THE HOT STORY

Trump administration is asking for federal workers' medical records

The Trump administration is seeking access to sensitive medical records of millions of federal workers, retirees, and their families. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) aims to require 65 insurance companies to provide detailed health data, including prescriptions and treatment histories. OPM could use the data to analyze costs and improve the system, said Sharona Hoffman, a health law ethicist at Case Western Reserve University in Ohio. “But,” she said, “they are going to get very, very detailed and granular data about everything that happens. The concern here is the more information they have, they could use it to discipline or target people who are not cooperating politically.”

U.S. News

WORKFORCE

New jobless claims rise above expectations, hit highest since February

U.S. initial jobless claims increased by 16,000 to 219,000 in the seven days to April 4th, the Labor Department reported on Thursday, exceeding the 210,000 expected among economists polled by the Wall Street Journal, and reaching their highest level since February. The four-week moving average rose by 1,500 to 209,500, while continuing claims, reported with a one-week lag, dropped 38,000 to 1.79m. “The larger-than-expected rise in initial jobless claims in late-March and early-April comes in a period that typically sees greater volatility, due to holidays such as Passover and Good Friday," commented economist Eliza Winger. "Looking at smoothed data for all of March, average claims were lower in 37 states - including California, despite tech-sector layoffs - showing that layoffs remain limited geographically.”

LEGAL

White House warned staff not to place market bets amid Iran war

The ⁠White House ⁠warned U.S. government staff against improperly ‌leveraging their positions ‌to ⁠place ⁠bets in futures markets in an email on March 23. The announcement was made hours after ⁠U.S. President Donald Trump wrote on ⁠Truth Social he would order the military ⁠to postpone any strikes against Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure. The White House confirmed the authenticity of ⁠the warning reported by the Wall Street Journal. Trump spokesman Davis Ingle said that “the only special interest that will ever guide President Trump is the best interest of the American people.”

Wall Street Journal

Bondi will skip House interview on Epstein files, DOJ Says

Former U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi will not attend a scheduled interview with a House of Representatives committee on the release of the Epstein files. The Justice Department informed Congress that the subpoena for her testimony is no longer valid due to her recent dismissal by President Donald Trump. Assistant Attorney General Patrick Davis said: "The Department's position is that the subpoena no longer obligates her to appear on April 14." The House Oversight Committee had previously voted to subpoena Bondi to address concerns over the Justice Department's compliance with a bipartisan law mandating the release of Epstein-related documents. Representative Robert Garcia of California warned of potential contempt proceedings against Bondi if she fails to appear. The committee continues to investigate Epstein's connections with influential figures and the Justice Department's handling of related investigations.

U.S. News

LEADERSHIP

Paramount president Jeff Shell steps down amid lawsuit despite internal clearance

Paramount President Jeff Shell has resigned and stepped down from the board following a lawsuit alleging he disclosed confidential company information, despite an internal investigation finding no wrongdoing. The claims, brought by R.J. Cipriani, accuse Mr. Shell of sharing nonpublic details about major deals, including a $7.7bn UFC media rights agreement, though Paramount has dismissed the allegations as baseless and said Mr. Shell is leaving to focus on legal action. Mr. Shell has filed a counterclaim for defamation and extortion, and his departure was reportedly expected amid broader leadership changes following Skydance Media’s takeover.

Los Angeles Times

Wall Street Journal

RISK

U.S. warns of Iran-linked cyber hacks on infrastructure

The Environmental Protection Agency, the FBI and other agencies said in a joint statement Tuesday that Iran-linked cyberattackers are targeting critical U.S. infrastructure including drinking water systems and the energy sector, along with government facilities and services. “The FBI and its partners are issuing this advisory to ensure organizations are best positioned to defend themselves against exploitation by Iran-affiliated cyber actors,” Brett Leatherman, assistant director of the FBI’s cyber division, said in the statement.

Bloomberg

HEALTH & WELLBEING

Night shifts worsen diabetes management

According to a study published in Diabetic Medicine, night shift workers, particularly nurses and midwives, face significant challenges in managing type 2 diabetes. Lead researcher Rachel Gibson, a registered dietitian at King's College London, observed: “What struck me is that these are people who work in health care, yet they don't have access [to] a healthy nighttime food environment or tailored dietary advice.” The study tracked 37 U.K. healthcare workers over 10 days, revealing that those on night shifts consumed more calories, particularly from sweet snacks, due to limited healthy food options. Additionally, night shift workers were found to stay awake for about 22 hours, compared to 17 hours for day shifts, further complicating blood sugar control. Gibson emphasized the need for clinicians to consider work schedules when advising patients on diabetes management.

U.S. News

INTERNATIONAL

Some firms in Saudi Arabia extend work from home

Reuters reports that some Western and Saudi firms in Riyadh extended work-from-home advisories earlier this week amid mounting concern over the U.S.-imposed deadline for Iran ‌to open the Strait of Hormuz or face "hell." The advisories, which were sent out on Monday and Tuesday, related to work in Riyadh's King Abdullah Financial District, Faisaliah Tower, Business Gate and Laysen Valley, people familiar with the matter said. The locations are home to offices for major U.S. banks and tech firms including Microsoft and Apple, and also Saudi entities such as the sovereign wealth fund. The U.S. and Iran have now agreed a two-week ceasefire that would open the Strait of Hormuz shortly before Donald Trump’s deadline for Tehran to meet his demands or face strikes that he said would kill “a whole civilization.”

Reuters

Australia is squandering the talent of migrants on an 'industrial scale'

Australia has 620,000 permanent migrants not working in their trained professions, despite critical labor shortages. Experts, including former Treasury secretary Martin Parkinson, argue for an overhaul of the skills recognition system to enable these workers to fill gaps in the economy. "When Australia invites someone here because of their skills, there is an implicit bargain: we will let you use [your skills] to your benefit but, more so, to ours," Dr Parkinson said. "Right now, we are not keeping our end of that bargain . . . Not only is it not the fair go that we pride ourselves on, but we are wasting human capital on an industrial scale, in an economy that cannot afford to." The Activate Australia's Skills campaign aims to reform the system, and has proposed a national governance structure and support services to streamline the recognition process for skilled migrants. Currently, 44% of qualified migrants work below their skill level.

ABC Online

Singapore to monitor employment levels as it launches AI program

Singapore's government is launching the National AI Impact Programme (NAIIP) to train 10,000 workers in AI skills. Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo said that although there is no single metric to evaluate the success of the initiative, the government would continue to monitor whether employment rates stay high. “Ultimately, what people want is an assurance that they will still be able to do meaningful work,” she said. “Over time, we also want to make sure that Singapore continues to provide good opportunities for people to advance - and advancement must certainly involve wage levels . . . We will be looking at these broader indicators of whether as a whole, the economy is still able to create and sustain good jobs, and that individuals that are part of the workforce continue to be able to make progress.”

Straits Times

OTHER

Tax typo costs New Yorkers thousands in refunds

A typo by the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance has led to over 50,000 tax filers either paying more taxes or receiving smaller refunds. The error, identified in a withholding table on tax forms, primarily impacted those married filing jointly or qualifying as a surviving spouse with an adjusted gross income between $107,650 and $161,550. The department said: “affected returns will be reprocessed automatically, and corrected notices, including any additional refund amounts, will be sent directly to affected taxpayers.” The issue has affected approximately 52,000 individuals, which is less than 1% of the expected filers this season. As of now, around 6m New Yorkers have filed their tax returns, with the deadline approaching on April 15th.

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