iWorld
Marvel’s Runaways to telecast same day as US on Hooq
MUMBAI: Hooq announced a new exclusive Marvel offering- the first three episodes of Marvel’s Runaways will debut on 21 Nov with brand new episodes coming every week to Hooq, same day as the US telecast.
Hooq chief content officer Jennifer Batty said, “We’re very excited, Runaways ticks all the boxes that we are looking for in a comic book Entertainment series! Everyone thinks their parents are evil when they are a teenager BUT what happens when you find out they really are evil!?! With showrunners like Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage, producers of The O.C. and Gossip Girl, also available on Hooq, we can expect the series to break away from some of the conventions and tropes that muddle teenage dramas. The 1st 3 episodes of Runaways drop on Hooq within 12 hrs of the US on Nov 22nd, and a brand-new episode will follow each week, same day as the U.S. and fully localized for our viewers.”
The series, based on the Marvel Comics superhero team of the same name, follows the story of six teenagers who unite against a common enemy: their parents, who reveal themselves to be super-villains in a sinister group called the Church of Gibborim. Running away from their respective homes, the teenagers decide to work together to right the wrongs of their parents, and set on a journey to discover the secret of their origins in a fun and original spin on the superhero narrative. Helping them in this struggle are larger-than-life characters such as Gert, a superheroine with a telepathic connection to a genetically engineered dinosaur known as Old Lace.
Runaways stars Rhenzy Feliz (Teen Wolf), Lyrica Okano (The Affair), Virginia Gardner (Project Almanac), Ariela Barer (Yo Gabba Gabba!), Gregg Sulkin (Sixty Six, Wizards of Waverly Place) and Allegra Acosta (100 Things To Do Before High School).
Runaways comes at the back of an exclusive landmark deal between Hooq and The Walt Disney Company that gives Hooq exclusive rights to three of Marvel’s series: Marvel’s Inhumans, Marvel’s Runaways and Marvel’s Cloak and Dagger.
iWorld
Tech firms tweak office operations amid LPG shortage concerns
Infosys, HCLTech and Cognizant adjust cafeteria services and work policies.
MUMBAI: When geopolitics turns up the heat, even office cafeterias start feeling the burn. Several technology companies in India are adjusting workplace operations and food services as concerns over a nationwide shortage of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) grow following escalating tensions in West Asia. Major IT firms including Cognizant, Infosys and HCLTech have begun rolling out contingency measures to reduce dependence on office cafeterias that rely heavily on commercial LPG.
The disruption stems from rising geopolitical tensions involving Iran after military action by the United States and Israel reportedly led to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global shipping route for oil and gas supplies. The closure has disrupted the movement of LPG and liquefied natural gas across international markets, triggering concerns about supply constraints and price volatility.
According to a report by The Times of India, Cognizant has advised employees to bring their own meals to office where possible to reduce reliance on office cafeterias dependent on LPG based cooking.
The company has reportedly told staff that it is preparing for potential disruptions driven by supply prioritisation, price fluctuations and pressure on vendor networks.
As part of contingency planning, Cognizant is identifying alternative food vendors that do not rely on LPG. These include kitchens using induction based or solar powered cooking systems.
The company is also exploring partnerships with cloud kitchens that operate on electric or solar power to ensure uninterrupted food supply in case conventional cooking gas availability worsens.
Additionally, Cognizant is evaluating the possibility of expanding work from home or hybrid arrangements for non critical roles, partly to reduce commuting exposure if fuel prices rise sharply due to global energy disruptions.
Meanwhile, HCLTech allowed employees at its Chennai office to work from home on March 12 and March 13 after cafeteria vendors were unable to operate because of the LPG shortage.
Several food service vendors at the campus reportedly suspended operations as they struggled to secure cooking gas supplies, prompting the company to permit staff to work remotely for the two days.
Infosys has also issued internal advisories across multiple locations, including its campuses in Bengaluru and Chennai.
The company informed employees in Bengaluru that cafeteria services would continue but with reduced menu options due to concerns around commercial LPG availability.
As part of the temporary adjustments, live food counters have been suspended, and employees have been encouraged to bring home cooked food while the situation evolves.
While LPG shortages in India remain a developing situation, the measures taken by these technology firms highlight how global geopolitical disruptions can ripple through unexpected corners of the economy, even the humble office lunch.
For companies with large campuses and thousands of employees relying on daily cafeteria services, cooking fuel shortages can quickly turn into an operational challenge. Until global supply chains stabilise, many workplaces may find themselves rethinking everything from food sourcing to flexible work policies.
