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
Tougher rules on gun storage likely
In the wake of Saturday's fatal shootings, Interior Minister Päivi Räsänen indicated that upcoming changes to gun laws may include stricter rules about keeping firearms under lock and key.
Hyvinkää shooting victims all young adults
Victims in Saturday's shooting incident were rushed to hospital in Hyvinkää and to the Meilahti and Töölö hospitals in Helsinki. Both men and women, all the victims were young adults.
Two dead, 7 injured in Hyvinkää shootings
A police officer that arrived on the scene was critically injured. A suspect taken into custody has confessed to police.
Finland’s coolest summer festivals
Summer is the most frenzied time in the Finnish cultural year, with fans and artists alike rushing to enjoy that brief intersection of warmth and relaxed free time. Here are a dozen of the season’s most unusual cultural events. Nearly all take place outdoors or in tents – so here’s hoping for a warm, dry-ish festival season.
Baby spuds herald arrival of summer
In a crucial sign of summer for Finns, the first field-grown potatoes of the year have been harvested in Rymättylä on Finland's south-west coast.
Cutting-edge Finnish fashion hits the catwalk
The newest names in Finnish fashion are taking centre stage on Friday evening at a gala event at Helsinki's old Suvilahti power plant.
Urpilainen returned as SDP chair
The Social Democrats gathered at a party convention in Helsinki to elect party leaders. Incumbent Jutta Urpilainen ran unopposed for the chairmanship.
EU unemployed seek Finnish jobs
Labour officials say there's been an almost daily flow of European jobseekers registering for employment opportunities in Finland -- some of them from Spain.
Finnish Olympic team sets sights on London
The full complement of about 55 athletes will fly the Finnish flag at the London 2012 Olympics. They will compete in a range of disciplines ranging from track and field and equestrian events to judo and sailing.
Finnair, cabin crew continue Flybe transfer talks
Finnair will resume talks next week with the Cabin Crew Union on the transfer of about 100 cabin crew from flag carrier Finnair to its partner Flybe.

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.