Author: staff
The United Arab Emirates has said it will pay for the hotels and meals of more than 20,000 passengers who are stuck in the country due to airspace closures. The General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) of the UAE announced yesterday that the state is “bearing all hosting and accommodation costs for affected and stranded passengers”. “In light of the current circumstances and given that some guests have reached their check out date but are unable to travel for reasons beyond their control, you are kindly requested to extend their stay until they are able to depart,” a circular issued to…
Today, satellite operators have very few options when their space hardware runs out of fuel, the solar panels are damaged, or fault codes prevent it from functioning. Some software problems can be corrected from the ground, and engineers can find workarounds for certain hardware hiccups, but generally, when a satellite needs maintenance, there’s no handy space repair service to call. As a result, many old satellites either end up being parked in so-called graveyard orbits, or, in the worst cases, they drift and spin out of control, posing a risk to other space hardware and increasing the amount of space…
Israel warned residents of dozens of villages in southern and eastern Lebanon to evacuate. “Hezbollah’s actions force the IDF to act against it … For your safety, evacuate your homes immediately,” Israeli army spokesperson Ella Waweya said on X. Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam called the rocket fire “irresponsible,” warning it “endangers Lebanon’s security and safety,” and said authorities would act against those responsible. The flare-up is stoking fears that the confrontation with Iran will engulf the Middle East. U.S. President Donald Trump said military operations against Iran could continue for weeks, as oil prices jumped and air travel across…
By James Thomas & video by Léa Becquet Published on 02/03/2026 – 10:30 GMT+1 The 24th of February marked four years of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and although peace talks are underway, an end to the fighting still seems far off. The US has been leading the most recent trilateral effort to end the war, and while the negotiations have brought some humanitarian and technical resolutions, Russia and Ukraine remain deadlocked on fundamental territorial issues. Moscow insists that Ukraine give up the entire Donbas region, for example, including areas still under Kyiv’s control and those that it claims to have annexed in…
Five people were wounded in Jerusalem late Sunday after missiles fired from Iran hit the area, Israel’s rescue services said. One man in his 40s was reported in moderate condition with shrapnel injuries. First responders were seen working beside damaged cars along a main road as loud explosions echoed across the city. Earlier, at least nine people were killed in the Beit Shemesh region, central Israel, according to Israeli police. Blasts were also reported in Tehran as the exchange of strikes continued across the region.
Published on 02/03/2026 – 9:01 GMT+1 Europe is aiming to be at the forefront of 6G and artificial intelligence (AI) by staking its claim on the next generation of global communications: Non-terrestrial networks (NTN). The European Space Agency and the GSMA Foundry announced at the Mobile World Congress a funding programme worth up to €100 million to accelerate the convergence of satellite and mobile technologies. The connectivity serves as the “backbone” to unleashing 6G and AI technology, said Antonio Franchi, Head of 5G/6G NTN Programme Office at the European Space Agency “The funds will develop technologies, networks, services which ultimately…
“All the competent services of the republic are on alert and in full operational readiness,” Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides said in a statement Monday morning. He confirmed that a Shahed-type unmanned aerial vehicle caused minor damage when it crashed into the military facilities at 12:03 a.m. local time. “I want to be clear: Our country does not participate in any way and does not intend to be part of any military operation,” Christodoulides said. The Cypriot president briefed European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on the incident. “While the Republic of Cyprus was not the target, let me be…
Good morning from Brussels. I’m Mared Gwyn. As an escalating conflict grips the Middle East following Saturday’s joint US and Israeli attacks on Iran and the ensuing Iranian retaliation, the EU is scrambling to assert its fading diplomatic clout as it calls for de-escalation and restraint. Crisis meetings of EU ambassadors and foreign ministers were held on Sunday, with a statement by foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas last night calling for “maximum restraint, protection of civilians and full respect of international law.” But major European powers simultaneously risk being indirectly dragged into the conflict after initially distancing themselves from any…
The Middle East’s commercial aviation sector remains grounded for a third day with airspace closed and operations suspended at major airports following the joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran and retaliatory attacks. As of Monday 2 March, Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) were among the nations that announced at least partial closures of their skies. This has forced widespread flight suspensions, cancellations and diversions, leaving tens of thousands of passengers stranded around the world. The conflict has led to the closure of key hub airports in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and…
Der Iran-Konflikt dominiert die internationale Lage: Nach einer Eskalationswelle zwischen Washington, Tel Aviv und Teheran steht auch Europa im Fokus. Wie handlungsfähig Europa wirklich ist, wie Einstimmigkeitsregeln blockieren und welche Rolle Deutschland und die EU in den transatlantischen Debatten spielt, analysiert Gordon Repinski. Im 200-Sekunden-Interview ordnet Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann ein, warum sie die Angriffe auf den Iran für konform mit dem Völkerrecht hält und wie sie Gefahren durch iranische Stellvertreter und geopolitische Risiken bewertet. Außerdem geht es um Friedrich Merz’ Washington-Reise: Neben dem Iran stehen Zölle, die Ukraine-Unterstützung und mögliche französische Strategien zur nuklearen Abschreckung auf der Agenda. Hans von der…