United News of Bangladesh

Microsoft is cutting 4,800 jobs, or about 2.1% of its global workforce, including around 1,600 positions in its Xbox gaming division, as the company restructures the business to improve its performance. The company announced Monday that the Xbox layoffs are part of a broader reorganization aimed at "resetting" the gaming business as it faces growing competition. "Our business today is not healthy," Xbox CEO Asha Sharma said in a memo to employees. Sharma, who took charge of the gaming division earlier this year, said Xbox's profit margins are three to 10 times lower than those of comparable gaming platforms and publishing businesses. She said the gaming industry is also facing a major hardware crisis as the cost of console components continues to rise. Xbox competes with Sony's PlayStation and Nintendo's Switch in the global console market. Sharma said Microsoft plans to eliminate another 1,600 Xbox jobs during the current fiscal year, which began last week. The company will also spin off four video game development studios that it had previously acquired. Microsoft completed its $69 billion acquisition of gaming company Activision Blizzard nearly three years ago. The deal brought popular franchises such as Call of Duty under Microsoft's ownership and was intended to strengthen its game development portfolio while expanding its Netflix-style game subscription service. However, Sharma said those businesses had generated value but had not grown as quickly as the company had expected. The Xbox job cuts come on top of Microsoft's wider workforce reduction announced Monday. Chief People Officer Amy Coleman said the broader layoffs reflect changing customer needs. In a blog post, Coleman also clarified that the positions being eliminated are "not being replaced by AI." The latest layoffs follow voluntary buyout offers Microsoft made to about 8,750 employees in May. According to Coleman, more than 30% of eligible workers accepted those retirement offers.  

Ukraine is increasingly using midrange drones to strike Russian supply routes far behind the front lines, a strategy military commanders say is disrupting logistics, slowing Russian advances and helping Ukrainian forces regain ground. From an underground command centre in Ukraine's Kharkiv region, drone operators monitor live thermal images of roads in Russian-held territory. Once they spot a military vehicle, they guide the drone toward its target, aiming to destroy fuel, ammunition and troop supplies before they reach the battlefield. "Our mission is to cut logistics," said Kat, commander of Ukraine's K-2 Brigade. "If we stop their supply lines, frontline troops are left without food, ammunition, batteries and night-vision equipment. That's how we weaken them." The soldiers interviewed by The Associated Press used only their military call signs, following Ukrainian military rules. By repeatedly targeting roads used to transport fuel, ammunition and reinforcements, Ukrainian commanders say they have made Russia's supply operations slower, more expensive and less reliable. They believe this has helped slow Russian offensives while allowing Ukraine to launch counterattacks and carry out strikes in Russian-occupied Crimea. Until recently, this area was difficult for Ukraine to reach. Frontline drones lacked the necessary range, while long-range drones were reserved for strategic targets hundreds of kilometres away. That left a large area where Russian forces could move supplies with little threat. Now, fixed-wing midrange drones equipped with Starlink satellite communications have filled that gap, turning Russian supply routes into active targets. "They are putting constant pressure on Russian logistics and making it harder for Russia to keep some parts of the front supplied," said Samuel Bendett, a researcher at the Center for Naval Analyses. Bendett said Ukraine will need to maintain this pressure while Russia develops ways to counter the drones. Although he expects Moscow to adapt over time, he said Russia's larger military can absorb greater losses for now. "The key question is whether Ukraine can keep up this pressure in the coming weeks and months," he said. The K-2 Brigade operates from what looks like an ordinary office, while drones are assembled in workshops and launched from hidden locations near the front. Inside the command room, drone pilots dressed in civilian clothes work at desks covered with coffee cups, energy drink cans and electronic devices. Their computer screens display satellite maps and target locations rather than office documents. In May alone, the brigade launched 800 midrange drones, successfully hitting their intended targets with 650 of them. The drones are launched more than 200 kilometres away, after which pilots in Kharkiv take control. They can guide the aircraft for up to four hours and more than 100 kilometres behind Russian lines. Some operators are flying drones over towns they once called home before Russia's invasion forced them to leave. They now search those same streets for Russian troops, military vehicles and ammunition depots. The brigade even keeps a scoreboard tracking the performance of its 10 drone teams. The current record stands at 17 successful strikes in a row. One of the unit's top drone operators, 20-year-old Pharaon, said his gaming experience helped prepare him for the job. "When I was younger, I spent a lot of time playing Counter-Strike," he said. "It's similar in some ways because you're competing to destroy enemy targets." Military experts say Ukraine's campaign gained momentum earlier this year after SpaceX blocked Russian forces from using Starlink satellite services without authorisation. The move disrupted Russian drone operations while giving Ukraine a technological advantage. Rob Lee, a senior fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute's Eurasia Program, described the Starlink restriction as one of the year's most significant developments on the battlefield. Pharaon said the improvement has been dramatic. "Now, eight out of every 10 missions are successful," he said. "A few months ago, it was the opposite." The K-2 Brigade mainly uses the Dart drone, an inexpensive aircraft made from lightweight materials including wood, polystyrene and 3D-printed parts. It is mainly used to attack Russian supply convoys. Larger drones, such as the Hornet, carry heavier explosives and are used against bridges and other infrastructure. Before every mission, crews inspect batteries, cameras, flight controls and the Starlink communication system to ensure the drone remains connected throughout the flight. The drones are then taken to concealed launch sites near the front line, where soldiers prepare them for takeoff using catapult launchers. Russia was initially caught off guard when Ukraine expanded the campaign about three months ago. It has since increased mobile air defence teams, machine-gun positions and drone interception units, but Ukrainian commanders say the speed and scale of the attacks have allowed them to stay ahead. Bendett said Russia also faces coordination problems between military units, making it harder to respond quickly when drones are detected. Ukraine has focused many of its attacks on key highways linking the occupied cities of Mariupol, Berdyansk, Melitopol and Crimea, which are major supply routes for Russian forces in southern and eastern Ukraine. According to Ukraine's military intelligence, repeated drone attacks have made parts of the land corridor connecting Russia to Crimea increasingly dangerous, disrupting the movement of fuel, ammunition and reinforcements. Pharaon said Russia is now expanding its anti-aircraft defences and deploying more interception teams near major cities. In response, Ukrainian drone operators plan routes that avoid known Russian air defence positions. During flights, they sometimes see anti-aircraft fire below as the drones continue toward their targets. Lee said Russia has also been testing electronic warfare systems designed to interfere with Starlink since 2024, but so far those efforts have had only limited success. "I think they have achieved some success, but we'll have to wait and see how effective it becomes," he said.

A piece of advanced technology inside the official match ball played a decisive role in one of the most dramatic moments of the FIFA World Cup, helping officials rule out a late Croatia goal against Portugal. The controversial decision came deep into stoppage time on Thursday when Croatia appeared to have scored a dramatic equalizer against Portugal in Toronto. However, the goal was disallowed after the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) determined that Croatia's Igor Matanovic had made a slight touch on the ball before it reached Mario Pasalic, who was in an offside position. Portugal went on to win the match 2-1 and secure a place in the Round of 16, while Croatia's players and supporters were left frustrated, believing the goal had been wrongly ruled out. According to FIFA, the decision was based on its "connected ball technology," which uses advanced sensors inside the official Adidas "Trionda" match ball to detect even the slightest contact that cannot be seen by the human eye or standard video replays. The sensor, known as an inertial measurement unit (IMU), collects data around 500 times per second, allowing officials to identify the exact moment a player touches the ball. The system works alongside multiple stadium cameras, sending real-time information to VAR officials to help review offside decisions, handballs and penalty incidents. During the review, referee Espen Eskås was asked to check the pitch-side monitor. FIFA said the technology showed a clear signal indicating the ball had lightly brushed Matanovic's head before reaching Pasalic, making the offside call valid. Professor Manos Tentzeris of the Georgia Institute of Technology said the system is highly accurate, regardless of how fast the ball is moving or how much it is spinning. He said the technology can determine the ball's position with about 99.99% accuracy and precisely identify where players are on the field, even down to the tip of a shoe in close offside situations. FIFA first introduced connected ball technology at the 2022 World Cup after testing it between 2020 and 2022 at competitions including the Arab Cup and the Club World Cup. It was also used during the UEFA European Championship in 2024. The technology has previously influenced major decisions. At Euro 2024, ball sensors detected that Denmark defender Joachim Andersen had handled the ball in the penalty area against Germany. After a VAR review, Germany was awarded a penalty, which Kai Havertz converted in a 2-0 victory. Following that match, Denmark coach Kasper Hjulmand criticized the growing influence of technology, saying it was not how football was meant to be played. Croatia coach Zlatko Dalić expressed similar frustration after his team's World Cup exit, saying such decisions were taking the joy out of football.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has criticized senators for delaying proposed changes to the country's world-first social media ban for children, warning that the hold-up could allow technology companies to destroy documents that may be used as evidence against them. The government this week introduced amendments to strengthen the powers of Australia's online safety regulator, eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant, to enforce the ban that prevents children under 16 from holding accounts on platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. The proposed changes would allow the commissioner to demand documents from social media companies, in addition to information, about the steps they are taking to keep children off their platforms. Under the current law, she can only request information. However, the opposition Liberal Party and the Greens referred the bill to an eight-week Senate inquiry on Thursday, delaying its passage. The ruling Labor government does not have a majority in the Senate. Albanese called the delay "outrageous," saying it gives social media platforms time to delete important records before regulators can legally demand them. He told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. that if the bill had passed immediately, the commissioner could already have started requesting documents and issuing fines where necessary. The amendments would also allow the commissioner to seek information from third parties, including providers of age-verification technology, to check whether platforms' claims about preventing children from accessing their services are accurate. The bill also proposes doubling the maximum penalty for companies that fail to take reasonable steps to keep children off their platforms, increasing the fine to 99 million Australian dollars (about $68 million). Greens Senator David Shoebridge, who has consistently opposed the social media ban, questioned the need to double a penalty that has never been imposed. He argued that increasing fines alone would not necessarily make children safer online. Opposition communications spokesperson Senator Sarah Henderson said the proposed changes were still not strong enough. She described the social media ban as poorly designed, rushed and ineffective, saying Parliament should examine the amendments carefully and consider stronger measures. Australia's Parliament passed the original legislation in 2024 with broad bipartisan support, giving the 10 affected social media platforms more than a year to implement the restrictions. The Australian law has drawn global attention, with several countries monitoring its progress as they consider introducing similar child safety measures. The government initially said more than five million children's accounts had been removed, deactivated or restricted after the ban became law. However, the eSafety Commission reported in March that about 70% of children who had accounts on restricted platforms when the ban took effect on Dec. 10 were still using Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok. In April, Inman Grant said she was considering legal action against Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube, arguing they had failed to take reasonable steps to prevent children from accessing their services. She said the remaining restricted platforms, including X, Kick, Reddit, Threads and Twitch, had shown more satisfactory progress. Communications Minister Anika Wells said she had been receiving monthly updates from the eSafety Commission since March and that the government had not seen the improvements it expected.

Artificial intelligence is changing the way administrative assistants work, raising concerns about future job losses while also creating new opportunities for those willing to adapt. Secretaries and administrative assistants, a profession largely made up of women, have already seen their numbers decline over the past two decades. Now, AI tools such as ChatGPT, Claude and Microsoft Copilot are expected to automate many routine office tasks, adding to concerns about the future of the profession. Still, many administrative professionals are embracing the technology, saying it helps them work faster and focus on more valuable responsibilities. Deanna Danger, 43, who has worked as an administrative professional since 2003, believes adapting to new technology has always been part of the job. "All you have to do is evolve," she said. Danger, executive assistant to Vanderbilt University's chief information officer, began using AI at work in 2022. Today, AI tools take meeting notes for her, allowing her to actively participate in discussions instead of focusing on typing everything being said. She said tasks that once took hours can now be completed in less than five minutes. Despite these productivity gains, government data shows the profession has been shrinking for years. About 3.5 million people worked as secretaries and administrative assistants in the United States in 2004, with women making up nearly 97% of the workforce. By 2024, that number had dropped to around 2.1 million, even as the overall workforce grew. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics expects most administrative support jobs to continue declining through 2034, although medical secretaries and administrative assistants are projected to grow because of increasing demand in the healthcare sector. The unemployment rate for office and administrative support workers rose to 4% in June from 3.6% a year earlier, according to the U.S. Labor Department. Emily Rolen, lead economist for employment projections at the Bureau of Labor Statistics, said technology has steadily reduced demand for administrative workers over many years. Word processing software, speech-to-text programs, digital scheduling tools and similar technologies have all made office work more efficient while reducing the need for some traditional administrative roles. A January report by the Brookings Institution found that clerical and administrative workers could be among the groups most affected by AI because many have limited financial resources, fewer opportunities to switch careers and narrower skill sets. Women account for about 86% of the six million workers in these occupations. The report also noted that many administrative workers are older than the average U.S. employee, earn below the national median wage and often enter the profession with only a high school diploma. However, many assistants argue that the data does not reflect their ability to adapt. Danger regularly hosts online discussions through the American Society of Administrative Professionals, where members share ways they use AI to design flyers, plan executive events, write social media posts, prepare standard operating procedures and complete other routine tasks. Some participants have also raised concerns about data privacy, security and the lack of clear AI regulations. Many agreed that AI cannot replace human qualities such as emotional intelligence, relationship management and sound judgment. Fiona Young, founder of AI training company Carve and a former executive assistant, said demand for AI training has increased sharply since 2023. She has trained administrative professionals at companies including Google, Amazon, Uber, Salesforce and LinkedIn. According to Young, employers increasingly expect staff to make AI part of their everyday work rather than simply understand the technology. Oana Manolache, founder and CEO of webinar platform Sequel.io, has strongly encouraged employees to use AI. However, she said the technology cannot replace her executive assistant, Stephanie Martinez. Instead, Martinez uses AI to handle repetitive tasks such as note-taking and meeting preparation, giving her more time to focus on building relationships, supporting executives and making informed decisions. Working remotely from El Salvador through Viva Talent, Martinez also used AI to analyse customer communications, identify satisfied clients and draft emails requesting product reviews, saving significant time while allowing her to focus on creative problem-solving. Melissa Peoples, an executive assistant coach based in Austin, Texas, said many assistants want to use AI but often lack the time, training or support from employers to do so. She added that workplace culture also plays a role. While some executives encourage assistants to develop new skills, others still treat them as support staff with limited opportunities to contribute. Peoples said proper AI training can help administrative professionals strengthen their skills, increase their value to employers and remain competitive as AI becomes more common in the workplace.

Independent film distributor Neon has acquired "Artificial," director Luca Guadagnino's upcoming drama about OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, after Amazon MGM Studios decided not to release the project. Neon announced Tuesday that it secured the worldwide rights to the film following a competitive bidding process. The company plans to release the movie later this year and position it as an awards contender during the upcoming Oscar season. The film, with an estimated budget of $40 million, stars Andrew Garfield as Sam Altman and follows the events surrounding Altman's brief dismissal and reinstatement as OpenAI's chief executive in 2023. The cast also includes Monica Barbaro, Yura Borisov and Academy Award winner Mark Rylance, while Ike Barinholtz portrays Elon Musk. Amazon MGM unexpectedly dropped the nearly completed film earlier this month, only a few months after Amazon announced a $50 billion investment in OpenAI through a broad, multiyear partnership signed in late February. At the time, Amazon MGM said the project would be "better served" by another studio and subsequently put the film up for sale. Neon has built a strong reputation for releasing critically acclaimed films, including Oscar winners Parasite and Anora. The distributor has also backed each of the last seven Palme d'Or winners at the Cannes Film Festival. The company did not disclose how much it paid to acquire the worldwide distribution rights. In a statement, Neon said the deal reflects its commitment to working with visionary filmmakers and bringing ambitious films to audiences around the world.

Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing has called for closer integration between scientific and technological innovation and industrial development, saying stronger quality management is essential to boost the supply of high-quality products and services. Zhang, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks during a visit to east China's Zhejiang Province from Thursday to Saturday. He said China should continue creating new drivers of economic growth and strengthen its competitive advantages to support the country's steady economic recovery. During his tour of the cities of Hangzhou and Yiwu, Zhang visited companies working in sectors such as brain-computer interface technology, robotics and textiles. He described enterprises as the main force behind innovation and said their role should be further strengthened. He urged companies to invest more in basic research, pursue cutting-edge innovation and speed up breakthroughs in key technologies. Zhang also called for expanding the country's AI Plus Initiative by promoting practical applications of artificial intelligence. He said faster development of industry-specific AI models and intelligent agents would help modernize manufacturing, improve productivity and support the transformation of traditional industries into smarter, greener and more integrated operations. During a visit to the Yiwu International Trade City, Zhang reviewed quality control, brand development and regulation of e-commerce platforms. He urged businesses to put quality first, build stronger brands through innovation and develop long-term brand strategies. He also called for stricter action against trademark infringement and counterfeit products in line with the law. The vice premier said platform companies should play a greater role in promoting innovation, supporting economic growth, creating jobs and improving China's competitiveness in global markets while increasing the supply of high-quality products and services.

Singapore on Monday launched its new Online Safety Commission, providing victims of online abuse with a dedicated channel to seek the removal of harmful content, access support services and pursue civil remedies. According to a joint statement issued on Sunday by the Ministry of Digital Development and Information, the Ministry of Law and the commission, the new body will initially deal with five types of harmful online behaviour. These include sexual harassment, doxxing, cyberstalking, the non-consensual sharing of intimate images, and image-based child sexual abuse. Authorities said more categories of online harm will be added in later stages. Victims of online harassment and cyberstalking are expected to first report the harmful content to the online platform. If the platform does not respond quickly or fails to take appropriate action, they can then file a complaint with the commission. However, cases involving doxxing, intimate image abuse and image-based child abuse can be reported directly to the commission without first contacting the platform. The commission has the authority to order people who posted harmful content, administrators of online groups or pages, and digital platforms hosting such content to take corrective action if there is evidence that online harm has occurred. This may include removing content, blocking access to it or restricting user accounts. Failure to comply with these orders is considered a criminal offence. If online platforms or administrators ignore the commission's directives, internet service providers may be instructed to block access to the offending websites or online services in Singapore. App stores may also be ordered to stop offering apps operated by non-compliant platforms. The commission will also help victims identify anonymous individuals responsible for online abuse when their identities are unknown. In addition, it will work with community organisations to provide counselling and other support services for victims of digital abuse.

OpenAI and Anthropic have limited access to their latest artificial intelligence models following cybersecurity reviews by the administration of US President Donald Trump, reflecting increased government scrutiny of advanced AI systems. OpenAI said Friday its new model, GPT-5.6 Sol, will initially be available only to a small group of customers approved by the Trump administration. The company described the move as temporary, saying it expects broader public access in the coming weeks. Australia plans tougher enforcement of social media ban for under-16s Hours later, Anthropic announced that the administration had approved a limited release of its Mythos 5 cybersecurity model, two weeks after the Commerce Department restricted its deployment. The company said the model would initially be available only to selected cyber defenders and infrastructure providers. The White House said it is working with leading AI developers to address national security risks posed by increasingly powerful AI technologies. Earlier this month, Trump signed an executive order creating a framework for reviewing advanced AI systems for up to 30 days before public release. The policy has drawn criticism from lawmakers and cybersecurity experts, who warned that government control over AI releases could hurt US innovation and competitiveness. Both OpenAI and Anthropic are also exploring public stock market listings as regulatory oversight of the sector continues to expand.

Apple on Thursday raised prices for several Mac and iPad models, attributing the increases to a global shortage of memory chips driven by surging demand from the artificial intelligence (AI) industry. The Cupertino, California-based technology giant described the supply crunch as an “unprecedented challenge” for the consumer electronics sector, saying the rapid expansion of AI data centres has sharply increased demand for memory and storage components. “We have never seen a component price increase this much, this quickly,” Apple said in a statement, adding that it had absorbed rising component costs for as long as possible before deciding to increase prices. Under the revised pricing, the entry-level MacBook Neo now costs $699, up from $599, while the 512GB MacBook Air has risen to $1,299 from $1,099. The 1TB MacBook Pro is now priced at $1,999, compared with its previous $1,699. Among iPads, the 128GB iPad Air now costs $749, up from $599, while the 256GB iPad Pro WiFi has increased to $1,199 from $999. Industry analysts expect Apple to raise iPhone prices later this year. IDC analyst Nabila Popal said the latest increases exceeded expectations and suggested iPhone Pro and Pro Max models could see price hikes of up to $200. Apple shares fell $13.29, or 4.5%, to $279.88 in Thursday afternoon trading.