Qatar’s Historical and Cultural Marvels: A Journey Through Time

Canada stated that it is formally reversing its decision to shut down TikTok’s unit in the country on national-security grounds.

In his capacity as the Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, has issued Law No. (3) of 2026 on the quality and safety of buildings in the emirate of Dubai.

Provisions of the Law apply to all buildings across Dubai, including those in private development zones and free zones such as the Dubai International Financial Centre, whether built before or after its enactment.

The Law aims to ensure the quality, safety and sustainability of buildings in Dubai by maintaining structural integrity, ensuring regular maintenance and supporting the safe operation of all systems. It also seeks to enhance occupant comfort, reduce accidents, protect lives and property, and preserve the emirate’s urban identity.

According to the Law, Dubai Municipality is responsible for ensuring building safety and quality by developing a digital management system, maintaining a unified building database, conducting periodic assessments, setting standards for sustainability, and implementing measures and procedures to safeguard buildings, lives, and property. It also oversees maintenance, investigates incidents, applies corrective actions, promotes modern technologies, regulates materials, and manages the digital building portal.

The Law defines the roles of authorities overseeing construction in Dubai, including the Dubai Municipality, along with authorities supervising private developments and free zones such as the Dubai International Financial Centre. It also requires that a Quality and Safety Certificate be issued only after a licensed engineering office or firm conducts a comprehensive inspection and assessment of the building’s structural and technical condition, following the Law’s provisions and related procedures.

According to the Law, the owner of a building, including unit owners under Law No. (6) of 2019 on Joint Property Ownership in Dubai, must obtain a Quality and Safety Certificate after the building’s completion, ensure any defects identified in inspections are corrected, and follow the procedures set by the relevant authority.

Under the Law, building owners must hire a licensed engineering office to assess the building and prepare a technical report for the Quality and Safety Certificate, carry out periodic maintenance for buildings under 20 years old, and fix any defects that threaten structural safety, lives, property, or surrounding buildings. Owners must allow authority inspections, enable repair works, and continue maintenance even after obtaining the certificate. The Law also defines the responsibilities of building management and the engineering office and sets rules for authority inspections to ensure the building meets certification requirements.

The validity of the Quality and Safety Certificate is 10 years for buildings less than 40 years old from the date of their completion certificate, and five years for buildings 40 years or older. The certificate can be renewed for similar periods, with the conditions and procedures for renewal determined by a decision issued by the Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai (TEC).

According to the Law, in cases where a building is approved for demolition, the rules for vacating tenants set out in Law No. (26) of 2007 on Regulating the Relationship between Landlords and Tenants in Dubai and its amendments apply. Tenants who vacate under this Law have priority to return to the building after reconstruction or completion of maintenance and repairs, at the same rental value agreed in their original lease, unless otherwise agreed by both parties.

Violators of the Law or its decisions face fines from AED100 to AED1,000,000, with repeat offences within two years subject to doubled fines up to AED2,000,000.

Relevant Authorities may also suspend building permits, stop any transactions or approvals related to the building with government or private entities, including the Dubai Land Department, and halt lease certifications for units in the building until the violations are corrected. Imposing fines or administrative measures does not prevent holding the violator accountable under civil or criminal law, and engineering offices or contractors remain responsible for fulfilling their legal obligations.

The Law permits anyone subject to a decision, action, or measure under this Law to submit a written appeal to the Municipality’s Director General or relevant authority within 30 days from being notified. A committee will resolve the appeal within 30 days, and its decision is final.

The Law allows the competent authority to seek help from government bodies, including the police, who must assist promptly.

Building owners, contractors, and engineering offices must comply within one year from the Law’s effective date. The Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai may extend this deadline if necessary.

The Director General of the Dubai Municipality or relevant authority issues decisions to implement the Law, except those reserved for the Chairman of TEC.

Any provisions in other laws that conflict with this Law are annulled. The Law will be published in the Official Gazette and will take effect 60 days after publication.

THE ART OF NUANCE AND LIGHT

With Alta Rosa, Parmigiani Fleurier introduces a new expression of the Tonda PF Automatic 36 mm, not as a color variation, but as the continuation of a coherent chromatic and architectural research.

At Parmigiani Fleurier, each new tone is conceived as part of a palette built over time, not a succession of effects, but a disciplined exploration of nuance that gradually defines the Maison’s visual language.

Color is never treated as an applied effect. It is approached with the same care as a caliber: calibrated, contextual, and inseparable from proportion, light and material. Here, time is not conceived as a statement, but as a presence: calm, assured, quietly choreographed.

Alta Rosa belongs to this logic, which underpins every recent interpretation of the Tonda PF collection.

GUILLOCHÉ AS A LANGUAGE OF LIGHT

The rose tone of Alta Rosa is neither decorative nor symbolic. It is conceived as a mineral chromatic field, restrained and composed, designed to evolve according to light rather than dominate it.

The light here is never frontal. It is soft, diffused, almost filtered, as if passing through a veiled atmosphere rather than striking a surface.

From the outset, the Grain d’Orge guilloché of the Tonda PF collection was conceived as a language rather than a motif. A surface designed to receive light, to temper it, and to return it with restraint. In the Tonda PF, guilloché is not ornamentation, but structure; a deliberate way of shaping light so that color, relief and reflection speak together in a coherent horological grammar.

Seen through the sapphire crystal and its anti-reflective treatment, it reveals depth without insistence, enriching the dial while preserving its quiet balance.

What results is not a visual effect, but a sensation, a dial that seems to breathe with the light, revealing its depth only to a patient gaze.

FORM GUIDED BY PROPORTION

Applied 18ct gold rhodium-plated indices and skeletonized deltashaped hands reinforce this philosophy. Reduced to their essential geometry, they ensure legibility while maintaining the dial’s compositional equilibrium.

Housed in a 36 mm stainless steel case, Alta Rosa is defined by proportion rather than presence. Its slim profile and the measured alternation of polished and satin finishes allow light to glide across surfaces rather than fragment them.

On the wrist, this proportion translates into a sense of ease a watch that occupies space without ever imposing itself.

The platinum 950 knurled bezel, emblematic of the Tonda PF collection introduces a discreet precious element, perceptible through touch as much as through sight. A sapphire crystal with

anti-reflective treatment preserves optical clarity, while 100 meters of water resistance ensures everyday usability.

MECHANICAL CONTINUITY

Alta Rosa is powered by the in-house PF770 automatic manufacture caliber, developed and produced within Parmigiani Fleurier’s workshops.

Beating at 28,800 vibrations per hour and offering a 60-hour power reserve, the movement combines reliability with refined finishing. Visible through the sapphire case back, it features Côtes de Genève and hand-beveled bridges.

The skeletonized 22ct rose gold oscillating weight polished and sandblasted subtly echoes the dial’s tonality. Here again, continuity prevails over contrast.

A CONTINUATION OF A COHERENT VISION

Within the Tonda PF collection, Alta Rosa does not represent a stylistic departure. It refines an established language. As with architecture or modern painting, Parmigiani Fleurier approaches

continuity not as repetition, but as coherence, the patient construction of a vocabulary where color, light and proportion evolve together.

The 36 mm format, historically rooted in classical watchmaking, reinforces this approach: a scale chosen for balance and precision, not for trend or gender. With Alta Rosa, this philosophy finds a new tonal expression, emotional yet composed, contemporary yet timeless.

A rose held in suspension. A watch in balance. Time, gently elevated.

The landscape of global health and life science is set for a seismic shift as the first-ever Global Biotechnology Summit prepares to open its doors on June 10–11, 2026, at the Beach Rotana, Abu Dhabi. 

Positioned as a powerful engine for transformation, the Summit represents a defining moment for the biotechnology sector, where visionary science converges with strategic investment and global collaboration. Far beyond a traditional conference, GBS serves as a dynamic platform built to accelerate scientific breakthroughs, cultivate cross-border alliances, and unlock high-impact opportunities across biotechnology, precision medicine, advanced therapeutics, and next-generation health innovation. 

“The Global Biotechnology Summit is where we stop talking about the future and start building it. This isn’t just about discovery; it’s about the delivery of hope and health on a global scale.” 

Industry Titans: The Confirmed Top Speakers 

The Summit proudly announces its first lineup of confirmed industry leaders, representing some of the most influential institutions driving global healthcare transformation: 

• Dr. Asma Al Mannaei – Executive Director of the Health Life Sciences Sector, Department of Health – Abu Dhabi 
• Albarah El-Khani – Chief Operating Officer, M42 Health 
• Yendry Ventura, MD – Chief Executive Officer, ADSCC 
• Boyd Chongphaisal – Vice President & General Manager, Gulf, GSK 
• Ayman El-Hussein – Managing Director, Siemens Healthineers, UAE 

These distinguished leaders will spearhead high-impact discussions on biotechnology advancement, AI integration in healthcare, regulatory evolution, translational research, strategic partnerships, and the commercialization of cutting-edge innovation. 

By the Numbers: A Global Gathering of Influence 

The Global Biotechnology Summit is expected to convene: 

• • 1,200+ Senior Industry Professionals & Decision-Makers 
  • 75+ International Speakers & Thought Leaders 
  • 50+ Sponsors & Exhibitors 
  • 300+ Global & Regional Brands 

• 50+ Media & Supporting Partners 

A Platform Where Science Meets Strategy 

GBS is built to bridge innovation with investment, research with regulation, and ambition with execution. It will provide a high-level B2B platform for governments, multinational corporations, biotech startups, venture capital firms, academic institutions, and healthcare providers to collaborate and drive tangible outcomes.  

From advanced genomics and sustainable biomanufacturing to digital health ecosystems and next-generation therapeutics, the Summit will spotlight the technologies and partnerships redefining the global biotechnology sector. 

Organized by Resolute Market Intelligence, the Global Biotechnology Summit (GBS) is poised to emerge as the region’s premier biotechnology gathering with a strong international footprint. 

Secure your place today and position yourself at the forefront of global biotechnology innovation, register now at Submit Your Enquiry | Global Biotech Summit 2026

For further information and partnership inquiries, please contact: info@globalbiotechexpo.com,+971 52 226 9761 | +44 203 929 2043 

Artificial intelligence initially threatened to replace consultants. Now, it is giving them a boost—at least for a little while.

The Ministry of Economy and Tourism said that, in light of ongoing regional developments, the tourism sector in the UAE continues to operate in accordance with directives issued by the relevant authorities, with close and continuous monitoring of various developments.

The Ministry clarified that hotels, resorts, tourist and cultural landmarks, and shopping centres across the country are welcoming guests and providing services within the approved regulatory frameworks, with full adherence to safety and quality standards, reported WAM.

The Ministry added that the concerned authorities are monitoring operational conditions and occupancy levels on a daily basis to ensure the continued smooth delivery of services and to address any challenges that may arise swiftly and efficiently.

The Ministry called on visitors to communicate directly with accommodation establishments or tourism service providers to obtain the latest details regarding reservations or programmes.

The Ministry emphasised that the safety and comfort of visitors remain its top priorities, noting the ongoing close coordination with its partners in the sector to ensure the stability and continuity of the tourism experience in the country in accordance with current circumstances.

For its part, the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi confirmed that hotels, tourist attractions, entertainment experiences, cultural sites, and museums throughout the emirate continue to operate as usual, welcoming visitors and providing services normally.

The Department indicated that it is maintaining continuous coordination with the relevant government authorities to ensure the necessary support is provided to visitors currently in the emirate, as well as to partners, employees, and all members of the local community, thereby enhancing the visitor experience and maintaining the continuity of the tourism sector.

In the same context, entertainment destinations on Yas Island continue to welcome visitors daily, offering a wide range of family activities and experiences, especially during the spring season and the official school holiday period.

The island’s entertainment cities remain open to visitors, including Ferrari World Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, Yas Waterworld Abu Dhabi, Warner Bros. World Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, and SeaWorld Yas Island Abu Dhabi. These destinations offer a variety of entertainment experiences suitable for all ages.

These destinations are witnessing a turnout from families keen to take advantage of the official school holiday to visit tourist attractions, museums, and entertainment destinations that offer a variety of programmes and activities combining entertainment, education, and knowledge.

Global AI-first cloud communications platform Infobip today announced the opening of its new data center in Saudi Arabia, reinforcing its long-term commitment to the Kingdom’s fast-growing digital economy and positioning Infobip as a trusted partner for enterprises and government organizations requiring strict data sovereignty, security and regulatory compliance.

Enterprises across Saudi Arabia are facing increasing data residency and regulatory requirements, particularly in highly regulated sectors such as government, finance, healthcare and large enterprise. At the same time, AI services often face latency and reliability challenges when compute resources and sensitive data are hosted outside the region.

Infobip’s new in-Kingdom data center addresses these challenges by enabling AI workloads to be deployed and run directly within Saudi Arabia, ensuring data remains hosted and processed locally, without being transferred beyond national borders.

Amsal Kapetanovic, Head of KSA at Infobip, comments:  “Saudi Arabia is rapidly advancing its digital economy and accelerating its Vision 2030 ambitions, making trusted, in-country digital infrastructure more important than ever. In times of regional uncertainty and heightened geopolitical tensions in the Gulf, having sovereign, locally hosted data centers isn’t just a regulatory convenience; it’s a strategic necessity. With our new data centre in the Kingdom, enterprises and government entities can run AI workloads locally, meet regulatory requirements with confidence, and maintain continuity even during crises, benefiting from secure, low-latency infrastructure that supports innovation at scale while enhancing digital sovereignty and operational resilience.”

By investing heavily in the Kingdom, Infobip is signaling its long-term ambitions in the region while enabling faster, more reliable AI-driven responses across conversational channels and customer engagement services. The new data center will be available for enterprise and public-sector customers across Saudi Arabia seeking compliant, sovereign AI compute and storage within the Kingdom.

From the very beginning, Rolls-Royce has been defined not only by elegance, craftsmanship and superlative engineering, but by individualism, rebellion and a willingness to defy convention. This spirit was embodied by the marque’s founders themselves. Although their backgrounds could scarcely have been more different, both Sir Henry Royce and The Hon. Charles Stewart Rolls rejected the limitations of their circumstances in pursuit of greatness.

Henry Royce overcame poverty, illness and a lack of formal education to become one of the world’s great engineers, creating what the media describes as ‘the best car in the world’, and ultimately being knighted for his achievements. Charles Rolls, born an aristocrat and educated at Cambridge University, could have lived a life of privilege. Instead, he chose the danger and discipline of early motor racing and aviation, becoming a pioneer in both. Today, both men would be described as disruptors: visionaries who shaped the world by daring to do things differently.

That same spirit of self-expression and creative defiance has echoed through Rolls-Royce’s history ever since. It found its most contemporary and powerful expression in Black Badge, the marque’s alter ego.

EARLY PRECEDENT: 1928 ROLLS-ROYCE 20 H.P. BREWSTER BROUGHAM

During the ongoing digitisation of the Rolls-Royce archives, marque historians formally documented a motor car whose daring specification anticipated the Black Badge aesthetic by almost a century.

In 1928, a Rolls-Royce 20 H.P. Brewster Brougham was delivered with a striking and highly unusual addition: its Spirit of Ecstasy and radiator grille were finished in black rather than the traditional bright metal. This treatment would have been exceptional at a time when polished chromium symbolised modernity and prestige. Yet this client chose a darker, more assertive expression, anticipating by almost a century the codes that would later define Black Badge.

The motor car was commissioned by J. E. Aldred, a founding financier of Rolls-Royce of America, Inc. Configured for his use in New York during the late 1920s, it reflected the tastes of a new, cosmopolitan generation who expressed their success through bold, progressive design. That sensibility extended beyond the motor car: Aldred later commissioned the landmark Aldred Building in Montreal, a striking Art Deco tower defined by geometric forms and rich, dramatic interiors. His decision to specify a black Spirit of Ecstasy and radiator grille was entirely consistent with this confident, urban aesthetic, which continues to shape Black Badge commissions today.

THE FIRST TRUE EXPRESSION: 1964 ROLLS-ROYCE PHANTOM V

While earlier motor cars anticipated elements of this darker aesthetic, the spirit of Black Badge can be traced to a single, remarkable motor car. In 1964, The Beatles released A Hard Day’s Night, galvanising their status as the most famous band on Earth. That December, John Lennon ordered a new Rolls-Royce Phantom V from R. S. Mead of Maidenhead. He specified that it should be black everywhere, inside and out, including all the brightwork normally finished in chromium or stainless steel. Built by coachbuilders Mulliner Park Ward, his Phantom V was delivered in deep black gloss, including its bumpers and wheel discs. Only the Pantheon grille and Spirit of Ecstasy remained in chrome.

The motor car also featured darkened, reflective Triplex Deeplight glass in the rear doors, quarterlights, backlite and division. Lennon explained why in a 1965 interview with Rolling Stone: “It’s for when you’re coming home late. If it’s daylight when you’re coming home, it’s still dark inside the car. You just shut all the windows, and you’re still in the club.”

Inside, the rear suite was trimmed in black Bedford cord cloth with black nylon rugs, while the front featured black leather. It carried electric aerials for a radio and a Perdio Portarma television, along with seven pieces of black fitted luggage. Reports of a record player, fridge, telephone and even a pull-out bed persist, though these may have been later additions.

This motor car, uncompromising in its subversive intent and unapologetically unique, is now regarded as the spiritual progenitor of Black Badge.

A NEW GENERATION

It would take more than half a century and a technological revolution for this aesthetic to re-emerge as the defining expression of rebellion in luxury. In the early 2010s, a new generation of entrepreneurs began approaching Rolls-Royce. They had built their success at a young age, frequently leveraging new technologies and platforms to completely reshape industries. They projected their influence unapologetically, demanding exquisitely crafted products and uncompromising experiences, but with a dynamic edge and a defiant attitude that reflected their lives, their ambitions and their daring. Their taste defined new codes of luxury: darker in aesthetic, more assertive in character and bolder in design.

As the world’s pre-eminent super-luxury brand, they were naturally drawn to Rolls-Royce, and celebrated the marque’s effortlessly powerful V12 powertrain, commanding design and peerless material palette. Yet, they requested a more disruptive treatment that reflected the personal worlds they were creating: dramatic, expressive and modern.

THE FORMIDABLE ALTER EGO

Crafting an officially sanctioned response to this group was the subject of careful internal debate. It would require the marque to create a dedicated space within the brand for a more daring expression of Rolls-Royce, one that could coexist with its contemporary, classically inspired and globally celebrated identity. The result was Black Badge.

Black Badge motor cars introduced vivid new colours and technical materials, matched by a more powerful, agile and sonorous dynamic character, tailored to self-drivers who wanted to wield the power of a Rolls-Royce themselves, rather than be chauffeured. To signal their commitment to this disruptive group, designers cloaked the marque’s most precious assets – the Spirit of Ecstasy figurine, Pantheon grille and double-R ‘Badge of Honour’ – in black.

Black Badge motor cars were also given a symbol of their own: the mathematical symbol for infinity, marking the birth of a distinct universe within Rolls-Royce. It evokes the seemingly endless surge of power delivered by Black Badge-tuned V12 engines and honours Sir Malcolm Campbell, who piloted the Rolls-Royce-powered Blue Bird K3 hydroplane to a record-breaking 130 mph in the 1930s, carrying the same emblem, and expressing the same audacious spirit.

ENGINEERED DARKNESS

Rolls-Royce designers wished to present this bold new expression of the brand to the world in a signature treatment: one of the motor car industry’s darkest blacks. To create it, 45 kg (100 lbs) of paint was atomised and applied to an electrostatically charged body-in-white before being oven-dried. The motor car then received two layers of clear coat before being hand-polished by four craftspeople to produce the marque’s signature high-gloss piano finish.

At between three and five hours in duration, this operation was entirely unknown in series production, creating a unique and peerless intensity. This depth of darkness also provided the perfect canvas for a bright, high-contrast, hand-painted Coachline.

To match the dramatic coachwork, the marque’s Bespoke Collective of designers, engineers and craftspeople collaborated to develop a process that allows Rolls-Royce hallmarks such as the highly-polished Spirit of Ecstasy and Pantheon grille to be presented in black. Instead of painting these icons, a specific chrome electrolyte was introduced to the traditional chrome plating process that is co-deposited on the stainless-steel substrate, darkening the finish. Its final thickness is just one micrometre – around one hundredth of the width of a human hair. Each of these components was precision-polished by hand to achieve a mirror-black chrome finish before it was fitted to the motor car.

Specially designed Black Badge wheels enhanced the stance and presence of the motor car, signalling a more intense dynamic character. This was enabled through a Bespoke engine tuning that increased the power and torque output from the marque’s signature powertrain. Unique transmission and throttle calibrations to better exploit this increased potency were introduced, the chassis was lowered, reinforced and subtly stiffened, and a distinctive exhaust system that announced Black Badge’s arrival was fitted.

All V12 Rolls-Royce motor cars are equipped with a discreet ‘Low’ button on the gear selector stalk, allowing the driver to hold lower gears when required. In Black Badge motor cars, this existing control was recalibrated to access an additional reserve of power, reflecting the subtle and considered manner in which Rolls-Royce engineers approached this more urgent treatment.

Inside, new materials were developed that reflected Black Badge motor cars’ enhanced dynamism, drawing on technical palettes from the world of aerospace. Rolls-Royce artisans explored surfaces including carbon fibre through an entirely new lens, celebrating its intricate weave as a source of beauty rather than function. It was interlaced with fine threads of aluminium just 0.014 mm in diameter, then finished with six coats of lacquer, cured for 72 hours and hand-polished to a deep lustre.

Mirror-finished metal surfaces were also darkened in line with the Black Badge aesthetic. Interior brightwork, including the marque’s distinctive ‘eyeball’ air vents and Bespoke Audio speaker frets, was treated using a technique called Physical Vapour Deposition, one of the few metal-colouring processes that ensures parts will not discolour or tarnish over time, or with repeated use.

When clients experienced the motor cars for the first time, their response was emphatic: Rolls-Royce had perfectly captured the spirit these individuals wished to project by applying its uncompromising approach to craft to a bold new aesthetic philosophy.

THE BLACK BADGE CANON

The Black Badge legend was established in 2016 with the debut of Black Badge Wraith and Black Badge Ghost at the Geneva Motor Show. The dynamic intent of Black Badge was confirmed almost immediately. At the Goodwood Festival of Speed that same year, a Black Badge Wraith was driven up the rain-soaked hill by racing driver Justin Law and recorded one of the fastest timed runs ever achieved by a Rolls-Royce motor car, placing it among the five quickest road cars of the weekend. In doing so, it outpaced several purpose-built mid-engined sports cars, demonstrating that Black Badge delivered not only visual intensity but genuine dynamic substance.

Black Badge Ghost and Black Badge Wraith were followed by Black Badge Dawn in 2017 and Black Badge Cullinan in 2019. While Black Badge motor cars were often presented in a signature dark treatment, many clients drawn to the marque’s alter ego chose to express it in vividly individual ways. They commissioned notably vibrant exterior hues, either selecting from Rolls-Royce’s prêt-à-porter palette of more than 44,000 colours or creating entirely new Bespoke finishes of their own. Inspirations included a vivid lime green recalling the Australian green tree frog, a luminous red inspired by the blossoms of the ‘Ōhi‘a lehua, and a deep, iridescent purple drawn from the exotic butterfly Rhetus periander.

As the Black Badge universe grew, so too did the experiences that surrounded it. Black Badge ownership came to encompass gatherings and moments that echoed the bold, disruptive spirit of the motor cars themselves, from private night-time driving experiences on closed airport runways and immersive takeovers of underground music venues to highly choreographed handovers staged in dramatic industrial settings.

This culminated in the launch of Black Badge Spectre, with a highly exclusive fleet of clandestine motor cars. Following the launch of Spectre, clients made clear that they were eagerly anticipating its Black Badge counterpart. In response, Rolls-Royce granted a select group early access to these specially commissioned motor cars, ahead of the official reveal in 2025, on the strict condition that their ownership would remain secret – an unprecedented gesture that reflected both the confidence of the marque and the discreet, rebellious spirit of these clients. Their unequivocally positive response to Black Badge Spectre, and the motor car’s daring treatment that had been developed in their image, provided strong validation of the most powerful Rolls-Royce in history.

A DECADE OF INFLUENCE

In the decade since it was created, the disruptive clients for whom Black Badge was conceived have embraced Bespoke with the same conviction that first drew them to Rolls-Royce. They have worked directly with the marque’s designers, engineers and artisans to translate their own unique codes of collecting and connoisseurship into Black Badge motor cars, creating commissions that draw on influences far beyond the traditional luxury canon. These range from vintage video-game culture and collectable sneakers to graffiti art, land-speed records, influential nightclubs, and even the digital economy.

Notable examples of these landmark private collections and private commissions include Black Badge Adamas (2018); Black Badge ‘Neon Nights’ paint trilogy (2020); Black Badge Landspeed (2021); Black Badge Wraith Black Arrow (2023); Black Badge Cullinan ‘Blue Shadow’ (2023); Black Badge Ghost Ékleipsis (2023); and Black Badge Ghost Gamer (2025). This spirit has also extended into the marque’s collectables, with the Cameo desktop sculpture and Rolls-Royce luggage now available in the same subversive treatment.

As Black Badge enters its second decade, the template it has set echoes across the super-luxury sector. Demand continues to grow for ever more expressive interpretations of Black Badge around the world. Rolls-Royce will respond with an expanding portfolio that further intensifies the Black Badge experience for those who continue to shape luxury on their own terms.

Kaspersky has uncovered a new phishing scheme that abuses legitimate Google Tasks notifications to trick corporate users into revealing corporate login credentials. By leveraging Google’s trusted @google.com email domain and notification system, attackers bypass traditional email security filters and exploit users’ trust in familiar services.

In this campaign, victims receive an authentic-looking notification from Google Tasks with the subject line “You have a new task.” The message creates the illusion that the recipient’s company has adopted Google‘s task management tool, pressuring them to act quickly. The notification often includes elements of urgency, such as a high-priority flag and a tight deadline, to prompt the victim’s immediate response.

Upon clicking the embedded link, users are directed to a fraudulent form disguised as an “employee verification” page, where they are asked to enter their corporate credentials under the pretense of confirming their status. These stolen credentials can then be used for unauthorized access to company systems, data theft, or further attacks.

“Google’s vast ecosystem of services gets exploited by scammers. The scheme with Google Tasks is part of a broader trend observed before and continuing into 2026, where cybercriminals misuse legitimate platforms to distribute scams and phishing. Notifications originating from legitimate domains naturally evade many spam and phishing filters, while the social engineering aspect – making it seem like an internal company process – lowers the victim’s guard,” comments Roman Dedenok, Anti-Spam Expert at Kaspersky.

To counter this and similar threats, Kaspersky recommends:

• Treat unsolicited invitations from any platform with suspicion, even if they appear to come from trusted sources
• Carefully inspect URLs before clicking
• Do not call any phone numbers indicated in suspicious emails – if you need to call support of a certain service, it is best to find the phone number on the official webpage of this service
• Report suspicious emails to the platform provider and use multi-factor authentication for all accounts
• For corporate users, Kaspersky Security for Mail Server with its multi-layered defense mechanisms powered by machine learning algorithms provides robust protection against a wide range of evolving threats and offers peace of mind to businesses in the face of evolving cyber risks
• For individual users, Kaspersky Premium offers AI-powered anti phishing features designed to help avoid phishing attacks and improve overall cybersecurity

The workplace can be a tricky place to navigate. Almost everything we do at work—identifying the experts, managing tough feedback from a boss, figuring out how to work in teams made up of different personalities—comes down to our ability to manage relationships. And to do so, we need savvy social skills.

Most employees acquire those skills over time—by learning from their nonwork relationships, watching how colleagues behave in the office, and by seeing what happens when they stumble in their own workplace interactions.

Global AI-first cloud communications platform Infobip, which celebrates its 20^th anniversary this year, is set to launch its AI-native fully managed solution AgentOS. The new platform builds on Infobip’s recently launched AI Agents, the intelligent foundation for autonomous customer communications. AgentOS is a major step in Infobip’s evolution from communications platform to intelligent orchestration layer for the AI era, enabling businesses to move from campaigns and workflows to autonomous, goal-driven interactions.

AI communication models enable autonomous customer communications, hyper-personalization and highly engaging content across multiple channels. However, AI agents need a unified view of all customer touchpoints to deliver such benefits. Businesses must eliminate data silos. Yet readiness is low. Few enterprise AI agent projects reach production due to unstructured data and internal barriers. AgentOS overcomes these barriers, operationalizing AI safely and at scale across the enterprise.

AgentOS combines Infobip’s Conversational Customer Data Platform with real-time journey orchestration to deliver one and two-way contextual engagement across all natively integrated channels. The platform unites marketing, sales and support into one AI-native platform to connect every customer touchpoint into a seamless journey. This means fewer disconnected tools, faster execution and measurable improvements in customer conversion, satisfaction and lifetime value.

Infobip’s real advantage lies in its human-in-the-loop model, where AI manages scalability and efficiency, and human specialists intervene to address complex issues, continuously training and refining the AI agents. Retailers and eCommerce companies are at the forefront, delivering hyper-personalized experiences, while healthcare and finance sectors are quickly embracing AI-powered solutions to improve patient care with a strong focus on trust, security, and regulatory compliance.

Moreover, modular components, MCP interfaces, open APIs, and intuitive user interface elements enable fast deployment, integration or standalone use. Brands can start with one use case, enhance customer experience and scale to other use cases quickly. Built-in security and compliance ensure every interaction is trusted, giving enterprises the confidence to automate without losing control. Automation and analytics power hyper-personalized engagement and operational efficiency at scale.

Krešo Žmak, Chief Innovation Officer at Infobip, said: “AgentOS is the control layer where AI agents, data, channels and customer intent come together to decide what happens next in every interaction. It leverages our omnichannel foundation to enable AI agents to operate autonomously across SMS, RCS, email, WhatsApp, voice, and more, adapting in real-time to optimize content, channel and timing based on customer context. With more than 15 natively integrated channels, Infobip is uniquely positioned to deliver agentic AI at scale.”

 Infobip has integrated Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers into its platform to provide AI agents with communication superpowers. By creating a universal language where AI agents can interact with third-party systems, Infobip’s MCP servers enable AI agents to book flights, set up two-factor identification and more. No matter if a brand uses an Infobip or third-party agent, they can make the most of Infobip’s global omnichannel communications platform to complete real AI-first customer tasks end-to-end.

Saudi Arabia’s enterprise technology landscape took center stage as the Digital Transformation Summit KSA 2025 convened the Kingdom’s most influential technology leaders, C-suite executives, and digital innovators for a powerful day of strategic dialogue and collaboration. Hosted by Exito Media Concepts, the summit underscored the Kingdom’s accelerating momentum toward becoming a globally competitive, AI-driven digital economy aligned with Vision 2030. 

Bringing together CIOs, CTOs, CFOs, AI leaders, and transformation heads from leading enterprises, the summit served as a high-impact platform where digital ambition met execution. With enterprise AI, data platforms, cybersecurity, legacy modernization, and digital trust dominating the agenda, DTS KSA reinforced its role as a catalyst for strategic enterprise transformation across the Kingdom. 

Opening Remarks: Shaping the Kingdom’s Enterprise Tech Future The summit commenced with welcome remarks by Exito Media Concepts, setting the tone for a day focused on leadership accountability in digital transformation. The opening narrative emphasized that in today’s AI-driven economy, technology is no longer a support function, it is the engine of enterprise growth, resilience, and competitive advantage.

Saudi Arabia’s rapid digital adoption, expanding smart city initiatives, and sovereign cloud investments were positioned as clear indicators of the Kingdom’s commitment to building a future-ready digital infrastructure. 

Opening Keynote: The CEO’s AI and Digital Growth Blueprint

In the opening keynote, Sameer Joshi, IT Director at SPIMACO, addressed the evolving mandate of CEOs in the age of AI. He highlighted that digital leadership can no longer be delegated; it must be owned at the highest executive level. 

The session explored how CEOs must integrate AI enterprise-wide, strengthen data governance frameworks, and foster cultures of innovation aligned with measurable business impact. The discussion reinforced that sustainable digital growth requires leadership alignment, strategic clarity, and governance maturity. 

Bridging Strategy and Execution: ITIL and the Enterprise Impact Model 

Markus Bause, VP Product at PeopleCert, presented a compelling case for the modern evolution of ITIL as a framework that bridges digital ambition with operational impact. As enterprises adopt AI and data-driven platforms, governance and structured execution have emerged as critical differentiators.

The session demonstrated how ITIL enables scalable AI adoption, strengthens digital trust, and aligns technology initiatives with business outcomes, transforming experimentation into enterprise-wide value. 

AI, Agentic Systems, and the Evolution of Workforce Innovation 

Nadin Zureikat, Chief Revenue Officer at Elevatus, examined the shift from traditional AI systems to Agentic AI, systems capable of autonomous decision-making and continuous learning. The keynote emphasized how workforce innovation will increasingly depend on intelligent automation, AI-powered talent platforms, and scalable digital capabilities.

Complementing this perspective, Shafi Rasulov of IOMETE explored how AI is fundamentally reshaping enterprise data platforms. From hybrid and sovereign cloud environments to scalable AI-ready architectures, enterprises are rethinking data infrastructure to support advanced analytics and next-generation AI workloads. 

Fireside Chat: How the C-Suite Drives ROI in Digital and AI? 

One of the summit’s most impactful sessions brought together cross-functional leaders to discuss how organizations can translate digital investments into measurable ROI.

The panel explored common disconnects between CIO, CTO, CFO, and CDO functions and emphasized the importance of unified governance, integrated roadmaps, and shared accountability. The conversation reinforced that scalable transformation requires collaboration between finance, technology, and business strategy leaders. 

Modernization as a Strategic Imperative 

Legacy systems emerged as a recurring theme throughout the summit. Zahid Farooq of Red Sea Global highlighted how outdated infrastructure can hinder agility, scalability, and innovation. The spotlight session positioned modernization not as a technical upgrade but as a business imperative essential for compliance, cost optimization, and market responsiveness.

Similarly, Mohamed Elkady of OutSystems addressed the rise of AI-powered low-code platforms, empowering enterprises to accelerate development cycles while maintaining governance and architectural integrity. 

Cybersecurity in the Age of Quantum Risk 

Cyber resilience dominated the afternoon sessions. In the fireside chat titled “From Zero Trust to Quantum Threats,” industry leaders examined the growing complexity of digital risk. The discussion underscored Zero Trust as a foundational framework while also addressing the implications of quantum computing on encryption, infrastructure, and national digital resilience. The consensus was clear, cybersecurity must be embedded into digital transformation strategies from the outset. 

The CIO’s Agenda: Enabling Business Value Through Scalable Leadership 

The CIO-focused panel highlighted the expanding role of technology leaders as strategic enablers of enterprise growth. Discussions centered around managing tech debt, aligning AI initiatives with real-world business objectives, and redefining IT spend as strategic investment rather than operational expense.

The session reinforced that modern CIOs must balance innovation with governance, ensuring agility without compromising security, compliance, or operational continuity. 

Future Forward: AI, Data, and Digital Trust 

The closing fireside chat explored the next frontier of AI and digital infrastructure. As enterprises move from proof-of-concept experimentation to production-scale AI deployment, the emphasis has shifted toward high-quality data, secure private AI environments, and trust-by-design frameworks.

Speakers highlighted the importance of embedding ethics, compliance, and cybersecurity into AI architecture from day one, ensuring that innovation is matched with accountability and transparency. 

DT50 Felicitation and Closing Reflections 

The summit concluded with the prestigious DT50 felicitation, recognizing distinguished technology leaders driving transformative impact across Saudi Arabia’s enterprise ecosystem. 

The Takeaway 

The Digital Transformation Summit KSA 2025 was more than a conference — it was a strategic convergence of leadership, innovation, and enterprise ambition. Over the course of the day, Saudi Arabia’s technology leaders demonstrated a shared commitment to building scalable, AI-driven, secure, and value-oriented digital enterprises.

As the Kingdom advances toward its Vision 2030 objectives, DTS KSA reaffirmed that the future of enterprise transformation will be defined not just by technology adoption, but by visionary leadership, cross-functional collaboration, and digital trust at scale.

When it comes to rewarding workers financially, cash isn’t always king.

Companies frequently give employees monetary bonuses, but a new study suggests that paid vacation time is a perk employers should also consider.

The study’s authors say that while they didn’t explicitly look into whether employees prefer time off, the study found that receiving extra vacation time rather than bonus money makes workers feel less like a mere cog in a wheel and more like people who are recognised and valued as individuals with a life beyond work.

It makes them feel more human, in the researchers’ terms.

And that feeling benefits employers as well as employees, says Sanford DeVoe, a professor at the Anderson School of Management at the University of California, Los Angeles, and one of the study’s authors.

Feeling more human is strongly correlated with higher job satisfaction, greater engagement with work, better relationships with colleagues and less inclination to leave a job, he says.

Feeling seen

In one experiment, the researchers asked about 1,500 participants to recall times when they received a monetary bonus or paid time off—all had received both—and how that made them feel.

Participants responded to the question on a 7-point scale, from feeling more like a robot on the low end of the scale to feeling more human on the high end. Monetary bonuses were given an average score of 5.04, compared with 5.4 for paid vacation time.

“While that difference may sound modest numerically, it represents a meaningful psychological shift,” says DeVoe. “It’s the difference between feeling neutral and feeling genuinely seen as a person.”

The authors then sought to better understand why paid vacation time made employees feel more human. In another experiment, about 500 participants were asked to imagine starting a new job where they might be awarded a bonus. Some were told the bonus would be an extra week of vacation, others were told it would be an extra week of pay.

Participants were then asked about their expectations for being able to keep their work and home lives separate in the new job. Those who could hope for a bonus of extra time off expected more separation between their work and personal lives than those whose potential bonus would be extra pay.

They also reported feeling more human on the 7-point scale. This suggested to the researchers that time off makes people feel more human because it creates a clearer psychological distance from work than a monetary bonus.

No interruptions, please

In a third experiment, the researchers further tested the idea that clear boundaries between work and personal lives were driving their results.

Two hundred participants were told to imagine being on a vacation and receiving two texts, including one from their mother. Half were told the second text was from a friend and half were told the second text was from their boss.

The authors then measured how human participants felt after each scenario. The average score for those receiving a text from a friend was 5.4 on the 7-point scale, compared with 4.16 for those receiving a text from the boss.

The difference in the scores “demonstrates that even minimal work intrusions can undo the psychological benefits of time off,” says DeVoe. “It shows that it’s not just time away that matters—it’s whether work actually lets go.”

All of this is important for employers looking to get the most out of their workers, he says. “For managers concerned with sustainable productivity, giving people uninterrupted time away from work can be a powerful lever.”

The Ministry of Energy and Minerals, working with the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry, has conducted a series of meetings and field visits with mining companies across several governorates to assess operational challenges and the performance of digital services.

Officials said the initiative covered nine visits to OCCI branches, where companies provided feedback on licensing, applications and transaction processing. Issues raised included service timelines, clarity of procedures and access to online platforms.

The ministry said feedback collected during the visits is being reviewed for inclusion in upcoming development plans, with performance indicators to track improvements. Updates to several mining-related digital services are expected to be rolled out in phases.

The discussions also covered the use of the ministry’s digital platforms, including the Taqa investment portal, which supports tendering and licensing processes in the energy and minerals sectors, as well as other systems supporting supplier registration, emissions reporting and data management.

The initiative forms part of wider government efforts under the Tahawul programme to improve efficiency, transparency and private sector engagement in Oman’s mining sector.

The Department of Municipalities and Transport (DMT) and the Baku City Executive Power have signed a Twin City Agreement to deepen cooperation across urban planning, mobility, public transport and green infrastructure initiatives.

The partnership was signed during an official trip to Baku by Mohamed Ali Al Shorafa, Chairman of DMT, and Eldar Azizov, Head of Baku City Executive Power, building on a shared vision announced during the official visit of President Ilham Aliyev to Abu Dhabi earlier this year. The agreement sets out a commitment by both sides to enhance quality of life and advance sustainability-led urban development.

The signing followed high-level engagements with Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Digital Development and Transport and the AYNA Transport Authority, as well as technical site visits to key infrastructure projects in the capital. Together, they showcased the city’s rapid progress in delivering an ambitious, data-driven mobility transformation program.

Under the Twin City framework, both cities will collaborate on mobility transformation, digital twin and traffic operations, and other aspects of urban planning. It also encourages participation in exhibitions and events, benchmark studies between relevant institutions, and knowledge exchange in various aspects of city management.

The accord establishes clear governance mechanisms with shared key performance indicators, enabling each city to track progress and scale successful initiatives across their respective urban environments.

Commenting on the successful visit, Mohamed Ali Al Shorafa said, “It was a pleasure to visit Baku and reaffirm the strong ties the UAE has with Azerbaijan. This partnership reflects the close friendship between our countries and our shared vision for shaping livable, future-ready cities. Through this agreement, we will leverage collective expertise to drive meaningful long-term progress. In similar global partnerships, we have demonstrated that collaboration accelerates innovation and enhances quality of life.”

During a detailed technical walkthrough of the ‘28 May’ transport hub, named in honor of the country’s Independence Day, the DMT delegation was given the opportunity to examine passenger flows, wayfinding, and universal accessibility.

Furthermore, the group assessed White City, a flagship project within Baku’s Master Plan 2040, to understand how land-use policy and redevelopment align with mobility infrastructure.

Officials also toured Baku’s UNESCO World Heritage Old City to explore best practices in preserving urban environments and pedestrian prioritization.

Abu Dhabi has established other strategic alliances with Shenzhen, where a twinning agreement was signed in January 2024, and Brisbane, where a Sister City relationship has been in place for more than 15 years. These enduring connections demonstrate the Emirate’s ongoing commitment to working with world-class municipalities and city authorities to implement pioneering approaches to elevating livability standards.

The twinning relationship builds on the Comprehensive Economic Partnership (CEPA) and Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the UAE and Azerbaijan, announced during President Ilham Aliyev’s official visit to Abu Dhabi in February this year.

The UAE accounts for 50 percent of Azerbaijan’s trade with the GCC, with the CEPA agreement expected to contribute $680 million to the nation’s GDP and $300 million to the Azerbaijani economy by 2031.