Author: Supriya Jena

  • Nazara Technologies Updates: COO Departure and Q3 Earnings Insights

    Nazara Technologies Updates: COO Departure and Q3 Earnings Insights

    Nazara Technologies is in the spotlight as it announced that its Chief Operating Officer (COO), Sudhir Kamath, will leave the company on April 1 after serving for two and a half years. Kamath is moving to Delhi to be with his family. In a farewell letter to Nazara’s founder, Nitish Mittersain, he expressed gratitude for the experiences he gained and hoped to have helped the company grow.

    In its recent quarterly report, Nazara Technologies reported a decline in net profit, dropping 53% year-on-year to Rs 13.6 crore for Q3FY25. Despite strong revenue growth, where operating income rose by 67% to Rs 534.6 crore compared to last year, the company faced rising costs. Advertising and promotional expenses tripled to Rs 145.3 crore, while employee costs surged 86.5% to Rs 88.6 crore.

    The company’s esports division remained its biggest money-maker, growing 20% this quarter. The gaming segment also performed well, seeing over a 50% increase in revenue to Rs 154.9 crore.

    Looking at Nazara’s stock, it closed at Rs 937.7 on Wednesday, up 0.44%, while the market as a whole dipped slightly. Despite a 7% decline over the last three months, the stock has jumped 81% in the past two years. Currently, analysts give it a “Hold” rating, with an average target price of Rs 968, suggesting a 3% upside from its current value. The company’s market capitalization is now Rs 8,209 crore.

  • Kerala Students Hospitalized: Possible Viral Meningitis Outbreak

    Kerala Students Hospitalized: Possible Viral Meningitis Outbreak

    In Ernakulam, Kerala, five young students were taken to the hospital after showing signs of a viral illness that might be meningitis. They are all in classes 1 and 2 at a private school in the Kalamassery area of Kochi and are now in different hospitals in the city.

    A medical officer said, “We think it’s a viral infection, but we need to find out what type of virus it is. The symptoms look like meningitis.” The doctor mentioned that they’ve collected samples from the students’ bodies and sent them to the National Institute for Virology in Alappuzha for testing.

    While they are waiting for the test results, the school has been told to stop classes until March 16. The good news is that all the children are currently stable.

    Viral meningitis affects the area around the brain and spinal cord, causing symptoms like a stiff neck, fever, vomiting, and headaches.

  • Duterte Takes Responsibility Amid ICC Charges: What Happens Next

    Duterte Takes Responsibility Amid ICC Charges: What Happens Next

    Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte recently shared a video on Facebook where he said he takes full responsibility for his “war on drugs.” This comes as he prepares to face legal charges at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague. In the video, which gained 10 million views, Duterte spoke while on a plane, wearing a plain white shirt. He reassured his supporters that he is fine and will continue to serve his country.

    Duterte was arrested in Manila on serious charges of murder connected to his anti-drug campaign, which led to thousands of deaths. He stated, “Whatever happened in the past, I will protect our law enforcement and military.” The ICC has accused him of creating and funding death squads that killed many people suspected of drug use or dealing.

    At 79 years old, he could become the first former Asian leader to go on trial at the ICC. While Duterte faces a long legal battle, he remains optimistic about his future. His daughter, Sara Duterte, who is also the current vice president, is already in The Hague to support him during this challenging time.

  • Durgesh Kumar’s Battle for Opportunities Despite Success in Panchayat

    Durgesh Kumar’s Battle for Opportunities Despite Success in Panchayat

    A few years ago, actor Durgesh Kumar became famous because of one line he said in Panchayat season 2: “Dekh raha hai Binod.” This line turned into a viral meme and helped him land a bigger part in season 3. He also appeared in a film called Laapataa Ladies, which was even selected for an Oscar. Despite this success, Durgesh says he is still having a hard time finding new acting jobs.

    In an interview with the Times of India, he shared, “It has been very tough. People know about my success in Panchayat, but I’ve been working for 12 years and it’s still a struggle. For the past year and a half, I haven’t had an audition call from major film companies. I mostly work with smaller producers who see my talent. The industry knows my work, but I still have to chase casting directors for auditions. Even after being in Highway and Panchayat, no big production house has offered me a lead role. Everyone knows me, but I haven’t received any big offers. I still go for auditions, and sometimes I get selected, but it’s unpredictable.”

    Durgesh also mentioned that the films and shows he is part of often win awards, and many people like his work. However, he feels it’s unusual that he doesn’t get recognized more often. “Even after 25 years in this industry, I don’t get the credit I deserve. But I’m happy that the audience appreciates me,” he said.

    Durgesh Kumar is a graduate of the National School of Drama (NSD) and started gaining attention with Imtiaz Ali’s movie, Highway, in 2014. Since then, he has appeared in popular films like Sultan, Sanju, Dhadak, and Bhakshak. He began as a minor character in Panchayat and has now become a main character by season 3.

  • TVS Motor Reduces Stake in IFQM: Key Impacts Explained

    TVS Motor Reduces Stake in IFQM: Key Impacts Explained

    On Wednesday, people will be paying close attention to TVS Motor Company, which is based in Chennai. The company announced that it now owns only 18.18% of the Indian Foundation for Quality Management (IFQM). This means that IFQM is no longer considered a partner with TVS Motor because their share is below the 20% needed for this status according to Indian law.

    In a statement on Tuesday, TVS Motor explained that IFQM has given out new shares to other investors. However, the company didn’t share any details about these new investors or how many new shares were issued.

    IFQM is an organization that helps improve quality management in different industries. It has some well-known board members, including TVS Motor’s past chairman, Venu Srinivasan, Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran, and Sun Pharma’s Managing Director, Dilip Shanghvi. Other respected leaders like Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw and TV Narendran are also part of IFQM’s council.

    On the stock market, TVS Motor’s shares closed at Rs 2,290.40 on Tuesday, which is a drop of 1.53%. Over the last six months, the stock has fallen by 17.06% and by 7.89% in the past month, although it has gained 0.9% over the past year. TVS Motor said they shared the news about their reduced stake following the rules set by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI).

  • JD Vance and Wife Usha Set for Historic India Visit – Trade Talks Ahead

    JD Vance and Wife Usha Set for Historic India Visit – Trade Talks Ahead

    This month, Vice President JD Vance and his wife, Second Lady Usha Vance, are traveling to India. This will be JD’s second trip abroad as vice president, while Usha is excited for her first visit to India, where her parents came from many years ago.

    In February, JD Vance visited France and Germany, where he spoke about important issues like illegal immigration and people’s rights. His upcoming visit to India comes at a time when the US and India are discussing important trade agreements. Recently, US President Donald Trump mentioned high tariffs (taxes on imports) that countries like India, Brazil, and China charge, which sparked worries about possible trade wars and how they could hurt the global economy.

    Union Minister Jitin Prasada stated that India and the US are working hard to increase trade between each other, which means making it easier to buy and sell goods and lowering the costs for companies. Not long ago, a team from India, led by Minister Piyush Goyal, returned from talks in the US, working on a new agreement to improve trade, which they hope to finish by fall 2025.

    Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Trump recently agreed to start negotiating a new trade deal that will increase trade between the two countries to $500 billion by 2030, a bold goal they call “Mission 500.” This means more jobs and opportunities for both countries!

  • ECI Invites Political Parties to Share Feedback for Better Elections

    ECI Invites Political Parties to Share Feedback for Better Elections

    The Election Commission of India (ECI) is listening to your concerns! They have asked all political parties, both national and state, to share any issues they might have before the upcoming elections. The ECI wants to make sure everything is fair and smooth.

    The Commission has decided to meet with key leaders from major parties to talk about these issues. They’re accepting ideas and suggestions from parties until April 30. They also want help to solve any problems that exist, especially at the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) level, to make the election process better.

    On March 11, the ECI wrote a letter to party leaders suggesting meetings at convenient times to talk more about improving elections. The BJD, BJP, and AITC parties have already agreed to send their representatives to special training programs created for them by the ECI.

    Last week, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar held a meeting with various election officials and told them to keep talking to all political parties regularly. He stressed that any suggestions made in these meetings must follow the law.

    In addition, the Commission wants a report on the actions taken by March 31, 2025.

  • Le’Veon Bell Denies Cousin’s Abuse Claims; Faces $25 Million Lawsuit

    Le’Veon Bell Denies Cousin’s Abuse Claims; Faces $25 Million Lawsuit

    Last year, a woman named Jada Bell claimed that her cousin, Le’Veon Bell, a former NFL player, abused her when she was just six years old. She says this went on until she turned 18. Jada filed a lawsuit in Ohio, saying that Le’Veon hurt her for many years. Recently, a jury decided that Le’Veon should pay her $25 million for what she went through: $20 million for damages and $5 million as a punishment.

    Le’Veon Bell strongly denies these accusations. His brother, La’Vonte, was also ordered to pay Jada over $11 million for his role in the situation. According to court documents, Jada said that Le’Veon would visit Ohio while he was in college and would tell her what to do during these visits, using slang terms that made it sound casual.

    Le’Veon Bell, who previously played for teams like the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New York Jets, is known to support Donald Trump. After the jury’s decision, he wrote on social media that he believes he is being unfairly attacked because he supports Trump. He shared that being a Black man supporting Trump makes people want to come after him.

    Le’Veon’s lawyer stated that his client never received any legal papers about the court case and insisted that they plan to challenge the judgment. They believe Le’Veon’s rights were not respected during the process, especially his right to have a fair defense.

  • Missing Student: New Footage Emerges in Sudiksha Konanki Case

    Missing Student: New Footage Emerges in Sudiksha Konanki Case

    A new video from a surveillance camera shows missing University of Pittsburgh student Sudiksha Konanki, who is 20 years old and of Indian background, smiling and holding hands with a man before she disappeared. Sudiksha went missing while on vacation in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, during spring break. The last time anyone saw her was on March 6 at 4:50 a.m. at the Riu Republica Resort’s beach.

    According to the news outlet Noticias SIN, this video is the last clear image of Sudiksha. It shows her walking down a path at the resort with friends, and it came out after the FBI joined the search for her. In the video, Sudiksha can be seen with her arm around the man’s back as they walk with others. They were having a good time at a disco around 3 a.m. before going to the beach.

    The last person who saw Sudiksha was Joshua Stevem Ribe, a 24-year-old tourist from Iowa. He said he drank too much and passed out on the beach. When he woke up, Sudiksha was gone. He has talked to the police and given different stories about what happened before she disappeared. They are still trying to find out if something bad happened to her.

    Local authorities say that both Dominican and U.S. officials are working together to investigate this case. The Dominican police released a statement saying they confirmed Sudiksha disappeared after 4:15 a.m. on March 6, and that they caught her on surveillance video just before she entered the beach area.

    The President of the Dominican Republic, Luis Abinader, mentioned that they are worried about Ribe’s changing stories. He said, “We are concerned. All government agencies are searching… because reports say that a wave crashed into them on the beach.

  • Godrej Agrovet to Fully Acquire Creamline Dairy Products

    Godrej Agrovet to Fully Acquire Creamline Dairy Products

    On Wednesday, Godrej Agrovet announced an exciting plan to buy the remaining 48.06% of Creamline Dairy Products (CDPL) for ₹930 crore. This move means that Creamline, a company known for its milk and dairy products sold as ‘Godrej Jersey,’ will become completely owned by Godrej Agrovet.

    Currently, Godrej Agrovet already owns 51.94% of Creamline. With this new deal, they will purchase a 47.38% stake from Creamline’s original founders. The main aim of this purchase is to have full ownership of CDPL, allowing Godrej Agrovet to strengthen its position in the dairy market. The deal is expected to be completed by the end of September this year.

    Creamline Dairy Products is based in Hyderabad and focuses on collecting, processing, and selling milk and dairy products. It’s one of the top private dairy companies in southern India, and its products are well-loved under the brand name ‘Godrej Jersey.’ For the financial year ending March 31, 2024, Creamline recorded a revenue of ₹1,540 crore.

    In the last year, Godrej Agrovet’s shares increased by 43.63%, significantly outperforming its competitors. Over the past three years, the stock has seen a 52% return. Recent data shows that Godrej Agrovet has performed better than its industry and major market indexes like Nifty50 and Sensex.