Tech
Croatia's grid operator clears key milestone for €50bn Pantheon AI data centre project
Croatia's grid operator has approved the technical blueprint for connecting the planned Pantheon AI data centre to the national grid, clearing a major regulatory hurdle for what developers say will be the country's largest-ever private investment.
Uzbekistan's Uzum wins place in CNBC-Statista's ranking of world's top fintech companies
Recognised as next-generation provider delivering banking and banking-like services primarily through digital channels without relying on traditional bank branches.
Russia weighs turning Gosuslugi state services portal into social network
Russia's government is weighing plans to turn the Gosuslugi state services portal into a social network with family chats, local communities and news feeds, drawing on its 120mn verified users under a strategy running to 2035.
Three crypto protocols lose $35.55mn in day of bridge exploits
Three crypto protocols lost $35.55mn in 24 hours, with AFX Trade drained of $24.15mn after bridge validator keys were compromised. July hack losses have reached roughly $97mn, ahead of June's $75.32mn.
EU fines Google €890mn over search self-preferencing, Play Store rules
The European Commission has fined Google €890mn under the Digital Markets Act for favouring its own services in search results and blocking app developers from steering users to cheaper offers.
Latin America insurtech start-ups swell as $90mn funding rebounds
Latin America's insurtech sector attracted $90mn in investment during the first half of 2026, while the number of active companies climbed to 576, a 14% increase from a year earlier and the highest level since 2023, according to a new report.
América Móvil buys Peru's WOW to expand fixed-broadband footprint
América Móvil is strengthening its fibre strategy in Latin America with the acquisition of Peru's WOW Tel, highlighting accelerating consolidation in the region's broadband market as operators race to expand high-speed infrastructure.
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Cashea raises $100mn to expand consumer credit in earthquake-hit Venezuela
Venezuelan financial technology company Cashea has raised $100mn from a group of international investors led by FinSight Ventures and Spice Expeditions.
Turkish readywear retailer Koton’s stock damaged by Ukrainian bombing of Wildberries warehouses in Russia
Following the exodus of Western retailers from Russia as the Kremlin ignited a full-scale war in Ukraine, Turkish apparel chains stepped in aggressively to grab market share.
OpenAI planning to establish operations in Israel
OpenAI is setting up a business development operation in Israel, hiring a senior AWS executive to court local startups, as it races Anthropic and Google for enterprise AI spending.
Cyberattack cripples Romania's land registry, freezing property market before VAT deadline
A cyberattack has taken Romania's ANCPI land registry offline since July 14, freezing property transactions nationwide just as a reduced VAT rate nears expiry, with the attacker claiming to have wiped the database.
Turkey still most expensive iPhone market in world
The price demanded of the consumer in Turkey for an Apple iPhone 17 Pro is higher than anywhere else in the world, according to Deutsche Bank Research Institute’s Mapping the World’s Prices 2026 report.
Russian disinformation campaign fails to fan flames of Ukrainian Defence Minister Fedorov sacking
Analysis of 6,947 publications suggests street protests shifted blame for defence minister’s dismissal towards army chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, activist group PoshukaAi found in a study.
Turkey bans jailed Erdogan challenger Imamoglu’s latest YouTube and X accounts
Ban on tweets seventh obtained by authorities on national security and public order grounds.
Iraq grants Starlink licence as Washington summit yields $60bn in US deals
Iraq has licensed Starlink to operate satellite internet services, signed in Washington as part of a summit package of 48 agreements with US firms and institutions worth more than $60bn.
Xi positions China to challenge US grip on global AI rules
President Xi Jinping used the opening of China's flagship AI summit on July 17 to portray Beijing as an alternative rule-setter for artificial intelligence, unveiling a new intergovernmental body and a package of aid for developing nations.
Pakistan targets fully digital remittances to accelerate cashless economy
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed officials to ensure that all remittance inflows are processed through digital channels, saying the move would improve transparency, efficiency and economic activity.
Azerbaijan's parliament approves sweeping tax breaks for tech and crowdfunding sector
Baku aims to diversify its hydrocarbon-dependent economy by building a domestic technology and startup sector, following earlier moves to create technology parks and free economic zones.
Strong demand emerges for Romanian telco Digi Spain IPO ahead of market debut
The Spanish subsidiary of Romanian telecom group Digi Communications has attracted nearly €1.3bn of demand from investment funds and family offices.
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Trinidad bets on AI infrastructure despite mounting resource concerns
Trinidad and Tobago is pursuing AI-driven investment through major US-backed data centre projects, but concerns over water scarcity, electricity demand and environmental sustainability are emerging alongside promises of jobs and diversification.