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The demand for AI-specific tech talent in key cities like San Francisco, New York, Seattle, Toronto, and Washington, D.C. is fueling real estate growth across office, residential, and retail sectors. The pool of tech workers with AI skills has grown by over 50% in the U.S. and Canada, with notable increases in cities like New York, Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas-Fort Worth, Toronto, and Washington, D.C.

Microsoft has announced that starting next year, employees will be required to work in an office three days a week. This policy will initially apply to employees near Microsoft’s headquarters in Redmond, Washington, and the Puget Sound area, with plans to expand to other U.S. locations and international offices.

The company cited the need for employees to work together in person to build AI products and solve challenging problems. Despite recent layoffs, Microsoft emphasized that this shift in policy is not about reducing headcount, but about meeting customer needs and fostering collaboration among employees. The announcement comes after Microsoft reported better-than-expected financial results, bumping the company’s market cap past $4 trillion.

Nasdaq has filed a proposal with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to allow trading of tokenized securities, marking a significant move in the world of finance. If approved, this would be the first instance of tokenized securities being traded on a major U.S. stock exchange, showcasing a bold attempt by Nasdaq to bring blockchain-based settlement into the national market system. The move comes amidst a global rise in demand for tokenized assets, with proponents arguing that tokenization can improve liquidity in the financial system.

More than 300 South Korean workers who were detained in a massive immigration raid at a Hyundai plant in Georgia will be released and brought home, according to the South Korean government. The workers were among 475 people detained by U.S. immigration authorities during the raid at the Hyundai manufacturing site where electric vehicles are produced.

This operation is part of the Trump administration’s mass deportation agenda, but the large scale of the raid and the economic importance of the site have caused shock and concern in South Korea.

Striking Air Canada flight attendants at Toronto Pearson International Airport rejected the company’s wage offer, leading to a bitter dispute that is expected to be resolved through mediation. The rejection of the agreement by 99.1% of flight attendants resulted in negotiations being referred to arbitration, with the possibility of a prolonged dispute looming.

The strike highlighted the North American flight attendants’ demands for pay from the time they check in to when they clock out, challenging the current compensation structure that mainly pays cabin crew when the aircraft is in motion. While the proposed deal included compensation for ground work and improvements to wages, pensions, and benefits, many flight attendants expressed disappointment over the agreement, citing insufficient coverage for increased cost of living, especially in high-cost cities like Toronto.

The negotiations, which were carried out under the threat of criminal charges, further underscored the challenges faced by airline workers in securing fair compensation for their labor.

McDonald’s Chairman and CEO Chris Kempczinski spoke out against the restaurant industry’s practice of allowing tipped wages, which often results in servers being paid less than the minimum wage. He supports President Trump’s efforts to eliminate federal taxes on tips, but notes that this does not benefit McDonald’s workers who do not earn tips. Kempczinski argues that the current system creates an uneven playing field and advocates for a standard federal minimum wage that does not depend on tips.

U.K. Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner has resigned after an independent inquiry found that she did not pay enough tax on her recent house purchase. Rayner, who acknowledged the error in her purchase of an apartment in Hove, maintained that she acted in good faith but took full responsibility for the mistake.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer expressed sadness over Rayner’s resignation but supported her decision to step down. Rayner’s journey from a teenage single mother to trade union official and lawmaker has been marked by her no-nonsense attitude and plain-speaking manner, making her a popular figure in the Labour Party and a potential successor to Starmer.