Business & Technology
Amazon admits it doesn't know how it will hit its 2040 net-zero goal
Amazon's chief sustainability officer acknowledged the company lacks a full plan for reaching net-zero carbon emissions by 2040, even as it stands by the commitment. Meanwhile, the company has advanced plans for a massive gas plant to power an AI data center.
TechCrunch · 24 Sept, 00:43
XPRIZE Wildfire contest ends with no grand-prize winner, despite fast fire detection
Teams in the $11 million XPRIZE Wildfire competition detected fires within 10 minutes but none could fully extinguish them, leaving both grand prizes unclaimed.
Ars Technica · 23 Sept, 23:44
Microsoft updates smaller Surface Pro and Surface Laptop with new Qualcomm chip
Microsoft has refreshed its 12-inch Surface Pro and 13-inch Surface Laptop with Qualcomm's new Snapdragon X2 Plus chips, though both devices now come with significantly higher price tags.
The Verge · 23 Sept, 23:43
VC Firm Bessemer Raises $5.75 Billion More to Invest in AI
Venture capital firm Bessemer Venture Partners has raised $5.75 billion across two new funds to expand its investments across the AI industry. Most of the money is earmarked for growth-stage startups, with a smaller portion for seed and early-stage companies.
TechCrunch · 23 Sept, 23:41
Amazon blocks Meta's Muse AI shopping agent, sparking fight over who controls the customer
Amazon cut off Meta's new AI shopping agent Muse from its store on Sunday, opening a dispute over who controls the customer relationship as AI agents increasingly handle purchases.
3 avoti · 23 Sept, 22:51
Meta's AI agent Muse helps with chores but makes spending money dangerously easy
A Verge writer tested Meta's new AI agent Muse, which handled everyday errands from emails to online shopping. The agent completed several long-delayed tasks but also made it strikingly easy to spend money.
The Verge · 23 Sept, 22:48
Biotech startup Enveda raises $311M to advance AI-discovered nature-based drugs
Enveda, a biotech startup using AI to find drugs in nature, has raised $311 million at a $2 billion valuation. The company already has several AI-discovered drug candidates in human clinical trials.
TechCrunch · 23 Sept, 22:42
Biotech firm Enveda raises $311M to advance nature-derived AI drugs toward clinical trials
US biotech startup Enveda has closed a $311 million Series E funding round at a $2 billion valuation to continue developing AI-discovered drugs sourced from plants and microbes.
TechCrunch AI · 23 Sept, 22:42
Disney raises Disney+ and Hulu prices again amid industry-wide streaming inflation
Disney has announced new price increases for its Disney+ and Hulu streaming plans, continuing a broader industry trend of rising subscription costs. The hikes come roughly a year after Disney's last major streaming price increase.
TechCrunch · 23 Sept, 21:49
California passes laws forcing data centers to disclose water and power use
California Governor Gavin Newsom signed seven bills requiring data center operators to start disclosing their electricity and water usage starting next year. The move aims to give communities and scientists better insight into how the facilities affect utility bills and local resources.
The Verge · 23 Sept, 21:44
Russia's cash in circulation up 2.5 trillion rubles this year, prompting central bank to demand stricter bank scrutiny
Russia's central bank plans new recommendations urging banks to scrutinize the source of clients' cash more closely, after cash in circulation grew by 2.5 trillion rubles since the start of the year. Officials link the surge to unknown-origin funds and illegal cryptocurrency exchanges.
Meduza · 23 Sept, 21:42
Zoox halts Atlanta test fleet after workers report toxic gas exposure symptoms
Amazon-owned autonomous vehicle company Zoox has grounded its Atlanta test fleet after safety drivers reported symptoms consistent with exposure to carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide or hydrogen sulfide, prompting an OSHA inquiry.
TechCrunch · 23 Sept, 20:46
Without reopening the Strait of Hormuz, high fuel prices may become the norm
The EU paid nearly €10 billion more for oil imports in the second quarter than a year earlier, even though import volumes barely changed. Experts warn high fuel prices could become a lasting reality unless the Strait of Hormuz situation is resolved.
ERR (rus) · 23 Sept, 20:44
Latvia moves to criminalize cartels as Estonia chooses opposite path
Latvia is set to criminalize prohibited agreements in procurement this year, shifting from administrative to criminal liability, while Estonia decriminalized cartels last year for the opposite reason.
Dienas Bizness · 23 Sept, 20:43
Sanders introduces bill to ban artificial superintelligence, threaten 20-year prison terms
US Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Greg Casar have introduced legislation that would ban the development of artificial superintelligence, with violators facing up to 20 years in prison. The bill would also pause advanced AI development until a new federal oversight agency is created.
The Verge · 23 Sept, 19:47
Airtel Money to list in London, but listings drought not over yet
African payments firm Airtel Money is set to list on the London Stock Exchange with a valuation of £6-7bn, though analysts say it doesn't yet signal a real turnaround for London's IPO market.
The Guardian World · 23 Sept, 19:46
Fuel prices become flashpoint in France's presidential race
Record-high fuel prices in France have sparked public anger and protests, turning energy costs into a major issue ahead of next year's presidential election.
Euronews Business · 23 Sept, 19:42
YouTube Music adds AI features for conversational music and podcast discovery
YouTube Music is rolling out two new AI-powered features — a conversational music search tool and a personalized podcast discovery guide. Both updates are coming soon to YouTube Music and YouTube Premium subscribers worldwide.
TechCrunch AI · 23 Sept, 18:46
YouTube expands AI creator tools that now actively suggest content changes
At its annual Made on YouTube event, the platform unveiled expanded AI tools that increasingly tell creators what to change about their content. New features include a background AI agent monitoring channel performance and tools for testing multiple video versions.
The Verge · 23 Sept, 17:46
YouTube rolls out AI creator tools including dynamic thumbnails and live dubbing
YouTube unveiled a batch of new AI-powered tools for creators on Wednesday, including automatic thumbnail selection and plans for real-time live dubbing, while also sharing data on shifting viewing habits toward TVs and the rapid rise of microdramas.
TechCrunch · 23 Sept, 17:45
YouTube adds new AI tools to its Studio app for creators
At its Made on YouTube event, YouTube unveiled several AI-powered features for the Studio app, aimed at helping creators analyze videos and grow audiences. The updates include feedback on unpublished drafts, dynamic thumbnails, and deeper analytics.
TechCrunch AI · 23 Sept, 17:44
Legal expert warns new criminal law on procurement cartels could backfire
Legal commentator Romāns Meļņiks warns that a new Criminal Law article on procurement cartels, rushed through parliament before elections, may create more problems than it solves. He calls for careful evaluation of evidentiary challenges and comparison with Estonia, which decriminalized similar violations last year.
Latvijas Avīze · 23 Sept, 17:43
Expanding to the US: what European founders should line up first
New research and industry advisers say European startup founders should sequence their US expansion carefully, tackling customers, immigration, funding and legal structure in the right order rather than all at once. Getting the order wrong, not the timing, is what typically drives up costs.
EU-Startups · 23 Sept, 17:42
Valmiera plans 120 more low-rent apartments
The city of Valmiera is preparing a new low-rent housing project with 120 apartments aimed at families and skilled workers. Construction could begin in spring 2027 and finish by 2029.
Dienas Bizness · 23 Sept, 16:46
Winter as the real test for EVs: what to check before buying one for Latvia's climate
Cold weather can cut an electric car's range by 30–40%, so buyers in Latvia should look beyond the manufacturer's WLTP figure to features like heat pumps and battery preheating.
Latvijas Avīze · 23 Sept, 16:43
Boy aged 12–13 hits 187 km/h while fleeing police in Madona region
On Friday, September 18, a dangerous police chase unfolded near Madona and Cesvaine after a boy born in 2013 fled at speeds of up to 187 km/h in an Audi; State Police later found the boy had taken the car without his father's knowledge.
iAuto.lv · 23 Sept, 16:41
NAB hit by major internet and mobile banking outage in Australia
Australia's National Australia Bank suffered a widespread digital outage on Wednesday, 23 September, leaving customers unable to access internet banking, the mobile app and other services; most services were restored later in the day.
3 avoti · 23 Sept, 15:54
Trump to host Xi as Congress weighs ban on artificial superintelligence
US President Donald Trump is meeting Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Thursday as part of a three-day state visit expected to focus heavily on artificial intelligence, while lawmakers in Washington push a bill to ban AI superintelligence development.
The Guardian World · 23 Sept, 14:47
Wired rounds up Samsung's phone lineup, from foldables to budget picks
Wired has published a broad overview of Samsung smartphones across price tiers, alongside explanations of the company's device ecosystem and AI features. The report also notes that Samsung's triple-fold phone was quietly discontinued.
Wired · 23 Sept, 14:44
DJI unveils Osmo 360 II panoramic camera with swappable lenses
DJI has launched the Osmo 360 II panoramic action camera, offering faster video frame rates and replaceable lenses. It costs €589 in Europe but remains unavailable in the US.
Engadget · 23 Sept, 14:42
Riga to host Techritory 2026 conference on protecting European data and digital infrastructure
On October 21–22, Riga's ATTA Centre will host the Techritory 2026 conference, bringing together more than a thousand tech industry leaders, entrepreneurs, experts and policymakers to discuss solutions for protecting European data and digital infrastructure.
Labs of Latvia · 23 Sept, 14:41
Latvia weighs building autonomous vehicle plant with German firm HOLON
Latvian IT company dots. and German autonomous vehicle maker HOLON have agreed to explore setting up an autonomous vehicle manufacturing plant in Latvia along with pilot projects in cities and regions. The agreement was reached during a business visit to Germany organized by Latvia's Investment and Development Agency, attended by Economy Minister Viktors Valainis.
Dienas Bizness · 23 Sept, 14:41
WorldSkills 2026 opens in Shanghai with humanoid robots joining dancers
The 48th WorldSkills Competition has opened in Shanghai with an opening ceremony featuring humanoid robots dancing alongside human performers, bringing together 1,385 competitors from 68 countries.
Euronews · 23 Sept, 13:45
Trump and Xi expected to agree only limited AI safety cooperation at summit
US President Donald Trump and China's Xi Jinping are expected to agree only to limited cooperation on AI safety at their upcoming summit, even as artificial intelligence industry leaders warn of potentially catastrophic risks.
Al Jazeera · 23 Sept, 13:44
EU and EIB launch new pact to draw institutional investors into tech scale-ups
The European Commission and the European Investment Bank unveiled the European Institutional Investors Pact in Luxembourg, aiming to channel more long-term capital into Europe's tech and scale-up sector. Thirteen institutional investors have already signalled intent to join.
EU-Startups · 23 Sept, 13:43
Turkey arrests Tera brokerage founder as fund probe hits 450,000 investors
Turkish authorities have arrested the founder of brokerage Tera Yatırım and several other executives amid a probe into investment funds accused of running a Ponzi-like scheme. More than 450,000 investors in 131 funds now face up to a six-month wait to find out how much of their money will be returned.
Euronews Business · 23 Sept, 13:43