Finland’s brief but glorious summer is the jazz festival season in this Nordic nation. Many music fans will be surprised to learn that Finland has a thriving jazz music scene, and a number of festivals with impressive line-ups are scheduled at cities throughout the country. Read the full story

Although 20 member states of the European Union signed a landmark treaty in Oslo banning the use of cluster bombs, one surprising holdout was Finland. The Nordic nation has been extremely vocal in its opposition to the ban, claiming that it still needs to keep cluster munitions in its arsenal to help properly defend its 1,300km border with Russia. Read the full story