EBRD in Riga, EU finance push: The EBRD and the EU expanded InvestEU guarantees by up to €478.4m, plus €11.4m for advisory work, to help fund higher-risk green, digital and infrastructure projects across EU countries where the bank operates. Latvia energy storage deal: Sunly and Rolls-Royce Power Systems signed an agreement for four large battery energy storage systems in Latvia, totaling 490 MWh (with a possible 790 MWh regional expansion), with Rolls-Royce as main contractor and Valmiera’s first unit due in early 2027. Latvia in EU visa debate: Latvia joined a group of EU states urging tougher Schengen visa rules for Russian tourists, arguing that holiday travel amid the war is politically and morally unacceptable and could raise security concerns across the bloc. Latvia sports spotlight: Latvia’s men advanced in the FIBA 3x3 World Cup play-ins, beating New Zealand 21-19, setting up quarter-final action against Lithuania. Pay transparency deadline pressure: The EU Pay Transparency Directive is due by 7 June 2026, but many countries are lagging; Latvia is listed among those that have published draft laws, while others have taken no action yet. Riga tech and identity: IDenfy added Smart-ID to its electronic identity verification platform for Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, aiming to let businesses verify customers using everyday mobile IDs.