THE HOT STORY

UAE continues efforts to promote gender balance

The UAE has made significant strides in promoting gender balance in the workforce, with women now holding 1.039m jobs in the private sector. According to the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation, skilled women represent 45.4% of the female workforce, while 16.6% occupy leadership roles. The UAE's Labour Law ensures equal pay for equal work and prohibits gender discrimination. Notably, women's participation in the private sector increased by 20.95% from 2024 to mid-2025, highlighting the country's commitment to empowering women in various sectors.

Gulfnews.com

HEALTH & WELLBEING

Novartis champions workplace cancer awareness

Novartis, in collaboration with Friends of Cancer Patients' Pink Caravan, has led a UAE-wide campaign to bring breast cancer awareness and on-site screening directly to workplaces. Aisha Abdulla Al Mulla, director, Friends of Cancer Patients (FoCP), UAE, said: “Breast cancer remains the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women in the United Arab Emirates, accounting for over one-third of all female cancer cases. Addressing this challenge requires collaboration and shared commitment. Through our partnership with Novartis, we aim to bring education and screening initiatives directly to workplaces. Together, we can leverage resources, expertise, and knowledge to create a more comprehensive and coordinated approach to addressing breast cancer across the UAE.”

Zawya EN

LEGAL

Deadline nears for status correction of non-Omani workers

The Ministry of Labour in Oman has announced that the grace period for employers and non-Omani workers to rectify their status will conclude in December 2025. After this deadline, no requests will be accepted. The grace period allows for the cancellation of expired work-card fines over seven years old and waives financial obligations from 2017 or earlier. The Ministry emphasised the importance of completing all necessary procedures before the deadline, stating: "Any request submitted after the end of December 2025 will not be considered."

Oman Observer

CORPORATE

UAE overhauls Companies Law

The UAE has introduced a new Federal Decree-Law that amends the Commercial Companies Law, part of a broader reform programme for 2025. This law modernises corporate structures, introduces non-profit companies, and expands financing options. It allows private joint-stock companies to raise capital through private subscriptions and clarifies regulations for company relocations.

Khaleej Times Online

TECHNOLOGY

KPMG redefines performance with AI metrics

KPMG has introduced a new performance review system that evaluates staff based on their use of artificial intelligence tools. The change reflects a significant shift in how professional services firms assess value and performance. A July study from MIT revealed that 95% of AI initiatives fail to impact the bottom line, making it imperative for firms to focus on human capital and skills. KPMG's leadership emphasises that all employees must integrate AI into their work, signalling a cultural shift towards technology-driven value creation.

Bloomberg Law

Amazon employees raise AI concerns

Over 1,000 Amazon employees have expressed concerns about the company's rapid adoption of energy-hungry artificial intelligence amid rising global temperatures and political instability. In a letter to chief executive Andy Jassy, they highlighted the pressure to use unnecessary tools and said Amazon is cutting jobs while directing money into AI. Amazon countered the claims, asserting its commitment to sustainability through investments in renewable energy. The letter also warned against the potential misuse of AI for surveillance and called for a public plan for renewable energy in data centres.

Yahoo News Australia

ECONOMY

Top 10% earn more than the remaining 90%

The World Inequality Report 2026 reveals alarming wealth concentration, with fewer than 60,000 individuals - 0.001% of the world's population - controlling three times the wealth of the bottom half of the global population. The analysis highlights that the top 10% earn more than the remaining 90%, while the poorest half claim less than 10% of global earnings. The report stresses the need for urgent action, observing: "Reducing inequality is essential for the resilience of economies." The report also notes that a 3% global tax on the wealthiest could generate $750bn per year.

The Guardian

TAX

Bahrain and Saudi Arabia sign tax deal

During the fourth Bahrain-Saudi Coordination Council meeting, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia signed an agreement to avoid double taxation. The deal was signed by Shaikh Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, Bahrain's Minister of Finance, and Khalid bin Abdulaziz Al Falih, Saudi Arabia's Minister of Investment. Shaikh Salman emphasised the strong historical ties between the two nations, which have been nurtured under the leadership of their respective kings. He said that the agreement aims to enhance economic cooperation and strengthen trade partnerships.

Bahrain News Agency

INTERNATIONAL

Australian study identifies work-from-home benefits

Research from the University of Melbourne indicates that working from home can enhance the mental health of Australians. The study, which analysed 20 years of data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey, found that women benefitted most from a hybrid work model. Jan Kabatek, a co-author of the research, observed: "The biggest gains for women were found for work from home arrangements, which involved the majority of days spent at home, but retaining at least one or two days of work from the office or on-site . . . You are retaining the connection to the firm and to your colleagues, you can talk in person, and you are retaining those social ties, but you also have this work-from-home aspect that is strong enough to make a difference." The research found that although the mental health of Australian men was not significantly affected by working from home, their wellbeing was positively impacted by a reduction in daily commute times.

ABC Online

Italian fashion houses face labour abuse probe

Multiple Italian fashion houses, including Gucci, Prada, and Versace, have been asked to provide governance and supply chain documents in a police probe into labour abuses at subcontractors. Authorities are investigating potential links to worker exploitation uncovered in Chinese-owned workshops, though none of the 13 brands involved is currently under investigation. The move is part of a broader effort by Italian prosecutors to clean up the luxury supply chain and support government plans for legal certification of "Made in Italy" goods.

Reuters

South China Morning Post

Brazilian judge orders JBS poultry unit to be added to slavery list

A Brazilian federal labour judge has ordered the addition of JBS's poultry unit to a "dirty list" of employers linked to slavery-like conditions, following a federal raid that uncovered ten workers in exploitative circumstances at a contractor's facility. Investigations revealed that employees were subjected to excessively long shifts of up to 16 hours, insufficient living conditions, and unlawful wage deductions. Despite the government's Labour Minister initially blocking this listing, the judge deemed the intervention unlawful and highlighted the importance of the list in tackling modern slavery in Brazil.

Reuters

Tamil Nadu freezes migrant worker survey

The Tamil Nadu labour department has suspended its state-wide survey of inter-state migrant (ISM) labourers, which was initially intended to create a comprehensive database of workers. A senior official said: "We are not keen on conducting the survey now," citing concerns over potential political backlash if the migrant population is found to be substantive. Currently, only about 1.3m guest workers have been documented; estimates suggest the actual number could be four times higher.

The Times of India

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