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  • India and US Trade Talks: Will Tariffs Be Reduced

    India and US Trade Talks: Will Tariffs Be Reduced

    In New Delhi, people are talking about a new trade deal between India and the US. Officials say it’s still too early to discuss specific details like cutting taxes (tariffs) on goods. This comes after US President Donald Trump mentioned that India promised to lower these tariffs on American products. Trump claimed that India has high tariffs, which makes it hard for businesses from the US to sell their products there.

    According to discussions that took place earlier this year, India and the US plan to negotiate a trade agreement that benefits both countries by the fall of 2025. Talks about tariffs and other trade issues have continued since Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Washington last month. Both countries have important interests to consider, so they need to communicate and negotiate carefully.

    In the media, Trump once again stated that the US is treated unfairly in trade by many nations, including India. He said that India has “massive tariffs,” making it difficult for American products to enter the Indian market. He claimed that because someone is finally pointing out these issues, India has agreed to cut tariffs.

    However, these claims lack backup from real trade numbers. According to the US trade representative, American exports to India were around $41.8 billion out of $129.2 billion in overall trade in 2024. When asked about Trump’s comments, Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said he couldn’t provide details because the discussions are still going on. He emphasized that India has signed trade agreements with many countries recently, which included tax reductions.

    India has made significant tariff cuts for developed countries like Australia and Switzerland in past agreements, and they are also negotiating with the EU and the UK. The Indian officials reminded everyone that the current discussions with the US should be seen in the context of these ongoing negotiations. They want to deepen their trade relationship by making it easier for each country to access markets, reduce barriers, and improve supply chains.

    In earlier talks during Trump’s first term, India and the US had worked on a limited trade deal, but they didn’t reach an agreement. India has already reduced tariffs on some American goods, like bourbon whiskey and premium motorcycles, and they are looking to cut more tariffs as part of this potential trade deal.

  • Teacher Forced to Work Sick in Odisha: Shocking Incident Unfolds

    Teacher Forced to Work Sick in Odisha: Shocking Incident Unfolds

    A teacher in Odisha had to go to school even when he was very sick because his boss wouldn’t let him take a day off. Prakash Bhoi, who teaches math in Bolangir, said he felt really unwell after his grandfather’s funeral and asked his principal, Bijayalakshmi Pradhan, if he could have some time off to feel better. Unfortunately, she said no.

    Because he couldn’t afford to see a doctor, Bhoi went to school with an IV drip attached to him, which is used to give medicine directly into the body. His health got worse when he was sent to the District Education Officer and the District Project Coordinator by the principal. Even when he asked to visit a hospital, she told him to come back by 2 PM.

    “The government hospital was far away, and I didn’t have any money to go to a private one. My banking app was not working either, so I had to come back to work without any treatment,” Bhoi said. Although he tried to take medicine that night, he didn’t feel better. The next day, he asked again for leave but was told he had to stay because his help was important for preparing for exams.

    In a very bad condition, Bhoi had to get an IV drip from a doctor again and went to school. Luckily, when his coworkers saw how sick he was, they took him to the hospital for immediate care.

    The Block Education Officer, Prasad Majhi, said they are looking into Bhoi’s complaint about the principal. If she is found wrong, she might be punished

  • Jadavpur University Protests: Students and Teachers Seek to Resolve Issues

    Jadavpur University Protests: Students and Teachers Seek to Resolve Issues

    The Jadavpur University Teachers Association (JUTA) on Saturday asked leftist students who are protesting to think about stopping their boycott of classes and exams. This protest began after a student got hurt on March 1 when West Bengal Education Minister Bratya Basu’s car brushed against him during a demonstration on campus.

    The acting vice-chancellor of the university, Bhaskar Gupta, who is in the hospital since March 5, urged everyone to help bring back normalcy and continue with academic work. He said, “let’s talk and solve these issues peacefully.”

    JUTA supported the students’ demands to drop police cases made against some protesters related to the March 1 incident. In a statement, they said it was important for students and teachers to have respect for each other and maintain a good relationship, as is the tradition at the university.

    The protesting students, part of leftist groups like SFI, AIDSO, RSF, and AISA, threatened to stop all work at the university’s administrative building if the management didn’t engage in talks with them by March 10. They began an indefinite sit-in protest to make their voices heard.

    Two students were hurt when Minister Basu’s car and a follow-up vehicle passed close to them during the protest. Many students have been skipping classes and exams since the incident, and the university is facing disruptions in operations.

    JUTA urged students to reconsider their boycott so that academic activities could continue. They also called for a fair investigation into what happened that day. The vice-chancellor expressed sadness for the injuries that occurred and hoped that everyone would recover.

    The trouble started when students wanted to speak to the minister about delaying student union elections, which have not happened in the university since 2020. One student leader stated, “We haven’t been able to talk to anyone from the university since the incident. If the acting VC is not well, we want other officials to meet us so we can discuss this.” All the student groups, except for those from the ruling TMC and RSS, are standing together for their rights.

  • Hampi Rape Incident: Police Arrest Two; CM Calls It a Horrific Crime

    Hampi Rape Incident: Police Arrest Two; CM Calls It a Horrific Crime

    Karnataka’s Chief Minister, Siddaramaiah, spoke out against a serious crime that happened near the Hampi heritage site, where two women, one of them from Israel, were attacked by three men on the night of March 6. He called the incident “a horrible crime” and mentioned that two suspects have already been caught by the police, while they are still searching for the third.

    Siddaramaiah said, “As soon as we heard about the incident, I told the police to act quickly, and they have already arrested two suspects. The investigation is continuing.” Deputy Chief Minister, DK Shivakumar, also promised strict actions against those responsible for the crime. He mentioned that when the two women and a male friend went out for stargazing, they were approached by the three attackers.

    According to police reports, the group had gone to the Tungabhadra Canal to look at the stars and play music. The attackers first asked for petrol. After an argument over money, they threatened the group with stones. The attackers physically assaulted and raped the two women, while the male friend was pushed into the water. One of the women bravely detailed her experience in her police complaint.

    Sowmya Reddy, a leader from the Karnataka Mahila Congress, highlighted the need for better safety for women and noted an increase in crimes against women in recent years. Congress MP GC Chandrashekhar described the attack as “unfortunate” and assured that state authorities will take action against the criminals.

  • Bajrang Dal Protests Iftar Party at Rishikul Ayurvedic College

    Bajrang Dal Protests Iftar Party at Rishikul Ayurvedic College

    On Saturday, members of the Bajrang Dal group entered Rishikul Ayurvedic College in Haridwar, Uttarakhand. They were upset because some Muslim students had organized an Iftar party on campus and had invited outside guests. The police talked to the protesters, who threatened to continue their protests if the college did not take action within three days.

    The Iftar party was held by Muslim students on Friday. Bajrang Dal’s Amit Kumar said that Haridwar, a religious city, should not have such events organized by non-Hindus. He claimed it was against local rules and suggested there was an “Islamic Jihad” conspiracy at play. He warned the college that if the students involved were not expelled quickly, they would escalate their protest.

    D.C. Singh, the college director, confirmed he received a complaint about the party. He said the celebration was stopped because it did not have permission from the school. A committee of teachers is investigating the situation.

  • Telegram Blocked in Russia’s Dagestan and Chechnya: What You Need to Know

    Telegram Blocked in Russia’s Dagestan and Chechnya: What You Need to Know

    On March 8, officials in two areas of Russia, Dagestan and Chechnya, decided to block the Telegram messaging app. They are worried that it could be misused by people who want to cause trouble, especially after riots at an airport in Dagestan. Yuri Gamzatov, the digital development minister in Dagestan, explained that Telegram was used during the protests against Israel last October when angry crowds tried to attack passengers coming from Israel. Fortunately, no one was hurt, but the police have arrested several people for their actions.

    During the riots, people shared messages on Telegram that called for violence against those arriving on the flight. Telegram said they would remove those harmful channels. The app is widely used in Russia and many other countries, with almost 1 billion users worldwide. In the past, Russia tried to block Telegram in 2018 but wasn’t successful. Gamzatov mentioned that Telegram might be unblocked later, but for now, he advised people to consider using other messaging apps.

  • Russia Regains Villages in Kursk: Tensions Rise Before Peace Talks

    Russia Regains Villages in Kursk: Tensions Rise Before Peace Talks

    On Saturday, Russia announced that its troops had regained control of three villages from Ukraine in the Kursk border area. This comes as Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky called for more international sanctions against Russia after major attacks overnight that killed at least 14 people and left many more injured.

    The situation is tense as peace talks between U.S. and Ukrainian negotiators are scheduled soon. Recently, the U.S. has cut off vital military aid to Ukraine after a disagreement between President Donald Trump and Zelensky. Nonetheless, Ukraine still controls a part of the Kursk region and hopes to use this in negotiations.

    However, Russian forces have been advancing, recapturing villages like Viktorovka, Nikolayevka, and Staraya Sorochina. It seems that Russia has also disrupted Ukraine’s supply lines to the town of Sudzha. As the war continues, both countries have opposing demands for peace.

    With Trump back in the White House, he has signaled a willingness to engage with Russia, suggesting it might be easier to work with them instead of Ukraine. U.S. officials are set to meet for discussions on the war in Jeddah soon.

    Zelensky and his allies are worried that they might have to give up parts of their land to reach an agreement. Recent violence has continued with drone attacks and missile strikes causing casualties.

    European leaders have reacted strongly, urging for increased military support for Ukraine. They believe that Russian President Vladimir Putin is not seeking peace. In damage reports, witnesses described the destruction caused by the recent violence, leaving people shocked and frightened in their homes

  • Violent Protests in Manipur: One Dead, 25 Injured Amid Clashes

    Violent Protests in Manipur: One Dead, 25 Injured Amid Clashes

    In Imphal, a protest turned violent in Manipur’s Kangpokpi district on Saturday, leading to the death of one protester and injuries to 25 others, including women. The man who died is Lalgouthang Singsit, a 30-year-old who was shot during the clashes at Keithelmanbi. He passed away while being taken to a hospital.

    The clashes began when Kuki protesters were upset about a new directive from Union Home Minister Amit Shah that allowed people to move freely across the state. Police tried to control the crowd by using tear gas, which made the situation worse. Protesters started setting fire to cars and blocked roads, like NH-2, by burning tires. They also tried to stop a state bus going from Imphal to Senapati district.

    The protests were also against a peace march organized by the Federation of Civil Society, a group from the Meitei community. Security forces stopped the march at Sekmai, saying it did not have permission to proceed. Police explained, “We are just following orders to stop the march. If they want to continue, they can use the state buses arranged by the government.”

    Members of the Federation of Civil Society argued that they were just following Shah’s instruction about free movement across the state. Meanwhile, a video from a Kuki-Zo village group warned that there would be strong resistance to any government plans about free movement until a separate administration is established. The video’s authenticity has not been confirmed.

  • Rohit Sharma’s Retirement Rumors: The Focus is on Winning the Final

    Rohit Sharma’s Retirement Rumors: The Focus is on Winning the Final

    As the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 final approaches, fans are surprised by rumors about Indian captain Rohit Sharma possibly retiring. Many believe that at 37, he might step away from cricket after the big match against New Zealand. However, Shubman Gill, the vice-captain, reassured everyone that the whole team has not discussed this yet. Gill stated that Rohit is only thinking about winning the final and bringing the trophy home.

    Rohit, who has been a strong player and a great opening partner for Gill in ODIs, recently faced criticism after stepping down from a Test match in Sydney due to poor performance. Despite this, he bounced back with a century in an ODI against England and has been giving good starts in the Champions Trophy matches, even if his scores haven’t been huge.

    Gill said, “We are focused on winning the final, and no one has talked about Rohit’s retirement.” He added that Rohit is not contemplating his future right now. An earlier report suggested that if India loses the final, Rohit might consider retiring. But even if they win, it’s uncertain what decision he will make.

    Currently, Hardik Pandya and Shubman Gill are being considered for the next ODI captain. Throughout the Champions Trophy, Rohit’s scores have been modest, but he clearly showed his talent in his comeback against England.

    Previously, when Rohit stepped away from the Sydney Test, many speculated that it could be his last match in Test cricket. But he has confirmed, “I’m not going anywhere.” He said he wants to keep playing and lead his team, even if it sometimes means sitting out of a match to find his form.

  • One-Legged Jeans Trend: Fashion Statement or a Fad

    One-Legged Jeans Trend: Fashion Statement or a Fad

    A new fashion trend has taken over social media: one-legged jeans that cost a whopping ₹38,330 ($440). While some people are excited to try these different jeans, others are questioning how useful and lasting they really are.

    Influencer Kristy Sarah, who has 16 million followers on TikTok and more than 7 million on Instagram, tried on these unusual jeans and called them “possibly the most controversial jeans on the internet.” Her husband, Desmond, wasn’t impressed at all, saying, “Nobody’s wearing that.” Many people online voiced their opinions too, calling the design “weird” and “ridiculous.”

    One user commented, “It’s a little too short for anybody’s preference.” Another wrote, “This is like sleeping with one leg out of the sheets lol.” Some even said, “I want to see it with knee-high boots!” and “That has to feel so weird.” Stylist Carson Kressley, known for shows like RuPaul’s Drag Race, joked about it saying, “Let’s hope this trend falls short and doesn’t have a leg to stand on.”

    The one-legged jeans, made by the fancy brand Coperni, have already sold out in all sizes: extra small, small, and medium. Some people, who couldn’t buy them, are cutting one leg off their old jeans to make a similar look.

    Coperni claims these jeans are a big break from usual styles, mixing high-waisted shorts with a single-leg bootcut design. This trend originally started last October when model Amelia Gray wore a half-and-half pantsuit on the runway. Other well-known brands like Bottega Veneta and Louis Vuitton are also trying this style.

    As denim remains popular in fashion, especially with the return of flared jeans thanks to Kendrick Lamar, brands are eager to experiment with new ideas. Kressley believes that nowadays, social media shapes fashion trends more than designers or cultural influences.