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Human Times
North America
U.S. job growth slows sharply

The Commerce Department reported on Friday that U.S. employers added 29,000 jobs in September, well below economists’ expectations of 84,000, while the unemployment rate edged up from 4.1% to 4.2%. Previous estimates were also revised lower, with employers now reported to have cut 10,000 jobs in July and added 133,000 in August, reducing the combined total for those two months by 60,000 jobs. Healthcare added 17,000 jobs, construction gained 11,000, and manufacturing employment increased slightly, while government, information, and financial-sector employment declined. Average hourly wages rose 3% from a year earlier, below the 3.4% annual inflation rate reported for August. The article characterizes the labor market as increasingly “low-hire, low-fire,” with fewer workers needed to maintain a stable unemployment rate because of an aging population and lower immigration. The report also showed no signs of labor-market tightening that would add to inflationary pressures, giving Federal Reserve officials room to keep interest rates unchanged while awaiting further inflation data.

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Human Times
UK
Tories vow to scrap 'tax trap' for UK’s higher earners

Kemi Badenoch has promised to abolish the £100,000 childcare tax threshold, under which earning just £1 above the limit can leave parents substantially worse off by removing key support. Speaking ahead of the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham, she said a future Tory government would eliminate the cliff edge entirely. Badenoch framed the pledge as part of broader tax reforms intended to ensure that taking on more work and earning more always leaves people better off. The measure would be funded by cutting the headcount at various quangos, saving £1.6bn a year. Badenoch has also suggested that cutting inheritance tax could be on the cards, arguing that it was "morally right that people don’t get taxed twice." In an interview with the Sunday Times, she explained: "It is morally right that if you work hard and want to give something to your children the government doesn’t take it away."

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Human Times
Europe
Spain erupts in protest over evictions

Hundreds of thousands of protesters across more than 50 Spanish cities are calling for a general strike after parliament rejected emergency housing measures including an eviction moratorium, restrictions on vulture funds and automatic rental contract extensions. Demonstrations intensified after the eviction of 87-year-old Maricarmen and came shortly before Pedro Sánchez called a snap election for November 29th. The Tenants' Union says it plans a November strike and is negotiating with major labour federations, arguing that “a general strike is the only way” to force action regardless of who governs. However, Spain’s largest unions, UGT and CCOO, remain cautious, while business leader Antonio Garamendi has questioned whether a housing-focused stoppage would be legal. A nationwide shutdown therefore remains uncertain and dependent on broader union support.

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Human Times
Middle East
Transforming worker housing in Saudi

Mnzil, The Development Group and Capital Partners have launched a SAR1bn fund to develop purpose-built workforce compounds accommodating up to 50,000 workers across Saudi Arabia. Mnzil will operate the portfolio, TDG will oversee site selection, design and development, and Capital Partners will manage the fund. Development is expected to begin in Q4 2026 across major employment centres including Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, Khobar, Makkah and Madinah. Compounds will include furnished rooms, recreational facilities, communal areas and on-site services, with locations chosen to reduce commuting. Mnzil chief executive Majeed Albabtain said, “Improving workers' lives is a collective effort.” The partners see the model as supporting Vision 2030 while establishing workforce housing as a scalable institutional real estate asset class backed by employer demand and long-term leases.

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