sweden

Swedish Eurovision host city braces for possible protests

by
Swedish Eurovision host city braces for possible protests

The Swedish city of Malmo, hosting the Eurovision Song Contest in May, expects guests from 80 countries and is preparing for possible unrest. The event, which is the world’s biggest music competition of its kind, aims to be non-political. Despite this, the European Broadcasting Union has faced pressure to exclude Israel due to its actions in Gaza but has resisted these calls. Malmo’s Safety Director, Per-Erik Ebbestahl, mentioned there is no direct threat to Eurovision, but the situation could change. Cultural events in Europe have recently been impacted by protests related to the Gaza conflict. Israel modified its Eurovision song to comply with the event’s non-political requirements. Malmo’s Mayor, Katrin Stjernfeldt Jammeh, emphasized the city’s support for democratic expression while acknowledging the potential for disruptive actions. The contest is scheduled for May 7-11.

Cypriots can, ’t get rid of the blues

by
Cypriots can, ’t get rid of the blues

– Cyprus ranked 50th in the World Happiness Report, falling four spots from the previous year.
– The report covers 143 countries and notes Cyprus’s decline in happiness rankings over the past two years, from a high of 41st place.
– According to the report, younger people in Cyprus (under 30s) rank 51st in happiness, while those over 60 rank 57th.
– Finland is ranked as the happiest country for the fourth consecutive year, followed by Denmark, Iceland, and Sweden.
– Cyprus ranks higher in happiness than neighboring countries Greece (64th) and Turkey (98th).
– Afghanistan is ranked as the least happy country, with Lebanon, Lesotho, Sierra Leone, and the Congo also in the bottom five.

33 countries to meet in Cyprus for Gaza aid summit

by
33 countries to meet in Cyprus for Gaza aid summit

A total of 33 countries, four organizations, and two NGOs have confirmed their participation in an international summit on March 21st to address the food crisis in Gaza. The countries include the United States, United Kingdom, France, United Arab Emirates, Italy, Greece, Spain, Switzerland, Portugal, Poland, Brazil, Denmark, Czech Republic, Israel, Australia, Germany, Bulgaria, Singapore, Netherlands, Slovenia, Japan, Canada, Malta, Qatar, Hungary, Belgium, Latvia, Luxembourg, Austria, Ireland, Sweden, Finland, Slovakia, and Cyprus as the host. The organizations are the European Union, the United Nations, USAID, and WHO. The NGOs are WCK and FOGBOW. Approximately 100 attendees are expected to be physically present at the summit.

Swedish visitor declared Ayia Napa tourism ambassador

by
Swedish visitor declared Ayia Napa tourism ambassador

A regular visitor from Sweden, Nils Ove Hallin, has been honored with the title of ‘Tourism Ambassador of Ayia Napa’ after his 25th visit to the resort town. This recognition was given by the Municipality of Ayia Napa, and Hallin was honored at the Ayia Napa Municipal Hall by the cultural officer, Maria Tofini Tsantila, who presented him with a commemorative plaque and the badge of ‘Tourism Ambassador’. The municipality expressed gratitude for his numerous visits and special preference for Ayia Napa, considering him not just a visitor but a citizen of the town.

Raouna heads to Brussels for the EU general affairs council

by
Raouna heads to Brussels for the EU general affairs council

Deputy Minister for Europe Marilena Raouna will travel to Brussels to participate in the EU General Affairs Council’s deliberations and meet with counterparts. The council’s agenda includes examining a report on its contributions to the European Semester 2024, debating the Future of Europe, and preparing for the European Council meeting on March 21-22, 2024, which will address security and defence, Russian aggression in Ukraine, the Middle East situation, and enlargement issues. Raouna will also meet the Minister for European Affairs of France and Sweden, participate in an extraordinary meeting of the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the European Parliament on EU enlargement policy challenges, and meet with the Secretary General of the European Parliament, Alessandro Chiocchetti.

Zara-owner Inditex shares rise to record high on spring season boost

by
Zara-owner Inditex shares rise to record high on spring season boost

– Inditex’s shares rose to a record high after reporting positive early spring sales.
– Sales at constant currencies for Feb. 1 to March 11 jumped 11 percent.
– Annual sales rose 10 percent to a record 36 billion euros in the year to January 2024.
– Inditex’s revenue growth in 2023 topped that of rival H&M.
– The company plans to open Zara stores in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and Cambridge, Massachusetts, and the first Massimo Dutti store in Miami.
– Inditex has widened its lead over H&M by delivering trends faster and selling more clothes at higher prices.
– H&M reported a 4 percent drop in December and January sales.
– Inditex’s sales growth has slowed compared to the previous year, with a 13.5 percent increase in the first half of spring 2023.
– The company posted an annual net profit of 5.4 billion euros, up 30 percent on the year.
– Inditex plans to invest 900 million euros per year through 2025 on logistics.
– It will spend a total of 1.8 billion euros this year on expanding store space by 5 percent, technology, and improving online platforms in 2024.
– Inditex will start weekly livestreaming shopping services for Zara in the U.S. and UK.
– The company will expand its second-hand business to the U.S. after launching in the UK in 2022.
– Inditex had 5,692 stores worldwide in 2023, 123 fewer than the previous year.
– Inventories in January were 7 percent lower year-on-year.
– The company will increase its dividend payout by 28 percent to 1.54 euros per share.
– Zara began raising prices earlier than H&M in response to inflation and to offer high-fashion pieces.
– Over the last two years, Zara has increased average prices at a slower pace than H&M and others.
– Investors expect Inditex to continue to outperform H&M, with the Spanish group having a higher valuation than peers like H&M, Gap, and Next.

Cabinet approves subsidy for relatives of patients sent abroad

by
Cabinet approves subsidy for relatives of patients sent abroad

The Cabinet of Cyprus approved a plan to cover the travel, accommodation, and food expenses of one family member accompanying a patient sent abroad for medical treatment. This coverage is for families with an annual household income of under €100,000 and for all minor patients regardless of income. The policy will start next Tuesday and is expected to cost €4.5 million annually. Last year, 1,523 patients from Cyprus were sent abroad for treatment to countries including Germany, Israel, France, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Sweden, and Greece, for various specialized treatments. The Health Ministry has developed collaborations with leading hospitals across Europe to facilitate these treatments.

Britain says new gas plants needed to keep the lights on

by
Britain says new gas plants needed to keep the lights on

Britain is proposing to build new gas plants to improve energy security and risks facing blackouts without them. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) stated that new gas plants will be needed beyond 2030. Energy Minister Claire Coutinho is expected to outline a new strategy for gas, emphasizing the need for gas to back up renewables to avoid blackouts. Critics argue that this approach could hinder the country’s goal of reaching net zero emissions by 2050 and increase reliance on expensive fossil fuels. Currently, about a third of Britain’s electricity comes from gas plants. DESNZ also proposed a zonal market for electricity pricing, where consumers would pay different rates based on their location relative to power generators. This method is already used in some European countries like Italy, Sweden, and Norway. These announcements are part of a consultation into the Review of Electricity Market Arrangements (REMA) launched in 2022.

Police remove Greta Thunberg from blocking Swedish parliament

by
Police remove Greta Thunberg from blocking Swedish parliament

Swedish police forcibly removed Greta Thunberg and other climate activists from blocking the entrance to the Swedish parliament on a Tuesday. The activists were protesting for the second consecutive day against climate change and political inaction. Thunberg, 21, known for initiating a global youth movement for climate action starting in 2018, has been detained or removed from protests in Sweden, Norway, and Germany in the past year. A British court recently acquitted her of a public order offence related to a protest in London.

Cabinet to discuss subsidy for families of patients sent abroad

by
Cabinet to discuss subsidy for families of patients sent abroad

President Nikos Christodoulides announced that the cabinet will discuss a plan to subsidize travel, accommodation, and food expenses for those accompanying people sent abroad for medical treatment. Additionally, a proposal to create a “patient advocate” will be discussed. Christodoulides emphasized the goal of eliminating the need to send patients abroad as a measure of success for the government and Cyprus, highlighting the importance of providing quality health services domestically. Health Minister Michalis Damianos reported that 1,523 patients were sent abroad from Cyprus last year for various specialized treatments, underlining the state’s responsibility to support these patients and the necessity of international collaborations for immediate patient transfer when needed.