Latvia

28

Jul

Photo story: The International Sand Sculpture Park in Jelgava, Latvia

Visitors look at the demo sculpture, a sand replica of Michelangelo's sculpture 'Pieta (The Pity)', made by Latvian sculptors Karlis Ile and Maija Ile at the International Sand Sculpture Park…

Read More Here

24

Jul

Photo Story: City Festival in Kuldiga, Latvia

Members of Dutch Bicycle Orchestra perform during city festival in Kuldiga, Latvia. It had already become a tradition that on the third weekend of July, thousands of people go to…

Read More Here

13

Jul

Latvia president calls for compulsory military service for all

Latvia may have to increase it defence spending and introduce compulsory military service for its citizens regardless of their gender to contain any possible security risks arising from Russia, President…

Read More Here

16

Jun

Latvia wants more NATO troops, fed up of “paying for lunch for the others”

BRUSSELS, June 16 (Reuters) - Latvia on Thursday made a last pitch for the deployment of more NATO troops in the Baltics, two weeks before NATO leaders are set to decide the…

Read More Here

06

Apr

Photo Story: Snow in Riga, Latvia

People walk at snowy park in Riga, Latvia, on Wednesday 06 April 2022. According to the data of the Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Center, seven centimetres of snow was…

Read More Here

18

Mar

Baltic nations expel ten Russian diplomats

VILNIUS, March 18 (Reuters) - Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania have expelled a total of ten Russian diplomats, the foreign ministries of the three Baltic countries said on Friday. Lithuania expelled four diplomats…

Read More Here

28

Feb

Latvia allows its citizens to fight in Ukraine

VILNIUS, Feb 28 (Reuters) - Latvia's parliament voted unanimously on Monday to allow its nationals to fight in Ukraine if willing, the parliament said in a statement. "Our citizens who want to…

Read More Here

27

Feb

U.S. troops in Latvia in warning to Putin

ADAZI MILITARY BASE, Latvia - The presence of U.S. and other NATO troops in Latvia sends a message to Vladimir Putin that Russia should stay away, Latvian Defence Minister Artis…

Read More Here

26

Feb

Baltic nations plan to close airspace to Russian planes

VILNIUS, Feb 26 (Reuters) - The Baltic nations of Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania have agreed in principle to close their airspace to Russian aircraft, Lithuanian Transport Minister Marius Skuodis said on Saturday.…

Read More Here

11

Feb

UPDATED: NATO welcomes more U.S. forces to Romania, says reinforcing in east

CONSTANTA, Romania, Feb 11 (Reuters) - NATO will continue to reinforce its eastern flank amid a Russian military build-up on Ukraine's border but will also consider a longer-term presence in…

Read More Here

20

Jan

U.S. clears Baltic states to send U.S.-made weapons to Ukraine

The U.S. State Department has cleared Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia to send U.S.-made missiles and other weapons to Ukraine, three sources familiar with the decision said, as President Joe Biden…

Read More Here

07

Dec

West could cut Russia from SWIFT, sanction Nord Stream, Latvia says

The West must send a strong message to Russia to deter the Kremlin from invading Ukraine, including cutting Russia off from the SWIFT payment system, sanctioning the Nord Stream 2 pipeline and…

Read More Here

04

Dec

Photo Story: Snowy weather in Riga

A man walks during a snowy day at the Ziedondarzs Park in Riga, Latvia.  The Finnish Meteorological Institute in its forecast for Latvia predicts winterly temperatures of down to minus…

Read More Here

30

Nov

Latvia calls for permanent U.S. troops to guard against Russia threat

Latvia needs a permanent U.S. military presence to deter Russia and wants to boost its defences with U.S. Patriot missiles, Defence Minister Artis Pabriks said on Monday as NATO's chief…

Read More Here

05

Nov

Latvia allows businesses to fire the unvaccinated

The Latvian parliament on Thursday allowed businesses to fire workers who refuse to either get a COVID-19 vaccine or transfer to remote work, as the country battles one of the…

Read More Here

19

Oct

Latvia announces four weeks of lockdown as COVID-19 cases spike

Latvia announced a COVID-19 lockdown from Oct. 21 until Nov. 15 to try to slow a spike in infections in one of the least vaccinated European Union countries. "Our health…

Read More Here

07

Oct

Photo Story: Lidl open 15 stores in Latvia

A view of the logo of a Lidl store in Riga, Latvia, 07 October 2021. German retailer Lidl opened 15 stores in Latvia on October 7. Lidl is a German…

Read More Here

10

Sep

Photo Story: White Night in Riga

A view of the sculptures project 'Travellers/Les Voyageurs' by French artist Cedric Le Borgneat as part of the contemporary culture forum 'White Night' in Riga, Latvia.  The contemporary culture forum…

Read More Here

12

Aug

Latvia starts pushing back migrants at tense Belarus border

Latvian border guards turned back dozens of migrants into Belarus overnight under a new state of emergency designed to stem a flow of arrivals the European Union says is orchestrated…

Read More Here

27

Mar

Photo Story: Easter feeling in Latvia

People enjoy the installations of the Easter decoration in Ogre, Latvia. Residents and guests of the city are invited to enjoy the the spring sun and the feeling of the…

Read More Here

11

Mar

Photo Story: Snowstorm in Riga

People walk during a snowstorm in Riga, Latvia, as heavy snowfall fell in many places in the country. Photo: EPA-EFE/TOMS KALNINS

Read More Here

03

Mar

Photo Story: Ice on the River Ogre in Latvia

A boy walks on the ice float fragments piling on a bank of the Ogre river, near Ogre, Latvia.  Latvia saw a new 'heat record' this week with air temperatures…

Read More Here

22

Feb

Photo Story: Frozen Baltic seacoast in Latvia

People walking on the ice of the frozen Baltic seacoast in Carnikava, Latvia.  Weather forecasts predict air temperatures of up to 10 degrees Celsius in some places in Latvia for…

Read More Here

31

Dec

Latvia to police New Year curfew amid rising COVID infections

Latvian police and border guards will patrol the streets to enforce a New Year’s night curfew aimed at preventing large crowds gathering as coronavirus infections rise. The curfew will last…

Read More Here

23

Dec

Photo Story: Christmas illuminations in Riga

Photos of the Christmas illuminations and decorations around Riga, Latvia. Christmas illuminations at Dzeguskalns in Riga, Latvia. People view the Christmas illuminations and decorations at Sarkandaugava in Riga. The Christmas…

Read More Here

04

Oct

Photo Story: The Silver Arrow exercise in Latvia

Over 3,000 troops and 200 vehicles from 12 NATO Allies took part in exercise Silver Arrow in Latvia this week. The multinational exercise, which wrapped up on 3 October, provided…

Read More Here

12

Sep

First European ‘travel bubble’ ends as coronavirus cases rise in Estonia

The first European pandemic “travel bubble”, created in May by Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, burst on Friday, as Latvia said it was mandating a 14-day quarantine on everyone arriving from…

Read More Here

06

Sep

Photo Story: White Night Festival in Riga

People view a 3-D installation named 'Museum of the Moon' by British artist Luke Jerram during the fifteenth White Night Festival in Riga, Latvia on Saturday evening. White Night in…

Read More Here

23

Aug

Photo Story: The Limbazi Airshow 2020 in Latvia

Piper Cherokee and RV8 planes performs during the Limbazi Airshow 2020 that is being held over the weekend in Limbazi, Latvia. Lithuanian aerobatic pilot Jurgis Kairys performs during the Limbazi…

Read More Here

29

Jul

Latvia eases restrictions after only two Covid-19 patients remain in hospital

The Latvian Government has eased social restrictions in the country, deciding that from the coming weekeing visitors to museums, libraries, cultural centers, exhibition halls, open-air museums, theater buildings, concert halls,…

Read More Here

25

Jul

Latvia and Estonia withdraw Czech Republic from list of safe countries

Latvia and Estonia have withdrawn the Czech Republic from their lists of safe countries due to the growing number of coronavirus cases, the Czech Foreign Ministry has told journalists. The…

Read More Here

23

Jul

Baltic countries, US reaffirm opposition to Russia’s attempts to rewrite history

On the 80th anniversary of the Welles Declaration, the foreign ministers of the United States, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania issued a joint statement reaffirming their opposition to Russia's attempts to…

Read More Here

06

Jul

Photo Story: The 14th International Sand Sculpture Festival in Latvia

A sand sculpture depicting crowned lions holding up the coat of arms of Jeglava is displayed at the 14th International Sand Sculpture Festival in Jelgava, Latvia. The themes of this…

Read More Here

17

Jun

Photo Story: Tribute to ‘Medics To The World’ in Latvia

Latvian sculptor Aigars Bikse reacts during the unveiling ceremony of the 6-meter-tall statue 'Medics To The World', made by sculptor Aigars Bikse, in tribute to medics around the world, at…

Read More Here

03

Jun

Latvia drops quarantine rules for more than 20 European countries

Latvia announced it will drop coronavirus quarantine rules for travellers from more than 20 European countries, a move already adopted by its Baltic eurozone neighbours Estonia and Lithuania. Mandatory two-week…

Read More Here

26

May

Latvia to launch Google-Apple friendly coronavirus contact tracing app

Latvia aims to become one of the first countries to launch a smartphone app using a new toolkit created by U.S. tech giants Apple and Alphabet's Google to help trace coronavirus infections. Early success of tracing apps in countries like Singapore and Australia…

Read More Here

15

May

Baltic countries open Europe’s first pandemic ‘travel bubble’

Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia opened their borders to each other at the stroke of midnight, creating the first “travel bubble” within the European Union in a bid to jump-start economies…

Read More Here

11

May

Baltic states to create “travel bubble” as pandemic curbs eased

Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia will open their borders to each other’s citizens from May 15, creating a Baltic "travel bubble" within the European Union amid an easing of pandemic restrictions, their prime…

Read More Here

07

May

Latvia’s government approves 250 million euros investment in airBaltic

Latvia's government on Thursday gave the go-ahead to an investment of up to 250 million euros ($271 million) in airBaltic to help the airline get through the COVID-19 pandemic. The…

Read More Here

07

May

Photo Story: Umbrella installation in Ogre in the colours of Latvia

Newlyweds stand under an umbrella installation in the colours of the national flag, in Ogre, Latvia, 05 May 2020, during the coronavirus pandemic.   Via EPA-EFE/TOMS KALNINS

Read More Here

25

Apr

Photo Story: Storks flock to Latvia

A white stork near to Vecate, the largest colony of white storks in Latvia as storks gather in Latvia during their annual migration. About 4% of the world's white storks…

Read More Here

04

Oct

Photo Story: Autumn in Latvia

A couple kiss with a backdrop of Autumn colours at the Gauja National Park in Sigulda, Latvia. Gauja National Park is Latvia's largest and oldest national park and has an…

Read More Here

15

Jul

Photo Story: UEC European BMX championships Men Elite race

Filip Svanberg (L) of Sweden, Jeremy Rencurel (2nd L) of France, David Graf (3rd L) of Switzerland, Simba Darnand (3rd R) of France, Amidou Mir (2nd R) of France and…

Read More Here

15

Jul

Latvia warns that European leaders fail to grasp ‘hardening’ of UK view on Brexit

    Edgars Rinkēvičs, Latvia's Foreign Minister has warned that a hard Brexit could be made more likely because European Union leaders have failed to grasp the hardening of opinion…

Read More Here

22

Jun

Photo Story: Sculptured in Sand

  Sand sculptures are on display at the 13th International Sands Sculpture Festival in Jelgava, Latvia. The theme of this year's festival is 'Ancient World'. 15 artists from eight countries…

Read More Here