Naval commanders from the UK and the US join Saudi Navy Commodore Fahad Al Joaid during a ceremony in Bahrain. Photo: US Naval Forces Central Command
Naval commanders from the UK and the US join Saudi Navy Commodore Fahad Al Joaid during a ceremony in Bahrain. Photo: US Naval Forces Central Command
Naval commanders from the UK and the US join Saudi Navy Commodore Fahad Al Joaid during a ceremony in Bahrain. Photo: US Naval Forces Central Command
Naval commanders from the UK and the US join Saudi Navy Commodore Fahad Al Joaid during a ceremony in Bahrain. Photo: US Naval Forces Central Command

Saudi Arabia takes command of multinational maritime force at time of heightened tension


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The Royal Saudi Navy has assumed command of Combined Task Force (CTF) 150, a multinational maritime task force in the Gulf region at a time of heightened tension between Iran and Israel.

The change of command between Saudi Arabia and New Zealand this week was presided over by US Navy Vice Admiral George Wikoff, commander of Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) in Bahrain.

CTF 150 was established in February 2002 and is one of five operational task forces under the CMF. It conducts maritime security operations outside the Arabian Gulf against threats from non-state actors.

CMF, headquartered in Bahrain with US Naval Forces Central Command and US 5th Fleet, is the largest multinational naval partnership in the world, with 46 navies.

“This mission carries great responsibility,” Royal Saudi Navy Commodore Fahad S. Al Joaid said during the handover ceremony. “We will build on the achievements of our predecessors and work closely with all CMF partners to safeguard these vital waters together.”

Tension has heightened in the region since the Israel-Iran war in June. It has also been the scene of attacks – in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden – by Iran-backed Yemeni Houthi rebels against ships.

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Memory: 64/256GB storage; 8GB RAM

Main camera: 12MP wide, f/1.8, Smart HDR

Video: 4K @ 25/25/30/60fps, full HD @ 25/30/60fps, slo-mo @ 120/240fps

Front camera: 12MP ultra-wide, f/2.4, Smart HDR, Centre Stage; full HD @ 25/30/60fps

Audio: Stereo speakers

Biometrics: Touch ID

I/O: USB-C, smart connector (for folio/keyboard)

Battery: Up to 10 hours on Wi-Fi; up to 9 hours on cellular

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Price: Wi-Fi – Dh2,499 (64GB) / Dh3,099 (256GB); cellular – Dh3,099 (64GB) / Dh3,699 (256GB)

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Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan

Star rating: 2/5

The Details

Article 15
Produced by: Carnival Cinemas, Zee Studios
Directed by: Anubhav Sinha
Starring: Ayushmann Khurrana, Kumud Mishra, Manoj Pahwa, Sayani Gupta, Zeeshan Ayyub
Our rating: 4/5 

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Sting & Shaggy

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(Interscope)

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Griezmann (13' pen), Pavard (57'), Mbappe (64', 68')

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Di Maria (41'), Mercado (48'), Aguero (90 3')

Teaching your child to save

Pre-school (three - five years)

You can’t yet talk about investing or borrowing, but introduce a “classic” money bank and start putting gifts and allowances away. When the child wants a specific toy, have them save for it and help them track their progress.

Early childhood (six - eight years)

Replace the money bank with three jars labelled ‘saving’, ‘spending’ and ‘sharing’. Have the child divide their allowance into the three jars each week and explain their choices in splitting their pocket money. A guide could be 25 per cent saving, 50 per cent spending, 25 per cent for charity and gift-giving.

Middle childhood (nine - 11 years)

Open a bank savings account and help your child establish a budget and set a savings goal. Introduce the notion of ‘paying yourself first’ by putting away savings as soon as your allowance is paid.

Young teens (12 - 14 years)

Change your child’s allowance from weekly to monthly and help them pinpoint long-range goals such as a trip, so they can start longer-term saving and find new ways to increase their saving.

Teenage (15 - 18 years)

Discuss mutual expectations about university costs and identify what they can help fund and set goals. Don’t pay for everything, so they can experience the pride of contributing.

Young adulthood (19 - 22 years)

Discuss post-graduation plans and future life goals, quantify expenses such as first apartment, work wardrobe, holidays and help them continue to save towards these goals.

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Why are you, you?

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Why are you, you?
Because we are mirrors of each other.
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Together we are more powerful than we know.
We connect, we inspire, we multiply illuminations
with the unique light of art.

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What vitamins do we know are beneficial for living in the UAE

Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood.Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues.Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity.Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Supports heart health and reduces inflammation, especially for those who consume little fish.

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Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbo V12

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Fuel economy, combined: 15L / 100km

Another way to earn air miles

In addition to the Emirates and Etihad programmes, there is the Air Miles Middle East card, which offers members the ability to choose any airline, has no black-out dates and no restrictions on seat availability. Air Miles is linked up to HSBC credit cards and can also be earned through retail partners such as Spinneys, Sharaf DG and The Toy Store.

An Emirates Dubai-London round-trip ticket costs 180,000 miles on the Air Miles website. But customers earn these ‘miles’ at a much faster rate than airline miles. Adidas offers two air miles per Dh1 spent. Air Miles has partnerships with websites as well, so booking.com and agoda.com offer three miles per Dh1 spent.

“If you use your HSBC credit card when shopping at our partners, you are able to earn Air Miles twice which will mean you can get that flight reward faster and for less spend,” says Paul Lacey, the managing director for Europe, Middle East and India for Aimia, which owns and operates Air Miles Middle East.

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Dir: Guy Nattiv

Starring: Jamie Bell, Danielle McDonald, Bill Camp, Vera Farmiga

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Updated: August 21, 2025, 8:49 AM