Tag: llv news

  • Attack on Former MLA Bamber Thakur: Details and Updates

    Attack on Former MLA Bamber Thakur: Details and Updates

    Bamber Thakur, a former member of the Congress party and MLA from Bilaspur, was shot at by unknown attackers at his home on Friday, according to the police. Both Thakur and his personal security officer were hurt in the shooting.

    An eyewitness reported that around 12 shots were fired during the incident. Thakur was sitting with family and friends in the courtyard of a government house given to his wife, celebrating the festival of Holi when four men came and started shooting. Thakur was hit in the leg by one of the bullets.

    The attackers ran away on foot towards the main market area. The Superintendent of Police for Bilaspur, Sandeep Dhawal, stated that a search is underway to catch the suspects. He assured that they would be caught soon and punished under the law. After the attack, Thakur was taken to Indira Gandhi Medical College in Shimla, while his security officer was sent to AIIMS Bilaspur for treatment.

  • Swiatek Triumphs Over Zheng, Advances to Indian Wells Semi-Finals

    Swiatek Triumphs Over Zheng, Advances to Indian Wells Semi-Finals

    Iga Swiatek showed her strength by easily beating her rival Zheng Qinwen in the quarter-finals of the Indian Wells tournament on Friday. Swiatek won the match 6-3, 6-3. Last year, Zheng beat Swiatek in the semi-finals of the Paris Olympics, making this victory even sweeter for her.

    After the match, someone asked Swiatek if winning a bronze medal in the 2024 Olympics pushed her to win against Zheng. Swiatek replied that losing in the past motivated her to do better this time. “For sure it does,” she said. “It’s always tough to lose, and you want to prove that you can win.”

    Swiatek is the defending champion at Indian Wells and is now the first player ever to reach the semi-finals for four years in a row. With this win, she has now achieved ten straight victories at Indian Wells.

    Talking about the match, Swiatek mentioned that the wind made things tricky towards the end. “You need to adjust quickly, and it’s not easy,” she explained. “But I’m really happy that I stayed focused and composed.”

    By reaching the semi-finals, Swiatek joined the elite group of players who have won all their first four quarter-final matches at WTA 1000 tournaments. So far in this tournament, she has only lost 12 games, which is one of the fewest by any player reaching this stage in recent years.

  • UK Economy Faces Struggles: What It Means for Growth and Taxes

    UK Economy Faces Struggles: What It Means for Growth and Taxes

    In January, the British economy shrank unexpectedly, creating challenges for Treasury Chief Rachel Reeves. Instead of growing, the economy, which is one of the largest in the world, fell by 0.1%. This is surprising because many experts thought it would grow a little after a solid increase of 0.4% in December.

    According to the Office of National Statistics, the drop in the economy was mainly due to bad weather impacting industries like manufacturing and construction. However, the services sector, which makes up about 80% of the economy, performed well.

    Despite being only a monthly report, which can change later, this decline highlights the difficulties faced by the Labour government that took charge last July after being out of power for 14 years. Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated that boosting the UK’s economic growth is his top priority over the next five years. Since the financial crisis in 2008-2009, the economy has struggled to grow.

    Starmer wants to improve living standards and find money for public services. But with growth proving to be a challenge, the Labour Party’s popularity has dropped since they won the elections in July. Critics argue that Rachel Reeves has played a role in slowing down the economy by being too negative and increasing taxes, especially for businesses.

    After the disappointing numbers for January, Reeves promised to improve the economy’s poor performance, saying the government would work harder to encourage growth. Recently, she proposed various plans to help, such as supporting a third runway at Heathrow Airport, creating a tech hub between Oxford and Cambridge, and rethinking the UK’s economic relationships after Brexit. She also mentioned the positive effects of increasing defense spending.

    The decline in January is a tough situation for Reeves, especially with a budget statement to Parliament coming up on March 26. Since growth isn’t generating the expected tax money and borrowing costs are high, she may need to announce cuts in spending to stick to her budget rules. Mel Stride, a spokesperson for the main opposition Conservative Party, criticized the government for being a “growth killer,” blaming tax increases and proposed changes to employment rights.

  • US Sanctions Delay Russian Oil Shipment to China by Over Seven Weeks

    US Sanctions Delay Russian Oil Shipment to China by Over Seven Weeks

    A big shipment of Russian oil to China took a lot longer to arrive than it used to. Normally, it would take about a week to deliver oil, but because of new US sanctions against Russia, this delivery took over seven weeks!

    The oil, called Sokol crude, came from a Russian project in Sakhalin. It was transported by a huge ship named the Daban, which had to get its oil from smaller ships in a safe bay called Nakhodka Bay, off Russia’s coast. This transfer took around ten days to complete.

    After picking up the oil, the Daban couldn’t dock at two other ports in China before finally arriving at Huangdao. This shows that while oil deliveries from Russia are still happening, sanctions are causing delays.

    The Biden administration’s sanctions on Russia are stronger than past ones. Some shipments of Russian oil are still getting through, but they are facing problems. For example, another ship in the Baltic Sea has been waiting over a month to unload its cargo, which is very unusual.

    The Daban spent ten days waiting near Yantai before moving to another port, Rizhao, where it waited another ten days before finally reaching Huangdao. The oil was delivered using three shuttle tankers that the US sanctioned earlier this year.

    Interestingly, the Daban has carried oil from Iran before but is not currently under sanctions.

  • Holi and Jumma Celebrations in Sambhal: A Day of Peace and Harmony

    Holi and Jumma Celebrations in Sambhal: A Day of Peace and Harmony

    In the Sambhal district of Uttar Pradesh, people celebrated Holi peacefully despite stronger security. On the same day, Muslims also prayed during the second Friday of Ramadan at the Shahi Jama Masjid. Sambhal’s Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Vandana Mishra, reported that the Holi processions were joyful and safe, thanks to everyone’s cooperation. She mentioned that both Holi and Friday prayers went smoothly, emphasizing the message of peace in the area.

    District Magistrate Rajendra Pensia noted that the community was happy and participating in Holi by sharing colors with each other. The local police and paramilitary forces were stationed to manage the crowd and ensure safety. Circle Officer Anuj Chowdhary shared that they were keeping an eye on the situation with foot patrols and drone surveillance.

    Before the celebrations, Sambhal MP Zia ur Rehman Barq urged people from all communities to stay peaceful. He asked Hindus to enjoy Holi while being respectful of mosques and encouraged Muslims to pray at nearby mosques and avoid areas where colors were being thrown. He emphasized that his appeal was not out of fear, but to foster friendship and harmony among everyone in the community.

  • Nadal on His Rivals: Why Federer Was Different from Djokovic

    Nadal on His Rivals: Why Federer Was Different from Djokovic

    Rafael Nadal opened up about his exciting tennis career and rivalries in a recent podcast. Last year, he announced his retirement after winning 22 major titles, including a record 14 French Open trophies. With Nadal stepping away from the game, only Novak Djokovic remains from the famous “Big Three” of men’s tennis.

    On Andy Roddick’s YouTube podcast, Nadal talked about his big rivalries with Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic. He believes his matches against Federer were more interesting for fans. Nadal explained, “My rivalry with Roger was more exciting because it had clear strategies.” He liked battling against Federer’s strong forehand while trying to break down his backhand.

    Nadal said, “When Roger was hitting well, he would beat me. When I played well, I won.” He mentioned that he had more success against Federer on clay courts, while it was tougher on hard courts.

    When it comes to playing Djokovic, Nadal felt differently. He said their games are not the same, and there’s no clear plan when he plays against Djokovic. “Against Novak, I have to play my best for a long time,” he explained. Nadal praised Djokovic’s incredible ball control, calling him “the best” at handling the ball. He had to change his tactics against Djokovic, like using more slices and playing to the middle of the court instead of giving Djokovic too many angles.

  • Alia and Ranbir Return to Mumbai for Ayan Mukerji’s Father’s Funeral

    Alia and Ranbir Return to Mumbai for Ayan Mukerji’s Father’s Funeral

    Alia Bhatt and Ranbir Kapoor have come back to Mumbai after their trip to Alibaug with sad news about Ayan Mukerji’s father, Deb Mukerjee, who passed away. Alia and Ranbir are very close to Ayan and think of him as family. They want to be there to support him as he prepares for his father’s funeral, which is happening later today.

    Alia and Ranbir celebrated Alia’s 32nd birthday in Alibaug on Saturday. They left for Alibaug last Thursday, where Alia cut her birthday cake and answered some questions from the media. After their short vacation, they quickly traveled back to Mumbai via a boat from the Gateway of India.

    On Friday, they were seen arriving back in Mumbai, looking hurried as the paparazzi took their pictures. It’s unclear if their daughter, Raha, is with them.

    Deb Mukerjee, who was a well-known actor, died at the age of 83 due to health problems related to aging. He was a big part of the Mukherjee family and was the father of filmmaker Ayan Mukerji and father-in-law to filmmaker Ashutosh Gowariker.

    The funeral is set for March 14 at 4 PM at the Pawan Hans Crematorium in Juhu. Many family members, including Kajol, Ajay Devgn, Rani Mukerji, and others, are expected to attend. Close friends of Ayan, like Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Hrithik Roshan, and others, will likely be there to offer their support.

  • Shiv Sena Leader Shot Dead in Moga: Protests Erupt for Justice

    Shiv Sena Leader Shot Dead in Moga: Protests Erupt for Justice

    In Moga, a Shiv Sena leader named Mangat Rai, also known as Manga, was shot and killed on Thursday night. He was the president of the local Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena. The attack happened when Manga stepped out of his house to buy groceries around 10 PM. Three strangers approached him and shot at him. Their first shot missed and hit a 12-year-old boy who was walking by. Manga quickly got on his motorcycle to escape, but the attackers chased him and shot him again. He was taken to the hospital but sadly, the doctors declared him dead.

    The young boy who got hurt was taken to Moga Civil Hospital and then moved to a better hospital for treatment. Manga’s wife reported the attack, leading police to book six suspects and others who are still unknown. Investigations are ongoing. Although police think this may be due to a personal feud, Manga’s family insists he never had any enemies. His family and some local groups protested at Pratap Chowk, demanding justice and the arrest of those responsible. They shouted slogans against the government, blaming it for the poor safety situation in Punjab.

    Manga’s daughter shared that her father left home around 8 PM to buy milk and she learned of his death around 11 PM. They want justice and are determined to seek it. In a separate but related incident, three men on motorcycles entered a salon that night and shot at the owner, Devender Kumar, injuring him in the leg. He was also treated at the hospital, where an investigation is taking place.

  • Stocks Steady Amid Trade Tensions: Major Drops for BMW and UMG

    Stocks Steady Amid Trade Tensions: Major Drops for BMW and UMG

    European stocks stayed steady on Friday, but they are expected to drop for the week because of worries about trade tensions between countries. The STOXX 600, which includes many companies from Europe, was slightly up by 0.09% in early trading. However, it went down on Thursday after the President of the U.S. threatened to impose a big 200% tax on wine and other drinks from the European Union. This was in response to the EU’s taxes on American whiskey. So far this week, the index is down more than 2%.

    President Trump’s changing stance on tariffs is making investors and consumers nervous, creating a lot of uncertainty in the market. BMW saw its profits drop more than a third in 2024, causing its stock to fall by 3.7%. The auto industry index decreased by 1.3%, with Renault down 1.4%, Volkswagen down 1%, and Stellantis losing 1.2%.

    Universal Music Group (UMG) dropped 10.5% after investor Bill Ackman’s company sold some of its shares. Luxury brand Kering also fell by 9.5% when Gucci announced a new artistic director, Demna, from Georgia. On the bright side, Daimler Truck’s stock went up 4% after the company predicted that its profits would grow by 5% to 15% by 2025 and started a cost-cutting program in Europe due to last year’s poor performance.

  • Tamil Nadu Budget: A Strong Commitment to Education Despite Funding Cuts

    Tamil Nadu Budget: A Strong Commitment to Education Despite Funding Cuts

    On Friday, Tamil Nadu’s Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu shared the budget for the DMK government. There has been some disagreement about a new education plan called the National Education Policy (NEP), which includes a third language in schools. But the state government decided to use its own money to support government schools.

    Thangam Thennarasu announced that the state will pay for things like teacher salaries to ensure that students in government schools get the education they need, even if the central government doesn’t provide money.

    He emphasized that Tamil Nadu strongly supports teaching in two languages. Despite the challenges, such as not receiving ₹2,152 crores from the central government because of disagreements over the NEP, the state will continue to take care of its students.

    The Finance Minister said that by sticking to the bilingual policy, Tamil Nadu is not only saving its Tamil culture but also helping its young people become good at English. This helps them succeed in today’s world.

    The Minister also mentioned ongoing initiatives like the ‘Ennum Ezhuthum Thittam,’ which focuses on basic reading and writing skills, special education for children with disabilities, transport help for students in remote areas, teacher salaries, guidance for higher education, festivals for talents, trips for learning, and improving school facilities like internet access.