Latvian- and Filipino-American figure skater Larisa Spielberg of Michigan and her partner and fiancé, Craig Joeright, have announced they are ending their skating career.

Spielberg and Joeright have been competing together since 1996, winning several medals. They had set their sights on representing the United States during the 2006 Winter Olympics, according to the Web site for U.S. Figure Skating

“We have chosen to stop skating to focus our attention on our relationship off the ice,” the pair, who became engaged in August, said in a Feb. 4 announcement. “We have closed the door to our skating career and are opening the door to our future.”

Their final performances were scheduled in a trio of Feb. 7 ice shows in Michigan.

The pair’s record includes winning bronze medals in the 1998 and the 2000 State Farm U.S. Figure Skating Championships.

The 23-year-old Spielberg is a student at Oakland University in Michigan. She is the daughter of Jānis and Neneng Spielbergs of East Lansing, Mich. Larisa attended Latvian school in Lansing, Mich., and participated six years in the summer camp at the Gaŗezers center near Three Rivers, Mich., according to her father.

A parliamentary working group on improving relations with Latvians abroad has been formed in the Saeima, the Jaunais laiks (New Era) party has announced in Rīga.

Formation of the group was suggested by Solvita Āboltiņa, a member of parliament representing Jaunais laiks.

The 11-member group includes members of parliament Solvita Āboltiņa, Silva Bendrāte, Guntis Bērziņš, Ina Druviete, Krišjānis Kariņš, Aigars Pētersons and Kārlis Strēlis, all of Jaunais laiks; as well as Silva Golde, Aleksandrs Kiršteins, Pēteris Tabūns and Ērika Zommere, all of Tautas partija (People’s Party).

In an effort to prevent child abduction and trafficking, all minors applying for U.S. passports must now make a personal appearance before a passport agent.

The U.S. Department of State announced Feb. 5 that it has begun requiring the personal appearance for all children under the age of 14, even if they previously have been issued a passport. Parents will have to provide documents proving relationship to the child and consent, the State Department said in a press release.

“The personal appearance requirement for all minors is a further step towards ensuring the integrity of the passport application process,” the department’s announcement said. “This change will help to verify the identity of minor applicants and aid in the prevention of international child abduction and trafficking.”

Further information about the passport application procedure is availalble from the Bureau of Consular Affairs Web site, travel.state.gov.