Uber is set to cut more than 3,000 jobs worldwide as part of a major restructuring aimed at reducing management layers and redirecting spending towards the company’s core businesses.

The cuts represent about 10% of Uber’s global workforce and will reduce staffing to levels last seen in 2021.

Chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi told employees in an internal email that Uber had grown rapidly but had accumulated too many management layers and small teams, which had slowed decision-making.

He said the restructuring would make the company “simpler” and “faster”, while allowing it to free up funds for its biggest growth opportunities.

The job cuts will affect both managers and non-managers. Uber also plans to combine many of its smallest teams into larger groups, although it has not yet revealed which locations will be most affected.

Uber shares rose by nearly 2% following the announcement, suggesting investors welcomed the restructuring plans.

Analysts estimate the changes could generate as much as $2bn in annual savings for the company.

The restructuring comes as Uber increases investment in autonomous vehicle partnerships and expands its ride-hailing, food delivery and robotaxi operations.

The company is also changing its workplace policy, requiring almost all employees to work in person from designated hubs. Remote positions are expected to account for only about 1% of its workforce.

Unlike many major technology companies that have reduced headcount following heavy investment in artificial intelligence, Uber had largely avoided significant job cuts since the pandemic.

Meta has agreed to pay up to $18bn (£13.3bn) to settle claims brought by US states that Facebook and Instagram harmed children, in what would be the company’s largest payment over child safety litigation.

The settlement covers 48 states, as well as the District of Columbia and three US territories. It still requires approval from a judge in California.

As part of the agreement, Meta will introduce a series of measures designed to give parents greater control over how children use its platforms.

The company has denied wrongdoing and said the settlement payment will be made in annual instalments over 10 years.

“This is a major moment to clean up an industry that has been hurting our kids,” California Attorney General Rob Bonta said.

The original lawsuit was filed in 2023 by 29 states, which accused Meta of violating federal and state child privacy laws and using features designed to keep young users engaged on its platforms.

One state not included in the settlement is New Mexico. Last month, a federal judge there ruled that Meta’s conduct constituted a “public nuisance”, comparing the harm to that associated with air pollution, and ordered the company to pay almost $1bn in combined fines.

Under the new settlement, Meta will introduce a number of restrictions for teenage users.

A “night mode” feature, which blocks notifications between midnight and 06:00, will be switched on by default. Parents or guardians will be able to control whether the setting can be disabled.

Teenagers will also face a default two-hour daily limit across Instagram and Facebook. The limit can only be disabled with parental permission.

Other measures include:

• Hiding “likes” on teenagers’ profiles and on posts they interact with.
• Introducing “school mode”, which will mute notifications between 08:00 and 15:00 on school days.
• Sending prompts after 15 minutes of continuous use, followed by notifications at 60 and 90 minutes of cumulative use.
• Allowing teenagers to choose a feed that is not driven by an algorithm.
• Giving users the option to disable video and content autoplay.
• Removing access to extreme make-up filters for teenage users.

Meta’s chief legal officer, C J Mahoney, said the agreement would give parents greater control over how their children access the company’s platforms.

The daily usage limit could become even stricter if other major social media companies agree to similar restrictions. Under the settlement, the limit would fall to one hour a day if platforms including TikTok, Snapchat and YouTube introduce new restrictions for young users.

Nearly three million Tesla vehicles are being recalled in China over concerns that their minimalist hidden door handles could make it difficult for occupants to escape after a serious crash.

The recall affects about 2.98 million China-made Teslas, as part of China’s largest vehicle recall involving more than 4 million cars. Other manufacturers affected include Chinese electric vehicle makers XPeng, Xiaomi and Geely.

The recalled Tesla vehicles will receive a software update designed to automatically lower the windows following a collision. Warning labels will also be placed inside the vehicles to help occupants identify and operate the doors.

Tesla said its Model 3, Model Y, Model S and Model X vehicles were affected because the door handles can be difficult to identify and operate when their colour is similar to the interior trim.

The company warned that the problem could become particularly dangerous if a severe collision causes the vehicle’s low-voltage electrical system to fail.

“In extreme situations such as a severe collision causing the vehicle’s low-voltage system to fail, this could hinder occupants from quickly opening the doors to escape and impede rescue efforts by those outside the vehicle,” Tesla said.

The design of hidden door handles has faced increasing scrutiny following two fatal crashes in China involving Xiaomi electric vehicles, where power failures were suspected of preventing doors from being opened.

The recall highlights growing safety concerns surrounding the increasingly minimalist designs used by electric vehicle manufacturers, particularly as more vehicles rely on electronic systems for functions traditionally operated mechanically.

Tesla said the software update and warning labels are intended to reduce the risk and help occupants and rescuers open the doors more quickly during emergencies