India's Modi to visit Sweden for first time since 2018
India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to visit Sweden from May 17th-18th on a European tour which will also see him make stops in the United Arab Emirates, the Netherlands, Norway, and Italy.
Modi is to meet Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson for bilateral talks in Gothenburg, his first visit to Sweden since 2018. He is also set to meet European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Gothenburg.
On May 19th, Modi and Kristersson are both scheduled to participate in an India-Nordic summit in Oslo.
Swedish vocabulary: to visit – att besöka
Swedish small businesses have faith in future despite global turmoil
Sweden's economic slowdown persists, but small businesses are seeing a small glimmer of hope on the horizon, according to the Small Business Barometer, produced by the Swedish Federation of Business Owners, Swedbank and Sparbankerna.
After declining for three consecutive years, the overall economic indicator – based on asking business owners a series of questions about the state of their company and hopes for the future – has risen to +1, up from -13 last autumn – although it remains far from the historical average of +66.
Uncertainty regarding developments in the Middle East and the knock-on impact on energy prices remains high.
Among the surveyed companies, 43 percent describe the situation as worse than normal, while 20 percent consider it better than normal.
The barometer is based on responses from 3,000 business owners.
Swedish vocabulary: hope – hopp
Swedish hotel rooms are getting more expensive
Hotel room prices in Sweden rose by 6 percent in April compared to the same period in 2025. At the same time, the number of occupied hotel rooms increased by just over 7 percent, according to new statistics from Benchmarking Alliance.
"The outcome is primarily characterised by increased demand, higher occupancy rates and an increased willingness to pay. One explanation is that the increase mainly occurred on weekdays when business travellers dominate and prices are higher," said Thomas Jakobsson, chief economist for Sweden's hospitality organisation Visita, in a statement.
Meanwhile, booking data for the summer indicates that demand will remain high. The figures show a 7 percent higher booking volume than at the same time last year.
Swedish vocabulary: occupancy rates – beläggningsgrader
Former Sweden Democrat independent charged with drug possession
Katja Nyberg, the former Sweden-Democrat-turned-independent member of parliament, is facing charges of gross unlawful driving, driving under the influence, minor drug offences and drug possession. According to the prosecutor, in addition to cocaine, a hair analysis showed traces of ecstasy and amphetamines. Nyberg herself denies the allegations.
Nyberg was pulled over in her car during the Christmas holidays and officers found a bag containing 1.18 grams of cocaine.
She left the Sweden Democrats shortly thereafter and is currently an independent MP.
According to prosecutor Anders Jakobsson, the strongest evidence consists of analyses from the National Forensic Centre and testimonies from police officers at the scene.
Blood tests, according to Jakobsson, showed traces of narcotics in Nyberg's system in the form of a metabolite that forms after cocaine consumption. In addition to the blood test, a hair analysis was also carried out.
"In the hair sample we took, we found cocaine, ecstasy and amphetamines," he was quoted by the TT newswire as saying.
According to the charge sheet, Nyberg drove again in March despite having lost her licence. She is therefore also charged with gross unlawful driving.
Nyberg admits to unlawful driving but denies the other allegations, saying she denies knowledge of the bag of cocaine found in her handbag. Her lawyer, Martin Orler, said he believes the chances of an acquittal are "realistic".
"I believe there are some circumstances that weaken the prosecutor's evidence. I cannot comment on the details at this time and wish to wait until the trial," he told TT.
Nyberg recently played a major role in the parliamentary vote on the government's citizenship bill, being one of the independents who sided with the opposition in favour of transitional rules.
Swedish vocabulary: to be charged – att åtalas
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