Latest news with #438
India Gazette
7 days ago
- Politics
- India Gazette
Karnataka CM slams BJP's 'Urdu Over Kannada' claim as malicious lie meant to spread communal hatred
Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], May 28 (ANI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has strongly refuted BJP allegations that the state government prioritised Urdu over Kannada in funding allocations, terming the claims 'malicious lies' aimed at inciting communal hatred. In a series of tweets, Siddaramaiah accused the BJP of Karnataka of deliberately spreading falsehoods that undermine communal harmony. 'BJP4Karnataka is spreading a malicious lie that our Govt gave more funds to Urdu while neglecting Kannada. This is not just false -- it's a deliberate attempt to incite communal hatred. A national party behaving like internet trolls is deeply shameful,' he wrote on X. The Chief Minister presented detailed figures to counter the BJP's assertions. According to Siddaramaiah, the state government allocated Rs34,438 crore to Primary and Secondary Education and an additional Rs 4,150 crore to Social Welfare and other departments during 20205-26, for a total of Rs 38,688 crore--all meant for Kannada-medium education. Furthermore, Rs 999.3 crore has been set aside for government school infrastructure, benefiting Kannada-based education. The CM Siddaramaiah further said, ' Kannada is not just a language. It is our identity, pride, and mother tongue--and our Government will never tolerate insults to Kannada or Karnataka.' He dismissed the BJP Karnataka's claim that Kannada received only Rs 32 crore as a 'deliberate political distortion' intended to mislead and provoke the public. Chief Minister condemned the BJP for equating language with religion, calling it 'an insult to that language.' The Congress leader highlighted the Karnataka government's efforts to support all native tongues. 'Equating any language with a particular religion is an insult to that language. Our Govt honours all native tongues of Karnataka -- Tulu, Kodava, Konkani, Arebhashe, Byari -- with dedicated academies and an annual grant of Rs 80 lakh each, along with extra funds for cultural programs,' the post added on X. Regarding Kannada, Siddaramaiah outlined the role of the Kannada and Culture Department, which oversees 14 academies, 3 authorities, and 24 literary trusts, all focused on promoting Kannada language and culture, benefiting Kannadigas and the state. Siddaramaiah also took a direct swipe at the BJP's national leadership, suggesting that the misinformation might be part of a 'fake news toolkit' allegedly handed down by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He urged the PM to take action by directing the Press Information Bureau's Fact Check unit to expose the misinformation and called on the Union Home Ministry to act against BJP Karnataka's social media handles, which he referred to as 'repeat offenders.' He cautioned that such attempts to mislead the public were not confined to Karnataka alone but posed a 'national threat to peace and constitutional order.' (ANI)
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
7 days ago
- Politics
- Business Standard
Karnataka CM slams BJP's 'Urdu over Kannada' claim as malicious lie
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has strongly refuted BJP allegations that the state government prioritised Urdu over Kannada in funding allocations, terming the claims "malicious lies" aimed at inciting communal hatred. In a series of tweets, Siddaramaiah accused the BJP of Karnataka of deliberately spreading falsehoods that undermine communal harmony. "BJP4Karnataka is spreading a malicious lie that our Govt gave more funds to Urdu while neglecting Kannada. This is not just false -- it's a deliberate attempt to incite communal hatred. A national party behaving like internet trolls is deeply shameful," he wrote on X. The Chief Minister presented detailed figures to counter the BJP's assertions. According to Siddaramaiah, the state government allocated Rs34,438 crore to Primary and Secondary Education and an additional Rs 4,150 crore to Social Welfare and other departments during 20205-26, for a total of Rs 38,688 crore--all meant for Kannada-medium education. Furthermore, Rs 999.3 crore has been set aside for government school infrastructure, benefiting Kannada-based education. Chief Minister condemned the BJP for equating language with religion, calling it "an insult to that language." The Congress leader highlighted the Karnataka government's efforts to support all native tongues. "Equating any language with a particular religion is an insult to that language. Our Govt honours all native tongues of Karnataka -- Tulu, Kodava, Konkani, Arebhashe, Byari -- with dedicated academies and an annual grant of Rs 80 lakh each, along with extra funds for cultural programs," the post added on X. Regarding Kannada, Siddaramaiah outlined the role of the Kannada and Culture Department, which oversees 14 academies, 3 authorities, and 24 literary trusts, all focused on promoting Kannada language and culture, benefiting Kannadigas and the state. Siddaramaiah also took a direct swipe at the BJP's national leadership, suggesting that the misinformation might be part of a "fake news toolkit" allegedly handed down by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He urged the PM to take action by directing the Press Information Bureau's Fact Check unit to expose the misinformation and called on the Union Home Ministry to act against BJP Karnataka's social media handles, which he referred to as "repeat offenders."
Epoch Times
19-05-2025
- Business
- Epoch Times
Homebuying Season Underperforms as Supply Hits 5-Year High
The sale of existing homes declined in April on a monthly and annual basis amid a jump in supplies, real estate brokerage Redfin said in a May 19 Sales fell to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of nearly 4.2 million units in April, the lowest level since October 2024. It was down 0.2 percent from March and lower by 1.1 percent from April 2024—the first annual decline in seven months. However, there were 1.94 million homes for sale in April, up over 16 percent from a year back. This was the highest level of supply since March 2020. 'Spring is typically the busiest season for the housing market, and with the housing shortage easing and mortgage rates slightly lower than a year ago, one might expect home sales to be stronger,' the brokerage said. 'But Redfin agents report that homebuyers and sellers last month were particularly nervous about tariffs and the ongoing trade war.' Redfin attributed the sluggish housing demand to high home prices and elevated mortgage rates. Related Stories 5/16/2025 5/12/2025 The median home sale price was $438,466 in April, up 1.4 percent year-over-year. The average 30-year-fixed mortgage rate in April was 6.73 percent, up from 6.65 percent in March. Monthly housing payments hit a record high in April. This past week brought some relief from tariff anxiety when the United States and China According to the agreement, the United States lowered tariffs on Chinese imports to 30 percent while China rolled back its U.S. import tariffs to 10 percent. In a May 12 'NAHB urges the administration to move quickly to obtain fair, equitable trade deals with other nations that will result in the elimination of tariffs that are currently hurting building material supply chains and raising construction costs.' The NAHB On the plus side, Hughes said builders are expecting that 'future trade negotiations and progress on tax policy will help stabilize the economic outlook and strengthen housing demand.' Housing Affordability A May 15 'In April, many households didn't know what was next for their jobs, investment portfolios, or budgets. As a result, some potential buyers sat on the sidelines, awaiting further clarity before making significant purchases—including homes,' the report said. There was almost 20 percent more inventory last month compared to a year back, providing buyers with more options. Meanwhile, sellers are increasingly opting to cut prices to attract buyers. 'Though the spring housing market started more sluggishly than desired, activity is underway, with improved options for buyers, steady price growth, and better affordability than last year; all positive indicators for the months ahead,' Zillow said. Meanwhile, lawmakers are taking action to address the affordability issue. Last month, a bipartisan group of senators introduced the Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act that is expected to help build nearly 1.6 million new affordable homes over the next 10 years, according to an April 29 The legislation is related to the federal government's Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) LIHTC provides states and local agencies with around $10.5 billion in annual budget authority to issue tax credits for acquiring, rehabilitating, or building rental housing for lower-income households. The Act would boost tax credits available to states by 50 percent for the next two years. It would also make a 12.5 percent temporary tax credit increase from 2018 permanent. 'It's time for Congress to meet the housing crisis with the bold solutions it demands, and that starts with increasing housing supply,' said Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), another bill sponsor. 'Our bill will deliver some much-needed relief to families by supporting existing, successful federal housing programs and building over one million new units of affordable housing. I am all in to bring down costs and make housing more affordable for everyone no matter your zip code.'
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
This Drug Reduces Symptoms Before a Migraine Strikes, Study Shows
A migraine drug called ubrogepant doesn't just reduce the severity of a migraine attack – it also dials down the non-headache symptoms in the prodrome: the hours leading up to the main event. That's the conclusion reached after a large clinical trial tested hundreds of migraine patients taking the medication at the onset of prodrome symptoms. The result suggests that ubrogepant might be effective for treating the entire migraine as it evolves, rather than just the head pain – and narrows down the mechanisms behind the condition. Migraine is a neurological affliction that affects an estimated 14 to 15 percent of the global population, yet it remains poorly understood, and difficult to treat effectively. It's known for its searing, debilitating head pain, but the anatomy of a migraine is much more complex and longer-lasting than just the head pain. Broadly, a migraine consists of three to four stages: the prodrome, during which the patient experiences symptoms such as light sensitivity, nausea, neck pain, and brain fog; aura, characterized by vision disturbances, including blind spots and flashing lights; the headache attack itself; and the postdrome, characterized by brain fog and fatigue. Put together, this sequence of events can last up to more than a week. It's quite unpleasant. Most treatments focus on the headache portion, since it's the most debilitating. Even studies on treatments designed to be taken during the prodrome phase have concentrated on blocking the headache, rather than treating the prodrome itself. Led by neurologist Peter Goadsby of Kings College London, a team of researchers has now conducted a trial on whether or not ubrogepant, a migtainte treatment available in the US under the brand name Ubrelvy, also works on the prodrome. Scientists want to know not just how to treat the entirety of a migraine – although that's a desired goal – but to help determine what drives a migraine attack. "It has long been argued whether migraine is primarily a disease of the brain or of peripheral, specifically vascular, origin," the researchers write in their paper. "The new data firmly support a brain origin for migraine attacks." Ubrogepant is a drug that does not prevent migraine attacks, but reduces the severity of the pain associated with an attack. It belongs to a class of drugs called calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) receptor antagonists. Ubrogepant, and other drugs belonging to the same class, block the action of CGRP, a peptide associated with migraine. Goadsby and his colleagues recruited hundreds of migraine patients for a double-blind study. The 438 study participants, aged between 18 and 75, and all with at least a one-year history of migraine, were put in groups. One group was given ubrogepant at the onset of prodrome symptoms; the other was given a placebo. Then, during a second event at least seven days later, the groups switched. The patients initially given the drug were given the placebo, and vice versa. Neither the researchers nor the participants knew which group was receiving which. After taking the drug or the placebo, the participants were tasked with reporting changes in their symptoms, which included photo- and phonophobia, dizziness, fatigue, neck pain or stiffness, and brain fog. The patients taking the drug experienced a significantly higher reduction in their symptoms than the patients taking the placebo. One hour after taking ubrogepant, patients reported brain fog easing. After two hours, photophobia, or sensitivity to light, decreased. After three hours, neck problems eased. Between four and 24 hours after taking the drug, phonophobia (sensitivity to sound) and dizziness lessened, too. These results suggest that CGRP receptor antagonists might be effective at treating prodromal migraine symptoms, the researchers say. "As premonitory symptoms can be disabling, their treatment alone is clinically relevant, beyond the consideration that treatment during the prodrome prevents headache onset and improves function over 24 to 48 hours, as demonstrated in the primary analysis of the study," the researchers write. In addition: "Broadly, the findings of the clinical trial support imaging studies that have identified central nervous system sites as the locus of initiation of a migraine attack." There are several routes forward from here. The study didn't look at the effects of ubrogepant on the aura and postdrome phases of migraine, which could warrant further investigation. Future work could also probe further to try and narrow down the cause of migraine, and determine whether CGRP receptor antagonists might offer relief for the entire course of a migraine event. The research has been published in Nature Medicine. Shingles Vaccine Can Reduce Risk of Stroke And Heart Attack, Study Finds Spikes of Bird Flu in Cats Could Be a Warning of a Future Pandemic HIV Drugs Dramatically Lower Risk of Alzheimer's Disease, Study Finds
The Star
09-05-2025
- The Star
Scammers eye teachers and retirees
JERTEH: Teachers and retirees who share personal updates such as retirement plans or feelings of loneliness on social media are increasingly being targeted by online scammers, it was revealed. Terengganu Education Department deputy director Kamsah @Kamal Mohamed said such posts attracted scammers who exploited retirees through love scams, fake investments and bogus loans. 'Many of the victims are teachers and retirees. From January 2023 to April this year, police recorded 609 online scam cases in Terengganu with total losses amounting to RM13.5mil,' he told an online scam awareness programme organised by the National Scam Response Centre here yesterday, Bernama reported. Kamsah said in Besut alone, 18 scam cases were recorded last year, with losses totalling RM457,438. So far this year, he said eight more cases were reported, with RM107,157 in losses.
