Sharan Hegde, co-founder of The 1% Club, announced a 15% workforce reduction, citing mistakes made during rapid expansion and the role of AI in improving efficiency. The layoffs mainly affected content, research, and marketing jobs. Even with these cuts, the company is still profitable, making $8 million in annual revenue. AI tools like Perplexity AI have helped improve workflows and cut down on unnecessary tasks. Hegde assured the employees impacted by the layoffs that they received severance and support in finding new jobs.

A CID investigation has been launched into an incident where samosas and cakes meant for Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu were mistakenly served to his security staff during his visit to the CID headquarters on October 21. The incident has sparked a political debate, with the BJP criticizing the government for focusing on the samosa issue instead of state development.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has carried out raids across India targeting sellers on Amazon and Flipkart as part of an investigation into suspected money laundering. The focus is on uncovering financial irregularities, including how third-party vendors might be using these platforms to hide illegal funds. This comes as the government increases its oversight of the e-commerce industry in India.

Amazon India has launched ‘Creator Central,’ a new platform to help content creators manage their work more easily. It offers tools like personalized product suggestions, real-time performance tracking, and the ability to manage multiple users. The platform will support over 50,000 creators, letting them create, upload, and schedule content directly from the Amazon app. It also connects with Amazon’s Creator University to help creators grow in the fast-changing content industry.

The GST Council is expected to meet soon after the Parliament’s winter session to discuss changes in GST rates on insurance products, packaged drinking water, bicycles, notebooks, luxury wristwatches, and shoes. One of the key topics will be adjusting insurance tax rates and reviewing the compensation cess. The proposed changes could bring in ₹22,000 crore in additional revenue by lowering taxes on some goods and increasing them on high-end items.

ACME Solar Holdings’ ₹2,900-crore IPO entered its second day with 0.39 times the total subscription. The IPO, priced between ₹275 and ₹289 per share, includes a fresh issue of ₹2,395 crore and an offer-for-sale of ₹505 crore. While retail investors’ portion was subscribed 1.19 times, there was lower demand for the institutional and QIB portions. Before the launch, ACME raised ₹1,300.5 crore from anchor investors.

India is one of the fastest-growing markets for Microsoft Copilot, with one of the strongest research and development teams in the world. Microsoft points to the country’s diverse workforce, including engineers, social scientists, and creatives, who are helping shape Copilot’s development. The launch of Copilot and Copilot Daily aims to change the way humans interact with computers, with Microsoft stressing AI’s role in boosting productivity across industries.

BSNL has started a trial service that lets users make calls without a SIM card or mobile network. This is made possible by a technology called Direct-to-Device (D2D), which uses satellites 36,000 km above the Earth. The service is expected to be especially useful during emergencies and natural disasters, offering satellite connectivity as an alternative when regular mobile networks are down.

TV Mohandas Pai has criticized the Centre’s increasing use of Hindi for official communication with non-Hindi speaking states, especially in the south. He called it “wrong and worrisome” and opposed the imposition of any language. Pai emphasized that citizens should be able to respond in their native languages or English, not only in Hindi. Kerala MP John Brittas also protested the use of Hindi in government correspondence, calling it a deliberate policy shift.

The Hosteller has raised ₹48 crore in a Series A funding round led by V3 Ventures. The company will use the funds to expand its presence across India. It plans to grow from 2,500 to 10,000 beds by 2026, focusing on new markets and strengthening its presence in major cities.