Gulf

If you thought the crisis in Hormuz was enough, the war in Ukraine has triggered another maritime drama in Europe: the Gulf of Finland

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About five years ago, the container ship Ever Given became stuck in the Suez Canal for six daysblocking one of the most important commercial arteries in the world and leaving hundreds of ships trapped waiting. That incident, caused by a failed maneuver and adverse wind conditions, was enough to disrupt global supply chains in a matter of hours. A new seafront. As global attention focuses on the Strait of Hormuz, the war in Ukraine has opened another critical scenario much closer to Europe: the Gulf of Finlanda small but key space for Russian energy exports. There, far from spectacular drones or large fleets, the conflict manifests itself in a more silent way but just as revealingwith ships detained, routes blocked and growing tension between actors trying to avoid a direct escalation. This new focus demonstrates that the war is not only being fought on the land front, but also in the nerve centers of maritime trade. Ukraine attacks and a collapse. The situation has its origins in a clear kyiv strategy: to hit key russian ports to export oil, such as Ust-Luga and Primorsk, where it comes a fundamental part of the income that finances the war. The attacks have drastically reduced the operational capacity of these facilities, leaving dwhole days without activity and causing an immediate chain effect. The result: a unprecedented maritime traffic jamwith dozens of oil tankers (many of them linked to the so-called “floats in the shadows” Russian) accumulating waiting to be able to load. A system on the limit. They remembered this week in Political that this traffic jam in the Gulf of Finland is not just a striking image, but a symptom of something deeper: an energy and logistics system that begins to fracture under the pressure of war. Unlike conventional vessels, these tankers cannot be easily redirected to other ports due to the risk of being detained or sanctioned, which forced to remain anchored for days or weeks. As a result, there is an unusual concentration of aging and, in many cases, unsafe ships in European waters that were not prepared to absorb that volume. Europe trapped between control and escalation. Under this scenario, countries like Estonia and Finland They are in a particularly delicate position, since, despite being within the NATO framework, they have chosen not to intervene directly against these ships. The reason is clear: any attempt to stop or board an oil tanker could trigger a Russian military responseas already happened when a Russian fighter intervened to protect one of these ships. Since then, Moscow has reinforced its naval presence in the area, making it clear that it considers these strategic routes a red line. The Mirror of Hormuz. There is no doubt, what happens in the Gulf of Finland connects directly with the crisis in Hormuz: In both cases, the war moves towards maritime straits where traffic control becomes a strategic tool. The difference is that there is no formal block here, but an indirect disruption which generates similar effects, with stopped ships, tense routes and altered markets. In both scenarios, it is enough to interfere enough to collapse the system, and also without the need for a total shutdown. A war that spreads across the map. If you like, the result is a conflict that is no longer limited to Ukraine either to the Middle Eastbut it extends to the critical nodes of global trade, affecting Europe directly. The Gulf of Finland has thus become in another hot spot where energy, legal and military interests intersect, with an extremely fragile and volatile balance. And what seemed like a localized war is proving to have a much greater scope, generating new sources of tension that, like in Hormuz, can escalate quickly. without prior notice. Image | LAC, NormanEinstein In Xataka | If fog was deadly in Ukraine’s winter, spring is offering Russia a key advantage: greenery In Xataka | Ukraine is close to what no one has achieved in a war: shooting down missiles for less than a million dollars

The countries of the Persian Gulf have adopted an unexpected civil protection measure against Iran’s attacks: teleworking

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When an employee in Riyadh receives an email from his company telling him not to come to the office the next day, the most common reason was usually a sandstorm, construction work, or a holiday. In recent weeks, the reason has been something else: the possibility that its offices, probably located in a downtown financial district, could become Iranian missile target. In the Persian Gulf, teleworking has ceased to be a post-pandemic convenience and has become a civil protection tool in the midst of a geopolitical crisis that has been repeated in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Bahrain since the start of the armed conflict between the US, Israel and Iran. Riyadh: the most visible offices, the first to be emptied. According to published Reutersseveral Western and Saudi companies in Riyadh this week expanded their teleworking recommendations via email or text message sent to their employees. The notices focused on employees working in the King Abdullah financial district, Faisaliah Tower, Business Gate and Laysen Valley, areas where major US banks, technology companies such as Microsoft and Apple, and the Saudi sovereign wealth fund itself are based. The arguments for adopting this measure were not unfounded. Iran threatened to attack American interests in the region in retaliation and, in fact, attacked several Amazon data centers in United Arab Emirates. The order to telework does not mean that this simple measure will keep the civilian population safe, but it does distance them from the international offices occupied by American companies. The Arab Emirates were the first to adopt teleworking. The United Arab Emirates were, in fact, the first in ordering teleworking for its employees, immediately after Iran’s first attacks. According to published the local newspaper Khaleej Times, The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratization asked private companies to adopt teleworking as a precautionary measure, keeping only workers whose physical presence was essential in their jobs. In those first attacks, four people were injured by debris from intercepted drones that fell on residential buildings, and damage was reported to the dubai international airportthe Burj Al Arab and the Palm Jumeirah. Teleworking recommended, not mandatory. The authorities of other countries in the region, such as Bahrain, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, also followed in the footsteps of the United Arab Emirates and recommended private companies adopt teleworking and restrictions on influx to offices due to the risk of Iranian missile attacks. Qatar, also punished for reprisals against US interests during the conflict, was another of the countries that activated teleworking protocols for its officials. However, something that all of them have in common is that none of them consider themselves as an obligation to teleworkbut rather companies are recommended to adopt teleworking, leaving the risk assessment to their discretion and that of local authorities. The Government of Dubai Media Office confirmed that the emirate’s private sector continued operating normally, with most business activities uninterrupted despite the risk of attacks. A region that learns to work under pressure. Although these countries are not officially at war with Iran, they are involved and targeted in Iranian attacks in retaliation against US and Israeli companies in the area. In this context, many fear that any escalation would lead Iran to attack critical infrastructure in the region more forcefully, which explains the caution of companies even after the announcement of the ceasefire reached in extremis during the early morning. trump qualified the pact of “total and complete victory.” But as negotiators work in Islamabad to turn that provisional ceasefire into a lasting agreement, Gulf companies continue to watch the calendar with one eye on the news and another on their security protocols to protect their employees. In Xataka | Working from anywhere was the dream of teleworking: not notifying those location changes can get you fired Image | Unsplash (Kate Trysh, Microsoft Copilot)

Europe fled from Russia’s gas to fall into the arms of the United States. The Third Gulf War proves that it was a trap

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Behind troop movements and sea blockades for the Third Gulf Warthere is a much quieter script twist that is shaking the foundations of the continental economy: false European security. A problem that comes from the other side of the pond. After the energy crisis due to the Ukrainian War (still valid), Europe thought it had solved its great energy vulnerability by changing the gas that arrived through Russian gas pipelines for liquefied natural gas (LNG) that crossed the Atlantic in ships from the United States. The idea of ​​the European Union was to bet its imports on Washington to diversify sources and avoid future geopolitical blackmail. However, the American lifeline has turned out to be punctured. With the global market in maximum tension due to the war in Iran, the US is not guaranteeing European supply and makes gas subject to trade wars and political whims. The real Achilles heel. Europe now depends on the United States for two-thirds of its LNG imports, according to the center for economic studies Bruegel. As global supply falls due to the conflict, Asian buyers — who traditionally sourced from the Gulf — are competing aggressively for flexible gas ships. The result is a bidding war to the highest bidder: according to Bruegelseveral shipments of American LNG have already been diverted from Europe to Asia in the midst of the conflict. At the diplomatic and commercial level, the situation with our “savior partner” is enormously unstable. In the midst of this crisis, Donald Trump has come to criticize European allies, urging them on social networks to “get their own oil,” according to Bloomberg. As if that were not enough, political friction over the conditions of the trade agreement between the EU and the US has caused senior US officials to threaten retaliation, casting serious doubts on Washington’s previous commitment to sell $750 billion in energy products (including its precious LNG) to the European bloc. The price of the “green illusion”. The impact of this imbalance is being brutal for European pockets. According to the Financial Times Based on data provided by the European Commission itself, the bill for EU fossil fuel imports has increased by 14 billion euros in just 30 days of conflict. Gas prices have experienced a rise of 70%, while oil prices have become more expensive by 60%. This puts in front of the mirror what in Euractiv have baptized as “the green illusion” of Europe: a glaring structural failure in the energy transition. Despite having invested nearly one trillion euros in renewable energy, the European Union’s energy dependence on imports remains at 60%, practically the same figure as in 2004. An ineffective design. The reason for this price contagion lies in the very design of the European electricity market. By operating with a marginalist system, the most expensive technology (usually gas) is the one that sets the price of electricity for everyone, as explained in Strategic Energy. In countries heavily dependent on gas to generate electricity, such as Italy, gas sets the price 89% of the time, exposing citizens directly to international volatility. However, there is hope if you do your homework. In Spain, the enormous growth of wind and solar energy has caused the gas only mark the price of electricity 15% of the hours, much better shielding the country against these external shocks. In fact, it’s not all bad news: solar electricity generation has saved the EU from spending 2 billion euros in fossil fuel imports only in the first 20 days of March. And now what? It doesn’t look like we’ll get a break anytime soon. The crisis will not be brief, as the European Commissioner for Energy, Dan Jørgensen, has strongly warned. who has made it clear thateven if peace were declared tomorrow, prices would not return to normal in the foreseeable future. The European Commission is already finalizing a “toolbox” with emergency measures that will suddenly return us to the scenarios of 2022. On the table in Brussels is the possibility of recovering taxes on extraordinary profits that fell from the sky (windfall tax) for energy companies. Drastic measures in sight. Brussels also foresees drastic measures to contain demand based in the well-known 10-point plan of the International Energy Agency. This would translate into recommendations to Member States to encourage teleworking, reduce speed limits on motorways and promote both public transport and car sharing. At the strategic level, to stop the bleeding in LNG prices and prevent the US from playing against Europe with Asia over shipments, the think tank Bruegel proposes a radical solution: that the EU act as a bloc and coordinate its gas purchases directly with large importers such as Japan and South Korea to avoid a bidding war. The invisible problem. To understand the complete picture, we must talk about the great bottleneck that almost no one talks about: concrete and copper. European renewable deployment is colliding with a lack of capacity in electricity networks. According to a report from the climate think tank Emberat least 120 GW of planned renewable energy projects in Europe are at risk simply because the grid cannot support them. The logjam is monumental, with almost 700 GW of renewable projects stuck in connection queues awaiting permits across European countries reporting this data. And this is not just a problem of the macro plants of large corporations; It directly affects the average citizen. According to calculations in the same report, 1.5 million European homes could face delays in being able to connect the solar panels on their roofs due to obsolete distribution networks that do not have the capacity to take on the energy. A chronic gap. The underlying problem is a chronic gap in the system itself. As pointed out EuractivEurope has changed how it generates its electricity, but it has not electrified its real economy. Cars continue to burn oil, heavy industry continues to use fossil gas and the general electrification of the economy has been stagnant for ten years. Europe has spent … Read more

Shahed drones are spreading terror in the Gulf. Ukraine has offered the solution, and the price to pay has a name

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In the last four years, a flying device barely twelve feet long has gone from being a little-known Iranian military experiment to becoming a one of the protagonists of several simultaneous conflicts. Its design is so simple that it can be assembled in a few hours and its cost is thousands of times lower than the systems that try to take it down. That combination has changed the way many militaries understand air defense. The buzz that changed war. Since 2022, the sound of a small motorcycle-like engine was the alarm signal which preceded many explosions in Ukrainian cities. That metallic and persistent noise belongs al Shahed-136a cheap, relatively simple Iranian kamikaze drone designed to attack pre-programmed targets at long range. With about 3.5 meters in length and the capacity to transport an explosive charge of about 50 kilos, these devices have become one of the symbols of modern warfare because they combine two factors that are difficult to counteract: their low cost and the possibility of mass producing them. The jump between conflicts. After four years of war in Europe, these drones have reappeared in force in another scenario. Iran has launched hundreds of devices against Gulf countriesreaching military bases, airports, refineries and urban areas in Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait or Qatar. The attacks seek less physical destruction than psychological and economic pressureforcing the attacked countries to activate expensive defense systems to intercept weapons that can cost only about $50,000. Although many of the aircraft are shot down, even a small percentage that manages to penetrate the defenses is enough to cause damage to critical infrastructure or generate fear among the population. A strategy perfected by Ukraine. The pattern of these attacks is clearly reminiscent of the tactics Russia has employed since 2022 against cities and infrastructure Ukrainian energy companies. Moscow turned the Shahed into the center of a strategy of attrition and terror based on launching large drone waves together with missiles to saturate air defenses and increase the probability that some projectiles reach their target. The mass production has been key in that strategy: Russia not only imported thousands of Iranian drones, but also raised an own factory to manufacture them on a large scale, which allowed hundreds of devices to be launched in a single night against power plants, ports or residential neighborhoods. The anti-drone laboratory created in kyiv. This constant pressure forced Ukraine to become one of the countries more experienced of the world in the fight against these types of threats. After facing tens of thousands of Shahed, kyiv has developed a defense system in layers that combines radarselectronic warfare equipment, anti-aircraft missiles, mobile units and even interceptor drones capable of shooting down attackers in mid-flight. The result is an improvised network but extremely effective which has allowed most of the attacks to be neutralized despite the massive scale of the waves launched by Russia. Terror reaches the Gulf. That knowledge has now acquired a new strategic value. The Gulf countries, which were not used to facing constant drone attacks, have discovered how difficult it is to protect entire cities against weapons that fly low, are difficult to detect and can appear from multiple directions. Even advanced systems designed to intercept ballistic missiles can be overwhelmed by swarms of cheap drones. The recent attacks They have hit airports, refineries, ports and military bases, demonstrating that even critical infrastructures of highly protected economies can be exposed to this new form of air warfare. Zelensky’s offer. In this context, Ukraine has launched an unexpected proposal: share your experience to help Gulf countries neutralize the Shahed. President Volodymyr Zelensky has offered to send his best anti-drone defense specialists along with a group of experienced operators to reinforce regional defenses, but, of course, with one clear condition, a name. kyiv wants Middle Eastern governments to jointly use all his influence on Moscow to pressure Vladimir Putin and achieve at least a temporary ceasefire in Ukraine. If you like, it is an offer that mixes military cooperation and diplomatic calculation: one where Ukraine presents itself as the country that knows the enemy best, and there is not much doubt about that, asking in return help to stop the war which made him precisely that expert. Image | Kyiv City State Administration,X, National Police of Ukraine In Xataka | The US has launched its most ambitious weapon against Iran in the last decade: a missile that does not need fighters or warships In Xataka | It is not that Iran is resisting US attacks, it is that it has room to take the conflict to an explosive scenario.

The US responds by filling the Gulf of Mexico with platforms again

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The horizon of the Gulf of Mexico has once again become populated with lights, cranes and metal structures that rise above the sea as if they were floating cities. At first glance, it might seem like a throwback to a time when offshore drilling dominated American oil, but the context is completely different. At a time when markets anticipate an oversupply of crude oil by 2026 “almost cartoonish”the Gulf is experiencing an unexpected renaissance. An unexpected return. According to the Financial Timescompanies such as BP, Chevron, Talos Energy or Beacon Offshore have reactivated projects that require investments of billions of dollars and that drill more than 3,000 meters under the sea. The clearest signal came from BP. According to Reutersthe British oil company has approved a $5 billion project—Tiber-Guadalupe—that contemplates a platform capable of producing 80,000 barrels per day starting in 2030. It will be its second project in the area prepared to operate at 20,000 psi, a technical leap that opens up deposits previously considered inaccessible. Chevron and Beacon Offshore have also begun producing in ultra-deep fields using these new systems. Gulf production will rise to 1.89 million barrels per day in 2025 and reach 1.96 million in 2026, according to calculations cited by Reuters. These are figures that contrast with the cooling of shale: land formations – especially in the Permian – show slower growth and increasing costs. The keys to the resurgence. There are several very clear drivers for reopening the waters of the Gulf of Mexico. First, the new generation of high-pressure systems—the famous 20,000 psi—has transformed the map of the Gulf. Talos Energy assures that its offshore break-even can fall to $20 per barrel, a level that challenges the myths of the sector and that places the Gulf at an advantage over many shale areas, where the best wells are already exhausted. Land production is no longer the miracle it was in the last decade. As Reuters points outthe most productive areas on land are maturing. The industry must drill more and source less, and that makes each barrel more expensive. Offshore, although requiring massive initial investments, offers decades of stable, large-scale production. In a volatile market, that predictability has become a strategic asset. Finally, another key driver is the political turn. The call “One Big Beautiful Bill”recently approved, requires at least 30 auctions of oil rights in the Gulf of America —name that the White House has begun to impose to refer to its continental shelf— in the next 15 years. In addition, deepwater royalties have been reduced to attract capital. According to Washington Postthe administration is also preparing new auctions in California and the East Coast, breaking with almost 40 years of restrictions. But that movement has sparked a political war: Governor Gavin Newsom rated the plan of “dead on arrival” and warned that he will defend the state’s coast “over our dead body.” A long-term vision. Big oil is not investing for today, but for 2035 or 2040. As Bloomberg has detailedExxon, Chevron and BP are accelerating global exploration because, despite the climate discourse, the International Energy Agency has softened its peak oil forecast, in your current policy scenario (CPS)predicts that global oil demand could increase to 113 million barrels per day in 2050. The platforms that are approved now will produce when the current shale fields are already in decline. The ghost of spills. The rise of the Gulf coincides with a broader geopolitical conflict. According to The Guardianany attempt to drill off California — where no new licenses have been approved since the 1980s — faces fierce opposition, both Democrats and Republicans. Memories of the disaster from Santa Barbara (1969) and of the spill in California (2015) They are still alive. In Florida, explains The New York Times, Even Republicans reject new drilling in the eastern Gulf for fear of the impact on tourism. In addition, the federal moratorium prohibiting drilling off its coast extends until 2032, making any attempt to reopen the area a conflict within Trump’s own party. and the trauma of Deepwater Horizonin 2010, continues to be the underground wound of all debate. Ultra-deep drilling is technically extraordinary, but it also carries high risks: an accident can take months to contain. Mexico looks askance. The boom on the US side of the Gulf has direct repercussions in Mexico. According to the cross-border agreement explained by BOEMthe United States and Mexico share deposits on the maritime border and can exploit them jointly. However, if the United States accelerates drilling with 20,000 psi technologies and Mexico does not keep up with that pace, tension could arise over reserves, inspections and exploitation rights. A saturated global market. The Gulf’s renaissance comes at a contradictory time for the world market. the world heading towards a gigantic crude surplus in 2026, fueled by increased production from Saudi Arabia and Russia. At the same time, China is acting as a global buffer: has purchased about 150 million additional barrels and filled much of its strategic reserves. But that balance is fragile. Analysts warn that if Beijing reduces its purchases, oversupply could emerge suddenly and cause a sharp drop in prices. Furthermore, with interest rates at record highs, storing oil is once again an expensive business: a larger contango would be needed than at any time in the last 25 years for storage to be profitable. A new boom or the last great gasp of oil? Helicopters are flying over the towers again, support ships are queuing in the ports of Louisiana and Texas and oil companies have reactivated one of the largest offshore hubs on the planet. The Gulf of Mexico is experiencing an unexpected renaissance. The question that hovers over this return is uncomfortable and decisive: are we facing a new golden age of deepwater oil or the last great push of an industry that refuses to disappear? For now, politics pushes and technology accompanies, but the reality is that this new “energy heart of the United States” is involved in … Read more

The US has decided that the Gulf of Mexico is called the “Gulf of America.” Canada has avenged the “Canadian coffee”

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In a stage of tensions between countries, everything is political. To coffee. The Donald Trump’s arrival at the White House To fulfill his second term he is being a tsunami. He has put The chips industry abovehas arrived with Tariffs under your arm For Mexico and Canada, it has the Celectric eight at the point of sightas well as renewable energiesand plan to be harder with China. These actions, among others, have aroused a feeling of Boicot to American productsand it is so deep that neither coffee is fought. But not a brand or something, but an elaboration: Canada wants to steal American coffee. And Mexico also points. The American is not American. The history of American coffee is most curious. We have seen this preparation dozens of times in cinema and television. Also in coffee shops in half the world to discover that it is a cuffed coffee (in broad strokes, it has its “art” to know the proportions) and we might think that it is an American ‘invention’. But no: it turns out that it is European. Italian, to be more exact. In the United States they have the habit of filling the cup to the top with coffee alone. Filter coffee is very rooted in the country, but in the Europe of the Second World Warcoffee drank differently. It seems that, during the campaign in Italy, Americans who wanted coffee to enjoy the drink or Stay alert They couldn’t stand the espresso Italian (the roasted grains of more do not help) and the baristas prepared A combination of your palate taste: a espresso to which they added hot water to reduce it. Coffee voltage. That combination was baptized as ‘American’ and, in the end, the participation of Americans in their creation was simply that the most intense coffee was not for their taste. But well, it is still a preparation that is really settled, but as we say, to a scrambled river, everything is political and, in Canada, the ‘American’ is no longer so well seen. Recently, and due to political tensions between both countriessome coffee shops have made the decision to change the name ‘American’ for ‘Canadiano’. The elaboration is the same and, in summary accounts, among the American soldiers who fought in Italy there were also Canadians, so they will estimate that they have the same right to keep coffee. Marketing or rebellion? But it is not so much for ‘cultural’ appropriation, for defining it in some way, as to use it. Against what? Because against those tariffs driven by Trump (which are running with a Canadian response, on the other hand). It was the Kicking Horse Coffee cafeteria the first that started this movement that has penetrated between the press specialized in coffee and that has reached media such as CBC News. But, at the same time that there are those who see in this a way to reaffirm the Canadian identity, there are also critics that estimate that it is an orchestrated marketing strategy to sell more coffee among those who have that patriotic fire. And yes, Kicking Horse Coffee has been calling ‘Canadian’ for 16 years to elaboration, but as they explain In their networksnow they make it official and seek that the rest of Canadian coffee shops do the same. Some He has already taken the witness. “For 16 years, Kicking Horse Coffee has been called Canadiano to the Americans. Now, we make this official and ask the coffee shops throughout the country to join. Call it ‘Canadiano’” Mexico wonders things. In whatever, the idea has reached a Mexico that will be used to the change of name of the Gulf of Mexico for that of Gulf of America (America not for the continent, but for that American idea that they are America). In the Latin American country there are already those who are exploring The idea of ​​renowing American coffee as ‘Mexican coffee’ or ‘coffee of pot’. Now, Mexico already has a ‘pot of pot’. It is a typical way of preparing coffee in the country that consists of preparing it in a clay pot as if it were an infusion. It is more typical in rural areas than in large cities, but the issue is not so much the name and … politics. Boycott. We will see if it covers that campaign to replace the American with the Canadian (who, to propose, each country could now put the name he wants), but what is evident is that Trump’s arrival is causing movements worldwide. We have already commented that in Europe and Canada there are movements that ask for the boycott To American products, in networks there are lists European software and hardware to stop depending on the American and have even seen Virulent reactions to products like Tesla cars. Next to cars burning, the Canadian looks like a joke. In Xataka | The intricate technology behind a coffee capsule: how Nespresso has tried to create an “ecosystem” to Apple

The countries of the Persian Gulf have a plan B to continue influencing beyond oil: critical minerals

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In case the sector of Solar energy was smallthe Persian Gulf wants to continue expanding his empire and now points to the extraction and trade of metals. Expanding sectors. The companies between Oman, United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia They have created Specialized units in metal marketing. On the one hand, International Resources Holding (IRH) in Abu Dhabi and Minerals Development Oman (MDO) have focused on energy and metal control. On the other hand, the Saudi country, through Ma’aden and the Public Investment Fund (PIF), has driven Its mining sector with new commercial strategies towards critical minerals. The look in the metals. The global raw material trade has changed in recent years, displacing traditional centers such as London and Geneva towards the Middle East, especially Dubai. Great oil traders, such as Vitol, Mercuria and Gunvor They have expanded Its metal business, and the Gulf states seek to position themselves in this market. With greater control over marketing, these countries can ensure better prices for their resources and strengthen their presence in the global supply chain. The expansion strategy. To consolidate their presence in the sector, companies such as International Resources Holding (IRH) and Minerals Development Oman (MDO) have created specialized commercial teams. Irh, based in Abu Dhabi, He has hired to 60 people to handle energy and metal trade, while MDO is in the process of establishing a unit of 25 people. At the same time, the Saudi Mining Fund Manara plans to form its own commercial team to ensure the supply of critical minerals. In addition to reinforcing their commercial capacities, these countries have made key investments in mining. IRH has acquired a 51% share in the Mopani copper mine in Zambia, and Abu Dhabi, through ADQ, has signed a joint company of 1.2 billion dollars with Orion Resources. Oman, on the other hand, has reactivated copper extraction in his lasail mine and seeks to better organize the plaster and chromite market to maximize income. Towards other booming markets. The Persian Gulf is exploring other areas such as renewable energies, artificial intelligence and nuclear energy. Countries like United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia They are promoting solar projects massive and the development of green hydrogen, with the expectation that more than 30% of its energy capacity comes from renewable sources in the next five years. Saudi Arabia has also seen an opportunity in The resurgence of nuclear energy And seek to lead the uranium sector, ensuring its role in the global supply. At the same time, the country has sealed Strategic agreements in AIwith projects like Neom that seek to position it as a key actor in the technological revolution. Global ambition. The gulf bet for metal trade is just one more piece in its strategy to become a key actor in the global economy. With the rise of the energy transition and the reconfiguration of international trade, the region seeks not only to diversify its income, but also consolidate its influence in strategic sectors. Oil gave them power; This new diversification is your insurance to continue like this for decades. Image | Unspash and Corey Poppe Xataka | The Persian Gulf has dominated the long era of oil. Now he is preparing to lead the era of solar energy

Calling Gulf of America to the Gulf of Mexico was just an occurrence of Trump. Until Apple changed its maps

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The 1953 edition was the last one published in the volume Limits of Oceans and Seasthe text internationally accepted to name the seas and oceans of our planet. It is managed by the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO), But the curious thing is not that. The curious thing is why more than 70 years ago it has not been edited. The reason, they explain In The Conversationwe find it in the conflict between Japan and South Korea by the name of a sea. Specifically, by the Japan seaits best known and popular name. In South Korea they do not agree to call it that, and since then they try to change the name to “Mar del Este”. South Korea took the problem that created a East Sea Society 30 years ago, but the problem never solved. The IHO came to create a revised edition of its volume in 2002, but was never published. That is the clear demonstration of how difficult it is to change the name to any geographical element in our day. At least, to change it so that it is universally accepted. And that is what is happening these days with the controversy (another) created after Donald Trump’s decision, which He issued an executive order to call Gulf of MexicoGulf of America. That decision could have gone unnoticed, but it has become something especially significant. Not for the decision itself, but because to make it a standard de facto (no of iure) has forced Google Maps —which announced the change Monday— And above all Apple Maps Change the name on their maps. And if Google and Apple maps say it, the thing changes. He does it at least for the hundreds of millions of people who use these maps, who will end up seeing how that Gulf is no longer “from Mexico”, but “of America.” The popularity of these applications is exceptional, and if something changes its name in them, users They can end up accepting it as the official name. The problem is that it is not, because it is only in the US. But both Google and Apple have already introduced that change in their applications when they are used by US citizens there, and soon we will see all. That, of course, does not mean that the rest of the world accepts that new denomination and continues to use the name that that Gulf has always had. They will not probably do so in Mexico, where they responded with a sneer to the decision of the US president. His Mexican counterpart, Claudia Sherinbaum Pardo, did At a recent conference that maybe then we should Change the name to the United States to call it Mexican America. It was then that he showed a map of 1607 in which not only the Gulf of Mexico appeared as such: it is also the region now occupied by the United States was called Mexican America. The answer is absolutely valid. Sherinbaum probably does not propose that change in Google and Apple maps for Mexicans, and even if I did, Apple and Google are North American companies and would probably not accept the change. Be that as it may, the truth is that this change of names demonstrates how today changing the name to such important geographical areas is not easy, although Have Google and Apple from your side help. The question, of course, is what will happen within four years, when Trump’s mandate ends. Will the Gulf of Mexico return to be the Gulf of Mexico? Image | Daniel Torok In Xataka | When King Carlos III commissioned a map of South America and then prohibited it because it was too precise

The Persian Gulf has dominated the long era of oil. Now he is preparing to lead the era of solar energy

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There is an increasingly more and more evident energy change, and even the countries we would never think are jumping to the renewable pool. Yes, I talk about the countries of the Persian Gulf. However, the tests are there: seven Chinese solar companies were generating more energy capacity than the world’s greatest oil companies. So, now, with their money and a lot of sun, everything indicates that they will give sorpasso. Wild investment. For very recently, Gulf countries have decided to invest in renewable projects. On the one hand, the United Arab Emirates They have announced a solar project 5.2 GW with a battery system, also betting on storage. On the other hand, Saudi Arabia is developing its energy transition plan through the Vision 2030 Plan. Recently, the Saudi Aramco oil giant has announced an agreement to start producing lithium in 2027. In addition, They are developing a plan to extract and enrich uranium For nuclear energy. Likewise, the Saudi country is carrying out different solar energy projects, some in Collaboration with China and others with Spain. And we can’t forget Kuwait, who already started two years ago has develop 17 GW of renewable energy and 25 GW capacity for the production of green hydrogen, which propose to export it to international markets. Data. According to the recent report by the International Renewable Energies Agency, the Middle East has Less than 1% of the world’s renewable capacity. However, from the agency they have detailed that the forecast for the next few years will be of accelerated growth. For its part, An analysis of the consultant Rystad Energypoints out that within five years, more than 30% represents total capacity in Gulf countries such as the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar. From the consultant they detail that this impulse is due to the weather conditions and the favorable conditions of the market. New solar panels will boost electricity generation in the Gulf Favorable energies. In the graph of Rystad EnergyWe observe that the Persian Gulf has two very different parts. The colored areas of orange, blue and green that represent renewable energies we see how they increase exponentially, especially solar. However, we see how nuclear and hydrogen have a slight growth that is maintained over the years. On the other hand, oil and gas, colored gray, although they are currently the main sources of energy, they will fall by 2050. China, ally or competition? The Asian giant has become a double agent in the energy transition, acting as much as a partner and competitor. On the side, Chinese companies such as Jinko Solar, Longi and Byd are providing solar panels, batteries and other technologies for the ambitious renewable projects in the desert region. On the other hand, China is carrying out the development of its own solar and wind projects. Besides, Your dominance over the global supply chain of batteries and solar panels gives you an advantage in the energy market. At the same time, its expansion in the Middle East allows you to gain influence in a region that has historically been dominated by fossil fuels. The change. The Persian Gulf is in the process of investing in renewables to mark its path to sustainability. However, they still have a stretch to travel because infrastructure and energy supply stability are still aspects that must be resolved. Image | Unspash Xataka | In full desert, Saudi Arabia is preparing its next great energy bet with the help of a partner: China

Sheinbaum says that the Gulf of Mexico will continue to be called like this despite the change of Google in the US.

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The Mexican president, Claudia Sheinbaumsaid Tuesday that The Gulf of Mexico will continue to be called like this despite what Google has replaced its name for ‘Gulf of America’ To follow the orders issued by the American president, Donald Trump. “The Gulf of Mexico is still a gulf of Mexico“, Said the Mexican ruler at her morning conference. Sheinbaum minimized the implications of Google’s decision, which explained on Tuesday in the social network X that renamed the Gulf in its maps for the United States with the argument that is the current official name of that area in that country. The president showed Trump’s executive order that indicates that the name change is applied only on the American continental platformbut he reiterated that for the rest of the world he is still a gulf of Mexico, a name that appears on maps since the seventeenth century. “It is very important because that is what he signed, The United States continental platform, then let’s not speculatethis is what is signed by President Trump, ”he said. Claudia Sheinbaum, president of Mexico.Credit: Isaac Esquivel | EFE Trump fulfilled on his first day in office, on January 20, with his warning of calling ‘Gulf of America’ to the Gulf of Mexico for considering that Mexico is “governed by the cartels” of drug trafficking and is “a very insecure place” . But Sheinbaum defended his strategy of reacting with the “cold head” to the actions of the new US presidentwho has also declared an emergency on the border, has reinstated the Migratory program ‘Stay in Mexico’, and has designated terrorists to Mexican cartels. “I said it from the first day of the protest of President Trump, we have a responsibility. So what did we rely on? In what was signed, that’s why I say cold head, this is what was signed, which is its continental platform, ”he said. With EFE information. Continue reading:• Sheinbaum promises to defend sovereignty of Mexico and support Mexicans against Trump’s decrees.• Sheinbaum sends message to Trump and highlights migrants work for the US economy.• Google Maps will replace the name of Gulf de México by the United States Gulf (Tagstotranslate) Claudia Sheinbaum (T) Gulf of Mexico (T) Google

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