AI shakes up the call center industry, but some tasks are still better left to the humans
NEW YORK (AP) — Artificial intelligence is transforming call centers by streamlining tasks and improving customer service. Armen Kirakosian, a call center agent in Greece, now uses AI to access full customer profiles and anticipate issues before speaking to callers. This technology is helping agents focus more on customer service. However, AI's role in call centers is complex. While AI can handle routine tasks, it struggles with more intricate issues, like identity theft. Companies like Klarna have found that relying solely on AI can save money but also hurt customer satisfaction. The future may involve AI handling simpler tasks, with human agents managing complex ones.
South Korea will bring home 300 workers detained in massive Hyundai plant raid in Georgia
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea says it has reached a deal with the U.S. for the release of South Korean workers detained in an immigration raid at a Hyundai plant in Georgia. Presidential chief of staff Kang Hoon-sik announced Sunday that South Korea and the U.S. finalized negotiations on the workers’ release. He said South Korea plans to send a charter plane to bring the workers home. South Korea’s Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said more than 300 South Koreans were among the 475 people detained. The raid stunned many in South Korea because the country is a key U.S. ally.
London's subway system is grinding to a halt as Underground staff go on strike
LONDON (AP) — Thousands of London Underground staff have started a series of strikes over pay and conditions. The strikes, which began on Sunday, could shut down the subway system used by millions daily. The Rail, Maritime and Transport Union says members, including drivers and maintenance workers, will walk out at various times through Thursday. The transit operator says services were disrupted on Sunday and there are expected to be few or no trains running between Monday and Thursday. The company has offered a 3.4% pay increase, but the union wants a reduction in the working week. No talks are planned, and the union is urging Mayor Sadiq Khan to intervene.
Mexico says it's cracking down on fuel theft and critics say it underscores the depth of the problem
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico's top prosecutor says the government plans to arrest many more people involved in fuel theft networks between Mexico and the United States. On Saturday, the Mexican government announced the arrest of a senior navy officer and several business leaders linked to a massive fuel seizure in northern Mexico. The arrests come just days after U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited Mexico to discuss security issues. Fuel theft has cost the state-owned oil company Pemex $3.8 billion in five years. Critics argue that corruption within the government enables these criminal networks to thrive.
Trump's job market promises fall flat as hiring collapses and inflation ticks up
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. job market has gone from healthy to lethargic during President Donald Trump’s first seven months back in the White House. Friday’s jobs report showed employers added a mere 22,000 jobs in August, as the unemployment rate ticked up to 4.3%. Factories and construction firms shed workers. The new data exposed the widening gap between the booming economy Trump promised and the more anemic reality of what he’s managed to deliver so far. The White House prides itself on operating at a breakneck speed, but it’s now asking the American people for patience, with Trump saying better job numbers might be a year away.
Undersea cables cut in the Red Sea, disrupting internet access in Asia and the Mideast
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Undersea cable cuts in the Red Sea have disrupted internet access in parts of Asia and the Middle East. Experts say the disruption began early Sunday, but the cause remains unclear. There are concerns about possible targeting by Yemen's Houthi rebels, though they have denied cutting cables in the past. Microsoft announced that the Middle East may face increased latency. NetBlocks reported degraded connectivity in countries like India and Pakistan. The affected cables are managed by Tata Communications and Alcatel-Lucent. Saudi Arabia and the UAE have not officially acknowledged the disruption. This comes as the Houthis and Israel remain locked in attacks.
Secret audios, dramatic leaks, spying claims: A bribery scandal engulfs Argentina's Milei
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — Argentines have been captivated by a growing corruption scandal involving President Javier Milei's close associates. Allegations suggest that Milei's powerful sister, Karina, profited from a kickback scheme in Argentina’s disability agency. These claims have surfaced during a time of extreme fiscal austerity, threatening the government's reputation ahead of national midterms. The scandal broke when leaked audio implicated top officials in accepting bribes. Milei denies the allegations and has dismissed the recordings as false. The situation has intensified, with press freedom groups criticizing the government's response and Karina Milei becoming a focal point of public outrage.
Postal traffic to US sank 80% after Trump administration ended exemption on low-value parcels
The U.N. postal agency says postal traffic into the United States plunged by more than 80% after a Trump administration move to end a tariff exemption for low-cost imports. The Universal Postal Union says it has started rolling out new measures that can help postal operators around the world calculate and collect duties. The U.S. on Aug. 29 eliminated an exemption that had allowed U.S.-bound parcels valued at $800 or less to avoid customs charges. The UPU says 88 national postal operators have suspended some or all postal services to the U.S. as a result.
US hiring stalls with employers reluctant to expand in an economy grown increasingly erratic
WASHINGTON (AP) — The American job market, a pillar of U.S. economic strength since the pandemic, is crumbling under the weight of President Donald Trump’s erratic economic policies. Uncertain about where things are headed, companies are reluctant to hire, leaving agonized jobseekers unable to find work and worrying the consumers (70% of U.S. economic activity) whose spending has driven impressive growth for the world’s biggest economy since the COVID-19 disruptions of 2020. The Labor Department reported Friday that U.S. employers — companies, government agencies and nonprofits — added just 22,000 jobs last month, down from a 79,000 in July and well below the 80,000 that economists had expected. The unemployment rate ticked up to 4.3% last month, the highest since 2021.
Fox News thrives two years after court settlement, but 2020 election coverage fight goes on
NEW YORK (AP) — Fox News seemed to be dealt a crippling blow in a $787 million settlement of a libel lawsuit more than two years ago, but has instead thrived. Fox's ratings are at a high when most television networks are sliding, including news rivals CNN and MSNBC, and Fox is the go-to source to distribute news for the new Trump administration. Yet court cases regarding coverage of the 2020 election aftermath involving outlets where Trump supporters gather are continuing. In its own recent settlement of a libel case, the conservative Newsmax network has learned that expressing regrets or apologizing doesn't pay.
