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Middle East Edition
6th May 2026
 
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THE HOT STORY

Gulf migrant workers face tough choices amid war on Iran

The tens of millions of foreign workers in the Gulf face a stark dilemma amid conflict in the region: do they keep on working in the Mideast, where wages are far higher, and hope that a stuttering ceasefire endures, or return to already poor countries where prices have soared because of the war. Remittances from the Gulf make up about 1% of the gross domestic product of India, 3% to 5% of the GDP in Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka; and nearly 10% in Nepal. “It’s a very precarious situation for migrant workers,” observes Udaya Wagle, who studies labour and migration at Northern Arizona University.
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WORKFORCE

Workers at Google's AI division launch union drive

Hundreds of workers at DeepMind - Google's UK AI division - have voted overwhelmingly to unionise, and have requested recognition from the Communication Workers Union and Unite the Union. They are seeking an end to the use of Google AI by Israel and the US military, while other demands include restoring a scrapped commitment not to develop AI weapons or surveillance tools, creating an independent ethics oversight body, and the right of individuals to refuse to contribute to projects on moral grounds. “Even if our work is only used for administrative purposes, as leadership has repeatedly told us, it is still helping make genocide cheaper, faster, and more efficient,” said one DeepMind employee. “That must end immediately, as must harm to Iranians and human lives anywhere.”

Scammers lure Filipino workers to the Middle East

The Philippine Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) has issued a warning to Filipinos seeking jobs in the Middle East about the rise of illegal recruiters exploiting the current geopolitical situation. The DMW noted that scammers are using social media to offer fake job opportunities, often promising high salaries and quick processing. "Illegal recruiters and traffickers often exploit situations of conflict," the DMW said. Job seekers are being urged to verify recruitment agencies and avoid dealing with unlicensed individuals, and reporting suspicious activities to the DMW is seen as crucial to ensure the safety of overseas Filipino workers.

Welcome to the Great Hunkering Down

The FT's Sarah O'Connor reports on how employees’ propensity to quit has plunged since its peak in 2021 amid macroeconomic uncertainty and regular warnings about looming AI-induced job losses.
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TECHNOLOGY

CEOs expect AI to handle half of operational decisions autonomously

According to an IBM survey, 76% of chief executives have appointed a chief artificial intelligence officer, and 64% of them feel comfortable taking decisions based on AI-generated insights. The survey found that CEOs expect AI to autonomously handle 48% of operational decisions by the next decade, particularly in those areas where clear rules and procedures are already established. “AI is changing the speed and implications of decision-making. Organisations that will succeed will be those that adopt an ‘AI First' approach, not as a technological addition, but as a new operating model,” said Gary Cohen, vice chairman of IBM. Additionally, the poll of 2,000 CEOS found that 83% of them believe employee adoption is crucial for AI success, with 29% of employees expected to undergo retraining by 2028.
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LEGAL

Bahrain develops employer inquiry and request tracking service

Bahrain's Labour Ministry has introduced a new digital service to improve employer request tracking and inquiries. The upgrade allows employers to communicate with ministry co-ordinators more efficiently, reducing execution time from five working days to one. Beneficiaries can now submit requests directly through the National Employment Platform, achieving a 25% reduction in service level agreement times. Shaikh Khalifa bin Salman bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, Under-Secretary of the Labour Ministry, said: "The service reflects the ministry's continued adoption of innovative digital solutions." Over 1,300 government services have been documented and improved as part of the initiative.

Saudi Arabia cracks down on divisive content

Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Interior says legal action has been taken against individuals spreading social media content that threatens national unity and public security. The ministry reported monitoring posts that incite tribal division and other issues detrimental to social peace. It confirmed that legal procedures are underway against those responsible, in line with existing laws. The ministry emphasised its commitment to combating attempts to exploit sensitive topics or create societal discord. "We will continue to take firm action," the ministry said.
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INTERNATIONAL

China blames ‘foreign forces’ for rising number of disaffected youths

China's Ministry of State Security, the country’s spy agency, says foreign forces are seeking to “erode the minds of Chinese youths” by disseminating anti-work propaganda online. “The youth represent the future of the nation and are the primary targets for ideological infiltration by foreign anti-China hostile forces,” the ministry said in a post published on WeChat, the Chinese social media platform. The Wall Street Journal says the admonishment comes amid signs of weakness in China’s labour market including the growing gig-work economy and a rise in spending on unemployment insurance, according to Xiangrong Yu, Citigroup’s chief China economist. “The unexpected deterioration for early-career workers, who are likely more AI-exposed, seems to point to the unfolding AI-driven displacement,” Yu observed. “We believe the structural headwinds from AI adoption are set to intensify.”

Firms sued for labour abuses in their supply chains

Labour prosecutors in Brazil have filed lawsuits against ​five firms, including grain trader Cargill and meatpacker JBS, over labour abuses in ‌their supply chains. JBS is being requested to pay ​around 119m reais ($23.78m) in ​damages in a case where workers in Para state were found in “slavery-like” conditions in ​the company’s supply chain. Cargill is ​being sued for 109m reais for “grave ‌violations ⁠of human rights” in its soy supply chain in Rondonia state.

Mineworkers in Ghana say local outsourcing rule will cut wages, jobs

Ghana's union of mineworkers has said it opposes a government policy mandating international companies to hire local contractors. Union president Abdul Moomin Gbana said local firms pay lower wages and provide less job security. The policy requires companies to shift mining activities to local contractors by December 2026. Gbana noted that local contractors typically pay about 50% less than direct employees. The union plans to resist the policy through strikes and protests. "Any attempt to proceed with this policy in its current form will be met with strong, coordinated and sustained resistance," Gbana said.

South-east Asia workers continue to adjust to energy-saving measures

South-east Asia is experiencing a heatwave at a moment when many of the region's countries have imposed temperature controls at government workplaces since the US-Israeli war in Iran began, among other measures to conserve energy. Countries such as Thailand have set air conditioning temperatures between 26°C and 27°C, causing discomfort among workers. “Sometimes it even feels hard to breathe,” said Pornpimol Sirimai, who works at the country's health ministry. The onset of the El Nino weather system in the summer could make the situation in the region even worse.
 
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