The Dispatch

UPDATED: Danish prime minister calls Nov 1 parliament election

COPENHAGEN, Oct 5 (Reuters) - Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen on Wednesday called a general election to be held on Nov. 1 as recent opinion polls suggest the outcome of…

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Explorer of ancient DNA wins Nobel medicine prize

Swedish geneticist Svante Paabo won the 2022 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine on Monday for discoveries that underpin our understanding of how modern day humans evolved from extinct ancestors.…

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Nobel Peace Prize could condemn Ukraine war or highlight climate change

OSLO/KYIV, (Reuters) - This year's Nobel Peace Prize could condemn the war in Ukraine by recognising opponents of Russian President Vladimir Putin, the volunteers who have helped civilians, or Ukrainian…

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Norway warns could quickly impose ban on Russian tourists if necessary

(Reuters) - Norway may impose a ban on Russian tourists similar to that introduced by Finland this week, Norwegian Justice Minister Emilie Enger Mehl said on Friday. "We will close…

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Drone activity observed near Total offshore installation in North Sea

COPENHAGEN (Reuters) - TotalEnergies said it had observed "unauthorized drone activity" near one of its offshore oil and gas installations in the North Sea. Denmark, has like other countries in…

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Finland will shut border to Russian tourists from midnight

HELSINKI, Sept 29 (Reuters) - Finland will close its border to Russian tourists from midnight local time (2100 GMT), which is expected to lead to a significant drop in cross-border…

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Norway beefs up security across oil and gas sector

OSLO, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Norway on Wednesday was beefing up security throughout its oil and gas sector to protect against possible sabotage after several countries said two Russian pipelines…

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Swedish economy set to grind to a halt as inflation bites

STOCKHOLM, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Sweden's economic growth will grind to a halt next year amid soaring inflation and interest rate rises, casting a pall over households and businesses as…

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Iceland faces rising risk to financial stability, central bank says

(Reuters) - Risks to financial stability in Iceland have increased because of worsening external conditions, and the balance of risk is tilted to the downside, the Nordic country's central bank…

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Norway to hike taxes on power producers, fish farming by $3 bln

OSLO, Sept 28 (Reuters) - The Norwegian government plans to raise taxes on electricity producers and fish farmers, giving a total extra income for the government of some 33 billion…

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More Russians travelled to Finland during weekend, Resistance to the draft grows

HELSINKI, Sept 26 (Reuters) - Almost 17,000 Russians crossed the border into Finland during the weekend, an 80% rise from a week earlier, Finnish authorities said on Monday, as the…

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Finland mulls barring Russians from entering as border traffic grows

VAALIMAA, Finland (Reuters) - Finland said it was considering barring most Russians from entering the country as traffic across the border from its eastern neighbour "intensified" following President Vladimir Putin's…

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UPDATED: Finland’s border guard says traffic on border with Russia increasing

HELSINKI, Sept 22 (Reuters) - Traffic arriving at Finland's eastern border with Russia has "intensified" during the night, the Finnish Border Guard said early on Thursday, while adding that the…

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Denmark’s central bank urges fiscal tightening to tame inflation

COPENHAGEN, Sept 21 (Reuters) - Denmark's central bank on Wednesday urged a tightening of the fiscal policy by more than already planned by the government in order to tame inflation.…

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Finland cuts 2023 GDP growth forecast, sees risk of recession

HELSINKI, Sept 19 (Reuters) - Finland's finance ministry on Monday cut its economic growth forecast for 2023 and said the country was at risk of a recession. The ministry now…

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Anti-immigration election gains divide Sweden, worry rights groups

STOCKHOLM, (Reuters) - The populist, anti-immigration Sweden Democrats' rise to real power after Sunday's election has civil rights groups and many immigrants worried about what the future might hold in…

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Norway to help ease pain of rocketing power prices on businesses

OSLO, Sept 16 (Reuters) - Norway's government on Friday presented a long-awaited package of loans and subsidies to help curb the impact of sky-high power prices for businesses, the latest…

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Norway seeks to help EU cope with gas price pain after Russia cuts

OSLO, Sept 15 (Reuters) - Norway said on Thursday that sky-high gas prices were not in its interest and it would work with the EU to steady the market, although…

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UPDATED: Sweden’s PM resigns after election defeat

COPENHAGEN, Sept 15 (Reuters) - Sweden's outgoing Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson has handed in her resignation to the speaker of parliament, she said on Thursday, paving the way for a…

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Swedish inflation surge paves way for big hike by Riksbank

STOCKHOLM, Sept 14 (Reuters) - Inflation in Sweden surged again in August, figures from the statistics office showed on Wednesday, with the outcome likely to force the central bank into…

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Europe needs strategic autonomy in energy, food, defence and technology – Finnish PM

Addressing MEPs in Strasbourg as part of the “This is Europe” debate series, Prime Minister of Finland Sanna Marin said that Ukrainians have proven their bravery and endurance and they…

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Norway PM says cap on gas price won’t solve Europe’s shortage

OSLO, Sept 12 (Reuters) - Norway and the European Union have agreed to a closer dialogue on proposals to resolve Europe's energy crisis, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere said…

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UPDATED: Swedish voters hand anti-immigration Sweden Democrats influential role

STOCKHOLM, Sept 12 (Reuters) - Sweden's right bloc appeared in pole position on Monday to form a government for the first time in nearly a decade, helped by a wave…

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Swedes head to polls in close-run election marked by crime, energy crisis

STOCKHOLM, Sept 11 (Reuters) - Swedes vote on Sunday in an election pitting the incumbent centre-left Social Democrats against a right-wing bloc that has embraced the anti-immigration Sweden Democrats in a bid…

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Sweden goes to the polls

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Tough talks and trade-offs await the winning side in Sweden's parliamentary elections with the governing centre-left and their right-wing challengers facing weeks of uncertainty should they come…

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Tested PM or new right bloc? Swedish voters undecided as hard winter looms

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - The energy crisis, soaring inflation and war in Ukraine could help Social Democrat Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson to secure another term in office if Swedes decide to…

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Sweden’s cost of living crisis spooks voters ahead of election

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - With its robust welfare provisions and green energy mix, wealthy Sweden should be better placed than most countries in Europe to withstand the energy-driven cost of living…

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Norway PM says open to discussing EU gas agreements, price cap – FT

Sept 7 (Reuters) - Norway is open to discussing potential long-term gas agreements and price caps with European partners to help ease the energy crisis, the country's Prime Minister Jonas…

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Swedish economy slowing, could be recession next year

STOCKHOLM, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Sweden's gross domestic product (GDP) was unchanged in July against the previous month, a preliminary, seasonally-adjusted estimate by the Statistics Office showed on Wednesday, amid…

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Sweden, Finland step in to avert Lehman-like situation for power companies

STOCKHOLM/HELSINKI, (Reuters) - Finland and Sweden announced plans to offer billions of dollars in liquidity guarantees to power companies in their countries after Russia's Gazprom shut the Nord Stream 1…

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Danish govt suggests scaling down investments to help struggling households

COPENHAGEN, Aug 31 (Reuters) - Denmark's government on Wednesday suggested putting infrastructure projects on pause and instead using the money to help Danes cope with rising inflation. The Nordic nation…

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Finland detects small amount of radioactivity

OSLO, Aug 31 (Reuters) - Small amounts of radioactive isotopes have been detected in air samples collected in Kotka in south-east Finland, but there is no risk to humans and…

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Finland to close main highway for fighter jet landing drill

HELSINKI, (Reuters) - Finland will close down a stretch of one of its main highways for a week in September to allow its Air Force to practise takeoffs and landings…

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Turkey, Finland and Sweden officials meet to discuss Turkish concerns

HELSINKI, Aug 26 (Reuters) - Officials from Turkey, Finland and Sweden were expected to meet at an undisclosed location in Finland on Friday to discuss security concerns which Turkey raised…

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Finnish PM Sanna Marin: I am human, and I too sometimes long for joy, light and fun amidst these dark clouds

Finland's prime minister on Wednesday gave a forceful defence of her work record and her right to a private life after being swept up into a political scandal surrounding her…

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Sweden to introduce new measures to clampdown on e-scooter dangers

Sweden is about to introduce new measures to curb on the disruption caused by e-scooters. Bloomberg reports that the latest clampdown comes into effect in September. "The ban on riding…

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Finnish PM takes drugs test after party video causes stir

HELSINKI (Reuters) -Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin said on Friday she had taken a drugs test following the publication of video footage this week that showed her partying with friends,…

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Norway’s power grid operator cuts its tariffs to zero to help consumers

OSLO, Aug 19 (Reuters) - Norway's state-owned power grid operator Statnett said on Friday it would extend its policy of making no charge for use of its grid until the end of…

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Swedish police arrest teenage boy for shopping centre shooting

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) -Swedish police on Friday arrested a teenage boy for killing one person and injuring another in a shooting at a shopping centre in the southern city of Malmo. …

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SAS cancels 1,700 flights due to pilot strike, late aircraft deliveries

STOCKHOLM, Aug 19 (Reuters) - Scandinavian airline SAS has suspended 1,700 flights in the coming months due partly to a two-week pilot strike in July over collective agreements and delayed…

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UPDATED: Second video of Finnish PM Sanna Marin partying emerges

A new video has emerged in Finland that portrays Prime Minister Sanna Marin dancing in the private room of a Helsinki club. The episode should date back to August 6,…

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Russian jets suspected of violating Finnish airspace

HELSINKI (Reuters) - Two Russian MiG-31 fighter jets are suspected of violating Finnish airspace on Thursday near the coastal city of Porvoo on the Gulf of Finland, the Finnish defence…

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Norway’s wealth fund loses $174 bln in first half of 2022

OSLO, Aug 17 (Reuters) - Norway's sovereign wealth fund, the world's largest, made a loss of 1.68 trillion Norwegian crowns ($174 billion) in the first half of 2022, it said…

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Finland limits visas to Russians

HELSINKI, (Reuters) - Finland will slash the number of visas issued to Russians from Sept. 1, the Finnish foreign ministry said in a statement, amid a rush of Russian tourists…

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Finland scraps equal pay legislation amid coalition differences

Finland has cancelled plans to overhaul equality legislation aimed at narrowing the pay gap between men and women, the government said in a statement on Monday, citing unbridgeable gaps between parties…

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Photo Story: Tretten bridge in Norway collapses

Rescue services at the collapsed Tretten bridge over the River Laagen in Gudbrandsdalen, Norway, 15 August 2022. A car and a truck fell in the water. Two drivers were on…

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Swedish inflation eases to 8.0% in July, below forecast

STOCKHOLM, Aug 12 (Reuters) - Swedish inflation fell in July as volatile energy prices eased, but with electricity costs set to rise this winter and food prices already soaring, the…

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Sweden agrees to extradite man to Turkey in wake of NATO deal

Sweden's government has decided to extradite a man to Turkey wanted for fraud, it announced, the first case since Turkey demanded a number of people extradited in return for allowing…

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Norway’s core inflation rises more than expected

OSLO, Aug 10 (Reuters) - Norway's core inflation jumped in July to its highest level in more than two decades, exceeding forecasts as the costs of food soared 7.6%, Statistics Norway data showed on Wednesday.…

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Denmark to train Ukrainian soldiers in Britain, Denmark

COPENHAGEN, Aug 10 (Reuters) - Denmark will send military instructors to Britain to train Ukrainian soldiers and also aims to train Ukrainian officers in Denmark, the Danish defence minister said…

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Biden to sign documents backing Sweden, Finland for NATO

U.S. President Joe Biden was due on Tuesday to sign documents endorsing Finland and Sweden's accession to NATO, the most significant expansion of the military alliance since the 1990s as it responds to Russia's invasion…

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Study throws doubt on theory that women outlive men

The long-held belief that women live longer than men has been thrown into doubt by a new study. Men have a lower life expectancy than women, but according to academics…

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SAS pilots support wage deal, won’t resume strike

STOCKHOLM, Aug 6 (Reuters) - Swedish, Danish and Norwegian pilot union members have voted to adopt a collective bargaining agreement reached with airline SAS SAS.ST last month, and will thus not resume their strike,…

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Norway’s King Harald hospitalised with fever

OSLO, (Reuters) - Norway's King Harald is in hospital with a fever, the royal household said in a statement. The 85-year-old monarch was in a stable condition, the palace said.…

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Volcano erupts near Iceland’s capital in seismic hot spot

(Reuters) - A volcano has erupted on a mountain near Iceland's capital Reykjavik after days of rising earthquake activity in the area, the Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO) said. Images and…

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U.S. Senate backs Finland and Sweden joining NATO, Italy’s parliament gives final approval

WASHINGTON, (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate approved Finland and Sweden's accession to NATO, the most significant expansion of the 30-member alliance since the 1990s as it responds to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.…

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Italy’s lower house backs NATO membership for Finland and Sweden

ROME (Reuters) - Italy's Chamber of Deputies approved a bill on Tuesday to ratify the accession of Finland and Sweden to NATO in a vote welcomed by Giorgia Meloni, whose…

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