THE HOT STORY

Hackers exploit AI tools to breach over 600 firewalls

Research by Amazon reveals that a small group of hackers - or even potentially just one individual - has infiltrated more than 600 firewalls across 55 countries using widely accessible artificial intelligence tools. The intruders capitalised on weak security measures, such as simple login credentials and single-factor authentication, allowing them to execute breaches that would typically require a much larger team. The report indicates that the Russian-speaking hackers used their access to set the stage for ransomware attacks within victims' networks.

Bloomberg

LEGAL

Saudi Arabia reclassifies several Labour Law violations

Eng. Ahmed Al-Rajhi, Saudi Arabia's Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, has announced amendments to the Labour Law and its executive regulations. The changes aim to enhance the work environment and protect workers' rights. The amendments reclassify violations into specific categories, providing clearer guidance for compliance. Categories include general violations, those specific to mining, maritime employment, and domestic workers, among others. The ministry encourages stakeholders to review the amendments on its official website, which will take effect immediately. Public feedback was sought through the Istitla platform to support these changes.

Saudi Gazette

Gulfnews.com

HIRING

UAE cracks down on rogue recruitment agencies

The UAE has closed 12 unlicensed agencies involved in domestic worker recruitment. The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) said these cases have been referred to the Public Prosecution, with 300 violations identified across 57 recruitment offices in 2025. The MoHRE warned against tolerating legal violations and emphasised its commitment to addressing issues transparently. Customers are encouraged to report negative practices via designated digital platforms.

Zawya EN

Khaleej Times Online

WORKFORCE

Qatar's labour minister reviews developments in workforce sector

Dr. Ali bin Smaikh Al Marri, Minister of Labour and Chair of the Workforce Planning Committee, led the Committee's second meeting of 2026 in Doha. The session focused on recent developments in Qatar's workforce sector and discussed initiatives for the year ahead. The initiatives aim to create a productive workforce aligned with Qatar's National Development Strategy 2030. Dr. Al Marri said: "We are committed to building an effective workforce that meets our national objectives."

The Peninsula

LEADERSHIP

Amazon AI lab chief to depart amid leadership shake-up

David Luan, head of one of Amazon’s key artificial intelligence (AI) labs, is leaving the company after two years amid a broader shake-up of its AI leadership. Luan, who oversaw Amazon’s agentic AI service Nova Act, said he would depart this week to “cook up something new” and focus fully on developing new AI capabilities as artificial general intelligence (AGI) approaches. He previously led engineering at OpenAI and joined Amazon in 2024 with several senior colleagues from start-up Adept. His departure follows recent changes at the top of Amazon’s AI division. Former AI chief Rohit Prasad left in December, with Peter DeSantis, previously head of data centre engineering, taking over responsibility for AI model development, chipmaking and quantum computing research.

CNBC

Financial Times

INTERNATIONAL

Centerview settles lawsuit over analyst’s need for sleep

New York boutique investment bank Centerview Partners has settled a lawsuit from a former analyst who was fired after saying she needed eight to nine hours’ sleep per night. Kathryn Shiber had sued Centerview in 2021, claiming she was fired shortly after informing the firm that she had mood and anxiety disorders requiring her to sleep at least eight hours a night on a consistent schedule. Centerview said Sunday that it had settled the case but declined to discuss the terms. “Centerview has said all along that Ms. Shiber’s legal claims have no merit,” a Centerview spokesperson said. “We were ready to prove that in court, and are confident we would have prevailed at trial. But we are nonetheless happy to put this distraction behind us and focus on delivering for our clients.”

Australian Financial Review

Bloomberg

Financial Times

UK policymakers should encourage 'creative destruction' of low productivity firms

The weakest UK firms now produce less per worker than they did 30 years ago after adjusting for inflation, according to analysis by the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) which says policymakers should encourage "creative destruction" of companies that are barely surviving and help workers to move to higher-growth areas. The UK's industrial strategy should be focused on successful areas, and have "hard edges and be relentlessly focused, rather than trying to lift growth for all sectors," the analysis says. Raoul Ruparel, chief UK economist at BCG, said more companies with low productivity were “dragging down overall productivity growth and absolute levels of productivity.”

Financial Times

Reuters

Elon Musk makes direct appeal to Korean chip engineers

Elon Musk is actively recruiting Korean semiconductor engineers to support Tesla's plans for a large-scale chip production hub, known as "Terra Fab." He announced job openings for AI chip design engineers on his X account, highlighting a need for talent in chip design and fabrication. Musk said: "If you're in Korea and want to work on chip design, fabrication or AI software, join Tesla!" Demand for semiconductor engineers is rising, with Korea projected to face a shortfall of 54,000 engineers by 2031, according to the Korea Semiconductor Industry Association.

Korea Joongang Daily

The Korea Times

Australian real estate firms optimistic as office attendance rises

Office landlords in Australia's major cities are experiencing a boost as over 80% of workers in Sydney and Melbourne are now in the office at least three days a week, exceeding mandated levels. Factors such as enhanced collaboration opportunities and improved office amenities, including gyms and cafes, have motivated employees to return to the workplace more frequently.

Bloomberg

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