Information technology (IT) in the Middle East
Information technology (IT) news, trends, articles and research for the Middle East - the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Palestine, Qatar, Iran, Jordan, Kuwait, Bahrain, and others. This section covers IT security, data backup and recovery, networking, data centre, cloud computing, mobile applications, virtualisation, big data, virtual machines and more.
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News
12 Sep 2023
European enterprises to spend more on generative IT to close gap on US
European organisations are upping their spending on generative AI innovation, but face challenges recruiting the right people to support this Continue Reading
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News
12 Sep 2023
European fintech investment plummets, but more sustainable future lies ahead
Investment in European fintechs has seen a dramatic drop, but a more sustainable sector will result from investment discipline Continue Reading
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Feature
07 Sep 2023
Interview: Ashish Gupta, head of EMEA, HCLTech
It’s not just enterprises that changed their operating models during and after Covid, but also the suppliers that took them on the journey, HCLTech Europe’s head explains Continue Reading
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News
06 Sep 2023
Saudi Arabian fintech gets Mastercard boost
Saudi-based fintechs could soon benefit from Mastercard's extensive payments network Continue Reading
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News
05 Sep 2023
Ryder Cup testbed to feature tech firsts in Rome
This year’s Ryder Cup will test out technology to improve how fans digitally consume the event while reducing the workload on IT teams Continue Reading
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News
16 Aug 2023
Accenture’s Brussels AI lab to focus on European public sector and health
Accenture will use its Brussels AI lab to test AI and generative AI's application in the European public sector Continue Reading
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Feature
09 Aug 2023
CTO interview: Gavin Rea, Gulf Bridge International
GBI ensures service continuity of submarine cable networks, which bring high-speed internet to the Gulf states, supporting the region’s ambitious plans to be one of the world’s leading poles for technological innovation Continue Reading
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E-Zine
08 Aug 2023
CW EMEA: Aalto University – where ideas take off
In this issue of CW EMEA, we look at the startup scene in Finland. Helsinki’s status as a prominent tech breeding ground is well established, with an alumnus contingent that includes Rovio, Supercell, ICEYE and the world-renowned Slush event. Every startup needs a starting place, however, and for many Finnish innovators, their stories began at Aalto University. We also look at how the Gulf region is seeing some of the heaviest investments in the latest technology as countries diversify their economies to reduce reliance on oil. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
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News
18 Jul 2023
Traditional IT outsourcing rockets as Europe’s businesses cut costs
Overall spending on IT services is up in European countries despite continued reduction in investments in cloud-based contracts Continue Reading
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E-Zine
13 Jul 2023
CW EMEA: Can we trust AI?
Artificial intelligence and the opportunities and dangers it introduces into society has been a hotly debated subject in tech circles for many years, but today with the increased use of platforms such as ChatGPT, these debates include a wider section of the public. The fact that schoolchildren are even asking ChatGPT for help with their homework brings home the importance of these debates and the responses to them by national policy-makers. Continue Reading
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Feature
21 Jun 2023
Interview: Michael Kagan, chief technology officer, Nvidia
The chip maker's CTO explains how the compute demands of AI are pushing semiconductor technology beyond the principles of Moore's Law Continue Reading
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News
19 Jun 2023
Jordan’s Ahli Bank launches app on cloud-native platform
Middle East bank launches app on latest cloud-native banking platform from Google-inspired company Continue Reading
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News
15 Jun 2023
Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030: Progress report
Halfway into its plan to give the country a makeover by 2030, Saudi Arabia’s emphasis on technology is starting to pay off Continue Reading
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E-Zine
08 Jun 2023
CW EMEA: IT budgets buck economic trends
Despite the gloomy economic outlook across the world, IT leaders in the EMEA region appear confident that they will have more to spend on IT this year, with 44 expecting IT budgets to increase, according to TechTarget/Computer Weekly’s IT Priorities survey for 2023. Also in this issue, we look at how health authorities in the United Arab Emirates are increasing their emphasis on new, smart technologies to modernise healthcare services, we find out how global tech pioneers Finland and Estonia are increasingly sharing their expertise, and we look at what the Dutch government is doing to address unconscious stereotypes and bias that are still preventing girls in the Netherlands to study engineering or IT. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
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News
24 May 2023
Kuwait bank introduces biometric payments card
Middle East bank launches payment cards with fingerprint sensor technology embedded Continue Reading
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News
17 May 2023
CTO interview: Europe benefits from energy gains in AMD chips
AMD’s chief technology officer explains how the latest chip technology can help European organisations solve the energy puzzle facing IT departments Continue Reading
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E-Zine
11 May 2023
CW EMEA: The future of work
In this month’s CW EMEA, we look at the future of work in Europe after the pandemic forced a change in entrenched human behaviour. For years, people talked about flexible working being the way forward, but scepticism within the management of large companies held it back. This all changed when Covid-19 began to spread out of control and governments and businesses quickly told people to work from home where possible. We also look at the increasing problem of IT failures in Dutch hospitals and how they are affecting patient care, highlighting the need to improve IT security in hospitals. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
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News
05 May 2023
Employee perception may be key to success of UAE’s big data initiative
Study shows the impact employee perception can have on big data projects in the United Arab Emirates Continue Reading
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News
25 Apr 2023
UAE improves healthcare through information technology
Health authorities in the United Arab Emirates are increasing their emphasis on new, smart technologies to modernise healthcare services Continue Reading
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News
19 Apr 2023
IT Priorities 2023: Budget optimism among EMEA IT leaders
IT leaders across the EMEA region are optimistic that their budgets will increase over the coming year Continue Reading
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News
19 Apr 2023
Global finance firms take part in NATO cyber attack simulation
Global financial services organisations take part in NATO annual event which simulates cyber attacks on critical infrastructure Continue Reading
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News
18 Apr 2023
Reduced spending on cloud services weighs European IT services market down
Reduced spending on cloud services in the EMEA region meant a year-on-year drop in total IT and BPO services spend Continue Reading
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Feature
12 Apr 2023
The CIO challenges brought by e-commerce in Kuwait
E-commerce is growing fast in Kuwait, resulting in new challenges for CIOs in the retail sector Continue Reading
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News
04 Apr 2023
UAE central bank selects partners for phase one of digital currency programme
The UAE central bank has kicked off the first phase of its project to launch a digital currency Continue Reading
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News
21 Mar 2023
UK signs digital trade deal with Ukraine
The UK and Ukraine have agreed a trade deal that will reduce the cost of IT imports from the war-torn country Continue Reading
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News
15 Mar 2023
IT gives Ukrainian economy resilience in the face of adversity
Computer Weekly speaks to IT companies from Kharkiv a year after the Ukrainian city became headline news across the world as Russian troops invaded Continue Reading
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Feature
14 Mar 2023
As Covid fades away, what’s the future of remote work in Europe?
Many IT leaders are still supporting some form of work from home, and a trend is beginning to take shape in Europe Continue Reading
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News
09 Mar 2023
Millions in the Arab world use VPNs to overcome restrictions and bandwidth throttling
Citizens in the Arab world are using VPNs to help them bypass internet restrictions and increase available bandwidth Continue Reading
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E-Zine
09 Mar 2023
CW EMEA: How Sweden is accelerating digitisation
Large conglomerates with diverse business portfolios face challenges when digitally transforming because one size cer-tainly doesn’t fit all. In this month’s CW EMEA, we find out how Richard Ventre, group CIO at Dutch company SHV Holdings, goes about ensuring his IT department pro-vides the foundations for a wide variety of businesses to thrive digitally. We also find out how to make the most of a composable enterprise architecture and how green storage can deliver savings if done right. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
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Feature
07 Mar 2023
What can security teams learn from a year of cyber warfare?
With the passing of the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, we reflect on the ongoing cyber war, and ask what security leaders can learn from the past 12 months Continue Reading
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News
17 Feb 2023
CIO interview: Hans van der Waal, director of global IT, Travelex
Travelex has weathered a storm that saw it sink into administration, before emerging to solidify its digital foundations for the future Continue Reading
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News
14 Feb 2023
UAE central bank programme to accelerate digital transformation
The United Arab Emirates government launches programme to accelerate the digital transformation of the country’s finance sector Continue Reading
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News
13 Feb 2023
KPMG launches metaverse and digital twin hub in Saudi Arabia
The Saudi Arabian government’s commitment to investing in metaverse technology has attracted a KPMG centre of excellence to its shores Continue Reading
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News
06 Feb 2023
Estonian anti-money laundering platform used to fight APP fraud
A real-time data-sharing platform originally built to identify money laundering is also being applied to the fight against authorised push payment fraud Continue Reading
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E-Zine
16 Jan 2023
CW EMEA: Protecting the privacy of schoolchildren
In this month’s CW EMEA, we look at how schools in Germany have stopped using Microsoft Office 365 over lack of clarity over how data is collected, shared and used. We also delve into how former UK spy boss Richard Dearlove leaked names of MI6 secret agent recruiters in China to back an aggressive right-wing US campaign against tech company Huawei. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
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Feature
28 Dec 2022
Developed for Big Science in Europe, highly accurate time protocols ensure fair trading in finance
Protocols developed for use at the European Organisation for Nuclear Research are now being used for many other applications, including financial services Continue Reading
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News
28 Dec 2022
Top 10 Middle East IT stories of 2022
Here are Computer Weekly's top 10 Middle East IT articles of 2022 Continue Reading
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E-Zine
22 Nov 2022
Cyber criminals target World Cup Qatar 2022
In this week’s Computer Weekly, as the FIFA World Cup opens in Qatar, we examine the cyber security threats from criminals targeting the event. We report from the Gartner Symposium on the latest predictions for enterprise software development. And we talk to the CIO of Kyiv City Council about managing IT in the shadow of war. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
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News
09 Nov 2022
Anything can happen so IT teams need to be ready, says Kyiv City Council CIO
Kyiv City Council’s IT team has experienced challenges faced by no other tech department and is determined to use what it has learnt to take Ukraine forward when the war is over Continue Reading
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Feature
26 Oct 2022
Finnish researchers lay the groundwork for flying drones
A large, sparsely populated country, Finland is preparing for a future where it could rely on flying drone technology Continue Reading
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News
17 Oct 2022
Global IT and business services spending slows amid economic fears
Spending on IT and business services is declining amid economic fears, with the possibility of a further fall on the horizon Continue Reading
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E-Zine
13 Oct 2022
CW Middle East: Qatar strengthens cyber defences ahead of FIFA World Cup
Being the first Arab country to host the World Cup is pressure enough on Qatar, but there is also a massive cyber security challenge associated with any event of this magnitude. Read about its preparations. Also in this issue, find out about the unique challenges of hiring IT professionals in Saudi Arabia. Continue Reading
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News
06 Oct 2022
SMEs in Europe ready to invest in real-time payment capabilities
Small and medium-sized enterprises are losing business because of the time it takes to receive payments, with many considering API-based services to address the problem Continue Reading
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News
04 Oct 2022
Tories to replace GDPR
IT industry reacts to the government’s plan to replace the pan-European data protection regulation Continue Reading
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News
30 Sep 2022
Surveillance tech firms complicit in MENA human rights abuses
Research finds companies are profiting from surveillance technologies that facilitate human rights abuses against migrants, asylum seekers and refugees in the Middle East and North Africa, with little to no oversight Continue Reading
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News
21 Sep 2022
European Central Bank working on prototypes of digital Euro interfaces
European Central Bank’s digital Euro investigation phase is at the point of developing and testing systems that might interface with consumers Continue Reading
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News
21 Sep 2022
5G fixed wireless access services to see huge growth
Spending on 5G fixed wireless access services is set to explode globally over the next 12 months Continue Reading
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News
09 Sep 2022
Interview: Keeping an IT business going during the Russian invasion
After heading home and discovering that his country had been invaded, Konstantin Klyagin was forced to make life-changing family and business decisions Continue Reading
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News
07 Sep 2022
Cyber threats to Europe’s grid: Utilities rethink strategy
The separation of operational and information technology at utilities across Europe is opening doors for cyber criminals Continue Reading
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News
01 Sep 2022
Google workers oppose cloud contract with Israeli government
Google workers and Palestinian rights activists call on company to divest from involvement in cloud and artificial intelligence contract with Israeli government and military, following allegations the tech giant has retaliated against an employee for being publicly critical of the deal Continue Reading
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News
31 Aug 2022
Four years into GDPR, Norway hopes for safer data transfer to US
Much of the data on the internet ends up on US servers at some point, and that is not always compatible with the General Data Protection Regulation, says Norwegian data protection authority Continue Reading
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News
30 Aug 2022
Confronting the unique challenges of hiring IT professionals in Saudi Arabia
As Saudi Arabia undergoes an economic transformation, new mandates are being implemented to help Saudi nationals keep up with global talent requirements Continue Reading
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News
08 Aug 2022
Internet giants in favour as Ireland tightens rules on datacentres
Irish premier Michael Martin has insisted its temporary squeeze on datacentre construction is not a moratorium on the industry Continue Reading
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News
19 Jul 2022
European IT services see bumper quarter, but signs of slowing emerge
Spending on IT and BPO services in Europe saw significant growth in the past quarter, but there are signs of a slowdown Continue Reading
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News
08 Jul 2022
Sweden and GDPR – four years on
Swedish data protection coordinator talks to Computer Weekly four years into the General Data Protection Regulation Continue Reading
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News
07 Jul 2022
UK government does not yet understand threat of technology to foreign policy
Select committee chair warns government that the threat posed to global security by malign actors influencing tech standards is no ‘dystopian fantasy’ Continue Reading
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E-Zine
07 Jul 2022
CW Middle East: UAE citizens embrace new digital technologies
A survey shows that people in the United Arab Emirates believe next-generation technologies such as 3D printing and artificial intelligence will become widespread in the country. Also read how the UAE has improved its security posture amid mounting cyber threats. Continue Reading
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News
27 Jun 2022
Commercial cyber products must be used responsibly, says NCSC CEO
NCSC’s Lindy Cameron is to speak out on responsible regulation of cyber capabilities at an event in Tel Aviv, Israel Continue Reading
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Feature
27 Jun 2022
The cyber security impact of Operation Russia by Anonymous
The campaign against the Russian government by Anonymous surprised many with the depth and scale of the cyber attacks. What can we learn from this online war? Continue Reading
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Feature
23 Jun 2022
What the world can learn from Saudi Arabia’s fight against industrial control system attacks
Iran learned from attacks on its infrastructure and unleashed similar malware on Saudi Arabia. The world has now gained valuable lessons from the Saudi response Continue Reading
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News
20 Jun 2022
Complex Russian cyber threat requires we go back to basics
The situation in Russia is anything but simple, but it is the fundamentals of cyber security hygiene that pose the best defence against the country’s digital threat, as Mandiant’s Jamie Collier explains Continue Reading
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News
13 Jun 2022
New warning over tech suppliers in thrall to hostile governments
Ukraine war could lead to shakeup of dual-use tech exports, says former UK intelligence officer Continue Reading
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News
13 Jun 2022
Qatar bolsters cyber security in preparation for World Cup
With hackers honing their cyber weapons to target the upcoming football World Cup, Qatar is busy developing countermeasures and raising awareness Continue Reading
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News
30 May 2022
UAE residents think 3D printing will have the most positive impact on society
People in the UAE believe next-generation technologies such as 3D printing and artificial intelligence will become widespread in the country Continue Reading
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News
16 May 2022
Europol gears up to collect big data on European citizens after MEPs vote to expand policing power
The European Parliament has voted to expand Europol’s role, legalising its processing of bulk datasets containing personal information and endorsing research into predictive policing technologies Continue Reading
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Podcast
29 Apr 2022
Podcast: War, geo-political risk, data storage and compliance
We talk to Mathieu Gorge, CEO of Vigitrust, about impacts on compliance and data storage from instability in geo-political events, such as the Russian invasion of Ukraine Continue Reading
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News
26 Apr 2022
BCS passes defiant Ukrainian tech industry message to its members
BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT, has passed on a message from Ukrainian IT suppliers that the country is open for, and in need of, business Continue Reading
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News
22 Apr 2022
UAE bolsters cyber security
The United Arab Emirates has successfully improved its security posture amid mounting cyber threats Continue Reading
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News
21 Apr 2022
European cities moving fast to change business of parking
German cities are using the latest smart parking technology to reduce traffic and car pollution while collecting more fees for parking Continue Reading
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News
20 Apr 2022
NSO Group faces court action after Pegasus spyware used against targets in UK
Three human rights activists whose phones were targeted by spyware traced to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have begun legal action against both countries and Israel’s NSO Group Technologies Continue Reading
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News
11 Apr 2022
Mastercard opens European tech hub in Dublin
Mastercard is doubling its technology workforce in Dublin through a new European tech hub in the Irish capital Continue Reading
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News
07 Apr 2022
European IT and BPO outsourcing off to strong start
European IT and business process outsourcing services continue to increase rapidly, with cloud-based services now more than half of the total Continue Reading
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E-Zine
07 Apr 2022
CW Middle East: UAE and UK researchers work on ‘trustworthy’ cloud OS for datacentres
Imperial College London is embarking on a three-year project with an Abu Dhabi-based group of researchers to find ways for datacentre operators and cloud providers to secure their infrastructure. Also read how Dubai is positioning itself to reap the benefits of a promising global market for drone technology. Continue Reading
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News
05 Apr 2022
Saudi Arabian ICT sector hits $32.1bn after strong pandemic response
The Saudi Arabian IT and communications sector is recovering strongly from the Covid-19 pandemic Continue Reading
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News
18 Mar 2022
Ukrainian cyber defences prove resilient
Thanks to a combination of prior experience and global support, Ukraine’s defences against cyber incidents are holding strong in the face of Russian attacks Continue Reading
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News
17 Mar 2022
Ukrainian tech journalists join fight to fill news void
Technology journalists in Ukraine are raising funds to enable them to help Ukrainians survive during the Russian invasion Continue Reading
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News
15 Mar 2022
Abu Dhabi aims for a paradigm shift in drone delivery
Abu Dhabi’s drone network could become the world’s first drone platform that serves a wide variety of use cases for different industries across an entire city Continue Reading
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News
14 Mar 2022
BNP Paribas to recruit 1,000 more women in IT
Spanish bank sets target of adding 1,000 more female IT professionals to its workforce over the next two years Continue Reading
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News
07 Mar 2022
Deutsche Bank tests IT operation resilience amid potential loss of Russian centre
German bank is confident the possible loss of operations in Russia will not affect the day-to-day running of its business Continue Reading
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News
07 Mar 2022
Ukrainian engineers fight to keep internet online
IT professionals in Ukraine are working tirelessly and at great risk to keep the country connected to the internet during the Russian invasion Continue Reading
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News
02 Mar 2022
Middle East IT spending to recover to at least pre-pandemic levels
Middle East IT leaders expect budgets to increase this year, with spending to match or exceed pre-Covid levels Continue Reading
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News
01 Mar 2022
Zopa Bank to sponsor 50 Ukrainian tech professionals with visa offer
IT companies are reaching out to IT professionals in the Ukraine with offers of support for those looking to work in the UK Continue Reading
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News
28 Feb 2022
EU big tech laws put in context by Russian invasion of Ukraine
Pressure is mounting on EU institutions to cut back regulations they are preparing to impose on US big tech firms while forming laws to create a single digital market Continue Reading
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News
28 Feb 2022
Ukraine cyber attacks seen spiking, but no destructive cyber war yet
While cyber attacks linked to Russia’s war on Ukraine are taking place, they are having little impact beyond the region Continue Reading
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News
11 Feb 2022
Why security professionals should pay attention to what Russia is doing
Even though the average organisation is an unlikely target for a Russian state cyber attack, here's why security teams still need to watch what Russian threat groups are up to Continue Reading
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News
03 Feb 2022
UAE chooses Accenture to develop national payments platform
Consortium led by Accenture to build new payments infrastructure in the United Arab Emirates Continue Reading
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News
02 Feb 2022
Saudi Arabia to invest billions of dollars in technology and startups
Saudi Arabia announces $6.4bn investment in its tech sector as part of plans to diversify its economy Continue Reading
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News
01 Feb 2022
Dubai’s fledgling drone programme gets another nudge
Through a series of initiatives, Dubai is positioning itself to reap the benefits of a promising global market for drone technology Continue Reading
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News
27 Jan 2022
CISOs must get out in front of Ukraine cyber crisis, says NCSC
The National Cyber Security Centre is urging UK organisations to take steps to bolster their cyber security resilience in response to the ongoing Ukraine crisis Continue Reading
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News
27 Jan 2022
Imperial College London embarks on cloud security research push with Abu Dhabi tech hub
Imperial College London is embarking on a three-year project with an Abu Dhabi-based group of researchers to find ways for datacentre operators and cloud providers to secure their infrastructure Continue Reading
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News
26 Jan 2022
More intel emerges on WhisperGate malware that hit Ukraine
Security experts have been poring over the WhisperGate malware with which alleged Russia-backed entities targeted Ukrainian government websites Continue Reading
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News
25 Jan 2022
Prepare, but don’t panic, over supposed Russian cyber threat
A fresh alert from the US Department of Homeland Security may have IT security teams jumpy over the possibility that their organisations could be targeted by Russian state actors Continue Reading
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E-Zine
13 Jan 2022
CW Middle East: What does Saudi Arabia’s autonomous vehicle agenda mean for the world?
If all goes according to plan, within a few years, one million people will live in Saudi Arabia’s ‘city of the future’ – and every one of them will depend on a fleet of self-driving cars. Also in this issue, read about the UAE's bid to become a world-leading location for artificial intelligence innovation. Continue Reading
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News
12 Jan 2022
Outsourced IT and business services hit record levels in 2021
Spending on IT and business process outsourcing services in Europe hits highest ever level in 2021, with cloud service spending continuing to grow rapidly Continue Reading
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News
06 Jan 2022
How far has Saudi Arabia come with open data?
While clearly on the right path, Saudi Arabia still has a lot to do before it reaps the full benefits of open data Continue Reading
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News
23 Dec 2021
Top 10 Middle East IT stories of 2021
The Middle East is about more than oil these days, with advanced technology industries developing across the region. Here are Computer Weekly’s top 10 Middle East IT stories of 2021 Continue Reading
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News
10 Dec 2021
UAE joins the race to produce a usable quantum computer
As part of its ongoing effort to keep up with the latest technology, the United Arab Emirates has begun work on the region’s first quantum computer Continue Reading
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News
07 Dec 2021
AI assistant Bürokratt to reduce bureaucracy in Estonian government
Estonia to launch a Siri-like digital assistant that will automate the completion of government service requests Continue Reading
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News
06 Dec 2021
European finance firms increase open banking spend
Financial services firms are increasing investment in open banking capabilities, with improvements to payment initiation and onboarding capabilities expected Continue Reading
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News
01 Dec 2021
Unesco member states adopt AI ethics recommendation
The non-binding recommendation seeks to define a common set of values and principles to guide the development of ethical AI globally Continue Reading
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News
16 Nov 2021
Can UAE become a world leader in AI?
The UAE has launched multiple programmes as it bids to be a world-leading location for artificial intelligence innovation Continue Reading
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News
09 Nov 2021
Vienna’s tech startup ecosystem gathers momentum
After a sustained period of inactivity, Vienna’s startup environment is finally on the rise again Continue Reading