The second of two online televised discussions allowing voters abroad to hear from parliamentary candidates from Latvia’s leading political parties is scheduled Sept. 11, producers of the telecast have announced.

The moderated discussion, which will feature viewers from abroad calling in questions, will begin at 19:00 hours Latvian time, producers at Rīga-based HansaMedia announced. The telecast will be streamed live on the company’s website, www.vissnotiek.lv, and is expected to be archived for later viewing.

The Sept. 11 telecast is meant especially for Latvian voters in Canada and the United States.

A similar telecast Sept. 4 was aimed at Latvians living in Europe. Moderated by U.S.-born Latvian journalist Kārlis Streips, the discussion included representatives from Saskaņas Centrs (Harmony Centre), Visu Latvijai! (All for Latvia), Zaļo un Zemnieku Savienība (Union of Greens and Farmers), Par Labu Latviju! (For a Good Latvia) and Vienotība (Unity).

More than 1,200 candidates from 13 parties are running in the Oct. 2 parliamentary election. While citizens abroad represent only a small percentage of all potential voters, the Latvian government has made provisions for those outside of the homeland to cast ballots by mail or in person at one of 64 polling stations around the world.

HansaMedia producers noted that in the 2006 parliamentary election, turnout abroad was only 22.38 percent. Thus, they said on the company’s website, it is no surprise that Latvia’s political parties pay little attention to the exile vote.

Organizations in some Latvian communities are promoting the telecast or scheduling group viewings of the Sept. 11 telecast.

In Minneapolis, a viewing is scheduled at 11 a.m. Sept. 11 in the Latvian Ev.-Lutheran Church of Minneapolis and St. Paul, 3152 17th Ave. S., Minneapolis. Members of the local election commission will be on hand with information about the Oct. 2 vote, organizer Jānis Robiņš announced in an e-mail.

The Sept. 4 telecast is archived at www.vissnotiek.lv/diskusija-lv-politika-un-arzemju-latviesi.

Svinīgā ceremonijā Minesotas universitātes “M kluba” slavas zālē 9. septembrī uzņemts ilggadējais hokeja komandas ārsts – Latvijā dzimušais Visvaldis Georgs Nagobads, kurš par saviem izcilajiem nopelniem šogad uzņemts arī ASV Nacionālajā hokeja slavas zālē.

“Tikai dažiem cilvēkiem aizkulisēs ir bijusi tik liela ietekme uz tik milzīgu skaitu hokeja spēlētāju kā Nagobadam, kurš 34 gadus kalpojis kā Gophers hokeja komandas ārsts, strādājis ar neskaitāmām ASV nacionālajām komandām un bijis pārstāvēts starptautiskās mediķu komitejās,” tā Minesotas universitātes mājas lapā tiek pamatota Nagobada uzņemšana universitātes slavas zālē.

Nagobads ir viens no 10 ar sportu saistītiem cilvēkiem, ko šogad uzņēma “M klubā” (“M” Club Hall of Fame).

Minesotas universitātē sporta aprindās iecienītais hokeja ārsts Nagobads guvis izcilus panākumus gan ASV, gan starptautiskā mērogā. Būdams Minesotas universitātes hokeja komandas ārsts no 1958. gada līdz 1992. gadam, Nagobads šai komandai palīdzējis īstenot to, ko nevienai citai ASV universitātes hokeja komandai līdz tam nebija izdevies panākt – dalību trīs nozīmīgos starptautiskos hokeja turnīros.

Savas profesionālās karjeras laikā, Nagobads bijis ārsts piecām ASV Olimpiskajām hokeja komandām, 15 ASV Nacionālajām hokeja komandām un sešām ASV nacionālajām junioru komandām. Tāpat Nagobads bijis pārstāvēts ASV hokeja un inventāra drošības komitejā un aktīvi darbojies Starptautiskās hokeja līgas Medicīnas komitejā. Par ārkārtīgi nozīmīgo devumu hokeja popularizēšanā pasaulē 2003. gadā Nagobads saņēmis Starptautiskās hokeja federācijas balvu, kļūstot par pirmo personu no Ziemeļamerikas, kas ieguvusi šo balvu tās 12 gadu ilgās pastāvēšanas laikā.

Agrāk šogad Nagobadu uzņēma arī ASV Hokeja slavas zālē (U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame), kuras mājas lapā rakstīts, ka viņš savā laikā bijis viens no ietekmīgākajiem cilvēkiem ASV hokejā.

“Tas ir neticami. Man pietrūkst vārdu, lai pateiktu, cik lepns un laimīgs es esmu par iespēju atrasties šajās slavas zālēs,” sev piešķirto Minesotas universitātes atzinību komentē dakteris Nagobads.

1921. gadā Rīgā dzimušais Nagobads izglītību guvis Latvijas universitātē un Gīsenes universitātē, savukārt grādu medicīnā ieguvis Frankfurtē bāzētajā Tubingenes universitātē.

Nagobads savulaik pats bija aizrāvies ar hokeja spēli, kuru viņš bija aizsācis spēlēt jau desmit gadu vecumā. Kā svinīgajā ceremonijā atzīmēja Nagobads, tieši viņa personīgā pieredze hokeja spēlē ļāvusi viņam daudz veiksmīgāk pildīt hokeja komandas ārsta pienākumus.

Latvia is far from the most charitable country in the world, but its people are more giving than those in neighboring nations, according to a new study.

The United Kingdom-based Charities Aid Foundation’s (CAF) first-ever World Giving Index ranks Latvia 115th among 153 countries examined. The index was announced Sept. 8.

Based on data collected by the Gallup Inc. in its WorldView World Poll, the index ranks countries on three measures: the percent of people who give money to a charitable organization, the percent who volunteer time to an organization, and the percent who have helped a stranger.

Latvia received the same overall score as Armenia, El Salvador and Ecuador.

In Latvia, the survey found, 16 percent of the population has given money, 18 percent has given time, and 34 percent has helped a stranger. Latvia also has a wellbeing score of 4.7, indicating that people in the country do not feel very positive about their lives, which can affect their ability and desire to be charitable.

Latvia ranked ahead of its neighbors Estonia (ranked 121st), Russia (138th) and Lithuania (147th). However, Belarus scored 106.

The World Giving Index report notes that charitable giving is complex and is not necessarily tied to the wealth of a nation.

“The incidence of giving money to charity ranges from as low as 4 percent in Lithuania to as high as 83 percent in Malta,” according to the report. “Incidence of volunteering lies in a range from 2 percent in Cambodia to 61 percent in Turkmenistan. Each country has its own unique footprint and its own way to give. In Liberia, less than one tenth (8 percent) of the population give money to charity every month. Yet over three-quarters (76 percent) of Liberians help a stranger every month, more than any other country in the world.”

At the top of the index are Australia and New Zealand. Last in the index is Madagascar.