At the sales booths' demonstrations, you can closely watch glass blowing and learn about the craftsmanship. Photo: Dorit Salutskij

The much-awaited Tuomaan Market, a cornerstone of Helsinki's Christmas season, is set to begin this Friday, promising a diverse array of programs and offerings to enhance the festive spirit. Located in the historic Senate Square, the market will feature nearly 100 product sellers and over 20 café and restaurant operators, ensuring a continually refreshing variety of items throughout the market season.

Prime Minister Petteri Orpo reacted at a news conference in Helsinki on Tuesday, 28 November 2023. Orpo announced the government has decided to close all border-crossing points on the border between Finland and Russia from Thursday, 30 November, until 13 December. (Vesa Moilanen – Lehtikuva)

THE GOVERNMENT of Prime Minister Petteri Orpo (NCP) has announced its decision to close all border-crossing points on the border between Finland and Russia as of Thursday, 30 November.

The decision means that asylum applications can be submitted only at ports and airports but also that no kind of passenger traffic will be allowed at the border-crossing points, Minister of the Interior Mari Rantanen (PS) reminded at a press conference on Tuesday.

A worker in Helsinki. LEHTIKUVA

A recent Entrepreneur Gallup poll has highlighted a significant downturn in the financial situation of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Finland. The survey, conducted in early November with responses from 1,300 SME representatives, indicates that the economic outlook for these businesses has notably worsened, casting a shadow over the country’s entrepreneurial landscape.

Mother and an infant. Photo: Federation of Mother and Child Homes and Shelters

A recent survey by the Federation of Mother and Child Homes and Shelters (Ensi- ja turvakotien liitto) has shed light on the significant challenges facing Finnish families with infants, highlighting a concerning gap in the support available to them. Over half of the respondents in the "How are you doing?" online survey reported difficulty in accessing the help they need, despite experiencing a range of issues from loneliness and mental health challenges to coping with the demands of parenthood.

Posti logistic service. Photo: Posti

Posti, Finland's main postal service, reported handling nearly 1.4 million parcels during the Black Friday week, marking the onset of the e-commerce Christmas season. Black Friday, which fell on November 24, saw many stores launch sales campaigns the week prior, significantly boosting parcel deliveries.

Kaj Kulp, Posti’s Vice President, noted that the Christmas season is traditionally the busiest time for them, with Black Friday notably increasing parcel volumes.

Screenshot of the 'Alusta' platform home page.

The Finnish National Gallery has stepped into the future of digital content sharing and creation with the launch of Alusta, a pioneering platform that leverages blockchain technology. Alusta is designed to be a dynamic space where culture intersects with cutting-edge technology, fostering an inclusive community of creators, learners, and enthusiasts.

As part of the Next Generation EU initiative funded by the Ministry of Education and Culture, Alusta aims to explore the vast potential of blockchain technology.

Photo: Eren Li

The global online gaming industry is a billion-euro business and the heart that beats at the centre of the entertainment world. Finland is the third largest game developer in Europe. But what impact has this had on Finland’s economy?

Global Context

Meilahti Campus Area. Photo: Mikko Hinkkanen, HUS

The Hospital District of Helsinki and Uusimaa (HUS) is anticipating a significant financial shortfall in its 2023 budget, according to the latest forecast discussed by the HUS Executive Board. The predicted deficit amounts to €97.2 million, reflecting challenges in balancing the healthcare organization's budget.

This forecast, based on financial outcomes from January to September, shows a slight increase from an earlier projection made using data up to July, which anticipated a €95 million deficit.

Itis shopping center, Helsinki. Photo: Itis

Itis Shopping Center in Helsinki is gearing up for a community-focused celebration to mark the start of the Christmas season this coming weekend. Embracing the spirit of local engagement, this year's festivities feature an array of activities aimed at encouraging visitors to connect with their local community.

Central to the event is the transformation of the shopping center's main square into a winter wonderland with its very own ice-skating rink.

President Sauli Niinistö delivered the opening speech at the signing ceremony of the joint declaration concluding the military accession process to NATO membership, hosted by the President of the Republic at the Presidential Palace in Helsinki on June 12, 2023. LEHTIKUVA

Recent findings from the Finnish Business and Policy Forum EVA's Value and Attitude Survey reveal a strong and consistent positive sentiment among Finns towards NATO membership, with EU support also reaching unprecedented levels. The survey, conducted among 2,045 Finns aged 18-79 (excluding Åland), between September 15 and 27, 2023, indicates a significant alignment in national opinion on these critical international alliances.

Customers and a nurse at a health care centre in Kivelä, Helsinki, on 28 December 2022. (Markku Ulander – Lehtikuva)

PIRKANMAA, the largest well-being services county in Finland, failed to reach a unanimous decision in the consultative negotiations it initiated in September, reports YLE.

The county announced the outcome of the negotiations earlier this month, revealing that it will make no temporary lay-offs and hardly any permanent lay-offs and will instead seek cost-savings by reducing service purchases and streamlining its service network.

Minister of the Interior Mari Rantanen (PS) reacted at a government news conference about restrictions to traffic across the eastern border in Helsinki on Tuesday, 28 November 2023. Rantanen told YLE that the decision to temporarily close all border-crossing points on the border is based on an official assessment about the possibility that Russia expands its hybrid campaign against Finland. (Vesa Moilanen – Lehtikuva)

MINISTER of the Interior Mari Rantanen (PS) revealed on YLE A-studio on Tuesday that the government decision to close the entire eastern border for two weeks is founded on an official assessment about the possibility that Russia could expand its hybrid campaign against Finland.

“We’ve been informed by authorities that the potential threat is pretty great,” she remarked.

A logging site in Hämeenlinna, Southern Finland, on 3 August 2023. Finland’s land-use sector is forecast to, at best, function as a minuscule carbon sink in 2023–2027, according to Etla Economic Research. (Roni Rekomaa – Lehtikuva)

FINLAND is not on track to meet its target of becoming carbon neutral by 2035, indicates an emission forecast released on Monday by Etla Economic Research.

Etla on Monday said Finland’s greenhouse gas emissions are forecast to decline at an annual rate of roughly four per cent in 2023–2027. As the land-use sector is forecast to function, at best, as a minuscule carbon sink, the rate will not suffice to achieve the carbon-neutrality target laid down in the climate change act adopted in 2022.

Minister of Finance Riikka Purra (PS) attended a plenary session in parliament on Friday, 24 November 2023. Purra on Sunday published a blog post arguing that the government has to make the political decision to close the entire eastern border irrespective of the views of the chancellor of justice. (Vesa Moilanen – Lehtikuva)

MINISTER of Finance Riikka Purra (PS) on Sunday underscored in a blog post that the government has to make the decision to close the eastern border irrespective of the assessment of the chancellor of justice.

Deputy Chancellor of Justice Mikko Puumalainen last week blocked a government proposal to step up measures at the border on grounds that it could undermine the right to apply for asylum.