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☆ EU to deploy more staff on Finnish-Russian border amid asylum crisis
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Abandoned bicycles lie at the international border crossing, as migrants arrive to the northern border stations between Finland and Russia, in Salla, Lapland, Finland November 23, 2023. Helsinki has accused Moscow of funnelling migrants to the border from nations such as Yemen, Afghanistan, Kenya, Morocco, Pakistan, Somalia and Syria, a charge the Kremlin has denied. Frontex in a statement on Thursday said it would deploy 50 border guard officers and other staff to Finland along with equipment such as patrol cars, to bolster control activities. Finland earlier this week said it had asked for 60 Frontex officers on top of 10 already stationed in the country. Frontex said it would send a first group of staff on Nov. 29, including border surveillance officers, support for registering migrants, document experts and interpreters.

Persons: Lehtikuva, Jussi Nukari, Coast Guard Agency Frontex, Frontex, Anna Ringstrom, Essi Lehto, Terje Solsvik Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Coast Guard Agency, Nordic, Kremlin, Finland, Thomson Locations: Finland, Russia, Salla, Lapland, Rights STOCKHOLM, Helsinki, Moscow, Yemen, Afghanistan, Kenya, Morocco, Pakistan, Somalia, Syria

☆ Finland May Shut Entire Russian Border, Foreign Minister Says
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-22 | by ( Nov. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

"We have already taken measures to close border crossing points, and if need be, we will be doing further closings," Valtonen said in an interview, adding that closing the entire border was one option the government was currently discussing. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Wednesday that Russia will "of course" respond if Finland closes the remaining border posts between the two countries. Valtonen confirmed observations by the Finnish border guards and said Finnish decision-makers had additional evidence that the Russian border service was transporting the migrants to the border but declined to reveal her sources. Valtonen said Finland had tried discussing the matter with Russia but Moscow had so far declined to engage in dialogue. On Wednesday, 51 migrants arrived from Russia to apply for asylum at the Salla border crossing and at least 11 at Vartius in Northern Finland, the Border Guard said.

Persons: Elina Valtonen, Valtonen, Maria Zakharova, Ylva Johansson, Essi Lehto, Anne Kauranen, Terje Solsvik, Frances Kerry Organizations: Essi Lehto, Reuters, European Union, Kremlin, Foreign, Valtonen, NATO, Frontex, Border Guard Locations: Essi Lehto HELSINKI, Finland, Russia, Helsinki, Moscow, Yemen, Afghanistan, Kenya, Morocco, Pakistan, Somalia, Syria, Ukraine, Russian, EU's, Finnish, Vartius, Northern Finland

☆ Finland to close all but northernmost border crossing with Russia
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-22 | by ( Essi Lehto | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

"The government has today decided to close more border stations," Orpo told a press conference. Finland said Russia was letting migrants through those two crossing points by foot despite an agreement that they could only be crossed by car. "There are growing signs that the situation is worsening on the eastern border," Orpo said. Finland will shut three of the four remaining border crossing points from midnight on Friday, leaving only the Raja-Jooseppi crossing in the Arctic open. "Raja-Jooseppi is the northernmost (border crossing) and it requires a real effort to get there," Orpo said.

Persons: Petteri Orpo, Orpo, Ylva Johansson, Sauli Niinisto, Moscow's, Essi Lehto, Jacob Gronholt, Pedersen, Alexandra Hudson, Christina Fincher, Mark Heinrich Our Organizations: Nordic, European Union, Kremlin, Finland, Russia, Thomson Locations: HELSINKI, Finland, Russia, Helsinki, Moscow, Yemen, Afghanistan, Kenya, Morocco, Pakistan, Somalia, Syria, EU, Estonia, Baltic, Finnish, Vartius, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Belarus, East, Africa

☆ Finland may shut entire Russian border, foreign minister says
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-22 | by ( Essi Lehto | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

A car is seen at the border between Russia and Finland at the Nuijamaa border checkpoint in Lappeenranta, Finland, November 16, 2023. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Wednesday that Russia will "of course" respond if Finland closes the remaining border posts between the two countries. Valtonen confirmed observations by the Finnish border guards and said Finnish decision-makers had additional evidence that the Russian border service was transporting the migrants to the border but declined to reveal her sources. Valtonen said Finland had tried discussing the matter with Russia but Moscow had so far declined to engage in dialogue. On Wednesday, 51 migrants arrived from Russia to apply for asylum at the Salla border crossing and at least 11 at Vartius in Northern Finland, the Border Guard said.

Persons: Moilanen, Elina Valtonen, Valtonen, Maria Zakharova, Ylva Johansson, Essi, Anne Kauranen, Terje Solsvik, Frances Kerry Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Reuters, European Union, Kremlin, Foreign, Valtonen, NATO, Frontex, Border Guard, Thomson Locations: Russia, Finland, Lappeenranta, Helsinki, Moscow, Yemen, Afghanistan, Kenya, Morocco, Pakistan, Somalia, Syria, Ukraine, Russian, EU's, Finnish, Vartius, Northern Finland

☆ A vengeful Russia is sending streams of migrants to Finland's borders to punish it for working with the US, officials say
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-21 | by ( Tom Porter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Finland has accused Russia of sending undocumented migrants across the border. It says 300 migrants have arrived at the border with the help of Russian officials. AdvertisementA vengeful Russia is attempting to stoke a migrant crisis in Finland by sending hundreds of asylum across the border on bicycles and scooters, authorities in Helsinki say. Finnish officials also said that Russia has been giving out bicycles and scooters to migrants because people are banned from walking between the Russian and Finnish border checkpoints, according to The Telegraph. Finland has an 830-mile-long border with Russia, forming the easternmost boundary of the European Union.

Persons: —, Petteri Orpo, Orpo, Sauli Niinistö, Dmitry Peskov, It's, Alexander Lukashenko Organizations: Experts, Russia, NATO, Service, Reuters, The Telegraph, Kremlin, European Union Locations: Finland, Russia, stoke, Helsinki, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, United States, Europe, Belarus, Russian, Poland

"It is very likely that the Russian authorities are heavily involved in the transport operation. Very probably the border guards are involved on their side," he told Reuters. On Monday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov denied Finland's accusation that Russia was deliberately pushing illegal migrants towards the border and said Russian border guards were carrying out their duties in line with the rules. Kivenjuuri said access to the border zone on the Russian side was controlled by Russian authorities. "The border zone is wider on the Russian side and these people are not allowed freely into the border zone.

Persons: Tomi Kivenjuuri, Dmitry Peskov, Jouko Kinnunen, Kivenjuuri, Migri, Antti Lehtinen, Essi Lehto, Anne Kauranen Organizations: Finnish Border Guard, European, Helsinki, Reuters, Finland's Border Guard, Lapland Border Guards, Russian, Asylum Unit, Thomson Locations: Finland, HELSINKI, Russia, Yemen, Somalia, Syria, Iraq, Helsinki, Moscow, Finnish, Vartius, Russian, Afghanistan, Morocco

☆ China's carbon emissions set to peak before 2030 - expert poll
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SINGAPORE, Nov 21 (Reuters) - China is on track to meet a goal to bring its climate-warming carbon dioxide emissions to a peak before 2030, according to a poll of 89 experts from industry and academia published on Tuesday, though questions remain over how high the top will be. More than 70% of respondents said China, the world's biggest carbon dioxide emitter, will be able to meet the target, with two saying its emissions had already peaked, in a poll compiled by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), a Helsinki-based think tank. Still, "experts remain concerned about how high the peak emissions would reach compared to previous levels," CREA said, with a majority of respondents expecting the total to be at least 15% higher than the 2020 level. Half of the experts surveyed by CREA said they believed China would reach peak primary energy consumption before the end of this decade, though nearly a quarter still forecast it would continue to rise even after 2035. CREA's lead analyst Lauri Myllyvirta said last week it was likely China's emissions would go into a "structural decline" from next year, with renewable sources capable of meeting new energy demand.

Persons: CREA, CREA's, Lauri Myllyvirta, David Stanway, Sonali Paul Organizations: Centre for Research, Energy, Clean, Dubai, U.S, Thomson Locations: SINGAPORE, China, Helsinki, Beijing

☆ The creepy AI-driven surveillance that may be infiltrating your workplace
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( Clem De Pressigny | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +15 min

For companies, EAI may be a gold mine. But that isn't stopping companies from using EAI to spy on their employees, determine how they feel, and identify who should be hired and who should be fired. HireVue, a Utah recruitment platform, began using EAI facial analysis in 2014 as part of its candidate interview process. EAI companies disagree. And if it can't, then companies using EAI to make decisions about hiring or firing someone could be entirely misguided.

Persons: EAI, Gabi Zijderveld, Smith, Zijderveld, Dow Jones, Sarah Myers West, Samu Hällfors, Framery, Hällfors, West, it's, Kat Roemmich, Roemmich, Paul Ekman's, Clem De Pressigny Organizations: Companies, Smart, CBS, Disney, Ikea, Dow, Oracle, Washington Post, Electronic Privacy, Center, LinkedIn, Nvidia, Looksery, Snap Inc, University of Michigan School of Information, Smart Eye Locations: Utah, Munich, Helsinki, Europe, American

☆ Finland mulls more border restrictions as asylum seekers 'impossible' to return
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( Essi Lehto | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Finland's President Sauli Niinisto addresses the 78th United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters in New York, U.S., September 20, 2023. REUTERS/Caitlin Ochs/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsHELSINKI, Nov 20 (Reuters) - Finland said on Monday it had become impossible to return asylum seekers who did not meet the criteria for protection and said that it might further restrict migrant entries from Russia following a jump in the number of applicants. Over 500 asylum seekers, mostly from Yemen, Somalia, Syria and Iraq, arrived in Finland - an eastern outpost of the European Union - via Russia in the past two weeks, prompting Helsinki to shut half its border crossings and accuse Moscow of funnelling migrants to its border. Migrants entering Finland from Russia can now only request asylum at two of the remaining four crossing points on their shared 1,340-km (830-mile) border. The Kremlin said on Monday it had lodged a formal protest over the partial border closure, saying the decision reflected an anti-Russian stance.

Persons: Sauli Niinisto, Caitlin Ochs, Niinisto, Petteri Orpo, Orpo, Tomi Kivenjuuri, Kivenjuuri, Moscow's, Essi Lehto, Terje Solsvik, Anna Ringstrom, Jonathan Oatis, Gareth Jones Organizations: United Nations General Assembly, REUTERS, Rights, European, Migrants, Finnish Border Guard, Reuters, Thomson Locations: U.N, New York, U.S, Finland, Russia, Yemen, Somalia, Syria, Iraq, Helsinki, Moscow, Poland, EU, Finnish, Lithuania, Latvia, Belarus, East, Africa, Oslo, Stockholm

☆ Dozens of migrants wait at Finland-Russia border after Helsinki blocks crossings
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-17 | by ( Anne Kauranen | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

HELSINKI, Nov 18 (Reuters) - Dozens of migrants stood behind barriers at two crossings on Finland's border with Russia on Saturday, the Finnish Border Guard said, after Helsinki erected barricades to halt a flow of asylum seekers it says was instigated by Moscow. Despite the closure, dozens of migrants arrived on Saturday afternoon at the Nuijamaa and Vaalimaa crossings, and lit a campfire in sub-zero temperatures behind razor-wire barriers mounted by border guards, Finnish Border Guard told reporters. Four regular border crossings remain open for the time being, but asylum can now only be sought at two of those, in Salla and Vartius, further north, the Border Guard said. On Saturday, 67 people arrived to seek asylum at the Vartius post, the local border guard unit said on X, formerly known as Twitter. The Kremlin on Friday said Finland was making a "big mistake" by closing down border crossings and that Helsinki's move was destroying bilateral relations.

Persons: Mika Rytkonen, Jouko Kinnunen, Moscow's, Riikka Purra, Anne Kauranen, Attila Cser, Kevin Liffey, Terje Solsvik, Ros Russell Organizations: Finnish Border Guard, Kremlin, YLE, Finland, Border Guard, Twitter, MTV, Union, Frontex, Friday, Reuters, Finance, Finns Party, Thomson Locations: HELSINKI, Russia, Helsinki, Moscow, United States, Finland, Iraq, Yemen, Somalia, Syria, Salla, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Belarus, East, Africa, Nuijamaa, London

A view of the border between Russia and Finland at the Nuijamaa border checkpoint in Lappeenranta, Finland on November 15, 2023. The four border crossings - at Vaalimaa, Nuijamaa, Imatra and Niirala in southeastern Finland - are normally the busiest points of travel between the two countries. Nearly 100 asylum seekers had entered Finland from Russia on Friday by midday, officials said. Finland shares a 1,340-km (833-mile) border with Russia that also serves as the EU's external border. Finland's ombudsman for non-discrimination said on Thursday Helsinki still had a duty under international treaties and EU law to allow asylum seekers to seek protection.

Persons: Helsinki, Matti Pitkaniitty, Pitkaniitty, Essi Lehto, Anne Kauranen, Terje Solsvik, Gareth Jones Organizations: Finnish Border Guard, European Union, NATO, Kremlin, Helsinki, Thomson Locations: Russia, Finland, Lappeenranta, Finnish, HELSINKI, Vaalimaa, Russia's, Salla, Iraq, Yemen, Somalia, Syria, Moscow, Ukraine, United States

☆ Finland closes four Russian border crossings to stop asylum seekers
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

A car is seen at the border between Russia and Finland at the Nuijamaa border checkpoint in Lappeenranta, Finland, November 16, 2023. Lehtikuva/Vesa Moilanen via REUTERS Acquire Licensing RightsHELSINKI, Nov 16 (Reuters) - Finland will close four of the nine crossing points on its border with Russia to stem a flow of asylum seekers to the Nordic nation, Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said on Thursday. The Finnish president on Wednesday said a rise in the number of asylum applicants arriving on the country's eastern border appeared to be triggered by Russian revenge for Finland's defence cooperation with the United States. "The government has today decided that Finland will close some eastern border crossing points. The eastern border for that part will close on the night between Friday and Saturday," Orpo told a press conference.

Persons: Moilanen, Petteri Orpo, Orpo, Essi Lehto, Terje Solsvik Organizations: REUTERS Acquire, Rights, Nordic, Thomson Locations: Russia, Finland, Lappeenranta, United States

☆ Explainer: What Turkey gained in delaying Sweden's NATO bid
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( Huseyin Hayatsever | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

NATO, Turkish, Swedish and Finnish flags are seen in this illustration taken May 18, 2022. Last year, Stockholm reversed a ban on exporting military equipment to Turkey, without revealing details of companies or products. WHAT HAVE OTHER NATO MEMBERS DONE? In October, Erdogan sent Sweden's NATO bid to Turkey's parliament for consideration. But it has faced objections in the U.S. Congress over Turkey's delaying NATO enlargement and its human rights record.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Tayyip Erdogan, Erdogan, Gunnar Strommer, Jens Stoltenberg, Thomas Goffus, Huseyin Hayatsever, Jonathan Spicer, Alex Richardson Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Turkish, NATO, Stockholm, Kurdistan Workers ' Party, European Union, Canada, SWEDEN GO, U.S . Congress, Kurdish, Hamas, U.S, Thomson Locations: Rights ANKARA, Ukraine, Turkey, Hungary, Sweden, Stockholm, Helsinki, Washington, SWEDEN, FINLAND, Madrid, Finland, Kurdistan, Ankara, United States, Netherlands, Brussels, Gaza

☆ Car Talk and Birthday Wishes Punctuate Biden’s ‘Trust but Verify’ Diplomacy
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( Katie Rogers | More About Katie Rogers | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

“You know what they call that car?” Mr. Biden asked Mr. Xi. Mr. Biden wished Mr. Xi’s wife a happy birthday. Mr. Xi replied with embarrassment that he had forgotten her birthday was approaching because he had been working so much. At another point, Mr. Biden brandished a picture of a younger Mr. Xi standing on the Golden Gate Bridge. Mr. Biden eventually pierced the “Kumbaya” moment by telling reporters after the carefully coordinated summit that he still considered the Chinese leader a dictator.

Persons: Mr, Biden, Xi, ’, Xi’s, “, ‘, Mao Ning, Biden’s, Donald J, Trump, —, Vladimir V, Putin, Kim Jong Organizations: Economic Cooperation, Mr, North Locations: United States, China, Asia, Washington, Russia, Helsinki, North Korean, Lago, Florida

☆ ‘Fallen Leaves’ Review: Love (and Laughs) Among the Ruins
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( Manohla Dargis | More About Manohla Dargis | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

Modestly scaled and tonally perfect, “Fallen Leaves” opens in a fluorescent hell-on-earth and ends with a vision of something like paradise. A lot of the drinks are downed hurriedly and often furtively by a man, while elsewhere a woman listens to sad songs. A Finnish writer-director best known on the international festival circuit (“Fallen Leaves” won a major award at the 2023 Cannes), Kaurismaki makes movies — precise, austere, plaintive — that resist compartmentalization. Set in contemporary Helsinki, “Fallen Leaves” opens on the woman who listens to sad songs; it’s a habit that suggests she’s a familiar genre type — she isn’t. That’s pretty much what happens when a supermarket manager later fires Ansa for taking some expired food.

Persons: Aki, Kaurismaki, she’s, Alma Poysti, Ansa, Kaurismaki doesn’t Locations: Finnish, Cannes, Helsinki, —, Ukraine

☆ Facing asylum seeker surge from Russia, Finland mulls curbing access
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( Essi Lehto | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/3] A view of the border between Russia and Finland at the Nuijamaa border checkpoint in Lappeenranta, Finland on November 15, 2023. An increasing number of citizens from third countries have arrived via Russia to Finnish border-crossing points without proper documentation this autumn. Finland has no... Acquire Licensing Rights Read moreHELSINKI, Nov 15 (Reuters) - Further groups of asylum seekers arrived on Wednesday at Finland's southeastern border via Russia, officials said, adding to a sudden surge that might spur the Nordic country to restrict access. Finland's government on Tuesday accused Russia of funnelling asylum seekers to crossing points along the frontier and said it might limit access unless Russian authorities reverse course. On Tuesday, 55 asylum seekers were recorded by officials, while Wednesday afternoon's figure stood at 66 and rising, Finnish Border Guard Lieutenant Colonel Jukka Lukkari said.

Persons: Sauli Niinisto, Finland's, Dmitry Peskov, Jukka Lukkari, Jukka Laine, Laine, Essi Lehto, Anne Kauranen, Mark Heinrich Our Organizations: Union, NATO, EU, Finnish Border Guard, University of Eastern, Finnish Refugee Council, Thomson Locations: Russia, Finland, Lappeenranta, Finnish, HELSINKI, Finland's, Moscow, Iraq, Yemen, Somalia, Syria, University of Eastern Finland

☆ Finland to 'take action' as more asylum seekers arrive via Russia
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

A view of the pilot border fence during a media event of the Finnish Border Guard RAJA at the Finnish-Russian border in Imatra, Finland October 26, 2023. Lehtikuva/Jussi Nukari/via REUTERS/File photo Acquire Licensing RightsHELSINKI, Nov 14 (Reuters) - Finland is seeing a rise in the number of third-country asylum seekers arriving at its border crossings from Russia and is preparing to "take action" to handle the situation, the Finnish interior minister said on Tuesday. Russian authorities have changed the way they work to allow travel to Finland despite a lack of documents, which is illegal entry," Minister of Interior Mari Rantanen told reporters. Around 60 asylum seekers had arrived from Russia since early on Monday, according to Finland's border guard authority. NATO member Finland shares a 1,340-kilometre (833-mile) border with Russia which also serves as the European Union's external border.

Persons: Lehtikuva, Jussi Nukari, Interior Mari Rantanen, Rantanen, Anne Kauranen, Essi, Terje Solsvik Organizations: Finnish Border Guard, Rights, Interior, NATO, Thomson Locations: Russian, Imatra, Finland, Russia

☆ Orsted's finance and operations chiefs out after big losses
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The offshore wind industry has found itself in a perfect storm of rising inflation, interest rate hikes and delays in the supply chain struggling to cope with growing demand. Orsted, the world's largest offshore wind developer, on Nov. 1 scrapped two U.S. offshore wind projects, flagging $5.6 billion in related impairments after delays, partly due to vessel availability, meant costs soared. "Together with the finance team and the group executive team, Rasmus Errboe will lead the work on supporting Orsted's capital structure and long-term commitment to its credit rating," the company said. Board member Andrew Brown, who has executive experience from Shell and Portugal's Galp, was appointed interim COO, Orsted said. The company said contracts it had signed for its U.S. offshore wind projects were secured recently and were therefore more reflective of current costs.

Persons: Tom Little, Rasmus Errboe, Andrew Brown, Daniel Lerup, Richard Hunter, Orsted, Mads Nipper, Nipper, Essi Lehto, Susanna Twidale, Louise Rasmussen, Mark Potter Organizations: REUTERS, Shell, RWE, Thomson Locations: Nysted, Denmark, HELSINKI

☆ China emissions could go into 'structural decline' next year - research
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

SINGAPORE, Nov 14 (Reuters) - China's greenhouse emissions could start going into "structural decline" as early as next year as power generation from fossil fuels starts to fall, analysis from the Helsinki-based Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) showed. However, CREA's lead analyst, Lauri Myllyvirta, said emissions could start to go into "structural decline" as early as 2024, despite an estimated rebound of 4.7% year on year in the third quarter of 2023. Factors such as record levels of new renewable installations, a rebound in hydropower generation and a moderate economic recovery that has not relied on infrastructural investment "all but guarantee" a decline in China's CO2 emissions next year, he said. "This would push fossil fuel use - and emissions - into an extended period of structural decline." Editing by Gerry DoyleOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Xie Zhenhua, Lauri Myllyvirta, David Stanway, Gerry Doyle Organizations: Research, Energy, Clean, Carbon, Thomson Locations: SINGAPORE, Helsinki, Dubai

☆ Risk of volcanic eruption in Iceland remains high
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

COPENHAGEN, Nov 13 (Reuters) - Seismic activity in southwestern Iceland decreased in size and intensity on Monday, but the risk of a volcanic eruption remained significant, authorities said, after earthquakes and evidence of magma spreading underground in recent weeks. Thorvaldur Thordarson, professor in vulcanology at the University of Iceland, said most recent data indicated a smaller risk of an eruption in the area around the town of Grindavik. [1/5]A view of cracks, emerged on a road due to volcanic activity, near Grindavik, Iceland November 13, 2023. Volcanic activity in the area continued for six months that year, prompting thousands of Icelanders and tourists to visit the scene. In August 2022, a three-week eruption happened in the same area, followed by another in July of this year.

Persons: Matthew James Roberts, Thorvaldur Thordarson, Grindavik, Hans Vera, Vera, It's, Louise Rasmussen, Tom Little, Jacob Gronholt, Pedersen, Johannes Birkebaek, Ilze, Essi, Alex Richardson Organizations: Icelandic Meteorological, University of, Administration, Facebook, REUTERS Acquire, Thomson Locations: COPENHAGEN, Iceland, Reykjavik, vulcanology, University of Iceland, Grindavik, Belgian, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Helsinki

☆ Arts Calendar: Happenings for the Week of November 12
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-12 | by ( Wsj Arts In Review Staff | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Sandro Botticelli’s ‘Head of a Woman in Near Profile Looking Down to the Left’ (c. 1468-70) Photo: Christ Church, OxfordFilm• “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes” (Nov. 17): The prequel to the ultra-popular young-adult dystopian series, based on Suzanne Collins ’s book, is a coming-of-age tale that once again sees youthful citizens competing to survive. Francis Lawrence (“I Am Legend”) directs a cast that includes Tom Blyth , Rachel Zegler , Josh Andrés Rivera , Hunter Schafer , Peter Dinklage , Jason Schwartzman and Viola Davis . • “Fallen Leaves” (Nov. 17): Two lonely, underemployed singles in Helsinki meet and find romance and a chance at self-improvement through their relationship in Aki Kaurismäki ’s tragicomedy, which won the Cannes Jury Prize.

Persons: Sandro Botticelli’s ‘, •, Suzanne Collins ’, Francis Lawrence, “, Tom Blyth, Rachel Zegler, Josh Andrés Rivera, Hunter Schafer, Peter Dinklage, Jason Schwartzman, Viola Davis, Aki Kaurismäki Organizations: Church , Oxford, Helsinki, Cannes

☆ Estonia Says Chinese Ship Is Main Focus of Probe Into Cables Damage
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-10 | by ( Nov. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

By Andrius Sytas and Essi LehtoVILNIUS/HELSINKI (Reuters) - Estonian prosecutors said on Friday the Hong Kong-registered NewNew Polar Bear container ship was the main focus of their investigations into the damage of two subsea telecoms cables last month. It is the first time Estonia has said it was the primary scenario it was investigating. NewNew Shipping, the owner and operator of the NewNew Polar Bear, has previously declined to comment when contacted by Reuters. Estonia's prosecutor general said on Friday the main lead they were following was that "damage to the telecom cables between Estonia and Finland and Estonia and Sweden is connected to the vessel Newnew Polar Bear flying the flag of Hong Kong". Reuters has reported that two vessels, the NewNew Polar Bear and the Russia-flagged Sevmorput, were present near the cables and pipeline around the time of the damage, according to data from MarineTraffic, a ship-tracking and maritime analytics provider.

Persons: Andrius Sytas, Triinu Olev, Risto Lohi, Elina Valtonen, China, Essi, Terje Solsvik, Christina Fincher, Andrew Heavens Organizations: Essi Lehto, NewNew Shipping, Reuters, NATO, Finland's Locations: Essi, Essi Lehto VILNIUS, HELSINKI, Hong Kong, Estonia's, Finland, Estonia, China, Baltic, Sweden, Russia, MarineTraffic, Vilnius, Helsinki

☆ Finland Says It Has Informed Russia About Its Baltic Sea Gas Pipe Probe
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( Nov. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

HELSINKI (Reuters) - Finland has informed Russia about its investigation into the damage on Oct. 7 to the subsea Balticconnector gas pipeline between Estonia and Finland, the Finnish foreign minister said on Wednesday. Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen told a news conference Russia has not asked for Finland's help in investigating the damage to a Russian telecommunications cable that happened on the same night. The anchor was later found near the pipeline and was retrieved by Finnish investigators. Investigators have yet to establish who was responsible for blowing up Russia's Nord Stream gas pipelines under the Baltic last year. (Reporting by Anne Kauranen and Simon Johnson, writing by Anna Ringstrom, editing by Terje Solsvik)

Persons: Elina Valtonen, Anne Kauranen, Simon Johnson, Anna Ringstrom, Terje Solsvik Organizations: Rostelecom, Hong Locations: HELSINKI, Finland, Russia, Estonia, Russian, St . Petersburg, Russia's Kaliningrad, Hong Kong, Ukraine, Baltic

A damaged Balticconnector gas pipeline that connects Finland and Estonia is pictured in this undated handout picture in the Baltic Sea. "They (China) have promised full cooperation and we trust it," Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen told Reuters on the sidelines of a news conference in Helsinki. Two telecoms cables linking Estonia to Finland and Sweden were damaged on the same night between Oct.7-8, authorities said last month, and Russia's Rostelecom (RTKM.MM) on Tuesday revealed that one of its fibre optic cables had also been hit. Data from shipping intelligence firm MarineTraffic, reviewed by Reuters, showed that the NewNew Polar Bear passed over the pipeline and the telecoms cables in the space of less than nine hours. NewNew Shipping, the owner and operator of the NewNew Polar Bear, has previously declined to comment when contacted by Reuters.

Persons: China, Elina Valtonen, Russia's, Valtonen, Anne Kauranen, Simon Johnson, Anna Ringstrom, Terje Solsvik, Christina Fincher Organizations: Finnish Border Guard, REUTERS, Rights, Wednesday, Hong, Reuters, NewNew Shipping, Thomson Locations: Finland, Estonia, Baltic, Hong Kong, China, Helsinki, Sweden, Russia, Moscow, Ukraine, Stockholm

HELSINKI (AP) — Estonia will allow Taiwan to open a nondiplomatic representative office of Taipei in the Baltic country to boost economic and cultural ties with the self-governing island but pledged to stick with the “One China” policy in political relations. China claims Taiwan, an island about 160 kilometers (100 miles) off its east coast, as its territory. Political Cartoons View All 1234 ImagesNevertheless, some countries, like the United States, maintain unofficial relations with Taiwan or allow its economic or cultural representative office — under Taipei’s name — on their territory. As part of the One China policy, we will not develop political relations with Taiwan,” Tsahkna said. Wu will deliver a speech on Taiwan's foreign policy and attend a discussion panel by a local think tank in the capital, Tallinn, on Nov. 8.

Persons: Margus Tsahkna, ” Tsahkna, “, ”, Tsahkna’s, Joseph Wu, Wu, Wu isn’t, won’t, Tsahkna Organizations: HELSINKI, —, European Union, NATO, EU, ” Locations: — Estonia, Taiwan, Taipei, Baltic, China, Estonia, Beijing, United States, “ Estonia, “, Estonia’s, Tallinn, Lithuania, Vilnius

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