US President Donald Trump has expressed surprise upon learning that NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, who endured an extended nine-month stint aboard the International Space Station (ISS), hadn’t received overtime pay.

Addressing reporters at a White House briefing, Trump even floated the idea of covering the costs himself, after the reporter highlighted that the duo were owed $1,430—$5 daily for 286 days.

“Nobody told me about this. If it comes to it, I’ll pay it from my own pocket, alright? I’ll sort it for them,” Trump declared, visibly taken aback. “Is that it? That’s peanuts for what they’ve been through,” he added, marvelling at the modest sum given their ordeal.

The astronauts, including Williams and Wilmore, alongside Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, returned to Earth on Wednesday via SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft, splashing down off Tallahassee, Florida.

Trump showered praise on SpaceX chief Elon Musk for the rescue. “Thank heavens for Elon. Without him, who knows how long they’d have been stuck up there?” he remarked, crediting Musk’s ingenuity for their safe return.

For Williams and Wilmore, seasoned test pilots for Boeing’s Starliner capsule, what began as an eight-day mission ballooned into over nine months due to technical snags—helium leaks and thruster glitches—that rendered their craft unfit for the journey back.

The Starliner returned empty in September 2024, leaving them reliant on SpaceX. Trump underscored the physical toll of prolonged space stays. “After nine or ten months, the body starts breaking down—bones, blood, the works. It gets grim beyond 14 months. Without Elon, they’d be in a fix,” he said.

In a tangent, Trump drew parallels between Musk’s challenges and his own, claiming Tesla faced vandalism akin to the 6 January 2021 riots. “Elon’s had his share of trouble too,” he noted, blending admiration with a touch of defiance.

A major fire at an electrical substation in Hayes, located in the Hillingdon borough of London, triggered widespread chaos on Friday, resulting in the shutdown of Heathrow airport, one of the busiest in the world. The incident has led to the cancellation or diversion of at least 1,351 flights, including multiple Air India services.

Among the affected Air India flights were AI129 from Mumbai and AI161 from Delhi. While the former was ordered to return mid-air, the latter was diverted to Frankfurt, Germany. The airline also confirmed the cancellation of all remaining flights to and from Heathrow for March 21, including AI111 from Delhi. However, it clarified that flights operating through Gatwick airport will continue as scheduled.

The power outage, caused by the blaze at the substation, left more than 16,000 homes in the UK capital without electricity. The Scottish and Southern Electricity Network, which provides power to over 3.8 million households, confirmed the disruption.

At the time of the shutdown, around 120 flights were airborne over Heathrow, either en route to land or having just departed. The airport, which is central to London’s air traffic network, warned of ongoing “significant disruptions” in the coming days due to the extent of the damage.

Other global carriers were also hit by the incident. British Airways issued an advisory asking passengers to avoid travelling to Heathrow until further notice. Cathay Pacific cancelled all six of its scheduled flights between Hong Kong and London, including CX257 which was recalled after departure. Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport reported that half of its 30 scheduled flights to and from Heathrow had also been cancelled.

Emergency response teams, including 70 firefighters and 10 fire engines from the London Fire Brigade, were deployed to contain the fire. Dramatic visuals of the incident showing thick smoke and bright flames lighting up the night sky were widely circulated on social media.

The timeline for restoration of services at Heathrow remains unclear, as authorities continue to assess the damage and work on restoring power.

Amazon is set to cut 14,000 managerial positions by early 2025 as part of its ongoing cost-reduction strategy, according to reports. This move, which accounts for a 13% reduction in its global management workforce, is expected to help the company save between Rs 210 crore and Rs 360 crore annually. Following the layoffs, Amazon’s total managerial headcount will drop from 1,05,770 to 91,936, according to the report.

Part of broader restructuring strategy

The job cuts come as Amazon continues to restructure its workforce, having previously trimmed roles in its communications and sustainability divisions. CEO Andy Jassy has been leading a strategic overhaul to eliminate bureaucratic layers and enhance operational efficiency.

In line with these changes, the company has launched a “bureaucracy tipline”, allowing employees to report inefficiencies. Additionally, Amazon has revised its managerial directives, focusing on:

• Expanding the number of direct reports per manager
• Limiting senior-level recruitment
• Reviewing compensation structures

These steps are aimed at improving productivity and profitability while ensuring a leaner management structure.

Focus on core business operations

Amazon has also discontinued certain initiatives, including the ‘Try Before You Buy’ clothing programme and a rapid brick-and-mortar delivery service, as it shifts focus to its core business areas.

CEO Andy Jassy’s strategy includes raising the ratio of individual contributors to managers by at least 15% by 2025. His approach is designed to streamline decision-making and remove unnecessary management layers, facilitating faster operations.

Changes in workplace policies

The restructuring follows Amazon’s decision to enforce an in-office work policy, requiring employees to return five days a week starting January 2025. Jassy previously stated that office-based work would enhance collaboration and efficiency.

According to an October 2024 report by Morgan Stanley, Amazon’s restructuring is expected to eliminate around 13,834 managerial roles by early 2025.

Workforce expansion and previous layoffs

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Amazon saw a surge in its workforce, growing from 7.98 lakh employees in 2019 to over 16 lakh by the end of 2021. However, the company later scaled back, cutting 27,000 jobs in 2022 and 2023.

With these latest layoffs, Amazon continues its transition towards a more cost-effective and streamlined workforce, prioritizing efficiency over managerial expansion.