THE HOT STORY

52nd Arab Labor Conference opens in Cairo

The 52nd Arab Labor Conference commenced in Cairo on Sunday, gathering representatives from 21 Arab nations. Organised by the Arab Labor Organization and under the patronage of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, the conference will run until 20 September. Key topics include sustainable economic growth, climate change impacts on workplaces, and the role of startups in job creation. Delegates aim to align workers' skills with market needs and enhance employment opportunities. The conference also seeks to strengthen Arab cooperation in labour policies and improve workforce conditions across the region.

TimesofOman

Egypt Today

Gulf Times

TECHNOLOGY

AI industry urged to hit brakes

Anthropic chief executive Dario Amodei has called for a slowdown in AI development following warnings from industry researchers that a superintelligent AI would be a threat to humanity. In an essay, Amodei proposed inserting independent evaluators into frontier AI companies, applying common safety standards among developers and negotiating international cooperation. OpenAI's Sam Altman and Elon Musk have backed Amodei's call for a more measured approach. However, some are questioning Amodei's motives: sceptics suggest he may be trying to engineer state regulation to suppress open source competition.

Growing calls for action against smart glasses

Calls for action against smart glasses are intensifying in Europe following reports of covert filming of women and girls. Norway's capital Oslo banned the glasses in schools last week as the government weighs regulation of their use and considers a ban on features that enable facial recognition in public. France's CNIL data protection watchdog has urged "vigilance," and a UK petition is demanding a ban on their sale. Smart glasses manufacturer Meta said it has implemented measures to prevent misuse, but critics remain sceptical. The European Commission says it is monitoring the situation, with a report on the glasses' social acceptability expected soon.

France 24

TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT

Philippine police officials join five-month UAE exchange programme

Two Philippine police officials, Captains Zoe Laylo and Ian Christopher Bancoro, are participating in a five-month exchange programme in the UAE. Philippine Ambassador Alfonso Ver welcomed them during a visit to the embassy. The programme, which is part of the International Association of Chiefs of Police and UAE Ministry of Interior collaboration, aims to enhance law enforcement skills and knowledge. Ver emphasised the importance of continuous learning, observing: "Initiatives of this nature play a vital role in broadening knowledge, exposure, and skills." The programme began in 2021 to strengthen global policing through international cooperation.

Gulfnews.com

HIRING

Employment opportunities in Oman's government sector

The Ministry of Labour in Oman has reported significant progress in its recruitment and Omanisation plans during the first half of 2026, announcing 2,538 job opportunities across 42 government entities. Abdullah Sultan Al Sunaidi, director of the Recruitment and Omanisation Department, said: "The results reflect the ministry's continued implementation of recruitment plans based on actual needs." The opportunities include 999 Omanisation roles, with a focus on linking training to job requirements. The ministry said it aims to enhance national talent readiness and align qualifications with job needs, thus ensuring effective recruitment processes.

TimesofOman

CORPORATE

Saudi Arabian firms weigh deeper ties with China

Nayef Al-Athel, chief sales and marketing officer of Saudi Tadawul Group, has said that Saudi Arabia is learning from China's capital markets. He noted that the Qualified Foreign Institutional Investor (QFII) programme in Saudi Arabia has attracted over 4,500 QFIIs, injecting more than $140bn into the market. Trade between China and Saudi Arabia reached $108.16bn in 2025. Al-Athel expressed confidence in the future of trade relations, highlighting cooperation in new energy and digital infrastructure. Mohammed Al-Rumaih, CEO of Saudi Exchange, emphasised the evolving relationship between the two nations.

Chinadaily US Edition

INTERNATIONAL

Volkswagen called on to commit to 2024 labour agreement

Germany's ‌IG Metall union wants a commitment from Volkswagen to a landmark labour deal that was reached in December 2024. A leading representative for the union cited fears that a recent turnaround agreement could undermine the 2024 deal with widespread job losses, and members are to invoke a legal clause, which was part of the agreement, calling on management to negotiate on ⁠the matter. "Volkswagen expressly welcomes this," the carmaker said. "From the company's perspective, this step is necessary to consistently implement the measures adopted in 2024 and, at the same time, to address the additional challenges facing ‌the ⁠entire automotive industry," it said. "This uncertainty cannot continue for the workforce at our locations," observed Daniela Cavallo, Volkswagen works council chief.

Reuters

UK government rethinks youth minimum wage rise

The UK government is reconsidering planned minimum wage increases for young workers due to concerns about rising employment costs. Ministers are examining whether the rapid wage hikes have contributed to the youth jobs crisis: nearly 1m 16 to 24-year-olds are neither working nor studying. A government spokesperson explained that while they remain committed to closing the wage gap, they have asked the Low Pay Commission to consider employment opportunities in future recommendations. Alan Milburn, who is leading a review into youth worklessness, has suggested that slowing wage increases may help persuade companies to hire young people more readily.

Bloomberg

The Daily Telegraph

City AM

Radio France staff strike over far-right appointment

Staff at Radio France launched a two-day strike on Sunday in response to the appointment of Charles Sapin, deputy editor-in-chief at the far-right weekly Valeurs Actuelles. Unions argue that Sapin promotes far-right ideologies which contradict Radio France's public service values. Management defended the decision, citing the importance of pluralism ahead of the upcoming presidential election. France Inter director Celine Pigalle described pluralism as "fundamental" for a public radio station. "I believe I can trust him not to put France Inter's airwaves at risk," she said.

France 24

OTHER

Primark to open first store in Saudi Arabia

Primark has announced a partnership with international retail franchise operator Alshaya Group to open its first store in Saudi Arabia. The new store will open in March 2027 in Riyadh's under-construction The Avenues Mall. Primark chief executive Eoin Tonge said demand at the firm's Kuwait and Dubai stores "has given us real confidence in the strength of the Primark brand and strong opportunity for us across the region," with Saudi Arabia an "important next step in our growth."

Kuwait Times

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