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The Poseidon set sail from Gothenburg and has now arrived in the Mediterranean. Photo: TT

Swedish ship arrives to help with migrant crisis

The Swedish coast guard ship Poseidon has arrived in the Mediterranean and tomorrow begins taking part in operation Triton, the EU border rescue operation. Poseidon's mission is to save the lives of migrants trying to get to Europe. READ

Finance Minister Magdalena Andersson in Västerås. Photo: TT

'Poison is spreading' in the land: finance minister

In an unusually personal speech at a Social Democratic party conference on Sunday, Finance Minister Magdalena Andersson talked of the need to counter a “poison” of inequality and xenophobia spreading across Sweden. READ

Photo: Shutterstock

Cricket gets official nod in Sweden

The world of cricket – with its bowlers and batsmen, wickets and creases – is growing in popularity in Sweden. Now the quintessentially Commonwealth game has been recognised by the Swedish Sports Confederation. READ

Photo: Shutterstock

Eight Swedes on Russian European Union blacklist

Eight Swedish nationals are on a list of 89 people who are barred entry into Russia. Sweden has asked Russian authorities to provide a reason for the bans, but has received no response. READ

IN PICTURES

Sweden's Isabellah Andersson won the women's race. Photo: TT

Ethiopian and Swede win Stockhom Marathon

As if the marathon runners didn't have enough to deal with already, the heavens opened in Stockholm on Saturday, making for a very wet and windy race. But the damp didn't keep Swede Isabellah Andersson from taking home her seventh victory medal, with Yekeber Bayabel from Ethiopia winning the men's race. READ

Opinion

Customs formalities for travellers to the US will be taken care of at Arlanta in the future. Photo: Shutterstock

‘A tremendous boon for travel’: US ambassador

The planned preclearance facility at Stockholm’s Arlanda airport is meant to improve the overall travel experience for customers and boost security. It’s a win-win situation, says Mark Brzezinski, the US ambassador to Sweden, in this editorial for The Local. READ

Lonely Planet put Uppsala's Fyris River on the cover of its Stockholm guide. Photo: Shutterstock

Wrong city on Stockholm Lonely Planet cover

People equipped with the new Stockholm guide by Lonely Planet, the largest travel guidebook publisher in the world, might have a hard time finding the scene depicted on the cover. That’s because it’s a picture from Uppsala. READ

Photo: TT

Stockholm airport to get fast lane into US

Travelers from Stockholm will have an easier time entering the US in the future. The US has decided to make Arlanda a “preclearance” airport, meaning customs procedures will take place on Swedish soil. READ

A child with a mobile device. Photo: Susanne Walström/imagebank.sweden.se

Swedish broadcaster sends porn to children

Sweden's public broadcaster SVT has apologized to parents after it accidentally sent an SMS to 60 children which included a link to a pornographic site. READ

The Local List

Högsby has been named as the worst place to live in Sweden. Photo: Janerik Henriksson/TT

Are these the five worst places to live in Sweden?

Sweden is a great place to be, from its vibrant capital to cute, picturesque towns in the countryside. But even within this Nordic paradise, there are some real dumps. Here's our guide to the five municipalities that ended up at the bottom of an annual ranking of places to live in Sweden. READ

Features

Interview

'I was ashamed of not being fully Swedish'

What’s it like growing up in Sweden when you don’t look like anybody else? Swedish-Eritrean singer and social activist Sa’ra Charismata tells The Local about immigration, peace, and why it’s okay to be scared of other cultures. READ

Interview

Some of Julia Taube's dolls. Photo: MyIDolls

Swedish mum makes kids' dolls with genitals

A Swedish mum-of-three has started making her own hyper-realistic dolls, designed to challenge gender stereotypes. The Local spoke to Julia Taube as she prepared to put the toys on sale, despite a backlash in one of the world's most equal nations. READ

The Local List

Exclusive shopping street Biblioteksgatan in Stockholm's Östermalm district. Photo: TT

Six essential shopping spots in Stockholm

Sweden has a reputation for style and the nation's capital is a haven for shopaholics - once you know where to go. Here's The Local's beginner's guide to Stockholm's shopping scene in 2015, from the latest designer stores and independent boutiques to handy malls. READ

Opinion

A very Swedish coffee break. Photo: Jessica Gow/TT

'Swedes need to ditch cakes at coffee time'

Grabbing a cake and a coffee at least once a day is one of Sweden's best loved traditions and even has a special name: 'fika'. But Swedish medical student Haroon Bayani is calling on Swedish nationals and foreigners alike to stop reaching for sweet treats in the workplace. READ

My Swedish Career

Joshua Goddard has visited all of Europe's countries. Photo: Private

'Stockholm is the prettiest city in Europe'

In this week's My Swedish Career feature, we meet a Kiwi teacher who relocated to Stockholm and became a semi-professional globetrotter. The Local speaks to Joshua Goddard just after he completed his grand tour of Europe. READ

More News

Shoppers in Stockholm. Photo: Simon Paulin/TT

Spring boost for Swedish economy revealed

Sweden's economy grew by 0.4 percent in the first quarter of 2015, and was up 2.5 percent on the same period a year ago, according to figures released on Friday. But Swedes still appear to be holding back from swiping their cards at the nation's tills. READ

Nordic Noir

The team behind 'The Bridge' (actress Sofia Helin pictured) are producing a new crime drama. Photo: Ola Torkelsson/SCANPIX

Filming starts for next grisly Nordic Noir treat

Nordic Noir fans have been on the edge of their seats this month with the filming of the next Scandinavian crime thriller by the team behind the massively successful Swedish-Danish drama 'The Bridge' getting under way in Costa Rica and Gothenburg. Here's what you need to know about 'Spring Tide'. READ

The Öresund bridge between Sweden and Denmark. Photo: Johan Nilsson/TT

Real-life police drama on Sweden's 'The Bridge'

Something resembling an episode of the popular gritty crime drama 'The Bridge' (Bron) occurred on Thursday night when Swedish and Danish police engaged in a car chase that ended with the arrest of four men. READ

Travellers at New York's LaGuardia Airport in January 2015. Photo: TT

Swedish firm wins huge New York airport bid

A consortium led by Swedish construction company Skanska has been picked for a $3.6 billion (30.5 billion kronor) project to modernize New York's LaGuardia Airport, regional transport officials have announced. READ

A Swedish Dad with his children. Photo: Carolina Romara/Image Bank Sweden

Swedish dads told to take more paternity leave

UPDATED: Plans to introduce a third month of paid parental leave reserved for fathers are set to be introduced in 2016, the Swedish government has revealed, in a bid to further increase gender equality. READ

The Local Recipes

Strawberry cordial is a refreshing summer drink. Photo: John Duxbury

How to make Swedish strawberry cordial

Swedes love berries and enjoy putting them in both chilled cordials as well as hot drinks during winter. Here, food writer John Duxbury shares his favourite recipe for a raw strawberry squash (rårörd jordgubbssaft) that's delicious year-round but perfect for Swedish summer time. READ

The Local List

Sandviken railway station. Photo: Tanzania/Wikipedia

Five reasons Sandviken could really suit Wyclef

Former Fugees star Wyclef Jean stirred up a right debate in Sweden on Thursday when he said he was planning a move to the small town of Sandviken, two hours north of the capital. But we're not ones to judge, so we've put together this list of five reasons why the rapper might be such a big fan of this rural town. READ

Apartment blocks in Gothenburg: Photo: Simon Paulin/Image Bank Sweden

Swedish city apartment buyers in 'trouble' zone

One of Sweden's biggest banks has warned that too many potential buyers in Gothenburg and Stockholm are set to spend more than 30 percent of their disposable income on monthly mortgage payments and related costs, putting them in danger of potential financial problems in future. READ

US-Haitian rap artist Wyclef Jean. Photo: AP Photo/Keystone, Laurent Gillieron

US rapper Wyclef Jean: 'I want to move to Sweden'

A small Swedish town two hours north of Stockholm could get an unexpected celebrity resident. Rap star Wyclef Jean fell in love with Sandviken after a gig there two years ago and has now told a Swedish tabloid that he is planning a move to the town in the next couple of years. READ

Royal Wedding

Sofia Hellqvist and Prince Carl Philip announcing their engagement in 2014. Photo: TT

Six facts about Europe's hottest power couple

Move over William and Kate, Sweden's Prince Carl Philip and fiancée Sofia Hellqvist are causing an international stir ahead of their upcoming wedding with one Australian paper even calling them 'Europe's coolest couple'. Here are six facts you need to learn about these rocking royals. READ

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From our other editions:

Photo: Andrew Nash/Wikimedia

Man dead after fatal shooting on Vienna tram

One man was killed and another seriously injured in a shooting on a tram car in Vienna on Sunday evening. READ

Photo: Miguel Medina/AFP

Froome takes on Federer over selfies brouhaha

Roger Federer has drawn criticism from British cycling champion Chris Froome after the Swiss tennis star complained about a boy who jumped onto the court at the French Open to take a selfie with him. READ

The twin brothers are both reported to have died in suicide attacks. Photo: Dabiq magazine

German twins die fighting for Isis in Iraq

German twins from Castrop-Rauxel in North Rhine-Westphalia have died fighting for the Islamist group Isis in Iraq, the militia's official magazine reported in its latest publication. READ

The Local List

Their love of bikes and the Danish flag make the list, but what else? Photo: Colourbox

My Danish habits that foreigners just don't get

Do you find the Danes a bit weird? The Local's Nick Bojesen Jensen, who has just returned to Denmark after years abroad, lists ten Danish traits that leave his foreign friends bemused. READ

Passengers waiting at Madrid Barajas airport during the 2010 air traffic controllers strike. Photo: Dominique Faget/AFP

Air traffic controllers call June strike across Spain

Spanish air traffic controllers have announced four days of strikes in June, threatening travel chaos during peak season for tourists visiting Spain. READ

How many of these unforgettable streets have YOU seen? Photo: Loïc Lagarde/Flickr

The ten Paris streets you just have to walk down

Paris is best explored on foot - so we asked the experts at Localers walking tours to come up with a list of the most unmissable streets in the French capital. See how many you have walked along. (No, the Champs Elysées is not one of them). READ

Photo: Gemona Turismo

Italian town sets new Tiramisù record

The northern Italian town of Gemona has set the record for the largest Tiramisù in culinary history. READ

Eritreans demonstrate in Segels Torg, Stockholm for Dawit Isaak, the Swedish journalist imprisoned by Eritrean authorities. Photo: JANERIK HENRIKSSON / SCANPIX

Norway alone in sending Eritrean refugees home

Norway's right-wing government is negotiating a deal with Eritrea's repressive regime which would see asylum seekers from the country forcibly returned, even though a UN report maintains that they could face torture. READ

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