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  • Georgia House Passes School Safety Bill to Protect Students

    Georgia House Passes School Safety Bill to Protect Students

    Georgia House members voted 159-13 on a new school safety bill aimed at stopping school shootings, like the tragic one in September that took the lives of two teachers and two students at Apalachee High School. Some lawmakers are worried about a part of the bill that would create a statewide database to track student behavior, mental health, and any law enforcement issues. They fear it might unfairly target certain groups.

    House Speaker Jon Burns strongly supports the bill, saying it will help kids dealing with mental health issues. He stepped down from his official spot to share his feelings about it. “This law will help us support children before they get into trouble,” he said.

    The bill now goes to the Senate, but they’ve been working on a smaller version. One Senate proposal suggests limited sharing of information and treating more crimes by kids aged 13 to 16 as adult crimes.

    In addition to the database, the House bill wants to speed up record transfers when students change schools. It also plans to create a new position in each of Georgia’s 180 school districts to coordinate mental health support, require police to report any student threats, and set up a way for people to report warnings anonymously.

    Some lawmakers believe that the school system didn’t notice the signs shown by the 14-year-old accused of the shooting. Creating the database will need careful consideration to follow privacy laws, but some worry it could lead to discrimination against minority students.

    “I worry that there’s too much focus on surveillance and not enough on mental health,” said Rep. Gabriel Sanchez. The bill also wants schools to form teams to manage behavioral threats and develop guidelines for dealing with threats of violence.

    The bill promotes suicide and violence prevention classes for older students and requires schools to check in on students who miss a lot of school.

    House Democrats also supported another bill providing tax credits for people who buy gun safes or locks, but they’re calling for stronger laws to ensure adults secure their guns. They argue that easy access contributed to the shooting by the accused’s father, Colin Gray, who bought his son a gun.

    “Missing chances to act on what we learn should worry us the most,” said Rep. Michelle Au, a Democrat from Johns Creek.

  • 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%.

  • Ohio Realtor Fired for Racist Receipt Message – Support for Server Grows

    Ohio Realtor Fired for Racist Receipt Message – Support for Server Grows

    An Ohio realtor got fired for leaving a nasty note instead of a tip at a Mexican restaurant. On March 2, Stephanie Lovins ate at Cazuelas Mexican Cantina in Columbus. She was served by Ricardo, a U.S. citizen who works two jobs to support his family.

    Instead of leaving a tip, Lovins wrote on the receipt, “I hope Trump deports you,” and added, “Zero. You suck!” Another server shared a picture of the receipt on Facebook, and it quickly went viral. People were very angry and supported Ricardo, who only works Sundays at the restaurant.

    Lovins was upset because of a ‘one coupon per table’ rule. Many people condemned her message, especially since immigration is a hot topic right now. Lovins later tried to say her card was stolen, but no one believed her.

    One person on social media remarked that her actions show how some people feel empowered to be hateful because of politics. Another commented on how wrong it was for Lovins to treat a server like that.

    After people found out who she was, they contacted Century 21, the real estate company where she worked. They confirmed that she is no longer with them. Century 21 stated that “Hate has no place within our brand.”

    Ricardo’s coworker, Isabel Nathalie, who posted about the incident, mentioned that he works seven days a week and has a disability in one arm. A GoFundMe page named “Tip Ricardo: Because Hate Has No Place Here” has been set up to help him.

  • 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.

  • BJP Condemns Praise for Aurangzeb by Congress Leader

    BJP Condemns Praise for Aurangzeb by Congress Leader

    The BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) criticized the Congress and other opposition parties for the comments made by Abu Azmi, the leader of the Maharashtra Samajwadi Party (SP). Azmi had praised Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, mentioning that during Aurangzeb’s rule, India was prosperous and known as the “golden sparrow.” He also talked about India’s borders reaching as far as Afghanistan and Burma (now Myanmar) and claimed that India’s GDP accounted for 24% of the world’s GDP during that time.

    When asked about the conflict between Aurangzeb and Sambhaji Maharaj, Azmi called it a “political battle.” In response, BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi stated that Azmi’s comments insulted Indian society. He accused the opposition coalition, known as ‘INDIA,’ of trying hard to show they are against Hindu beliefs to gain support from minorities. Trivedi described the praise of Aurangzeb, a ruler known for his cruelty, as disrespectful to Indian culture and traditions.

    He also recalled that a Congress leader had visited Aurangzeb’s tomb, showing how far the opposition is willing to go in their campaign against Sanatan Dharma, which is a way of referring to Hindu traditions.

  • Daredevil: Born Again – Charlie Cox and Original Cast Return!

    Daredevil: Born Again – Charlie Cox and Original Cast Return!

    Daredevil: Born Again” is the exciting new series that brings Daredevil to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). While the character has made guest appearances in “Spider-Man: No Way Home” and “She-Hulk,” this new Disney+ show is the first time Daredevil has his own series in the MCU.

    One of the coolest parts of the show is that the original cast from the Netflix series “Daredevil” is back! Fans are thrilled to see Charlie Cox return as Daredevil and Vincent D’Onofrio as Wilson Fisk, also known as The Kingpin. Elden Henson and Deborah Ann Woll are also back as Foggy Nelson and Karen Page, two characters loved by fans.

    Elden Henson shared how special it is to be playing Foggy again after so many years. He explained that when Netflix canceled the original show in 2019, they didn’t get to say goodbye to these characters. “I love the character so much, and it’s great to come back,” he said.

    Charlie Cox also expressed his joy at having his co-stars back. He said, “It feels special. It wouldn’t feel right without these characters.” He joked about the script that said, “the years have been kind to them,” saying it made him laugh because life has been tough for these characters.

    “Daredevil: Born Again” is not only part of the MCU, but it also continues the story from the original Netflix show that aired for three seasons from 2015 to 2018. The series will start streaming on JioHotstar in India, with new episodes coming every week starting March 5.

  • Should NRIs Be Taxed in India? A Controversial Suggestion Sparks Debate!

    Should NRIs Be Taxed in India? A Controversial Suggestion Sparks Debate!

    An American woman named Dana Marie, who lives in Bengaluru, suggested that non-resident Indians (NRIs) should pay taxes in India. She shared her ideas on a social media platform called Threads. Dana mentioned that many Indians feel overwhelmed by high taxes and some even think about moving to other countries just to lower their tax bills.

    She argued that if NRIs paid taxes, it could help India a lot. This extra money could improve the country and encourage talented Indians to stay and work there instead of going abroad. Dana said she didn’t want NRIs to pay as much tax as Indian residents, but she felt they should contribute something.

    Dana’s suggestion sparked mixed reactions online. Some users pointed out that NRIs live outside India and do not use the country’s services daily, so it wouldn’t be fair to tax them. Others said that if NRIs were taxed, they might not want to return to India.

    Mitesh Aswani, an NRI living in Dubai, responded by saying that NRIs already help India’s economy through various means, like sending money back home, buying property, and paying taxes on their investments in India. He believes NRIs make a significant contribution to India’s development.