Right, so Donald Trump has rewarded the UAE for helping America’s war against Iran.

Not with a medal. Not with a little certificate in a gold frame. Not even with one of those ghastly commemorative plates nobody wants but everybody pretends is tasteful.

No, the UAE gets easier access to advanced AI chips now, servers, military equipment, satellites, drones, sensitive dual-use technology, a great big techy thank-you hamper.

Help us with the war and we’ll chuck in the computing power.

Lovely.

But while Washington is busy handing over this shiny high-tech goodie bag, China has started blocking helium exports to protect its own chipmakers because the same war has already helped make the global shortage of helium worse. Helium is used in advanced semiconductor manufacturing to control heat during the incredibly precise pr ...