The countries of the Persian Gulf have adopted an unexpected civil protection measure against Iran’s attacks: teleworking

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When an employee in Riyadh receives an email from his company telling him not to come to the office the next day, the most common reason was usually a sandstorm, construction work, or a holiday. In recent weeks, the reason has been something else: the possibility that its offices, probably located in a downtown financial district, could become Iranian missile target. In the Persian Gulf, teleworking has ceased to be a post-pandemic convenience and has become a civil protection tool in the midst of a geopolitical crisis that has been repeated in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Bahrain since the start of the armed conflict between the US, Israel and Iran. Riyadh: the most visible offices, the first to be emptied. According to published Reutersseveral Western and Saudi companies in Riyadh this week expanded their teleworking recommendations via email or text message sent to their employees. The notices focused on employees working in the King Abdullah financial district, Faisaliah Tower, Business Gate and Laysen Valley, areas where major US banks, technology companies such as Microsoft and Apple, and the Saudi sovereign wealth fund itself are based. The arguments for adopting this measure were not unfounded. Iran threatened to attack American interests in the region in retaliation and, in fact, attacked several Amazon data centers in United Arab Emirates. The order to telework does not mean that this simple measure will keep the civilian population safe, but it does distance them from the international offices occupied by American companies. The Arab Emirates were the first to adopt teleworking. The United Arab Emirates were, in fact, the first in ordering teleworking for its employees, immediately after Iran’s first attacks. According to published the local newspaper Khaleej Times, The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratization asked private companies to adopt teleworking as a precautionary measure, keeping only workers whose physical presence was essential in their jobs. In those first attacks, four people were injured by debris from intercepted drones that fell on residential buildings, and damage was reported to the dubai international airportthe Burj Al Arab and the Palm Jumeirah. Teleworking recommended, not mandatory. The authorities of other countries in the region, such as Bahrain, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, also followed in the footsteps of the United Arab Emirates and recommended private companies adopt teleworking and restrictions on influx to offices due to the risk of Iranian missile attacks. Qatar, also punished for reprisals against US interests during the conflict, was another of the countries that activated teleworking protocols for its officials. However, something that all of them have in common is that none of them consider themselves as an obligation to teleworkbut rather companies are recommended to adopt teleworking, leaving the risk assessment to their discretion and that of local authorities. The Government of Dubai Media Office confirmed that the emirate’s private sector continued operating normally, with most business activities uninterrupted despite the risk of attacks. A region that learns to work under pressure. Although these countries are not officially at war with Iran, they are involved and targeted in Iranian attacks in retaliation against US and Israeli companies in the area. In this context, many fear that any escalation would lead Iran to attack critical infrastructure in the region more forcefully, which explains the caution of companies even after the announcement of the ceasefire reached in extremis during the early morning. trump qualified the pact of “total and complete victory.” But as negotiators work in Islamabad to turn that provisional ceasefire into a lasting agreement, Gulf companies continue to watch the calendar with one eye on the news and another on their security protocols to protect their employees. In Xataka | Working from anywhere was the dream of teleworking: not notifying those location changes can get you fired Image | Unsplash (Kate Trysh, Microsoft Copilot)

NASA says Artemis II’s Nutella jar is not advertising, but it is not the first brand to benefit from its missions

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When a good part of the people of a country or several countries are in front of the television united by the same interest, they become the most coveted audience for brands. Therefore, Nutella appeared casually in the NASA live broadcastjust when the Artemis II astronauts broke the record for the distance from Earth reached by humans, it seems like the best advertising in history. NASA denies that it was such a thing, but it is undeniable that brands will do whatever it takes to appear in their images and transmissions. The place, the moment and the perfect moment. It was 2 pm ET when a jar of Nutella passed in front of the cameras inside the Orion capsule, in which the four crew members of Artemis II had just broken a record. At 1:56 pm ET, the spacecraft was 406,771 kilometers from Earth, more than 6,000 kilometers further than Apollo 13 had reached in 1970. NASA broke a record, while the Nutella jar floated with its label perfectly visible. The publications on networks and memes did not take long to arrive, as did the responses from Nutella and NASA itself. NASA denies advertising. The press secretary of the US space agency, Bethany Stevens, denied that it was advertising in statements to Futurism: “NASA does not select crew meals or food in association with brands.” A legal loophole. NASA does not advertise brands on its space missions. However, there have been companies that have found a way to advertise themselves. For example, in 1984 Coca Cola designed a can that worked in weightlessness in such a way that the drink remained bubbly without leaving the container. When it became aware of this idea, Pepsi also wanted to get on the bandwagon. Both received approval from NASA to test their cans aboard the STS 51-F mission. Its astronauts tested the effectiveness of the dispenser and the taste of the drinks with results that the space agency did not consider optimal. Therefore, the decision was made that carbonated drinks are not part of the astronauts’ menu. Nowadays They can drink coffee, tea, orange juice, lemonade or flavored breakfast drinks, but not these types of soft drinks. space pizza. As if the soft drinks weren’t enough, in 2001 there was another brand that wanted its moment of space glory. Since the issue of drinks turned out to be complicated, at this time it was a pizzeria that wanted to adapt its products to the space. Pizza Hut’s marketing people figured that if that didn’t propel their brand to stardom, nothing would. For this reason, they prepared a lighter space pizza, to facilitate its transportation, which was also made in airtight containers. The ingredients were carefully chosen so that they could be preserved longer and were as nutritious as possible. The final result was sent to the International Space Station on Russia’s Progress spacecraftso in this case it is true that it was not a NASA thing. It is also true that the pizzeria itself did not deny at the time that, beyond looking for new food options for the astronauts, what they were mainly looking for was advertising. Eat in space. The task of eating in space is increasingly pleasant. While it is true that fresh foods should still be avoided and priority is given to dehydrated and vacuum-packaged options, astronauts have many options to choose from. They can even bring treats or foods that remind them of home, as in the case of Jeremy Hansen, who has taken the Orion capsule. various traditional Canadian dishes and ingredients. Therefore, it could be that some member of the crew chose to bring Nutella as a sweet treat. The decision of a Mexican astronaut from carrying tortillas for fajitas in its day has led to them being one of the most used ingredients in space today. A whim or craving can have a great future in space food. Although in the case of Nutella it seems that it has been more useful for the brand than for the future of the space. An uncertain future. Space missions like Artemis II are exceptional today, but the goal of space agencies is for them to be part of their routine in the future. Therefore, it would not be unusual for brands to find a way to include advertising in their broadcasts. If they become a routine, there won’t be as many people on the other side of the screen, but it will still be very profitable for them. As it has been for Nutella; Well, deliberately or by chance, it has possibly had the best publicity in its history. Image | NASA | Nutella In Xataka | A study has tried to find out why space food is so bad: it’s not the food, it’s the astronauts

Sleeping in on the weekend seems like the perfect solution to your tiredness. Your body has a very different opinion

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Sleep eight hours a day religiously is for many a goal that they almost never manage to achieve, since the alarms sound too early and the days lengthen, accumulating a dream debt which we tried to settle on Saturday morning. But here the question is obligatory: are we achieving anything by sleeping 10 hours on Saturday? The answer. Here science has wanted to investigate the debate about whether doing this recovery sleep technique on weekends is useful or is a temporary patch. And the truth is that there are endless different options that mean we don’t have a ‘yes’ or a ‘no’. Cardiovascular shield. At first glance, science seems to agree with people who decide that the weekend is for sleeping, since several studies suggest that it is quite positive for our health. One of these analyzed more than 90,000 people and concluded that the group that accumulated more compensatory sleep on the weekend had a lower risk of developing heart disease. And more specifically, these people had up to 20% less risk of suffering from coronary heart disease. On the other hand, another study used data from the NHANES surveys carried out in 2018 and noticed an association between recovering hours of sleep and a lower prevalence of cardiovascular diseases, which is something that stands out especially in patients who slept less than 6 hours during the week. There is small print. In science there are contrary points, since researchers, when they affirm measurement methods and look beyond self-completed questionnaires, reality is more complex. Here is a study with 70,000 people who used accelerometers to objectively measure sleep threw cold water on previous evidence by pointing out that compensatory weekend sleep is not associated with lower mortality or fewer cardiovascular events. More alterations. Apart from all this, different scientific reviews point out that the evidence is heterogeneous, pointing out that sleeping more on the weekend does not always manage to correct problems such as insulin sensitivity, which is altered after previous days of sleep restriction. And it is known right now that biologically, lack of sleep triggers complex processes such as insulin resistancethe activity of the sympathetic nervous system and systemic inflammation. And all this cannot be fixed in a silly weekend of sleeping a few more hours, since a much longer sleep regulation would be needed to once again have an optimized biological system. Beyond the heart. Although we usually focus on the engine of our body, the reality is that there are effects much further than that. In the case of mental health, science suggests that weekend recovery carries a lower risk of depression. But other articles on health-related quality of life suggest that the “optimal” duration of recovery sleep is not the same for everyone, and can vary greatly depending on the sex and chronotype of each individual. The verdict. Right now science tells us that there is an association, but not a proven coincidence. In this way, trying to pay off your sleep debt on the weekend is undoubtedly better than continuing to sleep little seven days a week, but it is not a metabolic time machine. What you have to keep in mind is that the final effect will depend on how much deficit you carry during the week and how many hours you try to achieve, but in the end the medical advice that we should stick with is that the objective is to have consistency in daily rest so that it is as optimal as possible. Images | Slaapwijsheid.nl In Xataka | We have accepted that “deep sleep” is the standard for sleep quality: science points in another direction

transforming desert sand into the cheapest and most durable road material in Africa

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Honda is experiencing one of its most complicated moments. On the one hand, it has canceled several launches of its electric cars in North America, has paralyzed the development of Afeela which it developed in collaboration with Sony and has announced losses of around $15.7 billion. Now they are in a moment of restructuring to get out of the slump, but they have not left aside some of their most experimental projects. One of them is PathAhead, a startup that emerged from its internal incubator that has presented a construction material made of desert sand with which it intends to pave roads in Africa. The problem they want to solve. Only about 20% of African roads are paved, according to data from Honda itself. This figure has a direct impact on the region’s economy, since in the end a place where transportation access is difficult makes logistics more expensive, limits access to markets and slows down development. Furthermore, according to the firm, conventional materials for road construction (natural sand and crushed stone) present variations in resistance depending on their geological origin, which makes it difficult to guarantee uniform quality. The solution: desert sand turned into arid. As we have mentioned before, the company behind this project is called PathAhead, and it has developed a material that it calls Rising Sand. The company describes it as the world’s first artificial aggregate made from desert sand. The process consists of agglomerating fine grains of sand (about 100 micrometers in diameter) into larger, more uniform particles using heat and pressure, increasing their resistance. Image: Nikkei Asia The result, according to the company, is roads with a useful life of more than 20 years, double that of those built with conventional materials, and a life cycle cost that is 60% lower, according to its estimates. The deployment plan. PathAhead plans to begin demonstration trials in Kenya in 2027, followed by Tanzania and South Africa. If the results are positive, mass production will begin in 2028 in its own factory in that country. The startup’s financial goal is to reach revenue of $270 million by 2034. The company has so far raised about 136 million yen (approximately $850,000), with Honda as one of its investors. Where PathAhead comes from. The startup was born within the Ignition program, which Honda launched in 2017 to encourage the creation of new businesses among its employees. Masayuki Iga, its founder and CEO, worked for years at Honda’s research center developing automotive materials. “I created PathAhead with the desire to apply the technologies and knowledge accumulated in that experience to directly address the challenges of our society,” declared Iga during the presentation in Tokyo. Why it draws attention now. Sling has increased its spending on R&D by 55% in the last five years, to exceed one trillion yen in the recently closed fiscal year. That the company maintains and even expands its commitment to internal innovation while undergoing a profound restructuring of its core business is, at the very least, a sign that it does not want to reduce its long-term bets. If PathAhead can prove that its material works on an industrial scale, it could become more than just an experimental project. We’ll see if it ends up having a place in the industry. Cover image | Sling In Xataka | The car industry has condemned the manual gear shift to extinction. A company wants to avoid it: BMW

EEEU vetoed the largest Chinese drone manufacturer. He did not expect that he would be left without the largest Chinese drone manufacturer

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In December 2025, the US government banned DJI, making it the Huawei of drones. It was an absolutely crazy idea.with American drone pilots themselves warning about the Trump administration’s terrible decision. To no one’s surprise, the play did not go well. what happened. Late last year, the United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC) decided ban all drones and critical components of these small aircraft that were manufactured in foreign countries. The measure affected the import of new drones, remaining existing ones operational. But the government did not take into account a small detail: DJI is the main reference in drones worldwide and, literally, there are no alternatives. What is happening. Already in 2025, Greg Reverdiau, co-founder of the Pilot Institute in Arizona, conducted a survey in which 8,000 pilots participated. 85% made it clear that they could stay in business for about two years. From then on, without access to DJI drones, the outlook was unsustainable. Photographers Videographers Farmers Surveyors Emergency services Security forces Major figures in the industry make it clear that no one is going to replace the gap that DJI has left, whether in capacity, affordability, reliability or ease of use. The alternative. GoPro launched a drone, Karma, in 2018. It failed and was never heard from again. Companies like Parrot also launched consumer drones almost ten years ago, but today there is no trace of them. American companies like Skydio have pivoted completely towards defense, with drones worth thousands of dollars and million-dollar contracts with the US military. When asked if they intended to manufacture drones for consumption, the answer was a clear no. Goodbye to 90%. DJI dominated the US drone market with a 90% share, and there are no real alternatives to replace drones that are reaching the end of their useful life. With no possible DJI replacement in sight, the question is no longer who will take over, it’s how long the current fleet will last before volunteer firefighters, farmers and rescue teams run out of work tools. In Xataka | Best drones. Which one to buy and recommended models from 50 to 3,500 euros

Spain has been building a bridge with China for years. Now it is the European Union that needs to cross it

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Pedro Sánchez is going to land in China this week for the fourth time in three years. No other Western leader comes close. Why is it important. What seemed like a diplomatic eccentricity has become a trend. A year ago, Spain seemed an outlier in Europe due to its favorable and close stance towards China. Today it is France, with its calls for tougher trade measures against the Chinese government, who seems isolated, according to analyst Noah Barkin in his specialized newsletter. Watching China in Europe. The context has changed everything: the war in Iran, the volatility of the Trump government and the tariff as a political weapon have pushed Europe towards where Spain already was. The context. In recent years, Spain has attracted a constellation of Chinese companies while maintaining a discourse of rapprochement with China that the rest of the EU viewed with skepticism, if not suspicion. The map of Chinese presence in the country is already considerable: The result of all this rapprochement is also reflected in capital flows: Chinese investment in Spain went from 149 million euros in 2024 to 643 million in 2025, an increase of 331% in a single year. Nevertheless, has done little to reduce Spain’s large trade deficit with the Asian giant. The pattern is known: investment arrives, but Spanish exports do not grow at the same rate. Openness has a price. Between the lines. Barkin describes it like this: Pedro Sánchez has positioned himself as the most openly pro-China and Trump-critical leader in Western Europe. This gives Spain a position as unique as it is uncomfortable. Being China’s favorite interlocutor on the continent means assuming the diplomatic costs of that position when the EU needs to maintain a common voice vis-à-vis China. The contrast. While Spain opens its arms, the European Parliament cautiously reopens its ties with China after eight years of distance. A delegation of MEPs visited China this week on the first official trip since 2018, with a clear message, according to coverage by Traffic light China: commitment does not mean concession. The European Union negotiates with one hand and shields with the other. Spain, on the other hand, has opted for the extended hand, practically alone. The big question. Is Spain a pioneer or a lever? A pioneer sets the path that others end up following because it is the right one. A lever is an instrument that others use for their own purposes. Barkin warns that Spain is following the Orbán model: welcoming Chinese investment without the necessary checks and balances. The comparison may be unfair in its nuances, but it points to a very real risk: that the Spanish opening strategy lacks the reciprocity that Europe needs to negotiate as a bloc. In Xataka | Donald Trump’s tariffs are having an unforeseen effect on China: its factories are getting stronger Featured image | ZQ Lee, Sam Williams

the battlefield is divided between camera yes or camera no

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“Morons with a camera in their faces”, this is how Will Wang described the users of Ray-Ban Meta glasses during a interview with Financial Times. Who is this man and why does he say that? Wang is the CEO of Even Realities, a Shenzhen-based startup that (surprise!) also sells AI glasses, but with an important difference. No cameras. It is Even Realities’ commitment to differentiate itself in the emerging market for glasses with artificial intelligence. His glasses do not have a camera to avoid “social friction”, something he Meta’s glasses can’t boast so much. Furthermore, recently we learned that Ray-Ban Meta records when you take them off and everything recorded was viewed by contractors in Kenya. It is the perfect marketing campaign for Even Realities, which boasts that its glasses only collect essential data, they do not store data in the cloud unless the user explicitly consents, and when they do, the data is always encrypted and sensitive information is eliminated. Why is it important. If Even Realities’ proposal succeeds (and with the controversies that Meta is accumulating, it has options) we may be facing a division of the AI ​​glasses market into two categories: On the one hand, glasses with cameras, like the Ray-Ban Meta, which see and record what is happening around us. On the other hand, tubeless glasses like those from Even or Mijia that function more as an extra help for the user and that does not affect the rest of the people we come across in any way. Even G2. This is the name of the latest model of the Chinese brand. The Even G2 have microphones, speakers and a screen integrated into the glass so that only the user can see it, similar to that of Meta Displaybut in this case it is a panel of monochromatic (green) micro LEDs. Among its functions are real-time translation up to 35 languages, voice-controlled teleprompter, GPS navigation notifications with visual indications and a voice assistant with AI. The Even G2 now They can be purchased for 700 eurosmuch more expensive than the Ray-Ban Meta Gen 2 which costs 419 euros. Wang has an explanation for this price difference: “They are losing money (…) the only way it makes sense to them is if they can really benefit their model by collecting data,” he assured the Financial Times. This is what the internal screen of the Even G2 looks like. Image: Even Realities What does Meta say about all this? Regarding Even Realities they have limited themselves to describing it as a “Chinese competitor wannabe” and insists that the data does not come out of the glasses unless the user gives permission. What they do not say is that, by agreeing to use the AI ​​assistant, we are also agreeing to give up voice, text, image and video. That is, if you want to use Meta AI, you have to jump through the hoops and the fact that it is specified in its terms of use does not make it any less questionable. The market already has a leader (for now). Despite the controversies, Meta continues to lead this new category at a great distance from its adversaries. According to the consulting firm OmdiaMeta has 85% of the market and has already sold 7.4 million units of its glasses. There is an important fact and that is that the vast majority of glasses with AI are in the US, so perhaps the ranking could change if this product becomes popular in another country, especially China, which is already registering the fastest growth. Image | Even Realities, Meta. With own edition In Xataka | The Oakley Meta Vanguard promise to be the athlete’s glasses. Three weeks later, my nose has a different opinion

What competitions will you see in this new sports offer?

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Disney and ESPN have announced the launch of ESPN on Disney+ in 53 countries in Europe and Asia-Pacific, including Spain. With this movement the global presence of the sports brand expands to approximately 100 markets all over the world. For Spanish subscribers, the news means access, above all, to NBA, NHL and American university sports, on the same platform where they already watched Marvel or Star Wars (or the Women’s Champions League). LaLiga and the men’s Champions League, however, continue on other platforms. What exactly is coming. The initial offer will vary by market, with specific content for Spain to be confirmed, as well as the landing date. What is assured for all territories: NBA and NHL starting with the 2026-27 season, American university tournaments including the men’s and women’s March Madness, college football with the College Football Playoff, and events such as the Little League World Series. The complete collection of ’30 for 30′ documentaries, a library of sports films, and the football analysis program ESPN FC are added. What there was already. From the 2025-26 season, Disney+ is the exclusive home of the UEFA Women’s Champions Leaguewith all 75 matches available at no additional cost to subscribers. The production is carried out by ESPN, which was already launching its sports presence on the continent. The platform chose a growing niche sport so as not to collide head-on with DAZN and Movistar in the terrain where they are most armored. Where are LaLiga and the men’s Champions League. The Spanish televised football market is locked and the term is long. Movistar Plus+ and DAZN share the ten games of each LaLiga matchday until the 2026-27 season, and in November 2025 they already renewed that agreement for the next cycle. The agreement covers seasons 2027-28 to 2031-32with five games per day for each operator. Disney did not participate in that tender. The situation in the men’s Champions League is just as airtight. Telefónica obtained exclusive rights to all UEFA competitions (Champions, Europa League, Conference League, Youth League and Super Cup) for the Spanish market between 2027 and 2031. This shields Movistar from any competitor until at least 2031 in the most followed competition on the continent. On the other hand, as already was discussed last yearDisney+ shows more interest in the English market, where it acts as the main operator, than in Spain. And outside of Spain? The panorama is very different. In the United Kingdom and Ireland, Disney+ exclusively broadcasts Saturday night LaLiga matches, an agreement in force until the 2027-28 season. In the Nordic countries, Disney+ has rights to the Copa del Rey, UEFA Europa League, Conference League and DFB Pokal. In Latin America, ESPN has been integrated into Disney+ for years with LaLiga, Champions League, Premier League and practically all top-level European football. The sport matters as much as the series. Streaming platforms have been detecting for years that series and movies alone do not retain subscribers with the same effectiveness as live sport. The women’s Champions League was a very calculated bet by Disney+ and the arrival of ESPN to 53 countries It is the next phase of that strategy. It’s also not the first time that ESPN has tried to establish itself in Europe: the brand already operated linear channels on the continent before withdrawing them when its strategy pivoted towards the streaming. As in Latin America, its plan now incorporates ESPN as a hub within a platform, Disney+, with existing subscribers. In Xataka | “What a service, do I pay for this?”: this is how LaLiga’s massive IP blocks are causing reputational and economic damage

Our brain is “rotting” based on infinite scrolling. Someone has left their cell phone for 14 days to see if there is a way back

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Today it is a reality that most of us live glued to a screen, and this is something that is documented in studies that point out, for example, that on average we review an average of 200 times the phone throughout the day, which is equivalent to looking at it approximately every five minutes. In fact, 46% of users consider themselves “dependent” on the device and 53% say they have never spent more than 24 hours without it. But what really happens in our heads if we decide to cut corners and return to the analog era? A test. To answer this question, CNN journalist Bill Weir decided to test this premise to commemorate Apple’s 50th anniversary. In this way, for 14 days Weir kept his iPhone in a box and replaced it with a basic phone like the ones we had 15 years ago, with which we could only send SMS with a non-touch keyboard and a low-resolution camera. From here the sensations he had were observed, but a group of scientists behind him were also monitoring his brain through brain scans. The results. After two weeks of disconnection, the journalist’s reaction times improved by 23%, and his brain activity also increased significantly, causing his brain connectivity to become more coordinated and organized. Subjectively, Weir experienced a much better recovery in his ability to concentrate and also noted a sharp decrease in the need to consume social media after the first week. The changes. It is no coincidence that the term “brain rot”, translated as brain rot, was crowned the neologism of the year in 2024 for the Oxford dictionary, since it is a concept closely linked to be swiping all the time with your mobile. And clearly the excessive use of smartphones and all the applications they contain is leaving a physical mark on our brain anatomy. It’s proven. MRI-based research, including a National Library of Medicine publication in 2023, they point out that problematic smartphone use is associated with a reduction in gray matter in the brain. And if we go into something more specific, it was seen that there was a smaller volume in the anterior cingulate cortex, the orbitofrontal cortex, the fusiform gyrus and the striatum. These areas are fundamental for emotional regulation, decision making and impulse control, making these alterations similar to those observed in addictions to harmful substances such as drugs. And supported. A study published in 2025 analyzed individuals for 72 hours without a mobile phone using functional magnetic resonance imaging, and the results indicated that withdrawal triggered brain activations identical to those of addictive withdrawal syndromes, followed by notable cognitive improvements. Digital amnesia. Beyond anatomy, our daily cognitive abilities are in free fall, and science suggests that the average attention time before an interruption has gone from about 2.5 minutes to about 47 seconds, blaming the accelerated digital pace here. And the culprit again is the smartphone, since a study published in 2017 analyzed to 520 participants and demonstrated that the simple presence of the smartphone on the table, even face down, consumes and exhausts our cognitive attention resources. This is why we should opt for better control of the time we dedicate to social networks or the smartphone in general, since the benefits of quitting are many. Images | freepik In Xataka | Smartphones are destroying our memories. The big question is whether we should care

The war has led many expats to look beyond Dubai. In Italy there is already a city willing to take advantage of it

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He skyline It may be Dubai’s most recognizable feature, however in recent decades the city has gained something much more important (and complicated) than its skyscrapers: prestige. For years the expats half the world has seen in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) a destination in which to settleattracted by their tax advantagesadministrative facilities, luxury and stability of the country. Now the shock wave of the Iran war is erasing some of that image and has led some expats to look for alternatives in safer cities. An Italian city already appears on the horizon. The other bill of war. As with all wars, that of Iran It looks a lot like a set of dominoes. Operation ‘Epic Fury’ launched on February 28 by Washington and Tel Aviv on Iran ended the life of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, supreme leader of the Islamic regime; but that was only the first step of the war. The first in a long chain of pieces. Since then the conflict has escalatedaffecting international markets, skyrocketing the price of crude oil and infecting the rest of the Persian Gulf. We had the most graphic proof in the first days of the war, when Iran harshly punished some US allies in the region, including the UAE. Their attacks blocked Gulf airspace, unleashed the biggest crisis of aviation since the pandemic and left images that until recently were unimaginable, such as luxury residences attacked by Iranian drones. Reputation blow. The casualty toll in the UAE is relatively low (the Emirati authorities numbered at 13 those killed during the attacks launched by Iran), but the reputational damage has yet to be measured. For decades, the Emirates knew how to carve out a niche for itself as a favorite destination for expats from other countries. As explained a few months ago Guillaume Giroux, of the Dubai Inmo firm, in cities like Dubai, fortunes found tax facilities, bureaucratic agility, stability, an attractive real estate market and a high standard of living, especially for people accustomed to luxuries. Some of that magnetism remains, but the Iran war has tarnished the image of a safe, reliable and ‘boring’ (in a good way) destination created by the UAE. Has it changed that much? Public discourse certainly has. If it is news for hosting more than 81,000 millionaires or attract thousands of residents wealthy in just one yearDubai has made headlines for the chaos unleashed by the Iranian war. At the beginning of March Financial Times spoke of people driving 10 hours to cross the border into Oman, desperate to leave the region. In Guardian even they assured that a jet company was asking 85,000 euros (triple the normal amount) for a flight to Istanbul. They are specific cases, but they punish the UAE’s global projection. Looking for alternatives. It is unlikely that Dubai will suddenly lose the image that has been built up for years and it remains an unknown what the effect of the war will be in the medium and long term. there are those already warn that he is not considering leaving the Emirates. None of the above means that there are already millionaires looking for alternatives. I confirmed it recently Guardian in a chronicle explaining that as Dubai sees its reputation as a safe haven erode, there is expats thinking about the best way to return to Europe. The article, signed by Lauren Almeida, focuses on British billionaires, but still leaves out an interesting idea: when looking for European destinations, there is one in particular that seems to be winning. Which? Milan. “Those leaving the UAE can easily imagine themselves living in Rome or Milan, metropolitan and international centres,” point Armand Arton, who is dedicated to advising millionaires on citizenship and investment plans. Why’s that? For a sum of factors. In a way, Milan offers the rich a package similar to the one they find in Dubai: a attractive tax regimea rising real estate market (something especially interesting for those who buy with an investment mentality) and above all luxury. It’s nothing new. In September the Italian edition of Idealista explained that Milan was becoming one of the most attractive destinations in Europe to attract great fortunes. “Italy offers the best advantages: single tax and good quality of life,” insist Arton. “It’s a beautiful country. Milan has a very developed financial services sector, many of the things that are attractive in London, Milan also has them,” adds Marc Acheson of Utmost Wealth Solutions. This sum of factors, added to its environment, schools, services and cosmopolitan lifestyle, explains that the Italian city be home now from some of Europe’s biggest investors and bankers. Also the increase in price of your home. Luxury and something more. The attractiveness of Italy as a city is not the only factor that explains its ability to attract expats. Another is its tax policy. In 2017 the country introduced the “single rate”also known as “Ronaldo tax” and that it is designed precisely to attract wealthy foreigners. In summary, the regime allows new residents (foreigners and returned Italians) to pay 300,000 euros annually for income obtained outside the country. It may seem like a high tax, but as its name indicates, it is applied in a fixed manner, regardless of the base amount, which makes it an interesting option for large fortunes. Until recently, its amount was also lower, making it even more attractive. When it was introduced, the “single rate” amounted to 100,000 euros annual. In 2024 that figure rose to 200,000 and did not reach its current level, of 300,000 euros, until this year. This tax advantage can be enjoyed for only 15 years, but it has extras. Marking distances. It’s not just about what Italy has done. As explains the Golden Visas platform, the Italian system gained attractiveness after in 2024 United Kingdom review its tax regime for non-domiciled residents and for Portugal to also rethink its system. Reuters precise that in 2023 around 1,500 people took advantage of the single rate regime in Italy, … Read more

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