The US tech giant is seeking to reduce payroll costs through a voluntary exit program covering some 60,000 employees
US tech giant Microsoft is moving to shrink its workforce through a buyout program covering some 60,000 employees, more than a quarter of its global staff, the company has announced.
The move follows thousands of job cuts earlier this year and comes as Big Tech companies seek to slash payroll costs while ramping up AI investment.
Microsoft unveiled the program on Monday, saying that it would cover roughly 27% of its 223,000 employees across selected divisions in the US, Canada, UK, and India, including Xbox, Windows, Copilot, finance, and human resources.
Microsoft has described the initiative as a voluntary exit program, under which employees can leave with severance packages. The company has not disclosed how many workers it expects to accept the offer.
In a memo to employees, Microsoft’s chief people officer Amy Coleman said that the initiative would give eligible staff considering a departure an opportunity to leave with financial support.
The latest move follows several rounds of workforce reductions at Microsoft. In July, the company announced plans to eliminate 4,800 positions, including approximately 3,200 in its Xbox gaming division. It had already launched a voluntary exit program in April covering roughly 8,750 US employees, or about 7% of its American workforce, with around 30% reportedly taking the offer.
The cuts come as Microsoft commits enormous sums to AI infrastructure, including data centers and computing capacity, putting pressure on the company to remove other expenses.
Other Big Tech giants have also been cutting jobs while pouring billions into AI. Amazon announced 16,000 corporate job cuts earlier this year, following another 14,000 layoffs in 2025. Meta has also slashed jobs while ramping up AI investment, while Google has repeatedly launched voluntary exit programs to reduce its workforce.
The trend has fueled concerns that the technology being promoted as a driver of economic growth could also eliminate large numbers of jobs, particularly in administrative, technical, and other white-collar occupations.
The threat extends beyond the tech industry. The Netherlands announced plans on Monday to eliminate around 25,000 government positions by 2035, partly through the adoption of AI, in a drive to save €3.5 billion ($4 billion) annually. The cuts will be phased in over several years, with police and security services exempt.
Denmark has also announced plans to use AI to free up 50 million working hours annually by 2035, equivalent to roughly 30,000 full-time positions, although it has not committed to corresponding layoffs.
Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has warned that AI could cause major upheaval in the labor market, while arguing that certain professions, including caregiving, should remain “human reserved” even if machines become capable of performing them.
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk warned in July that AI would eventually outperform humans in any job, describing the transition as “a bumpy road.” His warning comes amid growing fears of AI spiraling out of human control following incidents involving systems defying instructions. Musk, whose company xAI develops advanced AI models, also predicted that the technology could surpass humanity’s combined intelligence within five years, potentially escaping human control within a decade.
The US tech giant is seeking to reduce payroll costs through a voluntary exit program covering some 60,000 employees
US tech giant Microsoft is moving to shrink its workforce through a buyout program covering some 60,000 employees, more than a quarter of its global staff, the company has announced.
The move follows thousands of job cuts earlier this year and comes as Big Tech companies seek to slash payroll costs while ramping up AI investment.
Microsoft unveiled the program on Monday, saying that it would cover roughly 27% of its 223,000 employees across selected divisions in the US, Canada, UK, and India, including Xbox, Windows, Copilot, finance, and human resources.
Microsoft has described the initiative as a voluntary exit program, under which employees can leave with severance packages. The company has not disclosed how many workers it expects to accept the offer.
In a memo to employees, Microsoft’s chief people officer Amy Coleman said that the initiative would give eligible staff considering a departure an opportunity to leave with financial support.
The latest move follows several rounds of workforce reductions at Microsoft. In July, the company announced plans to eliminate 4,800 positions, including approximately 3,200 in its Xbox gaming division. It had already launched a voluntary exit program in April covering roughly 8,750 US employees, or about 7% of its American workforce, with around 30% reportedly taking the offer.
The cuts come as Microsoft commits enormous sums to AI infrastructure, including data centers and computing capacity, putting pressure on the company to remove other expenses.
Other Big Tech giants have also been cutting jobs while pouring billions into AI. Amazon announced 16,000 corporate job cuts earlier this year, following another 14,000 layoffs in 2025. Meta has also slashed jobs while ramping up AI investment, while Google has repeatedly launched voluntary exit programs to reduce its workforce.
The trend has fueled concerns that the technology being promoted as a driver of economic growth could also eliminate large numbers of jobs, particularly in administrative, technical, and other white-collar occupations.
The threat extends beyond the tech industry. The Netherlands announced plans on Monday to eliminate around 25,000 government positions by 2035, partly through the adoption of AI, in a drive to save €3.5 billion ($4 billion) annually. The cuts will be phased in over several years, with police and security services exempt.
Denmark has also announced plans to use AI to free up 50 million working hours annually by 2035, equivalent to roughly 30,000 full-time positions, although it has not committed to corresponding layoffs.
Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has warned that AI could cause major upheaval in the labor market, while arguing that certain professions, including caregiving, should remain “human reserved” even if machines become capable of performing them.
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk warned in July that AI would eventually outperform humans in any job, describing the transition as “a bumpy road.” His warning comes amid growing fears of AI spiraling out of human control following incidents involving systems defying instructions. Musk, whose company xAI develops advanced AI models, also predicted that the technology could surpass humanity’s combined intelligence within five years, potentially escaping human control within a decade.
Desde el Ministerio de Exteriores chino subrayaron que la esencia de los nexos económicos entre ambas partes radica en el beneficio mutuo y la cooperación.
Senator Flavio Bolsonaro reportedly left the country after losing to Lula and defying a court order to surrender his passports
Right-wing Brazilian Senator Flavio Bolsonaro has fled to the US following his election defeat to incumbent Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Reuters and Brazilian news outlet Jovem Pan reported on Tuesday, citing sources.
A senior US State Department official told AP on Tuesday that Bolsonaro and his family would be granted US visas.
Bolsonaro, the son of jailed former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and an ally of US President Donald Trump, narrowly lost Sunday’s runoff to Lula despite receiving more votes in the first round earlier this month.
He is under investigation for money laundering and currency evasion involving financial ties to lawyer Willer Tomaz and businesses linked to online gambling. Bolsonaro also faces a separate investigation into suspected irregularities in the financing of ‘Dark Horse’, a biographical film about his father. He denies wrongdoing.
His brother Eduardo, also a politician, moved to the US in February 2025, citing fears of political persecution and arrest. He was subsequently convicted of attempting to interfere with judicial proceedings against his father by lobbying Washington to impose sanctions on Brazilian officials. Eduardo, who remains in the US, was sentenced to four years and two months in prison in June 2026.
Flavio Bolsonaro initially refused to recognize the election results and vowed to seek annulment, citing a two-hour extension of voting.
“They will not silence me. They will not intimidate me. Let’s hold our heads high and keep fighting for our Brazil, whatever happens,” Bolsonaro said in a video posted on Monday, although he later dropped his demand for annulment.
Later on Monday, Bolsonaro was given 24 hours to surrender his passports as part of the investigation involving Tomaz. The documents were reportedly canceled on Tuesday after he missed the deadline. Bolsonaro, who could face prosecution in lower courts when his Senate term ends on January 31, said on Monday that he had no plans to flee.
Trump also questioned the election results. “It had a very bad look, the election, the way it was tabulated,” he told reporters on Monday. “The extension given was very strange.”
Both campaigns requested a two-hour extension of voting on election day, citing difficulties for voters, according to Brazil’s Superior Electoral Court.
Bolsonaro’s father is serving a 27-year prison sentence for plotting a coup after losing the 2022 election to Lula. The elder Bolsonaro also traveled to the US following his defeat before returning to Brazil. He denied wrongdoing and argued that the case was politically motivated.
Lula previously served two presidential terms from 2003 to 2010. He was barred from running in the 2018 election after being convicted on corruption charges and imprisoned. Brazil’s Supreme Court later annulled his convictions, restoring his political rights and allowing him to run in 2022, when he defeated Jair Bolsonaro. Lula has also denied wrongdoing and maintained that the corruption case against him was politically motivated.
Senator Flavio Bolsonaro reportedly left the country after losing to Lula and defying a court order to surrender his passports
Right-wing Brazilian Senator Flavio Bolsonaro has fled to the US following his election defeat to incumbent Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Reuters and Brazilian news outlet Jovem Pan reported on Tuesday, citing sources.
A senior US State Department official told AP on Tuesday that Bolsonaro and his family would be granted US visas.
Bolsonaro, the son of jailed former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and an ally of US President Donald Trump, narrowly lost Sunday’s runoff to Lula despite receiving more votes in the first round earlier this month.
He is under investigation for money laundering and currency evasion involving financial ties to lawyer Willer Tomaz and businesses linked to online gambling. Bolsonaro also faces a separate investigation into suspected irregularities in the financing of ‘Dark Horse’, a biographical film about his father. He denies wrongdoing.
His brother Eduardo, also a politician, moved to the US in February 2025, citing fears of political persecution and arrest. He was subsequently convicted of attempting to interfere with judicial proceedings against his father by lobbying Washington to impose sanctions on Brazilian officials. Eduardo, who remains in the US, was sentenced to four years and two months in prison in June 2026.
Flavio Bolsonaro initially refused to recognize the election results and vowed to seek annulment, citing a two-hour extension of voting.
“They will not silence me. They will not intimidate me. Let’s hold our heads high and keep fighting for our Brazil, whatever happens,” Bolsonaro said in a video posted on Monday, although he later dropped his demand for annulment.
Later on Monday, Bolsonaro was given 24 hours to surrender his passports as part of the investigation involving Tomaz. The documents were reportedly canceled on Tuesday after he missed the deadline. Bolsonaro, who could face prosecution in lower courts when his Senate term ends on January 31, said on Monday that he had no plans to flee.
Trump also questioned the election results. “It had a very bad look, the election, the way it was tabulated,” he told reporters on Monday. “The extension given was very strange.”
Both campaigns requested a two-hour extension of voting on election day, citing difficulties for voters, according to Brazil’s Superior Electoral Court.
Bolsonaro’s father is serving a 27-year prison sentence for plotting a coup after losing the 2022 election to Lula. The elder Bolsonaro also traveled to the US following his defeat before returning to Brazil. He denied wrongdoing and argued that the case was politically motivated.
Lula previously served two presidential terms from 2003 to 2010. He was barred from running in the 2018 election after being convicted on corruption charges and imprisoned. Brazil’s Supreme Court later annulled his convictions, restoring his political rights and allowing him to run in 2022, when he defeated Jair Bolsonaro. Lula has also denied wrongdoing and maintained that the corruption case against him was politically motivated.
Los sondeos a pie de urna indican que ninguno de los principales bloques políticos obtuvo los escaños necesarios para formar Gobierno, lo que aumenta la importancia de los partidos árabes e incluso abre la posibilidad de una coalición entre Netanyahu y la oposición.
Healey hopes to give ‘hope for the future’ but only modest policies are expected with important decisions deferred
John Healey has acknowledged the UK faces a “difficult moment” but insisted he would put the country on a better path as he delivers his first budget on Wednesday against a turbulent global economic backdrop.
But despite the international uncertainty, the chancellor will signal “fresh hope for the future” as he attempts to sound a more optimistic note, by providing households with breathing space from rising cost of living pressures.
US midterms could complicate ties with Russia. Moscow should judge any Ukraine deal by its merits, not Washington’s political calendar
When Donald Trump returned triumphantly to the White House in January 2025, his supporters believed they could finally finish what he started during his first term and reverse the Democrats’ social engineering agenda, commonly known as ‘wokeism’, curb illegal immigration, accelerate technological development, and above all, ‘make America great again’.
Trump moved quickly on the first two priorities, as he revoked 78 of Joe Biden’s executive orders, tightened border controls and gave Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) greater resources and powers to conduct raids in sanctuary cities, where the local authorities limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.
But Trump’s determination to achieve everything at once, from restructuring the federal government and securing favorable trade deals to pursuing ambitions involving Greenland and Venezuela, has kept American politics in a state of turmoil, while his confrontational approach has also unsettled allies and opponents abroad.
The decision to launch joint military operations with Israel against Iran has proven particularly divisive as it fractured Trump’s conservative coalition, with some supporters accusing him of betraying his promise to end America’s ‘endless wars’, while others fear the political consequences for Republicans in the approaching midterm elections.
The Iran war has also hurt American consumers. Over the past year, gasoline prices have risen by 38% and diesel by 71%, while food prices have increased by 2.5%.
The blockade of the Strait of Hormuz isn’t solely responsible, but Democrats and sympathetic media outlets have made it central to their criticism, while they also point to an increase of $3.8 trillion in the national debt since Trump’s return, allegations of corruption within his administration, and questions about the competence of senior officials, particularly Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Republicans, including those who oppose the Iran war, are trying to redirect voters towards the administration’s achievements – despite the turbulence, the US economy has grown by 3.2% since the end of 2024, and investment is booming in certain sectors, particularly technology, while illegal crossings at the southern border have reportedly fallen by 95%.
Vice President J.D. Vance, who is increasingly discussed as Trump’s successor, has urged Americans to give Republicans another chance, or at least another two years, to complete what they have begun – but for now, that opportunity appears uncertain. Yet contrary to expectations, losing control of Congress wouldn’t necessarily be a disaster for Trump.
Even with Republican majorities in both chambers, he has preferred to govern through executive orders, issuing more than 290 since January 2025, and this is hardly unprecedented. Bill Clinton issued 364 over his eight years in office, including during periods when Republicans controlled Congress.
For presidents, demonstrating immediate effectiveness and scoring political points often matters more than ensuring continuity.
Democratic threats to impeach Trump and members of his administration may sound formidable, but removing officials from office requires a two-thirds majority in the Senate, a much higher hurdle, and even if Democrats capture both chambers, converting their numerical advantage into meaningful political influence will not be straightforward.
They could, however, obstruct legislation, block nominations to senior administration positions and the federal judiciary, and subject the White House to sustained congressional scrutiny.
Their minimum objective would be to turn Trump into a lame-duck president for his remaining two years, but this strategy carries risks of its own – in the 2028 presidential campaign, Republicans can argue that the Democrats prevented them from completing their program.
For Moscow, however, the consequences of the midterms could be considerably more serious.
A Democratic-controlled Congress would almost certainly seek to complicate relations with Russia, and there remains a strong desire in Washington to obstruct Trump’s apparent ambition for a new Yalta involving Russia, China, and the US. Equally persistent is the determination among influential American political circles to inflict a ‘strategic defeat’ on Russia.
This could explain the Trump administration’s intensified diplomatic activity over Ukraine, given whatever opportunities exist for reaching an agreement today could narrow considerably after the new Congress takes office in January 2027.
The urgency could also reflect an attempt to secure lasting advantages for the administration before the political landscape changes.
The argument that there’s little time left, and that Moscow must therefore accept an agreement now or face worse conditions later, shouldn’t be allowed to overshadow Russia’s own interests.
Russia has an objective interest in normalizing relations with the US, but a settlement of the Ukraine conflict must be based on mutually beneficial terms, rather than unilateral concessions extracted under the pressure of America’s electoral calendar.
Ultimately, as Americans prepare to vote in the midterms, Russia should be concerned less with Trump’s political fortunes than with protecting its own interests.
This article was first published by Kommersant, and was translated and edited by the RT team
US midterms could complicate ties with Russia. Moscow should judge any Ukraine deal by its merits, not Washington’s political calendar
When Donald Trump returned triumphantly to the White House in January 2025, his supporters believed they could finally finish what he started during his first term and reverse the Democrats’ social engineering agenda, commonly known as ‘wokeism’, curb illegal immigration, accelerate technological development, and above all, ‘make America great again’.
Trump moved quickly on the first two priorities, as he revoked 78 of Joe Biden’s executive orders, tightened border controls and gave Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) greater resources and powers to conduct raids in sanctuary cities, where the local authorities limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.
But Trump’s determination to achieve everything at once, from restructuring the federal government and securing favorable trade deals to pursuing ambitions involving Greenland and Venezuela, has kept American politics in a state of turmoil, while his confrontational approach has also unsettled allies and opponents abroad.
The decision to launch joint military operations with Israel against Iran has proven particularly divisive as it fractured Trump’s conservative coalition, with some supporters accusing him of betraying his promise to end America’s ‘endless wars’, while others fear the political consequences for Republicans in the approaching midterm elections.
The Iran war has also hurt American consumers. Over the past year, gasoline prices have risen by 38% and diesel by 71%, while food prices have increased by 2.5%.
The blockade of the Strait of Hormuz isn’t solely responsible, but Democrats and sympathetic media outlets have made it central to their criticism, while they also point to an increase of $3.8 trillion in the national debt since Trump’s return, allegations of corruption within his administration, and questions about the competence of senior officials, particularly Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Republicans, including those who oppose the Iran war, are trying to redirect voters towards the administration’s achievements – despite the turbulence, the US economy has grown by 3.2% since the end of 2024, and investment is booming in certain sectors, particularly technology, while illegal crossings at the southern border have reportedly fallen by 95%.
Vice President J.D. Vance, who is increasingly discussed as Trump’s successor, has urged Americans to give Republicans another chance, or at least another two years, to complete what they have begun – but for now, that opportunity appears uncertain. Yet contrary to expectations, losing control of Congress wouldn’t necessarily be a disaster for Trump.
Even with Republican majorities in both chambers, he has preferred to govern through executive orders, issuing more than 290 since January 2025, and this is hardly unprecedented. Bill Clinton issued 364 over his eight years in office, including during periods when Republicans controlled Congress.
For presidents, demonstrating immediate effectiveness and scoring political points often matters more than ensuring continuity.
Democratic threats to impeach Trump and members of his administration may sound formidable, but removing officials from office requires a two-thirds majority in the Senate, a much higher hurdle, and even if Democrats capture both chambers, converting their numerical advantage into meaningful political influence will not be straightforward.
They could, however, obstruct legislation, block nominations to senior administration positions and the federal judiciary, and subject the White House to sustained congressional scrutiny.
Their minimum objective would be to turn Trump into a lame-duck president for his remaining two years, but this strategy carries risks of its own – in the 2028 presidential campaign, Republicans can argue that the Democrats prevented them from completing their program.
For Moscow, however, the consequences of the midterms could be considerably more serious.
A Democratic-controlled Congress would almost certainly seek to complicate relations with Russia, and there remains a strong desire in Washington to obstruct Trump’s apparent ambition for a new Yalta involving Russia, China, and the US. Equally persistent is the determination among influential American political circles to inflict a ‘strategic defeat’ on Russia.
This could explain the Trump administration’s intensified diplomatic activity over Ukraine, given whatever opportunities exist for reaching an agreement today could narrow considerably after the new Congress takes office in January 2027.
The urgency could also reflect an attempt to secure lasting advantages for the administration before the political landscape changes.
The argument that there’s little time left, and that Moscow must therefore accept an agreement now or face worse conditions later, shouldn’t be allowed to overshadow Russia’s own interests.
Russia has an objective interest in normalizing relations with the US, but a settlement of the Ukraine conflict must be based on mutually beneficial terms, rather than unilateral concessions extracted under the pressure of America’s electoral calendar.
Ultimately, as Americans prepare to vote in the midterms, Russia should be concerned less with Trump’s political fortunes than with protecting its own interests.
This article was first published by Kommersant, and was translated and edited by the RT team
O presidente do Supremo Tribunal Federal (STF), ministro Edson Fachin, determinou nesta terça-feira (27) o arquivamento de três investigações oriundas dos chamado inquérito das Fake News.
A decisão determinou o encerramento de investigações contra o ex-deputado federal Eduardo Bolsonaro, o pastor Silas Malafaia e o escritor Guilherme Fiúza.
No caso de Eduardo, Fachin justificou que o ex-parlamentar já foi condenado pela Corte, mas o inquérito que o investigou ainda estava em tramitação.
Em setembro deste ano, a Primeira Turma do STF rejeitou recurso e confirmou a condenação do filho do ex-presidente Jair Bolsonaro a 4 anos e dois meses anos de prisão no processo do tarifaço dos Estados Unidos contra o Brasil.
Fachin também determinou o arquivamento da investigação que apurava a suposta participação de Malafaia nas ações de Eduardo.
De acordo com o ministro, que seguiu parecer da Procuradoria-Geral da República (PGR), não foram encontrados indícios da participação do pastor nas ações do ex-deputado. Com a decisão, Malafaia deverá ter o passaporte devolvido e ficará autorizado a viajar para o exterior.
No caso de Fiúza, o presidente do STF disse que a acusação de incitação ao crime prescreveu. Em 2023, ele foi acusado de publicar nas redes sociais postagens com discursos de ódio e favoráveis à “quebra da normalidade institucional". O caso também contou com parecer favorável da PGR pelo arquivamento.
Arquivamentos
No mês passado, Fachin retirou de Alexandre de Moraes a relatoria do inquérito das Fake News, que foi aberto em março de 2019.
Na época, o então presidente do STF, ministro Dias Toffoli, defendeu a abertura como forma de combater a veiculação de notícias que atingem a honorabilidade e a segurança do STF, de seus membros e parentes. O ministro também nomeou Moraes como relator do caso.
Recentemente, o presidente do STF disse que pretende arquivar todo o inquérito.
A medida será tomada após a verificação de pendências e eventuais solicitações de diligências à PGR e à Polícia Federal (PF).
Fachin identificou 108 procedimentos investigatórios vinculados ao inquérito.
Un habitante del sur del Líbano captó y difundió en video el dramático momento en que una excavadora militar del Ejército de Israel destruía por completo su propia vivienda. Las impactantes imágenes, compartidas por la víctima en redes sociales, muestran la imparable acción de la maquinaria pesada arrasando la estructura.
Organizaciones defensoras de derechos humanos denunciaron ante la Comisión Interamericana de Derechos Humanos (CIDH) restricciones a la libertad religiosa en Nicaragua.
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