Ülle Madise is now backed by more than 60 MPs, but Prime Minister Kristen Michal (Reform) still believes TalTech rector Tiit Land will also enter Estonia's presidential race.

The future of Latvian airline airBaltic is in the hands of its creditors, Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs said. Potential strategic investors are waiting for airBaltic to become viable and profitable. Under the new business plan approved on Wednesday, the airline will fly to fewer destinations but with higher frequency.

Ülle Madise is now backed by more than 60 MPs, but Prime Minister Kristen Michal (Reform) still believes TalTech rector Tiit Land will also enter Estonia's presidential race.

Sixty-two MPs have signed in favor of Chancellor of Justice Ülle Madise as a candidate at next month's presidential elections, up from the 55 received as of yesterday.

Estonia's bear population has grown for two decades, and one wildlife expert warns that new, tighter hunting limits could increase the risk of conflicts with people.

Economy Minister Erkki Keldo declined to approve a draft bill aimed at curbing the use of nicotine products among young people as the proposed changes could have a significant impact on sellers and importers.

Postimehe juhtkiri (02.08.26) kirjutas maailmahariduse käsitlemisest Eesti haridussüsteemis. Kõik maailmaharidust edendavad osapooled Eestis on nõus, et kool ei tohi muutuda kohaks, kus õpilastele antakse ette «õige» maailmavaade. Maailmaharidus annab noortele teadmised ja oskused, et ise oma seisukohti kujundada. Mida maailmaharidus täpsemalt tähendab ja miks pööratakse sellele Eesti ja Euroopa koolides üha enam tähelepanu, selgitab Mondo maailmahariduse suuna juht Meelis Niine.

Pariisi ujumise EMi neljanda võistluspäeva õhtuses programmis on Eesti tähelepanu keskmes Ralf Tribuntsov, kes stardib meeste 50 m seliliujumise poolfinaalis. Eesti aja järgi algab Tribuntsovi ujumine kell 20.03. Postimees vahendab võistluspäeva sündmusi nii otseülekandes kui ka -blogis.

In an exclusive interview with the BBC’s Steve Rosenberg, Dmitry Muratov says the Kremlin leader can only "destroy Ukraine, not conquer it", with the war now in its fifth year.

The Cernavodă plant, which produces 20% of Romania's electricity, is not expected to be restarted within the next 10 days.

Ofwat has given provisional approval for 13 water companies to charge customers more to pay for investments.

The department store made famous by sitcom Absolutely Fabulous had warned it would cease trading.

President Donald Trump is paving a legal pathway for U.S. companies to launch cyberattacks on foreign cybercriminal gangs — a significant and potentially controversial measure that would put approved tech and cybersecurity firms on the front lines of digital combat. The presidential memorandum, released late Wednesday, comes as the Trump administration has repeatedly pushed for more aggressive action to counter foreign scams and cyberattacks, which the White House said cost Americans nearly $21 billion last year. The memo represents one of the biggest shifts in U.S. cyber policy undertaken in recent years. It would empower tech and security companies — whose data and control over internet infrastructure often offer unique insight into foreign hacking operations — to mount state-sanctioned digital strikes. While many such companies already work closely with U.S. intelligence and law enforcement agencies, a web of legal and political constraints has long prevented them from taking direct action inside foreign networks. Companies that want to participate would be required to sign contracts with both the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security and to undergo what the memo describes as “rigorous vetting” while working with the government. The overall effort would be overseen by a National Coordination Center, established in an earlier Trump administration executive order, with co-executive directors from DOJ and DHS. However, the memo states that no operations by the companies would be approved until the executive directors at DOJ and DHS establish “consensus procedures” with the White House Homeland Security Council guaranteeing “complete oversight and control of Participating Companies’ performance.” Those procedures, it notes, should be drafted within 60 days. They are likely to be extensive. They will outline steps for participating companies to obtain approval for proposed offensive hacking operations, so the government can confirm that the targets are criminal gangs and ensure that operations are consistent with U.S. law and don’t undermine ongoing U.S. intelligence efforts. Companies could propose surveillance operations to help identify criminals or “effects” operations to degrade the systems they use to stage their attacks. Participating companies would have to pass minimum standards for technical expertise and personnel vetting, and would be required to notify the federal government if they believe approved operations may result in the loss of life or rise to the level of use of force under international law. Some see the memo as a critical step to help the U.S. government counter foreign cybercriminal gangs that operate outside the reach of U.S. law enforcement. “For years we’ve called the American technology industry a strategic asset but left it on the cyber sidelines,” Joe Lin, the CEO and co-founder of Twenty, a start-up that builds offensive cyber tools for the U.S. government, said in a statement. “This administration is changing the paradigm.” The memo notes that companies will only be authorized to target criminals that are “not an institutional part of a foreign government or wholly operated under a foreign government’s direction.” Even with the help of the U.S. intelligence community, making that distinction could be difficult. Adversaries such as Russia, China and Iran have persistently targeted U.S. critical infrastructure, including water systems, ports, and telecommunications infrastructure, while multinational crime syndicates have defrauded billions of dollars annually from Americans via complex online schemes. But many cyber gangs in Eastern Europe are thought to operate with the tacit consent of the Russian government, while state hackers in Iran and China sometimes moonlight as cybercriminals to earn extra money or deflect blame for their governments’ attacks. More broadly, it is not always easy for digital investigators to determine who is responsible for a given cyberattack, or who different computer networks belong to — another risk the memo contemplates. Companies that accidentally carry out operations targeting a U.S. citizen or network will be required to immediately pause the operation and notify the U.S. government, the memo states. It does not appear to preclude activities that are deliberately “directed” at a U.S. person, so long as they receive “any necessary authorization, judicial or otherwise, prior to approval of the operation.” Under U.S. law, a “U.S. person” can refer to an American business or organization. Many lawmakers and security experts have broadly supported calls for the private sector to play a larger role in responding to cybercrime, though not all approve of granting them the ability to launch active hacking efforts. In recent years, some House members have debated the idea of issuing “letters of marque” to private companies to carry out cyberattacks on behalf of the U.S. government, similar to the U.S. Navy authorizing private ships to disrupt British shipping during the War of 1812. As part of a more assertive cyber posture, Trump has turned to U.S. Cyber Command to mount digital attacks in tandem with U.S. military operations, including in Iranand Venezuela. He signed an executive order this March to clamp down on countries that fail to take action against scam centers operating within their borders. That same month, the White House called on the private sector to broadly help it “disrupt” foreign adversaries in its new national cyber strategy, though it stopped short of telling private companies to take riskier and more consequential steps, such as directly launching attacks against foreign criminals. Some of the most prolific online fraud operations are believed to emanate from scam compounds in Southeast Asia. But hackers from North Korea — who for years have stolen hundreds of millions in cryptocurrency from victims around the world — would likely be exempt from targeting by U.S. companies since they work at the direction of the North Korean government.

PARIS — French firefighting unions are calling for a nationwide protest next month after accusing the government of failing to adequately support them during a summer of unprecedented heat. “We are asking for the necessary resources to protect French citizens,” said Xavier Boy, a spokesperson representing several firefighters’ unions. The strike will take place Sept. 29. Firefighters are allowed to walk out on the job but must maintain minimum staffing levels to respond to emergencies. Boy said the unions’ most pressing demands include legislation to “modernize” France’s civil security framework, “massive” recruitment of professional firefighters and increased funding to protect firefighters’ health and safety. He also called for “investments to match the risks France faces today and will face tomorrow” given Europe is the planet’s fastest-warming continent. Boy and other firefighting representatives on Thursday — when they held a smaller-scale strike — met with French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez to discuss their concerns. They said they left unsatisfied and disappointed, accusing the minister of equivocating and spewing “political blah blah.” Nuñez told reporters later Thursday that a bill to improve civil security would be presented to the unions on Sept. 8. The minister said the resources granted to firefighters would “evolve” in next year’s budget, but he refused to commit to a specific increase. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has also tasked seven parliamentarians with producing a report on how to improve firefighting in France and asked them to submit policy proposals by Sept. 21. France’s current firefighting system relies heavily on volunteers. As of 2024, just under 80 percent of the country’s firefighters were volunteers, while fewer than 20 percent, mostly in urban areas, were professionals. Most full-time firefighters work in major urban areas like Paris, but this summer they have faced ferocious conflagrations fueled by climate change-driven heat and drought, which are expected to cost taxpayers billions of euros. Boy said firefighters battling the wildfire near Bordeaux, one of the worst in recent French history, were insufficiently equipped. “Everything lacked — personnel, equipment and forest firefighting resources … especially anticipation,” he said.

UK records its hottest day of the year as the temperature in west London reaches 38.1 degrees Celsius.

United's preseason outlay pales in comparison with some of their fellow title contenders.

A former UK government scientific adviser warned amid the ‘shattering’ heat that worse is still to comeMet Office has just offered an update on temperatures across the UK, with several stations already reporting temperatures above 30C – and it’s not even 11am.It’s 30.4C in Wych Cross, 30.3C in Charlwood, 30.2C at Kenly Airfield. Continue reading...

Figures emerge in critical letter to Home Office from organisation appointed to scrutinise detention facilitiesNearly 100 children have been wrongly identified and detained as adults under Shabana Mahmood’s “one in, one out” deal with France, the Guardian can disclose.Home Office staff said that of 304 age-disputed cases arising from the scheme over nine months, 94 (31%) – were ultimately found to be minors. Children are supposed to be excluded from the scheme, while government policy limits immigration detention of unaccompanied children to 24 hours.Had been awaiting deportation for more than six months, despite being supposed be held for up to 28 days only “in exceptional cases”.Were being readied for removal to France despite having TB or requiring hospital treatment.Faced removal after being separated from family members with whom they had travelled, which she said had a “particularly damaging impact”. Continue reading...

British Transport Police say paramedics and fire service are on site following the derailment

Business columnist Pilita Clark and climate correspondent Attracta Mooney replied to reader questions