Author: Aneek Chatterjee

The highly anticipated return of House of the Dragon on HBO and Max saw an unexpected drop in viewership for its Season 2 premiere.  Viewership Comparison According to Nielsen data provided by Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), the Season 2 opener garnered 7.8 million viewers across linear and streaming platforms, a 22% decline from the series’ groundbreaking premiere in 2022 which amassed nearly 10 million viewers (Variety, 2023). Despite this dip, the episode marked Max’s biggest streaming day ever globally, as WBD highlighted the platform’s record-breaking success. In the lead-up to the Season 2 premiere, Season 1 experienced a resurgence with…

After a protracted selection process, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte has emerged as the frontrunner to assume the role of NATO Secretary-General. His ascension has become apparent after Hungary and Slovakia signalled their willingness to back his candidacy, leaving Romania as the sole holdout among the alliance’s 32 members. Stoltenberg’s Approval Rutte’s path to the coveted position was paved by strategic concessions he made to allay the concerns of both countries. With this backing, Jens Stoltenberg, the incumbent Secretary-General, expressed confidence that Rutte’s appointment would be finalized imminently, hailing him as “a very strong candidate” and that “very soon, the…

First there were 20, now remain only the Super 8. The ICC T20 World Cup is heating up as it shifts from the United States to the West Indies for the business end of the tournament. Cricketing titans India, Australia, England and South Africa, are joined by resurgent Bangladesh and Afghanistan, while impressive co-hosts West Indies and the USA round out the pools. Super 8 Qualifiers The eight qualified teams have been divided into two formidable groups. Each team will face off against their group counterparts once, leaving no room for complacency. The top two teams from each group will then…

When the United States was awarded the hosting rights for the T20 World Cup, skepticism reigned supreme. The nation is known for baseball and rugby, lately football too. The USA cricket team? Not so much. The narrative of the tournament has largely centred around the low attendances and tricky pitch conditions. Yet it is on the 22 yards that the host nation has done its talking. The USA cricket team has already scripted an extraordinary tale, defying the odds and capturing the imagination of the spectators. Roaring to victory against Canada in their opening match, before following that up with…

The largest democratic elections in the world have begun. A staggering 373 million citizens across 27 European Union member-states head to cast their votes for the next European Parliament from 6th to 9th June. Voters’ choices will resonate far beyond the borders of individual nations, as they choose the 720 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) for the next five years. Looming large on the agenda are the ravages of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the perennial issues of immigration and climate change. The outcome of these elections will be pivotal in shaping the bloc’s priorities and…

Chhetri. Chhetri. Chhetri. It’s Wednesday afternoon. 35 degrees. Anyone wandering out for a shopping spree would surely be insane. But not in Maidan Market, Kolkata. The iconic sports goods market is jam-packed and claustrophobic, not a buzz but a bombination of activity, with only one name being uttered, over and over and over again. Chhetri. Chhetri. Chhetri. Everyone wants a number 11 India jersey with Chhetri printed on the back. So do I. A shopkeeper, one of the 500-odd in the tiny market, asks me if I’m going to watch the match. I say I am. He gives me a…

22-year-old Italian sensation Jannik Sinner is set to become the men’s tennis world No. 1 when the PIF ATP rankings are updated on Monday, 10th June.  Sinner defeated Grigor Dimitrov 6-2, 6-4, 7-6 (7-3) to qualify for the semi-finals of Roland-Garros and guarantee the No. 1 spot after incumbent No. 1 Novak Djokovic had withdrawn from the tournament. Sinner will be the first Italian and just the 29th player ever to occupy the top spot. Djokovic’s Withdrawal Crowned the New No. 1 Jannik Sinner had come to Roland-Garros neck-to-neck in the points rankings with Novak Djokovic. The Italian needed to…

The United Kingdom’s political landscape is poised for a seismic shift, as the latest prediction polls indicate an unprecedented triumph for the Labour Party in the forthcoming general election. According to the authoritative YouGov MRP (Multilevel Regression and Post-stratification) model, Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour is projected to secure a staggering 422 seats, consigning Rishi Sunak’s Conservative Party to a mere 140 seats – their worst performance in over a century. Conservatives Face Total Wipeouts If the Labour Party was to secure 422 seats in Parliament as predicted, it would set be unprecedented. The projected landslide would surpass even Tony Blair’s…

In a historic election result in South Africa, the African National Congress (ANC) has lost its decades-long parliamentary majority for the first time since the nation’s transition to democracy in 1994. With nearly all votes counted, the once-dominant liberation movement garnered a mere 40.21% of the vote, a far cry from the absolute majority it has commanded for the past 30 years. Opposition and Provincial Results Among the other political parties, the Democratic Alliance (DA) led the way with 21.78% of the votes, while former President Jacob Zuma’s newly formed uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) secured 14.59% and the Economic Freedom…

The Wembley arch awaits the victors. Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid take centre stage in the 2024 Champions League final. Dortmund return to Wembley hoping to exorcise the demons from their agonizing 2-1 final defeat to Bayern Munich at the same venue in 2013. Their underdog journey to the final stage has been an incredible rollercoaster ride defined by resilience and a determination to etch their name into European folklore. Their opponents could hardly be more daunting – 14-time champions and European heavyweights Real Madrid. Carlo Ancelotti’s cool, calm, and collected side have navigated a treacherous draw with the unflustered…