OIL ALARM

Oil prices jumped to a four-month high, with Brent crude topping $107 a barrel, as fighting between Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s Houthis intensified. The Iran-backed group seized the port of Mokha near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait while continuing missile and drone attacks that damaged Saudi energy facilities and injured 73 people. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman called President Donald Trump twice on Thursday and urged him to attack the Houthis, Axios reported, but Trump declined and offered U.S. intelligence support instead. The Houthis said their attacks were retaliation for Saudi-backed strikes in Yemen and restrictions on ports and airports in areas they control.

GAMING GIANT

Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund is weighing a merger of Electronic Arts and Savvy Games to create one of the world’s largest gaming companies. The PIF closed its $55 billion take-private deal for Electronic Arts, backed by private equity firm Silver Lake and Jared Kushner’s Affinity Partners, last month, almost a year after it launched its bid. A merger would see EA’s large stable of gaming franchises, including “Battlefield” and “The Sims” combined under the same roof as Savvy’s “Pokemon Go” and mobile hits from China’s Moonton, which it is in the process of acquiring for $6 billion. Any merger would be unlikely to happen before that deal closes, Bloomberg reports. A merged entity would give the PIF and Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, an ardent gamer, a single vehicle to exploit intellectual property, make acquisitions and develop future hits. 

International Holding Company: IHC and India’s Adani Group have signed a preliminary agreement with the Indian state of Odisha to develop 14 trade and port projects with a combined investment of $22 billion.

Abu Dhabi Investment Authority: The Abu Dhabi sovereign fund said it will continue to pursue AI-driven investment opportunities while diversifying across sectors to manage risks amid geopolitical tensions, as it released its 2025 annual report on Thursday. ADIA raised its target allocations to private equity and hedge funds as it seeks to benefit from a recovery in buyout activity.

Qatar Investment Authority: The QIA participated in Positron AI’s $875 million Series C financing, which valued the AI inference hardware company at $5 billion.

L’Imad Holding: PureHealth’s subsidiary Circle Health Group is expanding into U.K. laboratory operations by acquiring selected Unilabs facilities, establishing PureLab’s presence in the country and supporting Circle’s network of more than 50 hospitals.

🌐 Transit Contract: Iraq has awarded Qatar’s Ooredoo a contract to build internet transit capacity linking the country to Europe via a 2,000-kilometer fiber-optic route from Faw port to the Turkish border.

✈️ Debt Deal: Dubai Aerospace Enterprise has secured a $2.1 billion five-year syndicated loan, with Emirates NBD acting as global coordinator.

🚦 Green Light: Saudi Arabia’s airline authority has approved Delta Air Lines to operate scheduled direct flights between Riyadh and Atlanta, the home of major U.S. corporations including Coca-Cola and UPS.

 💾 Data Protection: The UAE is revising plans for an enormous 5-gigawatt AI data center project in the wake of the Iran war and will likely transform it into a network of smaller data centers spread across the UAE, with some potentially underground, Reuters reports.

🤝 Hormuz Talks: Gulf states and Iran may meet in Oman next week to discuss the future of the Strait of Hormuz, in the first such gathering since the war began more than six months ago, Bloomberg reports.

✈️ Digging In: Dubai’s new Al Maktoum International Airport may move fuel tanks and other critical infrastructure underground to protect them from future missile and drone attacks, Dubai Airports CEO Paul Griffiths told the Financial Times.

🤖 Funding AI: Blackstone, the New York-based alternative asset manager which has been rapidly expanding in the Gulf, has set its sights on becoming the world’s largest AI financier, with plans to spend tens of billions on securing advanced chips, The Information reports.

🇩🇿 Diplomatic Saga: The UAE said it hopes Algeria’s decision to sever diplomatic ties will be temporary, after the Emirati ambassador was asked to leave Algiers.

UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed caught the attention of watch enthusiasts online after he was photographed wearing a special edition timepiece from Bahraini watch brand Nuun Official, now known as Nuncier.

Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, will lead the UAE delegation at the 18th BRICS Summit, to be held in New Delhi on Saturday and Sunday.

Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs, met with Johann Wadephul, Germany’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, in Berlin on Thursday.

Sheikha Tamador Al-Thani, Qatar’s Consul General in Houston, Texas, was mentioned by U.S. President Donald Trump during his speech at the National Medal of Honor Museum in Arlington, Texas, on Thursday. Qatar donated to the museum.

Sheikh Nasser bin Abdullah al-Thani, a member of Qatar’s royal family, allegedly racked up an unpaid hotel bill of $620,000 at the Dorchester, a five-star hotel in London’s Mayfair. The hotel has been granted permission by a court to auction his limited edition 2011 Fiat 500 Abarth Tributo Ferrari.

Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, a senior Qatari royal and the President of the Olympic Council of Asia, met with Saudi advisor and boxing power broker Turki Al-Sheikh, Chairman of the General Entertainment Authority.

Roger Goodell, the National Football League commissioner, is mapping the league’s international expansion – including potential growth in the Gulf – with plans to eventually establish teams outside the U.S. Goodell spoke to CNBC on Thursday before the first-ever regular-season game in Australia, between the San Francisco 49ers and the Los Angeles Rams.

Dr. Hanan H. Balkhy, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, announced her candidacy for Director-General of the World Health Organization after being nominated by Saudi Arabia.

Dr. Yousif Al Hammadi was appointed CEO of UAE-based National Central Cooling Co., known as Tabreed. 

🤖 Robot Battle: A robot sports competition featuring dueling Terminator-inspired combat robots launched at Boulevard City in Riyadh this week ahead of its expansion to eight cities worldwide. Hosted by China’s Hero Esports, which is backed by the Public Investment Fund’s Savvy Games Group, CyberHero x Riyadh included the Middle East’s first humanoid robot combat show pitting EngineAI T800 humanoid robots against each other inside a purpose-built arena. The full-size combat robot, which is capable of running, punching, kicking, turning and recovering after falls, drew controversy earlier this year when Chinese robotics company EngineAI released a video of it kicking CEO Zhao Tongyang to the ground in a simulated battle.

📷 Photo of the Day

Sept. 11-13, Abu Dhabi. Middle East Film & Comic Con. Featuring some of the world’s biggest brands in film, TV, sci-fi, animation, manga, comics and collectibles. ADNEC Centre.

Sept. 13-18, Abu Dhabi. Abu Dhabi International Book Fair. Fostering collaboration between regional publishing sectors and creative industries. ADNEC Centre.

Sept. 14-16, Riyadh. Money20/20. The event brings together banks, Big tech, fintechs, regulators, startups and investors. Riyadh Exhibition & Convention Center. 

Sept. 14-17, Riyadh. UNESCO Global Forum on the Ethics of AI. The event will bring policymakers and tech leaders together to examine AI’s impact on global governance, diplomacy, national security and the emerging technological divide. Location to be announced.

Sept. 14-17, Bangkok. Gastech. The global energy event brings together global energy leaders, policymakers and industry experts to explore natural gas, LNG, hydrogen, low-carbon solutions, electrification and AI. Bangkok International Trade & Exhibition Centre.

Sept. 14-17, Dubai. Arabian Travel Market. The flagship global travel trade show, which was postponed in May, returns, bringing 55,000+ travel professionals, 2,800+ exhibitors and representatives from 166 countries. Dubai World Trade Centre.

Sept. 15-17, Dubai. Arab Media Forum. The region’s largest media gathering, organized by the Dubai Press Club. Dubai World Trade Centre.

Sept. 16-18, Dubai. GISEC Global. MENA’s largest cybersecurity event brings together governments, CISOs, technology companies and cybersecurity experts to explore emerging threats, AI security, and other technologies. Dubai Exhibition Centre. 

Sept. 17-19, Abu Dhabi. International Real Estate & Investment Show 2026. An event targeting investors and consumers rather than trade visitors. ADNEC Centre.

Sept. 20, New York. Qatar Economic Forum. The forum will host a special leadership gathering alongside the 2026 U.N. General Assembly in New York, bringing together global leaders to explore capital, risk and resilience in a volatile global economy.

Sept. 28-Oct. 1, Singapore. SuperReturn Asia. The region’s premier private capital gathering. Marina Bay Sands Convention Centre.

Sept. 29-Oct. 1, Abu Dhabi. LIVEX 2026. Abu Dhabi’s inaugural Livability and Investment Exhibition. ADNEC Centre.

Oct. 6-7, Abu Dhabi. Ai Everything. The AI forum brings together policymakers, innovators and business leaders. ADNEC Centre.

Oct. 7-9, Singapore. Milken Institute Asia Summit. Bringing together a global community of influential leaders shaping the next era of intelligence, collaboration and growth. Four Seasons Hotel.

Oct. 21, 22, 24, Riyadh. Six Kings Slam. World No. 1 Jannik Sinner will defend his Six Kings Slam title when the tennis exhibition tournament returns, to be streamed globally on Netflix. ANB Arena.

Oct. 26-29, Riyadh. Future Investment Initiative. Saudi Arabia’s keystone annual business conference, sponsored by the Public Investment Fund. King Abdulaziz International Conference Center. 

UNDERGROUND SCENE

Elon Musk’s Boring Co. plans to build an expansive network of new tunnels under the UAE after securing $3 billion in fresh funding in a round led by Emirati investment entities. The capital injection, which values the tunneling startup at $23 billion, will support a large-scale expansion of underground transport infrastructure in the UAE, where work is already underway on Boring Co.’s Dubai Loop. The futuristic Dubai Loop project will use one-directional underground tunnels to whisk passengers between key landmarks in a fleet of Teslas, with the first stage operating between the Burj Khalifa, DIFC 2, Zabeel Dubai Mall Parking and ICD Brookfield Place. The new funds will pay for 150 kilometers (93 miles) of additional tunnels. Participants in the Series D funding round include Shamal Holding, an investment firm tied to Dubai’s ruling family, as well as Human Capital, Vy Capital, Valor Equity Partners, Sequoia Capital, A16Z, Singapore’s Temasek sovereign fund and Baron Capital.

COFFEE BREAK

Mubadala is backing China’s biggest coffee chain with a $1 billion investment. The deal with Luckin Coffee’s main private-equity backer Centurium Capital gives the Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund an indirect stake and the right to appoint one director to Luckin’s board, Bloomberg reports. Luckin, which operates more than 36,000 stores, is a huge chain known for besting Starbucks in China through an app-first, cashier-less retail model. Mubadala has made a series of investments in China including in Shein, JD.com’s supply-chain arm and Full Truck Alliance.

Saudi Aramco: Dow is considering selling its 35% stake in the $20 billion Sadara chemicals venture, potentially allowing Saudi Aramco to increase its ownership.

International Holding Co.: UAE’s Marlan Space, in which IHC acquired an 80% stake this week, and U.S.-based Loft Orbital are leading a $1 billion investment in France to develop Altair-Next Gen, the world’s largest AI satellite infrastructure, with the first 50 satellites to be manufactured at Orbitworks’ facility in Abu Dhabi.

International Holding Co.: IHC-backed Alpha Wave Global joined BlackRock, Temasek and Premji Invest in a consortium investing nearly $1 billion in India’s Adani Airport Holdings at an $18 billion valuation.

Public Investment Fund: PIF-owned gigaproject Qiddiya has awarded a $221 million mechanical, electrical and plumbing contract for the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Stadium in Saudi Arabia to Qatari contractor Elegancia MEP, part of Estithmar Holding.

Mumtalakat: Abu Dhabi-based BlueFive Capital, which is backed by Bahrain’s sovereign fund, has acquired a 30% stake in Bugatti Rimac, the producer of Bugatti supercars, as part of a consortium led by New York-based HOF Capital that bought Porsche’s 45% stake in the Rimac Group and Bugatti Rimac.

🖥️ Digital Desert: Vodafone Business, Elsewedy Electric and Cassava Technologies plan to invest up to $1 billion in a 200-megawatt Egyptian data center that could create about 2,200 direct and indirect jobs.

💵 Billion Development: Dubai-based Azizi Developments is launching its first Sharjah project, the $8.16 billion mixed-use Azizi Florence, featuring 1,130 villas, more than 6,000 townhouses and 3,500 apartments.

⚓ Port Authority: Dubai’s DP World will co-develop a special economic zone in Kenya with local investment group GulfCap Africa.

 🏎️ Final Turn: Formula 1 may replace Abu Dhabi with Italy’s Imola circuit to host the 2026 season finale on Dec. 6 amid Middle East security concerns, NewsGP reports, citing Corriere dello Sport. F1 publicly maintains that its Qatar and UAE races remain unchanged.

📦 Shipping Challenging: The Red Sea has become “operationally hazardous” and commercially unattractive for many operators following the latest Houthi attacks, prompting more shipowners to divert around the Cape of Good Hope, Arabian Gulf Business Insight reports.

🚗 Car Manufacturing: ROX has begun producing its first UAE-made ADAMAS vehicles at its AI manufacturing center in KEZAD, Abu Dhabi, with annual capacity expected to reach 300,000 vehicles by 2030.

🛒 Saudi Bound: Retail giant Primark will open its first Saudi Arabia store at The Avenues Mall in Riyadh in March 2027, expanding its regional presence to five countries.

🛢 Oil Saga: Brent crude steadied near $101 a barrel after surging above $100 as escalating Iran-U.S. hostilities raised fears of deeper disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

🍎 Food Experience: Toku, a Singapore-listed customer-experience technology company, has established a UAE subsidiary and expanded its deployment with food delivery company Talabat to eight markets.

Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Holding, witnessed the signing of a $1.36 billion construction contract between Dubai Holding and China State Construction Engineering Corporation Middle East to deliver the group’s new headquarters and Jumeirah Residences Emirates Towers. 

Prince Turki bin Mohammed, Saudi Arabian Minister of State, attended the state funeral of Norway’s King Harald V in Oslo on Wednesday, on behalf of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Steve Witkoff, U.S. President Donald Trump’s diplomatic envoy, reported earning $107 million in 2025 from a holding company that owned his stake in World Liberty Financial, whose stablecoin was used by Abu Dhabi’s MGX in its $2 billion Binance investment.

Hamad Ali Al Khater, Qatar Airways Group CEO, said the airline has recovered to 90%-95% of pre-crisis passenger numbers and is now focused on a major five-year expansion drive, with plans to add 138 new aircraft.

Mounir Chahine, formerly of JPMorgan, was hired by Saudi Arabia-based Al Rajhi Capital as Director of Investment Banking to help expand its mergers and acquisitions business.

Faisal Ahmad was appointed CEO of Stonegate Capital, a Dubai-based family office.

Thomas Pramotedham, Presight CEO, shares his thoughts on radio station Dubai Eye on how domain-specific AI and sovereign infrastructure can support mission-critical operations.

Ageel Alshaibani was appointed CEO of the Saudi Tourism Authority, succeeding Fahd Hamidaddin.

🎤 Stage Return: Dubai Opera is preparing to kick off its new season on Saturday with a 10th Anniversary Gala featuring Egyptian soprano Fatma Said with the UAE National Orchestra and Festival Chorus. The 2026-2027 season includes the Ukrainian National Ballet performing Mozart’s “The Marriage of Figaro,” on Sept. 17-19, the Dubai Comedy Festival from Oct. 9-18, and multiple performances by the Bolshoi Theatre, which is launching its first official UAE tour with Rimsky-Korsakov’s “The Tsar’s Bride” on Dec. 2.

📷 Photo of the Day

Sept. 11-13, Abu Dhabi. Middle East Film & Comic Con. Featuring some of the world’s biggest brands in film, TV, sci-fi, animation, manga, comics and collectibles. ADNEC Centre.

Sept. 13-18, Abu Dhabi. Abu Dhabi International Book Fair. Fostering collaboration between regional publishing sectors and creative industries. ADNEC Centre.

Sept. 14-16, Riyadh. Money20/20. The event brings together banks, Big tech, fintechs, regulators, startups and investors. Riyadh Exhibition & Convention Center. 

Sept. 14-17, Riyadh. UNESCO Global Forum on the Ethics of AI. The event will bring policymakers and tech leaders together to examine AI’s impact on global governance, diplomacy, national security and the emerging technological divide. Location to be announced.

Sept. 14-17, Bangkok. Gastech. The global energy event brings together global energy leaders, policymakers and industry experts to explore natural gas, LNG, hydrogen, low-carbon solutions, electrification and AI. Bangkok International Trade & Exhibition Centre.

Sept. 14-17, Dubai. Arabian Travel Market. The flagship global travel trade show, which was postponed in May, returns, bringing 55,000+ travel professionals, 2,800+ exhibitors and representatives from 166 countries. Dubai World Trade Centre.

Sept. 15-17, Dubai. Arab Media Forum. The region’s largest media gathering, organized by the Dubai Press Club. Dubai World Trade Centre.

Sept. 16-18, Dubai. GISEC Global. MENA’s largest cybersecurity event brings together governments, CISOs, technology companies and cybersecurity experts to explore emerging threats, AI security, and other technologies. Dubai Exhibition Centre. 

Sept. 17-19, Abu Dhabi. International Real Estate & Investment Show 2026. An event targeting investors and consumers rather than trade visitors. ADNEC Centre.

Sept. 20, New York. Qatar Economic Forum. The forum will host a special leadership gathering alongside the 2026 U.N. General Assembly in New York, bringing together global leaders to explore capital, risk and resilience in a volatile global economy.

Sept. 28-Oct. 1, Singapore. SuperReturn Asia. The region’s premier private capital gathering. Marina Bay Sands Convention Centre.

Sept. 29-Oct. 1, Abu Dhabi. LIVEX 2026. Abu Dhabi’s inaugural Livability and Investment Exhibition. ADNEC Centre.

Oct. 6-7, Abu Dhabi. Ai Everything. The AI forum brings together policymakers, innovators and business leaders. ADNEC Centre.

Oct. 7-9, Singapore. Milken Institute Asia Summit. Bringing together a global community of influential leaders shaping the next era of intelligence, collaboration and growth. Four Seasons Hotel.

Oct. 21, 22, 24, Riyadh. Six Kings Slam. World No. 1 Jannik Sinner will defend his Six Kings Slam title when the tennis exhibition tournament returns, to be streamed globally on Netflix. ANB Arena.

Oct. 26-29, Riyadh. Future Investment Initiative. Saudi Arabia’s keystone annual business conference, sponsored by the Public Investment Fund. King Abdulaziz International Conference Center. 

BERLIN BOUND

UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed begins a state visit to Germany today, where he is due to meet President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Chancellor Friedrich Merz. UAE Ambassador to Germany Ahmed Al Attar said Sheikh Mohamed’s visit marks a milestone in bilateral ties and will create opportunities to deepen cooperation, building on the strategic partnership established in 2004. “Germany offers leading industrial, technical, and research expertise, while the UAE offers an advanced investment ecosystem, advanced infrastructure, and a strategic location connecting Asia, Europe, and Africa,” Al Attar told the state-run Emirates News Agency. Non-oil trade reached $15.6 billion in 2025, and the two countries are expanding cooperation in AI, clean energy, hydrogen, manufacturing, digital infrastructure and logistics. Meanwhile, the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy is hosting an event today titled Germany and the UAE: Partners in a Changing World Order.

BREAKING ICE

An Arctic shipping route known as the “Ice Silk Road” is being promoted as an alternative to the Red Sea and Suez Canal for high-value cargoes transiting in the summer months. A Chinese cargo ship The Dubai Tower left Ningbo last month via Russia’s Northern Sea Route carrying energy storage systems and other goods and is due to arrive at its final destination in the U.K. today, after 21 days en route. Closely tracked by ship watchers, the vessel is completing the first voyage of a new regular cargo service using the seasonal shortcut, operated by the Sea Legend Line. A comparable journey via the Suez would take 30 to 35 days. While the Northern Sea Route is faster and increasingly accessible due to climate change, experts say it is still too difficult and expensive to be commercially viable for most cargoes, with ships requiring an icebreaker escort even at the height of summer.

International Holding Co.: IHC will acquire an 80% stake in UAE-based Marlan Holding through its International Tech Group, expanding into the space sector, including satellite infrastructure company Orbitworks, a joint venture with U.S.-based Loft Orbital.

L’Imad Holding: Mauritius is exploring a partnership with L’Imad-owned Etihad Airways that could include direct flights and investment in tourism, cargo, training, aircraft maintenance and airport services, Bloomberg reports.

Public Investment Fund: Acwa, the PIF-backed alternative energy company, and the Water Transmission Co. signed an agreement to assess Syria’s water resources and plan desalination and transmission projects.

🛢️ Afghan Exploration: Saudi Arabia’s Delta International Energy signed a $200 million contract to explore and extract oil and gas across seven blocks in western Afghanistan’s Kushk-Tirpul basin.

👷 Under Construction: Saudi Arabia’s Knowledge Economic City has signed an agreement with Kaden Investment Company to develop a mixed-use project in Medina.

✈️ Fleet Order: Air Cairo signed an agreement to add up to 30 Airbus A320neo aircraft to its fleet at the opening of the El Alamein International Airshow 2026, Egypt’s Civil Aviation Ministry said Tuesday.

✈️ Wizz Back: Hungarian low-cost airline Wizz Air announced its return to Abu Dhabi and Dubai with new routes, a year after closing its UAE-based operation.

⛽ Fracking Frontier: The UAE and Bahrain could become the next Gulf states to use fracking commercially to boost domestic gas supplies and potentially free up more conventional oil and gas for export, Arabian Gulf Business Insight reports.

💰 Gas Gap: Qatar posted its widest quarterly budget deficit since 2016 at $5.8 billion after the Iran war effectively shut the Strait of Hormuz and slashed its LNG exports by more than 90%.

🛢️Oil Quota: Iraq is seeking to raise its OPEC+ oil production quota, with future targets based on a 6 million-barrel-a-day capacity, according to people familiar with the matter, Bloomberg reports. 

🤖 Data Centers: FTI Capital Advisors advised MTN Group on a new digital infrastructure platform to develop AI-ready capacity across underserved African markets, in partnership with a UAE-based data center investor.

💼 Business Boom: The number of firms operating in Abu Dhabi Global Market rose 25% to nearly 14,000 in the first half, with more than 1,800 new licenses issued despite the outbreak of the Iran war in February.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, President of Cyprus Nikos Christodoulides and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis reaffirmed their full solidarity with the Gulf states during the concluding remarks at the Al-Alamein Trilateral Summit.

Sheikh Khaled Al-Sabah, Managing Director of International Marketing at Kuwait Petroleum Corporation, said during an energy conference in Singapore that Kuwait is considering oil pipeline links with Saudi Arabia and the UAE as an alternative to the Strait of Hormuz.

Sheikh Shakhboot bin Nahyan, UAE Minister of State, is taking part in the Middle East-America Dialogue Summit, underway in Washington, D.C.

Khawaja Asif, Pakistan’s Defense Minister, said any attack on Saudi Arabia could activate the Mecca Defense Alliance, in the wake of renewed Houthi attacks on energy targets in the kingdom, Bloomberg reports. 

Faysal El Hajjami, a former DHL executive, was appointed Chief Commercial Officer at Aramex, as the Dubai-headquartered logistics company accelerates its global growth strategy.

Faisal Baltyuor, CEO of the Red Sea Film Foundation, took part in a discussion titled, “Easy to Criticize, Impossible to Replace: Rethinking the Festival,” at the Lumiere Summit in France on Monday.

Asaf Ezra, co-founder of computer optimization firm Granulate – later bought by Intel – has been hired as a partner by Andreessen Horowitz to invest in early-stage Israeli cybersecurity and AI infrastructure startups, Globes reports.

📚 Book Worms: The Abu Dhabi International Book Fair kicks off on Sunday, drawing exhibitors from 95 countries and hosting 1,500 events with themes ranging from literature and music to space diplomacy. The 35th edition of the fair is celebrating Spanish author Miguel de Cervantes’s masterpiece “Don Quixote,” which has been designated Book of the World, while eighth-century scholar Al Khalil ibn Ahmad Al Farahidi is the fair’s Focus Personality, The National reports. The fair runs until Sept. 18.

📷 Photo of the Day

Sept. 8-10, El Alamein, Egypt. El Alamein Airshow. The event brings together aerospace, defense and space organizations from Africa and the Middle East. El Alamein International Airport.

Sept. 11-13, Abu Dhabi. Middle East Film & Comic Con. Featuring some of the world’s biggest brands in film, TV, sci-fi, animation, manga, comics and collectibles. ADNEC Centre.

Sept. 13-18, Abu Dhabi. Abu Dhabi International Book Fair. Fostering collaboration between regional publishing sectors and creative industries. ADNEC Centre.

Sept. 14-16, Riyadh. Money20/20. The event brings together banks, Big tech, fintechs, regulators, startups and investors. Riyadh Exhibition & Convention Center. 

Sept. 14-17, Riyadh. UNESCO Global Forum on the Ethics of AI. The event will bring policymakers and tech leaders together to examine AI’s impact on global governance, diplomacy, national security and the emerging technological divide. Location to be announced.

Sept. 14-17, Bangkok. Gastech. The global energy event brings together global energy leaders, policymakers and industry experts to explore natural gas, LNG, hydrogen, low-carbon solutions, electrification and AI. Bangkok International Trade & Exhibition Centre.

Sept. 14-17, Dubai. Arabian Travel Market. The flagship global travel trade show, which was postponed in May, returns, bringing 55,000+ travel professionals, 2,800+ exhibitors and representatives from 166 countries. Dubai World Trade Centre.

Sept. 15-17, Dubai. Arab Media Forum. The region’s largest media gathering, organized by the Dubai Press Club. Dubai World Trade Centre.

Sept. 16-18, Dubai. GISEC Global. MENA’s largest cybersecurity event brings together governments, CISOs, technology companies and cybersecurity experts to explore emerging threats, AI security, and other technologies. Dubai Exhibition Centre. 

Sept. 17-19, Abu Dhabi. International Real Estate & Investment Show 2026. An event targeting investors and consumers rather than trade visitors. ADNEC Centre.

Sept. 20, New York. Qatar Economic Forum. The forum will host a special leadership gathering alongside the 2026 U.N. General Assembly in New York, bringing together global leaders to explore capital, risk and resilience in a volatile global economy.

Sept. 28-Oct. 1, Singapore. SuperReturn Asia. The region’s premier private capital gathering. Marina Bay Sands Convention Centre.

Sept. 29-Oct. 1, Abu Dhabi. LIVEX 2026. Abu Dhabi’s inaugural Livability and Investment Exhibition. ADNEC Centre.

Oct. 6-7, Abu Dhabi. Ai Everything. The AI forum brings together policymakers, innovators and business leaders. ADNEC Centre.

Oct. 7-9, Singapore. Milken Institute Asia Summit. Bringing together a global community of influential leaders shaping the next era of intelligence, collaboration and growth. Four Seasons Hotel.

Oct. 21, 22, 24, Riyadh. Six Kings Slam. World No. 1 Jannik Sinner will defend his Six Kings Slam title when the tennis exhibition tournament returns, to be streamed globally on Netflix. ANB Arena.

Oct. 26-29, Riyadh. Future Investment Initiative. Saudi Arabia’s keystone annual business conference, sponsored by the Public Investment Fund. King Abdulaziz International Conference Center. 

REFINED TASTE

Abu Dhabi’s national oil company is in talks with Nigeria’s Dangote and Thailand’s PTT as it looks to invest in international refineries as part of a strategy to boost its international fuel trading business. ADNOC is seeking stakes in Dangote’s refinery operations, which include Africa’s largest facility in Nigeria, Bloomberg reports. The company, founded by billionaire Aliko Dangote, launched documents for its IPO on Monday, seeking to raise about $16 billion as it plans a major expansion including a new facility in East Africa. Separately, ADNOC is eyeing a deal with PTT that would allow it access to trade fuels from other sellers, as well as supplying its own crude. ADNOC has traditionally relied on its Ruwais facility to supply global buyers, but has faced constraints from the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. The UAE’s exit from OPEC in May has also freed ADNOC from quotas.

PASSPORT EXPRESS

Dubai has launched a super-fast feature at its airports that allows passengers to pass through border control in under 15 seconds. Using the system, immigration officers can process passengers anywhere inside the airport through facial recognition, biometric verification and electronic passport readers, Arabian Business reports. More than 31,000 passengers used the service during its pilot phase, with officials planning to deploy it during peak periods and emergencies. Departures are available to all passengers, while arrivals are initially limited to UAE citizens and residents before a wider rollout.

Public Investment Fund: The Saudi sovereign wealth fund launched a company to build a tourism and residential project on the Gulf coast near Kuwait, with more than 16,000 homes, hotels and shops.

Qatar Investment Authority: Volkswagen, which is backed by the QIA, is considering selling Italian motorcycle manufacturer Ducati as part of an overhaul of its portfolio.

L’Imad Holding: The Abu Dhabi fund has cleared all conditions to proceed with its voluntary cash offer, through ADQ, to acquire the remaining 24.58% of AD Ports Group, which is listed on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange.

QatarEnergy: A Qatari LNG tanker has sailed through the Strait of Hormuz for the first time since July, signalling a possible resumption of LNG exports through the waterway.

Kuwait Petroleum Corp.: Kuwait is exporting about 1 million barrels of crude a day as shipments through the Strait of Hormuz recover, with state producer KPC using ship-to-ship transfers and alternative routes to serve customers.

Red Sea Global: Red Sea Global’s hotels and Red Sea International Airport are now fully powered by renewables following the start of commercial operations at ACWA’s $1.8 billion off-grid utilities project, Arabian Gulf Business Insight reports.

🌐 Data Servers: Meeza, a Qatar-listed data center operator, signed a $275 million long-term leasing deal with an undisclosed global hyperscaler to provide 8 megawatts of data center capacity.

📈 Public Debut: Mukesh Ambani’s Jio Platforms plans to begin marketing as early as next week for a potential November IPO that could rank among India’s largest-ever listings, with meetings planned across the U.S., Singapore, Hong Kong, London and the Middle East, Bloomberg reports.

🛍️ Brand Building: Creative Investments Holding has secured $20 million in initial commitments towards a $50 million fund to build a MENA platform investing in brands and experiences across food, hospitality, fashion, retail and lifestyle.

🏢 Twisting Tower: Garuda Construction’s subsidiary Dream City Builders has signed a deal with Almasarat to develop a 93-storey twisting tower in Jeddah, with the five-year project expected to generate about $191 million in revenue.

🏦 Fintech Fund: UAE-based fintech Sav has raised $3.5 million in a Pre-Series A round, bringing total funding to $5.5 million to expand its AI-native financial platform.

🔵 Blue Fund: The UAE’s biggest lender, First Abu Dhabi Bank set a $27.2 billion blue finance target for water and blue economy projects from 2026 to 2035.

💰Insurance Costs: UAE event organizers are facing surging insurance costs and tighter war-related cancellation cover as regional conflict drives up premiums, with war protection for a $40 million event now costing about $5 million or more.

🤖 Robotic Helpers: Talabat has partnered with Singapore-based Quikbot to pilot an autonomous delivery service in Dubai Silicon Oasis, where orders are collected from drivers in a building lobby and transported to the customer’s door.

🇨🇭 Swiss Cheese: Millennium Management, which hasa large presence in Dubai, is in discussions with authorities in Geneva to strike a tax deal and expand its office there, as Swiss cantons compete aggressively for high-net-worth individuals.

🚶 Walking Away: Anthropic has abandoned talks to acquire Israeli AI startup Decart after conducting due diligence on a potential $6 billion deal, though the companies may still collaborate.

🧳 GCC Visa: The long-awaited Unified Gulf Tourist Visa is expected to launch soon, allowing international visitors to travel across all six GCC countries and boosting regional tourism.

UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed held a phone call with Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun on Monday.

Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad held a phone call with UK’s Prime Minister Andy Burnham on Monday.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, UAE Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, visited the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi in the Saadiyat Cultural District on Monday.

Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Ruler of the UAE emirate of Ras Al Khaimah, delivered a keynote address at the opening of the 15th edition of the AIM Congress at the Dubai World Trade Centre.

Jasem Al Budaiwi, GCC Secretary General, told delegates at AIM Congress 2026 in Dubai that the GCC economic bloc remains a magnet for investment despite risks such as the continuing war, disruption to shipping, and energy sector volatility. “As variables and risks multiply, the strength of an economy, the strength of its institutions, the clarity of its directions and its ability to adapt to change become factors in guiding investment decisions,” he said.

Badr Jafar, UAE Special Envoy for Business and Philanthropy, said during his speech at AIM congress 2026 that resilient trade depends on long-built corridors, partnerships, trust and philanthropic capital, urging economies to build the next trading system before it is needed.

Corey Lewandowski, the American lobbyist, allegedly approached senior Qatari officials with a “hire me on the side” proposal while serving as a special government employee at the Department of Homeland Security for the Trump administration, the Wall Street Journal reports. Both countries turned him down, the newspaper said.

Dixit Joshi was appointed Managing Director, Middle East Technology and Advisory Solutions, and Digital Assets at BlackRock.

Mark Fiteny, JPMorgan Chase & Co.’s Head of Asia-Pacific Technology, Media, and Telecom (APAC TMT) and New Economy Investment Banking, and Matt Gehl, Head of EMEA Technology Investment Banking, were named as co-heads of International Technology Investment Banking, Reuters reports. The bank named Pieter Himpe as new co-head of EMEA Technology Investment Banking alongside Bill Hutchings.

🍽️ Desert Dining: Saudi Arabia is turning the ancient oasis of AlUla into an unlikely fine-dining destination, recruiting Michelin-starred chefs to serve dishes ranging from camel with foie gras to Saudi-Spanish fusion. The New Yorker finds that the government-backed culinary boom still faces desert realities, including late deliveries, scarce kitchen staff and menus filled with unavailable dishes. 

📷 Photo of the Day

Sept. 7-9, Dubai. AIM Congress. The global investment platform’s annual meeting brings together investors, governments, businesses and policymakers. Dubai World Trade Centre.

Sept. 8-10, Al Alamein. Al Alamein Airshow. With a dedicated conference on Sept. 7, the event brings together aerospace, defense and space organizations from Africa and the Middle East. El Alamein International Airport.

Sept. 9, Abu Dhabi. Germany and the UAE: Partners in a Changing World Order. The event, hosted by the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy, focuses on the evolving strategic relationship between Germany and the UAE. Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy.

Sept. 11-13, Abu Dhabi. Middle East Film & Comic Con. Featuring some of the world’s biggest brands in film, TV, sci-fi, animation, manga, comics and collectibles. ADNEC Centre.

Sept. 13-18, Abu Dhabi. Abu Dhabi International Book Fair. Fostering collaboration between regional publishing sectors and creative industries. ADNEC Centre.

Sept. 14-16, Riyadh. Money20/20. The event brings together banks, Big tech, fintechs, regulators, startups and investors. Riyadh Exhibition & Convention Center. 

Sept. 14-16, Riyadh. UNESCO Global Forum on the Ethics of AI. The event will bring policymakers and tech leaders together to examine AI’s impact on global governance, diplomacy, national security and the emerging technological divide. Location to be announced.

Sept. 14-17, Bangkok. Gastech. The global energy event brings together global energy leaders, policymakers and industry experts to explore natural gas, LNG, hydrogen, low-carbon solutions, electrification and AI. Bangkok International Trade & Exhibition Centre.

Sept. 14-17, Dubai. Arabian Travel Market. The flagship global travel trade show, which was postponed in May, returns, bringing 55,000+ travel professionals, 2,800+ exhibitors and representatives from 166 countries. Dubai World Trade Centre.

Sept. 15-17, Dubai. Arab Media Forum. The region’s largest media gathering, organized by the Dubai Press Club. Dubai World Trade Centre.

Sept. 16-18, Dubai. GISEC Global. MENA’s largest cybersecurity event brings together governments, CISOs, technology companies and cybersecurity experts to explore emerging threats, AI security, and other technologies. Dubai Exhibition Centre. 

Sept. 17-19, Abu Dhabi. International Real Estate & Investment Show 2026. An event targeting investors and consumers rather than trade visitors. ADNEC Centre.

Sept. 20, New York. Qatar Economic Forum. The forum will host a special leadership gathering alongside the 2026 U.N. General Assembly in New York, bringing together global leaders to explore capital, risk and resilience in a volatile global economy.

Sept. 28-Oct. 1, Singapore. SuperReturn Asia. The region’s premier private capital gathering. Marina Bay Sands Convention Centre.

Sept. 29-Oct. 1, Abu Dhabi. LIVEX 2026. Abu Dhabi’s inaugural Livability and Investment Exhibition. ADNEC Centre.

Oct. 6-7, Abu Dhabi. Ai Everything. The AI forum brings together policymakers, innovators and business leaders. ADNEC Centre.

Oct. 7-9, Singapore. Milken Institute Asia Summit. Bringing together a global community of influential leaders shaping the next era of intelligence, collaboration and growth. Four Seasons Hotel.

Oct. 21, 22, 24, Riyadh. Six Kings Slam. World No. 1 Jannik Sinner will defend his Six Kings Slam title when the tennis exhibition tournament returns, to be streamed globally on Netflix. ANB Arena.

Oct. 26-29, Riyadh. Future Investment Initiative. Saudi Arabia’s keystone annual business conference, sponsored by the Public Investment Fund. King Abdulaziz International Conference Center. 

FINAL OFFER

Warner Bros. Discovery has tentatively opened a crack in the door for a Gulf-backed buyout by David Ellison’s Paramount, asking for a “best and final proposal” for the entertainment and media Goliath, while continuing to pursue its $82.7 billion deal with Netflix. Paramount, which submitted an amended offer last week, said on Tuesday that it welcomed the chance to have “good faith and constructive discussions.” Paramount has aggressively pursued WBD, launching multiple successive offers backed by various configurations of Gulf sovereign wealth funds. In December the newly-formed Abu Dhabi state investment vehicle L’imad Holding Co. joined the fray by backing a $108 billion hostile offer.

EXPO EXPOSED

A data breach that exposed identity documents of high-level attendees at Abu Dhabi Finance Week 2025 has been secured and was limited in scope, according to organizers. Scans of more than 700 documents, including passports and state ID cards, were discovered to be accessible online via an unprotected cloud storage server, uncovered by a freelance security expert, the Financial Times reports. Those exposed included former White House communications director and investor Anthony Scaramucci, billionaire hedge fund manager Alan Howard and former British prime minister Lord David Cameron. Organizers blamed a vulnerability at a third-party vendor. “The environment was secured immediately upon identification, and our initial review indicates that access activity was limited to the researcher that identified the issue,” an unnamed representative of ADFW told The National.

Mubadala: The Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund boosted its stake in BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust to 12.7 million shares worth $630.6 million in Q4 2025, a 46% increase in its holdings. The cryptocurrency has fallen more than 40% from its all-time peak in October.

L’imad Holding: AD Ports Group has grown its global network to 36 ports and terminals as the Abu Dhabi-backed operator accelerates international acquisitions and logistics investments.

Public Investment Fund: The Saudi sovereign wealth fund transferred its roughly $3 billion, 11-million-share stake in gaming studio Take-Two Interactive to subsidiary Savvy Games Group ahead of the launch of Grand Theft Auto VI.

The Sovereign Fund of Egypt: Egypt is preparing to transfer stakes in about 60 state-owned companies to its sovereign wealth fund ahead of potential EGX listings, part of Cairo’s broader push to attract private investment and ease fiscal pressure.

Qatar Investment Authority: Hamad Al-Khater, Qatar’s Airways’ new CEO, told Bloomberg he intends to prioritize relations with Airbus, which has demonstrated that “they’ll be able to deliver” on their promises.

🧪 Fertilizer Pivot: UAE fertilizer producer Fertiglobe is targeting increased sales to Europe as the EU tightens curbs on Russian supplies, CEO Ahed El-Hoshy told Bloomberg.

📦 Logistics Partners: Saudi Ports Authority and MEDLOG, the logistics arm of global container shipper MSC, inaugurated a $40 million integrated logistics center at King Abdulaziz Port in Dammam.

💻 AI Risks: Palo Alto Networks is is acquiring Israeli cybersecurity startup Koi for an estimated $400 million, targeting emerging risks from autonomous AI agents on corporate systems, Calcalist reports.

🔴 Red Planet: The UAE Space Agency has extended the Emirates Mars Mission through 2028, allowing its Hope Probe to continue scientific observations of the planet’s atmosphere beyond its original timeline.

🚢 Treading Water: Iran and Russia plan to conduct joint navy drills in the Gulf of Oman and northern Indian Ocean tomorrow, raising further security concerns after Iran temporarily closed the Strait of Hormuz for several hours on Tuesday. 

🛢️ Friendly Handover: Iraq’s cabinet approved an amicable settlement with Lukoil over the transfer of operations of one of the world’s largest oilfields to the state-run Basra Oil Company, following U.S. sanctions on the Russian energy giant.

Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, UAE Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, visited the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation on Tuesday to review strategic plans for the future of the nation’s labour system.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, Qatar’s Prime Minister, arrived in Venezuela, where he was greeted by Foreign Minister Yvan Gil on Tuesday.

Lt. Gen. Sheikh Saif bin Zayed, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, honored the winners of the seventh edition of the Minister of Interior’s Excellence Award during a ceremony held at the Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.

Michael Doersam, CFO of Emirates, said he plans to step down in June after a decade in the role. The Dubai-based airline said it will announce a successor “in due course.”

Bandar Alkhorayef, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources and Chairman of the Saudi Authority for Industrial Cities and Technology Zones, launched a package of capital projects on Monday valued at $810 million.

Damien Drap was appointed Chief Operating Officer, Haresh Bajaj as Chief Product Officer and Denis Agiev as Chief Technology Officer of Prypco, a UAE-based PropTech platform.

Morgan Parker, Vice Chairman of the management committee at Qiddiya Investment Co., spoke to Arab News about what drives Saudi Arabia’s huge entertainment project. “At its heart, Qiddiya City is about play,” Parker said. “Imagine a whole city dedicated to facilitating those experiences,” Parker said. “That’s what we’re building.”

🧑‍🎨 Fixer-Upper: The Triumph of David, an 18-meter-long painted leather artwork depicting a royal procession and inspired by the biblical story of David and Goliath, is now on display at Louvre Abu Dhabi, following a painstaking two-year restoration project. The origins of the 17th-century artwork, which was last displayed on the walls of a Parisian hotel, are uncertain, but it is stylistically linked to artists associated with the Dutch master Rembrandt, The National reports. 

March 25-27, Miami. FII Miami 2026. A summit on disruptive technology and investment trends hosted by the Public Investment Fund’s Future Investment Initiative Institute. Faena Hotel, Miami Beach.

March 31-April 2, Dubai. Arab Media Summit. The annual gathering brings together Arab media personnel, influencers and organizations. DWTC. 

April 6-13, Dubai. Quantum Innovation Summit. Part of Global Quantum Week, focusing on quantum technology and applications. Grand Hyatt.

April 6-7, Riyadh. Real Estate Supply Chain Forum. Transforming the real estate supply chain landscape. Mandarin Oriental. 

April 7-9, Dubai. Middle East Energy. Discover what’s new in energy. Dubai World Trade Centre. 

April 7-9, Abu Dhabi. Future Health. Bringing together global leaders in government, science, technology and investment. ADNEC.

April 11-20, Abu Dhabi. Abu Dhabi International Book Fair. Fostering collaboration between regional publishing sectors and creative industries. ADNEC.

April 20-22, Riyadh. Future Aviation Forum. Exploring the future of air transport, sustainability, advanced air mobility, and artificial intelligence. King Abdulaziz International Conference Center.

April 13-16, Riyadh. LEAP 2026. Global tech event covering AI, 5G and startups. RECC Malham.

April 21-23, Dubai. UITP Summit 2026. A high-level event for the public transport sector looking at the future of urban mobility. Dubai World Trade Centre

April 24-26, Abu Dhabi. Middle East Film & Comic Con. Featuring some of the world’s biggest brands in film, TV, sci-fi, animation, manga, comics and collectibles.

April 29-30, Dubai. TOKEN2049 Dubai. A global gathering for the crypto ecosystem. Madinat Jumeirah.

MOON DANCE

The Qatar Investment Authority has co-led a $350 million fundraising round for a company manufacturing space suits for NASA’s Artemis III moon mission and building the world’s first commercial space station. Texas-based Axiom Space, which is valued at more than $2.5 billion, received backing from the QIA, along with Type One Ventures, Hungary-based IT company 4iG and Florida-based 1789 Capital, which counts Donald Trump Jr. as a partner. The company will use the funds to enhance its spacesuits and build the first two modules of its space station, which is expected to be the future successor of the International Space Station. It comes amid global rivalry over space technology and as Elon Musk’s SpaceX plans for a potential IPO this year. 

DATA CORRIDOR

An Iraqi-Emirati consortium is planning a $700 million high-speed cable linking the UAE to Turkey through Iraq, aiming to ease pressure on crowded east-west data routes. The project, called WorldLink, would run underwater from Fujairah in the UAE to Iraq’s Faw Peninsula, then continue overland to the Turkish border. Backers say the network will be built in stages over about five years to serve big cloud and AI companies while offering a faster alternative to routes that pass through the Suez Canal, Reuters reports. The plan underscores intensifying Gulf competition to become a regional hub for digital connectivity and data-center investment.

Mubadala: The Abu Dhabi fund backed a $31 million fundraising round by Dubai-based fractional property investment app Stake, which was led by Emirates NBD. Other investors included Saudi Aramco’s venture capital arm and Middle East Venture Partners.

Mubadala: Mubadala Bio, a subsidiary of Mubadala, has completed the full acquisition of Al Ittihad Drug Store and Global Medical Supply Chain  following its initial 80% stake purchase at the end of 2024. 

Mubadala Capital: The sovereign wealth fund’s investment is taking on more complex deals following its $6.2 billion Clear Channel Outdoor buyout, as it seeks higher returns by targeting niche opportunities that larger rivals often avoid, Bloomberg reports.

Mubadala: The co-founders of Turkish grocery and food delivery platform Getir are seeking $700 million in damages from the Abu Dhabi fund, alleging in a London court that it failed to transfer key assets promised under a restructuring agreement. It comes after Mubadala agreed to sell Getir’s delivery operation in Turkey to Uber for $335 million.

L’imad Holding: Modon Holding has awarded $316 million contract to Egypt’s Orascom Construction to deliver a mixed-use project within the $35 billion Ras El Hekma development.

L’imad Holding: EMSTEEL Group and Oldendorff Carriers have signed a five-year $162 million freight agreement to transport iron ore pellets to the UAE.

Dubai Holding: Dubai Holding and U.K.-based Nord Anglia Education have partnered to develop and operate premium K-12 schools across Dubai.

Public Investment Fund: Flyadeal, which is indirectly owned by the PIF, plans to more than double its fleet from 45 to over 100 aircraft by 2030, adding wide-body Airbus A330 jets alongside its Airbus A320 fleet to operate flights to destinations across Southeast Asia.

🔥 LNG Lock-In: U.S. gas producer Caturus signed a 20-year deal to supply Saudi Aramco with 1 million tons per year of LNG from its planned Louisiana export project, underscoring long-term global demand for American gas.

💰 Digging Funds: Kuwait Energy Basra Company, an oil and gas company operating in Iraq, secured a $346 million reserve-based lending facility from Arab Energy Fund to expand Iraq’s Block 9 oil field

💵 Property Play: EIGHTClouds, a Dubai-based alternative investment firm, has launched an open-ended real estate fund, aiming to raise over $300 million.

🚧 Belt Billions: China’s Belt and Road Initiative reached a record $213.5 billion in 2025, with the Middle East accounting for about $39.4 billion, driven by construction and energy projects.

🏗️ Property Push: Gulf real estate markets are expected to keep expanding into the first half of 2026, led by Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Kuwait, according to the Kuwait-based Markaz research organization.

✈️ Luxury Flying: Dubai-based premium leisure airline Beond signed a letter of intent with Bahrain’s civil aviation regulator to launch operations in the kingdom.

🛃 Visa Clampdown: Riyadh is tightening scrutiny of business visas, disrupting the long-standing “fly-in fly-out” model used by UAE-based professionals to work in Saudi Arabia without relocating.

🛑 One Stop: The UAE and Bahrain have launched a one-point travel pilot enabling preclearance at departure through Zayed International Airport and Bahrain International Airport, ahead of a planned Unified GCC Tourist Visa.

🛢️ Pipe Dream: Algeria said that construction of the $13 billion Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline, linking Nigeria, Niger and Algeria, will begin after Ramadan.

UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed held a phone call on Monday with Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Prime Minister of Greece.

Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed, Deputy Ruler of Abu Dhabi and UAE National Security Adviser, met with former British Prime Minister Tony Blair on Monday.

Lt. Gen. Sheikh Saif bin Zayed, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, met with Aziz Tashbulatov, Minister of Interior of Uzbekistan.

Lana Nusseibeh, UAE Minister of State, met with Mark Rutte, Secretary-General of NATO, on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference.

Eileen Jennings-Brown was appointed as Chief Technology Officer of Juvenescence, a clinical-stage AI-enabled biotech company developing novel medicines to extend healthy lifespan, which has new research offices in Abu Dhabi’s Masdar City.

Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi, Qatar’s Minister of Energy and President and CEO of QatarEnergy hosted a farewell reception in honor of Abdulrahman Ahmad Al-Shaibi, QatarEnergy’s Executive Vice President for Finance and Planning, who is retiring.

📷 Decisive Moment: The remarkable career of Ramesh Shukla, the UAE’s first royal photographer, is being remembered after his death on Sunday at the age of 87. Shukla, who arrived by boat from Mumbai in 1965, saw his life change forever after a chance meeting with the UAE’s Founding Father Sheikh Zayed at the Sharjah Camel Festival, where he snapped his photograph. The budding photographer gifted the resulting image to the late UAE President and from that day on remained by his side capturing some of the key moments in the history of the emirates, The National reports.

March 25-27, Miami. FII Miami 2026. A summit on disruptive technology and investment trends hosted by the Public Investment Fund’s Future Investment Initiative Institute. Faena Hotel, Miami Beach.

March 31-April 2, Dubai. Arab Media Summit. The annual gathering brings together Arab media personnel, influencers and organizations. DWTC. 

April 6-13, Dubai. Quantum Innovation Summit. Part of Global Quantum Week, focusing on quantum technology and applications. Grand Hyatt.

April 6-7, Riyadh. Real Estate Supply Chain Forum. Transforming the real estate supply chain landscape. Mandarin Oriental. 

April 7-9, Dubai. Middle East Energy. Discover what’s new in energy. Dubai World Trade Centre. 

April 7-9, Abu Dhabi. Future Health. Bringing together global leaders in government, science, technology and investment. ADNEC.

April 11-20, Abu Dhabi. Abu Dhabi International Book Fair. Fostering collaboration between regional publishing sectors and creative industries. ADNEC.

April 20-22, Riyadh. Future Aviation Forum. Exploring the future of air transport, sustainability, advanced air mobility, and artificial intelligence. King Abdulaziz International Conference Center.

April 13-16, Riyadh. LEAP 2026. Global tech event covering AI, 5G and startups. RECC Malham.

April 21-23, Dubai. UITP Summit 2026. A high-level event for the public transport sector looking at the future of urban mobility. Dubai World Trade Centre

April 24-26, Abu Dhabi. Middle East Film & Comic Con. Featuring some of the world’s biggest brands in film, TV, sci-fi, animation, manga, comics and collectibles.

April 29-30, Dubai. TOKEN2049 Dubai. A global gathering for the crypto ecosystem. Madinat Jumeirah.

OLD NEW HAND

Saudi Arabia’s tapping veteran banker Fahad Al-Saif as Investment Minister appears to signal a pragmatic pivot toward deal-making that delivers hard cash, as the kingdom pushes to triple annual foreign direct investment to $100 billion by 2030. The appointment comes as Riyadh scales back costly megaprojects while maintaining pressure to advance Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s economic diversification agenda. Al-Saif orchestrated Saudi Arabia’s $21.5 billion bond issue in 2017 that established the kingdom as one of the most active emerging-market sovereign issuers, and most recently led investment strategy at the $1 trillion Public Investment Fund. He told the American Business Forum in Miami in November that the PIF would shift from a growth phase centered on deploying capital to an “impact” phase aimed at turning investments into productive industries. What that means should become clear in the coming weeks, with the PIF expected to lay out its refreshed plans for the next five years.

SPACE SHOT

The UAE has successfully launched its first homegrown rocket to conduct space research. The tiny projectile, weighing 13 kilograms (29 pounds), blasted off on Friday from a remote island off Abu Dhabi and soared to an altitude of 3 kilometers (1.9 miles) before a parachute opened and the vessel landed in the UAE desert, The National reports. The flight itself was a test of the UAE’s ability to launch a reusable research rocket, which was equipped with an engine, injectors, tanks, control systems and avionics that were designed and built by the government’s Technology Innovation Institute. “This launch is a defining moment for science and engineering in the UAE,” said Najwa Aaraj, the institute’s CEO.

International Holding Co.: The Abu Dhabi-owned conglomerate, led by Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed, said 2025 revenue jumped 29% from the previous year to $30.3 billion, while profit after taxes rose 35% to $9.4 billion.

Mubadala: Blue Owl, a New York-based asset manager whose backers include the Abu Dhabi Mubadala sovereign wealth fund and the Qatar Investment Authority, is seeking new deals tied to rising demand for AI infrastructure and financing, The Information reports.

Mubadala: The fund joined Japan’s SBI Investment Co. and a Saudi billionaire family in backing Egyptian ecommerce startup Breadfast in a $50 million financing round. 

Public Investment Fund: Saudi Basic Industries Corp. signed an agreement to supply raw materials to a joint venture between the PIF and Pirelli Tyre.

ADNOC: The six listed companies owned by Abu Dhabi’s national oil company posted a combined $9.7 billion net profit for the 2025 financial year, based on revenues of $51.8 billion.

💰Strategic Takeover: Jeddah-based SISCO said its portfolio firm Green Dome Investments acquired 100% of Dubai-based cold-chain logistics provider Transcorp International for $61 million.

🛡️ Defense Startup: Anduril, a Silicon Valley defense startup founded by former Palantir employees and backed by Peter Thiel’s Founders Fund, Andreessen Horowitz and 8VC, is seeking to raise funds at a $60 billion valuation, The Information reports.

🚢 Shipping Sale: Hapag-Lloyd, a German cargo shipping company whose backers include Qatar Holding and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, is in advanced talks to acquire Israel’s ZIM Integrated Shipping for $3.5 billion, Bloomberg reports.

📈 Parallel Push: Saudi Arabia is expanding the role of Nomu, the kingdom’s small-cap equity market, as a stepping-stone for companies to access capital before potentially graduating to the main Tadawul exchange, Arab News reports.

💬 Another Try: Warner Bros. Discovery is weighing whether to re-engage in sale talks with Paramount Skydance after receiving a revised offer, Bloomberg reports. 

🌐 New Defense: Saudi intelligence has quietly approached rival defense data vendors for Palantir-like tools to hedge against geopolitical risk after U.S. control concerns, Intelligence Online reports.

🤝 New Arrival: Charles Park Family Office, a U.K.-based multi-family office, formed a strategic partnership with financial planning firm AES International to establish a Dubai presence.

UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed received Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim, following his arrival in the UAE on Sunday.

Sheikh Mohamed held a phone call with Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Sunday. 

U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to attend Saudi Arabia’s Future Investment Initiative conference in Miami in March, marking his second consecutive appearance at the event, Reuters reports. 

Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, participated in a discussion session at the Munich Security Conference on Friday.

Prince Faisal met with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani and his delegation on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference on Saturday.

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid, Crown Prince of Dubai and UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, granted the title of Arab Hope Maker and a cash prize of AED1 million to Fouzia Jbara Mahmoudi from Morocco on Saturday.

Queen Rania of Jordan visited Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani and his family at their Mumbai residence, Antilia, on Saturday.

Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and ADNOC Managing Director and Group CEO, and Ahmad Alattar, UAE Ambassador to Germany, hosted a reception on Friday on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference. The event was attended by UAE figures including Dr. Anwar Gargash, Diplomatic Advisor to the UAE President and Lana Nusseibeh, UAE Minister of State. European dignitaries included Alois, Hereditary Prince of Liechtenstein, and Katherina Reiche, Germany’s Federal Minister of Economic Affairs and Energy.

Jasem AlBudaiwi, Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council, met on Saturday with the European Union’s Special Representative for the Gulf region Luigi Di Maio, on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference.

Nawaf Salam, Lebanon’s Prime Minister, told Bloomberg that his government can overcome differences with the International Monetary Fund over a proposed law to let depositors recover trapped funds from the country’s banks.

Sultan Al Neyadi, the astronaut who is UAE’s Minister of State for Youth Affairs, won a silver medal in jiu-jitsu on Friday at the Open Masters Games in Abu Dhabi.

Abdulaziz Mohammed Faraj Al Mulla was appointed as Director General of the UAE Federal Tax Authority by a presidential decree. 

✈️ Modern Treasure: Abu Dhabi’s decommissioned airport terminal will be protected from demolition, as one of 40 buildings and sites added to the emirate’s Modern Heritage Register. The old Terminal 1 of Zayed International Airport, which opened in 1982, was designed by French architect Paul Andreu, who was also responsible for Charles De Gaulle Airport in Paris and Terminal 3 at Dubai. Other sites added to the list include the Corniche Hospital, Madinat Zayed Bus Station and the Abu Dhabi Geneva Flower Clock. 

March 25-27, Miami. FII Miami 2026. A summit on disruptive technology and investment trends hosted by the Public Investment Fund’s Future Investment Initiative Institute. Faena Hotel, Miami Beach.

March 31-April 2, Dubai. Arab Media Summit. The annual gathering brings together Arab media personnel, influencers and organizations. DWTC. 

April 6-13, Dubai. Quantum Innovation Summit. Part of Global Quantum Week, focusing on quantum technology and applications. Grand Hyatt.

April 7-9, Dubai. Middle East Energy. Discover what’s new in energy. Dubai World Trade Centre. 

April 7-9, Abu Dhabi. Future Health. Bringing together global leaders in government, science, technology and investment. ADNEC.

April 11-20, Abu Dhabi. Abu Dhabi International Book Fair. Fostering collaboration between regional publishing sectors and creative industries. ADNEC.

April 20-22, Riyadh. Future Aviation Forum. Exploring the future of air transport, sustainability, advanced air mobility, and artificial intelligence. King Abdulaziz International Conference Center.

April 13-16, Riyadh. LEAP 2026. Global tech event covering AI, 5G and startups. RECC Malham.

April 21-23, Dubai. UITP Summit 2026. A high-level event for the public transport sector looking at the future of urban mobility. Dubai World Trade Centre

April 24-26, Abu Dhabi. Middle East Film & Comic Con. Featuring some of the world’s biggest brands in film, TV, sci-fi, animation, manga, comics and collectibles.

April 29-30, Dubai. TOKEN2049 Dubai. A global gathering for the crypto ecosystem. Madinat Jumeirah.

CLAUDE BILLIONS

Abu Dhabi tech investor MGX co-led a $30 billion funding round in U.S. firm Anthropic, the maker of the Claude AI chatbot. The deal, led by Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund GIC and Coatue Management, roughly doubled Anthropic’s valuation to $380 billion. Anthropic, founded in 2021, has rapidly grown its revenue run rate to $14 billion, focusing on safer AI applications for sectors like finance, healthcare, and software. MGX, which was set up less than two years ago with support from Mubadala and tech conglomerate G42, has been expanding its U.S. tech footprint, including stakes in OpenAI and Elon Musk’s xAI, and participation in a $40 billion acquisition of Aligned Data Centres.

RAISING ROBOTS

The Qatar Investment Authority has backed a Tesla Optimus rival that plans to sell humanoid robots for the price of a car. Austin, Texas-based Apptronik raised $520 million in a round backed by investors including Google, Mercedes-Benz and the QIA, valuing the company at about $5 billion. Apptronik plans to use the new funds to speed up production of its Apollo robot and expand its global pilot programs and commercial deployments. The QIA has been raising its stakes in advanced technology, with recent investments in Elon Musk’s xAI, U.S.-based chipmaker Positron and OpenAI competitor Anthropic.

Qatar Investment Authority: The QIA and Franklin Templeton announced the launch of a day-traded mutual fund with an initial capital of $200 million.

Mubadala: Mubadala Energy awarded Texas-based SLB multiple drilling contracts for an offshore gas project in Indonesia.

Public Investment Fund: PIF subsidiary Saudi Arabian Military Industries, known as SAMI, signed a deal with a Turkish company to jointly develop unmanned surface vehicles.

L’imad Holding: AD Ports Group will invest $87 million in a new dry bulk terminal at the Port of Douala in Cameroon.

XRG: Adnoc’s international investment arm signed an agreement with Eni and YPF to advance the Argentina LNG project.

Norges Bank Investment Management: Norway’s wealth fund cut ties with Turkish financial firm Istanbul Portfoy Yonetimi AS after regulators fined one of its top managers for market manipulation.

🎮 Games Talk: Saudi Arabia’s Savvy Games Group reportedly nearing a $6 billion deal to buy mobile gaming studio Moonton from China’s ByteDance.

⛽ Exploring Libya: QatarEnergy has entered Libya’s energy sector by securing a 40% stake in an offshore block alongside Eni, under the country’s first licensing round since 2007.

⚡ Power Grant: Egypt secured $107 million from the European Union to modernize its power grid and integrate renewables.

🛢️ Oil Assets: Saudi-backed Midad Energy signed a term sheet to acquire sanctioned overseas assets of Russia’s Lukoil with an all-cash deal.

🏗️ New CEO: Dubai’s DP world has replaced long-time CEO Sultan bin Sulayem with Group Deputy CEO and CFO Yuvraj Narayan, following scrutiny over Sulayem’s communication with disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. 

🚢 Carrier Warrior: U.S. President Donald Trump is preparing to send a second aircraft carrier strike group, including the USS Gerald R. Ford, to the Middle East ahead of possible military action in Iran.

🚖 Robot Rollout: WeRide and Uber have extended robotaxi services to downtown Abu Dhabi, the first autonomous vehicle deployment in the UAE capital’s city center. 

🧠 New Arrival: Humain-backed Luma AI, a Silicon Valley AI film production startup, announced plans to open an office in Riyadh and said that it has formed a partnership with Publicis Groupe Middle East to support AI-driven advertising.

🗞️ Headline Deal: The limbo over ownership of London’s Telegraph Media Group is dragging on after the U.K. government intervened in the Daily Mail’s $682 million bid, nearly three years after a UAE-backed deal was blocked, Bloomberg reports.

UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed met with Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Bahrain, on Thursday at Qasr Al Shati palace in Abu Dhabi.

Sheikh Mohamed held a phone call with Yoweri Museveni, President of Uganda, on Thursday.

Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, UAE Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, met with Lutfullah Goktas, Turkey’s Ambassador to the UAE.

Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, wrote about the UAE’s relationship with Europe in an article published by the Center for International Relations and Sustainable Development.

Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed, UAE National Security Advisor, said on X that he met with Ana Botín, CEO of the Banco Santander Group, on Thursday.

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai and UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, chaired the first Defense Council meeting of 2026.

Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister, arrived in Munich on Thursday to head the Kingdom’s delegation at the Munich Security Conference. 

Brad Smith, Vice President of Microsoft, spoke to Khaldoon Al Mubarak, CEO of Mubadala, about the AI transformation underway in the UAE. 

Dr. Ali Saeed Bin Harmal Aldhaheri was appointed Chairman of Dubai-based healthcare and education investor Amanat Holdings. 

Ali bin Ahmed Al Kuwari, Qatar’s Minister of Finance, met with Ted Pick, Chairman and CEO of Morgan Stanley, on Thursday in Doha.

André Erasmus was appointed Chief Operating Officer of Auriga International Management Consultancy, a hospitality and real estate advisory firm.

🎨 Ancient Creativity: Egyptian archaeologists have discovered a sandstone shelter at Umm Erak Plateau containing a continuous record of human art spanning 10,000 years. The 100-metre-long rock shelter features ancient drawings from 10,000–5,500 BCE, including red-pigmented depictions of animals that reflect early prehistoric life. Archaeologists also found flint tools and pottery fragments from the Middle Kingdom and Roman era, indicating the site was used continuously over thousands of years.

Feb. 13-15, Munich. Munich Security Conference. A global forum for senior political, military and diplomatic leaders to debate major international security challenges. Hotel Bayerischer Hof.

March 31-April 2, Dubai. Arab Media Summit. The annual gathering brings together Arab media personnel, influencers and organizations. DWTC. 

April 6-13, Dubai. Quantum Innovation Summit. Part of Global Quantum Week, focusing on quantum technology and applications. Grand Hyatt.

April 7-9, Dubai. Middle East Energy. Discover what’s new in energy. Dubai World Trade Centre. 

April 7-9, Abu Dhabi. Future Health. Bringing together global leaders in government, science, technology and investment. ADNEC.

April 11-20, Abu Dhabi. Abu Dhabi International Book Fair. Fostering collaboration between regional publishing sectors and creative industries. ADNEC.

April 20-22, Riyadh. Future Aviation Forum. Exploring the future of air transport, sustainability, advanced air mobility, and artificial intelligence. King Abdulaziz International Conference Center.

April 13-16, Riyadh. LEAP 2026. Global tech event covering AI, 5G and startups. RECC Malham.

April 21-23, Dubai. UITP Summit 2026. A high-level event for the public transport sector looking at the future of urban mobility. Dubai World Trade Centre

April 24-26, Abu Dhabi. Middle East Film & Comic Con. Featuring some of the world’s biggest brands in film, TV, sci-fi, animation, manga, comics and collectibles.

April 29-30, Dubai. TOKEN2049 Dubai. A global gathering for the crypto ecosystem. Madinat Jumeirah.

EMERGING OMAN

Omani stocks are heading for their best week since 2014 as investors bet the country could win an upgrade to emerging-market status, drawing fresh foreign investment into the Muscat exchange. Optimism over the potential reclassification has fueled a surge in share prices, with traders staking out positions ahead of the expected action, Bloomberg reports. Oman’s MSX 30 benchmark has advanced more than 9% since Sunday to its highest level since 2014. Gains of nearly 20% so far this year on the Muscat Stock Exchange are almost double those for MSCI Inc.’s emerging-market index.

QIDDIYA CUP

Saudi Arabia’s Qiddiya megaproject is galloping ahead with plans to make the Saudi Cup horse race a global showpiece, even as the kingdom trims spending on some other giant developments. The $40 billion entertainment city is investing heavily in racing facilities and fan experiences tied to the world’s richest horse race, Arabian Gulf Business Insight reports. The Saudi Cup itself carries a $20 million purse for the main race and more than $35 million across the race weekend, drawing top international horses and stables. Backers see the high-stakes event as a headline attraction designed to anchor Qiddiya’s push to become a global sports and entertainment hub. The new venue will include a 21,000-seat grandstand and a 110-meter parade ring.

ADNOC: The UAE’s national oil company plans to order up to six new LNG tankers as part of its push to expand liquefied natural gas shipping.

Public Investment Fund: Saudi and U.S. energy firms, including Baker Hughes, Argent LNG and Hunt Energy, are forming a consortium with Saudi partners like PIF-owned ACWA Power and TAQA to explore and produce oil and gas in northeastern Syria following the easing of sanctions.

Qatar Investment Authority: Several airlines are “at war” against the $33 billion construction of a new runway and terminal at London’s Heathrow Airport, in which the QIA owns a 20% stake, the Financial Times reports.

International Holding Co.: The Abu Dhabi conglomerate, along with subsidiary Sirius and First Abu Dhabi Bank, has been granted approval by the UAE Central Bank to launch a dirham-backed stablecoin. 

Presight AI: The big data analytics arm of Abu Dhabi-owned G42 posted a 37% jump in 2025 revenue, which Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, Presight Chairman and UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, said “would drive long-term growth and competitiveness.”

💺 Bahrain Connection: AirAsia X announced a new Kuala Lumpur-Bahrain-London service beginning June 2026, establishing Bahrain as its Middle Eastern hub.

⛽ Gas Search: Syria plans to award licences to Chevron, ConocoPhillips, TotalEnergies and Eni to explore for vast undiscovered reservoirs of natural gas, the Financial Times reports.

⚡ Power Holding: Dubai Electricity and Water Authority bought 2.4 billion shares in district cooling company Empower from Emirates Power Investment, a Dubai Holding company, increasing its ownership stake to 80%.

🛬 Plane Fund: BlueFive Capital launched BlueFive Leasing in Muscat to raise over $1 billion for its first aircraft investment fund, targeting commercial aircraft leasing opportunities across MENA and Asia.

🏭 LNG Deals: Iraq is set to receive its first LNG cargo this year, likely from Qatar, after signing a $450 million deal with Excelerate Energy for an offshore import terminal amid declining Iranian gas supplies and a failed Turkmenistan agreement.

🤖 AI Upheaval: The massive bet by private equity firms such as Blackstone, KKR and Blue Owl on niche software companies is being shaken by rising interest rates and new AI tools that can replicate many of their functions, forcing sharp revaluations, the Financial Times reports.

📈 IPO Jump: Dubai Investments Park, the real estate arm of Dubai Investments, is likely to take the lead in what’s expected to be an increase in IPO activity following the Eid Al Fitr holiday next month, Zawya reports.

🏨 Waldorf Sale: Middle Eastern and Asian sovereign funds are potential buyers for the Waldorf Astoria hotel in New York City which is expected to go on sale by its Chinese owners, The Wall Street Journal reports.

UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed met with Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, who was accompanied by Sheikh Mohammed bin Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Crown Prince of Ras Al Khaimah, at Qasr Al Shati palace in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday. 

Sheikh Mohamed also met with Lt. Gen. Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, National Security Advisor, Royal Guard Commander and Secretary General of the Supreme Defense Council of Bahrain.

Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, received a letter from Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Wednesday concerning relations between the two countries.

Mustafa Suleyman, CEO of Microsoft AI, told the Financial Times that the software giant is pursuing “true self-sufficiency” in artificial intelligence by building its own powerful models and reducing its reliance on OpenAI.

Shahab Lutfi, Chairman of Dubai-based H&H Development, who just sold a penthouse for $108 million, told Bloomberg the demand for ultraluxury residences will continue to rise. 

Alvaro Lario, President of the U.N.’s International Fund for Agricultural Development, said he is in talks with Middle East sovereign wealth funds to raise money for addressing hunger and food insecurity in the MENA region.

📺 On The Box: The Muslim holy month of Ramadan, when families spend a lot of time together, has become the most competitive period of the year for Arabic-language television. Streamers release episodes daily to capture audience share during the key ratings stretch. From crime stories to historical dramas, this year’s new shows reflect the growing scale and diversity of the Arab entertainment industry, The National reports. Among the highlights from MBC Shahid’s Ramadan line-up is “Kuhailan,” which traces the violent rivalry between two Bedouin horsemen in a “sweeping story of power, honor and desire.”

Feb. 13-15, Munich. Munich Security Conference. A global forum for senior political, military and diplomatic leaders to debate major international security challenges. Hotel Bayerischer Hof.

March 31-April 2, Dubai. Arab Media Summit. The annual gathering brings together Arab media personnel, influencers and organizations. DWTC. 

April 6-13, Dubai. Quantum Innovation Summit. Part of Global Quantum Week, focusing on quantum technology and applications. Grand Hyatt.

April 7-9, Dubai. Middle East Energy. Discover what’s new in energy. Dubai World Trade Centre. 

April 7-9, Abu Dhabi. Future Health. Bringing together global leaders in government, science, technology and investment. ADNEC.

April 11-20, Abu Dhabi. Abu Dhabi International Book Fair. Fostering collaboration between regional publishing sectors and creative industries. ADNEC.

April 13-16, Riyadh. LEAP 2026. Global tech event covering AI, 5G and startups. RECC Malham.

April 21-23, Dubai. UITP Summit 2026. A high-level event for the public transport sector looking at the future of urban mobility. Dubai World Trade Centre

April 24-26, Abu Dhabi. Middle East Film & Comic Con. Featuring some of the world’s biggest brands in film, TV, sci-fi, animation, manga, comics and collectibles.

April 29-30, Dubai. TOKEN2049 Dubai. A global gathering for the crypto ecosystem. Madinat Jumeirah.

SILICON STAKES

Abu Dhabi-backed investment firm MGX may be close to putting hundreds of millions of dollars into AI startup Anthropic as part of a massive fundraising round expected to top $20 billion. The round, which would value Anthropic at about $350 billion, has attracted major support from Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund GIC and other large institutional backers, Bloomberg reports. MGX was set up last year with support from Abu Dhabi funds including Mubadala and technology group G42, with a mandate to invest heavily in artificial intelligence and related infrastructure. The firm has already taken stakes in OpenAI and Elon Musk’s xAI.

LONDON LIMITS

Boris Johnson, while serving as Mayor of London, jokingly referred to the city as the “eighth emirate.” But the days of Knightsbridge and Mayfair being the favorite playground of the Gulf’s uber-rich could be numbered after Mayfair enacted a 200 square-meter (2,152 square-foot) size limit on new build apartments, effectively ending a run on enormous trophy penthouses in the swanky inner borough, The National reports. Wealthy buyers from the UAE and Saudi Arabia have become the dominant international group hunting for property in the neighborhood in recent years, but developers say waitlists are growing as supply of luxury apartments dwindles.

Public Investment Fund: Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund warned that without rapidly expanding domestic manufacturing to support Vision 2030 projects, the kingdom risks supply shortages and costly reliance on imports.

Sanabil Investments: Richard Attias & Associates, the events organizer that is 75% owned by the PIF’s investment arm Sanabil, has picked banks for its planned IPO, Bloomberg reports.

G42: OpenAI is teaming up with Abu Dhabi’s G42 to develop a UAE-tailored version of ChatGPT for government use, adapted to local language, cultural values, and regulations.

DP World: Quebec’s main pension fund said it has paused new investments with Dubai-based port operator DP World after details of Chairman Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem’s contacts with disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein were revealed by the U.S. Justice Department.

🌍 Africa Bet: Cairo-based Beltone Capital agreed to acquire French microlender Baobab Group for $198 million, expanding its financial services across Africa.

🐔 Chicken Sandwich: UAE-based Americana Restaurants is acquiring the Emirati and Saudi franchises of Lebanese fast-food chain Malak Al Tawouk in a $21 million deal that includes licensing rights for the business in 13 countries.

🚆 Linking Cities: Saudi Arabia has approved a 785-kilometer (490-mile) high-speed electric railway linking Riyadh and Qatar’s capital city of Doha in two hours, with construction set to take six years.

🚕 Robo-Rides: Uber said it will start offering autonomous taxi rides in Dubai over the coming month using vehicles supplied by China’s Baidu.

🏭 Factory Incubator: Bahrain is setting up a shared manufacturing workspace and industrial incubator for small and mid-sized factories as part of a project called HQ Industrial.

⚽ Soccer Science: FIFA has named Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah University of Science and Technology as its first research institute in the Middle East and Asia, marking a milestone for Saudi Arabia’s global sports ambitions.

🛡️ Arms Sale: Israel’s state-owned defense firm Rafael may start a privatization process toward the end of 2026, Chairman Yuval Steinetz told Reuters.

UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed met with Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, UAE Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, at Qasr Al Bahr palace in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday along with Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, UAE Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court.

Sheikh Mansour, who is also Chairman of Mubadala, led a meeting of the sovereign wealth fund’s board on Tuesday at Qasr Al Watan palace in Abu Dhabi.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is coming to terms with the need to cut spending and rein in some of the ambitious projects started under his Vision 2030 plan, MBS biographer and former publisher Karen Elliott House writes in The Wall Street Journal. 

Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim held a phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump ahead of a ⁠meeting between Trump ‌and ‌Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Prince Badr bin Abdullah, Saudi Minister of Culture, accompanied Britain’s Prince William on a tour of AlUla, where he visited Sharaan Nature Reserve and planted a tree. 

Suhail Al Mazrouei, UAE Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, attended a reception hosted by Reza Ameri, Ambassador of Iran to the UAE, on Monday. 

Faisal Al-Kahtani, Deputy CEO of the Saudi Fund for Development, met with Kotaro Tanaka, a senior official from the Japan International Cooperation Agency.

Tareq Amin, CEO of Humain, said Saudi Arabia is aiming to become the world’s largest exporter of artificial intelligence tokens, speaking at the PIF Private Sector Forum on Tuesday.

Mohammed Saeed Al Shehhi, Director-General and Board Member of the Emirates Racing Authority, was re-elected as Vice-Chairman of Asian Racing Federation for a second consecutive term. 

Naveen Kumar M was appointed Senior Associate Director at global asset manager Janus Henderson.

🏈 Gulf Gridiron: Abu Dhabi could be the site of a regular-season NFL football game in the near future, according to the league’s commissioner, Roger Goodell. In a pre-Super Bowl interview on Westwood One, Goodell talked about the American sport’s international expansion plans that may include 16 games a season played in foreign countries including the UAE and Japan.

Feb. 8-12, Riyadh. World Defense Show. Brings together global weapons manufacturers, government procurement officers and defense contractors. Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Feb. 9-12, Dubai. WHX Dubai 2026. World Health Expo Dubai (formerly Arab Health) brings together global healthcare professionals, innovations and ideas within the sector. Dubai Exhibition Center. 

Feb. 11-12, Cairo. Ai Everything Middle East and Africa, Egypt. Bringing together AI leaders, innovators, startups, investors, and policymakers to explore transformative technologies and accelerate AI adoption across industries. Egypt International Exhibition Center.  

Feb. 12-13, Riyadh. PIF Private Sector Forum. The event, in its third edition, aims to support the Saudi Public Investment Fund’s Private Sector Engagement Strategic Initiative. King AbdelAziz International Conference Center. 

Feb. 13-15, Munich. Munich Security Conference. A global forum for senior political, military and diplomatic leaders to debate major international security challenges. Hotel Bayerischer Hof.

Feb. 18-March 18, Abu Dhabi. Capital Majlis Abu Dhabi. A Ramadan dining experience featuring Arabian Nights Iftar and Suhoor menus. ADNEC. 

March 31-April 2, Dubai. Arab Media Summit. The annual gathering brings together Arab media personnel, influencers and organizations. DWTC. 

April 7-9, Abu Dhabi. Future Health. Bringing together global leaders in government, science, technology and investment. ADNEC.