Human Times

Middle East Edition

16th March 2026

THE HOT STORY

AI is making workloads more intense

AI is increasing the speed, density and complexity of work rather than reducing it, according to an analysis of 164,000 workers’ digital work activity by workforce analytics and productivity-tracking software company ActivTrak. The data covers more than 443m hours of work across 1,111 employers, making it one of the biggest studies of AI’s effects on work habits to date, the Wall Street Journal reports. “It’s not that AI doesn’t create efficiency,” observed Gabriela Mauch, ActivTrak’s chief customer officer. “It’s that the capacity it frees up immediately gets repurposed into doing other work, and that’s where the creep is likely to happen.”

Wall Street Journal

CYBERSECURITY

McKinsey rushes to fix AI system after hacker exposes flaws

McKinsey is rushing to fix flaws in an in-house AI system after hackers - who acted without malicious intent - gained access to millions of its internal messages and were able to identify sensitive files. Researchers at red-team security startup CodeWall say their AI agent hacked McKinsey's internal AI platform and gained full read and write access to the chatbot in just two hours. "We used a specific AI research agent to autonomously select the target, it did this without zero human input," CodeWall chief executive Paul Price told The Register. "Hackers will be using the same technology."

Financial Times

The Register

WORKFORCE

WHO slams targeting of health workers in Lebanon

The World Health Organization (WHO) has condemned the killing of 14 health workers in southern Lebanon. Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO's Director-General, described the deaths as a tragic development amid the escalating Middle East crisis. He highlighted the urgent need for measures to safeguard healthcare personnel and facilities. The WHO confirmed that 12 doctors, paramedics, and nurses died in an attack on the Burj Qalaouiyeh Primary Healthcare Center, while two paramedics were killed elsewhere. Since March 2, there have been 27 attacks on healthcare facilities in Lebanon, resulting in 30 deaths and 35 injuries.

Gulf Times

The Peninsula

HEALTH & WELLBEING

Qatar announces three-day Eid al-Fitr holiday for private sector

The Ministry of Labour in Doha has declared a three-day paid holiday for private sector employees to celebrate Eid al-Fitr. The announcement specifies that if work demands require employees to work during this holiday, overtime provisions and allowances will apply as per Article (74) of the Labour Law. The Ministry emphasised the importance of adhering to these regulations to ensure fair compensation for those working during the holiday period.

The Peninsula

LEGAL

Over 1,000 Saudi judges enroll in higher diploma in civil law

Over 1,000 judges from the Saudi judiciary have enrolled in the Higher Diploma in Civil Law, a training programme launched last October. The programme includes 21 courses and 380 training hours, focusing on civil law applications. It aims to enhance judicial reasoning and improve the predictability of court decisions. The first phase targets judges in general courts, with plans to include all Saudi judges and lawyers in the second phase. The initial cohort is set to graduate in 2026.

Saudi Gazette

Arab News

TAX

Jordan offers tax breaks to citizens

The Ministry of Local Administration in Jordan has announced tax discounts and exemptions for citizens and businesses. Taxpayers who settle their dues by March 31 can receive a 20% discount on building and land taxes, as well as sewage service fees. Additionally, a full waiver of accumulated penalties is available for compliant taxpayers. The ministry also offers a 25% discount on certain assessments and rents if paid in cash before the deadline. The initiative aims to ease financial burdens and improve public services. "This decision supports social solidarity," the ministry stated.

Zawya EN

RISK

Lulu Group airlifts fresh food from India to Kuwait amid regional tensions

Lulu Group has arranged special cargo flights to transport 82 tonnes of fresh food from India to Kuwait, as Gulf retailers work to secure supplies amid transport disruptions linked to the US-Israel-Iran conflict. Two Kuwait Airways flights from Kochi and Delhi carried shipments including 32 tonnes of fruits and vegetables and 50 tonnes of fresh meat for Lulu Hypermarkets, with the retailer planning additional cargo flights from India and other sourcing markets to maintain food supply chains across the region.

Gulf News

TECHNOLOGY

Microsoft adds Anthropic's AI technology to its Copilot service

Microsoft is bringing Anthropic's Claude Cowork to its Microsoft 365 Copilot AI platform. The Copilot Cowork service, which the tech giant said it developed in close collaboration with Anthropic, can handle long-running, multistep tasks such as preparing for a customer meeting by assembling a presentation, pulling together financials, emailing the team, and scheduling prep time. “We really believe right now is an inflection point,” Jared Spataro, Microsoft’s chief marketing officer for AI at Work, told Fortune. “The inflection point for us is Copilot taking on these agentic capabilities and going from assistance to real doing.”

INTERNATIONAL

Bundesbank scraps planned return to its historic headquarters

Germany’s Bundesbank has scrapped plans to move back into its headquarters in Frankfurt, despite spending €168m on stripping asbestos from the historic office block. Germany's central bank said Wednesday it was abandoning a project to renovate the headquarters following intense criticism over costs that could spiral into the billions, and would instead move permanently to a new site. Bundesbank chief Joachim Nagel said an analysis had shown that purchasing a new building made more sense than going ahead with the overhaul. The decision was not easy, he said, observing that "many people - active and former colleagues, residents of the city and the country - have a connection to this building."

Barron's

France 24

Financial Times

Morgan Stanley hires contract staff in Hong Kong amid deal surge

Morgan Stanley is hiring contract staff in Hong Kong for IPO due diligence amid a surge in stock listings. The move, which Reuters says is a ‌first for a Wall Street bank in the region, aims to control costs while meeting stronger demand in the Asian financial hub's ultra-competitive investment banking industry. "Their [contractors'] total package is significantly lower than a banker hired on permanent headcount. Morgan Stanley could spend less and take up more deals," a source said.

Reuters

Korean unions threaten strikes as ‘yellow envelope law' comes into force

Subcontracted workers in South Korea are escalating demands for direct negotiations with parent companies following the implementation of the "yellow envelope law." This law expands the definition of an employer to include firms that that exercise significant control over working conditions, even without a direct employment contract with subcontracted workers. The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) anticipates a surge in bargaining requests from over 140,000 subcontracted workers. KCTU officials said: "The real employer must come forward and sit down to talk with subcontracted workers." Protests are planned if companies refuse to engage in discussions.

The Korea Times

OTHER

Women judges lead the charge for justice

Women judges worldwide are addressing the gender justice gap, despite their under-representation in courts and tribunals. A UN Women report reveals that female involvement enhances the legitimacy and responsiveness of justice systems. In the small Pacific nation of Kiribati, women hold 38% of magistrate positions and 29% of legislative roles. Ruth Cross Kwansing, Kiribati's Women's Minister, said: "When women hold the gavel, the law begins to see women too." She pointed to the need for inclusive justice systems to build equitable societies, especially in the face of climate change challenges that affect women disproportionately.

Daily Mail

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