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World warms to the Northern star
 In the Nordic constellation, no star currently burns more brightly than Finland. From being a rural outpost of northern Europe, the country has emerged as one of the success stories of the European Union - and today assumes its presidency in a supremely self-confident mood. That sense of well-being, founded mostly on a strong economic record and political stability, was augmented earlier this year by national pride in an area where Finland does not usually make the headlines, foreign policy. ...more
ECONOMY:
Heady cure for depression
Finns are not prone to smugness, but they could certainly be forgiven for giving in to it when they contemplate the state of their economy. Annual growth has averaged more than 4 per cent over the last five years, comfortably outstripping the European average. Economists expect the pace to slacken in the next few years, but only slightly, and growth of just under 4 per cent is forecast for this year. ...more
NOKIA:
Finnish giant phones ahead
Nokia, Finland's largest industrial company, has put its old products on display to show how far it has come as the world's largest manufacturer of mobile phones. In the company's headquarters on the outskirts of Helsinki, early phones with foot-long antennae and batteries the size of lunch boxes are kept in dimly-lit display cases. Pride of place is reserved for the latest handsets, boasting gadgets such as internet roaming and fax buttons. ...more
PARTIES:
Pastel shades in rainbow alliance
On a changeable day in June, the arrow on the barometer in Paavo Lipponen's office is moving from "variable" to "good". The prime minister must feel his political fortunes are moving in a similar direction. ...more
EU:
Finland takes the driving seat
The central role played by Martti Ahtisaari, the Finnish president, in negotiating an end to the bombing in Kosovo, has proved a double blessing for Finland. On the one hand, it has underlined the very practical way in which a small, peripheral member state in the European Union can make a diplomatic contribution way beyond its political and economic weight. ...more
STOCK EXCHANGE:
HEX forgoes independence for share of the euro action
Alliances among Europe's biggest stock exchanges are creating difficult choices for bourses on the fringes of Europe. Nowhere has this been more apparent than in Helsinki, which - to some people's surprise - has opted to link its fortunes to the German market rather than with neighbouring Sweden and Denmark. ...more
OULU:
The town that thinks it's IT
In the 17th century it was the trade in pelts, salmon and tar that brought prosperity to the city of Oulu which is situated near the northern edge of the Gulf of Bothnia on the Baltic Sea not far from the Arctic Circle. ...more
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