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Finland

The latest news, analysis and opinion on Finland. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.

Capital

Helsinki

Head of State

President Alexander Stubb

Head of Government

Prime Minister Petteri Orpo

The entrance to the Taichung Green Museumbrary, a merger of the Taichung Art Museum and Taichung Public Library. Photo: courtesy Taichung Art Museum

Architecture and design

Taichung’s Green Museumbrary: putting civic spaces under one striking roof

Taiwan’s first park-situated library-museum hybrid blends culture, learning and green urban design in a stunning LAM-style landmark.

24 Jun 2026 - 8:00AM

Hong Kong society

Hong Kong parents in welfare custody case say 2-month-old baby sick in hospital

22 Jun 2026 - 11:02PM

Middle East

Energy security fears drive global surge in orders for Chinese storage firms

21 Jun 2026 - 3:00PM

China-Latin America relations

Latin America and Europe are bystanders in the US-China AI race: Lula adviser

Brazil’s Celso Amorim tells a Rio conference the Global South must answer via Brics, casting rare earths and data as matters of sovereignty.

17 Jun 2026 - 6:32AM

Celso Amorim, a senior adviser to Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, addresses a security conference in Rio de Janeiro. Photo: Handout

Hong Kong society

Court rejects Hong Kong couple’s challenge to daughter’s guardianship in Sweden

Swedish court dismisses challenge by parents of four-year-old Lily after welfare authorities seek to transfer her legal guardianship to foster family.

16 Jun 2026 - 8:30AM

Hong Kong society

Baby Danny parents to get 1-hour weekly visits, list 3 possible outcomes

Tsang Wai-bong and Kwan Pui-sin scheduled to meet government social workers and be granted supervised visits this week.

7 Jun 2026 - 8:05PM

Hong Kong society

Hong Kong baby Danny’s future remains unclear despite birth registration progress

Despite DNA confirmation, child remains under court-ordered care as officials review parents’ capability, history and living conditions.

6 Jun 2026 - 7:51PM

Hong Kong-born baby Danny’s future remains uncertain as welfare teams assess his parents’ background and living conditions Photo: Handout

Hong Kong society

Editorial | Baby Danny case shows gaps in Hong Kong’s laws around home births

Giving birth at home with no medical help is legal, but there are unresolved questions around how to best protect the newborn’s health.

6 Jun 2026 - 7:15AM

Hong Kong society

Baby Danny DNA case sparks calls for Hong Kong to introduce home birth rules

DNA test results confirm arrested couple are parents of unregistered two-month-old boy.

5 Jun 2026 - 8:42AMvideocam

Hong Kong society

Sweden outlines child care policy amid registration row over infant in Hong Kong

Government explains how decision to take child away from parents is reached, shedding light on Hong Kong couple’s custody battle for daughter.

3 Jun 2026 - 11:11PM

Kwan Pui-sin with Lily, who was born in Finland and is currently in the care of Swedish authorities. Photo: Handout

Hong Kong society

How a couple lost 3 kids in as many countries and were arrested in Hong Kong

Authorities to take baby boy into protection after parents initially refuse DNA test for birth registration, with sisters also victims of a troubled history.

3 Jun 2026 - 10:19PMvideocam

Tsang Wai-bong (left) and Kwan Pui-sin have a troubled history. Before their arrest in Hong Kong, their first daughter died in infancy in Finland and their second was taken into care by Swedish social services. Photo: Handout

Hong Kong society

Parents of undocumented Hong Kong baby have DNA samples taken after arrest

Baby Danny may later be placed in foster care until parents are deemed fit to regain custody, lawmaker says.

3 Jun 2026 - 10:54PMvideocam

Hong Kong society

Protection order sought for baby after parents arrested in DNA test refusal case

Security minister says mother of two-month-old Danny has so far been unable to provide any prenatal check-up or medical records.

3 Jun 2026 - 8:34AMvideocam

Singapore

17 nations launch pact to protect vital undersea cables amid US, China absence

Singapore’s defence chief tells the Shangri-La Dialogue the pact aims to explore potential areas of collaboration and share best practices.

1 Jun 2026 - 9:40AM

Singapore’s Minister for Defence Chan Chun Sing (centre) with representatives from 16 partner countries during the launch of the Guiding Principles for Underwater Infrastructure Defence Exchanges at the Shangri-La Dialogue on Saturday. Photo: Singapore’s Ministry of Defence

Laos

5 of 7 villagers trapped in flooded Laos cave found alive

A Thai-led rescue team broke through to an area where they found the five villagers on a muddy ledge, but two others remain missing.

28 May 2026 - 9:10AMvideocam

A Thai-led rescue team broke through to an area in a flooded Laos cave where they found five of the seven missing villagers perched on a muddy ledge on Wednesday. Photo: Facebook / Thailand Rescue Diver

Music

Bulgaria’s Dara wins Eurovision contest, beating out Israel for top spot

The usually good-natured competition has faced a boycott by five countries over the Gaza conflict.

17 May 2026 - 8:59AM

Vietnam

Beyond bamboo: Vietnam’s To Lam mounts a diplomacy offensive

The security chief turned paramount leader is chasing the markets and capital required to reach high-income status by 2045.

16 May 2026 - 8:00AM

Ukraine war

‘Stay inside’: Finland warns of drone scare near capital Helsinki

The early hours warning – the first for the capital city – said a drone could be heading towards an area on the south coast.

15 May 2026 - 5:00PMvideocam

A view of Helsinki, the capital of Finland. File photo: Shutterstock

Yuan

How Australia’s mining giants are helping China to globalise the yuan

Mining firms are increasingly using the yuan for financing and settlements, as China pushes to reduce its reliance on the US dollar.

13 May 2026 - 9:00AMvideocam

Hong Kong science and tech

Top Swedish universities eager to forge ties with city, Hong Kong minister says

Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry Sun Dong says visit aimed at strengthening collaboration in innovation and technology.

13 May 2026 - 8:17PM

ByteDance

ByteDance raises 2026 capex by at least 25% amid AI boom, sources say

ByteDance is allocating a proportionally larger budget to domestic AI chips to mitigate geopolitical risks and heed Beijing’s call.

9 May 2026 - 2:00PM

Diplomacy

The big shift in Xi Jinping’s travel plans and what it means for China

Data analysis by the SCMP reveals a changing dynamic in Beijing towards high-level diplomatic meetings.

1 May 2026 - 6:02AMvideocam

US-EU relations

Exclusive | Territorial integrity is ‘red line’ for Europe, Finland warns after US Greenland threats

Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen insists on the importance of national sovereignty, saying ‘we react through the means we have’.

27 Apr 2026 - 7:07PMvideocam

China-EU relations

Exclusive | China’s Russia ties mean EU trade deal is off the table, Finland says

Tough talk from foreign minister shows the nation could provide a de facto veto on China’s efforts to launch a deal.

23 Apr 2026 - 7:20PMvideocam

2026 Xi-Trump summits

Xi Jinping meets foreign leaders: tracker 2026

World leaders are flocking to Beijing this year as Trump’s trade war spurs US allies to look for new ties.

15 Apr 2026 - 5:45PM

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Photo: Xinhua

China-EU relations

Europe’s crisis tourism: how the Iran war swallowed the EU’s geopolitical agenda

From trade with China to the Middle East conflict and resulting energy shock, Brussels’ agenda has been repeatedly knocked off course.

31 Mar 2026 - 6:03AMvideocam

Ukraine war

Finland’s president says Ukraine talks may be at ‘end of the road’

He says the war in Iran is ‘drawing a lot of attention away’ from the Ukraine war, and that Ukraine talks are ‘not making further progress’.

26 Mar 2026 - 7:40PMvideocam

European Union

EU inspects Druzhba pipeline in bid to unclog Hungary’s block on Ukraine aid

Hungarian leader Viktor Orban has vetoed giving Ukraine its promised US$103 billion EU loan until Russian oil supply is resumed.

19 Mar 2026 - 6:26PMvideocam

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Finland

Taichung’s Green Museumbrary: putting civic spaces under one striking roof

Taiwan’s first park-situated library-museum hybrid blends culture, learning and green urban design in a stunning LAM-style landmark.

Hong Kong parents in welfare custody case say 2-month-old baby sick in hospital

Energy security fears drive global surge in orders for Chinese storage firms

Latin America and Europe are bystanders in the US-China AI race: Lula adviser

Brazil’s Celso Amorim tells a Rio conference the Global South must answer via Brics, casting rare earths and data as matters of sovereignty.

Court rejects Hong Kong couple’s challenge to daughter’s guardianship in Sweden

Swedish court dismisses challenge by parents of four-year-old Lily after welfare authorities seek to transfer her legal guardianship to foster family.

Baby Danny parents to get 1-hour weekly visits, list 3 possible outcomes

Tsang Wai-bong and Kwan Pui-sin scheduled to meet government social workers and be granted supervised visits this week.

Hong Kong baby Danny’s future remains unclear despite birth registration progress

Despite DNA confirmation, child remains under court-ordered care as officials review parents’ capability, history and living conditions.

.css-1pcrwvc{color:#2aa191;}Editorial | Baby Danny case shows gaps in Hong Kong’s laws around home births

Giving birth at home with no medical help is legal, but there are unresolved questions around how to best protect the newborn’s health.

Baby Danny DNA case sparks calls for Hong Kong to introduce home birth rules

DNA test results confirm arrested couple are parents of unregistered two-month-old boy.

Sweden outlines child care policy amid registration row over infant in Hong Kong

Government explains how decision to take child away from parents is reached, shedding light on Hong Kong couple’s custody battle for daughter.

How a couple lost 3 kids in as many countries and were arrested in Hong Kong

Authorities to take baby boy into protection after parents initially refuse DNA test for birth registration, with sisters also victims of a troubled history.

Parents of undocumented Hong Kong baby have DNA samples taken after arrest

Baby Danny may later be placed in foster care until parents are deemed fit to regain custody, lawmaker says.

Protection order sought for baby after parents arrested in DNA test refusal case

Security minister says mother of two-month-old Danny has so far been unable to provide any prenatal check-up or medical records.

17 nations launch pact to protect vital undersea cables amid US, China absence

Singapore’s defence chief tells the Shangri-La Dialogue the pact aims to explore potential areas of collaboration and share best practices.

5 of 7 villagers trapped in flooded Laos cave found alive

A Thai-led rescue team broke through to an area where they found the five villagers on a muddy ledge, but two others remain missing.

Bulgaria’s Dara wins Eurovision contest, beating out Israel for top spot

The usually good-natured competition has faced a boycott by five countries over the Gaza conflict.

Beyond bamboo: Vietnam’s To Lam mounts a diplomacy offensive

The security chief turned paramount leader is chasing the markets and capital required to reach high-income status by 2045.

‘Stay inside’: Finland warns of drone scare near capital Helsinki

The early hours warning – the first for the capital city – said a drone could be heading towards an area on the south coast.

How Australia’s mining giants are helping China to globalise the yuan

Mining firms are increasingly using the yuan for financing and settlements, as China pushes to reduce its reliance on the US dollar.

Top Swedish universities eager to forge ties with city, Hong Kong minister says

Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry Sun Dong says visit aimed at strengthening collaboration in innovation and technology.

ByteDance raises 2026 capex by at least 25% amid AI boom, sources say

ByteDance is allocating a proportionally larger budget to domestic AI chips to mitigate geopolitical risks and heed Beijing’s call.

The big shift in Xi Jinping’s travel plans and what it means for China

Data analysis by the SCMP reveals a changing dynamic in Beijing towards high-level diplomatic meetings.

.css-1f6sr3w{color:#727272;}Exclusive | Territorial integrity is ‘red line’ for Europe, Finland warns after US Greenland threats

Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen insists on the importance of national sovereignty, saying ‘we react through the means we have’.

Exclusive | China’s Russia ties mean EU trade deal is off the table, Finland says

Tough talk from foreign minister shows the nation could provide a de facto veto on China’s efforts to launch a deal.

Xi Jinping meets foreign leaders: tracker 2026

World leaders are flocking to Beijing this year as Trump’s trade war spurs US allies to look for new ties.

Europe’s crisis tourism: how the Iran war swallowed the EU’s geopolitical agenda

From trade with China to the Middle East conflict and resulting energy shock, Brussels’ agenda has been repeatedly knocked off course.

Finland’s president says Ukraine talks may be at ‘end of the road’

He says the war in Iran is ‘drawing a lot of attention away’ from the Ukraine war, and that Ukraine talks are ‘not making further progress’.

EU inspects Druzhba pipeline in bid to unclog Hungary’s block on Ukraine aid

Hungarian leader Viktor Orban has vetoed giving Ukraine its promised US$103 billion EU loan until Russian oil supply is resumed.

Editorial | Baby Danny case shows gaps in Hong Kong’s laws around home births

Exclusive | Territorial integrity is ‘red line’ for Europe, Finland warns after US Greenland threats