Current affairs

Finland's only UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site encompasses thousands of islands that are gradually emerging from the sea.

Personalised jogging and Nordic walking tours are now available for busy visitors who want to get a fresh angle on Helsinki, insights into Finnish society and some healthy exercise – all at the same time.

Finland’s number one synth-pop romantics, Villa Nah, let us in on their favourite Helsinki hangouts while gearing up for a big UK tour – but they also leave some things to the imagination.

Helsinkians are back from their summer holidays and they're hungry for the arts. That's the only conclusion you can draw when you see Helsinki's schedule for late August and early September.

It's worth seeing what lies beyond Helsinki. Porvoo, the second-oldest town in Finland, charms visitors with its historical treasures, design shops, fashion and fine dining.

The Finnish comic scene is out to entertain, bemuse and show that it’s more than just books about superheroes. The Finnish comic artists were the snappiest and wittiest bunch Canadian journalist Nadja Sayej could hope to find. Her article lists the top ten.

Newsweek poses a

Savonlinna, the eastern Finnish town known worldwide for its opera festival, also stages the Savonlinna International Nature Film Festival starting in 2010 (August 19–21), including new and classic works. One highlight is the premiere of local filmmaker Juha Taskinen’s latest documentary about the rare freshwater seals of Lake Saimaa.

President of Finland Tarja Halonen has been appointed co-chair of the UN High-level Panel on Global Sustainability. The Panel has been established by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. President Halonen will act as chair together with President Jacob Zuma of South Africa.

When Joelle Reefer moved from London to Finland, he saw a lot of young Finnish talent around him that seemed to go unnoticed by many. Reefer and his colleagues decided it was high time these voices were heard. BigTV was born.