Sweden

During Tuesday’s trading session, the Swedish Crown depreciated against the US Dollar by 1601 pips or 1.73% to a two year low at 9.4215. The reason for the drop was […]

For the first time in half a century, Sweden is seriously prepping its country for the possibility of war. Growing national anxiety over the threat of Russia has led the government to send out 4.7m information pamphlets to all households informing them of what to do in the event of war. "All of society needs to be prepared for conflict, not just the military. We haven’t been using words such as total defence or high alert for 25-30 years or more. So the knowledge among citizens is very low", says the government.

Sweden and Switzerland have been suffering from a long-standing problem; people keep confusing them. It may seem unlikely to the seasoned traveller but it’s been a long-running bone of contention for proud residents of both countries. Now one airline is aiming to end that confusion by offering people a trip to Swederland.

Swedish rail company SJ Railways is now accepting tickets via microchips implanted into the hands of its commuters. The microchip and app exchange information using near-field communication (NFC) – the same wireless data transfer technology used by Apple Pay, Android Pay and Amiibo.

Each SJ Railway customer’s microchip is given a membership number, which can be updated through the SJ Railways app on a smartphone. Once a microchipped rider gets onto the train, he or she can simply put his or her hand out to be scanned by the conductor.

Sweden’s government faces mounting political pressure over its handling of a huge leak by one of its agencies of sensitive data, including potentially the identities of covert defence and intelligence personnel on overseas missions.

What began as a scandal earlier this month over an IT outsourcing deal between the Swedish Transport Authority and IBM in 2015 has turned into a full-blown political crisis for the government as the extent of the confidential data leak has become known.

Sweden is the Best Country to be an Immigrant, according to new analysis from U.S. News & World Report. Canada, Switzerland, Australia and Germany round out the top five. Part of the Best Countries report, the new ranking assesses the international perceptions of 80 countries, their immigration policies and economic data.

Eric Gertler, co-chairman of U.S. News and the New York Daily News, said that the experience of creating the best countries ranking showed them that many people view immigration as the most important issue in the world.

Finance Minister Magdalena Andersson has admitted Sweden has “major problems” as a result of the population growth brought on by mass immigration.
Earlier this week, the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions (SKL) admitted, by 2020, municipalities face a funding deficit of 40 billion Swedish Krona (£3.5 billion) to finance services like hospitals and nursing homes.

“Demographic trends show that, with more children and more elderly people, the need for local government services is expected to grow significantly faster than the tax base,” says Annika Wallenskog, chief economist at SKL.

A large beer truck crashed into an upscale department store in central Stockholm on Friday, killing at least two people, according to Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven, who said all indications were that it was a terror attack. One person was arrested. But a spokesperson for the police said they cannot confirm whether anyone had been arrested yet, according to Reuters.
"We are thinking of the dead and the injured and their families. I am urging the public to be vigilant and keep updating the police," Lofven said.