Mohamed Ramadan is making the most of his US appearances this year.
Fresh from his Coachella festival debut in April, the Egyptian pop star posted a picture of himself with Lara Trump – the former Fox News host turned budding musician and daughter-in-law of US President Donald Trump.
The occasion was a New York gala called Make Music Right, an organisation that, according to its website, focuses on "enlightening Americans on music's role in shaping perspectives and promoting a music culture that upholds traditional values and elevates American society".
While Trump was a keynote speaker and Ramadan a guest, the latter suggested their meeting was more than a networking opportunity. He hinted at a possible musical collaboration, posting: "Something great is on the horizon, inshallah".
The potential release raises questions about who would benefit most. After dominating Arab pop charts for more than a decade, Ramadan has been making a concerted effort to expand his brand internationally, with performances across Africa, in addition to his Coachella appearance.
As for Trump, working with Ramadan wouldn't be entirely out of tune. The former television presenter has already released a single with Moroccan-American rapper French Montana this year as part of a two-year music catalogue that many are only now discovering.
Here are three things you need to know about her unlikely music career.
1. She began with a hit cover of Tom Petty tune
Even Trump herself wasn't sure if a music career was on the cards when releasing her debut single, I Won't Back Down, in 2023, a cover of the 1989 Tom Petty hit.
A more languid take on the original, with Trump's huskier vocals pitched in a lower register, she promoted the track on Fox & Friends by explaining it "was something I wanted to do for fun. I recorded it over the winter and thought, let's put it out and see what happens."
It turned out to be fortuitous. The song – released without a label – cracked the top 10 of Billboard's Digital Song Sales chart and reached sixth place on the country chart.
What perhaps made the success even sweeter was that the original I Won't Back Down had been used by President Trump during his unsuccessful 2020 re-election campaign, prompting the Petty estate to issue a public cease-and-desist notice.
2. She then turned towards inspirational country-pop
Trump announced herself as an artist last year with two original works, both styled as inspirational anthems and following a country-pop template. First up was Anything Is Possible, followed by Hero, the latter a plaintive piano ballad co-written with up-and-coming country singer Madeline Jaymes and dedicated to US emergency services personnel.
The gracious sentiments didn't shield either song from critical reception on social media, where listeners noted the heavy-handed use of auto-tune on Trump's vocals – particularly jarring in a genre historically prizing vocal authenticity.
3. And now she has gone full pop with the help of French Montana
A brash musical left turn and one of the most unexpected collaborations of the year, Trump teamed up with French Montana on No Days Off, a slick electro-pop track in which Trump projects a more assertive persona.
"I'm a little hard to read / You only know what they show you when you turn on the TV / So think of this as a reboot," she delivers in clipped phrases. Montana eventually chimes in, boasting of his new friendship: "Me and Lara at your front porch, knock knock".
No Days Off failed to gain traction, and a reported future collaboration with Gims was denied by the French-Congolese rapper himself. If a potential song with Ramadan materialises, it could follow this template of unlikely cross-cultural partnerships.
Whatever happens next, more music appears inevitable. According to Newsweek, she incorporated the business LT Music LLC in April, suggesting her musical ambitions remain undimmed for the time being.
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
The Written World: How Literature Shaped History
Martin Puchner
Granta
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
BeIN Sports currently has the rights to show
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What is Genes in Space?
Genes in Space is an annual competition first launched by the UAE Space Agency, The National and Boeing in 2015.
It challenges school pupils to design experiments to be conducted in space and it aims to encourage future talent for the UAE’s fledgling space industry. It is the first of its kind in the UAE and, as well as encouraging talent, it also aims to raise interest and awareness among the general population about space exploration.
War 2
Director: Ayan Mukerji
Stars: Hrithik Roshan, NTR, Kiara Advani, Ashutosh Rana
Rating: 2/5
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
RESULT
Al Hilal 4 Persepolis 0
Khribin (31', 54', 89'), Al Shahrani 40'
Red card: Otayf (Al Hilal, 49')
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Company%20Profile
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Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
Rating: 1/5
Company%20Profile
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ICC Women's T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier 2025, Thailand
UAE fixtures
May 9, v Malaysia
May 10, v Qatar
May 13, v Malaysia
May 15, v Qatar
May 18 and 19, semi-finals
May 20, final
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Read more from Kareem Shaheen
Martin Sabbagh profile
Job: CEO JCDecaux Middle East
In the role: Since January 2015
Lives: In the UAE
Background: M&A, investment banking
Studied: Corporate finance
Movie: Saheb, Biwi aur Gangster 3
Producer: JAR Films
Director: Tigmanshu Dhulia
Cast: Sanjay Dutt, Jimmy Sheirgill, Mahie Gill, Chitrangda Singh, Kabir Bedi
Rating: 3 star
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
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
