Human Times

Middle East Edition

24th June 2026

THE HOT STORY

Dubai leads debate on future of work

Dubai is embracing AI to enhance public sector operations, the Dubai Government Human Resources Department (DGHR) Multaqa 2026 forum has heard. The event focused on how Agentic AI can transform decision-making and workforce planning while ensuring human oversight remains central. The forum also introduced DGHR's White Paper on Agentic AI Governance, outlining the opportunities and risks of AI in human resources. Abdullah Ali Bin Zayed Al Falasi, director general of DGHR, said: “Artificial intelligence can support work, analyse information and provide recommendations, but it cannot replace human judgement or assume responsibility for decisions. Technology can enhance the way we work, but people must remain the custodians of judgement, accountability and public value.”

Gulfnews.com

CYBERSECURITY

AI-powered threats may succeed ‘within months’, Five Eyes warns

Powerful AI models that are capable of devastating cyber attacks on governments and companies may succeed within months, according to the leaders of intelligence agencies from the Five Eyes nations – Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the US and the UK. A rare joint warning by the alliance said that while AI “would help us improve cyber defence over time, it also accelerates the speed, scale, and sophistication of cyber threats . . . Frontier AI models are anticipated to exceed current industry expectations, fundamentally transforming both offensive and defensive cyber capabilities. The timeline is not years, it is months.” The Five Eyes agencies added: “In this environment, cyber resilience is integral to advancing business continuity, market confidence, and long-term value . . . Cyber risk can no longer be treated as a purely technical issue. This is a core business risk and leadership responsibility.”

Financial Times

The Register

The Guardian

TECHNOLOGY

Meta to pause internal mouse-tracking tech

Meta is pausing an internal program that tracks employee mouse movements and digital activity for AI training amid reports that sensitive employee data, intended to monitor digital interactions within Meta's internal systems, was accessible to all Meta workers. "We have carefully designed this program with privacy safeguards and while we have no indication at this time that any data was improperly accessed by Meta employees, we're pausing it while we investigate," said Meta spokesperson Tracy Clayton. The tool - Model Capability Initiative (MCI) - was launched in April.

Business Insider

Reuters

WORKPLACE

Qatar says gas export terminal blast killed 13

An explosion at Qatar's Ras Laffan gas hub resulted in the deaths of at least 13 workers and injuries to 66 others as operations were being restarted following Iran's war time attacks. The blast occurred at the Barzan gas supply facility, igniting a significant fire and raising concerns about the impact on Qatar's vital energy infrastructure. Energy Minister Saad Sherida al-Kaabi said: “I would like to emphasise that this was an accident and not sabotage or hostile in nature.” The nationalities of the deceased included individuals from India and Pakistan. The extent of the damage remains unclear.

Los Angeles Times

STRATEGY

$1.1bn development programme for Zarqa is announced

Jordanian Prime Minister Jafar Hassan has announced a new executive development programme for Zarqa Governorate, with a budget exceeding JD800m over three years. The plan aims to enhance public services, support industrial growth, and create job opportunities. Key priorities include healthcare, education, and transport, with 155 projects planned, 75 of which are already completed. Hassan highlighted the importance of the Amman-Zarqa Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system, which has served over 15m passengers. He expressed confidence in Jordan's economic performance, noting improvements in growth indicators and controlled inflation.

Zawya EN

TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT

Qatar announces Digital Transformation Program to build national talent

The Ministry of Education and Higher Education in Qatar has launched the Digital Transformation Program as part of the Government Scholarship Plan for the 2026-2027 academic year. The initiative aims to cultivate skilled digital professionals to support Qatar's technology-driven projects. The programme covers disciplines such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and data science. Scholarship recipients will receive stipends and professional training opportunities to enhance their academic and workplace readiness.

The Peninsula

TAX

UAE distributes over AED46bn in tax revenues in 2025

The UAE's Ministry of Finance (MoF) has reported a 15% increase in Value Added Tax (VAT) and Excise Tax collections, reaching over AED46bn in 2025, from AED41bn in 2024. Mohamed bin Hadi Al Hussaini, Minister of State for Financial Affairs, said: "The increase reflects the strength of the UAE's fiscal framework and its ability to maintain stable government revenues." The MoF said it aims to enhance public revenue management and support sustainable economic growth through improved fiscal policies.

Emirates24

INTERNATIONAL

India demonstrates how extreme heat can hit productivity

Bloomberg reports on how India is becoming a case study in how rising temperatures can undermine productivity and growth in nations that still rely heavily on physical labour. “My productivity is down 40%,” says Asad K. Iraqi, the chief executive of Kanpur-based leather-working business AKI. “Workers can’t survive in this heat without proper hydration and cooling.” A 2020 study by the McKinsey Global Institute found that lost labour from increasing heat and humidity could jeopardise 2.5% to 4.5% of India’s gross domestic product by 2030. Meanwhile, University of Chicago research published in 2021 found factory output in India fell by about 2% for each 1C rise in temperature amid reduced worker productivity and a rise in absenteeism.

Bloomberg

HR consultant wins English court case using AI lawyer

An AI law firm has won a case in an English court. Tamires Camal Taquidir, a freelance HR consultant, paid the firm, Garfield AI, about £400 to send a legal letter and then issue court proceedings over an unpaid debt of £7,000. The case is believed to be the first time a trial has been won using an AI lawyer not only in the UK but globally. Garfield AI co-founder, Philip Young, said: “This is a landmark moment . . . for access to justice. For too long, businesses have been forced to write off debts because the cost, time and stress of litigation made pursuing them uneconomic.” He added: “AI did not replace the judge, the barrister or the legal system. What it did was make the process more accessible, more efficient and more affordable.”

Swedish law allows authorities to revoke immigrants' residency permits

Sweden's parliament has passed a law which allows authorities to revoke immigrants' residency permits following instances of bad behaviour, such as having unpaid debts, doing undeclared work or ‌links to extremist organisations. Opposition and human rights advocacy groups say the law is arbitrary because it would involve decisions about behaviour that has not been deemed criminal. "The good behaviour law leaves people in uncertainty about what actions or expressions can be used against them," Stockholm-based group Civil Rights Defenders said. "It undermines the rule of law and the principle of equality before the ‌law." The Swedish parliament has also adopted legislation obliging public sector workers, including employees of tax authorities, employment and social insurance agencies and prison and probation services, to report to the police any migrants who are not authorised to live in Sweden. “Reporting obligations imposed on public agencies create a climate of fear that harms not only undocumented people but everyone who depends on these institutions,” said Louise Bonneau from Brussels-based nonprofit PICUM, which supports migrants.

AP News

Reuters

US central bank urged to strengthen how it protects employees

The Inspector General (IG), the US Federal Reserve’s internal watchdog, is urging the central bank to strengthen how it protects employees and information during periods of international travel where foreign intelligence agencies might ‌be operational. The IG said the Fed currently lacks a formal program to prepare staff for international travel and does not make checks after staff trips to investigate whether anything suspicious has occurred. The central bank does not have ⁠a program to track employee foreign travel or to share risk assessments, and it does not have the tools to make sure staff comply with foreign travel rules, the watchdog said.

Reuters

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