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 as they bet big on AI and executives claim that the technology is meeting productivity needs.
Meta told staff on Thursday that on 20 May it would cut 10% of its personnel – just under 8,000 employees – to boost efficiency, part of a layoff plan made months ago. The company is also closing about 6,000 open roles. Microsoft announced to employees, for the first time, that it would offer voluntary retirement to about 7% of its US workforce of roughly 125,000.
What have they said about AI? Mark Zuckerberg said in January that AI was making some hiring unnecessary. Mustafa Suleyman, Microsoft’s AI chief, said in February that he believed AI would be able to replace most white-collar work within the next 12 to 18 months.
How many tech layoffs have there been in 2026? In four months, more than 92,000 employees in the industry have lost their jobs, according to the tracker Layoffs.fyi. But some experts believe companies may be “AI washing” – using it as cover for a slowing labor market and demand or rising costs.
Trump claims US has total control over strait of Hormuz after Iran seizes two container ships
The president’s comments on Thursday came after US special forces boarded a stateless oil tanker in the Indian Ocean, which the Pentagon claimed was carrying Iranian crude oil. The military operation took place hours after Iran’s seizure of the two container ships, as both sides continued to impose competing blockades on the strait.
Trump claimed Iran’s leadership was so weakened by internal conflict that it was unclear who was in charge. He also told reporters on Thursday that a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon would be extended by three weeks. Hezbollah has not been a participant in the talks and bouts of fighting have continued throughout the most recent truce.
What about a peace deal with Iran? When asked how long he would wait for a long-term deal with Iran, he replied: “Don’t rush me.”
Khalil was killed in what colleagues described as a sustained attack by Israeli forces, with rescuers who attempted to dig her out of the rubble also targeted and prevented from providing life-saving aid. Lebanon’s prime minister described the attack as a war crime.
The journalist, who was buried on Thursday, had previously spoken of receiving a threat via an unidentified Israeli phone number that she would be killed if she did not leave southern Lebanon, where she was based.
What is a double-tap attack? Forces target a location, wait until people gather to help survivors, and then strike again.
How many journalists have been killed in Lebanon in 2026? Khalil was the ninth journalist killed in Lebanon this year. Last month three journalists were killed in a double-tap attack.
The Department of Justice’s inspector general has said it will audit the department’s compliance with the Epstein Files Transparency Act. The mandated release of documents has been marred by missed deadlines, leaked victims’ information and excessive redactions.
A US soldier involved in the capture of the Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro has been charged over allegedly betting on the capture, federal authorities have said.
At least one person was killed and five people injured on Thursday during a shootout in a mall in Baton Rouge, according to police.
Stat of the day: More than $1bn was traded on Kalshi during Super Bowl Sunday
Gambling addiction is spinning “out of control” in the US, a leading campaigner for stricter regulation of the industry has warned, a position that chimes with that held by large sections of the US public, 40% of whom back the federal government “doing more to regulate sports betting”. More than $1bn was traded on the betting platform Kalshi during Super Bowl Sunday alone.
Culture pick: The seven best shows to stream this week
If you’re searching for a new show to get stuck into, look no further. From Widow’s Bay – described as a “a genuinely creepy comedy horror” from the maker of Parks and Recreation – to a documentary series about a woman who turned informant when her fiance confessed that he had killed a man, here are seven great options to choose from.
Don’t miss this: ‘I nearly quit to become a fencing teacher’ – Iron Maiden at 50
Iron Maiden reflect on half a century of life as heavy metal legends, which has included lineup changes and constant gigging, but also some truly dire communication skills. In the mid-80s, the band was so burned out that its singer, Bruce Dickinson, considered quitting to become, of all things, a fencing teacher. With a new documentary reflecting on their journey out next month, the band looks back over the decades.
Climate check: Republican lawmakers attempt to shield big oil from climate lawsuits in ‘alarming’ bills
Republican lawmakers are trying to create legal protections for the oil and gas industry, alarming environmental advocates. New House and Senate bills, led by Harriet Hageman, a Wyoming representative, and Ted Cruz, a Texas senator, respectively, would shield fossil fuel companies from lawsuits aimed at holding them accountable for damages caused by their emissions.
Last Thing: Crunch time! ‘Kraken-like’ giant octopuses 100m years ago crushed bones of prey
Scientists have found evidence that “kraken-like” giant octopuses were among the most formidable predators of the Cretaceous oceans, according to research finding they used to crunch through the bones of their prey. Measuring up to 62ft (19 metres) in length, the palaeontologist behind the research said fossils showed that “these were not simply large versions of modern octopuses”.
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