THE HOT STORY

Walmart México recruits software developers through Fortnite

Walmart México is recruiting software developers through Fortnite, making it the first Latin American employer to use the gaming platform for hiring. The initiative features a custom mini-game where candidates complete coding challenges in Java, iOS, and Android. Walmart is shifting its identity from a traditional retailer to a technology employer, having moved its IT hub from India to Mexico in 2025. The initiative targets the 72m gamers in Mexico, and emphasizes the transferability of gaming skills to workplace collaboration. Candidates competing in in-game challenges can apply via Walmart's Discord server or website.

Mexico News Daily

STRATEGY

Peloton reduces workforce amid cost-cutting

Peloton Interactive has cut 11% of its workforce as part of a cost-cutting drive under chief executive Peter Stern. The layoffs, mainly affecting engineering and technology roles, are intended to streamline operations and support a turnaround. Peloton employed more than 2,600 staff last year and has raised hardware and subscription prices, but its shares remain under pressure ahead of upcoming earnings.

Reuters

TECHNOLOGY

France replaces U.S. tech tools with domestic apps

France’s Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has ordered the country's ministries to shift their video calls to Visio, an application developed by the French government, from American-owned tools such as Zoom or Microsoft Teams, by the end of the year. “To guarantee the security, confidentiality and resilience of public electronic communications, it is . . . imperative to deploy a unified videoconferencing solution, controlled by the State, based on sovereign technologies,” he wrote in a letter. The tool was built by the French government with Outscale, a France-based cloud company, and enlisted two French AI companies, Pyannote and Kyutai, to offer transcription and subtitling services.

Financial Times

New York Times

LEGAL

Meta faces jury trial over child exploitation claims

Meta Platforms is set to face a landmark jury trial this week in a lawsuit brought by New Mexico which accuses the tech giant of exposing children and teens to sexual exploitation on its platforms and profiting from it. The lawsuit claims that Meta’s design choices and profit incentives prioritized engagement over child safety and that the company failed to implement effective safeguards. “While the New Mexico attorney general makes sensationalist, irrelevant and distracting arguments by cherry-picking select documents, we’re focused on demonstrating our longstanding commitment to supporting young people,” a Meta spokesperson said.

Cybernews

Reuters

The Guardian

CORPORATE

Partners approve transatlantic law firm merger

The merger between Taylor Wessing and Winston & Strawn has received partnership approval, and is set to complete in May 2026. The new firm, named Winston Taylor, will comprise over 1,400 lawyers and operate 20 offices globally, generating revenues exceeding $1.6bn. Steve D'Amore, chairman of Winston & Strawn, said: "The decisive, overwhelming support from our partnerships reflects a shared passion and commitment to meeting our clients' desire for a unified team across the Atlantic." Chicago-founded Winston & Strawn and Taylor Wessing’s U.K. business said in December that they planned to merge.

Global Legal Post

Reuters

TAX

White House weighs effects of scrapping state income taxes

The White House Council of Economic Advisers has released a study examining the economic effects of eliminating state income taxes. The research compares states with no income tax, like Florida and Texas, to high-tax states such as California and New Jersey. It highlights that five of the nine states without personal income tax rank among the top 10 for GDP growth over the past decade, with four also in the top 10 for net migration rates. The study suggests that state income taxes are more damaging to the economy than sales or property taxes, leading to issues like outmigration and reduced GDP. It notes that "states often gain little or no new tax revenue from income tax hikes because of the negative economic effects they unleash." However, the study does not address the regressive impact of sales taxes on lower-income individuals.

Bloomberg Tax

Accounting Today

INTERNATIONAL

Europe recovery fund struggles to transform economy

Skills shortages, cumbersome bureaucracy and uncertain long-term funding mean the European Union's $955bn "Next Generation" post-pandemic recovery fund, agreed six years ago and billed as a "chance to emerge stronger," has struggled to transform the region's economy. The European Commission says the fund has delivered on both its short- and long-term goals, but officials, businesses and others interviewed by Reuters have said the outcome was more differentiated. There is broad consensus, however, that the fund cushioned the blow from the pandemic.

Reuters

German transport union strikes for better hours

Cities and municipalities throughout Germany will face public transport disruptions today after the Ver.di labor union called on workers to strike for shorter working hours and higher bonuses. “Public transport employees are under a lot of stress due to extremely unfavorable working hours, shift work, and constant time pressure,” Christine Behle, the union's deputy chairwoman, said. “We urgently need improvements here in order to stop the high turnover rate and once again find reliable skilled workers for public transport.”

Luxembourg Times

Singapore strategy aims to help workers navigate AI impact on jobs

Singapore is launching a national workforce strategy to enhance artificial intelligence literacy among its workers. The Economic Strategy Review (ESR) committees emphasised the need for continuous learning to adapt to technological changes. Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong said that growth no longer guarantees job creation due to the increased profile of automation. He highlighted the importance of skills upgrading and education to prepare workers for future challenges. The strategy includes integrating training with work and enhancing AI fluency across the workforce, ensuring Singaporeans remain competitive in a rapidly evolving economy.

Straits Times

OTHER

Harvard considers A+ amid grade inflation

Harvard University is addressing grade inflation by contemplating the introduction of A+ grades. Currently, 53% of grades awarded are A's. The shift aims to differentiate exceptional student performance further and provide a more nuanced grading scale. The move could influence grading standards across higher education institutions, prompting a reevaluation of how academic excellence is recognized.

New York Times

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