Human Times

North American Edition

26th November 2025

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THE HOT STORY

Trade deal with Taiwan could help train U.S. workers

The Trump administration is negotiating a trade deal with Taiwan that aims to enhance U.S. semiconductor manufacturing through investment and workforce training, according to sources. Taiwanese companies, including TSMC, are expected to contribute capital and skilled workers to expand their U.S. operations. Currently, Taiwan's exports to the U.S. face a 20% tariff, which the companies hope to reduce as part of this agreement. The deal's specifics remain uncertain, but it could involve building science park infrastructure in the U.S. Taiwan's Premier Cho Jung-tai said that the two sides are at the stage of exchanging documents to finalize details. "Until announced by President Trump, reporting about potential trade deals is speculation," said White House spokesman Kush Desai.

U.S. News

FINANCIAL WELLNESS

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ECONOMY

U.S. consumer confidence on the wane

The Conference Board reports that U.S. consumer confidence dipped in November, with households concerned about their employment and financial situations. The group's consumer confidence index dropped 6.8 points from October to 88.7, its lowest reading since April. Economists quizzed by Dow Jones had expected a reading of 93.2. The expectations index tumbled 8.6 points to 63.2 while the present situation index slipped to 126.9, a decline of 4.3 points. “Consumers were notably more pessimistic about business conditions six months from now,” said Dana Peterson, the board’s chief economist. “Mid-2026 expectations for labor market conditions remained decidedly negative, and expectations for increased household incomes shrunk dramatically, after six months of strongly positive readings.”

CNBC

Reuters

TECHNOLOGY

Attorneys general urge Congress to reject ban on state AI laws

Republican and Democratic attorneys general from 35 states and the District of Columbia have sent a letter to congressional leaders calling on them to reject a ban on states’ ability to enact artificial intelligence laws. “While AI promises to be a transformative technology in numerous fields, it also poses significant risks - notably to the most vulnerable among us, our children. States must be empowered to apply existing laws and formulate new approaches to meet the range of challenges associated with AI,” the group wrote, adding: “We are also deeply troubled by sycophantic and delusional generative AI outputs plunging individuals into spirals of mental illness, suicide, self-harm, and violence.” ChatGPT maker OpenAI, Google, Meta and venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz have called for national AI standards instead of a 50-state patchwork, Reuters notes.

The Hill

Reuters

IRS deploys AI agents

The IRS is deploying Salesforce’s Agentforce AI across key divisions, including Chief Counsel, the Taxpayer Advocate and Appeals, to help process cases faster amid a 25% workforce drop this year. The AI will handle tasks like summarizing files and searching case data but cannot make final decisions or release funds. IRS leaders say modernization made this shift inevitable and aim to use AI to support overstretched staff, not replace human oversight, as government agencies increasingly adopt large-scale AI tools.

Axios

LEGAL

Campbell's exec suspended over disparaging comments

Campbell's has placed Martin Bally, its vice president of information technology, on leave, after a recording emerged of him saying the company made "highly processed food" for "poor people." Former Campbell’s cybersecurity analyst Robert Garza filed a lawsuit against the company and accused Bally of making racist comments and disparaging Campbell’s products in a secretly recorded meeting. He is also reported to have said that the company's Indian employees were “idiots” whom he disliked working with. “If the comments heard on the audio recording were in fact made by Mr. Bally, they are unacceptable,” the company said. “Such language does not reflect our values and the culture of our company.”

Supreme Court declines bid to revive whistleblower's jury award

The Supreme Court has declined to hear Trevor Murray's appeal regarding a $2.6m jury award in his lawsuit against UBS, in which he alleged wrongful termination for refusing to publish misleading research. The justices previously reinstated the award but the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals later overturned it, citing flawed jury instructions. Murray contends that UBS unlawfully fired him for his whistleblowing activities, stating he was dismissed shortly after raising concerns about the bank's practices. UBS maintains that his termination was part of a broader cost-cutting initiative.

U.S. News

STRATEGY

HP to cut up to 6,000 jobs by 2028

Computer and printer maker HP expects to cut between 4,000 and 6,000 jobs - up to 10% of its total globally - by fiscal 2028 as part of a plan to streamline operations and adopt artificial intelligence to speed up product development, improve customer satisfaction and boost productivity. “We really think this is a unique opportunity we cannot miss to really continue to transform the company and continue to be competitive for the next 10, 20 years,” chief executive Enrique Lores said. HP said it also expects to increase investment in some areas to integrate AI further into its product portfolio. “I think any work is going to be impacted by AI, and we need to take advantage of it as a company,” Lores observed.

INTERNATIONAL

Australia's ‘world first’ minimum pay deal for food delivery drivers

In a deal that has been described as a “world first”, Australia's two largest food delivery services, DoorDash and Uber Eats, are partnering with the Transport Workers’ Union to set new minimum standards for delivery drivers, including a minimum hourly wage and accident insurance for injuries sustained on the job. Under the terms of a draft agreement released on Tuesday, their workers would earn at least A$31.30 ($20.19) per hour, an increase of about 25% for some couriers who are paid per delivery and not for how long they have worked. The deal would put them level with the minimum wage earned by Australian casual workers.

Reuters

The Guardian

EBRD warns how aging populations will challenge growth

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development's semiannual report warns that aging populations have already begun to hinder economic growth in certain countries - some of which need to act now to keep slowing population growth from wreaking havoc on their long-term economic prospects. "Already today, demography is eroding growth in living standards, and it is going to be a headwind for GDP growth in the future," EBRD Chief Economist Beata Javorcik told Reuters. She also observed that post-communist nations "are getting old before getting rich." The report noted that migration at a level needed to counteract falling birth rates is not politically palatable in most places.

Daily Sabah

Reuters

Bank of England warns on micro-aggressions

The Bank of England has warned that micro-aggressions in the workplace can lead to serious health issues for ethnic minorities, including heart disease and diabetes. A presentation obtained by The Telegraph highlights research linking racism and discrimination to chronic illnesses. The training materials encourage employees to report micro-aggressions, such as inappropriate comments about race. A Bank spokesman said: "This optional training . . . is one of several ways we look to support our staff." The initiative aims to foster an inclusive work environment and address reported disparities in treatment.

The Sunday Telegraph

Walmart opens first store in South Africa

Walmart has opened its first store in South Africa, marking its entry into the African market as it targets a competitive landscape. A hundred shoppers lined up for the "Everyday Low Prices," seeking unique products unavailable in the region, such as children's toys and tech gadgets. The store also features a sixty-minute online delivery service, competing with local offerings. Walmart's executive, Andrea Albright, emphasised the company's commitment to helping customers save money and promoting local employment by creating 80 jobs and partnering with 15 local businesses.

Reuters

OTHER

Rich nations retreat from development goals

A new report from the Center for Global Development (CGD) finds that wealthier countries, including the U.S. and Japan, are scaling back global development efforts, slashing aid and multilateral funding. The U.S. dropped to 28th in the Commitment to Development Index, with further declines expected due to policy shifts under President Trump, who has also shuttered the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Although some progress was noted in emissions cuts and migration support, CGD’s Ian Mitchell warned: “The changes the Trump administration is making are very significant.” Sweden, Germany, and Norway lead the rankings.

Reuters

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