Large parts of Finland are likely to receive snowfall as the weather takes a dramatic turn this week. The first half of the week is predicted to be mild and rainy, with occasional stormy weather. The temperature could reach a maximum of 11°C in the South on Wednesday.

THE DEPARTMENT STORE CHAIN STOCKMANN has announced that it's popular bi-annual 'Hullut Päivät' (Crazy Days) sale will be moved entirely to its online store, in an attempt to reduce social gatherings in light of the government's Covid-19 social distancing measures. 

The Finnish Meteorological Institute has issued a warning for strong winds in several areas of Finland. Wind speeds could reach 20 metres per second in southern parts of the country and the coast on Wednesday night. 

Wind speeds up to 15 metres per second are expected in Central Finland, as well as North Savo and North Karelia. The entire country will likely experience stormy weather, including heavy rain and thunderstorms, till Thursday. 

Student loan debt continues to be a pervasive problem in Finland, with young students in particular facing financial difficulties. In the past decade, student loan debt in the country has more than doubled. 

In 2017, theJuha Sipilä administration introduced a student financial aid reform, which included measures such as reducing the tuition fees of university students to about 250 euros—the same as that of secondary school students. 

According to a new survey by the Foundation for Municipal Development, Finland’s pristine nature and landscapes are the biggest source of national pride for its citizens when discussing the country with foreigners. 

74 per cent of Finns polled in the survey said they took pride in the country’s nature above all else. Finland’s social security system and public services were next, with 65 per cent of respondents considering them a prized accomplishment.

A new international survey has found that Finns have experienced fewer severe symptoms of mental illness than people in other countries during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Nearly half of all respondents in the comparative study, which included 11 countries, had suffered breakdowns or were previously diagnosed with a mental disorder during the pandemic. This figure was slightly lower for residents of Finland, at 42 per cent. 

Finland could geta much-needed break from the rainy weather this weekend, as the forecast indicates sunny and summery conditions for the end of August. The weather could take a turn as early as Friday for some parts of the country, with temperatures slated to reach 20℃ in Satakunta and Southern Finland. 

Finland has received an exceptional amount ofrain this August. Scattered showers are expected to persist on Friday, particularly for Southern Finland. However, cloudy skies will clear on Saturday, which is expected to be the sunniest day of the week. 

SOUTHERN FINLAND'S RECENT STRING OF UNBROKEN GOOD WEATHER is set to end at the weekend, with thunderstorms and heavy rainfall across the region beginning on Saturday morning. 

Right-wing extremistgroups pose a growing danger to national security, according to the latest assessment by the Finnish Security and Intelligence Service (Supo).

In its national security review for 2020, Supo revealed that it has identified radical right-wing supporters with the “capacity and motivation” to launch a terrorist attack. It has also found evidence to support “concrete preparation” for such an attack.

FINLAND'S SUPREME COURT HAS RULED that a man of Somali heritage who was born and raised in Finland can be deported to Somalia, with the decision stating that the individual in question poses a threat to society due to his criminal convictions.

Nearly 70 per centof respondents in a recent survey conducted by the Finnish Road Safety Council said they believe electric scooters are a threat to pedestrian safety. Almost one in every four revealed that they had found themselves in a dangerous situation due to the two-wheelers. 

This is largely due to the fact that electric scooters are capable of travelling at speeds up to four times that of a pedestrian. Additionally, they are fairly quiet, making it difficult for anyone walking on a pavement to hear them approaching.  

A new survey by the Union of Health and Social Care Professionals in Finland (Tehy) has revealed that almost every third employee in the country’s health and social services sector has been a victim of sexual harassment or violence.

The survey, which included 4,023 members of Tehy, found that 30 per cent of healthcare workers have experienced sexual harassment in the workplace at some point during their career. Additionally, 19 per cent said they faced sexual harassment in the past three years, while six per cent have encountered sexual violence at work. 

Cyberbullying has become increasingly common and brutal in Finland, according to a survey by insurance company mySafety. The survey, which had over a thousand respondents, found that almost every second person aged 10–17 has faced online harassment. 

The corresponding figure for the same age group last year was one in three.Johanna Abgottspon, head of customer operation and marketing at mySafetytold MTV that 40 per cent of Finns believe that cyberbullying has become more dangerous than ever.

According toa recent survey by theFinnish Association for Mental Health (Mieli),one in ten Finns aged 18–34 has seriously considered committing suicide during the past year.

Additionally, two out of five young adults has contemplated suicide at some point during their lifetime. The survey, which included respondents from various age brackets, found that the COVID-19 crisis has disproportionately affected low income groups; that is, those that earn less than 30,000 euros a year. Several young adults fall in this category.

According toa new survey by the Finnish Pensioners’ Federation (Eläkeliitto), up to a fifth of those aged 60 and above in Finland have increased feelings of loneliness and isolation due to the COVID- 19 pandemic. 

The survey included responses from 1,075 Finns born between 1930 and 1960. Around nine per cent of respondents said they felt lonely frequently, either weekly or daily. Feelings of isolation were strongly associated with factors such as poor health, living alone, requiring assistance with daily life and advanced age.

SWEDEN HAS BEEN REFERRED TO THE EUROPEAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS over a case involving alleged discrimination of Finnish-speaking children at a school in Västerås, a city in the east of the country. 

A GROUP OF SCIENTISTS IN SWEDEN has begun conducting research into the possibility that snus, the Swedish tobacco product that enjoys widespread popularity in Finland, may offer some protection from coronavirus infection. 

TAKSI HELSINKI HAS RESPONDED to falling demand from passengers by launching its own home delivery service for groceries. Given that the social distancing practices necessitated by the Covid-19 outbreak have resulted in demand for taxi service plummeting, the company sees this as a way to keep drivers employed. 

CONSTRUCTION WORK BEGAN TODAY on Tallink's €250 million MyStar ferry, the latest addition to Tallink's fleet which is expected to be ferrying passengers and cargo across the Baltic by 2022. Work on the ship went ahead despite fears over the potential spread of the COVID-19 virus at Rauma shipyard, where construction is taking place. 

THE CRUISE FERRY OPERATOR TALLINK-SILJA has urged passengers who were aboard the Silja Serenade for the 24-26 June Midsummer cruise to take a COVID-19 test, following revelations that one attendee on board later tested positive for the virus.