Latvia Weekly

Joe sits down with his fellow American-born colleagues Daira, Monika, Lauren, and Ingrida, who also taught English lessons as part of the Tava Klase educational TV channel during the COVID-19 crisis. They discuss their journeys from being born in the USA to ending up on Latvian national television, as well as their experiences initially adapting to life in Latvia. Opening music by Austra Apsīte

Spring 2020 takes a turn for the even more surreal, with snow blanketing much of Latvia in mid-May. Otto and Kārlis discuss the "sniegs" along with major news about regional reform, the upcoming election, and the ongoing COVID-19 situation. Theme song "Mēs esam ārzemnieki" by Aarzemnieki, used with permission Weather theme: Smooth Jazz (am) by Backing Track Ninja Source: backingtrackninja.bandcamp...

For our 100th uploaded episode, we are joined by Roland Abou Younes, the founder of the popular "Expats in Latvia" Facebook group where Latvia Weekly first began. Roland discusses the ups and downs of moving to Latvia, his philosophy on how to integrate into a new culture, advice for those thinking of coming to live here as well, and much more! Note — Joe apologizes for his low microphone quality...

Kārlis Otto and Joe discuss the news of the week including the planned reopening of the Baltic States' borders with one another, a runaway drone, good news for Latvian hockey fans, and the meaning of the 4th of May. Theme song "Mēs esam ārzemnieki" by Aarzemnieki, used with permission

Joe checks in with Eastern Border podcast host Kristaps Andrejsons after a rough month involving catching coronavirus and getting his podcast temporarily shut down by trolls. They also discuss the meaning of the 1st of May in Latvia and abroad.

Join Otto, Oļevs, and Joe in celebrating Kārlis Streips being awarded the Triju Zvaigžņu ordenis (Order of the Three Stars)! The four also discuss important news items of the week including the long road to cancelling a controversial energy surcharge, more frustration for Rīga's cyclists, and the latest updates to the COVID-19 situation in Latvia. Theme song "Mēs esam ārzemnieki" by Aarzemnieki, u...

Otto and Joe are once again joined by Kārlis Streips to discuss new regulations for electric scooters, the final resolution to the Kristīne Misāne saga, more trouble for Latvian football, and the latest coronavirus-related news.

"Brāzma" (gust) is the word of the week, with strong winds blowing throughout most of Latvia as Otto and Joe discuss all of the latest news. Topics include high hopes for Jelgava in keeping its "city" status, the kickoff of grass fire season, more headaches from the disgraced PNB Bank, and, of course, the latest COVID-19 updates.

Joe and Otto are joined by two very special international guests to celebrate not only "Lieldienas," but also the 75th episode of the podcast! Listen and watch as they discuss the latest virus related and non-virus related stories from the previous week in Latvia. Theme song "Mēs esam ārzemnieki" by Aarzemnieki, used with permission Weather theme: Smooth Jazz (am) by Backing Track Ninja Source: ht...

Otto and Joe are joined by the legendary Latvian media personality Kārlis Streips, and discuss the latest COVID-19 measures and implications, as well as the cancellation of some Rīgas satiksme discounts, the confirmation of a new economics minister, a hefty fine for Aldis Gobzems, a real shooting star, and much more! Theme song "Mēs esam ārzemnieki" by Aarzemnieki, used with permission Weather the...

Robeža (border) is the Latvian word of the week, with the year finally having crossed the border into Spring and borders being placed on regular services and personal contact due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Otto and Joe discuss the latest virus-related updates, including the infection of KPV LV Saeima deputy Artuss Kaimiņš and new limits being placed on shops, as well as other stories such a...

The world might seem as if it has stopped, but the news certainly hasn't! Attālināt ("to distance") is the word of the week as Kris Akenfelds joins Otto and Joe from Cambodia to discuss the pros and cons of government responses to COVID-19 and a few other non virus-related stories.

Although the COVID-19 coronavirus disease is dominating the news cycle throughout the world, Otto and Joe break down a bit of positive news as well such as a potential breakthrough in Rail Baltica bickering, half a million Euro seized under the Magnitsky Act, funding for renovating landmarks and more!

"Nomazgāt" (wash) is the Latvian word of the week now that washing your hands is more important than ever with the COVID-19 novel coronavirus making its first confirmed appearance in Latvia. Otto and Joe discuss the implications of this story along with the first major Rīga city council election polling results, a bungled attempt at international espionage, and what looks like closure to the Krist...

Izglītība (education) is our word of the week, as three of Joe's media students join him to discuss the news of the week with Otto hard at work away in Israel. Theme song "Mēs esam ārzemnieki" by Aarzemnieki, used with permission Weather theme: Smooth Jazz (am) by Backing Track Ninja Source: backingtrackninja.bandcamp.com/track/smo…h-jazz-am

"Vētra" ("storm" is the Latvian word of the week. While the storm "Dennis" continues to menace most of continential Europe, the gathering storm clouds have finally burst above the recently dismissed Rīga City council. Otto and Joe discuss the implications of these stories along with other topics such as President Levits' proposed reduction of non-EU TV content, an interesting new look for Latvian...

"Tiešraide" is the Latvian word of the week as Otto and Joe "go live" for the first time ever and discuss major stories such as Mayor Burovs' acceptance of early elections, Aldis Gobzems' potential new party, a "soda tax," more drama with Denmark, and Latvia's unexpected role in Donald Trump's investigation of Hunter Biden. Theme song "Mēs esam ārzemnieki" by Aarzemnieki, used with permission Weat...

With Otto and Olevs on the road again as part of their work with the Baltic Security Foundation, Elizabete Dreimane once again joins Joe in Jelgava to discuss domestic issues such as the increasingly convoluted political soap opera that Rīga City Council has become, more trouble for former ABLV board members and employees, Latvia's gender wage gap, and much more!

"Notumse" ("blackout") has been chosen by the Riga Latvian Society as the "word of the year," as chances of Mayor Olegs Burovs holding onto power look increasingly dim. Otto and Joe discuss the latest on Rīga City Council's game of thrones as well as Prime Minister Kariņš' first year in office, another ABLV Bank bombshell, Latvia's response to the Wuhan coronavirus, the surprising new head of the...

"Samazināt" is unfortunately our Latvian word of the week, as Latvijas dzelzceļš announces major workforce reductions as well as a decrease in the amount of rail cargo over the last few years. Otto and Olevs join Joe in Jelgava to discuss the fallout from this news as well as the importance of constitutional changes in neighboring Russia, a mixed economic outlook for 2020, irresponsible visitors t...

As the walls continue to crash around Mayor Burovs' fragile coalition, Mr. Burovs has sent the walls literally crashing down in one of Rīga Central Market's most notorious sections. Otto and Joe discuss this watershed moment in the history of Centrāltirgus along with Artuss Kaimiņš' final exit from the KPV LV party he founded, a showdown between environmentalists and the logging industry over prop...

"Klusums" is our Latvian word of the week, with the news cycle unusually quiet here in Latvia compared with the rest of the world's head-spinning past few days. Otto and Joe talk through a few major domestic stories and updates before getting into Latvia's connection with some of the recent major international events, and also call to Sophia in Ventspils to discuss the unusually warm weather and l...

Kristaps Andrejsons is a man on a mission to tell the west the true story of not just what happened in the Soviet Union, but what's happening in the region today. His "The Eastern Border" podcast has attracted hundreds of thousands of listeners and become his primary source of income, but such success has also lead to death threats that have cost him relationships, and a journey that has brought h...

With Otto still on his way back from Italy, journalism student Elizabete Dreimane joins Joe to discuss new year's traditions here in Latvia, along with a few important news stories that took place throughout the week. They also call fellow podcaster Kristaps Andrejsons from "The Eastern Border" program to hear about life and the weather in Ludza, a town just 30 km from the Russian border in the cu...

Happy new year everyone, and thanks to everyone who voted in the 2019 "person of the year" readers'/listeners poll! Otto and Olevs join Joe in Jelgava to reveal your choice along with the staff's "person of the year," the top 10 "stories of the year," and a few important stories and updates from the previous week. Crack open a bottle of champagne and settle down for a look back at the year gone by...