Health Minister Gundars Berzins, representing the ruling People's Party, announced his resignation from politics on Jan. 17. "My decision is to cease my political activities," said Berzins in an interview with LNT, adding that he does not plan to return to Parliament after his resignation. The health minister's aide, Normunds Belskis, said that Berzins submitted his letter of resignation to Prime Minister Aigars Kalvitis that same day. Berzins said that personal health conditions were the main reason for his decision. "The work of a minister is a great responsibility, one has to be in a very good physical shape and in good health. I cannot fulfil the duties anymore, the position should be given to other, stronger people," said the minister. Berzins said he wants to retire to his farm.
Children mainly use the Internet to visit dating portals and play computer games, shows a new study carried out by the Secretariat of the Special Assignments Ministry for E-affairs. According to the study, the largest part - about 62 percent 's of children surveyed use the Internet for visiting various dating portals, while 57 percent mostly play games. About 38 percent of children use the Internet for school studies, and 50 percent for research purposes.
The Latvian Ice Hockey Federation has formally applied for hosting the World Ice Hockey Championship in 2013, federation president Kirovs Lipmans told the Baltic News Service. The International Ice Hockey Federation regards Latvia's candidacy as serious, he added. The Baltic state's commitment to vie for hosting the championship in 2013 has reportedly received positive response. "Our intention to host the championship is serious, but there are many candidates." Lipmans said.
Police detained a man who had threatened to carry out a terrorist act on inter-city buses, the Russian-language daily Telegraf reported. On Jan. 12, security police warned public transportation providers about the threats, the newspaper said, adding that the would-be terrorist, an 18-year-old youth, had been detained. The youngster claimed the threat was "just a joke." After receiving the news, bus operators instructed their employees to take top security measures. The man reportedly sent out e-mails threatening several bomb attacks.
