Human Times

Middle East Edition

16th September 2026

THE HOT STORY

Cisco 'likely allowed harassment of pro-Palestinian workers'

The US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has found that Cisco Systems likely created a hostile work environment for Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim employees. The federal enforcement agency's conclusion followed reports of harassment, including derogatory messages shared in an internal forum, where pro-Palestinian activists were derided as animals and one worker told colleagues to “quit living.” The finding is not a binding ruling, and both sides said the EEOC has indicated that it won’t file a lawsuit. The New York Times says such findings tend to bolster employees’ cases if they decide to go to court on their own. Legal Aid at Work believes this is the first EEOC finding against a major US tech company involving discrimination against workers engaged in pro-Palestinian advocacy.

The Jerusalem Post

New York Times

DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION

Disability inclusion debate at Dhofar forum

The Ministry of Social Development in Oman has highlighted the role of technology and artificial intelligence in promoting independence for people with disabilities during a forum in Salalah. The fourth edition of the Living Independently Initiative for Persons with Disabilities, which takes place today and tomorrow, gathered government officials, organisations, and individuals to discuss digital accessibility and inclusive employment. Dr Abdullah bin Hamoud Al Harthy, the ministry's Undersecretary, emphasised the need for collaboration among various sectors to enhance disability rights. He said: "People with disabilities are not merely the subject of this initiative; they are its partners." The forum also featured an exhibition showcasing over 25 projects related to assistive technology.

Oman Observer

STRATEGY

Law firm Sullivan & Cromwell opens UAE office

Wall Street law firm Sullivan & Cromwell is opening its first Middle East office in ADGM, Abu Dhabi’s financial hub. “Sovereign capital, private equity and infrastructure investment in the Middle East is fueling some of the most high-profile and complex transactions anywhere in the world,” said Ahmed T. el-Gaili, who will lead the new Middle East practice.

Bloomberg

TECHNOLOGY

Microsoft drafts code of conduct to keep its AI under human control

Microsoft has drafted a code of conduct to apply to the training of new AI models amid growing fears that technology companies could lose control of their AI products. Mustafa Suleyman, chief executive of Microsoft AI, wrote: “AI must be subordinate and always in service of people. The fears about possible loss of control are real.” A parallel post on the company’s website said: “The purpose of technology is to serve humanity and accelerate human flourishing. Any technology that doesn’t achieve that is a failure, and it should be rejected. That is the starting point of our approach at Microsoft AI, where we’re building towards Humanist AI, one that is subordinate, aligned, and contained.” Microsoft asserted that its AI is "not conscious," observing: "We reject the pursuit of legal personhood, or the idea that models might deserve welfare, or be entitled to rights.”

Silicon Republic

Reuters

The Guardian

HIRING

UAE hotel group Rotana to hire 5,000 workers

UAE hotel group Rotana plans to open 40 new properties across Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Pakistan, and Somalia over the next six years, creating approximately 5,000 jobs. Chief executive Philip M. Barnes said the company has maintained its workforce of around 10,000 employees without layoffs during recent regional challenges. He noted that staff loyalty has improved guest satisfaction. The expansion includes a significant focus on the Saudi market, with new hotels in both primary and secondary cities. Barnes emphasised the importance of local workforces in new markets including Georgia and Pakistan.

Khaleej Times Online

CORPORATE

Tabby valued at $6.5bn after $233m funding round

Saudi Arabia-headquartered fintech Tabby has raised $233m from existing investors in a Series F funding round valuing the business at $6.5bn, up from $4.5bn in October 2025. The buy-now-pay-later provider plans to use the capital to deepen its presence in Saudi Arabia and the UAE and expand into broader financial services, including longer-term consumer financing, business working capital and a cash product. Tabby currently processes more than $18bn in annualised transaction volume across 25m registered users and 70,000 merchant partners. The company is profitable and well capitalised: chief executive Hosam Arab has said it is under no pressure to accelerate plans for a potential public listing.

Reuters

INTERNATIONAL

UK bosses will have to 'sit down' with employees who request flexible working

UK bosses will have to meet with staff who request flexible working and justify their reasons for any refusals under government plans announced by Louise Haigh. The first secretary of state told the TUC conference in Brighton yesterday that employers would have to “properly consider” requests for flexibility and offer a face-to-face meeting under new rights for workers. Haigh said: “Life isn’t always as neat as we’d like it to be or as employers would like it to be. There’s kids to pick up, parents to look after, families who rely on us at short notice. And sometimes a little bit of flexibility can make all the difference. Now I know that businesses have to make things work too. Not every job can be done from home and not every request can be agreed. But every request can be taken seriously. So today I can announce that we will strengthen the right to flexible working. If an employer wants to turn down a request they will have to sit down with their employee, properly consider it and explain why.”

China widens exit controls

China's new travel regulations, effective Tuesday, empower authorities to block citizens from leaving the country, transforming temporary bans into a permanent measure against capital and talent flight. Neo Wang, a strategist at Evercore ISI, observed: "The goal is to restrict outbound personnel flows, so as to keep home the capital and talent that might otherwise leave with them." Private bankers are said to be adapting by altering their approaches to client events and documentation to avoid government scrutiny. Additionally, the regulations impose a 20% income tax on assets moved into offshore trusts, further complicating wealth management for affluent Chinese. "The various measures create the perception that laws may change without notice with retroactive effect, the tightening is coming from all sides," said Clifford Ng, partner at Zhonglun Law firm.

CNBC

Accenture to pay $25m to settle claims over DEI

Accenture has said it will pay $25m to settle U.S. government claims related to diversity practices. The ⁠Justice Department said the IT consulting firm had weighed race and sex to achieve demographic goals when making hiring and promotion decisions. Accenture said it complied with applicable laws ⁠and that the resolution agreement did not constitute an admission of liability. "We have cooperated with the government's review, and we are pleased to put ⁠this matter behind us to avoid the costs and resource demands of prolonged litigation," an Accenture spokesperson said.

Reuters

French unions strike across several sectors

Unionised workers in multiple sectors held a day of strikes across France yesterday to protest issues including pay rates and rising fuel prices. Energy giant EDF said 59% of its workforce in the electricity and gas industries union, or about 38,000 people, had taken part in the strike action by midday - the highest turnout in decades. The government is expected to present a budget proposal soon; unions fear austerity measures as the administration moves to cut the deficit.

Reuters

OTHER

EU set to propose ban on social media and AI chatbots for under-15s

A European Commission document seen by Reuters indicates that the European Union will propose a ban restricting under 15s from social media, video sharing platforms, AI chatbots and online games. The proposal is part of an EU Kids Act to be presented by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and EU tech chief Henna Virkkunen on Thursday. Reuters says von der Leyen may announce some ⁠details in her State of the Union address on upcoming EU policy today. "The Union's approach should allow minors to benefit from the huge potential of digital services, while protecting them from abuse and exploitation. It needs to limit the access of tech companies to our children, and not the other way around," the document said.

Euronews

RTE

Reuters

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