Latvia Weekly
A weekly podcast that discusses the latest happenings in Latvia, hosted by Joe Horgan.
Epizodes
LW's Guide to the 2026 Election
Link to the LW Election Guide spreadsheet: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Pw5VtlFGjHrsTLWoQFE07xniWFMxqZ5OiXzJDFMK-I0/edit?usp=sharing
Joe breaks down the 15th Saeima (parliament) election party-by-party after giving a basic overview of how the election on October 3rd works, including party platforms and current polling data.
August 24th, 2026: Blowin' In the Wind, CSDD Fallout, Air Baltic Rescue, and Counterfeiter's Plans Up in Smoke
Joe is back from a summer break to break down the continuing fallout from Cyclone Priska's tour of destruction throughout Latvia, calling into Gary Dickenson near Valmiera and Kris Akenfelds in Liepāja to hear how they fared the storm before covering other major stories of the week.
Theme song "Mēs esam ārzemnieki" by Aarzemnieki, used with permission
Closing theme song: Think Tank by Audionauti
July 10th, 2026: Vanšu Bridge Closure Concerns, Air Baltic Debt Doubts, and Justice for Jelgava's Flower Thieves
As Latvia gets ready for another weekend of summery weather, Joe talks through major stories such as the completion of a not-fully-usable new Central Station rail terminal, more financial fears for Air Baltic, the potential closure of one of Rīga's busiest bridges to personal traffic during renovations, and much more!
Theme song "Mēs esam ārzemnieki" by Aarzemnieki, used with permission
Closing
July 10th, 2026: Road Ruffians, Election Season Kickoff, NATO Promises, and Avoiding Burnout(s)
Joe is back with a full-length episode to discuss the opening of the election season with party lists submited, new polling data out, and a full month of the new coalition having gone by. Also, Gary Dickenson of Baltic Homesteaders once again calls in to update us on how his homestead has fared the massive rain that's hit Latvia over the past week.
Theme song "Mēs esam ārzemnieki" by Aarzemnieki,
June 23rd, 2026: Midsummer Greetings
Līgo Līgo! As Joe was looking for oak branches this morning, he recorded a midsummer-themed mini episode, with Gary from Baltic Homesteaders also calling in with greetings!
June 16th 2026: Student Perspective on the News and Voicemail from Vidzeme
For this mini-episode, Joe is joined by two of his students, Divs and Marja, to give their perspectives on some of the biggest stories such as the drone incursions into Latvia and the upcoming election in October, while Gary gives an update on his Baltic Homestead.
Image credit: Pixabay
Theme song "Mēs esam ārzemnieki" by Aarzemnieki, used with permission
Closing theme song: Think Tank by Audio
May 28th, 2026: New Government, New Threats, and Hockey Hopes
Joe recaps the collapse of the Siliņa government and the lightning-fast coalition formation process that has left Andris Kulbergs on the cusp of becoming the next prime minister, as well as other stories such as the arrest of high-level officials over alleged corruption in the forestry industry, continued drone incursions into Latvia, success (so far) at the international ice hockey championship,
May 8th, 2026: Drone Drama, Parking Problems, and Wind Turbine Looting
As the investigation over a series of drones that crossed into Latvian territory, some of which crashed into an oil storage facility, the political fallout has already begin to fall. Joe is also joined by Søren von Holmberg to discuss local controversy over traffic changes in the Grīziņkalns neighborhood of Rīga, as well as by Gary Dickensonnof Baltic Homesteaders to hear how things are going near
April 27th, 2026: Gone With the Wind
Joe discusses the results of a wind storm over the weekend as well as follow-ups to stories from the previous week, while Gary checks in from Vidzeme on the latest developments at his homestead.
Theme song "Mēs esam ārzemnieki" by Aarzemnieki, used with permission
Closing theme song: Think Tank by Audionautix audionautix.com Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY 3.0 Free Download
April 21, 2026: Planes, Trains, Automobiles, and Politics in an Election Year
After an unintentional break due to being "aizņemts," Joe is back to discuss major happenings especially in the world of transportation and politics, with Gary calling in with a "Voicemail from Vidzeme" to let people know how things are going at his homestead near Valmiera.
Theme song "Mēs esam ārzemnieki" by Aarzemnieki, used with permission
Closing theme song: Think Tank by Audionautix audiona
LW Interviews: Checking in with Baltic Homesteader Gary Dickenson
Following his appearance on the LTV1 show "Zemes stāsti" ("Stories of the Land"), Joe checks back in with Gary Dickenson of the popular "Baltic Homesteaders" social media pages as he gets ready for spring near Valmiera and reflects on how his content has evolved over the past few years.
You can check out Baltic Homesteaders on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/baltichomesteaders/
You can
February 28, 2026: A Dream of Spring, a Lack of Stability (on Ice and in Parliament), and A Somber Anniversary
Gary Dickenson of the Baltic Homesteaders social media pages joins Joe to discuss the long-awaited but potentially treacherous arrival of spring along with other stories, such as a real-life "Nāves ēnā" situation avoided thanks to 21st century telecommunications, Latvia's commemoration of the fourth anniversary of Russia's full-scale attack on Ukraine, the ironic collapse of the "For Stability" fa
February 15th, 2026: White Alert, Winter Olympics, and Atvara goes Supernova
Alan Anstead from the Englishman in Latvia podcast joins Joe for a look back over the previous weeks' major stories, such as the continued extreme winter weather, Latvia's Olympic ups and downs, more Rail Baltic controversy, and an official response from the Latvian Language Agency about the term "Coolcation!"
Please listen to Alan's podcast here: https://englishman-in-latvia.com/
Photo credit:
February 1, 2026: Severe Frost Alerts, Disinfomation Consequences, and Rail Baltic Realities
This week, Joe is joined by the one and only Anete Germane from the Irregular Latvian YouTube channel to discuss the ongoing cold snap in Latvia which has led to phones buzzing with emergency alerts for three nights in a row along with other topics such as the increasing public admissions by officials that Rali Baltic will be nowhere near on time, more trouble for Ogre mayor Egils Helmanis, Wikipe
January 23rd, 2024: A Little Peace, a Lot of Transportation Headaches, and Winter's Continuous Chill
Joe breaks down major stories of the week including Speaker of Saeima Dace Mieriņa's surprise support for Donald Trump's Nobel Peace Prize campaign, a reality check for Rail Baltic, expensive renovations for Vanšu tilts, winters continued bite, and much more!
Photo: Ieva Ābele, Saeima
Izmantošanas noteikumi: saeima.lv/lv/autortiesibas
Source https://www.flickr.com/photos/42130586@N02/53376328817
January 9th, 2026: Translating "Coolcation," New US Ambassador, More Blizzards, and a New Ammunition Factory Underway
Kris Akenfelds comes to Rīga to join Joe for a discussion on Kurzeme's attempt at becoming a (not so) hot tourist destination, the continued wintry weather, the prosecution of individuals allegedly (illegally) assisting Moscow's nefarious ambitions, a new munitions factory, and an attempt to reduce bureaucracy. Cian again covers major international stories.
January 5, 2026: A Wintry New Year, DIY Danger, What's in a Name (Change), and Akenfelds by the Sea
It's already been a hectic new year in Latvia, with a massive wind storm ushering in the true beginning of winter and other major stories such as a fatal gas explosion in Torņakalns, the reestablishment of a single train between Rīga and Tallinn, and a number of high profile passings. Cian joins the team as international correspondant, and Kris calls in from Liepāja to tell about his experience du
2025 in Review: Stories and People of the Year
Happy New Year! Joe is back with a roundup of the top stories of 2025 in Latvia, as well as the Latvia Weekly people of the year!
"Auld Lang Syne" performed by the Concert Band of the United States Air Force Heritage of America Band. Track 21 from disc 2 of Ceremonial Music (2005).
Fragment of "I've Been Working on the Railroad" by Mitch Miller
June 12th, 2025: Interview with Composer Scott Brickman and Local Election Results
Joe breaks down the biggest takeaways from the muniicpal elections that happened Saturday as well as the aftermath before interviewing composer and professor of music and education Scott Brickman about his experiences reconnecting with his Latvian roots in a big way over the past few years.
Theme song "Mēs esam ārzemnieki" by Aarzemnieki, used with permission
Middle song courtesy of Ausma Apsīte
May 6th, 2025: Interview with Artist Katrīna Tračuma, Old Town Banditry, Traffic Towards Tallinn, and Jelgava's Market Nightmare Nearly Over
Latvia Weekly is back in a new format, with Joe covering some main happenings of the week and then interviewing Jelgava artist Katrīna Tračuma about the opening of her solo exhibition in Jelgava "Zemnieki. Zeme. Nieki. Zemieši. Zemgale." or "Farmers. Earth. Nothings. Zemgale. Earthlings."
Theme song "Mēs esam ārzemnieki" by Aarzemnieki, used with permission
Middle song courtesy of Ausma Apsīte
LW #233: Budget Pain, Drug Busts, and News from October 5th - 16th, 2024
As Latvia's coalition forces compromise on a budget, law enforcement crack down on one of the largest drug producing operations in Latvian history. Otto and Joe discuss these and other stories such as a smartphone ban, the announcement of candidates for the upcoming Riga city council election, and important trip to Moldova, and more!
LW #232: One Year for Siliņa, Drone Disconnect, and News from September 4th-19th, 2024
As the Siliņa government celebrates its one year anniversary, Otto joins Joe from Budapest to discuss major issues such as fallout after an explosive-packed Russian drone landed in Rēzekne, bad news for Latvia's health sector, major updates to the Rail Baltic implementation plan, post-flood repairs, and more!
Theme song "Mēs esam ārzemnieki" by Aarzemnieki, used with permission
Closing theme son
LW #231: School Days, Poetry Days,and News from August 30th - September 3rd, 2024
As Otto and Joe begin the new year of studies, they sit down to discuss a number of stories related to education, Air Baltic's financial trouble, the upcoming Riga City Council election, Paralympic success, and more!
LW #230: Revenge of the Mosquitos, Farewell Kariņš, and News from August 20-29, 2024
As Latvia suffers from an unusual amount of "odi," Otto and Joe discuss major stories such as growing criticism of the tax reform and budget formation process, former Prime Minister Krišjānis Kariņš's surprise decision to step away from politics, steps forward and back for the Rail Baltic project, a costly scam, and much more!
Theme song "Mēs esam ārzemnieki" by Aarzemnieki, used with permission
LW #229: Flood Damage Fallout, Stranded in Spain, and News from August 7-15, 2024
As the high costs of rebuilding after devastating floods in southern Latvia become increasingly clear, Otto and Joe discuss the implications as well as other major stories such as a tour group of Latvian youth stranded in Spain, parliament's investigation into Rail Baltica's troubles, changes to gambling and tax laws, Latvian drones to Ukraine, and much more!
Theme song "Mēs esam ārzemnieki" by A
LW #228: Zemgale Soaked and News from July 22nd - August 1st, 2024
As Latvia's top athletes compete in the Olympics, much of the country continues cleaning up after a historic storm that left much of southern Latvia drenched and littered with fallen trees. Otto and Joe discuss these major stories along with a few others including data from the first month of civil partnerships, a bizarre escape across the Eastern border, modern trams at long last to Ķengarags, an
LW #227: International Aspects and News from July 10th-21st, 2024
As Otto continues his time in Washington DC following the NATO summit, he joins Joe to discuss issues such as European Union leadership appointments, major decisions by the European Court of Human Rights, decoupling from the Russian energy grid, excellent news from train lovers, an Olympic anniversary, and much more!
Photo: Baltic Security Foundation
Theme song "Mēs esam ārzemnieki" by Aarzemnie
LW #226: Otto at the NATO Summit, Deadly Drivers, and News from June 28th - July 4th, 2024
Before getting ready to celebrate America's independence day, Otto and Joe sit down to discuss some major stories of the week such as planned tough new road safety measures following a week of deadly crashes, the first few days of same sex partnerships in Latvia, more plans for renewable energy, the NATO summit, and much more!
Opening and closing music: "Materna", performed by the Second Marine A
LW #225: Midsummer in Maine, Boston and Latvian Sports Glory, and News from June 14th-27th, 2024
Having just celebrated midsummer Līgo/Jāņi celebrations in the US state of Maine, Joe sits down to talk about major stories such as more headaches for both rail and road travel, Kristaps Porzinģis' success on the Boston Celtics, a final goodbye to Rezekne City Council, coalition shakeups, plant protein plans in Liepāja, and much more!
Theme song "Mēs esam ārzemnieki" by Aarzemnieki, used with per
LW Interviews: Sea Buckthorn Garden "ZELT BIO" Co-founder Eduards Vilks
To get into the midsummer spirit, Joe drives a bit outside of the city to sit down with "ZELT" Sea Buckthorn Garden co-founder Eduards Vilks to discuss his and partner Elīna's experiences in setting up a major agricultural endeavour as well as some of the most interesting aspects of the not yet so well known sea buckthorns, or smiltsērkšķi in Latvian.
Opening and closing music: courtesy of Ausma
LW #224 Results of the European Parliament Election and News from June 7th-13th, 2024
With the results of the European Parliament election in, Otto and Joe break down the biggest takeaways and discuss a few other stories such as the mounting costs of the Rail Baltic project, possible prosecution for a controversial former member of European Parliament, the passing of a literary giant, and more!
Theme song "Mēs esam ārzemnieki" by Aarzemnieki, used with permission
Closing theme so
LW #223: Summer Arrives and News from May 20th - June 4th
With temperatures above 30 degrees in some places, Joe discusses the hot weather as well as a few other important stories from the week. He also sits down with a few students who have participated in the ENGtegrationForUkraine project's free English lessons for Ukrainian refugees that Otto and Joe have been organizing. If you have not yet done so, please share the donation link!
https://gogetfund
LW Interviews: The Organizers of ENGtegrationForUkraine
Please support our project by sharing this link as widely as possible!
https://gogetfunding.com/help-ukrainian-refugees-in-latvia-continue-learning-english-2/
Joe sits down with co-host and fellow project organizer Otto Tabuns, head teacher Kris Akenfelds, and volunteer Sydnee Wilke to discuss the ENGtegrationForUkraine project to provide free English lessons for Ukrainian refugees.
Opening and
LW #222: Northern Lights, International Success, and News from May 1st-14th, 2024
The "ziemeļblāzma" (northern lights) shining above Latvia last weekend seem to have been a good sign, with singer Dons securing Latvia's best Eurovision result since 2016 and a string of victories to open the 2024 International Ice Hockey Federation Championships. Otto and Joe discuss these and other issues including more headaches for Rail Baltic, important international meetings, common sense be
LW #221: As the Winter Tire Turns and News from April 16th - 23rd, 2024
Those who took their winter tires off might have done so too soon as winter returned with a vengeance early this week. Otto and Joe discuss the strange weather along with new developments in the plan to move away from Russian as a second foreign language in schools, Minister of Culture Agnese Logina surviving a no confidence vote, military training for hunters, a possible new football stadium, and
LW #220: New Foreign Minister and News from April 1st - 16th, 2024
As Latvia's likely new foreign minister gets introduced to the public, Latvia's previous foreign minister deals with the continued fallout from a questionable amount of state and EU funding being used on private jet flights. Otto and Joe meet to discuss the newest developments to this story as well as going through good news for animal rights activists and environmentalists, possible exciting deve
LW #219: The Trouble with State-Provided Transportation and News from March 18th-30th, 2024
While Krišjānis Kariņš has resigned from the post of foreign minister after mounting criticism over his use of private jets while prime minister and the announcement of criminal proceedings for those involved with arranging them, Mayor of Jelgava District Madars Lasmanis hangs onto his position despite a widely spread video of seemingly indecent behavior during an online meeting led from his state
LW #218: "Go and (Don't) Burn (Grass)" and News from March 1st - 11th, 2024
Otto and Joe explain the difference between the Latvian words "degt" and "dedzināt," especially in the context of one dangerous tradition, before discussing major stories of the week such as the rapid approval and beginning of border defense construction, a major resignation in the wake of passenger rail difficulties, criminal proceedings for a former parliamentarian, a unique chance to celebrate
LW #217: A Heavy Day and News from February 16th - 24th, 2024
On a gloomy day that marks two years since Russia's unprovoked wide-scale invasion of Ukraine, Otto and Joe discuss major stories of the week such as Latvia's massive assistance to Ukraine, a new depth to Rēzekne's financial governance troubles, a farewell to one of Latvia's most controversial members of parliament, and much more!
Photo: Valsts kanceleja / Evija Trifanova, used with a Creative Co
LW #216: Somewhat Spring and News from February 6th - 15th, 2023
LW #216: Somewhat Spring and News from February 6th - 15th, 2023 by Latvia Weekly
LW #215: Weather Fluctuations and News from January 6th - 11th, 2024
With temperatures fluctuating between around -30 and +5 degrees Celsius throughout Latvia over the past week, Otto and Joe discuss the effects on infrastructure as well as a number of other news stories from the week.
Photo: Emilian Robert Vicol, used with a Creative Commons BY 2.0 DEED Attribution 2.0 Generic license
Theme song "Mēs esam ārzemnieki" by Aarzemnieki, used with permission
Closing
LW #214: 2023 Year in Review and News from December 2023 - January 5th, 2024
After briefly discussing the bitter cold that's caused more than a few problems for Latvia's new electric trains, Otto and Joe count down the top 10 biggest stories of 2023 and announce the Latvia Weekly person of the year.
"Auld Lang Syne" performed by Starlifter and Roots in Blue of the United States Air Force Band of Mid-America. Track 11 from the ensembles' 2020 album The Spirit of the Season
LW #213: On One Train and News from November 22nd - December 28th, 2023
It's an exciting time for Latvian passenger rail, as not only long promised new electric trains are finally in service, but daily train service to Vilnius has finally been reestablished! Joe discusses the exciting news along with a number of other news stories from the past month while he was recovering from illness including the ratification of the long-discussed Istanbul Convention, better than
LW Presents: The Holiday Season in Latvia with Musician Jöran Steinhauer
Every Saturday until December 23rd, German musician Jöran Steinhauer will be playing a series of free holiday season concerts at St. Peter's Church in Riga that all are welcome to attend. Joe sits down with Jöran to discuss German, Latvian, and American holiday traditions, the internationalization of the holiday season, and much more!
Music: Jingle Bells, Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) is licens
LW Interviews: Artists Eamonn Shanahan and Katrīna Tračuma
Joe sits down with Eamonn Shanahan (IE) and Katrīna Tračuma (LV), artists of the international "Nua Collective" which will be opening an exhibition called "Blackout" about climate change and the energy crisis on December 9 in the Jelgava Old Town House. To find out more about the exhibition, you can visit their website here!
https://nuacollective.ie/blackout/
Opening and closing music by Austra
LW #212: Frosty Windshields and News from November 16th - 21st, 2023
As temperatures drop to -10 Celsius in parts of Latvia, Otto and Joe discuss major stories such as Sigulda's renewed Olympic dreams, President Rinkēvičs' trip to Israel and the West Bank, the strangest police confiscation of white powder imaginable, and much more!
Theme song "Mēs esam ārzemnieki" by Aarzemnieki, used with permission
Closing theme song: Think Tank by Audionautix audionautix.com
LW #211: Proclamation, Pause on Partnerships, and News from November 10th - 15th, 2023
Otto and Joe sit discuss the meaning of the 18th of November in Latvia along with some major stories from the previous week, such as the passing and then pausing of new amendments to the civil partnership laws, the announcement of major new transit infrastructure projects in Riga, sentencing for two badly behaved former parliamentarians, and much more!
Theme song "Mēs esam ārzemnieki" by Aarzemni
LW #210: Commemoration, Controversy, and News from October 26th - November 9th, 2023
Otto is back with Joe to discuss commemoration of Latvia's most important military victory in its history, as well as other stories such as controversy over a new sign for Riga Central Station, Major new legislation projects over hot button issues, the dismissal of Rezekne's mayor, good news for regional train service, and much more!
With Otto in America, Joe takes a look at some of the biggest s
Winter Tire Time, Teacher Salary Trouble, and News From October 13th - 25th, 2023
With Otto in America, Joe takes a look at some of the biggest stories of the week including new survey results regarding language, the opening of a new high speed road, troubles with teacher salary calculations, the shelving of a chaotic income declaration proposal, help from Estonia for Latvia's border situation, and much more!
Theme song "Mēs esam ārzemnieki" by Aarzemnieki, used with permissio
LW #208: A Dark and Stormy Night, Bomb Threats, and News From October 5th - 12th, 2023
With the first snow having fallen in Latvia as part of a weekend storm, Otto and Joe discuss seasonal issues such as the lowering of speed limits throughout the country along with other major stories like bomb threats to schools and kindergartens Latvia's support for Israel following Hamas' attacks, and more expensive alcohol taxes over the next few years.
Theme song "Mēs esam ārzemnieki" by Aarz
LW #207: Speaker Surprise and News from September 15th - October 4th, 2023
Otto and Joe look back on the biggest stories of the last few weeks, including the surprise election of Daiga Mieriņa as the new Speaker of Parliament, major developments in the criminal processes for two long-controversial politicians, harsh new penalties for intoxicated drivers, a major honor for the town of Kuldiga, and much more!
heme song "Mēs esam ārzemnieki" by Aarzemnieki, used with permi
LW #206: New Coalition and News from September 6th - 14th, 2023
"Jauns" is the Latvian word of the week as Otto and Joe discuss the newly agreed upon coalition before taking a look at a number of important stories from regions all over Latvia, such as Valmiera's local government under investigation for corruption, an eye-raising 1.7 million euro playground in Ogre, a requirement for all municipalities to have their own local police forces, and much more! They
LW #205: New School Year, New Coalition, and News from August 22nd - September 5th, 2023
The first of September is "Zīnibu diena" (Knowledge day) in Latvia, and Otto and Joe are back in Jelgava for not just the beginning of a new school year, but also to discuss stories such as the formation of a new three-party coalition, Latvia's jaw-dropping performance at the FIBA World Cup, the planned resumption of rail service between Latvia and Lithuania, financial trouble in Latvia's eastern
LW Interviews: "An Englishman in Latvia" Podcast Host Alan Anstead
Joe sits down with Alan Anstead, a former British diplomat who lived in Latvia in the 1990s and returned to live in Latvia last year and start producing the "An Englishman in Latvia" podcast. The two discuss connections between the UK and Latvia, how things have changed since the 1990s, some of the best places to visit in the country, and much more!
Make sure to listen to Alan's podcast here! htt
LW #204: Ķirsis Gets His Turn and News from August 17th - 21st, 2023
After years of climbing the ladder of Rīga city government, Jaunā Vienotība's Vilnis Ķirsis gets his turn in the big chair as the new chair, or priekšsēdētājs, of city council — but how long will he able to manage a rowdy coalition of factions already sharpening their knives ahead of the 2025 municipal elections? Otto and Joe break discuss his prospects as well as a number of other stories includi
LW #203: Kariņš Steps Back, Siļiņa Steps Forward, and News from August 9th - 16th, 2023
After making history as the first ever Latvian prime minister to last from one regularly scheduled election to another, Krisjānis Kariņš has finally announced his resignation while his party has put forward Minister for Welfare Evika Siliņa as their nominee to replace him. Otto and Joe break down the dramatic developments as well as the possible election of Vilnis Ķirsis as the new mayor of Rīga,
LW #202: Hail, Wind, Torrential Rain, and News from August 2nd - 8th, 2023
As much of Zemgale and Latgale starts cleaning up after an unusually powerful and devastating storm, Otto and Joe discuss the impact on residents, nature, and the agriculture sector along with a few other major stories from throughout the week.
Theme song "Mēs esam ārzemnieki" by Aarzemnieki, used with permission
Closing theme song: Think Tank by Audionautix audionautix.com Creative Commons — A
LW #201: The Worst Kind of Neighbors and News from July 24th - August 1st, 2023
"Kaimiņš" is the Latvian word of the week as Latvia's neighboring countries of Russia and Belarus continue to make life difficult for Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland with the arrival of Wagner Group militants close to the EU border. Otto breaks down the security threat and discusses a number of other important stories with Joe such as amendments to alcohol law that are moving forward, the possible d
LW #200: Coming Full Circle and News from July 18th - 23rd, 2023
Otto and Joe celebrate 200 numbered episodes by getting back to the first topic they ever discussed on the podcast — a messy and complicated coalition building process, this time on Rīga City Council. They also discuss issues related to energy and food security, new scooter regulations, a proposal to unify high school entry requirements, the latest in the intractable conflict between the education
LW #199: Daily Trains to Liepāja and News from July 10th - 17th, 2023
With Otto away in Argentina, Joe looks through some transit-related stories in Latvia such as the reestablishment of daily passenger train service between Rīga and Liepāja, the seizure of drunk drivers' vehicles, delay in implementing "average speed" cameras, penalties for reckless scooter drivers, and much more!
Theme song "Mēs esam ārzemnieki" by Aarzemnieki, used with permission
Closing theme
LW #198: Latvia Sings and Dances, and News from June 27th - July 9th, 2023
As tens of thousands of Latvians perform impressive songs and dances in Rīga's capital and many tens of thousands more spectators take in the experience, Otto and Joe break down the biggest happenings of the XXVII Nationwide Latvian Song and XVII Dance Festival and other major stories from the previous week such as the inauguration of President Edgars Rinkēvičs, resignation of Mayof Mārtiņš Staķis
LW Presents: Continuing the ENGtegrationForUkraine project with head teacher Kris Akenfelds
Joe checks in with ENGtegrationForUkraine head teacher Kris Akenfelds as they prepare for a sixth round of free English courses for Ukrainian refugees in Latvia. Please help spread the word about our project, and share the donation link. Every bit helps. Thank you so much to everyone who has helped!
https://gogetfunding.com/help-ukrainian-refugees-in-latvia-continue-learning-english/
Opening mus
LW #197: The Shortest Night and News From June 14th - 26th, 2023
While much of the world was reeling from events in Russia that took place on the 23rd and 24th of June, Latvia celebrated midsummer Līgo/Jāņi festival — some more responsibly than others, unfortunately. With Otto away in Naples, Joe breaks down the biggest stories of the week here in Latvia including the latest developments in coalition talks, a failed vote of no confidence vote, more money alloca
LW #196: Seeking Coalition Clarity and News from June 9th - 13th, 2023
As murky coalition negotiations drag on, Otto and Joe evaluate the overall situation and look at a number of other important stories such as increasing pain for the agriculture sector, a chronic lack of teachers, the return of the #11 tram, a larger footprint for Latvia in European Parliament, training Ukrainian soldiers in Latvia, and much more!
Theme song "Mēs esam ārzemnieki" by Aarzemnieki, u
LW #195: President Rinkēvičs, "Widening" the Coalition, and News from June 1st - 8th, 2023
The election of Edgars Rinkēvičš as president has led to questions about the current coalition and whether or not it will stay as is, invite in opposition parties, or be replaced with a new alliance of parties that voted for the president-elect. Otto and Joe break down this political puzzle along with other major stories such as the largest ever pride parade, heat taken by the mayor of Rīga for di
LW #194: Hockey Madness, End of the School Year, and News from May 18th - 31st, 2023and News from
"Beigas" is the word of the week as the end of the school year coincides with not just the presidential election, but the dramatic end of the IIHF Championships in which Latvia's National Men Hockey Team won their first even bronze metal. Joe discusses these stories along with a number of other important happenings from throughout the week.
Theme song "Mēs esam ārzemnieki" by Aarzemnieki, used wi
LW #193: Karaļauči, Election Excitement, and News from May 13th - 17th, 2023
With the presidential election campaign season having begun in earnest, Otto is back in Latvia to discuss with Joe the latest developments both in the election and throughout Latvia!
Theme song "Mēs esam ārzemnieki" by Aarzemnieki, used with permission
Closing theme song: Think Tank by Audionautix audionautix.com Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY 3.0 Free Download / Stream: bi
LW #192: Levits' Dramatic Decision and News from May 4th - 12th, 2023
With Otto on a trip for his work with the Baltic Security Foundation, the Latvian word of the week is "vientuļš" as Joe covers the major events of the week by himself — including President Levits' dramatic decision to not run for a second term after all, harsher sentences planning on being introduced for stalkers in the wake of the tragic murder in Jēkabpils, a relatively calm 9th of May, and much
LW #191: Outrage, Independence, and News from April 20th - May 3rd, 2023
"Sašutums" is the word of the week as outrage is expressed by teachers during a three-day strike, protesters picketing a perceived lack of action by police in preventing a murder, and government officials in response to controversial comments by a Chinese diplomat questioning the Baltic countries' sovereignty. Otto and Joe sit down to discuss these issues and more, as well as looking ahead to 4th
LW #190: Sunny Days and News from April 13th - 19th, 2023
"Saule" is the word of the day as the weather becomes sunnier and as Otto heads off to the sunny city of Rome for a conference before sitting down with Joe to discuss the looming teachers' strike, political drama in Ogre, the upcoming presidential election, and more!
Theme song "Mēs esam ārzemnieki" by Aarzemnieki, used with permission
Closing theme song: Think Tank by Audionautix audionautix.co
LW #189: Change coming and News from March 30th - April 12th, 2023
"Mainīt" (to change) is the word of the week as Otto and Joe discuss major stories related to the changing of seasons and other important changes such as the re-introduction of mandatory military service, amendments to language requirements for Russian nationals living in Latvia with residence permits, the expansion of NATO, and much more!
LW Interviews: Checking in with Kris Akenfelds, head teacher of ENGtegrationForUkraine
With the fourth round of the ENGtegrationForUkraine project's English lessons for Ukrainian refugees underway thanks to generous donors like you, it's time for Joe to check in with head teacher Kris Akenfelds to see how the courses are going and the overall situation in Latvia's Ukrainian refugee community.
Opening and closing music: courtesy of Ausma Apsīte
LW #188: Spring (and Kūla smoke)is in the Air and News from March 23rd - 29th, 2023
Spring has returned, and so has the dangerous time-honored tradition of burning old grass (kūla). Otto and Joe remind people of why this is not only dangerous but illegal, and discuss major stories from the previous week such as an emergency in Latvia's spruce forests, a statue vandalized in Bauska, controversy over public media reorganization, a possible higher age limit on smoking, and much more
LW #187: Finding Money for the Health Sector and News from March 2nd - 22nd, 2022
After a contentious budget process, questions remain about funding for the health and education sectors in Latvia, with potential protests on the horizon. Otto and Joe discuss the latest developments in the government's attempts to address these concerns, along with updates to a number of other important stories from the last few weeks.
Theme song "Mēs esam ārzemnieki" by Aarzemnieki, used with p
LW Presents: Bridging Latvia and Ireland with Noel Lyons and Skarleta Feierabends
In honor of St. Patrick's Day, Joe sits down with Noel Lyons and Skarleta Feierabends, authors of the poetry collection "Voices on the Bridge", for a wide-ranging conversation about the pains of immigration, parallels between the difficult situations in Latvia's and Ireland's countrysides, translating cultural ideas, and the value of poetry in both societies.
Opening and closing music: Irish Wash
LW #186: A Solemn Anniversary and News from February 22nd - March 1st, 2022
"Gads" is the word of the week as Otto and Joe discuss Latvia's commemoration of one year of Russia's illegal full-scale invasion of Ukraine, along with other important stories of the week.
If you would like to help Otto and Joe's project ENGtegrationForUkraine continue providing free English lessons to Ukrainian refugees in Latvia, you can do so here: https://gogetfunding.com/help-ukrainian-refu
LW #185: Danger on K. Valdemāra iela and News from February 10th - 21st, 2022
"Bīstams" is the word of the week as Otto and Joe sit down to discuss major issues of the week, such as the partial closing of K. Valdemāra iela in Rīga due to buildings in dangerous condition, the conceptual approval of mandatory military service by Saeima, the postponement of mandatory eID cards until 2031, Joe Biden's surprise visit to Ukraine, and much more!
Theme song "Mēs esam ārzemnieki" b
LW #184: Budget, Beetles, Busses, and News from February 3rd - 9th, 2023
"Iesniegt" is the word of the day as the 2023 budget is submitted by the ministry of finance for discussion and approval by Saeima. Otto and Joe discuss the new coalition's very first budget creation process along with a number of other important stories such as the troubling spread of beetles lethal to Latvia's spruce trees, potential conscription for Latvian citizens abroad, and much more!
Them
LW #183: Disharmony in Daugavpils and News from January 25th - February 2nd, 2022
"Saskaņa", or "harmony", is the word of the week, and something that Daugavpils now lacks as Mayor Andrejs Elksniņš and the rest of the Saskaņa party's city council members quit the faction. Otto and Joe discuss the latest drama for the fragmenting political force along with other major stories like alleged embezzlement at Daugavpils University, criminal charges for parliamentarian Glorija Grevcov
LW #182: Bus Cartel Busted, Diplomatic Drama, and News from January 18th - 24th, 2023
Otto and Joe discuss some of the biggest stories of the previous week such as a hefty fine levied on badly behaving bus operators, the downgrading of diplomatic relations between Russia and Latvia, more defections from a Conservative party on life support, potential new language requirements for political campaigns, stabilizing water levels in Jēkabpils, and more!
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