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Middle East Edition
21st February 2025
 
THE HOT STORY
Qatar's top workplaces for 2025 revealed
The Gulf Cooperation Council, in collaboration with Great Place to Work, has announced the top 30 Best Workplaces in Qatar for 2025, showcasing the importance of workplace culture across various industries. The list includes five large organisations and 25 small to medium-sized enterprises, all recognised for their outstanding employee engagement, inclusivity, and innovation. Jules Youssef, Managing Director for Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, and Bahrain at Great Place to Work Middle East, said: “By prioritising workplace culture within various industries, you exemplify how a happy workforce leads to innovation and growth.” The winners include names such as IHG Hotels & Resorts, McDonald's Qatar, and AstraZeneca, highlighting the diverse sectors contributing to Qatar's thriving workplace environment.
DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION
Citigroup retreats from DEI initiatives
Citigroup chief executive Jane Fraser has said that the bank will no longer require a diverse pool of candidates for job interviews, and it will only maintain "aspirational representation goals" where mandated by local law. Meanwhile, Citigroup's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Talent Management team will be rebranded as Talent Management and Engagement. "It is important to note that we're living in an environment where things are changing quickly," Fraser wrote, adding that the bank will still encourage "the best practice of having a variety of perspectives included in hiring decisions."
TECHNOLOGY
Microsoft's quantum leap
Microsoft has announced a significant advancement in quantum computing with the development of a new chip powered by the world's first topoconductor. The innovation could lead to the creation of quantum systems that fit on a chip smaller than a hand, potentially allowing for the scaling of systems to a million qubits. Paul Stevenson, a professor of physics at the University of Surrey in the UK, remarked that Microsoft could become a “very serious competitor” in the race for reliable quantum computers if it builds on this research. However, he cautioned that while the news represents a significant step, the next stages are challenging, and it is “too soon to be anything more than cautiously optimistic.”
WORKFORCE
Iraqi brick workers risk lives to keep families afloat
In Iraq, economic hardship has driven 5% of children into labour, often under perilous conditions. Teenage sisters Dalia and Rukaya Ghali, forced to work at a brick factory, exemplify the crisis. Dalia, 17, said: “If we hadn’t been working, our family wouldn’t have been able to survive.” The sisters toil to support their siblings' education, earning $80 weekly. Babil province, where they reside, is among the poorest in Iraq, with nearly 17% of the population living in poverty. The brickworks, notorious for their hazardous environment, have resulted in numerous injuries and fatalities among workers. In 2024 alone, 28 workers died, highlighting the urgent need for reform in this sector.
LEGAL
Israel's supermarkets charged with price fixing
Israel's Competition Authority has charged three supermarket chains - Victory Supermarket, Yochananof, and Super Bareket - along with their chief executives, for price fixing and attempting to form cartels. Following a three-year investigation, the regulator filed seven indictments, alleging illegal arrangements to control prices and interfere with competitors. Victory and Yochananof have denied any wrongdoing, asserting they have "good arguments" to defend themselves. The indictments include allegations of agreements to delay price promotions to maintain profit margins, with, it is claimed, evidence from a conversation between executives.
CORPORATE
Saudi healthcare group hires banks for IPO
Saudi Arabian healthcare group SMC Hospitals is preparing for a potential initial public offering (IPO) on the local stock exchange, having engaged banks including EFG Hermes and SNB Capital for the process. According to sources, SMC Hospitals, which operates two hospitals in Riyadh and has another under construction, aims to announce its IPO plans before summer. The region has seen a surge in IPOs, driven by government initiatives to diversify the economy away from oil.
INTERNATIONAL
Eliminated FAA staff 'had direct roles in supporting safety inspectors'
The recent layoffs at the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have raised safety concerns among unions. Approximately 400 personnel were let go, including aviation safety assistants and maintenance mechanics. David Spero, president of the Professional Aviation Specialists Association, observed: “All of these people are part of the safety net. The more of them that are not there, the more difficult it becomes to do the actual safety oversight.” The cuts come amid declining public confidence in air travel. A recent poll indicated that only 64% of U.S. adults now view plane travel as “very safe” or “somewhat safe.” Spero added: “What I would hope is that the FAA would reinstate these people . . . And then if they need to assess the size of the government, actually, the FAA can do it in a thoughtful and methodical way to make a determination as to what are the impacts to aviation safety.”
Peru's illegal miners 'use children as shields'
Teófilo Kukush, president of the Wampís community in Peru, is urging the country's government to declare a state of emergency due to the alarming situation surrounding illegal miners. He said: “They are using children between five and 10 years old as human shields.” The illegal mining operations have resulted in significant violence, with at least 30 fatalities reported over the past two years. Despite having 85,000 registered artisanal miners, only 20% possess formal permits, leading to rampant illegal activities. The Superintendency of Banking, Insurance and Private Pensions reported $1.096bn in operations linked to illegal mining from January to October last year.
Worker climbs chimney to demand job back
A worker from Pandavapura Sahakara Sakkare Karkhane in India climbed a 510-ft chimney on Monday to demand action from the district administration and factory management after the dismissal of 49 workers. The worker, who was one of the dismissed, named as Ramakrishna, began his protest at 3am and descended only after receiving assurances from local police. He had set a three-day deadline for the management to reinstate the workers, saying: "If not, I will jump." Despite the dramatic protest, the management has refused to restore the jobs of the dismissed workers.
 


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