Latvia & nearby
Science Week Begins in Narva for Schoolchildren
Narva, a city in eastern Estonia, is holding its Science Week for the fifth year in a row, giving pupils hands-on experience of science and technology through games and experiments.
ERR (rus) · 19 Oct, 21:31
ETV+ show "Zerkalo" to cover working for Bolt and paying an annulled fine
A new episode of the show "Zerkalo" airs on Estonian public broadcaster channel ETV+ on Tuesday, 20 October. It covers the specifics of working for Bolt and a story about paying a fine that had been annulled.
ERR (rus) · 19 Oct, 20:31
Woman in Riga's Āgenskalns says an aggressive driver hit her with his car and drove off
A post by a woman named Laura about an incident outside a shop at Pilsoņu iela 1C in Āgenskalns, Riga, has spread widely on social media. She claims a driver hit her with his car after an argument and left the scene; this is only her account.
Latvijas Avīze · 19 Oct, 20:31
/nginx/o/2026/10/19/17982413t1ha5c8.jpg)
Kulbergs to take three days of leave; meetings and government talks called off
Latvian Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs will be on leave abroad from 21 to 23 October for private reasons. His planned meetings, including consultations on forming a new government, will not take place.
Apollo.lv · 19 Oct, 19:34
Lithuania's TV3 Accidentally Shows Weather Maps with Russian Labels During News Broadcast
During the Monday afternoon news broadcast on Lithuanian channel TV3, weather maps with place names in Russian suddenly appeared on screen. The broadcaster says it was a technician's error.
Latvijas Avīze · 19 Oct, 19:32
Kulbergs Postpones Government Formation Talks Due to Leave Abroad
Latvian Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs will be abroad from 21 to 23 October, so planned meetings on forming a new government are postponed. He says talks will resume next week.
NRA · 19 Oct, 19:31
Riga autumn leaf collection points to open on 24 October
From 24 October to 22 November, residents of Riga will be able to drop off collected tree and shrub leaves free of charge. Collection will mostly take place on weekends, though some points will also work on weekdays.
LSM (rus) · 19 Oct, 18:33
Prime Minister: Lawmakers' Compensation System to Be Replaced With a Simpler Solution
Latvia's prime minister says the system of expense compensation for members of parliament is bureaucratic and will be moved into the remuneration law. The related amendments to the Saeima's rules of procedure are being handled as urgent.
Diena · 19 Oct, 18:32
Latvian Army: Reports of Drone Crash in Alūksne Municipality Not Confirmed
Latvia's National Armed Forces checked reports of a possible foreign drone crashing and exploding in Alūksne municipality, but the incident was not confirmed. The public is urged to rely on official sources.
Jauns.lv · 19 Oct, 18:32
/nginx/o/2026/10/19/17983172t1h99ba.jpg)
Latvian armed forces find no confirmation of drone crash in Alūksne municipality
Latvia's National Armed Forces say they have not confirmed reports that a foreign drone crashed in Alūksne municipality.
Apollo.lv · 19 Oct, 18:32
/nginx/o/2026/04/03/17543136t1h882b.jpg)
Police seek witnesses to aircraft incident in Ogre municipality
The State Police are asking witnesses of an aircraft incident to come forward. Police received a call at about 5:40 a.m. on 19 October about an accident on the P80 road in Tīnūži parish, Ogre municipality.
Apollo.lv · 19 Oct, 17:33
Triin Toomesaar to head religious affairs department at Estonia's Interior Ministry
From November, civil society development specialist Triin Toomesaar will lead the Religious and Civil Society Affairs Department at Estonia's Interior Ministry. The current head, Ilmo Au, is leaving the ministry.
ERR (rus) · 19 Oct, 17:32
Saeima to review grounds for granting Latvian citizenship to Indian scientist Vishwanathan
The Saeima's Citizenship, Migration and Social Cohesion Committee will consider a deputy's request to verify the facts behind granting Latvian citizenship to Indian scientist Divya Kanan Vishwanathan. Her education and scientific publications have been questioned on social media.
LSM · 19 Oct, 17:32
Citadele Bank Warns of Scammers Posing as Its Staff on WhatsApp
Citadele, a bank operating in Latvia, reports a recent surge in scam activity in which fake WhatsApp profiles impersonate its chief executive and security staff. The bank urges people not to trust unexpected messages and to report them.
NRA · 19 Oct, 17:31
Draughts in your flat: simple ways to keep heat in and cut heating costs
If a flat feels cold even though the heating is running at full power, worn window or door seals may be the cause. The problem can often be fixed cheaply without replacing windows.
NRA · 19 Oct, 16:33
Bulāns: Not all data on public officials should be made public, citing security risks
Viesturs Bulāns, head of the IT company Helmes Latvia, says publicly available information on officials and service employees can become a tool for hostile security services. He backs the State Security Service's concerns but calls for a proportionate solution.
Latvijas Avīze · 19 Oct, 16:33
/nginx/o/2026/01/01/17368578t1h0152.jpg)
Media council urges Saeima to drop urgency for amendments on Latvian Radio and LTV historical brands
Latvia's Public Electronic Media Council has asked the Saeima to withdraw urgent status for amendments to the public media law. It says urgency is out of proportion to the significance of the rules.
Apollo.lv · 19 Oct, 16:32
Poland denies report that Sunday's drone was launched from Lithuanian territory
Poland's Defence Ministry has categorically denied a media report that a drone that exploded in Lithuania was launched from Lithuanian soil. Lithuanian officials say the drone crossed the border from Poland.
LRT English · 19 Oct, 16:32
Homeless man caught driving stolen car he was living in
A man has been arrested in Jēkabpils, Latvia, for driving a stolen Ford while drunk and without a driver's licence. He had also been living in the car for a time, as he has no fixed address.
LSM (rus) · 19 Oct, 16:32
Media regulator urges Saeima not to rush changes to public media law
Latvia's Public Electronic Media Council has called on the Saeima not to rush amendments to the public media law. It stressed that the Latvian Radio and Latvian Television brand names must be preserved.
LSM · 19 Oct, 15:34
/nginx/o/2026/10/19/17982484t1h0887.jpg)
State Revenue Service Launches New Tool to View Business Tax Discipline by Region, City and Municipality
Latvia's State Revenue Service has added a new interactive data visualisation to its website. It shows how company taxpayer ratings are distributed across the country's regions, cities and municipalities.
TVNET · 19 Oct, 15:33
Government report proposes scrapping annual performance review bonuses in Latvia's public sector
An information report submitted to the Latvian government proposes removing bonuses for annual performance reviews from the public sector pay system, while keeping cash awards of up to 50% of monthly salary. It also plans tighter limits on contribution supplements and the removal of unfunded vacancies from 2027.
NRA · 19 Oct, 15:33
/nginx/o/2026/10/09/17963495t1h2891.jpg)
Sun to shine across much of Latvia on Tuesday
Forecasters say cloud cover in Latvia will vary over the next 24 hours. Much of the country will see sunshine.
Apollo.lv · 19 Oct, 15:32
Police seek witnesses after truck fatally hits pedestrian in Ogre municipality
On Monday morning a Volvo truck struck and killed a pedestrian on the P80 road in Tīnūži parish, Ogre municipality. The State Police are asking witnesses and anyone with video footage to come forward.
Jauns.lv · 19 Oct, 15:32
Social media users share what a driving licence cost them in Latvia: from 300 to 4,000 euros
Users of the social network Threads have shared in comments how much they spent obtaining a driving licence in Latvia. Amounts range from a few hundred euros to 3,000–4,000, largely depending on how many extra driving lessons were needed.
Latvijas Avīze · 19 Oct, 15:32
EU to fund permanent magnet production line in Estonia
The European Commission has awarded Innovation Fund money to a Neo Performance Materials project that will create a rare-earth permanent magnet production line in Estonia. The company owns the Silmet plant in Sillamäe and a magnet factory in Narva.
ERR News · 19 Oct, 15:31
Lithuania loses right to host modern pentathlon World Cup over restrictions on Russian athletes
The International Modern Pentathlon Union (UIPM) has cancelled a World Cup event planned in Lithuania, as the country will not agree to admit Russian and Belarusian athletes. The Lithuanian federation learned of the decision on 12 October.
BNN · 19 Oct, 15:31
VSAA Warns of Fake Text Messages About a Frozen Second-Pillar Pension
Clients of Latvia's State Social Insurance Agency have received fake text messages claiming their second-pillar pension is frozen. The agency urges people not to click the links, as the messages come from scammers.
Jauns.lv · 19 Oct, 14:32
Proposal to scrap annual performance bonuses in state and municipal institutions
An informative report submitted to the government on the public sector pay system proposes ending bonuses tied to annual performance reviews. Cash awards of up to 50% of monthly salary would remain possible.
TVNET · 19 Oct, 14:32
Proposal to scrap annual-evaluation bonuses in public administration and narrow eligibility for supplements
An informative report submitted to the Latvian government proposes ending bonuses for annual performance evaluations in state and municipal bodies. Cash awards of up to 50% of monthly salary would remain possible.
Apollo.lv · 19 Oct, 14:32
Estonian National Opera abolishes casting director post held by Helen Lepalaan
The Estonian National Opera has abolished the post of casting planning head held by Helen Lepalaan. It comes amid a conflict in which soloists have asked the board in a letter to dismiss general director Ott Maaten.
ERR (rus) · 19 Oct, 14:31
Niks Endziņš tells TV show about court case he links to his ex-girlfriend
On the 360TV show “Slavenības. Bez filtra”, Niks Endziņš, a publicly known Latvian figure, claimed he has been in court for two or three years because an ex-girlfriend allegedly planted drugs on him. The source has not confirmed this, and no comment from the other side is given.
Latvijas Avīze · 19 Oct, 14:31
US band Toto to perform in Estonia's capital in July 2027
American pop rock band Toto will play at Unibet Arena in Tallinn on July 29, 2027. The show is part of a tour marking the band's 50th anniversary.
ERR News · 19 Oct, 14:31
Riga residents voice safety concerns over gaps on rebuilt Zemitana Bridge
A social media discussion has erupted over pedestrian safety on the rebuilt Jorģis Zemitāns Bridge in Riga after a woman pointed to large gaps in its structure. Opinions are split between worried parents and those who stress supervision.
Latvijas Avīze · 19 Oct, 13:34
Buying Medicine on Social Media in Estonia Led to Severe Poisoning
An official at Estonia's Agency of Medicines warns that buying drugs from private sellers on social media can cause severe poisoning. One buyer ended up in hospital after using an injectable solution intended for animals.
ERR (rus) · 19 Oct, 13:33
/nginx/o/2026/10/19/17982119t1hbf0f.jpg)
Mechanised Infantry Brigade to hold traditional "Berešu maršs" exercise at Ādaži
The Land Forces' Mechanised Infantry Brigade will hold its traditional exercise "Berešu maršs" (Beret March) at the Ādaži military training area and its surroundings on 21–22 October. The National Armed Forces announced it.
TVNET · 19 Oct, 12:33