The Smashi Business Show

HEADLINES: • Sarwa Enforces No-Negotiation Pay Policy to Ensure Fair Salaries for New Hires • Trump Tower Dubai Launch Sparks Investor Frenzy with Promises of 30% Resale Gains • Dubai Holding Upsizes Dubai Residential REIT IPO Amid Strong Investor Demand • Syria to Print New Currency in UAE and Germany, Ending Russian Partnership • OpenAI, Oracle to Help UAE Develop Massive Data Center

HEADLINES: ♦ US and UAE Sign Partnership to Build Largest Data Center Complex Outside of the US ♦ Emirates in Talks With SpaceX to Bring Starlink Wi-Fi Onboard Widebody Fleet ♦ UAE-Jordan CEPA Takes Effect, Set to Boost Bilateral Trade to $8 Billion by 2032 ♦ Etihad Rail Passenger Service to Launch in 2026, Transforming UAE Travel

HEADLINES: ♦ Qatar Signs $200 Billion Deal to Buy Jets from Boeing During Trump Visit ♦ Trump Meets Syria’s Interim Leader, Lifts Sanctions in Push to Rebuild Ties and Trade ♦ Elon Musk says Starlink was approved in Saudi Arabia ♦ Nvidia and AMD Join Forces with Saudi Arabia’s Humain to Build AI Superstructure

HEADLINES: ♦ Trump Lands in Riyadh to Grand Welcome, Crown Prince Meets Global Tech and Business Titans ♦ Trump Announces Major Policy Shift: U.S. to Lift Sanctions on Syria Amid Gulf Tour ♦ Trump Secures Historic $600 Billion Investment Commitment from Saudi Arabia ♦ Saudi Startup Kilow Secures $2.5M to Power AI-Driven Weight Loss Revolution

HEADLINES: ♦ Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Launches HUMAIN to Power Nation’s Bold AI Push ♦ Elon Musk Set to Join Trump Delegation at Saudi-U.S. Forum as Gulf Tour Begins ♦ MBC Group Posts $70M Q1 Profit Surge as New CEO Michael Sneesby Takes Helm ♦ Money Without Borders: Hubpay’s CEO on the Future of Fintech in the UAE

HEADLINES: ♦ Trump May Receive Luxury Jet from Qatar Amid Air Force One Delays: ABC News ♦ Syria Seeks Meeting With President Trump, Offering Oil Access and Trump Tower in Damascus: Reuters ♦ Saudi Hospital Operator SMC’s $500 Million IPO Fully Subscribed Within Hours ♦ Mike Thurston, Vadim Fedotov Launch Hack You Media with $1.5M Backing in Dubai ♦ Gold Prices Hit $3,500, Up 27% So Far This Year

HEADLINES: ♦ U.S. Backs Qatar's $87M Syria Salary Plan, Easing Sanctions Post-Assad  ♦ Abu Dhabi’s XRG Eyes Billions in U.S. Investments with Trump Support  ♦ Profit Rises But Share Price Falls as Emaar Reports Strong Q1 2025 Results  ♦ Emirates Group Posts Record Profits and Rewards Staff with 22-Week Bonus

HEADLINES: - Disney to Open First Middle East Theme Park in Abu Dhabi - Qatar Airways lines up Boeing order for Trump visit - Meta Wins $168 Million Verdict Against Israeli Spyware Firm NSO Group - Tabby and Kitopi Weigh IPO Plans Amid Investor Limits and Oil Market Volatility

HEADLINES: - UAE Unveils Ambitious Islamic Finance and Tourism Strategy - Wall Street Leaders to Join Trump in Riyadh Ahead of US -GCC Power Talks- Egyptian-American WHOOP Founder Reveals First Prototype - Inside BNI UAE: 20 Years Of Building Business Through Relationships

HEADLINES: - Trump’s Gulf Itinerary Revealed: Riyadh May 13, Doha May 14, Abu Dhabi May 15 - Shark Tank Dubai Season 3 Launches with Star Investors and Bold Entrepreneurs on Dubai TV - Cairo’s MoneyFellows Raises $13M to Expand Its Digital Savings Circles Beyond Egypt - STV Launches $100 Million Fund to Support Saudi Tech Startups - Egypt’s Rabbit Launches in Saudi Arabia, Backed by Regional Inves...

HEADLINES: - UAE to have AI as core subject in government institutions  - UAE lifts ban on Emiratis to travel to Lebanon, starting May 7 - Abu Dhabi's AI powerhouse G42 plans US investments - Etisalat And (e&) launches regional office in Miami, US - Dubai's DAMAC saves the day for Chelsea 

HEADLINES: - MrBeast Signs Riyadh Season Deal - Saudi CEO Warns Against Misleading Digital Consultants - Dubai Real Estate Market Starts Strong in 1Q 2025 - US May Ease Nvidia Chip Restrictions for UAE - Trump stablecoin is being used in a $2B investment from MGX into Binance

HEADLINES: - TWG Global and Mubadala Capital to Enter Multi-Billion Dollar Investment Alliance - Pakistani startup MedIQ Raises $6 Million for Expansion into GCC - Dubai Always Strives to be Number One: Dubai Future Foundation CEO - Don't Rush to Fire Your Team for AI: Damac's Ali Sajwani - HH Sheikh Khaled, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Meets Open AI CFO Sarah Friar

HEADLINES: - Mark Zuckerberg Has Launched the Standalone App for Meta AI - UAE Entrepreneur Raises Inclusivity Questions about AI - Dubai's Skyline Gets a New Addition  - Trump International Hotel and Tower - BFL's Toufic: Retail in GCC is Changing - British Wealth Firm Azura Swaps Monaco for Abu Dhabi After Lunate Deal

HEADLINES: - Dubai has become the first Certified Autism Destination™ in the Eastern Hemisphere - UAE-based Zest Has Raised $4.3 Million in Pre-Series A Funding - Bahrain-born, Saudi-HQed Calo Expands into the UK - Etihad CEO says Trump's Tariffs Have No Effect on Airline

HEADLINES : - Saudi Arabia's PIF has raised its target for assets under management by 2030 to $2.67 - trillion - Saudi Arabia and Qatar to pay back Syria's debt to the World Bank - Trump poised to offer Saudi Arabia over $100 billion arms package, reports Reuters - Trump Wants a 'Free' US Ride in the Suez Canal - All-time AED100-million record set at latest RTA number plate auction

HEADLINES :  - Highlights of Day 4 of Dubai AI Week - Cafu exploring first-ever 'stake sale': Bloomberg - Damac used AI to boost monthly financial collections by a staggering $54.4 million - Paypal chooses Dubai for first-ever regional headquarters for the Middle East and Africa - Dubai-based logistics giant Aramex has announced a leadership change 

HEADLINES: - Highlights of Day 3 of Dubai AI Week - Celebration of OSN's $57 Million with Warner Bros Discovery in Dubai  - Emaar waives 4-month rent for F&B outlets facing Dubai Fountain  - Most UAE firms paused hiring in Q1 2025 as corporate tax and costs add up 

HEADLINES: - US President Donald Trump's Middle East visit dates confirmed - Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi concludes Saudi Arabia visit - Highlights of Day 2 of Dubai AI Week - The UAE bucks the trend in the IMF’s latest growth forecast - Saudi Arabia to appoint acting CEO of NEOM to permanent role

HEADLINES: - Highlights of Day 1 of the Inaugural Dubai AI Week - Aramco and BYD partner for EV Technology - PepsiCo Opens regional HQ in Riyadh; will invest SAR30 million in R&D center - Saudi Cash Revives Boxing’s Don King Era, Says World Boxing Council Chief - After Pistachio, Cocoa price rise can be concerning for UAE's $736 million chocolate market

HEADLINES: - UAE set to use AI to write laws in world first - Adnoc on shortlist to buy Shell South Africa fuel stations - B'Laban’s Facebook Account Announces the Reopening of Its Branches in Saudi Arabia - Tourism to hit 13% of Abu Dhabi’s GDP in 2025, 13% of Total GDP - Dubai’s RTA inks MoU with China's Baidu to launch trials of self-driving taxis

HEADLINES: - UAE has become the 11th largest merchandise exporter in the world - Abu Dhabi investors are stepping up their presence in the UK market - Dubai-listed companies outperformed their Gulf peers in Q4 of 2024 - Deel CEO spotted in Dubai as Rippling struggles to serve corporate espionage lawsuit - Russia and Qatar sign 2 billion euro investment deal

HEADLINES: - UAE Tops Saudi Arabia’s Arab Export Markets in Q4 2024, Trade Surplus Soars 37% - B’laban Denies Poison Rumors as Giza Closes 12 Dessert Shop in Egypt - Red Sea Global Unveils New Island Despite PIF Budget Cuts - Women invest AED118 billion in Dubai real estate sector

HEADLINES: - Majid Al Futtaim has announced a AED5 billion investment to transform Mall of the Emirates- Dubizzle Group buys UAE's Property Monitor portal amidst IPO talks - Team ownership could be next F1 step for Saudi Arabia - Dubai’s Property Market Sees Rising Prices and Investor Demand in Q1 2025 - Saudi-born Barn’s Coffee Eyes IPO On Saudi Tadawul - Meta's Zuckerberg eyed Instagram spinoff...

HEADLINES: - HH Sheikh Mohammed reviews UAE tax and launches AI efficiency drive at Cabinet meeting - Dubai tops list of world's busiest international airports for 11th year - Saudi Arabia plans to pay off Syria's World Bank debts, Reuters reports - Dubai Property Market and Trump Tariffs - Egypt and Qatar said they agreed to “work toward” a $7.5 billion investment package