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North American Edition
15th December 2025
 
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THE HOT STORY

Trump administration terminates union contract covering 47,000 TSA officers

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has terminated a collective bargaining agreement covering 47,000 TSA officers. The agency said it will dissolve the 2024 agreement covering the airport screening officers on Jan. 11. The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) said it would file a lawsuit to challenge the decision. “[Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem's] decision to rip up the union contract for 47,000 TSA officers is an illegal act of retaliatory union-busting that should cause concern for every person who steps foot in an airport,” observed AFGE National President Everett Kelley. The agency said that union representation is “inconsistent with efficient stewardship of taxpayer dollars and impedes the agility required to secure the traveling public.” 
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WORKFORCE

Tax prosecutions fall to historic low

In 2025, federal tax prosecutions in the U.S. have fallen to their lowest level in decades, declining over 27% in the 11 months to the beginning of November from the previous year. The decline is attributed to the Trump administration's significant cuts to the IRS' criminal investigative unit and a shift in focus towards immigration enforcement. David Hubbert, a senior fellow at the Tax Law Center at New York University, said: “Decreasing criminal enforcement across all types of taxpayers would signal an indifference to cheating.” The Justice Department's Tax Division was closed, leading to a loss of experienced attorneys, further exacerbating the decline in tax prosecutions. As of November 1st, only 160 prosecutions were initiated, compared to 420 the previous year. The IRS's staffing has also decreased, with over 330 employees cut, impacting its ability to enforce tax laws effectively.
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LEGAL

Palantir sues Percepta CEO over alleged employee poaching and trade secret theft

Palantir has escalated its lawsuit against rival AI firm Percepta, accusing chief executive Hirsh Jain, co-founder Radha Jain, and former employee Joanna Cohen of orchestrating a campaign to poach Palantir staff and clients while misappropriating confidential information. The complaint, filed in U.S. District Court, alleges that the trio violated nonsolicitation agreements and that Mr. Cohen stole internal documents before joining Percepta, a start-up backed by General Catalyst. Percepta has denied wrongdoing, calling Palantir’s claims baseless and an attempt to stifle innovation in applied AI. The suit follows growing legal battles in the competitive AI sector over trade secrets and talent.

U.S. threatens New York over driver licenses

The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) has warned New York that it may lose tens of millions in federal funding due to improperly issued commercial driver licenses to non-U.S. citizens. USDOT has given the state 30 days to rectify the situation. In August, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced a pause on all worker visas for commercial truck drivers. "New York must take actions to address concerns," USDOT said.
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CORPORATE

Roomba maker iRobot swept into bankruptcy

Roomba maker iRobot has filed for bankruptcy and will be taken over by Picea, its Chinese supplier, marking the end of a company that popularised the robot vacuum cleaner. The Massachusetts-based firm, founded in 1990, filed for Chapter 11 protection in Delaware bankruptcy court as it grapples with increased competition from lower-priced rivals and new U.S. tariffs. Under the plan, Picea will take 100% of the company's equity and cancel the $190m it is owed by the firm. iRobot said the bankruptcy is not expected to disrupt its app functionality, customer programs, global partners, supply chain relationships or product support.
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CYBERSECURITY

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.
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CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

Trump orders increased scrutiny of proxy advisers in ESG rebuke

US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order to “increase oversight” of proxy advisers that guide shareholder votes made by pension funds and some other money managers, saying top firms often "advance and prioritize radical politically-motivated agendas." Trump directed the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Federal Trade Commission and the Labor Department to review if Institutional Shareholder Services and Glass Lewis had violated rules or antitrust law related to their treatment of environmental and social issues. The executive order calls for a review of regulation relating to proxy advisers and to consider “revising or rescinding those rules, regulations, guidance, bulletins, and memoranda that are inconsistent with the purpose of this order, especially to the extent that they implicate ‘diversity, equity, and inclusion’ and ‘environmental, social, and governance’ policies.” The order also directs the agencies to consider steps such as new regulations.
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INTERNATIONAL

Thyssenkrupp pauses steel production at two sites

Thyssenkrupp, Europe's largest steelmaker, will pause production at its Gelsenkirchen site in western Germany and Isbergues in northern France for two weeks due to increased competition from low-priced Asian imports. The company said the French site will operate at half-capacity for four months starting January. The decision comes as the European Union considers tightening steel tariffs to protect local industries. The measures were in response "to a massive increase in low-priced imports, particularly from Asia," Thyssenkrupp Steel Europe said. "These developments have led to a dramatic change in order volumes and thus to a significant underutilisation of capacity at European production facilities."

Reddit challenges Australia’s social media ban in court

Reddit has filed a lawsuit in Australia’s High Court to contest the new ban on social media access for children under 16, claiming it infringes upon the constitutional right to free political communication. The company argues that the law undermines political discourse, observing that “Australian citizens under the age of 16 will . . .  become electors” who require exposure to political dialogue before they turn 18. The Australian government, which implemented the world-first ban on December 10, defends the measure as essential for protecting minors and said it plans to contest Reddit's legal action vigorously.

General strike against Portugal's plan to overhaul labor laws

Portugal experienced its first general strike in over a decade on Thursday, led by the CGTP and UGT unions. The strike led to the halting of train services, the cancellation of hundreds of flights, and the closure of schools in protest against proposed labor reforms. The minority government aims to amend over 100 articles of the labor code to enhance productivity, but unions argue the proposed amendments undermines workers' rights. Prime Minister Luis Montenegro said: "The government respects the right to strike . . . but it will not give up on being reformist."
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OTHER

Italian cuisine lands UNESCO accolade

Italy has become the first country to have its entire cuisine added to UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list. Rather than recognizing a single dish, UNESCO honored Italian cuisine as a whole for its cultural, social, and intergenerational significance. The designation gives Italy a record nine agri-food recognitions among its 21 total UNESCO-listed traditions.
 
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