Finland to ban Russian nationals from buying property: minister

HELSINKI: Finland´s government on Thursday proposed a ban on property purchases by nationals from countries that initiate wars, meaning in practice that real estate transactions by Russian citizens will be restricted.

It recommended that “persons whose country of nationality is waging a war of aggression and may pose a threat to Finland´s national security” would not be permitted to buy real estate there. “The government has just decided to submit a proposal to parliament to ban real estate transactions by Russians in Finland,” Finnish Defence Minister Antti Hakkanen told a press conference. —AFP

Australia to punish Nazi salute with minimum one year in jail

SYDNEY: Australian lawmakers passed anti-hate legislation on Thursday that enforces minimum sentences for a string of offences including a year in jail for a Nazi salute.

The legislation passed with the support of the centre-left Labour government and conservative opposition following a string of anti-Semitic attacks.

Last week, police said they were investigating after finding mining explosives in a caravan on the outskirts of Sydney along with written threats against Jewish entities. In recent months, vandals have torched a Sydney childcare centre, firebombed a Melbourne synagogue and splashed anti-Semitic graffiti on Jewish neighbourhoods.