THE HOT STORY

Class action filed against Woolworths for alleged staff underpayments

Class action proceedings have been filed against Australian grocery giant Woolworths in Federal Court, alleging potential underpayments to staff in South Australia. Woolworths said the claims brought by Shine Lawyers involve a subsidiary, and were based on a South Australian state law that was repealed some time ago, which deemed Sundays to be public holidays. Woolworths said it would defend the proceedings. A prior proceeding had been filed by another law firm, Dutton Law, regarding staff underpayments.

Reuters

CYBERSECURITY

Coupang founder won't attend data leak hearing

Coupang founder Bom Kim has told South Korean lawmakers that he won’t attend this week’s parliamentary hearing on the country’s largest-ever data breach. Two former heads of the retailer's Korean operations had already notified lawmakers that they would not attend after being summoned by the parliamentary committee, saying they had resigned from Coupang. The committee described the moves as a “systematic evasion of corporate responsibility” that betrays public trust.

Bloomberg

OpenAI warns of high cybersecurity risks from new AI models

OpenAI has issued a warning regarding its forthcoming artificial intelligence models, indicating they could present a "high" risk to cybersecurity as their capabilities evolve rapidly. The company noted that the models might not only develop zero-day exploits but could also assist in sophisticated intrusion operations aimed at significant effects. To mitigate these risks, OpenAI is investing in bolstering its cybersecurity measures and is creating an advisory group, the Frontier Risk Council, to collaborate with cybersecurity experts on these challenges.

Reuters

HIRING

Salary growth forecast for Malaysia

Aon's 2025 Salary Increase and Turnover Study reveals that Malaysian businesses are budgeting an average salary increase of 4.8% for 2026. The life sciences and medical devices sector is expected to lead this growth, followed by manufacturing and retail. The study, which surveyed over 700 businesses across Southeast Asia, also highlights Malaysia's attrition rate at 18.2%, driven by a competitive labour market. Rahul Chawla, partner at Aon, noted: "Malaysian organisations are prioritising retention of top talent amid rising compensation costs."

Zawya EN

TECHNOLOGY

Alibaba's Qwen chatbot aims for super app status

Alibaba has established a new division, the Qwen Consumer Business Group, to enhance consumer use of its artificial intelligence (AI) applications. Led by vice-president Wu Jia, this unit will manage the Qwen chatbot, Quark AI assistant, and other products. The initiative aims to transform the Qwen chatbot into a versatile “super app” for various devices. The Qwen app, relaunched in November, has already surpassed 10m downloads in its first week. Chief executive Eddie Wu Yongming said that Alibaba is advancing in both AI-to-business and AI-to-consumer sectors, integrating services within its ecosystem.

South China Morning Post

LEGAL

Malaysia drops money laundering, tax evasion appeal

Malaysian prosecutors have withdrawn their appeal against the acquittal of Rosmah Mansor, the wife of jailed former prime minister Najib Razak, on money laundering and tax evasion charges. The Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC) said the case could not be proved beyond reasonable doubt, citing the death of key witnesses. Rosmah was acquitted of 12 money laundering and five tax evasion charges in December 2024. She remains free on bail while appealing a separate 10-year sentence for bribery. The AGC's decision does not impact ongoing trials against her.

South China Morning Post

U.S. News

REGULATION

Indonesia to impose heavy fines on miners violating forest permits

Indonesia has announced substantial financial penalties for mining companies that operate outside their designated forest permits, reinforcing President Prabowo Subianto's commitment to regulating the sector. Fines will range from 354m to 6.5bn rupiah (approximately $21,230 to $390,000) for each hectare breached, with higher penalties for nickel miners. The total fine will vary based on the duration of the illegal operation and the type of mineral extracted.

Bloomberg

POLITICAL

New group aims to reshape global governance

The Group of Friends of Global Governance was launched at the United Nations in New York, with 43 founding member countries. Fu Cong, China's permanent representative to the UN, said that the group aims to enhance international cooperation on global governance issues. The initiative, supported by over 140 countries, seeks to address challenges to multilateralism. Fu emphasised the importance of historical lessons from World War II and the need for a collective approach to security and development. The group encourages participation from more nations to strengthen global governance efforts.

China Daily

INTERNATIONAL

Starbucks strike expands as union escalates push for first labour contract

More than 3,800 Starbucks baristas across 180 stores in 130 US cities have joined a month-long strike, marking the longest work stoppage in the company’s history as Starbucks Workers United presses for a first labour agreement. The union is demanding better pay, staffing, and scheduling, while Starbucks says fewer than 1% of its 17,000 US locations have been affected and is prepared to resume talks. The strike began during the company’s Red Cup Day on November 13th and follows stalled negotiations and the rejection of a previous pay proposal.

Reuters

Thousands go on strike in Italy

Italy's largest trade union, CGIL, led a national strike on December 12, protesting Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's 2026 budget. The union claimed that around 61% of public and private sector workers participated, with over 500,000 demonstrators marching in major cities. CGIL chief Maurizio Landini said: "The majority of the workers who keep this country going don't agree with and don't accept this government's budget." The budget has faced criticism for prioritising defence spending over healthcare and education.

U.S. News

Fines for employing illegal workers at Dutch Grand Prix

The Dutch Labor Inspectorate has fined a Rotterdam staffing agency €427,500 and a hiring company €405,000 for employing 60 foreign workers without permits during last year's Dutch Grand Prix in Zandvoort. The workers, mainly from Colombia, were engaged in hospitality roles. The Inspectorate noted: "The hiring company failed to verify whether the foreign workers were legally permitted to work." Both companies received a preventive suspension warning, allowing the Inspectorate to halt operations for future violations. An ongoing investigation is also looking into another staffing agency's violations during this year's event.

NL Times

OTHER

China to tax condoms for first time in 30 years

China will implement a value-added tax (VAT) on contraceptive drugs and products starting January 1, marking the first such tax in over 30 years. The 13% VAT will apply to items including condoms, despite concerns that this could lead to increased unplanned pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections. Hu Lingling, a mother, described the move as "ruthless," while Yi Fuxian, a senior scientist, noted it reflects a shift from population control to encouraging births. Experts warn that higher costs may limit access to contraceptives, particularly among economically disadvantaged groups.

U.S. News

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