“During the first year of the pandemic, Sweden was, in fact, a net exporter of the SARS-CoV-2 virus to our Nordic neighbors,” researcher John Petterson at Uppsala University told Uppsala Nya Tidning. The study was conducted by researchers at Uppsala University, the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, and the UniversityContinue Reading
Incoming Minister of the Environment and Climate Change Emma Kari (Green), considers the outcome of the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow, which ended this weekend, to be better than expected in some ways. Interviewed on Yle TV1 on Monday morning, Kari noted that while climate conferences often end in disappointment,Continue Reading
Consumer prices rose by 3.2 percent year-on-year in October, Statistics Finland said on Monday. That was up from 2.5 percent in September. Inflation was driven by higher costs for energy and home repairs. The last time inflation in Finland was above three percent was in early 2012. Consumer prices wereContinue Reading
Kaja Kallas (Reform) is polling at her lowest prime ministerial approval rating since one survey began, daily Eesti Paäevalejt (EPL) reports, while Eesti 200 leader Kristina Kallas has overtaken Martin Helme (EKRE) in popularity as a potential head of government, and Jüri Ratas (Center) remained most popular choice for theContinue Reading
Latvian Defense Minister Artis Pabriks said the country is “currently one step from invoking Article 4 of the NATO Treaty” over the migrant situation on the Belarusian and Polish, Lithuanian, Latvian borders, public broadcaster LSM reported on Tuesday. Pabriks told Latvian Radio it has been agreed the countries will supportContinue Reading
NATO must take “concrete steps” to resolve the migrant crisis on the Belarus border, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki was quoted as saying on Sunday, adding that Poland, Lithuania and Latvia may ask for consultations under Article 4 of the alliance’s treaty. Under Article 4, any ally can request consultationsContinue Reading
The government decided late Wednesday to extend current restaurant restrictions, a move which the Finnish Hospitality Association MaRa condemned as “unnecessary” and “unreasonable”. Restrictions were originally scheduled to expire on Monday, however Minister for Family Affairs and Social Services Krista Kiuru (SDP) said that a surge in infections and inconsistentContinue Reading
The government on Thursday decided to change the spectator capacity restriction for public events, allowing indoor events to be organized for up to 1,000 participants, outdoor events can have 2,000 participants. “Data from the Ministry of Culture shows that such major events are not scheduled to take place currently. TheContinue Reading
Finland’s role in global peacekeeping missions has reduced significantly over the past few decades. The country currently has 330 people deployed in peacekeeping and crisis management operations across the world. A large majority of these—around 200—are in Lebanon, which is currently facing a humanitarian crisis. Small peacekeeping troops have alsoContinue Reading
More restrictions against the coronavirus are likely within the next 12 days, health minister Tanel Kiik (Center) said Wednesday. How far-ranging they are depends on the situation with the virus and in particular hospitalizations over the next week-and-a-half. The Health Board (Terviseamet) is preparing its next package of restrictions, toContinue Reading