President Sheikh Mohamed received a call from Keir Starmer, the British Prime Minister, on Wednesday. Getty Images / UAE Presidential Court
President Sheikh Mohamed received a call from Keir Starmer, the British Prime Minister, on Wednesday. Getty Images / UAE Presidential Court
President Sheikh Mohamed received a call from Keir Starmer, the British Prime Minister, on Wednesday. Getty Images / UAE Presidential Court
President Sheikh Mohamed received a call from Keir Starmer, the British Prime Minister, on Wednesday. Getty Images / UAE Presidential Court

President Sheikh Mohamed holds talks with Keir Starmer


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President Sheikh Mohamed on Wednesday received a phone call from UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

The two men discussed efforts to address the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip and stressed their commitment to supporting all efforts aimed at establishing regional security and stability, state news agency Wam reported.

Both sides highlighted the importance of establishing comprehensive peace based on the two-state solution as the way to achieve stability in the region.

Sheikh Mohamed praised Mr Starmer’s statements regarding Britain's intention to recognise the Palestinian state. He also stressed the priority of reaching an urgent ceasefire in Gaza and continuing the flow of humanitarian aid into the enclave.

The Prime Minister's office released a statement following the talks, which set out the UK's support for efforts to bring about peace and deliver more aid to Gaza.

“He [Mr Starmer] explained the UK’s intention to recognise the state of Palestine before UNGA in September unless significant progress is made and long-term peace negotiations have started," the statement said.

"He reiterated that the UK calls unequivocally for the immediate release of all hostages and that Hamas must sign up to a ceasefire, disarm and accept that they will play no role in Gaza’s future.

"The leaders agreed that a viable and sovereign Palestinian state living alongside a safe and secure Israel can be the only basis for just and lasting peace and that they would stay in close touch.”

Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, welcomed the UK government's intention to recognise Palestine's statehood at September's UN gathering.

He said the step would reinforce efforts by the international community to achieve a two-state solution and secure peace in the Middle East.

Sheikh Abdullah expressed his appreciation for a "significant decision", which came at a critical juncture in efforts to end the deadly conflict.

History made

On Tuesday, Mr Starmer said the UK will recognise Palestinian statehood in September unless Israel agrees to a ceasefire in Gaza.

“I have always said that we will recognise a Palestinian state as a contribution to a proper peace process at the moment of maximum impact for the two-state solution,” he said. “I can confirm the UK will recognise the state of Palestine by the UN General Assembly in September, unless the Israeli government takes substantive steps to end the appalling situation in Gaza, agrees to a ceasefire and commits to a long-term sustainable peace reviving the prospect of a two-state solution.”

Avoiding famine

It comes as the worst-case scenario of famine is unfolding rapidly in Gaza and the Palestinian death toll from Israel's war in the territory has crossed 60,000.

The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) issued an alert on Tuesday over the rise in hunger-related deaths in the enclave, saying access to food and other essentials has plummeted to unprecedented low levels.

The IPC's alert over the dire situation has been echoed by other humanitarian groups around the world, as pressure mounts on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

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12. Canada
13. Wales
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15. United States
16. Russia

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CHELSEA

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2017: Golden State bt Cleveland 4-1
2016: Cleveland bt Golden State 4-3
2015: Golden State bt Cleveland 4-2
2014: San Antonio bt Miami 4-1
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2009: Los Angeles Lakers bt Orlando 4-1
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Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.

Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines: 

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Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.

Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.

Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.

Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.

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Kaala

Dir: Pa. Ranjith

Starring: Rajinikanth, Huma Qureshi, Easwari Rao, Nana Patekar  

Rating: 1.5/5 

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Herc's Adventures

Developer: Big Ape Productions
Publisher: LucasArts
Console: PlayStation 1 & 5, Sega Saturn
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Final: June 1, Madrid

Email sent to Uber team from chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi

From: Dara

To: Team@

Date: March 25, 2019 at 11:45pm PT

Subj: Accelerating in the Middle East

Five years ago, Uber launched in the Middle East. It was the start of an incredible journey, with millions of riders and drivers finding new ways to move and work in a dynamic region that’s become so important to Uber. Now Pakistan is one of our fastest-growing markets in the world, women are driving with Uber across Saudi Arabia, and we chose Cairo to launch our first Uber Bus product late last year.

Today we are taking the next step in this journey—well, it’s more like a leap, and a big one: in a few minutes, we’ll announce that we’ve agreed to acquire Careem. Importantly, we intend to operate Careem independently, under the leadership of co-founder and current CEO Mudassir Sheikha. I’ve gotten to know both co-founders, Mudassir and Magnus Olsson, and what they have built is truly extraordinary. They are first-class entrepreneurs who share our platform vision and, like us, have launched a wide range of products—from digital payments to food delivery—to serve consumers.

I expect many of you will ask how we arrived at this structure, meaning allowing Careem to maintain an independent brand and operate separately. After careful consideration, we decided that this framework has the advantage of letting us build new products and try new ideas across not one, but two, strong brands, with strong operators within each. Over time, by integrating parts of our networks, we can operate more efficiently, achieve even lower wait times, expand new products like high-capacity vehicles and payments, and quicken the already remarkable pace of innovation in the region.

This acquisition is subject to regulatory approval in various countries, which we don’t expect before Q1 2020. Until then, nothing changes. And since both companies will continue to largely operate separately after the acquisition, very little will change in either teams’ day-to-day operations post-close. Today’s news is a testament to the incredible business our team has worked so hard to build.

It’s a great day for the Middle East, for the region’s thriving tech sector, for Careem, and for Uber.

Uber on,

Dara

Tamkeen's offering
  • Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
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Business Insights
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Company profile

Name: The Concept

Founders: Yadhushan Mahendran, Maria Sobh and Muhammad Rijal

Based: Abu Dhabi

Founded: 2017

Number of employees: 7

Sector: Aviation and space industry

Funding: $250,000

Future plans: Looking to raise $1 million investment to boost expansion and develop new products

Updated: September 17, 2025, 1:13 PM