Japan-Philippines Investment Push: President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. secured about $3.4B in Japanese investment pledges in Tokyo, aimed at manufacturing, tourism infrastructure, renewables and supply-chain work—framed as a route to “skilled jobs” in the Philippines. India Pay Pressure: An ACCA survey says only 29% of Indian employees are happy with current pay; 81% plan to ask for raises in the next 12 months as living costs bite. India Tech Hiring Caution: H-1B returnees face a slower, more cautious Indian tech market as AI shifts demand away from traditional IT roles. AI vs Work Reality Check: China’s X Square launched a paid home-cleaning robot service in Beijing and Shenzhen—getting orders, but still struggling with unexpected tasks, underscoring limits of automation. Labour Market Strain (China): A viral shepherd job ad in Inner Mongolia drew 700+ applicants and 59M views, highlighting tougher employment conditions and mismatches between expectations and rural work. Middle East Shock to Jobs: The ILO warns the West Asia crisis is increasingly hitting global labour markets via energy, supply chains, tourism, remittances and migration. ASEAN CSR Platform: ASEAN-BAC and AVPN set up an ASEAN CSR working group to coordinate corporate social investment and cross-sector collaboration across Southeast Asia. Pacific Skills Funding: Australia launched a new AUD$229.5M skills programme for Papua New Guinea to expand TVET and improve employment outcomes.