Newsweek in plain Finnish | Sunday 17.5.2026

Drone warnings. Ukraine attacks. Economy picking up. New university graduates. Eurovision.

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Drone warnings

Uusimaa region on the map.

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A drone warning was issued for southern Finland on Friday. Photo: Nanna Särkkä / Yle, Mapcreator, Openstreetmap

First, the topic is drone warnings.

The authorities’ drone warning has attracted a lot of criticism.

Authorities issued a drone warning for Uusimaa in southern Finland early Friday morning.

The Finnish army prepared for the possibility of Ukrainian military drones carrying explosives flying into southern Finland. As a result, air traffic was suspended and people were told to stay indoors. In the end, however, no drones arrived in Finland.

The drone warning has been criticized because it did not reach everyone. Finland lacks an alert system that reaches all citizens.

Ukraine attacks

A fire burns in a building behind a wooden fence early in the evening.

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Ukraine attacked Moscow and its surrounding areas during the night and morning. Photo: Lehtikuva

Ukraine has carried out several drone attacks on various parts of Russia this week.

Today, Sunday, Ukraine has carried out a major drone attack on Moscow and its surrounding areas. At least 6 people were killed in the attacks.

Russia says it has shot down more than 500 Ukrainian drones today.

The economy is picking up

50 and 20 euro banknotes in someone’s hand.

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Household consumption picked up in April. Photo: Ismo Pekkarinen / AOP

There was good news about the economy this week.

Nordea Bank said that the Finnish economy has returned to growth. Nordea said that the economic turnaround is visible, for example, in private consumption. Nordea expects that unemployment will also gradually begin to ease.

However, the war in the Middle East could slow economic growth. For example, the war has caused interest rates to rise and fuel prices to rise.

Bank payment card data also shows that private consumption picked up in April. This is the first time in over 3 years that household consumption has increased.

New graduates

14th grade student Aleksi Laitinen.

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Aleksi Laitinen wrote 14 syllabuses in the Finnish matriculation exams. Photo: Jussi Mankkinen / Yle

The names of the new high school graduates for the spring have been announced. There will be approximately 26,500 new high school graduates this spring.

Helsinki high school senior Aleksi Laitinen wrote 14 syllabuses in the university entrance exams. That’s a new Finnish record.

This spring’s oldest new graduate is 80-year-old Seppo Tuuha. He graduated from Pori Adult High School.

Eurovision

Dara performs on stage.

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Bulgaria’s Dara won Eurovision. Photo: Jens Büttner / AOP

More news about Eurovision.

Bulgaria has won the Eurovision Song Contest.

Bulgaria’s representative Dara got a surprise win with the song Bangaranga. Finland was 6th.

The Eurovision Song Contest final was held in Vienna, Austria, tonight. 25 countries competed in the final.

This was Uutisviikko in plain Finnish. See you again next week.