Culture How Argentina-Spain World Cup final became debate over Israel, Palestine Governments and fans alike have turned teams and players into symbols of political division. Palestine
What we know about UAE blocking X accounts accused of misinformation A number of X accounts including Al Arabiya Breaking are now not accessible in the Gulf state as Abu Dhabi navigates regional turmoil. United Arab Emirates
UAE AI investor MGX moves closer to strategic stake in TikTok US The state-linked Emirati investment firm is set to acquire a 15% stake in the social media platform's new US business as part of a plan that would avert a nationwide ban starting in 2026. United Arab Emirates
Analysis Gulf investors emerge as key players in US social media giants TikTok, Snap, X With UAE tech investor MGX set to take a stake in TikTok's US operations, investors from the Middle East could cement their role in America's social media landscape. By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
New platform to monitor digital rights violations in Palestine "7or" will collect, document and take action on restrictions facing Palestinian content. Palestine
Iranian public fears government plan to restrict cyberspace Critics say the plan harms free access to the Internet and social networking media, which small business owners rely heavily on. Iran
Egyptian victims of sexual extortion find help online The Qawem platform receives more than 300 assistance requests a day from women and girls who have been subjected to sexual extortion. Egypt
Egypt’s top religious authority opens TikTok account Egypt’s Dar al-Ifta has created an account on TikTok to reach a wider and younger generation in a move that is being criticized by many in Egypt. Egypt
Gazan shares realities of poverty via TikTok A young man from Gaza is using social media to shed light on the poverty and difficult living conditions of many residents in the besieged enclave amid the lack of action from Palestinian authorities. Palestine
Turkey’s plans for new social media restrictions threaten five years in prison for spreading fake news The latest crackdown on online speech could see users jailed for posting fake news that critics say could criminalize dissent. Turkey
Turkish prosecutor investigates tweets calling for help with wildfires Ankara claims that Twitter hashtags calling for international aid with the wildfires raging through the country were "organized abroad" with "ideological motivations" in what critics say is a panicked attempt to change the narrative of Turkish helplessness to contain the crisis. Turkey
Facebook says Iranian hackers spied on US military personnel using fake accounts The social media company said the hackers baited targets into clicking on malicious links that would infect their devices with malware. Iran
Turkish sexologists attract following on social media As the ruling AKP tries to shut down the conversation on sexuality, Turkey's public finds new ways to gather and speak openly about their lives and desires. Turkey
Egypt sentences two TikTok activists to jail The ruling issued by an Egyptian court sentencing two TikTok activists to prison sparked controversy over the status of the electronic application in the country, amid parliamentary demands to censor its content. Egypt
Egypt arrests TikTok influencer over 'human trafficking' A Cairo court sentenced university student Haneen Hossam to 10 years in prison and fined her 200,000 Egyptian pounds. Egypt
US government seizes news sites linked to Iran The US government seized several websites affiliated with Iran and its allies, including Press TV. Iran
