Avaliku jõulukuuse traditsioon juurdus Eestis visalt
(Novaator)
“Jõulude lahutamatu osa on ehitud jõulupuu. Millal aga tuli Eestisse komme tuua kuusk jõuludeks tuppa, ei ole päris täpselt teada. Eesti Rahva Muuseumi rahvakultuuri- ja teabekeskuse kuraator Reet Piiri rääkis, et puude kasutamine sümbolina on väga paljude rahvaste jaoks vana komme. "Kuusk on igihaljas roheline puu, mis sümboliseerib taassündi," sõnas ta Vikerraadio saates "Huvitaja". Saartel, kus kuusk on haruldane, kasutati jõulupuuna ka mändi või kadakat. "Nüüd viimasel ajal on muidugi kuused kättesaadavamad, aga kui vaatame vanu traditsioone, siis on kasutatud teisigi puid.”
https://novaator.err.ee/1609185736/avaliku-joulukuuse-traditsioon-juurdus-eestis-visalt
“Metsast leiab ehitud kuusepuid: tore komme või prügistamine?” - Maa Elu
“Üle-eestiline üritustesari „Jõulud metsas“ kutsub loodusretkedele ja töötubadesse.” - Pere ja Kodu
“Lindakivis on avatud mudilaste näitus ‘Jõulud Lasnamäel’.” - Pealinn
“Kuidas valmistub eestlane jõuludeks?” - Postimees
“Palju kallist jõulurõõmu Raekoja platsil.” - Postimees
Lastele: Jõulukalender 2023
(ERR)
“Iga päev kuni jõululaupäevani avaneb uus lastejutt ja kaunis animatsioon! Kalendri avamiseks kliki või vajuta pildil.”
https://lasteekraan.err.ee/1609179115/joulukalender-2023
“Travel: Why Christmas in Estonia is so special.” - Bradt Guides
“Tallinn is one of the best places to travel in 2024.” - Travel & Leisure
EstoNews on-line:
https://estonewsoftheweek.blogspot.com/
Dropbox Archive:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/1kvd04gtar6ty2b/AADCUK2J_RXcMyIYf_sjnAwoa?dl=0
Cover Image (modified):
Friday 8. December
Enamik illegaalseid piiriületajaid tuleb Moldovast. Miks pääseda Eestisse?
(Maaleht/Delfi)
“Möödunud nädalatel on Eesti piiripunktides korduvalt takistatud riiki sisenemist sadadel Moldova kodanikel. Maaleht uuris Kagu piiripunkti juht Peter Maranilt, millistel põhjustel moldovlased Eestisse siseneda tahavad ning miks võidakse piiriületamist takistada.”
“Soome piirivalve võttis ülemkohtu vabastatud Vene neonatsi koheselt kinni.” - Postimees
Rail Balticu Eesti osa ehitus läheb maksma ligikaudu kolm miljardit eurot
(ERR)
“Viimase ülevaate kohaselt läheb Rail Balticu Eesti osa ehitus maksma kolm miljardit eurot, kuid ka sellisel juhul saab 2030. aastaks suurehitus valmis vaid osaliselt. Säästuvariandis saab trass vaid osadel lõikudel kaks rööpapaari ja ka kohalike raudteepeatuste täielik väljaehitamine lükatakse tulevikku.”
“Lithuania and Poland need to finish Rail Baltica link by 2028.” - LRT
Estonian parlt passes 2024 state budget
(Postimees)
“In 2024, the national defense budget of Estonia will exceed 3 % of GDP for the first time, reaching 3.2 %. According to the minister, the country will contribute 1.3 billion euros to national defense next year and 5.6 billion euros in four years.”
https://news.postimees.ee/7915022/estonian-parlt-passes-2024-state-budget
“NATO future unsure without defense spending spike.” - ERR
Baltics, Poland, Ukraine submit Gulag birch bark heritage for UNESCO
(Latvian Broadcasting)
“Cultural institutions from the Baltic States, Poland and Ukraine have submitted a joint nomination to the UNESCO international register "Memory of the World", urging the inclusion in it of letters sent from the Siberian Gulag, written on birch bark during the period 1940-1965.”
—
“The documents as a whole include letters written on birch bark and other documents of political prisoners or exiled persons, which are kept in 31 memory institutions in five countries - Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Ukraine.”
20 Songs for Eesti Laul 2024 released
(Eurovision)
“… and you can listen to them here.”
https://eurovisionworld.com/esc/estonia-songs-for-eesti-laul-2024-released
Why Ukraine’s counteroffensive failed
(Washington Post | Euromaidan Press)
“Extensive simulation exercises concluded that in an ideal scenario if the assault went precisely according to plan, Ukraine’s concentrated forces could feasibly reach the Sea of Azov in 60-90 days, cutting off Russian troop access and supply lines along the vital land bridge connecting Russia to Crimea. However, after over 100 days now at war’s end, Ukraine has managed to advance only about 19 kilometers in total, with the Sea of Azov still frustratingly out of reach while Russia controls the area.”
—
“Ukraine and the US underestimated the extensive Russian fortifications and defenses, which composed over 70% minefields across the 600-mile front, making effective armored maneuver warfare extremely difficult.”
Part 1:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/12/04/ukraine-counteroffensive-us-planning-russia-war/
Part 2:
“Miscalculations and divisions marked the efforts of Kyiv and its allies to plan the Ukrainian military’s summer offensive.” - Russia Matters
“Kolonel Kiviselg: olukord Ukrainas pingestub.” - ERR
“NATO-s loodetakse, et Ukraina suudab haarata initsiatiivi 2025. Aastal.” - ERR
“Ukraine: Signs of war fatigue among partners in the West.” - Deutsche Welle
“Putin’s Pals Think the American GOP Just Won Them the War in Ukraine.” - The Daily Beast
“US withholding aid to Ukraine 'unacceptable’, ex-president Poroshenko says.” - France24
“Opinion: Ukraine’s window of opportunity is closing.” - The Hill
“Simply “not losing” in Ukraine is not enough for Russia.” - New Statesman
How Ukraine Can Get Into the EU
(Visegrad Insight)
“Until recently, it might have seemed that after the accession of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia to the EU, European integration in the post-Soviet space was complete. … Russia’s attack on Ukraine changed everything. Rather, we can now emerge from the understanding that where European space ends, another civilisation does not begin. Where European space begins, war and legal uncertainty end.”
https://visegradinsight.eu/how-ukraine-can-get-into-the-eu/
Russia puts Masha Gessen on wanted list
(Meduza)
“The Russian Interior Ministry has put author and journalist Masha Gessen on its wanted list … The listing states that the basis for the warrant was “an article of the Criminal Code,” though it does not specify which one.”
—
[Links to many of Masha Gessen’s articles have appeared on this newsletter.]
https://meduza.io/en/news/2023/12/08/russia-puts-masha-gessen-on-wanted-list
“Surprise! Putin seeking another term as Russian president.” - The Hill
“Leader will match Stalin’s 30 years in power after success in rubber-stamp election on March 17.” - The Times
Thursday 7. December
Kaitseressursside ameti peadirektor avaldas, kuidas kaasatakse tulevikus rohkem inimesi riigikaitsesse
(Õhtuleht)
“Kaitseressursside ameti peadirektor Anu Rannaveski ja Kaitseväe juhataja asetäitja kindralmajor Ilmar Tamm andsid ülevaate kaitseväeteenistuse seaduse muutmise eelnõu väljatöötamise kavatsusest, mille eesmärk on riigikaitse tugevdamine.”
“Ligi 980 ajateenijat lõpetas sõduri baaskursuse.” - Postimees
Estonian universities anticipate high costs of training nuclear experts
(ERR)
“The future of nuclear energy in Estonia will be decided next year. Universities in Estonia are ready to train specialists in this field, but this requires new curricula, recruiting expensive lecturers from abroad and years of preparation. Due to Estonia's small population, the pool of nuclear specialists for Estonia must be trained internationally to ensure impartiality in decision making processes. If Estonia decides to build its own nuclear power plant, it will probably also have to set up a radiation safety and nuclear security authority, similar to as in other nuclear countries.”
Sanctions Against Russia: for average Russians the pain is finally setting in
(The Atlantic)
“Putin finds himself in a war of attrition, his only chance at victory depends on outlasting both Ukraine and its military supporters. He isn’t merely counting on the demoralization of the Ukrainian people and on “Ukraine fatigue” in the West; he’s also assuming that his own country has the stamina for a long and brutal fight. Yet after nearly two years in which Putin has largely succeeded in insulating most of his subjects from the war, the effects of Western sanctions—coupled with the astronomical and growing human and monetary costs of the conflict—are finally beginning to cause pain for the Russian general public.”
—
“Already about 40 % of the government budget, defense outlays are set to double next year. … To combat the 7 % inflation and shore up the ruble, which dipped to a record low of 100 per U.S. dollar at one point earlier this year, the central bank increased the interest rate to 15 %, further depressing economic activity.”
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2023/12/russia-economic-sanctions-putin/676253/
Russia made plans to disrupt Finland and Sweden's accession to joining Nato
(Yle - 4. December)
“… according to a secret intelligence report obtained by an Yle MOT investigation. The report found that a Russian intelligence service planned to organise disruption campaigns disguised as demonstrations before the countries' Nato applications were approved. The plan was revealed in a memo prepared by a Russian intelligence officer and originally leaked to The Dossier Center, an organisation whose stated goal is to "track the criminal activity of various people associated with the Kremlin."
Russia luring migrants from Finnish border for war in Ukraine
(BBC | Yle)
“The BBC has seen evidence of several cases in which foreigners were rushed into a military camp on the border with Ukraine, days after they were picked up for breaching immigration laws. The practice of coercing people in pre-deportation detention centres to sign contracts for army service in Ukraine is not new, but the numbers swelled as foreign migrants arrived at Russia's 1,340-km (833-mile) border with Finland.”
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-67647379#
—
Wednesday 6. December
Rohepesu vastu protestijad astusid radikaalse sammu
Űlle Harju, Postimees
“Eestis saab uhkelt kanda rahvusvahelist säästva metsanduse sertifikaati ja samal ajal rahumeeli loodust rüüstata, heidavad looduskaitseühendused ette sertifikaatide usaldusväärsuse eest vastutavale Eesti FSC-le, astudes esmaspäeval ühiselt Eesti FSCst välja.”
https://www.postimees.ee/7911563/rohepesu-vastu-protestijad-astusid-radikaalse-sammu
Biostatistik: tulevikus kannatavad Eestis nii metsaelanikud kui ka metsandus
(Novaator)
“Tartu Ülikooli teadlaste simulatsioonimudel viitab, et järgmise 30 aasta jooksul langeb vanade metsade osakaal Eesti majandusmetsades märkimisväärselt, mis seab löögi alla ka Eesti metsanduse jätkusuutlikkuse. Metsaelanikele aitavad survet leevendada rangelt kaitstavad metsad, leiab Tartu Ülikooli biostatistik Ants Kaasik.”
—
[Researchers, using a simulation model at the University of Tartu, have found that within the next 30 years, the proportion of old forests in Estonia's forests will drop significantly …]
Paper: “Modeling forest landscape futures - Full scale simulation of realistic socioeconomic scenarios in Estonia.” - Plos One Journal
Kas tähtajatu mobilisatsioon viib Venemaal uue revolutsioonini?
Vadim Štepa, Diplomaatia
“Novembri algusest on paljudes Venemaa linnades ja regioonides (nii Moskva, Peterburi kui ka mitmed Uurali ja Siberi linnad) toimunud spontaansed piketid ja meeleavaldused. Rahvakogunemistel nõutakse, et koju saaksid naasta need, kelle Putin kutsus läinud aasta sügisel väeteenistusse „osalise mobilisatsiooni“ käigus.”
https://diplomaatia.ee/vadim-stepa-kas-tahtajatu-mobilisatsioon-viib-venemaal-uue-revolutsioonini/
Estonia's eastern land border to be completed by the end of 2025
(ERR)
“… and part of it should be equipped with surveillance equipment by then. The entire border might be finished by 2027, with enough financing.”
https://news.err.ee/1609185307/estonia-s-eastern-border-to-be-completed-by-the-end-of-2025
NATO Eastern Flank states have 3 years to prepare for Russia attack
(ERR | NY Post)
“… according to the head of Poland's National Security Bureau (BBN). Other expert estimates from European NATO member states put the time-frame at between five years and a decade. Jacek Siewiera, a minister in the Office of the President of Poland and head of the BBN, asked to comment on a report by the German Council on Foreign Relations saying that NATO has between five and 10 years adequately to prepare for a Russian attack, said: "Unfortunately, yes."
—
“UK, Finland, Estonia practise subsea infrastructure protection in Baltic Sea.” - Reuters
“The telecommunications ministers of Finland, Estonia and Sweden stress that the resilience of critical underwater infrastructure is now more important than ever.” - Government of Sweden press release
“Donald Trump could pull US out of Nato, warns ex-adviser.” - The Times
“Estonia's Security Threat.” - Russian Life
Estonia's 2022 gender employment gap among smallest in EU
(The Baltic Times)
“In 2022, the gender employment gap for men and women aged 20-64 in the European Union was 10.7 percentage points, 0.2 points lower than the previous year, however, in Estonia, the gap was significantly smaller, at just 2.9 points.”
—
“Within the EU, only two regions had higher employment rates for women than men last year -- the capital region of Lithuania, and Southern Finland, according to Eurostat. In all the other EU regions, the gender gap persisted with higher rates of employment for men.”
https://www.baltictimes.com/eurostat__estonia_s_2022_gender_employment_gap_among_smallest_in_eu/
Along the Latvian-Estonian border
By Mike Collier, ERR
“A geography lesson by a Latvian public broadcaster.”
https://news.err.ee/1609186642/feature-along-the-latvia-estonia-border-northernmost-latvia
Latvian divers remove 'ghost nets' from the dark waters of the Baltic Sea
(Latvian Broadcasting)
“Magda Jentgen is a marine environment expert at WWF (World Wildlife Fund). Diving has been her hobby for many years, which helps her work. As Madga says, looking at the map, the Baltic Sea may seem relatively small by global standards. But when you enter the sea, it is not easy to find anything.”
The spread of gang violence wrecks Sweden's peaceful image
(BBC)
“Sweden has been a European hotspot for gang-related shootings and bombings for several years. But recently the violence has shifted beyond low-income, vulnerable urban areas and police say one reason is that gang members are increasingly targeting rivals' relatives. Detectives suspect some of the latest violence has been organised by criminal leaders based in other countries, including Turkey and Serbia. More than 50 people have been killed in shootings so far in 2023, and there have been more than 140 explosions. Last year, more than 60 people died in gun violence, the highest number on record.”
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-67342368
- Russia’s Forever War -
The dangerous, painstaking work of collecting evidence of suspected war crimes in Ukraine
(The Conversation)
“Activists work for the Educational Human Rights House Chernihiv (EHRHC), a non-governmental human rights organisation. In March 2022, a month after the Russian invasion, the group became a part of two coalitions with significant experience documenting suspected war crimes and human rights violations committed in Ukraine since the Russian annexation of Crimea in 2014. Their main task has centred on collecting and documenting evidence of attacks and other suspected crimes on Ukrainian educational facilities. Their work is dangerous – even life-threatening – as these activists must visit areas near the front lines that are exposed to daily shelling and littered with landmines and missile debris.”
“The Environment: Another Victim of Russia's Invasion of Ukraine.” - Moscow Times
Putin’s Pals Think the American GOP Just Won Them the War in Ukraine
(The Daily Beast)
“Republicans voted to block a $110.5 billion emergency spending bill to aid Ukraine and Israel Wednesday night, sparking celebrations in Moscow where they believe the U.S. will withdraw support for Kyiv allowing them to win the war. A classified briefing with administration officials reportedly devolved into a meltdown on Tuesday afternoon, making it clear that the measure would fail. “We are about to abandon Ukraine,” Senator Christopher S. Murphy told the press as he left the briefing. “When Vladimir Putin marches into a NATO country, they will rue the day they decided to play politics with the future of Ukraine’s security.”
https://www.thedailybeast.com/putins-pals-think-the-gop-just-won-them-the-war-in-ukraine?via=ios
Russian Offensive Campaign
Assessment: 7. December
(ISW)
“Russian forces may be suffering losses along the entire front in Ukraine at a rate close to the rate at which Russia is currently generating new forces. Ukrainian Ground Forces Command Spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Volodymyr Fityo stated on December 7 that Russian forces lost almost 11,000 personnel (presumably killed or rendered hors de combat by injury) in the Kupyansk, Lyman, and Bakhmut directions in November 2023.”
—
“Attacks on public figures in Russia have prompted officials to propose increased security measures for Russian political and public figures and some ultranationalists to call for the resurrection of Soviet security organizations.”
—
“Some prominent ultranationalist voices have begun calling for Russia to bolster its counterintelligence agencies with powers reminiscent of SMERSH, the umbrella organization for three Soviet military counterintelligence agencies formed in the wake of the German invasion of Russia in 1941. Russian State Duma Deputy and former Southern Military District Commander Lieutenant General Andrei Gurulev has consistently claimed since August 2022 that Russia needs to “recreate” SMERSH …”
https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-december-7-2023
“Russian women demand return of their men from Ukraine front.” - TOL
“Russia's Pro-War Symbols Coming Under Attack.” - RFERL
“Families Ask Putin to Return Mobilized Troops From Ukraine.” - The Moscow Times
“Charges Filed Against Russians for Calling Putin a Fascist, a Psychopath, a Fuehrer, and a Coward.” - Paul Goble
“Majority of Those Who have Left Putin’s Russia Because of War Won’t Return.” - Paul Goble
Russia developing a super App
(RFERL)
“For years, Russian authorities have been building new infrastructure and guardrails around the country's once freewheeling, vibrant digital universe, using hardware, software, legal threats, and corporate takeovers to build what's known as a sovereign Internet. Now authorities are quietly creating another tool that activists and experts say will give officials greater ability to surveil and monitor Russian citizens -- and to censor and manipulate information online.”
—
"Unless the only objective they have is to improve the lives of their citizens, to make it so convenient and easy, which obviously would be a noble cause, the only obvious other reason is…to have control over the data," said Philipp Dietrich, a program officer at the German Council on Foreign Relations and author of a recent report on Russia's effort to exert more control over the Internet.”
"For any authoritarian state, that's the absolute dream scenario.”
https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-internet-app-social-media-surveillance-/32711114.html
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