Tag: llv

  • Delhi Police Breaks International Drug Cartel Targeting Students

    Delhi Police Breaks International Drug Cartel Targeting Students

    The Delhi Police have caught a big drug gang that was trying to use students to sell drugs. They arrested two people from Africa, Humphrey Muwong from Uganda and Chukwu Ebuka Umeh from Nigeria. The police found 700 grams of heroin worth over ₹1 crore with them.

    These two worked for a man named Dagri Jean Marc, who is also from Nigeria and lives in Africa. He had recruited African students to come to India for schooling, but instead, he used them to deal drugs. Marc used the students’ visas to hide his illegal activities and had set up a strong drug network in India, especially in Tilak Nagar.

    On April 3, after watching the suspects for 20 hours at Krishna Park Extension in New Mahavir Nagar, police caught Muwong and Umeh. It was found that they were taking orders from Marc. Muwong, who is a mechanical engineer, had been arrested before in 2023 for similar crimes but was out on bail. Both have been living in India since 2019.

    The police have filed a case against them under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act. They are now working to find other members of this drug gang and shut down their entire operation.

  • European Stocks Bounce Back Amid Trade Tensions and Tariff Changes

    European Stocks Bounce Back Amid Trade Tensions and Tariff Changes

    European stocks went up on Friday after a week full of ups and downs. This week was mixed because the U.S. changed tariffs (taxes on imports) unexpectedly, causing worries about a trade war hurting the economy. The big European stock index, the STOXX 600, rose by 0.5% today after falling to its lowest point in a year and a half earlier this week. U.S. President Donald Trump first set new tariffs and then announced he would pause some of them, which caused a lot of stress in the stock market, leading to huge losses. This week marks the third week in a row of stocks going down.

    Stock indexes in Germany, Spain, France, and the UK rose between 0.3% and 0.7% following a large gain the previous day. Because of Trump’s tariff pause, the European Union decided to hold off on its own tariffs on American goods. On Friday, finance ministers from the EU will discuss how to use this pause to either reach an agreement with the U.S. or prepare for the new tariffs.

    Meanwhile, the trade fight continued between the U.S. and China, with both sides increasing tariffs. In company news, Zurich Insurance’s stock fell by 5.4% before its annual meeting, and Stellantis’s shares dropped by 2.2% after announcing that its first-quarter shipments were down by 9% from last year.

  • Government Increases Midday Meal Funding for School Children

    Government Increases Midday Meal Funding for School Children

    NEW DELHI: The Indian government has announced an increase in the funds for midday meals for school children starting May 1. For students in kindergarten and primary schools (classes 1 to 5), the funding per student per day will rise from ₹6.19 to ₹6.78. For students in upper primary schools (classes 6 to 8), it will go up from ₹9.29 to ₹10.17.

    This change is part of the Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM POSHAN) scheme, which provides one hot meal every school day for about 112 million students in government and aided schools across the country. The government decided on this increase based on inflation, and it expects to spend an additional ₹954 crore in the financial year 2025-26.

    Under the scheme, schools get funds to buy ingredients like rice, vegetables, oil, and spices, plus the fuel needed to cook the meals. The total cost of each meal comes to approximately ₹12.13 for primary students and ₹17.62 for upper primary students. This is the second time the meal funding has been increased in just six months.

    In November, the government had previously raised the amount from ₹5.45 to ₹6.19 for younger students and from ₹8.17 to ₹9.29 for older students. However, economist Jean Dreze argues that the government still isn’t providing enough money for the scheme, making it hard for states to give students nutritious meals.

    The government originally allocated ₹12,467.39 crore for the PM POSHAN scheme but later cut it down to ₹10,000 crore. By February 18, 2025, only ₹5,421.97 crore had been spent. For the next financial year, ₹12,500 crore has been set aside for the scheme. A government official stated that the funding adjustments are based on the consumer price index, which tracks price changes across different areas in the country.

  • China Increases U.S. Tariffs to 125% Starting This Saturday

    China Increases U.S. Tariffs to 125% Starting This Saturday

    Starting this Saturday, China will raise tariffs on U.S. goods to 125%. This is a big jump from the 84% they announced earlier. The finance ministry in China made this announcement on Friday. Tariffs are extra charges that a country puts on imported goods, making them more expensive. This move could change how much people pay for American products in China.

  • Trisha Responds to Trolls After Good Bad Ugly Release

    Trisha Responds to Trolls After Good Bad Ugly Release

    Actor Trisha is taking a break from social media drama! After the release of the movie Good Bad Ugly, she felt the need to respond to some negative comments she was getting online. On Friday, she shared a message on her Instagram stories that many fans think was aimed at her critics.

    In her story, Trisha wrote, “Hey everyone, how do toxic people manage to live their lives? Do you really feel good about posting mean things about others online? I feel sorry for you and those around you. Cowardly actions indeed! God bless you all!”

    While her fans defended her, saying she faced unfair hate, she didn’t mention Good Bad Ugly directly. However, supporters shared her note widely online, believing it was her way to respond to the trolls.

    Good Bad Ugly features Trisha alongside Ajith Kumar, who has received praise for his performance. The movie also stars other actors like Arjun Das and Prasanna. This film is the sixth time Trisha has worked with Ajith, with previous collaborations in movies like Mankatha and Yennai Arindhal.

  • Xi Jinping Urges EU to Join China Against U.S. Trade Bullying

    Xi Jinping Urges EU to Join China Against U.S. Trade Bullying

    Chinese President Xi Jinping has called on the European Union to work with China against what he calls “unilateral bullying.” This statement was reported by state media Xinhua.

    Xi made these remarks while meeting with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez in Beijing. He explained that China and Europe should work together to handle unfair practices in international trade. Through their cooperation, they can protect their own interests and promote fairness in the world.

    Sanchez agreed, saying that trade issues should not stop Spain and the EU from growing their relationship with China. He mentioned that Europe and Spain have a trade deficit with China that needs to be addressed. Sanchez added that trade tensions shouldn’t block cooperation for mutual growth between China, Spain, and the EU.

    This is not Sanchez’s first visit to China; it is his third in just over two years. Meanwhile, tensions between China and the U.S. have grown due to hefty tariffs imposed by former U.S. President Donald Trump.

    Trump raised tariffs on Chinese goods several times, now reaching up to 145%. Initially, China tried to respond calmly; however, when Trump raised tariffs significantly, China also increased theirs. This trade war has had a lot of ups and downs, with both countries trying to navigate their agreements and disagreements.

  • India and UAE: Discovering a New Era of Friendship and Collaboration

    India and UAE: Discovering a New Era of Friendship and Collaboration

    India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are in a special time in their friendship, often called a “golden era.” Their relationship started with trade, especially in energy, but now it has grown into a strong partnership that focuses on many exciting areas like technology, sustainability, and space.

    Recently, Sheikh Hamdan, the Crown Prince of Dubai, met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi. This meeting showed that their friendship has moved beyond just formal talks to a more dynamic collaboration based on shared goals.

    From Trade to Partnership

    India and the UAE have a long history together, filled with friendship, culture, and trade. In the last few years, their laws have changed for the better, resulting in increased trade that now exceeds $85 billion. With new agreements in place, they aim to reach over $100 billion by 2030.

    What started with oil and money transfers has grown to include areas like renewable energy, technology, defense, and tourism. India’s Foreign Minister, Dr. S. Jaishankar, even called this a time of new achievements in their relationship.

    Working Together for Common Goals

    India and the UAE complement each other well. The UAE is known for fast execution and turning ideas into reality, while India harnesses its huge talent pool to create innovative and scalable businesses. The partnership is driven by a two-way exchange of ideas, creating a powerful alliance for the future.

    Focusing on Technology

    While oil and trade have always been important, the future promises to be all about technology. Both countries are investing in advanced technologies like AI, fintech, and smart cities. With India’s tech growth and the UAE’s ambition to be a leader in digital innovation, they are set for exciting collaborations.

    Cultural Connections

    The friendship between India and the UAE isn’t just about money. Many Indians live in the UAE, and during the COVID-19 crisis, both nations worked together to support each other. The UAE is becoming known for promoting peace and understanding between different religions, like the recently opened BAPS Mandir in Abu Dhabi.

    As the world watches, this partnership shows how countries can come together to create positive change that benefits everyone, inspiring entrepreneurs and creators to dream big and act globally.

  • Shanti Kranti: How a Star-Studded Film Became a Box Office Flop

    Shanti Kranti: How a Star-Studded Film Became a Box Office Flop

    In India, the term “pan-India” describes films that everyone can enjoy, but this idea wasn’t new. Even before the term came up, many films aimed for a national audience. Some did really well at the box office, while others didn’t. One of those movies was Shanti Kranti, released in 1991. It was a big flop, costing the filmmaker everything he had.

    The movie’s creator, V. Ravichandran, a well-known Kannada actor and director, had a big dream in 1988. He wanted to make a movie that all Indians could watch and enjoy, so he decided to make Shanti Kranti in four languages: Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, and Hindi. He wrote, directed, and produced the film himself. The Kannada version showcased his talent, while the Telugu version starred Nagarjuna. The famous actor Rajinikanth took the leading role in the Tamil and Hindi versions. Other popular names like Juhi Chawla and Khushbu also played important parts.

    The film cost a whopping ₹10 crore to make, which made it the most expensive Indian film at that time! This broke the previous record held by a movie called Ajooba, which was made for ₹8 crore.

    Shanti Kranti was first released in September 1991 in Kannada and Telugu. The Tamil and Hindi versions came out two weeks later. But to everyone’s surprise, the movie did not do well. It was a huge disaster at the box office, failing to attract enough crowds in any language. In total, it earned only ₹8 crore, which was not even enough to cover the costs. The expenses for advertising added more pressure, making it the biggest movie flop in India at that time.

    The Impact on Ravichandran

    Ravichandran invested all his savings into Shanti Kranti, even borrowing a big piece of land to shoot a crucial scene. He also spent a lot on special effects and huge sets. Sadly, he lost around ₹10 crore during the making and release of the film. It put him in a tough spot financially, and he ended up going bankrupt. To make ends meet, Ravichandran had to rely on remaking successful Tamil and Telugu films. These remakes helped him rebuild his career later in the 90s.

  • JLR Surpasses Audi: A New Era for Luxury Car Sales!

    JLR Surpasses Audi: A New Era for Luxury Car Sales!

    Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), owned by Tata, has made it to the top three luxury car brands in the market. They have moved ahead of Audi and sold over 50,000 luxury cars in the fiscal year 2025, even though this is just a 3% increase, the slowest growth in three years.

    During the last part of the year, from January to March 2025, sales dropped because of issues with the stock market and worries about the economy. Despite that, the total sales reached 51,406 cars for the whole year, a slight increase compared to before.

    JLR did really well this year, especially since there were very few Jaguar models available—all thanks to the Defender, Range Rover, and Range Rover Sport vehicles. They sold 6,183 Defender SUVs, which is an impressive 40% increase compared to last year’s sales of 4,417. Audi, on the other hand, sold 5,990 cars, which is a drop of 15% from last year’s 7,027 units.

    Rajan Amba, the Managing Director of JLR India, mentioned that the Defender was their best-selling model, growing by 90% this year. The Range Rover and Range Rover Sport models also did well with growth rates of 72% and 42%, respectively. He’s hopeful that this positive trend continues into the next year.

    In contrast, Audi is facing problems, partly due to limited car availability and issues surrounding the Red Sea crisis. Even though they started 2025 with some growth, they see challenges ahead until new cars are released.

    Despite JLR’s strong performance, they are still behind Mercedes-Benz and BMW, which are the top two brands in luxury cars. Mercedes-Benz sold 18,928 vehicles this year, marking a 4% increase. BMW’s sales also went up by 5%, reaching 15,266 cars. Mercedes’ CEO stated that new car releases and network improvements have helped boost sales but warned that overall industry sales could be flat or decline in the next year.

    Vikram Pawah, CEO of BMW India, talked about the steady demand for their cars, especially electric vehicles. He is confident that they will continue to grow in this area.

  • Trump Threatens Mexico Over Water Dispute Affecting Texas Farmers

    Trump Threatens Mexico Over Water Dispute Affecting Texas Farmers

    The United States is not planning to impose tariffs on Mexico for “Liberation Day” like they did with Canada, but Mexico is not completely off the hook. Former US President Donald Trump has warned that he might impose taxes and tariffs on Mexico due to a water issue between the two countries. Trump says Mexico is breaking a water-sharing agreement that is 81 years old. He claimed that Mexico owes Texas 1.3 million acre-feet of water according to a treaty established in 1944. He also stated that this situation is unfair and harming farmers in South Texas.

    Trump added that Mexico has been “stealing water” from Texas, leading to the closure of the only sugar mill in Texas. He urged that Texas farmers need the water they are owed, and accused President Biden of not helping.

    Under the 1944 agreement, Mexico is supposed to provide 1.75 million acre-feet of water to the US every five years from the Rio Grande. However, reports say that Mexico has only delivered less than 30% of this amount so far, and the term ends in October this year.

    In response, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum stated that Mexico is trying to follow the treaty and pointed out that a three-year drought is making it difficult to provide enough water. She mentioned that she has sent a plan to the US Department of State to deal with the water supply to Texas, including quick actions. She is hopeful that they can reach an agreement on this issue.

    It’s important to note that while the US is mostly meeting its obligations under this treaty, there have been recent difficulties due to drought conditions.