iWorld
Instagram rolls out Valentine’s Day features for posts and chats
Limited-edition fonts, stickers and chat themes add a playful romantic touch
MUMBAI: As Valentine’s Day nears, Instagram and its companion app Edits are sprinkling a little extra romance across timelines, Stories and chats. The platforms have unveiled a limited set of creative features designed to make posts, reels and messages feel more heartfelt, more playful and a touch more dramatic.
From themed fonts and animated text to love-soaked sticker frames, the updates aim to help users turn everyday moments into something more expressive. Whether it is a romantic snapshot, a galentine’s shout-out or a cheeky DM, the tools are built to add colour, personality and a festive glow.
On Instagram, users can experiment with new fonts and text effects for Stories and Reels, wrap photos in Valentine’s-themed frames and tag loved ones with custom mention stickers. Even the comments section is joining the fun, with certain phrases unlocking hidden themes and animations. Notes are getting a seasonal twist too, with hint text and secret phrases designed to keep conversations light and interactive. Meanwhile, chats can switch to a Valentine’s theme in both dark and light modes, giving DMs a cosy, love-letter feel.
Over on Edits, creators get a few extra tricks. The app now offers themed fonts, romantic sound effects such as harp music and heartbeat tones, and dramatic speed controls that can push reels up to 100 times faster for comic or cinematic flair.
The Valentine’s features on Instagram will be available from 12 to 16 February, while the creative additions on Edits are here to stay. Together, the updates turn the season of love into a small digital festival, where a simple post can feel like a card, a chat like a note passed across the room, and a reel like a miniature love story.
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.
