Author: Editorial team

OpenAI has decided to discontinue its Sora video app in a move which will result in terminating a $1 billion licence agreement with The Walt Disney Company less than four months after being agreed. In a post on X from the official Sora account, the company confirmed it was shuttering the service, which became publicly available in late 2024 and launched as a standalone service in September 2025. “To everyone who created with Sora, shared it and built community around it: thank you”, the company wrote. OpenAI added it is focusing its computing resources on other areas including robotics. As…

ABU DHABI, 26th March, 2026 (WAM) — The Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates (CBUAE) has seen its gold reserves rise by 13.6 percent in January 2026 to a new record of AED43.051 billion at the end of the month, compared to AED37.902 billion at the end of December 2025, an increase of AED5.149 billion, according to the bank’s monthly statistical bulletin issued today. On an annual basis, the Central Bank’s gold reserves increased by more than 75 percent over the past year, rising by approximately AED18.48 billion compared to AED24.571 billion at the end of January 2025. The…

[Editor’s Note: Follow Khaleej Times live blog for the latest updates as the UAE deals with heavy rains and unstable weather conditions.] Dubai drivers will get instant, real-time alerts about water accumulation on roads as part of a revamped weather response system designed to reduce traffic delays and keep commuters safe during storms. The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has deployed a unified communication platform that tracks flooding across the city in real time, with field teams and smart systems working together to ensure drivers are immediately informed of hazardous conditions. “We studied past rainfall and flooding, identified high-risk areas, and prepared targeted…

ABU DHABI, 26th March, 2026 (WAM) — Mubadala Energy, the Abu Dhabi-headquartered international energy company, on Thursday announced the award of the Southwest Andaman exploration Production Sharing Contract (PSC) under Indonesia’s Gross Split scheme. The block was awarded by Direktorat Jenderal Minyak dan Gas Bumi (DG MIGAS) as part of the Second Bid Round 2025. Mubadala Energy will hold a 100 percent participating interest and will operate the block. Situated immediately adjacent to Mubadala Energy’s existing Andaman acreage, the Southwest Andaman block is a strategic addition to the company’s Andaman position alongside its South Andaman, Central Andaman, and Andaman II…

ABU DHABI, 26th March, 2026 (WAM) — Researchers at NYU Abu Dhabi have discovered new large-scale waves moving deep inside the Sun, driven by magnetic fields far below the surface. These waves provide a window into parts of the Sun that are otherwise inaccessible, giving scientists a new tool to study how its magnetic field is formed and evolves over time. In the new study, published in Nature Astronomy, researchers at NYU Abu Dhabi’s Centre for Astrophysics and Space Science analysed more than a decade of the Sun’s natural vibrations. Their work revealed evidence for previously undetected, global-scale waves influenced…

ABU DHABI, 26th March, 2026 (WAM) — The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), in collaboration with Mubadala, has extended the submission deadline for the second edition of the House of Artisans Design Competition, with creatives across the UAE now able to submit entries until 20th April. The competition, sponsored by Mubadala, is a vital initiative under House of Artisans, reinforcing its commitment to nurturing emerging talent and preserving the UAE’s rich heritage. It offers a unique platform for designers to engage with traditional crafts, with selected designs having the opportunity to be acquired by…

[Editor’s Note: Follow Khaleej Times live blog for the latest updates as the UAE deals with heavy rains and unstable weather conditions.] A fresh wave of unstable weather is set to affect parts of the UAE from Thursday night (March 26) through Friday, with authorities forecasting rain, thunderstorms and strong winds in phases across the country. According to the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM), the latest system will begin impacting western areas late Thursday before gradually moving inland and eastward. This comes as the UAE continues to experience a multi-day spell of unstable weather, with rainfall, thunderstorms and reduced visibility reported across several…

GAZA, 26th March, 2026 (WAM) — The United Arab Emirates has dispatched its 328th humanitarian aid convoy to the Gaza Strip as part of “Operation Chivalrous Knight 3”, carrying a shipment of children’s clothing under the “Clothing of Hope for Our Children in Gaza” initiative. The convoy, which has arrived in Gaza, consists of 15 trucks loaded with 270 tonnes of clothing and garments for children, aimed at supporting Palestinian families and meeting the basic needs of children amid the difficult humanitarian conditions in the Strip. The initiative is part of the ongoing UAE relief efforts to support Palestinians and…

The United States government has moved to ban new foreign-made consumer internet routers over potential national security concerns. In an update to a list of equipment seen as not secure enough for use, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) added all consumer-grade routers made outside the U.S. It puts routers – which are used widely in homes and businesses to connect computers, phones, TVs and other devices to the internet – on a par with foreign-made drones, which were banned at the end of last year. “Malicious actors have exploited security gaps in foreign-made routers to attack American households, disrupt networks,…

[Editor’s Note: Follow Khaleej Times live blog amid US-Israel-Iran war for the latest regional developments.] The Indian rupee’s slide toward the 94-per-dollar mark has emerged as one of the most closely watched market signals for investors, policymakers and millions of overseas Indians — especially the large UAE-based diaspora. The currency’s weakness reflects a powerful mix of surging oil prices, a strong US dollar, foreign capital outflows and rising geopolitical tensions in the Gulf, raising important questions about inflation, remittances and the outlook for Asia’s third-largest economy. Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp channels. Here’s a clear…