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☆ NATO members Sweden and Finland advise citizens on how to survive war
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-18 | by ( Sana Noor Haq | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Sweden and Finland have updated guidance to their citizens on how to survive war, as NATO allies bolster defense measures against the backdrop of the Ukraine conflict. Many European countries have since ramped up military spending to bolster long-term security in the region. Extreme weather events are becoming increasingly common. Finland’s Ministry of the Interior also issued new crisis guidance on Monday, giving readers advice on how to prepare for long power cuts, water outages, telecommunications disruptions, extreme weather events, and military conflict. Earlier this year, Norway and Denmark – two other members of the 32-party bloc – distributed updated wartime guidance on how people should prepare for potential crises.

Persons: krisen eller, kommer, ”, “ Organizations: CNN —, NATO, Nordic, Swedish Civil, Agency, Finland’s Ministry, Denmark – Locations: CNN — Sweden, Finland, Ukraine, Russia, Swedish, Finland’s, Norway, Denmark

☆ Putin has 'both eyes' on a strategic island belonging to new NATO member Sweden, army commander says
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-23 | by ( Mia Jankowicz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Read previewRussian President Vladimir Putin is targeting a strategic Swedish island that offers mastery over the Baltic Sea, the commander-in-chief of Sweden's army warned this week. Putin's goal is to gain control of the Baltic Sea," Micael Bydén told German news outlets, according to Politico's translation of his remarks. Sweden joined NATO in early March, and the alliance is now the dominant force in the Baltic Sea, thanks in large part to its control of Gotland. Advertisement"If Russia takes control and seals off the Baltic Sea, it would have an enormous impact on our lives — in Sweden and all other countries bordering the Baltic Sea," Bydén said. Swedish military officials watch a Swedish C-130H take off from a non-traditional runway on Gotland Island on October 23, 2021.

Persons: —, Vladimir Putin, Putin, Micael Bydén, Bydén, Patrik Orcutt, Ulf Kristersson Organizations: Service, Business, NATO, Nordic, Russia's Ministry of Defence, Moscow Times, US Army, Politico, Sweden's, Financial Times, Gotland Regiment, US Locations: Swedish, Baltic, Gotland, Putin's, Sweden, Russian, Kaliningrad, It's, Rhode, Russia, Bydén, Moscow, Lithuania, Finland, Latvia, Ukraine

☆ NATO's newest member says it's ready to fortify a strategic island in the middle of the Baltic Sea close to Russia
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-12 | by ( Mia Jankowicz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Sweden is considering reinforcing Gotland, a strategic island in the Baltic Sea, after joining NATO. AdvertisementSweden is open to re-fortifying a crucial island in the Baltic Sea now that it's joined NATO, its prime minister said. "That goes in terms of presence on Gotland, but also in terms of surveillance, in terms of submarine capabilities." Gotland marked with an arrow in the Baltic Sea. Gotland is considered to hold a key strategic position in the Baltic Sea, and is often referred to as an "unsinkable aircraft carrier."

Persons: —, it's, Ulf Kristersson, Kristersson, Tom Porter, Anna Wieslander, Eric Adamson, Carl, Oskar Bohlin Organizations: NATO, Service, Financial, Google, Atlantic, FT, Atlantic Council, BBC Locations: Sweden, Gotland, Baltic, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Finland, Poland, Swedish, Russian, Kaliningrad, Crimea, Ukraine, Russia

☆ Sweden formally joins NATO military alliance, ending centuries of neutrality
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-07 | by ( Sophie Kiderlin | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

A JAS 39 Gripen C/D fighter aircraft takes off from Lulea-Kallax Airport, Sweden on March 4, 2024 during the NATO Nordic Response 24 military exercise, a Norwegian national exercise carried out in northern Sweden, Norway and Finland with associated airspace and waters. Sweden officially joined NATO as its 32nd member on Thursday, almost two years after first applying to the military alliance. "Sweden's accession makes NATO stronger, Sweden safer, and the whole Alliance more secure. The country first applied to join NATO in May 2022, not long after Russia's war on Ukraine began. This marked a significant change in Sweden's previous policy of military nonalignment which stretches back to the Napoleonic wars.

Persons: Jens Stoltenberg, Ulf Kristersson Organizations: Kallax, NATO, Alliance, Washington , D.C Locations: Lulea, Sweden, Norwegian, Norway, Finland, Swedish, Washington ,, Ukraine

☆ Sweden is exactly what the West needs to counter Putin's underhand tactics
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-28 | by ( Tom Porter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Sweden this week became the newest member of the NATO alliance. On Tuesday, Hungary's parliament voted to approve Sweden's NATO membership in a move that may be exactly what the West needs to counter Putin and his underhand tactics. Sweden has accused Russia of spreading misinformation about Koran burnings to damage its bid for NATO membership. NATO has some major challengesDespite the boost from Sweden's membership, NATO still faces some of the gravest challenges in its history. "The same is true for Finland and Sweden's NATO membership."

Persons: —, Vladimir Putin, He's, Putin, Oscar Jonsson, JONATHAN NACKSTRAND, Nima Khorrami, St, Russia's, It's, Shawn Coover, Emmanuel Macron, Jonsson, Khorammi, Donald Trump Organizations: NATO, Service, Russia, Swedish Defence University, Business, Forces, Swedish Amphibious Corps, US Marine Corps, Stockholm Archipelago, Getty, Arctic Institute, Staff, US Locations: Sweden, Ukraine, Russian, Hungary's, Russia, Baltic, Europe, Stockholm, NATO, St Petersburg, Kaliningrad, USSR, Crimea, South Carolina, Western, Finland

☆ Russia’s invasion of Ukraine sparked a defense boom. It’s likely to outlast the war
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-24 | by ( Anna Cooban | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

“While some Ukraine-related orders are starting to come through, restocking and the impact of ongoing defense spending increases will be evident further down the line,” he noted. ‘Era of insecurity’Continued US military support for Ukraine on the scale of the past two years is looking increasingly unlikely. But the pressure on Western governments to beef up their military coffers will outlast the Ukraine war, analysts say, and it started to rise even before Moscow sent its troops marching toward Kyiv two years ago. The febrile global environment has helped lift the shares of Renk, a newly-listed German maker of military tank gearboxes, including those donated by Berlin to Ukraine. And this appeal is unlikely to fade soon, given growing defense spending by governments.

Persons: Lockheed Martin, That’s, Jens Stoltenberg, ” Trevor Taylor, Russia wouldn’t, Micael Johansson, Johansson, “, Charles Woodburn, ”, House Republicans —, Donald Trump, Moscow, Oli Scarff, Trump, Joe Biden, Houthi, It’s, Susanne Wiegand, Myles Walton, Sweden’s, … Organizations: London CNN, Russia, Kyiv, BAE Systems, Thales, Rheinmetall, Lockheed, Northrop Grumman, Atlantic Treaty Organization, NATO, Royal United Services Institute, CNN, Saab, Ukraine, House Republicans, Republican, Kiel Institute, European Union, Getty, International Institute, Strategic, Renk, Reuters, New, Wolfe Research, Sweden’s Saab Locations: Ukraine, Moscow, United States, Canada, Russia, London, Europe, Swedish, Poland, Kyiv, Congress, German, European, Newcastle, Tyne, England, AFP, Beijing, Taiwan, China, Israel, Red, Berlin, Frankfurt, Gaza, New York

☆ Why designers are rethinking the toilet
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-22 | by ( Jacqui Palumbo | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

CNN —Consider the toilet — that humble porcelain bowl that spirits away our waste several times a day. Rethinking how we deal with waste may also present an opportunity: Our excrement can be converted into renewable heat, electricity and fertilizer. Ugo CarmeniKnown as a “Huussi” in Finnish, the dry toilet separates urine from stool and is ventilated to keep odors out — In Finland, dry toilets are particularly prevalent in rural summer cottages, Renell told CNN in a video call. Kelsey McWilliams/Point of ShiftNow a water, sanitation and hygiene consultant for over ten years, McWilliams founded Point of Shift to create circular systems for clients within the US. The humble dry toilet and a large-scale urban sewage system may be at opposite ends of the spectrum, but they are both solutions to the same problem.

Persons: It’s, ”, Arja Renell, Ugo Carmeni, Renell, Kelsey McWilliams, Melinda Gates, McWilliams, There’s, “ It’s, ” McWilliams, ChangeWater, Diana Yousef, ” Yousef, What’s, —, Yousef, ’ ”, San, Sarah Perfekt “, Amanda Haux, Sarah Perfekt, Haux, ” Renell Organizations: CNN, Environmental Protection Agency, Venice Biennale, University of Delaware, WHO, UNICEF’s, ” Locations: Flushing, Finnish, Venice, Finland, Uganda, Panama, California, San Francisco, Swedish, Helsingborg, RecoLab, reimagining, Sweden, ”

☆ Hungary can ratify Sweden’s NATO bid as soon as Feb 26, Orban says
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-17 | by ( Catherine Nicholls | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Hungary can ratify Sweden’s NATO bid as soon as February 26 when the country’s parliament reconvenes, Prime Minister Viktor Orban announced on Saturday. “We are going in the direction that, at the start of parliament’s spring session, we can ratify Sweden’s accession to NATO.”According to the Hungarian government’s website, the parliament reconvenes for its spring session on February 26. Hungary is the last NATO member to approve Sweden’s accession to the military alliance. Last June, Orban’s party Fidesz told CNN that it expected Sweden to “allay its concerns” before the vote on Sweden’s accession to NATO. Finland joined NATO in April 2023 – doubling the alliance’s border with Russia – but Sweden’s bid was mired in challenges.

Persons: reconvenes, Viktor Orban, ” Orban, Orban’s, Orban, Jens Stoltenberg, “, Vladimir Putin, Katalin Organizations: CNN, NATO, Swedish, Fidesz, ”, Russia, European Union Locations: Hungary, Sweden, ” Sweden, Finland, Ukraine, Russia, Hungarian, Turkey

Here is a look at Sweden's complicated path toward NATO membership. Sweden has stayed out of military alliances for more than 200 years and long ruled out seeking NATO membership. But the Russian aggression caused a dramatic shift in both countries, with polls showing a surge in support for NATO membership. That leaves Hungary as the last hurdle for Sweden's NATO bid. Not surprisingly, Moscow reacted negatively to Sweden and Finland's decision to abandon nonalignment and seek NATO membership, and warned of unspecified countermeasures.

Persons: —, hasn’t, Nonalignment, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Erdogan, Viktor Orbán, Ulf Kristersson, ” Organizations: STOCKHOLM, NATO —, Nordic, NATO, Kurdistan Workers ’ Party, Kremlin, Swedish, ALLIANCE, Finns, RUSSIA, nonalignment Locations: NATO, Hungary, Sweden, Ukraine, Finland, Russia, Baltic, U.S, Turkey, Turkish, Swedish, Kurdistan, Stockholm, Budapest, SWEDEN, St, Petersburg, Kaliningrad, Moscow, Northern Europe

☆ Tesla sues Sweden over blocked license plates, business daily DI reports
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The logo of a Tesla electric vehicle is placed on a car seen outside a dealership in Drogenbos, Belgium November 25, 2023. REUTERS/Yves Herman/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsCompanies Tesla Inc FollowCOPENHAGEN, Nov 27 (Reuters) - Tesla (TSLA.O) has filed a lawsuit against the Swedish government's Transport Agency over a workers' strike that has blocked the U.S. auto maker's requests for license plates for new vehicles, business daily Dagens Industri reported on Monday. IF Metall, Sweden's biggest manufacturing union, is locked in a fight with Tesla to get a collective bargaining agreement for its mechanics in Sweden. Members of other unions, including postal workers, dockworkers and cleaners have since joined in a sympathy action, resulting in Tesla not getting license plates distributed, among other things. The Swedish Transport Agency was not immediately available for comment.

Persons: Yves Herman, Tesla, Metall, Louise Breusch Rasmussen, Marie Mannes, Terje Solsvik Organizations: REUTERS, Swedish government's Transport Agency, Dagens, IF Metall, Swedish Transport Agency, Thomson Locations: Drogenbos, Belgium, Swedish, Sweden

☆ Tesla sues Swedish government after postal workers block license plate deliveries
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-27 | by ( Ashley Capoot | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Tesla filed a lawsuit against the Swedish Transport Agency on Monday after postal workers began to block deliveries of license plates for the company's cars. Swedish postal workers blocked Tesla license plate deliveries as a show of solidarity with striking workers. Tesla claims the Swedish government has a "constitutional obligation to provide registration plates to vehicle owners," according to the documents. "This seizure of license plates constitutes a discriminatory attack without any support in law directed at Tesla. This measure cannot be described in any other way than as a unique attack on a company operating in Sweden," Tesla said in the filing, which CNBC translated to English.

Persons: Tesla, Elon Musk, Rishi Sunak, wasn't, CNBC's Lora Kolodny Organizations: British, Swedish Transport Agency, Bloomberg, CNBC, Tesla Locations: London, Britain, Norrköping, Sweden, Swedish

☆ Nordic Countries to Cooperate More on Returning Migrants to Countries of Origin
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-31 | by ( Oct. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Johannes BirkebaekCOPENHAGEN (Reuters) - The Nordic governments intend to step up their cooperation to return immigrants without legal residence in the region to their countries of origin, ministers from the five countries said in a joint press conference in Copenhagen on Tuesday. However, the Danish model has become more popular as anti-immigration voices have gained traction across the Nordic region. The ministers of Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Norway and Iceland have agreed to strengthen cooperation between diplomatic personnel in charge of returning migrants from the respective Nordic countries to their country of origin. The five countries also have agreed to arrange joint flights to take illegal residents to a third country through the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, Frontex. Lastly, the ministers agreed to "assist stranded irregular migrants in North Africa," who they say will be offered assisted voluntary return to their home countries and assistance in re-establishing themselves in the third country.

Persons: Johannes Birkebaek COPENHAGEN, Ulf Kristersson, Maria Malmer Stenergard, Mari Rantanen, Johannes Birkebaek, Louise Rasmussen, David Gregorio Organizations: Nordic, United Nations, of, European Border, Coast Guard Agency, Frontex, Agency, International Organisation for Migration Locations: Copenhagen, Denmark, Danish, Nordic, Swedish, Finland, Finnish, Sweden, Norway, Iceland, North Africa, Europe, Africa

His release by North Korea in September followed weeks of behind-the-scenes negotiations that led the Swedish government to retrieve King in North Korea and bring him across the border into China for a handoff to the U.S. ambassador. King, who joined the Army in January 2021, had faced two allegations of assault in South Korea. King had already been due to face disciplinary action in the United States after his release from South Korean detention. Then King sprinted across the border into North Korea. The Army said King left the Army in South Korea with the intention of staying away permanently "and did remain so absent in desertion until on or about 27 September 2023."

Persons: Travis King, King, King's, Claudine Gates, Gates, Camp Humphreys, Franklin Rosenblatt, Bowe Bergdahl, Jonathan Franks, Bergdahl, Phil Stewart, Gerry Doyle Organizations: U.S . Army, Reuters, Military Justice, Army, Thomson Locations: North Korea, Camp, Swedish, China, U.S, Texas, North, Afghanistan, South Korea, South, United States

☆ U.S. Army charges Private Travis King with desertion over dash into North Korea
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-20 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The U.S. Army has charged Private Travis King with crimes ranging from desertion for running into North Korea in July to assault against fellow soldiers and solicitation of child pornography, according to documents obtained by Reuters. The Army promised to investigate what happened at Camp Humphreys, and I await the results." For weeks, the U.S. Army has deferred questions about whether King would face disciplinary action, saying its priority has been on ensuring the soldier received the proper care after being held for two months by North Korea. His release by North Korea in September followed weeks of behind-the-scenes negotiations that led the Swedish government to retrieve King in North Korea and bring him across the border into China for a handoff to the U.S. ambassador. King was flown to a military hospital in Texas on Sept. 28 for medical evaluations, including for his mental health.

Persons: Travis King, King, King's, Claudine Gates, Gates, Camp Humphreys Organizations: U.S . Army, Reuters, Military Justice, Army Locations: Seoul, North Korea, Korea's, Camp, Swedish, China, U.S, Texas

☆ Two Swedes shot dead in Brussels, Belgium raises terror alert to top level
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-16 | by ( Philip Blenkinsop | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

The suspected assailant fled the scene after the shooting as a football match between Belgium and Sweden was about to start, triggering a massive manhunt and prompting Belgium to raise its terror alert to the highest level. The federal prosecutor said the third victim, who was wounded but not in life-threatening condition, was a taxi driver. Belgian Prime Minister Alexander de Croo confirmed on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, that the victims were Swedish. "I have just offered my sincere condolences to the Swedish PM following tonight’s harrowing attack on Swedish citizens in Brussels," de Croo said on X. France is tightening controls at the border with Belgium after the deadly attack in Brussels, Belgian media said.

Persons: Abdesalem Al Guilani, Alexander de Croo, de Croo, Gunnar Strommer, Ulf Kristersson, King, Yves Herman Acquire, King Baudouin, Emmanuel Macron, Allahu Akbar, Al Guilani, hamdoulelah, Salam Aleykoum, Philip Blenkinsop, Marine Strauss, Anna Ringstrom, Terje Solsvik, Richard Lough, John Cotton, Jan Strupczewski, Silvia Aloisi, Hugh Lawson, Matthew Lewis Organizations: State, Palestinian, European Commission, Belgian, PM, Sweden's, Reuters, Government, Swedish, Thomson Locations: BRUSSELS, Brussels, Belgium, Sweden, Belgian, Israel, jihadists, Swedish, France, Islamic State

No decision on a ground offensive has been announced, although Israel has been massing troops along the Gaza border 3. Israeli military spokesman Read Adm. Daniel Hagari said Saturday Israel had so far identified 126 captives. GERMANY TO START EVACUATING CITIZENS FROM ISRAELBERLIN — The German army will start evacuating its citizens from Israel with military airplanes. Hezbollah said its fighters struck several Israeli military positions in the disputed Chebaa Farms and Kfar Chouba hills in the afternoon. ISRAELI MILITARY ANNOUNCES IT IS PREPARED FOR ‘COORDINATED’ OFFENSIVEJERUSALEM — The Israeli military says it has prepared a “coordinated” offensive in the Gaza Strip involving air, ground and naval forces.

Persons: Israel, Lloyd Austin, “, Israel —, ”, Yifat Zailer, Zailer, Read, Daniel Hagari, Hezbollah’s, Ali Youssef Alaaeddine, Alaaeddine, ERDOGAN'S, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Bilal Erdogan, Suleyman Soylu, Mustafa Sentop, ” Erdogan, Sentop, Khalil Hachem, Rabad Akoum, ” Israel, Ismail Haniyeh, ” Haniyeh, Haniyeh, Mohammad Abu Selim, Medhat Abbas, Hakan Fidan, Sameh Shoukry, IT'S, ROME —, “ We’ve, Antonio Tajani, Tajani, —, ” Tajani, TT, Tobias Billström, Elina Valtonen, Hossein Amirabdollahian, Saleh Arouri, Ziad Nakhaleh, Amirabdollahian Organizations: United Nations, Gaza, United States Defense, TEL, ISRAEL BERLIN —, Hamas, Lufthansa, BEIRUT —, Associated Press, AP, Ministry, Sunday, South, MEDIA, BEIRUT, National News Agency, OFFICIAL, EGYPT BEIRUT —, OF, Gaza —, Shifa, Health Ministry, FROM, Romania — Romania’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Israel, NORDIC, FROM ISRAEL HELSINKI, Nordic, Helsinki Airport, Iran’s, Manar, Islamic, Hezbollah Locations: Gaza City, Israel, Gaza, Egypt, Israeli, Lebanon, ISRAEL, SYRIA, TEL AVIV, Syria, Golan, GERMANY, Germany, Jordan, BEIRUT, Palestinian, ISTANBUL ISTANBUL, Istanbul, United States, Tel Aviv, Dubai, South, Lebanese, Chebaa, Kfar Chouba, JERUSALEM, EGYPT BEIRUT, GAZA, Shifa, FROM ISRAEL, TURKEY, ISTANBUL, Turkish, Embassy, Turkey, BUCHAREST, Romania, Romanian Embassy, ITALY, ROME, Italian, Rome, FINNS, Finland, Sweden, Helsinki, Stockholm, Swedish, Stockholm’s Arlanda, Beirut, Hezbollah’s, Amirabdollahian, Iran, Iraq, Jihad

☆ Governments repatriate citizens from Israel
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +10 min

REUTERS/Pilar Olivares Acquire Licensing RightsOct 12 (Reuters) - Governments around the world have arranged repatriation flights from Tel Aviv in reaction to the conflict in Israel. AUSTRALIAAustralia organised two special flights on Friday and Sunday to bring back citizens from Israel, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Wednesday. CANADACanada plans to operate evacuation flights for Canadians stranded in Israel, Foreign Minister Melanie Joly said on Tuesday. ITALYItaly arranged for seven flights between Tuesday and Wednesday, the Italian foreign ministry said late on Tuesday, as part of efforts to repatriate about 900 Italian citizens from Israel. On Wednesday, Portugal had repatriated 152 Portuguese citizens directly from Israel, plus 14 citizens from other European countries.

Persons: Roseli Pereira, Pilar Olivares, Anthony Albanese, Alexander De Croo, Melanie Joly, Jan Lipavsky, Lipavsky, Elina Valtonen, Catherine Colonna, Annalena Baerbock, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, Andrzej Duda, Mariusz Blaszczak, Margarita Robles, Tobias Billstrom, Srettha Thavisin, Oleg Nikolenko, Nikolenko, Alessandro Parodi, Tristan Chabba, Joao Manuel Mauricio, Barbara Lewis Organizations: Rio de, REUTERS, Argentinian, AUSTRALIA Australia, Spanish Air Force, Foreign, CANADA Canada, Centre for Israel, Jewish Affairs, Boeing, Foreign Ministry, European Union, Aviation, CZECH REPUBLIC Czech, Wednesday, Reuters, French Foreign, France, Condor, German Foreign Ministry, Icelandic Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Israel . KAZAKHSTAN Air Astana, Astana Times, Norwegian Air, Sunday . Defence, Ben Gurion, SOUTH, Incheon Airport, Korean, Acting, Airbus, SWISS, THAILAND, Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Airline KLM, Facebook, Romania, UNITED, UNITED STATES, U.S . State Department, . Delta Air Lines, U.S, Thomson Locations: Israel, Brazil, Tel Aviv, ARGENTINA, Rome, Argentina, AUSTRALIA, AUSTRIA Austria, Hörsching, Upper Austria, Cyprus, BELGIUM Belgium, BOLIVIA, BRAZIL, Brasilia, Embassy of Brazil, CHILE, Athens, Madrid, COLOMBIA, CYPRUS, Cypriot, CZECH REPUBLIC, Czech, Oman, Prague, DENMARK, Danish, FINLAND Finland, FRANCE France, Israel's Tel Aviv, Paris, GERMANY German, Jordanian, Aqaba, ICELAND, Germany, Keflavík, Iceland, Icelandic, ITALY Italy, Almaty, MEXICO, Oslo, POLAND Poland, Polish, Poland, Ben, Ben Gurion Airport, PORTUGAL, Portuguese, Lisbon, Portugal, SOUTH KOREA, Seoul, KS, SPAIN Spain, Spain, Torrejon, SWEDEN, Swedish, SWITZERLAND Swiss, Zurich, Bern, NETHERLANDS, Netherlands, UKRAINE Ukrainian, Gaza, Europe, U.S, Gdansk

☆ Gripen fighters built to battle Russian jets are on the table for Ukraine, but only if Sweden gets to join NATO, Stockholm says
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-06 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Sweden is asking its military to explore the prospects of sending Ukraine its Gripen fighter jets. But there won't be any transfer until Stockholm joins NATO, its defense minister said. Citing Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Sweden and neighboring Finland first announced their intentions to join NATO over a year ago, breaking away from decades of neutrality. The Gripen was designed to take on Russian fighter jets and features electronic-warfare capabilities built to counter the radars in Moscow's aircraft and ground-based air-defense systems. Even if Sweden decides to send Gripens to Ukraine, it would be many months before they actually reach the battlefield.

Persons: —, Pål Jonson, — Gen, Micael, Jonson, JAS, Saab JAS, PATRICK TRAGARDH, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Sukhois, Gripens Organizations: Gripen, NATO, Service, Swedish Armed Forces, Swedish Defense, Sweden, Saab, Getty, Kyiv, Swedish Air Force, Ukrainian Air Force, Royal United Services Institute Locations: Sweden, Ukraine, Russia, Stockholm, Swedish, Finland, Turkey, Hungary, Lulea, AFP, Kyiv, Russian

☆ Hedge fund Eisler Capital uses basis trades to add to positive year
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-29 | by ( Nell Mackenzie | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Sept 29 (Reuters) - Hedge fund Eisler Capital posted a 4.17% positive performance for the year to end-August, it said in a letter to investors, benefiting from a basis-trade strategy that has regulators worried about financial stability risks. According to the letter seen by Reuters, basis trades have been a part of the most profitable trading strategy for the $3.7 billion London-based hedge fund this year. While the fund uses basis trades in U.S. Treasuries, it also employs them with the euro, Swiss franc and Swedish government bonds, the letter showed. A Fed paper on Aug. 30 said that if these positions represent the so-called basis trades, "sustained large exposures by hedge funds present a financial stability vulnerability" warranting "diligent monitoring." The Eisler investor letter also showed the hedge fund uses swap derivatives to mitigate the riskiness of its positions.

Persons: Eisler, Kevin Lenaghan, Nell Mackenzie, David Holmes Organizations: Eisler, Reuters, Swiss, Bank for International, Ivy Academy, Thomson Locations: Los Angeles, U.S, Europe

For its part, North Korea appears to have treated his case as one of illegal immigration. North Korea's KCNA state news agency said King told Pyongyang he entered North Korea illegally because he was "disillusioned about unequal U.S. The Swedish government, which represents U.S. interests in North Korea because Washington has no diplomatic presence in the country, retrieved King in North Korea and brought him to China. The State Department said the U.S. ambassador to Beijing, Nicholas Burns, met King in Dandong, China, a city bordering North Korea. King, who joined the U.S. army in January 2021, faced two allegations of assault in South Korea.

Persons: Travis King, King, Fort Sam Houston, Brittney Griner, Travis T, Sarah Leslie, Handout, Nicholas Burns, Phil Stewart, Idrees Ali, Evan Garcia, Ed Davies, Neil Fullick, Toby Chopra Organizations: U.S . Army, Reuters, Base San, Fort, Brooke Army Medical Center, Russia, Security Area, REUTERS, Army, The State Department, Osan Air Force Base, U.S, South Korean, Thomson Locations: Texas, North Korea, U.S, Base San Antonio, Panmunjom, South Korea, Pyongyang, Swedish, Washington, China, Beijing, Dandong, Shenyang, United States, Korea

SAS filed for U.S. bankruptcy protection last year as it struggled to slash costs and debt amid strikes by pilots. SAS hopes to raise 9.5 billion Swedish crowns ($863 million) in new equity and convert 20 billion crowns of debt into equity. They could include Sweden's family-owned Wallenberg foundation, which currently holds a 3.4% stake in SAS, or Danish pension funds, he said. Once that is done, SAS can begin proceedings to exit chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, which could be late this year or next year, Pedersen said. It is not clear if SAS will be taken off the Swedish stock market after exiting bankruptcy protection.

Persons: Johan Nilsson, Apollo, Jacob Pedersen, Gerald Engstrom, Pedersen, Johannes Birkebaek, Jacob Gronholt, Mark Potter Organizations: SAS Airbus, Kastrup, Scandinavian Airlines, TT News Agency, REUTERS, Rights, Scandinavia's, SAS, U.S, Italy's ITA Airways, Portugal's TAP, WHO, Apollo Global Management Inc, European Union, Wallenberg, Private, Lufthansa, ITA Airways, Thomson Locations: Kastrup, Denmark, Rights COPENHAGEN, Danish, Copenhagen, EU, Europe, SWEDEN, NORWAY, Swedish, Sweden, Private Swedish

☆ The US got soldier Pvt. Travis King back from North Korea in a 'complex operation' involving both friends and foes, White House reveals
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-27 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

A US Army soldier who crossed into North Korea is back in American custody, the White House said. Senior administration officials on Wednesday detailed aspects of the "complex operation" to bring him home. AdvertisementAdvertisementA US Army soldier who unexpectedly crossed into North Korea two months ago is now in American custody, senior Biden administration officials revealed on Wednesday. North Korea said earlier that it would expel Pvt. The US did not give any concessions to North Korea in exchange for King.

Persons: Travis King, —, Jake Sullivan, King, Washington Organizations: US Army, Service, Army, Biden, Joint Security, National, King, White, Korean Central News Agency Locations: North Korea, Korea, North, South Korea, Sweden, China, Pyongyang, Swedish, Washington, Beijing, Russia, Ukraine, Korean, Texas

WASHINGTON/SEOUL, Sept 27 (Reuters) - Private Travis King, the U.S. soldier who ran into North Korea in July, is in U.S. custody and heading home after being expelled by North Korea into China, the United States said on Wednesday. For its part, North Korea appears to have treated his case as one of illegal immigration. North Korea's KCNA state news agency said King told Pyongyang he entered North Korea illegally because he was disillusioned about unequal U.S. Last month, it said that he wanted refuge in North Korea or elsewhere because of maltreatment and racial discrimination within the U.S. army. KING IN 'GOOD HEALTH'The Swedish government, which represents U.S. interests in North Korea because Washington has no diplomatic presence in the country, retrieved King in North Korea and brought him to China.

Persons: Travis King, King, KCNA, Matthew Miller, Nicholas Burns, Miller, Kim Hong, Jonathan Franks, Claudine Gates, Gates, Myron Gates, Fort Sam Houston, Brittney Griner, Hyonhee Shin, hyang Choi, Phil Stewart, Susan Heavey, Trevor Hunnicutt, Doina, Idrees Ali, Daphne Psaledakis Michael Martina, Humeyra Pamuk, David Brunnstrom, Brendan O'Brien, Johan Ahlander, Philippa Fletcher, Sharon Singleton, Bill Berkrot, Don Durfee, Daniel Wallis, William Maclean, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: North, The State Department, ., China . State Department, U.S, Osan Air Force Base, King, REUTERS, United States Army, ABC News, South Korean, Brooke Army Medical Center, Base San, Fort, Russia, Thomson Locations: WASHINGTON, SEOUL, U.S, North Korea, China, United States, Washington, Pyongyang, Swedish, Beijing, Dandong, Shenyang, South Korea, Sweden, Gijungdong, Panmunjom, Texas, Base San Antonio, Seoul, Chicago, Stockholm

☆ Crunch time after string of aggressive central bank rate hikes
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Major central banks have confounded economists with a string of interest rate rises that, so far, have moderated inflation without causing global recession. So far, nine developed economies have raised rates by a combined 3,915 bps in this cycle. Reuters Graphics2) NEW ZEALANDThe Reserve Bank of New Zealand lifted its cash rate to a 14-year high of 5.5% in May and has kept it there since. Reuters Graphics7) AUSTRALIAThe Reserve Bank of Australia kept rates steady at 4.1% for a third consecutive meeting in September, the last under former Governor Philip Lowe. Reuters Graphics10) JAPANThe Bank of Japan, the world's most dovish major central bank, meets next week.

Persons: BoE, Macklem, Philip Lowe, Lowe's, Michele Bullock, Naomi Rovnick, Harry Robertson, Samuel Indyk, Nell Mackenzie, Alun John, Yoruk Bahceli, Chiara Elisei, Vincent Flasseur, Sumanta Sen, Pasit, Dhara Ranasinghe, Sharon Singleton Organizations: European Central Bank, U.S . Federal Reserve, UNITED, Reuters, Federal Reserve, Reserve Bank of, BRITAIN, of England, CANADA Bank of Canada, Bank of Canada, ECB, Norges Bank, SWEDEN Traders, Swiss, Bank of Japan, Thomson Locations: U.S, Japan, Reserve Bank of New Zealand, NORWAY, Reserve Bank of Australia, SWEDEN, Swedish, SWITZERLAND Swiss, JAPAN

☆ Sweden to consider sending fighter jets to Ukraine, SR radio reports
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-12 | by ( Louise Rasmussen | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] Sweden's jet fighter JAS 39 Gripen E flies over the Gotland island in the Baltic Sea, May 11, 2022. TT News Agency/Henrik Montgomery via REUTERS/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsCOPENHAGEN, Sept 12 (Reuters) - The Swedish government is considering donating Gripen fighter jets to Ukraine to help it fight Russia, Swedish public radio (SR) reported on Tuesday, citing unnamed sources. The government wants to know, among other things, how a handover would affect Sweden's defence capabilities and how quickly Sweden could get new Gripen fighters, SR reported. The Netherlands and Denmark have led a push to supply Ukraine with U.S.-made F-16 fighter jets to help counter Russia's air superiority in the war. According to the SR report, Ukraine hopes to receive one division of Gripen jets, made by Sweden's Saab <SAABb.ST>, or 16-18 planes.

Persons: JAS, Henrik Montgomery, Sweden's, Gripens, Louise Breusch Rasmussen, Terje Solsvik, Kevin Liffey Organizations: TT News Agency, REUTERS, Rights, Gripen, Sweden's Saab, NATO, Thomson Locations: Gotland, Baltic, Rights COPENHAGEN, Swedish, Ukraine, Russia, Sweden, Netherlands, Denmark, U.S, Turkey, Hungary

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