Happy Monday everyone!

The Middle East is buzzing with major shifts, from digital disruptions to bold new ventures in sports and gaming. UAE residents faced major internet slowdowns after undersea cable breaks in the Red Sea, reminding the world of the region’s role as a global digital hub. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia is making headlines on two fronts: tightening online safety by suspending Roblox chats to protect young gamers, and unveiling plans for a $1.8B Olympic Stadium in Qiddiya that will anchor its rise as a global sports powerhouse by 2030.

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Markets

🌐 Undersea Cable Breaks in the Red Sea Disrupt UAE Internet

🔹 What Is It About

Multiple undersea fiber-optic cables in the Red Sea were cut, causing major internet slowdowns across the UAE and neighboring regions. Users on Du and Etisalat reported outages, while Microsoft Azure flagged latency issues for cloud services routed through the Middle East.

🔹 Why It Matters

The Red Sea is one of the world’s most critical digital chokepoints, hosting over 15 submarine cables that carry 90% of data traffic between Europe and Asia. Disruptions here impact businesses, cloud services, and even everyday digital use across multiple countries.

🔹 What’s Next

Repairs are expected to take weeks, with operators rerouting traffic outside the region in the meantime. Enterprises dependent on Azure, ExpressRoute, and private 5G services may need to brace for temporary inefficiencies.

🎮 Saudi Arabia Halts Roblox Chats to Protect Kids

🔹 What Is It About

Saudi Arabia ordered Roblox to suspend all in-game chats while rolling out Arabic-speaking moderators to oversee content. The decision, coordinated with the General Commission for Audiovisual Media (GCAM), is part of broader child-safety measures.

🔹 Why It Matters

Roblox is a hugely popular platform for young users in the Kingdom, and the move reflects Saudi Arabia’s growing influence in shaping global digital regulation. While many parents welcome the decision, others fear it limits opportunities for communication and skill-building.

🔹 What’s Next

Roblox will rely on AI and human moderation to filter Arabic content. Chat suspensions remain temporary until robust tools are developed, ensuring the balance between safety and creativity.

🏟️ Saudi Arabia Launches $1.8B Olympic Stadium Project in Qiddiya

🔹 What Is It About

Saudi Arabia has launched the tendering process for its SAR 7 billion (USD 1.8B) Olympic National Stadium in Qiddiya. Spanning 182,000 sqm, the venue will be part of the Qiddiya Sports City Complex and serve as a global-standard multi-purpose stadium.

🔹 Why It Matters

The project strengthens the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 strategy, aiming to diversify the economy through sports and tourism while cementing its role as a global hub for mega-events. It will also be central to hosting the 2034 Asian Games.

🔹 What’s Next

Scheduled for completion by 2030, the stadium is set to become one of Saudi Arabia’s most iconic venues. Expect more large-scale investments in sports infrastructure as the Kingdom positions itself on the world stage.

👨‍💻From Smashi Business’ Desk

• Arada & Tashas Group Launch AED100M Venture to Bring Chic Cafés and Dining Concepts to the GCC, Starting in Sharjah 2025.

• Red Sea Cable Cuts Disrupt Internet Across UAE and Region, Repairs May Take Weeks.

• Saudi Arabia Unveils $1.8B Qiddiya Olympic Stadium to Anchor 2030 Sports Vision.

• Copycat Shut Down: “Salt London” Locked Out After Lease Forfeiture in Leicester Square.

• Qatar’s $524B Wealth Fund Supercharges AI Push with Anthropic and 25 More Tech Bets.

🔍In other news…

• Saudi, UAE, Kuwait, Oman and OPEC+ countries agree to oil cuts starting October 2025.

• 70% of smart home devices in the UAE could be hacked, warns Cyber Security Council.

• Dubai Islands sales hit $953m in May as investors flock to waterfront projects

• UAE unveils national logistics council to drive $54bn economy and cut red tape

• Saudi Arabia-Oman ties with $533m Empty Quarter road

• Turkish companies invested around USD 500 mn in Egypt in 2025

• AI is coming to shake up online shopping in Mena

• Japanese firms invest $6.3bn in Saudi Arabia, 18 set up regional HQs

🏦 Crypto Corner

• Michael Saylor — Executive Chairman of MicroStrategy and one of Bitcoin’s most vocal corporate advocates — will make his first-ever appearance in the UAE at Bitcoin MENA in Abu Dhabi.

• Hut 8, part of a American BTC which is partially owned by Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, Gets Approval to Operate in Dubai Financial Hub.

• Abu Dhabi Judicial Department now accept AE Coin.

We are launching a Smashi Crypto newsletter in September 2025! Subscribe to it here to get the weekly updates from the world of digital assets.

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