Newsweek in plain Finnish | Sunday 20.9.2026

New destroyers. Maritime safety. Population forecast. Data centers. Veitsiluoto sawmill. Primary schools.

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Finland’s new fighters

F-35 fighter at Rovaniemi airfield.

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The first F-35 fighters landed at Rovaniemi Airport on September 19. Photo: Juuso Stoor / Yle

First, about Finland’s defense.

Finland’s first two F-35A fighter jets arrived in Finland on Friday. They landed at Rovaniemi Airport.

In times of peace, fighter jets secure Finnish airspace. In emergencies, they fight off enemy aircraft.

Finland is purchasing a total of 64 fighter jets from the US. They will replace the old Hornet fighters.

The F-35 has stealth capabilities. The aircraft is difficult to detect on radar.

Maritime safety

The helicopter has landed right above the stern of the icebreaker. The sea is in the background.

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Marsec EU26 exercise, where the Defence Forces, Border Guard, Police and Rescue Service practiced taking over a sea vessel and other tasks together. Photo: Petteri Juuti / Yle

Then about maritime safety.

Maritime security exercises have been conducted in the maritime areas of Helsinki. The Finnish Border Guard led the international exercise.

The exercise taught how to take control of a ship that is in danger. For example, a ship could be dragging an anchor on the seabed.

There have been many cases in the Baltic Sea where cables and pipes on the seabed have broken.

Population and number of children

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Then about the number of people in Finland.

The population is growing in large cities and decreasing in small ones.

In 2050, there will be only 40 municipalities in Finland where the population will grow. In over 300 municipalities, the population will decrease.

New research also predicts that Finland’s population can only grow through immigration.

Data centers

Google invests 13 billion euros in Finland over two years. The photos show the Leppiniemi data center construction site in Muhos. Photos taken on September 9, 2026.

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Google is investing 13 billion euros in Finland over two years. The pictures show the Leppiniemi data center construction site in Muhos. Photo: Rami Moilanen / Yle

Now about data centers.

A citizens’ initiative on data centers is progressing to parliamentary consideration.

The citizens’ initiative “Control Data Centers” received a total of 50,000 signatures.

The discussion intensified when technology giant Google announced new giant projects in Finland.

Google is the world’s largest internet search engine and digital services provider. Its data centers, or computer halls, consume a lot of electricity. *

The citizens’ initiative requires conditions for data centers, for example, for connecting to the electricity grid.

Veitsiluoto sawmill

Kemi’s Veitsiluoto island and sawmill area photographed from the air.

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Veitsiluoto island and sawmill area in Kemi. Photo: Risto Koskinen / Yle

Now about the forest industry.

Forestry company Stora Enso is closing its Veitsiluoto sawmill in Lapland.

The change negotiations have ended, and 60 jobs will be lost at Kemi.

Stora Enso is concentrating sawmilling in Northern Finland to the company’s other sawmills.

Basic education has become more expensive

Graphic showing the price of basic education in the most expensive and cheapest municipalities in 2025.

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Photo: Esa Huuhko / Yle

News about schools.

Basic school education has become more expensive throughout Finland.

Education is expensive, especially in small municipalities with few students.

The Association of Finnish Local and Regional Authorities says that small municipalities can cooperate. The Association also hopes that schools will be allowed to increase distance learning.

This was Uutisviikko in plain Finnish. See you again, bye!