{"id":2123,"date":"2026-08-12T10:18:17","date_gmt":"2026-08-12T10:18:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vaultinsider.top\/?p=2123"},"modified":"2026-08-12T10:18:17","modified_gmt":"2026-08-12T10:18:17","slug":"the-gulf-wants-to-break-free-from-the-worlds-data-chokepoints","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vaultinsider.top\/?p=2123","title":{"rendered":"The Gulf wants to break free from the world\u2019s data chokepoints"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<p>The GCC\u2019s AI ambitions are creating a parallel infrastructure race\u2014Gulf\u00a0countries and telecom companies are trying not only to build enough computing power, but also to\u00a0control the fibre and cable networks that carry the resulting data<strong>.\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n<div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Currently,\u00a0over 90% of Europe\u2013Asia data and telecommunications traffic\u00a0flows\u00a0through\u202fEgypt\u202fand the subsea cable corridors converging at the Red Sea and Suez Canal region.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Today\u2019s\u00a0geopolitical instability, therefore,\u00a0is\u00a0making\u00a0the construction of\u00a0alternative routes more strategically important\u00a0than ever.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The UAE, Saudi and Qatar are all racing to build out\u00a0these\u00a0routes, with\u00a0Qatari\u00a0Ooredoo\u2019s\u00a0Fibre in the Gulf (FIG) system\u00a0is on track to be the largest subsea cable system ever built in the GCC.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Set for completion in late 2027, the\u00a0$500 million system will span\u00a0almost 2,000\u00a0kilometers,\u00a0linking\u00a0all six GCC states and Iraq, while\u00a0bypassing\u00a0the Suez Canal and Bab-el-Mandeb strait entirely.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ooredoo Group\u2019s\u00a0CEO Aziz Aluthman Fakhroo\u00a0told me that the Iran war had \u201creinforced the proposition\u201d of FIG.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But\u00a0its proposition\u00a0is not without its challenges.\u00a0A key section of FIG is due to pass\u00a0through the Strait of Hormuz, with\u00a0Fakhroo\u00a0acknowledging\u00a0\u201cWe currently\u00a0can\u2019t\u00a0get the cable-laying ships inside Hormuz.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Of course, a bigger question looms in the longer term: to what extent will the current war and its aftermath threaten the viability of the digital highways that\u00a0are being built across and beyond the Gulf.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can read my full interview with\u00a0Fakhroo\u00a0in my piece here.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And, in case you missed it, <em>Fortune<\/em> got the scoop last week on the\u00a0news that\u00a0Ooreedoo\u00a0has teamed up with Nvidia and Nokia to launch a multi-billion-dollar AI compute and neo-cloud platform in Indonesia.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For Ooredoo, the move diversifies the group\u2019s geographic footprint beyond its core Middle Eastern markets, while also deepening its exposure to Southeast Asia where AI adoption is showing stronger momentum than the global average.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Click here to read my exclusive.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Melissa Hancock<\/strong><br \/><em><br \/>As ever, thanks for reading, and do keep in touch with your thoughts and ideas. See you next week.<br \/>melissa.hancock@fortune.com\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<h3>U.S. Targets Dubai Crypto Exchange in Alleged $4BN Iran Sanctions Dodge<\/h3>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">The U.S. Treasury has\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">sanctioned\u00a0Shelbit, a Dubai-based cryptocurrency exchange<\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">,<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u00a0that allegedly served as the hub of a $4 billion scheme used to evade Iranian sanctions.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">The designation followed a\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\"><em>Reuters<\/em> investigation that found that\u00a0Shelbit\u00a0moved crypto on behalf of Iran\u2019s central bank<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">, one of the world\u2019s largest\u00a0illegal online gambling networks, and to addresses linked by the Israeli government to the\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u201cTreasury will \u200bhunt down and dismantle the illicit financial networks that keep the regime afloat,\u201d commented Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">The U.S. Treasury\u2019s designation\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">follows a notice issued on 24 July<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u00a0from Dubai\u2019s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) finding that\u00a0Shelbit\u00a0had violated anti-money-laundering and counter-terrorism financing laws.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Shelbit\u00a0hadn\u2019t\u00a0been\u00a0licensed by\u202f<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">VARA\u00a0since 2025, while\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">one of its owners was deported from the UAE in April.\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Shelbit has denied the allegations,\u00a0stating: &#8220;Shelbit\u00a0LLC categorically rejects any suggestion that the company knowingly participated in money laundering, terrorist financing, illegal gambling activity, sanctions evasion, or activity on behalf of any sanctioned, military, or governmental organization.&#8221;<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Meanwhile\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">Daniel Kinahan was extradited from Dubai to Ireland on Sunday<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0following his April arrest\u00a0when he was\u00a0charged with\u00a0a\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">single offence<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u2014<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">directing the activities of a criminal organisation between October 2015 and April 2017.\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">His lawyers have previously said that the allegations that he is a crime boss are false<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u00a0and have no evidential basis.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335557856&quot;:16316664,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">It is seen as a sign that the emirate is taking a tougher stance\u00a0against people on the US Treasury sanctions list.\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The U.S. Treasury imposed sanctions on Kinahan and the organization it identified as the Kinahan Transnational Criminal Organisation (KTCO) in 2022.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">In February 2024,<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u202fthe\u202fUAE was removed from the Financial Action Task Force&#8217;s (FATF) \u201c<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">grey list\u201d of jurisdictions<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0under increased monitoring in recognition of its improved ability to tackle illicit money flows.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Being on the \u201cgrey list\u201d made it more difficult for UAE businesses to conduct cross-border transactions, as financial institutions often had to undertake enhanced country-level due diligence. This resulted in longer deal timelines and higher compliance costs.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>UAE\u2019s non-oil growth hits 4-month high as jobs bounce back<\/h3>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">The\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">UAE\u2019s non-oil private sector grew at its fastest pace<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u00a0in four months in \u200bJuly, while employment numbers rose amid a recovery from the U.S.-Iran war.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">The seasonally adjusted S&amp;P Global UAE Purchasing Managers&#8217; Index climbed to 52.7 from 50.8 in June;\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">the 50-mark\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u2060<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">separates growth from contraction.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">New orders expanded at the fastest pace since February, while export business increased for the first time since March and at the quickest rate \u200bin a year,\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">helped by improving activity elsewhere in the region.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:true,&quot;134233118&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:2,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:360}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">The UAE\u2019s labour market, which\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">experienced one of the sharpest contractions in June since the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, returned to growth in July, with firms citing stronger demand as a justification for renewed hiring. \u202f<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">David Owen, principal economist at S&amp;P Global Market Intelligence said the July data signalled \u201ca restoration of business confidence and a period of smoother trade flows.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">However, business confidence towards future output\u00a0fell\u00a0to its lowest\u00a0level\u00a0since March, with only 7% of firms predicting an uplift over the coming year.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u201cThe volatile situation in the Strait of Hormuz continues to make the future uncertain and kept price pressures elevated in July,\u201d Mr Owen said.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">On 28 July, Moody\u2019s\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">changed its\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">MENA outlook from stable to negative<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, noting that\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">the impairment of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz will weigh on the growth of Gulf sovereigns, as well as their fiscal and external positions.\u202f<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>War Is paying off for Gulf shipping\u2019s biggest players<\/h3>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">ADNOC\u00a0Logistics &amp; Services\u00a0(ADNOC\u00a0L&amp;S), a unit of Abu Dhabi state oil company\u00a0ADNOC, has been busy making sure not to let a good crisis go to waste.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The U.S.-Iran war has sent shipping demand and charter rates soaring as operators navigate heightened security risks and disrupted regional trade routes.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">This has led\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">ADNOC\u00a0L&amp;S\u2019s second-quarter profit to surge 303% year-on-year to $951 million<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">,\u00a0as\u00a0additional\u00a0services to deliver energy worldwide and a global increase in shipping charter rates outweighed the disruption caused by the war.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">The\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">company has now lifted its 2026 net profit growth guidance to more than 110%<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">, from an earlier forecast of over 60%,<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0marking the third time it has raised its profit outlook this year.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">ADNOC L&amp;S last week announced the $1.3 billion acquisition of 11 vessels as it moves to expand its gas and crude shipping capacity.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559739&quot;:240,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">The deal followed an order last month for four next-generation LNG carriers worth about $900 million, which will be built by Jiangnan Shipyard in Shanghai.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559739&quot;:240,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Shipping giant Clarkson\u2019s is another corporate beneficiary of the maritime disruption.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559739&quot;:240,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Its broking business\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">delivered its strongest-ever first-half performance<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">, with revenue climbing to \u00a3413.5 million and operating profits up 55% to \u00a364.8 million.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559739&quot;:240,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">CEO Andi Case noted \u201cthe exceptional volatility caused by the disruption to global trade from global conflict, including the situation in the Strait of Hormuz\u201d.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559739&quot;:240,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Clarkson\u2019s board now expects full-year performance to be materially ahead of market expectations, given the exceptional strength seen in the first half.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559739&quot;:240,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>The Big Number<\/h3>\n<div class=\"block w-full\"><img alt=\"\" data-cy=\"article-image\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1088\" height=\"568\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"transition-opacity duration-300 alignnone wp-image-4546408 size-full not-prose w-full\" style=\"color:transparent;background-size:cover;background-position:50% 50%;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-image:url(&quot;data:image\/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg' viewBox='0 0 1088 568'%3E%3Cfilter id='b' color-interpolation-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur stdDeviation='20'\/%3E%3CfeColorMatrix values='1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 100 -1' result='s'\/%3E%3CfeFlood x='0' y='0' width='100%25' height='100%25'\/%3E%3CfeComposite operator='out' in='s'\/%3E%3CfeComposite in2='SourceGraphic'\/%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur stdDeviation='20'\/%3E%3C\/filter%3E%3Cimage width='100%25' height='100%25' x='0' y='0' preserveAspectRatio='none' style='filter: url(%23b);' href='data:image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR4nGNgYAAAAAMAASsJTYQAAAAASUVORK5CYII='\/%3E%3C\/svg%3E&quot;)\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 320px) 50vw, (max-width: 768px) 85vw, (max-width: 1024px) 50vw, (max-width: 1200px) 40vw, 33vw\" srcset=\"https:\/\/fortune.com\/img-assets\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/EU-CARDS-2026-5-e1786527461478.png?format=webp&amp;w=128&amp;q=100 128w, https:\/\/fortune.com\/img-assets\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/EU-CARDS-2026-5-e1786527461478.png?format=webp&amp;w=256&amp;q=100 256w, https:\/\/fortune.com\/img-assets\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/EU-CARDS-2026-5-e1786527461478.png?format=webp&amp;w=320&amp;q=100 320w, https:\/\/fortune.com\/img-assets\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/EU-CARDS-2026-5-e1786527461478.png?format=webp&amp;w=384&amp;q=100 384w, https:\/\/fortune.com\/img-assets\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/EU-CARDS-2026-5-e1786527461478.png?format=webp&amp;w=480&amp;q=100 480w, https:\/\/fortune.com\/img-assets\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/EU-CARDS-2026-5-e1786527461478.png?format=webp&amp;w=576&amp;q=100 576w, https:\/\/fortune.com\/img-assets\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/EU-CARDS-2026-5-e1786527461478.png?format=webp&amp;w=768&amp;q=100 768w, https:\/\/fortune.com\/img-assets\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/EU-CARDS-2026-5-e1786527461478.png?format=webp&amp;w=1024&amp;q=100 1024w, https:\/\/fortune.com\/img-assets\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/EU-CARDS-2026-5-e1786527461478.png?format=webp&amp;w=1280&amp;q=100 1280w, https:\/\/fortune.com\/img-assets\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/EU-CARDS-2026-5-e1786527461478.png?format=webp&amp;w=1440&amp;q=100 1440w\" src=\"https:\/\/fortune.com\/img-assets\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/EU-CARDS-2026-5-e1786527461478.png?format=webp&amp;w=1440&amp;q=100\"\/><\/div>\n<h3>The 3 things we enjoyed reading this week<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><span class=\"TextRun SCXW197877179 BCX0\" lang=\"EN-GB\" xml:lang=\"EN-GB\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW197877179 BCX0\">Chevron is positioning itself as an unlikely winner of the AI boom\u2014not by building chips, but by supplying the vast amounts of electricity data\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SpellingErrorV2Themed SCXW197877179 BCX0\">centers<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW197877179 BCX0\">\u00a0need. Its flagship Project Kilby pairs Chevron\u2019s natural gas,\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW197877179 BCX0\">land<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW197877179 BCX0\">\u00a0and project\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW197877179 BCX0\">expertise<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW197877179 BCX0\">\u00a0with power-generation infrastructure to deliver 2.67 gigawatts to Microsoft in West Texas under a 20-year deal. As <em>Fortune\u2019s<\/em> Jordan Blum explains, the project highlights a growing problem for AI:\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SpellingErrorV2Themed SCXW197877179 BCX0\">hyperscalers<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW197877179 BCX0\">\u00a0need\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW197877179 BCX0\">huge amounts<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW197877179 BCX0\">\u00a0of reliable power, and the grid\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW197877179 BCX0\">can\u2019t<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW197877179 BCX0\">\u00a0always deliver it fast enough.<\/span><\/span><span class=\"EOP SCXW197877179 BCX0\" data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559739&quot;:240,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"TextRun SCXW195852020 BCX0\" lang=\"EN-GB\" xml:lang=\"EN-GB\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW195852020 BCX0\">B<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW195852020 BCX0\">attered by hundreds of Iranian missiles and drones plus Houthi and militia proxy attacks,\u00a0<\/span><\/span><span class=\"TextRun Underlined SCXW195852020 BCX0\" lang=\"EN-GB\" xml:lang=\"EN-GB\" data-contrast=\"none\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW195852020 BCX0\" data-ccp-charstyle=\"Hyperlink\">Saudi Arabia\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW195852020 BCX0\" data-ccp-charstyle=\"Hyperlink\">has hedged its bets beyond Washington by signing the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement with Turkey and Pakistan<\/span><\/span><span class=\"TextRun SCXW195852020 BCX0\" lang=\"EN-GB\" xml:lang=\"EN-GB\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW195852020 BCX0\">\u00a0\u2014 a mutual-<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SpellingErrorV2Themed SCXW195852020 BCX0\">defense<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW195852020 BCX0\">\u00a0pact linking it to NATO&#8217;s second-largest army and a nuclear-armed ally.<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW195852020 BCX0\">\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW195852020 BCX0\">Its\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW195852020 BCX0\">biggest test may come through Iran-backed proxies in Yemen or Iraq, forcing the new partners to decide how far they are willing to go in each other\u2019s defence. The result is a Gulf where the post-war rules\u2014and who gets to set them\u2014are being rewritten<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW195852020 BCX0\">, as this\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW195852020 BCX0\">opinion\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW195852020 BCX0\">piece by former White House deputy national security adviser\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW195852020 BCX0\">Mark Pfeifle explores.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><span class=\"EOP Selected SCXW195852020 BCX0\" data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:2,&quot;335559737&quot;:150,&quot;335559739&quot;:60,&quot;335559740&quot;:360}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"TextRun SCXW60436157 BCX0\" lang=\"EN-GB\" xml:lang=\"EN-GB\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW60436157 BCX0\">Middle Eastern viewers are quietly becoming Twitch&#8217;s most loyal spenders, financially supporting creators at rates nearly matching the U.S. even though Arabic-language channels still pull smaller audiences than English-language giants<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW60436157 BCX0\">. Esports\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun ContextualSpellingAndGrammarErrorV2Themed SCXW60436157 BCX0\">has<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW60436157 BCX0\">\u00a0been a key gateway for Twitch into the Middle East, where spending on tournaments, clubs and gaming infrastructure has accelerated. The video live-streaming platform owned by Amazon is seeing Saudi streamers build sizeable followings by blending competitive gaming with reactions,\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW60436157 BCX0\">conversation<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW60436157 BCX0\">\u00a0and direct interaction.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p>#Gulf #break #free #worlds #data #chokepoints<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The GCC\u2019s AI ambitions are cre&hellip; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2124,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[1931,4178,541,373,1815,1816,228,3863,22,717,1515,2224,1818,2044],"class_list":["post-2123","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-finance-news","tag-break","tag-chokepoints","tag-data","tag-debt","tag-energy-prices","tag-fortune-gulf-brief","tag-free","tag-gulf","tag-investment","tag-oil","tag-saudi-arabia","tag-strait-of-hormuz","tag-uae","tag-worlds"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.1 - 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