Amazon Announces 16,000 Job Cuts Amidst Other Global Developments
Amazon confirmed it would cut 16,000 jobs globally, hours after an email detailing the redundancies was mistakenly sent to staff on Tuesday, January 28, 2026, according to the BBC. The cuts were part of an effort to "strengthen the company" and "remove bureaucracy," according to Beth Galetti, senior vice president of people experience and technology at Amazon. The email, seen by the BBC, indicated that employees in the US, Canada, and Costa Rica were affected.
In other news, President Donald Trump stated his administration would "de-escalate a little bit" in Minnesota following the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti by federal immigration officers this past weekend, BBC reported. Pretti's death reignited protests and public outcry across the country. Trump, in a Fox News interview on Tuesday, called the shootings "terrible," referencing the earlier fatal shooting of Renee Good by an immigration officer earlier this month.
Adding to the tensions in Minneapolis, the government of Ecuador condemned what it described as an attempt by a US federal immigration agent to enter the Ecuadorean consulate, BBC reported. Consular officials prevented the agent from gaining access "to guarantee the protection of the Ecuadoreans who were inside the consulate at the time," according to a statement by Ecuador's foreign ministry. Ecuador, whose president is an ally of Trump, filed an official complaint. The incident occurred amidst a crackdown on immigrants in the region, involving 3,000 officers, according to BBC.
Meanwhile, in Texas, a NASA research plane experienced a mechanical issue and had to touch down without landing gear at Ellington Airport, southeast of Houston, on Tuesday, according to ABC News. Video posted to social media showed the NASA WB-57 sliding across the runway on its belly, sending plumes of flame behind it. NASA stated in a post on X that the crew landed safely and that the mechanical issue would be investigated. The WB-57 is a plane with a thin fuselage and two crew seats, capable of flying for about 6 1/2 hours.
In Ukraine, the city of Kherson faces daily risks from Russian attack drones, according to The New York Times. Residents rely on online chat groups for crowdsourced alerts of incoming drones. An example of the situation was seen when Tanya Leshchenko, before stepping outside with her 5-year-old daughter, checked an online chat group for warnings of incoming attack drones. The entire city lies within range of cheap Russian quadcopter drones.
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