Top 10 Search Terms In The UAE

Gangnam Style tops Google’s list of the search terms that saw highest amount of traffic in 2012 in the UAE.

Top 10 Over-Used Buzzwords On LinkedIn In UAE

“Motivated” topped the list of words used by LinkedIn members in the UAE in 2012.

Al Jazeera Studio In Cairo Set Ablaze After Angry Protest

An employee said the attack was carried out by a mob chanting slogans against the Qatari-owned station.

Four Kuwaitis Detained Over Twitter Comments

They will be detained for 10 days for questioning, an official has said.

Dubai Media Office Gets New Head

Muna Ghanem Al Marri has been appointed as the new director of the Dubai Government’s media office.

UAE Toughens Law On Internet Dissent

Any person who “derides or damages” the reputation of the state or any of its institutions online will be imprisoned.

Qatar Holding Invests In The Chernin Group

Qatar’s investment vehicle puts a rumoured $100 million into the Peter Chernin-owned media company.

Qatari Draft Media Law Criticised By Rights Group

Human Rights Watch described the law as “a commitment to censorship”.

UAE’s New Reality Show To Debut In October

The winner of ‘The Entrepreneur’ show will receive a Dhs1million cash reward.

Al Jazeera Website Hacked By Syria’s Assad Loyalists

The hacking attack is the latest in a wave of cyber attacks on news agencies and energy companies in the region.

Murdoch Resigns From News Corp Boards

The media mogul has stepped down from some of the company’s subsidiary boards that oversee its British titles.

Twitter Has 2m Arab Users

Facebook has 45.2 million users in the region while four million Arabs use LinkedIn, says new report.

Zawya Sold To Reuters

Global news agency Thomson Reuters buys MENA-based online platform Zawya for an undisclosed amount.

Bahrain Mulls Social Media Law

Officials say new laws are needed to prevent misuse of social networking tools in the country.

New Guidelines For Saudi Journalists

Journalists in the Kingdom have to be accredited by the Saudi Journalists Association, the Cabinet has said.

US Firm Plans 500 Hires In Abu Dhabi

Digital Domain Media Group is opening up an animation and visual effects studio in Abu Dhabi’s twofour54.

Have I Got News For You

As Sky News Arabia and Al Arab add to the region’s existing basket of Arabic news channels, can they gain marketshare?

Open Skies Aims High

The Emirates’ inflight magazine will produce its June issue from the world’s highest office, at Burj Khalifa.

Alwaleed’s Rotana To Shift To Bahrain

Prince Alwaleed’s upcoming news channel, Al Arab will also be headquartered in Manama.

MENA Ad Spend Fell 10.3% In 2011

Regional advertising spend is expected to pick up in the next few years and reach $5.95 billion by 2015.

THE 99: Inspired Thinking

Alicia Buller has breakfast with clinical psychologist and creator of THE 99 comic, Dr. Naif Al Mutawa.

Kuwait To Regulate Social Media

The country is planning to pass laws this year to control the use of social networking sites.

The Rise Of Social Networking

Never before has social media so dramatically shaped the behaviour of businesses in the Gulf, writes Ryan Harrison.

Kuwaiti Tweeter Gets Seven Year Jail Term

A Kuwaiti court ruled that the man’s comments on Twitter caused sectarian divisions in the country.

Arab Billionaires Worth $121.3bn

Saudi Prince Alwaleed topped the list of regional billionaires released by Forbes with a fortune of $18 billion.

Kuwaiti Tweeter Denies Blasphemy

A Kuwait man accused of insulting the Prophet Mohammad on Twitter has said that his account was hacked.

$20m Boost For ME SMEs

RED, Abraaj’s small and mid-cap investment platform, has invested $20 million in the region so far this year.

Abraaj Buys 50% Stake In The Entertainer

Abraaj is making the acquisition through its subsidiary, Riyada Enterprise Development.

UAE Needs To Improve Workers Rights

While authorities have taken steps to improve the rights of workers at Saadiyat island, more is needed, says Human Rights Watch.

Etisalat, Emirates, STC Top ME Brands

Apple tops the global top brands list, which also includes the three entries from the GCC.