Monday, March 31, 2008

Record Number of AIDS Patients

Sweden hasn’t seen statistics like this since the 1990s. Doctors have long been warning that the lax attitude towards safe sex here in Sweden is putting lives at risk. This morning’s edition of Dagens Nyheter reports that last year saw a record number of people contracting full blown AIDS.

http://www.sr.se/cgi-bin/International/nyhetssidor/artikel.asp?ProgramID=2054&Nyheter=&artikel=1982765

Thursday, March 27, 2008

Swedish Security Service Open Up about Al-Shabaab

The Swedish Security Service is investigating three Swedish-Somalian men’s alleged activities within the militant Islamic organisation al-Shabaab. The men are suspected of financially supporting al-Shabaab. The day after their arrest, the al-Shabaab organisation made the USA’s terrorist list, even though it is not included on the United Nation’s or the European Communion’s lists. According to Swedish law, financing an organisation that promotes or supports terrorism is illegal.

http://www.sr.se/cgi-bin/International/nyhetssidor/artikel.asp?ProgramID=2054&Nyheter=&artikel=1976284

Young Swedish Women Underweight and Unhappy

According to a new report by the National Board of Health and Welfare, Swedes’ health and living standards are improving, with the exception of young adults and especially young women aged 15-24.

http://www.sr.se/cgi-bin/International/nyhetssidor/artikel.asp?ProgramID=2054&Nyheter=&artikel=1976319

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Sweden's Asylum System 'Stuck in Stone Age'

The Swedish Migration Board has proposed changing the regulations for asylum seekers with Swedish families. Under the current system, asylum seekers denied asylum must return to their countries of origin to reapply for a residence permit even if they have children with Swedish nationals. "It's like the Stone Age for them to have to apply from home and be away from their child for up to a year when they have a right to be in Sweden because of their relation to the child," head of the Migration Board Dan Eliasson told Dagens Nyheter.

http://www.thelocal.se/10678/20080325/

Dozens of Swedes Wrongly Accused of Drunk Driving

Around 100 Swedes may have been wrongly suspected--and possibly sentenced to prison--for drunk driving due to faulty breathalyzer test machines. As a result of the problem approximately 100 people subjected to breath tests between December and March gave readings over the legal limit for driving under the influence.

http://www.thelocal.se/10704/20080326/

Sweden: Centre Party Slash Child Benefits for High Income Earners

The leader of the Swedish Centre Party Maud Olofsson has suggested that high income earners lose the monthly child benefit of 173 US dollars currently available to all parents, regardless of income.

http://www.sr.se/rs/english/

Childhood Poverty Down but Gap Between Sweden's Rich and Poor Widens

According to a new report from “Save the Children Sweden” childhood poverty in Sweden is on the wane but discrepancies between rich and poor children is on the rise. Areas with little poverty in the early 1990s have become richer but high poverty areas are even poorer now. Children from single parent households with a foreign parent stand a one in two chance of sliding into poverty.

http://www.sr.se/rs/english/

Monday, March 24, 2008

UN Raps Swedish Plans to Deport Eritrean

STOCKHOLM: The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has criticised Sweden’s plans to deport a 23-year-old Eritrean asylum seeker, Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter reported yesterday. The human rights office has sent a fax to the Swedish foreign ministry demanding an explanation and urging authorities to try the man’s case again, according to the newspaper, which added that the fax has been partially classified.

http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=208914&version=1&template_id=39&parent_id=21

Skin Cancer Figures Rising in Sweden

More Swedes are being diagnosed with skin cancer than in previous decades. Researchers at Sahlgrenska University Hospital in Gothenburg point out that today more people voluntarily expose themselves to the sun’s harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays than in years past.

“Many of us get sunburned outdoors in our free time--in the garden or on the lake, for example. And we shouldn’t overlook the increased exposure to ultraviolet radiation that comes from traveling overseas,” said Gunilla Wastensson of Sahlgrenska to Sveriges Television (SVT).

http://www.thelocal.se/10668/20080324/

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Sweden: Principal Punched by Drunken Teacher

A school in the central Swedish town of Västerås was the scene of an unusual school hall scuffle on Wednesday morning. Rather than a gang of menacing teenagers exchanging blows, this fight featured a drunken teacher who landed a punch to the face of the school’s principal. The 56-year-old teacher showed up at the school intoxicated and angry at having recently been suspended for inappropriate behavior toward other teachers, according to news agency TT.

http://www.thelocal.se/10588/20080319/

Members of Swedish State Televison Broadcasting Arrestged on Smuggling Charges

Six members of staff at the Malmö offices of state broadcaster Sveriges Television (SVT) have been indicted on alcohol smuggling charges. Five of the suspects were members of a committee tasked with organizing a party for the premiere of the reality TV programme Riket (Kingdom) on November 10th 2005, Skånska Dagbladet reports.

The committee members reportedly asked a sixth person, a props manager, to take a company car and travel to Germany to purchase 14 litres of strong liquor, 93 litres of wine and 103 litres of strong beer with licence-payers' money.

http://www.thelocal.se/10596/20080319/

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Sweden: Father Arrested For Brutal Child Murders

Two children were killed and their mother seriously injured after being stabbed in their home in Central Sweden late Monday. The four year old boy and his two year old sister died from their wounds in hospital. The mother, who’s 23 , is in a critical condition. Police say the children’s father, a 28 year old man, is the prime suspect. He was arrested around midnight on suspicion of murder and attempted murder.

http://www.sr.se/cgi-bin/International/nyhetssidor/artikel.asp?ProgramID=2054&Nyheter=&artikel=1959485

Monday, March 17, 2008

Study: Swedish Doctors Too Generous With Sick Leave

Many doctors agree to sign sick notes for patients who wish to go on sick leave despite not always believing their claims to be justified, a new study has shown. Eight out of ten patients who want to take sick leave are helped in doing so by their doctors. In some cases, sick notes are granted even in cases where doctors fear it may be counterproductive. “Many doctors have abdicated from their duties,” Lars Englund from the Centre for Clinical Research in Dalrna told Dagens Nyheter.

http://www.thelocal.se/10530/20080317/

Convicted Swedish Sex Offender Leaves Second Academic Post

A professor previously convicted for sexual molestation has resigned from his position at Södra Älvsborg hospital in western Sweden. He will receive six months’ severance pay following his departure. It’s a good resolution for both parties,” said Marie Lindström of Södra Älvsborg’s human resources department to the Borås Tidning newspaper.

http://www.thelocal.se/10550/20080317/

Friday, March 14, 2008

Swedish Soldier Tied to Neo-Nazi Groups

A soldier in the Nordic Battle Group is a well known Nazi sympathizer from western Sweden. The man has been photographed adorned in Nazi regalia, and was listed on a website for people expressing hostility to foreigners, reports the Borås Tidning (BT) newpaper. On the site he described himself as a rebel who wears military-style clothes and listens to resistance-rock. His interests included “race biology”. “There is no doubt about the sort of circles in which this person runs,” Mikael Ekman from the anti-racism organization Expo told BT.

http://www.thelocal.se/10448/20080313/

Shots Fired at Swedish Prosecutor's Home

Shots were fired early on Friday morning at the apartment of chief public prosecutor Mats Mattson. Mattson, who works for the Swedish Economic Crimes Bureau, is active in the fight against organized crime, police sources said. Earlier this year, he appeared at a press conference following a raid on a number of address connected to the Bandidos motorcycle gang. Shortly before 1am on Friday, shots were fired through the window of the prosecutor's fourth floor apartment in central Malmö.

http://www.thelocal.se/10476/20080314/

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Swedish Schools Employing Sex Offenders

Careless employers have allowed at least 75 convicted sex criminals to work as substitutes in Swedish schools and daycare centers since 2003. Minister of Education Jan Björklund is now planning to put harder sanctions in place.

The 75 convicted sex offenders have received substitute positions within schools and childcare centres, despite the existence of a 2001 law requiring new hires to submit to criminal background checks.

According to TV4’s investigative news program Kalla Fakta, several are repeat offenders. Altogether the situation involves 85 different sex crimes, 30 of which were directed toward children, according to the investigation.

http://www.thelocal.se/10372/20080310/

Young Swedes Trapped by SMS Loan Debt

Fire off a simple text message, wait 15 minutes and presto, 3000 kronor ($500) land in your account; the simplicity of obtaining SMS loans in Sweden is increasingly luring youths into debt.

"The first (SMS) loan was given in the middle of March 2006," said Janne Åkerlund, a spokesman for Sweden's debt recovery agency Kronofogden, adding that the first bill collectors were sent out just three months later. Since then, the number of un-repaid text message loans has soared: in 2007, Kronofogden was tasked with collecting debts from 20,000 such loans, 35.9 percent of which were granted to people aged 18 to 25.

http://www.thelocal.se/10416/20080312/

Friday, March 7, 2008

Iran Kicks Out Swedish Diplomat

Iran has expelled a Swedish diplomat from his post in Tehran, marking another move in a quiet diplomatic dispute that has been brewing for weeks. Iran has expelled a Swedish diplomat from his post in Tehran, marking another move in a quiet diplomatic dispute that has been brewing for weeks.

http://www.thelocal.se/10308/20080306/

Sweden: Malmö Rocked by Morning Crime Wave

Police in Malmö have created a special unit to investigate a wave of crimes in the city on Thursday morning that included the discovery of a car bomb, a bank robbery, a burning car and a suspicious bag. "We got a tip-off that a number of explosive devices were to be detonated in Malmö and at the same time we were also alerted to the bank robbery, which was soon followed by a new alert and an explosive device outside the police station," said police spokeswoman Ewa-Gun Westford.

http://www.thelocal.se/10312/20080306/

Swedish Socialite Jailed in Australia

A Swedish-born socialite was jailed in Australia for nearly four years Friday for plotting to murder two witnesses in her boyfriend's drug trial. Charlotte Lindström, 23, who was a regular in the social pages of Sydney's newspapers, had pleaded guilty and agreed to give evidence against others involved in the case. She was accused of offering AU$200,000 dollars (US$185,000) to an undercover policeman to kill two men who were scheduled to give evidence against her boyfriend Steven Spaliviero.

http://www.thelocal.se/10320/20080307/

Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Foreigners Can't Bank on Swedish ID

Foreign students continue to feel marginalized by Swedish society as a result of confusion regarding the issuing of Swedish identity cards. "I walk around every day with a sense of fear," said Dzmitry Fando, a Belorussian national and masters student at the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH).

http://www.thelocal.se/10278/20080305/

Swedish Pentecostalist Pastor Bans Transvestite

A 58-year-old transvestite from southern Sweden has been told by a pastor in Hässleholm that he is not welcome to hold a lecture at the local Pentecostalist church hall. Claes Schmidt, who also goes by the name Sara Lund, had been invited by the Zonta women's organization to hold a talk about human rights in a hall rented from the town's Pentecostalist community. But on hearing that the International Women's Day event would include a talk from Schmidt, Pastor Magnus Jonegård told Zonta they would need to find another venue. "He cancelled their booking," said Schmidt.

http://www.thelocal.se/10290/20080305/

Assaulted Man Died in Sweden

The man who was found in an apartment in Lilla Edet outside of Trollhättan died on Tuesday.
Two females that is already arrested for the assault is now also suspected of involentary manslaughter. The charge may be changed to murder. The man, 48 years old, was severly beaten and was treated on a respirator before he died.

http://www.dn.se/DNet/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=147&a=748816

Swedish Police Arrested For Abuse of Woman

A policeofficer in Östergötland was arrested for "kvinnofridskränkning" - abuse of a related woman which can include assault, sexual harassment and threats. [The term "kvinnofridskränkning" is considered when a woman is abused repeatedly and on several occasions by a man that is or was closely related]

http://www.dn.se/DNet/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=147&a=748787

Repeated Attacks Agains Gay Students in Sweden

Since August, the door to the office of the United Gay Students office in Stockholm has been smeared with feces five times. The events have been reported to the police and handed over to the hate crime unit. The events has not been preceded by threats or other messages.

http://www.dn.se/DNet/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=1298&a=749039

Tuesday, March 4, 2008

Swede Dies in UN Helicopter Crash

UN arms monitors from Sweden, Gambia, Indonesia and South Korea died when their UN helicopter crashed in the mountains of eastern Nepal, the world body said Tuesday. The crew -- two Russians and a Belarussian -- were also killed in Monday's crash along with three Nepalese nationals, it said in a statement.The chopper went down amid poor weather conditions.

http://www.thelocal.se/10252/20080304/

Sweden: Step-father Arrestested For Rape

A 50-year old man was arrested suspected of raping his 12-year old step-daughter. He is accused of raping her on several occasions. He denies the allegations.

http://www.dn.se/DNet/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=147&a=748532

Monday, March 3, 2008

Swedish Neo-nazis Arrested Near Kosovo Demonstration

A group of 20 neo-Nazis were detained by police in Stockholm on Saturday. The neo-Nazis were on their way to disrupt a demonstration by 400 Serbs protesting Kosovo's independence. The neo-Nazis, members of the Swedish Resistance Movement (SMR), were stopped by police on their way to Myntorget in the Gamla Stan area of Stockholm on Saturday afternoon. "They were stopped near Riksbron.

They were behaving badly and were armed with golf-clubs and stones," said police spokesperson Ann-Charlotte Wejnäs to TT.A demonstration arranged by the Serbian youth organization in Sweden was being held at the time on the nearby square. 400 Serbs had gathered to demonstrate against Kosovo's declaration of independence. Police arrested two of the neo-Nazis, one for violent resistance and the other for intent to commit assault. The remainder were dispersed.

http://www.thelocal.se/10210/20080302/

Swedish Football Hooligans Clash in Gothenburg

Fighting broke out between rival fans of football clubs Gais and IFK Norrköping outside of Gothenburg on Saturday afternoon. Police detained four people for drug-testing. According to police there were between 20 and 30 football hooligans involved in the fighting which started at 2pm in central Landvetter.

http://www.thelocal.se/10212/20080302/

Swedish Restaurant Evacuated After Bomb Threat

A restaurant in Gothenburg was evacuated on Saturday evening after a bomb threat. 30 guests were eating in the restaurant at the time. The restaurant, in the Gårda area of the city, has been the target for several bomb threats recently."We had a similar incident at the same restaurant a couple of weeks ago. Then an explosive charge was found on the building's facade or at the front door. As threats have been made before we take this very seriously," said Thomas Fuxborg at the local police to news agency TT.

http://www.thelocal.se/10214/20080302/