• Multiple cars crash during the NASCAR Daytona 500 race in Daytona Beach, Florida. AP Photo
    Multiple cars crash during the NASCAR Daytona 500 race in Daytona Beach, Florida. AP Photo
  • Competitors battle during a national Star Wars lightsaber tournament in Beaumont-sur-Oise, France. AP Photo
    Competitors battle during a national Star Wars lightsaber tournament in Beaumont-sur-Oise, France. AP Photo
  • A cyclist silhouetted against the morning sun in Hanover, Germany. AFP
    A cyclist silhouetted against the morning sun in Hanover, Germany. AFP
  • The head of Godzilla is seen on a building of Toho Cinema in Tokyo, Japan. Reuters
    The head of Godzilla is seen on a building of Toho Cinema in Tokyo, Japan. Reuters
  • A volunteer of the "Aid and Freedom Coalition" movement takes a child's measurements during a medical attention camp in the Macarao neighbourhood in Caracas, Venezuela. AFP
    A volunteer of the "Aid and Freedom Coalition" movement takes a child's measurements during a medical attention camp in the Macarao neighbourhood in Caracas, Venezuela. AFP
  • Libyan men on a bulldozer wave the national flag as they gather to mark the eighth anniversary of the uprising in Libya's second city of Benghazi. AFP
    Libyan men on a bulldozer wave the national flag as they gather to mark the eighth anniversary of the uprising in Libya's second city of Benghazi. AFP
  • Commuters wave to an elephant as he rests near a public road in Colombo, Sri Lanka. AFP
    Commuters wave to an elephant as he rests near a public road in Colombo, Sri Lanka. AFP
  • A fighter with the Syrian Democratic Forces walks through a hole in the wall in the frontline Syrian village of Baghouz. AFP
    A fighter with the Syrian Democratic Forces walks through a hole in the wall in the frontline Syrian village of Baghouz. AFP
  • A hot air balloon flying over Inle lake in Shan State, Myanmar. AFP
    A hot air balloon flying over Inle lake in Shan State, Myanmar. AFP
  • People watching a lantern show in Zaozhuang in China's eastern Shandong province. AFP
    People watching a lantern show in Zaozhuang in China's eastern Shandong province. AFP
  • Tibetan monks attend a ceremony at the Langmu Lamasery during the 'Sunbathing Buddha Festival'. Reuters
    Tibetan monks attend a ceremony at the Langmu Lamasery during the 'Sunbathing Buddha Festival'. Reuters
  • Visitors ride a swing in the central business district of Singapore. Bloomberg
    Visitors ride a swing in the central business district of Singapore. Bloomberg

World

World in focus - best photos for February 18, 2019

Take a look at some of the best images from around the world in the past 24 hours

The National

February 18, 2019

  • English
  • Arabic

More galleries from The National:

Idex 2019: A show of military might and modern warfare

Writers Guild Awards 2019:' Marvelous Mrs. Maisel' and 'Barry' among winners

Airbus A380 special livery history: From Year of Zayed to Real Madrid

The President's Cake

Director: Hasan Hadi

Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem 

Rating: 4/5

In-demand jobs and monthly salaries
  • Technology expert in robotics and automation: Dh20,000 to Dh40,000 
  • Energy engineer: Dh25,000 to Dh30,000 
  • Production engineer: Dh30,000 to Dh40,000 
  • Data-driven supply chain management professional: Dh30,000 to Dh50,000 
  • HR leader: Dh40,000 to Dh60,000 
  • Engineering leader: Dh30,000 to Dh55,000 
  • Project manager: Dh55,000 to Dh65,000 
  • Senior reservoir engineer: Dh40,000 to Dh55,000 
  • Senior drilling engineer: Dh38,000 to Dh46,000 
  • Senior process engineer: Dh28,000 to Dh38,000 
  • Senior maintenance engineer: Dh22,000 to Dh34,000 
  • Field engineer: Dh6,500 to Dh7,500
  • Field supervisor: Dh9,000 to Dh12,000
  • Field operator: Dh5,000 to Dh7,000
Timeline

2012-2015

The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East

May 2017

The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts

September 2021

Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act

October 2021

Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence 

December 2024

Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group

May 2025

The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan

July 2025

The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan

August 2025

Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision

October 2025

Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange

November 2025

180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE

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Explained
Avatar: Fire and Ash

Director: James Cameron

Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana

Rating: 4.5/5

Company%20profile
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3%20Body%20Problem
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Factfile on Garbine Muguruza:

Name: Garbine Muguruza (ESP)

World ranking: 15 (will rise to 5 on Monday)

Date of birth: October 8, 1993

Place of birth: Caracas, Venezuela

Place of residence: Geneva, Switzerland

Height: 6ft (1.82m)

Career singles titles: 4

Grand Slam titles: 2 (French Open 2016, Wimbledon 2017)

Career prize money: $13,928,719

The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting 

2. Prayer 

3. Hajj 

4. Shahada 

5. Zakat 

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