Tsunami Heroes Receive Award
Prestigious state awards for disseminating information went this year to eight persons or groups. Among the recipients was an diving instructors' Internet site. After the tsunami hit in December, they published badly-needed information about Finns caught up in the disaster.
The private Finnish web site, www.sukellus.fi, listed missing and found Finns in the immediate aftermath of the December tsunami. The site is run by diving enthusiasts.
After the tsunami hit Thailand, a group of Finnish diving instructors based there toured temples, hospitals and hotels around the clock compiling a list of Finns that have been found and missing. This information was then sent to Finland, where the web site was updated.
The site was for a long time the only source of information about loved ones for concerned relatives in Finland. The Finnish government refused for a long time to publish a list of missing Finns citing privacy reasons.
The Ministry of Education, that handed out the 10,000-euro award, said that the divers' Internet pages showed how the World Wide Web can be used to provide data fast and under rapidly changing circumstances.
Latest in: News
Ex-PM Aho quits Nokia for Harvard
Esko Aho is leaving Nokia's leadership team for a position at Harvard University.
FT: Finns "rich, happy and good at austerity"
According to the Financial Times, Finland's troubles "seem minor compared with those that face other European states".
Government backtracks on municipal reform
Yle has learned that the government is relaxing its ambitious target for cutting the number of municipalities in the country.
No Nordic or EU decision yet on Syrian expulsions
Finland is waiting for Sweden's cue on sending home Syrian diplomats.
Take it easy with Finnish style reggae
Artists behind the new genre of Suomi-reggae are combining the elements of traditional reggae, pop, punk and positivity to create a loving sound complete with fluent and insightful Finnish language lyrics.
Parliament remembers shooting victims - investigation continues
The Finnish Parliament has held a moment of silence in memory of the victims of last weekend’s shooting incident in Hyvinkää. Also on Tuesday, one more of the seven injured left hospital care.
Angry Birds park planned for Rovaniemi
Playground equipment maker Lappset Group wants to build an Angry Birds-themed activity park in the town centre of Rovaniemi, Lapland.
Finnair CEO suspected of accepting kickback over apartment deal
Police suspect Finnair CEO Mika Vehviläinen of receiving a bribe in connection with the sale of his flat to the pension firm Ilmarinen.
Police: Number of violent crimes remains high
The total number of crimes reported in Finland in January-April has decreased by over 22,200 compared to the same period last year, but the figures for violent crimes are still high, according to the National Police Board.
Closed mines can cause centuries of problems
Water containing acids and metals is leaking into the environment from dozens of closed mines around Finland. Emissions from mines can continue for centuries after they are closed down.
Discuss this topic
0 comments
Thank you. Your message has been sent to Yle News. We publish comments between 9 AM and 5 PM.
Yle News reads all comments before publishing, and we reserve the right to edit long comments. Inappropriate comments will not be published.
Thank you. Your report has been sent to Yle News. We review the reports between 9 AM and 5 PM.
Yle News will review the comment you reported and will delete it if necessary.