Business

New Delhi, May 8; GANASHAKTI: Raising fresh doubts over buoyant GDP figures reported under the Modi government, Mint has reported quoting a NSSO study that around 36 percent of the companies included in the MCA-21 database were either untraceable or wrongly classified.

Ahmedabad, May 8 (PTI) The Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA) Wednesday apprehended 22 Indian fishermen off the Gujarat coast, said an official of a fishermen's association.

Two days ago, the PMSA had detained 34 Indian fishermen off the Gujarat coast.

New Delhi, May 8 (PTI) Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday promised that if his party is voted to power it will bring petrol and diesel within the ambit of the GST and will try and reduce rising prices.

He said the Congress believes that rising prices have put a heavy burden on the life of the common man.

"To reduce this burden, the Congress party will bring petrol and diesel within the ambit of the GST and will try and reduce the increasing prices," Gandhi said in a Facebook post.

New Delhi, May 8 (PTI) Cooperation between India and Israel are growing at a rapid pace and a change in government will not impact the bilateral ties, Israeli envoy Ron Malka said Wednesday.

He said the strategic relations between the two countries are based on common values and vision and the cooperation between the two countries will grow further in coming years.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Insurance claims have topped $12 billion for the November wildfires in California, making them the most expensive in state history.

The figure released Wednesday by Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara covers the fire that largely destroyed the town of Paradise and two Southern California blazes. It’s up about $600 million from data released in January.

Most of the damages relate to the Paradise fire, which killed 85 people and destroyed nearly 19,000 buildings.

By DEB RIECHMANN and BEN FOX

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s Iran policy has been rooted in the idea that being tougher on Tehran would yield better results and perhaps even a new nuclear deal to replace the Obama administration pact that he pulled the U.S. out of a year ago Wednesday.

That strategy is now being put to the test as tension escalates between Washington and Tehran, even as both sides appear willing to negotiate an end to the standoff.

ANKARA; 8 May 2019; AA: Turkey and India will hold political consultations in New Delhi, India’s capital, on Wednesday.

Sedat Onal, Turkey’s deputy foreign minister and Gitesh Sarma, secretary (West) in External Affairs Ministry of India will co-chair the talks, a Turkish Foreign Ministry statement said.

Bilateral relations, regional and international issues as well as cooperation in the international organizations will be discussed during the consultations, it added.

7 May 2019; AFP: US soy farmers and industry on Tuesday urged President Donald Trump to pull back from his tariff threat and quickly bring an end to the trade dispute with China.

That message was reinforced by financial markets, as US stocks fell by more than two percent for the first time in months amid concerns the renewed trade tensions could scuttle a deal.

MOSCOW, May 7. /TASS/: The Aeroflot airline company has started making compensation payments to passengers of the plane that crashed at Moscow Sheremetyevo airport on May 5, a source in the company told TASS.

"We have transferred compensations in the amount of 2 mln rubles [about $30,650] to four of the injured currently in hospitals, 1 mln rubles [about $15,325] to the passenger who refused hospitalization," the source said.

Overall, the company has paid 9 mln rubles ($137,942) in compensation so far.

MOSCOW, May 8. /TASS/: Russian President Vladimir Putin will hold talks with his Austrian counterpart Alexander Van der Bellen in Sochi on May 15, the Kremlin press service said in a statement.

"On May 15, Sochi will host talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Austrian Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen, who will make a working visit to Russia," the statement reads.

The two leaders are expected to discuss bilateral relations in various areas and the prospects for their future, as well as pressing global and regional issues.