FINLAND

Heading out

FORTY-SEVEN per cent of international students would leave Finland on completing their studies, they told a recent survey. Thirtynine per cent of foreign professionals also said they did not intend to remain, citing difficulties in accessing networks and family members’ problems in adjusting to life in Finland.

Ireland

Home and away

IRELAND will hold a referendum in November to delete references to a woman’s place being in the home from its Constitution. Despite amending the 86-year-old Constitution in recent years to permit abortion and same-sex marriage “outmoded” references to women’s roles remained, the government said.

Italy

Second chance

ITALY’S highest court ordered a retrial for two young Californians convicted of stabbing a police officer in Rome in 2019. The defence argued that the plainclothes carabinieri didn’t identify themselves during an sting operation to recover a backpack that the Americans stole during a failed drug deal.

Portugal

Homing in

EMIGRANTS sent €3.9 billion euros to Portugal last year, the largest volume of remittances ever recorded and a 5 per cent increase on 2021, the Bank of Portugal said. Most came Portuguese residents in France, who sent home €1.06 billion, as well as those in Switzerland who also transferred €1.06 billion.

Ukraine

EU help

THE European Commission announced on March 16 the launch of a programme that will provide "inspiration and practical help" for rebuilding Ukraine. together with the country's own organisations. This follows on from the Kyiv meeting between the commissioners and Ukraine's government on February 2.

Sweden

Royal return

PRINCESS MADELEINE and her BritishAmerican husband Chris O’Neill plan to return to Sweden with their three children in August after having left in 2015. British residents wished him luck when having to apply for his residence permit “like other non-EU citizens planning a move to Sweden.”