Finland is prepared to handle the possible appearance of Russia in its archipelago, Finnish Institute of International Affairs (FIIA) researcher Joel Linnainmäki tells Ilta-Sanomat.
The tabloid noted that the Swedish defence chief Michael Claesson told a number of Finnish news outlets in a joint interview that he thinks it is possible that Russia would test Nato's mutual defence clause, Article 5, sometime in the future.
Claesson said such a scenario could play out in places with relatively lower defence capabilities, like in the Baltic countries or in the archipelagos of Finland and Sweden, the paper explained, citing Helsingin Sanomat. For example, he said one possible scenario would be for Russia to station itself on a Finnish island as a symbolic show of force — to see what happens.
However, according to researcher Linnainmäki, Finland has considered such scenarios, particularly before it joined Nato, as Finland and Sweden worked together on ways they can protect the semi-autonomous Åland Islands and the broader archipelago region.
"This is not new for us, but a considered existing risk that has been prepared for," Linnainmäki told the paper.
According to Linnainmäki and the FIIA's Programme Director Harri Mikkola, a more likely scenario of Russian testing Nato would take place in Norway's remote archipelago Svalbard, which lies between Norway and the North Pole.
But if Russia were to arrive in the Finnish archipelago, it would result in an immediate response from the Finnish Defence Forces, then Sweden and other close partners, according to Linnainmäki.
Starbucks closing in central Helsinki
The Seattle-based cafe chain giant Starbucks is slated to close its outlet in downtown Helsinki, adjacent to the Academic Book Store in the busy shopping area of Keskuskatu.
That's according to Swedish-language daily Hufvudstadsbladet, which noted that Yle first reported the development on Thursday.
In an email, Select Service Partner Finland's CEO, Elena Heiska, confirmed that Starbuck's lease agreement at the site was expiring and that it would be closing down in March. The outlet first opened in 2013.
However, HBL noted that Heiska did not explain why the lease wasn't being renewed.
SSP Finland operates other Starbucks in the Helsinki metropolitan area, including one kiosk at the capital's central railway station, and two others at Helsinki Airport.
According to Heiska, operations at the other locations are set to continue.
Emotions rule on social media
Helsingin Sanomat asked whether readers have noticed how easily arguments break out on social media.
Psychotherapist Vesa Nevalainen told the paper that it's not just a question of getting annoyed with others' opinions, but a broader phenomenon — a general inability to think things through before reacting, the paper explained.
According to the daily, the question about why that is the case led Nevalainen and his psychotherapist-psychologist colleague Satu Kaski to write a book about the topic.
Nevalainen and Kaski told the paper that an emphasis on individualism and one-upmanship in the 21st century has led people to place more emphasis on their own feelings and personal rights. At the same time, they said, people's ability to concentrate has diminished — which might be why they have a tendency to be offended or hurt by others' opinions.
"People are on their mobile phones and aren't necessarily focusing on what they're doing together anymore," Nevalainen explained.
The result, they say, is that people don't listen to each other but instead focus on their own feelings and experiences.
"The connection between other people is broken," Kaski told HS.
As a possible remedy to the problem, Nevalainen suggests that people accept that they cannot control the opinions of others and that it's important to stop and think before reacting.
They said that learning emotional skills is important for both children and adults — let the other person have their say and then follow up.
Kaski said the most important thing is to keep in mind that everyone makes mistakes and that no one is perfect.
