Did Iran capture a US submarine? Iran threatens Gulf data centres: How exposed is the region's internet? Iran's security chief, Mohsen Rezaei, has warned that cables, data centres and artificial intelligence (AI) facilities across the region could be attacked if war with the United States erupts again. The warning comes as the capture of Yemeni territory along the Red Sea coastline last month by the Iran-backed Houthis has raised concerns over the safety of internet cables linking Europe and Asia. Fierce fighting is under way between Yemen's internationally recognised government and the Houthis at several locations, including Bab al-Mandeb, through which nearly one-fifth of global internet traffic passes.

Middle East and Central Asia's economy to shrink in 2026 amid war, IMF says Share Middle East and Central Asia's economy to shrink in 2026 amid war, IMF says on social media The economy of the Middle East and Central Asia is set to shrink in 2026 amid the fallout of the US-Israel war on Iran, with countries such as Kuwait and Qatar facing double-digit contractions, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The region's gross domestic product (GDP) is forecast to contract by 0.3 percent this year, a sharp downgrade from the 1.9 percent expansion projected in April, the IMF said in its latest economic outlook on Tuesday. Kuwait, Iraq and Qatar are forecast to have the most severe economic contractions, with their GDPs expected to shrink by 16.7 percent, 16 percent and 15.6 percent, respectively. Bahrain's GDP is forecast to contract by 11.3 percent, while Iran's economy is projected to shrink by 7.6 percent. Saudi Arabia, which has partially offset the hit to its energy sector by boosting oil exports through the East-West pipeline, is projected to record negative growth of 3.3 percent.

Did Iran capture a US submarine? Qatar's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari tells Bloomberg that mediators are shuttling between Tehran and Washington to revive talks, with several proposals being exchanged to bridge differences.

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Inside Story How is the US tech industry regulated? How is the US tech industry regulated? Apple is taking on OpenAI in court. The tech giant has filed a lawsuit against the artificial intelligence company for what it calls pervasive theft. OpenAI has denied the accusations.

Qatar has become the place where FIFA experiments with the next generation of football technology. The results are already visible across this year's World Cup. To casual soccer viewers, the game may look like it always has--same green field, 22 players, a referee, and the familiar rhythm of play unfolding over 90 minutes. The changes are only visible if you look beneath the familiar surface. What appears to be a traditional match is now supported by layers of tracking systems, automated analysis, and real-time data that run quietly in the background.

The biggest World Cup ever is pushing fans, players, and host cities to their limits--and experts say this is only the beginning. It's often said that bigger means better. This year's FIFA World Cup may put that to the test. By almost any metric, the 2026 tournament is the largest ever: the most host countries; the longest distances between stadiums; the most players, teams, and matches; and then there's the eye-watering ticket prices . The scale is a logistical nightmare for fans, teams, and host cities. Held across three countries-- Canada, Mexico, and the US--48 teams (up from the usual 32) will navigate 16 host cities separated by thousands of miles and four distinct time zones.

Could Iran be using China's BeiDou system? Iran has pressed on with sustained missile and drone attacks across the Gulf region, despite repeated protests from its neighbours, in ongoing retaliation in the war launched by the United States and Israel . Tehran's strikes targeted multiple countries, including Saudi Arabia and Qatar, late on Friday and in the early hours of Saturday. The ministry also said late on Friday that the country's armed forces intercepted a ballistic missile launched towards the al-Kharj governorate. Meanwhile, The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on Saturday that five US Air Force refuelling planes were damaged in recent days while on the ground at an airbase in Saudi Arabia. According to the WSJ, quoting unnamed US officials, the aircraft were damaged in an Iranian attack.

Will the Gulf's push for its own AI succeed? That, and US tech giants' plans to spend more than $600bn this year alone. Can the Gulf states capture some of the US's tech dominance for themselves? I spent most of last week in Doha at the Web Summit Qatar, the Gulf's new version of the popular annual tech conference. One theme stood out among the speeches I watched and the conversations I had: sovereignty.

Why is Israel still in southern Lebanon? A war to shape Lebanon's future How many countries has Israel attacked in 2025? Israel has attacked more countries than any other country this year. In 2025, Israel attacked at least six countries, including Palestine, Iran, Lebanon, Qatar, Syria, and Yemen. It also carried out strikes in Tunisian, Maltese and Greek territorial waters on aid flotillas heading for Gaza.