BEIJING, May 9 (Xinhua): China's consumer inflation quickened to the highest level in six months as tighter supplies of vegetables, pork and fruit drove up food prices, official data showed Thursday.

The consumer price index (CPI), the main gauge of inflation, grew 2.5 percent year-on-year in April, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

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.

BEIJING, May 8 (Xinhua): The State Council, China's cabinet, on Wednesday decided to continue the preferential corporate income tax policies for integrated circuit (IC) and software companies.

The country will also attract more investment from home and abroad to participate in and promote the development of the two sectors, according to a statement made public after a State Council executive meeting presided over by Premier Li Keqiang.

New Delhi, May 8 (PTI) Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram Wednesday said macro economic indicators confirm that the Indian economy has entered a "disastrous phase of slowdown" and criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley for their failures.

He also accused Jaitley of perfecting the art of "concealing" data and projecting "doctored" information.

9 May 2019; AFP: Red-faced bank bosses in Australia admitted to an embarrassing error Thursday, revealing their state-of-the-art $50 note had a typo.

The yellow and green note, which is worth around US$35, came into circulation last October. It has multiple security features -- including microprint of a speech by Australia's first female parliamentarian, Edith Cowan.

But the technology seemingly did not include a spellchecker.

Chennai, May 8 (PTI) The Election Commission of India Wednesday announced conducting repolling in 13 polling stations in Tamil Nadu, where the Lok Sabha elections were held on April 18.

The repolling in Dharmapuri, Tiruvallur, Theni and Erode will be held on May 19, state Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Satyabrata Sahoo told reporters.

"ECI has informed about repoll in 13 polling stations in Tamil Nadu. It will be conducted on May 19," he said.

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.

ISLAMABAD, May 9 (APP): Prime Minister Imran Khan Thursday said the government realizing its manifesto had initiated at least 36 development projects of public welfare and economic development during its first eight-month tenure.

CHANDIGARH, 9 May 2019; AA: Indian and Turkish officials met Wednesday in the capital, New Delhi, and discussed a wide range of topics.

Turkey’s Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Sedat Onal had a meeting with Gitesh A Sarma, Secretary (West) under the institutional mechanism of Foreign Office Consultations, India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement.

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.

Gurgaon, May 8 (PTI) Hundreds of commuters had to face massive traffic jam when they spotted a four-foot-wide hole at the Hero Honda Chowk flyover on National Highway-8 on Wednesday morning.

The flyover was thrown open for public in 2016 to ease traffic on the highly-congested stretch. This is third occasion when the flyover was shut due such incidents, putting a serious question mark over the quality of construction.

ISLAMABAD, May 9 (APP): Pakistan on Thursday called upon the World Bank to set up its Court of Arbitration under Indus Water Treaty after India hinted of restricting the flow of water into Pakistan from its share of rivers.

Foreign Office Spokesman Dr Mohammad Faisal, at a weekly press briefing, said contrary to India’s reluctance, Pakistan favoured the continuity of Treaty and also the smooth functioning of its dispute resolution mechanism.