THE LATEST WEATHER FORECASTS FROM THE FMI have shown that tomorrow could well be the hottest day recorded in June in Finland's history, with temperatures in the Central and Southern parts of the country expected to exceed 33 degrees Celsius. 

THE FINNISH FORESTRY GIANT UPM HAS ANNOUNCED that it will be closing its paper mill in Kaipola, the largest still in operation in Finland and the only mill to still produce newsprint paper inside the country. An estimated 450 jobs will be lost as a result of the closure.

AURINKOMATKAT, FINLAND'S LARGEST TRAVEL AGENCY, HAS CANCELLED ALL AUGUST TRIPS to Spain, Croatia, and Turkey, following a spike in new coronavirus cases in those countries that have led the company to believe that they are no longer 'safe' destinations for Finnish travelers.

According tothe latest statistics from the Finnish Institute of Health and Welfare (THL), alcohol consumption in the country dropped significantly last year, with per capita consumption reaching a record low. 

THL also revealed that deaths related to the synthetic psychoactive drug MDMA, also known as ecstasy or molly, have more than tripled between 2011 and 2017.

Multiple industriesin Finland have been hit hard by coronavirus restrictions, with the greatest losses suffered by the restaurant, hospitality, arts and entertainment sectors. 

According to Helsingin Uutiset, the  arts and recreation industry (which includes cultural, entertainment and recreational activities such as music, theater, museums and sports) in the country is facing losses of up to 700 million euros this year due to the ongoing pandemic. 

New datafrom Statistics Finland indicates that the number of deaths in the country rose in 2020 compared to 2019. A total of 55,488 persons died in 2020—1,539 more than the previous year.

Women died on an average at the age of 82.1, 6.9 years older than men, who died on average at the age of 75.3 last year.

According to the Union of Health and Social Care Services (Tehy), Finland’s primary trade union for healthcare workers, the acute shortage of nursing staff in Finland has compelled multiple hospitals to cut down the number of vacant beds.  

A stressful work environment, low pay and COVID-19 burnout are some of the factors that have driven several healthcare workers to seek employment elsewhere, often leaving the profession for good.

According to the lateststatistics from online publicationOur World in Data (OWID), Finland is lagging behind other countries when it comes to vaccinating its citizens against the COVID-19 virus. 

With a rate of 0.3 doses administered per 100 people, Finland is currently number 33 on the list of countries that have begun vaccinations, far below Denmark (2.0) and Iceland (1.4). 

According to the Natural Resources Institute of Finland (Luke), there has been a steady rise in Finland’s wolf population since 2017. Latest estimates indicate 32–38 wolf packs and 18–25 pairs of wolves in Finland as of March 2021.

Of these, 28 packs (a family unit consisting of a couple and two pups) and 20 pairs are believed to reside in Finland permanently, while the rest frequently move across the border between Finland and Russia. 

THE FINNISH ARMY is currently simulating chemical weapon attacks as part of a training exercise in Säkylä. The Pori Brigade conscripts are learning how to handle mustard and sarin gas, among other weapons currently prohibited by the Chemical Weapons Convention. 

NATIONAL COALITION MP WILLE RYDMAN IS BEING INVESTIGATED by the Lapland Border Guard after a social media post in which he claimed to have entered Sweden illegally during a hiking trip caused widespread ire. 

A VESSEL flying a German flag was intercepted by the Finnish coastguard off the coast of Utö island today for apparently disturbing the wreckage site of the MS Estonia, a former Viking Line ferry which sank in 1994, killing 852 civilians, including 10 Finns. 

THE EMBASSY OF FINLAND IN WASHINGTON, D.C., and various members of the Government have issued statements rebuking claims that PM Sanna Marin had made a certain disparaging comment about the Trump Administration. 

THE EMBASSY OF FINLAND IN BEIRUT HAS REPORTEDLY BEEN 'COMPLETELY DESTROYED' following a massive explosion that rocked the Lebanese capital yesterday. One Finnish national is also reported to have been injured in the blast.

FINLAND'S INTERIOR MINISTRY has agreed to settle 175 asylum seekers currently living in makeshift camps in Greece, Italy, Cyprus, and Greece, with "particularly vulnerable" people from unsafe countries receiving priority treatment. 

According to Ilta-Sanomat, the Finnish government intends to implement new road safety guidelines, which include extending 30 km/hr speed limits in densely populated urban areas across the country.  

The tabloidreports that the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency has been tasked with issuing a report examining whether speed limits in built-up areas and highways comply with current guidelines. 

THE HELSINKI COURT OF APPEAL has upheld the verdict given by the district court that a man has to pay alimony for a child which is not biologically his, and was the result of his wife cheating on him with another man. 

THE FINNISH METEOROLOGICAL INSTITUTE has stated that today will be the last day of summer weather, at least in Southern Finland. Following several weeks of unseasonably warm late summer weather, the sunny spells are due to end this week. 

The Finnish Defence Forces has said that it will lower its current physical fitness standards for conscripts, making it easier for those who would otherwise fail to meet the rigid requirements to serve in the military.

Commander of the Finnish Army, Lieutenant GeneralPetri Hulkko, announced at a press conference on Monday that the military will expand its fitness criteria sometime next year and will include new roles in fields such as digital operations and cybersecurity.

According toa report byYle, the National Bureau of Investigation (KRP) has increased efforts to monitor illegal trafficking of drugs and other substances online, in collaboration with other authorities. 

As per the2019 Global Drugs Survey (GDS), Finland was the country with the most amount of drug trafficking conducted on the dark web. The dark web refers to hidden websites that cannot be accessed via conventional search engines and require specialised browsers such as Tor.