Tag: Helsinki Times

  • Helsinki's decision to cancel the Lunar New Year celebrations is a step backwards

    Helsinki's decision to cancel the Lunar New Year celebrations is a step backwards

    This decision marks a significant change in the city's cultural policy, which raises a debate about the importance of maintaining and supporting multicultural events in a globalizing world. Celebrating the month in Helsinki and supported by the city was initiated by the previous mayor Jussi Pajunen The purpose is to reflect Helsinki's commitment to cultural…

  • Interview: Olli Rehn is worried about debt growth and foreign policy

    Interview: Olli Rehn is worried about debt growth and foreign policy

    The discussion discussed various geopolitical issues, such as Finland's NATO attitude and diplomatic relations with Russia and the Middle East. Rehn has been an advocate of Finland's alliance with Western security communities. As Governor of the Central Bank of Finland and former Minister of Economy, Olli Rehn recognized Finland's economic challenges and called for cross-party…

  • Sari Essayah reveals her vision of Finland: the president's leadership, global dynamics and national priorities

    Sari Essayah reveals her vision of Finland: the president's leadership, global dynamics and national priorities

    Sari Essayah had previously said that she stands out from her rivals as the conservative choice of voters. When asked about bridging the gap between different value systems in order to maintain a conservative position, Essayah emphasized the role of the president as a promoter of tolerance and understanding, stressing the importance of freedom of…

  • Li Andersson calls for sanctions on Israel, climate action in Helsinki Times interview

    Li Andersson calls for sanctions on Israel, climate action in Helsinki Times interview

     Stand on Israel and climate change  Standing out prominently in the recent presidential elections’ debates, Andersson distinguished herself with a vocal stance condemning Israel’s ongoing aggression in Gaza and called for sanctions against Israel, while other candidates hesitated. Her commitment to principled foreign policy is reiterated in her conversation with the *Helsinki Times*, where she…

  • The members of the Finnish Foreign Affairs Committee talk about the Gaza crisis

    The members of the Finnish Foreign Affairs Committee talk about the Gaza crisis

    Approaching the 100-day mark of the Gaza offensive, Israel continues its bombardment of the area. A group of leading UN experts issued a dire warning of a possible “ongoing genocide” in Gaza and called for urgent international intervention to prevent further atrocities. At the same time, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) began a crucial…

  • President Niinistö spoke with Chinese President Xi

    President Niinistö spoke with Chinese President Xi

    Video calling marks a new phase of interaction after the break caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Both presidents expressed their satisfaction with the resumption of bilateral dialogue and visits, which emphasized the sustainability of relations between Finland and China. The press release issued by the President's Office emphasized the constructive discussion surrounding the Balticconnector pipeline…

  • What's in your wallet?  If CBDC proponents have their way, nothing reliable

    What's in your wallet? If CBDC proponents have their way, nothing reliable

    Governments around the world don't like “cryptocurrencies” very much, but they do like two things about it. First, they like that Bitcoin, Ether and other cryptocurrencies have popularized the “next step” of taking money into a fully digital paradigm… not just bank cards connected to bank accounts, which in turn are connected to theoretical dollars,…

  • Q&A with Palestinian ambassador in Finland: Navigating Finland’s stance on Gaza attacks

    Q&A with Palestinian ambassador in Finland: Navigating Finland’s stance on Gaza attacks

    In the West Bank, at least 313 have died. Israel’s death toll stands at approximately 1,139. Infrastructure damage in Gaza includes over 313,000 residential units, 352 educational facilities, 26 hospitals, 102 ambulances, and 203 places of worship. The conflict has also claimed the lives of 73 journalists and for some their entire families, resulting in…

  • Presidential candidate Pekka Haavisto discusses the Ukraine crisis, NATO, the Gaza crisis and global relations

    Presidential candidate Pekka Haavisto discusses the Ukraine crisis, NATO, the Gaza crisis and global relations

    He is also known for his role in Finland joining NATO in the previous government. Here is his view on global affairs, which presents Finland's position on international conflicts, diplomatic relations and independence from several factors. Russia's aggression in Ukraine and Finland's attitude Haavisto emphasized Finland's commitment to support Ukraine's right to defend itself, citing…

  • Restoring predictability to US-China relations: Pekka Haavisto’s views on the Biden-Xi meeting and its effects on Finland and the EU

    Restoring predictability to US-China relations: Pekka Haavisto’s views on the Biden-Xi meeting and its effects on Finland and the EU

    Haavisto stated during his campaign that the common concern is the risk of US-China relations deteriorating, leading to a global conflict. “One of the most frequently asked questions on the campaign trail has been whether the deterioration of Sino-US relations could lead to another, perhaps global, conflict,” he wrote in his post. “The Biden-X meeting…

  • Should Japan Rethink Fukushima Wastewater Releases?

    Should Japan Rethink Fukushima Wastewater Releases?

    “The radioactive isotope of hydrogen, tritium H-3, cannot be chemically separated from water.” Sinikka Virtanen, the chief inspector of the Radiation Protection Agency (Stuk) tells the Helsinki Times. “Tritium is also a naturally occurring radionuclide that is created in the atmosphere. Its half-life is 12.3 years. It is also a by-product of operating nuclear power…

  • How did Finnair fall from grace?

    How did Finnair fall from grace?

    The scene changes to capture the pilot enjoying a bite of an apple. An apple with Finnair’s logo and a bite mark rests on the table. “The world is getting closer,” the chime declares. Those were the golden times, when Finns ventured outside their saunas eagerly to discover the world. Finnair played the role of…

  • The massive turnout in the anti-racism demonstration in Helsinki calls for the criminalization of racism

    The massive turnout in the anti-racism demonstration in Helsinki calls for the criminalization of racism

    The event in Helsinki was described as a peaceful and politically neutral demonstration with more than 100 support organizations. It started at Senate Square at 1 pm and the protesters marched towards Töölönlahti park. The protests come at a time when the new government is embroiled in controversy over racism scandals involving far-right politicians and…

  • Over 9000 conscription age Ukrainian men reside in Finland

    Over 9000 conscription age Ukrainian men reside in Finland

    Finland and other Western countries have virtually made it impossible for Russian men who want to avoid going to war to enter these countries, but there have been no restrictions for Ukrainians. On the contrary, laws have been changed and restrictions eased to facilitate the migration of Ukrainians, regardless of age or gender to relocate…

  • We vs they – The dilemma of integration in Finland

    We vs they – The dilemma of integration in Finland

    These two individuals, who hailed from different countries, were engaged in a dialogue about unemployment, as well as work-related matters and their experiences in Finland. As someone familiar with similar topics due to my own professional background, it was nothing out of the ordinary to hear such a discussion within the foreign-origin communities in Finland.…

  • Human rights organizations and professionals oppose Finland’s new immigration policy

    Human rights organizations and professionals oppose Finland’s new immigration policy

    Hundreds of educated immigrants gathered in front of Oodi Central Library on June 18 to protest against immigration policy reforms. Similarly, several people, including immigrants and concerned Finnish citizens, demonstrated in central Helsinki on June 27 against the Finnish government’s plans to tighten immigration rules. The demonstration was organized by African Anti-Racism Society Finland and…

  • The geopolitical effects of NATO expansion: the case of Finland

    The geopolitical effects of NATO expansion: the case of Finland

    The article means that “an armed attack against one or more members shall be considered an attack against all of them”. an article imposed only once in NATO’s history, after the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the United States in 2001. In the evolving security environment, Russia’s military attack on Ukraine is seen as a clear…

  • No respite for Kenyan nurses: Unpaid fees put Nandi nurses at risk of deportation after Uasin Gishu case

    No respite for Kenyan nurses: Unpaid fees put Nandi nurses at risk of deportation after Uasin Gishu case

    The financial burden has become so significant that they now face the possibility of having to return to Kenya before completing their educational program. Edusampo recently announced that studies will end on May 17. Unfortunately, if their studies are suddenly interrupted next week, they will be left with a significant gap, in which case they…

  • The occupying power cannot be a beacon of democracy

    The occupying power cannot be a beacon of democracy

    In reality, Netanyahu and his attorney general Levin was inclined to subject Israel’s Supreme Court to the whims of a simple majority in the Knesset and appoint judges to a committee where his government has chosen more representatives. If such laws are passed, it will mean giving unlimited power to the government without checks and…

  • Forced to pay for wife’s infidelity: Finland’s dilemma about paternity fraud and child support

    Forced to pay for wife’s infidelity: Finland’s dilemma about paternity fraud and child support

    The tweet sparked a heated discussion on social media about the rights of the child, the responsibilities of biological fathers and the consequences for unknowingly betrayed men. Twitter user @AmFinski responded: “The child’s biological connection to you does not matter if you were married when the child was born. The child has a legal right…

  • Finnish parliamentary elections today: Here’s what you need to know

    Finnish parliamentary elections today: Here’s what you need to know

    Candidates and Representation Every party in Finland can nominate its representatives in 13 constituencies, and parties can also form electoral alliances. However, the maximum number of candidates for the union is the same as for an individual party. The number of representatives elected in each district is proportional to the number of Finnish citizens living…

  • Q&A with Ambassador of Malaysia H.E. John Samuel

    Q&A with Ambassador of Malaysia H.E. John Samuel

    Editor in Chief of the Helsinki Times Alexis Kouros sat down with Ambassador Samuel for an interview. In this Q&A session, we will delve into Mr. Samuel’s career as a diplomat and his perspectives on various issues related to diplomacy and international relations. Q: You have been here in Finland for over four years now,…

  • Cacophany, Not Harmony: The Terrible Tune of US Foreign Policy

    Cacophany, Not Harmony: The Terrible Tune of US Foreign Policy

    On March 14th, a Russian SU-27 fighter jet shot down a US MQ-9 Reaper drone over the Black Sea. The exact details of where and how remain a mystery even after the release of drone video of what appears to be a jet fuel dump on the drone, but those details don’t matter much. The…

  • Always look on the bright side – the costs of NATO membership

    Always look on the bright side – the costs of NATO membership

    Military disasters and corporate failures pave the way for groupthink. However, all is not lost. “Always look on the bright side of life,” they say Monty Python who would be in a good position to replace their “Finland” song with a “NATO” song covering Finland’s current membership intrigues. In April 2022, the fanfare arising from…

  • Finland’s transport strategy, astrophotography in winter and a child of the Stone Age: Finland in the world press

    Finland’s transport strategy, astrophotography in winter and a child of the Stone Age: Finland in the world press

    Over time, the speed limit in many Finnish cities dropped from 50 km/h to 30 km/h, and at the same time motorists felt more cramped. “We purposely have narrow lanes so the driver doesn’t feel comfortable” Reetta Putkonensays the director of Helsinki’s traffic planning division. But fines for speeding can also be expensive, depending on…

  • Winter campaign

    Winter campaign

    As the conflict drags on for ten months, what initially seemed like a three-day rush to Kiev has slowed to a slow, grinding war of attrition. The front lines, with the major exceptions of Kharkiv and Kherson, have remained mostly static. In the Kharkiv region, Russians settled on the outskirts of the city of Kharkiv…

  • We must act for happiness in the happiest country

    We must act for happiness in the happiest country

    One can joke that in Finland we hide this happiness deep inside us so as not to annoy our Swedish neighbors. Other more rational voices argue that the happiness index does not measure happiness! Rather, it measures the confidence we have in the future and the extent to which we worry about what may or…

  • Korean Startups presented top innovations at Slush

    Korean Startups presented top innovations at Slush

    KISED, a public institution under the Ministry of SMEs and Start-ups, is responsible for promoting Korean start-ups. Since its founding in 2008, it has supported more than 60,000 start-ups and taken hundreds of startups to international events such as Websummit and Slush. Below is a summary of the start-ups in the Korea Pavilion; VirtualThe company…

  • 5 years ago, Catalonia declared its independence

    5 years ago, Catalonia declared its independence

    Faced with this Spanish reaction, the Catalan government of Carles Puigdemont found no other option than to declare the independence of Catalonia, for which the people had voted. The declaration of independence was unanimously approved by the Catalan Parliament and has now been declared historically. More than 70 countries expressed their views on the issue,…

  • Catalonia declared independence 5 years ago

    Catalonia declared independence 5 years ago

    Faced with this Spanish reaction, the Catalan government of Carles Puigdemont found no other option than to declare the independence of Catalonia, for which the people had voted. The declaration of independence was unanimously approved by the Catalan Parliament and has now been declared historically. More than 70 countries expressed their views on the issue,…

  • Q&A: Arduino founder Massimo Banzi

    Q&A: Arduino founder Massimo Banzi

    Massimo Banzi is an interaction designer, educator, open source hardware pioneer and TED speaker. His background is in electrical engineering, but he spent most of his early career as a software architect before spending four years at the Interaction Design Institute Ivrea as an assistant professor. Below are excerpts from the interview. HT: Your name…

  • The BIAT 22 edition connected dozens of investors with Italian startups

    The BIAT 22 edition connected dozens of investors with Italian startups

    The three-day event consists of networking and panels, but most of the time is reserved for the most important thing, which is meeting startups and investors one-on-one, in two pre-arranged and organized “speed dating” rotation sessions. every day. The projects presented this year were from the Green Economy, ICT, Bio & Health Tech, Robotics and…