| TODAY |
Published 12.3.2010. Next update on Monday 15.3.2010 at c. 13:00 (GMT +2)
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HOME
Linden backs down on YLE fee
Minister of Communications Suvi Lindén said on Thursday afternoon that the controversial media fee for financing the Finnish Broadcasting Company (YLE) will be put to a decision by the next government. Lindén’s retreat on the matter came as a complete surprise. It was preceded by a confused political process. Under the proposal, a fee of between EUR 190 and 194 would be charged to all households. Nowadays, YLE is mainly financed by a fee that is paid only by households that own a television set.
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Kari Mäkinen elected Lutheran Archbishop in narrow vote
It was a razor-thin 11-vote margin that gave Kari Mäkinen, the Bishop of Turku Archdiocese, the victory in Thursday’s election to determine the next Archbishop of Finland’s Evangelical-Lutheran Church. Mäkinen got the backing of 593 electors against 582 for Miikka Ruokanen, Professor of Dogmatics at the Faculty of Theology at the University of Helsinki. Media attention in the race was largely focused on the issue of whether or not the church should give its blessing to same-sex civil unions, which Mäkinen supports and Ruokanen opposes.
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Planned tax on sweets to include ice cream
The government's plans to restore the tax on sweets and to increase the tax on soft drinks look set to be postponed slightly. The idea is now to introduce the government’s tax bill to Parliament in September with the new taxes coming into force in 2011 at the earliest. In addition to sweets, the proposals call for tax to be levied on ice cream as well. The previous tax on sweets, which was abolished in 2000, only covered chocolates and various types of candies. Additional cash for the state coffers is allegedly only one motivation: the authorities are concerned about health hazards such as obesity among adolescents.
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 Teenager suspected of kidnapping baby in Varkaus
HOME
Widespread uncertainty in Parliament over nuclear construction
HOME
Vyborg customs point closed temporarily because of illegal imports
METRO
Ministry of Justice considering wheel clamps and stiffer fines to prevent illegal parking
BUSINESS & FINANCE
Finnish pavilion at Shanghai World Expo to be ready in time, despite construction errors
HOME
Veikkaus League CEO Waldén: “The weather would do well to start getting warmer”
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| THIS WEEK |
Updated 9.3. Next update on Tuesday 16.3. at c. 17:00 (GMT +2)
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PEOPLE
Jorma Multanen helped monitor non-intervention in Spanish Civil War
In the late 1930s, both sides of the Spanish Civil War attracted volunteers from many countries, including Finland. The conflict was something of a precursor to the Second World War. In an attempt to prevent the war from setting a spark that would engulf the rest of Europe, a Council of Non-Intervention was set up. Helsingin Sanomat met the last surviving Finnish naval inspector working for the council, 97-year-old Jorma Multanen who recently wrote a book about his experiences.
COLUMN
GUEST COLUMN: Winter mayhem could be reduced by listening to researchers
HOME
What if the Winter War broke out now?
HOME
Somali League takes up fight against intoxicants
METRO
Bread-lines getting longer and longer in Helsinki area
FOREIGN
Finns in Chile cope in aftermath of earthquake
CULTURE
Émilie is arguably Kaija Saariaho’s most beautiful opera
CONSUMER
Smartphone applications track location of friends
PEOPLE
“This looked much easier on TV”
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