Khaleej Times - February 17, 2025

In this issue

February 17, 2025

Minister leads market checks ahead of UAE Ramadan rush

The UAE is ensuring that major retailers are implementing the new pricing policy for nine basic consumer items and have not hiked the prices unjustifiably, said Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy.

1 min

Made in the UAE: Non-alcoholic ale is halal certified

A unique halal-brewed beverage inspired by an ancient Arabian Peninsula drink that dates back thousands of years was launched by a Russian expat in Dubai.

2 mins

Information is weaponised during modern wars: Experts

The Red Sea crisis has provided a striking example of how non-state actors can manipulate narratives to achieve strategic objectives, said a US Vice Admiral on Sunday. Kevin Donegan, former US NAVCENT & Fifth Fleet Commander, highlighted the Houthis' sophisticated disinformation campaign, which, he said, successfully altered global trade routes and economic stability.

2 mins

Wynn bets big on Dh18B UAE gaming market

Wynn Resorts CEO Craig Billings is confident in the potential of the UAE's gaming market, predicting it could reach between $3 and $5 billion (Dh11 to Dh18.35 billion) over time.

3 mins

Can children stay to finish academic year after parent's visa gets cancelled?

Question: I have been informed that I will be let go as part of the company's restructuring process. My children study in a school here. How long do I have to exit the country after my visa is cancelled? Is there a way I can keep my children in the country legally for a few more months just so they can complete their academic year? What are my options?

2 mins

How long can parents sponsor children on a residency visa?

Question: I hold a regular two year visa in the UAE. I am a father to twins - a boy and a girl. I wish to understand how long I can sponsor their visas in the UAE. Please advise.

1 min

How long can parents sponsor children on a residency visa?

As per UAE law, the age limit to sponsor sons and daughters in the country differs

4 mins

A boat cruise for dogs every weekend

Challenged by the limited outdoor spaces that allow dogs to roam free in the capital, Souhila Djerah and three of her friends started weekly boat trips to an island off Yas Bay, where their dogs could run and swim unleashed.

2 mins

New visa waiver rules for Indians to simplify travel, cut costs: Experts

The recent expansion of the UAE's visa waiver programme has been welcomed by the Indian community. This move will make way for smoother immigration procedures provide greater travel flexibility, and significantly reduce visa expenses, travel agents said.

1 min

UAE expands visa waiver programme for Indians

The UAE has broadened the visa waiver programme for Indian nationals and their families holding regular passports.

1 min

New visa waiver rules for Indians to simplify travel, cut costs: Experts

The recent expansion of the UAE's visa waiver programme has been welcomed by the Indian community. This move will make way for smoother immigration procedures provide greater travel flexibility, and significantly reduce visa expenses, travel agents said.

1 min

A boat cruise for dogs every weekend

Challenged by the limited outdoor spaces that allow dogs to roam free in the capital, Souhila Djerah and three of her friends started weekly boat trips to an island off Yas Bay, where their dogs could run and swim unleashed.

2 mins

UAE expands visa waiver programme for Indians

The UAE has broadened the visa waiver programme for Indian nationals and their families holding regular passports.

1 min

World's best surfers compete in Abu Dhabi championship

Surfing is hardly the first sport that comes to mind when thinking of the Gulf region - but that's about to change.

1 min

Kyrgyzstan keen to deepen trade and economic ties with the UAE

From attracting investments to technology transfer, knowledge exchange and workforce training in sustainable energy, Kyrgyzstan is actively boosting cooperation with the UAE

7 mins

Air Arabia posts record Dh1.6b pre-tax net profit, 11% total turnover growth

Air Arabia, the first and largest low-cost carrier operator in the Middle East and North Africa, today announced its financial and operational results for the full year ending December 31, 2024.

2 mins

Short-term job displacement to lead to reinvention as AI shapes GCC banking

The GCC banking sector is navigating a pivotal transformation as artificial intelligence (AI) disrupts traditional workflows, displacing routine roles while creating demand for tech-driven expertise.

2 mins

EU vowsto respond firmly’ to Trump’s tariffs

The EU vowed to respond \"firmly and immediately\" to trade barriers after US President Donald Trump unveiled tariffs that could hit both allies and competitors.

1 min

Air Arabia posts record Dh1.6B pre-tax net profit, 11% total turnover growth

Air Arabia, the first and largest low-cost carrier operator in the Middle East and North Africa, today announced its financial and operational results for the full year ending December 31, 2024.

2 mins

Short-term job displacement to lead to reinvention as AI shapes GCC banking

To mitigate displacement, the UAE is investin heavily in reskilling

2 mins

US tariff: UK accelerates steel industry consultation

Britain published a major consultation for its steel industry on Sunday, weeks ahead of schedule due to President Donald Trump's announcement of fresh tariffs on all steel imports into the United States.

1 min

Sharjah announces 20% tax on natural resources companies in new law

The law stipulates that companies engaged in extractive activities and those involved in non-extractive natural resources are subject to the corporate tax

2 mins

OpenAI board rejects Musk’s 97.48 offer

OpenAI rejected a $97.4 billion bid from a consortium led by billionaire Elon Musk for the ChatGPT maker, saying the startup is not for sale and that any future bid would be disingenuous.

1 min

How regional players can ensure global food security?

Smart greenhouses, tracking from farm to shelf: These environmental initiatives aren’t merely ethical choices; they represent sound business strategies that ensure longterm operational sustainability

3 mins

Freed Palestinians set prison garb ablaze on return to Gaza

As Palestinian inmates released by Israel on Saturday stepped off the buses that took them to the Gaza Strip, some flashed a victory sign and swiftly set fire to sweatshirts they were made to wear in prison.

2 mins

Israel receives shipment of heavy bombs cleared by Trump

Israel has received a shipment of heavy MK-84 bombs from the United States, after US President Donald Trump lifted a block imposed on the export of the munitions by the administration of predecessor Joe Biden, the defence ministry said on Sunday.

1 min

Israeli gunfire kills woman in border town: Lebanon media

Lebanese official media said Israeli forces killed a woman in a southern border town on Sunday as residents sought to return home, two days ahead of an Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire deadline.

1 min

Israeli strike kills 3 Palestinian police officers in south Gaza

It’s a serious violation of truce: Hamas

2 mins

Netanyahu says with US support, 'we can finish the job' against Iran

Israel and the United States are determined to thwart Iran's nuclear ambitions and its \"aggression\" in the Middle East, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday after meeting US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

2 mins

Former Mauritius prime minister Jugnauth held

Former Mauritius prime minister Pravind Jugnauth has been arrested and is facing money laundering charges, the staterun Financial Crimes Commission said early on Sunday.

1 min

S. Korean actor Kim Sae-ron found dead at home: Police

South Korean actor Kim Saeron was found dead in her house in Seoul on Sunday, police said.

1 min

Fruit feast as Sri Lanka’s first jumbo orphanage marks golden jubilee

Sri Lanka's main elephant orphanage marked its 50th anniversary on Sunday with a fruit feast for the 68 jumbos at the showpiece centre, reputedly the world's first care home for destitute pachyderms.

2 mins

18 dead in India stampede to catch trains to Hindu mega-festival

At least 18 people died during a stampede at a railway station in India's capital late Satur day when surging crowds scrambled to catch trains to the world's largest religious gathering, officials and reports said.

2 mins

Philippines' Marcos puts China at centre of poll campaign

President Ferdinand Marcos put Beijing firmly centre stage on the campaign trail on Saturday, saying his predecessor's administration was all too happy for the Philippines \"to be a province of China\".

1 min

Don't know who to vote for? Germany has an app for that: The Wahl-O-Mat

Voting can be confusing, especially for young people casting their ballots for the first time, but in Germany they have an app to guide them through the democratic ritual: the Wahl-O-Mat.

2 mins

Thousands of Serbians mark Statehood Day with anti-graft protests

Thousands of Serbians blocked the main boulevard of the central city Kragujevac on Saturday, the latest in a series of student-led protests over last November's deadly collapse of a train station roof.

1 min

Late trains, old bridges, no signal: Germany's infrastructure woes

Ageing and clappedout infrastructure and badly planned projects are among some of the most visible problems facing Europe’s top economy

3 mins

In hospital, a resting Pope sits out Sunday mass

Pope Francis sat out mass and his traditional Angelus prayer from hospital on Sunday, with a Vatican health official saying the 88-year-old pontiff needed to preserve his strength for the Church's busy Jubilee year.

1 min

UK govt says no review of child killer's sentence

The UK government has rejected calls for a review of the jail sentence for a British teenager who stabbed to death three young girls at a dance class.

1 min

Austria celebrates 200 years of ‘waltz king' Johann Strauss II

Two hundred years after the birth of Austria's world-famous \"waltz king\" Johann Strauss II widely revered like a modern-day pop star during his lifetime - his music has lost none of its magic.

2 mins

Shocked Europeans play catch-up after Trump moves on Ukraine

Europeans fear being cut out of Ukraine peace deal; US insists any deal will be durable

3 mins

Sweden snowstorm sparks mass pile-ups involving dozens of cars

More than 100 people injured two massive road accidents, say officials

1 min

Trump: If it saves the country, it's not illegal

Echoing France's Napoleon Bonaparte, President Donald Trump US on Saturday took to social media to signal continued resistance to limits on his executive authority in the face of multiple legal challenges.

1 min

US, S Korea, Japan reaffirm pledge to seek N Korea's denuclearisation

The United States, Japan and South Korea renewed their \"resolute\" pledge to seek the \"complete denuclearisation\" of North Korea, according to a joint statement from the three allies released on Saturday.

1 min

US transgender man tortured and murdered, say police

A transgender man was murdered in the United States after suffering weeks of \"repeated acts of violence and torture\" at the hands of multiple people, US police said.

1 min

Trump, his deputies wield power with a ‘macho' hand

He courted young, angry men during his presidential campaign.

3 mins

'Smartest AI on Earth': Elon Musk to unveil chatbot Grok 3 on Feb 17

Elon Musk said his startup XAI will release its Grok 3 chatbot on Monday and billed it as the \"smartest AI on Earth\" in a fiercely competitive market.

1 min

Badosa and Raducanu in cruise control

An early start under cloudy Dubai skies failed to stop Paula Ba- dosa from producing bright tennis as the Spaniard show cased a dazzling array of shots on the Centre Court.

2 mins

Anti-doping process in tennis 'completely broken': Pegula

World number five Jessica Pegula believes the handling of high-profile doping cases involving Jannick Sinner and Iga Swiatek has shown that the \"process is completely broken\".

1 min

Diaz ends goal drought as Liverpool move seven points clear

Liverpool moved seven points clear at the top of the Premier League as Luis Diaz ended his goal drought to spark a tense 2-1 win against struggling Wolves on Sunday.

1 min

What was Gauff's Valentine's Day special in Dubai?

Before stepping onto the court to face their rivals, top stars at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships faced a barrage of questions from journalists on the media day.

1 min

Badosa and Raducanu in cruise control

An early start under cloudy Dubai skies failed to stop Paula Badosa from producing bright tennis as the Spaniard showcased a dazzling array of shots on the Centre Court.

2 mins

Noble Legacy Masters revel in UGC Season 2 triumph

Season 2 of the Ultimate Golf Challenge (UGC) concluded in spectacular style on Thursday evening at the Emirates Golf Club in Dubai.

2 mins

Marmoush's breakout performance was only a matter of time: Pep

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola said newcomer Omar Marmoush's hat trick on Saturday did not surprise him after the dazzling season the 26-year-old striker had been having in the Bundesliga.

2 mins

Noble Legacy Masters revel in UGC Season 2 triumph

Season 2 of the Ultimate Golf Challenge (UGC) concluded in spectacular style on Thursday evening at the Emirates Golf Club in Dubai.

2 mins

'Ariana did a Wicked turn!'

Comedian and actor Pete Davidson cheered for ex-fiancee Ariana Grande this awards season and said that he would like to see her win the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.

1 min

Benedict replaces Tom Hardy in Blood on Snow

Actor Benedict Cumberbatch is joining Aaron Taylor-Johnson in Blood on Snow, an indie adaptation of the Jo Nesbo crime thriller directed by Cary Fukunaga, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

1 min

Sexual assault lawsuit against Jay-Z, Sean 'Diddy' Combs dropped

Ananonymous woman who accused Shawn \"Jay-Z\" Carter and Sean \"Diddy\" Combs of raping her in 2000 when she was 13 dismissed her civil lawsuit on Friday against the hip-hop moguls.

1 min

Kartik in beard mode for Aashiqui 3?

That's it we now know what Kartik Aaryan will look like in Aashiqui 3 (or least at one point in the film); the makers have released his first look from the upcoming romantic drama.

1 min

Sushant Singh Rajput's father still hoping for ‘justice'

The Bombay High Court is scheduled to hear a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) on February 19, which is expected to delve into a more detailed investigation into the deaths of actor Sushant Singh Rajput and his former manager, Disha Salian.

1 min

People posing as patients, going to mum's clinic'

YouTuber and podcaster Ranveer Allahbadia, also known as Beer Biceps, has alleged that individuals posing as patients attempted to breach his mother's clinic amid a wave of death threats against him and his family.

1 min

Meet the commis chef redefining determination in Dubai's dining scene

In the fast-paced world of fine dining, where precision and passion go hand in hand, chef Rohit Manek is one to watch out for—not just for his culinary skill but for his journey of perseverance as a person of determination (POD).

5 mins

Meet the commis chef redefining determination in Dubai's dining scene

How Dubai-based chef Rohit Manek’s love for cooking overcame all odds to create a career worth celebrating

5 mins

When the battle cry is more glorious than the movie

Chhaava's dialogues are so bombastic and overwrought that one wonders what can save the narrative. Good actors? Cool background score? We are still searching

4 mins

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Khaleej Times Newspaper Description:

Khaleej Times is the first English newspaper to be launched in the UAE in 1978.

The broadsheet comprises of the general news section, the business pages and a lively sports section. Khaleej Times is the highest circulated of the English language newspapers throughout the Gulf.

It reaches out to all parts of the UAE. Additionally, it covers Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia through a dedicated distribution network.