Entertainment
Deepika Padukone Becomes Voice of Meta AI, Announces With Video
Bollywood star Deepika Padukone has become the brand ambassador and new voice of Meta’s AI initiatives, announcing her collaboration with a promotional video. The partnership aims to blend AI technology with creative expression, highlighting Meta’s push for inclusive AI tools and public engagement. Deepika’s involvement is expected to increase awareness and accessibility of AI technology among a broader audience in India.
Finance
Amazon Plans Major Layoffs, Up To 15 Percent of Its HR Staff Could Be Affected
Amazon is preparing a significant reduction in its human resources department, potentially affecting up to 15% of HR personnel as part of broader cost-cutting measures amid economic uncertainties. This restructuring aligns with other recent layoffs targeting various divisions to streamline operations and manage spending while continuing investments in core growth areas like cloud computing and logistics.
Sports
Living Legend Ariarne Titmus Announces Retirement From Competitive Swimming
Australian swimming icon Ariarne Titmus announced her retirement from competitive swimming, ending a celebrated career marked by Olympic and World Championship medals. Titmus, known for her tenacity and technique, reflected on her journey, sharing gratitude to supporters and advocating for athlete mental health in high-performance sports. Her legacy inspires a new generation of swimmers as she transitions from professional competition.
Science & Tech
India Working on 2-Nanometer Chip: Ashwini Vaishnaw Showcases Wafer
India’s Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw revealed the nation’s ongoing efforts to develop 2-nanometer semiconductor chips during the NDTV World Summit. Showcasing an advanced wafer prototype, he highlighted India’s ambitions in the global chip race and the government’s incentives bolstering domestic semiconductor fabrication. The move demonstrates India’s commitment to technological self-reliance and next-generation electronics leadership.
Finance
China Files WTO Complaint Against India Over EV Subsidies And Batteries
China has filed a complaint against India at the World Trade Organization (WTO), alleging that India’s subsidies for electric vehicles (EVs) and batteries violate global trade rules. The complaint accuses India of favouring domestic firms under the “Make in India” initiative, creating unfair competition. Experts say this move could mark the beginning of a significant trade dispute and impact clean-tech cooperation between Asia’s largest economies.
Science & Tech
Thousands Of Customers Hit As Amazon’s Cloud Service AWS Reports Global Outage
On 20 October 2025, the cloud giant Amazon Web Services (AWS) experienced a major global outage, causing thousands of apps, websites and services to go down. The incident exposed major vulnerabilities in global cloud infrastructure and raised urgent questions about digital resilience and dependency on a few tech-giants that underpin internet services worldwide.
Finance
European Council Approves New Strategic EU-India Agenda With Efforts To Conclude FTA
The European Council approved a “New Strategic EU-India Agenda” that sets priorities for the decade and signals efforts to conclude a free trade agreement (FTA) with India. The agenda aims to deepen collaboration in trade, connectivity, defence, technology and supply-chains. As negotiations resume, both sides face key hurdles like agricultural access and services liberalisation. This step marks a renewed push for a stronger EU-India partnership. (ORF Online)
India
Andhra IT Minister Meets Corporate Leaders In Australia For Tech Partnerships
Andhra Pradesh’s IT Minister travelled to Australia to meet corporate leaders and academics, aiming to forge partnerships in emerging technology, education and investment. The delegation visit reflects the state’s ambition to position itself as a digital-innovation hub and strengthen international collaboration.
Offbeat
American Airlines Pilots Make Emergency Landing After Cockpit Scare
An American Airlines flight operated by SkyWest made an unexpected emergency landing in Nebraska after its pilots feared a hijacking attempt. A malfunctioning intercom caused miscommunication between the cockpit and crew, leading the pilots to believe someone was trying to break in. The plane landed without injuries, and officials later confirmed a technical issue was to blame for the confusion that briefly alarmed passengers and crew during the routine flight.
Science & Tech
OpenAI Unveils Atlas Browser To Compete With Google Chrome
OpenAI has officially entered the web browser market with Atlas, its AI-driven browser designed to rival Google Chrome. CEO Sam Altman described it as a transformative tool powered by conversational navigation and intelligent task automation. Initially launched for macOS, Atlas will expand to Windows and mobile platforms soon. Its integration of ChatGPT technology promises to make browsing more intuitive, personal, and efficient than existing tools.