A new survey on religion shows that traditional church‑based religiosity in Estonia is continuing to decline, and most Estonian residents do not consider themselves followers of any religion. The study also found that attitudes toward religion differ sharply between Estonians and Russian‑speaking residents.

Norra Manor in Järva County, whose second‑floor walls were once covered with rare murals, has lost its cultural monument status. Unauthorized construction work over the years has destroyed the paintings, ornaments, unique stoves and other valuable details.

Parliamentary parties will spend this week discussing ways to agree on a joint candidate in an effort to elect the president in the Riigikogu. Members of the European Parliament elected from Estonia believe reaching a consensus is possible.

Several of Estonia's political parties have already begun campaigning for the next Riigikogu elections, hanging banners and ordering newspaper adverts, which will take place in March 2027.

A new survey on religion shows that traditional church‑based religiosity in Estonia is continuing to decline, and most Estonian residents do not consider themselves followers of any religion. The study also found that attitudes toward religion differ sharply between Estonians and Russian‑speaking residents.

Many women avoid traveling alone after dark and adjust their daily routines because of safety concerns. A recent master's thesis suggests that people's sense of safety is also shaped by whether others are present in public spaces and whether help is available if needed.

Kuuba parlament kinnitas 18. juunil 176 meetmest koosneva reformipaketi. Riigi majandus on õiguslikult avatud ja ees ootab üleminek kapitalistlikule mudelile, sarnaselt Vietnami ja Hiinaga. Kapitalismi ja sotsialismi hübriid. Kas tõesti on juhtumas midagi ajaloolist? Kuuba reisiekspert Jaak Nilson selgitab.

Investeerimisettevõtte Infortar gruppi kuuluv, Soome ja Baltimaade suurim erakapitalil energiafirma Elenger investeerib Poola gaasiärisse 60 miljonit eurot, investeeringut rahastavad Poola suurpangad mBank ja Bank Pekao S.A.

Two people have been arrested, one of whom is a suspect, police say.

The pilot and 10 passengers - including five first-time parachutists - died in the incident, local officials said.

The company had said earlier this year it was planning savings to make it "more digital and AI-focused".

The car-maker found AI quality checks failed to match the skill of veteran technicians.

European Union countries need to develop their own plans to address the impact of artificial intelligence on the labor market, OpenAI’s chief economist said on Monday. There is no “one size fits all answer for AI” across the bloc, Aaron Chatterji said, speaking at POLITICO’s AI and the future of work event. European countries are trying to figure out how to grapple with the expected ripple effects of AI on jobs and employment. Across the bloc, Germany, Greece and Italy have the most jobs with “high automation potential,” whereas Luxembourg, Sweden and the Netherlands have the largest shares in occupations that may actually grow with AI, a new report by OpenAI released today said. Just under half, or 47 percent, of employment in the EU will not face immediate change, the report said. About 14 percent of employment is in “relatively higher near-term automation potential,” and about 12 percent is in “occupations that may grow with AI as lower costs expand access or make more projects viable.” The economic makeup of each EU country requires different policy approaches for each, the firm’s chief economist said in Brussels. “If you’re thinking about a country that’s heavily dependent on the service sector versus one that’s heavily dependent on the manufacturing sector, what AI means for them will be different.” Things like “national readiness plans and a focus on AI literacy … probably have to be customized for those particular characteristics,” Chatterji said. Individual countries’ national readiness plan “should be thought of as a complement to the EU, not a substitute,” the economist said. Brussels institutions could “play a big role” in determining which retraining programs could work for parts of the labor force that may face extinction, he added. “Actually figuring out what works will require some budget and some experimentation that’s often facilitated by government grants and support for evidence-based research alongside it, not just implementation of the program,” said Chatterji.

LONDON — Agent of “chaos” or more of the same? Britain’s opposition parties are still trying to work out how to paint Andy Burnham. With the Labour MP likely just weeks away from becoming Britain’s prime minister, Conservative Leader Kemi Badenoch used a punchy speech Monday to warn of a “summer of chaos” under his leadership. “Investment decisions will be put on hold,” the Tory leader told a Westminster press conference. “Every time the newspapers are briefed about new tax rises, the markets will react. Every time it looks like Britain is going to be borrowing more money, our economy will be left in limbo.” All Labour MPs care about, she charged, “is which jobs they will be getting in the new government.” Burnham himself lacks a plan and is already ducking scrutiny, she argued. “Giving speeches in Manchester and not taking any questions is simply not good enough.” It’s just the latest swipe from Badenoch, who has spent the past week trying out lines of attack against Burnham — notably dismissing him as a “pair of eyelashes and a fancy t-shirt” in a fiery Prime Minister’s Questions in the House of Commons Wednesday. But deeper questions remain about how both the Conservatives and Reform, the right-wing populists led by Nigel Farage, will try to take on Labour’s expected next boss over the long-term. Both now parties face a dilemma: amp up Burnham’s agenda as a clear and present danger to Britain, or paint him as an insider unable to do much to move the needle to help a restive electorate. “Truthfully, I don’t know how we tackle him yet,” one Conservative adviser, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss party matters, confessed. Both parties have so far taken a crack at tying Burnham to his predecessor’s deep unpopularity. That’s despite him running in — and winning — the Makerfield by-election as a Labour candidate who could effectively remove the centrist Starmer and fundamentally change his party. “Burnham won’t solve your problems, because Labour cannot solve your problems,” Farage has said. “His plan for government is to act as continuity Starmer, and hope the rest of us are too stupid to notice.” There are early attempts to chip away at his right to govern. Reform has already called for an immediate general election — a prospect Badenoch’s Tories, polling considerably worse — are resisting. Reform insiders hope he’ll run into the same fundamental problems that hobbled Starmer in office. “He’ll have a fresh look, but he won’t be able to deliver anything and will become associated with the Labour brand after a few months,” a Reform official said. Others in the Reform tribe appear keen to talk up the chaos angle and paint Burnham as an extremist. The party’s deputy leader Richard Tice has repeatedly described Burnham’s agenda as “hard socialism” and of the “hard-left.” Reform’s Tory rivals, who are still struggling in the polls after their own prime-minister-switching run in office came crashing down in 2024, argue the change of leadership should spark panic for Farage’s crew, who have painted themselves as the anti-establishment outsiders. “I think it doesn’t change too much for us,” a member of the Conservative shadow cabinet argued. “Reform though, blooming heck.” “Reform’s [argument] until Makerfield was ‘vote Reform, get rid of Starmer’ — now it can’t be ‘vote Reform get rid of Burnham’ because he just thrashed them in a place they should have walked,” the same person said. After their own general election wipeout in 2024, the Tories have retreated from seats which are now likely to be straight fights between Labour and Reform at the next vote. But both parties are now wargaming for the possibility of Burnham — seeking his own mandate after ousting Starmer — going to the country earlier than planned. “I’ve been arguing we need to be ready for an election in 2027,” a second Tory official said. “You’d only be sure it wouldn’t happen if you thought Burnham wasn’t a risk-taker. But just look at what he’s done in the last month.” Sascha O’Sullivan contributed reporting.

A video of an Israeli flag being grabbed off two young men in Indonesia has gone viral.

Police say several others were injured and the suspected attacker has been arrested.

German police say two people were apprehended after ‘numerous’ shots were fired at a youth care facility in StadeMeanwhile, Ukraine is bracing to absorb the impact of the heatwave on its energy network, already pummelled by Russian attacks over more than four years of war, AFP reported.Grid operators in at least five regions – from Ivano-Frankivsk in the west to Zaporizhzhia on the frontline in the south – announced temporary restrictions on energy usage would be in force during parts of Tuesday. Continue reading...

Parcels of goods worth under €150 will no longer enjoy ‘de minimis’ exemption, exploited by platforms such as Temu and SheinBusiness live – latest updatesThe European Commission has said it hopes to prevent the “desertification” of Europe’s high streets, as it prepares to introduce a customs tax on small parcels in an attempt to curb cheap Chinese imports.Consumers have been able to buy up to €150 (£129) worth of goods, including fast fashion, cosmetics and toys, without any customs charges as part of a “de minimis” exemption, a tariff break meaning “too small to matter”. Continue reading...

Charteaubriand

Andy Burnham is right to argue for a shift in power but he has to manage political risk