Latvia Weekly

May 28th, 2026: New Government, New Threats, and Hockey Hopes 28.05.2026 42min

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, and much more! Photo credit: Reinis Inkēns, Saeima Used with a creatice commons license: https://www.flickr.com/photos/saeima/52916581420/ 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: bit.ly/_think-tank Music promoted by Audio Library youtu.be/mbV9t1Z0rA8

May 8th, 2026: Drone Drama, Parking Problems, and Wind Turbine Looting 08.05.2026 59min

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 Valmiera.

April 27th, 2026: Gone With the Wind 27.04.2026 36min

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 / Stream: bit.ly/_think-tank Music promoted by Audio Library youtu.be/mbV9t1Z0rA8

April 21, 2026: Planes, Trains, Automobiles, and Politics in an Election Year 21.04.2026 44min

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 audionautix.com Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY 3.0 Free Download / Stream: bit.ly/_think-tank Music promoted by Audio Library youtu.be/mbV9t1Z0rA8

LW Interviews: Checking in with Baltic Homesteader Gary Dickenson 07.03.2026 31min

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 listen to our first interview in 2020 here: https://soundcloud.com/latviaweekly/lw-interviews-baltic-homesteader-gary-dickenson

February 28, 2026: A Dream of Spring, a Lack of Stability (on Ice and in Parliament), and A Somber Anniversary 28.02.2026 1h 2min

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" faction in Saeima, Estonian frustration with Latvia over Rail Baltic, the introduction of more average speed cameras, a suspected supermarket cartel, and much more!

February 15th, 2026: White Alert, Winter Olympics, and Atvara goes Supernova 16.02.2026 51min

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: profernity, used with a Creative Commons License http://flickr.com/photos/flickr/55080045296/ Theme song "Mēs esam ārzemnieki" by Aarzemnieki, used with permission International Outlook music: Background News by MiroMaxMusic via Pixabay pixabay.com/music/upbeat-background-news-438895/ Akenfelds by the Sea music: Jamaica reggae (Sunny Dreamers) by u_98673jp944 via Pixabay pixabay.com/music/reggae-jamaic…ny-dreamers-327065/ Closing theme song: Think Tank by Audionautix audionautix.com Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY 3.0 Free Download / Stream: bit.ly/_think-tank Music promoted by Audio Library youtu.be/mbV9t1Z0rA8

February 1, 2026: Severe Frost Alerts, Disinfomation Consequences, and Rail Baltic Realities 02.02.2026 1h 21min

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, Wikipedia edit wars, the Supernova song competition, and more! Photo Credit: Joe Horgan Theme song "Mēs esam ārzemnieki" by Aarzemnieki, used with permission International Outlook music: Background News by MiroMaxMusic via Pixabay pixabay.com/music/upbeat-background-news-438895/ Akenfelds by the Sea music: Jamaica reggae (Sunny Dreamers) by u_98673jp944 via Pixabay pixabay.com/music/reggae-jamaic…ny-dreamers-327065/ Closing theme song: Think Tank by Audionautix audionautix.com Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY 3.0 Free Download / Stream: bit.ly/_think-tank Music promoted by Audio Library youtu.be/mbV9t1Z0rA8

January 23rd, 2024: A Little Peace, a Lot of Transportation Headaches, and Winter's Continuous Chill 23.01.2026 42min

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/ Theme song "Mēs esam ārzemnieki" by Aarzemnieki, used with permission International Outlook music: Background News by MiroMaxMusic via Pixabay pixabay.com/music/upbeat-background-news-438895/ Akenfelds by the Sea music: Jamaica reggae (Sunny Dreamers) by u_98673jp944 via Pixabay pixabay.com/music/reggae-jamaic…ny-dreamers-327065/ Closing theme song: Think Tank by Audionautix audionautix.com Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY 3.0 Free Download / Stream: bit.ly/_think-tank Music promoted by Audio Library youtu.be/mbV9t1Z0rA8

January 9th, 2026: Translating "Coolcation," New US Ambassador, More Blizzards, and a New Ammunition Factory Underway 10.01.2026 42min

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 06.01.2026 59min

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 during the storm and how life is settling into the city where wind was born. Image credit: Jānis Vilniņš, used with a Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike License v. 3.0 https://lv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Att%C4%93ls:Um%C4%81ras_upe_2013._gada_mart%C4%81.JPG Theme song "Mēs esam ārzemnieki" by Aarzemnieki, used with permission International Outlook music: Background News by MiroMaxMusic via Pixabay https://pixabay.com/music/upbeat-background-news-438895/ Akenfelds by the Sea music: Jamaica reggae (Sunny Dreamers) by u_98673jp944 via Pixabay https://pixabay.com/music/reggae-jamaica-reggae-sunny-dreamers-327065/ Closing theme song: Think Tank by Audionautix audionautix.com Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY 3.0 Free Download / Stream: bit.ly/_think-tank Music promoted by Audio Library youtu.be/mbV9t1Z0rA8

2025 in Review: Stories and People of the Year 28.12.2025 1h 14min

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 13.06.2025 1h 11min

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 Closing theme song: Think Tank by Audionautix audionautix.com Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY 3.0 Free Download / Stream: bit.ly/_think-tank Music promoted by Audio Library youtu.be/mbV9t1Z0rA8 Cheesy harp sound effect courtesty of the freesound community via pixabay.com

May 6th, 2025: Interview with Artist Katrīna Tračuma, Old Town Banditry, Traffic Towards Tallinn, and Jelgava's Market Nightmare Nearly Over 07.05.2025 56min

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 Closing theme song: Think Tank by Audionautix audionautix.com Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY 3.0 Free Download / Stream: bit.ly/_think-tank Music promoted by Audio Library youtu.be/mbV9t1Z0rA8

LW #233: Budget Pain, Drug Busts, and News from October 5th - 16th, 2024 18.10.2024 1h 7min

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 21.09.2024 49min

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 song: Think Tank by Audionautix audionautix.com Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY 3.0 Free Download / Stream: bit.ly/_think-tank Music promoted by Audio Library youtu.be/mbV9t1Z0rA8 Image: Gatis Rozenfelds, Valsts kanceleja https://www.flickr.com/photos/valstskanceleja/54001945739/ Used with Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic

LW #231: School Days, Poetry Days,and News from August 30th - September 3rd, 2024 03.09.2024 47min

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 29.08.2024 1h 14min

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 Closing theme song: Think Tank by Audionautix audionautix.com Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY 3.0 Free Download / Stream: bit.ly/_think-tank Music promoted by Audio Library youtu.be/mbV9t1Z0rA8

LW #229: Flood Damage Fallout, Stranded in Spain, and News from August 7-15, 2024 15.08.2024 49min

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 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: bit.ly/_think-tank Music promoted by Audio Library youtu.be/mbV9t1Z0rA8

LW #228: Zemgale Soaked and News from July 22nd - August 1st, 2024 02.08.2024 1h 2min

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, and much more! Photo credit: Gatis Rozenfelds, Valsts kanceleja. Used with a Creative Commons ATTRIBUTION-NONCOMMERCIAL-NODERIVS 2.0 GENERIC license. https://www.flickr.com/photos/valstskanceleja/53891146929/in/photostream/ 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: bit.ly/_think-tank Music promoted by Audio Library youtu.be/mbV9t1Z0rA8 Photo: Gatis Rozenfelds, Valsts kanceleja, used with a Creative Commons License https://www.flickr.com/photos/valstskanceleja/53891146929/