It’s been more than a month since four Arab nations cut land, sea and air routes to Qatar, but in the gas-rich Gulf nation’s glimmering malls and luxury hotels there is little sign of hardship. If the Arab nations intended to bring about a change in government, those hopes appear to have been dashed by an outpouring of popular support for Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the 37-year-old emir. An undersea pipeline provides gas to Oman and the UAE, which heavily relies on Qatar’s gas despite severing diplomatic ties. The facility, part of a $7.4 billion port infrastructure project, only began general cargo operations in October, and was fully up and running in early December. On one evening earlier this month, five large ships docking in Hamad Port unloaded sheep from Australia, food from Turkey and cars made in South Korea.

Source: Egypt Independent July 12, 2017 06:22 UTC