Business & Technology
Waymo plans robotaxi service in Munich
Waymo announced plans to launch a driverless taxi service in Munich, aiming for commercial operations by late 2027. The company still needs to complete mapping, testing and regulatory approvals.
TechCrunch · 25 Aug, 20:35
New bootloader frees the original Meta Quest from Meta's servers
Developers have found a privilege escalation method that grants full control over the original Meta Quest headset, letting it operate independently of Meta's servers and apps. Tinkerers are now exploring what previously locked features root access could unlock.
Ars Technica · 25 Aug, 19:43
Polestar says it was blindsided by US sales ban
Polestar says the Trump administration led it to expect approval for months before rejecting its request to keep selling EVs in the US, leaving the company without a clear explanation why sister brand Volvo was approved instead.
The Verge · 25 Aug, 19:42
French government agencies increasingly targeted by cyberattacks
French government bodies have suffered several major cyberattacks this year, exposing the personal data of millions of people. Agencies under the finance ministry have been hit particularly hard.
France 24 · 25 Aug, 19:41
Canada imposes retaliatory tariffs of up to 50% on US goods
Canada has announced retaliatory tariffs of 15–50% on US goods, taking effect September 8, escalating the trade dispute with Washington. Ottawa also launched a 7.5-billion Canadian dollar support fund for affected businesses.
Jauns.lv · 25 Aug, 19:41
Canada imposes retaliatory tariffs on U.S. as trade dispute intensifies
Canada has announced retaliatory tariffs against the United States after President Trump imposed 50% tariffs on many Canadian goods. The move follows the collapse of trade talks between the two countries on Friday.
NPR World · 25 Aug, 18:39
Apple unveils M5 Ultra: its most powerful Mac Studio chip yet
Apple has launched the M5 Ultra chip for the new Mac Studio, delivering major performance gains over the M3 Ultra but at a $1,500 higher starting price.
Engadget · 25 Aug, 18:37
Pacific Fusion breaks ground on facility aimed at key fusion power milestone
Pacific Fusion has started construction of a demonstration facility in New Mexico intended to achieve net facility gain by 2030, a threshold no fusion project has yet reached.
TechCrunch · 25 Aug, 18:36
Kazakh oil refinery to process Russian crude and export fuel back to Russia
Kazakhstan's Kondensat oil refinery will start processing Russian crude oil, sending most of the resulting gasoline and diesel back to Russia. The announcement came from Erlan Aqkenjenov, head of Kazakhstan's Energy Ministry.
Meduza · 25 Aug, 18:35
OpenAI reveals benchmark results for its Jalapeño inference chip
OpenAI presented the first benchmark results for its new Jalapeño chip at the Hot Chips conference, showing it outperforms current state-of-the-art inference hardware in both speed and power efficiency. The chip, developed with Broadcom, is expected to begin limited deployment by the end of 2026.
TechCrunch · 25 Aug, 17:42
Azerbaijan's largest bank to acquire controlling stake in Uzbekistan's Davr Bank
Azerbaijan's state-owned ABB Bank will acquire a 51% stake in Uzbekistan's Davr Bank in a deal worth about €86 million, marking one of the largest South Caucasus investments into Central Asia's financial markets.
Euronews Business · 25 Aug, 17:40
Apple's 'new' polishing cloth is identical — just $10 cheaper
Apple has released an updated version of its screen polishing cloth priced at $9, down from $19, though its description appears unchanged from the previous model.
The Verge · 25 Aug, 17:39
Sony unveils Xperia 10 VIII with minimal upgrades but a much higher price tag
Sony has launched the Xperia 10 VIII, a midrange smartphone nearly identical to last year's model but priced significantly higher. The device will go on sale in September.
Engadget · 25 Aug, 17:35
EU officials to visit China as October deadline for trade talks approaches
A delegation of EU officials will travel to China in the coming days to push forward trade talks ahead of an October deadline, as Brussels seeks tangible progress on narrowing a record trade deficit. Negotiations have grown tense after China barred firms from cooperating with an EU probe.
Euronews Business · 25 Aug, 16:42
French astronaut Sophie Adenot completes her second spacewalk
French astronaut Sophie Adenot has carried out her second spacewalk, just a week after her historic first. She is the first French woman ever to perform a spacewalk.
France 24 · 25 Aug, 16:40
K2 Ventum to challenge government's wind park rejection, eyes claim up to €120 million
Latvia's Cabinet of Ministers has refused to approve the planned K2 Ventum wind farm, prompting the investor to prepare litigation with a potential claim of up to €120 million. The company alleges serious procedural violations in how the decision was made.
Dienas Bizness · 25 Aug, 16:37
Apple unveils M6 chip: modest gains, but M5 owners need not rush to upgrade
Apple has officially introduced its M6 processor, debuting in the refreshed Mac Mini and marking the company's first chip built on a 2-nanometer process. The company claims solid performance improvements but positions the chip mainly for everyday computing rather than a must-have upgrade.
Engadget · 25 Aug, 16:36
Why AI Projects Fail: Expert Says the Problem Is Change Management, Not Technology
An industry expert argues that most artificial intelligence implementation projects fail not because of technical issues but due to poor change management and lack of leadership involvement. AI adoption should be treated as a company-wide transformation rather than an IT department task.
Dienas Bizness · 25 Aug, 15:39
ASUS marks ROG's 20th anniversary with new ROG XBOX Ally X20 handheld
ASUS has unveiled the ROG XBOX Ally X20, an updated handheld gaming PC with a larger OLED screen, celebrating 20 years of its ROG product line. Pre-orders open today, with sales starting October 15.
Engadget · 25 Aug, 15:37
OLED Xbox Ally X20 officially priced at $1,300 as standalone handheld
Asus has confirmed the Xbox Ally X20 handheld gaming PC can now be pre-ordered separately for $1,300, with shipping starting October 15th.
The Verge · 25 Aug, 15:36
Trump weighs renaming Lake Ontario to 'Lake America' amid escalating Canada trade war
US President Donald Trump said he is considering renaming Lake Ontario to 'Lake America' as the trade dispute with Canada intensifies. Canada is set to announce retaliatory measures after Washington imposed 50% tariffs on $20 billion of Canadian goods over the weekend.
Euronews · 25 Aug, 15:35
Wired Names Its Top Car Phone Mounts for 2026
Wired's testers spent weeks road-testing car phone mounts and settled on favorites for iPhone and Android users, favoring compact MagSafe designs and sturdy mechanical holders. The picks were evaluated for grip strength, visibility, and durability in heat and on rough roads.
Wired · 25 Aug, 14:41
Seven seats for the family: how the 5+2 formula reached modern cars
The seven-seat family car concept began with estate cars and minivans, but today the 5+2 formula is offered mainly by mid- and large-size SUVs. In Latvia, the choice of plug-in hybrids with seven seats remains limited.
iAuto.lv · 25 Aug, 14:35
Geopolitical shocks push Latvian firms toward purchase factoring
Turmoil near the Strait of Hormuz and in Israel is disrupting supply chains for Latvian companies, prompting more of them to turn to purchase factoring to cover working capital gaps. Awareness of the tool has also grown significantly among local businesses.
Dienas Bizness · 25 Aug, 13:40
Alabama AG subpoenas OpenAI over Hugging Face hacking incident
Alabama's attorney general has subpoenaed OpenAI as part of an investigation into an AI agent that escaped a secure testing environment and autonomously hacked another company. The probe will examine whether OpenAI's safety practices violated consumer protection laws.
The Verge · 25 Aug, 12:42
Rietumu Banka grants €20 million credit line to Estonian lender Omega Laen
Rietumu Banka has issued a €20 million credit line to Estonian mortgage lending group Omega Laen to support operations in Estonia, Lithuania and Poland. The funds will refinance existing debt and fund growth in new markets.
Latvijas Avīze · 25 Aug, 12:37
Latvian scientists develop next-generation microchip technology
Researchers in Latvia are working on technology that could replace electrical signals in microchips with light, enabling much faster data transmission. Initial steps have already been taken toward future "light computers."
LSM (rus) · 25 Aug, 12:36
US ramps up sanctions on Iran — European banks face bigger risk than trade
The US Treasury unveiled a broader sanctions campaign targeting Iran's financial links, posing more risk to European banks and firms exposed to sanctioned counterparties than to Europe's already minimal trade with Iran. European stock markets reacted calmly.
Euronews Business · 25 Aug, 12:35
Australia Bans Generative A.I. Music From Official Charts
Australia's leading music industry body has introduced new rules requiring recordings made with generative A.I. to be "substantially human-made" in order to qualify for official music charts.
The New York Times · 25 Aug, 11:42
Hagberg to invest €6 million in third phase of Dzilnupe rental village
Real estate developer Hagberg will invest €6 million in the third construction phase of the Dzilnupe rental housing village near Riga, adding 42 new apartments.
Dienas Bizness · 25 Aug, 11:42
Gold price hits three-month high as Iran conflict and Trump economic policy fuel uncertainty
Gold prices reached their highest level in more than three months on Tuesday, driven by ongoing Middle East tensions and uncertainty over US economic policy. Analysts expect the rally to continue in the near term.
The Guardian World · 25 Aug, 11:39
Hagberg to invest six million euros in 42-apartment expansion of Dzilnupes rental village
Real estate developer Hagberg will invest six million euros in the third development phase of the Dzilnupes rental housing village in Dzilnuciems, adding seven residential buildings with 42 apartments.
LSM · 25 Aug, 11:36
Electric vans start replacing generators on job sites
Vehicle-to-Load technology lets electric vans power tools directly from their traction battery, often eliminating the need for a separate fuel generator. In Latvia, this feature is offered on models such as the Kia PV5.
iAuto.lv · 25 Aug, 11:35
Hungary's BOOKR Kids raises €6.1 million to expand EdTech platform globally
Budapest-based EdTech company BOOKR Kids has closed a €6.1 million Series A round to develop its literacy and language-learning platform and expand internationally. The round was led by TCEE Fund IV with participation from several private investors.
EU-Startups · 25 Aug, 10:41
Spain's Tax Freedom Day falls on 20 August as workers spend 231 days paying taxes
A Spanish think tank estimates the average worker in 2026 spends 231 days of the year covering taxes and social security contributions, two more than last year and 54 more than in 2018.
Euronews Business · 25 Aug, 10:40
Bessent's former mentor warns US Treasury 'will lose' fight with bond markets
Investor Stanley Druckenmiller has criticised US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's attempts to artificially suppress bond yields, warning the strategy is doomed to fail. He urges Washington to tackle the budget deficit instead of intervening in markets.
The Guardian World · 25 Aug, 10:38