Vakar, 27. novembrī Limerikā noslēdzās ikgadējais Doras Luimni Intercultural League telpu futbola turnīrs (5:5), kurā trešo gadu pēc kārtas uzvaru izcīnīja komanda Latvia, portālam baltic-ireland.ie pastāstīja latviešu komandas menedžeris Artūrs Straupenieks. Doras Luimni ir nevalstiska organizācijas, kas sniedz atbalstu ārzemniekiem Īrijā, t.sk. palīdz integrēties sabiedrībā un, kā jau tas ne vienu vien reizi ir pierādījies, tieši sports vislabāk vieno dažādu tautību cilvēkus.

Latvia has finalized all requirements for joining the U.S. Visa Waiver Program, meaning Latvian citizens may be just a few months away from being able to enter the United States with little more than a passport. The Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced Sept. 18 that Latvian and U.S. officials have finalized language in an agreement on combatting serious crime. The agreement is the last step in the consultative process that should lead to Latvia being admitted into the visa waiver program.

Ireland now may be home to at least 37,000 former residents of Latvia, according to data compiled by the Irish Department of Social and Family Affairs. The figure is based on records of Personal Public Service Numbers issued by the Irish government. From the middle of 2000 through the end of 2007, a total of 35,059 numbers have been issued to persons from Latvia. Through the first seven months of 2008, an additional 2,192 numbers have been issued.

Emigration from Latvia to other countries appears to be on the upswing this year after slowing in 2007, according to data provided by the Central Statistical Bureau in Riga. At the same time, immigration continues to increase, although the net result is still a loss in population. In the first six months of this year, 2,752 persons emigrated from Latvia compared to 2,110 during the same period in 2007, an increase of 30.4 percent.

It won’t be just folks in Latvia going Aug. 22 to their favorite local bridge to light lanterns in honor of Latvia’s 90th anniversary. Latvians in Ireland and Peru will be doing the same, says a Ministry of Defense spokeswoman.

Ireland's President Mary McAleese is on a four-day tour of Latvia and Lithuania, two of the Baltic States where tens of thousands of immigrants to Ireland have originated from in recent years. According to a press release from McAleese's office, the tour is "expected to strengthen political, economic, cultural and educational links between Ireland and the two [Baltic] countries."