Here's a question for anyone running a creative business, design studio, or music production company: what if your team of ten could become a team of three?

Once dubbed “the most dangerous place on Earth” by analysts, the Suwałki Gap represents one of NATO’s most acute strategic vulnerabilities. This roughly 65-kilometer stretch of border area is the only land connection between the three Baltic states (Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia) and their NATO allies in Poland and the rest of Europe.

Centuries ago, the far north of Scandinavia had no clear national boundaries. The region was sparsely populated by the Sámi people, who at times paid taxes to multiple kingdoms in overlapping “no man’s land” zones. As early as 1326, Norway and the Republic of Novgorod (medieval Russia) signed the Treaty of Novgorod to divide their spheres of influence in the Arctic, determining which Sámi communities would pay tribute to which realm.

In 2025, the five Nordic nations – Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Iceland – along with the Baltic state of Estonia, stand out as the world’s least corrupt countries. According to the latest global indices, these countries top corruption-perception rankings with scores in the high 70s and 80s (out of 100), far above the global average. This feature explores how they’ve achieved such clean governance, the historical and cultural roots of their integrity, and why it matters – from innovation to public happiness.

Iceland has made history as the first Nordic nation – and the fifth country overall – to officially boycott the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 (the 70th edition set for May 2026 in Vienna). The decision by Iceland’s public broadcaster RÚV was driven by widespread domestic backlash to Israel’s inclusion in the contest amid the ongoing war in Gaza.