World game at war: why some European nations have threatened a World Cup boycott 
Meta-backed research finds exposure to ‘untrustworthy’ social media is rare. The fine print is less reassuring 
Same sparkle, different story: how lab-grown diamonds are transforming the market 
How an OpenAI safety test became a real-world cyberattack on the Hugging Face platform 
‘Vibe coding’ is fun and easy, but there’s a major catch 
Ukraine’s drone strikes are having an impact on Russia — but Russian leaders remain committed to war 
Is Netanyahu’s star waning in Washington? His latest meeting with Trump suggests it may be 
Gold Shines on Oil Relief: Buy Dips at $4160, Targeting $4305 as Bullish EMAs Dominate 
Gold Slips Below $4050 as Bond Yields Surge to 4.7% on Fed Inflation Concerns – Sell Rallies at $4060 Targeting $3940 
The Middle East has been plunged right into an intense protection disaster following a large escalation in Iranian missile and drone moves focused on Gulf international locations and Iraq. Since February 2026, Tehran has released retaliatory barrages in reaction to U.S. and Israeli moves on its sovereign territory. The maximum tremendous escalation took place on March 5, while Qatar’s capital, Doha, confronted its biggest wave of assaults to date, with more than one missile intercepted over a disturbing 90-minute period. Beginning on Saturday, February 28, this follows a week of near-daily strikes that materially change the local conflict from small-scale clashes to a global, multi-front aerial war.
Particularly terrible is the effect throughout the United Arab Emirates and Iraq, with civilian locations and infrastructure caught in the battle. Near prominent airports and hotels, explosions were said to have occurred in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, causing at least 3 fatalities and 68 injuries. With an astounding 174 missiles and 689 drones, mostly rejected, regional defense systems have been pushed to their limits. Iranian drones struck U.S. facilities in Erbil and other Kurdish organizations, Tehran claims, as a reaction to the U.S. supply of Iranian Kurdish elements. Other neighbors have been unaffected; a refinery fire is reported in Bahrain and debris-related injuries in Oman.
The diplomatic and humanitarian consequences have brought together virtually all of the Arab world in a rare show of joint condemnation. With a minimum of four deaths and over one hundred accidents throughout the region, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) members—including Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, and Jordan—have issued a stern collective caution to Tehran. Stating that all means of retaliation remain on the table, the UAE has already taken the notable diplomatic step of recalling its ambassador from Iran. While the area prepares for possible counter-strikes, the attention stays on the advanced interception systems that so far have stopped even bigger casualties from the hundreds of missiles fired.
