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Middle East Edition
5th February 2026
 
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THE HOT STORY

UAE's AI-driven labour market policies 'are a global model'

Gilbert F. Houngbo, Director-General of the International Labour Organisation (ILO), has praised the UAE's use of artificial intelligence in labour market analysis and policymaking, and said it could serve as a model for other countries. “We see how the UAE government is using AI to carry out deep analysis and prediction of the labour market, ensuring that policy decision makers have the tools to act in a timely manner,” he said in an interview with the Emirates News Agency (WAM) on the sidelines of the World Governments Summit (WGS 2026) in Dubai, adding: “this experience could be replicated elsewhere."
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HIRING

Ageing workforce strains energy talent pipeline

The traditional energy sector is facing a significant talent shortage, as highlighted in the tenth annual Global Energy Talent Index (GETI) 2026. A declining number of young professionals are entering the workforce, while experienced workers are increasingly difficult to find. Additionally, global mobility is decreasing, with only 75% of professionals willing to relocate for work. AI adoption is growing, with 45% of professionals using it, but hiring managers still struggle to recruit skilled workers, particularly in technical roles. James Allen, chief executive at Airswift, said: “The ageing workforce challenge is becoming increasingly urgent to address as traditional energy organisations are struggling to make hires with the right technical expertise and experience. With only a third of hiring managers actively recruiting graduates to build their talent pipeline, there is an opportunity for the sector to do much more to secure the people it needs.”
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ECONOMY

Abu Dhabi sees 42% surge in F&B business registrations

The Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ADCCI) has published a landmark report confirming that Abu Dhabi's Food and Beverage (F&B) sector is entering a powerful high-growth phase, with the emirate recording 24,594 active F&B licenses as of September 2025, a 42.2% increase in new business registrations in the first half of 2025 compared with the same period in 2024, 40% year-on-year growth in 2024, and a sustained compound annual growth rate of 23.8% between 2019 and 2024.

Dubai Loop project with Boring Company to commence immediately

The first phase of the Dubai Loop project, an underground high-speed transport network being developed by Elon Musk’s Boring Company, is set to begin immediately, according to a UAE official. The project will span 24 kilometres (approximately 15 miles) at a cost of nearly $2.5bn, with the initial phase covering six kilometres for 600m dirhams. Completion of the project is expected within two years, said Mattar Al Tayer, Director General of the Roads and Transport Authority.
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TECHNOLOGY

Anthropic unveils Claude legal plugin

Anthropic has unveiled a legal plugin that helps customise its large language model Claude for legal tasks such as document review. The AI company said the plugin did not provide legal advice. “AI-generated analysis should be reviewed by licensed attorneys before being relied upon for legal decisions,” Anthropic said.
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INTERNATIONAL

UK government pushes back when fire and rehire measures come into force

The UK government has delayed implementation of new worker protections against so-called fire and rehire practices, according to plans published on Wednesday. The measures were originally scheduled to be implemented in October 2026, but will now come into force in January 2027. Stephen Simpson, principal editor at Brightmine, said: “Although there is still time to prepare, businesses should use this period to plan and get ahead.”

Paris prosecutors summon Elon Musk

French prosecutors have asked Elon Musk to appear for questioning as part of an investigation into the distribution of sexual deepfakes and Holocaust denial content on his X social media platform. The Paris offices of X were searched following a public outcry over how the firm's Grok chatbot spread sexualised images of women and children. A voluntary summons was issued for Musk and former X chief executive Linda Yaccarino to appear and answer questions about the platform's adherence to French law. "The voluntary interviews with the managers should enable them to explain their position on the facts and, where applicable, the compliance measures envisaged," the prosecutor's office said.

Spain announces plans to ban social media for under-16s

Spain has announced plans to ban access to social media for children under the age of 16. "We will protect [children] from the digital Wild West," Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said at the World Governments Summit in Dubai. The ban, which still needs parliamentary approval, is part of a number of changes that include making company executives responsible for "illegal or harmful content" on their platforms. "Today, our children are exposed to a space they were never meant to navigate alone," Sánchez said, as he described social media as a place of "addiction, abuse, pornography, manipulation [and] violence."

Myanmar junta wants coup-protesting civil servants back to work

Myanmar's junta has called for former civil servants who left their jobs in protest following the February 2021 coup to return to work. The National Defence and Security Council said that those absent without permission should contact their former departments. The junta promised to remove individuals from blacklists if they have not committed any offences or have served their sentences. Many public employees remain in hiding due to previous crackdowns. Over 22,000 people are currently imprisoned, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners.
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OTHER

Non-stimulant pill could replace coffee

Researchers have found that solriamfetol (Sunosi) can significantly improve alertness in early-morning shift workers. In a study published in NEJM Evidence, participants taking the non-stimulant pill reported being less sleepy and more productive during their shifts. Dr Charles Czeisler, senior researcher at Mass General Brigham in Boston, observed: "The improvement we saw is clinically meaningful. These workers were able to stay awake and alert throughout a full eight-hour shift, which has real implications for performance, safety and quality of life." The study involved 78 workers suffering from excessive sleepiness, with those on solriamfetol being four times less likely to feel drowsy on the job. The research addresses a critical gap in treatments for shift work disorder.
 
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