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Intelligence for the New World Economy

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Intelligence for the New World Economy
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Camilla Wright

Camilla Wright

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Camilla Wright is a contributor for Semafor Gulf. She is a media commentator and writer for global news and popular culture outlets, including Britain’s biggest and best known newsletter. She is based in the Gulf.

Bahrain is a quiet power player on the horse-racing circuit

Dubai and Riyadh have much bigger prize pools, but Bahrain is quietly attracting mid-tier owners to its turf.
Horse Racing - Saudi Cup - King Abdulaziz Race Course, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - February 22.Stringer/Reuters

Gulf women push past taboos over music performances

From Moscow’s stages to Mykonos dance floors, Gulf women are making waves in the Arabic music scene.
An illustration of Zena Emad performing in Moscow. Joey Pfeifer/Semafor

Fujairah’s tamer take on the ‘Running of the Bulls’

The weekly competition in UAE’s east coast emirate is a spectacle of strength, mixed with a bit of chaos.
A bull fight.Camilla Wright

Analysis: Eminem, EDM, and creating Saudi rave culture

Saudi Arabia has built a music festival scene from the ground up, but getting clubs to success is facing more friction.
Keinemusik show in AlUla, Saudi Arabia. @MDLBEAST/X

Analysis: Why Saudi football is worthy of its Netflix series

With ultras, VAR drama, and murmurings against club owners, Saudi football has become a cultural draw beyond the allure of aging superstars.
Soccer Football - Saudi Pro League - Al Hilal v Al Nassr - Kingdom Arena, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - April 4Stringer/Reuters

Big cats and bigger status: The Gulf’s exotic pet obsession

Despite strict laws banning exotic pet ownership, big cats remain a symbol of wealth and influence across the Gulf, fueled by social media and the insatiable appetite for status.
humaidalbuqaish/Instagram. Illustration by Semafor.

View from Musandam: Sanction busting in the Strait of Hormuz

How smugglers bypass Iranian sanctions through the rocky fjords of Musandam, Oman — turning Hormuz into a 21st-century “Waterworld” of illicit trade.

The myths that are building the Saudi nation

The new Saudi national identity goes beyond custody of Holy Mosques to one built on Arab unity and stable government.