Tech
Transatlantic consortium unveils €50bn AI data centre project in Croatia
Pantheon AI project to be the largest investment in Croatia's history and one of the biggest private US investments in Europe.
Russia's VPN crackdown disrupts banks, marketplaces and government services
Russia's intensified VPN crackdown is causing widespread collateral disruption to legal banks, marketplaces, Yandex services and government platforms, with Novosibirsk worst-hit.
Russia's answer to Starlink takes off
Russia launched its first operational batch of low-Earth orbit internet satellites in March, marking the beginning of what the Kremlin has boasted is the country's path to digital sovereignty — a homegrown alternative to SpaceX's network.
Russia's Wildberries, Ozon growth slows as marketplace dominance reaches 77%
Russia's two largest online marketplaces, Wildberries and Ozon, will reach a combined 77% market share by end-2026, but their year-on-year growth has slowed sharply as consumers cut non-food spending and sellers exit the platforms.
Iran's record internet blackout is destroying the urban middle class
Iran's nationwide internet blackout has run since February 28 and remains largely in place after the April 7 ceasefire, with global access available only via a paid "Pro" tier.
Kuwait launches government-wide 'Cyber Shield' against rising cyber threats
Kuwait is accelerating the rollout of its Government Cyber Shield, offering 24/7 monitoring and free penetration testing to all ministries, as Iran-linked hacking groups including Handala step up cyberattacks on Gulf infrastructure during the war.
UK Biobank data breach sees participant research data listed on Chinese consumer site
UK Biobank de-identified participant data was listed for sale on Alibaba-owned Chinese consumer website by three academic institutions in breach of contract.
Russia's Yandex will become a mobile phone operator
Russia's online giant Yandex, often referred to as "the Russian Google," has moved to add mobile phone service provision to many of its other areas of operation.
Russia develops direct-to-cell satellite system to connect phones without ground infrastructure
Russia's private space company Sputnix is developing Direct-to-Cell satellites to allow smartphones to connect directly without specialised ground equipment, part of a wider push to build sovereign satellite internet capacity.
Latvia deepens UK fintech ties with cooperation pact
Latvia's Fintech Latvia Association has signed a memorandum of understanding with UK industry body Innovate Finance at the Innovate Finance Global Summit in London, aimed at strengthening bilateral ties and attracting UK fintechs seeking EU market ac
Amazon to invest over €5.4bn in Poland by 2028
Global e-commerce giant aims to strengthen its position in one of Europe’s most competitive markets.
Toyota opens new R&D hub southwest of Tokyo
Toyota Motor Corp has unveiled a new research and development hub aimed at advancing mobility products and services within its experimental Woven City in Susono, Shizuoka prefecture in central Japan.
Dubai to host world's first AI-powered financial centre
Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) has announced plans to become the world's first financial centre fundamentally built on artificial intelligence taking on regional and global rivals.
China's Alipay launches AI Pay for autonomous agents
China's Alipay has launched an AI Pay service enabling autonomous AI agents to complete purchases and payments on a user's behalf.
Iran’s internet curbs cost digital economy $1bn since late February
Iran’s digital economy has suffered around $1bn in losses since February 28 as the country remains offline for more than six weeks.
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Russian computer gamers face payment and access after crackdown
Russian gamers are facing growing payment and access problems amid the government crackdown on circumvention tools like VPNs.
New hardline security unit in charge of Russia’s VPN crackdown
The control of Russia’s internet, including the latest escalation of the war on VPNs, has reportedly shifted to the Federal Security Bureau’s (FSB) Second Service unit.
Anthropic's Mythos AI model triggers crisis meetings among top global officials
Anthropic's Claude Mythos AI model has triggered emergency meetings among finance ministers and top bankers after demonstrating an ability to find and exploit cybersecurity weaknesses across banking and IT systems.
Freedom Holding bets on super-app ecosystem to challenge Kazakhstan's digital giants
The Kazakh-based brokerage-turned-fintech company Freedom Holding Corp is building an app, which is not just a banking service, it is supposed to organise your whole life.
Ukraine seizes Russian position without using soldiers in a battlefield first
In a development that could reshape modern warfare, Ukrainian forces have, for the first time, captured a Russian position using only unmanned systems – a coordinated assault carried out entirely by drones and ground-based robots.