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Following Donald Trump's recent claims that the US is engaged in 'strong talks' to end the war with Iran, Qatar took the unusual step of publicly distancing itself from any alleged diplomatic negotiations. The Gulf state's government spokesperson Majed al-Ansari explicitly stated, 'Qatar was not involved in any mediation efforts,' adding pointedly, 'If they exist.'This represents a significant departure from Qatar's traditional role as a chief mediator in Middle East conflicts, having previously facilitated negotiations between Israel and Hamas, the US and the Taliban, and peace deals in Lebanon and Sudan.Over the past three weeks, Gulf states have found themselves on the frontlines of the conflict after their mediation efforts to prevent war were ultimately rejected by the US. The pattern of broken negotiations is particularly telling: the US attacked Iran twice during talks aimed at halting the Iranian nuclear program, which were championed by Oman. Discussions last June were halted as the US and Israel conducted strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities, and revived talks in February were similarly undermined when Trump began bombing Tehran before the final round of meetings.Since the war began, Gulf states have been forced to spend billions defending against daily Iranian missile and drone attacks, with their economies and sovereignty suffering substantial damage. Analysts suggest their reluctance to engage with the alleged ceasefire efforts reflects both the heavy toll of continued warfare and lingering suspicion about whether Trump's peace initiatives are genuine or merely a pretext for further escalation.As Bilal Saab, senior managing director of advisory group Trends US and former Pentagon official in the first Trump administration, explained: 'They've been burned by their previous experience. They previously thought they played a useful mediating role – until they realised that it was all for naught. Not to mention that they have been directly implicated in the war and are still being attacked by the Iranians. So there's a lot of pent-up frustration and disappointment.'By Wednesday night, the Iranian regime had outright rejected Trump's 15-point plan to end the war, submitted to Tehran via Pakistani generals, as 'extremely unreasonable' and presented their own substantially different proposal.The concern among Gulf states is that any negotiations could become a front for military escalation or even the assassination of additional Iranian leaders. This anxiety is compounded by the simultaneous deployment of thousands of US troops to the region and the persistent fear of being used as pawns in the US and Israel's Middle East strategy.Professor Bader al-Saif of Kuwait University noted: 'Whenever the word negotiation was used by the Trump administration, we unfortunately ended up under the rubric of war.' He emphasized that while Gulf states are reluctant to engage with what they perceive as a potential Trumpian charade, they recognize the critical importance of shaping any realistic peace negotiations that could affect their future.The existential threat to Gulf economic ambitions is particularly concerning. The prospect of Trump ending the war with the current Iranian regime still in place—potentially more vengeful than before and acutely aware of the damage its missiles can inflict on multi-billion-dollar infrastructure—poses significant risks. Additionally, there remains no clear solution to Iran's effective control over the Strait of Hormuz, through which most of the region's oil and gas exports flow.Analysts suggest that beyond relying on US-led negotiations, Gulf states should pursue their own separate dialogue with Iran. As al-Saif stated: 'They shouldn't only count on the US to do the negotiation. They should go and strike a deal with Iran for themselves. This was not our war, and if we can shield ourselves from being impacted any further, we should do it to protect our own national interests.'

The European Commission has initiated an investigation into Snapchat over concerns that the social messaging app is putting children at risk of grooming, sexual exploitation, and other criminal activities. This probe is part of the EU's efforts to enforce its Digital Services Act (DSA), which aims to protect European society from a wide range of internet harms, including child safety provisions to combat cyberbullying, exposure to adult content, and illegal products.In a separate decision, the commission also accused four pornographic websites - Pornhub, Stripchat, XNXX, and XVideos - of failing to prevent minors from accessing adult content, which could lead to mental health issues, negative gender attitudes, and increased tolerance of violent sexual behaviors.The investigations follow a landmark ruling in a Los Angeles court that found two social media companies, Meta and YouTube, had deliberately created addictive products that harmed a young user. The EU is now considering whether to follow Australia and ban social media for under-16s.Snapchat reports 94.7 million monthly users in the EU and is hugely popular among teenagers and young people. However, EU regulators believe the company is failing to ensure its age limit of 13 is respected, and users are not given adequate guidance on privacy and safety features.The commission's tech spokesperson, Thomas Regnier, described the situation as 'quite terrible' in EU member states, citing statistics on the prevalence of minors accessing pornographic websites. The companies may now examine the findings and mount a defense, before any final decision is taken. If the complaint is upheld, the four websites could be fined up to 6% of global annual turnover.

Legendary quarterback Tom Brady has disclosed that he explored the possibility of returning to the NFL as a player, but the league was not keen on the idea. In a recent interview with CNBC Sport, Brady revealed that he had inquired about a potential comeback, but the league's response was lukewarm.Brady's last NFL game was in January 2023, when his team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, lost to the Dallas Cowboys. Since then, he has transitioned into a new role as a minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders and a television analyst for Fox. A spokesperson for the league noted that if Brady were to return to playing, he would need to divest his stake in the Raiders.“I actually have inquired [about a return to playing], and [the NFL] don’t like that idea very much,” Brady said. “We explored a lot of different things, and I’m very happily retired. Let me just say that, too.”Despite his interest in a potential comeback, Brady emphasized that he is content with his decision to retire. He recently participated in a televised flag football game, where he threw a touchdown pass to receiver Stefon Diggs and appeared to be in good football shape. However, Brady insisted that the game only reconfirmed his happiness with his retirement.As a minority owner of the Raiders, Brady described his role as having no formal job description. He expressed his enthusiasm for contributing to the team's success and bringing a winning culture to Las Vegas.Brady's commitment to winning is legendary, and his achievements in the NFL are unparalleled. He holds the record for most Super Bowl wins (7), career passing touchdowns (649), and passing yards (89,214).

National Savings and Investments (NS&I;) is preparing to make a significant payout to customers who have been affected by a savings scandal. The bank is expected to repay hundreds of millions of pounds to approximately 37,000 people whose money was misplaced due to historical failings.The government-backed savings institution is in discussions with the Treasury to compensate these customers, with the exact amount yet to be determined. This payout would not be considered compensation but rather a reimbursement for money that customers did not receive.The scandal involves reports of bereaved families not receiving money that was rightfully theirs, as well as complaints that NS&I; failed to pay out premium bond prizes to the families of deceased savers. The bank has apologized for the poor customer service, particularly during sensitive times.The pensions minister, Torsten Bell, is expected to address the issue in a statement to the House of Commons. NS&I; holds over £100bn for around 26 million customers and is one of the largest savings organizations in the UK. The bank recently faced criticism over the spiralling cost of its modernisation programme, which has risen from £1.3bn to £3bn.A spokesperson for NS&I; said: “We recognise that dealing with bereavement can be challenging and would like to apologise to anyone who has not received the customer service from NS&I; that they should expect, particularly at such a sensitive time.”

A jury in the United States has ordered social media giant Meta to pay $375m for harming children's mental health and making them vulnerable to sexual exploitation.The verdict, handed down in New Mexico after a six-week trial, marks the first time a US state has successfully sued Meta over child safety issues. State authorities accused Meta, the parent company of Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp, of failing to protect minors.Jurors sided with state prosecutors who argued that Meta prioritized profits over safety and violated parts of New Mexico's Unfair Practices Act. The jury agreed with allegations that Meta made false or misleading statements and engaged in 'unconscionable' trade practices that unfairly took advantage of the vulnerabilities and inexperience of children.The case involved testimony from 40 witnesses, including employees-turned-whistle-blowers, and reviewed hundreds of documents, reports, and emails. New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez called the verdict 'a historic victory for every child and family who has paid the price for Meta's choice to put profits over kids' safety.'Meta has stated that it will appeal the verdict, with a spokesperson saying, 'We respectfully disagree with the verdict and will appeal. We work hard to keep people safe on our platforms and are clear about the challenges of identifying and removing bad actors or harmful content.'A second phase in New Mexico's proceedings against Meta is scheduled to begin in May, when a judge will hear the state's claim that the company should be ordered to pay additional penalties and make specific changes to its platforms and company operations.

The UK's Environment Agency is facing criticism for its inability to effectively tackle the growing issue of illegal waste dumping. A report by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has highlighted that the agency lacks the necessary powers and intelligence to deal with the problem, which is costing taxpayers £1bn a year.The committee found that there are at least 8,000 illegal dumps across the country, with several large-scale tips containing between 20,000 and 30,000 tonnes of household rubbish and other waste. The problem is attributed to organised criminals who are heavily involved in illegal waste dumping.The PAC chair, Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, stated that the committee's report found that regulators were not sufficiently resourced to follow through with recommendations and carry out their responsibilities towards the environment. The report calls for closer cooperation and intelligence sharing between the Environment Agency, local authorities, police, and other agencies to tackle illegal waste dumping risks.In response, a Defra spokesperson stated that the report was out of date and did not reflect the significant reforms already underway, including publishing a waste crime action plan and investing in the Environment Agency to boost monitoring and investigations.

The Iran war is threatening to disrupt shipping of crucial parts manufactured in the Gulf, potentially delaying large offshore wind projects in Europe. Industry sources are concerned that components ordered from suppliers in the United Arab Emirates could become trapped if shipping remains effectively blocked through the strait of Hormuz.These projects include two giant offshore windfarms planned for UK waters, as well as a series of projects that will supply offshore wind power to Germany and the Netherlands. The UK windfarms, which will lie off the coast of Norfolk, were each awarded a 20-year support contract from the British government just a month before Iran effectively closed the strait of Hormuz.The developer behind the plans, the German renewables group RWE, has contracted a Dubai-based company to deliver more than 180 components from its UAE fabrication yard while the windfarms are constructed. The windfarms are expected to supply the equivalent of about 4m UK homes before the end of the decade, meaning they would play an important part in supporting Britain’s aim to quadruple offshore wind capacity by 2030.A spokesperson for RWE said it had begun liaising closely with its supply chain partners amid the Middle East conflict, which has included airstrikes against key infrastructure. “Our primary focus is the safety of those working in the area,” they said. “To date there has only been a limited effect on our supply chain partners’ activities, but we are monitoring the situation closely and putting mitigation plans in place should the situation continue for a prolonged period.”The shutdown of the strait may also have an impact on a large project by the transmission operator TenneT that will link offshore wind projects in the German North Sea to mainland Germany. The company has contracted a UAE fabrication yard to deliver structural steel components, including a 5,461-tonne jacket foundation built for the BorWin6 high-voltage transmission project.

A landmark jury verdict has found Meta and YouTube liable for deliberately designing addictive products that harmed a young user, KGM. The jury ruled that the tech companies were both negligent and failed to provide adequate warnings about the potential dangers of their products.The plaintiff, KGM, testified that she became addicted to YouTube at age six and Instagram at nine, which she claimed had deleterious effects on her wellbeing. By age 10, she said she had become depressed and was engaging in self-harm as a result. Her social media use allegedly caused her to have strained relationships with her family and in school.The jury awarded KGM $6m in damages, with Meta to pay 70% and YouTube the remainder. This lawsuit, over social media's alleged harm to young people, was the first of its kind to go to trial.KGM's lawyers argued that the companies' features, such as infinite scrolling and video autoplay, were designed to keep people on the apps and made the products addictive. The plaintiffs' arguments mirrored those brought against big tobacco in the 1990s, focusing on the addictive qualities of social media and the companies' public denial despite knowledge of their products' harms.Meta and YouTube have consistently denied wrongdoing and plan to appeal the verdict. A YouTube spokesperson said the video service was a responsibly built streaming platform, not a social media site. Meta said KGM's mental health issues were brought on by a difficult home life and social media use was not to blame.This trial is the first in a consolidated group of cases brought in California against Meta, TikTok, YouTube, and Snap on behalf of more than 1,600 plaintiffs. The next bellwether case is scheduled to go to trial in July.

Israel has been accused of using white phosphorus in southern Lebanon, a move that has reignited concerns over the country's adherence to international laws of war. Human Rights Watch (HRW) researchers have verified and geolocated images showing airburst white phosphorus munitions exploding over residential areas in the southern Lebanese town of Yohmor.The use of white phosphorus, a chemical substance that ignites when exposed to oxygen and burns at up to 800C, is controversial when used over civilian areas due to its potential to ignite fires, cause serious burns, and emit toxic fumes. Military forces often use it as a smokescreen, but its use in populated areas raises significant ethical and legal questions.Over 800,000 Lebanese people have been displaced from the region following Israeli forces' orders to leave, and many more uses of white phosphorus may have gone undocumented. Researchers have documented nearly 250 uses of white phosphorus by Israeli forces between October 2023 and November 2024, with 39% of these uses occurring in residential areas.The environmental impact is also significant, with over 2,000 hectares of southern Lebanese countryside burned, including dense forests and agricultural lands. The use of white phosphorus can lead to long-term soil contamination, reducing microbial diversity and agricultural productivity.An Israeli military spokesperson has cautioned against making factual determinations based on visuals alone, while Israel's ambassador to the UN has stated that the country takes steps to minimize civilian casualties. However, allegations of war crimes and the use of prohibited weapons continue to mount, highlighting the need for further investigation and accountability.