Tech this week: Google plows €875m in UK office deal and North Korean hackers stole €350m in crypto

euronews.com:

Tech giant Google has spent €875 million to buy a central London building where it is currently a tenant, showing its confidence in the future of the office as a place to work, the company said on Friday.

Google, which employs 6,400 people in Britain, is planning a multi-million refurbishment of its offices it is buying within the Central Saint Giles development close to Covent Garden in central London.

"We have been privileged to operate in the UK for nearly 20 years, and our purchase of the Central Saint Giles development reflects our continued commitment to the country's growth and success," said Ruth Porat, CFO of Google's parent company Alphabet.

Google plans to refit the building so it is adapted for in-person teamwork and has meeting rooms for hybrid working, as well as creating more space for individuals.

The new refurbishment will also feature outdoor covered working spaces to enable work in the fresh air, the company said.

Google said it would eventually have capacity for 10,000 workers at its UK sites, including another one being developed in the nearby King's Cross area.

"This investment in jobs from Google is a big vote of confidence in the UK as a world-leading tech hub," UK finance minister Rishi Sunak said in a statement.

Google said last month that it was delaying its return-to-office plan globally amid growing concerns over the Omicron COVID-19 variant.

North Korea launched at least seven attacks on cryptocurrency platforms that extracted nearly $400 million (€350 million) worth of digital assets last year, blockchain analysis firm Chainalysis said in a new report.

"From 2020 to 2021, the number of North Korean-linked hacks jumped from four to seven, and the value extracted from these hacks grew by 40 per cent,"