PODCAST · news
Latvia Weekly
by Latvia Weekly
A weekly podcast that discusses the latest happenings in Latvia, hosted by Joe Horgan.
Episodes
-
October 8th, 2026: Kulberg's Historic Weekend, It's Not Easy Being Green(s and Farmers), Air Baltic Layoffs, and Bothersome Bridges
With the 15th Saeima Election done and dusted, Joe breaks down the final results, including Andris Kulbergs' historic victory at the top of the United List ticket, a big not not quite big enough night for Ainars Šlesers's LPV party, dissapointment for the Progressives and New Unity, disaster for...
-
September 27th, 2026: The Final Countdown, Rail Baltic Reality, and Heating Price Headaches
With one week to go until the thrilling conclusion of the 2026 Saeima Election, Joe breaks down major developments such as new revelations about candidates, security concerns about election officials, and the final polling data before looking at other major stories of the week. Theme song "Mēs…
more -
September 19th, 2026: Air Bankrupt, Ministerial DUI Fallout, and NATO Support for Latvia
Joe discusses the fallout from Air Baltic's bankruptcy proceedings, as well as other major stories such as the DUI arrest of a minister, the surprise cancelling of a wind farm, NATO air support for Latvia, and much more! Image: Aleksandrs Samuilovs, via Wikimedia Commons using a Creative Commons...
-
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...
-
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…
more -
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...
-
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…
more -
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…
more -
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,...
-
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...
-
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…
more -
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...
-
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...
-
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...
-
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...
-
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...
-
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…
more -
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…
more -
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...
-
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...
-
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...
-
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...
-
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…
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...
-
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…
more -
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...
-
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…
more -
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...
-
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,...
-
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...
-
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…
more -
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...
-
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…
more -
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…
more -
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...
-
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...
-
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…
more -
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...
-
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...
-
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...
-
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…
more -
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...
-
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...
-
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…
more -
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...
-
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"...
-
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...
We're indexing this podcast's transcripts for the first time — this can take a minute or two. We'll show results as soon as they're ready.
No matches for "" in this podcast's transcripts.
No topics indexed yet for this podcast.
Loading reviews...
ABOUT THIS SHOW
A weekly podcast that discusses the latest happenings in Latvia, hosted by Joe Horgan.
HOSTED BY
Latvia Weekly
CATEGORIES
Loading similar podcasts...
Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Latvia Weekly have?
Latvia Weekly currently has 308 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Latvia Weekly about?
A weekly podcast that discusses the latest happenings in Latvia, hosted by Joe Horgan.
How often does Latvia Weekly release new episodes?
Latvia Weekly publishes regularly with 308 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to Latvia Weekly?
You can listen to Latvia Weekly on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Latvia Weekly?
Latvia Weekly is created and hosted by Latvia Weekly.
URL copied to clipboard!