Finland

Finland announces 100-year study to uncover why Finns are so happy

The study will track about 200,000 children born between 2026 and 2029, along with their families, throughout their lives.

|ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF
A Finnish flag flies over the City Hall in Helsinki, Finland, February 10, 2024.
A guest sits in the outdoor sauna, gazing into the surrounding forest as the quiet heat blends seamlessly with the natural stillness of Slowness.

Just 30 minutes of sauna time tied to a sharper immune response

In a controlled trial, volunteers showed significant changes in inflammatory markers, heart rate and blood pressure after one session, a result that surprised researchers.

|ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF
People cheer as they watch the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest finals being screened at a community center in Tel Aviv, Israel, on May 17, 2025.

Eurovision Song Contest oddsmakers predict Israel will win televoting again this year

The Eurovision World website presented the oddsmakers who predict the televoting results separately from the overall results, and according to them, Israel has a 26% chance of topping the televoting.

|ByHANNAH BROWN
Paivi Rasanen (R), member of the Finnish Parliament, testifies during a House Judiciary Committee hearing on "Europe's Threat to American Speech and Innovation" on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, on February 4, 2026.

Finland's Supreme Court fines MP for calling homosexuality 'developmental disorder'

The court found Paivi Rasanen guilty of incitement against a group by claiming on social media and on her website that it was scientifically proven that homosexuality was a developmental disorder.

|ByREUTERS

Erdogan says Turkey positive on Finland's NATO bid, not Sweden's

"Our position on Finland is positive, but it is not positive on Sweden," Erdogan said.

FEBRUARY 1, 2023ByREUTERS
THE FLAGS of Finland, NATO and Sweden are seen during a ceremony in Brussels earlier this week to mark the countries’ application for membership into the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

Turkey blocking Sweden from NATO continues to cause chaos

Sweden and Finland wanted to join NATO when Russia invaded Ukraine, but Turkey has been blocking the request.

JANUARY 31, 2023BySETH J. FRANTZMAN
FROM LEFT: Finland’s Ambassador to NATO Klaus Korhonen, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg and Sweden’s Ambassador to NATO Axel Wernhoff attend a ceremony to mark the applications for membership of Sweden and Finland, in Brussels, last month.

Regular visits to green spaces linked to lower use of certain prescriptions - study

Research in forest-rich Finland studied responses of 16,000 residents of Helsinki, Espoo and Vantaa

JANUARY 17, 2023ByJUDY SIEGEL-ITZKOVICH
A paddler enjoys warm weather on the Kesanki Lake in Akaslompolo, Kolari, Lapland, Finland, July 7, 2021.

Sweden, Finland must send up to 130 'terrorists' to Turkey for NATO bid

Turkey is requesting Finland and Sweden send 130 Kurdish "terrorists" in exchange for permission to join NATO

JANUARY 16, 2023ByREUTERS
NATO and Russian flags are seen through broken glass this illustration taken April 13, 2022.

Sweden optimistic about NATO talks with Turkey

Sweden continues to negotiate over the application to join NATO, hoping Erdogan will lessen his demands after Turkey's election.

JANUARY 12, 2023ByKRISTINA JOVANOVSKI/THE MEDIA LINE
Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde, Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson and Defense Minister Peter Hultqvist hold a news conference about the gas leak in the Baltic Sea from Nord Stream, in Stockholm, Sweden September 27, 2022.

Finland's ambassador to Israel talks diplomacy, Jews, NATO

It was my special pleasure to welcome the Finnish Ambassador to Israel, Kirsikka Lehto-Asikainen, to talk with me about her country.

DECEMBER 30, 2022ByWALTER BINGHAM
Finland’s Ambassador Kirsikka Lehto-Asikainen

Turkey’s authoritarianism increases targeting journalists, opposition - analysis

Amid the Ukraine war, Ankara has positioned itself as a friend to both sides, working with Russia on trade while also working with Ukraine.

DECEMBER 21, 2022BySETH J. FRANTZMAN
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan attends a ceremony to mark an increase in capacity at a natural gas storage facility in Silivri near Istanbul, Turkey, December 16, 2022.

Grapevine December 14, 2022: Making headlines

Movers and shakers in Israeli society.

DECEMBER 14, 2022ByGREER FAY CASHMAN
OUTGOING COMMUNICATIONS Minister Yoaz Hendel with Ambassador of Finland Kirsikka Lehto-Asikainen.

Artists boycott Finland’s national gallery over Israeli billionaire on board

The artists signed a statement announcing the boycott after the museum refused to remove Finnish-Israeli billionaire Chaim “Poju” Zabludowicz from its board.

DECEMBER 8, 2022ByDAVID I. KLEIN/JTA
The Finnish National Gallery is located in Helsinki.

Nordic winter is coming and so are the fears of security of gas supply - opinion

There is growing concern over the security of the gas supply lines of the Norwegian gas rigs as winter approaches.

NOVEMBER 9, 2022ByNIR LEVITAN
The Goleniow Gas Compressor Station during the opening of the Baltic Pipe gas pipeline between Norway, Denmark and Poland in September