THE HOT STORY

Gen Z bets on AI skills to boost earning power

Reuters reports on how younger workers are using AI to boost productivity, build portfolios and pursue new careers. Compared to older generations, they tend to be more excited about the impact that the technology will have on their careers. A 2025 PwC survey of more than 2,000 young workers in the UK found that 67% of Gen Z expect AI to increase their productivity, and nearly half expect it to increase their salary and job security.

Reuters

LEGAL

Saudi employees limited to five contracts a year for Nitaqat counting

Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development has finalised the mechanism for counting Saudi employees under the “Nitaqat” Saudization programme. Under the mechanism, an employee's contracts during the preceding 52 weeks (one full year) must not exceed five contracts for the employee to continue being counted as one Saudi employee in “Nitaqat.” For a Saudi employee to be counted in “Nitaqat,” the employment contract must be valid and registered with the “Qiwa” platform. The employee's total registered salary on the platform must be at least SR4,000, and the employee must not be registered as a part-time employee or a student.

Saudi Gazette

ECONOMY

Egypt targets 5.2% to 5.4% economic growth next fiscal year

Egypt's inflation rate decreased to 12.7% in August 2026, according to Minister of Planning and Economic Development Ahmed Rostom. He announced growth targets of 5.2% to 5.4% for the upcoming fiscal year, driven by private sector empowerment and improved investment conditions. GDP grew by 5.1% in FY 2025/26, up from 4.4% the previous year, largely due to advancements in manufacturing and IT sectors. Rostom noted a decline in unemployment to 5.8%, reflecting the economy's ability to create sustainable jobs. He highlighted the resilience of the Egyptian economy amid external challenges.

Zawya EN

HIRING

Sanad's Al Ain GTF centre will need 1,000-plus technicians

Abu Dhabi aerospace company Sanad anticipates needing over 1,000 technicians for its new GTF engine maintenance centre in Al Ain. The workforce will primarily be developed locally through universities and training programmes, said group chief executive Kashish Kohli. Sanad's expansion includes two facilities: the GTF centre is expected to begin operations in 2028. The company is also focusing on vertical integration to enhance repair capabilities and reduce supply chain delays.

Gulfnews.com

TECHNOLOGY

UAE finance ministry explores Agentic AI

The UAE's Ministry of Finance is exploring the application of Agentic AI to enhance financial services and processes. Fatima Yousif Al Naqbi, Acting Assistant Undersecretary, said that the ministry is engaging stakeholders to identify areas for improvement. The initiative aims to streamline procedures and reduce the time needed for government processes. The third cycle of the Zero Bureaucracy Programme focuses on six key areas, including budgeting and procurement. Feedback from the recent Customer Council will guide the redesign of financial services, ensuring they meet customer needs while maintaining governance.

Khaleej Times Online

INTERNATIONAL

DoorDash settles worker underpayment allegations with New York City

Food delivery company DoorDash is to pay $131.5m to settle a New York City government investigation that found it underpaid or waited too long to pay workers. DoorDash will provide nearly $115m of relief to about 264,000 workers; the median payout is about $48. The firm accepted a $16.7m civil fine. Mayor Zohran Mamdani said the settlement was "part of a larger commitment to hold delivery companies accountable." Through its use of "greedy algorithms," Mamdani said DoorDash failed to comply with the 2023 city law intended to improve pay for delivery workers. "For years, DoorDash failed to count every hour ⁠worked by delivery workers," he said. "This was not a rounding error or an accidental mistake."

The Hill

Reuters

German state leader visits Türkiye to mark labour deal anniversary

Hendrik Wüst, the premier of North Rhine-Westphalia, will begin a three-day visit to Türkiye on Monday to commemorate the 65th anniversary of a historic German-Turkish labour agreement. The deal facilitated the arrival of many Turkish "guest workers" in Germany. Wüst's itinerary includes political discussions in Ankara and an economic conference in Istanbul, where he will present a prize for cultural reconciliation to Ilkay Gündoğan, former captain of the German national football team. North Rhine-Westphalia is home to a large Turkish community. Annual trade between Germany and Türkiye reaches up to €12bn.

Daily Sabah

Meta to give a trade union access to its UK staff for the first time

Meta has agreed to grant Prospect, a trade union which represents over 160,000 workers, access to its 5,000 UK staff for the first time. The agreement allows Prospect to discuss union membership with Meta employees, marking a significant step in union representation within the tech sector. Mike Clancy, general secretary of Prospect, said the agreement was "an important step towards giving Meta workers a stronger voice at work." The deal comes ahead of a new trade union right of access to workplaces which comes into force next month as part of the Employment Rights Act. Clancy said it was to "Meta's credit that it has struck this voluntary deal with Prospect, rather than waiting for the new right of access to kick in, sending a positive message to staff that it is open to engaging with a union."

Financial Times

The Times

Korea reopens military service alternative for AI talent

South Korea will allow AI researchers to fulfil their military service at large corporate labs starting in 2027, reviving a programme that ended in 2013. Four companies – LG Electronics, Samsung Electronics, Samsung Medison and HD Hyundai Robotics – have been recommended to participate in the programme, according to Ministry of Science and ICT data obtained by Rep. Hwang Jung-a of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea. The initiative aims to retain top talent and strengthen the domestic AI industry. However, strict eligibility rules have left companies seeking fewer places, raising questions about the initiative's reach.

Straits Times

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