Latvia orders over 800 Russian citizens to leave by mid-October

The Latvian government has ordered 841 Russian citizens to leave the country by Oct. 13, citing their failure to meet legal requirements, including proof of Latvian language proficiency and passing a national security screening, Politico reported...

Prisons in Latvia short-staffed

Prisons are short of more than 300 staff. To attract prison staff, a campaign called "More Dynamic Work for a Safer Tomorrow" will debunk myths about the workplace, Latvian Television reported on 13 October. There are currently more than 300...

Over 800 Russians at risk of expulsion from Latvia

Around 840 Russian citizens have not sorted out their residence permits within the deadline. To obtain long-term resident status, they had to prove their Latvian language skills and pass a security check. Those who have not met these requirements...

Latvia Orders 841 Russians to Leave Over Language and Residency Law Violations

Latvia has instructed 841 Russian citizens to leave the country by Oct. 13, saying they failed to meet new residency conditions that include proving basic Latvian language skills and passing national security checks, according to Politico on Oct....

Latvia expels more than 800 Russians from the country

Latvian flag. Stock photo: Getty Images The Latvian authorities have informed 841 Russian citizens that they must leave the country by 13 October due to non-compliance with migration legislation. Source: Politico, citing Latvian Office of...

Latvia demands over 800 Russian citizens leave by mid-October

Latvia has ordered 841 Russian citizens to leave the country by October 13 after they failed to demonstrate their proficiency in the Latvian language and undergo mandatory security checks. Following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in early...

Rīga school struggles to retain staff

Dissatisfied with a chaotic and unfair management style, at least 20 teachers have left one of Riga's best-known city centre schools – Natālija Draudzīna Secondary School – over the past year, reports Latvian Radio. Due to the lack of teachers,...

Human rights commissioner slams deportation of Russians from Latvia as criminal act

MOSCOW, October 13. /TASS/. Deporting Russians from Latvia for not knowing the state language is an egregious violation of human rights, Russia’s Commissioner for Human Rights Tatyana Moskalkova told reporters. "What we’re talking about is an...

Latvia’s Prosecutor General candidate Juriss: The Prosecutor’s Office must become more modern and humane

The Prosecutor’s Office must introduce an employee well-being program, establish specialized structural units, and make combating domestic violence and financial crimes a top priority, according to the development concept prepared by Juris Juriss,...

Latvian universities ranked about the same as usual

Riga Technical University (RTU) and the University of Latvia (LU) ranked in the 1001–1200th place group, Riga Stradiņš University (RSU) – in the 1201–1500th place group, but the lowest ranked Latvian University of Biosciences and Technology was in...

Latvia gambling industry warns of closures as government fast-tracks tax rise

Latvia’s gambling industry has warned that government plans to raise gambling taxes from January 2026 could lead to a wave of venue closures and a decline in overall tax revenue, as operators struggle with mounting costs. The government last month...

NATO member orders 841 Russians to leave country as new immigration rules bite

Latvia has ordered 841 Russian citizens to leave the country by October 13 after they failed to meet new residency requirements, including proving their Latvian language proficiency and undergoing mandatory security checks, officials confirmed....

Ride Mobility introduces age verification following tragic accident in Imanta

The shared e-bike operator “Ride Mobility” has introduced age verification tools for all customers starting Monday, the company’s CEO Edgars Jākobsons announced. From now on, every user wishing to use the Ride service will be required to present a...

Rīga's Mūkusalas Street promenade to be open at end of November

After almost two years of construction, the Mūkusalas Street promenade is now at the finish line, and the municipality is planning to complete it by the end of next month. However, in some areas, a permanent solution is expected sometime after the...

Wilderness Travel introduces new 2026 European adventure portfolio across 10 countries

Wilderness Travel has launched a new portfolio of small-group adventure itineraries for 2026, featuring hiking, cultural and nature-focused journeys across southern, central and northern Europe. Wilderness Travel has announced a new collection of...

Canada named among world’s most powerful passports; US passport drops to lowest ranking in 20 years

The latest global passport ranking released by Henley & Partners listed the Canadian passport among the 10 most powerful in the world for 2025. Canada placed ninth overall against 198 other passports based on how many destinations Canadian...

Latvia plans to split hospitals into 'ecosystems'

Latvian health authorities plan to integrate hospitals of different profiles and levels into "ecosystems", according to the plan presented by the Ministry of Health (VM) at the meeting of the Social and Labour Affairs Committee of the Saeima on...

Latvian government approves media action plan

An Action Plan for the Implementation of the Media Policy Guidelines for 2025-2027 was approved by the Latvian government at its cabinet meeting on October 7th. "A strong, independent and high-quality media environment is the cornerstone of a...

Latvia Joins NATO Renovator Project to Restore Ukrainian Military Hospitals

Latvia joins a NATO project called “Renovator,” aimed at restoring five Ukrainian military hospitals, equipping them with modern medical equipment, and training medical professionals, as well as the reconstruction of one of these facilities. The...

Travelling to Riga, Latvia

It’s close to midnight when I emerge from the KLM flight that’s brought me from Amsterdam, fighting the horde of Ryanair arrivals that crowd passport control at Riga International Airport in Latvia. A seasoned official who looks like he should be...