Lloyds Banking Group is hiring 300 tech experts for its AI development, focusing on agentic AI. This move precedes a new strategic plan from CEO Charlie Nunn and comes amid industry-wide AI adoption, with potential future job cuts despite current hiring.
Bolivia's President Rodrigo Paz declared a state of emergency after nearly 50 days of anti-government protests over living costs and economic hardship escalated. The move allows the military to clear blockades disrupting food, fuel, and medicine supplies nationwide.
BSH Home Appliances, a German giant, is entering India's mass market for the first time globally. By partnering with local manufacturers and reducing prices by up to 20%, the company aims to capture a larger share of this crucial segment, introducing over 350 new models.
The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has claimed the lives of 17 medics, with the total death toll exceeding 200. The virus has infected 75 healthcare workers, highlighting the strain on the already weakened health system. The outbreak, caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain, is spreading rapidly, with concerns for overcrowded displacement camps.
Australia's NDIS faces proposed 50% cuts to social and community participation funding, threatening programs crucial for individuals with Down’s Syndrome, such as Joe Barham, who relies on these for life skills and social interaction.
The MOEX index fell by 1.3% to 2,409.53 points following the Bank of Russia's decision to cut its key rate by 25 basis points to 14.25%. The ruble strengthened against the yuan, while the US dollar gained and the euro fell against the ruble.
The Bank of Russia has reduced its key interest rate by 25 basis points to 14.25% per annum. The decision comes as economic growth continues at a moderate pace, with underlying price growth edging down, though lending growth has accelerated. The regulator noted that a more accommodative fiscal policy may necessitate a higher key rate path in the future.
Apple unveiled major updates at WWDC 2026, including enhanced Siri integration across macOS, iOS 27, and iPadOS 27. The company also highlighted AI advancements, potentially through a Google partnership, and improvements to older iPhones.
Adel Mohsen, a Yemeni football enthusiast, struggles to watch the World Cup due to power cuts, fuel shortages, and economic hardship exacerbated by over a decade of war. He relies on a public screen in Mukalla, unable to afford home electricity backups or internet streaming.
U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has reportedly told ASML executives he fears the Dutch chipmaker's advanced EUV lithography machines may have been sent to China, a potential breach of export controls. ASML denies this, stating no such machine exists in China, while U.S. officials claim to have evidence but have not shared it.
US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has expressed concerns to ASML executives that the Dutch chipmaker's advanced EUV lithography machines may have been sent to China, a potential breach of export controls. ASML denies this, stating no such machine exists in China, while the US Commerce Department claims to have evidence but has not shared it.
US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has reportedly raised concerns with ASML executives about the potential presence of the Dutch chipmaker's advanced EUV lithography machines in China, a move that would violate US export controls. ASML denies any such machines are in China, while the US Commerce Department claims to have evidence but has not shared it. The situation highlights ASML's critical role in AI chip production and the geopolitical implications of advanced technology.
Indian IT stocks, including Tata Consultancy Services, Infosys, and Tech Mahindra, fell up to 7% on Friday following Accenture's reduced revenue growth forecast for FY26 to 3-4%, impacting sector sentiment.
Z.ai launched GLM-5.2, a powerful open-source AI model trained on Huawei Ascend chips, showing strong performance on benchmarks like FrontierSWE and SWE-bench Pro. The model boasts a 1 million-token context window and an MIT license, with competitive API pricing and potential for local deployment.
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel acknowledged the need for "urgent changes" to address a severe economic crisis, admitting that internal issues like "slowness, bureaucracy" contribute significantly, not just the US blockade. He cited China and Vietnam as potential models for reform.
Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar announced the severing of all contact with EU top diplomat Kaja Kallas following reports she compared Israel to apartheid-era South Africa. Kallas attempted to de-escalate, but Sa'ar demanded a clear retraction or denial.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced a review of US military presence in Europe, linking future troop numbers and NATO dues to allies' defense spending. He criticized "free riding" and "shameful" inaction on using airbases for strikes against Iran, threatening force reductions in low-spending nations.
City & Guilds has guaranteed that plans for mass compulsory redundancies and offshoring of UK jobs to Greece will no longer go ahead, following union negotiations. The vocational training body faced backlash after its acquisition by PeopleCert.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar has severed contact with EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, citing a Euractiv report alleging Kallas compared Israel's treatment of Palestinians to Apartheid South Africa. Kallas responded by emphasizing the EU's commitment to a two-state solution and condemning settlements, but did not directly deny the alleged comparison.
Activists protested the SuperReturn private equity conference in Berlin, criticizing the industry's practices of wealth extraction and high debt financing. They argue that private equity firms prioritize profit over company growth and worker welfare, often leading to detrimental effects on businesses and the economy.
Activists protested the SuperReturn private equity conference in Berlin, highlighting wealth inequality and the controversial practices of private equity firms. They argue that much of the superrich's wealth is inherited and advocate for higher inheritance taxes.
Le secrétaire à la Défense américain, Pete Hegseth, a annoncé un réexamen de la présence militaire des États-Unis en Europe d'ici six mois. Il a menacé de réduire la contribution américaine au budget de l'OTAN si les pays européens ne respectent pas leurs engagements de dépenses de défense.
Morris Chang, founder of TSMC, cautioned companies against layoffs, especially if rehiring is likely within a year. He highlighted hidden costs like severance and training, and the impact on employee trust, drawing from TSMC's controversial 2009 performance-based layoffs.
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos countered widespread fears of AI-induced job losses at a Paris tech conference, predicting instead a future labor shortage due to AI's ability to identify more problems and unlock productivity. This optimistic view contrasts with recent reports showing AI as a leading reason for job cuts.
