A section of the Great Wall of China before its closure by government authorities (Image: Lehtikuva)
IN TODAY'S BEST PHOTOS from around the world, we lead with an image of the Great Wall of China, which has been partly closed by authorities in Beijing in an attempt to reduce the spread of the deadly Wuhan Coronavirus outbreak that has already claimed dozens of lives. We also have an earthquake in Turkey, Lunar New Year in Pyongyang, and the Monte Carlo Rally.
People enter the CNY festival zone outside the Finnish Parliament building (Image; Lehtikuva)
CELEBRATIONS MARKING THE BEGINNING OF CHINESE NEW YEAR have begun in earnest in central Helsinki, where thousands of attendees have gathered on Kansalaistori to enjoy Chinese music, dancing, and food.
Finland’s total fertility rate has plummeted to its lowest level since the last year of the three-year famine of 1866–1868, indicates preliminary data from Statistics Finland. (Irene Stachon – Lehtikuva)
THE POPULATION of Finland increased by 9,654 to 5,527,573 during the course of last year, according to preliminary data released yesterday by Statistics Finland.
The population growth was driven exclusively by immigration: the number of people who immigrated to the country exceed that of people who emigrated from the country by 17,903, whereas the number of births was exceeded by that of deaths by 7,962.
The rescued deer gets a ride back to shore on a hovercraft (Image: Lehtikuva)
RESCUE SERVICES IN LAPPAJÄRVI saved a baby deer from the clutches of a flock of eagles earlier today, after a nearby fisherman. Lappajärvi local Jukka Hanhineva said that he called the fire services after he noticed the deer struggling to stand on the ice as eagles began circling it.
After publication of the statement from a group called "Indians Against CAA, Finland" planning protests in different cities of Finland, The Embassy of India in Helsinki Has requested Helsinki Times to publish the below response:
Today we have seen a prominent coverage in Helsinki Times titled “Indian citizens living in Finland to protest against Government of India's new law” ‘In order to give people a better understanding of the issue we request Helsinki Times to also publish following facts and update about the Citizenship Amendment Act.
Embassy of India
Helsinki
A woman wears a protective mask on Beijing's Tiananmen Square earlier today (Image: Lehtikuva)
IN TODAY'S BEST PHOTOS from around the world, we lead with images from China, where public health concerns over the Wuhan Coronavirus are prompting people to take extra precautions as the WHO warns of a global health emergency. We also have the aftermath of Storm Gloria in Spain, and Auschwitz commemorations in Israel.
Under 30-year-old women make up the largest group of clients at Seri Support Centre, a support centre for the victims of sexual violence in Helsinki. (Vesa Moilanen – Lehtikuva)
A TOTAL of 1,049 people have sought assistance from Seri Support Centre, a centre for the victims of sexual violence established under Women’s Hospital in Helsinki in May 2017.
The Hospital District of Helsinki and Uusimaa (HUS) on Monday reported that roughly 95 per cent of people who visited the centre for the first time were female, four per cent were male and one per cent were transgender.
Protesters hold national flags and shout slogans during a demonstration against India's new citizenship law in Hyderabad on January 10, 2020. LEHTIKUVA / AFP
A group of Indian citizens living in Finland are organising simultaneous protests against the Government of India's new citizenship law (Citizenship Amendment Act 2019) in Helsinki, Turku, and Tampere on 26.01.2020 at 13:00 onwards.
“The democratic Republic of India adopted its Constitution on 26.01.1950 (India's Republic Day, which is celebrated also at the Embassy of India, Helsinki, Finland at 10:00-10:30); and 70 years later, the current Government of India is actively violating its fundamental promises of Liberty and Equality, by means of religious discrimination and clamping down on the right to protests,” says representative of the “Indians Against CAA, Finland” organisation who wishes to remain anonymous due to fear of reprisals.
Mika Niikko of the Finns Party (left) has come under fire following reports of his ties to businesses, including from Petteri Orpo (right), the chairperson of the National Coalition. (Heikki Saukkomaa – Lehtikuva)
PETTERI ORPO, the chairperson of the National Coalition Party, has called for a thorough inquiry into the alleged ties of Mika Niikko (PS), the chairperson of the Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee.
“The things that have arisen warrant a careful investigation,” he told MTV on Wednesday.
Young adults, in particular, appreciate the ease of moving when renting, finds a survey commissioned by Realia Management. (Aku Häyrynen – Lehtikuva)
A SURVEY by Realia Management has found that the comfort of the house and residential area are the most important criteria when choosing a rental house in Finland.
Almost three-quarters (72%) of respondents estimated that the comfort of the house and 69 per cent that the comfort of the neighbourhood is an important selection criterion. Over six in ten (62%) of respondents identified access to services and 58 per cent good transport links as an important criterion.
Two Chinese tourists have sought treatment for influenza-like symptoms at Ivalo Health Centre in Ivalo, Northern Lapland. (Otto Ponto – Lehtikuva)
HEALTH AUTHORITIES in Finnish Lapland have detected two possible cases of coronavirus, according to news reports in Finland.
Helsingin Sanomat on Friday wrote that health care staff have taken samples from two people from Wuhan, China, who sought treatment for influenza-like symptoms at the health care centre in Ivalo, Northern Lapland.
Posti on Wednesday said it will continue to search for ways to adjust its basic delivery operations to the rapidly evolving customer needs. (Handout – Posti)
POSTI, the Finnish state-owned postal services provider, has announced it will continue the consultative negotiations with its staff about further changes in mail-sorting and delivery operations on 29 January.
The negotiations were initiated in the second half of last year with a view to enabling the service provider to better satisfy the needs of customers.
The ISU World Synchronised Skating Championships were organised in Helsinki, Finland, in April 2019. (Roni Rekomaa – Lehtikuva)
THE FINNISH OLYMPIC COMMITTEE should provide clear-cut written guidelines to sports clubs for how to react to misconduct by coaches and other staff members, states Harry Harkimo (NM), a former owner of Jokerit Helsinki.
His statement is related to the public debate kindled by news reports about a synchronised skating coach who has been suspended from competition by the Finnish Figure Skating Association.
No pedestrians lost their life in a traffic accident in Helsinki in 2019, marking the first such occurrence since 1908. (Vesa Moilanen – Lehtikuva)
NOT A SINGLE pedestrian died in a traffic accident in Helsinki in 2019, reports Helsingin Sanomat.
The City of Helsinki on Thursday revealed that the situation is outright unprecedented, as pedestrian fatalities had not been avoided once since the adoption of more detailed statistical practices on traffic accidents in the 1960s.
Jussi Halla-aho, the chairperson of the Finns Party, was photographed in the Parliament House in Helsinki on 8 December 2019. (Jussi Nukari – Lehtikuva)
THE APPROVAL RATINGS of Finnish political parties seem to have stabilised over the past couple of months.
Helsingin Sanomat on Wednesday announced the results of its latest opinion poll, reporting that the largest month-on-month change in the approval ratings was the 0.4 percentage-point increase registered by the Centre Party.
A French Dassault Rafale fighter jet takes off from Pirkkala earlier today (Image: Lehtikuva)
TWO €74 MILLION FRENCH FIGHTER JETS arrived at Pirkkala Air Force Base today to conduct simulated war games above the Finnis skies, in an attempt by the French to secure a €10 billion contract from the Finnish Defence Ministry.
