iWorld
VICE India Releases New Original Crime Series, ‘क Se Crime’ – The VICE Guide to Crime in India
Mumbai: Today, VICE India released the first episode, ’न Se Nakal Mafia’ of its non-fictional six-part crime series, 'क Se Crime – The VICE Guide to Crime in India’. The episode is currently airing on the VICE India Facebook Page. . The series is inspired by the now trending Amazon Prime Original crime thriller Series, ‘Mirzapur’.
‘Nakal Mafia’ takes a closer look at an act that seems to be quintessentially Indian, the cheating racket. Getting into a prestigious educational institution or government job is a matter of prestige for most in India; and a way to move up in life for many. This is the primary reason for criminal gangs that specialize in the ways to get ahead in papers to having examination centres infiltrated by examiners and teachers on exams thrive in UP and Bihar, that will do everything from leaking question their payroll, to even sending an impersonator to take an exam for someone else.
The remaining episodes will release over the course of two weeks looking at different aspects of crime in Uttar Pradesh. These episodes include ‘ग Se Gang’, a look at how organized criminal gangs function, and rise to positions of power and influence. The other episodes in the series include ‘श Se Shooter’, ‘औ Se Auzaar’, ‘फ Se Faraari’ and ‘स se Smuggling.’
Subsequently, VICE India will be distributing this original episodic series beyond its owned-and-operated platforms in India; providing it global reach through its international presence.
Speaking about the show, Samira Kanwar, Head of Content at VICE India said, “We are very excited to showcase this particular piece of original work to our audiences. The VICE Guide To Crime In India, is a reflection of what we intend to do as VICE India – capture the pulse of India in a way that is culturally relevant and goes beyond languages or regions we come from.”
#कseCrime
Please watch the episode here: क se Crime: N se Nakal Mafia – Inspired by Amazon Prime Original's Mirzapur
iWorld
Snapchat parent Snap cuts 16 per cent of workforce in AI-driven restructuring
The Snapchat parent is axing around 1,000 jobs and closing 300 open roles to save $500m, as artificial intelligence makes smaller teams the new normal
CALIFORNIA: Snap is snapping. The Snapchat parent has confirmed plans to cut around 1,000 employees, roughly 16 per cent of its full-time workforce, as it bets that artificial intelligence can do what headcount once required. Shares jumped more than 10 per cent in premarket trading on the news, a brisk vote of confidence from a market that has watched the stock shed about 31 per cent this year.
The restructuring, which also closes more than 300 open roles, follows pressure from activist investor Irenic Capital Management, which holds an economic interest of about 2.5 per cent in the company and has been loudly pushing Snap to tighten its portfolio and lift performance. The firm got what it asked for, and then some.
Chief executive Evan Spiegel told employees the cuts would reduce annualised expenses by more than $500m by the second half of the year. The company expects to incur charges of between $95m and $130m related to the layoffs, mostly severance, with the bulk landing in the second quarter. Staff in Snap’s North America team were asked to work from home on the day of the announcement.
The financial backdrop is not without bright spots. Snap expects first-quarter revenue to rise around 12 per cent to approximately $1.53 billion, broadly in line with analyst estimates. Adjusted core profit for the January to March quarter is forecast at about $233m, comfortably ahead of Wall Street’s expectation of $186.8m.
The harder question surrounds Specs, Snap’s augmented reality smart glasses subsidiary, which Irenic has urged the company to spin off or shut down entirely. The unit has absorbed more than $3.5 billion in investment and burns through approximately $500m in cash annually. Snap is pressing ahead regardless, with a consumer product expected later this year, even as Meta leads the market in the segment.
Spiegel is betting that leaner teams, smarter machines and a consumer AR play can restore Snap’s credibility with investors who have run out of patience. The redundancy notices have gone out. The harder restructuring, the one that requires a hit product rather than a headcount reduction, is still very much pending.
