THE HOT STORY

UAE publishes National Health and Nutrition Survey

The UAE's Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) has published the National Health and Nutrition Survey 2024-2025, revealing critical insights into the health of the UAE population. The survey, endorsed by the World Health Organization, assessed health behaviours, dietary patterns, and risk factors for non-communicable diseases. Ahmed Ali Al-Sayegh, Minister of Health and Prevention, said: "These findings provide a clear, evidence-based picture of population health trends." The survey aims to inform health policies and enhance preventive care, and contribute to the UAE's Sustainable Development Goals. Data was collected from 20,000 households, so ensuring broad representation.

Emirates24

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WORKFORCE

Sharjah Ruler increases social assistance

On January 5, Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Ruler of Sharjah, approved a new structure for the Department of Islamic Affairs and increased social assistance for beneficiaries to Dh17,500. The decision aims to enhance the department's capabilities and improve living standards. Mosque imams will now be on the Sharjah Government payroll, receiving retroactive payments for their previous stipend-based work. The Ruler's directives reflect a commitment to social welfare and support for families, ensuring they can meet essential needs and promoting social solidarity in Sharjah.

Khaleej Times Online

TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT

Grnata Group invests in Bahraini talent

Grnata Group has employed and trained over 60 Bahraini employees through programmes offered by the Labour Fund (Tamkeen). The initiative demonstrates the group's commitment to developing national talent in the real estate and construction sectors. The real estate sector contributed 4.2% to Bahrain's GDP in Q2 2025, underscoring its growth and the increasing job opportunities for local talent. Tamkeen aims to empower the private sector and enhance employment initiatives, making Bahraini talent the preferred choice in the labour market. Grnata Group, established in 1982, has expanded significantly, and operates 26 branches in Bahrain and abroad.

Bahrain News Agency

Trade Arabia

ECONOMY

Saudi Arabia attracts top banks

Saudi Arabia's Investment Minister Khalid Al-Falih has announced that the Kingdom has successfully attracted 20 of the world's top 30 banks. During a Shoura Council session, he highlighted the updated National Investment Strategy for 2025, which focuses on quality and productivity. Al-Falih noted that over 700 global companies have been licensed, surpassing the 2030 target. He said that active investment licenses increased from 6,000 in 2019 to 62,000 by 2025, creating over one million jobs. The ministry has identified 2,000 investment opportunities valued at over SR1tn, with 346 deals closed worth SR231bn.

Saudi Gazette

SUSTAINABILITY

Community spirit fuels Qatar's green revolution

Community involvement is transforming Qatar's environmental efforts, according to Jose Saucedo, director of Deap (Doha Environmental Actions Project) Qatar Conservation. Over eight years, the initiative has mobilised over 50,000 volunteers, primarily students, through educational programmes and clean-up drives. In 2025, more than 10,000 volunteers participated, reflecting a growing commitment to sustainability. Saucedo noted the importance of educational presentations in fostering environmental awareness among youth. Despite operational challenges, he emphasised the need for partnerships to expand capacity and maintain leadership in Qatar's environmental movement. "The time to act is now," he says.

Gulf Times

INTERNATIONAL

Job seekers turn dating apps into networking tools

Job seekers are increasingly using dating apps such as Hinge to network and find job opportunities amid a challenging employment market. Tiffany Chau, a student, adapted her Hinge profile to connect with potential employers, leading to valuable networking experiences. About a third of dating app users in the US said they had sought matches for job hook-ups, according to a ResumeBuilder.com poll. Stacie Haller, ResumeBuilder.com's chief career advisor, observed: “People are doing it to expand their networks, make connections, because the best way to get a job today is who you know . . . Networking is the only way people are rising above the horror show that the job search is today.”

Luxembourg Times

UniCredit and unions agree on staffing deal

UniCredit has signed a deal with banking union FABI and other trade unions including First, Fisac, Uilca and Unisin to manage employee turnover through voluntary exits and new hires. All 484 employees currently suspended under early retirement schemes until 2031 will be able to access the sector's redundancy fund on a voluntary and incentivised basis. Italy's second-biggest bank is also to recruit 436 people under 30 on professional apprenticeships leading to permanent contracts, and hire an extra 4% of staff annually between 2026 and 2028 under the Abi Protocol aimed at supporting female victims of violence. FABI coordinator at Unicredit, Stefano Cefaloni, said: "We express our satisfaction on the issue of attention to women victims of violence, a topic of absolute and dramatic topicality."

Il Sore 24 Ore

Reuters

Oil industry makes the case for Maduro's successor

Delcy Rodríguez was sworn in as acting president of Venezuela in Caracas on January 5. Bloomberg reports that executives, lawyers, and investors tied to the oil industry made the case for Rodríguez as Nicolás Maduro's successor following his ouster, observing that as an oil minister herself, she would be best placed to guide the US plan to optimise Venezuela's oil production. However, the biggest US oil majors were not among Rodriguez's advocates. A spokesperson for Chevron, the only major US oil company licensed to operate in Venezuela, said it “had no advance notice of the recent operation and did not engage in any discussions with administration officials regarding governance for a post-Maduro Venezuela.”

Bloomberg

UK is the hybrid work capital of Europe

Data from LinkedIn shows four in 10 jobs advertised in the UK are for hybrid roles, up 2.4% year-on-year. UK employers were about 10% to 13% more likely to advertise hybrid roles than companies in other European countries. Janine Chamberlin, the UK’s country manager at LinkedIn, said: "The UK is leading Europe on hybrid work, more than a third of job adverts now offer hybrid roles, and nearly half of all applications go to them. What our data shows is that this isn’t just about flexibility as a perk. Professionals increasingly see hybrid work as critical to career progression, particularly women and younger workers pursuing leadership roles."

The Times

OTHER

KSrelief launches new portal for NGOs

Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, Advisor at the Royal Court and Supervisor General of KSrelief, has inaugurated an electronic portal for Saudi non-profit organisations in Riyadh. The platform, available in Arabic and English, allows organisations to apply for initial approval certificates to operate internationally. “The KSrelief is opening a new chapter of empowerment by inviting our national organisations to join this promising platform, which, in its initial phase, has already examined and evaluated 50 local non-profit organisations according to the most rigorous international governance standards. These organisations will be among our key partners in our international projects under the centre's umbrella,” Dr. Al-Rabeeah said.

Saudi Gazette

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