Summary: There have been a lot of stories on the Yle News website this year.

If 2020 was the year of the pandemic, 2021 was meant to be the year we bounced back. The year kicked off on a wave of optimism, as effective vaccines were rolled out and the economy showed its first signs of revving back to life, leading many commentators to predict a new "roaring twenties'' was on the way. Of course, things didn't quite pan out that way.
 We went through the year month-by-month to find out which stories dominated the headlines.
 January
 Jean-Francois Monier / AFP
 As 2021 kicked off, optimism over new coronavirus vaccines dominated the airwaves in Finland. Proven to be highly effective at preventing both infection and serious disease, the very elderly and extremely vulnerable were first in line for doses of the AstraZeneca, Pfizer, and Moderna vaccines in Finland.
 Prime Minister  Sanna Marin  (SDP) told the nation that the race to immunise Finland was " a marathon, not a sprint "; while THL predicted that the entire population would be fully immunised  by December , as the country’s first mass vaccination centre  opened its doors  in Turku. An Yle survey suggested that  90% of  people in Finland were planning to take the vaccine in January.
 Vaccine stories weren't all positive, however. Some may remember the frustration over the  delayed shipments  of AstraZeneca vaccines to Finland and other EU countries – a source of short-lived geopolitical tensions between the UK and the EU.
 February
 Kirill Kudryavtsev / AFP
 On the pandemic front, February was marked by a rapidly deteriorating situation, as a slow vaccine rollout and then-record levels of new infections led the government to call for a new shutdown. Confusion over the safety of the AstraZeneca vaccine had significant consequences, with THL first announcing that  only working-age Finns  should take the shot, before later reversing course and mandating it only for those over the age of 65.
 Meanwhile, the arrest of Russian opposition activist  Alexei Navalny  on the tarmac at a Moscow airport had immediate foreign policy implications for Finland, with Foreign Minister  Pekka Haavisto  (Green)  vowing to press  for his release. February also saw the conclusion of a two-year legal drama involving Finland and the UNHRC, after two people who helped an Iraqi asylum seeker fake his own death were  handed prison sentences  by the Helsinki District Court.
 We also kicked off our series of party leader interviews with podcasts featuring the Finns Party's  Jussi Halla-aho ,  Maria Ohisalo  of the Greens and  Anna-Maja Henriksson  from the Swedish People's Party.
 March
 Mikko Ahmajärvi / Yle
 As caseloads and ICU admissions hit record levels, the news cycle came to be dominated by the lockdown that wasn’t, an episode that underscored the reluctance of those in power to commit to a rerun of 2020's lockdowns. After weeks of legal wrangling between the Ministry for Social Affairs and Health and Southern Finland Avi, it became increasingly clear that the three-week lockdown announced at the end of February was not going to happen as planned. Instead, PM Sanna Marin took to the podium  to ask the public  to limit social contacts, despite many venues and facilities remaining open. The law designed to facilitate the lockdown was  held up in Parliament  over the Easter Break and ultimately was never brought in, as cases fell in the spring.
 March also saw a number of major stories around racism in Finland. Finnish intelligence services revealed that the threat from far-right extremists  was intensifying  throughout the country, with radicals propagating the so-called 'Great Replacement' conspiracy theory. Finnish national football captain  Tim Sparv  attracted praise  for speaking out against racism in football, for which he would  later receive an international human rights award . At the same time, Yle published a piece looking at the experience of Finnish people of multicultural heritages who don’t fit the " blonde hair and blue eyes" mould, asking the question of  who is included  in society’s definition of Finnishness.
 April
 Esa Huuhko / Yle
 April saw the beginnings of some cautious optimism on the virus front. Despite initial fears after the Delta variant was  first detected  in the country (then called the "Indian variant"), admissions to the hospital and ICU  plunged , sparing Finland from its worst-case predictions for the spring. Meanwhile, police admitted to using controversial facial recognition software, after initial denials, while a Finnish MP compared the police to an " enemy during war " following attempts to break up a protest against continued Covid restrictions. April also saw Finland’s consumption of renewable energy  surpass that  of fossil fuels, and the awarding of  UNESCO Geopark Status  to the Saimaa region.
 May
 Henrietta Hassinen / Yle
 With May kicking off to  muted Vappu celebrations  for the second year running, many set their sights on a much hoped-for summer of relative normality. Finland approved the  EU Recovery Package  and joined the  Covid Passport Scheme , while the government announced plans to  wind down restrictions . In the geopolitical realm, Helsinki was mooted for a  hoped-for summit  between US President  Joe Biden  and Russian President  Vladimir Putin , while the Finnish military began a  withdrawal of troops  from Afghanistan. It was also revealed that police had systematically  logged the movements  of Roma people in Finland, an activity which they would later  move to conceal  from the public. Finland also made headlines internationally following  the death  of President  Sauli Niinistö’s  dog  Lennu . Meanwhile, the now-infamous " breakfastgate " mini-scandal was seized on by the media, following revelations that PM Sanna Marin was spending €300 a month of taxpayer funds on breakfast at her official residence.
 June
 Paulus Markkula / Yle
 June began with a lot of positive developments on the coronavirus front, which would quickly be dashed as July rolled around. Vaccinations  were proceeding  on schedule, restrictions on gatherings were  finally lifted  in Uusimaa, and THL  praised  the "enthusiasm" of people in Finland for their strong initial uptake of the jab. Meanwhile, Finns were getting their hopes up for the national squad’s historic  Euro 2020 debut , and Oulu celebrated being named the  European Capital of Culture  for 2026.
 Things began to deteriorate towards the end of the month, when hundreds of people returning from Finland's Euro 2020 games in Russia  tested positive  for coronavirus after being let into the country without prior testing. From here, infection rates would continually worsen for the rest of 2021.
 In other news, municipal elections drew plenty of coverage, with Yle looking at the existential questions of survival facing Finland’s  smallest municipalities . In the capital, ‘anti-immigrant’ election posters from the Finns Party were  removed from the streets . The election was also marred by an  unexpectedly low turnout  from all quarters, while  fewer young candidates  decided to run than in previous years.
 Yle News' weekly All Points North podcast looked at local election implications, the effects of—and responses to—global climate change, Covid-19's ups and downs, and much more during a special 2021 Year in Review episode. You can listen to the full podcast using the embedded player here, via  Yle Areena ,  Spotify ,  Apple Podcasts  or on your usual podcast player using the RSS feed.
 Article continues after audio.
 July
 Silja Viitala / Yle
 The record-breaking heatwave dominated the news cycle for much of the month. Following a June that was found to be the  hottest on record , hospitals expressed alarm after emergency rooms began to " overflow " with victims of the unprecedented temperatures. In addition, a number of police officers  were sacked  for their involvement in a far-right WhatsApp group, while a teenager was  sentenced to prison  for their role in a fatal stabbing at Helsinki Railway Station, one of several major youth crime stories this year.
 The Covid situation also deteriorated further, with  clusters of cases  in bars and restaurants around Helsinki, and many new infections being found to have occurred in  partially vaccinated individuals . Finland also officially  suspended deportations  to Afghanistan, only weeks before the Taliban would seize the capital, Kabul.
 August
 Wakil Kohsar / AFP
 The biggest news story in Finland in August was the  chaotic evacuation  of embassy staff and eligible Afghans from Kabul following the lightning-quick campaign by the Taliban to seize the country.  330 people  would be evacuated in August, with many being left behind and President Niinistö describing Western intervention in the country  as a failure .
 Among those stranded in Kabul were more than 40 staff who had worked as security guards at the Finnish Embassy, but who Finland  refused to include on evacuation lists . Although some security staff were assisted to leave Afghanistan, two thirds of the guards were not — and  were not paid even paid their August salaries .
 In Covid news, Finland passed the grim milestone of  1,000 deaths  linked to the virus, and it was revealed that anti-vaxxers had been  sending misinformation  about the jab to schoolchildren’s phones in Tampere. As a result of record-high cases throughout August, the government laid plans to briefly  re-introduce restrictions  on public gatherings in the capital region.
 September
 Silja Viitala / Yle
 As vaccination figures climbed and amid rising concerns that Finland was heading to a pandemic of the unvaccinated,  restrictions were again eased  throughout much of the country, allowing for  singing and dancing  in bars for the first time in months. Yle  celebrated 95 years  of public broadcasting, looking back on the colourful history of the organisation and its continued commitment to public service.
 Finland also made history when the country’s  first Somali-born MP   Suldaan Said Ahmed  (Left) was sworn into Parliament, reflecting an increasingly diverse electorate. The month also saw continued fallout over Finland’s withdrawal from Afghanistan, with  news breaking  of a former embassy guard fleeing the country overland after authorities refused to evacuate him. Yle also looked at the Afghans currently in Finland  facing uncertainty  over their ability to remain in the country long-term.
 October
 Jorge Gonzalez / Yle
 October saw the introduction of the  Covid Pass in Finland  for the first time, giving rise to security concerns and fallout in the hospitality sector, which said it was " paying the price " for the decision of some not to get vaccinated. Meanwhile, police had to be called into schools in some parts of Finland to  protect children  from anti-vaccine groups, while THL recommended suspending the use of  the Moderna vaccine  in young men following isolated cases of myocarditis in some recipients. In international affairs, Turkish President  Recep Erdoğan  labelled the Finnish ambassador and nine other diplomats " undesirables ", after they signed a petition for the release of human rights activist  Osman Kavala . Meanwhile, PM Sanna Marin caused a minor social media storm, responding to tabloids' coverage of her private life with a " boomer, be cool " caption on her Instagram account.
 November
 Arash Matin / Yle
 Vaccination and the vaccine-hesitant were the dominant news item in November, with data from hospitals revealing that the unvaccinated population in Finland was  33 times more likely  to require ICU treatment than the fully vaccinated. This followed revelations that vaccine opponents were stocking up  on Ivermectin , an anti-parasitic medication falsely believed by conspiracy theorists to relieve Covid symptoms. The mood also soured in other areas of public life. France put  an abrupt end  to Finland’s dreams of competing in the 2022 World Cup, while President Niinistö  cancelled the Independence Day Gala  following spiralling Covid caseloads. Finland also moved  to restrict entry  to arrivals from southern Africa due to the emerging Omicron variant, which would be detected in Finland just a few days later.
 December
 Silja Viitala / Yle
 2021 ended in a much different, and in many ways worse, situation than any could have predicted at the beginning of the year. Omicron was quickly found  to be present  in the country during the same week that the Foreign Minister  tested positive  for Covid. Meanwhile, PM Marin  came under scrutiny  after she was photographed clubbing in Helsinki city centre and missing multiple Covid exposure messages on her phone. However, the sight of the 36-year-old Prime Minister out clubbing quickly  went viral  internationally. After a year of restrictions and openings on a repeated cycle, Finland went into 2022 facing  new border restrictions , an increasingly  urgent booster campaign , and growing fears over a more contagious new variant.

Month-by-Month: Finland's year in news


Summary: The motion was passed in Parliament by 107 votes to 32 and will see a temporary amendment added to the Communicable Diseases Act.

Finland's Parliament on Tuesday voted in favour of a government proposal to make Covid vaccinations mandatory for healthcare workers if they are in close contact with elderly or at-risk patients.
 The motion was passed by 107 votes to 32, and will lead to a temporary article being included in the Communicable Diseases Act which allows employers in the social and healthcare sectors to require that staff get the Covid jab if their duties bring them into close contact with certain patient groups.
 The act already contains a list of mandatory vaccines for healthcare staff, and the coronavirus vaccine will now be added to the list for a temporary period.
 If a worker refuses to get the Covid vaccine they can, as an alternative, provide evidence of a recent negative coronavirus test to their employer. A healthcare worker who has contracted and recovered from the virus would also be considered to be protected.
 The interim clause on mandatory coronavirus vaccines will enter into force as soon as possible and will remain in place until the end of next year.
 Finns Party, Christian Democrats demand rapid tests
 The government’s proposal led to a heated debate between MPs during Parliament's plenary debate, with more than 40 legislators speaking on the subject.
 The Finns Party were opposed to the proposal and submitted a counter-statement calling for healthcare staff to undergo rapid tests instead of requiring vaccinations.
 "Mandatory vaccination will increase the burden on healthcare staff and could cause problems with access to labour. The law [change] could cause a crisis in the industry," Finns Party MP  Juha Mäenpää  said.
 "The vaccine does not guarantee that the caregiver will not carry the virus. The rapid test does guarantee it," his party colleague  Kaisa Juuso  stated.
 Sari Essayah , chair of the Christian Democrats party, expressed a concern that the vaccine mandate could create further tensions in a sector where workers are already stressed and under pressure.
 "How is it possible that the left-wing parties have passed such an extreme law, isn't it going too far here," Essayah's party colleague  Päivi Räsänen  asked.
 "People are not being fired"
 However, the five governing coalition parties as well as the opposition National Coalition Party (NCP) all supported the amendment, with each party stressing that amending the law does not mean forced vaccinations.
 Under the terms of the amendment, the responsibility will be on the employer to first offer other tasks to those who do not want to take the vaccine.
 "People are not being fired here. Other tasks can be offered first," NCP MP  Pia Kauma  said, while Centre Party MP  Pasi Kivisaari  said that the availability of labour in the social and healthcare services sector must be monitored after the change in the law.
 "I hope that the third round of vaccine doses will go smoothly and comprehensively. These proposed temporary changes are not nice legislation," Kivisaari said.

Finland introduces mandatory Covid vaccinations for healthcare workers


Summary: The 27-year-old man was convicted on one charge of murder and 20 counts of attempted murder.

Joel Marin , who attacked a class room in Kuopio in 2019 using a longsword, does not intend to appeal his sentence to the Supreme Court, his lawyer  Matti Niiranen  told news agency STT.
 "The matter has been discussed and we have decided to accept the verdict from the Court of Appeal," Niiranen said.
 Consequently, the Court of Appeal's  sentence of life imprisonment  for one charge of murder and 20 counts of attempted murder remains in force.
 The attack took place at Savo Vocational College in October of 2019 when the at-the-time 24-year-old Marin attacked a classroom located in a Kuopio shopping centre.
 A 23-year-old Ukrainian woman was killed in the attack and about a dozen others were injured. Some of the victims were left with lifelong injuries.
 THL, court ruled defendant sound of mind
 Marin’s defence lawyers had argued that he was  non compos mentis  at the time of the attack. However, a psychological evaluation was carried out by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) during the preliminary examination found that the man was guilty at the time of the acts and that he understood his actions. The district court agreed with the ruling.
 According to the Court of Appeal, the case did not reveal anything new that would have led it to reach a different verdict than the district court.
 In addition to the murder charge and 20 attempted murders, Marin was also charged with violently resisting a police officer, aggravated assault and vandalism. The decision of the Court of Appeal was unanimous.

Kuopio sword attacker not planning to appeal sentence to Supreme Court


Summary: Finland's wolf population is currently at its highest level for about 100 years, according to figures provided by the Natural Resources Institute.

The Finnish Wildlife Agency has issued four exemptions to a ban on hunting wolves.
 The decision will allow for the culling of a total of 18 wolves next year and is aimed at regulating the growth of Finland's wolf population, the agency said in a press release on Wednesday.
 Figures provided by the Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke) earlier this year revealed that the wolf population had hit  its highest level  for over 100 years.
 The agency's exemptions will permit the hunting of eight wolves from the Kuhmo Saunajärvi region of eastern Finland and two from the Liminka-Lumijoki area on the western coast, as well as five wolves from the southwestern region of Kauhajoki-Karvia and three from the Somero, Nummi-Pusula and Tammela areas, also in the southwest.
 Each region has received a separate exemption from the national ban on the hunting of the endangered species.
 The exemptions will begin on 1 February 2022 and will be valid for 15 days, with each hunting group limited to a maximum of 50 participants, the wildlife agency added.

Finnish Wildlife Agency issues wolf-hunting exemptions


Summary: Rescue Services urge caution on the roads.

Road conditions are poor in several parts of the country on Wednesday, according to the Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI), with the agency warning of potentially dangerous driving conditions in southern, western, eastern and central parts of the country.
 Transport operator  Erno Hakanen , from the Tampere Road Traffic Centre, told Yle that no major accidents have occurred so far, but there have been reports of smaller accidents throughout the country.
 "Today’s conditions warrant driving more carefully and cautiously. The worst rains seem to be concentrated in eastern Finland, but with the condensation the roads are very slippery and, in some places, certainly very challenging," he said.
 There have been several traffic accidents in Uusimaa throughout the morning due to slippery roads, Central Uusimaa Rescue Services said on Twitter.
 In some places in the central and southern part of Finland, heavy snow showers and freezing rain make driving conditions hazardous.
 Rescue Services urge those in traffic to exercise caution.

Poor driving conditions lead to multiple accidents


Summary: Chief Physician Eero Hirvensalo believes establishing dedicated Covid hospitals despite scarce healthcare resources would be both possible and beneficial.

Helsingin ja Uudenmaan sairaanhoitopiiri (HUS)

Medical Chief of the Helsinki and Uusimaa (HUS) hospital districts,  Eero Hirvensalo , says that dedicated Covid hospitals should be established to treat patients suffering from coronavirus.
 Hirvensalo, who is responsible for planning the care of Covid patients in the HUS area, believes separate Covid hospitals are needed both in the capital region and across the nation.
 He however emphasised that he is not referring to the construction of new hospital buildings, but instead he is suggesting separating the care of Covid patients from patients needing other hospital care.
 According to the chief physician, the long-lasting pandemic has had too large an impact on the care of patients not suffering from Covid, adding that the status quo cannot go on for much longer.
 "We have a new illness that will require additional resources for years to come, and this must be taken into account when planning healthcare operations," Hirvensalo said.
 Hirvensalo believes it would be possible to set up Covid hospitals despite scarce healthcare resources. He is seeking the cooperation of several parties, including the private healthcare sector.
 "With the current staffing situation it will be challenging, but with the involvement of several parties, adequate funding, training and willpower, I think it is very likely that we would succeed," Hirvensalo concluded.

HUS official proposes dedicated Covid hospitals


Summary: The new legislation, which enters into effect at midnight on Wednesday, prohibits the use of the Covid pass to circumvent regional restrictions but the blanket policy from the Chancellor of Justice surprised even government officials.

The sudden freezing of use of the Covid passport in regions currently considered to be in the community transmission phase of the pandemic has proven enormously confusing for event organisers.
 The latest regulation has temporarily removed the use of the Covid passport as a means to gain entry to public events and customer premises wherever regional restrictions are enforced. The legislation was approved by the government on Tuesday and will result in empty indoor sports arenas and movie theatres across the country.
 Simultaneously, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health (STM) has instructed regional government agencies (Avi's) to reflect on public event restrictions in their respective areas of operation.
 STM's guidelines have been met with confusion by the regional agencies, leading to strategy meetings throughout the day on Wednesday.
 "Of course, this now raises questions in the regions, as the legislation restricting the use of the Covid passports overrides the information provided earlier," says  Leena Laajala , Director of the Regional State Administrative Agency of Western and Inland Finland (Avi).
 Minister: Communication has been lacking
 The Minister of Economic Affairs  Mika Lintilä  (Cen) told Yle that he has received a lot of feedback from different parties, such as cultural institutions and the Finnish Ice Hockey League, and said he understands the confusion.
 "Rapid changes that take place within a week are confusing to both the parties subjected to the restrictions and us decision makers. This is unfortunate. The feedback speaks of mass confusion," Lintilä told Yle, adding he hopes that the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health will provide more detailed information on Wednesday regarding what the restrictions mean in concrete terms.
 "Communication has been lacking," the minister admitted.
 Up until Tuesday afternoon, both policymakers and event organisers believed that in the case of low-risk events, the Covid pass could circumvent restrictions. The government had recommended the partial shelving of the Covid pass, a suggestion that turned out not to be possible under current law.
 "As recently as last week, the government had hoped that a Covid passport could be used for low-risk events where all seats are numbered. At yesterday's [Tuesday's] government session, Justice Chancellor  Tuomas Pöysti  announced that he would not approve the proposal for legal reasons, based on the constitution," Lintilä added.
 The motion was withdrawn from the government session on Tuesday afternoon, and another motion to freeze the Covid passport as a means to gain entry to all events was approved at a later meeting.
 The legislation takes effect at midnight
 In addition to sporting events, venues such as theatres, cinemas and many other places where people gather will also have to cope with regulations set by the regional government agencies from Thursday onwards. The Covid pass ruling is valid until 20 January.
 The basketball club Kauhajoki Karhu Basket anticipates that their upcoming matches will not be attended by many people. In Southern Ostrobothnia, gathering restrictions are currently set to a maximum of 20 people.
 "There is no other way to interpret the regulation: The next few weeks will go on without spectators since the Covid pass has been frozen,"  Vesa Ojala , chair of Karhu Basket, said.
 Ojala added that he understands why this conclusion has been reached but would appreciate more clarity on the matter.
 "What's unfortunate is that things are changing at such a rapid pace. It’s hard to stay on top of how to proceed. The public is equally puzzled by these twists and turns," he said.
 BioRex demands prompt action
 Aku Jaakkola , CEO of the cinema franchise BioRex, told Yle he is "appalled" by the recent information, adding that shelving the Covid passport is a mistake.
 "Everything is still up in the air. We have to wait and see how things progress today [Wednesday]. It seems that the government has made a pretty big mistake, which is now being fixed by instructing the regional Avi's," Jaakkola said, adding that he is hopeful a solution will be found quickly.
 "I am confident that Avi will put things in order if the government so requests. Regardless, it still is shocking that we once again can't trust what had been promised," he said.
 BioRex, which operates all over Finland, has already closed its cinemas in areas where public events are prohibited.
 According to the current guidelines, the brand-new theatre in Seinäjoki will have 20 people per screening starting from Thursday. Cinemas in the west coast city of Vaasa will play to a maximum of 50 people while in the southern city of Hämeenlinna the maximum capacity is set at just ten people.
 "It leaves you speechless. Five million viewers in Finland, no evidence of transmission, and the first ones to close again. The treatment during this pandemic no longer has anything to do with facts and health safety. This sucks," Jaakkola added.
 He also demanded urgent action from the government.
 "If I, personally, make a mistake there is no time to dilly dally. Things must be put in order. That’s just normal decency. I hope to see actions today, anything else would be shocking," he said.
 The likelihood of any rapid change to the Covid pass policy is slim. According to Lintilä, the matter would require an amendment to the law, which would in no way take place before January 20.
 Until then, the Covid pass freeze is in force.

Updated Covid pass regulation confuses event organisers and policy makers alike


Summary: The 84-year-old Ahtisaari was previously diagnosed with Covid in March 2020.

Former Finnish president  Martti Ahtisaari  has tested positive for Covid for a second time, according to the Office of the President. The infection was confirmed on Wednesday 29 December.
 A press release said that Ahtisaari is doing well under the circumstances, but he is receiving hospital treatment.
 The 84-year-old former president was previously diagnosed with Covid in March 2020. At that time, his wife  Eeva Ahtisaari  was also diagnosed with the virus.
 Ahtisaari also suffers from Alzheimer's disease and has withdrawn from all public activities as a result. The Office of the President of the Republic  announced his retirement  in September this year.
 Martti Ahtisaari was Finland's 10th President and held office from 1994 - 2000. He is a Nobel Laureate, having won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2008 for his work in international conflict resolution.
 He is also the founder of the Crisis Management Initiative, a non-profit organisation dedicated to mediation and conflict resolution.

Former President Ahtisaari confirms second positive Covid diagnosis


Summary: Another year has nearly passed and news about Covid dominated the headlines as well as the attention of readers.

Out of Yle News' 15 most-read stories of 2021, the vast majority, a full 11 of them, dealt with issues surrounding the coronavirus pandemic.
 Other popular topics included problems facing job-seeking foreigners in Finland, a rare case of contaminated eggs as well as guiding people, at least temporarily, to leave Finland amid Covid restrictions.
 15.  Questions surrounding the safety of AstraZeneca's Covid vaccine, as well as  what to do with the surplus jabs , caught the interest of Yle News readers in April.
 14.  A short-lived proposal from a newly-elected mayor that  Helsinki should use English  as an official language in the city caused a bit of a stir in many corners, not the least of which among our readers.
 13.  Updates about what turned out to be a relatively soft  lockdown  in March gained the attention of Yle News readers.
 12.  As the epidemic situation began to see improvement and vaccines were gradually rolling out in June, many people with aspirations of international travel were drawn to  this guide .
 11.  Readers turned to Yle News for information about the impending arrival of the coronavirus  Delta variant  in February 2021.
 10.  An article about Finland's " brain waste " was very popular, as it explained the experiences of several highly qualified foreigners and Finnish returnees who found it difficult to land jobs in the country.
 9.  Similarly, we heard from job seeking foreigners facing  major hurdles  in their efforts to land jobs in January.
 8.  Finland's Covid situation worsened in March, with the country  declaring a state of emergency , which granted the government more flexibility in issuing restrictions to fight the epidemic.
 7.  Incredible inedible  eggs raised the interest  of readers when a rare case of salmonella prompted a recall.
 6.  Readers wanted details about regional  Covid restrictions  and rules that were about to be approved by Parliament.
 5.  The year might have been overshadowed by news of the pandemic, but everyone still seems to love Finland's baby boxes. The year's container of newborn supplies and clothing was  unveiled  in March.
 4.  As Finland  shut down in March  in order to curb the spread of coronavirus, our readers wanted to know what that actually meant.
 3.  Yle News' third-most viewed story was about a Turku firm that  patented a Covid drug , in the form of a nasal spray, that delivers low, safe doses of hydroxychloroquine, ivermectin and aprotinin.
 2.  As Covid vaccinations were first rolling out, people were curious about their potential side effects. An early January  article on the topic  drew the second-most page views of the year.
 1.  Yle News' most popular content this year wasn't even an article, but rather a multi-faceted  collection of data and graphs  about the country's Covid-19 situation. There is continually-updated regional information about how the epidemic and the vaccinations fighting it are progressing.

Yle News' 15 most-read stories of 2021


Summary: About 8,500 children participate in the activities of after school clubs in the capital.

After school club activities for first and second grade children will be held outdoors in Helsinki during the month of January due to the deteriorating coronavirus situation.
 City authorities hope the move will help to reduce close contacts between children and limit any possible exposure to the virus.
 Schools in the capital region will also aim to avoid mixing groups, as students from several different classes often attend the same after school activity.
 "Indoors, the groups of children would be mixed, but outdoors we can change the programme and do this in a safe way for all students," the City of Helsinki's Director of Basic Education  Outi Salo  said.
 The after school clubs will resume when schoolchildren return from holidays on 10 January and the order to remain outdoors will continue for about three weeks until the end of the month.
 If conditions are especially cold, children can go indoors at regular intervals to warm up. However, no specific temperature limit has been set.
 "I would think that if children are normally dressed for being outdoors, they will withstand the cold. Good winter clothes, outdoor trousers or overalls, a hat and gloves, as well as good winter shoes, is that not enough," Salo said.
 Some 8,500 first and second graders take part in the activities of after school clubs in the capital.

Helsinki after school clubs to be held outdoors during January


Summary: The minister was exposed to the virus during a private event in her hometown of Jakobstad over the Christmas holidays.

Minister of Justice and leader of the Swedish People's Party  Anna-Maja Henriksson  has tested positive for coronavirus, the Ministry of Justice revealed in a press release on Thursday.
 The release stated that Henriksson was exposed to the virus during a private event in her hometown of Jakobstad (Pietarsaari in Finnish) over the Christmas holidays.
 The minister has had no contacts related to her ministerial duties since her exposure, the statement added.

Justice Minister Henriksson tests positive for Covid


Summary: The initiative was signed by 65,000 people but has been awaiting consideration by MPs for over two years.

The time limit on a citizens' initiative aimed at prohibiting the use of fireworks by untrained consumers may elapse before MPs have an opportunity to debate the issue.
 The legal reform proposal was launched by 15 different NGOs and lobby groups in 2018 — including animal rights, health, patient and disability organisations — and  received the necessary 50,000 signatures  in December that year. Eventually some 65,000 people signed the proposal.
 At the time, the initiative's authors said that they hoped to reduce harm caused by fireworks, such as eye and other injuries as well as fires. They also cited a desire to alleviate stress caused to animals as well as to limit environmental contamination.
 However, Parliament's Commerce Committee, which is responsible for analysing the initiative, has not had time to do so.
 "It may sound rather exceptional, but within the committees the government's proposals and matters related to the EU are given priority and then we start to deal with other issues. The Commerce Committee has been really busy during the coronavirus era," the committee's vice chair  Hanna Kosonen  (Cen) told Yle.
 If Parliament does not discuss the initiative next year, it will expire at the end of this parliamentary term. This means that the initiative's authors may have to start again from scratch and begin collecting signatures once again.
 Story continues after the photo.
 Centre Party MP Hanna Kosonen sitting in Parliament alongside her party colleague Mikko Kärnä. Jorma Vihtonen / Yle
 One of the leaders of the initiative,  Hannele Luukkainen , told Yle she considers the delay in debating the initiative to be a denigration of democracy.
 "Considering such citizens' initiatives are enshrined in law, they should be taken seriously. According to the regulations, they should be dealt with within six months. It is quite a big threshold to collect more than 50,000 signatures and we did it in a month," Luukkainen said.
 Citizens' initiatives worth the same as "toilet paper"?
 MP Kosonen could not comment on whether the time limit for the initiative could be extended beyond the current parliamentary term, as this option has not been discussed.
 "Personally, I would see it as quite possible that the large group behind the initiative would not have to do everything again just because we have had the coronavirus pandemic. But it does require decisions," she said.
 The initiative's authors have called on the committee and Parliament to discuss the issue during this parliamentary term.
 "Citizens' initiatives are irrelevant if they can lapse untreated due to parliamentary delays. Then they are just like toilet paper," Luukkainen said.
 The initiative aims to ban ordinary consumers from using fireworks classified as F2 and F3. These categories include pot bombs, air bombs and rockets. The proposal would allow consumers to continue to use lighter pyrotechnics such as sparklers and smaller bomb fireworks.
 Current legislation allows members of the public to use fireworks only between 6.00pm on New Year’s Eve and 2.00am on New Year’s Day.

Citizens' initiative banning non-professional use of fireworks stuck in Parliament


Summary: Grocery stores and Alko outlets are expecting business to be brisk as many people prepare to ring in the new year at home once again this year.

Grocery stores and Alko outlets across the country are reporting a busy end of year as customers stock up on food and beverages in advance of a second consecutive Covid-affected New Year celebration.
 The hand disinfectant stations, safety distances and face masks that have become familiar sights in Finland throughout the pandemic will be in as much need as ever, especially as the Omicron variant cases continue to increase.
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 Covid safety instructions greet customers as they enter the store. Esa Fills / Yle
 Renewed restrictions on the operations and opening hours of bars and restaurants mean that many people are planning to ring in the new year at home once again this year, and state-owned alcohol retailer Alko is expecting queues right up until closing time at 6pm on 31 December.
 "The [New Year's] Eve is the big day and that's when queues will form. The longest queues will be from 3pm to 6pm," service manager  Samuli Lindström  of an Alko outlet in Vantaa told Yle.
 Queues up to 20 metres long
 Last year the queues of people were about 20 metres long as closing time approached, Lindström recalled, and he expects the same again this year.
 However, he added that the queues usually move along pretty quickly as people generally buy just a few products. This also means that customer turnover is high.
 "With queuing we are talking about minutes, a maximum of five minutes," Lindström said.
 During very busy periods, if there are too many customers in the store at one time, a member of staff will ask customers to form a queue outside.
 "If the store starts to become congested, then someone, usually a salesperson, will move to the door and start acting as a porter. They will then limit the number of new customers who can enter at any one time so that there is sufficient space within the store and transactions can be carried out safely again," Lindström explained.
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 Alko service manager Samuli Lindström. Esa Fills / Yle
 He added that the current coronavirus restrictions are quite similar to the measures in place this time last year.
 "From the experience of last year, we know how to prepare for this year. At the checkouts, care will be taken at all times to ensure that the safety distance of two metres is maintained, that there is not too much haste, and that people are allowed to pack their purchases in peace. All staff will wear masks and we maintain good hand hygiene," he said.
 Longer opening hours help ease congestion
 Grocery stores are also preparing for a busy sales period in the run up to New Year's Eve, but longer opening hours mean that congestion is rare.
 "We are looking forward to a traditional, relatively normal New Year. I don't think there will be bigger crowds," Vantaa K-Citymarket retailer  Sami Hertell  said.
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 Sami Hertell of Vantaa K-Citymarket. Esa Fills / Yle
 Hertell encourages customers to take advantage of the current longer opening hours that stores offer. For example, visits to stores during the new year period can be timed to coincide with quieter hours, especially late at night.
 "We're open until midnight. After nine in the evening it is calm and in the mornings too," he said.
 Alko's Lindström also recommends shopping in the morning if customers are keen to avoid the rush.
 "The safest time is always before noon. Then little by little it starts to get busier. But if it becomes busier in the afternoon, we will take care of the safety aspects: safety distances and so on," Lindström said.
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 Sparkling wines are a particular favourite at this time of year. Esa Fills / Yle
 New popular product for 2021
 The most popular products tend to remain the same from year to year.
 "Sparkling wines are sold the most. That's number one. Red wines also always do well and beers too," Lindström said.
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 Frankfurter sausages and potato salad remain a firm New Year's Day favourite with many people in Finland. Esa fills / Yle
 In terms of food, the traditional new year meal of frankfurter sausages and potato salad remains ever popular.
 However, a new — and very contemporary — product is also selling well: the at-home Covid test. A sharp increase in demand over recent weeks has outstripped supply in some areas and shelves have even been empty at times. Retailers are currently unable to guarantee they will have sufficient stocks over the New Year period.
 "Unfortunately, it is currently not possible to promise that there will be tests on the shelf. Sales are very high now. The product comes in every day, but they also go out very fast," Hertell said.

Finland prepares for muted New Year celebrations under Omicron shadow


Summary: Quotes by climate activist Greta Thunberg as well as Finns Party chair Riikka Purra are among the statements to be placed under the microscope.

With fake news spreading fast and opinion rather than fact-based statements about the climate crisis often dominating discourse, fact-checking can be a useful tool to both educate the wider public as well as exercise scrutiny on public figures.
 Yle has therefore fact-checked a number of statements related to climate change made by politicians, activists as well as pressure groups and other organisations.
 Each of the examined statements has been rated as being either true, false or 'in-between' (meaning it was neither completely true nor false) and include an explanation for each rating.
 Only statements that contained verifiable information were eligible for fact-checking.
 The debate around climate policy is gaining increasing prominence across political agendas. With county elections just around the corner, be sure to check out Yle’s really simple  guide  to Finland's 2022 county council elections and keep an eye out for the upcoming election compass, soon available in English.
 Thunberg: Paris Accord is talk and no action
 Statement: "The harsh truth is that they have basically done nothing apart from talking, debating and setting vague, distant future targets and goals for the years to come," climate activist  Greta Thunberg  said on a video she posted on Instagram on  September 22 .
 Rating: False.
 Explanation: The Accord has seen countries take some action to reach the Paris Climate Agreement goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. At the same time, the implementation of policies is largely lacking, with The Gambia so far being the only country to fully reach the targets set by the Paris Agreement.
 According to analyst and pressure group Climate Action Tracker, warming prognostics are showing a slightly slowed down rise in the average global temperature, from +2.7 degrees Celsius to +2.4 degrees, by the end of the century.
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 Climate activist Greta Thunberg. Robert Perry / EPA
 Nevertheless, the watchdog's latest  report  reveals that "even with all new Glasgow pledges for 2030, we will emit roughly twice as much in 2030 as required for 1.5 degrees Celsius," adding that "all governments need to reconsider their targets."
 Purra: Climate policies will weigh heavy on Finnish wallets
 Statement: "Finland's climate policy will see a rise in gas and living costs, food costs, the cost of other types of commuting, enterprise and manufacturing costs," the Finns Party leader,  Riikka Purra , said in an October 12 press statement.
 Rating: In-between, neither completely true nor false.
 Explanation: Prices are not likely to increase as a direct result of the government's climate policy,  Marita Laukkanen  of the VATT Institute for Economic Research told Yle.
 The cost of driving is expected to rise in the short term, but only marginally, and it is mainly Helsinki residents that are likely to see an increase in housing and heating costs, Laukkanen added.
 Evidence proving a link between food price rises and climate action is meanwhile lacking. Similarly, the impact of climate policies on other forms of transportation is unclear. As for entrepreneurs, the government aims to counter-balance costs brought by climate action policies with various compensations such as dropping the electricity tax to the minimum amount allowed by EU regulations.
 Kalmari: Carbon sequestration alone does not justify banning clearcut logging
 Statement: "There are no sufficient grounds to ban clearcutting from a wood production or a carbon sequestration perspective," chair of Parliament's Agriculture and Forestry Committee  Anne Kalmari  (Cen) said during a plenary  debate  on the felling method on 14 November.
 Rating: True.
 Explanation: According to Forestry Professor  Heli Peltola , clearcutting and continuous forest growth have the same potential to capture and store atmospheric carbon dioxide, a process known as carbon sequestration.
 While Kalmari's statement only concerns carbon sequestration, the function of forests as a carbon sink, which refers to the amount of carbon already stored by forests, is far more important in the debate, according to the University of Eastern Finland professor.
 A young, growing forest typically deposits more carbon than an old forest, but the carbon stock of old forests can be significantly higher than that of young forests. When the growth of trees binds more carbon than is released by logging and decay, the forest becomes a carbon sink. According to Peltola, the carbon sequestration in the young forest is low and carbon is released from the soil immediately after clearcutting.
 However, it will be absorbed again in 10 to 15 years, when the forest will become a carbon sink again.
 More importantly from an environmental perspective, however, is how much carbon is already stored in the forests. According to Finnish Environment Institute researcher  Sampo Soimakallio , the less a forest is felled, the more carbon it will have accumulated and stored. The researcher added that due to the way felled trees are processed in Finland, most of the carbon stored will be released into the atmosphere, meaning that the carbon sink function of the trees is then lost.
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 A clearcut forest in the Democratic Republic of Kongo in 2020. In addition to its adverse environmental impact, growing deforestation increases the risk of human contact with infectious diseases. Hugh Kinsella Cunningham / Pulitzer Center / EPA
 Elokapina: Transitioning to a 'greener' way of consuming is not enough
 Statement: "If we are to avoid a climate catastrophe, 'green growth' is not a realistic option. It is not enough to change our ways of consuming, we need to start consuming less," the Finnish branch of global environmental group Extinction Rebellion (in Finnish named  Elokapina ) wrote in an Instagram  post  made on October 7.
 Rating: In-between, neither completely true nor false.
 Explanation: The explanation behind this statement is closely tied to global inequality between economically developed and lesser developed countries. The planet would likely be unable to sustain a world that adopted the same consumption rates as developed countries throughout, regardless of whether the consumption became 'greener'.
 Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE) expert  Jyri Seppälä  says that transitioning towards a circular economy, meaning reusing resources and goods as much as possible, is indeed a great goal. At the same time, however, recycling natural resources takes up a lot of energy and thus the big question at the moment is whether we have enough time to switch to zero-emission energy production, according to the risk analyst.
 While Seppälä says that Elokapina's statement is largely true, he disagrees that more sustainable consumption would not be a good thing, adding that supporting businesses and services that promote the transition to low emissions is better than pushing consumption down completely.
 HS: Elokapina's civil disobedience may be causing more harm than good
 Statement: "The methods chosen by Elokapina may not necessarily inspire the desired change, but rather generate new divisions within society which could benefit climate counter-movements," Finland's largest circulation daily Helsingin Sanomat  wrote  on September 28.
 Rating: False.
 Explanation: Studies show that climate protests are an effective tool for shaping public as well as decision-makers' attitudes towards climate change. The scientific community is widely of the opinion that activism is an effective way to combat climate change, says Finnish researcher  Janne M. Korhonen , adding that activism has had a statistically linked correlation with the lowering of greenhouse gas emissions.
 An American  study  conducted by  Janet Swim  and a working group after the 2017 US climate protests further showed that activism does not necessarily increase polarisation in society, but rather reduces dichotomy and gives people hope that the climate crisis can be resolved.
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 Elokapina performers photographed in February 2021 Toni Määttä / Yle
 Harjanne: Focus on energy efficiency is at the expense of a transition towards low-carbon
 Statement: "While energy efficiency is an important means of tackling climate change, it should not be overemphasised or relied on too much. At worst, focusing on efficient energy use could hamper efforts to transition towards more low-carbon energy methods," Green MP  Atte Harjanne  said on October 18.
 Rating: In-between, neither completely true nor false.
 Explanation: Energy efficiency indeed plays a big role in climate change mitigation, according to VTT chief researcher  Antti Arasto . At the same time, the enhancement of efficient energy use is unlikely to ever lead to zero emissions, and thus a shift away from fossil fuels is also needed. Drawing attention to making both high and low carbon energy use more efficient does not however prevent the transition towards low-carbon energy, according to Arasto.

Yle fact-checks climate change statements by activists, politicians, stakeholders