In the mean time there has been a first story about Sweden. If you haven't read it yet, you can read it following the link:
Nomad: Quintessential Sweden
"Today, Tuesday 11 August 2009, the engagement between Her Royal Highness Princess Madeleine and Mr Jonas Bergstroem was announced," the palace said in a short statement.The palace announced the nuptials after the king received approval from the Swedish government, according to procedures set out in the constitution. Sweden's Princess Madeleine, the youngest child of King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia, is engaged to marry her boyfriend, the Swedish royal palace said on Tuesday.
"Today, Tuesday 11 August 2009, the engagement between Her Royal Highness Princess Madeleine and Mr Jonas Bergstroem was announced," the palace said in a short statement.
The palace announced the nuptials after the king received approval from the Swedish government, according to procedures set out in the constitution. Sweden's Princess Madeleine, the youngest child of King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia, is engaged to marry her boyfriend, the Swedish royal palace said on Tuesday.
The myth regarding Swedish women had its genesis at the beginning of the sixties; Federico Fellini introduced the luscious Anita Ekberg to the world in the film La Dolce Vita (1960). The image of the Swedish actress luxuriating in the Trevi fountain remains etched in people's memories. Across Europe, a string of films depicting statuesque Swedish women followed afterwards. In Spain, Tres suecas para tres rodriguez saw its release a few weeks after the death of dictator Francisco Franco in 1975, which set the tone. Three young female Swedes in bikinis on holiday make an exhibition of themselves on the beaches of Torremolinos in Malaga, and openly pull three young 'Rodriguezes' (p>'quedarse de rodriguez' is a saying referring to those men left behind when their other halves are away - ed). In a very pious catholic country, the film caused a stir amongst more than a few worshippers. The myth of the Swedish temptress was born.
The myth regarding Swedish women had its genesis at the beginning of the sixties; Federico Fellini introduced the luscious Anita Ekberg to the world in the film
La Dolce Vita (1960). The image of the Swedish actress luxuriating in the Trevi fountain remains etched in people's memories.
Across Europe, a string of films depicting statuesque Swedish women followed afterwards. In Spain,
Tres suecas para tres rodriguez saw its release a few weeks after the death of dictator Francisco Franco in 1975, which set the tone. Three young female Swedes in bikinis on holiday make an exhibition of themselves on the beaches of Torremolinos in Malaga, and openly pull three young 'Rodriguezes' (p>'quedarse de rodriguez' is a saying referring to those men left behind when their other halves are away - ed). In a very pious catholic country, the film caused a stir amongst more than a few worshippers. The myth of the Swedish temptress was born.
The Gothenburg-based politician, 41, has been EU affairs minister since 2006. We talk institutional reform, economic crisis and Turkey in part III of a special edition marking the six-month Swedish presidency of the EU, which began on 1 JulyIn a recent speech in the Netherlands presenting Sweden's EU priorities, you quoted the French former MEP and intellectual Louise Weiss, who had said `European institutions have produced European beets, butter, cheese, wine, veal and even pigs. But they have not produced Europeans'. You added: `It is not my task as a politician to convince people to feel more European.' Isn't that precisely one of your priorities?
In a recent speech in the Netherlands presenting Sweden's EU priorities, you quoted the French former MEP and intellectual Louise Weiss, who had said `European institutions have produced European beets, butter, cheese, wine, veal and even pigs. But they have not produced Europeans'. You added: `It is not my task as a politician to convince people to feel more European.' Isn't that precisely one of your priorities?
Vietnamese migrant workers, in Sweden to harvest berries, have gone out on strike in protest at the tough working conditions, according to a report in local newspaper Värmlands Folkblad."They were unhappy at the remuneration and wanted to stop picking. But not all. The seventeen who came from south Vietnam wanted to continue to work. It seems that they had been locked up by the north Vietnamese," Mats Persson told the newspaper. Several police units, interpreters and Stockholm embassy staff have been obliged to travel to the small rural community of Branäs in Värmland to mediate in the conflict between the groups of Vietnamese and their employers. The Vietnamese migrant workers are spending the summer working to pick berries and many have taken out loans on their houses and borrowed money from friends and family in order to make the trip to Sweden.
"They were unhappy at the remuneration and wanted to stop picking. But not all. The seventeen who came from south Vietnam wanted to continue to work. It seems that they had been locked up by the north Vietnamese," Mats Persson told the newspaper. Several police units, interpreters and Stockholm embassy staff have been obliged to travel to the small rural community of Branäs in Värmland to mediate in the conflict between the groups of Vietnamese and their employers. The Vietnamese migrant workers are spending the summer working to pick berries and many have taken out loans on their houses and borrowed money from friends and family in order to make the trip to Sweden.
Unemployment in Sweden amounted to 251,000 in July, with a further 4,400 served notice. Among the nation's youth unemployment has now doubled over the past 12 months. The number of redundancy notices has declined since March and the fall in vacancies registered at employment agencies has eased off, according to new figures for July from the Swedish Public Employment Service (Arbetsförmedlingen).
Among the nation's youth unemployment has now doubled over the past 12 months. The number of redundancy notices has declined since March and the fall in vacancies registered at employment agencies has eased off, according to new figures for July from the Swedish Public Employment Service (Arbetsförmedlingen).
Hunters in the south of Sweden have reported an 'explosion' in the elk population in the wake of winter storm Gudrun that swept through the region in 2005. The National Board of Forestry (Skogsstyrelsen) has reported that the elk population appears to have doubled since 2005, according to a recent inventory by hunters, Sveriges Radio's Ekot news programme reports. "In the central parts of the storm areas it looks like we have seen a dramatic increase of elk stocks," Christer Kalén at the board told Ekot. The elks have been able to forage for more food as a result of Gudrun felling a large number of trees. "The cleared forests are a real smorgasbord for the elk," he explained.
The National Board of Forestry (Skogsstyrelsen) has reported that the elk population appears to have doubled since 2005, according to a recent inventory by hunters, Sveriges Radio's Ekot news programme reports.
"In the central parts of the storm areas it looks like we have seen a dramatic increase of elk stocks," Christer Kalén at the board told Ekot.
The elks have been able to forage for more food as a result of Gudrun felling a large number of trees.
"The cleared forests are a real smorgasbord for the elk," he explained.
Swedish consortium enters battle for Volvo Online: http://www.thelocal.se/21482/20090815/ A new consortium dominated by Swedish owners has at the last minute joined in the battle to purchase Volvo Cars from Ford Motors. The engineering trade union at Volvo Cars is reported to be behind the initiative due to provide opposition to the possibility of a Chinese owner, reported business daily Dagens Industri. Konsortium Jakob AB was listed at the Swedish Companies Registration Office (Bolagsverket) in July. Employees in Sweden and Belgium will have the chance to buy into the company with two monthly salaries. Volvo dealers will also reportedly to be offered the opportunity to buy in. AB Volvo, as well as an unnamed Swedish institutional investor, is also to have expressed interest in joining the consortium. Roger Holtback, CEO of Volvo Cars from 1984-1991 and vice president of AB Volvo between 1990-1991, is reported to have sought American financiers. Handelsbanken Markets has been cited as the consortium's financial advisor. The purchase price, since Ford will remain a minority owner, is estimated at approximately 15 billion kronor ($2.08 billion). A consortium of the state-owned Chinese car manufacturer Geely is still believed to be the most likely candidate for the purchase. In June, Geely denied any plans to purchase Volvo Cars.
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/21482/20090815/
A new consortium dominated by Swedish owners has at the last minute joined in the battle to purchase Volvo Cars from Ford Motors.
The engineering trade union at Volvo Cars is reported to be behind the initiative due to provide opposition to the possibility of a Chinese owner, reported business daily Dagens Industri.
Konsortium Jakob AB was listed at the Swedish Companies Registration Office (Bolagsverket) in July. Employees in Sweden and Belgium will have the chance to buy into the company with two monthly salaries. Volvo dealers will also reportedly to be offered the opportunity to buy in. AB Volvo, as well as an unnamed Swedish institutional investor, is also to have expressed interest in joining the consortium.
Roger Holtback, CEO of Volvo Cars from 1984-1991 and vice president of AB Volvo between 1990-1991, is reported to have sought American financiers.
Handelsbanken Markets has been cited as the consortium's financial advisor. The purchase price, since Ford will remain a minority owner, is estimated at approximately 15 billion kronor ($2.08 billion).
A consortium of the state-owned Chinese car manufacturer Geely is still believed to be the most likely candidate for the purchase. In June, Geely denied any plans to purchase Volvo Cars.
