Summary: The Finns went to Afghanistan to evacuate Finns and staff from their embassy.

Finland's evacuation operation in Kabul has ended, with around 340 people flown out.
 Foreign Minister  Pekka Haavisto  (Green) announced the conclusion of operations at a press conference on Thursday evening, shortly after suicide attacks at the airport had killed scores of people.
 Defence Minister  Antti Kaikkonen  (Cen) said that operations had continued for as long as it was safe to do so.
 Both the military personnel and the foreign ministry staff at the airport have left the country, said the ministers, and they are expected to arrive in Finland on Friday.
 Kaikkonen said that the Finnish military presence at the airport had helped increase the numbers of people Finland was able to evacuate, but they were not forced to use their weapons at any point.
 Most of the people on the original evacuation list had left Afghanistan, but few if any on the expanded list announced on Tuesday had made it out due to the deteriorating security situation, according to Haavisto.
 Finland had been criticised for excluding security staff from its embassy from evacuation lists, before it announced on Tuesday that some guards employed by sub-contractors would be added to the evacuation.
 They may now need to seek a different route out of the country.

Finland ends operations at Kabul airport


Summary: Diversity has become an important theme in the workplace.

After bomb attacks at Kabul airport on Thursday afternoon, several western countries including Finland announced the end of their evacuation efforts.
 The Finns had already left the country by the time Foreign Minister  Pekka Haavisto  (Green) and Defence Minister  Antti Kaikkonen  (Cen) announced  the end of their efforts after having evacuated some 340 people .
 All the papers cover that press conference, but Helsingin Sanomat also has a  longer piece  using anonymous sources to describe the lead-up to the decision to deploy Finnish troops to the airport to safeguard operations.
 Responsible employer?
 Turku burger chain Hesburger has been in the spotlight recently after it claimed in a campaign to be a 'responsible employer'. That led to an outcry on social media from former workers who felt the claim was overblown, given their alleged HR practices.
 Iltalehti  interviewed  one former Hesburger employee who details what she says is chronic under-staffing at the chain's restaurants.
 Tuuli Aitchison  says in her experience there were not enough staff even to complete absolutely necessary tasks, never mind taking regular breaks.
 The situation was so bad, claims Aitchison, that customers noticed they were understaffed as food orders took so long to be filled at the so-called fast food restaurant.
 The issues were not unknown to management.
 "Regional managers know all about the problems, but the only thing to come from them were complaints that there were too many people at work, or questions about why shifts had been extended," said Aitchison.
 "Profit targets are unrealistic and operations were solely directed by numbers."
 Diversity in the workplace
 Helsingin Sanomat's HS Visio business section carries a  long feature  on Sara Salmani, a marketing professional who helps firms reach neglected, minority audiences.
 She has helped a shopping centre organise Ramadan campaign, among other marketing efforts.
 Now her company is the go-to place for diverse marketing, but she says there's still a way to go in Finnish business and working life.
 "When you talk about equal pay, for instance, everyone knows that women earn less than men," says Salmani. "But for example there is not proper data about the difference in salaries for racialised women and white women."
 That stems from the lack of diversity at the upper levels of Finnish companies, according to Salmani.
 "If a company has an expert on the topic or a diversity officer, they are often of the same demographic background: white women."
 Euro success in defeat for HJK
 Thursday was a big night for Finnish clubs in European football competition, but both HJK and KuPS crashed out of their current competitions.
 HJK went down to a 5-2 defeat to Fenerbahce in Helsinki, losing their Europa League tie 6-2 on aggregate in what was a 'merciless lesson',  according  to Ilta-Sanomat.
 KuPS Kuopio played out a scoreless draw against Union Berlin in the German capital, completing a 4-0 aggregate defeat.
 They crashed out of the Conference League, but HJK move into the group stage of that competition after having been eliminated from the Champions League and then the Europa League.
 This second chance structure offers greater income and more European games for champions of smaller leagues, like HJK. The Finnish club will now receive a total of three million euros from European competition alone this season, more than the total budgets of any of their Veikkausliiga rivals.

Friday's papers: Afghan news, working life, and football defeat


Summary: An express train collided with a car at a level crossing near the town of Paltamo on Friday morning.

Two people died on Friday morning, following a collision between a passenger car and an express train at a level crossing near the town of Paltamo in the centre of Finland.
 Authorities have launched an on-site investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash and the site will be cleared once the investigation is complete, local police said.
 According to a statement from national rail carrier VR, the accident occurred along the Kontiomäki to Oulu line, about three kilometers from the Paltamo railway station, as the train was travelling in the direction of Oulu. The location is called Lepiko level crossing.
 There have been no previous recorded incidents at this intersection, according to the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency, which began keeping records of level crossing accidents in 2000.
 Three people died and two were seriously injured in level crossing accidents in Finland last year, but this year has already seen a total of six deaths, according to the latest preliminary data.
 The Lepiko level crossing is due to be decommissioned next year through detour arrangements as part of the Transport Infrastructure Agency's level crossing removal and improvement programme.
 Train traffic was at a standstill at the crossing at midday on Friday, with passengers on board the train involved in the collision being provided with an alternative train for the journey on to Oulu.
 Passengers were also offered crisis counselling support.

Two dead in level crossing accident in central Finland


Summary: Senior employees were most confident while pensioners were on the other end of the spectrum, Statistics Finland says.

Finland's overall consumer confidence indicator (CCI) was slightly lower (4.0) in August compared to the two previous months, but people appear to be more confident about their personal finances than they have been since at least 1995, when Statistics Finland began recording such data.
 The number-crunching agency reported on Friday that confidence in the economy continued to be very strong in August, according to a consumer confidence survey it carried out this month.
 To determine the CCI, the agency examines four components in its survey, including: a consumer's opinion about his or her current personal economy, what the person thinks their finances will look like in 12 months, their opinion of Finland's economic situation in 12 months as well as the consumer's big-ticket spending plans over the next year compared to the previous year.
 Statistical breakdown
 Statistics Finland reported that the CCI long-term average in August was -1.7, while at the same time last year it stood at -5.1.
 Overall consumer confidence levels were strongest among respondents in the greater Helsinki area (9.1) and weakest (0.0) in Eastern Finland.
 The agency noted that confidence usually decreases as people get older, but also tends to rise the more a person earns. Men tend to trust the economy more than women, according to the findings.
 Senior employees were most confident (11.9) while pensioners were on the other end of the spectrum (-6.7).
 Statistics Finland based its August consumer confidence index on a survey of 971 residents, during the first three weeks of the month.
 Business confidence slightly up
 Confidence within the business world also rose slightly in August, according to employers' group the Confederation of Finnish Industries (EK).
 The group said that confidence within the construction industry rose into the positive figures (5) for the first time since the Covid crisis hit Finland, which correlates to an eight-point increase compared to the previous month.
 Retailers were also increasingly confident, with the figure rising from 13 to 18 points. Meanwhile the industrial sector's confidence rose from 17 to 22, according to EK.
 On the other hand, confidence levels of the service industry fell from 21 to 15 points.
 EK's director,  Sami Pakarinen , said the Covid situation continued to affect confidence levels within the service sector.
 "There are certainly concerns about the vagueness of [coronavirus-related] restrictive measures, and about expectations on when the crisis will end turned into new disappointment," Pakarinen said in a statement.
 He said the Finnish economy was recovering from the crisis faster than expected but noted that all sectors — particularly the service sector — were suffering from labour shortages.
 EK's business surveys are part of the Joint Harmonised EU Programme of Business and Consumer Surveys and co-financed by the EU, according to the group.

Consumer confidence in personal finances hits highest level since 1995


Summary: Finland's operation at Kabul airport was 'successful', according to Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto (Green).

Troops from Finland were present at Kabul Airport when suicide bombers attacked on Thursday evening, Defence Minister  Antti Kaikkonen  (Cen) confirmed at a briefing on Friday.
 Speaking alongside Foreign Minister  Pekka Haavisto  (Green), Kaikkonen said that the troops had not been forced to discharge their weapons and the decision to leave had been made before the bomb attacks.
 Foreign Minister Haavisto said that the operation had concluded with the evacuation of some 330 people, including some Finnish citizens.
 Dozens of people on evacuation lists had not managed to board flights out of the country.
 In the last two days of the evacuation effort very few people got through to the airport, according to Haavisto.
 At the briefing he was asked whether quicker action from the government might have succeeded in evacuating more people.
 He said the authorities had done what they could and decisions had been made as quickly as possible under the current legislation.
 "When the dust has settled a little, there's reason to consider whether the process can be streamlined a little," said Kaikkonen. "We'll get back to that when everything is over."
 This week's All Points North podcast heard from Yle correspondent  Maija Liuhto  about the situation on the ground in Afghanistan. You can listen to the full podcast using the embedded player here, via Yle Areena, Spotify or Apple Podcasts or on your usual podcast player using the RSS feed.

Finland evacuates 330 people from Kabul, dozens left behind


Covid-related rules on two-metre social distancing in public places are to end in the Pirkanmaa region on Monday, according to the Regional State Administrative Agency for Western and Inland Finland (Avi).
 The agency decided on the matter on Friday.
 Avi said the regional regulations would expire on 29 August as the criteria for renewing them as outlined in the Communicable Diseases Act had not been met.
 However the region's Avi branch decided to renew epidemic-related caps on the permitted number of people at public gatherings. Avi said the rules were needed due to the significant number of newly-confirmed Covid cases in the Pirkanmaa Hospital District, which includes the city of Tampere.
 The rules in Pirkanmaa
 Avi said up to 10 people would be permitted to gather at indoor public events and general meetings. Meanwhile, up to 50 people could gather at events if they are held outdoors.
 However, larger gatherings of people can be permitted if organisers of the events fulfil certain criteria.
 According to the law, the current situation required the agency to issue an order, at least in the short term, to support measures carried out by local authorities, the group explained.
 Organisers of events will continue to be compelled to offer attendees opportunities to wash or disinfect their hands, to organise gathering areas as loosely as possible and to advise people about good health safety practices.
 Starting on Monday, the 2-metre social distancing rules will no longer be in effect in Pirkanmaa.
 The region's crowd size rules will be reinstated on Monday 30 August and remain in force until 12 September.
 New test rules for double-vaxxed
 The Pirkanmaa Hospital District reported 42 new Covid cases over the past day on Friday, and added that a considerable amount of coronavirus tests (2,225) had been carried out in the region.
 The hospital district has changed the criteria for being eligible to get tested for fully-vaccinated people.
 Officials are advising that people cannot get tested for mild symptoms if they have had both doses of the vaccine, with at least a week since the second dose.
 The district noted that it is a good idea to avoid contact with others until the symptoms have subsided, however.
 The updated recommendations do not apply to workers who were exposed to a coronavirus infection or to health care workers.

Pirkanmaa's 2-metre distancing rules to expire next week


Summary: Nearly 90 percent of children in one survey had received sexually explicit messages from an adult, but cases very rarely reach the awareness of parents or authorities.

Sexual exploitation of children through social media is alarmingly prevalent, according to police and several child protection organisations.
 Yle asked Victim Support Finland (RIKU), the police and six child protection organisations – Save the Children ( Pelastakaa Lapset ry ), Mannerheim League for Child Welfare ( Mannerheimin Lastensuojeluliitto ), SOS Children's Village, Youth Exit ( Nuorten Exit ), Protect Children ( Suojellaan Lapsia ), Sua varten somessa ( Translation: For you, on social media ) – how widespread the phenomenon is and what should be done about it.
 The answers show that the problem is widespread but hidden from plain view.
 Why is the situation acute?
 Yle's survey shows that several thousands of reports of online child sexual exploitation are made annually.
 For example, the Save the Children’s crisis helpline receives about 3,000 tips every year regarding messages that could be considered sexual abuse aimed towards children through the internet, or the distribution of illegal images associated with such events.
 The  Sua varten somessa -project reports that their employees have 300 to 400 conversations with children and young people every month, most of them related to sexual harassment.
 Victim Support Finland and the SOS Children's Villages also have conversations with children, relating to this topic, every week.
 According to a report by Save the Children Finland, published last spring, almost 90 percent of children had received messages from an adult that were sexual in nature. Nearly 80 percent of children had received unsolicited nude pictures from an adult.
 About one thousand sexual offences involving children were reported to the police last year. According to police statistics, the internet was listed as the crime scene in about 400 sexual offences targeting children.
 The number of contacts with organisations and victim support services is many times higher than the number of criminal reports made to the police, resulting in sexual exploitation of children on social media becoming a buried crime.
 According to police and these organisations, bringing cases to light is extremely important.
 Studies have shown that the consequences of sexual abuse in children can be long-lasting and far-reaching. They are associated with chronic pain, anxiety, depression, eating disorders, inflammation, and post-traumatic stress, among other issues.
 Online abuse can be just as harmful as physical abuse, experts say.
 "The sooner a child receives help, the better he or she recovers," says psychotherapist  Nina Vaaranen-Valkonen , executive director of the Protect Children Association.
 What constitutes sexual abuse?
 According to contacts with organisations and the Victim Support Service, children and young people face, for example, the following types of exploitation and harassment on social media:
 - Messages that are sexual in nature
 - Pressure to send images
 - Sending revealing images or videos without the consent of the recipient
 - Pressure to meet in person
 - Altering images to make them sexual in nature and distributing them
 - Redistribution of revealing images without consent
 - Name-calling and bullying of a sexual nature
 - Grooming, i.e., efforts to establish a trusted relationship with a child to enable subsequent sexual abuse.
 Some young people are able to identify the activity described above as disruptive and even illegal, but consider it a part of social media, says  Maria Talvitie  of the  Sua varten somessa  project.
 "It feels like being sexually harassed is accepted as a necessary evil from the time you create a user account," Talvitie adds.
 For example, more than a third of the tip-offs received by Save the Children last year contained material or activity that is considered illegal child sexual abuse.
 Saara Asmundela , a commissioner from the Central Finland Police Department specialising in crimes targeting children, says that a criminal report should be made whenever a child under the age of 16 is on the receiving end of sexually explicit messages.
 "If you are unsure if a crime has taken place, you can always approach the police and ask. Even if it is not a crime, the report can help with the investigation of another crime," she says.
 Commissioner Saara Asmundela from the Central Finland Police Department. Isto Janhunen /Yle
 According to Asmundela, the perpetrators usually have more than one victim. Therefore, reporting all communication that is sexual in tone is likely to help more children.
 Where, and to whom, does this happen?
 According to Yle's investigation, children and young people are sexually exploited on Snapchat, Tiktok, Instagram, Facebook, Whatsapp, Onlyfans and Kik Messenger, among other platforms.
 In cases reported to the police, abuse has also taken place within online video games favoured by children.
 According to crime statistics most of the victims are 15-year-old girls, says Asmundela.
 "The closer you get to the age of 16 years, the higher the proportion of victims. The younger the child, the less likely he or she is to be the target of such a crime," she says.
 However, according to Asmundela, approaching very young children through sexually explicit communication has become more prevalent as of late.
 A sexual offence case in Central Finland from last June, targeting up to 200 children, revealed victims as young as eight years old. In January, a man from Espoo was sentenced to prison after coercing and sexually abusing several boys aged 10-13 through Whatsapp and Fortnite.
 Studies show that girls are more likely to be sexually taken advantage of than boys. The reason may be that the perpetrators are mostly men, but on the other hand, boys are less likely to report sexual harassment.
 Although girls report their experiences more frequently than boys, they also rarely report these cases to adults. Most often, experiences of sexual abuse are told to a friend.
 According to the 2019 school health survey, fewer than a third of girls in grades 8 and 9 and only a fifth of boys of the same age had reported experiencing sexual harassment or violence to an adult.
 Why do children remain silent?
 According to the results of a Finnish study published last year, these cases are very rarely reported, even when the child tells an adult about their experience.
 A quarter of the children in the study said that when they reported sexual abuse to an adult, they were not believed, the people they told became angry with them or they were advised not to talk about it. A child protection and/or criminal report was filed in only about a tenth of these situations.
 Children don't share their online encounters with adults, because they don't believe that they are interested. Siam Pukkato / AOP
 Only around half of the children in these instances felt that they had received comfort and support in the situation.
 In the 2013 Child Victim Surveys, the majority of children justified their failure to report on the grounds that they did not dare to tell anyone about the matter, or that did not believe that anyone was interested in what had happened.
 This concerns Asmundela.
 "Encountering sexual exploitation is alarmingly common among young people, but only a fraction of the cases come to the attention of the authorities. This means that there isn’t a desire to report these cases to the police, or that the encounters are perceived as shameful. I would like to change that," she says.
 However, according to Asmundela, conversations and awareness of the phenomenon have increased the number of criminal reports in recent years.
 What do we know about the perpetrators?
 There is very little research data on the perpetrators, as most cases go unreported. According to responses received by Yle, the perpetrators are a diverse group. They do, however, have a few common denominators.
 The majority of perpetrators are men, even when the sexual harassment is directed at boys. Often the perpetrator himself is young, on the cusp of adulthood or just past it.
 Some perpetrators may not even know the age of the person they are communicating with and do not realise they are committing a crime. Some approach younger children on purpose because the attraction is the victim’s young age.
 Some seek to establish a trusting relationship with the child and then coerce the child to commit sexual acts. For example, some directly ask for explicit pictures or send nude pictures of themselves.
 According to Asmundela, among these men are ordinary working-class fathers, but also people whose social contacts are limited to the internet.
 "The scale is broad, but few believe that there is nothing wrong with what they’re doing. Often, they say that they have understood that it is wrong, but do not consider it too bad because the act has only taken place online," she says.
 According to Vaaranen-Valkonen, the perpetrators are usually very good at talking to children. They may establish a friendly relationship with the child, for example, by helping them with their homework.
 However, more information on the perpetrators would be needed to prevent the problem more effectively.
 Antti Aimo-Koivisto / Lehtikuva
 The Protect Children Association is currently analysing an extensive survey about the dark web, to which 9,000 people have responded. The results are to be published in September.
 "We have asked people who are in possession of material that constitutes child sexual abuse to explain their thoughts, feelings and behaviours. Preliminary results show that there are many different reasons for the use of said material," Vaaranen-Valkonen says.
 How can the problem be eradicated?
 In addition to research data, more action is needed to combat and prevent online child sexual exploitation. This is the opinion of all those interviewed by Yle.
 The responses that emerged are as follow:
 Helping the perpetrators . There are currently several projects underway in Finland that aim to help people who are sexually interested in children before they act on their tendencies.
 Asmundela hopes that these projects will find stable funding, as there is urgent need for the help.
 "I know there is an abundance of participants for these projects. We have to acknowledge that there are people among us who have a sexual interest in children and they need to be provided with support before a crime occurs. That is the best prevention," she says.
 Reporting incidents to the authorities.  All cases brought to the attention of an adult should be reported as a criminal offence. It increases the risk of perpetrators being caught, and one single crime report is likely to help multiple children.
 Adherence to age limits on social media.  Most social media applications have set an age limit of 13 years for their users. Those who responded to Yle's survey consider it important to comply with the age limits. The responsibility for this lies with adults.
 "Age limits are set by specialists and follow the child's socio-cognitive abilities to understand and assess risks. If an eight-year-old uses applications intended for people over the age of 13, there is a significant risk," says Vaaranen-Valkonen.
 Early sexuality education.  Almost all the organisations that responded to Yle's survey emphasised the need to start sex education much earlier than at present. Today, sex education begins in the fifth grade of elementary school, or at age 10-11.
 "It is a significant problem that so little information is available for children under 12 years of age. Children are really in an unequal position when they have to depend on information they receive at home," says  Johanna Virtanen , project manager at SOS Children's Village.
 According to  Saara Kokkonen , the planner of preventive online work at the Youth Exit Association, young people with inadequate sex education have an increased risk of experiencing sexual violence.
 "Breaking taboos, talking about them and recognising them lowers the threshold for both experiencers and perpetrators to seek help," Kokkonen says.
 Talking and listening to children . Both the police and child protective organisations stress that adults should discuss the use of social media with their children from the time a child starts using apps.
 However, the conversation should not demonise the internet nor blame the child. The child is not responsible for the crime committed by an adult, although they often experience shame and guilt for what happened.
 "Currently, the blame and humiliation felt by the victim encourages them to remain silent and the perpetrators to continue," says Talvitie.
 Many organisations report that it is often difficult for children to talk about the sexual abuse they experience. The initiator of an active conversation should therefore be an adult. Studies show that directly asking about potential online abuse lowers a child’s threshold to report anything they may have experienced. It is also easier for an adult to notice if something questionable is taking place.
 "Kids should be asked about their social media activities every single day, just like they’re asked about everything else in their lives: where they were, what they did and who they talked to," says Vaaranen-Valkonen.
 She suggests teaching children to take screenshots of the things they encounter online – both nice and questionable – and showing the pictures to their parents at the end of the day.
 Asmundela wishes adults would treat social media the way they treat traffic.
 "Every autumn, before school starts, we walk the roads with future first-graders, show them the dangerous spots and support them on their journey. In social media, a child is often alone without guidance on how to act safely," she says.
 If a child wants to share something they have seen or experienced online, the most important task is to stay calm and listen.
 "At that point, there should be no pressure on the child to hurry. It is obviously very difficult for parents to stay calm if their own child reports that they have been sexually harassed or abused. However, the child's primary wish is to get help. The calmness of the adult is extremely important as it encourages the child to tell more," says Vaaranen-Valkonen.

Yle investigates: Online sexual exploitation of children alarmingly prevalent


Summary: Current and former staff of the fast-food chain have told Yle of chronic under-staffing problems and employees having to work long hours without breaks.

Finland's services workers' union PAM has urged fast-food restaurant chain Hesburger to address complaints made by employees about working hours and conditions.
 The call comes after a company campaign claiming to be a 'responsible employer' led to a significant backlash on social media, with twelve current and former Hesburger employees telling Yle about the poor treatment of staff at the nationwide chain.
 The complaints include issues such as chronic under-staffing, employees having to work for 10 hours without breaks and having to work without pay.
 "This completely contradicts Hesburger's responsibility campaign,"  Raimo Hoikkala , an employment contract specialist with the trade union, told Yle.
 "We cry together during shifts because it is so painful"
 The current and former employees of the fast-food chain told Yle that the working conditions and excessive demands on the young workers have often led to employee exhaustion.
 "We cry together during shifts because it is so painful at times," one current employee, a 21-year-old woman, said.
 Former staff member  Jasmin Ristolainen  said that the experience of working at Hesburger had a detrimental effect on her health.
 "I didn't know how far I was expected to stretch myself. I was at work from morning until twelve in the evening, without breaks," Ristolainen said. "I wonder what the social consequences will be if so many other young people are exhausted."
 Other employees interviewed by Yle reported that it is standard practice within the company to only have two people on duty in a restaurant at any one time, one in the kitchen and the other on the checkout. Due to the constant flow of customers and home delivery orders, there is simply no time to take a break.
 "At worst, I didn't have time to go to the bathroom," one male employee, who is in his twenties and has worked at Hesburger for three and a half years, told Yle.
 Story continues after the photo.
 Many interviewees said that as Hesburger was their first employer, they were not aware that taking a break or going to the toilet during a shift was permitted. Antti Haanpää / Yle
 The issue of under-staffing was a constantly recurring theme throughout the interviews.
 "There are simply too few people on shifts. The rush is constant," a 19-year-old Hesburger employee working in southern Finland said, with many adding that the  huge increase in home delivery orders  during the coronavirus pandemic has made working conditions at the chain "intolerable".
 The increase in workload has not been reflected by an increase in the workforce, the employees reported.
 Hesburger founder offers apology
 The issue of working conditions in Hesburger outlets became a hot topic of discussion earlier this week on Jodel, an anonymous discussion forum application, after the company launched a 'responsible employer' campaign.
 Earlier this week,  Helsingin Sanomat  and tabloid  Iltalehti  both reported on the "storm of criticism" that ensued on Jodel in reaction to the campaign. IL also wrote that Hesburger founder  Heikki Salmela  said he did not see how the people raising the issues raised on Jodel could be employees of the company.
 The current and former employees of Hesburger interviewed by Yle expressed amazement at Salmela's stance, with one calling for the "denying of problems" within the company to end.
 However, Salmela subsequently  told business magazine  Talouselämä on Friday that he now offers his apologies to the employees and promises to investigate the matters raised.
 "This is the number one priority for me now," Salmela said.
 Experiences in first job can have lasting effects
 For many of the employees interviewed by Yle, their role at Hesburger was their first experience of working life which some said allowed the company to take advantage of them.
 "When we don't know better, we can't say no. We thought that was the way it is at work," a 21-year-old current Hesburger employee said.
 Story continues after the photo.
 Damage to Hesburger's brand and reputation could have far-reaching consequences for the industry.  Antti Haanpää / Yle
 PAM's Hoikkala said that the reputational damage to Hesburger caused by this episode, and the experiences of the employees, can have a detrimental knock on effect on the wider industry in the future.
 "Young people are the workers of the future, they choose the field in which they go to work. The restaurant industry is already facing an attraction challenge as well as a labour shortage. Young people get their first experience of the industry here, and if young people have been treated unfairly, the restaurant industry will certainly not be attractive to them in the future," Hoikkala said.
 He further advised employees to first contact the union's local shop steward if they have a grievance at the workplace, and if a shop steward is not available or has not been elected, they could also raise the matter with a supervisor.
 "It would be good if the grievances could be clarified and treated during the employment term, otherwise the challenges will not change," Hoikkala said.

Hesburger employees criticise "intolerable" working conditions as union urges action


Summary: Some 45 guards who protected the Finnish embassy in Kabul were left behind.

Foreign Minister  Pekka Haavisto  on Saturday said the US helped Finland evacuate an additional 83 people from the Afghan capital on Friday evening after Finnish troops left Afghanistan on Thursday.
 These 83 individuals had travelled to the airport on a bus which had been stuck at a Taliban checkpoint 700 metres from the airport for 58 hours. US forces informed Finland on Friday that these 83 people on Finland's evacuation list had been airlifted to safety in an unspecified location.
 As of Saturday Finland had evacuated a total of 413 people from the country. These included Finnish citizens, Finnish permanent residents and locally hired embassy workers at the Finnish mission in Kabul as well as their families. Evacuees also included people working with EU and Nato missions.
 Speaking to the press on Saturday, Haavisto said the window for evacuations had closed as US forces, who were pivotal in aiding the Finnish evacuation, were leaving Afghanistan.
 Dozens left behind
 Yle has learned that some 45 guards who protected the Finnish mission in Kabul were left behind. These individuals now fear retribution from the Taliban.
 Haavisto said guards on Finland's evacuation list worked in "visible roles" protecting diplomats outside of the embassy compound.
 He told the media he could not comment on the situation of any individuals not included on the Finnish government's official evacuation list.
 "Most of those evacuated were children," Haavisto said.
 Finnish troops return
 Finnish troops who supported evacuation efforts in Kabul landed in Finland on Saturday. The Finnish Defence Forces were, however, tight-lipped on the operation's details.
 Helsingin Sanomat reported that two military cargo planes landed at Pirkkala airport in Tampere around 8am on Saturday.
 Finnish forces left the Afghan capital on Thursday around the same time suicide bombers attacked Kabul airport. The attack did not pose an immediate danger to Finnish troops.
 General  Timo Kivinen , Commander of the Finnish Defence Forces, commended the Finnish troops in a Defence Forces statement on Saturday.
 "You've performed your mission in an exemplary way," Kivinen said.
 The operation drew further praise from Defence Minister  Antti Kaikkonen  (Cen) on Saturday.
 "The operation showed how the Defence Forces can act swiftly and professionally in difficult circumstances. We can be proud of their work," he tweeted.
 Finnish Foreign Ministry officials were also involved in the operation.
 Finnish military personnel arrived in Kabul more than a week ago. The Defence Forces have not said how many troops were in Kabul, though reports have suggested that the group included a few dozen individuals.
 This week's All Points North podcast heard from Yle correspondent  Maija Liuhto  about the situation on the ground in Afghanistan. You can listen to the full podcast using the embedded player here, via Yle Areena, Spotify or Apple Podcasts or on your usual podcast player using the RSS feed.

Finland evacuates 413 from Afghanistan as Finnish troops return home


Summary: President Sauli Niinistö says laws should be updated to ease the deployment of Finnish troops to crisis zones.

Sauli Niinistö  on Saturday said Finland was quickly able to make the historical decision to send armed personnel to Afghanistan to support evacuation efforts in Kabul. But according to Niinistö, it’s easier for Finland to deploy troops to assist operations run by other countries than it is to send military personnel to the aid of its own citizens.
 Niinistö called for updating laws to prepare for future events requiring the swift deployment of Finnish military. Foreign Minister  Pekka Haavisto  agreed with the idea.
 "It's important that Finnish troops can quickly come to the aid of Finnish authorities in situations like evacuations. We don't know what kind of crises the world will see. It's important we're able to protect Finns in these situations," Haavisto told Yle in response to Niinistö's proposal.
 Seeds of freedom
 Niinistö said Finland learned a lot during its years of crisis management in Afghanistan, but noted that the West failed in its efforts to stabilise the country.
 "It became evident that unless enough local people or groups are strongly committed to changing their way of life or society into what we consider to be good, it's not going to work out," the president told Yle.
 He also said the "seed of freedom" had been planted in the country over two decades of western presence.
 "Undoubtedly a entire generation has experienced a free or somewhat free life—very free at least compared to Taliban rule," he told Yle.
 Niinistö also said he wanted an open discussion on problems related to migration, as the Afghanistan crisis is expected to spark an influx of people seeking asylum in Europe.
 "Now we have to have the courage to openly, analytically and clearly talk about migration also causing problems," he said.

Finnish president calls for easier troop deployments


Summary: The Finns Party has dropped from first place on Yle's monthly voter survey in January to third place in August.

The National Coalition Party (NCP) has extended its lead at the top of Yle's latest monthly voter survey, further building on the party's momentum from  topping the poll  at June's municipal elections.
 Support for the NCP rose by almost one percentage point to 21.3 percent during the month of August.
 Prime Minister  Sanna Marin 's Social Democratic Party (SDP) remains in second place in the poll, but voter support for the governing party slipped slightly to 18.7 percent.
 There was also a slight dip in voter backing for the Finns Party but the change of leadership does not appear to have had a major impact on the party’s overall support.  Riikka Purra   replaced   Jussi Halla-aho  as party chair during the survey period.
 The most noticeable difference for the Finns Party from the previous poll was a drop in support among male voters, according to Research Director  Tuomo Turja  of polling research firm Taloustutkimus.
 "The decline in support for the Finns Party comes almost entirely from men, but support among women has increased slightly," Turja said, adding that overall support for the Finns Party, in terms of parliamentary elections, has clearly declined throughout the course of this year.
 The party  topped the poll  in Yle's first monthly survey of the year in January, with 21.9 percent, but support for the party has since dropped by a full four percentage points to leave the Finns in third place with 17.9 percent support.
 The NCP, meanwhile, has climbed up from third place, and 16.2 percent voter support, to top the poll for a third consecutive month.
 Internal divisions within the NCP between the liberal and conservative wings, which  made headlines  during the municipal elections campaign, appear to have been resolved to some extent and supporters of both sides are now ready to vote for the party.
 "The rise in support for the NCP comes from those who voted for the Finns Party, the Centre Party and the Greens in the previous parliamentary elections. Former Green voters seem to be moving to the NCP more and more recently," Turja said.
 Left Alliance sees biggest loss in support
 As the government coalition parties prepare for  tough and potentially-tense  budget negotiations, support for the Green Party increased while the Left Alliance saw a drop of one percentage point.
 Turja told Yle that some previous supporters of the Left Alliance have now moved to the sidelines, and were unwilling to divulge their party allegiances.
 The Greens, meanwhile, saw a half-a-percentage-point bump in support from the previous poll and closed the gap further on coalition partners the Centre Party in fourth place.
 The party has been in the headlines throughout the survey period, calling for  decisions to be made  on climate action as well as  proposing to increase  Finland's refugee quota as the Afghan crisis unfolded. Foreign Minister  Pekka Haavisto  (Green) has also been a prominent figure in Finland's operation to evacuate people from Kabul Airport.
 Among the other parties, there were no significant changes in support for the Centre Party, the Swedish People's Party or the Christian Democrats, while Movement Now saw an uptick in voter backing of 0.7 percentage points.
 Taloustutkimus interviewed 2,369 people between 4 and 31 August 2021 for the survey. Altogether 1,705 voters revealed their party affiliation. The margin of error was +/- 2 percentage points.

Yle poll: NCP extends lead, Finns lose support among male voters


Summary: Juhana Vartiainen (NCP) told Helsingin Sanomat on Saturday that Helsinki could declare itself an English-speaking city.

Helsinki Mayor  Juhana Vartiainen  (NCP) has suggested abandoning Finnish and Swedish language requirements for city workers in an effort to draw international people to the city.
 Finland is not doing enough to recruit international professionals, according to Vartiainen, who suggested relaxing Finnish and Swedish language requirements to make the city more appealing to foreign experts.
 "Helsinki could call itself an English-speaking city, where people who speak English wouldn't need to speak Finnish or Swedish," he said, referring to public sector jobs requiring knowledge of both languages.
 Some 36 percent of foreign students in Finland who graduated in 2018 left the country within a year of finishing their studies.
 "This is a terrible failure of Finland," he said. Politicians are still very slowly starting to absorb the fact that we need labour-based migration," he exclaimed.
 The mayor noted that when he applied to become the director of the VATT Institute for Economic Research after working in Sweden, he was asked to produce evidence of sufficient knowledge of Finnish.
 To attract more people, Vartiainen suggested Helsinki expanding its English-language primary education and preschools.
 He told HS that Finland's combination of free higher education and high taxation easily contributes to a situation where foreigners pocket their degrees and move to lower taxation countries to start their careers.
 "But these are matters decided at the national level that Helsinki can't influence," he added.
 He also noted that the climate crisis may contribute to making Helsinki more attractive to people in other parts of the world.
 "The heat and floods caused by climate change—and even terrorism—can pique foreign experts' interest in Finalnd. This would favour Helsinki," he told HS.

Helsinki Mayor: English could be the capital's language


Summary: A quarter of municipalities in Finland offer young people free contraception.

The Christian Democrats' (CD) party congress on Saturday outlined its support for free contraceptives for everyone in Finland under the age of 25.
 The party's youth wing had put forward the proposal, arguing that free contraceptives would reduce the number of abortions in Finland. The group pointed to Norway, where free contraception has lowered termination rates.
 Party members favoured the proposal by a clear majority, though the issue sparked a lively debate.
 The results of an  extensive study  this spring found that Finland's abortion rate among young women and girls has decreased over the past two decades.
 Previous studies have produced similar results: in Vantaa, for example, a  free contraceptive trial  reduced the number of abortions among 15–19 year-olds by as much as 36 percent.
 The availability of contraception to young people is also on the  current government's programme for office , which set out plans for a nationwide trial providing free contraception to people under the age of 25.
 Other proposals put forward by the youth wing—seeking Nato membership and increasing Finland's refugee quota to 5,000 individuals—did not attract party support.

Christian Democrats want free contraception for under-25s


Summary: The guards were left in Kabul after Finland's departure from its embassy in the Afghan capital.

A former security guard at the Finnish embassy in Kabul told Yle News that a number of guards employed to protect the embassy and ambassador's residence staged a protest on Saturday after it became clear that they had little hope of being evacuated by Finland.
 The guard said they gathered in a courtyard in Kabul holding printed out Finnish flags and photocopies of their ID documents demanding Finland do more to help them after they worked at the embassy, in some cases for years.
 Yle is not identifying the guard as he fears retribution from the Taliban.
 "They left us here," the guard said via an instant messaging service, explaining he served as security at the Finnish embassy.
 Yle has seen letters of reference commending him for his performance when employed as a 'static guard', that is a guard who protected properties used by Finnish diplomats.
 The guard sent Yle a statement by his colleagues who were involved in the protest.
 "Finland is one of those countries that left dozens of employees who worked for them as security for several years and saved Finnish diplomats' lives for the last two decades, but it is time to save their lives as well as their families," the guards' statement said.
 The guard said he and his colleagues have not been paid salaries for their work up to 14 August, when they were told they no longer had jobs as the Taliban entered Kabul.
 Finland's Ministry for Foreign Affairs had sub-contracted security at the embassy to a Finnish company, which in turn sub-contracted to an Afghan company, Tahiri Protections Risk Management Consulting.
 Foreign Minister  Pekka Haavisto  (Green) announced on Tuesday that some employees of Tahiri were eligible for evacuation.
 Yle's sources said that this list included guards from the embassy's escort detail, which represents around one third of the security staff employed at the embassy.
 That leaves around 40 guards stranded under Taliban rule in Kabul.
 The guard Yle spoke to said Tahiri had kept their hopes up all week that they would be on an evacuation list, but the company eventually told them they would not be paid their salaries, and that there was no prospect of evacuation.
 The guard said he now faces financial difficulties as food prices surge in Kabul.
 Yle has asked the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs why these guards were not on an evacuation list, why their salaries had not been paid, and whether they have a notice period under their contracts. Yle also asked the Finnish company with the security contract whether the guards left in Kabul would be paid their August salaries, but had not received a reply by the time of publication.
 At a press briefing on Saturday Haavisto was asked about Finnish embassy security guards not included on Finland's evacuation list.
 "The government has aimed to limit the evacuation list to individuals who had an emplyment relationship with Finland. These are people who worked for the embassy in visible roles—that is to say with a Finnish flag on their sleeve. At this time we can't comment on the situation of other individuals," he said
 The foreign minister said that  the last group of 83 people were evacuated on Friday night , after the Finnish contingent of soldiers had left, thanks to an agreement with US forces at Kabul airport. He said they had spent two and a half days on a bus at the gates of the airport, through the terror attack on Thursday evening, before they finally escaped.

Afghan embassy guards protest unpaid salaries, lack of evacuation by Finland


Summary: Nurses' union Super says Filipino nurses working as care assistants in Finland risk being paid below their skill level.

Finland is recruiting nurses from the Philippines to tackle its nursing shortage.
 Fifteen Filipino nurses recently arrived in Pirkanmaa as part of a pilot programme to train as care assistants in Finnish elder care homes.
 After completing training at a school in the Philippines run by a Finnish staffing agency, Healthcare Staffing Solutions Oy, the group is now doing their work placement at a unit of private healthcare provider Pihlajalinna in Sastamala, some 60km south of Tampere.
 "They're so vibrant and have spread new energy and joy. They’re active and will set to work on anything," said  Reija Puranen , a nurse charged with mentoring the Filipino students in the Pirkanmaa programme.
 The nurses learned Finnish in the Philippines before arriving.
 Municipal manager  Antti Lahti  said he hoped the pilot was successful.
 "This is a good chance for us to get to know the Filipino students and see how it all works out. If the pilot is a success, it's possible we'll continue working with the programme.
 Mending staffing gaps
 Finland will need thousands of new nurses to meet statutory staffing requirements coming into force in 2023.
 The city of Tampere also said it plans to hire Filipino care assistants for the dozens of openings at the city's elder care facilities. Tampere will recruit and train the nurses in cooperation with a subsidiary of private healthcare provider Mehiläinen.
 Nurses' union Super has criticised the move to recruit nurses from the Philippines. It said municipalities should focus on retaining their current healthcare workers.
 The union also pointed out that Filipino care assistants brought to Finland are trained as practical nurses or nurses in their home country. Super said that a lack of Finnish language skills may relegate these nurses to working for pay below their skill level as care assistants.

Nurses' union criticises drive to recruit Filipino nurses


Summary: Finland has a new first dog.

Finland's first family has a new puppy following the death of their previous dog this past spring.
 Jenni Haukio  took to  social media  on Sunday to announce the news: "Our family has a new member, a Tenterfield Terrier called  Osku ."
 The Australian breed, described by the Finnish Kennel Club as a "strong, active and agile working terrier," is relatively rare in Finland.
 The first family's previous dog, a Boston terrier named  Lennu , died of a brain tumour in May.

First family gets new puppy, Osku


Summary: Finnish media explores politicians' rhetoric toward people fleeing the Taliban regime, among other topics.

The Afghanistan crisis is fanning the embers of populist and nationalist movements, including in Finland, where Finns Party leader  Riikka Purra  recently called for  abolishing Finland's refugee quota .
 "Afghanistan has revived debate on migration. Politicians are causing bad blood by talking about 'adverse immigration' and 'lifestyle surfing,'"  Aki Kangasharju , head of the Research Institute of the Finnish Economy (Etla), told tabloid  Iltalehti .
 He noted that statistics and international studies show that highly educated foreigners not only save the Finnish state money by being educated elsewhere but also don't compete for the same jobs as the native population. The think-tank head also pointed to the persistent problem of Finnish debate on migration grouping asylum seekers and immigrants in the same discussion.
 Eurostat figures show that newcomers with low educational levels are more likely to be working than their Finnish counterparts.
 "They require fewer social benefits than Finns with similar backgrounds," he explained, adding that refugees in Finland make up just 0.4 percent of the population.
 _ Do you want the main stories from Finland curated and delivered straight to your inbox? Then  sign up for our weekly All Points North newsletter ! _
 Cash for countryside
 Finland is exploring a student loan forgiveness programme to attract young adults to rural areas, reports  Helsingin Sanomat .
 People moving to rural areas could see their student debts slashed by ten percent annually. The proposal, heavily backed by the agrarian-minded Centre Party, is based on a similar Norwegian programme aiming to revitalise the country's northernmost areas.
 HS notes that 68 percent of Finland is classified as sparsely populated countryside.
 Last days of summer
 Finland says goodbye to summer this week.
 Much of the country will see summer-like conditions on Monday and Tuesday, but the conditions will turn autumnal after Tuesday, reports Swedish-language daily  Hufvudstadsbladet .
 Cool winds will start flowing in from the north on Wednesday, and a fall storm will wash over Finland on Friday.
 "It's a very powerful low-pressure area bringing storm winds and heavy downpours," Foreca meteorologist  Kristian Roine  told HBL, adding that there were "no signs indicating a return of summer warmth any time soon."

Monday's papers: Anti-immigrant rhetoric debunked, getting paid to move and summer's end


Summary: New Mexico's attorney general has accused the Finnish company of "commercially exploiting" children.

The Attorney General's office in the US state of New Mexico has launched a lawsuit against Rovio, maker of the hugely popular mobile game Angry Birds, accusing the Finnish company of "commercially exploiting" children.
 The suit alleges that the company "knowingly collects personal information" from children under the age of 13 and sells that data to third party marketing companies, which is then used to target advertising back at the children.
 "Parents must have the power to protect their children and determine who can have access to their child’s personal data," New Mexico Attorney General  Hector Balderas  said in a statement. "This company must follow the law, and we will always hold companies accountable that risk the safety of children."
 The suit was filed under the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (or "COPPA"), which requires that developers of games directed at children must obtain parental consent before collecting any personal information from the players. Even if the game is targeted at a wider audience, the developer must still take steps to ensure children's data is not collected.
 The AG's office further contends that Rovio uses the gaming apps to "aggressively" target children for financial gain through the sale of both virtual and physical goods.
 Balderas has asked the court for a permanent injunction against Rovio to prevent future violations as well as requesting the company pay damages and compensation on behalf of residents of the state of New Mexico.
 Rovio's Head of Communications,  Lotta Backlund , told Yle News that the company disagrees with the New Mexico Attorney General's assessment and will "vigorously defend" the allegations.
 "We want to create a safe and responsible gaming environment for all our players," Backlund said. "We are not knowingly collecting personal information from children under the age of 13 or knowingly sending such information to any third party for targeted advertising purposes."
 Angry Birds was first released in 2009 and has since been downloaded over 4.5 billion times.

US authority suspects Angry Birds maker of violating child privacy


Summary: Finland wants more than 1,000 restaurants to pay back Covid relief grants.

The state wants around 1,100 bars and restaurants in Finland to pay back Covid support. The grants aimed to offset losses that occurred when restrictions shuttered bars and eateries last spring.
 The agency charged with doling out money, Finland's Development and Administrative Services Centre, or  Keha keskus , transferred Covid rescue funds to some 7,800 companies in the restaurant sector in the spring of 2020.
 The organisation later realised it overpaid 1,100 of these businesses by some 15-25 percent.
 Excess aid amounts mostly range between 1,000 and 10,000 euros, though the rescue programme is asking one restaurant business to pay back 200,000 euros.
 Some 500 businesses have already repaid excess grants. But restaurant industry lobby MaRa said the other 500 can't use an empty coffer pay back subsidies.
 The restaurants in question did not separately apply for the grants, but received them automatically soon after the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment decided that Keha was to manage subsidy payments to businesses whose sales dropped by 75 percent.
 "In hindsight we can establish that businesses in the restaurant sector managed better than we had expected," said Keha's  Pauliina Smolander , pointing to fast food and takeaway restaurants.
 However 100 to 150 of these businesses are cash-strapped, meaning any money owed will go straight into debt collection, according to Smolander.
 "These companies have unpaid bills, rent and other expenses. All payments are difficult for them right now," said  Timo   Lappi , who heads restaurant industry lobby MaRa.
 Smolander said that while it's unfortunate Keha overpaid some businesses, she emphasised that the programme got the money out quickly, enabling restaurants to stay on top of salaries.
 "The situation was catastrophic at the time. Restaurants were closed and we had to make sure they had support. We were under pressure to get the money out quickly," she said.
 Companies that were overpaid by 100 euros or less will not be asked to return funds.

Some restaurants struggle to repay Covid rescue support


Summary: Municipalities and hospital districts are calling for urgent action to take pressure off healthcare staff and resources.

The testing and tracing of Covid cases is putting increasing pressure on the Finnish public healthcare system, with many municipalities and hospital districts calling on the government to modify the current hybrid strategy aimed at tackling the latest effects of the pandemic.
 Healthcare staff and resources have been drawn towards curbing the recent uptick in infections. This has led to people in many municpalities facing long delays when seeking appointments for non-Covid-related issues.
 For example, the burden of tracing Covid cases is having a detrimental impact on services provided by the hospital district of Southwest Finland, according to Infectious Diseases Physician  Esa Rintala .
 "Counselling centres, school health care services and health centres are suffering," Rintala said.
 This in turn has a knock on effect on emergency rooms in hospitals, which are becoming more congested as people cannot get appointments at health centres.
 "The treatment of chronic diseases in particular is being affected," according to  Tuula Karhula , director of healthcare services with the South Karelia Social and Health District, Eksote.
 Physician: "This cannot continue"
 Hospital districts across the country are now hoping for guidance from authorities on how to handle the situation, with Rintala calling for immediate action to protect the functioning of primary healthcare services.
 "This cannot continue. There has to be a change in the testing policy," she told Yle, adding that authorities should consider whether such extensive testing is the right strategy for managing the pandemic.
 "Large-scale testing of vaccinated people is not practical," Rintala said.
 HUS joins calls for clearer guidance
 Acting Chief Medical Officer with the Helsinki and Uusimaa hospital district (HUS),  Jari Petäjä , also joined calls for clearer guidance and instructions from the government on what level of testing capacity is expected and how it will be funded.
 According to Petäjä, testing capacity cannot be increased from the current level, as it already requires a large number of professionals.
 "Rather, it should be assessed whether the number of tests could be reduced," he said, adding that the current tracing policy also needs to be reviewed as it is very closely connected to managing testing capacities.
 "For example, if all students in a school classroom are defined as having been exposed to the virus, instead of those sitting at nearby desks, it will produce many times more samples for us to test," Petäjä said.
 While waiting for government guidance, some regional authorities have decided to take matters into their own hands. The Pirkanmaa region, for example, announced last week that fully vaccinated people no longer need to apply for a coronavirus test if they only have mild symptoms of a respiratory infection.
 However, the policy was drawn by the hospital district in accordance with its own risk assessment and does not apply to healthcare workers or people exposed to the virus.

Burden of Covid testing, tracing impacts primary healthcare services


Summary: As one option, Finland has discussed the possibility of continuing evacuations by land through neighbouring countries.

Finland's operation to evacuate people from Afghanistan has not yet ended, according to the Foreign Ministry's Special Representative for Afghanistan  Pekka Kaihilahti , despite that the ministry announced the  conclusion of air evacuations  last week.
 The possibility of continuing evacuations by land through neighbouring countries has been discussed as one option, Kaihilahti told Yle TV1's breakfast TV show Ylen aamu, adding that cooperation with other EU countries will increase as the situation develops.
 "The EU has been invisible recently, but the more we move forward here, the more the importance of the EU will come to the fore," Kaihilahti said.
 Finland and the other EU member states can cooperate by using joint influence and sharing contacts, he added, especially as the development aid that Afghanistan needs provides the EU with bargaining power.
 "Afghanistan is currently facing a major humanitarian catastrophe, its economy is in a state of collapse and its assets have been frozen abroad. If the Taliban wants to recover from this predicament in some way in the future, it will also need development cooperation," Kaihilahti stated.
 Foreign Minister  Pekka Haavisto  (Green)  said at a press conference on Saturday  that the US helped Finland evacuate an additional 83 people from the Afghan capital on Friday evening after Finnish troops left Afghanistan on Thursday.
 Last Thursday's All Points North podcast heard from Yle correspondent  Maija Liuhto  about the situation in Afghanistan. You can listen to the full podcast using the embedded player here, via Yle Areena, Spotify or Apple Podcasts or on your usual podcast player using the RSS feed.

Foreign ministry: Afghanistan evacuations operation not over


Summary: At the same time, more suspected crimes are being investigated due to an increase in people reporting them to police.

Sexually violent offences against children are becoming less common, according to findings from health surveys carried out at schools in central Finland.
 There has been quite a bit of discussion about sexual offences against minors increasingly taking place on the internet. Last week Yle News published a story about the situation some children  faced online .
 Surveys found that sexual violence crimes have declined and that if they do occur they are more likely to be brought to the attention of law enforcement, according to Detective Chief Inspector  Saara Asmundela  from the police department of Inland Finland.
 "Children who responded to the survey reported they experienced less sexual violence than [in previous surveys] and that the forms of sexual violence were less severe. However, such acts carried out online are the exception, those have increased," Asmundela, who specialises in the prevention of crimes against children, said.
 "As the number of sexual violence complaints are submitted to police, it is likely that a greater proportion of such crimes will come to the attention of authorities," she said.
 "It's a positive trend. People are better aware of their rights and are able to better identify crimes than before, for example people are more aware of their obligations to report suspected crimes to the police," Asmundela explained.
 Many crimes left unreported
 The number of reports about sex crimes against children increase when police publicise their investigations into similar cases. However, Asmundela noted, a large proportion of crimes against kids never come to the attention of authorities.
 According to a survey of parents, as many as 80 percent of sexual offences involving physical contact with children were not reported to police, she said.
 "We still live in a world where sexual crimes occur and they are also targeted at children," Asmundela said.
 The survey data on crimes against kids is sourced from health surveys carried out at schools.
 The number of sexual offences against children that were reported to authorities in Central Finland sharply increased during the first half of this year, and amounted to 137 reported incidents, which was twice as many as the same period a year earlier.
 The major growth was explained, at least partly, by a large group of related sexual offence cases, in which about 70 criminal reports have been filed so far.
 "In crime statistics, incidents are logged in the year in which they are recorded even though they may have actually taken place before that. Major cases tend to sway the figures when many crimes are recorded in a short period," Asmundela explained.

School surveys: Sexual violence against children on the decline


Summary: "It was not proven [in the case] that the swastika flag would send a threatening and offensive message linked to anti-immigration efforts," the district court said in its decision.

The Helsinki District Court on Monday dismissed the criminal charges against five men suspected of incitement against an ethnic group for participating in the display of swastika flags at an Independence Day demonstration in 2018.
 The five defendants took part in the neo-Nazi 'Kohti vapautta' ('toward freedom')  demonstration   in Helsinki on 6 December 2018.
 According to the indictment, three of the defendants carried swastika flags during the demonstration while the fourth man organised the march and the fifth defendant participated in the procession and helped to carry the flags.
 In its decision the court acknowledged the flags were specifically associated with the ideologies and deeds of Nazi Germany in the 1940s, which included the persecution and genocide of millions of Jewish people, among other atrocities.
 Story continues after photo.
 The demonstrators marched through Helsinki on 6 December 2018. Martti Kainulainen / Lehtikuva
 However, in its decision, the court also said that the mere act of displaying a swastika flag did not amount to incitement against an ethnic group, noting such a crime would involve threatening, slandering or insulting a group of people on the basis of, for example, race or religion.
 "It was not proven [in the case] that the swastika flag would send a threatening and offensive message linked to anti-immigration efforts," the court said in its decision.
 The court also dismissed charges of interfering with authorities. According to the prosecutor, four of the defendants tried to prevent police from confiscating the flags. The court said that the police had no legal grounds to interfere with the procession members' freedom of assembly.
 However, one one of the men who took part in the Independence Day demonstration was fined for incitement against an ethnic group, after being found guilty of delivering a threatening speech outside a school. A woman who video recorded the speech and streamed it online was also fined.
 All of the court's decisions were not final, as the cases can still be brought to the Court of Appeal for consideration.
 According to the indictment, the five defendants were members of the Finnish chapter (PVL) of the Nordic Resistance movement, which was  banned by the Pirkanmaa District Court  in November 2017. The group was subsequently  banned by the Supreme Court  in 2019.
 The defendants denied that they were representing the group on the march.
 Story continues after photo.
 State prosecutor Raija Toiviainen. Yle
 Displaying a flag with a swastika is not against the law in Finland. But state prosecutor  Raija Toiviainen  said it was a well-known symbol of Adolf Hitler's Nazi Germany.
 Before Monday's verdict was delivered, Toiviainen said use of the flags during the Independence Day demonstration sent a clearly racist and insulting message which threatened groups of people that the participants thought were inferior.
 After the verdict, Toiviainen said she planned to appeal the district court's decision.
 "I thought this would have been a clearer thing, but I see now that this requires reflection. In my opinion, the charges were justified, I have to take some time to examine the court's decision," she said.
 University of Helsinki criminal law professor  Kimmo Nuotio  said he was surprised by the district court's ruling, adding that he thinks it would be good for the case to be examined by a higher court.
 "Now, on one hand, the district court emphasised the importance of freedom of speech and there's the right to express one's opinion on the other," Nuotio said.
 Some European countries, including Germany, have banned the display of swastikas due to the atrocities associated with the symbol. However, the Finnish Air Force  continues to use the controversial symbol  on some unit flags, although it has been removed from the Air Force command insignia.
 Nuotio said that it was possible that Finland would also discuss the possibility of banning the display of swastikas.
 Yle News published an article explaining the complex  history of the swastika in Finland  in 2017.

Court dismisses incitement charges against Independence Day swastika flag wavers


Summary: The Lepikko level crossing is scheduled to be completely decommissioned next year through the use of road traffic detours.

Plans to remove a dangerous level crossing in the town of Paltamo had been in the works for years before an accident claimed two lives at the site last week, according to the local road district's chair.
 Two people in a passenger car died after being hit by an express train  at the crossing  on Friday, about three kilometres from the Paltamo train station. The town is located in the centre of Finland.
 Voitto Leinonen , chair of the Koikerolahdentie Road District, said that discussions about closing motor vehicle traffic at the crossing began as early as 2017. In order to keep traffic moving over the tracks, a new road that leads to a crossing at the western end of the train station needs to be constructed. That level crossing is outfitted with an automated gate to prevent collisions.
 "The first proposals were made in 2019 and by then there were already images [of the plans] made. There was discussion that construction would begin in 2019-2020. For some reason [the plans] were delayed," Leinonen said.
 Efforts to remove the railroad and roadway intersection, which is known as the Lepikko level crossing, is part of the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency's nationwide level crossing removal and improvement project.
 The site is scheduled to be completely decommissioned next year through the use of traffic detours.
 Leinonen said he has been in contact with the transport infrastructure agency on several occasions and that the crossing should be shut down by next summer.
 The Transport Infrastructure Agency has said that, until last week, there had been no reported accidents at the Lepikko level crossing since the year 2000, when the agency began recording the number of accidents at level crossings across the country.
 In 2020 three people lost their lives and two more were seriously injured in level crossing accidents across the country.
 Meanwhile, this year has already seen six fatalities at level crossings in Finland, according to preliminary data.

Level crossing removal postponed for years before fatal crash


Summary: Finns could now be allowed to get closer to each other — if they want.

Prime Minister  Sanna Marin's  (SDP) Twitter feed is the subject of several stories in the press on Tuesday.
 The PM tweeted that the  government parties have agreed  to remove the two metre social distancing requirement from Finland's infectious diseases law.
 She added that restrictions would be removed as vaccination coverage increases, as the situation is currently 'unreasonable' for those in the culture, sport and events sectors.
 The change would enable indoor venues to organise their events more freely, as the social distancing rule forces capacity restrictions on a lot of venues.
 A rebellion had started in August, with the National Opera  saying  it would not follow all the Covid regulations as it premiered a new show.
 Fossil free advertising
 Finnair is very keen for people to start flying again, after nearly two years of Covid-imposed limitations on their business, and they've started a huge ad campaign for holidays abroad.
 Their carbon-intensive transport is not to everyone's liking, however.
 The Atmosfair emissions calculator estimates that a return Finnair flight between Helsinki and Athens  emits  more than 1.3 tonnes of Carbon Dioxide equivalent.
 Climate scientists estimate that if humanity is to hit the Paris climate goal of keeping warming to 1.5 degrees, emissions must be limited to 1.5 tonnes of carbon per person per year. So that's a big chunk of what any individual's carbon 'budget' would look like.
 So climate activists from Greenpeace are not happy about Finnair's marketing campaign. On Monday a group of them scaled the giant advert on the facade of the Forum shopping centre in Helsinki, affixing their own banner reading 'no fossil advertising thank you' on top.
 Helsingin Sanomat  reports  that they removed it shortly before 1pm and police said that the protest was peaceful. There was, nevertheless, a criminal complaint that they had breached the peace.
 Storm on the way
 Ilta-Sanomat  reports  on a coming change in the weather, which will bring heavy precipitation and strong winds from the north-west.
 That will disrupt the relatively warm conditions that have dominated, with cooler air starting to arrive on Wednesday as the winds change.
 So Tuesday's relatively warm conditions should be enjoyed to the fullest.

Tuesday's papers: Social distance, climate-damaging adverts, and a storm on the way


Summary: The sun's solar cycle is moving from a period of lower solar activity to Solar Maximum, when much stronger and more intense Aurora Borealis can be expected.

This autumn promises to be an exciting season for Northern Lights enthusiasts in Finland, according to  Jyrki Manninen , Deputy Director of the Sodankylä Geophysical Observatory in Finnish Lapland.
 The activity and intensity of Northern Lights is determined by the sun's 11-year solar cycle, which ranges from Solar Minimum (lowest solar activity) to Solar Maximum (highest solar activity).
 The northern hemisphere is now entering a period of higher solar activity, with increased solar flares and sunspots.
 "This is the best time in terms of solar activity," Manninen said. "For example, this last weekend in August has been great for seeing the Northern Lights, at least according to forecasts and measuring devices. But then of course it depends on the localised weather conditions whether people have been able to see them."
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 September and October are the best months to view the Northern Lights. Risto Jaara
 The best time to view the Northern Lights in Finland are during the months of September and October, as skies tend to be clearer than in winter and the nights are darker without snow.
 "As long as there is no snow and the ground is dark, the most beautiful northern lights can be seen then, because the contrast is at its best. When the snows come, all the lights are reflected from the snow and the Northern Lights do not look as magnificent as they do against the dark ground," Manninen said.
 In addition, solar winds tend to be at their strongest during this time of year, spreading the solar flares more widely.
 However, Manninen pointed out that some studies suggest the lights are at their strongest around the time of the autumn equinox, scheduled for 22 September this year.
 "Then there would be some kind of maximum northern lights," he said.

Finnish skies set for spectacular Northern Lights this autumn


Summary: Finland now says children have to stay in school until they're 18.

Some 1,206 kids in Finland do not have a place to study this autumn, after they left basic schooling in the summer.
 That means around two percent of those school leavers secured a place at an Upper Secondary or vocational school this autumn.
 The government has extended the age of compulsory schooling to 18, meaning that these teenagers must be found somewhere to study.
 Their schools were responsible for that search up to the end of August, but that duty has now passed to the young people's municipalities of residence.

1,200 teenagers left without school spots this autumn


Summary: The indirect effects of climate change include the potential polarisation of society as well as the widening of economic and regional inequalities, the Finnish Institute of International Affairs says.

Climate change will pose a number of different security threats to Finland in the future, according to a fresh report from research body the Finnish Institute of International Affairs.
 The report was commissioned by the government and examines the potential effects of climate change on Finland and Finnish society up to the year 2035, when  Finland has pledged to be carbon neutral .
 The report — published on Tuesday and co-authored by a team of social scientists as well as climate and safety specialists — examined the issues of climate change and reducing emissions from the perspective of safety and security.
 This angle has not yet been addressed in Finland, according to the institute's  Emma Hakala , a senior researcher and one of the authors of the report.
 "Finland has been a little late addressing the topic of climate safety. While there are no hurricanes [in Finland], for example, global climate change still extends here as well," Hakala said.
 Hidden effects of climate change
 The institute's report divides the security impacts of climate change into three separate categories: direct, linked and transitional effects.
 The so-called direct effects of climate change are weather phenomena such as hurricanes or floods, for example, which are not yet visible in Finland on the same scale as in other countries, such as the United States.
 However, this lack of visibility of the direct effects of climate change on Finland means the issue of climate and security is not widely discussed, Hakala said, even though the direct effects impact the other categories.
 The linked effects of climate change include the polarisation of society, economic and regional inequality and an increase in immigration, the report stated.
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 The debate about ending the burning of peat in Finland has become polarised. Kare Lehtonen / Yle
 Polarisation and inequality in particular can intensify social debate and even lead to conflict.
 "If the effects of climate change affect the disadvantaged in society and further worsen their situation, it is possible that the social debate will intensify. That's when unrest can break out" Hakala said, adding that although widespread polarisation has not been evident in Finland so far, the  debate over the burning of peat  has shown how people can take strongly opposing positions on climate-related subjects.
 Decisions must be democratic, based on research
 The debate on fuel tax increases also carries the threat of polarising opinions, the report found. Finland's government will discuss how to halve transport emissions as well as other climate measures when budget negotiations begin next week.
 Hakala said this danger of polarising opinions is increased if decisions on how to reduce emissions are made in a hurried or undemocratic way, citing  China's decision to ban  the use of coal for heating homes.
 "It was a catastrophic measure for the poor. Undemocratic and dramatic measures are bad. And the fear is that we [Finland] will go that way too when climate change needs to be curbed in a hurry," Hakala said.
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 Emma Hakala, a senior research fellow with the Finnish Institute of International Affairs. Petteri Bülow / Yle
 However, climate decisions should not be considered from the perspective of whether they will be followed by protests or dissenting opinions, Hakala emphasised, but instead solutions should be based on scientific research.
 "It must be accepted that climate action has to be taken, but it should be well researched or clarified how, for example, people living below the poverty line can cope with it," she added.
 Hakala also highlighted regional inequality, which is an issue of concern in Finland as well.
 "Rural areas cannot be just forgotten, and climate action should have a regional policy perspective. In cities, it is much easier to switch to electric cars than in other places, for example," she said.
 "Climate change should be taken into account in everything"
 Finland has so far prepared for the threats posed by climate change mainly in terms of direct weather-related effects, the institute's report pointed out.
 The report cites the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry's national climate change adaptation plan, which includes the storm-proofing of the nation's electrical supply network to prevent power outages.
 However, Hakala argues that climate change should be included more comprehensively in all national risk assessments.
 These assessments are carried out every three years, in order to identify potential risks to people, the environment and critical systems, which the authorities must be prepared for. Climate change should be more central to each category, Hakala said, and Finland's security of supply should also be considered in the context of climate change.
 "Climate change should be taken into account in everything. Decisions should be made systematically but in a way that does not harm the disadvantaged," she said.
 Hakala was also critical of the US military's terming of climate change as a "threat multiplier", meaning it will exacerbate existing risks and their consequences.
 "It creates a perception that climate change is some law of nature that just comes and reinforces other threat factors. However, humanity has increased its effects through its own actions," she said.

Report: Finland reacting too late to climate change security threats


Summary: Current and former employees of the nationwide fast-food chain have complained of chronic under-staffing problems.

Hesburger's founder  Heikki Salmela  told Yle's current affairs programme A-studio on Monday evening that he was not aware of the problems affecting the fast-food restaurant chain's employees.
 "Our staff have been the most important thing in the world for us, and if the service profession does not understand the importance of personnel, then that is outrageous. I could not have believed we would be in this type of situation, but it must be believed now that so many say it. We take this really seriously and it will be resolved," Salmela said.
 Hesburger employees had reported issues such as chronic under-staffing, having to work for 10 hours without breaks or being put under pressure to go home before their shifts were finished, thus not receiving their full pay.
 One 21-year-old current employee told Yle that staff  sometimes cry together during shifts  because the working conditions are so stressful.
 Salmela, who is also chair of the company's board, told A-studio that if the company's middle management are found to have acted incorrectly, it will be addressed by senior management.
 He further stated that employees should never be pressured to end their shift early, but can be asked if they would like to go home, and asked anyone with experience of being pressured to report it to him via email.
 Salmela ready to receive feedback "even in middle of the night"
 During the A-studio interview, Salmela was asked why the restaurant chain had not complied with employment law, for example with regard to staff taking breaks.
 "Here is a simple problem: we have a labour shortage. There is an insane shortage of people in the Helsinki region in particular," he said. "In addition, the coronavirus pandemic has brought home delivery solutions like Wolt and Foodora. I, and perhaps senior management too, have not realised how much this has confused and stressed the staff."
 He further promised that employees could contact him, even in the middle of the night, to tell him about their experiences.
 "My phone number is public, my email address is public," he said, adding that there would be no negative consequences for any employees providing feedback.
 Salmela said an investigation into the issues raised by the employees would begin on Tuesday and that the results will be announced within a week or two.

Hesburger founder blames middle management, Covid crisis for staff dissatisfaction


Summary: Kira Jarmusch left Russia bound for Helsinki, according to Russian sources.

The spokesperson for Russian opposition leader  Alexei Navalnyi  has left Russia for the Finnish capital Helsinki, reports Interfax.
 Kira Jarmusch  was convicted of breaching Covid rules and sentenced to house arrest in mid-August.
 That would have meant she would not have been able to leave the Moscow region, had she lost her pending appeal.
 Jarmusch herself has not commented on the reports.
 She follows another senior figure in Navalny's organisation,  Lyubov Sobol , who was also convicted of Covid violations in August, sentenced to house arrest, and subsequently fled the country.

Interfax: Alexei Navalny's spokesperson flees Russia for Helsinki


Summary: Later on Sunday, the government proposed to Parliament that the two-metre spacing requirement be dropped.

According to Prime Minister  Sanna Marin  (SDP), the government plans to release its new hybrid coronavirus strategy on Monday.
 Speaking during the traditional Prime Minister's interview hour on Yle Radio Suomi on Sunday afternoon, Marin said the cabinet would meet in an unusual Sunday session to agree on issues such as the removing the requirement for two-metre social distancing in public.
 Marin said that several changes would be made to the Communicable Diseases Act in addition to waiving the two-metre requirement.
 She said that the goal is to get rid of all restrictions once vaccine coverage is high enough, i.e. more than 80 percent of the population over age 12, which could come next month.
 As of Sunday, 53 percent of the entire population were fully inoculated, with more than 72 percent getting at least one jab. More than four million people have now received at least one dose of vaccine.
 Coronavirus passport to Parliament soon
 The government will present its plan for a coronavirus passport to Parliament in mid-September, Marin said, adding that she expects quick approval.
 "I believe and hope that Parliament wants to deal with it quickly so that we'll have this tool in place by October as well," she said.
 A coronavirus passport is a certificate stating whether the passport holder has been vaccinated, recently recovered from the illness, or has had a recent negative test result.
 In an interview, Marin said that she shares the view that Finland could return to normal within one to two months, as expressed a day earlier by  Mika Salminen , health security directorat the national health agency THL.
 "This is an estimate that the government has received. Once 80 percent vaccine coverage is achieved, restrictions will be lifted. Now the estimate is that we'll reach that situation in October," Marin said.
 Marin welcomed the THL's decision to change its policy on vaccine intervals, now allowing second doses to be given six weeks rather than eight weeks after the first, saying this was essential to improve vaccine coverage.

PM Marin: Return to normal possible in October, Covid passport to Parliament in mid-September


Summary: Police said the investigation did not find that school and child protective service staff members had broken breach of duty laws.

Helsinki police said they found no evidence of criminal acts committed by school staff and authorities prior to the violent death of a 16-year-old boy in the Koskela district last December.
 On Friday, 4 December, the teen was subjected to a brutal, cruel, and humiliating ordeal for several hours leading up to his death,  prosecutors said in March . The victim was relentlessly bullied for an extended period before that night and was assaulted at the same location on each of the three previous Friday evenings.
 During a preliminary investigation police interviewed staff from the victim's school as well as child protection authorities, related to the bullying and assaults of the boy. The probe was intended to reveal whether school staff or the authorities had committed any crimes.
 Police said the probe primarily examined whether staff members had broken breach of duty laws.
 "The Helsinki Police Department obtained a good deal of information in the investigation. The preliminary investigation file mainly consists of official documents, reports and statements. The [probe] obtained statements from a total of 44 people," chief inspector  Markku Silén  said in a statement issued on Tuesday.
 The three teenagers facing murder and several other charges were found to be  criminally responsible  for killing the boy, following a court-ordered psychiatric evaluation. Helsinki District Court is scheduled to issue a verdict on the case on Friday afternoon.
 Police: School intervened in boy's bullying
 Police said the victim had concealed and misled adults about the source of the injuries he sustained in the beatings in the weeks leading up to the deadly assault.
 In its investigation report, police said that staff at the victim's school had intervened appropriately about the bullying, adding that the institution had not failed to care for the safety at the site nor disregarded obligations to maintain and oversee peace at the school.
 Police said that, consequently, the probe did not reveal any legal grounds to suspect misconduct by school staff.
 The victim did not live at home at the time of his death, according to police, but instead resided at a child protective services facility.
 Following the final assault of the boy, on Friday, 4 December 2020, the perpetrators left him lying on the ground at the scene, where his body was discovered by construction workers three days later.
 The police's preliminary investigation report outlined a somewhat tense situation at the child welfare institution on the weekend of the boy's death.
 Child protection services
 Chief inspector Silén said that the rules and guidelines surrounding child protection were subject to a certain degree of interpretation.
 "From the point of view of an individual child welfare institution, the resources available over the weekend and the number of people on call can have a major impact on what measures are actually appropriate to take," Silén said in the statement.
 However, the investigation did not reveal evidence that the child welfare workers had failed to fulfil their legal and regulatory obligations as they carried out their duties, and generally met the requirements in the Child Welfare Act.
 Police said there were no legal grounds to suspect child welfare staff of breaking the law.
 "The main conclusion of the preliminary investigation is that there is no reason to suspect a breach of duty, negligent breach of duty or any other crime by primary school teachers, principals, child protection workers, other officials or anyone else," Silén said.
 Police began investigating the activities of child welfare and school staff members at the end of January, when the case was transferred to the prosecutor's office.

Helsinki police close probe into how school, authorities handled teen murder victim


Summary: Workers were commonly found to be over-stimulated in the form of constant video conferences and under-stimulated in the form of repetitive working days.

Workers in Finland increasingly experienced feelings of boredom and symptoms of burnout during the Covid crisis due to the ongoing remote working situation, according to results of a study from the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health.
 The institute's regular survey, called "Miten Suomi voi" (roughly, "how Finland is feeling''), found that remote working arrangements during that year-and-a-half long period had prompted increased negative effects, particularly among those under the age of 36.
 Meanwhile, feelings of boredom and burnout among workers who were 36 or older only slightly increased during the research period.
 The institute's specialist researcher,  Janne Kaltiainen , said that extensive telecommuting affected employees in different ways.
 "For some, the amount of work and related rush may have increased, whereas for others, additional stress may have been a result of a narrowed job description and distancing from co-workers due to extended remote working. Both of these factors may increase negative experiences from work and negative attitudes towards the work. At the same time, there are still clearly more positive emotions and excitement related to work," Kaltainen said in a statement.
 Boredom boom
 According to  Jari Hakanen , a research professor at the institute, the clearest change seen in well-being among the employees who were surveyed was an increase in boredom.
 "For people who are doing a lot of remote work in particular, the work may have provided over-stimulation in the form of constant video conferences and under-stimulation in the form of repetitive working days and lack of genuinely meeting people. When making immediate post-Covid-19 work arrangements, the workplace should consider that an adequate amount of in-office work seems to be important for finding meaningfulness in the work," Hakanen said.
 Hybrid arrangements
 The researchers found that people who did their work on a hybrid basis — that is, a combination of remote and on-site employment — felt more engaged and were less likely to be bored.
 The study also showed that co-workers tended to trust each other more as they worked in hybrid arrangements.
 "The well-being of management personnel has remained at a good level during the pandemic. This may have been a factor in maintaining a high degree of trust towards management personnel and the workplace regardless of whether the work is in-office, remote or hybrid work," Hakanen said.
 The "Miten Suomi voi" research project's findings were based on the analysis of data gathered by polling firm Taloustutkimus, an effort which was commissioned by the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health. A total of 542 working-age people took part in the initial surveys, which were carried out every six months during December 2019 until June 2021.
 Then follow-up surveys of randomly-selected workers were carried out, with data from about 1,500 respondents at the end of 2019 and around 1,400 respondents in the summer of 2021.
 "This way, the study was able to collect a larger quantity of detailed information about the situations of different respondent groups, such as young people, during specific time periods," according to the researchers.

Report: Young adults most affected by Covid-era telecommuting 'boredom'


Summary: The case was uncovered with help from an international organised crime fighting effort led by the FBI and Australian authorities.

The Helsinki Police Department reported on Tuesday that a preliminary investigation into a cannabis smuggling ring has concluded.
 The case was uncovered with help from the  Operation Trojan Shield/OTF Greenlight  crime fighting scheme, which was jointly conceived by the FBI and authorities in Australia.
 The scheme involved tricking criminals around the world into using a encrypted messaging app called ANOM which could actually be viewed by law enforcement.
 The cannabis smuggling investigation is only a small part of a much larger criminal operation, according to police.
 Finnish police uncovered large cannabis imports in February, with the drugs being brought into Finland by lorry to a warehouse in northern Helsinki, according to the case's lead investigator, Helsinki Police Chief Inspector,  Toni Uusikivi .
 "The suspects unloaded the shipment and then went on to deliver the drugs. Police detained the suspects immediately as they were about to leave the first batch of cannabis to the recipient," Uusikivi said in a statement.
 Police noted that some of the cannabis that was headed to Finland ended up in Estonia, due to an error made during unloading. A batch of cannabis was later seized by authorities in Estonia and the lorry driver was detained on suspicion of smuggling drugs.
 Police: €3m estimated value
 Uusikivi said that more than 140kg of cannabis was seized, with an estimated street value of more than three million euros.
 Police said there were four people of interest in the case, they are suspected of aggravated drug crimes as well as aggravated firearms crimes.
 People in the smuggling operation, who lived abroad as well as in Finland, allegedly helped to smuggle as well as distribute the drugs, according to authorities.
 Police said that the group communicated exclusively on the encrypted messaging app in efforts to remain anonymous and hidden from authorities.

Police wrap up preliminary probe of major cannabis smuggling ring