France blames Iran for supermarket fridge hack, seeks EU sanctions French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot on Monday blamed Iran for the October cyberattack that disabled refrigeration at supermarkets across France. Iran
Turkey probes Google’s AI search tools, orders protections for news websites Turkey’s competition watchdog said it is assessing whether AI-generated answers appearing on Google Search divert traffic from news sites and impose unfair content-use terms. Turkey
OpenAI's Altman signs UAE energy, government deals amid Gulf funding push The deals deepen the company’s ties to the UAE as the ChatGPT creator pursues a massive new funding round with help from Middle East investors. United Arab Emirates
Explainer What Iran’s threats to Hormuz internet cables mean for Gulf Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has threatened to cut crucial internet and communications routes in the region if US aggression escalates. Iran
Turkish technology fair comes to Azerbaijan Teknofest will take place in Baku in May, following a technological agreement between Turkey and Azerbaijan last year. News Brief
Saudi Arabia partners with China’s Huawei on talent development The US government has warned Middle Eastern states against doing business with the Chinese tech firm, which has been accused of intellectual theft and enabling the internment of Uyghur Muslims. News Brief
FBI admits to obtaining Israeli-made Pegasus spyware The FBI said it bought the controversial spyware tool for “product testing and evaluation only” and never deployed it. Israel
Israel to use laser air defense system within year, PM says Naftali Bennett also said he hopes ongoing talks over Iran's nuclear program "end without agreement." News Brief
Saudi Arabia to invest billions in metaverse, blockchain technology The kingdom, which is seeking to reduce its dependence on oil, made the announcement at the futuristic LEAP technology forum in Riyadh. News Brief
Low-cost internet services reach Syria's al-Bab Internet access in the countryside of Aleppo are rapidly expanding thanks to private companies and intense competition. Syria
Saudi investment fund starts gaming group The fund, which is headed by the crown prince, will work on developing video game competitions with two European companies. News Brief
Human Rights Watch staffer hacked with Pegasus spyware A digital forensic analysis determined phones belonging Lama Fakih, HRW’s crisis and conflict director, were hacked between April and August 2021. News Brief
El Salvador journalists reportedly targeted by Pegasus spyware A cyber watchdog report found the phones of at least 35 journalists and activists in the Latin American country were infected with the controversial Pegasus spyware. Israel
Egypt aims to localize car industry with Emirati support Egypt is trying its best to deliver its plan to localize the automobile industry, as it cooperates with Abu Dhabi to produce and manufacture a specific car in Egyptian factories to meet the needs of the Egyptian local market on the one hand and export it to African countries on the other. Egypt
Mosul restaurant features robot servers in first for Iraq After all recreational activities, especially western ones, were prohibited in it, the first-ever resto-café opened in Mosul, serving Western dishes to customers using a robot. Iraq
EU urged to sanction Israeli cyberfirm NSO Group Dozens of human rights groups called on the European Union to place the controversial cybersurveillance firm on its global sanctions list. Israel
