but the price of building materials in latvia has gone up by half. and he doesn't know when it will be finished. the rosenthal is live in a small village in western latvia, set in beautiful countryside. youngest takes the children to school each morning and brings them home again later. but all is not as idyllic as it seems with a population of just to 1000000 latvia is one of the poorest countries in the european union. it's economy traditionally closely linked to russia's. the war has had a disastrous impact on business owners like yon us, m. o 's board, we've always worked closely with business partners in russia and people there always wanted our products back now that's all gone in. got such a sad way. so me anees about lat fears. big neighbor to the east has risen sharply since the start of the war. latvia declared independence from the soviet union more than 30 years ago. but the invasion of ukraine has brought back traumatic memories . he, this the hud via apple car. it feels like the apocalypse, say with him, please him to know if you wake u

authorities proposed banning one of latvia's largest private banks a.b.l. the bank for alleged money laundering that he has finance ministers sought to offer reassurance. but it's not enough since they are i can assure you that a lot of finance system is stable banks don't have liquidity issues so depositors can feel completely safe. that all of them only use this only about worship of interest in order to protect the finance sector stability and reputation i think that from savage should resign from his post while the investigation is ongoing. now cops know that. the latvian prime minister has also called for him savage to step down but markets are still likely to remain an easy about the state of latvia's banking system on monday the e.c.b. said it was stopping all aid bank payments over liquidity concerns and while the room savage case isn't linked to the a.b.l. the problem it also goes beyond the country's borders as a member of the governing body rim savage has access to confidential information relating to europe's most powerful financial institution.

well, miranda casem, he's himself is citizen of latvia. he also a headed editor in chief of fer sputnik latvia. and he had worked as the editor in chief of student, gladly for years now he himself had earlier spoken about feeling persecuted, politically persecuted by authorities in latvia, which are some of those rapidly, russo phobic, and to russian. they had previous, you know, in 2016 they had blocked spook, our online, or what followed after 2016 was a systematic system of persecution against the workers and the organization itself . for example, we, we had a lateral authorities harassing work, so threatening them with jail, with the prosecution if they continued to work for for scrutiny. they threatened them, as i said with jail time, but also told them that if they continued even to work for the organization, even from russia, that they could, could face consequences back who and this is, this is years ago. this is years before the courage, ukrainian conflict. then we had special services talking to the various people who worked for

the atmosphere in latvia for a russian speaking person is very difficult. i move it on to the news now is really security forces have class with mornings at the funeral of an al jazeera journalist in palestine, sharyn abu r claire was killed on wednesday, while reporting in the west bank. ah, this what did shows police confronting those attending the funeral as they tried to move the caskets on foot and some clay? what exactly caused the unrest in the coffin was later delivered to church by car. thousands of palestinians took part in mourning for the journalists who lost her life amid a recent wave of tension is how events unfolded. ah, ah, noticed a quick warning you may find some of the following images disturbing. this footage shows the moments after the al jazeera journalist was killed during his railey army rate in the town of jenin postilion palestinian authorities and the tv channel itself, blame israeli soldiers for the gentlest death. israel said both soldiers, unpolished, any militants were firing at the time, and called for a joint investigation

a high possibility that this is a white information operation from outside and its aim is to show latvia as an untrustworthy ally. to ministry didn't say which country was behind that campaign but there's little doubt it meant russia the russian foreign ministry in moscow refused comment but the bribery accusations come from a russian businessman and with elections due later this year fears are mounting that the kremlin could be attempting to sway the outcome the defense ministry says that dissin from ation campaign closely resembles others that preceded recent french german and us elections. is editor of the german language newspaper. in warsaw. let's start off with this so-called disinformation campaign how likely is that and what evidence is there. well first off we have to make sure that everybody understands was speculating here because nobody knows the and so you get if it is a misinformation campaign from brussels some other country or whomever but i would say it's quite likely because the u.s. has shown and i'm sorry russia has on them demonstrated in the past that they're willin

in the territory such programs have no place in latvia or elsewhere in the e.u. personally i've looked all over fairbairns watched r.t. arabic with subtitles tried r.t. spanish i even checked behind attorneys and know nothing just cables the very evidence that latvia has the literally made up then didn't try very hard perhaps it was just before the end of the working day that everyone iching to go home see there's a number of news agencies and russia hauled but i see a civil order which translates to english as russian today and this organization is led by a fellow who's on european sanctions list this organization by the way has nothing to do with r t that's been our name for more than a decade we're r t and they're right here seaboard even our names are in different languages but the latvian special agent or official is other than easily scared apparently a lazy thing given that conciliar over is subject to sanctions throughout the u. the national electronic media council will inform media regulators in other e.u. countries of the decision taken and considers t

on the other hand, latvia is always at the forefront of old western trends. and if there is now a trend towards the abolition of everything russian in latvia is leading this movement, the russian speaking minority of the past 20 years has already been so down tron humiliated, and artificially integrated and assimilated into latvian society. that essentially, in the last elections, there was no danger to the authorities. but apparently as a deputy of the reagan city council, from the russian union of latvia, said commentating on the decision to demolish the monument. these people already have a taste of blood on their lips, said they want to deal with any objectionable manifestations as much as possible now, of those who gathered on may the 10th that the monument to the liberator, what did they try to come to the regal city whole or simply outraged, they all outraged that they are not allowed to live according to their traditions. the habits this constant demand for public loyalty, the constant, public denial and crisen, russia has become unbearable. the atmos

why did the russian flag was banned in latvia? they said it was on may the 8th and none, but on may the town. it was not on made attempts to police officers approached alexander and asked him to put the flag away after long conversation they apologized aloud. my son go then alexander, late flowers and candles, and one hour later he was detained out 2 flats have been searched on my hard drive and seen kyle were taken my son, his trust. now of course now the tensions emerged after all sorts is used. bulldozers to clear flowers brought by locals to the monuments for the men in 9th day to day commemorations. in response, people brought even more flowers to the sides with police then completely blocking off the area. riga has been one of the most vocal critics of moscow's actions in ukraine, and that is in chief of sport in a live via believes there's no justification for such aggressive actions from the authorities. no hurry, naturally, nothing can justify and explain such a reaction to people such repression to which they now subject

he is a farmer in western latvia.imes a week he drives three hours to rehearse with his dance ensemble. >> when my sister and i were little, her parents brought us here to take dance lessons. we drove 10 km to take classes. since then, dance and has become part of my routine. reporter: the festival started 150 years ago. during 50 of the years, latvia was part of the soviet union. back then, some of their native songs were banned. >> we fought hard to regain freedom and latvia. there are many songs about this. they are intertwined with my own life story. i cannot imagine who i would be without these songs. reporter: that might explain why these amateur dancers and singers rehearsed for years preparing for the festival. there is hardly any time for anything else. >> my family supports my hobby. my wife does not dance, but my children do. i am happy they share my passion. reporter: performing on stage is exhilarating. when the show is over, the performers celebrate together until dawn. they are making the most of it bec

last year latvia's communications watchdog council choose to block r.t. here on the website it now says view as you see this message that r.t. doesn't have a permit to broadcast in latin plenty of channels in latvia that broadcasts there but don't have a permit from the state especially on live every single channel in the world nevertheless this is where the confusion comes out that they've tried very hard to block r.t. 1st with this reason on the website that it doesn't have a permit earlier it was because our g.'s somehow is under european sanctions when it when it isn't and it's been abundantly obvious that it isn't the latvians have said that the head of receiver is subordinate which is a russian news holding media its head its general director. of is of the european sanctions but if you translate the warden a translator is russia today except it isn't these are 2 completely different entities nevertheless the latvians despite being explained to these are completely different entities they have chosen to restrict artie's access and broadcasts in latvi

well it could be enormous the anti corruption of thora tea in latvia says that the allegation against the central bank governor is that he demanded a bribe of no less than one hundred thousand euros which is of course a crass allegation against such a high ranking official and it's not the only piece of negative news coming out of the financial sector in latvia we have this bank. a b l v that is said to have infringed on the sanctions against north korea it had to be supported by money from the central bank in latvia one hundred million euros and also the government in latvia says that it is suspending any new sales of new government bonds because it is of course concerned that all this might have harmed the reputation of the country and what's more of course one has to ask whether the supervision of the banking sector sector in not only latvia but the eurozone as a whole is really done effectively whether the e.c.b. really has done a good job here it's plenty going on in latvia at the moment meanwhile way you are we've also seen a dip in diner shares so what's driving that. well behi

as if latvia who would dare teach him. of all the things the communist party was paranoid about, perhaps the most bizarre was body building.ftg, but body buis deemed too american and outlawed. >> they can remember you. oh, you're the guy who likes western culture so you are not like we want. >> reporter: undeterred, young maris turned to the black market sailors would often smug until contraband, which is how maris got his very first muscle mag. it cost him a week's wages. later he bought more, learned re and to make longapbook short, after the got on cover of a ofzine independence, getting in an american magazine, that was a big achievem >> reporter: i bett he also ois own gym, that s is other although it hasn't come easy, er maris has had to just to break even. but when i asked him "why don't you just give up?" the ieve it. >> when thenauts send me lfway ound the world to the fory t a man w t omaghf the american dream. how he went from mud walls to this next monday night. this inc: in phone book. isn't that amazing ne i

in latvia it's not always clear.sow doubt, confusion. moscow's objective to discredit european democracy on its border. and here is one example of what appears to be russian disinformation. this website is called baltnews. it's aimed at ethnic russians across the baltic, but is part of a news organisation which is bankrolled by the kremlin. what kind of stories does it put out? well, here's one. listen to this, "among latvians," it says, "adolf hitler is more popular than harry potter. hitler's mein kampf tops the readers book choice in latvia." so the impression you get when you read this is that in latvia, in an eu country, nazi ideology is thriving. but is it true? i am off to investigate. my first stop is latvia's largest book—seller. how many copies of mein kampf were sold in your shop, say, in 2018? none. not a single copy? not a single copy. it is not available, then, in the book shops in latvia? no, it is not available. what do you think about this claim that in latvia adolf hitler is more popular than harry

the atmosphere in latvia for a russian speaking person is very difficult. well, i said you're buying up today with all the latest from around the world. do feel free to to r t dot com for more stories and in depth analysis. one is be to scott harvey, back again at the top of the hour. oh, let's say is a boutique firm. a book for us is just like his predecessor is a fan of the moon to calling from see show and the, the baby, the way for a normalization of the holy see russia relations why the need? so because they, i acknowledge the fact that the west can not to be already pretty standardized again the west these last.

the atmosphere in latvia for a russian speaking person is very difficult. when i say your bang of the day to the latest from around the world, do you feel free to have thought he dot com for more stories minus b to scott's? and he's been great to have you with us. thank you for watching. ah ah ah ah ah ah, if anybody's been trapped in an elevator, 20 minutes could be pretty long time right and a load trapped in an elevator for 20 minutes. not knowing what's gonna happen, not knowing where you are. suits of sensory deprivation. ugh, figler that is your life. i plenty visits about an hour. not at all. yeah. the intercom is nothing i was trying to get you out. i was keeping you in is your communication? oh, i think sistant who ah ah, a more of the building. mm . more on turn begins with, but it does not in. it will not. and until every terrorist group of global reach has been found. stopped and defeated. ah, i think you lost more in the warranty. so you know, a comparison decline, resort to torture, and i think it gives them the illusion of mastery and dominan

the atmosphere in latvia for a russian speaking person is very difficult. when i say you're buying up the day to the latest from around the world, do you feel free to have thought t dot com for more stories minus b to scott's? and he's been great to have you with us. thank you for watching for what we've got to do is identify the threats that we have. it's crazy confrontation, let it be an arms race is on offense. very dramatic development. only personally and getting to resist. i don't see how that strategy will be successful, very critical time time to sit down and talk ah, the bull, let's say, is to teams. farm book for us is just like his predecessor is a fan of the moon to color transition. and they may have to way for a normalization on the holy see russia relations why the need so because they acknowledge the fact that the west can not to be already pretty standardized. again, the west these laws to the west anthro, to the post christian era. a city are you still with me for madison growth? no moms and in the deal with grandma, but a lot of them boug

latvia's finance minister sought to calm the stormy waters. not i can assure you the latin and finance system is stable banks have no liquidity issues depositors can feel completely safe to protect the finance sector stability and reputation i think lynch of it should resign while the investigation is ongoing. but even if he does trust will be slow to return at least until the scandals are explained and that will take time a. full coming in and out to. what do you think about today's news on the european union's anti trust watchdog has fired a shot at business cartels. today the commission has decided to fine seven companies a total of five hundred sixty four million euros for taking part in fort different ag cartels relating to cars. and three other companies involved in these cartels well they excrete getting a fine because they came to us to reveal the cartels. in the shipping industry the fines affect the chilean shipping carrier three japanese carriers as well as the scandinavian carrier together they formed a deep sea vehicle transport c

authorities proposed banning one of latvia's largest private banks a.b.l. the bank for allegedly to north korea latvia's finance minister sought to offer reassurance. i can assure you that the latvian finance system is stable banks don't have liquidity issues so depositors can feel completely safe in a sense that along the way the flow of the snow me privately is this going up watching you know in order to protect the finance sector stability and reputation i think that room said it should resign from his post while the investigation is ongoing but not enough not to tell the latvian prime minister has also called for him seven to step down but markets are still likely to remain uneasy about the state of latvia's banking system on monday the e.c.b. said it was stopping. bank payments amid the u.s. investigation and whether in savage case isn't linked to the a.b.l. the probe it calls beyond the country's borders as a member of the e.c. peace governing body from savage has access to confidential information relating to europe's most powerful financial institut

he is the longest-serving prime minister in latvia's history.ice have now opened a criminal investigation into the cause of last week's tragedy. >> translator: latvia needs to have a government that would be supported by the majority of parliament and deal with the current situation of the nation. i announced my resignation and take police call responsibility for the tragedy. >> this seems like a rather dramatic move by the latvian prime minister, why did he decide to do this? >> reporter: the decision to step down surprised everyone in latvia. during the past hour he has tried to explain the situation saying he has been thinking about his political and moral responsibility. he made his final decision today during the hour and a half long meeting with latvia's president. he has no intention to come back for the post ever. i must add, though, that many are still expecting the resignation of the mayor because of the authorities responsibility for building permits and standards are under the municipal jurisdiction. we'll being told he is going to h

she's one of 36000 registered, ukrainian refugees in latvia, forced to leave her hometown matthew was because of russia, warren ukraine. she found a new home in the small latvian town of school to go. yeah, because of the new to my left, the funeral. i never thought i would work in europe because i was perfectly happy watching, you know, pulling up. but then there was started, my house was bumped, there is nothing left of it. and i understood that no matter what i had to find a new place to work. i understood that a lot for you. i would also be able to work as a token of the post inside. and just in what i chose, it was important to her to flee to a country where she would be able to work as a doctor. because being a doctor is her calling in life, show them brows. maya, she chose latvia and was allowed to start working after only one month in the country. and she came at a critical time latvia struggling with a shortage of medical workers, according to the lot to be a medical association. the country needs 300 doctors and 8000 nurses. also, most doctors are older than 50 years old, an

authorities proposed banning one of latvia's largest private banks a.b.l. the bank for alleged money laundering that he as finance minister sought to offer reassurance. mean honestly staying up i can assure you that the latvian finance system is stable banks don't have liquidity issues so depositors can feel completely safe because. of the snow meet i'm going to use this only about two hours of interest in order to protect the finance sector stability and reputation i think the transept should resign from his post while the investigation is ongoing. now cops know that. the latvian prime minister has also called for him savage to step down but markets are still likely to remain an easy about the state of latvia's banking system on monday the e.c.b. said it was stopping all aid be bank payments over liquidity concerns and while they were in savage a case isn't linked to the a.b.l. the problem it also goes beyond the country's borders as a member of the e.c.b. as governing body has access to confidential information relating to europe's most powerful financial

i did for one let's do business latvia's central bank governor is taking to the. than today of a bribery and anti corruption probe saw him detained in february it must receive it has denied all charges latvia has been beset by banking scandals its finance sector has acted as a regional hub for cash from the former soviet union. a makeshift shrine marks the spot in riga where a lawyer working on the winding down of a bank was shot dead he was killed while driving his car. inspecting the crime scene today r younis veda and antonio correcto who work for an anti corruption agency. the murderers cast an ominous shadow over lotfi as financial sector the killer and their paymasters have yet to be identified the state is in ohio and interior minister said that they will be on assistance other counties to search for the murderers and law and order should be placed again their next stop is the main offices of the a b l v bank which manages accounts belonging to citizens of the former soviet union the bank launder dirty money for years illicit funds were transferred to other

, lack of some of the bus number ah latvia along the russian border. many people here watch russians. they television via satellite and over the internet. and with that propaganda from russia, that again, dear friends at be drowned, the children drown them with the wooded. yeah, that will be nuclear. all threats of war rod cast across the border from luck fios much bigger neighbor, russia. this worries maria to beat sca one in for latvians has russian heritage and speaks russian since the ukraine war started latvia has become even more polarized with it and for except we are losing our friends and our neighbors that her son in law propaganda is like poison that's dividing the people play with the 66 year old on her sonia's have lots of russian friends. russia tv is blocked here, but many people still managed to watch a lot of it, even before the russian invasion, the information war was well underway. russian media frequently broadcasts aggressive rhetoric about the e. u and nato. in a talk show on russian t. v. a military expert described step by step

be not only an attack on latvia but also an attack on the e.c.b. well you know that's absolutely true. if they did it that's what they were trying to do because this man has been chairman of the lothian national bank for i think seventeen years now he's also a member of the council of the european central bank and this is this is all pretty much interconnected so that's in direct if not even a direct attack on the european central bank as well that's why they might be trying to do this in his paper it's a miracle cop out thank you very much for your analysis. now everyone used to worry about the globe's oil reserves running out now the industry fees demand will start drying up b.p. reckons it'll begin plateau ing in the late twenty thirteen's as renewables take over. automotive companies around the world are betting on the mass adoption of electric vehicles in the next decades and they're not the only ones oil and gas giant b.p. is anticipating the same it predicts a one hundred fold growth in electric vehicles by twenty forty and a corresponding h

. , ., ., , extravaganza last week against latvia. ., , ., , ., latvia.ing - latvia. going to be a big one. great stuff, thank you forjoining us. - there are four second round matches in the men�*s fa cup as well today. rochdale and plymouth are into the second half. plymouth as you can see, are a goal up. one goal each between wigan and colchester. highlights of all the games on a special fa cup match of the day at 11.45 tonight. four games too in the premier league including ralf rangnick�*s first game in charge of manchester united. they�*re at home to crystal palace. steven gerrard�*s aston villa host leicester in the late kick off celtic can narrow the gap at the top of the scottish premiership to four points. they�*re at dundee unted, who can go third with a win. livingston against hearts, kick—off 3pm. it is a huge day in the formula one title fight as contenders lewis hamilton and max verstappen battle it out at saudi arabian grand prix. hamilton starts the penultimate race of the season on pole but if verstappen manages to outscore hamilton by 18

so you to this got, they all, there is a substantial russian speaking minority in latvia. they're only a few people in the cold to go or speak russian. this made communicating with patients difficult at the start, the turn to come down to the, to the. so let's go at the beginning when you start to talk to watch friends here in russian. they ask you why russian, when i explained that i'm from ukraine and on the learning rock fan, they tried to communicate in russian research. but now i speak to them in lock fan with mistakes and not the fluids they of course, but in lots and non glass and use this meetings, assume waterfall. but even though she has had to face many challenges here in latvia, she still can picture herself returning to ukraine in the future, which i'm a little google to take a little. but my hometown mario full just okay. price right now it is okay. if i buy the russians, and while i hope it will be free and i just don't know why this is also, i have no place to return to. maybe they will start to rebuild everything. no, i don't want to return. let me switch.

dw correspondent, uri rusito, went to latvia, city of dog of peas. here many residents speak russian, nor even russian citizens. and this conflict has left them questioning their own identity. there are few cities in the former soviet bloc which carry as many traces over the soviet past. delgado bill in latvia, with more than 90000 inhabitants, allowed to 2nd largest city, has been considered a russian strong old until to day. every 4th burleson living lot via is russian. this is the only city were russian speaking, people are even in the majority most russians came to dog of bills during the soviet era after world war 2. many residents here continue to feel culturally drawn to russia. some criticize of the latter and government because it requires them to speak latvian, the official language, even though many russians can't speak it with those to bruce it in and william doesn't have a city. other chic language needs a linguistic environment to live in moore's misty, a person must be able to speak if he can to create problems by at the more we want t

and russian president vladimir putin has recently threatened latvia with repercussions due to rigorous policies towards its russian speaking minority. the baltic country, a former soviet republic, is home to hundreds of thousands of russian speakers who make up a quarter of the population. a series of bills approved in september 2022 aims to face that with russian from schools and require a lot in language tests for some non citizens to stay in the country as the un itself is called the laws discriminatory label that teaching has focused on in his message, dw correspondent jennifer poca reports purposes. in early december, vladimir 14, once again rolled out a favorite line of attacks. the menace poses, he says by countries that discriminate against the russians. speaking minorities bustling you when they continue to treat them like pigs, they will experience such filth in return some stones 14 named lapierre. specifically, he said moscow, what it just relations with riga in response to its treatment of russian speaking minorities, fondest sweets, of flattery as capital. we didn't find

no 3 states, latvia, stoney, in the through a near is russian. how do you think this case fits into the big picture of holly bo 2nd? are they each countries have been tracing the media? this goes back way before the special military operation that russia launched in 2022. this, this goes back to 2015 at which is when this, this pressure started to build in 2016, for example, lithuania blocked. sputnik locked the channel, the network on line that they pulled their domain names after that that the pressure just began to build and build. so employees journalists, were what threatened with prosecution. they were also persecuted, so they were pulled out. they were, they were arrested, taken for talks by our state security agents urged to her follow inside their resignations to stop working for sputnik then you had people arrested. you have journalists arrested for working for russian news networks. this is all in the face of a fact that the european human rights, charter, least the freedom of expression. and the freedom of expression is defined. it is

latvia will be officially swapping their lots to europe to adopt the single currency i love here reduced its budget deficit to blow the e.u. ceiling of three percent of g.d.p. last year which is actually of achievement considering latvia underwent one of europe's toughest austerity programs after the two thousand and eight crisis actually wiped off a fifth of its g.d.p. so now that the latin economy is back on track will entrance to the euro zone the rail its recovery will this take a look at the current members that are actually at risk of exiting the euro zone now we got slovenia they actually adopted figure in two thousand and four now this is actually the latest country in financial trouble now public debt has more than doubled from twenty two percent of g.d.p. in two thousand and eight almost fifty five percent in twenty twelve just as a cyprus really the recent banking crisis did little to enrich their economy just sixty six percent of public debt to g.d.p. as for greece right here one hundred eighty nine percent that's actually nearly double of their actual d.d.p. is a quite pheno

corrupt investigators in latvia have arrested and interrogated of the central bank. is loyal. fans are about something that happened years ago so it remains open whether all those who do will. be. against north korea. the european central bank has imposed upon humans moratorium but whatever it is. raises about the us system on the european central bank in. any other game now are not the cases of corruption and money laundering in latin in the lab and banking system so one has to of rather. control. our financial correspondent can add who's in frankfurt there now germany is one of the world's top exporters but when it comes to digital infrastructure you might be surprised to learn it is still lagging way behind to take the internet for example most states are still carried by underground copper cables which have been there for decades the coalition agreement between germany is still not official new government specifies that every person living in the country should have access to high speed data networks by twenty twenty five it's hard to make anything anymore without access t