Europe Finland The University of Helsinki is home to a Confucius Institute that teaches Chinese language and culture; it will now be closed due to accusations of spreading Chinese soft power, conducting espionage and attempting to block discussions on Tibet
Europe Finland The world’s largest operational sand battery storage, holding 2.000 tonnes of crushed soapstone, has been activated in Pornainen; it stores as heat up to 100 megawatt-hours of renewable energy, supplying the local district heating network
Europe Finland Police in Helsinki have reported a rise in incidents involving organized pickpocket groups operating across Europe; composed of a few individuals, they move quickly from country to country flying in, robbing and leaving
Europe Finland 26 reception centres will be shut down starting in June, affect approximately 7.000 individuals; the Finnish Immigration Service cited a significant decline in the number of people using the facilities as the main reason
Europe Finland Restaurant Palace in Helsinki has been voted the best restaurant in Finland for the sixth consecutive year; in the Suomen 50 Parasta Ravintolaa /Finland’s 50 Best Restaurants list BasBas and Grön follow and new entries Jason and Teller are 4th and 5th