Qatar ‘targeted by Iranian missiles’
Qatar has also claimed it was targeted by three Iranian missiles on Wednesday.
A statement from the defence ministry on X says two cruise missiles were intercepted but a third struck an oil tanker in its waters.
The tanker, carrying a crew of 21, was evacuated without any casualties reported.
James Reynolds1 April 2026 08:02
In pictures: Chaos in Israel amid Iranian bombardment
A man carries a dog to a shelter as sirens sound in Tel Aviv (REUTERS)
Israel’s rescue teams and residents take shelter as sirens sounds next to a site struck by an Iranian missile in Bnei Brak, Wednesday, 1 April (Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)
An Israeli police officer stands near a wrecked car in Tel Aviv, on 1 April (REUTERS)
James Reynolds1 April 2026 07:58
Houthis claim attack on Israel with Iran and Hezbollah
Yemen’s Houthis have claimed a joint attack on Israel with missiles they say was carried out in conjunction with Iran and Hezbollah.
James Reynolds1 April 2026 07:35
This ‘US invasion’ video in the Middle East is fake | Debunked
This viral video claiming to show US military deployment to the Middle East is completely fake.
It’s not troops preparing for a ground invasion of Iran – instead, it is AI-generated footage. The clip has been shared as “proof” that thousands of troops are preparing for a ground invasion.
While the US has repositioned assets, officials deny any decision on ground forces. Analysis flagged the video as synthetic, and its creator labeled it a “realistic simulation.”
This ‘US Invasion’ video in the Middle East is fake | Debunked
This viral video claiming to show US military deployment to the Middle East is completely fake. It’s not troops preparing for a ground invasion of Iran – instead, it is AI-generated footage. The clip has been shared as “proof” that thousands of troops are preparing for a ground invasion. While the US has repositioned assets, officials deny any decision on ground forces. Analysis flagged the video as synthetic, and its creator labeled it a “realistic simulation.” Experts at Resemble AI identified synthetic audio artifacts, inconsistent facial and gear details, and repeating background patterns – common flaws in AI video generation – showing how such misinformation spreads rapidly during geopolitical tensions today.
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar1 April 2026 07:29
Israel strikes building near Beirut’s international airport
A ball of fire rises from the site of an Israeli strike that targeted a building adjacent to the highway that leads to Beirut’s international airport on March 31, 2026 (AFP via Getty Images)
A ball of fire rises from the site of an Israeli strike that targeted a building adjacent to the highway that leads to Beirut’s international airport on March 31, 2026 (AFP via Getty Images)
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar1 April 2026 07:10
Asian stocks rally as Trump says US will leave Iran
Asian stock markets jumped sharply Wednesday after Donald Trump said the U.S. would exit the war with Iran within two to three weeks, with or without a deal, raising hopes that the month-long conflict that has roiled global energy markets may be nearing its end.
South Korea‘s Kospi surged 6.4 percent in early trading, while Japan‘s Nikkei 225 rose 4 percent, Hong Kong‘s Hang Seng gained 1.9 percent, and Taiwan‘s Taiex was up 4.3 percent. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 rose 1.7 percent. India’s BSE Sensex jumped more than 1,800 points in early trade, with broad-based buying across banking, financials and technology stocks.
Both the Nikkei and Kospi, however, remain below the levels at which they were trading before the war began on February 28. A survey by Japan‘s central bank released Wednesday showed business sentiment among major manufacturers had improved despite war-related concerns.
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar1 April 2026 07:00
Bangladeshi national killed in UAE by projectile debris
A Bangladeshi national was killed by shrapnel from an intercepted drone at a farm in the UAE’s Fujairah.
“The competent authorities in Fujairah are dealing with an incident that occurred in a farm in the Al Riffa area as a result of shrapnel falling from the interception of a drone, which resulted in the killing of a person of Bangladeshi nationality,” state news agency Wam said on X.
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar1 April 2026 06:50
Tanker hit by two projectiles off Qatar
A tanker struck off Qatar was hit by two projectiles, one causing a fire that has since been extinguished and another remaining unexploded in the vessel’s engine room, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said this morning.
The vessel was struck about 17 nautical miles north of Qatar’s Ras Laffan industrial hub, causing damage above the waterline, with the crew safe and no environmental impact reported.
UKMTO said it was unable to confirm the source of the projectiles and that investigations were ongoing. Maritime authorities have reported multiple security incidents affecting vessels in Gulf waters in recent days.
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar1 April 2026 06:40
Starmer to update on cost of living after Trump asks UK to ‘get its own oil’
Sir Keir Starmer is expected to provide an update on the cost of living amid concerns over the amount energy bills could rise as a result of the Middle East conflict.
The prime minister is due to speak at a press conference later on Wednesday morning after he vowed to “protect the British people at home and abroad”.It is thought Sir Keir’s Downing Street press conference will cover both the conflict and Government support for households as rising prices bite.
Since fighting began in Iran, oil prices have soared in response to Tehran’s block on tankers passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
Families with a 55-litre diesel car face paying more than £100 at the pump for the first time since December 2022.
It comes as Donald Trump alleged on his Truth Social platform that the UK was among several countries which “can’t get jet fuel” ahead of the Easter bank holiday weekend – a claim which industry body Airlines UK has refuted.
The US president said the UK and other countries that did not take part in strikes against Iran should secure the Strait of Hormuz themselves.
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar1 April 2026 06:20
Four million people across the Gulf could be ‘pushed into poverty by war in Iran’
Four million people in the Gulf could be pushed into poverty by the war in Iran, says the UN, as the conflict enters its second month.
A report by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on the economic and social repercussions of the war found that Arab nations stand to lose between $120 billion and $194 billion from gross domestic product as a result of disruptions to energy supply chains.
“The number of poor people will increase by about four million people in our region in one month,” said Abdullah Al-Dardari, the UN Assistant Secretary-General and Director of the Regional Bureau for Arab States.
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar1 April 2026 06:20