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12 June, 2020


The Last Million, by David Nasaw, is coming out in September 2020. 
(Will be interesting to see how much is written about Estos.)



From Penguin Marketing: “A masterwork from acclaimed historian David Nasaw, The Last Million tells the gripping yet until now largely hidden story of postwar displacement and statelessness. By 1952, the Last Million were scattered around the world. As they crossed from their broken past into an unknowable future, they carried with them their wounds, their fears, their hope, and their secrets. Here for the first time, Nasaw illuminates their incredible history and, with profound contemporary resonance, shows us that it is our history as well.”




COVID-19 Eestis
Viimati uuendatud: 12. juuni 2020
[Harjumaa 766 | Saaremaa 551 | Ida-Virumaa 153 | jne.]






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Friday 12. June
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Thousands of secret KGB ‘Singing Revolution’ photos enter archives
(ERR - 21. May)
“6,000 original camera negatives were given to the film section of the National Archives (Riigiarhiiv) … The film reels had been stored in a safe belonging to Jaanus Rohumaa, who has been a security company owner for 30 years. "To my knowledge, the existence of these photos is unique, not (to) mention that this is the only place in the former Soviet Union where photos have preserved of events that affected us so deeply.”

Just a few of the photos taken by the KGB




Inimgeograaf Kadri Leetmaa: Eesti maaelu ei saa kujundada ainult linnaeliit
(Novaator)
“Eestis on kahanemise nõiaringi jõudnud ka maakonnakeskused, ka sealt kaovad elutähtsad teenused. Isegi Tartu regioonikeskusena kahaneb. Inimesed eelistavad elada kohtades, kus töö ja kõigi pereliikmete jaoks vajalikud asjaajamised jäävad igapäevaliikumise ulatusse. Kui Eesti maakonnakeskused nõrgenevad, süveneb ääremaastumine veelgi.”



Saku Suurhalli ees toimus «Black Lives Matter» meeleavaldus
(Postimees)
“Meeleavaldajad usuvad, et Eestis ei mõisteta probleemi tõsidust.”
“Minu arust see on ebaaus, et valgenahalistel on suuremad privileegid, kui tumedanahalistel. See, et seda nii palju ignoreeritakse, see peab muutuma,” kommenteeris Suurhalli ette meelt avaldama tulnud Anna. Olukorras, kus meeleavaldus peaks käest minema, on Anna enda sõnul valmis oma põhimõtete eest seisma. “Ma isiklikult olen nõus käed külge panema, kui on vaja,” kommenteeris neiu.”



500 people turn up for a peaceful “Black Lives Matter” rally in Tallinn
By Silver Tambur, Estonian World
“… showing support to the Black community in the United States and taking a stand against racism in Estonia.”











Putin attends first public event after months of lockdown
(AP)





Lifting of restrictions for passengers between Estonia and Finland
(GlobeNewswire via Yahoo)
“The opening of the Estonian-Finnish border will help to restart passenger transport on the Tallinn-Helsinki and Muuga-Vuosaari shipping lines. In the summer months of 2019, 3 million people traveled by ship between Estonia and Finland, 53% of them Finns and 24% Estonians.”





Norilski diislileke on ulatuselt maailma 20 suurema kütuseõnnetuse seas
(Novaator)
“Põhja-Venemaal Norilskis ulatub diislileke 21 000 tonnini. Ehkki loodus saab ajapikku Norilski diislisaastest võitu, näitab varasem kogemus, et õnnetuse jälgi võib näha ka 40 aasta pärast.”








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Thursday 11. June
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€750 Billion Recovery Plan Tests Estonia’s EU Policy
By Kristi Raik, ICDS
“In the ongoing discussion on EU recovery package, Estonia has failed to send the message that it is actively taking part in European efforts to look for ways to repair damaged solidarity in the Union.”





Russia welcomes prospect of US troop pullback from Germany
(AP)
“Trump has reportedly signed off on a plan to cut the number of troops stationed in Germany from 34,500 to no more than 25,000. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that “we would welcome any steps by Washington to scale down its military presence in Europe.”
“Such steps would undoubtedly help reduce confrontational potential and ease military and political tensions in the Euro-Atlantic region …”



U.S.-NATO Exercises In Eastern Europe Are Important
(RFERL)
“Dubbed Allied Spirit, the exercise was supposed be linked to a much larger U.S.-led multinational exercise in Europe, including NATO members, called Defender Europe 20, which had to be significantly scaled down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. … The second one, Baltops 20, runs from June 7 to June 16 in the Baltic Sea region. The maritime-focused exercise, which has been held annually since 1972, involves 28 maritime units, 28 aircraft, and up to 3,000 personnel from 19 countries, with Finland and Sweden being the only non-NATO participants.”



How the U.S. Gains From Having Troops in Germany
(CEPA)
“A fundamental misconception in today’s charged political atmosphere is that the U.S. defends Europe out of charity. In reality, the defense relationship is mutually beneficial: serving both American and European interests. Much progress is indeed still to be made by European allies in meeting their obligations on defense spending and capability targets. …”















Ravikindlustus kõigile või lasterikkaile?
(Postimees)
“Rahvastikuminister Riina Solman (Isamaa) tuli mõni aeg tagasi välja algatusega, mille eesmärk on tagada nelja ja enama lapse vanemale eluaegne ravikindlustus. Algatuse prognoositav maksumus võib küündida 14 miljoni euroni. Ravikindlustuse sidumine laste arvuga ei lahenda aga põhilist lastevanemate ravikindlustusega seotud probleemi. Sotsiaalministeerium töötab sügiseks välja plaani, kuidas tagada ravikindlustus kõigile Eesti elanikele.”



Russia to play a big role in Estonia's 5G future
(ERR)
“Estonia's neighbor to the East has firmly stated its position, of which they notified the Estonian government of in 2017. Estonia's proposal to allow for the development of networks on the same frequencies has been rejected because it would interfere with Russia's TV broadcasting.”



Even One-Person Protests are Too Much for Vladimir Putin
By Anna Nemtsova, The Daily Beast
“The contrast with the mass protests taking place around the world right now could not be more striking.”








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Wednesday 10. June
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Ida-Lääne rollid Läänemerel on vahetunud: NATO uuenenud ülesanded
Ott Laanemets, Diplomaatia
“NATO peab võtma ofensiivse hoiaku alates hetkest, kui heidutus läbi kukub, et tagada ühendusteed Balti riikidesse. Vaja on sünkroniseeritult merelisi võimeid arendada ning luua juhtimisühtsus.”



Foreign Ministers mark 100 years of Finland-Estonia diplomacy
(News Now Finland | ERR)
“Pekka Haavisto and Urmas Reinsalu held ceremonies in their respective capitals, but highlighted the increasing cooperation across a range of sectors for the Baltic neighbours.”



Arvamus: Võimalus kõikjal Eestis elada on küsimärgi all 
(Eesti Päevaleht - paywall)
“Juba veerand sajandit on Tallinn olnud Eesti ainus kasvava elanikkonnaga keskus. Kuhu jõuame nii jätkates järgmise veerandsajandiga?”





Riigikogu aitab Narval tänavaid ümber nimetada
(Postimees)
“Kolm Reformierakonna ja kaks Isamaa riigikogusaadikut esitasid kohanimeseaduse täiendamise eelnõu, mis võimaldaks kohustada näiteks Narva linna ümber nimetama punamõrtsukate Ants Daumani ja Albert-August Tiimanni nimelise tänava, millega on edutult tegeletud juba peaaegu kakskümmend aastat.



Eesti ja Euroopa karmid relvaregulatsioonid on end õigustanud
(Novaator)
“Eesti on rahvusvahelise uuringu andmetel üks riikidest, kus relvaõnnetuste tagajärjel sureb inimesi suhteliselt vähe. Viimase kümnendiga on ka vägivaldseid surmajuhtumeid üldiselt Eestis poole vähemaks jäänud. Siseministeeriumi hinnangul on siinsed karmid relvaloa taotlustingimused end seega õigustanud.”










Astravets Nuclear Power Plant in Belarus Is Nearing Completion
(Jamestown Org.)
“The Astravets Nuclear Power Plant (NPP), in Belarus, finished receiving nuclear fuel for the initial load of its first reactor .. For roughly a decade the Astravets NPP has been a tangible focus of the bitter breakdown in relations between Belarus and Lithuania. Lithuania argues the Belarusian plant is a threat to its national security, public health, and environment, primarily due to it being constructed just 28 miles from its capital of Vilnius.”



Giant Diesel Spill in Siberia’s Norilsk
(Warsaw Institute)
“The leak can have a severe impact on the local ecology. Many say the oil spill was the worst such accident ever in the Arctic region.”








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Tuesday 9. June
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Vabade üürikorterite arv Tallinnas tegi aastaga suure hüppe
(ERR)
“Kinnisvaraportaalide kinnitusel on üürikorterite pakkumiste arv aastaga tublisti suurenenud. Näiteks kinnisvaraportaalis KV.ee oli mais eelmise aastaga võrreldes ligi 75 protsenti rohkem üürikorterite kuulutusi ja pakkumiste keskmine hind vähenes seitse protsenti.”



Competing Tallinn tunnel visions head for regional council vote
(News Now Finland)
“Private developers at FinestBay Area Development – who have already raised financial pledges for the full €15 billion cost of the tunnel project – want the route to go from Tallinn Airport to Helsinki Airport under the Baltic Sea, and reach the mainland at Keilaniemi-Otaniemi in Espoo before traveling at 300 kmph to the airport in Vantaa.”



Tallinn kavandab tühermaade ja varemete asemele rohekoridori
(ERR)
“Üks osa Tallinna rohekoridorist peaks tulevikus muutuma nn putukaväilaks, kus inimeste kõrval tunnevad end hästi ka teised liigid. Eelmisel aastal viisid Tartu ülikooli teadlased läbi loenduse, mis näitas, et juba praegu elab keset Tallinna mitukümmend liiki liblikaid, kimalasi, mesilasi ja muid pisitegelasi.”



Blame Game Shatters Putin’s Majority
(Carnegie Moscow)
“In its quest for short-term tactical advantages, the Russian leadership is destroying something it spent years building up. Previously, the Kremlin feared a schism in society, and only singled out tiny groups of alleged blasphemers and traitors. That aside, the state tried to paper over the cracks by suppressing ethnic issues and regional patriotism. It built a loyal pro-Putin majority in which everyone was essentially the same and in agreement with everyone else and with the state on matters of principle. Right now, the state itself is shattering that majority into minorities pitted against one another.”







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Monday 8. June
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Uuring: pooled eestlased ei oota Eestisse elama teisest rahvusest või rassist inimesi
(Novaator)
“Veidi rohkem kui pooled eestlastest leiavad, et riik peaks lubama kas üldse mitte või vaid vähesel määral erinevast rassist või rahvusest inimesi Eestisse elama, selgub Euroopa sotsiaaluuringust.”



Estonia Woos Remote Workers With A Digital Nomad Visa
(Forbes)
“Estonia’s government has voted to amend its Alien Act to allow for a digital nomad visa for stays for up to a year — nine months longer than the three-month tourist visa allows.”



Finland: Intense flooding in Lapland reaches its peak
(Helsinki Times)
“Several rivers in the region, including the Muonio, Tornio, and Kemijoki, have all burst in the past few days, causing mass flooding across Lapland. Rovaniemi has been the worst affected area so far, with the highest amount of flood damage to property occurring in and around the city.”




NATO must become more political and global, says alliance chief Jens Stoltenberg
(Euronews | RFERL)
“Speaking from Brussels via videoconference, Jens Stoltenberg, director-general of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), called on leaders to make the alliance "even stronger by making sure we are as effective politically as we are military".
“He flagged that "Russia continues its military activities unabated", that extremist armed groups including the so-called Islamic State "are emboldened", and that "the rise of China is fundamentally shifting the global balance of power" and "increasing the competition of our values and our way of life”.”





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