Shooting in central Uppsala leaves three dead
Police in Sweden were searching for one or more gunmen on Tuesday night after three people were shot dead at Vaksala Square in central Uppsala on Tuesday evening.
The shooting took place shortly after 5pm at the square, just a few blocks from Uppsala Central Station.
Witnesses said the shooter arrived on an electric scooter and opened fire at a hair salon.
At 7.25pm, Uppsala police confirmed in a written statement that three people had been killed and that they had launched a murder investigation.
Sweden's public broadcaster SVT reported on Wednesday morning that one of the victims had been investigated as part of the investigation into the planned murder of a relative of the gang leader Ismail Abdo.
Abdo, the former right-hand man of gang leader Rawa Majid, at the end of 2022 entered a gang conflict against his former boss, leading to a spate of murders throughout 2023 that saw relatives and loved ones targeted.
Swedish vocabulary: en utredning – an investigation
Swedish minister faces scrutiny over undisclosed Betsson shares
Sweden’s Education Minister Johan Pehrson is under fire following revelations that he held shares in gambling firm Betsson while participating in government decisions related to the gaming sector.
According to the public broadcaster Sveriges Radio, Pehrson failed to declare the holding to the government offices, breaching ministerial reporting laws. Legal expert Joakim Nergelius warned that the omission posed an unchecked risk of conflict of interest.
Ekot identified eight separate failures to report financial holdings between 2022 and 2024. Pehrson, who is set to step down as leader of the Liberal Party in June, defended his actions in a Facebook post, calling it a mistake and noting he had declared the shares in 2023 and 2025.
He added he had not purchased any stock since becoming a minister. The opposition Left Party has filed a complaint with the constitutional committee. The Betsson shares were reportedly worth 13,000 kronor at the start of 2024.
Swedish vocabulary: aktier – shares
Liberal youth wing backs Pourmokhtari as next leader
The youth and student wings of Sweden's Liberal Party have backed Climate Minister Romina Pourmokhtari to succeed Johan Pehrson, who announced his resignation on Monday.
In a joint statement, both Liberala ungdomsförbundet (LUF) and Liberala studenter (Liberal Students) endorsed the 29-year-old minister.
Anton Holmlund, chair of the youth wing, described Pourmokhtari as a leader who could "restore the party's self-confidence and deliver modern, liberal solutions.”
The student organisation's leader, Emil Carlsson, emphasised the need for a clear reform agenda and drew a red line against future collaboration with the far-right Sweden Democrats.
Swedish vocabulary: självförtroende – self-confidence
Sweden considers mandatory preschool from age three
A government inquiry is set to call for mandatory preschool attendance for all children from the age of three upwards, as part of a push to strengthen integration and improve early learning outcomes.
Gulan Avci, the national coordinator on integration, told Sweden's public radio broadcaster SR that a forthcoming report to the government will recommend the move.
“Voluntarism has reached its limit,” Avci said, arguing that children’s right to a solid start in life must outweigh parental choice.
The proposed scheme would provide 30 hours of weekly, tuition-free preschool. While 95 percent of Swedish three-year-olds already attend preschool, participation rates are significantly lower in disadvantaged communities, Avci noted.
Swedish vocabulary: frivilligheten – voluntarism
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