Rescue teams searched through a damaged shopping centre and an industrial site in southern Japan on Tuesday after a major earthquake struck Kumamoto prefecture, leaving people missing, injuring dozens and forcing about 300,000 residents towards evacuation centres. The tremor hit inland on Kyushu island at 4.27pm local time, close to the city of Uki and about 20 kilometres south of Kumamoto city.

Thunderstorms and heavy rain are set to affect large parts of Finland at the start of the week as an unstable weather front moves across the country. Forecasters expect the most active storms on Monday and Tuesday before high pressure brings calmer conditions from the middle of the week. Foreca said the strongest thunderstorms are expected in eastern Finland and Kainuu on Monday before shifting towards northern Finland on Tuesday.

More than 300,000 people have fled their homes or holiday accommodation as major wildfires continue to spread across France and Spain, prompting one of the largest civilian evacuation operations in modern French history and the first nationwide wildfire emergency ever declared in Spain. The largest fire remains in France's Gironde region, where flames have advanced towards Bordeaux after days of extreme heat, drought and strong winds.

Finland’s population increased by only 16 people during the first half of 2026, as net migration from abroad offset the continued gap between births and deaths, according to preliminary figures from Statistics Finland. A total of 19,720 people moved to Finland between January and June, while 14,494 people left the country. This produced net migration of 5,226 people.

The European Central Bank has selected a banknote series by Finnish graphic designer Ville Tietäväinen among ten proposals competing to shape the next generation of euro notes. His designs follow European rivers from mountain springs to the sea, with birds, waterways and public buildings linking each denomination into one visual story. The selection marks the final stage of an EU-wide design competition that attracted more than 1,200 applicants.

OpenAI has disclosed that one of its autonomous AI agents escaped a controlled testing environment and hacked AI platform Hugging Face during an internal cybersecurity evaluation, in what the company described as an "unprecedented cyber incident". The company said the incident involved its recently released GPT-5.6 Sol model working alongside a more capable unreleased model. The systems were being tested inside a restricted research environment when they found a way to reach the public inte...

Finland's Parliament has voted to keep Prime Minister Petteri Orpo and his government in office following a day-long debate over the Garden Helsinki arena funding controversy. Both Orpo and the government won confidence votes by 101 votes to 90 after opposition parties sought to bring them down over the handling of the proposed €35 million state contribution to the project.

Finland's labour market weakened in June as employment declined from a year earlier and unemployment continued to rise, according to new figures from Statistics Finland. The Labour Force Survey showed 2.658 million people aged 15 to 74 were employed in June, down by 15,000 from the same month in 2025. The number of unemployed people reached 297,000, an increase of 3,000 over the year.

Finland has approved visas for only 123 Thai wild berry pickers this year after rejecting more than 2,000 applications, a decision that is expected to deepen labour shortages during the country's berry harvest. The Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs confirmed on Monday that all visa applications submitted by Thai berry pickers for the 2026 season have now been processed.

A study of almost 10,000 battery tests on used electric vehicles in Sweden found that several models retain more than 95% of their original battery capacity after driving more than 100,000 kilometres. The analysis, released by Swedish used electric vehicle retailer Carla, examined 9,954 battery tests carried out between 2022 and 2026 using diagnostics from Austrian battery testing company AVILOO. The data covers a broad selection of electric vehicles sold on the Swedish second-hand market.

A Finnish court has sentenced an 18-year-old former student to two years in prison for attacking two students of immigrant background with a knife at a vocational college in Espoo, ruling that the assault was driven by a racist motive. The Western Uusimaa District Court convicted the Vantaa man of attempted aggravated assault, assault and making an unlawful threat over the attack at Live Vocational College in Leppävaara on 29 September 2025. The judgment is not final and remains subject to ...

US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace has reduced its plan to rebuild Gaza to a pilot settlement near Rafah, after months of Israeli restrictions, funding shortfalls and continued Israeli military attacks blocked work across the territory. The revised project would house tens of thousands of displaced Palestinians, a small share of Gaza’s population.

More than 10,000 excess deaths were recorded across Europe during the final week of June after an early summer heatwave pushed temperatures to record levels across large parts of the continent, according to new mortality data and national health agencies. The figures point to one of the deadliest early summer heat events recorded in Europe. Researchers said the rise in deaths matched the period when temperatures climbed above 40°C in several countries and reached national records in others.

Ukraine's parliament is due to vote on a new government on Thursday after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy removed Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, a decision that prompted protests in Kyiv and criticism from politicians, military figures and commentators. The cabinet reshuffle is the second since last year and comes as Ukraine continues to fight Russia's full-scale invasion.

The United States has restored its naval blockade of Iranian ports and struck dozens of sites along Iran’s coast, while Tehran has launched missiles and drones at military facilities across the Gulf. The renewed fighting has pushed a June agreement between Washington and Tehran to collapse and increased risks for ships using the Strait of Hormuz. US Central Command said its forces used aircraft, drones and naval vessels during a seven-hour operation that began early on Wednesday. The attack...

An investigation by Finland's Border Guard has led to criminal allegations against two people living in the country over claims they arranged an illegal entry scheme linked to entrepreneur residence permits. The case began in April 2025 when an Iranian couple arrived at Helsinki Airport and presented Finnish entrepreneur residence permits during border checks. Border officers carried out further inspections after questions arose about the documents.

Finland has summoned Russia’s ambassador after European governments accused Russian intelligence services of directing a cyber campaign against state institutions, companies and critical infrastructure across the continent. Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen announced the diplomatic action on Monday as the European Union and Britain imposed coordinated sanctions on Russian officers, companies and alleged cybercriminals.

The United States and Iran exchanged strikes across the Gulf on Monday as their dispute over the Strait of Hormuz threatened a June agreement intended to curb the war. US forces attacked sites across Iran, while Tehran reported strikes against American-linked military facilities in Jordan, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman. The attacks marked one of the broadest exchanges since Washington and Tehran signed the Islamabad memorandum on 17 June. Both governments accused the other of breaching the arran...

Finland has become one of Europe's largest buyers of United States military equipment, according to Finnish public broadcaster Yle, which analysed procurement data from the Ministry of Defence, the Finnish Defence Forces and the Brussels-based think tank Bruegel. The data shows Finland has spent or received US export approval for defence purchases worth about 42.3 billion dollars between 2008 and 2026, placing the country among the four biggest European customers for American military equip...

The death toll from Venezuela's twin earthquakes has risen above 4,000, with thousands of people still missing and health agencies warning that the humanitarian crisis is shifting from rescue to long-term recovery. Authorities said the disaster has claimed at least 4,118 lives, while hospitals, temporary shelters and aid groups continue to deal with growing medical and social needs. Government figures released on Friday showed that at least 16,740 people had been injured and 17,907 displace...

Firefighters across France and Spain are working to contain some of Europe's largest wildfires in recent years before another heatwave pushes temperatures close to 40°C across large parts of both countries. More than 300,000 people have left their homes in recent days as fires spread through forests, campsites and rural communities near Bordeaux in France and west of Madrid in Spain.

UNESCO has added a group of 13 buildings designed by Alvar Aalto, Aino Aalto and Elissa Aalto to the World Heritage List, giving international recognition to a body of Finnish architecture that links modern design with public health, housing, culture and civic life. The decision was taken on 26 July at a meeting of the World Heritage Committee in Busan, South Korea.

Dharmendra Pradhan, India's education minister, resigned on Saturday after weeks of nationwide student protests over examination paper leaks, marking the first major concession by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government to the youth-led movement. Pradhan announced his decision in a post on X, saying he had submitted his resignation to the prime minister because he did not want "anti-national forces" to take advantage of the protests that had spread across the country.

Finnish imports from Russia increased during the first four months of 2026 despite European Union sanctions, with nickel and ammonia accounting for most of the trade that remains permitted under current restrictions. Imports from Russia totalled €285 million between January and April, an increase of €15 million, or about 5%, compared with the same period last year, according to Finnish Customs data first reported by Uutissuomalainen.

The United States has bombed Iran for 12 consecutive nights on Thursday as Tehran warns that the war is entering a different stage. Israeli attacks continue in Gaza, while a US-backed security agreement has entered its first phase in southern Lebanon, allowing some displaced residents to return. Iranian state media reported that overnight US strikes hit several locations across southern Iran, including Shalamcheh, Bushehr, Ahvaz and Andimeshk.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has dismissed armed forces commander Oleksandr Syrskyi and appointed Major General Mykhailo Drapatyi, responding to six days of protests over a defence leadership dispute that exposed public anger about military reform during the war with Russia. Zelenskyy also offered former defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov a senior government post focused on defence technology, days after his removal triggered demonstrations in Kyiv and other cities.

Finland’s opposition has filed no-confidence motions against Prime Minister Petteri Orpo and his government over the handling of a proposed €35 million state contribution to the Garden Helsinki arena project. Parliament interrupted its summer recess on Tuesday for an extraordinary session devoted to the funding dispute. The debate is ongoing, with a confidence vote expected later on Tuesday.

US President Donald Trump reported at least $2.2 billion in income during 2025, with cryptocurrency ventures accounting for more than $1.4 billion of the total, according to his annual financial disclosure. The earnings exceeded the income reported from his property, golf and licensing businesses and renewed scrutiny of the financial interests held by a sitting president.

Helsinki police suspect a 66-year-old man of killing an elderly woman outside Kontula metro station on Saturday. Investigators say the man admitted the stabbing during an initial interview and fled by metro before officers arrested him in Mellunmäki. The attack took place outside the station’s C entrance shortly after 11am on 18 July. The victim, a woman aged about 80, died after suffering knife wounds in the public area beside the station in eastern Helsinki.

Russia launched one of its largest ballistic missile attacks on Kyiv since the start of its full-scale invasion, killing at least one person and injuring 16 others as missiles and drones struck the Ukrainian capital and other regions overnight. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia fired 41 missiles of different types and 125 drones during the overnight assault, with Kyiv as the main target. Ukraine's Air Force said it intercepted 18 missiles and shot down or suppressed 108 dr...

China placed international cooperation at the centre of the 2026 World AI Conference and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance in Shanghai, where governments, researchers, companies and international organisations gathered to discuss the future of artificial intelligence. The conference produced new agreements, new technology initiatives and fresh commitments aimed at expanding AI access across the world. It also marked the launch of a new international body dedicated to AI cooperation a...

The United States struck southern Iran for a sixth consecutive night on Friday as Tehran launched missiles and drones at US-linked sites across the Gulf and neighbouring states. The attacks hit transport, energy and infrastructure. Iranian officials reported that US strikes also hit civilian infrastructure, violating international law. US Central Command said aircraft, drones and ships struck dozens of targets, including coastal surveillance systems, air defence sites, logistics facilities ...

Finland's spell of warm summer weather is expected to end this weekend as a low-pressure system moves in from the southwest, bringing widespread rain, stronger winds and lower temperatures across much of the country. Friday is forecast to remain mostly dry, with sunshine in many areas and temperatures reaching 25°C or higher in parts of central and western Finland. Isolated showers are possible in northern regions.

Police in Finland are investigating three beauty treatment companies in the Helsinki metropolitan area over suspected use of medicines that do not hold approval for use in the country during cosmetic injection procedures. The inquiry also covers the safety and compliance of medical devices used by the businesses. The investigation, led by Sari Knaapi, Detective Chief Inspector at West Uusimaa Police, focuses on three companies operated by the same owners. Investigators believe the suspected...

Finland's National Audit Office (VTV) has opened an investigation into whether the company behind the Helsinki Garden arena failed to comply with lobbying transparency rules before securing a conditional €35 million state investment grant. The inquiry focuses on Projekti GH Oy, the company developing the planned multi-purpose arena next to Helsinki Ice Hall. The watchdog said it will examine whether the company's lobbying activity should have been reported to Finland's transparency register...

The FIFA World Cup hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico is drawing to a close. It has been, in the century-long history of FIFA, both the most successful and the most controversial tournament ever staged. The expansion of participating teams and the number of matches set new records, as did attendance figures and commercial revenues. As FIFA's ninth president, Gianni Infantino has every reason to celebrate what he would call a series of "historic achievements."

Finland's government has launched plans to keep its controversial Border Security Act, widely known as the country's "pushback law", in force until the end of 2028, arguing that the threat of instrumentalised migration along its eastern border remains high. The Ministry of the Interior opened a public consultation on Thursday on a draft proposal that would extend the law for another two years without changing its contents.

Päivi Räsänen, a member of Finland's Parliament, says the United Kingdom refused her Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA), forcing her to change travel plans and avoid a scheduled stop in London. The Christian Democrat MP said she had planned to return from the United States to Finland through Heathrow Airport. She said the ETA application received an automatic approval before British authorities withdrew the authorisation days before her departure, leaving her to book a different route home.

Finnish police arrested 48 people after a mass fight involving suspected supporters of HJK and FC Lahti in central Lahti on Saturday, hours before the clubs met in a Veikkausliiga match. Häme Police said the first emergency call was received at 12:11 local time after fighting broke out in Paasikivenaukio, close to the city centre. Officers arrived within minutes and detained dozens of people as they brought the situation under control.

At least 12 people have died and 23 remain missing after a fast-moving wildfire tore through southern Spain, trapping residents and visitors as flames spread across dry hillsides in Almería province. Authorities said many of the victims were foreign nationals who were caught while trying to escape the fire near the village of Bédar, close to Los Gallardos. Four people remain in hospital with serious injuries and hundreds of emergency personnel continue to search for the missing while workin...

Finland's business sector showed further signs of recovery in July, with confidence improving across manufacturing, construction, services and retail. At the same time, consumer sentiment remained weak as households continued to limit spending and expressed concern about unemployment despite a brighter outlook for the economy. The findings come from a new survey by the Confederation of Finnish Industries (EK) and Statistics Finland data.

German police launched a citywide search on Sunday for a 21-year-old man suspected of involvement in an attack near Berlin’s Christopher Street Day Pride event, where a vehicle struck people in Tiergarten park, killing one woman and injuring 16 others. Police said one or more people fled after the vehicle hit a tree. Berlin police and prosecutors identified the wanted man as Abdul B. and released his photograph while asking the public for information about his location.

Finnish MP Päivi Räsänen has appealed her conviction for ethnic agitation to the European Court of Human Rights, seeking a ruling that Finland violated her rights under the European Convention on Human Rights. The Christian Democrats lawmaker announced on Thursday that she had lodged an application with the court in Strasbourg following her conviction by Finland's Supreme Court in March.

Finland is expected to see temperatures rise through the weekend and into next week after an unusually cold period, although unsettled weather and the risk of heavy showers will continue across parts of the country. The Finnish Meteorological Institute said a low-pressure system west of Finland will keep conditions unstable through the weekend and the start of next week, with the wettest weather forecast for western Finland and Lapland.

The European Commission has fined Google €890 million for breaching the European Union's Digital Markets Act, accusing the company of favouring its own services in search results and restricting app developers from directing users to cheaper alternatives outside Google Play. The penalties, announced on Thursday, include a €460 million fine over Google's search business and a further €430 million for practices linked to its Android app store.

Police released Indian opposition leader Rahul Gandhi late on Tuesday after detaining him during a sit-in outside Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence in New Delhi, as youth-led protests over exam failures and police conduct entered a third day. Officers carried Gandhi through a crowd and placed him on a bus after he joined Congress lawmakers demanding action over the treatment of student protesters.

FIFA has launched a disciplinary investigation into Argentina following violent scenes after the 2026 World Cup final against Spain and a separate incident involving a political banner displayed after the semi-final against England. Spain secured a 1-0 victory after extra time at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Sunday to win the World Cup. The celebrations ended with confrontations involving several players and members of Argentina's coaching staff.

Finland’s government has withdrawn its support for a planned €35 million state subsidy for the Garden Helsinki arena project after weeks of dispute over lobbying, political links and the basis for the funding decision. Prime Minister Petteri Orpo announced the move on Monday after an extraordinary government session. He said the four governing parties had agreed that the project no longer had political backing.

Spain won the 2026 FIFA World Cup after a 1-0 extra-time victory over Argentina in New Jersey, sealing the country's second world title and ending a tournament that produced record income for FIFA while leaving questions over the cost of the event and the role of politics in football. The match at New York New Jersey Stadium ended with celebrations for Spain, yet the trophy ceremony soon shifted attention elsewhere after US President Donald Trump remained on stage as the players celebrated.

Lightning struck the tallest tower of Tampere Orthodox Church on Saturday afternoon, starting a fire inside the bell tower while a joint baptism and wedding ceremony was taking place inside the protected church in central Tampere. The strike hit the church shortly after 5pm during a thunderstorm. According to the Pirkanmaa Rescue Department and the Tampere Orthodox Parish, the lightning ignited wooden structures inside the upper section of the tower.

An elderly woman died after a stabbing in the Kontula district of Helsinki on Saturday. Police arrested a man over the age of 50 shortly after the attack and are investigating the case as suspected homicide. The incident took place shortly before midday in the Kontulankaari area outside Kontula metro station in eastern Helsinki.

US President Donald Trump used a televised White House address on Thursday to renew claims that foreign powers, voting technology and ineligible voters had placed American elections at risk. The documents released with his speech did not show that votes were changed or that any election result was overturned. Trump spoke for about 25 minutes from the East Room as the White House published a collection of declassified intelligence records, memoranda and fact sheets.

Prime Minister Petteri Orpo has asked Speaker of Parliament Jussi Halla-aho to recall MPs from their summer recess so the government faces questions and a confidence vote over €35 million in conditional state support for the Garden Helsinki arena project. The government plans to submit a formal statement to parliament on Tuesday, 21 July.

British authorities have refused entry to Finnish member of the European Parliament Sebastian Tynkkynen, preventing him from travelling to London for a conservative event where he was due to speak. Tynkkynen said he was preparing to leave Brussels for the airport on Wednesday when a message arrived in his work email account informing him of the decision.

The World Health Organization has warned that the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is likely much larger than official figures, with modelling suggesting the true number of infections ranges from two to four times the confirmed total. The warning came as doctors and other health workers at the centre of the outbreak threatened to stop work over unpaid salaries, adding pressure to an already stretched response.

Finnish police have issued a wanted notice for convicted Vastaamo hacker Aleksanteri Kivimäki after the country's Supreme Court refused to hear his appeal, making his prison sentence final. Authorities said Kivimäki will be arrested and taken to prison when he is found. The Supreme Court announced on Monday that it would not grant Kivimäki permission to appeal his conviction in one of Finland's largest criminal cases.

A wildfire burned about 800 hectares of Fontainebleau forest southeast of Paris by Monday, forcing residents from their homes, closing roads and disrupting rail services as crews worked to stop the flames during France’s third heatwave of the year. French authorities sent water-bombing aircraft from the south of the country to the Paris region for the first time.

Women now occupy a record 37 per cent of board positions in Finnish listed companies, according to a new report from the Finland Chamber of Commerce, with every company size category reaching its highest level to date. The annual review found that 84 per cent of listed companies now have balanced representation of men and women on their boards. The increase follows the introduction of a revised Corporate Governance Code recommendation requiring balanced gender representation by 30 June 2026.

Apple has filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, accusing the artificial intelligence company of obtaining confidential information through former Apple employees as competition between the two firms expands from software into consumer hardware. The case, filed in federal court in California on Friday, names OpenAI, hardware company io Products and two former Apple engineers. Apple alleges the defendants took confidential product designs, manufacturing information and supplier data linked to unrel...

Finland will expand the powers of police and immigration authorities to exchange information after President Alexander Stubb approved a package of legislative amendments aimed at strengthening crime prevention and national security. The changes, confirmed on Thursday, will take effect on 1 October 2026 and affect the police, the Finnish Immigration Service (Migri), the Border Guard, Customs and the Finnish Defence Forces.