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Tuesday's papers: Social distance, climate-damaging adverts, and a storm on the way

Finns could now be allowed to get closer to each other — if they want.

Turvavälistä muistuttava kyltti kuntosalilla.
Social distancing could become a thing of the past in Finland. For Covid reasons, at least. Image: Matti Myller / Yle
  • Yle News

Prime Minister Sanna Marin's (SDP) Twitter feed is the subject of several stories in the press on Tuesday.

The PM tweeted that the government parties have agreed to remove the two metre social distancing requirement from Finland's infectious diseases law.

She added that restrictions would be removed as vaccination coverage increases, as the situation is currently 'unreasonable' for those in the culture, sport and events sectors.

The change would enable indoor venues to organise their events more freely, as the social distancing rule forces capacity restrictions on a lot of venues.

A rebellion had started in August, with the National Opera saying it would not follow all the Covid regulations as it premiered a new show.

Fossil free advertising

Finnair is very keen for people to start flying again, after nearly two years of Covid-imposed limitations on their business, and they've started a huge ad campaign for holidays abroad.

Their carbon-intensive transport is not to everyone's liking, however.

The Atmosfair emissions calculator estimates that a return Finnair flight between Helsinki and Athens emits more than 1.3 tonnes of Carbon Dioxide equivalent.

Climate scientists estimate that if humanity is to hit the Paris climate goal of keeping warming to 1.5 degrees, emissions must be limited to 1.5 tonnes of carbon per person per year. So that's a big chunk of what any individual's carbon 'budget' would look like.

So climate activists from Greenpeace are not happy about Finnair's marketing campaign. On Monday a group of them scaled the giant advert on the facade of the Forum shopping centre in Helsinki, affixing their own banner reading 'no fossil advertising thank you' on top.

Helsingin Sanomat reports that they removed it shortly before 1pm and police said that the protest was peaceful. There was, nevertheless, a criminal complaint that they had breached the peace.

Storm on the way

Ilta-Sanomat reports on a coming change in the weather, which will bring heavy precipitation and strong winds from the north-west.

That will disrupt the relatively warm conditions that have dominated, with cooler air starting to arrive on Wednesday as the winds change.

So Tuesday's relatively warm conditions should be enjoyed to the fullest.

Sources: Yle News, Helsingin Sanomat, Iltalehti, Ilta-Sanomat