New Delhi, Aug 13 (IANS) The new US tariffs announced by President Donald Trump will not hurt India’s economic growth or affect its positive sovereign rating outlook, S&P Global Ratings said on Wednesday.In May last year, S&P had upgraded its outlook on India’s sovereign rating of ‘BBB-’ to positive — citing strong and steady economic growth.On August 6, President Trump announced an additional 25 per cent tariff on all Indian imports, on top of an existing 25 per cent duty.This …

Taipei, Aug 13 (IANS) Typhoon Podul, the 11th typhoon of the year, made landfall in eastern Taiwan’s Taitung County at around 1.10 p.m. on Wednesday, bringing severe storms to Hualien and Taitung, according to the local meteorological agency.The agency continued to issue both sea and land warnings for Podul on Wednesday. At noon, its central pressure was 945 hectopascals, with maximum sustained winds reaching 43 metres per second near the centre.The land warning covers 13 counties and cities, in…

Washington, Aug 13 (IANS) Despite numerous natural disasters, China’s “water-industrial complex” continues to move ahead with plans for developing hydropower dams in ecologically and politically sensitive areas of the Tibetan plateau, a report detailed on Wednesday citing Beijing’s mega Medog Hydropower Station project on the Yarlung Tsangpo River in Tibet. The dam is in close proximity to Arunachal Pradesh in India and it is clear that this is a geopolitical flashpoint and not just an envir…

Moscow, Aug 13 (IANS) Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will hold a meeting with External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar in Moscow on August 21, the Russian Foreign Ministry confirmed on Wednesday. The two leaders will discuss key issues on bilateral agenda and key aspects of cooperation within international frameworks. In a post on X, Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated, “FM Sergei Lavrov’s schedule: On August 21, FM Sergei Lavrov will hold talks with FM of India Dr S Jaishanka…

Patna, Aug 13 (IANS) The Election Commission of India (ECI) issued notices to Muzaffarpur Mayor Nirmala Devi and her two brothers-in-law, Manoj Kumar and Dilip Kumar, on Wednesday over allegations of possessing dual Elector Photo Identity Card (EPIC) numbers. The action follows Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav’s public disclosure of their names earlier in the day.In its official statement, the ECI said the three had been found registered at two different polling booths in the 94-Muzaffarpur…

New Delhi, Aug 14 (IANS) The Supreme Court is slated to hear on Thursday a clutch of applications seeking restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir in a time-bound manner.As per the causelist published on the website of the apex court, a Bench of CJI BR Gavai and K Vinod Chandran will take up the matter for hearing on August 14 — a day before Independence Day.Last week, CJI Gavai agreed to retain the pleas for hearing on board after it was mentioned by senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayana…

Bhopal, Aug 13 (IANS) Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, on Wednesday, hoisted the national flag at his official residence in Bhopal and took a selfie under the ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ campaign, government officials said. After hoisting the ‘Tiranga’ (Tricolour), Chief Minister Yadav said that the Madhya Pradesh government has made an elaborate plan to celebrate the Independence Day.He added that he has instructed district administrations to ensure that not a single home is left without hoist…

Gandhinagar, Aug 13 (IANS) The Gujarat government has approved applications from 22 major enterprises involving investments of Rs 1,478.71 crore, expected to generate more than 4,136 new jobs. The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by Industries Minister Balvantsinh Rajput to grant final eligibility certificates under the ‘Incentive to Industries’ scheme.Speaking on the occasion, Minister Rajput highlighted that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, India has developed a robust…

New Delhi, Aug 13 (IANS) The Chhattisgarh State Waqf Board’s directive mandating the hoisting of the national flag at the main gates of all mosques, madrasas, and dargahs across the state on Independence Day has sparked a wave of mixed reactions, as some political leaders slammed the move as an “imposition.”On Monday, Waqf Board Chairman Salim Raj issued a circular instructing mutawallis (caretakers of Waqf properties) to ensure that the Tricolour is unfurled in the presence of imams and mosque …

Mumbai, Aug 13 (IANS) Capital markets regulator SEBI has banned Dewan Housing Finance Corporation Ltd’s former Chairman and Managing Director Kapil Wadhawan, ex-director Dheeraj Wadhawan, and four others from the stock markets for up to five years and slapped a penalty of Rs 120 crore on them for diverting funds and fabricating books.They have also been barred from holding any key position in a listed company for up to five years.According to the SEBI investigation, the main culprits involved in…