New Delhi, Aug 18: Israel expects two more rounds of negotiations with India on the proposed free trade agreement, with the two sides likely to have greater clarity on the pact by February 2027, Israeli Ambassador to India Reuven Azar said.

In an interaction with media, Azar said the second round of negotiations was held last month, following an agreement on the terms of reference reached at the end of last year.

“We expect to have two more rounds, one in October and probably the last one by February and I think that by then we will know exactly where we stand,” he said.

Asked about the potential benefits of the FTA for both countries, Azar said discussions have so far focused on traditional market access issues, but the negotiations also cover areas such as reciprocal buybacks and cooperation.

He said bridging the gap in market access could be challenging because Israel has already lowered its tariffs and the two markets differ considerably in size.

However, the Israeli envoy identified high-tech cooperation as an area with significant potential for expanding bilateral economic ties.

“The greatest potential, I think, lies in high-tech cooperation,” he told media.

Azar further noted that greater innovation cooperation between the two countries could encourage Israeli companies to operate more freely in the Indian market.

The envoy’s comments come amid efforts by India and Israel to deepen their economic and technology partnership.

Earlier in May, Azar highlighted six core values underpinning the bilateral relationship — civilisational resilience, the fight against terrorism, democratic values, innovation & competitiveness, religious tolerance, and inclusive development.

India and Israel share a special and unique relationship and stressed the need to translate their common values into greater cooperation and investment, according to his video shared on X.

Caracas: The Venezuelan government updated the official toll from the June 24 twin earthquakes, reporting that the death toll had risen to 6,438, up 137 from the previous week.

The bulletin on Monday said 335 homes had been delivered to affected families, and 59,109 buildings had been inspected to determine whether they were safe for habitation.

Of the buildings assessed, 34,680 were found to be habitable, 13,733 were classified as having restricted access, and 10,696 were considered high-risk, reports Xinhua news agency.

Earlier update said that the Authorities have delivered more than 287 homes to families affected by the earthquakes and evaluated 43,679 buildings across the country.

The Venezuelan government has used a traffic-light tagging system to assess building habitability. Green tags indicate habitable structures, yellow tags mark restricted access, while red tags identify high-risk buildings that may be subject to demolition.

The magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes struck Venezuela on June 24, with epicenters in the western state of Yaracuy and the central state of La Guaira, respectively.

La Guaira, the coastal state where the two quakes caused the most damage, has 10,981 people in shelters, while Caracas has 6,133 and the central state of Miranda has 1,323, Rodriguez said earlier.

Earlier, 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 centre in Caracas, where more than 2,000 tons 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.

Over 1,660 women and girls in Bangladesh faced different forms of violence between January and July this year, local media reported on Monday, citing a rights organisation.

According to the rights body, at least 1667 females faced different crimes, including the killing of 83 girls and 258 women and the rape of 292 women.

The figures were released by a women’s rights body, Bangladesh Mohila Parishad, during a human chain outside the Jatiya Press Club in Dhaka on Sunday afternoon to protest the persistent violence, rape, murder and killing of children across the country.

Speakers at the programme expressed deep concern over the escalating violence against women, saying Bangladesh has increasingly become a “safe haven” for rape and abuse.

Addressing the gathering, Mohila Parishad president Fauzia Moslem said that an analysis of data revealed that 83 girls and 258 women were killed over the past seven months, while 31 incidents involved rape and post-rape murder.

She, however, warned that the figures might not fully reflect the actual extent of the violence, leading Bangladeshi media outlet UNB reported.

“The information we are getting has mainly been compiled from a limited number of newspaper reports, based on data from only 14 newspapers. Yet there are numerous other media outlets in the country. Had we received data from all media, the real picture of violence against women could have been far more alarming,” Moslem said, raising concerns over women’s right to live and safety in Bangladesh.

According to Mohila Parishad General Secretary Maleka Banu, 1,667 women and children were subjected to different forms of violence between January and July, with 292 women and girls among those raped.

“These incidents make it clear that women and children in Bangladesh are not fully safe anywhere today. It is not just rape or sexual violence; women and children are also falling victim to murder, torture and various other forms of violence. The most worrying part is that we are failing to bring down this trend of violence. Even children who have not yet reached physical and mental maturity, who have not yet reached an age where they identify themselves as women, are becoming victims of sexual violence,” UNB quoted Banu as saying.

The speakers stressed that entrenched patriarchal attitudes and discriminatory social norms in the country failed to treat women with dignity. They called for a broader social movement, stronger enforcement of laws, and effective oversight to prevent ongoing violence, rape, murder and killing of children.

They further urged the Bangladeshi authorities to govern the country with patriotism, humanity and responsibility to restore human rights that have been violated.