Hong Kong authorities conducted a counterterrorism drill and crowd flow test at the Huanggang border crossing, involving about 5,000 civil servants to prepare for the port's opening.
British diplomats in six locations, including Buenos Aires and Santiago, will no longer receive hardship payments. The UK government cut these cities from the list, prompting criticism from Conservatives over taxpayer-funded allowances in popular destinations.
Hong Kong's security chief, Chris Tang Ping-keung, announced that the revamped Huanggang Port border crossing will undergo over 100 stress tests, involving more than 10,000 people including civil servants and mainland counterparts, to ensure smooth operations. No official opening date has been set.
Downing Street is offering relocation packages to civil servants moving to the North as No 10 North opens in Manchester, led by Louise Haigh. The initiative aims to devolve power and boost the UK's economy, with a new Digital Campus planned for 2032.
The UK government admitted its outsourced civil service pension scheme, run by Capita, failed, leaving thousands, including a 98-year-old and a young widow, in financial hardship. The Cabinet Office plans to bring the scheme back in-house due to "unacceptable" service levels and missed targets.
Capita expects to lose up to £40m annually due to the crisis at the Civil Service Pension Scheme. This follows a poor service that left thousands of civil servants without income and retirement quotes, leading to government withholding nearly £10m and calls to strip Capita of its contract.
Jim O'Neill, an economist advising Andy Burnham, has criticized the UK's long-standing reliance on the US, urging wider trade with countries like China. O'Neill, a former Conservative Treasury minister, believes the Trump administration's erratic behavior is a wake-up call for Britain to diversify its international partnerships.
Hong Kong's civil service chief pledged a future "reasonable and attractive" pay adjustment after the Legislative Council approved a flat 2% rise for civil servants. Lawmakers criticized the 2% increase, effective retroactively from April, as insufficient compared to survey recommendations and union demands, raising concerns about civil service appeal and the local economy.
Investigators are set to question civil servants over ballot shortages during local elections. Protests continue demanding a rerun, while the National Election Commission apologizes but deems a rerun unwarranted.
The UPSC Civil Services Exam, one of India's toughest, sees lakhs of aspirants aiming for limited IAS, IPS, IFS posts. Experts advise quitting if performance stagnates or mental well-being suffers, highlighting the emotional, financial, and professional toll of prolonged, unsuccessful preparation. Skills gained can be reframed for other careers, and some successful candidates even pivot away from bureaucracy.
Taiwan's Examination Yuan passed amendments to three laws to support civil servants in raising children, extending parental leave benefits to age 7, introducing joint-parent incentives, and allowing flexible job transfers for caregiving needs.
Sir Keir Starmer announces tech giants must block nude images on children's phones by September, part of a broader push to regulate tech and protect minors, following criticism of delayed action on tech regulation.
France's public sector workforce is increasingly reliant on contract employees, who grew by 2.6% in 2024, while civil servant numbers remained stable. A Cour des comptes report warns this trend, driven by recruitment challenges, could see contract staff form one-third of public agents by 2033.
KMT legislators, alongside 18 civil servant groups, announced a draft bill to institutionalize pay raises for military, civil servants, and teachers. The proposal mandates raises when CPI grows 3% or every four years, with adjustments reflecting inflation, and calls for broader representation in review committees. They aim for passage this legislative session.
President Trump has issued an executive order reclassifying approximately 8,000 federal workers, primarily at the GS-15 level, as at-will employees. This move strips them of civil service protections, allowing for dismissal without cause and potentially increasing government politicization.
Two letters debate public sector defined-benefit pension schemes. One argues the £1tn liability figure is misleading and that good pensions help attract staff, while the other suggests raising pay to allow workers to fund their own pensions.
Labor Minister Bärbel Bas (SPD) advocates for including civil servants in the statutory pension insurance, arguing it would stabilize and equalize pension financing. However, economists and institutions like the IW estimate significant annual costs (up to €20 billion) and argue the reform wouldn't solve structural issues.
German Labor Minister Bärbel Bas advocates for integrating civil servants into the statutory pension insurance system for a comprehensive reform. She hopes for a commission's proposals in June and is open to raising the retirement age beyond 67, with specific solutions for those unable to work that long.
Federal Minister of Labour Bärbel Bas (SPD) is pushing for civil servants to contribute to the statutory pension insurance in the future. She argues this would increase funds and reduce state contributions, suggesting initial steps could be taken during the planned pension reform. Bas also indicated openness to raising the retirement age beyond 67.
German Labor Minister Bärbel Bas (SPD) is pushing for civil servants to be included in the statutory pension insurance, arguing for a unified system to strengthen the pension fund and reduce state contributions. She also expressed openness to raising the retirement age beyond 67 after 2031, potentially linking it to contribution years.
Economist Achim Truger advocates for integrating civil servants into the statutory health insurance system (GKV), arguing their higher salaries could strengthen GKV finances and prevent a class system. He also questions the necessity of so many civil servant positions.
The UPSC CSE Prelims 2026 surprised aspirants with a lengthy, analytical, and unusually difficult General Studies Paper-I. Experts noted a shift towards applied reasoning over rote memorization, predicting a lower cutoff. Some believe the paper tests the temperament needed for future civil servants.
Economist Achim Truger advocates for integrating civil servants into the public health insurance system (GKV), arguing their higher salaries could strengthen GKV finances. He also questions the necessity of so many civil servants and criticizes the current system where GKV contributors largely fund healthcare for welfare recipients.
A boycott against Starbucks in South Korea is escalating. Following criticism over a 'Tank Day' promotion perceived as insensitive to the 1980 Gwangju Uprising, the government has decided to stop using Starbucks products at official events, and civil servant groups are joining the boycott by refusing Starbucks gift certificates.
