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A court in New Mexico has ordered Meta to pay $375m for misleading users over the safety of its platforms for children. A jury found that Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, was liable for the way in which its platforms endangered children and exposed them to sexually explicit material and contact with sexual predators. This is the first jury trial to find Meta liable for acts committed on its platform. “The jury’s verdict is a historic victory for every child and family who has paid the price for Meta’s choice to put profits over kids’ safety,” said New Mexico’s attorney general, Raúl Torrez. “We respectfully disagree with the verdict and will appeal," a Meta spokesperson said. "We work hard to keep people safe on our platforms and are clear about the challenges of identifying and removing bad actors or harmful content."

 

AP News

New York Times

Reuters

BBC News

The Guardian

U.S. business activity has slowed to its lowest level in 11 months, with the S&P Global Composite PMI falling to 51.4 in March from 51.9 in February, as rising energy costs and heightened uncertainty linked to the Iran conflict weighed on demand. The slowdown was driven primarily by the services sector, where activity weakened more than expected, while manufacturing showed a modest improvement, partly due to easing tariff pressures. At the same time, private-sector employment contracted for the first time in over a year, reflecting companies cutting costs and reducing hiring amid a more uncertain economic outlook. Inflationary pressures intensified sharply, with input prices rising to 63.2 and output prices also increasing, as businesses passed on higher costs driven largely by a more than 30% surge in oil prices and a near $1 increase in gasoline prices. The data suggests consumer inflation could accelerate toward 4%, complicating the Federal Reserve’s policy path.

 

Reuters

U.S. worker productivity growth was revised down more sharply than expected to an annualized 1.8% in the fourth quarter, from an initial estimate of 2.8%, reflecting weaker economic output following a downgrade to GDP growth. Despite the softer quarterly reading, the broader trend remains solid, with productivity rising 2.5% year-on-year and averaging around 2.1% since 2019, suggesting underlying efficiency gains in the economy. However, the revision was accompanied by a significant increase in unit labor costs, which rose at a 4.4% rate, as stronger-than-expected hourly wage growth, up 6.3%, outpaced productivity gains. The rise in labor costs has raised concerns about inflation, with economists noting that sustained increases at this pace would be inconsistent with the Federal Reserve’s 2% target, though some expect the pressure to ease as the labor market softens.

 

Reuters

Chinese Premier Li Qiang has pledged to further open ​the country's economy to foreign businesses and pursue more balanced trade with its global partners. Li told the China Development Forum in Beijing that China will import more high-quality foreign goods and work with all parties to promote optimised and balanced trade development. He also touted China as a safer, and more reliable and stable, partner in contrast to an America embroiled in a war with Iran. Li didn’t directly name the U.S. Global chief executives including Apple’s Tim Cook, UBS’s Sergio Ermotti and HSBC’s Georges Elhedery attended the annual two-day gathering.

 

Financial Times

Reuters

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission has banned imports of new models of foreign-produced wireless routers, citing national security concerns over vulnerabilities that could be exploited in cyberattacks targeting critical infrastructure and households. The move, which does not affect existing devices or current retail inventory, could disrupt the global router market and increase pressure on major overseas manufacturers such as TP-Link, while allowing exemptions and potentially benefiting rivals if competition is reduced.

 

Bloomberg

BBC News

The United States is experiencing a significant heat dome, breaking March temperature records in 14 states. Meteorologist Gregg Gallina from the National Weather Service noted that the heat wave is expansive, with temperatures expected to reach the 90s Fahrenheit (mid-30s Celsius) in southern and central plains. The heat dome, which traps hot air, is likely to be one of the largest in history, according to weather historian Chris Burt. The National Center for Environmental Information reported at least 479 weather stations set new March records, with climate change contributing significantly to the extreme temperatures.

 

U.S. News

The smart TVs of Google, Amazon, Apple and Samsung should come under the auspices of the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA) because of their growing market power, the world's largest ‌broadcasters have told EU antitrust chief Teresa Ribera. The call by the Association of Commercial Television and Video on Demand Services in Europe (ACT) comes amid growing concerns among broadcasters over ​Big Tech's encroachment into their sector. ACT's members include Canal+, RTL, Mediaset, ITV, Paramount+, NBCUniversal, Walt Disney, Warner Bros Discovery, Sky and TF1 Groupe. Virtual assistants such as Amazon's ​Alexa and Apple's Siri were also of concern, the broadcasters said. "The lack of designation of virtual ​assistants creates a regulatory void, allowing powerful AI assistants to become de facto gatekeepers for ​media content through ⁠mobile phones, smart speakers and in-car radio infotainment services, without being subject to DMA obligations."

 

Reuters

The Supreme Court has refused to consider Eli Lilly and Takeda's contention that a racketeering lawsuit against the pharma companies shouldn't proceed as a class action. The lawsuit accuses the companies of violating the US Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act by marketing the Actos diabetes drug without disclosing its link to bladder cancer. The case covers tens of thousands of insurers and other third-party payers that reimbursed the cost of five or more separate Actos prescriptions.

 

Bloomberg

Epic Games, the developer of “Fortnite,” is laying off over 1,000 employees and cutting costs by $500m. Chief Executive Tim Sweeney announced the layoffs, attributing them to a decline in “Fortnite” engagement last year. “Despite Fortnite remaining one of the most successful games in the world, we've had challenges delivering consistent Fortnite magic with every season,” he said. The company has faced industry-wide challenges, including slower growth and tougher cost economics. The State of the Game Industry Report from the Game Developers Conference revealed that about one-third of U.S. video game industry workers were laid off in the past two years. Sweeney aims to focus on enhancing “awesome Fortnite experiences” and improving developer tools moving forward.

 

The Baltimore Sun

Los Angeles Times

U.S. News

According to a Gallup survey, Americans' perceptions of the U.S. job market have become increasingly negative, with only 28% of workers believing it is a "good time" to find a quality job. This marks a significant decline from mid-2022, when 70% felt optimistic. The survey, conducted in late 2025, highlights a stark divide in sentiment based on education, with just 19% of workers with a college degree thinking that now is a good time to find a quality job, while 35% of workers without a college degree are optimistic. The Gallup results come as government data shows that overall hiring is at its weakest level in more than a decade.

 

U.S. News

A growing minority of Americans believe it is morally wrong to be a billionaire, with younger generations, particularly Gen Z, far more likely to hold that view, according to a Pew Research survey. While 18% see extreme wealth as unethical, most Americans either view it as morally neutral or acceptable. The generational gap is stark: roughly one-third of Gen Z respondents consider billionaire wealth morally wrong, compared with far lower shares among older groups. Despite this divide, concern over wealth inequality is widespread, with large majorities saying the wealth gap is a serious problem and supporting higher taxes on the ultra-wealthy. Data shows the concentration of wealth in the U.S. has grown significantly, with the richest households holding an increasingly large share of total assets. The findings highlight rising unease, especially among younger Americans, about extreme wealth and its broader social impact, even as opinions remain mixed on its moral implications.

 

Fortune