Stranded people wait for the reopening of border crossing point in the Pakistan's border town of Chaman on July 16, 2021, following clashes between Afghan forces and Taliban fighters in Spin Boldak to retake the key border crossing with Pakistan. LEHTIKUVA / AFP

The Taliban claim to want peace and an inclusive, Islamic system of government, but have rejected every call for a nationwide ceasefire and continue on the warpath. Now, they want Afghanistan’s Ashraf Ghani out. His only crime, it would appear, is being not only an intelligent Pashtun, but a highly educated one. What’s next on the Pakistan military and ISI’s wishlist for Afghanistan?

A total of 13 patients, aged 22–55 years, were hospitalised with a coronavirus infection in the Hospital District of Helsinki and Uusimaa (HUS) on Monday. (Silja-Riikka Seppälä – Lehtikuva)

EEVA RUOTSALAINEN, a deputy chief physician at the Hospital District of Helsinki and Uusimaa (HUS), has voiced her concern about the impact the delta variant of the new coronavirus has had on the epidemiological situation in Finland.

The number of infections has spiked, leading to an up-tick also in the number of hospitalised patients: from 24 at the end of June to 42 on Monday.

"Kastehelmi," which refers to the drops of moisture that form on leaves, was voted the second most beautiful word in the Finnish language

The results of a poll conducted by Finnish language magazine Me Naiset revealed that a majority of Finns believe “äiti” (mother) is the most beautiful word in the Finnish language.

The magazine provided readers with a list of 75 “beautiful” words to choose from, requesting them to consider how the words sound as well as what they mean when selecting their top pick. Around 21,500 people participated in the poll.  

New data collected by the police suggests that sex crimes, including sexual harassment, rape and sexual abuse of minors, are on the rise in Finland. According to a press release, authorities registered nearly 2,500 cases of sex crimes between January and June 2021—a 25 per cent increase compared to the same period last year.

Helsingin Sanomat reports that Helsinki police received a whopping 60 per cent more reports of sexual offences in the first half of this year compared to last year. Sexual harassment made up the majority of the reported offences. 

Caisa's art gift package features a concert by Ulla Pirttijärvi & Ulda ensemble, Gávcci jagiáiggi – Eight seasons, held on Musiikkitalo's terrace on 17 August. Photo: Maarit Kytöharju.

Cultural Centre Caisa is turning 25. To celebrate the anniversary, Caisa will donate art to Helsinki residents as a birthday gift. The gift package includes art workshops for children, teens, and adults of all ages; samba and a concert with modern Sami music; previews of community dance sculpture Bacteria by artist group Compañía Kaari & Roni Martin; and online performances. The art gifts will be shared with the public in August–November 2021.

Representatives of Finland’s Valmet Automotive and the Netherland’s Lightyear posed for a photograph next to a prototype of Lightyear One. (Handout – Valmet Automotive)

VALMET AUTOMOTIVE has signed a letter of intent for manufacturing Lightyear One, an electric vehicle powered partly by integrated solar cells designed by the Netherland’s Lightyear.

The Finnish automotive maker is set to commence manufacturing the electric vehicles in the first half of next year at its assembly plant in Uusikaupunki, Southern Finland. The contract manufacturing agreement outlined in the letter of intent is to be finalised by the end of August.

A transition to low-emission transport requires a comprehensive distribution network for alternative transport fuels. The EU is providing funding for the construction of the network during the second period of the Connecting Europe Facility transport programme, which starts in September. Developing the distribution network is also one of the key measures set out in Finland’s roadmap for fossil-free transport.

Migrants in a dinghy sail in the Channel toward the south coast of England after crossing from France. - A record number of at least 430 migrants have illegally crossed the Channel to the UK in a single day. LEHTIKUVA / AFP

French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin asked for the EU border agency Frontex's assistance and the closer cooperation of northern European states in stemming the flow of illegal migrants crossing the Channel en route to the United Kingdom.

A medical professional administered a dose of a coronavirus vaccine at a pop-up vaccination site in Vuosaari, Helsinki, on 22 July 2021. (Roni Rekomaa – Lehtikuva)

THE FINNISH INSTITUTE for Health and Welfare (THL) on Monday revealed it will review its written instructions in the wake of a reprimand it received from Deputy Parliamentary Ombudsman Maija Sakslin on Friday.

Markku Tervahauta, the director general at THL, stated in a press release that a thorough assessment of the necessary adjustments has already been launched.

A residential building under construction in Tampere on 15 July 2021. (Timo Jaakonaho – Lehtikuva)

RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION continued at a brisk pace in Finland between March and May.

Statistics Finland reported last week that the constant-price value of ongoing residential building construction projects crept up by over two per cent year-on-year in the second quarter of the year. The cubic volume of the projects, meanwhile, increased by 20 per cent and the number of projects launched by almost 45 per cent from the previous year.

Over fifty percent of Nordic institutional investors are optimistic about the economy as the region emerges from the pandemic, according to the latest Institutional Investor Compass® Survey from MFS Investment Management.

A woman has her health passport checked before gaining entry to a cinema in Paris, France, on 21 July 2021. In France, people are required to demonstrate they have been vaccinated against the coronavirus to enter places such as cinemas, museums and sports venues. (Alain Jocard – AFP/Lehtikuva)

THE FINNISH government is set to make key decisions regarding its strategy to combat the coronavirus epidemic in an unprecedented epidemiological situation.

The number of laboratory-confirmed coronavirus infections has not decreased in the summer months despite the ongoing vaccinations, with the virus spreading rapidly especially among young adults. The effect of vaccinations is nevertheless evident in how the infections translate to demand for special health care services.

Jussi Halla-aho, the outgoing chairperson of the Finns Party, participated in a panel discussion held as part of SuomiAreena, the largest societal discussion event in Finland, in Helsinki on 13 July 2021. (Heikki Saukkomaa – Lehtikuva)

THE NATIONAL COALITION has emerged as the most popular political party in Finland, reveals a poll commissioned by Helsingin Sanomat.

Almost one-fifth (19.9%) of the over 2,500 poll respondents voiced their backing for the right-wing opposition party, representing an increase of 2.9 percentage points from the final poll conducted before the municipal elections, in May.

The majority of Finnish citizens can get the COVID-19 certificate easily from My Kanta Pages. However, still last week, some certificates of recovery were not produced, but the situation is now significantly better due to technical updates. In July, a total of 420 400 people have retrieved the EU Digital COVID Certificate from My Kanta Pages.

Photo from the G20 Environment meeting in Naples, Italy on July 23rd.

UN chief Antonio Guterres on Sunday called for leadership of the Group of Twenty (G20) countries on the issue of climate action, adding that he sees no pathway to reach Paris Agreement's 1.5 degrees Celsius goal without the G20 nations.