Latvia & nearby
August storm damage in Latvia's forests reaches nearly 300,000 cubic metres
The storm that hit Latvia on August 22 has downed trees across the country's forests amounting to nearly 300,000 cubic metres, with almost half the damage in the Latgale region. Forest owners will mostly be able to sell the wood only as firewood or pulpwood, and are urged to clear it quickly.
LSM · 29 Aug, 07:08
Latvian Armed Forces commander: destructive storm exposed same problems known 20 years ago
Following the recent storm, Lieutenant General Kaspars Pudāns, commander of Latvia's National Armed Forces, says the same weaknesses identified after the January 2005 storm have resurfaced. He is calling for greater focus on securing critical services and improving public preparedness.
Delfi · 29 Aug, 07:03
Latvian school principals urge caution on planned assessment reform
85 heads of Latvian schools have signed a letter urging authorities not to approve planned changes to how students' summative grades can be improved without further impact assessment. Parliament's education committee is set to review the amendments on August 31.
Bauskas Dzīve · 29 Aug, 07:01
Autocross round in Smiltene held amid extreme rain
On Sunday, August 23, the Smiltene 'Teperis' track hosted round 5 of the Latvian autocross championship and round 4 of the Estonian championship under heavy rain. The event became one of the season's most dramatic.
Ziemeļlatvija · 29 Aug, 07:01
Rain zone to sweep across Latvia this weekend, forecasters say
Forecasters report that a band of rain will move across Latvia from Saturday afternoon through Monday, with mild but wet weather expected to continue into the first days of September.
BNN · 29 Aug, 07:01
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Chanterelles: abundant harvest opens door to varied dishes
This mushroom season, chanterelles are plentiful in the forest unlike other species, giving foragers a good chance to pick them and try more than just the usual mushroom sauce.
TVNET · 29 Aug, 06:04
From €85,000 to nearly a million: what Latvia's city festivals really cost
LA.LV surveyed Latvian municipalities on this summer's city festival spending, finding costs ranging from Liepāja's €85,000 to Riga's nearly €970,000 birthday celebration. Most of the budget typically goes toward technical setup, while artist fees are settled through individual negotiations.
Latvijas Avīze · 29 Aug, 06:02
Water in a beer bottle, a stray snake and loud music on a train: a week of local police quirks
Municipal police across Latvia handled several unusual incidents this week, from a bottle that turned out to hold water instead of beer in Ogre to catching a large snake in Ventspils and removing an aggressive passenger from a train in Ādaži.
Jauns.lv · 29 Aug, 06:01
Skies to gradually cloud over Saturday as showers move in from the west
Saturday will start calm across Latvia, but a band of clouds and rain will spread in from the west during the second half of the day, with a chance of local thunderstorms. Temperatures will rise up to +23 degrees.
Delfi · 29 Aug, 05:02
Prosecutors to review spending on disaster management centre construction
Latvia's Interior Ministry has asked the Prosecutor General's Office to examine possibly unjustified expenses in the construction of disaster management centres. Minister Jānis Dombrava pointed to several cost items whose purpose raises serious questions.
LSM (rus) · 29 Aug, 04:08
Pevkur: Estonian Defence Ministry to temporarily take over management of Defence Forces' property
Estonian Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur confirmed the ministry will temporarily take over management of the Defence Forces' property, as recommended by the National Audit Office after an audit found accounting shortcomings. The handover is expected to last roughly six months to a year.
ERR (rus) · 29 Aug, 03:09
Researcher: Some people in Latvia are ready to cooperate with Russian intelligence services on sabotage
Valdis Kuzmins, a researcher at the National Defence Academy, warns that even though a military invasion of Latvia is considered unlikely, this does not mean the country faces no threats. He also commented on concerns over the CIA director's visit to Moscow.
Delfi · 29 Aug, 03:09
Missing 16-year-old Marija Novikova sought in Ādaži municipality
Latvian State Police are searching for Marija Novikova, born in 2009, who disappeared from her home in Carnikava parish on August 27. Anyone with information on her whereabouts is asked to call 112.
Jauns.lv · 29 Aug, 03:08
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New quiz tests knowledge of Latvia's cities and villages
A website has published a quiz challenging readers to determine which Latvian settlements are officially cities and which are villages, noting that many place names can be misleading.
Apollo.lv · 29 Aug, 02:07
Economist Pūce: Latvia borrows around €200 million monthly just to cover basic state functions
Economist Juris Pūce warns that Latvia's state budget deficit is being covered by borrowing for everyday operations rather than investment, with debt servicing costs steadily rising. He says an unbalanced budget will increasingly limit future spending on health, education and defense.
Latvijas Avīze · 29 Aug, 02:06
Narva-Jõesuu to buy back historic spa hall for 375,000 euros
The Narva-Jõesuu municipality has decided to buy back the historic spa hall (kursaal) building from Navesco for 375,000 euros. Initial works will cost up to 20,000 euros, while full restoration with a concert hall extension could reach around 10 million euros.
ERR (rus) · 29 Aug, 01:07
Riga again tests pedestrian-only streets in the city centre
Until September 20, Riga is closing Alberta Street and part of Antonijas Street to traffic on weekends, reviving the long-running debate about creating a dedicated pedestrian or shopping street downtown.
Delfi · 29 Aug, 01:07
In Alūksne, co-owners try to give up land nobody wants
Six co-owners in the Alūksne area are trying to use their legal right to formally renounce a plot of land they no longer want, only to find that no one else wants it either.
Apollo.lv · 29 Aug, 01:06
Minister's proposal for backup 2G network mocked on social media
Economy Minister Viktors Valainis's idea to build a backup 2G network for crises after the recent storm has drawn ironic criticism online, since the new network would also need electricity. Critics say existing towers should get generators instead.
Jauns.lv · 28 Aug, 22:18
Six days after storm, about 1,700 households in Latvia still without power
By Friday evening some 1,700 Latvian households were still without electricity, even though the grid operator had hoped to finish repairs by then. Restoration for several hundred customers is expected to continue into Saturday.
Delfi · 28 Aug, 22:18
Saturday to bring up to +22°C in Estonia with strong southerly winds
Estonia's Saturday forecast shows temperatures climbing to +22°C, accompanied by strengthening southerly winds and rain showers on the islands.
ERR (rus) · 28 Aug, 22:17
Border Guard chief: officers may refuse an unlawful order, not merely a risky one
The head of Latvia's State Border Guard, Guntis Pujāts, explained on TV24 whether border guards can refuse tasks they consider too dangerous. He stressed that legality, not personal risk assessment, is the deciding factor.
Latvijas Avīze · 28 Aug, 22:17
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Latvia's grid operator misses Friday deadline to restore power after storm
Latvian grid operator AS "Sadales tīkls" failed to meet its own Friday deadline for fully restoring electricity to customers affected by last weekend's storm, with around 1,700 customers still without power.
Apollo.lv · 28 Aug, 22:16
Cyclist dies in fatal collision near Deglava bridge in Riga
A cyclist died in a fatal collision on Friday on Augusta Deglava Street near the Deglava bridge in Riga. The incident was reported by the TV3 programme "Degpunktā".
TVNET · 28 Aug, 22:15
Āšupe intersection crash case: court rejects victim's request for new expert examination
A court has rejected an injured party's request for a new expert examination in the case of a severe February crash at the Āšupe intersection, while ordering a technical review of the defendant's UAE-issued driving licence. The next hearing is set for September 21.
Delfi · 28 Aug, 21:22
Estonian government open to discussing budget with opposition too
Estonian opposition parties doubt the minority government can pass next year's budget without their backing, while Economy Minister Erkki Keldo says the coalition is ready for dialogue.
ERR (rus) · 28 Aug, 21:18
Krimulda firefighters spent nearly 12 hours clearing storm-felled trees from roads
During a recent storm, volunteer firefighters in Krimulda worked almost 12 hours straight cutting up fallen trees to restore traffic, but the operation exposed problems with communications and information flow. Both mobile network access and incident data were reportedly lacking.
TVNET · 28 Aug, 21:17
Inmates at new Liepāja prison go on hunger strike over limited outdoor time
Several inmates at the new Liepāja prison have refused food for nearly a week, protesting what they see as overly restricted access to outdoor walks. Prison administration confirms part of the complaints but disputes the number of protesters.
Latvijas Avīze · 28 Aug, 21:17
Hundreds of households may not get power back until Saturday after storm damage
Latvia's grid operator Sadales tīkls has restored electricity to most storm-affected customers by Friday evening, but around 1,700 households remain without power as repairs continue into Saturday. Damage turned out more extensive than initially expected.
Jauns.lv · 28 Aug, 20:18
Security service: Russia poses no direct military threat to Latvia now, but long-term risks persist
Latvia's Constitution Protection Bureau says Russia currently poses no direct military threat to the country, though signs point to possible longer-term plans and rising tension.
Delfi · 28 Aug, 19:18
Sixth day without power: storm-hit residents frustrated by disappearing data on outage map
Several days after a severe storm, parts of Latvia still lack electricity, and residents are voicing frustration on social media that submitted outage reports change or vanish from the grid operator's map. "Sadales tīkls" continues repair work and urges people to report outages not shown on the map.
Latvijas Avīze · 28 Aug, 19:16
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PM Kulbergs demands explanation over €147,000 granted to already-finished bridge championship
Latvian Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs has demanded the Education and Science Ministry urgently submit documents on state funding for international sports events, after part of the money went to bridge championships that had already ended before the funding competition was announced.
TVNET · 28 Aug, 18:20
PM Kulbergs demands explanation for €147,000 grant to bridge championship after event had ended
Latvian Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs has demanded that the Ministry of Education and Science explain the allocation of state funding for sports events, specifically the €147,366 awarded to the Latvian Bridge Federation only after both supported championships had already taken place.
LSM · 28 Aug, 18:20
Estonian audit again finds problems in defence sector, but no officials plan to resign
Estonia's National Audit Office's 28 August report finds continuing irregularities at the Defence Ministry, its procurement agency RKIK and the Defence Forces for the second year running, yet no official sees grounds for resignation.
ERR (rus) · 28 Aug, 18:18
PM Kulbergs demands review of €147,000 grant to Latvia's Bridge Federation
Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs has ordered the Education Ministry to submit all documents on the distribution of €225,000 in state sports funding, after the Latvian Bridge Federation received nearly €147,366 for championships that had already ended. Kulbergs says he never personally approved that specific allocation.
Delfi · 28 Aug, 18:17
FID: Suppliers can reclaim goods from sanctioned “Mere” stores since August 7
Latvia's Financial Intelligence Unit says local manufacturers and suppliers have been able to reclaim their goods from the sanctioned “Mere” store chain since August 7, without needing special permission.
Jauns.lv · 28 Aug, 18:16