Sweden in Focus

In this week's episode: weak krona means less Nobel prize money, Sweden’s government plans more surveillance, what the future holds for Scandinavian Airlines, how work permit holders will be affected by a new salary threshold, how organised crime networks in Sweden are opening healthcare centres. 

Host Paul O’Mahony is joined by The Local’s James Savage and Becky Waterton, and we also hear from criminologist Manne Gerell from Malmö University.

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Here are links to some of the stories we discuss this week:

Foreign minister’s passport

• Swedish foreign minister misses Kyiv summit after forgetting passport

Nobel prize week

• Nobel Prize winners left short-changed by weak Swedish krona
• Sweden-based scientist becomes fifth woman to win Nobel Physics Prize
• All The Local’s latest Nobel prize stories

Plans for new police powers

• Swedish government to launch ‘rapid inquiry’ into increased surveillance

Scandinavian Airlines

• Air France-KLM to buy almost one fifth of SAS

Work permits

• Sweden to roll out new work permit minimum salary next month
• How Sweden’s new work permit salary threshold will work in practice
• Tell us: How will Sweden’s new salary threshold for work permits affect you?

Gang funding

• Swedish gang criminals ‘branching out into healthcare sector’

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In this week's episode: Is Sweden underfunding schools and healthcare?; motorway mudslide; Turkey gives fresh impetus to Sweden's Nato bid; why northern Sweden needs foreign workers, and Prime Minister wants military help to crack down on gangs.

This week host Paul O’Mahony is joined by The Local’s James Savage and Richard Orange, and we also hear from the Skellefteå-based journalist Paul Connolly.

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Here are links to some of the stories we discuss this week:

Politics in Sweden

• Why Sweden’s finance minister is willing to be unpopular

Landslide

• IN NUMBERS: Sweden’s lucky escape as landslide causes huge motorway sinkhole
• Swedish motorway landslide: What happens next?

Nato latest

• ‘Not urgent’ for Sweden to join Nato, says Hungary’s Viktor Orbán
• Turkey agrees to approve Sweden’s Nato application in return for fighter jets

Jobs in northern Sweden

• Meet the foreigners moving to northern Sweden to turn industry green
• Five things I love about northern Sweden

Gang violence

• Swedish prime minister seeks military help to crack down on gangs
• Who’s who in Sweden’s gang conflict?
• How could Sweden put an end to its deadly wave of gang crime?

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In this week's podcast we discuss: mushroom foraging tips, why Sweden's highest mountain is melting, how the new budget will affect you, and what are the underlying factors behind a vicious new wave of violence in Sweden's ongoing gang feuds? 

Host Paul O’Mahony is joined by The Local's Emma Löfgren and Richard Orange, as well as the Swedish crime reporter Katrin Krantz from the Expressen newspaper.

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Here are links to some of the stories we discuss this week:

Mushrooms

• How to pick mushrooms in Sweden like you've been doing it all your life

Kebnekaise

• How I tamed Sweden's highest peak

Budget

• How will the 2024 budget affect foreigners in Sweden?
• How Sweden's 2024 budget could affect your finances
• Sweden's emissions to rise as budget relaxes green targets to fight inflation

Gang wars

• Timeline: Seven fatal shootings in ten days in Sweden
• Swedish police chief warns of 'unprecedented' wave of gang killings

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In this week's episode: Sweden's King Carl XVI Gustaf celebrates 50 years on the throne, several countries block Swedish pork after swine fever outbreak, unemployment on the rise, and Migration Minister Maria Malmer Stenegard on why Swedish citizenship 'must be respected and protected'.

This week host Paul O’Mahony is joined by The Local’s Emma Löfgren and Becky Waterton, and we also have an interview with Sweden’s migration minister, Maria Malmer Stenegard.

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Here are links to some of the stories we discuss this week:

Quiz

• QUIZ: How much do you know about King Carl XVI Gustaf?
• How is Sweden celebrating the 50th anniversary of King Carl XVI Gustaf?

Swine fever

• Countries block Swedish pork over swine fever outbreak

Unemployment

• Everything you need to know if you lose your job in Sweden
• Eight predictions about the Swedish economy over the next few years

Citizenship

• What we know so far about Sweden’s new citizenship proposal
• Migration minister: ‘Swedish citizenship must be respected and protected to a greater extent’

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In this week's episode of the Sweden in Focus podcast, our panelists are talking about fermented herring, the biggest trial in Swedish history, how the 'paradigm shift' in migration policy is affecting foreigners, and the reawakening of a debate on joining the euro.

This week host Paul O’Mahony is joined by The Local’s Emma Löfgren and Richard Orange, and we also hear from one of Sweden’s foremost economists, Lars Calmfors.

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Here are links to some of the stories we discuss this week:

Stinky fish

• Why Swedish fermented herring is more fun than crayfish

Lundin Oil

• Biggest trial in Swedish history gets under way: Top oil executives face court

Sweden’s migration shift

• Foreigners in Sweden: How the migration paradigm shift affects our lives
• Swedish work permit overhaul ready ‘by start of next year’

Euro debate

• Should Sweden abandon a weak krona for the euro?

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In the latest episode of our Sweden in Focus podcast, host Paul O’Mahony is joined by The Local's James Savage and Becky Waterton, as well as Julia Agha, publisher of the Arabic-language news service Al Kompis. 

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Here are some of the stories discussed:

Timeline

• IN DATES: A short history of Sweden's Quran-burning crisis
• EXPLAINED: How did a far-right extremist derail Sweden's Nato application?

Easter riots

• Riots over Quran burning test Swedish tolerance
• PODCAST: Why Sweden experienced its worst riots in decades

Social climate for Muslims in Sweden

• Muslims in Sweden 'particularly at risk of discrimination': report
• Opposition calls for Sweden Democrat to resign over Mohammed tweet

What does the law say?

• EXPLAINED: What could Sweden actually do to stop its Quran burnings?

Danish ban

• Denmark announces ban on Quran burnings

Julia's previous appearance on the podcast

• PODCAST: Election fever, energy prices, and why integration is a two-way street

Terror threat

• What you need to know about Sweden's terror threat
• INTERVIEW: Terror threat against Sweden is unprecedented, expert warns

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In the latest episode of our Sweden in Focus podcast, host Paul O’Mahony is joined by panelists Richard Orange and Emma Löfgren, while James Savage calls in from Almedalen. 

This week we discuss:

Airline strike

Employers and unions have negotiated a settlement meaning the strike due to start on July 3rd has been called off. Follow the latest updates on our travel news page. 

Deadly rollercoaster accident 

• Gröna Lund: What we know about Sweden's fatal rollercoaster crash

Sex workers told to pay tax 

• 'No room for interpretation': Swedish sex workers told to pay tax

Rental reform 

• EXPLAINED: Sweden's plans to free up private rental market

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In the latest episode of our Sweden in Focus podcast, host Paul O’Mahony is joined by panelists Richard Orange, James Savage, and Becky Waterton.

This week we discuss:

Russia threat

• Russia could pose threat to Sweden 'for decades'

Lack of diversity in business 

• How diverse is company leadership in Sweden?

Economy latest

• Swedish economy expected to pick up again 'late this year'

Summer holidays

• Why do the Swedes take such long summer holidays?
• How to have a cheap holiday in Sweden this summer
• Swedish word of the day: allemansrätten

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In the latest episode of our Sweden in Focus podcast, host Paul O’Mahony is joined by panelists Richard Orange, James Savage, and Becky Waterton.

This week we discuss:

Beyoncé

• Bills, bills bills: Beyoncé blamed for Sweden's inflation disappointment

Midsummer

• The Local's ultimate guide to Midsummer's Eve

Smoke-free Sweden

• How Sweden got close to stubbing out smoking for good

 Nato latest

• Turkish president dampens hopes of Sweden joining Nato in July
• Hungary set to vote on Sweden Nato bid before July summit

Gang crime

• How could Sweden put an end to its deadly wave of gang crime?
• IN STATS: How safe is Sweden in comparison to similar countries?

The interview with the crime reporter Diamant Salihu that we refer to in the episode was published in two parts on February 4th and 7th if you'd like to go back and listen. 

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In the latest episode of our Sweden in Focus podcast, host Paul O’Mahony is joined by panelists Richard Orange, James Savage, and Becky Waterton.

This week we discuss:

Sex lies

• Fact check: Has Sweden really recognised sex as an official sport?

Drought fears

• IN MAPS: What the drought could mean for Sweden this summer
• Fire bans as Sweden braces for another week of tinder-dry weather
• How to stay safe during the heat in Sweden this summer

Day trips

• Discover southern Sweden: Five of the best day trips from Malmö
• Five of the best day trips to do from Stockholm
• Five great day trips to do from Gothenburg

Weak krona

• EXPLAINED: How could Sweden's latest inflation news affect your finances?

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Zlatan Ibrahimovic retires

• 'It's the moment to say goodbye': Zlatan Ibrahimovic retires from football

Multiple identities

• ARCHIVE: Why it's time to celebrate Sweden's diverse identity

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