THE HOT STORY

P&G Korea seeks to empower Gen Z job seekers

P&G Korea is actively supporting young job seekers from Generation Z, who often face challenges entering the job market due to a lack of experience. The company has initiated internship programmes aimed at enhancing their skills in a global context. Recently, 15 interns visited P&G's Singapore office, participating in mentoring sessions, career workshops, and tours of research facilities. Oh Seo-young from P&G Korea's Human Resource Division said: “We are focusing on providing potentially talented interns with an opportunity to develop their professional skills through our internship programmes.” The company is currently accepting applicants for its internship programme, which runs until August, and promotes internal advancement through its “Build from Within” initiative, encouraging interns to aspire to higher positions within the organisation.

The Korea Times

INVESTMENT

Malaysia's plan for economic leap

Malaysia has unveiled the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP), a RM611bn (S$186bn) initiative aimed at elevating the country to high-income status by 2030. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced a roadmap that includes RM430bn in federal spending, focusing on artificial intelligence, semiconductors, and green energy. The initiative also targets job creation, with 500,000 anticipated roles in the digital economy and 700,000 in manufacturing. The plan aims to raise per capita income to RM77,200 and achieve 5.5% GDP growth. Anwar said: "The next five years are critical for Malaysia to leap towards becoming a high-income nation."

Business Times SG

Singapore ranks second in AI readiness globally, study says

Singapore has been ranked second globally in artificial intelligence readiness, according to the Global AI Readiness Index by Salesforce. The index evaluates countries based on governance, diffusion, innovation, investment, and talent. The United States topped the list with a score of 39.7, while Singapore scored 26.5, surpassing the United Kingdom's 25.8. Despite its strong regulatory and adoption scores, Singapore's innovation capacity remains below the global average. Salesforce observed that "Opportunity for further investment to improve its innovation capacity" is essential for future growth.

Business Times SG

STRATEGY

Chinese solar firms cut jobs amid market challenges

China's leading solar companies have reportedly reduced their workforces by nearly one-third over the past year, shedding approximately 87,000 jobs amid a challenging market characterised by falling prices and overcapacity. Analysts suggest that significant cuts to production capacity are necessary for the industry to regain profitability, with Beijing indicating potential intervention to stabilise prices and address the ongoing crisis.

Reuters

HIRING

Emirates wants to hire more Chinese-speaking employees

Emirates is enhancing its services for Chinese passengers by actively recruiting more Mandarin-speaking crew members to cater to the growing demand. The airline has launched its first daily flight from Dubai to Hangzhou, and now operates five routes to China. In 2024, over 830,000 Chinese travellers visited Dubai, marking a 30% increase from 2023. Emirates is also localising its cabin experience, focusing on food preferences and in-flight entertainment tailored to Chinese tastes.

Gulfnews.com

CYBERSECURITY

Hackers target Malaysia's auto industry

The automotive industry in Malaysia is facing increasing cybersecurity threats as hackers exploit vulnerabilities in software-dependent vehicles. According to Jeremy Moke, senior director of Ensign Infosecurity Malaysia, “The automotive and mobility sector is an emerging target sector in Malaysia.” The Ensign Infosecurity 2025 report highlights that the automotive sector ranks just behind public services and telecommunications in vulnerability to cyberattacks. Attackers can intercept sensitive data from mobile devices linked to compromised vehicle infotainment systems, raising alarms about data security. The report also notes that the average time to detect cyberattacks has increased significantly, from 49 days in 2023 to 201 days last year, allowing hackers ample time to access critical data. Concerns over data breaches have hindered the adoption of Malaysia's MyDigital ID initiative, with only 2.8m registrations since its launch.

South China Morning Post

INTERNATIONAL

New BLS head to be appointed 'within three or four days'

US President Donald Trump said on Sunday he will announce a new head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) within three or four days. Trump fired BLS commissioner Erika McEntarfer following weaker-than-expected jobs data. On social media, Trump claimed that McEntarfer had "RIGGED" jobs figures "to make the Republicans, and ME, look bad." Former US Treasury Secretary Larry Summers said: "Firing the head of a key government agency because you don't like the numbers they report, which come from surveys using long established procedures, is what happens in authoritarian countries, not democratic ones." But US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer told CBS that Trump had "real concerns" about the BLS data, while Kevin Hassett, director of the National Economic Council, said the president "is right to call for new leadership."

Big Tech 'acquihire' deals could face EU regulatory scrutiny

Olivier Guersent, the outgoing head of the European Commission's antitrust unit, has said regulatory scrutiny may soon bear down on Big Tech so-called 'acquirehire' deals where start-ups' founders and senior managers are hired rather than the companies being acquired. Instances include Microsoft's $650m deal to hire most of the employees of AI start-up Inflection. Guersent said acquihires can be considered a merger as staff are part of a company's assets, and the Commission was pushing national agencies with call-in powers to act. Such powers allow them to refer below-EU threshold mergers to the EU enforcer. "So we need to be patient and have enough member states that have call-in provisions and use them. But we are working on it. Within the [European Competition Network], we are actively encouraging it to do so," Guersent said.

Reuters

UAE employees willing to 'take pay cuts for AI skills'

More than two-thirds of professionals in the UAE (67%) and Saudi Arabia (70%) are willing to accept lower salaries in exchange for acquiring valuable AI skills, compared to just 41% globally, according to a report by Oliver Wyman. Jad Haddad, Global Head of Quotient – AI at Oliver Wyman, observed: “Their willingness to trade immediate earnings for AI skills shows strategic foresight, not sacrifice,” adding: “Companies that match this enthusiasm with robust training and trustworthy internal tools can convert it into productivity and growth." Haddad went on to say: “AI adoption is already underway, and employees in the UAE and Saudi Arabia are effectively co-investing in their own future . . . This investment mindset reflects the deeper workforce transformation already happening."

Khaleej Times Online

Transport services halted across Tunisia

Tunisia faced significant transport disruptions on Wednesday last week due to a strike led by the UGTT union. The union is demanding higher wages and better working conditions. Commuters in major cities and rural areas struggled as metro stations and buses were non-operational. The Ministry of Transport deemed the union's financial demands unfair, citing the need for improved revenues before meeting them.

U.S. News

OTHER

Rent rise fears grip Hong Kong tenants

According to a survey conducted by the Federation of Public Housing Estates, over 70% of tenants in subdivided flats in Hong Kong are concerned about potential rent increases due to new regulations aimed at improving housing standards. The survey, which included 151 respondents, revealed that 71% could only tolerate a rent increase of less than 5%. Many tenants expressed hope that the regulations would not lead to "massive" rent hikes, with 45% calling for government rental subsidies. The proposed regulations require subdivided flats to meet specific standards, including a minimum size of 86 sq ft and proper facilities. Currently, around 78% of respondents pay HK$7,000 (US$892) or less per month for their homes.

South China Morning Post

The Human Times is designed to help you stay ahead, spark ideas and support innovation, learning and development in your organisation.

The links under articles indicate original news sources. Some links lead directly to the source material. Others lead to paywalls where you may need a subscription. A third category are restricted by copyright rules.

For reaction and insights on any stories covered in the Human Times, join the discussion by becoming a member of our LinkedIn Group or Business Page, or follow us on X.

Online

Advertise

This e-mail has been sent to [[EMAIL_TO]]

Click here to unsubscribe