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WIRED Middle East

What Is Hantavirus – And Why It’s Unlikely To Spread In The UAE
Health

What Is Hantavirus – And Why It’s Unlikely To Spread In The UAE

A rare hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship has triggered a global response. But the real story isn’t spread, it’s how disease moves now.
By Dana Alomar
The GLP-1 Race Moves Beyond Weight Loss as Foundayo Lands in the UAE
Health

The GLP-1 Race Moves Beyond Weight Loss as Foundayo Lands in the UAE

As GLP-1 drugs move to pills, the race is shifting from weight loss to long-term use, and how long patients stay on treatment.
By Evangeline Elsa
Lebanon Built Solar Infrastructure to Replace Its Power Grid – Israel Is Bulldozing It
Fragile Grid

Lebanon Built Solar Infrastructure to Replace Its Power Grid – Israel Is Bulldozing It

Across Lebanon, solar networks powering homes, farms and water systems are being damaged, exposing the fragility of decentralised energy.
By Yasmina El Zein
UAE Issues First Missile Alerts in Nearly a Month
Missile Alerts

UAE Issues First Missile Alerts in Nearly a Month

The UAE received its first missile alert since the April 8 ceasefire, Ministry of Defence confirms missiles intercepted
By Carla Sertin
Science Has Found Even More Ways Coffee Is Good for You
Health

Science Has Found Even More Ways Coffee Is Good for You

A new study shows the mechanisms of how coffee modifies the microbiome, reduces inflammation and influences mood. Even decaf has its perks.
By Javier Carbajal

SPECIAL EDITION

ENVIRONMENT UNDER FIRE

Business

This Indigenous Language Survived Russian Occupation. Can It Survive YouTube?
Big Tech

This Indigenous Language Survived Russian Occupation. Can It Survive YouTube?

YouTube’s search and recommendation algorithms are driving children to Russian-language content even when they seek out videos in Kyrgyz, creating a cultural shift that concerns some parents.
By Paresh Dave
Fadi Ghandour on Big Tech Buying the Region: “I Would Call It Western Dominance”
Power Play

Fadi Ghandour on Big Tech Buying the Region: “I Would Call It Western Dominance”

From AI infrastructure to sovereign wealth and “Western dominance”, the Aramex founder outlines how capital – and influence – are being redefined.
By Dana Alomar
The Bloomberg Terminal Is Getting an AI Makeover, Like It or Not
Artificial Intelligence

The Bloomberg Terminal Is Getting an AI Makeover, Like It or Not

WIRED spoke with Bloomberg’s chief technology officer about the big, chatbot-style changes coming to the iconic platform for traders.
By Joel Khalili
UAE To Exit OPEC After Nearly 60 Years
Break Up

UAE To Exit OPEC After Nearly 60 Years

The UAE will leave OPEC on May 1, ending a 59-year membership and gaining freedom to raise output during one of the most volatile oil periods in years.
By Carla Sertin

THE BIG STORY

“We Were Not Ready for This”: Inside Lebanon’s Improvised Crisis Infrastructure
Crisis Response

“We Were Not Ready for This”: Inside Lebanon’s Improvised Crisis Infrastructure

As nearly 1.3 million people are displaced, Lebanon is tracking aid in real time – but the system reveals a deeper problem: the country is managing a modern crisis without the digital infrastructure it was supposed to have.
By Carla Sertin
The Infrastructure War in the Gulf
Infrastructure War

The Infrastructure War in the Gulf

By Gia Chaudry
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

By Mahmoud Mushtaha
I’ve Covered Robots for Years. This One Is Different
GETTING HANDSY

I’ve Covered Robots for Years. This One Is Different

From sorting chicken nuggets to screwing in light bulbs, Eka’s robotic claw feels like we’re approaching a ChatGPT moment for the physical world.
By Will Knight
EDITOR'S LETTER

Your Carbon Footprint Is Counted. The Military’s Is Missing.

While citizens are asked to fly less and drive electric, military emissions remain the largest unaccountable contribution to the climate crisis. That silence has a cost.
By Carla Sertin
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
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

Culture

Why Cheating Feels More Common Than Ever in a World of Endless Choices
Screen Secrets

Why Cheating Feels More Common Than Ever in a World of Endless Choices

Technology has changed how cheating begins, escalates and gets discovered. Human motives are messier than the internet admits.
By Gia Chaudry
“STAGED”: Conspiracy Theories Are Everywhere Following White House Correspondents’ Dinner Shooting
Digital Culture

“STAGED”: Conspiracy Theories Are Everywhere Following White House Correspondents’ Dinner Shooting

The word “staged” exploded on social media following the attack, as both right- and left-wing influencers and anonymous accounts spread unfounded conspiracy theories.
By David Gilbert
The Rise of War Memes: When Humour and Conflict Collide
Meme Warfare

The Rise of War Memes: When Humour and Conflict Collide

The jokes were funny. The systems behind them are more serious. War memes reveal how platforms turn conflict into content and audiences into spectators.
By Rand Al-Hadethi
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

Science

The Gulf's Man-Made Islands Are Getting Bigger. Here's the Engineering Behind Them.
Synthetic Shores

The Gulf's Man-Made Islands Are Getting Bigger. Here's the Engineering Behind Them.

The return of Palm Jebel Ali puts the science, engineering and long-term risks of land reclamation back in focus.
By Jumana Naim
Fragile Waters

The Coral Reefs Caught in Conflict

The Gulf and Red Sea hold some of the world’s most climate-resilient corals. But shipping disruption, pollution and conflict put them at risk.
By Evangeline Elsa
New Gas-Powered Data Centres Could Emit More Greenhouse Gases Than Entire Nations
Environment

New Gas-Powered Data Centres Could Emit More Greenhouse Gases Than Entire Nations

A WIRED review of permits for data center projects using natural gas and linked to OpenAI, Meta, Microsoft, and xAI shows they could emit more than 129 million tons of greenhouse gases per year.
By Molly Taft
The Unseen Impact of War on the Environment
SILENT DAMAGE

The Unseen Impact of War on the Environment

From toxic smoke and oil spills to rising emissions, poisoned soil and damaged ecosystems, war can reshape the environment long after the fighting stops.
By Chris Hamill-Stewart and Ruchi Kumar

Security

UAE Missile Alerts Point to a Conflict That Never Truly Paused
Contested Pause

UAE Missile Alerts Point to a Conflict That Never Truly Paused

Experts say the return of alerts highlights ongoing pressure beneath the ceasefire, as diplomacy and coercion continue in parallel.
By Dana Alomar
The War Didn’t Create UAE Cybercrime Laws. It Revealed Them
DIGITAL RISK

The War Didn’t Create UAE Cybercrime Laws. It Revealed Them

The recent conflict drew attention to arrests over online content, but the legal framework behind those cybercrimes have existed for years.
By Dana Alomar
How Complicated Is the Strait of Hormuz Mine-Clearing Mission?
Security News

How Complicated Is the Strait of Hormuz Mine-Clearing Mission?

The US is deploying ships and assets to clear mines from Hormuz, but may need support from Nato allies, including Italy and other specialist fleets.
By Vincenzo Leone
Iran Signals a New Threat to the Gulf’s Internet
HIDDEN NETWORKS

Iran Signals a New Threat to the Gulf’s Internet

An IRGC-linked report on Hormuz cables highlights how the infrastructure powering the Gulf’s internet could be disrupted in conflict.
By Gia Chaudry

Gear

The Most WIRED Watches at Watches and Wonders 2026
Buying Guides

The Most WIRED Watches at Watches and Wonders 2026

Forget worldly woes for a few minutes and gawk at these spectacular and mind-bogglingly spendy timepieces we saw in Geneva.
By Tim Barber and Jeremy White
Israel Is Targeting Lebanese Paramedics. Here’s How Phones Keep Rescue Moving
Emergency Lines

Israel Is Targeting Lebanese Paramedics. Here’s How Phones Keep Rescue Moving

As ambulances and hospitals come under attack, Lebanon’s medics are relying on phones, local knowledge and fragile networks to keep rescue moving.
By Hanan Hamdan
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
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