Daniel Ofman is a reporter with The World, based in Riga, Latvia.
Media outlets in Russia react to Biden dropping out of US presidential race
US President Joe Biden’s announcement to step out of the presidential election elicited a burst of mockery in Russian state media. But analysts say that these messages reveal a lot more about Russian politics than the US democratic system.
Latvian basketball fans are rooting for ‘unicorn’ Porziņģis in the NBA finals
The Celtics are in the NBA finals, and one of the team’s most impactful players is Latvian center Kristaps Porziņģis. Fans in Latvia are rooting for him to become the first Latvian NBA champion. The World’s Daniel Ofman reports from Riga, Latvia.
Baltic ‘beet down’: Latvia and Lithuania clash over cold pink soup
Cold beet soup is a culinary staple in Latvia and Lithuania and across Eastern Europe. This year, Vilnius, the Lithuanian capital, hosted its “Pink Soup Festival” celebrating the dish. But the city’s tourism agency also started a public beef with Latvia, claiming that the Lithuanian version of the soup is better.
‘You just keep going’: This Ukrainian family is back together in Lviv but they miss their hometown of Kharkiv
Over the last few months, Russia has intensified its assault on the Kharkiv region. It has also intensified its missile and drone attacks on Kharkiv city. Many Ukrainians living near the border with Russia, in the Kharkiv region are fleeing, seeking safety further west.
Armenia-Azerbaijan engage in peace talks amid mass protests in Yerevan
In the South Caucasus, Armenia and Azerbaijan have been at odds for decades over the status of Nagorno-Karabakh, a majority-ethnic Armenian region inside Azerbaijan. In September, Azerbaijan’s military seized Nagorno-Karabakh, which resulted in the exodus of tens of thousands of Armenians. Now, the two countries are engaged in peace talks, hoping to normalize relations.
Kalush Orchestra brings Ukrainian folk music to the world stage
Kalush Orchestra has a unique sound that blends rap with traditional Ukrainian folk music. In 2022, the band, representing Ukraine, won Eurovision. The victory was a huge boost for a country at war and propelled the band to massive success. From Kyiv, The World’s Daniel Ofman speaks with the group’s flute player about how he went from folk music aficionado to arena rockstar.