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North American Edition
13th August 2025
 
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THE HOT STORY

LAPD struggles to recruit Black officers

The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) is facing a significant decline in Black recruits, particularly women, after the department's diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) program was shut down by LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell during an administrative reshuffle this year. The Oscar Joel Bryant Assn., which represents the LAPD's 700 or so Black officers, said responses to White House attacks on pro-diversity programs “do not need to wait for the future.” Capt. Shannon Enox-White, the association's president, said: “[T]hose concerns are here today for all groups . . . When we swore an oath to protect the Constitution and the organization's very mission statement elevates DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) principles, I do not see how we can step away from them now or ever.”
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REMOTE WORK

U.S cities offer financial incentives to attract remote workers

Cities across the U.S. are offering financial incentives and perks to attract remote workers, aiming to reverse brain drain and stimulate local economies. Programmes like MakeMyMove, which started in 2020 with about 20 relocation opportunities, now lists over 178 programs targeting the country’s 17m fully remote workers. Communities such as Noblesville, Ind.; Tulsa, Okla.; and Eastern Kentucky offer incentives ranging from $5,000 to $10,000, often bundled with amenities including co-working space memberships, event tickets, and even bourbon tours.
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LEGAL

EPA terminates contract with unionized employees

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is set to terminate its contract with unionized employees, according to Justin Chen, president of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE). The move aligns with President Donald Trump's broader initiative to diminish collective bargaining rights for federal workers. The union, representing 8,000 EPA employees, plans to legally challenge the decision. As of March 2025, the EPA employed over 16,000 individuals, and the agency aims to reduce its workforce by at least 23%. Unions are actively contesting Trump's efforts to dismantle collective bargaining agreements, with AFGE being a plaintiff in ongoing lawsuits.

It's getting harder to challenge Trump

ProPublica reports on how some of America’s biggest law firms are refusing to take pro bono and paid legal work from groups that seek to hold the government to account on issues including environmental protection, LGBTQ+ rights and police accountability. “The President’s Policy is working as designed,” said a lawsuit the American Bar Association filed against the administration in June. “Even as federal judges have ruled over and over that the Law Firm Orders are plainly unconstitutional, law firms that once proudly contributed thousands of hours of pro bono work to a host of causes - including causes championed by the ABA - have withdrawn from such work because it is disfavored by the Administration.”
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HIRING

Wall Street hiring lags deal revival

Despite a stabilization in the deals market, Wall Street's hiring remains stagnant, with some banks quietly implementing layoffs. Business Insider highlights that while investment banking activities are recovering from earlier downturns, firms like Goldman Sachs and Barclays are not expanding their workforce. Instead, they are leveraging technology, including AI, to maintain efficiency. This trend poses strategic implications for U.S. corporate finance executives, because the traditional hiring cycles may shift, impacting talent acquisition and operational strategies in the financial sector.
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RISK

Landfill searched for mistakenly discarded court records

New Orleans clerk of court staff are seeking to recover court records mistakenly discarded by the city. Attorney General Liz Murrill described the situation as "unacceptable" and has demanded an explanation. Clerk of Criminal District Court Darren Lombard condemned the city's negligence, saying that official documents were dumped and mixed with general trash. He noted that the records, some dating back to the 1950s, were stored outside due to a lack of secure facilities since Hurricane Katrina. Lombard has requested a city investigation into the incident.
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TECHNOLOGY

Amazon Web Services agrees digital transformation deal with U.S. government agencies

Amazon Web Services (AWS) has reached an agreement to provide U.S. government agencies with up to $1bn in savings for cloud adoption, modernization, and training through 2028, as announced by the General Services Administration. AWS CEO Matt Garman described the deal as a "significant milestone" in the digital transformation of government services, aimed at reducing IT costs and fostering innovation. The agreement will also grant federal agencies access to AWS training resources and experts to facilitate their transition to the cloud.
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TAX

IRS rules out lowering withholding this year

The IRS says it will not be adjusting current income-tax withholding levels for workers and employers to account for President Donald Trump’s new tax law, delaying savings from retroactive cuts for most taxpayers. The move will enlarge refunds paid out to taxpayers early next year, ahead of the midterm congressional elections in November 2026. On Thursday, the IRS said that employers and payroll providers should stick to using their current procedures for reporting and withholding, rather than adjusting to account for tax breaks included in the law enacted last month.
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CULTURE

The troubling decline in conscientiousness

The FT's John Burn-Murdoch considers data which suggests the trait of conscientiousness (the quality of being dependable and disciplined) is fading out - and especially quickly among young adults.
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INTERNATIONAL

Taiwan 's cyberhackers may not be sophisticated, but they are 'diligent'

Zhou Hongyi, the chairman of cybersecurity company Qihoo 360 and a member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, China's top political advisory body, has said that Taiwan-based hackers may not be sophisticated, but they are “diligent” when executing attacks on mainland Chinese targets. He said they operated at a “below global-average level,” adding “They take advantage of the fact that many of our organizations neglect security and fail to apply patches, so even old vulnerabilities can still work for them . . . Their only real advantage is their diligence. They launch attacks on the mainland very frequently and target a wide range of organizations, which is why we've collected the most evidence against them.”

Korea's zero-tolerance for worker discrimination

On the 21st anniversary of the Employment Permit System (EPS), Korean Labor Minister Kim Young-hoon announced a "zero-tolerance" policy against discrimination towards foreign workers. Speaking at a conference in Seoul, he emphasized the need for respect and inclusivity, saying: "Ensuring that foreign workers are guaranteed their rights . . . is the most important principle we must uphold." The event gathered over 100 participants, including diplomats and business leaders, to discuss improvements to the EPS. Kim also promised to enhance support services for migrant workers, including housing and counselling.

Philippines to set up new migrant workers office in Nigeria

The Philippines' Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) plans to open an office in Abuja, Nigeria, to support overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in the region. The office will also assist OFWs in several West African countries, including Senegal and Ghana. DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac highlighted the growing labor market in West Africa, and noted the need for ethical recruitment and worker protection. The office aims to provide direct legal, medical, financial, and humanitarian services. Cacdac and officials will visit Nigeria and Liberia to engage with OFW communities and prepare for the office's establishment.
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OTHER

U.N. plastic pollution treaty discussions falter

There are just two days left for U.N. countries meeting in Geneva to negotiate a treaty on tackling plastic pollution. The talks remain deadlocked after a stalled first week, which fell behind schedule and produced no clear text. "We have to speed up negotiations," said E.U. environment chief Jessika Roswall, who observed: "With . . . days to go, we have more square brackets in the text than plastic in the sea." A U.S.-led alliance wants the treaty to address only plastic pollution; an E.U.-led bloc is seeking to include limits on production.
 
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