Companies

Amazon hits manage UK spy organizations to have highly confidential material

Published

4 years ago

October 27, 2021

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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.

Companies

UAE urges companies to adopt flexible working arrangements amid adverse weather conditions

Published

1 week ago

March 24, 2026

Michael Gomes

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The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) has called on private sector companies across the UAE to reinforce workplace safety measures and take preventive steps to protect employees during expected adverse weather conditions.

In a statement, the ministry emphasised that worker health and safety remain a top priority, particularly at outdoor worksites where operations may be affected during severe weather.

Flexible or remote work arrangement

Companies have been advised to implement necessary precautions, including introducing remote or flexible working arrangements where required. Employers were also urged to ensure the availability of personal protective equipment, safe transportation, and suitable workplace conditions.

The ministry commended businesses for their ongoing efforts to maintain safe working environments and raise awareness among employees regarding safety protocols during emergency weather situations. It also confirmed continued coordination with relevant authorities to issue guidance and instructions aimed at safeguarding workers nationwide.

Additionally, MoHRE highlighted that awareness campaigns are being conducted in collaboration with government entities and the private sector to strengthen occupational health and safety standards. Enforcement measures, it added, remain in place to address any violations.

Business

UAE launches new digital platform to manage federal government real estate

Published

3 months ago

January 12, 2026

Michael Gomes

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The UAE Ministry of Finance has launched a new digital system to centralise and manage data on all federally owned real estate, marking another step in the country’s push to modernise public asset management and strengthen governance.

The platform, known as the Federal Government Real Estate Assets Platform, will act as a unified electronic registry for federal government properties. It is designed to document, update and classify real estate data, while linking assets directly to financial and operational systems across the federal government.

The ministry said the launch fulfils the requirements of Article 18 of Federal Decree-Law No. 35 of 2023 on Union-Owned Properties, which mandates the creation of a federal electronic registry for government real estate.

Supporting digital transformation

Younis Haji AlKhoori, Undersecretary at the Ministry of Finance, said the platform is designed to strengthen regulation, governance and oversight of federal real estate assets, while supporting the UAE government’s wider digital transformation agenda.

By automating real estate-related processes, the system aims to improve data accuracy and provide better insights for policymaking, planning and long-term asset management.

Federal entities can use the platform to register and update property data under standardised classifications, manage leasable spaces, and submit real estate-related requests through automated workflows. These include inspections, transfers, sales, demolitions and structural changes to properties.

The platform also integrates with other federal systems to ensure records remain up to date, while generating reports and performance indicators to support evidence-based decision-making.

Linking real estate and financial data

Mariam Mohamed Al Amiri said the platform was developed to unify real estate data across federal bodies and connect it directly to financial and operational procedures, helping improve planning, expenditure control and transparency.

The system records both financial and non-financial data, including property values, depreciation, operating costs, location, condition and technical specifications. It also stores digital documents such as architectural drawings, site maps and contracts.

A new four-tier classification structure, covering sites, buildings, floors and individual units, standardises how government real estate is recorded and enables faster access to information.

From paper to digital

According to the ministry, the platform replaces paper-based procedures with a fully digital framework that supports real-time tracking, automated approvals and structured lease management, including contract creation, amendments and terminations.

Officials said the move will improve the efficiency of federal real estate use, enhance governance and support long-term planning of government-owned properties as part of the UAE’s broader digital government strategy.

Announcements

UAE VAT rules are changing in 2026: Here’s what businesses need to know

Published

4 months ago

December 4, 2025

Michael Gomes

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The UAE’s Ministry of Finance has announced a new set of amendments to the country’s VAT law, with the revised rules taking effect on January 1, 2026. The changes are designed to make the tax system easier to use and more aligned with international best practices.

In a statement, the Ministry said the move supports the UAE’s ongoing efforts to streamline its tax framework and improve administrative efficiency. The updates are also designed to provide businesses with greater clarity and reduce unnecessary paperwork.

Simpler filing, fewer steps

One of the biggest changes removes the requirement for businesses to issue self-invoices when using the reverse charge mechanism. Instead, companies will simply need to keep the usual documents that support their transactions, such as invoices, contracts and records, which the Federal Tax Authority (FTA) can review when checking compliance.

According to the Ministry, this adjustment “enhances administrative efficiency” and provides clear audit evidence without placing extra paperwork burdens on businesses.

Five-year window for VAT refunds

The updated law also introduces a five-year limit for claiming back refundable VAT after accounts have been reconciled. Once this period ends, businesses lose the right to submit a claim. Officials say this helps prevent long-delayed refund requests and gives taxpayers more certainty about their financial position.

Tighter rules on tax evasion

To protect the system from misuse, the FTA will now have the authority to deny input tax deductions if a transaction is found to be linked to a tax-evasion arrangement. This means businesses must ensure the supplies they receive are legitimate before claiming input VAT.

Taxpayers are expected to verify the “legitimacy and integrity” of supplies as part of these strengthened safeguards.

Supporting a competitive economy

The Ministry said the amendments will boost transparency, ensure fairness across the tax system and support better management of public revenue. The updated rules also aim to maintain the UAE’s competitive edge while supporting long-term economic sustainability.