Labor Relations: About 400 union members at Samsung Biologics began a three-week partial strike over pay and HR policies, escalating a dispute that has lasted more than two years. Skills and Hiring: Malaysia aims to compete in at least half of the next WorldSkills categories and is shifting vocational training toward industry needs, with private-sector co-funding under consideration. Recruitment Oversight: Saudi Arabia suspended 66 recruitment offices and revoked another’s licence after inspections found regulatory breaches, delayed refunds and unresolved complaints. Workforce Investment: City of Dreams Manila ranked first in the travel and leisure category in the Philippines’ Best Employers 2027 study, while Macau’s Galaxy Entertainment won HR awards for employee development, leadership and wellbeing. Layoffs and Retention: Disney is weighing thousands of job cuts as it seeks to reduce costs, while reports point to corporate hotel layoffs even as frontline roles remain hard to fill. Leadership and Culture: A new survey suggests many business leaders still fear empathy could weaken their authority, despite rising expectations for people-centered management.