Sickness-related absences from work cost Finland about €5 billion each year in lost productivity, according to a new study that highlights the wider economic impact of illness on businesses and public finances. The report estimates that workers were absent for around 25 million working days in 2023, equivalent to roughly 110,000 full-time working years.

SpaceX has completed the largest initial public offering in history, raising $75 billion and entering public markets with a valuation of about $1.77 trillion. The listing marks a milestone for the company founded by Elon Musk, transforming a business that began in a California warehouse into one of the world's most valuable publicly traded companies. Trading began on the Nasdaq on Friday after the company priced shares at $135 each.

Finland’s Parliament has approved legislation that will require citizenship applicants to pass a citizenship test before receiving a Finnish passport, marking the latest stage in the government’s programme to tighten nationality rules. The law passed on Wednesday by 153 votes to 21, with support extending beyond the governing coalition to include the Social Democratic Party and the Centre Party. The measure is due to enter into force at the start of 2027 and will make a citizenship test a f...

Finland will introduce new immigration rules on Friday aimed at speeding up deportations and strengthening measures against individuals considered threats to national security. The amendments to the Aliens Act, approved by President Alexander Stubb on 9 June, will enter into force on 12 June as part of the government's broader migration policy programme. The changes will alter how deportation decisions are enforced and expand the authorities' powers to issue entry bans before a person arr...

A knife attack in Belfast that left a man with life-changing injuries triggered a wave of disorder across Northern Ireland and protests in Scotland, as police, political leaders and community groups appealed for calm. The violence followed the charging of 30-year-old Hadi Alodid with attempted murder, possession of a knife and threats to kill after an attack in north Belfast on Monday night. Prosecutors told Belfast Magistrates' Court that the victim, Steven Ogilvy, suffered severe injuries...

Finnish satellite company Iceye has secured more than €1 billion in new investment and share transactions, pushing its valuation to €10.5 billion and placing it among Europe’s most valuable space and defence technology companies. The funding package combines €450 million in new growth capital with secondary share sales worth more than €550 million. The round was led by General Atlantic and attracted a mix of international and Finnish investors, including Qatar Investment Authority, TCV, Nok...

Finland is expected to see continued swings between sunshine, showers and warmer-than-average temperatures over the next two weeks, with forecasters pointing to a possible shift towards more settled conditions after Midsummer. The latest monthly outlook from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), analysed by meteorologist Joonas Koskela in the Foreca weather blog, indicates that temperatures across Finland are likely to remain above seasonal norms through much of Ju...

A memorial bench honouring Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has been unveiled in central Helsinki, within sight of the Russian Embassy. The monument was revealed in Neitsytpuisto Park on Thursday, the day Navalny would have turned 50. The site sits beside the Russian diplomatic compound on Tehtaankatu in the Finnish capital. The project was organised by Initiative for Resistance and Dialogues, a Finland-based association of Russian activists opposed to the policies of Russian Pres...

Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo secured another two-year term as leader of the National Coalition Party on Saturday after delegates at the party's congress in Jyväskylä re-elected him without opposition. The vote extends Orpo's decade-long tenure at the head of Finland's centre-right party and places him on course to match the record set by former leader Ilkka Suominen if he completes the new mandate through 2028.

Finland has started examining the creation of a return hub outside the European Union together with other Nordic countries after EU member states and the European Parliament approved new rules aimed at strengthening migrant returns. Interior Minister Mari Rantanen said the Finnish government has launched preliminary work on the proposal, which would allow rejected asylum seekers and people staying illegally in the EU to be transferred to facilities located outside the bloc.

Finland's opposition Social Democratic Party (SDP) remains the country's most popular political party, but its lead over Prime Minister Petteri Orpo's National Coalition Party has narrowed after another drop in support, according to a new Yle opinion poll. The survey, conducted by Taloustutkimus and published on Thursday, showed support for SDP at 23.0 per cent. The figure marked a decline of 0.7 percentage points from the previous poll and represented the party's third consecutive monthly ...

Iran has warned that negotiations with the United States face suspension unless Israel halts military operations in Lebanon, as Israeli forces advanced their illegal invasion in southern Lebanon and air strikes across the country. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the understanding reached between Tehran and Washington covered all fronts, including Lebanon, and that continued military action there amounted to a breach of the agreement.

Russia carried out one of its largest aerial attacks on Ukraine in recent months overnight, killing at least 18 people and injuring more than 100 in strikes that hit Kyiv, Dnipro, Kharkiv and other cities, according to Ukrainian authorities. Ukraine’s Air Force said Russia launched 656 drones and 73 missiles, including ballistic and cruise missiles, during the assault. Air defence units reported intercepting or disabling 602 drones and 40 missiles, though dozens of projectiles reached their...

Lasse Lehtonen has returned to his role as director general of Finland’s Social Insurance Institution, Kela, after a period of sick leave. Lehtonen resumed his duties on 1 June and said he would focus on advancing the organisation’s development work together with staff and the board while ensuring Kela continues to deliver services efficiently. In a statement issued by Kela, Lehtonen thanked employees for maintaining operations during his absence and said the institution’s core work had p...

Foreign visitor numbers in Finland increased in April, helping push total overnight stays at accommodation establishments above last year's level despite mixed regional results. Preliminary figures from Statistics Finland show that accommodation providers recorded 1.48 million overnight stays during April 2026, up 1 per cent from the same month a year earlier. The increase was driven by international visitors, whose overnight stays rose by 4 per cent to around 330,000 nights.

Two schools from Oulu topped Finland’s latest upper secondary school ranking, while Helsinki’s Ressu Upper Secondary School recorded one of the biggest rises among the country’s largest schools. The annual ranking published by Finnish News Agency STT placed Haukipudas Upper Secondary School in Oulu first among large upper secondary schools. Borgå Gymnasium in Porvoo ranked second and Helsinki’s Ressu Upper Secondary School moved into third place.

Scientists are warning that a powerful El Niño event is developing in the Pacific Ocean and could push global temperatures to new highs, with 2027 emerging as a leading candidate to become the warmest year ever recorded. Long-range climate forecasts indicate that warming waters across the central and eastern tropical Pacific are on track to develop into a strong El Niño during the second half of 2026. Several forecasting models suggest the event could reach the level known as a super El Niñ...

Finland reduced basic social assistance payments for more than 5,700 people in April after stricter welfare rules introduced earlier this year tightened conditions for receiving benefits. New figures published by Kela on Thursday show that the changes, which came into force in February, increased pressure on recipients to register as full-time jobseekers and apply for primary benefits such as unemployment support or housing assistance. At the same time, nearly 12,000 people who had receiv...

Finland’s Prosecutor General will not appeal the acquittals of Anneli Auer and Jens Ihle in a long-running sexual offences case that led to prison sentences later overturned by the courts. The decision means the April ruling by the District Court of Southwest Finland will stand and become legally binding. The court cleared Auer and Ihle of all sexual abuse and violence charges linked to allegations involving Auer’s children. The case has lasted close to two decades and became one of Finla...

Israel said an air strike in Gaza City killed Mohammed Odeh, the commander of Hamas’s military wing, in an attack that struck a residential building in one of the city’s busiest districts ahead of Eid al-Adha celebrations. The strike killed civilians, adding to the continuous Gaza ceasefire violations by Israel, since the truce took effect in October. The Israeli military and Shin Bet security service said Odeh was targeted on Tuesday after months of intelligence surveillance tracking his m...

Diplomatic efforts to end more than three months of illegal war against Iran from the United States and Israel moved closer to a breakthrough on Saturday, even as Israel continued to strike and occupy southern Lebanon. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, whose government has played a central role in mediation efforts, said a final agreement between Washington and Tehran was likely within 24 hours. He said preparations were under way for an electronic signing followed by technical discu...

European trust in the United States as a security ally has fallen to a record low, according to a new survey by the European Council on Foreign Relations. The poll found that only 11% of people across 15 European countries now see the US as an ally that shares their interests and values. That figure stood at 16% six months ago and 22% in November 2024. The findings point to a shift in public opinion before G7 and Nato meetings in France and Turkey.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup begins today with Mexico facing South Africa in Mexico City, launching the largest tournament in the competition’s history and one already shaped by political disputes, visa controversies and security concerns. For the first time, 48 teams will compete in the tournament, an increase from 32 at the previous edition in Qatar. The expansion raises the number of matches from 64 to 104 and adds an extra knockout round. Teams reaching the final will play eight matches inst...

The number of victims identified in domestic and family violence cases in Finland rose to its highest level on record in 2025, according to new figures from Statistics Finland. Authorities recorded 15,500 victims in intimate partner and family violence offences during the year, an increase of 20 per cent compared with 2024. The total was the highest since comparable records began in 2009. The increase affected both adults and children.

The United States and Iran traded military strikes across the Gulf region overnight after Washington blamed Tehran for the downing of a US Army Apache helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz, raising fears of a wider regional confrontation. The escalation marks the most serious direct military clash between the two countries since a ceasefire was announced in April. Both sides described their actions as defensive while warning that further attacks would trigger additional responses.

Finland’s State Audit Office has raised concerns over the way the financial impact of the country’s Nato membership has been presented, saying decision-makers lacked a full picture of the costs when the accession process moved forward. The findings appear in a new audit report that examined Finland’s preparation for Nato membership, decision-making procedures and the economic consequences that followed the country’s entry into the alliance in April 2023. The report concludes that the overal...

Iran and Israel exchanged missile and air strikes on Monday after Israeli attacks on Lebanon pushed the region closer to a wider conflict. The latest escalation began after Israeli strikes hit Beirut’s southern suburbs on Sunday, killing at least two people and injuring others, according to Lebanese authorities. Israel claims the operation targeted Hezbollah infrastructure and a command centre. Tehran described the attack as a breach of understandings linked to the April ceasefire and warne...

Microsoft has signed a preliminary agreement to acquire about 190 hectares of land in western Finland for a potential new datacentre development, extending the company's expansion in a country that has become a growing destination for cloud and artificial intelligence infrastructure. The land lies within the GigaVaasa industrial zone on Finland's west coast and is divided between the city of Vaasa and the neighbouring municipality of Mustasaari. Roughly two-thirds of the site is located in ...

An unattended tourist bus rolled downhill in central Helsinki on Saturday and struck a woman crossing a street near Senate Square, leaving her with serious injuries and prompting a police investigation into the circumstances of the incident. The accident took place shortly before 1pm on Unioninkatu, one of the streets surrounding Helsinki's Senate Square. According to police, a parked bus began moving on its own and travelled several dozen metres down the slope before colliding with a pedes...

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has publicly urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to meet him face to face and begin direct negotiations to end the war, issuing an open letter that combines a ceasefire proposal with a personal appeal to the Kremlin leader. The letter, published on Wednesday evening, marks the first time Zelensky has used an open letter to address Putin directly since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

A pre-school child died after a collision with a bus at a pedestrian crossing in Turku on Wednesday evening. The incident took place shortly after 8pm at the junction of Littoistentie and Karvataskunkatu in the Varissuo district. Police said the child died at the scene after being struck by a bus while crossing at a marked pedestrian crossing. Southwest Finland Police have launched a death investigation and are also examining the case as suspected aggravated traffic endangerment and aggra...

The Centre Party and Movement Now have launched a parliamentary challenge against Prime Minister Petteri Orpo's government, accusing it of failing young people as unemployment rises and confidence in the future weakens. The two opposition parties filed an interpellation in Parliament on Wednesday, forcing ministers to defend their record in a debate that will end with a vote of confidence. The move places youth unemployment at the centre of political debate less than a year before parliamen...

Finland’s long-term defence spending requirements could increase to more than €14 billion a year by the end of the decade, according to a new report presented to Defence Minister Antti Häkkänen by a cross-party parliamentary working group. The report, which examined Finland’s defence development and resource needs for the 2030s, concludes that Russia will remain a long-term and difficult-to-predict threat to both Finland and the NATO alliance. It argues that maintaining credible military ca...

Finland experienced its warmest spring on record across almost the entire country, according to data released by the Finnish Meteorological Institute. Average temperatures between March and May reached record levels at many observation stations, with temperatures across much of the country running between two and four degrees Celsius above the 1991–2020 average. The most notable figure came from Helsinki’s Kaisaniemi weather station, where the average temperature for the spring reached 6....

Finland will introduce changes to its terrorism legislation at the beginning of June, expanding criminal liability and increasing penalties for several terrorism-related crimes. The reform forms part of Prime Minister Petteri Orpo's government programme. The Ministry of Justice said the changes aim to strengthen Finland's ability to prevent and prosecute terrorism offences and make the legal framework clearer.

Finland recorded a new rise in violent crime involving children and teenagers in 2025, with the number of minors suspected of assault offences reaching the highest level on record, according to new figures published by Statistics Finland. Police identified nearly 7,500 suspects under the age of 18 in solved assault cases last year. The figure rose by around 17 percent compared with 2024 and more than doubled from levels commonly seen during the 2010s.

Police in Helsinki are investigating a fire that destroyed a protected wooden apartment building in the Käpylä district after evidence pointed to a cigarette left on a porch as the likely cause. The blaze broke out shortly before 1pm on Thursday at a residential property on Peltolantie in the historic Puu-Käpylä area, sending thick smoke across the neighbourhood and prompting emergency warnings for nearby residents. Firefighters, police and ambulance crews were dispatched after reports of...

US forces attacked military targets near the southern Iranian port of Bandar Abbas in “self-defence”, despite a ceasefire agreed in April. Iran said it launched retaliatory strikes against a United States air base in the Gulf as tensions heighten around the Strait of Hormuz. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said the base targeted had served as the source of the earlier US attack. Kuwaiti authorities later confirmed that air defence systems intercepted missiles and drones after warning sirens soun...

Finnish authorities launched an investigation on Wednesday after a Russian military aircraft was suspected of entering Finnish airspace over the Gulf of Finland while avoiding thunderstorms near Porkkala. Finland’s Ministry of Defence said the suspected airspace violation took place on Wednesday afternoon off the coast of Porkkala. The ministry said the aircraft altered its route due to storm conditions in the area.

Finland’s Competition and Consumer Authority has proposed fines of more than €9 million against major berry industry companies after uncovering what officials described as a long-running nationwide cartel that affected wild berry prices for a decade. The authority, known as KKV, said five of the country’s largest wild berry companies coordinated the prices paid to berry pickers between 2013 and 2023 while also exchanging commercially sensitive market information linked to frozen berry sales.

Finland is preparing for a spell of unsettled weather this weekend as a deep low-pressure system brings heavy rain, strong winds and thunderstorms to large parts of the country. Forecasters say the change marks the end of a week-long period of warm weather, with temperatures expected to fall below recent levels and remaining well short of heatwave conditions in the coming days.

The United States and Iran moved closer to a deal aimed at ending months of conflict after US President Donald Trump cancelled planned military strikes and declared that an agreement with Tehran was near. Trump said discussions had reached senior levels within the Iranian leadership and claimed a signing ceremony could take place soon. He told reporters that the war had been settled and said the Strait of Hormuz would reopen after an agreement was signed.

One of Helsinki’s best-known waterfront attractions will be demolished as part of a redevelopment of the city’s South Harbour area, with plans already underway for a replacement facility on the same site. The decision affects Allas Sea Pool, the seawater spa and leisure venue next to Helsinki Market Square that has operated since 2016. Nordic Urban, the property development company behind the project, said the current structure will be removed to allow work on the harbour’s flood protection...

Finland's social insurance agency Kela expects benefit expenditure to increase this year after payouts reached a record €17.5 billion in 2025. New figures published by the agency show benefit spending rose by €188 million last year, an increase of 1.1 per cent compared with 2024. Kela now estimates total expenditure will climb to €18.1 billion during 2026, driven by higher spending on unemployment support, student benefits, social assistance and sickness-related payments. The largest shif...

Finland’s Tax Administration has warned that digital-only banks are becoming a preferred tool for some participants in the grey economy and organised financial crime, as the number of Finnish customers using foreign-based providers continues to rise. A new report from the agency says most customers use neopanks for legitimate purposes, but weaknesses in customer verification and the international nature of the sector have created opportunities for abuse.

Finavia is launching a major recruitment campaign for northern Finland as the airport operator prepares for another winter season driven by strong tourism demand in Lapland. The state-owned company announced that 120 seasonal positions will be filled at Rovaniemi, Kittilä, Ivalo and Kuusamo airports. The recruitment drive begins on 8 June and will more than double staffing levels at the four airports during the winter season.

The Lapland District Court has sentenced the former head of a berry procurement company to prison after finding that dozens of Thai berry pickers recruited to work in Finland were victims of human trafficking. The ruling, delivered on Monday, concludes one of the largest human trafficking cases ever heard in Finland. The court sentenced Jukka Kristo, former chief executive of Polarica Marjahankinta, to two years and six months in prison for human trafficking offences involving 78 Thai berry...

NATO's new Forward Land Forces Finland, known as FLF Finland, formation will officially begin operations on Saturday, marking a new phase in the alliance's military presence in Northern Europe and strengthening defence cooperation between Finland, Sweden and other allied nations. The new force combines a Swedish battlegroup based in Boden, northern Sweden, with a multinational command element located in Rovaniemi in northern Finland.

The government's plan to introduce a new integration allowance for recently arrived migrants has been formally submitted to parliament. The proposal would create a separate benefit for unemployed jobseekers who have lived in the country for less than three years and do not meet employment requirements for the full general social security benefit. Under the bill, recipients would receive a lower level of support during their first years in the country,

Finland's Defence Minister Antti Häkkänen has rejected 14 applications by non-EU and non-EEA buyers seeking to acquire properties across the country, citing risks to national security and defence interests. The decisions, announced on Thursday by the Ministry of Defence, affect properties located in Asikkala, Hyrynsalmi, Imatra, Laukaa, Pöytyä, Rautjärvi and Rovaniemi. The rulings are not yet legally final and remain subject to further legal procedures.

Patients in Finland waited longer to access treatment in primary healthcare during 2025, while waiting lists for specialised healthcare continued to fall, according to new figures released by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL). The latest data points to a widening gap between the two parts of the healthcare system. While hospitals reduced long-term backlogs and treated more patients within recommended timeframes, access to doctors in local health centres became more difficult.

Alcohol consumption in Finland continued its downward trend in 2025, with sales through shops, restaurants and other domestic channels falling compared with the previous year, according to new figures released by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL). Recorded alcohol consumption, which includes retail purchases and alcohol served in restaurants and bars, fell by 4.5 per cent from 2024 levels. The figure amounted to approximately 6.9 litres of pure alcohol per resident aged 15 ...

Finland will introduce a new emergency warning system later this year that will send location-based alerts directly to mobile phones without requiring users to install an application. The new service, known as FI-Alert, is scheduled to be operational by the end of October and will work alongside the country’s existing emergency warning channels. The Ministry of the Interior announced that it had signed an agreement with Erillisverkot Group on 28 May to develop and implement the system.

Finland’s men’s ice hockey team are returning home on Monday after winning the world championship with a 1-0 overtime victory over Switzerland in Zurich. The title was Finland’s fifth in men’s ice hockey. The winning goal came from Konsta Helenius, who ended the final at 70 minutes and 42 seconds. The result left tournament host Switzerland with silver for the third successive time. Switzerland has not scored in any of those three finals.

Finland’s far-right Blue-and-Black movement launched its parliamentary election programme in central Helsinki on Saturday, proposing that pupils with immigrant backgrounds be educated separately from native Finnish pupils. The event drew counter-protesters to Narinkkatori square and led to at least four arrests after disturbances broke out, according to police. The party, which is seeking seats in Finland’s next parliamentary election, presented its programme at Narinkkatori in the Kamppi d...

Immigration to Finland declined in 2025 as weaker economic conditions and tighter immigration policies reduced the number of people arriving for work, study and international protection, according to new figures released by the Finnish Immigration Service and the European Migration Network. The annual review found that most major migration categories recorded lower application numbers last year, continuing a trend that emerged as Finland's labour market slowed and the government introduced ...

A Russian drone struck a residential building in eastern Romania during an overnight attack linked to the war in Ukraine, injuring two people and triggering a diplomatic response from Bucharest and its NATO allies. The incident marked the first known case since the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 in which civilians in Romania were injured by a drone linked to the conflict. The drone hit a ten-storey apartment block in the city of Galati during the early hours of Friday, causin...

The European Union fined Chinese online retailer Temu €200 million on Thursday after regulators found the platform failed to stop the sale of illegal and dangerous products to consumers across Europe. The penalty marks the largest fine issued so far under the EU’s Digital Services Act, which requires major online platforms to assess risks linked to their services and take steps to limit harm to users. European Commission officials said Temu failed to properly identify and address the risk...

Five of seven villagers trapped inside a flooded cave in central Laos were found alive on Wednesday after a week underground, rescue teams said, as Finnish diver Mikko Paasi took part in an operation through narrow tunnels filled with mud and floodwater. The men entered the cave in Xaysomboun province around 20 May during a trip linked to gold prospecting, according to Lao and Thai rescue groups. Heavy rain triggered landslides and flash flooding that sealed the exit and filled parts of the...

Finland’s government is preparing a national safety guide for households after a recent drone scare exposed gaps in the country’s emergency preparedness systems. Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said on Tuesday that officials had started work on a booklet that would give residents practical instructions on how to respond during drone-related security incidents and other emergencies. The announcement followed an emergency government meeting focused on drone threats and public warning systems.