More This is both because they warm up with Ukrainian borscht before the torchlight procession for Lāčplēsis Day and because so many of the townspeople have contributed to the aid convoy "You can imagine - Latvians and Ukrainians.. It's a pity that things are so harsh in Ukraine I believe that Latvia is celebrating with Ukrainians today and I wish them all the best And today we are sending them the 60th convoy," said Diana Kačāne Photo: Latvijas TelevīzijaPhoto: Latvijas TelevīzijaPhoto: Latvijas Televīzija Convoy driver Haralds Pumpišs points to the line of cars that will be driven away He can't remember how many convoy trips he has had "between 20 and 30." He has been a member of both the barricades and the first police battalion "What was going on there and what we had in 1991 - we were actually playing in the sandbox Dobele is celebrating this year's Latvian Lāčplēsis' Day with the symbol of the Ukrainian coat of arms Select text and press Ctrl+Enter to send a suggested correction to the editor Select text and press Report a mistake to send a suggested correction to the editor Brüggen KG has become the co-owner of Latvian Rīgas dzirnavnieks grain processing company by acquiring 50% of their shares through a subsidiary as confirmed by representatives of Rīgas dzirnavnieks parent company Dobeles Dzirnavnieks The deal needs approval from the Competition Council The deal concerns only oat grain processing whereas flour and flour product production as well as Rīgas dzirnavnieks brands Herkuless and Saimniece will remain under Dobeles dzirnavnieks Dobeles dzirnavnieks will continue distributing Rīgas dzirnavnieks products in Latvia The company adds that from now on Rīgas dzirnavnieks will specialise on oat grain processing as the company that has long-term cooperation with the biggest distribution networks in Europe and the world will ensure the sales of products made in Riga on the global market Dobeles dzirnavnieks board chairman Kristaps Amsils stresses that the creation of a joint company will help strengthen cooperation between the two companies promote Rīgas dzirnavnieks’ own sustainable growth and competitiveness of its products on the global market as well as ensure stable grain processing volumes in Latvia He stresses that the company has had successful cooperation with H supplying the company with oatmeal and other cereal products produced in Dobele Amsill also mentions that specializing in oat grain processing will allow you to compete more successfully in the global market expand the range of products and develop the production of new products He is confident that through cooperation with H Rīgas dzirnavnieks will gain additional experience and knowledge that will help further develop Latvia’s grain processing industry The transaction for the establishment of the joint venture was concluded in cooperation with the law firm Spīgulis Minister of Economics Viktors Valainis stresses that the increase in foreign investment and exports plays a crucial role in promoting a faster economic development of the country Rīgas dzirnavnieks last year worked with a turnover of EUR 31.279 million and a profit of EUR 953 165 The company was registered in 1991 and has a share capital of EUR 6.579 million “Rīgas dzirnavnieks” produces grain processing products – wheat and rye flour rolled grains and groats for industrial consumers as well as pre-packaged products for individual consumption under the brands “Hercules” “Hercogs” and “Īsta saimniece” The company is part of the Baltic Mill Group Dobeles dzirnavnieks operated with a turnover of EUR 237.505 million in 2023 but the company’s profit increased by 77.7% and was EUR 12.172 million The company Dobeles dzirnavnieks was registered in 1991 and its share capital is EUR 3.897 million The largest shareholder of the company is the Estonian grain producer Tartu Mill The company’s main activities are the production of all kinds of wheat flour Also read: Nicaraguan leader: Zelenskyy and Netanyahu are spawn of Hitler and the devil Follow us on Facebook and X "In order to promote the export of high-quality products produced in Latvia will become a 50% shareholder of the Dobeles dzirnavnieks subsidiary AS Rīgas dzirnavnieks The establishment of the joint venture will increase the volume of cereal processing in Latvia and will contribute to the competitiveness of Rīgas dzirnavnieks’ products on the global market," said a release from the company October 16 Chairman of the Management Board of AS Dobeles dzirnavnieks said:  with whom we have had successful cooperation for several years providing them with supplies of oat flakes and other cereal products produced in Dobele The establishment of the joint venture will strengthen the cooperation between the two companies contributing to the sustainable growth of Rīgas dzirnavnieks and ensuring stable cereal processing volumes in Latvia.” The joint venture was established as a strategic partnership with the aim of developing Rīgas dzirnavnieks as a strong conventional oat processing company at a European level and promoting the exportability of high value-added products Rīgas dzirnavnieks will specialise in the pre-processing and processing of oat grain as a well-known global brand with long-term cooperation with major retail chains in Europe and worldwide will ensure the sale of products produced in Rīga on the global market The business transaction only involves the processing of oat grain The production of flour and flour products as well as the Rīgas dzirnavnieks brands Herkuless and Saimniece will continue to be owned by Dobeles dzirnavnieks which will continue working on the development of both brands and the expansion of its product range.  “Specialising in the processing of oat grains will enable us to compete more successfully on the global market expand our product range and develop new products including niche products with high added value We are confident that by working in cooperation with H we will all gain additional experience and knowledge that will also contribute to the overall development of the Latvian grain processing industry.” AS Dobeles dzirnavnieks is Latvia’s largest grain processing and food production company Its main activities are the production of all types of wheat flour the turnover of AS Dobeles dzirnavnieks was EUR 237.5 million AS Rīgas dzirnavnieks is a subsidiary of AS Dobeles dzirnavnieks breakfast cereals and other products under the Herkuless brand the Company had a turnover of EUR 31.28 million Brüggen KG is a leading European producer of cereal products It is a family-owned company in its fourth generation Brüggen KG’s main production facilities are located in Lübeck cereal bars as well as oat flakes and other shelled cereal products are produced The company also has production sites in Poland France and Chile and employs around 2,000 people Brüggen KG exports its products to more than 90 countries worldwide (around 230,000 tonnes of products per year) and has a turnover of almost EUR 560 million cereal flakes and many more food products to millions of consumers across more than 70 countries we operate production facilities that cover over 21 hectares.  Dobeles dzirnavnieks is already the largest pasta producer in Northern Europe—and we continue to grow Driving one of the largest food production businesses in Baltics is no simple task As well as satisfying a wide range of stringent regulatory requirements we must demonstrate that we are adhering to best practices during regular audits we need to orchestrate a complex set of supply chain and logistics processes to ensure that we can keep our production lines moving smoothly day after day.  we relied on paper to support our operations it was becoming more and more difficult to maintain high levels of operational efficiency using manual processes.  we had regular audits that required several full-time employees to sift through our records and find the required documents – financial audits Regulatory requirements are evolving and tightening all the time and we knew that preparing for audits was only going to become more complex and time-consuming in the future.  Another big challenge was our accounts payable (AP) process our AP team spent a significant amount of their time chasing up management teams for paper invoice approvals the AP team spent more time still re-keying the data into our ERP system.  As we put more investment into company operations and business growth we realized we needed a new approach–manual processes required a significant increase in headcount We launched a comprehensive digital transformation initiative Our goals were ambitious: implement a brand-new ERP business intelligence suite and warehouse management system Replacing our paper processes was a key property so we also aimed to deploy a content management platform.  As soon as we started exploring the capabilities of OpenText™ Extended ECM, we realized we had found the ideal solution. With security and data governance built in we were confident that the OpenText solution satisfied all our core requirements OpenText content management offers powerful workflow capabilities—enabling us to build new digital processes around our content.   Thanks to our partnership with Digital Mind, we now have a central, secure platform to process and store digital documents—including invoices, supplier contracts, external correspondence, and many others. This content is easily accessible and searchable, which means there’s no need for our people to trawl through paper records to find information.   One of the biggest benefits of the OpenText content management platform is that it allows us to work much more efficiently than before—for example, we are saving 3.5 full-time equivalents in AP alone. As a result, we will be able to grow our business without significantly increasing our back-office headcount.  Our transformation is also helping us to improve our environmental sustainability. Today, 73% of our supplier contracts, 88% of our correspondence and 100% of our quality management documents are digital. Overall, we’ve cut our paper consumption by 80%, which saves the equivalent of 65 kg of paper every year.  Through our work with Digital Mind and OpenText, we are able to do more with the same resources. We’re by no means finished with our digital transformation project; we plan to keep working with Digital Mind to bring more of our paper processes into OpenText.  To learn more about how OpenText content management is helping us to facilitate business growth, read our case study.  Jelgava Regional Tourism Centre has developed a graphic plan of Vecpilsētas Street Quarter in Jelgava which includes a schematic map and a brief description about prominent objects of Vecpilsētas Street Quarter how this 18th century building has been restored and gain insight into the lost wooden architecture of old Jelgava and by assistance of audio guide and interactive exhibition everyone can imagine the features of the old Jelgava The tour of Jelgava Old Town House will take approximately one hour Visitors are welcome from Tuesday to Saturday from 10.00 to 18.00 o'clock and on Sunday from 11.00 to 17.00 o'clock Jelgava Old Town House also offers rent of meeting premises for organisation of various lectures seminars and master classes for up to 30 persons Zemgale Restoration Centre accommodates metal textile and ceramic products restoration workshops the equipment of which meets the modern specifics and needs of restoration works The environmental object “Laika rats 100” created by the sculptor Kārlis Īle is dedicated to the centenary of Latvia and depicts significant persons and events in the history of Latvia over a period of 100 years This environmental object displays 10 stylised figures of persons arranged in a circle opposite to whom everybody can see own reflection thus emphasising that the country is formed by each of us At the House of Latvian Traditions and Crafts visitors can get acquainted with the delicate work of weavers and also have a chance to sit at the loom themselves Also various Latvian master classes and educational programmes are available Special offers are available for newly married couples on their wedding day as well as a possibility to rent the spacious yard for various social events The House of Latvian Traditions and Crafts is open for visitors from Tuesday to Saturday from 10.00 to 18.00 o'clock and on Sunday from 10.00 to 15.00 o'clock Near the House of Latvian Traditions and Crafts visitors can view a memorial sign for Dobele Gates The sign dedicated to Dobele Gates is installed at the location of the historical town gates thus marking one of eight gates of Jelgava of the 17th century Whereas the Road of Nails – 800 nails made by a blacksmith of Jelgava and hammered into sidewalks of the town – mark the location of the old town defensive wall and the town borders The road leads from the intersection of Uzvaras Street and Ausekļa Street to the intersection of Dobeles Street and Vecpilsētas Street The material is available free of charge at Jelgava Regional Tourism Centre or download at the website www.visit.jelgava.lv We use cookies and similar methods to recognize visitors and remember their preferences We also use them to measure ad campaign effectiveness By tapping 'accept,' you consent to the use of these methods by us and third parties You can always change your tracker preferences by visiting our Cookie Policy Page the Jelgava municipality will announce a tender for the project “Development of Zemgale Industrial Park Phase I.” This will involve the reconstruction of sections of Atmodas as well as the establishment of new road sections to connect Atmodas Street with Dobele Highway and the resurfacing of asphalt on Meiju Street This will be one of the most ambitious projects in the city in recent times significantly transforming this area of the city in the coming years The municipality signed an agreement with the Central Finance and Contracting Agency for the implementation of the EU-funded project on February 1st The total project costs amount to €23,968,935.45 – €20 million of which is funding from the EU Recovery and Resilience Mechanism and €3,968,935.45 is co-financing from the Jelgava municipality The aim of the project is to develop infrastructure in the Zemgale Industrial Park area and attract investors as well as to promote the creation of new high-value-added jobs Prospective industries that could develop in the park area include knowledge-intensive bioeconomy information and communication technologies the transportation infrastructure needs to be organized to provide access to the industrial park the traffic and engineering infrastructure of four street sections in the city will be improved over a length of 4.16 kilometers: the asphalt concrete pavement will be renewed on the section of Meiju Street from Satiksmes Street to 1st Line and stormwater drainage network shafts will be reconstructed and new connections built along with the construction of water supply and sewerage networks and reconstruction of electronic communication networks Construction works will commence this year Take note – story published 1 year and 9 months ago The State Fire and Rescue Service (VUGD) told LETA that at 7:08 on July 16 VUGD received a call to Spodrības Street in Dobele where a fire had broken out in a production building rescuers found that the seven-story building had developed a fire on several floors.  The spread of the flames was contained at 12:48 Around 17:00  fire was extinguished The company “Dobeles Miller” was registered in 1991 and has a core capital of EUR 3,897 million The company's largest shareholder is Estonian grain producer Tartu Mill The company's main lines of action are the production of all kinds of wheat flour Take note – story published 2 years and 2 months ago Around 9:30 in the morning the VUGD was informed that a road accident had occurred on the A9 motorway Rescuers found that the bus was on its side in a ditch and that all people disconnected the bus's battery and collected spilled liquid with the help of an absorbent Two people were released from the bus and taken to medics VUGD spokeswoman Victoria Gribuste said the number of people on the bus is still being clarified because some of the people had already left by themselves with different vehicles The NMPD reported that 13 people were injured in the accident, of which 12 were taken to hospitals with mild to moderate injuries drivers are encouraged to instead take roads A10 Take note – story published 6 years and 5 months ago In 2017 the average yield of cereals in Latvia constituted 38.3 ql/ha while the indicator registered in Dobele county was almost twice as high – 64.9 ql/ha (relative margin of error 1.6 %) very high yields of cereals were harvested – from 49 to 65 ql/ha Tērvete and Auce counties in Zemgale region Tukums and Jaunpils in Pierīga region as well as Beverīna county in Vidzeme region were the most productive A glance at the graphic accompanying this story shows Latvia's cereal heartland clearly in the darker areas of Kurzeme and Zemgale regions lupins) in Latvia constituted 29.7 ql/ha Rūjiena in Vidzeme and Zilupe in Latgale region The highest yield of pulses was harvested in Aizpute county where it constituted 48.1 ql/ha and exceeded the national average yield 1.6 times The average yield of rape harvested in Latvia constituted 27.8 ql/ha Rundāle and Nereta counties of Zemgale region as well as Ikšķile county of Pierīga region The highest yield of rape was harvested in Nereta county – 44 ql/ha (relative margin of error 12.42 %) Take note – story published 4 years and 7 months ago The Trade Commission of the Republic of South Africa reports that “according to the first assessment there is evidence of dumping” and that the local pasta industry is losing profits and employees Dobeles dzirnavnieks has been given a period of time until 27 October for the submission of arguments Dobeles dzirnavnieks denies the accusations of dumping Dobeles dzirnavnieks – one of the food industry leaders of Latvia including the largest producer of flour and pasta products – received questions as part of an investigation by the South African supervisory body The company's consolidated turnover was €133 million last year Most of the turnover (59%) consists of exports to more than 70 countries flour and semolina of durum wheat varieties “This kind of experience that a foreign regulator is examining if we don't deal with dumping is a first,” the company's public relations spokeswoman Zanda Lūse said to LSM.lv International Trade Administration Commission (ITAC) of South Africa launched an anti-dumping investigation into imports of pasta products from four countries The investigation was initiated following complaints from four African producers It concerns imports into the markets of the five countries of the South African Customs Union (SACU).  Dumping is normally referred to the sale of a product at a price which has been deliberately determined to be significantly lower than on the market in some cases even causing loss to the seller The company's management denies the accusations and considers the reason for the complaint to be “protection” of the market Dobeles dzirnavnieks could not reveal the extent of pasta exports. “A big market with great potential,” said the public relations spokeswoman “We've been working in  South Africa for five years After first reviewing the documents sent to us it looks as if they were misinterpreting the price data distinguished only by the final digits of durum pasta and pasta from common wheat varieties But they are two different products with different prices “We have received a request for information on the mechanism for price formation of import products Since the request for such information was received not only by producers and exporters in Latvia but also in Lithuania we consider that such market research initiated by local producers of the Republic of South Africa is intended to protect the domestic market from import production Dobeles dzirnavnieks has a common pricing policy in all export markets so providing the necessary information does not create any difficulties for us,” said Kristaps Amsils Chairman of the Board of Dobeles dzirnavnieks The complainant companies found that the “margin of dumping” (i.e the discount from the “normal” price) for pasta imports from Latvia was 68% The companies indicated that dumping resulted in a decrease in profits employee numbers and return on investment in 2017-2019.  The authority is now preparing to assess the amounts of the damage In order to obtain the necessary information the Commission will contact exporters from Latvia as well as trade representatives of these countries Dobeles dzirnavnieks considers its prices adequate and is prepared to show it in figures Take note – story published 5 years and 9 months ago the police seized 69 marijuana plants and 54 newly planted plants during a search of an uninhabited private property turned into a greenhouse in the Dobele municipality the police seized 2045 grams of undried marijuana the police liquidated another marijuana farm in Ķegums which was specially arranged in a private house and an adjacent greenhouse.  The police seized 16 marijuana plants in the private house and 5 marijuana plants in the greenhouse during the search The police also expropriated several packages containing dried Photo: Valsts policijaPhoto: Valsts policijaPhoto: Valsts policijaPhoto: Valsts policijaPhoto: Valsts policija The police detained two men born in 1973 and 1994 the policemen also seized 2,7317 grams of dried marijuana from the man born in 1994 All expropriated substances have been sent to be examined Both men are subject to non-custodial measures Both mens' connection with other criminal offences will be reviewed during further investigation.  Criminal proceedings have been initiated for unauthorized sowing and growing of drug-containing plants in large areas or by an organized group This offence may be punished by up to five years of imprisonment or by a temporary deprivation of liberty either including the confiscation of property or without confiscation criminal proceedings have been initiated for the “unauthorized production transport or transfer of narcotic drugs without the intention of selling them” punishable by up to three years of imprisonment or by a temporary deprivation of liberty or a supervised probation of up to three years The cultivation of hemp has a long history in Latvia and hemp butter remains a popular spread - but uses a non psychoactive strain of the plant Take note – story published 1 year and 2 months ago The wind will be from the east and southeast blowing at a modest 4-9 meters per second but with gusts of up to 15 meters per second on the coast of Kurzeme Maximum air temperatures during the day will be in the range -1 Celsius to -6 Celsius with snow is expected from the afternoon and maximum air temperatures of -2 C to -3 C The cooler temperatures of recent days have also led to the reformation of ice in many rivers Meanwhile, Latvijas valsts ceļi (Latvian state roads) says that on Saturday morning in some places it is difficult to drive on the country's main and regional highways The Liepāja-Lithuanian border (Rucava) (A11) has difficult driving conditions while regional roads are difficult in the vicinity of Liepāja Take note – story published 4 years and 1 month ago Dobeles dzirnavnieks will acquire 100% of the shares of the Lithuanian grain processing company AB Baltic Mill subject to regulatory approval in all three Baltic states  "Expanding export markets and increasing volumes has been our strategic goal for almost 10 years. During this period we have purposefully invested and developed production in Latvia in order to provide the local population with products and be able to meet the demand of foreign markets," said Kristaps Amsils Chairman of the Board of JSC Dobeles Dzirnavnieks.  "It is natural that we are looking for opportunities to increase production capacity in order to be able to compete in the global market and satisfy customer requirements also in such markets where product order volumes and delivery times are quite challenging,” said Amsils who added that strategic investments would be made in the Lithuanian operation.  "This partnership between the two food businesses will help secure a competitive advantage in Europe and enable us to offer consumers higher quality products in both local and export markets. It also means more stability for local farmers and group workers,” said Vigants Reifons The move will represent a major consolidation across the Baltic region as Baltic Mill Group includes companies in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania in its portfolio namely UAB Malsena Plius and Amber Pasta in Lithuania JSC Rīgas dzirnavnieks in Latvia and JSC Balti Veski in Estonia.  It is planned that the transaction will be completed by the end of this year if competition watchdogs are satisfied that it will not adversely affect competition Take note – story published 1 year and 5 months ago Residents in Dobele have also been able to order the brown container for biowaste since August 2020 head of the Sanitary industry at Dobele Utilities explained that sorting biological waste for residents' wallets is friendlier than landfilling municipal waste followed by educational institutions - two kindergartens from Dobele and one from Auri The Dobele State Gymnasium is also thinking about ordering a biowaste container Principal Inese Didžus said it would be more of a learning opportunity to ask the utility for the opportunity to sort the rubbish in divided containers We had a space to install it and so we learned to separate paper from other rubbish the cores of apples and maybe some other leftovers that students." But where does the largest education facility in Dobele put food waste “We dealt with those needs a little differently If they have to make a contract then they will make it but at the moment they have an arrangement with a farm that collects what is left over - bark the pigs that the keeper feeds there,” Didžus said While some experience of sorting biological waste has already developed in the municipality of Dobele the municipality of Aizkraukle is just taking the first steps Deputy Chairman of the municipality Council Andris Zālītis said that the municipality had long been unsure which waste management region it would fall into so currently bio-waste is sorted only in Aizkraukle city and Aizkraukle parish we are in the waste management region of Latgale where the procedures for the management of such biological waste will also be included We currently have four managers in the county and only one currently manages biological waste We have 26 containers in the city and parish to collect bio-waste they are also by the catering establishments where this capital company collects them and transports them,” Zālītis noted In schools where there are no containers for bio-waste “But everyone knows it's going to have to be done and it's going to be done as well.” the possibility of sorting biological waste has been offered for two years but according to Bauska utility chief Uģis Saukums it's not going too well with schools and kindergartens "We have offered these customers this service to place these brown containers and manage this waste but we have not succeeded because there are cheaper options [..] somehow they are dealing with that biological waste differently We are working more and working successfully with those customers who have food processing and who have a permit from the Environmental Service and it is embedded in that permit that it is also mandatory to pass on biological waste Then this cooperation is there and the service is provided in full but it is more difficult with these institutions because It probably depends on which educational institution or caterer has a contract for the management of waste sorting of biological waste has long been introduced in several educational institutions “We have a number of educational institutions implementing eco education direction and sorting biological waste is already actually at the heart of this educational philosophy all those things left over from cleaning the area are composted which is then used to grow something together with children catering is outsourced to us and we deal with this issue in collaboration with the diner,” said Jelgava city education administration representative Sarmīte Joma She said there was a separate container outside the facilities where both leftovers from the cooking process and the uneaten food were thrown away Joma added that there are a number of kindergartens where there is cooperation with small entrepreneurs who raise livestock and use the surplus produce on their farm the Association of Catererss of Educational institutions said that in almost all kitchens of educational institutions biological waste sorting is already underway Most contracts are with waste management organizations, but there are municipalities where there is no such option yet and there is a contract with a company or private individual "What we are doing to make this measure more effective and acceptable we are thinking more about reducing the amount of this biological waste in the kitchens of educational institutions We choose vegetables that have already been cleaned as much as possible we already have a significant reduction in biological waste here "Then we also invite schools to collaborate and [..] we encourage children to create their own lunch portion, so learning to put as much on as they can eat and so there's a significant reduction in the amount of waste in this case as well.” Take note – story published 1 year and 3 months ago the government supported the initiative of the Ministry of Transport to purchase rolling stock of at least two new battery electric trains until December 31 It is intended that the first battery trains for which procurements have already been announced will run on other routes like Rīga-Bolderāja and Rīga-Sigulda Prime Minister Evika Siliņa (New Unity) said at a government meeting that she is looking at the project with concerns because there are even bigger problems with batteries in the winter The total financing planned and available for the purchase of trains is EUR 21,287,963 of which the European Regional Development Fund financed EUR 18,094,768 National co-financing shall not be less than 15% of the total eligible financing planned for the project according to the Ministry of Transport (SM) The purchased trains will run on the Riga-Dobele line where diesel trains are currently operated Since electric trains are already running at the Riga-Jelgava stage battery trains will be able to charge under the contact wire allowing them to continue on the non-electrified section Jelgava-Dobele in battery mode 40,259 passengers were scheduled to be carried on diesel trains at this stage but with the introduction of the new trains the expected number of passengers could grow to just under 303 thousand people including more than 115 thousand who could opt for the new trains instead of buses while more than 147 thousand could transfer from cars the Road Transport Administration (ATD) launched the second round of a call for tenders for the purchase of nine trains. Three candidates entered the competition in the first round: “Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles S.A.” an association of persons consisting of “Skoda Transportation” and “Skoda Vagonka” and “Stadler Polska” All have been found compliant and invited to submit their bids for the second round as well for the purchase of battery trains by March 1 2024 The first battery trains are expected to run on the Bolderāja-Rīga-Sigulda routes as well as Rīga-Madona and Rīga-Dobele By purchasing battery trains and upgrading railway infrastructure it is planned to gradually replace old diesel trains the strongest wind gusts were observed in the center of Riga where they reached 27 meters per second (m/s) Such wind gusts would cause only minor damage in winter they are more exposed to wind and break more quickly Tens of thousands of households in Latvia were left without electricity According to operational information from Sadales tīkls the power supply was disrupted for about 30,000 customers - mainly in the central districts of the country The most widespread power outages were in Tukums 180 millimeters (mm) of rain have fallen since the rains started yesterday This is the climatic norm for two months and 26% of the norm for the whole year The State Fire and Rescue Service (VUGD) operational duty officer Kārlis Broms told Latvian Television's "Morning Panorama" that the past night was a busy one the VUGD had received about 400 calls about wind damage Around 160 calls were received in the vicinity of Jūrmala while around 100 calls were received around Tukums and Jelgava Around 100 calls were also received in the capital and firefighters even have to clean up five other events on the way to the scene," said Broms He urged people to be patient while waiting for rescuers: "There was even a case today where firefighters had to cut branches along a 100-meter stretch." the VUGD had already received more than 850 calls which is about twice as many as in the October storm last year VUGD spokesperson Viktorija Gribuste told Latvian Radio The VUGD has no information about people injured in the storm frightened because tree branches fell on their cars or trees broke off right in front of their cars the people had managed to get out of the vehicles on their own Residents should expect to wait as priority will be given to calls where life or health is at risk residents are urged to repair the damage themselves traffic is difficult or closed on several sections of national roads on Monday morning the State Enterprise "Latvijas Valsts ceļi" (LVC) said The sections of main and regional roads affected by the storm damage are: Drivers should expect that it will take time to recover from the storm and fully restore traffic. For all traffic restrictions due to storm damage, click here and other storm damage and on national roads Heavy rain and strong winds will continue in many parts of Latvia until the afternoon North-north-westerly wind gusts will reach 25-30 meters per second at times along the coast of the Gulf of Riga which has been extremely heavy in central Latvia so far reaching unprecedented levels in the history of meteorological observations The strong winds will continue to raise water levels along the coast of the Gulf of Riga and the estuaries of rivers flowing into the Gulf The Rīga City Council and other responsible authorities have urged people to consider not going outside their homes today as it may be dangerous or interfere with the work of rescue services The full calming of the storm is expected on Monday evening Three municipalities will host fireworks displays on the evening of Monday let's sing!" will be held in Ventspils' Great Square at 6 pm The square in front of the Ogre Municipality Culture Centre will host fireworks at 6 pm Jūrmala Municipality will host fireworks at the Kauguri Culture House at 10 pm Other municipalities will have laser lights and multimedia performances this year a laser light show at the Freedom Monument will be held at 8:10 pm Projections of "Children Draw Latvia" by Pēteris Rozenbergs of the Cēsis City Art School will be shown on the facade of the Cēsis New Castle at 5 pm A multimedia story "Awakening in the Power of the Spirit" will be shown on the walls of the Dobele Evangelical Lutheran Church at 6 pm various places in the Ropaži municipality will have light sound and video performances "Staro Ropaži" on a multimedia story "A gift for Latvia on its birthday" will be shown on the tower of Trinity Church at 10 pm The Turaida Museum Reserve will present a light and sound story from November 16 to 17 Take note – story published 3 years and 9 months ago Few sightings of this species have been officially registered in Latvia the previous one more than half a century ago Stag beetles inhabit biologically old forests while larvae feed on rotting wood director of the main department of the Nature Conservation Agency said: "The discovery of such a species protected at European Union level shows that suitable habitats for a variety of rare species have remained in Latvia It is a healthy ecosystem in which dozens and even hundreds of different species of insects Large old trees are an essential part of Latvia's cultural landscape which also serves to preserve biodiversity." A student of the Daugavpils University Biology study program found the dead male specimen in the courtyard of a private house near Dobele The previous sighting was registered in 1969 in Ieriķi.  Daugavpils University experts surveyed the area but did not find any other beetles of the species The family living in the house is interested in the research and protection of this species and is prepared to further inform the research community of Daugavpils University of any stag parties The #JerusalemaDance challenge is a simple yet energetic choreography to a song from South Africa, which was first done by people in Angola, then Portugal, and then went viral, according to The Guardian. the idea to join belongs to fitness center Gold Barbell owner Ivars Cīrulis who said that once he dropped in on social media a chain reaction started and more than 400 people - not just from Dobele but other places in Latvia - joined in Embassy in Riga is pleased to announce three concerts by the a capella group “The House Jacks” in Latvia The concerts celebrate the 100th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the United States and Latvia The House Jacks will perform on September 17 at 6:00 pm at the Krustpils Culture center in Jēkabpils on September 18 at 4:pm at the Daugavpils municipal institution "Vienības nams" in Daugavpils and on September 20 at 7:00 pm in Dobele at the Dobele Culture center The House Jacks have redefined a capella music performing more than 3,000 shows all over the world including at Carnegie Hall and as the sound for “The Sing-Off,” the hit a capella competition show on NBC-TV They have shared the stage with such iconic artists as Ray Charles Songwriter’s Monthly proclaimed: “Prepare to be blown away The House Jacks band’s tour of Latvia is a program of the U.S Embassy in Riga and the American Music Abroad program of the U.S A subscription to The Baltic Times is a cost-effective way of staying in touch with the latest Baltic news and views enabling you full access from anywhere with an Internet connection. Subscribe Now! 2025 © The Baltic Times /Cookies Policy Privacy Policy Even though there is a lot to do the chosen direction for Latvia’s economic policy is positive believes Chairman of Dobeles dzirnavnieks Kristaps Amsils He adds that the availability of European funds is especially important to Dobeles dzirnavnieks which is one of the leading grain processing companies in the Baltics ‘It allows us to invest in development of our plant – it is one of the main conditions for continuing growth and strengthening positions on the local and export markets,’ – said Amsils in his interview to BNN What are some of the most notable recent events in your sector One of the most important factors in our sector is the price of raw materials as well as economic and political factors on the global market Most farmers on Zemgale’s side had to rework their fields this year – most of winter crops did not survive the winter Weather forecasts for summer may also badly impact summer harvests We hope everything will go fine and our fields will bring us good harvest Grain prices had increased significantly after initial events in Ukraine Can you say economic conditions are improving and there is a lot of potential for economic growth in the market Growing employment and gradually stabilizing financial situation in the country allows us to say that there has been growth in business activities these past several years the company has good chances of developing in a global context because companies we have here that are large European and global level are actually small or medium-sized it is important for the right and long-tern decisions to be made and initiative has to be taken This is exactly what we’ve been trying to do the country’s political road and support is no less important How would you describe the government’s economy policy aimed at improving the economic situation in the country We positively view the government’s support in the form of discount on Corporate Income Tax investments which has been approved for Dobeles dzirnavnieks investment project How is the industry affected by Latvia’s policy What changes to legislation would you like to see Availability of EU funds is very important for Dobeles dzirnavnieks This allows us to invest in development of our production plant – it is one of the main conditions for continued growth and strengthening of positions on the local and export markets We hope the next planning period will allow us to launch new projects What is lacking is any real steps from the government in the form of labour tax reduction It would allow us to become more competitive on the international market for there to be a long-term vision from the government and consequential nature of decisions that are made How would you describe the industry’s position in the Baltics What about competition with Estonia and Lithuania Dobeles dzirnavnieks is one of the leading grain processing companies in Baltic States Competition in this sector is very fierce in Baltic States There is plenty of competition outside Baltic States as well – Poland But or market is much wider than that; it is not limited to just Baltic States: it reaches out to Europe and so-called third countries Our Trump card is the fact that we produce an everyday food product We do not produce luxurious goods; we satisfy people’s basic needs grain flakes and other products are served on our tables every day There are some economic fluctuations that impact our consumption volumes but they cannot force us to completely refuse these products I would call the Achiles’ heel of our industry the relatively big dependence on global economic events Timely supplies of raw materials and ability to adapt to rapid price changes play equally important roles in our business Can you say there is a lack of skilled workers in Latvia We have more or less minimal staff rotation in our company – we prefer to make stable and long-term relations The location of our production plant in Dobele also plays an important role We have a well-structured administration team that is packed with professionals We believe each of our specialists is in a proper place Training plays a major role in raising qualifications of our workers – we offer training on site and in our partner companies in Estonia and Germany It should be said that our company has been developing dynamically over the past several year Workers should be prepared to change along with the company What do you predict for the next five years Will the situation in the industry improve The sector largely depends on global and state economies European economic outlooks are relatively positive in spite of different potentially impacting factors like the Ukrainian crisis inflation risks in Europe and growth rate decline in China We look at the future with optimism and realism challenges of our sector go hand in hand with market and human needs We follow desires of our customers – modern trends show that people prefer more light and healthy products that can be easily prepared Based on the current market situation in Europe and the world as well as research into needs of our customers we continue developing our production plant this summer we plan to open durum wheat mill which will provide us with an opportunity to produce durum wheat flour in Dobele Our newest investment project is the construction of corn flakes and muesli production plant It will allow us to present ourselves as a serious player in this new line of products Take note – story published 2 years and 6 months ago Pictures released by the state roads agency Latvijas valsts ceļi (LVC) show that the wooden slats used to form the benches appear to have been sawn away at 15 different stops LVC put the cost of the vandalism at more than 1,100 euros One theory is that the vandals wanted the timber for firewood However, given the relatively small amount of wood this would produce plus the fact that to collect it a good deal of fuel would need to have been used and the wood itself had preservative coatings making it not particularly suitable for use in heating systems it seems at least as likely that the whole thing is a stunt possibly for the benefit of Russian social media channels Take note – story published 9 years and 11 months ago Most of Latvia’s 75 medieval castle ruins are in dire need of salvage and buttressing works as they continue to fall apart These historic architectural remains mostly belong to local government councils which allocate what they can from their limited budget resources for maintenance works but cannot keep up with the much larger costs of restoration A very few of the ruins are privately-owned the Zemgale town of Dobele sought a €12,800 grant from the state Culture Capital Foundation however did not make the cut among the many projects competing for its monies this year The Dobele castle fortress walls have been crumbling for more than 260 years already while the Livonian Order’s site has been sitting empty since 1729 Local resident Džonijs recalled how as a boy he and his friends would clamber over the dangerous piles of stone Now the tops of the stone walls are much more stable who mows the grass inside the fortress walls smaller stones and pebbles actually do fall out of the ruins and become a hazard to avoid One morning I arrived to find the whole field littered with the rocks,” she said For now more ambitious plans for installing a museum in the old chapel must remain on paper said Dobele Council municipal properties department head Dainis Sirsons where the local castle ruins have lain since 1702 without having hardly any preservation or restoration works done City Council project leader Sanita Adlere pronounced the state of the ruins as “critical.” The local government has allocated enough money to conserve the state of one of the fortress walls and conduct some archeological research into the manor castle itself parts of the territory under the works are dangerous and have been cordoned off against any access The frequently visited Koknese castle ruins on the shore of the Daugava are regularly maintained to keep them safe and preserved against the damaging effects of the eroding force of the river The local government requests funding every year from the State Culture Monument Protection Inspectorate (VKPAI) and claims the state of the ruins is currently no hazard to the public safety who heads the state inspectorate’s department of archeology and history of the 75 medieval castle ruins recognized by the VKPAI there are those “in better or worse conditions but as an archeologist I can say that the underground sections are usually in very good states of preservation and some fragments will always be lost.” «This awful case is related to moral responsibility People should be more active and report situations that seem suspicious,» – Chief of Latvian State Police Ints Kuzis commented on the tragedy in Dobele in which parents died of narcotics overdose leaving four children alone in an apartment Kuzis added that police has never seen such shocking irresponsibility from people the police have no one to make accountable He said he was shocked when he learned of other people’s indifference Children left on their own in the apartment cried for several days but no one reported children’s cries to the police SP Zemgale Regional Department’s Chief Andris Zellis said residents claimed they heard nothing strange «If the woman’s mother hadn’t reported anything to us no one can say what would have happened to the rest of the children,» – he said One version is that they died from narcotics overdose A nine-month-old infant was found dead in the apartment as well State Police Chief Ints Kuzis and Chief of SP Zemgale Department Andris Zellis informed journalists of the tragedy Police found out about the situation after receiving a request from the mother of the woman that died in the apartment Her mother was worried because she could not contact her daughter for two weeks police officers found that the window of the apartment was open and children’s cries were heard coming from the apartment who entered the apartment through the window Kuzis then said police officers saw a terrifying scene On the bed of the apartment police officers found the corpses of a 1966-born man and a 1993-borm woman Under the bed police officers found the body of a nine-month-old child It was concluded that the infant died of hunger Police also found three surviving children in the apartment Their fate will now be decided by the orphan court The last time the woman was seen alive was 27 December It is possible that the couple died on the same day The exact time of death of the infant is currently unknown No signs of violence were found on the bodies The currently accepted version is that the couple died from narcotics overdose The children’s grandmother informed the police that the head of the family had previously used narcotics Officers did find signs of narcotics use in the apartment Latvian food company Dobeles Dzirnavnieks has entered an agreement to acquire Lithuania-based grain processor AB Baltic Mill which also owns pasta producer UAB Amber Pasta Dobeles Dzirnavnieks is to purchase 64.75% of the shares in AB Baltic from the private-equity fund Amber Trust II SCA and will use the investment to expand domestically and in international markets A spokesperson for AB Baltic confirmed Amber Trust II SCA is a limited partnership incorporated in Luxembourg and owned by various financial institutions But because there is no single shareholder with control of more than 20% information about individual investors is not publicly available under local laws The remainder of the shares in AB Baltic will be acquired from minority shareholders namely two private companies in Lithuania which is subject to approval from competition authorities AB Baltic is part of the Baltic Mill Group which operates one of the largest grain mills in Lithuania along with Rigas Dzirnavnieks AB in Latvia and Balti Veski in Estonia The firm’s brands include Malsena Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis The company’s revenues for last year were quoted in the Lithuanian currency It posted a net profit of EUR801,000 (US$945,387) Dobeles Dzirnavnieks also manufactures pasta Nominations are now open for the prestigious Just Food Excellence Awards - one of the industry's most recognised programmes celebrating innovation This is your chance to showcase your achievements Don't miss the opportunity to be honoured among the best - submit your nomination today Give your business an edge with our leading industry insights View all newsletters from across the GlobalData Media network For the first time since the company’s foundation AS Baltic Express (BE) has commenced transporting freights to the Freeport Riga After signing the contract with SIA Alpha Osta Baltic Express carried 15 freight cars with a total freight volume of more than 60 000 tonnes to Riga last month Baltic Express has carried freights exclusively to the Freeport of Ventspils since the day the company was founded This is why the start of cooperation with SIA Alpha Osta is considered by Baltic Express chairman Māris Bremze as an important step for the company’s future expansion and growth «We commenced cooperation at the end of August this year and we are happy our client is satisfied with our services Expansion of the company’s freight network as well as the opportunity to work on the Latvian-Lithuanian border without mediation from monopolist SIA LDz Cargo allows us to offer our clients more economically beneficial conditions and thereby attract larger freight volumes Our clients view us as a reliable partner that is able to find the best possible solution for each one of them We are prepared to work with freight recipients working in Riga’s railway hub,» says Māris Bremze which was originally constructed as a mineral fertilizer terminal The infrastructure used by Apha Osta includes grain storage bunkers automated transportation and ship loading/unloading system The terminal is also able to service Panamax-size ships It should be worth mentioning that in September 2021 AS Baltic Express together with one of the biggest grain processing companies in Baltic States AS Dobeles dzirnavnieks opened a new grain transport route Dobele-Ventspils Māris Bremze says: «We are proud of the cooperation we have started with Dobeles dzirnavnieks and Alpha Osta Our cooperation has resulted in a great new project to offer Latvian farmers and other freight owners Our clients can be certain their freights will be delivered to their destination safe and sound.» AS Dobeles Dzrinavnieks has once again received the rights to export pasta produced in Dobele to Poland The manufacturer will supply this country’s charity organizations 9 785 tons of pasta which is nearly 33% more than was supplied last year The enterprise received this right by winning the contest organized by the Polish Agricultural Market Agency “Food supply to the European Union’s poorest people” Dobeles Dzirnavnieks managed to outcompete eight capable manufacturers winning the opportunity to supply nearly ten thousand tons of pasta produced in Dobele up until March 2013 “Victory in this contest not only allows us to export several thousand tons of Dobeles pasta but also put our new production plant to good use We have created stable jobs and we actively think about developing the plant and expanding production,”- says the Chairman of the enterprise Kristaps Amsils It is planned to export 100% of Latvian products – pasta production will use wheat produced by local Latvian farmers Pasta production was opened at the new production plant in the middle of May 2012 The total capacity of the production line is three tons of pasta per hour Current production output can not only produce enough for cover demand in the Baltic States but also export products to other European countries It should be added that pasta produced by Dobeles Dzirnavnieks won the innovation award of 2012 contest “Export and Innovation 2012” in the category “Import replacement product” The main activities of Dobeles Dzirnavnieks include all types of wheat flour The word “objective” is something that is independent from our consciousness and that is technically not a subject nor object because the notion (objective/sub- jective) doesn’t exist without consciousness On the other side if we think about a “notion” then the chemical composition of our brain is objective and not subjective even though we cannot perceive nor interpret most of it The artist recently quit vỏl to switch to vīn instead My mum says that I should eat rīprok in the morning not to irritate my stomach I often have morbid uņnäg where I see joug and sustriņi there are swimming līvlitz and Kūolka pivākuodā is standing on the top of a hill I wish that my naggõrz would be warm and not cold because kikjālga tastes better with a warm potato bringing a significant amount of rainfall and leaving tens of thousands of households without electricity with gusts reaching up to 27 meters per second in Riga Other areas affected by severe gusts included Ventspils Such wind speeds typically cause less damage in winter making branches heavier and more susceptible to breaking tens of thousands of households in Latvia lost electricity Power outages affected several regions, with Jelgava seeing significant rainfall of 180 millimeters, nearly the equivalent of two months' worth or a quarter of annual rainfall, Latvian public broadcaster LSM reports The rescue service reported a busy night handling storm-related incidents authorities in Riga advised residents to stay home due to the severe weather conditions The storm continues in many parts of Latvia with wind speeds reaching 25 meters per second along the Gulf of Riga coast and the storm is anticipated to subside by Monday evening Strong winds and rain also hit southern Estonia Sunday evening Follow ERR News on Facebook and Twitter and never miss an update! 0)" class="article-poll-disclaimer" ng-bind="totalVotes + ' hääletajat'"> {{option.votes}} {{selectedLanguage.poll.votes}}/ Iga kasutaja võib hääletada {{poll.optionLimit}} vastusevariandi poolt The outstanding work of nine individuals and community groups were recognised at the Rockhampton Regional Council’s Australia Day Award Ceremony held at the Rockhampton Heritage Village last night The night also coincided with Council’s first citizenship ceremony for the year as Christine Dobele was named as the 2025 Citizen of the Year and Jarryd Lebeter was awarded the Young Citizen of the Year for 2025 “The ceremony is always such a great event as we recognise the extraordinary work of key individuals and groups within our community,” Mayor Williams said “This is our way of saying thanks for all they’ve done to make a positive impact on our community “Our Region wouldn’t be what it is without their efforts and the awards are a testament to all they’ve done to help make this a great place to live “We applaud all the award winners and commend them for a job well done.” Culture and Heritage Councillor Drew Wickerson said he was pleased to be a member of the judging panel again this year and thanked his fellow judges for volunteering their time “It is always an honour to be on the panel and we were once again blown away by the quality and quantity of nominations,” Cr Wickerson said “The quality of the nominations certainly made our job very difficult but what a wonderful problem to have.” Sport and Public Spaces Councillor Cherie Rutherford said the awards spanned various categories and included a new category this year the 2025 Mayoral Commendation for Civic Excellence which was awarded to The Shelter Collective “The Mayor’s Commendation for Civic Excellence recognises a project that has delivered outstanding outcomes and compassion while leaving a lasting and positive impact on the community,” Cr Rutherford said “Thank you to everyone who took the time to nominate someone; your efforts helped highlight their outstanding contributions for our consideration.” After being named the 2025 Citizen of the Year Christine Dobele said the honour came as a surprise particularly knowing the calibre of volunteers who were in the room there were so many nominations in all of the categories,” Mrs Dobele said “We have these celebrations because of those who volunteer All the people nominated volunteer for something so it’s wonderful to celebrate that.” Jarryd Lebeter said it was a nice acknowledgement to be awarded Young Citizen of the Year following 14 years of dedication to his sport “I’ve been training since I was 10 and it’s been a really long time but last year it was definitely one of my best years so far,” Mr Lebeter said “It was really exciting to be named the Young Citizen of the Year I didn’t expect it but it’s a good feeling.” Dignitaries who also joined in on the prestigious awards evening included Shadow Assistant Minister and Member for Capricornia Assistant Minister and State Member for Rockhampton Donna Kirkland and Australia Day Ambassador Carmel Crouch The 2025 Australia Day Award Winners include: 2025 Citizen of the Year - Christine Dobele Christine Dobele has been key to the Rockhampton community dedicating decades of selfless service to initiatives that promote health such as the U3A Saturday Walk and Chat Group and Stockland Striders Heart Foundation Walking Group Her leadership extends to roles with the Queensland Cancer Council and environmental and community volunteer work making her a deserving recipient of the Citizen of the Year Award for her lasting impact on the region 2025 Young Citizen of the Year - Jarryd Lebeter Jarryd Lebeter is an accomplished young leader in Shotokan Karate having progressed from White Belt to 3rd Dan Black Belt and mentoring the next generation of karate practitioners winning 14 Gold Medals in major competitions and representing Australia internationally including a Gold medal at the SKIF Pan American Titles in Mexico while also contributing to the karate community as a referee and technical team member Shane Iker has dedicated over 33 years to rodeo earning numerous national titles and holding the record for the most titles in the Central Rodeo Cowboys Association while also revitalising the Australian Professional Rodeo Association during his leadership bringing the National Rodeo Finals to Gracemere and continuing to inspire the local community with his passion for the sport Rod Pratt has been a key figure in the Rockhampton Touch Association for decades founding the region's first Junior Touch competition in 1989 and developing one of Queensland’s top Junior Development Programs and developing referees has had a lasting impact on the sport with many of his players reaching state and national levels earning him Life Member status and induction into the Hall of Fame David Grenfell has dedicated over three decades to addressing critical local challenges including the skills shortage and housing crisis through his leadership and involvement in initiatives like The Shelter Collective particularly with the ARC-20 project providing housing for women and families facing homelessness has had a profound impact on the community fostering a sense of responsibility and transforming lives through innovative solutions and unwavering commitment Les Killion has been a dedicated volunteer for over 40 years playing key roles in the Rockhampton Eisteddfod and significantly contributing to its growth and prominence and commitment to fostering community pride in the arts have made a lasting impact on the cultural landscape of Rockhampton inspiring future generations of young performers Community Initiative/Event - Rockhampton Riding for the Disabled Association the Rockhampton Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA) has made a meaningful impact by offering tailored programs that provide physical and psychological benefits to individuals with a range of challenges inclusive community that empowers participants with many former riders returning as volunteers to support future generations 2025 Mayoral Commendation for Civic Excellence - The Shelter Collective The Shelter Collective has been awarded the Mayoral Commendation for Civic Excellence in recognition of their transformative work in addressing homelessness and housing affordability in Rockhampton Through innovative projects like Shelteristic Communities and made a lasting impact on the community Community Service Commendation - Peter Curtis Peter Curtis has dedicated over 60 years of service to the Agricultural Show movement significantly impacting Rockhampton and Central Queensland he has played a key role in the success of events like the Rockhampton Show Rockhampton Regional Council acknowledges Australia's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the lands on which we live 152fb400-5e8f-4c39-97af-1671cc9afbba ' + noBrDesc.replace(/(\r\n|\r|\n){2}((\r\n|\r|\n)+)?/g Home  |  Tournaments  |  Courses  |  Equipment  |  Players  |  Rankings  |  About Us  |  Contact 2018 2:00 AMWhy people can't resist the viral lure of the Kiki ChallengeRisky enough to be entertaining but not dangerous enough to put people off: this is what draws people into viral challenges that are clearly a bad ideaSave this storySaveSave this storySaveLagerhaus/WireImage/GettyAlong with the usual advice to stay hydrated and wear sun lotion this summer police around the world have been issuing a new warning: Don’t jump out of a moving car and dance on the road The reason people are doing this in the first place the latest social media challenge to go viral inspired by Drake’s single of the same name and a video uploaded by Instagram comedian Shiggy that shows him dancing to the song The #inmyfeelings challenge – also referred to as the Kiki challenge – involves getting out of the car while it’s still moving leaving the door open and dancing as the car keeps rolling forwards (Shiggy’s original video didn’t actually involve a car but this became a feature of the challenge after Shiggy’s friend Odell Beckham Jr filmed himself doing the dance in front of a car.) This content can also be viewed on the site it originates from These behaviours spread easily through social media, where new activity can be rapidly reinforced by interconnected peers. “Initial online activity by a group of people reinforces others, and as more people participate, excitement about participating grows until the challenge spreads across the network,” he says. It’s not just stupid challenges, Centola adds; this spread of excitement and activity can also be seen in political movements, such as in how the Arab Spring revolutions grew, or how enthusiasm for new political candidates can quickly build momentum. He suggests that the reason #inmyfeelings has been particularly popular could be because it has the exact right level of risk involved. There are two elements to danger that can affect how contagious it is among social networks, he explains. The first is the actual risk of pain or injury, which makes us more resistant to pick up our phones and film ourselves doing the challenge. “On the other side, it’s easier to generate emotional excitement for a behaviour that is somewhat risky than for a behaviour that it not at all risky,” he says. “Together, these two facts mean that slightly dangerous or slightly risky challenges may have the best combination of high-enough riskiness to make it easy to create emotional excitement about participating, but low-enough risk that they can spread with only moderate levels of social reinforcement.” Social media has amplified this on a global scale. “Part of the reason these challenges, and successful marketing campaigns, work on social media is because they have a co-creation element, allowing people to contribute to a message they feel is bigger and better than them, which they themselves become a part of by association,” Dobele adds. Sarah Gaither, assistant professor of psychology and neuroscience at Duke University, says that recognition from friends and followers on social media boosts esteem and increases our sense of being part of the group. “Each like or share reinforces our sense of self and our sense of belonging to our social world around us,” she says. When someone puts this desire to belong before the potential risks of taking part in these challenges, it’s because they’re too busy trying to fit into their peer group, Gaither says: “Despite the risks that many online viral challenges present, when we are so consumed with trying to fit in with groups that are important to us, we often sacrifice the critical thinking that would tell us that a given behaviour is dangerous.” This article was originally published by WIRED UK It is the essential source of information and ideas that make sense of a world in constant transformation The WIRED conversation illuminates how technology is changing every aspect of our lives—from culture to business The breakthroughs and innovations that we uncover lead to new ways of thinking Get the latest news to your email inbox FREE There is a special place right here in Rockhampton hidden away in one of our historic buildings Get an all ACCESS PASS to the News and your Digital Edition with an online subscription Get an all access pass to the News and your Digital Edition with an online subscription