WIRED Middle East
Science
Why Smoke From Iran’s Burning Refineries Is More Dangerous Than Urban Smog
Attacks on Iran’s fuel infrastructure are raising urgent questions about toxic smoke, air pollution and whether refinery fires can affect regions far beyond blast zones.
Computers and Software
GPS Is the New Battlefield: Why Your Maps Aren’t Working
It’s not just you – delivery apps are glitching and navigation routes are changing abruptly across the GCC, thanks to electronic warfare disrupting the satellite signals that power everything from missiles to your ride home.
Web 3
Iran’s Crypto Sector Was a Lifeline Through Sanctions. War Could Shut It Down
Cheap electricity turned Iran into an unlikely crypto mining hub. Now military strikes could threaten the power grid that powers it.
.jpg)
Health
Evidence That Israel Used White Phosphorus Over South Lebanon, HRW Says
Investigators say Israeli artillery shells burst over the town of Yohmor, scattering burning fragments capable of igniting homes and harming civilians.
Security News
As Israel Escalates Attacks, Lebanese Crowdsource Shelter Online
With hundreds of thousands displaced, residents are turning to social media networks and volunteer-built platforms to search for shelter.
Security
Security News
From Ukraine to Iran, Hacking Security Cameras Is Now Part of War’s ‘Playbook’
Researchers say Iranian-linked hackers attempted to hijack consumer cameras during missile and drone strikes– a tactic also used in Israel, Russia and Ukraine.
Security
The Future of Iran’s Internet Is More Uncertain Than Ever
Iran’s internet shutdown has reduced connectivity by 99 per cent, with air strikes likely causing additional outages, and few workarounds remaining.
Security
How Each Gulf Country Is Intercepting Iranian Missiles and Drones
As missiles and drones cross the region’s skies, the Gulf’s layered air-defence networks – from THAAD to Patriot batteries – are being tested in real time.
Security News
The US Is Combat-Testing New Missiles and One-Way Drones in the Iran War
From a Shahed-like drone to the new PrSM missile, the war with Iran is becoming a real-world testing ground for US weapons.
The Big Story
.jpg)
Security
Meet The Music Streaming CEO Who Built a Global War Map
Frustrated by fragmented war news, Anghami's Elie Habib built World Monitor, an open-source platform that fuses global data streams, like aircraft signals and satellite detections, to track conflicts as they unfold.
The Big Story
This Startup Wants To Backup Life On Earth Before It's Too Late
Colossal Biosciences wants to freeze DNA from endangered species before they disappear. Its first BioVault, built in Dubai, could test whether the same technologies behind de-extinction might also help protect life that still exists.
The Big Story
Saudi Arabia’s Giga Projects Are Entering Their Reality Check
With construction falling behind schedule, funding squeezed and expectations being recalibrated, the future of Saudi Arabia’s giga projects is increasingly uncertain.
The Big Story
Crypto in the Grey Zones of North Africa
Under strict financial controls and unclear regulation, Tunisians are using stablecoins to build a shadow financial system that works, even when the official one doesn’t.
The Big Story
How Starlink Broke Iran’s Internet Blackout
During Iran’s most comprehensive shutdown yet, thousands of illegal satellite terminals kept footage flowing — and exposed how fragile the regime’s “national internet” really is.
Business
Big Tech
Nvidia Is Planning to Launch an Open-Source AI Agent Platform
Ahead of its annual developer conference, Nvidia is readying a new approach to software that embraces AI agents similar to OpenClaw.
Business
Here’s Every Country Directly Impacted by the War on Iran
As the conflict in the Middle East continues to escalate, more than a dozen countries in the region have reportedly been affected by airstrikes.
Artificial Intelligence
US-Israel War On Iran Puts Global Chip Supply and AI Expansion at Risk
From helium extraction in Qatar to shipping lanes in the Strait of Hormuz, the semiconductor industry depends on fragile links across the Gulf, raising fears that escalation could ripple through global chip production.
Logistics and Transportation
Etihad Rail Brings 350 Stranded Passengers Home – Even Though It Isn't Open Yet
Although its passenger trains aren’t open yet, Etihad Rail is running services to transport people while flights are grounded.
CHOOSE YOUR CHARACTER
- Logistics and Transportation
Inside Morocco's Push for Digital Sovereignty
Three startups are rewiring the structures that govern how things are done - Startups
Inside the Startups Rebuilding Everyday Systems in Yemen
In the absence of stable infrastructure, Yemeni entrepreneurs are inventing new ways to power homes, move goods and reconnect global markets. - Startups
Clean Tech Is Quietly Taking Shape in Kuwait
Kuwait’s start-up ecosystem is growing, and some founders are building climate-adjacent businesses designed to fix structural gaps in energy, logistics and food. - Startups
Tunisia’s Start-Up Boom Started With One Exit
BioNTech’s acquisition of InstaDeep was a signal moment – Tunisia’s founders are trying to turn it into a repeatable model. - Startups
Inside Oman’s Quietly Evolving Startup Landscape
In a market shaped by energy, infrastructure and tradition, Omani founders are building companies designed for local realities rather than imported tech models. - Startups
Three Startups Rise Above Crisis to Transform Lebanon’s Economy
Financial independence, energy efficiency and affordable digital security are offering avenues of safety and self-reliance to the people of Lebanon. - Computers and Software
Iraq’s Startups Aren’t Disrupting. They’re Rebuilding
From Mosul’s agritech experiments to Baghdad’s digital health records, founders are stitching together the basic systems Iraq’s economy has long been missing — one clinic and farm at a time. - Environment
Bahrain’s Tech Boom Is Built on Water, Waste and Words
Estedara, Lalaplast and DOO are tackling the Kingdom’s everyday realities — producing water from air, compostable packaging, and AI trained to speak the region’s language. - Computers and Software
How Jordan Is Reworking Water From the Inside
In one of the driest countries on Earth, local startups are building tools that work inside pipes, fields and everyday systems to change how water flows through daily life. - Artificial Intelligence
Palestinian Startups Are Rebuilding an Economy Under Siege
In fraught circumstances beyond their control, three Palestinian startups are leveraging technology to empower their people. - Artificial Intelligence
The UAE’s Start-Ups Are Moving Beyond Hype – and Into Hard Tech
A smart contact lens, AI-powered ecosystem restoration and biotech that turns food waste into fuel—these UAE start-ups show how innovation is shifting from apps to infrastructure. - Startups
Saudi Arabia’s Next Start-Up Wave Is Split Between Compute and Circularity
From a PIF-backed AI platform to KAUST-born climate start-ups, these companies show how the Kingdom is trying to turn innovation into infrastructure. - Startups
Egypt’s AI Boom Is Being Built for Museums, Dialects, and Data Centres
From translating hieroglyphics to building Arabic voice agents and AI chips, Egypt’s start-ups are shaping tools that only make sense at home — and that’s exactly why they might scale. - Startups
Qatar’s Startup Playbook: Fix the System, Then Scale
From data-backed sports consultancy to sustainable packaging and patient coordination, Qatar’s start-ups are turning digital transformation into practical systems people can feel.
Science
Digital Culture
Why Missile Alerts and War Updates Trigger Doomscrolling
War alerts, breaking updates and algorithmic feeds are combining to trap users in a loop of threat monitoring.
Health
The GLP-1 Revolution Meets the Middle East’s Obesity Crisis
As the region combats a potentially outsized health crisis, a look at the efficacy of weight-loss drugs: are they the answer to your prayers or too good to be true?
Environment
The Last Mystery of the Blood Falls in Antarctica Has Also Finally Been Solved
New research explains what drives reddish water to emerge from underground to pour onto the white Taylor Glacier.
Health
Ultra-Processed Foods Are Reshaping Women’s Health in the Middle East
From metabolic health to hormones, clinicians say the region’s shift towards packaged convenience is showing up first in women’s bodies.
Culture
Culture
Grammarly Is Offering ‘Expert’ AI Reviews From Your Favourite Authors – Dead or Alive
The tool, offered by the recently rebranded company Superhuman, gives feedback based on the work of famous dead and living writers – without their permission.
Video Games
The Digital World Cup War: How 2026 Changed the Game Forever
The 48-team World Cup is not the only historic event this year. Four titans are vying for control of virtual soccer in the fiercest battle the gaming industry has ever seen.
Digital Culture
The Piracy Problem Streaming Platforms Can’t Solve
Licensing gaps, sanctions, fragile banking systems and high prices mean that for many viewers in the region, accessing films and television often happens outside official platforms.
Psychology and Neuroscience
The Science Behind Your Obsession With Punch the Lonely Monkey
Research reveals that watching animal videos online forges real emotional bonds and can actually make us feel less lonely, no matter how far apart we are.
Gear
Buying Guides
Ramadan Rewires Your Routine. These 5 Gadgets Help You Adapt
From sleep-tracking rings to smart tasbih counters, a new generation of technology is helping Muslims manage the disrupted rhythms of Ramadan – from suhoor wake-ups to late-night hydration.
Reviews
This AI Notetaker Could Make Meetings Useful Again
The Plaud Pro is sleek, portable, and a work in progress – in time, it could become a useful companion to professionals.
Gear News
This Home Robot Clears Tables and Loads the Dishwasher All by Itself
Sunday Robotics has a new way to train robots to do common household tasks. The startup plans to put its fully autonomous robots in homes next year.
How To and Advice
How to Stop Using Passwords and Start Using Passkeys
Passkeys were built to enable a password-free future. Here’s what they are and how you can start using them.
