First Thing: Microsoft and Meta cut thousands of staff as they bet big on AI

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Meta and Microsoft are cutting thousands of employees arsenic they stake large connected AI and executives declare that nan exertion is gathering productivity needs.

Meta told unit connected Thursday that connected 20 May it would trim 10% of its unit – conscionable nether 8,000 labor – to boost efficiency, portion of a layoff scheme made months ago. The institution is besides closing astir 6,000 unfastened roles. Microsoft announced to employees, for nan first time, that it would connection voluntary status to astir 7% of its US workforce of astir 125,000.

  • What person they said astir AI? Mark Zuckerberg said successful January that AI was making immoderate hiring unnecessary. Mustafa Suleyman, Microsoft’s AI chief, said successful February that he believed AI would beryllium capable to switch astir white-collar activity wrong nan adjacent 12 to 18 months.

  • How galore tech layoffs person location been successful 2026? In 4 months, much than 92,000 labor successful nan manufacture person mislaid their jobs, according to nan locator Layoffs.fyi. But immoderate experts judge companies whitethorn beryllium “AI washing” – utilizing it arsenic screen for a slowing labour marketplace and request aliases rising costs.

Trump claims US has full power complete strait of Hormuz aft Iran seizes 2 instrumentality ships

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards released footage connected Thursday that appeared to show naval forces boarding a instrumentality ship.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards released footage connected Thursday that appeared to show naval forces boarding a instrumentality ship. Photograph: IRIB TV/AFP/Getty Images

Donald Trump has claimed nan US has “total power complete nan strait of Hormuz”, a connection that appeared dubious successful ray of Iran seizing 2 instrumentality ships and a US study informing it could return six months to clear nan strait of mines.

The president’s comments connected Thursday came aft US typical forces boarded a stateless lipid tanker successful nan Indian Ocean, which nan Pentagon claimed was carrying Iranian crude oil. The subject cognition took spot hours aft Iran’s seizure of nan 2 instrumentality ships, arsenic some sides continued to enforce competing blockades connected nan strait.

Footage purportedly shows Iranian forces prehend 2 vessels successful nan strait of Hormuz - video

Trump claimed Iran’s activity was truthful weakened by soul conflict that it was unclear who was successful charge. He besides told reporters connected Thursday that a ceasefire betwixt Israel and Lebanon would beryllium extended by 3 weeks. Hezbollah has not been a subordinate successful nan talks and bouts of fighting person continued passim nan astir caller truce.

  • What astir a bid woody pinch Iran? When asked really agelong he would hold for a semipermanent woody pinch Iran, he replied: “Don’t unreserved me.”

  • Follow developments in this fast-moving communicative on our unrecorded blog.

Israeli sidesplitting of Lebanese journalist draws world condemnation

Amal Khalil, a Lebanese journalist moving for nan regular al-Akhbar newspaper, was killed by Israel.
Israel killed Amal Khalil, a Lebanese journalist moving for nan regular al-Akhbar newspaper. Photograph: Mohammed Zaatari/AP

Israel’s sidesplitting of nan prominent Lebanese journalist Amal Khalil successful a double-tap onslaught has been condemned internationally.

Khalil was killed successful what colleagues described arsenic a sustained onslaught by Israeli forces, pinch rescuers who attempted to excavation her retired of nan rubble besides targeted and prevented from providing life-saving aid. Lebanon’s premier curate described nan onslaught arsenic a warfare crime.

The journalist, who was buried connected Thursday, had antecedently spoken of receiving a threat via an unidentified Israeli telephone number that she would beryllium killed if she did not time off confederate Lebanon, wherever she was based.

  • What is simply a double-tap attack? Forces target a location, hold until group stitchery to thief survivors, and past onslaught again.

  • How galore journalists person been killed successful Lebanon successful 2026? Khalil was nan ninth journalist killed successful Lebanon this year. Last period three journalists were killed successful a double-tap attack.

In different news …

The station connected Truth Social contained remarks accusing Indian immigrants successful nan US tech manufacture of not hiring achromatic native-born Americans and inaccurately alleged that Indian immigrants deficiency English proficiency.
Trump’s station connected Truth Social contained remarks accusing Indian immigrants successful nan US tech manufacture of not hiring achromatic Americans. Photograph: Mark Schiefelbein/AP
  • Donald Trump has shared comments online calling India a “hellhole”, starring nan India to knock the inflammatory station arsenic inappropriate.

  • The Department of Justice’s inspector wide has said it will audit nan department’s compliance pinch nan Epstein Files Transparency Act. The mandated merchandise of documents has been marred by missed deadlines, leaked victims’ accusation and excessive redactions.

  • A US worker progressive successful nan seizure of nan Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro has been charged complete allegedly betting connected nan capture, federal authorities have said.

  • At slightest 1 personification was killed and 5 group injured connected Thursday during a shootout successful a promenade successful Baton Rouge, according to police.

Stat of nan day: More than $1bn was traded connected Kalshi during Super Bowl Sunday

Sports betting has been legalized successful 39 US states and Washington DC since a landmark 2018 ultimate tribunal ruling.
Sports betting has been legalized successful 39 US states and Washington DC since a landmark 2018 ultimate tribunal ruling. Photograph: Gabby Jones/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Gambling addiction is spinning “out of control” successful nan US, a starring campaigner for stricter regularisation of nan manufacture has warned, a position that chimes pinch that held by ample sections of nan US public, 40% of whom backmost nan national authorities “doing much to modulate sports betting”. More than $1bn was traded connected nan betting level Kalshi during Super Bowl Sunday alone.

Culture pick: The 7 champion shows to watercourse this week

Matthew Rhys successful Widow’s Bay, premiering connected 29 April connected Apple TV.
Matthew Rhys successful Widow’s Bay, premiering connected 29 April connected Apple TV. Photograph: Robert Clark/Robert Clark/Apple TV

If you’re searching for a caller show to get stuck into, look nary further. From Widow’s Bay – described arsenic a “a genuinely creepy drama horror” from nan shaper of Parks and Recreation – to a documentary bid astir a female who turned informant erstwhile her fiance confessed that he had killed a man, here are 7 awesome options to take from.

Don’t miss this: ‘I astir discontinue to go a fencing teacher’ – Iron Maiden astatine 50

Iron Maiden successful 1983.
Iron Maiden successful 1983. Photograph: Ross Halfin

Iron Maiden bespeak connected half a period of life arsenic dense metallic legends, which has included lineup changes and changeless gigging, but besides immoderate genuinely dire connection skills. In nan mid-80s, nan set was truthful burned retired that its singer, Bruce Dickinson, considered quitting to become, of each things, a fencing teacher. With a caller documentary reflecting connected their travel retired adjacent month, the set looks backmost complete nan decades.

Climate check: Republican lawmakers effort to shield large lipid from ambiance lawsuits successful ‘alarming’ bills

Pumpjacks operating astatine an lipid section successful Los Angeles, California.
Pumpjacks operating astatine an oilfield successful Los Angeles, California. Photograph: Patrick T Fallon/AFP via Getty Images

Republican lawmakers are trying to create ineligible protections for nan lipid and state industry, alarming biology advocates. New House and Senate bills, led by Harriet Hageman, a Wyoming representative, and Ted Cruz, a Texas senator, respectively, would shield fossil substance companies from lawsuits aimed astatine holding them accountable for damages caused by their emissions.

Last Thing: Crunch time! ‘Kraken-like’ elephantine octopuses 100m years agone crushed bones of prey

Illustration of a elephantine “kraken-like” octopus.
‘I surely wouldn’t person wanted to spell swimming successful nan ancient oceans if these things were swimming around,’ 1 intelligence said. Illustration: Hokkaido University

Scientists person recovered grounds that “kraken-like” elephantine octopuses were among nan astir formidable predators of nan Cretaceous oceans, according to investigation uncovering they utilized to crunch done nan bones of their prey. Measuring up to 62ft (19 metres) successful length, nan palaeontologist down nan investigation said fossils showed that “these were not simply ample versions of modern octopuses”.

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Source theguardian.com
theguardian.com