Tsunami waves hit US, Japan & Russia | Hook News Wrap

Tsunami waves have reached the US West Coast after an earthquake measuring 8.8 on the Richter scale struck Russia’s Far East on Tuesday.

Apart from being the sixth strongest earthquake ever recorded, it was also a very shallow one, occurring at a depth of around 21 kilometres. These two factors combined triggered a tsunami that has affected Russia, Japan, and the United States.

The tsunami warnings led to widespread evacuations in distant locations across the affected region. However, at the time of writing, the warnings have been downgraded in most areas.

EAM refutes Trump claim

External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar addressed the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, as Parliament continued to discuss Operation Sindoor.

Speaking in the Upper House, Dr Jaishankar asserted that there was no third-party intervention in bringing about a ceasefire with Pakistan. He also reiterated India’s stance that the halting of the operation was not linked to trade.

His statement comes at a time when the opposition has been pressing the government to respond to US President Donald Trump’s claims that he stopped the war between India and Pakistan.

On Tuesday, Trump reiterated his claim while also stating that India was a great friend of the US.

Meanwhile, the Congress on Wednesday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is "refusing to unequivocally" deny US President Donald Trump's India–Pakistan ceasefire claims. The party highlighted that the US President has made this claim "30 times".

Rahul’s “vote theft” protest

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will participate in a protest against alleged 'vote theft' in Bengaluru on the fourth of August.

Gandhi recently claimed that his party has uncovered the modus operandi of the alleged vote manipulation by studying a Lok Sabha constituency in Karnataka.

Sharing details of the Bengaluru protest, the Congress leader also said he would submit a representation to the Election Commission officials.

IMF’s India growth prediction

The International Monetary Fund has said that the Indian economy is expected to grow by 6.4 per cent in both 2025 and 2026. The global lender noted that India’s stable growth is driven by reform momentum, robust consumption, and a strong push for public investment.

Market ends higher

Indian equities started the day lower but saw a marginal uptick by the end. The market has been awaiting clarity on India’s trade deal with the United States ahead of US President Donald Trump’s first August deadline.

On Tuesday, Trump said the deal with India hasn’t been finalised and that India may have to pay a 20–25 per cent tariff. Amid this lack of clarity, the Sensex ended the day up two-tenths of a per cent, and so did the Nifty.