Human Times

North American Edition

27th February 2026

THE HOT STORY

Block cuts 4,000 jobs amid AI workplace shift

Fintech company Block has announced it will lay off over 4,000 workers, or nearly half of its workforce, as artificial intelligence transforms operational dynamics. Jack Dorsey, co-founder and head of Block, emphasized that the layoffs are not due to financial issues but rather a shift in how companies operate. “We're already seeing that the intelligence tools we're creating and using . . . are enabling a new way of working,” he said. Dorsey said he opted for immediate cuts to avoid prolonged uncertainty, explaining: “Repeated rounds of cuts are destructive to morale.” Block aims to complete the workforce reduction by the end of the second quarter of fiscal year 2026. Dorsey plans to address employees directly in a live session, keeping communication channels open for farewells.

Los Angeles Times

LEGAL

Appeals court declines to block Trump’s anti-union order

A federal appeals court has declined to enforce a temporary decision blocking the Trump administration from stripping two-thirds of the federal workforce of their collective bargaining rights, reversing a lower court's ‌ruling. A three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San ⁠Francisco said ⁠Trump's 2025 order eliminating collective bargaining rights for swaths of government workers was legitimately grounded in national security concerns. The order "expresses that the President's primary - if not only - concern with union activity was its interference with national security," ⁠Circuit Judge Daniel Bress, a Trump appointee, wrote for the court.

U.S. News

Walmart settles $100m driver pay claims

Walmart has agreed to pay $100m to settle allegations from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regarding misleading pay practices for delivery drivers. The FTC, joined by 11 states, claimed that Walmart inflated base pay and tips in its Spark delivery program, leading drivers to lose significant earnings. Christopher Mufarrige, director of the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection, said: "Labor markets cannot function efficiently without truthful and non-misleading information about earnings." As part of the settlement, Walmart will implement an earnings verification program to ensure transparency for drivers.

Bloomberg

US News and World Report

Wall Street Journal

SEC to give probe subjects more notice

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has said it will give the subjects of investigations more time at the outset to respond to notices of potential charges and an opportunity to meet with staff within four weeks, as the agency moves to update its internal enforcement protocols, which were last published in 2017. The updated enforcement manual will ensure "greater uniformity," SEC enforcement director Margaret Ryan said. "We're trying to be more efficient. This gives [subjects of probes] enough time to focus on legal or factual issues and to respond in a meaningful way," Ryan added. "We're hoping to underscore the importance of open, informed dialogue." Robert Frenchman, a defense lawyer with Dynamis, said: "More predictability is a good thing here. In the past, the process was very ad hoc and informal."

Reuters

STRATEGY

eBay to cut 800 jobs as it refocuses on AI and growth areas

eBay is laying off about 800 employees, or 6% of its workforce, as the e-commerce group restructures to align with its “strategic priorities.” The cuts, which affect roles across the company, follow a review of operating needs, duplication and future focus areas. eBay had around 12,300 employees at the end of 2025. The move comes as the company continues to invest heavily in artificial intelligence, integrating artificial intelligence tools internally and across its buyer and seller platforms, and partnering with OpenAI. It also recently agreed to acquire Etsy’s resale app Depop for $1.2bn in cash, aiming to strengthen its position among younger shoppers and expand further into fashion, one of its fastest-growing categories.

Bloomberg

CNBC

San Francisco Chronicle

Wall Street Journal

Papa John’s to close 300 stores as profit slumps

Papa John’s International plans to close 300 North American stores by the end of 2027, most of them this year, as the pizza chain seeks to revive its struggling business amid weak sector growth and softer consumer demand. The company said many of the affected locations, largely franchise-owned, are unprofitable and generate low sales. As part of its turnaround strategy, Papa John’s is also cutting about 7% of corporate jobs and streamlining its menu, discontinuing items such as Papadias sandwiches and Papa Bites pizza rolls to focus on core products. Fourth-quarter profit fell 42% to $8.6m, while revenue declined 6.1% to $498.2m, missing analyst expectations. Adjusted earnings of 34 cents per share narrowly beat forecasts.

CNN

USA Today

Wall Street Journal

WORKFORCE

U.S. jobless claims edge up slightly as labor market holds steady

New applications for U.S. unemployment benefits rose modestly last week, signaling a stabilizing labor market despite ongoing economic uncertainty. Initial jobless claims in the seven days to February 21st increased by 4,000 to a seasonally adjusted 212,000, slightly below the 215,000 expected among economists surveyed by the Wall Street Journal. The four-week moving average was little changed at 220,250, while continuing claims, reported with a one-week lag, fell by 31,000 to 1.83m, suggesting steady hiring conditions. "Initial jobless claims are consistent with our view that labor market conditions have stabilized and will improve as 2026 unfolds," commented Nancy Vanden Houten, lead U.S. economist at Oxford Economics. "The low hiring rate remains the most concerning aspect of the labor market, but continued claims signal that employers aren't pulling back further."

ECONOMY

U.S. consumer confidence edges higher as job outlook improves

U.S. consumer confidence rose modestly in February, driven by improved expectations for the economy, incomes and the labor market. The Conference Board’s consumer confidence index increased to 91.2 from a revised 89 in January, beating economists’ expectations of 87.1. A measure of expectations for the next six months climbed sharply to 72 - the biggest gain since July - while the gauge of present conditions continued to decline. The uptick comes amid signs that the labor market is stabilizing and inflation pressures have eased, though many Americans remain cautious about job prospects and continue to feel the lingering effects of high post-pandemic prices. The share of consumers saying jobs are plentiful rose to a three-month high of 28%, but the proportion who said jobs are hard to get also increased. The gap between the two measures widened to 7.4 percentage points, a key indicator watched by economists.

Bloomberg

TECHNOLOGY

AI ‘pilots’ fall out of favor as companies push for real results

Large corporations are increasingly avoiding the term “pilot” when discussing artificial intelligence (AI) initiatives, as the word has come to signal stalled progress rather than innovation. While companies continue to promote their AI ambitions, references to “pilots” on earnings calls fell about 18% in the fourth quarter of 2025 compared with the prior quarter, according to AlphaSense. Once viewed positively by investors as a sign of experimentation and early adoption, AI pilots are now often associated with projects that fail to scale or deliver measurable financial impact. A 2025 MIT study found that 95% of enterprise AI pilots did not produce meaningful financial results, reinforcing skepticism and giving rise to phrases like “Pilot Purgatory” to describe initiatives that never move beyond testing.

Wall Street Journal

INTERNATIONAL

Amazon opens second-largest Asia office in Bengaluru

Amazon has opened its second-largest office in Asia in Bengaluru, unveiling a 12-storey, 1.1m sq ft campus that will accommodate more than 7,000 employees across e-commerce, operations, payments, technology and seller services in India. The new site forms part of Amazon’s ongoing expansion in the country, where it has already invested over $40bn and committed a further $35bn by 2030. Karnataka’s industries minister MB Patil said the investment highlights India’s growing role as a global technology and innovation hub. Located 15km from Kempegowda International Airport, the campus has been designed to support collaboration and flexible working, with meeting rooms, breakout spaces and event areas for more than 200 people.

Economic Times

OTHER

Lawson opens disaster-ready store equipped with Starlink and emergency supplies

Japanese convenience store chain Lawson has opened its first disaster-response-focused convenience store in Futtsu, Chiba Prefecture, designed to support residents during emergencies. Developed in partnership with KDDI, the store is equipped with a Starlink antenna to provide free Wi-Fi if mobile and fixed-line networks fail. It also features a battery charger capable of powering up to 10 smartphones at once, a disposable toilet for use during water outages, digital signage for emergency updates, and a well supplying nonpotable water. Solar panels and storage batteries allow the store to operate during power cuts. While serving as a regular retail outlet, it will also prepare rice balls on-site for customers. Lawson plans to expand the concept to 100 stores nationwide by fiscal 2030.

The Japan Times

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