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‘I feel like I’m grieving’: staff on the devastating fallout of widespread layoffs at Xbox

Last month, Microsoft’s gaming division told its workforce it was cutting 3,200 jobs, which some say will have big ramifications for game development – as well as taking a huge personal toll

On the morning of 6 July, an email went out from Asha Sharma, the chief executive of Xbox, to all of the division’s employees around the world. Under the headline “Resetting Xbox”, it announced the most significant restructuring in the history of Microsoft’s console business: 3,200 staff would be laid off throughout the financial year to 2027, and 1,600 of those roles would be eliminated immediately.

An hour later, at studios throughout company, the Teams meeting invites started arriving. “It was a virtual call with our studio manager,” says Anne Barrett, who was laid off from Bethesda Game Studios Austin. “All of our cameras and microphones were turned off so we weren’t able to say anything or react to anything. We were just brought in, told the news and it was like: ‘You guys are going to lose access to your Slack channel.’ So you saw a flurry of goodbye messages before everything was just shut off.”

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© Photograph: Emilio González/Communications Workers of America

© Photograph: Emilio González/Communications Workers of America

© Photograph: Emilio González/Communications Workers of America

Met Gala exhibition honoring John Galliano is cancelled after backlash

Fashion designer was convicted of hate crime by French court in 2011 after series of racist and antisemitic remarks

The controversial fashion designer John Galliano announced on Monday that an exhibition honoring his work that New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art had scheduled to open for the upcoming spring’s Met Gala is not going to go forward.

The museum’s decision to honor Galliano, who was convicted of a hate crime by a French court in 2011 after a series of racist and antisemitic remarks, had drawn controversy and backlash.

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© Photograph: Jeff Spicer/BFC/Getty Images

© Photograph: Jeff Spicer/BFC/Getty Images

© Photograph: Jeff Spicer/BFC/Getty Images

100 ultramarathons in 100 days: former rugby pro hit by brain injury nears end of feat

David ‘Jacko’ Jackson has aimed to raise awareness of brain injuries, with fellow runners sharing their stories

The key for David “Jacko” Jackson is to take each stage nice and gently. “It’s not about running fast,” he said. “It’s more like the hare and tortoise story. Slow and steady – and do it again tomorrow.”

So far, so good. Jackson, a former professional rugby player who retired after a traumatic brain injury, is nearing the end of an extraordinary bid to run 100 ultramarathons (50km, or about 30 miles) in 100 consecutive days.

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© Photograph: Francesca Jones/The Guardian

© Photograph: Francesca Jones/The Guardian

© Photograph: Francesca Jones/The Guardian

So you have diarrhea. Here’s what to do and when to seek care

The discussion about diarrhea has increased lately, especially with the rise of cyclosporiasis. Although unpleasant, it is manageable and can be treated at home

In the US, people are discussing diarrhea more than usual. As of late August, more than 17,000 people across the US have had cyclosporiasis, a parasitic infection often traced to contaminated produce. But tens of millions of diarrhea cases occur in the US every year, caused by lots of other factors.

Some causes, such as cyclospora infection, benefit from antibiotic treatment. But most episodes of diarrhea go away by themselves and don’t require treatment apart from staying hydrated, says Benjamin Levy, a gastroenterologist at the University of Chicago.

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© Composite: The Guardian/Getty Images

© Composite: The Guardian/Getty Images

© Composite: The Guardian/Getty Images

Tell us: what’s the song that is guaranteed to get you on the dancefloor?

What track gets your feet moving the moment you hear it – and on to the dancefloor? I Feel Love by Donna Summer? Or We Found Love by Rihanna? We’d love to hear what yours is

There are some songs which are guaranteed dancefloor fillers whether it’s at a wedding, a club or a music festival.

We would love to hear from people about the song that always gets them on the dancefloor. Are you throwing shapes to Beyoncé’s Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It) or ABBA’s Dancing Queen? Why is your go-to song for dancing your favourite?

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© Photograph: Posed by models; Maskot/Getty Images

© Photograph: Posed by models; Maskot/Getty Images

© Photograph: Posed by models; Maskot/Getty Images

Tell us: have you been affected by the flash floods on the Nepal-Tibet border?

Floods and mudslides have swept away houses and roads with many hundreds missing


More than 1,400 people are still missing and 392 have been confirmed dead after the flash floods and landslides on the Nepal-Tibet border.hit the Himalayan border areas of ⁠Nepal and in ​Tibet in China. An avalanche of ice and rock triggered massive flash floods causing widespread damage to villages and infrastructure.

Officials said hundreds of travellers from countries including India, the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and Malaysia, were reported missing.

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© Photograph: Navesh Chitrakar/Reuters

© Photograph: Navesh Chitrakar/Reuters

© Photograph: Navesh Chitrakar/Reuters

Tell us: do you think AI has made Google search better or worse?

As people grow used to AI chatbots, we’d like to hear your views about Google’s search engine

Google has put artificial intelligence at the front and center of its search bar. The most-visited site on the internet still shows the same list of links to users, but they have to scroll past a summarized response from an AI chatbot, a feature Google calls AI Overviews. The change to what was once the gateway to the rest of the internet has been profound, and the browsing habits of billions of people are shifting.

“AI is driving the most significant upgrade of the Google Search experience ever,” Liz Reid, Google’s vice-president of search, wrote last August. In May, the company said more AI is coming.

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© Photograph: Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto/REX/Shutterstock

© Photograph: Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto/REX/Shutterstock

© Photograph: Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto/REX/Shutterstock

Share your memories of someone you lost in 9/11

Did you lose someone in 9/11? What do you want people to remember about them 25 years later?

To mark 25 years since 9/11, we would like to hear from people who lost loved ones in the attacks. What do you want people to remember about them 25 years later?

If you’re having trouble using the form, click here. Read the terms of service here and the privacy policy here.

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© Photograph: Craig Ruttle/AP

© Photograph: Craig Ruttle/AP

© Photograph: Craig Ruttle/AP

Sign up for the Football Daily newsletter: our free football email

Kick off your afternoon with the Guardian’s take on the world of football

Every weekday, we’ll deliver a roundup the football news and gossip in our own belligerent, sometimes intelligent and – very occasionally – funny way. Still not convinced? Find out what you’re missing here.

Try our other sports emails: there’s weekly catch-ups for cricket in The Spin and rugby union in The Breakdown, and our seven-day round-up of the best of our sports journalism in The Recap.

Living in Australia? Try the Guardian Australia’s daily sports newsletter

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© Illustration: Guardian Design

© Illustration: Guardian Design

© Illustration: Guardian Design

Sign up for the First Edition newsletter: our free daily news email

Wake up to the top stories and what they mean – free to your inbox every weekday morning at 7am

Scroll less, understand more: sign up to receive our news email each weekday for clarity on the top stories in the UK and across the world.

Explore all our newsletters: whether you love film, football, fashion or food, we’ve got something for you

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© Illustration: Guardian Design

© Illustration: Guardian Design

© Illustration: Guardian Design

Sign up for the Feast newsletter: our free Guardian food email

A weekly email from our star chefs featuring the latest recipes and seasonal eating ideas

Each week we’ll send you an exclusive newsletter from our star food writers. We’ll also send you the latest recipes from our star chefs, stand-out food features and seasonal eating inspiration, plus restaurant reviews from Grace Dent.

Sign up below to start receiving the best of our culinary journalism in one mouth-watering weekly email.

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© Composite: The Guardian

© Composite: The Guardian

© Composite: The Guardian

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