Author: dailyguardian.ae

Only five countries have achieved a controlled, soft landing on the moon, but none of them have been commercial missions. Vying to become the first private company to achieve the feat, Japanese firm ispace sent its Hakuto-R Series 1 lander to our nearest neighbor last year. But in the final stages of its flight, the spacecraft lost control and crashed on the surface. More recently, Pittsburgh-based Astrobotic successfully launched its Peregrine lander on a ULA rocket from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, setting it on course for a rendezvous with the moon that was supposed to take place next…

Regulatory changes and a robust economy are driving mergers and acquisitions, fostering consolidation in the insurance industry. By Staff Report The insurance sector in the Gulf, particularly in the UAE and KSA, the primary insurance markets in the GCC, is undergoing rapid evolution. The continued increase in insurance premium volume points to the market moving towards steadily towards maturity in terms of growth as well as regulations, noted Suresh Nair, Executive Director at Gargash Insurance. In 2022, the Middle East and Africa insurance market witnessed 24 M&A transactions. Notable mergers included Wataniya international Holding with Dar Al Takaful and the…

Netflix added 13 million subscribers in the final three months of last year, the company said on Tuesday, despite price hikes at the leading streaming service. Netflix finished 2023 with slightly more than 260 million subscribers worldwide, with a profit of $938 million in the final quarter versus just $55 million in the same period a year earlier. “We believe there is plenty of room for growth ahead as streaming expands,” the US company said in an earnings letter. Netflix shares were up more than 8 percent to $532.75 in after-market trades that followed the release of the earnings figures.…

Cue all the “did ‘Barbie’ direct itself” snark. But Greta Gerwig not being among the five best director nominees for this year’s Oscars is one of the biggest shocks in recent memory. Here are some other major “snubs” and “surprises” from Oscar nomination morning. If we knew anything going into Oscar nominations morning, it was that Gerwig was obviously going to be nominated for directing ‘Barbie’. It was that rarest of things, a critically praised original blockbuster (about a woman to boot) that became the highest earner of the year by a wide margin and was a legitimate cultural phenomenon.…

You can always wash dishes by hand, but that takes time. Why not at least outfit your home with one of the best dishwashers and take back some of that time to do what you like? There are a ton of dishwasher deals to help you save on a new upgrade but if you don’t know what you’re looking for, you’ll quickly find yourself overwhelmed. What dishwasher brands are the best in 2024? Which brands or models are more reliable than others, as chosen by experts? We had the same questions, so we put in the time and research to…

Portuguese cabin crew I.O. had been saving up for over two years with the dream of returning home. But a simple error of judgement caused her to lose her life savings of almost Dh200,000 to phone scammers. “I was saving up because I wanted to resign and go home,” she said, speaking to Khaleej Times, on condition of anonymity. “But instead, I lost everything.” A resident of Dubai for over four years, I.O. had heard enough about scammers and phone scams. So much that she wouldn’t even pick up calls from unknown numbers. However, on that fateful day, scammers caught…

The pairing of Norman Nikolai (7) and Kai Norman (18) scored 46 points to dominate the UAE International Pairs at the Montgomerie Golf Club, Dubai on the 2023 – 24 Race to Obidos. Their impressive win by five points was highlighted with nines of 25 and 21 points. Both players contributed to the team score – with a combined betterball front nine of 29 gross. Runners-up were the pairing of Edward Pell (9) and Quinton Swartberg (10) with 41 points. A total of 32 teams competed with nine pairings scoring 38 points or better. The winning three pairs qualify to…

The Vision Pro is an exciting new headset that Apple calls a spatial computer, but you might be wondering if the computing really happens on this compact device or if it needs to connect to a computer or a phone for processing. That’s a fair question to ask since many AR and VR devices require a separate device for power and computing. The Vision Pro and the Apple ecosystem So, how does the Apple Vision Pro work, and what’s needed to use it as a spatial computer? The good news is this $3,500 device is complete right out of the…

Speeds of up to 400kmph; real face-pulling G-forces as you roll and climb; 360-degree panoramic views of the stunning coastline, desert and mountains: Ras Al Khaimah has launched the UAE’s first commercial aerobatic flight experience. Wayne Jack, director of Flight Operations and chief executive officer/founder of ActionFlight, told Khaleej Times that the aviation adventure tourism company has operated a couple of dozen commercial aerobatic flights since obtaining the regulatory approval a few weeks ago. Taking off from the RAK International Airport, flights soar at an altitude of 2,000-6,000 feet, zooming past the coastline between Marjan Island, Cove Rotana and Al…

The Indian rupee opened on a flat note and appreciated 1 paisa to 83.14 against the US dollar (23.09 against UAE dirham) in the morning session on Wednesday, amid a muted trend in domestic equities. Forex traders said the rupee is trading with a slight negative bias amid selling pressure from foreign investors. At the interbank foreign exchange, the rupee opened at 83.15 against the dollar, then rose to 83.14, registering a rise of 1 paisa over its previous close. Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels. [Editor’s Note: For real-time forex rates, click…