Finland

Daily Pic (Eurasian Eagle-Owl)

Markus Varesvuo/Minden Pictures

The owl that loved football

As the name indicates, you’ll find the huge Eurasian eagle-owl in forests across Europe and Asia. The eagle-owl in our photo today lives near Helsinki, Finland.

Why an eagle-owl on Finnish Independence Day today? When Finland’s national soccer team was playing a qualifying match against Belgium in 2007, an eagle-owl flew onto the pitch, delaying the game for several minutes. Ever since, the Finnish team has been nicknamed ‘Huuhkajat’—the eagle-owls. The owl, called ‘Bubi,’ was later named Citizen of the Year in Helsinki.

Daily Pic 12/06/17

© NASA

Matusevich Glacier in Antarctica



Today in History 12/06 (Finland Independence)

Citizens gather on the Senate Square in Helsinki, Finland, Dec. 6, 1917 (© 12/UIG/Getty Images)(1917) Finland declares independence from Russia
The Republic of Finland declares independence from the Russian empire. While Russia will quickly acknowledge Finland’s independence, it will take a civil war to determine a system of government. Kaarlo Juho Ståhlberg will become the nation’s first president.
Finland, officially the Republic of Finland is a country in Northern Europe bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia, and Gulf of Finland, between Norway to the north, Sweden to the northwest, and Russia to the east. Finland is a Nordic country and is situated in the geographical region of Fennoscandia. The capital and largest city is Helsinki. Other major cities are Espoo, Vantaa, Tampere, Oulu and Turku.
Founded: Mar 29, 1809
Population: 5.51 million (2017)
GDP: $277 billion USD (2018)
Calling code: 358
Area: 130,559 sq miles
Capital: Helsinki

Flag of Finland
Flag of Finland
wiki/Finland
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(1917) Finland declares independence from Russia.
Also on this day,

1865 | Slavery is abolished in the United States
Eight months after the end of the Civil War, the 13th amendment is ratified by the required number of states, abolishing slavery in the US. Its passage was secured after intense lobbying by President Abraham Lincoln, whose Emancipation Proclamation had declared slaves free, but their status after the war was still uncertain.
1884 | US capital welcomes a towering marble obelisk as Washington Monument done
Workers have put the aluminum apex atop the 555-foot-high marble obelisk built in honor of George Washington. Construction began in 1848 but stalled during the Civil War. At the time of its completion, it’s the tallest structure in the world and will remain the tallest in the capital, thanks to city law.
1964 | Christmas show debuts as ‘Rudolph’ lights up TV for the first time
The stop-motion animation special airs on NBC as part of General Electric’s ‘Fantasy Hour.’ Created by Arthur Rankin and Jules Bass and filmed in Japan, the show will become a holiday classic for generations, moving to CBS in 1972.

Today in History 12/06/17

Abraham Lincoln's signature is seen on the final 13th amendment at the National Archives (© Jacquelyn Martin/AP)(1865) Slavery is abolished in the United States
Eight months after the end of the Civil War, the 13th amendment is ratified by the required number of states, abolishing slavery in the US. Its passage was secured after intense lobbying by President Abraham Lincoln, whose Emancipation Proclamation had declared slaves free, but their status after the war was still uncertain.
The Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution abolished slavery and involuntary servitude, except as punishment for a crime. In Congress, it was passed by the Senate on April 8, 1864, and by the House on January 31, 1865. The amendment was ratified by the required number of states on December 6, 1865. On December 18, 1865, Secretary of State William H. Seward proclaimed its adoption. It was the first of the three Reconstruction Amendments adopted following the American Civil War.
Scars of a whipped Mississippi slave
Scars of a whipped Mississippi slave, photo taken (April 2, 1863, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA. Original caption: "Overseer Artayou Carrier whipped me. I was two months in bed sore from the whipping. My master come after I was whipped; he discharged the overseer. The very words of poor Peter, taken as he sat for his picture."

wiki/Thirteenth_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution
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