More residents and guests are invited to watch a military parade in which units and equipment of the Latvian and foreign armed forces will participate.  The parade will start from Fabrikas Street move along the monument "Koklētājs" continuing along Raina and Rīgas Streets to the Talsi motor transport parking lot. The marching units' route from the intersection of Liela and Brīvības Streets will lead along Brīvības Street to the CSDD parking lot As well as the ground parade there will be a flyover by the Latvian Air Force AN-2 aircraft creating a red-white-red smoke trail in the sky It will be followed by the National Armed Forces UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter as well as the Latvian State Border Guard A-119 and A-109 The flyover will also be attended by the United States Army Black Hawk and CH-47 Chinook twin-rotor helicopters and Polish F-16 fighters plus two United States Apache attack helicopters Live coverage is provided by Latvian Television.  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 with a church service at the Talsi Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Talsi Market parking lot and at the skate park you will be able to view displays and information stands of equipment of the National Armed Forces and the Ministry of the Interior units there will be demonstrations by dog ​​handlers of the State Border Guard and Military Police near the Talsi Market the annual Dragon Festival organized by the Talsi County Children and Youth Center will take place in Dzirnavkalns, a craft market is also planned on Zvaigžņu Street, while at 2:00 p.m. a friendly football match between allied soldiers and Talsi County Municipality teams will take place on the Talsi State Gymnasium Square everyone is invited to the festive concert of the National Armed Forces Naval Orchestra at the Talsi Culture Center The May 4 parade is a relatively recent innovation launched in 2012 to introduce the National Armed Forces to those residents who do not have the opportunity to attend the traditional independence day parade on November 18 in Rīga the event has been held under the motto “May 4 – Freedom Day” and each year it takes place in a different regional centre The city where the parade will be held next year will be announced during this year's May 4 parade This work, Task Force Iron celebrates Day of the Restoration of Latvian Independence with NATO Allies, by SSG Joseph Novak, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright RIGA - More than 100,000 volunteers took part in the Nationwide Cleanup Campaign on Saturday the campaign organizers' representative Aiva Rozenberga informed LETA The most dangerous find during the cleanup campaign was an unexploded aerial bomb found in Lake Talsi The largest number of sites registered for the Nationwide Cleanup Campaign was in Riga's Kurzeme District and Zemgale District The most unusual finds this time were found while cleaning up several water bodies: an unexploded aerial bomb in Lake Talsi bulky steel waste in the River Lielupe near Jelgava The organizers of the Nationwide Cleanup Campaign are pleased that about half of the registered cleanup sites saw landscaping and other work for the benefit of nature and the community shrub gardens and flower beds were planted The campaign also involved libraries and cleaning up cemeteries kindergartens and schools also took an active part in the cleanup campaign this year with children and parents working together The Interior Ministry and several municipalities focused on cleaning up basements with a view to civil safety and security Many diaspora communities also took part in the campaign around 100 people turned out for cleaning up Straumeni property in Great Britain Latvians living in Georgia cleaned up the burial place of scientist Roberts Kupcs in Tbilisi Latvians in Canada participated in cleaning up the area around Latvian Evangelical Lutheran Church in Ottawa also participating in the campaign were Latvians living in Poland and the United States 12 embassies in Riga took part in the Nationwide Cleanup Campaign and their work was coordinated by Irish Ambassador to Latvia Eimear Friel 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 During the FIA World Rally Championship round Tet Rally Latvia Food Festival will take place in the rally cities of Tukums Visitors will have the opportunity to taste various dishes prepared by Latvian chefs the Food Festival events are scheduled in Tukums and Talsi the food festival will take place on Uguns Street from 8.00 to 22.30 it will be located on Lielā Street (near the intersection with Zvaigžņu Street) from 11.00 to 22.30 residents and visitors of these cities will have the opportunity to taste dishes prepared by Latvia's finest chefs showcasing globally renowned culinary culture combined with the excitement of rally festivities there will be an exciting activity during the Food Festival where attendees can test their skills on a rally simulator the Food Festival will delight visitors over two days – on Saturday and Sunday The food festival in Liepāja will be located opposite the Great Amber concert hall (Lielais Dzintars) offering rally spectators and city residents alike the opportunity to indulge in the creativity of Latvia's finest restaurants visitors in Liepāja will also have the chance to test their skills on a rally simulator Each of the event cities may offer a different assortment of foods but visitors to the Food Festival will have the opportunity to taste various styles and flavors of cuisine there will be options like ice cream stands and sweet bubble waffles available Visitors can cool off with beverages offered at the cocktail bar Tukums            Uguns Street                                                       19.07.2024. Talsi                  Lielā Street and Zvaigžņu Street                     19.07.2024. Liepāja             Square next to Great Amber conert hall      20.-21.07.2024. The event is possible thanks to the support provided by Ministry of Education and Science Thanks to our partners Canon Biznesa Centrs Liepāja Latvijas Valsts meži and municipality of Dienvidkurzeme Informative support provided by news portal DELFI Thanks to Tet Rally Latvia supporters shopping malls AKROPOLE as well as technical partner Sports Racing Technologies Tet Rally Latvia is organised by RA Events in cooperation with Speed Festival Kurzeme and Latvian Automobile Federation Tet Rally Latvia supports initiatives carried out by Latvian Children's Support Centre, who has created and are developing social rehabilitation facility for children with special needs. We invite you to support this initiative, by making a donation here: http://www.lbaf.lv/lv/ka-ziedot līgumu Nr.17.1-1-L-2024/304 ar Latvijas Investīciju un attīstības aģentūru par atbalsta saņemšanu pasākuma “Starptautiskās konkurētspējas veicināšana” ietvaros ko līdzfinansē Eiropas Reģionālās attīstības fonds Then on May 4 the country will mark the 35th anniversary of the 1990 restoration of Latvia's independence by the Supreme Council's adoption of the Declaration "On the Restoration of the Independence of the Republic of Latvia" which restored the state independence of the Republic of Latvia the world will mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II and a day later on May 9 this year marking 75 years since the birth of the European idea that was eventually to lead to the establishment of the European Union public holidays have been declared on May 1 meaning that there will be five days in a row that are – at least in theory – work-free To account for the extra holiday on May 2 you are supposed to work May 10 in lieu.  Here is a run-down of some key events and celebrations taking place around the May 4 focus so bear in mind that there will also be equivalent local events in other parts of the country – check your local municipality website for details There will also be events taking place in other countries, details of which are provided by the Foreign Affairs Ministry here. You can find out more about the May 4th events in Riga on the website www.kultura.riga.lv.   the 10th anniversary event of the campaign "Wear the national costume in honour of Latvia" will take place at the Town Hall Square from 12:30 to 15:00 The traditional procession in folk costumes will take place from 2:30 p.m on the route from Town Hall Square to the Freedom Monument to demonstrate the diversity and splendour of folk costumes and decorate the holiday The “Put on the national costume in honor of Latvia” procession will be followed at 17:30 by ceremonial speeches by state officials after which the festive grand concert “Roots that bind” will be performed It will feature artists including Ance Krauze the voices of the soloists will be joined by the voices of singers from the choirs “Anima” “Vivere” and “Muklājs” and the events on stage will be complemented by performances by dancers The program will be hosted by Ritvars Logins there will be more entertainment with the post-folklore group "Rikši" The May 4 Latvian Film Marathon will take place throughout the day at the Splendid Palace cinema the latest Latvian films will be screened in both halls of the cinema and in an open-air night screening The cultural centre “Iļģuciems” will host a jazz concert “Improvisation on Folk Songs” featuring the Rūta Dūduma-Ķirse and Laura Amantova quartet and the cultural centre “Imanta” youth chamber choir “Vecrīga" Latvia!” will be performed at the Palace of Culture “Ziemeļblāzma” featuring the orchestra “Rīga” the National Guard choir “Stars” and the mixed choir of the Latvian Academy of Culture “Sōla” with soloists Marlēna Keine Emīls Klāzus and Armands Siliņš The concert conductors are Valdis Butāns the concert program “Words of Power for Latvia” will feature pianist Agnes Egliņa Free invitations to concerts are available from April 28th at the "Biļešu paradīze" box office thematic holiday workshops will be held in the courtyard of the Riga Porcelain Museum in the Konventa Sēta, open to families with children On 24 October President Edgars Rinkēvičs paid a working visit to Talsi Municipality where he met with the leadership of Talsi Municipality Council and Roja Administration Today there was an opportunity to get to know strong and export-oriented companies as well as an exemplary case of sustainable production Modern companies with both local and foreign capital operate here I would also like to mention the meeting with the patient's parents and medical staff at the Talsi Family and Child Development Centre ‘Brīnumiņš’ which was very emotional,’ said President E Rinkēvičs got acquainted with the business environment of the Talsi Municipality inspecting the operations of the export fishery company Banga LTD in Roja and meeting with representatives of the household metal products manufacturer Brabantia Latvia who shared their experience with sustainable business practices in both product production and energy-efficient operation of the company Rinkēvičs visited the farm of the sea buckthorn growing and processing family enterprise ‘Cukuriņi’ in Talsi he met with the weaver and creator of the brand ‘Vidū’ Una Rozentāle President Rinkēvičs also visited the Talsi Family and Child Development Centre ‘Brīnumiņš’ where he met with the centre's patients – children and young people with special needs staff and parents – to learn more about the centre's activities and hear the life stories of families with children with special needs the President of Latvia also visited the Marine Fisheries Museum of Roja answered questions from the local media of Talsi Municipality and at the end of his visit met with the residents of the region at the Talsi People's House Your feedback will help us improve this site The long-awaited debut of Latvia on the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) calendar has arrived with the historic first WRC round in Latvia The rally will start on the evening of Thursday with an Opening ceremony in Old Rīga and the first special stage of the rally in Biķernieki track where the Tet Rally Latvia service park will be located throughout the rally so we kindly ask Tet Rally Latvia spectators to be especially cautious and adhere to the instructions of marshals and other officials It is important to remember that it is strictly forbidden to move on the special stage surface 30 minutes before the start The green tape means that standing in that specific area is permitted whereas it is prohibited in all other areas We ask rally spectators to observe these rules and instructions; otherwise safety delegates of the International Automobile Federation (FIA) may decide to cancel the stage thus spoiling the rally experience for both the violators and other spectators Additional safety risks are associated with the Rally1 HYBRID cars of the most powerful WRC class which use high-voltage batteries and other electrical components All three factory teams – Toyota Gazoo Racing World Rally Team and M-Sport Ford World Rally Team – use hybrid engine cars these hybrid cars have easily recognizable white HY letters on a red background on their doors as well as a light indicator on the windshield and both side windows you will see a green light indicator in the windshield and on both side windows indicating that the car’s electrical system has no technical issues and it is safe to approach and touch the car if the indicator shows a red light (or if the light is off altogether) everyone nearby must take the highest safety precautions and avoid approaching or touching the car due to the risk of electric shock who will provide further instructions on the necessary actions the rally service park in Liepāja has found a new home relocating to the area near the Northern breakwater before the FIA World Rally Championship event not only will you find the impressive motorhomes and tents of the WRC manufacturer teams but also a specially adapted rally headquarters zone made from Ramirent containers The fan zone will also feature a screen where all the special stage live broadcasts can be watched In Latvia's debut on the world rally map Tet Rally Latvia competitors will compete in 20 special stages covering the capital city Rīga and the rally city Liepāja with stages also taking place in Tukums region Tet Rally Latvia will start with the Shakedown stage in the Dienvidkurzeme region a special opening ceremony will take place at Rīga Town Hall Square followed by the first special stage at the Biķernieki track Tet Rally Latvia crews will head to Tukums and Talsi regions where they will complete a total of seven special stages rally activities are expected in Kuldīga region in the first half of the day special stages will take place in the Dienvidkurzeme region with the day concluding with a super-special city stage in Liepāja On the closing day of the Tet Rally Latvia, July 21st, crews will start in the Dienvidkurzeme, concluding the rally at the Vecpils Autotrack, where the awards ceremony will also take place. For a detailed list of stages, you can find more information here: https://www.lvrally.com/en/news/next-stop-in-wrc-calendar---tet-rally-latvia Before the official opening ceremony begins at 15.30 a special basketball related activity is scheduled at Rīga Town Hall Square It will feature both the Latvian national basketball team players and FIA World Rally Championship drivers The opening ceremony for the WRC Tet Rally Latvia featuring performances by musical group Tautumeitas and the Andžeja Grauda drum school Fans will have the opportunity to meet their idols receive autographs from the world's leading rally drivers The event begins with a ‘family’ photo of the leading WRC and Latvian crews participating in Tet Rally Latvia followed by an autograph session and interviews with team managers and drivers followed by the rally crews driving through the narrow streets of Old Rīga and arriving at the base of the Freedom Monument for a historic photo shoot More about the opening ceremony here - https://www.lvrally.com/en/news/tet-rally-latvia-opening-ceremony-at-riga-town-hall-square The Biķernieki Track area will be open to visitors starting from 15.00 allowing them to settle into their preferred seating on the grandstands or find the best viewing spots at Witch's Cauldron (Raganas katls) the Tet Rally Latvia partner zone will be operational offering entertaining activities and a Sportland fan merchandise store attendees can participate in a Latvian rally history quiz prepared by the Rīga Motor Museum screens at Biķernieki Track will broadcast live coverage of the Tet Rally Latvia opening ceremony happening at Rīga Town Hall Square Throughout the entire season of the FIA World Rally Championship fans can follow all the stages on Tet TV platforms Live broadcasts of all stages can be viewed on the Go3 Sport channels featuring Latvian commentators Normunds Avotiņš and Krišjānis Caune in the studio the live broadcast of the opening ceremony of the FIA World Rally Championship's Latvian round will be available on Latvia's Public Media TV channel LTV7 and on the website LSM.lv rally enthusiasts can also follow WRC events on the streaming platform RallyTV where all stage broadcasts are available live and on-demand supplemented by on-board camera recordings and interviews with participants from the service park and Liepāja where rally events will take place This festival offers visitors the opportunity to taste various dishes prepared by Latvian chefs and food vendors It adds a culinary dimension to the rally experience allowing attendees to enjoy a diverse range of local cuisines while soaking in the rally atmosphere the WRC Food Festival will be held in Tukums and Talsi food vendors will be located on Lielā Street (near the intersection with Zvaigžņu Street) from 11.00 to 22.30 the food festival will delight visitors over two days—Saturday and Sunday the WRC Food Festival will be located opposite the Liepāja concert hall Great Amber various entertainment programs are planned the WRC Opening Day Afterparty will take place at Andrejostas Kvartāls visitors can enjoy the WRC Liepāja Beach Festival on Liepāja Beach featuring collaborations with beach bars and cafes like Cukurfabrik' After the stages in Talsi and Talsi region on Friday evening, the club Ballīte Ballītē in Talsi will host a lively party. For more information about the parties and entertainment during Tet Rally Latvia, you can find details here: https://www.lvrally.com/en/news/tet-rally-latvia-will-feature-food-festival Tet Rally Latvia tickets available at Biļešu Paradīze online store www.bilesuparadize.lv 20.05          SSS1 Biķernieki Track                                                                     10.00          SS2 Milzkalne 1                                                                                10.45          SS3 Tukums 1                                                                                   12.00          SS4 Andumi                                                                                       14.30          SS5 Milzkalne 2                                                                                15.15          SS6 Tukums 2                                                                                   16.30          SS7 Strazde                                                                                       17.20          SS8 Talsi                                                                                             08.20          SS9 Pilskalns                                                                                     09.35          SS10 Snēpele                                                                                    11.30          SS11 Īvande                                                                                      13.05          SS12 Vecpils 1                                                                                  16.15          SS13 Podnieki                                                                                   17.05          SS14 Vecpils 2                                                                                  19.00          SS15 Dinsdurbe                                                                                20.15          SSS16 Liepāja City Stage                                                                08.55          SS17 Krogzemji 1                                                                             10.05          SS18 Mazilmāja 1                                                                            11.55          SS19 Krogzemji 2                                                                             14.15         SS20 Mazilmāja 2 (Wolf Power Stage) Both municipalities reported a shortfall of several million if serious reforms were not carried out which are the capitals of their respective regions employees in the municipality worked only four working days last year the budgets in both municipalities were reported to be balanced That is the question posed by LSM's Latvian language service February 5 Balvi municipality councillors reported last year that they lacked 4.8 million euros to fulfill basic functions in 2024 Regardless of who was the first to express concern everyone had to agree on decisions to improve the situation the municipality adopted an action plan to balance expenses Part of the plan was the transition to a shorter work week This was directly felt by municipal employees who often did not see their workload decrease the budget revenue of Balvi was over 32 million euros and expenses – over 35 million euros it was necessary to borrow almost 3.5 million euros from the state purse.  residents of Balvi municipality had to live with several more changes the optimization of municipal institutions and workplaces The local government set a minimum number of people from which a kindergarten group can be opened Work was also optimized in other municipal institutions Mayor Sergejs Maksimovs (Latgale party) explained that it is difficult to say how many people lost their jobs in this process He estimated that last year the workforce was reduced by approximately 200 "I can't say exactly how many people lost their jobs We haven't counted exactly how many shifts we reduced But it wasn't economically viable to maintain them so we didn't renew them," explained the mayor of Balvi municipality Maksimovs emphasized that now employees' wages have returned to their previous level – that is the local government approved the budget for 2025 It foresees revenues of over 31 million euros and approximately 1 million euros in borrowing the local government plans to repay almost 2.5 million euros from previous borrowings "We can't say that everything is over and everything is fine There are also finances to cover the loan," Maksimovs said This will bring Balvi an additional 220,000 euros the region will receive one million more from the equalization fund than in 2024 which have to pay millions into it every year Although the Ministry of Finance came up with a proposal for a new procedure last year discussions are still ongoing and it is not known when it will be changed "Providus" researcher Līga Stafecka agreed that the current equalization fund is not effective She pointed out that the costs of local governments have gradually increased which they must be able to finance themselves all local governments were required to have a municipal police force Local governments must also find the money in the budget for this themselves which was initially financed from European Union funds Local governments could have foreseen this and it had to be taken into account and resolved And there is a reason why not all local governments end up in such difficulties The question is how economical the decisions have been," explained Stafecka Talsi region also reported similar problems - the local government lacked several million to ensure its operations and planned to borrow from the state purse 62.7 million euros were planned in revenue This region also developed an action plan to reduce expenses A four-day work week was established for employees the workload of positions was reduced by 15% and bonuses and benefits for employees were waived The salaries of deputies were also reduced The municipality refused to co-finance voluntary initiatives and also limited daily spending the reorganisation of parish administrations took place a three million euro loan was planned from the state but less than two million euros were spent The local government reports that this year's budget will be balanced but the exact figures have not yet been revealed as the budget is in the process of being adopted "We plan to adopt the budget by the deadline in February and salaries are being restored to the previous amount," Lita Rollande deputy executive director of the Talsi municipality social services and benefits this year are planned to be at the same level as last year "The increase in the social budget is significant but the county's priority is to ensure the needs of vulnerable residents for social services and assistance in accordance with regulatory enactments," noted Rollande Talsi will also receive a larger share of personal income tax and the grant from the municipal equalization fund will increase by 3.6 million euros the local government also decided not to raise salaries for municipal employees the council also decided to freeze salaries for elected officials The mayor of Balvi admitted that actions should have been taken earlier but the negative reaction of the public discouraged them from doing so Talsi pointed out that the budget was also affected by previously made decisions regarding salary increases both local governments had not optimized their internal structures in a timely manner Local governments also mentioned the inevitable increase in costs the increase in loan interest rates and high energy prices which were affected by both the Covid-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine Balvi particularly emphasizes the local government financing model and the equalization fund as a reason "The root cause is the inadequate financing model for local governments It is outdated and unfriendly to border regions and regions further from the capital the Union of Local Governments and the Ministry of Finance were unable to agree on a new model leaving it for the future," said the mayor of Balvi municipality In the host cities of the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) round Tet Rally Latvia – Rīga and Liepāja – the event organizer RA Events has gone great lengths to create special fan zones fans will be able to watch live broadcasts of all the special stages on large screens in every city Tet Rally Latvia runs through the fan zone will be located at the very heart of Old-Town – Dome Square it will be in the square next to the Synagogue fans can gather at the Talsi City Square to watch and support the rally crews together Residents and guests of Kuldīga are invited to visit the fan zone at Town Hall Square the fan zone will be located among the motorhomes of the World Rally Championship teams allowing fans not only to watch the special stage broadcasts but also to observe the mechanics at work and meet their favourite crews Tukums            Square next to the Synagogue (Brīvības laukums 8) Liepāja             Tet Rally Latvia service park (Atmodas bulvāris 21) the next stop for the fastest rally crews in the 2024 FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) season will be the historic first WRC stage in Latvia Tet Rally Latvia crews will compete in 20 special stages Tet Rally Latvia will kick off with a Shakedown stage in Dienvidkurzeme region giving spectators the first opportunity to see WRC crews in action in Latvia The official start of the rally will take place on the evening of Thursday with a special opening ceremony in the Town Hall Square of the capital city the first stage will be held at the historic Biķernieki track which has hosted numerous world-class motorsport events in recent years including FIA World Rallycross Championship races the action at Tet Rally Latvia kicks off early in the morning as the teams tackle the first two stages scheduled in Tukums region They will first navigate through the shorter SS2/5 Milzkalne stage the crews will head to Talsi region and later return to Tukums for the media zone and regroup the drivers will take on more stages in Tukums characterized by fast and technically challenging road sections with a relatively slippery gravel surface The stages in Talsi region are divided into two parts The first glimpse of WRC teams in action in this area will be at SS4 Andumi the crews will face two more stages – firstly the Tet Rally Latvia action continues with three stages in Kuldīga region The day for the participants begins with SS9 Pilskalns and SS10 Snēpele all crews will gather at Kuldīga City Square as well as regroup – this area offers rally enthusiasts the opportunity to meet WRC participants in person and see their cars up close the drivers will return to their rally cars to tackle the third stage planned in Kuldīga region four stages are scheduled in the Dienvidkurzeme region – SS12/14 Vecpils a sweet treat awaits in Liepāja with SSS16 Liepāja City Stage which will run through the city streets and Liepāja's Seaside park the final part of Tet Rally Latvia will unfold in the Dienvidkurzeme region WRC crews will compete in the Super Sunday stages which will determine the allocation of championship points Drivers will tackle two stages – SS17/19 Krogzemji and SS18/20 Mazilmāja SS20 Mazilmāja will hold the status of a Power Stage where the Tet Rally Latvia awards ceremony will also take place The total competitive distance of Tet Rally Latvia across 20 stages in four Latvian regions and two cities will reach 300.13 kilometres One of the companies that manufactures demining equipment in Latvia is located in the Latvian city of Talsi The company "Teters" in Talsi is small the company has been operating in the military field since 2014 Even closer cooperation with Ukraine was established from 2019 but they are neutralized with demining equipment the caliber for us is from 30 to 50 millimeters there will be more in the near future," Sniedziņš explains When asked if the company also has a grant from the Ministry of Defense he answers in the affirmative: "We have had several grants that we have successfully applied for we will definitely look again for another grant We use the grants for development and testing." The company uses such opportunities to gain access to the National Armed Forces firing ranges "We also have other more innovative products which we are now designing and will test in Ukraine in the near future create innovative products that may not exist anywhere else in the world," Sniedziņš says chairman of the board of the Federation of Latvian Security and Defense Industries a trade body for the defense sector, states that demining equipment is also produced by other companies in Latvia equipment for demining at sea is being developed there are still many mines lingering from the Second World War these are perhaps the first devices that we can talk about concretely since there are definitely companies that have looked a little ahead will need support in the field of demining for a very long time," explains Egle currently in Ukraine mines are a particular danger around educational institutions and kindergartens "Western countries have lived in peaceful conditions and so there has not been such demand so I strongly believe that the work of Teters will be appreciated and they will also be able to offer their competences in the future," said Egle Sniedziņš says that the company has established a good cooperation with the charitable organization "Ziedot.lv" which buys demining equipment with the money donated by citizens and sends it to Ukraine there are many residents who do not support the war as such they do not want to donate for weapons but they gladly support what we produce – demining so that it saves people's lives," Sniedziņš says Asked whether the company will continue to operate in this field after the war in Ukraine ends he replies that demining will take at least 50 years and it's not only required in Ukraine Afghanistan and other hotspots will also need to be neutralizing mines for decades to come Three special stages of the FIA World Rally Championship's Latvian round are set to take place in the Kuldīga region WRC activities in Kuldīga will not end there a fan zone will be active in Kuldīga Town Hall Square crossing the Kuldīga brick bridge and through the old town which is included in the UNESCO World Heritage list It is expected that the first rally crew will arrive in Kuldīga around 18:20 with the competitors’ drive lasting approximately 90 minutes the rally participants will head to the service park in Liepāja giving residents and visitors of the city the opportunity to see the rally cars up close in the city The drivers will enter the city from the Talsi side moving along Stendes Street towards the Venta River Crossing the Venta via the historic brick bridge the crews will continue along Baznīcas Street and then along Liepājas Street The cars will then proceed along Kalpaka Street to return the next morning for the stages taking place in the Kuldīga region – SS9 Pilskalns all crews will return to Kuldīga City Square where a media and regroup is planned – a place where rally enthusiasts can meet the FIA World Rally Championship crews in person and see their cars We remind Kuldīga residents and visitors who will not be able to attend the stages that a special opportunity has been arranged – a large screen will be set up in the Town Hall Square for four days along with a special fan zone where it will be possible watch live broadcasts of all Tet Rally Latvia stages On Friday at 10:34 the State Fire and Rescue Service received a call to Strazde parish firefighters used hydraulic tools to free three people from a minibus the van was occupied by students and two teachers of a vocal ensemble LTV confirmed at the Ventspils Culture Center The ensemble traveled to Daugavpils to take part in the final of the 5th International Young Singers Christmas Song Contest one adult – the conductor – lost her life in the accident A total of 8 people were also taken to hospital The victims were taken to hospital conscious including 2 specialist medical teams that are involved in particularly complex events One of the children injured in the accident lost their life after the tragic crash the Children's Clinical University Hospital (BKUS) confirmed to Latvian Television on Saturday "This child was taken to the Children's Hospital yesterday in a very serious condition and his life could not be saved," the hospital said Latvia will become the 37th country to host a round of the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) Tet Rally Latvia will be the eighth stage of the 2024 WRC Calendar Before visiting Talsi city and Talsi region the fastest rally crews in the world will also have visited rallies in Monte Carlo This certainly will not be the first time when international rally competitions are held in the Talsi region the Talsi region has hosted a stage of the Latvian Rally Championship called Rally Talsi or Rally of Champions which has also been visited by WRC drivers such as Ott Tänak the Talsi region became part of the FIA European Rally Championship stage in Latvia hosting the special stages of the first day of the rally with Talsi and the Talsi region hosting events of the highest sporting level – stages of the FIA World Rally Championship with representatives from Tet Rally Latvia visiting all the cities hosting stages of the World Rally Championship round in Latvia they are providing detailed information about the planned activities in the respective city and region as well as answering questions from those present the activities planned in Talsi and the Talsi region were presented in more details The first to welcome their visitors will be the participants of the Street Food Festival who will start their activities on Lielā Street early on Friday the special stages in the Talsi region are planned in two parts – at first WRC crews will be able to be seen at SS4 Andumi two more stages are planned for the crews – first SS7 Strazde The start of the stage is planned in Talsi – starting on Gravas Street then continuing along the market and further along Ezera Street to the Town Square then along Fabrikas Street along Talsi Lake towards Sauleskalns (Sun hill) Although precise spectator areas were not indicated today visitors of the Tet Rally Latvia will be able to choose their preferred option – whether it's a slow and winding section or a spectator zone where crews are visible racing at high speed; whether it's narrow or wide roads But for those Talsi residents and visitors who won't be able to attend the stages a special opportunity has been provided - a large screen will be set up in Talsi Town Square for four days along with a dedicated fan zone where they will be able to watch live coverage of all Tet Rally Latvia special stages seating in the fan zone will not be available during the SS8 Talsi city stage Considering the latest changes in the technical regulations of the FIA World Rally Championship it is planned to abandon the use of the hybrid unit also reducing the overall power of the cars This means that for the first time in hosting the FIA World Rally Championship round Tet Rally Latvia spectators will have the opportunity to witness historically the most powerful and fastest rally cars ever driven by WRC crews ‍Tet Rally Latvia special stages SS4 Andumi Tet Rally Latvia supports initiatives carried out by LatvianChildren's Support Centre,who has created and are developing social rehabilitation facility for childrenwith special needs.We invite you to support this initiative, by making a donation: http://www.lbaf.lv/lv/ka-ziedot many thanks to our main sponsors Ramirent and Sportland Informative support provided by news portal DELFI and Sporta Avīze Thanks to Tet Rally Latvia supporters – shopping malls AKROPOLE Take note – story published 1 year and 3 months ago Seven councilors voted against her dismissal.  the applicants stressed that they were not satisfied with the availability of information on budget planning and the envisaged options for balancing it raising concerns about the possibility of the municipality to provide existing support instruments to citizens There were also accusations of influencing the school network and inadequate internal control systems Kārkliņa was criticized for closing schools and making decisions without further analysis.  Kārkliņa did not comment on her criticism after which the holiday will up to and including next Monday – five free days in a row the air temperature in the afternoons will mostly be in the range of +12 Celsius to +17 Celsius Night-time temperatures will be between +2 C and +8 C It will probably rain in some parts of Latvia every day and short-term heavy rain showers and thunderstorms are also expected in some places The warmest weather of the long weekend will be on Friday when the temperature in Latvia will reach up to +20 Celsius though the weather will still be cooler on the coast but gusty winds will blow on this day as well and short-term rain is expected in many places the temperature will only reach +10 C to +16 degrees it will often be windy and rain is also expected so it is likely to be less than classic conditions There will be no more widespread frosts this week but it cannot be ruled out that there may be slight frost at ground level in some places on some nights Driving conditions are difficult on the main roads A2 driving conditions are poor in the vicinity of Ventspils 58 maintenance units are clearing the roads Driving conditions are difficult on the main roads A1 driving conditions are poor in the vicinity of Limbaži 30 maintenance units are clearing the roads But who made 'Flow' and how did it make its way from a humble Rīga studio to silver screens and streaming services worldwide Latvian Television made a documentary answering these questions and more, as previously reported by LSM The good news for people who don't speak Latvian is that the documentary now has English subtitles added and can be watched above Simply turn on the English subtitles (you'll find the control bottom right of the video player) and enjoy Precipitation is not expected and the sun will shine frequently Fog will form at night and in the mornings in places southerly winds are expected in Kurzeme Minimum temperatures will range from -2 C to +2 C in eastern Latvia +4 C to +7 C in central and western Latvia In the afternoons the air temperatures will be +10 C to +14 C with light rain possible on Tuesday and Wednesday Winds will come from the southwest and west and gust at times with no frosts at night and temperatures reaching +11-16 C on Tuesday afternoon Longer-term forecasts still show that the first snow in October is unlikely driving conditions are poor in Latgale and in the vicinity of Ogre 60 maintenance units are clearing the roads Be careful of black ice on the roads – it is invisible and is especially prone to forming in changeable weather conditions.  WRC crews competed in two stages in the Tukums region – SS2 Milzkalne and SS3 Tukums Mārtiņš Sesks shocked the rally world by securing Latvia's first stage win in the World Championship The excellent performance of the Sesks / Francis crew continued in the SS4 Andumi stage the overall lead was taken by Finnish driver Kalle Rovanperä while Mārtiņš Sesks / Renārs Francis followed just 3.2 seconds behind Eight-time world champion Sébastien Ogier trailed the leading crew by 7.5 seconds After a short break and tire changes in Tukums the world's fastest rally crews again tackled both Tukuma stages in Milzkalne and Tukums The day concluded with SS7 Strazde and SS8 Talsi narrowly beating his Toyota Gazoo Racing teammates Takamoto Katsuta and Kalle Rovanperä by 0.1 and 0.2 seconds Rovanperä continued to set impressive times in the remaining stages of the day finishing Friday of Tet Rally Latvia in the lead continuing to post strong stage results and finishing in second place It's worth noting that this is only Sesks second WRC rally in his career and his first driving the hybrid-powered Ford Puma Rally1 HYBRID car positioning the Latvian between two world champions An interesting battle unfolded for fourth place – before the final Talsi stage Hyundai Shell Mobis driver Ott Tänak held fourth position Takamoto Katsuta and Sesks teammate Adrien Fourmaux had a very successful final stage Katsuta's deficit to the leader is 33.2 seconds while Fourmaux and Tänak are 5.3 and 5.6 seconds further behind The day's unfortunate performer can be considered the leader of the 2024 WRC season standings The Hyundai Shell Mobis driver trails the first-place holder by 1 minute and 23.3 seconds son of the 2003 world champion Petter Solberg has built a commanding lead after the first day He has a 31.1-second advantage over Finnish driver Mikko Heikkilä (Toyota GR Yaris Rally2) Tet Rally Latvia will continue with eight stages in the Kuldīga and Dienvidkurzeme regions WRC crews will face an additional four stages Take note – story published 1 year and 2 months ago According to preliminary data on the airport's performance almost 338 thousand passengers used Riga Airport (airport code RIX) for direct flights while the number of transit passengers remained stable at 82,000 in January Therefore around 20% of passengers were transit passengers The average occupancy of passenger flights in January exceeded the 70 percent mark with flights to the United Kingdom and southern Europe remaining the most popular More than half of the passengers served in January travelled with the national airline airBaltic. As usual the second largest carrier was Irish low-cost airline Ryanair with 132,000 travellers a separate line is available at Riga Airport security check for passengers traveling with children up to the age of seven an impressive Opening Ceremony will mark the start of the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) Latvian round Tet Rally Latvia which will happen over the following four days in Rīga Before the official opening ceremony begins there is a special basketball-related activity scheduled involving Latvian national team basketball players and FIA World Rally Championship pilots Shortly before the opening ceremony starts there will also be a ‘family’ photo of the leading WRC crews and Latvian rally drivers participating in Tet Rally Latvia The impressive opening event of the Tet Rally Latvia will start at 16.50 next to the Rīga City Council building Spectators will enjoy performances by musical groups Tautumeitas and Andžejs Grauds drum school They will have the opportunity to meet their idols collect autographs from the world's leading rally drivers with speeches on the opening stage and WRC Tet Rally Latvia crews driving onto the stage they will navigate through the narrow streets of Old Riga to reach the base of the Freedom Monument for a historic photoshoot rally crews will drive through the streets of Rīga along Brīvības drivers will face their first competitive challenge of Tet Rally Latvia – the special stage SSS1 Biķernieki Track featuring an impressive distance of 11.13 km After completing the first competitive stage rally cars will return to the heart of Rīga – a Parc Fermé will be set up at Rīga Town Hall Square The cars will remain there overnight until the crews return at 8:00 the next day when they will be going for the gravel stages of Tet Rally Latvia Although the cars will be within a fenced-off area this will be a unique opportunity for residents and visitors of Rīga to get a close look at the rally cars of the WRC Tet Rally Latvia crews Tet Rally Latvia Opening Ceremony Schedule 15.30          Activity with Latvian national team basketball team players and Tet Rally Latvia drivers WRC Team Principals and drivers interviews 18.00         Tet Rally Latvia Opening Ceremony 18:20          Parade drive trhough Old Rīga 18:25          Photoshoot at Freedom Monument Tet Rally Latvia entry passes are available on the Biļešu Paradīze website at www.bilesuparadize.lv recent years have seen a new tradition taking root which brings friends and families together around a "white tablecloth" to share memories of the past and hopes for the future Others make it a point to don folk dress for the day Russia's brutal invasion of Ukraine has caused many people to reflect on the privileges of nationhood and Latvia's crucial memberships of the European Union and NATO.   The Latvian capital, Rīga, has a wide variety of celebratory events planned under the slogan of 'Democracy week' and public transport in Rīga is free all day on May 4.  Similar things will be taking place in other towns and cities, while the honor of hosting the annual military parade goes to the city of Talsi LSM will have live coverage of events in Talsi and Rīga throughout the day To learn more about the events leading up to the restoration of Latvia's independence you might like to watch the short LTV documentary below which gives an excellent overview of those extraordinary times Take note – story published 2 years and 3 months ago 107 machinery units are clearing the roads Driving is difficult on the country's main roads A1 conditions are poor everywhere except around Alūksne On 42 gravel roads, a tonnage limit has been placed to avoid damaging the road. 10 tonnes is the maximum weight of the vehicle on those sections. The map of those roads is available here An interactive map on the current state of roads is available on the LVC website. Take note – story published 5 years and 5 months ago While in Latvia medics are fighting for healthcare financing with many leaving or thinking of leaving the country to work abroad, there are also examples of doctors choosing to return to Latvia and now she has a family practice in in a small house at the Baltic seaside in her native Kurzeme function () { LSM.articles.prepareVideoWithCover('vc-253-2019-11-567291'); });Ārste no Vācijas atgriežas mazpilsētā Walking into Meldere's practice is unexpectedly cosy for a medical establishment Everything is arranged according to the German model from the mobility challenged-friendly width of the doors to the windows connecting the toilets to the laboratory “It's unhygienic for patients to walk around the whole practice with a urine sample or worse – drive around from Roja to Talsi,” explains Meldere Meldre left Latvia because Germany offered better education and longer residency opportunities And she brought with her not only a western european mindset I can understand within five minutes if it's a myocardial infarction because I have both troponin I and troponin T tests,” explains Meldere “An in Germany these tests have truly help diagnose a myocardial infarction at least five times,” continues the doctor In September Meldere took on 1216 patients at her practice and is currently treating around 1500 people Meldere has also joined the protests in solidarity with her colleagues in the beginning of November she's experience difficulty finding qualified nurses However when deciding to return to Latvia the medical situation was secondary the main thing was for her family to be together “The salary difference between Latvia and Germany varies drastically but it all depends on what's important to you,” says Meldere Māra Meldere isn't the only doctor to return to Latvia however there are no statistics in this area Specialists agree that the cases are pretty rare Take note – story published 2 years and 8 months ago It is not yet known whether the fish have already been fed to the animals at Rīga Zoo In consultation with environmental specialists it has been established that the fish should not be moved to another body of water so it has been decided to feed them to the residents of the zoo the transfer of local fish species to natural water bodies needs coordination with the environment safety lab BIOR. The rules on angling and underwater hunting also prohibit the movement of fish and crayfish from one body of water to another Toppling the obelisk into the pond hasn't killed the fish in it. The workers only found one carp that had been thrown ashore Pumping the pond and collecting fish were scheduled to take place early this week Take note – story published 3 years and 3 months ago The sun will still shine in eastern Vidzeme and in Latgale in the morning clouds coming across the country in the afternoon Maximum air temperature in the evening will be between 0 C to -5 C but in the east of the country down to -6 to -9 C which will turn into a drizzle and form ice The maximum air temperature in the evening will be around zero Take note – story published 2 years and 4 months ago The NEPLP imposed the punishment for marking occupied Crimea on a map as part of Russia and calling the Russian army "our army" in a broadcast Meanwhile TV Rain has appealed a separate 4,000 euro penalty applied by NEPLP for not providing a language track in Latvian the NEPLP sparked international controversy by deciding to cancel the broadcasting license of TV Rain which had relocated to Latvia after finding its operation in Moscow coming under increasing pressure from the authorities.  The broadcast ban came into effect on the night of December 8 Take note – story published 3 years and 2 months ago The peaceful procession started at the Freedom Monument proceeded past the Russian embassy and ended at the the Ukrainian embassy You can see some pictures from the event in the news report below function () { LSM.articles.prepareVideoWithCover('vc-2715-2022-03-813881'); });30 000 cilvēku Rīgā pieprasa brīvību Ukrainai4min RIGA - Local residents of the small village of Stikli in the western Latvian county of Puze were evacuated today due to a major forest fire that has broken out in the nearby county of Valdgale in Talsi region a spokeswoman for the State Fire and Rescue Service representatives of the State Fire and Rescue Service the State Forest Service and the State Police as well as the chairman of the Talsi regional council found that the wind was blowing smoke from the fire into the village It was decided that first it was necessary to evacuate a local special boarding school The evacuation of local residents is now under way firefighters are today battling a major forest fire in Valdgale County The fire has spread over an area of more than 100 hectares Firefighters are assisted by a National Armed Forces helicopter Take note – story published 3 years and 7 months ago The wader bird is a rarity not only in the Baltic region but throughout Europe It was photographed by Baiba Barkāne and posted to nature observation website Dabasdati.lv first thought to be the common red knot (Calidris canutus) the avian was finally identified as the rare great knot Photo: Baiba Barkāne/Dabasdati.lvGarknābja šņibītis Calidris tenuirostris The species has not been observed in Lithuania whereas in Sweden it has been seen three times (2005 Everyone is invited to report bird sightings on the portal Dabasdati.lv even if the observed bird species cannot be determined Take note – story published 4 years and 9 months ago RMS received a formal letter from “Rigas Satiksme” that the company must await a new order to be able to close some express bus routes for a certain period of time RMS apologizes to passengers for misleading information minibuses will run on all routes following current timetables until the Executive Director of Riga City issues a new order on the basis of which the RMS will be able to close some routes by August 31 Take note – story published 3 years and 11 months ago Latvian nationals who find themselves in an emergency situation in Belarus and require consular assistance can contact an embassy of any EU Member State in Minsk or the Consulate of Latvia in Vitebsk or the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at +371 26337711 Concerning the possibilities for receiving consular services (passports/ID statements etc.) Latvian nationals are asked to contact any diplomatic or consular mission of Latvia Take note – story published 4 years and 10 months ago In accordance with the decision of the temporary administration of the Riga City Council there will no longer be any reductions of the fares previously provided by the local government The City Council has decided discounts will no longer be available in the buses regardless of whether they are orange or blue-painted – will all have a fixed fare of €1.15 This does not apply to disability discounts which are still in place The numbering of express bus routes has also been changed All bus numbers that began with "two hundred" have been renamed to "three hundred" without changing routes or the following numeration Face covering rules remain in force in the express buses Lido's owner Gunārs Ķirsons and Treeland's Ivar Vendelin see an extension of the business not only in the Baltic but also in Scandinavia and possibly elsewhere in Europe "The crisis caused by Covid-19 has taught a lot the state's promised aid has remained only in words many times attracting a new development partner with which my strategic vision is consistent is a strong stepping-stone for Lido growth so that Lido develops and brings added value and pleasure to people not only in Latvia,” said Ķirsons Lido owns 20 restaurants in Latvia and Estonia the group AS “Lido” worked on a turnover of €56,123 million it is currently possible to travel from Riga to 17 destinations and flights are provided by 4 airlines: Wizz Air The full list of current and planned airport destinations is available on the Flyfromriga website 2025·Para Cross-CountryMen Sitting athletes in the Sprint start gates in Steinkjer @GPOWERSFILMThe final stop of the FIS Para Cross-Country World Cup before the 2025 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships saw thrilling battles in Steinkjer (NOR) despite challenging weather conditions forcing the cancellation of the final day's races The competition kicked off with the 10km individual freestyle races where several top contenders made strong statements ahead of the season's pinnacle event in Trondheim multiple Paralympic and World Champion Kendall Gretsch (USA) added another win to her resume crossing the line 19 seconds ahead of South Korea’s Yunji Kim with China’s Yilin Shan securing third place Brazil’s Cristian Westemaier Ribera continued his dominant campaign in the Men’s Sitting field taking a decisive victory by 1:20 over Kazakhstan’s Yerbol Khamitov USA’s Daniel Cnossen rounded out the podium Fresh off a flawless World Championships campaign in Toblach Vilde Nilsen (NOR) remained untouchable in Women’s Standing stopping the clock at 29:36—34 seconds ahead of the rising American star Sydney Peterson while Ukraine’s Oleksandra Kononova secured third place A surprise victory came in the Men’s Standing event where Lingxin Huang (CHN) marked his first World Cup appearance of the season with a commanding win Kazakhstan’s Alexandr Gerlits and Ukraine’s Serafym Drahun both making their first podium appearances of the season Category leader Taiki Kawayoke (JPN) finished just outside the podium in fourth built on her strong performances in Toblach (where she claimed silver and bronze) to take the win while Ukraine’s Oksana Shyshkova (guided by Artem Kazarian) celebrated her first World Cup podium of the season in third The fastest time of the day across all categories belonged to Jake Adicoff (USA) and his guide Jake Brown who dominated the Men’s Vision Impaired race Ukraine’s Iaroslav Reshetynskyi (guided by Dmytro Drahun) took second place while Sweden’s Zebastian Modin (guided by Emil Talsi) completed the podium in third The sprint finals in Steinkjer provided thrilling head-to-head battles and unexpected turns with several podiums decided in the closing meters Yunji Kim (KOR) led into the last straight but Anja Wicker (GER) used her power and experience to surge ahead in the final meters and take the win The Men’s Sitting final saw Cristian Westemaier Ribera (BRA) enter the last descent with a comfortable lead while the battle for the remaining podium spots intensified behind him Oleksandr Aleksyk (UKR) edged out Yerbol Khamitov (KAZ) and Daniel Cnossen (USA) in a thrilling sprint to claim second place Vilde Nilsen (NOR) controlled the race from start to finish securing victory with a comfortable margin a tight duel for silver saw Sydney Peterson (USA) narrowly hold off Liudmyla Liashenko (UKR) with both athletes crossing the line nearly side by side The Men’s Standing final featured a dramatic showdown between Marco Maier (GER) and Serafym Drahun (UKR) on the finishing straight an all-Ukrainian battle played out for third place just behind Drahun was disqualified for an infraction at the finish line promoting Serhii Romaniuk (UKR) to second and Alexandr Gerlits (KAZ) to third surged past her in the final meters to take another victory Linn Kazmaier (GER) and her guide Florian Baumann completed the podium in third The Men’s Vision Impaired final saw a major upset as category leader Jake Adicoff (USA) and his guide Jake Brown crashed in the semifinals Zebastian Modin (SWE) and his guide Emil Joensson Haag dominated the final building a ten-second lead before the last descent Ukraine’s Ihor Kravchuk (guided by Andriy Dotsenko) edged out teammate Maksym Murashkovskyi (guided by Vitaliy Trush) in a dramatic sprint for second place Weather forces cancellation of the final day The 5km races scheduled for the final day were canceled due to adverse weather conditions "We have had two great days of competition with good conditions for the athletes The organizers put in tremendous effort to ensure a well-prepared event Canceling today’s races was not an easy decision but we believe it was the only responsible course of action," said Ingela Kälvedal Despite late efforts to maintain race conditions the organizers and jury deemed it unsafe to proceed Chief of competition Morten Vannebo expressed gratitude for the successful race days and wished the athletes well for the upcoming World Championships in Trondheim "It’s never an easy decision to cancel a race especially when the Local Organizing Committee has done such a great job with dedicated volunteers giving their best under any conditions it is our duty to prioritize the athletes’ health—especially as they head toward the biggest event of their season the inclusive Sprint event at the FIS Nordic World Championships," added Georg Zipfel where the world’s best Para Cross-Country skiers will battle for the season’s biggest honors at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships I think everybody knows what I’m aiming for… I’m hoping for the gold!– Vilde Nilsen (NOR)2024/25 FIS Para Cross-Country Overall winnersWomen Sitting category: Kendall Gretsch (USA) with 829 points maybe not the best in all races but just consistent across all season so I’m really proud of this season.– Kendall Gretsch (USA)Women Standing category: Vilde Nilsen (NOR) with 940 points It’s the symbol of all the hard work I’ve been doing this year and it finally pays off with the overall win so I’m very satisfied with that all the way from Vuokatti to the races in Italy and now in Norway so I’ve pretty much been racing how I wanted My goal this season was the World Championships and also winning the overall feels great.– Vilde Nilsen (NOR)Women VI category: Leonie Maria Walter and her guide Christian Krasman (GER) with 767 points I had so much fun at the races and did so many races with good positions so I’m happy about the whole season.– Leonie Maria Walter (GER)Men Sitting category: Cristian Westemaier Ribera (BRA) with 915 points very thankful for what we’ve done this season It was always a big dream to accomplish this and I’m very thankful From the first races I was already in good shape so we just had to keep it up.– Cristian Westemaier Ribera (BRA)Men Standing category: Taiki Kawayoke (JPN) with 791 points I'm very very happy!– Taiki Kawayoke (JPN)Men VI category: Zebastian Modin and his guide Emil Joensson Haag (SWE) with 879 points Of course it’s nice [to hold the big globe] and from there it was a little bit tougher during January and February it’s been stable and good.– Zebastian Modin (SWE)Thanks to the strong performances of its athletes and nine additional top-three finishes during the World Cup finals in Steinkjer Ukraine overtook China with a final score of 11,083 points to win the 2024/25 Nations Cup successfully defending its title as the most successful nation from last season The detailed rankings are available here HS Timber Group has signed an agreement to acquire 100% of the shares in Vika Wood SIA, a Latvian wood processing company, from Bergs Timber AB is expected to close in the first quarter of 2025 is known for its high-quality kiln-dried sawn timber under the established Vika brand The sawmill has an annual production capacity of up to 300,000 m3 and employs approximately 140 people Its products are sold in over 30 countries and the company plays a significant role in the regional value chain by supplying byproducts to pellet producers and the pulp industry and business activities will remain unchanged following the acquisition CEO Haralds Kronbergs and his management team will continue to lead operations HS Timber Group has committed to further investments and development projects at the site The sawmill processes locally sourced softwood logs from sustainably managed forests aligning with HS Timber Group's strategy for sustainable growth "This acquisition aligns seamlessly with our strategy to strengthen our operations and grow sustainably Having access to high-quality raw materials and entering the attractive Baltic market allows us to serve our customers even better," said Juergen Bergner noted that the divestment reflects their strategy to focus on more consumer-oriented products He acknowledged Vika Wood's positive reputation and expressed confidence in HS Timber Group's commitment to continued investments and development Bergs Timber AB acquired Vika Wood from Norvik Timber Industries in 2018 Republication of Lesprom Network content is prohibited without the prior written consent of Lesprom Network General Terms and Conditions and Privacy policy Talia Neustadt aka Talsi Tarot (visit on TikTok here) is making an unforgettable impression with audiences on TikTok and Youtube this year Her psychic TikTok readings have gone viral as Talsi gains insights from the past present and future through engaged tarot readings her spiritual advising not only impacts her online following making her impact as one of today’s go-to spiritual coaches Talsi was always able to pick-up the thoughts and feelings of the people around her as well as those far away leading her on a path as a tarot reader and coach Using psychic channeling and tarot to identify where people are misaligned she combines this with mindset and manifestation techniques to help clients and followers move forward with happiness and success “I’ve always believed in the power of intuition and manifestation but it’s not just about predicting the future; it’s about creating the future you desire My own journey as a successful tarot reader and spiritual coach and my clients’ success stories prove that the universe responds when you align your thoughts and actions with your dreams.” – Talia Neustadt Followers have called her readings ‘Scarily Accurate’ as she empowers them to make the right choices so that they can create the outcomes that they truly desire A firm believer that we are co-creators of our own destiny her readings provide insight into our current reality and outcomes based on the choices we have made and continue to make Applying her approach to spiritual coaching She guides clients and followers back to the place they are most aligned as that is the place where they can achieve anything their heart desires platforms like TikTok and Youtube have elevated her voice and abilities leaving an unforgettable stamp on a world desperate for healing Learn more about Tshirts and Tarot Labore doloremque voluptatum blanditiis eligendi placeat min.. 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