Author: News Desk
Amazon has announced a new round of layoffs affecting roughly 16,000 corporate jobs worldwide as part of an ongoing organisational restructuring aimed at reducing layers, increasing ownership and streamlining decision-making. In a blog post, Amazon’s Senior Vice-President of People Experience and Technology, Beth Galetti, said most US-based employees impacted by the cuts will be offered a 90-day period to seek other positions within the company, with timelines tailored to local requirements in other countries. Those who do not secure internal roles or choose not to pursue one will be provided with transition support, including severance pay, outplacement services and health insurance benefits where applicable. The latest layoffs…
The Fort Kochi–Vypeen Ro-Ro ferry service in Kochi is facing an uncertain future as ongoing financial losses, operational challenges and safety concerns mount, prompting the Kochi Corporation to reconsider its agreement with operator Kerala Shipping & Inland Navigation Corporation Ltd (KSINC). A recent audit highlighted persistent deficits, high maintenance costs, including expensive annual dry-docking and discrepancies in revenue reports that have burdened the civic body with large subsidies. With one of the two vessels scheduled for dry dock soon and a third ordered boat still facing delivery delays, service capacity could be halved. Service issues have also affected passengers, with uneven operating hours contributing to overcrowding on remaining runs.…
Finance Minister K N Balagopal presented the Kerala State Budget in the Legislative Assembly, projecting a revenue increase of ₹45,889.49 crore. The budget places strong emphasis on infrastructure development, social welfare, education, transport, and employment generation. One of the major announcements is the proposal for a high-speed Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) corridor from Thiruvananthapuram to Kasaragod, to be implemented in four phases on the model of the Delhi–Meerut RRTS. An allocation of ₹100 crore has been made for preliminary works. The project will be executed in four segments: Thiruvananthapuram–Thrissur, Thrissur–Kozhikode, Kozhikode–Kannur, and Kannur–Kasaragod. The Union Ministry of Housing and…
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has announced plans to begin commercial manufacturing of the SJ-100 regional aircraft in India within the next three years, signalling a major expansion into civil aviation beyond its traditional defence portfolio. Speaking at Wings India 2026, HAL Chairman and Managing Director D.K. Sunil said the move could help Indian airlines navigate global supply chain delays that have slowed deliveries from major aircraft manufacturers. HAL showcased the SuperJet 100 (SJ-100) aircraft at the event, a twin-engine regional jet suited for routes up to 3,000 km with about 100 seats, positioning it as a potential game-changer for short and medium-haul connectivity in India. Under this strategy, HAL expects to lease up…
Kerala Finance Minister K.N. Balagopal, while presenting the Kerala Budget 2026–27, alleged that beyond manipulating votes, the central government is effectively “stealing” state funds. He criticized the Centre for disregarding Kerala despite the Comptroller and Auditor General’s (CAG) praise of the state’s financial management. Balagopal highlighted that at the very end of the financial year—traditionally the period of highest expenditure—the Centre cut ₹5,944 crore from Kerala’s approved borrowing limit, describing it as a “double blow” to the state. He stated that his budget speech was a way to formally protest this severe financial neglect on behalf of the people of…
Larsen & Toubro (L&T) has secured a significant international infrastructure order worth around ₹10,000 crore for a metro rail project in Saudi Arabia, marking another milestone in its global expansion journey. The contract has been awarded by the Royal Commission for Riyadh City as part of the ongoing development and expansion of the Riyadh Metro, a flagship project under the kingdom’s ambitious Vision 2030 initiative. The scope of work includes engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) of metro corridors comprising both elevated and underground stretches, as well as the construction of modern stations equipped with advanced transit systems. The project will be executed by L&T’s Heavy Civil Infrastructure division, highlighting…
Adani Airports Ltd has called on the Indian government to ease restrictions on how many seats foreign carriers can sell on flights to and from India, arguing that the current seat caps, set by bilateral air service agreements, are constraining growth in the aviation sector and limiting India’s ambitions to become a global aviation hub. At a recent aviation event in Hyderabad, Adani Airports CEO Arun Bansal said that these limits have long frustrated international carriers, including Emirates, which often has demand far exceeding the weekly caps under existing treaties. Bansal called for a shift toward a more liberal “open skies” approach to expand connectivity and support India’s…
Naturals Salon & Spa has rolled out a new “Customer First” membership programme for 2026, calling it a disruptive, customer-centric offering aimed at delivering more value while remaining affordable. Announcing the initiative, C.K. Kumaravel, CEO and Co-founder of Naturals Salon, said the programme is designed to reward loyal customers and make premium grooming services easier to access. Under the offer, customers who pay ₹20,000 will receive salon services worth ₹30,000, delivering 50% additional value. The membership can be used across 900+ Naturals Salons nationwide, with all outlets accepting the programme without restrictions. The membership also allows customers to pre-register up to four family members, enabling shared usage across any participating…
Air India’s CEO and Managing Director Campbell Wilson has indicated that the Tata Group-owned carrier may place additional orders for Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft as part of its ongoing fleet transformation programme. The comments came as Air India prepares to begin commercial operations with its first custom-built Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner on the Mumbai-Frankfurt route from February 1, 2026, marking a key milestone in the airline’s long-haul expansion. Wilson said the airline expects a “huge transformation” of its long-haul wide-body fleet in 2027–28, signalling that more Dreamliners could be ordered beyond the existing commitments. Air India has already placed orders for hundreds of aircraft, with dozens delivered since privatisation and many…
India is shifting its semiconductor ambitions from basic chip production to cutting-edge manufacturing, targeting 3 nanometre (nm) chip production by 2032 and progressing toward 2 nm in the early 2030s as part of its Semicon 2.0 roadmap, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said. The plan aims to bolster domestic manufacturing and design capabilities and expand support for startup chip designers under the Design Linked Incentive (DLI) scheme. The initiative focuses on six key chip categories, including compute, radio frequency (RF), networking, power management, sensors and memory, critical for modern electronics across defence, communications and consumer products. Officials also hope to increase the number of fabless startups in India as…