Iran War and beyond
(Al Arabiya) Saudi Arabia intercepted and destroyed scores of drones in the Eastern Province, the Kingdom’s ministry of defense said on Tuesday. – Saudi Arabia intercepts, destroys scores of drones in Eastern Province
(AFP/Al Arabiya) A drone and rocket attack targeted the US embassy in Baghdad early Tuesday, while a strike killed four people at a house reportedly hosting Iranian advisors, security officials said, pulling Iraq deeper into the Middle East war. An AFP journalist reported seeing black smoke rising after an explosion in the embassy complex, as well as air defenses intercepting another drone. – Drone, rocket attack targets US embassy in Baghdad
(Barak Ravid – Axios) U.S. allies are resisting the Trump administration’s pressure to join an international coalition to reopen the critical Strait of Hormuz. While the U.K. has circulated a plan among potential coalition members, responses from several other countries have ranged from skepticism to “hell no,” according to sources familiar with the diplomatic talks. The strait closure has become the main crisis in the war for the White House. As long as the Iranian blockade holds and Gulf oil remains trapped, Trump can’t end the war and declare victory even if he wants to. The White House is trying both military and diplomatic means to unlock the crisis. – Trump struggles to build coalition to reopen Strait of Hormuz amid Iran war
(Jason Lalljee – Axios) President Trump is zeroing in on a major vulnerability for Iran as the war’s risks to the global economy grow increasingly serious. Trump is ramping up his threats to Kharg Island, where Iran handles most of its oil, as the country maintains a stranglehold over the Strait of Hormuz. The president told reporters on Monday that he is considering further strikes to Kharg Island following U.S. attacks this weekend. – Kharg Island: What to know about Iran oil hub amid Trump war threats, attacks
(Hans Nichols, Marc Caputo – Axios) U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff is planning to brief a small bipartisan group of senators on the war in Iran in a classified setting Tuesday afternoon, according to three people familiar with the matter. Senators are hungry for real-time information on President Trump’s next moves in Iran, the prospects for a diplomatic solution and thoptions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz. There is also heightened interest in details about any lines of communication between the Trump administration and Iranian officials. The briefing was organized by Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), chair of the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities. – Witkoff to brief bipartisan group of senators Tuesday on Iran
(UN News) The widening war in the Middle East and its growing impact on civilians came under scrutiny at the UN in Geneva on Monday, as independent experts briefing the Human Rights Council warned of escalating violence following the onset of Israeli and US strikes on Iran and counterstrikes by Tehran and allied groups. The fighting – which has included Iranian drone and missile attacks on Gulf States and Israeli attacks on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon after the group launched assaults – is intensifying a regional “spiral of conflict” the council also heard. “On 28 February, the US and Israel launched a devastating aerial campaign against Iran, ostensibly targeting military sites and nuclear facilities. In almost three weeks, these strikes have resulted in mounting reports of civilian casualties, including children,” said Sara Hossein, chair of the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Iran. – Middle East war’s ‘spiral of conflict’ drives mounting civilian toll | UN News
(UN News) The disruption of global energy supplies is being felt worldwide, the UN’s top climate change official warned on Monday, as conflict in the Middle East drives oil and gas prices sharply higher – echoing the market turmoil triggered by the war in Ukraine. Speaking at the 2026 Green Growth Summit in Brussels, Simon Stiell, Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), said the volatility underscored the strategic value of renewable energy. “Renewables turn the tables,” he said during a keynote address to the event, which brings together European climate and environment ministers alongside businesses, investors and other key stakeholders. “Sunlight doesn’t depend on narrow and vulnerable shipping straits, wind blows without massive taxpayer-funded naval escorts [and] renewable energy allows countries to insulate themselves from global turmoil and to side-step might-is-right politics.”. Indeed, renewable energy also delivers on people’s top priorities across the continent: security, well-paid jobs, better health and relief from rising living costs, he added. – War-driven energy price spikes highlight value of renewables: UN climate chief | UN News
Afghanistan/Pakistan
(Reuters/Al Arabiya) At least 400 people were killed and 250 injured in an air strike by Pakistan on a drug rehabilitation hospital in Kabul, a spokesman of the Afghan Taliban government said on Tuesday, a sharp escalation in the conflict between the neighbors. Pakistan rejected the claim as false and misleading and said it “precisely targeted military installations and terrorist support infrastructure” on Monday night. – Afghanistan says at least 400 killed in Pakistani air strike on Kabul
Anti-Muslim Hate
(UN News) The UN chief on Monday urged countries to “work together” and eradicate a rising tide of anti-Muslim hate, calling for a rejection of “the narratives of fear and exclusion”. As conflict and instability rage, “millions of Muslims around the world carry that pain with them,” said António Guterres marking the International Day to Combat Islamophobia: “Let us recommit to equality, human rights and dignity of every person, everywhere.”. The Secretary-General warned that for far too many Muslims living as minorities, their daily lives face being shaped by exclusion, institutional discrimination, socioeconomic marginalisation, unwarranted surveillance and profiling. – Guterres urges action against ‘rising tide of anti-Muslim hatred’ | UN News
Haiti
(UN News) Haiti remains mired in a multidimensional crisis marked by weak institutions, political uncertainty, widespread gang violence and overwhelming humanitarian needs, but a recent new agreement by political groups offers “a moment of hope and progress for the Haitian people”, according to the UN’s most senior official in the Caribbean country. Elections have not been held since a protracted electoral cycle from 2015-2017 which brought the late President Jovenel Moïse to power. Haiti has not had an elected president since he was assassinated in 2021. A succession of interim administrations have taken on the responsibility to govern as the country waits to hold elections. The UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Haiti, Carlos Ruiz Massieu, who is based in the capital Port-au-Prince said that the new National Pact for Stability and the Organization of Elections was a “significant political act”. He added that it met Haitian priorities for “the restoration of security, the organization of credible elections and the re-establishment of democratic governance”. – ‘Hope’ for Haiti’s political future as some 300 groups reportedly register for upcoming elections | UN News
(UN News) The liberation of territory from gangs and a more “motivated and visible” police presence has provided a “glimmer of hope” for Haiti as the Caribbean island nation continues to struggle with violence, insecurity and poverty. At least 1.4 million people largely in the capital Port-au-Prince, have been forced to flee their homes due to gang violence, creating what the UN’s Designated Expert on the situation of human rights in Haiti, William O’Neill, has called an “unprecedented level of internal displacement.”. Speaking to journalists at UN Headquarters in New York on Monday following a 10-day mission to the country, he said that the “on-going human rights crisis creates massive suffering for the Haitian people, especially the most vulnerable.”. At least 26 gangs control up to 90 per cent of Port-au-Prince and some of the surrounding areas. Around half of all gang members are children, under the age of 18. – ‘Glimmer of hope’ in Haiti amid shifting gang frontlines | UN News
In the technological revolution
(DigWatch) South Korea is pursuing a partnership with AI company Anthropic as part of a national strategy to strengthen technological capabilities. Officials are working toward a memorandum of understanding with the developer of the Claude AI system. The initiative follows discussions between South Korea’s science minister and Anthropic’s chief executive, Dario Amodei, during an AI summit in New Delhi. Authorities are also preparing for the company’s planned office opening in the city in 2026. – Seoul deepens ties with global AI developers | Digital Watch Observatory
(DigWatch) Declining fertility rates have long been considered a major risk to economic growth, but analysts suggest the outlook may not be entirely negative for several advanced Asian economies. Rising investment in AI and robotics is increasingly viewed as a way to offset labour shortages caused by ageing populations. According to analysts at Bank of America Global Research, technological innovation driven by AI and robotics could support productivity growth even as workforces shrink. Strong ecosystems in semiconductors, technology hardware, and industrial machinery allow some countries in the region to deploy advanced technologies faster and at lower cost than many other parts of the world. – AI and robotics could offset impact of aging populations in Asia | Digital Watch Observatory
(DigWatch) Researchers are increasingly combining geospatial data with predictive modelling to anticipate health risks. In that context, Google has introduced new capabilities within Google Earth AI designed to help public health experts forecast outbreaks and identify vulnerable communities. The system integrates environmental information such as weather patterns, flooding and air quality with population mobility data and health records. – Google Earth AI supports disease forecasting and public health planning | Digital Watch Observatory
(DigWatch) A new five-year development plan approved by lawmakers in Beijing places innovation and advanced technology at the centre of future economic growth. The strategy is designed to strengthen technological capabilities and position China as a leading global tech power. The plan outlines ambitions to upgrade China’s industrial sector, expand domestic research capacity, and reduce reliance on foreign technologies. Priority sectors include AI, robotics, aerospace, biotechnology, and quantum computing. Officials see these industries as key drivers of economic growth over the coming decades. – China prioritises AI and tech self-reliance in new five-year plan | Digital Watch Observatory
(DigWatch) In the EU, France is calling for planned European AI ‘gigafactories’ to focus on testing and scaling European technologies rather than primarily increasing demand for hardware from companies such as Nvidia. The large computing facilities are intended to provide the infrastructure needed to train advanced AI systems. However, officials in France argue that the projects should strengthen Europe’s technological capabilities rather than reinforce reliance on foreign suppliers. – France pushes EU AI gigafactories to support European technology | Digital Watch Observatory
(DigWatch) A Swiss-based open-source technology is quietly challenging the semiconductor industry’s concentration of power, in which most of the world’s digital devices depend on instruction set architectures licensed by just two companies: Intel in the US and ARM in the UK. The RISC-V International Association, headquartered in Zurich since 2020, maintains an open-source alternative that allows chip designers to build without paying licensing fees or seeking permission from governments that control proprietary architectures. – Switzerland is at the centre of a quiet rebellion in chip design | Digital Watch Observatory
