Sweden

Tsikhanouskaya, Thunberg or reporters among favorites for Nobel Peace Prize

This year's Nobel Peace Prize could go to exiled Belarusian dissident Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, climate activist Greta Thunberg, or a media watchdog such as Reporters without Borders (RSF), Norwegian experts on…

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Sweden removes most COVID-19 restrictions

With most adults vaccinated, Sweden is removing almost all pandemic restrictions Wednesday despite rising case numbers. The country has been an outlier in aspects of its handling of the disease,…

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Blast rocks residential area in Sweden’s Gothenburg, four badly hurt

Four people were seriously hurt in an explosion and fire in a central residential area of the Swedish city of Gothenburg early on Tuesday. The immediate cause of the blast and blaze…

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Sweden to deepen military ties with Norway, Denmark, Swedish TV reports

STOCKHOLM, Sept 23 (Reuters) - Sweden will sign a defence cooperation agreement with Norway and Denmark this week to counter a deteriorating security situation in the Baltic region, Sweden's TV4…

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Soft, warm and vegan-friendly, Volvo cars go leather-free

Swedish carmaker Volvo Cars said on Thursday that its vehicle range will go leather-free or 'vegan-friendly' by 2030, offering instead bio-based and recycled materials to a customer base that increasingly…

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Nobel prize banquet postponed again in 2021 due to pandemic

There will be no banquet in Stockholm this year and laureates will receive their Nobel Prize medals and diplomas in their home countries, the Nobel Foundation said on Thursday. The…

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Betsson chairman Svensk resigns after CEO dismissal

Swedish online gaming company Betsson said on Thursday that its chairman, Patrick Svensk, had resigned effective immediately in the wake of the dismissal of the company's Chief Executive earlier this…

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Swedish budget gives boost for welfare, climate, jobs

Sweden's centre-left government said on Monday it would boost welfare spending by 23 billion Swedish crowns ($2.6 billion) next year in a budget aimed at reducing social inequality and shifting…

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Sweden to ramp up vaccination efforts as jab drive slows

Sweden will ramp up efforts to get more people vaccinated against COVID-19 in the face of a flagging inoculation drive, with authorities warning that the unvaccinated might have to live…

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Swedish court finds man guilty of spying for Russia at truckmaker Scania

A Swedish court on Wednesday sentenced a 47-year-old man to three years in prison for spying for Russia, which involved selling secret information from truckmaker Scania. The court said it…

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H&M’s sales still lag pre-pandemic levels as restrictions bite

Sales at fashion retailer H&M grew less than expected in the three months to the end of August, staying below pre-pandemic levels as restrictions kept shoppers away from stores. The…

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Swedish finance minister tipped to become country’s first female PM

Magdalena Andersson is favourite to become Sweden's prime minister when her Social Democrat colleague Stefan Lofven steps down in November, but major challenges face the current finance minister if she…

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Pressure on Sweden’s minority govt eases as opposition splits over budget

STOCKHOLM, Sept 11 (Reuters) - The chances of Sweden's minority, centre-left coalition passing its autumn budget and avoiding a snap election increased on Friday after the head of the opposition…

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Swedish economy powering into third quarter

Sweden's economy powered into the third quarter as the government eased COVID-19 restrictions and the badly hit service sector picked up speed, data showed on Wednesday. The Swedish economy has…

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Sweden to remove most remaining pandemic restrictions this month

Sweden will push ahead with easing COVID-19 restrictions at the end of this month, removing most curbs and limits on public venues such as restaurants, theatres and stadiums, the government…

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Abba delight fans with new 10-song album and virtual concert

Pop legends Abba have surprised and delighted fans by announcing their first studio album for 40 years. Abba Voyage will be released in November, before a "revolutionary" set of concerts…

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Sweden plans budget tax cuts, stimulus measures to continue

Sweden's minority, centre-left coalition said on Wednesday it would cut income taxes by around 10 billion crowns ($1.16 billion) in its 2022 budget as it looks to support recovery from…

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Sweden looks at allowing police to spy on suspected gangs to tackle gun violence

Sweden's government said it would look at extending national security laws to allow police to spy on suspected gangs, as authorities try to halt a surge in shootings that have…

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Swedish economy’s bounce-back extends into August as more stimulus beckons

Sweden's economy powered ahead in the second quarter, final growth data showed on Friday, as a separate business sentiment reading suggested a recovery that has seen GDP already surpass its…

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Photo Story: Swedish East Indiaman Gothenburg arrives in Stockholm

The Swedish East Indiaman Gothenburg, an 18th century rebuilt replica, arrives in Stockholm, Sweden, 26 August 2021 from Gothenburg. Gothenburg will make a long voyage to Asia next year and…

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Sweden warns of rising Covid-19 infections over the coming months

Sweden is likely to see COVID-19 infections gain momentum in the coming months while the current curbs to limit the spread will need to be maintained until a higher proportion…

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UPDATED: Swedish PM Lofven says to step down in November

Sweden's Prime Minister Stefan Lofven of the Social Democrats party said unexpectedly on Sunday he would resign later this year ahead of general elections in September 2022. "I have informed…

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Photo Story: Flooding in eastern Sweden

Rescue personnel approaches a flooded car in Falun, Sweden, 18 August 2021. Due to heavy rains in eastern Sweden several roads and buildings are flooded. Photo: EPA-EFE/Ulf Palm

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Photo Story: Christening ceremony of Prince Julian in Stockholm

Swedish Prince Gabriel looks at his little brother Prince Julian during his Christening ceremony in the Drottningholm Palace Chapel in Stockholm, Sweden, 14 August 2021. Prince Julian is the third…

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Sweden’s COVID czar blames nigh clubs and travel abroad for rising cases

The spread of COVID-19 in Sweden has continued to accelerate with infection rates no longer considered low, the country's health authority said on Friday, blaming increased travel abroad and packed…

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Sweden to widen police data-access powers to fight gang violence

Sweden plans to give police greater powers to access data from mobile phones as it bids to rein in a surge in gang-related violence plaguing its major cities, the government said on…

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Swedish economy keeps growing as vaccine rollout picks up

Sweden's economy grew slightly quicker than expected in the second quarter, as the rollout of vaccines accelerated and more COVID-19 restrictions were lifted, a preliminary estimate from the Statistics Office…

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Sweden to ease pandemic curbs despite worries over mounting Delta cases

Sweden's government said on Monday it will move ahead with a planned easing of pandemic restrictions this week but warned that new variants of the virus demanded vigilance as it…

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Swedish PM Lofven names unchanged cabinet

Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven reappointed his previous cabinet of Social Democrats and Greens on Friday following his re-election as premier this week. Lofven resigned last month after losing a…

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UPDATED: Sweden’s Lofven re-elected PM in parliament vote

Swedish Social Democrat leader Stefan Lofven was re-elected as prime minister by parliament on Wednesday, ending weeks of political turmoil since his resignation last month. But Lofven, who had quit…

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UPDATED: Swedish Social Democrat Lofven is asked to return as PM

Social Democrat Stefan Lofven will try to win a new term as Sweden's prime minister in a parliamentary vote on Wednesday after the assembly's speaker asked him to return to…

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Swedish manufacturing PMI dips again in June

Activity in Sweden's manufacturing sector fell for the second month in a row in June, dropping to 65.8 points from a downwardly revised 66.0 points the previous month, data showed…

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Lofven eyeing return as Swedish premier

Swedish caretaker Prime Minister Stefan Lofven said he would be willing to return to head a government that did not yet have backing for a budget, potentially making it easier…

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Swedish PM Lofven resigns in wake of no-confidence vote

STOCKHOLM, June 28 (Reuters) - Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven said on Monday he had handed in his notice of resignation, giving parliament's speaker the job of finding a new…

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Swedish PM Lofven still voters’ favourite leader despite crisis

Social Democrat Prime Minister Stefan Lofven is Swedish voter's most trusted leader, a poll showed on Thursday, despite a crisis that saw parliament pass a vote of no-confidence in him…

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Swedish government ups GDP forecast as economy bounces back from pandemic

Sweden's economy will grow substantially faster than previously expected this year, as it recovers from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the government said. Gross domestic product is expected to…

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Swedish snap election looms as Liberals urge PM to step aside

A snap election looked increasingly likely in Sweden on Thursday after the Liberal Party said it would not help restore a Social Democrat-led government after Prime Minister Stefan Lofven lost…

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Swedish think tank says economic recovery accelerating

Sweden's economy is picking up pace and will grow 4.4% this year, a leading think tank said on Wednesday in a fresh forecast. "The economy is accelerating in the second…

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Swedish IT provider says COVID-19 test database breached

A Swedish information technology firm said a database containing patient data, including COVID-19 test results, had been breached but it was unclear if any contents had leaked. InfoSolutions said in…

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Swedish PM Lofven ousted in parliament no-confidence vote

Sweden's parliament ousted Prime Minister Stefan Lofven in a no-confidence vote on Monday, giving the Social Democrat leader a week to resign and hand the speaker the job of finding…

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Swedish PM faces defeat in Monday no-confidence vote

Stefan Lofven was on Sunday hours away from becoming the first Swedish Prime Minister to lose a no-confidence vote, after failing in a last-ditch effort to secure majority support in…

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Last-ditch efforts to defuse Swedish political crisis go on

Efforts to defuse a crisis that has left Sweden's centre-left minority government facing likely defeat in a no-confidence vote next week will carry on throughout the weekend, Finance Minister Magdalena…

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UPDATED: Swedish Left Party to seek support for no-confidence vote in PM Lofven

Sweden's Left Party said on Thursday it would seek support from other parties to put forward a no-confidence vote in Prime Minister Stefan Lofven over plans to ease rent control…

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Swedish government faces possible no-confidence vote

Sweden's government dismissed demands from the Left Party to stop working on a proposal for the abolition of rent controls on new-build properties, setting up a showdown that could topple…

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Sweden sees worrying local outbreaks of the COVID Delta variant

Swedish health officials have warned of worrying local outbreaks of the COVID delta variant and urged people to get vaccinated to avoid a fourth wave of the pandemic. Sweden, an…

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Pace of inflation slows in Sweden in May

The pace of inflation slowed in Sweden in May, figures from the Statistics Office showed on Thursday, despite production bottlenecks and supply issues that have boosted price pressures across the…

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UPDATED: Photo Story: Finnish flagged cargo ship Ramona runs aground in Sweden

The Finnish flagged cargo ship Ramona lies aground on the shore of the small island of Faro, northeast of Gotland, Sweden. The ship with five crew members ran aground early…

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Sweden’s Left Party threatens to topple government over rent reform

Sweden's centrist government came under threat on Friday after the Left Party vowed to bring it down over the prospective abolition of rent controls on new residential housing. The Left…

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Sweden failed to protect elderly from COVID, parliament panel says

Sweden's centre-left minority government, which neverordered a COVID-19 lockdown and relied instead mostly on voluntary curbs, failed in several aspects of its handling of the pandemic, parliament's constitutional committee said.…

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H&M’s online second-hand shop Sellpy launches in 20 more countries

Swedish online second-hand shop Sellpy, which is majority-owned by fashion giant H&M , said on Monday it was opening in 20 more European countries, in a bet demand for sustainable…

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‘Social contagion’ as Sweden sees surge in deadly shootings

Sweden has gone from having one of the lowest rates of gun violence in Europe to having one of the highest, a report said this week, describing what one researcher…

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Sweden’s Handelsbanken to help test central bank digital currency

Sweden's central bank will work with commercial lender Handelsbanken to test how the country's proposed digital currency - the e-krona - could handle payments in the real world, the Riksbank…

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Swedish PM sees “beginning of the end”, eases COVID restrictions next week

Sweden will ease some of its COVID-19 restrictions from June 1 as new cases have fallen sharply in recent weeks, the government said, as it presented a roadmap to open…

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Airline SAS gets $361 million loan guarantee from Denmark, Sweden

Sweden and Denmark said they had agreed to offer ailing airline SAS, in which both countries own stakes, a 3 billion Swedish crown ($361 million) loan guarantee. The COVID-19 pandemic…

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Swedish ‘risk tax’ on banks to apply to lending operations abroad

A controversial proposal to introduce a “risk tax” on Swedish banks is being expanded to cover lender’s operations outside of the country, Sweden’s finance ministry said. The proposed tax, which…

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Sweden’s Evolution bets online casinos will outstrip physical venues

Swedish gambling technology company Evolution is betting online casinos will increasingly replace physical venues and help to maintain its rapid recent expansion. Evolution shares have jumped 170% over the past…

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Sweden registers 3,168 new COVID-19 cases, 15 deaths on Friday

Sweden registered 3,168 new COVID-19 cases on Friday, health agency statistics showed, as the third wave of the pandemic continued to decrease in intensity. The country of 10 million inhabitants…

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