Japanese artist turned Estonian Olympic Athletes into anime characters

(Estonian Olympic Committee)

“Japanese artist MONQ portrayed the athletes who will represent Estonia at the Tokyo Olympics as anime characters. The following athletes were masterfully turned into drawn characters: decathlete Maicel Uibo, tennis player Anett Kontaveit, wrestler Epp Mäe, cyclist Tanel Kangert, women’s epee fencing team consisting of Julia Beljajeva, Erika Kirpu, Katrina Lehis, Irina Embrich, as well as members of rowing quadruple scull member Kaspar Taimsoo, Tõnu Endrekson, Allar Raja, Jüri-Mikk Udam.”

https://www.eok.ee/organization/news/japanese-artist-turned-estonian-olympic-athletes-into-anime-characters

 

Eesti 20 kõige säravamat hetke suveolümpia ajaloos

(Postimees video)

https://om.postimees.ee/7293668/20-sarava-suveolumpia-hetke-seast-selgub-see-koige-koigem#_ga=2.135595505.1342030975.1626388878-1783563684.1626281127

COVID in the Baltics 

- 62 in Estonia ⬆️ (58 last week)

-46 in Latvia     ⬇️ (50 last week)

- 82 in Lithuania ⬆️ (34 last week)

(BNN)

https://bnn-news.com/new-covid-19-cases-in-baltics-latvia-46-lithuania-82-estonia-62-226454

“Koroonaviiruse andmestik.” - Eesti Terviseamet

“On selge, et kolmas laine praeguseks on alanud.” - ERR

— Friday 16. July —

The Cure for Overtourism? Try Viljandi

(New York Times)

“Traveling to the interior of a small country that doesn’t see huge numbers of tourists you can usually count on certain things: peace and quiet, pastoral landscapes and maybe a few inquisitive looks. Occasionally, though, you come across a small town that’s especially full of life — without the crowds and traffic of a metropolis. There’s good food and culture and interesting people to meet, and it feels as if you have all of it to yourself. These are the little communities for which it’s worth going out of your way. Viljandi, a small town in the south of Estonia not far from the Latvian border, is such a place.”

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/15/travel/europe-estonia-viljandi.html

“Could Estonia be the most underrated country in Europe?” - Euronews Travel

Eesti uus suursaadik USA-s andis üle oma volikirja

(Postimees)

“Eesti uus suursaadik Ameerika Ühendriikides Kristjan Prikk sai Washingtonis USA presidendilt Joe Bidenilt kinnituse volikirjade vastuvõtmise ja Eesti täievoliliseks esindajaks tunnistamise kohta.”

https://www.postimees.ee/7294979/eesti-uus-suursaadik-usa-s-andis-ule-oma-volikirja

Eestlaste enesekuvand metsarahvana

(Novaator)

“Lugu eestlastest kui metsarahvast on ökoloogide toonitatava keskkonnasäästlikkuse ja "elurikkuse" rahvuslik vaste, kirjutavad TÜ religiooniuuringute kaasprofessor ja TLÜ vanemteadur Atko Remmel ning Kirjandusmuuseumi juhtivteadur ja TLÜ vanemteadur Tõnno Jonuks.”

https://novaator.err.ee/1608277818/atko-remmel-ja-tonno-jonuks-millest-raagib-eestlaste-enesekuvand-metsarahvana

Lithuania creative in handling migrants

(Postimees)

“Pabradé, a town with 5,000 residents half an hour’s drive away from Vilnius, has become one of the examples of Lithuania’s migration crisis.”

https://news.postimees.ee/7288089/lithuania-is-creative-in-handling-migrants

“Lithuania has detained some 1,700 people at its border with Belarus this year.” - BBC

Estonia border patrols stepped up in wake of Lithuania crisis

(ERR)

“… which has seen a surge in the number of people crossing its border illegally from neighboring Belarus in what foreign affairs committee chairs from inside and outside the European Union have called the use of migrants and the curtailing of their human rights by the Lukashenko regime aimed at attempting to reach political goals.”

https://news.err.ee/1608273201/ak-estonia-border-patrols-stepped-up-in-wake-of-lithuania-crisis

Estonia vööriramp on täiesti lahti

(Postimees)

“Parvlaev Estonia kuuendat uuringupäeva saatis sügavat hämmeldust tekitanud avastus: ramp, mis nii 2019. aastal Norra dokumentaalfilmi loomisel kui ka 1994. aasta ametlikel sukeldumisvideotel oli suletud, leiti nüüd olevat täielikult lahti. Siiani kehtiva ametliku raporti (JAIC 1994-1997) järgi on vraki vööriramp kinni ja vaid osaliselt meetri jagu avatud. Varem on just suletud ramp olnud põhjendus, miks laeva autotekile sisse ei pääse.”

—

“Rene Arikase sõnul ei ole nad praegu võimelised vastama küsimusele, kas ramp on eraldunud gravitatsiooni jõul või inimtegevuse tulemusena.”

https://www.postimees.ee/7293347/uus-avastus-estonia-vooriramp-on-taiesti-lahti

Bow ramp of M/S Estonia is open

(Postimees)

“… the ramp, which was closed in the 2019 Norwegian documentary as well as the official diving videos of 1994, was now found to be fully open. According to the official report (JAIC 1994-1997), which is still valid, the bow ramp of the wreck is closed and only leaves a meter-wide opening. The closed ramp has been the explanation why it was impossible to enter the car deck.”

https://news.postimees.ee/7294417/bow-ramp-of-m-s-estonia-is-completely-open

“Avatud ramp tekitab hulga uusi küsimusi.” - Postimees

“Estonia vraki avanenud ramp avas ka spekulatsioonide Pandora laeka.” - Delfi

“New Estonia ferry findings do not prove official enquiry is wrong.” - ERR

Dividing Line in Europe Still Exists but Now It Runs along Russian Border

(Window on Eurasia, Feb. 2021)

“Estonia is a successful European state, but Russia, having resumed its pursuit of ‘a special path’ at the start of this century, appears to have become seriously lost  and the Russian-Estonian border region is a clear illustration of this. Today, 30 years after the demise of the USSR, Narva and Ivangorod are two different worlds.”

https://windowoneurasia2.blogspot.com/2021/02/dividing-line-in-europe-still-exists.html

Kaliningrad | Ingria:

The Two Other Baltic Republics Remembered and Promoted

By Paul Goble

“… activists who believe that Kaliningrad/Koenigsberg should be the fourth Baltic republic spoke out about the reasons behind their ambitions.”

—

“102 years ago, 50 kilometers from St. Petersburg, the Republic of North Ingria was proclaimed and a state formed. Located on the Karelian isthmus, the republic ruled over approximately 30 square kilometers and was engaged in military action against the Bolsheviks both on its own and in alliance with others.”

http://windowoneurasia2.blogspot.com/2021/07/two-other-baltic-republics-remembered.html

“Russians Remember The Annexation Of Kaliningrad.” - RFERL

“Kaliningrad: The Tiny Russian 'Ham' Inside An EU ‘Sandwich’.” - RFERL

“How Did Russia Acquire Kaliningrad? – The Short Answer.” - WSJ

“What Would have Happened had Gorbachev Given Kaliningrad to Germany?” - Window on Eurasia

“Ingria: The broken landbridge between Estonia and Finland.” - GeoJournal, 1994

“Ingria: A New Aspirant to Be the Fourth Baltic Republic.” - Paul Goble

“North Ingria Republic Doesn’t Exist Now, ‘Kommersant’ Said.” - Window on Eurasia, 2019

— Thursday 15. July —

Eksperdid: kuumalained ja üleujutused hakkavad sagenema

Ülle Harju, Postimees

“Kuumalained ning mitmes linnas hiljuti lainetanud uputused hakkavad tulevikus sagenema, mistõttu õpetavad eksperdid vältima kliimarumalusi, mille värske ere näide on üle 200 laialehelise, varju pakkunud puu maharaiumine Haapsalu kesklinnas.”

https://leht.postimees.ee/7291588/eksperdid-kuumalained-ja-uleujutused-hakkavad-sagenema

“Lihtne lüke vabastas RMK tülikatest kaebustest.” - Postimees

“Ratas on EU's climate package: Estonia needs to stand up for itself.” - ERR

“Estonia wants woody biomass recategorization in EU green package.” - ERR

“‘Enough with the burning’: EU executive accused of sacrificing forests.” - The Guardian

“Siberia wildfires: 800,000 hectares of forest destroyed so far.” - Guardian

“Saksamaa üleujutustes hukkunute arv kerkis 103ni.” - Postimees

“Martin Helme: Eesti ei tohi mitte mingil juhul kliimapaketiga nõus olla.” - ERR

EU climate goals package meets mixed reception with Estonian politicians

(ERR)

“… met both by enthusiasm, by environment minister Tõnis Mölder (Center), who notes it is tailored to Estonia's biggest challenge in the area, the oil shale sector, and by rejection by leader of the opposition Conservative People's Party of Estonia (EKRE), Martin Helme, who has dismissed it as ‘insanity'."

https://news.err.ee/1608278970/eu-climate-goals-package-meets-mixed-reception-with-estonian-politicians

EU’s green deal plans launched with ‘make-or-break decade’ warning

(The Guardian)

“Crucial period in climate and biodiversity crises flagged at European Commission as sweeping legal targets announced. … The dozen draft laws, spanning tighter curbs on industrial pollution, higher renewable energy targets, and the goal of planting 3bn trees, are intended to ensure the EU cuts greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by 2030 compared with the levels in 1990.”

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jul/14/eus-green-deal-plans-launched-with-make-or-break-decade-warning

—

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/jul/14/what-is-the-eus-plan-to-tackle-global-heating-and-will-it-work

EL esitas Euroopa elu laialdaselt muutva kliimameetmete paketi

(ERR)

“Kiimapaketi 12 erineva algatusega, mis hõlmavad EL-i kliima-, energia-, maakasutus-, transpordi- ja maksupoliitikat, seatakse eesmärgiks vähendada Euroopa Liidu kasvuhoonegaaside heitmeid 2030. aastaks 55 % võrreldes 1990. aasta tasemega.”

https://www.err.ee/1608278025/euroopa-komisjon-esitas-euroopa-elu-laialdaselt-muutva-kliimameetmete-paketi

“Fit for 55 on valmis: autod ilma heiteta, kolm miljardit uut puud.” - Postimees

“Euroopa kliimaplaan Fit for 55: mida arvavad sellest ministeeriumid.” - Postimees

Eestisse on oodata Sahara kõrbe tolmu

(Postimees)

“Nähtus ei ole Eestis esmakordne ja sünoptik Kairo Kiitsaku sõnul on ennegi ette tulnud, et tuhandete kilomeetrite kauguselt pärinev Sahara kõrbe tolm lõunavoolus Põhja-Euroopasse jõuab. Küll aga jõuab Sahara tolm Eestini võrdlemisi harva ja on tavapärasem nähtus Põhja-Aafrika naaberriikides.”

https://leht.postimees.ee/7294175/eestisse-on-oodata-sahara-korbe-tolmu#_ga=2.100647006.1342030975.1626388878-1783563684.1626281127

Estonia Expels Russian Diplomat After Moscow Accuses Consul Of Spying

(RFERL)

“Estonia remains interested in neighbourly and constructive relations," the Foreign Ministry said in the statement. "It is still regrettable that Russia has taken an unfriendly line in its communication with the European Union and member states."

https://www.rferl.org/a/estonia-expels-russian-diplomat/31360419.html

Belarus civil society hit by a new wave of arrests

(Emerging Europe)

“Belarusian authorities carried out a day of massive, unprecedented raids and detentions against the Belarus human rights community on July 14 … Police in at least 10 cities searched homes and offices of the country’s major human rights organisations and their staff, seizing documents, computers, and other devices.”

https://emerging-europe.com/news/belarus-civil-society-hit-by-new-wave-of-arrests/

“Photographing Belarusians’ brutal fight for survival.” - Calvert Journal

— Wednesday 14. July —

Singapore, Estonia to explore use of Covid-19 vaccine e-certs

(The Straits Times)

“In an exclusive interview with The Straits Times, Estonia's President Kersti Kaljulaid said: "Estonian vaccination certificates plug into European Union vaccination certificates. So if Singapore so wants to plug in into this system, it is great."

https://www.straitstimes.com/tech/spore-estonia-to-explore-use-of-vaccine-e-certs-to-spur-travel

“Estonian, Singaporean presidents discuss coronavirus crisis, digital issues.” - Baltic Times

“How Estonia leads in the world's digital thrust for 20 years.” - Straits Times

Why Estonia does not support global corporate tax proposals

(CNBC)

“Kaljulaid said Estonia needs to hear more before deciding what to do. “We need to see this technical debate about how this tax will exactly work, to see whether our system needs to be adjusted or can continue as it is,” she said.”

—

“Estonia’s corporate income tax rate is already at 20%.”

https://eminetra.com/why-estonia-does-not-support-global-corporate-tax-proposals/638829/

Poland’s changing role on the eastern flank of NATO

(New Eastern Europe)

“Poland has the potential to be a regional leader on NATO’s eastern flank. It will be up to politicians both in Warsaw and Washington to make this a reality.”

https://neweasterneurope.eu/2021/06/29/polands-changing-role-on-the-eastern-flank-of-nato/

— Russia —

Siberia wildfires: 800,000 hectares of forest destroyed so far

(The Guardian)

“… the hardest-hit region of Yakutia in the north has been in a state of emergency for weeks as climate scientists sound the alarm about the potential long-term impact. On Tuesday, more than 2,600 firefighters were battling blazes in Yakutia, which has borne the brunt of the fires in recent years.”

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jul/14/siberia-wildfires-russia-army-planes-and-thousands-of-firefighters-battle-blazes?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

Why Ukraine Lives Rent-Free in Putin’s Head

By Leonid Bershidsky, Bloomberg

“In a lengthy, tortured article, he just spelled out his destabilizing fixation on how ‘Russia was essentially robbed’ of its neighbor.”

https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2021-07-15/why-ukraine-lives-rent-free-in-vladimir-putin-s-head

Vladimir Putin runs roughshod over Ukrainian history in new essay

(Meduza)

“During his annual call-in show on June 30, Russian President Vladimir Putin promised to write an article to back up his much-touted claim that Ukrainians and Russians are “one people.” As promised, on July 12, the Kremlin published Putin’s take “On the Historical Unity of Russians and Ukrainians.” In an essay that spans the Middle Ages to the present day, Putin touches on everything from the Mongol invasion to the collapse of the Soviet Union and more. In addition to claiming that modern Ukraine is the “brainchild” of the Soviet era, Putin blames the West and Ukrainian elites for allegedly working to turn the country into an “anti-Russia.” Despite Putin’s repeated claims about Russian and Ukrainian being “almost identical,” the Kremlin chose to publish his essay in both languages. Meduza summarizes Putin’s “historical article”.

https://meduza.io/en/feature/2021/07/12/the-heirs-of-ancient-rus

“Professional historians weigh in on Putin’s ‘historical article’.” - Meduza

Статья Владимира Путина «Об историческом единстве русских и украинцев» - The Kremlin Website

Belarus Finds New Target for Crackdown After Nod From Putin

By Anna Nemtsova, The Daily Beast

“Lukashenko announced the new recriminations during a trip to St. Petersburg and immediately ordered his thugs to begin work the following morning.”

https://www.thedailybeast.com/belarus-finds-new-target-for-crackdown-after-nod-from-putin?ref=author

“Lukashenko pays surprise visit to Putin in St Petersburg.” - BNE

Russia’s Security Strategy: Deter US, Ignore EU, Partner with China and India

(Russia Matters)

“Putin has just signed off on Russia’s new National Security Strategy. As with any such strategic document, it is useful to compare it to its predecessor, if only to identify key changes in the Kremlin’s vision of what constitutes Russia’s national security and how to attain it. …”

https://www.russiamatters.org/blog/russias-new-security-strategy-deter-us-ignore-eu-partner-china-and-india

Documents suggest Russia launched secret multi-agency effort to interfere in US democracy | Trump ‘Kompromat’

(The Guardian | Daily Beast)

“… independent experts say they appear to be genuine.”

—

“The key meeting took place on 22 January 2016, the papers suggest, with the Russian president, his spy chiefs and senior ministers all present. They agreed a Trump White House would help secure Moscow’s strategic objectives, among them “social turmoil” in the US and a weakening of the American president’s negotiating position. Russia’s three spy agencies were ordered to find practical ways to support Trump, in a decree appearing to bear Putin’s signature.”

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jul/15/kremlin-papers-appear-to-show-putins-plot-to-put-trump-in-white-house

—

https://www.thedailybeast.com/kremlin-leak-appears-to-confirm-existence-of-trump-kompromat?ref=home

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