Reporters Without Borders has condemned a ruling by an administrative court attached to Egypt's council of state upholding an information and communication ministry decision in mid June 2006 that the authorities can block, suspend or shut down any website liable to pose a threat to national security.

In its fourth year, the Information and Communication Technologies Task Force, through its core activities, working groups and regional nodes, made a substantive contribution to the preparations for the Tunis phase of the World Summit on the Information Society by sponsoring several regional meetings, organizing a series of global forums, producing several publications and participating actively in events organized by other stakeholders; organized three high-level round tables linking inform ...

The Community Technology Learning Centre is an educational facility that is established by UNESCO, Microsoft, and USEK, paving the way for the individuals in the local community to access the world of information technology. The Centre comes as part of the UNESCO communication information programmes aiming at improving lifelong learning for disadvantaged young people and adults by providing technology skills through technology learning centres.

The first world development conference following the landmark World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) is due to open in six weeks in Doha, Qatar.

The purpose of the conference is to focus on development priorities in telecommunications and agree on the programmes, projects and initiatives to implement them. It will take into account the WSIS Geneva Plan of Action and Tunis Agenda, which aim at bridging the digital divide. A key objective is to promote international cooperation, reg ...

A small country on the Arabian peninsula rich in natural gas deposits, Qatar is pouring billions into colleges, business parks and recruiting world experts who will, ideally, help it evolve from a petrodollar nation governed through patronage and clan ties to an energetic, self-sufficient member of the tech economy.

"In Tunisia, citizens may be theoretically free to receive and share information, but they are practically prevented from doing so on a number of vital topics by a state that combines sophisticated American technology, harsh laws and informal pressures to limit access," according to the Open Net Initiative, a joint project of the University of Toronto, Harvard University and Cambridge University that seeks to uncover obstacles to Internet use.

eginning next week, stores all over Brazil will start selling computers on the installment plan, at low interest rates, for no more than US$ 440, as part of the Linked Citizen Program, known as "Computers for All."

"This is a government measure that combines digital inclusion with social inclusion - in which many Brazilian families that lack access to computers will be able to acquire them under extremely favorable conditions, while industry will be stimulated by the increase in demand for ...

The Moroccan Minister in charge of Economic and General Affairs declared that all Moroccan schools will have internet connections in three years time, reported MAP news agency.

The project was estimated at MAD 1.2 billion (about USD 133 million). It is part of the E-Morocco strategy, that is designed to promote information and communication technologies in the country.

Ten education ministries across the Arab World have now signed up for the Partners in Learning initiative to improve the use of information communications technology in schools. The initiative creates partnerships between education ministries and Microsoft to develop a wide range of different programmes that address the need for IT in education in these countries.

Since the goal of integrating technology into society in effective and sustainable ways remains "a work in progress," strong political will is necessary to ensure that people can use the information revolution to improve their lives, a key United Nations task force on technology and development says in a new report.

Muslim countries should set up a US$1 billion fund to give information and communications technologies (ICTs) a greater role in development, said participants at a conference in Malaysia last month.

The fund could be used to apply ICTs to agriculture, education and health in Muslim countries, and reduce the 'digital divide' between them and the West, said MIMOS's president, Mohd Azzman Shariffadeen.