Human Times

European Edition

9th January 2026

THE HOT STORY

UK's employment bill likely to overwhelm tribunals, lawyers say

The Employment Rights Act 2025 has been hailed as a significant reform that will enhance workers' rights across the UK. However, lawyers warn of potential litigation increases, and stress the need for better resources in the employment tribunal system. Mark Evans, president of the Law Society, highlighted the importance of adequate funding to manage case backlogs. Sarah Glockler, a partner at law firm Cripps, echoed these concerns, suggesting that the act will "increase demand without addressing constraints on the tribunal system." The government said it aims to address these concerns while rolling out the act over the next two years.

The Times

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LEGAL

Brussels plans special rule book for corporates outside national law

Brussels is pressing ahead with plans for a supranational legal regime for EU companies. Critics fear creating businesses with a special rule book outside national law will dilute worker rights.

Financial Times

STRATEGY

Restructuring plans could cost hundreds of Finnish jobs

Finland's postal service, Posti, has announced plans to cut up to 172 jobs due to market changes and increased automation. Most reductions will occur at the Helsinki mail centre, where automation now handles 60% of customer contacts. Meanwhile, Telia Finland is also considering job cuts, potentially affecting 200 positions as part of a restructuring effort aimed at streamlining operations. Telia employs around 3,000 people in Finland. The changes reflect a broader trend towards digitalisation in both sectors.

YLE Uutiset

WORKFORCE

Quarter of Brits unhappy at work

Research from the international schools group ACS reveals growing dissatisfaction among British workers, with nearly a quarter unhappy in their jobs and around 9% planning to quit in January. Many are considering career changes, with 41% expecting a career overhaul this year, including starting a business, retraining, or taking a sabbatical. The findings highlight broader concerns over low productivity, the impact of early career guidance, and a shift among younger workers prioritising job satisfaction over pay or progression.

The Times

ECONOMY

German factory orders rise

Germany's factory orders surged by 5.6% in November, markedly outperforming expectations for a decline. The increase is chiefly attributed to significant orders for fabricated metal products and transport equipment, signalling resilience in the manufacturing sector.

Bloomberg

TAX

HSBC to pay €300m in tax fraud settlement

HSBC will pay €300m to settle a tax fraud investigation involving its French unit. The Parquet National Financier (PNF) accused the bank of facilitating 'cum-cum' trading, allowing foreign investors to evade taxes on dividends from 2014 to 2019. The settlement ends a lengthy probe into these transactions. HSBC said it is "pleased to have resolved this matter" and noted its cooperation with the investigation and corrective measures taken.

Financial Times

City AM

London Evening Standard

The Times

HEALTH & WELLBEING

Weight lost on medications 'likely to be regained in under two years'

People who stop taking anti-obesity drugs such as Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro will within two years return to their original weight and forfeit benefits to the heart, cholesterol levels and blood pressure, a review of studies suggests. A research paper published in the British Medical Journal analysed data from more than 9,000 people from 37 studies.

CBC News

Financial Times

Sydney Morning Herald

TECHNOLOGY

Neuralink to begin mass production of brain implants in 2026

Elon Musk has announced that Neuralink is set to commence "high-volume production" of its brain-computer interface devices in 2026, transitioning to fully automated surgical processes. These implants aim to assist individuals with severe conditions, including spinal cord injuries, allowing them to control digital devices through thought. Since the start of human trials in 2024, twelve patients have successfully used the implants for various tasks, following initial safety concerns that delayed their development.

Reuters

INTERNATIONAL

Trump withdraws US from 66 international organisations

President Donald Trump has signed an executive order directing US departments to end participation in and funding for 31 United Nations entities and 35 non-UN organisations "as soon as possible." The entities include the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. The move is seen as likely to diminish the US role in addressing greenhouse gas emissions. The orders were signed on Wednesday after a review into causes that the White House said were "a waste of taxpayer dollars". "These withdrawals will end American taxpayer funding and involvement in entities that advance globalist agendas over US priorities," it said in a statement.

Bloomberg

Deutsche Welle

Japanese companies play Cupid to prevent burnout

Japanese companies are introducing corporate-only dating apps to help retain workers at risk of burnout amid labour shortages. These apps allow employees to connect with supportive partners from other vetted firms. “Single employees don't say anything, but they are under strain,” said Yuichiro Kayano, general manager of the career design promotion department at credit card company Orico. One such app, Aill goen, has been adopted by over 1,500 companies including Toyota. Participation is limited to employers that meet criteria such as having established childcare leave systems and policies to promote women's participation in the workplace. These companies aim to match workers with partners from similarly supportive working environments.

South China Morning Post

Singapore's AI bootcamp aims to retrain 35,000 bankers

The banking sector in Singapore is rapidly adopting AI technology. Singapore's Minister for National Development Chee Hong Tat said major banks including DBS, OCBC, and UOB aim to retrain 35,000 staff over the next one to two years. “The government is doing something about it because they realise that this capability and this change is actually infusing potentially a lot of fear,” said Violet Chung, a senior partner at McKinsey & Co. “Given what we've seen in other markets like the US where we're seeing much more aggressive job cuts and reductions, the government is essentially aware that we need to do something as a country to do something for these leading companies.”

Straits Times

OTHER

Berlin in the dark: a power outage shakes Germany

The Financial Times reports on how the arson attack that left parts of Berlin without power for days in freezing temperatures has precipitated debate about the resilience of Germany’s energy infrastructure.

Financial Times

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