Helsinki - The 50-50 joint venture Nokia Siemens Networks said Tuesday it planned to cut some 1,250 jobs in Finland and Germany as part of cost-cutting measures.

The group - launched last year between Nokia and Germany's Siemens - estimated the move would impact 750 employees in Finland and about 500 employees in Munich, Germany.

The cuts in Germany were to take effect at the latest on October 2009.

After earlier cuts, transfers and voluntary severance resignations, Nokia Siemens Networks said it expected to employ 7,000 people in Finland down from some 9,200.

Helsinki - In the wake of two school shootings, a petition calling for a Finnish ban against handguns was handed over Tuesday to Interior Minister Anne Holmlund.

Some 57,000 people signed the online petition, Finnish news agency STT reported.

Finnish authorities have introduced stricter rules for gun permits including the rule that two police officers were to interview prospective applicants jointly.

A first-time applicant was also not to be allowed to get a license for a handgun without having been a member of a shooting club for at least a year.

Helsinki  - Finnish-based mobile telephone maker Nokia on Tuesday said it was to reorganize its operations and shut down a site in Finland.

The world's largest mobile telephone maker said it would shut down its plant in Turku, which employs 220. The employees were to be offered the option of relocating to Salo and Helsinki.

The group was also to reorganize its sales and marketing activities, which could mean the loss of 450 jobs, 100 of which are in Finland.

Helsinki - Finland said Friday the Nordic country was not to sign a pending international ban against cluster weapons.

In early December, an international treaty aimed at banning the weapons was due to be signed in Oslo, Norway.

The decision not to sign the convention was made by the cabinet committee on foreign and security policy and President Tarja Halonen.

Helsinki said it would discuss the treaty again "after an evaluation of defence capabilities has been carried out."

Last month, Admiral Juhani Kaskeala, commander of the Finnish defence forces, said in a keynote speech that "a ban against cluster weapons would seriously weaken Finland's ability to defend itself."

Helsinki - Danish author Naja Marie Aidt on Tuesday accepted the 2008 Nordic Council Literature Prize, worth 350,000 kroner (59,000 dollars).

Helsinki