Latvia is the 39th most peaceful nation in the world, and is ranked higher than last year, according to the Global Peace Index compiled by the Australia-based Institute for Economics and Peace.

The index, announced in May, ranks 140 nations.

“The index is composed of 24 qualitative and quantitative indicators from highly respected sources, which combine internal and external factors ranging from a nation’s level of military expenditure to its relations with neighbouring countries and the level of respect for human rights,” according to the organization’s Web site.

The organization admits that peace is “notoriously difficult to define.”

The index gives each nation an overall score from 1, indicating most peaceful, to 5, meaning least peaceful.

No. 1 on the list is Iceland with an overall score of 1.176. Latvia’s score is 1.723. Estonia, with a score of 1.702, ranked 35th. Lithuania, like Latvia with a score of 1.723, ranked 41st.

While Latvia scored high on some indicators, such as the level of political instability and respect for human rights, the country received fair to poor marks in other areas. For example, Latvia scored in the middle in terms of the level of residents’ mistrust of other citizens. On a 10-point scale showing the level of separation of church and state, with 10 being the highest, Latvia scored just 5.6.

Latvia’s ranking for 2008 is up from 2007, when it was put at 47th. Estonia, however, fell from 28th place in 2007. Lithuania improved slightly from its 2007 ranking of 43rd.

Russia ranked 131st, a finding criticized by some officials in Moscow as a result of bias toward the country. Scoring lowest were Israel, Afghanistan, Sudan, Somalia and—in 140th place—Iraq.

Further information on the Global Peace Index is available by visiting www.visionofhumanity.org.

British police in Northampton are continuing an investigation into the apparent murder of a 22-year-old Latvian man whose body was found May 30.

The body of Ritvars Kozans was found at about 9:40 p.m. in a garbage bin storage area on Woolmonger Street in Northampton. A post-mortem examination showed a suspicious head wound, according to local media reports.

Kozans, an electrician, is said to have visited several pubs and clubs the night of May 29 and early on May 30.

Two men and two women were detained by police, but later were released on bail.

Police are seeking the public’s assistance. Anyone with information is asked to telephone +44 08453 700 700.

Nearly 22,000 more seats to events will become available when the second round of ticket sales for the 2008 Latvian Song and Dance Festival in Rīga begins June 7, organizers have announced.

The additional tickets—a total of 21,918—are becoming available through a combination of rearranging and adding seating for some concerts and performances, as well as turning two dress rehearsals into public concerts.

Organizers were criticized after tickets for many popular events during the July 5-12 celebration sold out in just hours after going on sale in March. Rumors surfaced of blocks of tickets being snatched up by scalpers who supposedly used Internet sales to their advantage. Minister of Culture Helēna Demakova demanded song festival organizers figure out how to make more tickets available.

“We have tried to do everything possible to make the Song and Dance Festival more accessible,” Romāns Vanags, head of the Song and Dance Celebration Office in Rīga, said in a June 4 press release.

Tickets will go on sale at 11:00 hours EEST June 7 at Biļešu paradīze offices around Latvia. An extra 500 tickets are designated for sale in Liepāja, where problems were encountered during the first round of sales.

Internet sales through www.bilesuparadize.lv are scheduled to start at noon EEST June 7, organizers said.

Ticket sales will be limited, organizers added. No more than four tickets to one concert may purchased at one time, while Internet sales will be limited to eight tickets at one time. No telephone reservations will be accepted.

Additional tickets include 5,858 to the July 6 opening concert in the Mežaparks open-air theater in Rīga; 1,134 to “Deju svētkiem – 60” July 6 in Arēna Rīga; 5,123 to the July 10 and 11 grand folk dance performances, and 4,147 for the July 12 closing concert.

Tickets also will go on sale to the July 5 dress rehearsals for the opening concert and for “Deju svētkiem – 60.” Participants in the festival will have the first opportunity to buy these tickets, and those that are not sold will be offered to the general public.

Program details for the song and dance festival are available by visiting www.dziesmusvetki2008.lv.