#finland-vs-latvia

#finland-vs-latvia

Swedes celebrate the day before on Holy Saturday, with Easter services in the Swedish church often taking place in the evening. This tradition reflects a broader cultural practice of marking holidays the evening before the main day.

Heavy social media use contributes to a stark decline in well-being among young people, with the effects particularly worrying in teenage girls in English-speaking countries and Western Europe, according to the World Happiness Report 2026 published Thursday.

Each year, the United Nations puts together a list of the happiest countries in the world, comparing a wide variety of criteria, from average incomes and healthcare standards to levels of generosity and absence of corruption. For the eighth year in a row, Finland has topped the list, winning on behalf of its people's notable friendliness, freedom of choice, and high life expectancy.

Sauna challenges the body in ways that are similar to exercise, researchers say. Confronted with the sudden increase in heat, your cardiovascular system is put to the test—blood vessels dilate, heart rate increases and blood gets pushed to your skin, where it can be cooled more easily by sweat.

In Italy, the most common topic mentioned as a source of national pride was culture and the arts. These were cited by 38 percent of respondents, more than any other place. An Italian woman who took part in the survey said she was proud of 'the works in the churches, paintings, sculpture ... most places in Italy have something beautiful.' An Italian man said that 'Italy is an open-air museum.'

We both live in maybe the most impractical place if you want to be a successful DJ, laughs Alice Marie Jektevik, one half of Article 3, a Sami female DJ collective. Jektevik, 36, and her collaborator, Petra Laiti, 30, reside in a rural village in the far north-east of Norway. But living in Sapmi the region across northern parts of Sweden, Norway, Finland and Russia traditionally lived in by Sami people has proven to be central to their success, providing the inspiration for much of their work.

At the outset of the Kalevala, Finland's national epic, a singer bemoans his separation from a beloved friend who grew up beside him. Today, the friends rarely meet "näillä raukoilla rajoilla, poloisilla Pohjan mailla" - lines which translator Keith Bosley renders "on these poor borders, the luckless lands of the North." The Kalevala, a poetic masterpiece of nearly 23,000 lines, first appeared in 1835. Now, nearly 200 years later, those "luckless lands of the North" are an increasingly tense border zone.

The effort comes as competition for AI talent intensifies worldwide and tech workers in the US grapple with layoffs, burnout, and visa complications. According to BCG's 2024 talent tracker report, the US remained dominant in attracting AI talent worldwide. Already known for its tech scene, Finland, with a population of around 5.6 million, is positioning itself as a place where American tech workers can find a better work-life balance without sacrificing their careers - a notable contrast to the famous grindset of Silicon Valley.

Instead, they practice something called "friluftsliv" - literally "free air life" - and in February, when winter feels endless, this practice becomes almost sacred. It's their secret weapon against the darkness, and after trying it myself during a particularly rough winter, I can tell you it works better than any supplement I've ever taken. The word itself sounds complicated, but friluftsliv is beautifully simple. It means spending time outdoors, regardless of weather conditions. Not despite the cold and darkness, but because of it.

A week's hiking in Jotunheimen national park (230 miles north of Oslo) last summer brought me tranquillity and peace. During four days of challenging hiking and wild camping through the area we saw hardly anyone else, having entire lush green valleys and still glacial lakes to ourselves. We were fortunate to have stunning weather throughout and, despite it being July, still had a reasonable amount of snow to traverse.

Warm lights shine from the houses that dot the wintry slopes of Mount Flyen and a cold wind blows as I stand in a swimming costume trying to talk myself into joining my friends in Bergen harbour. Stars are already appearing in the inky mid-afternoon sky. Life-changing moments are easy to spot in retrospect, but at the time they can feel so ordinary. I didn't know then that my wintry swim would lead to a year of adventures.