Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, has explored potential partnerships during a meeting with Linda Yaccarino, chief executive of X Corp, at the Executive Office in Emirates Towers in Dubai.
Aligned with the UAE's “ambitious growth and digital transformation goals”, Sheikh Hamdan expressed confidence in having “X as a long-term partner,” Dubai's Government Media Office said.
“We are excited to explore how this partnership can create lasting value for both the UAE and X, setting an example for impactful collaboration between a global technology leader and one of the world’s most future-ready nations,” Sheikh Hamdan said.
Highlighting the goal of the Dubai Economic Agenda D33 to generate Dh100 billion in annual economic value through digital transformation over the next decade, Sheikh Hamdan said X will be a valuable partner to drive the country’s efforts forward.
He added that X's vision to transform into an all-in-one digital hub compliments the UAE’s focus on AI and other advanced technologies.
"We look forward to strengthening ties with Elon Musk and and the leadership team at X, and other global tech leaders to drive the Dubai Economic Agenda D33's goal to consolidate the city’s status as a pre-eminent media and technology hub," Sheikh Hamdan said on X.
X opened its first office in the Middle East and North Africa region in Dubai in 2015. The region is home to some of the company’s largest markets. The company had 250 million daily active users as of mid-2024.
It comes just days after Sheikh Hamdan unveiled plans to train one million in artificial intelligence after a partnership with the president of Microsoft Brad Smith at the UAE Government Annual Meetings.
It was in June that Shiekh Hamdan launched a road map to help attract top companies and talent in AI to Dubai. The AI Roadmap aims to enhance the overall quality of life in the emirate by boosting the adoption of AI, said a statement from the Dubai Government Media Office.
With about 4,000 media and tech companies forming a vibrant industry ecosystem, Dubai not only provides a supportive infrastructure but also serves as a launch pad for pioneering initiatives. The city offers the ideal base for the world’s leading companies to introduce groundbreaking services, drive technological advancements, and set new benchmarks in digital engagement in the region and beyond, Sheikh Hamdan said.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
If you go...
Fly from Dubai or Abu Dhabi to Chiang Mai in Thailand, via Bangkok, before taking a five-hour bus ride across the Laos border to Huay Xai. The land border crossing at Huay Xai is a well-trodden route, meaning entry is swift, though travellers should be aware of visa requirements for both countries.
Flights from Dubai start at Dh4,000 return with Emirates, while Etihad flights from Abu Dhabi start at Dh2,000. Local buses can be booked in Chiang Mai from around Dh50
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
Farasan Boat: 128km Away from Anchorage
Director: Mowaffaq Alobaid
Stars: Abdulaziz Almadhi, Mohammed Al Akkasi, Ali Al Suhaibani
Rating: 4/5
THE DRAFT
The final phase of player recruitment for the T10 League has taken place, with UAE and Indian players being drafted to each of the eight teams.
Bengal Tigers
UAE players: Chirag Suri, Mohammed Usman
Indian: Zaheer Khan
Karachians
UAE players: Ahmed Raza, Ghulam Shabber
Indian: Pravin Tambe
Kerala Kings
UAE players: Mohammed Naveed, Abdul Shakoor
Indian: RS Sodhi
Maratha Arabians
UAE players: Zahoor Khan, Amir Hayat
Indian: S Badrinath
Northern Warriors
UAE players: Imran Haider, Rahul Bhatia
Indian: Amitoze Singh
Pakhtoons
UAE players: Hafiz Kaleem, Sheer Walli
Indian: RP Singh
Punjabi Legends
UAE players: Shaiman Anwar, Sandy Singh
Indian: Praveen Kumar
Rajputs
UAE players: Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed
Indian: Munaf Patel
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.
