Business & Technology
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Kulbergs: Politics Should Not Interfere in OTP Bank's Bid to Buy Luminor
Latvian Prime Minister Andrs Kulbergs stated that politicians should not interfere in Hungarian OTP Bank's plan to acquire Luminor Bank, as regulators are handling the evaluation. The deal is being assessed by the ECB and Estonian authorities.
Apollo.lv · 21 Jul, 18:37
Russia's State Duma passes law extending fuel price dampener to diesel imports, subsidizing importers to keep prices in check
The Russian State Duma has passed a law extending the fuel price dampener mechanism to diesel imports, subsidizing importers to maintain domestic prices.
Meduza · 21 Jul, 18:36
Spotify Introduces Mix Feature – Create DJ-Style Transitions Between Songs
Spotify Premium subscribers can now use the Mix tool to customize transitions between songs in their own playlists, using AI-generated transitions and various effects.
Engadget · 21 Jul, 18:36
US Trade Representative Confirms New Tariff Plan
US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer confirmed that the Trump administration is preparing a new tariff package, likely to be announced after the current tariffs expire on July 24.
Ukrainska Pravda · 21 Jul, 18:36
Europe doesn't need another Silicon Valley to succeed
Investor Andrew Gershfeld argues that Europe should focus on its strengths in AI rather than trying to imitate Silicon Valley.
EU-Startups · 21 Jul, 17:38
Paramount Acquires Warner Bros. Discovery: What to Know About the Landmark Media Deal
Paramount is set to acquire all Warner Bros. Discovery assets for $111 billion, but the deal has been paused after a lawsuit by 12 state attorneys general. It faces challenges over antitrust, debt, and political concerns.
TechCrunch · 21 Jul, 17:37
Deezer: Over Half of Daily Uploads Are AI-Generated
Music streaming service Deezer reports that more than 50% of daily uploads are now AI-generated. The company is tightening measures against fraud and copyright infringement as AI music continues to surge.
TechCrunch AI · 21 Jul, 16:37
Deezer: More than 50% of Daily Uploads Are AI-Generated
Deezer reports that AI-generated tracks now account for over 50% of daily uploads, peaking at 90,000 per day in June 2026. The company will remove AI tracks that haven't been streamed in six months or are involved in fraudulent streaming.
TechCrunch · 21 Jul, 16:36
The Limited Lifespan of CDs and Blu-rays: Understanding Disc Rot
Physical media collectors should be aware that discs are not permanent – over time, so-called disc rot caused by improper storage and environmental factors can degrade them.
Engadget · 21 Jul, 16:36
Garmin Unveils New Cirqa Smart Band with No Screen and No Subscription Fees
Garmin has announced the Cirqa, a screen-free smart band that offers advanced fitness and wellness tracking without requiring any subscription.
The Verge · 21 Jul, 16:36
Samsung establishes new robotics division
Samsung has created a new robotics division called Robotics eXperience (RX), led by CEO TM Roh. The division's strategy will be overseen by Dongkun Lee, who previously headed Hyundai's robotics strategy.
Engadget · 21 Jul, 15:37
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Free AI Tool 'rakstiviegli.lv' Created for Converting Texts into Plain Language
Digital accessibility expert Pēteris Jurčenko has developed a free AI tool that simplifies complex texts, making information more understandable for a wider audience.
TVNET · 21 Jul, 15:37
Latvia's government debt growth outpaced EU average in first quarter
In the first quarter of this year, Latvia's government debt-to-GDP ratio grew faster than the EU average, according to Eurostat data.
LSM (rus) · 21 Jul, 15:36
US Should Stop Being Shocked by Chinese AI Advances, Experts Say
Recent model launches by Moonshot AI and Alibaba caused market jitters, but analysts argue that China's AI progress has been predictable for years and should no longer come as a surprise.
The Verge · 21 Jul, 14:37
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OTP Bank Acquires Luminor Bank, Expands into Baltic Market
Hungary's OTP Bank has announced the acquisition of Luminor Bank, entering the Baltic market. The bank operates branches in Russia and other Eastern European countries.
TVNET · 21 Jul, 14:36
Lithuanian Farmers Increasingly Hire Foreign Workers Due to Labor Shortages
Lithuanian agricultural companies are increasingly relying on foreign workers to fill labor shortages, especially for short-term work, and the trend is expected to continue for several years, according to the Lithuanian Vegetable Growers Association.
LSM · 21 Jul, 14:36
airBaltic Estonian Unit Removed from Blacklist
After clarifying that payment had been made on time, airBaltic's Estonian unit was removed from the blacklist of Estonia's Consumer Protection and Technical Surveillance Authority (TTJA). The airline had been listed on July 13 for failing to comply with a consumer dispute decision regarding delayed baggage compensation.
Dienas Bizness · 21 Jul, 13:37
Škoda Karoq Reaches One Million Units Produced
Czech automaker Škoda has achieved a major production milestone with the one-millionth Škoda Karoq rolling off the line at its Kvasiny plant.
iAuto.lv · 21 Jul, 13:37
OTP Bank’s Russia Operations Raise EU Concerns After Luminor Acquisition
Hungary’s largest commercial bank, OTP Bank, recently acquired Luminor, one of Latvia’s major banks, a move welcomed by Latvian officials as boosting economic growth and competition. However, the European Union has long been uneasy about OTP Bank’s operations in Russia, and LSM explains what is currently known about its activities in the aggressor country.
LSM · 21 Jul, 13:36
Cloud Combinator partners with Vanta to deliver AI security and compliance for AWS startups
Cloud Combinator, an AWS Advanced Tier partner, and Vanta, a trust platform, join forces to help startups on AWS quickly and effectively prove their AI systems' security and regulatory compliance.
EU-Startups · 21 Jul, 12:38
Mitie agrees £3.1bn takeover by OCS in blow to London stock market
Outsourcer Mitie has accepted a £3.1bn takeover by private-equity owned OCS Group, ending nearly four decades on the stock exchange and becoming the latest London-listed company to be acquired this year.
The Guardian World · 21 Jul, 12:38
Judge Approves Anthropic's Record $1.5 Billion Settlement in AI Copyright Lawsuit
A federal judge in San Francisco approved Anthropic's $1.5 billion settlement with authors who accused the AI company of using pirated copies of their works to train its Claude model.
Engadget · 21 Jul, 12:37
French Parliament Set to Approve Ban on Social Media for Children Under 15
The French parliament is expected to vote Tuesday on a bill that would ban children under 15 from creating new social media accounts starting September 1, and from January 2027 would also cover existing accounts.
Ukrainska Pravda · 21 Jul, 12:37
Study: 82% of Latvian Drivers Admit to Speeding by at Least 10 km/h
New data from the Carlsberg 0.0 Responsible Driving Index shows that the majority of Latvian drivers still exceed the speed limit by 10 km/h, with no significant change from the previous year.
iAuto.lv · 21 Jul, 11:37
Bristol startup Ponda leads €2.76 million initiative to build UK wetland biomaterials supply chain
Bristol-based biomaterials company Ponda has secured a €2.76 million grant from the UK's Farming Innovation Programme to lead a wetland farming demonstration project aimed at restoring peatlands and creating a new biomaterials supply chain.
EU-Startups · 21 Jul, 11:37
Berlin-based Deutsche Sanierungsberatung raises over €10 million to accelerate climate-neutral home renovations
Berlin-based ClimateTech startup Deutsche Sanierungsberatung (dsb) has secured over €10 million in Series A funding to accelerate climate-neutral home renovations in Germany.
EU-Startups · 21 Jul, 10:37
Drone Incidents Demand a New Approach to Infrastructure Design in Latvia
Recent drone incidents in Latvia are pushing for a shift in infrastructure design, emphasizing resilience, decentralization, and regulatory frameworks to ensure continuity during crises.
Dienas Bizness · 21 Jul, 09:37
FCC Plans to Ban Companies Selling DJI Products Under Other Brands
The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) proposes to ban the import and marketing of products from several companies suspected of selling rebranded and re-shelled DJI drones and cameras, citing national security risks.
Engadget · 21 Jul, 09:37
Turin-based ORiS secures €5 million to develop wireless power transmission for space and dual-use
ORiS, a Turin-based DeepTech startup developing laser-based wireless power transmission systems for space and dual-use applications, has raised €5 million in pre-seed funding and a grant.
EU-Startups · 21 Jul, 09:37
Why Choosing the Right Property Manager Matters More Than Price
Although many homeowners choose a property manager based on the lowest monthly fee, experts warn that long-term factors like financial transparency, emergency response, communication, and reputation are far more critical.
Dienas Bizness · 21 Jul, 08:38
One year after Turnberry: Transatlantic trade truce remains fragile
The EU-US trade deal signed a year ago in Turnberry has not ended tensions, with both sides still negotiating tariff exemptions and the US preparing new duties under Section 301.
Euronews Business · 21 Jul, 08:36
Hungary's OTP Bank Acquires Luminor Bank
Hungary's OTP Bank has signed an agreement to acquire Luminor Bank, one of the largest financial service providers in the Baltics. The deal will expand OTP Bank's presence to 14 countries and increase its total assets by more than 10%.
Jauns.lv · 21 Jul, 07:36
Global Stock Markets Decline, Oil Prices Rise
Stock prices mostly fell on global exchanges on Monday, while oil prices increased due to the escalation of the US-Iran military conflict.
Dienas Bizness · 21 Jul, 07:36
AT&T loses key ruling in bid to stop offering basic phone service in California
California regulators rejected AT&T's attempt to discontinue basic landline service, saying the company never sought approval to replace it with a wireless option and that its wireless service fails to meet state requirements.
Ars Technica · 21 Jul, 06:37
OTP Bank to Acquire Luminor Bank, Strengthening Baltic Presence
Hungary's OTP Bank Group has signed an agreement to acquire Luminor Bank, becoming a major player in the Baltic financial market.
Dienas Bizness · 21 Jul, 06:36
Netflix Adds ASL Interpretations for Dozens of Kids' Shows and Movies
Netflix partners with SignUp Media to offer American Sign Language interpretations for over 70 family titles via a Chrome extension.
Engadget · 21 Jul, 05:37