Amazon CEO Andy Jassy has told employees during a Q&A session that it is time to “disagree and commit” to the company’s return-to-office policy, which requires corporate employees to be in the office three days a week. This comes after months of pushback from employees against the policy. Jassy stated that it was unfair for some employees to be in the office while others refused. The new policy, announced in February, was enacted in May and reflects Amazon’s belief that in-person engagement leads to better collaboration.

Twitch has made changes to its Partner Plus program, which allows streamers to take home a higher percentage of their earnings. Previously, streamers needed to maintain a minimum of 350 paid subscribers for three consecutive months to qualify. However, Twitch has now announced that higher subscription tiers will count for extra towards meeting this requirement. Tier 1 subs count as 1 point, Tier 2 subs count as 2 points, and Tier 3 subs count as 6 points. Despite this change, many streamers are still urging Twitch to include gifted subs in the count. The new revenue share system under the Partner Plus program will commence on October 1.

New Zealand intends to introduce legislation for a digital services tax on large multinational companies starting in 2025. This decision came after talks for a global rollout at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) failed to reach a consensus. The proposed tax will specifically target multinational businesses earning income from New Zealand users of social media platforms, search engines, and online marketplaces.

Companies making over 750 million euros ($812 million) annually from global digital services and over NZ$3.5 million annually from services provided to New Zealand users will be liable for the tax. The tax rate will be set at 3% on gross taxable New Zealand digital services revenue, following the lead of comparable countries such as France and the United Kingdom. The legislation is expected to yield NZ$222 million over four years. The bill will be introduced to the parliament on Thursday.

German Bionic has introduced a new exosuit called Apogee+ that aims to support healthcare workers who face physical strain in their jobs. The suit is designed to assist with walking and lifting payloads up to 66 pounds, benefiting professionals who often spend long hours standing, walking, and bending over.

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the strain on healthcare workers, making equipment like this crucial for attracting and retaining qualified and motivated personnel. The company plans to showcase the exosuit at an upcoming medical conference, offering flexible procurement options for interested facilities. While adopting such technology may be a gradual process, the suit’s design and features demonstrate its potential to help alleviate physical strain in healthcare settings.

Tesla Inc. is preparing to defend itself in two upcoming trials that allege the failure of its Autopilot driver assistant feature led to fatal accidents. These trials will be a major test for CEO Elon Musk’s claims about self-driving technology and its crucial role in Tesla’s financial future.

The first trial involves a civil lawsuit accusing Tesla’s Autopilot system of causing a 2019 crash that resulted in a fatality and serious injuries. The second trial revolves around a 2019 crash where Autopilot allegedly failed to prevent a collision with a truck, resulting in another death. Tesla denies liability and blames driver error for both accidents. The outcome of these trials could greatly impact Tesla’s reputation and sales for its Autopilot software.

Terry Gou, the founder of Foxconn and a major supplier for Apple, has announced his candidacy for Taiwan’s next president in the 2024 elections as an independent candidate. Gou had previously made unsuccessful bids as the candidate for Taiwan’s main opposition party, the Kuomintang. He now aims to gather enough voter signatures to qualify as an independent candidate by November 2.

Gou’s campaign focuses on the need to avoid war with China and brings attention to his business background. However, Taiwan’s Vice President William Lai, the candidate for the ruling Democratic Progressive Party, is seen as the favorite to win the election. The election is taking place amidst heightened tensions between Taiwan and Beijing, with China conducting military exercises near the island.

Jan Sramek, a former Goldman Sachs trader, has been quietly working on a mysterious project in California aimed at building an urban utopia near San Francisco and Silicon Valley. Through his company Flannery Associates, Sramek has acquired thousands of acres of farmland, garnering the attention of high-profile tech investors.

However, as the project becomes more public, it faces challenges such as lawsuits from locals and strict zoning laws. The future of this ambitious “mega-city” plan remains uncertain.

Yahoo announced the introduction of new AI tools for Yahoo Mail that aim to assist users in saving time and money. These tools include upgrades to existing AI features and the launch of a new Shopping Saver tool. The Shopping Saver tool helps users find forgotten gift cards, discount codes, and store credits and drafts suggested messages to vendors for applying those savings. Yahoo Mail’s existing capabilities also received upgrades, including improved search functionality with suggested questions and enhanced filters, as well as an expanded writing assistant with the ability to write in different tones.

Yahoo utilized Google Cloud’s AI platform for developing its generative AI features. The features were initially tested with iOS users but are now accessible for web browser users as well. Yahoo is preparing for a wider release but has not specified a date. Google and Microsoft have previously introduced generative AI-powered features in Gmail and Outlook, making Yahoo’s announcement timely.

Summary: A historic heat wave sweeping across the Southwest and other parts of the US is drawing attention to the increasing deaths and injuries of workers in extreme heat. This issue is particularly prevalent among low-wage migrant workers who are often employed in hot warehouses, kitchens, or outdoor jobs.

While federal procedures exist for addressing climate change-related risks like drought, flood, and wildfires, there is a lack of specific heat protections. Despite ongoing efforts by the Biden administration, there is currently no federal heat standard in the US, leaving workers potentially exposed to hazardous conditions. Some states have adopted their own regulations, but there is a need for consistent and comprehensive standards to address this climate hazard.