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☆ Finns Choose New President for NATO Era With Russia in Mind
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-27 | by ( Jan. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

The Nordic country's admission to NATO last year drew threats of "counter measures" from its vast Russian neighbour. In December, Finland closed its entire border with Russia to passenger traffic in response to a surge in migrants trying to cross. Partial results are expected shortly after polls close at 1800 GMT and the competitors for the probable second round should be clear by 2030 GMT unless the results are very close. The new president will replace 75-year-old incumbent Sauli Niinisto who is required to step down after two six-year terms in office. He earned the nickname "the Putin Whisperer" during his tenure for his role in maintaining close ties with Russia, which had long been a key role for Finnish presidents.

Persons: Anne Kauranen, Alexander Stubb, Pekka Haavisto, Finns Party's Jussi Halla, Olli Rehn, Jutta Urpilainen, Sauli Niinisto, Putin, Terje Solsvik, Philippa Fletcher Organizations: Anne Kauranen HELSINKI, NATO, Nordic, Moscow, Finnish Defence Forces, Green Party, Finns, Bank of Finland, Social Democrat European Locations: Finland, Ukraine, Russia, Helsinki, Oslo

The Balticconnector gas pipeline was shut early on Sunday on concerns that gas was leaking from a hole in the 77-km (48-mile) pipeline. Finnish operator Gasgrid said it could take months or more to repair. "It is likely that damage to both the gas pipeline and the communication cable is the result of outside activity. The damage to the gas pipeline was believed to have taken place in Finnish waters, while the telecoms cable breach was in Estonian waters, Finnish authorities said. Prices were already up on Tuesday due to fears over tensions in the Middle East but expectations that outside activity caused the pipeline damage pushed prices in the nervous market higher.

Persons: Jens Stoltenberg, Gasgrid, Sauli Niinisto, Petteri Orpo, Orpo, Elisa, Timo Kilpelainen, Terje Solsvik, Anne Kauranen, Anna Ringstrom, Andrius, Marta Frackowiak, Louise Rasmussen, Susanna Twidale, Julia Payne, Bart Meijer, Gwladys Fouche, Susan Fenton, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: Finnish Border Guard, Companies Gas, PM, NATO, Reuters, Finnish, Amber Grid, Thomson Locations: of Finland, Estonian, Finland, Estonia, HELSINKI, Baltic, Finnish, Inkoo, Paldiski, St Petersburg, NORD, Russia, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Lithuanian, Ukraine, United States, Latvian, Hamina, Oslo, Helsinki, Stockholm, Andrius Sytas, Vilnius, Gdansk, Copenhagen, London, Brussels

☆ German arms maker takes Finland to market court over rifle choice
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-08 | by ( Anne Kauranen | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] A soldier of the special forces unit KSK of Germany's army Bundeswehr holds the Heckler & Koch assault rifle G95/HK416 during a training exercise in Calw, Germany, October 24, 2022. REUTERS/Heiko Becker/File PhotoHELSINKI, Aug 8 (Reuters) - German gun maker Heckler & Koch has filed a complaint with the Finnish Market Court over Finland's direct arms purchase from a local manufacturer, bypassing competition rules, court documents seen by Reuters showed on Tuesday. Finland's defence forces said the procurement followed Finnish and EU exceptions to competition rules on the basis of national security interests. Contacted by Reuters, Heckler & Koch GmbH declined to comment on the proceeding and did not reveal if it had filed a similar complaint in Sweden. The Swedish Market Court or Stockholm's Administrative Court found no pending complaints by the German company in their registries.

Persons: Koch, Heiko Becker, Italy's Beretta, Heckler, Anne Kauranen, Christina Fincher Organizations: Bundeswehr, Heckler, REUTERS, Finnish Market Court, Reuters, EU, Sako, Finnish Defence Forces, RK, AK, Heckler & Koch, Nordic, NATO, Koch, Swedish, Thomson Locations: Calw, Germany, Sweden, Finnish, Sako, Finland, Swedish, Ukraine, Stockholm's

☆ Lauri Markkanen: NBA star undertaking military service in Finland
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( George Ramsay | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Utah Jazz All-Star forward Lauri Markkanen is undertaking military service in Finland following the conclusion of his NBA season. He added that he doesn’t know exactly how long he will spend on military service over the coming months, explaining that he has the option to complete it across two summers. “I definitely don’t want it to affect the basketball part, so we’ll figure out how to do a combination,” said Markkanen. Markkanen starts his military service at the Finnish Defence Forces Sports School in Helsinki. CNN has contacted the Jazz and Markkanen’s representative for further comment on his military service.

☆ NATO's newest member is now becoming the first country to buy an advanced Israeli air-defense system
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-07 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A day after it joined NATO, Finland said it'll buy an advanced Israeli air-defense system. The Finnish Defense Ministry said it approved the purchase of the David's Sling system in a statement on Wednesday. Israeli defense company Rafael Advanced Defense Systems will deliver the system, which was procured in a deal valued at nearly $345 million, according to the statement. It will be the first export of the David's Sling system, according to a translation of the ministry's statement. David's Sling is an advanced air-defense system built by Rafael and the US firm Raytheon and has been operational since 2017.

HELSINKI/BRUSSELS, April 4 (Reuters) - Finland will become a member of NATO on Tuesday, completing a historic security policy shift triggered by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, while neighbour Sweden is kept in the waiting room. "It will be a good day for Finland's security, for Nordic security and for NATO as a whole," NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told reporters on Monday. Sweden underwent a similar transformation in defence thinking and Stockholm and Helsinki applied together last year to join NATO. Moscow said on Monday it would strengthen its military capacity in its western and northwestern regions in response to Finland joining NATO. Stoltenberg said he was "absolutely confident" that Sweden will become a NATO member.

☆ Finland closes highway for fighter jet drill for first time in decades
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-28 | by ( Anne Kauranen | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

JOUTSA, Finland, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Finland has shut down a section of one of its main highways for five days for the first time in decades to allow its fighter jets to practice landings and take-offs on a reserve road runway. But the reserve roadbase located in Joutsa, Central Finland, has not been used for decades due to its importance as the main highway connecting the capital Helsinki to the more northern parts of the country. "Mainly I believe all the roadbases are in quite good condition so easily taken into the operations in a couple of days," Mantyla said. Another local, Seija Viinikainen, 57, welcomed the exercise amid the Ukraine war turning the situation "dubious". Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Anne Kauranen; Editing by Lisa ShumakerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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