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Category: India

  • Gujarat records widespread showers, Borsad tops rainfall chart

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Gujarat witnessed rainfall across 153 talukas over the past 24 hours, with heavier showers concentrated in a few regions. According to officials on Tuesday, 12 talukas recorded more than one inch of rainfall, with Borsad in central Gujarat receiving the highest amount at 99 mm.

    Godhra followed closely with 95 mm, while Gandhidham and Mandvi in the Kutch region recorded 58 mm and 57 mm respectively. Other talukas that saw significant rainfall include Khambhalia (49 mm) and Bhachau (48 mm).

    According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), more rain is expected in several parts of the state. As of the morning of July 8, Gujarat had received nearly 47 per cent of its average monsoon rainfall, based on a 10-year seasonal benchmark. The state has experienced a robust start to the monsoon season, with 266–324 mm of rain recorded since June 1 – about 37–40 per cent of the seasonal average.

    This comes after an earlier report noted that June witnessed exceptionally high rainfall, with cumulative figures running nearly 11 per cent above the long-term national average. Regionally, rainfall distribution has varied: South Gujarat has received over 23 inches (nearly double the average), Central-East Gujarat around 12 inches, Saurashtra approximately 245 mm, and Kutch around 142 mm. Daily rainfall data indicates that nearly 47 per cent of the expected June-to-September total has already fallen by July 8.

    The IMD forecasts suggest that July rainfall will likely exceed 106 per cent of the long-period average for Gujarat, bringing continued widespread — and at times heavy to very heavy — showers through the middle of the month.

    In response to the above-normal rainfall, the Gujarat government has intensified its monsoon preparedness efforts. Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel has instructed officials to carry out urgent road repairs, especially in flood-prone rural and urban areas, treating the situation as a matter of priority.

    The State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) is closely monitoring rainfall patterns and reservoir levels. Disaster response teams, including units from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), have been deployed in vulnerable districts.

    Control rooms are operating round-the-clock, and district administrations have been directed to ensure quick drainage in low-lying areas, provide temporary shelters where needed, and coordinate with health and electricity departments to prevent service disruptions.

    (IANS)

  • Alien planet lashed by huge flares from its ‘angry beast’ star

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Scientists are tracking a large gas planet experiencing quite a quandary as it orbits extremely close to a young star – a predicament never previously observed.

    This exoplanet, as planets beyond our solar system are called, orbits its star so tightly that it appears to trigger flares from the stellar surface – larger than any observed from the sun – reaching several million miles (km) into space that over time may strip much of this unlucky world’s atmosphere.

    The phenomenon appears to be caused by the planet’s interaction with the star’s magnetic field, according to the researchers. And this star is a kind known to flare, especially when young.

    “A young star of this type is an angry beast, especially if you’re sitting as close up as this planet does,” said Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy astrophysicist Ekaterina Ilin, lead author of the study published in the journal Nature.

    The star, called HIP 67522, is slightly more massive than the sun and is located about 407 light-years from Earth in the constellation Centaurus. A light-year is the distance light travels in a year, 5.9 trillion miles (9.5 trillion km).

    This star and planet, as well as a second smaller gas planet also detected in this planetary system, are practically newborns. Whereas the sun and our solar system’s planets are roughly 4.5 billion years old, this star is about 17 million years old, with its planets slightly younger.

    The planet, named HIP 67522 b, has a diameter almost the size of Jupiter, our solar system’s largest planet, but with only 5% of Jupiter’s mass. That makes it one of the puffiest exoplanets known, with a consistency reminiscent of cotton candy (candy floss).

    It orbits five times closer to its star than our solar system’s innermost planet Mercury orbits the sun, needing only seven days to complete an orbit.

    A flare is an intense eruption of electromagnetic radiation emanating from the outermost part of a star’s atmosphere, called the corona. So how does HIP 67522 b elicit huge flares from the star? As it orbits, it apparently interacts with the star’s magnetic field – either through its own magnetic field or perhaps through the presence of conducting material such as iron in the planet’s composition.

    “We don’t know for sure what the mechanism is. We think it is plausible that the planet moves within the star’s magnetic field and whips up a wave that travels along magnetic field lines to the star. When the wave reaches the stellar corona, it triggers flares in large magnetic field loops that store energy, which is released by the wave,” Ilin said.

    “As it moves through the field like a boat on a lake, it creates waves in its wake,” Ilin added. “The flares these waves trigger when they crash into the star are a new phenomenon. This is important because it had never been observed before, especially at the intensity detected.”

    The researchers believe it is a specific type of wave called an Alfvén wave, named for 20th century Swedish physicist and Nobel Prize laureate Hannes Alfvén, that propagates due to the interaction of magnetic fields.

    The flares may heat up and inflate the planet’s atmosphere, which is dominated by hydrogen and helium. Being lashed by these flares could blast away lighter elements from the atmosphere and reduce the planet’s mass over perhaps hundreds of millions of years.

    “At that time, it will have lost most if not all the light elements, and become what’s called a sub-Neptune – a gas planet smaller than Neptune,” Ilin said, referring to the smallest of our solar system’s gas planets.

    The researchers used observations by two space telescopes: NASA’s TESS, short for Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite, and the European Space Agency’s CHEOPS, short for CHaracterising ExOPlanet Satellite.

    The plight of HIP 67522 b illustrates the many circumstances under which exoplanets exist.

    “It is certainly no sheltered youth for this planet. But I am not sad about it. I enjoy diversity in all things nature, and what this planet will eventually become – perhaps a sub-Neptune rich in heavy elements that did not evaporate – is no less fascinating than what we observe today.”

    (Reuters)

  • Portugal’s Euro campaign still alive after 1-1 draw with Italy

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    A last-gasp equaliser by Portugal’s Diana Gomes against Italy in a thrilling 1-1 draw kept her country’s Women’s Euro campaign alive as her strike cancelled out a stunning second-half goal by Cristiana Girelli on Monday.

    Le Azzurre thought they were through to the quarter-finals after Girelli scored in the 70th minute, shifting the ball to her right foot at the edge of the box before unleashing a curling shot into the top right corner that goalkeeper Patricia Morais had little chance of stopping.

    But Gomes brought Portugal level in the 89th when a corner hit the bar and the Portuguese worked the ball back into the box for Gomes to fire home, sending their raucous fans, who chanted and banged drums throughout the night, into utter delirium.

    The draw spoiled Italy’s chance of clinching a berth in the knockout round on Monday, with Spain the only Group B team to have so far guaranteed a quarter-final spot with their 6-2 win over Belgium in the earlier match.

    (Reuters)

  • Women’s Euros: Putellas finds flow state as Spain thump Belgium 6-2

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Spain striker Alexia Putellas scored two cracking goals as her side defeated Belgium 6-2 on Monday to all but guarantee themselves a spot in the knockout stage at the Women’s Euros, with the 31-year-old saying she found a flow state in the game that made it come easy to her.

    Finding herself in the zone on a wet, blustery evening, Putellas picked up her second straight player of the game award and contributed hugely to Spain overcoming a sloppy start to put the Belgians to the sword.

    “I think there are plenty of moments in a game, the team had an excellent performance, and even if we almost always have things we can improve, I believe that team is fine. We feel comfortable, if there’s something that doesn’t work we can change and adapt,” she told reporters.

    Putellas opened the scoring with a typical Spanish goal midway through the first half, punctuating an intricate passing move with a powerful strike, and she netted Spain’s sixth goal late on to cap a fine individual display.

    Asked whether her flow state came from her own performance or from that of the team, Putellas said it was a little bit of both.

    “They go hand in hand; as an individual you think about the group and when you feel we are all together, you flow, it makes me feel good of course,” she explained. “I have this role of creating options, sometimes I finish them, sometimes others do, (but) I’m feeling great.”

    Belgium proved a tough nut to crack but Putellas and her team trusted themselves to score, no matter who ended up getting the goals.

    “When we have them in the low block, we have more options, we are closer to the box. It’s not that it’s better for me or affects my performance, my objective is to choose the best action in every situation,” Putellas said.

    (Reuters)

  • US restores $6.8 million aid for Tibetans, State Department says

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The United States has restored $6.8 million in funding for Tibetans in South Asia, the U.S. State Department told Reuters on Tuesday, confirming comments by Tibet’s government-in-exile.

    The aid had been cut by President Donald Trump’s administration as part of its “America First” policy that hit a number of programmes, including those aimed at securing food and preventing the spread of HIV in some of the world’s poorest regions.

    Last week, the leader of the Tibetan government in-exile in India, Penpa Tsering said Tibetans became “collateral damage” in U.S. foreign aid cuts, and the funding had since been restored. He was speaking on the sidelines of the 90th birthday celebration of Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama.

    “The (State) Department re-instated $6.8 million in aid for Tibetans in South Asia,” a spokesperson said in response to a query from Reuters by e-mail, without saying when the funding was restored.

    The U.S. has called on China to cease what it describes as interference in the succession of the 14th Dalai Lama, who fled from Tibet in 1959 in the wake of a failed uprising against Chinese rule and took shelter in India. China has said that the succession will have to be approved by its leaders.

    “The United States has had a decades-long, bipartisan commitment to support and help advance the dignity and human rights of Tibetans, as well as help Tibetans preserve their distinct religious, cultural, and linguistic identity,” the State Department spokesperson added.

    (Reuters)

     

  • US restores $6.8 million aid for Tibetans, State Department says

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The United States has restored $6.8 million in funding for Tibetans in South Asia, the U.S. State Department told Reuters on Tuesday, confirming comments by Tibet’s government-in-exile.

    The aid had been cut by President Donald Trump’s administration as part of its “America First” policy that hit a number of programmes, including those aimed at securing food and preventing the spread of HIV in some of the world’s poorest regions.

    Last week, the leader of the Tibetan government in-exile in India, Penpa Tsering said Tibetans became “collateral damage” in U.S. foreign aid cuts, and the funding had since been restored. He was speaking on the sidelines of the 90th birthday celebration of Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama.

    “The (State) Department re-instated $6.8 million in aid for Tibetans in South Asia,” a spokesperson said in response to a query from Reuters by e-mail, without saying when the funding was restored.

    The U.S. has called on China to cease what it describes as interference in the succession of the 14th Dalai Lama, who fled from Tibet in 1959 in the wake of a failed uprising against Chinese rule and took shelter in India. China has said that the succession will have to be approved by its leaders.

    “The United States has had a decades-long, bipartisan commitment to support and help advance the dignity and human rights of Tibetans, as well as help Tibetans preserve their distinct religious, cultural, and linguistic identity,” the State Department spokesperson added.

    (Reuters)

     

  • NCS reports 4.1 magnitude quake in Assam’s Karbi Anglong

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    An earthquake measuring 4.1 on the Richter scale struck Assam’s Karbi Anglong district on Tuesday morning, according to the National Centre for Seismology (NCS).

    The tremor occurred at 9:22 am IST at a depth of 25 km, with the epicentre located at latitude 26.51°N and longitude 93.15°E, the NCS reported.

    In a post on X, the NCS said, “EQ of M: 4.1, On: 08/07/2025 09:22:19 IST, Lat: 26.51 N, Long: 93.15 E, Depth: 25 Km, Location: Karbi Anglong, Assam.”

    This comes a day after an earthquake of magnitude 4.5 struck the Andaman Sea at a depth of 10 km. A similar tremor, also measuring 4.5, was recorded in the same region on Sunday.

    Further information is awaited. (ANI)

  • NCS reports 4.1 magnitude quake in Assam’s Karbi Anglong

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    An earthquake measuring 4.1 on the Richter scale struck Assam’s Karbi Anglong district on Tuesday morning, according to the National Centre for Seismology (NCS).

    The tremor occurred at 9:22 am IST at a depth of 25 km, with the epicentre located at latitude 26.51°N and longitude 93.15°E, the NCS reported.

    In a post on X, the NCS said, “EQ of M: 4.1, On: 08/07/2025 09:22:19 IST, Lat: 26.51 N, Long: 93.15 E, Depth: 25 Km, Location: Karbi Anglong, Assam.”

    This comes a day after an earthquake of magnitude 4.5 struck the Andaman Sea at a depth of 10 km. A similar tremor, also measuring 4.5, was recorded in the same region on Sunday.

    Further information is awaited. (ANI)

  • ‘Buzzing’ Archer in the selection frame for third test vs India, says McCullum

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Jofra Archer is fit and ready to go if called upon for England’s third test against India, coach Brendon McCullum said, as the injury-plagued fast bowler edges closer to a return in the longest format.

    Archer has taken 42 wickets in 13 tests but has not played in the format since February 2021 after a succession of elbow injuries and back issues sidelined him for long periods.

    The 30-year-old was added to the squad for the second test at Edgbaston but did not make the starting side as England suffered a crushing 336-run defeat which levelled the five-match series at 1-1.

    “Jofra is looking fit, he’s looking strong, he’s looking ready to go, and he’ll come into calculations,” McCullum told reporters ahead of the July 10-14 test at Lord’s.

    “It’s hugely exciting. He’s buzzing as well. He’s obviously been through his injuries and his time out of test cricket.

    “We all know what he’s capable of achieving in test cricket and we hope that when the opportunity does arrive for him, he’s able to recapture, and also improve on, what he’s been able to do already in that form of the game.”

    England would also resist any temptation to promote in-form Jamie Smith up the order after the wicketkeeper-batter scored 184 and 88 while batting at number seven, McCullum added.

    “He’s just developing at rapid speed, and from our point of view, we’re very happy with him at number seven and with the gloves on,” he said.

    “He does look world class. When we made the decision to bring Jamie Smith into test cricket, we were hopeful that he’d be able to have that sort of impact, obviously in the middle, but also being able to have the power that he’s got with the tail too.”

    (Reuters)

  • Proceeding with the Constitutional mechanism of dealing with the judge is not the solution; what is the source of the money? It belonged to whom?-VP

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (2)

    lign=”center”>I am all for independence of Judiciary; we must have courage to confront uncomfortable truths within our own institutions-VP
    Pick and choose for post-retirement posts for judges seriously impairing our Judiciary- VP
    The President and the Governor are the only two constitutional offices who take oath to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution-VP
    Preamble of our Constitution was changed during a time when hundreds and thousands of people were behind the bars-VP

    The Vice-President, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar, today said that, “Proceeding with the Constitutional mechanism of dealing with the judge in terms of constitutional provision is one way out, but that is not a solution because we claim to be a democracy which we are.  The world looks at us as a mature democracy where there has to be rule of law,  equality before law which means every crime must be investigated.  If the money is so huge in volume, we have to find out. Is it tainted money?  What is the source of this money?  How was it stocked in the  official residence of a judge?  It belonged to whom? Several penal provisions are violated in the process. I do hope  an FIR will be registered. We must go to the root of the matter because for democracy it matters,  that our judiciary  in whom the faith  is unshakable, it’s very foundations have been shaken. The citadel is tottering because of this incident.

    https://twitter.com/VPIndia/status/1942136665524605278

    Interacting with the students and faculty members at the National University of Advance Legal Studies (NUALS) today, Referring to Shakespeare’s famous play “Julius Caesar”, Shri Dhankhar stated, “ My young friends, if you have heard of the Ides of March. Those of you who have read Julius Caesar. where the soothsayer cautioned Caesar, beware of the ideas of March. And when Caesar was going from the palace to the courtroom he spotted the soothsayer and he said- Ides of March has come. And  the soothsayer said, yes,  but not gone, and before the day was over, Caesar was assassinated. Ides of March is associated with misfortune and doom. Our judiciary had ides of March  on the night intervening 14th and 15th March,  a terrible time ! There was cash all  at the residence of a Judge in large quantum.  I say so because it is now in public domain,  officially put up by the Supreme Court that the official residence  of  a judge of the High Court,  cash in large amount was found.  Now the point is,  if that cash was found, system should have moved immediately  and the first process would have been to deal with it  as a criminal act.  Find out those who are culpable.  Bring them to justice. But so far, there has been no FIR. The government at the central level is handicapped because an FIR cannot be registered in view of a judgment of the Supreme Court rendered in early 90s.”

    https://twitter.com/VPIndia/status/1942138345347576273

    Exhorting the students to have courage to confront problems, he underlined, “ We must have courage to confront problems. We must not rationalise failures. We must always remember we belong to a nation that has to define global narrative. We have to be architects of a world that lives in peace and harmony. We must have first courage to confront uncomfortable truths within our own institutions.….. I’m all for independence of Judiciary.  I’m a strong votary of protecting judges.  Judges deal with very difficult situations.  They decide  cases  against  the executive.They deal in certain areas where legislature matters. We must  protect our Judges  from frivolous litigation. So I’m not against the mechanism  evolved, but when something like this happens. Some things are worrisome !”

     

    “We had turbulent times in the judiciary recently. But the good thing — and soothing — is that a big change has taken place. We are seeing good times now for the judiciary. The present Chief Justice and his immediate predecessor gave us a new era of accountability and transparency. They are getting things back on the rails. But the earlier two years were very disturbing, very challenging. The normal system was not normal. Thoughtlessly, several steps were taken — it will take a while to undo them. Because it is very fundamental that institutions function with optimal performance”, he added

    https://twitter.com/VPIndia/status/1942125487129858376

    “The judiciary in our country commands immense trust, immense respect of the people. People believe in the judiciary like no other institution. If their faith is eroded — shaken in the institution — we will be faced with a grim situation. A nation of 1.4 billion will suffer”, he further added.

    https://twitter.com/VPIndia/status/1942117656808849675

    Expressing his concern over post retirement assignments for judges, he emphasised, “Certain constitutional authorities are not permitted to hold  assignments after their office like a Public Service Commission member cannot take any assignment under the government. CAG can’t take that assignment.  Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners can’t take that assignment because they must be free, not to be subjected to allurements and temptations. This was not for judges.  Why?  Because  judges were expected to be totally away from it.  And now we are post-retirement, post for judges.  Am I right? And not all can be accommodated, only some can be accommodated.  So when you can’t accommodate all, you accommodate some, there is pick and choose. When there is pick and choose, there is patronage. It is seriously impairing our judiciary.”

    Underscoring the significance of the nature of oath taken by the President of India and Governors, Shri Dhankhar stated, “ The President and the Governor are the only two constitutional offices who have an oath different than the Vice-President, the Prime Minister, the Chief Minister, Members of Parliament, Members of Assembly, and other functionaries like judges. Because all of us — the Vice-President, the Prime Minister, and others — we take oath to abide by the Constitution, but the Hon’ble President and the Hon’ble Governor — they take oath to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution. Am I clear? So, their oath is not only very distinct, their oath is obligating them with the onerous task of preserving, protecting, and defending the Constitution. I hope there is realization all around about this constitutional ordainment for the post of the Governor…..Second, what stands out the President or the Governor, apart from the rest of us, like the Vice-President, Prime Minister and Chief Ministers and Ministers, is only these two designations have immunity from prosecution. No one else has. While they hold office, they are immune to any prosecution, pending or contemplated. And I am so happy and delighted that Shri Rajendra V. Arlekar is setting very high standards as Governor because a Governor is easy punching bag”.

    https://twitter.com/VPIndia/status/1942117359915094169

    Speaking about the amendments to the preamble of Indian Constitution he stated, “There has been lot of issue about preamble to the Constitution. Well first let me tell you, preamble of Indian constitution is something like parenthood to children. Howsoever you may try,  you can’t change your parenthood. Am I right?  That’s not possible. That is preamble. Secondly, historically no country’s preamble has ever been changed. Thirdly, preamble of our Constitution was changed during a time when hundreds and thousands of people were behind the bars. The darkest period of our democracy, the emergency era.  Then it was changed where the life of the Lok Sabha was also increased beyond 5 years.  It was changed at a time when people had no access to the justice system. Fundamental rights were totally suspended. You need to examine it. We may do anything,  we surely can’t change our parents.”

     

    “You will have to think aloud what happened in 42nd Constitutional Amendment  Act. What happened in 44th and what was left over? Why lakhs were jailed without access to judiciary?  How come 9 High Courts decided in favour of the citizen but  the Supreme Court, the highest court of the land failed us in  ADM’s Jabalpur case. And reversed,  indicating two things—-It is absolute prerogative of the executive to impose emergency  and to impose emergency for as much time it takes. In 1975, it was 20 plus months, and during the proclamation of emergency period,  there will be no access to Judiciary.  So we forfeited at that point of time our total claim  to be a democratic nation”, he added.

    Underscoring the significance of doctrine of separation of powers, he said, “ Constitutional essence and spirit is optimally nurtured and sustained  and it blossoms with each of the pillars of constitution working in tandem to get the nation in harmony but if the legislature, the executive and judiciary are not on the same page,  if they are not in sync with each other, If there is no harmony amongst them,  then the situation gets little worrisome. And that is why as law students you will be  focusing on doctrine of separation of powers.  The issue is not which is supreme.  Each institution of the Constitution is supreme in its own area”

    https://twitter.com/VPIndia/status/1942121770250842146

    https://twitter.com/VPIndia/status/1942126293320900910

    “If one institution — the judiciary, the executive, or the legislature — makes an incursion into the domain of the other, it has the potential to upset the apple cart. It can create unmanageable problems that can be potentially very dangerous for our democracy. For example, let me give it to you in layman’s language: Adjudication has to take place within the judiciary. Judgments are to be scripted by the judiciary — not by the legislature, not by the executive. And similarly, executive functions are performed by whom? By the executive. And why? Because you elect the executive — the political executive — through elections. They are accountable to you. They have to perform. They have to face elections. But if executive functions are done by, let’s say, the legislature or the judiciary — that will be antithetical to the  essence and of the doctrine of separation of powers……I am aghast  that a functionary of the executive like the CBI director  is appointed  with the participation of Chief Justice of India.  Why?  And just think,  and steer your minds.  CBI director is not the senior most person in the hierarchy. He  has above him several layers,  CVC,  Cabinet Secretary, all Secretaries.  After all, he’s heading a department.  You must  use your pen.  Is it happening elsewhere in the world?  Can it happen under our constitutional scheme?  Why should an appointment of the executive be made by anyone else other than the executive.  I strongly say so.”, he added.

  • Wartime innovation boosts Israeli defence tech growth, drawing global interest

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Israeli army reservist Zach Bergerson felt he had to take action when he saw fellow soldiers having to rely on their eyes and ears to detect swarms of enemy drones overhead.

    So the high-tech professional, 36, developed a wearable device that uses mobile phone technology to warn troops of aerial threats. Like other reservists, Bergerson has leveraged his civilian expertise and military experience to bolster Israel’s defence industry.

    Known as SkyHoop, his startup has since emerged from stealth mode – a period when startups typically work in secrecy – to be piloted in Ukraine with discussions under way for a trial by the U.S. Defense Department.

    While U.S. President Donald Trump brokers a Gaza ceasefire, Israeli startups like Bergerson’s are drawing investment from U.S. and Israeli venture capital firms and looking to build on a growing European market for Israeli defence exports.

    More than a third of all defence tech startups registered with the country’s Startup Nation Central, an organization that tracks Israeli innovation, were created since a deadly Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, launched the war in Gaza.

    In June, while Israel attacked Iranian nuclear and ballistic missile targets, their 12-day air war highlighted the efficacy of Israel’s aerial defences. Israel successfully intercepted 86% of Iran’s ballistic missile launches, the Defence Ministry said.

    The changing nature of war has led to shifts in defence procurement worldwide. Western armies demand new battle-tested technology, refined by soldiers in combat. Some 20% of Israeli reservists work in the robust high-tech sector.

    Israeli defence startups have drawn investment from major American venture capital firms that previously avoided the sector as it was considered riskier and mired in regulation. Israeli VC firms have emerged as well to invest in defence.

    Lital Leshem, an Israeli reservist, in December co-founded Protego Ventures, a fund that has studied some 160 defence companies and raised around $100 million. She expects the fund will invest in around four companies by year’s end.

    “Reservists are coming out of the battlefield and are actually putting together new companies to solve real problems that they have experienced in real time on the battlefield,” Leshem told Reuters.

    These companies will face major challenges scaling up to the global market and overcoming regulatory hurdles, Leshem said, but she predicts that, like Israel’s cyber industry, it is a field in which Israeli entrepreneurs can thrive.

    These startups formerly viewed the U.S. as the “holy grail” for their target market, Leshem said, but that is also changing.

    EYES ON EUROPE

    Israeli startups are hoping to benefit from Trump’s demand that European countries take over from the U.S. more of the burden of defending their continent.

    Under a new NATO defence spending plan, countries will spend 5% of GDP – up from 2% – on defence. The figure includes 3.5% of GDP on “core defence” such as weapons and troops and 1.5% on security-related investments.

    Such an increase – to be phased in over 10 years – will mean hundreds of billions of dollars more spending on defence.

    Israel’s defence exports hit a record $14.8 billion in 2024, according to Defence Ministry figures released last month, while exports to Europe comprised more than 50% of these sales, up from 35% in 2023.

    Despite calls from some countries to boycott Israeli weapons, “when one side is purchasing, in the end, they want to buy the best product possible,” said Reserve Brigadier General Yair Kulas, head of the Defence Ministry International Defence Cooperation Directorate.

    Largely as a result of the Russia-Ukraine war, Kulas said, European states are upgrading their militaries, sending older equipment to Ukraine and replacing it with new products, many of them from Israel. Kulas said the story of Israeli weapons exports is also part of a larger global trend.

    The political backlash is worrisome, Kulas said, because on the one hand Israel’s innovation is groundbreaking and world-class but there has been a “delegitimization of Israel”.

    More than 57,000 Palestinians have been killed, most of them civilians, local health officials have said, in the 21 months since Israel launched its assault on Gaza, displacing the population and leaving the territory in ruins.

    “I don’t know how it will impact the results in 2025,” Kulas told Reuters. He said it is “certainly a huge challenge.”

    Avi Hasson from Startup Nation Central said the surge of new defence startups created by reservists is reminiscent of a technological revolution 20 years ago that would later evolve into smartphones.

    Startups may prompt larger Israeli defence companies such as ElbitESLT.TA, Rafael and Israel Aerospace Industries to either try to acquire more Israeli startups and help bring them up to scale or develop their own technology at a faster pace.

    “We are now in a different world,” Hasson told Reuters.

    (Reuters)

  • Williamson, Bracewell skip New Zealand’s tour to Zimbabwe

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Kane Williamson and Michael Bracewell will skip the upcoming two-test tour of Zimbabwe with the blessing of New Zealand Cricket, while paceman Ben Sears has been ruled out by a side injury.

    Rob Walter, who replaced Gary Stead as coach last month, named his first test squad on Tuesday, awarding a call-up to uncapped young fast bowler Matt Fisher and recalling experienced hands Ajaz Patel and Henry Nicholls.

    “Kane and Michael were up front with New Zealand Cricket about their availability for this tour during the contracting process,” Walter said in a news release.

    “While all test matches are hugely special and important, the fact these tests aren’t part of the World Test Championship did influence the discussions on this occasion.

    “We will obviously miss their talent and class, but it allows an opportunity to others and we’re lucky to be able to call on the likes of Ajaz and Henry who are both proven performers at test level.”

    All-rounder Bracewell has been allowed to miss the tour to play in The Hundred in England, while paceman Kyle Jamieson has elected to stay in New Zealand for the birth of his first child.

    Jamieson’s absence offers potential opportunities for Fisher and Jacob Duffy, who has played short-format matches for New Zealand but is yet to win a test cap, in the two matches in Bulawayo in late July and early August.

    Team: Tom Latham (captain), Tom Blundell, Devon Conway, Jacob Duffy, Matt Fisher, Matt Henry, Daryl Mitchell, Henry Nicholls, Will O’Rourke, Ajaz Patel, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Mitch Santner, Nathan Smith, Will Young

    (Reuters)

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Guinea: One year after the enforced disappearance of Front National de Défense de la Constitution (FNDC) activists, abductions increase in a ‘climate of terror’

    Source: APO


    .

    Guinean authorities must urgently reveal the fate and whereabouts of National Front for the Defence of the Constitution (Front national de défense de la Constitution – FNDC) activists Oumar Sylla and Mamadou Billo Bah, who were forcibly disappeared a year ago, and ensure that those suspected to be responsible for the abductions and enforced disappearances in Guinea are brought to justice in fair trial and victims and family members of victims are provided with access to justice and effective remedies, said 25 Guinean and international human rights organizations.

    “We call on the Guinean authorities to break their unbearable silence regarding the fate of the two FNDC activists. There is no indication that they have carried out investigations to find the two activists who have been missing for a year,” the human rights organizations said today.

    Mamadou Billo Bah and Oumar Sylla, known as Foniké Menguè, were arrested on 9 July 2024 at the latter’s home in Conakry by armed men, before allegedly being taken by special forces to the Loos archipelago. They were interrogated and tortured, according to a third member of FNDC who was abducted with the two others and released the day after. The authorities have denied holding them and their fate remains unknown to this day.

    The FNDC, a civil society movement calling for a return to civilian rule, was disbanded in 2022. Oumar Sylla, its national coordinator had called for demonstrations on 11 July 2024 against, among other things, repression of the media and the high cost of living.

    Since the Prosecutor General’s announcement on 17 July 2024 of the opening of ‘thorough and complete’ investigations into several abductions, including those of Oumar Sylla and Mamadou Billo Bah, no information has been made public about their progress.

    Multiplication of cases of abductions and disappearances

    Journalist Habib Marouane Camara, managing director of Le Révélateur news website, was abducted in Lambanyi, a commune of Conakry, on 3 December 2024 by men in uniform, according to witnesses. On 6 December 2024, the Dixinn public prosecutor’s office declared that the ‘arrest was carried out without orders from the constituted authorities and outside the cases provided for by law’, announcing that an investigation was underway. To date, there has been no news of the journalist’s whereabouts.

    “Since these announcements, no information has been made public by the authorities. We call on them to shed full light on the cases of abductions and disappearances in the country by conducting prompt, independent, and transparent investigations into these cases. We also call on the authorities to ratify without reservation the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance,” said the human rights organizations.

    In addition to these cases, there have been abductions followed by acts of torture on individuals known for their critical views. On 19 February 2025, the national coordinator of the Forum of Social Forces of Guinea (Forum des forces sociales de Guinée), Abdoul Sacko, was abducted and found the same day, according to his lawyers ‘in a critical state, tortured and abandoned by his abductors in the bush’.

    Lawyer Mohamed Traoré suffered the same fate in June 2025. The former President of the Guinean Bar Association has testified that he was ‘subjected to abuse’ after being abducted from his home on the night of 20 to 21 June by armed men. The Bar Association reported that he had been found ‘with his back covered in wounds’. On 23 June, the public prosecutor again announced the opening of an ‘in-depth investigation into the facts’.

    ‘A climate of terror’

    Following the abduction of Abdoul Sacko, the Bar Association denounced ‘the climate of terror that is gradually taking hold and […] the total lack of reaction from the judicial authorities’.

    Our organizations spoke to lawyers and political actors who say they have been threatened.

    A leader of an opposition party has been in hiding for several months, after receiving threats by phone and after people in plain clothes went to his home in his absence, making threats. Another politician said that he frequently changed his residence and route after receiving threats.

    A lawyer said: ‘Since I started defending certain people critical of the government, I have received at least four calls confirming that I am on the list of people whose abduction is planned’.

    A human rights defender said he had been alerted after his statements denouncing the abduction of Mohamed Traoré: “I have received two calls from people I know in the judicial system urging me to leave my home because I would be next on the list according to their information. I take this very seriously, I make sure I’m never alone”.

    “We call on the Guinean authorities to respect their international human rights obligations to respect, protect, promote and fulfil the human rights of everyone in the country, as they have undertaken to do before the United Nations Human Rights Council in April 2025 during the Universal Periodic Review, in particular the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly and the rights of human rights defenders,” said the Guinean and international human rights organizations.

    Signatories

    • Action pour des Personnes Vulnérables (APV)
    • Alliance des Femmes Leaders pour la Parité en Guinée (AFLPAG)
    • Alliances des Médias pour les Droits Humains en Guinée (AMDH)
    • Amnesty International
    • Assistance Justice Aux Droits des Enfants et Femmes (AJDEF)
    • Association des Blogueurs de Guinée (ABLOGUI)
    • Association des Victimes, Parents et Amis des évènements du 28 septembre 2009 (AVIPA)
    • Avocats Sans Frontières Guinée (ASF Guinée)
    • Centre Africain de Formation et d’Information sur les Droits de l’Homme et de l’Environnement (CAFIDHE)
    • Conseil Consultatif des Enfants et Jeunes de Guinée (CCEJG)
    • Coalition des ONG de protection et de promotion des Droits de l’Enfant, Lutte contre la Traite  (COLTE/CDE)
    • Convention Guinéenne des Droits de l’Homme (COGUIDH)
    • Convergence des Jeunes Leaders pour la Paix et la Démocratie (COJELPAID)
    • Coordination des Jeunes Cadres Volontaires pour le Futur (CJCVF)
    • Fédération Guinéenne pour la Promotion des Associations des Personnes Handicapées (FEGUIPAH)
    • Fédération internationale pour les droits humains (FIDH), dans le cadre de l’Observatoire pour la protection des défenseur.es des droits humains
    • Forum Civil Guinéen
    • Jeune Action pour la Santé et le Développement (JASD)
    • Leadership Jeunes pour la Paix et le Développement en Afrique (LEJEPAD)
    • Organisation Guinéenne de Défense des Droits de l’Homme et du citoyen (OGDH)
    • Organisation mondiale contre la torture (OMCT), dans le cadre de l’Observatoire pour la protection des défenseur.es des droits humains
    • Organisation Secours aux Handicapés de Guinée (OSH Guinée)
    • Union pour le Bien-Être des Personnes Atteintes d’Albinisme (UBPAAG)
    • Women of Africa (WAFRICA Guinée)
    • Women Hope Guinée (WHP)

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Amnesty International.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • Indian markets open cautiously higher amid Trump tariff concerns; IT and banking stocks lead gains

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Indian stock markets opened on a cautious note on Tuesday as investors weighed fresh tariff measures announced by US President Donald Trump. While concerns lingered, traders appeared to adopt a “wait and watch” approach, looking for more clarity on the evolving situation.

    Around 9:30 am, the Sensex was trading 91.57 points, or 0.11 per cent higher, at 83,534.07, while the Nifty 50 rose 22.25 points, or 0.09 per cent, to 25,483.55.

    Buying interest was seen in IT, PSU banks and financial services stocks. Analysts noted that while the US announced unilateral tariffs on 14 countries, India’s exclusion from the list has fuelled expectations of an imminent trade agreement between India and the US.

    “This has already been largely priced in by the market. The focus now shifts to the details, especially any sector-specific tariffs that could impact segments like pharmaceuticals. The market’s reaction will hinge on these finer points,” said Dr VK Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist at Geojit Financial Services.

    In the previous session, the Nifty had ended marginally higher, forming a green candlestick that followed a bullish hammer pattern — a positive technical signal, according to market watchers.

    “A sustained move above 25,500 could open the door for a further rally towards 25,750. On the downside, immediate support levels are seen at 25,222 and 25,120, which could act as fresh entry points for long positions,” said Mandar Bhojane, Technical Analyst at Choice Broking.

    In early trade, the Nifty Bank index climbed 203 points, or 0.36 per cent, to 57,152.20. The Nifty Midcap 100 index was up 91 points, or 0.15 per cent, at 59,606.75, while the Nifty Smallcap 100 gained 85.70 points, or 0.45 per cent, to reach 19,035.85.

    Within the Sensex pack, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Eternal, Tata Motors, BEL, Adani Ports, NTPC, Asian Paints and UltraTech Cement were among the top gainers. On the flip side, Titan, HCL Tech, Bharti Airtel, M&M and Sun Pharma were trading in the red.

    On the institutional front, foreign institutional investors (FIIs) bought equities worth Rs 321.16 crore on July 7, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs) purchased shares worth Rs 1,853.39 crore on the same day, reflecting continued domestic support.

    In broader Asian markets, Seoul, Hong Kong, Japan, China and Jakarta were trading in positive territory, while Bangkok was the only key market in the region trading lower.

    Overnight in the US, the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 422.17 points, or 0.94 per cent lower, at 44,406.36. The S&P 500 lost 49.37 points, or 0.79 per cent, to settle at 6,229.98, and the Nasdaq dropped 188.59 points, or 0.92 per cent, ending at 20,412.52.

    (ANI)

  • Ashwini Vaishnaw inaugurates railway development projects at Karpoorigram station in Bihar

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Monday inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for several infrastructure development projects at Karpoorigram railway station in Bihar’s Samastipur division, marking a significant step toward modernization of the region’s railway facilities.

    The minister began the day with an inspection of Digha Bridge Halt, where he reviewed key passenger amenities, safety, cleanliness, and security arrangements. He instructed officials to ensure a modern and safe travel experience for passengers, stating that enhancing passenger comfort is a top priority for the Indian Railways.

    At Karpoorigram station, Vaishnaw laid the foundation stone for redevelopment works worth Rs 3.30 crore, which will include the modernization of the station building, upgraded waiting rooms, improved sanitation facilities, digital information systems, drinking water units, and accessibility features for differently-abled passengers.

    He also inaugurated several newly constructed passenger facilities and performed the Bhoomi Pujan for Rs 14 crore underground railway subway at Level Crossing Gate No. 59 ‘C’ between Karpoorigram and Khudiram Bose Pusa stations. The subway is expected to reduce local traffic congestion and improve train operations in the area.

    Highlighting the government’s achievements, the minister noted that 35,000 km of new railway lines have been laid in the past 11 years, surpassing the performance of previous governments. He reaffirmed the Centre’s commitment to making Bihar an equal partner in the vision of a ‘Viksit Bharat’ (Developed India).

  • Markets open in green; Kotak Mahindra, Tata Motors lead Sensex gainers

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The domestic benchmark indices were trading slightly higher on Tuesday morning, tracking cautious optimism among investors.

    At around 9:30 am, the Sensex was up 91.57 points, or 0.11 per cent, at 83,534.07, while the Nifty rose 22.25 points, or 0.09 per cent, to trade at 25,483.55.

    “This has already been largely factored in by the market; the unknown element is the possibility of fresh sectoral tariffs on segments like pharmaceuticals. The market’s reaction will depend on the details,” said Dr VK Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist at Geojit Financial Services.

    In the previous session, the Nifty closed marginally higher, forming a green candlestick that confirmed a bullish hammer pattern from the session before, according to analysts.

    “A sustained move above 25,500 could trigger a further rally towards 25,750. On the downside, immediate support is seen at 25,222 and 25,120, which may act as entry points for fresh long positions,” said Mandar Bhojane, Technical Analyst at Choice Broking.

    Nifty Bank advanced 203 points, or 0.36 per cent, to 57,152.20 in early trade. The Nifty Midcap 100 was up 91 points, or 0.15 per cent, at 59,606.75, while the Nifty Smallcap 100 gained 85.70 points, or 0.45 per cent, to trade at 19,035.85.

    In the Sensex pack, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Eternal, Tata Motors, BEL, Adani Ports, NTPC, Asian Paints and UltraTech Cement were among the top gainers. Meanwhile, Titan, HCL Tech, Bharti Airtel, M&M and Sun Pharma were trading in the red.

    On the institutional front, foreign institutional investors (FIIs) bought equities worth Rs 321.16 crore on July 7, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs) purchased shares worth Rs 1,853.39 crore.

    In Asia, markets in Seoul, Hong Kong, Japan, China and Jakarta were trading in positive territory, while Bangkok was the lone index trading in the red.

    Overnight, the Dow Jones Industrial Average in the US closed at 44,406.36, down 422.17 points, or 0.94 per cent. The S&P 500 lost 49.37 points, or 0.79 per cent, to end at 6,229.98, while the Nasdaq slipped 188.59 points, or 0.92 per cent, to settle at 20,412.52.

    -ians

  • Sinner gets out of jail to reach last eight as Dimitrov retires at Wimbledon

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Top seed Jannik Sinner struggled with an elbow problem and was given an almighty scare before advancing to the quarter-finals of Wimbledon after a cruel twist of fate for his 19th-seeded opponent Grigor Dimitrov who retired injured at two sets up.

    Novak Djokovic continued his quest for Grand Slam glory at the All England Club with a battling victory over Alex de Minaur while five-times major champion Iga Swiatek found her grasscourt wings to fly past Clara Tauson.

    The drama was reserved for the evening clash on Centre Court as Dimitrov, who had pulled out injured in his last four majors, played exquisite tennis to go up 6-3 7-5 2-2 but then crashed to the ground after a big ace to hold serve.

    Sinner, who had been hampered for much of the contest by a right elbow issue after slipping and falling to the turf early on, was left feeling sorry for his opponent who threw in the towel after a short assessment by a doctor.

    “I don’t know what to say because he’s an incredible player. I think we all saw this today,” said Sinner, who was by a tearful Dimitrov’s side while the Bulgarian was attended to.

    “He’s been so unlucky in the past couple of years. He’s an incredible player, a good friend of mine also, and we understand each other very well off the court too.

    “Seeing him in this position… if there would be a chance that he could play in the next round, he would deserve it. Now I hope he has a speedy recovery. Very, very unlucky from his side.

    “I don’t take this as a win at all… just an unfortunate moment to witness for all of us.”

    Sinner later told reporters he would have an MRI scan to check his own injury.

    “It happened very early in the match, first game. It was quite an unfortunate fall. We checked the videos a bit, and it didn’t seem a tough one, but I still felt it quite a lot, especially serve and forehand,” he added.

    “So let’s see… tomorrow we are going to check with MRI to see if there’s something serious and then we try to adjust it.”

    Sinner next faces American 10th seed Ben Shelton, who beat another Italian in Lorenzo Sonego 3-6 6-1 7-6(1) 7-5 to advance to the quarter-finals at Wimbledon for the first time, as did Flavio Cobolli, who downed Marin Cilic 6-4 6-4 6-7(4) 7-6(3).

    ROCKY ROAD

    Djokovic marched into the Wimbledon last eight for the 16th time but the Serbian trod a rocky road before defeating De Minaur 1-6 6-4 6-4 6-4 to keep alive his quest for a 25th major title to surpass Margaret Court.

    Watched from the Royal Box by another great in Roger Federer, the man whose record eight All England Club trophies Djokovic is trying to equal, the sixth seed surrendered the first set in 31 minutes before roaring back to win.

    “We did catch up very shortly,” Djokovic said of his meeting with Federer afterwards.

    “We greeted each other. He congratulated me and said it was a great match. That’s all. It was a very short greeting, but it was really nice to have him around.

    “He’s one of the greatest legends of our game. So it always is extra special when he’s on the stands. I’m glad to break the curse and win in front of him. It’s a big relief.”

    Federer’s fellow Swiss and former doubles partner Belinda Bencic made her first Wimbledon quarter-final in nine attempts after dismissing 18th-seeded Russian Ekaterina Alexandrova 7-6(4) 6-4 in a little under two hours on a breezy Court One.

    The 28-year-old Tokyo 2020 Olympic champion shed tears of joy after she finally broke the fourth-round barrier 15 months since giving birth to her daughter Bella and she said she was surprised at her high level.

    “I’m really happy about it. Of course, I try not to think about it. I feel great on the practice court. When I was coming back, that’s why I felt like I came back earlier than expected, than I expected for myself,” Bencic said.

    “I’m also surprised about how fast the results are coming.”

    She will need all her battling qualities when she takes on seventh seed Mirra Andreeva, the Russian teenager who made short work of American 10th seed Emma Navarro 6-2 6-3 on her Centre Court debut with her idol Federer still in attendance.

    Swiatek shrugged off a slow start to beat Danish 23rd seed Tauson 6-4 6-1 and set up a meeting with Liudmila Samsonova, who saw off Jessica Bouzas Maneiro 7-5 7-5.

    (Reuters)

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

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    —IANS

     

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

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

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

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

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

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

    A relationship rooted in shared values

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

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

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

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

    Strengthening economic ties

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

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

    High-level visits and parliamentary exchanges

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

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

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

    Expanding frontiers: space, energy and health

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

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

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

     

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

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    MIGRANTS’ RETURN DEAL

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    (Reuters)

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

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    ‘ROUGH WEEK’ AHEAD

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

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

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

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

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

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

    MISHAP IN THE SKY

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    (Reuters)

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

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    (Reuters)

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

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    SECOND DAY OF QATAR TALKS

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    (Reuters)

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

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    (Reuters)

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

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    (Reuters)

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

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    (Reuters)

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

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    (Reuters)

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

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    (With inputs from IANS)

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

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    (With inputs from IANS)

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

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    (With inputs from IANS)