ESTO 2025 algab Stockholmis
(Eestlased Rootsis)
“XIII ülemaailmsed eesti kultuuripäevad ESTO 2025
“Ãœheskoos” toimuvad Stockholmis, Narvas ja Tallinnas
26. juunist kuni 2. juulini 2025.”
https://sverigeesterna.se/2023/07/28/esto-2025-algab-stockholmis/
ESTO 2025 to be a three-city event
(Eestlased Rootsis)
“The 2025 Global Estonian Cultural Festival, ESTO,
will be hosted in Stockholm, Tallinn and Narva
June 26 - July 2, 2025.”
https://sverigeesterna.se/2023/07/28/esto-2025-algab-stockholmis/
The ESTO Festival webpage will be updated
in the near future as per an email exchange
with Ly Sjödin of the Sverigeesternas Riksförbund.
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Cover artist: Ellen Bishop, 1978
https://www.haus.ee/?c=artworks&l=en&id=14235&window=1
EstoNews on-line:
https://estonewsoftheweek.blogspot.com/
Dropbox Archive:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/1kvd04gtar6ty2b/AADCUK2J_RXcMyIYf_sjnAwoa?dl=0
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Friday 4. August
Five streets in Narva to be renamed
(ERR)
“A bill to rename Aleksei Juhhanovi tänav as Väike-Rakvere tänav, Arsenti Bastrakovi tänav as Masina tänav, Igor Grafovi tänav as Madise tänav, Mihhail GorbatÅ¡i tänav as Seedri tänav, 26. juuli tänav as Juuli tänav, Partisani tänav as Loome tänav and 1. mai tänav as Jaama tänav has been entered into city council proceedings, while no decision has been made.”
https://news.err.ee/1609051928/government-to-rename-five-streets-in-narva
“Riik nimetab ümber viis Narva tänavat.” - ERR
Baltic nations plan to accelerate their exit from Russia’s power grid by almost a year
(AP | Baltic Times | Deutsche Welle)
“… by Feb 2025. European Commissioner for Energy Kadri Simson said in a press release that the agreement by Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia "will enable us to complete the full integration of the three Baltic states into the EU electricity grid almost one year earlier than previously intended.”
—
—
https://www.dw.com/en/baltic-states-seek-to-decouple-grid-from-russia/a-66423868
74 % of Estonians are against allowing gender change without doctors’ consent
(Estonian World)
“While doctors’ consent is considered necessary across all socio-demographic groups, responses from young people aged 18-24 differ somewhat from the average, with the highest proportion of those who do not consider doctors’ consent necessary.”
Closure of some Lithuanian border crossings with Belarus 'a matter of time’
(Baltic Times)
“… because of Wagner mercenaries' presence in Belarus.”
“Wagner troops on Polish, Lithuanian borders no threat to Estonia.” - ERR
“Leedu president: Wagneri võitlejad on meie piiri lähedal, tugevdatakse sõjalist kohalolekut piiril.” - Lõunaeestlane
Are Polish politicians right about the Wagner threat?” - Lithuanian Tribune
“Poles warn that Russia is deliberately trying to destabilise the border region.” - Lithuanian Tribune
“Polish analyst: Russia fears open war with NATO but may resort to terrorism.” - Lithuanian Tribune
Ukraine says it has put Russian warship out of action in sea drone attack
(The Guardian)
“Footage appears to show a strike on Olenegorsky Gornyak landing ship, which transports troops and military hardware. … Images of a Russian warship tilting to its side emerged shortly after the strike and footage was published by the Unian news agency from the head of the marine drone appearing to show it moving stealthily across the Black Sea towards the ship and hitting it.”
Jailed Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny gets 19 more years in prison
(ABCNews)
“Russian President Vladimir Putin's most prominent opponent was sentenced Friday … A Russian judge delivered the guilty verdict and sentencing in the closed-door trial against Alexey Navalny at a courtroom inside the maximum-security prison camp in Melekhovo, about 145 miles east of Moscow, where the Russian opposition leader is already serving 11 1/2 years.”
Thursday 3. August
Osa Kaali meteoriitrauast võis lõpetada Šveitsi nooleotsas
(Novaator)
“"Kontaktid Põhja- ja Kesk-Euroopa vahel olid olemas ja seda juba kiviajast saadik, näiteks oli kogu meie tulekivi sissetoodud kaup."
https://novaator.err.ee/1609051523/osa-kaali-meteoriitrauast-vois-lopetada-sveitsi-nooleotsas
Swiss scientists revel in meteoric arrowhead with roots in Saaremaa
(Swiss Info)
“The most likely origin, given the composition of the metal, is the Kaalijarv meteorite. The latter fell around 1500 BC in Estonia and produced several craters up to 100 metres in diameter. This suggests that a trade in these fragments had developed. … The finding raises the possibility that other objects in European museum collections are also of Estonian origin, conclude the scientists.”
“The Kaalijarv meteorite.” - The Meteoritical Society, Virginia
Baltic Sea: Swedish divers saving shipwrecks from looters
(The Guardian)
“Objects are vanishing from historic wrecks as sport divers and criminal gangs loot well-preserved sunken ships. … Authorities say that (there are) thousands of historic wrecks across the Nordics that are at risk from plundering.”
“Keri saare lähistel lebab merepõhjas uhke Briti aurik.” - Delfi
“Estonian waters give up wreck of 19th century British-built steamboat.” - ERR
“Tallinki Baltic Queen ei sõida mitu nädalat.” - Postimees
“Septembri esimesel poolel Tallinnast Stockholmi laevaga ei saa.” - ERR
“Exploring the wreck of coastal defence ship Ilmarinen in the northern Baltic Sea.” - Helsinki Times
“Wreck of WWII-era Finnish flagship Ilmarinen to be examined for oil recovery.” - Yle
“Baltic Sea pollution puts fish cancer defenses to the test.” - ERR
“Russia starts naval manoeuvres in Baltic Sea.” - Euronews
“Russia Announces Start of Baltic Sea Naval Drills.” - Moscow Times
Defense ministry weighing possibility of manufacturing munitions in Estonia
(ERR)
“While an analysis is expected this fall, it could take years for munitions production to start.”
Poland Warns Of Wagner Group Buildup In Belarus
(RFERL | NYT)
“Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, speaking after a meeting with Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda on August 3, said NATO allies must increase vigilance as the likelihood of provocations remains very high.”
—
“Morawiecki and Nauseda met in the Polish border town of Suwalki, which sits on what is known as the Suwalki Corridor -- the 80-kilometer stretch that is NATO's only land connection with Baltic members Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. The Suwalki Corridor separates Moscow's exclave of Kaliningrad from Belarus and is seen as a potential target for Russia in order to isolate the Baltic states in case of a conflict with NATO.”
https://www.rferl.org/a/belarus-poland-lithuania-wagner-suwalki/32532747.html
—
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/03/world/europe/poland-belarus-wagner-nato.html
“Images Show Fortifications Being Built Near Suspected Wagner Camp In Belarus.” - RFERL
“Poland will deploy more troops at the border with Belarus.” - CNN
“Exiled Wagner mercenaries are training Belarusian troops.” - Insider
“NATO allies beef up security due to Wagner troops’ presence in Belarus.” - AlJazeera
Wednesday 2. August
Ministeerium küsib vargsi veel nelja aastat loodusväärtuste hävitamisele piiri panemiseks
Ãœlle Harju, Postimees
“Loodusväärtused vajavad kohest kaitset, taunis ministeeriumi kauplemist ja venitamist Eestimaa Looduse Fondi metsaekspert Liis Kuresoo. «Kui riigil ei ole võimalik eeskirju muuta kiire tempoga, peaks rakendama kiiremaid meetmeid, nagu ajutine raiete ja kuivenduse piiramine kaitsealadel,» hindas ta. Kuivendamine kahjustab vee-elustikku ja märgalade elupaiku. Raied hävitavad elupaigad lihtsalt ära.”
Kadrioru jalakaid laastav puuhaigus vohab üle kogu Eesti
(Novaator)
“Kadriorus lahvatanud haiguskolde taga olev seen levib juba üle kogu Eesti ja ka ümberkaudsetes riikides, hoiatab Eesti Maaülikooli metsapatoloog Liina Jürisoo. Haigusele annab eelkõige hoogu kliimamuutus.”
—
“Jalakasurma levik on Jürisoo sõnul saavutanud Eestis väga murettekitava ulatuse. Laiema avalikkuse ette jõudis see alles Kadriorus tekkinud kolde pärast. "Olen aastate jooksul koldeid jõudumööda kaardistanud. Need on juba kõigis maakondades," ütles Jürisoo.”
https://novaator.err.ee/1609048343/kadrioru-jalakaid-laastav-puuhaigus-vohab-ule-kogu-eesti
Presidendi kantselei on rahahädas
(Delfi)
“Alar Karise Austraalia visiit jäi ära.”
“Fitch Downgrades Estonian City of Tallinn to ‘A+’.” - Fiotch
“Estonia's inflation slows to 6.3 % in July.” - ERR
World War two-era soldier's coffin in Estonia 'booby-trapped' with grenade
(ERR)
"Workers relocating World War Two-era human remains in the Southwestern Estonian town of Vandra got a shock when one of the coffins being re-interred appeared to contain a hand grenade. … Vandra, around 50km from Pärnu city, is also the site of re-interred remains taken from a mass grave as was fairly standard Soviet practice for dealing with its own dead, leave alone anyone else's, while the new site at least gives the dead a degree of respect in that the nearly 70 sets of remains have been laid to rest in cardboard containers.”
Russian defectors tell their stories about reaching Finland
(Yle)
“During the summer, a dozen Russians have crossed Finland's eastern border without permission. They include Russian soldiers who have defected and sought asylum in Finland.”
“I am literally complicit in these crimes’: Confession of a Russian deserter.” - Novaya Gazeta
“Europe’s Amazon” threatened by a massive waterway project across Poland, Belarus and Ukraine
(Voxeurop)
“Waterway E40 is one of the most mysterious projects undergoing in Eastern Europe. This international canal, planned to have approximately 2,000 km, aims to connect the Baltic Sea with the Black Sea, passing through Poland, Belarus and Ukraine. The project in its planned route will pass through the Polesia region, one of the most pristine and largest wetlands and forest regions on the European continent, called Europe’s Amazon.”
—
“An economic analysis made in 2022 by the Dutch consultancy Langhout Ecologisch Advies and published on the World Wetlands Day, reveals the serious consequences of pursuing the E40 Waterway.”
- Putin’s Forever War -
Russian Offensive Campaign
Assessments: 1. & 3. Aug.
(ISW)
“The Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) accused Ukraine of attempting to attack two Black Sea Fleet patrol boats with unmanned semi-submersibles on August 1.”
—
“Likely Ukrainian actors conducted another drone strike on Moscow City in the early hours of August 1.”
—
“Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko may have signaled his intent to use the Wagner Group to create a foundation for an unspecified Belarusian “contract army.”
—
“Ukrainian forces continued counteroffensive operations on at least three sectors of the front on August 3 and reportedly advanced in some areas.”
—
“A report from Yale University’s Conflict Observatory supports ISW’s longstanding assessments that Russian and occupation authorities are using forced passportization measures to consolidate social and legal control over occupied areas of Ukraine.”
https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-august-1-2023
—
https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-august-3-2023
“Kolonel Mart Vendla: Venemaa pole võimeline lähiajal Ukraina positsioonidest läbi murdma.” - ERR
“Russia ‘systematically’ forcing Ukrainians to accept citizenship.” - Guardian
“Ukraine’s plan if Russia assassinates Zelenskyy.” - Politico
“Prigozhin’s Mutiny Has Changed Everything in Russia.” - Moscow Times
Blindness to Russian colonialism distorts Westerners’ view of the Ukraine war
(Salon)
“The full-scale invasion of Ukraine has cast a long-overdue spotlight on Russian imperialism and colonialism, yet many Westerners fail to grapple with how Russia's colonial legacy continues to this day and is part and parcel to its war against Ukraine and descent into fascism. Consequently, many end up ‘whatabouting’, excusing and even overtly sympathizing with an empire whose colonial practices mirror those of historical Western European empires in cruelty, chauvinism, thievery, exploitation, cultural erasure, racism and genocide and that is now ruthlessly attempting to conquer one of its neighbors.”
—
“"People don't recognize that there was an abusive relationship, that there was colonialism, … blindness to Russian colonialism could be due to a failure of Western education systems as well as Soviet propaganda and leftist valorization of the Soviet Union as a foe of Western imperialism.”
—
“People, I think, just get so wedded to their vision of themselves as fighting 'The Man,' fighting the power that they are blinded and taken for a ride by Russia, in this case serving as useful idiots.” - Pitzer College professor Azamat Junisbai.
Vladimir Putin and the Parable of the ‘Cornered Rat’
By Uri Friedman, The Atlantic
“Putin tells a nightmarish tale: Once, when he and his friends were chasing rats with sticks in the dilapidated apartment building in St. Petersburg where he grew up, a “huge rat” he’d cornered suddenly “lashed around and threw itself at” him, chasing the “surprised and frightened” Putin to his door before he slammed it shut in the rodent’s face. For Putin, it’s a parable: “I got a quick and lasting lesson in the meaning of the word cornered.”
—
“References to the tale tend to crop up when Putin is either issuing nuclear threats or under intense economic or military pressure … Some leading experts on Putin and Russia have argued compellingly that the cornered-rat metaphor has real merit in illuminating how the Russian leader might act.”
—
“But other experts … argue that Putin and the Kremlin have intentionally spread the image of Putin as a cornered rat as a form of propaganda, a verminous spin on Richard Nixon’s “Madman Theory.”
—
“The more straightforward moral of the story is that a frightened young Vladimir backed off when threatened, and that the elder Vladimir might do the same under similar circumstances. Something about the tale … tempts people to concentrate on the pouncing rat rather than the fleeing boy.”
“The perplexing aftermath of the Wagner mutiny shows Putin is more vulnerable than ever.” - The Guardian
Why There Will Be No Negotiating with Vladimir Putin
(The Moscow Times)
“The first reason, the "image of the war," is obvious, but Putin does not understand it, and no one can explain it to him. The second reason, which is much more significant, is structural: Putin lacks the ability to take on binding commitments. In reality, it's precisely this structural reason that impedes negotiations.”
—
“The difficulty for Putin and his closest associates is that they, of course, do not understand the image of the war that is seen by the whole world. They live in their own specially crafted reality, in which there were no cameras for torturing detainees during the occupation of Kherson, no executions of civilians and unarmed Russian prisoners of war in Bucha, and no Russian aerial strike on the Mariupol theater, where women and children sought refuge from bombings. Not only does this not exist in Putin's world, but even if he had an adequate adviser now, he couldn't tell Putin about it! In Putin's Russia, speaking the truth about the war is forbidden — even if it is necessary for cynical, pragmatic reasons.”
https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2023/08/04/why-there-will-be-no-negotiating-with-putin-a82021
Vladimir Putin aiming for ‘global catastrophe’, says Volodymyr Zelenskiy
(The Guardian)
“The US ambassador to Ukraine, Bridget Brink, tweeted: “Homes. Ports. Grain silos. Historic buildings. Men. Women. Children. Round-the-clock and intensifying Russian strikes on Kryvyi Rih, Kharkiv, Kyiv, Kherson make it clear once again Russia has no desire for peace, no thought for civilian safety, and no regard for people around the world who rely on food from Ukraine.”
How the Ukraine Counteroffensive Can Still Succeed
(Time)
“Ukrainian forces are fighting now to break through the first line of long-prepared Russian defenses. Several lines lie behind it, stretching for many miles. Ukrainian progress will very likely alternate periods of notable tactical advances with periods, possibly long periods, of pause and some setbacks. Much as we might hope that the road to the Sea of Azov will simply open for Ukrainian forces the odds are high that fighting will remain hard, casualties high, and frustration will be a constant companion. All of which is normal in war.”
—
“But the Ukrainian counteroffensive can succeed in any of several ways. …”
https://time.com/6300772/ukraine-counteroffensive-can-still-succeed/
Venemaa kahekordistas oma sõjaliste kulutuste prognoosi 100 miljardi dollarini
(Postimees)
“Venemaa on kahekordistanud oma selle aasta sõjaliste kulutuste prognoosi.”
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