Summary: Finance Minister Annika Saarikko said she was not the right person to judge whether or not Marin's behaviour was disappointing.

Prime Minister  Sanna Marin  (SDP) appears to have disregarded her own government's guidelines regarding suspected coronavirus exposure incidents.
 The guidelines, which were updated less than two weeks ago, recommend that ministers avoid contact with others as soon as they become aware of having been exposed to an infected individual. They state that fully-vaccinated people are not normally ordered into quarantine in such cases, but are instructed to avoid contact with others on a voluntary basis.
 Marin has been at the centre of a media storm after reports emerged that she had been clubbing with friends in Helsinki on Saturday night and missed two messages cautioning her against close contacts with others.
 The Prime Minister had been in a meeting with Foreign Minister  Pekka Haavisto  (Green) on Friday, a day before Haavisto tested positive for the virus on Saturday.
 One of two complaints about the matter  filed with the Chancellor of Justice  relates to the fact that Marin did not have her official government phone with her in the nightclub, and therefore missed the SMS messages sent by the government's Chief of Security advising cabinet members to self-isolate if they had been in the meeting with Haavisto.
 Saarikko: Not a political matter
 A member of Marin's coalition government, Finance Minister  Annika Saarikko  (Cen), told reporters on Tuesday that she was not the right person to judge whether or not Marin's behaviour was disappointing.
 Saarikko said that she received two messages about Haavisto's coronavirus infection on Saturday, after spending part of the day at the party's virtual regional election kickoff meeting.
 "I contacted the security chief to make sure that I understood [the communication] correctly," she explained, saying that — following advice from the head of security — she put herself in voluntary quarantine and cancelled plans for the following day as well as Monday.
 Saarikko said that she only has a single government phone to which all information arrives and that she always carries with her.
 She was scheduled to travel to Brussels for an EU Finance Ministers' meeting on Monday. Instead, Secretary of State,  Maria Kaisa Aula  went in her place.
 "In both messages sent to ministers on Saturday at 8pm and 10pm, a recommendation was made to avoid contacts for the time being," Saarikko explained.
 Saarikko also said that the actions of individual ministers in the situation was not a matter of party politics, but at the discretion of each individual.
 Opposition critical
 Opposition members criticised Marin's actions over the weekend. MP  Arja Juvonen  (Finns) said Marin made a mistake going out for the night and leaving the phone at home, characterising the PM's actions as indifferent and careless.
 Christian Democrats chair and MP  Sari Essayah  said she was disappointed in Marin's discretion, adding that extreme caution should be exercised amid an epidemic and an exposure incident is known.
 Essayah said that Marin violated the ministry's policy, at least when she left her phone behind.
 National Coalition Party MP  Sari Sarkomaa  said she would have liked the PM to have considered her actions more carefully, adding that she thinks it is important for people in positions of authority to strictly follow guidelines, but did not want to evaluate the matter further.
 Meanwhile, reaction from Marin's own Social Democratic Party was supportive. The SDP's parliamentary group chair,  Antti Lindtman , said "She has the full support of the group behind her."
 Newspaper Iltalehti was the first to report about the rules versus the PM's actions.

Minister on PM's night out, missed Covid exposure message: "It's not political"


Summary: Five men were remanded in custody last week on suspicion of planning a terror attack, the first time ever such charges have been made against a far right group in Finnish history.

Finland's largest circulation daily Helsingin Sanomat  describes  how a routine drug investigation led to a historic terrorism case with the arrest of the so-called "Kankaanpää Group".
 The five men — aged between 23 and 26 — were  remanded into custody  last Friday on suspicion of making preparations for a terror attack, the first time ever such charges have been made against a far right group in Finnish legal history.
 "It just shows how sharp criminal investigators need to be. Questions can lead to other questions, that then lead on to other things," Lead Investigator  Toni Sjöblom  told HS.
 The suspects are all from in or around the small town in southwest Finland and formed a faction based around a "radical far-right ideology", according to HS, and they now face charges including aggravated firearms and explosives offences for terrorist purposes as well as committing an offence with terrorist intent.
 In a separate op-ed, HS  writes  that the Kankaanpää case is exceptional but "not surprising" as intelligence services in Finland have been  warning for many years  about the growth of the far right.
 "The rise of the extreme right is a harsh tale of this nation's spiritual condition," HS writes. "There is now a breeding ground for racism and nationalism."
 Rising Covid cases in schools
 Tampere-based Aamulehti  asks  when remote learning and quarantine measures will return to the city's schools as Covid infections are increasingly being detected in children under the age of 12.
 The coronavirus situation in the region of Pirkanmaa, where Tampere is located, is currently at its worst level since the pandemic began, with daily case numbers  hitting an all-time record high  for the region on Tuesday.
 Many parents in the city will have received notifications of possible exposures in their child's classroom via the school messaging service Wilma, but AL notes how it is "especially surprising" that classroom teaching continues even if several confirmed infections have been detected within a single class group.
 Mari Kyllönen , Chief Education Inspector at the regional authority Avi, tells Aamulehti that the decision whether to switch an individual class or an entire school to remote learning is decided by the local municipal authority — and such decisions vary depending on the municipality.
 "While in one municipality it might be considered that children who have sat next to each other or spent time during the school day are quarantined, in another municipality the quarantine order may extend to children who have not used a mask," Kyllönen explained.
 The city's epidemiologist,  Sirpa Räsänen , tells AL the city's authorities try to avoid quarantining children or switching entire classes to remote learning, even though infection rates in primary schools have risen significantly.
 "The epidemic is now everywhere and primary schools don’t show up as places of particular risk despite the high rates of infection. It must also be remembered that children, almost without exception, often suffer from a very mild or asymptomatic disease," Räsänen said.
 Dreaming of a White Christmas?
 One of tabloid Iltalehti's most-read stories on Wednesday morning  warns  of good news and bad news for snow lovers.
 The recent cold snap is expected to ease over Wednesday and into Thursday, IL writes, with heavy snow showers forecast to take its place.
 In fact, up to 10 cm of snow is expected to fall around the capital region over the weekend,  Ilkka Alanko  of the Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI) tells the tabloid.
 But those dreaming of a white Christmas, especially in southern areas, may need to brace themselves: FMI predicts that temperatures will rise to an unseasonable high of 5 degrees Celsius on 17 December and a warm pressure front will keep temperatures warm and snow off the ground for Christmas week.

Wednesday's papers: Far right terror plot, Covid among kids and an approaching snow storm


Summary: 'Compartment No. 6' and 'The Gravedigger's Wife' are on the longlist of 90 films for the Best International Feature Film category.

Two Finnish productions are vying for the 2022 Academy Award for Best International Feature Film.
 Finland's Oscars jury  selected   Compartment No. 6 , directed by  Juho Kuosmanen , as the country's candidate for the category in October and the U.S.-based Motion Picture Academy has accepted the film  The Gravedigger's Wife  (known in Finnish as  Guled & Nasra ) as the Somali nominee for the award.
 The Gravedigger's Wife  was directed by  Khadar Ayderus Ahmed  in a co-production involving companies from France, Somalia, Germany and Helsinki-based production company Bufo.
 Ahmed's directorial feature debut was filmed in Djibouti — which was previously part of Somalia — in 2019 but its release was delayed by the Covid pandemic. There were initial doubts about whether  The Gravedigger's Wife  could be defined as a Somali film but the jury eventually accepted the nomination, making it Somalia's first entry in the best international film category.
 The film premiered at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival, where it became part of the International Critics' Week program and has also won awards from the African Film Academy and at the Toronto Film Festival.
 The Academy's longlist of 90 films will be shortened to 15 films on 21 December, and the actual nominations will be announced in February.
 The 2022 Academy Awards, popularly known as the Oscars, will be held on 27 March.

Two Finnish-produced movies chase Oscar dream


Summary: A spike in students seeking help during distance learning periods has calmed, but schools in Helsinki still struggle to provide psychological services to kids within legal time limits.

As the Covid crisis prompted schools in the greater Helsinki area to conduct classes remotely, there was a major spike in students reaching out to school psychologists.
 Amid the distance learning rules and other restrictions, there was a 20 percent jump in students seeking appointments with school psychologists, which meant hundreds more than usual, according to  Vesa Nevalainen , the city's student welfare manager.
 "The [students'] topic of discussions weren't directly related to Covid, but to the frustration and anxiety caused by the restrictions," he explained.
 Now that distance learning is a relatively distant memory, the situation has calmed. Nevalainen noted that the reintroduction of classroom teaching has levelled off the strain felt by school psychologists, saying they had returned to pre-Covid levels.
 He noted that the spike in students seeking help from psychologists as restrictions were at their highest was a sign that distance learning is not good, saying that schools are more than simply buildings in which to learn. Nevalainen added that students also appear to be able to recover quickly from unexpected situations.
 Nevertheless, the student welfare manager also said that the city's children and young people suffered greatly during the restrictions and distance learning as they were cut off from interactions at school, weren't allowed to sing and were banned from taking part in hobbies.
 Similar development in Espoo
 The need for school psychologists also shrank when students and pupils returned to schools in the City of Espoo.
 The city's student care chief,  Terhi Pippuri , said that the need for school psychologists had stabilised to pre-crisis levels, adding that the important role schools play in the lives of children became even clearer during the distance learning period.
 "School is more than just a place to learn, it enables everyday encounters and is a prerequisite for well-being," she said.
 Espoo children have also been able to engage in more everyday activities than they could last year, with Pippuri saying that the development has played a role in improving the well-being of youngsters.
 Need for school psychologists remains
 Although the pressure on school psychologists in Helsinki and Espoo has lightened, students still need help from them.
 Helsinki's welfare manager Nevalainen said that young people's problems have not disappeared however.
 One problem is that the city's school psychologists are still unable to meet all of the demand within periods required by law, despite the fact that Helsinki has hired one dozen such counsellors over the past five years.
 Some children in Espoo are still dealing with anxiety and mental health challenges, according to Pippuri.
 The lowering of Covid-related restrictions and re-introduction of classroom teaching has slightly improved the well-being of children. Nevalainen said that was an indication that school staff members are the only adults which many young people dare to talk to about their problems — along with their friends.
 "Generally, we know that children enjoy school. This is a good reminder that humans are social creatures," Nevalainen said.

Helsinki kids face delays in getting help from school psychologists


Summary: Traditionally agreements in the exporting sectors signal the level of pay rises to be expected in the rest of the economy.

The Paperworkers' Union and the forestry firm Metsä have announced a deal has been reached on a company-specific collective agreement.
 Union chair  Petri Vanhala  wrote in a press release that he was satisfied with both "the spirit and the outcome" of the talks.
 "Negotiations between the Paperworkers' Union and Metsä Group lasted quite a long time, yet they were conducted in a constructive spirit throughout each stage. It will be good to continue cooperating in this way in the future," Vanhala said.
 The terms of the deal are still to be ratified by the boards of both the union and the company.
 The current industry-wide collective agreement for the paper sector expires at the end of this year, and new agreements are currently being hammered out on a company-by-company basis for the first time.
 Traditionally the exporting sectors signal the level of pay rises to be expected in the rest of the economy.
 The Paperworkers' Union has already reached an agreement with Stora Enso, a deal which will be valid from the beginning of January until the end of April 2024.
 However, negotiations between the union and UPM have stalled as the union wants to reach a company-specific agreement while the company is looking to negotiate on a business-specific level.
 UPM has five business areas in which the union is a contractual partner. Talks are expected to continue on Sunday.

Paper union, Metsä reach collective agreement deal


Summary: The official visit maintains the Nordic neighbours' tradition that the Prime Ministers of Finland and Sweden meet each other soon after taking office.

Sweden's newly appointed Prime Minister  Magdalena Andersson  is visiting Finland on Wednesday at the invitation of Prime Minister  Sanna Marin  (SDP).
 The official visit marks Andersson's first trip abroad as prime minister, and maintains the tradition that the premiers of Finland and Sweden meet each other soon after taking office. Marin's first trip abroad as Finland's PM was also to Sweden.
 Welcoming her counterpart to Helsinki at a press conference on Wednesday morning, Marin outlined the importance of Finnish-Swedish bilateral relations.
 "Our cooperation is natural and based on common values: democracy, openness, rule of law and the welfare state. I am looking forward to our continued close cooperation," Marin said, adding that combating climate change and challenges facing the forestry industry are also common priorities for the Nordic neighbours.
 Echoing Marin's comments, Andersson said it was important for her to make Helsinki her first destination as Prime Minister because of the "profound and long relationship" between Finland and Sweden.
 "This relationship is important for many different aspects: our security, our defence capability and our crisis preparedness," Andersson said. "I appreciate our close cooperation on security and defence, and I hope this can be developed further even in the coming years."
 Both PMs also responded to a press question about NATO membership, asked in light of Russian President  Vladimir Putin 's demand that the military alliance should no longer seek to expand east.
 "If Finland ever considered joining NATO, the decision would be ours alone," Marin said.
 Sweden, like Finland, is not a NATO member but retains close diplomatic ties with the alliance.
 "NATO membership is not on the table now," Andersson replied.
 During her visit, Andersson will also meet with Finland's President  Sauli Niinistö .
 Andersson leads minority government
 Social Democratic Party leader Magdalena Andersson became Sweden's 34th — and first female — Prime Minister two weeks ago.
 Story continues after photo.
 Andersson became Sweden's first female PM in November. Adam Ihse / AFP
 Her first term in office was short lived however, lasting just seven hours, with Reuters reporting that she  tendered her resignation  after a junior coalition partner left the government over a lost budget vote.
 She was nevertheless re-elected last week to lead a minority government in Sweden's Riksdagen Parliament.
 Andersson previously served as Minister of Finance in former PM  Stefan Löfven 's government, and was elected to succeed Löfven as leader of the Social Democrats in early November.

Sweden's first female Prime Minister visits Finland


Summary: Authorities in southern Finland receive about 20 complaints per week about inconsistencies at restaurants and event venues.

Covid passes at events and establishments across southern Finland are being checked inconsistently, according to the Regional State Administrative Agency (Avi).
 The agency said it receives complaints and notifications, mostly from restaurant customers, that venues, eateries and bars are checking Covid passes very differently, with the documents being checked too closely or inadequately.
 Nearly all of the region's 15 field inspectors receive a couple of such complaints every day, with a total of around 20 complaints being filed each week, according to Avi's senior inspector in southern Finland,  Pirkko Lamminpää .
 "They get emails every day. People are asked for too much detailed personal information, while other places don't ask for the documents. Some complain about violations of their fundamental rights and others point out lax monitoring," Lamminpää explained.
 At establishments where alcohol is served in areas that require use of the documents, the QR codes on customers' Covid passes — as well as their photo IDs — are checked as they arrive.
 By displaying a Covid pass, a customer proves full vaccination coverage, a recent negative test result, or recovery from the disease within the required time limit.
 "The customer must not be asked for any health information or anything else," Lamminpää noted.
 Establishments face closure if rules not followed
 Starting at the end of November, the use of Covid passes at venues and restaurants serving alcohol became mandatory after 5pm.
 If a complaint is filed about a particular establishment, Avi will contact the business owner. While the agency's inspectors do not have the authority to ask customers for Covid passes, they can oblige restaurant operators to do so.
 If an establishment chooses not to use Covid passes, it must close down by 6pm, with a final drinks call before 5pm. If local regulations are not followed, establishments can be temporarily shut down on the authority of Avi and police, with decisions on such suspensions having immediate effect.
 Riku-Matti Lehikoinen , the head of Avi's Alcohol Management Unit, said there are constant murmurs about restaurants not correctly checking the passes, including allegations that some establishments were allowing customers to enter without the documents if they pay a fee.
 However, Leihikoinen noted that the agency has not uncovered such a scheme to date, adding that no restaurant or bar has been required to shut down due to use of Covid passes.
 "Restaurateurs have cooperated well with us," Leihikoinen said.

Avi receives "daily complaints" about incorrect Covid pass checks


Summary: The bus driver was sentenced to prison last year for his involvement in the 2018 crash that claimed the lives of four people and injured 22 others.

The Eastern Finland Court of Appeal has upheld the verdict and sentence handed by North Savo District Court in the case of a 2018 bus crash in Kuopio, eastern Finland that claimed four lives and injured 22 others.
 Nearly one year ago the district court  sentenced the bus driver  to a year and 10 months in prison after finding him guilty of four counts of aggravated involuntary manslaughter, 13 counts of aggravated bodily injury as well as aggravated endangerment of traffic safety.
 The 69-year-old driver appealed the district court's verdict, arguing that he should be convicted on non-aggravated charges and the prison term reduced to a suspended sentence.
 Driver was "erratic and reckless"
 The accident occurred in  August 2018,  when the chartered bus struck five cars on a motorway ramp before falling off a bridge onto a railway track.
 Story continues after the photo.
 The chartered bus struck five cars on a motorway ramp before falling off a bridge onto a railway track. Matti Myller / Yle
 The district court ruled that the driver had neglected a number of crucial responsibilities of road traffic and heard from witnesses that, before the crash, passengers on the bus had expressed concern to him that he was driving erratically and recklessly.
 He was driving well over the speed limit at the time of the accident and at one point was driving with the bus doors open.
 The court also ordered the driver to pay damages to the victims and their families, as well as legal costs, totalling about 100,000 euros.

Appeal Court upholds Kuopio bus crash verdict


Summary: The Port of Hamina-Kotka will convert wastewater to fuel that can be used in trucks.

Southern Finland's port of Hamina-Kotka has started the process of transforming the waste discharged from freighters into biogas that can be used as fuel for trucks.
 The port, which is located in Kymenlaakso along the Gulf of Finland, is one of the country's busiest seaports, receiving an average of 2,500 freighters a year.
 The wastewater management project was sparked by the Baltic Sea Action Group, a Finland-based NGO working towards restoring the ecological balance of the Baltic, one of the most polluted seas in the world.
 It is part of the group's Responsible Shipping project, which seeks to reduce nutrient pollution from maritime traffic. Nutrient pollution refers to contamination caused by excessive discharge of nutrients which occurs, for instance, when ships dump sewage into the sea.
 "We want to encourage ships to discharge their wastewater at the port. Our sewage reception and treatment facilities meet the requirements of the circular economy,"  Suvi-Tuuli Lappalainen , Development Manager at the Port of Hamina-Kotka, stated in a press release.
 "We can achieve our objective of a cleaner Baltic Sea, one ship, one port and one country at a time. The nutrient load on the sea decreases every time wastewater is discharged at the port. We need extensive cooperation to succeed in our mission,"  Elisa Mikkolainen , Project Director at BSAG, said.
 Several shipping companies on board
 The project currently involves various companies and organisations, with Kotka-based water supply and management company Kymen Vesi treating the wastewater discharged from freighters at the port.
 The firm also takes samples of the wastewater to obtain data on nutrient concentrations.
 The treated wastewater is then processed and transformed into renewable energy at state-owned energy company Gasum's biogas plant.
 Finnish shipping companies participating in the project include Meriaura and RABN. Germany-based Essberger, Norwegian water transportation company Utkilen and Danish shipping giant Maersk are among the foreign companies that have agreed to offload wastewater from their freighters for treatment.
 "We believe that responsibility begins where legislation ends. We want to be pioneers in preventing all emissions from ships. We hope that other shipping companies will voluntarily take measures to ensure that wastewater is recovered sustainably instead of dumped into the Baltic Sea," said  Mia Hytti , Meriaura's Sustainability Specialist.
 C&C Port Agency, Dahlberg’s Agency and GAC Finland are among the shipping agencies involved in the project, while Autoyhtymä Vuorinen is responsible for transporting the wastewater.
 Wastewater recycling still optional
 Passenger ships have been voluntarily unloading sewage at seaports for several years now. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) issued a ban on untreated sewage discharge from passenger ships which came into force this year.
 However, current laws allow freighters to discharge sewage directly into the sea. This can accelerate eutrophication, that is, an increase in nutrients resulting in the growth of harmful algae, as well as oxygen depletion in the Baltic Sea.
 "All discharge into the sea is unnecessary. This is why waste from ships should be discharged at the port and recovered. These new voluntary measures will lead the way for responsible operators both on land and at sea," representatives from the Baltic Action Sea Group said in the statement.

Major Finnish port converting freighter wastewater into biogas


Summary: The Prime Minister said she had not been informed about updated guidelines that recommend ministers avoid social interactions after being exposed to the virus

Prime Minister  Sanna Marin  (SDP)hasapologised for her failure to comply with updated government regulations pertaining to the Covid-19 virus during a night out on Saturday.
 "I should have used my own judgement and stayed away from people as a precaution," said Marin.
 Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Marin revealed that she had not been apprised of the new guidelines, which recommend that ministers self-isolate immediately after being informed that they have been exposed to the virus.
 The instructions were updated by the Prime Minister's Office around two weeks ago.
 Marin has been at the centre of a  media storm  after reports emerged that she had been clubbing with friends in central Helsinki on Saturday night and missed two messages cautioning her against close contact with others.
 The Prime Minister had met Foreign Minister  Pekka Haavisto  (Green) on Friday, a day before Haavisto tested positive for the virus.
 At Wednesday's press conference, Marin reiterated that she was acting according to information and instructions provided by State Secretary  Henrik Haapajärvi .
 Haapajärvi conveyed the news about Haavisto's infection on Saturday evening via a phone call on Marin's parliamentary phone.
 According to the Prime Minister, the State Secretary did not advise that she avoid close contact with others and said there was no need to take any special precautions.
 Marin said she did not question the instructions as they were in line with the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare's (THL) current recommendations for double vaccinated people who have been exposed to the virus.
 While the government's Chief Security Officer sent Marin text messages with updated instructions later that night, the messages were sent to her government phone, which she reportedly did not have at the time.
 Marin admitted that there was a failure in communication due to the lack of adequate information. "We must ensure that this does not happen again in the future," she said.
 The Prime Minister also apologised for her own actions. "I should have used better judgement and verified the instructions again. I apologise for my own behaviour and actions. I have not conducted myself in the best way," she stated.
 According to Marin, guidelines for those who have been exposed to the Covid-19 virus will be reviewed on Wednesday afternoon with the aim of integrating the recommendations of the government and the parliament.

PM Marin "sorry" for night out, cites comms failure


Summary: Morning papers report that Prime Minister Sanna Marin was not the only government member who didn't isolate after a potential coronavirus exposure.

According to the Helsinki daily  Helsingin Sanomat , Minister of Economic Affairs  Mika Lintilä  (Cen) attended a floorball match between Finland and Latvia on Sunday afternoon, even though he had received information on Saturday about a possible exposure to the coronavirus.
 Lintilä had participated in a meeting on Friday, also attended by Foreign Minister  Pekka Haavisto  (Green) who  tested positive for the virus  the next day.
 In an interview with Helsingin Sanomat, Lintilä said that he did not believe he was exposed to the coronavirus, explaining that be had sat at a distance from Haavisto, masks were worn during the gathering, and that he did a home test before going to the match.
 Meanwhile, tabloid  Ilta-Sanomat reports  that Defence Minister  Antti Kaikkonen  (Cen), who also attended the same meeting with Haavisto, attended a dinner on Sunday marking the 75th anniversary of the Centre Party's youth wing.
 Kaikkonen stated in an interview with Ilta-Sanomat that he did not believe he had been exposed.
 "I was in the same room as Foreign Minister Haavisto at the cabinet session on Friday. The meeting was short, about 15 minutes. We were not in close contact. We sat across the room. All participants wore a mask," Kaikkonen told the paper, adding that he also took a test that gave a negative result before attending the dinner.
 Hanna Markkanen , chair of the Centre Party youth organisation, told Ilta-Sanomat that Minister of Science and Culture  Antti Kurvinen  (Cen) and Minister of Finance  Annika Saarikko  (Cen) cancelled plans to attend the event after being informed of the possible exposure.
 Special treatment for politicians?
 In  bylined commentary  in Thursday's Iltalehti, political affairs reporter  Kreeta Karvala  notes that communication problems are often used as a scapegoat in various crises, as has been the case this week concerning the  media storm  surrounding Prime Minister  Sanna Marin 's night on the town.
 However, communication problems often indicate that an organisation’s policies and guidelines are not in place, Karvala says.
 "If the public has had difficulty figuring out coronavirus guidelines, the same has been true for politicians," she writes, pointing out that while guidelines for MPs and for cabinet ministers are based on the same instructions from THL, they are tailored differently.
 "One would think that common sense would dictate that the health of a foreign minister who makes an average of two trips a week abroad would be of special concern. But 63-year-old Haavisto has still not received a third dose of the vaccine, because it is just slightly less than six months since his second dose," Karvala continues.
 She suggests that, at this point, it would be worthwhile to update practices so that the politicians who decide on national affairs and travel abroad for work could receive special treatment to keep them healthy and functioning.
 Hard road for Finns Party
 The farmer union's paper  Maaseudun Tulevaisuus  writes that the opposition Finns Party still has a lot of work to do to achieve its goal of being the biggest winner in  January's county council elections .
 In last spring's municipal elections, the party came in fourth place. The paper points out that Finns Party supporters are generally not very active voters, and according to preliminary estimates, the turnout in these new regional assembly elections is expected to be very low, around 40 percent.
 In an interview with Maaseudun Tulevaisuus, Finns Party chair  Riikka Purra  criticised the current government for "rushing ahead" of the rest of Europe in climate action. According to her party, Finland should keep pace with other EU countries and aim for carbon neutrality in 2050, rather than Finland's goal of 2035.
 "Prime Minister Sanna Marin repeatedly says that Finland will gain an advantage as a pioneer and that [Finnish] companies are securing a foothold in the market. However, there is no evidence of this. There is simply no concrete evidence," Purra said.
 "The desire to be number one in climate action is mainly about egotistical posturing," she argues.
 Airport referendum rejected
 The Swedish-language daily  Hufvudstadsbladet  writes that the closure of Helsinki's Malmi Airport and the plan to fill the area with housing is an issue that haunts local politicians time and time again, and was the subject of yet another heated city council debate on Wednesday evening.
 Many Helsinki residents are unhappy about the closure of the airport and oppose the planned construction of housing for tens of thousands of new residents.
 Almost 27,000 people have signed a local citizen's initiative that was submitted at the end of the summer calling for an advisory referendum.
 A vote which rejected the referendum proposal saw a split within most of the parties represented on the council, with the Greens being the only party unanimously rejecting it.
 The main argument against a referendum is that the issue has been dealt with and plans approved numerous times in the council since 2012.

Thursday's papers: Ministers ignored exposure warning, better guidelines needed, another no to saving Malmi Airport


Summary: Tytti Yli-Viikari was dismissed from her role as head of Finland's Audit Office by Parliament in June.

A prosecutor has called for suspended prison sentences to be handed down to two former senior officials at the National Audit Office (VTV) as trial proceedings began at Helsinki District Court on Wednesday.
 Former Auditor General  Tytti Yli-Viikari  and her former colleague  Mikko Koiranen  face charges of aggravated misconduct in a public office and malfeasance in a public office. Both defendants have denied the charges.
 The case relates to an employment contract that allowed a VTV official to receive a salary for two years without doing any work.
 According to lead prosecutor  Mari Mattila , the official was employed as a Chief Inspector from June 2016 until the end of July 2018 on terms that did not require the individual to do any work.
 "If there is equality in the organisation, and all the inspectors are on the same level, then I don't know how that can be true if one employee is paid for not doing anything at all for two years," Mattila told the court, adding that a total of about 67,000 euros was paid to the official over the course of the two-year contract.
 The official in question had been served with a warning about failing to perform their duties in November 2015, and an occupational health consultation followed a month later, during which options such as sick leave or a reduction of job responsibilities were discussed.
 However, according to the prosecutor, Yli-Viikari and Koiranen became impatient with the pace of the process and in April or May 2016, at Yli-Viikari's request, Koiranen began preparing the two-year contract as an alternative to ending the official's career.
 "Apparently Koiranen and Yli-Viikari lost their patience as handling the case had taken too long," Mattila said, adding that the terms of the contract agreed with the official were not legal.
 Yli-Viikari is also expected to face charges of payment fraud and misconduct in a public office over the suspected misuse of Finnair Plus points.
 The probe into Yli-Viikari's tenure as Finland's top auditor began after media reports in the summer of 2020  suggested that she had spent  about 5,000 euros of public money on hairdressing and beauty services. There were also separate questions over her use of Finnair Plus flight points.
 The subsequent investigation by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) uncovered evidence of the two-year salary payments made by the VTV to the official.
 Parliament  unanimously decided  to dismiss Yli-Viikari from her role as Auditor General in June this year. The decision marked the first time Finland's Parliament has dismissed such a high-ranking civil servant

Sacked Auditor General facing several charges, prosecutor demands suspended sentence


Summary: The proposal includes a new amendment aimed at protecting patients in high-risk groups.

Finland's Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is proposing a temporary amendment to the Communicable Diseases Act which would obligate employees in the social and healthcare sector to get vaccinated against the Covid-19 virus.
 The amendment only applies to those working closely with patients in high-risk groups and would come into effect immediately if it were approved, according to ministry representatives.
 However, it would also include a transitional period of one month for the necessary vaccine arrangements to be made.
 According to ministry representatives, the amendment seeks to prevent social and healthcare staff from exposing patients who are at risk of severe illness to the virus.
 Risk groups include elderly people living in care homes and those with a serious long-term illness.
 The vaccine mandate would apply to all employees in the healthcare sector, such as nurses and doctors, as well as anyone who works closely with at-risk groups, including cleaners and those providing food in nursing homes.
 According to the proposal, employees would have to submit proof that they have been vaccinated against the Covid-19 virus less than six months before their shift starts.
 Workers could refuse to take the vaccine if they have a valid medical reason for the same. In such a case, they would have to provide proof of a negative Covid-19 test result obtained no more than 72 hours before the start of their shift.
 The amendment would also grant employers in the social and healthcare sector the right to acquire information about staff's vaccination status.
 Additionally, it would make the employer responsible for ensuring healthcare workers do not pose a threat to high-risk patients.
 The proposal will be submitted to the parliament for approval. If it gets the green light from lawmakers, the new rules would be valid till the end of 2022.

Health Ministry proposes vaccine mandate for care home workers


Summary: The Finnish Meteorological Institute says that columns of artificial light piercing the sky can often be seen when temperatures drop to -20C or below.

Subzero winter temperatures can produce quite stunning lighting effects.
 As one example, since Tuesday night residents of Lahti have been busy sharing photos of vertical columns of light emanating from street lights all across the city.
 "The phenomenon is reminiscent of the searchlights, which were used to spot planes in the sky during the war," is how  Hannu Valta , a meteorologist at the Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI), describes them.
 Valta added that a similar light phenomenon can be seen during winter frosts at sunset.
 These pillars of light are created when moisture in the air turns directly into ice crystals. According to Valta, the crystals are hexagonal and pillar-like. They can reflect the light of a street lamp as they descend very slowly towards the ground.
 "Seen against the horizon, it looks like a searchlight pointing upwards," he explains.
 The phenomenon requires temperatures of -20 degrees Celsius or colder. The sight is more often seen  in the northern parts of the country  than in southern Finland, where such conditions are less common.

Cold but pretty: Pillars of light decorate the Finnish skyline


Summary: Prime Minister Sanna Marin told Yle that while the situation is worrying in terms of healthcare capacity, there is no need immediate to impose emergency measures.

Prime Minister  Sanna Marin  (SDP) said during an interview on Yle TV1 on Wednesday evening that in the current Covid situation, the adequacy of 80 percent vaccine coverage in Finland had to be reassessed and that restrictions had to be tightened.
 In her view, the situation is particularly worrying from the point of view of healthcare service capacity, and the availability of intensive care beds.
 "We want to make sure that intensive care units are not overloaded to such an extent that people cannot get care," she said.
 According to Marin,  the package of stringent measures  being referred to as an "emergency brake" are not yet required, and efforts are being made to deal with the surge in infections with measures including tighter border entry requirements, bar and restaurant safety rules, and regional restrictions.
 "We listen very carefully to projections from the hospital districts about when the demand on capacity could become unsustainable. We are relying on estimates from the authorities and professionals," Marin added.
 Mandatory vaccination
 The prime minister welcomed a proposal by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health on  the mandatory vaccination of health and social care personnel .
 "It is necessary to ensure, through legislation, that people do this," she pointed out.
 Marin sees the Covid pass as an incentive to vaccination and supports a proposal  to make the pass mandatory in all workplaces .
 She added, however, that this should not be interpreted as a move to divide people into "good and bad citizens".
 "It is important to include different sections of the population in the vaccination programme. It would be good for the government and the health authorities not to disagree or have differing views [on the issue]. Information on the safety of vaccinations must be based on data from health authorities, even if it is the government that decides on vaccination strategy", the prime minister stressed.

PM Marin: No need yet to pull Covid "emergency brake"


Summary: The research study found that while there are no significant differences in skills between girls and boys, the gap between the strongest and the weakest students is growing ever wider.

The average level of mathematics skills among ninth graders in Finnish schools has declined in comparison to 20 years ago, according to a report by the Finnish Education Evaluation Centre.
 While the study found that there were no significant differences in maths skills between girls and boys or between students from urban and rural areas, there was a noticeable — and growing — gap between the strongest and the weakest students.
 Data for the report was compiled via an electronic test completed by about 12,500 ninth grades — usually aged between 14 and 15 years old — from schools across Finland, and measured the students' skills from basic maths to algebra and geometry.
 The results revealed that pupils are now clearly divided into three distinct categories: highly-skilled students at the top, average students in the middle, and very weak students lagging far behind. In the past, the situation in Finland has been much closer to the Gaussian function or "bell curve," with the middle average comprising a significant majority.
 No more "average majority"
 Jari Metsämuuronen , an assessment analyst at the Finnish Education Evaluation Centre, told Yle that the Covid pandemic is one factor behind the widening gap between strong and weak students.
 "Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the student's own autonomy has a greater importance. Top students have been able to develop faster than before without being slowed down by weaker students. At the same time, students who have less autonomy and have not received support at home may get lost," Metsämuuronen explained.
 During the remote learning periods triggered by the pandemic, autonomy, self-motivation and family support have played a much bigger role than before.
 Metsämuuronen further pointed out that maths skills can be affected by young people's relationship with modern technology: because of the ubiquity of the smartphone, there is no need for young people to memorise formulas or numbers any more. The most important skill in coping with everyday life is to be able to search for information, Metsämuuronen said, not necessarily to absorb and remember it.
 Story continues after the photo.
 Assessments are carried out at regular intervals in order to monitor the skills and education levels of young people in Finland. Jyrki Lyytikkä / Yle
 Metsämuuronen has been involved in the centre's evaluations since 1998, and this is the first time that the level of maths skills has not been distributed in a relatively even way. Future studies will reveal whether this is a one-off result or the "new normal," he added.
 "The division of the population into groups that are differentiated in terms of competence can have a significant impact on equality," he said.
 Regardless of the effects of the pandemic, the maths skills of young people in Finland are clearly in decline. A similar study conducted by the centre at the turn of the century found the average level of mathematics competence among young people to be around 527. This figure has fallen to 451 in the latest study.
 This equates to an average decrease of about two grades in a mathematics test for the average young Finnish person, Metsämuuronen pointed out, meaning that while the average ninth-grade student was getting an eight on a maths test in 2000, they are now getting a six.
 "The drop is big. This may be part of a general decline: previously, young people memorised an average of about 20 phone numbers. Today they are all just stored on their phones. But it is also possible that these students have learned something other than mathematics, something that cannot yet be measured in schools," Metsämuuronen added.
 "Significant" differences between schools in Helsinki region
 The study also found that while there are no huge gaps when comparing groups of municipalities, there are large differences between different regions.
 The situation in the north of Finland in particular has raised both eyebrows and questions, Metsämuuronen said. In Lapland, the average level in the 2021 assessment was 395, while the best regions in southwestern Finland averaged about 468.
 "The results are radically different. We are now checking whether some technical issues may have affected the outcome," Metsämuuronen said, adding that a more regretful explanation may be that students in Lapland have suffered more from the difficulties caused by remote learning.
 Another, and in Metsämuuronen's opinion more significant, regional divergence is taking place within the Helsinki metropolitan area, where notably large gaps have arisen between schools in terms of mathematics skills.
 This raises concerns about whether parents in the capital region are going "school shopping," he said, as well as the standard of schools in less well-off districts of the capital. The term "school shopping" refers to parents selecting a top-performing school for their child even if they do not live within the school's catchment area.
 "What is the mechanism by which one school in Finland becomes weaker than another? Usually the private school system attracts the most talented students, but our private schools do not explain these differences," Metsämuuronen said.
 Story continues after the photo.
 Skills gaps developed in school can lead to much deeper disparities in society in the future. Jani Aarnio / Yle
 A further cause of particular concern in the Helsinki metropolitan area, also reflected in other urban areas around the country, was the maths skills of girls from an immigrant background.
 While the maths skills of students from an immigrant background are generally weaker than those of Finnish-background students, girls of S2 status (Finnish as a second language) were found to be particularly weak in mathematics.
 Some 10 percent of young people who speak Finnish as their mother tongue have a low level of math skills, or a level between 300 and 350, while about 22.5 percent of girls from an immigrant background are at this competence level.
 "We will probably get more information next spring about the reasons behind this. But whether they are social or cultural or related to language skills, this needs to be addressed," Metsämuuronen said.
 A difficult equation
 The problems and challenges raised by the report will be difficult to solve, Metsämuuronen conceded, and he and his research team have no direct solutions for any of the issues they presented.
 Story continues after the photo.
 Although maths skills may have declined, young people may have developed other skills that are not yet being detected by traditional assessments. Tiina Jutila / Yle
 Some of the challenges for schools are of the age-old, deep-set variety. For example, Metsämuuronen noted that there is always a difference between the results of girls and boys in the statistics, although this can depend on the subject being studied.
 On average, girls get about half a grade higher marks than boys in maths tests.
 Metsämuuronen said he thinks that gender roles often affect results, and that these are not easily resolved.
 "We still have different expectations for girls and boys," he said.
 In terms of the gaps in maths skills, Metsämuuronen said that the reasons are still being investigated.
 "During the coronavirus era, an obvious shortage of skills has arisen. We have groups that need help," he said.
 Metsämuuronen added that solutions are also needed to tackle some of the issues highlighted by the report in the Helsinki metropolitan area.
 "But by what means? I cannot really say. But if the gaps grow too far, national action will be needed. There may be a big political debate about this," he said.
 The Finnish Education Evaluation Centre plans to assess competencies in other subjects over the coming two years, and Metsämuuronen said that the results will provide a more comprehensive and accurate picture of overall skills — including how they relate to the results of the report on maths.
 The impact of regional, language and background factors on competence will also become clearer when a more detailed analysis is completed.
 Metsämuuronen added that he and his colleagues have much to do.
 "Finland is a bit obsessed with the issue of equality, and I think that's great," he concluded.

Report: Finnish children's maths skills in decline


Summary: Current bone-chilling conditions are expected to ease next week with temperatures above freezing all the way up into southern Lapland.

The Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI) forecasts that temperatures will start rising as early as Thursday in western parts of the country.
 "The temperature will not rise above zero, but the weather will be milder than -10C ," says FMI Meteorologist  Ville Siiskonen .
 On Friday, temperatures will remain between -5C and -10C in the west. In Lapland, Friday's forecast is for -10C to -15C.
 On Saturday, a warm front is expected to move into the country, possibly bringing freezing drizzle and rain, but with temperatures remaining below zero.
 Next week will see a shift to milder weather, with temperatures edging up above freezing in most of the country, all the way up into southern Lapland.

Cold snap loosening its grip


Summary: The union claims Wolt is abusing its dominant position in the market by making restaurants agree to unfair terms.

The Finnish Hospitality Association MaRa has said that it will file an official complaint with the Finnish Competition and Consumer Authority (KKV) regarding food delivery company Wolt's pricing.
 According to MaRa, Wolt currently holds a dominant position in the food delivery market, which enables it to control prices and dictate the terms and conditions of contracts without fear of losing customers to competitors.
 The hospitality union said that it will request KKV conduct an inquiry into whether Wolt is breaking current laws concerning competitive pricing.
 According to  Veli-Matti Aittoniemi , deputy chief executive at MaRa, Wolt includes a condition in its contracts with restaurants which require them to charge the same price for a meal whether the customer eats it at the restaurant or has it delivered to their home.
 This means that restaurants are not able to charge customers for home delivery and have to pay an additional fee to Wolt for transportation.
 "We want the authorities to clarify whether a company like Wolt, which has such a large share of the market, can impose a condition like this. That's all we want to know," Aittoniemi said.
 A study conducted by MaRa allegedly found that Wolt currently holds a 42 percent share of the food delivery market in Finland, and accounts for 55 percent of the market in the Helsinki metropolitan area.
 The hospitality association reportedly plans to submit its request to KKV at the end of the year.
 The complaint only concerns Wolt and does not include competitors such as Foodora, as Wolt employs exceptionally strict terms for restaurants in its contracts, according to Aittoniemi.
 MaRa: Wolt takes up to 30% commission
 According to MaRa, some restaurants do not see any profit from food orders delivered by Wolt.
 "Wolt's commission can go up to 30 percent. In such cases there may be no return at all, that is, no profit [for restaurants]," Aittoniemi stated.
 He believes that the Covid-19 crisis, which has hit the hospitality industry particularly hard, has driven restaurants to take desperate measures.
 "For many restaurants, the situation could have been so dire that they were forced to agree to these contracts to keep their business running and workers employed," Aittoniemi said.
 Wolt's high pricing has been discussed in the industry for years, with the terms of its contracts causing concern particularly for smaller restaurants, MaRa added.
 Wolt denies accusations of illegal pricing
 Wolt has said that the terms and conditions included in its contracts with restaurants are legal.
 "In our view, the terms of our contracts and our practices are naturally legal and are also in line with protecting the interests of customers,"  Henrik Pankakoski , Wolt's general manager for Finland, stated in an email to Yle.
 The company confirmed that its contracts with restaurants require the same price to be charged for dine-in meals and home delivery. However, restaurants are allegedly able to set the prices themselves.
 Wolt claims that its single price policy enables transparency and keeps things simple for customers.
 "It is a practice that keeps the process simple, clear and transparent and hopefully evokes trust in all of Wolt's customers," Pankakoski said.
 The company has reportedly conducted experiments which entailed allowing restaurants in Finland to charge extra for meals that were delivered (higher than the price listed on the menu), and found that orders for food from these restaurants dropped significantly on the app.
 Wolt has said that it is willing to discuss the implications of its dominant market position with the competition authority if required.
 "In general, we would say that the customer has several means of purchasing food, and Wolt still accounts for a small share of food sales in Finland," Pankakoski stated.

Hospitality union files complaint with competition authority about Wolt pricing


Summary: APN explores what a recent far-right terror plot says about Finland, and asks why the country wants to attract more foreign labour when many immigrants already struggle to find work.

This week Yle News' All Points North looks at Finnish far-right terror plots, politicians breaking their own rules on Covid, how to compel staff to get vaccinated and job-hunting outside Helsinki while foreign.
 You can listen to the full podcast using the embedded player here, via  Yle Areena ,  Spotify ,  Apple Podcasts  or on your usual podcast player using the RSS feed.
 Article continues after audio.
 APN talks to historian  Oula Silvennoinen  about the discovery of a far-right terror plot by a group of small town men. The group has been linked to an accelerationist strand of thinking within radical white supremacist ideology.
 "What we see all across the continent is valid here in Finland as well. We have far-right movements with the same talking points repeated everywhere with the same kinds of outcomes," Silvennoinen said.
 He also noted that Finland has seen its share of terror attempts, including a  planned 2014 attack  on the University of Helsinki. Silvennoinen highlighted the difficulty authorities face in catching terrorists before it's too late.
 "We've seen how extremely difficult it is to find these lone wolf actors that don't necessarily signal their plans. We've seen failures in this country as well in the form of school shootings," he explained.
 Look no further
 Politicians and think-tanks alike continue to raise the alarm about Finland's need to  attract foreign labour  to  shore up the workforce .
 APN talks to  Ana Maria Limma  who works with employment services in the central Finnish city of Jyväskylä. She suggested Finland home in on helping immigrants who are already in the country.
 "A lot has been done in attracting [foreigners], but as for the retention part, there is a lot of work still to do," she told APN. "We have to think the other way around, maybe it's not necessary to bring more, maybe we already have the people who are ready to study further or even change careers."
 Join the conversation!
 This week's show was presented by  Zena Iovino  and  Egan Richardson  It was produced by  Mark B. Odom  and the audio engineer was  Anders Johansson .
 If you have any questions or would like to share your thoughts, just contact us via WhatsApp on +358 44 421 0909, on our Facebook or Twitter accounts, or at yle.news@yle.fi and allpointsnorth@yle.fi.

APN podcast: Finland's far-right terrorists and work opportunities beyond the capital


Summary: The 'baby box' is not usually distributed until the spring, but in 2022 packs will be sent to expectant mothers from the beginning of the year.

Finland's  rising birth rate  is one of the reasons behind social insurance institute Kela's decision to reveal the contents of the 2022 maternity package exceptionally early this year.
 The popular 'baby box' is not usually distributed until the spring, but in 2022 the new baby starter kits will be sent to expectant mothers from the beginning of the year.
 There are 43 products in the 2022 maternity package, which is seven products fewer than this year's edition. The packs are updated every year with new themes and slightly varying contents.
 Story continues after the photo.
 Contents of the 2022 maternity package. Janne Lindroos / Yle
 Extra emphasis this year has been placed on high quality and responsible choices of materials over the costs, Kela's Benefits Manager  Johanna Aholainen  wrote in an agency press release.
 "Of the products produced from cotton, most are made of organic cotton. Some products are partly made from recycled material," Aholainen said, adding that each product must meet safety requirements imposed by Finnish and EU law.
 There has also been a focus on versatility, durability and sustainability when choosing products for the package in recent years, and again for 2022, the agency said.
 For example, two of the bodysuits in the package can be extended so that they can be used for longer. In addition, all the trousers provided have foldable linings in the legs, which also means that they can be used for longer.
 Story continues after the photo.
 Next year's package has seven bodysuits and three pairs of trousers. Janne Lindroos / Yle
 Moomins, Ringed Seals win audience approval
 Last year, and for the first time, Kela organised a public poll to determine the pattern of the package's versatile snowsuit.
 The vote was repeated again this year, and members of the public were also invited to choose a pattern for a sleeping bag that can double as a quilt.
 A total of more than 8,000 votes were cast, with a dark blue Moomin pattern chosen for the snowsuit and a black and white ringed seal winning the sleeping bag competition.
 Story continues after the photo.
 The black and white ringed seal pattern won a public vote. Janne Lindroos / Yle
 The box itself was designed by Japanese designer  Aya Iwaya , and is one of the winning designs from a design competition that Kela arranged in 2017.
 A new design competition will be launched next year, the agency added.
 Story continues after the photo.
 The versatile snowsuit will have a Moomins pattern next year. Janne Lindroos / Yle
 In its press release, Kela said that it welcomes feedback on the contents of the maternity package.
 "Kela continuously updates the contents to increase responsibility and the public will also in the future have a say in the appearance of the products," Aholainen said.
 Story continues after the photo.
 This year's package contains five gauze cloths. Janne Lindroos / Yle
 Next year's maternity package also includes a book called  Ilo pisaroi! , which contains rhymes as well as instructions in Finnish and Swedish for giving babies massages.
 Story continues after the photo.
 The Ilo Pisaroi! book includes tips on how to massage a baby. Janne Lindroos / Yle
 Finland's baby box will turn 85 next year, and Kela said that currently about two-thirds of families choose the package instead of a financial grant with almost all first-time mothers opting for the box.
 The Act on the Maternity Grant came into force in 1937, and has a large symbolic significance in the Finnish welfare state. Janne Lindroos / Yle

Watch: Kela unveils "flexible, sustainable" 2022 maternity package


Summary: The city will introduce free sanitary products in educational institutions as part of a trial.

The Helsinki City Council approved a trial to provide free period products to schoolchildren in the city on Wednesday.
 The trial is the result of an initiative launched by Greens League representatives and Helsinki City Council members  Amanda Pasanen ,  Fatim Diarra  and  Alviina Alametsä .
 The initiative, which seeks to combat period poverty by granting those with limited resources access to free period products, was signed by 21 other council members.
 Period poverty refers to the lack of access to menstrual hygiene tools due to monetary constraints.
 According to the initiative, menstrual hygiene products take up a significant portion of the monthly budget for people belonging to low-income groups. The initiative states that no one should have to choose whether to spend their money on food or menstrual products.
 The city's education division is currently determining how to implement the trial. It has already mapped out the costs and means of distributing the supplies.
 Free hygiene products will likely be offered in primary and secondary schools across Helsinki.
 The Helsinki Youth Council has voiced its support for the initiative in a statement. The council comprises 30 members aged 13–17 years old, who are elected every two years.
 According to the council, the availability of hygiene products in schools will teach young people that menstruation is a perfectly natural process that can and should be spoken about.
 Scotland set the trend
 The city councillors' initiative reportedly took inspiration from Scotland, which became the first country in the world to introduce free period products for women in November.
 Local authorities in the country are now legally obliged to ensure that menstrual hygiene tools are available for free to anyone who needs them, according to the BBC.
 The Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Bill was the brainchild of  Monica Lennon , a member of the Scottish parliament who has been campaigning to end period poverty since 2016.
 In the city councillors' initiative; however, Pasanen states that period poverty remains a taboo, and that little has been done to tackle it so far.

Helsinki to offer free period products to school pupils


Summary: Oura rings are popular, but the company is struggling to keep up with demand.

Finnish smart ring firm Oura is suffering a backlash from customers on social media,  reports  Helsingin Sanomat. The firm's third-generation product was released this autumn, but customers are struggling to get hold of it.
 The rings have been seen on some high-profile celebrity fingers, creating huge demand --but that now appears to be a problem.
 Social media channels are filled with people complaining that they have ordered the ring but haven't yet received it, and others saying they have asked for a refund but can't get a response from customer services.
 Others are complaining about the company's switch to a subscription-based model for the app that displays users' data.
 The irate ranting is every company's nightmare in the social media age, with everyone unable to access help via the normal channels having the option to complain in public.
 Oura board member  Timo Ahopelto  tells the paper that the problem is that the launch went better than expected, and the firm struggled to keep up with demand.
 Middle income problems
 Tax data suggests that those on low and middle incomes did worst during the Covid pandemic. Those on 40,000 euros a year or less made 4.8 percent less in 2020 than they did in 2019.
 Those making more than 40,000 euros a year, meanwhile, saw their incomes rise by an average of 3.1 percent.
 Iltalehti  reports  that of all the income Finns received in 2020 some 66 percent of it came from salaries and wages. Pensions accounted for 24 percent, unemployment benefits for 3.5 percent, other taxable social benefits were 1.9 percent and other forms of income were 4.2 percent.
 Freezing rain
 Ilta-Sanomat  reports  that the weather this weekend could turn a little strange, and explains an unusual symbol adorning weather maps this week.
 The cloud with red dashes underneath it prompted some curiosity on social media, with Yle meteorologist  Anniina Valtonen  explaining to her followers that it symbolises freezing rain.
 According to the UK Met Office, that is a "rare type of liquid precipitation that strikes a cold surface, and freezes almost instantly".
 So watch out for slippery surfaces this weekend, as they could be blanketed with ice.

Friday's papers: Ring trouble, middle-income issues and freezing rain


Summary: Finland is set to buy new fighter jets from the United States.

Minister of Defence  Antti Kaikkonen  (Cen) announced on Friday that Finland will procure 64 new F-35A Lightning II fighter jets from US manufacturer Lockheed Martin to replace its ageing fleet of Hornet planes.
 The announcement confirmed an earlier report by news agency Reuters.
 Kaikkonen said that the long tendering process had ensured that Finland received the best possible deal and selection.
 "The price-quality ratio is good," he said at an afternoon press conference, flanked by Prime Minister  Sanna Marin  (SDP) and military top brass. Military officials said that the F-35 had received by far the highest score in an internal evaluation process.
 Marin said that the cabinet decision had been unanimous. She noted that the two Left Alliance ministers had sought a commitment that the projected price tag of  10 billion euros  would not be exceeded. The planes themselves are to cost just under half of the overall package.
 Kaikkonen said that an associated trade agreement will guarantee 4,500 person-years of employment in Finland, along with another 1,500 person-years of work indirectly.
 The deal will bring an estimated 100 manufacturing and assembly jobs for Finnish defence contractor Patria in the towns of Jämsä and Nokia. The firm now has about 850 employees in the two locations.
 He said that the new planes would operate and ensure Finnish security into the early 2060s. The first ones are to be delivered in 2026. Marin said the current Hornets would be phased out by around 2030.
 US planes since 1992
 By choosing Lockheed, Finland opted to remain with a US manufacturer, as it has for nearly three decades. In early 1992, just after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Finland decided to buy 57 F-18 Hornet fighter jets from US firm McDonnell Douglas.
 Kaikkonen declined to respond specifically when asked whether the decision to buy more planes from the US was partly based on Finland's overall security strategy, saying that all of the bidders would have been in line with the strategy.
 Like neighbouring Sweden, traditionally non-aligned Finland is a close partner of the US-led Nato alliance, but not an official member. The F-35 is used by many Nato members, including Nordic neighbours Norway and Denmark,  Charly Salonius-Pasternak  of theFinnish Institute of International Affairs told Yle.
 The other options for the procurement had been Sweden's Saab, US rival Boeing, France's Dassault and Britain's BAE Systems.
 Article continues after image
 A F-35A Lightning II fighter jet on display at Helsinki's Kaivopuisto park last August. Janne Lindroos / Yle
 Earlier this week Swedish public broadcaster SVT predicted that the winning bid would come from Lockheed Martin, with Finland getting F-35 jets.
 There has been a long tendering process for the planes, with five possible options but the American F-35 always the favourite.
 Last year the Defence Ministry  rebuked an ex-general  for violating conflict-of-interest rules by working as a lobbyist for Lockheed Martin.
 The public debate has focused on whether or not the allocated maintenance funding of 250 million euros per year will be sufficient to keep the planes in the air.
 The newspaper Helsingin Sanomat reported earlier that ministers would meeting to confirm the decision on Friday.
 18:07 Updated with details including Patria jobs.

Finland picks Lockheed Martin for fighter jet purchase


Summary: In one case, a couple's rental application was rejected due to their sexual orientation and in the other because one spouse was an Iraqi asylum seeker.

Finland's Non-Discrimination Ombudsman,  Kristina Stenman , has settled two cases of discrimination related to rental housing.
 In one instance, a landlord refused to rent an apartment to a same-sex couple. The second case involved a Lutheran parish which denied housing to a Finnish-Iraqi married couple.
 Stenman said that the landowners were ordered to provide compensation for discrimination in both cases.
 The ombudsman holds that while landlords have the right to choose their tenants, the selection criteria must not be discriminatory.
 Pre-existing prejudices lead to certain groups being treated unfairly in the rental housing market, noted Stenman, adding that it is important to bring discrimination to light and help tenants become more aware of their rights.
 "It is important that conditions in the housing market are fair and that everyone has access to housing. There is still a prevailing notion that a landlord can choose their tenant on discriminatory grounds," she commented.
 Stenman suggested that a landlord would be in violation of Finland's Non-Discrimination Act if they treat a tenant unfairly based on personal grounds.
 Several recent cases based on sexual orientation
 The first case in question involved a series of messages exchanged between a landlord and a same-sex couple. In the messages, the landlord violated the Non-Discrimination Act by dehumanising the couple in a manner that meets the definition of harassment, the ombudsman declared.
 The couple received 2,000 euros in compensation from the landlord.
 "The status and rights of sexual minorities have improved in recent decades, but this case indicates that discrimination has not disappeared," Stenman stated.
 The ombudsman has dealt with several such cases in recent years. According to Stenman, the number of cases is probably higher than the official figure, as discrimination often goes unreported.
 Bias based on speculation over asylum seeker's future
 The second case of discrimination involved a married couple, one of whom was a Finnish citizen and the other Iraqi.
 According to the ombudsman, a parish union refused to rent an apartment to the couple as the Finnish spouse would have been the only one to sign the lease.
 The union's decision was based on an existing law that requires the spouse who has not signed the lease to fulfil any financial obligations in the event that the spouse who did sign it moves out of the apartment.
 "The proprietor assumed that the spouse, who was an asylum seeker, would continue living in the apartment in the event of a divorce and that they would not receive rental income and collecting the same from court would have been difficult," Stenman stated.
 The ombudsman ruled that the parish's actions could not be classified as financial risk management alone, as they were based on speculation and assumptions regarding the couple. She also considered the case an infringement of fundamental rights, including the right to choose a life partner.
 The parish was made to pay 2,000 euros in compensation to the couple. The ombudsman also said that it has changed its rental guidelines so they are no longer discriminatory.

Discrimination watchdog fines landlords for rental housing bias