标签： Asia

The United Arab Emirates has formally announced adjusted working schedules for federal government employees in anticipation of Ramadan 2026. According to the Federal Authority for Government Human Resources, standard operational hours from Monday through Thursday will be shortened to 9:00 AM until 2:30 PM. Fridays will feature an even more condensed schedule, running from 9:00 AM until 12:00 PM. These provisions include allowances for personnel whose roles necessitate alternative arrangements.

Furthermore, federal ministries and entities have been granted optionality in their implementation strategies. They may either adhere to pre-established flexible work regulations throughout the workdays of Ramadan or authorize remote working arrangements for up to 70% of their staff on Fridays, contingent upon compliance with approved regulatory controls.

Astronomical projections from the Abu Dhabi-based International Astronomical Centre suggest the holy month is anticipated to commence on February 19, 2026. Engineer Muhammad Shawkat Odeh, Director of the Centre, indicated that crescent moon sighting on February 17th is deemed virtually impossible across the Islamic world. Nonetheless, the official commencement date remains subject to confirmation by moon-sighting committees, which will convene on the 29th day of Shaban for a definitive proclamation.

This announcement aligns with the UAE’s standardized four-and-a-half-day public sector workweek, which was instituted in January 2022, designating Saturday and Sunday as the official weekend. It is noteworthy that the emirate of Sharjah maintains a distinct public sector schedule, operating on a four-day week with a three-day weekend (Friday-Sunday).

Lebanese judicial authorities have uncovered an audacious deception operation in which a car mechanic successfully impersonated a Saudi prince to extort prominent politicians, including a former prime minister. The elaborate scheme, facilitated by a religious figure, has exposed systemic vulnerabilities within the country’s political landscape.

According to an official judicial statement released Wednesday, Mustapha Al Hasian—a mechanic with remarkable linguistic abilities—masterfully adopted the persona of “Abu Omar,” a fictitious royal court prince from Saudi Arabia. Speaking in flawless Saudi dialect, Hasian issued political directives to Lebanese officials while promising Riyadh’s support for their ascension to power positions in exchange for financial compensation.

The operation unraveled when authorities arrested Hasian and his accomplice, Sheikh Khaldun Oraymet, in late 2025. Investigations indicate Oraymet provided the imposter with direct contacts and confidential information about various politicians, enabling the sophisticated extortion plot. The judicial official confirmed the investigation is nearing completion, with no evidence suggesting foreign agency involvement.

Multiple politicians contacted by the fraudulent prince have provided witness testimonies, though they maintain any financial transactions were framed as charitable contributions to social and health assistance programs rather than explicit payments for political favors. The scandal has highlighted profound corruption issues within Lebanese institutions, demonstrating how easily influential figures can be manipulated through promises of external political support.

BANGKOK — A humanitarian crisis is unfolding in Cambodia as the nation’s only dedicated shelter for victims escaping fraudulent scam compounds faces catastrophic resource shortages amid an unprecedented exodus of workers. The Caritas shelter, previously funded by the United States, now operates with merely one-third of its original staff and a fraction of its previous budget while confronting a surge of desperate survivors.

The facility has been compelled to reject over 300 individuals requiring immediate assistance, forcing many to sleep on streets or return to their exploitative workplaces. Currently housing approximately 150 people, the shelter struggles to provide basic necessities, with many occupants lacking pillows, blankets, or any possessions beyond the clothes they wear.

This crisis follows Cambodia’s extradition of a suspected scam kingpin to China in January, which triggered mass releases from compounds housing an estimated 100,000 workers in 2023 alone. These facilities operated sophisticated fraudulent operations featuring soundproofed phone booths, multilingual scripts, and even replica police stations of various countries.

Despite Prime Minister Hun Manet’s declaration that combating cyberfraud constitutes a ‘deliberate political priority,’ activists accuse the government of ignoring the resulting humanitarian emergency. Amnesty International’s regional research director Montse Ferrer described ‘thousands of traumatized survivors being left to fend for themselves with no state support’ amid ‘chaotic and dangerous’ departure conditions.

The Cambodian government maintains it screens all individuals to separate victims from perpetrators, providing protection, shelter, and assistance for safe return. However, rescue workers report systemic failures, with embassies and international organizations engaging in responsibility-shifting that creates ‘a closed loop with no exit.’

Compounding the crisis, U.S. funding suspension led to the dismantling of USAID in early 2025, eliminating the shelter’s anticipated $1.4 million funding through 2026. The International Organization for Migration, another key funder primarily supported by U.S. contributions, has also faced significant budget reductions.

In Cambodia’s increasingly repressive environment—where independent media has shuttered and journalists reporting on scam compounds face arrest—Caritas remains the only organization willing to accept these victims. Many who cannot secure shelter space risk immigration detention, extortion attempts, or returning to the compounds simply to avoid homelessness.

For victims like Youga, an African man from the persecuted Banyamulenge ethnic group, options are severely limited. Having escaped beatings and exploitation, he now represents countless survivors seeking merely ‘to rebuild my life with dignity’ amid systemic breakdown and international indifference.

Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has publicly exposed a sophisticated begging syndicate operating within the country, revealing how organized networks generate substantial illicit revenues through professionalized panhandling operations. The minister shared compelling video evidence demonstrating how begging has evolved into a highly profitable criminal enterprise.

The footage, disseminated via social media platforms, captures a revealing interaction between an interviewer and a child beggar. During the exchange, the minor discloses astonishing financial details: he and his three siblings collectively generate approximately PKR 12,000 daily through coordinated begging activities. Most notably, the child admits his brother’s physical disability is entirely performative—a carefully crafted deception to elicit sympathy and increase donations.

Minister Asif characterized this operation as a fully organized profession managed by formal contractors who systematically recruit children, women, and individuals pretending to be disabled. These criminal networks allegedly generate billions in revenue while exporting beggars to Gulf nations by the thousands. The minister further alleged complicity among airport staff and law enforcement agencies, suggesting the operation thrives through institutional patronage.

The consequences have been severe at the international level. Gulf countries, frustrated by the systematic exploitation of their visa systems, have begun restricting entry for Pakistani citizens. Official data from Pakistan’s Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development substantiates these concerns, documenting over 7,800 deportations between 2019 and 2025 specifically related to begging charges.

In response to this crisis, Pakistani authorities implemented stringent countermeasures in 2025, including the cancellation of passports for deportees involved in begging-related offenses. The interviewer featured in the viral video urged citizens to reconsider charitable giving practices, particularly during Ramadan, suggesting direct support to known individuals facing genuine medical or financial hardships rather than funding criminal begging operations.