Author: Rasmita Jena

  • Rodney McMullen Resigns as Kroger CEO: What’s the Controversy?

    Rodney McMullen Resigns as Kroger CEO: What’s the Controversy?

    Rodney McMullen, the CEO and Chairman of Kroger, unexpectedly stepped down after an internal investigation into his personal behavior. Kroger, the biggest grocery store chain in the U.S., announced on Monday that this investigation was not about how the company runs or its financial matters. However, they found that McMullen’s actions did not follow their rules for business ethics.

    Since he resigned and won’t get a bonus for 2024, people are really curious about what he did. On social media platforms like X and Reddit, many users are guessing about the situation. One person on X asked, “What could the Kroger CEO have done to get in trouble?” Other users were shocked because McMullen is a known supporter of Donald Trump, yet they still don’t know the exact nature of the allegations.

    People have suggested funny and bizarre theories online, like “Did he gamble? Hire sex workers? Or not pay workers?” Others joked that maybe he didn’t want to work in the office four days a week.

    After McMullen’s sudden leave, he will give up all his unearned stock and won’t receive a bonus for next year, according to a filing with the SEC. Many are asking, “What did he really do?”

    Rodney McMullen, 64, began his journey in Kroger in 1978 as a part-time stock clerk. He worked hard to rise through the ranks, becoming the CEO in 2014. Now, Ronald Sargent from the board has taken over as the interim CEO and chairman.

    Since this news broke, searches for “Kroger CEO Rodney McMullen” have shot up on Google, especially from Kentucky, his home state, and Ohio, where Kroger is based. Search interest peaked on March 3, around 10:50 PM, with related searches about McMullen and Kroger.

  • US Halts Military Aid to Ukraine After Trump-Zelensky Disagreement

    US Halts Military Aid to Ukraine After Trump-Zelensky Disagreement

    In the past week, the relationship between the United States and Ukraine has gotten worse. This is happening because of a disagreement between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House. The argument has led to the US stopping all military aid to Ukraine, while European countries are trying to support Zelensky.

    The Argument at the White House

    On February 28, President Zelensky visited the White House to meet President Trump and Vice President JD Vance. During the meeting, the two leaders got into a heated argument in front of reporters. The disagreement started when Zelensky challenged Vice President Vance about Russia and diplomacy issues. Vance responded, saying it was disrespectful for Zelensky to raise these issues in front of American media and that he should be thankful for Trump’s efforts to end the conflict.

    President Trump also told Zelensky to be more grateful for US support, saying Zelensky didn’t have leverage against Russia. Trump claimed Zelensky was not interested in a ceasefire because of his dislike for Russian President Putin. After the argument, Zelensky’s other meetings and a joint press conference were canceled.

    Zelensky’s Reaction

    After the tense encounter, President Zelensky spoke on Fox News, stating that the argument was “not good for both sides.” He expressed worries about the situation and emphasized that Ukrainians want to know that America supports them against Russia. President Trump replied, saying Zelensky disrespected the US and could return only when he was ready to talk about peace.

    Zelensky also thanked other world leaders on social media for their support.

    Can They Fix Their Relationship?

    Following a meeting with European leaders who want to support him after the clash, Zelensky spoke to reporters at the London airport, saying he believes the relationship can be repaired. He added that he would come if President Trump invites him for a constructive conversation.

    Zelensky highlighted that ending the war is still a long way off and that any peace must be fair and sustainable.

    Zelensky’s Message of Gratitude

    On Monday, Zelensky posted a video thanking the US for its support during the war. He expressed gratitude for the help Ukraine has received and praised his people and European allies for their commitment to peace and security.

    Trump’s Response

    In reaction to Zelensky’s statement about the war, Trump criticized him on Truth Social, calling it the worst statement he could have made. Trump said he believes Zelensky doesn’t want peace as long as he has US support and pointed out that European leaders said they need help from the US.

    US Freezes Military Aid to Ukraine

    A senior defense official announced that the US has stopped all military aid to Ukraine until President Trump decides that the Ukrainian leaders are genuinely seeking peace. This includes all military supplies not currently in Ukraine and those en route.

  • 2025 Oscars: ‘Anora’ Wins Big Amid Viewer Surprises

    2025 Oscars: ‘Anora’ Wins Big Amid Viewer Surprises

    This year’s Oscars, which celebrated the independent film “Anora,” had about 18.1 million viewers on TV and streaming, as reported by ABC on Monday. This is a 7% drop from last year’s Oscar ceremony, which attracted 19.5 million viewers who came to see the blockbuster film “Oppenheimer” win Best Picture. However, viewership among adults under 50 actually went up by 3%.

    “Anora” is a unique fairy tale about a sex worker and a Russian oligarch’s son. It won Best Picture and four other awards at the ceremony, making $40 million worldwide, while “Oppenheimer” made nearly $976 million.

    Comedian Conan O’Brien hosted the Oscars for the first time and received praise from TV critics. The show lasted almost four hours and mostly stayed away from politics. Owen Gleiberman of Variety said, “O’Brien absolutely rocked his debut, balancing humor perfectly.”

    The Oscars aired live on ABC and were also streamed on Hulu. Some people faced problems with the Hulu stream, with reports of it cutting off just before the Best Actress and Best Picture awards.

    In recent years, fewer people have been watching Hollywood awards shows as many switch to streaming and social media. This year’s Oscars had 104.2 million interactions online, outshining other events like the Grammy Awards and the Super Bowl.

    The biggest Oscar telecast was in 1998 when “Titanic” won many awards, attracting over 57 million viewers. The lowest ratings were in 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic, with only 10.5 million viewers.

  • Uttar Pradesh Woman’s Suicide Linked to Beloved Cat’s Death

    Uttar Pradesh Woman’s Suicide Linked to Beloved Cat’s Death

    A 36-year-old woman from Amroha, Uttar Pradesh, was very sad after her cat, Titu, passed away. She loved Titu like a child. For three days, she kept Titu’s body close, hoping that it would come back to life. Sadly, on Saturday night, she hung herself. Her family said she had struggled with mental health problems and had received treatment before.

    The woman’s mother explained that Titu died quickly one night and that her daughter believed the cat could be revived. Even after many hours, she did not want to bury the cat. Neighbors recalled how close the woman and Titu were, suggesting her past marriage may have left her feeling lonely. After her tragic death, the police helped bury Titu.

    Experts believe that for people with mental health issues, pets can become a very important support. A psychologist pointed out that her emotional connection to her cat might have overwhelmed her after it died, leading to her sad decision.

    If you or someone you know is feeling hopeless, please remember that there are people who can help. In India, you can contact helplines like 011-23389090 (Sumaitri) or 044-24640050 (Sneha Foundation) for support.

  • Abu Azmi Sparks Outrage for Praising Aurangzeb as ‘Good Administrator

    Abu Azmi Sparks Outrage for Praising Aurangzeb as ‘Good Administrator

    Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Abu Azmi caused a big stir when he called Mughal emperor Aurangzeb a “good administrator.” This upset many, including Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who called Azmi’s comments “treason” and insisted that legal action should be taken against him.

    Azmi, known for making controversial remarks, said that Aurangzeb was not a cruel ruler. He stated that during Aurangzeb’s 52-year reign, if he had been forcing Hindus to convert to Islam, there would have been many more converts. Azmi claimed that while Aurangzeb did destroy temples, he also destroyed mosques, implying he wasn’t strictly anti-Hindu. “The country should not be divided by religion; we must all follow the Constitution,” he added.

    In response, Eknath Shinde criticized Azmi, reminding him that Aurangzeb tortured the Maratha king Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj for 40 days. Shinde called Azmi’s remarks wrong and said he should apologize. He suggested that such statements disrespected India’s history.

    Shiv Sena leader Shaina NC also condemned Azmi’s comments, saying he needs to study history. She emphasized that Aurangzeb only destroyed temples and never built any. BJP leader Ram Kadam joined in the criticism, pointing out that Aurangzeb brutally killed Sambhaji Raja.

    The anger over Aurangzeb has grown recently, especially after the release of the movie “Chhava,” making Azmi’s comments even more controversial.

  • Bangladesh’s Yunus Stresses Importance of Strong India Relations Ahead of Summit

    Bangladesh’s Yunus Stresses Importance of Strong India Relations Ahead of Summit

    Bangladesh and India need to be good friends because they depend on each other, said interim leader Muhammad Yunus in an interview with BBC Bangla. He mentioned that some misunderstandings have occurred because of rumors but is confident that their relationship is strong. Yunus hopes to meet Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi soon at the Bimstec Summit in Thailand on April 3-4. He described the relationship as “very good” and stated, “There’s no other way but to have good relations between Bangladesh and India.”

    Yunus noted that both countries have a rich history and work closely in politics and trade. Even though there have been conflicts, he believes they stem from misinformation. He stated, “We are trying to fix that misunderstanding.”

    Relations have been rocky lately, especially after the protests last August that led to the fall of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government. India has criticized the interim government for its treatment of minorities in Bangladesh. Trade and travel between the two countries have been affected as well. Hasina is currently living in India, and the interim government wants her to return.

    When asked about the possibility of unrest in Bangladesh, Yunus said that it’s always a threat. He believes the Awami League party, which Hasina leads, is trying to create problems. Yunus assured that he plans to hold elections within the year and mentioned that political parties, including the Awami League, need to decide if they will participate.

    He also denied any support from the government for a new political group formed by student leaders, stating that those representatives have resigned.

  • Congress Leaders Spark Controversy Over Rohit Sharma and Rashmika Mandanna

    Congress Leaders Spark Controversy Over Rohit Sharma and Rashmika Mandanna

    A few days ago, Congress leader Shama Mohamed made comments about Indian cricket captain Rohit Sharma, stirring up some noise. Now, another Congress leader, MLA Ravikumar Gowda, is causing a stir with his comments on actress Rashmika Mandanna.

    MLA Criticizes Rashmika for Missing Film Festival:

    At a public event, MLA Ravikumar Gowda questioned why Rashmika Mandanna didn’t show up at an International Film Festival last year. He said, “Rashmika, who started her career in the Kannada film ‘Kirik Party’, ignored our invitation. She reportedly said, ‘I have a house in Hyderabad and don’t know where Karnataka is, plus I’m too busy.’ A friend of ours even went to her house 10 to 12 times to invite her, but she still didn’t come. Is it right to teach her a lesson for this?” His remarks have sparked discussion about how actors connect with their local film industries.

    Congress Moves Away from Rohit Sharma Controversy:

    This comes right after Congress distanced itself from comments made by Shama Mohamed, who criticized Rohit Sharma’s fitness and captaincy style on social media. Mohamed called Sharma “fat” for an athlete and said he is the “most unimpressive Captain India has ever had!” After getting backlash, especially from BJP leaders, Congress asked her to delete those posts and issued a clarification. Pawan Khera, head of Congress’ media team, said that Shama’s comments don’t represent the party’s views, and she must be more careful in the future.

    Political Reactions to Shama’s Words:

    BJP leaders reacted strongly to Shama’s comments, calling them disrespectful. One leader, Shehzad Poonawalla, said, “The Congress party has lost many elections under Rahul Gandhi’s leadership, yet they call Rohit Sharma unimpressive! Winning the T20 World Cup is impressive!”

    Support for Rohit Sharma came from Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Priyanka Chaturvedi, who said, “I’m not a huge cricket fan, but I know Rohit Sharma has done great things for the Indian team, whether he is heavier or not. What counts is his hard work and commitment. He is a champion!”

  • Angel One’s Shares Fall Sharply Amid Data Breach Announcement

    Angel One’s Shares Fall Sharply Amid Data Breach Announcement

    Shares of Angel One dropped 10% to a 52-week low of Rs 1,952.2 during trading on Monday, with a lot of activity as 24.4 lakh shares were traded worth Rs 493.3 crore. At around 12:36 p.m., the stock was down 7.7% to Rs 2,002. This decline follows a 12% drop over the last two days after the company revealed unauthorized access to client data.

    Angel One reported receiving alerts about the data leak on Thursday, February 27, from a partner monitoring the dark web. The alerts pointed out that some of its customers’ data had been accessed without permission. The company later confirmed that some of its AWS resources were compromised.

    In an official statement, Angel One said it had quickly changed passwords for its AWS services and other applications to limit the damage. They also hired an outside forensic expert to investigate the breach and understand how it happened. The company reassured customers that the incident does not affect their securities, funds, or account details, and all client accounts are safe. They are continuing to look into the issue to check for any further impacts while keeping everyone informed.

    In terms of business, Angel One had more trading activity and market share in January 2025, but total new clients added dropped to 6.6 lakh from 7.8 lakh in December 2024. Nevertheless, the total number of clients grew by 2.1% from the previous month, rising to 3.01 crore from 2.95 crore in December.

    Despite being down 35% in the last three months, Angel One’s stock has increased by 79% over the past two years. The company’s total market value is now Rs 18,144 crore.

  • US Army Kills Al-Qaeda Leaders in Syria: Airstrike Success!

    US Army Kills Al-Qaeda Leaders in Syria: Airstrike Success!

    The United States Army announced on Saturday that it conducted a successful airstrike that killed a high-ranking leader of the terrorist group Hurras al-Din in Northwest Syria. This attack happened in February, as confirmed by the US Central Command (CENTCOM).

    On February 23, CENTCOM forces targeted Muhammed Yusuf Ziya Talay, the senior military leader of Hurras al-Din, an organization linked to Al-Qaeda. The command explained that this airstrike is part of their ongoing efforts to stop terrorist groups from planning attacks against civilians and military members, including those from the US and its allies.

    In a video shared on social media, you can see a car driving in an empty area. The airstrike hit the car directly at the driver’s seat, causing it to stop moving afterward. General Michael Erik Kurilla, the CENTCOM commander, stated, “We will keep pursuing these terrorists to protect our homeland and our partners in the region.”

    CENTCOM oversees US military operations in the Middle East. Earlier this year, they also announced the elimination of another senior Hurras al-Din leader, Wasim Tahsin Bayraqdar, on February 21 through a similar airstrike.

    Interestingly, Hurras al-Din, which the US views as Al-Qaeda’s official group in Syria, announced its dissolution in January. This decision came after the Syrian regime led by President Bashar al-Assad was overthrown by rebel forces in December 2024. The recent strikes against Hurras al-Din leaders occurred even after the group had disbanded.

  • Amartya Sen’s Hope for Bangladesh: Unity and Progress Amid Challenges

    Amartya Sen’s Hope for Bangladesh: Unity and Progress Amid Challenges

    Renowned Nobel Prize winner Amartya Sen has expressed serious worries about the situation in Bangladesh. He mentioned his friend Muhammad Yunus, who is currently leading the temporary government, is trying hard to solve the country’s problems but has a tough journey ahead. Sen feels a strong connection to Bangladesh because of his Bengali heritage and has spent lots of time there, especially in Dhaka and his ancestral homes in Manikganj and Bikrampur.

    In an interview at his home in West Bengal, Sen praised the progress Bangladesh has made since it gained independence, noting improvements in income, lower birth rates, and longer life spans compared to India. He highlighted the country’s positive changes in women’s rights, which are supported by both the government and organisations like BRAC and Grameen Bank.

    Sen also admires the relatively free press in Bangladesh, where many newspapers continue to thrive, even when they critique the government. He acknowledged the Bangladeshi Army for avoiding military rule, which is common in many other countries. Sen warned against banning the Awami League party, as this could lead to repeating past mistakes. Instead, he believes Bangladesh should bring people together and embrace its tradition of cooperation.

    He expressed hope that future elections will be fairer and that the spirit of freedom and diversity will prevail in Bangladesh. When asked about Muhammad Yunus as the chief advisor, Sen said he trusts Yunus’s skills and commitment to secularism and democracy. Sen condemned violence against Hindu minorities and the destruction of temples in Bangladesh, stressing that both the government and citizens must work to prevent such acts. He also noted similar incidents have occurred in India, calling for an end to all forms of communal violence.

    Sen urged everyone to remember the dangers of stirring up communal tensions, reminding us of the terrible riots in the 1940s. Overall, he is worried about the situation in Bangladesh but still holds onto hope for a brighter future.