UAE–China Finance: Rakbank CEO Raheel Ahmed says deeper UAE–China financial connectivity is being driven by RMB use, digital payments and cross-border trade finance, with “digital finance” and capital-market links set to be key pillars. Hormuz & Oil Markets: The IEA warns oil stockpiles are “rapidly depleting” as Strait of Hormuz reopening remains elusive, while Brent and WTI rise amid attacks on shipping and US–Iran talks stalling. Shipping Costs: Panama Canal transit fees and queues are spiking, with one reported $4m payment to skip the line—another sign of Middle East conflict pressure hitting global trade. West Bank Risk: UN officials warn the occupied West Bank is at a “breaking point” as settler violence, settlement expansion and military operations accelerate, raising forced-displacement fears. Regional Diplomacy: GCC Secretary-General AlBudaiwi met Egypt’s FM Abdelatty and discussed strengthening ties and continuing the GCC–Egypt investment forum. Energy Infrastructure: Lebanon and Iraq met in Beirut to revive the Kirkuk–Tripoli pipeline as a storage and re-export hub for Iraqi crude, aiming to attract investment and diversify export routes away from Hormuz. Fintech/Payments in Bahrain: stc pay is replacing OTPs with “Secure Approve” for online card payments, a move aimed at smoother, safer transactions. AI Data Highways: Gulf tech players are investing heavily in alternative fiber routes as Red Sea subsea cable plans face delays, with Qatar’s Ooredoo pushing its FIG cable to connect Asia to Europe via Oman–Iraq–Turkey.