🇹🇷 Turkish NATO approval delayed - demands legislation

Turkey has announced that it will wait until this summer to ratify Sweden’s NATO application. Ibrahim Kalin, Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's spokesperson, says that they are not ready to send the bill to Parliament.

Waiting for summer

According to Kalin, it will not be until at least June before Sweden’s parliament can vote through tougher anti-terrorism legislation, and Ankara will wait until the legislation has been approved.

But at the same time, according to the AP news agency, Kalin is opening the door for things to move faster. "What they're telling us is that the new laws will be ready and in force by June, but there may be some things they can do before then," he says.

Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billström responded by saying that Sweden has met their part of the agreement, "we have delivered on all parts of the agreement and continue to implement it. It is up to Turkey to decide on the ratification of Sweden's and Finland's accession protocols."

Analysts had already speculated that Turkey might wait until after its summer elections to approve NATO membership.

Further complications

Earlier this week, relations between Sweden and Turkey deteriorated further after a doll depicting Erdogan was hung by his feet outside Stockholm City Hall. A spokesperson for Erdogan has called for those responsible for the incident to be held accountable.

Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson condemned the act , "this is despicable. Every country would think it was an abominable act to show something that would almost represent the execution of a foreign leader, not least in a country that has twice been the victim of the murder of very senior politicians."

The incident led Turkey to cancel a meeting between Swedish and Finnish Presidents at the Turkish parliament.

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by Elin Nordlund/TT | edited by Riedia

🏭 The odds against rapid expansion of new nuclear power

Many are hoping that new nuclear power will help solve some of Sweden’s energy needs by as early as 2030, but unfortunately, it’s not that simple.

Experience and political stability huge factors

If the new government’s proposal goes through, the ban on building new nuclear reactors in Sweden could be lifted by March 2024.

However, according to associate professor of environmental and energy systems at Lund University, Max Åhman, there is an over-confident belief that many of the requirements can be sped up. "It's an exciting development. There's a strong interest in selling this as a fairly fast solution, but it's not, it's going to take time. We haven't built nuclear power in a long time in Sweden," he says.

Vattenfall has already initiated an investigation into the construction of two new smaller reactors at Ringhals nuclear power plants. The preliminary study will be completed by the turn of the year 2023-2024, and if the conditions look promising, a first reactor can be put into operation in the early 2030s.

Long-term political stability is also something to take into consideration, especially among investors. Max Åhman that the last energy agreement only survived to three years, “those who want to go in as actors want to see a long-term agreement, that this will be able to be built and not interrupted in the state process because opinion turns around. Even that suggests that this may take a little longer."

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by Olle Bengtsson/TT | edited by Riedia

Russian land purchases have increased sharply in Finland; even in Sweden, Russians own land in security-sensitive areas. The Security Service sees a need for new legislation to prevent real estate transactions that could threaten national security.

Security risks not detected

Security Commissioner Charlotte von Essen explains that there is currently no legislation to prevent hostile countries from buying real estate at ports and airports, "previously, there was legislation that made it impossible as a foreign citizen to acquire properties in Sweden. That legislation no longer exists." Foreign citizens are today allowed to purchase properties anywhere in Sweden, including close to military shelters.

Swedish authorities recently discovered that a Russian businessman with links to the Russian state has owned a beachfront property very close to the defense facility at Muskö in the Stockholm archipelago for a long time.

Unlike Finland, Sweden has no law regulating foreign purchases of real estate, and the Land Registry does not register property ownership by nationality. According to Oscar Almén, researcher at the Total Defence Research Institute (FOI), this lack of information could mean that security risks are not detected. Almén did acknowledge that Russian citizens do not automatically pose a security threat, and that there may also be people linked to the Russian state who do not have Russian citizenship.

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by Anja Haglund/TT | edited by Riedia

🇨🇳 China: Nearly 60,000 Covid deaths in one month

China's health authorities are now reporting up to 60,000 deaths linked to the coronavirus in just over a month.

Millions still unvaccinated

After repeated criticism from the World Health Organization for not providing reliable statistics, Chinese officials have published their first Covid statistics since the country eased its pandemic restrictions. According to Jiao Yahui, representative of the Chinese National Health Commission (NHC), a total of 59,938 Covid-related deaths have been recorded between December 8th and January 12th.

According to the authorities, these deaths occurred in hospitals - which means that the total number is likely to be much higher. The average age of those who have died is 80.3 years old, and over 90% of those who have died are over 65, according to the authorities.

Millions of people over the age of 60 in China are unvaccinated.

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by TT | edited by Riedia

🪨 Kiruna municipality is demanding money from the Swedish government after the discovery of metals made by the mining giant LKAB. According to the state company, the discovery is the largest finding of rare earth metals in Europe.

🇸🇪 An inspection for care criticized special accommodation in Lerum municipality for having staff who are poor in Swedish and do not have sufficient competence. Lerum municipality stated that they take the criticism but do not agree with the assessment that "there is a high risk compared to other municipalities on the issue of individual assessment and competence."

👄 A new Swedish research project sets out to detect oral cancer earlier using AI . Researchers plan to have dentists collect mucus samples that can then be analyzed for cell changes using AI technology.

🇦🇷 During 2022, inflation in Argentina was 94,8 percent, the highest annual inflation rate in the country since 1991 and one of the highest in the world. For 2023, the government's goal for inflation is 60 percent. Argentina has been struggling with an economic crisis for the last 12 years. Several factors are responsible for the high inflation in the country, including persistent budget deficits, constant devaluation, and external factors now such as the war in Ukraine.

💊 Prescriptions written for the Covid pill Paxlovid are surprisingly low. Paxlovid became available in pharmacies just before Christmas. The drug was initially used to treat high-risk and seriously ill patients at clinics. The low demand is thought to be due to misconceptions about the drug and reduced concern about the risks of Covid.

🇺🇲 More classified documents have been found, this time at US President Biden’s private home in Wilmington Delaware. US Attorney General Merrick Garland decided to appoint a private attorney and former prosecutor to conduct an initial independent investigation into Biden's classified papers. Biden has announced that he is “cooperating fully” with the investigation.

🚨 Two people have been arrested on suspicion of stabbing two people in Valsta in Märsta north of Stockholm. The police say the motive is currently unknown, and that an investigation is underway.

👮 Two women face multi-year prison sentences for involvement in a large-scale drug operation in Stockholm. The women deny any crimes, but police and prosecutors notice how people with no criminal record who go under the police radar are of high interest to the gangs.

✈️ A suspected dangerous object was found at Arlanda airport. The item was discovered at the security checkpoint at 13:30, and the person in possession of the bag was detained by police. By 17:30, the investigation was completed, and police reported that the object was harmless.

🎿 Snow shortage in France is putting the World Cup ski and snowboarding competitions in Les Rousses in danger. The international ski and snowboarding association is looking for an alternative organizer. Decisions on whether to move the competitions will be made on Monday today.

🤾 Sweden won the World Handball Championship opening game with a 26-18 victory against Brazil. The team had some first-time nerves but managed to play well in the second half and the defense was strong. Jim Gottfridsson was the top scorer with six goals.

🏒 Boston Bruins' lost to the Seattle Kraken in an NHL game, which broke Boston's 23-game home winning streak. Seattle won their first six games of their seven-game away trip.

👑 Royal Revenge: A Look into the Assassinated Swedish Kings

In his recent statements condemning the hanging of a doll depicting Turkey’s President Erdogan, Prime Minister Kristersson alluded to the assassination of a high-ranking Swedish politician, Olof Palme, who was assassinated in Stockholm in 1986. But did you know he is not the only Swedish head of state to be assassinated?

Throughout Swedish history, five kings have been assassinated: Sverker I, Eric IX, Charles VII, Eric XIV, and Gustav III.

Gustav III had been king since 1771 and was known for his efforts to strengthen the power of the monarchy in Sweden. He also implemented several popular reforms, such as the abolition of torture and the establishment of a free press. However, his rule was also marked by conflicts with the nobility and the Riksdag.

The assassination of Gustav III was carried out by Jacob Johan Anckarström, a nobleman who was unhappy with the king's policies and had reportedly been part of a conspiracy to kill him. Anckarström shot the king in the back at a masked ball at the Royal Opera in Stockholm, and Gustav III died 13 days later from his wounds.

Anckarström was arrested and put on trial for his crime, and was found guilty and sentenced to death. He was executed by beheading in Stockholm in 1792.

Gustav III's death was a significant event in Swedish history, as it marked the end of the Age of Liberty and the beginning of a new period of political upheaval. Additionally, it also had an impact on the Swedish monarchy, as Gustav III's son, Gustav IV Adolf, was not seen as a suitable successor and was eventually deposed in a coup in 1809.

by Julia Powanda/Riedia