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Semafor gulf

Saudi Arabia sets world record for largest construction safety lesson

Nearly 3,000 workers gathered outside Riyadh for the session, which signals a greater focus on employee welfare as the kingdom faces scrutiny by rights activists.
The safety training program at Diriyah project in Saudi Arabia.Courtesy of Diriyah

Qatar joins Gulf peers in backing Egypt with potential $7.5B investment

The possible pledge is a striking turnaround, as Cairo accused Doha of sponsoring terrorism just a few years ago.
Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani shakes hands with Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. Amiri Diwan/Handout via Reuters.

A well-funded UAE news startup runs aground

Launched with a splash by Egyptian billionaire Naguib Sawiris in November, the newsroom was slashed and the tycoon’s daughter is now CEO.
A screengrab of Moniify’s homepage on April 11, 2025.Moniify.com

Global investment giant KKR builds up Gulf team, appoints David Petraeus as chairman

The firm has offices in Dubai and Riyadh and has been active in the region since 2009, but it now plans to deploy more capital and establish a regional investment team.
Gen. David Petraeus talks during the Kyiv Security Forum dedicated to the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 21, 2025 in Kyiv.Andrew Kravchenko/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images

Gulf brands double down on X advertising as other companies flee the platform

The Elon Musk-owned platform remains widely popular in the Gulf and was not dented by the billionaire’s politics.
A screengrab from ‘business success stories’ on X.comX Business Success Stories

Gamers compete for $70M prize pot at Esports World Cup in Riyadh

Some 2,000 individual gamers and 200 teams will compete in July for a slice of the prize, a record-breaking sum in the world of competitive gaming.
An esports tournament in Malaysia in 2019.An esports tournament in Malaysia in 2019. Chongkian/Wikimedia Commons. CC BY-SA 4.0.

Analysis: Why the Gulf won’t pick a side in the trade war

As Washington splits the world into two economic blocs, the Gulf should maintain its position as a bridge between East and West.

Middle East investors maintain private equity allocations

The long-term asset class is showing resilience in 2025 with investors saying they plan to maintain or only modestly adjust their allocations.

Gulf energy giants invest in US gas boom

Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala Energy agreed to acquire a stake in Kimmeridge Texas Gas and Aramco signed a 20-year deal to buy fuel from Rio Grande LNG on the southern tip of Texas.

Abu Dhabi’s G42’s Presight finds new markets

Abu Dhabi’s G42 is ramping up an international expansion through its unit Presight, with a focus on the US, Central and Southeast Asia, and the Middle East.

Analysis: The UAE’s pursuit of free trade — one bilateral deal at a time

As major powers retreat behind tariffs and trade blocs, the Emirates is betting that openness — not protectionism — is the path to global influence.

Emirates airline boss: ‘We’re in troubled times’ amid US trade war

The head of the world’s largest long-haul airline warned that the aviation industry is in “uncharted territory” as costs for the industry rise as a result of trade tensions.

Crashing global stock markets put a pause on Gulf IPOs

The region ranked among the top five globally in 2024 for stock market debuts, and more than 40 companies were expected to go public in 2025, but activity is stalling.

Planned nuclear talks between US and Iran ease war fears, for now

A timeline to reach a deal has not been announced, but this weekend’s meetings in Oman could offer a path to easing tensions.

Gulf stocks dive despite minimum US tariff

Stocks are plunging across the region in the worst rout in five years, mirroring global selloffs and factoring in oil prices that have dipped below $65 a barrel.

Gulf region is spared high US tariffs, but not the pain of a global trade war

US President Trump imposed only a 10% levy on Gulf countries, but the secondary effects of “Liberation Day” and growing US protectionism are hitting hard.

Analysis: OPEC+ accelerates supply hike to preserve unity

The group fast-tracks its production increase to reward compliant members with more output, despite global economic headwinds.

Trump’s daughter’s father-in-law named senior adviser for Africa

Massad Boulos is set to travel to Africa to advance peace talks in the eastern DR Congo this week.