Business & Technology
New Mexico judge orders Meta to pay $25 billion over misleading privacy claims
A New Mexico state court has ordered tech company Meta to pay $25 billion in penalties for misleading statements about user privacy. Meta says it will appeal.
Engadget · 21 Oct, 23:54
New York hosts Alza, its first microdrama film festival
Alza, held in New York from October 16th to 18th, was the city's first festival devoted to microdramas made for vertical screens. It is still unclear whether viewers want to watch vertical content on horizontal TV screens.
The Verge · 21 Oct, 23:53
Walmart welcomes AI shopping agents as Amazon shuts them out
US retailer Walmart has launched its Agent Gateway, letting AI agents make purchases on behalf of customers. Rival Amazon recently began blocking such agents.
TechCrunch AI · 21 Oct, 22:56
Walmart to let AI agents shop on customers' behalf
US retail giant Walmart will next month let customers connect their own AI agents to its website to make purchases for them. Shoppers will be able to approve and review purchases and set spending limits.
The Verge · 21 Oct, 22:55
New Mexico court orders Meta to pay $25bn over misleading users about their data
A New Mexico judge has fined tech company Meta $25bn for spending years misleading the public about how Facebook user data was handled. Meta says it will appeal.
BBC World · 21 Oct, 22:55
Tesla to report earnings as Musk floats merger with SpaceX
Electric carmaker Tesla reports third-quarter results on Wednesday, after CEO Elon Musk suggested combining it with his rocket and AI company SpaceX. Both boards have set up special committees to examine the idea.
The Guardian Science · 21 Oct, 22:54
GM bets compute and AI will help it compete with Chinese automakers
US automaker General Motors unveiled a fourth-generation EV platform at its GM Forward event in New York, built around a central computer, new battery chemistries and software. The first model with the new architecture will be the 2028 Cadillac Escalade IQ.
TechCrunch · 21 Oct, 22:53
Dienas Bizness Receives Recovery Fund Support for Digital Transformation
The publishing house Izdevniecība “Dienas bizness” has signed a contract with the Central Finance and Contracting Agency for Recovery Fund support to modernise its media processes. The project calls for new digital solutions by 30 June 2026.
Diena · 21 Oct, 22:53
Cyberpunk 2077 update 2.5 brings console mods and Edgerunners content
Developer CD Projekt Red is releasing update 2.5 for Cyberpunk 2077, adding cross-platform mod support on consoles and content inspired by the new season of Netflix's Cyberpunk: Edgerunners anime.
The Verge · 21 Oct, 21:54
EA shuts down BioWare and cuts around 400 jobs
Video game publisher Electronic Arts announced it will close BioWare and lay off about 400 people, roughly three percent of its workforce. Several other studios are also affected.
Engadget · 21 Oct, 21:54
Eufy Wall Light Cam S4 Security Camera Gets $80 Discount
Eufy's Wall Light Cam S4, an outdoor security camera that doubles as a wall light, is on sale at $80 off. Two other Eufy cameras are also discounted.
Wired · 21 Oct, 21:54
Lithuanian Outlet Compiles Seven Smartphones With Long-Term Update Support
Lithuanian news portal 15min has put together a roundup of seven smartphones whose makers promise long-term software support, in some cases up to seven years. The article's illustration mentions the Google Pixel 11.
Latvijas Avīze · 21 Oct, 21:53
Legal AI Company Legora Raises $550 Million at $8.8 Billion Valuation
Legora, a developer of artificial intelligence tools for legal professionals, announced on Wednesday a $550 million Series E funding round. The round values the company at $8.8 billion.
TechCrunch · 21 Oct, 21:53
Samsung Frame TV Prices Fall: Art TV Deals Ahead of Black Friday
Prices of Samsung's The Frame and The Frame Pro art TVs have been cut in the US market, while the cheapest option is the Hisense CanvasTV S7. The guide notes prices could drop further during Black Friday sales.
Wired · 21 Oct, 20:56
Software testing platform Blacksmith raises $66 million and reaches $1 billion valuation
Blacksmith, a company that helps firms build and test software more efficiently, including AI-written code, announced a $66 million Series C round on Wednesday. Sequoia led the round, which values the company at $1 billion.
TechCrunch · 21 Oct, 20:55
Samsung's 55-inch The Frame TV drops to its lowest price yet at $898
Amazon in the US is selling the latest 55-inch Samsung The Frame TV for about $898, the lowest price recorded for the model. The discount comes to $402.
The Verge · 21 Oct, 20:54
Apple Music gets a new logo that resembles ripples in water
Apple has unveiled a new visual identity for Apple Music, showing a musical note beneath rippling waves. The app icon is turning black and white, with the changes arriving in iOS 27.2 and macOS 27.2.
Engadget · 21 Oct, 20:53
Sony's $100 PlayStation Pulse wireless headset goes on sale November 19
Sony will begin shipping its new PlayStation Pulse wireless gaming headset on November 19 at a price of $100. Pre-orders open on October 29.
Engadget · 21 Oct, 19:56
Critical PHP Vulnerabilities Force Website Operators to Rush Security Fixes
The developers of the PHP programming language released patches for two critical vulnerabilities that could allow remote code execution. Cybersecurity expert Kirils Solovjovs says the impact could be very broad.
Delfi · 21 Oct, 19:56
Senior MEP urges EU to revive talks on a broader trade deal with China
Bernd Lange, who chairs the European Parliament's Trade Committee, says the EU should pursue a comprehensive agreement with China, possibly covering investment, instead of negotiating sector by sector. He spoke ahead of a 12-member MEP visit to Beijing next week.
Euronews Business · 21 Oct, 18:56
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Two critical security vulnerabilities found in PHP
Two critical security vulnerabilities have been discovered in the PHP programming language. They could allow an attacker to run commands on a system without prior authentication.
TVNET · 21 Oct, 18:54
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Two critical vulnerabilities found in the PHP programming language
Two critical security vulnerabilities have been found in the PHP programming language that could let an attacker run commands on a system without authentication. According to the source headline, preventive security measures have been introduced in Latvia.
Apollo.lv · 21 Oct, 18:54
Apple Music Gets a New Logo and Sound Identity
Apple has officially unveiled a rebrand of its Apple Music streaming service, with a new logo, an updated wordmark and a new sound. The new look is expected to reach platforms this week.
The Verge · 21 Oct, 18:54
Economy Digest, 21 October: Jūrmala Villa Sale, Housing and EV Support, New Subsea Cable
Latvian business news on 21 October: a historic villa in Jūrmala sold for 6.8 million euros, support for energy efficiency and electric cars is planned, and a new subsea communications cable will link Sweden, Estonia and Finland.
Delfi · 21 Oct, 17:56
Samsung's 5K Odyssey G80HF Gaming Monitor Drops to $599.99
Samsung's 27-inch Odyssey G80HF 5K monitor is selling for $599.99 at Amazon and B&H Photo in the US, $100 below its previous best price. The Verge also lists several other current deals.
The Verge · 21 Oct, 17:54
Latvia's Transport Ministry urges drivers to switch to winter tyres early and slow down
After fatal road crashes this October, Latvia's Ministry of Transport is urging drivers to choose speeds suited to conditions and change tyres in good time. Winter tyres are mandatory from 1 December to 1 March.
iAuto.lv · 21 Oct, 16:54
Serato DJ Arrives on iPhone and iPad
DJ software maker Serato has released a version of its professional DJ app for iOS devices. It is the first time most of the features of the company's flagship app have been available on a mobile device.
The Verge · 21 Oct, 16:53
Share Links in Meta's Muse AI Agent Expose Users' Private Conversations
Researchers at security firm Claroc found that share links created by Meta's Muse AI agent make users' private conversations easy to discover. Meta has paused the sharing feature.
Wired · 21 Oct, 15:55
Coworking operator Regus to open in Riga's Origo One business centre
Regus, an international flexible office and coworking operator, will open in the Origo One business centre in Riga's Central Business District. Tenants will be able to rent single desks or private offices starting at 8 m².
Dienas Bizness · 21 Oct, 14:55
UK energy company Fuse Energy moves into AI infrastructure with NVIDIA GPU offering
British energy company Fuse Energy has opened reservations for Fuse Compute, its first commercial AI product. It gives access to NVIDIA GPUs in UK data centres.
EU-Startups · 21 Oct, 14:55
Ryanair CEO: Airfares in Europe Could Rise Up to 20% in 2027
Michael O'Leary, chief executive of Europe's biggest budget airline Ryanair, expects European airfares to climb by 10–20% in 2027 because of higher fuel costs. The airline is also cutting operations in Belgium ahead of an aviation tax increase.
Euronews Business · 21 Oct, 14:54
Critical PHP vulnerabilities could take websites down as patch is due
Developers of the PHP programming language plan to release security patches today for two critical vulnerabilities rated 9.2 out of 10. Security agencies urge sites that cannot patch immediately to temporarily take systems offline.
The Verge · 21 Oct, 14:53
European Commission opens investigation into Booking.com over fraud risks
The European Commission on Wednesday launched an investigation into Amsterdam-based booking platform Booking.com. It is examining whether the company does enough to tackle fake listings and phishing.
Diena · 21 Oct, 13:55
Royal Enfield Unveils Limited-Run Hypershift Classic 650 for Its 125th Anniversary
Motorcycle maker Royal Enfield has presented a special Hypershift Classic 650 edition to mark the company's 125th anniversary. Only 125 units will be available in each of the main world regions.
iAuto.lv · 21 Oct, 13:55
What Lufthansa Stands to Gain From Its Up-to-€1.2 Billion TAP Air Portugal Deal, and When
Germany's Lufthansa group, which won the bidding for up to 49.9% of Portugal's TAP Air Portugal, could gain about €450 million a year in savings and extra revenue. Analysts say the benefits may be slow to arrive.
Euronews Business · 21 Oct, 13:55
Latvia's budget deficit in Q2 smaller than EU average, Eurostat data show
Latvia's general government budget deficit reached 2.9% of GDP in the second quarter of this year, below the EU average, according to Eurostat. Compared with the first quarter, the balance worsened by 1.4 percentage points.
NRA · 21 Oct, 13:53