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

Compulsory insurance for electric scooters as of Tuesday in Latvia
Demand for electric scooters is high in the summer. In Rīga in particular, people use them both for personal transport and for hire. As there are many traffic accidents involving these vehicles, compulsory civil liability insurance, or OCTA, will...

Planned heating costs for Rīga too high, says Economics Minister
In autumn, heating costs in Rīga could increase by approximately 22%, according to JSC Rīga Heat (‘Rīgas siltums’). The company has submitted the new heating tariff project to the Public Utilities Commission (SPRK) for review. Valainis said that...

Excessive heating prices threaten Riga residents – Minister demands revisions
The Ministry of Economics (MoE) has requested that AS Rīgas siltums review its planned increase in the district heating tariff, Minister of Economics Viktors Valainis (Union of Greens and Farmers) stated in an interview with Latvian Television’s...

A heatwave approaches Latvia – temperatures to reach up to +30 degrees on Thursday
On Monday, Latvia’s weather will still be influenced by a cyclone, meaning that during the night, and only in the far eastern regions during the day, clouds will bring short periods of rain, according to the Latvian Environment, Geology and...
International collaborations and exciting prizes – RIGA IFF Baltic Music Video Competition call for entries still open
this edition’s changes are described by BMV curator, director Žanete Skarule. This year, the BMV main prize is presented by the festival partners BBrental – a full-service filming equipment rental house –, and the manufacturer of electronic...
Latvia and India Take Big Strides in Friendship and Security Cooperation
In a warm and forward-looking meeting on Thursday, June 19, Latvia’s Minister of Defence, Andris Sprūds, welcomed Her Excellency Ms. Namrata Satdeve Kumar, the newly appointed Ambassador of India to Latvia, for an important conversation on the...

Latvian Citizen Released From Prison In Belarus: Lost 26 Kilograms In Three Years
6 Released Latvian citizen Dmitry Mikhailovs Story by Dmitry Mikhailov. In three years, he lost 26 kilograms and turned completely gray - this is how political prisoner, Latvian citizen Dmitri Mihailov returned to Riga from prison in Belarus. His...

Estonia's police hand out postcards from Death to celebrate good drivers
Road deaths and accidents in Estonia have been on an upward trend for the last five years, pushing authorities to find innovative ways to combat the problem. Experts say there is little demand in society for road safety measures. The campaign was...

Across the political spectrum, leaders are pushing a harder line on people lacking permanent legal status
Procaccini’s party, Brothers of Italy, is now very popular in Italy. Its leader, Giorgia Meloni, is the country’s prime minister. And Procaccini is a chair of the European Conservatives and Reformists group, a big force in the European Parliament....

Ukrainian President Moves to Withdraw From Ottawa Convention: What to Know
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday signed a decree to withdraw the country from the Ottawa Convention, an international treaty that bans the use and stockpiling of antipersonnel landmines, the country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs...

Latvian, 71, caught with heroin haul
PUBLISHED : 24 Jun 2025 at 09:50 A 71-year-old Latvian man was arrested at Suvarnabhumi airport after authorities found about three kilos of heroin concealed in his luggage during a transit stop en route to Malaysia, according to Pol Maj Gen...

Latvia to Procure 42 Additional ASCOD Infantry Fighting Vehicles
Latvia has approved a second order of the 42 ASCOD infantry fighting vehicles from GDELS-Santa Bárbara Sistemas it placed in January. The additional vehicles will cost 387 million euros ($446 million), accelerating the development of the country’s...

Poland Has Placed A Kazakh Company, Which Belongs To Pinskdrev, On The Sanctions List
1 Photo: Charter97.org For circumventing sanctions. The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Poland has included the Kazakh company QARTREE LLP in the sanctions list at the request of the National Tax Administration. The tax authority proved that the...

Four arrested in UK over M&S, Co-op and Harrods cyberattacks
Four arrests have been made in the UK as part of a National Crime Agency investigation into major cyberattacks on M&S, Co-op and Harrods. The arrests come after a torrid few months for retailers in the UK as M&S was hit by a major cyberattack in...

Lithuania, Latvia & Estonia Officially Submit Withdrawal Notices From Ottawa Convention To United Nations
Vilinus: Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia have officially submitted their withdrawal notices from the Ottawa Convention to the United Nations Secretary-General. About The Decision The three Baltic nations cited evolving national security needs as the...

World Flavours, Indian roots: Hotel menus that bridge continents
The global palate is evolving. As travellers become more adventurous and culturally curious, hotel kitchens are transforming into cultural crossroads—places where diverse culinary influences meet the richness of Indian tradition. The phrase "world...

Banned Llandudno driver made ‘stupid decision’ to drive while twice legal limit
Not only did Valters Laksevics breach his driving ban, but he did so while more than twice the legal drink-drive limit. The 36-year-old was sentenced at Warrington Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, where he was assisted by a Latvian interpreter. This...

Banned driver made ‘stupid, crazy decision’ to drive while twice the legal limit
Not only did Valters Laksevics breach his driving ban, but he did so while more than twice the legal drink-drive limit. The 36-year-old was sentenced at Warrington Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, where he was assisted by a Latvian interpreter. This...
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...

Europe’s Travel Sector Holds Firm in Q2 2025 as Tourists Spend More
Europe’s tourism industry maintained steady growth in Q2 2025, signaling resilience amid persistent economic pressures, inflation, and geopolitical tensions. According to the latest Trends & Prospects report by the European Travel Commission...