Tech
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Telegram owner Durov says French, Moldovan governments asked him to block anti-government accounts ahead of elections
The owner of the Telegram messaging service Pavel Durov said that the French intelligence approached him earlier this year and asked him to block anti-government channels in the run up to this weekend's elections on two occasions.
RuNet grows 40% in 2024 to $250bn, driven by e-commerce and AI
The RuNet economy expanded by 40% in 2024, reaching RUB24.03 trillion, with e-commerce accounting for more than 91% of the total, according to a study by the Russian Association of Electronic Communications.
Can PayPal’s $100mn Middle East and Africa push challenge local fintechs, mobile money leaders?
In much of the MEA region, local fintechs and mobile money providers dominate consumer payments, often outpacing global players such as PayPal.
Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan deemed twin hotbeds of innovation – global survey
The two states drive Central and South Asia’s rise in a global ranking.
Iran's Digikala co-founder invests $857,000 in Didar CRM
Iranian CRM provider Didar secures funding from Digikala co-founder Hamid Mohammadi, targeting Tehran Stock Exchange listing and regional expansion beyond its 3,000 SME clients.
Russian AI accelerates but sanctions leave it trailing global leaders
Russia’s artificial intelligence industry is expanding rapidly but remains hobbled by limited access to advanced computing power due to Western technology sanctions.
NVIDIA and TII establish Middle East's first joint AI and robotics laboratory in Abu Dhabi
NVIDIA and Technology Innovation Institute launch Middle East's first joint AI and robotics laboratory in Abu Dhabi, establishing regional hub for next-generation intelligent systems development.
US fee on H-1B visas rattles Indian tech stocks
Reports said US based companies like Microsoft and JPMorgan advised employees holding H-1B and H-4 visas to return to the US before the deadline and avoid international travel until further guidance.
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Photoshopping of three Central Asian presidents exposed by media investigation
Seemingly perfect postures, pearly white smiles, smooth skin and luxurious grey hair among flawless features subject to spot-the-difference analysis.
Iran delivers high efficiency gas turbines to Russia to replace sanctioned Siemens equipment
The extreme sanctions imposed on Russia have hit industrial sectors the hardest, which have been almost entirely dependent on imports of high quality foreign made machinery for almost all of the last three decades since the fall of the Soviet Union.
Albania shifts to high-tech policing with expanded use of security cameras and surveillance drones
Western Balkan governments are leveraging cameras, drones and AI to enhance law enforcement, raising concerns among rights activists.
Internet shutdown pushes Afghanistan’s banking to the brink
Reports from northern Afghanistan indicated severe difficulties in processing financial transactions after WiFi services were suspended in a number of provinces, including Balkh. In Mazar-i-Sharif, banking operations were reportedly brought to a halt
Turkey’s e-imports soar to 12 times e-exports
Numbers highlight Turkish consumers’ growing appetite for low‑cost overseas platforms such as China's online marketplace Temu and e-commerce fast fashion giant Shein.
UAE and India partnership council support startups in both countries
UAE's RAKEZ partners with India economic council to launch startup series supporting entrepreneurship and global expansion opportunities for both countries.
Iranian deputy IT minister admits the local web is "unsafe"
Iranian communications deputy admits filtering policies have created unsafe, polluted internet network whilst domestic messaging platforms show significant growth.
Israeli movie actors targeted in alleged Iranian phishing campaign
Dozens of Israeli actors fall victim to an alleged Iranian phishing campaign disguised as a film casting call, prompting security warnings over identity document theft.
Turkey blocks access to Grok’s X account
Move comes in wake of Ankara court's zapping of tweets from AI chatbot seen as directing insults at country's leader Erdogan.
Amazon bets on Rappi to take on MercadoLibre in Latam
Amazon has acquired a stake in Colombian delivery platform Rappi through a $25mn convertible note, gearing up to challenge MercadoLibre's dominance across Latin America's booming e-commerce landscape.
First Istanbul IPO since February as Dof Robotik sells 29% stake
No more listings expected until BIST-100 index achieves a new Turkish lira-based record and liquidity improves.
Nebius shares surge 50% after $17.4bn AI cloud deal with Microsoft
The shares of Nebius Group, the AI cloud company founded by Yandex co-founder Arkady Volozh, jumped 50% in after-hours trading on September 8 after the announcement of a major agreement with Microsoft.