Lifestyle
Quebec Publisher Cuts Ties With Novelist Thélyson Orélien Over A.I. Accusations
A Quebec publisher has ended its relationship with celebrated novelist Thélyson Orélien. The publisher says he used artificial intelligence while writing his breakout book.
The New York Times · 21 Oct, 23:53
US-backed hepatitis B vaccine trial in newborns in Guinea-Bissau halted
The lead researcher said the controversial hepatitis B vaccine study in newborns will not go ahead in Guinea-Bissau because government approval was not granted. It was to be funded by the US CDC and private partners.
The Guardian World · 21 Oct, 20:55
Scientists Challenge the Myth of Fertilization as a Sperm Race
The popular image of sperm racing to the egg does not match reality, science portal Livescience.com reports. The female reproductive tract plays a major role in moving and selecting sperm.
Latvijas Avīze · 21 Oct, 20:55
Canadian publisher drops author Orélien after confirming AI use in his debut novel
Canadian publisher Boréal said on 21 October it is ending its relationship with Haitian-Canadian writer Thélyson Orélien after a further investigation confirmed AI was used in his breakthrough novel. The author denies the allegations.
France 24 · 21 Oct, 20:54
Candy horoscope: which Laima sweet matches your zodiac sign
Latvian daily Latvijas Avīze has published a lighthearted horoscope matching zodiac signs with Laima confectionery. Aries is paired with “Vētrasputns”, while Cancer gets something gentler.
Latvijas Avīze · 21 Oct, 19:55
Dailes Theatre in Riga Hosts Latvian Premiere of Music Theatre Production "Siddhartha"
The Latvian premiere of the music theatre production "Siddhartha" takes place at Riga's Dailes Theatre on 21 October. The show, which had its world premiere on 10 September at the Ruhrtriennale, was created by Belgian director Lisaboa Houbrechts and features the Latvian Radio Choir.
Diena · 21 Oct, 17:54
Telehealth company Hims launches testosterone replacement therapy for men
US telehealth platform Hims, which started out selling erectile dysfunction drugs, has launched a testosterone replacement service for men. Patients first take an at-home blood test, and prescriptions follow a video consultation with a clinician.
Wired · 21 Oct, 16:56
Estonian and Helsinki art academy students hold joint exhibition in Finland
A joint show titled "Sild/Silta" opens in Helsinki with work by 22 students of the Estonian Academy of Arts and the University of the Arts Helsinki. A second exhibition with the same students will follow in Tallinn in January 2027.
ERR News · 21 Oct, 15:55
Improviser Margers Majors: Stage Skills Help Beyond the Spotlight
Improviser Margers Majors tells the Latvijas Radio programme "Monopols" how experience performing before an audience helps in daily life, when the cameras and stage lights are off. He says characters he has created help him in various situations.
LSM Kultūra · 21 Oct, 15:54
Riga 1st Hospital offers free mole checks
Riga 1st Hospital will hold free skin lesion checks with dermatologists on 29 October. Advance registration is required.
LSM · 21 Oct, 15:54
Flu and respiratory infections on the rise in Latvia
Latvia's Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (SPKC) has recorded a slight rise in flu and acute respiratory infection activity. The highest incidence is among children up to four years old.
BNN · 21 Oct, 15:53
Psychiatrist: Cult of Thinness Threatens Children's Health as Eating Disorders Are Diagnosed in Primary School Pupils
Children's hospital specialists report that eating disorders are affecting ever younger patients, with first signs appearing as early as the early primary school years. A psychiatrist says the cult of thinness endangers children's health.
LSM · 21 Oct, 12:54
Publisher Liels un Mazs Releases Original Latvian Comic «Meldra and the Nasty Neighbours»
The Latvian publishing house Liels un Mazs has released a new original Latvian comic, «Meldra un negantie kaimiņi» («Meldra and the Nasty Neighbours»). It is set during summer holidays and follows two girls who are eager for adventure.
LSM Kultūra · 21 Oct, 09:56
Baltic Ballet Festival opens with Kyiv modern ballet production set to Pēteris Vasks's music
The 31st International Baltic Ballet Festival began on 20 October at the VEF Culture Palace. The opening featured the Kyiv modern ballet production "I Love You".
Apollo.lv · 21 Oct, 09:31
UK TV picks: Ellie White and Natasia Demetriou's sketch show returns to BBC Two
The Guardian's TV guide for the evening of 21 October highlights the second series of BBC Two sketch comedy Ellie & Natasia. It also covers documentaries, an art contest and football matches.
The Guardian Culture · 21 Oct, 08:33
Comedian Jon Richardson turns his teenage diaries into a candid memoir
British standup comedian Jon Richardson publishes a memoir on 22 October built from his diaries written between the ages of 14 and 17. It openly covers isolation, low self-worth and thoughts of suicide.
The Guardian Culture · 21 Oct, 07:34
Author recalls 1991 and 1992 Catholic pilgrimages in Latvia and asks about their future
Broadcaster and academic researcher Tālivaldis Kronbergs describes in a Delfi essay his walks from Liepāja to Aglona in 1991 and 1992 and compares them with today. He questions whether Aglona truly deserves its legal status as a shrine of international significance.
Delfi · 21 Oct, 07:33
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Flavour guide Zane Grēviņa explains why cakes and sponges turn out too dry
Flavour guide Zane Grēviņa, known as Našķoties Zane, explains why a home-baked cake or sponge can turn out dry, and how seasonal fruit and vegetables can help rescue the batter.
TVNET · 21 Oct, 06:34
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Riga Fashion Week's autumn season opens with a show on a yacht marina boardwalk
Riga Fashion Week's autumn season opened on 20 October with an unusual show at the ExPorto yacht marina. Models presented outfits on a 100-metre wooden walkway with the Daugava river as the backdrop.
TVNET · 21 Oct, 04:33
Horoscope for 21 October: Venus Retrograde in Scorpio, Sun in Final Degrees of Libra
The Apollo.lv horoscope for Wednesday, 21 October, opens by noting the Sun in the closing degrees of Libra and Venus retrograde in Scorpio. The text calls the day a day of truth.
Apollo.lv · 21 Oct, 04:33
Court dismisses Mariah Carey's brother's defamation suit over her memoir
A New York judge has dismissed a defamation lawsuit by Morgan Carey, brother of pop singer Mariah Carey, over her 2020 memoir. His lawyer says he will appeal.
The Guardian World · 21 Oct, 04:31
Auļi and 4 Domu Tenori Release Joint Song “Mācies, puis’, kamēr jauns!”
The bagpipe and drum group Auļi and the vocal group 4 Domu Tenori have released a joint song and music video, “Mācies, puis’, kamēr jauns!” (“Learn, lad, while you are young!”). The two acts will continue their collaboration on stage at a Winter Solstice concert on 16 December at the Palladium concert hall.
NRA · 21 Oct, 02:34
Laila Pakalniņa's Film "I Am Thinking About a Cat" Premieres at Riga International Film Festival
Latvian director Laila Pakalniņa's feature film "I Am Thinking About a Cat" had its national premiere at the Riga International Film Festival on Tuesday. The film competes in the festival and first premiered worldwide in Argentina in late 2025.
Jauns.lv · 21 Oct, 02:32
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Quiz: Identify the Meat Dish Whose Letters Are Scrambled
Latvian news portal TVNET has published an entertainment quiz in which readers must identify a meat dish from jumbled letters. The task is to find the first letter of the word.
TVNET · 21 Oct, 01:34
Nigeria Announces First Case of Ebola in Current Outbreak
Nigeria has announced its first case of Ebola in the current outbreak. Health officials have commended the Nigerian authorities for being transparent in reporting the spread of the virus.
The New York Times · 21 Oct, 01:34
Bog Boy Prop for Latvian Detective Film Created at a Berlin Special Effects Workshop
The bog body prop for Reinis Kalviņš's psychological detective film "Klajumā aiz meža" was made by the Berlin workshop Twilight Creations, which has also worked on the Harry Potter and Hunger Games films. Its founders explain how the boy's body was created using 3D scanning.
Delfi · 21 Oct, 00:33
Art Basel Paris Preview Draws Major Collectors Despite Protests in France
The Avant-Première preview of the Art Basel Paris art fair attracted major collectors even as anti-government protests, riots and looting escalated across French cities.
The New York Times · 21 Oct, 00:33
Documentary on Elizabeth Holmes Sends Viewership of The Dropout Up Sharply
Interest in Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes has surged since the release of the documentary You Can See Everything. The film earned $15m in its North American opening weekend.
The Guardian World · 21 Oct, 00:32
Memory test: a short autumn story and 12 questions about details
Latvian newspaper Latvijas Avīze offers a simple memory check: readers study a short story about an autumn morning, then answer 12 questions without looking back. The outlet says training memory helps at any age.
Latvijas Avīze · 21 Oct, 00:32
Latvian Film “Ulya” Heads to International Festivals After Success at Home
Viesturs Kairišs’ feature film “Ulya” about basketball player Uljana Semjonova will screen at festivals in Europe and the US in October and November. It will open the Lübeck and Tallinn festivals, while 90,000 people have seen it in Latvia.
NRA · 20 Oct, 23:33
Flutist Lorna McGhee Leaves Boston Symphony Orchestra After Andris Nelsons' Dismissal
Scottish flutist Lorna McGhee, who joined the Boston Symphony Orchestra two years ago, is leaving after conductor Andris Nelsons was removed from his post. Unconfirmed reports say she is moving to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
NRA · 20 Oct, 22:32
Medins Music School students to give Latvian music concert at Small Guild on 12 November
The Jazeps Medins Riga Music Secondary School will hold a concert of Latvian composers' works, "Zvaigznajā", at the Small Guild on 12 November. The programme includes the premiere of Alvils Altmanis's Divertimento for saxophone quartet.
Diena · 20 Oct, 21:33
Moscow Is Losing Landmarks of Its Post-Soviet Cultural Life: Clubs, Bookstores and Markets Close
Many symbols of Moscow's independent cultural scene from the 1990s and 2000s, including clubs, cafes, bookstores and markets, have closed or are about to. The reasons are rising rents and redevelopment of the sites.
Meduza · 20 Oct, 21:32
Liepāja Theatre to Host Operetta and Musical Theatre Productions “Masterclass” and “Parisian Bohemia”
On 23 and 25 October, Liepāja Theatre will host two Operetta and Musical Theatre productions: the play “Masterclass” about Maria Callas and the eco-fashion operetta “Parisian Bohemia”. Opera singer and director Sonora Vaice is involved in both.
NRA · 20 Oct, 20:31
Riga's Zuzeum Art Museum Lets Visitors Experience Seven Artworks by Touch
Seven artworks at the Zuzeum art museum in Riga can now also be explored by touch. The change was achieved by the mother of a nine-year-old boy.
LSM (rus) · 20 Oct, 19:34
Longevity researcher names three drinks regularly consumed in regions known for long life
Longevity researcher Dan Buettner has pointed to three drinks that people in regions with an especially high longevity rate drink regularly. Fox News reported on it.
Latvijas Avīze · 20 Oct, 19:33