Crossing Trebil
The Trebil border crossing between Jordan and Iraq was reopened in late August after being shut for over two years over security fears. Trade has begun to trickle, but it will be quite some time before Jordanian exporters are able…
Tag: security
Venture Explains: Ransomware
What happened? Recently, a group of cyber extortionists used hacking tools thought to have been developed by the US National Security Agency to infect tens of thousands of computers across almost 100 countries, disrupting Britain’s health system, global shipper FedEx, Spain’s…
Visa: Prioritizing Payment Safety
When it comes to the future of e-commerce in Jordan, Visa’s regional risk officer believes growth and security must go hand in hand. By Dina Al Wakeel Visa organized a forum on risk management in Amman last month to examine…
Don’t Muzzle Social Media
Offensive comments made on Facebook shouldn’t be used as an excuse to expand government control of free speech. By Osama Al Sharif The government has announced it will present a draft social media law to the Lower House that aims…
SOFEX 2016
Jordan’s defense know-how will likely take center stage at this month’s SOFEX special forces expo. Founded in 1996 by HM King Abdullah, the Special Operations Forces Exhibition and Conference—otherwise known as SOFEX—has become a huge draw for the global defense…
Jordan GDP to Hit 3 Percent in 2016 – World Bank
The World Bank said Jordan’s GDP should reach 3 percent in 2016, up from 2.4 percent in 2015, which was the slowest pace of growth in four years. In its latest MENA Economic Report, the bank said the rise in…
Banging on Apple’s Backdoor
Apple’s tussle with the FBI over its refusal to create a ‘backdoor’ into a terror suspect’s encrypted iPhone has ramifications for us all. By Zeid Nasser It’s been described as a historic tussle that will determine the future of data…
Rethinking Relief
As part of efforts to make the Syrian refugee response more sustainable, the WANA Institute is throwing its weight behind a plan that promises to create thousands of jobs for Syrians and help develop Jordan’s economy at the same time. …
What Cheap Oil Means for Us
On paper, record low oil prices should prove to be an economic bonanza for an emerging market energy importer like Jordan. But what’s the reality? By Dina al-Wakeel In 2011, just when it was trying to get back on its…
Jordan Expected to Issue Debut Sukuk
Jordan said last month it was going to issue its first ever sovereign sukuk, or sharia-compliant bonds, soon. The long anticipated issuance is expected to rake in some JD400 million to finance real estate projects, a source familiar with the topic…