The Covid-19 pandemic has claimed not only the lives of many people but also something else. It has rapidly begun to wash away the moral and ethical foundations of society and continues to do so at a frightening pace.
On July 2 this year, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed amendments to Russia's alcohol law, which removed the term "sparkling wines and champagne". All that was left was "sparkling wines", and the term "Russian champagne" appeared. Consequently, "real" champagne from Champagne province in France will be allowed to be sold in Russia only as "sparkling wine", while only Russian-made drinks will count as champagne.
Before we start talking about action plans, let's clarify what we mean by that. For this purpose, I will use the analogy described by historian Viktor Suvorov. In his research, he points to fundamental stylistic differences in how German and Soviet generals describe events in their memoirs on the fronts of World War II.
On Sunday, a video spread on social networks showing how a large number of police officers brutally knock down and handcuff a man. People around them, mostly women, try to shame the police for doing this.
The new Minister of Welfare Gatis Eglītis mentioned in the LTV program “1:1” that not everything is in order with our pension system, and therefore it is necessary to correct it. Exactly what corrections Eglītis wanted to suggest could not be really understood. He said something offhandedly, causing a storm of public outrage.
Prior to the Russia-US summit in Geneva, political observers split into two camps when predicting its results. In idealists and realists. The former believed that any dialogue, any face-to-face meeting is good and promotes stability in the world, even if both sides remain true to their own beliefs, while the latter saw even the meeting itself as a victory for Putin, which won't increase peace in the world.
On Tuesday the Cabinet of Ministers authorized the organization of events in which visitors participate while in a car or individual watercraft. In order to avoid misunderstandings as to the words "individual watercraft", the explanatory part of the decision states that one person or persons living in the same household will be able to be in the same car/boat at the same time. So, you can attend events while on a boat.
Trešdien, 16. jūnijā, Ženēvā paredzēta ASV un Krievijas prezidentu Džo Baidena un Vladimira Putina tikšanās. Par šīs tikšanās mērķiem, iespējamiem rezultātiem un šo sarunu ietekmi uz politiskajiem procesiem pasaulē, tai skaitā Latvijas drošības jautājumiem, saruna ar Latvijas Ārpolitikas institūta direktoru, Rīgas Stradiņa universitātes profesoru Andri Sprūdu. Šodien publicējam šīs intervijas otro daļu.
The meeting between US and Russian Presidents Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin is scheduled for Wednesday, June 16 in Geneva. A discussion with the Director of the Latvian Institute of International Affairs and Professor at Riga Stradins University Andris Sprūds, about the goals of this meeting, possible results and the impact of these talks on political processes in the world, including Latvia's security issues.
Trešdien, 16. jūnijā, Ženēvā paredzētas ASV un Krievijas prezidentu Džo Baidena un Vladimira Putina tikšanās. Par šīs tikšanās mērķiem, iespējamiem rezultātiem un šo sarunu ietekmi uz politiskajiem procesiem pasaulē, tai skaitā Latvijas drošības jautājumiem, saruna ar Latvijas Ārpolitikas institūta direktoru, Rīgas Stradiņa universitātes profesoru Andri Sprūdu.
As could easily have been predicted, the scandalous tweet of the new Minister of Welfare Gatis Eglītis did not provoke any discussion in the coalition or, as it is now called, Cooperation Council. Everything is fine. As always. However, it was decided to commission a study (which will probably cost the classic half a million euros) on the reasons for the low turnout in the municipal elections.
On Monday, the Central Statistical Bureau published Latvia's GDP indicators for the first quarter of 2021, which were quite depressing. According to seasonal- and calendar-unadjusted data, GDP in the first quarter of this year has decreased by 1.3%, compared to the first quarter of 2020.
If it is necessary to justify why during the Covid pandemic people can get on a full trolleybus, but a store must be kept closed, because it is located in a building with an area of more than 7,000 square meters, then there is no argument more convincing than the term "science-based."
The strategic plan of the Russian special services - to back the dictator of Belarus into such a deep corner that there is only one way out of it: to become completely dependent on the favor of the Kremlin - has been successfully implemented. It doesn't even matter if this plan was carefully designed or just turned out that way.
The Belarusian dictator, who hijacked a Ryanair airliner in Belarusian airspace on Sunday and forced it to land at Minsk airport using fighter jets, once again asked the world a simple question.
Ja vakardienas Saeimas peripetiju dēļ par iespējām līdzjutējiem klātienē skatīt pasaules čempionāta spēles hokejā kristu valdība, tad mūžīgais jautājums: kurš ir Latvijas sporta veids Nr. 1 – hokejs vai basketbols – būtu izšķirts. Skaidrs, ka hokejs, ja reiz tā dēļ krīt valdības.
On Tuesday, May 18, members of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Saeima adopted a "statement on the escalation of the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians, calling for an end to armed conflicts and an end to all forms of violence that endanger the lives of innocent civilians."
On Tuesday, Latvijas Radio 5 issued a statement: “In solidarity with regular listeners, we have decided to pause the music of Singapūras satīns on the air of Latvijas Radio 5. We wish everyone the opportunity to live in a physically and emotionally safe environment!”
24. aprīlis ir Osmaņu impērijas teritorijā izvērstā armēņu genocīda atceres diena. Šogad šī diena iezīmējās ar to, ka ASV prezidents Džo Baidens atzina šo traģēdiju par genocīdu. Armēņu tautai tas ir vēsturisks brīdis, jo līdz šim ASV prezidenti dažādi laipoja, un, negribot bojāt attiecības ar nozīmīgu NATO partneri – Turciju, šo armēņu mērķtiecīgu iznīcināšanu par genocīdu negribēja atzīt. Tagad tas ir noticis.
April 24 is a Remembrance Day for the Armenian genocide in the Ottoman Empire. This year the day was marked by US President Joe Biden recognizing the tragedy as genocide. For the Armenian people, this is a historic moment, because so far the US presidents have dodged this issue in various ways, and not wanting to damage relations with a major NATO partner, Turkey, they did not recognize the targeted destruction of these Armenians as genocide. Now it has happened.
Pazīstamais režisors Alvis Hermanis intervijā “Latvijas radio” norādīja, ka Rietumu, tai skaitā Latvijas, medijos dominē agresīvi nomelnojoša attieksme pret katoļu baznīcu. Kāpēc tas tā notiek, un kāpēc kristīgā tradīcija ir tik svarīga mūsu ikdienas dzīvē, saruna ar LU profesoru, orientālistu, dažādu reliģiju pētnieku Leonu Taivanu.
Well-known director Alvis Hermanis pointed out in an interview with Latvijas Radio that the media in the West, including Latvia, is dominated by aggressively defamatory attitudes towards the Catholic Church. Why this is happening, and why the Christian tradition is so important in our daily lives, in this conversation with Leons Taivans, a professor at the University of Latvia, expert in Oriental studies and a researcher of various religions.