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
Turkey mulls 'national' bitcoin A government-promoted push for the "native and national" in almost every realm has reached the sphere of cryptocurrency despite Turkey's lingering mistrust of bitcoin. Turkey
Palestinian wiretap scandal raises ire, but no action so far The Palestinian Preventive Security Service is under fire for allegedly wiretapping citizens. Palestine
The case for net neutrality in Iran The further undermining of net neutrality in Iran draws mixed responses among Iranians. Iran
How innovators aim to solve Gaza’s environmental problems The Palestinian Environmental Quality Authority held an exhibition in the Gaza Strip showcasing innovative ideas to cope with the environmental problems in the besieged enclave. Palestine
Young Palestinian engineers hope to race to victory in recycled car Twelve young Palestinian engineers built a racing car from scratch and will compete in the Formula Student Competition in the United Kingdom this summer. Palestine
Egypt grounds unlicensed drones Security concerns have led Egypt to regulate the use of drones, even as the country strives to become a leading manufacturer of the unmanned aerial vehicles. Egypt
Internet censorship a double-edged sword for Tehran As Iran is home to an increasing number of online businesses, the new internet restrictions imposed by the government in response to the recent unrest are hitting many entrepreneurs. Iran
Wataniya Mobile’s shares in Palestine on a losing streak Wataniya Mobile’s share price on the Palestine Stock Exchange has dropped below $1 following the company’s entry into the Gaza Strip market. Palestine
Will Egypt issue a unified public transportation card? A study is underway, headed by South Korean firms, to assess the Alexandria and Cairo transportation networks in anticipation of the release of a unified public transportation card. Egypt
Egypt takes big step toward financial transparency and inclusion The Egyptian government ceased financial transactions by paper checks this month and implemented a new electronic payment and collection system, although only 10% of citizens have relationships with banks. Egypt
Lebanon’s tech-savvy youths poised for bright future Initiatives in Lebanon assist youths in exploring technology and science, which could give them a boost in the job market in the future. Lebanon
Israeli tech puts Iranian ride-hailing startups in bind Drivers for Iranian ride-hailing companies have been using an Israeli navigation app, causing conflict between the relatively new businesses and judicial authorities. Israel
