iWorld
ZEE5 Global launches ‘Refer And Earn’ program
Mumbai: Get ready to elevate your entertainment game as streaming platform ZEE5 Global launches a unique ‘Refer and Earn’ program, an unmissable opportunity for consumers in India and the US.
All you have to do is refer your friends and family in the United States to sign up for ZEE5 Global. When they successfully subscribe to ZEE5 Global, both of you not only dive into an expansive library of premium content featuring unmissable blockbusters such as Sam Bahadur, Tejas, Ghoomer, Gadar 2, Koose Munisamy Veerappan and ZEE5 Originals like Kadak Singh, Mrs. Undercover, Duranga 2, Tarla, Abar Proloy, etc. but you also bag some amazing gifts!
While your friend in the US gets a 50 per cent discount on the monthly subscription fee, you get a gift voucher worth Rs 500! It’s a win-win situation where every referral unlocks a treasure trove of entertainment and rewards you generously.
ZEE5 Global chief business officer Archana Anand said, “The Refer and Earn program is more than a simple referral initiative; it represents a unique opportunity to explore, connect, and share the richness of South Asian entertainment through our unparalleled content library on ZEE5 Global. What sets this program apart is its dual benefit as both the referrer and the referral gain from joining. This unique initiative makes it even easier for subscribers across India to share their favourite content with their family and friends in the US and get rewarded for it. The participation we’re already seeing underscores the exceptional value of the program, and we’re looking forward to its enormous success.”
Participation is a breeze:
- Go to ZEE5.com/Referral or simply click on the dedicated ‘Refer and Earn’ tab on the ZEE5.com homepage.
- Generate a unique referral link to share with friends and family in the United States, inviting them to join the ZEE5 Global community.
- Sit back and wait for your free Rs. 500 voucher!
iWorld
Meta plans 8,000 layoffs in new AI-led restructuring wave
First phase from May 20 may cut 10 per cent workforce amid AI pivot.
MUMBAI: At Meta, the future may be artificial but the cuts are very real. The social media giant is reportedly preparing a fresh round of layoffs, with an initial wave expected to impact around 8,000 employees as it doubles down on its artificial intelligence ambitions. According to a Reuters report, the first phase of job cuts is slated to begin on May 20, targeting roughly 10 per cent of Meta’s global workforce. With nearly 79,000 employees on its rolls as of December 31, the move marks one of the company’s most significant workforce reductions in recent years.
And this may only be the beginning. Sources indicate that additional layoffs are being planned for the second half of the year, although the scale and timing remain fluid, likely to be shaped by how Meta’s AI capabilities evolve in the coming months. Earlier reports had suggested that total cuts in 2026 could reach 20 per cent or more of its workforce.
The restructuring comes as chief executive Mark Zuckerberg continues to steer the company towards an AI-first operating model, committing hundreds of billions of dollars to the transition. Internally, this shift is already visible: teams within Reality Labs have been reorganised, engineers have been moved into a newly formed Applied AI unit, and a Meta Small Business division has been created to align with broader structural changes.
The trend is hardly isolated. Across the tech sector, companies are trimming headcount while investing aggressively in automation. Amazon, for instance, has reportedly cut around 30,000 corporate roles nearly 10 per cent of its white-collar workforce citing efficiency gains driven by AI. Data from Layoffs.fyi shows over 73,000 tech employees have already lost jobs this year, compared with 153,000 in all of 2024.
For Meta, the move echoes its earlier “year of efficiency” in 2022–23, when about 21,000 roles were eliminated amid slowing growth and market pressures. This time, however, the backdrop is different. The company is financially stronger, generating over $200 billion in revenue and $60 billion in profit last year, with shares up 3.68 per cent year-to-date though still below last summer’s peak.
That contrast underlines the shift underway. These layoffs are less about survival and more about reinvention. As Meta restructures itself around AI from autonomous coding agents to advanced machine learning systems, the question is no longer whether the company will change, but how many roles will be left unchanged when it does.
