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APAC Edition
25th July 2024
 
THE HOT STORY
China to ban officials from going overseas without approval
China has revealed details of a revised state secrets law that bans government officials entrusted with state secrets from going abroad without approval. The law, which takes effect from September, focuses on data security and aims to protect national interests. The revised law gives police broader powers to investigate breaches and requires private companies to protect state secrets. The regulations also require pre-employment background checks and regular confidentiality training for government officials handling state secrets. Criminal offences include failing to report leaks in time or skipping data security procedures. An update to a separate anti-espionage law, as well as laws curbing cross-border transfers of data, have posed challenges for foreign firms operating in China, especially in the due diligence sector. Chinese police raided several foreign management consultancies last year and detained a Japanese pharmaceutical executive on spying charges.
LEGAL
Coal miner wins landmark legal victory in Australia and multi-million dollar payout for black lung
A coal miner in Australia has won a landmark legal victory and a multimillion-dollar payout after developing black lung due to his employers' negligence. Craig Keogh, a machine operator at mines in New South Wales (NSW) and Queensland, became the first Australian to win a black lung case at trial. The Dust Diseases Tribunal of NSW found the mines negligent in exposing Keogh to coal dust. Keogh, who was diagnosed with pneumoconiosis in 2018, was awarded A$3.2m in damages. The decision is said to set a strong precedent for coal miners in similar circumstances to receive compensation. Keogh said his main motivations for the legal action were to ensure others with similar ailments can get compensation and to drive the industry to improve safety standards. Judge David Russell accepted that Keogh will never work again due to his respiratory and psychiatric health. Downer Mining, CPB Contractors, and Campbell Mining Services are all responsible for the payout.
WORKFORCE
Bangladesh garment sector reopens after protest crackdown
Garment factories and banks have reopened in Bangladesh after authorities eased a curfew imposed to contain deadly clashes sparked by student protests over civil service employment quotas. Last week's violence killed at least 186 people, according to an AFP count of victims reported by police and hospitals, during some of the worst unrest of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's tenure. The garment industry generates $50bn in yearly export revenue for Bangladesh, employing millions of young women to sew clothes for H&M, Zara, Gap and other leading international brands. "All garment factories have reopened across the country today," a spokesperson for the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association said.
TECHNOLOGY
AI could disrupt employment in certain sectors in India, survey says
India's Economic Survey has acknowledged the growing concern about the impact of artificial intelligence on employment and has called for a concerted effort to minimise disruptions. While AI has the potential to boost productivity, it can also disrupt employment in certain sectors, the survey says, highlighting the need for job market adaptation and the steering of technological choices towards collective welfare. It warns that India's services exports, particularly the business process outsourcing sector, could be badly hit by AI and suggests companies devise strategies to tackle the reversal. However, the survey also recognizes that AI presents an opportunity to create employment in India, given its low operating costs and the country's large pool of skilled AI workers, and emphasizes the importance of proactive interventions by the government and industry to position India as a key player in the AI age.
HIRING
Top Chinese tech firms pursue AI graduates overseas amid shortage of top tech talent
China's biggest tech companies, including Baidu, Tencent Holdings, and ByteDance, are conducting global recruitment drives to attract top talent in cutting-edge technologies including AI, semiconductors, and autonomous driving. Baidu's campaign focuses on expertise in large language models (LLMs), computer vision, self-driving, and integrated circuit design. Tencent is also targeting tech students worldwide in fields like LLMs, game engines, robotics, and quantum computing. ByteDance is looking for PhD students specializing in robotics, cybersecurity, and hardware. The companies have promised “competitive compensation” and “comprehensive training” in a bid to lure the world's best tech talent, which is also being sought by western tech giants and academia.
DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION
Rise of women's sports brings greater emphasis on maternity and parental needs
The support being provided at the Paris Olympics for athletes who are also parents is indicative of a larger trend in women's sports. The Olympics now have a nursery for athletes' children and private rooms for nursing mothers. Meanwhile, football's world governing body FIFA has expanded its policies to give athletes access to paid maternity leave and benefits for coaches, adoptive parents, and non-biological mothers. USA Track and Field offers financial support and insurance coverage for athletes returning from giving birth, and the U.S. Olympic Committee has introduced the USA New Family Fund to help parents with childcare and infant supplies. However, efforts to accommodate parental needs vary between sports and countries. Many athletes are not covered by traditional labour contracts, and navigating maternity and childcare can be confusing. Reforms are often driven by the players themselves.
INTERNATIONAL
UK government says workers 'need to be able to switch off'
The new Labour government in the UK has defended plans to give employees the right to switch off from work messages outside office hours. The administration is exploring plans to allow workers to avoid emails, texts, and phone calls received out of hours, without fear of reprisals. The proposals, being spearheaded by Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, have faced backlash from businesses and the Conservatives. However, Sir Keir Starmer's spokeswoman insisted that the plans could increase productivity in Britain. The government's plans will come in the form of non-binding guidance in a new code of practice for businesses. The TUC has welcomed the plans, stating that no one should be pushed to the brink because of their job. The No10 spokeswoman confirmed ministers were examining models that "support productivity and work flexibility" but said it would be down to individual employers to act. "The government is committed to making work pay and ensuring that working people are protected from exploitative practices and also are supported to ensure that employers are assisting them to be as productive as possible," she said, adding "We know that, and indeed good employers understand that, for workers to stay motivated they need to be able to switch off. That is good for productivity but of course situations may vary and people work in different fields and there are circumstances where people do need to be contacted out of hours. 'That is why there is wider work looking at this issue and different models that we have seen in different countries and looking at this issue more broadly."
CrowdStrike hit with complaint over 'unlawful' diversity-hiring initiatives
Cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike has been hit with a complaint over its diversity hiring scheme. Conservative legal action group America First Legal (AFL) alleges that CrowdStrike favours women and minorities for jobs and promotions, which it claims prioritises sex and skin colour over talent. AFL has filed complaints with the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) against various companies for their diversity schemes. The complaint against CrowdStrike highlights the company's commitment to building a diverse workforce through mentorship and internal development programs for women and minorities, while allegedly neglecting white men. CrowdStrike was responsible for a software update bug that crashed millions of computers worldwide last week. Critics claim that diversity hiring schemes can lead to inefficiency and harm the quality of products and services.
Dancers call off strike at Paris Olympics opening ceremony
Hundreds of dancers set to perform at the Paris Olympics opening ceremony have called off a planned strike over pay disparities after reaching a deal with the event's organisers, the SFA-CGT union said. The performers secured a rise in compensation for broadcasting rights during a final round of talks with Paris 2024 organisers. The lowest-paid dancers will receive between €160-€240 ($150-$260) extra for their performance. The threat of a strike was an unwelcome development for organisers and risked deepening France's reputation for labour disputes. A whole host of French public sector workers have threatened strikes or stopped work ahead of the Olympics to demand bonuses. The opening ceremony is set to take place over a six-kilometre stretch of the river Seine, with around 6,000-7,000 athletes expected to sail down the river on 85 boats.
Police seize €121m from Amazon over 'worker exploitation'
Finance police in Italy have seized around €121m ($131m) from the Italian branch of Amazon as part of an investigation into alleged tax fraud and worker exploitation. The investigation focuses on the use of so-called labour reservoirs, a system whereby large companies subcontract logistics services to other firms and cooperatives to obtain cheap labour and avoid paying taxes. Milan prosecutors have opened multiple investigations into companies including DHL, GLS, Uber, Lidl, BRT, Geodis, Esselunga, Securitalia, UPS, Carrefour group, and GXO. The seizure order alleges that Amazon and several cooperatives associated with the company have systematically failed to pay VAT and pension and social security contributions.
OTHER
Brazil's proposal to tax the super-rich faces opposition at G20 meeting
An agreement on Brazil's proposal to tax the super-rich remains off the table as officials from the Group of Twenty (G20) countries meet in Rio de Janeiro this week, German finance ministry sources said on Tuesday. Brazil, heading the presidency of the Group of Twenty (G20), is aiming to build international consensus on the taxation of wealth this year, and was pushing for a joint declaration at the meeting of G20 finance ministers and central bankers. However, there will be no concrete discussions on the matter at the meetings in Brazil, as the plans are "not even close to consensus." Other topics being discussed include preventing wealth concealment, combating tax avoidance, and increasing transparency.
 


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