tend to be either ad hoc or otherwise circumscribed in scope, suggest the need for something different.”

    In his paper, Ip examines overseas models, including the UK’s Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation (IRTL). The IRTL is legally qualified, independent of government, and has access to the same classified information as ministers, enabling impartial, informed oversight.

    Unlike courts, which look into specific cases, the IRTL has a broad mandate to review counterterrorism legislation as a whole.

    While the UK model is interesting, Ip says New Zealand might more closely follow the formal statutory approach exemplified by Australia’s Independent National Security Legislation Monitor, and to a lesser extent Ireland’s Independent Examiner of Security Legislation (IESL). Both are created by legislation with clearly defined powers and responsibilities.

    “A permanent independent office, with comprehensive access to information, could review the operation of counterterrorism legislation here and publish reports with findings and recommendations,” says Ip.

    “Independent review bodies play a crucial role in shining a light into the shadowy corners of the world of security and counterterrorism.”

    Read the paper: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=5265484#:~:text=Drawing%20on%20models%20from%20the,with%20its%20findings%20and%20recommendations.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: PSA welcomes settlement of Te Roopu Taurima industrial dispute

    Source: PSA

    PSA members at disability support provider Te Roopu Taurima have voted to ratify a new Collective Agreement.
    The settlement follows an 8-month dispute. The employer banned Kaitaataki and Poutaaki (residential whare leaders) from working additional hours before Christmas and threatened a six-week suspension in response to low level strike action.
    “These workers stuck together through what was a long and difficult industrial dispute and proudly emerged stronger,” says Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi National Secretary Fleur Fitzismons.
    “The new agreement doesn’t include 90-day trials which was a key driver of the dispute.
    “Our heartfelt appreciation goes to the members of Parliament and representatives of the disability community who stood with workers in this challenging moment.
    “Kaitaataki and Poutaaki are pleased to be able to return to focusing on their important work supporting taangata and their whānau.”
    The legal action against the lockout is still to be heard by the Employment Relations Authority.
    Other media releases:
    The Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi is Aotearoa New Zealand’s largest trade union, representing and supporting more than 95,000 workers across central government, state-owned enterprises, local councils, health boards and community groups.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Legal Cases – Greenpeace International begins groundbreaking Anti-SLAPP case to protect freedom of speech

    Source: Greenpeace

    In a landmark test case of the European Union’s new legislation to protect freedom of expression and stop abusive lawsuits, Greenpeace International has overnight challenged the US oil pipeline company, Energy Transfer, in court in the Netherlands.[1]
    The multi-billion-dollar company brought two back-to-back SLAPP suits against Greenpeace International and Greenpeace in the US, after Greenpeace showed solidarity with the 2016 peaceful Indigenous-led protests against the Dakota Access Pipeline. The first case was dismissed, but the Greenpeace organisations continue to defend against the second case, which is ongoing, after a North Dakota jury recently awarded over 660 million USD in damages to the pipeline giant.Activists from Greenpeace International and allies were present outside the courthouse in Amsterdam for the first hearing in the case with a banner reading “ ENERGY TRANSFER, WELCOME TO THE EU – WHERE FREE SPEECH IS STILL A THING“. Mads Christensen, Executive Director, Greenpeace International, says: “Energy Transfer’s attack on our right to protest is an attack on everyone’s free speech. Greenpeace has been the target of threats, arrests and even bombs over the last 50 years and persevered. We will continue to resist all forms of intimidation and explore every option to hold Energy Transfer accountable for this attempt at abusing the justice system. This groundbreaking anti-SLAPP case against Energy Transfer in the Netherlands is just the beginning of defeating this bullying tactic being wielded by billionaires and fossil fuel giants trying to silence critics all over the world. Something absolutely vital is at stake here: people’s ability to hold corporate polluters to account for the devastation they’re causing.”
    Russel Norman, Executive Director, Greenpeace Aotearoa, says: “The timing of this case is particularly poignant given that we are about to mark the 40th anniversary of the bombing of the Rainbow Warrior by agents of the French Government here in Auckland. The bombing was an act of desperation by the French Government in the face of our successful, people-powered campaign to end nuclear testing in the Pacific.
    “Forty years ago, we showed that we could not be intimidated. Greenpeace only grew stronger, and together with the nuclear-free Pacific movement, we put a stop to nuclear testing. Now, as Greenpeace International goes to court in Amsterdam, Energy Transfer would also like us – and all climate activists – to be afraid and to shut up – but once again, we will show that we will not be silenced.”The lawsuit is an important test of the European Union’s Anti-SLAPP Directive, adopted in April 2024.[2] The Directive is designed to protect journalists, activists, civil society organisations, or anyone else speaking out about matters of public concern, from Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPP) – unfounded intimidation lawsuits brought by powerful corporations or wealthy individuals seeking to suppress public debate.[3] Since Greenpeace International is a Netherlands-based foundation and the damage caused by Energy Transfers’s US SLAPP suit is occurring in the Netherlands, both Dutch and EU law apply.
    Amy Jacobsen, Senior Legal Counsel, Greenpeace International, says, “This case paves the way for protections from bullying lawsuits being implemented throughout Europe and beyond. The lawsuits that Energy Transfer have brought against Greenpeace International are the perfect example of the kind of abusive legal proceedings that the anti-SLAPP Directive is designed to protect against. By calling upon the EU anti-SLAPP Directive’s protections, Greenpeace International refuses to allow the bullying tactics of wealthy fossil fuel corporations like Energy Transfer to compromise our fundamental free speech rights.”
    Following a dawn ceremony on the 10 July 2025 in Auckland,  the Rainbow Warrior will be open to the public for tours and talks with the crew on the week

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Fallout: Spies on Norfolk Island – SBS podcast

    Pacific Media Watch

    In July 1985, Australia’s Pacific territory of Norfolk Island (pop. 2188) became the centre of a real life international spy thriller.

    Four French agents sailed there on board the Ouvéa, a yacht from Kanaky New Caledonia, after bombing the Rainbow Warrior in Auckland, killing Greenpeace photographer Fernando Pereira.

    The Rainbow Warrior was the flagship for a protest flotilla due to travel to Moruroa atoll to challenge French nuclear tests.

    Australian police took them into custody on behalf of their New Zealand counterparts but then, bafflingly, allowed them to sail away, never to face justice.

    On the 40th anniversary of the bombing (10 July 2025), award-winning journalist Richard Baker goes on an adventure from Paris to the Pacific to get the real story – and ultimately uncover the role that Australia played in the global headline-making affair.

    The programme includes an interview with Pacific journalist David Robie, author of Eyes of Fire: The Last Voyage and Legacy of the Rainbow Warrior. David’s article about this episode is published at Declassified Australia here.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Fallout: Spies on Norfolk Island – SBS podcast

    Pacific Media Watch

    In July 1985, Australia’s Pacific territory of Norfolk Island (pop. 2188) became the centre of a real life international spy thriller.

    Four French agents sailed there on board the Ouvéa, a yacht from Kanaky New Caledonia, after bombing the Rainbow Warrior in Auckland, killing Greenpeace photographer Fernando Pereira.

    The Rainbow Warrior was the flagship for a protest flotilla due to travel to Moruroa atoll to challenge French nuclear tests.

    Australian police took them into custody on behalf of their New Zealand counterparts but then, bafflingly, allowed them to sail away, never to face justice.

    On the 40th anniversary of the bombing (10 July 2025), award-winning journalist Richard Baker goes on an adventure from Paris to the Pacific to get the real story – and ultimately uncover the role that Australia played in the global headline-making affair.

    The programme includes an interview with Pacific journalist David Robie, author of Eyes of Fire: The Last Voyage and Legacy of the Rainbow Warrior. David’s article about this episode is published at Declassified Australia here.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Preparing for a new generation of ‘underbirds’ on Rakiura

    Source: NZ Department of Conservation

    This winter, with introduced predators hungry and lurking, critical action is being taken to help one of the world’s most endangered birds produce a new generation of chicks on Rakiura/Stewart Island.

    Pukunui/Southern New Zealand dotterel are critically threatened shore birds that nests on mountain tops. Photo by Bradley Shields.

    You probably don’t know much about pukunui/Southern New Zealand dotterel, but the rangers on Rakiura have been battling the elements for decades trying to prevent them from being predated, primarily by feral cats.

    Pukunui used to be widespread throughout Te Waipounamu, even found in the Southern Alps, but stoats and cats have decimated their numbers and they now only nest on Rakiura mountain tops.

    “Pukunui have swooped under most people’s radar, but they deserve all the protection they can get,” says Guy McDonald who leads DOC’s Pukunui Recovery Team.

    “We call them the ‘underbirds’ because they are only found at the bottom of New Zealand, and like many native species, they have a friendly, innocent manner, and are defenceless to introduced predators.’ 

    The forest is overrun with predators 

    Guy is one of a small team of rangers on Rakiura who control predators around pukunui breeding areas, monitor nests and conduct annual population counts. 

    “Our team often works day and night, dealing with all kinds of extreme weather, in the effort to protect some of the last remaining strongholds of pukunui breeding pairs located around the mountains of the Tin Range – Ka Puketuroto.”  

    Pukunui Recovery Team Lead, Guy McDonald. Image from Underbirds documentary.

    It has been incredibly challenging because the forest is overrun with predators and trapping networks can only cover a small proportion of the habitat. 

    Consequently, the pukunui population has plummeted to 105 – down from 176 in 2020 and 300 in 2010.

    “Pukunui should live to at least 20-30 years old, but with the huge number of feral cats on the island as well as other predators, most pukunui only survive 4-5 years if they’re lucky,” says Guy.   

    “It’s hard on team morale when we find dotterels that have been eaten, especially the ones we have banded and become familiar with. It’s heartbreaking to find their little bodies.”  

    But there’s a new plan to reverse the decline, drawing on extra funding from Predator Free 2050 and expertise from DOC’s National Predator Control Programme and Zero Invasive Predators.

    Not your average house cat 

    Although there aren’t stoats on Rakiura, pukunui are up against another stealthy and ferocious carnivore – the feral cat.   

    Feral cats captured by a trail camera in May between Doughboy Bay and the Tin Range, close to pukunui breeding grounds. Monitoring shows feral cats are rampant.

    Feral cats are apex predators which means nothing preys upon them. They can hunt high and low across thousands of hectares of forest and mountains, and they survive by preying upon any animal they can sink their teeth into, including birds, bats, lizards, and insects.  

    In response, we’ve begun the first phase of an aerial 1080 operation to reduce the number of rats, feral cats and possums by more than 95% across more than 40,000 hectares of Rakiura National Park.   

    We will do this by accurately applying biodegradable 1080 bait pellets from helicopters to support the trapping efforts of the local team.   

    “It wouldn’t be possible or safe to cover this remote, rugged terrain with traps alone. It would put our people at risk,” Guy says. 

    The use of 1080 is vital for protecting populations of native species across the country. It will heavily reduce predator numbers so pukunui can have a safer, more successful breeding season.  

    If we don’t act now, future generations will ask why 

    The aim is to increase the population to at least 300 birds by 2035 with predator control. However, if predators can be permanently removed through the Predator Free Rakiura project, this target could be well exceeded.  

    “As a team we are excited and nervous because if we are successful, and predators can be eradicated, we may no-longer need a pukunui recovery team,” says Guy.   

    “This would be the best marker of success but also the end of an era.” 

    Dan Cocker, also known as Dotterel Dan, has been involved in protecting pukunui since 2017 as a teenager.

    DOC Rakiura Ranger, Dan Cocker. Image from Underbirds documentary.

    Dan wants to see these birds become so abundant on Rakiura that they can return to shorelines and mountains throughout Te Waipounamu when it’s safe.  

    “When I read books about our extinct native birds, I ask why didn’t they do more? Future generations will ask us this same question, if we don’t take action,” says Dan. 

    This isn’t just about pukunui – Rakiura should be bustling with native wildlife, but there’s a deafening silence deep in the forest. Predator Free Rakiura aims to restore the health and abundance of the ecosystem and bring back native species that belong here.   

    Donations a boost for pukunui protection   

    Pukunui and the Deceit Peaks. Photo by Guy McDonald.

    In 2023 the New Zealand Nature Fund launched a campaign in partnership with DOC to raise funds from donors to support DOC’s Pukunui Recovery Team.

    It’s early days but the pukunui team acknowledges the support of the New Zealand Nature Fund and everyone who has donated to this project.  

    “Project donations have been vital for expanding our predator control efforts,” Guy says.   

    Find out more and support our efforts

    Learn more about the plight of the pukunui in this documentary: Underbirds – the Fight to Save the Southern New Zealand Dotterel. 

    Learn more about why we use 1080 to protect native species.

    Stay up to date with progress on Predator Free Rakiura and the Pukunui Recovery Operation: Removing predators from Stewart Island/Rakiura

    Learn more about DOC’s role in Predator Free Rakiura and the species that need our protection: Predator Free Rakiura: Our work

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Universities – Hotspots for conservation of threatened native tree identified in Wellington – Vic

    Source: Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington

    Hotspots for the conservation of maire tawake or swamp maire in the Wellington region have been identified by researchers hoping to save this threatened native tree from the deadly myrtle rust disease.

    Swamp maire is thought to have been common in the wetlands that once covered the Wellington region. However, farming and urban development have significantly reduced its numbers. The arrival of myrtle rust in 2017 added a new threat and the tree has a conservation status of “nationally vulnerable”.

    Priority areas for its conservation have now been mapped in the western suburbs of Lower and Upper Hutt and in the towns of Paraparaumu, Waikanae, Ōtaki, Masterton, Carterton, and Featherston. These priority areas comprise up to 52 km2.

    “We’ve identified sites that are likely to have the highest abundance of swamp maire and the lowest risk of myrtle rust. They’re also easy to access so we think focusing on these sites offers the most cost-effective conservation strategy,” said Dr Sarah Herbert, a researcher in biological sciences at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington.

    Dr Herbert said the sites could act as refuges for swamp maire, with additional planting undertaken to help maintain the tree’s population as myrtle rust spreads.

    “Myrtle rust is a fungal plant pathogen that is primarily spread by the wind. It has a devastating effect on swamp maire, causing an almost complete loss of flowers, fruits, and new leaves. There’s an urgent need to identify sites where conservation and wetland restoration can take place to help ensure this treasured tree’s survival,” she said.

    In addition to the priority sites for conservation, the researchers identified other areas that could act as refuges for the tree but these areas would require more intensive management.

    “We mapped up to 233 km2 where swamp maire is present in relatively high abundance but where there is a higher risk of myrtle rust, so more effort would be needed to manage the sites. On the plus side, these areas are easy to access and existing community conservation efforts could be supported to allow more intensive control of myrtle rust.”

    Pockets of less accessible land in the wider Wellington region could also be considered as refuges for the tree’s conservation, she says.

    “We identified up to 134 km2, mostly within indigenous forest in the eastern Tararua range and in farmland in the Wairarapa, with potential for swamp maire conservation. Wetland restoration and swamp maire planting programmes by landowners and communities may be possible in places that can be accessed by off-road vehicles or on foot.”

    The researchers were able to identify areas for swamp maire conversation by using models of the Wellington region’s soil moisture and plant distribution to pinpoint sites where swamp maire was likely to be growing. They then mapped the risk of myrtle rust infection in these areas and graded sites by how easy they were to access.

    Results of the research are published in the journal Conversation Biology: https://conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/cobi.70088

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Pain inflicted on lives of public service workers exposed in housing report – PSA

    Source: PSA

    The Government’s deep and wide cuts to public service jobs have taken its toll on the housing market over the past year, as well as the lives of public service workers and public services.
    Cotality NZ (formerly CoreLogic) latest home value index showed Wellington remaining the outlier, the only major metropolitan region experiencing big falls over the year (-5%) and over the last three months (-1%). There was also no change in house prices over June in Wellington.
    “The deep wounds inflicted by the Government’s rushed job cuts have been laid bare by the impact on the housing market,” said Fleur Fitzsimons, National Secretary for the Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi.
    “The Government not only cut jobs, but there remains a continued threat to the security of employment in Wellington.
    “Insecure employment undermines the ability of people to make important life decisions like buying a house and starting a family.
    “The cuts and proposed changes to personal grievance protections which amount to a fire at will approach will make it harder for people to commit to buying a home, putting down roots and having children.
    “Lives have been turned upside down by this Government with little sympathy for the disruption it has caused.
    “This is a heartless government which continues to think up new ways to erode the rights of workers and undermine the capability of the public service.
    “Wellington’s economy continues to suffer from its decisions and ordering workers to spend more time in the office is ignoring the real reason for the city’s slump.”
    The Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi is Aotearoa New Zealand’s largest trade union, representing and supporting more than 95,000 workers across central government, state-owned enterprises, local councils, health boards and community groups.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: AUSTRAC orders external audit of Western Union Financial Services

    Source: Australian Department of Communications

    AUSTRAC has ordered the appointment of an external auditor to Western Union Financial Services Australia (Western Union) after raising concerns about the money remitter’s compliance with the AML/CTF Act.
    Among the concerns were core anti-money laundering issues such as poor customer due diligence, delayed or non-reporting of suspicious matters, non-compliant international funds transfer instruction reporting and concerns about whether Western Union’s AML/CTF program is functional.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Sporting organisations

    Source: New places to play in Gungahlin

    Your organisation will be exempt from income tax, and can self-assess its exemption, if it meets all of the following requirements:

    • it’s a not-for-profit society, association or club
    • it’s established for the purpose of encouragement of either of the following
      • a game or sport
      • animal racing
    • it’s not a charity
    • it meets one of the 3 following tests 
      • physical presence in Australia test
      • DGR test
      • prescribed by law test
    • it complies with all the substantive requirements in its governing rules
    • it applies its income and assets solely for the purpose for which it is established.

    Taxation Ruling TR 2022/2 Income tax: the games and sports exemption provides detailed guidance for organisations seeking additional information to determine whether they are entitled to self-assess as income tax exempt.

    If all of your organisation’s purposes are charitable purposes for the public benefit and you do not have any independent non-charitable purposes, your organisation cannot self-assess as income tax exempt under this category. Your organisation will need to be registered as a charity with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) and receive our endorsement to access an income tax exemption.

    For more information on what is a charitable purpose, see the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission’s websiteExternal Link.

    Society, association or club

    A society, association or club is an entity made up of people who have come together to implement a common purpose.

    An individual, or an incorporated body that has only one member, is not a society, association or club. A fund which only holds money to support activities carried out by other entities is also not a society, association or club.

    The members of a society, association or club do not need to be natural persons. They can be an association of other entities.

    Main purpose

    The main purpose of the society, association or club must be encouragement of a game or sport, or animal racing. To work out your organisation’s main purpose, look at its:

    • constituent documents
    • activities
    • use of funds
    • history.

    Any other purpose of the organisation must be incidental, ancillary or secondary to encouragement of a game or sport, or animal racing.

    For example, if your organisation’s main purpose is providing social and recreational facilities and activities, it won’t be exempt. This is the case even if your organisation also gives money to encourage games, sports or animal racing.

    Example 1: not for the encouragement of a game or sport

    An NFP club’s main operations are providing dining, gaming and leisure facilities at its clubhouse. It gives a minor yearly grant to an associated rowing club but is not involved in rowing itself.

    The club doesn’t qualify for the exemption.

    End of example

    Example 2: car appreciation club (not encouraging a game or sport)

    Classic Car Club (the Club) is an NFP association that holds events for enthusiasts of a particular make of car. The Club’s events are focused on providing attendees with information on how to maintain their cars and opportunities to build networks with each other.

    The Club’s main purpose is to promote a common interest in a particular make of car, as opposed to encouraging a game or sport.

    The Club doesn’t qualify for the exemption.

    End of example

    Example 3: recreational fishing activities (not encouraging a game or sport)

    The One That Got Away Club (the Club) provides services and amenities for people who like to fish in the bay near the clubhouse and in surrounding watercourses. The services provided include weather and boating information, guest speakers and a bar and canteen which open daily. Members-only competitions are held once a month.

    While a fishing competition can be a sport, the Club’s main purpose is to provide services and amenities for members to do recreational fishing. The Club was not formed for the main purpose of encouraging a game or sport.

    The Club doesn’t qualify for the exemption.

    End of example

    Example 4: club with sporting facilities occasionally conducting sporting activities for members (not encouraging a game or sport)

    Our Community Club (the Club) is an NFP association which was initially established for networking purposes, but now also provides dining, entertainment, gym and sporting facilities for its members. Occasionally, the Club organises member-only sporting competitions using its sporting facilities.

    Whilst the Club occasionally organises sporting competitions for its members, the Club’s main purpose is to provide a broad variety of services and facilities to its members and encourage social and networking activities among its members.

    The Club doesn’t qualify for the exemption.

    End of example

    Example 5: services to members with incidental sporting activities – ski lodge (not encouraging a game or sport)

    Super Ski Club (the Club) is an NFP association which owns and operates a ski lodge. It was originally established to provide accommodation for its members to regularly participate in recreational skiing and snowboarding. When the Club’s lodging facilities are not fully used by its members, they are made available to the public on a commercial basis.

    The Club is affiliated with an association (the Association) which regularly holds snow sports competitions. The Club allows the Association to use its lodging facilities for meetings and equipment storage on an inconsistent basis. The Club also makes its lodging facilities available at discounted rates to individuals competing in the Association’s competitions, provided they are not already reserved by its members. The Club doesn’t enter any teams into any sporting competitions itself.

    The Club’s main purpose is the provision of accommodation to its members. The substantial and prioritised member usage of the Club’s lodging facilities, inconsistent support provided to the Association and lack of direct involvement in any sporting competitions indicates that the encouragement of a game or sport is not the Club’s main purpose.

    The Club doesn’t qualify for the exemption.

    End of example

    Game or sport

    The terms ‘game’ and ‘sport’ are not defined and take their ordinary meaning. Games and sports extend to athletic games or sports (such as football and swimming) and non-athletic games (such as chess and bridge).

    They don’t extend to:

    • stamp-collecting
    • keeping and showing pets
    • making model railways
    • maintaining vintage cars
    • various social and recreational pursuits.

    Encouragement of a game or sport extends to less direct means such as:

    • research or testing
    • developing referees
    • providing sporting facilities.

    Example 6: for the encouragement of a game or sport

    An NFP association’s purpose is to provide a sports ground for use by the local hockey, soccer and cricket clubs.

    The association will qualify for the exemption if it is not a charity and it also meets the other requirements.

    End of example

    Example 7: rallying and track racing club (encouraging a game or sport)

    Riverstone Rally Club (the Club) is an NFP association that holds rallying and track racing activities. It is managed by a committee of members that actively participate in competitive rallying and track racing.

    The Club owns and maintains a local motorsport circuit, which is available for public usage. It regularly hosts rallying and track racing contests on its circuit and participates in state and national-level competitions.

    The Club’s main purpose is to encourage a game or sport. It will qualify for the exemption.

    End of example

    Example 8: ski club (encouraging a game or sport)

    Aussie Alps Ski Club (the Club) is an NFP association. The Club’s governing document states it has been set up to promote snow sports. The Club’s management committee consists of former snow sports athletes.

    The Club owns and operates a snow sports lodge and training and conditioning facility, which are available to the public (at commercial rates) and to a development snow sports squad selected by a national snow sports body (at no cost).

    The Club also regularly hosts skiing competitions. The Club consistently uses most of its profits to cover the training, accommodation and travel fees of skiing athletes representing Australia in the Olympics.

    The Club’s main purpose is to encourage a game or sport. It will qualify for the exemption.

    End of example

    Animal racing

    The income tax exemption includes horse racing, trotting and greyhound racing, and the racing of other animals.

    If your organisation doesn’t meet all the requirements for exemption for this category, you should check the other exemption categories in Eligible types of income tax exempt organisations.

    Early self-review worksheet for sporting organisations with multiple purposes

    Sporting organisations with multiple purposes can use the Working out your club’s income tax status worksheet (PDF, 220KB) when conducting an early self-review of their income tax status. The worksheet includes a schedule to help sporting organisations with multiple purposes weigh up their features and work out their main purpose.

    Once completed, the worksheet should be kept for your records. It does not need to be sent to the ATO.

    It is important to note that non-charitable NFPs with an active ABN, including sporting organisations, must lodge an annual NFP self-review return to notify their eligibility to self-assess income tax exemption.

    The worksheet is not a substitute for the lodgment of the NFP self-review return. However, if your sporting organisation has multiple purposes, the worksheet may help your sporting organisation work out its main purpose, so that it may accurately complete its NFP self-review return.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Interview – The Today Show with Karl Stefanovic and Jayne Azzopardi

    Source: Murray Darling Basin Authority

    KARL STEFANOVIC: Well, the crisis gripping Australia’s child care sector is deepening, with a second man charged in connection to an abuse investigation that led to the arrest of a Melbourne worker.

    JAYNE AZZOPARDI: The Victorian Government has announced a major crackdown which will include a phone ban inside centres. But action is needed at a national level and it is needed now. So, for more on this, we’re bringing in Federal Education Minister Jason Clare. Minister, good morning to you. You revealed yesterday that you actually know a family that has been impacted by all of this. How are they doing?

    JASON CLARE, MINISTER FOR EDUCATION: One of my best friend’s daughters is caught up in this. Two of her little girls. She’s burning with rage, as you would expect her to be, and we’ve spoken a bit over the last 48 hours. She’s angry, she’s confused, she’s feeling all of the guilt and shame and anger that any mum or dad would be feeling when you get that notification. And she’s grappling with what she needs to do now to make sure that her girls are safe. 

    This is sickening and it’s serious. It’s not the sort of stuff we like to talk about on breakfast TV. But people can’t turn away. We’ve got to act here. There’s steps that we’ve already taken, but not enough and not fast enough. One of the things that I will do as the Minister for Education, is, when the Parliament returns later this month, introduce legislation that will cut off funding to child care centres that aren’t meeting our safety standards or our quality standards. If they’re repeat offenders, if they’re not meeting the sort of safety standards that we meet, that we need and we demand as a country, then we’ve got to cut off their funding. That’s the big weapon that the Commonwealth Government has to wield here.

    STEFANOVIC: I’ll circle back to some of those things in a second. This is such a difficult case, right, and it’s difficult too, because there’s a running narrative on the side of this and they’re just charges. But there are so many families affected and, you know, one. And I was just thinking about this the other day. Jayne has kids as well, and I was just going, if that was me, I don’t know what I’d do, but I’d be baying for blood. So, to try and wrestle all those emotions around this is incredibly difficult.

    CLARE: And she is. She is. Look, it’s impossible to put yourself in that position until you’re there. I’ve got a sense of it because of the fact that it’s one of my best friends. And these are allegations put aside this individual case. There was an individual that was arrested, charged and convicted with serious acts. Australia’s worst serial paedophile was arrested for actions in child care centres in Queensland a couple of years ago. It’s what prompted me to conduct a child safety review. It’s what’s prompted the actions on mobile phones in centres, as well as mandatory reporting. But it’s also the reason why we’ve got to go further, whether that’s a national register of workers in centres or the sort of action that’s now being taken in NSW and in Victoria around CCTV. Or for that matter, the action that I will take as Minister to introduce that legislation to cut funding to centres that aren’t up to scratch. The fact is that about 70 per cent of the funding that runs the centre comes from Australian taxpayers, comes from the Commonwealth Government through the child care subsidy. It’s what makes these centres work. And if they’re not working in the interest of our kids, then we’ve got to have the power to be able to cut that funding off.

    AZZOPARDI: Minister, as a dad yourself, who would be personally paying child care centres, as we do, to look after our children and to have the expectation that they are going to be not only safe, but nurtured and nourished, do you think your Government has done enough here?

    CLARE: The honest answer is no, of course we haven’t. We haven’t done enough and we haven’t done it fast enough. 

    You’re right. One of my little guys is in child care right now. Can I use this opportunity to say thank you to all of the extraordinary child care workers, early educators across the country. They’re as angry as I am, as my friend is right now. I remember the day that we told my big guy, my 8 year old, that Louise was pregnant with his little brother. The first thing he said when we told him that he was going to be a big brother is, “I can’t wait to tell Kelly.” And Kelly is the woman that looked after him when he was in early education and care. And that reminds me that that special bond and connection that our children have with our educators. This is an essential service for mums and dads to help them get back to work. But it’s much more than that for our kids. It helps them to get ready for school, it helps them to get ready for life. Every educator out there that’s seeing this is angry and furious as well. And the responsibility rests with me as well as every other educator in the country to make sure that we make our centres safer than they are today. Not enough’s been done, more needs to be done.

    STEFANOVIC: We had a lady on just about half an hour ago saying the men at these child care centres should be banned. There are going to be all sorts of people wanting certain reforms, some of them easily done, some of them not. So, is that something that you would consider?

    CLARE: I don’t think that’s going to be the solution here. Have a look at the Four Corners exposé from earlier this year that Adele Ferguson led on. That showed abuse in our child care centres and neglect in our centres, and they weren’t blokes. We’ve had a Royal Commission, we’ve had the child care safety review that I led. We’ve got recommendations there around registers and CCTV and legislation. We know what we need to do, Karl. Now, the obligation on us is to get busy and implement these recommendations.

    STEFANOVIC: So, what’s stopping you? And I know you’re a really hardworking guy. I know you deeply feel this story, you raised the Four Corners story. When that happened, we all said, let’s change it, let’s install these reforms and let’s protect our kids. Nothing happened. So, what’s it going to be?

    CLARE: People watching aren’t interested in bloody excuses, they’re interested in action. When we got the Four Corners Report, we said we’d introduce that legislation and that’s what I’ll do when Parliament returns. The New South Wales Government also commissioned the former Deputy Ombudsman to do a review. We got that report last week and the former Deputy Ombudsman briefed Education Ministers on Friday. That’s where CCTV reform’s coming from. That’s where increasing penalties and more information for parents is coming from. We’ve got to bring all of these recommendations together. That’s happening now and we’ve got to actually do the work, we’ve got to implement them.

    AZZOPARDI: So, when parents who are watching now, what can you tell them? When will this all be in place?

    CLARE: Number one, there’s already action being taken on mobile phones. But more action will happen in September when regulations come into effect. Legislation will be introduced into the Federal Parliament when Parliament returns in the first sitting fortnight. And as I said, that’s about cutting off funding to bad actors, to people that aren’t up to scratch when it comes to the safety of our kids. And Early Education Ministers will meet again next month on the next stage of reform. 

    There’s another part to this as well, Jane, and that’s the Working With Children Checks. Not enough has been done to make sure that they work in the interest of our kids. They’re not a silver bullet because a lot of these offenders haven’t got a criminal record. So, they’re not caught by the system. But the Attorney-General has said yesterday that Attorney-Generals across the country will meet next month to make sure they work better, that there’s exchange of information, but that they’re also updated in near real-time. And Victoria and New South Wales have also announced a package of reforms. I strongly back that. We want to see that rolled out right across the country.

    STEFANOVIC: I know your pain will help motivate you to get this done. It needs to be done, pronto. There’s so much, so much at stake. Jason, thank you. And a reminder, a dedicated advice line for parents impacted in Melbourne has been established. You can call 1800 791 241. Just still rattled by all that story.

    AZZOPARDI: Completely. Completely.
     

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Consumers warned about ‘ghost stores’ imitating Australian businesses

    Source: Australian Ministers for Regional Development

    The ACCC is warning consumers about the operators of four websites allegedly misrepresenting themselves as local businesses, also known as ‘ghost stores’.

    It is alleged these four ghost store operators are harming consumers by making false representations that they are local Australian businesses, imminently closing down, and selling high-quality clothing and footwear products, when they are instead based overseas, not imminently closing down, and are drop-shipping low-quality products.

    The ACCC has issued Public Warning Notices to warn consumers about specific conduct by the operators of the following four websites: everly-melbourne.com, willowandgrace-adelaide.com, sophie-claire.com and doublebayboutique.com.

    “We are warning Australians about the risks of engaging with these four websites specifically, which we allege are not based in Melbourne, Adelaide or Double Bay, nor are they imminently closing down,” ACCC Deputy Chair Catriona Lowe said.

    “We further allege that the operators of these websites are supplying products which are not of the advertised quality.”

    The ACCC’s Public Warning Notices follow an increased number of consumer reports to the ACCC in recent months about online ghost stores. Since the start of 2025, the ACCC estimates it has received at least 360 reports about 60 online retailers, though media reports suggest many more may be in operation.

    The ACCC is concerned that, beyond these four websites, this type of conduct appears to be widespread, and that there are many other online ghost stores in operation that may also be falsely claiming to be local boutiques and supplying poor quality products.

    The ACCC is also aware of complaints about ghost stores refusing to provide refunds, or only offering partial refunds, to consumers who have complained about the inferior quality of the goods compared to the advertised descriptions, or not responding to complaints at all.

    Ghost stores have been known to target consumers through social media ads and also tend to close and rebrand under new names, often using different Australian suburbs, towns or cities in their names to appear ‘local’. 

    “We urge all Australians to think twice before clicking on ads they see on social media which claim to be from a boutique business based in a local town or city,” Ms Lowe said.

    “Often ghost stores will share an emotional story on their social media or website that they are a small, locally operated business, needing to close for financial reasons.”

    “They will claim they are having a ‘closing down sale’ as a result, with all stock heavily discounted and available on a very limited basis,” Ms Lowe said.

    “This conduct preys on the empathy of consumers who have a genuine desire to support local businesses, as well as creating a false sense of urgency.”

    “The websites often use a similar format to many other online stores, advertising high-quality boutique clothing at heavily discounted prices. However, when the product arrives in the mail, consumers report receiving cheap, mass-produced products that have been sold at an inflated price and do not fit their advertised quality or description,” Ms Lowe said.

    Ghost stores sometimes use a name that is similar to that of a genuine local boutique, leading to competitive and reputational harm for those businesses.

    The ACCC understands ghost stores use targeted paid advertisements on social media sites such as Facebook and Instagram and often appear to use the Shopify e-commerce platform to host and operate their webstores.

    “We have written to both Meta Platforms (as the owner of Facebook and Instagram) and Shopify to request they scrutinise and take appropriate action against the operators of ghost stores,” Ms Lowe said.

    “We want to increase public awareness of these dishonest businesses so that Australians know how to spot them and can avoid being deceived into buying an inferior product.”

    Signs that an online business could be a ghost store

    • The store may have an Australian place in its name or domain, but the website domain is ‘.com’ and not ‘.com.au’.
    • The website for the store often features a fake backstory relating to the owners and claims that, for financial or other reasons, the store is closing down. Advertisements on social media platforms, including Facebook or Instagram, will often claim that the closing down sale ‘ends tonight’.
    • Use of AI generated images of the owners or team. This can sometimes be indicated in the URL.
    • The returns policy on the website for the store will often suggest that items will need to be returned to a warehouse or general location overseas which is different from where the items are allegedly shipped from, for example, a store that claims to be based in Melbourne but requires returns to be sent to a warehouse in Asia.
    • The website does not provide a contact phone number or physical address for the store, or indeed any contact details beyond an email address or web form.
    • The website’s Privacy Policy or Terms of Service refers to international laws and regulations instead of Australian laws.
    • The website does not provide an ABN (Australian Business Number) or ACN (Australian Company Number) for the business.
    • Review platforms, like Trustpilot, often have negative reviews for the business, whereas the business’ website only features very positive reviews.
    • The business’ Facebook page was only created recently and has negative reviews or lots of negative emoji reactions to its posts.
    • The images of the products may be taken from other websites where the products are advertised under different descriptions and for much lower prices. 

    Tips to help determine if an online store is genuine or not

    The ACCC is urging consumers to check the business name on the Australian Business Register lookup and to use reverse image or ‘Google Lens’ searches of product photos on the website to see if they have been taken from another site.

    Consumers should also check if the store is listed in a local business directory for the location the store claims to be in, or to look for the business name in a search engine and read reviews from other consumers.

    Don’t just rely on the reviews on the business’ website as these may not be legitimate. Make further inquiries and if in doubt, do not purchase from the retailer.

    What to do if you have purchased something from a ghost store

    Consumers should contact their bank or payment provider immediately to see if you can stop the transaction or reverse the charge.

    Consumers can also leave a negative review on the business’ Facebook page or a review site like Trustpilot.

    Where consumers have accessed the websites via social media ads they can make a complaint directly to the relevant platform. For example, complaints can be made to Facebook, and should include a screenshot of the store ad and/or page, and if the website is hosted by Shopify, the merchant can be reported.  

    The website can be reported to Google to have it delisted, and a report can also be made to the ACCC. Consumers can also report websites to ScamWatch.

    Screenshots of the websites referred to in the Public Warning Notices

    Background

    Consumer and fair-trading concerns in the supermarket and retail sectors, with a focus on misleading pricing practices, are a compliance and enforcement priority for the ACCC in 2025-26.

    In addition to the conduct outlined above, consumer reports to the ACCC suggest that, when approached, ghost stores do not honour their returns policy and either stop responding to emails or offer only a partial refund.

    In some cases, a partial refund is offered but only if the item is shipped back to an overseas warehouse at the consumer’s expense.

    Note to editors

    The ACCC may issue a Public Warning Notice to warn consumers about the conduct of a person or business where it has reasonable grounds to suspect a breach of certain provisions of the Australian Consumer Law, and it is satisfied that one or more persons has suffered, or is likely to suffer, detriment as a result of the conduct, and that it is in the public interest to issue the notice.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Fossicking rules broken as gold fever strikes

    Source: NZ Department of Conservation

    Date:  03 July 2025

    At the fossicking site at Slab Hut Creek Campsite, south of Reefton on the West Coast of the South Island, there have been problems with fossickers mining into the creek bank. DOC staff say if left unaddressed, the fossicking will ultimately result in the creek eroding into the campground.

    Senior Ranger Darrell Haworth says the repairs to the site needed a digger to remediate and have cost thousands to undertake.

    “This is the second time we have had to carry out remediation to protect the camping area because of gold fossicking activity – which means we have less budget to spend on visitor assets elsewhere,” Darrell says.

    “As well as threatening the stability of the camping area, the unlawful digging potentially impacts the access road for the campground.

    “With the gold price so high at the moment (at over $5400 an ounce), we are assuming that’s a motivation for these people, as a lot of effort has been put into these destructive earthworks.

    “We’d like people to spread the word the rules need to be followed when fossicking for gold at these sites. Signs are in place informing people of the key rules – fossickers must stay in the active streambed, use hand tools only, leave natural features undisturbed; and ensure the area is returned to near its original condition.

    “We are aware this issue of digging in banks and undermining vegetation is also occurring at the Moonlight Creek fossicking area, and we have carried out legal proceedings in the past for people caught. Rangers are regularly in the area and will be monitoring these sites.”

    Digging in banks on Public Conservation Land is an offence under the Conservation Act as it interferes with or damages natural features.

    The penalty for this activity in the case of an individual, is imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or a fine not exceeding $100,000, or both: in the case of a body corporate, a fine not exceeding $200,000

    Background information

    Gold fossicking is the activity of collecting gold by a stream or river using pans, shovels, and sluice boxes.

    People can do this in designated public gold fossicking areas. There is a low concentration of alluvial gold (found in soil usually around rivers and streams) within all the gold fossicking areas.

    Nine of New Zealand’s 19 gold fossicking sites are on the West Coast.

    Contact

    For media enquiries contact:

    Email: media@doc.govt.nz

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Fatal crash, Wairoa Gorge Road, Wairoa Valley (Tasman District)

    Source: New Zealand Police

    One person has died following a truck crash in Wairoa Valley, Tasman District, this morning.

    Police were notified at 9.40am that a logging truck had crashed on Wairoa Gorge Road.

    The driver was unresponsive when emergency services arrived and sadly was unable to be revived.

    The road is closed while the Serious Crash Unit conducts a scene examination.
     

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre. 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Beijing launches cities alliance to boost global digital economy ties

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    BEIJING, July 2 — A global alliance of over 40 cities was launched in Beijing on Wednesday as part of efforts to enhance multilateral cooperation on the digital economy.

    The Global Digital Economy Cities Alliance was initiated by Beijing — alongside partner cities in Europe, North America, the Asia-Pacific, the Middle East and Latin America — during the Global Digital Economy Conference 2025, which opened on the same day.

    The alliance aims to institutionalize multilateral collaboration beyond bilateral projects, focusing on key issues such as digital infrastructure, cross-border data governance, AI ethics and smart city applications.

    The move follows the launch of Beijing’s Global Digital Economy Partner City Cooperation Initiative in 2023, and its joint efforts with partner cities to adopt six action plans to implement the initiative in 2024. The alliance was established this year with support from international bodies including the UN Institute for Training and Research, the International Telecommunication Union and the International Trade Centre.

    Organized by the Beijing municipal government, the Cyberspace Administration of China, the National Data Administration, Xinhua News Agency and the United Nations Development Programme, this year’s conference will run through July 5 and feature an opening ceremony, six main forums and multiple thematic sessions, with over 1,000 participants in attendance.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • We thank Ghana for its cooperation in our fight against terrorism: PM Modi in Accra

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said India and Ghana are in complete agreement that “terrorism is an enemy of humanity” and thanked Ghana for its cooperation in India’s fight against terrorism.

    PM Modi held delegation-level talks with Ghana’s President John Mahama during his first-ever bilateral visit to the West African country.

    “We discussed shared visions on development, economic regions, and inclusive global governance. We are in full agreement that terrorism is an enemy of humanity. We thank Ghana for its cooperation in our fight against terrorism. In this context, we agreed to further strengthen mutual cooperation in counter-terrorism,” the Prime Minister said.

    Stressing the shared values on which India-Ghana ties are based, PM Modi said: “At the core of the India-Ghana friendship lie our shared values, common struggles, and collective dreams for an inclusive future. The freedom struggles of our nations have inspired many other countries. Even today, Ghana stands as a vibrant democracy in West Africa and serves as a strong and living example for other countries.”

    PM Modi also said that it was a matter of great honour for him that President Mahama himself came to the airport to receive him.

    Apart from discussions on development, the economy and inclusive global governance with President Mahama, PM Modi also underlined the need for reforms in the United Nations.

    “We share a common perspective on the need for reforms in the United Nations. Mr President, you are a close friend of India and are very familiar with our country. I extend to you an invitation to visit India. I am confident you will give us the opportunity to host you in India soon,” he added.

    “Our bilateral trade has crossed $3 billion. Indian companies have invested nearly $2 billion in about 900 projects across Ghana. Today, we have set a target to double our mutual trade in the next five years. In the field of fintech, India is ready to share its experience of UPI digital payments with Ghana. Development partnership is a key pillar of our cooperation. We assure President Mahama of India’s full support and cooperation in his efforts towards economic revitalisation,” Modi said.

    The two leaders discussed various aspects of enhancing cooperation between India and Ghana across a wide range of sectors.

    Mahama said both countries are looking to expand economic and diplomatic ties at a crucial time for Ghana’s economy.

    “Both countries are committed to deepening economic and investment relations, particularly at a time when Ghana is undergoing economic restructuring due to the debt treatment process and the ongoing International Monetary Fund programme. Going forward, Ghana and India intend to pursue these engagements through diplomatic mechanisms, including Foreign Office Consultations and the Permanent Joint Commission for Cooperation, to bring to fruition the intended outcomes of our partnership for mutual benefit,” Mahama said.

    “This visit is particularly significant, as it marks the first leg of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Africa tour, which will culminate in the BRICS Summit in Brazil. The two sides have engaged in meaningful discussions to deepen cooperation across various sectors of our economies, including agriculture, energy, manufacturing, infrastructure development, human resources, and health, among others,” Mahama added.

    IANS

  • We thank Ghana for its cooperation in our fight against terrorism: PM Modi in Accra

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said India and Ghana are in complete agreement that “terrorism is an enemy of humanity” and thanked Ghana for its cooperation in India’s fight against terrorism.

    PM Modi held delegation-level talks with Ghana’s President John Mahama during his first-ever bilateral visit to the West African country.

    “We discussed shared visions on development, economic regions, and inclusive global governance. We are in full agreement that terrorism is an enemy of humanity. We thank Ghana for its cooperation in our fight against terrorism. In this context, we agreed to further strengthen mutual cooperation in counter-terrorism,” the Prime Minister said.

    Stressing the shared values on which India-Ghana ties are based, PM Modi said: “At the core of the India-Ghana friendship lie our shared values, common struggles, and collective dreams for an inclusive future. The freedom struggles of our nations have inspired many other countries. Even today, Ghana stands as a vibrant democracy in West Africa and serves as a strong and living example for other countries.”

    PM Modi also said that it was a matter of great honour for him that President Mahama himself came to the airport to receive him.

    Apart from discussions on development, the economy and inclusive global governance with President Mahama, PM Modi also underlined the need for reforms in the United Nations.

    “We share a common perspective on the need for reforms in the United Nations. Mr President, you are a close friend of India and are very familiar with our country. I extend to you an invitation to visit India. I am confident you will give us the opportunity to host you in India soon,” he added.

    “Our bilateral trade has crossed $3 billion. Indian companies have invested nearly $2 billion in about 900 projects across Ghana. Today, we have set a target to double our mutual trade in the next five years. In the field of fintech, India is ready to share its experience of UPI digital payments with Ghana. Development partnership is a key pillar of our cooperation. We assure President Mahama of India’s full support and cooperation in his efforts towards economic revitalisation,” Modi said.

    The two leaders discussed various aspects of enhancing cooperation between India and Ghana across a wide range of sectors.

    Mahama said both countries are looking to expand economic and diplomatic ties at a crucial time for Ghana’s economy.

    “Both countries are committed to deepening economic and investment relations, particularly at a time when Ghana is undergoing economic restructuring due to the debt treatment process and the ongoing International Monetary Fund programme. Going forward, Ghana and India intend to pursue these engagements through diplomatic mechanisms, including Foreign Office Consultations and the Permanent Joint Commission for Cooperation, to bring to fruition the intended outcomes of our partnership for mutual benefit,” Mahama said.

    “This visit is particularly significant, as it marks the first leg of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Africa tour, which will culminate in the BRICS Summit in Brazil. The two sides have engaged in meaningful discussions to deepen cooperation across various sectors of our economies, including agriculture, energy, manufacturing, infrastructure development, human resources, and health, among others,” Mahama added.

    IANS

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Economy – Interim Financial Statements of the Government of New Zealand for the eleven months ended 31 May 2025

    Source: The Treasury

    The Interim Financial Statements of the Government of New Zealand for the eleven months ended 31 May 2025 were released by the Treasury today. The May results are reported against forecasts based on the Budget Economic and Fiscal Update 2025 (BEFU 2025), published on 22 May 2025, and the results for the same period for the previous year.

    The majority of the key fiscal indicators for the eleven months ended 31 May 2025 were slightly better than forecast. The Government’s main operating indicator, the operating balance before gains and losses excluding ACC (OBEGALx), showed a deficit of $7.9 billion. This was $0.2 billion smaller than forecast. While the core Crown results were favourable to forecast this was largely offset by weaker results from State-owned Enterprises. Net core Crown debt was close to forecast at $180.3 billion, or 41.8% of GDP.

    Core Crown tax revenue, at $111.2 billion, was $0.6 billion (0.6%) higher than forecast. The largest variances related to corporate tax at $0.7 billion (4.4%) above forecast and other individuals’ tax at $0.3 billion (3.2%) higher than forecast, which were partially offset by lower than forecast GST revenue of $0.2 billion (0.6%) and other direct tax revenue of $0.1 billion (3.0%).

    Core Crown expenses, at $128.7 billion, were $0.3 billion (0.2%) above forecast.

    The OBEGALx was a deficit of $7.9 billion, $0.2 billion less than the forecast deficit. When including the revenue and expenses of ACC, the OBEGAL deficit was $12.3 billion, $0.2 billion lower than the forecast deficit.

    The operating balance deficit of $3.9 billion was close to the $4.1 billion forecast deficit. This reflected both the slightly favourable OBEGAL result, and offsetting valuation movements. Net gains on financial instruments were $1.8 billion lower than forecast, driven by New Zealand Superannuation Fund (NZS Fund) and ACC’s investment portfolio. The majority of this unfavourable variance was offset by net gains on non-financial instruments being $1.6 billion higher than the forecast loss. This was largely owing to the net actuarial gain on the ACC outstanding claims liability being $1.3 billion higher than forecast.

    The core Crown residual cash deficit of $4.9 billion was $0.4 billion lower than forecast. While net operating cash outflows were $0.5 billion higher than forecast, net core Crown capital cash outflows were $0.9 billion lower than forecast.

    Net core Crown debt at $180.3 billion (41.8% of GDP) was broadly in line with forecast. The favourable residual cash position was partially offset by non-cash items, contributing to the net core Crown debt result.

    Gross debt at $202.5 billion (47.0% of GDP) was $7.2 billion lower than forecast, largely owing to lower than forecast derivatives in loss and issuances of Euro Commercial Paper.

    Net worth at $184.3 billion (42.7% of GDP) was broadly in line with forecast largely reflecting the year-to-date operating balance result as well as movements in reserves.


      

      Year to date Full Year
    May
    2025
    Actual1
    $m    		 May 
    2025
    BEFU 2025
    Forecast1
    $m    		 Variance2
    BEFU 2025
    $m    		 Variance
    BEFU 2025
    %    		 June
    2025
    BEFU 2025
    Forecast3
    $m
    Core Crown tax revenue 111,172 110,558 614 0.6 120,894
    Core Crown revenue 122,839 122,255 584 0.5 134,188
    Core Crown expenses 128,706 128,418 (288) (0.2) 142,207
    Core Crown residual cash (4,876) (5,323) 447 8.4 (9,990)
    Net core Crown debt4 180,310 180,430 120 0.1 185,644
              as a percentage of GDP 41.8% 41.9%     42.7%
    Gross debt 202,522 209,688 7,166 3.4 209,999
              as a percentage of GDP 47.0% 48.6%     48.3%
    OBEGAL excluding ACC (OBEGALx) (7,909) (8,125) 216 2.7 (10,175)
    OBEGAL (12,263) (12,465) 202 1.6 (14,740)
    Operating balance (excluding minority interests) (3,911) (4,121) 210 5.1 (5,493)
    Net worth 184,259 184,440 (181) (0.1) 183,130
              as a percentage of GDP 42.7% 42.8%     42.1%
    1. Using the most recently published GDP (for the year ended 31 March 2025) of $431,038 million (Source: Stats NZ).
    2. Favourable variances against forecast have a positive sign and unfavourable variances against forecast have a negative sign.
    3. Using BEFU 2025 forecast GDP for the year ending 30 June 2025 of $435,148 million (Source: The Treasury).
    4. Net core Crown debt excludes the NZS Fund and core Crown advances. Net core Crown debt may fluctuate during the year largely reflecting the timing of tax receipts.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Trump is not like other presidents – but can he beat the ‘second term curse’ that haunts the White House?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Garritt C. Van Dyk, Senior Lecturer in History, University of Waikato

    Getty Images

    While he likes to provoke opponents with the possibility of serving a third term, Donald Trump faces a more immediate historical burden that has plagued so many presidents: the “second term curse”.

    Twenty-one US presidents have served second terms, but none has reached the same level of success they achieved in their first.

    Second term performances have ranged from the lacklustre and uninspiring to the disastrous and deadly. Voter dissatisfaction and frustration, presidential fatigue and a lack of sustainable vision for the future are all explanations.

    But Trump doesn’t quite fit the mould. Only one other president, Grover Cleveland in the late 19th century, has served a second nonconsecutive term, making Trump 2.0 difficult to measure against other second-term leaders.

    Trump will certainly be hoping history doesn’t repeat Cleveland’s second-term curse. Shortly after taking office he imposed 50% tariffs, triggering global market volatility that culminated in the “Panic of 1893”.

    At the time, this was the worst depression in US history: 19% unemployment, a run on gold from the US Treasury, a stock market crash and widespread poverty.

    More than a century on, Trump’s “move fast and break things” approach in a nonconsecutive second term might appeal to voters demanding action above all else. But he risks being drawn into areas he campaigned against.

    So far, he has gone from fighting a trade war and a culture war to contemplating a shooting war in the Middle East. His “big beautiful bill” will add trillions to the national debt and potentially force poorer voters – including many Republicans – off Medicaid.

    Whether his radical approach will defy or conform to the second term curse seems very much an open question.

    No kings

    The two-term limit was enacted by the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution in 1951. Without a maximum term, it was feared, an authoritarian could try to take control for life – like a king (hence the recent “No Kings” protests in the US).

    George Washington, James Madison and Thomas Jefferson all declined to serve a third term. Jefferson was suspicious of any president who would try to be re-elected a third time, writing:

    should a President consent to be a candidate for a 3d. election, I trust he would be rejected on this demonstration of ambitious views.

    There is a myth that after Franklin Delano Roosevelt broke the de facto limit of two terms set by the early presidents, the ghost of George Washington placed a curse on anyone serving more than four years.

    At best, second-term presidencies have been tepid compared to the achievements in the previous four years. After the second world war, some two-term presidents (Eisenhower, Reagan and Obama) started out strong but faltered after reelection.

    Eisenhower extricated the US from the Korean War in his first term, but faced domestic backlash and race riots in his second. He had to send 500 paratroopers to escort nine Black high school students in Little Rock, Arkansas, to enforce a federal desegregation order.

    Reagan made significant tax and spending cuts, and saw the Soviet Union crumble in term one. But the Iran-Contra scandal and watered down tax reform defined term two.

    Obama started strongly, introducing health care reform and uniting the Democratic voter base. After reelection, however, the Democrats lost the House, the Senate, a Supreme Court nomination, and faced scandals over the Snowden security leaks and Internal Revenue Service targeting of conservative groups.

    Truly disastrous examples of second term presidencies include Abraham Lincoln (assassination), Woodrow Wilson (first world war, failure of the League of Nations, a stroke), Richard Nixon (Watergate, impeachment and resignation), and Bill Clinton (Lewinsky scandal and impeachment).

    Room for one more? Trump has joked about being added to Mount Rushmore.
    Shutterstock

    Monumental honours

    It may be too early to predict how Trump will feature in this pantheon of less-than-greatness. But his approval ratings recently hit an all-time low as Americans reacted to the bombing of Iran and deployment of troops in Los Angeles.

    A recent YouGov poll showed voters giving negative approval ratings for his handling of inflation, jobs, immigration, national security and foreign policy. While there has been plenty of action, it may be the levels of uncertainty, drastic change and market volatility are more extreme than some bargained for.

    An uncooperative Congress or opposition from the judiciary can be obstacles to successful second terms. But Trump has used executive orders, on the grounds of confronting “national emergencies”, to bypass normal checks and balances.

    As well, favourable rulings by the Supreme Court have edged closer to expanding the boundaries of executive power. But they have not yet supported Trump’s claim from his first term that “I have an Article 2, where I have the right to do whatever I want as President”.

    Some supporters say Trump deserves a Nobel Peace Prize. And he was only half joking when he asked if there is room for one more face on Mount Rushmore. But such monumental honours may only amount to speculation unless Trump’s radical approach and redefinition of executive power defy the second-term curse.

    Garritt C. Van Dyk has received funding from the Getty Research Institute.

    – ref. Trump is not like other presidents – but can he beat the ‘second term curse’ that haunts the White House? – https://theconversation.com/trump-is-not-like-other-presidents-but-can-he-beat-the-second-term-curse-that-haunts-the-white-house-260002

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Household saving decreases in the March 2025 quarter – Stats NZ media and information release: National accounts (income, saving, assets, and liabilities): March 2025 quarter

    Household saving decreases in the March 2025 quarter – media release

    3 July 2025

    New Zealand household saving dropped $392 million to -$1.6 billion in the March 2025 quarter, as household spending increased more than disposable income, according to figures released by Stats NZ today.  

    Negative saving means households spent more than their disposable income. Negative saving can be funded by borrowing and drawing on existing funds.

    New Zealand household net disposable income rose 1.5 percent to $60.6 billion in the March 2025 quarter.

    “The main driver of a rise in net disposable income this quarter was an increase in salaries and wages, up 1.5 percent,” institutional sectors spokesperson Will Bell said. 

    Visit our website to read this news story and information release and to download CSV files:

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Economic snapshot: March 2025 quarter – Stats NZ media release

    Economic snapshot: March 2025 quarter – media release

    3 July 2025

    Our economic snapshot summarises important economic statistics for the March 2025 quarter.

    It uses statistics drawn from key Stats NZ datasets to provide insights into New Zealand’s overall economic performance.

    The economy grew in the March 2025 quarter, but contracted over the year.

    • New Zealand’s gross domestic product (GDP) rose 0.8 percent in the March 2025 quarter, following a 0.5 percent increase in the December 2024 quarter.
    • GDP fell 1.1 percent over the year ended March 2025, compared with the year ended March 2024.

      Visit our website to read this news story:

      MIL OSI New Zealand News –

    • MIL-OSI Australia: Interview – Sunrise with Natalie Barr

      Source: Murray Darling Basin Authority

      NATALIE BARR: Australia has been dealt a horrific wake up call this morning that the rules and the regulations we thought were protecting our children are just not good enough. It follows revelations of horrific alleged crimes against children across several childcare centres in Victoria. 

      More than 2,000 families have been affected by this. Now our leaders are finally acting, but it follows years and years of experts, advocates and government bodies calling for change. 

      Education Minister Jason Clare joins us live in Sydney now. Our youngest, our most vulnerable Australians have been failed. What are you doing right now to fix this? 

      JASON CLARE, MINISTER FOR EDUCATION: The truth is, Nat, you’re right. This has taken too long for governments to act. This is sickening and it’s serious, it demands serious action. We’ve already taken action around mobile phones in child care centres and mandatory reporting, but there’s more that we have to do. There’s a lot more that we have to do. 

      When Parliament returns later this month I’ll introduce a piece of legislation in the first sitting fortnight that will cut off funding to child care centres that aren’t up to scratch when it comes to the safety of our children. 

      The big weapon that the Federal Government has to wield here is the funding that we provide to child care centres. It equates to about 70 per cent of the funding that runs a centre, and if they’re not keeping our kids safe then we need to cut off their funding. 

      There’s got to be consequences for this sort of bad behaviour when centres don’t look after our kids properly. 

      BARR: Yeah, there should be. We spent millions and millions of dollars on a Royal Commission in 2015. That recommended a national working with children scheme, it recommended a national Federal office, it recommended a national register for childcare workers. That was 10 years ago. Has the government failed these families? 

      CLARE: The system has failed these families. If the allegations are proved to be true then the system has failed these families. 

      BARR: But what is the system? Because there’s a Royal Commission, it outlines all this, it gets all the experts, our taxpayers’ money pays for it, Jason, and it gives it ‑ hands with a bow to the government. And says, “This is what you guys need to do”. 

      CLARE: Correct. 

      BARR: And look where we are today. 

      CLARE: Correct, and the implementation of those reforms has taken too bloody long, and they need to be accelerated. That’s why I’ve said we need to implement a register for educators in child care centres. It’s why we need to fix the working with children checks. That’s work that’s being led by Attorney‑Generals, but it needs to be sped up. 

      There’s no point in making excuses here, Nat. The families of these kids aren’t interested in excuses. One of these families is a friend of mine. I know how they’re feeling because they’ve rung me and told me, and I can’t repeat on television what they said to me because there’s kids watching. But this is serious, and I’m determined to act. 

      It’s a complicated system, but people watching aren’t interested in bloody excuses. They’re interested in action. And that’s what Education Ministers must take. 

      BARR: Okay. Two years ago under your Government the Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority, a national independent body, issued a warning. They said they were concerned over “the level of vetting being undertaken pre‑employment”. Why didn’t you act on that? 

      CLARE: I commissioned that agency to conduct a review of child safety and I did that after a paedophile was arrested and convicted in Queensland. You’ll remember that case. That’s what led to a number of reforms around mobile phones and mandatory reporting. But there’s a whole bunch of recommendations there that need to be implemented. 

      The key point here to make, Nat, whether we’re talking about that or whether we’re talking about working with children checks or anything else, is there’s no silver bullet here. This work will never be done. There will always be people that will try to break through the net and try to get into the system. And we’ve also always got to work on making sure that we find ways to keep them out and keep our kids safe. 

      Now not enough has been done, and not enough has been done fast enough here. But I can tell you that I’m determined to act. That’s why I put this on the agenda of Education Ministers last week and we agreed that because of what’s happening in Victoria, but also what’s happening in New South Wales after the Four Corners exposé earlier this year, and what’s happened in Queensland, that we need to bring together all of these recommendations and implement them. 

      BARR: Okay. The phone ban. You’re talking about the phone ban now, but this was brought in nationally last July, wasn’t it? Victoria is only getting centres to implement it from this September. It’s voluntary and there’ll be fines. That’s a long time between last July and this September. 

      CLARE: Too long. The short answer to that is too long. The ban was put in the National Code in last July. Most centres have implemented it. The tortuous nature of the system means it needs to be put into regulations that happen in a couple of months time, and Victoria is making sure that that happens sooner than that. 

      But all of the advice that we’ve received from ACECQA, and other experts is you’ve got to get the personal mobile phones and any digital devices that workers have out of the centre. The only photographs that you should receive of your children from the centre should be from the authorised centre owned camera or phone. That was the advice that we got. We got it for a reason, Nat, and we’re implementing it. 

      BARR: Yep, okay. Still a massive amount of work to be done. Expanding and strengthening those working with children checks, the registers. We’re going to keep on it. Thank you very much. Thanks Jason. 

      CLARE: Thanks Nat.

      MIL OSI News –

    • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Water resilience boost for rural Canterbury

      Source: New Zealand Government

      The Government is investing more than $56 million into water resilience projects in rural Canterbury to help protect against changing weather patterns and increase productivity through higher value land use, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones and Associate Regional Development Minister Mark Patterson say.
      “Ease of access to water is a top priority for Canterbury’s rural communities,” Mr Jones says.
      “Canterbury has so far avoided the extreme drought experienced in previous years, thanks in part to high rainfall over December and January. However, it is still critical that the region future-proofs its water supply.”
      The three projects receiving loans through the Regional Infrastructure Fund (RIF) are:

      Opuha Dam and Irrigation Scheme upgrade – up to $20.8m to upgrade Opuha Dam
      Balmoral Water Storage Facility (Amuri) – up to $20m to build a pond to store up to 10 million cu m for an existing irrigation scheme where resource consents are already held to divert, take, use, and discharge water to land in Amuri Basin.
      Waimakariri Irrigation Scheme – up to $15.6m to develop a large-scale storage facility to improve water reliability through the existing Waimakariri Irrigation Scheme.

      Mr Patterson was at an event in Cust, along with close to a 100 farmers and other stakeholders to announce the funding.
      “In recent years Canterbury has faced increasingly longer and dryer periods. Last August I was nearby Rangiora to announce additional support for farmers dealing with drought,” Mr Patterson says.
      “Opuha Dam is a vital regional asset which needs an upgrade to extend its life and address flood management, water quality and seismic risks. Today’s funding will ensure this critical work goes ahead,” Mr Patterson says.
      “As well as irrigating farms, the dam has enabled growth in downstream industries such as vegetable and dairy processing while helping preserve the river environment.
      “The Balmoral project will ensure a more reliable water supply for farmers, providing more certainty to continue investing in diversified land use and high-value food production.
      “The need for a more reliable water supply was also a key driver for the Waimakariri Irrigation Scheme. The project will enable water diverted from Waimakariri River when it is plentiful to be stored in ponds and used all year,” Mr Patterson says.
      “Each of these projects has its own geographical boundary within which it operates but combined they provide a significant boost to the region’s broader water resilience and supply for the primary production sector,” Mr Jones says.
      Editors’ note:

      The  Regional Infrastructure Fund is a capital fund with the primary purpose of accelerating infrastructure projects, with a focus on water storage, energy, and resilience that will make a difference in the regions.
      Funding is approved in principle and announced, after which contracts are negotiated. Some funding may depend on completion of business cases. Payments are made once agreed milestones are met. These are set as part of contract negotiations and differ from project to project.

      MIL OSI New Zealand News –

    • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Focusing on maintaining and building roads

      Source: New Zealand Government

      The Government’s focus on improving roads across the country is well on its way, with the successful completion of one of the largest state highway road renewal programmes in New Zealand history, Transport Minister Chris Bishop confirmed today.

      “We are focused on ensuring government agencies are better at looking after the infrastructure assets we already have, to ensure New Zealanders get the most from their public infrastructure,” Mr Bishop says.

      “That’s why we’ve invested in road maintenance and renewals through the $2 billion State Highway Pothole Prevention fund, which ensures vital work is carried out to keep our roads safe and suitable for the people that use them. 

      “Over the summer months from September to April, almost 2200 lane kilometres of road either received a new layer of seal or asphalt or the entire road was completely replaced. 

      “With over 300 lane kilometres of road being rebuilt, the NZ Transport Agency and its maintenance contractors almost tripled their delivery of brand-new high-quality roads when compared to the previous summer.

      “A particular highlight this past season was the State Highway 1 Tīrau to Waiouru accelerated maintenance programme, which delivered over 100 lane kilometres of road rebuilding and resealing throughout the centre of the Waikato region. Regions such as Northland, Taranaki, Manawatū and Southland each saw more than 20 lane kilometres of new roading also.

      “I extend my thanks to the communities, drivers and truckies who’ve been so patient through this busy summer maintenance season, and to the contractors who’ve worked hard to get the work done to a high standard.

      “Our focus on building new roads will continue over the next two years. We acknowledge that this work can be disruptive for road users; but the use of new construction techniques, increased use of risk-based traffic management guidance, and clear communication with the public will ensure that New Zealanders experience better journeys both during construction and after the works take place. 

      “Having safe, high-quality roads to drive on is critical for people getting to work, school and home safely as well as making sure our freight gets to where it needs to go in a timely manner.”

      MIL OSI New Zealand News –

    • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Freemans Bay homicide: Charge laid as enquiries continue

      Source: New Zealand Police

      A woman will appear in court in connection with an investigation underway into the discovery of human remains in Freemans Bay on Tuesday.

      Police have been investigating since officers located the body of a newborn baby in a wheelie bin outside an address on Renall Street.

      Detective Inspector Scott Beard, of Auckland City CIB, says a 32-year-old woman is expected to appear in court.

      “At this stage we have charged the woman with interfering with human remains, and she is due to appear in the Auckland District Court,” he says.

      “We believe this appearance will be via audio-visual link.

      “A post-mortem examination was carried out on the baby yesterday, the results of which are still pending.

      “We are conscious that this is a very delicate situation, and we are ensuring there is support in place for the woman.”

      Cordons around Renall Street have since been stood down.

      Detective Inspector Beard says Police are still carrying out enquiries at a specific property on the street.

      “Our enquiries remain ongoing and it will take some time for a thorough investigation to be completed,” he says.

      “We are continuing to ask for those in the community that might have information or CCTV footage that could assist us to get in touch.”

      Anyone with information can update Police online now or call 105, using the reference number 250630/9878 or citing ‘Operation Yarrow’.

      Information can also be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

      ENDS.

      Jarred Williamson/NZ Police

      MIL OSI New Zealand News –

    • PM Modi receives Ghana’s highest state honour, ‘The Officer of the Order of the Star of Ghana’

      Source: Government of India

      Source: Government of India (4)

      Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday was conferred with Ghana’s national honour,  ‘The Officer of the Order of the Star of Ghana’, by President John Dramani Mahama, in recognition of his distinguished statesmanship and influential global leadership, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.

      Accepting the award, the Prime Minister said, “It is a matter of immense pride and honour for me to be conferred with Ghana’s highest honour… I express my deep gratitude to President Mahama, the Government of Ghana and the people of Ghana. I humbly accept this honour on behalf of 1.4 billion Indians.”

      “I dedicate this award to the aspirations of our youth, their bright future, our rich cultural diversity and traditions and the historic ties between India and Ghana,” the PM added.

      Noting that the shared democratic values and traditions of the two countries would continue to strengthen their partnership, the Prime Minister said the award further deepens the friendship between India and Ghana and places a new responsibility on him to advance bilateral ties. He expressed confidence that his historic state visit would give fresh momentum to the partnership, the MEA statement added.

      Earlier, Prime Minister Modi announced that India would establish a Skill Development Centre to train youth and support Ghana’s ‘Feed Ghana’ programme, as part of a broader plan to strengthen ties between the two countries.

      During a joint press briefing with President Mahama, PM Modi said India would expand cooperation with Ghana in key sectors including agriculture, education, defence, healthcare and digital payments.

      “Today, we have decided to double the ITEC and ICCR scholarships for Ghana. Work will be done to establish a Skill Development Centre for the vocational education of youth,” PM Modi said.

      “In the agricultural sector, we would be happy to cooperate with President Mahama’s ‘Feed Ghana’ programme. Through Jan Aushadhi Kendra, India proposes to provide affordable and reliable healthcare to the citizens of Ghana. We also discussed cooperation in vaccine production,” he added.

      The Prime Minister said India plans to double trade with Ghana within the next five years and share its digital payments system, Bharat UPI, to boost financial connectivity.

      President Mahama welcomed Prime Minister Modi and said the visit reflected the longstanding friendship between the two countries.

      “This visit is a testament to the deep-rooted historical ties between Ghana and India, founded on the visionary leadership of Ghana’s first President, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, and India’s former Prime Minister, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, as well as the ever-growing bonds of friendship and cooperation that exist between our two sisterly countries for the mutual benefit of our people,” Mahama said.

      This is the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Ghana in over 30 years. The trip is expected to deepen the India-Ghana partnership and signal New Delhi’s continued engagement with Africa and the Global South.

      (ANI)

       

    • PM Modi receives Ghana’s highest state honour, ‘The Officer of the Order of the Star of Ghana’

      Source: Government of India

      Source: Government of India (4)

      Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday was conferred with Ghana’s national honour,  ‘The Officer of the Order of the Star of Ghana’, by President John Dramani Mahama, in recognition of his distinguished statesmanship and influential global leadership, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.

      Accepting the award, the Prime Minister said, “It is a matter of immense pride and honour for me to be conferred with Ghana’s highest honour… I express my deep gratitude to President Mahama, the Government of Ghana and the people of Ghana. I humbly accept this honour on behalf of 1.4 billion Indians.”

      “I dedicate this award to the aspirations of our youth, their bright future, our rich cultural diversity and traditions and the historic ties between India and Ghana,” the PM added.

      Noting that the shared democratic values and traditions of the two countries would continue to strengthen their partnership, the Prime Minister said the award further deepens the friendship between India and Ghana and places a new responsibility on him to advance bilateral ties. He expressed confidence that his historic state visit would give fresh momentum to the partnership, the MEA statement added.

      Earlier, Prime Minister Modi announced that India would establish a Skill Development Centre to train youth and support Ghana’s ‘Feed Ghana’ programme, as part of a broader plan to strengthen ties between the two countries.

      During a joint press briefing with President Mahama, PM Modi said India would expand cooperation with Ghana in key sectors including agriculture, education, defence, healthcare and digital payments.

      “Today, we have decided to double the ITEC and ICCR scholarships for Ghana. Work will be done to establish a Skill Development Centre for the vocational education of youth,” PM Modi said.

      “In the agricultural sector, we would be happy to cooperate with President Mahama’s ‘Feed Ghana’ programme. Through Jan Aushadhi Kendra, India proposes to provide affordable and reliable healthcare to the citizens of Ghana. We also discussed cooperation in vaccine production,” he added.

      The Prime Minister said India plans to double trade with Ghana within the next five years and share its digital payments system, Bharat UPI, to boost financial connectivity.

      President Mahama welcomed Prime Minister Modi and said the visit reflected the longstanding friendship between the two countries.

      “This visit is a testament to the deep-rooted historical ties between Ghana and India, founded on the visionary leadership of Ghana’s first President, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, and India’s former Prime Minister, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, as well as the ever-growing bonds of friendship and cooperation that exist between our two sisterly countries for the mutual benefit of our people,” Mahama said.

      This is the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Ghana in over 30 years. The trip is expected to deepen the India-Ghana partnership and signal New Delhi’s continued engagement with Africa and the Global South.

      (ANI)

       

    • Pakistan doesn’t impinge on India-US ties: EAM Jaishankar

      Source: Government of India

      Source: Government of India (4)

      External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday dismissed suggestions that Pakistan has any bearing on India’s ties with the United States, asserting that the relationship stands on its own merit and is not defined by third countries.

      Addressing a press conference in Washington, Jaishankar said, “I would really urge you to get over the idea that we need to define ourselves regarding third countries in order to forge ahead in ties with Washington,” Jaishankar told reporters.

      “Big relationships are not forged in terms of third countries and where they fit,” he emphasised, responding to a question on whether Pakistan’s role has changed India-US ties.

      “The central factor in the relationship between India and the US is India and the US. It is our complementarity. In many ways, it is the benefits that we get from closer relationship that is actually driving it,” he said.

      Jaishankar underlined that India’s growing global stature demands greater self-assurance when engaging major partners. “We are a big country. We are among the top five economies of the world. We are the most populous country in the world. Our influence is growing,” he said. “We must have that confidence.”

      The foreign minister said that ties with the US have progressed on substantive issues that bring mutual benefit. “It’s about trade. It is about investment. It is about technology. It is about mobility. It is about energy,” he said.

      On former US President Donald Trump’s claim that he brokered the ceasefire between India and Pakistan after Operation Sindoor, Jaishankar said: “The record of what happened was very clear.”

      “The ceasefire was something that was negotiated between the DGMOs” — Directors General of Military Operations Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai of India and Major General Kashif Abdullah of Pakistan — “I’d leave it at that,” he said.

      Jaishankar is in Washington for the Quad Ministerial meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the Foreign Ministers of Australia and Japan. The Quad Ministers condemned the Pahalgam massacre carried out by The Resistance Front, linked to the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Toiba.

      On the sidelines, Jaishankar held separate meetings with Secretary Rubio, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and Energy Secretary Chris Wright.

      “We essentially did a stock-taking of the last six months. And, you know, what do we do to go, a look ahead,” Jaishankar said on his talks with Rubio. “This included a discussion on trade and investment, on technology, on defence and security, on energy and on mobility.”

      Defence and energy ties warranted dedicated meetings with Hegseth and Wright, the Minister added.

      IANS

    • Pakistan doesn’t impinge on India-US ties: EAM Jaishankar

      Source: Government of India

      Source: Government of India (4)

      External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday dismissed suggestions that Pakistan has any bearing on India’s ties with the United States, asserting that the relationship stands on its own merit and is not defined by third countries.

      Addressing a press conference in Washington, Jaishankar said, “I would really urge you to get over the idea that we need to define ourselves regarding third countries in order to forge ahead in ties with Washington,” Jaishankar told reporters.

      “Big relationships are not forged in terms of third countries and where they fit,” he emphasised, responding to a question on whether Pakistan’s role has changed India-US ties.

      “The central factor in the relationship between India and the US is India and the US. It is our complementarity. In many ways, it is the benefits that we get from closer relationship that is actually driving it,” he said.

      Jaishankar underlined that India’s growing global stature demands greater self-assurance when engaging major partners. “We are a big country. We are among the top five economies of the world. We are the most populous country in the world. Our influence is growing,” he said. “We must have that confidence.”

      The foreign minister said that ties with the US have progressed on substantive issues that bring mutual benefit. “It’s about trade. It is about investment. It is about technology. It is about mobility. It is about energy,” he said.

      On former US President Donald Trump’s claim that he brokered the ceasefire between India and Pakistan after Operation Sindoor, Jaishankar said: “The record of what happened was very clear.”

      “The ceasefire was something that was negotiated between the DGMOs” — Directors General of Military Operations Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai of India and Major General Kashif Abdullah of Pakistan — “I’d leave it at that,” he said.

      Jaishankar is in Washington for the Quad Ministerial meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the Foreign Ministers of Australia and Japan. The Quad Ministers condemned the Pahalgam massacre carried out by The Resistance Front, linked to the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Toiba.

      On the sidelines, Jaishankar held separate meetings with Secretary Rubio, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and Energy Secretary Chris Wright.

      “We essentially did a stock-taking of the last six months. And, you know, what do we do to go, a look ahead,” Jaishankar said on his talks with Rubio. “This included a discussion on trade and investment, on technology, on defence and security, on energy and on mobility.”

      Defence and energy ties warranted dedicated meetings with Hegseth and Wright, the Minister added.

      IANS

    • Normality returns to Wimbledon as Alcaraz and Sabalenka ease through

      Source: Government of India

      Source: Government of India (4)

      Carlos Alcaraz, Aryna Sabalenka and the end of London’s tropical heatwave ensured that a sense of normality returned to the lawns of Wimbledon on Wednesday after two sweat-soaked days of shocks, although Jasmine Paolini’s exit meant the surprises did not end.

      A stream of big names including Coco Gauff, Jessica Pegula, Alexander Zverev and Daniil Medvedev crashed and burned in the oven-like temperatures of the first round.

      So when Alcaraz walked on Centre Court to continue his bid for a third successive Wimbledon title against British qualifier Oliver Tarvet, the thought surely lurked somewhere in his mind that he could be the fall-guy in the event’s greatest upset.

      The 22-year-old second seed was not at his best but after saving three break points in a nervy first service game against a college student ranked 733rd in the world, he asserted his authority to win 6-1 6-4 6-4.

      Earlier on Centre Court, women’s top seed Sabalenka battled to a 7-6(4) 6-4 win against Czech Marie Bouzkova.

      “Honestly, it is sad to see so many upsets in the tournament, in both draws, women’s and men’s,” said Sabalenka, who is bidding for her first Wimbledon title.

      “I’m just trying to focus on myself… I hope there are no more upsets in this tournament.”

      That was not to be, as last year’s runner-up Paolini joined the mass exodus of fancied players when she crashed out 4-6 6-4 6-4 against Russian Kamilla Rakhimova.

      However, Australian Open champion Madison Keys, the sixth seed, made it safely into round three by beating Olga Danilovic 6-4 6-2 while unseeded four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka eased past Czech doubles specialist Katerina Siniakova 6-3 6-2.

      Lower temperatures did not necessarily mean more comfortable outings as world number 12 Frances Tiafoe became the 14th of the 32 men’s seeds to fall, losing 4-6 6-4 6-3 7-5 against Cameron Norrie, one of seven Britons in singles action on day three.

      The American was joined later on by Czech 23rd seed Jiri Lehecka, last month’s Queen’s Club Championships runner-up, who fell 7-6(4) 6-1 7-5 to Italian Mattia Bellucci.

      HOME CHARGE

      Ashlyn Krueger, the American 31st seed, was then beaten 7-6(4) 6-4 by Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, ensuring 15 of the 32 women’s seeds also went out of the tournament.

      Sonay Kartal led the home charge by defeating Bulgaria’s Viktoriya Tomova 6-2 6-2 to book her place in the last 32 for the second year in succession while the nation’s big hope Emma Raducanu got past 2023 champion Marketa Vondrousova 6-3 6-3.

      There was disappointment for Britain’s Katie Boulter, who served 14 double faults as she crashed 6-7(9) 6-2 6-1 to 101st-ranked Solana Sierra, the Argentine who lost in qualifying but has seized her lucky loser spot with both hands.

      Alcaraz, bidding to do the French Open-Wimbledon double for the second successive year, needed five sets to get past Italian veteran Fabio Fognini in the opening round and set up an intriguing clash with 21-year-old Tarvet.

      Tarvet, who plays on the U.S. collegiate circuit for the University of San Diego, said he believed he could beat anyone, even Alcaraz, after winning his Grand Slam debut match against fellow qualifier Leandro Riedi of Switzerland on Monday.

      He was clearly not overawed at sharing a court with a five-times major champion and had he taken any of the eight break points he earned in the first set it could have been closer.

      Alcaraz proved a step too far though as he moved through the gears when required to keep an eager Tarvet under control.

      Just as the Spaniard did in his first round when going to the aid of a female spectator suffering in the heat, Alcaraz again endeared himself to the Centre Court crowd.

      “First of all I have to give a big congratulations to Oliver, it’s his second match on the tour. I just loved his game to be honest, the level he played,” Alcaraz said.

      Play on courts without roofs was delayed for two hours by light morning rain but once the clouds rolled away the place to be for fans without showcourt tickets was Court 12 for Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca’s match against American Jenson Brooksby.

      The 18-year-old is widely tipped as a future challenger to the domination of Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner and he showed why during a 6-2 5-7 6-2 6-4 win that was celebrated by a large contingent of exuberant Brazilians.

      Andrey Rublev, who suffered a bruising loss to Fonseca in the Australian Open first round earlier this year, battled past Lloyd Harris 6-7 6-4 7-6 6-3 before Taylor Fritz closed out the day with a 3-6 6-3 7-6(0) 4-6 6-3 win over Gabriel Diallo.

      -Reuters