Author: Sarita Jena

  • FMCG Price Hikes: Daily Essentials Becoming More Expensive

    FMCG Price Hikes: Daily Essentials Becoming More Expensive

    Starting this month, many popular brands like Hindustan Unilever, Godrej, and Nestle will raise prices on everyday items like snacks, soaps, and cooking oils. This is happening because the costs of ingredients and materials have gone up. Prices for products like tea, edible oil, and skin creams will increase by 5-20%, making this the largest price jump we’ve seen in the past year.

    The rise in prices is mainly because the import tax on edible oils went up by 22% this September, with more increases expected in 2024. Other essential ingredients, such as sugar and wheat, have also gotten more expensive this year.

    Mayank Shah from Parle Products, which makes well-known biscuits like Hide & Seek, said they are raising prices but are hopeful people will still buy their products. However, recent sales figures show a different story. In October, India’s grocery market grew by 4.3% thanks to rural demand, but sales dropped by 4.8% in November, affecting both city and country shoppers.

    Companies hope these price increases won’t cut too deeply into what people buy. However, experts are cautious about the outlook for the next few months due to higher prices and weak demand from customers. Antique Broking, a company that studies markets, warned that inflation could slow down the recovery of the grocery sector. A tough winter season is also affecting sales of seasonal products.

    To tackle these costs, companies are using strategies like buying products more efficiently and adjusting recipes before raising prices. Nestle, for example, has already upped their prices for coffee by about 20% due to the rising cost of green coffee, one of their main ingredients.

    Overall, shoppers should expect to see rising prices across many products, but companies are trying to introduce these changes gradually to lessen the impact on customers

  • Market Volatility: Smart Tips for Young Investors!

    Market Volatility: Smart Tips for Young Investors!

    Volatility is back in the stock market! This means prices can go up and down a lot. In the next few days, trading activity might slow down, which could really affect stock prices. If you’re thinking about investing, especially in mid-sized companies, keep in mind that this time of year is often bumpy for the market. When stocks start moving a lot without many people buying or selling them, it’s important to be cautious. Always think things through before making decisions.

  • Warner Bros Discovery Appoints New Leaders for U.S. Networks

    Warner Bros Discovery Appoints New Leaders for U.S. Networks

    On December 18, Warner Bros Discovery announced new leaders for its U.S. Networks business. Channing Dungey will be the head of the group. Dungey has a strong background, having worked as president of ABC Entertainment and with Netflix. She was chosen for this role in August after the previous leader, Kathleen Finch, retired.

    Brett Paul has been named the chief operating officer. He will help Dungey put her plans into action while managing business and online strategies. Howard Lee has been promoted to chief creative officer, overseeing the content for Warner Bros Discovery’s TV networks and their streaming service, Max. He will also keep his role as president of TLC and Discovery.

    Susan Kolar has been appointed as the chief financial and strategy officer for U.S. Networks. She will also keep her job as head of the television unit and will report to the company’s CFO, Gunnar Wiedenfels.

    These important changes come as Warner Bros Discovery seeks to separate its cable TV businesses, like CNN, from its streaming services. This shift reflects a broader trend, as many cable subscribers are choosing to cancel their subscriptions

  • Conor McGregor Set to Face Logan Paul in Exciting Boxing Match!

    Conor McGregor Set to Face Logan Paul in Exciting Boxing Match!

    Conor McGregor, a famous Irish fighter from the UFC, has announced a possible boxing match against Logan Paul, a popular American social media star who has also become a fighter. McGregor shared this exciting news on social media, stating that he has made a preliminary agreement with the Ambani family to hold this special fight in India, although he hasn’t said exactly when it will happen.

    Right now, McGregor is dealing with some legal troubles after a jury said he harmed a woman back in 2018, and he has to pay some damages for that. He hasn’t fought since July 2021, when he hurt his leg in a match against Dustin Poirier. He was also supposed to fight Michael Chandler last June but had to pull out because of a broken toe.

    Logan Paul has some fighting experience, too! He went eight rounds with the famous retired boxer Floyd Mayweather, who is 18 years older than him, in an exhibition match three years ago. Paul’s younger brother, Jake, also fought former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson in a popular event on Netflix.

    Stay tuned for more updates about this exciting match!

  • Big Companies Back Trump’s Inauguration Fund Ahead of 2025

    Big Companies Back Trump’s Inauguration Fund Ahead of 2025

    Donald Trump will officially become the US President again on January 20, 2025. Many big companies want to build a good relationship with him, so they are donating to his inaugural fund. This fund is managed by a group called the Trump-Vance Inaugural Committee, Inc., which is a nonprofit organization. This means they can receive as much money as people want to give.

    Here’s a quick look at some of the companies that are helping:

    -Robinhood: The trading app has given $2 million to Trump’s inaugural fund.
    Uber Technologies: Both the company and its CEO, Dara Khosrowshahi, donated $1 million each.
    Amazon: The online shopping giant donated $1 million and will also stream the inauguration on its Prime Video service.
    Meta Platforms: The parent company of Facebook also contributed $1 million.
    OpenAI: CEO Sam Altman is giving $1 million to support Trump’s plans for artificial intelligence in America.
    Bank of America and Goldman Sachs: These major banks are also planning to donate but haven’t said how much yet.

    FAQs

    Q1. What is Donald Trump’s In Inaugural  Fund ?
    A1. It’s a fund managed by a group called the Trump-Vance Inaugural Committee, Inc., which can accept unlimited donations.

    Q2. When will Donald Trump take charge as US President?
    A2. He will take charge on January 20, 2025.

  • Amad Diallo: Manchester United’s Rising Star Shines in the Derby!

    Amad Diallo: Manchester United’s Rising Star Shines in the Derby!

    Kolkata: In early 2023, it had been more than two years since Amad Diallo played for Manchester United. He finally got back on the field on December 30 in a match against Nottingham Forest, but the team lost 1-2. By January, news was out that Diallo wanted to leave the club.

    However, after his remarkable performance in the Manchester derby, where many called it the “Diallo Derby” because he scored the winning goal and earned a penalty, it’s clear that Manchester United doesn’t want to let him go. In the days before the derby, Diallo had helped create five out of United’s six goals. In just the past two months, he contributed to eight goals. In the derby against Manchester City, only one other player, Bruno Fernandes, matched his six important plays. Diallo even touched the ball ten times in the City penalty area—a feat not seen at that stadium since 2017.

    Fernandes praised Diallo, saying, “When he’s like this, he’s unstoppable. I think there’s still a lot more to come.” Diallo is also great at winning the ball back, with a high number of successful pressures in the game. His passing accuracy, with a defender close by, ranks him fourth in the Premier League among wingers.

    Despite a rough patch under previous coach Erik Ten Hag, who left in late October, Diallo has shown he can play in multiple positions. Diallo had less playing time compared to others, but once Ruud van Nistelrooy and Ruben Amorim took over as coaches, his role began to grow.

    After a strong start, Diallo contributed greatly, assisting a goal against Everton and showing great skills on the field. Under Amorim, who has praised Diallo’s ability, he has played more than others like Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho recently.

    Against Manchester City, Diallo played a creative role similar to a No.10, sprinting more than anyone else in the match. He also made crucial interceptions and scored the winning goal with a clever move. Fernandes noted, “He’s always alert, and that’s why he gets penalties and goals.”

    While Rashford and Garnacho have had more overall goals this season, Diallo’s ability to create plays could lead to more opportunities for him in the next few matches.

  • Mumbai Ferry Disaster: 13 Dead, 80 Rescued in Shocking Accident

    Mumbai Ferry Disaster: 13 Dead, 80 Rescued in Shocking Accident

    A shocking ferry accident occurred in Mumbai when a speedboat crashed into a passenger ferry. Sadly, 13 people lost their lives, and more than 80 people were rescued by the Indian Coast Guard.

    The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) reported that the Neelkamal ferry was carrying 85 passengers, including the crew, to the famous Elephanta Caves. The ferry started its trip at around 3:15 PM.

    The accident happened when an Indian Navy boat lost control during engine tests in Mumbai Harbour. This caused it to hit the passenger ferry, which then capsized.

    The Elephanta Island is located about 11 km east of the Gateway of India in Mumbai.

    The Indian Navy and Coast Guard are actively searching for missing persons and have deployed many boats and helicopters for the rescue operations. Local police, the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority, and fishermen from the area are also helping.

    Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis promised to share more information about the accident in the state legislature soon.

    Defence Minister Rajnath Singh expressed his sorrow over the loss of lives in the accident and said that injured people from both boats are getting urgent medical care. “My heartfelt condolences to the families affected. The search and rescue operation is ongoing,” he stated.

    The Elephanta Caves are an important UNESCO World Heritage Site, famous for their ancient rock-cut sculptures dating back to between the 5th and 7th centuries CE. They are a significant part of Indian heritage for both Hindus and Buddhists.

  • HBO Launches New Harry Potter Series: What to Expect!

    HBO Launches New Harry Potter Series: What to Expect!

    HBO is getting ready to bring the Harry Potter story back to life with a new TV series! They plan to turn the seven famous books into a show with seven seasons. The series will follow Harry from when he discovers he is a wizard to his battles against the dark wizard, Lord Voldemort. Francesca Gardiner will be the showrunner and Mark Mylod, who worked on the hit show “Succession,” will be the director.

    Storyline and Team
    Each of the seven books will become its own season. The team wants to stay true to the original films and books while giving us more details about characters that didn’t get much attention in the movies. We’ll learn more about some of the lesser-known teachers and students at Hogwarts.

    J.K. Rowling, the creator of Harry Potter, will help produce the show. Even though her public comments about transgender and non-binary topics have caused some controversy, HBO says it hasn’t affected their decision to work with her.

    Casting
    HBO is currently looking for the actors to play Harry, Ron, and Hermione. They have received auditions from around 32,000 young actors in Ireland and the U.K. Francesca Gardiner and Mark Mylod are watching the audition tapes and hope to pick their favorites by January.

    Filming
    Filming will start in the summer of 2025 at Leavesden Studios, where the original movies were made. The series is set to be released on Max in 2026.

    FAQs
    – When will the HBO ‘Harry Potter’ series be released? The series is expected to premiere on Max in 2026 after filming begins in 2025.
    – Will the series include new content? Yes, it will explore deeper character stories and focus on minor characters and side plots.

  • Germany Eyes Increase of Armed Forces to 230,000 Amid NATO Needs

    Germany Eyes Increase of Armed Forces to 230,000 Amid NATO Needs

    Germany’s Defense Minister, Boris Pistorius, announced that the country might increase its army from 203,000 to 230,000 soldiers. Right now, Germany’s armed forces, known as the Bundeswehr, only have about 180,000 soldiers, which is 20,000 soldiers short of their goal. The need for more soldiers comes as NATO wants to strengthen its forces after Russia invaded Ukraine last year.

    NATO is expected to set new and tougher goals for its members by 2025. This comes because they believe the security situation has worsened since the invasion. Leaders in NATO say they might need between 35,000 and 50,000 extra soldiers to handle a potential attack from Russia. If Germany continues to provide about 10% of NATO’s strength, it will need an extra 20,000 to 30,000 soldiers, effectively creating one more division in addition to the three they are already working to strengthen.

    Germany has been spending more on its military since the invasion, meeting NATO’s spending goals for the first time in many years. However, there are still concerns about how they will continue this spending. Budget issues recently led to political troubles for Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s three-party coalition, leading to a snap election scheduled for February.

  • Rihanna’s Hilarious Request for Mariah Carey’s Signature!

    Rihanna’s Hilarious Request for Mariah Carey’s Signature!

    Rihanna made a fun and bold request during Mariah Carey’s Christmas concert in Brooklyn on Tuesday. While performing, Rihanna jokingly asked Mariah to “sign [her] tit,” creating a funny moment for everyone at the show. This playful request quickly went viral on social media.

    In a fan video, you can hear Rihanna shout, “I need a signature. Who has a Sharpie?” She then grabbed Mariah’s microphone and cheerfully announced, “Mariah Carey is signing my tit, y’all! This is epic!” After the signing, the two singers hugged, which made fans even more excited.

    Mariah’s Christmas tour started in November, but she had to cancel some shows in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York last week due to illness. On December 11, she posted on X (formerly Twitter) that she had the flu and was sad to cancel her concert in Pittsburgh. Sadly, she was still unwell a few days later, so she also canceled shows in Newark and Belmont Park.

    Earlier this year, Rihanna expressed her joy about meeting actress Natalie Portman at Paris Fashion Week, similar to her fangirl moment with Mariah. Mariah later shared on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon that Rihanna called her “one of the hottest women in Hollywood.” Natalie joked that every woman going through a divorce should have someone like Rihanna calling them a “bad bitch.”

    Fans loved the playful moment between Rihanna and Mariah. One user wrote, “The duo we all need in our life!” Another said, “Real women who respect each other’s hard work.” A third user added, “Lmao this is so ICONIC!” It’s clear everyone enjoyed this fun moment between two superstar singers.