Human Times

APAC Edition

20th March 2026

THE HOT STORY

World’s energy watchdog urges people to work from home

The International Energy Agency (IEA) is encouraging workers to work from home to combat soaring oil prices and impending fuel shortages caused by the conflict in the Middle East. The world's energy watchdog has made 10 recommendations to help households and businesses prepare for protracted disruption to energy markets, including reducing highway speed limits by at least 10 kph and avoiding air travel if other means of transport are available. "Today's report provides a menu of immediate and concrete measures that can be taken on the demand side by governments, businesses and households ⁠to shelter consumers from the impacts of this crisis," said IEA executive director Fatih Birol.

NL Times

Reuters

The Guardian

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WORKFORCE

Worker exploitation in the Yarra Valley linked to organised crime

An apple orchard and a labour-hire business in the Yarra Valley are facing legal action for alleged worker underpayments and licensing fraud. The Victorian Labour Hire Authority has raised concerns about organised crime involvement in the exploitation of vulnerable workers. Steve Dargavel, Victoria's Labour Hire Licensing Commissioner, noted that the Yarra Valley has one of the highest rates of workplace non-compliance. The Fair Work Ombudsman found that 83% of employers in the region failed to meet their obligations. The case against Sanders Apples, Dombin Workforce, and its director will be heard in the Supreme Court of Victoria.

ABC Online

Malaysian workers who commute to Singapore to benefit from new insurance scheme

Many Malaysian workers commuting to Singapore are underinsured and unaware of their coverage, facing daily risks, but Malaysia plans to introduce the Traveller Scheme (Skim Pengembara) to protect its citizens during cross-border commutes. Announced by Human Resources Minister R. Ramanan, the scheme aims to cover around 400,000 Malaysians by the second quarter of 2026.

Straits Times

Youth unemployment in China falls for sixth consecutive month

China's urban youth unemployment rate fell slightly to 16.1% in February, but jobseekers still face a challenging market, South China Morning Post reports. The rate has been declining since August, when 12.2m graduates entered the workforce, pushing unemployment to a record 18.9%. Leo Wei, a recent graduate, noted he submitted over 100 résumés and lowered his salary expectations before finally securing a consulting role. Meanwhile, Freya Feng, a fashion design graduate, struggles to find work despite applying for numerous positions. The government says it aims to stabilise employment through new policies and vocational training programmes.

South China Morning Post

STRATEGY

Ingka Group to cut 800 office jobs in push to streamline operations

Ingka Group, the owner of most Ikea stores globally, plans to cut around 800 office-based roles as part of efforts to simplify its structure, reduce costs, and speed up decision-making amid a challenging retail environment. The move follows declining sales driven by price-cutting strategies, with additional job reductions underway in Sweden and Norway, as the company shifts focus toward frontline operations and expands smaller, faster-to-open store formats.

Reuters

TECHNOLOGY

OpenAI plans launch of desktop ‘superapp’

OpenAI plans ‌to fold its ChatGPT app, coding platform Codex and browser into a single desktop "superapp" to simplify user experience. “We realized we were spreading our efforts across too many apps and stacks, and that we need to simplify our efforts,” Chief of Applications Fidji Simo shared in an internal note with employees. “That fragmentation has been slowing us down and making it harder to hit the quality bar we want.”

Wall Street Journal

LEGAL

Consumer disputes surge in Guangzhou

Guangzhou Intermediate People's Court reported a significant rise in consumer rights protection disputes in 2025, particularly in areas like live-stream e-commerce and online gaming. Wu Xiang, deputy Party chief of the court, noted that these disputes are now part of judicial protection for new business models. He highlighted ongoing risks in prepaid consumption, including refund difficulties. The court handled over 37,000 consumer disputes last year, with cases involving the elderly and minors increasing.

China Daily

TAX

Celebrity's exhibition to proceed in Japan despite tax evasion investigation

Korean celebrity Cha Eun-woo's upcoming photography exhibition, titled "Afterimage," will run in Tokyo's Ginza district from March 28 to May 12, despite ongoing investigations into his alleged tax evasion. Korea's National Tax Service has ordered Cha to pay over 20bn won ($13.7m) in back taxes, claiming his registered corporation is a paper company. Cha, who is currently serving in the military, has expressed his remorse on social media, saying: "I sincerely bow my head in apology."

Korea Joongang Daily

INTERNATIONAL

PwC staff must embrace AI, US chief warns

Paul Griggs, the chief executive of PwC's US business, has warned senior staff that they may not have a future at the firm if they fail to embrace AI, saying that employees who think they have the "opportunity to opt out" of the technology are "not going to be here that long." Griggs, who noted that PwC is hiring more data specialists, said the firm will be changing some tax and consulting services into AI-powered automated tools, adding that these new tax and consulting tools could be accessed "without a PwC person in the loop."

Financial Times

The Guardian

Brussels launches ‘EU Inc’ plan to cut red tape across the single market

The European Commission has proposed allowing firms to set up in as little as 48 hours and operate according to a ‌single set of rules across the 27-nation bloc, in an attempt to to cut bureaucracy across the single market and narrow the gap with the startup scene in the United States. "We need to incentivise companies to stay in Europe and encourage those who once looked elsewhere to return,” ‌European Commissioner ⁠Michael McGrath said. "Europe has the talent, ideas, and ambition - but too often, bureaucracy drives our best entrepreneurs elsewhere." Unions are however sceptical of the plan, warning that it may lead to employees losing influence within their companies. In the past, concerns regarding workers’ rights have led to the failure of similar proposals, EurActiv notes.

Tech.eu

EurActiv

Reuters

OTHER

Declining demand and higher costs threaten Japan's vending machine sector

Japan's vending machine industry faces significant challenges due to shifting consumer preferences, economic pressures, and rising operational expenses. Companies like Pokka Sapporo are selling their vending machine operations and reducing their fleets due to dwindling demand and increased competition from supermarkets and convenience stores that offer lower prices and cashless payment options. The number of beverage vending machines has decreased from 2.2m in 2014 to 1.98m in 2024, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on consumer behaviour. Analysts predict that unless operational costs are lowered and companies collaborate on restocking, the decline in vending machine usage will continue, especially as drink prices rise past consumers' price thresholds.

Japan Times

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