Train derailment to cause weeks-long train stoppage
A 600-metre-long freight train has derailed in the municipality of Bollebygd and caused a stoppage in train traffic. The restoration work will take about two weeks, according to the Swedish Transport Administration.
The accident occurred early on Thursday afternoon. About ten carriages have been derailed. The cause of the derailment is believed to be the heat of the sun expanding the tracks.
The Swedish Transport Administration's personnel were sent to the accident site and were able to determine, among other things, that a number of power poles and contact wires have been damaged or fallen down.
The damage will be evaluated in the coming days. The Swedish Transport Administration points out that the terrain is difficult to access and that a large number of carriages have derailed.
There is no forecast for when trains can start running on the route again.
The derailment halts train traffic between Borås and Gothenburg. In addition, train traffic on the Gothenburg–Stockholm and Gothenburg–Kalmar routes is halted.
"All departures are affected," Felicia Palombo Daging at SJ's press service told Swedish newswire TT.
No people were injured in the derailment and there should be no dangerous goods in the train's cargo, according to the police.
Swedish vocabulary: solkurva ‒ literally "sun curve," a term referring to the heat of the sun expanding tracks
Social Democrat leader promises to "heal country" in key speech
At her leader speech last night during Almedalen Week, Sweden's annual political festival on the island of Gotland, Social Democrat leader Magdalena Andersson said she is concerned about where the country is heading.
"An icy wind has blown through Sweden. We risk becoming a colder country. Harder. I get so many testimonies about it," she said.
Andersson highlighted xenophobia and anti-Semitism, which she believes not only affects individual citizens but the entire community. She pointed to the rhetoric of the far-right Sweden Democrats, saying that it makes “a difference between people” and warns of what will happen if they become the largest party in the next government.
"The next government that takes office needs to heal our country," she said, and went on to specify, "Step by step, confront extremism, Islamism and anti-Semitism. And let me be crystal clear. I will not back down. I love our country too much for that."
She also paid tribute to Sweden's World Cup team, opening and closing her speech with reference to them, ending by saying that behind the players’ successes were many good conditions, including Sweden’s welfare system, which gave them the opportunity to develop their talent.
"It's not just eleven fantastic guys taking to the field tonight. It's a whole social model. It's a way of life. It's Sweden!" she said.
Around 3,600 people are estimated to have been in the audience for her speech.
Swedish vocabulary: ett sätt att leva ‒ a way of life
The heatwave takes its toll on Sweden – including a high to extremely high risk of ground and forest fires
According to a warning from Sweden's weather agency, SMHI, there is a high to extremely high risk of fires in large parts of Götaland and Svealand from midnight to 11pm on Friday.
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On Gotland there is a high or very high risk on Friday. The warning was issued on Sunday and is valid until further notice.
SMHI urges great caution when lighting fires and using large machines outdoors, which can cause sparks with rapid fire progression as a result.
Fires in power lines can also cause disruptions in the electricity and telecommunications network, SMHI points out.
Starting Thursday afternoon, a fire ban will apply to the entire island of Gotland, where the Almedalen political festival is currently taking place.
Swedish vocabulary: försiktighet ‒ caution
Abolished customs duties on some Mercosur goods can lower food prices this winter
Ground black pepper, grapefruit and certain wines have now been completely exempted from customs duties through the agreement between the Mercosur countries and the EU, which has been provisionally in effect since May 1st of this year.
Mercosur is a trade bloc of South American countries.
Starting in May, EU customs duties were reduced to zero on, for example, certain vehicle parts and ground spices such as black pepper and chili, according to Åsa Sandström, international expert at the Swedish College of Commerce.
However, it is only this winter, during the season when, for example, melons, grapes and apples are imported to Sweden from Mercosur countries, that consumers in Sweden will begin to reap the benefits of the agreement in the form of lower prices in stores, according to Karin Brynell, CEO of the Swedish Grocery Trade.
"When it comes to ground black pepper, the effect will come with a lag, since the pepper sold in stores now was imported into the country several months ago, "she said
Sweden's exports of vehicles, machinery, pharmaceuticals, alcohol and chemicals will in turn be duty-free. This could give the EU and Sweden an edge over the US and China in Latin American countries, according to Anna Stellinger, head of international affairs at the Confederation of Swedish Enterprise.
The agreement could also make the EU less dependent on China regarding access to minerals, she believes.
"The Mercosur countries have rare critical earth metals that they can export and that Swedish companies need in their green transition," said Stellinger.
Swedish vocabulary: jordartsmetaller ‒ earth metals/minerals