The European Parliament has approved legislation that will ease restrictions on a new generation of gene-edited crops across the European Union, marking one of the bloc's biggest changes to agricultural biotechnology policy in decades. The rules cover plants developed through New Genomic Techniques, known as NGTs, including gene-editing methods such as CRISPR. Supporters say the technology will help farmers produce crops that are more resistant to drought, disease and pests while reducing t...

The United States and Iran have signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at extending their ceasefire, reopening the Strait of Hormuz and creating a framework for negotiations on a broader settlement after months of conflict. US President Donald Trump signed the agreement at the Palace of Versailles near Paris on Wednesday, while Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian signed the document in Tehran. Officials from both countries confirmed that the memorandum entered into force immediately.

The European Parliament has approved a new migration law that expands powers to return migrants staying illegally in the European Union and allows member states to establish return centres outside the bloc. The legislation passed on Wednesday by 418 votes to 218, with 30 abstentions, marking one of the most significant changes to EU return policy in nearly two decades. The new rules require third-country nationals who receive a return decision to cooperate with authorities and leave the E...

A political dispute has broken out inside Finland’s governing coalition after Social Affairs and Health Minister Wille Rydman unveiled new funding criteria that could prevent organisations serving immigrants and other identity-based communities from receiving state support. The changes affect grants distributed through the Funding Centre for Social Welfare and Health Organisations (STEA), which allocates public funding to charities, foundations and non-profit groups working in the social an...

Hungary’s parliament has approved a constitutional amendment that limits prime ministers to a maximum of eight years in office, closing the door on any return to power by former leader Viktor Orbán after two decades in the country’s highest political office. The measure passed on Monday with support from the governing Tisza Party, led by Prime Minister Péter Magyar, whose landslide election victory in April ended Orbán’s 16-year run as head of government and handed the new administration a ...

Finnish retail and wholesale group Kesko has agreed to acquire Dahl's operations in Sweden, Norway and Denmark from French building materials company Saint-Gobain for €1.2 billion, marking the largest acquisition in the company's history. The transaction will significantly expand Kesko's presence in the Nordic technical wholesale market and strengthen its position in heating, plumbing, infrastructure and building services products. Kesko said the acquisition includes Dahl's businesses in ...

A proposed agreement between the United States and Iran moved closer on Sunday, with President Donald Trump declaring that a framework deal was scheduled for signing, while Iranian officials insisted key decisions remained under review. The competing statements underscored the uncertainty surrounding negotiations that have sought to end months of illegal US-Israeli war against Iran. Mediators from Pakistan and Qatar continued diplomatic efforts as military activity persisted in Lebanon, whe...

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's Security and Intelligence Service has launched a new project aimed at strengthening security screening procedures under the European Union's Migration and Asylum Pact. The initiative, known as the Migration Pact – Data Integration and Use in Screening project, or MIS, will focus on developing new systems and processes to support security checks carried out on people arriving in the country, including asylum seekers.

Ukraine launched its largest drone attack on Moscow since Russia began its full-scale invasion more than four years ago, hitting a major oil refinery, disrupting air traffic across the capital and bringing the conflict deeper into Russian territory. The overnight assault targeted Moscow and surrounding regions with close to 200 drones, according to Russian authorities. Fires broke out at the Kapotnya oil refinery in the south-east of the capital after several drones penetrated air defences ...

Iran warned Israel of a "harsh response" on Wednesday after accusing it of violating the Lebanon ceasefire 84 times since a US-Iran memorandum aimed at ending the illegal US-Israeli war against Iran was agreed. The warning came after Israeli strikes killed four people in southern Lebanon and as Israeli forces continued operations around Nabatieh, raising doubts over whether the accord due to be signed in Switzerland on Friday will hold.

The Finnish Refugee Council has named Syrian-born actor Youssef Asad Alkhatib as Refugee of the Year 2026, recognising his journey from fleeing war as a teenager to building a career on the Finnish stage. The announcement was made in Helsinki on Tuesday, ahead of World Refugee Day, with the organisation citing Alkhatib’s contribution to Finnish society and his work promoting dialogue between communities.

Finland's Midsummer weekend is expected to be warmer and sunnier than earlier forecasts suggested, with temperatures approaching heatwave levels in parts of the country. The latest forecast from Foreca says that high pressure moving north from southern Europe is likely to bring dry conditions across much of Finland for the holiday period, offering favourable weather for outdoor celebrations and traditional Midsummer bonfires. Conditions are expected to improve steadily during the week aft...

Russian missile and drone attacks killed at least nine people across Ukraine overnight and damaged one of the country's most important religious landmarks, as a large-scale assault struck Kyiv, Kharkiv and other regions. Ukrainian officials said four people were killed in the capital and five rescue workers died in Kharkiv after a second strike hit emergency crews responding to an earlier attack. The barrage also set fire to the Dormition Cathedral at Kyiv's Pechersk Lavra monastery, a UNES...

Online retailers in Finland will soon have to make it easier for consumers to cancel purchases made over the internet. From 19 June, businesses offering goods or services online must provide a dedicated cancellation function that allows customers to withdraw from eligible purchases directly through the same platform where the order was placed. The requirement stems from changes to European Union legislation that are being incorporated into Finland's Consumer Protection Act.

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.

Flow Festival and the activist group Flow Strike have reached an agreement that brings an end to a boycott campaign that has targeted one of Finland’s largest music events for nearly two years. The deal ends calls for artists and audiences to boycott the Helsinki festival over concerns about links between its ownership structure, corporate partners and companies operating in Israel. Flow Festival's chief executive Katariina Uusitupa and Flow Strike spokesperson Jenna Jauhiainen confirmed ...

Israeli settlers have destroyed schools and other community infrastructure in the occupied West Bank that received support from Finland and other international donors, according to a report by Yle. The Finnish public broadcaster reported that a significant number of Palestinian facilities funded through international aid programmes have been demolished or damaged in recent years, including projects supported through Finnish development cooperation.

Finland’s Social Democratic Party (SDP) remains the country’s largest political force, though its lead has narrowed as support for the Left Alliance and the Finns Party continues to rise, according to a new opinion poll published by Helsingin Sanomat (HS). The survey, conducted by research company Verian for HS, places the SDP on 24.1 per cent support. That marks a decline of 0.2 percentage points from May and continues a gradual slide from December, when the party stood at 25.3 per cent.

Finnish police are investigating a suspected €25 million investment fraud after a private individual lost funds through what authorities believe was a fake online investment platform created for criminal purposes. The case, which police are treating as aggravated fraud, ranks among the largest suspected investment scams ever investigated in Finland. Authorities believe a single victim from southern Finland suffered the loss.

European Union lawmakers have reached an agreement on a major update to air passenger rights, ending more than a decade of negotiations and introducing new protections for travellers across the bloc. The deal, agreed between the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union, keeps compensation for flight delays of more than three hours, introduces guaranteed free cabin baggage allowances and expands rights for families, children and passengers with disabilities.

US President Donald Trump said Washington and Tehran have reached a memorandum of understanding to end more than 100 days of illegal US-Israeli war against Iran, with the agreement due to be signed in Geneva on Friday. Iran confirmed the text had been finalised and said the deal would halt military operations on all fronts, including Lebanon, where Israeli attacks continued after the announcement. The agreement was reached after mediation by Pakistan and Qatar.

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...