Tech
Slovenian-led Veeda AI raises $90mn to build virtual worlds for robots
A team of AI researchers led by two Slovenians has launched Veeda AI, a Toronto-based startup developing virtual environments where robots can learn and practise tasks before operating in the real world.
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Russia's illegal video services market on the rise
Four years after the exit of Hollywood majors following the invasion of Ukraine, Russians still want to watch the latest Hollywood blockbusters
Zain Bahrain and tech firm Text enter AI-driven partnership
Zain Bahrain announced that it signed a deal with service technology firm Text, integrating the company's platform into its OneCX system.
Dubai Chambers and NASSCOM sign deal to bring Indian AI and deeptech firms to Dubai
Dubai Chambers has signed an agreement with India's Nasscom to draw Indian agentic AI and deeptech firms to the emirate, opening a channel to an industry worth $315bn across 3,500 companies.
Kazakhstan to enrol first students at AI university as schools expand AI education
The Qazaq AI Research University in Astana aims to train engineers capable of developing AI systems.
Ukraine tops the world for crypto use per person as volumes hit $206bn
Ukrainians trade more cryptocurrency per head than anyone else on earth. What they mostly do not do is trade it under Ukrainian law.
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Iranian mobile roaming cut in UAE, disrupting banking access for expatriates
Iranian mobile operators' roaming has reportedly been cut in the UAE, leaving Iranian residents and travellers unable to receive calls.
Albania tax office targets online trade in drive to curb informal economy
Albania's e-commerce sector has expanded significantly in recent years, prompting the tax administration to introduce a dedicated framework for identifying and addressing tax risks.
Washington may force Kazakhstan to choose between competing US, China AI alliances
Asked about leaked draft letter, Trump official says partners “can’t have it both ways”.
Deutsche Telekom to acquire Polish fibre operator Fiberhost and broadband provider Inea for €1bn
Deal to accelerate T-Mobile Polska's growth by adding Inea's 300,000 customers and Fiberhost's fibre network passing over 1.4mn homes.
Russia's ruble stablecoin has turned over $140bn since launch, its sponsor bank says
A ruble-backed stablecoin built by a sanctioned Russian defence bank has handled nearly $140bn of turnover since it was created 18 months ago.
Agency behind Albania's AI minister faces corruption investigation
Albania's plans to use an artificial intelligence avatar to help combat corruption are facing fresh scrutiny after prosecutors opened an investigation into the government agency that developed the system.
Ukraine adds a cyberattack to its drone campaign against Russia's Wildberries
Ukraine has spent a month setting fire to Wildberries warehouses. Last week it went after the checkout instead.
Anthropic joins race to acquire Israel's Decart AI for $6bn
Anthropic is in acquisition talks for Israeli artificial intelligence startup Decart AI at a valuation of approximately $6bn, joining a heated race against SpaceX, Nvidia, and Amazon.
Japan’s Sony, Taiwan’s TSMC plan JPY747bn image sensor venture
Sony Group will invest JPY465bn in the venture, while Taiwan’s TSMC, the world’s largest contract semiconductor maker, will invest JPY282bn.
Turkey bans jailed Erdogan challenger Imamoglu’s eighth X account
A day after, the politician's office launched a new account.
Russia's e-commerce turnover rises 19% to RUB7.2 trillion in H1 2026
Russia's e-commerce turnover reached RUB7.2 trillion ($90.8bn) in the first half of 2026, up 18.7% year on year, Vedomosti reported on August 11, citing the Association of Internet Trade Companies (AKIT).
Russia builds Rassvet satellite network to replace lost Starlink access
Bureau 1440, a Russian aerospace company, is developing a low-Earth-orbit broadband network called Rassvet as a domestic alternative to Starlink, the US-built system Russian forces themselves used, informally, earlier in the war...
Russia builds crypto infrastructure, adopts regulation
Russia's Sber is launching crypto trading infrastructure against the backdrop of tightening Western sanctions.
Kazakhstan may face sanctions risks from drone-hit Wildberries expansion, say observers
Chances Ukraine would attack logistics of ecommerce giant moved to Russia's neighbour seen as "zero", but dual-use items in stock would be a worry.