Category: News

  • MPs Get 230% Budget Increase for Home Renovations

    MPs Get 230% Budget Increase for Home Renovations

    Members of Parliament (MPs) are getting a big boost in their renovation budget for their official homes. Recently, a committee in the House raised the spending limit for repairs from ₹1.5 lakh (150,000 rupees) to ₹5 lakh (500,000 rupees), which is more than a 230% increase. This change is great for MPs because they often need to make changes or updates to their homes, such as their workspaces and guest rooms.

    The Lok Sabha secretariat announced this new budget limit, stating that the House committee is in charge of everything related to MPs’ housing in New Delhi. Many MPs have asked the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) for help to make these changes. The CPWD is the only group allowed to do construction work on government properties in this area.

    The circular from the Lok Sabha said that the CPWD must check the cost estimates submitted to them and follow all the necessary rules while making these changes. The new renovations cannot cost more than ₹5 lakh and will need the committee’s approval. There are also certain guidelines that say no changes can be made without the approval of an architect and the ministry.

    In the past, the government spent ₹193 crore (1.93 billion rupees) over five years to fix and update the MPs’ homes in the famous Lutyens’ area. The then housing minister, Hardeep Singh Puri, shared that there is no limit on how much the government can spend on repairs. While these Lutyens’ homes are considered old and important, the Narendra Modi government has also built new duplex homes for MPs in North Avenue by tearing down some of the older buildings.

  • Amouranth Fights Back in Scary Home Invasion – Robbers Still at Large

    Amouranth Fights Back in Scary Home Invasion – Robbers Still at Large

    Three masked robbers broke into the home of OnlyFans star Amouranth, whose real name is Kaitlyn Siragusa, in Houston. This scary incident was shared live by Amouranth, who has 6.2 million followers on Twitch. During the home invasion, she was held at gunpoint, but she bravely fought back.

    Amouranth told her followers, “I believe I shot one of them…I’m covered in blood, but only some of it is mine.” She posted a video showing how she faced the robbers. In the footage, three men followed her home. But her husband was ready to help with a gun.

    When the robbers tried to break in, they shot a window and kicked down a door, demanding her cryptocurrency. They even hit her in the face with a gun. This happened just after Amouranth shared her success in cryptocurrency, talking about her $20 million fortune on social media.

    Amouranth said, “They beat me and pistol-whipped me. The beating seemed like it would never stop.” In a moment of stress, she managed to post a tweet saying, “I’m being robbed at gunpoint.” Her husband saw this message and waited for her in another building.

    Amouranth cleverly led the robbers to where her husband was. She fired shots during the struggle, and the intruders eventually fled. She was then taken to the hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening. The police in Houston are investigating the case, and the robbers are still on the run.

  • China Increases Loans to Real Estate Projects to Reduce Debt Risks

    China Increases Loans to Real Estate Projects to Reduce Debt Risks

    China is set to give more loans to real estate projects that are on its approved list, as reported by the National Development and Reform Commission during a meeting at parliament on Wednesday. The country plans to introduce a series of steps to manage and reduce debt risks, and will also work on changing existing hidden debts into clearer forms. This means that China is trying to make its real estate market stronger and safer for the future.

  • ONGC Acquires PTC Energy: A Leap Towards Renewable Energy

    ONGC Acquires PTC Energy: A Leap Towards Renewable Energy

    Shares of the Indian oil company, Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC), are getting a lot of attention. Why? Because they just announced that their subsidiary, ONGC Green Ltd, has bought a company called PTC Energy for Rs 925 crore (which is about $106 million). This move is part of ONGC’s plan to invest more in clean energy.

    With this acquisition, ONGC now owns 100% of PTC Energy Limited, which was set up in 2008 and is part of PTC India Limited. PTC Energy focuses on wind energy and has the ability to generate power using 288.80 MW of wind energy from 157 wind turbines located in places like Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Karnataka.

    Last year, PTC Energy made a revenue of Rs 322.49 crore, which is higher than Rs 296.76 crore in the previous year.

    In a press release, ONGC said that buying PTC Energy is part of its plan to invest more in renewable energy. This is important for ONGC because they want to make their portfolio safer against long-term issues and work on reducing their carbon footprint, which is crucial for our planet.

    ONGC aims to develop a big renewable energy portfolio of 10 GW by 2030 and wants to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2038.

    When it comes to the stock market, ONGC’s share price has dropped by 18.78% over the past year. However, it has performed slightly better than its industry in this time. In the last three years, the stock has given a return of 37.22%.

  • Doug Collins: Designated Survivor for Trump’s Congress Speech

    Doug Collins: Designated Survivor for Trump’s Congress Speech

    Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins has been chosen as the “designated survivor” for President Donald Trump’s upcoming speech to Congress. This means that while Trump and other important leaders attend the event in person, Collins will stay in a secure location. This special role is vital in case something bad happens, ensuring there is always someone ready to lead the country. Collins will watch the speech safely from a different place while everyone else is at the venue.

  • Gold Prices Drop As Tariffs and Yields Rise

    Gold Prices Drop As Tariffs and Yields Rise

    Gold prices fell slightly on Wednesday because U.S. Treasury yields went up. Investors are watching how President Donald Trump’s tariffs might affect prices and global trade.

    – Gold Prices: Spot gold dropped by 0.1% to $2,916.09 per ounce, while U.S. gold futures went up 0.2% to $2,926.10 per ounce.
    – Treasury Yields: The 10-year U.S. Treasury yield rose from a four-month low. When yields rise, gold is less attractive because it doesn’t earn interest.
    – Tariffs Impact: Trump’s new 25% tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada started on Tuesday. He also doubled tariffs on Chinese goods to 20%. These trade wars could hurt the economy and increase prices for Americans, who are still dealing with high inflation.
    – Retaliation: Canada and China responded by imposing their own tariffs on various U.S. goods.
    – Federal Reserve’s View: Federal Reserve Bank of New York President John Williams said that these tariffs might lead to higher inflation, but thinks the current interest rates are fine and shouldn’t change for now.
    – Interest Rates: The Fed has kept interest rates steady after lowering them three times last year. However, markets expect more cuts soon, possibly in June and September.
    – Market News: Investors are waiting for the ADP employment report later today and the U.S. non-farm payrolls report on Friday for hints about future Fed plans.
    – Other Precious Metals: Spot silver fell 0.2% to $31.90 per ounce, platinum dropped 0.2% to $958.75, and palladium declined by 0.3% to $939.00.

  • Indian Stocks Fall for Tenth Day: Key Insights and Market Update

    Indian Stocks Fall for Tenth Day: Key Insights and Market Update

    The Indian stock market fell again for the tenth day in a row because of worries from around the world. The USA put a 25% tax on products coming from Canada and Mexico, and they also added a 20% tax on goods from China. Analysts say that without strong support from our own economy, the Indian stock market might stay sluggish.

    On Monday, the market didn’t change much. Investors were worried about foreign investors selling their shares, the new taxes from the U.S., and ongoing conflicts between Russia and Ukraine. They think the market could stay the same or drop more because of mixed signals from other countries and not much local news to boost confidence.

    Looking ahead, experts believe that even if the market opens lower, some resilience shown by Nifty 50 stocks might bring some hope for a bounce back. If the market rises above 22,142 points, it might push up further. However, if it does not, it may continue to fall, with strong support at 21,851 and deep support at 20,900.

    India VIX: This is a way to measure fear in the markets and it increased by 0.5%, reaching a level of 13.83.

    Stocks to Watch: Today, “Manappuram” is under special watch as it has hit a limit on trading.

    Buying Trends: Foreign investors sold shares worth ₹3,406 crore on Tuesday, while domestic investors bought shares worth ₹4,851 crore.

    Currency Update: The Indian rupee improved a bit, gaining 13 paise to settle at 87.19 against the US dollar due to a weaker U.S. dollar and lower oil prices.

  • U.S. Freezes Military Aid to Ukraine: What’s Next for Its Defense

    U.S. Freezes Military Aid to Ukraine: What’s Next for Its Defense

    The U.S. has paused military aid to Ukraine, which could make it harder for Ukraine to defend itself against Russia. Analysts worry that without American support, Ukraine might struggle in the coming months. From 2022 to 2024, the U.S. provided almost half of all military help to Ukraine, according to the Kiel Institute, a research group in Germany.

    Political analyst Volodymyr Fesenko explained that Ukraine can still defend itself for about six months with its current weapons, including seven U.S.-made Patriot air defense systems gifted by the U.S., Germany, and Romania. These systems are crucial for protecting cities from missiles and drones.

    Ukraine needs more missiles and spare parts to keep these Patriot systems running, but it’s unclear if other countries can get them from the U.S. In addition, Germany is planning to build a factory for these parts, but it won’t be ready until 2027. Ukraine also has two European-made SAMP/T systems for high-altitude interceptions, but analysts believe European nations will have a hard time replacing U.S. Patriot support.

    Europe can provide some fighter jets, like F16s and Mirage 2000-5s, to help defend against Russian attacks, but Ukraine mainly relies on U.S. help for long-range strikes. The U.S. has given Ukraine ATACMS rocket systems, which are hard to find in Europe.

    In terms of artillery, Europe has increased its production, and Ukraine is also improving its own weapons. The EU is expected to produce 1.5 million artillery shells this year, more than the 1.2 million from the U.S. Ukraine has also developed its own anti-tank weapons and drones that can strike Russian positions.

    For spying on enemy locations, Ukraine depends heavily on U.S. satellite support, while European countries have some tools but not as advanced as those provided by the U.S.

  • Pope Francis Struggles with Pneumonia but Remains Hopeful

    Pope Francis Struggles with Pneumonia but Remains Hopeful

    Pope Francis, who is 88 years old, is facing serious health problems as he battles double pneumonia. Early on Tuesday, the Vatican announced that the Pope had a rough time on Monday and needed help breathing again. Doctors had to use a special mask that pumps oxygen into his lungs.

    During the night, Pope Francis was able to sleep well and is now resting, but his situation is still serious. The Vatican reported that doctors removed a lot of mucus from his lungs using a small camera and suction tool. This mucus was his body’s response to the pneumonia and not a new infection, which is hopeful news.

    Pope Francis has a history of lung disease, having had part of one lung removed when he was younger. He is not very active, uses a wheelchair, and struggles with his weight. While he has been receiving therapy to help improve his breathing, doctors are concerned that he is having trouble clearing mucus from his lungs on his own.

    Dr. John Coleman, a lung doctor in Chicago, mentioned that the situation looks worse than a previous issue Francis had just a few days earlier. At that time, he coughed and accidentally inhaled some vomit, but he improved quickly.

    Doctors are trying to avoid putting the Pope on more serious breathing machines. They have not needed to put him on invasive support so far. It’s unclear if he has made plans for his care if he becomes unable to make decisions, but Church teachings state that ordinary care should always be given.

    Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia said that today, the Pope is teaching everyone about fragility and the importance of caring for one another. Pope Francis’s hospital stay has lasted 18 nights, which is not a record but still important for his health.

  • Hasan Piker Banned from Twitch for Controversial Comments on Rick Scott

    Hasan Piker Banned from Twitch for Controversial Comments on Rick Scott

    Popular Turkish-American streamer and political commentator Hasan Piker has been banned from the streaming platform Twitch after making a shocking statement about Senator Rick Scott from Florida. During a live stream, Piker said people should “kill Rick Scott,” accusing him of being involved in “the largest Medicare fraud in U.S. history.”

    Following the backlash, Piker’s Twitch channel is now offline, showing a message that reads, “This channel is temporarily unavailable due to a violation of Twitch’s Community Guidelines or Terms of Service.”

    Piker later apologized on social media, saying, “I’m sorry! I’ll choose my words more carefully next time. If Mike Johnson cares about Medicare fraud, he should call for strong punishment against Senator Scott, who has done the most Medicare fraud in U.S. history!” He backed up his claims by sharing documents about Rick Scott’s company, which had to pay over $1 billion in fines due to fraud.

    In a follow-up comment, Piker also criticized those who defended his ban and mentioned concerns about free speech.

    Who is Hasan Piker?
    Hasan Piker is known for his streaming, YouTube videos, and left-wing political commentary. His content includes social and political topics, gaming, and discussions about the news. He started streaming on Twitch in March 2018 while working for The Young Turks, a news channel. As of 2024, he was the 21st most-subscribed channel on Twitch.