Human Times

APAC Edition

26th February 2026

THE HOT STORY

Workplace equality exists nowhere, World Bank says

The World Bank has said that full workplace equality does not exist anywhere in the world, and only "less than 5% of women worldwide" live in economies with near full legal economic equality. Even in instances when workplace equality laws are passed by lawmakers they are truly enforced in only about half of all cases, the World Bank said in a report on women, business and the law. “Even in economies that have modernised their laws, women still face constraints that shape the work they can do, the businesses they can start, and the safety they need to pursue opportunities,” said Dr Indermit Gill, the bank’s chief economist.

Malay Mail

Straits Times

Arab News

WORKPLACE

Australian real estate firms optimistic as office attendance rises

Office landlords in Australia's major cities are experiencing a boost as over 80% of workers in Sydney and Melbourne are now in the office at least three days a week, exceeding mandated levels. Factors such as enhanced collaboration opportunities and improved office amenities, including gyms and cafes, have motivated employees to return to the workplace more frequently.

Bloomberg

TECHNOLOGY

Hong Kong sets to deepen tech ties with Thailand

Professor Sun Dong, Hong Kong's Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, last month visited Thailand to enhance collaboration in innovation and technology (I&T). He emphasised that I&T is crucial for economic resilience, saying: "I&T advancement is no longer optional, it has become a driving force for long-term growth." The visit included a seminar focused on Hong Kong's role as a strategic hub for technology and investment. Professor Sun highlighted Hong Kong's strengths, including its start-up ecosystem and international talent pool, and invited Thai partners to leverage these advantages for mutual growth.

The Nation

Yotta to develop major AI hub with Nvidia in India

Yotta Data Services plans to invest over $2bn in constructing one of Asia's largest AI computing hubs, leveraging Nvidia's latest Blackwell Ultra chips. With an engagement exceeding $1bn for setting up a significant DGX Cloud cluster, the initiative aims to meet the growing demand for AI services in India. The facility, expected to commence operations by August, is part of a broader move towards localising advanced computing infrastructure amid shifting global supply chains.

Reuters

STRATEGY

Apple to move some Mac Mini production to Houston from Asia

Apple is to shift some production of its Mac Mini desktop computer to the US from Asia. A new manufacturing effort is set to begin later this year at a Foxconn facility in north Houston, said Sabih Khan, Apple’s chief operating officer. The company is also expanding the Houston facility to include a new training centre for advanced manufacturing.

Wall Street Journal

ECONOMY

IMF urges China to halve industrial subsidies

The International Monetary Fund has called on China to halve state support for its industries, warning that Beijing’s export-heavy growth model is distorting global trade. In its annual review, the fund estimated that Beijing spends roughly 4% of gross domestic product subsidising companies in critical sectors, and said it should scale that back by about two percentage points. China’s industrial policies “are giving rise to international spillovers and pressures” and had combined with weak domestic demand to make China “more reliant on manufacturing exports as a source of growth,” the fund said.

Australian Financial Review

Financial Times

India launches ₹10,000 crore startup fund

India has approved a ₹10,000 crore ($1.2bn) Startup India Fund of Funds 2.0 to enhance startup financing amid a global venture funding slowdown. Cleared by the Union Cabinet under PM Narendra Modi, the fund will invest in SEBI-registered venture capital funds, attracting private investment. The initiative builds on the original 2016 programme, focusing on early-stage and deep-tech startups in sectors like AI and biotechnology. The Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) will manage the fund, which aims to catalyse additional private capital and support India's growing startup ecosystem, now home to over 200,000 recognised ventures.

The Tech Portal

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

Chow Tai Fook units to pay HK$1.5bn settlement over Giordano breaches

Business units belonging to billionaire Henry Cheng's Chow Tai Fook Group have agreed to a settlement of up to HK$1.5bn ($192m) for failing to comply with ownership rules concerning Giordano International Ltd. The Securities and Futures Commission discovered that Chow Tai Fook Nominee Ltd. and its associates did not make a required general offer when their combined stake exceeded 30% in 2016. The settlement aims to compensate independent shareholders impacted by these breaches, and highlights the importance of adhering to Hong Kong's takeover regulations.

Bloomberg

CYBERSECURITY

Hackers exploit AI tools to breach over 600 firewalls

Research by Amazon reveals that a small group of hackers - or even potentially just one individual - has infiltrated more than 600 firewalls across 55 countries using widely accessible artificial intelligence tools. The intruders capitalised on weak security measures, such as simple login credentials and single-factor authentication, allowing them to execute breaches that would typically require a much larger team. The report indicates that the Russian-speaking hackers used their access to set the stage for ransomware attacks within victims' networks.

Bloomberg

INTERNATIONAL

Germany's carmakers mired in crisis

Reuters reports on how falling demand in the auto supply chain is squeezing hundreds of smaller manufacturers in Germany and threatening job security and municipal services. The report observes that Baden-Wuerttemberg, the state which is Germany's top exporting region, accounting for 15.5% of national exports, is more exposed than most to the structural change that is roiling German industry. "The situation is very tense," said Barbara Resch, head of the IG Metall trade union in Baden-Wuerttemberg. "Suppliers invested a lot in electromobility and now demand isn't ⁠coming and at some point they simply run out of air financially."

Reuters

Straits Times

Overhaul of Argentina labour law advances in Congress

Argentina's lower house of Congress has approved a bill which grants employers greater flexibility in matters of hiring, firing, severance and collective bargaining. President Javier Milei believes the changes to the country's half-century-old labour code are crucial to his efforts to attract foreign investment, increase productivity and boost job creation. Unions say the law will weaken worker protections.

The Globe and Mail

Louvre director resigns after heist

Louvre director Laurence des Cars has resigned in the wake of October's high-profile theft of historic jewels from the museum. She submitted her resignation to President Emmanuel Macron, who said the institution needed "calm and a strong new impetus" to carry out major security and modernisation projects. In the last year, the museum has also seen multiple staff walkouts and a wildcat strike over poor working conditions, mass tourism and understaffing.

ABC Online

BBC News

U.S. News

OTHER

7-Eleven uses Australia as test bed for global expansion

Seven & I Holdings is betting Australia can prove its Japan-style convenience store model - focused on fresh food and daily services - can succeed internationally, with plans to expand to 1,000 stores by 2030. After acquiring the local operator for A$1.7bn ($1.2bn) in 2024, the company has doubled product ranges to around 3,000 items and refurbished more than 150 of its 763 stores, adding hot food equipment and expanding ready-to-eat offerings. Sales of food, drinks and groceries rose 14%–15% in 2025, offsetting declining tobacco revenue. Australia is seen as a strategic test market as Seven & I shifts toward direct ownership and restructures globally following takeover interest and asset sales. However, challenges remain, including cost-of-living pressures, strong supermarket competition and questions over whether Japan’s dense, service-oriented convenience model can translate to Australia’s more car-centric and price-sensitive market.

The Japan Times

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