Sound has always been more than utility. It is how we communicate, build memory, create ritual. From headphones that put studio-grade clarity in your commute to turntables reborn as heirlooms, the latest wave of audio technology brings together craftsmanship with innovation.
Whether you’re an audiophile chasing precision, a traveller in search of silence, or someone who simply wants to wake to better mornings, these devices prove that listening is no longer just about hearing, it's about experiencing.
Campfire Audio Grand Luna IEMs
The Grand Luna in-ear monitors combine artistry and engineering in a striking design. Built with a hybrid driver system that blends planar magnetic and balanced armatures, they are a good pick for audiophiles seeking precision. Their 3D-printed red shell and stainless steel lids make them functional collectables, elevating earphones into statement pieces of audio luxury.
Beats Studio Pro
Beats’s latest headphones bring professional-grade sound to the mainstream. With upgraded drivers, lossless playback over USB-C and spatial audio with dynamic head tracking, the Studio Pro also features a new design for enhanced comfort, while adaptive noise cancelling and transparency modes make it versatile enough for travel, work or leisure.
Bang & Olufsen Beosystem 3000c
This limited-edition device is a meticulously restored version of Bang & Olufsen’s 1985 Beogram 3000 turntable. Paired with Beolab 8 speakers, the system blends analogue vinyl warmth with modern streaming capabilities. Crafted in walnut and pearl-blasted aluminium, only 100 units have been made, positioning it as both a functional hi-fi system and a collector’s piece. It is audio as heritage, sound technology elevated to art.
Phonak Audeo Infinio Sphere
Phonak’s Audeo Sphere Infinio hearing aid transforms assistive technology into a refined audio device. Featuring AI-powered noise separation and Bluetooth streaming, it provides clarity in challenging environments, while doubling as a pair of discreet, high-quality earphones. It caters to both health and lifestyle needs, reimagining what a hearing aid can offer.
Hatch Restore 3
The Restore 3 is a smart sleep clock that blends gentle sunrise light and curated soundscapes to create a calming ambience. With responsive physical buttons and a growing library of scientifically backed ambient sounds, the device offers phone-free content that can help unwind and sleep deeply, while the light is designed to help you wake up gently. This white noise machine is wellness-minded tech in a beautifully understated form.
BORDERLANDS
Starring: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart, Jamie Lee Curtis
Director: Eli Roth
Rating: 0/5
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Second ODI
England 322-7 (50 ovs)
India 236 (50 ovs)
England win by 86 runs
Next match: Tuesday, July 17, Headingley
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, second leg result:
Ajax 2-3 Tottenham
Tottenham advance on away goals rule after tie ends 3-3 on aggregate
Final: June 1, Madrid
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Power: 110 horsepower
Torque: 147Nm
Price: From Dh59,700
On sale: now
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THE SPECS
Jaguar F-Pace SVR
Engine: 5-litre supercharged V8
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Power: 542bhp
Torque: 680Nm
Price: Dh465,071
Libya's Gold
UN Panel of Experts found regime secretly sold a fifth of the country's gold reserves.
The panel’s 2017 report followed a trail to West Africa where large sums of cash and gold were hidden by Abdullah Al Senussi, Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief, in 2011.
Cases filled with cash that was said to amount to $560m in 100 dollar notes, that was kept by a group of Libyans in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
A second stash was said to have been held in Accra, Ghana, inside boxes at the local offices of an international human rights organisation based in France.
MATCH INFO
Day 1 at Mount Maunganui
England 241-4
Denly 74, Stokes 67 not out, De Grandhomme 2-28
New Zealand
Yet to bat
Jeff Buckley: From Hallelujah To The Last Goodbye
By Dave Lory with Jim Irvin
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