Finland's much-delayed Olkiluoto 3 nuclear reactor started test production on Saturday, operator TVO said, delivering power to the national grid which over time is expected to reduce the need for electricity imports and lead to lower prices.

Plagued by technological problems that became the subject of lawsuits, the 1.6 gigawatt (GW) reactor had originally been due to open in 2009. It is&nbsp;Finland's first new nuclear plant in over four decades and Europe's first in almost 15 years.

Olkiluoto 3 started test production at just over 0.1 gigawatt, a small fraction of its capacity, with a ramp-up to full, regular electricity output planned by the end of July.

"OL3 significantly improves&nbsp;Finland's electricity self-sufficiency and helps in achieving carbon neutrality goals," operator Teollisuuden Voima (TVO) said in a statement.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-warns-nato-against-inclusion-of-finland-sweden-440093">Russia warns NATO against inclusion of Finland, Sweden</a>

Once fully operational, it is expected to meet 14% of&nbsp;Finland's electricity demand, reducing the need for imports from Russia, Sweden and Norway.

"Olkiluoto 3 will decrease&nbsp;Finland's import dependency and it will become a cheaper price zone," Aurora Energy Research economist Alexander Esser told Reuters.

Finland's net imports of power averaged 13 terawatt hours (TWh) over the last few years, which should drop to 5-8 TWh by 2025 with Olkiluoto 3 in operation, Esser said.

Nuclear power remains controversial in Europe, with some countries such as Germany phasing out reactors amid safety concerns, while others including France and Britain discussing new developments.

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TVO is owned by Finnish utility Fortum and smaller energy and forestry firms.

Finland&nbsp;is the only Nordic country with a large power deficit, said Marius Holm Rennesund, a partner at Oslo-based consultancy Thema.

Watch |&nbsp;Russian invasion: Finland shows solidarity with Ukraine, Finnish envoy to India speaks to WION

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/russian-invasion-finland-shows-solidarity-with-ukraine-finnish-envoy-to-india-speaks-to-wion-457599/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Thema predicts that Finnish wholesale power prices will drop to 60 euro per megawatt hour (MWh) in 2023 from a predicted average of 70 euro/MWh in 2022, although the expected reduction will also come from lower gas prices.

In 2024, Finnish wholesale power prices will likely fall further to 45 euros/MWh, Rennesund said.

Finland's much-delayed Olkiluoto 3 nuclear reactor started test production on Saturday, operator TVO said, delivering power to the national grid which over time is expected to reduce the need for electricity imports and lead to lower prices.

Finland's much-delayed Olkiluoto 3 nuclear reactor started test production on Saturday, operator TVO said, delivering power to the national grid which over time is expected to reduce the need for electricity imports and lead to lower prices. Plagued by technological problems that became the subject of lawsuits, the 1.6 gigawatt (GW) reactor had originally been due to open in 2009. It is Finland's first new nuclear plant in over four decades and Europe's first in almost 15 years. Olkiluoto 3 started test production at just over 0.1 gigawatt, a small fraction of its capacity, with a ramp-up to full, regular electricity output planned by the end of July. "OL3 significantly improves Finland's electricity self-sufficiency and helps in achieving carbon neutrality goals," operator Teollisuuden Voima (TVO) said in a statement. Also read | Russia warns NATO against inclusion of Finland, Sweden Once fully operational, it is expected to meet 14% of Finland's electricity demand, reducing the need for imports from Russia, Sweden and Norway. "Olkiluoto 3 will decrease Finland's import dependency and it will become a cheaper price zone," Aurora Energy Research economist Alexander Esser told Reuters. Finland's net imports of power averaged 13 terawatt hours (TWh) over the last few years, which should drop to 5-8 TWh by 2025 with Olkiluoto 3 in operation, Esser said. Nuclear power remains controversial in Europe, with some countries such as Germany phasing out reactors amid safety concerns, while others including France and Britain discussing new developments. Also read | Elon Musk makes fun of Finland's Prime Minister with a meme.Here's why TVO is owned by Finnish utility Fortum and smaller energy and forestry firms. Finland is the only Nordic country with a large power deficit, said Marius Holm Rennesund, a partner at Oslo-based consultancy Thema. Watch | Russian invasion: Finland shows solidarity with Ukraine, Finnish envoy to India speaks to WION Thema predicts that Finnish wholesale power prices will drop to 60 euro per megawatt hour (MWh) in 2023 from a predicted average of 70 euro/MWh in 2022, although the expected reduction will also come from lower gas prices. In 2024, Finnish wholesale power prices will likely fall further to 45 euros/MWh, Rennesund said.

Finland starts much-delayed nuclear plant, brings respite to power market

Former Finland captain Tim Sparv wanted to do more than just donate to charities helping Ukrainians fleeing from the Russian invasion of their country so he handed over the keys of his apartment to a family seeking shelter in the Nordic nation.

Some two million Ukrainians are estimated to have been displaced following the Russian invasion of Ukraine two weeks ago, with many heading west towards Poland, Hungary and Romania. "We were always asking how can we do more and this was a concrete way. I thought that millions of refugees are moving away from their homes. I have my apartment in Finland where, to be frank, I don`t spend that much time," he told Reuters in a telephone interview.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/beijing-paralympics-ukrainian-biathlete-laletina-pulls-out-of-event-after-father-captured-by-russian-forces-460534">Beijing Paralympics: Ukrainian biathlete Laletina pulls out of event after father captured by Russian forces</a>

Sparv, who led Finland to a major tournament for the first time when they qualified for Euro 2020 and won the Finnish league with HJK Helsinki before retiring in December 2021, handed over his home to a Ukrainian woman and her two sons. The 35-year-old`s 16-year professional career took him to English club Southampton, Greuther Fuerth in Germany and FC Midtjylland in Denmark plus Swedish, Dutch and Greek clubs.

Asked where he intended to stay when he visits Finland this weekend, the tough-tackling former defensive midfielder laughed. "This is actually a win-win in a way, because I will probably stay at my mum`s place in a small village outside Vaasa, so me and my mum will spend maybe more time together because of this, which is only positive," he said.

Former Finland captain Tim Sparv wanted to do more than just donate to charities helping Ukrainians fleeing from the Russian invasion of their country so he handed over the keys of his apartment to a family seeking shelter in the Nordic nation.

Former Finland captain Tim Sparv wanted to do more than just donate to charities helping Ukrainians fleeing from the Russian invasion of their country so he handed over the keys of his apartment to a family seeking shelter in the Nordic nation. Some two million Ukrainians are estimated to have been displaced following the Russian invasion of Ukraine two weeks ago, with many heading west towards Poland, Hungary and Romania. "We were always asking how can we do more and this was a concrete way. I thought that millions of refugees are moving away from their homes. I have my apartment in Finland where, to be frank, I don`t spend that much time," he told Reuters in a telephone interview. ALSO READ | Beijing Paralympics: Ukrainian biathlete Laletina pulls out of event after father captured by Russian forces Sparv, who led Finland to a major tournament for the first time when they qualified for Euro 2020 and won the Finnish league with HJK Helsinki before retiring in December 2021, handed over his home to a Ukrainian woman and her two sons. The 35-year-old`s 16-year professional career took him to English club Southampton, Greuther Fuerth in Germany and FC Midtjylland in Denmark plus Swedish, Dutch and Greek clubs. Asked where he intended to stay when he visits Finland this weekend, the tough-tackling former defensive midfielder laughed. "This is actually a win-win in a way, because I will probably stay at my mum`s place in a small village outside Vaasa, so me and my mum will spend maybe more time together because of this, which is only positive," he said.

Former Finland captain Finn Sparv wins hearts, hands over apartment keys to Ukrainian refugees

Our principal diplomatic correspondent Siddhant Sibbal sat down with the Finland envoy to India who showed her solidarity with Ukraine and condemned Russia for violating a democratic country's sovereignty.

Russian invasion: Finland shows solidarity with Ukraine, Finnish envoy to India speaks to WION

Complaints of athletes participating in the Beijing winter Olympic games are piling up. In the latest, the coach of the Finland men's ice hockey team has accused China of not respecting the players' human rights besides other complaints that include the isolation conditions to confusing procedures around being allowed to leave, our next report gets you the details.

Finland hockey coach accused China of not respecting players' human rights

Helsinki-based solar food says its new protein can lessen the environmental impact of the world's food system, which accounts for over a third of global greenhouse gas emissions.

Finnish food tech startup says it is making a new nutrient-rich protein from thin hair

Finland based food tech startup makes nutrient rich protein from Solein

Of about 2 billion tons of global waste generated each year only about 19 percentage is recovered for recycling, however AI-powered robots in Finland are helping the fight against global waste.

AI-powered robots help sort global waste in Finland

Russia's foreign ministry has warned against the inclusion of Finland and Sweden in the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO).

According to Maria Zakharova, the ministry’s spokeswoman, ''The persistent attempts by NATO to draw those countries into the orbit of its interests and opportunistic policies haven’t gone unnoticed by Russia.''

“It’s quite obvious that Finland and Sweden joining NATO … would have serious military and political consequences that would require an adequate response from the Russian side,” she highlighted.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/russia-month-long-military-drills-concluded-near-ukraine-440080/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

''The policy of not being part of any alliances, traditionally pursued by Stockholm and Helsinki, is viewed by Moscow as an important factor in ensuring stability in northern Europe,'' Zakharova added.

It comes after Russian President Vladimir Putin had said NATO had "brazenly tricked" the country with successive waves of expansion since the Cold War.

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Moscow says the expansion of NATO threatens Russia and has contravened assurances given to it as the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991.

It has presented the West with sweeping security demands, saying NATO must not admit new members and seeking to bar the United States from establishing new bases in former Soviet republics.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-cannot-dictate-to-nato-says-germany-438184">Also read |&nbsp;Russia cannot 'dictate' to NATO, says Germany</a>

Speaking about Moscow’s proposals, Zakharova reiterated that ''ruling out the expansion of NATO and the deployment of weapon systems that threaten our security near the Russian borders are going to be the main, key issues at the upcoming talks with the US and NATO.''

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg on Thursday to discuss concerns about Russia’s military build-up on the borders of Ukraine, the US State Department said.

"They discussed NATO’s dual-track approach to Russia, noting the alliance remains ready for meaningful dialogue with Russia while standing united to defend and protect allies," the State Department said on Thursday.

(With inputs from agencies)

Russia's foreign ministry has warned against the inclusion of Finland and Sweden in the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO). According to Maria Zakharova, the ministry’s spokeswoman, ''The persistent attempts by NATO to draw those countries into the orbit of its interests and opportunistic policies haven’t gone unnoticed by Russia.

Russia's foreign ministry has warned against the inclusion of Finland and Sweden in the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO). According to Maria Zakharova, the ministry’s spokeswoman, ''The persistent attempts by NATO to draw those countries into the orbit of its interests and opportunistic policies haven’t gone unnoticed by Russia.'' “It’s quite obvious that Finland and Sweden joining NATO … would have serious military and political consequences that would require an adequate response from the Russian side,” she highlighted. ''The policy of not being part of any alliances, traditionally pursued by Stockholm and Helsinki, is viewed by Moscow as an important factor in ensuring stability in northern Europe,'' Zakharova added. It comes after Russian President Vladimir Putin had said NATO had "brazenly tricked" the country with successive waves of expansion since the Cold War. Also see | Rebel-held regions of eastern Ukraine are growing closer to Russia Moscow says the expansion of NATO threatens Russia and has contravened assurances given to it as the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991. It has presented the West with sweeping security demands, saying NATO must not admit new members and seeking to bar the United States from establishing new bases in former Soviet republics. Also read | Russia cannot 'dictate' to NATO, says Germany Speaking about Moscow’s proposals, Zakharova reiterated that ''ruling out the expansion of NATO and the deployment of weapon systems that threaten our security near the Russian borders are going to be the main, key issues at the upcoming talks with the US and NATO.'' US Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg on Thursday to discuss concerns about Russia’s military build-up on the borders of Ukraine, the US State Department said. "They discussed NATO’s dual-track approach to Russia, noting the alliance remains ready for meaningful dialogue with Russia while standing united to defend and protect allies," the State Department said on Thursday. (With inputs from agencies)

Russia warns NATO against inclusion of Finland, Sweden

After the COVID-19 pandemic brought a halt to the Northernmost part of Finland, A Santa looks to bring bundles of joy.

Finland's Santa looks to bring bundles of joy amid a gloomy pandemic

Ilona Taimela, a teacher based out of Finland, has opened up about teaching children of people linked to the Islamic State (IS) through WhatsApp.<o:p></o:p>

"Whoever the children are, they have a right to education," she told the BBC.<o:p></o:p>

Taimela stated teaching 23 Finnish children who lived in al-Hol camp, which is a tent city of nearly 60,000 people who are related to the IS group. These children have been holed up in these tents for years now while western countries assess if the children and their mother can be repatriated or do they pose a future threat. The children were able to get worldly learnings only from semi-functioning charity schools.

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However, with Taimela’s classes, the children saw a ray of hope. When the pandemic began in 2020, Finland’s government promoted the idea of teaching the Finnish kids stuck in the camp through virtual aids. The government then commissioned an initiative called Lifelong Learning Foundation, which aims to develop a distance teaching programme.<o:p></o:p>

Headed by Tuija Tammelander, the foundation’s school of diatcne learning contacted Taimela who quickly jumoed to the opportunity and also helped bring in another teacher.<o:p></o:p>

The two teachers used instant messaging service, WhatsApp, to communicate, give lessons, assignments and answer all related queries of Finnish children stuck in the camps.

<o:p>Have a look | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/what-impact-is-covid-19-having-on-war-torn-areas-like-yemen-syria-libya-290652">What impact is COVID-19 having on war-torn areas like Yemen, Syria, Libya</a></o:p>

"We had never done anything like this before," said Ms Tammelander. The faculty started sending out messages to mothers of these pupils. A total of 23 mothers consented to their pupils being taught through WhatsApp. First message was sent out on May 07, 2020. "Good morning! Today is Thursday the 7th (seventh) of May 2020. The first day of distance school!," the message read. “What kind of weather is it in there? You can answer with emoji or with text/audio.”<o:p></o:p>

Taimela used a pseudonym to hide her identity and sent a picture in which she was seen wearing large sunglasses and a headscarf that helped hide her identity.<o:p></o:p>

From then, the faculty started sending out lessons, assignments related to basic concepts of English, Maths, Geography and more. All these messages were dominantly in Finnish language.<o:p></o:p>

Al these messages were kept a secret from the Kurdish forces and the Finnish public as the mothers in the camp are not allowed to own a mobile. However, the secret lessons soon started breaking up as some mothers were repatriated or some were moved to nearby al-Roj camp which follows stricter policies.<o:p></o:p>

Ilona Taimela, a teacher based out of Finland, has opened up about teaching children of people linked to the Islamic State (IS) through WhatsApp. "Whoever the children are, they have a right to education," she told the BBC.

Ilona Taimela, a teacher based out of Finland, has opened up about teaching children of people linked to the Islamic State (IS) through WhatsApp. "Whoever the children are, they have a right to education," she told the BBC. Taimela stated teaching 23 Finnish children who lived in al-Hol camp, which is a tent city of nearly 60,000 people who are related to the IS group. These children have been holed up in these tents for years now while western countries assess if the children and their mother can be repatriated or do they pose a future threat. The children were able to get worldly learnings only from semi-functioning charity schools. Also read | India gifts 2,000 tonnes of rice to Syria as 'humanitarian assistance However, with Taimela’s classes, the children saw a ray of hope. When the pandemic began in 2020, Finland’s government promoted the idea of teaching the Finnish kids stuck in the camp through virtual aids. The government then commissioned an initiative called Lifelong Learning Foundation, which aims to develop a distance teaching programme. Headed by Tuija Tammelander, the foundation’s school of diatcne learning contacted Taimela who quickly jumoed to the opportunity and also helped bring in another teacher. The two teachers used instant messaging service, WhatsApp, to communicate, give lessons, assignments and answer all related queries of Finnish children stuck in the camps. Have a look | What impact is COVID-19 having on war-torn areas like Yemen, Syria, Libya "We had never done anything like this before," said Ms Tammelander. The faculty started sending out messages to mothers of these pupils. A total of 23 mothers consented to their pupils being taught through WhatsApp. First message was sent out on May 07, 2020. "Good morning! Today is Thursday the 7th (seventh) of May 2020. The first day of distance school!," the message read. “What kind of weather is it in there? You can answer with emoji or with text/audio.” Taimela used a pseudonym to hide her identity and sent a picture in which she was seen wearing large sunglasses and a headscarf that helped hide her identity. From then, the faculty started sending out lessons, assignments related to basic concepts of English, Maths, Geography and more. All these messages were dominantly in Finnish language. Al these messages were kept a secret from the Kurdish forces and the Finnish public as the mothers in the camp are not allowed to own a mobile. However, the secret lessons soon started breaking up as some mothers were repatriated or some were moved to nearby al-Roj camp which follows stricter policies.

Finnish teacher secretly taught IS children through WhatsApp during Covid pandemic

Finland’s Prime Minister Sanna Marin has apologised for going clubbing after coming into contact with a COVID-19 positive patient.

Marin had been drawing flak after it emerged that she had gone out on Saturday hours after her foreign minister&nbsp;Pekka Haavisto tested positive for the virus.

According to Finland’s Covid guidelines, fully vaccinated citizens are not required to self-isolate if they come into contact with a positive person, but it does advise citizens to avoid social contact and undergo testing.

Critiques had slammed the 36-year-old over after a local magazine had published photos of the prime minister attending a Helsinki nightclub with friends on Saturday.

The PM—who has received two doses of COVID-19 shots—initially defended her actions, saying she had followed the advice of her Secretary of State.

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But in a&nbsp;post on Facebook on Monday, she apologised for her error of judgment and admitted she should have double-checked the measures.

“I should have used better judgment on Saturday evening and checked the instructions I had received a second time,” Marin said, adding that different advice had been sent to her official work telephone.

“For not realising that this was not the way to act, I am very sorry,” she stated.

The Social Democrat leader has since tested negative for COVID-19.

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The Seiska magazine said, while citing witnesses, that she stayed at the club until 4 am.

Marin became the world's youngest prime minister when she elected to lead a centre-left coalition with four other parties in 2019.

Since September, infections have been creeping ever higher, with increases of more than 1,000 a day for weeks, reports BBC.

The country has also recorded eight cases of the new Omicron variant, which experts fear may be more transmissible and evade some immunity to Covid.

(With inputs from agencies)

Finland’s Prime Minister Sanna Marin has apologised for going clubbing after coming into contact with a COVID-19 positive patient. Marin had been drawing flak after it emerged that she had gone out on Saturday hours after her foreign minister Pekka Haavisto tested positive for the virus.

Finland’s Prime Minister Sanna Marin has apologised for going clubbing after coming into contact with a COVID-19 positive patient. Marin had been drawing flak after it emerged that she had gone out on Saturday hours after her foreign minister Pekka Haavisto tested positive for the virus. According to Finland’s Covid guidelines, fully vaccinated citizens are not required to self-isolate if they come into contact with a positive person, but it does advise citizens to avoid social contact and undergo testing. Critiques had slammed the 36-year-old over after a local magazine had published photos of the prime minister attending a Helsinki nightclub with friends on Saturday. The PM—who has received two doses of COVID-19 shots—initially defended her actions, saying she had followed the advice of her Secretary of State. Also read | Boris Johnson apologises for video but still denies Christmas party But in a post on Facebook on Monday, she apologised for her error of judgment and admitted she should have double-checked the measures. “I should have used better judgment on Saturday evening and checked the instructions I had received a second time,” Marin said, adding that different advice had been sent to her official work telephone. “For not realising that this was not the way to act, I am very sorry,” she stated. The Social Democrat leader has since tested negative for COVID-19. Also read | A heavy cost: Peru interior minister resigns after hosting party that breached Covid rules The Seiska magazine said, while citing witnesses, that she stayed at the club until 4 am. Marin became the world's youngest prime minister when she elected to lead a centre-left coalition with four other parties in 2019. Since September, infections have been creeping ever higher, with increases of more than 1,000 a day for weeks, reports BBC. The country has also recorded eight cases of the new Omicron variant, which experts fear may be more transmissible and evade some immunity to Covid. (With inputs from agencies)

Finland PM says ‘sorry’ for staying out clubbing after Covid exposure

Finland is world’s happiest country and its Prime Minister, Sanna Marin, has declared that she intends to keep it that way in the future too.<o:p></o:p>

In a rare interview with a media channel, Sanna Marin, said she is making sure she can preserve the generous welfare state in an "environmentally sustainable way". She also wants to "do better when it comes to equality".<o:p></o:p>

Finland was labelled as the happies country of the world by UN Sustainable Development Solutions Networks after it asked people to rate their level of happiness on a scale of 10.

<o:p>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pope-francis-visits-refugee-island-urges-against-exploitation-of-migrants-for-politics-434322">Pope visits refugee island, urges against exploiting migrants for politics</a></o:p>

Many believed that this was made possible because of Sanna Marin. Once the youngest prime minister of the country, Marin also gained applaud for the way she handled the coronavirus pandemic in the country.<o:p></o:p>

Marin, in the interview, said she is sure that the future leaders will also make sure that Finland continues to achieve and become a model of equality.<o:p></o:p>

"We have always worked for equality in Finland, and I think it’s also important in the future, and not only the equality of men and women, or the genders, but also the equality of minority groups in society," she said. "We have to make sure that structures don’t act as barriers to people. So there are many things to do."

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She also stressed on the importance of ending homelessness in Finland, and even eliminate it by the end of 2027. "There are still people without homes, and we still have problems, especially in the bigger cities. But we have also made progress," she said. "The Housing First model is a very important one, but of course we also need solutions from the healthcare system, from the social security system, and employment. We have to make sure that we're treating people as whole individuals."<o:p></o:p>

Marin also reiterated her support to making Finland carbon neutral by 2035, which would be 15 years earlier than the EU's target. "We want to make the transformation in a way that actually benefits ordinary people," she said. "Because if we don’t get people on board, then there’s nothing we can do."<o:p></o:p>

Finland is world’s happiest country and its Prime Minister, Sanna Marin, has declared that she intends to keep it that way in the future too. In a rare interview with a media channel, Sanna Marin, said she is making sure she can preserve the generous welfare state in an "environmentally sustainable way".

Finland is world’s happiest country and its Prime Minister, Sanna Marin, has declared that she intends to keep it that way in the future too. In a rare interview with a media channel, Sanna Marin, said she is making sure she can preserve the generous welfare state in an "environmentally sustainable way". She also wants to "do better when it comes to equality". Finland was labelled as the happies country of the world by UN Sustainable Development Solutions Networks after it asked people to rate their level of happiness on a scale of 10. Also read | Pope visits refugee island, urges against exploiting migrants for politics Many believed that this was made possible because of Sanna Marin. Once the youngest prime minister of the country, Marin also gained applaud for the way she handled the coronavirus pandemic in the country. Marin, in the interview, said she is sure that the future leaders will also make sure that Finland continues to achieve and become a model of equality. "We have always worked for equality in Finland, and I think it’s also important in the future, and not only the equality of men and women, or the genders, but also the equality of minority groups in society," she said. "We have to make sure that structures don’t act as barriers to people. So there are many things to do." Also read | Social workers warned to stay alert after horrifying murder of 6-year-old boy She also stressed on the importance of ending homelessness in Finland, and even eliminate it by the end of 2027. "There are still people without homes, and we still have problems, especially in the bigger cities. But we have also made progress," she said. "The Housing First model is a very important one, but of course we also need solutions from the healthcare system, from the social security system, and employment. We have to make sure that we're treating people as whole individuals." Marin also reiterated her support to making Finland carbon neutral by 2035, which would be 15 years earlier than the EU's target. "We want to make the transformation in a way that actually benefits ordinary people," she said. "Because if we don’t get people on board, then there’s nothing we can do."

Will make sure Finland stays the happiest nation, and grows: PM

Finland has recorded a rare case of probable far-right terrorism after the authorities detained five men on the charges of allegedly planning a gun and bomb attack.<o:p></o:p>

The men are being assumed to belong to a group based in the southwestern town of Kankaanpää. Local police officers detained these five men on Tuesday and were presented in front of the Satakunta District Court over the weekend.<o:p></o:p>

These suspects, aged around 25, were being tracked by the local authorities for the past two years. The police have claimed that all suspects have a criminal record.

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Officials obtained raw material which could be used to make explosives such as weapons, fertiliser and ammunition. These materials were seized during the police raid.<o:p></o:p>

"Material has been found in the possession of the persons, which, combined with other preliminary investigation material, strengthens the perception of the radicalization of the suspects and gives reason to suspect them of terrorist offenses," says Investigator Toni Sjöblom from the Southwest Finland Police.<o:p></o:p>

When the investigation had started two years ago, these men were suspected of 'serious firearms crime'. The group was, since then, being closely monitored by the local police officers.

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"The force has since been closely monitored by the police, during which time the police have, among other things, screened and examined the material found in the suspects' IT equipment and found out the significance of the material in the crime," the official statement added.<o:p></o:p>

It is being reported by local media that the group followed the belief that the western governments are corrupt, irreparable and need to be removed through 'divide and rule' policy. Officials are now investigating the men for involvement in terrorism and possession of illegal firearms.<o:p></o:p>

"If you see clear signs of radicalization in your loved ones, you should react as quickly as possible, for example, by telling the authorities about your concerns,"&nbsp;Detective Superintendent Toni Sjoblom said.<o:p></o:p>

Finland has recorded a rare case of probable far-right terrorism after the authorities detained five men on the charges of allegedly planning a gun and bomb attack.

Finland has recorded a rare case of probable far-right terrorism after the authorities detained five men on the charges of allegedly planning a gun and bomb attack. The men are being assumed to belong to a group based in the southwestern town of Kankaanpää. Local police officers detained these five men on Tuesday and were presented in front of the Satakunta District Court over the weekend. These suspects, aged around 25, were being tracked by the local authorities for the past two years. The police have claimed that all suspects have a criminal record. Also read | Killer dish: Chef jailed for serving deadly shepherd's pie Officials obtained raw material which could be used to make explosives such as weapons, fertiliser and ammunition. These materials were seized during the police raid. "Material has been found in the possession of the persons, which, combined with other preliminary investigation material, strengthens the perception of the radicalization of the suspects and gives reason to suspect them of terrorist offenses," says Investigator Toni Sjöblom from the Southwest Finland Police. When the investigation had started two years ago, these men were suspected of 'serious firearms crime'. The group was, since then, being closely monitored by the local police officers. Also read | Fellow islander reunites woman with wedding ring lost 50 years ago after three-day search "The force has since been closely monitored by the police, during which time the police have, among other things, screened and examined the material found in the suspects' IT equipment and found out the significance of the material in the crime," the official statement added. It is being reported by local media that the group followed the belief that the western governments are corrupt, irreparable and need to be removed through 'divide and rule' policy. Officials are now investigating the men for involvement in terrorism and possession of illegal firearms. "If you see clear signs of radicalization in your loved ones, you should react as quickly as possible, for example, by telling the authorities about your concerns," Detective Superintendent Toni Sjoblom said.

Finland records far-right terrorism case after two years of investigation: Reports

With an aim to get nuclear power recognised as a sustainable energy source, the government of Finland is looking to lobby in the European Union (EU). The development comes after a&nbsp;secret decision. &nbsp;

Although the EU has already declared wind and solar as sustainable, it is yet to make a decision on gas and nuclear.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-rust-belt-province-warns-of-more-shortages-in-energy-crisis-419929" hreflang="en">China rust-belt province warns of more shortages in energy crisis</a>

Currently, nuclear energy is considered a low-carbon energy source in comparison to the emissions caused by mining and transport. This is even when plants are emission-free. &nbsp;

While Finland already has four nuclear plants, another one is nearing completion after several years of postponements due to technical complexities. So, the future of nuclear energy is critical for the country. &nbsp;

By 2035, Finland looks to becoming carbon neutral, and its industry is also highly energy-intensive. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-set-to-achieve-450-gw-renewable-energy-installed-capacity-by-2030-centre-420061" hreflang="en">India set to achieve 450 GW renewable energy installed capacity by 2030: Centre</a>

As of now, 30% energy in Finland is produced by nuclear energy. &nbsp;

The government’s alignment to lobby nuclear as a sustainable source is a complete U-turn for the Green Party sitting in the current five-party cabinet, reported Finnish Broadcasting Company (YLE). &nbsp;

Traditionally, the party is anti-nuclear and had resigned from previous governments over the issue. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

With an aim to get nuclear power recognised as a sustainable energy source, the government of Finland is looking to lobby in the European Union (EU). The development comes after a secret decision.

With an aim to get nuclear power recognised as a sustainable energy source, the government of Finland is looking to lobby in the European Union (EU). The development comes after a secret decision. Although the EU has already declared wind and solar as sustainable, it is yet to make a decision on gas and nuclear. Also Read: China rust-belt province warns of more shortages in energy crisis Currently, nuclear energy is considered a low-carbon energy source in comparison to the emissions caused by mining and transport. This is even when plants are emission-free. While Finland already has four nuclear plants, another one is nearing completion after several years of postponements due to technical complexities. So, the future of nuclear energy is critical for the country. By 2035, Finland looks to becoming carbon neutral, and its industry is also highly energy-intensive. Also Read: India set to achieve 450 GW renewable energy installed capacity by 2030: Centre As of now, 30% energy in Finland is produced by nuclear energy. The government’s alignment to lobby nuclear as a sustainable source is a complete U-turn for the Green Party sitting in the current five-party cabinet, reported Finnish Broadcasting Company (YLE). Traditionally, the party is anti-nuclear and had resigned from previous governments over the issue. (With inputs from agencies)

In EU, Finland lobbies to get nuclear energy labelled as sustainable source  

Finland has joined other Nordic countries in suspending or discouraging the use of Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine in certain age groups because of an increased risk of heart inflammation, a rare side effect associated with the shot.

The Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare said Friday&nbsp;that authorities won't give the shot to males under age 30. They will be offered the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine instead. The government agency said it found that young men and boys were at a slightly higher risk of developing myocarditis.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pfizer-jab-prevents-severe-virus-for-at-least-6-months-study-418358">Pfizer jab prevents severe virus for at least 6 months: Study</a>

The move by Finland followed similar decisions by three neighboring countries on Wednesday. Sweden suspended the use of Moderna for people under 30, Denmark said those under 18 won't be offered the Swiss-made vaccine, and Norway urged those under 30 to get the Pfizer vaccine instead.

All four countries based their decision on an unpublished study with Sweden's Public Health Agency saying that it signals an increased risk of side effects such as inflammation of the heart muscle or the pericardium?&nbsp; the double-walled sac containing the heart and the roots of the main vessels. It added: The risk of being affected is very small.

The preliminary information from the Nordic study has been sent to the European Medicines Agency's adverse reaction committee to be assessed.&nbsp;

Finland has joined other Nordic countries in suspending or discouraging the use of Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine in certain age groups because of an increased risk of heart inflammation, a rare side effect associated with the shot.

Finland has joined other Nordic countries in suspending or discouraging the use of Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine in certain age groups because of an increased risk of heart inflammation, a rare side effect associated with the shot. The Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare said Friday that authorities won't give the shot to males under age 30. They will be offered the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine instead. The government agency said it found that young men and boys were at a slightly higher risk of developing myocarditis. Also Read | Pfizer jab prevents severe virus for at least 6 months: Study The move by Finland followed similar decisions by three neighboring countries on Wednesday. Sweden suspended the use of Moderna for people under 30, Denmark said those under 18 won't be offered the Swiss-made vaccine, and Norway urged those under 30 to get the Pfizer vaccine instead. All four countries based their decision on an unpublished study with Sweden's Public Health Agency saying that it signals an increased risk of side effects such as inflammation of the heart muscle or the pericardium? the double-walled sac containing the heart and the roots of the main vessels. It added: The risk of being affected is very small. The preliminary information from the Nordic study has been sent to the European Medicines Agency's adverse reaction committee to be assessed.

Finland joins other Nordic nations in curbing Moderna shots

In a unique move to promote girls’ rights, Finland appointed a 16-year-old teenage girl to be the country's president for a day. The move was part of a global campaign--- to promote girls’ rights and gender equality.

Finland appoints 16-year-old teenage girl to be country's president for a day

Sixteen-year-old Nella Salminen on Wednesday stepped into the shoes of Finnish President Sauli Niinisto for a day. This was part of a global campaign to promote girls' rights.

"This whole day is like the best thing I've experienced in a long time," Nella Salminen told AFP outside Helsinki's presidential palace, after spending the day meeting politicians and addressing a global climate action conference.

She was selected by Plan International, a charity, to work alongside the Nordic country's president.

as part of its #GirlsTakeover campaign, in which adolescents around the world take the helm in politics or business for one day.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nato-remains-bedrock-for-european-security-says-stoltenberg-amid-aukus-row-418607">NATO remains bedrock for European security, says Stoltenberg amid AUKUS row</a>

Held ahead of the UN Day of the Girl on October 11, this year the teens are sharing duties with Uganda's education minister, a Swiss federal counsellor and the CEOs of a number of major Indonesian companies, among others.

Nella said her message to her elders was that girls' potential should be better recognised and they should be involved more in policymaking.

"It is not fair that decisions that influence me a lot have been made by decision-makers without asking... my generation's opinion," she said.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/soaring-energy-prices-climb-up-eus-political-agenda-418611">Soaring energy prices climb up EU's political agenda</a>

Nella also spoke to the president about the theme of this year's girls' takeover campaign, the impact on gender of false information online.

"Misinformation and disinformation on the internet has grown and grown, and it's really hard to find the correct information," Nella told AFP.

"I think people from my generation know this the best, and that is one mesasge we can provide to the older generation."

Finland's government is headed by Prime Minister Sanna Marin, who became the world's youngest holder of the office in 2019 when she took power aged 34, leading a coalition of five centre-left parties who were all led by women.

(With inputs from agencies)

Sixteen-year-old Nella Salminen on Wednesday stepped into the shoes of Finnish President Sauli Niinisto for a day. This was part of a global campaign to promote girls' rights.

Sixteen-year-old Nella Salminen on Wednesday stepped into the shoes of Finnish President Sauli Niinisto for a day. This was part of a global campaign to promote girls' rights. "This whole day is like the best thing I've experienced in a long time," Nella Salminen told AFP outside Helsinki's presidential palace, after spending the day meeting politicians and addressing a global climate action conference. She was selected by Plan International, a charity, to work alongside the Nordic country's president. as part of its #GirlsTakeover campaign, in which adolescents around the world take the helm in politics or business for one day. Also Read | NATO remains bedrock for European security, says Stoltenberg amid AUKUS row Held ahead of the UN Day of the Girl on October 11, this year the teens are sharing duties with Uganda's education minister, a Swiss federal counsellor and the CEOs of a number of major Indonesian companies, among others. Nella said her message to her elders was that girls' potential should be better recognised and they should be involved more in policymaking. "It is not fair that decisions that influence me a lot have been made by decision-makers without asking... my generation's opinion," she said. Also Read | Soaring energy prices climb up EU's political agenda Nella also spoke to the president about the theme of this year's girls' takeover campaign, the impact on gender of false information online. "Misinformation and disinformation on the internet has grown and grown, and it's really hard to find the correct information," Nella told AFP. "I think people from my generation know this the best, and that is one mesasge we can provide to the older generation." Finland's government is headed by Prime Minister Sanna Marin, who became the world's youngest holder of the office in 2019 when she took power aged 34, leading a coalition of five centre-left parties who were all led by women. (With inputs from agencies)

In girls' rights drive, 16-year-old becomes Finnish president for a day

Belgium midfielder Thorgan Hazard will not travel with the team to St. Petersburg for their European Championship Group B match against Finland on Monday, the team said on Sunday.

Hazard scored in Belgium's 2-1 win over Denmark on Thursday, their second victory in as many games in the tournament, but the Borussia Dortmund midfielder appeared to pick up a knee injury.

Local media reports said he did not train on Saturday.

Belgium said in a tweet https://twitter.com/BelRedDevils/status/1406527783904415745 on Sunday that Hazard will not be part of the squad for their final group stage clash, without stating the reason for the 28-year-old's exclusion.

Hazard, whose elder brother Eden Hazard also represents the national team, has scored seven goals in 37 matches since making his senior debut in 2013.

Belgium coach Roberto Martinez is set to field a strong line-up against Finland on Monday with Eden Hazard, Kevin De Bruyne and Axel Witsel all in contention.

They will be without Timothy Castagne, who suffered a facial fracture in their win over Russia.

Belgium midfielder Thorgan Hazard will not travel with the team to St. Petersburg for their European Championship Group B match against Finland on Monday, the team said on Sunday.

Belgium midfielder Thorgan Hazard will not travel with the team to St. Petersburg for their European Championship Group B match against Finland on Monday, the team said on Sunday. Hazard scored in Belgium's 2-1 win over Denmark on Thursday, their second victory in as many games in the tournament, but the Borussia Dortmund midfielder appeared to pick up a knee injury. Local media reports said he did not train on Saturday. Belgium said in a tweet https://twitter.com/BelRedDevils/status/1406527783904415745 on Sunday that Hazard will not be part of the squad for their final group stage clash, without stating the reason for the 28-year-old's exclusion. Hazard, whose elder brother Eden Hazard also represents the national team, has scored seven goals in 37 matches since making his senior debut in 2013. Belgium coach Roberto Martinez is set to field a strong line-up against Finland on Monday with Eden Hazard, Kevin De Bruyne and Axel Witsel all in contention. They will be without Timothy Castagne, who suffered a facial fracture in their win over Russia.

Football: Belgium midfielder Thorgan Hazard ruled out of Finland game

Finland's task of reaching the knockout stages of Euro 2020 will be made tougher by Roberto Martinez's decision to field Eden Hazard, Kevin De Bruyne and Axel Witsel when the two meet in their last Euro 2020 group game in St. Petersburg on Monday.

Despite his side topping the group with two wins from two games, the Belgian boss wants to gauge the form and fitness of the trio, dashing any hopes the Finns may have had of meeting a weakened side as they try to secure themselves a spot in the last 16.

"We are not here to go as far as we can, but rather to be as good as we can. And that means you have to win every game," Martinez told reporters.

The group is still wide open with Finland and Russia having three points and Denmark zero but the Danes, now without playmaker Christian Eriksen who suffered a cardiac arrest in their first game, could throw themselves back into the mix by beating the Russians in Copenhagen.

A win against Belgium would see Finland through, and a draw gives them a good chance of securing either second or third place in the group, with the best four of the third-placed teams in the six groups also set to advance.

Belgium will be missing Timothy Castagne, who suffered a facial fracture in the win against Russia and will take no further part in the tournament, but the rest of the squad has been given a clean bill of health.

The Finns will again seek to defend deep and hit on the break, and Monday's clash would be a perfect time for Finnish striker Teemo Pukki, who scored 10 times in qualifying, to get his first goal at the Euros.

The size of the task can be seen at a glance in the world rankings - Belgium is ranked first, and a victory for the 54th-placed Finns would surely be one of the biggest upsets in the history of the tournament.

Finland's task of reaching the knockout stages of Euro 2020 will be made tougher by Roberto Martinez's decision to field Eden Hazard, Kevin De Bruyne and Axel Witsel when the two meet in their last Euro 2020 group game in St.

Finland's task of reaching the knockout stages of Euro 2020 will be made tougher by Roberto Martinez's decision to field Eden Hazard, Kevin De Bruyne and Axel Witsel when the two meet in their last Euro 2020 group game in St. Petersburg on Monday. Despite his side topping the group with two wins from two games, the Belgian boss wants to gauge the form and fitness of the trio, dashing any hopes the Finns may have had of meeting a weakened side as they try to secure themselves a spot in the last 16. "We are not here to go as far as we can, but rather to be as good as we can. And that means you have to win every game," Martinez told reporters. The group is still wide open with Finland and Russia having three points and Denmark zero but the Danes, now without playmaker Christian Eriksen who suffered a cardiac arrest in their first game, could throw themselves back into the mix by beating the Russians in Copenhagen. A win against Belgium would see Finland through, and a draw gives them a good chance of securing either second or third place in the group, with the best four of the third-placed teams in the six groups also set to advance. Belgium will be missing Timothy Castagne, who suffered a facial fracture in the win against Russia and will take no further part in the tournament, but the rest of the squad has been given a clean bill of health. The Finns will again seek to defend deep and hit on the break, and Monday's clash would be a perfect time for Finnish striker Teemo Pukki, who scored 10 times in qualifying, to get his first goal at the Euros. The size of the task can be seen at a glance in the world rankings - Belgium is ranked first, and a victory for the 54th-placed Finns would surely be one of the biggest upsets in the history of the tournament.

Football: Finland face tough Belgian test in final group game

Finland striker Teemu Pukki said their Euro 2020 opener against Denmark on Saturday was one of the most difficult games of his career after Danish midfielder Christian Eriksen collapsed and required emergency medical treatment on the pitch.

Inter Milan playmaker Eriksen collapsed suddenly in the 42nd minute of the match while running near the left touchline after a Denmark throw-in and was given life-saving cardiac massage treatment and taken to hospital.

The Group B game was eventually restarted an hour and 45 minutes later after news came through that Eriksen had regained consciousness and Finland went on to win 1-0 thanks to a Joel Pohjanpalo goal.

"I must say it's been definitely one of the most difficult games of my career. Hopefully, everything is getting a better direction now," Pukki told reporters.

"We decided to do what the Danish team would decide and were ready to continue whatever decision was taken. It was definitely not easy to come back to the pitch. But once we heard everything seemed to be fine, we started concentrating again on the game.

"In the end, we're glad about the victory. The atmosphere after the game is definitely not as glorious as usual but we got important three points."

Finland skipper Tim Sparv described the contest as an emotional roller-coaster.

"Our thoughts are with Christian Eriksen and his loved ones during these difficult times," Sparv tweeted. "Football&nbsp;is so insignificant when something like this happens. Life is precious. Take care of each other."

Eriksen's former club Tottenham Hotspur, who he left in 2020 to join Inter, tweeted a message of support, saying that he would "always be one of our own".

Finland striker Teemu Pukki said their Euro 2020 opener against Denmark on Saturday was one of the most difficult games of his career after Danish midfielder Christian Eriksen collapsed and required emergency medical treatment on the pitch.

Finland striker Teemu Pukki said their Euro 2020 opener against Denmark on Saturday was one of the most difficult games of his career after Danish midfielder Christian Eriksen collapsed and required emergency medical treatment on the pitch. Inter Milan playmaker Eriksen collapsed suddenly in the 42nd minute of the match while running near the left touchline after a Denmark throw-in and was given life-saving cardiac massage treatment and taken to hospital. The Group B game was eventually restarted an hour and 45 minutes later after news came through that Eriksen had regained consciousness and Finland went on to win 1-0 thanks to a Joel Pohjanpalo goal. "I must say it's been definitely one of the most difficult games of my career. Hopefully, everything is getting a better direction now," Pukki told reporters. "We decided to do what the Danish team would decide and were ready to continue whatever decision was taken. It was definitely not easy to come back to the pitch. But once we heard everything seemed to be fine, we started concentrating again on the game. "In the end, we're glad about the victory. The atmosphere after the game is definitely not as glorious as usual but we got important three points." Finland skipper Tim Sparv described the contest as an emotional roller-coaster. "Our thoughts are with Christian Eriksen and his loved ones during these difficult times," Sparv tweeted. "Football is so insignificant when something like this happens. Life is precious. Take care of each other." Eriksen's former club Tottenham Hotspur, who he left in 2020 to join Inter, tweeted a message of support, saying that he would "always be one of our own".

Football: Teemu Pukki says Denmark game among most difficult of career after Eriksen scare

Gravitas Plus| Are you happy? Is your country happy? Finland is the happiest. India ranks 139 of 149. WION's Palki Sharma tells you the secret to happiness in less than 10 minutes.

Gravitas Plus: The secret to happiness

Hundreds marched in capitals of Finland and Sweden on Saturday to protest measures taken by the respective governments to stop the spread of coronavirus.

A protest in Helsinki drew 300 participants and resulted in about 50 arrests, as per tweet by Finnish police. Organisers of the event had announced that there would only be 6 participants.

Those arrested for failing to obey police orders were fined, and the crowd was otherwise dispersed by police without major incident.&nbsp;

Finland has one of Europe's lowest infection rates, though a rise in cases in mid-February led to new restrictions, such as restaurant closures.

In Stockholm, 500 to 600 people marched with banners demanding "freedom and truth". The event lasted for more than two hours.

Unlike other European countries, Sweden opted for months not to impose strict measures on its population at the start of the pandemic, issuing guidance in the form of recommendations instead.

In November, however, facing a significant second wave of infections, Sweden capped public gatherings at eight participants and forced cafes, bars and restaurants to close at 8:30 p.m.

(With inputs from agencies)

Hundreds marched in capitals of Finland and Sweden on Saturday to protest measures taken by the respective governments to stop the spread of coronavirus. A protest in Helsinki drew 300 participants and resulted in about 50 arrests, as per tweet by Finnish police.

Hundreds marched in capitals of Finland and Sweden on Saturday to protest measures taken by the respective governments to stop the spread of coronavirus. A protest in Helsinki drew 300 participants and resulted in about 50 arrests, as per tweet by Finnish police. Organisers of the event had announced that there would only be 6 participants. Those arrested for failing to obey police orders were fined, and the crowd was otherwise dispersed by police without major incident. Finland has one of Europe's lowest infection rates, though a rise in cases in mid-February led to new restrictions, such as restaurant closures. In Stockholm, 500 to 600 people marched with banners demanding "freedom and truth". The event lasted for more than two hours. Unlike other European countries, Sweden opted for months not to impose strict measures on its population at the start of the pandemic, issuing guidance in the form of recommendations instead. In November, however, facing a significant second wave of infections, Sweden capped public gatherings at eight participants and forced cafes, bars and restaurants to close at 8:30 p.m. (With inputs from agencies)

Protests in Finland, Sweden against coronavirus measures

Hadija Haruna-Oelker, a Black journalist, has just produced the German translation of Amanda Gorman’s “The Hill We Climb,” the poem about a “skinny Black girl” that for many people was the highlight of President Joe Biden’s inauguration.

So has Kübra Gümüsay, a German writer of Turkish descent.

As has Uda Strätling, a translator, who is white.

Literary translation is usually a solitary pursuit, but German publisher Hoffmann und Campe went for a team of writers to ensure the translation of Gorman’s poem — just 710 words — wasn’t just true to Gorman’s voice. The trio was also asked to make its political and social significance clear and to avoid anything that might exclude people of color, people with disabilities, women or other marginalized groups.

“It was a gamble,” Strätling said of the collaborative approach.

For nearly two weeks, the team debated word choices, occasionally emailing Gorman for clarifications. But as they worked, an argument was brewing elsewhere in Europe about who has the right to translate the poet’s work.

“This whole debate started,” Gümüsay said, with a sigh.

It began in February when Meulenhoff, a publisher in the Netherlands, said it had asked Marieke Lucas Rijneveld, a writer whose debut novel won last year’s Booker International Prize, to translate Gorman’s poem into Dutch.

Rijneveld was the “ideal candidate,” Meulenhoff said in a statement. But many social media users disagreed, asking why a white writer had been chosen when Gorman’s reading at the inauguration had been a significant cultural moment for Black people.

Three days later, Rijneveld quit. (Rijneveld declined an interview request for this article.)

In March, the debate reignited after Victor Obiols, another white translator, was dropped by the Catalan publisher Univers. Obiols said he was told his profile “was not suitable for the project.” (A Univers spokeswoman declined to comment.)

Literary figures and newspaper columnists across Europe have been arguing for weeks about what these decisions mean, turning Gorman’s poem into the latest flash point in debates about identity politics across the continent. The discussion has shone a light on the often unexamined world of literary translation and its lack of racial diversity.

“I can’t recall a translation controversy ever taking the world by storm like this,” Aaron Robertson, a Black Italian-to-English translator, said in a phone interview.

“This feels something of a watershed moment,” he added.

On Monday, the American Literary Translators Association waded into the furor. “The question of whether identity should be the deciding factor in who is allowed to translate whom is a false framing of the issues at play,” it said in a statement published on its website.

The real problem underlying the controversy was “the scarcity of Black translators,” it added. Last year, the association carried out a diversity survey. Only 2% of the 362 translators who responded were Black, a spokeswoman for the association said in an email.

In a video interview, the members of the German team said they, too, felt the debate had missed the point. “People are asking questions like, ‘Does color give you the right to translate?’” Haruna-Oelker said. “This is not about color.”

She added: “It’s about quality, it’s about the skills you have, and about perspectives.” Each member of the German team brought different things to the group, she said.

The team spent a long time discussing how to translate the word “skinny,” without conjuring images of an overly thin woman, Gümüsay said, and they debated how to bring a sense of the poem’s gender-inclusive language into German, in which many objects — and all people — are either masculine or feminine. “You’re constantly moving back and forth between the politics and the composition,” Strätling said.

“To me it felt like dancing,” Gümüsay said of the process. Haruna-Oelker added that the team tried hard to find words “which don’t hurt anyone.”

But whereas the German translators were happy to engage with the identity politics, others expressed frustration at the translator departures and their implications. Nuria Barrios, the translator of the poem’s Spanish edition, who is white, wrote in the newspaper El País that Rijneveld's stepping down from the project was “a catastrophe.”

“It is the victory of identity politics over creative freedom,” she wrote, adding: “To remove imagination from translation is to subject the craft to a lobotomy.”

Some Black academics and translators have also expressed concern. “There is a tacit idea that we are supposed to be especially concerned about the ‘appropriateness’ of a translator’s identity in the particular case of blackness,” John McWhorter, a professor of English and comparative literature at Columbia University, said in an email.

Other differences between writers and their translators — such as wealth levels, or political views — were not sparking concern, McWhorter added. “Instead, our sense of ‘diversity’ is narrower than that word implies: It’s only about skin color,” he said.

Couching the discussion in terms of appropriateness was “really ridiculous,” said Janice Deul, a Black Dutch journalist and activist who on Feb. 25 wrote an opinion piece for De Volkskrant, a Dutch newspaper, calling Rijneveld’s appointment “incomprehensible.” The following day, Rijneveld resigned.

“This is not about who can translate, it’s about who gets opportunities to translate,” Deul said. She listed 10 Black Dutch spoken-word artists who could have done the job in her article but said all of them had been overlooked.

The one opinion missing in all of this is, of course, Gorman’s. Viking is releasing “The Hill We Climb” in the United States on Tuesday. Apple TV Plus on Friday began streaming her interview with Oprah Winfrey, but she has not commented on the debate her work has spurred. Her spokeswoman didn’t respond to requests for comment.

Gorman, or her agent, Writers House, which represents the translation rights, appeared to have influence on who was selected. Aylin LaMorey-Salzmann, the editor of the German edition of “The Hill We Climb,” said that the rights owner had to agree to the choice, which had to be someone of similar profile to Gorman.

Irene Christopoulou, an editor at Psichogios, the poem’s Greek publisher, was still waiting for approval for its choice of translator. The translator was a white “emerging female poet,” Christopoulou said in an email. “Due to the racial profile of the Greek population, there are no translators/poets of color to choose from,” she added.

A spokeswoman for Tammi, the poem’s Finnish publisher, said in an email that “The negotiations are still going on with the agent and Amanda Gorman herself.”

Several European publishers named Black musicians as their translators. Timbuktu, a rapper, has completed a Swedish version, and Marie-Pierra Kakoma, a singer better known as Lous and the Yakuza, has translated the French edition, which will be published by Editions Fayard in May.

“I thought Lous’ writing skills, her sense of rhythm, her connection with spoken poetry would be tremendous assets,” Sophie de Closets, a publisher at Fayard, said in an email explaining why she chose a pop star.

Issues of identity “should definitely be considered” when hiring translators, de Closets added, but that went beyond race. “It is the publisher’s responsibility to look for the ideal combination between one given work and the person who will translate it,” she said.

Haruna-Oelker, one of the German translators, said one disappointing outcome of the debate in Europe was it had diverted attention from the message of Gorman’s poem. “The Hill We Climb” spoke about bringing people together, Haruna-Oelker said, just as the German publisher had done by assembling a team.

“We’ve tried a beautiful experiment here, and this is where the future lies,” Gümüsay said. “The future lies in trying to find new forms of collaboration, trying to bring together more voices, more sets of eyes, more perspectives to create something new.”

Hadija Haruna-Oelker, a Black journalist, has just produced the German translation of Amanda Gorman’s “The Hill We Climb,” the poem about a “skinny Black girl” that for many people was the highlight of President Joe Biden’s inauguration.

Hadija Haruna-Oelker, a Black journalist, has just produced the German translation of Amanda Gorman’s “The Hill We Climb,” the poem about a “skinny Black girl” that for many people was the highlight of President Joe Biden’s inauguration. So has Kübra Gümüsay, a German writer of Turkish descent. As has Uda Strätling, a translator, who is white. Literary translation is usually a solitary pursuit, but German publisher Hoffmann und Campe went for a team of writers to ensure the translation of Gorman’s poem — just 710 words — wasn’t just true to Gorman’s voice. The trio was also asked to make its political and social significance clear and to avoid anything that might exclude people of color, people with disabilities, women or other marginalized groups. “It was a gamble,” Strätling said of the collaborative approach. For nearly two weeks, the team debated word choices, occasionally emailing Gorman for clarifications. But as they worked, an argument was brewing elsewhere in Europe about who has the right to translate the poet’s work. “This whole debate started,” Gümüsay said, with a sigh. It began in February when Meulenhoff, a publisher in the Netherlands, said it had asked Marieke Lucas Rijneveld, a writer whose debut novel won last year’s Booker International Prize, to translate Gorman’s poem into Dutch. Rijneveld was the “ideal candidate,” Meulenhoff said in a statement. But many social media users disagreed, asking why a white writer had been chosen when Gorman’s reading at the inauguration had been a significant cultural moment for Black people. Three days later, Rijneveld quit. (Rijneveld declined an interview request for this article.) In March, the debate reignited after Victor Obiols, another white translator, was dropped by the Catalan publisher Univers. Obiols said he was told his profile “was not suitable for the project.” (A Univers spokeswoman declined to comment.) Literary figures and newspaper columnists across Europe have been arguing for weeks about what these decisions mean, turning Gorman’s poem into the latest flash point in debates about identity politics across the continent. The discussion has shone a light on the often unexamined world of literary translation and its lack of racial diversity. “I can’t recall a translation controversy ever taking the world by storm like this,” Aaron Robertson, a Black Italian-to-English translator, said in a phone interview. “This feels something of a watershed moment,” he added. On Monday, the American Literary Translators Association waded into the furor. “The question of whether identity should be the deciding factor in who is allowed to translate whom is a false framing of the issues at play,” it said in a statement published on its website. The real problem underlying the controversy was “the scarcity of Black translators,” it added. Last year, the association carried out a diversity survey. Only 2% of the 362 translators who responded were Black, a spokeswoman for the association said in an email. In a video interview, the members of the German team said they, too, felt the debate had missed the point. “People are asking questions like, ‘Does color give you the right to translate?’” Haruna-Oelker said. “This is not about color.” She added: “It’s about quality, it’s about the skills you have, and about perspectives.” Each member of the German team brought different things to the group, she said. The team spent a long time discussing how to translate the word “skinny,” without conjuring images of an overly thin woman, Gümüsay said, and they debated how to bring a sense of the poem’s gender-inclusive language into German, in which many objects — and all people — are either masculine or feminine. “You’re constantly moving back and forth between the politics and the composition,” Strätling said. “To me it felt like dancing,” Gümüsay said of the process. Haruna-Oelker added that the team tried hard to find words “which don’t hurt anyone.” But whereas the German translators were happy to engage with the identity politics, others expressed frustration at the translator departures and their implications. Nuria Barrios, the translator of the poem’s Spanish edition, who is white, wrote in the newspaper El País that Rijneveld's stepping down from the project was “a catastrophe.” “It is the victory of identity politics over creative freedom,” she wrote, adding: “To remove imagination from translation is to subject the craft to a lobotomy.” Some Black academics and translators have also expressed concern. “There is a tacit idea that we are supposed to be especially concerned about the ‘appropriateness’ of a translator’s identity in the particular case of blackness,” John McWhorter, a professor of English and comparative literature at Columbia University, said in an email. Other differences between writers and their translators — such as wealth levels, or political views — were not sparking concern, McWhorter added. “Instead, our sense of ‘diversity’ is narrower than that word implies: It’s only about skin color,” he said. Couching the discussion in terms of appropriateness was “really ridiculous,” said Janice Deul, a Black Dutch journalist and activist who on Feb. 25 wrote an opinion piece for De Volkskrant, a Dutch newspaper, calling Rijneveld’s appointment “incomprehensible.” The following day, Rijneveld resigned. “This is not about who can translate, it’s about who gets opportunities to translate,” Deul said. She listed 10 Black Dutch spoken-word artists who could have done the job in her article but said all of them had been overlooked. The one opinion missing in all of this is, of course, Gorman’s. Viking is releasing “The Hill We Climb” in the United States on Tuesday. Apple TV Plus on Friday began streaming her interview with Oprah Winfrey, but she has not commented on the debate her work has spurred. Her spokeswoman didn’t respond to requests for comment. Gorman, or her agent, Writers House, which represents the translation rights, appeared to have influence on who was selected. Aylin LaMorey-Salzmann, the editor of the German edition of “The Hill We Climb,” said that the rights owner had to agree to the choice, which had to be someone of similar profile to Gorman. Irene Christopoulou, an editor at Psichogios, the poem’s Greek publisher, was still waiting for approval for its choice of translator. The translator was a white “emerging female poet,” Christopoulou said in an email. “Due to the racial profile of the Greek population, there are no translators/poets of color to choose from,” she added. A spokeswoman for Tammi, the poem’s Finnish publisher, said in an email that “The negotiations are still going on with the agent and Amanda Gorman herself.” Several European publishers named Black musicians as their translators. Timbuktu, a rapper, has completed a Swedish version, and Marie-Pierra Kakoma, a singer better known as Lous and the Yakuza, has translated the French edition, which will be published by Editions Fayard in May. “I thought Lous’ writing skills, her sense of rhythm, her connection with spoken poetry would be tremendous assets,” Sophie de Closets, a publisher at Fayard, said in an email explaining why she chose a pop star. Issues of identity “should definitely be considered” when hiring translators, de Closets added, but that went beyond race. “It is the publisher’s responsibility to look for the ideal combination between one given work and the person who will translate it,” she said. Haruna-Oelker, one of the German translators, said one disappointing outcome of the debate in Europe was it had diverted attention from the message of Gorman’s poem. “The Hill We Climb” spoke about bringing people together, Haruna-Oelker said, just as the German publisher had done by assembling a team. “We’ve tried a beautiful experiment here, and this is where the future lies,” Gümüsay said. “The future lies in trying to find new forms of collaboration, trying to bring together more voices, more sets of eyes, more perspectives to create something new.”

Amanda Gorman’s poetry united critics; it’s dividing translators

The Finnish health authority THL announced on Friday it will pause the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine in Finland for at least a week, following two reports of blood clots in patients who had received the jab.

Finland suspends AstraZeneca jab despite EMA 'safe' finding

Finland has bagged the top spot for being world's happiest country for a fourth year running, as per an annual report sponsored by the United Nations. In World Happiness Report Researchers used Gallup data and asked people in 149 countries to rate their own happiness. It also took into account measures such as GDP, social support, personal freedom and levels of corruption to give each nation a happiness score, which is an average of the past three years.&nbsp;

Top spots were dominated by European countries. Denmark was in second place followed by Switzerland, Iceland and the Netherlands.

New Zealand, falling one place to ninth, was again the only non-European nation in the top ten.&nbsp;

Other climbers included Germany, up from 17th to 13th, and France, rising two to 21st.&nbsp;

The UK, meanwhile, fell from 13th to 17th place, while the US fell one spot to 19th.&nbsp;

African nations Lesotho, Botswana, Rwanda and Zimbabwe came at the bottom of the table, but ahead of&nbsp; 
Afghanistan which was classed as the world's unhappiest nation this year.

The authors also compared this year's data to previous years' averages to gauge the impact of the pandemic, and found "significantly higher frequency of negative emotions" in just over a third of the countries.

But positive emotions increased in 22 countries, and "surprisingly there was not, on average, a decline in well-being when measured by people's own evaluation of their lives," John Helliwell, one of the report's compilers, said in a statement.

"One possible explanation is that people see Covid-19 as a common, outside threat affecting everybody and that this has generated a greater sense of solidarity and fellow-feeling."&nbsp;

Author Jeffrey Sachs meanwhile warned that "we need urgently to learn from Covid-19," adding that "we must aim for wellbeing rather than mere wealth."&nbsp;

Finland, which throughout the health crisis has reported some of Europe's lowest incidences of the coronavirus, "ranked very high on the measures of mutual trust that have helped to protect lives and livelihoods during the pandemic," the authors said.&nbsp;

Finland's top spot in the happiness list has previously been met with raised eyebrows in the country whose population of 5.5 million is said to shy away from spontaneous demonstrations of joy, valuing instead the quiet and solitude of the country's vast forests and thousands of lakes.

Finland has bagged the top spot for being world's happiest country for a fourth year running, as per an annual report sponsored by the United Nations. In World Happiness Report Researchers used Gallup data and asked people in 149 countries to rate their own happiness.

Finland has bagged the top spot for being world's happiest country for a fourth year running, as per an annual report sponsored by the United Nations. In World Happiness Report Researchers used Gallup data and asked people in 149 countries to rate their own happiness. It also took into account measures such as GDP, social support, personal freedom and levels of corruption to give each nation a happiness score, which is an average of the past three years. Top spots were dominated by European countries. Denmark was in second place followed by Switzerland, Iceland and the Netherlands. New Zealand, falling one place to ninth, was again the only non-European nation in the top ten. Other climbers included Germany, up from 17th to 13th, and France, rising two to 21st. The UK, meanwhile, fell from 13th to 17th place, while the US fell one spot to 19th. African nations Lesotho, Botswana, Rwanda and Zimbabwe came at the bottom of the table, but ahead of Afghanistan which was classed as the world's unhappiest nation this year. The authors also compared this year's data to previous years' averages to gauge the impact of the pandemic, and found "significantly higher frequency of negative emotions" in just over a third of the countries. But positive emotions increased in 22 countries, and "surprisingly there was not, on average, a decline in well-being when measured by people's own evaluation of their lives," John Helliwell, one of the report's compilers, said in a statement. "One possible explanation is that people see Covid-19 as a common, outside threat affecting everybody and that this has generated a greater sense of solidarity and fellow-feeling." Author Jeffrey Sachs meanwhile warned that "we need urgently to learn from Covid-19," adding that "we must aim for wellbeing rather than mere wealth." Finland, which throughout the health crisis has reported some of Europe's lowest incidences of the coronavirus, "ranked very high on the measures of mutual trust that have helped to protect lives and livelihoods during the pandemic," the authors said. Finland's top spot in the happiness list has previously been met with raised eyebrows in the country whose population of 5.5 million is said to shy away from spontaneous demonstrations of joy, valuing instead the quiet and solitude of the country's vast forests and thousands of lakes.

Finland is world's happiest country despite COVID, says report

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi holds a virtual summit with Finnish counterpart Sanna Marin. Both leaders discussed trade and global issues of mutual interests.

Indian PM Modi holds virtual summit with Finnish counterpart Sanna Marin

Finland on Monday activated emergency powers as the government prepared to introduce tougher restrictions to stem a rising tide of coronavirus infections.&nbsp;

Prime Minister Sanna Marin signalled the move was imminent last week when she warned that controls limiting restaurants to takeaway service would come into force for three weeks from March 8 in some parts of the country.

"The government along with the President of the Republic has declared a state of emergency in the country," Marin told a press conference on Monday.

Finland's constitution requires emergency legislation to enforce such a restriction, and the restaurant proposal will now go before parliament, Marin said.

The government also announced on February 24 that it had instructed local authorities in areas with high infection rates, including the capital, to restrict public and private gatherings to six people.

Controls on establishments such as gyms will also be tightened, while municipal buildings including swimming pools and museums have been closed in some areas since November.&nbsp;

Although the state of emergency will allow limits to be placed on freedom of movement, Marin said that the government is not currently planning to reintroduce restrictions such as a blockade between the capital region and the rest of the country, which was imposed in March last year.&nbsp;

However, she told reporters that such restrictions could be brought in if they are deemed "necessary and proportionate".

The Nordic country has maintained one of the lowest incidences of the virus in Europe, although infections have risen sharply during February, reaching a total of 58,064 confirmed cases and 750 associated deaths in the country of 5.5 million.&nbsp;

Finland on Monday activated emergency powers as the government prepared to introduce tougher restrictions to stem a rising tide of coronavirus infections. Prime Minister Sanna Marin signalled the move was imminent last week when she warned that controls limiting restaurants to takeaway service would come into force for three weeks from March 8 in some parts of the country.

Finland on Monday activated emergency powers as the government prepared to introduce tougher restrictions to stem a rising tide of coronavirus infections. Prime Minister Sanna Marin signalled the move was imminent last week when she warned that controls limiting restaurants to takeaway service would come into force for three weeks from March 8 in some parts of the country. "The government along with the President of the Republic has declared a state of emergency in the country," Marin told a press conference on Monday. Finland's constitution requires emergency legislation to enforce such a restriction, and the restaurant proposal will now go before parliament, Marin said. The government also announced on February 24 that it had instructed local authorities in areas with high infection rates, including the capital, to restrict public and private gatherings to six people. Controls on establishments such as gyms will also be tightened, while municipal buildings including swimming pools and museums have been closed in some areas since November. Although the state of emergency will allow limits to be placed on freedom of movement, Marin said that the government is not currently planning to reintroduce restrictions such as a blockade between the capital region and the rest of the country, which was imposed in March last year. However, she told reporters that such restrictions could be brought in if they are deemed "necessary and proportionate". The Nordic country has maintained one of the lowest incidences of the virus in Europe, although infections have risen sharply during February, reaching a total of 58,064 confirmed cases and 750 associated deaths in the country of 5.5 million.

Finland imposes state of emergency amid surge in coronavirus cases

Finns keen to avoid gyms and other indoor sports venues this winter because of the coronavirus pandemic have found a new way to keep fit - running in the snow wearing no training shoes, just thick woollen socks.

Socks not shoes for 'crazy' Finns running in snow

A gigantic snow artwork made with thousands of footsteps on the golf course is catching attention near Finland’s capital Helsinki.

Finland Snow Art: Locals create giant snow artwork on the golf course

Finland has recommended administering the two doses of all Covid-19 vaccines at a 12-week interval, citing better protection with a longer gap.

Manufacturers have so far recommended that Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna vaccines be taken three weeks apart, and the AstraZeneca/Oxford jabs four to 12 weeks apart.

"A vaccinated person usually gets better protection with a longer gap between doses as the body's immunity matures and strengthens," senior doctor Hanna Nohynek of the public health authority THL said on Wednesday.

A later second dose would also allow more people to be injected with limited vaccine supplies, affording a greater share of the population "reasonably good protection" in the meantime, Nohynek added.

THL also recommended that the AstraZeneca inoculation only be given to people under the age of 70.

"The recommendation will be modified if necessary as more research data on the effects of the vaccine in different age groups becomes available," THL said in a statement.

Vaccine maker BioNTech and the US Food and Drug Administration have previously warned that not enough clinical data exists to support delaying the second dose, after the UK and Denmark decided to increase time between the two jabs.

However, an Oxford University study under review by The Lancet argued Tuesday that those who had been vaccinated with a single dose of the AstraZeneca jab were 67 per cent less likely to test positive with a PCR test. A single dose was also 76 per cent effective in preventing virus symptoms after 22 days and for up to 90 days, rising to 82.4 per cent if the second dose was administered after 12 weeks, it showed.

Germany, France, Austria, Sweden, Bulgaria, Italy have also issued similar recommendations.

Finland has recommended administering the two doses of all Covid-19 vaccines at a 12-week interval, citing better protection with a longer gap. Manufacturers have so far recommended that Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna vaccines be taken three weeks apart, and the AstraZeneca/Oxford jabs four to 12 weeks apart.

Finland has recommended administering the two doses of all Covid-19 vaccines at a 12-week interval, citing better protection with a longer gap. Manufacturers have so far recommended that Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna vaccines be taken three weeks apart, and the AstraZeneca/Oxford jabs four to 12 weeks apart. "A vaccinated person usually gets better protection with a longer gap between doses as the body's immunity matures and strengthens," senior doctor Hanna Nohynek of the public health authority THL said on Wednesday. A later second dose would also allow more people to be injected with limited vaccine supplies, affording a greater share of the population "reasonably good protection" in the meantime, Nohynek added. THL also recommended that the AstraZeneca inoculation only be given to people under the age of 70. "The recommendation will be modified if necessary as more research data on the effects of the vaccine in different age groups becomes available," THL said in a statement. Vaccine maker BioNTech and the US Food and Drug Administration have previously warned that not enough clinical data exists to support delaying the second dose, after the UK and Denmark decided to increase time between the two jabs. However, an Oxford University study under review by The Lancet argued Tuesday that those who had been vaccinated with a single dose of the AstraZeneca jab were 67 per cent less likely to test positive with a PCR test. A single dose was also 76 per cent effective in preventing virus symptoms after 22 days and for up to 90 days, rising to 82.4 per cent if the second dose was administered after 12 weeks, it showed. Germany, France, Austria, Sweden, Bulgaria, Italy have also issued similar recommendations.

Finland recommends giving Covid vaccine at 12-week interval

A city in Southern Finland has introduced a ski-sharing system to help people get to their destination. WION's Molly Gambhir tells you more.

Gravitas: You can Ski to work in this City

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