Helsinki  - Finland, home to several world champion rallies and Formula One racing drivers, is currently studying changes to its system for learner drivers.

A possible change could include adjusting some of the basic training according to gender.

Esko Keskinen, a traffic psychologist with the Finnish Vehicle Administration (AKE), indicated the needs in a recent interview with the Aamulehti newspaper, but said each beginner driver would need to discuss specific needs with their teacher.

Helsinki  - Readers and Finnish media continued Wednesday to speculate over who placed a full-page personal ad in leading Finnish daily Helsingin Sanomat over the weekend.

The ad published Sunday was estimated to have cost 20,000 euros (26,000 dollars).

The most recent traces indicated that the ad was placed by a 42- year-old Russian man.

Helsinki  - Finnish Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen has become engaged to Sirkka Mertala, the prime minister's office said Friday.

The couple have been dating for a year.

The statement was issued after tabloid Ilta-Sanomat in its Friday edition reported that the couple on Thursday bought engagement rings.

Vanhanen divorced his first wife in 2005, and has since been dated several women.

Helsinki - Citing lower demand for air travel, Finnish flag carrier Finnair on Friday said it planned to lay-off staff in its on the technical services division to save costs.

The lay-offs were to last from two weeks to three months, the carrier said, adding it hoped to make savings of 7 million euros (9.4 million dollars) on the move.

The division has some 1,600 employees, and statutory consultative negotiations with unions have begun.

Helsinki - Nokia, the world's largest maker of mobile phones, said Tuesday it planned to shed 1,700 jobs worldwide to "adapt to the market situation."

The moves were part of Nokia's plans to adjust sales, marketing and technology management. Negotiations with unions were to commence, the group said.

In January, Nokia reported a 19-per-cent drop in sales and a sharp drop in operating profit for the fourth quarter of 2008.

Helsinki - Archbishop Jukka Parma of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland Monday called for "calm discussion" between supporters and opponents of same-sex unions and its consequences for the church.

Parma's remarks were made after he accepted a 200-page report on the charged subject that has been drafted by a working group appointed by the bishops' conference.

Finland in 2002 made same-sex unions legal. However, the church has yet to decide on guidelines concerning requests for blessings of same-sex unions.