1. The Estonian Foreign Intelligence Service has a very good reputation for its analysis, especially (and not surprisingly) regarding Russia. Here’s their 2026 report, International Security and Estonia https://raport.valisluureamet.ee/2026/en/ PDFs of both the whole report and the summary only below.

There is, however, no cause for panic. In the Estonian Foreign Intelligence Service’s assessment, Russia has no intention of militarily attacking Estonia or any other NATO member state in the coming year. We are likely to reach a similar assessment next year because Estonia and Europe have taken steps that compel the Kremlin to calculate very carefully what, if anything, it can risk attempting. Even if no such intention exists today, our task is to ensure that this remains the case tomorrow and in the future. Russia’s military reform will enhance the capabilities of its armed forces in the years ahead. To counter this, Estonia and NATO must continue investing in defence. Russia’s calculations of the balance of power must always work to our advantage. It is firm and steady preparedness that truly deters Russia. By maintaining it, we demonstrate to Russia the qualities it fears most – that we are free, resolute and resilient, and that we make our own choices without coercion or pressure from anyone.

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2. From the BBC via the Free Resources Rijeka correspondent, ‘Hullo, hillo, holla’: The 600-year-old origins of the word ‘hello’ https://www.bbc.co.uk/culture/article/20260113-hello-hiya-aloha-what-our-greetings-reveal

In print, this ubiquitous, friendly greeting has a surprisingly short history. Two centuries ago, on 18 January 1826, “hello” made what is thought to be its earliest recorded appearance on the page, in a Connecticut newspaper called The Norwich Courier. Hidden among the column inches, it was a modest in-ink debut for a word that would go on to greet much of the modern world.

3. Here’s an updated version of the very accessible LinkedIn course, AI Trends, that I first mentioned two months ago; you’ll not be surprised to discover that it’s changed quite a lot in the meantime! https://www.linkedin.com/learning/ai-trends/gemini-in-chrome-ai-assisted-browsing-changes-how-you-work

AI has shifted swiftly from the realm of science fiction to everyday use. But of the multitude of tools and technologies now available, which ones are best suited to your workflows and organization? In this ongoing series, industry experts guide you through the AI products and concepts that are out there – and how to identify what is most likely to benefit your organization.

4. Alexandra Mihai’s latest post on her blog, The Educationalist, addresses Slow learning and has the usual useful list of resources at the end of the piece https://educationalist.substack.com/p/slow-learning

Our lives are so fast paced, flooded with stimuli and requests for immediate input. Should our classrooms also look and feel like that? Is this helping the learning? If we’re honest, we have to agree it’s not. But we’re also often running on autopilot, joining our students (or drawing them?) in a hamster wheel that just keeps turning. So today I want us to contemplate the idea of slow learning. How would this look like? What do we need to put it in practice? How would it benefit our students, and how do we get them in the mindset for it?

5. And, finally, a story from The New York Times about the fruit you either love or hate (and should never mix with whisky, as I once did in Chiang Mai, with dire consequences), the durian, Farmers Made a Fortune on This Fruit. Now It Is Piling Up. https://tinyurl.com/2j8dmeks

Malaysian durian farmers saw immense profits over the last decade as China snapped up their produce. But tastes have shifted.