Ziad Rahbani, Lebanon's renowned pianist and composer, dies at 69
The report was confirmed by a person close to Rahbani, however, cause of death was not immediately clear.

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Time of India
37 minutes ago
- Time of India
Disclose solar power price supplied to other states, HC tells SECI
Vijayawada: The high court on Wednesday directed Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) to disclose the price of solar power at which it was supplying to other states, at the time it entered into an agreement to supply power to Andhra Pradesh at Rs 2.49 per unit. The court also directed to place the orders of Andhra Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission (APERC) approving the unit price quoted by SECI. CPI state secretary K Ramakrishna and then TDP MLA and present finance minister Payyavula Keshav filed separate PILs in the high court challenging the agreement made by the then YSRCP govt with SECI for supply of 7,000 MW of solar power at Rs 2.49 per unit. The counsel for the petitioner argued that SECI made an agreement to supply solar power at Rs 2.49 per unit with AP, but the same SECI made an agreement with Gujarat govt for supply of solar power at Rs 1.99 per unit. The counsel further said that the power purchase price should be derived through tender route according to the Electricity Act but it was not followed while entering into an agreement with SECI. Arguing on behalf of the state govt, advocate general Dammalapati Srinivas said the high court has allowed APERC to decide the unit price and it has approved the price quoted by SECI. The petitioners can challenge the decision of APERC if they have any grievances on the same. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like For all your EV needs ScottishPower Learn More Undo The counsel for SECI submitted that the per unit price of solar power used to be anywhere between Rs 2.52 and Rs 2.61 at the time when it entered an agreement with AP. The unit price offered to AP was the lowest at that time when compared to other states, he stated. Considering the arguments, the high court bench headed by Chief Justice Dhiraj Singh Thakur and Justice Ravi Cheemalapati directed SECI to submit an affidavit with details of prices at which it had made agreements with other states at the time of entering into the agreement with AP.


News18
an hour ago
- News18
Trump, Cook to announce Apple is investing another USD 100 billion in US
Agency: PTI Washington, Aug 6 (AP) Apple CEO Tim Cook is expected to join President Donald Trump at the White House on Wednesday to announce a commitment by the tech company to increase its investment in US manufacturing by an additional USD 100 billion over the next four years. As part of the Apple announcement, the investments will be about bringing more of its supply chain and advanced manufacturing to the United States as part of an initiative called the American Manufacturing Programme, but it is not a full commitment to build its popular iPhone device domestically. 'This includes new and expanded work with 10 companies across America. They produce components — semiconductor chips included — that are used in Apple products sold all over the world, and we're grateful to the President for his support," Cook said in a statement announcing the investment. The new manufacturing partners include Corning, Coherent, Applied Materials, Texas Instruments and Broadcom among others. Apple had previously said it intended to invest USD 500 billion domestically, a figure it will now increase to USD 600 billion. Trump in recent months has criticised the tech company and Cook for efforts to shift iPhone production to India to avoid the tariffs his Republican administration had planned for China. While in Qatar earlier this year, Trump said there was 'a little problem" with the Cupertino, California, company and recalled a conversation with Cook in which he said he told the CEO, 'I do not want you building in India." India has incurred Trump's wrath, as the president signed an order on Wednesday to put an additional 25 per cent tariff on the world's most populous country for its use of Russian oil. The new import taxes to be imposed in 21 days could put the combined tariffs on Indian goods at 50 per cent. Apple's new pledge comes just a few weeks after it forged a USD 500 million deal with MP Materials, which runs the only rare earths producer in the country. That agreement will enable MP Materials to expand a factory in Texas to use recycled materials to produce magnets that make iPhones vibrate. Speaking on a recent investors call, Cook emphasised that 'there is a load of different things done in the United States". As examples, he cited some of the iPhone components made in the US such as the device's glass display and module for identifying people's faces and then indicated the company was gearing to expand its productions of other components in its home country. 'We are doing more in this country, and that is on top of having roughly 19 billion chips coming out of the US now, and we will do more," Cook told analysts last week, without elaborating. News of Apple's latest investment in the US caused the company's stock price to surge by nearly 6 per cent in Wednesday's midday trading. That gains reflect investors' relief that Cook 'is extending an olive branch" to the Trump administration, said Nancy Tengler, CEO of money manager Laffer Tengler Investments, which owns Apple stock. Despite Wednesday's upturn, Apple's shares are still down by 14 per cent this year, a reversal of fortune that has also been driven by the company's botched start in the pivotal field of artificial intelligence. (AP) RC view comments First Published: August 07, 2025, 02:45 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.


Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
White House says Russia wants to meet Donald Trump amid talks to end Ukraine war
The White House on Wednesday said that Russia asked for a meeting between Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump, and that the Republican was open to such an arrangement. US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky discussed the possibility of a meeting with Vladimir Putin in a call.(AP) The statement comes after reports suggested that Trump could meet his Russian counterpart and Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky as soon as next week in a renewed bid to end the war between Moscow and Kyiv. "The Russians expressed their desire to meet with President Trump, and the president is open to meeting with both President Putin and President Zelensky," White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters. AFP reported, citing a senior Ukrainian source, that Trump and Zelensky discussed the possibility in a call that also included NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and the leaders of Britain, Germany, and Finland. The call came after Washington's envoy Steve Witkoff visited Moscow for talks with Putin earlier in the day. Donald Trump's meeting with Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky may happen next week According to media reports, Donald Trump's meeting with Vladimir Putin may happen as soon as next week. The New York Times reported that Trump intended to meet first with Putin and then follow that meeting with a three-way summit that would also involve Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. NATO and Ukrainian officials are yet to confirm the report. Earlier on Wednesday, Trump hailed the meeting between his envoy Steve Witkoff and Putin as "highly productive," but US officials said sanctions would still be imposed on Moscow's trading partners, including India, by Friday. The Republican had earlier on Wednesday announced an additional 25 percent tariff on India for buying Russian oil. The total tariff on Indian goods imported to the US now stands at 50 percent. Trump, who had boasted he could end the conflict within 24 hours of taking office, has given Russia until Friday to make progress towards peace or face new sanctions.