EstoNews will be on break for the rest of August. Will return in September. 

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COVID in the Baltics 

- 282 in Estonia ⬆️ (258 last week)

- 127 in Latvia ⬆️ (70 last week)

- 548 in Lithuania ⬆️ (218 last week)

(BNN)

https://bnn-news.com/latest-covid-19-cases-in-baltics-127-in-latvia-548-in-lithuania-282-in-estonia-227354

“Koroonaviiruse andmestik.” - Eesti Terviseamet

“Estonia will not achieve herd immunity this year.” - ERR

“Soomes tuvastati ööpäevaga 765 koroonajuhtu.” - ERR

“Estonia declares state of emergency in healthcare over increasing Covid-19 cases.” - BNN

“Quarantine obligation to become simpler for school students in Estonia.” - Baltic Times

“Estonian employers to have right to require COVID-19 certificate from employees.” - Baltic Times

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- Friday 13. August 2021

Intervjuu: Marju Lauristin

(Postimees)

“Teadlane, õppejõud ja poliitik Marju Lauristin ütleb 30 aastat hiljem, et ta ei tundnud hirmu, kui 1991. aasta augustis Toompeal Eesti taasiseseisvumise otsust kirjutas, sest tal polnud oma kohust täites selleks aega.”

https://www.postimees.ee/7314946/marju-lauristin-tahtsin-isa-sonad-vastupidi-poorata

Eesti paneb migrantidele vastu veristava lõiketraadiga piiritara

(Postimees)

“Mullu suvel Eesti kagupiiril alanud viivitusaia, juurdepääsu- ja patrullteede ning muu, sissetungijate tabamiseks hädavajaliku taristu ehitus on jõudnud nii kaugele, et esimene veerandsada kilomeetrit Eesti ja Venemaa piiri lõunapoolsemast osast on saamas migrandikindlamaks kui eales varem.”

https://leht.postimees.ee/7314639/eesti-paneb-migrantidele-vastu-veristava-loiketraadiga-piiritara#_ga=2.57822063.410344593.1628808528-1783563684.1626281127

“Läti videod näitavad Valgevene jõuvõtteid migrantide üle piiri surumises.” - ERR

Iga maalappi himustab mõni tööstur, aga mis kasu inimesed sellest saavad?

(Postimees)

“Ettevõtjad plaanivad rajada tselluloosi- ja põlevkiviõlitehase, tuumajaama ja uued põlevkivikaevandused just Virumaale, viidates kohalike töötute päästmisele kõrgepalgaliste töökohtadega. Lisaks tehakse fosforiidiuuringuid – kas Virumaal käib vinge innovatsioon või kõlab hüüatus «Käed üles, Virumaa!»?”

https://www.postimees.ee/7315250/iga-maalappi-himustab-moni-toostur-aga-mis-kasu-inimesed-sellest-saavad

Baltic-Russian Borders Today

A Reversal of Fortune from the First Cold War

By Paul Goble

“… the east-west divide remains real and that these borders are now increasingly obviously ‘borders between two worlds’ and thus reifying a division many thought had been overcome for all time. In recent days, there has been some progress in restricting the illegal flow of immigrants from the Middle East via Belarus into Lithuania, but the danger that dictators like Alyaksandr Lukashenka may try to use this weapon just as Moscow has tried to do with migrants into Western Europe mean that more tightly controlled borders are likely to again be the norm.” 

http://windowoneurasia2.blogspot.com/2021/08/baltic-russian-borders-today-reversal.html

Nausėda andis Leedu sõjaväele erivolitused

(Postimees)

“Leedu valitsus küsis täiendavate õiguste tagamist sõjaväele riigipealt eile. Nii tekib sõjaväel võimalus Valgevene piiri läheduses patrullida ja anda täitmisele kuuluvaid korraldusi, ning kui neid ei täideta, siis ka inimesi jälitada ja vahistada.

Samuti saab sõjavägi õiguse peatada autosid ja neid läbi otsida, kasutades selleks vajadusel erivarustust. Parlament võttis hiljuti vastu muudatused, mis võimaldavad sõjaväeüksusi eriolukorra puhul kasutada ja neile täiendavaid pädevusi anda, et vältida tõsist ohtu ühiskonnale.”

https://maailm.postimees.ee/7314767/nauseda-andis-leedu-sojavaele-erivolitused#_ga=2.154821629.410344593.1628808528-1783563684.1626281127

Lithuania border security camera - note the people by the fence.
Belarus security guards are on the right.  
Source: Marko Mihkelson, Riigikogu foreign affairs

“Estonia supports Lithuania in migrant crisis emergency powers order.” - ERR

“Estonian minister: We have common vision with Latvia, Lithuania regarding funding for border.” - Baltic Times

“Politically managed illegal migration must be stopped, says Estonian Foreign Minister Eva-Maria Liimets.” - Baltic Times

26 people detained during night time riots in Vilnius, 10 officers injured

(Delfi)

“Some 5,000 people gathered outside the parliament building earlier on Tuesday to protest against the government's plans to impose restrictions for people without coronavirus immunity or negative test results. … Eighteen officers – 12 police officers and six officers of the Public Security Service (VST) – were injured as a protest outside the parliament building in Vilnius turned violent on Tuesday night. Eight vehicles were damaged during the unrest outside the parliament.”

—

“Riot police eventually dispersed the crowd of protesters at around 2 a.m. as people refused to leave, using shields and teargas.”

https://www.delfi.lt/en/politics/prosecutors-seek-arrest-warrants-for-26-suspects-in-riot-case.d?id=87932859

—

https://www.delfi.lt/en/politics/26-people-detained-during-riots-in-vilnius-10-officers-injured.d?id=87922693

“Tuesday night riot at the Lithuanian parliament: organized and coordinated.” - Delfi

“Several thousand people protest outside Lithuanian parlt over new COVID-19 restrictions.” - Baltic Times

“President’s advisor: protests and riots are two different things.” - Delfi

The Week In Russia: The Dangerous Summer 

By Steve Gutterman, RFERL

https://www.rferl.org/a/week-in-russia-gutterman/31408471.html

Afghanistan’s crisis will be Europe’s too

(Politico-Europe)

“Europeans have to realize a new refugee wave now seems inevitable. And though Afghan refugees have been leaving the country in large numbers since even before 2015, this time they will have no other choice.”

https://www.politico.eu/article/afghanistan-crisis-war-taliban-europe-problem/

- Thursday 12. August 2021

Metsatulekahjud sagenevad Eestiski

(Novaator)

“Eestis põhjustab tulekahjusid peamiselt inimene. Suurim tuleoht on riigi loodeosas, kus kuivades kasvukohatüüpides kasvavad suurel pindalal puhtmännikud. Mere läheduse tõttu on seal ka rohkem tuult kui sisemaal. Tuul kuivatab metsaökosüsteemi, liikuv õhumass kannab niiskust minema, taimede aurumine suureneb ja taimestik muutub kuivemaks.”

https://novaator.err.ee/1608303021/metsatulekahjud-sagenevad-eestiski

“Kreekas ja Venemaal möllavad metsatulekahjud.” - ERR

“Greece, Turkey and Italy have borne the brunt of wildfires.” - Guardian

Smoke from Siberia wildfires reaches north pole 

(The Guardian)

“Devastating wildfires have ripped across Siberia with increasing regularity over the past few years, which Russia’s weather officials and environmentalists have linked to climate change and an underfunded forest service. … One of Siberia’s hardest-hit regions this year has been Yakutia – Russia’s largest and coldest region that sits atop permafrost – which has had record high temperatures and drought.”

—

“… the US space agency NASA said its satellite images showed wildfire smoke travelling more than 3,000km (1,800 miles) from Yakutia to reach the north pole, calling it “a first in recorded history”. It added that on 6 August most of Russia was covered in smoke.”

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/aug/09/smoke-siberia-wildfires-reaches-north-pole-historic-first?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

“Fighting Siberia’s wildfires - photos.” - The Guardian

“Climate change is widespread, rapid, and intensifying." - EUReporter

“Wildfire smoke in Siberia causes ‘stay at home’ instruction.” - The Guardian

“The fires, which started in May in Yakutia, are now larger than all wildfires around the planet combined.” - The Daily Beast

“The Volunteer Army Battling Siberia's Record-Breaking Wildfires.” - RFERL

Suri Eesti NSV poliitik Vladimir Lebedev

(ERR | Postimees)

https://www.err.ee/1608305397/suri-eesti-nsv-poliitik-vladimir-lebedev

—

https://www.postimees.ee/7314269/suri-ensv-poliitik-ja-interrinde-uks-juhte-vladimir-lebedev

Kas Päts ja Laidoner küüditati?

(Sirp)

“Eesti Vabariigi kunagistest riigipeadest vahistati esimesel okupatsiooniaastal kaheksa inimest kümnest. Nad kas mõrvati või surid vangistuses. Imelikul kombel pääses Päts.”

https://sirp.ee/s1-artiklid/c9-sotsiaalia/kas-pats-ja-laidoner-kuuditati/

“Priit Uring: Were Päts and Laidoner deported?” - ERR

Presidendilossi pääsla ja roosiaed saavad uue ilme

(ERR)

“Lähiaastatel renoveeritakse ka presidendiloss ning remondi ajaks kolitakse seal töötavad kantselei ja president mujale. Kuhu, ei ole praegu veel selge, öeldi presidendi kantseleist. Presidendi kantselei ehitusprojekt peab valmima jaanuaris 2023 ja ehitustööd on kavandatud lõpetada 2024. aastal, öeldi ERR-ile presidendi kantseleist.”

https://www.err.ee/1608305094/presidendilossi-paasla-ja-roosiaed-saavad-uue-ilme

“PPA: Kadriorg need not be cordoned off to pedestrians.” - ERR

Opinion: Taking security for granted? NATO and the Baltic states

By Tony Lawrence, ERR

“After a long period focusing mostly on expeditionary warfare, NATO is relearning old skills related to deterrence and collective defense and learning how to apply these in new strategic circumstances.”

https://news.err.ee/1608305328/taking-security-for-granted-nato-and-the-baltic-states

“Eesti kagupiiri ehitus on täies hoos.” - Delfi

“National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan’s Call with PM Kaja Kallas.” - White House Briefing

“Estonia expects to receive a shipment of new naval mines by the end of 2021.” - Shephard Media

Three-month state of emergency declared at Latvia-Belarus border

(Latvian Broadcasting - 3 stories)

“The state of emergency designation sounds dramatic but is essentially technical, allowing faster decision-making and spending to address the situation than would normally be the case.”

https://eng.lsm.lv/article/society/society/three-month-state-of-emergency-declared-at-latvia-belarus-border.a416329/

—

https://eng.lsm.lv/article/politics/saeima/saeima-approves-state-of-emergency-at-latvia-belarus-border.a416682/

—

https://eng.lsm.lv/article/society/defense/56-people-stopped-from-crossing-latvia-belarus-border-overnight.a416515/

Special permits will not be issued on Latvian-Belarusian border for the duration of state of emergency

(BNN)

“… there is a 2 km wide border area along Latvia’s land border. To stay within this area, which runs along Latvian, Russian and Belarusian border, people aged 15 or old are required to have a special permit.”

https://bnn-news.com/special-permits-will-not-be-issued-on-latvian-belarusian-border-for-the-duration-of-state-of-emergency-227327

“Some migrants were afraid of the Belarusian border guard.” - Postimees

- Wednesday 11. August 2021

Estonian Presidential Candidate Suggests ‘Finlandization’ For Estonia

(UpNorth)

“Self-declared candidate for the upcoming Estonian Presidential election, Tarmo Soomere … is quoted about his vision for Estonia’s foreign policy, in which he praises Finland’s approach to its relations with Russia – which is commonly referred to as ‘Finlandization’. Soomere continued by suggesting that “maybe I’m an idealist, but I think that the director of KAPO [Estonian Internal Security Service] has to call the director of the FSB [Russian security service] once a year.”

https://upnorth.eu/estonian-presidential-candidate-suggests-finlandization-for-estonia/

Estonia considers biometrics to replace SIM-card based mobile ID

(Biometric Update)

“The previous technology was acquired 10 years ago, at some time it is important to see what’s happening in the market and whether there are more modern, newer, second technology solutions.”

https://www.biometricupdate.com/202108/estonia-considers-biometrics-new-provider-to-replace-sim-card-based-mobile-id

Polish parliament passes controversial new media ownership bill

(The Guardian)

“… that could lead to the country’s largest remaining independent TV station losing its licence, but at the cost of several key votes that put the government’s longterm future in doubt. After a night of protests in Warsaw and 80 other towns and cities against the bill, which opponents see as an attempt to silence an often critical broadcaster, the law passed on Wednesday by 228 votes to 216 in the 460-seat lower house.”

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/aug/11/poland-coalition-under-threat-as-parliament-votes-on-controversial-media-bill?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

- Tuesday 10. August 2021

Migrant situation quiet on Estonia-Latvia border say authorities

(ERR)

“… the influx of migrants from Belarus into Lithuania, and also Latvia, is no cause for concern in Estonia at present.”

—

“Over 4,000 people have crossed the border illegally from Belarus into Lithuania since mid-summer, in a development referred to by Estonia's leaders as hybrid warfare on the part of Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko. … Crossings into Latvia have recently surged, with nearly 30 apprehended in one day.”

https://news.err.ee/1608303279/authorities-migrant-situation-quiet-on-estonia-latvia-border

“Police officers on Estonian-Latvian border say there is no reason for panic.” - Baltic Times

“Turkmen national who swam Narva River to enter Estonia sent back to Russia.” - ERR

Art installation in Tallinn pays tribute to Belarus’ political prisoners

(Calvert Journal)

“Artists and activists have filled Tallinn’s Freedom Square with hundreds of empty chairs to symbolise the 605 Belarusian political prisoners arrested in the last year as part of the country’s pro-democracy movement. The installation was unveiled on 9 August, 12 months after Belarus’ presidential election sparked anti-government protests across the country. The demonstrations unleashed an unprecedented wave of police brutality, with thousands of people beaten and jailed by the authorities. Each of the white plastic chairs were marked with a name tag to commemorate an individual political prisoner, as well as a number recording how long they had spent in prison.”

https://www.calvertjournal.com/articles/show/13018/belarus-protests-political-prisoners-one-year-on

1,000-year-old remains in Finland may be non-binary iron age leader

(The Guardian)

“According to a peer-reviewed study in the European Journal of Archaeology, DNA analysis of remains in a late iron age grave at Suontaka Vesitorninmäki in Hattula, southern Finland, may have belonged to a high-status non-binary person. First discovered in 1968 during building work, the grave contained jewellery in the form of oval brooches as well as fragments of woollen clothing suggesting the dead person was dressed in “a typical feminine costume of the era”, the researchers said.”

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/aug/09/1000-year-old-remains-in-finland-may-be-non-binary-viking-researchers-say?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

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