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A weekly podcast that discusses the latest happenings in Latvia, hosted by Joe Horgan.
291 Episodes
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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
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.
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
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
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
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
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!
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
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!
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
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
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/
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 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
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 Aircraft Wing Band of Cherry Point, North Carolina, available in the Public Domain
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 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: Joe Horgan's personal archive
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 Apsīte
Photo: Mike Pennington, used with a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 license
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 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
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://gogetfunding.com/help-ukrainian-refugees-in-latvia-continue-learning-english-2/
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: CipherN https://www.flickr.com/photos/nikmay/9174955397
Used with a Creative Commons ATTRIBUTION-NONCOMMERCIAL 2.0 GENERIC license
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 closing music: Austra Apsīte
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 behavior when visiting forests, 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
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