THE HOT STORY

Fire at Saudi factory kills 16 Bangladeshi migrant workers

A fire at a sofa manufacturing factory in Riyadh has resulted in the deaths of 16 Bangladeshi migrant workers, officials in Dhaka reported on Monday. The blaze erupted on Sunday in the Musa Sanaiya industrial area. Bangladesh's Ministry of Foreign Affairs is overseeing the situation, with embassy officials collaborating with Saudi authorities for repatriation. Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Ariful Haque Choudhury said: "We will ensure necessary assistance and compensation for the bereaved families." Saudi Arabia hosts around 3.5m Bangladeshi workers, who sent home over $2.7bn in remittances last year.

U.S. News

HIRING

Scammers target jobseekers in the UAE

Jobseekers in the UAE are at risk from scammers posing as legitimate employers. The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE) warns individuals to verify job offers before proceeding. Scammers often advertise attractive salaries and benefits, using fake branding to appear credible. They may request payment for visa processing or personal information, which can lead to identity theft. Jobseekers should be cautious of offers that require upfront payments, unusually high salaries, or lack official verification.

Gulfnews.com

TECHNOLOGY

AI adoption more than doubles in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia has experienced a significant increase in the adoption of AI tools, with 45.2% of internet users now using AI, more than double last year's figure, according to the fifth edition of the Saudi Internet Report. The rise coincides with the launch of the “Year of Artificial Intelligence 2026.” The report, issued by the Communications, Space and Technology Commission (CST), revealed that 52.8% of female users and 39.4% of male users engage with AI tools. The highest usage was among those aged 20 to 29, at 55.7%. ChatGPT emerged as the most downloaded AI application in the kingdom.

Zawya EN

TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT

QCDC eyes largest national training programme

The Qatar Career Development Center's My Career My Future programme has trained over 1,000 students, and aims to become the largest national training initiative. Executive director Saad Abdulla al-Kharji said the programme carries young people from their school years through higher education and into the labour market, matching their interests to the skills Qatari employers are asking for. "It is a step towards developing the human capital of the country with right skills and capabilities," he said.

Gulf Times

WORKPLACE

UAE's midday work ban achieved 99% compliance

The UAE's Midday Break policy, enforced from 15 June to 15 September, prohibits outdoor work during peak heat hours. The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) reported a 99% compliance rate last year, showcasing the commitment of employers to worker safety. Dalal Al Shehhi, Acting Assistant Undersecretary at MoHRE, said: "The Midday Break policy sends every worker a clear message that their safety is a priority." The initiative includes 12,000 air-conditioned rest stations for delivery riders, enhancing worker wellbeing and productivity while promoting a culture of social responsibility.

Gulfnews.com

LEADERSHIP

Fifa warns against 'concerted effort' to undermine Infantino

Fifa has criticised what it calls a "concerted and ongoing effort" to "undermine" the organisation and its president Gianni Infantino. The statement followed a Daily Telegraph report in the UK which claimed Infantino's alleged lover was given a severance payment by Uefa after he had an affair while he was its general secretary. A Fifa spokesperson told the Telegraph that Infantino "strongly denies" the allegations and that they are "categorically untrue." Fifa has now itself hit out at "unsubstantiated assertions and demonstrably false claims," adding that "speculation and insinuation should not be presented as fact." Infantino has come under increasing pressure from Uefa and European football associations over his aborted Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal.

INTERNATIONAL

Unlawfully sacked Qantas workers to share in A$40m payout

Qantas workers who were unlawfully sacked during the COVID-19 pandemic will receive a $40m payout, following a Federal Court ruling. Justice Michael Lee ordered the payment to be made immediately, and criticised the compensation administrator for delays and lack of transparency. In December last year, he ordered the airline to pay A$90m - the largest employer fine in Australia's industrial history - due to the "sheer scale" of contraventions. Of this amount, A$50m has already been paid to the Transport Workers' Union. "I should draw a line in the sand from today," Justice Lee said as he ordered the payment be "decoupled" from the wider compensation scheme. "It is simply unfair to make those who have done all they reasonably can do to engage with the administrator to wait any longer."

Yahoo News Australia

Amazon accused of ‘grueling working conditions' and wage suppression

New Jersey has filed an antitrust lawsuit against Amazon, alleging that the company unlawfully uses its dominant position in the market for delivery drivers to suppress competition, keep wages artificially low, and impose poor working conditions on contractors in its Delivery Service Partner (DSP) network. In the lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court, New Jersey charged that Amazon “orchestrated a deliberate and unlawful scheme” to harm thousands who were forced to work under “grueling and often inhumane conditions” through its creation and control over DSPs. Amazon has rejected the allegations, saying its delivery partners are independent businesses that control their own hiring and operations.

CNBC

NJ.com

Minister clash over 52-hour workweek exemption in 'special' zones

Korea's industry and labour ministers have clashed over whether to exempt some workers from the country's 52-hour workweek cap, in a public expression of sharply differing views that underscores divisions over how far local labour regulations should be eased to boost competitiveness. Under the Labor Standards Act, employees are generally prohibited from working more than 52 hours a week - a standard 40-hour workweek plus up to 12 hours of overtime. Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan has said that companies within proposed "megaspecial zones" should be allowed to operate outside the limit, arguing that the cap obstructs growth, but his labour counterpart said Korean firms are not being disadvantaged by the rule.

Korea Joongang Daily

Working past retirement age becomes norm in Dutch labour agreements

Working beyond the state pension age of 67 is increasingly common in Dutch collective labour agreements, with 11 out of 214 agreements in 2026 allowing this. The shift is driven by staff shortages and an ageing population, according to Jannes van der Velde from the employers' association AWVN. The tight labour market “explains basically everything,” Van der Velde said. “Employers look: how valuable are these people still?” Older workers are often used as coaches for new colleagues, and high workloads at many companies frequently leave proper onboarding neglected.

NL Times

OTHER

Mystery parcels turn returned online purchases into entertainment

Mystery-parcel stores are becoming increasingly popular across the Netherlands and other European countries, offering customers the chance to buy unopened packages returned or left undelivered by online shoppers. For a small fee, customers choose parcels based on their weight and shape, then open them to discover anything from household goods to expensive electronics. The concept combines the excitement of gambling, bargain-hunting and social-media unboxing while giving unwanted packages a second life. Although shoppers are guaranteed to receive an item, consumer experts say the main attraction is the anticipation and possibility of finding something valuable.

Bloomberg

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