Human Times

North American Edition

17th June 2026

THE HOT STORY

Ex-Citi director says bank sacked her after raising Trump concerns

A former Citigroup executive claims in a lawsuit that she was dismissed after ‌raising regulatory and compliance questions. A source familiar with the case said the concerns involved a request to open a bank account connected to President Donald Trump. The heavily redacted complaint, filed in Brooklyn federal court, was filed anonymously, using the pseudonym Jane Doe. The plaintiff, a former managing director in Citi's wealth management division, claimed she had identified deficiencies in Citi's internal controls for risk management, anti-money laundering, reputation risk, and data compliance. Citigroup has denied the allegations in the lawsuit and said it had "absolutely zero merit."

Financial Times

Reuters

STRATEGY

Robinhood cuts 10% of workforce

Trading platform Robinhood is to cut 10% of its full-time workforce, or about 290 roles, as it seeks to ‌operate more efficiently by flattening organizational layers. “Robinhood's ‌business has never been stronger,” CEO Vlad ⁠Tenev said in a note to employees shared on social media platform X, adding: “We cannot default to operating as a heavily-layered organization. We must be a lean, hyper-focused team.” The Menlo ‌Park, California-based company had about 2,900 full-time employees as ‌of December 31, a regulatory filing showed.

CNBC

EV startup Rivian lays off hundreds of workers

Electric vehicle maker Rivian has laid off hundreds of employees in a bid to make the business profitable as it launches its key new vehicle, the R2 SUV. The cuts represent less than 2% of Rivian’s workforce, a spokesperson said. The company had about 15,200 employees at the end of last year. “We recently restructured a handful of teams within Rivian as we work to profitably scale our business,” Rivian said. The company laid off more than 600 workers in October, or roughly 4.5% of its workforce.

CNBC

Wall Street Journal

HIRING

IRS rehired thousands after workforce shrank by nearly one-third

The IRS hired more than 2,000 employees after workforce reductions and voluntary departure programs led to the loss of nearly one-third of its staff between January 2025 and January 2026, according to a new report from the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA). The report found that 31,273 employees left the agency or accepted separation incentives during the period, representing about 30% of the IRS workforce. The most affected roles included revenue agents, tax examiners, contact representatives, IT personnel, and management analysts. After beginning targeted hiring efforts, the IRS added 2,287 employees, primarily contact representatives and tax examiners, resulting in a net workforce reduction of 28%. To address staffing shortages ahead of the 2026 tax filing season, the IRS also reassigned 1,173 employees from other divisions to taxpayer services roles. Despite these efforts, a separate TIGTA review found ongoing customer service challenges, identifying quality issues in 26% of a sample of 200 taxpayer calls, including problems with call transfers and service procedures.

FedScoop

Accounting Today

Journal of Accountancy

TECHNOLOGY

Honeywell CEO says AI will ‘redefine automation' amid labor shortages

Honeywell CEO Vimal Kapur has said that AI is set to “redefine automation” by transforming operational data into actionable insights. He observed that labor shortages and aging populations are increasing the demand for automation. “Net workforce is not going to be increasing. It's going to be decreasing over a period of time,” Kapur said. His comments come as Honeywell prepares to spin off its aerospace business on June 29; the company is seeking to focus solely on its automation sector. “We are taking the opportunity to build a pure play automation company across multiple sectors, and opportunity is more compelling now, with AI coming in,” Kapur said.

CNBC

LEGAL

To bet or not to bet: the corporate prediction market predicament

Companies are racing to set rules on how employees can bet on prediction markets. Recent high-profile cases have highlighted how the platforms’ soaring popularity could facilitate opportunities for insider trading.

Financial Times

HEALTH & WELLBEING

U.S. healthcare costs projected to rise 9% in 2027, PwC says

U.S. healthcare costs for employer-sponsored plans are expected to increase 9% in 2027, driven by rising use of specialty drugs, growing demand for mental health services, and continued reimbursement pressures, according to a new report. PwC surveyed actuaries from 27 health insurers covering more than 100m employer-sponsored members and forecast healthcare cost growth of 9% for group plans and 8.5% for the individual market in 2027. The consultancy also revised its 2026 estimates upward to 9% for group plans and 8.5% for individual coverage. A major driver of rising costs is the rapid adoption of high-cost specialty medications, particularly GLP-1 drugs used to treat diabetes and other chronic conditions. Monthly GLP-1 prescriptions reached approximately 3.5m in December 2025, nearly double the level recorded a year earlier. Other costly treatments, including cell and gene therapies and cancer drugs, are also contributing to higher spending.

Modern Healthcare

RISK

Chinese propaganda is being deployed to foment dissent, OpenAI says

OpenAI has said in a reports that Chinese propagandists have been trying to use its ChatGPT platform to foment opposition to Donald Trump's tariffs and intervene in American debates over data centers and AI. The company said it had identified Chinese-speaking users using its flagship chat to generate slogans and cartoons critiquing White House trade and tech policy that were later posted to X. The Chinese Embassy in Washington said that it was not familiar with OpenAI's research, but "we firmly oppose any groundless attacks or smears against China."

Reuters

INTERNATIONAL

AI giants flock to London

CNBC reports on how major AI companies, including OpenAI and Anthropic, have in the last year announced significant expansions in London, driven by the need for top technical and commercial talent. “It's all about talent,” Mike Wiseman, head of campuses at British Land, says. “London has built a deep and mature technology ecosystem over many years, and if you're looking to scale a business internationally, it's one of the few markets globally that can support that level of growth.” Meanwhile, Frederic Groussolles, partner at executive search firm Heidrick & Struggles, observes that “A decade of investment anchored by DeepMind, major research labs and leading universities has created a mature talent base spanning AI research, engineering and commercial leadership.” London is also one of the world's foremost financial centers, Groussolles adds, allowing companies “ready access to venture, growth equity and corporate development networks.”

CNBC

China's AI boom sounds alarm about labor rights

China's rapid adoption of AI has led to a call from the Workers' Daily for stronger labor protections. The state-run newspaper has urged regulators to enhance labor standards and involve trade unions in oversight. It warns that AI could displace 70m workers, exacerbating existing job market weaknesses. “The benefits of technological advancement should be shared by society as a whole, rather than becoming a tool for a small number of employers to undermine workers' rights,” an editorial said. Beijing has reportedly started to warn employers, particularly tech companies, not to cut jobs as they adopt AI.

Business Times SG

Bosch pivots to humanoid robotics

German auto supplier Bosch has announced a strategic shift towards humanoid robotics amid challenges in its traditional business caused by fierce overseas competition and weak demand. The company is a key producer of the tiny sensors which are crucial in robotics. These sensors determine whether a robot "should tighten its grip or not, whether it is dealing with a sturdy object, or whether it needs to act delicately because it is an egg," explained Bosch CEO Stefan Hartung, who added: "Humans have four million touch sensors. If we were to build robots equipped with as many sensors, four years of global sensor production would barely be enough to equip 12,500 robots." Hartung forecast: "With the advent of humanoid robotics, the demand for Bosch components and solutions is increasing."

France 24

OTHER

Changes in U.S. abortion opinions persist

According to a Gallup poll, Americans remain nearly evenly divided on the legality of abortion four years after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. The survey indicates that 48% of respondents believe abortion should be legal in most circumstances, while 49% prefer it to be illegal or limited. This reflects a notable shift from 2009, when only 34% supported legalization. The partisan divide is stark, with 75% of Democrats supporting legality versus only 15% of Republicans. Gender differences are also significant: 56% of women find abortion morally acceptable compared to 39% of men. The survey, conducted from May 1-17 with 1,001 adults, has a margin of error of 4%.

U.S. News

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