20, May 2026
RAK Central Square hits major milestone as demand grows for Grade A office space in Ras Al Khaimah
Significant structural works completed with construction progressing on target for Q4 2027 opening
Ras Al Khaimah, May 20: Major structural works have been completed at Ras Al Khaimah’s first luxury Grade A office complex, RAK Central Square, with construction progressing in line with the delivery programme. The development will deliver 2.27 million sq ft of high-quality workspace across five buildings, providing modern, flexible floors designed for tier-one businesses.
Superstructure works remain on schedule and are expected to top out (reach full structural height) in Q4 2026, marking a key milestone toward the planned Q4 2027 opening. This construction progress aligns with rising demand for premium Grade A office space in Ras Al Khaimah among regional and international businesses.
RAK Central Square will bring a new generation of Grade A office space to Ras Al Khaimah, featuring large, efficient floorplates of around 16,000 sq ft, modern building systems and high-specification workspace for international companies. The five-building development is designed to meet tier-one occupier requirements, supported by F&B and retail offerings, and a LEED Gold certified design.
Arch Abdulla Al Abdouli, Group CEO of Marjan, said: “RAK Central Square embodies our vision for a new generation of high-quality, Grade A office space in Ras Al Khaimah. It will sit at the heart of RAK Central, a community that integrates regional and international corporates, lifestyle and hospitality to create a future-ready centre. As we deliver this landmark project, we are laying the groundwork for a city that competes on a global stage, attracts world-class companies, enhances livability and supports the emirate’s long-term growth ambitions.”
As part of the wider RAK Central masterplan, the complex is being developed as a mixed-use destination combining Grade A offices with residential, hospitality and retail components in a connected, walkable environment. This growth is supported by new hospitality and residential developments that expand accommodation and amenity capacity for corporate tenants and visiting delegations. Recent announcements include the Radisson Blu Hotel and Radisson Blu Residences by BNW Developments, alongside projects such as One RAK Central by Pantheon Development, Colibri Views by Major Development and Juna by Dara Development.
Ramy Jallad, Group CEO of Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone (RAKEZ), said: “RAK Central Square is a critical step in addressing the growing demand for prime office space in Ras Al Khaimah. As investor activity accelerates and more regional and international companies look to establish a presence in the emirate, developments like this will play a central role in supporting business growth and strengthening Ras Al Khaimah’s position as a competitive investment destination. This momentum comes as the emirate continues to attract significant investment across tourism, hospitality, and industry, driving increased demand for premium commercial infrastructure.”
RAK Central offers direct access to key destinations across the emirate, including Al Hamra Golf Course, Al Hamra Mall, The Ritz-Carlton Al Hamra Beach and Wynn Al Marjan Island. The complex is also well connected to regional and international gateways such as Ras Al Khaimah International Airport and Dubai International Airport, aligning with the emirate’s broader economic and tourism ambitions, including its target of attracting 3.5 million visitors annually by 2030.
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- By Neel Achary
20, May 2026
Consistent Expands Product Range on Government e-Marketplace
New Delhi, May 20 : Consistent Infosystems, a fast-growing Indian IT hardware and security solutions brand,has announced the availability of its Graphic Card and Pen Drive range on the Government e-Marketplace (GeM). This initiative will enable government departments, public sector undertakings (PSUs), educational institutions, and authorized buyers across India to conveniently procure its products through the official digital procurement platform.
Government sector organizations are focusing on digital transformation and infrastructure improvements. To support this, the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) helps make buying products easier, faster, and more transparent. Through its latest GeM onboarding, Consistent Infosystems aims to expand access to its high-performance Gaming solutions and storage solutions and strengthen its presence across government and institutional sectors nationwide.
Consistent graphics card range is designed to deliver stable visual performance, enhanced productivity, and seamless computing experiences, making it suitable for professional workstations, institutional systems, and day-to-day operational requirements. Complementing this lineup, the Pen Drive range offers portable, secure, and high-speed storage solutions designed to meet the growing data transfer and storage demands of offices, educational institutions, and government organizations.
Commenting on the development, Mr. Yogesh Agrawal, CMD and Co-Founder, Consistent Infosystems, said:
“At Consistent Infosystems, our vision has always been to make quality technology products more accessible across every segment of India. The availability of our Graphic Cards and Pen Drives on GeM is another milestone towards supporting public sector and institutional technology needs with dependable, affordable, and future-ready technology solutions backed by strong nationwide service support.”
With a rapidly growing portfolio, expanding national presence, and continued focus on innovation, Consistent Infosystems remains committed to delivering technology solutions that combine performance, reliability, and value for customers across India and global markets.
20, May 2026
TSF Investments (Formerly Sundaram Finance Holdings) posts 28.66% increase in consolidated net profit for the year ended 31st March 2026
Chennai, May 20: TSF Investments Limited (“TSF Investments”) has registered a consolidated net profit of ₹530.21 crores for the year ended 31st March 2026, which includes gain of ₹40.99 crores from fair valuation of previously held equity interest in Axles India Limited on account of business combination, as compared to ₹412.09 crores registered in the previous financial year, resulting in an increase of 28.66%
The increase in consolidated net profit is partly because of Axles India Limited, becoming a subsidiary during the year on account of TSF group acquiring shares held by Dana Global Products Inc. for a consideration of ₹365.37 crores.
TSF Investments operates as a core investment company, investing in a portfolio of automotive businesses including foundries and manufacturers of wheels, brakes, turbo chargers, axles and distribution of spare parts. As a result, dividend from portfolio companies forms a substantial part of the financial results. Dividend received from portfolio companies is ₹207.67 crores for the year ended 31stMarch 2026.
Name change:
Reflecting the consolidation of the T.S. Santhanam Family group, Sundaram Finance Holdings Limited has been renamed TSF Investments Limited with effect from 23rdSeptember 2025. This change reaffirms the group’s strategic alignment and century-old legacy.
Dividend:
The Board of Directors have recommended a final dividend of ₹4.45/- per share (89%) for FY 25-26. This together with the Interim Dividend of ₹6.70/- per share (134%) paid during February 2026 aggregates to a total dividend of ₹11.15/- per share (223%) for the F.Y. 25-26.
Dis-investments:
As part of the company’s strategy to exit from non – core investments and invest the proceeds in the core investments in group companies, the company had during the financial year 2025 -26 exited the following investments,
1.TVS Holdings Limited (partial exit)
2.Fettle Tone LLP (partial exit)
3.Sundaram Composite Structures Private Limited
The realized gain (net of tax) from the exit of these investments was ₹461.18 crores which was transferred from OCI to retained earnings.
TSF: A Century of Legacy
TSF Group represents the T. S. Santhanam family’s businesses, with its heritage dating back to 1911. The group traces its lineage to the erstwhile T. V. Sundram Iyengar & Sons, under the leadership of Late Shri T. S. Santhanam, a pioneer of India’s non-banking financial services industry. TSF Group carved out its independent identity consequent to the partition of TVS Group.
The journey began with the acquisition of Madras Auto Service (MAS) in 1936, followed by the founding of Sundaram Finance and India Motor Parts & Accessories Ltd. (IMPAL) in 1954. Over the decades, the group diversified into manufacturing through companies such as Brakes India and Wheels India, building a strong presence across automotive components, distribution, car dealerships, and financial services. With more than ₹30,000 crore in revenues, a ₹3,556 crore bottom line, over 42,000 employees, 1,200+ branches, and 36 factories, TSF Group is a trusted partner for marquee customers across India, North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific.
20, May 2026
Perpetuals Launches UpsideOnly, the Trading and Market Prediction Platform Where Users Can’t Lose
SAN FRANCISCO, CA / May 20, 2026 / Perpetuals.com Ltd (Nasdaq: PDC), on May 19 launched UpsideOnly, the first risk-free trading and market prediction platform that uses a proprietary AI algorithm combined with crowd intelligence to ensure users never lose money.
The problem is real: retail traders lose more than $12 billion a year to platforms structurally positioned against them. UpsideOnly solves that problem by creating a powerful human-AI collaboration that brings profit to both Perpetuals and its users.
UpsideOnly is built on the simple idea that AI gets smarter when it learns from human traders. As users make predictions across global financial markets such as stocks, cryptocurrencies and commodities, the algorithm folds their insights into its own analysis, producing incredibly accurate trading signals. UpsideOnly uses those signals to make market trades with its own capital and shares the winnings with the users whose predictions helped shape them.
Powering UpsideOnly is the proprietary patent-pending BayesShield AI, which is trained on more than 22 billion executed retail trades, one of the largest trading datasets ever used to train an AI model. The BayesShield algorithm learns from user predictions across global markets, combining human insight with machine-scale pattern recognition to produce trading signals neither could generate alone.
UpsideOnly lets users benefit from trading gains while eliminating risk by trading exclusively with the company’s own capital – users never put up their own money for trading. This ensures users cannot incur losses. Users make predictions about where global equity, commodity, forex, and crypto markets are heading without ever placing a real trade themselves. BayesShield analyzes each person’s prediction, and when the algorithm indicates that prediction is likely to be successful, UpsideOnly executes a trade with its own capital. If no trade is made, or if a trade is made and loses, the user loses nothing. If the trade wins, the company shares the profit with the user. UpsideOnly also offers additional ways for users to win money based on their overall performance for the week and month, among others.
Driving the creation of UpsideOnly is the belief that retail traders are being taken advantage of by existing trading platforms and prediction markets.
“The dominant retail trading model is not a tool. It is a trap, designed so the platform wins when you lose. I spent more than a decade inside this industry and watched the same thing happen over and over. Platforms engineered to extract money from the people who could least afford to lose it, sold to them as investing,” said Patrick Gruhn, CEO of Perpetuals.
“UpsideOnly completely changes this broken structure. The user brings the insight, we bring the capital, and we win together. This is what the next generation of financial platforms looks like: humans and AI teaming up on the same side of the table.”
No deposit is required to make a prediction and win money on UpsideOnly, but in order to reduce the presence of bots, users who choose to put down a refundable deposit of $1 or more will receive higher payouts. Users who make even small deposits are less likely to be bots and more likely to make considered and reliable predictions. The deposit is not a trading stake and is never used for trading. The deposit is held safely in U.S. Treasury Bills in an external account by a separate U.S.-based fiduciary and can be withdrawn by the user at any time.
20, May 2026
Biom Launches Cleansing Body Wipes: A Full-Body Reset Without the Shower
Plant-Based, Dermatologist-Tested Wipes Designed for Modern, On-the-Go Living
Biom, the wipe brand committed to clean ingredients, plastic-free fibers, and wipes you can actually trust, today announced the launch of its Cleansing Body Wipes: an XL, extra-strong wipe designed to deliver a full-body refresh without the need for a shower. Available at Target and getbiom.co, the wipes are formulated with clean, plant-based ingredients and are free from harsh chemicals.
Unlike conventional wipes that leave behind sticky residue or contain harmful additives, Biom No Rinse Body Wipes are dermatologist-tested, hypoallergenic, and infused with aloe and vitamin E to cleanse, soothe and hydrate skin. Each wipe is large enough for head-to-toe use without tearing or drying out mid-use, making them the go-to solution for workouts, travel, and everyday life on the move.
“You can think of our body wipe as a shower alternative for the moments you simply don’t have time for one”, says Will Gahagan, Co-Founder & CEO of Biom. “Clean ingredients, no sticky residue, just an XL wipe that delivers straight up confidence. The hero ingredient in our formula is plant-derived tannic acid, which helps neutralize odor at the source instead of simply masking it with fragrance. Whether it’s post-workout, between meetings, fresh off a red-eye, or in the middle of a wedding weekend, this product was made to help people feel fresh and confident wherever life takes them.”
Key product features
- 30 wipes for just $2.99 at Target; premium quality without the premium price tag
- Full-body refresh with no shower required; removes sweat and grime in a single wipe
- XL and extra strong (large enough for head-to-toe use without tearing or drying out)
- Clean, skin-safe formula free from PEGs, sulfates, parabens, quats, phthalates, and harsh preservatives
- Hypoallergenic and dermatologist-tested, infused with aloe and vitamin E
- 100% plant-based, plastic-free, biodegradable fibers
- Light, natural fragrance that leaves skin refreshed
Biom has built its reputation on a simple premise: the products people reach for every day should be made with simple, trustworthy ingredients that actually work. Since its founding, the company has expanded across the wipes category, from flushable and disinfecting to hand sanitizing and all-purpose, each time asking whether the existing options were actually good enough. Biom’s Body Wipes are the latest answer to that question. For the millions of people who work out, travel, or simply don’t have time for a full shower, Biom is betting that clean ingredients and thoughtful design shouldn’t be a luxury, they should just be the standard.
Biom Cleansing Body Wipes are available now at Target (Body Travel Pack, 30ct) for $2.99, and online at getbiom.co and Amazon.
20, May 2026
FIA Report Showcases Major Progress in Sustainability, Diversity & Inclusion
Dubai, UAE, May 20: The Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) has published its 2025 Sustainability and Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) report, highlighting major achievements in shaping the future of motorsport and mobility for its diverse global community.
The FIA, the global governing body for motor sport and the federation for mobility organisations worldwide, continued to drive progress at the intersection of innovation, inclusion, and access through 2025.
In environmental sustainability, it strengthened frameworks and tools to support Member Clubs, championships and events in managing their impact, while also taking steps to accelerate its own decarbonisation strategy.
In D&I, it continued to expand participation, strengthen career pathways, and build a more inclusive environment across motor sport and mobility.
H.E. Mohammed Ben Sulayem, President of the FIA, said: “Our diversity is our strength. Looking ahead, our direction is clear. We will continue to innovate, strengthen frameworks, and raise standards. Together, we are shaping a future in which motorsport and mobility are not only more sustainable, but more inclusive, accessible, and truly reflective of the diverse global community we serve.”
The landmark FIA report highlighted several key environmental achievements including:
· Grew the FIA’s flagship Environmental Accreditation Programme to 260+ accredited organisations (a 37% YOY increase) with a record 70 new accreditations, 33 renewals and nine upgrades.
- Increased sustainability grants by 24% to €340,000, supporting projects on emissions reduction, biodiversity, mobility access and education.
· Approved the first technical and safety regulations for liquid hydrogen- powered vehicles, marking a historic step toward low carbon competition.
· Welcomed 1,000+ participants in the FIA’s Sustainable Innovation Series.
In November 2025, the FIA launched its first Sustainability Survey for its Member Clubs to better understand their priorities and challenges across different regions. Across all Member Clubs, there was strong agreement that motor sport and mobility organisations should play a leading role in advancing climate action and sustainable development.
In terms of its own operations last year, the FIA report noted the following
· Maintained commitment to reduce absolute emissions by 2030.
· Absolute emissions increased by 16% year-on-year against a backdrop of increased headcount and the opening of a new office in London.
· Logistics-related emissions lowered by 2%, supported by HVO-powered DHL trucks across the European race calendar.
· Overall impact of logistics footprint reduced by 22% through the ramp-up of investments in Sustainable Aviation Fuels.
While important progress has been made in several areas under the FIA’s direct influence, there were substantive increases elsewhere in the footprint, especially in business travel for staff and visitors attending conferences, regional meetings, and general assemblies.
The rise in the footprint does not mean progress has stopped, but reinforces the need for a more targeted response and strategy. It highlights the necessity to drive lower-carbon choices across motor sport and mobility, by encouraging better decisions on logistics, travel, events, procurement, and collaboration across the ecosystem.
Not all emissions reported are directly controlled by the FIA, and the federation’s responsibility is not only to reduce its own footprint, but also to enable others to reduce theirs.
The inaugural FIA Karting Arrive & Drive World Cup set the tone for a landmark year in diversity and inclusion, bringing together 100+ competitors from 50 nations and a record 15 female drivers on the grid.
Within its own workforce, 31% of the FIA’s staff was female in 2025, with almost half of those women in senior roles, reflecting continued progress on gender equity.
20, May 2026
Abundia Global Impact Group Completes Strategic Acquisition of RPD Technologies
Abundia Global Impact Group, Inc. (NYSE American: AGIG) (“Abundia” or the “Company”), a low-carbon energy solutions company focused on converting biomass and plastics waste into high-value low-carbon fuels, on May 19 announced that it has completed the acquisition (the “Acquisition”) of RPD Technologies Americas, LLC (“RPD”), a scale-up project development firm focused on the design, construction, operations of pilot plants and consulting services. The Acquisition was completed and effective on April 1, 2026.
Abundia – RPD Acquisition Strategic Highlights
- Establishes Additional Revenue Stream and Long-term Conversion Pipeline: Adds revenue generating business to Abundia’s financial profile with longer term realization of high-margin economics to deliver on the Company’s commitment to drive shareholder value
- Increased Scale and Operational Capabilities: Adds a new business vertical offering an existing customer base, long-term opportunity pipeline and team of scale up project development and engineering experts in refining, petrochemical and renewables that establishes this unit as a core competency
- Expands Vertically Integrated Waste-to-Value Model: Integrates into Abundia’s model bringing development and scale up capabilities in-house and increases exposure to the full economic value chain of its waste-to-value vertically integrated platform
- Strengthens Competitive Advantage to Form a Resilient Business: Distinguishes Abundia’s market position as a waste-to-value supply chain consolidator while strengthening and diversifying its operations and financial performance
“Importantly, by converging RPD’s capabilities and its highly skilled team with Abundia’s waste-to-value project, we unlock a valuable cog in our current development cycle that strengthens our vertical integration strategy. Of particular focus is RPD’s proven track record in the development and scaling of processes in the petrochemical and renewable energy industries. This new unit will organically accelerate the company’s trajectory by assisting in the next phase of engineering the Biomass technology stack,” concluded Mr. Gillespie.
Transaction Overview
RPD initiated operations in 2019 as a project developer within the energy space offering engineering and design support for the development, scale up and commercialization of new technologies focused on refining, petrochemical and renewables. RPD’s team of approximately twenty (20) employees and engineers augment Abundia’s business with expertise in operations, engineering, process safety and quality control, and technical mechanics with a combined 100+ years of chemical engineering scale-up experience.
Revenue generated by RPD will be recognized as total revenue in Abundia’s second quarter 2026 financial statements and the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) filings. RPD will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of Abundia, maintaining its existing team, customer relationships, and project pipeline, while benefiting from the integration within Abundia’s broader platform.
Abundia’s acquisition of RPD aligns with its long-term strategic priorities reflected in the establishment of an incremental revenue-generating core competency under its vertically integrated waste-to-value business model. Abundia will benefit from RPD’s existing pipeline and revenue stream and favorably positions the Company to generate long-term value to shareholders. Additionally, the Acquisition demonstrates Abundia’s disciplined and strategic M&A approach, adding a services vertical that accelerates value generation. As a unit of Abundia, the RPD team will be well positioned to grow and expand operations, assets, and capabilities, supporting operating and revenue growth as it scales into a larger business.
About Abundia Global Impact Group, Inc.
Abundia Global Impact Group, Inc. (NYSE American: AGIG), formerly Houston American Energy Corp., is a low-carbon energy company focused on converting waste into value. Headquartered in Houston, Texas, we are developing commercial-scale facilities that transform waste plastics and biomass into drop-in fuels and low-carbon chemical feedstocks. Our flagship project at Cedar Port positions Abundia at the center of the Gulf Coast’s energy and chemical infrastructure, with access to feedstock supply chains, upgrading partners, and end markets.
For more information, please visit www.abundiaimpact.com.
About RPD Technologies Americas, LLC
20, May 2026
Axione Development to Build Advanced Cold Chain Infrastructure at Abu Dhabi Food Hub
Abu Dhabi, UAE – 20 May 2026: Abu Dhabi Food Hub, AD Ports Group’s integrated food trade and logistics hub, announced the signing of an agreement with Axione Development for the development of advanced cold chain infrastructure in Abu Dhabi.
In accordance with the agreement, which underlines the growing confidence in the Emirate’s upcoming premier food platform, Axione Development will develop a dedicated cold chain facility on a 37,000 sqm plot under a 50-year land lease agreement to support the broader ecosystem of traders and businesses that will operate within Abu Dhabi Food Hub’s integrated marketplace. Designed as enabling infrastructure for the wider market, the facility will strengthen critical cold chain capabilities serving wholesale trade, distribution and value-added food supply activities.
Abdulla Al Hameli, CEO Economic Cities & Free Zones, AD Ports Group, said: “Food security is a national priority for the UAE and an essential pillar of our sustainable economic development. Strong partnerships such as our deal with Axione Development strengthen this long-term goal of world-class infrastructure, diversified trade corridors, and strong partnerships between the public and private sectors. Within this wider vision, Abu Dhabi Food Hub represents how national priorities can be translated into practical market infrastructure that supports the efficient movement, storage, and trade of food products. We are pleased to see the project continue to progress through partnerships such as this, reinforcing its role in becoming a central food trade gateway for the UAE and the wider region.”
The agreement reflects continued momentum in the development of Abu Dhabi Food Hub’s next-generation wholesale market ecosystem, which brings together wholesale trade, logistics, warehousing, distribution and digital enablement within a single integrated platform designed to enhance the efficiency and resilience of regional food supply chains.
The development of advanced cold chain infrastructure forms a key component of the Abu Dhabi Food Hub’s broader proposition to support the UAE’s long-term food security ambitions through modern, future-ready trade and supply chain infrastructure. The agreement also signals expanding customer and investor interest in Abu Dhabi Food Hub as construction progresses, and the project advances toward operational readiness by Q4 2026.
As a landmark agreement within the Hub’s commercial development journey, the partnership with Axione Development further reinforces Abu Dhabi Food Hub’s role in shaping a globally connected wholesale and logistics ecosystem for food trade in the region.
Jens Michel, Chief Executive Officer of Abu Dhabi Food Hub, said: “Our objective is to build an ecosystem where traders and supply chain partners can operate with greater efficiency, reliability, and access to modern infrastructure. This agreement with Axione Development marks an important client milestone for Abu Dhabi Food Hub and reinforces the market demand for purpose-built facilities that support the evolving needs of regional and global food trade.”
Mikhail Zarkhi, Managing Partner of Axione Development, said: “We are pleased to partner with Abu Dhabi Food Hub on this strategic development. Our focus is to deliver modern, high-specification cold chain infrastructure that meets the evolving operational requirements of today’s food businesses. Through this project, we aim to support food trade with efficient and reliable infrastructure capabilities that enable business growth, strengthen supply continuity, and contribute to a more resilient food ecosystem.”
Daniel Ilizarov, Managing Partner of Axione Development, said: “This project represents a strategic step in expanding institutional-grade infrastructure within the UAE. We see Abu Dhabi Food Hub as a unique platform combining trade, logistics, and regulatory efficiency, which creates a compelling environment for long-term capital deployment. Our objective is to deliver scalable, high-performance assets that align with global standards and support the continued growth of regional food supply chains.”
Strategically located between Abu Dhabi and Dubai in KEZAD, Abu Dhabi Food Hub is set to become a central gateway for food trade, connecting global supply with regional demand through modern infrastructure, efficient logistics, and a collaborative business environment.
20, May 2026
Rethinking Summer Travel: A Shift Toward More Considered Stays
Photo credit: Ananda in the Himalayas
Ananda in the Himalayas (India)
A higher-altitude wellness stay designed for travelers looking for a deeper reset
As travelers place greater value on trips that deliver lasting impact, Ananda in the Himalayas is focusing this summer on longer, more immersive stays, with a seasonal Summer Wellness Offer available from June 1 through July 31, 2026. The program includes savings of up to 40 percent on stays of five nights or more, with fully inclusive pricing that covers accommodation, consultations before and after arrival, personalized therapies, private yoga and meditation sessions, and tailored meals, creating a structured framework for longer, outcome-driven stays.
Set in the Himalayan foothills above Rishikesh, the location naturally lends itself to summer travel. Temperatures are cooler than in much of the region, and the setting feels removed from the intensity of peak-season destinations. Guests follow individualized programs grounded in Ayurveda, yoga, and meditation, often staying for a week or longer to work through specific health and wellbeing goals, from sleep, stress, and burnout to more chronic health conditions such as diabetes or hormonal and metabolic imbalances.
What makes the experience distinct is the sense of structure built into each day, with guided practices and treatments creating a sense of progression over time. As more travelers move away from short trips in favor of something more meaningful, Ananda offers an experience that feels both restorative and purposeful.
This reflects a broader shift toward commitment travel, where time away is designed to deliver lasting results rather than a quick escape.
Photo credit: The Dylan Amsterdam
The Dylan Amsterdam (the Netherlands)
A more relaxed way to experience a European city at the height of summer
Summer in European cities can feel increasingly intense, with packed itineraries and crowded streets leaving little room to enjoy being there. The Dylan Amsterdam addresses this with its Unscripted Summer experience, available from June 21 through September 20, designed to slow the pace and create more space in the day.
Located along the Keizersgracht canal, the 41-room hotel feels notably removed from the city once inside. Guests arrive through a gated entrance into a quiet courtyard, creating an immediate sense of separation from the energy of the city outside. This balance between central location and privacy becomes especially valuable during peak season.
At the center of the experience is a private canal boat journey at golden hour, with a three-course menu served on board and curated across three of the city’s leading kitchens. This is paired with a two-night stay in one of the hotel’s luxury rooms, including daily breakfast at Bar Brasserie OCCO, alongside a more flexible framework that encourages exploration. Complimentary bicycles and personalized walking routes provide a sense of direction without overplanning, while a drink in the hotel’s secluded garden offers a quieter moment to return to at the end of the day.
Amsterdam’s mild summer climate and walkable layout support this more relaxed flow, allowing guests to explore without pressure. For travelers rethinking how they approach city travel, this offers a more flexible and manageable alternative. Increasingly, this points to slower city travel, where travelers pull back from overpacked itineraries and allow more space for spontaneity and ease.
Photo credit: Imperial Hotel, Kamikochi
Imperial Hotel (Japan)
A more balanced way to experience Japan, pairing major cities with a seasonal alpine escape
Japan remains one of the most in-demand destinations, but the pace of travel there is beginning to shift. Instead of moving quickly between cities, travelers are building in time to slow down. The Imperial Hotel portfolio supports this by combining stays in Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto with Kamikochi, a mountain resort region in the Japanese Alps that is only accessible during part of the year.
Located at around 1,500 meters, Kamikochi offers a cooler and quieter counterpart to Japan’s major cities. First brought to wider attention in the late 19th century by British missionary Walter Weston, it has since captivated travelers from around the world. At its center is the Imperial Hotel, Kamikochi, which opened in 1933 as Japan’s first mountain resort and remains one of the area’s most iconic stays, with a classic alpine lodge feel and views of the surrounding peaks and river valley. The experience is shaped by the landscape, with walking paths connecting sites such as Kappa Bridge, Taisho Pond, and Myojin Pond. The region welcomes over 1.2 million visitors annually, yet remains carefully managed, with access limited to protect its natural environment and preserve a sense of calm.
Open from mid-April through November 15 this year before closing for winter, Kamikochi brings a strong sense of seasonality to a Japan itinerary. Traveling between major cities and this alpine setting allows for a more balanced and intentional rhythm.
This approach highlights the rise of dual-speed travel, where high-energy exploration is balanced with quieter, more reflective time, allowing travelers to engage more meaningfully with both place and pace.
Photo credit: Hotel Belmar
Hotel Belmar (Costa Rica)
A cooler, nature-driven alternative to traditional tropical summer travel
As summer temperatures rise in many coastal destinations, travelers are increasingly looking toward higher-elevation environments that offer a different kind of tropical experience. Hotel Belmar, set in Costa Rica’s Monteverde cloud forest, provides that shift with a naturally cooler climate and a strong connection to nature. The summer months fall within the region’s green season, bringing fewer crowds and a more vibrant landscape. Instead of peak-season congestion, the experience feels slower and more grounded, making it well suited for travelers looking to spend more time in one place.
Longer stays are encouraged through seasonal offers that weave together wellness, guided forest experiences, and the slower cadence of discovery that define Monteverde. Days unfold in close relationship with the cloud forest, from trails winding through the property and immersions at Belmar’s SAVIA reserve to farm-to-table dining supplied by Finca Madre Tierra, the hotel’s regenerative farm.
For travelers rethinking what a summer trip should feel like, Monteverde offers something distinctly different from a beach escape. The combination of cooler weather and deeper immersion creates a more restorative experience overall.
In turn, it underscores growing interest in nature-led travel, where time away is shaped by connection to the environment and a slower, more deliberate approach.
20, May 2026
Liquibase Financial Services Playbook Offers New Findings, Best Practices to Let FinServs Protect Data and Navigate the Mythos-Class Threat Age
While Financial Institutions Primarily Focus on AI Models, Mythos‑Class Attackers Target Their Databases. Research Across Hundreds of Engagements Finds Universal Problems.
AUSTIN, Texas, May 20, 2026 – Liquibase, provider of database change governance solutions used by many of the world’s leading financial services organizations, today announced The Financial Services Playbook for Governed Database Change, a new executive guide designed to help financial institutions modernize and secure one of the last major control gaps in enterprise technology delivery: database change.
Built for CIOs, CTOs, platform engineering leaders, database architects, and compliance teams, the playbook examines how banks, insurers, payment processors, fintechs, and capital markets firms continue to face a growing governance gap between highly automated application delivery pipelines and still-manual database change processes.
“Every other layer of the software delivery pipeline has been automated, policy-driven, and made auditable,” said Ryan McCurdy, Vice President at Liquibase. “But at many financial institutions, database changes are still routed through tickets, manually reviewed, and directly executed in production. In today’s regulatory environment, that is no longer simply inefficient. It is an operational and compliance exposure.”
Field research for the Playbook was conducted across hundreds of financial services engagements spanning enterprise banks, regional institutions, credit unions, global insurers, payment processors, fintechs, and capital markets firms.
Among key findings:
- The problem is universal. Manual database change execution is the industry baseline, not a maturity problem at lagging organizations.
- Compliance is the accelerant. SOX, PCI DSS, SOC 2, and DORA are driving purchase decisions. When auditors flag deficiencies, budget materializes.
- The DBA bottleneck is structural. Executive mandates to remove DBA involvement from routine changes are appearing at the largest institutions.
- The proven path is pilot, platform, enterprise. Start with two to five applications, build the pipeline through platform engineering, then scale.
- Multi-database reality is the baseline. Oracle, SQL Server, PostgreSQL, Snowflake, DynamoDB, Databricks. Partial coverage is not governance.
Organizations that close this gap deliberately will set the standard. The rest will be forced to catch up by their auditors, their regulators, or a production incident.
Drawing on field research from hundreds of financial services engagements, the playbook argues that manual database change execution remains the industry norm, even at highly mature institutions. It outlines how mounting regulatory scrutiny from frameworks including SOX, PCI DSS 4.0, SOC 2, DORA, and emerging operational resilience requirements is accelerating demand for governed database delivery pipelines.
The playbook also addresses a growing concern around AI adoption in software delivery.
“Financial institutions are entering a phase of AI adoption under a perilous assumption: that governance frameworks built for human-driven systems can simply be extended to autonomous agents,” said Chris Steffen, Research VP, Enterprise Management Associates. “That assumption is now clearly outdated. Governance that ends too early is a crucial misstep, one that leaves databases exposed to a kill chain that’s now moving with unprecedented speed and lethality.”
Liquibase recently explored that emerging threat in its analysis: Banks Focus on AI Models. Mythos Class Attackers Focus on Your Databases.
Rather than focusing narrowly on tooling, the playbook walks readers through the operational realities financial institutions face today, including DBA bottlenecks, fragmented deployment tooling, audit evidence reconstruction, schema drift, and growing separation-of-duties concerns.
The guide also details a practical maturity path for organizations seeking to modernize database governance. Chapters include:
- The governance gap: why database delivery remains structurally different from application delivery
- How governance failures create operational, audit, and regulatory exposure
- The evolving role of DBAs, platform engineering, and compliance teams
- An eight-principle target operating model for governed database change
- A phased rollout strategy covering pilot, platform, and enterprise adoption
- A framework for evaluating build-versus-buy governance approaches
- Metrics financial leaders can use to justify modernization investments
- The impact of AI-generated SQL and hybrid cloud database environments on governance strategy
TL;DR: FinServ Operational Resilience Is At Risk
Manual database change execution is throttling data security and is the FinServ industry baseline, not a maturity problem at slow-adopter organizations.
Organizations that embed governance directly into database delivery pipelines now will gain operational resilience and regulatory advantages. Institutions that delay modernization risk being forced into reactive remediation by data loss or corruption incidents, by audit pressures, and by competitive market forces.
The executive summary of The Financial Services Playbook for Governed Database Change is available now from Liquibase: https://www.liquibase.com/
