AI & Employment Rights: Meta faces a landmark lawsuit claiming AI-assisted monitoring and digital activity data were used to pick workers for layoffs, disproportionately hitting employees on medical, parental, and pregnancy-related leave; plaintiffs seek an injunction and an independent audit, while Meta denies the claims. Workplace Safety & Culture: Croydon’s St Joseph’s Federation schools close as GMB and NEU members strike over allegations of a “toxic bullying culture,” with unions saying a promised report still hasn’t been published. Immigration Enforcement & Jobs: Trump backs ICE traffic stops as DHS pauses vehicle stops after deadly shootings, keeping pressure on how enforcement affects public trust and local labor dynamics. Pay & Hiring Strategy: WTW finds US 2027 salary budgets steady at 3.4%, but employers are shifting from broad raises to targeted, performance-driven pay and retention bonuses. Industrial Policy & Jobs: India’s Cabinet approves a ₹62,500 crore mobile phone manufacturing scheme, aiming to boost exports and jobs, while MeitY says electronics manufacturing has created ~25 lakh jobs over a decade with women making up nearly 70% of mobile manufacturing roles. Global Labor Mobility: Malaysia’s SME lobby urges a review of new Employment Pass salary thresholds, warning higher pay floors could block SMEs from hiring critical foreign tech talent. Local Economic Impact: UK retail destination Gunwharf Quays reports £145m added to the local economy and 2,700+ jobs supported in 2025. Automation & HR Risk: New research highlights AI’s growing role in workplace decisions and warns models can misread employee feedback, raising compliance and governance stakes for employers.