Who is Handala, the hacktivist group US ties to Iranian intelligence? Handala Hack Team portrays itself as a pro-Palestinian group but is widely believed to be linked to Iranian intelligence. Iran
Iran names US tech, finance firms in new Middle East threat list Firms listed as potential targets included Oracle, Microsoft, Apple, Google, Meta, IBM, Palantir and Nvidia, while banking giant JPMorgan and UAE-based AI firm G42 were also listed. Iran
Gulf AI deals continues to lure investors despite US-Iran war Blackstone committed $250 million to a payment infrastructure platform in Abu Dhabi as the US investment firm's president lauded the UAE's strong investment credentials despite the conflict. Saudi Arabia
Analysis Iran’s longest-ever internet blackout leaves 99% offline: What to know Facing a historic internet blackout, Iranians are locked in a struggle with authorities to find loopholes to get around this communications crackdown, leading to "shutdowns within a shutdown." By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
Analysis India's Modi arrives in Israel as fears grow of US-Iran conflict By Rina Bassist In Paris, reporting on Israeli politics and European affairs
Lebanon's short-lived venture into outer space In the early 1960s, the Lebanese Rocket Society developed rockets to explore space and for other peaceful purposes, but its projects quickly attracted the attention of governments seeking military advantage. Lebanon
Netanyahu against anti-porn bill, rejects online regulation Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, fearing the very concept of regulating internet use, objects to proposed legislation that would limit and block visits to pornography sites on the internet. Israel
Young Egyptian engineers race ahead in electric vehicles Nine teams of Egyptian engineering students qualified for a mentorship program and funding to build their own designs and compete in Egypt's first electric vehicle competition. Egypt
Why do Palestinians opt for Israeli SIM cards? Due to the poor quality of Palestinian cellular companies that are crippled by Israeli restrictions, Palestinians in the West Bank are opting for Israeli SIM cards provided by illegal Israeli mobile network operators. Palestine
Will new e-payment regulations boost Gaza's gig economy? The Palestine Monetary Authority introduced new regulations and licensing to secure and expand electronic payment services, a step that could allow more Gazans to receive remittances for work conducted online for foreign companies. Palestine
Soaring unemployment pushes Gaza’s tech sector forward Ever-rising unemployment in the Gaza Strip has pushed young Palestinians to explore the technological sector, which largely sidesteps the Israeli siege by conducting business online. Palestine
Palestinians opt for illegal SIM cards smuggled from Israel West Bank authorities are combating the use of black-market Israeli telecom services, which Palestinians prefer over the pricier internet packages offered by local operators. Palestine
Transparency-hungry Turkey eyes blockchain The Turkish Informatics Foundation has launched a platform to promote and support the development of blockchain technologies for use in everything from banking and law to public opinion polls and elections. Turkey
Electronic vote counting sparks controversy ahead of Iraqi polls Despite the advantages offered by electronic counting and sorting devices in the Iraqi elections, fears remain that the results will be falsified. Iraq
Is Iran ready to block Telegram? The popular messaging app Telegram may soon be replaced by Soroush, a domestic messaging service. Iran
Virtual zoo app brings animals to Gazans As Gaza's actual zoos struggle, a group of students have developed an app that creates a virtual version. Palestine
Turkish government readies to squeeze internet service providers Ankara is tightening its grip even further over the media in Turkey with a new law increasing its censorship powers over online content, threatening both independent news outlets and domestic access to international reporting. Turkey
