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The tech industry is going through a tough time right now. Big Tech companies including Meta, Amazon, and Twitter have laid off hundreds and thousands of employees in the last couple of months. Joining the list of tech companies is the networking major Cisco. As per the latest reports, the company has started laying off 5 per cent of its workforce. 

Reports of Cisco considering firing employees surfaced last month. The networking company is said to have laid off around 5 per cent of the workforce, which is over 4000 employees. It is said that the layoffs are a part of "rebalancing" act while "rightsizing certain businesses".

As per the latest news on a news channel, West Benga Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee breaking ranks and showing the way to the Congress Party, rallying behind the Centre and saying that it is time to put India first.  She says, "I am not going to question the Centre, we are going to support the Centre on this issue."Indian and Chinese troops clashed in the Tawang sector of Arunachal Pradesh on December 9, which led to injuries to a few personnel on both sides. 

The Central Government may land in trouble over a third consecutive extension granted to Enforcement Directorate SK Mishra. The Supreme Court of India today issued a notice to the Centre seeking its response in view of a petition challenging the third extension of tenure given to Mishra. The plea alleged that the move is destroying the democratic process of the country. The plea was filed by the General Secretary of the Madhya Pradesh Mahila Congress Committee Jaya Thakur.

A bench of justices BR Gavai and Vikram Nath issued notice to Centre and others on the plea. Thakur claimed that Mishra has been given an extension despite the matter being subjudice and initial adverse order against the respondent ED Director SK Mishra in another petition filed by the activist in the Supreme Court. The petitioner has challenged the Centre decision dated November 17 2022 whereby the govt has extended the third tenure of the director of Enforcement Directorate SK Mishra.

In what could heighten the political war of words between the Congress-ruled states and the NDA-ruled Centre, the Centre has refused to return to three states the accumulated corpus deposited under the New Pension Scheme (NPS).

“There is no proposal under consideration of Government of India for restoration of old pension scheme,” the Finance Ministry said in an answer in Parliament to a question asked by MP Asaduddin Owaisi.

The Finance Ministry has also said that there is no provision under law to refund the NPS funds to any of the state governments.

Parties opposed to the BJP can win with a “huge majority” in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections if they are united, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said on Sunday while addressing the open session of the national council meeting of the Janata Dal (United).

“There will be no third front in 2024, what will be formed next time will be the ‘main front’,” he said adding that if opposition parties are united, they can defeat the BJP. “Everyone should remain united. If we remain united, we will win maximum seats in 2024.”

Kumar’s JD(U) had won the 2020 assembly elections in the NDA alliance with the BJP. In August this year, the JD(U) chairperson walked out of the alliance and formed a ‘mahagathbandhan’ with seven parties, including the Congress and Lalu Prasad Yadav’s RJD.