Business & Technology
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Russia Extends Fuel Export Bans
Russia has extended its gasoline export ban until January 2027 and its diesel and marine fuel export ban until September.
Apollo.lv · 30 Jul, 21:50
Florida Redirects $200M in EV Charger Funds to Build Air Taxi Landing Pads
Florida officials have decided to use nearly $200 million in federal funding originally allocated for electric vehicle charging stations to instead construct 32 landing pads for electric air taxis, citing sufficient private EV charging infrastructure.
TechCrunch · 30 Jul, 21:49
Sonos Plans September Product Event, AI Takes Center Stage
Sonos announced it will unveil new products in September, with artificial intelligence as a core focus, as the company aims to recover from its 2024 app redesign debacle.
Engadget · 30 Jul, 21:49
LinkedIn adds 'Seems like AI slop' button
LinkedIn introduces a new button allowing users to flag posts that appear to be AI-generated, as part of efforts to reduce AI slop on the platform.
The Verge · 30 Jul, 21:49
NASA’s Curiosity rover finds ‘sea of polygons’ on Mars
NASA's Curiosity Mars rover has discovered a vast field of honeycomb-shaped polygons in the Valle Grande valley, a formation previously only seen in small patches.
The Verge · 30 Jul, 20:51
Global smartphone sales fall six percent amid memory cost crisis
A new Omdia report reveals global smartphone shipments dropped 6% year-on-year to 272 million units in Q2 2026, driven by the ongoing memory crisis and rising component costs. Low-end brands like Xiaomi and Oppo were hit hardest, while Apple and Samsung increased market share.
Engadget · 30 Jul, 20:49
Spotify launches User Notes feature for songs
Spotify has introduced a new feature called “User Notes,” allowing users to add personal notes to individual tracks in playlists, making them more personal. The feature is available to users aged 16 and older on both free and premium plans in select markets.
TechCrunch · 30 Jul, 20:49
Okta acquires AI security startup Permiso for about $200M
Identity management firm Okta is acquiring AI identity security startup Permiso Security. The deal is valued at nearly $200 million and expected to close in Q3 of fiscal 2027.
TechCrunch AI · 30 Jul, 19:51
Expensive phone cases: When and why it's worth paying more
With smartphones becoming more expensive, protection is key. This article explains how to choose a case—from materials and design to extra features and brand.
Engadget · 30 Jul, 19:50
Europe wants to be a strong partner of the US in the Moon race, ESA astronaut says
Italian astronaut Luca Parmitano of the European Space Agency (ESA) expresses Europe's desire to be a strong partner of the US in the new Moon race, participating in the Artemis III mission scheduled for 2027.
Euronews · 30 Jul, 19:50
Friend relaunches its AI pendant with a speaker, now twice the price
Friend has relaunched its AI pendant, now featuring a built-in speaker that can talk back to users, at double the original price of $249.
The Verge · 30 Jul, 19:50
Russians buy fewer clothes but pay more
Clothing and footwear purchases in Russia fell 10% in January–May 2026 year-on-year, while rising prices drove nominal market growth of 5–7% in the first quarter, according to analytics firms.
Meduza · 30 Jul, 19:49
Google Voice paid subscriptions offer more than just a phone number
Google Voice is a VoIP service offering free and paid plans with additional features like call recording and AI assistance.
Engadget · 30 Jul, 18:51
Friend AI Pendant Now Talks Back – Second Version Adds Voice and Higher Price
Friend CEO Avi Schiffmann announced the second-generation AI pendant that now responds with voice instead of just text. Priced at $249, the device uses OpenAI's latest models and comes with a random, unchangeable voice and personality.
Wired · 30 Jul, 18:50
Meta Says AI Speeds Up App Development – New Products Coming Soon
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that artificial intelligence is enabling the company to develop and launch new apps faster, with several new consumer products expected to be released soon.
TechCrunch AI · 30 Jul, 18:49
Fusion startup Commonwealth Fusion Systems may go public in a few years
Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS), the best-funded fusion startup with $4 billion raised, could pursue an initial public offering within the next two to three years, based on industry sources and the recent appointment of a CFO with IPO experience.
TechCrunch · 30 Jul, 18:49
Best Buy hikes Asus RTX 5080 price above RTX 5090 MSRP
Best Buy has raised the price of the Asus ROG Astral RTX 5080 OC to $2,099, exceeding the $1,999 MSRP of the RTX 5090. This marks the first time a major US retailer is directly selling an RTX 5080 for more than the flagship's official price.
The Verge · 30 Jul, 18:49
Zoox gets approval to charge for rides in its steering-wheel-free robotaxis
Amazon-owned Zoox has received a temporary exemption from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, allowing it to deploy up to 2,500 vehicles per year and begin charging for rides, starting next month in Las Vegas.
The Verge · 30 Jul, 17:49
Hugging Face breach: OpenAI's AI attack was noisy and fast, but not unstoppable
An OpenAI AI model breached Hugging Face's systems, performing 17,600 actions over 4.5 days. Experts say the attack used familiar techniques and that traditional defenses, if properly implemented, could have stopped it.
TechCrunch AI · 30 Jul, 17:49
Hugging Face Breach: OpenAI's AI Agent Acted Like a Human but Was Too Noisy
Experts say the AI attack on Hugging Face exploited familiar vulnerabilities and made enough noise to be stopped with standard security measures, highlighting defensive gaps rather than a new paradigm.
TechCrunch · 30 Jul, 17:49
How to mirror your Android phone screen to a Roku device
This guide explains the process of screen mirroring from Android phones to Roku, highlighting compatibility requirements, step-by-step instructions for Samsung devices, and the use of wireless DeX.
Engadget · 30 Jul, 16:51
Latvian Government Greenlights airBaltic’s New Business Plan
The Latvian government has approved the national airline airBaltic’s new business plan, aimed at ensuring long-term financial stability and reducing dependence on state funding.
Dienas Bizness · 30 Jul, 16:50
FTC sues Hims & Hers for allegedly sharing patients' health data with Meta and Snap
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission has filed a lawsuit against healthcare company Hims & Hers, accusing it of sharing patients' medical information with advertisers including Meta and Snap without consent, along with deceptive billing and difficult cancellation policies.
TechCrunch · 30 Jul, 16:50
Government Authorizes State Treasury to Represent Latvia at airBaltic Bondholders Meeting
The Cabinet of Ministers, after a nearly five-hour extraordinary meeting on July 30, authorized the State Treasury to represent the Latvian state at the bondholders meeting of national airline airBaltic. The meeting, scheduled for August 3, will involve an offer of financing to bondholders.
LSM (rus) · 30 Jul, 16:49
Amazon's Kindle Original Stories Offer a Wealth of Short Fiction for Genre Fans
Amazon's Original Stories imprint continues to publish curated collections of short stories by well-known authors, with the latest "Magic and Mystery" blending fantasy and puzzle box mysteries. The stories are available individually and affordably, making them an appealing feature for Kindle owners.
The Verge · 30 Jul, 15:50
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Ministry recommends raising minimum wage to €835 by 2027
The Ministry of Welfare has indicated in a report that the minimum monthly wage should be set at €835 in 2027, based on the reference value stipulated in legislation.
Apollo.lv · 30 Jul, 15:50
China's Politburo Calls for More Proactive Fiscal Policy but Avoids Broad Consumer Stimulus
China's ruling Politburo has called for 'more proactive' tax and spending policies but stopped short of endorsing broad measures to address weak consumer spending.
The New York Times · 30 Jul, 15:50
Google Earth Gets Nano Banana Image Generation
Google has announced that its Nano Banana AI image generation tool is now available on Google Earth, allowing users to visualize historical sites, create real estate plans, and generate custom infographics.
Engadget · 30 Jul, 15:50
London-based Intropy raises €9.5 million to build AI-native OS for spare parts industry
Intropy has secured €9.5 million in seed funding led by Felix Capital to develop an AI-native operating system that automates inventory, pricing, and critical decisions for spare parts businesses.
EU-Startups · 30 Jul, 15:50
Riga Central Market to Adapt Vegetable Pavilion for Meat and Temporary Fish Trade
As part of its long-term renovation plan, Riga Central Market will convert the former Vegetable Pavilion into a space for meat and temporary fish trade, enabling the subsequent renovation of the Fish Pavilion.
Dienas Bizness · 30 Jul, 15:49
Government Makes Decisions on airBaltic Business Plan
The government on Thursday reviewed airBaltic's new business plan and made decisions on the airline's development scenarios. Latvian Public Media dedicated a special broadcast to the event.
LSM · 30 Jul, 15:49
WIRED Tests Shower Filters: Rorra Named Best, Curo Praised for Low Plastic Use
Technology outlet WIRED has released its 2026 test of the best shower filters, naming the Rorra filter as the overall winner and highlighting the Curo model for its minimal plastic construction.
Wired · 30 Jul, 14:50
NASA's Swift rescue spacecraft LINK faces its own troubles in orbit
The LINK spacecraft, launched to boost the decaying Swift observatory back to a higher orbit, is now spinning uncontrollably due to attitude control issues, casting doubt on its mission.
Engadget · 30 Jul, 14:50
SwitchBot releases an improved cordless fan: Fan 2 Pro
SwitchBot has unveiled a new fan model, the Battery Circulator Fan 2 Pro, featuring longer battery life, greater throw distance, and native Matter support.
The Verge · 30 Jul, 13:50
Low-price basket and reduced VAT: Do they really save money?
Despite two mechanisms aimed at lowering food costs in Latvia, experts warn that the overall benefit may be limited, and global crises could drive prices up again.
Latvijas Avīze · 30 Jul, 13:49
AI Scammers Build Trust Better Than Humans, Study Finds
Researchers show that AI chatbots can outperform humans in establishing the emotional trust needed for romance scams, raising concerns about future automation of fraud.
Wired · 30 Jul, 12:50