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Pennsylvania preps short-term budget amid virus uncertainty

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HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania state government began advancing a temporary, no-new-taxes budget plan Tuesday that maintains current spending levels while budget makers watch to see how badly coronavirus-related shutdowns damage tax collections and whether the federal government sends another aid package to states.

Officials in the House and Senate Republican majorities said that they expected to wrap up votes on a roughly $25.8 billion package this week. The main budget bill squeaked by the House, 103-99, just hours after it was unveiled Tuesday.

Every Democrat and six Republicans opposed it. In the Senate later Tuesday, it passed with bipartisan support in the Appropriations Committee.

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The $25.8 billion package would carry full-year money for many public school budget lines, as well as for state-supported universities, debt service and school pension obligations. But much of the rest of the state’s operating budget lines would be funded through Nov. 30, the last day of the two-year legislative session, Senate and House officials said.

Many public schools officials breathed a sigh of relief at the news that they were spared a massive cut in aid amid projections of a multi-billion dollar shortfall, after taking a hit of more than 10% in state aid nine years ago during the recession.

An early deal on a budget also avoids a long, drawn-out budget fight between Wolf and the Republican-controlled Legislature. Such fights have marked two of Wolf’s past five budgets.

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Still, the state’s finances remain under considerable pressure to keep up with the cost to care for the poor, elderly and disabled, and the Nov. 30 end to many of those budget lines could set up a fight over how to fund them for the rest of the year and beyond.

Wolf, a Democrat, said talks with the Legislature have been constructive, and he backed the need for an unusual, short-term budget plan to compensate for delayed tax deadlines and collapsing revenues.

“I think all of us are struggling to know exactly what the financial situation is going to look like over the course of the whole next fiscal year, so we are going to do, I know, some unusual things,” Wolf said at a video news conference Tuesday.

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Among the uncertainties in the coming fiscal year are whether the federal government will contribute more aid, he said.

The spending legislation is expected to be accompanied by a raft of budget-related legislation negotiated behind closed doors and another bill that distributes approximately $2 billion in federal coronavirus emergency aid to nursing homes, agricultural programs, counties and more.

Wolf has warned that his office is projecting a budget deficit of up to $5 billion for the 2019-20 fiscal year ending June 30, although perhaps $2 billion is simply delayed after tax-filing deadlines were shifted from April 15 to July 15 amid the pandemic.

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John Callahan, chief advocacy officer for the Pennsylvania School Boards Association, said schools were relieved not to see a cut in aid, given the circumstances. That certainty will help school boards assemble their budgets as they grapple with how to bring students safely back to school buildings in August amid fears of the coronavirus, Callahan said.

Lisa Schaefer, executive director of the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania, said counties — which administer billions of dollars in state-mandated social services — feel that it is important that money continue to flow uninterrupted for those services.

However, aid for those services is guaranteed only for five months, and a fall-off in state aid for those services in the last seven months of the fiscal year could force counties to foot a larger share of the bill.

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“There are going to be other negotiations for the remainder of this fiscal year, and it will be critical to see how revenues continue to come in,” Schaefer said.

School districts are not necessarily out of the woods yet: casino shutdowns during the pandemic will mean a gap of $300 million in tax revenue from gambling receipts that lowers the bills of school property tax payers, said Rep. Matt Bradford, the ranking Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee.

The state is operating on a $34 billion budget approved last year by lawmakers, although Wolf’s administration has said it has clamped down on hiring, vendor contracts and discretionary spending to save cash.

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Wolf in February proposed a $36 billion budget for the new fiscal year, with most of the proposed increase in spending for rising costs for health care for the poor and long-term care for the elderly and disabled.

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(Note: This is a Article Automatically Generated Through Syndication, Here is The Original Source

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Galgotias University Students Protest Against ‘Urban Maxwell’ Triggered Meme Fest!

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Galgotias University Students Protests Against 'Urban Maxwell' Triggered Meme Fest!

The internet is currently divided following a viral video that showed remarks by students from Galgotias University about Sam Pitroda, the Chair of the Indian Overseas Congress, regarding the ‘inheritance tax’.

As per Business Standard, this incident that has filled the entire nation with laughter took place in Greater Noida. Purposedly, the students of Galgotias University held a protest in Delhi. 

Galgotias University Students Rally With ‘Unclear’ Agenda Spark Meme Frenzy

When an AajTak reporter reached the protest site, he questioned the students engaged in the protests. The reporter asked the students the motive behind their protest and the message their placards conveyed. 

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Students seemed clueless about the questions asked. While responses from other students were even funny and laughable. 

Thus, the video showcasing students’ response has gone viral all over the social media platforms. The video has also garnered funny reactions from netizens online. 

Meme Fest All Over the Internet 

When the students were questioned, their relies on were just a comedy of errors.

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One student stated that his motive behind the protest was his desire for a developed India. However, he lacked the basic specifics. 

Another student acknowledged that he was clueless regarding the Congress manifesto. Several protestors even struggled to read what was printed on their placards. 

When a student was asked to read the slogan written on the placard, the student read ‘urban naxal’ as ‘urban maxwell.’

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It seemed that the protest was made to touch a range of issues in the nation, such as women’s empowerment, urban naxalism, NaMo’s stand on mangalsutra and wealth redistribution, inheritance tax and many more. However, clarity remains elusive. 

Videos circulating on social media garnered mixed reactions. Some laughed while others their criticism and showed disappointment at the students’ lack of awareness.

Responses received from students even triggered a meme fest all over the internet. Take a look!

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Also Read: Christopher Bouie Jr Video: Minor Arrested For Sanford, Florida Shooting Leaving 10 Injured

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India News

AstraZeneca’s Covishield To Cause Rare Yet Serious Side Effects

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AstraZeneca's Covishield To Cause Rare Yet Serious Side Effects

A huge update for those who were a part of COVID vaccination programs! Rare side effects of the vaccination have surfaced, questioned by numerous health experts.

The Economic Times reported that AstraZeneca, the British-Swedish multinational pharmaceutical and biotechnology company, has legally acknowledged that its product, Covishield, can cause certain rare side effects.

AstraZeneca developed Covishield, which was produced by the Serum Institute of India. In India, Covishield was one of the primary vaccines provided to citizens.

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AstraZeneca’s Statements

AstraZeneca is currently facing a lawsuit in a UK court. The lawsuit was filed after claims surfaced on the internet that AstraZeneca’s vaccine caused deaths. To date, 51 deaths have been reported, hence 51 cases have been filed against the company.

AstraZeneca finally admitted in one of the court papers that, “Covishield can, in very rare cases, cause TTS.” TTS stands for Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome.

Dr. Rajeev Jayadevan, a medical expert, told ANI,

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“TTS is thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome, which is basically a clot in the blood vessels of the brain or elsewhere, along with a low platelet count. It is known to occur in very rare instances following certain types of vaccines and also from other causes. According to the WHO, adenovirus vector vaccines, in particular, have rarely been associated with this condition.”

TTS: About, Diagnosis, Treatment

TTS, or Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome, is a serious yet rare health condition characterized by low platelet counts (thrombocytopenia) along with the formation of blood clots (thrombosis).

Various symptoms associated with TTS include neurological deficits, shortness of breath, leg swelling, abdominal pain, and severe headaches.

TTS can be diagnosed if blood tests are conducted to assess the levels of platelets in the blood. Moreover, to detect blood clots, imaging studies are required, reported the Times of India.

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TTS can be treated with a multidisciplinary approach. It includes supportive care, anticoagulation therapy to prevent blood clotting, and hospitalization.

To manage and stabilize platelet levels in the body, plasma exchange and intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) can also be performed.

Patients with TTS are prone to severe complications like death and organ damage. Hence, close monitoring of patients by healthcare providers is a must.

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Also Read: Online doctor consultations in India increase by 4 times after the Covid-19 pandemic: Report

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Report: Gangster Goldy Brar Is Alive, Confirms US Police

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Report: Sidhu Moosewala Murder Case Prime Suspect, Goldy Brar Is Alive 

The prime suspect in the murder case of a famous Punjabi singer, Goldy Brar, is alive, reported TOI.

Goldy is the infamous Canadian gangster who was earlier rumored to be dead in an alleged incident that took place at Fairmont and Holt Avenue last Tuesday.

In the incident, one of the two individuals reportedly got gunshot wound and succumbed to injuries at the hospital. You can read our story about California shooting incident in which Goldy Brar allegedly got shot here.

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As per the US police, reports of Goldy’s disappearance were circulating all over the internet on Tuesday. However, the U.S. authorities clarified the rumors of Brar’s disappearance in a California shooting incident are untrue. 

The claims were refuted by the Fresno police department and labeled them as fake. William J. Dooley, the Lieutenant, debunked online speculations and announced that the victim of the California shooting was not Goldy Brar. 

William J. Dooley stated,

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“If you are inquiring because of the online chatter claiming that the shooting victim is ‘Goldy Brar’, we can confirm that this is absolutely not true.”

Who is Goldy Brar?

Goldy Brar, hailing from Muktsar Sahib, Punjab, is a close ally of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi. It is anticipated that he is the mastermind behind the assassination of Sidhu Moose Wala, the Punjabi pop icon. 

According to The Economic Times, in January 2024, Satinderjit Singh, also known as Goldy Brar, was designated as a terrorist by the Ministry of Home Affairs under the anti-terror law, UAPA (Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act). 

Orders by the government-linked Goldy Brar to a listed terrorist organization under the UAPA, Babbar Khalsa International. 

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Goldy Brar has never ceased to vanish from police’s eyes since he murdered Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala. His father also was a Police Officer himself.

After completing his graduation and getting a BS degree, he has been operating from Canada remotely. 

Last year Goldy’s statement, targetting Bollywood superstar Salman Khan next made huge media headlines.

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