Tell us about QBurst and the work QBurst has done in the region.

QBurst is a design-led digital engineering company powered by High AI-Q, combining AI-enabled delivery with applied AI and data-driven approaches to help enterprises modernise, build, and scale.

The Middle East is central to our growth story. We recently appointed Shivkumar Subramaniam as regional head, Middle East, based in Dubai, to anchor our presence and strengthen our ability to serve enterprises and governments across the region.

In the Middle East, QBurst is particularly active in the realty, retail, government, and industrial sectors:

• Real estate: We serve as a key tech partner for top-tier UAE developers, digitising property bookings and implementing AI-driven tenant management systems across the UAE, Qatar, and Jordan.
• Government: QBurst works closely with government agencies. We have developed a unified mobile payment application for a Middle Eastern nation’s Ministry of Finance, serving as the official electronic payment platform for tourists and residents.
• Retail and e-commerce: For one of Kuwait’s largest retail franchise groups, we re-engineered the digital commerce architecture for over 70 global brands, enabling high-speed, localised e-commerce experiences across the GCC and Türkiye.
• Industrial AI: We recently implemented Generative AI solutions for a major regional mining firm, allowing executives to retrieve complex operational KPIs via voice and text, reducing data retrieval time by over 50 per cent.

QBurst specialises in applied AI, cloud, product engineering, data engineering and analytics, QE, and a host of business platforms.

What are the tech trends QBurst is seeing in the region, especially given the current scenario?

Geopolitical developments are influencing how organisations prioritise and pace their investments, but momentum around AI, data, and digital transformation continues. AI is increasingly seen as a core driver of the enterprise.

We’re seeing a shift toward agentic AI, where systems move beyond prediction to action, understanding context, orchestrating workflows, and driving decisions with minimal human intervention. For this model to scale, a strong, unified data foundation is critical.

Across much of the region, data remains fragmented. Consolidating data platforms into governed environments is becoming a priority. Cloud adoption is also accelerating, with hyperscalers establishing local infrastructure, easing previous concerns around data sovereignty, particularly in government and financial services.

What kind of opportunities QBurst sees, and why is there a focus on government in adopting and adapting AI?

Governments in the Middle East are not just participants; they are the primary drivers of AI adoption, using it as a strategic lever for economic diversification, operational efficiency, and citizen experience. Enterprise adoption typically follows government vision, as seen previously with e-commerce and digital services.

For QBurst, this creates opportunities in data, cloud, and Agentic AI. Governments are investing in unified data platforms, sovereign cloud environments, and AI-led services. As a mid-sized partner, QBurst brings the three As, Access, Attention, and Agility, combining large-scale capability with nimble execution, helping clients move from AI ambition to scaled execution.

How does SDAIA’s AI governance model set a benchmark for the Middle East?

Saudi Arabia’s SDAIA model prioritises human-centric AI, emphasising privacy, security, and reliability. It includes fairness and ethical impact assessments, helping CEOs innovate faster with reduced risk.

Globally, AI governance models are evolving: the US is passing laws to override state-level restrictions, while the EU is delaying strict enforcement to enhance competitiveness. SDAIA’s framework stands out by providing a foundation that can evolve, including a national AI index to benchmark and guide sustainable AI maturity.

What lessons from SDAIA’s approach could apply to global enterprise AI strategies, and how is QBurst working with these authorities?

SDAIA’s ethical framework treats fairness as a design requirement, ensuring AI upholds human rights and cultural values.

Our work in insurance, healthcare, and recruitment demonstrates the need for such guidelines. Models can unintentionally discriminate, using proxies in insurance underwriting, introducing bias in healthcare diagnostics, or favouring certain demographics in recruitment. SDAIA’s framework shows that fairness can be built into AI design, balancing ethical responsibility with business performance.

What are your Middle East growth plans?

The GCC accounts for around 10 per cent of QBurst’s revenues and is a strategic priority. We are scaling our regional presence with Shivkumar Subramaniam in place as regional head, adding onsite and domain-specific talent, strengthening technology partnerships, and building GCC-tailored accelerators. Our industry focus spans retail, hospitality, manufacturing, realty, and high tech. We also plan to collaborate with clients, industry leaders, and partners to create roadmaps for high AI maturity and adoption.

How will agentic AI revolutionise the way people do business?

Chat and traditional AI interfaces delivered limited productivity gains. Agentic AI moves from Information to Action. McKinsey’s 2025 Global AI Survey shows 23 per cent of organisations are already scaling AI agents, with another 39 per cent moving beyond simple chat projects.

Human work often spans multiple systems and steps. Chatbots can provide information, but cannot act in the physical world. Agentic AI, however, can plan, react, and collaborate within strict guardrails, functioning as ‘digital workers.’ Interfaces are evolving too, with voice, gestures, and always-on agents. Enterprises that adopt agentic frameworks grounded in governance, human oversight, and domain understanding will lead the next decade.

Residents across the UAE can expect generally fair to partly cloudy skies on Monday, with cloud cover increasing at times by night, particularly over western regions and offshore islands, according to the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM).

Winds are forecast to remain light to moderate, occasionally freshening and causing blowing dust. In a statement, the NCM said winds will range from north-westerly to south-westerly at speeds of 15 to 25 km/hr, with gusts reaching up to 45 km/hr, a WAM report said.

Read more-High winds hit Dubai: What’s driving unstable weather conditions?

Sea conditions are expected to be rough to moderate in the Arabian Gulf, while similar conditions will prevail in the Sea of Oman.

Unstable weather pattern through early April

The relatively calm start to the week comes amid a broader forecast of unstable weather conditions expected to persist across the UAE until early April.

“The country will experience a noticeable drop in temperatures, followed by relative stability before rainfall chances return midweek,” the NCM said in an earlier statement.

Humidity is expected to increase during morning hours over some internal areas, while skies will remain partly cloudy alongside a general decrease in temperatures.

Midweek rainfall and temperature swings ahead

Looking ahead, weather conditions are forecast to shift beginning Tuesday, when partly cloudy skies may turn cloudier with a chance of light to moderate rainfall across scattered areas. Temperatures are expected to rise slightly during this period.

By Wednesday, conditions are likely to become more intense, with cloudy skies and rainfall that could turn heavy in northern and eastern regions during daytime hours. Temperatures are expected to drop again, particularly in western parts of the country.

Winds during this period will shift from southeasterly to northeasterly, becoming stronger and more variable. Speeds are expected to range between 15 and 25 km/hr, with gusts reaching up to 45 km/h, especially over the sea.

Sea conditions are also forecast to deteriorate, becoming rough to very rough at times in the Arabian Gulf and moderate to rough in the Sea of Oman.

Authorities have advised residents to remain cautious, particularly in open areas where blowing dust may reduce visibility. Mariners are also urged to take note of rough sea conditions, especially during periods of stronger winds.

The NCM continues to monitor developments closely and will issue updates as conditions evolve, particularly as rainfall activity intensifies midweek.

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has announced an alternative assessment framework for Class 12 students in West Asian countries after cancelling board examinations due to ongoing geopolitical disruptions.

In a notification dated March 27, 2026, the board confirmed that exams scheduled between March 16 and April 10 across countries including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman and Iran have been cancelled due to “extraordinary circumstances.”

The move follows earlier postponements and reflects CBSE’s decision to prioritise student safety while ensuring results are declared on time for higher education admissions.

Assessment to combine completed exams and internal performance

CBSE said results will be calculated using a mix of completed board exam performance and school-based assessments, depending on how many papers each student has taken.

Students who appeared in all registered subjects will have their results based on actual exam performance. For those with incomplete exams, CBSE will rely on internal assessments, including periodic tests, half-yearly exams and pre-board results conducted by schools.

For subjects with higher theory weightage (70–80 marks), the best of three assessments — quarterly, half-yearly or pre-board — will be considered. For subjects with lower theory weightage (30–60 marks), final pre-board exam scores will be used for evaluation.

The board emphasised that the framework aims to ensure “valid, reliable, fair and unbiased results” despite the absence of full examinations.

Multiple student scenarios covered

The notification outlines several categories of students, including those who appeared in all subjects, some subjects, or none at all.

Students with one pending subject under the compartment category will have their results declared based on available performance or will be allowed to sit for supplementary exams scheduled in July 2026.

Meanwhile, candidates who did not appear in any examination conducted up to March 28 will be marked absent and assessed as per CBSE examination by-laws.

No change to practical and internal marks

CBSE clarified that practical and internal assessments — which are conducted throughout the academic year — will remain unchanged, as schools have already uploaded these scores.

The board has also directed schools to upload final marks between April 6 and April 13, 2026, warning that once submitted, data cannot be altered.

More details can be found here.

Bahraini industrial group Foulath Holding, the parent company of Bahrain Steel and SULB (United Steel Company), said on Sunday that it has declared a state of force majeure on selected operations due to ongoing regional developments in the Middle East.

In a statement posted on the company’s website and carried by the Bahrain News Agency, Foulath said rapidly evolving conditions, including airspace restrictions, disruption to certain maritime routes and heightened security risks, have created circumstances beyond its control, affecting operations and supply chains across parts of its business.

Foulath Holding declared force majeure as a precautionary measure

As a result, the group said it has temporarily suspended certain operational activities until conditions allow a safe resumption, noting the decision was taken as a precautionary measure to protect employees, contractors and stakeholders.

The move reflects broader logistical and security challenges for firms in the region as tensions persist and disruptions to transport and supply networks continue.

Foulath said it is monitoring developments and will continue engaging with customers, suppliers and partners.

Earlier in the month, Bapco Energies BSC (Closed), Bahrain’s integrated energy company, declared force majeure on certain group operations following the ongoing regional conflict in the Middle East and a recent attack on its refinery complex.

Pakistan said on Sunday it was preparing to host “meaningful talks” to end the conflict over Iran in coming days even though Tehran said it is ready to respond if the US moves in with soldiers on the ground.

Speaking after talks between regional foreign ministers, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said they had covered possible ways to bring an early and permanent end to the conflict in the region as well as potential US-Iran talks in Islamabad.

“Pakistan will be honoured to host and facilitate meaningful talks between the two sides in coming days, for a comprehensive and lasting settlement of the ongoing conflict,” he said. It was not immediately clear whether the US and Iran had agreed to attend.

Read more-Trump extends deadline for striking Iran’s energy plants into April

The US State Department and the White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment on potential talks in Pakistan.

Complicating Pakistan’s bid are the maximalist positions set out by the US, Israel and Iran on what it would take to end the conflict.

Iran’s parliament speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf earlier accused the US of sending messages about possible negotiations while at the same time planning to send in troops, adding that Tehran was ready to respond if US soldiers were deployed.

“As long as the Americans seek Iran’s surrender, our response is that we will never accept humiliation,” he said in a message to the nation.

Regional powers propose plans to reopen Strait of Hormuz

Initial discussions between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Egypt had focused on proposals to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to shipping, sources familiar with the matter said.

Iran’s effective blockade of oil and gas shipments through the strait since the US and Israel began attacking the country on February 28 is spreading economic pain around the world.

As the conflict entered its second month, it showed no signs of slowing. Israel’s military said it had launched over 140 air strikes on central and western Iran, including Tehran, over the 24 hours to Sunday evening, hitting ballistic missile launch sites and storage facilities, among other targets.

Iranian state media reported that strikes had hit Mehrabad airport and a petrochemical plant in the northern city of Tabriz.

The director of the World Health Organization said Israel’s expanding military operations in southern Lebanon had resulted in the death of “yet another” health worker after 51 had already been killed. Israel says Iran-backed Hezbollah militants use medical facilities for cover, which the group denies.

A chemical plant in southern Israel near the city of Beer Sheva was hit by a missile or missile debris as Israel fended off multiple salvos from Iran, prompting official warnings to the public to stay away due to “hazardous materials”.

Another missile hit open ground near homes in Beer Sheva, located near several military bases, injuring 11 people.