Ilze Jaunalksne

Ilze Jaunalksne, born on November 19, 1976, is a prominent Latvian journalist and film actor, known for her impactful work in the field of journalism. Since 2008, she has been the author and anchor of the current affairs program Nekā personīga (Nothing Personal) on TV3 Latvia, where she has continued to shape public discourse.

Prior to her role at TV3, Jaunalksne made her mark as an anchor for the Latvian Television channel LTV1's current affairs program De Facto from 2005 to 2008. Her investigative prowess came to the forefront in March 2006 when she uncovered a scandal involving national political leaders buying votes, leading to significant political repercussions, including the resignation of a minister and indictments of high-ranking officials.

In a notable act of resilience, Jaunalksne faced retaliation for her reporting when her phone was illegally tapped, and transcripts of her private conversations were leaked. She bravely took the government to court for defamation, marking a historic moment as the first such case in Latvia. Her victory resulted in the Latvian Financial Police being ordered to pay her one hundred thousand lats in damages for the invasion of her privacy.

In recognition of her courage, she received the International Women of Courage award in 2007, although she was unable to attend the ceremony due to her impending childbirth. In 2019, she married fellow journalist Gundars Rēders, and in 2021, she was honored with the Order of the Three Stars 4th Class, further solidifying her status as a respected figure in Latvian media.