Riga- The Latvian government plans to cut spending by 263

Riga  - Latvian Prime Minister Ivars Godmanis appeared Tuesday to back a controversial plan by his defence minister to buy 25 horses for an honour guard to welcome visiting dignitaries.

"I cannot agree it is a waste of money," Goodmanis said of the horse project that would cost 120,000 lats (250,000 dollars) from a defence budget of 304 million lats, plus
70,000 lats annual upkeep.

The horse guard would revive a tradition and could also be used in sporting events such as the modern pentathlon, said the premier, who originally questioned the idea.

Riga - Latvia's annual inflation rate reached 17.9 per cent in May, up from 17.5 per cent in April, as the Baltic nation's economy slows down, the Central Statistical Bureau said Monday.

Riga  - The Latvian parliament on Thursday rejected constitutional amendments, giving voters a right to call for snap elections, forcing the small Baltic EU nation to hold a referendum on the issue

Riga  - Russian gas supplier Gazprom on Tuesday cited a lack of democratic structures, politica

Riga - As cold European air gives way to a warmer front, the season of eastern European gay pride parades is at hand to remind authorities of tolerance toward sexual minorities.