Saudi Arabia’s navy has received the second and third consignments of French speedboats under a technology transfer deal with the Paris government, the official Saudi Press Agency said on Sunday.
General Fahed Al Ghufaily, head of the Saudi Royal Navy, oversaw a delivery ceremony for the interceptor-class HSI32 boats on the eastern coast of the kingdom.
He said the vessels are among the most modern speedboats and will “contribute to raising combat readiness of the maritime units and help protect the strategic interests of the kingdom”.
The first two boats became operational in July last year out of 39 boats contracted to the French CMN shipyard. The deal stipulates that about half of the boats are to be made in France and the rest in Saudi Arabia.
Riyadh has sought partnerships in the past few years with international suppliers to boost its domestic manufacturing capacity.
In April the Saudi military said it expects to begin making drones next year as part of a plan to keep half of the kingdom’s military spending in the country over the next decade.
The country has one of the world’s largest military budgets, accounting for more than 8 per cent of GDP.
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
Farasan Boat: 128km Away from Anchorage
Director: Mowaffaq Alobaid
Stars: Abdulaziz Almadhi, Mohammed Al Akkasi, Ali Al Suhaibani
Rating: 4/5
What is double taxation?
- Americans living abroad file taxes with the Internal Revenue Service, which can cost hundreds of dollars to complete even though about 60 per cent do not owe taxes, according to the Taxpayer Advocate Service
- Those obligations apply to millions of Americans residing overseas – estimates range from 3.9 million to 5.5 million – including so-called "accidental Americans" who are unaware they hold dual citizenship
- The double taxation policy has been a contentious issue for decades, with many overseas Americans feeling that it punishes them for pursuing opportunities abroad
- Unlike most countries, the US follows a citizenship-based taxation system, meaning that Americans must file taxes annually, even if they do not earn any income in the US.
TO A LAND UNKNOWN
Director: Mahdi Fleifel
Starring: Mahmoud Bakri, Aram Sabbah, Mohammad Alsurafa
Rating: 4.5/5
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
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