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David Mac Dougall

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As seen in: Finland Insider, Helsingin Sanomat, Forbes, MSN, MSN Deutschland, MSN India, MSN Österreich, MSN UK, BBC, Bloomberg Businessweek, Daily Mail, HuffPost and
Covers:  finland, nordic, baltic, politics immigration, nato, arctic, environment, arts, culture, education, defence, lifestyle, sweden, norway, iceland, denmark, estonia, tourism, scandinavia, music, faroes
Doesn't Cover: economy, finance, business, startups, entrepreneurs
Can be found mostly on Bluesky at 🦋 @davidmacdougall although checking DMs here.
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Erkki Tuomioja: Sweden has done more than anyone, but freedom is being eroded

Erkki Tuomioja: Sweden has done more than anyone, but freedom is being eroded

hs.fi — Former Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja (SDP) has praised Sweden for its role in dealing with the migrant crisis, but says he is "very concerned" about new border controls. Speaking on HSTV's English-language current affairs show Newsmakers, the Social Democrat Party grandee says that "one of the best achievements of European integration, free movement of people, is being eroded". "We are seeing a domino effect, one country after another re-introducing border controls because we do not control the outer borders of the European union" Tuomioja's comments come as Sweden implements new passport checks on the border bridge with Denmark, a move designed to curtail the flow of migrants.
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Mirel Wagner: Music, Art and Life on the Road

Mirel Wagner: Music, Art and Life on the Road

hs.fi — When Mirel Wagner heads to Australia in January for her first Antipodean tour, she'll be taking a piece of Finnish winter darkness with her to the Sydney summer. "It's exciting, Australia, the sunshine" she tells HSTV's English-language current affairs show Newsmakers. The three-city tour will see 28-year old Wagner play venues in Melbourne, Sydney and Hobart Tasmania. It's her first trip Down Under, and her first experience of the Australian festival circuit. "I'm looking forward to seeing the audience" she says "just playing to people - there is this sort of atmosphere, and this sort of feeling of sharing in some ways...
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SUPO Director: More ethnic minorities needed for intelligence work - but no James Bonds

SUPO Director: More ethnic minorities needed for intelligence work - but no James Bonds

hs.fi — The Director of SUPO - the Finnish Security Intelligence Service - says they must do more work to recruit minorities. Speaking on HSTV's English-language current affairs show Newsmakers, Antti Pelttari said his agency was "recruiting both policemen and civilian experts" from among the immigrant community, and if someone had a particular language skill, SUPO would be interested in them. The numbers of immigrant applicants to the police academy was "still quite low" explained Pelttari, but he hoped it would rise. The call comes as SUPO must play its part in screening some 30,000 migrants who have arrived in Finland this year, as they go through the asylum process.
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PM Sipilä's relations with Finnish unions a complete failure says Li Andersson

PM Sipilä's relations with Finnish unions a complete failure says Li Andersson

hs.fi — Left Alliance MP Li Andersson, tipped as the next leader of her party, has hit out at the way the Finnish government handles its relations with unions. Speaking on HSTV's English-language current affairs show Newsmakers, Andersson said that Prime Minister Juha Sipilä "had no experience of the Finnish labour market system" before coming to power, and had made "really bad choices". Her comments come as ongoing industrial action among postal workers spreads to transport unions as well, with the Finnish Aviation Union set to strike on Monday and Tuesday.
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Finns Party MP: "Build camps for refugees, and only let educated people in"

Finns Party MP: "Build camps for refugees, and only let educated people in"

hs.fi — Finns Party politician Tom Packalén says Finland should let educated asylum seekers stay in the country, as there is too great a risk uneducated people would become radicalised.
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The trouble with Finland's treble coalition

The trouble with Finland's treble coalition

politico.eu — Can unlikely partners find an enduring common ground? HELSINKI - There was a coup in Finland earlier this month. A media coup, that is. Prime Minister Juha Sipilä announced, on the eve of parliament's new term, that he would open up one of his homes to Syrian refugees. Since Sipilä remains modest, quiet and a rather unknown quantity to many Finns, it was something of a surprise to see him generate effusively positive headlines.
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End of the bicycling politician

End of the bicycling politician

politico.eu — Nordic dispatch: Vandalism and threats expose unprecedented political tensions in previously placid Finland. HELSINKI - The end of innocence for Finnish politicians is near. Two nasty little summer incidents have highlighted political tensions in the Nordic country, where politicians mingling with the common people, sans security, is a common sight. Former presidents doing their grocery shopping; former prime ministers out for long bike rides on country roads; party leaders taking the tram to work; cabinet ministers enjoying rowdy music festivals or shouting from the stands at soccer matches.
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Game of Thrones, Lord of the Rings and X-Men: Why Your Favourite Character Actors Are Going North

Game of Thrones, Lord of the Rings and X-Men: Why Your Favourite Character Actors Are Going North

Forbes — Before Rovio and Supercell - before Angry Birds and Clash of Clans - there was Remedy, the original heavyweight Finnish gaming company. And it's just turned 20 years old. Famous for hits like Max Payne and Alan Wake, Remedy is now pushing the boundaries of game play, combining extensive live action episodes – starring familiar faces from X-Men, Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones – with traditional digital animation gaming.
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Go With the Flow: Is This the World's Most Achingly Cool Festival?

Go With the Flow: Is This the World's Most Achingly Cool Festival?

Forbes — From obscure emerging bands you've never heard of, to some of the world's biggest recording stars; from Michelin-quality food trucks to DJs, art installations, esoteric discussions and cocktails, to new technology and an environmental awareness that would make Greenpeace blush, Finland's Flow Festival can certainly stake a claim to be the world’s most achingly cool festival.
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Party leaders interviewed in English - how do they cope with the exam?

Party leaders interviewed in English - how do they cope with the exam?

mtv.fi — Ahead of the general election, MTV News interviewed each of main 8 party leaders in English. The party leaders were interviewed by a journalist from Scotland, David Mac Dougall, whose native language is English. He has lived in Finland and reported on Finnish politics for several years. Therefore the interview discussions covered policy topics, not just language proficiency. The purpose of the English-language interviews was to show how party leaders can discuss current issues in English. "Finnish decision-makers have meetings for example, in Brussels, and they can be asked questions as well in English, French or Germany" Mac Dougall pointed out. MacDougall has previously worked as a reporter all around the world, inter alia, for Sky News, Fox News, the news agency AP and finance magazine Forbes.
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Finland to back Scottish Government's minimum alcohol pricing plan

Finland to back Scottish Government's minimum alcohol pricing plan

news.stv.tv — The Scottish government will be backed by Finland's government as legal proceedings continue against minimum pricing levels for alcohol, after a whisky festival was forced to change its name due to the country's alcohol advertising ban. Holyrood passed the alcohol price plan in 2012 - but an ongoing legal challenge at the European courts means it has not yet been implemented. The Finnish government will present papers in support of minimum pricing in Luxembourg. Scotland Tonight spoke to journalist David MacDougall in Finland, who explained why the country was backing the Scottish proposal.
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Finland backs Scots alcohol pricing

Finland backs Scots alcohol pricing

www.bbc.com — The Finnish government is set to give its support to the Scottish government in a controversial court case over minimum pricing levels for alcohol. BBC Scotland has learned that Finnish officials will present papers to the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg this week. The papers will back the Scottish government in a case being brought by the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA). The Finnish ministry of health said the issue was a "question of principle".
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Is Apple Ruining Finland's Economy? Don't Believe Everything You Read

Is Apple Ruining Finland's Economy? Don't Believe Everything You Read

Forbes — The Prime Minister of Finland thinks Apple is ruining his country's economy. At least that's what some writers and bloggers would have you believe. "I guess one could say that the iPhone killed Nokia and the iPad killed the Finnish paper industry" Alex Stubb told CNBC in an interview this week. A politician who misspoke, or comments taken out of context? The remarks come after S&P downgraded Finland's economic outlook from AAA status to AA+, citing reduced exports, a growing population of elderly people and shrinking workforce among the reasons.
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Porn In The Post: You've Got Male

Porn In The Post: You've Got Male

Forbes — When the Finnish post office announced it would release a set of stamps commemorating a famous artist, the images set pulses racing for more than just hard core philatelists. Last month, the first stamps went on sale and became a runaway success, showcasing the work of Touko Laaksonen,whose homoerotic artwork is better known under the nom de plume 'Tom of Finland'.
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Helsinki Out Of Season: Fall In The Finnish Capital

Helsinki Out Of Season: Fall In The Finnish Capital

Forbes — Finland in the Fall can sometimes feel like an ugly step-sister, wedged between the twin beauties of glorious lazy sunny summer days and luminous bright winter snowscapes. It's true the vast tracts of forest, especially east in Karelia or north in Lapland, can be spectacular as the leaves turn russet, rivalling anything in New England. But in the all-too-frequent gloomy rainy days, the Finnish capital Helsinki can seem a little resigned to its miserable autumnal fate. So the timing couldn't be better for city tourism officials to launch a new culinary guide to Helsinki, a foodie trail that slices and dices the city into bite-sized pieces and serves up the best eateries, in part crowdsourced via social media suggestions.
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Come Fry With Me: The Airline Turning Restaurant Grease Into Aviation Fuel

Come Fry With Me: The Airline Turning Restaurant Grease Into Aviation Fuel

Forbes — When Finnair flight AY5 touched down in New York this week, passengers might have thought they smelled the delicious aroma of bacon as the Airbus A330 wheels screeched on the tarmac at JFK. That's because the flight from Helsinki was powered by biofuel, part of which is made of grease and fat, recycled from restaurant kitchens. In reality, there are no cooking smells. "That's a popular question" says Kati Ihamäki, Vice President of Sustainable Development at Finnair. But "from a passenger or even pilot's point of view, you would never know the difference" she explains.
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The Students From Norway Solving America's Campus Housing Crisis

The Students From Norway Solving America's Campus Housing Crisis

Forbes — The solution to America's current campus housing crisis may have already been solved by two students from Norway. Across America this Fall, universities are facing a chronic shortage of accommodation. At San José State, all incoming students were put on a waiting list, while upper classmen were moved to hotels. At Iowa State, 200 incoming freshmen and transfer students had their requests for on-campus living turned down and more than 400 students were put into temporary dorm rooms. The University of Michigan ran out of housing after record enrolments and 450 freshmen were left without accommodation at the start of this semester.
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New York Looks Nørth

New York Looks Nørth

Forbes — There's a chill in the New York air this week as the North Food Festival blows into town serving some seriously cool food to Big Apple diners. The hallmarks of modern Nordic cooking are on display and available to taste: simple, clean flavours, lots of seafood and locally sourced or foraged ingredients. The zeitgeist at North is freshness, originality and sustainability.
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Iceland Volcano Eruption: So Far, So Good

Iceland Volcano Eruption: So Far, So Good

Forbes — With fire fountains shooting into the sky, and languid slow-pouring lava, Iceland's Bárðarbunga volcano is a made-for-TV eruption (click the link to watch a live stream). For a country with countless stunning geological features, volcanoes like Bárðarbunga can be a boon for tourism. "Usually eruptions and earthquakes are considered bad for tourism as they generate fear and uncertainty" says Hjörtur Smárason, a place branding specialist from Iceland. "However, there is a big difference from one geological area to another, and from one volcano to another". Even still, part of the affected area is off limits.
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Iceland Volcano Alert: Eruptions, Ash Cloud, And Travel Essentials

Iceland Volcano Alert: Eruptions, Ash Cloud, And Travel Essentials

Forbes — In Iceland, the earth is restless. With geological superlatives, immense tectonic plates are shifting slowly, pulling the island apart, prompting thousands of earthquakes in the past week, and making one of Iceland's most extensive volcano systems, Bárðarbunga, rumble menacingly, buried below Europe's largest glacier, Vatnajökull. The strongest quake in more than 20 years was measured 4.5 early Monday morning, and Iceland's Civil Aviation Authority has issued an orange warning to aircraft - the second highest level of alert. So far, it sounds like a recipe for disaster, but that's not necessarily the case.
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The Restaurant Revolution Heading Your Way

The Restaurant Revolution Heading Your Way

Forbes — There's a restaurant revolution happening. It's a quiet revolution, but it's breaking down the barriers between kitchen and customer, and it's heading your way. It all started in May 2011 in Finland when 'Ravintolapäivä' or Restaurant Day was born - an idea dreamed up by Helsinki event producer Timo Santala and two friends, to let anyone open a restaurant anywhere, just for a day - with no worries about training, marketing, service standards, food safety or the numerous permits required in many cities to run a food service business.
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Sunshine App Takes The Shade Out of Summer Drinks

Sunshine App Takes The Shade Out of Summer Drinks

Forbes — They say the geeks will inherit the earth - but one Nordic geek wants to inherit the sun as well, with a sunshine app that takes the shade out of summer drinks. After a shaky start in June, summer turned out to be exception this year in Finland with long weeks of clear blue skies and temperatures soaring into the high 20s (+/- 80 fahrenheit). Although, in true pessimistic Finnish fashion, nobody expects it to last much longer. By the time you're reading this it could well be snowing again...
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Flow Festival Finland: Come For The Music, Stay For The Food

Flow Festival Finland: Come For The Music, Stay For The Food

Forbes — Finland's hippest music festival gets underway in Helsinki this week, with dozens of acts and tens of thousands of spectators arriving for the annual extravaganza that is Flow Festival. The breadth of artists caters to very diverse music tastes, but it's the gourmet food on offer that makes Flow Festival a true pioneer on Finland's busy summer festival scene. The line-up is always eclectic at Flow - this year's highlights run the gamut from a reinvented Neneh Cherry to resurgent Manic Street Preachers; from Action Bronson's big time beats to R&B superstar Janelle Monae; from Malian world music royalty Les Ambassadeurs to the divisive love-him-or-hate-him dubsteb of Skrillex; from Nordic synth-pop collaborators Röyksopp & Robyn to an abundance of homegrown Finnish bands, solo singers and DJ talent thrown in for good measure.
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Meeting Finland's Imprisoned Conscientious Objectors | VICE United Kingdom

Meeting Finland's Imprisoned Conscientious Objectors | VICE United Kingdom

Vice — It doesn't look much like prison. At 7AM each morning Jari Koivisto leaves the new-build home he shares with his pregnant fiancée on the outskirts of Helsinki, and goes to work at a car rental company. Every day at 5PM he comes home again. But with an ankle monitoring bracelet, strict curfews, drugs and alcohol tests, and frequent visits from the ominously-titled Criminal Sanctions Agency, this is how the 28-year-old is serving his six months of house arrest. Jari lives this way because he has refused to do mandatory military or civilian service. Amnesty calls them prisoners of conscience and their numbers are small but growing.
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