Careem introduces subscription model on its Super App

Uber-owned Careem introduced a new paid loyalty programme on April 5 that offers users benefits across services from ride-hailing to food delivery.

The new subscription programme will cost Dh39 per month in return for a range of benefits, providing monthly savings of more than double the price of the subscription, Careem said in a statement on Tuesday.

"We wanted to create a programme that's simple to use and unlocks value across all of our services," Clemence Dutertre, Careem’s vice president of customer, said in an interview. "It's a discovery programme for users to explore services that they did not try in the past."

The Careem Plus subscription will be available on the company's Super App that combines different offers – such as ride hailing, food and grocery delivery, digital payments, bike sharing and inter-city travel – on a single platform. About 48 million users have registered for the Super App since its launch in April 2020, Careem said in December.

Subscribers to the programme will benefit from 10 per cent instant cashback on all Careem rides and 5 per cent on all Hala rides using RTA taxis, the statement said.

Other benefits include free food delivery from a variety of restaurants and shops, unlimited access to Careem Bike services at launch and priority care support, the Dubai-based tech company said.

Careem Plus will initially be available to users in Dubai and those who sign up will get the first 30 days for free, the company said.

It will gradually introduce the subscription model to all 100 cities where it operates. Riyadh will be the next city to get the Careem Plus option in the summer followed by Amman, Ms Dutertre said.

Careem will also add more features to the programme as it spreads to more cities, she said, noting that these will depend on customer feedback.

A potential new feature will be a savings tracker that allows users to monitor how much they saved by using the paid loyalty programme.

Another possibility is the auto-reimbursement feature that allows customers who saved less than the monthly value of the programme to be compensated for that.

Careem began developing the programme in December before introducing it to Dubai users this week on its Super App.

"We have a strategy to move to a multi-service app and the subscription programme is a pillar to that," Ms Dutertre said.

Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?

The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.

A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.

Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.

The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.

When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.

Red flags

Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.

Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching

Yuki Means Happiness
Alison Jean Lester
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The specs

Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors

Power: 480kW

Torque: 850Nm

Transmission: Single-speed automatic

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The years Ramadan fell in May

1987

1954

1921

1888

Pharaoh's curse

British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.

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Power: Combined output 920hp

Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic

Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km

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Learn more about Qasr Al Hosn

In 2013, The National's History Project went beyond the walls to see what life was like living in Abu Dhabi's fabled fort:

WOMAN AND CHILD

Director: Saeed Roustaee

Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi

Rating: 4/5

Ferrari 12Cilindri specs

Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12

Power: 819hp

Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm

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The past winners

2009 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull)

2010 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull)

2011 - Lewis Hamilton (McLaren)

2012 - Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus)

2013 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull)

2014 - Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)

2015 - Nico Rosberg (Mercedes)

2016 - Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)

2017 - Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes)

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