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🗞️ Voluntary sacrifice
When someone 'voluntells' you to do something at work today, you can think back to this story.
Pick & Scroll News
May 15, 2025
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Good morning. When someone 'voluntells' you to do something at work today, you can think back to this story.
A Polish resistance fighter volunteered himself to go to Auschwitz so he could sabotage the Nazi camp from the inside.
Witold Pilecki smuggled reports out from the camp, which became valid insights for the Allies during World War II. After more than two years, he was also one of the few prisoners to successfully escape.
Despite the gripping story, I'm still not going on the work social committee.
All the headlines and more below...
AUSTRALIAN NEWS
ATO warning over ‘instant’ $1,000 deduction as tax rule changes
A new $1,000 standard tax deduction for work expenses will start in July 2027, whilst the ATO advises tracking actual expenses remains beneficial. LINK
ASX 300 board diversity has declined since 2017 with greater Anglo-Celtic directors, prompting calls for inclusion targets. LINK
Public sector wages increased significantly in March, whilst economists cautioned about sustainability without productivity gains. LINK
GLOBAL NEWS
The US and China have reached a temporary truce in the trade wars, but more turbulence lies ahead
The US cut tariffs on Chinese imports from 145% to 30%, while China has lowered duties on US goods from 125% to 10%, marking a temporary truce in the US-China trade war. LINK
The US inflation rate fell to 2.3% in April whilst core inflation rose to 2.8% following Trump's tariff announcement. LINK
Global electric vehicle sales are expected to reach 20 million units in FY25 as demand grows in China. LINK
US officials are investigating Chinese-made inverters after discovering undocumented communication devices in renewable energy equipment. LINK
The consulting industry growth slowed to 1.8% last year whilst geopolitical uncertainty may drive renewed demand for strategy advice. LINK
COMPANY NEWS
Why ASIC lost patience with Macquarie's incompetence
ASIC is pursuing legal action against Macquarie Securities for alleged misreporting of up to 1.5 billion short sales over 14 years. LINK
Telstra has launched a Silicon Valley AI hub with Accenture to enhance customer service through AI integration. LINK
The ASX has begun staff consultations for potential cuts affecting 100 roles to address regulatory challenges and improve efficiency. LINK
Optiver is offering Australian university graduates salaries up to $350,000 to attract top talent. LINK
US tech giants Nvidia, AMD and Qualcomm have announced multibillion-dollar AI deals with Saudi Arabia. LINK
CBA reported a $2.6B third-quarter cash profit, showing a 6% year-on-year increase. LINK
Tesla's board has formed a special committee to create a new compensation plan for Elon Musk following his $56B pay package dispute. LINK
Microsoft is reducing its workforce by 6,000 employees whilst focusing resources on artificial intelligence development. LINK
United Airlines is expanding Australian services with new routes to compete against Qantas amid strong travel demand. LINK
Bupa plans to open 130 medical centres as it invests in genomics and mental health capabilities across Australia. LINK
Burberry plans to cut 1,700 jobs globally while posting a £26M full-year operating profit. LINK
CHART OF THE DAY
Venture capitalists have shifted investment towards long-term climate-focused technology
ONE MORE SCROLL
Editor’s Pick: The 41 most anticipated new and returning TV shows coming in 2025.
Draft Pick: The Matildas’ squad against Argentina has been announced. However, it is uncertain whether Sam Kerr will return in time for the match.
Odd Pick: US military uses Tinder ads to warn users in Lebanon against taking up arms.
TOGETHER WITH
Take what you’re doing offline and circle back on team wellness because real team bonding happens with puppies, not PowerPoint. Give your team an event they’ll actually look forward to with Puppy Yoga!
We’ve got you covered with Corporate Cuddles and Puppy Yoga 🐶
BRAINTEASER
Today’s puzzle comes from the 1% Club UK. It was the last question on the show, meaning that just 1% of the population could solve it correctly within the 30-second time limit. Can you?
Peter has recently found his old diary that he’d written in secret code but he can’t remember how to decipher what he wrote. Can you crack the code to find out what the underlined word is?
WH89 I GR1W UP I WA92 21 B8 A 5L1RI72
Answer below
OUR SOCIALS
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ANSWER
The answer is “FLORIST”.
The full code reads: WHEN I GROW UP I WANT TO BE A FLORIST.
Where possible, the code contains digits that start with the same letter as the letter in the code. For example ‘5’ should be replaced with ‘F’ because ‘FIVE’ starts with ‘F’. This means: 5L1RI72 = FLORIST.
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