Arts & Culture

 

Panda Diplomacy: Two Bears Arrive From China

Two giant pandas have arrived in Finland, where they’ll spend the next 15 years under a loan scheme from the Chinese government. Lumi (Snow) and Pyry (Blizzard) landed on a cargo flight in Helsinki, where they were greeted by an…

Saara Aalto’s Three Eurovision Songs For Finland

Singer Saara Aalto has picked three songs which she could perform for Finland at the Eurovision Song Contest. Aalto wrote on Twitter "choosing my 3 Eurovision options in the next 5 minutes. EXCITING". In recent years, state-funded broadcaster YLE has organised…

Pirita Näkkäläjärvi Column: Saana Illumination Is Grotesque & Reeks Of Colonialism

The Saana fell in Kilpisjärvi, in the ‘Arm of Finland’ is illuminated on Monday and Tuesday as part of the official programme celebrating Finland’s 100 years of Independence. Saana lies in the heartland of the Sámiland – a thoroughly colonized area, which has been carved up by the borders of the four nation states, and continues to be…

WEEKEND: Pekka Strang On Stage & Screen

The headlines this year have all been about the Tom of Finland movie. So bring us up to date, what are you working on now? Right now I’m in rehearsals for Don’t Dress for Dinner which opens at the…

Lightbringer: The Story Of Finland’s New Winter War Memorial

A striking new sculpture lights up the dark skies this week, when Finland’s first ever national memorial to the Winter War of 1939 and 1940 is unveiled on Thursday. Called ‘Valontuojia’ – or Lightbringer in English – the thoroughly modern…

WEEKEND: André Wickström Jokes Around

Comedian André Wickström is a well known face on Finnish television, on the stand-up circuit, and from his quirky character commercials for energy company HELEN. This weekend for News Now Finland, André tells us in his own words about Finnish humour,…

Two Royal Princes Heading to Helsinki

Finland will have an influx of royal visitors at the end of November, when not one but two princes head to Helsinki on the same date. Sweden’s Prince Daniel – husband of Crown Princess Victoria – will make a two…

Donald Duck’s Ateneum Art On Display

One of Finland’s most loved cartoon characters is getting a highbrow makeover. Aku Ankka – Donald Duck – comics have been published in Finland for more than 60 years, and have become a treasured part of childhood. From today, Helsinki’s Ateneum…

Sunday Cartoons: Dying For New Business?

This week the government is looking at plans to cut tax breaks from funeral homes, while Posti is hoping to expand its services. Could there be some cross-over business opportunities here? ‘Cabbie Cartoonist’ Torsti Luotonen is a Helsinki taxi driver and…

Sunday Cartoon: Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?

Finland’s Susijengi or Wolfpack men’s national basketball team played with heart at the Eurobasket tournament group stage in Helsinki, winning 3 out of 4 games and going to the quarter finals in Istanbul. They lost to Italy on Saturday…

Latest News

Flags are flying to celebrate Finnish trailblazer Miina Sillanpää

Flags are flying across Finland today to celebrate the life and work of Miina Sillanpää, a trailblazer in politics, social mobility and rights. Sillanpää was…

Morning headlines: Thursday 1st October 2020

Two Covid-19 tests open up travel restrictions from high risk countries A new system of coronavirus tests opens up travel to passengers from high risk…

New Finnish robot drives to clean up the dirty business of street sweeping

A company from Kuopio has invented a new type of autonomous street sweeper that’s as powerful as a traditional truck, but has zero carbon…

“Unreasonable” – Reaction as journalist loses appeal in case with right-wing politician

The Court of Appeal in Rovaniemi today upheld the decision of a lower court to convict and fine journalist Johanna Vehkoo for insulting a…

Parliament committee approves citizen’s initiative on FGM

The cross-party Parliamentary Legal Committee has voted unanimously to approve a citizen’s initiative to ban female genital mutilation. Although FGM is already considered a crime…

Brexit Brits: Finnish permanent residence applications will cost €48

British nationals living in Finland who want to apply for permanent residence will be charged €48, according to the Immigration Service Migri. Anyone who has…

Double duty: PM to represent Finland and Sweden at EU meeting

Prime Minister Sanna Marin (SDP) is attending a special European Council meeting in Brussels on 1st and 2nd October – and rather unusually she’ll be…

WATCH: How coronavirus changed Finland’s population

Did you know that the coronavirus pandemic is already having an impact on Finland’s population? According to Statistics Finland the number of people in Finland…