Europe and Middle East information technology (IT)
Read the latest European and Middle East information technology (IT) news and articles covering IT management topics, including information security, data storage, networking, data centre, cloud computing, mobile applications, virtualisation, big data and more.
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News
18 Nov 2024
Denmark’s AI-powered welfare system fuels mass surveillance
Research reveals the automated tools used to flag individuals for benefit fraud violate individuals’ privacy and risk discriminating against marginalised groups Continue Reading
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News
14 Nov 2024
Virtual wards to digital feedback: the Nordic approach to post-pandemic healthcare
Post-pandemic healthcare is benefitting from Nordic tech foresight, with the country bringing digital change to the world’s health sector to allow for more remote care Continue Reading
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News
01 Nov 2023
AI Summit: 28 governments and EU agree to safe AI development
In a joint communique at the UK government’s AI Safety Summit, all participating governments agreed to deepen their cooperation around the risks associated with artificial intelligence Continue Reading
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Feature
31 Oct 2023
The world's most advanced Arabic LLM is now available on open source
On 30 August 2023, Abu Dhabi-based Inception, a subsidiary of G42, announced the release of an Arabic large language model to open source Continue Reading
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News
27 Oct 2023
Germany: European Court opinion kicks questions over EncroChat back to national courts
Germany lawfully obtained data on German EncroChat users from France, but whether the evidence is legally admissible is a matter for national courts Continue Reading
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Feature
25 Oct 2023
Finland shows off its new 20-qubit quantum computer
Anybody who scoffs at Finland’s lofty ambitions in the field of quantum computing should remember that not only is the country home to one of Europe's most successful companies (Nokia), but it also houses Europe’s most powerful supercomputer (LUMI). Continue Reading
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News
20 Oct 2023
Collaboration paramount in KPN’s successful business transformation
KPN tells Oracle CloudWorld 2023 how it transformed when its legacy systems became obstacles to supporting its customers on their digital journeys Continue Reading
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News
20 Oct 2023
Belgian researchers raise speed limit in European datacentres
Researchers have developed a prototype of an optical receiver that will help datacentres process data at a much higher rate Continue Reading
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News
18 Oct 2023
What are the cyber risks from the latest Middle Eastern conflict?
The outbreak of war between Hamas and Israel in October 2023 has seen a wide variety of accompanying cyber attacks from hacktivists and other groups. We look at the risks to organisations Continue Reading
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News
17 Oct 2023
Hacktivist attacks against Israeli websites mirror attacks following Russian invasion of Ukraine
Hacktivists supporting Gaza and Palestine have launched hundreds of website defacement attacks against Israeli websites, mirroring the pattern of attacks that occurred after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine Continue Reading
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News
13 Oct 2023
UAE makes significant contribution to AI computing power
UAE technology holding company G42 recently began a partnership with US-based Cerebras Systems to build a cluster of supercomputers and a set of accompanying technologies that will speed up the training process for large language models Continue Reading
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E-Zine
13 Oct 2023
CW EMEA: Prepare for AI explosion
In this month’s CW EMEA, we look at generative artificial intelligence, which Accenture claims is the next big thing in enterprise IT. The IT services giant says GenAI will transform 40% of all working hours – and it is putting its money where its mouth is with plans to invest $3bn in AI and create 40,000 AI-focused roles. Part of the huge investment has already been assigned to the creation of an AI and generative AI lab in Brussels focused on the public sector in Europe. We also look at a Deutsche Telekom-led consortium’s demo of multi-supplier non-real-time RAN optimisation, how last month’s Ryder Cup tested out technology to improve how fans digitally consume the event, and find out how Zurich Insurance has cut the time it takes to complete development of ServiceNow applications. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
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E-Zine
10 Oct 2023
Teeing up tech at the Ryder Cup
In this week’s Computer Weekly, we go behind the scenes at golf’s Ryder Cup to see the tech firsts introduced to improve the fan experience. UK tech leaders explain why they feel ‘betrayed’ by the government’s net-zero policy changes. And we examine the governance challenges behind immerse technologies such as VR and the metaverse. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
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News
04 Oct 2023
UK emphasises EU split by kicking digital trade scheme into long grass
Former Gaia-X CEO talks exclusively to Computer Weekly about UK inertia on cross-border data tech Continue Reading
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News
03 Oct 2023
Top science journal faced secret attacks from Covid conspiracy theory group
A conspiratorial group of extreme Brexit lobbyists mounted an extraordinary campaign against one of the world’s most prestigious science journals – part of a series of joint investigations between Byline Times and Computer Weekly Continue Reading
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News
28 Sep 2023
Strasbourg court condemns Turkey for jailing teacher for using ByLock encrypted messaging app
The case is expected to have implications for the use of digital evidence in prosecutions against users of other encrypted phone apps Continue Reading
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Definition
18 Sep 2023
Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive
The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive is a legislative act that the European Union adopted to address the growing amounts of e-waste that come from electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) at the end of its life. Continue Reading
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News
15 Sep 2023
TikTok fined €345m under GDPR for failing to protect children’s privacy
Data protection regulators warn social media companies to take all necessary measures to protect children’s privacy Continue Reading
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Feature
14 Sep 2023
CIO interview: Petra Tesch, Vizrt
Straight-talking when it comes to getting her messages across to the wider company, Vizrt CIO Petra Tesch revels in transformation and communication Continue Reading
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News
13 Sep 2023
GCHQ breached privacy rights of IT professional and security researcher, human rights court rules
The European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg finds UK intelligence services breached the privacy rights of two overseas nationals – an IT professional and a security researcher Continue Reading
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News
13 Sep 2023
Banks less focused on metaverse technology than last year
Senior banking executives have reduced their focus on investigating metaverse technology in the past 12 months Continue Reading
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News
12 Sep 2023
European enterprises to spend more on generative IT to close gap on US
European organisations are upping their spending on generative AI innovation, but face challenges recruiting the right people to support this Continue Reading
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News
12 Sep 2023
European fintech investment plummets, but more sustainable future lies ahead
Investment in European fintechs has seen a dramatic drop, but a more sustainable sector will result from investment discipline Continue Reading
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News
07 Sep 2023
Finnish government to bolster spending on cyber-AI defences
Finland’s government will increase spending on cyber security amid heightened threats from artificial intelligence-based attacks Continue Reading
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Feature
07 Sep 2023
Interview: Ashish Gupta, head of EMEA, HCLTech
It’s not just enterprises that changed their operating models during and after Covid, but also the suppliers that took them on the journey, HCLTech Europe’s head explains Continue Reading
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News
06 Sep 2023
Saudi Arabian fintech gets Mastercard boost
Saudi-based fintechs could soon benefit from Mastercard's extensive payments network Continue Reading
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News
05 Sep 2023
Ryder Cup testbed to feature tech firsts in Rome
This year’s Ryder Cup will test out technology to improve how fans digitally consume the event while reducing the workload on IT teams Continue Reading
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News
31 Aug 2023
Sandworm attacks Ukraine with Infamous Chisel malware
The UK and its allies have attributed a novel malware campaign against Ukrainian state targets to the Russian intelligence-backed Sandworm APT Continue Reading
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News
18 Aug 2023
Europe’s fastest supercomputer trains large language models in Finland
Much of the innovation in natural language processing comes from large enterprises in the US, resulting in proprietary technology with a bias towards English. One consortium in Finland decided to change the game Continue Reading
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News
16 Aug 2023
Accenture’s Brussels AI lab to focus on European public sector and health
Accenture will use its Brussels AI lab to test AI and generative AI's application in the European public sector Continue Reading
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Feature
09 Aug 2023
CTO interview: Gavin Rea, Gulf Bridge International
GBI ensures service continuity of submarine cable networks, which bring high-speed internet to the Gulf states, supporting the region’s ambitious plans to be one of the world’s leading poles for technological innovation Continue Reading
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E-Zine
08 Aug 2023
CW EMEA: Aalto University – where ideas take off
In this issue of CW EMEA, we look at the startup scene in Finland. Helsinki’s status as a prominent tech breeding ground is well established, with an alumnus contingent that includes Rovio, Supercell, ICEYE and the world-renowned Slush event. Every startup needs a starting place, however, and for many Finnish innovators, their stories began at Aalto University. We also look at how the Gulf region is seeing some of the heaviest investments in the latest technology as countries diversify their economies to reduce reliance on oil. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
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News
02 Aug 2023
Cubbit offers cut-price cloud with DS3 distributed storage
Cubbit’s DS3 offers cloud at up to 20% the cost of the main providers via on-premise software that builds a cloud with other users and targets unstructured data use cases such as backup Continue Reading
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Opinion
26 Jul 2023
NATO countries must coordinate their cyber forces to combat the Russian threat
The top item on the agenda at the Vilnius NATO Summit this month was the revamping the alliance’s defences. Continue Reading
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Feature
21 Jul 2023
Handbook helps Dutch organisations migrate to quantum-safe communication
Organisations must start implementing new cryptography standards – as migration is a lengthy process Continue Reading
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News
18 Jul 2023
NATO membership to drive Nordic cyber security sector growth
The Nordic cyber security sector will see increasing demand as Finland and Sweden joint NATO Continue Reading
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News
18 Jul 2023
Traditional IT outsourcing rockets as Europe’s businesses cut costs
Overall spending on IT services is up in European countries despite continued reduction in investments in cloud-based contracts Continue Reading
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News
13 Jul 2023
CaixaBank adds hundreds more IT professionals to support digital transformation
CaixaBank is recruiting 200 more IT professionals in Spain to support its ongoing digital transformation Continue Reading
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E-Zine
13 Jul 2023
CW EMEA: Can we trust AI?
Artificial intelligence and the opportunities and dangers it introduces into society has been a hotly debated subject in tech circles for many years, but today with the increased use of platforms such as ChatGPT, these debates include a wider section of the public. The fact that schoolchildren are even asking ChatGPT for help with their homework brings home the importance of these debates and the responses to them by national policy-makers. Continue Reading
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News
12 Jul 2023
Forensic Institute provides Hansken viewing method for Dutch lawyers
Dutch lawyers can now view crypto communication in criminal cases from their own workplace via digital search engine Hansken. Previously, this had to be done at an external location Continue Reading
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News
11 Jul 2023
EU formally grants data adequacy to US
The European Commission has formally granted the US data adequacy, allowing companies and organisations to freely transfer personal data across the Atlantic via the EU-US Data Privacy Framework. But privacy activist Max Schrems has already committed to legally challenging the decision Continue Reading
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News
11 Jul 2023
Finland’s VTT partners Nokia on data market
Finish state’s involvement in Nokia project will add weight and capital to work on creating a market for data Continue Reading
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Feature
11 Jul 2023
Norwegian data privacy experts sound alarm over generative AI
Hundreds of millions of people embrace generative artificial intelligence, blissfully ignorant of what it’s doing to data privacy. Continue Reading
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News
05 Jul 2023
Germany: European Court of Justice hears arguments on lawfulness of EncroChat cryptophone evidence
The European Court of Justice will decide whether the collection and sharing of data intercepted by law enforcement from EncroChat crypto phone network is compatible with European law Continue Reading
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News
04 Jul 2023
EU judgment sinks Meta’s argument for targeted ads
The EU Court of Justice has issued a significant judgment against Meta, ruling that national anti-trust bodies can investigate GDPR breaches, disrupting the platform’s entire basis for carrying out targeted advertising Continue Reading
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News
03 Jul 2023
BBVA launches tech job portal as it continues to add talent
Spanish bank BBVA ramps up its tech recruitment strategy with new online portal and target of 2,600 more people Continue Reading
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News
29 Jun 2023
The Finnish Food Authority uses AI to accelerate research
Researchers have reduced the time taken to get critical insights into potential public health crises and address issues in real-time, through artificial intelligence Continue Reading
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News
27 Jun 2023
Three years on, EncroChat cryptophone hack nets 6,500 arrests and seizures of €900m
French and Dutch prosecutors say three years after they infiltrated the EncroChat cryptophone network in a novel hacking operation, Europe’s courts are opening the way for more collaboration and data sharing between law enforcement agencies Continue Reading
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News
21 Jun 2023
Software spending grows fastest as finance firms spend $652bn on tech in 2023
Banks and investment firms are increasing their spending on IT despite gloomy economic outlook, but priorities have changed Continue Reading
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Feature
21 Jun 2023
Aalto University: The startup’s starting place
Helsinki's Aalto University is at the heart of one of the world's most productive tech startup hotbeds Continue Reading
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Feature
21 Jun 2023
Interview: Michael Kagan, chief technology officer, Nvidia
The chip maker's CTO explains how the compute demands of AI are pushing semiconductor technology beyond the principles of Moore's Law Continue Reading
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News
21 Jun 2023
Belgian researchers build energy-efficient AI frameworks
Researchers in Belgium are working on a new generation of platforms to support artificial intelligence applications in an energy-efficient manner Continue Reading
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News
19 Jun 2023
Jordan’s Ahli Bank launches app on cloud-native platform
Middle East bank launches app on latest cloud-native banking platform from Google-inspired company Continue Reading
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News
19 Jun 2023
Visa takeover means economic turmoil won’t slow Tink’s progress
Tink is one of the pioneers of the open banking sector, and under Visa’s light-touch ownership is continuing to think like a startup Continue Reading
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News
19 Jun 2023
Dutch government puts up €123m to address shortage of ICT workers
Financial injection aimed at improving cooperation between vocational education and business in the Netherlands, and making the tech professions more attractive Continue Reading
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News
16 Jun 2023
BBVA uses AI and analytics services from AWS
BBVA invests in Amazon Web Services cloud platforms to help transform itself into an organisation driven by AI and data Continue Reading
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News
15 Jun 2023
Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030: Progress report
Halfway into its plan to give the country a makeover by 2030, Saudi Arabia’s emphasis on technology is starting to pay off Continue Reading
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Feature
14 Jun 2023
Helping small deep tech companies become giants in Belgium
Imec researchers are helping deep tech startups in Belgium become global giants Continue Reading
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News
08 Jun 2023
Sweden’s Ikano Bank outsources core banking to TCS
Ikano Bank moves to cloud banking platform from Indian IT services giant Tata Consultancy Services Continue Reading
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News
08 Jun 2023
Netherlands enables contactless payments on entire public transport network
All modes of public transport now accept payments using contactless technology after the completion of major project in the Netherlands Continue Reading
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E-Zine
08 Jun 2023
CW EMEA: IT budgets buck economic trends
Despite the gloomy economic outlook across the world, IT leaders in the EMEA region appear confident that they will have more to spend on IT this year, with 44 expecting IT budgets to increase, according to TechTarget/Computer Weekly’s IT Priorities survey for 2023. Also in this issue, we look at how health authorities in the United Arab Emirates are increasing their emphasis on new, smart technologies to modernise healthcare services, we find out how global tech pioneers Finland and Estonia are increasingly sharing their expertise, and we look at what the Dutch government is doing to address unconscious stereotypes and bias that are still preventing girls in the Netherlands to study engineering or IT. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
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News
07 Jun 2023
Researchers in Belgium move towards industrial production of qubits
Using existing equipment and know-how, researchers at the Interuniversity Microelectronics Centre (Imec) in Belgium are finding ways of mass-producing qubits Continue Reading
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News
06 Jun 2023
Netherlands makes case for harmonisation of cloud security standards
Harmonisation of cyber security standards is necessary to reduce the regulatory burden on Dutch SMEs – and regulators need to cooperate better Continue Reading
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News
05 Jun 2023
Sweden is developing its own big language model
Artificial Intelligence Sweden is leading an initiative to build a large language model not only for Swedish, but for all the major languages in the Nordic region: Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Icelandic, and Faroese Continue Reading
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News
01 Jun 2023
DE-CIX switches on Internet Exchange in Finland
Comms tech provider celebrates 10 years of partnership with Internet Exchange operator and home to leading carrier and datacentre neutral interconnection ecosystem Continue Reading
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News
30 May 2023
Europe’s central bank reveals drop in Euro Zone card fraud
Euro Zone card fraud drops with card-not-present scams down following the introduction of Strong Customer Authentication rules Continue Reading
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News
24 May 2023
Kuwait bank introduces biometric payments card
Middle East bank launches payment cards with fingerprint sensor technology embedded Continue Reading
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News
23 May 2023
Visa to recruit 1,500 tech staff in Poland
Visa’s latest global tech hub will recruit up to 1,500 staff, with focus on artificial intelligence, cyber security, and resilience in payments and ecommerce sectors Continue Reading
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News
19 May 2023
Spanish lawyers claim police hacking of EncroChat cryptophones breaches human rights law
Lawyers speaking at the Madrid Bar Association question the legality of a cryptophone hacking which has led to arrests of organised criminals in multiple countries Continue Reading
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News
18 May 2023
Eticas outlines approach to ‘adversarial’ algorithmic auditing
Algorithmic auditing firm Eticas speaks to Computer Weekly about its approach to ‘adversarial’ algorithmic auditing, including its strengths and limitations, and how the process works Continue Reading
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News
17 May 2023
CTO interview: Europe benefits from energy gains in AMD chips
AMD’s chief technology officer explains how the latest chip technology can help European organisations solve the energy puzzle facing IT departments Continue Reading
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News
12 May 2023
MEPs vote in raft of amendments to EU AI Act
The proposed amendments to the EU’s AI Act have garnered a mixed reception from both industry and civil society, with the former seeing it as too stringent and the latter as not stringent enough in many areas, despite positive progress in others Continue Reading
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News
11 May 2023
Investigatory Powers Tribunal finds NCA EncroChat hacking warrants were lawful
Investigatory Powers Tribunal refers questions over whether messages obtained from the EncroChat encrypted phone network are legally admissible back to the criminal court Continue Reading
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E-Zine
11 May 2023
CW EMEA: The future of work
In this month’s CW EMEA, we look at the future of work in Europe after the pandemic forced a change in entrenched human behaviour. For years, people talked about flexible working being the way forward, but scepticism within the management of large companies held it back. This all changed when Covid-19 began to spread out of control and governments and businesses quickly told people to work from home where possible. We also look at the increasing problem of IT failures in Dutch hospitals and how they are affecting patient care, highlighting the need to improve IT security in hospitals. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
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News
09 May 2023
OVHcloud aims to bring Glacier-like cloud archive to Europe
OVHcloud makes Cold Archive GA with deep archive storage cheaper than AWS’s offer and all based on IBM 3592 tape hardware spread across four sites with Atempo backup Continue Reading
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News
08 May 2023
Chat control: EU lawyers warn plans to scan encrypted messages for child abuse may be unlawful
Leaked legal advice warns that European ‘chat control’ proposals to require tech companies to scan private and encrypted messages for child abuse are likely to breach EU law Continue Reading
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News
05 May 2023
Employee perception may be key to success of UAE’s big data initiative
Study shows the impact employee perception can have on big data projects in the United Arab Emirates Continue Reading
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Feature
04 May 2023
Icelandic researcher advocates for an overhaul of artificial intelligence
While technologies such as ChatGPT provide a glimpse of what may lay ahead, they are still a long way from real intelligence Continue Reading
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News
25 Apr 2023
UAE improves healthcare through information technology
Health authorities in the United Arab Emirates are increasing their emphasis on new, smart technologies to modernise healthcare services Continue Reading
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News
24 Apr 2023
Finland and Estonia deepen cross-border digital partnerships
Finland and Estonia, two global tech pioneers, are increasingly sharing their expertise Continue Reading
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Feature
24 Apr 2023
From Nokia to Merge Mansion: Helsinki’s tech expertise is sparking a new era for global gaming
Helsinki has a reputation as the go-to place for game development, and now the city’s tech community is taking gaming into new areas Continue Reading
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News
21 Apr 2023
Biases keep Dutch girls out of STEM and IT
Unconscious stereotypes and bias still ensure few girls in the Netherlands choose to study engineering or IT. Government, education and businesses need to make significant steps to turn this around Continue Reading
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News
19 Apr 2023
IT Priorities 2023: Budget optimism among EMEA IT leaders
IT leaders across the EMEA region are optimistic that their budgets will increase over the coming year Continue Reading
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News
19 Apr 2023
Global finance firms take part in NATO cyber attack simulation
Global financial services organisations take part in NATO annual event which simulates cyber attacks on critical infrastructure Continue Reading
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News
18 Apr 2023
Reduced spending on cloud services weighs European IT services market down
Reduced spending on cloud services in the EMEA region meant a year-on-year drop in total IT and BPO services spend Continue Reading
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Feature
17 Apr 2023
Belgian experts take on data challenges
Having been involved in storage and data management for more than two decades, Belgian experts are positioned to help tackle the challenges brought on by a growing volume of unstructured data Continue Reading
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News
13 Apr 2023
Italy to lift ChatGPT ban subject to new data protection controls
Italian regulator will lift its ban on OpenAI’s ChatGPT subject to a strict new data protection regime Continue Reading
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News
13 Apr 2023
Sweden and Finland make advances in quantum computing
Separate Swedish and Finnish quantum computing projects make promising advances in the technology of the future Continue Reading
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Feature
12 Apr 2023
The CIO challenges brought by e-commerce in Kuwait
E-commerce is growing fast in Kuwait, resulting in new challenges for CIOs in the retail sector Continue Reading
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News
12 Apr 2023
Deutsche Bank to close Russian software operations
German bank has been winding down its Russia-based software development operations and is close to shutting them down Continue Reading
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Feature
06 Apr 2023
Inspired by the human brain, Belgian researchers develop a new generation of sensors
Belgian researchers have found ways of mimicking the human brain to improve sensors and the way they pass data to central computers Continue Reading
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News
05 Apr 2023
Nordic app-based bank offloads its peer-to-peer lending business
Danish fintech Lunar has sold its peer-to-peer lending business to Sweden’s SaveLend Continue Reading
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News
05 Apr 2023
Cops bust Genesis cyber crime marketplace
Multinational Operation Cookie Monster takes down Genesis Market, a crucial source of compromised data used by criminals for fraud and other cyber attacks Continue Reading
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News
05 Apr 2023
Italy’s ChatGPT ban: Sober precaution or chilling overreaction?
Italy’s data protection authority issued a temporary ban on ChatGPT citing data protection concerns and alleged breaches of the GDPR. Is this a reasonable precaution, or a chilling restriction on personal freedoms? Continue Reading
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News
04 Apr 2023
UAE central bank selects partners for phase one of digital currency programme
The UAE central bank has kicked off the first phase of its project to launch a digital currency Continue Reading
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News
28 Mar 2023
BNP Paribas moves to Swedish datacentre in high-performance computing strategy
BNP Paribas is moving data-intensive workloads to a Swedish datacentre to increase capacity while reducing its carbon footprint Continue Reading
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Feature
27 Mar 2023
Dutch discovery brings energy-efficient computers a step closer
An international group of researchers at the University of Twente have developed a molecular switch that can increase the energy-efficiency of electronics Continue Reading
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News
21 Mar 2023
Nordics move towards common cyber defence strategy
Nordic countries agree to work together to improve their cyber defences amid increasing threat Continue Reading
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News
21 Mar 2023
UK signs digital trade deal with Ukraine
The UK and Ukraine have agreed a trade deal that will reduce the cost of IT imports from the war-torn country Continue Reading
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News
21 Mar 2023
Ferrari rejects ransom demand after cyber attack
Italian carmaker Ferrari says it will refuse to pay a ransom after an unspecified threat actor broke into its IT systems and stole customer data Continue Reading
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News
21 Mar 2023
Danish law firm transforms digital collaboration through core system replacement
NJORD has transformed how it shares documents among lawyers through a cloud-based platform Continue Reading
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Feature
17 Mar 2023
The changing role of the CIO from a Finnish perspective
A small country with a sophisticated workforce, Finland has its own perspective on how IT leadership is changing in both the public and private sector Continue Reading