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North American Edition
17th November 2025
 
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THE HOT STORY

Workers take on side jobs as salaries stagnate

Many U.S. workers are taking on side jobs to cope with stagnant salaries, inflation, and job insecurity. This trend, known as "polyworking," sees individuals creating “portfolio careers” where they work a variety of jobs, each building different valuable skills. “We have seen stagnant salaries, we've seen inflation, we've seen the cost of living overall increasing, even beyond our inflation measures,” said Alexandrea Ravenelle, sociologist and gig economy researcher at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. “So people are looking for ways to supplement and to build themselves a little bit of a safety net.”
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LEGAL

DoorDash to pay $18m to settle Chicago lawsuit

Chicago has reached an $18m settlement with DoorDash over allegations of deceptive practices during the COVID-19 pandemic. The city accused DoorDash of listing restaurants on its platform without their consent and failing to disclose full service costs to customers. Mayor Brandon Johnson said: “This settlement demonstrates Chicago's commitment to standing up for workers and small businesses.” As part of the settlement, DoorDash will provide $4m in credits to eligible users, $3.25m to restaurants listed without consent, and $500,000 to drivers affected by past pay practices. Additionally, DoorDash will pay $4.5m to cover legal fees. The company maintains that the settlement does not imply wrongdoing.

Omnicom must face executive's claims

Omnicom is facing allegations of pay discrimination after a federal judge in Dallas ruled that an executive's claims of bias regarding her compensation compared to male counterparts must proceed. The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas determined that under the Equal Pay Act and Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, workers don't have to describe how male employees they allege were better-paid were truly comparable to them.
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WORKPLACE

Ford opens new headquarters

Ford Motor Company has officially opened its new world headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan, moving from the Glass House to a larger facility. The new headquarters spans 2.1m square feet, more than double the size of the previous building. CEO Jim Dobleski said: "It is a major game changer for us," as he  highlighted a focus on collaboration and efficiency. The design includes open spaces, courtyards, and areas for vehicle design which aim to enhance teamwork among employees. The building is expected to accommodate 4,500 to 5,000 workers by 2027, and foster a more active and productive environment.
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STRATEGY

Toyota confirms $10bn U.S. investment plan

Toyota Motors is to invest an additional $10bn in the U.S. over the next five years. The announcement coincided with Toyota’s opening of a battery plant in North Carolina, which the company said would create up to 5,100 new jobs. "Over the next five years, we are planning an additional investment of $10bn in the U.S. to further grow our manufacturing capabilities, bringing our total investment in this country to over $60bn," said Toyota Motor North America President Ted Ogawa.
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ECONOMY

U.S. corporate bankruptcies hit 15-year high

U.S. corporate bankruptcies are on track to hit a 15-year peak, with 655 filings through October, up from 687 in all of 2024, according to S&P Global. October alone saw 68 filings, driven by inflation, high input costs, and labor market weakness. The industrials sector leads with 98 bankruptcies, followed by consumer discretionary with 80. Tariff uncertainty under President Trump and credit market instability are compounding pressures. Notable cases include First Brands, with over $10bn in liabilities, and Tricolor, which triggered a $170m charge-off for JPMorgan, which CEO Jamie Dimon admitted was “not our finest moment.”
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TECHNOLOGY

BlackRock moves to take on hedge fund giants

BlackRock is adding stockpickers to Systematic Total Alpha, its top mathematical and data-driven hedge fund, following a strategy pursued by rivals to house human and computer-driven strategies under one roof.
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LEADERSHIP

Walmart chief Doug McMillon ends 11-year reign at world’s largest retailer

Walmart has announced that chief executive Doug McMillon is retiring and will be replaced by John Furner, the head of the group’s U.S. division, on February 1st. Mr. McMillon will continue to serve as a director on the board until the June 2026 annual meeting and would continue to be employed as an associate of the group until January 31st 2027. Mr. Furner has served as president and CEO of Walmart U.S. since 2019, overseeing the company’s largest operating segment and more than 4,600 stores. He began his Walmart career as an hourly associate in 1993 and has held leadership roles across merchandising, operations and sourcing.
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INTERNATIONAL

Portugal's government seeks dialogue with unions

Portugal's minority center-right government has said it is open to discussions with unions ahead of a planned general strike on December 11. Minister for Cabinet Affairs Antonio Leitao Amaro said: "It is hard to understand why some want to halt the country . . . when the government is showing its real, true and concrete openness to dialogue." The looming strike, which is supported by the UGT and CGTP unions, opposes proposed labor law reforms that would ease dismissals and increase outsourcing. Unions argue these changes threaten workers' rights, while the government is seeking to boost productivity. UGT leader Mario Mourao has said that the strike could be called off if the government presented a new reform plan which takes into account union proposals.

U.K. bank criticised over employee data use

Lloyds Banking Group, the U.K.'s biggest lender, accessed information from the personal bank accounts of more than 30,000 employees. The bank compared staff spending habits to those of the wider public to assess their financial resilience as part of pay negotiations. The Affinity union, which represents Lloyds' employees but is not recognised by the group, said it was concerned, although Lloyds stressed "aggregated, anonymized data" had been used "in order to ensure compliance with regulations and to reflect common practice of using data to underpin decision-making." Jon Baines, a senior data protection specialist at law firm Mishcon de Reya, has called for the information commissioner to look into the exercise.

Thailand plans replacement for 90,000 Cambodian workers

Thailand plans to replace around 90,000 Cambodian workers who have expired permits with migrants from Myanmar, Laos, and Vietnam. Labour Minister Trinuch Thienthong said the government is preparing to recruit replacements, especially in agriculture, which heavily relies on Cambodian labor. The decision follows the suspension of a special stay permit for Cambodian nationals amid border tensions. Trinuch noted that while the new workers may lack the same skills, the government aims to balance workforce needs with national security concerns. "We must strike a balance between addressing workforce needs and safeguarding security," she said.
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OTHER

Ultra-processed foods raise diabetes risk

Consuming ultra-processed foods, such as fast food and packaged snacks, significantly raises the risk of prediabetes among young adults, according to a study published in Nutrition and Metabolism. Dr. Vaia Lida Chatzi, a senior researcher, said: “Even modest increases in ultra-processed food intake can disrupt glucose regulation in young adults at risk for obesity.” The study tracked 85 overweight or obese participants aged 17 to 22 over four years, revealing that a 10% increase in ultra-processed food consumption correlated with a 64% higher risk of prediabetes. Lead researcher Yiping Li emphasized that limiting these foods could help prevent diabetes. Future research is needed to explore which specific foods pose the greatest risk.
 
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