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In this week's episode: Reactions from Russia as Sweden creeps closer to Nato, Sweden’s support for Ukraine, the lowdown on Vasaloppet. 

Host Paul O’Mahony is joined this week by The Local's Becky Waterton and James Savage. 

Here are links to some of the stories and topics we discuss:

• What does Nato membership mean for Sweden?
• Russia threatens 'countermeasures' over Sweden's Nato membership
• Podcast: Is Sweden prepared for cyber attacks?

• Sweden to send its largest-yet military aid package to Ukraine

Become a member at https://www.thelocal.se/podcasts/podcast-offer?tpcc=padlock.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sign up now for Membership+ and get early, ad-free access to a full-length episode of the Sweden in Focus podcast every weekend, as well as Sweden in Focus Extra every Wednesday.

Please visit the link that applies to you and get a 40% discount on Membership+

• For signed-in members: Upgrade to Membership+
• For new members: Get Membership+ 

Read more about Membership+ in our help centre

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In this week's episode: how Sweden will change when it’s in Nato, why the country has an annual book sale, what you need to know about pensions in Sweden.

Host Paul O’Mahony is joined by The Local's Emma Löfgren and Richard Orange. 

Here are links to some of the stories and topics we discuss:

• What happens next for Sweden's Nato application?

• Language and literature: Essential articles for life in Sweden

• Ten key questions to help you plan your Swedish pension now

Become a member at https://www.thelocal.se/podcasts/podcast-offer?tpcc=padlock.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sign up now for Membership+ and get early, ad-free access to a full-length episode of the Sweden in Focus podcast every weekend, as well as Sweden in Focus Extra every Wednesday.

Please visit the link that applies to you and get a 40% discount on Membership+

• For signed-in members: Upgrade to Membership+
• For new members: Get Membership+ access

Read more about Membership+ in our help centre

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In this bonus episode we speak to Gemma Swift, a marketing professional from the UK who explains how she managed to make great friends in Sweden despite warnings from fellow foreigners that her efforts might end in disappointment. 

Host Paul O’Mahony is briefly joined by panelists Emma Löfgren and Richard Orange, before we listen to the interview with Gemma Swift.

Gemma wrote an article last year that was well received by readers of The Local so we thought we'd get her to expand on some of her points. Here's the article: 

• How to make friends in Sweden – seven things I wish someone had told me

Become a member at https://www.thelocal.se/podcasts/podcast-offer?tpcc=padlock.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sign up now for Membership+ and get early, ad-free access to a full-length episode of the Sweden in Focus podcast every weekend, as well as Sweden in Focus Extra every Wednesday.

Please visit the link that applies to you and get a 40% discount on Membership+

• For signed-in members: Upgrade to Membership+
• For new members: Get Membership+

Read more about Membership+ in our help centre

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This week: a Swedish word for February illnesses, hitting the ski slopes, devastating Liseberg blaze, changing of the guard in the Green Party, why a Social Democrat MP with Palestinian heritage became an independent, Swedish prisons in crisis mode, and what we know so far about new salary requirements for work permit holders. 

Host Paul O’Mahony is joined this week by The Local's Emma Löfgren and Richard Orange. 

Here are links to some of the stories and topics we discuss:

• Swedish word of the day: vabruari

• Everything you need to know about skiing on 'sportlov' in Sweden

• Huge fire destroys new attraction at Gothenburg's Liseberg amusement park

Sadly, this news came through the day after we recorded the podcast:

• Dead body found after fire at Gothenburg's Liseberg amusement park

• Joint leader of Sweden's Green Party announces resignation
• OPINION: El-Haj faced the same dilemma as all immigrant politicians in Sweden

• Swedish prison service declares 'crisis' amid cell shortage

• IN BRIEF: Sweden's plans to raise work permit salary threshold to 34,200 kronor

Become a member at https://www.thelocal.se/podcasts/podcast-offer?tpcc=padlock.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why do many foreigners find dating in Sweden so tough, and what's the approach to take? Hear matchmaker Lemarc Thomas give his views on how to crack the Swedish dating scene. 

In this bonus episode of our Sweden in Focus podcast, host Paul O’Mahony is briefly joined by panelists James Savage and Becky Waterton, before we listen to an interview with professional matchmaker Lemarc Thomas.  

The Stockholm-based connector tells us what makes dating in Sweden so different from anything he's experienced before. He also answers questions from readers of The Local on how to proceed in a landscape where many of the usual rules no longer apply.  

If you'd like to read more about dating in Sweden, make sure to check out these articles:

• Dating in Sweden: sex, booze and mobile phones
• Dating in Sweden: Is it really as tough as they say?
• Dating in Sweden: When is a fika a fika… and when is it a date?

Become a member at https://www.thelocal.se/podcasts/podcast-offer?tpcc=padlock.

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In this week's episode: semla season, better conditions for Ukrainian refugees, why Sweden is closing its NordStream blast probe, freezer malfunction spoils decades of samples at a Swedish university, an alleged Iranian plot to kill Jews in Sweden, anti-Semitism in Sweden, and new details on stop-and-search zones. 

Host Paul O’Mahony is joined this week by The Local's Becky Waterton and James Savage. We also have interview with Aron Verständig, chair of the Official Council of Swedish Jewish Communities, and ethnologist Jonas Engman, curator at the Nordic Museum. 

Here are links to some of the stories we discuss:

• Six sticky facts about Sweden's Fat Tuesday
• Why I still don't understand the hype about Sweden's semlor

• Sweden to change law so Ukrainians can get personal numbers

• Swedish prosecutor shuts down Nord Stream investigation

• Decades of samples destroyed in Swedish uni freezer failure

• Iranian intelligence suspected of plot to kill Swedish Jews

• Sweden's government to bring in stop-and-search zones in March

Become a member at https://www.thelocal.se/podcasts/podcast-offer?tpcc=padlock.

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In this week's episode: tougher rules for Sweden citizenship, French President Emanuel Macron's state visit to Sweden, new work permit system takes effect, and why Sweden needs to do more to promote understanding of indigenous Sami.

Host Paul O’Mahony is joined by The Local’s Emma Löfgren and Becky Waterton, and we also have an interview with Charlotta Svonni, who conducts research on indigenous education at Umeå University.

Here are links to some of the stories we discuss:

• EXPLAINED: How to get Swedish citizenship via notification
• Sweden moves to tighten up requirements for citizenship via notification
• Can I apply for Swedish citizenship through ancestry?

• Sweden and France to sign nuclear and defence deals during Macron visit
• ‘Vive les clichés!’: Swedish PM mocked for Macron welcome
• IN PICS: French President Emmanuel Macron’s state visit to Sweden
• What is ‘pyttipanna’ and why is Sweden serving it up to the French president?

• Swedish Migration Agency launches new system for handling work permits

• Sweden’s ‘Truth Commission’ delves into painful Sami past
• ‘Irreversible risks’: UN-appointed experts urge Sweden to block mine in Sami land
• Why is reindeer herding so important in Sweden?
• Swedish museum to return Sami remains to village

Become a member at https://www.thelocal.se/podcasts/podcast-offer?tpcc=padlock.

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In this week's episode: Ice bathing, Turkey's parliament votes on Sweden's Nato bid, top Sweden Democrat calls for ban on Islamic symbols, Sweden's complicated relationship with wolves, and how a cyber attack hit Swedish authorities and retailers.

Host Paul O’Mahony is joined this week by The Local’s Emma Löfgren and James Savage, and we also have an interview with Shahid Raza, who is Director of RISE Cybersecurity Unit, Research Director at Cybercampus Sweden and Professor of Cybersecurity at Mälardalen University.

Here are links to some of the stories we discuss:

• Ice-swimming in Sweden: Is this the world’s most extreme competition?

Turkey’s president signed off on the ratification of Sweden’s Nato application a few hours after we recorded the episode, nullifying some speculation that we opted to leave out. 

• Turkey approves Sweden’s Nato application as Erdogan signs ratification
• Swedish Prime Minister ‘won’t negotiate’ with Hungary on Nato bid
• EXPLAINED: What happens next for Sweden’s Nato application?

• Top Sweden Democrat: No paradigm shift yet in Swedish migration
• Opposition calls for Sweden Democrat to resign over Mohammed tweet

• Wolf caught on camera in Stockholm
• Wild boar thrive while Sweden targets ‘mythical’ wolf

• Some Swedish shops start to reopen after hacker attack
• Russian group behind hacker attack on Swedish authorities and retailers

Become a member at https://www.thelocal.se/podcasts/podcast-offer?tpcc=padlock.

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In this week's episode: why the centre-right has hit a new low in polls, cocaine at the Riskdag, the effects of growing unemployment and falling inflation, why opposition parties failed to depose Sweden's environment minister in a confidence vote, and why public sector workers are fuming over workplace coffee cuts. 

Here are links to some of the stories we discuss:

• Cocaine found in toilets of four Swedish parties' parliamentary offices
• How did Sweden end up with its zero-tolerance attitude to drugs?

• Swedish finance minister warns more people will lose their jobs
• New figures bring Swedish inflation close to two-percent target

• Sweden records coldest temperature of the century

• How to be Swedish – in ten easy steps
• Why coffee was banned in Sweden five times
• Swedish word of the day: påtår

Become a member at https://www.thelocal.se/podcasts/podcast-offer?tpcc=padlock.

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This week we discuss: the official end of Christmas, snow-fueled chaos on the E22 motorway, royal abdication speculation, and why politicians and military leaders are warning of the prospect of war in Sweden. 

Richard Orange stands in as host this week and is joined by regular panelists: Becky Waterton and Emma Löfgren.  

Here are links to some of the stories we discuss:

• When does Christmas end in Sweden?
• Swedish word of the day: julgransplundring

• Up to 1,000 cars left stranded for hours in southern Sweden snow chaos
• INTERVIEW: Truck driver freed from Sweden's snow gridlock after 20 hours

• Will the King of Sweden be the next Nordic royal to abdicate?

• Total Defence: What's your role defending Sweden in the event of a military attack?
• What should foreigners in Sweden think about when preparing for a war or crisis?
• Swedish defence analyst: 'We should be worried about war in Sweden'
• 'There could be war in Sweden': Civil Defence Minister urges Swedes to act
• PM Ulf Kristersson: 'If you don't want to defend Sweden – don't be a Swedish citizen'
• Sweden's opposition leader slams prime minister over 'uniquely divisive' comments

Become a member at https://www.thelocal.se/podcasts/podcast-offer?tpcc=padlock.

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