Latvia & nearby (38)

Latvians share stories of chance encounters with celebrities

Users of the social media platform Threads have shared memories of running into well-known people, from musicians to the president. The stories range from amusing misunderstandings to near traffic accidents.

Latvijas Avīze · 25 Oct, 12:10

Kitchen Stories: Four Simple Recipes Made from Fridge Leftovers

In its food column, the regional paper Ziemeļlatvija shares four home recipes: a potato skillet with sausages, fried cottage cheese with eggs, egg and cucumber salad, and a sour cream cocoa dessert.

Ziemeļlatvija · 25 Oct, 12:10

Riga City Council Deputy Ratnieks and Wife Take Autumn Walk Along Riga–Ērgļi Green Railway

Riga City Council deputy Edvards Ratnieks and his wife took an autumn walk on Sunday along the former Riga–Ērgļi railway line, part of which lies in Ogre municipality. An unexpected four-legged companion joined them, as the deputy shared on social media.

OgreNet · 25 Oct, 12:08

Bolt Courier in Tallinn Suspended for Five Days Over a Photograph

A Tallinn student working as a food delivery courier on the Bolt platform was blocked for five days on suspicion of eating a customer's order. His account was restored after the case went viral on social media.

ERR (rus) · 25 Oct, 11:14

Valmiera knitting group makes warm items for premature babies and care home residents

Members of the Valmiera initiative group “Čaklo bitīšu klubs” (Busy Bees Club) used municipal co-funding to knit socks, hats and other items for Vidzeme Hospital and the Valmiera care home. Two knitting workshops were also held for seniors.

Jauns.lv · 25 Oct, 11:11

Contributions to Raise Pensions in Latvia to Be Payable in Instalments

Andris Bērziņš, chair of the Saeima's Social and Employment Matters Committee, says people who cannot pay a lump sum to increase their pension will be able to pay gradually. The option will also apply to those already retired.

NRA · 25 Oct, 11:10

Madona to host LIAA food industry forum on 30 October

The Investment and Development Agency of Latvia is launching its Industry Days series with a food sector forum at the Madona Municipality Cultural Centre on 30 October. Registration is open, and the series will continue in Liepāja and Ulbroka.

Ziemeļlatvija · 25 Oct, 11:10

Valka Prepares Fountains for Winter, Lugaži Square Fountain to Run Until First Frosts

Workers of the Valka municipality began removing fountain mechanisms for winter storage on Thursday. The lit fountain in Lugaži Square will keep running until the first frosts, but not beyond Lāčplēsis Day.

Ziemeļlatvija · 25 Oct, 10:10

Lithuania launches interactive climate change map

Lithuania's Hydrometeorological Service (Meteo LT) has launched an interactive website with past climate data and projected changes to 2100 for every municipality. The data show long-term trends, not weather forecasts.

LRT English · 25 Oct, 10:10

Estonian Academy of Arts students open 'haunted' exhibition inspired by library basement archive

Graphic design students at the Estonian Academy of Arts have opened an exhibition called "Beyond the Veil" in Tallinn, inspired by an archive in the library basement. It runs until December 24.

ERR News · 25 Oct, 10:10

13 drunk drivers stopped on Latvian roads in 24 hours, ten of them heavily intoxicated

The State Police report that 13 vehicle drivers were stopped under the influence of alcohol on Latvian roads over the past day. Ten of them were heavily intoxicated.

Apollo.lv · 25 Oct, 10:09

Luminor: Common Mistakes When Building a Pension Savings Pot

Atis Krūmiņš, head of pension and asset management at the bank Luminor, points to common mistakes people make when saving for retirement. He urges people to review their plan regularly and not delay starting.

Ziemeļlatvija · 25 Oct, 09:11

Citskovskis: Lack of Civil Service Experience Could Also Be an Advantage for Gorkšs

Jānis Citskovskis, former director of Latvia's State Chancellery, says the lack of civil service experience held against Kaspars Gorkšs is both a drawback and a plus. He predicts good cooperation between Gorkšs and Andris Kulbergs.

NRA · 25 Oct, 09:11

Supreme Court: doctor must repay residency stipend to hospital in proportion to time not worked

The Civil Cases Department of Latvia's Supreme Court Senate overturned part of a Riga Regional Court ruling on stipend repayment and sent the case back for a new hearing. It held that a regional hospital may claim repayment of the stipend from a doctor who left her job early.

Delfi · 25 Oct, 09:10

Driver killed after collision with wild animal in Iecava parish

A car collided with a wild animal on the P93 road in Iecava parish, Bauska municipality; the driver died and a female passenger was taken to a medical facility.

Jauns.lv · 25 Oct, 09:09

Latvia's Weekend to End With Grey and Windy Weather

Latvia's Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre forecasts cloudy, windy weather with rain in places on Sunday, 25 October. Temperatures will reach +10 to +13 degrees.

Latvijas Avīze · 25 Oct, 09:09

From retail management to maths lessons: new teacher joins Aizkraukle Municipality Secondary School

Rūta Barovska, who previously worked in retail management, has joined Aizkraukle Municipality Secondary School as a maths teacher this school year. She entered education with the support of the programme "Iespējamā misija".

Staburags · 25 Oct, 08:11

Lithuanian schools buy canteen food directly from local farmers

Several schools in southern Lithuania now cook their own meals and buy vegetables, eggs and meat from local farmers. Headteachers say the approach has brought children back to school canteens.

LRT English · 25 Oct, 08:10

Grey and windy weather expected in Latvia on Sunday, coastal gusts up to 20 m/s

Latvia's Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre forecasts that the week will end with grey, windy weather. Rain will fall in the east during the day and reach Kurzeme in the evening.

Bauskas Dzīve · 25 Oct, 07:10

New Treat Map helps Halloween trick-or-treaters find welcoming homes in Latvia

Two residents of Jelgava, Krišjānis Dzalbe and Rihards Edels, created the free website saldumukarte.lv, where households can mark that they will welcome trick-or-treaters on 31 October. More than 2,000 households across Latvia signed up within a week.

Ziemeļlatvija · 25 Oct, 07:10

Kuldīga pupils spend autumn break on science in STEM workshops

During the autumn school break, the Kuldīga Municipality Children and Youth Centre held three days of STEM workshops for pupils in grades 1–6. Children carried out experiments and worked with microscopes, wood and electronics.

Kurzemnieks · 25 Oct, 07:10

Podcast on Life in Latgale's Countryside: Marta Gabrusāne Returns to Family Home After 15 Years in England

The third season of the LSM Latgale newsroom podcast "Es izvēlos dzīvi laukos" (I Choose Life in the Countryside) follows young people building their lives in rural Latgale. One of them, Marta Gabrusāne, is starting a new life with her children in the family home after 15 years in England.

LSM · 25 Oct, 07:09

How Old Is Groundwater? Possibly Thousands or Tens of Thousands of Years

Almost all centralized drinking water supply in Latvia relies on groundwater. An LSM analytical piece asks how long this water has travelled and suggests its age may be thousands or even tens of thousands of years.

LSM (rus) · 25 Oct, 06:11

Entry-level IT specialists in Estonia find it ever harder to land a first job

Estonian IT recruiter Julia Jolkin says artificial intelligence and cost optimisation are changing requirements in the IT sector. Beginners are hit hardest, as employers are less willing to invest in training newcomers.

ERR (rus) · 25 Oct, 06:11

Lawyer: Istanbul Convention alone does not change Latvian laws

Sworn attorney Jānis Dzanuškāns argues that no Latvian law becomes better or worse simply because of the convention. In his view, victims' safety depends on the state's ability to stop violence and hold offenders accountable.

Latvijas Avīze · 25 Oct, 06:09

Latvian Tree Aims for Title of Europe's Best Tree of the Year

Latvia's results in a European contest for the tree of the year, nicknamed the tree Eurovision, keep improving. This spring the Elku linden in Valdemarpils placed 4th, and Europeans are urged to vote for the Latvian tree.

Jauns.lv · 25 Oct, 06:09

Gingerbread dough appears in shops as early as October, dividing shoppers

Gingerbread dough is already on Latvian shop shelves two months before Christmas. On social media, some people see it as a premature reminder of the holidays, while others respond with humour.

NRA · 25 Oct, 05:12

Quiz: Can You Identify Latvian Cities by Their Monuments?

The news site TVNET invites readers to take a quiz in which they must work out, from pictures, which Latvian city each monument stands in.

TVNET · 25 Oct, 05:11

Road sign warning of tank crossing appears on road in Latvia's Sēlija training area

A road sign warning of a tank crossing has been put up on the Daudzeva–Sunākste road inside the Sēlija military training area in Latvia. A local resident shared photos of it on the social network Threads.

Latvijas Avīze · 25 Oct, 04:11

Halloween horror park opens at Tallinn Song Festival Grounds with witch school and bar to the afterlife

A themed horror park has opened at the Song Festival Grounds in Tallinn, Estonia, ahead of Halloween. Visitors meet horror characters and can try tarot readings, a witch school and a bar leading to the afterlife.

ERR (rus) · 25 Oct, 04:11

56% of Latvian young people would struggle to go a month without social media and a smartphone

A survey indicates that more than half of young people in Latvia would find it hard to go a month without social media and a smartphone. The results were released by Samsung Electronics Baltics.

Apollo.lv · 25 Oct, 04:11

Latvia Switches to Winter Time

In the night to Sunday, 25 October, clocks in Latvia were turned back one hour as the country moved to winter time. The next switch to summer time is set for 28 March 2027.

Delfi · 25 Oct, 04:09

Ģirģens: Procurement Risks Should Be Checked at the Planning Stage

Sworn attorney and former Latvian interior minister Sandis Ģirģens urges the government to assess risks in large public procurements before tenders are announced, rather than dealing with the consequences after losses occur.

Latvijas Avīze · 25 Oct, 03:11

Tallinn Zoo Holds Its Traditional Pumpkin Festival

Tallinn Zoo in Estonia's capital held its annual Pumpkin Festival on Saturday, where animals receive pumpkins and other produce donated by residents. More than four tonnes have already been delivered this year.

ERR (rus) · 25 Oct, 03:12