2009-07-02
The police in Malmö in south Sweden have received 70-80 reports about credit card fraud. Most of the victims have used their cards at an unattended petrol station. The information on the cards has then been stolen. The stolen amounts vary from SEK 2000 to SEK 12000. (SvD)
A government investigation proposes that cohabitant couples, not only married couples, should be able to adopt children of their spouse. The investigator also believes that it would be better for many children to be adopted than living in family homes or youth homes. Education about adoption issues for social welfare secretaries is also proposed.
A man who is said to be the spiritual leader of a militant Somali rebel group is going to visit a conference in the city of Gothenburg today. He is invited by the city’s largest Muslim coalition. The rebel group has carried out several terrorist acts during the last couple of weeks, for example the killing of the Somali Minister for Security and the police commissioner in Mogadishu. The group was listed as terrorist by the U.S. early in 2008, but not by the EU or UN. (GP)
The summer heat is a large problem for Stockholm’s bus drivers. Around half of the buses in Stockholm lack air conditioners. On some buses the temperature was close to 40 degrees Celsius yesterday. Now the Swedish Work Environment Administration warns that this worsens the ability for bus divers to perform well. (DN)
The Swedish central bank, the Riksbank, today cut their most important steering rate, the repo rate, with 0.25 percentage units to 0.25 percent. The cut is motivated with the need for a more ‘expansive’ monetary policy due to the weak economic turnout. “The rate is expected to stay on this low level for the coming year”, the Riksbank comments. In order to make possible lower rates for businesses and households banks are offered loans to a steady rate by the Riksbank.
2009-07-01
Today is the first day of Sweden´s EU-presidency. This will be most clearly seen among ordinary Stockholmers in the traffic. It is expected to be slowed down due to many transports and temporary closing-downs of streets. Demonstrations may also occure and block traffic. The 15th and 17th July is expected to be most intensive because of important meetings these dates. (SR)
2009-06-30
Stockholm city is expected to grow with the highest rate in the region in the coming years. In 2030 Stockholm is expected to have 200 000 more people than today. The county administrative board of Stockholm has predicted that 12 000 more apartments are needed every year. This means more buildings and fewer green areas. (SvD)
There are some positive signs in the economic situation of Stockholm’s businesses, this shows the latest report from Stockholm Business Region. While there was a general economic downturn for the first quarter this year, now more and more line of businesses once again show positive growth. Even the positive job growth continues, but unemployment still rises since there is an increase of job seekers.
Among fifteen year olds, 7 percent of the girls and 9 percent of the boys have tested illegal drugs. This is a two percentage point increase compared to last year. The fraction that regularly drink alcohol decreases however and is lower than ever during the last forty years. 35 % of the girls and 42 % of the boys never drink. (SvD)
All public bathing places in Stockholm have passed the water quality control so far this summer. This does however not mean that the water is totally clean. The measures are done according to EU directives on phosphorus- and nitrogen levels; water vegetation; clarity of the water and the level of environmental toxins. (DN)
Another week of hot summer weather awaits all those spending their vacation in Sweden. Despite some possible rainy weather on Wednesday, the heat is expected to continue as far as the prognosis reach. In the southern parts of the country will the temperature differ between 25 and 30 degrees Celsius, while the north part at least will reach 25 degrees Celsius. (TT)
2009-06-29
Accusations that the judge in the trial against The Pirate Bay was biased increases the demands for an ethical code for judges, public radio SR reports. The Association for Judges believes that the trial against the torrent site and the discussions about the judge being member of an organisation for copyright issues bring up to date the need for an ethical code. Also the Union for Judges want clearer rules concerning issues like this.
There is a forest fire along the E4 highway outside Nyköping, about 80 kilometres southwest of Stockholm. The Fire Service has not yet the fire under control, but so far are no houses at risk. An forest area of around 1000 square meters is burning along the E4 highway, there is however no risk reported of using the highway south of Stockholm. (DN/SN)
Many Swedish households could not cope with higher interest rates. If the rates would rise to levels of the historical average, almost half of Swedish households would have a hard time to pay, this shows a study by the Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority. If interest rates would rise with five per cent it would mean a sever crisis for every other Swedish household. (DN)
The Swedish Armed Forces today gave 500 employees notices to quit. “With the type of missions and activities that the Government and Parliament demands from us, it is necessary to cut costs in some other areas”, the Armed Forces writes on their website. The Governments plan for a new, volunteer military, targeted for international missions lies behind the decision to cut in the branches of logistics, human resources, information and environmental protection. (SVT/SR)
2009-06-28
Mikaela Valtersson, party whip of the Greens, shall help the Minister for Migration, Tobias Billström, with an investigation about labour migration. This they both write in an op-ed in Dagens Nyheter today. Last autumn the Left Party, the Social Democrats and the Greens formed a coalition in order to counter with the governing centre-right alliance. Valtersson says to public radio SR that this cooperation with the Government is not a break of the ‘red-green’ coalition, but the party leader of the Left Party, Lars Ohly, has already criticised her.
A forest fire in Kalmar County, southeast Sweden, rages on for the fourth day since the fire fighters have been unable to put it out. The fire has been difficult to stop because the area is very remote and there is a lack of water catchment close by. The local fire service thinks the firestorm will continue for a couple of days more, but do not believe it to spread outside the current area. (SR)
The demand for used cars has increased significantly during the last months. At several of Sweden’s car companies the earlier so well-filled supply of used cars have started to dry up and a shortage is expected. The bad economy has made many buyers to choose used cars instead of buying new ones. The weak Swedish currency has also made export of used cars to a common business. (SR)
Official statistics about youth unemployment hides more than it shows, this writes the Confederation of Swedish Enterprise in a new report. According to Sweden’s largest employer organisation, youths are hit more than twice as hard as adults by this economic downturn. While adults have lost 4 per cent measured in work time, youths have lost 10 per cent. Youths do also have a harder time to find a new job when becoming unemployed.