It’s been a busy week for UAE in the news, with the country’s AI ambitions, its hospitality sector, its rising influence in the diplomatic landscape, and its rise as a financial hub, getting a lot of attention.

#1- Dubai ranked ninth in AirDNA’s list of the top 10 Asian markets for returns on short-term rentals, with an average annual revenue of USD 27.8k per property. Dubai’s strong performance was driven by a USD 205 average daily rate and 59.5% occupancy, according to the report, which analyzed 20k+ listings across Asia’s biggest rental markets, CNBC reports.

#2- Also, Bloomberg’s Lionel Laurent takes a look at Dubai’s rising influence as a financial hub in the wake of rising taxes in the UK and France in a column.

#3- Meanwhile, news of USD 1.4 tn worth of Emirati investments in the US is still grabbing headlines, with Reuters saying the investment could help ease access to US AI technology, including AI chips and GPUs, after the UAE was amongst the countries hit with a US export cap set to be imposed in May.

The hefty investment comes at a fraught time for the US economy, which is set to take a hit with the fallout from a tariff-induced trade war, making the 10-year investment agreement an attempt to make the Trump administration rethink the restrictions, the news outlet said.

ALSO- G42’s investment in Cerebras Systems remains under review, furtherdelaying its IPO, as the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) weighs concerns over the group’s past ties with China’s Huawei, sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. The uncertainty around CFIUS approval for G42’s USD 335 mn investment could make it harder for Cerebras to attract investors.

CFIUS staffers are treading cautiously, fearing politically sensitive decisions could strain their relationship with the Trump administration, especially in the wake of mass public sector layoffs. These concerns persist despite G42 signing a US national security agreement to sever ties with Huawei. However, Cerebras executives remain optimistic that approval is only a matter of time and that the IPO will proceed as planned.

PLUS- The UAE’s soft power ambitions got a nod from Bloomberg, which highlighted its joint USD 40 mn spend with Qatar to refurbish two grand halls at Geneva’s Palais des Nations. The effort was part of a broader bid to fill the diplomatic vacuum left by the US retreat from multilateral institutions.

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