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What’s the buzz? The Nordics have plenty of decent mid-range hotels, but relatively few knockout five-star establishments. Former triple Olympic gold medallist Samppa Lajunen wants to change that in Helsinki with his Hotel Maria, an attempt to plug what he sees as a gap in the high-end luxury market in the Finnish capital. A one-time specialist in Nordic combined (a discipline that involves cross-country skiing and ski jumping) and now a fund manager and developer, Lajunen claims that top-level sports and hotels both rest on the idea of “high goals, all details in place, and no compromises”. The full-scale invasion of Ukraine may have put paid to plans to attract high-rollers from Russia, but the hotel has been gradually opening up and expanding into four separate buildings throughout this year.

Location, location, location: It may be located in the heart of Helsinki, only a few hundred metres from the sea, main railway station and Senate Square, but the hotel sits on a surprisingly quiet side street, Mariankatu, in the Kruununhaka neighbourhood. The main building is one the Finnish army used from 1885 to house military officers and even snipers, and some of the suites have the narrow windows they once looked out of. Most sights in the Finnish capital are in easy walking distance.

Checking in: The yellow colonnaded facade is suitably imposing, but as soon as you pass the doorman into the interior there are Nordic cool vibes. The reception is well lit, with three cascading art deco chandeliers, conveying a sense of ice and snow that is especially suitable in a city where a frigid wind often blows off the sea. The welcome is warmer than the decor, but is equally Finnish in its efficiency. A few questions, a swipe of the credit card, even some low-key Finnish humour, and check-in was complete. A porter was soon whisking my bag off to my room.

The colours throughout the hotel are light and subtle, plenty of ivory and beige thanks to head designer Jana Sasko. Finns may normally be humble folk, but Lajunen’s three gold medals take pride of place in a display cabinet. Brass and gold effects abound — such as the inlays in the entrance’s marble floor and the curvy front desk. It’s clearly aiming to project a sense of luxury, but the relaxed type.

There are 117 bedrooms, of which no fewer than 38 are suites, and beige, light grey, and marble again predominate. A surprisingly intuitive iPad is used to control the lights, sound system and even the curtains but there are also manual switches.

What to do? If there is one thing Finland does better than anywhere else, it is sauna. The hotel spa offers both sauna and steam room, and a choice of how to cool off again — a compact plunge pool or an old-fashioned bucket with a chain pull. It took me some courage but soon provided an invigorating start to the day.

There is also a small pool for swimming, two warmer pools, and a Jacuzzi. I relaxed so much there was no time to use the fitness gym or wellness studio, let alone the ballroom.

What about the food? Lilja, the Maria’s main restaurant, is its pitch at a Nordic ingredients meets French-style fine dining concept that is so popular in the region. My meal suggested it is coming close to the Michelin star standard the team so obviously covet, the food delicate, delicious, and occasionally unusual. The latter is particularly true of my starter of persimmon, well balanced with a fresh ricotta, some crunch from almonds, and a subtle aniseed taste. It was followed by a decadent chicken confit and truffled potatoes.

Breakfast in a light and open dining room includes delights such as Nordic kimchi, cold smoked reindeer from Lapland and Finnish cheese, but also an à la carte menu with the omnipresent avocado toast and eggs royale.

Other guests? The war in Ukraine hasn’t just robbed the Maria of Russians but also of plenty of Asians that Finnair, the country’s flag carrier, had hoped to attract with shorter flight times to Europe by flying over Russia (Moscow has rescinded that right). So the hotel is more focused on European and American guests; business people and wealthy tourists mostly.

The damage: Double rooms including breakfast start from €350; suites run from €529 to as much as €6,000 per night.

Richard Milne is the FT’s Nordic and Baltic bureau chief. He was a guest of the Hotel Maria (hotelmaria.fi)

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BRITS planning to send Christmas cards have been warned to stock up ahead of a major price change in just hours.

Royal Mail has confirmed first-class stamps will go up in price tomorrow.

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The stamps will rise for standard letters by 30p from £1.35 to £1.65 – the second hike in a year and a 22% increase.

First-class stamps for large letters will go up from £2.10 to £2.60 – a 24% rise.

However, you can beat the hike somewhat by stocking up on stamps now so you don’t need to buy new ones come Christmas.

Martin Lewis previously said: “For years, every time stamps go up in price I’ve suggested people stock up and bulk-buy in advance.

“Provided the stamp doesn’t have a price on it and instead just says the postage class, it’s still valid after the hike.

“So you may as well stock up now, even if it’s just for Christmas cards for the next few Christmases.”

Royal Mail said it had tried to keep any price hikes on stamps as low as possible in the face of inflation and slumping demand.

It also cited the costs associated with maintaining the Universal Service Obligation for deliveries six days a week.

But Ofcom said Royal Mail could be allowed to drop Saturday deliveries for second class letters under an overhaul of the service.

Under plans being considered, second class deliveries would not be made on Saturdays and would only be on alternate weekdays.

But delivery times would remain unchanged at up to three working days.

Ofcom said no decision had been made and it continues to review the changes.

The regulator aims to publish a consultation in early 2025 and make a decision in the summer of next year.

Royal Mail has urged the Government and Ofcom to review its obligations.

The firm argues that it is no longer workable or cost-effective, given the decline in number of letter volumes being posted.

The delivery giant has previously said volumes have fallen from 20billion in 2004/5 to around 6.7billion in 2023/4.

The average household now receives four letters a week compared to 14 a decade ago.

What is rising?

Royal Mail previously raised the price of first class stamps from £1.10 to £1.25 last October, before hiking them again in April.

Right now, a first class stamp costs £1.35, which covers the delivery of letters up to 100g.

Historically, the cost of stamps has steadily increased over the years, reflecting inflation and operational costs. For example, in 2000, a First Class stamp was priced at 41p.

A second class stamp is currently priced at 85p and also covers letters up to 100g. The cost of second-class stamps isn’t rising from October 7.

The stamps can be bought individually if you buy it at a Post Office counter.

Otherwise, you can typically buy them in sets of multiple stamps.

The first class service typically delivers your post the next working day, including Saturdays, while the second class service usually delivers within 2-3 working days, also including Saturdays.

For larger letters, the cost of a first class stamp is £2.10 for items up to 100g, and a second class stamp for the same weight is £1.55.

Parcel delivery prices vary based on size and weight, starting from £3.69 for small parcels.

Additional services include the “signed for” option, which requires a signature upon delivery and adds an extra level of security.

The cost for first class signed for is £3.05, and for second class Signed for, it is £2.55.

The “special delivery” service guarantees next-day delivery by 1pm with compensation cover, with prices starting from £7.95.

Royal Mail periodically reviews and adjusts stamp prices, so it is advisable to check the latest rates on their official website or at your local Post Office.

An Israeli airstrike hit a mosque in central Gaza and Palestinian officials said at least 19 people were killed early Sunday. Israeli planes also lit up the skyline across the southern suburbs of Beirut, striking what the military said were Hezbollah targets.

The strike in Gaza hit a mosque where displaced people were sheltering near the main hospital in the central town of Deir al-Balah. Another four people were killed in a strike on a school sheltering displaced people near the town.

The Israeli military said both strikes targeted militants, without providing evidence.

An Associated Press journalist counted the bodies at the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital morgue. Hospital records showed that the dead from the strike on the mosque were all men, while another man was wounded.

In Beirut, the strikes reportedly targeted a building near a road leading to Lebanon’s only international airport and another formerly used by the Hezbollah-run broadcaster Al-Manar.

Israel and Hezbollah have traded fire across the Lebanon border almost daily since the day after Hamas’ cross-border attack on Oct. 7, 2023, which killed 1,200 Israelis and took 250 others hostage. Israel declared war on the Hamas militant group in the Gaza Strip in response. As the Israel-Hamas war reaches the one-year mark, nearly 42,000 Palestinians have been killed in the territory, and just over half the dead have been women and children, according to local health officials.

Nearly 2,000 people have been killed in Lebanon in the latest conflict, most of them since Sept. 23, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry.

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Here is the latest:

Beirut’s southern suburbs hit by more than 30 strikes overnight

BEIRUT — The southern suburbs of Beirut were hit by more than 30 strikes overnight, the heaviest bombardment since Sept. 23, when Israel began a significant escalation in its air campaign against Hezbollah in Lebanon, Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency reported Sunday.

The targets included a gas station on the main highway leading to the Beirut airport and a warehouse for medical supplies, the agency said.

Some of the overnight strikes set off a long series of explosions, suggesting that ammunition stores may have been hit.

Macron calls for a halt to arms exports for the war in Gaza

PARIS — French President Emmanuel Macron called for “a halt to arms exports for use in Gaza,” saying it’s urgent to avoid escalating tensions in the region, his office said.

Macron drew strong criticism from Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by saying “the priority is … that we stop delivering weapons to fight in Gaza.” He made the comments in an interview with France Inter radio, which was recorded on Tuesday and aired Saturday.

France doesn’t deliver any weapons to Israel, Macron said.

Netanyahu released a video statement in which he called out the French president by name and referred to such calls as a “disgrace.”

In a statement, Macron’s office said “France is Israel’s unfailing friend. Mr. Netanyahu’s words are excessive and irrelevant to the friendship between France and Israel.”

“We must return to diplomatic solutions,” it added.

The statement also said that Macron had demonstrated his commitment to Israel’s security when France mobilized its military resources in response to the Iranian attack. French authorities did not provided details about France’s role.

Macron has called for an immediate cease-fire in both Gaza and Lebanon.

Apparent Israeli airstrike kills at least 18 in central Gaza, Palestinian officials say

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — An apparent Israeli airstrike early Sunday killed at least 18 people in central Gaza, Palestinian medical officials said.

The strike hit a mosque sheltering displaced people near the al-Aqsa Martyrs hospital in the town of Deir al-Balah, the hospital said in a statement.

An Associated Press journalist counted the bodies at the hospital morgue. Hospital records showed that the dead were all men. Another two men were critically wounded, the hospital said.

The Israeli military did not immediately comment about the strike on the mosque.

The latest strikes add to the mounting Palestinian death toll in Gaza, which is now nearing 42,000 according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. The ministry does not differentiate between civilian and militant deaths, but many of the dead were women and children.

New explosions in south Beirut suburbs as Israel expands bombing in Lebanon

BEIRUT — Powerful new explosions rocked Beirut’s southern suburbs late Saturday as Israel expanded its bombardment in Lebanon, also striking a Palestinian refugee camp deep in the north for the first time as it targeted both Hezbollah and Hamas fighters.

Thousands of people in Lebanon, including Palestinian refugees, continued to flee the widening conflict in the region, while rallies were held around the world marking the approaching anniversary of the start of the war in Gaza.

The strong explosions began near midnight after Israel’s military urged residents to evacuate areas in Beirut’s Haret Hreik and Choueifat neighborhoods. AP video showed the blasts illuminating the densely populated southern suburbs, where Hezbollah has a strong presence. They followed a day of sporadic strikes and the nearly continuous buzz of reconnaissance drones.

Israel’s military confirmed it was striking targets near Beirut and said about 30 projectiles had crossed from Lebanon into Israeli territory.

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‘Complicated’

‘Substantial economic benefits’

Using Ceramic Welding Buckets

The thermite reaction is violent, burning at temperatures exceeding 3,000 degrees Celsius (5,432 degrees Fahrenheit) and causing molten metal to be expelled in all directions.

Moreover, thermite cannot be extinguished by conventional methods, such as cutting off its oxygen supply, since oxygen is already part of its chemical structure.

Attempts to douse burning thermite with water can be catastrophic, as the intense heat can split water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen, creating an explosive mix.

Ukrainian forces have adapted their dragon drones by suspending ceramic welding buckets or using thermite bombs from cluster munitions.

For instance, ZAB-2.5T bomblets, found in certain RBK aerial bombs, serve as effective payloads. As this innovative technology continues to develop, the battlefield tactics employed by Ukraine are becoming increasingly sophisticated,

What is freedom and why does it matter? Timothy Snyder’s answer is that “freedom is the absolute among absolutes, the value of values. This is not because freedom is the one good thing to which all others must bow. It is because freedom is the condition in which the good things can flow within us and among us.”

This sounds abstract. But it is not. Snyder knows how precious and fragile freedom is because he has studied and, in Ukraine, even seen what happens to people when brutes take it away.

A professor at Yale, Snyder is one of the foremost historians of central and eastern Europe. Among his many books are Bloodlands: Europe Between Hitler and Stalin — which explains how those monsters fed upon each other — and On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century, which tells us where we might be heading.

Snyder is no ivory tower academic. He seeks to make the world a better place via his books and his Substack, which is notably clear-eyed on the neo-fascism of Donald Trump’s Republican party.

His knowledge of tyranny is invaluable in analysing freedom. But Snyder’s book goes well beyond history. He discusses the thought of Edith Stein, a German Jewish philosopher who converted to Catholicism and died in Auschwitz. He quotes the French philosopher Simone Weil, the dissidents Václav Havel and Adam Michnik, and the leading critic of Karl Marx, Leszek Kolakowski, He includes his own experiences from his home in Ohio to his studies in central and eastern Europe, teaching in an American prison and being in Ukraine during Russia’s genocidal war. All this makes On Freedom intellectually rich, yet personal.

Unpredictability is evidently a form of freedom. Free people must be able to do and think what they wish, not just what governments want

The book starts from a passionate conviction that freedom is not negative — and so defined by the absence of external constraints — but positive, and so defined by what we are able to do. The latter, in turn, depends on what we get from others. For Snyder, then, the capacity to recognise others as beings like ourselves is the foundation of freedom. Without that, we will treat others as objects, not subjects, and finish up with tyranny.

Thus, he argues, “We enable freedom not by rejecting government, but by affirming freedom as the guide to good government.” Politically, freedom means democracy. A democracy of equal citizens is incompatible with an oligarchy protected by “negative freedom”. If, as in the US today, the law says that money is speech and corporations are people, it creates a plutocracy, “Freedom” then becomes a synonym for privilege.

What do these points mean in practice? Snyder’s answer is that “The connection between freedom as a principle and freedom as a practice are the five forms of freedom”. These are “sovereignty, or the learned capacity to make choices; unpredictability, the power to adapt physical regularities to personal purposes; mobility, the capacity to move through space and time following values; factuality, the grip on the world that allows us to change it; and solidarity, the recognition that freedom is for everyone.”

Together, these “forms” make those of us lucky enough to live in liberal democracies free members of a free society. As a child of refugees from Hitler who grew up during the cold war, I know what this means, as does Snyder. Notably, all of these forms depend on actions by others. They cannot be achieved by individuals on their own.

As Snyder notes, “Babies who are left alone learn nothing.” Children cannot acquire the personality and knowledge needed to be a free member of a free society on their own. Their achievement of individual sovereignty depends on what others do. But the ability of adults to act freely also depends on the honesty and competence of the judges, policemen, public servants and all those who pay their taxes and do vital jobs.

Unpredictability is evidently a form of freedom. Free people must be able to do and think what they wish, not just what governments want. That is what tyrannies seek to prevent. They want to make people predictable. The digital screen, argues Snyder, seeks to achieve the same outcome.

Mobility is the challenge for mature people, says Snyder. A free society should indeed be a mobile one. But, he emphasises, mobility includes social mobility. A hereditary oligarchy is the opposite of such mobility.

This drives Snyder’s hostility to negative freedom — the idea that one is free once one is liberated from restrictions imposed by governments. This perspective is solipsistic and so “antisocial”. In the US, he argues, the “elevation of negative freedom in the 1980s set a political tone that lasted deep into the twenty-first century”. The purpose of government was “not to create the conditions of freedom for all but to remove barriers in order to help the wealthy consolidate their gains.”

Moreover, “The more concentrated the wealth became, the more constrained was the discussion — until, in effect, the word freedom in American English came to mean little more than the privilege of wealthy Americans not to pay taxes, the power of a few oligarchs to shape the discourse, and the unequal application of criminal law.”

Truthfulness is not an archaism or an eccentricity but a necessity for life and a source of freedom

Snyder condemns the populism offered by Trump as “sadopopulism”. True populism, he argues, “offers some redistribution, something to the people from the state; sadopopulism offers only the spectacle of others being still more deprived.”

Factuality is fundamental: neither an individual nor a collective can make decisions without information. “Truthfulness”, argues Snyder, “is not an archaism or an eccentricity but a necessity for life and a source of freedom.” Deliberate lies of the kind that Trump and JD Vance have been telling about the consumption of pets by Haitian immigrants in Ohio make a mockery of democracy and so of freedom. Vladimir Putin is today’s master of such lies.

Values may differ, but if politics is to work at all, there needs to be some agreement on the facts. Here the difficulty, Snyder notes, is not just manipulative politicians but digital media. The advertising revenue needed to support journalism, especially local journalism, has been swallowed by digital behemoths. Investigative journalism has largely disappeared, and politics drowns in a tidal wave of conspiracies and lies.

Not least, argues Snyder, there must be solidarity. This follows from his most fundamental proposition that I am free because others are free. This is what makes the bonds of citizenship, on which freedom depends, work. If I am better off than others, I have an obligation to pay the taxes on which the freedom of others depends. This is the argument for sharing of the costs of bringing up children and of maintaining the health of all. At the limits, it means fighting in the defence of one’s country’s freedoms, as Ukrainians are doing. As Snyder insists: “Morally, logically, and politically, there is no freedom without solidarity.”

On Freedom fails fully to recognise that competitive markets are both a form — and a source — of freedom. Yet Snyder is not hostile to markets. On the contrary, he rightly insists that “Markets are indispensable, and they help us to do many things well. But it is up to people to decide which things those are and under which parameters markets best serve freedom.”

Snyder is right about what is most important. He understands that freedom means choosing among competing values and accepting disagreement, while respecting the democratic rules over how it is managed. But freedom does not mean giving the wealthy the right to buy elections or the powerful the right to tear up the votes of people they dislike. Freedom is a precious gift. We have to defend it.

On Freedom by Timothy Snyder Bodley Head £25, 368 pages

Martin Wolf is the FT’s chief economics commentator

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