News
Latvian state TV plans Internet channel for diaspora audience
February 03, 2012
Latvian State Television (Latvijas Televīzija, or LTV) is testing a new channel aimed at Latvians abroad, the head of the service told a radio audience on Jan. 2.
Appearing on Latvian Radio’s “Krustpunktā” program, LTV Director General Edgars Kots said the new channel will be a subscription service available for viewing over the Internet.
Recent news
U.S. securities officials charge Latvian in stock price manipulation scheme
January 26, 2012
Calling his actions “brazen,” the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has charged a man from Latvia in a stock price manipulation scheme that allegedly netted him more than USD 850,000 in illegal profits.
Irish police seek help locating missing 16-year-old Latvian girl
January 25, 2012
Police in the western Ireland county of Limerick are seeking the public’s assistance in tracing a 16-year-old Latvian girl who has been missing for one week.
Muižnieks, American-born Latvian, elected to top human rights post
January 24, 2012
American-born Nils Muižnieks, who repatriated to Latvia and became a leader in human rights issues, has been elected the Council of Europe’s commissioner for human rights.
Voting abroad on language issue possible in more places than ever
January 20, 2012
A total of 85 polling stations in 41 countries—the greatest number ever—will be open outside the homeland on Feb. 18 for a national referendum to decide if Russian should become an official language alongside Latvian.
Court allows Feb. 18 referendum, but will consider law’s constitutionality
January 20, 2012
The Constitutional Court will take up a case questioning aspects of Latvia’s initiative and referendum law, but it will not stop the Feb. 18 vote that could make Russian the country’s second official language.
Census reveals population plunge, but greater proportion of Latvians
January 18, 2012
Latvia’s population plunged 13 percent during the first decade of this century and stood at less than 2.068 million last March, according to provisional results of the census announced Jan. 18. The census counted how many people were living in Latvia on March 1, 2011.
Diaspora leaders ask Latvians worldwide to vote against referendum
January 16, 2012
The Feb. 18 referendum on granting official status to the Russian language will be a test of Latvian unity, leaders of Latvian central organizations abroad say in a Jan. 16 open letter.
Commission clarifies referendum question; absentee ballot requests due Feb. 4
January 11, 2012
Reacting to concerns that the upcoming referendum on Russian as a second official language was worded unclearly, Latvia’s Central Election Commission has approved a new version that offers greater explanation.
British police distribute poster as probe continues in teen’s murder
January 10, 2012
British police are distributing posters in four languages, including Latvian, as they seek information into the murder of 17-year-old Alisa Dmitrijeva, whose body was found New Year’s Day on the royal family’s Sandringham Estate northeast of London.
British police confirm body found Jan. 1 is that of missing Latvian teenager
January 08, 2012
British police have identified the suspected murder victim found on the royal family’s Sandringham Estate as that of a 17-year-old girl from Latvia missing since August.
In democracy index, Latvia improves, but still listed among ‘flawed’ states
January 06, 2012
Latvia and its Baltic neighbors Estonia and Lithuania are among a long list of “flawed democracies” around the world, according to a new report from The Economist magazine released in December.
Flow of Latvian migrants to Ireland appears in 2011 to have slowed again
January 05, 2012
The number of new immigrants from Latvia settling in Ireland appears to have dropped by nearly 30 percent last year compared to 2010, suggest data compiled by government authorities.
Vote on language issue set Feb. 18
January 03, 2012
A national referendum on whether Russian should become Latvia’s second official language is set for Feb. 18, the Central Election Commission announced Jan. 3 in Rīga.
PBLA valdi atkal vadīs Jānis Kukainis
Publicēts 2012.01.02
Uz nākošajiem diviem gadiem par Pasaules brīvo latviešu apvienības (PBLA) valdes priekšsēdi 2011. gada nogalē ievēlēts pazīstamais latviešu sabiedriskais darbinieks ASV un inženieris Jānis Kukainis.
Romantic pop band Otra Puse sets tour of eastern, Midwest U.S.
December 29, 2011
Latvian romantic pop band Otra Puse, which traces its musical roots to 1991, is set for a two-week winter concert tour of the United States that will take it to seven venues in the east and the Midwest.
Topics
Latvians head to the polls
Latvian citizens seem to spend a lot of time at the ballot box. If it’s not a regularly scheduled Saeima or municipal election, or voting for members of the European Parliament, then it’s a referendum on some hot issue.
Blogs
Music
Secular choral music by Vasks featured on new Finnish label release
January 28, 2012
The Finnish record label Ondine, in cooperation with Latvijas koncerti, has released Plainscapes, a collection of Latvian composer Pēteris Vasks’ choral music performed by the Latvian Radio Choir and conducted by Sigvards Kļava.
Dažādi
Latvia invites Facebook users to ‘like’ it
January 27, 2012
Latvia’s official Facebook page, featuring video of a folksy white-haired man tossing logs into a stove, has been unveiled by the Latvian Institute, the government’s information and public relations agency.
Dažādi
Barikadopēdija details history of Latvia’s steps to renewed freedom
January 19, 2012
Barikadopēdija, an online encyclopedia examining the history of the barricades movement in Latvia, opened Jan. 19 at www.barikadopedija.lv.
More news sources
Baltic Times
An English-language weekly newspaper. Based in Rīga, it covers all three Baltic countries. EN
Chas
A daily Russian-language newspaper in Rīga. RU
Db.lv
Web site run by Dienas bizness, Latvia's leading business newspaper. LV
Diena
Daily newspaper based in Rīga and published in the mornings Monday through Saturday. LV
Latvijas Avīze
Formerly known as Lauku Avīze, the paper converted to a daily in December 2003. LV
LETA
The oldest news agency in Latvia (formed in 1919) offers both free and subscription-based news. EN LV RU
Neatkarīgā Rīta Avīze
A morning daily newspaper based in Rīga, part of the holdings of SIA Mediju nams. LV
What's new
News
03 Feb 2012
Latvian state TV plans Internet channel for diaspora audience
Latvian State Television (Latvijas Televīzija, or LTV) is testing a new channel aimed at Latvians abroad, the head of the service told a radio audience on Jan. 2.
Blogs
28 Jan 2012
Secular choral music by Vasks featured on new Finnish label release
The Finnish record label Ondine, in cooperation with Latvijas koncerti, has released Plainscapes, a collection of Latvian composer Pēteris Vasks’ choral music performed by the Latvian Radio Choir and conducted by Sigvards Kļava.
Blogs
27 Jan 2012
Latvia invites Facebook users to ‘like’ it
Latvia’s official Facebook page, featuring video of a folksy white-haired man tossing logs into a stove, has been unveiled by the Latvian Institute, the government’s information and public relations agency.
In the forums
«Karš bez noteikumiem» posted by Peteris Cedrins on 02 Feb 2012
"The Suffering Olympics" posted by ambersun on 02 Feb 2012
Wisława Szymborska, 1923 – 2012 ... & ... posted by Peteris Cedrins on 02 Feb 2012
Let's talk about the weather posted by Džons Brauns on 01 Feb 2012
Martins Vanags: Neasimiletais Karins posted by Irena on 01 Feb 2012



