Tech
China deploys an army of humanoid robots to car factories
It looks exactly like a scene out of the Hollywood movie iRobot, depicting the Isacc Asimov classic sci-fi novel: a warehouse filled with gleaming white robots standing in a precise military grid, moving in unison when ordered.
Turkey seizes another crypto exchange over money laundering allegations
Observers struggling to keep up with number of arrests made and companies taken over by officials under wave of prosecutions triggered by government.
Russian Wildberries makes a move in Africa with Ethiopian partnership
Russia’s largest e-commerce major Wildberries announced a partnership with Ethiopian Investment Holdings (EIH), one of Ethiopia’s premier investment groups, according to the company’s press-release.
Tajikistan launches national messenger app ORIZ in “important step towards digital independence”
Country follows in footsteps of Russia and Kazakhstan.
Poland's biggest lender PKO BP targets 1mn new clients via Allegro e-commerce deal
PKO BP, Poland's largest bank by assets, aims to gain 1mn new customers within three years through a new strategic partnership with e-commerce giant Allegro.
Kazakh farmers put Starlink on horses and dogs to herd livestock
High-tech twist on nomadic tradition as farmers use artificial intelligence, drones and Starlink satellite internet to monitor and herd their animals on the steppe.
California’s Joby to sell eVTOL aircraft to create pioneering ‘air taxi’ service in Kazakh ‘smart city’
Kazakhstan’s government wants Alatau City to develop and showcase “technologies of the future”.
Kosovo unveils first domestically produced combat drone
The Skifteri (“The Hawk”) drone was developed in Kosovo, which has invested significantly in modernising its defence capabilities.
Revolut receives green light from central bank to launch Hungarian branch
Revolut has grown into a significant competitor for traditional Hungarian banks, particularly in foreign exchange and money transfers.
Defence conglomerate Czechoslovak Group acquires Serbian drone tech company MUST Solutions
CSG has been on a shopping spree propelled by its boosted sales following the Russian full scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 as well as armed conflicts in the Middle East and Africa.
Japan’s Nintendo predicts sales of 19mn Switch 2 units to March
The Switch 2 marks Nintendo’s most expensive hardware platform to date and represents the company’s principal long-term base for its extensive roster of first-party franchises.
Kyrgyzstan’s president addresses son’s involvement in creating digital bank with Binance founder ‘CZ’
Crypto kingpin Changpeng Zhao, two weeks ago pardoned by Donald Trump over money laundering, is adviser to country’s leader Japarov.
Russia blocking messaging apps again, sets up copycat Telegram app
Russia’s internet watchdog Roskomnadzor has been blamed for another round of internet outages in Russia, as the state sets up a Telegram messaging app clone as the Kremlin continues to take increasing control of RuNet.
Albania’s AI minister ‘pregnant’ with 83 children, PM says
AI “minister” Diella will give birth to dozens of digital parliamentary assistants for ruling party MPs.
Is Kazakhstan building a digital utopia, or a China-style surveillance state?
Many Kazakhs will tell you that officials should limit their ambitions to fixing the internet speed. Others worry that the time for joking is over.
Kia inaugurates $310mn "highly automated" automotive plant in Kazakhstan
Featuring 68 industrial robots, the plant is designed to produce up to 70,000 vehicles annually.
Romanian startup .lumen wins €11mn EU grant to develop autonomous delivery robots
Funds to back project aimed at developing a new generation of humanoid and quadruped robots capable of navigating pavements and crowded urban areas autonomously.
Latvian fintech Eleving Group raises €275mn in oversubscribed bond issue
Proceeds to be used to refinance €150mn in existing bonds and to expand Eleving's loan portfolio.
Roblox, Fortnite banned in Iraq over child safety concerns
Iraq's Ministry of Interior to ban PUBG, Fortnite and Roblox within next few months under 2013 law prohibiting games encouraging violence, citing threat to social security and waste of youth time.
China’s solid-state battery breakthrough challenges the future of petrol-powered cars
Chinese researchers have announced a breakthrough in solid-state battery technology that could accelerate the global shift away from internal combustion engines, with a new design that more than doubles the range of current electric vehicles.