Latvia & nearby (148)

Dinosaur-costumed mother spotted walking daughters through Riga streets

A video circulating on social media shows a mother dressed in a dinosaur costume walking her young daughters through the streets of Riga. It later emerged the unusual sight marked the girls' fifth birthday.

Latvijas Avīze · 3 Sept, 11:25

Estonia's defense minister resigns amid audit findings over ammunition procurement chaos

Estonia's longest-serving defense minister, Hanno Pevkur, has resigned after the National Audit Office flagged disorganized asset accounting at the Defense Forces and the defense procurement agency RKIK. Prosecutors are investigating a possible deliberate failure to submit contract documents.

ERR News · 3 Sept, 10:31

57 victims in major insolvency fraud case as Latvian police seek prosecution of three suspects

Latvian State Police have completed an investigation into large-scale fraud involving insolvency process services, identifying 57 victims with total damages exceeding €81,000. The case has been sent to prosecutors with a request to charge three people.

Delfi · 3 Sept, 10:27

Estonia's defence minister resigns amid €70 million deal scandal

Estonian Defence Minister Hanno Pevkurs announced his resignation on Wednesday following harsh State Audit Office criticism of the armed forces and the defence procurement agency. The scandal involves a €70 million prepayment to an inexperienced Indian company for ammunition intended for Ukraine.

BNN · 3 Sept, 10:26

Lithuania's regions struggle to attract doctors despite offering cash and housing

Municipalities outside Lithuania's major cities are offering tens of thousands of euros, paid studies and housing to lure doctors, but young medics still prefer big cities. Latvia faces a similar shortage of family doctors in rural areas.

Latvijas Avīze · 3 Sept, 10:25

Estonia to raise letter postage prices, extend delivery times from October 1

Starting October 1, Estonia's universal postal service will see higher prices for letters and longer delivery times for domestic mail, while express letters and domestic parcels will be dropped from the universal service list.

ERR (rus) · 3 Sept, 10:25

Data security incident at Latvia's consumer rights agency exposes hundreds of contacts

A data security incident in the information system of Latvia's Consumer Rights Protection Centre (PTAC) exposed contact details of 697 business representatives and 34 PTAC officials. The affected system has been shut down, and no supervisory data submitted by companies was compromised.

Latvijas Avīze · 3 Sept, 09:28

Latvian consumer rights watchdog PTAC reports data security incident

The Consumer Rights Protection Centre (PTAC) has announced a data security incident in one of the information systems under its management. The affected system is used for supervising licensed businesses.

Apollo.lv · 3 Sept, 09:28

Indian firm Datasel: Estonia's contract termination left it out of pocket

Ammunition supplier Datasel, based in India, says it had delivered most of its contracted goods and could have fulfilled all obligations had Estonia not terminated the deal. The dispute has already led to the resignation of Estonia's defense minister.

ERR News · 3 Sept, 09:27

Latvia's consumer rights agency reports data breach exposing hundreds of contacts

A cybersecurity incident was detected in a system run by Latvia's Consumer Rights Protection Centre (PTAC), exposing contact details of hundreds of company representatives and agency staff. The affected system has been shut down, and no oversight data submitted by companies was compromised.

BNN · 3 Sept, 09:26

Latvia's Consumer Rights Protection Centre reports cyber incident in IT system

The Consumer Rights Protection Centre (PTAC) has identified a data security incident in its Automated Statistical Data Retrieval System (ASDIS). The agency confirmed the incident but has not yet disclosed further details.

LSM (rus) · 3 Sept, 09:25

Cyclones to bring rain, wind and cooler weather to Latvia in coming days

Latvia will see rain-bearing cyclone systems pass through over the weekend and into next week, bringing thunderstorms, gusty winds and gradually cooling temperatures.

BNN · 3 Sept, 08:30

New poll suggests seven parties would enter the 15th Saeima

A new opinion poll indicates that if elections were held now, seven political parties would win seats in Latvia's parliament. The Saeima election is scheduled for the first Saturday of October.

Delfi · 3 Sept, 08:29

Lithuania's storm response exposes gaps in readiness for a possible military attack

A powerful storm in Lithuania killed one person and left more than 250,000 without electricity, exposing weaknesses that officials say could be even more critical in the event of an armed conflict.

LRT English · 3 Sept, 08:28

FlixBus coach collides with tram in central Riga just as Munich-bound trip begins

An international FlixBus coach collided with a tram in central Riga moments after picking up passengers for a trip to Munich. No one was injured.

Jauns.lv · 3 Sept, 08:26

August in Latvia was wetter and slightly warmer than average

Data from the Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre show August was wetter than the seasonal norm and included the single rainiest day ever recorded in the country's weather history, LETA reports.

LSM (rus) · 3 Sept, 08:25

Wages in Ida-Viru County rise 8.4% to reach 1,852 euros

The average gross salary in Estonia's Ida-Viru County reached 1,852 euros in the second quarter, up 8.4% year on year, though it remains well below the national average.

ERR (rus) · 3 Sept, 08:25

Jelgava museum to host meeting with painter Juris Ģērmanis, whose landscapes are on display

On Friday, September 4, the Ģederts Eliass Jelgava History and Art Museum will host a meeting with artist Juris Ģērmanis, whose exhibition "Roads Near and Far" runs through September 13. Admission is free.

Zemgales Ziņas · 3 Sept, 07:33

Vija and Jānis Ciguži celebrate 60 years of marriage in Gaujiena

On August 27, Vija and Jānis Ciguži from Gaujiena marked their diamond wedding anniversary, having spent 60 years together. The couple met in their youth while studying in Jelgava and later settled in Gaujiena, at Vija's ancestral home.

Ziemeļlatvija · 3 Sept, 07:32

Smart washing machines: how technology helps cut electricity and water bills

Ksenukai experts explain how sensors and smart features in modern washing machines can lower utility costs by roughly 40%. Energy efficiency class, automatic dosing and proper maintenance all play a key role.

Bauskas Dzīve · 3 Sept, 07:28

Supreme Court to decide on cassation in Skurulis case over CSDD system vulnerability

Latvia's Supreme Court will decide today whether to initiate cassation proceedings in the case of inventor Raimonds Skurulis, who is accused of extortion after discovering a security flaw in the Road Traffic Safety Directorate's (CSDD) IT system. Skurulis allegedly demanded 1,000 euros after reporting the issue to CSDD.

TVNET · 3 Sept, 07:26

Vinegar can restore a toilet bowl's whiteness by dissolving limescale

Stubborn limescale deposits in a toilet bowl can be softened effectively using ordinary 9% vinegar left to work overnight. The method is simple and cheap, but caution is needed when handling the acid.

Jauns.lv · 3 Sept, 07:25

Valainis: Farmers' Union party will not back budget unless hospital reform is revised

Viktors Valainis, the Union of Greens and Farmers' candidate for prime minister, warns his party will vote against next year's state budget unless the hospital network reform is substantially revised, saying it could further cut medical staff numbers in the regions.

Latvijas Avīze · 3 Sept, 07:25

Kuldīga council head: crisis readiness is a shared responsibility

Kuldīga municipality council chair Inese Astaševska discusses lessons learned from the recent storm and why she supports extending the damage-reporting deadline. She stresses that household self-preparedness is equally important in emergencies.

Kurzemnieks · 3 Sept, 07:25

Tomato season continues: time to think about winter preserves

Garden tomatoes are still being harvested, and many households are now thinking not only about eating them fresh but also about canning them together with other seasonal vegetables.

TVNET · 3 Sept, 06:31

Employee couldn't reach work after storm closed roads — employer disagrees, labour inspectorate explains rights

After the powerful storm of August 22 shut down roads with fallen trees, a reader named Evita could not get to work and her employer refused to accept it as a valid excuse. Latvia's State Labour Inspectorate explains when such absences are legally justified.

Latvijas Avīze · 3 Sept, 06:29

Jelgava installs several new speed bumps on city streets

Jelgava has completed installation of new speed bumps on Platones and Iecavas streets after traffic surveys showed widespread speeding. The Platones Street work was funded through a participatory budget project, with further traffic-calming measures planned.

Zemgales Ziņas · 3 Sept, 06:29

Thursday to bring changeable weather in Latvia — sun and rain alternating

Latvia will see changeable weather on Thursday, with sunny spells alternating with rain in many areas, according to the latest forecast.

LSM · 3 Sept, 06:28

Opinion: Saeima's MP oath needs real accountability and penalties

An author compares the oath taken by Saeima deputies with the one taken by National Guard members, arguing lawmakers face no consequences for breaking their promise. He suggests adding concrete sanctions to the deputies' oath.

Žurnāls Ir · 3 Sept, 06:27

Thursday to bring brief rain before sunshine breaks through

Rain showers are expected across parts of Latvia on Thursday, but clearer skies and sunshine will move in from the west later in the day, with temperatures reaching up to +21 degrees.

Bauskas Dzīve · 3 Sept, 06:27

Daughter of Latvians missing in Nepal: 'I still firmly believe' they will return

A week after devastating floods in Nepal left 33 Latvian nationals missing, the niece of singer Ella, Klaudija Fūrmane, whose own parents are among the missing, shared an emotional message about faith and cherishing loved ones.

Latvijas Avīze · 3 Sept, 05:33

Comedian Maksims Trivaškevičs to perform "Smaids" in Ķegums

On September 11, Ķegums Culture House will host comedian Maksims Trivaškevičs' stand-up show "Smaids". Tickets cost 5 euros.

OgreNet · 3 Sept, 05:32

“Zemgale's Basket” turns 20: poetry collection launch event invites public in Jelgava

On September 11, the Jelgava culture house will host the launch of the poetry anthology “Zemgale's Basket,” marking its 20th edition. The collection is produced annually by the Jelgava Latvian Society's poetry club “Pieskāriens.”

Zemgales Ziņas · 3 Sept, 05:31

How to spot AI deepfakes during election campaigns and what liability applies

Increasingly realistic AI-generated deepfakes pose a growing risk during pre-election periods, prompting experts to urge source verification, while Latvian law imposes criminal liability for using deepfakes to smear candidates.

LV portāls · 3 Sept, 05:30