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According to The Telegraph, Abu Dhabi–backed International Media Investments has taken control of property vehicles linked to the Barclay family after enforcing loan agreements tied to the refinancing of The Telegraph. IMI is controlled by His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, with assets such as Trenport Property Holdings pledged as collateral rather than the newspaper itself. In parallel, Mohamed Mansour, chairman of the Cairo-based Mansour Group and a major UK Conservative donor, has shifted his residency from Britain to Egypt following the abolition of the UK’s “non-dom” tax regime, after donating £5 million in 2023. Meanwhile, the US State Department has rejected a New York Post report claiming Washington would fund a $60 billion Gaza redevelopment plan, calling the allegation “fake news,” after the paper reported on an alleged $112 billion proposal linked to Jared Kushner and envoy Steve Witkoff.

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How a Telegraph Refinancing Pulled an Abu Dhabi Media Investor Into the Barclays Property Empire

What’s it About?

According to The Telegraph, an Abu Dhabi–backed media investor has taken control of property vehicles linked to the Barclay family after enforcing loan agreements tied to the refinancing of the newspaper. International Media Investments (IMI), owned by Abu Dhabi’s ADMIC and controlled by His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, provided financing aimed at stabilising the Barclays’ wider media and retail businesses. Importantly, the loans were secured against property assets, not the Telegraph itself. After the Barclays later defaulted, IMI exercised its rights as a secured lender, appointing administrators over assets including Trenport Property Holdings and Shop Direct Holdings.

Why it Matters?

The case illustrates how media ownership disputes can quietly redraw financial empires far beyond newsrooms. A refinancing intended to stabilise a newspaper ultimately shifted control of key property vehicles to a foreign media investor. It also reflects the expanding role of Gulf capital in UK restructurings, particularly as legacy family businesses face rising debt costs and tighter bank lending. Here, collateral choice proved decisive: property, not prestige assets, determined outcomes.

What’s Next?

Administrators will now review and monetise the property portfolio in a controlled process, with analysts watching recovery values and IMI’s eventual exit or continued exposure.

UK Loses Another Billionaire as Mansour Group Chairman Relocates to Egypt

What’s it About?

One of Britain’s wealthiest residents has quietly packed his bags. Mohamed Mansour, chairman of the Cairo-based Mansour Group and a major donor to the UK Conservative Party, has shifted his residency from Britain to Egypt.
Mansour, who lived in the UK since 2016 and donated £5 million to the Conservatives in 2023 as senior treasurer, has not publicly explained the move. His relocation follows the UK government’s decision to abolish the “non-dom” tax regime, replacing it with rules taxing long-term foreign residents on global income and assets.

Why it Matters?

Mansour’s exit is part of a wider wealth exodus from Britain. Earlier this year, Egyptian tycoon Nassef Sawiris left the UK for Italy, telling the Financial Times: “I don’t know any person in my circle who is not moving.”

What’s Next?

Other high-profile departures include shipping magnate John Fredriksen and steel billionaire Lakshmi Mittal, both of whom relocated to Dubai. According to Henley & Partners, the UK is forecast to lose 16,500 millionaires in 2025, raising concerns about investment, philanthropy, and tax competitiveness.

US State Department Calls New York Post’s $60bn Gaza Funding Report ‘Fake News’

What’s it About?

The United States Department of State has publicly rejected a New York Post report claiming Washington would fund a $60 billion Gaza redevelopment plan. Responding on X, the State Department’s Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs said: “This is fake news. Nowhere in the plan does it say the U.S. will pay $60 billion.” The New York Post report described an alleged $112 billion proposal, dubbed “Project Sunrise,” envisioning luxury resorts, high-speed rail and AI-powered infrastructure, citing a presentation linked to Jared Kushner and US envoy Steve Witkoff.

Why it Matters?

The dispute highlights how speculative reconstruction proposals can rapidly influence geopolitical narratives, particularly around Gaza’s future. Washington’s response signals a clear effort to distance official US policy from media-driven funding claims, even as informal ideas circulate among investors, diplomats and regional power brokers. Separately, The Guardian and Haaretz reported on a leaked postwar Gaza proposal naming Egyptian billionaire Naguib Sawiris in plans tied to a Tony Blair–linked international governing framework.

What’s Next?

Attention now shifts to whether any credible, internationally backed reconstruction framework emerges — and who would fund it. Many observers remain sceptical, citing the absence of Palestinian representation and ongoing humanitarian concerns. Gaza’s Health Ministry reports the Palestinian death toll has exceeded 70,100, ensuring scrutiny remains intense as new proposals surface.

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