Latvia & nearby (156)

Survey: Only a quarter of Latvian employees fully disconnect from work while on vacation

A survey by recruitment company CV.lv found that only 25% of employees in Latvia are able to fully disconnect from work during their vacation.

Apollo.lv · 30 Aug, 17:31

Teen gang beats girl in Riga park, deputy mayor promises action

Videos surfaced over the weekend showing Russian-speaking teenagers attacking peers in central Riga parks, including one assault on a girl in Vērmanes Garden. Riga deputy mayor Edvards Ratnieks says municipal and state police are working to identify and prosecute those responsible.

Jauns.lv · 30 Aug, 17:27

Rain and cooling temperatures expected in Latvia in early September

Latvia's Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre forecasts widespread rain and gradually cooling temperatures across the country in the first week of September.

Apollo.lv · 30 Aug, 16:32

Tallinn puts historic wooden house on Sakala Street up for sale, once threatened with demolition

Tallinn's city property department has listed a plot on Sakala Street with a historic wooden bourgeois house for sale, requiring the future owner to preserve and restore it after earlier demolition plans were dropped.

ERR (rus) · 30 Aug, 16:31

Luxury cruise ship EXPLORA III docks in Riga port

The newly launched luxury cruise ship EXPLORA III has arrived in Riga, described as the most opulent and modern vessel to ever visit the port. The smaller, regular visitor ship Clio also docked the same day.

Latvijas Avīze · 30 Aug, 16:29

Ruling that acquitted former Ventspils municipality executive director Krilovskis appealed

Ventspils municipality and a prosecutor have appealed a Kurzeme District Court ruling that acquitted former municipality executive director Juris Krilovskis. He had been charged with exceeding official authority for mercenary purposes.

TVNET · 30 Aug, 16:27

Latvia to see rain and gradual cooling next week

Rain is expected across much of Latvia next week as temperatures gradually drop, signaling the approach of autumn, according to the national weather service.

Jauns.lv · 30 Aug, 16:24

Ahead of September 1: Latvian schools still lack funding for textbooks, union leader admits

Inga Vanaga, head of the Latvian Trade Union of Education and Science Employees, says school funding for teaching materials remains insufficient, and next year's budget may cut it further.

Latvijas Avīze · 30 Aug, 15:31

Entomologist: Kurzeme coast draws insect researchers in late summer and autumn

Uģis Piterāns, senior entomologist at the Latvian Museum of Natural History, said on Latvian Radio that the Kurzeme coast is a particularly appealing destination for insect researchers in late summer and autumn.

LSM (rus) · 30 Aug, 15:25

Estonian PM Michal: Opposition is panicking as its 'catastrophe narrative' no longer holds up

Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal said opposition calls for early elections show panic, as their narrative of a poor economy is no longer supported by facts. Isamaa, EKRE and Center are pushing for a no-confidence vote against the minority government.

ERR News · 30 Aug, 14:29

Michal: Opposition in panic, the 'bad economy' story no longer holds weight

Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal said opposition calls for the government's resignation and early elections show panic, arguing the narrative about a poor economy no longer works. He pointed to Statistics Estonia data on economic growth.

ERR (rus) · 30 Aug, 13:25

About 240 customers still without power a week after storm

A week after the powerful storm that hit Latvia on August 22, around 240 customers of grid operator "Sadales tīkls" are still without electricity, the company reported.

LSM · 30 Aug, 13:25

Saeima factions pledge to review MP compensation system before elections

Political factions in Latvia's Saeima have promised to begin reviewing the system of compensations paid to MPs before the upcoming elections, following a recommendation from the anti-corruption bureau KNAB.

LSM · 30 Aug, 12:26

17 drunk drivers stopped on Saturday, three to lose their cars

Latvian police stopped 17 drivers under the influence of alcohol on Saturday, with three of them set to have their vehicles confiscated. Most violations were recorded in Vidzeme and Latgale.

Delfi · 30 Aug, 10:30

Estonian opposition parties call for snap parliamentary elections

Estonia's opposition parties Isamaa, the Centre Party and EKRE are demanding the resignation of Kristen Michal's minority government and early Riigikogu elections.

ERR (rus) · 30 Aug, 10:30

Latvia's population register holds a 41-letter name

Latvia's Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs has revealed that the longest name in the national Population Register contains 41 letters across four names, belonging to a foreign national. It also disclosed the longest names among Latvian nationals.

Latvijas Avīze · 30 Aug, 10:25

Drone helps rescuers find missing person in forest near Talsi

On Saturday, rescuers used a drone to locate and lead a lost person out of a forest in Talsi municipality's Valdgale parish. The same day, firefighters also extinguished a house fire in Liepāja.

Jauns.lv · 30 Aug, 10:24

Latvia's longest registered personal name has 41 letters and four words

Latvia's Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs has revealed that the longest personal name recorded in the Population Register consists of four words and 41 letters. It is the longest such case known in the national registry.

TVNET · 30 Aug, 09:27

17 drunk drivers caught on Latvian roads in one night

Latvia's State Police stopped 17 drivers under the influence of alcohol on the country's roads over the past 24 hours. The figure points to drunk driving remaining a persistent issue despite ongoing enforcement.

Apollo.lv · 30 Aug, 09:27

Nearly 1,000 children in Latvia wait in line for a family

The Latvian SOS Children's Villages Association has launched the "In Line for a Family" campaign, highlighting that almost 1,000 children in care centers are waiting for foster or guardian families, as the number of foster families keeps declining.

Jauns.lv · 30 Aug, 09:26

Smiltene to mark Knowledge Day with a silent disco

Smiltene municipality's Culture Centre is hosting a silent disco called "Back to School" on September 1 to celebrate the start of the new school year. Attendees will listen through wireless headphones, choosing between two DJs.

Ziemeļlatvija · 30 Aug, 09:26

Estonian Academy of Security Sciences welcomes record number of new students

A record 440 first-year students began studies at the Estonian Academy of Security Sciences last week, out of more than 1,480 applicants, as the school also starts preparing for its 35th anniversary.

ERR News · 30 Aug, 09:24

Renovation plans put Kaunas' beloved Courtyard Gallery at risk

Murals at Kaunas' well-known Courtyard Gallery could be plastered over as building owners proceed with a facade renovation without preserving the artwork. The dispute has already led to a suspected vandalism incident now under police investigation.

LRT English · 30 Aug, 08:29

Bank expert warns: leaked personal data can become a tool for fraudsters

A Luminor bank fraud prevention expert explains how leaked personal data helps scammers build more convincing schemes, and what people can do to protect themselves.

Ziemeļlatvija · 30 Aug, 08:29

Estonian commentary calls for clearer division of responsibility in schools

An opinion piece on Estonia's education system argues that schools are burdened with ever-growing demands while responsibility for outcomes remains blurred among teachers, parents, local governments and the state. The author calls for a public agreement on responsibilities by the end of the first school quarter.

ERR (rus) · 30 Aug, 08:26

Parliamentary candidate J. Kovals: funding distribution between state and municipalities needs revision

Bauska municipal council member Jānis Kovals, running in the Zemgale constituency for the 15th Saeima elections, calls for reforming how funding is split between the state and municipalities and for addressing rural depopulation.

Bauskas Dzīve · 30 Aug, 08:26

Latvia's death toll this year edges slightly lower through early August

More than 15,500 people died in Latvia between January and early August this year, a 0.9% decrease compared to the same period last year, statistics show.

Apollo.lv · 30 Aug, 08:25

Ukraine's Embassy in Tallinn Honors Fallen Defenders

On Saturday, August 29, Ukraine's embassy in Estonia held a memorial event for soldiers and other defenders killed while fighting for the country's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity. Embassy staff and members of the Ukrainian community took part.

ERR (rus) · 30 Aug, 07:32

Changes to regional bus routes in Jelgava, Dobele, Talsi and Tukums from September 1

From Tuesday, September 1, several changes will take effect in the regional bus route network sections "Jelgava, Dobele" and "Talsi, Tukums", the Road Transport Administration reports.

Apollo.lv · 30 Aug, 07:32

Journalist Inga Spriņģe: current war anxiety is overblown

Journalist Inga Spriņģe, who has spent years researching Kremlin influence methods, explains on social media why she sees no grounds for fears of an imminent war. She points to media and commentators spreading speculation that made the situation appear more dramatic than it is.

Latvijas Avīze · 30 Aug, 07:29

Latvian Armed Forces commander: Latvia could gain ability to redirect drones, not just shoot them down

Lieutenant General Kaspars Pudāns says Latvia is working on ways to redirect targeted drones off course instead of only destroying them, a potentially cheaper alternative to shooting them down.

Delfi · 30 Aug, 07:29

Survey: 30% of childless pet owners see their dog or cat as a child

A survey by the Sofi Charity Foundation and Norstat Latvia found that nearly a third of childless pet owners regard their dog or cat as a child, though experts warn against confusing love with overindulgence.

Bauskas Dzīve · 30 Aug, 07:28

Youth dance festival "Moving Minds" held in Palsmane

Forty-five young dancers gathered for three days in Palsmane, in Smiltene municipality, to create a performance inspired by contemporary dance, hip-hop and house styles. Organizers hope to grow the event into an international festival.

Ziemeļlatvija · 30 Aug, 07:27

Kuldīga residents unable to reach emergency service during storm

During the weekend's powerful summer storm, a resident of Kuldīga feared for her building's safety after an alarming noise and flooding, but the local emergency utility service could not be reached. Neighbours had to investigate and cope on their own, and the cause of the flooding was never identified.

Kurzemnieks · 30 Aug, 07:25