Largest U.S. Military Training in Decades Will Reach Estonia
The largest and most expensive U.S.-led military exercise on the European continent in 25 years “Defender Europe-20” will also reach Estonia. 37,000 troops will take part, including about 20,000 American soldiers. “Military drills will take place in 10 different nations, but the main action will happen in Germany and Poland”, United States European Command (EUCOM) reports. Equipment will begin arriving in Europe in February and the exercises will be held in April and May.
Estonia Has no Accurate Data on Number of People of Estonian Origin Abroad
The Estonian Republic has relatively precise data regarding the number of Estonian citizens living abroad, but there are no accurate statistics regarding people of Estonian origin worldwide. The Foreign Ministry has also closed an office which kept records concerning people of Estonian origin globally. The foreign country with the most resident Estonian citizens (over 50,000) is Finland. According to the Foreign Ministry, the largest number of Estonians abroad (more than 20,000) live in Finland, Russia, the United States and Canada. They are followed by Sweden, Great Britain, Australia with fewer than 15,000 people of Estonian origin. Germany, Norway, Ireland, Belgium and Spain have fewer than 5000 people hailing from Estonia.
Estonian “Mermaid” Merle Liivand Sets Guinness Record
Merle Liivand, an Estonian competitive swimmer and swimming instructor living in Florida, has become the first person to swim 10 kilometers with a mermaid’s tail and without using her arms, thereby setting a Guinness record. Merle began her swim on California’s Redondo Beach and swam 10 km in 2 hours and 45 minutes. With her swim, Merle hopes to attract attention to the problem of microplastic pollutants in the oceans and urges people to help clean up the environment.
