The Eagle S oil tanker, suspected of deliberately damaging undersea cables in the Gulf of Finland, has been released from custody as Finnish authorities continue their investigation. The vessel, which had been held since December, departed Finnish waters under the supervision of the Finnish Border Guard. The Eagle S, flagged in the Cook Islands, is believed to be part of Russia’s "shadow fleet" of tankers operating outside Western sanctions.| Helsinki Times
A DAMAGED CABLE has been confirmed as the cause of the failure detected in Estlink 2, an electricity transmission link between Finland and Estonia, on Wednesday, report YLE and Helsingin Sanomat. Finnish authorities revealed yesterday at a news conference that the damage is believed to have been caused by Eagle S, a Cook Islands-flagged oil tanker that is understood to be part of the so-called shadow fleet of Russia.| Helsinki Times
Israeli forces have demolished high-rise buildings across Gaza City as part of an intensifying campaign aimed at taking full control of the urban centre. The Israeli military says it has seized 40 percent of the city and will expand operations in the coming days. Air strikes on Friday levelled the 12-storey Mushtaha Tower, located in one of the most densely populated areas in western Gaza City. Israeli defence minister Israel Katz described the military’s actions as the opening of the “ga...| Helsinki Times - Helsinki Times
The Finnish government plans to introduce a €30 million voucher programme aimed at reducing youth unemployment, Yle News reported on Wednesday. The initiative will provide financial support to employers who hire young adults aged 18 to 29 for a minimum period of six months. The scheme is intended to target those with limited formal education and little or no work experience.| Helsinki Times - Helsinki Times
Much of Finland is expected to experience summer-like warmth this weekend, though widespread fog and varying cloud cover may limit the highest temperatures. According to the Finnish Meteorological Institute and private forecaster Foreca, a southerly air flow between a low-pressure system in the Atlantic and a high-pressure zone to the east is drawing warm, humid air into the region. Daytime temperatures could reach 24°C in southern and western parts of the country.| Helsinki Times - Helsinki Times
Seven press freedom and media organisations in Finland have called on President Alexander Stubb to take concrete steps to protect journalists in Gaza, the International Press Institute reports. In a joint statement released on 4 September, the organisations urged Finland to use its diplomatic position to push for stronger protections for media workers and accountability for attacks on journalists. They cited Finland’s current role as co-chair of the Media Freedom Coalition and as chair of t...| Helsinki Times - Helsinki Times
The CEO of one of Finland’s largest berry companies, Kiantama, has stepped down after receiving a prison sentence for aggravated human trafficking involving dozens of Thai workers. Vernu Vasunta, 51, was sentenced by the Lapland District Court to three and a half years in prison and was banned from engaging in business activities until 2029. His associate, Thai national Kalyakorn Phongphit, 54, was sentenced to three years in prison. Both were found guilty of 62 counts of aggravated human t...| Helsinki Times - Helsinki Times
The captain of the Eagle S tanker has denied all criminal responsibility in a Helsinki court after the vessel damaged five undersea cables while sailing through the Gulf of Finland on Christmas Day 2024. Davit Vadatchkoria, a Georgian national, faces charges of aggravated criminal damage and serious interference with communications. Prosecutors are seeking at least two-and-a-half years of imprisonment for Vadatchkoria and two senior officers aboard the Cook Islands-flagged vessel.| Helsinki Times
Finland has joined the New York declaration led by France and Saudi Arabia in support of a peaceful resolution to the Palestinian issue through a two-state model. Foreign Minister Elina Valtonenannounced the decision on 5 September. She said the declaration aimed to end the Gaza war and remove Hamas from Palestinian governance. The declaration includes wide support from Arab countries and Western states.| Helsinki Times - Helsinki Times
A group of Palestinian researchers in Finland are at risk of deportation following a legal change that invalidates Palestinian passports as accepted proof of identity in residence permit applications. The Finnish Union of University Researchers and Teachers (Tieteentekijät) said on Friday that the situation affects multiple doctoral researchers at Finnish universities. The union is calling on the Ministry of the Interior and the government to intervene immediately.| Helsinki Times
Helsinki Times is an independent weekly newspaper covering news and events in Finland. Available on annual subscription, and on sale at R-kioskis, bookstores and newsstands.| Helsinki Times
[Top 10🌟] Best-rated real money online casinos in the UK 2025, featuring fast withdrawals, top bonuses, and trusted payment methods for UK players.| Helsinki Times
Finland’s economy is set for weak growth in 2025, with a fuller recovery not expected before 2026, according to a new economic outlook released by Danske Bank. The bank forecasts a 0.9 percent increase in GDP next year, followed by 2.0 percent growth in 2026. It identified high unemployment, weak consumer confidence and global trade tensions as main obstacles to faster recovery.| Helsinki Times - Helsinki Times
Karol Nawrocki, President of Poland, will visit Finland on 9 September for a working meeting with Alexander Stubb, President of Finland. The visit will take place at the Presidential Palace in Helsinki. The two heads of state will hold official talks focused on bilateral cooperation between Poland and Finland. The agenda also includes Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine and other regional security issues.| Helsinki Times - Helsinki Times
Buyers in the Helsinki region are prepared to pay far more for homes than buyers elsewhere in Finland, according to new figures from Oikotie. While half of prospective homeowners across the country are budgeting no more than €200,000 for a home, only a quarter of those looking in the capital region are doing the same. Among Helsinki region buyers, 26 percent are looking for properties priced between €200,000 and €300,000.| Helsinki Times - Helsinki Times
Ahmed Samsam, sentenced in 2018 to eight years in prison for allegedly joining the so-called Islamic State, has been formally recognised as an agent of Denmark’s intelligence services, according to a ruling by the country’s Supreme Court. The decision ends years of official denial and confirms that Samsam, now 35, worked with both Denmark’s Security and Intelligence Service (DSIS) and the military’s Defence Intelligence Service (DDIS) during the Syrian conflict.| Helsinki Times - Helsinki Times
Members of the Finnish Parliament will receive increased salaries from 1 October, following a decision by the parliamentary remuneration committee. The adjustment includes rises for ministers, deputy speakers, and the Speaker of Parliament. First-term MPs will see their monthly pay increase by €500 to €7,637, a rise of 7%. Those in their second or third term will receive €7,944. MPs with more than 12 years of service will receive €8,393, up from €7,993.| Helsinki Times - Helsinki Times
Support for Finland’s Social Democratic Party (SDP) has climbed to 25.8%, the highest level recorded in two decades, according to Yle’s latest monthly poll. The figures, gathered by Taloustutkimus between 11 August and 2 September, show a 1.1 percentage point rise for the opposition party compared to the previous month. SDP, led by Antti Lindtman, now holds a lead of over six percentage points ahead of Prime Minister Petteri Orpo's National Coalition Party (Kokoomus), which remains steady...| Helsinki Times - Helsinki Times
Israeli forces intensified military operations across Gaza on Wednesday, killing over 100 Palestinians in the single deadliest day since the start of the latest phase of the war. Dozens of air and artillery strikes targeted Gaza City, with hospitals reporting that women and children were among the dead. The Israeli military’s Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir confirmed the beginning of “phase two” of Operation Gideon’s Chariots. The campaign aims to seize control of Gaza City, home to one mil...| Helsinki Times - Helsinki Times
At least 16 people died after a historic funicular railway derailed in central Lisbon and slammed into a building during the evening rush hour. The incident occurred around 18:15 local time on Wednesday, on the steep incline between Restauradores Square and Bairro Alto. The Elevador da Glória, one of the city’s most recognised attractions, was carrying passengers downhill when it lost control and veered off the track. Witnesses described the vehicle as “out of control, without brakes” ...| Helsinki Times - Helsinki Times
More people in Finland are turning to food aid, but there is less food to give, according to a new report by the national food assistance platform Ruoka-apu.fi. The Ruoka-avun tilannekatsaus report, published this week, found that 73% of food aid providers saw an increase in demand during 2024. Families with children, young people, and immigrants, including those who fled the war in Ukraine, were identified as the fastest-growing user groups.| Helsinki Times
Food delivery platform Wolt is asking Finland’s Supreme Administrative Court to annul its recent ruling that classified Wolt couriers as employees, not independent entrepreneurs. The company claims the decision misapplied legal principles and failed to consider relevant EU case law. Wolt confirmed on Tuesday it had filed for annulment of the May ruling, which reshaped the legal landscape for platform-based work in Finland. The decision found that Wolt’s couriers operate under conditions t...| Helsinki Times
New figures from the Finnish Immigration Service show that Estonia leads the nationality breakdown of foreign nationals ordered to leave Finland due to criminal convictions this year. Between January and July 2025, Migri issued 136 deportation decisions based on criminal grounds. Of these, 23 involved Estonian citizens, the highest of any nationality. Iraq and Russia followed, with 18 deportation decisions each. Other nationalities in the top group included Albania, Iran, Somalia, Afghanistan...| Helsinki Times
Finnish police and the Defence Forces are conducting an extended search operation at a private residence in the Voikkaa district of Kouvola. The operation has continued for over a week and is connected to an ongoing criminal investigation, according to the Southeast Finland Police Department. According to Ilta-Sanomat, authorities are searching the property for firearms and explosives.| Helsinki Times
Helsinki Times is an independent weekly newspaper covering news and events in Finland. Available on annual subscription, and on sale at R-kioskis, bookstores and newsstands.| Helsinki Times
Helsinki has completed an entire year without a single traffic-related fatality, according to city and police officials. The last recorded death occurred in early July 2024 in the Kontula district. Authorities described the milestone as exceptional and credited long-term planning, targeted infrastructure changes, and lower speed limits. “A lot of factors contributed to this, but speed limits are one of the most important,” said Roni Utriainen, traffic engineer with the city’s Urban Envi...| Helsinki Times
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz praised Israeli airstrikes on Iranian targets during the G7 summit in Canada, calling the actions “dirty work” carried out on behalf of the West. His remarks come amid continued military exchanges between Tehran and West Jerusalem. “This is the dirty work that Israel is doing for all of us,” Merz said in an interview with German broadcaster ZDF. He added that Germany, like many Western states, is also a “victim” of Iran’s leadership.| Helsinki Times
The City of Oulu is preparing to open Finland’s first dedicated support centre for victims of racism, a year after a series of racially motivated stabbings shocked the city and prompted national debate. The centre is part of a broader two-year anti-racism programme, approved by Oulu’s city council in February. The project received €1.2 million in funding from the European Social Fund Plus and is being implemented with oversight from Finland’s justice ministry.| Helsinki Times
A pro-Palestinian activist group has claimed responsibility for an act of vandalism at Finland’s Ministry of Defence, where red paint was thrown on the building’s main entrance early Saturday morning. The police are investigating the incident as aggravated vandalism. According to Helsinki police, a security guard reported two people, a man and a woman, fleeing the scene at 1:42am. No arrests had been made by Saturday evening.| Helsinki Times
Ferry operator Viking Line has announced plans to launch the world’s largest fully electric-powered passenger car ferry by the early 2030s. The vessel, named Helios, is designed to operate emission-free between Helsinki and Tallinn. The company revealed the project on Friday, calling it a new chapter in maritime transport. According to Viking Line, Helios will mark a significant shift in Baltic Sea travel by combining large passenger capacity with zero-emission technology.| Helsinki Times
The Natural Heritage Foundation of Finland is accelerating its acquisition of conservation forests, targeting 10,000 hectares by 2027. The initiative comes as public funding for nature protection declines and reliance on private and corporate contributions grows. Founded by the late environmentalist Pentti Linkola, the foundation currently manages 238 protected sites covering more than 6,000 hectares. Its first CEO, Timo Huhtamäki, said the trend of younger generations and business leaders s...| Helsinki Times
On a quiet Baltic archipelago better known for seal hunting and ferry routes, one man has built a weapon that links traditional Nordic gun culture to American-inspired 3D firearm design. Elias Andersson, 28, lives on the Åland Islands, an autonomous Finnish region with a population of about 30,000. From a workshop in the capital Mariehamn, Andersson has created the Printax 001, a 3D-printed firearm named after the islands’ country-code domain “.AX”.| Helsinki Times
An exceptionally rare albino kangaroo has been born in northern Finland, marking an unusual event even by Australian standards. The white joey, with distinctive red eyes and no visible pigmentation, was born at Arkadia Animal Park in the town of Simo. The joey is the third offspring of red-necked wallabies Miina and Manu, who relocated to Finland from the Netherlands four years ago. While kangaroo births are rare in Lapland, the birth of an albino joey is even more extraordinary.| Helsinki Times
Finnish soldiers are retraining in manual navigation methods, including the use of paper maps and compasses, in preparation for combat scenarios where satellite-based systems like GPS are no longer reliable. The renewed focus on basic skills is a response to lessons drawn from the war in Ukraine, where electronic warfare has disrupted both Russian and Ukrainian operations. According to Colonel Matti Honko, commander of Finland’s Guard Jaeger Regiment, GPS spoofing and jamming are no longer ...| Helsinki Times
More than 3,200 reservists in Finland received military promotions on the Finnish Defence Forces’ Flag Day, which took place on 4 June. The list includes both officers and enlisted personnel, with the majority of promotions going to non-commissioned ranks. Of the 3,218 individuals promoted, more than 1,000 were reserve officers and special officers. The remaining promotions were granted to non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel.| Helsinki Times
The Finnish Data Protection Ombudsman has imposed a €1.1 million fine on Yliopiston Apteekki for violating data privacy laws by sharing sensitive customer data with external technology companies. An investigation by the Ombudsman’s sanctions board found that the pharmacy chain used website tracking tools that passed prescription and over-the-counter medication data to Google and Meta. The breach occurred through cookies and other embedded technologies on its online store.| Helsinki Times
MobilePay users in Finland will soon see changes in how they send money. The company announced it will move from card-based to account-based payments as the default method for personal transfers by mid-July. The update will be rolled out gradually over the next five weeks. After the change, users can link any Finnish bank account to the MobilePay app for use in transactions.| Helsinki Times
