Business & Technology
Canada Seeks Comprehensive Trade Deal With U.S. to Avert 50% Tariffs
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is working to prevent 50 percent tariffs on many Canadian goods set to take effect this month. Talks with the U.S. continue, with Canada offering concessions in exchange for a broader agreement.
The New York Times · 8 Aug, 04:14
Disney Plus trials AI-driven search for content recommendations
Disney is testing a new AI tool on Disney Plus that builds a personalized row of recommendations from natural language or voice queries, while also piloting a conversational search feature for ESPN.
The Verge · 8 Aug, 03:21
Static Hour puts players in charge of separating truth from fear during a crisis
Developer Barkbyte Interactive has unveiled Static Hour, a new video game that casts players as an overnight radio news editor who must sort real information from disinformation during a growing emergency. The game is set in a small town radio station in the 1980s.
Engadget · 8 Aug, 03:20
Wacom's MovinkPad 11 offers a mid-priced way into digital art
Japanese company Wacom offers the MovinkPad 11, a $500 Android tablet for digital art that sits between cheaper and pricier rivals. TechCrunch tested the device and found it easy to use and fun, though not essential for casual users.
TechCrunch · 8 Aug, 03:16
Europe's free satellite tool now makes wildfire tracking easier
The European Space Agency's free Copernicus Browser platform has added a built-in tool for visualizing wildfires and smoke from space. The update arrives as severe wildfires continue to burn across several regions of the world.
Ars Technica · 8 Aug, 03:15
Trump renews effort to fire Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook
US President Donald Trump has renewed his push to remove Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook from her post, amid an ongoing clash over interest rate policy. The dispute centers on Trump's demand for rapid rate cuts despite persistent inflation.
Al Jazeera · 8 Aug, 03:15
Sony reportedly reviving its 2020 flagship WH-1000XM4 headphones
Sony may be bringing back its 2020 flagship WH-1000XM4 headphones in a cheaper new version called the WH-1000XM4C. The updated model could launch as soon as September at a lower price point.
Engadget · 8 Aug, 02:20
Judge orders Meta to pay $567 million over teen mental health crisis in New Mexico
A New Mexico judge ruled that Meta's platforms significantly contributed to a teen mental health crisis in the state and ordered the company to fund a $567 million treatment program. Meta says it will appeal.
Ars Technica · 8 Aug, 02:19
Valainis: every Latvian resident has already paid €250 toward airBaltic's development
Economy Minister Viktors Valainis says the state has already invested in airBaltic an amount equal to €250 per Latvian resident, and future funding decisions must be weighed very carefully. He also criticized the airline's past governance and said a new action plan should lead to self-sufficiency.
Latvijas Avīze · 8 Aug, 02:17
OpenAI pauses parts of Astra model development over cybersecurity concerns
OpenAI says it has halted certain aspects of work on its unreleased Astra model after an internal review found it capable of independently carrying out cyberattacks. The company is tightening safeguards while evaluation continues.
TechCrunch · 8 Aug, 02:15
Human cases of flesh-eating screwworm infections in Mexico surpass 500
A new study of New World screwworm (NWS) myiasis in Mexico finds most patients are men with underlying health conditions, while six deaths have been linked to confirmed infections.
Ars Technica · 8 Aug, 01:19
After burning millions on AI in months, Rippling built a tool to measure if it actually pays off
HR software company Rippling launched AI Spend Console, a tool that tracks employee AI spending and checks whether it translates into real productivity gains. The product followed an internal discovery that the company was on pace to spend nearly as much on AI tokens as on much of its engineering payroll.
TechCrunch AI · 8 Aug, 01:17
Latvian startup PrintyMed develops artificial spider silk for medical use
Latvian startup PrintyMed is developing a material that could one day be used for organ-on-chip membranes, wound dressings, heart valves and artificial organ frameworks. CEO Jekaterina Romanova told TVNET about the company's path from scientific discovery to market.
TVNET · 8 Aug, 01:16
Walmart-backed gaming site Restart lays off entire editorial staff
Gaming media outlet Restart, sponsored by retail giant Walmart, has laid off its entire editorial team. It remains unclear whether the site will continue operating.
The Verge · 8 Aug, 01:15
OpenAI halts internal work on Astra model over potential critical cyber risks
OpenAI has paused internal activities around its in-development Astra model, saying it cannot yet rule out that the system has critical cybersecurity capabilities under the company's safety framework.
The Verge · 8 Aug, 00:20
Researchers find over 10,000 Polish public entities exposed to cyberattacks
Two Polish security researchers presented findings at Def Con showing roughly 250,000 websites belonging to courts, hospitals, airports and other public bodies contain exploitable security flaws. Outdated software and a lack of bug-reporting channels left many vulnerabilities unaddressed for a long time.
TechCrunch · 8 Aug, 00:16
NASA weighs turning a Mars rover test model into a moon rover
NASA is considering sending a rover called PROMISE, built from Earth-based test models of the Perseverance and Curiosity Mars rovers, to the moon's south pole. The project remains conceptual and could cost up to $1.3 billion.
Engadget · 7 Aug, 23:21
Framework says customer data was accessed in breach of database provider
Laptop maker Framework has told customers that hackers accessed customer information through a breach of its database vendor Metabase, though payment details were not exposed.
Engadget · 7 Aug, 22:21
Roku launches a new channel made entirely of AI-generated video
Roku has added a free ad-supported channel filled with AI-generated content from startup Fairground, but a hands-on review found the programming rough, disjointed and lacking polish.
The Verge · 7 Aug, 22:18
The instant cameras actually worth buying in 2026
A roundup of the top instant camera picks from Fujifilm, Polaroid and Kodak highlights options for different budgets and preferences. Fujifilm's Instax Mini Evo comes out on top as the best overall choice.
The Verge · 7 Aug, 21:17
Trump administration pays $1.2 billion to halt RWE offshore wind projects
The Trump administration has struck a deal with German energy company RWE, paying over $1.2 billion to cancel offshore wind projects off New York, California and Louisiana. It is the fifth such deal, bringing total taxpayer spending on killing green energy projects to roughly $4 billion.
Engadget · 7 Aug, 21:17
Cloudflare launches Kitesurf, a cloud browser built for AI agents
Cloudflare has introduced Kitesurf, a cloud-hosted browser designed not for human users but for AI agents that need to complete tasks on the web, currently free to use in beta on its serverless platform.
TechCrunch AI · 7 Aug, 20:21
Lawyer: Municipal Councillors Could Face Lawsuits Over Unjustified Delays to Investment Projects
Construction law specialist Andris Jēkabsons says unfounded public protests often stall development projects important to Latvia's economy, and companies can sue not only municipalities but individual councillors personally over such delays.
Jauns.lv · 7 Aug, 20:20
Lord of the Rings 4K trilogy blu-ray set discounted to $50 at Gruv
Online retailer Gruv has cut the price of the Lord of the Rings 4K Blu-ray trilogy to $49.99, close to the discount typically seen around Black Friday. The set includes both theatrical and extended cuts of all three films.
The Verge · 7 Aug, 20:16
Mere closure leaves suppliers with million-euro losses and spoiled goods
The closure of the Mere retail chain over European sanctions has caused Latvian suppliers millions in losses, as goods sat stuck in store warehouses for two weeks. The Financial Intelligence Service has now allowed suppliers to retrieve products without lengthy approval, though this does not solve all problems.
LSM (rus) · 7 Aug, 20:14
Birdfy's smart bird feeder deal drops price to $60
Several configurations of Birdfy's Feeder Rookie smart bird feeder are on sale at Amazon and the manufacturer's store, with the standard model down to $59.99. Discounts are also available on other tech gadgets, including a Fujifilm Instax Mini Evo camera and Nothing headphones.
The Verge · 7 Aug, 19:18
Computer maker Framework tells all customers their data was stolen in breach
Modular computer maker Framework has notified all of its customers that hackers stole their personal data following a breach at business intelligence provider Metabase. Names, email addresses, phone numbers and physical addresses were exposed, though payment data was not affected.
TechCrunch · 7 Aug, 19:15
Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra brings iterative but meaningful upgrades
Samsung has launched the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, a tall, narrow foldable with an improved camera system, bigger battery and thinner display, though it lacks S Pen support and a privacy screen. The device costs $2,100.
The Verge · 7 Aug, 18:21
EU-Startups releases weekly funding round-up, but full content restricted to subscribers
EU-Startups has published its regular weekly summary of European startup funding rounds tracked between August 3 and 7, though the full article is available only to paying subscribers.
EU-Startups · 7 Aug, 18:17
US government pays RWE $1.2B to cancel offshore wind projects
The Trump administration is paying German utility RWE $1.2 billion to abandon offshore wind farm leases off California, Louisiana and New York. Total payouts for 12 canceled leases now stand at nearly $3.93 billion.
TechCrunch · 7 Aug, 18:15
WIRED Rounds Up Fan Discounts to Beat the Summer Heat
Tech outlet WIRED has highlighted several of its top-rated fans currently on sale to help readers cope with ongoing summer heat waves. The lineup includes a portable handheld fan, an RGB-lit pedestal fan, and a compact tower fan.
Wired · 7 Aug, 17:21
Public transport lane to be built at Kārļa Ulmaņa Street and Lielirbes Street junction in Riga
By August 30, a dedicated public transport lane is set to be created at the junction of Kārļa Ulmaņa Street and Lielirbes Street in Riga, allowing buses and other public transport to bypass congestion.
iAuto.lv · 7 Aug, 17:20
Werewolf's VFLEX dongle lets old gadgets run on USB-C power
A small programmable dongle from Werewolf lets legacy devices without USB-C ports draw power from modern USB-C batteries and chargers. It works by negotiating the exact voltage a device needs rather than converting it.
The Verge · 7 Aug, 17:20
SpaceX's Terafab chip plant in Texas will run on natural gas, not Tesla solar panels
SpaceX plans to power its Terafab semiconductor plant in Texas with natural gas plants and large battery arrays rather than solar, even though Tesla is a project partner. Solar power is notably absent from all project announcements.
TechCrunch · 7 Aug, 17:19
US court fines Meta over half a billion dollars for harm to children
A New Mexico court has fined Meta more than half a billion dollars for failing to prevent harm caused to children by Facebook and Instagram. Most of the funds will go to a foundation supporting youth mental health recovery.
LSM · 7 Aug, 17:14
SK Hynix to invest $38 billion in two new memory chip factories
South Korea's SK Hynix will spend 54 trillion won, roughly $38.1 billion, to build two new DRAM and NAND facilities as it races to meet surging memory demand driven by the AI data center boom.
Engadget · 7 Aug, 16:22