Human Times

Middle East Edition

21st May 2026

THE HOT STORY

Top UN court to rule on right to strike

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague will today deliver a ruling on the right to strike that could have profound implications for global labour relations. The top United Nations court has been asked to issue a non-binding advisory opinion on whether a treaty drawn up in 1948 by the International Labour Organization, known as Convention 87, implicitly enshrines such a right. The treaty includes the right for workers "in full freedom, to organise their administration and activities." Unions say this by extension enshrines the right to industrial action; employers disagree. Although not binding, the ruling will in practice clarify the right to strike in international law. Harold Koh, representing the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), said that if the court ruled the right to strike was not inherent in the Convention, "National employer groups would contest the right to strike country by country, focusing first on nations with compliant courts, weak civil societies and ineffective media."

France 24

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CORPORATE

Bolt founder defends firing entire HR team

Ryan Breslow, the co-founder and chief executive of American fintech company Bolt, which makes software to speed up online checkouts, has defended his decision to fire its entire human resources team, arguing they were "creating problems that did not exist." Bolt laid off roughly 30% of its workforce in April. Breslow said: "We had an HR team, and that HR team was creating problems that didn't exist . . . Those problems disappeared when I let them go." He added: "We're back in startup mode again, and those HR professionals have really important insights when you're in a peacetime and when you're at a larger company." After stepping down in 2022, Breslow returned to Bolt as CEO in 2025, operating in what he calls “wartime.” The firm has established a smaller "people operations team" to oversee employee training and serve as a resource for staff. "We need a group of people who are very oriented around getting things done, and there is just a culture of not getting things done and complaining a lot," Breslow said.

STRATEGY

StanChart CEO seeks to reassure workers following 'lower value human capital' comment

Standard Chartered chief executive Bill Winters has sought to reassure staff after the Asia-focused bank announced plans to cut 15% of back-office jobs by 2030 as it expands AI. Winters said at the time: "It's not cost-cutting. It's replacing in some cases lower-value human capital with the financial capital and the investment capital we're putting in." In a memo to staff on Wednesday, which observed that the media coverage of the plans "may be unsettling when reduced to simple headlines or a quote out of context," Winters said the bank had been open that its workforce will evolve. "Some roles ‌will ⁠reduce in number, some will change, and new opportunities will emerge. We will continue to prioritise investment in reskilling and redeployment wherever we can . . . Where changes do happen, we will handle them with thought and care."

Bloomberg

Reuters

TECHNOLOGY

UAE government to train 80,000 in Agentic AI technologies

The UAE government plans to train 80,000 employees in Agentic AI technologies as part of a national transformation strategy. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum announced the initiative during a Cabinet meeting, in a bid to make the UAE the first government globally to implement Agentic AI in 50% of its services. The training programme will cover various roles, from ministers to new joiners, and will be supported by a dedicated digital platform. Sheikh Mohammed stated: "Our ambition is clear: to be the world's leading government in adopting Agentic AI."

Zawya EN

WORKPLACE

English proficiency increasingly critical to workforce competitiveness in Saudi Arabia

New research from the TOEIC Global English Skills Report: Saudi Arabia Insights reveals that English proficiency is increasingly vital for organisations in Saudi Arabia. The report indicates that 94% of employers view English skills as crucial for success, with 90% believing their importance has grown in recent years. A significant 83% of HR leaders noted that AI integration heightens the need for English proficiency. Don Schmidt, Regional Director at ETS, said: "English proficiency is increasingly tied to how organisations collaborate, hire, and grow."

Zawya EN

ECONOMY

UK seals trade deal with Gulf states

The UK has become the first G7 country to secure a trade deal with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). The deal is projected to boost the UK economy by £3.7bn annually. The agreement eliminates tariffs on key exports, including food and medical equipment, and introduces commitments on data flow and anti-corruption. The deal is expected to boost UK exports to the GCC by 20%. Anna Anthony, EY UK regional managing partner, commented: "The UK exported more than £20bn in services to GCC countries last year, and this agreement should create even greater opportunities for UK professional services businesses in these high-growth markets."

Daily Mail

RISK

WHO worries about Ebola outbreak's scale and speed

World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has expressed his deep concern over the rapid spread of a rare Ebola outbreak in eastern Congo, where at least 131 suspected deaths and over 500 cases have been reported. The outbreak has been exacerbated by delayed testing and a lack of approved treatments or vaccines. The WHO has declared the outbreak a public health emergency, and resources are being mobilised to combat the crisis. Meanwhile, Matthew M. Kavanagh, director of the Georgetown University Center for Global Health Policy and Politics, criticised the Trump administration's decision to withdraw from WHO and make deep cuts in foreign aid: “the exact surveillance system meant to catch these viruses early,” he said.

Los Angeles Times

NPR / National Public Radio

SUSTAINABILITY

Oman leads the charge for sustainability

Oman Sustainability Week (OSW) and the Oman Petroleum & Energy Show (OPES) 2026 began at the Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre. The events focus on energy transition and sustainability, featuring local and international participation. Eng. Salim Nasser Al Aufi, Minister of Energy and Minerals, highlighted that renewable energy accounted for about 9% of electricity production last year. The week includes discussions on carbon management, renewable energy, and sustainable development, aiming to enhance Oman's role as a regional hub for energy and sustainability. The event is expected to attract over 50,000 visitors and features over 500 speakers.

TimesofOman

INTERNATIONAL

A master’s degree isn’t a job guarantee anymore

The joblessness rate for US workers under 35 with a master’s degree has rarely been higher in the past 20 years, according to the Burning Glass Institute, a labor-market think tank. Holders under 35 of a master’s degree are at the 77th percentile of unemployment, where the 50th percentile is normal, according to the analysis. “Every indication is hiring managers now are more receptive than ever to the idea that a person doesn’t need a graduate degree to be competitive,” says Johnny C. Taylor Jr., president of SHRM, a lobbying group for human resource professionals, who adds that AI has been an accelerant for HR people inside large and midsize companies to adopt a skills-first approach to hiring. “We are seeing that, hands down, especially in the last two or three years with AI . . . [Employers simply want to know] Can you do it?”

Wall Street Journal

France wants Stellantis and Renault to favour local parts suppliers

Stellantis and Renault are being called on by the French government to favour local parts suppliers to protect jobs and retain expertise in the region amid deepening ties at Europe’s automakers with manufacturers from China. The two carmakers “must play their part on European preference, including in terms of purchases with their suppliers,” French Finance Minister Roland Lescure said. “Industrial sovereignty must be a collective battle,” he added. Meanwhile, in a separate interview, Lescure said he is optimistic that the green transition will continue to create jobs for workers in France. “Plants are reopening in France . . . Not at the pace we’d like maybe, but they are reopening.”

Bloomberg

Korea's new language initiative for foreign workers

Korea is launching a public-private partnership to enhance Korean language skills for foreign factory workers. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has announced a memorandum with Hyundai Motor Group and other organisations to create tailored language education programmes. With over 1.1m foreign workers in Korea, calls have intensified for stronger language education in workplaces where misunderstandings involving instructions and safety rules have become a recurring concern. Pilot programmes will start this year at 20 Hyundai partner companies, with plans to expand to 130 firms by 2028.

The Korea Times

Brazil's top court orders arrest of head of refining group

Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes has ordered the capture of Ricardo Magro, the controlling figure behind one of the country’s few private oil refining and fuel distribution groups, as part of an effort to crack down on organised crime that is infiltrating the formal economy and local politics. Federal investigators believe that the entity, Refit, used a complex corporate and financial structure to conceal assets, disguise ownership and move resources overseas. The federal government had already accused Magro of being Brazil’s biggest tax evader.

Bloomberg

OTHER

Musk sees widespread use in US of cars without human monitors soon

Tesla chief executive Elon Musk has said he expects fully self-driving cars without human safety monitors to become more widespread in the United States later this year, and remains optimistic that cars with no humans will be ubiquitous within a decade. "Five years from now and certainly 10 years from now . . . probably 90% of all distance driven will be driven by the AI in a self-driving car," he told the Smart Mobility Summit in Tel Aviv. "So overwhelmingly, it'll be quite a niche thing in 10 years to actually be driving your own car."

Reuters

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