Human Times

Middle East Edition

18th February 2026

THE HOT STORY

Data leak at Abu Dhabi finance summit exposes politicians and business leaders

Passports and other identity documents belonging to hundreds of attendees of Abu Dhabi Finance Week (ADFW), Abu Dhabi’s flagship investment conference, have been exposed online. Scans of more than 700 such items, some belonging to prominent politicians and business leaders, were discovered on an unprotected cloud storage server associated with the state-sponsored event, which hosted more than 35,000 people in December. ADFW, in a statement to Reuters, said: "a vulnerability in a third-party vendor-managed storage environment relating to a limited subset of ADFW 2025 attendees . . . The environment was secured immediately upon identification, and our initial review indicates that access activity was limited to the researcher who identified the issue."

Financial Times

Middle East Eye

Reuters

LEGAL

HR teams are drowning in slop grievances

Disaffected employees can now effortlessly create complaints using AI, leaving firms with the time-consuming job of responding. Employers are advised to intervene in problems before employees start considering an AI complaint.

Financial Times

CORPORATE

European airlines call for scrapping of Qatar deal after top official’s dismissal

European airlines have called on the European Commission to scrap an aviation deal with Qatar after the senior EU official who had overseen the negotiations was dismissed over corruption allegations. Henrik Hololei, the European Commission’s former director general for transport, was fired after an internal investigation found he had accepted free flights. The airline lobby ENAA, the European Transport Workers’ Federation and the European Cockpit Association pilots' union have all urged the deal to be scrapped.

Financial Times

Politico

HEALTH & WELLBEING

Dubai sets shorter Ramadan working hours for public sector staff

During Ramadan, Dubai's government entities will operate from 9am to 2.30pm, Monday to Thursday, and 9am to 12pm on Fridays. Employees can start work flexibly between 7 and 10am, while remote work options are available for eligible staff, allowing up to two days off-site weekly. The Dubai Government Human Resources Department (DGHR) said that the measures aim to enhance employee well-being and productivity. The UAE Federal Government has also announced similar working hours, allowing entities to adopt flexible work regulations during Ramadan or offer remote work on Fridays, limited to 70% of employees.

Gulfnews.com

Khaleej Times Online

WORKFORCE

Employers to get discount on expat permit fees for meeting Omanisation targets

The Ministry of Labour in Oman has introduced a new system offering incentives to companies that meet Omanisation targets. Employers can receive a 30% discount on expatriate permit fees if they comply with these targets. Conversely, non-compliance will result in doubled fees. Additional benefits include eligibility for government contracts and wage subsidies. Employers face fines for delays in renewing work permits or regularising workers' statuses, capped at RO500 per worker. Exemptions from fees apply in specific circumstances, such as pending labour complaints or workers' deaths.

Oman Observer

TECHNOLOGY

Apple sets March 4th launch event for new Macs and devices

Apple has announced a product launch event on March 4th, where it is expected to unveil several new devices, including updated MacBook Pro models. The company has invited media to in-person events in New York, Shanghai and London, suggesting a smaller-scale showcase rather than a traditional keynote at its California headquarters. Apple is preparing a range of new releases for the first half of 2026, including refreshed MacBook Air models, a lower-cost MacBook, new iPads and an updated mid-tier iPhone 17e.

Bloomberg

Forbes

INTERNATIONAL

KPMG partner fined for AI cheating

A partner at KPMG Australia has been fined A$10,000 (US$7,000) for using artificial intelligence to cheat on an internal training exam on AI. The unnamed partner uploaded training materials to an AI platform to answer questions, violating company policy. Over two dozen KPMG Australia staff have been caught using AI tools to cheat on internal exams since July, according to the firm. Andrew Yates, chief executive of KPMG Australia, said: "Like most organisations, we have been grappling with the role and use of AI as it relates to internal training and testing. It's a very hard thing to get on top of given how quickly society has embraced it."

Financial Times

The Guardian

The Times

Trump revokes US scientific finding behind climate change rules

The US Environmental Protection Agency has announced the repeal of the “endangerment finding,” a scientific determination made in 2009 during Barack Obama’s administration, which empowered the EPA to regulate greenhouse gases. The rule classified carbon dioxide and five other greenhouse gases as a threat to public health. The endangerment finding underpinned regulations that set emissions standards for cars and light trucks, power plants, and oil and gas industry facilities. “This is about as big as it gets,” President Donald Trump said at the White House with EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin. Obama said in a social media post that the Trump administration’s action makes the US “less safe, less healthy and less able to fight climate change - all so the fossil fuel industry can make even more money.”

Congo mandates local ownership in mining

The Democratic Republic of Congo will enforce a rule requiring mining companies to ensure that 5% of their share capital is owned by local employees. Mines Minister Louis Watum said that firms must comply by July 31, 2026. The directive could impact major players in the copper and cobalt sectors. Congo is a leading producer of these minerals. The order references the 2018 mining code, which has seen inconsistent enforcement in the past. Companies including Glencore and CMOC have yet to comment on the new requirements.

Mining

GE trains robots for repairs

GE Aerospace is upgrading its Singapore repair hub with automation, digital tools, and AI to address overloaded engine repair queues and scarce parts. Veteran technician Suresh Sinnaiyan is teaching a robot to replicate the delicate manual “blending” of compressor blades, a task requiring “eye, feel and coordination.” GE says the broader effort could total up to $300m and raise repair volume by 33% without expanding floor space. Chief executive Larry Culp said, “It’s not about sprinting at quarter’s end . . . It is making every hour and every day count.”

Reuters

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