19.09.26 NEWS ... Kurri, adopted from a shelter, has over the years become a travel‑loving wanderer with six summer road trips behind him.

19.09.26 OPINION ... Eating out is not a luxury, and only the true fanatics of the foodservice sector — those who have not yet given up — will continue operating, writes Märt Meesak.

19.09.26 NEWS ... What matters to Estonian artists right now? A major new exhibition at Tallinn's Haus Gallery offers 51 perspectives through nearly 60 never-before-displayed works.

19.09.26 NEWS ... Estonian independent theater Vaba Lava is considering closing down its Narva location, saying current state funding is not enough to run it sustainably.

19.09.26 OPINION ... Martin Herem may unintentionally determine whether the Reform Party retains its last strong card of competence going into the next elections — or whether it enters the campaign with the most battered reputation in its history, writes Tõnis Saarts.

19.09.26 NEWS ... The Health and Welfare Information Systems Center (TEHIK) is looking for a developer to shut down the old social insurance information system SKAIS1 and gradually transfer its benefits and allowances to SKAIS2 or other suitable systems. Up to €28 million is planned for the development work.

19.09.26 NEWS ... Starting Friday, the Estonian Agricultural Museum in Ülenurme, Tartu County, will operate under a new name: Maaelu uudishimukeskus (Rural Curiosity Center), or MUHK. The new name reflects the museum's expanding scope.

19.09.26 NEWS ... Tartu Illustration Festival (TIF) is back September 25–26, bringing together creators from Estonia and beyond for two days of workshops, talks, a market and more.

19.09.26 NEWS ... Estonia and the United States are working toward an agreement on rare earth elements to strengthen supply security. The talks are not about Estonia's mineral deposits; the goal is to develop local industry and attract new investment, says Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna. On Thursday, Lithuania signed a similar agreement with the U.S.

19.09.26 NEWS ... In recent weeks, leading figures in the tech world have grown increasingly vocal in warning about the risks posed by the rapid development of artificial intelligence. However, University of Tartu Professor of Artificial Intelligence Meelis Kull says there is currently no existential risk.

19.09.26 NEWS ... Construction on the Tallinn–Pärnu section will continue, but work on other segments can be postponed, says infrastructure minister Kuldar Leis.

19.09.26 NEWS ... Reve Lambur, the lead organizer of Day of Countryside Living, said that anyone interested in rural life should definitely go meet the vibrant communities who are eager to welcome new residents.

19.09.26 NEWS ... With less than half a year until the Riigikogu elections, Estonia's major political parties are assembling candidate lists and drafting election programs. Some have already begun campaigning, while others will finalize their lists and platforms only in January.

19.09.26 NEWS ... Justice Chancellor Ülle Madise is questioning a new retirement age system that could mean people in Estonia born in the same year start receiving a pension at different times.

19.09.26 NEWS ... The pseudo‑elections that began in Russia on Friday do not directly affect Estonia, according to foreign‑policy experts Rainer Saks, Karmo Tüür and Marko Mihkelson. What is interesting, they noted, is how many Russian citizens living in Estonia will go vote for the State Duma.

18.09.26 NEWS ... The Transport Administration is installing thermal cameras along major highways to collect data on when, at what speed, and what types of vehicles are traveling there.

18.09.26 NEWS ... Tallinn opened its first drone training classroom on Friday, giving kids and teens in the Estonian capital a chance to learn hands-on skills in a fast-growing field.

18.09.26 NEWS ... People heading into the woods should wear white clothing or a neon-colored reflective vest, determine their location before entering the woods and tell a family member or trusted friend where their secret mushroom-picking spot is, a PPA expert told ERR.

18.09.26 NEWS ... The Riigikogu's EU Affairs Committee (ELAK) clarified the government's mandate for negotiations on reforming the Emissions Trading System (ETS) at its meeting on Friday, but avoided setting any numerical parameters.

18.09.26 NEWS ... This week marked the official start of preparations for the XIV Youth Song and Dance Celebration and the XXIX Song and XXII Dance Celebration, taking place in summer 2028. Artistic director of the Song Celebration, Riivo Jõgi, said that some changes can be expected, and meetings are underway to find a suitable solution for sign‑language performers.

18.09.26 NEWS ... Estonia has 60 emergency-ready gas stations and 79 stores equipped with generators in case of a power outage. By the end of the year, the number of such stores is expected to reach 110.

18.09.26 NEWS ... The Northern District Prosecutor's Office has closed a criminal case against a man who arranged a break‑in at a stranger's apartment to retrieve his missing cat.

18.09.26 NEWS ... Estonian freestyle skier and Olympic silver medalist Henry Sildaru was drafted to XC Golden State, where he'll team up with gold medalist Eileen Gu in the new X Games league.

18.09.26 NEWS ... This fall, 187 new medical residents began specialist training at the University of Tartu, bringing the total number of residents to a record 891. In recent years, interest and competition have intensified in critical specialties such as family medicine and emergency medicine, the university said.

18.09.26 NEWS ... Russian armed forces losses in the war of aggression against Ukraine have remained above 10,000 troops for the third consecutive week, exceeding the number of new soldiers being recruited, said Col. Ants Kiviselg, head of the EDF Intelligence Center.

18.09.26 OPINION ... Europe needs an emissions trading system that works — one that pushes companies to adopt better technologies but does not force European industry to shut down before those technologies actually exist, writes Andres Tropp.

18.09.26 NEWS ... Estonian sumo wrestler Anatoli Zadorožnõi has officially joined Japan's professional sumo league, the Estonian Sumo Association announced.

18.09.26 NEWS ... "Lihtsad uudised," meaning easy or simple news, is for anyone who wants to improve their Estonian language skills. Listen and read a selection of this week's news stories below.

18.09.26 NEWS ... Although cycling and pedestrian infrastructure in Tallinn and Tartu has improved in recent years, there is no common standard, sustainable mobility experts Melissa and Chris Bruntlett noted

18.09.26 NEWS ... Tallinn is preparing changes to its tree-felling regulations aimed at simplifying permit requirements, reducing bureaucracy and expanding the use of digital tools while protecting the city's trees.

18.09.26 NEWS ... Students catching buses from Kõrveküla Basic School toward Tartu are increasingly being left behind by overcrowding, with no relief in sight before 2028.

18.09.26 NEWS ... In an interview with ERR, newly appointed Minister of Economic Affairs and Industry Liina Vahtras discusses allegations of a conflict of interest, Estonia's economic outlook, rising costs, business support and her turbulent first days in office.

18.09.26 OPINION ... As Estonia brings artificial intelligence into its schools through AI Leap, its success will depend not on how widely the technology is used, but on whether it strengthens learning while safeguarding teachers' role, educational values and the Estonian language and culture.

18.09.26 NEWS ... British electronic music legend Kode9, founder of the Hyperdub label and a pioneer of dubstep, will perform at Paavli Kultuurivabrik in Tallinn in November.

18.09.26 NEWS ... Diesel prices have risen 36 cents per liter in two weeks. Fuel retailers and hauliers are calling for a cut in excise duty, but the Ministry of Finance says the tight state budget rules this out.

18.09.26 NEWS ... Young binturongs at Tallinn Zoo staged several successful escape attempts from their enclosure, forcing the Tropical House to close to visitors. The pair, Maru and Maimu, have now been moved to a new location where slipping away won't be nearly as easy.

17.09.26 NEWS ... The Tallinn Circuit Court has suspended permits to hunt problem bears pending a ruling on an appeal filed by NGO Eesti Suurkiskjad, which had challenged the permits.

17.09.26 NEWS ... Estonia's government is considering pushing back its Rail Baltica completion target to 2034 to make greater use of EU funding and reduce the rail project's cost to taxpayers.

17.09.26 NEWS ... Estonia's government is aiming to wrap up 2027 state budget talks next week, with ministers weighing spending needs against a target to cut the budget deficit to 4 percent.

17.09.26 NEWS ... A young Estonian contributed to his US college's victory in a golf tournament earlier this week.

17.09.26 NEWS ... As the days grow shorter, Tallinn's annual "Light Walks" ("Valgus kõnnib") festival returns, transforming Kadriorg Park into an immersive canvas of light and music.

17.09.26 NEWS ... Estonia is preparing for possible security risks if Russia declares a general mobilization, with Prime Minister Kristen Michal saying the country could close its border immediately if the threat assessment warrants it.

17.09.26 NEWS ... Estonia is commissioning a security threat assessment for six sites in Viru-Nigula and Lüganuse municipalities being considered for the country's first nuclear power plant.

17.09.26 NEWS ... The European Union's High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Kaja Kallas, said that Russia's increasing hybrid attacks, acts of sabotage, and stray drones are aimed at frightening the residents of European countries and deterring them from supporting Ukraine.

17.09.26 OPINION ... The constant nagging about how Canada should become the 51st U.S. state has worn out the northern nation, and now as many as 81 percent of Canadians favor closer ties with the European Union, writes Argo Ideon.

17.09.26 OPINION ... Plans to give emergency departments a greater role in determining intoxication would add to their already heavy workload and blur the line between medical care and evidence gathering, writes Aleksei Gaidajenko.

17.09.26 NEWS ... Liina Vahtras, who has just become minister of economic affairs and industry, previously served on the management board of the Estonian Business and Innovation Agency (EIS) and also sat on the board of Rochna Invest OÜ — a company whose portfolio startups received a total of €1.25 million in support from EIS during the same period. Prime Minister Kristen Michal said Vahtras acted in accordance with the rules because she did not take part in making the funding decisions.

17.09.26 NEWS ... Estonia will keep unemployment insurance premium rates unchanged through 2030, maintaining the current combined rate of 2.4 percent of wages for the next four years.

17.09.26 NEWS ... Inmates at Viru Prison taught themselves to weave traditional Estonian patterned belts. They have become so skilled that their work is now sold at the Estonian National Museum.

17.09.26 NEWS ... Hospitals in Ida-Viru County are teaming up for a joint campaign to attract doctors to the understaffed region.