Summary: What's it like growing up with a mum who can't walk past a slot machine? One woman recalls life with a gambling addict.

Going to the shops is an everyday experience, banal to most people. To  Pinja Hiltunen , who grew up with a gambling-addicted mother, the flashing lights of the fruit machines at the entrance to the store are a reminder of childhood trauma.
 "When we would go shopping, she would always stay at the grocery store after we were done shopping, in front of the slot machines, and it could take hours before we would be home," Hiltunen recalls.
 Although slot machines in Finland are run by the state-owned monopoly Veikkaus and don’t allow the huge maximum stakes permitted in UK betting outlets, for example, they are ubiquitous in shops, kiosks and petrol stations across the country.
 Big money-spinner for government
 There are some 18,500 slot machines on non-Veikkaus property, with a further 3,000 in casinos and gaming arcades. Per capita that figure is nearly six times greater than in Sweden, according to the free market think tank Libera.
 Each year Veikkaus hands over some 200 million euros to the government in taxes and makes a billion euros in profits.
 The money funds sport, culture and social projects as well as annual grant money to a huge range of NGOs, and Veikkaus has tough profit targets to maintain that spending.
 That means people like Hiltunen’s mum  continue to lose huge sums of money  just in the course of their weekly shop.
 "I think my Mum had already fallen so deep into the addiction that she didn’t actually realise how much she was losing," says Hiltunen. "If she won a couple of euros she felt like she was winning even though she was losing quite a bit. She would lose several hundred euros in a visit."
 "At first it came from savings, and I also did some work myself so we would have more money. Eventually my Mum would take payday loans."
 Panic attacks, exhaustion, attempted suicide
 The consequences for Hiltunen were severe. She became withdrawn as a child in what she says was an effort to be kind and not cause trouble.
 "I got my first panic attack when I was ten, because I was so exhausted from always being the kind and silent child, always good and trying to please everyone," says Hiltunen.
 Her teachers thought she was 'a bit stupid' because she was so anxious all the time.
 She tried to talk to her mother about these problems but discussion within the family was always shut down. Eventually everything came to a head.
 "I actually tried to commit suicide when I was 19," says Hiltunen. "That was a breaking point for me. After that I realised I need to get help if I want to survive, so I decided that I wouldn’t care about what my family said, and I would get help."
 Even then, it was difficult for her mother to accept the problems.
 "We didn’t actually speak about it as a suicide attempt," says Hiltunen. "Because it was a hot summer we lied to each other and people around us and said it was because I hadn’t drunk enough water."
 Hannu Hiltunen, Veikkaus manager for responsible gaming. Pekka Tynell / YLE
 As a result of the merger of Finland’s three big betting monopolies -- Veikkaus, horse race betting firm Fintoto and slot machine association RAY -- Veikkaus now reaches many more people with different forms of gambling: slot machines, online casinos and games as well as horse betting, to name a few.
 For its part, Veikkaus says it tries to minimise the problems caused by gambling.
 "We are very aware of the problems that gambling can cause," says  Hannu Rinkinen,  Veikkaus' lead on responsible gaming.
 "We have done studies about the effects of gambling since 1991 and have been actively observing what has been going on in other countries."
 According to a 2015 survey by the National Institute of Health and Welfare (THL), there are around 124,000 problem gamblers in Finland, representing 3.3 percent of the population. About 40,000 people -- roughly one percent of the population -- are considered gambling addicts.
 Problem gamblers typically score 3 or 4 on the SOGS test (the South Oaks Gambling Screen used to evaluate gambling addiction) while addicts score 5 and above.
 "Our studies have shown that the number of problem gamblers in Finland has not changed significantly for decades," says Rinkinen.
 Slot machines are big business for Veikkaus but Rinkinen says "we are aware that slot machines in supermarkets are not very common in other parts of the world."
 "Players can currently set debit card limits for gambling, but that doesn’t prevent users from playing with points or cash."
 There are restrictions on the way, though. Veikkaus will require  identification for all slot machine users  and may later add mandatory limits. Last month the company announced it would remove some 3,000 slot machines from kiosks and stores after an outcry over questionable advertising.
 Some suffer so others 'can have nice things'
 As for Hiltunen, she’s now in a good place. In addition to studying to be a social worker, she’s joined Pelirajat'on (a play on words: the apostrophe changes 'unlimited game' to 'there are limits to gaming'), a charity offering peer support to gambling addicts and their loved ones. It’s been a revelation for Hiltunen to discover that so many other people shared her experiences.
 "It feels more like a family than a group of strangers from all across Finland because we can talk about the difficult stuff that has happened," says Hiltunen. "It doesn’t matter if you’re talking to a gambler or a gambler’s relative, because the experiences are familiar nonetheless. So we can talk about things honestly and I don’t have to hide anything from them."
 The group has launched a citizens’ initiative (in Finnish) calling for slot machines to be removed from shops and kiosks to try and reduce the harm caused by gambling.
 At the time of publication there was one day left to sign up and just over 31,000 signatures were on the petition, some 19,000 short of the 50,000 that would force MPs to consider the bill.
 Even so, Hiltunen hopes Finland might change its approach to gambling.
 "I think that the funds are used for good causes, and that’s important, but I wish that the funding model wouldn’t force people to suffer so that other people can have nice things," says Hiltunen.
 "I’d like the advertising to be a bit more responsible. If you think about [state alcohol monopoly] Alko for example, they don’t have ads around the city. So I’d like to see Veikkaus follow their lead."
 _This Thursday Yle News’ podcast All Points North considered whether or not Finland really needs so many slot machines, and you can listen to the show  here . If you have a question or comment on the topic, you can get in touch via Twitter or Facebook, email yle.news@yle.fi or contact us via WhatsApp on +358 44 421 0909._

'I had my first panic attack at 10': The hidden victims of Finland's slot machine culture


Summary: The Finnish and US presidents are to hold talks at the White House, a week after meeting in New York.

Finnish President  Sauli Niinistö  will meet with his US counterpart  Donald Trump  during a working visit in early October. The two are to hold talks at the White House on 2 October, Niinistö's office announced on Wednesday.
 In a statement, it said the presidents "will discuss opportunities to increase cooperation between Finland and the United States, including European and Arctic security" as well as "ways to advance shared interests in commercial and technological cooperation".
 After talks and a working lunch, Trump and Niinistö are to hold a joint press conference.
 Niinistö to address Climate Action Summit
 The two are also likely to meet briefly a week earlier in New York, where Niinistö is to attend a reception hosted by Trump during the opening week of the UN General Assembly.
 On 23 September, Niinistö will address the Climate Action Summit. Hosted by UN Secretary-General  António Guterres , the meeting is intended to accelerate implementation of the UN's Paris Agreement on Climate Change, which Trump says the US is abandoning.
 The following day, 24 September, Niinistö will address the General Assembly as well as attending the Secretary General’s State Luncheon and Trump's reception.
 Niinistö last visited the White House in 2017. In July of the following year Trump visited Helsinki for his  summit with Russia's Vladimir Putin  at the Finnish Presidential Palace. Within the past month  Niinistö met with Putin  and Ukrainian President  Volodymyr Zelensky .
 This year marks the 100th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the US and Finland, launched two years after Finland gained independence from the Russian Empire.

Niinistö, Trump to meet next month


Summary: Tuesday’s newspapers all have more fallout from the Thomas Cook collapse, along with news of executive pay and a look at how long you’ll wait if you call the police.

All the papers follow up on Monday’s big news about Thomas Cook collapsing, with news from worried travelers and a look at the company’s economics.
 The announcement late on Monday that the  Finnish subsidiary would restart operations on Tuesday  somewhat changed the tone of the coverage, however.
 Business daily Kauppalehti takes a typically longer-term view in  its editorial , arguing that ‘the internet did not kill travel agencies’ and that Finnish tour firms are still profitable.
 Party poll
 Helsingin Sanomat  publishes  a party poll on Tuesday, showing little change in the numbers after the  Centre Party elected  Katri Kulmuni  as leader.
 The Finns Party remains the leading party in the HS poll, and all changes were well within the margin of error.
 Ghost boss loses 600k
 Several outlets  pick up  an STT story this morning about a ‘ghost boss’ at Neste who picked up his salary for six years after leaving the company.
 The man had served as head of Neste’s Estonian operations and then led its Saint Petersburg branch, but left the firm in 2012.
 Nobody told Neste’s automatic salary payment system, which transferred his pay each month as usual, even though he was no longer actually working for the firm.
 The man argued that Helsinki District Court had no jurisdiction in the case as he lived in Estonia and Estonian law should apply. If it did, argued his lawyers, the 600,000 debt would have already expired.
 The court disagreed, ruled in favour of Neste and ordered the seizure of assets to the value of 600,000 euros.
 The man now serves on the board of Enterprise Estonia, whose website  says  it is “one of the largest institutions within the national support system for entrepreneurship by providing financial assistance, counselling, cooperation opportunities and training for entrepreneurs, research institutions, the public and non-profit sectors”.
 Katainen gifts golden handshake
 Iltalehti’s print edition  splashes  on EU Commissioner  Jyrki Katainen’s  240,000 euro separation payment as he leaves to take up a job leading Finland’s state-owned innovation fund, Sitra.
 IL reports that Katainen’s pay as Sitra boss is to be 18,533 euros per month, so he is unlikely to be short as he adjusts to life away from Brussels.
 The EU makes ‘transition payments’ to departing commissioners for three years, with IL calculating that Katainen’s will come to just under 81,000 euros per year.
 He’s in no need of the money and told IL that he is not planning to hang on to it.
 “The payments are made regardless of whether or not a person finds work,” Katainen told the paper. “Member states decide the size of commissioners’ transition payments. I’m considering different options, for example starting a foundation. Among others  Erkki Liikanen  and  Jan Vapaavuori  have given away their transition payments.”
 Police waiting times
 Numbers of police officers have been cut in recent years, and the incoming government has set a target of a total of 7,500 officers nationwide by 2022.
 The worry is, of course, that if you call the police you might have to wait a long time to get an answer, and on Tuesday Helsingin Sanomat  sets out  to define just how long that wait might be.
 They gathered data on police callouts in the first half of the year, which were split into three categories: A, B and C.
 A category calls should be handled immediately without delay. B category calls should be handled as soon as possible but they can wait until a patrol is available. C category calls are the least urgent tasks including transfer of prisoners and general patrol tasks.
 In Enontekiö, in the far north of Finland, those reporting a crime could face a three-hour delay before the boys and girls in blue turn up.
 There’s been an improvement recently, as a part-time police officer now works at Muonio. That’s still 200km from Kilpisjärvi, however, which is still in the same municipality.
 Even in southern Finland there are some places where it could take half an hour for the police to arrive.

Tuesday’s papers: Ghost boss gets paid, Katainen doesn’t, and a long wait for police in Lapland


Summary: Thirteen subcontractors were found to have underpaid workers, according to the construction trade union.

More than 300 workers involved in renovating Helsinki's Olympic Stadium have been working under conditions which are not compliant with collective agreements, according to the Finnish Construction Trade Union, Svenska Yle reported on Wednesday.
 The union said it has been monitoring the renovation project for nearly the past two years and that it has seen payment shortcomings among 340 construction workers, employed by 13 different subcontractors.
 The company in charge of the entire project is the Swedish firm Skanska.
 "We have noticed that people have been paid according to the wrong wage brackets. Overtime and travel reimbursements have not been paid," the union's regional ombudsman,  Johanna Elonen , said.
 The construction union also suspects that illegal sackings of workers have taken place, and that the affected workers are mostly from eastern European countries and worked for subcontractors.
 Workers unaware about collective agreements
 "Most of the employees come from eastern Europe and do not know about Finnish employment contracts. It has resulted in experienced workers taking the lowest hourly wages according to collective agreements - which is 10 euros an hour - instead of the nearly 15 euros per hour that goes to experienced professionals," Elonen explained.
 However, Elonen said she could not reveal whether the guilty subcontractor firms were based in Finland or from abroad.
 "There is a collective agreement in the construction industry and this applies to all companies, regardless of where the firm is based," Elonen said.
 One firm that was caught underpaying workers was ordered to fork out 80,000 euros to 50 employees.
 "For individual employees, the amounts they have lost could amount to hundred or maybe thousands of euros, depending on how long they have been working. And because [the practice] has involved many employees, this has meant a lot of money for the subcontractors," she said, explaining that firms that break the rules can save a good deal of money - if they aren't caught.
 "It's a big construction site. If each working hour is a few euros cheaper, the honest companies have a more difficult time competing," Elonen said.
 Skanska assisted union
 The estimated final cost of the Olympic Stadium renovation stands at about 261 million euros, according to  Jukka Ala-Outinen , a Skanska project manager in charge of the project.
 "We have helped the construction trade union with their investigation and our cooperation has worked well. These cases have been investigated," Ala-Outinen said.
 However, he said that he only is aware of which companies had shortcomings, not the number of employees who have been affected.
 "That's why I have a hard time commenting on whether it is a question of a large or small sum," Ala-Outinen said.
 A total of around 4,600 construction workers have helped out at the site, since the renovation project began more than three years ago, before shutting down  at the end of 2015 .
 Ala-Outinen said Skanska checked out subcontractors' financial situations before signing agreements with them, saying that the firm examined the firms' economic situations, whether they are up to date on their taxes and pension payments.
 "We [also] try to ensure that the subcontractor can pay according to collective agreements," he said.
 "But we cannot monitor how subcontractors pay [employees]. We have neither the opportunity nor even the right to do it," Ala-Outinen said.
 The Olympic Stadium renovation project is scheduled to be complete by next summer.
 Originally opened in 1938, the venue hosted the 1952 Olympic Games. Its last major renovation was in the early 1990s.

Union: Low wages, unpaid overtime found at Olympic Stadium renovation project


Summary: Efforts to attract foreign labour, a Finnish manufacturer sets up stateside and researchers develop new plastic material.

"Finland should attract more highly skilled, high-paid workers," writes business magazine  Talouselämä , reporting on views put forward by the Finland Chamber of Commerce (FCC).
 The business lobby has called for officials to slash the four-month waiting period for foreign workers to enter the country to one month. The FCC also said it wanted Finland to abandon the practice of  prioritising job applicants who are citizens of an EU member state  or a country that is a part of the European Economic Area.
 Furthermore, the FCC wants to downgrade the government’s 5,800-euro monthly salary requirement for people entering on ‘top performer’ visas to 4,000 euros to help Finnish companies fill positions.
 In addition, the FCC called for all foreign degree students in Finland to automatically gain permanent residency status after graduation.
 Made in USA
 While Finnish manufacturer Nokian Tyres is engaged in  layoff talks in Finland , the company is set to open a large plant in Dayton, Tennessee, located in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, reports  Helsingin Sanomat .
 The plant will employ 400 people and produce four million tyres annually, making it one of the most significant Finnish investments in the American market in recent times, according to HS.
 The Finnish company negotiated significant tax breaks with the small rural town whose economy has been struggling.
 CEO  Hille Korhonen  said Nokian Tyres could have expanded production in Russia, which has so far supplied tyres for the US market. The firm, however, opted to “minimise risk with greater geographical distribution.”
 Scientists spin faux plastic
 A group of Finnish researchers have developed a material to rival plastic that combines wood fibres and spider silk, writes Swedish-language daily  Hufvusdtadsbladet .
 Aalto University and VTT researchers said the  material was both strong and flexible  as well as biodegradable, meaning it won’t cause the same  damage to nature as microplastics .
 The spiderweb silk used was, however, not actually taken from spiderwebs. Scientists used bacteria and synthetic DNA to produce it.

Thursday’s papers: Lobbying for foreign labour, Finnish firm heads to US and spiderweb plastic


Summary: European and US authorities are investigating potential issues with ranitidine.

The Finnish Medicines Agency (Fimea) said on Wednesday that drugs containing ranitidine will be withdrawn from pharmacies. Ranitidine is a medication used to treat and prevent symptoms of acidity such as heartburn and stomach ulcers. European and US authorities are currently investigating problems with the drug.
 Fimea said that there are no acute risks to patients who are taking ranitidine and urged them to continue using it. Those who want to switch to a different medicine may do so after consulting their doctor.
 In Finland, the banned substance is found in brand-name medicines such as Inside, Inside Brus, Ranisan, Ranitidin Mylan, Ranixal and Zantac.
 Authorities are investigating the presence of an impurity, N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), which has been found to increase the risk of cancer in animals. NDMA is also found in certain food and water. According to Fimea, very small concentrations of the contaminant are probably not harmful to humans. However, the impurity limit guidelines for medicines are very strict.
 The European Commission, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and national medical authorities are currently investigating the levels of NDMA in medicines and its potential effects on patients. Fimea said that it will continue collaborating with other European medical authorities to look into the issue.

Pharmacies pull heartburn meds over contamination concerns


Summary: The Finnish Grocery Trade Association says the comprehensive reform of alcohol laws did not boost sales in Finland.

Elinkeinoelämän järjestöt, työnantaja- ja ammattialajärjestöt

Elintarvikkeiden, juomien ja tupakan vähittäiskauppa

Preliminary findings by market research firm Taloustutkimus revealed that alcohol sales in Finnish grocery stores fell between January and August this year. Sales in terms of litres decreased by two percent and in terms of pure alcohol by 1.8 percent.
 Surprisingly, sales were especially low in the summer months. The previous eight months indicate that retail alcohol sales have returned to a downward trend this year. Last year, domestic sales of pure alcohol increased by 0.1 percent.
 "It seems that the comprehensive reform of alcohol laws has not boosted retail alcohol sales in Finland. According to research published in August, traveller imports of beer and lonkero have clearly grown instead," CEO of the Finnish Grocery Trade Association (PTY)  Kari Luoto  said in a statement.
 The new Alcohol Act came into force last year, allowing retailers to sell beverages with up to 5.5 percent of alcohol content such as alco-pops.
 Taloustutkimus conducted the research, which was commissioned by the Finnish Grocery Trade Association (PTY), in September. It is a follow up to studies conducted in 2017 and 2018. The firm collected sales data for January to December from companies affiliated with PTY.
 Other sources included alcohol consumption statistics from the National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health (Valvira) and sales statistics from the state-owned alcohol monopoly Alko.

Alcohol sales in Finland down this summer


Summary: Finland has set its 2020 budget, which offered changes to employment policies and education spending along with environmental spending.

Finland is looking to invest in wage subsidies and education in the 2020 budget agreed by government parties this week, and has allocated money to help fight climate change—but there is still money in the coffers to subsidise the carbon-intensive peat industry.
 Prime Minister  Antti Rinne  is following up on  a pre-election pledge  to roll back  a deeply unpopular 'activation' scheme  that essentially penalised unemployed jobseekers who were unable to find work.
 To stimulate employment, the government plans to give employers hiring unemployed jobseekers 77 million euros, which is 24 million euros more than it channelled through its  wage subsidy programme  this year.
 Increased funding for higher education
 The government has earmarked an additional 40 million euros for universities on top of their base funding. Universities of applied sciences will receive another 20 million euros, while trade schools are getting an extra 80 million euros.
 The previous centre-right government cut basic funding to the country’s universities by approximately  500 million euros  over several years.
 Climate on the agenda
 The new government declared a goal of being carbon neutral by 2035, and this week's budget includes several measures on that front. There is a 100 million euro boost for environmental protection budgets, including maintenance to hiking areas and national parks as well as fish stock revival.
 In August 2020, the petrol tax will rise by some six cents per litre while Finland plans to triple funds for expanding charging stations for electric vehicles.
 Climate advocates were disappointed, however, that the government has not ended subsidies for the peat industry.
 Retirement age inches up
 In the future, the  earliest age  at which a long-term unemployed person can ease into retirement is 62, a year later than current rules allow.
 Soda and cigarettes pricier
 Next year, higher taxes on tobacco will raise the price of a pack of cigarettes by 50 cents while a 1.5-litre soda bottle will cost 10 cents more, bringing 75 million euros into state coffers.
 The government said it will revisit hikes to the alcohol tax later in its term.
 Subsidy cuts for polluters
 The government is looking to gradually trim tax breaks on paraffin oil by 120 million euros. The cabinet has said it will continue to cut state subsidies for environmentally harmful industries.
 The Finnish Association for Nature Conservation (FANC) has criticised the government for supporting environmentally destructive industries to the tune of 3.5 billion euros annually.
 More police
 Finland will also see a larger police force next year as the government said it will allocate funds for onboarding 180 additional officers, bringing the total size of the country's police force to 7,500 officers by 2022.
 Investments into the 'future'
 Rinne’s cabinet had initially proposed up to three billion euros in investment into the 'future' but now that sum has shrunk to 750 million euros, most of which will go towards education. Other forward-looking investment targets include state-funded  startup financier Business Finland  as well as funding for renewable energy and circular economy initiatives.
 The government has drawn criticism for its decision to  sell off state-owned assets  to cover this investment category.

Education, wage subsidies key in next year's budget


Summary: Finland's gambling monopoly Veikkaus says it's taking steps to address the problems that gambling can cause.

Kasinot, uhkapelit ja rahapeli- ja vedonlyöntipalvelut

Slot machines are a not just a moral problem, they also pose a financial problem, says  Pinja Hiltunen , who is campaigning to remove slot machines from Finland's shops. That's because Veikkaus, the state-owned gambling monopoly that has some 21,500 slot machines installed across the country, also contributes one billion euros in profits to government and pays 200 million euros in taxes.
 Hiltunen has lived with her mother's gambling addiction and told All Points North how it affected her childhood. She is also a member of a gaming addiction support group Pelirajat'on -- roughly translated as Limits on Games -- that has launched a citizens' initiative to get Veikkaus to pull slot machines from supermarkets, kiosks and other public spaces and to cut back on advertising.
 Veikkaus manager for responsible gambling,  Hannu Rinkinen , told APN that starting in 2021 mandatory identification at slot machines will help curb problem gaming. He also pointed out that players who gamble online can set daily and monthly transfer limits as well as daily and monthly loss limits.
 Veikkaus came under fire during the summer for an ad campaign that seemed to encourage players to indulge their gambling habits. Rinkinen said that the firm has introduced new ethical rules governing advertising and is also cutting down advertising of its slot machines. Ultimately, he said it is up to the firm's owner -- the government -- to decide what to do about the prevalence of slot machines in Finland.
 Join the conversation
 If you have any questions, or would like to share something on your mind, just contact us via WhatsApp on +358 44 421 0909, on our Facebook or Twitter accounts, or at yle.news@yle.fi.
 The All Points North podcast is a weekly look at what's going on in Finland. Subscribe via  iTunes  (and leave a review!), listen  on Spotify  and  Yle Areena  or find it on your favourite podcatching app or via our  RSS feed .
 This week's podcast presenters were  Denise Wall  and  Egan Richardson .  Pamela Kaskinen  produced the show and the audio engineer was  Juha Sarkkinen .

All Points North #60: Gambling with addiction – does Finland have a problem?


Summary: New data by Statistics Finland indicate that 422 traffic incidents involving personal injury occurred during the month.

According to Statistics Finland, 23 people were killed in road accidents in August. Seventeen of the fatalities were men and six were women.
 Of those who died, 12 were travelling in cars and five were riding motorcycles. One pedestrian, two cyclists and three other road users were also killed.
 Preliminary data revealed that 422 road accidents involving personal injury took place in August. In addition to the 23 people that were killed, 507 people sustained injuries. The data for this year was compared with corresponding figures for the previous year. There were two more deaths and 36 fewer injuries this August than the same month last year.
 Most fatal accidents involved motor vehicles
 According to the data, 2,595 road accidents resulting in personal injury occurred between January and August. A total of 145 people were killed and 3,298 injured: six more deaths and 283 fewer injuries than the same period last year.
 A majority of the fatal incidents involved motor vehicles: 84 passenger cars, 20 motorcycles, six vans, three lorries and two mopeds. Additionally, 15 cyclists, nine pedestrians and six other road users were killed.

Twenty three people killed in road accidents in August


Summary: The school, which is funded by mobile game developer Supercell, will not have classes, teachers or textbooks.

Finland's Social Insurance Institution (Kela) has approved an application for student financial aid from Hive Helsinki, a new coding school based on a collaborative learning model. The school, which is funded by Finnish mobile game development company Supercell, is set to open next month and will not offer traditional classes, teachers or textbooks.
 "Getting financial aid for the students of Hive has been crucial to us right from the start, so the application turnaround is a matter of great pleasure to us. Financial aid enables a lot more people to apply to study coding, regardless of Hive’s background," CEO of Hive Helsinki,  Oona Ylänkö  stated in a press release. According to Ylänkö, one of the key goals of the school is to increase diversity among coders.
 "Coding know-how will enable solutions to big challenges in the future, and it’s important to us that these solutions are developed by coders that represent various backgrounds and abilities. Financial aid for students will support our goal of creating talented coders," she said.
 Last summer, Parliament approved a government proposal to amend student aid laws in Finland. The conditions for granting financial aid to students of non-public educational institutes were made more flexible.
 Institutes are no longer required to provide the course in question for a minimum of one year. Thus students starting at Hive Helsinki this October will be able to apply immediately for aid for an eight-month period of full-time studies. The three-year programme is divided into four sections.
 New learning model
 Hive Helsinki is based on an educational model used by the 42 school in Paris, France, funded by billionaire  Xavier Niel .
 Hive offers a full-time study programme based on peer-to-peer learning, whereby students are expected to evaluate each other. It also uses project-based learning, which involves solving problems based on "real life" situations.
 Applicants need to pass an online test to qualify for the "Piscine"—a four-week long intensive coding training programme that determines who gets into the school. There is no tuition fee for the school, and applicants do not require prior coding skills.

Kela approves financial aid for students of new coding school


Summary: PM Rinne meets Sundar Pichai, Helsingin Sanomat hands out special pens in New York and bacteria are found in chilly waters.

Finnish Prime Minister  Antti Rinne  will meet CEO of Google,  Sundar Pichai  in Helsinki on Friday in a meeting whose purpose was still a secret in the morning hours, papers  such as daily tabloid Iltalehti  wrote.
 The paper quotes Pichai's  own Google blog post from Thursday , where he announced the company's "biggest renewable energy purchase ever" and that his first-time visit to Finland would include more details on the bundle of 18 new energy deals that Google will soon be rolling out.
 The deals will reportedly "span the globe" and include investments in the United States, Chile and Europe.
 IL reports that the meeting is on Friday in the Government Palace overlooking the Senate Square.
 Yle News will cover the meeting and any new developments as they occur following the government press briefing at 10:10pm.
 Paper makes point with CO2 pens
 In the run-up to the  UN Climate Action Summit  in New York, 21-23 September,  Finnish newspaper Helsingin Sanomat  announced on Friday that it would be giving a special gift to President  Sauli Niinistö , Finnish MPs and each of the G20 leaders who will be gathered together in the Big Apple on Monday.
 HS reported that it had commissioned the Technical Research Centre of Finland (VTT) to create a pen made using carbon dioxide, one of the main pollutants causing climate change. Researchers altered the composition of CO2 molecules to make carbon black, a material used for many industrial purposes, which provides the pigment for the ink inside the writing implements.
 The HS editorial on Friday expressed the hope that decision-makers could use the "climate pens" to sign important agreements – "to write history, as well as the future", according to editor-in-chief  Kaius Niemi .
 The editorial begins with a reminder that the hole in the Earth's ozone layer is smaller now than it has been in 30 years thanks to a global outcry in the 1980s, and that a similar but vaster planet-wide push would be necessary to combat climate change.
 Global climate strikes are planned  by individuals and organisations around the world from 20 to 27 September.
 Last algae story of the year
 Locally speaking, a change is being felt in the weather as autumn progresses and temperatures begin to stay down around 10 degrees Celsius in Finland. As the last of summer's warmth ends, so does the day-to-day monitoring of Finland's waters by the  national Järviwiki service .
 However,  Tampere region paper Aamulehti  wrote one more article on the dreaded threat known as blue-green algae – actually bacteria – that proliferate in warm, nutrient-rich water in lakes and coastal areas. The harmful slime is usually a summertime problem, but AL wrote Friday that blue-green blooms had increased dramatically in the Pirkanmaa region despite an ongoing cold snap.
 Järviwiki's bacterial barometer showed an uncommon prevalence of Cyanobacteria for the time of year. The phenomenon is not rare as such, but occurs due to the thermal stratification of lakewaters that churns up the different levels of water mass, mixing nutrients and bacteria together on the surface.

Friday's papers: PM meets Google boss, "climate pens" gifted, blue-green algae spike


Summary: The survey also found many pupils don't regularly eat breakfast, but appear to be binge drinking less.

More than half of young people and kids said they enjoy attending school and that they felt teachers are interested in their lives, according to the National Institute for Health and Welfare's (THL) School Health Promotion Study.
 Particularly fourth and fifth graders, as well as vocational students, were most likely to enjoy school. However, school fatigue was cited most often by some 20 percent of girls in the eighth and ninth grades, according to the report.
 "An operating culture that supports participation in educational institutions is an important part of well-being promotion among children and young people, and it should be further strengthened," THL senior researcher  Riikka Ikonen  said in a release.
 THL's report was based on a survey of responses from 260,000 students in the fourth, fifth, eighth and ninth grades, general upper secondary school pupils as well as first- and second-year vocational students across the country.
 Bullying and violence
 The public health watchdog said levels of bullying in schools remained steady last year compared to figures from a similar survey carried out in 2017. But bullying in general has been on a decline over the past decade, particularly among eighth and ninth graders, according to the report.
 However, seven percent of fourth and fifth graders reported they had been bullied at least once a week. Meanwhile, six percent of eighth graders, one percent of ninth graders and four percent of upper secondary school and vocational students said they'd been bullied at least weekly.
 Unlike previous studies on attitudes in Finland's schools, this year the School Health Promotion Study also examined violence and harassment, finding that boys faced physical threats more than girls. Meanwhile, female pupils reported more sexual harassment and violence - and also reported more emotional abuse and physical violence at home than boys.
 Girls were found to be more likely to report violent incidents than boys were, but boys were also more likely to have said they get support from adults both in and away from schools.
 Most skip breakfast, but binge drink less
 Just 26 percent of fourth and fifth graders said they ate breakfast every day before school, 41 percent of eighth and ninth graders regularly did so and only 35 percent of upper secondary school students said they had breakfast every school day.
 Meanwhile, 53 percent of vocational school students reported regularly eating breakfast before school.
 Additionally, around one-third of eighth and ninth graders - as well as upper secondary and vocational school students - said they did not eat lunch at school every day.
 Binge drinking among children and youths has been on the decline over the past ten years, particularly in those attending vocational schools. However, nearly one third of vocational school students (27%) reported they have been very intoxicated at least once per month, while 18 percent of upper secondary students reported drinking until they were very drunk on a monthly basis.
 Meanwhile, 10 percent of eighth and ninth graders said they'd been very intoxicated at least once each month.
 Relationships with parents
 The survey also found that kids and youth reported being mostly content with their lives, saying that an increasing number said they were able to talk about important matters with their parents.
 "Open communication between the child and the parent protects the child in many ways and promotes well-being. When the child has good communication with their parents, it is also easier for them to raise more difficult matters that are weighing on their mind and to receive support for them from their parents," Ikonen said.

Most kids in Finland like going to school, health watchdog survey finds


Summary: Google CEO Sundar Pichai called Finland's infrastructure "supportive and welcoming".

Suomen Ammattiliittojen Keskusjärjestö SAK

International tech giant Google's CEO  Sundar Pichai  announced at a press conference on Friday that the company would be investing 600 million euros more in its main data centre in Hamina, southern Finland.
 In May  Google pledged a similar amount  to construct and maintain the data centre. Friday's announcement means that the original sum will now double, bringing further jobs to the area, Pichai said.
 The additional spending pledge will bring Google's total investment in the Hamina centre to some two billion euros, out of the company's total renewable energy project budget of 3 billion euros.
 Pichai was joined by Prime Minister  Antti Rinne  at the press conference at the Government Palace overlooking Helsinki's Senate Square.
 The investments will be paid out over 2020.
 Two new wind parks
 Pichai also said Google would be constructing two wind power parks in Finland in response to the increased electricity demands of the Hamina data centre. The wind parks will produce an estimated 250 megawatts of electricity.
 One of the wind power projects will be based in Kainuu, in eastern Finland Pichai said. Google plans to purchase 125 MW of electricity from the upcoming 211.4-MW Piiparinmäki wind power park from Ilmatar Energy.
 The Piiparinmäki park will be constructed in 2019-2020 without government support, and is set to begin energy production in 2020.
 Pichai did not divulge any information on the second wind power park on Friday morning.
 Supportive infra, SAK partnership
 Rinne said that Finland's stability, security and high level of know-how are the top reasons Google has decided to invest so heavily in Hamina. Pichai agreed with the sentiment.
 "We have found Finland to have a very supportive infrastructure, it's very welcoming for us to be able to make investments," Pichai said on Friday. "Our Hamina data centre is our most state-of-the-art data centre, and so we found it easy to invest more and expand and I thank the government for its very supportive policies, which make it possible."
 Pichai also brought up artificial intelligence (AI) multiple times and said he was "impressed" by Finland's focus on training Finland's population in AI.
 Google's philantropic arm, Google.org, will also be awarding the UK-based innovation foundation Nesta with some 1.8 million euros. Nesta will set up partnerships with trade unions in the Nordic countries as well as the Netherlands and Belgium. In Finland the money will be used to fund training programmes in emerging technology to be provided by the Central Organisation of Finnish Trade Unions (SAK).
 "The training will be carried out in 30–35 workplaces all over Finland in companies in the industrial, logistics and service sectors,"  SAK said in a press release. .
 "Each training period will last two to four working days. Using innovative methods such as nano learning, gamification, and machine learning tools, the programme will generate robust evidence about what affects learning behavior and motivation."
 European energy
 On Thursday Pichai  wrote in his Google blog  that his company had made its "biggest renewable energy purchase ever", leading the way as the world's largest corporate buyer of renewable energy in the world.
 "This purchase is made up of a 1,600-megawatt package of agreements and includes 18 new energy deals," Pichai wrote. "Together, these deals will increase our worldwide portfolio of wind and solar agreements by more than 40 percent, to 5,500 MW – equivalent to the capacity of a million solar rooftops."
 Google is relying heavily on European electricity production to power its future plans.
 "Almost half (793 MW) of the new renewable energy capacity purchased will be located in Europe, specifically Finland (255 MW), Sweden (286 MW), Belgium (92 MW), and Denmark (160 MW)," Pichai wrote online.
 Other investments will be made in the United States and Chile.
 Giant firm hit by sanctions
 Google's investments in Finland are massive in scale, mirroring the size of penalties imposed for running afoul of various regulators.
 Early in September Google paid 170 million dollars in penalties in the US over illegally gathering data on underage users and distributing it on YouTube.
 Prior to that in March Google coughed up almost 1.5 billion euros after the European Commission found the company had misused its leading position in search engine advertising.
 In July, 2018 the EU fined Google more than 4 billion euros, again for abuse of a leadership position. The record-breaking fine was based on the installation of Google applications on Android phones.
 In 2017 the EU slapped Google with a 2.4 billion-euro fine for manipulating internet searches related to online shopping.

Google investment in Hamina data centre rises to €2bn


Summary: One person was seriously injured when a minibus ran off the road in Suonenjoki, North Savo on Friday

Police are urging motorists to be on the alert for a possible drop in temperature that could lead to frost in the mornings. Roads could get slippery on bridges and low-lying areas, among others, officers warned.
 Police reported early Friday morning that slippery roads caused a number of traffic accidents in the North and South Savo regions in eastern Finland.
 Police in eastern Finland received information about four accidents in the area within a span of half an hour in the early hours of Friday morning. The most serious incident took place after 6am on the highway 9 at Lyytilänmäki in Suonenjoki, North Savo when the driver of a minibus lost control of the vehicle and it flipped and landed in a ditch.
 Emergency services reported that the vehicle had three Ukrainian nationals, one of whom was seriously injured.  Eerik Pudas , the fire chief on duty, said that all those involved in the crash were adults. The injured person was transferred to a hospital for further treatment and the two other passengers were examined on the spot.
 According to Pudas, authorities are investigating the cause of the accident. Emergency services said that the accident was probably caused by a layer of ice that partially covered the road at the time.
 A car also veered off the road on Highway 5 in Joroinen, South Savo. None of passengers were injured. Other reported incidents include a collision between a car and a truck in Muuruvesi, Kuopio and an accident in Vieremä in North Savo. No serious casualties were reported in those incidents.
 Motorists also reportedly encountered icy conditions on Highway 4 which runs from Helsinki all the way to Utsjoki in Lapland. At around 7.30am, a minivan drove off the same road in Joutsa, central Finland. Four of the van’s six passengers hospitalised.

Police warn of early-morning slippery roads


Summary: Police said that a central aspect of the suspects' modus operandi involved inflicting harm and violence on children.

Authorities in Ostrobothnia, western Finland have charged four persons suspected of involvement in  a large-scale cross-border child sex abuse case  that involved violence and the rape of minors.
 The suspected crimes were committed between 2007 and 2014 while other offences relating to pornographic images involving children dated from 2007 to 2017. Investigators had originally zeroed in on six suspects during their probe, but charges were eventually laid against four of the men.
 The main suspect in the case has been charged with possession and aggravated dissemination of indecent images of children, aggravated child sex abuse, child sex abuse and aggravated rape.
 Another suspect has been charged with aggravated child sex abuse and aggravated rape as well as possession of and aggravated dissemination of indecent images of children.
 A third was charged with aggravated child sexual abuse.
 Authorities charged a fourth suspect with charges of possession of indecent images of children as well as other offences.
 One of the defendants is likely to be fined for the charges levied, while officials have decided not to prosecute another. The defendants have largely denied the charges against them or have not commented on them.
 Police: Harm and violence against children weighed
 In March, police described the central feature of the investigation as involving "child harm and violence against children."
 "In its mildest form the abuse that occurred in Finland involved showing adult pornography to children. In the worst cases, children were drugged and raped for 10 hours," lead investigator  Sanna Springare  said at the time.
 District prosecutor  Jaana Nyrhinen  did not divulge additional details about the charges laid. While she admitted that some children had been drugged, she declined to identify the narcotics used.
 The National Bureau of Investigation NBI said that the international investigation has been expansive.
 "There are more than 400 hours of abuse material. The majority of these acts target foreign individuals whose identities could not be determined," Nyrhinen noted.
 However investigators said that they have been able to identify victims in Finland. Police reported earlier that their ages ranged from six to 15 years old.
 Prosecutor requests secrecy
 The prosecutor has a requested closed-door hearings as well as officially sealing the court documents as well as the verdicts. He said that the trial would likely begin next year.
 Police first revealed that they were investigating the large-scale case back in March. Some of the suspects under police scrutiny were suspected of disseminating child pornography, some of which involved physical abuse and rape of child victims.
 According to information obtained by Yle, the main suspect has worked as a church councillor and entrepreneur and reportedly had an unblemished reputation before the suspected crimes were publicised.
 The preliminary investigation revealed six victims, ranging in age from pre-schoolers to upper comprehensive school children.

Ex-church councillor among four charged in violent child sex abuse ring


Summary: The former premier and sitting EU commissioner narrowly beat his rival by one vote.

The supervisory board of the Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra announced Friday afternoon that former prime minister  Jyrki Katainen  has been named the organisation’s new president.
 Sitra said in a release that Katainen was elected by a narrow margin in which he beat future researcher  Markku Wilenius  by five votes to four.
 "I would like to extend my gratitude to Sitra’s Board of Directors and supervisory board for their trust in appointing me as President. Facilitating Finland’s pioneer position amidst societal changes and finding solutions for sustainable well-being are dear to my heart. I have the Sitra spirit in me," Katainen was quoted as saying in the statement.
 In June last year, Katainen indicated that he was  preparing to leave Brussels  to take on other professional challenges. At the same time, his wife Mervi said she would vie for a seat in this year's parliamentary elections.
 EU Commission approval required
 Sitra said that Katainen will continue in his role as a European Commission vice president until the term of the current Commission ends. The newly-appointed president is expected to take up his duties from 1 January 2020.
 "I will immediately submit a formal notification of being appointed as President of Sitra in accordance with the code of conduct for members of the European Commission, after which the Commission will make a decision concerning accepting the position with Sitra. Unfortunately, I am not able to comment on the matter publicly before the Commission’s process is complete," Katainen added in the statement.
 Katainen is a former National Coalition Party chair and between 2011 and 2014 served as prime minister of a six-party coalition government that included the NCP, the Social Democratic Party, the Left Alliance, Greens, Swedish Peoples Party and the Christian Democrats. Prior to that, he served as finance minister and deputy prime minister in an administration led by  Matti Vanhanen  and briefy,  Mari Kiviniemi .
 After stepping down as party chair in June 2014, Katainen nabbed the post of EU commissioner for monetary affairs and the euro. Later that year he became commissioner for jobs, growth, investment and competitiveness, a portfolio he still holds.
 Candidate interviews on Friday
 On Friday Sitra’s supervisory board unanimously agreed to set the president’s monthly salary at 18,553 euros and also decided to terminate a bonus plan and supplementary pension scheme for the position.
 Although the board proposed Katainen as a successor to sitting president  Mikko Kosonen  whose term wraps up at the end of the year, the supervisory board opted to interview the EU commissioner and Wilenius on Friday before making a final choice.
 Sitra’s advisory board comprises members appointed by Parliament. The current chair is Social Democratic Party MP  Antti Lindtman , while the vice-chair is Finns Party lawmaker  Jani Mäkelä .
 Other members are the Greens’  Mari Holopainen , the National Coalition Party’s  Kalle Jokinen  and  Petteri Orpo ,  Markus Lohi  of the Centre Party,  Hanna Sarkkinen  of the Left Alliance,  Pia Viitanen  of the SDP and  Ville Vähämäki  of the Finns Party.

Ex-PM Katainen appointed president of Finland’s state innovation fund


Summary: Schools want more precise data on students' emotional states, information that could help prevent bullying.

The Aurinkovuori school in Asikkala, part of the Lahti region of southern Finland, believes it is the first in the world to introduce students to a mobile phone application to help them monitor and report their emotional states.
 The app asks students once a week a different question concerning the emotions they have been feeling. Students respond by choosing one of 20 different emoticons, representing a variety of sentiments.
 "Teachers can't see your answer. It's your own business," said student  Moona Sillman .
 "Because I know it's just my own personal thing, I have the courage to say what I really feel," added classmate  Sampsa Tura .
 Teacher Ismo Kotilainen works at the world's first emotion-tracking school. Juha-Petri Koponen / Yle
 Teachers may only intervene if the emotions the children report are consistently sad or angry, for instance.
 "Children don't necessarily express how they feel or speak up if they are upset, even at home," said teacher  Ismo Kotilainen  from Aurinkovuori. "A secure, anonymous system on their personal phone can help them see their feelings as real."
 The application's algorithm anticipates positive and social behavior. If a student reports feeling fearful, it may indicate bullying is taking place.
 An app for emotional interaction
 Naya Daya, the Lahti startup behind the emotion app, said it bases the programme on scientific research on emotions and behaviour. The company's shareholders include Geneva University emotional intelligence researcher  Marcello Mortillaro .
 Naya Daya's founder and CEO  Timo Järvinen  said he sees his company as fulfilling a communicative need and bringing empathy into interpersonal situations.
 "People often think that digitalisation is robbing us of our emotional understanding, but it can also be used to solve problems in emotional interaction," Järvinen said.
 Naya Daya has many customers in addition to the innovation-driven Asikkala school. Media conglomerate Keskisuomalainen received a 300,000 euro grant from Google last spring, money which is being used to track the emotional reactions of media users and their commitment to a product.
 The app uses emoticons and questions to track children's emotional wellbeing. Juha-Petri Koponen / Yle
 "We can analyse how a news article makes people feel. It highlights the ethical responsibilities of media outlets, showing whether a medium produces content that generates negative reactions on purpose or if it tries to promote empathy."
 The application also provides conglomerates with data on what draws readers to a certain service or product; a crucial function -- as media companies live and die based on the kinds of content users are willing to pay for.
 Keskisuomalainen group CEO  Vesa-Pekka Kangaskorpi  said he finds the collaboration interesting and promising.
 "It's very important that we get feedback on the feelings our articles raise in people, and especially on how to get people to stay with us," Kangaskorpi said.
 EDIT 22.9.2019: The passage ”The application's algorithm anticipates abusive behaviour based on the responses, hopefully flagging them before they escalate. In this way schools hope to nip bullying cases in the bud.” was edited to better reflect how the app works, and now reads "The application's algorithm anticipates positive and social behavior. If a student reports feeling fearful, it may indicate bullying is taking place."

Emotion-tracking app introduced in southern Finland school


Summary: The group submitted the 5,000 signatures needed to become a political party to the Justice Ministry on Friday.

Ministerit, ministeriöt ja valtioneuvosto

Movement Now ( Liike Nyt ), the political group led by MP  Harry Harkimo , submitted the  5,000 support cards it required  to officially register as a political party to the Ministry of Justice on Friday.
 The group  originally intended to operate outside the party system.  However, Harkimo said he realised that a political group that is not an official party will not fare well in domestic politics.
 "All the polls and other aspects are structured in such a way that you cannot move forward or succeed if you are not a party," he said on Yle’s Saturday morning discussion programme Ykkösaamu earlier this year.
 Harkimo reiterated the idea in a press release on Friday. ”As a registered party, the actual support we receive turns into seats in the city council and parliament, something that is not easy to achieve as an association due to the electoral system,”
 Movement Now made the decision to register as a political party in June. Harkimo was the only representative of the group to be elected to the parliament last spring.

Movement Now closes in on formal political party status


Summary: Migri said Finland may see the lowest number of asylum applications this year since the start of the decade.

First-time asylum applications numbered 1,750 by mid-September, a fraction of the 30,000 applications Finland received during the 2015 migrant crisis, according to Migri, the Finnish Immigration Service.
 Migri’s asylum unit director,  Antti Lehtinen , said figures from the past months indicate that Finland may not receive more than 2,200 applications for international protection this year.
 “Internal border checks have made it far more difficult to move around Europe, which is apparent in the smaller number of people reaching Finland,” Lehtinen explained.
 The number of people seeking refuge in Finland has been decreasing since 2016, with a total of 2,409 people submitting first-time asylum applications last year.
 Lehtinen told Yle that it was difficult to evaluate whether any domestic polices had influenced migrants’ decision to seek asylum in the country.
 “Finland is not any more attractive than other European states,” he said.
 Nationals from Turkey, Russia and Iraq make up the highest proportion of new asylum applications in Finland at the moment.
 Finland closes reception centres
 Migri currently has a backlog of some 8,900 asylum applications. Lehtinen said processing times had grown due to administrative courts  sending appeals back to Migri for reconsideration . Appeals cases currently account for around half of the agency's caseload.
 With a downward trend of people entering Finland, Migri has decided to  shutter a number of asylum seeker reception centers , cutting a total of 800 beds.

Fewer asylum seekers arriving in Finland


Summary: A local campaign offering smokers free nicotine replacement or drug therapy for six months has drawn little enthusiasm.

For almost a year the western town of Kokkola has encouraged city workers to quit smoking by offering to foot the bill for all nicotine replacement and drug therapies for up to six months. But so far, only seven city employees have signed on to the campaign, with a cost of 900 euros to the city.
 "A disappointingly small number of people have taken us up on the offer," said  Eija Pienimäki , personnel director for the city of Kokkola. "Smoking is a risk factor for many diseases and statistically smokers take more sick days."
 While enthusiasm for the campaign has been low, results have been good, according  Maarit Marttila , an occupational health nurse for city workers.
 "Most of the people who began the drug therapy were able to stop smoking. The drug decreases the pleasure people get from smoking, and smokers are able to quit in a shorter period of time," Marttila explained.
 In addition to nicotine replacement and drug therapies, the city has also offered individual and peer support groups.
 Kokkola previously provided one month's free nicotine therapy supply to city workers trying to quit the habit.
 Some 13 percent of men and 10 percent of women in Finland smoke daily, according to the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL).

Few city workers take up Kokkola's free resources to quit smoking


Summary: Adoptive families in Finland say they are mystified by letters from Local Register Offices informing them of dual citizenship.

Adoptive families in Finland say they are struggling to understand why Local Register Offices are sending notifications of Finnish citizenship to 22-year-olds who were adopted to the country as children. The letters generally outline that an adoptee has retained their Finnish citizenship while also possessing the nationality of their birth country.
 Every year the Population Register Centre identifies dual Finnish citizens turning 22 years old. It then sends a list over to the Local Register Office in Northern Finland which is charged with examining whether an individual can prove ties to Finland as outlined by the Nationality Act.
 "I didn't know I had Indian citizenship"
 When  Amanda Öst  turned 22 she was shocked to receive a letter from the Local Register Office stating that she had retained her Finnish citizenship because officials could prove she had strong ties to Finland.
 Öst was adopted from India at the age of three and has lived in the western town of Pietarsaari ever since. She told Yle she assumed she became a Finnish citizen at the time of her adoption and was not aware that Finnish authorities believed her to be an Indian citizen until the letter arrived. To this day, she is not entirely sure whether or not she actually is an Indian national, as Interpedia, the agency which managed her adoption, could not provide any clarity on the matter.
 More questions than answers
 The Finnish Association of Adoptive Families told Yle they decided to carry out a survey on adoptees' purported dual citizenship after receiving numerous inquiries from confused families.
 The questionnaire drew 140 responses. Mostly, families could not fathom that Finland automatically identified adopted children as nationals of their birth country. Families were also interested in understanding the rights and obligations associated with a second citizenship.
 Working together with a number of other actors in the field of international adoption, the Finnish Association of Adoptive Families is now seeking funding to pull together an informational package on citizenship issues.
 "We need to figure out what birth country citizenship means in terms of travelling to that country, buying property, or for military conscription," explained  Anu Uhtio  from the Finnish Association of Adoptive Families. "Finding the right official to talk to can be difficult, especially if Finland no longer has an adoption agreement with that country."
 The Finnish Association of Adoptive Families said that so far they were not aware of any adoptees in Finland losing their Finnish citizenship at the age of 22.

"I didn't know I was a dual citizen": Adoptive families in Finland stumped by citizenship letters


Summary: The Finns Party chair on Saturday said he doesn't want to relax visa rules for workers from outside the EU.

Finns Party chair  Jussi Hallo-aho  told Yle’s Saturday programme Ykkösaamu that he disagreed with any proposal to  dismantle Finland’s practice of prioritising job applicants from EU member states or the European Economic Area .
 The Finland Chamber of Commerce (FCC), which represents 20,000 companies in Finland, recently  proposed a number of changes to make it easier for people from around the world to work in Finland , such as scrapping the rule of  prioritising European labour .
 Halla-aho, who has been convicted for religious defamation and ethnic agitation, said abandoning the rule would lead to an influx of cheap labour into the country that would eventually burden taxpayers.
 The Finns Party chair said he did not see it necessary to open up the Finnish labour market beyond the EU and EEA, which is home to some 500 million people.
 "Harmful discussion"
 Speaking on Ykkösaamu, Halla-aho also called for Finland relaxing laws on ethnic agitation and blasphemy as current rules are "too restrictive on anti-immigrant discussion."
 Commenting on the programme, Helsinki University criminal law professor  Kimmo Nuotio  was quick to shoot down Halla-aho's ideas of loosening defamation laws, telling Yle that the Finns Party chair's proposals were politically motivated.
 Nuotio highlighted that Finland has an international obligation to respect laws pertaining to defamation and that limits to the freedom of speech are anchored in European values and history.
 "Personally, I find this type of discussion harmful -- it's an attempt to undercut the basis for these laws," Nuotio explained.
 The professor also pointed out that while the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has issued many guidelines defending politicians’ right to engage in critical debate, the ECHR has also stressed that laws have been enacted to combat racism and xenophobia.
 Colourful history
 Since the Finns Party was established in 1995,  a number of its politicians , including immigration hardliner Halla-aho, have been  convicted of online hate speech . The party split in 2017  when Halla-aho was elected chair , with co-founder  Timo Soini  and other more moderate party leaders leaving to form an ill-fated new party.
 Halla-aho's Finns Party came close to winning April's parliamentary election, earning just one seat fewer in the new parliament than the Social Democrats.

Halla-aho: Restrict economic migration, relax defamation laws


Summary: A number of swimming pools in Finland are introducing shifts or courses geared towards immigrants, especially women.

Several public as well as private swimming pools in Finland are taking measures to encourage immigrants, particularly women, to learn how to swim.
 The Finnish Swimming Teaching and Lifesaving Federation, an organisation dedicated to improving swimming skills and reducing drowning deaths in Finland, has launched a course aimed at cultivating swimming skills and knowledge among immigrants.
 It will be organised by the Raseko Raisio Regional Education and Training Consortium, a partner company of the federation, in Raisio, southwest Finland. The course is part of the  "swimming skills for all" project  (in Finnish) that has been funded by the Finnish National Agency for Education.
 Sheida Mohammadi , who moved to Finland from Iraq four years ago, goes for a swim once a week with her child and plans to join the course.
 "I have only been in the water with my child. Not being able to swim properly is a problem. I like the water, and can visit the pool in my burkini. In the future, I plan to swim more often and for longer distances once I learn how," she said.
 Cultural differences are taken into account
 The swimming course has received an enthusiastic response from immigrants. "Our goal is to have immigrant swimming teachers who can teach other immigrants to swim in their own language within a few years," Chairman of the Board of the Finnish Swimming Teaching and Lifesaving Federation  Jukka Rantala  explained.
 Story continues after photo.
 Outi Penkkala said she has seen the joy exercise can bring to those not used to it. Minna Rosvall / Yle
 "This was what the immigrant student was hoping for. They wanted to go swimming and learn. Initially we had doubts about whether we would get enough students for a full batch, but the immigrants have been happy with the course and we got a lot of people,"  Outi Penkkala , a teacher at Raseko, said.
 Penkkala stated that she is aware of the cultural differences, but is pleased that the women will be able to swim wearing body-covering swimwear such as burkinis, which are often used by Muslim women.
 "Exercise is a great experience for immigrant women. Many of them have never played basketball or been able to participate in sports classes because of their cultural background," she added.
 Women-only shifts, courses remove obstacles for immigrant women
 There has been much discussion about the use of different kinds of swimwear in Finnish swimming pools. Mohammadi said that she has not received any negative backlash or comments about the burkini she wears when she goes swimming at the pool or the beach.
 Gulbahar Afghan  and  Mahziwar Ahmadi , whoboth moved to Finland from Afghanistan, never had the chance to swim in their home country. "Swimming at the same time as men is not possible. It is forbidden in our culture," Afghan explained.
 Afghan and Ahmadi will be able to participate in the swimming course in Raisio, as there are separate courses for men and women.
 Story continues after photo.
 Gulbahar Afghan and Mahziwar Ahmadi watched as Sheida Mohammadi (center) swam in a burkini. Minna Rosvall / Yle
 "We are a bit scared of the water, but we want to learn how to swim. We are slightly nervous about the course. Swimming is good exercise, that’s why we want to learn," they said.
 The women would also like to have women-only swimming shifts in Raisio. Swimming pools in Turku, southwest Finland already offer such shifts.
 The shifts have been well received in Turku
 Dozens of women swim during the women-only shift every week at the Petrelius swimming pool in Turku. Sometimes there are so many swimmers that not everyone gets a chance to use the pool.
 "The women are as thrilled as children when they get to swim. They arrive on time for the shift and enjoy the pool from start to finish," Christina Nokkola, who organises women-only shifts at the ÅSK swimming club in Turku, said.
 The privately-owned Turun Uimahalli (Turku swimming pool) also offers separate swimming days for women and men. The pool allows any swimwear made of swimsuit fabric, including those with long sleeves and leggings like burkinis.
 Public swimming pools in Turku also permit women to swim in burkinis. Not all swimming pools in Finland allow this kind of swimwear. The Non-Discrimination Ombudsman has recommended that all public swimming pools in Finland should  permit the use of burkinis .

More Finnish swimming pools offering amenities for immigrants


Summary: A business lobby is calling for Finland to establish a statutory minimum wage, reports Lännen Media (LM).

The Federation of Finnish Enterprises, a business lobby, has suggested that Finland could establish a minimum wage, reports local news conglomerate Lännen Media (LM).
 The federation’s CEO,  Mikael Pentikäinen , said it was time for Finland to consider whether it should outline sector-specific minimum pay.
 Several EU states have minimum wage laws, whereas Finland doesn't have a nationally-appointed minimum wage. Instead, the country has practiced collective bargaining since the 1970s, whereby employers and trade unions regularly negotiate wage agreements on the national and industry-specific level.
 Pentikäinen said he recognised that introducing a minimum wage would weaken Finland’s collective bargaining system.
 “A set minimum wage would, however, enforce a price floor below which workers could not sell their labour," he explained.
 Labour union slams proposal
 The white-collar union confederation STTK meanwhile said it didn't see any reason for Finland to introduce a minimum wage. Employment Minister  Timo Harakka  shared the STTK's views, tweeting that Nordic-style collective bargaining was a functioning system.
 Katarina Murto , who heads up the STTK’s collective bargaining unit, said collective agreements cover some 90 percent of workers in Finland. These agreements specify minimum pay rates for various sectors. Any changes to this practice would exert downward pressure on salaries and weaken workers’ positions, according to Murto.
 Murto said countries with low collective labour security employ minimum wage laws to safeguard workers.
 She told LM that the Federation of Finnish Enterprises' minimum wage proposal was ultimately an attempt to water down the current system.
 13:40: Edited to include comments from Employment Minister Timo Harakka.

Business lobby proposes minimum wage in Finland


Summary: A housing association in Turku has decided to prohibit short-term rentals, such as Airbnb.

New residential buildings are finding it easier than old ones to place bans on short-term rentals.
 The first residents have yet to move into Graniittilinna ("Granite Castle") in Turku, a newly refurbished residential building, but that hasn’t prevented its housing association from ensuring owners won't rent their flats through Airbnb, a short-term letting website.
 Graniittilinna ("Granite Castle"), built in the 1850s, has now been refurbished. Petra Ristola / Yle
 The building’s articles of association prohibit short-term letting. Owners wishing to rent flats for shorter periods of time must seek permission from the housing association.
 "We wanted to protect our residents from some of the problems other housing associations have faced, such as visitors not following building rules,” said  Olli Ojala , who chairs Graniittilinna’s housing board.
 Bans difficult
 In an existing residential building, all shareholders must agree to a ban on Airbnb-type rentals. This is why it’s easier for new buildings to establish limits on rentals—buyers automatically accept the rules at the time of purchase.
 "Our prohibition on short-term lets has probably put off some property investors, but this is a safeguard for owners who plan to occupy their flats," Ojala explained.
 Virpi Hienonen  from the Finnish Real Estate Federation told Yle that it’s still extremely rare for new housing companies to limit short-term lets. She said most residential buildings in Finland don’t have a problem with holiday rentals, although housing associations are sometimes unsure of how to deal with problems caused by guests.
 Mia Koro-Kanerva  of the Finnish Real Estate Management Federation pointed to the contradiction whereby many people say they’d gladly stay in an Airbnb property when on holiday, but hardly anyone wants to live next to one.
 Koro-Kanerva told Yle there were some apparent holes in Graniittilinna’s Airbnb ban.
 "They would have to define what constitutes a short-term rental. If one owner is given special permission to rent out their flat for a short period of time, all owners must be informed of what constitutes special circumstances. The same rules must apply to everyone. So to me this sounds like a complicated system that leaves room for interpretation," she added.

Turku residential building bans Airbnb rentals


Summary: An Yle poll found that some MPs would like to legalise snus in Finland to help rein in a flourishing black market.

An Yle survey of MPs has found growing support for the legalisation of snus sales in Finland.
 Finnish politicians are becoming more open to legalising snus, an orally-ingested tobacco product that’s banned everywhere in the EU except Sweden.
 The Swedish People’s Party has previously supported legalising snus in Finland. But Yle's poll now finds that support for the measure spans the political spectrum.
 Residents can legally import up to 1kg of snus a day for personal use. However the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health has proposed  lowering this allowance to 100 grams . Last year, the Finnish Medical Association (FMA) said the import of snus  should be banned altogether .
 Students reselling old snus
 Left Alliance MP  Merja Kyllönen  told Yle that while she’s not a fan of the substance, she wants the government to seek an EU exemption to the snus sales ban in Finland.
 "We’re not able to manage this problem. The black market is growing and more young people are using snus. I’ve even heard from teachers that students are reselling used snus,” Kyllönen explained.
 Proponents claim legalising snus sales would not only bring in taxes but also information on sellers and users.
 Finns Party MP  Juha Mäenpää  recently proposed legalising snus, drawing on figures from 2013 estimating that illegally imported snus would earn the state 40 million euros in taxes annually if sold in Finland legally.
 Approaching the issue from a substance abuse perspective,  Atte Harjanne  of the Greens said he supported legalisation as it would give health officials more control from a drug policy standpoint.
 In total, 49 MPs responded to Yle’s survey on whether Finland should legalise the sale and import of snus. Eighteen came out in favour of legalisation, 24 were against the idea and seven parliamentarians could not provide an answer either way.
 Even if Finland's legislature opted to legalise snus, changing EU policy would be an uphill battle.
 Kyllönen said that despite low odds of change happening anytime soon, she wants to call Sweden out as it is the only EU country allowed to sell snus within its borders.
 "How could Sweden get an exemption for a commercial activity happening within its borders that's causing problems in Finland?” Kyllönen asked.
 Health experts: No to legalisation
 The Finnish Association for Substance Abuse Prevention (EHYT) pointed out that Finland has committed to making the country  smoke-free by the year 2030 —a goal covering all nicotine products.
 "Legalising snus doesn't support this goal," said  Hanne Munter  of EHYT.
 She told Yle that the snus industry has successfully  marketed the substance to young people, including girls .
 Finland's health watchdog THL has indicated that more teens are taking up moist tobacco, with 20 percent of boys and six percent of girls in Finland reporting daily use.
 Munter said that in addition to Facebook groups dedicated to selling snus, black market vendors are also active on Instagram and Snapchat. "Kids get snus from adults. It’s important that we don't raise another generation hooked on nicotine."

Finnish MPs becoming more positive towards snus legalisation


Summary: Some 2,900 people are currently on holidays organised by Thomas Cook subsidiary Tjäreborg, and plenty more had holidays cancelled on Monday.

Matkatoimistot ja muu matkailua palveleva toiminta

Travel agent Thomas Cook’s bankruptcy caused misery for travellers in Finland on Monday as travellers arrived at Helsinki Airport, checked in for the flights and discovered that their holidays were cancelled.
 "All of a sudden it was announced that the flight was cancelled," said  Peter Lindström  from Naantali, who only discovered he wasn’t getting a break at the departure gate. "Nothing was said at check-in."
 Around 2,900 people are currently on holidays outside Finland organised by Thomas Cook’s Finnish subsidiary Tjäreborg. On Sunday the company said that those already on holiday would be repatriated and if the firm went bankrupt their customers would be contacted immediately.
 Information did not seem to have reached the Lindströms ahead of their trip to Cypriot sunspot Larnaca.
 "We got one leaflet which explained our rights, but we haven’t read it yet," said Lindström. "There were no Tjäreborg representatives around. Of course we’re disappointed and we’ll try to find some resolution to this, but we’ll probably have to go home."
 The temperature in Naantali on Monday morning was zero degrees Celsius, 27 degrees lower than in Larnaca.
 In total some 600,000 tourists worldwide were left stranded when the British travel agent went bust. The British government has asked the UK’s Civil Aviation Authority to activate repatriation plans for 150,000 British citizens on Thomas Cook holidays.
 The Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it was following the situation and that Finns left stranded and unable to get help from their tour guides should contact their nearest Finnish diplomatic mission, or if there is no Finnish embassy or consulate nearby then a Nordic or EU post.

"Nothing was said at check-in" — Finns left stranded by Thomas Cook bankruptcy


Summary: Thomas Cook goes under, elderly patients use far more oxycodone than before and a law-based minimum wage proposition is coolly met.

Every Finnish newspaper this Monday carried the story of  tour operator Thomas Cook's insolvency , which has lead to hundreds of thousands of travellers being stranded at international destinations as outgoing flights have been grounded.
 Helsingin Sanomat  reports that Nordic travel agent Tjäreborg has some 525 travellers waiting in vain for their trips. The company said that Thomas Cook Airlines Scandinavia, the liquidated group's own carrier, would not be operating any of its flights on Monday.
 HS wrote early the same morning that passengers were notified only minutes before a scheduled Tjäreborg flight to Larnaca, Cyprus was cancelled.
 Ilta-Sanomat also went big on the story, including a  live stream from an airport in Mallorca , while Iltalehti and others sent reporters to  interview  some of the disappointed holidaymakers at Helsinki Airport.
 HS wrote that travellers stuck abroad who have paid for return trips in advance should contact a travel guide, the Finnish consulate or the  Finnish Competition and Consumer Authority , which is charged with organising return trips in cases of tour operator insolvency.
 Spike in opioid use among elderly patients
 Meanwhile  tabloid Ilta-Sanomat runs an article  on the worries of health care professionals, who are saying that the deadly crisis in opioid over-prescription and abuse that began in the United States may be spreading to Finland. In 2017 more than 473,000 patients in Finland received opioid-based treatment.
 Recent figures cited by IS from investigative magazine  Long Play  show that over 2008-2018, doctors prescribed the opium-based pain killer oxycodone to some 92,000 patients aged 75 and over. The figure has quadrupled in one decade, IS wrote, and the use of all opioid medications including less potent products such as codeine is on an upward trend.
 Kaarlo Simojoki , medical director for the A-Clinic  substance abuse service provider , said in the tabloid that while Finland may not see the same dire crisis as in the US, the situation may well worsen here as well.
 "One reason for the prevalence of opioids in Finland is that pension-age patients may have been prescribed a certain opioid medication correctly in the past, but the treatment has not been discontinued after the critical need subsided. This can happen to adult patients of all ages, even in occupational health services," Simojoki said.
 Professor of sociopharmacology  Marja Airaksinen  from the University of Helsinki said the root of the problem is systemic.
 "We can avert the kind of fate that the United States has seen by regularly inspecting each and every patient's pharmaceutical needs. Doctors may easily prescribe new medications on top of existing ones, without checking whether the previous pills are even needed anymore," Airaksinen said in IS.
 Local bargaining over minimum wage
 Meanwhile experts responded on Monday to an interview with chair  Mikael Pentikäinen  of the Federation of Finnish Enterprises. Pentikäinen told news group Lännen Media on Sunday that  Finland should investigate the possibility of including a minimum legal wage limit in the law . Professionals in business and academics alike have responded with scepticism.
 "A legal minimum wage would become a political game piece, and the law is too stiff a moderator for wage policy," said chair  Jarkko Eloranta  from the Central Organisation of Finnish Trade Unions (SAK) in  daily Turun Sanomat . "The minimum could easily become the maximum in some places, making upward mobility impossible."
 Pentikäinen said on Sunday that law-based minimum wages would only benefit those employees who work outside of collective bargaining agreements, which TS wrote means about 200,000 people. However, the SAK and the Finnish Confederation of Salaried Employees (STTK) said Finland's Employment Contracts Act guarantees "reasonable and regular" pay for people outside of contracts.
 "Really low wages are usually due to some situation where the employer has broken the law," said STTK's  Katarina Murto .
 Experts interviewed for the TS article concur that a minimum wage system is best for countries without a tradition of collective bargaining. Finland has traditionally agreed sector-based pay deals at a national level through employers' and employees' representatives.

Monday's papers: Thomas Cook bankruptcy, elder opioid prescriptions, minimum wage weighed


Summary: The Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare said young students want cheaper birth control.

According to the  School Health Promotion study  by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), about 20 percent of teens had not used any form of contraception in their most recent sexual encounter. Boys are more likely than girls to forgo birth control during intercourse.
 "That's far too many children, the news is alarming," youth sexuality professional  Maria Nikunlaakso  from the  Family Federation of Finland  said. "But I'm not entirely surprised."
 The Family Federation launched a  contraceptive awareness campaign called Kumita  in early September. Their survey shows results similar to the THL's findings: one in three teens in the eighth grade of Finland's comprehensive school system said they do not use condoms at all during sexual intercourse.
 Nikunlaakso said that many reasons, including shame, can affect a young person's motivation to properly use and understand birth control.
 "Lack of information is a big part of it, and it means that the education system has failed many children. If a condom has not been acquired in advance, contraception is easy to forget. Other teens may feel that their body does not have worth," Nikunlaakso said.
 AOP
 Sexual education should be improved and increased, she said, and sex should not be a taboo subject in any household.
 Schools and teachers play a crucial role, Nikunlaakso said.
 "Teachers should be prepared to discuss any and all sexual matters that a student comes to them with. The teens get proper information, and it is proven to help them take better care of themselves – and there is no evidence that sex ed makes children start sexually active lives earlier than usual."
 Nikunlaakso said that even though the average age of a teen's first experience of sexual intercourse is around 17 years, many young people assume their peers become active much earlier.
 The Family Federation of Finland launched another campaign on Monday, called  Mun Valinta ("my choice") , this year the theme of which is "my first time", including topics such as sexual anxiety and verbal consent. The federation offers videos, articles, quizzes and opportunities to directly contact sexual health professionals.
 Teens demand condoms be cheap or free
 The THL's School Health Promotion survey found that about 20 percent of 8th and 9th graders said they needed contraception to be cheaper – even more responded they wanted condoms to be free of charge.
 About 50 Finnish municipalities currently offer free contraception, under varying conditions.
 The Family Federation has for years provided schools with condoms to pass along to 8th grade students around the country. Nikunlaakso said that depending on the school, the boxes of jimmies may be distributed to the teens or simply forgotten on a shelf.
 "It's most important that teens at least get their hands on condoms as easily as possible, whether or not they blow them up into balloons."
 Regional dips in HPV vaccinations
 A vaccination against the human papilloma virus (HPV) is available to teenage girls in Finland, but far fewer girls in some regions are getting vaccinated than in others, the THL's vaccination register shows.
 Nationwide about 70 percent of 13-year-old girls have been vaccinated against HPV, a virus which is known to cause cancer of the cervix, penis, anus, head and neck area. In the Ostrobothnian region in Central Finland, the proportion of girls vaccinated is just 57 percent.
 Swedish-speaking regions of Pohjanmaa were found to have the most antipathies toward vaccinations. In the health district of Pietarsaari, only 44 percent of 13-year-old girls had gotten the HPV shot.
 Infectious disease specialist  Kimmo Kuisma  from the Malmi hospital in Pietarsaari said that old taboos about sex still live on.
 "Some of the older people here find the subject to be delicate and emotional, because it has to do with sexual health. I'm not surprised, as there is always some pushback to new vaccines. Time and proper education will win out," Kuisma said.
 The HPV vaccine was introduced into the national vaccination programme in 2013. The shot is administered to girls aged 11-12.
 The Ministry of Finance included the proposal in its budget that young boys also be vaccinated against HPV starting in autumn 2020. Parliament will decide on the new budget in December.
 The HPV vaccine is administered as a series of three injections. Starting this autumn the shots will be given to children in the 5th grade, while previously 6th graders were the youngest to receive immunity.

THL: One fifth of teens ignore contraception, HPV vaccines down


Summary: The bankrupt company was one of Lapland's top tour operators.

The  sudden bankruptcy and liquidation of tour operator Thomas Cook  will have an impact on businesses in Finnish Lapland, according to tourism agency Visit Lapland.
 Thomas Cook offered mainly British travellers the chance to visit Santa Claus, ski and experience the wonder of Finland's far north.
 Industry insiders estimate the firm was responsible for around 30,000 overnight stays in Finnish Lapland.
 "In 2018 British visitors logged about 286,000 spent nights, most of them in the winter and Christmas season," said Visit Rovaniemi CEO  Sanna Kärkkäinen . "It's hard to throw out raw estimates, but let's say about 10 percent of them came in through trips provided by Thomas Cook."
 While Finnish hospitality specialists were aware of the British parent company's financial troubles, the speed of the insolvency took them by surprise.
 "We didn't know it would happen so quickly," said Kärkkäinen. "We thought they would get more funding to fix themselves, being such a massively influential company in European travel."
 Hard times or chance to grow?
 All of Lapland's hotels and other travel operators collectively reported some 1.5 million nights spent in the far north by foreign tourists, with British visitors making up about a fifth of that figure.
 The hospitality and travel sectors in the far north are already facing the looming threat of Brexit.
 "We will see what happens. Brexit and other factors will likely affect how British tourists travel. It's an odd, open situation. Brits are a big factor in the winter," Kärkkäinen said.
 Visit Rovaniemi's statistics show that the proportions of different nationalities in travel to Lapland have levelled out in recent years. Asian and French tourists have risen to challenge the UK's top spot.
 Kärkkäinen said she believes the Thomas Cook bankruptcy will provide new travel industry hopefuls a chance to enter the market, while more established agencies could increase their business.
 "There will probably be a boom to organise trips here, Lapland is very attractive. After big failures like this one, business often reorients itself, and the sector can be shared by many operators."

Thomas Cook collapse to hit Lapland tourism


Summary: As a climate summit begins in New York, Finland's economic affairs minister says industry must join the climate battle.

On Monday Finnish President Sauli Niinistö is to speak at the Climate Action Summit in New York, hosted by UN Secretary-General António Guterres. According to a statement "the summit aims to boost ambition and accelerate actions to implement the Paris Agreement on Climate Change".
 Guterres has stressed that the event must generate realistic plans rather than simply well-meaning speeches. Leaders of 60 countries will address the conference. Those noticeably absent will include the leaders of the US, Australia and Brazil.
 Story continues after photo
 Petteri Taalas, Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organisation Nina Svahn
 Petteri Taalas , Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), helped to screen the participants.
 "Only countries with concrete proposals in their pockets will be allowed to speak at the conference. I led the Scientific Working Group that evaluated the measures and selected the best ones," Taalas told Yle in New York.
 Taalas has led the UN organisation since 2016 after as serving as Director General of the Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI) beginning in 2002. On Monday the WMO predicted that the global average temperature will rise to at least 1.2-1.3 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels over the next five years.
 Kulmuni: Industry has biggest potential to reduce emissions
 In Helsinki, the Finnish government on Monday called on industry to commit to its ambitious carbon emissions goal. the cabinet, which took office just over three months ago, says it wants Finland to be carbon neutral by the year 2035. In other words, the country is to stop contributing to the carbon in the atmosphere within just over a decade and a half.
 Story continues after photo
 Minister of Economic Affairs Katri Kulmuni Pekka Tynell / Yle
 Minister of Economic Affairs  Katri Kulmuni  said heavy industry must join the effort whole-heartedly.
 "It is absolutely crucial that our industries and business community join this path because of course the biggest potential to reduce emissions is on the industrial side. Naturally we also need emissions reductions in transport, agriculture and construction," she said at a seminar in Helsinki on Monday.
 At the event, leaders of the tech, chemical, forest products and energy industries launched a 'roadmap for a low-carbon future'.
 "Industry has joined this effort in a very positive way because they see the export potential of it as well. If Finland succeeds in being the first to make the shift away from fossil fuels on the industrial scale, that would of course be of tremendous interest around the world," Kulmuni said.
 Tech industries hail "ambitious timetable"
 So can Finnish industries commit to the political target of a carbon-neutral Finland by 2035?
 Story continues after photo
 Marjo Miettinen, chair of Technology Industries of Finland  Laura Railamaa / Yle
 Marjo Miettinen , chair of the Technology Industries of Finland federation, said the timetable is ambitious.
 "It is more realistic for some companies than for others. But strategies are generally made for ambitious goals and I think that's good. Now it's easier for us to begin to grapple with this within companies, since there is a deadline."
 In the same breath, Miettinen warned of the risks of climate policy decisions.
 "We shouldn't make overly large decisions without understanding where they may lead. If some forms of business come to a halt because of this, then that naturally has a big impact on all of society," she said.
 Besides her chairing the tech industry association, Miettinen is also board chair of the electricity solutions company Ensto. As she sees it, the business opportunities linked to combating climate change are nearly unlimited.
 "Now it's mostly a question of evaluating the opportunities and deciding what part of the world to try to conquer and which which range of products. There certainly are opportunities."

Niinistö to address UN Climate Summit, government urges industry to commit to 2035 carbon target