Latvia & nearby (16)

Iecava Shuts Down Belarus-Made Lifts in Nine-Storey Blocks After Safety Warning

Lifts in both nine-storey buildings in Iecava, Latvia, have been halted after the Consumer Rights Protection Centre found safety non-compliance in Belarusian-made equipment. About 70 such lifts nationwide fail requirements, many of them in Riga and Daugavpils.

NRA · 5 Nov, 01:01

Man detained in Riga on suspicion of fuel thefts from petrol stations

The State Police in Riga detained an Estonian citizen born in 1984 who is suspected of 15 thefts from petrol stations. He was also driving while banned from doing so.

Valsts policija · 5 Nov, 01:00

President nominates Kulbergs for prime minister; Latvia records first flu death of season

Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs has formally nominated Apvienotais saraksts leader Andris Kulbergs for prime minister. Meanwhile, the first flu death of the season has been reported in Latvia amid a vaccine shortage.

LSM · 5 Nov, 00:55

Liepāja family doctor Laila Atiķe builds one of Kurzeme's largest private medical companies in 25 years

Laila Atiķe started with a family doctor's practice in Liepāja, and her company now also has branches in Rīga and Ādaži. Five years ago she ended cooperation with the National Health Service and now offers only paid services.

Žurnāls Ir · 5 Nov, 00:55

One person dies, two injured in fires across Latvia in 24 hours

Latvia's State Fire and Rescue Service reported that one person died in an apartment fire on Vēžu Street in Riga on 29 October. Three people in total were hurt in fires over the day.

VUGD · 5 Nov, 00:54

Man detained in Valmiera on suspicion of attempted robbery of a woman

The State Police have detained a man born in 1992 on suspicion of trying to snatch a woman's handbag in Valmiera on the evening of 22 October. Police are asking other possible victims to come forward.

Valsts policija · 5 Nov, 00:54

Kulbergs' wife on how the PM's serious car crash changed their family life

Anna Kulberga, wife of Latvian Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs, told the magazine Ieva how the family coped with his 2022 crash and recovery. She said her biggest worries were for her husband and their young daughter.

Latvijas Avīze · 5 Nov, 00:33

Almost Two Years After LTV and LR Merger, LSM Staff Criticise the Board

Almost two years have passed since Latvian Television and Latvian Radio were merged into the public media organisation LSM. Employees are increasingly voicing dissatisfaction in public, and questions are being raised about whether the promised optimisation has happened.

Delfi · 5 Nov, 00:33

Warmer and windier weather expected in Latvia on Thursday

Forecasters say Latvia will see slightly warmer and windier weather on 5 November, with daytime temperatures reaching +8 to +12 degrees. Gusts on the coast may reach 18 metres per second.

NRA · 5 Nov, 00:33

Interview with mother: child suffered abuse at home, she says she did not know

The news site Apollo.lv has published an interview with a woman named Una, whose daughter Anna suffered years of abuse at home as a child. A court found Anna's stepfather guilty of crimes against a minor.

Apollo.lv · 5 Nov, 00:32

Liepāja police identify minor suspected of phone robbery and theft

The State Police in Liepāja have identified a minor suspected of snatching a mobile phone from a boy and of robbing an elderly woman of hers. Criminal proceedings for robbery and theft have been opened.

Valsts policija · 5 Nov, 00:31

Fire service gets 32 calls in a day: factory fire in Riga, house fire in Jūrmala

Latvia's State Fire and Rescue Service received 32 calls between 2 and 3 November. A high-hazard fire at a Riga production building was fought for hours, and a residential house burned in Jūrmala.

VUGD · 5 Nov, 00:31

Prison sentence final for ex-Daugavpils council chairman Eigims in bribery case

Latvia's Supreme Court Senate on 30 September left unchanged the verdict finding former Daugavpils city council chairman Rihards Eigims guilty of demanding a €10,000 bribe. He received a prison term of one and a half years.

KNAB · 5 Nov, 00:31

Titavs: Kulbergs not giving enough weight to shared interests in coalition talks

Political commentator Dans Titavs criticised Andris Kulbergs on the TV24 programme “Ziņu TOP” for leading government formation talks single-handedly. Titavs argues Kulbergs misunderstands the political process and treats the 41 mandates as his personal resource.

Latvijas Avīze · 5 Nov, 00:26

Estonia Plans to Double Foreign Worker Quota as Trade Unions Warn of Cheap Labour Influx

Estonia plans to bring in foreign workers next year in numbers double the current immigration quota. Trade unions argue that lower salary requirements will lead to an influx of cheap labour.

ERR (rus) · 4 Nov, 22:56

Funeral firm head says sector's problems go beyond the cartel case

Mārtiņš Bandenieks, head of the funeral companies "Tāle" and "Pauzers", says the cartel uncovered by Latvia's Competition Council is only part of the sector's problems. He also points to procurements and money left outside official records.

Delfi · 4 Nov, 22:56

Dog found in abandoned car in forest near Riga

A German shepherd mix named Liepa was found in an abandoned Citroen in a forest in Latvia's Ropaži municipality and taken to the Mežavairogi animal shelter. The driver and the reason the dog was left remain unknown.

Apollo.lv · 4 Nov, 22:56

About 50 Vulnerable Refrigeration Systems Identified in Latvia

Latvia's cyber incident response body Cert.lv reports attempted cyberattacks on refrigeration control systems and warns that the medical sector is also at risk. About 50 potentially vulnerable units with internet-exposed controls have been identified in the private sector.

NRA · 4 Nov, 22:54

Court of first instance sentences Olaine council member Vurčs to community service

The Riga District Court has found Olaine municipal council member Andris Vurčs guilty of knowingly giving false information to a municipal election commission. The verdict has not yet entered into force.

LSM (rus) · 4 Nov, 22:10

Estonia's air temperature to reach 11 degrees on Thursday

Estonia expects variable cloud on Thursday, with rain in parts of the east in the evening. Daytime temperatures will reach up to +11 degrees.

ERR (rus) · 4 Nov, 22:10

Olaine municipal councillor Vurčs given 200 hours of community service for providing false information

The Riga District Court has sentenced Olaine municipal councillor Andris Vurčs to 200 hours of community service for knowingly giving false information to the local election commission.

Apollo.lv · 4 Nov, 21:10

Olaine Council Member Vurčs Sentenced to 200 Hours of Community Service for False Information

The Riga District Court has sentenced Olaine municipal councillor Andris Vurčs to 200 hours of community service for knowingly providing false information to the local election commission. The ruling is not final, as he plans to appeal.

Delfi · 4 Nov, 21:09

Prosecutor's Office to Review Granting of Citizenship to Kanan Vishwanath

The prosecutor's office, which had already begun a check into how Indian national Divya Vishwanath obtained Latvian citizenship, will also assess the grounds on which citizenship was granted to her husband, Kanan Vishwanath.

LSM (rus) · 4 Nov, 21:09

Saeima Presidium Asks for Ethics Case Over Deputy Pagors' Use of Russian

The presidium of Latvia's parliament, the Saeima, has prepared a submission to a committee asking it to open an ethics case against deputy Andrejs Pagors. The case concerns his communication in Russian from the Saeima session hall.

Apollo.lv · 4 Nov, 20:11

Fake health product ads use AI to imitate Latvian professor Danilāns and actor Dumpis

Online video ads in Latvia use artificial intelligence to imitate Professor Anatolijs Danilāns and actor Uldis Dumpis, appearing to endorse health products. The public is urged to scrutinise such content carefully.

Latvijas Avīze · 4 Nov, 20:10

Lithuania expels three Ukrainians accused of carrying out tasks for foreign intelligence services

Lithuania's State Security Department has announced the expulsion of three Ukrainian citizens who allegedly performed tasks for foreign intelligence services in exchange for payment.

Ukrainska Pravda · 4 Nov, 20:08

Estonian PM Michal on Pevkur's exit: no one is made of iron

Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal thanked his Reform Party colleague Hanno Pevkur, who is leaving politics, and said he understands the decision. Michal said endless negativity and nasty comments eventually wear down even the strongest people.

ERR (rus) · 4 Nov, 19:11

Saeima Presidium asks ethics committee to review Pagors' use of Russian in the chamber

The Presidium of Latvia's parliament, the Saeima, has asked its Mandate, Ethics and Submissions Committee to open an ethics case over deputy Andrejs Pagors communicating in Russian from the plenary hall.

TVNET · 4 Nov, 19:10

Concert Dedicated to Poet Aleksandrs Čaks to Be Held in Riga's Victory Park on Lāčplēsis Day

A Lāčplēsis Day concert will take place in Victory Park in Riga on 11 November at 7 p.m. The evening will end with composer Jānis Lūsēns' programme “Rīga, mūžības skartā”, dedicated to the work of poet Aleksandrs Čaks.

NRA · 4 Nov, 19:09

Cyber-attack hits Estonian supermarket as hackers target refrigeration systems across Europe

Incidents involving supermarket refrigeration systems have been reported in at least 11 European countries. In Estonia, one shop of the Selver chain was hit, with a freezer setting raised to 50°C.

Estonian World · 4 Nov, 18:12

Libiņa-Egnere: New Unity awaits Kulbergs' invitation to government talks

The party New Unity is waiting for an invitation from prime minister candidate Andris Kulbergs to talks on forming the next government. It does not plan to demand specific posts beforehand.

TVNET · 4 Nov, 18:11

Reconstruction of Dzirnavu Street in Riga completed between Tērbatas and Skolas streets

Traffic has been fully restored on the section of Dzirnavu Street in central Riga between Tērbatas and Skolas streets after more than a year of works. The rebuild added a bike lane and new pedestrian crossings.

Delfi · 4 Nov, 18:10

How to Prepare for an Emergency: Recommendations from Crisis Service Specialists

In a Latvian Television discussion, representatives of critical services shared recommendations on how to improve residents' preparedness for crisis situations. Participants stressed that each resident's own readiness plays the decisive role.

LSM (rus) · 4 Nov, 17:11

Tallinn Zoo management split over the future of its animal collection

Tallinn Zoo Director Kaupo Heinma and the zoo's six department heads disagree over which animals should be kept and in what conditions. The department heads have decided to appeal to city leaders.

ERR News · 4 Nov, 17:10