"FINLAND'S consumer confidence rose to 21.9 in August from 19.1 in July, survey data from Statistics Finland showed Friday. Confidence in the economy has been measured as strong as in August only at the beginning of 2000, the statistical office said.

"FINLAND wants to be the world's first country that will build a "green highway" with service stations offering charging points for electric vehicles and biofuel pumps. Aki Marjasvaara with the Loviisa municipality spearheading the Project said that: "The aim is to create the model for an ecological highway that could be used even on an international level".

The "green highway" will link Turku, Finland's southwestern coast with Vaalimaa near the Russian border and will measure almost 130 kilometers. In charge of the project is the town of Loviisa, which is located in the east of Helsinki, the ones who proposed making this road "green". The municipality wants to use the waste and other resources from the region to make the biofuel and electricity to keep the building process...

“IMPORTS of Estonian berries and mushrooms into Finland are growing fast as businessmen are taking advantage of the price difference. For instance, one can buy a litre of Estonian chanterelles on the Helsinki open air market for two euros, while Finnish-grown mushrooms cost eight euros per litre, writes Helsingin Sanomat. The Finnish customs is now cracking down on imports of mushroom and berries that often arrive in unmarked boxes from Estonia and go straight on sale as ‘authentic’ Finnish produce.

“A BISHOP who was kicked out of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Finland this week, has said he will continue to serve with a conservative religious group that opposes the ordination of women. Matti Väisänen has been named as a bishop by the Luther Foundation in a move that is expected to distance the group further from the established church. ‘I will continue in the post of bishop, into which I have been placed,’ Väisänen said in a report by Helsingin Sanomat. ‘I stand with Church members and those who have quit the Church, who are suffering from the current situation in our Church, and who find help with us.’ Väisänen was relieved of his right to serve as a minister by the Cathedral Chapter of Tampere Diocese on 18 August. According to the Chapter, the holy man had violated his oath and ecclesiastical law by taking a leading post in the Luther Foundation…”

ICENEWS 22 August.

“‘BUT what about suicides, depression, alcoholism and our cold, dark winters?’ many Finns protested on 17 August, after Newsweek named Finland ‘the best country in the world’. Scored for education, health, quality of life, economic dynamism and political stability, Finland narrowly beat Switzerland (2) and our neighbours and arch rivals, Sweden (3). As ever, our foreign minister, Alexander Stubb, was more positive, urging the Finns for once ‘to express their pride and sincere joy for the honour.’ But gloating does not come naturally to us, even though Finland...

“FINNISH President Tarja Halonen approved on 20 August a new tobacco act proposed by the Finnish government on 18 August, aiming to totally end smoking in Finland, the first country to write the aim of completely banning smoking in a law. The purpose of a new tobacco act is to prevent in particular children and youngsters from smoking. The new act restricts selling and supplying tobacco especially to children and youngsters under 18 years old. Neither shops nor private persons are allowed to sell or provide tobacco products to persons under 18. According to the act, person who sell single cigarette ...

“FINLAND’s economic growth won’t return to pre-crisis levels after next year’s rebound, Finance Minister Jyrki Katai-

nen said, as Europe’s fastest-aging population constrains productivity. ‘Finland’s growth rate will level out at about 2 per cent after next year’s 3 per cent rebound,’ Katainen said in an interview in Helsinki on 20 August, after the government unveiled its 2011 budget. ‘The normal potential growth rate for the Finnish economy is below 2 per cent.’ The economy of the northernmost euro member grew about 4 per cent on average in the three years leading up to the financial crisis before a trade-led slump sent Finland into an 8 per cent contraction last year, its deepest since the 1918 Civil War.

“FINLAND said on 12 August its radioactivity levels were normal in areas affected by smoke from fire-ravaged Russia, where burnt regions include land contaminated by the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. Finland’s Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority said in a statement that it had ‘measured the samples of particle collection in Helsinki, Kotka and Imatra,’ and the radioactivity levels had not risen above normal.

“FINNISH defence and aerospace group Patria says it has received an order to provide 113 armoured vehicles to the Swedish military. The Helsinki-based company says the deal is valued at around 250 million euros. Delivery of the AMV multi-terrain amphibious vehicles is scheduled to take place by the end of 2013. The contract of 14 August was initially awarded to Patria in 2009 but competitor BAE Systems Hagglunds filed a complaint and the bidding process was repeated. The state-controlled Patria says it has won contracts for 1,300 AMV vehicles since 2004 including orders from the Finnish and Polish military.”

THE CANADIAN PRESS 14 August.

“THE GOVERMENT of Finland on 11 August donated 1.2 million euros for relief of the people devastated by flash floods hitting various parts of the country. ‘Following the decision of Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Paavo Väyrynen, Finland has granted a total of 1.2 million euros in humanitarian assistance for flood victims in Pakistan,’ said the spokesman in a press release.

According to the spokesman, a severe humanitarian crisis has arisen in Pakistan as a result of the heavy monsoon rains the country has experienced in the past few weeks. According to the release, some 500,000 people have been left homeless and 252,000 buildings have been destroyed by the floods.