Read the latest news from regional and global sources, presenting different voices and perspectives.

Latvia Expects 10 Thousand Attempts To Break The Border From Belarus
10 Photo: Reuters/Scanpix/LETA The country has extended the special border regime. On Wednesday, June 25, the Latvian government decided to extend the enhanced mode of operation of the border guard system on the border with Belarus until December...

Latvian Prime Minister Denied Rumors About Possible Lifting Of Sanctions Against Lukashenko's Regime
4 Lithuania also spoke out in a similar vein. After reports appeared on social media that the United States allegedly promised Belarus to regain access to ports in Lithuania and Latvia, Latvian Prime Minister Evika Silinja strongly stated that...

Latvian pensioners unite to recover OIK payments – applications open until October
The Latvian Pensioners’ Federation (LPF) has signed a cooperation agreement with the legal association Tiesiskums.lv to help Latvian pensioners recover unlawfully collected mandatory electricity procurement component (OIK) payments. According to...

“Riga’s residents gave us a second chance – if we betray them, there won’t be a third,” Kleinbergs warns
There will be issues that the new Riga City Council coalition will find difficult to decide on – such as matters of traffic and security – but the coalition will be able to work successfully through the entire term, said Viesturs Kleinbergs...

Wind damages Rīga's beaches
The Housing and Environment Department of the Rīga City Council has assessed the damage and will begin cleaning up the beaches as soon as possible. Several days of strong winds and the resulting waves have caused serious damage - wooden walkways...

Demand for more dog walking spots in Rīga
The only areas where dogs are allowed off the leash outside the home are places where municipal regulations allow it. In Rīga, there are currently seven areas where dogs can be walked without a leash. The city council has already received requests...

Economics Ministry: Planned Rīga heating prices unfounded
The Rīga heating company Rīgas siltums previously indicated that the submitted planned heat energy tariff is 88.10 euros/MWh, with the most significant increase being for heat energy purchased on the right bank of the Daugava, the price of which...

Polish government criticises “citizen patrols” blocking migrant returns on German border
Keep our news free from ads and paywalls by making a donation to support our work! Notes from Poland is run by a small editorial team and is published by an independent, non-profit foundation that is funded through donations from our readers. We...

The NATO Meeting in The Hague and the Latest Developments in the International Security Environment
Conclusions and Lessons for Military and Intelligence Services “Geopolitics does not forgive ignorance and does not reward indecision.” — adapted from Zbigniew Brzezinski By Corneliu Pivariu The NATO meeting held in The Hague on June 24-25, 2025,...

235 same-sex partnerships registered in Latvia within a year
In the year since Latvia introduced the Partnership Institute, 235 same-sex partnerships have been officially registered, according to the Latvian Council of Sworn Notaries. As of the 1st of July, a total of 613 partnerships have been recorded in...

Partnerships registered by over 600 couples in one year in Latvia
In total, as of 1 July this year, the Register of Natural Persons contains information on 613 registered partnerships, of which 235 are same-sex partnerships and 378 are opposite-sex partnerships. Meanwhile, 19 partnerships have ended. Nine...

World Reuters Finland notifies UN of withdrawal from landmine ban treaty
HELSINKI (Reuters) -Finland has notified the United Nations it is leaving the Ottawa Convention that bans the use of anti-personnel landmines, its foreign ministry said late on Thursday. The withdrawal will take effect six months after the...

Three Months of Elections Sketch Dos and Don’ts for EU Democracy Shield
Democratic forces are struggling to win elections convincingly. FIMI/DIMI operations continue to affect results, and build polarisation and political disillusionment, preying on poor leadership. Recent elections in Central and Eastern Europe, most...

Latvia takes steps toward 5% of GDP for defence
This year, the largest amount of funding in Latvia's history has been allocated to defence – more than €1.5 billion, or 3.45% of GDP. By comparison, last year it was 3.3% of GDP. Initially, the government committed to allocating at least 4% of...

Photos: Baltica folklore festival in Rīga, Daugavpils
According to representatives of the Latvian National Centre for Culture, this year's festival focused on the languages and dialects of our country. The festival consisted of 35 different concerts, parades, singing and dancing events, master...
Latvian Foreign Minister on the new NATO landscape under Trump
Three teenagers and woman, 20, arrested over crippling cyber-attack on Marks & Spencer, Co-op and Harrods
10 July 2025, 12:07 | Updated: 10 July 2025, 12:58 Four people have been arrested after cyber-attacks on M&S, Co-op and Harrods. Picture: Alamy Three teenagers and a 20-year-old woman have been arrested as part of an investigation into...

International Festival of Arts and Talents in London: World Talent Award 2025
The traditional large-scale festival of talents, organised by the cultural platform Golden Time Talent, has once again captivated London. This event became a true international celebration of talent, culture, and creativity. In 2025, the event...

International & Trade Buyers Turn Out For Eldred’s Continental Auction
This late Nineteenth Century Russian School oil on canvas of a man helping a soldier shave, 29 by 22 inches, framed, was indistinctly signed but sold for the sale’s highest price — $13,360 — to a buyer in Latvia ($1,2/1,800). Review by Madelia...

Latvian Foreign Minister: Iran Strikes Reassured NATO and Were Good ‘Demonstration of Strength’
On Tuesday’s broadcast of CNN International’s “The Brief,” Latvian Minister of Foreign Affairs Baiba Braže stated that the American strikes on Iran has given NATO members reassurance that President Donald Trump will act militarily when he feels he...