Cheaper food dampens inflation
Inflation according to the CPIF (consumer price index with fixed interest rate) measure fell to 1.3 percent in June, according to a second calculation made by Statistics Sweden (SCB). This can be compared with 1.5 percent in May.
“The monthly increase from May to June showed that there were seasonally normal price increases for package holidays, which were partly offset by fuel prices falling and summer campaigns on clothing,” said Caroline Neander, price statistician at Statistics Sweden, in a press release.
At an annual rate, food prices fell 7 percent, while electricity prices rose 24 percent and fuel prices by 14 percent.
The decline in inflation in June was in line with preliminary calculations by Statistics Sweden from July 8.
The Riksbank's inflation target is CPIF inflation – where the effects of mortgage interest have been removed – at 2.0 percent.
Swedish vocabulary: inflationsmål ‒ inflation target
Sweden's security advisor forgot notes at Nato summit
Government security adviser Niclas Kvarnström forgot a notebook at last week's Nato summit in Turkey, newspaper Dagens Nyheter (DN) has reported.
Government Offices have confirmed the information, but do not want to answer what the notebook contained.
"Niclas Kvarnström has assessed that the notebook does not contain any classified information," press officer Matilda Nehlmark told DN.
Henrik Landerholm, one of Kvarnström's predecessors as national security adviser, resigned in January 2025 after it emerged that he had forgotten documents containing classified information at a conference centre.
Landerholm was acquitted in the district court of the charge of negligence with classified information. The case will be heard in the Court of Appeal in September.
Swedish vocabulary: nationell säkerhetsrådgivare ‒ national security adviser
Law to stop gang adverts comes into force
Gang criminals openly advertise "jobs" online: to carry out murders and explosions for payment.
A law coming into force today requires the adverts to be taken down by the relevant online platforms immediately, at the request of the police.
"The police have had no clear legal support to demand that they be taken down, that is the support we want to create," Gunnar Strömmer, Sweden's justice minister, said, explaining that the law would give Swedish authorities "powerful financial muscles" to pressure online platforms to take down the adverts.
Gang crime adverts often look like regular job ads and appear in chat channels on large platforms. They can be about everything from throwing a hand grenade to shooting someone to death.
DON'T MISS: The Local Games – find the Swedish word in WordroW and crack the daily sudoku
The new law coming into force on Wednesday July 15th means that the police can demand that online platforms take down the adverts as quickly as possible – within an hour at the latest.
If this is not done in time, the companies risk fines of up to five million kronor, depending on the severity of the violation.
With the law, Sweden will be the first in the EU to use legislation aimed at gangs that is similar to the removal of recruitment material for terrorism.
Gang criminals use, among other channels, Tiktok and Snapchat, and then redirect the calls to encrypted services such as Signal, wrote Diana Qudhaib, press spokesperson for the police's national operational department (Noa), to Swedish newswire TT.
Swedish vocabulary: mordannonser ‒ murder advertisements
Heat wave affecting roads, Swedish Transport Administration warns drivers
The Swedish Transport Administration has warned road users to be extra vigilant as a heat wave predicted over the next few days affects road conditions.
"High temperatures can lead to unexpected and dangerous situations in road traffic", the Swedish Transport Administration warned on its website, writing that motorists should be aware of an increased risk of vehicle breakdown as well as "bleeding asphalt," a phenomenon where road grip deteriorates quickly on asphalt that has become overheated.
Newly paved roads are particularly in danger of bleeding asphalt.
Authorities also advise always having water with you in the car and keep an eye on current traffic information.
SMHI has previously issued a yellow warning for high temperatures on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of this week. Stockholm, Jönköping and Karlstad are among the cities that can expect three days where the temperature could reach over 30 degrees.
On Tuesday, the Swedish Transport Administration also announced that certain train routes in Småland and Värmland would be closed due to the risk of 'sun curves' – a phenomenon where heat from the sun expands train tracks, which can cause train derailment.
Swedish vocabulary: blödande asfalt ‒ "bleeding asphalt," a phenomenon where road grip deteriorates quickly on asphalt that has become overheated.
Explosion at apartment building in Hässelby
An explosion occurred at an apartment building in Hässelby in northwest Stockholm shortly after midnight. Police, rescue services and an ambulance were called to the scene.
"At 00.07 we received several calls from residents who heard a loud bang in a residential area. When the police arrived, we were able to establish that an explosion had occurred at a gate," said police spokesperson Per Fahlström.
The police have opened a preliminary investigation into public danger and a serious violation of the Act on Flammable and Explosive Goods. No one has been arrested.
"The crime scene is cordoned off and we will conduct a technical examination and question witnesses," said Fahlström.
No one has been injured in connection with the explosion.
Swedish vocabulary: brottsplatsen ‒ the crime scene