Reykjavík has partnered with the Finnish city of Jakobstad in a European climate innovation initiative This partnership stems from Reykjavík's designation as a Pilot City which recognizes cities that lead the way in accelerating carbon neutrality through innovative climate projects Jakobstad will share transportation-focused climate initiatives with both cities learning from each other's experiences Borgartun 12–14, 105 ReykjavikMon-Thu 8:30am-4pmFri 8:30am-2:30pm Tjarnargata 11, 101 Reykjavik Weekdays 8am-6pmSaturdays 10am-6pmSundays 12 noon-6pm Reykjavik City ID Number: 530269–7609 Open image viewerNicotine pouch shops have become a common sight in cities across Finland Image: Janne Körkkö / YleYle News17.10.2024 9:02•Updated 17.10.2024 10:07As PM Petteri Orpo's (NCP) government made efforts to reduce the use of addictive nicotine pouches by young people it banned a number of flavours that could be in the pouches that were considered attractive to youths Parliament approved the legislation earlier this month. Last year, it was reported that the availability of nicotine pouches, which do not contain tobacco, had dramatically reduced smuggling of oral tobacco products from Sweden Newspaper Helsingin Sanomat reported on Tuesday that the government decided to permit nicotine pouch flavours produced by a Stockholm-based company a move it suggested may have been prompted by lobbying efforts the paper alleged that a number of pouch flavour varieties produced by Strengberg's Habit Factory were included in the legislation at the behest of government partner the Swedish People's Party (SPP) Habit Factory recently started up a nicotine pouch production factory in the Swedish-speaking town of Jakobstad Open image viewerNicotine pouches can contain artificial or natural nicotine and come in a variety of flavours Image: Terhi YlimäinenJakobstad (Pietarsaari in Finnish) is home to the former chair of the SPP in mid-April the government agreed to include four extra flavours not banned in the nicotine product legislation In addition to the exempted flavours of mint and menthol Some other flavours under consideration were not included newspaper Iltalehti reported that Habit Factory's Finnish-owned competitor was concerned about the tobacco product law told the paper that Habit Factory is the only firm that manufactures pouches with those four exempted flavours "These flavours are only made by one company in the world, Habit Factory, which, interestingly enough, opened a factory in Pietarsaari this year. These flavours are made there," he told the paperOpens an external website The former education minister said she wanted to offer her version of what occurred "After the government negotiations, it was clear that the [banned] flavours list would be changed. The company had also given a list of its flavours to the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, and we also knew about them," Henriksson told Svenska Yle She pointed out that her party saw the legislation as a matter of countering the black market and boosting tax revenue only allowing mint and menthol flavours would prompt people to get nicotine pouches from abroad Nicotine pouches are also quite popular in Sweden Henriksson said she was surprised that the social affairs and health ministry did not reach a solid decision on what flavours were considered meant for "adults" other than specifically stipulating which flavours were permitted and which were not Open image viewerAnna-Maja Henriksson Image: Johanna Manu / YleShe said that the government reviewed a number of nicotine pouch flavours and that all four parties in the coalition agreed on which ones were approved Svenska Yle asked Henriksson whether it was a coincidence that the company marketing those specific flavours happens to be located in her hometown "This company could be located in Helsinki the Swedish People's Party had the same opinion about this We wanted to open up the discussion about flavours because we wanted to counteract the grey economy We wanted Finland to get more tax revenue instead of it going to Sweden it would lead [people] to sell on the black market which would have negative consequences," Henriksson told Svenska Yle Henriksson said discussions about the matter have strayed from the main issue of which flavours should be permitted and too much focus has been directed at the company being based in Jakobstad because if I would have been from Helsinki I would certainly have had the same opinion on the substantive issue regardless of where the company was based," she said Open image viewerSanni Grahn-Laasonen Image: Markku Pitkänen / YleMeanwhile Social Security Minister Sanni Grahn-Laasonen (NCP) who leads the ministry responsible for the nicotine product legislation said that she only recommended that two flavours (mint and menthol) be included in the exempted flavours list during the formulation of the law the SPP wanted to open up the already existing agreement and submitted a long list of demands for new flavours," she told Yle the other three government parties – the Finns Party the Christian Democrats and the National Coalition Party – agreed to SPP's demands to include the additional flavours of rosemary Grahn-Laasonen said that the NCP was not aware of where the list of suggested exempted flavours came from "My team and I have refrained from meeting and receiving lobbying from actors in the tobacco and nicotine industry It is a conscious decision and based on the interpretation of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control," Grahn-Laasonen said Users with an Yle ID can leave comments on our news stories. You can create your Yle ID via this link. Our guidelines on commenting and moderation are explained here This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page The launch by Baltic Yachts of the ultra-light foil-assisted 111-foot Raven for sailing trials off Jakobstad The yacht was first lowered into the water in mid-July minus her side arms and T-shaped hydrofoils so that all her systems could be tested before foiling commenced This ensured that everything from her hydraulic including her diesel electric propulsion were working and her water ballast tanks activated so that she could be assessed under sail without her foils Although Raven is fitted with a fixed keel she needs the assistance of water ballast to maintain stability while sailing When this phase of commissioning was completed Raven was lifted back onto the hard standing in Jakobstad so that her side arms and foils could be fitted and be prepared for further trials to test her ability as a foil-assisted ultra-lightweight superyacht In the early part of September her specialist sailing team will join the yacht in Finland so that Raven can be gradually worked up to a level which will allow her to be shipped to a location where the conditions will enable her to reach her full sailing potential Tags: Launched in 1997, Scuttlebutt provides sailing news with a North American focus. Look for the latest information to be posted on the website, with the highlights distributed in the e-Newsletter What is the e-Newsletter Subscribe Today © 2024 Scuttlebutt Sailing News. Inbox Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved.made by VSSL Agency Tom von Bonsdorff, Baltic Yacht CEO  Baltic Yachts has welcomed its new CEO who officially took the helm of the Finnish shipyard on February 5 With prior experience in executive roles at Volvo and Kesko where he spearheaded the deployment of Finland's premier electric vehicle charging infrastructure Von Bonsdorff brings a wealth of management expertise to his new position Tasked with steering Baltic Yachts into a new era of growth he will oversee operations at the company's newly expanded manufacturing facility in Jakobstad  “Following our highly successful 50th anniversary year and the launch of a number of yachts in 2023 including the revolutionary 34m foil assisted superyacht Raven we are delighted Tom is joining Baltic Yachts to steer us through our next wave of innovation as the company continues to lead the world in advanced composite superyacht design and construction,” says Executive Vice President Henry Hawkins Von Bonsdorff’s appointment coincides with the opening of the new extension of Baltic Yachts’ Jakobstad facility which brings the entire yacht-building operation under one roof Baltic Yachts’ new facility in Jakobstad Tom von Bonsdorff says: “Baltic has an enviable worldwide reputation for innovation and success in one of the most demanding sectors of the marine industry and I am delighted to be able to bring my experience in global sales service and manufacturing to strengthen the company’s efforts in everything they do.” Baltic Yachts’ owner Professor Hans Georg Näder says: “Having someone of Tom’s calibre and worldwide industry knowledge will bring many benefits to Baltic which continues to innovate to bring the ground-breaking visions of our clients to fruition.” Baltic Yachts delivered directly from The Superyacht Group's editors and market analysts Stay at the forefront of the superyacht industry with SuperyachtNewsweek The eye-catching Baltic Yacht is the first yacht in its size category to use hydrofoils mounted on adjustable side arms The Finnish tech leader has built an advanced engine, gearing up for the arrival of eco-friendly 'green ammonia' fuel Work has begun at the Jakobstad facility, which Baltic hopes to be fully operational by 2024 The 'one-stop shop' for superyacht new build and refit fit-out in the Baltic Sea It all starts with the fundamentals...the little things that bring down consumption, reducing the amount of power and number of batteries required Get the latest weekly news, in-depth reports, intelligence, and strategic insights, delivered directly from The Superyacht Group's editors and market analysts. Please select exactly what you would like to receive from us by ticking the boxes below: Finland’s Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment has granted Ilmatar Offshore a research permit for two offshore wind areas in Finland’s exclusive economic zone. The granted permit applies to two areas, one of which is located approximately 30 kilometers from Jakobstad and the other approximately 70 kilometres southwest of Vaasa. Ilmatar Offshore previously announced that these projects had been temporarily suspended. However, after the granting of the research permit, the development will now continue and these areas are given an official project status.  ”These areas are absolutely still of interest to us. The permitting procedure in the EEZ areas is still unclear, but we know that the principle ‘first come, first served’ does not apply here. Obtaining a research permit or presenting a completed environmental impact assessment does not give priority,” said Anna Häger, Regional Manager at Ilmatar Offshore. ”As part of Finland’s ambitious climate goals to become carbon neutral by 2035, all areas with good preconditions for offshore wind power must be valuated. As a Finnish operator, we want to be involved in developing offshore wind power in our home country. We are now proceeding with tenders for seabed surveys and environmental impact assessments in these areas and plan to start work as soon as the sea conditions allow.” The two areas cover approximately 700 square kilometres in total. The projects outside the Ostrobothnia’s coastal waters have been named Voima and Norrskär, and the areas cover 323 and 389 square kilometres, respectively. It is too early to predict the number of turbines and the installed capacity, but the preconditions are very good, Ilmatar said. The areas are not too deep and the wind conditions are good. In addition, there is export potential to nearby areas where the need for green energy is growing. Juha-Pekka Weckström has recently been appointed CEO of Ilmatar and is looking forward to leading the company’s proactive venture into offshore wind power. ”In order to secure long-term value chains, domestic operators must be able to use offshore wind power developed in Finland’s EEZ areas,” Weckström said. ”It should be self-evident, and it is also in Finland’s interest, that domestic operators operate in Finland’s EEZ areas. That is the only way to ensure long-term value development and joint development work with the Finnish industry.” Ilmatar Offshore is also developing the up to 2.1 GW Stormskär and Väderskär offshore wind project north of Åland. The project would be located in the Norrhavet maritime area which has been specified in the Åland Maritime Spatial Plan as suitable for offshore wind power. Daily news and in-depth stories in your inbox Leveraging 20 years of experience with offshore windDecember 2023 will forever mark a milestone in our company history, as we became part of the world-wide CS WIND group. The acquisition goes beyond a mere change in ownership; it marks a leap into a future where our combined strengths will pave the way for optimized production […] This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. a small majority Swedish-speaking town decided to start serving school lunches in summer Open image viewerOne small town is providing school lunches this summer Image: Kristiina Lehto / YleYle News21.5.2024 13:58In Jakobstad (Pietarsaari) children on summer break will be able to access free lunches this June The west-coast town decided to provide lunches next month after up to 70 pupils responded positively to a survey on summer meals Pupils of all ages have signed up for the lunches according to Jakobstad's education director who said kids from all of the town's schools expressed an interest in the summer meal Being home alone while parents work was the most common reason for pupils wanting free lunch during the summer break Some of the children also cited financial motives run summertime park lunch programmes to make sure children receive at least one hot meal a day — but not all municipalities offer the service Surveys have shown that an increasing number of families in Finland are struggling to provide basics for their children Sign In Subscribe Now  First Memorial Funeral Services Dialogue and debate are integral to a free society and we welcome and encourage you to share your views on the issues of the day. We ask that you be respectful of others and their points of view, refrain from personal attacks and stay on topic. To learn about our commenting policies and how our community-based moderation works, please read our Community Guidelines Bike Europe is a part of VMNmedia. The following rules apply to the use of this site: Terms of Use and Privacy / Cookie Statement | Privacy settings The book reflects his own background, telling the story of a Vietnamese family in a coastal Ostrobothnian town. Tran himself grew up in Jakobstad, where his family moved from Vietnam in 1989. "Tran's novel does not accuse or offer ready explanations, but gives the reader a chance to interpret for themselves. The distinctively-voiced novel is a refreshing addition to Finnish literature, a varied and beautiful package." 32-year-old Tran said he was shocked to get this recognition for his very first work. "I don't quite believe it yet," he told Yle. "The prize is a really big surprise. I have only just gotten used to the idea that people read a book that I've written." The prize is worth 20,000 euros and is awarded by the Uusimaa newspaper, the city of Porvoo, the Union of Finnish writers, the the Finnish Critics' Association and the Society of Swedish Authors in Finland. The first prize was given in 1986 and is handed out on Runeberg Day, the annual celebration of Johan Ludvig Runeberg, one of the national poets of Finland who also has a cake named in his honour. Open image viewerTuija Valkonen picked up clean drinking water from a distribution point manned by Anssi Tervaskangas and Anssi Väisänen at Jakobstad's market square on Monday Image: Kalle Niskala / YleYle News17.10.2023 12:37•Updated 17.10.2023 14:00Residents of the city of Jakobstad (Pietarsaari in Finnish) in Ostrobothnia are currently relying on bottled water or drinking water distributed from the local utility company's tanker The reason is the high iron content of tap water The usually clear drinking water in the city has been brown and tasting strongly of iron since Tuesday of last week The local utility takes water from the Esse River for processing and distribution Because of recent heavy rains and strong runoff it contains an unusually high level of solid matter The water treatment plant uses large amounts of chemicals containing iron in the purification process Some gets into tap water and turns it brown that additional iron should not be a hazard Demand for bottled water in the city has shot up and Aki Salminen of K-Supermarket Jeppis said that customers have been very worried Many parents said that they do not want to give their child water with high iron content," he said had staff working over the weekend to catch up with the spike in demand we picked up 2,400 litres of water with two vans It was enough for an hour's sales," Salminen explained I organised a tanker and got about 14,000 litres of water The water utility Jakobstads Vatten-Pietarsaaren Vesi has been distributing drinking water at the city's market square since Sunday Open image viewerBottled water delivered over the weekend sold out almost immediately Image: Aki SalminenAn increasing common problemThe Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) is regularly informed of various water quality issues According to THL researcher Ilkka Miettinen serious illnesses spread by contaminated water supplies are fortunately rare with just a few each year and none in 2022 THL has been receiving more reports of water contaminated by chemicals or microbes than ever before groundwater pollution has come to our attention to an increasing extent," said Miettinen It is difficult to estimate the actual scope of the problem as the reports sent to THL are thought to be only the tip of the iceberg one of the reasons for growing pollution of water supplies is climate change and the subsequent increased rainfall Heavy rains cause surface runoff into waterways "Then soil microbes or pollutants are usually found in the water disease-causing microbes can get into the water," he pointed out Another problem is the aging water supply network in many areas "The network becomes fragile and leaks from pipes increase leading to contamination of drinking water," said Miettinen Statistics clearly show that the threats of contamination are more significant at water utilities that use groundwater most groundwater plants do not use disinfection processes All surface water plants use a multi-stage treatment to remove organic materials and other pollutants and disinfect the water surface water plants are not immune to problems caused by heavy rains "Runoff increases the amount of humus in surface water That's why water utilities have to increase processing and add chemicals Maybe this case is a signal that our environment is changing," said Miettinen He adds that iron in itself is not the worst chemical in water While short-term drinking of iron-rich water has no known health risks Jakobstads Vatten CEO Andreas Svarvar was unable to say on Monday when the water supply will be back to normal for all of the company's customers "The amount of iron content is constantly declining Improvement of the situation depends on the weather the surface level drops and less matter is washed into the river I believe that in a few days the situation will return to normal," said Svarvar he pointed out that the network has a large buffer containing a large amount of water so the changeover can vary from hours to days depending on the district where the end user lives Local supermarkets are keeping a close watch on the situation ordering bottled water from suppliers on a daily basis so that that they are not suddenly left with thousands of litres of water in stock Users with an Yle ID can leave comments on our news stories. You can create your Yle ID via this link. Our guidelines on commenting and moderation are explained in this article. You can comment on this article until 23:00 on 18 October. sawdust raw materialST1 Biofuels and the S Group plan to build a 140-million-euro bioethanol plant in the west coast city of Jakobstad (Finnish name Pietarsaari) The plant would produce 50 million litres of biofuel a year from sawdust and recycled wood Open image viewerA conceptual illustration of the proposed plant Image: St1 Nordic Oy15.11.2016 19:11•Updated 16.11.2016 10:12North European Bio Tech (NEB) a joint venture from two of Finland’s most successful companies the ST1 energy and oil refiner and the retail cooperative S Group is investing in a large new bioethanol plant in western Finland Bioethanol is a form of ethanol that is produced from plant-based raw materials The new plant will use the patented Cellunolix process to create fuel from sawdust and recycled wood Analysis and letters of intent have already been signed with the power company Alholmens Kraft and forest industry firm UPM about providing project services and utilizing the plant’s by-products in their own processes The latest NEB plant project in Finland got it start when the success and profitability of a similar 10-million-litre plant in eastern Kajaani become clear The company’s first sawdust-based plant is scheduled to reach its full production potential in early 2017 chief engineer at Finland’s economy ministry’s energy department says the Jakobstad plant will be the largest plant specialising in the production of bioethanol in Finland it will only generate half of the energy currently produced at the UPM biorefinery in Lappeenranta it would account for a great increase in domestic consumption as most of the bioethanol being used in Finland is now imported The project is now subject to an environmental impact assessment procedure before it can proceed and the authorities will have to approve an environmental permit The investment decisions will only be confirmed two years from now and the separate Cellunolix plant for converting the fuel for use by the transport industry won’t be operational until 2020 ST1 Biofuels is responsible for the preparation planning and implementation of the project The west coast city of Jakobstad is already a significant biocluster in Finland Some ten percent of Finland’s raw wood materials are already refined and processed there The design and build of the new bioethanol plant is expected to create 500 man years of work the plant would employ 25 shift-work employees and 70 others indirectly in the areas of logistics and maintenance service director of the Ostrobothnia ELY Centre responsible for regional implementation of central government policy is happy to hear news of the potential investment in the region “This is great news and a big plus for our area and the job market It will affect employment figures in many ways and increase purchasing power,” he said ST1 is a Finnish energy company with service station chains in Finland It is hoping to be at the forefront of the development of waste-based ethanol in the Nordics aiming at a 300 million-litre yearly capacity by 2020 the company already owns and operates four plants using waste from the food industry and one plant using biowaste from shops and households as their feedstock NEB is considering eventual expansion of its Kajaani plant to match the capacity of the new Jakobstad plant Finland to shift biofuel and electric vehicle usage into high gearPublished 20162016Biofuel plant to power 5,000 vehicles annually with sawdustPublished 20142014Sources: Yle Anna-Maria Helsing has gained an outstanding reputation with leading Scandinavian orchestras and opera houses with her special affinity for the sound and style of modernism and contemporary music. From 2010-2013 she was Chief Conductor of the Oulu Symphony. She is Artistic Director of the high-profile chamber music festival Rusk in Jakobstad, Finland and Principal Guest Conductor of the BBC Concert Orchestra since 2020. The Swedish-Finnish conductor has conducted all the major Scandinavian orchestras including Finnish Radio, Kuopio, Swedish Radio, Gothenburg, Malmö, Nörrköping, Stavanger, Trondheim, Odense, Aalborg and Iceland Symphony, Royal Stockholm, Helsinki, Tampere and Arctic Philharmonic, Tapiola Sinfonietta, Lahti Sinfonia, Norwegian Radio Orchestra, Finnish National, Royal Swedish, Gothenburg and Malmö Opera Orchestra, Tapiola Sinfonietta and Lahti Sinfonia. Furthermore she has conducted the Philharmonia Orchestra, BBC Philharmonic, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Barcelona Symphony Orchestra and Musikkollegium Winterthur. Upcoming highlights are her debut with Royal Philharmonic and Christchurch Symphony, and revisits with Finnish Radio Symphony, Oulu Symphony, Vaasa City Orchestra, Kymi and Estonian Sinfonietta, Jönköping Sinfonietta and Norrbotten Chamber Orchestra. Anna-Maria Helsing began her career as a violinist and completed her studies as conductor at Sibelius Academy Helsinki. In addition she has attended masterclasses with Jorma Panula, Vladimir Jurowski and John Carewe. Open image viewerA Christmas greeting by west coast fire and rescue personnel featured fire trucks flashing their lights in sync with music by American progressive rock band Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Image: K-P PelastlaitosYle News17.12.2019 19:40Firefighters in central Ostrobothnia and Jakobstad (Pietarsaari in Finnish) on Finland’s west coast have attracted international attention with recent social media posts. In one post, a fireman from Veteli in Central Ostrobothnia demonstrates his skill worming his body through the rungs of a ladder — a space just 27 x 27 centimetres square — while clad in full firefighting gear. The video proved to be a winner on Facebook, racking up nearly four million views, more than 34,000 shares and attracting 3,000 comments from as far afield as Asia. The station’s Facebook posts usually reach about 800,000 people in a year. "We are used to tight spots. Here’s a concrete example from Veteli, where we simulate a situation with the 27 x 27-centimetre space between the rungs of a ladder," the rescue service said on Facebook. "Do not try this at home! And if you do, remember to have an assistant on hand to call us to [also] help you get out of this scrape," the post continued. Fire chief Antti Kätevä said that the video demonstrates that more than muscle is required for the job. "A firefighter also needs to be agile and flexible," he declared, adding that it would have been good to embed a reminder about fire safety at Christmas time. "But maybe that would not have been as funny or interesting," he noted. The idea for the video came from an Eastern European version, but the Veteli firefighter chose an even smaller space for the stunt. Safety communications specialist Juha Hassila of the Finnish National Rescue Association (SPEK )said he salutes the more relaxed videos, adding that communications have become more diverse and there is a demand for many different types of content. He noted that it is still important to build awareness, but that there has been an increase in the use of more fun, light-hearted content. "They improve the profession’s image and more: they highlight concrete examples of how these guys can operate in challenging situations," Hassila pointed out. A seasonal greeting involving fire trucks by rescue services in central Ostrobothnia and Jakobstad has also proven to be highly popular on social media. In it, seven fire trucks flash their lights to the beat of American progressive rock band Trans-Siberian Orchestra's track, Wizards in Winter from the 2004 album, The Lost Christmas Eve. The video accumulated 90,000 views in 24 hours on Facebook and attracted a great deal of positive reaction. It was shot on a snowy morning at the side of a busy road opposite the fire station. Fire chief Kätevä said that the idea was spawned by an offer rescue workers could not refuse — media students pitched in to record the video as part of their study programme. "We certainly have many tools and skills, but you can see from the editing that there is a difference between an experienced user and a novice," he quipped. The video carries an explicit warning to persons with a sensitivity to flashing lights. It was tweeted with a Christmas greeting in multiple languages, including Finnish, Swedish, English and Russian, among others. "Hyvää joulua! God Jul! Merry Christmas! Buriid juovllaid! Joyeux Noël! Frohe Weinachten! Feliz Navidad! Buon Natale! С рождеством! 聖誕快樂 " we wouldn't have sunk"The veteran seaman said he regrets not properly inspecting his vessel before leaving The boat carrying 27 people sank on Thursday An estimated 15-cm hole in the m/s Mässkär's hull caused it to take on water very quickly But thanks to nearby boaters who rushed to the scene to help everyone aboard was rescued before the vessel was completely submerged Hours after Thursday's harrowing incident one of the boat's three co-owners said he suspected the hole was caused by a malfunction in the boat engine's exhaust system A few rescued passengers told Yle there was a lot of smoke pouring out of the back of the boat before it began to take on water gave his theory of why the boat started to burn and then sank He said the engine's muffler caught fire and created a hole in the vessel's hull "It was a hole around 15 cm in diameter The muffler has been replaced at least a couple times before because it caught fire but the [fires] have not been as severe as this one," Bredbacka said took responsibility for not thoroughly checking the boat saying that Thursday's close-call was a result of human error I should have checked the cooling system's valve before I started It was a question of human error," he said The valve in question should have been left open rather than closed off western Finland's coast on Thursday Image: Robin BokullSvenska Yle's bureau in Ostrobothnia spoke with a few of the rescued passengers on Thursday who claimed the captain did not inform passengers what was happening as the incident unfolded who's worked on sea boats for the past 60 years said the situation was progressing so quickly that there was just not enough time. "You don't have many minutes in this kind of circumstance and the most important matters need to be addressed [first] he said you don't know with certainty what was happening before everything already happened." handed out life vests to all of the passengers "Then we put out all four of the emergency rafts," Sjö said the Transport Safety Agency as well as the coast guard have interviewed Sjö about Thursday's events A preliminary criminal investigation has been launched by police and the coast guard The agencies are trying to determine whether to bring charges relating to negligence in failing to ensure the ship was seaworthy negligence regarding good seamanship as well as public endangerment Jari Nieminen from western Finland's coast guard said the probe would clarify whether Thursday's events correspond to the suspected violations At this point only the boat's captain He said that the investigation will take several weeks and that a technical inspection of the water bus has already begun is registered to carry 22 passengers and two crew members "I didn't want to leave three young girls on the shore because they'd reserved their tickets far in advance," he said Sjö disputes allegations made by some that there were not enough life vests on the boat "Everyone had life vests and there were still enough [vests] for another group of people There's always 50 percent more live vests onboard than necessary," Sjö said Open image viewerUponnutta vesibussia nostetaan Image: Mikaela Löv-Alden / YleSjö said he is relieved that no one was hurt on Thursday and that he will try to move on "I've been at sea for 60 years and plan to continue doing so," he said the submerged Mässkär was retrieved and brought back to shore The boat's co-owner Bredbacka said he doubts the vessel will be shuttling passengers to Mässkär island again - at least by them "We really haven’t had the chance to think about it yet It's possible to get the boat in good shape again but I doubt that we will use it again," Bredbacka said saying that he would prefer to use a larger boat with a deck on which passengers can sit and enjoy the summer sea Shipwreck collection off Finland's southern coast is a preservation wonderPublished 20182018Divers acquitted of stealing from shipwreckPublished 20152015Sources: Yle Open image viewerGiorgios Katidis Image: EPA / STRINGER26.1.2017 18:05•Updated 26.1.2017 18:09Ex-Greek international Georgos Katidis may be headed to play for FF Jaro in Jakobstad, but not without controversy. In March 2013, after scoring a goal while playing for AEK Athens, Katidis raised his right arm in what appeared to be a Nazi salute. The incident was widely criticised but Katidis, who was 20 years old at the time, said he was not a fascist and didn't know what the salute meant. Katidis' salute resulted in Greece's national team banning Katidis for life, and his club AEK Athens suspended him for the rest of the season. He had played for several junior national teams up to that point, and was the captain of the under-21 team which was runner-up in the 2012 European Championship. Since the incident Katidis has represented Aris, Novara, Veria, Levadiakos and Panegialkos. FF Jaro president Harald Finne wrote that the club was aware of the Nazi salute incident, but that Jaro want to offer Katidis another chance. "FF Jaro is aware of the commotion caused in Greece by Katidis' inappropriate style of celebration. Jaro condemns the behaviour and wants to remind [people] that one of the core values of the club is respect for others," Finne wrote on the club's website. "Another of FF Jaro's core values is to support people who've made a mistake, and against that backdrop, Jaro wants to give this talent a chance, and at the same time Katidis can raise the technical level of Jaro and bring the club back into the league," Finne stated. "Jaro has also helped problem youths and players with good results. FF Jaro has the environment and needed expertise," Finne wrote on the team website. Katidis is scheduled to arrive in Jakobstad on Friday and if he meets expectations a contract will likely be signed. Both the club and Katidis have reportedly already reached agreement on contract negotiations. Open image viewerFile photo of seized drugs from Finnish Customs. Image: Polisinrättningen i HelsingforsYle News25.2.2020 18:56Police in Finland's western region of Ostrobothnia are investigating a drug smuggling operation allegedly involving 30 suspects Authorities said three suspects from Finland and Bulgaria primarily brought in amphetamine base oil which is used to produce the street version of the drug but also smaller amounts of ecstasy and cannabis during 2017-2019 The drugs were allegedly imported into Ostrobothnia from the Netherlands according to local police inspector Olli-Pekka Punkari who added that the drugs were distributed in the area Police are investigating both the import of the drugs as well as how the drugs were distributed around Ostrobothnia The three individuals - two Bulgarian nationals and one from Finland -- are suspected of taking the drugs into the country Police suspect that the smuggled amphetamine base oil was used to produce several of kilos of amphetamine in Ostrobothnia Two other individuals from Ostrobothnia are suspected of distributing the drugs around the area who police said used amphetamine themselves and with the help from others sold several kilograms of amphetamines in the municipalities of Jakobstad The individual from Isokyrö is suspected of buying and then selling nearly one kilogram of the stimulant in the municipalities of Vaasa and Seinäjoki The preliminary investigation also uncovered several thefts and cases of money laundering Authorities also seized stolen property which had allegedly been used to pay drug debts the Ostrobothnian police department cooperated with other police units in Finland The case is heading to prosecutors in the next few weeks Anna-Maria Helsing has gained an outstanding reputation with leading Scandinavian orchestras and opera houses with her special affinity for the sound and style of modernism and contemporary music From 2010-2013 she was Chief Conductor of the Oulu Symphony She is Artistic Director of the high-profile chamber music festival Rusk in Jakobstad Finland and Principal Guest Conductor of the BBC Concert Orchestra since 2020 From October 2023 she will be Chief Conductor of the BBC Concert Orchestra The Swedish-Finnish conductor has conducted all the major Scandinavian orchestras including Finnish Radio From 2023/24 she is Chief Conductor of the BBC Concert Orchestra Furthermore she has conducted the Philharmonia Orchestra Barcelona Symphony Orchestra and Musikkollegium Winterthur Upcoming highlights are her debut with Royal Philharmonic and Christchurch Symphony Jönköping Sinfonietta and Norrbotten Chamber Orchestra Anna-Maria Helsing began her career as a violinist and completed her studies as conductor at Sibelius Academy Helsinki In addition she has attended masterclasses with Jorma Panula Concerts and Planning Co-ordinator: Ruth Potter Concerts and Broadcast Co-ordinator: Ayesha Labrom Orchestra Personnel Manager: Claire Tapping Assistant Orchestra Personnel Manager: Collette Astley-Jones Stage and Transport Resource Manager: Chris Ouzman Driver/Assistant Stage Manager: Lee Goodrum Assistant Learning Producers: Sian Bateman Learning Business Co-ordinator: Charley Douglas Nautor's Swan and Baltic Yachts launched their biggest yachts yet 29/9/06 Nautor’s Swan and Baltic Yachts have just launched their biggest yachts respectively the German Frers-designed 131ft Aritarchos for a Greek repeat customer a Judel Vrolijk-designed 152-footer also for a repeat customer The Swan 131 is a real belt-and-braces affair because she not only has twin rudders This isn’t purely for manoeuvrabily – she has a 100hp bow-thruster and a 70hp stern-thruster to help in close quarters – but also to enable the yacht go stern-to on walls in ports and off beaches throughout the Aegean and Mediterranean the yacht should be able to get within passerelle distance but the seabed should shelve sufficiently to accommodate a keel more than 20m away which draws 4.8m which seems almost too big even for this 131-footer with a large dining area that has extensive seating and two control consoles All sails are on furlers and there are captive winches for the mainsheet and main halyard Nautor’s Boat Building Technology Centre in Jakobstad is really coming into its own and Simone Marconcini so ultimately all Swan yachts can be completed here One of the more extraordinary statistics of the Nautor’s Swan yard is that five German Frers-designed Swan 90s have been ordered before the first yacht started building The 90 is a really handsome yacht and promises to create a hot and impressive class on the race track who runs the custom side of Swan production said that nothing under 90ft should now be seen as custom although a Luca Brenta 76 had just been launched a Bill Tripp-designed 78 was under way and a one-off Frers 85 was also in the pipeline The latter is designed as a specialist performance yacht and will come with what Nautor refer to as a 40ft ‘kitchen’ boat which will follow the race boat as a mother ship   The June 2025 issue of Yachting World is out now. Open image viewerVoting in the European Parliament Image: Ronald Wittek / EPAYle News19.2.2024 13:00Several political parties have revealed some of candidates that will stand for election to the European Parliament in June The Finns Party announced some of their candidates on Monday including current MP and deputy party chair Sebastian Tynkkynen from Oulu MPs Ari Koponen from Tuusula and Sanna Antikainen from Outokumpu as well as former party secretary Arto Luukkanen In addition to the Finns Party, the Swedish People's Party (SPP) named its preliminary candidates for the June elections last week. The list includes current party chair and Minister of Education Anna-Maja Henriksson from Jakobstad and MP Eva Biaudet from Helsinki Meanwhile the National Coalition Party's current candidate list includes MPs Aura Salla From the Social Democratic Party, incumbent MEP Eero Heinäluoma will run again as well as MPs Ville Merinen and Suna Kymäläinen, while former Centre party chair and one-time Finance Minister Katri Kulmuni will also stand as a candidate for her party in the June election The Green League will see incumbent MEP Ville Niinistö run again while Silvia Modig will not seek re-election for the next term of the European Parliament Movement Now and the Christian Democrats have not yet announced any candidates Many of the candidate lists are currently incomplete with more candidates expected to announce their campaigns in the coming months Users with an Yle ID can leave comments on our news stories. You can create your Yle ID via this link. Our guidelines on commenting and moderation are explained here. Look northwardThe most important price factor is proximity to the Helsinki region – and preferably the sea Open image viewerHoliday cabins in parts of Finnish Lapland can be purchased for a fraction of the cost of those in Uusimaa Image: Antti Mikkola / YleYle News24.3.2024 15:55There are over half a million holiday homes in Finland but an Yle survey of data from the National Land Survey shows huge regional differences in their prices Shoreline cottages in southern Finland can cost ten times as much as comparable properties in central and northern areas The survey covers the average prices of completed sales of shoreline cottages between 2018 and 2023 The most important price factor was proximity to the densely populated Helsinki region which is home to nearly a quarter of the country’s population The costliest summer homes are within the capital region itself where the average cabin on the sea or a lake or river will set you back 338,100 euros That’s followed by neighbouring Kirkkonummi (€285,200) and Sipoo The other municipalities where holiday homes typically cost more than 200,000 euros are also nearby – Inkoo and Porvoo – as well as Asikkala on a large lake some 130km north of the capital Close behind are Raseborg in western Uusimaa and Jakobstad Open image viewerAverage prices in seven municipalities within an approximately 200-kilometre radius of Helsinki you could buy a waterside cabin for just 35,300 euros in Perho or for around 39,000 in Ylitornio on the Swedish border in southwest Lapland Prices averaged just over 40,000 euros in Kiuruvesi and Rautavaara both also around 500km – or a six-hour drive – from the capital as well as in Sodankylä in Finnish Lapland Zoning usually increases the value of an area and therefore summer cottages in a zoned district tend to be pricier than those elsewhere – but not always “In Uusimaa and many popular cottage areas there is no longer much difference between the average prices of planned areas and dispersed settlement areas the median price may even be slightly higher in dispersed settlement areas than in zoned areas a senior specialist at the National Land Survey Many factors other than zoning affect the value of a cottage the type of waterway adjacent to the cabin plays a significant role while a beach facing toward the south or southwest increases the value by 10 percent with afternoon and evening sun considered more desirable than morning sun nowadays it is increasingly important that a holiday cottage be accessible by car all year round and that it has water The value of an island cottage is usually 60–70 percent of a corresponding leisure home on the mainland The size of ​​the plot has a strong impact on the value up to around half a hectare but after that the size plays less of a role Last year, sales and prices of summer cottages slumped compared to 2022 and the preceding pandemic years when Finns tended to travel domestically and some worked remotely from holiday homes