Latvia & nearby
Storm damages disc golf course in Bauska's Ziedoņi Park, championship round postponed to September
A storm damaged the disc golf course in Bauska's Ziedoņi Park, forcing the cancellation of an August 23 championship round, now expected to be held on September 13.
Bauskas Dzīve · 25 Aug, 09:39
Over 93,000 households still without power in Lithuania after powerful storm
More than 93,000 electricity consumers in Lithuania remain without power days after a powerful storm hit the country over the weekend. Grid operator ESO says supply in the worst-affected districts should be restored by Saturday.
LSM · 25 Aug, 09:38
Police dog Karmo locates missing 74-year-old woman in Estonian forest
A 74-year-old mushroom picker who got lost in the Paunküla forest in Harju County, Estonia, was found safe after a roughly two-hour search, thanks to police dog Karmo.
ERR News · 25 Aug, 09:36
Ludmila Latt elected new leader of Centre Party faction in Kohtla-Järve council
The opposition Centre Party faction on Kohtla-Järve's city council elected Ludmila Latt as its new chairwoman on Monday, replacing Sergei Lopin, who quit the post.
ERR (rus) · 25 Aug, 09:36
Five situations where a regular vacuum cleaner isn't enough
Spilled water, construction dust or garage debris can overwhelm a standard household vacuum, which is where wet-and-dry vacuum cleaners come in. Such a device isn't needed in every home, but it becomes useful for households with a garage, workshop or basement.
Staburags · 25 Aug, 09:35
Insurers receive around 1,000 claims after storm, payouts could reach millions
After a storm hit Latvia over the weekend, insurers had received about 1,000 damage claims by Monday, with total compensation likely to reach millions of euros.
LSM (rus) · 25 Aug, 08:42
Man in Lielvārde photographs and harasses woman without permission
Police in Lielvārde responded to a report that a man entered a woman's private property without permission and photographed her. She has since filed for temporary protection through the courts.
OgreNet · 25 Aug, 08:41
Storm spares Valka and Smiltene area, but raises questions about emergency preparedness
A recent storm caused relatively minor damage in the Valka and Smiltene region of Latvia, though it inflicted significant destruction elsewhere in the country, prompting questions about residents' readiness for power, water and communication disruptions. The author stresses that safety begins with taking warnings seriously and preparing in advance.
Ziemeļlatvija · 25 Aug, 08:37
About 31,000 households still without power after storm
Around 90% of customers affected by last weekend's severe storm have had power restored, but roughly 31,000 households in Latvia remain without electricity. The worst-hit areas are Ogre, Aizkraute, Preiļi, Rēzekne, Jēkabpils and Bauska municipalities.
Delfi · 25 Aug, 07:43
New Cemetery Law reshapes burial site management, but digitalization lags due to funding gaps
A unified Cemetery Law took effect across Latvia in April, standardizing plot allocation and requiring electronic records, but digitalization in the Smiltene and Valka areas is progressing slowly because of limited municipal funds.
Ziemeļlatvija · 25 Aug, 07:40
Transport minister to meet operators over network resilience after storm
Transport Minister Rihards Kozlovskis will meet mobile operators and LVRTC on Wednesday to discuss improving telecom network resilience following storm-related outages. The ministry says it is treating the situation seriously.
Bauskas Dzīve · 25 Aug, 07:38
One in three Latvians spend more when stressed or in a bad mood
A survey by SEB bank found that a third of Latvia's residents spend more money when tired, stressed or in a bad mood, and a quarter spend over 50 euros a month on impulse purchases. Women and young people are most prone to the habit.
Kurzemnieks · 25 Aug, 07:38
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About 31,000 customers in Latvia still without power
Roughly 31,000 customers across Latvia remain without electricity due to ongoing power supply disruptions, the company "Sadales tīkls" reports.
Apollo.lv · 25 Aug, 07:36
Mid-August in Latvia cooler than usual, weather agency data shows
Latvia's Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre has released weather data for the second ten-day period of August, showing average temperatures slightly below normal and rainfall well under typical levels.
Jauns.lv · 25 Aug, 07:36
Storm Leaves Latvian Residents Without Communication and Fuel
A weekend storm caused mobile network, internet and power disruptions in several Latvian towns, forcing gas stations and shops to close.
LSM (rus) · 25 Aug, 07:35
Insurers receive around 1,000 claims after weekend storm
The head of the Latvian Insurers Association says insurers have received about 1,000 claims following the weekend storm, with total compensation payouts likely to reach millions of euros.
LSM · 25 Aug, 07:35
Company Demands Compensation From Tax Authority After State Resells Property It Bought at Auction
A company that legally bought real estate at a court auction later discovered that the state had taken over the property and resold it to another buyer, apparently because the purchase had not been registered in the land register in time. The company is now seeking compensation from Latvia's State Revenue Service.
Apollo.lv · 25 Aug, 06:42
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Cooler days bring tomato soup back to the table
As summer heat retreats, tomato soup becomes a fitting dish since tomatoes are abundant and at their tastiest. A collection of 11 recipes for preparing it has been compiled.
TVNET · 25 Aug, 06:40
Latvian government postpones decision on changes to school assessment rules
Latvia's cabinet on Tuesday did not review Education Ministry proposals to overhaul how students are graded, pushing the decision to August 31. Coalition partners and education stakeholders warn the changes are being rushed just before the new school year.
Bauskas Dzīve · 25 Aug, 06:38
Storm's aftermath exposes Latvia's vulnerability to infrastructure disruptions
Last weekend's storm in Latvia caused widespread power and communication outages, revealing how dependent daily life is on interconnected systems. The head of CSR Latvia calls for a broader view of critical infrastructure and better preparedness for future extreme weather.
Žurnāls Ir · 25 Aug, 06:38
Ogre's pedestrian bridges to light up in Ukrainian flag colors for Independence Day
To mark Ukraine's Independence Day, pedestrian bridges in the city of Ogre are being lit in the blue and yellow of the Ukrainian flag. The municipality has supported Ukraine for years and maintains partnership ties with several of its local governments.
OgreNet · 25 Aug, 05:43
Latvian Tax Authority Resells Property Already Bought at Auction After Buyer Skipped Land Registry Step
A company that legally purchased real estate at a court auction later discovered the state had claimed it as ownerless property and resold it. The buyer is now seeking compensation from the State Revenue Service for the loss.
TVNET · 25 Aug, 05:40
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How locals' vigilance helped catch a child killer in Saulkrasti in 1979
In summer 1979, a 10-year-old girl from a pioneer camp was murdered near Saulkrasti, sparking public outrage that nearly led to vigilante justice before the killer could face trial.
TVNET · 25 Aug, 03:42
After summer storm, Latvia to weigh unified safety criteria for public events
A powerful storm forced organizers to cancel or postpone several summer events, including concerts, sparking debate over what criteria should guide decisions on holding events in extreme weather.
LSM · 25 Aug, 02:43
Estonian coalition partners clash over state budget deficit cuts
Estonia's government is starting work on the 2027 state budget, but coalition partners Reform Party and Eesti 200 disagree on how fast to cut the deficit. Having lost its parliamentary majority, the government will need opposition support to pass the budget.
ERR (rus) · 25 Aug, 02:41
About a thousand Estonian ninth-grade graduates still without a school place
A week before the start of the school year, roughly a thousand basic-school graduates in Estonia still have no place to continue their education, with the worst situation in Tallinn, where about 750 students remain unplaced. The Education Ministry says the reform's full effect can only be assessed years from now.
ERR (rus) · 25 Aug, 01:41
Storm significantly disrupted Latvia's border guard operations, agency head admits
A powerful storm over the weekend left several border-area municipalities without electricity and communications, also affecting the State Border Guard's work. Operations at the Terehova border crossing point stopped for several hours after databases went down and border checks could not be carried out.
Delfi · 25 Aug, 00:43
How ready are you to survive 72 hours without power or water in a crisis?
Rescue services stress that everyone should be able to look after themselves for at least the first 72 hours of a crisis, such as a loss of electricity, communications and water supply. Latvijas Avīze offers a test to check readiness for such situations.
Latvijas Avīze · 25 Aug, 00:36
Motorcyclist hits two women and a dog in Riga's Imanta district, family seeks witnesses
On Sunday evening in Riga's Imanta neighborhood, a motorcyclist struck a mother, her daughter and the family dog on a pedestrian crossing. The victims' son and brother, Rihards, is appealing for eyewitnesses and dashcam footage.
Latvijas Avīze · 24 Aug, 23:42
Storm damages over 250 trees in Riga's parks
Following an August 22 storm, more than 250 trees were found uprooted or broken in Riga's parks and forests, with the city centre parks, Dzegužkalns and Pļavnieku grove hit hardest. Municipal company Rīgas meži says full cleanup will take at least a month.
Latvijas Avīze · 24 Aug, 22:37
Rimšēvičs and co-defendant deny guilt in closing statements as verdict nears
An appeals court has begun hearing closing statements from former Bank of Latvia governor Ilmārs Rimšēvičs and businessman Māris Martinsons, who are charged with bribery. A first-instance court had already found both men guilty.
LSM · 24 Aug, 21:39
Over 50,000 households in Latvia still without power on Monday evening
Following the weekend storm, more than 50,000 customers of grid operator Sadales tīkls remained without electricity on Monday evening, with the worst outages in Latgale and Vidzeme.
Delfi · 24 Aug, 21:39
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After storm damage, event organisers weigh need for unified safety criteria
A recent storm forced many event organisers to change their plans – some concerts were cancelled or postponed, while others went ahead as scheduled. This has sparked debate over whether clear criteria exist for assessing event safety.
TVNET · 24 Aug, 21:37
Tallinn marks Ukraine's Independence Day with solemn ceremony
A flag-raising ceremony was held outside Estonia's Foreign Ministry in Tallinn to mark Ukraine's Independence Day. Estonia's foreign minister reaffirmed the country's continued support for Ukraine.
ERR (rus) · 24 Aug, 21:36
Latvian Radio news chief resigns after criticism over storm coverage
Uģis Lībietis, head of Latvian Radio's News Service, has resigned following criticism that the broadcaster failed to adequately inform the public during a severe storm. Public broadcaster LSM admits mistakes were made in coordination and decision-making.
Delfi · 24 Aug, 20:37
Storm also disrupted mobile networks and fuel sales
Last weekend's storm exposed how dependent mobile networks are on electricity supply, with outages persisting in parts of Latvia into Monday and disrupting fuel retailers as well.
LSM · 24 Aug, 20:35