European&nbsp;Union&nbsp;leaders&nbsp;will&nbsp;discuss&nbsp;a new&nbsp;budget&nbsp;plan on Friday that could allow the bloc to spend up to 1.1&nbsp;trillion&nbsp;euros&nbsp;in the 2021-2027 period, but deep divisions among governments could block a deal for months.

Under a proposal prepared by Finland, which holds the EU's rotating presidency, the next long-term&nbsp;budget&nbsp;should have a financial capacity between 1.03 per cent&nbsp;and 1.08 per cent&nbsp;of the bloc's gross national income (GNI), a measure of output.

That would allow the EU to spend between 1 and 1.1&nbsp;trillion&nbsp;euros for seven years with its first&nbsp;budget&nbsp;after the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/boris-johnson-agrees-brexit-deal-but-must-now-win-over-parliament-256575">exit from the club of Britain</a>, one of the top contributors to EU coffers.

The document, seen by Reuters, is less ambitious than proposals put forward by the&nbsp;European&nbsp;Commission, the EU executive, which is seeking a&nbsp;budget&nbsp;worth 1.1 per cent&nbsp;of GNI. The EU parliament called for an even higher&nbsp;budget&nbsp;at 1.3 per cent&nbsp;of GNI.

But the Finnish proposal moves beyond a 1 per cent&nbsp;cap set by Germany, the bloc's largest economy.

Finland's midway solution has displeased most of the 27 EU states, EU officials said, anticipating long negotiations before a compromise can be reached.

Talks on&nbsp;budgets are traditionally among the most divisive in a bloc that in recent years has become increasingly prone to quarrels, as its states are deeply split over economic policies, financial reforms and how to handle migrants.

The Finnish proposal, which cuts spending on farmers and poorer regions, has managed to unite the divided EU&nbsp;leaders&nbsp;in its criticism.

"The text has caused nearly unanimous dissatisfaction," a diplomat involved in the talks said.

While the bloc has embarked on a range of new expensive policies, such as protecting its borders and increasing social security, states are reluctant to pay more.

Germany and other Nordic supporters of a smaller&nbsp;budget&nbsp;argue that because of&nbsp;Brexit, they would pay more into EU coffers even with a 1 per cent&nbsp;cap because they would need to compensate for the loss of Britain's transfers.

Eastern and southern states, who benefit from EU funds on poorer regions and agriculture, are keen to see a bigger&nbsp;budget, and are not happy with Finland's proposed cuts on these sectors.

Under the proposal, subsidies to poor regions would drop to less than 30 per cent&nbsp;of the&nbsp;budget&nbsp;from 34 per cent&nbsp;now, while aid to farmers would fall to slightly more than 30 per cent&nbsp;from over 35 per cent&nbsp;of the total.

To complicate matters, the new&nbsp;budget&nbsp;should also include rules that would suspend funding to member states with rule-of-law shortcomings, such as limits to media freedom or the independence of judges.

This is irking states like Poland and Hungary which Brussels has long accused of breaches in the rule of law after judiciary and media reforms adopted by their far-right governments.

Friday's meeting is seen as a starting point and is not supposed to find a compromise, but divisions are so deep that many officials fear a deal may not be reached by a self-imposed December deadline. A later deal would delay the launch of spending programmes.

The Finns remained confident, however, and insist their suggested spending range would eventually be backed by EU states. "The fact that almost everybody is against our text shows we have put forward a fair proposal," one diplomat said.

European Union leaders will discuss a new budget plan on Friday that could allow the bloc to spend up to 1.1 trillion euros in the 2021-2027 period, but deep divisions among governments could block a deal for months.

European Union leaders will discuss a new budget plan on Friday that could allow the bloc to spend up to 1.1 trillion euros in the 2021-2027 period, but deep divisions among governments could block a deal for months. Under a proposal prepared by Finland, which holds the EU's rotating presidency, the next long-term budget should have a financial capacity between 1.03 per cent and 1.08 per cent of the bloc's gross national income (GNI), a measure of output. That would allow the EU to spend between 1 and 1.1 trillion euros for seven years with its first budget after the exit from the club of Britain, one of the top contributors to EU coffers. The document, seen by Reuters, is less ambitious than proposals put forward by the European Commission, the EU executive, which is seeking a budget worth 1.1 per cent of GNI. The EU parliament called for an even higher budget at 1.3 per cent of GNI. But the Finnish proposal moves beyond a 1 per cent cap set by Germany, the bloc's largest economy. Finland's midway solution has displeased most of the 27 EU states, EU officials said, anticipating long negotiations before a compromise can be reached. Talks on budgets are traditionally among the most divisive in a bloc that in recent years has become increasingly prone to quarrels, as its states are deeply split over economic policies, financial reforms and how to handle migrants. The Finnish proposal, which cuts spending on farmers and poorer regions, has managed to unite the divided EU leaders in its criticism. "The text has caused nearly unanimous dissatisfaction," a diplomat involved in the talks said. While the bloc has embarked on a range of new expensive policies, such as protecting its borders and increasing social security, states are reluctant to pay more. Germany and other Nordic supporters of a smaller budget argue that because of Brexit, they would pay more into EU coffers even with a 1 per cent cap because they would need to compensate for the loss of Britain's transfers. Eastern and southern states, who benefit from EU funds on poorer regions and agriculture, are keen to see a bigger budget, and are not happy with Finland's proposed cuts on these sectors. Under the proposal, subsidies to poor regions would drop to less than 30 per cent of the budget from 34 per cent now, while aid to farmers would fall to slightly more than 30 per cent from over 35 per cent of the total. To complicate matters, the new budget should also include rules that would suspend funding to member states with rule-of-law shortcomings, such as limits to media freedom or the independence of judges. This is irking states like Poland and Hungary which Brussels has long accused of breaches in the rule of law after judiciary and media reforms adopted by their far-right governments. Friday's meeting is seen as a starting point and is not supposed to find a compromise, but divisions are so deep that many officials fear a deal may not be reached by a self-imposed December deadline. A later deal would delay the launch of spending programmes. The Finns remained confident, however, and insist their suggested spending range would eventually be backed by EU states. "The fact that almost everybody is against our text shows we have put forward a fair proposal," one diplomat said.

European Union leaders discuss $1.2 trillion post-Brexit budget

French President Emmanuel Macron has become the unlikely owner of a Teemu Pukki jersey, but he did not have to swap shirts with the Finnish striker who has emerged as the Premier League's standout player this season.

Macron was gifted a jersey bearing the name of Finland's soccer hero after an official meeting with the country's Prime Minister Antti Rinne at the Elysee Palace in France on Wednesday.

Rinne later posted a photo of the pair with Macron holding what the Finland Prime Minister described as a "small gift."

Pukki has taken the English top-flight by storm this season, scoring six goals and providing two assists in five matches for promoted Norwich City.

The 29-year-old Finland international was named the Premier League player of the month for August and celebrated the award by scripting a shock 3-2 victory over champions Manchester City in their last match.

French President Emmanuel Macron has become the unlikely owner of a Teemu Pukki jersey, but he did not have to swap shirts with the Finnish striker who has emerged as the Premier League's standout player this season.

French President Emmanuel Macron has become the unlikely owner of a Teemu Pukki jersey, but he did not have to swap shirts with the Finnish striker who has emerged as the Premier League's standout player this season. Macron was gifted a jersey bearing the name of Finland's soccer hero after an official meeting with the country's Prime Minister Antti Rinne at the Elysee Palace in France on Wednesday. Rinne later posted a photo of the pair with Macron holding what the Finland Prime Minister described as a "small gift." Pukki has taken the English top-flight by storm this season, scoring six goals and providing two assists in five matches for promoted Norwich City. The 29-year-old Finland international was named the Premier League player of the month for August and celebrated the award by scripting a shock 3-2 victory over champions Manchester City in their last match.

Teemu Pukki fever reaches France as Emmanuel Macron is gifted Finn's jersey

Britain must deliver a written proposal for a solution to the Brexit impasse this month to avoid a no-deal Brexit, the Finnish Prime Minister Antti Rinne's office told AFP on Thursday.

It is "a view of prime minister Rinne that the UK must come up with a written proposal by the end of this month," a spokesperson said.

Finland currently holds the rotating presidency of the European Union.

Rinne's statement comes a day after he met President Emmanuel Macron in Paris, where he said that the European Union (EU) is unlikely to grant an extension to the current October 31 deadline, and thus avoid a no-deal exit, unless London proposes concrete measures.

"Finland, nor I, nor the other 26 member states have much enthusiasm for an extension unless there is a sensible solution in sight for the future", Rinne said.

Rinne's office confirmed that he will speak with European Council president Donald Tusk by telephone to discuss the end of Septemer deadline.&nbsp;

On Thursday a French diplomatic source told AFP that "time is running out" to reach a Brexit accord, warning that it will not be possible to negotiate "directly" at the next European Council meeting in mid-October.

The 28 EU leaders are due to meet on October 17 and 18 in Brussels, less than two weeks ahead of the &nbsp;scheduled Brexit date of 31 October.

Brexit minister Stephen Barclay said on Thursday morning that he will meet EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier on Friday.

"The Prime Minister returned from talks with President (Jean-Claude) Juncker in Luxembourg on Monday with assurances that negotiations will intensify," Barclay said in a speech in Madrid.&nbsp;

"I also met with Michel Barnier at the same time and I will meet him again tomorrow," he said.

According to a European source, the Brexit timetable will also be discussed at a meeting between British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Juncker on the margins of the UN General Assembly in New York next week.

Britain must deliver a written proposal for a solution to the Brexit impasse this month to avoid a no-deal Brexit, the Finnish Prime Minister Antti Rinne's office told AFP on Thursday.

Britain must deliver a written proposal for a solution to the Brexit impasse this month to avoid a no-deal Brexit, the Finnish Prime Minister Antti Rinne's office told AFP on Thursday. It is "a view of prime minister Rinne that the UK must come up with a written proposal by the end of this month," a spokesperson said. Finland currently holds the rotating presidency of the European Union. Rinne's statement comes a day after he met President Emmanuel Macron in Paris, where he said that the European Union (EU) is unlikely to grant an extension to the current October 31 deadline, and thus avoid a no-deal exit, unless London proposes concrete measures. "Finland, nor I, nor the other 26 member states have much enthusiasm for an extension unless there is a sensible solution in sight for the future", Rinne said. Rinne's office confirmed that he will speak with European Council president Donald Tusk by telephone to discuss the end of Septemer deadline. On Thursday a French diplomatic source told AFP that "time is running out" to reach a Brexit accord, warning that it will not be possible to negotiate "directly" at the next European Council meeting in mid-October. The 28 EU leaders are due to meet on October 17 and 18 in Brussels, less than two weeks ahead of the scheduled Brexit date of 31 October. Brexit minister Stephen Barclay said on Thursday morning that he will meet EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier on Friday. "The Prime Minister returned from talks with President (Jean-Claude) Juncker in Luxembourg on Monday with assurances that negotiations will intensify," Barclay said in a speech in Madrid. "I also met with Michel Barnier at the same time and I will meet him again tomorrow," he said. According to a European source, the Brexit timetable will also be discussed at a meeting between British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Juncker on the margins of the UN General Assembly in New York next week.

UK must give written Brexit proposal this month: Finnish PM

Mobile network gear maker <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/swedish-gearmaker-ericsson-increases-5g-forecasts-226258">Ericsson</a> posted a second-quarter profit in line with expectations on Wednesday and said it was on track to meet its financial goals due to strong sales of 5G equipment.

Some analysts had expected the company to upgrade its 2020 targets after showing steady profitability improvements in 2018 and 2019 on rising 5G demands following a period of falling spending by operators.

The company, which counts <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indian-companies-supplying-technology-to-chinas-huawei-may-face-us-sanctions-ravi-shankar-prasad-232872">China's Huawei </a>and Finland's Nokia as its main rivals, has pledged to deliver an operating margin, excluding restructuring costs, of over 10 percent in 2020.

"We see strong momentum in our 5G business with both new contracts and new commercial launches as well as live networks," Chief Executive Borje Ekholm said in a statement. "To date, we have provided solutions for almost two-thirds of all commercially launched 5G networks."

Quarterly gross margin in Networks fell to 41.4 per cent &nbsp;from 43.2 per cent in the previous quarter, mainly due to litigation settlement costs, strategic contracts and lower intellectual property rights licensing revenues.

Ericsson said the strategic contracts would boost margins in the long run but would hurt profitability in the near term. Overall, gross margin was 36.6 per cent compared to 34.8 per cent a year ago.

"In the quarter we had a negative impact on gross margin and expect this impact to increase during the second half of the year," it said in the report.

Quarterly operating profit rose to 3.7 billion crowns from a 0.2 billion profit a year ago, in line with a mean forecast for a 3.7 billion profit in an analyst poll. Sales rose to 54.8 billion crowns from a-year-ago 49.8 billion, above forecasts of 53.2 billion.

Profit was negatively impacted by a litigation settlement cost to Intellectual Ventures of 400 million crowns.

Ericsson has staked its recovery on the growing demand for next-generation 5G gear, and some analysts think it could benefit from the current turmoil surrounding market leader Huawei.

($1 = 9.3873 Swedish crowns)

Mobile network gear maker Ericsson posted a second-quarter profit in line with expectations on Wednesday and said it was on track to meet its financial goals due to strong sales of 5G equipment.

Mobile network gear maker Ericsson posted a second-quarter profit in line with expectations on Wednesday and said it was on track to meet its financial goals due to strong sales of 5G equipment. Some analysts had expected the company to upgrade its 2020 targets after showing steady profitability improvements in 2018 and 2019 on rising 5G demands following a period of falling spending by operators. The company, which counts China's Huawei and Finland's Nokia as its main rivals, has pledged to deliver an operating margin, excluding restructuring costs, of over 10 percent in 2020. "We see strong momentum in our 5G business with both new contracts and new commercial launches as well as live networks," Chief Executive Borje Ekholm said in a statement. "To date, we have provided solutions for almost two-thirds of all commercially launched 5G networks." Quarterly gross margin in Networks fell to 41.4 per cent from 43.2 per cent in the previous quarter, mainly due to litigation settlement costs, strategic contracts and lower intellectual property rights licensing revenues. Ericsson said the strategic contracts would boost margins in the long run but would hurt profitability in the near term. Overall, gross margin was 36.6 per cent compared to 34.8 per cent a year ago. "In the quarter we had a negative impact on gross margin and expect this impact to increase during the second half of the year," it said in the report. Quarterly operating profit rose to 3.7 billion crowns from a 0.2 billion profit a year ago, in line with a mean forecast for a 3.7 billion profit in an analyst poll. Sales rose to 54.8 billion crowns from a-year-ago 49.8 billion, above forecasts of 53.2 billion. Profit was negatively impacted by a litigation settlement cost to Intellectual Ventures of 400 million crowns. Ericsson has staked its recovery on the growing demand for next-generation 5G gear, and some analysts think it could benefit from the current turmoil surrounding market leader Huawei. ($1 = 9.3873 Swedish crowns)

Ericsson says on track for 2020 targets as second-quarter profit matches forecasts

Angela Merkel remained seated during national anthems at an official ceremony on Thursday, as the German chancellor apparently sought to prevent a repeat of uncontrollable shaking with a rare change of protocol.

With questions swirling about <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/videos/angela-merkel-says-recovered-from-shaking-bout-after-drinking-water-228690&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjwjtzb8qzjAhUIMY8KHeW9BsUQFjABegQIDhAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw2VJfAU9__jstAAJn0bErqY">Merkel's health</a> after she suffered three episodes of shaking in public in less than a month, the veteran leader opted to play safe.&nbsp;

After greeting Denmark's new Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen at the portico of the chancellery, a smiling Merkel walked her over to a podium where both leaders took their seats.

The unusual move came a day after a similar ceremony when the German chancellor was seen shaking involuntarily for the third time.

On Wednesday, Merkel began trembling as national anthems were being played at the reception of Finnish Prime Minister Antti Rinne.

Just over an hour later, she attended a press conference as planned and told journalists that her health was no cause for concern.

She explained that she was simply still in a phase of "processing" a previous shaking spell, but that "there has been progress".

"I will have to live with it for a while," added Merkel, who turns 65 next week.

"Just like how it has come, one day it will go away too," she said.

Angela Merkel remained seated during national anthems at an official ceremony on Thursday, as the German chancellor apparently sought to prevent a repeat of uncontrollable shaking with a rare change of protocol.

Angela Merkel remained seated during national anthems at an official ceremony on Thursday, as the German chancellor apparently sought to prevent a repeat of uncontrollable shaking with a rare change of protocol. With questions swirling about Merkel's health after she suffered three episodes of shaking in public in less than a month, the veteran leader opted to play safe. After greeting Denmark's new Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen at the portico of the chancellery, a smiling Merkel walked her over to a podium where both leaders took their seats. The unusual move came a day after a similar ceremony when the German chancellor was seen shaking involuntarily for the third time. On Wednesday, Merkel began trembling as national anthems were being played at the reception of Finnish Prime Minister Antti Rinne. Just over an hour later, she attended a press conference as planned and told journalists that her health was no cause for concern. She explained that she was simply still in a phase of "processing" a previous shaking spell, but that "there has been progress". "I will have to live with it for a while," added Merkel, who turns 65 next week. "Just like how it has come, one day it will go away too," she said.

Merkel sits through anthems after shaking spells

The US will strengthen its Arctic presence to keep in check the "aggressive behaviour" of China and Russia in the resource-rich region, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Monday.

Speaking ahead of talks in Finland between the eight Arctic states, Pompeo warned that "the region has become an arena of global power and competition" thanks to its vast reserves of oil, gas, minerals and fish stocks.

He denounced attempts by China, which has observer status on the Arctic Council, to style itself as a "near-Arctic" state, citing Pentagon fears that China is seeking to establish a permanent security presence in the polar region, including by deploying submarines as a deterrent against nuclear attacks.

"There are only Arctic States and Non-Arctic States. No third category exists, and claiming otherwise entitles China to exactly nothing," he said, adding that China's activities in the region must be closely monitored.

"China's pattern of aggressive behaviour elsewhere will inform how it treats the Arctic," he said.

Pompeo also slammed Russian territorial claims on new, faster trade routes opening up through the region due to melting sea ice.

"In the Northern Sea Route, Moscow already illegally demands that other nations request permission to pass, requires Russian maritime pilots to be aboard foreign ships, and threatens to use military force to sink any that fail to comply," Pompeo said.

"These provocative actions are part of a pattern of aggressive Russian behaviour in the Arctic."

Pompeo said the US would strengthen its security and diplomatic presence in the Arctic, in part through military exercises, an increased military presence, and by rebuilding the US's icebreaker fleet.

"Just because the Arctic is a place of wilderness does not mean it should become a place of lawlessness," he said.

Russia has previously insisted that Moscow's drive for military and economic development in the Arctic is not a threat to other countries.&nbsp;

"We are not doing anything else besides ensuring security of the country. All we're doing in the Arctic is geared toward this and only this. We are not threatening anyone," Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said at an Arctic forum in St Petersburg last month.

On the sidelines of the Arctic Council, Pompeo will also meet Lavrov to discuss Venezuela, where the United States is trying to oust President Nicolas Maduro, an ally of Moscow.

The US Secretary of State will then continue his European tour with visits to Britain, Germany and Greenland.

The US will strengthen its Arctic presence to keep in check the "aggressive behaviour" of China and Russia in the resource-rich region, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Monday.

The US will strengthen its Arctic presence to keep in check the "aggressive behaviour" of China and Russia in the resource-rich region, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Monday. Speaking ahead of talks in Finland between the eight Arctic states, Pompeo warned that "the region has become an arena of global power and competition" thanks to its vast reserves of oil, gas, minerals and fish stocks. He denounced attempts by China, which has observer status on the Arctic Council, to style itself as a "near-Arctic" state, citing Pentagon fears that China is seeking to establish a permanent security presence in the polar region, including by deploying submarines as a deterrent against nuclear attacks. "There are only Arctic States and Non-Arctic States. No third category exists, and claiming otherwise entitles China to exactly nothing," he said, adding that China's activities in the region must be closely monitored. "China's pattern of aggressive behaviour elsewhere will inform how it treats the Arctic," he said. Pompeo also slammed Russian territorial claims on new, faster trade routes opening up through the region due to melting sea ice. "In the Northern Sea Route, Moscow already illegally demands that other nations request permission to pass, requires Russian maritime pilots to be aboard foreign ships, and threatens to use military force to sink any that fail to comply," Pompeo said. "These provocative actions are part of a pattern of aggressive Russian behaviour in the Arctic." Pompeo said the US would strengthen its security and diplomatic presence in the Arctic, in part through military exercises, an increased military presence, and by rebuilding the US's icebreaker fleet. "Just because the Arctic is a place of wilderness does not mean it should become a place of lawlessness," he said. Russia has previously insisted that Moscow's drive for military and economic development in the Arctic is not a threat to other countries. "We are not doing anything else besides ensuring security of the country. All we're doing in the Arctic is geared toward this and only this. We are not threatening anyone," Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said at an Arctic forum in St Petersburg last month. On the sidelines of the Arctic Council, Pompeo will also meet Lavrov to discuss Venezuela, where the United States is trying to oust President Nicolas Maduro, an ally of Moscow. The US Secretary of State will then continue his European tour with visits to Britain, Germany and Greenland.

Pompeo slams China, Russia 'aggressive behaviour' in the Arctic

Finns can expect a broad, ineffective coalition government for the next four years as the Social Democrats, who narrowly won weekend elections, focus on keeping the surging anti-immigration populists out, analysts said.

The polls were closely watched to see how the nationalists would do ahead of European Parliament elections in May when many believe they and the eurosceptic camp as a whole could make significant inroads.

As <a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.wionews.com/world/voting-begins-in-finlands-anti-austerity-election-210249&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwikj_HB79HhAhUR7nMBHVoaC4QQFggFMAA&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw1v2etSAySLXb-ynDe5Rqrw">Finland</a>'s politicos digested Sunday's vote, the big question Monday was what role the far-right anti-immigration Finns Party, which more than doubled its seats in parliament under the leadership of hardline nationalist Jussi Halla-aho, would play.

The Social Democrats came in as Finland's biggest party with 17.7 per cent of the votes, just ahead of the Finns Party on 17.5 per cent.

Halla-aho told Finnish media Monday he did not want to repeat the mistakes his party made in 2015 when it entered government and was forced to compromise on <a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.wionews.com/world/finland-populists-eye-election-upset-as-anti-immigrant-feeling-rises-210029&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwikj_HB79HhAhUR7nMBHVoaC4QQFggIMAE&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw1hP9dYU4GQV_TOsRrkC3A-">immigration</a> and EU bailouts.&nbsp;

"We were flexible about the wrong things," he told Finland's biggest newspaper Helsingin Sanomat.

"I don't see it as possible that the Finns Party would take part in a government which doesn't clearly commit to reducing humanitarian migration," he added.&nbsp;

On the campaign trail, Halla-aho told supporters he wanted to see the refugee intake reduced to "almost zero".

This would appear to clash directly with the Social Democratic Party's manifesto pledge to make it easier for refugees in Finland to be joined by family members from their home countries.

Social Democrat leader Antti Rinne told reporters early Monday that cooperation with the Finns Party "looks unlikely".

While Halla-aho said he would be interested in the post of interior minister, in charge of immigration, he was also upbeat in interviews at the prospect of being in opposition.

He told reporters that the huge increase to his party's parliamentary seat-count -- from 17 to 39, just one shy of the Social Democrats -- would give his party sway over any future discussion on immigration, whether or not it was a member of the government.

"Of course they're scared of losing voters to us," he told Helsingin Sanomat.&nbsp;

"It would be quite strange if they didn't take that into account in some way."

Grand left-right coalition&nbsp;

Political analyst Sini Korpinen told AFP that, in a bid to keep the nationalists in opposition, a coalition between the leftist Social Democrats and the centre-right National Coalition appeared almost a certainty.

"It's very hard to see that the other parties would say no to working with the Social Democrats because then we would be in a situation with Halla-aho trying to form a government and I just don't see that happening," she said.

Political commentator Jeanette Bjorkqvist agreed.

"Rinne has been pretty clear that there are substantial ideological differences between the Social Democrats and the Finns Party. It would be astonishing to see them in the same government," she told public broadcaster YLE.

Korpinen predicted the Social Democrats would likely try to build a coalition with the National Coalition, the Greens, the far-left Left Alliance, and centrist Swedish People's Party.

"But the broad coalition Rinne will need to keep the Finns Party out will be difficult to manage and ineffective," Korpinen said.&nbsp;

Goran Djupsund, a political science professor at Abo Akademi University, said the outcome showed how rising populism across Europe was fragmenting and weakening political systems.

"A splintered political landscape makes it harder to build a government and nations become harder to lead," Djupsund said.

"When populists win, the EU also becomes hard to govern... then no one cheers, with perhaps the exception of our neighbour to the east," Russia.

Belts loosened

Much of the pre-election discussion centred around whether cuts to Finland's cherished welfare state and education system went too far.

Social Democrat leader Rinne has been a staunch opponent of the National Coalition's austerity policies over the past four years.

Meanwhile, Petteri Orpo, leader of the conservative National Coalition Party and co-architect of the government's savings programme, has repeatedly denounced the Social Democratic Party's anti-austerity plans as "irresponsible".

However, there are signs the two parties may be able to reach some agreement to restrict further belt-tightening, as Orpo has insisted that the economy is now strong enough to allow for some more generous public spending.

Rinne has said he aims to nail down a coalition deal and agree on a programme of policies for the next government by the end of May.

Finns can expect a broad, ineffective coalition government for the next four years as the Social Democrats, who narrowly won weekend elections, focus on keeping the surging anti-immigration populists out, analysts said.

Finns can expect a broad, ineffective coalition government for the next four years as the Social Democrats, who narrowly won weekend elections, focus on keeping the surging anti-immigration populists out, analysts said. The polls were closely watched to see how the nationalists would do ahead of European Parliament elections in May when many believe they and the eurosceptic camp as a whole could make significant inroads. As Finland's politicos digested Sunday's vote, the big question Monday was what role the far-right anti-immigration Finns Party, which more than doubled its seats in parliament under the leadership of hardline nationalist Jussi Halla-aho, would play. The Social Democrats came in as Finland's biggest party with 17.7 per cent of the votes, just ahead of the Finns Party on 17.5 per cent. Halla-aho told Finnish media Monday he did not want to repeat the mistakes his party made in 2015 when it entered government and was forced to compromise on immigration and EU bailouts. "We were flexible about the wrong things," he told Finland's biggest newspaper Helsingin Sanomat. "I don't see it as possible that the Finns Party would take part in a government which doesn't clearly commit to reducing humanitarian migration," he added. On the campaign trail, Halla-aho told supporters he wanted to see the refugee intake reduced to "almost zero". This would appear to clash directly with the Social Democratic Party's manifesto pledge to make it easier for refugees in Finland to be joined by family members from their home countries. Social Democrat leader Antti Rinne told reporters early Monday that cooperation with the Finns Party "looks unlikely". While Halla-aho said he would be interested in the post of interior minister, in charge of immigration, he was also upbeat in interviews at the prospect of being in opposition. He told reporters that the huge increase to his party's parliamentary seat-count -- from 17 to 39, just one shy of the Social Democrats -- would give his party sway over any future discussion on immigration, whether or not it was a member of the government. "Of course they're scared of losing voters to us," he told Helsingin Sanomat. "It would be quite strange if they didn't take that into account in some way." Grand left-right coalition Political analyst Sini Korpinen told AFP that, in a bid to keep the nationalists in opposition, a coalition between the leftist Social Democrats and the centre-right National Coalition appeared almost a certainty. "It's very hard to see that the other parties would say no to working with the Social Democrats because then we would be in a situation with Halla-aho trying to form a government and I just don't see that happening," she said. Political commentator Jeanette Bjorkqvist agreed. "Rinne has been pretty clear that there are substantial ideological differences between the Social Democrats and the Finns Party. It would be astonishing to see them in the same government," she told public broadcaster YLE. Korpinen predicted the Social Democrats would likely try to build a coalition with the National Coalition, the Greens, the far-left Left Alliance, and centrist Swedish People's Party. "But the broad coalition Rinne will need to keep the Finns Party out will be difficult to manage and ineffective," Korpinen said. Goran Djupsund, a political science professor at Abo Akademi University, said the outcome showed how rising populism across Europe was fragmenting and weakening political systems. "A splintered political landscape makes it harder to build a government and nations become harder to lead," Djupsund said. "When populists win, the EU also becomes hard to govern... then no one cheers, with perhaps the exception of our neighbour to the east," Russia. Belts loosened Much of the pre-election discussion centred around whether cuts to Finland's cherished welfare state and education system went too far. Social Democrat leader Rinne has been a staunch opponent of the National Coalition's austerity policies over the past four years. Meanwhile, Petteri Orpo, leader of the conservative National Coalition Party and co-architect of the government's savings programme, has repeatedly denounced the Social Democratic Party's anti-austerity plans as "irresponsible". However, there are signs the two parties may be able to reach some agreement to restrict further belt-tightening, as Orpo has insisted that the economy is now strong enough to allow for some more generous public spending. Rinne has said he aims to nail down a coalition deal and agree on a programme of policies for the next government by the end of May.

Finland eyes left-right coalition to keep populists out

Finns voted in an election on Sunday (April 14) likely to result in a change of government with the Social Democrats returning to power for the first time in 20 years, as voters worry over the future of the country's generous welfare system as the costs of caring for a rapidly ageing population rise.

Voting begins in Finland election likely to see change in government

Finland voted in an election on Sunday (April 14) likely to result in a change of government with the Social Democrats returning to power for the first time in 20 years, as voters worry over the future of the country's generous welfare system as the costs of caring for a rapidly ageing population rise.

Voting begins in Finland election, likely to see change in government

Finns began voting in a general <a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.wionews.com/world/finland-populists-eye-election-upset-as-anti-immigrant-feeling-rises-210029&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwjIk862jc_hAhVF6Y8KHX6nCyMQFggFMAA&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw3E21nbv1oUkOAi3q4uhvqf">election</a> Sunday where the centre-right government is expected to be overturned amid widespread opposition to its spending cuts, and the far-right is predicted to make large gains. As polling stations opened at 9:00 am (0600 GMT), Helsinki was typically quiet, and a trio of young women was the first to appear at the Normaalilyseo high school in the city centre to cast their votes.

A record 1.5 million Finns, over a third of the electorate, have already cast their ballots during a week of advance voting this month. "After those who have voted in advance, we have about 1,700 people who have a right to vote today (in this district)," election official Vesa Hintsanen said at the school Sunday.

Much of the debate in the run-up to the election has been about whether the next government should continue the current administration's public spending cuts. The opposition Social Democratic Party, which Finland's main polls predict will win by a margin of about two percentage points, has vowed to alleviate the austerity policies introduced by the ruling coalition over the past four years.

Aware the public mood has turned against any further belt-tightening, the Centre Party of incumbent Prime Minister Juha Sipila and his centre-right governing partner the National Coalition Party, have insisted the economy is now strong enough to allow for an easing of austerity. In recent months, Finland's far-right Finns Party -- previously languishing in fifth place in opinion polls -- has surged in popularity to become the second- or third-biggest party, according to recent forecasts.

The Finns Party focused its campaign on immigration, urging people to "Vote for some borders", and on climate change, where it denounced the "climate hysteria" of other parties and pledged that citizens should not have to pay for efforts to contain global warming. Polling stations close at 8:00 pm (1700 GMT), with a provisional vote count expected before midnight.

Governments in Finland are usually coalitions of three or four parties. The winner of most votes Sunday will be tasked with heading negotiations to form a majority government.&nbsp;

Finns began voting in a general election Sunday where the centre-right government is expected to be overturned amid widespread opposition to its spending cuts, and the far-right is predicted to make large gains.

Finns began voting in a general election Sunday where the centre-right government is expected to be overturned amid widespread opposition to its spending cuts, and the far-right is predicted to make large gains. As polling stations opened at 9:00 am (0600 GMT), Helsinki was typically quiet, and a trio of young women was the first to appear at the Normaalilyseo high school in the city centre to cast their votes. A record 1.5 million Finns, over a third of the electorate, have already cast their ballots during a week of advance voting this month. "After those who have voted in advance, we have about 1,700 people who have a right to vote today (in this district)," election official Vesa Hintsanen said at the school Sunday. Much of the debate in the run-up to the election has been about whether the next government should continue the current administration's public spending cuts. The opposition Social Democratic Party, which Finland's main polls predict will win by a margin of about two percentage points, has vowed to alleviate the austerity policies introduced by the ruling coalition over the past four years. Aware the public mood has turned against any further belt-tightening, the Centre Party of incumbent Prime Minister Juha Sipila and his centre-right governing partner the National Coalition Party, have insisted the economy is now strong enough to allow for an easing of austerity. In recent months, Finland's far-right Finns Party -- previously languishing in fifth place in opinion polls -- has surged in popularity to become the second- or third-biggest party, according to recent forecasts. The Finns Party focused its campaign on immigration, urging people to "Vote for some borders", and on climate change, where it denounced the "climate hysteria" of other parties and pledged that citizens should not have to pay for efforts to contain global warming. Polling stations close at 8:00 pm (1700 GMT), with a provisional vote count expected before midnight. Governments in Finland are usually coalitions of three or four parties. The winner of most votes Sunday will be tasked with heading negotiations to form a majority government.

Voting begins in Finland's 'anti-austerity election'

In the remote, northern Finnish town of Oulu where he has lived for seven years, Syrian-born Jabo Waleed recently started feeling that some people's behaviour towards him was becoming less welcoming.

"My wife is Finnish, I have lots of Finnish friends, but if you walk alone in the streets or drive somewhere or go into a shop then people really do look at you differently," Waleed told AFP in fluent Finnish from behind the counter of his kebab shop in the town centre.

"I can honestly say it's not like before," he added.

Waleed's experiences have been echoed by many other immigrants across<a href="http://13.232.42.114/world/finland-tops-world-happiness-rankings-south-sudan-bottom-united-nations-204563"> Finland</a> since police in Oulu announced in December the arrest of nine suspects -- all of whom had arrived in the EU country as refugees or asylum seekers -- for suspected sexual offences against minors. A handful of similar arrests followed in subsequent months.

The heavily publicised incidents spread outrage through Finland and helped the far-right, populist Finns Party capitalise on anti-immigration sentiment ahead of Sunday's legislative elections.

The Finns Party's election manifesto, released after the arrests, goes into detail about a perceived security risk posed by immigrants, particularly in the areas of sexual assault and terrorism.

After three years as the fifth largest party in public opinion polls, pre-election forecasts put Finns Party support at around 16 per cent, which could make it the second largest party after Sunday.

Immigration to the fore&nbsp;

Finland's population has the lowest share of foreign-born residents in western Europe, and the Nordic country was singled out by an EU study last year as having the highest rates of racially motivated violence and harassment against people of African descent out of 12 countries surveyed.

Until recently, immigration was a minor election issue, with concerns such as social care and climate change dominating the public debate.&nbsp;

However, the Finns Party, under the leadership of hardline MEP Jussi Halla-aho, has focused on migration since the alleged Oulu assaults.

This has prompted major parties on both the left and right to echo Halla-aho's calls for tougher measures on immigrants who commit crimes.

Finnish police have said around a quarter of last year's 1,400 reports of sexual assaults against children involved suspects of foreign backgrounds -- higher than the proportion of foreign-born people in the population, which is 6.6 per cent.

"People are being raped, people are being killed. But the other parties are only interested in whether the Finns Party's support is going up," Halla-aho said at the time.

Tuomo Turja, research director of polling agency Taloustutkimus, says the Finns Party's opposition to immigration, plus their scepticism towards climate change, set them apart from the rest of the Finnish political field.

"The support base is mostly male, working class but also small business owners, they are relatively well off, middle income, they are situated in southern and western Finland, mostly in small towns and villages," he told AFP.

Party split&nbsp;

The Finns Party are no newcomers to the populist stage, having snatched a surprise third place in the 2011 general election under the larger-than-life leadership of Timo Soini, who campaigned against EU bailouts to Portugal and Greece.&nbsp;

Its popularity rattled European financial markets and helped galvanise anti-bailout sentiment elsewhere in the EU.

A further election success in 2015 saw the Finns Party join a centre-right coalition government. Faced with the realities of governing, concessions on the Greek bailout and on immigration proved fatal for the party's popularity.&nbsp;

Amid spiralling poll numbers, the party split and the hardline faction dropped out of government in 2017, when it elected Halla-aho as the leader.

Under Halla-aho, and back in opposition, the party's message has taken a more nationalistic turn away from Euroscepticism.

Halla-aho now intends to lead his party back to power.

"The message (of other parties) is 'don't vote for the Finns Party because there will be no government cooperation with them'," Halla-aho told national broadcaster Yle in February.

"I wouldn't give too much value to talk like that."

Finland's other parties have expressed distaste at the idea of joining a coalition with the Finns Party, though few have ruled cooperation out entirely, wary of the populists' record of outperforming expectations at the ballot box.

"It may not be that socially acceptable to say you vote for the Finns Party, so they may have these hidden supporters," pollster Turja said.

Back on the streets of Oulu, it proves hard to find anyone who says they will vote for the Finns Party.

Heikki Lehtovuori, a retired doctor who has yet to decide how to vote but knows it will not be the Finns Party, told AFP climate change would be his main concern in these elections, not migration.

"This Finnish way of thinking, which has got lots of publicity, is completely foreign to me. I'm sure the majority of people think the same as me, that other people need jobs here as well as just Finns," he said.

In the remote, northern Finnish town of Oulu where he has lived for seven years, Syrian-born Jabo Waleed recently started feeling that some people's behaviour towards him was becoming less welcoming.

In the remote, northern Finnish town of Oulu where he has lived for seven years, Syrian-born Jabo Waleed recently started feeling that some people's behaviour towards him was becoming less welcoming. "My wife is Finnish, I have lots of Finnish friends, but if you walk alone in the streets or drive somewhere or go into a shop then people really do look at you differently," Waleed told AFP in fluent Finnish from behind the counter of his kebab shop in the town centre. "I can honestly say it's not like before," he added. Waleed's experiences have been echoed by many other immigrants across Finland since police in Oulu announced in December the arrest of nine suspects -- all of whom had arrived in the EU country as refugees or asylum seekers -- for suspected sexual offences against minors. A handful of similar arrests followed in subsequent months. The heavily publicised incidents spread outrage through Finland and helped the far-right, populist Finns Party capitalise on anti-immigration sentiment ahead of Sunday's legislative elections. The Finns Party's election manifesto, released after the arrests, goes into detail about a perceived security risk posed by immigrants, particularly in the areas of sexual assault and terrorism. After three years as the fifth largest party in public opinion polls, pre-election forecasts put Finns Party support at around 16 per cent, which could make it the second largest party after Sunday. Immigration to the fore Finland's population has the lowest share of foreign-born residents in western Europe, and the Nordic country was singled out by an EU study last year as having the highest rates of racially motivated violence and harassment against people of African descent out of 12 countries surveyed. Until recently, immigration was a minor election issue, with concerns such as social care and climate change dominating the public debate. However, the Finns Party, under the leadership of hardline MEP Jussi Halla-aho, has focused on migration since the alleged Oulu assaults. This has prompted major parties on both the left and right to echo Halla-aho's calls for tougher measures on immigrants who commit crimes. Finnish police have said around a quarter of last year's 1,400 reports of sexual assaults against children involved suspects of foreign backgrounds -- higher than the proportion of foreign-born people in the population, which is 6.6 per cent. "People are being raped, people are being killed. But the other parties are only interested in whether the Finns Party's support is going up," Halla-aho said at the time. Tuomo Turja, research director of polling agency Taloustutkimus, says the Finns Party's opposition to immigration, plus their scepticism towards climate change, set them apart from the rest of the Finnish political field. "The support base is mostly male, working class but also small business owners, they are relatively well off, middle income, they are situated in southern and western Finland, mostly in small towns and villages," he told AFP. Party split The Finns Party are no newcomers to the populist stage, having snatched a surprise third place in the 2011 general election under the larger-than-life leadership of Timo Soini, who campaigned against EU bailouts to Portugal and Greece. Its popularity rattled European financial markets and helped galvanise anti-bailout sentiment elsewhere in the EU. A further election success in 2015 saw the Finns Party join a centre-right coalition government. Faced with the realities of governing, concessions on the Greek bailout and on immigration proved fatal for the party's popularity. Amid spiralling poll numbers, the party split and the hardline faction dropped out of government in 2017, when it elected Halla-aho as the leader. Under Halla-aho, and back in opposition, the party's message has taken a more nationalistic turn away from Euroscepticism. Halla-aho now intends to lead his party back to power. "The message (of other parties) is 'don't vote for the Finns Party because there will be no government cooperation with them'," Halla-aho told national broadcaster Yle in February. "I wouldn't give too much value to talk like that." Finland's other parties have expressed distaste at the idea of joining a coalition with the Finns Party, though few have ruled cooperation out entirely, wary of the populists' record of outperforming expectations at the ballot box. "It may not be that socially acceptable to say you vote for the Finns Party, so they may have these hidden supporters," pollster Turja said. Back on the streets of Oulu, it proves hard to find anyone who says they will vote for the Finns Party. Heikki Lehtovuori, a retired doctor who has yet to decide how to vote but knows it will not be the Finns Party, told AFP climate change would be his main concern in these elections, not migration. "This Finnish way of thinking, which has got lots of publicity, is completely foreign to me. I'm sure the majority of people think the same as me, that other people need jobs here as well as just Finns," he said.

Finland populists eye election upset as anti-immigrant feeling rises

UN: India falls at 140th in 'Happiness Index'

Finland ranked as the world's happiest country for the second year running while war-torn South Sudan sank to the least contented in a United Nations report released on Wednesday.

The Nordic nation of 5.5 million people, known for their love of forests, lakes and saunas, topped the study which used survey data asking citizens in 156 countries how happy they perceive themselves to be, as well as measures such as life expectancy, income and social support.

The other Nordic countries, as well as the Netherlands, Switzerland, Canada, New Zealand and Austria also made the top ten.

As well as performing well on all the indicators, the most content countries all tended to have very stable societies, with happiness levels changing comparatively little since 2005.

Despite the political turmoil brought by Brexit, Britain rose four places in the rankings to 15th.

The United States, meanwhile, continued its slide of recent years, dropping one spot to 19th place.&nbsp;

"This year's report provides sobering evidence of how addictions are causing considerable unhappiness and depression in the US," said professor Jeffrey Sachs, one of the report's authors.

The unhappiest nation was South Sudan, where the UN recently said 60 per cent of people face food insecurity following a bloody civil war which has claimed the lives of an estimated 400,000 people.&nbsp;

Other conflict-ridden countries, such as Yemen, Afghanistan and the Central African Republic, also featured at the bottom of the table.

Released on the International Day of Happiness on March 20, the report warned that world happiness has declined in recent years, driven by a sustained fall in India, which this year ranked in 140th place.

This has coincided with a rise in negative feelings, "comprising worry, sadness and anger, especially marked in Asia and Africa, and more recently elsewhere," it said.

This year's publication also looked at how countries have performed in the happiness rankings since 2005.&nbsp;

Of the 20 largest gainers, half are in Central and Eastern Europe, five are in sub-Saharan Africa, and three in Latin America.&nbsp;

The five largest declines since 2005 were in Yemen, India, Syria, Botswana and Venezuela.&nbsp;

Finland ranked as the world's happiest country for the second year running while war-torn South Sudan sank to the least contented in a United Nations report released on Wednesday.

Finland ranked as the world's happiest country for the second year running while war-torn South Sudan sank to the least contented in a United Nations report released on Wednesday. The Nordic nation of 5.5 million people, known for their love of forests, lakes and saunas, topped the study which used survey data asking citizens in 156 countries how happy they perceive themselves to be, as well as measures such as life expectancy, income and social support. The other Nordic countries, as well as the Netherlands, Switzerland, Canada, New Zealand and Austria also made the top ten. As well as performing well on all the indicators, the most content countries all tended to have very stable societies, with happiness levels changing comparatively little since 2005. Despite the political turmoil brought by Brexit, Britain rose four places in the rankings to 15th. The United States, meanwhile, continued its slide of recent years, dropping one spot to 19th place. "This year's report provides sobering evidence of how addictions are causing considerable unhappiness and depression in the US," said professor Jeffrey Sachs, one of the report's authors. The unhappiest nation was South Sudan, where the UN recently said 60 per cent of people face food insecurity following a bloody civil war which has claimed the lives of an estimated 400,000 people. Other conflict-ridden countries, such as Yemen, Afghanistan and the Central African Republic, also featured at the bottom of the table. Released on the International Day of Happiness on March 20, the report warned that world happiness has declined in recent years, driven by a sustained fall in India, which this year ranked in 140th place. This has coincided with a rise in negative feelings, "comprising worry, sadness and anger, especially marked in Asia and Africa, and more recently elsewhere," it said. This year's publication also looked at how countries have performed in the happiness rankings since 2005. Of the 20 largest gainers, half are in Central and Eastern Europe, five are in sub-Saharan Africa, and three in Latin America. The five largest declines since 2005 were in Yemen, India, Syria, Botswana and Venezuela.

Finland tops world happiness rankings, South Sudan bottom: United Nations

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/videos/finland-is-worlds-happiest-country-9591">Finland</a>'s government resigned on Friday after ditching plans to reform the healthcare system, a key policy, throwing the country into political limbo.

The president approved Prime Minister Juha Sipila's resignation and asked his government to continue as a care-taker government until a new cabinet has been appointed.

The collapse of the government comes just one month before parliamentary elections are due, after Sipila failed to push through the reforms. The changes were crucial to the three-party governing coalition's plan to balance public finances.

Financial constraints are colliding with the healthcare costs imposed by <a href="http://www.wionews.com/videos/will-robots-replace-teachers-finland-experiments-with-robots-to-teach-students--127795">Finland</a>'s fast-ageing population. But cutting those costs is a major political obstacle in a Nordic country that historically has provided an extensive and expensive healthcare system.

Several governments have tried to push through reforms in different forms over the past 12 years.

An election is already set for April 14 April.

Finland's government resigned on Friday after ditching plans to reform the healthcare system, a key policy, throwing the country into political limbo. The president approved Prime Minister Juha Sipila's resignation and asked his government to continue as a care-taker government until a new cabinet has been appointed.

Finland's government resigned on Friday after ditching plans to reform the healthcare system, a key policy, throwing the country into political limbo. The president approved Prime Minister Juha Sipila's resignation and asked his government to continue as a care-taker government until a new cabinet has been appointed. The collapse of the government comes just one month before parliamentary elections are due, after Sipila failed to push through the reforms. The changes were crucial to the three-party governing coalition's plan to balance public finances. Financial constraints are colliding with the healthcare costs imposed by Finland's fast-ageing population. But cutting those costs is a major political obstacle in a Nordic country that historically has provided an extensive and expensive healthcare system. Several governments have tried to push through reforms in different forms over the past 12 years. An election is already set for April 14 April.

Finland government resigns over failure of healthcare reform

In pictures: Christmas celebrations around the globe

With business sentiment at the "weakest" in four years, India slipped to the 6th position globally in the business optimism index for the first quarter of this year, says a survey.

Business optimism is however at an "all-time high" globally with the index at net 61 per cent, the highest figure recorded in 15 years of research, as per Grant Thornton's quarterly global business survey released today.

Noting that business sentiment in India has been the weakest since 2014 in the first quarter, the advisory firm said the confidence has been shaken since the third quarter of 2017 with weakening currency and a surge in oil prices.

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/business-economy/ease-of-doing-business-indias-rankings-zooms-to-100-in-world-bank-report-up-30-places-23243">India's ranking&nbsp;zooms to 100 in Ease of Doing&nbsp;Business index, up 30 places</a>

"While entering the last year of the current regime, the business optimism in India has deteriorated with the country ranking 6th globally on the optimism index in the first quarter of 2018... India has been topping the chart since the new government came into power in 2014," Grant Thornton's International Business Report said.

With a score of 89, India is at the sixth place in the index. The top five nations are Austria, Finland, Indonesia, the Netherlands and the US.

The conclusions are based on a quarterly global business survey of 2,500 businesses in 37 economies.

With regard to India, Grant Thornton said the underlying pessimism is reflected in other parameters as well including revenue, selling prices, profitability, employment and exports expectations.

Indian businesses have been citing regulations and red tape, availability of skilled workforce, lack of ICT infrastructure and shortage of finance as the biggest growth constraints.

Even after India's significant jump in World Bank's Ease of Doing Business ranking, the country still continues to rank 1st or 2nd in quoting these reasons as the key hurdles for growth, it noted.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led NDA government came to power in May 2014.

Grant Thornton India LLP CEO Vishesh C Chandiok said the reversal in sentiment amongst mid- sized business in India in the last three quarters is startling and hoped that policy makers would sit up and take note.

"With oil climbing, and India firmly in an election year, we ought to brace for a volatile economic environment in the days ahead. Export oriented businesses should see better days, finally," he added. PTI

Business optimism however is at an 'all-time high' globally. The index is at a net 61 per cent, the highest figure recorded in 15 years of research.

With business sentiment at the "weakest" in four years, India slipped to the 6th position globally in the business optimism index for the first quarter of this year, says a survey. Business optimism is however at an "all-time high" globally with the index at net 61 per cent, the highest figure recorded in 15 years of research, as per Grant Thornton's quarterly global business survey released today. Noting that business sentiment in India has been the weakest since 2014 in the first quarter, the advisory firm said the confidence has been shaken since the third quarter of 2017 with weakening currency and a surge in oil prices. Also read: India's ranking zooms to 100 in Ease of Doing Business index, up 30 places "While entering the last year of the current regime, the business optimism in India has deteriorated with the country ranking 6th globally on the optimism index in the first quarter of 2018... India has been topping the chart since the new government came into power in 2014," Grant Thornton's International Business Report said. With a score of 89, India is at the sixth place in the index. The top five nations are Austria, Finland, Indonesia, the Netherlands and the US. The conclusions are based on a quarterly global business survey of 2,500 businesses in 37 economies. With regard to India, Grant Thornton said the underlying pessimism is reflected in other parameters as well including revenue, selling prices, profitability, employment and exports expectations. Indian businesses have been citing regulations and red tape, availability of skilled workforce, lack of ICT infrastructure and shortage of finance as the biggest growth constraints. Even after India's significant jump in World Bank's Ease of Doing Business ranking, the country still continues to rank 1st or 2nd in quoting these reasons as the key hurdles for growth, it noted. Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led NDA government came to power in May 2014. Grant Thornton India LLP CEO Vishesh C Chandiok said the reversal in sentiment amongst mid- sized business in India in the last three quarters is startling and hoped that policy makers would sit up and take note. "With oil climbing, and India firmly in an election year, we ought to brace for a volatile economic environment in the days ahead. Export oriented businesses should see better days, finally," he added. PTI

India slips to 6th spot on business optimism index, sentiment weakest since 2014

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend India's&nbsp;first ever summit with five Nordic countries on April 17.

The five Nordic countries Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden will be looking to give fresh impetus to their ties with India.

PM Modi will meet the leaders of the five countries to discuss a range of global issues including trade, investment and environment.

India is co-hosting the summit with Sweden and therefore PM Modi will be received by the king of Sweden Carl XVI Gustaf. He will also hold bilateral meetings with the Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Löfven and members of business community in Sweden.

India’s trade with Sweden is around 1.8 billion dollars every year and over 170 Swedish companies have invested some 1.4 billion dollars in India over the past two decades. Sweden’s flagship IKEA has just entered the Indian market introducing its unique lifestyle brand to the country. The multinational group is said to be looking at empowering the female workforce in India.

Another almost ritualistic event for PM Modi is to meet the local Indian community. Indians in Sweden feel India can gain from Sweden’s environmental drive, technology and culture.

In 2016-17 alone, India’s trade with the region was of 5.3 billion dollars, while foreign direct investment was of 2.5 billion dollars. The Nordic countries indeed have globally recognised strengths in clean technologies, environmental solutions, port modernisation, food processing, health, agriculture infrastructure, skill development and innovation, which constitutes India's top priorities.

The Summit places India as the point of interest for the five nations.

The five Nordic countries Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden will be looking to give fresh impetus to their ties with India

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend India's first ever summit with five Nordic countries on April 17. The five Nordic countries Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden will be looking to give fresh impetus to their ties with India. PM Modi will meet the leaders of the five countries to discuss a range of global issues including trade, investment and environment. India is co-hosting the summit with Sweden and therefore PM Modi will be received by the king of Sweden Carl XVI Gustaf. He will also hold bilateral meetings with the Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Löfven and members of business community in Sweden. India’s trade with Sweden is around 1.8 billion dollars every year and over 170 Swedish companies have invested some 1.4 billion dollars in India over the past two decades. Sweden’s flagship IKEA has just entered the Indian market introducing its unique lifestyle brand to the country. The multinational group is said to be looking at empowering the female workforce in India. Another almost ritualistic event for PM Modi is to meet the local Indian community. Indians in Sweden feel India can gain from Sweden’s environmental drive, technology and culture. In 2016-17 alone, India’s trade with the region was of 5.3 billion dollars, while foreign direct investment was of 2.5 billion dollars. The Nordic countries indeed have globally recognised strengths in clean technologies, environmental solutions, port modernisation, food processing, health, agriculture infrastructure, skill development and innovation, which constitutes India's top priorities. The Summit places India as the point of interest for the five nations.

First India-Nordic countries summit: India co-hosting summit with Sweden

A Finnish woman who underwent hormonal therapy to become the nation's first transgender man has given birth, local media said Wednesday, triggering controversy as laws require infertility to change gender.

"The baby weighed nearly four kilogrammes and was 53 centimetres in length (at birth)," the transgender man, whose name was not revealed to protect the family's privacy, told Finnish news outlet Lannen Media a fortnight after the birth.

The man, who's in his 30s, legally changed his gender from a woman in 2015 after years of testosterone therapy.

But he decided to cancel sex change surgery, to complete his male physical transition, before trying to get pregnant with his husband.

Under Finnish law for hormonal therapy, a person is required to prove they are "infertile" in order to change legal gender from female to male.&nbsp

In practice, Finnish medical units deem their transgender patients infertile when testosterone therapy has continued for a prolonged period.

But fertility can sometimes return if hormonal therapy is put on hold.

This case is exceptional because the couple, living in the Helsinki region, decided to suspend hormonal treatment and the man's period returned.

"Do I want the society to dictate what I can do with my body and my life? Nothing can stop me. I'm a free man," the man recalled in an earlier interview with Finland's largest daily Helsingin Sanomat while still pregnant.

Finland is the only remaining Nordic country to require infertility from its citizens who want to change their legal gender, prompting sharp criticism from human rights organisations in recent years.

The man was granted paternal leave.

The man, who's in his 30s, legally changed his gender from a woman in 2015 after years of testosterone therapy.

A Finnish woman who underwent hormonal therapy to become the nation's first transgender man has given birth, local media said Wednesday, triggering controversy as laws require infertility to change gender. "The baby weighed nearly four kilogrammes and was 53 centimetres in length (at birth)," the transgender man, whose name was not revealed to protect the family's privacy, told Finnish news outlet Lannen Media a fortnight after the birth. The man, who's in his 30s, legally changed his gender from a woman in 2015 after years of testosterone therapy. But he decided to cancel sex change surgery, to complete his male physical transition, before trying to get pregnant with his husband. Under Finnish law for hormonal therapy, a person is required to prove they are "infertile" in order to change legal gender from female to male. In practice, Finnish medical units deem their transgender patients infertile when testosterone therapy has continued for a prolonged period. But fertility can sometimes return if hormonal therapy is put on hold. This case is exceptional because the couple, living in the Helsinki region, decided to suspend hormonal treatment and the man's period returned. "Do I want the society to dictate what I can do with my body and my life? Nothing can stop me. I'm a free man," the man recalled in an earlier interview with Finland's largest daily Helsingin Sanomat while still pregnant. Finland is the only remaining Nordic country to require infertility from its citizens who want to change their legal gender, prompting sharp criticism from human rights organisations in recent years. The man was granted paternal leave.

Finland's first transgender man gives birth

If you wish to see the Northern Lights, but don't want to wait out in the freezing cold, a new hotel in northern Finland could be the one for you.

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<h5>After the wild BBQ, guests will have the camp to themselves to hunt for the Northern Lights and enjoy the peace of the Arctic wilderness, quoted The Daily Star.</h5>
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The fleet of glamping cabins is built on skis so that they can be pulled to remote wilderness locations, where you are more likely to spot the Northern lights.

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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BgeN97jBxv0/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">"Explosions in the sky" Photo by: @joonaslinkola | ??? . For more check out his collection! ______________ #beyondthelands_ | #finland Selected by: @simona_br_photography</a>

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The guests can experience the natural show from the comfort of their beds through clear roofs from their cosy wooden cabins. A new Hotel on Skis gives its guests the best chance to witness the Northern Lights.

There are three mobile rooms available, all of which comfortably accommodate two people.

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The cabins will be set up together to create a Aurora wilderness camp, in the best location for Northern Lights hunting.

The trip starts at 6 pm, with an experienced guide transporting guests by snowmobile to their room for the night, before teaching them how to make a campfire to grill some local sausages.

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Mother nature showing off her dance moves! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/northernlights?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#northernlights</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/dawsoncreek?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#dawsoncreek</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/bc?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#bc</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Canada?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Canada</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/auroraborealis?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#auroraborealis</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Nikon?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Nikon</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/astrophotography?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#astrophotography</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cinematography?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#cinematography</a> <a href="https://t.co/kCWLau9buw">https://t.co/kCWLau9buw</a> <a href="https://t.co/1S0pflI6lr">pic.twitter.com/1S0pflI6lr</a>
— Andy Witteman (@CNLastro) <a href="https://twitter.com/CNLastro/status/975171755416391680?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 18, 2018</a></blockquote>
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After the wild BBQ, guests will have the camp to themselves to hunt for the Northern Lights and enjoy the peace of the Arctic wilderness, quoted The Daily Star.

Local snacks and hot drinks are provided, as well as a warming breakfast the following morning. Experts have estimated that if the sky is clear visitors have more than a 70 percent chance of seeing the Northern Lights.

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&nbsp;

November to March is the best time to visit and you have more of a chance of seeing them if you go at a time of the month when the moon is small.

If seeing the Aurora Borealis is one of your life-long goals, we suggest you pack your woollens and head to this quirky hotel in Finland for your next holiday.

A new Hotel on Skis gives its guests the best chance to witness the Northern Lights.

If you wish to see the Northern Lights, but don't want to wait out in the freezing cold, a new hotel in northern Finland could be the one for you. After the wild BBQ, guests will have the camp to themselves to hunt for the Northern Lights and enjoy the peace of the Arctic wilderness, quoted The Daily Star. × The fleet of glamping cabins is built on skis so that they can be pulled to remote wilderness locations, where you are more likely to spot the Northern lights. "Explosions in the sky" Photo by: @joonaslinkola | ??? . For more check out his collection! ______________ #beyondthelands_ | #finland Selected by: @simona_br_photography A post shared by Iceland | Beyond The Lands (@beyondthelands) on Mar 18, 2018 at 10:00am PDT × The guests can experience the natural show from the comfort of their beds through clear roofs from their cosy wooden cabins. A new Hotel on Skis gives its guests the best chance to witness the Northern Lights. There are three mobile rooms available, all of which comfortably accommodate two people. A post shared by Tor-Ivar Næss (@torivarnaess) on Mar 18, 2018 at 10:02am PDT × The cabins will be set up together to create a Aurora wilderness camp, in the best location for Northern Lights hunting. The trip starts at 6 pm, with an experienced guide transporting guests by snowmobile to their room for the night, before teaching them how to make a campfire to grill some local sausages. Mother nature showing off her dance moves! #northernlights #dawsoncreek #bc #Canada #auroraborealis #Nikon #astrophotography #cinematography https://t.co/kCWLau9buw pic.twitter.com/1S0pflI6lr — Andy Witteman (@CNLastro) March 18, 2018 × After the wild BBQ, guests will have the camp to themselves to hunt for the Northern Lights and enjoy the peace of the Arctic wilderness, quoted The Daily Star. Local snacks and hot drinks are provided, as well as a warming breakfast the following morning. Experts have estimated that if the sky is clear visitors have more than a 70 percent chance of seeing the Northern Lights. × November to March is the best time to visit and you have more of a chance of seeing them if you go at a time of the month when the moon is small. If seeing the Aurora Borealis is one of your life-long goals, we suggest you pack your woollens and head to this quirky hotel in Finland for your next holiday.

Wish to see the Northern Lights? Head to this quirky hotel in Finland

Finland is the world&#39;s happiest country, according to an annual survey issued on Wednesday that put Burundi at the bottom of the happiness index and found Americans were getting less happy even as their country became richer.

The U.N. Sustainable Development Solutions Network&#39;s (SDSN) 2018 World Happiness Report ranked 156 countries according to their scores for things such as GDP per capita, social support, healthy life expectancy, social freedom, generosity and absence of corruption.

Finland, rose from fifth place last year to oust Norway from the top spot. The 2018 top-10, as ever dominated by the Nordics, is: Finland, Norway, Denmark, Iceland, Switzerland, Netherlands Canada, New Zealand, Sweden and Australia.

The United States came in at 18th, down from 14th place last year. Britain was 19th and the United Arab Emirates 20th.

One chapter of the 170-page report is dedicated to emerging health problems such as obesity, depression and the opioid crisis, particularly in the United States where the prevalence of all three has grown faster than in most other countries.

While income per capita has increased markedly in the United States over the last half century, the happiness index has been hit by weakened social support networks, a rise in perception of corruption in government and business and declining confidence in public institutions.

&quot;We obviously have a social crisis in the United States: more inequality, less trust, less confidence in government,&quot; the head of the SDSN, Professor Jeffrey Sachs of New York&#39;s Columbia University, told Reuters as the report was launched at the Vatican&#39;s Pontifical Academy of Sciences.

&quot;It&#39;s pretty stark right now. The signs are not good for the U.S. It is getting richer and richer but not getting happier.&quot;

Asked how the current political situation in the United States could affect future happiness reports, Sachs said:

&quot;Time will tell, but I would say that in general that when confidence in government is low, when perceptions of corruption are high, inequality is high and health conditions are worsening ... that is not conducive to good feelings.&quot;

For the first time since it was started in 2012, the report, which uses a variety of polling organisations, official figures and research methods, ranked the happiness of foreign-born immigrants in 117 countries.

Finland took top honours in that category too, giving the country a statistical double-gold status.

The foreign-born were least happy in Syria, which has been mired in civil war for seven years.

&quot;The most striking finding of the report is the remarkable consistency between the happiness of immigrants and the locally born,&quot; said Professor John Helliwell of Canada&#39;s University of British Columbia.

&quot;Although immigrants come from countries with very different levels of happiness, their reported life evaluations converge towards those of other residents in their new countries,&quot; he said.

&quot;Those who move to happier countries gain, while those who move to less happy countries lose.&quot;

Finland is the world's happiest country. Burundi is the unhappiest. And Americans are getting less happy even as their country becomes richer

Finland is the world's happiest country, according to an annual survey issued on Wednesday that put Burundi at the bottom of the happiness index and found Americans were getting less happy even as their country became richer. The U.N. Sustainable Development Solutions Network's (SDSN) 2018 World Happiness Report ranked 156 countries according to their scores for things such as GDP per capita, social support, healthy life expectancy, social freedom, generosity and absence of corruption. Finland, rose from fifth place last year to oust Norway from the top spot. The 2018 top-10, as ever dominated by the Nordics, is: Finland, Norway, Denmark, Iceland, Switzerland, Netherlands Canada, New Zealand, Sweden and Australia. The United States came in at 18th, down from 14th place last year. Britain was 19th and the United Arab Emirates 20th. One chapter of the 170-page report is dedicated to emerging health problems such as obesity, depression and the opioid crisis, particularly in the United States where the prevalence of all three has grown faster than in most other countries. While income per capita has increased markedly in the United States over the last half century, the happiness index has been hit by weakened social support networks, a rise in perception of corruption in government and business and declining confidence in public institutions. "We obviously have a social crisis in the United States: more inequality, less trust, less confidence in government," the head of the SDSN, Professor Jeffrey Sachs of New York's Columbia University, told Reuters as the report was launched at the Vatican's Pontifical Academy of Sciences. "It's pretty stark right now. The signs are not good for the U.S. It is getting richer and richer but not getting happier." Asked how the current political situation in the United States could affect future happiness reports, Sachs said: "Time will tell, but I would say that in general that when confidence in government is low, when perceptions of corruption are high, inequality is high and health conditions are worsening ... that is not conducive to good feelings." For the first time since it was started in 2012, the report, which uses a variety of polling organisations, official figures and research methods, ranked the happiness of foreign-born immigrants in 117 countries. Finland took top honours in that category too, giving the country a statistical double-gold status. The foreign-born were least happy in Syria, which has been mired in civil war for seven years. "The most striking finding of the report is the remarkable consistency between the happiness of immigrants and the locally born," said Professor John Helliwell of Canada's University of British Columbia. "Although immigrants come from countries with very different levels of happiness, their reported life evaluations converge towards those of other residents in their new countries," he said. "Those who move to happier countries gain, while those who move to less happy countries lose."

This the world's happiest country, the UN says

Scientists have developed the first robotic car that can drive over snow-covered roads, paving the way for autonomous vehicles that can safely navigate through slippery stretches.

The fully autonomous robot car Martti, developed by researchers at the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, also succeeded in making a new speed record of 40 kilometres per hour.

Martti is equipped with cameras, antennas, sensors and laser scanners, just like its counterpart Marilyn.

It three laser scanners sensing the environment only in front of the car, whereas its &#39;spouse&#39; Marilyn has two scanners looking forwards and one looking backwards.

&quot;When in spring 2017 we taught the automated car Marilyn to drive, this autumn it has been teaching us on how to make Martti such that it can get along with its spouse, and follow GPS and positioning information on its route,&quot; said project manager Matti Kutila from VTT&#39;s RobotCar Crew.

&quot;Martti has been designed for demanding weather conditions and Marilyn shines as the queen of urban areas,&quot; said Kutila.

On the intelligent road of Muonio, Martti was also given intensive training.

&quot;It clearly has a very determined mindset, and after a persistent 24-hour training session, it started functioning,&quot; said Ari Virtanen, who was in charge of building the car and its equipment.

&quot;Earlier, Marilyn required a lot more work, because its control software was created from scratch. Martti uses the same software, which did no longer require more than minor adjustments,&quot; Virtanen said.

Martti made its speed record when it was allowed to pick up speed after having felt its way for a little while.

&quot;It probably also made a new world record in fully automated driving, making 40 kilometres per hour in a snowfall on snow-covered terrain without lane markings,&quot; Kutila said.

&quot;It could have had even more speed, but in test driving it is programmed not to exceed the limit of 40 kilometres per hour,&quot; he said.

The next step for VTT&#39;s autonomous cars will be changing the wavelengths of the optical components, increasing the resolution of the radar, and building more intelligence in the software monitoring the capabilities of the sensors.

These are intended to enhance the vehicle&#39;s functioning capacity step by step also on slippery road surfaces, where concealed edge of the road or fog may obstruct visibility.&nbsp;

Martti is equipped with cameras, antennas, sensors and laser scanners, just like its counterpart Marilyn

Scientists have developed the first robotic car that can drive over snow-covered roads, paving the way for autonomous vehicles that can safely navigate through slippery stretches. The fully autonomous robot car Martti, developed by researchers at the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, also succeeded in making a new speed record of 40 kilometres per hour. Martti is equipped with cameras, antennas, sensors and laser scanners, just like its counterpart Marilyn. It three laser scanners sensing the environment only in front of the car, whereas its 'spouse' Marilyn has two scanners looking forwards and one looking backwards. "When in spring 2017 we taught the automated car Marilyn to drive, this autumn it has been teaching us on how to make Martti such that it can get along with its spouse, and follow GPS and positioning information on its route," said project manager Matti Kutila from VTT's RobotCar Crew. "Martti has been designed for demanding weather conditions and Marilyn shines as the queen of urban areas," said Kutila. On the intelligent road of Muonio, Martti was also given intensive training. "It clearly has a very determined mindset, and after a persistent 24-hour training session, it started functioning," said Ari Virtanen, who was in charge of building the car and its equipment. "Earlier, Marilyn required a lot more work, because its control software was created from scratch. Martti uses the same software, which did no longer require more than minor adjustments," Virtanen said. Martti made its speed record when it was allowed to pick up speed after having felt its way for a little while. "It probably also made a new world record in fully automated driving, making 40 kilometres per hour in a snowfall on snow-covered terrain without lane markings," Kutila said. "It could have had even more speed, but in test driving it is programmed not to exceed the limit of 40 kilometres per hour," he said. The next step for VTT's autonomous cars will be changing the wavelengths of the optical components, increasing the resolution of the radar, and building more intelligence in the software monitoring the capabilities of the sensors. These are intended to enhance the vehicle's functioning capacity step by step also on slippery road surfaces, where concealed edge of the road or fog may obstruct visibility.

First robot car that can drive through snow developed

Four people were killed and several injured when a train crashed into an army truck during a military exercise in southern Finland on Thursday, police and defence forces said.

The accident occurred at an unguarded railway crossing near the city of Raasepori, 90 kilometres (56 miles) west of the capital Helsinki when two military vehicles were crossing the tracks on their way to a training site.

The train and one of the vehicles collided, killing three conscripts abroad the truck and a passenger on the train, officials said. Road conditions were bad in the morning due to rain and snowfall.

Four people were taken to Helsinki with severe injuries and seven others were treated at a local hospital for minor injuries. All patients were said to be in stable condition.

Finnish Prime Minister Juha Sipila and President Sauli Niinisto both offered their condolences to the victims and their families.

&quot;The young conscripts were there for their country. That their journey ends in many deaths and in serious injuries is a true tragedy,&quot; President Niinisto said in a statement.

Military service is obligatory for men in Finland.

The accident occurred at an unguarded railway crossing near the city of Raasepori, 90 kilometres (56 miles) west of the capital Helsinki

Four people were killed and several injured when a train crashed into an army truck during a military exercise in southern Finland on Thursday, police and defence forces said. The accident occurred at an unguarded railway crossing near the city of Raasepori, 90 kilometres (56 miles) west of the capital Helsinki when two military vehicles were crossing the tracks on their way to a training site. The train and one of the vehicles collided, killing three conscripts abroad the truck and a passenger on the train, officials said. Road conditions were bad in the morning due to rain and snowfall. Four people were taken to Helsinki with severe injuries and seven others were treated at a local hospital for minor injuries. All patients were said to be in stable condition. Finnish Prime Minister Juha Sipila and President Sauli Niinisto both offered their condolences to the victims and their families. "The young conscripts were there for their country. That their journey ends in many deaths and in serious injuries is a true tragedy," President Niinisto said in a statement. Military service is obligatory for men in Finland.

Four killed, several injured as train collides with army truck in Finland

Finnish police said on Wednesday they had arrested two more suspects in connection with last week&#39;s stabbing spree that killed two women and wounded eight other people.

Police have previously detained the main suspect, a Moroccan asylum seeker, and three other Moroccan men in connection with the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/finland-two-dead-6-injured-as-man-goes-on-stabbing-spree-in-turku-19189">killings on Friday in the city of&nbsp;Turku</a>. An international arrest warrant has been issued for a fifth.

The incident has been treated as Finland&#39;s first suspected Islamist militant&nbsp;attack.

The two new suspects gave different stories to Finnish and Swedish authorities, telling the former they were from Algeria and the latter they were Moroccan, the National Bureau of Investigation said in a statement.

The main suspect has been named as 18-year-old Moroccan Abderrahman Mechkah, who on Tuesday told a court he was responsible for the&nbsp;attack&nbsp;but denied a terrorist motive.

Police said his identity is likely to be false.

&quot;We have reasons to suspect that he has given wrong information to authorities when coming to the country,&quot; Detective Superintendent Markus Laine of the National Bureau of Investigation told Reuters.

The man identified as Mechkah arrived in Finland in 2016, lived in a reception center in&nbsp;Turku&nbsp;and was denied asylum before the&nbsp;attack.

He had earlier spent time in Germany, according to authorities. German media reported on Tuesday that he had used several false identities in the country and that he was charged with causing bodily harm.

&quot;We can&#39;t comment yet on his motives... he has not been willing to answer all questions,&quot; Laine said.

He said the police had not so far found any links to the van&nbsp;attack&nbsp;in Barcelona, Spain, which killed 13 people and wounded scores of others a day earlier.

Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the&nbsp;attack&nbsp;in Spain. Police said all members of a 12-man cell they believe to have been responsible for the&nbsp;attack&nbsp;had been either killed or arrested in the days after.

The incident has been treated as Finland's first suspected Islamist militant attack

Finnish police said on Wednesday they had arrested two more suspects in connection with last week's stabbing spree that killed two women and wounded eight other people. Police have previously detained the main suspect, a Moroccan asylum seeker, and three other Moroccan men in connection with the killings on Friday in the city of Turku. An international arrest warrant has been issued for a fifth. The incident has been treated as Finland's first suspected Islamist militant attack. The two new suspects gave different stories to Finnish and Swedish authorities, telling the former they were from Algeria and the latter they were Moroccan, the National Bureau of Investigation said in a statement. The main suspect has been named as 18-year-old Moroccan Abderrahman Mechkah, who on Tuesday told a court he was responsible for the attack but denied a terrorist motive. Police said his identity is likely to be false. "We have reasons to suspect that he has given wrong information to authorities when coming to the country," Detective Superintendent Markus Laine of the National Bureau of Investigation told Reuters. The man identified as Mechkah arrived in Finland in 2016, lived in a reception center in Turku and was denied asylum before the attack. He had earlier spent time in Germany, according to authorities. German media reported on Tuesday that he had used several false identities in the country and that he was charged with causing bodily harm. "We can't comment yet on his motives... he has not been willing to answer all questions," Laine said. He said the police had not so far found any links to the van attack in Barcelona, Spain, which killed 13 people and wounded scores of others a day earlier. Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attack in Spain. Police said all members of a 12-man cell they believe to have been responsible for the attack had been either killed or arrested in the days after.

Two new suspects arrested in Turku stabbing incident by Finnish police

Incidents of stone-pelting have reduced in Jammu and Kashmir due to the role of the National Investigation Agency (NIA), Home Minister Rajnath Singh said today.

He said the incidents of naxalism, terrorism and extremism have also seen a downward trend in the last three years.

&quot;You have seen role of the NIA in Jammu and Kashmir, where incidents of stone pelting have come down. We have taken pledge for India&#39;s security and strict action is being taken for this. We will accept challenges and in the past three years incident of naxalism, terrorism and extremism have seen a downward trend,&quot; he said.

Singh was speaking after inaugurating the office and residential complex of the NIA here.

&quot;We will win over naxalism, terrorism and extremism. In the past three years, extremism has come down by 75 per cent in the northeast and naxalism has come down by 35-40 per cent,&quot; Singh said.

Emphasising on &quot;finishing terror funding sources&quot;, he said, &quot;If we plug sources of fake currency and terror funding, it will be a big blow to terrorism. NIA is doing a great job here. Its name sends fear down the spine of those indulging in terror funding.&quot;

On the occasion, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath suggested holding of a meeting every six months between the NIA and state agencies.

Responding to his suggestion, Singh said, &quot;Without better coordination, there can be no success. It&#39;s a continuous process of sharing informations.&quot;

The Home Minister said that Lucknow office and residential complex of the NIA was the first in the country and stated that it was a &quot;positive indication that a &#39;Yogi&#39; (UP CM) is present in the function&quot;.

He said the NIA was probing 165 cases and due to its &quot;scientific probe there is an approximately 95 per cent conviction rate.&quot;

Singh said NIA has established itself as a credible investigating agency.

The Home Minister said the complex was completed by state-owned NBCC within 18 months against 24 months and the Lucknow unit of NIA was probing 20 cases of terror activities, including blast cases in Patna, Bodh Gaya (both in Bihar) and Bijnor and Kanpur ISIS module cases.

The suspect in last week's stabbing attack in Finland that left two people dead and eight injured was identified in Finnish court documents on Monday as 18-year-old Abderrahman Mechkah

Incidents of stone-pelting have reduced in Jammu and Kashmir due to the role of the National Investigation Agency (NIA), Home Minister Rajnath Singh said today. He said the incidents of naxalism, terrorism and extremism have also seen a downward trend in the last three years. "You have seen role of the NIA in Jammu and Kashmir, where incidents of stone pelting have come down. We have taken pledge for India's security and strict action is being taken for this. We will accept challenges and in the past three years incident of naxalism, terrorism and extremism have seen a downward trend," he said. Singh was speaking after inaugurating the office and residential complex of the NIA here. "We will win over naxalism, terrorism and extremism. In the past three years, extremism has come down by 75 per cent in the northeast and naxalism has come down by 35-40 per cent," Singh said. Emphasising on "finishing terror funding sources", he said, "If we plug sources of fake currency and terror funding, it will be a big blow to terrorism. NIA is doing a great job here. Its name sends fear down the spine of those indulging in terror funding." On the occasion, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath suggested holding of a meeting every six months between the NIA and state agencies. Responding to his suggestion, Singh said, "Without better coordination, there can be no success. It's a continuous process of sharing informations." The Home Minister said that Lucknow office and residential complex of the NIA was the first in the country and stated that it was a "positive indication that a 'Yogi' (UP CM) is present in the function". He said the NIA was probing 165 cases and due to its "scientific probe there is an approximately 95 per cent conviction rate." Singh said NIA has established itself as a credible investigating agency. The Home Minister said the complex was completed by state-owned NBCC within 18 months against 24 months and the Lucknow unit of NIA was probing 20 cases of terror activities, including blast cases in Patna, Bodh Gaya (both in Bihar) and Bijnor and Kanpur ISIS module cases.

Turku stabbing suspect identified as 18-year-old, Abderrahman Mechkah

Two people&nbsp;were&nbsp;killed and six&nbsp;injured&nbsp;after a man went on a stabbing spree&nbsp;in the southwestern Finnish city of Turku Friday, police said, adding that they had shot a suspect and warning that&nbsp;several others could be at large.

&quot;There are eight victims in the stabbing. Two dead and six injured,&quot; Turku police wrote on Twitter.

&quot;I can confirm that eight people are in our hospital. One person is dead. The rest are in stable condition,&quot; Turku University Hospital director Petri Virolainen earlier told AFP. 
 
In video footage of the incident, the attacker is seen shouting &quot;Allahu Akbar&quot; as he runs across a street.

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VIDEO: Stabbing in Finland as Attacker Screams &quot;Allahu Ackbar&quot; <a href="https://t.co/QIONenEAkG">pic.twitter.com/QIONenEAkG</a>
&mdash; Jack Posobiec ???? (@JackPosobiec) <a href="https://twitter.com/JackPosobiec/status/898545333222989825">August 18, 2017</a></blockquote>
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An image showed a covered body lying on the ground, BBC reported.

On Twitter, police warned people to stay away from the city centre.

The incident reportedly took place in the Puutori-Market Square area.&nbsp;

&quot;The government is closely following the events in Turku and the ongoing police operation. The government will meet later today,&quot; Prime Minister Juha Sipila wrote on Twitter.

The stabbing spree comes with Europe on high alert a day after drivers slammed into pedestrians in twin attacks in Spain,&nbsp;killing at least 14 people and injuring more than 100 others. The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for the Barcelona attack. 
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In video footage of the incident, the attacker is seen shouting 'Allahu Akbar' as he runs across a street

Two people were killed and six injured after a man went on a stabbing spree in the southwestern Finnish city of Turku Friday, police said, adding that they had shot a suspect and warning that several others could be at large. "There are eight victims in the stabbing. Two dead and six injured," Turku police wrote on Twitter. "I can confirm that eight people are in our hospital. One person is dead. The rest are in stable condition," Turku University Hospital director Petri Virolainen earlier told AFP. In video footage of the incident, the attacker is seen shouting "Allahu Akbar" as he runs across a street. VIDEO: Stabbing in Finland as Attacker Screams "Allahu Ackbar" pic.twitter.com/QIONenEAkG — Jack Posobiec ???? (@JackPosobiec) August 18, 2017 × An image showed a covered body lying on the ground, BBC reported. On Twitter, police warned people to stay away from the city centre. The incident reportedly took place in the Puutori-Market Square area. "The government is closely following the events in Turku and the ongoing police operation. The government will meet later today," Prime Minister Juha Sipila wrote on Twitter. The stabbing spree comes with Europe on high alert a day after drivers slammed into pedestrians in twin attacks in Spain, killing at least 14 people and injuring more than 100 others. The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for the Barcelona attack.

Finland: Two dead, 6 injured as man goes on stabbing spree in Turku

Finland&#39;s annual Air Guitar Championship was launched in 1996 with an aim to bring peace. As the name suggests, the participants pretend to play an imaginary guitar during the competition. 
 
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/sTwqX5NDD8U?list=PLmWa9ZZLlCjt0Jlg7kN3JBNX4LH1sRsGh" width="970"></iframe> &nbsp; 
 
The participants from all over the world first compete nationally, and then head to Finland for the finals. The winners of the championship are awarded gold, silver and bronze medals. 
 
An American, Airistotle Burns was declared the winner of the Air Guitar Championship this year. This was his fourth attempt at winning the gold. Previously, he won silver medals for the past three years only to vault to the top to become the air guitar champion in 2016.

The participants pretend to play an imaginary guitar during the competition

Finland's annual Air Guitar Championship was launched in 1996 with an aim to bring peace. As the name suggests, the participants pretend to play an imaginary guitar during the competition. The participants from all over the world first compete nationally, and then head to Finland for the finals. The winners of the championship are awarded gold, silver and bronze medals. An American, Airistotle Burns was declared the winner of the Air Guitar Championship this year. This was his fourth attempt at winning the gold. Previously, he won silver medals for the past three years only to vault to the top to become the air guitar champion in 2016.

Video: Playing guitar in the air is an awarded talent in Finland

Treat the hidden rockstar in you with a glimpse of Finland's Air Guitar World Championship (yes, it's a real event).

Finland's Air Guitar Championship

Eight members of Cuba&#39;s national volleyball team, playing a tournament in Finland, were questioned on Sunday in connection with an aggravated rape case, local police said. 
 
Three of the unnamed players were picked up by police on early Saturday, after a complaint was made, and questioned with the aid of an interpreter. 
 
The other five, including the national team captain, were brought in for questioning on Sunday after a match in the Volleyball World League taking place in the southern Finnish town of Tampere. 
 
The police did not divulge the circumstances of the alleged rape attack. 
 
According to local press, the alleged crime took place in the Tampere hotel where the Cuban team are staying. 
 
The first three players questioned on Saturday will appear before a judge on Monday or Tuesday who will free them or place them under provisional detention. 
 
Three Cuban players were notable by their absence from the match on Saturday when they lost to the Finnish team.&nbsp; 
 
Their no-show led some media outlets to suspect that they had defected. &quot;That&#39;s not the case,&quot; said police commissioner Joni Lansipuro. 
 
(AFP)

According to local press, the alleged crime took place in the Tampere hotel where the Cuban team are staying

Eight members of Cuba's national volleyball team, playing a tournament in Finland, were questioned on Sunday in connection with an aggravated rape case, local police said. Three of the unnamed players were picked up by police on early Saturday, after a complaint was made, and questioned with the aid of an interpreter. The other five, including the national team captain, were brought in for questioning on Sunday after a match in the Volleyball World League taking place in the southern Finnish town of Tampere. The police did not divulge the circumstances of the alleged rape attack. According to local press, the alleged crime took place in the Tampere hotel where the Cuban team are staying. The first three players questioned on Saturday will appear before a judge on Monday or Tuesday who will free them or place them under provisional detention. Three Cuban players were notable by their absence from the match on Saturday when they lost to the Finnish team. Their no-show led some media outlets to suspect that they had defected. "That's not the case," said police commissioner Joni Lansipuro. (AFP)

Cuban volleyball players questioned over alleged rape case in Finland

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