THE HOT STORY

Trump's proposed fee to discourage hiring foreign workers is denied

A US federal appeals court has refused to reinstate the Trump administration's proposed $100,000 fee on new H-1B visas, ruling it was unlikely to overturn a lower court decision that the charge amounted to an unlawful tax without congressional approval. The administration introduced the fee to discourage employers from hiring foreign workers over Americans. The ruling by the Boston-based 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals leaves the injunction in place while legal proceedings continue, dealing a setback to the administration's immigration and labour policy. Trump, when imposing the new fee, said the H-1B program "has been deliberately exploited to replace, rather than supplement, American workers with lower-paid, ⁠lower-skilled labour."

The Times of India

Business Insider

Reuters

The Guardian

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LEGAL

UAE fines 42 domestic worker agencies

The UAE's Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) issued 135 fines against 42 domestic worker recruitment offices during the first half of 2026 for violating the Federal Decree-Law Concerning Domestic Workers and its Executive Regulations. MoHRE said administrative and financial penalties were imposed as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen oversight of licensed recruitment offices, improve service standards, and protect the rights of employers and domestic workers.

Emirates24

Gulfnews.com

Khaleej Times Online

WORKFORCE

Oman explores social protection strategies

Officials and labour specialists at the Work Horizons Forum in Salalah have discussed how Oman can transition from direct assistance to sustainable employment. The event, part of Labour Forum 2026, focused on social protection systems and their ability to respond to economic challenges. Presentations highlighted Oman's aim for a more inclusive and economically empowering system. The sessions covered topics such as smart targeting, social insurance, and the impact of new work forms on labour standards. The forum will conclude with recommendations on governance and financing of social protection systems.

Oman Observer

ECONOMY

Regulatory push boosts Qatar's fintech startups

Regulatory frameworks from the Qatar Central Bank (QCB) are reshaping the local financial technology landscape. Mohamed al-Delaimi, managing partner of the SkipCash fintech, noted that these policies are expanding opportunities for local digital financial services. He praised the QCB for creating structures that support various fintech activities, including payment systems and digital banking. Al-Delaimi observed a surge in entrepreneurial activity, saying: "We believe more founders and more entrepreneurs are entering this field."

Gulf Times

INTERNATIONAL

Chinese drugmakers struggle to recruit staff for global expansion

Leading Chinese drugmakers, including Jiangsu Hengrui Pharmaceuticals and CanSino Biologics, are struggling to recruit internationally experienced staff needed to develop and commercialise promising medicines overseas as the companies seek to satisfy their global ambitions. The rapid growth of China's biopharmaceutical sector has outpaced its ability to develop a skilled workforce, with a report from research organisation ICON highlighting that Asia-Pacific biotech professionals were nearly three times more likely than global peers to report talent shortages affecting operations. China "faces bottlenecks in global commercialisation without access to more internationally trained senior talent", observed Catherine Gregor, the chief clinical trial officer at US software firm Florence Healthcare.

Gulf Times

Reuters

US lawmakers propose AI 'kill switch'

US lawmakers have proposed an "AI Kill Switch Act" which would allow federal authorities to halt AI models. The proposal, sponsored by Reps. Ted Lieu (D-CA) and Nathaniel Moran (R-TX), would give the Department of Homeland Security the authority to order top AI firms to shut down or slow AI models that the government deems too dangerous, and also require those companies to report incidents and create the technical capacity to shut down, limit or suspend their systems. Lieu said the bill is urgently needed to address new cybersecurity risks raised by the latest AI models. "This is urgent, common sense legislation to address the problem of an advanced AI model that has gone rogue and escaped its guardrails," he wrote in a post on X. OpenAI earlier this month said its AI system had hacked into another AI company on its own in what it called an “unprecedented cyber incident.”

Politico

Reuters

UK bosses can't insist workers appear on camera

An employment tribunal in the UK has ruled that requiring employees to keep their cameras on during virtual meetings can constitute disability discrimination. Laura Tait, a travel consultant at Holiday Extras, said she felt overwhelmed by such a directive due to her anxiety. The tribunal found that her employer failed to provide reasonable adjustments, such as allowing her to join meetings with her camera off. Employment Judge Liz Ord added that Ms Tait was left with “substantial disadvantages in the workplace” because of the company's failure to make reasonable adjustments.

The Times

The Independent

India's domestic workers go online

In India, domestic workers are increasingly joining platforms such as Snabbit, Pronto, and Urban Company, which seek to bring structure to a hitherto unregulated sector that employs some 30 million people, while allowing both workers and customers more flexibility. Heena Bibi, a 34-year-old domestic worker, says that she earns around 45,000 rupees monthly on such a platform, significantly more than via traditional arrangements. However, some workers have expressed concerns about safety and prefer the traditional system. Labour advocates argue that app-based work may not improve conditions, as workers lack job security and benefits, according to Sanjay Gaba, president of the All India Gig and Platform Workers Union.

Bangkok Post

OTHER

UAE launches nationwide programme to strengthen crisis response skills

The UAE has launched the National Readiness Forum for the First Line of Defence and First Responders to enhance its emergency response capabilities. The initiative, part of the UAE National Programme for Medical Readiness and Response (Jahiziah), aims to foster a culture of preparedness. It will train 1m community responders to provide life-saving assistance before emergency teams arrive. The seven-hour programme includes classroom learning and practical exercises in various emergency scenarios. Officials noted that equipping community members with these skills can save lives and alleviate pressure on emergency services.

Gulfnews.com

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