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
04 Nov 2024
Financiers isolate Middle East over sanctions-evading paytech
Cross-border payment system loses support of association of global central banks Continue Reading
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News
29 Oct 2024
Tata Consultancy Services to deliver Irish pension scheme
Indian IT services giant adds to its growing customer base in the pensions sector with Irish contract win Continue Reading
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News
22 Jan 2020
UK and EU AI communities will only be globally significant if they work as one
The European Union and the UK will be left behind in artificial intelligence research and development if they take separate paths after Brexit Continue Reading
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News
21 Jan 2020
Two-fifths of Middle East IT staff would change job for more money
IT professionals in the Middle East are mostly motivated by money when it comes to finding a new job, according to a Computer Weekly survey Continue Reading
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News
20 Jan 2020
Over a quarter of Middle East businesses have no women in their IT department
Businesses in the Middle East are failing to balance their IT workforces between men and women, and a quarter have no women in IT roles Continue Reading
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News
13 Jan 2020
Travelex to begin restoring foreign exchange services two weeks after ‘Sodinokibi’ attack
Travelex says it is making “good progress” in its recovery and is to begin restoring electronic foreign exchange services, but is silent about whether it has agreed to pay hackers a $6m ransom to decrypt computer files Continue Reading
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News
09 Jan 2020
Travelex hackers threaten to sell credit card data on dark web
Sodinokibi cyber gangsters have threatened to sell Travelex customers’ private data on a Russian underground cyber crime forum if it fails to pay a $6m ransom Continue Reading
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E-Zine
09 Jan 2020
CW Middle East: Digital leads the way for Abu Dhabi oil giant
The state-owned Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) is transforming its business through digital projects that range from deciding where to drill for oil and gas, to helping the company decide where to sell its final products. Also find out in this issue why the UAE is setting up a university dedicated to artificial intelligence, and read an interview with Mohamed Sater, head of IT at Bahrain sovereign wealth fund Mumtalakat. Continue Reading
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News
06 Jan 2020
Cyber gangsters demand payment from Travelex after ‘Sodinokibi’ attack
Cyber criminals are demanding payment to decrypt Travelex’s computer files after a devastating malware attack. New questions have been raised about the security of Travelex’s computer network after it emerged the company waited eight months to patch vulnerable VPN servers Continue Reading
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News
03 Jan 2020
Suspected ransomware attack causes worldwide disruption for Travelex
Travelex switches off computer systems and resorts to cash-only currency sales after malware attack. Insiders claim the currency exchange chain has been hit by ransomware which has left critical files containing customer data encrypted Continue Reading
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News
24 Dec 2019
Top 10 enterprise IT in the Middle East stories of 2019
Here are Computer Weekly’s top 10 enterprise IT in the Middle East stories of 2019 Continue Reading
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News
18 Dec 2019
How Saudi Arabia plans to become the Silicon Valley of the Middle East
With its young and educated population, Saudi Arabia has the potential to become a hub for tech innovation Continue Reading
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News
11 Dec 2019
How can CIOs in Europe turn innovation into a competitive advantage?
CIOs across Europe are under pressure to innovate to help businesses grow and must think differently as a result Continue Reading
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News
09 Dec 2019
Cloud computing surges in the UAE in 2019
Cloud computing take-up saw a significant acceleration in the Middle East throughout this year Continue Reading
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News
09 Dec 2019
Dubai’s Kentech kicks off digital transformation drive
Energy and industrial support company will go live in Oracle’s cloud next month Continue Reading
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News
21 Nov 2019
Swiss packaging manufacturer powers digital maintenance with GE and ServiceMax
Carton and packaging company SIG, which also sells IoT-connected machines to food and beverage firms, has developed a digital maintenance service Continue Reading
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News
21 Nov 2019
Collaboration is key to rapid adoption of govtech across Europe
Government technology is spreading across Europe, but policy-makers and senior civil servants are still figuring out best practices Continue Reading
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News
11 Nov 2019
Zain taps Ericsson for 5G network
Zain commissions Ericsson for 5G technology to meet growing data traffic demands and deliver high-quality mobile broadband and fixed wireless experiences, encompassing new business in the automotive, health and energy sectors Continue Reading
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News
07 Nov 2019
Saudis recruited Twitter employees to spy on critics
Court documents reveal how the Saudi Arabian government targeted Twitter employees as part of a coordinated effort to gather information on known dissidents Continue Reading
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News
07 Nov 2019
Abu Dhabi AI university is key to UAE’s future as the oil dries up
Abu Dhabi’s fledgling artificial intelligence university is part of a highly ambitious 30-year plan to transform the UAE’s economy and culture Continue Reading
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News
04 Nov 2019
Thousands apply to Abu Dhabi AI University in first week
Artificial intelligence university in Abu Dhabi gets more than 3,000 applications in the week following its application process being opened Continue Reading
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News
23 Oct 2019
Interview: Abdul Nasser Al Mughairbi, head of digital, Abu Dhabi National Oil Company
Abdul Nasser Al Mughairbi is leading digital developments at Abu Dhabi's state-owned oil giant Continue Reading
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News
22 Oct 2019
Abu Dhabi National Oil Company uses blockchain for inter-group network
The Abu Dhabi National Oil Company is using blockchain internally, with plans to expand it beyond the group boundaries Continue Reading
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News
17 Oct 2019
Abu Dhabi AI university open for applications
New university in UAE aims to enable students, businesses and governments to increase the use of artificial intelligence technology Continue Reading
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E-Zine
10 Oct 2019
CW Middle East: Saudi banks trial biometrics in ATMs
Biometric and blockchain technologies are being used in tandem to provide ID verification at Saudi Arabian cash machines. Also read about the first government organisation in Bahrain to migrate to Amazon Web Services, and an interview with Yasmeen Al Sharaf, head of fintech and innovation unit, Central Bank of Bahrain. Continue Reading
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News
10 Oct 2019
UK and Middle East PR firm ditches NetApp for Nutanix and Talon Fast
Four Communications needed better connectivity for collaboration between the UK and its gulf sites, so dumped server/storage for hyper-converged and a distributed file system Continue Reading
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News
09 Oct 2019
CIO interview: Mohamed Sater, head of IT at Mumtalakat
Mumtalakat’s head of IT, Mohamed Sater, is modernising the IT infrastructure of the organisation through cloud computing Continue Reading
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News
30 Sep 2019
Dubai’s Precision Group takes manufacturing into the cloud
Head of IT at mould and packaging company talks about leading its digital transformation programme Continue Reading
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News
18 Sep 2019
Facebook automatically generates pages for Islamic State and Al-Qaeda
Facebook algorithms have auto-generated hundreds of Facebook pages for the Islamic State, Al-Qaeda and Ansar al-Sharia, according to a whistleblower Continue Reading
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News
17 Sep 2019
Inside Oman’s new tech startup drive
Oman is aspiring to be a tech startup hub and is on a mission to compete with its neighbours in the Gulf Continue Reading
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News
19 Aug 2019
First government organisation in Bahrain migrates to Amazon Web Services
Sovereign wealth fund’s internal IT team handled migration process, which has slashed the organisation’s technology operational costs Continue Reading
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News
14 Aug 2019
GDPR faces growing pains across Europe
The General Data Protection Regulation is over a year old now, but it faces challenges across Europe where compliance has taken place at different speeds Continue Reading
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News
31 Jul 2019
Middle East businesses welcome Amazon Web Services region launch
Bahrain AWS region, with three datacentres, links Middle East to AWS's global network and will help to accelerate digital transformation Continue Reading
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News
15 Jul 2019
Organisations turn to AI in race against cyber attackers
Businesses are racing to automate their defences as hackers and nation states launch increasingly sophisticated cyber attacks Continue Reading
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E-Zine
11 Jul 2019
CW Middle East: SAP drives digital transformation for Saudi Arabian auto company
The automotive division of Saudi Arabia’s Abdul Latif Jameel Company (ALJC) has completed one of the biggest SAP projects ever undertaken in the automotive distribution sector. Also in this issue, read about Dubai-based delivery app Fetchr’s bid to become one of the largest tech companies in the Middle East, and how a UAE startup is using digital technology to simplify medical appointment bookings. Continue Reading
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- 10 Jul 2019
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Feature
01 Jul 2019
Facebook’s privacy game – how Zuckerberg backtracked on promises to protect personal data
Facebook promised its users privacy then quietly abandoned its promises in pursuit of profits. Now it faces antitrust regulation Continue Reading
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News
28 Jun 2019
Interview: Yasmeen Al Sharaf, head of fintech and innovation unit, Central Bank of Bahrain
Yasmeen Al Sharaf heads up financial technology strategy at Bahrain’s central bank, which is on a mission to grow and diversify the sector in the Middle East island state Continue Reading
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News
25 Jun 2019
Saudi banks trial blockchain-based identity technology at ATMs
Biometric and blockchain technologies are being used in tandem to provide ID verification at Saudi Arabian cash machines Continue Reading
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Opinion
11 Jun 2019
Should tech companies capitalise R&D spending?
Technology companies frequently ask whether they should capitalise their research and development costs. There are clear benefits, increasing reported profit and hence potential valuations, but what are the risks? Continue Reading
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News
10 Jun 2019
Etihad Airways uses artificial intelligence to source ideas from staff
UAE airline works with tech startup to create a platform to help it apply employees’ ideas to address business challenges Continue Reading
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News
05 Jun 2019
Emirates NBD builds bank of future with Amazon Web Services
UAE bank is accessing the latest technology through a close relationship with IT giant Amazon Web Services Continue Reading
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News
31 May 2019
Facebook loses bid to halt European court decision on EU-US data sharing
Irish Supreme Court dismisses attempt by Facebook to prevent the European Court of Justice considering the validity of US-EU data transfers, after Austrian lawyer Max Schrems argued that they put the privacy of EU citizens at risk Continue Reading
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News
28 May 2019
Saudi Arabia’s largest auto company completes SAP project as part of digital transformation
Abdul Latif Jameel Motors wins SAP Quality Gold Award for digital revamp programme that overhauled performance and efficiency across its business Continue Reading
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News
21 May 2019
Middle East Interview: Dubai-based Fetchr
Delivery app Fetchr is spreading across the Middle East with its mobile-to-mobile delivery service. We talk to its founder Continue Reading
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News
15 May 2019
Facebook engaged in ‘calculated’ campaign to eliminate competition, claims businessman
A US businessman is seeking damages from Facebook after accusing the social media company of unfairly blocking “humorous” Facebook pages which generated hundreds of thousands of dollars in advertising revenue Continue Reading
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News
09 May 2019
Facebook co-founder: ‘It is time to break up Facebook’
Co-founder of Facebook, Chris Hughes, has published an op-ed in The New York Times calling for Facebook to be broken up, as it faces investigations from the US Federal Trade Commission Continue Reading
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News
01 May 2019
Middle East Interview: Bahrain fintech drive gathers speed
Bahrain wants to be a launchpad into the wider region for financial technology firms looking to scale Continue Reading
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News
26 Apr 2019
Facebook faces fresh privacy actions from regulators
Facebook faces legal action from Canada after it dismissed regulators’ findings that it failed to protect customer privacy. The firm has set aside $5bn to settle a privacy action in the US and faces a new investigation in Ireland Continue Reading
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News
23 Apr 2019
Egypt aims to develop coding skills earlier in education system
An Egyptian government initiative will see thousands of teenagers trained to code in HTML, CSS and Python Continue Reading
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News
18 Apr 2019
Etihad Airways automates customer and luggage journey monitoring
National airline of United Arab Emirates, Etihad Airways, will improve passenger journeys through automated monitoring Continue Reading
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News
17 Apr 2019
Middle East CIOs optimistic as budgets increase and digital transformations expand
Cyber security and risk management will see the biggest increase in spending, but digital transformation of businesses is a major driver of investment, survey shows Continue Reading
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News
15 Apr 2019
Facebook takes extraordinary legal steps to contain document leak
Facebook targets journalists and news organisations for computer searches Continue Reading
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E-Zine
11 Apr 2019
CW Middle East: Visibility and security of networks are top IT priorities
The 2019 Computer Weekly/TechTarget IT Priorities survey shows that enterprise buyers in the Middle East, like those in the UK and Europe, are looking to lock down their networks in the face of an almost constant barrage of threats and malicious actors. Also read how Facebook planned to use its Android app to track the location of its customers and to allow advertisers to send political advertising, and what further details operator O2 has revealed about how it is planning for the advent of 5G. Continue Reading
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News
10 Apr 2019
Skype blocked in UAE will hit businesses as well as people
Skype has been blocked to users in the United Arab Emirates, and its effects will be felt by businesses as well as citizens Continue Reading
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News
02 Apr 2019
Huawei reports record numbers despite tumultuous year
Huawei has become one of the world’s largest technology companies by revenue, suggesting the accusations over its ties to the Chinese government are failing to have much impact Continue Reading
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News
29 Mar 2019
Middle East countries accelerate quantum computing research
Gulf countries must invest in quantum computing research to ensure they continue to to remain digital pioneers Continue Reading
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News
14 Mar 2019
Met Police collaborated with US prosecutors in WikiLeaks investigation
The Metropolitan Police has confirmed it exchanged information on WikiLeaks staff in the UK with the US Department of Justice, which is conducting criminal investigations into the organisation Continue Reading
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News
13 Mar 2019
Revolutionising patient booking in the Gulf
Startup in the Gulf region is applying digital technology to solve the inefficiencies in medical appointment booking processes Continue Reading
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E-Zine
08 Mar 2019
CW Europe: Robots deliver savings for Dutch postal service
In this issue we look at how Dutch delivery company PostNL is reaping huge efficiency savings by using robotic technology to automate time-consuming administrative tasks, Facebook’s opposition to the referral of questions about the legality of data transfers between Europe and the US to the European Court of Justice, and how Oslo is thriving from a unique combination of business agility, a cultural receptiveness to technology, and a social desire to do good. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
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News
04 Mar 2019
UK among most expensive countries for mobile data
The UK ranks 136th in the world for the average cost of 1GB of mobile data, according to new statistics Continue Reading
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News
02 Mar 2019
Facebook asked George Osborne to influence EU data protection law
Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg invited one of the chancellor’s children to Facebook’s office as part of a intensive lobbying programme to influence European data protection legislation Continue Reading
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News
22 Feb 2019
Facebook planned to spy on Android phone users, internal emails reveal
Facebook planned to use its Android app to track the location of its customers and to allow advertisers to send political advertising and invites to dating sites to ‘single’ people, confidential documents show Continue Reading
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News
20 Feb 2019
Estonia redoubles efforts to attract global IT talent
IT professionals from all over the world are being lured to Estonia through a government recruitment campaign Continue Reading
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News
21 Jan 2019
Bahrain plans to create a world-leading tech ecosystem
Bahrain is building a technology ecosystem that will help the country further reduce its economic reliance on the oil and gas industry Continue Reading
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E-Zine
10 Jan 2019
CW Middle East: Bahrain aims to be fintech hub
Bahrain’s government wants to make the country the go-to place in the Middle East for financial technology companies. It hopes to capitalise on its banking know-how to establish an ambitious fintech “ecosystem”. Also read about Dubai’s plans for the Smart Data platform and the UAE Pass, a digital ID and signature, and how Shell is using AI to amplify the human impact of its workforce. Continue Reading
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Opinion
31 Dec 2018
Can we live without passwords?
Can you imagine a future in which we can be secure online without having to remember an unwieldly list of passwords? Solutions are emerging that could make passwords redundant, but there will be other security problems to resolve Continue Reading
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News
27 Dec 2018
Top 10 Middle East stories of 2018
Here are Computer Weekly’s top 10 Middle East enterprise IT stories of 2018 Continue Reading
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Opinion
06 Dec 2018
Douglas Engelbart, the forgotten hero of modern computing
Half a century ago, Douglas Engelbart demonstrated an experimental computer that laid the foundations for modern computing. His vision to use computing power to solve complex problems in all areas of human activity has become reality, but not in the way that he imagined Continue Reading
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Opinion
28 Nov 2018
More effective digital transformation through the power of your own people
The old model of escalating decisions up and down the management chain does not work any more. Business leaders need to delegate responsibility for projects to business and technology specialists and eliminate the fear of failure Continue Reading
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News
26 Nov 2018
China leapfrogs US in supercomputer deployments
China has more than twice the number of supercomputers than the US, and it is finding a ready market for its Lenovo supercomputers among US tech companies in Ireland, the latest top 500 supercomputer list reveals Continue Reading
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News
06 Nov 2018
Smart Dubai platform is the backbone of the city's transformation
Aisha bin Bishr, director general at Smart Dubai Office, talks about the Smart Data platform and soon-to-be-unveiled UAE Pass, a digital ID and signature which is being touted as one of the foundations a city needs to transform Continue Reading
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News
06 Nov 2018
GSMA urges fresh action on 5G mobile spectrum
Mobile industry body says time is running out to ready enough radio frequency spectrum in the appropriate bands to account for the demands of 5G mobile networks Continue Reading
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News
01 Nov 2018
How Bahrain plans to become a regional fintech hub
Bahrain is a small island with big plans for its financial technology industry Continue Reading
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News
24 Oct 2018
Autonomous taxi trials underway in Dubai
Dubai’s transport authority has started road testing the region’s first autonomous taxi, designed in partnership with Dubai Silicon Oasis and DG World Continue Reading
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News
23 Oct 2018
CIOs and the cloud: The future of European enterprise software
European organisations are moving to the cloud rapidly, but trepidation remains in concerning certain aspects, such as security Continue Reading
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News
18 Oct 2018
Dubai Health Authority unveils virtual health app for GP consultations
Health authority adopts new technology as part of the Dubai Future Accelerators initiative Continue Reading
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News
18 Oct 2018
Middle East gears up for 5G
The race for 5G is well and truly under way, and the UAE and Saudi Arabia are well positioned to be among the first countries in the world to deliver the benefits of this new telecoms protocol Continue Reading
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News
18 Oct 2018
Best of VMworld Europe 2018 Awards nominations now open until 26 October
Read the criteria for the Best of VMworld Europe User Awards and find out how to submit your nomination Continue Reading
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News
15 Oct 2018
Big expectations, huge presence: Gitex 2018 opens
Artificial intelligence, blockchain, 5G, robotics, and virtual and augmented reality are all in the spotlight at Gitex Technology Week 2018 in Dubai Continue Reading
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E-Zine
11 Oct 2018
CW Middle East: Middle East warms to humanoid robots
Countries in the Middle East are warming to humanoid robotics, robotic process automation and artificial intelligence as these technologies become widely accepted globally. Also in this issue, read why Saudi Arabia has called on London’s fintechs to set up in the country with the promise of government support, and find out how the Gulf Warehousing Company has introduced cloud-based technology to replace paper processes used by its HR department. Continue Reading
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News
26 Sep 2018
At the new Cisco, culture is as important as innovation
Cisco’s newly appointed SVP of Emear, Wendy Mars, shares her thoughts on the state of network innovation within the industry, and explains why cultural change is just as important an element of a digital strategy Continue Reading
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News
24 Sep 2018
InfoWatch opens training centre to help address Middle East skills shortage
Security supplier offers Middle East customers cyber security and digital training facility as organisations in the region struggle to equip staff with latest skills Continue Reading
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News
17 Sep 2018
Middle East hungry for digitisation, says GE’s Bill Ruh
The Middle East is among the most enthusiastic regions in terms of applying digital business models to traditional industries Continue Reading
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News
13 Sep 2018
TechUK blasts European Parliament-backed revamp of EU-wide copyright laws
Tech industry trade body claims the changes spell bad news for web users, after European Parliament MEPs vote in favour of plans to modernise the copyright laws for the digital age Continue Reading
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News
12 Sep 2018
FCA warns it cannot manage financial crime risks without sharing data with EU
FCA admits it will be unable to manage financial crime effectively if it cannot share data with EU authorities. Continue Reading
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News
29 Aug 2018
IT leaders at a crossroads as they grapple with digital technology
CIOs have the opportunity to influence their company strategy as digital technology reshapes business. A survey of CIOs across 70 countries charts a path for IT leaders through emerging technologies Continue Reading
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News
24 Aug 2018
Dubai Health Authority launches artificial intelligence strategy
Healthcare organisation is rolling out next-generation technology in its health facilities to improve patient care Continue Reading
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News
05 Aug 2018
The rise of humanoid robotics in the Middle East
Middle East CIOs are planning to roll out intelligent automation technologies such as artificial intelligence and humanoid robotics Continue Reading
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News
30 Jul 2018
Dubai disputes court and Smart Dubai partner to apply blockchain
Organisations in Dubai are working on developing the principal of blockchain-based courts Continue Reading
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News
17 Jul 2018
Saudi Arabia entices UK fintechs to its shores
Saudi Arabia is offering fintechs from other countries the opportunity to access its large internal market Continue Reading
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E-Zine
12 Jul 2018
CW Middle East: Can Saudi Arabia build the Silicon Valley of the Middle East?
In April this year, Saudi Arabia’s crown prince Mohammed Bin Salman visited Silicon Valley in the US to meet tech giants such as Apple and Amazon in its efforts to fast-forward the kingdom’s technology capabilities. Read about its lofty ambitions. Also in this issue, read how demand for skilled IT professionals is increasing rapidly in the Middle East, which is facing a talent crunch. Meanwhile, Gulf Cooperation Council smart city initiatives are gathering momentum. Continue Reading
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News
04 Jul 2018
European banks need to balance fintech strategies
European Banking Authority highlights the risks of banks taking up fintech too quickly, and of ignoring it Continue Reading
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News
02 Jul 2018
Case study: Logistics firm GWC moves from paper to digital HR in three months
Qatar-based logistics firm Gulf Warehousing Company introduced smart appraisals for employees, cut the time it takes to recruit, and gave staff and managers access to accurate HR data by replacing paper systems with human resources software Continue Reading
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News
29 Jun 2018
British Muslim considers appeal after court rules repeated terrorism stops are legal
Muzaffar Abdullah, a 37-year-old gas engineer who has been stopped and questioned by police at airports at least 10 times, is considering an appeal after being found guilty of wilful obstruction for refusing to answer questions under controversial terrorism legislation. He received a conditional discharge. Continue Reading
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Opinion
05 Jun 2018
Big data skills shortages – and how to work around them
Businesses are finding it hard to recruit enough people with big data and analytics skills, but for CIOs there are alternative strategies to consider Continue Reading
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News
17 May 2018
Interxion expands colocation footprint in Marseille with second datacentre opening
Carrier-neutral colocation provider Interxion has opened the first phase of its second datacentre in Marseille, as the demand for lower-latency cloud connections to Africa and beyond grows Continue Reading
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News
16 May 2018
Saudi-con Valley? Kingdom’s bid for global tech leadership
Has Saudi Arabia got what it takes to build the latest Silicon Valley? Continue Reading
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News
15 May 2018
Cage director Rabbani heads for Supreme Court after appeals court rules password demands lawful
Muhammad Rabbani, director of campaigning group Cage, will appeal to the Supreme Court after Court of Appeal rules that police did not act unlawfully by demanding his computer and mobile phone passwords under Section 7 of the Terrorism Act Continue Reading
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Opinion
10 May 2018
Hacking the internet of things just got easier – it’s time to look at your security
Are you taking security for internet-connected devices seriously enough? Continue Reading
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News
01 May 2018
Gulf Cooperation Council smart city initiatives garner momentum
The Middle East is a hotbed for smart city developments, with activities in the region maturing and adapting to what citizens want Continue Reading
