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Here's the latest tech news from the last 24 hours:

🚗 Robotaxis greenlit for 24/7 operations in San Francisco
🌕 Russia launches its first lunar mission in 47 years
🚀 Virgin Galactic debuts with its first civilian spaceflight
🏢 Amazon penalizes excessive remote work
💻 Chinese firms invest big in Nvidia GPUs

🚗 Robotaxis greenlit for 24/7 operations in San FranciscoLINK

California approved all-day paid robotaxi service in San Francisco, allowing unlimited self-driving car fleets.

The decision came amid objections from San Francisco officials, after a six-hour public comment session, and was a result of applications from Cruise (backed by GM) and Waymo (an Alphabet subsidiary).

Despite some challenges with driverless cars on the city's streets, Cruise and Waymo see this approval as a pivotal step towards making their investments in self-driving technology profitable.

🌕 Russia launches its first lunar mission in 47 yearsLINK

Russia launches Luna-25, its first lunar mission since 1976, targeting the Moon’s south pole to potentially uncover water ice beneath its surface.

The mission is symbolic, referencing the Soviet Space Program era, and aims to project Russia as an influential world power amidst tensions following its 2022 Ukraine invasion.

Luna-25 is in competition with India's Chandrayaan-3 mission, with both crafts expected to reach the Moon's south pole around the same time.

🚀 Virgin Galactic debuts with its first civilian spaceflightLINK

Virgin Galactic, founded by Sir Richard Branson 19 years ago, aims to be the world's pioneering space tourism business.

Despite facing challenges including a significant stock price drop and a past spaceship crash, the company is now progressing positively.

Recently, Virgin Galactic successfully conducted its seventh flight, named Galactic 02, marking the first instance the company flew a private astronaut into space.

🏢 Amazon penalizes excessive remote workLINK

Amazon warned US staff who didn't spend enough time in the office after tracking their attendance.

The company's office policy, effective since May, requires employees to be present at least three days a week.

Amazon responded to concerns by stating the warning was for those not adhering to the policy, but acknowledged potential inaccuracies in tracking.

💻 Chinese firms invest big in Nvidia GPUsLINK

Chinese internet giants, in response to US sanctions, are purchasing vast numbers of Nvidia GPUs to bolster their AI capabilities.

Companies like Alibaba, Baidu, ByteDance, and Tencent have reportedly spent around $1 billion on 100,000 Nvidia A800 GPUs, with further orders amounting to an additional $4 billion.

The GPUs are crucial for training large language models, and while the US seeks stricter export limitations on AI tech to China, US companies continue to design specific AI chips for the Chinese market.

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Sam Bankman-Fried faces a potential jail decision while awaiting trial for alleged fraud; prosecutors claim witness tampering, while his defense emphasizes his right to speak to the press.LINK

Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk consider a charity brawl in Italy, but Musk's potential surgery and communication gaps raise doubts.LINK

Meta rehires several laid-off employees amidst a financial upturn, focusing on experienced engineers, even as overall hiring remains limited.LINK

Lolek Hosted, a Polish 'bulletproof' web hosting service promoting illegal activities, was shut down in a collaborative effort by multiple international law enforcement agencies.LINK

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