January 20, 2024

Today in news: Microsoft Cyberattack, Russian Hacker Group Strikes; State Duma's New Bill, Real Estate Surges, Qiwi's Big Sale, and Google's Massive Layoffs Unfold

11 minutes

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News 1:

Microsoft reported an attack on corporate systems by the Russian hacker group Midnight Blizzard (also known as Nobelium). Hackers gained access to a “small percentage” of corporate email accounts, including senior management and employees responsible for cybersecurity and legal functions.

News 2:

A bill on confiscation of property for “fakes” about the army, public calls for extremist activities, calls against state security, and the imposition of sanctions will be submitted to the State Duma on January 22, 2024.

News 3:

Prices for secondary real estate in Russia increased by 8% in the fourth quarter of 2023; at the end of the year, the growth was 11.9%. Apartments have become more expensive in most cities with the exception of Moscow. In the capital, housing prices fell by an average of 3% over three months due to a decrease in the average area of properties from 57 to 54 m².

News 4:

Qiwi will sell its business in Russia to Hong Kong Fusion Factor Fintech for 23.75 billion rubles. Also, after the sale of the Russian business, Qiwi Plc plans to repurchase up to 10% of its depositary receipts traded on Nasdaq and the Moscow Exchange.

News 5:

Google is laying off thousands of employees and has no plans to stop. In the first 20 days of the new year, Google laid off several thousand employees. This happened due to the large-scale introduction of artificial intelligence into the work of the corporation.

...more