A book borrowed decades ago has been returned to the Helsinki Library after 84 years.&nbsp;

The book, a Finnish translation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s historical novel Refugees was received by librarian Heini Strand on Monday at the Helsinki Central Library Oodi.

“The due date of the loan was 26 December 1939,” Strand said, adding that she had never received a book so long overdue.

Generally, these kinds of long dues of books happen when the borrower of the book passes away and the book is returned by their relatives decades later.

“People want to do the right thing and return the book that is the library’s property … I think that is lovely,” said Strand.

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The library was unable to find the relationship between the person who happily returned the book and the original borrower.

If you ruffle through the pages of history books, you will find that in November 1939, the Soviet Union invaded Finland, three months after the outbreak of World War II. The invasion ended three and a half months later with the Moscow Peace Treaty on 13 March 1940.

A likely explanation for the delayed return was that the due date fell a month after the Soviet Union invaded&nbsp;Finland, Strand noted.&nbsp;

“The return of the book might not have been the first thing on the borrower’s mind when the due date approached.”

The&nbsp;Winter War between Finland and the Soviet Union (also known as the Russo-Finnish War) lasted until March 1940, when a peace treaty was signed, forcing Finland to make significant land cessions.

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“If the person survived the war, the person probably had other things on their mind than returning the book,” Strand said.

The book by the British author is a historical novel published in 1893 and set in 17th-century France.

According to Strand, the library may make the book, an edition published in 1925, available to the public again since it was received in such good condition.

(With inputs from agencies)

A book borrowed decades ago has been returned to the Helsinki Library after 84 years. The book, a Finnish translation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s historical novel Refugees was received by librarian Heini Strand on Monday at the Helsinki Central Library Oodi.

A book borrowed decades ago has been returned to the Helsinki Library after 84 years. The book, a Finnish translation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s historical novel Refugees was received by librarian Heini Strand on Monday at the Helsinki Central Library Oodi. “The due date of the loan was 26 December 1939,” Strand said, adding that she had never received a book so long overdue. Generally, these kinds of long dues of books happen when the borrower of the book passes away and the book is returned by their relatives decades later. “People want to do the right thing and return the book that is the library’s property … I think that is lovely,” said Strand. Also Read | Sony highlights strong PlayStation user engagement amid slowing PS5 sales The library was unable to find the relationship between the person who happily returned the book and the original borrower. If you ruffle through the pages of history books, you will find that in November 1939, the Soviet Union invaded Finland, three months after the outbreak of World War II. The invasion ended three and a half months later with the Moscow Peace Treaty on 13 March 1940. A likely explanation for the delayed return was that the due date fell a month after the Soviet Union invaded Finland, Strand noted. “The return of the book might not have been the first thing on the borrower’s mind when the due date approached.” The Winter War between Finland and the Soviet Union (also known as the Russo-Finnish War) lasted until March 1940, when a peace treaty was signed, forcing Finland to make significant land cessions. Also Read | CalPERS opposes Elon Musk's $56 billion pay package amid shareholder discontent “If the person survived the war, the person probably had other things on their mind than returning the book,” Strand said. The book by the British author is a historical novel published in 1893 and set in 17th-century France. According to Strand, the library may make the book, an edition published in 1925, available to the public again since it was received in such good condition. (With inputs from agencies)

Book borrowed amid Russo-Finnish war returned to Helsinki Library after 84 years

Winter-like weather surprisingly returned to Finland on Tuesday (April 23), with heavy snow falling in and around the capital Helsinki. Watch to know more.

Winter returns to Finland: Heavy snow blankets capital Helsinki

An autonomous robot tested by Forum Virium Helsinki, the innovation firm of the City of Helsinki, to facilitate last-mile deliveries. Within an hour, the robot may deliver packages to consumers' doors. It is also seen as Santa's cute electronic elf.

Electric robot spreads Christmas spirit in Finland | World News | WION

Finland's former prime minister Sanna Marin, whose Social Democrats lost elections in April, said Thursday she would quit her parliamentary seat to become an adviser for a British non-profit organisation.

Marin said she had been appointed a strategic counsellor at the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change.

"I can also work for Finland in other capacities. This is a job that I feel will be of benefit to Finland as a whole," she told reporters.

ALSO READ |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/finlands-outgoing-pm-sanna-marin-steps-down-as-party-leader-579476">&nbsp;Finland's outgoing PM Sanna Marin steps down as party leader</a>

Marin said she would "advise governments and leaders of different countries on policy issues that I'm familiar with."

Dubbed a "rock star prime minister" by the media, Marin failed to turn her exceptional popularity to retain power in Finland's general election.

Marin stepped down from the party leadership and had acknowledged that her four-year term as prime minister had taken a toll, saying "my own endurance has been tested at times".

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/finlands-fmr-pm-marin-steps-down-as-partys-chair-to-focus-on-personal-life-631717">Finland's former PM Marin steps down as party’s chair to focus on ‘personal life’</a>

Although a hugely popular leader, Marin was entangled in scandals relating to her private life, polarising her reputation.

In August 2022, leaked social media videos showing Marin partying with a group of Finnish celebrities made news around the world, prompting her to take a drug test to clear suspicions of wrongdoing. 
 
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Finland's former prime minister Sanna Marin, whose Social Democrats lost elections in April, said Thursday she would quit her parliamentary seat to become an adviser for a British non-profit organisation.

Finland's former prime minister Sanna Marin, whose Social Democrats lost elections in April, said Thursday she would quit her parliamentary seat to become an adviser for a British non-profit organisation. Marin said she had been appointed a strategic counsellor at the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change. "I can also work for Finland in other capacities. This is a job that I feel will be of benefit to Finland as a whole," she told reporters. ALSO READ | Finland's outgoing PM Sanna Marin steps down as party leader Marin said she would "advise governments and leaders of different countries on policy issues that I'm familiar with." Dubbed a "rock star prime minister" by the media, Marin failed to turn her exceptional popularity to retain power in Finland's general election. Marin stepped down from the party leadership and had acknowledged that her four-year term as prime minister had taken a toll, saying "my own endurance has been tested at times". ALSO READ | Finland's former PM Marin steps down as party’s chair to focus on ‘personal life’ Although a hugely popular leader, Marin was entangled in scandals relating to her private life, polarising her reputation. In August 2022, leaked social media videos showing Marin partying with a group of Finnish celebrities made news around the world, prompting her to take a drug test to clear suspicions of wrongdoing. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Finnish ex-PM Sanna Marin quits parliament for advisory role

Riikka Purra, the leader of the Finns Party and Finland's Finance Minister, issued an apology on Tuesday for the racist comments she made online more than a decade ago. This apology comes after her remarks were condemned by her cabinet colleagues.

Purra, who assumed leadership of the far-right Finns Party in 2021, was accused of making inflammatory comments in 2008. These included various anti-immigrant, anti-Islam, and racial slurs, as well as threats of violence.

<h2>The apology</h2>

Taking to Twitter, Purra wrote in Finnish: "I apologise for the stupid comments I made 15 years ago and the understandable harm and upset they caused."

"I'm not a perfect person, I've made mistakes," she added.

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Pyydän anteeksi 15 vuoden takaisia typeriä somekommenttejani ja niistä ymmärrettävästi aiheutunutta haittaa ja mielipahaa. En ole täydellinen ihminen, olen tehnyt virheitä. 
 
3/7
— Riikka Purra (@ir_rkp) <a href="https://twitter.com/ir_rkp/status/1678756773434466310?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 11, 2023</a></blockquote>
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This controversy arises just two weeks after another Finns Party minister resigned due to similar issues.

As per an AFP news report, initially, Purra neither confirmed nor denied the allegations.

In a blog post on Monday, she stated, "It would not occur to me to start denouncing or apologising for what I did and said years and decades ago". However, she later acknowledged her past remarks on Twitter, stating that she used to feel "very frustrated and hopeless" about certain issues.

"I used to feel very frustrated and hopeless about certain aspects of immigration in Finland."

"Then you might say or write angrily and stupidly," she added.

<h2>The controversial comments</h2>

According to AFP, the controversial comments were posted under the username "riikka" on a blog that belonged to her predecessor, Jussi Halla-aho.

Evidence linking the blog author "riikka" to Riikka Purra includes coinciding visits to Barcelona, similar educational backgrounds, and both proclaiming to be vegetarian. These similarities were reportedly noticed by social media users.

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/andrew-tate-claims-us-vp-kamala-harris-largely-incompetent-and-prone-to-playing-the-race-card-614739">Andrew Tate claims US VP Kamala Harris 'largely incompetent' and prone to playing the 'race card'</a>

President Sauli Niinisto weighed in on the controversy on Tuesday, stating, "it would be wise for the Finnish government to take a clear stance of zero tolerance on racism."

This incident follows another controversy in June when Vilhelm Junnila, another Finns Party minister, was forced to resign due to various pro-Nazi remarks. Junnila had made the remarks during this year's parliamentary elections.

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Riikka Purra, the leader of the Finns Party and Finland's Finance Minister, issued an apology on Tuesday for the racist comments she made online more than a decade ago.

Riikka Purra, the leader of the Finns Party and Finland's Finance Minister, issued an apology on Tuesday for the racist comments she made online more than a decade ago. This apology comes after her remarks were condemned by her cabinet colleagues. Purra, who assumed leadership of the far-right Finns Party in 2021, was accused of making inflammatory comments in 2008. These included various anti-immigrant, anti-Islam, and racial slurs, as well as threats of violence. The apology Taking to Twitter, Purra wrote in Finnish: "I apologise for the stupid comments I made 15 years ago and the understandable harm and upset they caused." "I'm not a perfect person, I've made mistakes," she added. Pyydän anteeksi 15 vuoden takaisia typeriä somekommenttejani ja niistä ymmärrettävästi aiheutunutta haittaa ja mielipahaa. En ole täydellinen ihminen, olen tehnyt virheitä. 3/7 — Riikka Purra (@ir_rkp) July 11, 2023 × Also read | US President Joe Biden skipped NATO dinner meet due to ‘hectic workload’: Report This controversy arises just two weeks after another Finns Party minister resigned due to similar issues. As per an AFP news report, initially, Purra neither confirmed nor denied the allegations. In a blog post on Monday, she stated, "It would not occur to me to start denouncing or apologising for what I did and said years and decades ago". However, she later acknowledged her past remarks on Twitter, stating that she used to feel "very frustrated and hopeless" about certain issues. "I used to feel very frustrated and hopeless about certain aspects of immigration in Finland." "Then you might say or write angrily and stupidly," she added. The controversial comments According to AFP, the controversial comments were posted under the username "riikka" on a blog that belonged to her predecessor, Jussi Halla-aho. Evidence linking the blog author "riikka" to Riikka Purra includes coinciding visits to Barcelona, similar educational backgrounds, and both proclaiming to be vegetarian. These similarities were reportedly noticed by social media users. Also read | Andrew Tate claims US VP Kamala Harris 'largely incompetent' and prone to playing the 'race card' President Sauli Niinisto weighed in on the controversy on Tuesday, stating, "it would be wise for the Finnish government to take a clear stance of zero tolerance on racism." This incident follows another controversy in June when Vilhelm Junnila, another Finns Party minister, was forced to resign due to various pro-Nazi remarks. Junnila had made the remarks during this year's parliamentary elections. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Finnish Finance Minister Riikka Purra apologises for past racist remarks amid cabinet criticism

Finland's government plans to amend border legislation to allow the building of barriers on its eastern frontier with Russia, it said on Thursday, in a move to strengthen preparedness against hybrid threats amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Finland, which is currently applying for membership in the Western military alliance NATO, has a history of wars with Russia, although currently the forest-covered border zone between the two countries is marked merely with signs and plastic lines for most of its 1,300-km (810-mile) length.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/as-finland-applies-for-nato-membership-finnish-women-sign-up-for-military-training-485889">As Finland applies for NATO membership, Finnish women sign up for military training</a>

The Finnish government has rushed to strengthen border security as it fears Russia could attempt to put pressure on Finland by sending asylum seekers to its borders, as the European Union accused Belarus of doing at the end of last year when hundreds of migrants from the Middle East, Afghanistan and Africa got stuck on the Polish border.

The government's amendments to the law include a proposal to enable concentrating the reception of asylum applications only at specific points of entry.

Under existing EU rules, migrants have the right to ask for asylum at any given entry point to an EU member country.

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The amendments would also allow the building of barriers such as fences, as well as new roads to facilitate border patrolling on the Finnish side.

"Later on, the government will decide on border barriers to the critical zones on the eastern border, on the basis of the Finnish Border Guard's assessment," minister of internal affairs Krista Mikkonen said in a statement.

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Finland's government plans to amend border legislation to allow the building of barriers on its eastern frontier with Russia, it said on Thursday, in a move to strengthen preparedness against hybrid threats amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Finland's government plans to amend border legislation to allow the building of barriers on its eastern frontier with Russia, it said on Thursday, in a move to strengthen preparedness against hybrid threats amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Finland, which is currently applying for membership in the Western military alliance NATO, has a history of wars with Russia, although currently the forest-covered border zone between the two countries is marked merely with signs and plastic lines for most of its 1,300-km (810-mile) length. Also read | As Finland applies for NATO membership, Finnish women sign up for military training The Finnish government has rushed to strengthen border security as it fears Russia could attempt to put pressure on Finland by sending asylum seekers to its borders, as the European Union accused Belarus of doing at the end of last year when hundreds of migrants from the Middle East, Afghanistan and Africa got stuck on the Polish border. The government's amendments to the law include a proposal to enable concentrating the reception of asylum applications only at specific points of entry. Under existing EU rules, migrants have the right to ask for asylum at any given entry point to an EU member country. Also read | Russia-Ukraine conflict: Finnish women take up weapons 'just in case' of an attack The amendments would also allow the building of barriers such as fences, as well as new roads to facilitate border patrolling on the Finnish side. "Later on, the government will decide on border barriers to the critical zones on the eastern border, on the basis of the Finnish Border Guard's assessment," minister of internal affairs Krista Mikkonen said in a statement. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Finland plans to build barriers on its border with Russia

It seems that Finland is taking no chances. After bidding for NATO membership in the wake of the Russia-Ukraine war, the European city is leaving no stone&nbsp;unturned, quite literally, to secure itself—even going to the extent of preparing itself for an unlikely but potential nuclear apocalypse.

According to reports, the authorities in Finland have constructed an entire city underneath the capital Helsinki which has a playground, hockey rink, and swimming pool.

The underground city has over 500 underground shelters capable to house 900,000 people —a third more than the city's entire population, reports Daily Mail.

Photos and videos of the entire city were made available on Twitter which took no time to get viral.

As Finland is not protected by a military alliance, the underground city was created to protect the people of the city.

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Meanwhile in Finland - Finland’s underground city <a href="https://t.co/6lYLxw1sY2">pic.twitter.com/6lYLxw1sY2</a>
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The reports of the underground city come in the wake of threats from Russian leader Vladimir Putin after Finland decided to join the US-led NATO alliance, shedding its wartime neutrality image.

“As a neutral country, we have always felt we need to protect ourselves - and we do,” Anna Lehtiranta, head of communications at Helsinki's city rescue department, told Mail Online.

“The underground shelters built in the bedrock of Finland come from our experience in the Winter War and during the Second World War. We all have relatives who suffered through those traumas,” said.

The underground shelter was first built during the 1960s, after which the successive governments excavated more than 9 million cubic metres of bedrock below Finland to house more people.&nbsp;

The shelters' entry doors carefully located above ground are so thick a nuclear blast wouldn't leave a dent, officials claim.

Watch |&nbsp;Ukraine war: Finland announces historic NATO membership bid, ditches military non-alignment

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(With inputs from agencies)

It seems that Finland is taking no chances. After bidding for NATO membership in the wake of the Russia-Ukraine war, the European city is leaving no stone unturned, quite literally, to secure itself—even going to the extent of preparing itself for an unlikely but potential nuclear apocalypse.

It seems that Finland is taking no chances. After bidding for NATO membership in the wake of the Russia-Ukraine war, the European city is leaving no stone unturned, quite literally, to secure itself—even going to the extent of preparing itself for an unlikely but potential nuclear apocalypse. According to reports, the authorities in Finland have constructed an entire city underneath the capital Helsinki which has a playground, hockey rink, and swimming pool. The underground city has over 500 underground shelters capable to house 900,000 people —a third more than the city's entire population, reports Daily Mail. Photos and videos of the entire city were made available on Twitter which took no time to get viral. As Finland is not protected by a military alliance, the underground city was created to protect the people of the city. Meanwhile in Finland - Finland’s underground city pic.twitter.com/6lYLxw1sY2 — beatfien (@beatfien2) April 13, 2022 × The reports of the underground city come in the wake of threats from Russian leader Vladimir Putin after Finland decided to join the US-led NATO alliance, shedding its wartime neutrality image. “As a neutral country, we have always felt we need to protect ourselves - and we do,” Anna Lehtiranta, head of communications at Helsinki's city rescue department, told Mail Online. “The underground shelters built in the bedrock of Finland come from our experience in the Winter War and during the Second World War. We all have relatives who suffered through those traumas,” said. The underground shelter was first built during the 1960s, after which the successive governments excavated more than 9 million cubic metres of bedrock below Finland to house more people. The shelters' entry doors carefully located above ground are so thick a nuclear blast wouldn't leave a dent, officials claim. Watch | Ukraine war: Finland announces historic NATO membership bid, ditches military non-alignment (With inputs from agencies)

Catch a glimpse of underground Finland city made to avert nuclear apocalypse

Just after 7pm on Sunday, the Allegro express&nbsp;train&nbsp;from St Petersburg pulled into the Finnish capital, marking the closure of the&nbsp;last&nbsp;rail link between&nbsp;Russia&nbsp;and the&nbsp;EU.

Finnish railway operator VR announced on Friday that it was suspending the Allegro service, which since&nbsp;Russia's invasion of Ukraine has been regularly sold-out&nbsp;with Russians eager to get&nbsp;out&nbsp;before Western sanctions make leaving all but impossible.

"Now that I've picked up my cats I don't have a reason to go back, I have everything that's most valuable to me," said Alex, who got off the&nbsp;train&nbsp;wheeling a carry case containing his two long-haired pets.

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The Muscovite who has lived for some years in&nbsp;Helsinki&nbsp;gave only his first name.

"The situation in&nbsp;Russia&nbsp;has become more complicated," university student Ivan told AFP, travelling with his mother from Moscow where he studies back to his home in Portugal for the Easter holidays.

He is due to return to the Russian capital for his exams in a few weeks.&nbsp;

"I can't tell how I'm going to get back to Moscow, we'll see how this situation gets resolved," he said.

Despite a lack of official statistics, thousands of Russians are reported to have left their country since the invasion.

With airspace closures grounding direct flights to Europe, those wishing to leave&nbsp;Russia&nbsp;have turned to flights via Turkey and Belgrade, or to road and rail.

Since the February 24 invasion, around 700 passengers a day have packed the trains to Finland, with the service remaining open at the request of the Finnish authorities to allow Finns in&nbsp;Russia&nbsp;to exit the country if they wanted.

However, on Thursday the government informed VR that "operating the service was no longer appropriate" in light of the heavy sanctions against&nbsp;Russia, and all trains were cancelled from Monday.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/as-conflict-with-russia-intensifies-mourners-defy-missile-threats-to-attend-ukrainian-military-funerals-466200">As conflict with Russia intensifies, mourners defy missile threats to attend Ukrainian military funerals</a>

Symbol of partnership&nbsp;

Run jointly by Finland and&nbsp;Russia's national railways, the cross-border Allegro&nbsp;train&nbsp;was a symbol of partnership between the two nations when it opened in 2010.

President Vladimir Putin and his then Finnish counterpart Tarja Halonen travelled on the inaugural service, which cut travel times on the 400km (250 mile) journey between&nbsp;Helsinki&nbsp;and St Petersburg down by two hours to 3.5 hours.

"I hope it will operate normally again very soon," said Aliya, in her late 50s, who works in&nbsp;Helsinki&nbsp;but regularly visits her friends and family in St Petersburg.

The interruption of the service will make life more difficult but "people will find a way to make the journey anyway if they have the opportunity", she said.

Although many Russians have reportedly sought to leave since the start of the war, the Allegro link to&nbsp;Helsinki&nbsp;has only been open to a select few.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-trying-to-split-ukraine-in-two-like-koreas-says-intelligence-chief-466187">Russia trying to split Ukraine in two, like Koreas, says intelligence chief&nbsp;</a>

Moscow stipulates that passengers must be Russian or Finnish citizens, and a visa is required as well as proof of an&nbsp;EU-recognised Covid vaccination -- not the Sputnik dose which is most commonly given in&nbsp;Russia.

Most passengers arriving in the Finnish capital have therefore been Russians who live, work or study in Europe.

Watch |&nbsp;Gravitas Plus: The story of Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky

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Just after 7pm on Sunday, the Allegro express train from St Petersburg pulled into the Finnish capital, marking the closure of the last rail link between Russia and the EU.

Just after 7pm on Sunday, the Allegro express train from St Petersburg pulled into the Finnish capital, marking the closure of the last rail link between Russia and the EU. Finnish railway operator VR announced on Friday that it was suspending the Allegro service, which since Russia's invasion of Ukraine has been regularly sold-out with Russians eager to get out before Western sanctions make leaving all but impossible. "Now that I've picked up my cats I don't have a reason to go back, I have everything that's most valuable to me," said Alex, who got off the train wheeling a carry case containing his two long-haired pets. Also read | 'Refrain from publishing': Russia warns media, says don't report interview with Zelensky The Muscovite who has lived for some years in Helsinki gave only his first name. "The situation in Russia has become more complicated," university student Ivan told AFP, travelling with his mother from Moscow where he studies back to his home in Portugal for the Easter holidays. He is due to return to the Russian capital for his exams in a few weeks. "I can't tell how I'm going to get back to Moscow, we'll see how this situation gets resolved," he said. Despite a lack of official statistics, thousands of Russians are reported to have left their country since the invasion. With airspace closures grounding direct flights to Europe, those wishing to leave Russia have turned to flights via Turkey and Belgrade, or to road and rail. Since the February 24 invasion, around 700 passengers a day have packed the trains to Finland, with the service remaining open at the request of the Finnish authorities to allow Finns in Russia to exit the country if they wanted. However, on Thursday the government informed VR that "operating the service was no longer appropriate" in light of the heavy sanctions against Russia, and all trains were cancelled from Monday. Also read | As conflict with Russia intensifies, mourners defy missile threats to attend Ukrainian military funerals Symbol of partnership Run jointly by Finland and Russia's national railways, the cross-border Allegro train was a symbol of partnership between the two nations when it opened in 2010. President Vladimir Putin and his then Finnish counterpart Tarja Halonen travelled on the inaugural service, which cut travel times on the 400km (250 mile) journey between Helsinki and St Petersburg down by two hours to 3.5 hours. "I hope it will operate normally again very soon," said Aliya, in her late 50s, who works in Helsinki but regularly visits her friends and family in St Petersburg. The interruption of the service will make life more difficult but "people will find a way to make the journey anyway if they have the opportunity", she said. Although many Russians have reportedly sought to leave since the start of the war, the Allegro link to Helsinki has only been open to a select few. Also read | Russia trying to split Ukraine in two, like Koreas, says intelligence chief Moscow stipulates that passengers must be Russian or Finnish citizens, and a visa is required as well as proof of an EU-recognised Covid vaccination -- not the Sputnik dose which is most commonly given in Russia. Most passengers arriving in the Finnish capital have therefore been Russians who live, work or study in Europe. Watch | Gravitas Plus: The story of Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky

Last EU train out of Russia arrives in Helsinki

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

Dogs trained to detect the novel coronavirus began sniffing passenger samples at Finland’s Helsinki-Vantaa airport this week, authorities said, in a pilot project running alongside more usual testing at the airport.

The dogs’ efficiency has not been proven in comparative scientific studies so passengers who volunteer to be tested and are suspected as carrying the virus are instructed to also take a swab to confirm the result.

A team of 15 dogs and 10 instructors are being trained for the job in Finland by volunteers, sponsored by a private veterinary clinic. Among them is Kossi, a rescue dog from Spain, who was trained as a sniffer dog in Finland and who has worked before detecting cancers.

“What we’ve seen in our research is that the dogs will find (the disease) five days before they (patients) get any clinical symptoms,” Anna Hielm-Bjorkman, who is Adjunct Professor at the University of Helsinki and spesialised in clinical research for companion animals, told Reuters.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/sniffer-alert-bosnia-trains-dogs-for-mine-detection-330369">Also read|&nbsp;Sniffer alert: Bosnia trains dogs for mine-detection</a>

“They are very good (at it). We come close to 100-percent sensitivity,” she said, referring to the dogs’s ability to detect cases of the virus.

In the canine test, a passenger swipes their neck with a gauze, places it in a can which is then handed over to another room for a dog to sniff and to deliver an immediate result.

A few months ago, authorities in the United Arab Emirates embarked on similar canine testing at Dubai International Airport using police dogs.

“In the future, it’s also possible... that these dogs go around passengers in a similar way to customs dogs,” Vantaa deputy mayor Timo Aronkyto, said.

Dogs trained to detect the novel coronavirus began sniffing passenger samples at Finland’s Helsinki-Vantaa airport this week, authorities said, in a pilot project running alongside more usual testing at the airport.

Dogs trained to detect the novel coronavirus began sniffing passenger samples at Finland’s Helsinki-Vantaa airport this week, authorities said, in a pilot project running alongside more usual testing at the airport. The dogs’ efficiency has not been proven in comparative scientific studies so passengers who volunteer to be tested and are suspected as carrying the virus are instructed to also take a swab to confirm the result. A team of 15 dogs and 10 instructors are being trained for the job in Finland by volunteers, sponsored by a private veterinary clinic. Among them is Kossi, a rescue dog from Spain, who was trained as a sniffer dog in Finland and who has worked before detecting cancers. “What we’ve seen in our research is that the dogs will find (the disease) five days before they (patients) get any clinical symptoms,” Anna Hielm-Bjorkman, who is Adjunct Professor at the University of Helsinki and spesialised in clinical research for companion animals, told Reuters. Also read| Sniffer alert: Bosnia trains dogs for mine-detection “They are very good (at it). We come close to 100-percent sensitivity,” she said, referring to the dogs’s ability to detect cases of the virus. In the canine test, a passenger swipes their neck with a gauze, places it in a can which is then handed over to another room for a dog to sniff and to deliver an immediate result. A few months ago, authorities in the United Arab Emirates embarked on similar canine testing at Dubai International Airport using police dogs. “In the future, it’s also possible... that these dogs go around passengers in a similar way to customs dogs,” Vantaa deputy mayor Timo Aronkyto, said.

Dogs used to detect coronavirus in pilot project at Helsinki airport

With people reluctant to touch knobs and door handles in public places fearing to catch the novel coronavirus, hands-free door handles were being tested in a Finnish supermarket on Monday (April 20).

New hands-free door handles tested in Finnish supermarket

Finns voted in an election on Sunday (April 14) likely to result in a change of government with the Social Democrats returning to power for the first time in 20 years, as voters worry over the future of the country's generous welfare system as the costs of caring for a rapidly ageing population rise.

Voting begins in Finland election likely to see change in government

Finns began voting in a general <a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.wionews.com/world/finland-populists-eye-election-upset-as-anti-immigrant-feeling-rises-210029&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwjIk862jc_hAhVF6Y8KHX6nCyMQFggFMAA&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw3E21nbv1oUkOAi3q4uhvqf">election</a> Sunday where the centre-right government is expected to be overturned amid widespread opposition to its spending cuts, and the far-right is predicted to make large gains. As polling stations opened at 9:00 am (0600 GMT), Helsinki was typically quiet, and a trio of young women was the first to appear at the Normaalilyseo high school in the city centre to cast their votes.

A record 1.5 million Finns, over a third of the electorate, have already cast their ballots during a week of advance voting this month. "After those who have voted in advance, we have about 1,700 people who have a right to vote today (in this district)," election official Vesa Hintsanen said at the school Sunday.

Much of the debate in the run-up to the election has been about whether the next government should continue the current administration's public spending cuts. The opposition Social Democratic Party, which Finland's main polls predict will win by a margin of about two percentage points, has vowed to alleviate the austerity policies introduced by the ruling coalition over the past four years.

Aware the public mood has turned against any further belt-tightening, the Centre Party of incumbent Prime Minister Juha Sipila and his centre-right governing partner the National Coalition Party, have insisted the economy is now strong enough to allow for an easing of austerity. In recent months, Finland's far-right Finns Party -- previously languishing in fifth place in opinion polls -- has surged in popularity to become the second- or third-biggest party, according to recent forecasts.

The Finns Party focused its campaign on immigration, urging people to "Vote for some borders", and on climate change, where it denounced the "climate hysteria" of other parties and pledged that citizens should not have to pay for efforts to contain global warming. Polling stations close at 8:00 pm (1700 GMT), with a provisional vote count expected before midnight.

Governments in Finland are usually coalitions of three or four parties. The winner of most votes Sunday will be tasked with heading negotiations to form a majority government.&nbsp;

Finns began voting in a general election Sunday where the centre-right government is expected to be overturned amid widespread opposition to its spending cuts, and the far-right is predicted to make large gains.

Finns began voting in a general election Sunday where the centre-right government is expected to be overturned amid widespread opposition to its spending cuts, and the far-right is predicted to make large gains. As polling stations opened at 9:00 am (0600 GMT), Helsinki was typically quiet, and a trio of young women was the first to appear at the Normaalilyseo high school in the city centre to cast their votes. A record 1.5 million Finns, over a third of the electorate, have already cast their ballots during a week of advance voting this month. "After those who have voted in advance, we have about 1,700 people who have a right to vote today (in this district)," election official Vesa Hintsanen said at the school Sunday. Much of the debate in the run-up to the election has been about whether the next government should continue the current administration's public spending cuts. The opposition Social Democratic Party, which Finland's main polls predict will win by a margin of about two percentage points, has vowed to alleviate the austerity policies introduced by the ruling coalition over the past four years. Aware the public mood has turned against any further belt-tightening, the Centre Party of incumbent Prime Minister Juha Sipila and his centre-right governing partner the National Coalition Party, have insisted the economy is now strong enough to allow for an easing of austerity. In recent months, Finland's far-right Finns Party -- previously languishing in fifth place in opinion polls -- has surged in popularity to become the second- or third-biggest party, according to recent forecasts. The Finns Party focused its campaign on immigration, urging people to "Vote for some borders", and on climate change, where it denounced the "climate hysteria" of other parties and pledged that citizens should not have to pay for efforts to contain global warming. Polling stations close at 8:00 pm (1700 GMT), with a provisional vote count expected before midnight. Governments in Finland are usually coalitions of three or four parties. The winner of most votes Sunday will be tasked with heading negotiations to form a majority government.

Voting begins in Finland's 'anti-austerity election'

European&nbsp;shares&nbsp;will&nbsp;end&nbsp;2018&nbsp;just&nbsp;ahead of their&nbsp;January&nbsp;peak, recovering from current levels as a resilient economy gradually overcomes a temporary slowdown and corporate earnings continue to rise, a&nbsp;Reuters&nbsp;poll&nbsp;showed.

The&nbsp;poll&nbsp;was taken May 15-30, largely before a mounting political crisis in Italy sparked worries over a possible breakup of the euro zone, triggering a heavy sell-off in Italian assets.

The pan-European&nbsp;STOXX 600 benchmark index is expected to reach 406 points by year-end, according to the&nbsp;poll&nbsp;of 29 brokers, fund managers and analysts, up 5.6 percent from Tuesday's close and 4.3 percent on the year.

That will be enough for the index to surpass a 29-month high of 403.7 points it reached in January.

Eurozone blue-chips are expected to rise a bit further, up 7.9 percent from Tuesday's close to 3,700 points, according to the median of 37 responses.

Prospects for&nbsp;European&nbsp;shares&nbsp;faded at the beginning of the year as economic growth slowed more than expected, raising concerns there will be no return to boom.

But analysts were optimistic economic activity should be robust enough to modestly prop up shares&nbsp;and company earnings.

"For now, synchronized economic expansion, solid earnings growth and still relatively low volatility levels look supportive for global equity markets", Deutsche Asset Management analysts said.

According to Thomson&nbsp;Reuters&nbsp;IBES estimates, earnings for STOXX 600 companies are expected to grow 8.7 percent in&nbsp;2018&nbsp;on revenues up 5.1 percent.

A majority of investors in Europe answered "yes" when asked if they thought global stocks would continue to rise in&nbsp;2018.

Among the risks identified by investors are Italy, Brexit talks, a US-China trade war, oil prices surging&nbsp;above&nbsp;100 dollars a barrel or international tensions involving Iran or North Korea.

"The economic picture stays positive but political risks are the top concern," said Tomas Hildebrandt, senior portfolio manager at Evli Bank in Helsinki.

A faster-than-expected acceleration in US&nbsp;inflation and interest rates is also seen as a threat after a rise in American wages took the market by surprise in February.

With the current rise in the dollar, investors said they believed the biggest risk of a sell-off was in emerging markets, where returns looked less attractive given rising US&nbsp;government bond yields.

A mounting political crisis in Italy sparked worries over a possible breakup of the eurozone, triggering a heavy sell-off in Italian assets

European shares will end 2018 just ahead of their January peak, recovering from current levels as a resilient economy gradually overcomes a temporary slowdown and corporate earnings continue to rise, a Reuters poll showed. The poll was taken May 15-30, largely before a mounting political crisis in Italy sparked worries over a possible breakup of the euro zone, triggering a heavy sell-off in Italian assets. The pan-European STOXX 600 benchmark index is expected to reach 406 points by year-end, according to the poll of 29 brokers, fund managers and analysts, up 5.6 percent from Tuesday's close and 4.3 percent on the year. That will be enough for the index to surpass a 29-month high of 403.7 points it reached in January. Eurozone blue-chips are expected to rise a bit further, up 7.9 percent from Tuesday's close to 3,700 points, according to the median of 37 responses. Prospects for European shares faded at the beginning of the year as economic growth slowed more than expected, raising concerns there will be no return to boom. But analysts were optimistic economic activity should be robust enough to modestly prop up shares and company earnings. "For now, synchronized economic expansion, solid earnings growth and still relatively low volatility levels look supportive for global equity markets", Deutsche Asset Management analysts said. According to Thomson Reuters IBES estimates, earnings for STOXX 600 companies are expected to grow 8.7 percent in 2018 on revenues up 5.1 percent. A majority of investors in Europe answered "yes" when asked if they thought global stocks would continue to rise in 2018. Among the risks identified by investors are Italy, Brexit talks, a US-China trade war, oil prices surging above 100 dollars a barrel or international tensions involving Iran or North Korea. "The economic picture stays positive but political risks are the top concern," said Tomas Hildebrandt, senior portfolio manager at Evli Bank in Helsinki. A faster-than-expected acceleration in US inflation and interest rates is also seen as a threat after a rise in American wages took the market by surprise in February. With the current rise in the dollar, investors said they believed the biggest risk of a sell-off was in emerging markets, where returns looked less attractive given rising US government bond yields.

European shares to end 2018 just above January peak: Report

Is stripping down and getting sweaty with strangers your kind of thing? In Finland, despite an astounding two million private saunas, the hottest trend sweeping the sweat-tank loving country is public saunas. 
 
They&#39;re Helsinki&#39;s coolest spots this summer, drawing Finns and tourists of all ages to unwind on wooden benches in slick waterfront locales where the mercury hits at least 80 degrees Celsius. 
 
A trendy new boutique sauna called Loyly (Finnish for &quot;Steam&quot;) opened its doors on the capital&#39;s shoreline in May and was such an instant hit that an online reservation is a must on sunny days. 
 
On a recent visit, a group of men and women who went to university together celebrated Linnea Remes&#39; 27th birthday by having a sauna, a normal thing for friends in Finland where saunas are an integral part of daily life and all major celebrations year-round. 
 
Remes has a sauna at home up to four times a week, so her birthday choice was not for want of a good sweat. 
 
&quot;We thought that this was a fun way to pass time together and enjoy ourselves,&quot; Remes told AFP on the seaside terrace where the group cooled off before another round in the hotbox. 
 
Finnish sanctuary 
 
While Finns strip down to their birthday suits in their private saunas, the public ones either offer different rooms for men and women, or require swimsuits in unisex saunas. 
 
The sauna can be a moment to de-stress or a complement to a good workout. A couple of rounds is typical, with a cool shower and maybe a drink in between, or preferably a dip into a lake or the sea. In winter, a roll in the snow is even better 
 
But saunas have been used for bigger goals: sealing business deals and even serious diplomacy. During the Cold War, Urho Kekkonen, who served as president for 26 years, negotiated with Soviet diplomats in the sauna of his official residence.&nbsp;It is precisely the social aspect of a public sauna that explains its country-wide renaissance.
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<h5>Many people live alone nowadays but yearn for that sense of community and common experience. A sauna is the best for that, an intimate place where you can exchange ideas with whomever happens to sit next to you,&quot; said Raoul Grunstein.<a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Many people live alone nowadays but yearn for that sense of community and common experience. A sauna is the best for that, an intimate place where you can exchange ideas with whomever happens to sit next to you,&quot; said Raoul Grunstein." target="_blank">&nbsp;</a></h5>
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Over the centuries Finns used saunas for washing, relaxing and even giving birth. But the modern luxury of running water in virtually all residences spelt the demise of the popular old public sauna as people started installing their own private hot rooms. 
 
Nowadays most houses and new apartments in Finland come with a private sauna. Statistics Finland estimates there are more than two million saunas for a nation of 5.5 million people. 
 
At the same time, one in five Finns today lives on their own. 
 
Common experience 
 
&quot;Many people live alone nowadays but yearn for that sense of community and common experience. A sauna is the best for that, an intimate place where you can exchange ideas with whomever happens to sit next to you,&quot; said Raoul Grunstein, head of Allas Sea Pool, another new public sauna and spa set to open this month. 
 
Grunstein has such faith in the appeal of public saunas that he and his partners invested $11 million in the spa, which has three saunas and three pools floating in the sea right on Helsinki&#39;s main market square opposite the presidential palace. 
 
Like Loyly, the facility boasts striking Nordic design and architecture. 
 
Loyly&#39;s owners, lawmaker Antero Vartia and actor Jasper Paakkonen, known to international audiences for his role in the Irish-Canadian TV series Vikings, spent big, investing $6.9 million in a cubic design that holds three traditional wood-heated saunas, one of them a chimneyless smoke sauna. 
 
&quot;The city&#39;s tourism authorities have told us they believe this will shortly become one of Helsinki&#39;s top three attractions,&quot; Paakkonen said. 
 
At Loyly&#39;s, Priya Selvaraj, a 42-year-old professor visiting from Chennai, India, marvelled at the experience, including a courageous post-sauna dip into the Baltic Sea, where water was a downright chilly 11 degrees Celsius.&quot;I have taken sauna treatments back home in the southern part of India and it&#39;s not new to us,&quot; she said, &quot;but to have a country or a city where it&#39;s thriving on spas!&quot; 
 
Burgers and saunas 
 
The sauna&#39;s appeal is so strong in Finland that even the US-based fastfood chain Burger King wants its Finnish shops to partake: it recently opened a sauna at one of its Helsinki restaurants, available for groups upon reservation. 
 
The revival of public saunas goes back to 2011 when a few Helsinkians built Sompasauna, an unlicensed sauna made of waste materials in the middle of an old harbour-turned-construction site. 
 
The city&#39;s first reaction was to tear it down.&nbsp;But the free-of-charge, mixed and nude sauna appealed to many and its fans have rebuilt the small shack every spring.&nbsp;This year the city honoured it as Helsinki&#39;s &quot;cultural act&quot; of the year. 
 
(AFP)

'We thought that this was a fun way to pass time together,' said Linnea Remes, who celebrated her 27th birthday in a sauna with friends

Is stripping down and getting sweaty with strangers your kind of thing? In Finland, despite an astounding two million private saunas, the hottest trend sweeping the sweat-tank loving country is public saunas. They're Helsinki's coolest spots this summer, drawing Finns and tourists of all ages to unwind on wooden benches in slick waterfront locales where the mercury hits at least 80 degrees Celsius. A trendy new boutique sauna called Loyly (Finnish for "Steam") opened its doors on the capital's shoreline in May and was such an instant hit that an online reservation is a must on sunny days. On a recent visit, a group of men and women who went to university together celebrated Linnea Remes' 27th birthday by having a sauna, a normal thing for friends in Finland where saunas are an integral part of daily life and all major celebrations year-round. Remes has a sauna at home up to four times a week, so her birthday choice was not for want of a good sweat. "We thought that this was a fun way to pass time together and enjoy ourselves," Remes told AFP on the seaside terrace where the group cooled off before another round in the hotbox. Finnish sanctuary While Finns strip down to their birthday suits in their private saunas, the public ones either offer different rooms for men and women, or require swimsuits in unisex saunas. The sauna can be a moment to de-stress or a complement to a good workout. A couple of rounds is typical, with a cool shower and maybe a drink in between, or preferably a dip into a lake or the sea. In winter, a roll in the snow is even better But saunas have been used for bigger goals: sealing business deals and even serious diplomacy. During the Cold War, Urho Kekkonen, who served as president for 26 years, negotiated with Soviet diplomats in the sauna of his official residence. It is precisely the social aspect of a public sauna that explains its country-wide renaissance. Many people live alone nowadays but yearn for that sense of community and common experience. A sauna is the best for that, an intimate place where you can exchange ideas with whomever happens to sit next to you," said Raoul Grunstein. Over the centuries Finns used saunas for washing, relaxing and even giving birth. But the modern luxury of running water in virtually all residences spelt the demise of the popular old public sauna as people started installing their own private hot rooms. Nowadays most houses and new apartments in Finland come with a private sauna. Statistics Finland estimates there are more than two million saunas for a nation of 5.5 million people. At the same time, one in five Finns today lives on their own. Common experience "Many people live alone nowadays but yearn for that sense of community and common experience. A sauna is the best for that, an intimate place where you can exchange ideas with whomever happens to sit next to you," said Raoul Grunstein, head of Allas Sea Pool, another new public sauna and spa set to open this month. Grunstein has such faith in the appeal of public saunas that he and his partners invested $11 million in the spa, which has three saunas and three pools floating in the sea right on Helsinki's main market square opposite the presidential palace. Like Loyly, the facility boasts striking Nordic design and architecture. Loyly's owners, lawmaker Antero Vartia and actor Jasper Paakkonen, known to international audiences for his role in the Irish-Canadian TV series Vikings, spent big, investing $6.9 million in a cubic design that holds three traditional wood-heated saunas, one of them a chimneyless smoke sauna. "The city's tourism authorities have told us they believe this will shortly become one of Helsinki's top three attractions," Paakkonen said. At Loyly's, Priya Selvaraj, a 42-year-old professor visiting from Chennai, India, marvelled at the experience, including a courageous post-sauna dip into the Baltic Sea, where water was a downright chilly 11 degrees Celsius."I have taken sauna treatments back home in the southern part of India and it's not new to us," she said, "but to have a country or a city where it's thriving on spas!" Burgers and saunas The sauna's appeal is so strong in Finland that even the US-based fastfood chain Burger King wants its Finnish shops to partake: it recently opened a sauna at one of its Helsinki restaurants, available for groups upon reservation. The revival of public saunas goes back to 2011 when a few Helsinkians built Sompasauna, an unlicensed sauna made of waste materials in the middle of an old harbour-turned-construction site. The city's first reaction was to tear it down. But the free-of-charge, mixed and nude sauna appealed to many and its fans have rebuilt the small shack every spring. This year the city honoured it as Helsinki's "cultural act" of the year. (AFP)

Get sweaty with strangers in Finland's public saunas

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