Latvia today: airBaltic moves to return more jets, media fund row, Riga prepares for Lāčplēsis Day

Top stories

airBaltic, Latvia’s state-controlled national airline, has asked a US bankruptcy court in New York to let it end the leases on three more Airbus A220-300s from 25 November. One of them is YL-CSL, painted in the colours of the Latvian flag in 2018 for the country’s centenary. The airline, which is restructuring its debts under Chapter 11, says the jets no longer fit its fleet plan and cost more than market rates; it has now sought to hand back nine leased aircraft and says flights are operating as scheduled. Full story

The Latvian Journalists’ Association (LŽA) said on Tuesday that it firmly opposes a Culture Ministry proposal to hand the running of the Media Support Fund to the National Electronic Mass Media Council (NEPLP), the broadcast regulator. The association warns that a body which already supervises and fines electronic media should not also distribute state support for journalism, citing risks of political influence, conflicts of interest and self-censorship. Full story

Riga marks Lāčplēsis Day, which honours those who fought for Latvia’s independence, on Wednesday 11 November. The day includes a memorial bonfire and a military equipment display outside the Latvian War Museum, free entry to the National History Museum in Riga Castle from 10:00 to 20:00, and a torchlight procession setting off from the Riga Brethren Cemetery at 16:40. In the evening, people traditionally light candles along the Riga Castle wall on the 11 November Embankment. Full programme

Andris Kulbergs of the United List, who is forming Latvia’s next government, was due to hold talks with the Progressives, New Unity and the National Alliance on Monday, asking each about economic growth, budget savings and the structure of ministries. The United List has 41 of the 100 seats in the Saeima, Latvia’s parliament; with the National Alliance he would have a bare majority of 51. Defence Minister Raivis Melnis, nominated by New Unity, said he would stay on if Kulbergs asked him. Full story

The Cabinet, which stays in office until the Saeima approves a new government, meets at 15:00. Its agenda includes reviews of public procurement by several ministries, among them Defence, and draft rules on the equipment and vehicles needed by VUGD, the State Fire and Rescue Service, for firefighting and rescue work, according to the government’s meeting portal.

Latvian and Lithuanian authorities are testing a cross-border mass evacuation on Tuesday on the route from Šiauliai in Lithuania to Ķekava, just south of Riga. The exercise simulates the voluntary, precautionary evacuation of Lithuanian residents to Latvia under a military threat and checks how Latvia would receive them, VUGD said. A first exercise on 5 November tested evacuation in the other direction.

State Police and the State Security Service (VDD) detained four people, three of them minors, in Riga on 29 October in an investigation into arson and violence against homeless people, the police said on Tuesday. The suspects identify themselves as skinheads; officers found clothing, knuckledusters, knives and masks during searches. The charges under investigation include incitement to social hatred linked to bodily harm.

VUGD received 38 calls in the 24 hours to 06:30 on Tuesday, including 11 fires and 14 rescue calls. Firefighters rescued three people from a burning flat in a three-storey block in Jeri parish, Valmiera municipality, and four more got out on their own; no smoke alarm was heard in any of the flats, the service said.

The State Employment Agency (NVA) will start taking applications on Monday 16 November for free Latvian language courses for workers aged 50 and over, people with disabilities and those whose skills fall short of labour market needs, at every level from A1 to C2. Up to 200 people are expected to take part. Full story

Abroad: delegations from the United States, Ukraine and Russia open two days of peace talks in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, their first trilateral meeting since February, with security guarantees at the top of the agenda. Full story

Useful today

• Weather: mostly dry with some cloud, light rain in places on the coast, a light southerly or south-easterly wind and highs of +3C to +6C; Riga +3C to +5C. Tonight, rain in the west and wet snow in Latgale towards morning, lows of −1C to +3C. No weather warnings are in force, according to LVĢMC, the state weather service.
• Riga roads: Bāriņu Street by Victory Park in Āgenskalns is closed until midday on Thursday, and buses 4, 7, 8, 21, 25, 38, 39 and 55 are diverted. On Wednesday the 11 November Embankment is closed between the Vanšu Bridge and the Stone Bridge from 17:00 until midnight. Details
• Today is Mārtiņdiena, the folk holiday that closes the farming year and opens winter (a working day). Name days: Mārtiņš, Mārcis, Markuss and Marks; on Wednesday, Ojārs, Rainers and Nellija. More on Mārtiņdiena
• Lāčplēsis Day on Wednesday is a memorial day, not a public holiday. The next day off is Proclamation Day on Wednesday 18 November, when Riga’s public transport is free.
• Autumn leaves: Riga residents can drop off leaves free of charge until 22 November; today the Jaunciems point is open from 07:00 to 13:00, and Uzvaras Boulevard 16A in Torņakalns from 09:00 to 19:00. Collection points

Sport

Jeļena Ostapenko and Hsieh Su-wei lost their opening doubles match at the WTA Finals in Indian Wells 6-3, 1-6, 12-10 in a match tie-break to Guo Hanyu and Kristina Mladenovic; they play Elise Mertens and Zhang Shuai next, on Wednesday local time.

Javelin thrower Elīza Ligere won bronze for Latvia at the Youth Olympic Games in Dakar with a throw of 52 metres. Full story

Two of the three Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) arbitrators who allowed Russia’s hockey teams back into international competition had spoken at legal events in Moscow; CAS says it sees no breach of independence. Latvia is among the countries that have said they will not play Russian teams. Full story