Videos

 

GALLERY: Birds of Suomenoja wetlands

Suomenoja wetland area in Espoo is the cite of a former sewage treatment plant which has become a paradise for many bird species. One of the most well-known birds at Suomenoja is the black headed gull. The colony at Suomenoja…

WATCH: Thousand-strong virtual choir commemorates Veteran’s Day anniversary

Flags are flying in Finland to mark Veteran’s Day – which this year also commemorates the 75th anniversary of the end of the Lapland War. On this day in 1945 the last German forces crossed the border at Enontekiö into…

GALLERY: Spring awakening for Finland’s hibernating wild bears

Despite the current coronavirus restrictions – and after the dark snowless winter months – spring has reached at least the southern half of Finland. In the east of the country however, brown bears are waking up from their hibernation in…

GALLERY: Adorable forest rodents foraging in the snow

The bank vole is Finland’s most abundant mammal with a population estimated at about 300 million during peak years. Bank voles live in forest and wetland edges and clear-cut forest. You can also find bank voles in gardens. What makes the…

WATCH: Espoo brewery sends ‘thirst aid’ to Australia

An Espoo brewery is sending some ‘thirst aid’ to Australia, by donating proceeds from a special beer to bushfire relief efforts. Fat Lizard Brewing in Otaniemi came up with the idea after seeing videos from the recent devastating fires across…

GALLERY: Look out for spring flowers arriving early

Spring is just around the corner, in fact nature seems to think it has already started, with hazel trees flowering, blackbirds mating and birds already arriving from their wintering grounds. This is very unusual for February, which is normally the…

WATCH: Do Finns prefer strawberry jam or almond paste?

Finns celebrate Shrove Tuesday this week – known as Laskiainen in Finnish. It’s the culmination of late winter, and the start of the Easter period, and blends official church religious doctrines and pagan traditions as well. In Finland some of those…

WATCH: Last of the ‘Top Gun’ test jets arrive in Finland

The last of the international contenders to replace Finland’s ageing fleet of Hornet jets arrived at Pirkkala Air Base on Tuesday afternoon. Boeing sent an F/A-18E and F/A-18F Super Hornet, and one Growler variant of the aircraft to take part…

WATCH: Penkkarit celebrations culminate in candy and colour

Students in many parts of the country are celebrating today with noisy and colourful penkkarit parades. Although some events already took place last week, the tradition culminates today in a cultural rite of passage that dates back generations as high…

WATCH: Two American F-35 jets arrive at Pirkkala after delayed Atlantic crossing

Two F-35A Lightning fighter jets built by American manufacturer Lockheed Martin have arrived at Pirkkala Air Base, to being a week of intensive testing and evaluation. The jets landed on Sunday evening, their arrival delayed by bad weather on the…

Latest News

Finland declares state of emergency over rising coronavirus cases

Finland has declared a state of emergency, with immediate effect, because of the rising number of coronavirus cases – especially in the capital city…

Kennel Club announces ban on guard dog ‘hobby training’ after horrific videos reveal abuse

The Finnish Kennel Club Kennelliitto has announced a ban on training of guard dogs as a hobby after video last week showed animals being…

Exiled Belarus opposition leader begins four-day Finland visit

The exiled opposition leader of Belarus Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya is beginning a four day visit to Finland on Monday. During her trip she will meet for…

MP Elina Lepomäki makes unexpected Helsinki election announcement

National Coalition Party MP Elina Lepomäki has announced that she’ll be a candidate in May’s municipal elections, standing for a Helsinki City Council seat -…

Spring weather on the way this week, but watch out for ‘takatalvi’

Meteorologists are forecasting spring-like weather on the way this week, but the fairer conditions come with the warning of ‘takatalvi’ or ‘winter backlash’ still…

Helsinki hits highest-ever positive covid cases as pandemic worsens in the capital

The City of Helsinki says 274 new Covid-19 cases were confirmed on Saturday, the highest single-day tally for the capital since the start of…

Flags are flying for Finnish Day of Culture and a celebration of Kalevala

Flags are flying in Finland today to celebrate Kalevala, the national epic literary work written by author Elias Lönnrot in 1835. February 28th is also…

Kirsi Piha quits: Kokoomus rocked as Helsinki mayor candidate drops out of the race

The National Coalition Party candidate in the Helsinki mayoral race Kirsi Piha has announced she won’t now run for election, citing an ideological split in…