US Secretary Of State Marco Rubio said that under President Donald Trump's leadership, America has "prevented and ended" a war between India and Pakistan. "Just going through a list here Mr President and all these achievements that have happened domestically... under your leadership, we've prevented and ended a war between India and Pakistan," Rubio said, sitting next to Trump, during remarks at a Cabinet meeting at the White House Tuesday. Rubio also listed the peace deal between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda, "a 12-day war that ended with an American operation that we're the only country in the world that could have done, hopefully pretty soon a peace deal between Azerbaijan and Armenia". "The entire Middle East and the infrastructure of it has the potential now to change because of Syria and Lebanon. And it hasn't even been 6 months. It's a great testament to your leadership" and the team, he said. A day earlier, Trump had again repeated the claim that he stopped the war, that could have gone nuclear, between India and Pakistan by telling the two neighbours that Washington will not do trade with them if they continued the fighting. "We did a job with India and Pakistan, Serbia, Kosovo, Rwanda and the Congo, and this was all over the last three weeks or so... and others that were ready to fight," Trump had said while speaking to reporters ahead of a bilateral dinner with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the White House on Monday. "And we stopped a lot of fights. I think the very big one, frankly, a very, very big one was India and Pakistan. And we stopped that over trade. We're dealing with India. We're dealing with Pakistan. We said we're not going to be dealing with you at all if you're going to fight. And they were maybe at a nuclear stage. They're both nuclear powers. And I think stopping that was very important," Trump had said. Meanwhile, State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce, while replying to a question on India denying that Trump played any role in the conflict with Pakistan, said "I think... so many comments speak for themselves. That's one of the good aspects of our modern world... people can see what's really occurring." "You're not reliant on a comment to know what has really happened. The world is playing out in front of us in real time on big screens and small screens. Everyone will have an opinion. That's an opinion. Some opinions are wrong. Mine rarely are but other people's opinions can be wrong," she said amid laughter. "But that's what we get to do is analyse and judgment, and the fact is that we understand in front of us every day the clarity of what's transpiring in our world. Donald Trump is here to help make that easier and to help use this to make things clearer. Secretary Marco Rubio is in the same position, the Vice President of the United States also involved in the negotiations with Pakistan and India, JD Vance. Same dynamic, fresh views, new ideas, understanding the world as it sits, and making sure that it's better when they leave. And they will be recognized for that," Bruce said. Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated after the Pahalgam terror attack, with India carrying out precision strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on May 7. The on-ground hostilities from the Indian and Pakistan sides that lasted for four days ended with an understanding of stopping the military actions following talks between the directors general of military operations of both sides on May 10. During a phone call with President Trump last month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi set the record straight that India had paused strikes on Pakistan during Operation Sindoor following a request from Islamabad and not due to mediation or offer of a trade deal by the US. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
09 July,2025 11:19 PM IST | New York/Washington | APRussia fired a record 728 Shahed and decoy drones at Ukraine overnight, as well as 13 cruise and ballistic missiles, the Ukrainian air force said Wednesday, in the latest escalation after weeks of mounting Russian aerial and ground attacks in the more than three-year war. The city of Lutsk, which lies in Ukraine's northwest along the border with Poland and Belarus, was the hardest hit, though 10 other regions were also struck, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. Lutsk is home to airfields used by the Ukrainian army. Cargo planes and fighter jets routinely fly over the city. Western regions of Ukraine are a crucial logistical backbone in the war, as airfields and depots there receive vital foreign military aid before forwarding it to other parts of the country. Russian long-range attacks have increasingly sought to disrupt those supply corridors. The Russian Defence Ministry said that its forces took aim at Ukrainian air bases and that "all the designated targets have been hit." Russia has recently tried to overwhelm Ukrainian air defences by launching massive aerial assaults, including adding more decoy drones to its attacks. Russia launched its previous largest aerial assault late in the night of July 4 into the following day, with the biggest prior to that occurring less than a week earlier. Russia's bigger army has also launched a new drive to punch through parts of the 1,000-kilometre (620-mile) front line, where short-handed Ukrainian forces are under heavy strain. US President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he's "not happy" with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who hasn't budged from his ceasefire and peace demands since Trump took office in January and began to push for a settlement. Trump said Monday that the US would have to send more weapons to Ukraine, just days after Washington paused critical weapons deliveries to Kyiv amid uncertainty over the US administration's commitment to Ukraine's defence. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Trump "has quite a tough style in terms of the phrasing he uses," adding that Moscow hopes to "continue our dialogue with Washington and our course aimed at repairing the badly damaged bilateral ties." Zelenskyy said that the Kremlin was "making a point" with the overnight attack on western parts of Ukraine, as US-led peace efforts flounder. He urged Ukraine's partners to impose stricter sanctions on Russian oil and those who help finance the Kremlin's war by buying it. "Everyone who wants peace must act," Zelenskyy said. The Ukrainian leader was due to meet Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday during a visit to Italy. Two people were wounded in the Kyiv region during the overnight barrage, officials said, as emergency crews continued to assess the damage. Poland scrambled its fighter jets and put its armed forces on the highest level of alert in response to Russia's attack, the Polish Armed Forces Operational Command wrote in an X post. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen warned Tuesday that Russia could pose a credible security threat to the European Union by the end of the decade. She called for defence industries in Europe and Ukraine to be ramped up within five years. Ukraine's air defences shot down 296 drones and seven missiles during the overnight attack, while 415 more drones were lost from radars or jammed, an air force statement said. Ukrainian interceptor drones, developed to counter Russia's Shahed drones, are increasingly effective, Zelenskyy said, noting that many targets were intercepted and that domestic production of anti-aircraft drones is being scaled up in partnership with some Western countries. Western military analysts say Russia is boosting its drone manufacturing and could soon be capable of launching 1,000 drones a night at Ukraine. "Russia continues to expand its domestic drone production capacity amid the ever-growing role of tactical drones in front-line combat operations and Russia's increasingly large nightly long-range strike packages against Ukraine," the Institute for the Study of War, a Washington-based think tank, said late Tuesday. Ukraine has also built up its own offensive drone threat, reaching deep into Russia with some spectacular long-range strikes. Russia's Defence Ministry said Wednesday that air defences downed 86 Ukrainian drones over six Russian regions overnight, including the Moscow region. Flights were temporarily suspended at Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport and the international airport of Kaluga, south of Moscow. The governor of Russia's Kursk border region, Alexander Khinshtein, said that a Ukrainian drone attack on the region's capital city just before midnight killed three people and wounded seven others, including a 5-year-old boy. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
09 July,2025 11:12 PM IST | Kyiv | mid-day online correspondentOn Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was conferred with Namibia's highest civilian award, the 'Order of the Most Ancient Welwitschia Mirabilis', reported news agency PTI. The prestigious award was presented by Namibian President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah. Meanwhile, addressing a gathering after receiving the honour, PM Modi stated, "Namibia's Welwitschia, after which this award is named, is not an ordinary plant. It is like an elder in the household, one who has witnessed the passage of time. It symbolises Namibia's struggle, courage, and culture." He further added, "It stands as a witness to the unbreakable friendship between India and Namibia. I feel proud to be associated with it. I dedicate this award to the people of India and Namibia, who continue to progress together, and to the friendship between our two nations." The Prime Minister emphasised that India and Namibia have maintained a steadfast friendship since their respective independences. "Ours is a friendship that is time-tested and connected by shared values and dreams of a better future. In the times to come, we will keep working closely and walking together on the path of development," he affirmed. According to PTI, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed in a press release that PM Modi is the first Indian leader to receive this award. The MEA said, "The conferment of the award on the Prime Minister is a milestone in the bilateral ties between India and Namibia and stands as a font of inspiration for the younger generations in both countries to take this special bilateral partnership to greater heights." This marks the 27th international honour bestowed upon Prime Minister Modi by a foreign government since he took office in May 2014. Meanwhile, the award citation highlights that Modi's leadership, characterised by technological innovation, economic growth, social and climate justice, and international diplomacy, "transcends the borders of India." It further states, "Prime Minister Modi's sustained engagement with the African Union reflects a sincere commitment to South-South cooperation... During his tenure, bilateral relations between India and Namibia have significantly improved and contributed meaningfully to the socio-economic development of both nations." PM Modi is currently in Namibia on the final leg of his five-nation visit. This marks his first visit to Namibia and only the third-ever prime ministerial visit from India to the country. However, earlier in the day, Prime Minister Modi and President Nandi-Ndaitwah held bilateral talks, resulting in the signing of four agreements to bolster bilateral cooperation in several key areas, including energy and healthcare. (With inputs from PTI)
09 July,2025 09:11 PM IST | Windhoek | mid-day online correspondentA viral social media post by far-right activist Tommy Robinson has reignited a contentious debate over cousin marriage practices within the British Pakistani community. The post features a video of Robinson citing controversial statistics and calling for a nationwide ban on cousin marriage in the UK, drawing both support and strong criticism online. In the video, Robinson claims that 76 per cent of Pakistanis in Bradford marry their first cousins and alleges that British Pakistanis—who make up around 3 per cent of the UK population—account for 33 per cent of birth defects in the country. He argues that this is a significant burden on the UK's healthcare system and attributes the cultural norm to historical Islamic practices. Tommy Robinson tells it like it is:“Pakistanis make up 3% of the UK population. They are responsible for 33% of birth defects. They are being born retarded. It’s costing the economy billions and billions because Mohammed married his cousin.”Ban cousin marriage! pic.twitter.com/tP6FBsUzwP — Dr. Maalouf (@realMaalouf) July 6, 2025 Robinson goes further to call cousin marriage “never right” and urges the British government to ban the practice outright. The Grok AI fact-checker notes that the 76 per cent figure cited by Robinson is likely exaggerated, referencing the Born in Bradford study, which reported that around 60 per cent, of cousin marriages in 2007–2010; declining to 46 per cent by 2016–2019; UK-wide, Pakistanis are associated with around 30–33 per cent of genetic birth defects, according to NHS and academic data. The Bradford stat cited (76% of Pakistanis marrying first cousins) appears exaggerated; reliable studies like Born in Bradford (2007-2010) found ~60% consanguineous marriages in the community, dropping to 46% by 2016-2019. UK-wide, Pakistanis (~3% of population) account for… — Grok (@grok) July 6, 2025 His comments have been widely condemned as inflammatory and racist by critics across social media. The post has divided public opinion. Some users expressed concern over the potential genetic and economic impacts of consanguineous marriage. Others accused Robinson of distorting facts to promote a xenophobic agenda. “This is a mix of distorted stats and open racism. Yes, consanguineous (cousin) marriage can increase certain health risks and it's an issue that public health experts address globally, not just in one group but reducing an entire ethnic or religious group to slurs like “retarded” is vile and dehumanizing. If the concern is public health, fine, focus on education and awareness, not hate but let’s be real: this isn’t about genetics,” said one user on X (formerly Twitter). While some users expressed worry about the genetic risks of consanguineous marriage, many condemned the way Robinson framed the issue. Some also argued that a sensitive topic like genetic health should not be hijacked to vilify a specific community.
09 July,2025 05:08 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentTesla CEO Elon Musk has announced that exposing the Jeffrey Epstein files will be a top priority for his newly announced political venture, 'America Party.' Musk first questioned how people can be expected to have faith in US President Donald Trump if he does not release the files related to disgraced financier Epstein. In a post on X, Musk asked, "How can people be expected to have faith in cif he won't release the Epstein files?" A user reacted to his post and asked whether exposing Epstein files ranks high on the priority list of the America Party. In a post on X, the user wrote, "Will exposing the Epstein files rank high on the America Party's list?" In response, Musk shared a "100" emoji. How can people be expected to have faith in Trump if he won’t release the Epstein files? — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 8, 2025 In 2019, Epstein died in a New York prison cell as he awaited trial on sex trafficking charges. Earlier on Monday, Musk trolled Trump with a post mocking the administration for making no arrests related to the Jeffrey Epstein case. Trump's former ally posted an image on his social media platform with text that read, "The Official Jeffrey Epstein Pedophile Arrest Counter," showing "0000." While sharing the picture on X, Musk stated, "What's the time? Oh look, it's no-one-has-been-arrested-o'clock again." What’s the time? Oh look, it’s no-one-has-been-arrested-o’clock again … pic.twitter.com/CO9xJz68Tf — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 7, 2025 Musk escalated his feud with Trump by announcing the formation of a new political outfit called the 'America Party' and intensifying criticism over Trump's handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case, The Hill reported. The fallout between the two deepened after Republicans passed a major policy bill supported by Trump, prompting Musk to declare his intention to back primary challengers against GOP members who voted for it. In response, Trump dismissed Musk's new party as "ridiculous" and labelled him a "train wreck," criticising the effort as one doomed to fail in the US political system. "He even wants to start a Third Political Party, despite the fact that they have never succeeded in the United States - The System seems not designed for them," Trump posted on Truth Social. He added, "The one thing Third Parties are good for is the creation of Complete and Total DISRUPTION & CHAOS, and we have enough of that with the Radical Left Democrats, who have lost their confidence and their minds!" According to The Hill, Musk unveiled the America Party after polling users on his platform X about their desire for "independence from the two-party (some would say uniparty) system!" He posted, "When it comes to bankrupting our country with waste & graft, we live in a one-party system, not a democracy. Today, the America Party is formed to give you back your freedom." The feud between Musk and Trump marks a major turn in their relationship. Trump had once praised Musk's government cost-cutting efforts and even presented him with a gold key to the White House. During his stint with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), Musk had an office at the White House and appeared prominently in Cabinet meetings, The Hill reported. Meanwhile, Trump has left the door open to deporting the South African-born US citizen and suggested the DOGE could be turned against Musk's companies. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
09 July,2025 02:12 PM IST | Washington | ANINepal Police on Tuesday recovered seven dead bodies following a flood that wreaked havoc and washed away a cross-border bridge connecting Nepal with China. The police announced that 18 people were missing, including three police personnel, six Chinese nationals and nine civilians. “A total of 55 individuals, including police personnel, have been rescued from the flood-affected areas,” the police said. Rainfall in China on Monday night triggered a flood in the Bhotekoshi River in Nepal. The Miteri Bridge in Rasuwa district, 120 km northeast of Kathmandu, was swept away around 3.15 am on Tuesday. The flooding also swept away several houses and five electric vehicles. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
09 July,2025 02:04 PM IST | Kathmandu | AgenciesForeign tourists are trickling back to China after the country loosened its visa policy to unprecedented levels. Citizens from 74 countries can now enter China for up to 30 days without a visa. The government has been steadily expanding visa-free entry in a bid to boost tourism and the economy. In December 2023, China announced visa-free entry for citizens of France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Malaysia. Almost all of Europe has been added since and travelers from five Latin American countries and Uzbekistan became eligible last month, followed by four in the Middle East. The total will grow to 75 on July 16 with the addition of Azerbaijan. This option isn’t available to Indian citizens. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
09 July,2025 12:24 PM IST | Beijing | AgenciesFive Israeli soldiers were killed in an attack in Gaza, the Israeli military said Tuesday, while health officials in the Palestinian territory said 18 people were killed in Israeli strikes. The bloodshed came as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was visiting the White House for talks with US President Donald Trump about a ceasefire plan to pause the Gaza fighting. While there was no announcement of a breakthrough, there were signs of progress toward a deal. The killings of the soldiers could add to the pressure on Netanyahu to strike a deal in Israel, where polls have shown widespread support for ending the war. Israeli said explosive devices were detonated against the soldiers during an operation in the Beit Hanoun area in northern Gaza, where Israel has repeatedly fought regrouping militants. Militants also opened fire on the forces evacuating the wounded soldiers. ‘Israel killed 1060 people in Iran’ Iran’s government has issued a new death toll for its war with Israel, saying at least 1060 people were killed and warning that the figure could rise. Saeed Ohadi, the head of Iran’s Foundation of Martyrs and Veterans Affairs, warned on Monday that the toll may cross 1100, given how severely some were wounded. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
09 July,2025 11:28 AM IST | Tel Aviv | AgenciesAhead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit, India's High Commissioner to Namibia, Rahul Shrivastava, said that India is looking at importing uranium from the African country and mentioned that the recent oil and gas discoveries in Namibia are also an area of interest for New Delhi. Speaking to ANI, Shrivastava stated that India is interested in critical minerals in Namibia. He hailed the ties between the two nations, terming them "good" and recalled how India was one of the first nations to support Namibia's independence. When asked about the expected takeaways from PM Modi's State visit to Namibia, he said, "The relationships between India and Namibia are very good because we started long before Namibia got independence in 1946 when India was one of the first countries to support Namibia's independence and thereafter when Namibia got independence, this good relations have transformed into good economic relations. So, the Prime Minister's visit happens after a long gap of 27 years. We have a long range of things that we want to discuss primarily about trade and investment. We are interested in critical minerals in Namibia and some of our PSUs would want to invest here." "We are looking at export of uranium from Namibia to India and there have been recent oil and gas discoveries in Namibia, that is also an area of interest. We will be discussing about defence cooperation because Namibia wants to procure defence items from India, and capacity building is one of the important pillars of India-Namibia relations that we will also enhance during the visit," he added. Shrivastava said that PM Modi will be on a State visit to Namibia, where he will hold delegation-level talks with Namibian President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, visit Heroes Acre to pay homage to the founding father of Namibia, Dr Sam Nujoma, address the country's parliament and interact with the Indian diaspora. "Prime Minister Modi, he comes tomorrow early morning, and the visit is for one day. It's a state visit, but the programme is very full, apart from the various ceremonial events, such as the welcome ceremony in the State House or the welcome ceremony in the airport where he's received by the foreign minister of Namibia. We will have delegation-level talks with the President of Namibia. He will be going to the Heroes Acre, which is the national memorial of Namibia to pay homage to the founding father of Namibia, Dr Sam Nujoma. He will also be addressing the parliament of Namibia and finally, he'll also have a community interaction with the small but vibrant diaspora in Namibia." PM Modi on Tuesday (local time) departed for Namibia after concluding his two-day visit to Brazil. He is travelling to Namibia for a State visit at the invitation of President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah. It will be PM Modi's first visit to Namibia, and the third ever Prime Ministerial visit from India to Namibia. Shrivastava stated that the two sides will hold discussions regarding cheetahs and expressed confidence that PM Modi's visit will surely lead to Project Cheetah 2 from Namibia. When asked whether discussions regarding Cheetahs will take place, he said, "Discussions will yes surely take place, and the cheetahs are thriving well in India, but the numbers that are there are not enough to have a good ecological balance. We need more of cheetahs, so at some point in time, and I'm sure the Prime Minister's visit will surely lead to Project Cheetah 2 from Namibia." Rahul Shrivastava emphasised that India's leadership in the Global South is "well recognised" and termed Africa a "strong partner" for India. "India's leadership in the Global South is well recognised, and Africa is a very strong partner for India in this. The Prime Minister is a great supporter of support to the Global South, and in this regard we have been supporting Namibia, and Namibia participated in all three Voices of Global South summits that was chaired by India under its presidency of G20," he said. PM Modi is on a five-nation visit, with Namibia being his last stop. PM Modi began his five-nation visit on Wednesday in Ghana. From Ghana, PM Modi travelled to Trinidad and Tobago, and then he headed to Argentina and Brazil. In a statement before leaving for his five-nation visit from India, PM Modi stated, "I look forward to meeting President H.E. Dr. Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah and chart a new roadmap for cooperation for the benefit of our peoples, our regions and the wider Global South. It will be a privilege to also address the Joint Session of Namibian Parliament as we celebrate our enduring solidarity and shared commitment for freedom and development." This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
09 July,2025 08:40 AM IST | Windhoek | ANIPrime Minister Narendra Modi and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva held a meeting at the Alvorada Palace on Tuesday (local time). During the meeting, the leaders discussed ways to deepen trade ties and diversify trade. PM Modi stated that he and President Lula agree that there is immense scope for such linkages to thrive in the coming times. In a post on X, PM Modi wrote, "Held fruitful talks with President Lula, who has always been passionate about India-Brazil friendship. Our talks included ways to deepen trade ties and also diversify bilateral trade. We both agree that there is immense scope for such linkages to thrive in the coming times." Held fruitful talks with President Lula, who has always been passionate about India-Brazil friendship. Our talks included ways to deepen trade ties and also diversify bilateral trade. We both agree that there is immense scope for such linkages to thrive in the coming times.… pic.twitter.com/Bn8w5BCm2X — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 8, 2025 PM Modi noted that his meeting with President Lula will invigorate ties between India and Brazil. He stated that they have set a target of USD 20 billion over the coming five years. "The bilateral meeting with my good friend President Lula will invigorate India-Brazil ties. We've set an ambitious trade target of USD 20 billion over the coming five years. This will boost economic linkages. Equally important were the discussions on strengthening people-to-people ties, especially through sports and tourism," PM Modi posted on X. PM Modi thanked President Lula for conferring him with Brazil's highest civilian honour, 'The Grand Collar of the National Order of the Southern Cross.' "I'm honoured to have been conferred 'The Grand Collar of the National Order of the Southern Cross.' Gratitude to President Lula, the Government and the people of Brazil. This illustrates the strong affection the people of Brazil have for the people of India. May our friendship scale even newer heights of success in the times to come," PM Modi posted on X. The bilateral meeting with my good friend President Lula will invigorate India-Brazil ties. We’ve set an ambitious trade target of USD 20 billion over the coming five years. This will boost economic linkages. Equally important were the discussions on strengthening… — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 8, 2025 Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that PM Modi thanked President Lula for his solidarity and support in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terrorist attack. "PM @narendramodi met with President @LulaOficial of Brazil at the Alvorada Palace, Brazil. PM thanked President Lula for its solidarity & support in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terrorist attack," Jaiswal stated on X. "Both leaders held extensive discussions on India - Brazil multifaceted ties, including trade & investment, defence & security, health & pharmaceuticals, space, renewable energy, food & energy security, infrastructure development, digital public infrastructure, culture and people-to-people ties and explored avenues for collaboration in the new areas of critical minerals, new and emerging technologies, AI & supercomputers, digital collaboration & mobility. They set a bilateral trade target of USD 20 billion over the next five years. They also exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual interest," he added. PM @narendramodi met with President @LulaOficial of Brazil at the Alvorada Palace, Brazil.PM thanked President Lula for its solidarity & support in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terrorist attack.Both leaders held extensive discussions on 🇮🇳-🇧🇷 multifaceted ties, including… pic.twitter.com/QWNR1sFqsX — Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) July 8, 2025 Jaiswal stated that PM Modi thanked the Brazilian government and the people of Brazil for honouring him with Brazil's highest civilian honour, 'Grand Collar of the National Order of the Southern Cross.' "A testament to the multifaceted India - Brazil Strategic Partnership. President @LulaOficial conferred on PM @narendramodi the 'Grand Collar of the National Order of the Southern Cross'- Brazil's highest honour. PM expressed his gratitude to the government & people of Brazil for this distinguished honour and dedicated the award to the 1.4 billion people of India and to the deep rooted India - Brazil friendship & the strong people-to-people ties between the two countries," Jaiswal posted on X. A testament to the multifaceted 🇮🇳-🇧🇷 Strategic Partnership. President @LulaOficial conferred on PM @narendramodi the ‘Grand Collar of the National Order of the Southern Cross’- 🇧🇷’s highest honour.PM expressed his gratitude to the government & people of 🇧🇷 for this… pic.twitter.com/CjNE2qgnXd — Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) July 8, 2025 PM Modi, who is on a State Visit to Brazil after participating in the BRICS Summit, received a warm ceremonial welcome at the Alvorada Palace in Brazil on Tuesday, where President Lula shared a warm hug with PM Modi. PM Modi was accorded a ceremonial guard of honour. The national anthems of India and Brazil were played at Alvorada Palace. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
09 July,2025 08:36 AM IST | Brasilia | ANIUS President Donald Trump on Monday said his administration will send additional defensive weapons to Ukraine, days after the White House paused certain military shipments. "We're going to send some more weapons. We have to - they have to be able to defend themselves," Trump told reporters ahead of a dinner with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. "They're getting hit very hard. We're going to have to send more weapons," Trump said adding. "Defensive weapons, primarily, but they're getting hit very, very hard." The announcement comes after a senior White House official told CNN last week that the administration had paused some weapons deliveries, including air defence missiles, pending a review of US military spending and foreign aid. The review, aimed at putting "America's interests first," was approved by Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth. White House deputy press secretary Anna Kelly had said the decision was part of the administration's broader defence strategy. Some US officials suggested the pause was also influenced by the Pentagon's increased focus on China and preparation for potential conflict in the Pacific--an effort led by the Pentagon's policy chief, Elbridge Colby. "The Department of Defence continues to provide the President with robust options to continue military aid to Ukraine, consistent with his goal of bringing this tragic war to an end," Colby said in a statement at the time. "At the same time, the Department is rigorously examining and adapting its approach to achieving this objective while also preserving US forces' readiness for Administration defence priorities." Russia welcomed the pause in shipments, alleging--without evidence--that it stemmed from US shortages. Chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell on Monday confirmed Trump's directive to resume aid. "At President Trump's direction, the Department of Defense will send additional defensive weapons to Ukraine to ensure the Ukrainians can defend themselves while we work to secure a lasting peace," he said. "Our framework for POTUS to evaluate military shipments across the globe remains in effect and is integral to our America First defense priorities." Since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, the US has been Ukraine's largest military donor, supplying equipment including air defence systems, drones, rocket launchers, tanks, and anti-armor weapons--raising concerns about the depletion of US stockpiles. Trump had previously halted all military aid to Ukraine in March after a heated Oval Office exchange with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The shipments resumed roughly a week later. The decision to ramp up deliveries follows Trump's recent conversations with both Russian President Vladimir Putin and President Zelensky. Trump described his call with Putin as disappointing, saying there was "no progress" toward a ceasefire. In contrast, he called his latest discussion with Zelensky "very good." Zelensky has been urging Western allies to strengthen Ukraine's air defences amid escalating Russian attacks. On Friday, Russia launched a record number of drones at Ukraine, just hours after the Trump-Putin call. Speaking Saturday, Zelensky said his conversation with Trump was the "most productive" he has had. Trump on Friday also stated the US was considering Ukraine's request for more Patriot missile systems. On Monday, Trump reiterated his criticism of the Russian president. "I'm not happy with President Putin at all," he said. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
08 July,2025 06:45 PM IST | Washington DC | ANIADVERTISEMENT