Khaleej Times - April 25, 2025

In this issue

April 25, 2025

India-Pakistan ties plummet

Pakistan suspends trade, bilateral accords and airspaces with India | It says suspension of a water sharing treaty would be 'an act of war | Visas to Indians cancelled, borders closed, LoC accord suspended

1 min

India-Pakistan ties plummet

PM Modi vows to pursue Kashmir attackers to 'ends of the earth' | New Delhi says all Pakistani citizens must leave India by April 29 | Indian security forces launch vast manhunt for Pahalgam attackers

1 min

UAE-India flights may see delays as airspace shut

Flights between the UAE and India could face delays and longer routes after Pakistan announced on Thursday the immediate closure of its airspace to all Indian-owned Indian-operated airlines.

2 mins

UAE’s Gen Z prefers texting over calls: Study

Experts link this trend of phone phobia to social anxiety and cultural shifts

2 mins

'Dialect ban for non-Emiratis meant to promote proper language use among children'

Asthe UAE governmentrecently implemented a new media policy that restricts the use of the Emirati dialect to citizens only, experts have come forth to express their strong support.

1 min

Reading becomes fun for kids at Sharjah children’s festival

The Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival promises to be a fun-filled adventure for young ones. From a range of workshops to even a Sherlock Holmes themed exhibition, there’s a lot that children can engage in at the festival.

2 mins

Cross-border couples in a fix as India, Pakistan stop visa services

Nazneen, a Pakistani living in the UAE who is married to Faisal, an Indian from Uttar Pradesh, was eagerly looking forward to the summer holidays. For the couple, this was not just a regular vacation, it was a long-awaited trip to meet their families, whom they have not seen since the pandemic.

1 min

A creative haven for adults with autism

As Nazeer Waseem reflects on his childhood, he admits he doesn’t remember much, but his mother, Uzma, recalled a pivotal moment: a teacher slapped him for his behaviour. Years later, Nazeer was diagnosed with autism after a long journey.

3 mins

Thankful to ‘Kashmiri brothers’, says Dubai ex-resident whose dad was shot

When former Dubai resident Arathi Menon travelled to Kashmir with her parents and six-year-old twin sons, she had never imagined that the leisure trip would turn into her worst nightmare. Arathi’s father was shot and killed by one of the several gunmen who unleashed a terror attack in the Pahalgam region of Indian-administered Kashmir on Tuesday.

2 mins

UAE launches sensory menstruation guidebook for girls with autism

The world’s first-of-its-kind sensory guidebook for menstruation has been launched in UAE, designed to assist young girls on the autism spectrum in navigating the complexities of periods.

2 mins

AI a tool for detection but cannot replace health specialists: Experts

Mental health specialists and startup founders say that although artificial intelligence is a great assistive tool for therapists, it should not be “left out in the wild.”

1 min

Redefining future of work in the UAE and beyond

The UAE’s most influential minds in HR, talent development, and workforce innovation are gathering for the ‘Future Workforce Summit 2025’ taking place on April 30 at Address Sky View Hotel in Dubai.

2 mins

New law in Dubai on infectious diseases to create quick response

Doctors in the UAE are emphasising that the new law aimed at controlling the spread of infectious diseases will improve patient safety and optimise the use of medical resources.

2 mins

UAE ranks among top rising economies in AI readiness

‘The UAE is charging toward the forefront of the global AI revolution, emerging as a top contender among the world’s rising economies, according to a study from Boston Consulting Group (BCG).

3 mins

Dubai will continue to attract tourists amid tariff wars, officials say

Dubai will ride this wave of global uncertainties caused by tariff wars, US visa issues and geopolitical tensions around the world, senior officials said on Thursday.

2 mins

Dubai residential realty sales surge 22.4% in first quarter

Dubai’s residential _ property sales increased by 22.4 per cent year-on-year in the first quarter, with a 29.6 per cent increase in the total value sold, a report showed on Thursday.

3 mins

Moody’s upgrades Sobha Realty parent company’s ratings to Ba2

PNC Investments LLC (PNCI), the parent company of global luxury real estate developer Sobha Realty, has received an upgrade in its Corporate Family Rating (CFR) from Moody’s Ratings, which raised the rating to Ba2/stable from Ba3/stable. Additionally, the senior unsecured rating of PNCI’s existing $500 million sukuk issued by Sobha Sukuk Limited has been affirmed at Ba2, all outlooks remain stable.

1 min

Hub71 records $2.17b in startup funding

Hub71, Abu Dhabi’s global tech ecosystem, on Thursday announced that in 2024, startups within its purview secured a record $2.17 billion (Dh8.02 billion) in funding; a 44.7 per cent year-on-year increase from $1.5 billion in 2023.

1 min

Strategic collaborations drive Dubai’s tourism momentum

If you look at the way Dubai was built over time, I have always said that not having oil was a blessing, because it really has forced us to be entrepreneurial.

5 mins

Uniqus Consultech raises $20 million in Series C funding

Uniqus Consultech, a tech-enabled global platform that offers consulting solutions in the accounting and reporting, finance operations, governance, risk, ESG, and technology domains, has announced that it has secured $20 million in Series C funding.

1 min

Créo names Jaimesha Patel as its new CEO

Integrated growth and transformation partner créo has named Jaimesha Patel as its new CEO, effective March 2025. The appointment marks a significant milestone in the agency’s evolution as it sharpens its focus on per-formance marketing, strategic creativity, and business transformation rooted in real-world impact.

1 min

InsuranceMarket.ae officially named Superbrand

In a proud moment for the UAE’s insurance sector, InsuranceMarket.ae has officially been awarded Superbrands status for 2025, a prestigious honour that distinguishes the nation’s most trusted and iconic brands.

1 min

What makes Dubai the best city for solo travel?

The Emirate is steadily cementing its place as a top destination for solo travellers—especially women

5 mins

Gaza rescuers: Israeli strikes kill 53 after evacuation order

Gaza rescue teams and medics said Israeli air strikes killed at least 53 people on Thursday, as the military issued fresh evacuation orders ahead of a planned attack.

1 min

Jordan bans Muslim Brotherhood activities, shuts all offices

Jordan has banned the activities of members of the Muslim Brotherhood, the Jordanian Interior Minister Mazen Fraya announced on Wednesday.

1 min

UN watchdog asks Iran to clarify tunnels but upbeat on deal

The head of the UN nuclear watchdog agency called on Wednesday on Iran to explain tunnels built around a nuclear site but voiced optimism that US-Iran talks would land a deal.

2 mins

UK ends sanctions on Syria defence, interior ministries

‘The UK government announced on Thursday it was lifting sanctions that were imposed on Syria’s interior and defence ministries during the rule of the now-deposed Bashar Al Assad.

1 min

Moving heaven and earth to make bread in war-hit Gaza

In Gaza, where hunger gnaws and hope runs thin, flour and bread are so scarce that they are carefully divided by families clinging to survival.

3 mins

Pakistan suspends trade and bilateral accords

Any attempt to stop or divert water belonging to Pakistan would be considered an act of war, it said.

1 min

Lanka Buddhists overwhelm city in bid to see sacred tooth

Buddhist devotees flocking to see a sacred tooth in Sri Lanka were urged to stay clear by police on Thursday after hundreds of people queuing fell sick and a woman died.

1 min

Philippine security agency: Signs of China election interference

The Philippines’ National Security Council (NSC) said on Thursday there are indications China is conducting a “state-sponsored” campaign to interfere in next month’s mid-term elections.

1 min

Hundreds protest in Pakistan over India's threats

Hundreds of Pakistanis joined protests across the country on ‘Thursday, including in Kashmir, to rage against Indian threats after a deadly attack on tourists across the contested border.

1 min

India, Pakistan and Kashmir terror attack: What we know

Long-troubled relations between nuclear-armed rivals India and Pakistan rapidly worsened after gunmen targeting tourists killed 26 men in Indian-administered Kashmir.

3 mins

French PM's daughter says she was abused by priest as a teenager

A daughter of France’s prime minister Francois Bayrou on Wednesday became the latest person to accuse the clergy running a school in the Pyrenees of systemic abuse including while her father was a local official, saying a priest beat her during summer camp when she was 14.

2 mins

UK bans video game controller export to Russia

The UK on Thursday announced a ban on video game controllers exported to Russia that could be repurposed to pilot drones and condemned Moscow’s latest deadly strike on Kyiv.

1 min

Paris: 121-metre long cake gives a taste for records

El Gatou’s cake used 4,000 eggs, 350kg of strawberries, 150kg of sugar and 415kg of cream

1 min

'Vladimir, STOP!': Trump turns on Putin after deadly Kyiv strike

Donald Trump on Thursday called on Vladimir Putin to halt attacks on Ukraine, in a rare rebuke of the Russian leader after Moscow fired a barrage of missiles and drones at Kyiv, killing at least 12 in the deadliest attack on the capital in months.

2 mins

Thousands line up for 2nd day to see glimpse of pope

Mourners queued in their thousands for hours on Thursday to catch a last glimpse of Pope Francis’s body on the second day of public tributes as Italian authorities stepped up security arrangements ahead of his weekend funeral.

3 mins

Student kills classmate in France

A student killed one student and wounded three others in a stabbing spree at a private high school in northwestern France before being arrested Thursday, a police source said.

1 min

YouTube says over 20B videos uploaded in 20 years

YouTube on Wednesday celebrated more than 20 billion videos being uploaded to the platform since the first clip debuted two decades ago.

2 mins

At Trump-themed Texas burger joint, diners eating it up

It is lunchtime at a Texas eatery called Trump Burger and diners are enjoying fast food and the frenetic first 100 days of their president’s second term.

2 mins

Gwangju focused on Al Hilal’s Saudi contingent in Champions League clash

Al Hilal’s foreign players have made the Saudi team one of the favourites to lift the Asian Champions League Elite title but Gwangju coach Lee Jung-hyo has his sights set on the club’s domestic contin gent ahead of the quarter-finals on Friday.

1 min

UAE Team Emirates rider Pogacar back on top with big win

With the look of a man keen to stand on the top step of the podium again, Tadej Pogacar decimated his opposition to win La Flèche Wallonne on Wednesday afternoon, with the Slovenian taking his second title in three years.

1 min

Kishan's walkoff in the match against Mumbai Indians puzzles fans

Sunrisers Hyderabad's playoff hopes in the Indian Premier League suffered another blow on Wednesday but even more puzzling was their batter Ishan Kishan's bizarre self-inflicted dismissal in their defeat at home against the Mumbai Indians.

1 min

Leicester icon Vardy saying farewell to club after 13 seasons

Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy will leave the Premier League club at the end of the season following their relegation, bringing the curtain down on an era where he established himself as one of the greats in a team that punched above their weight.

1 min

Arsenal lacked 'energy' in Palace draw as Liverpool set to seal title

Mikel Arteta admitted Arsenal have to get their “energy” back for the Champions League showdown with Paris Saint-Germain after a lacklustre 2-2 draw against Crystal Palace left Liverpool on the brink of winning the Premier League.

2 mins

New York Knicks to face Philadelphia 76ers in NBA Abu Dhabi Games 2025

The National Basketball Association (NBA) and the Department of Culture and Tourism — Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) on Thursday announced that the NBA Abu Dhabi Games 2025 presented by ADQ will feature the New York Knicks and the Philadelphia 76ers playing preseason games on Thursday, October 2 and Saturday, October 4 at Etihad Arena on Yas Island.

1 min

Ravi Shastri hails Sheikh Mohammed for transforming Dubai's fortunes

In an interview with Khaleej Times, the former India coach says there is a growing interest among famous cricketers to invest in Dubai which has become a global hub for business and sports

3 mins

Fawad Khan's newest film to get postponed in India?

As India reels from the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam, when gunmen opened fire on tourists in Kashmir, the nation has taken measures against Pakistan, accusing Islamabad of supporting \"cross-border terrorism.\"

1 min

Why Khloe is a sharer

Reality TV star Khloe Kardashian never shies away from sharing the darkest moments of her life, and she has spoken up again.

1 min

Penn Badgley struggled to separate himself from Gossip Girl character

Penn Badgley opened up about his struggles to differentiate himself from his Gossip Girl character, Dan Humphrey, after the show's success, reported Variety.

1 min

International stars bring mesmerising ballet show to Abu Dhabi stage

Abu Dhabi will witness a rare blend of classical tradition and contemporary expression as the All-Star Ballet Gala takes the stage at New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD).

3 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.