EU

Washington is preparing to deploy the third U.S. Navy strike group in the Middle East led by the nuclear aircraft carrier George HW Bush, reports USNI citing a statement from the U.S. Navy Fleet Command.
The ships have completed comprehensive exercises that all aircraft carrier strike groups must undergo before receiving approval to undertake larger-scale missions, and are now preparing for deployment to the region.
George HW Bush is equipped with two nuclear reactors, allowing the ship to operate virtually indefinitely without refueling. It can carry more than 80 aircraft and helicopters, inc

Bloomberg, citing an American official
🔴 Iran has destroyed a key radar system worth $300 million, which was vital for controlling U.S. missile defense systems in the Persian Gulf and could significantly weaken regional capabilities to counter future attacks.

The first passenger planes took off from Doha after Qatar's airspace was reopened, according to data from the Flightradar24 service. The flights are mainly to European cities, including Rome, Paris, and London.
Qatar Civil Aviation Authority confirmed the existence of a safe corridor for flights, Qatar Airways announced on the social media platform X. Governments have begun operating flights to bring their citizens back home.

Iranian Navy launches massive drone attack on US facilities in the UAE and Kuwait, reports Fars agency citing the army's statement.
"From this morning until now, the Navy has carried out a massive drone strike on the Al-Minhad (Abu Dhabi) base, the Al-Adiri (Kuwait) camp, and the radar stations of the strategic Sdot-Micha facility in the occupied territories of the Zionist regime," the statement said.
The UAE Ministry of Defense stated on X that the air defense systems are intercepting attacks by Iranian missiles and drones.

One of Europe's largest media conglomerates, Axel Springer SE, which owns the German tabloid Bild as well as Politico and Business Insider, has agreed to purchase Telegraph Media Group, the publisher of British newspapers The Daily Telegraph and The Sunday Telegraph, for £575 million (approximately $766 million) in cash. This deal combines two of Europe's most influential conservative media brands, Bloomberg reports.
"We need to find our new gold. <...> The Telegraph has long stood for freedom, personal responsibility, democratic values, and faith in open societies and market economies," said

Paramount is planning to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery for $111 billion. This is the largest merger in media history. If the deal goes through, HBO Max and Paramount+ will become a single streaming service — and this will affect every viewer.
Subscriptions will become more expensive. There will be fewer series initially. And top creators might even leave for competitors who don't have to service $79 billion in debt.
What the deal will mean for viewers, employees of the two studios, and the power dynamics in Hollywood streaming.

A four-day workweek is being introduced in the Philippines
This decision was announced by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. amid rising fuel prices due to the escalation of the Middle East situation. The measure will take effect in several government agencies starting March 9 and aims to conserve energy and reduce fuel consumption following a sharp increase in global oil prices.

🤔 Founder of Zero Knowledge Consulting: if local banks and the crypto industry can't find a way to cooperate on the CLARITY Act, we already know who will come out ahead. It's not local banks. It's not consumers. It's not the crypto industry. It's big banks. cointelegraph #Regulation

Israeli planes attacked the UN peacekeeping camp in Lebanon (UNIFIL), reported the Palestinian agency Quds News. The footage released by the agency shows a large fire that broke out after the airstrike.
On Tuesday, March 3, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) launched a ground operation in the south of the country after exchanges of fire with the pro-Iranian group "Hezbollah," which had shelled northern Israel the day before in solidarity with Iran.

Putin Had a Phone Conversation with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian
According to the Kremlin, Putin expressed condolences over the death of Ali Khamenei, members of his family, representatives of the military-political leadership, and civilians. He also described the ongoing events in the Middle East as armed Israeli-American aggression against Iran and emphasized the need for an immediate ceasefire.

Donald Trump will decide when Iran is no longer a threat, said the White House press secretary Caroline Leavitt in response to a question about what a "unconditional surrender" of Tehran, which the US president previously wrote about on the social network TruthSocial, would look like, reports CNN.
"The president means that when he, as the commander-in-chief of the US Armed Forces, determines that Iran no longer poses a threat to the United States of America and the objectives of Operation Epic Fury are fully achieved, then Iran will essentially be in a state of unconditional surrender, regardl

Iranian naval forces launched a missile at the American aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln, the Iranian army announced, according to Fars.
Tehran has repeatedly stated that missiles were launched at this aircraft carrier after the start of the US and Israel operations. On March 2, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced that Abraham Lincoln left its position after the attacks and headed southeast in the Indian Ocean. The day before, on March 5, Press TV reported a successful attack on this aircraft carrier by Iranian drones, after which, according to the statement, the strike grou

White House Press Secretary: The war will last 4-6 weeks

🇮🇷🇮🇶Explosion near the American Victoria base, Baghdad, Iraq

The war in Iran could last for several more weeks, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Arab foreign ministers in phone calls, Axios reports.

Lithuania is ready to provide the United States with its territory to address logistical issues amid the military operation in Iran, said President Gitanas Nausėda, reports LRT.
According to him, as a "loyal and responsible" member of NATO, the country could allow the use of its territory for logistical purposes, but not for direct military actions, given the distance from the conflict region.
"We understand the actions of the United States and Israel, which are primarily aimed at preventing preemptive measures to avoid a crisis in the Middle East region, and possibly a nuclear crisis in the f

Kuwait cuts oil production due to overflowing storage tanks — The Wall Street Journal
Storage levels are rising amid export restrictions through the Strait of Hormuz. According to the publication, other countries in the region may also take similar measures.