Sweden

UPDATED: Hungary will approve Sweden’s NATO bid on Monday, PM Orban says

Sweden to join NATO after Hungary ratification due Monday NATO membership will end long military non-alignment NATO accession spurred by Russia's invasion of Ukraine Finland already joined NATO last year…

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Hungary buys Swedish fighter jets, prepares to approve NATO bid

By Krisztina Than and Johan Ahlander BUDAPEST/STOCKHOLM, Feb 23 (Reuters) - Hungary said on Friday it had signed a deal to buy four Saab JAS Gripen fighter jets from Sweden,…

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Sweden has around 62,000 persons linked to criminal gangs, police say

STOCKHOLM, Feb 23 (Reuters) - About 62,000 persons are active in, or have connections to, criminal networks in Sweden, the police said on Friday, where the authorities have struggled for…

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Russia is biggest security threat to NATO-hopeful Sweden, security service says

STOCKHOLM, Feb 21 (Reuters) - Russia is the main international security threat to Sweden, and foreign enemies may try to exploit an elevated risk of extremist violence from Islamists and…

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Sweden must join NATO now, German defence minister says

BRUSSELS, Feb 15 (Reuters) - Sweden's planned joining of the NATO military alliance is overdue and needs to happen now, Germany's Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said on Thursday. "Any further…

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Sweden ends investigation into Nord Stream pipeline blasts

STOCKHOLM, Feb 7 (Reuters) - Swedish prosecutors said on Wednesday they would drop further investigation into explosions on the Nord Stream 1 and 2 gas pipelines, confirming earlier media reports.…

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Swedish economic growth ‘subdued’ in 2024, IMF says

OSLO, Feb 5 (Reuters) - Sweden's economic growth is projected to remain subdued in 2024 following a mild recession last year, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said in a regular…

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Hungary under pressure to ratify Sweden’s NATO bid after EU deal

Hungary agreed on Thursday to EU aid package for Ukraine PM Orban said he "went to the wall" for Hungary Hungary is only NATO state yet to ratify Swedish accession…

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Swedish economy sluggish in Q4 2023

STOCKHOLM, Jan 29 (Reuters) - Sweden's economy remained sluggish in the final quarter of 2023, growing 0.1% from the previous three month period and unchanged against the same quarter a…

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Turkey moving swiftly toward final step on Sweden’s NATO bid

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkey is expected to send the final instrument of ratification for Sweden's NATO membership to Washington within days, now that President Tayyip Erdogan signed it off, in…

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Turkey’s Edrogan signs off on Sweden’s NATO membership

Turkey's president finally approved Sweden's bid to join NATO on Thursday, ending months of delay and leaving only Hungary standing in the way of Stockholm's membership of the military alliance.…

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Hungary parliament speaker sees ‘no urgency’ in voting on Sweden’s NATO accession

BUDAPEST, Jan 25 (Reuters) - Hungary's parliamentary speaker said on Thursday there was no urgency in approving Sweden's NATO membership bid after ratification by Turkey left only Budapest holding up…

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Turkey set to approve Sweden’s NATO membership bid after long delay

Turkey's parliament is widely expected to approve Sweden's NATO membership bid on Tuesday, clearing the biggest remaining hurdle to expanding the Western military alliance after 20 months of delays. Turkey's…

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Swedish inflation lowest since July 2021, nears Riksbank target

Headline inflation 2.3% vs c.bank target 2.0% Ex-energy inflation 5.3% C.bank expected to start cutting rates this year Next policy decision on Feb.1 STOCKHOLM, Jan 15 (Reuters) - Headline inflation…

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One dead in Belgium as heavy rainfall hits the country; Sweden and Finland freezing in minus 40C

A 59-year-old woman died in Belgium's East Flanders province on Tuesday after being hit by a blown-away fence during a period of heavy rainfall in the country, local governor Carina…

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Health alert after parrot fever infects humans in Sweden

Parrot fever is surging in Sweden, with 12 people infected this month alone, amid concerns that the outbreak could escalate. The flu-like disease – spread by wild birds including parakeets…

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Sweden edges closer to NATO after vote in Turkish parliamentary commission

By Huseyin Hayatsever The Turkish parliament's foreign affairs commission approved Sweden's NATO membership bid on Tuesday in a key step towards enlarging the Western bloc after 19 months of delays…

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Sweden cuts 2024 growth estimate, sees downturn until 2025

STOCKHOLM, Dec 21 (Reuters) - The Swedish government on Thursday lowered its growth forecast for 2024 and said an ongoing downturn was likely to drag on until 2025 even as…

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Swedish inflation drop points to end of rate hikes, chance of early cut

Headline inflation 3.6%, ex energy 5.4% Ex energy below market and Riksbank forecasts Boosts view rate hikes over Markets pricing in cut by June By Simon Johnson STOCKHOLM, Dec 14…

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ECB haunted by bond buys in Swedish property crisis

By John O'Donnell and Francesco Canepa FRANKFURT, Nov 30 (Reuters) - A debt crunch at Swedish property group SBB has left the European Central Bank at risk of losses and…

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Sweden in recession

STOCKHOLM, Nov 29 (Reuters) - Sweden's economy slumped into recession in the third quarter, contracting 0.3% from the previous one, the statistics office said on Wednesday, as higher interest rates…

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Turkey freezes assets of 82 organisations, people for alleged ties to Kurdish militants

ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkey froze the local assets of 20 organisations and 62 individuals based in various European countries, Australia and Japan, citing alleged ties with Kurdish militant group PKK,…

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Turkey tells NATO that Sweden won’t join by next week’s meeting

By Jonathan Spicer and Sabine Siebold ANKARA/BRUSSELS, (Reuters) - Turkey has informed NATO that ratification of Sweden's membership bid will not be completed in time to allow the country's accession…

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Sweden’s NATO bid delayed in Turkish parliament

By Huseyin Hayatsever The Turkish parliament's foreign affairs commission delayed a vote on Sweden's NATO membership bid on Thursday in a further setback to the Nordic country's hopes of joining…

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Erdogan says he will try to facilitate Sweden’s NATO bid ratification

ANKARA, Nov 4 (Reuters) - Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said he would try to facilitate the parliamentary ratification of Sweden's NATO membership as much as possible, but added that Stockhom…

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Nordic countries to cooperate more on returning migrants to countries of origin

By Johannes Birkebaek COPENHAGEN (Reuters) - The Nordic governments intend to step up their cooperation to return immigrants without legal residence in the region to their countries of origin, ministers…

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Swedish, Belgian leaders pay tribute to Brussels attack victims

By Johnny Cotton BRUSSELS, Oct 18 (Reuters) - Sweden's Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and his Belgian counterpart Alexander De Croo paid tribute in Brussels on Wednesday to the victims of…

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Swedish PM urges EU to boost security after Brussels terror shooting

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson called on the European Union to bolster border controls and internal security after a gunman killed two Swedes in Brussels on Monday, saying the region…

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Sweden pledges more military aid to Ukraine, considers fighter jets

STOCKHOLM, Oct 6 (Reuters) - Sweden will send Ukraine a new military support package worth 2.2 billion crowns ($199 million) - consisting mainly of artillery ammunition - and is looking…

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Swedish PM summons army, police chiefs as gang violence rocks nation

By Johan Ahlander STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Sweden's prime minister summoned the head of the armed forces and the police commissioner in a bid to stem gang violence, he said, following…

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Two dead in Sweden restaurant shooting

STOCKHOLM, Sept 22 (Reuters) - Two people were killed and two injured in a shooting at a restaurant in eastern Sweden late on Thursday that police said appeared to be…

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Hungary parliament speaker flags possible further delay in Swedish NATO ratification

BUDAPEST, Sept 18 (Reuters) - It is "not sure" Hungary needs to approve the ratification of Sweden's NATO accession, the parliament speaker of the ruling Fidesz party told local television…

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Twenty years after euro “No” vote, Swedes fret over weak crown

Swedish crown has lost 17.5% against euro in 18 months Inflation impact could mean higher interest rates for longer Weakness a mystery given long term robust economy Riksbank sees stronger…

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Photo Story: Sweden celebrates Carl XVI Gustaf’s throne jubilee

(L-R) Princess Madeleine, Mr. Chris O'Neill, Queen Silvia, King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden, Princess Sofia, Prince Carl Philip and Crown Princess Victoria stand on a balcony as they watch…

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Sweden to consider sending fighter jets to Ukraine

The Swedish government is considering donating Gripen fighter jets to Ukraine to help it fight Russia, Swedish public radio (SR) reported, citing unnamed sources. The government wants to know, among…

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Swedish autumn budget to fight inflation, support working households

OSLO, Sept 4 (Reuters) - The Swedish government's autumn budget later this month will fight inflation while supporting working households, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said on Monday. Households with average…

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Photo Story: Violent night in Malmo, Sweden

People are silhouetted against the flames near police vehicles after a large number of cars were set on fire on Ramels vag in Rosengard, in Malmo, Sweden, 04 September 2023.…

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Ukraine’s Zelenskiy asks Sweden for Gripen jets in first visit since Russian invasion

By Dan Peleschuk and Supantha Mukherjee KYIV/STOCKHOLM, Aug 19 (Reuters) - Ukraine has begun discussing with Sweden the possibility of receiving Gripen jets to boost its air defences, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy…

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Sweden raised its terrorist alert to the second highest level

Sweden raised its terrorist alert to the second highest level on Thursday, saying it had thwarted attacks after Koran burnings and other acts against Islam's holiest text outraged Muslims and…

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Britain warns of possible terrorist attacks in Sweden

LONDON, Aug 13 (Reuters) - Britain on Sunday warned citizens going to Sweden of possible terrorist attacks following Koran burnings by anti-Islam activists that have outraged Muslims. In updated travel…

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Sweden accuses Russia of spreading false claims about Koran burnings to harm Nato bid

The Swedish authorities have accused Russia of trying to influence how Koran burnings are viewed around the world through disinformation campaigns written in Arabic. It is believed to be part…

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Why are Sweden and Denmark having a crisis over the Koran?

By Nikolaj Skydsgaard and Jacob Gronholt-pedersen COPENHAGEN, (Reuters) - Anti-Islam activists in Denmark and Sweden have burnt and damaged several copies of the Koran in recent months, prompting outrage in…

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Sweden to boost border controls after Koran burnings

By Johan Ahlander and Simon Johnson Threats to Sweden have increased after recent Koran burnings, the country's government said, adding it had strengthened border controls to give police wider authority…

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Swedish migration agency re-examining residency permit of Koran burner

(Reuters) - The Swedish migration agency said it is re-examining the residency permit of an Iraqi refugee who is behind several Koran desecrations in Stockholm in recent weeks, which have…

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Swedish PM ‘extremely worried’ as further Koran burnings planned

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson is "extremely worried" about the consequences if more demonstrations go ahead in which the Koran is desecrated, he said on Thursday, amid…

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Limited political support in Sweden to ban Koran burnings

By JohanAhlander STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - There is limited political will in Sweden to ban Koran burnings that have upset large parts of the Muslim world and it would be complicated…

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Sweden is joining Nato: what that means for the alliance and the war in Ukraine

In a surprise move, Turkey has ended its veto on Sweden joining Nato, thereby removing all the barriers to its membership of the military alliance. Hungary quickly followed suit and,…

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Iraq assures foreign diplomatic missions of their security

(Reuters) - The Iraqi government sought to reassure diplomatic missions in the country of their security on Saturday, saying it would not allow a recurrence of the storming of the…

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Protest burning of Torahs and Bibles to be held outside Israeli Embassy in Stockholm

Swedish authorities have approved a protest involving the burning of Torahs and Bibles outside the Israeli Embassy in Stockholm, Sweden’s national radio broadcaster reported. A person who has applied to…

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Swedish crown set for biggest weekly gain in 14 years

By Joice Alves LONDON, July 14 (Reuters) - The Swedish crown fell on Friday but was still on track for its biggest weekly gain against the dollar and the euro…

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UPDATED: Turkey gives green light to Swedish NATO membership bid

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan agreed to forward to parliament Sweden's bid to join the NATO military alliance, appearing to end months of drama over an issue that had strained the bloc…

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Swedish court convicts man of helping Kurdish militants, boosting Sweden’s NATO bid

A Swedish court on Thursday found a man guilty of attempting to finance the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), in a ruling that could help end Turkey's veto of Sweden's application to…

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Biden shows support for Sweden’s NATO bid in talks with PM

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President Joe Biden showed support for Sweden's entry into NATO in talks with Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson on Wednesday as doubts linger that Turkey will lift its…

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Pope Francis says permitting burning of Koran is rejected and condemned

Pope Francis said the burning of the Muslim holy book, the Koran, has made him angry and disgusted and that he condemned and rejected permitting the act as a form…

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Sweden hikes key rate, says fight against inflation not over

Riksbank raises policy rate by 25 bp to 3.75% Sees at least one more rate hike this year Steps up sales of government bonds Considers hedging part of foreign exchange…

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New Koran burning in Sweden risks escalating tensions with Turkey

Swedish police have authorized another Quran-burning in Stockholm planned for Wednesday afternoon, risking new tensions with Turkey as Sweden waits for Ankara’s backing for it to gain entry to the…

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Swedish police approve small anti-Koran demonstration at mosque

STOCKHOLM, June 28 (Reuters) - Swedish police have given the go-ahead for a small demonstration to take place outside a Stockholm mosque on Wednesday at which the organisers said they…

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