Gulf News

Industry News

Oil Stays Above $100 as Chinese Fuel Export Halts Balance Middle East Outflows

Crude oil benchmarks remained above $100 per barrel as market participants balanced Chinese fuel export curbs against rebounding Middle Eastern crude shipments. Brent crude reached $102.60 per barrel and WTI stood at $93.14 per barrel following Chinese refiners suspending refined fuel exports beyond Hong Kong and Macau. Meanwhile, Middle East crude exports recovered to 17.5 million barrels per day following the restart of Saudi Arabia's East-West Pipeline.

Policy & Legal Updates

Sharjah Approves AI Court Governance Rules and Specialised Environmental Court

The Sharjah Judicial Council has approved a unified governance guide regulating artificial intelligence deployment across its judicial system. The council also decided to establish a specialised public prosecution and court dedicated to municipal and environmental affairs.

Policy & Legal Updates

UAE Outlines Automated Notifications and Enforcement Actions for Delayed Salaries

The UAE Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation announced that private-sector employers will receive automated notifications before administrative measures take effect under the Wage Protection System. Officials clarified that the decision introduces a gradual enforcement approach without imposing new substantive legal obligations. The standardized framework is designed to detect delayed wages early across more than 600,000 registered companies.

Policy & Legal Updates

UAE Labour Regulations Clarify Unused Annual Leave Entitlements Upon Resignation

Private-sector employees in the UAE are entitled to cash compensation for accrued, untaken annual leave when resigning or leaving a job, according to UAE Labour Law guidance published by Gulf News. Payouts for unused leave in final settlements are calculated on the worker's basic salary rather than total compensation. Regulations also permit carrying forward up to half of an annual leave balance or receiving cash in lieu upon agreement with the employer.