Latvia-Russia Security: Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs says Latvia has boosted protection at the Inčukalns gas storage facility and a hydroelectric dam upstream from Riga after intelligence warnings of possible Russian sabotage and hybrid attacks, adding he asked NATO for more air defence and allied troops and for faster integration of counter-drone systems. Belarus Migration Pressure: Latvia is also described as Lukashenka’s new pressure point for the EU, with attempted illegal border crossings rising sharply ahead of the 3 October parliamentary election. airBaltic Rescue Talks: Latvia’s government is negotiating with a “strategic investor” for struggling airBaltic to avoid default, with an August 3 bondholder financing meeting looming; Transport Minister Kozlovskis says the business plan no longer targets global growth. NGO Funding Scrutiny: A debate is heating up over whether Latvia should keep funding NGOs at roughly €200m in “NGOs and individuals” budget lines, with calls to separate genuine public-value groups from those seen as mainly serving narrow interests. EU Policy Ripple: Latvia is among EU states pushing for looser cormorant culling rules after the bird’s comeback, while the EU also proposes easing carbon market cuts to give industry “breathing space.” International Context: A fact-check debunks claims that Moldova is spending more on the military than healthcare, and Russia publishes the full 2026 list of countries eligible for its unified e-visa, including Latvia.