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APAC Edition
6th August 2025
 
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THE HOT STORY

Thailand's human capital development 'faces challenges'

The Office of the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC) and UNICEF have released a report highlighting critical gaps in Thailand's human capital development. The report, titled Human Capital Development in Thailand: An Examination of Gaps, Bottlenecks, and Policy Options, reveals that many children lack essential skills and are in poor health. Kyungsun Kim, UNICEF Representative for Thailand, said: "Thailand stands at a pivotal moment in addressing long-term challenges." Key issues include malnutrition, low educational quality, and a mismatch between education and employment. The report calls for urgent policy action to invest in youth and address these challenges.
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WORKFORCE

Odisha allows women to work night shifts

The government of the eastern Indian state of Odisha has approved night shifts for women in shops and commercial establishments, but has made written consent from the employee mandatory. The Labour and Employees' State Insurance Department issued guidelines mandating at least three women on night shifts and ensuring safe transportation with GPS tracking. Employers must provide essential facilities, including toilets and CCTV surveillance. The decision aims to enhance employment opportunities for women. Labour Minister Ganesh Ram Singkhuntia stressed: "Female employees will have to give their written consent, expressing their willingness to work at night." The opposition BJD party has criticised the government's move.
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LEGAL

TSMC takes legal action over suspected leaking of trade secrets

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company has launched legal action and disciplinary measures against employees suspected of leaking trade secrets related to its advanced 2-nanometer chip technology following the detection of unauthorised activities during routine monitoring. The company emphasised its commitment to safeguarding proprietary information and said that its monitoring systems allowed for the swift identification of the issue. While the investigation is ongoing, it remains unclear whether the leaked information was intended for external parties or what the former employees' ultimate goals were.
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HEALTH & WELLBEING

More mental health support available for vets

Long hours and challenging client interactions have contributed to high suicide rates and mental health issues in Australia's veterinary profession. Now, a new veterinary wellness initiative delivering psychological health and safety awareness training sessions has launched in response to the industry's alarming mental health statistics and has received backing from the Zoetis Foundation, a U.S. non-profit organization. Australian Veterinary Association vice-president Diana Barker said the pilot version of the AVA's program had received "a massive amount" of positive feedback. "We intend to make this program available to every single individual veterinary team member in Australia, either online or face-to-face," Dr Barker said.
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STRATEGY

McDonald's to increase AI investments by 2027

McDonald's plans to increase its artificial intelligence investments by 2027, with the company aiming to make India a key hub for data governance, engineering, and platform architecture. The fast-food giant, which entered India in 1996, plans to roll out AI tools to verify orders at 400 restaurants and forecast sales, pricing, and product performance. The company is also developing a personalized app that will work across countries. The India push will focus on building the local AI team, with more spending on technology and tools. McDonald's is also in talks to set up a global office in Poland, similar to those in India and Mexico.
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TECHNOLOGY

Ant Group invests in AI and Web3

Ant Digital Technologies, a subsidiary of Ant Group, plans to invest HK$100m ($12.7m) over the next three years to establish a joint artificial intelligence and Web3 laboratory with the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU). The collaboration aims to drive advancements in technology and support Hong Kong's ambition to become a global innovation hub. The lab will focus on trustworthy AI agents, AI-enhanced blockchain security, and data privacy verification technologies. The initiative follows Ant Digital's recent establishment of its international headquarters in Hong Kong and plans to apply for a stablecoin licence in the region.
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CYBERSECURITY

Cybersecurity losses in Hong Kong up 15%

In the first half of 2025, Hong Kong experienced a 15% year-on-year increase in financial losses due to cybersecurity crimes, totalling HK$3.04bn ($387.3m). Losses from hacking attacks surged over tenfold to HK$39.4m, despite a decrease in the number of incidents. Raymond Lam Cheuk-ho, chief superintendent of the Cybersecurity and Technology Crime Bureau, said: “We observed a slight decline in hacker attack numbers, but a significant surge in financial losses, which indicates escalating threats.” The Digital Policy Office is set to introduce initiatives to enhance cybersecurity in the latter half of the year.
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ECONOMY

China unveils $9.5bn plan to stimulate retail

The Chinese government is set to enhance domestic consumption with a new initiative, allocating 69bn yuan ($9.5bn) in special treasury bonds for its trade-in programme. The programme aims to stimulate household spending by offering discounts on consumer goods. Zhou Chen, an official with the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), said: "Consumption is increasingly emerging as a cornerstone of China's economic growth." The trade-in programme has already generated over 1.7tn yuan in sales this year, with retail sales growing 5% in the first half of 2025.
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INTERNATIONAL

Dalio calls for clarity on BLS firing

High-profile investor Ray Dalio has expressed his concern regarding the recent dismissal of US Bureau of Labor Statistics Commissioner Erika McEntarfer by President Donald Trump. Dalio said he would likely have taken similar action, citing doubts about the quality of economic data, but emphasised the need for transparency, saying: "It would be good if President Trump made his thinking clear." Critics, including J.P. Morgan's chief US economist Michael Feroli, have warned that such political interference could undermine trust in official economic data. Dalio, the founder of Bridgewater Associates, described the current methods for calculating employment figures as "obsolete and error-prone," and is advocating for significant reforms to how the government assesses economic conditions.

Companies risk deskilling staff with AI

The Sunday Telegraph reports on a Finnish study about the erosion of skills as a result of automation, noting that a Finnish financial firm scrapped the use of software designed to help accountants because their knowledge of key processes atrophied as a result of its use. "Deskilling had got to be such a big problem it threatened the viability of the company," the study lead was told. The Telegraph's Andrew Orlowski writes that the paper is one in a long line of studies showing how technology, and particularly artificial intelligence, is making people less intelligent. He observes that "the Finnish accountants realised there was something precious in the corporate ether - the company's value was in its intangible knowledge capital. It could not be replicated by software, even if the daily tasks could be."

Pakistani workers flock to Saudi and Qatar

Demand for Pakistani workers has surged in Gulf countries, particularly Saudi Arabia and Qatar, while the UAE has seen a decline in arrivals. According to the Bureau of Emigration and Overseas Employment, 13,865 Pakistani workers moved to the UAE in the first half of 2025, a significant drop from 64,130 in 2024. The UAE's stricter employment policies have contributed to the decline. Conversely, Saudi Arabia welcomed 242,337 Pakistani workers, averaging 40,389 monthly, and Qatar saw 26,448 workers relocating, driven by major infrastructure projects linked to Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 and Qatar's post-World Cup developments. Overall, Pakistan's manpower exports totalled 336,442 in the first half of 2025, with remittances from Gulf countries playing a crucial role in the economy, contributing approximately $30.5bn in 2024.
 
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