The next tech hub Powerhouse

As Russia and China attempt to master sophisticated technologies, the head of MI6 is set to warn that "unlike Q in the Bond movies, we cannot do it all in-house."

Governments have set their eyes on the world's largest tech companies. But why has Big Tech come under so much fire? And how did it get so "Big" in the first place?

This is our fourth episode on the fall of the Soviet Union. Today we go to Estonia... the former Soviet republic which has undergone the fastest and most radical modernisation. The country is now a digital powerhouse where almost everything can be done from a smartphone. France 24's Sylvain Rousseau and Achraf Abid report from Tallinn.

A rapid uptake in technology has made living through a pandemic easier and safer. But regulators are starting to ask: at what cost?

Nigeria's agri-tech companies are trying to address the challenges faced by smallholder farmers, as well as provide access to inputs, credit, and markets.

Margrethe Vestager is a leader who is admired and feared at the same time – for taking up the fight against big tech companies. As the EU’s competition commissioner, she’s considered to be one of the most powerful women in Europe. How did she manage to make it all the way to the top? Let’s find out.

Denmark is the EU's first nation to lift all domestic Covid restrictions, raising hopes in northern Europe and beyond. Here in France, new infections have never been higher, but the authorities are relaxing rules too. That's because the vaccination rate is near 90 percent and hospitals are managing. The omicron variant is more infectious but milder. Milder if you are vaccinated, warns the World Health Organization. Many nations remain vulnerable.

The Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics are being held in a "closed-loop" system, where participants and visitors are separated from the public because of Covid-19. It's the perfect environment to push the limits of modern technology and Beijing is showcasing a whole host of innovations, from 5G to robots and from 8K broadcasting to its digital currency, the e-CNY. Peter O'Brien takes us through some of the breakthroughs and controversies surrounding tech at the Games.

Burkina Faso's junta chief orders a three-year transition period before elections. Also, a fourth witness testifies before the ICC against Kenyan lawyer Paul Gicheru in a bribery case. And Africa's largest innovation event returns to Lagos. The city hosts tech enthusiasts from around the world to reimagine innovation and renew a collective commitment to bring ideas and prosperity to the continent.

One week after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, US enterprise software giant Oracle has suspended its Russian operations, while Amazon is pledging logistical and cybersecurity support for Ukraine. Meanwhile, Russia's sovereign credit rating has been slashed to junk status by two major ratings agencies and the Moscow Stock Exchange is closed for a fourth consecutive day. We also take a closer look at how the US and EU are working on measures to make sure cryptocurrencies are not used to circumvent sanctions on Russia.

The #TechForUkraine campaign hopes to match aid groups with IT companies willing to help for free. The focus is both on the distribution of material aid and on the helping against Russian cyberattacks.

The deal may force US tech giants like Google, Amazon, Apple and Meta to change their business practices and is designed to give rivals a better chance of survival.