It was announced on Tuesday that the wildly popular Squid Game will be returning for its second season in 2024. In addition to the continuation of Squid Game, the streaming service revealed plans for the release of other highly anticipated second seasons, including The Diplomat and the German show Empress, along with the third chapter of Bridgerton.

Squid Game, which debuted in September 2021, quickly became a global sensation. Directed by Hwang Dong-hyuk, the survival drama follows cash-strapped contestants participating in children’s games for a colossal prize of 45.6 billion won or USD 38.3 million, with deadly consequences.

The second season of Squid Game will feature the return of Lee Jung-jae and Lee Byung-hun as Seong Gi-hun and Front Man, respectively. The cast includes Yim Si-wan, Kang Ha-Neul, Park Sung-hoon, Yang Dong-geun, Park Gyu-young, Jo Yu-ri, Kang Ae-sim, Lee David, Lee Jin-uk, Choi Seung-hyun, Roh Jae-won, and Won Ji-an.

The traditional ‘halwa ceremony’, marking the final stage of the preparation process for interim Union Budget 2024, was held this evening at the Union Finance Ministry headquarters at North Block in Delhi. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman was seen unwrapping a huge iron wok which had halwa in it and distributing it to the officials of the ministry.

#WATCH | Delhi | The Halwa ceremony, marking the final stage of the Budget preparation process for Interim Union Budget 2024, was held in North Block, today, in the presence of Union Finance & Corporate Affairs Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Union Minister of State for Finance… pic.twitter.com/wjoyI5QqQ3

— ANI (@ANI) January 24, 2024

Ms Sitharaman was seen stirring the halwa before serving it to the oficials.

Besides Ms Sitharaman, Union Minister of State for Finance Dr Bhagwat Karad also attended the ceremony.

A customary halwa ceremony is performed every year before the “lock-in” process of Budget preparation begins. The lock-in process is observed to maintain the secrecy of the upcoming budget and prevent any leaks before it is finally presented in the Parliament.

According to the ritual, the Indian dessert is served to all those who are directly assciated with the Bidget making process. Post the ceremony, the officials are required to stay in the Finance Ministry till the Finance Minister finally presents the Budget.

The Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court, Prasanna B Varale, has been elevated to the Supreme Court. He will take oath tomorrow, sources said. He replaces Justice S K Kaul, who retired last month. His elevation takes the number of Supreme Court judges back to its full strength of 34.

The 61-year-old has practiced law (specifically civil, criminal, labour, and administrative matters) for over two decades, and previously served in the Bombay High Court.

He took oath as the Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court in October 2022.

While recommending his name earlier this month, the Supreme Court Collegium said it took into consideration the fact that he is among the senior-most high court judges and is the only High Court Chief Justice from the Scheduled Caste.

He would become the third sitting judge from a Scheduled Caste community. The others are Justices B R Gavai and C T Ravikumar.

Justice Varale’s appointment came within a week of the Supreme Court Collegium recommending his name.

“In exercise of the powers conferred by clause (2) of Article 124 of the Constitution of India, the President is pleased to appoint Shri Justice Prasarma Bhalachandra Varale, Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court, to be a Judge of the Supreme Court of India, with effect from the date he assumes charge of his office,” read the notification from the law ministry.