Author: Rasmita Jena

  • Pushpa 2: Excitement & Controversy Surrounding Its Release

    Pushpa 2: Excitement & Controversy Surrounding Its Release

    Allu Arjun’s much-anticipated movie, Pushpa 2: The Rule, hit theaters on December 5 and fans were super excited! Directed by Sukumar, the film also stars Rashmika Mandanna and Fahadh Faasil in key roles. After three years, everyone was thrilled to see Pushpa Raj back on screen!

    However, right after its release, Pushpa 2 was leaked online on many illegal sites like Ibomma, Movierulz, and Tamilrockers. People could download pirated versions for free in different qualities, such as 1080p and 720p.

    Many were searching online for ways to download the movie. Phrases like “Pushpa 2 Movie Download” and “Pushpa 2 Free HD Download” became trending searches right after the film came out. This leak is worrying because it could hurt the movie’s box office success.

    On top of that, the movie has high ticket prices, which has upset some local fans, even though some politicians supported the price hike. This led to more discussions about the film’s launch.

    Pushpa 2 is the sequel to the famous Pushpa: The Rise from 2021. With a big budget of ₹500 crores, it promises an exciting story and a great soundtrack by Devi Sri Prasad. Other well-known actors like Jagapathi Babu and Prakash Raj also star in this thrilling sequel.

    The story shows Pushpa’s journey in the red sandalwood smuggling world as he faces new challenges. Rashmika returns as Srivalli, now known as Pushpa’s wife, and Fahadh plays his tough enemy, SP Bhanwar Singh Shekhawat.

    To reach more fans, the movie is available in many languages like Telugu, Tamil, Hindi, Kannada, and Malayalam.

  • President Yoon’s Presidency in Crisis Amid Defence Minister Resignation

    President Yoon’s Presidency in Crisis Amid Defence Minister Resignation

    South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has accepted the resignation of Defence Minister Kim Yong-hyun and chosen Choi Byung-hyuk, the current ambassador to Saudi Arabia, as his new defence minister. This change comes after Yoon’s unsuccessful attempt to declare martial law, which he quickly took back after facing strong opposition.

    Kim Yong-hyun, who resigned earlier, reportedly advised Yoon to consider martial law, which led to uproar among opposition lawmakers. They claimed this extreme measure was aimed at stopping efforts to impeach important government officials. Yoon’s chief of staff praised Choi as someone who is reliable and dedicated to his work.

    This martial law issue is just one of the many problems surrounding Yoon’s presidency. He has received lots of criticism for various mistakes, including a scandal involving his wife, First Lady Kim Keon Hee. She was seen in secret videos accepting an expensive Dior handbag, which sparked accusations she was out of touch with everyday people.

    Additionally, the First Lady has been accused of tax evasion, manipulating stock prices, and falsely inflating her resume, causing the public to lose more trust in Yoon’s government. Earlier this year, Yoon also faced backlash for saying spring onions were reasonably priced at a government-supported market, a comment that seemed insensitive during rising inflation. One opposition leader even said, “The president could be undone by a spring onion.”

    Yoon’s popularity has remained low since his narrow election win, where he had the smallest margin in South Korean history at just 0.7%. His approval ratings have been between 30% and 40%, with many people considering his leadership to be poor.

    Moreover, First Lady Kim Keon Hee is said to be even less popular than Yoon, with accusations of plagiarism in her university work and stock market manipulation hanging over her.

    With tensions rising between Yoon and the opposition-controlled parliament, the main opposition Democratic Party has introduced a motion to impeach him, calling the martial law attempt a serious crime. This vote could happen as soon as Friday and shows how divided the political atmosphere has become. While Yoon’s party is trying to protect him, discontent among the public is growing.

    Yoon’s approval ratings keep dropping, recently falling below 20%. Many feel that his decisions are only making things worse and that he seems isolated and threatened. As the impeachment motion approaches and public anger rises, the important question is whether Yoon can bounce back from these troubles or if his presidency is facing its end.

  • Tennis Premier League Day 2: Hyderabad Strikers Shine in Mumbai!

    Tennis Premier League Day 2: Hyderabad Strikers Shine in Mumbai!

    Mumbai, India: The second day of the Tennis Premier League Season 6 was full of thrilling matches at the Cricket Club of India in Mumbai. The Hyderabad Strikers shined, moving to the top of the leaderboard after an amazing performance. The Yash Mumbai Eagles are in second place, followed by the Rajasthan Rangers and Chennai Smashers in third and fourth places.

    The day started with the Bengal Wizards facing off against the Bengaluru SG Pipers. In the Women’s Singles, Kamilla Rakhimova from the Bengal Wizards won against Gabriela Knutson with a score of 14-11. In the Men’s Singles, Niki Poonacha narrowly defeated Bernabe Zapata with a score of 13-12. However, the Bengaluru SG Pipers celebrated a mixed doubles victory when Gabriela Knutson and Anirudh Chandrasekar beat Kamilla Rakhimova and Sriram Balaji 14-11. The Men’s Doubles saw Chandrasekar and Zapata Miralles triumph over Poonacha and Balaji 15-10, giving Bengaluru SG Pipers a strong overall win of 52-48.

    Next, the Punjab Patriots took on the Gujarat Panthers. Ekaterina Kazionova scored big for Gujarat, winning the Women’s Singles 19-6 against Akanksha Nitture. In a closely fought Men’s Singles match, Mukund Sasikumar won against Sumit Nagal 15-10. The Gujarat Panthers continued their success in Mixed Doubles where Kazionova and Vijay Sundar Prashanth outplayed Nitture and Myneni 15-10. Despite a Men’s Doubles victory for the Punjab Patriots by Mukund Sasikumar and Saketh Myneni, Gujarat Panthers won the match 54-46.

    In the third match, the Hyderabad Strikers faced the Chennai Smashers. Harriet Dart won the Women’s Singles 14-11 against Conny Perrin. In the Men’s Singles, Hugo Gaston finished ahead of Benjamin Lock, winning another close match 14-11. Hyderabad’s Mixed Doubles pair of Dart and Vishnu Vardhan won nicely against Perrin and Rithvik Choudary Bollipalli, scoring 16-9. The last doubles match saw Hyderabad lose 14-11 to Lock and Vardhan, but they still won the match overall with 55-45.

    The final match of the day featured the Rajasthan Rangers and Yash Mumbai Eagles. Zeynep Sonmez dominated the Women’s Singles with a 17-8 win against Cristina Dinu. In the Men’s Singles, Arthur Fery edged out Karan Singh 14-11. The Mixed Doubles win for the Yash Eagles came from Sonmez and Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan, defeating Cristina Dinu and Rohan Bopanna 15-10. In the Men’s Doubles, Bopanna and Fery won against Singh and Nedunchezhiyan 14-11, but Yash Mumbai Eagles took the match 54-46.

    After an exciting day of tennis, the leaderboard shows the Hyderabad Strikers in first with 112 points, followed closely by Yash Mumbai Eagles with 109 points, while Rajasthan Rangers hold third place with 103 points, and the Chennai Smashers are fourth with 99 points. The Bengaluru SG Pipers and Gujarat Panthers are close behind at 98 and 97 points respectively. Finally, the Bengal Wizards and Punjab Patriots are tied for seventh with 91 points each.

  • Manager Defends Hazlewood Amid Fox Cricket Controversy Over Comments

    Manager Defends Hazlewood Amid Fox Cricket Controversy Over Comments

    Josh Hazlewood’s manager, Neil Maxwell, has voiced strong criticism against Fox Cricket for creating drama around Hazlewood’s comments. During a press conference after Australia lost to India, Hazlewood, a lower-order batsman, said he didn’t want to discuss the team’s batting performance and suggested that the batters should be asked instead.

    Maxwell believes Fox Cricket twisted this remark to imply there’s a rift within the Australian cricket team. He emphasized that Australian players have never been closer, calling the idea of a divided team “ridiculous.” He said that suggesting Hazlewood’s comments mean there’s trouble in the dressing room hurts the credibility of the media.

    Maxwell also pointed out that media outlets are often desperate for storylines, which makes players reluctant to speak openly. He explained that with so many reporters looking for stories, there’s no benefit for players to share their honest thoughts.

    Fox Cricket used Hazlewood’s quote to fuel discussions among commentators, making it seem like there was tension within the team. This prompted more speculation and criticism about Hazlewood and the team, which only added to the drama.

  • Aditi Rao Hydari Shines as a Freedom Fighter in Heeramandi!

    Aditi Rao Hydari Shines as a Freedom Fighter in Heeramandi!

    Aditi Rao Hydari stole everyone’s heart with her role in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s new series, Heeramandi. She plays a courtesan named Bibbojaan who becomes a brave fighter for freedom. In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter India, Aditi talked about her exciting experience filming the series.

    When asked about any challenging scenes, Aditi shared, “I was really worried about my two mujras. Even though I’ve danced since I was a kid and learned Bharatnatyam, mujra was something completely new. It’s a dance style that requires a lot of skill, especially when taught by someone as detailed as Sanjay Leela Bhansali.”

    She also mentioned that for the important scenes where she delivers powerful speeches, Bhansali asked her to skip meals for a day. “Being a little hungry actually helped me perform better. He joked that when I eat, my speeches might seem more like romantic scenes,” she laughed.

    The series is set during the time of the Indian independence movement and shows the struggle between the courtesans in Heeramandi, Lahore, and British officials. It features a talented cast including Sonakshi Sinha, Richa Chadha, and Fardeen Khan. Excitingly, a second season is already in the planning stages!

  • Vaughan Supports Cummins’ Comeback in Pink-Ball Test vs. India

    Vaughan Supports Cummins’ Comeback in Pink-Ball Test vs. India

    Michael Vaughan believes that Pat Cummins, the captain of Australia, can regain his form in the upcoming pink-ball Test against India during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. In the first Test in Perth, Cummins didn’t perform well, taking only three wickets and leading his team to a tough 295-run loss.

    Vaughan pointed out that Cummins seemed a bit out of practice because he hadn’t played a Test since March. “He’s an excellent bowler and captain, but he looked a bit rusty in Perth,” Vaughan said on The Follow On. “I think this week in Adelaide, he will be faster and more in control after playing last week.”

    In the first innings at Perth, Australia was able to bowl out India for just 150 runs. However, their top three bowlers—Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Josh Hazlewood—struggled in the second innings, allowing India to score 487 runs before declaring.

    Vaughan believes that playing in the first Test is good for Cummins. “It helps him get used to the longer format again, so he should be better this time,” he added.

    Cummins has also seen a drop in pace this year, which made it harder for him to trouble the Indian batsmen. Vaughan explained, “If his speed is down, it gives batters more time to adjust. We saw this during the Ashes when England was able to score easily against him.”

  • Key Stock Market Updates: Vodafone, Torrent Pharma, and More!

    Key Stock Market Updates: Vodafone, Torrent Pharma, and More!

    The stock market had a rollercoaster day and ended almost unchanged, taking a short break after rising for three days. Today, we should watch out for shares of Vodafone Idea, Indus Towers, Torrent Pharma, Bharat Forge, and Indraprastha Gas because of several important news updates.

    PG Electroplast: This company started a plan to raise up to ₹1,500 crore by selling shares, aiming for a price between ₹690 and ₹699 each.

    Bondada Engineering: They got an order worth ₹108.9 crore from the Bihar Renewable Energy Development Agency.

    Force Motors: Their sales grew by just 0.05%, totaling 1,885 units in November, up from 1,884 units last year.

    Torrent Pharma: They made a deal with Boehringer Ingelheim to buy 3 brands that help manage diabetes.

    Bharat Forge: This company also plans to raise money by selling shares, setting a starting price of ₹1,323.54 each.

    Technopack Polymers: Their board approved a plan to give bonus shares to current shareholders, meaning each shareholder will receive one extra share for every share they already own.

    Indraprastha Gas: This gas company will suggest giving out bonus shares to its shareholders at a board meeting on December 10.

    Vodafone Idea and Indus Towers: Keep an eye on these two companies because Indus Towers announced that they have released a 3% pledge of shares by Vodafone’s Promoters to ensure Vodafone Idea pays its debts.

  • Shastri Supports Rohit Sharma’s Move to Bat at No. 5 in Adelaide Test

    Shastri Supports Rohit Sharma’s Move to Bat at No. 5 in Adelaide Test

    Ravi Shastri, the former coach of the Indian cricket team, shared his thoughts on where Rohit Sharma should bat in the upcoming second Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. This Test will take place in Adelaide and start on Friday. Rohit missed the first Test in Perth because he was busy welcoming his second child.

    Now that he’s back, there’s a debate on what his batting order should be. Normally, Rohit would open the batting, but KL Rahul did a great job in the first Test, scoring 77 runs as an opener. Because of this, Shastri believes Rohit should bat at No. 5 to maintain the strong opening partnership with Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal.

    Shastri suggested that Rohit is smart enough to figure out where he can be most dangerous against Australia. He reminded everyone that Rohit started his career batting lower down the order and has plenty of experience. In Test matches, he scored 1,474 runs batting at No. 5 or lower, with nine half-centuries and three hundreds.

    Shastri also praised Rahul’s performance and mentioned that it makes sense to keep him in the opening position while Rohit bats in the middle order. Additionally, Shubman Gill is back from an injury and will likely bat at No. 3, which strengthens India’s batting lineup.

    Shastri feels this is one of the strongest batting teams India has ever taken to Australia. He suggests keeping the same bowlers who played in the first Test to maintain good momentum.

  • California School Shooting: Two Children Injured, Shooter Dead

    California School Shooting: Two Children Injured, Shooter Dead

    On Wednesday afternoon, a shooting happened at a small religious school in Northern California, leaving two kids hurt. The shooter died after what looks like a self-inflicted gunshot, according to local sheriff officials. The exact condition of the injured children hasn’t been shared yet.

    This sad event took place at Feather River School of Seventh Day Adventists in Palermo, a small town with about 5,500 people, located around 65 miles north of Sacramento. Butte County Sheriff Kory L. Honea shared that they received 911 calls about someone who was firing shots at students. They also mentioned that the shooter didn’t have any connection to the school. The reason behind the shooting is still unknown.

    One of the injured kids was flown to a nearby hospital for treatment. After the incident, other students were quickly taken to the Oroville Church of the Nazarene to reunite with their families, as reported by the sheriff’s office. Feather River School has been in operation since 1965 and typically serves fewer than 40 students, according to its website.

  • Mutual Funds Boost NBFCs’ Growth: A Shift in Lending Dynamics

    Mutual Funds Boost NBFCs’ Growth: A Shift in Lending Dynamics

    In October 2024, money from Mutual Funds (MFs) to Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs) jumped by 47%. In contrast, banks only increased their lending to NBFCs by a small 6%. This rise shows that MFs stepped up to help NBFCs because banks are being more cautious due to new rules.

    The total money MFs have lent to NBFCs is now around Rs 2.33 lakh crore, which is a 47.1% increase from last year. Although we don’t have details about the exact amounts for each type of loan, experts believe that NBFCs have been borrowing more through bonds than through commercial papers (CPs).

    NBFCs have been more careful with their borrowing because they worry about keeping up their rapid growth in loans. Meanwhile, banks, which have traditionally been a big source of money for NBFCs, reported only a 6.4% increase in lending over the past year—the slowest growth in almost a year. Since November 2023, bank loans to NBFCs have been steady at around Rs 14-15 lakh crore. This slowdown is partly because the Reserve Bank of India has raised risk rules for banks when lending to NBFCs.

    To find new sources of money, NBFCs are now looking beyond banks. They are exploring options like non-convertible debentures (NCDs), commercial papers, and foreign currency loans. According to Crisil ratings, the share of NCDs in NBFC borrowing grew by 0.30% in the April to June quarter, reaching 28.5%. Even NBFCs with lower ratings are trying to get into the market for NCDs.

    Crisil notes that while banks will still be a major source of funds for NBFCs, the bond market is expected to gain popularity soon, especially as people predict a cut in repo rates.

    Despite these changes, growth in assets for NBFCs is expected to slow down to about 15-17% over the next year. This is down from the 23% seen last year. This predicted slowdown, while still better than the average growth of 14% over the past ten years, is influenced by worries about household debt and the quality of loans. Strict rules from regulators focused on customer protection are also causing NBFCs to readjust their operations. The ability of each NBFC to tap into different funding sources will be crucial, especially given the slowdown in bank loans.