Riga
latest news & developments
How a boy born on World TB Day helped turn the tide on SA’s deadliest TB
Norbert Ndjeka was born on World TB Day. Decades later, he would reshape how South Africa treats the deadliest forms of the disease
Mocking T-shirts, penguin jibes lighten mood in Latvia
As Latvia’s economy shrinks, making fun of the state’s embattled leaders — with mocking T-shirts and penguin posters — has become quite popular.
Cape Town makes the cut for new Monopoly
Thanks to a popular vote, Canada and China are the most heavily represented nations in a new global edition of Monopoly.
Presidential bunny dies of stress
The pet rabbit of Latvian President Valdis Zatlers, Leonardo da Vinci, has died, the Telegraf newspaper reported on Thursday. Nicknamed Lisis, the five-year-old bunny possibly…
You think Christmas trees grow on trees?
Latvian authorities have given residents something to cheer about when they invited them to cut their own Christmas trees for free — only to be chased away by forest rangers. A…
Nato leaders commit to Afghanistan for long haul
Nato pledged on Wednesday to stay the course to restore peace and stability in Afghanistan at a summit where nations offered guarded concessions to improve the mobility of allied…
No swastika mittens for Nato leaders
Hundreds of Latvians knitting 4 500 pairs of woolen mittens as gifts for the November Nato summit have been told to avoid a folk symbol said to ward off evil since it looks like…
Man severs penis in drunken bet
A man who cut off his own penis in a drunken bet had his organ stitched back on Thursday by Latvian doctors, the first such operation in the country’s history, Latvian public…
Naked robber scares Latvian beach-goers
Latvian police have detained a thief on a lonely beach who walked up to young women stark naked, scared them and then stole their personal belongings, police said on Tuesday.…