Corporate chaos at a glance: Meta layoffs, Lowe's struggles, Apple delays? Plus an airline scandal as a new mum returns from maternity leave to find her department 'vanished'

If you've been keeping an eye on business news lately, you'll know things are bubbling under the surface – whether it's big tech, traditional industry giants, or even the local shop on your high street. From Silicon Valley to Wall Street and all the way to offices in Taiwan, let me give you the inside track on what's really going on at these key companies.

Meta's layoffs aren't over? Zuckerberg's 'year of efficiency' means business

Let's start with Meta, the one everyone knows. The layoffs first announced late last year – many thought it was just for show, but this company is serious. The latest wave is culling the lowest-performing staff, and Zuckerberg made it clear in an internal memo: 'Further headcount reductions before 2025.' A former employee says even standard Silicon Valley perks like free laundry and dinner delivery have been cut back. The bottom line is the metaverse is burning cash too fast, so Meta has no choice but to focus back on its core cash cow: advertising. But I'd bet that as long as the TikTok ban remains up in the air, Meta's Reels short videos will keep traffic afloat – no collapse any time soon.

Lowe's dismal results: a warning that the DIY boom is cooling off

Next, home improvement giant Lowe's. Last quarter's earnings made Wall Street wince – like-for-like sales down over 6% year-on-year, even worse than analysts expected. Everyone was stuck at home during the pandemic painting and putting up shelves; now with revenge travel and eating out, who has time for DIY? Lowe's itself admits that big-ticket items like fridges and kitchen sets are ice cold. By contrast, rival Home Depot, propped up by professional contractors, hasn't been hit as hard. If this company doesn't find a way to win over tradespeople, things will only get tougher in the second half of the year.

Apple's India manufacturing hiccup? iPhone 16 Pro supply warning

As for the Apple fans, Apple is in hot water too. Cook bet big on Indian production lines to reduce reliance on China, but the latest news is that yield rates at Indian plants are causing delays in assembling the stainless steel frames and camera modules for the high-end iPhone 16 Pro. Industry sources say Apple is scrambling to place additional orders with Foxconn in China, but their schedules are already fully booked. So if the September launch goes ahead as planned, initial shipments could be 20% lower than last year. My advice to anyone wanting a launch-day phone: be quick on the draw, or you might not get your hands on one until the end of the year.

Airline scandal: a new mum returns from maternity leave to find her office 'vanished'

After tech and retail, here's an utterly absurd workplace story, starring a local airline. A flight attendant recently finished her maternity leave and happily returned to work, only to find that her entire department had been axed – the office deserted, not even a desk to sit at. She stood frozen in the corridor, went to ask HR, and got a cold reply: 'There's no suitable position for you right now. Why don't you go home and wait for an update?' A colleague recorded the conversation and posted it online, and it instantly went viral. Later, the union stepped in, and the airline changed its tune, saying it would arrange a transfer to ground staff as per labour laws. But anyone with half a brain can see this company is using a 'deep freeze' tactic to force out a new mother. After the story blew up, the labour department launched an investigation. If found true, this airline could face a fine of up to 500,000 NTD.

• Meta: Layoffs + benefit cuts – efficiency first, no room for deadweight.
• Lowe's: DIY boom over, like-for-like sales down 6%.
• Apple: India yield issues – iPhone 16 Pro could face major shortages.
• Airline: New mum returns to find department 'vanished', gets cold shoulder and sparks online fury.

US-China tensions spill into biotech: YuanDa Pharmaceutical hires lobbyist, rattles CFIUS

Finally, a more hardcore but crucial piece of news. A US startup has filed a proposal with CFIUS (the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States), requesting a national security review of China's YuanDa Pharmaceutical. Why? Because sources say the Chinese company allegedly hired a lobbyist with ties to Donald Trump's eldest son, trying to grease the wheels. This company focuses on cancer drugs and ventilators – highly sensitive technology. While the review hasn't yielded a specific outcome yet, Washington circles are already discussing the possibility that more Chinese biotech companies could be added to the entity list. For Taiwanese biotech firms, this could actually be a chance to pick up diverted orders – as long as they steer clear of the red lines, Taiwanese CDMO capacity, already tight, could stay in high demand for at least another two years.

To sum up, whether you're an ordinary employee or a business owner, keep a close eye on company moves. Layoffs, downsizing, maternity discrimination, supply chain disruptions – every one of them affects your wallet and your workplace rights. If you've experienced similarly outrageous treatment, feel free to vent in the comments below. I'll pick a few to help you figure out what to do next.