Business & Technology
European defense AI firm NestAI to invest €10 million in Latvian R&D center
European defense artificial intelligence company NestAI plans to establish a research and development center in Latvia, investing €10 million and creating 30 jobs for scientists and engineers. The move follows the company's August announcement of launching operations in Sweden.
Dienas Bizness · 11 Sept, 10:48
One killed in truck and car collision in Ādaži region
A truck and a passenger car collided in the Ādaži region on Thursday evening, killing one person. Latvia recorded 135 traffic accidents that day, injuring 14 more people.
iAuto.lv · 11 Sept, 10:47
ECB raises interest rates to curb rising prices in the eurozone
The European Central Bank has raised interest rates by 0.25 percentage points as the ongoing Middle East conflict keeps pushing up energy costs and inflation in the eurozone. Bank of Estonia's Ulo Kaasik says risks remain elevated, though the region's economy has stayed resilient.
ERR (rus) · 11 Sept, 10:47
Anthropic says it disrupted AI-driven surveillance schemes in China, Iran and West Africa
AI company Anthropic reported it detected and shut down several state-backed surveillance operations that misused its AI models between January and July. The firm warned that governments are increasingly turning to AI to track dissidents and ethnic minority groups.
France 24 · 11 Sept, 10:44
ESA awards The Exploration Company €760 million cargo capsule contract under ALADDIN programme
The European Space Agency has signed a €760 million contract with The Exploration Company to build Europe's first commercial cargo capsule for the ISS, days after the firm closed a €387 million funding round.
EU-Startups · 11 Sept, 10:44
UK economy grows faster than expected in July, boosted by AI sector
UK GDP rose 0.4% in July, beating economists' forecasts of no growth, as the boom in AI and cloud computing offset economic damage from the Iran war.
The Guardian World · 11 Sept, 09:49
Opel launches new entry-level Combo Start van from €22,400
Opel is expanding its commercial vehicle lineup with the new entry-level Combo Start, offered with petrol, diesel or electric powertrains and arriving in Germany in October. The base price starts at €22,400 excluding VAT, one thousand euros less than the previous generation's starting model.
iAuto.lv · 11 Sept, 09:14
One in Four Latvians Report Worsening Financial Situation, Survey Shows
A Citadele bank survey found that 25% of Latvian residents experienced a worsening financial situation over the past three months, though Latvians remain the most confident in the Baltics about managing their budgets going forward.
BNN · 11 Sept, 09:10
Road freight services become Latvia's leading transport export
Since 2004, road transport has been Latvia's largest transport services export, overtaking rail and aviation, though export revenue per capita still trails Baltic neighbours and other European countries.
Dienas Bizness · 11 Sept, 09:07
airBaltic bondholders to vote Tuesday on up to €257 million loan at 25% rate
airBaltic bondholders will vote on September 15 on interim financing terms for a loan of up to €257 million at a 25% annual rate. The decision will be made at a meeting starting at 3 p.m.
Apollo.lv · 11 Sept, 08:12
Voļskis: Budget planning should focus on priorities, not just spending totals
Economist Edgars Voļskis argues that discussions ahead of Latvia's 2027 state budget should go beyond revenue and spending figures to address which professions and state functions deserve priority funding. He raises the question of whether current policy allows people in socially essential jobs to live with financial security and dignity.
LSM · 11 Sept, 08:11
UK watchdog warns slow grid upgrades could push up energy bills
Britain's National Audit Office says delays in a £70bn electricity grid modernisation programme could push extra consumer costs to £7.8bn a year by 2030. Only 16 of 80 required projects are finished so far.
The Guardian World · 11 Sept, 08:07
Anthropic model: AI could bring 15% growth by 2030 — or mass unemployment
Anthropic's economics team has published a model showing AI could drive either strong economic growth or significant job losses by 2030, depending on how quickly the technology develops and spreads. The authors stress these are scenarios, not predictions.
Euronews Business · 11 Sept, 08:07
PC Jeweller shares extend rally as company nears debt-free status
PC Jeweller shares rose 4% to Rs 14.08 on Wednesday, up 38% over the past week, as the jeweller moves close to clearing all its debt and posts strong first-quarter earnings.
3 avoti · 11 Sept, 07:15
Latvian government reviews airBaltic financing progress again, still no decision on state involvement
Latvia's cabinet was briefed on the progress of airBaltic's financial stabilization process on Thursday, but a decision on possible additional state investment remains off the table for now. The bridge financing has grown to €257 million, with bondholders set to vote on Friday.
Dienas Bizness · 11 Sept, 07:13
California Governor Newsom signs child safety laws targeting social media and AI chatbots
California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed a set of new state laws imposing sweeping restrictions on social media and AI chatbots to protect children, including provisions backed by OpenAI's Sam Altman.
Politico Europe · 11 Sept, 06:09
New EU Packaging Regulation to bring gradual changes for businesses
Latvia began applying the first requirements of the EU's new Packaging Regulation on 12 August 2026, though full implementation will roll out gradually through 2028. An industry representative warns catering businesses face a key deadline already in 2027.
Dienas Bizness · 11 Sept, 06:07
Google finally launches a native Gemini app for Windows
Google has released a dedicated native Gemini app for Windows 10 and 11, letting users summon the AI assistant with a keyboard shortcut just as on Mac. The app connects with other Google AI tools and services.
Engadget · 11 Sept, 05:13
How companies should respond when a cybersecurity incident occurs
An expert outlines what qualifies as a cybersecurity incident and the steps companies should take after detecting one, including reporting duties to authorities. Fast, planned action can significantly limit the damage.
Delfi · 11 Sept, 05:13
Furo's founders left Silicon Valley for Germany — and say it's paying off
German startup Furo, which builds software for industrial battery storage, has raised $4 million mostly from U.S. backers and signed Deutsche Bahn as a client within a year of moving its founders back home from Silicon Valley.
TechCrunch · 11 Sept, 05:12
Electric cars keep dominating China's auto market, first pure petrol model ranks 14th
In August, nine of the top ten best-selling passenger cars in China were fully electric, while the first internal-combustion model landed only in 13th place. Geely EX2 remained the market leader.
iAuto.lv · 11 Sept, 05:09
Latvia may soon restrict access to phones bought on installment plans
Latvia plans to classify phone installment purchases as consumer credit, which could mean stricter requirements for buyers starting this autumn. Most residents currently buy phones this way.
Jauns.lv · 11 Sept, 05:06
Android gains a secure way to move saved logins between password managers
Google has introduced a new on-device system for Android that lets users securely transfer their saved logins from one password manager app to another. The feature currently works with Google's own app, 1Password, Bitwarden, and Dashlane.
Ars Technica · 11 Sept, 04:13
Apple's new AirPods 5 launch, but reviewers say skip the cheaper model
Apple has quietly released the new AirPods 5 lineup, but reviewers argue the $20 price gap between the base model and the wireless-charging version is too small to justify choosing the cheaper option.
Engadget · 11 Sept, 04:12
Anthropic Reports Large-Scale Distillation Campaigns from Alibaba, Moonshot AI and DeepSeek
Anthropic says it has identified five separate campaigns by China-based AI firms, including Alibaba and Moonshot AI, attempting to extract Claude's capabilities to train their own models. Nearly 200 million related exchanges were recorded in total.
TechCrunch · 11 Sept, 04:12
Macron and von der Leyen call for decisive European action in space
French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen have urged Europe to act on a large scale to secure its place in the space race against the US and China. An expert says Europe has strong scientific capabilities but lacks investment, launch frequency and political unity.
France 24 · 11 Sept, 04:09
Anthropic exposes large-scale Chinese distillation campaigns targeting Claude
Anthropic has disclosed five separate campaigns, largely traced to Chinese AI firms, that harvested nearly 200 million exchanges to extract Claude's capabilities. The largest, linked to Alibaba, dwarfs prior efforts, while another tied to Moonshot AI reportedly routed requests from China's military.
TechCrunch AI · 11 Sept, 03:14
OpenAI Asks Congress Whether Slowing Down AI Development Could Be Illegal
OpenAI has quietly asked members of Congress to clarify whether coordinating an industry-wide slowdown in AI development would violate antitrust law. The inquiry highlights how legal uncertainty is complicating efforts to get major AI labs to cooperate on safety.
Wired · 11 Sept, 03:08
Mark Wahlberg to appear at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026
Actor Mark Wahlberg will join TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 in October for a fireside chat about his shift from Hollywood into business and investing, hosted by Keebeck Wealth Management's Bruce K. Lee. The conference runs October 13-15 in San Francisco.
TechCrunch AI · 11 Sept, 02:12
Boy diagnosed with rare "toasted skin" syndrome after daily laptop use
UK doctors writing in BMJ Case Reports describe an unusual case in which a boy developed strange markings on his abdomen that were ultimately traced to his habit of resting a laptop on his stomach every day. The path to that explanation first led physicians through suspicion of trauma and several inconclusive tests.
Ars Technica · 11 Sept, 02:11
Venture Firm Collaborative Fund Takes Stake in MLS Club D.C. United
New York venture firm Collaborative Fund is taking a stake in soccer club D.C. United and its stadium Audi Field, following Thrive Capital's lead into pro sports ownership. The deal still requires MLS approval.
TechCrunch · 11 Sept, 02:10
iPhone 18 Pro Max vs Galaxy S26 Ultra: comparing the two flagship giants
Apple's iPhone 18 Pro Max and Samsung's Galaxy S26 Ultra offer remarkably similar flagship specs, but differ in camera setups, weight and extra features. The choice ultimately comes down to ecosystem preference and small details.
Engadget · 11 Sept, 02:07
Meta tests Community Notes in Latin America, alarming fact checkers
Meta has begun testing its crowd-sourced Community Notes system in 16 Latin American countries, hinting it could eventually replace professional fact-checking there. Fact-checking groups and Meta's Oversight Board have voiced concern over the move.
Engadget · 11 Sept, 01:16
Judge dismisses "BrowserGate" lawsuits against LinkedIn over extension scanning
A US federal judge dismissed two class-action lawsuits accusing LinkedIn of illegally scanning users' browser extensions, ruling that plaintiffs failed to show a concrete privacy harm. The judge left room for an amended complaint but voiced doubt it could succeed.
Ars Technica · 11 Sept, 01:16
Slack to let users build interactive dashboards with AI directly in chats
Slack is rolling out a new feature called Slackforce Surfaces that lets users describe what they need to Slackbot and get AI-generated interactive reports, polls, and dashboards inside a chat. Live data support arrives in October.
The Verge · 11 Sept, 01:12
LG defends smart-TV features amid audio surveillance allegations
Electronics maker LG has defended its smart-TV features after new allegations that the devices may collect users' audio data without consent, raising fresh questions about the company's data practices.
Al Jazeera · 11 Sept, 01:10