Auckland, July 11: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday invited New Zealand investors and business houses to partner India in infrastructure development, civil aviation, logistics, clean energy, urban mobility, water management, waste management and digital economy sectors.

Hailing India’s vibrant startup ecosystem, PM Modi called for closer engagement between the private sectors of both countries in the fields of innovation, fintech and emerging technologies.

Addressing a select group of CEOs and business leaders, PM Modi noted that New Zealand’s strengths in dairy science, horticulture, and forestry, and India’s consumer market, food parks and agri-tech talent should come together to create global food value chains.

The Prime Minister encouraged businesses to expand investment and commercial partnerships and help realise the target of doubling bilateral trade to 7 billion New Zealand dollars (approximately Rs 35,000 crore) by 2030.

PM Modi emphasised that India-New Zealand economic partnership could become a model for inclusive and sustainable trade and a platform for innovation and prosperity.

In the presence of New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon at the event, PM Modi said India and New Zealand are bound by shared democratic values, respect for the rule of law, diversity, and a common commitment to sustainable development, providing a strong foundation for an ambitious and forward-looking economic partnership.

He described the India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA) as a landmark deal that would add depth and dynamism to the bilateral economic ties, and open new opportunities for market access, investment, services, technology and talent mobility.

According to an official statement, PM Modi also underscored that India’s sustained high growth coupled with young and skilled workforce, expanding middle class, digital revolution, next-generation infrastructure push, and continuing economic reforms, offer significant opportunities for trade, investment, and innovation for companies in New Zealand.

The Prime Minister noted that political stability and sustained growth path has positioned India as a significant contributor to global growth.

Tehran, July 10: Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi discussed the latest regional developments with his Omani and Turkish counterparts as well as Pakistan’s army chief in separate phone calls following renewed US strikes on Iran, the Iranian Foreign Ministry said.

In phone calls with Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Araghchi discussed the recent developments in the Strait of Hormuz and other issues of common concern, read a ministry statement.

They stressed the importance of pursuing diplomacy and maintaining contacts and coordination to address regional issues and prevent further escalation, the statement said.

In the phone call with Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir, Araghchi strongly condemned the recent US attacks on Iran, calling them flagrant violations of the UN Charter and the recently signed Iran-US peace memorandum of understanding (MoU), read another ministry statement.

Araghchi warned against any “adventurism” by the US military, reaffirming Iran’s determination to defend its territorial integrity, sovereignty and national security, it said.

The United States said its forces carried out strikes on multiple targets inside Iran on Wednesday and Thursday in response to Iran’s latest attacks on commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz, saying the operation was intended to degrade Iran’s ability to threaten commercial shipping in the strategic waterway.

Iranian authorities said Thursday that the US overnight strikes killed 14 people and injured 78 others, and damaged a bridge and a railway.

In retaliation, Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guard Corps and the army said they launched missile and drone strikes on US military bases and facilities in Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and Jordan.

The latest escalation came as Iran and the United States are engaged in a 60-day negotiating process under the MoU aimed at reaching a final agreement.

Caracas, July 10: The death toll from the earthquakes that struck Venezuela has climbed to 3,889, with 16,740 people injured, Venezuelan National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez said on social media that the two powerful earthquakes that hit the country on June 24 have also left 17,907 people homeless.

According to the latest official figures, 6,462 people have been rescued.

Since the earthquakes struck, Venezuela has recorded 1,142 aftershocks, Xinhua news agency reported.

Meanwhile, Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodriguez expressed gratitude for the humanitarian aid provided by 28 countries to support victims of the country’s recent quakes.

She made the remarks after inspecting a collection center in Caracas, where more than 2,000 tonnes of international aid are sorted for distribution to temporary camps housing victims of the June 24 earthquakes.

“Venezuela never tires of thanking the countries, the peoples of the world, and the governments of the world that have offered a helping hand,” Rodriguez said.

“Each country will be able to see how its aid is being used so that the Venezuelan people feel the friendly helping hand of that country,” she added.

Thanks to the international response to the tragedy, Venezuela knows it is not alone, said Rodriguez.

“The most important thing is to look to the future, how we are going to recover, how we are going to rebuild the affected areas.”

An official report earlier said 17,345 people were also displaced.

Authorities have also set up many temporary camps to assist displaced and affected people.

Venezuela’s acting president declared seven days of national mourning last week in tribute to the victims of the powerful earthquakes that struck the country on June 24.

“In honour of the memory of the victims, I have decided to decree National Mourning for seven (7) days, starting at 6:00 p.m. today,” Rodriguez wrote in a statement posted on social media.

She said that “in these moments of profound sadness, we embrace those who suffer from this tragedy and reaffirm our commitment to accompany and protect them.”