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On Wednesday, Microsoft announced it will lay off around 9,000 employees. It’s the tech company’s second round of major layoffs this year and its largest in more than two years, according to The Associated Press. Here’s everything we know about the cuts and how it’ll affect Microsoft moving forward.

Microsoft said layoffs are necessary for company’s success in a “dynamic marketplace”

Microsoft’s layoffs are hitting the tech company across divisions around the world, including the company’s Xbox video game business, among others. According to a notice sent to state officials in Redmond, Washington, where Microsoft ‘s headquarters are, 830 workers will be losing their jobs at the location.

The tech company noted that its divisions will experience “organizational changes” that have been deemed “necessary to best position the company and teams for success in a dynamic marketplace,” The Associated Press reported. Microsoft neglected to share the exact amount of total layoffs, but it noted that it’s around 4% of the workforce it had last year.

In a memo to gaming division employees on Wednesday, Xbox CEO Phil Spencer said the layoffs will help the tech company’s video game arm be better prepared for “for enduring success and allow us to focus on strategic growth areas,” per The Associated Press.

A source told CNBC that, similar to the tech company’s May layoffs, which saw more than 6,000 employees lose their jobs, Microsoft is hoping to reduce management that sits in between individual contributors and top executives.

Spencer noted that Xbox plans to “follow Microsoft’s lead in removing layers of management to increase agility and effectiveness.”

Microsoft has laid off thousands of employees in recent years

According to CNBC, Microsoft has been laying off employees rapidly over the last few years. After the May layoffs, the tech company cut at least 300 more jobs in June. Back in 2023, it laid off 10,000 people.

Microsoft had its biggest round of layoffs more than a decade ago. In 2014, the tech company axed 18,000 jobs amid an acquisition of Nokia’s devices and services business.

As of June 2024, the last time it reported its annual headcount, the tech company had 228,000 full-time workers.

Chuck E. Cheese is opening new arcade centers targeted to adults and longtime fans of the franchise, the company announced on Monday. Chuck’s Arcade centers will merge older games with newer ones across the U.S.

The goal of these arcades is to provide a space for adults who love arcades and fans of Chuck E. Cheese.

“The arcade was created for adults and lifelong fans who grew up surrounded by the electric glow of arcade screens, the symphony of digital soundtracks and the thrill of chasing high scores with friends long into the night,” the company said in a press release. “Chuck’s Arcade™ is a modern-day love letter to the games and people who made Chuck E. Cheese great.”

The company is nearing its 50th anniversary

Chuck E. Cheese CEO David McKillips sees the opening of these new arcade centers as the natural expansion of the franchise as the company nears its 50th anniversary.

“Chuck E. Cheese has spent decades mastering the arcade experience — it’s in our DNA,” CEO of Chuck E. Cheese David McKillips said in a press release. “Thanks to the expertise of our talented technicians and the successful transformation of almost 500 fun centers worldwide, we’ve built the operational and creative foundation to take our brand beyond our traditional four walls. Chuck’s Arcade™ is a natural evolution — an opportunity to extend our arcade legacy into new formats that engage both lifelong fans and a new generation through a curated mix of retro classics and cutting-edge experiences.”

What you can expect to find at a Chuck E. Cheese Arcade location

The company has opened ten locations in several malls across the country, including in St. Petersburg, FL; Trumbull, CT; Oklahoma City and Tulsa; Victor, NY; Buford, GA; El Paso; Nashua and Salem, NH and St. Louis. More locations are set to open in the future.

Each arcade center reportedly has its own unique theme and features different games. Visitors will be able to enjoy retro games like Ms. Pac-Man, Galaga, Mortal Kombat, Donkey Kong and Centipede. They will also be able to play newer additions such as racing simulators and immersive virtual reality to more recent classics like Jurassic Park, Halo and Connect Four Hoops.

American Idol Season 23 winner Jamal Roberts turned down a significant honor in his home state of Mississippi.

Ahead of his August performance in Laurel, Mississippi, it was announced that the singer, who won the competition singing show in May, would receive a key to the city. However, some residents were enraged. Here’s what they said and how Roberts responded.

Laurel locals threaten to bring guns to Roberts’ August performance

Ahead of Roberts’ Aug. 2 performance in Laurel, Drake Paige, a local club promoter, shared on Facebook on Friday that Mayor Johnny Magee permitted him to offer Roberts a key to the city at the event.

The post received many negative comments and threats toward Roberts, with some saying they would bring firearms to Roberts’ concert.

“He ain’t from laurel. That ain’t fair now,” one tamer comment read.

Roberts addressed the comments and threats in a Facebook Live, during which he said he wasn’t interested in the honor.

“I did not ask for a key to the city,” Roberts said. “Y’all should get it and give it to them, somebody that’s deserving, I guess. … You know, been working in the community for years. But I don’t want it.”

Roberts thanked Magee for the honor, but reiterated he didn’t want a key to the city.

“But, respectfully, keep it,” he said.

The singer said he still plans on performing in the city.

Roberts received a key to Atmore, Alabama, in June

Following a June show in Atmore, Alabama, Roberts and his daughters were presented with a key to the city. The singer happily accepted and posted on Instagram that Atmore “made us feel like we were at home.”

“Wow, today Atmore, Alabama gave the girls and I a key to the city and embraced us and made us feel like we were at home 😭. Thank y’all for loving on my babies and accepting me just the way I am,” he captioned his post.

Google is ordered to pay $314.6 million to Android smartphone users in California because the company misused customers’ data. A San Jose jury made the ruling on Tuesday, saying the tech giant was sending and receiving data without users’ permission while the devices were idle. Per The Guardian, the lawsuit stated that the company is liable for “mandatory and unavoidable burdens shouldered by Android device users for Google’s benefit.”

What did Google say after being accused of misusing users’ data?

Jose Castaneda, a Google spokesperson, refuted the verdict from the San Jose court. Per The Guardian, Castaneda said in a statement  that the verdict “misunderstands services that are critical to the security, performance, and reliability of Android devices.”

Google argued that the company didn’t harm any Android users by collecting data. The company also said users consented to Google’s terms of service and privacy policies before their information was collected. According to Reuters, the defense counsel said “plaintiffs’ theory is revealed as little more than a (misguided) product design claim” when the “rhetoric and hyperbole are set aside.” There is no “wrongful conversion,” the defense counsel stated, per Reuters.

What did the plaintiffs say after Google was ordered to pay for data misuse?

 Attorney Glen Summers, who is representing the plaintiffs, praised Tuesday’s verdict. Per The Guardian, Summers said the ruling “forcefully vindicates the merits of this case and reflects the seriousness of Google’s misconduct.”

The plaintiffs, who filed the class action lawsuit in 2019 representing about 14 million Android users in California, argued that Google collected information from Android phones, even when the devices were off, and used the data for targeted advertising. Android users added that Google forced them to waste the data they purchased from their carriers as it was transferring people’s information.

A separate group has also filed a case against Google for collecting data without people’s consent. The lawsuit, also filed in San Jose, represents Android users in the 49 states outside of California. That case is expected to go to trial in April 2026.

Ohio residents may have unclaimed funds to claim, as a new multi-billion-dollar plan will utilize this money for sports-related projects.

The Columbus Patch reported that Republican Gov. Mike DeWine signed a two-year state budget on Wednesday that allocates $600 million of that money toward building a new domed stadium for the Cleveland Browns in Brook Park.

The move is part of a $1.7 billion state plan, with $600 million designated for the new football stadium. Another $400 million will go toward other stadium projects, with $700 million reserved for unspecified purposes.

Although the plan calls for using unclaimed funds for these projects, it has faced opposition from state Democrats and Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost. The state can now assume ownership of over $4.8 million in unclaimed property, such as old paychecks and security deposits, if left unclaimed for 10 years — a shift from the previous policy.

What are unclaimed funds?

Unclaimed funds are inactive or forgotten money, such as old bank accounts, uncashed checks, or utility deposits, reported to the Ohio Department of Commerce after a period of inactivity, according to The Columbus Dispatch.

Ohio has worked to return unclaimed funds to rightful owners through several channels.

The average claim is $4,000, and in 2023, residents filed more than 43,000 claims, resulting in over $139 million returned.

How Ohio residents can check for missing money

The Ohio Department of Commerce’s Division of Unclaimed Funds provides a webpage that guides residents on how to check for unclaimed money, claim it, and submit the necessary forms to receive their funds.

This resource explains the entire process clearly to help people recover lost or forgotten money.

Ohio residents can search for unclaimed funds using online portals like missingmoney.com and the Ohio Department of Commerce’s website portal. They can also find out if the state has withheld any lost money by using their name and following the instructions on the site.

For those without internet access, the division also offers in-person assistance and kiosks for additional help.

What to do if you have unclaimed funds

You can claim unclaimed funds by completing a form and providing the required identification or documents. For claims over $3,000, notarization may be required.

Submit the forms online or by mail to the Ohio Department of Commerce. Processing typically takes up to 120 days, and incomplete claims may cause delays in the process. Check your claim status online.

To check the status of your claim, you can visit the division’s webpage: com.ohio.gov/divisions-and-programs/unclaimed-funds.

The Trump administration has been cracking down on immigration through the deployment of ICE officers across the country. These initiatives have been met with backlash from people living in the United States.

Several protests have been held to call out the mass deployment of ICE across the country, while others are reporting ICE sightings on social media. A developer saw a need to gather the latter’s information and launched an app titled ICEBlock.

What is the ICEBlock app?

ICEBlock is an app that allows users to report ICE activity in real time within a five-mile radius. All reports are anonymous. The app is free to download on the App Store. ICEBlock isn’t currently available on Androids, as “achieving this level of anonymity on Android is not feasible due to the inherent requirements of push notification services,” according to the app’s website.

The app currently counts over 70,000 users, according to The Independent. This number is growing rapidly as it reached the No. 1 spot on the App Store’s most downloaded list on Tuesday. ICEBlock is available in 14 languages; it has adopted the slogan, “See something, tap something.”

“In recent years, ICE has faced criticism for alleged civil rights abuses and failures to adhere to constitutional principles and due process, making it crucial for communities to stay informed about its operations,” the app’s website indicates. “Modeled after Waze but for ICE sightings, the app ensures user privacy by storing no personal data, making it impossible to trace reports back to individual users.”

The app’s developer added that he saw parallels between the current deportation of immigrants in the U.S. with those that occurred in Nazi Germany in the 1940s.

“When I saw what was happening in this country, I wanted to do something to fight back,” Joshua Aaron told CNN. “We’re literally watching history repeat itself.”

ICEBlock “does not condone violence of any kinds,” he also told The Independent. “We state this multiple times in the app, and I have reiterated this in every interview I have given. ICEBlock serves to ‘inform, not obstruct’ and its goal is to allow people to avoid potentially harmful encounters with ICE.”

The Trump administration is alleging the ICEBlock app condones violence

Several members of the Trump administration have criticized the app and have alleged it promotes violence against ICE officers.

“What they’re doing is actively encouraging people to avoid law enforcement activities, operations, and we’re going to actually go after them and prosecute them,” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said, per The Independent. “What they’re doing is illegal.”

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt added that ICEBlock “sounds like this would be an incitement of further violence against our ICE officers.”

ICE acting director Todd M. Lyons called out coverage of the app’s popularity by CNN, saying that it is “reckless and irresponsible.”

“Advertising an app that basically paints a target on federal law enforcement officers’ backs is sickening,” he said. “Going on live television to announce an app that lets anyone zero in on their locations is like inviting violence against them with a national megaphone. CNN is willfully endangering the lives of officers who put their lives on the line every day and enabling dangerous criminal aliens to evade U.S. law. Is this simply reckless ‘journalism’ or overt activism?”

CNN published a response, which indicated reporting on the app is not illegal: “This is an app that is publicly available to any iPhone user who wants to download it,” the network wrote in a statement, according to The Independent. “There is nothing illegal about reporting the existence of this or any other app, nor does such reporting constitute promotion or other endorsement of the app by CNN.”

“We will not be intimidated,” Aaron said in response to the Trump administration’s claims. “As long as ICE agents have quotas, and this administration ignores people’s constitutional rights, we will continue fighting back.”

“No human is illegal,” he added.