Skip to main content

WIRED Middle East

The Gulf Built a Fertiliser Superpower. Now It’s Under Strain
Supply Shock

The Gulf Built a Fertiliser Superpower. Now It’s Under Strain

As conflict disrupts shipping routes and production, one of the world’s most critical, and least visible, industries is facing a new kind of pressure.
By Jumana Naim
US-Iran war: What Happens When a Nuclear Site Is Hit?
Environment

US-Iran war: What Happens When a Nuclear Site Is Hit?

As strikes continue on Iran’s nuclear facilities, the real danger isn’t the explosion, but what happens if critical safety systems fail – and how that risk could spread across the Gulf.
By Jethu Abraham
Legal Loopholes in Shipping Leave Crews Stranded in the Strait of Hormuz
Maritime Crisis

Legal Loopholes in Shipping Leave Crews Stranded in the Strait of Hormuz

As conflict disrupts shipping routes across the Gulf, abandoned vessels are exposing a hidden failure in the global systems that keep goods (and people) moving.
By Ruchi Kumar
Science

Physicists Explain Why Your Windows Shake During Missile Interceptions

The physics behind why some missile interceptions shake your windows – and what it reveals about how modern air defence reaches civilians on the ground.
By Evangeline Elsa
With One Million Displaced, Lebanon Turns to Digital Wallets for Aid
Fintech

With One Million Displaced, Lebanon Turns to Digital Wallets for Aid

Amid mass displacement and collapsing trust in institutions, digital wallets are becoming critical conduits for aid, connecting diaspora donors directly with communities on the ground.
By Carla Sertin

Security

Iran Warns 18 US Tech Firms Will Be Targeted on 1 April
Big Tech

Iran Warns 18 US Tech Firms Will Be Targeted on 1 April

Companies including Google, Microsoft and Apple were listed as targets by Iranian media as the conflict with Israel and the US spills into digital infrastructure
By Dana Alomar and Carla Sertin
Inside the Tech Systems That Kept Syria Running Under the Assad Regime
Survival Systems

Inside the Tech Systems That Kept Syria Running Under the Assad Regime

As surveillance tightened and networks collapsed, Syrians built their own infrastructure, turning improvised tools into lifelines during war.
By Abdullah Okaily
The Ghosts of al-Shifa Hospital
Science

The Ghosts of al-Shifa Hospital

Months into a supposed ceasefire in Gaza, doctors still have to smuggle in basic medical supplies – and treat new casualties of war.
By Spencer Ackerman
How Trump’s Plot to Grab Iran's Nuclear Fuel Would Actually Work
Security

How Trump’s Plot to Grab Iran's Nuclear Fuel Would Actually Work

Experts say that an American ground operation targeting nuclear sites in Iran would be incredibly complicated, put troops’ lives at great risk – and might still fail.
By Caroline Haskins

THE BIG STORY

Hassan Took a Bike Ride. Now He’s One of the Thousands Missing in Gaza
Security

Hassan Took a Bike Ride. Now He’s One of the Thousands Missing in Gaza

In a place denied access to basic forensic technology – and where people disappear into Israeli detention – the fate of thousands remains unknown. One of them is an autistic teenager.
By Mahmoud Mushtaha
With One Million Displaced, Lebanon Turns to Digital Wallets for Aid
Fintech

With One Million Displaced, Lebanon Turns to Digital Wallets for Aid

By Carla Sertin
Meet The Music Streaming CEO Who Built a Global War Map
Conflict Mapping

Meet The Music Streaming CEO Who Built a Global War Map

By Lilian Wagdy
Who Gets to Be Safe in the Age of AI?
EDITOR'S LETTER

Who Gets to Be Safe in the Age of AI?

Technology has become a tool of war, but it is also a tool of resilience.
By Carla Sertin
DIGITAL INEQUALITY

The AI Divide Is Here, and Its Consequences Are Devastating

The promise of AI is concentrated in the hands of the few while exposing vulnerable groups to unchecked control, surveillance and violence. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
By Iain Akerman
This Startup Wants To Backup Life On Earth Before It's Too Late
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.
By Dana Alomar
Plestia Alaqad: When the Internet Goes Dark, the Truth Goes With It
The Big Story

Plestia Alaqad: When the Internet Goes Dark, the Truth Goes With It

Plestia Alaqad on bearing witness, the fragile power of social media and why documenting lived reality matters more than ever.
By Carla Sertin

Business

G42 and Spire Solutions: The Only Two UAE Companies on Iran’s Target List
Tech War

G42 and Spire Solutions: The Only Two UAE Companies on Iran’s Target List

The UAE’s G42 and Spire Solutions are the only non-American firms named in Iran’s threatened strikes on regional tech infrastructure. Here’s what they do, and why they may have been included.
By Carla Sertin
Iran Threatens to Start Attacking Major US Tech Firms on 1 April
Big Tech

Iran Threatens to Start Attacking Major US Tech Firms on 1 April

Tech giants like Apple, Google and Microsoft are among those on a target list released by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
By Dell Cameron and Louise Matsakis
Fintech

The Gulf’s Remittance Infrastructure Faces Risks, But Remains Intact During War

Despite missile strikes, infrastructure outages and economic strain, the Gulf’s remittance system is still functioning. But its resilience depends on layers of technology, and on economies that may not hold under prolonged pressure.
By Chris Hamill-Stewart
Tools of Survival: How Smartphones Have Become A Lifeline For Gazans
Digital Coercion

Tools of Survival: How Smartphones Have Become A Lifeline For Gazans

Phones are flooding Gaza's markets, and families will go to any lengths to get them.
By Mohammed Solaiman

Science

The “Safer” Vape Myth Is Starting To Collapse
Health

The “Safer” Vape Myth Is Starting To Collapse

New evidence suggests e-cigarettes don’t just replace smoking risks, they may introduce their own, including a growing link to cancer.
By Jorge Garay
Your Morning Coffee Might Be Protecting Your Brain
Psychology and Neuroscience

Your Morning Coffee Might Be Protecting Your Brain

A 43-year study of over 130,000 people suggests caffeine – not just coffee – could play a measurable role in lowering dementia risk long before symptoms appear.
By Ritsuko Kawai
Environment

Just Because It’s Raining Doesn’t Mean It’s Cloud Seeding

As heavy rain hits the Gulf, cloud seeding is once again blamed. But the science – and the scale of recent storms – tell a different story.
By Chris Hamill-Stewart
What Happens When You Can’t Get a Death Certificate in Gaza
Health

What Happens When You Can’t Get a Death Certificate in Gaza

For families of the missing, systemic obstacles to identifying remains and locating people in Israeli detention has created a kind of social and legal purgatory.
By Mahmoud Mushtaha

Culture

Beyond the Oscars, Arab Cinema Is Building Its Own Industry
Movies and TV

Beyond the Oscars, Arab Cinema Is Building Its Own Industry

The nomination of The Voice of Hind Rajab drew global attention. It comes at a moment when Arab cinema itself is undergoing a structural shift.
By Jannat Suleman
Grammarly Is Offering ‘Expert’ AI Reviews From Your Favourite Authors – Dead or Alive
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.
By Miles Klee
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.
By Farah Ibrahim
The Digital World Cup War: How 2026 Changed the Game Forever
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.
By Javier Rodríguez

Gear

Emergency Preparedness Tech: 11 Gadgets To Keep in a Go Bag
Buying Guides

Emergency Preparedness Tech: 11 Gadgets To Keep in a Go Bag

In modern emergencies, staying connected can be just as critical as food or water. Here are 11 tech gadgets that keep power, communication and information flowing when systems break down.
By Dana Alomar
The Tech Behind Dubai’s Crackdown on Loud, Illegally Modified Cars
Gear News

The Tech Behind Dubai’s Crackdown on Loud, Illegally Modified Cars

Smart noise-detection radars are being rolled out across Dubai to identify vehicles that exceed sound limits.
By Carla Sertin
Gear

Why Your Phone Battery Dies Faster During a Crisis

Weak signal strength, network congestion and GPS interference can force smartphones to work harder behind the scenes, draining battery during crises.
By Carla Sertin
​​Ramadan Rewires Your Routine. These 5 Gadgets Help You Adapt
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.
By Dana Alomar