Defence Minister Peter Hultqvist. Photo: TT

Sweden calls in reserves over Russian unrest

UPDATED: The Swedish government has announced plans to re-train Swedes who were previously conscripted into the Swedish army, in an effort to increase the country's war capabilities after recent Russian unrest. READ 141 comments

Swedish director Ruben Östlund on set. Photo: TT

Swedish film nominated for Golden Globe

Swedish hit film "Turist", known as "Force Majeure" abroad, has been nominated for a Golden Globe in the Best Foreign Film category. READ

Photo: TT

Father fined after three-year-old crashes his car

A father in eastern Sweden has been told to cough up 8,000 kronor after his three-year-old son managed to hijack his car and drive directly into a bus shelter. READ 5 comments

Many streets in Stockholm's Old Town are named after historical figures. Photo: TT

Sweden slammed for 'sexist' street signs

Thousands of streets in Sweden are named after people, but new figures suggest only 14 percent refer to women, despite the country's reputation for gender equality. READ 38 comments

Photo: TT

Hacking attack hits Sweden internet giant

Thousands of people across Sweden have been struggling to get online over the past 24 hours after telecommunications giant Telia was affected by a hacking attack. The company says it has solved the problem and is working to help keep customers logged on. READ 9 comments

Photo:TT

Nobel winners feast at Stockholm dinner

After picking up their awards in the Swedish capital on Wednesday afternoon, the Nobel Prize winners for 2014 joined Sweden's royal family for an evening dinner followed by dancing. READ 7 comments

What's On in Sweden

Christmas markets in Stockholm's Old Town. Photo: TT

What's On in Sweden: December 12th to 19th

If you're stuck for a plan in Sweden this week you've come to the right place. Wrap up warm as the festive season gets into full swing across the country, as Umeå prepares to mark the end of its year as a European Capital of Culture. READ

Edward Snowden is still in Russia. Photo: TT

Snowden in rare talks with Swedish television

US whistleblower Edward Snowden has given his first major interview in six months to a freelance Swedish reporter, ten days after he picked up the Swedish Right Livelihood award, also known as the Alternative Nobel Prize. READ 17 comments

Photo:TT

Sweden's Zlatan scores but Paris club loses out

Barcelona came from behind to beat Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s PSG 3-1 on Wednesday in their Champions League Group F decider. But the Swedish striker scored for the first time against his former Spanish club. READ

Forensic experts investigate the crime scene in Dalby on December 10th 2014. Photo: Stig-Åke Jönsson/TT

Mother and baby dead in suspected quarry murder

Police in southern Sweden have arrested a man in connection with the suspected murder of a woman and her nine-month-old baby, after the pair were discovered at the foot of a quarry. READ 19 comments

Features

Video

Tattoo photo: Shutterstock

Why do so many Swedes have tattoos?

Tattoos have become so commonplace in Sweden that Stockholm is now believed to be home to the world's most inked population outside of tribal societies. The Local takes a closer look at the trend. READ 33 comments

A traditional Swedish Christmas dinner. Photo: Leif R Jansson/TT

Swedes host festive meals for 'lonely' guests

A Swedish woman's plan to embrace the spirit of Christmas by inviting a stranger around for a festive feast has caused a social media stir, as reports emerge of similar initiatives across the country. READ 15 comments

My Swedish Career

Robin Allen at work. Photo: Private

'I'm one of 300 people in the world with my job'

For this week’s My Swedish Career, The Local's Mimmi Nilsson chats to Robin Allen, a British flight inspector who recently touched down in Norrköping. With a happy-go-lucky attitude, he says he's 'winging it' in Sweden, but seems to have made a safe landing so far. READ

Video: The Local asks...

Photo: Jonas Ekströmer/TT

What should happen to capital's iconic junction?

Stockholm's Social Democrat-Green city council recently halted demolition work on Slussen, an iconic Stockholm junction that has split opinion in the city for decades. The Local asked Stockholmers what they thought should happen next? READ 10 comments

The Local Recipes

Swedish gingerbread creations in the making. Photo: lottasvensson/Flickr

How to make Swedish gingersnap biscuits

Ginger snap biscuits or pepparkakor are enjoyed throughout the winter in Sweden and the nation celebrates the sweet festive snack on December 9th each year. Food writer John Duxbury shares his recipe with The Local... READ 2 comments

More News

Opinion

Margot Wallström, Minister for Foreign Affairs in Sweden. Photo:Tomas Oneborg/SvD/TT

'All nuclear weapons must be abolished'

The lessons of nuclear bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki in the 1940s must never be forgotten and there should be a united front to ensure all nuclear weapons are decommissioned, says Sweden's Foreign Minister Margot Wallström. READ 66 comments

Swedish bank notes. Photo: TT

Sweden ranked fifth in global tax burden report

Sweden is the fifth most taxed country in the world with more than 40 percent of its GDP raised through taxes, according to a new report. READ 26 comments

A recent suspected Isis attack in Lebanon. Photo: Bilal Hussein/TT

Swedish teen dies fighting in middle east

A 17-year-old boy from Gothenburg has become the youngest Swedish victim to die fighting with radical Islamists in the Middle East. READ 187 comments

Swedish Honeymoon Killing

Shrien Dewani leaving Capetown, South Africa's airport on Tuesday. TT/AP Photo

Dewani back in Britain after court acquittal

British businessman Shrien Dewani arrived back home on Wednesday after being cleared by a South African court of murdering his Swedish bride during their honeymoon READ

Eric Andersson being interviewed on his 108th birthday. Photo: SVT Hallandsnytt screenshot

Oldest man in Sweden dies aged 109

Eric Andersson from western Sweden has died just a few weeks after celebrating his 109th birthday. READ

The Local List

Good socks (and pants) count at a Swedish party. Photo: Shutterstock

Ten things to know before a Swedish party

As the festive season gets underway, here are The Local's tips on how to prepare to party in Sweden. From bringing your own booze to the politics of snack sharing and the benefits of good underwear, we've got you covered. READ 12 comments

The version of Pirate Bay with a Swedish domain went down after the raid. File photo: Bertil Ericson/TT

Swedish police launch raid against Pirate Bay

Swedish police carried out a raid out at a facility which contained servers for Pirate Bay on Tuesday, it has emerged, with the file-sharing website going offline shortly afterwards. READ 11 comments

Malmö's Markus Rosenberg applauds the fans after his club's 4-2 defeat against Olympiakos on December 9th 2014. Photo: Thanassis Stavrakis/AP

Malmö's European adventure ends in defeat

The Swedish champions won't be playing European football until next season, after losing their final Champions League group match against Olympiakos. READ

Photo: Ship to Gaza

Sweden can't sue Israel over Ship to Gaza raids

Sweden cannot sue Israel for raids against two international aid ships headed for Gaza between 2010 and 2012 even if the assaults were staged in violation of international law, prosecutors have said. READ 87 comments

Anna Kinberg Batra speaks to the press after being put forward as the nominee to become the new Moderate Party leader. Photo: Bertil Ericson/TT

Sweden's opposition to get new woman leader

Sweden's Moderate Party has nominated Anna Kinberg Batra to become its new leader in a move that could see her become the country's first ever female Prime Minister. READ 85 comments

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From our other editions:

Photo: APA

House collapsing in Vienna shopping street

According to a police report on Saturday afternoon, a building at 178 Mariahilferstrasse has been evacuated due to risk of an imminent collapse. READ

Photo: AFP

Porn film spices up fare at McDonald's restaurant

McDonald’s is normally considered a safe place to bring children, so customers at one of the hamburger chain’s outlets in Switzerland were surprised over the weekend to see a porn film shown to diners on a large video screen. READ

President Putin of Russia in the Kremlin shortly before his speech on Thursday. Photo: DPA

Germany rejects Putin's 'transparent' speech

The government rejected on Friday the justification given by Russian President Vladimir Putin for annexing the Crimea in his annual state of the nation address. READ

Entrepreneurs in Denmark

Want to enter Copenhagen's startup scene? We talked to some key players to get their advice. Photo: Colourbox

How to get hired at a Copenhagen startup

The Local speaks to experts from the Copenhagen startup scene and beyond to find out how to get a job at a freshly-minted technology company. READ

Spanish police discovered a secret cocaine lab, the first of its kind to be found in the country. Photo: Guardia Civil

Spanish drugs cops bust 'Colombia-style' lab

12 people were arrested on Friday in the quiet Spanish town of Nijar as police seized 229 kilograms of cocaine as well as chemical equipment and firearms. READ

Demonstrators protest over the introduction of an ID card scheme for the homeless in Marseille. Photo: Anne-Christine Poujoulat/AFP

Outrage forces Marseille to bin yellow triangle IDs

France's second city Marseille has been forced to ditch a controversial initiative that saw homeless people handed ID cards adorned with yellow triangles prompting critics to accuse authorities of implementing a "Nazi-style" scheme. READ

The Local List

Spaghetti bolognese may be a classic 'Italian' dish abroad but you won't find it anywhere in Italy. Spaghetti bolognese: Shutterstock

Ten 'Italian' dishes that don't exist in Italy

Wherever you travel in the Western world, the chances are you’ll never be too far from a restaurant offering Italian food. But is it really Italian? Here, The Local speaks to an Italian food blogger and culinary tour guide - and dispels a few persistent food myths. READ