NEW YORK: Standard Poor's (SP) today affirmed India's long-term foreign currency issuer credit rating of Double-B-plus and its local currency issuer credit rating of Triple-B-plus, while changing the outlook on both ratings to negative from stable. The change in the outlook reflects the erosion of India's external financial position following imposition of sanctions by the US and other countries in response to nuclear tests carried out by India last week, SP said.

Anand wins

MADRID: Grandmaster Viswanathan Anand of India annexed the Torneo Magistral crown with a fluent 23-move draw against world number nine Peter Svidler of Russia to bag his third Super Category title of this season. World number two Anand played with determination against Svidler, a better rated player than other GMs in the seventh edition of the Madrid tournament here last night and remained undefeated.

Informatics policy

NEW DELHI: The Government today set up a task forceto draft the national informatics policy aimed at transforming India into an information technology (IT) superpower within next ten years.

Flight diverted

MUMBAI: An Air India flight from Thiruvananthanpuram to Abu Dhabi was today diverted to Mumbai following an engine shutdown.