The world’s biggest messaging platform, WhatsApp, has kicked off the new year with a suite of features and design updates aimed at enhancing user experience.

The updates – revealed by WhatsApp’s owner Meta – include creative camera effects, personalised selfie stickers, and improved message reactions, with a focus on making the platform more engaging and intuitive.

Here’s what users can expect in terms of the four key updates:

Revamped camera effects

Users can now transform their photos and videos with 30 new backgrounds, filters, and effects when sending media in chats. The move is designed to provide a more interactive and visually appealing way to communicate.

Personalised selfie stickers

WhatsApp has introduced the ability to turn selfies into custom stickers, a feature currently available on Android and set to launch on iOS soon. To create a sticker, users simply tap the “create sticker” icon, snap a selfie, and personalise their new digital expression.

Enhanced sticker sharing

The platform has also made it easier to share sticker packs. Users can now send entire packs to friends directly through their chats, adding a new layer of convenience to sharing popular stickers.

Quicker message reactions

Responding to messages is faster and more efficient with a new double-tap feature. Users can instantly react to messages and access their most-used reactions with a quick scroll, making conversations smoother and more dynamic.

WhatsApp is the world’s most widely used messaging app. According to Meta, it has 2 billion daily users who send more than 100 billion messages every day in 60 languages across 180 countries.

Some 400 million of those users are in India, WhatsApp’s biggest market, followed by another 120 million in Brazil.

Arab Health, the region’s leading healthcare event, will celebrate its 50th anniversary from January 27-30, 2025, at the Dubai World Trade Centre, following a successful 2024 edition with over Dhs9bn in business deals and a record 3,627 exhibitors.

The 2025 edition of Arab Health, which is being hosted under the theme “Where the World of Healthcare Meets,” is expected to surpass these figures. It will feature more than 3,800 exhibitors and attract over 60,000 visitors. The premier gathering serves as a vital platform for industry leaders, healthcare professionals, and innovators to converge, collaborate, and shape the future of healthcare in the region and beyond.

With the global healthcare market projected to hit a record $780bn by 2030, the Arab Health 2025 promises to be an even more impactful and transformative experience, offering a plethora of opportunities for attendees.

Here are the key highlights in terms of conferences happening at the event:

• World of wellness & healthcare ESG: Situated in the newly expanded Al Mustaqbal Hall, the Eco-Sphere is an all-new show floor feature hosting wellness and sustainability initiatives.
• Smart hospital & infrastructure forum: Backed by Cityscape, this immersive showcase will demonstrate innovative and sustainable healthcare technologies, highlighting seamless integration with state-of-the-art medical equipment to enhance patient care environments.
• Transformation Zone & Innov8 startup competition: A platform for aspiring entrepreneurs and innovators to showcase their groundbreaking ideas and connect with potential investors. The previous edition saw VitruvianMD win the competition for their technology, which combines biomedical engineering with artificial intelligence.
• Executive Networking Lounge: Network with influential healthcare professionals and discover new investment opportunities. This exclusive lounge is designed for high-level venture capitalists, angel investors, private equity firms, healthcare executives, multinational companies, and family offices.
• Future Health Summit: Returning with a focus on “AI in Action: Transforming Healthcare Delivery,” this invite-only summit will convene global experts to discuss artificial intelligence’s transformative potential in healthcare.

The four-day healthcare event will feature a wide array of educational opportunities, from 10 Continuing Medical Education (CME)-accredited conferences across various specialities to three new non-CME Healthcare Business Forums. The expanded Arab Health Village will provide a welcoming space for attendees to connect and unwind.

• 25th Total Radiology Conference
• 17th Obs & Gyne Conference
• 16th Quality Management & Patient Safety Conference
• 24th General Surgery Conference
• 8th Emergency Medicine & Critical Care Conference
• 2nd Infection Control Conference
• 2nd Decontamination & Sterilisation (CSSD) Conference
• 9th Public Health Conference
• Healthcare Leadership: Samson Global Leadership Academy
• HAYAT -The Annual Organ Donation and Transplantation Congress 2025

Healthcare Business Forums (Non-CME)

• EmpowHER: Women in Healthcare Forum
• Digital Health and AI Forum
• Healthcare Investment Summit

For more information and to register, please visit: https://www.arabhealthonline.com/en/Home.html

Read: Arab Health to mark 50th anniversary with landmark edition in Jan

Electric vehicles have recently taken over Dubai’s roads in a big way.

However, charging this eco-friendly transportation might be a task because of the location and the processes involved in charging the electric vehicles.

There are about 400 electric vehicle charging stations in Dubai, which can charge about 740 electric vehicles simultaneously.

Electric vehicle charging account

The very first step towards charging your electric vehicle is to have an EV (electric vehicle) account with DEWA. The users can log in to the account with their user ID or even a UAE Pass.

The ones who prefer to use the service in the guest mode need not register for the service.

How to charge your electric vehicle

Dubai residents driving electric vehicles, who have an EV account as well as the ones not registered with the DEWA EV account service, can charge their cars by scanning the QR codes on DEWA Green Charger stations.

These charging stations are available across Dubai.

The registered customers can also charge their vehicles using the EV Green Charger Card that can be received from DEWA.

Electric Vehicle Account holders can use the following ways to charge their vehicles:-

1- By using the DEWA smart app

While using the DEWA Smart App, the customers need to
• Scan the QR code on the EV Green Charger station
• On being directed to the charger details page, they would have to log in to their Online User ID or the UAEPass
• Lastly, select their EV account and follow the instructions that appear on the page to charge their vehicle

2- By using the smart device cameras

• The customers need to scan the QR code on the EV charger station from their smart device cameras, to be directed to the green charger details page
• This is where they need to log into their DEWA Online ID or the UAE Pass
• Select their respective EV to follow instructions and charge their vehicles

What EV Green Charger Card holders need to do

The EV Green Charger Card holders need to scan their card on the card reader placed on the station and follow the appearing instructions to charge their vehicle.

Not registered with the DEWA EV account service? Here’s what customers can do

1- Use the DEWA smart app

• The customers need to scan the QR code on the charging station, by using the smart app to be directed to the Green Charger details page
• They need to ‘continue as guest’ from there to get to the login page.
• Fill in their details next and verify their emails to select the charging package
• Lastly, they can make the payment based on the consumption, once the charging has been completed.

2- Use the smart device camera

• The users must scan the QR code on the charging stations and get to the details page
• They will have to fill in the form to use the Guest Mode service, verify their email, and select the preferred package
• Lastly, make the payments as per the consumption

Fees

Security deposit

• Individuals: Dhs500
• Business (commercial): Dhs500
• Government: Exempted from security deposit

Delivery charges:

• Individuals: Dhs20/-(With VAT)
• Business Dhs20/- (With VAT)
• Government: Dhs20/-(With VAT)

Consumption fees:

For individuals, businesses, and government officials

• AC charging: Dh0.7/kWh + VAT
• DC charging: Dh1.2/kWh + VAT

How soon can you start charging your vehicle after buying it

• 1 hour after completing the registration process
• EV Green Charger Card: Delivered within three days of registration
• EV guest mode users: Immediately

(With inputs from the DEWA Website)

Aldar Properties has launched a pioneering sustainability incentive programme aimed at rewarding suppliers with green bonuses, combining both financial and non-financial benefits.

The initiative, designed to support the UAE’s National In-Country Value (ICV) Programme, evaluates contractors based on a range of sustainability metrics, including recycling rates, renewable energy use, carbon emissions intensity, and efforts to eliminate single-use plastics.

The new programme was announced during Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, where Aldar also signed a collaborative agreement with the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT).

It is the first sustainability incentive programme of its kind in the region and aligns with the UAE’s Net Zero by 2050 target, the Industrial Decarbonisation Roadmap launched at COP28, and the Green Public Procurement Pledge.

Incentives based on sustainability performance

Suppliers will be evaluated through a rating system based on their sustainability performance. Key factors include sustainability data, the implementation of employee wellness programmes, and adherence to Aldar’s low-carbon materials policy. Participating contractors must also meet specific criteria related to worker welfare and sustainability metrics.

“Suppliers who align with these sustainability goals will be rewarded with various incentives, including financial bonuses, training opportunities, recognition, and expedited payments,” Aldar said in a statement.

Companies that have participated in the Real Estate Climate Pledge, launched by Aldar in partnership with MoIAT and the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, will also receive additional benefits. Over the past two years, more than 70 members have joined this initiative.

Aldar’s sustainability incentive programme further strengthens the company’s commitment to a low-carbon supply chain and sustainable construction practices for upcoming projects.

MoIAT and National ICV Programme Expansion

Salama Al Awadhi, Assistant Undersecretary for Industrial Development at MoIAT, expressed strong support for Aldar’s new programme, highlighting its role in advancing the UAE’s Net Zero objectives. “The National Strategy for Industry and Advanced Technology (Operation 300bn) focuses on enhancing sustainability within the industrial and service sectors as one of its key pillars,” she said. “The programme will stimulate local businesses, create more investment opportunities, and enhance the sustainability of the national supply chain.”

The National ICV Programme, which aims to increase local sourcing, has seen significant growth, with more than 6,500 companies obtaining the ICV certificate and over 8,000 ICV certificates issued in 2024, up from 7,000 in 2023. The programme’s expansion underscores the UAE’s efforts to create a more resilient and self-sufficient economy.

Aldar’s commitment to sustainability and local growth

Faisal Falaknaz, chief financial and sustainability officer at Aldar, emphasised the company’s dedication to supporting sustainable practices within its supply chain. “We are determined to implement a whole value chain approach to decarbonisation, working closely with our suppliers and encouraging them to integrate sustainability into their operations,” he said. “Incentivisation is one of the most effective ways to catalyse change, and we aim to set a standard for increasing the adoption of such programmes across the region.”

Aldar has also significantly contributed to the National ICV Programme, with the company contributing Dhs10.5bn in 2023, prioritising local businesses to channel spending into the national economy.

The newly launched sustainability programme is a cornerstone of Aldar’s ongoing efforts to foster a low-carbon economy and promote sustainable practices within the real estate sector.

The World Economic Forum’s (WEF) 20th edition of its Global Risks Report highlights a rapidly fracturing global landscape. Escalating geopolitical tensions, environmental crises, and technological uncertainties pose significant threats to stability and progress. While economic risks are less prominent this year, they remain deeply intertwined with societal and geopolitical challenges.

The report, which surveys over 900 global experts, policymakers, and industry leaders, identifies state-based armed conflict as the most immediate global risk for 2025, with nearly a quarter of respondents ranking it as the most pressing concern for the year ahead.

Misinformation and disinformation, which have continued to be major short-term risks for the second consecutive year, underline their persistent threat to societal cohesion.

These factors, along with extreme weather events, societal polarisation, cyber-espionage, and cyber-warfare, were cited as the most significant risks in the near term. Misinformation and disinformation are seen as exacerbating divisions both within and between nations, eroding trust and undermining governance.

In the long-term outlook, environmental risks dominate, with extreme weather events, biodiversity loss, ecosystem collapse, and natural resource shortages leading the rankings for the next decade.

Pollution, perceived as a major concern in both the short and long terms, reflects growing recognition of its harmful impacts on health and ecosystems across air, water, and land. Extreme weather events were identified as a prominent risk across all time horizons.

Additionally, technological risks remain a concern, particularly those related to misinformation, disinformation, and the potentially harmful outcomes of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. As AI evolves, the consequences of its misuse are expected to create more complex challenges over the next decade.

“Rising geopolitical tensions, a fracturing of global trust, and the climate crisis are straining the global system like never before,” said Mirek Dušek, managing director of the World Economic Forum. “In a world marked by deepening divides and cascading risks, global leaders have a choice: to foster collaboration and resilience, or face compounding instability. The stakes have never been higher.”

Growing fracture and fragility: A turbulent decade ahead, shows WEF report

The WEF survey reveals a stark outlook, with nearly two-thirds of respondents expecting a turbulent global landscape by 2035. Environmental, technological, and societal challenges largely drive this pessimism. More than half of experts foresee instability within the next two years, pointing to the widespread fracturing of international cooperation and the growing strain on global governance structures.

The long-term risks include rising societal issues such as inequality and societal polarisation, which continue to feature prominently in both short- and long-term projections. Respondents also express growing concerns over illicit economic activity, mounting debt burdens, and the concentration of strategic resources — all of which could destabilise the global economy in the coming years. These vulnerabilities, experts warn, could exacerbate domestic instability, erode trust in governance, and further complicate efforts to address global crises.

“There is no silver bullet to address these interconnected crises, but we must act now to avoid catastrophic consequences in the future,” said Mark Elsner, head of the Global Risks Initiative at the World Economic Forum. “Renewed efforts to rebuild trust and foster cooperation are urgently needed. The consequences of inaction could be felt for generations to come.”

The need for global cooperation: A pivotal decade

As divisions deepen and geopolitical competition intensifies, the WEF report stresses the urgent need for effective global cooperation.

With 64 per cent of experts anticipating a fragmented global order marked by competition among middle and great powers, multilateralism faces significant strain. However, turning inward is not considered a viable solution.

The decade ahead presents a pivotal moment for leaders to navigate these complex, interconnected risks. To prevent a downward spiral of instability, experts argue that nations must prioritize dialogue, strengthen international ties, and foster conditions for renewed collaboration.

“The world is at a critical juncture. The choices we make today will shape the global landscape for decades to come,” Dušek said. “Global leaders have the responsibility to work together to ensure a sustainable, resilient, and inclusive future for all.”