Summary: The Supreme Administrative Court cleared Sinnemäki of dereliction of duty charges in the case in October.

Helsinki police have wrapped up a preliminary investigation into the actions of Deputy Mayor  Anni Sinnemäki  (Green), which involved the granting of residential zoning permits in the historic Meilahti district.
 Local residents had complained that the veteran politician influenced a decision in 2016 to grant a special zoning permit to her friend, actor  Pihla Viitala , that enabled her to build a new house in the rustic area.
 "The case will be transferred from the police to the prosecutor's office. The prosecutor will have the chance to decide and I will give the prosecutor peace of mind to reach a decision on the matter," said the head investigator, Chief Inspector  Juha-Matti Suominen .
 Special prosecutor  Tapio Mäkinen  from the Office of the Prosecutor General is to examine the case but due to a backlog of cases, the matter will not be resolved until springtime.
 Sinnemäki denies committing crime
 The case hinges on a city permit granting Viitala the right to build a 200-square-metre semi-detached house in the place of an old 26-square-metre shed on a plot owned by the city. This construction angered some residents who had sought and were denied permission by the city to erect anything on their plots, including small saunas. The City of Helsinki owns the plots in this area, which means it makes all decisions regarding construction.
 Police launched a preliminary investigation into the matter in June, a process which partially probed Sinnemäki and Viitala's friendship and whether their links affected the deputy mayor's actions in possibly affecting the city's decision-making about the zoning.
 In October, the Supreme Administrative Court  cleared  Sinnemäki of dereliction of duty charges in the case.
 Commenting to Yle by email, Sinnemäki denied having committed a crime, noting the Helsinki Administrative Court also cleared her of wrongdoing.
 "I have not broken the law, and I am therefore waiting for the prosecutor's decision with peace of mind," Sinnemäki wrote.
 Newspaper Helsingin Sanomat was first to report about the case heading to the prosecutor.

Helsinki police: Deputy mayor's zoning case probe headed to prosecutor


Summary: The VAT cut on rapid or home tests is scheduled to come into effect from the beginning of next year.

A government proposal to temporarily remove the value added tax (VAT) on rapid or home coronavirus tests was passed unanimously by Parliament on Tuesday.
 During the plenary debate on the issue, MPs emphasised that stores and pharmacies should apply the full VAT cut to the prices of the tests.
 The temporary change is scheduled to take effect from the beginning of next year and has been estimated to reduce the state's tax revenue by about three million euros for 2022.
 Parliament also progressed a government proposal introducing  mandatory vaccinations  for all healthcare workers. The proposal was opposed by the Finns Party, but ultimately passed by a majority vote.
 At the conclusion of Tuesday morning's session, MPs began their Christmas break but are scheduled to return to Parliament next Tuesday, 28 December.

Parliament approves mandatory Covid jabs for healthcare workers, no VAT on rapid tests


Summary: For years the department recorded movements of Roma community members in the metropolitan area, taking note of vehicles they owned and the social circles in which they moved.

Members of the Helsinki Police Department were discriminatory in the way information was collected about members of the city's Roma population, according to the Non-Discrimination Ombudsman,  Kristina Stenman .
 During the years 2013-2015, the Helsinki police carried out a preventative and data collection effort that particularly targeted the Finnish Roma community. The programme was dubbed KURI 1, and continued to some extent in 2016 and 2017.
 Stenman said the programme's methods were discriminatory and prohibited by Finland's Non-Discrimination Act.
 Background
 It was reported in May that the Helsinki Police Department had systematically engaged in activities which suggested ethnic profiling of members of the Finnish Roma community. Over the course of several years, the department kept a record of the movements of some members of the Roma community in the metropolitan area, taking note of vehicles they owned and the social circles in which they moved.
 Around that time, the National Police Board announced it had launched an investigation into the department's activities.
 Later, the Non-Discrimination Ombudsman recommended measures to the Ministry of the Interior and the National Police Board, saying the police should facilitate continued and informed dialogue with the Roma community, in addition to other follow-up measures.
 In a statement issued on Tuesday, the National Police Board said it welcomed the recommendations, adding that it would report back to the Ombudsman as required.
 "The absolute prerequisite for police operations is the trust of citizens across all population groups. Procedures aimed solely at a specific group cannot be included in normal police activities and the rights of individuals can never be violated solely on the basis of their ethnic background," said police director  Janne Paavola  from the National Police Board.

Ombudsman: Helsinki police discriminatory in targeted data collection of Roma


Due to the spread of Covid-19 cases, the Helsinki metropolitan area coronavirus coordination group on Tuesday called on the Regional State Administrative Agency (Avi) of Southern Finland to order the shutdown of various establishments and venues across the region.
 The group recommended the shut-down of indoor gymnasiums, public saunas, swimming pools, dance studios, choir and amateur theatre facilities, amusement parks, indoor playgrounds as well as public meeting places at shopping centres.
 The coordination group said it wanted to put children and young people first, so most of its recommendations were only to apply to those over the age of 18.
 The group also recommended that the use of Covid passes by establishments to circumvent restrictions should be suspended.
 The group also recommended that after the Christmas break, students should return to classrooms on 10 January, with the caveat that face masks should also be worn by pupils in grades 3-5.
 The coordination body said that all of the recommendations should continue in the new year and that indoor events should be limited to a maximum of 10 people.

Capital area coronavirus group calls for shutdowns, face masks for pupils


Summary: Finland heads into its second Covid-dominated Christmas with case numbers climbing.

Helsingin Sanomat  leads  on Wednesday with a look at intensive care capacity at Helsinki's Children's Hospital. While the strain on intensive care units due to Covid is well-known, paediatric care has long suffered a shortage of qualified staff, and that's only gotten worse during the pandemic.
 The situation is so bad that some children on the waiting list for vital surgery have had their procedures delayed several times.
 The new hospital, opened in 2018 and funded in part by private donations, is unable to staff its ICU to capacity, leaving just six beds available for patients. There should be fourteen beds in the unit.
 The  RS-virus  is currently causing an uptick in paediatric patients on the ICU, making it even more difficult to clear the backlog.
 The disruption causes stress and worry for children on the waiting list and their families, with some having operations cancelled at the very last minute.
 HS meets one family of a child who needs open heart surgery and lives in Savonlinna, 360 kilometres from Helsinki. Staying ready to travel to the capital at short notice frays the nerves of patient and family, with the delays described as 'playing with his life'.
 Covid restrictions
 Tuesday was a big day for Covid restriction news, with the government meeting to decide on new measures to curb the spread of coronavirus as infection numbers keep rising.
 There are still decisions to make for local and regional bodies, as they decide on the right way to reduce contacts between people and thereby slow the spread. Aamulehti has  a look  at the process, after Pirkanmaa's Covid co-ordination group announced its recommendations.
 They want a two-week shutdown of meeting spaces, and facilities used for sport, exercise or leisure. That advice will now be decided by the Regional State Administrative Agencies (Avi) for western and central Finland, which will confirm or deny the request.
 AL reports that this next meeting will take place 'this week' at least.
 Furloughs and baby news
 After the government announced new restrictions on restaurants late on Tuesday, hospitality group NoHo Partners announced it would furlough its entire staff.
 The press release was sent at 3am and made it into  most media outlets , with the firm saying it would close most of its restaurants while restrictions made trading more difficult.
 The firm runs several chains including Hanko Sushi and Friends and Burgers.
 Minister for Family Affairs and Social Services  Krista Kiuru  (SDP) has been the face of a drive for tighter restrictions in recent weeks, with several media appearances in which she urged an expansion of testing, among other measures.
 On Tuesday she announced happy news, as the 47-year-old told Me Naiset radio station that she was pregnant.
 The pregnancy is a 'happy surprise', according to Kiuru, and Iltalehti  reports  that she was congratulated on social media by colleagues across the political spectrum.

Wednesday's papers: Children's ICU, Covid restrictions and planning a safe Christmas


Summary: Finland announced new measures on Tuesday.

Finland's daily Covid case count has hovered around the 2,000 mark for around a week now, with the Omicron variant coming to dominate caseloads and increasing the pressure on hospitals.
 On Tuesday the government announced new measures to try and slow the spread of the epidemic, after seven hours of talks between ministers in the five-party governing coalition.
 Here's what you need to know about the new rules.
 1. Restaurants and bars restricted from 24.12 and further restricted from 28.12
 In areas in the community transmission phase of the epidemic, restaurants and bars will have limited opening hours. From Christmas Eve restaurants will have to close at 10pm, and stop serving at 9pm. This restriction cannot be skirted by asking customers for a Covid pass, so all establishments will have to close at this time.
 In the following days restaurants can maintain those opening hours (closing at 10pm), so long as they ask for Covid pass.
 From Tuesday 28.12 tighter restrictions come into force, for an initial period of three weeks. Restaurants will have to close at 6pm and stop serving alcohol at 5pm. Those outlets focusing on food will be allowed to open until 8pm — but won't be allowed to serve alcohol after 6pm.
 Bars and pubs will see capacity restricted to 50 percent, while food-focused businesses will be able to seat 75 percent of the usual maximum number of customers.
 At present restaurants have had to close at 6pm, but were able to avoid this restriction if they asked customers to show a Covid pass. That exemption will no longer apply.
 These rules apply to areas in the 'community transmission' phase. That is every hospital district in the country except North Savo, North Karelia, Kainuu and East Savo.
 2. Covid passes can still be used to keep 'low risk' settings like libraries and gyms open
 The government has recommended that regional state administrative agencies, or Avis, that low-risk activities can continue if people present Covid passes on entry.
 Prime Minister  Sanna Marin  (SDP) cited THL classifications that suggested low-risk settings are museums, libraries and art exhibitions.
 Indoor spaces used for exercise or individual sports are also classified as low-risk, as are public saunas, swimming pools, and changing rooms connected to them.
 All low-risk activities can therefore remain open by using the Covid pass system. The final decision on these restrictions will be made by Avi agencies and municipalities, however, and they can set stricter rules if they choose.
 3. Covid pass no longer valid in higher-risk situations
 The THL table lists situations where the agency judges the risk of Covid infection is significant. Those activities will not be allowed to take place even with a Covid pass from 28.12 — in areas classified as in the 'community transmission' stage. That is every hospital district in the country except North Savo, North Karelia, Kainuu and East Savo.
 That restriction will be in place for three weeks, and will be passed as an amendment to the infectious diseases law.
 High-risk situations include nightclubs, karaoke restaurants, bars and mass events where there is no seating arrangement.
 Moderate risk is involved in choir concerts featuring more than ten singers, outdoor stands where seating is not allocated, and exhibitions where there is no special arrangement to avoid contacts. The list also includes "indoor spaces linked to team sport or group exercise".
 In practice this means that these activities and facilities will be shut down, even if they ask for Covid passes to prove vaccine status.
 4. No new restrictions on schools
 There are no new restrictions planned at schools, except a recommendation for distance learning at universities and polytechnic institutions.
 The government did discuss the possibility of returning schools to distance learning, but PM Marin said there was not a consensus to do so. This means that primary and secondary schools will continue to be conducted in classrooms.
 Education Minister  Li Andersson  (Left) did urge local authorities to introduce rules on mask-wearing in schools, however.
 Universities are being recommended to switch to distance learning, but each institution is left to make their decisions independently. The recommendations do not apply to necessary contact teaching situations.
 5. Border checks to be stepped up
 Arrivals to the country's borders will be required to present proof of a negative Covid test which has been taken within 48 hours of entering the country. This rule goes into effect on 28 December and will be in effect until 16 January.
 In addition to having a negative Covid test, arrivals will be required to present certificates showing proof of being fully vaccinated or having recovered from Covid within the past six months.
 Until 31 December 2021, the requirement will apply to arrivals born in the year 2005 or earlier and then after 1 January 2022, the requirement will apply to arrivals born in the year 2006 or earlier.
 There are exceptions to these requirements, including Finnish citizens, permanent residents or individuals whose entry is deemed necessary, such as for compelling family-related reasons, according to the government.
 Additionally, residents in the northern border communities in Finland, Sweden and Norway — as well as people in transit between the Swedish municipality of Norrtälje and Åland — may substitute the above requirement with a certificate proving: full vaccination against Covid, recovery from the disease within the past six months or proof of a negative Covid test within the past seven days from the time of arrival.

New rules: Here's what Finland is doing to slow down Omicron


Summary: Finland tightened restrictions on Tuesday.

The diagnostics director of the Helsinki and Uusimaa hospital district,  Lasse Lehtonen , welcomed the government's  new restrictions and rules  aimed at curbing the spread of coronavirus, but said he feared the measures may not be enough because the Omicron variant is so contagious.
 Lehtonen noted that testing capacity was inadequate and the variant's effect has not been modeled in Finland.
 "We have a period of increasing infections. The need for intensive care will be seen in a couple of weeks," he said, speaking on Yle TV1's breakfast show on Wednesday.
 However, Lehtonen said he thinks that the Christmas break will be a good thing, as it will reduce the number of contacts between people.
 On the other hand, he said that new rules aimed at the people crossing the country's borders were not relevant as there are so many cases of the Omicron variant in Finland already.
 "Hope decisions were made in time"
 Meanwhile, Professor of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care,  Matti Reinikainen , praised the government's plans.
 "Very good decisions. I hope they were made in time," he told TV1's morning programme on Wednesday.
 According to Reinikainen, the new measures were needed because the country's specialised care is on its way to the worst crisis seen during peacetime.
 There were 63 Covid patients in ICU wards around the country as of Monday, that figure dropped to 59 on Wednesday, two days ahead of the Christmas holiday.
 He said because of the break, staffing levels within public healthcare are minimal and the period will be very challenging at hospitals.

HUS boss: Covid restrictions might not be enough


Summary: A nomination would mark the first time in 20 years since Finland was represented in the category.

Finnish director  Juho Kuosmanen 's Compartment No. 6 is one step closer to an Oscar nomination.
 The film chosen as Finland's entry for Best International Feature Film was announced on Tuesday as one of the 15 films shortlisted for the category.
 Somalia's Oscar nominee Guled & Nasra, however, did not make the list. Filmed in Djibouti, the Somali-language film is directed by Finnish national Khadar Ayderus Ahmed and produced by the Finnish company Bufo. The main actor of the film, Omar Abdi, is also from Finland.
 The final Oscar nominations will be announced on February 8, and the Academy Awards will be presented on March 27.
 Should Compartment No. 6 score a nomination, it will be the first time since  Aki Kaurismäki ’s nomination for The Man Without a Past in 2002 that a Finnish production has been represented in the category.
 Compartment No. 6 has achieved considerable international success since it won the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year. The film is in contention for the Golden Globe Award for Best Non-English Language Film, which will be presented in Los Angeles on January 7.

Finnish film "Compartment No. 6" makes Oscar shortlist


Summary: The city's  other coal-fired plant is scheduled to shut down in 2023.

Helsinki power company Helen decided on Tuesday to stop burning coal for energy in the spring of 2024, five years ahead of schedule.
 Finland has set a goal to stop burning coal as a fuel source during this decade and the city's power station on Salmisaari initially had plans to stop its use in 2029.
 But the municipally-owned company's board and operational leaders advanced the timetable.
 "It's so expensive to burn coal that it's almost like burning banknotes. In this sense it's both fun and economically beneficial to stop doing it," said Helen's board chair  Osmo Soininvaara  (Green).
 Over the past several years, the firm has sought alternatives to coal and that work continues, according to Helen's CEO  Juha-Pekka Weckström .
 At the moment, the company has figured out future replacement power sources for about half of the facility's current output.
 "We will hardly need the entire reserve capacity, but the starting point is that most of the gap will be filled," Weckström said.
 The Helsinki City Council previously ordered Helen to shut down the city's other coal-fired plant on the island of Hanasaari. It will be closed in the spring of 2023.
 An estimated 288 workers at the facilities are at risk of redundancies.

Helsinki to abandon burning coal 5 years ahead of schedule


Summary: In Finland, Santa Claus is known as Joulupukki (literally, the 'Christmas goat') and usually visits Finnish children in their homes on Christmas Eve.

Exclusive footage caught by Yle once again revealed the bearded, red-clad Santa Claus heading out to distribute cheer and gifts around the world on Wednesday, a couple of days ahead of Christmas Eve.
 According to sources familiar with the iconic figure's workshop, Santa sets out well ahead of schedule to ensure that he reaches all of his delivery points before Christmas is over.
 While Santa Claus is one of the most famous figures in the world and makes long excursions every year, most of the time he resides quietly near his workshop on the Lapland fell of  Korvatunturi  in northern Finland.

Watch: Santa and his reindeer set off from snowy Lapland


Summary: The vaccinations are focused in areas where Covid is most prevalent in humans.

The first mink in Finland have been vaccinated against the coronavirus. The Furcovac vaccine, developed by the Finnish Fur Breeders’ Association (FIFUR) and the University of Helsinki, received a conditional license from the Finnish Food Safety Authority on Monday.
 The development of the vaccine has been a major effort for the association, says  Jussi Peura , research director at FIFUR.
 "Considering the starting point was a new disease for which a vaccine did not exist, and the disease is transmissible from animal to human, the development of the vaccine was quite the endeavor. It was one of our highest priorities, this past year," said Peura.
 The first phase involves vaccinating just under 50,000 mink. The farms where the mink will be vaccinated are in the municipalities where the most cases of Covid have been recorded in humans.
 The first vaccinations were given in farmland areas in Northern Ostrobothnia, including Kalajoki. Administering the vaccine does not require additional training for the fur farmers.
 "Farmers have the tools to administer vaccines and the technique is exactly the same as for other vaccinations given to farm animals," said Peura.
 The goal is to be able to vaccinate all farmed mink after New Year’s. Each animal will receive two doses. There are approximately 200,000 mink in Finland that are to be vaccinated.
 The first conditional authorization of the vaccine was granted in September 2021, but the authorization was limited to a small batch. The vaccine was tested at a fur farm in Central Ostrobothnia and at the University of Helsinki's safety laboratory. According to the test results, the animals’ vaccine response was good.
 No coronavirus has been found in Finnish mink farms. In Denmark and the Netherlands, millions of animals have had to be terminated to prevent the spread of the disease to humans.
 "We may have had a bit of luck, in the sense that in the early stages of the pandemic our Covid situation was not very bad. Thanks to this, we were able to learn a lot from what happened in the Netherlands and Denmark. We followed their progress very closely and based on that we have taken our own preventative measures," said Peura.

Finland to vaccinate 50k mink against coronavirus


Summary: Low pressure will sweep across Finland, which means even the southern part of the country will have snow cover over the holiday period.

Finland will wake up the morning of Christmas Eve to a winter wonderland, according to a forecast from the Finnish Meteorological Institute.
 The day before, on December 23, a low pressure system will sweep across the country, meaning that even the southern part of Finland will get some snow cover. The amount of snow, however, varies from more than thirty centimetres in the north and east of Finland, to a few centimetres in southwestern Finland.
 "In other words, Santa can distribute gifts to children in a snow-covered winter wonderland, even if it is a thin layer," says meteorologist  Sini Tenhunen  from the Finnish Meteorological Institute.
 The holiday period will mostly be spent in cold weather, although in southwest Finland the temperature may rise just above freezing on Thursday. On Christmas Eve, however, the temps are expected to be -10 to -15 all over the country.

Finland expects a white Christmas nationwide


Summary: An agreement between the paper workers' unions and UPM can not be reached prior to the walk-out date.

UPM plant workers will walk out on strike on January 1, 2022, the Paper Association, the Trade Union Pro and the Finnish Electrical Workers Union announced today.
 The unions and UPM management had been trying to come to an agreement regarding a proposed collective agreement under the leadership of the national conciliator.
 According to a press release from the Office of the National Conciliator, the parties' positions on the matter are too far apart and no solutions can be reached prior to the beginning of January and the walk-out.
 The strike will last three weeks.
 The current collective agreement covering Pro workers runs out on 31 December, and union representatives say UPM has declined all invitations to negotiate a new deal.
 UPM wants the flexibility to vary conditions of work for staff doing the same job in different units within the company, but the unions are resisting that change.
 Traditionally Finnish labour talks have been sector-wide, with a collective agreement guaranteeing industrial peace between unions and companies. This time, employers' organisations have declined to negotiate a sector-wide deal, preferring to negotiate company-by-company.

UPM plant workers to go on strike 1 January


Summary: Finland is introducing fourth Covid vaccine doses in an effort to protect against the Omicron variant.

Three Covid vaccines may not be enough for people with suppressed immunity, reports  Hufvudstadsbladet .
 The Swedish-language daily said that the Finnish institute for health and welfare (THL) has recommended fourth doses for immunocompromised residents over the age of 12. These individuals would be eligible for the jab three to four months after their third dose.
 Omicron's spread in Finland is, however,  not likely to impede  the provision of services or the movement of goods in Finland, according to  Ilta-Sanomat .
 Kari Klemm , a government counsellor at the Ministry of Employment and the Economy, told IS Finland's security supply—that is the country's ability to prepare for and manage potential crises—to be good overall.
 Klemm, however, noted that Omicron could potentially affect the healthcare system should cases rise rapidly.
  Brain drain
 Finland's brain drain has caught the attention of decision makers, reports  Helsingin Sanomat . For several decades now, more people have been leaving than moving to the country.
 The phenomenon is growing, according to the Interior Ministry, which has now developed a four-year strategy for attracting expatriate Finns. The Employment Ministry is also looking at ways to lure back the country's expats, which today are highly educated, professionally motivated individuals. Many in this group are university-level researchers, HS explains.
 Up until the 1990s, most Finns leaving to work abroad did so to enter jobs requiring relatively low education levels.
 This paper review will return in January after the festive period. In the meantime, you can stay up to date on news from Finland at yle.fi/news.

Thursday's papers: Fourth Covid jabs, security supply and Finland's brain drain


Summary: The demand for home tests is outpacing supply as people stock up before holiday gatherings.

At-home Covid tests are in scarce supply in Finland as grocery stores and pharmacies have underestimated people's interest in self-swabbing ahead of the holidays.
 Rapid at-home Covid-19 tests have been difficult to come by in downtown Helsinki. Yle's hunt for the tests this week showed they were sold at Tokmanni, the University Pharmacy, Sokos S-Market, Postitalo's K-Market and Aleksanterinkatu Alepa
 Yle did, however, manage to locate a test in a Haaga K-Market, where staff encouraged stocking up, as tests have run out at the K-Group's warehouse.
 The Association of Finnish pharmacies previously warned that pharmacies could run out of rapid tests before the year's end in the event of the epidemic surging and the government recommending home testing.
 "This week, availability problems materialised. Test distributors are reaching their last bit of inventory," said  Charlotta Sandler , Director of Pharmaceutical Affairs at the Association of Finnish Pharmacies.
 A Chinese-manufactured Boson-brand test, distributed by Pamark Group, is the most-sold antigen test in Finland.
 So far this month, Pamark has imported three million home test kits. The company said it expects to fly in another million tests before the year is over, and that it plans to continue bringing in a million kits weekly in January.
 Empty shelves have raised concerns about test hoarding. But  Minna Åman-Toivio , who runs Pamark, said the issue is more about logistics than people stashing kits. The journey from the hull of a Finnair plane to a shop shelf is not as straightforward as people may assume, according to Åman-Toivio.
 "A huge volume of tests is parcelled into hundreds of smaller deliveries making their way through the logistics chain," she explained, adding that this process includes customs, warehouse transport, loading and unloading as well as repackaging.
 Since the pandemic began, S and K Group retailers have sold 430,000 and 220,00 home tests respectively. People have also bought 100,000 tests at pharmacies.
 Demand is meanwhile rising. Last week S-Group said it saw a 73 percent increase in sold tests compared to the week prior, and K-Group said tests were leaving stores as soon as they arrived.

At-home Covid tests sell out in Finland


Summary: Finland winds down as the country heads into Christmas.

Christmas is the busiest time of the year for Finland's grocery stores, and these days retail chains strive to keep their doors open for as long as possible during the holiday period.
 This means that there will be regional and store group-specific differences in the opening hours of grocery stores over the coming days.
 For example, about 100 S-Group chain outlets will be open 24 hours a day over Christmas while some of the K-Group's Citymarket and K-Market stores will stay open until midnight on Christmas Eve.
 The K-Group has said that the busiest time for its outlets is usually between 1pm and 3pm on 23 December.
 The opening hours of gas stations also vary by regional and by company, although some of the S-Group's ABC network of stations as well as Neste's outlets will be open around the clock.
 Meanwhile Lidl's stores will be open nationwide on Christmas Eve from 8am to 4pm, but opening hours for St Stephen's Day vary depending on the store.
 Alko closes at 12 noon on Christmas Eve
 Finland's state-owned alcohol retailer Alko's stores are open on Thursday 23 December from 9am to 9pm and on Christmas Eve from 9 am until 12 noon, but will be closed on Christmas Day and St Stephen's Day.
 National rail operator VR's trains will run on an elaborate system over the holiday period. Services on Thursday 23 December will operate according to a Friday schedule, while trains on the morning of Christmas Eve follow a Saturday timetable.
 Services will become less frequent during the afternoon of Christmas Eve, and end completely at 6 pm. On Christmas Day, a reduced Sunday schedule will apply while St Stephen's Day services will operate according to a Sunday schedule, with some exceptions.
 'Operation Snowflake' aims to help drivers
 Long-distance bus services will also operate a holiday schedule, with the most accurate and up-to-date information available from the operators' own websites, such as  Matkahuolto  and  Onnibus .
 The Automobile and Touring Club of Finland's 'operation snowflake' campaign, which aims to help motorists that run into trouble on the nation's roads over the holiday season, is running for the 53rd year. In the event of problems, drivers can call 0200 8080 or use the association's mobile app.

Holiday reminder: Christmas shortens opening hours, changes transport schedules


Summary: Finnish President Sauli Niinistö said a phone call between the presidents of the United States and Russia conveyed some optimism that diplomacy could help ease current tensions.

Finnish President  Sauli Niinistö  said Thursday's call between the President of the United States  Joe Biden  and Russian President  Vladimir Putin  offered little in the way of news.
 "Perhaps the best part of the call was that both parties assured—at least in their press releases—that they were ready to make diplomatic progress," Niinistö said on Yle radio show Ykkösaamu on Friday.
 "We can rest somewhat assured that this atmosphere of peace will be maintained at least until the second week of January," he added.
 Talks between Russia and the United States are expected to commence in Geneva in the second week of January.
 During the call between the two presidents, Putin is said to have warned Biden that imposing sanctions would be a big mistake.
 "It's certainly part of the rhetoric now," Niinistö said of Russia's sanction warning.
 According to a White House press release, Biden made it clear that the United States and its allies would respond if Russia were to invade Ukraine again.
 Is it about Ukraine or a NATO expansion?
 Niinistö speculated that current US-Russian tensions may boil down to NATO's expansion. Russia has demanded of both the United States and NATO that the alliance stop its eastward expansion.
 "Inevitably, when you think about the messaging, especially from the Kremlin, the main focus appears to be those general requirements—security guarantees, as they say. Ukraine seems to form a framework for such a debate," Niinistö said.
 The Finnish president spoke on the phone with Putin in mid-December. At the time Niinistö said Finland would keep its option of joining the western alliance open.
 Niinistö said he does not believe that NATO would close its doors to Finland right now.
 "I think this is a very clear situation for Finland. I do not think that we will face any kind of membership barrier as a result of the Russian negotiations with either the United States or NATO," he said.
 "This decision is in our own hands."
 Estonia's cannon request
 Estonia has meanwhile said it would like to give Ukraine Soviet-made cannons and ammunition it originally purchased from Finland. To proceed with the donation, Estonia needs permission from Finland and Germany, from whom Finland bought the Howitzers in the 1990s.
 "Of course, the situation in Ukraine is very sensitive, and Finland has long had the principle that no weapons are handed over to conflict areas. That will certainly be considered," Niinistö said of Estonia's request.

President Niinistö: US-Russian relations tense as year changes


Summary: Energy firms say a dispute between the Paperworkers’ Union and forest company UPM could leave some residents in the cold.

Several local communities are bracing for interruptions to district heating as forest products company UPM and the Paperworkers' Union have failed to solve disputes over pay and conditions.
 Three energy companies are calling on the Paperworkers' Union, which represents workers in the paper industry, and forest products giant UPM to resolve their dispute to avoid disruptions to district heating.
 The Paperworkers' Union is set to start a strike at UPM plants on 1 January, threatening the district heating supply in many places.
 "Some cities are already winding down their biogas plants and have started their backup oil-burning facilities," the heads of Rauman Energia, Kouvola's KSS Energia and Lappeenranta Energia said in a joint statement.
 The dispute hinges on a dispute over pay and working conditions at UPM.
 The forest giant wants the flexibility to vary conditions of work for staff doing the same job in different units within the company, but unions are resisting that change.
 The Paperworkers' Union has said it will exclude district heat operations from its strike action if UPM continues to apply the current collective agreement after the New Year. UPM, however, said it will start implementing its own working conditions that have not been negotiated with the Paperworkers' Union.
 Traditionally Finnish labour talks have been sector-wide, with a collective agreement guaranteeing industrial peace between unions and companies. This time, employers' organisations have declined to negotiate a sector-wide deal, preferring to negotiate company-by-company.

Power companies say paper sector dispute threatens energy supply


Summary: The S-Group says selling the book was a mistake.

An unedited Finnish translation, lacking scholarly comment, of  Adolf Hitler 's Mein Kampf has emerged in the selection of several online booksellers in Finland.
 Suomalainen kirjakauppa and S-Group have removed the Nazi manifesto Mein Kampf from their offerings following a public outcry on social media.
 The edition in question, published this year by a publisher called Kielletyt kirjat ("Forbidden books"), includes a prologue emphasising that the book "contains no remarks from the translator or anything else extra."
 The publisher's online shop features a selection of far-right material.
 Information obtained by Yle suggests that the publisher has links to the neo-Nazi group Nordic Resistance Movement which was  outlawed last year .
 Kielletyt kirjat has denied any involvement with the group, responding to Yle from the publisher's general email address to say the publisher did not have links to the group.
 Suomalainen kirjakauppa and S-Group removed the book from their offerings following criticism on social media.  Päivi Hole , a VP at S-Group, told Yle it was a mistake to sell the book.
 "Products come to us via partners. The volume of titles is so huge that we can't manually check it all," she said.
 S-Group, like most book retailers in Finland, partners with book supplier Kirjavälitys.
 That said, Hole pointed the finger at her supplier.
 "We have to have a feedback discussion with Kirjavälitys. We have an agreement to to only offer appropriate books for sale," she said.
 Hole noted that it was extremely rare to withdraw books from sale.
 "Today's case was exceptional," she said.
 Some 20 million books move through Kirjavälitys every year.
 Inari Haapaniemi , the company's service manager, said she hadn't yet had time to look into the Mein Kampf case, though said the company does not take a position on the content of the books it passes on. She also noted that publishers are responsible for the material they publish while retailers are in charge of their own selections.
 Haapaniemi was unable to estimate how many copies of the book Kirjavälitys had passed on to booksellers. She, however, said she believed the company would consider withdrawing Adolf Hitler's propaganda from sale.

Finnish retailers remove Mein Kampf from sale


Summary: Cigarette prices will rise but passports will become more affordable next year.

The new year brings with it changes that affect the daily lives of residents in Finland. Yle compiled ten of them:
 1. Household deduction limits rise—but not for home improvement
 Household tax deduction limits will be increased in 2022.  Tiina Jutila / Yle
 The maximum tax deduction amount and deduction percentage will increase for household, care and nursing work in 2022. A household tax deduction is also available for anyone who stops using oil to heat their home.
 The maximum deduction will increase from 2,250 euros to 3,500 euros.
 For renovation work, the household deduction will remain unchanged.
 2. Mortgage interest deduction limits decrease
 In 2022, five percent of one's mortgage interest will be tax deductible, instead of the current 10 percent.
 This tax break is expected to disappear entirely in 2023.
 3. Price of tobacco rises
 Petteri Juuti / Yle
 The tobacco tax will increase at the beginning of the year and again in July. Further increases will take place in 2023.
 As a result, tobacco prices are expected to rise by an average of 11 percent, making the average price of a pack of cigarettes just above ten euros.
 4. Students can earn more without losing benefits
 The income threshold affecting students' eligibility for financial support will go up 25 percent. The income limit per month will rise to 870 euros, from the current 696 euros.
 The limit increase is valid for 2022 only.
 5. Garrisons get their own polling stations
 Kimmo Rauatmaa / Lehtikuva
 Garrisons around Finland will have access to their own ballot boxes in the January regional elections. Garrisons will organise special polling stations where conscripts can cast their votes.
 This voting arrangement was temporarily used in the 2021 municipal elections. In the past, institutional polling stations have only been set up in hospitals and prisons.
 6. Consumer protection for digital content expands
 At the stroke of midnight, the Consumer Protection Act will be supplemented with provisions for the supply, error or alteration of digital content and services. The new regulations apply to software, digital games and cloud services, among other things.
 In the past, there has been no clear regulation for errors or delays within digital content.
 7. Passports become more affordable, gun permits more expensive
 Police license fees are changing to better reflect the cost of issuing them.
 The price of a passport will decrease from 58 to 50 euros if the application is filed at the police department. The price of an electronically filed passport application remains unchanged at 44 euros.
 The price of a gun permit issued by the local police will increase from 90 to 105 euros.
 8. The taxation of electric cars changes
 Seppo Ahava / Yle
 New electric cars are no longer subject to a car tax on purchase. Instead, the vehicle tax on electric cars will be increased by 65 euros a year.
 The car tax exemption applies to cars whose first tax assessment date is on or after October 1, 2021.
 9. Cancer screenings broaden
 More Finnish residents will be entitled to free cancer screenings. Bowel cancer screenings will start nationwide for men and women aged 60-68. The project has already been piloted in 12 municipalities.
 Cervical cancer screenings, in turn, will now apply to 30 to 65-year-olds. Previously, screenings ended at 60 in most municipalities. All 65-year-olds will now have access to screenings, regardless of their place of residence.
 10. Right-of-Occupancy housing system reformed
 The Right-of-Occupancy Housing Act will be reformed to further empower residents to have a bigger say in how their property is run.
 One of the changes means that, from now on, at least 40 percent of the members of a homeowner’s association’s board of directors must also be residents of the property.
 There are about 50,000 right-of-occupancy dwellings in Finland. The system has been in use for 30 years.

10 Things changing in 2022


Summary: The 9-day strike could disrupt the entire Finnish economy.

The Industrial Union has threatened to inititate a strike that could affect nearly 300 sites within the technology and chemical sectors. Trade Union Pro, which covers the finance and IT sectots, also warned it may join the strike, which is expected to run from 14 to 23 January.
 The latest negotiations between the Industrial Union and employers in the Technology Industry failed on 27 December.
 If disputes over pay and conditions fail to be resolved, the proposed action would affect a significant part of the Finnish technology industry, potentially disrupting the entire Finnish economy.
 "We had long negotiations with employers in the technology industry, but we did not reach an agreement on the level of the salary increase or the length of the contract period. Because of this, we decided to issue a strike warning when no progress was made in the negotiations," said  Riku Aalto , President of the Industrial Union.
 Roughly an hour after the Industrial Union made strike warning on  Twitter , the Office of the National Conciliator announced that mediation between the two bodies would take place again on Tuesday, 4 January.
 Technology Industry: Strike impact "absolutely huge"
 Jarkko Ruohoniemi , Chief executive of the Technology Industry Employers' Association, said the strike warning was expected. According to him, the dispute has been tricky to resolve due to conflicting interests "in terms of cost competitiveness and purchasing power".
 "Of course, this would be a very large-scale strike with a huge impact if it starts. Now the aim is to find a solution under the leadership of the national mediator," Ruohoniemi explained.

Industrial Union threatens strikes, 300 tech sites face closure


Summary: A low pressure front is expected to bring snow showers, with the depth of snowfall ranging from more than 30 centimetres in Finnish Lapland to just a few centimetres in the southwest.

The Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI) has issued a warning of hazardous driving conditions, especially in central and southern areas of the country, for Christmas Eve.
 Snow showers are forecast for much of the country throughout the day, with snow blizzards also expected in some parts.
 FMI meteorologist  Sini Tenhunen  advised motorists to give themselves plenty of time to complete their journeys over the holiday period, as roads are likely to be especially slippery on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
 According to the national traffic management agency Fintraffic, Thursday 23 December will be the busiest day of the Christmas on Finnish roads and delays are expected on highways 4 and 9.
 Police have also urged motorists to check the weather forecast and, if possible, adjust their departures accordingly.
 Low pressure front
 The FMI has  forecast  that the whole of Finland will wake up to a White Christmas on Friday morning.
 A low pressure front moving over the country is expected to bring snowfall to many parts, with the depth of snow falling ranging from more than 30 centimetres in Finnish Lapland to no more than a few centimetres in the southwest.
 "In other words, Santa Claus will be distributing gifts to children in white weather, even though it might be a thin layer," Tenhunen said, adding that temperatures across the country are expected to drop well below freezing throughout the day on Christmas Eve.
 "It might be as low as 20 degrees below zero in the east and north," she said.
 Strong winds will also add to the chill factor.
 "It will be colder than usual [for Christmas Eve], but nothing out of the ordinary is expected either," FMI meteorologist  Ville Siiskonen  said.
 The Finnish Meteorological Institute has been recording variations in the temperatures and snow conditions at Christmas since 1991, and the definition of a 'White Christmas' is that there is at least one centimetre of snow on the ground at 9am.
 The data reveals that usually every second Christmas on the southern and western coasts of the country and in the southwestern archipelago is a White Christmas.
 "When we go a little inland in the south, six to eight out of ten Christmases are white," Siiskonen said, adding that the further north, the better the chances.
 "In the North, it is safe to say that almost every Christmas is white," he said.

Motorists warned of poor driving conditions as snow blizzards forecast


Summary: The Christmas Peace Declaration, with its roots in the 14th century, is a tradition held dear by many people in Finland.

Each year, at noon on Christmas Eve, the Christmas Peace Declaration is televised live on Yle from the Old Great Square in Turku, marking the start of the holiday celebrations for many people in Finland. But what is this medieval threat of harsher punishment for crimes committed over the holidays and where does it originate from?
 The old Nordic legislation has its roots in the 14th century, when it was enacted by Swedish statesman  Birger Jarl , who led the second Swedish Crusade and established Swedish rule in Finland.
 The Christmas Peace, which meant that penalties for violations committed during the Christmas Peace period were harsher than other times, was put in place because Christmas brought with it free time for the masses - and unfortunately civil unrest often ensued.
 "There was an actual purpose to it, in the past, when excessive alcohol use, especially over the holidays, led to all kinds of conflict and disturbance. The law used to pertain to each city, particularly the bigger cities, before it evolved into our national tradition," says Finnish Literature Society archivist  Juha Nirkko .
 The law and its consequences traditionally lasted for a period of 20 days, from December 24 to January 13, a day known in Finland as  Nuutinpäivä . Although the declaration that is read still threatens harsher punishments for infractions during the holiday, it has carried no legal consequences since 1889.
 Once practiced across the Nordics, Finland is the only country that has kept up the tradition. The exact wording of the legislation, used during the first few centuries, has been lost over time, but the main contents of the declaration remain the same; advising people to spend the festive period in harmony and wishing everyone a Merry Christmas.
 The version that has been delivered from the balcony of the Brinkkala building since 1886 is the same text that the magistrate's secretary reproduced from memory after the Great Fire of Turku in 1827.
 A near-uninterrupted tradition
 There have only been a few interruptions to the beloved institution over the centuries. It is presumed that the peace declaration was not read during the Russian invasion and occupation of Finland in 1712 and 1721, a period also known as the Greater Wrath, and possibly between 1809 and 1815, when the Grand Duchy of Finland was established within the Russian Empire.
 The declaration was also canceled in 1917 when rival militias were preparing for civil war as well as in 1939, during the Winter War, when all outdoor gatherings were put on hold due to the threat of air raids.
 In 2020, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the declaration was read to an empty town square instead of the crowd usually consisting of around 20,000 attendants.
 The Declaration of Christmas Peace in Turku, which is read in both Finnish and Swedish, has been broadcast on the radio since 1935. National television broadcasts of the event started in 1983 and the event has also been broadcast on Swedish television since 1986. Nowadays the Declaration of Christmas Peace can be viewed live around the world online.
 For Finnish people, the Declaration of Christmas Peace has meaning beyond the literal. It is a tradition that marks the official start of Christmas for many families, including Nirkko’s.
 "With preparations still going on past the Day of Tuomas (December 21), the Christmas Peace is for many the moment when everything and everyone is finally ready," says Nirkko. "It’s a time to quiet down and actually start the celebration."

Medieval legislation marks the start of Christmas


Summary: Finland's President Sauli Niinistö and his wife Jenni Haukio sent peaceful Christmas wishes to the nation via a photo on Twitter.

Prime Minister  Sanna Marin  (SDP) said in her Christmas message to the nation that she wants to believe better times lie ahead.
 "The last two years have called for patience, adaptation and flexibility. Many people have lost loved ones, or been concerned for their own health or that of a family member," Marin wrote.
 The PM added that Covid vaccines have brought a sense of security and remain the most important and effective way to tackle the pandemic.
 She concluded her message by saying she was looking forward to spending a peaceful Christmas period with her family and loved ones.
 "I sincerely hope that everyone has time at Christmas to pause for at least a moment and enjoy the festivities. Each in accordance with our own heritage, or boldly creating new traditions.," Marin wrote.
 "Christmas is an opportunity to rest, extend a helping hand, reflect on things past, and consider the future. Together, we can get through anything that life throws at us."
 Finland's President  Sauli Niinistö  and his wife  Jenni Haukio  also sent peaceful Christmas wishes via Twitter.
 Niinistö published a photo of the presidential couple in front of a Christmas tree with the words: "Merry Christmas [in Finnish] - Wish you all a peaceful Christmas [in Swedish]!"

PM Marin hopes for "better times ahead" in Christmas message


Summary: Check out our regional breakdown to see the measures that are coming into effect in your area over the Christmas period.

Finland's government and regional authorities are planning to introduce or tighten restrictions over the Christmas period as Covid cases continue to increase.
 On Christmas Eve, public health authority THL reported yet another record daily high of Covid cases, 3,223. The previous record was set just 24 hours previously, when 3,000 infections were diagnosed.
 However, keeping up with the latest coronavirus restrictions can be challenging, especially as the measures often vary by region and some come into effect on Christmas Eve while others are set aside until after the festive season.
 In addition, the situation can become further confused by the fact that some of the restrictions are imposed by the government, and some by the Regional State Administrative Agencies (Avis). The latest information on the regional state agencies can be found  here .
 Due to the government’s application of the ' emergency brake ', restrictions on the operations of bars and restaurants were imposed in regions considered to be in the spreading phase of the pandemic. This means that as of December 28, drinking establishments in these regions may need to stop serving as early as 5pm.
 It will also no longer be possible to access high- and moderate-risk events — such as bars, nightclubs, certain public gatherings and trade fairs — with a Covid pass as the government seeks to stem the spread of coronavirus infections, and in particular the Omicron variant.
 The websites of regional hospital districts also contain accurate and up-to-date information on that area's coronavirus restrictions and recommendations.
 In addition, the following regional restrictions have come or will come into effect in Finland over the Christmas period:
 Uusimaa
 The Regional State Administrative Agency (Avi) of Southern Finland significantly tightened coronavirus restrictions in the Helsinki and Uusimaa hospital district on Thursday.
 The new regulations are due to come into effect from 28 December, and a Covid pass cannot -- for the time being at least -- be used as an alternative to restrictions.
 In Uusimaa, all indoor public meetings and general meetings, regardless of the number of people, will be banned for three weeks from 28 December 2021 to 17 January 2022. In addition, an order has been issued in the region — in accordance with section 58g of the Communicable Diseases Act — to close down certain public premises, such as indoor sports arenas. This closure order will be valid for two weeks from 28 December 2021 to 10 January 2022.
 However, the facilities may be used for the supervised recreational activities of children and young people aged 17 and younger.
 Pirkanmaa
 Regional authorities in Pirkanmaa, which includes the city of Tampere, introduced strict measures to tackle the spread of infections on Thursday.
 In line with the terms of the Communicable Diseases Act, the regional Avi has prohibited all indoor and outdoor public events and general meetings in the municipalities of the Pirkanmaa Hospital District and the municipality of Punkalaitumen. The order is valid from 25 December 2021 to 7 January 2022.
 Satakunta
 On Thursday, Avi banned all indoor and outdoor public events and general meetings in the Satakunta region. In addition, premises where sporting, leisure or recreational activities are carried out will be closed.
 Public spaces in the region must also be arranged in such a way that the risk of Covid infections caused by close contact can be avoided.
 In practice, this means requiring the use of a face mask, improving ventilation and limiting the number of people in the space at any one time, among other measures.
 The restrictions will apply from Christmas Eve until the end of the year, and cannot be circumvented with the use of a Covid pass.
 Southwest Finland
 As in Satakunta, the Regional State Administrative Agency of Southwest Finland has also banned all indoor and outdoor public events and general meetings in the region of Southwest Finland until the end of the year. Sports arenas and theatres are therefore no longer accessible even with a Covid pass.
 Swimming pools and sports facilities in Southwest Finland are open, but with strict health and safety guidelines.
 North Ostrobothnia
 Authorities in North Ostrobothnia significantly tightened restrictions on Thursday as the region is currently considered to be in the spreading phase of the pandemic.
 All indoor and outdoor public events and general meetings are prohibited until the end of the year. This means that swimming pools, spa pool sections, gyms and dance venues will be closed.
 In addition, the use of public spaces — such as sports arenas — will be restricted for a short period of time. However, the facilities can still be used for supervised hobbies for children.
 Lapland
 A restriction on public gatherings was extended to the entire Lapland area from 23 December as the Lapland Avi decided to tighten measures on Wednesday due to a rapid increase in case numbers. Almost all indoor public events and general meetings attended by more than 20 people are now prohibited in the region.
 Concerts and sporting events are classified as public events. Use of a Covid pass does allow for an exemption from the restrictions on public events, but not from general meetings.
 The Lapland Avi further stated that the use of customer and public premises must be arranged in such a way that the risk of coronavirus infections caused by close contacts can be minimised. According to Avi, the risk can be reduced by requiring the use of a face mask or limiting the number of people permitted to enter the space at any one time, among other measures.
 The decision applies to facilities used for sports, exercise, leisure and recreational activities, such as gyms, swimming pools and dance venues. For other public premises, the order applies to an indoor space containing more than 10 people or an outdoor space with more than 50 people.
 South Ostrobothnia
 The number of people permitted to gather for indoor public events and meetings will be limited to 20, down from 50, in the South Ostrobothnia region.
 However, according to a decision by the regional Avi, the Covid pass can still be used in the area as an alternative to restrictions. The order is valid from 26 December 2021 to 23 January 2022.
 South Karelia
 In the area of the South Karelia Hospital District, authorities have decided to restrict indoor public events to more than 50 people. However, as an alternative to the restriction, the event organiser may ask participants for a Covid pass. This will be valid until 23 January 2022.
 Kanta-Häme
 In the Kanta-Häme Hospital District area, restrictions on public events will be tightened as of 24 December. This means that from Christmas Eve, indoor public events and general meetings of more than 10 people will be prohibited, as will gatherings of more than 50 people outdoors.
 As an alternative to the restrictions on public events, a Covid pass can be used.
 Central Ostrobothnia
 In Central Ostrobothnia, all indoor public events and general meetings attended by more than 50 people are prohibited. The order is valid until 5 January 2022.
 Päijät-Häme
 A decision on the tightening of Covid restrictions in the Päijät-Häme region is expected in the week after Christmas.
 The hospital district's chief physician  Tuomo Nieminen  said on Wednesday that the regional coronavirus coordination group is proposing that the regional state agency introduce section 58 g of the Communicable Diseases Act, meaning that certain sports and hobby facilities would be closed for a maximum period of two weeks.
 Central Finland
 Central Finland's Avi is not preparing to tighten restrictions in the region, according to Yle's information.
 The current restrictions will therefore remain in place over the Christmas period. In Central Finland, public events attended by more than 50 people are prohibited, but restrictions can be circumvented with the use of a Covid pass. The restrictions on public gatherings are due to expire on 5 January.
 Savo and North Karelia
 The Eastern Finland Avi is not planning to introduce new restrictions this week, Yle understands, but may review the coronavirus situation in the region next week.
 The regional authority has banned all indoor public events and general meetings in its area that are attended by more than 50 people. The restrictions are currently in effect until 9 January 2022.
 Ostrobothnia
 The Western Finland Avi did not impose any new restrictions on Ostrobothnia at its meeting on 22 December.
 In the area of the municipalities of the Vaasa Hospital District, all indoor public events and general meetings attended by more than 50 people are prohibited. The order is valid until 19 January 2022, but a Covid pass may be used as an alternative to restrictions.

Government, regional authorities tighten Covid restrictions as daily case numbers hit record high


Summary: Table feeding is important for the survival of many bird species in Finland during the winter months, according to one specialist.

While the human hustle and bustle of the pre-Christmas rush has subsided, and a Christmas peace descends, a hustle and bustle of a different kind continues in yards and gardens across the country - especially if it contains a bird feeding table.
 "Finns are very active feeders of birds," Chief Curator of the Finnish Museum of Natural History  Aleksi Lehikoinen  told Yle.
 Although the exact numbers of bird feeders is difficult to gauge, an estimate can be deduced from the amount of bird food imported into Finland. The latest report from the Food Agency is from 2019.
 "More than ten million kilos of sunflower seeds and more than two million kilos of nuts are imported into Finland every year for the purpose of feeding wildlife," Lehikoinen said.
 In line with the human tradition at Christmas, a particularly rich and tasty buffet can also be prepared for birds at this time of year, with Lehikoinen pointing out there are notable differences between the food offered to birds in the city compared to the countryside.
 "Sunflower seeds are more often offered in the cities, while oats are more common in the countryside," he said.
 Therefore, in order to get a closer glimpse of our feathered friends and their often-frantic feeding, Yle Areena has begun offering a live stream — called  lintulautalive  or 'Bird Table Live' — of a bird feeding table located in the Finnish archipelago.
 Viewers can follow the broadcast from  this link  or by clicking on the main image in this article. The stream began broadcasting on Christmas morning and will remain on air until the evening of St Stephen's Day.
 Bird table live is the latest offering in nature-based, 'slow TV' broadcasts from Finland, which have also included live streams of  Saimaa ringed seals , a highly endangered  great crested newt  and eight newborn  labrador pups .
 Many species can benefit from feeding
 According to Lehikoinen, bird tables can be very beneficial, in particular for species whose natural food intake might be especially difficult at this time of year.
 "It is likely that the numbers of blue and red tit, small sparrows and many foraging species would be much lower during winter without feeding. Bird table feeding contributes above all to improving survival when naturally-found food is scarce because of snow and cold temperatures," he said.
 Lehikoinen said he believes that the tradition of feeding birds will continue in Finland long into the future. However, he added, there may be some regional changes in both the amount and quality of the food offered.
 Strengthening people's relationship with nature
 In private gardens, birds are allowed to feed freely, but in public areas the placement of a bird feeding table may be prohibited or subject to restrictions. The number of bird feeding locations has decreased over recent years, especially in urban areas.
 For example, the City of Helsinki's environmental services renewed their decision on 'no-fly zones' in Helsinki just a few days ago. The decision is based on the Health Protection Act, as birds can cause health problems and their feeding tables can also attract rats.
 The feeding table should always be kept clean and if sick birds start to appear, feeding should be stopped, Lehikoinen advised.
 However, he further said that watching nature and feeding birds is a pleasure for him, both at work and in his free time, adding that the practice can strengthen people’s relationship with nature.
 "It's a nice pastime in many ways. During these socially-distant times, I like to look at my own feeding table every now and then, and binoculars are often on my desk. The cold snap that began a couple of days ago brought some yellow crickets back to my feeding table. Even today, there were more than 20 different species of birds," Lehikoinen said.

Watch: Yle launches 'Bird table' live stream


Summary: A one-month period of restrictions could cost up to 100 million euros within the restaurant industry alone, according to a ministry memorandum.

The tightening of epidemic-related restrictions across Finland could prompt public event organisers, gyms and restaurants to see millions of euros in losses, according to a memorandum from the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health about the government's so-called "emergency brake" plans.
 On Wednesday, the government announced plans to engage the brake, or tighten restrictions on public events and activities around the country.
 Many areas of Finland have already taken steps in that effort. For example, authorities in the southern region of Uusimaa — home to Helsinki and often the country's highest new coronavirus cases — banned all indoor public events for three weeks.
 National and local authorities are  introducing or tightening restrictions  over Christmas as Covid cases continue to rise.
 According to the social affairs and health ministry's memo on the topic, the restrictions are expected to protect the health of citizens, the country's public health care system as well as reduce the spread of the disease.
 But from an economic point of view, the impact of the restrictions will be negative, with the finance ministry estimating its economic growth forecast of three percent will shrink to 2.4 percent.
 According to the Minister for Family and Basic Services,  Krista Kiuru  (SDP), the effect they have on the epidemic will be monitored for two weeks, after which conclusions are to be reached.
 Last week, Yle asked the social affairs and health ministry for an assessment about the impact engaging the emergency brake would have. In its response to the request, the ministry sent a summary of various ministerial summaries which, broadly, anticipated the need for a new round of financial support for businesses.
 Millions within various sectors
 The memorandum said that 120-150 million euros would be set aside for the relief funding, which would mark the fifth time companies receive coronavirus-related support packages. According to the state treasury, businesses have already received a total of around 765 million euros in such aid.
 Most of the financial pain the restrictions are likely to cause will be felt within the events industry, according to the memo, with an estimated 75 million euros in anticipated losses for public event organisers.
 Meanwhile, the memorandum said if restrictions last a month, the gym industry is likely to lose around 21.5 million euros, spas will see losses of 5.5 million euros and restaurant tills could haemorrhage up to 100 million euros.
 The assessment said the Ministry of Education and Culture was planning around 36 million euros a month for the culture sector.
 The ministry's memorandum also noted other possible consequences of the restrictions, including an increase in people gathering for private parties in lieu of attending public events, causing potential disruptions and increased work for police.
 "In extreme reactions, some citizens could protest against the restrictions," the memorandum reads.

Ministry: New Covid restriction closures to cost businesses millions


Summary: Additionally, a cold temperature warning is in effect in North Karelia on Saturday and Sunday.

Driving conditions will be poor in western and southwestern areas of Finland throughout Saturday, according to the road information outfit Fintraffic.
 The firm reported that visibility was poor on roads in the west and south-west, caused by falling, as well as drifting, snow.
 According to the Finnish Meteorological Institute's (FMI) forecast, road conditions in western areas will be poor until late on Saturday night and has  issued warnings  about the slippery roads in several areas.
 The FMI also issued a warning for cold temperatures in North Karelia on Saturday and Sunday.
 Earlier this week, Fintraffic's CEO,  Pertti Korhonen , said in a statement that the company expects most of the trips over the Christmas period in Finland will be made by car.
 "The pandemic has greatly changed how people in Finland travel between locations. The share of trips made by car has significantly increased since the pandemic began. This makes it more difficult to accomplish the emission reduction goals and reduces the health-enhancing physical activity of people related to the use of public transportation," Korhonen said.
 "Whenever possible in the context of your trip and schedules, using public transportation while observing the health safety instructions issued by authorities during the holiday season is a sustainable choice. It is important that we continue to have access to functional public transport and good mobility services as an alternative to cars," he continued.

Poor driving conditions in western areas on Christmas Day


Summary: The year's final episode of All Points North looks at local election implications, the effects of—and responses to—global climate change, Covid-19's ups and downs, and much more.

The big story of 2021 in Finland and around the world continued to be the coronavirus pandemic. But there was a lot more going on than that.
 Throughout the year, the All Points North podcast tackled topics like the country's  municipal elections , featuring exclusive, in-depth interviews in English (!) with the leaders of Finland's parliamentary parties.
 The nine interviews—ranging from the former leader of the opposition Finns Party  Jussi Halla-aho  (on 11 February) all the way to the Social Democrats' Prime Minister  Sanna Marin  (on 27 May), and everyone in between—can be found on  APN's webpage .
 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.
 Shady internships and foreigner wage gaps
 One of the year's most-listened-to episodes of APN delved into the sometimes murky world of student internships. Often advertised as offering valuable real-life work experience, these arrangements are often a graduation requirement but usually offer little—to no financial compensation, which can bolster exploitation in the labor market.
 APN  spoke to   Salla Hakoköngäs  from a trade union-funded summer worker helpline to find out where interns worried about exploitation can turn.
 We also met  Susanna Bairoh , from engineering union TEK, who explained what  people can do  if they suspect they're being underpaid due to their nationality.
 Banking headaches and Migri delays
 This autumn APN asked why some Finnish banks were requiring customers to pay a hefty deposit to open an account—and why some banks were quicker than others to repay it when the account is closed.
 Sami Tanskanen  from the University of Eastern Finland  told us  that a number of factors make it challenging for foreign students to set up their bank accounts.
 In April, we spoke to  Charles Mathies , a US researcher living in Finland who caused a stir on social media about the long wait he endured at Migri for what turned out to be a very brief visit. We  asked Mathies  why he thought his story drew so much interest.
 Climate change
 In September we learned from author and Yle meteorologist  Kerttu Kotakorpi  how global  climate change will affect Finland  in coming years ( spoiler alert, the outlook is not great ). Then, the following month, we asked VATT research institute economist  Marita Laukkanen  if Finland was on track to meet its ambitious climate goals ( spoiler alert, the outlook is not great ).
 Breakfastgate
 In Finland at least, we can't talk about 2021 without mentioning a controversy that hung over the head of Prime Minister  Sanna Marin  (SDP) for most of the summer—breakfastgate!
 The scandal centred on breakfast and cold meal benefits the PM and her family received that they might not actually have been entitled to, resulting in widespread outrage on social media as well as heavy media coverage.
 At the beginning of the summer, we heard from Yle political journalist  Hannu Tikkala  who explained why he thought public debate about the matter was  a good thing .
 Covid-19, 20, 21…
 Of course a look back at last year would be lacking without discussing the Covid-19 pandemic. Now, nearly in its second year in Finland, Covid has taken a toll on people's health, front line workers as well as the economy—not to mention everyone's patience.
 Over the course of the year we spoke with many experts about the coronavirus epidemic, including scientist  Pirta Hotulainen  who, along with a group of experts, were calling for a 'zero Covid' strategy at the beginning of the year.
 In late May, HJK Helsinki football club CEO  Aki Riihilahti  told us about his frustrations with the government's coronavirus-related restrictions, which he characterised as uneven.
 A vaccine researcher from health institute THL,  Jonas Sivelä , told us early this month that he doesn't agree with the idea of forcing people who are hesitant about Covid vaccines to take them, preferring a softer approach.
 Finally, we heard fromYle journalist  Satu Miettinen who explained what she saw at Päijät-Häme Central Hospital's Covid ward in the city of Lahti.
 It may not be the cheeriest way to finish up, but that's kind of where we are.
 Happy 2022!
 Everyone at Yle News and APN wishes you, our audience, a very happy and healthy New Year and we look forward to reconnecting in 2022!
 This week's show was presented, produced and edited 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 special: Looking back at 2021


Summary: Climate change is making it more difficult for reindeer to graze as their food is trapped under ice.

The  BBC  reports that thousands of reindeer have gone missing in Finnish Lapland.
 With their food—lichen—covered under a layer of ice, the animals have wandered up to 100 kilometres to graze. Lichen becomes trapped under ice when early snowfall melts and later freezes as temperatures drop.
 Weather patterns and vegetation changes are  affecting reindeer populations . Herders increasingly worry how climate change will impact their traditional livelihood. In addition to bumper snow seasons affecting the beasts' ability to dig through the snow to access lichen, recent years have also seen unpredictable mushroom seasons, also impacting herd survival.
 Jouko Kumpula , a senior scientist with Finland's Natural Resources Institute, told the BBC that reindeer in parts of Finnish Lapland were now looking for areas "where there is just snow that they can remove easily and eat up the lichen below."
 Tuomas Seva , a herder on the Swedish side of the border, told the British broadcaster that locating the animals was expensive as well as time consuming as herders had resorted to using helicopters for tracking.
 He said some 8,000 of the beasts had wandered off in the past few days.
 Reindeer sniff out the direction of warm air as they search for unfrozen lichen.
 "The farthest our reindeers have gone that I know is around 100km from our district,"  Vili Kurki , a herder from Muonio, explained.
 Climate uncertainty
 Climate change is making it increasingly difficult for reindeer to graze winter pastures in Lapland. Two years ago Finnish herders said severe winter weather killed 15,000 reindeer, resulting in  damages of 23 million euros .
 "Usually this kind of winters were earlier experienced once in a 30-year period but it seems that they are probably becoming more and more common due to the ongoing climate change," Kumpula added.
 To encourage their reindeer to stay closer to home, some herders have started giving their animals extra food.
 Commercial broadcaster MTV was the first to report the news.

BBC: Thousands of reindeer missing in Lapland


Summary: Average prices of used cars are up ten percent as vehicle production is hit by supply chain shortages.

With the wait for a new car sometimes stretching more than a year, some buyers are opting for gently-used alternatives.
 These are exceptional times where supply and demand determine the price, according to  Miikka Råman , the marketing director of high-end car vendor Sports Car Center, and  Tero Kallio , CEO of the Association of the Automobile Industry in Finland.
 "Either you wait to get a car or you want your car right away," Råman said of consumer options at the moment.
 In some cases a gently-used car can go for a few thousand euros more than a new one. According to Råman, the prices of used cars have risen some ten percent.
 Cars don't reach dealership
 The current situation is, however, not unique to Finland. Kallio said the sales and trade-in prices of used cars have been rising in Europe as well as the rest of the world.
 A shortage of semiconductor components is slowing down the production of new vehicles. One car has hundreds of controls, meaning they can contain thousands or even tens of thousands of semiconductors. When they are not available, production is limited.
 A well-equipped car may have a wait-time of up to 16 months.
 "Even then, you may not get all the features you want, such as touch screens," Råman explained.
 Fewer new vehicles on the market means used cars don't get traded in at the usual pace. This causes the purchase price of trade-in vehicles to soar. The phenomenon is also reflected in sales times.
 "The cars don't even make it to the dealership before they've already been sold. This is a truly exceptional situation, with inventory not available," Råman said.
 Kallio, a car importer, also said he considers the situation to be exceptional.
 "The rule of thumb is that when a used car ages, the price comes down. But at the moment prices are not depreciating as they usually do. Trade-in prices have been quite sturdy compared to normal times."

Second-hand car prices boom in Finland as industry eyes components shortage


Summary: Finland's main priority during the pandemic has been to secure the provision of healthcare services, according to THL director Mika Salminen.

The pandemic will end, eventually, either through vaccination or natural infection,  Mika Salminen , Director of Health Security at the Finnish institute for health and welfare (THL), told Radio 1 listeners on Monday.
 He said Covid vaccinations in Finland were progressing well. Finland is, however, appealing for more vaccinators to come forward.
 "Vaccinating isn't that simple. You need proper training," Salminen told Yle Radio 1.
 Story continues after graphic.
 Salminen said it's very difficult to anticipate what's next for Covid's viral evolution. He reiterated that Finland's main focus throughout the pandemic has been to prevent the healthcare system from becoming overburdened.
 "Intensive care has reached a critical point several times," Salminen said of the number of Covid patients in ICUs.
 With new Covid cases surging in Finland, Salminen said testing and tracing functions are struggling to keep up. But he emphasised that these practices were still necessary, particularly for people working in the social and healthcare fields.
 THL registered 3,223 new lab-confirmed coronavirus infections on Christmas Eve. The previous record—3,000—was reported just 24 hours earlier, on 23 December.

Covid vaccinations progressing well, THL says


Summary: The Prime Minister's Office has classified communications pertaining to culture funding debates this past autumn.

The Prime Minister's Office said it does not intend to release correspondence pertaining to  culture funding debates  earlier this year, reports Finnish News Agency STT.
 In October the government reversed spending cuts totalling 77 million euros aimed at sports and culture groups that had been beneficiaries of funding from state gambling monopoly  Veikkaus which has seen shrinking revenues . This past spring PM  Sanna Marin  (SDP) said the government would not be able to fully reimburse Veikkaus beneficiaries, but she later reversed this position following a  public outcry .
 Classifying communications related to Veikkaus funding shortfalls means the public won't learn of lobbying efforts to influence the PM, according to STT.
 Tomi Voutilainen , a law professor at the University of Eastern Finland, said the government needs to define the legal grounds for sealing communications, instead of simply classifying correspondence.
 STT reports that the Prime Minister's Office has previously classified correspondence pertaining to the preparation of Covid measures, including plans related to curfews earlier this year.

Prime Minister's Office won't release Veikkaus-related lobbying correspondence


Summary: The Transport Workers' Union AKT has called a 24-hour strike at all Finnish ports on Tuesday.

The Transport Workers' Union AKT is launching a strike at ports on Tuesday in response to collective agreement disputes involving forest industry company Keitele Group. The 24-hour collective action will essentially stop all port activity.
 The Confederation of Finnish Industries (EK) criticised the move, saying a dispute involving a single company was threatening to freeze most of Finland's foreign trade.
 Last week AKT initiated a blockade against Keitele Group in support of the Industrial Union's collective agreement negotiations with the company. During the blockade, AKT members did not handle Keitele products at Finnish ports. AKT said Tuesday's collective action is in response to attempts to break the blockade at the Port of Loviisa over Christmas.
 Employer lobby EK said AKT's retaliatory action would effectively shut down all Finnish ports and affect companies outside of the Keitele Group dispute. The EK noted that some 350 million euros worth of goods pass through Finnish ports daily.
 Finnish Forest Industries, which represents forest industry companies, also criticised AKT's strike, claiming it would damage Finland's international reputation and competitiveness.
 Both the EK and the Finnish Forest Industries are calling for a reform of strike rules.

Strike grinds Finnish ports to a halt on Tuesday


Summary: More coronavirus restrictions came into force in Finland on Tuesday, including stricter border controls.

New Covid restrictions took effect in Finland on Tuesday, including stricter controls on entry from the rest of the Schengen Area.
 The use of the Covid pass is now restricted through most of the country. In areas in the community transmission phase, bars and restaurants whose main business is selling alcoholic beverages must stop serving at 5 pm and close by 6 pm.
 Dining restaurants may keep their doors open until 8 pm if they require guests to show a Covid pass.
 All of the country is now in the community transmission phase except for parts of Eastern Finland (Kainuu, North Karelia and East Savo) as well as the Åland Islands.
 Avi: Situation particularly serious in Uusimaa
 The Regional State Administrative Agency (Avi) of Southern Finland notes that the Covid situation is particularly serious in the Uusimaa region, which includes the Helsinki metropolitan area, where all indoor public events and meetings are banned until 17 January, with no exceptions for Covid pass use.
 The Avi closure order means that nearly all public and private sports and recreation facilities must be closed. This includes public saunas and swimming pools, dance venues and facilities for choral singing, amateur theatre and similar group activities, indoor playgrounds, amusement and theme parks and indoor areas of zoos.
 However, facilities may be used for the supervised recreational activities by children and teens under age 18, as well as for medical rehabilitation, professional sports or family activities.
 Stricter border controls until at least mid-January
 Internal controls have also been re-introduced at Finland's borders until 16 January.
 Those entering Finland from the Schengen Area must show a certificate of a full series of vaccinations or recovery from Covid-19 within the past six months, as well as a certificate of a negative Covid PCR or antigen test result from within the previous 48 hours.
 A test result is not required for citizens or permanent residents of Finland. However many transit countries, airlines and shipping companies may have their own test requirements.
 The Schengen Area covers all EU countries except Ireland, Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia and Cyprus, as well as the four non-EU EFTA countries: Norway, Iceland, Switzerland and Lichtenstein.

New restrictions take effect in Finland, internal border controls resume


Summary: Just under half of those polled believe that PM Sanna Marin's government has succeeded fairly or very well in its duties.

The popularity of the government led by Prime Minister  Sanna Marin  (SDP) is on the decline, according to an opinion poll conducted by Kantar TNS and published by the leading daily newspaper Helsingin Sanomat on Tuesday.
 Slightly less than half, or 48 percent, of respondents now believe that the government has succeeded fairly or very well in its duties. As recently as a year and a half ago, the corresponding figure was 71 percent.
 Marin’s government is still the most popular in the past decade. HS has surveyed Finnish governments one to three times a year since the autumn of 2011, and Marin’s government still managed to receive the fourth-best result in measurement history. The top three popularity results also go to Marin’s government.
 The decline in the government's popularity is likely due to squabbling among the governing parties, the differences of opinion raised by the upcoming municipal elections and media exposure surrounding the prime minister. Marin’s much-discussed  nightclub visit  took place during the polling period.
 Just over half, or 53 percent, of Finns think that Marin has succeeded very well or fairly well in her job. She is the most popular current cabinet minister, according to the poll. Marin's popularity, however, has clearly decreased since the summer of 2020, when her approval rating was 80 percent. One in four respondents now said that the premier has done a poor job.
 The declining ratings of both the PM and her government can be attributed to a lack of approval from supporters of the main opposition parties, the National Coalition (NCP) and the Finns Party.
 For example, 36 percent of NCP supporters now rate Marin's performance as quite or very good – down from 55 percent last summer.
 Haavisto, Andersson next most popular
 The second most popular minister in the poll is Foreign Minister  Pekka Haavisto  (Green). His popularity has recovered from a year ago, when just 22 percent thought he had done his job fairly well or very well. Now the corresponding figure has risen to 46 percent.
 The third most popular minister in the survey is Education Minister  Li Andersson  (Left) whose work is considered good by 38 percent of respondents. Her popularity has declined, though, from 52 percent in mid-2020.
 HS also looked at the approval rating of President  Sauli Niinistö .
 Niinistö garnered virtually no criticism for his performance, which centres on foreign policy: 87 percent think he has done a good job, and only two percent gave the president a bad grade.
 Niinistö seems to be respected among all segments of the population, but especially among retired people and those with lower educational backgrounds.
 The research material was collected through telephone interviews between 30 November and 11 December. Just over 1,000 adults in mainland Finland were interviewed. The pollster estimates the margin of error at plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.

HS: Marin government still popular, but support is waning


Summary: Regional elections will not be held in Helsinki, which is reflected in the support for the Greens and the Centre Party.

The opposition National Coalition Party (NCP) topped the poll in Yle's first regional election survey. The party, which won the last municipal elections, received 21.8 percent of voter support in this latest survey.
 The NCP's result is slightly better than in last summer's municipal elections, when the party scooped up 21.4 percent of the vote.
 The results of the municipal elections are not directly comparable to the regional elections, because the residents of Helsinki also participated in the municipal elections, but will not in this election.
 According to Research Director  Tuomo Turja  of polling research firm Taloustutkimus, the NCP has a good starting position for the January elections.
 "In this survey, the party is clearly in first place and has loyal voters. The NCP is confident that they will maintain this level of support in the election, which cannot be said for all other parties," said Turja.
 Regional elections will be held in January for the first time. Based on the survey, it looks like strong provincial parties, such as the Centre, will do well in the elections.
 Social Democrats take strong second place
 Prime Minister  Sanna Marin 's Social Democratic Party (SDP) remains in second place in the poll, with 18.9 percent support.
 The SDP says its candidate lists include a large number of healthcare staff.
 In regional elections, decisions regarding social and health care are transferred from municipalities to wellbeing services counties. The administrative reform is huge, but in the eyes of the people it may still seem remote.
 "This is a new election, and we are in somewhat uncharted waters. The SDP is a strong municipal party and support of just over 18 percent is by no means surprising. The party has strong backing regionally," said Turja.
 Can the Finns Party engage their supporters?
 The regional elections will mark the opposition Finns Party’s first election with new chair  Riikka Purra  at the helm. The party ranked third in the survey with 17.6 percent support.
 Finns Party support in the last municipal election was 14.5 percent. The party's greatest problem was that many voters failed to show up at the polls on election day.
 Now the party has more than 1,500 candidates on its lists and started campaigning before Christmas.
 "It is very important for the Finns Party that they get their supporters mobilised. The support they have in the poll is good, but whether it will be realised is another matter," Turja said.
 Election set-up reflected in the support for the Centre Party
 In the regional elections, decision-makers are elected for 21 wellbeing services counties. Regional councils are responsible for social welfare, health care and rescue services.
 In Helsinki, the city will continue to be responsible for its health and social services, so those who live in the capital will not vote in the elections. This weakens the position of the Green Party, who are popular in the capital region, and strengthens the position of the Centre Party, which has a stronghold in smaller towns.
 In Yle’s first regional election survey, the Centre received 15.3 percent support, up from 14.9 in last summer’s municipal elections. In the last parliamentary elections, the Centre received 13.8 percent of the vote.
 The Left Alliance edges past the Greens
 The elections look to be a struggle for the Greens. This is reflected in the survey: the Left Alliance has edged past the Greens with 8.1 percent support.
 Support for the Greens was at 7.6 percent. In last summer's municipal elections, the Greens received 10.6 percent of the vote.
 "The fact that Helsinki is not participating in the regional elections will certainly be reflected in the result," Turja predicted.
 Regional elections are still quite the conundrum for many citizens, who are likely to vote based on impressions a party has made on a national level.
 "The voters are still a bit confused about what is being decided upon, and the campaigning has barely begun," said Turja.
 Regional elections  will be held on 23 January. Prior to election day, Yle will publish another regional election survey.

National Coalition Party tops Yle's regional election poll