The Dispatch

EU hopes suspension of Iraq flights will slow migrant stream to Lithuania

The European Union hopes for a stabilization of the migrant situation in Lithuania after Iraq suspended flights from Baghdad to Minsk, a spokesman for the bloc's executive said on Tuesday. "We are pleased…

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China tells Lithuania to withdraw envoy in row over Taiwan

China told Lithuania on Tuesday to withdraw its ambassador in Beijing and said it would recall China's envoy to Vilnius in a row over the Baltic state allowing Chinese-claimed Taiwan to open a de…

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Poland, Lithuania call for EU help with migration surge at Belarusian border

WARSAW (Reuters) - Poland and Lithuania on Friday called on European institutions to help them deal with a surge in illegal migration from Belarus over their borders, as tensions between…

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Lithuania denies Belarus reports of migrant death on border

Lithuania's interior ministry dismissed Belarusian reports that an Iraqi migrant had been found beaten to death after being turned away at the Lithuanian border, describing it as part of a…

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3,800 migrants cross border from Belarus to Lithuania

Around 3,800 people were transferred Monday to an immigration detention center in Vydeniai, Lithuania, after crossing the border from Belarus in the last 24 hours, most of them identifying themselves as…

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UPDATED: Frontex vows additional support for Lithuania amid migrant crisis, US expresses concern

EU border agency Frontex said it would ramp up its support for Lithuania next week, as the country deals with an increase in migrants crossing its border. The agency vowed…

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Spanish PM’s news conference in Lithuania halted for jet take-off

A news conference of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda at a Lithuanian air base was interrupted on Thursday when Spanish jets were scrambled to respond…

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UPDATED: Turkey says ready to support Lithuania over migrants from Belarus

Turkey is ready to extend its support and expertise on migration to Lithuania, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Thursday, after Lithuania accused Belarus of flying in migrants from abroad,…

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Lithuania says Belarus is flying in migrants, plans border barrier

Lithuania on Wednesday accused Belarus of flying in migrants from abroad to send to the European Union and said it would build a barrier on the border and deploy troops…

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Lithuania govt readies support for companies hit by sanctions on Belarus

The Lithuanian government stands ready to provide support to its enterprises as they get hit by European sanctions on Belarus, Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte said on Monday. Outraged at the forced…

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Lithuania says Belarus is helping Middle Eastern migrants to cross its borders

Lithuania's Prime Minister says she believes Belarus is behind a recent spike of illegal immigration into Lithuania, following a threat by its president that it will no longer prevent migrants…

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FBI and Poland have launched inquiries into Belarus plane, says Lithuanian police chief

The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation and Poland have launched their own inquiries into the forced landing of a Ryanair plane in Belarus, the chief of Lithuania's criminal police said…

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Estonia eases travel quarantine requirements

Arrivals in Estonia from four European nations do not need to quarantine, from Monday, April 5: Denmark, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Portugal and the U.K. The quarantine exceptions list is two fewer…

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Estonia prolongs COVID-19 curbs by 2 weeks to April 25

Estonia extended all COVID-19 restrictions by two weeks until April 25, and said travellers arriving from Latvia, Lithuania and Finland would now need to isolate for 10 days. The government…

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Photo Story: Easter feeling in Latvia

People enjoy the installations of the Easter decoration in Ogre, Latvia. Residents and guests of the city are invited to enjoy the the spring sun and the feeling of the…

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Photo Story: Snowstorm in Riga

People walk during a snowstorm in Riga, Latvia, as heavy snowfall fell in many places in the country. Photo: EPA-EFE/TOMS KALNINS

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Photo Story: US strategic bomber training flight in Lithuania

A handout photo made available by the Lithuanian Ministry of Defence shows the US Air Force's strategic bomber B-1B Lancer (C) escorted by Italian Air force Eurofighters Typhoon during training…

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Photo Story: Ice on the River Ogre in Latvia

A boy walks on the ice float fragments piling on a bank of the Ogre river, near Ogre, Latvia. Latvia saw a new 'heat record' this week with air temperatures…

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Estonia’s goverment to boost support for agriculture by €3.8 million

ERR EE - The Estonian government was reported to be boosting the extraordinary support for agriculture by €3.8 million in response to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the…

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Photo Story: Frozen Baltic seacoast in Latvia

People walking on the ice of the frozen Baltic seacoast in Carnikava, Latvia. Weather forecasts predict air temperatures of up to 10 degrees Celsius in some places in Latvia for…

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Lithuanian police investigate leak of 110,000 personal IDs

Lithuanian police are investigating the leak of personal data of 110 thousand people, including five government ministers and the capital city’s mayor, they said, after the list was placed on…

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Poland and Baltics want more sanctions on Russia, diplomats say

BRUSSELS, Feb 4 (Reuters) - Six European Union states including Poland and the Baltics are pushing for new EU sanctions on Russian officials after the jailing of Kremlin critic Alexei…

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Lithuanian president nominates Belarus opposition leader for Nobel prize – sources

VILNIUS (Reuters) - Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda has nominated Belarus opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya for the Nobel Peace Prize, two sources with knowledge of the matter said on Saturday. Nauseda…

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UPDATED: Lithuania calls for sanctions against Russia after Navalny’s arrest

European Union member Lithuania said on Sunday it will ask the European Union to swiftly impose new sanctions on Russia in response to the arrest of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny.…

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Estonian prime minister Juri Ratas to resign, spokeswoman says

VILNIUS, Jan 13 (Reuters) - Prime Minister Juri Ratas of European Union member Estonia announced his intention to resign early on Wednesday, his spokeswoman said, in the wake of an…

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Latvia to police New Year curfew amid rising COVID infections

Latvian police and border guards will patrol the streets to enforce a New Year’s night curfew aimed at preventing large crowds gathering as coronavirus infections rise. The curfew will last…

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Photo Story: Christmas illuminations in Riga

Photos of the Christmas illuminations and decorations around Riga, Latvia. Christmas illuminations at Dzeguskalns in Riga, Latvia. People view the Christmas illuminations and decorations at Sarkandaugava in Riga. The Christmas…

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Lithuania orders tougher lockdown, to last until January 3

VILNIUS (Reuters) - Lithuania told citizens to stay at home for three weeks from Wednesday as it seeks to rein in a raging coronavirus spread that has seen the country…

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Lithuania to turn exhibition centre into makeshift hospital as COVID-19 cases soar

Lithuania’s capital Vilnius is preparing to set up a 700-bed makeshift hospital in its largest exhibition centre, as the city fears its health system may soon get overloaded by coronavirus…

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Lithuanian centre-right opposition claims victory in general election

Lithuania's main centre-right opposition Homeland Union party said it won the general election and will begin forming a new government with two smaller liberal parties, which together have a majority…

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Second round of Lithuania’s Parliamentary elections underway

Parliamentary elections in Lithuania entered their second round on Sunday as the number of coronavirus infections rises sharply in the Baltic state. In the EU and NATO member state, almost…

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Lithuania’s centre-right Opposition takes lead in national election

Lithuania's main centre-right opposition party led the first round of a parliamentary vote, election commission data showed on Monday, as high unemployment and rising debt hurt the ruling coalition. The…

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Lithuanian opposition Homeland Union says on track to win election

Lithuania's main opposition party, the centre-right Homeland Union, appeared likely to win Sunday's first round of a national election, in what is seen as a backlash to Prime Minister Saulius…

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Lithuanians vote in first round of elections

Lithuanians headed to the polls on Sunday for the first round of parliamentary elections, with the ruling four-party centre-left coalition in a tight race with opposition conservatives. DW reports that…

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Lithuania blocks millions of euros of EU funding to Belarus

Lithuania has blocked 5.8 million euros ($6.83 million) in payments to Belarus for an EU-funded cross-border development programme, fearing the money could be misused, the Lithuanian government revealed. The European…

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Lithuanian foreign minister self-isolating after French visit

Lithuanian Foreign Affairs Minister Linas Linkevicius will self-isolate for a week after contact with members of visiting French President Emmanuel Macron's delegation who later tested positive for the coronavirus. The…

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Photo Story: The Silver Arrow exercise in Latvia

Over 3,000 troops and 200 vehicles from 12 NATO Allies took part in exercise Silver Arrow in Latvia this week. The multinational exercise, which wrapped up on 3 October, provided…

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New ‘Estonia’ ferry disaster documentary claims to have found hole in ship’s hull

An undated handout grab photo from a new documentary series about the M/S Estonia disaster in 1994 made available by DPlay on 28 September 2020 shows a hole in the…

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First European ‘travel bubble’ ends as coronavirus cases rise in Estonia

The first European pandemic “travel bubble”, created in May by Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, burst on Friday, as Latvia said it was mandating a 14-day quarantine on everyone arriving from…

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Photo Story: White Night Festival in Riga

People view a 3-D installation named 'Museum of the Moon' by British artist Luke Jerram during the fifteenth White Night Festival in Riga, Latvia on Saturday evening. White Night in…

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Lithuania says EU’s inaction over Belarus undermines foreign policy credibility

The European Union’s lack of action over Belarus is undermining the credibility of its foreign policy, Lithuanian foreign affairs minister Linas Linkevicius told the Financial Times newspaper in an interview…

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U.S. troops to start extended exercises in Lithuania amid tensions over Belarus

U.S. troops and tanks will arrive in Lithuania on Friday for a two-month deployment near the Belarus border, but the government said the move was not a message to its…

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Europol breaks circle of human trafficking for drug dealing

Law enforcement and judicial authorities have made 18 arrests during a massive coordinated operation to smash an organised crime group suspected of trafficking victims from Lithuania to Ireland and the…

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Lithuanians stand in vast chain of support for Belarus opposition

Lithuanians stood in a 35,000-strong human chain stretching 34 km (21 miles) from central Vilnius to the Belarus border on Sunday to show support for protesters in Belarus and opposition…

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Photo Story: The Limbazi Airshow 2020 in Latvia

Piper Cherokee and RV8 planes performs during the Limbazi Airshow 2020 that is being held over the weekend in Limbazi, Latvia. Lithuanian aerobatic pilot Jurgis Kairys performs during the Limbazi…

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Estonia’s port reports 31.8 percent drop in revenue

Estonia's state-owned port authority Port of Tallinn (Tallinna Sadam) has reported a 31.8 percent drop in revenue in the second quarter of 2020 (Q2 2020) and losses of €831,000, largely…

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Lithuania adds Poland, Netherlands, Iceland to travel blacklist

Lithuania on Monday introduced a mandatory 14-day self-isolation requirement for Lithuanian nationals and residents returning from Poland, the Netherlands, Iceland, Cyprus and Turkey, the Health Ministry announced over the weekend.…

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Estonia adds Iceland, Netherlands, Poland and San Marino to self-quarantine list

Four European countries, Iceland, the Netherlands, Poland and San Marino, have been added to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' list of countries of origin for travellers arriving in Estonia who…

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Estonia reports new Covid-cases linked to nightclub outbreak

Seven new cases of coronavirus have been reported in Estonia in the past 24 hours, the Health Board (Terviseamet) said on Sunday. All of the cases were related to a…

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People arriving in Estonia from Malta will need to self-isolate

Based on the novel coronavirus infection rate, starting from Monday, 3 August, people arriving in Estonia from 18 countries, including Malta, will need to self-isolate for 14 days. These European…

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Latvia eases restrictions after only two Covid-19 patients remain in hospital

The Latvian Government has eased social restrictions in the country, deciding that from the coming weekeing visitors to museums, libraries, cultural centers, exhibition halls, open-air museums, theater buildings, concert halls,…

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Latvia and Estonia withdraw Czech Republic from list of safe countries

Latvia and Estonia have withdrawn the Czech Republic from their lists of safe countries due to the growing number of coronavirus cases, the Czech Foreign Ministry has told journalists. The…

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Estonia summons Russian Ambassador in connection to ‘legitimisation’ of Estonia’s annexation by Soviet Union

The Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the Ambassador of the Russian Federation Aleksandr Petrov to Estonia in connection with recent statements seeking to portray the occupation of Estonia and…

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Lithuania considering reintroducing compulsory use of masks

The Lithuanian government will next week consider whether to reintroduce compulsory facemask wearing in public places, following recommendations from health professionals and epidemiologists. Lithuania's daily coronavirus count has jumped to…

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Baltic countries, US reaffirm opposition to Russia’s attempts to rewrite history

On the 80th anniversary of the Welles Declaration, the foreign ministers of the United States, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania issued a joint statement reaffirming their opposition to Russia's attempts to…

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Increased US military presence in Poland serves security interest of all region – Lithuanian President

The possible deployment of more US troops to Poland will serve the security interests of the entire region, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda said. "That possible reassignment of troops will have…

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Photo Story: The Flower Festival Midsummer Night’s Dream 2020 in Lithuania

Scenes from the Flower Festival Midsummer Night's Dream 2020 in Pokroja, Lithuania. In the festival, visitors can enjoy scenes from Shakespeare's play Midsummer Night's Dream made up of elaborate flower…

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