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Amazon hits manage UK spy organizations to have highly confidential material

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Cloud contract for GCHQ, MI5 and MI6 with US tech bunch plans to speed investigation yet liable to touch off power fears.

The UK’s three government agent offices have contracted AWS, Amazon’s distributed computing arm, to have characterized material in an arrangement pointed toward helping the utilization of information investigation and computerized reasoning for undercover work. The acquisition of a high-security cloud framework has been advocated by GCHQ, the UK’s signs knowledge body, and will be utilized by sister administrations MI5 and MI6, just as other government offices like the Ministry of Defense during joint tasks. The agreement is probably going to light worries over power given that a huge measure of the UK’s most restricted information will be facilitated by a solitary US tech organization. The arrangement, assessed by industry specialists to be worth £500m to £1bn throughout the following decade, was marked for this present year, as per four individuals acquainted with the conversations. Notwithstanding, the subtleties are carefully hidden and were not planned to be disclosed. In spite of the fact that AWS is a US organization, every one of the offices’ information will be held in Britain, as per those with information on the arrangement. Amazon won’t have any admittance to data hung on the cloud stage, those individuals said. Jeremy Fleming, GCHQ chief, has recently said that utilizing AI will be “at the heart” of his office’s change to guard the nation as spying moves into an advanced age. The new cloud administration — intended to have highly confidential data safely — will empower spies to share information all the more effectively from field areas abroad and power expert applications, for example, discourse acknowledgment which can “spot” and decipher specific voices from hours of catch accounts. It will likewise permit GCHQ, MI5 and MI6 to lead quicker look on one another’s data sets. GCHQ told the Financial Times it would not talk about its business associations with innovation providers. AWS declined to remark.

Ciaran Martin, who ventured down last year as top of the UK’s National Cyber Security Center, a part of GCHQ, said the cloud arrangement would permit the security administrations “to get data from enormous measures of information in minutes, as opposed to in many months”. Nonetheless, he excused ideas that the framework would influence the measure of data held by knowledge organizations. “This isn’t tied in with gathering or accumulating more information,” he said. “The undeniable business case is to utilize existing a lot of information all the more viably.”

Gus Hosein, leader overseer of Privacy International and a specialist in innovation and common freedoms, said there were “numerous things” that parliament, controllers and general society had to think about the arrangement. “This is one more stressing public-private organization, concurred stealthily,” he said. “On the off chance that this agreement goes through, Amazon will be situated as the go-to cloud supplier for the world’s knowledge organizations. Amazon needs to deal with serious consequences regarding itself which nations’ security administrations it is ready to work for.” While the arrangement is a first of its sort for the UK, Britain’s security device is lingering behind its US peers being used of business cloud administrations. The CIA marked its first $600m cloud contract with AWS in 2013, for the benefit of all the US knowledge organizations. This cloud arrangement was overhauled last year under another arrangement with a consortium containing AWS, Microsoft, Google, Oracle, and IBM.

Chief of naval operations Mike Rogers, previous top of the US National Security Agency, said the transition to distributed storage had helped insight officials focus in on likely suspects. “It gives us speed, it gives us adaptability, and by having the option to total more information, it builds the likelihood that you will recognize that needle in the bundle,” he said. The UK’s transition to get a US organization shocked a few specialists. “Sway matters and there’s a motivation behind why, all things considered, security innovation has consistently been constructed and kept up with in-house,” one security veteran said. GCHQ at first needed to discover a UK cloud supplier yet it turned out to be clear as of late that homegrown organizations would not be able to offer either the scale or abilities required, said two individuals acquainted with the arrangement.

Martin recognized that getting an abroad merchant implied that “controlling and confining seller admittance to information is critical”. “Yet, as long as the organization is from a dependable country, with innovation you comprehend, there are methods of doing this which will empower the offices to deal with the danger,” he said.

The French government this year upheld the making of a new “sovereign cloud” which will be utilized by the country’s public area to deal with touchy information utilizing government-supported security strategies. Named Bleu, it is relied upon to join the Gaia-X venture, which expects to encourage an European cloud industry fit for rivaling US organizations like Google and AWS.

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Elon Musk Becomes world’s First Trillionaire Following SpaceX’s historic Listing

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Shares in Elon Musk’s aerospace and technology company SpaceX have surged on their trading debut in New York, in what is being described as the largest initial public offering in history.

The stock climbed as much as 30% in early trading on the Nasdaq, pushing the company’s valuation above $2 trillion and briefly placing it among the most valuable firms in the United States.

The listing, which raised more than $75bn, marks a dramatic milestone for the firm founded in 2002 by Elon Musk, who has become one of the most influential—and divisive—figures in global technology.

Speaking at a launch event in Texas, Mr Musk said the company’s ambitions extended far beyond Earth. “SpaceX wants to be able to take you to the Moon, take you to Mars, and ultimately beyond,” he said, adding that its teams would “make that happen” for customers.

The billionaire entrepreneur—Elon Musk—has reportedly become the world’s first trillionaire following the surge, according to market estimates cited in the offering’s early trading performance.

The IPO priced more than 555 million shares at $135 each, valuing the company at just under $1.8 trillion ahead of its market debut. Within hours of trading, prices peaked at around $175 per share.

The listing also allows for the potential sale of an additional 83 million shares, which could lift total proceeds beyond $86bn.

Investor demand was reported to be heavily oversubscribed, reflecting strong interest in both space exploration and the company’s expanding role in satellite communications and artificial intelligence.

SpaceX has increasingly evolved from a rocket launch provider into a broader technology conglomerate, incorporating satellite operations and artificial intelligence assets linked to Mr Musk’s wider business portfolio.

Market analysts say the listing is being closely watched as a potential benchmark for other high-profile technology firms, including artificial intelligence companies expected to pursue public offerings in the coming months.

The debut also comes against the backdrop of Mr Musk’s increasingly polarising public profile, shaped by his political commentary, business decisions, and ownership of social media platform X.

Despite the controversy, investor appetite for the company appears undiminished, with strong early demand signalling continued enthusiasm for Musk-led ventures.

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Flying to Abu Dhabi? Etihad Now Covers Your Medical Insurance

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International visitors flying to Abu Dhabi with Etihad Airways will automatically receive complimentary medical travel insurance for up to 15 days, under a new initiative launching in July 2026.

The cover will be provided at no additional cost on eligible Etihad-operated flights from July to December 2026, with no application required. It will apply only to passengers whose point of origin and point of sale are outside the UAE.

Travellers using Etihad’s stopover programme in Abu Dhabi will also be covered during their stay, subject to terms and conditions.

The initiative has been launched in partnership with Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi and will be underwritten and administered by Daman National Health Insurance Company.

Officials say the scheme is designed to simplify travel planning and enhance the visitor experience, particularly during peak tourism periods when the emirate is targeting higher stopover and leisure traffic.

“This initiative ensures we meet that demand with an exceptional, end-to-end visitor experience,” said Saleh Mohamed Al Geziry, Director General for Tourism at DCT Abu Dhabi.

Etihad’s chief executive Antonoaldo Neves said the offer would allow passengers to focus on their visit rather than pre-travel formalities, calling it an example of closer cooperation between an airline and a destination.

Abu Dhabi has been expanding its tourism offerings in recent years, with major attractions including Saadiyat Island, Yas Island and the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, as it seeks to strengthen its position as a global stopover hub.

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New UAE wage law explained: What workers and employers need to know

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The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation has unveiled strict new rules requiring private sector companies to pay employee salaries on the first day of every month starting June 1, 2026.

The move, introduced under Ministerial Resolution No. 340 of 2026, is part of a wider push to strengthen wage protection and improve labour compliance across the UAE.

Salaries must be paid on time

Under the new regulation:

  • Salaries for the previous month must be transferred through the approved Wage Protection System (WPS) or another authorised payment platform.
  • Any payment made after the due date will officially be considered delayed.

The ministry also stated that companies must provide proof and documentation confirming salary transfers.

What happens if companies delay salaries?

Authorities outlined escalating penalties that become more severe the longer salaries remain unpaid.

From Day 2:

  • Companies enter electronic monitoring
  • Warning notices are issued

From Day 5:

  • Suspension of new work permits may begin
  • Employers are formally notified to clear the unpaid wages

From Day 11:

  • Administrative fines apply for repeat violations
  • Companies may be downgraded to the third business classification category

From Day 16:

  • Labour disputes may be automatically registered for workers
  • More permit restrictions could follow, especially for larger companies and sectors such as:
    • Construction
    • Transport
    • Cleaning
    • Security
    • Recruitment services

From Day 21:

For companies employing 50 or more workers, repeated violations could lead to:

  • Referral to public prosecutors
  • Asset seizure orders
  • Travel bans on company officials

When is a company still considered compliant?

The ministry clarified that businesses remain compliant if they transfer:

  • At least 85% of total wages are on time

Employees also won’t be classified as unpaid if missing amounts are linked to legally documented deductions.

Some sectors exempt

The decision excludes:

  • Short-term permits under three months
  • Fishing boats
  • Citizen-owned taxis
  • Banks
  • Places of worship

The UAE has long pushed for stronger worker protections, but this marks one of the toughest enforcement frameworks yet for salary delays.

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