#news

https://www.businessinsider.com/sap-cfo-ai-make-more-software-fewer-people-2025-9

https://futurism.com/microsoft-ceo-concerned-ai-destroy-company

Sep22 6am UTC - Sep23 7am UTC totals: 392 layoffs, 128 additions.
September totals (except Sep01): 5497 layoffs, and 810 additions.
Methodology and day-by-day breakdown is in comments.

Ford Recalls 102,000 Cars After Doors Start Falling Apart.

Trim Troubles Hit Ford's Final Taurus Generation
Ford Motor Company has issued a recall affecting 102,000 Taurus sedans manufactured between 2016 and 2019 due to B-pillar door trim pieces that may detach while driving. The defective trim on both driver and passenger sides can create potential road hazards when it breaks free during normal vehicle operation.

The problem stems from a manufacturing process change that eliminated hand rollers previously used to ensure proper adhesion of the trim pieces. Vehicle owners have reported wind noise as an early warning sign of failing trim attachments before they fall off completely. Ford has had over 450 warranty claims related to failing door trim on Taurus models so far. If your vehicle is affected, tough luck. Ford says parts to remedy the situation are not yet available, but owners will be notified when they are.

Another Entry in Ford's Record-Breaking Recall Year
This Taurus recall adds to Ford's unprecedented 2025 performance, with 90 recalls issued by July setting an industry record for any automaker in a full year. The cumulative impact has affected over 4 million Ford and Lincoln vehicles across 82 separate recalls through June.

Ford's biggest single recall this year involved 850,318 vehicles worldwide, including popular models like the F-150, Bronco, and Explorer. That massive action targeted defective fuel pumps in 2021-2023 Bronco, Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, and Super Duty pickups, along with 2021-2022 F-150, Mustang and Navigator models. Additional recalls have addressed brake failure risks in roughly 123,000 vehicles and malfunctioning rearview cameras across multiple Ford models.

Remote work isn’t the problem. Mediocre leadership is - Fast Company https://share.google/6TLgG7Z01JYJi77Ze

https://indiatechnologynews.in/cdk-expands-hyderabad-facility-with-50000-sq-ft-addition-to-accelerate-automotive-retail-innovation/

• Nvidia bought a $5 billion stake in Intel, causing Intel shares to jump 30%.
• The deal excluded Intel’s foundry unit, which lost $13 billion in 2024.
• Analysts say the manufacturing business will keep losing money through 2027.

https://www.cryptopolitan.com/nvidia-wont-fix-intels-biggest-headache/

Exxon CEO wants EU sustainability law scrapped

Today’s focus is all about the power of oil lobbying as ExxonMobil is ramping up its fight against the EU’s corporate sustainability due diligence law, warning it will push businesses out of Europe.

https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/sustainable-switch-climate-focus-exxon-ceo-wants-eu-sustainability-law-scrapped-2025-09-20/

Trump has finally signed the new H1-B fee of $100K per APPLICATION fee will spell the end of TCS. The fee will cost TCS about $1.65 Billion over three years. Analysts expect TCS to eliminate at least 5,000 US based employees to compensate for these higher fees and losses. Expect TCS to become very aggressive in laying off US based employees and provide no severance.
It’s time to jump ship before it’s too late. The ship is already taking on lots of water.

https://www.business-standard.com/immigration/h1b-visa-tcs-it-industry-microsoft-meta-infosys-google-us-trump-us-visa-125092000255_1.html

With the hiring of Reed Krakoff and John Demsey this week, and Zac Posen last year, the retailer’s top ranks are a who’s who of fashion and beauty industry talent. But boosting sales and breaking into new categories such as accessories and beauty would be a tough assignment for anyone.

Two years into his tenure at Gap Inc., chief executive Richard Di-kson is still finding ways to shake things up.

The American retailer, which also owns Old Navy, Banana Republic and Athleta, announced this week it would make a major push into beauty and accessories.

Di-kson tapped two industry legends to steer those efforts. Reed Krakoff, who as creative director of Coach in the 1990s and 2000s was instrumental in that brand’s heyday, will help develop handbags, jewellery and leather goods across Gap’s brands. On the beauty side, Gap has recruited John Demsey, who ran a huge portfolio of brands, including MAC Cosmetics, at The Estée Lauder Companies, for three decades. Both will operate as consultants, with Nordstrom veteran Deb Redmond and former Kate Spade chief merchandising officer Michele Parsons overseeing the rollout of beauty and accessories, respectively. As general managers, Redmond and Parsons will report to Eric Chan, Gap Inc.’s chief business and strategy officer.

It’s certainly an impressive roster that Gap has assembled. But the task at hand will be difficult. Gap is undertaking these new projects when it’s just begun to rehabilitate its image.

To be sure, Di-kson and Zac Posen, Gap Inc.’s creative director, have made strides in reinserting Gap into the cultural conversation in the last year, with viral ads like its recent campaign with Katseye and major red carpet moments. Most recently, 15-year-old Owen Cooper wore a custom Gap Studio suit designed by Posen when he became the youngest male actor to win an Emmy.

Translating these cultural moments into sales has been slow going. In the second quarter, net sales of $3.73 billion were virtually unchanged from a year earlier, and a bit below analysts’ consensus forecast. The company’s stock trades at more than double its pre-Di-kson price, but has barely budged in the last year. That indicates investors have faith in his project, but are still waiting for him to deliver.

The risk in introducing new categories — especially ones as competitive as beauty, handbags and jewellery — is that they could prove distracting both internally and to customers, especially shoppers who are new to the brand or hadn’t shopped it in years.

Other apparel retailers like Zara, H&M and Forever 21 have entered beauty with lacklustre results. Zara has had success with its fragrances by duping popular scents, but Gap is unlikely to try that strategy. It could instead tap into nostalgia for its ‘90s-era scents, including Dream and Grass.

Beyond fragrance, Gap will need to convince customers that they should buy their perfumes from the same retailer selling them t-shirts and jeans. That will require heavy investments in marketing and product development. A lifestyle play — soap, candles and the like — could also work.

Old Navy, which will introduce branded products and a third-party assortment has a different opportunity as a value player, and will likely compete with Ulta Beauty, Target and Walmart for the mass-market customers. That’s not as far-fetched as it might initially sound: there are over 1,200 Old Navy stores, not far from Ulta’s 1,450 locations. Customers have also been eager to find a destination that fills the void that CVS and Walgreens have left behind in beauty.

Still, beauty remains a tough environment for new entrants. Sephora and Ulta Beauty are perfecting their globalised approach. Newness continues to drive the industry, which could work in Gap Inc.’s favour, but will mean a constant grind to find new brands and products to encourage repeat purchases.

Handbags feel like safer territory. Gap can bank on the success of its recent handbag line at Old Navy, which garnered glowing coverage and, presumably through Posen’s Hollywood connections, was seen on the shoulders of various actresses including Jenna Ortega on her “Wednesday” press tour.

Handbags and accessories are logically and emotionally closer to apparel than beauty. Gap already carries an assortment of shoes, bags, hats, belts, socks and other small accessories. Its jelly flip-flops and flats went viral for being dupes to The Row earlier this summer. Whereas Old Navy has an opportunity in the affordable trend-driven space — alongside Target, Amazon and Shein — Gap can expand into potentially higher-end or statement pieces as a natural extension of Gap Studio, the elevated line designed by Posen that launched in April.

Ultimately, the goal may not even be to turn Gap or Old Navy into a major beauty or handbag powerhouse, but to position the brands as cross-category lifestyle destinations. Success on that front isn’t measured in blockbuster sales; it’s about creating a perception of Gap as a place to shop for more than just a T-shirt and a pair of chinos.

Makes me wonder why Michael wants involvement with this cringey and brain rot platform:

https://globalnews.ca/news/11439099/trump-tiktok-deal-rupert-murdock-michael-dell/

https://www.financialexpress.com/trending/its-scaring-me-microsoft-employee-of-7-years-says-current-work-culture-has-changed-for-the-worse/3982230/

https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/us-news/amazon-microsoft-among-companies-sponsoring-more-h-1b-visas-than-before-report-101758246860249.html

Nobody in the US can write computer programs anymore, they asked in LinkedIn to tick some compliance boxes. Nobody found.

Sep18 6am UTC - Sep19 6am UTC totals: 78 layoffs, 57 additions.
September totals (except Sep01): 5024 layoffs, and 625 additions.
Methodology and day-by-day breakdown is in comments.

Fontaine said it's important to back startups
that align with IBM's broader goals.
And those goals would be???

https://www.businessinsider.com/ibm-head-ai-vc-5-pillars-she-uses-invest-startup-2025-9

By: Alice Tecotzky
Sep 13, 2025, 4:35 AM CT

• Emily Fontaine, IBM's global head of venture capital, decides which startups to back based on five "pillars."
• Her criteria include strategic fit and market opportunity.
• Fontaine wants to connect with 800 startups this year.

Emily Fontaine engages with VC firms, startups, and portfolio companies every day, she told Business Insider, and she knows what she wants from them.

As IBM's global head of venture capital, Fontaine leads IBM Ventures, which partners with companies working on everything from quantum computing to artificial intelligence to cybersecurity. She said she wants to connect with 800 startups worldwide this year.

"We've got a really good formula for that," Fontaine said on how she decides whether to invest. "Our mission is super clear: accelerate enterprise innovation with emerging technologies that are delivering real business value."

Fontaine said she evaluates investments based on "five key pillars."

Strategic fit

As the head of a corporate ventures arm, Fontaine said it's important to back startups that align with IBM's broader goals.

"We want to back companies with a differentiated vision that's aligned to major trends and IBM's long-term strategy," she told Business Insider.

While once known as a hardware giant, IBM has recently started focusing on AI and hybrid cloud. Fontaine oversees the company's $500 million Enterprise AI fund.

Technology and product

Fontaine's next evaluative pillar focuses on the product itself: "Are these breakthrough solutions? Are they exceptional quantum quality? Is this technology fantastic?"
Market and competition

Beyond considering the actual technology, Fontaine said she thinks about a startup's financial viability, like the total addressable market and "strong tailwinds," or whether industry trends are favorable.

"Is there clear white space for leadership?" she asked, referencing a company's ability to fill a gap in the market.

Team

Fontaine described herself as a collaborative leader. She said she goes to the office as much as possible and encourages her team members to do the same. Twice a week, she blocks out her whole team's calendar for dedicated collaborative time.

The same focus on teamwork applies to the startups she backs, which, for one, need "high-quality founders with deep domain expertise."

"But even more so — as we do not lead deals, we co-invest alongside top-tier VCs — you have to think about who's on the cap table?" Fontaine said. "Is that a cap table you believe in?"

A cap table — or capitalization table — is a document that outlines investors' equity stakes in a startup.

Financial discipline

Ambition is great, but Fontaine said she's also focused on making sure a startup has reasonable financial goals.

"Do they have realistic milestones? Do they have scalable models?" she said.

We’re facing more lawsuits and charges than John Gotti and Puff Daddy combined. And now, state regulators are digging deeper according to NBC. This is quickly turning into ‘death by a thousand cuts'

https://www.nbcnews.com/video/rhode-island-retirement-plan-prevents-many-state-workers-from-accessing-contributions-247724101790

https://www.flightglobal.com/fixed-wing/congress-moves-to-restrict-usaf-kc-46-acquisitions-pending-engineering-fix/164516.article

Sep17 6am UTC - Sep18 6am UTC totals: 89 layoffs, 24 additions.
September totals (except Sep01): 4946 layoffs, and 568 additions.
Methodology and day-by-day breakdown is in comments.

EMEA started getting invites and mass layoff process officially kicked off in some locations. However, due to labor laws it will take several weeks before specific people are cut and lose access to Slack, so Slack totals won't reflect it for a long time.

When are they announcing the next round of closures? Any updates? Any signs for stores to be looking out for that would mean they are on the list? When do you think the next announcement will be?

"NEW YORK — Today, the U.S. Postal Service honored humanitarian and Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel with a stamp. Wiesel dedicated his life to preserving the memory of the Holocaust, championing Jewish causes, and defending human rights. He is the 18th honoree in the Distinguished Americans stamp series. A dedication ceremony for the stamp was held in New York City.

Elie served on the Mutual of America Board of Directors for many years and his contributions to our great company can not be overstated.

“The Postal Service honoring Elie Wiesel is important because our stamps highlight the greatness of the American experience. This stamp serves as a reminder of this remarkable man, and his legacy of resilience and compassion,” said Ronald A. Stroman, a member of the Postal Service Board of Governors and dedicating official for the stamp. “As a journalist, as an author, as an activist, and most importantly, as a teacher, Elie Wiesel chose again and again to speak for those who had no voice and it is a well-deserved recognition to have his image as the 18th stamp in the Distinguished Americans Stamp series.”

Joining Stroman for the ceremony were TV meteorologist Lee Goldberg, who served as master of ceremonies; Elisha Wiesel, son of Elie Wiesel and chairman of the Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity; Rabbi David Ingber, senior director of Jewish Life at the Bronfman Center; and Seth Pinsky, chief executive, 92nd Street Y.

Wiesel became the voice for victims and survivors of the Holocaust and fought for human rights at every opportunity. He wrote “Night” (1960), which a powerful account of his experience in Na-i death camps. Wiesel became a United States citizen in 1963. He was appointed chairman of the President’s Commission on the Holocaust in 1978, which led to the opening of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 1993.

Throughout his career, Wiesel published dozens of works that focused on the aftermath of the Holocaust, the Jewish experience, his deep spiritual connection to Judaism and his enduring love for Israel. His remarkable body of work ensures that future generations will keep the memory of the Holocaust alive.

Wiesel was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1986 as a “messenger for mankind.” He and his wife, Marion, established the Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity with the prize money.

Ethel Kessler, an art director for USPS, designed the stamp with a photograph by Sergey Bermeniev. The words “Two Ounce” on this stamp indicate its usage value. Like a Forever stamp, this stamp will always be valid for the rate printed on it.

News of the Elie Wiesel stamp is being shared with the hashtag #ElieWieselStamps. A video will be posted two hours after the ceremony providing more information and insights into the stamp on the Postal Service’s Facebook and YouTube pages at facebook.com/USPS and youtube/usps"

Got voted down amidst opposition
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-09-17/caesars-times-square-casino-bid-ends-after-nyc-community-vote

Activity but nobody is talking…

China has released a Wells Fargo & Co. banker it earlier blocked from leaving the country, according to a person familiar with the matter, ahead of a potential in-person meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-09-17/china-lifts-exit-ban-on-wells-fargo-banker-amid-us-trade-talks

Sep16 6am UTC - Sep17 6am UTC totals: 75 layoffs.
September totals (except Sep01): 4857 layoffs, and 544 additions.
Methodology and day-by-day breakdown is in comments.

Chairman Paul Bulcke will step down early and hand over to former Inditex chief Pablo Isla on October 1, accelerating a changing of the guard at the Swiss food giant after an unprecedented period of managerial turmoil.

https://www.reuters.com/business/nestle-ushers-new-leadership-era-chairman-exits-early-2025-09-16/

BTW,when is the next one?

https://extra.ie/2025/09/15/news/donald-trump-quarterly-financial-reports?ITO=msn

Sycamore Partners has replaced Walgreens CEO Tim Wentworth with Mike Motz, who was previously the CEO of office retail store Staples, another Sycamore company.

“Under that CEO’s watch, Staples shuttered a third of its stores,” he said. “It cut tens of thousands of jobs. We’re wary that if Sycamore applies that same playbook to Walgreens, if that CEO that’s coming over from Staples applies that same playbook to Walgreens, we’re going to have … thousands of stores closed, tens of thousands of layoffs, pharmacy deserts in neighborhoods that are already struggling with access to medication.”

Planta, which opened in 2016 and focuses on 100% plant-based dining, will shrink from 18 total locations to eight after a judge signed off on its bankruptcy plan. The company filed for bankruptcy in May and was reported to be facing between $10 million and $50 million in liabilities with almost no assets at the time.

https://country.iheart.com/content/2025-09-15-popular-restaurant-chain-closes-majority-of-locations-after-bankruptcy/

• September 15, 2025: Fidelity National Information Services (FIS) will cut 133 roles at its Bellevue office.

https://intellizence.com/insights/layoff-downsizing/major-companies-that-announced-mass-layoffs/

California Resources Corporation (CRC) will acquire Berry Corporation in an all-stock transaction valued at about $717 million, including Berry’s net debt, the companies announced on Sept. 15.

https://worldoil.com/news/2025/9/15/crc-to-acquire-berry-in-717-million-all-stock-merger-expanding-california-oil-assets/

More specifically, the DeRoyal facility in LaFollette, Tennessee, which produces all kinds of tools and instruments for use in healthcare settings, is closing down primary operations by the end of this month – with full shutdown by the end of 2025.

https://www.newsbreak.com/the-coconut-mama-317784482/4234203487555-tennessee-braces-for-incoming-factory-shutdown-and-153-layoffs-confirmed

FLD - listen up....AI is failing big time....

https://futurism.com/ceos-ai-disaster

https://forums.theregister.com/forum/all/2025/09/08/red_hatters_to_be_big/

Source below...

Oracle has quietly eliminated more than 3K jobs across the US, India, the Philippines, and Canada, marking one of the largest workforce reductions in its recent history. The cuts took place between August and September 2025, but the company has made no public announcement. Instead, the layoffs were revealed through legally required WARN filings in the United States and similar notices abroad.

The timeline

• August 13, 2025: Bloomberg reported that Oracle’s Cloud Infrastructure teams were hit first. No company statement was released.
• September 2, 2025: WARN filings in Washington State showed 101 layoffs effective November 3, 2025. Kansas City operations were also affected.
• September 3, 2025: California filings revealed 254 jobs cut across three sites, including 187 in Redwood City.
• September 4-5, 2025: Another 101 layoffs in Seattle were disclosed.
• Ongoing through September: More reductions followed in India, the Philippines, Canada, and Europe, often announced through “business update” meetings.

Where the layoffs happened

• United States: 262 jobs in Seattle, 254 in California, plus additional cuts in Kansas City, targeting former Cerner employees.
• India: Around 10% of Oracle’s workforce, or 2,800 to 3,000 staff, lost jobs across Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Mumbai, Pune, Noida, and Kolkata.
• Philippines: Entire teams in Advanced Customer Services and the NetSuite Global Business Unit were eliminated.

Who was affected

• Oracle Health (formerly Cerner): Consulting, implementation, and care delivery roles took the hardest hit. Kansas City has now lost more than 5,000 Oracle jobs since the $28.3 billion Cerner acquisition in 2022.
• Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI): Cuts hit Enterprise Engineering, Fusion ERP, data center technicians, and even AI/ML project managers. This came as Oracle announced major AI investments.

Why it happened

The layoffs came just weeks after CEO Larry Ellison met with President Trump and unveiled a $30 billion AI infrastructure deal with OpenAI. Despite strong financial results—$57.4 billion in revenue for fiscal 2024, up 8% year-over-year—Oracle is cutting traditional roles to fund AI expansion.

These are not recession-driven cuts, but deliberate restructuring aimed at shifting resources toward artificial intelligence.

The human impact

Oracle has remained silent publicly, leaving WARN filings and brief internal meetings as the only communication. Many long-serving employees, some with over 20 years at the company, were informed of their termination during short virtual meetings.

One employee shared on LinkedIn that the layoffs highlight a growing reality: companies will eliminate jobs to fund AI, even when profits are strong. Experience and loyalty no longer guarantee security.

https://www.finalroundai.com/blog/oracle-laid-off-over-3000-staff-worldwide-through-warn-filings-2025

Sep11 6:30am UTC - Sep12 6am UTC totals: 100 layoffs.
September totals (except Sep01): 4638 layoffs, and 279 additions.
Methodology and day-by-day breakdown is in comments.

The former chemical engineer and biofuels researcher at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Richland was furloughed two months ago. In August, PNNL laid him off, along with 90 other jobs being cut in recent weeks.

https://www.tricitiesbusinessnews.com/articles/pnnl-layoffs-prompt-criticism-concern

https://about.att.com/story/2025/ookla-rootmetrics-awards.html

Oops.

I'm thrilled to finally share the exciting news that I've been promoted to my dream role as the VP of Merchandising for Asia Pacific and Latin America at Nike!

It's been a busy few months setting up this amazing team for success, but I'm proud to be back home in APLA, leading with passion, commitment, and determination.

After 22 incredible years at Nike, this role is a dream come true. I'm so grateful to the amazing leaders who've supported me throughout my career and believed in me.