Tag Archive: Sweden


Date  March 29, 2013

Philip Dorling

The  Sydney Morning  Herald

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Julian AssangeTurmoil surrounding case in Sweden: Julian Assange. Photo: AP

The top Swedish prosecutor pursuing sexual assault charges against Julian Assange has abruptly left the case and one of Mr Assange’s accusers has sacked her lawyer.

The turmoil in the Swedish Prosecution Authority’s effort to extradite Mr Assange comes as another leading Swedish judge prepares to deliver an unprecedented public lecture in Australia next week on the WikiLeaks publisher’s case.

The Swedish Prosecution Authority wants to extradite Mr Assange to have him questioned in Stockholm in relation to sexual assault allegations by two women.

Anna ArdinAlleged victim: Political activist Anna Ardin.

Fairfax Media has obtained Swedish court documents that reveal high-profile Swedish prosecutor Marianne Nye has unexpectedly left Mr Assange’s case from Wednesday, and has been replaced by a less-experienced prosecutor, Ingrid Isgren. The reasons for the change have not been disclosed yet.

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Assange legal shakeup: Prosecutor walks, Supreme Court judge to speak out on case

RT

Published time: March 28, 2013 14:43
Edited time: March 28, 2013 15:38

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange (Reuters/Luke MacGregor)

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange (Reuters/Luke MacGregor)

The lead Swedish prosecutor pursuing sexual assault charges against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is no longer handling the case, media reports revealed. Her departure comes as a top Swedish judge is set to speak publicly on the ‘Assange affair.’

Recent court documents have revealed that starting Wednesday, high-profile Swedish prosecutor Marianne Nye will no longer be at the helm of the case against Assange, the Sydney Morning Herald reported. Nye will be replaced by her far less experienced colleague Ingrid Isgren; the reasons for her departure have not been disclosed.

However, according to a Swedish newspaper report, Nye “has not quit the Assange case formally rather that there is a new ‘investigator,’” WikiLeaks tweeted on Thursday.

Meanwhile, Anna Ardin, one of two women who accused Julian Assange of sex crimes, also moved to fire her controversial lawyer Claes Borgstrom late last month after she lost faith in his ability to represent her.

Ardin charged that Borgstrom was more interested in being in the media spotlight than providing her legal counsel, and has often referred her inquiries to his secretary or assistant. The court has approved Ardin’s new lawyer, Elisabeth Massi Fritz, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.

Borgstrom reportedly supported his former client’s decision, saying that “in cases concerning sexual offenses, it is particularly important that the plaintiff has confidence in the lawyer representing her,” Swedish tabloid Expressen quoted him as saying.

News of the legal shakeup in the Assange case comes less than a week before Swedish Supreme Court judge Stefan Lindskog’s lecture at the University of Adelaide on the “Assange affair, and freedom of speech, from the Swedish perspective.”

Assange blasted Justice Lindskog – who is chair of the Supreme Court of Sweden, the country’s highest court of appeal – for his decision to publicly discuss the case.

“If an Australian High Court judge came out and spoke on a case the court expected or was likely to judge, it would be regarded as absolutely outrageous,” he told Fairfax media.

 

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Ecuador raises Julian Assange case with Labour

Diplomat brings up subject of WikiLeaks founder taking refuge in embassy at meeting with Kerry McCarthy MP

Julian Assange Ecuador embassy

Julian Assange has been holed up in the Ecuadorean embassy since June 2012. Photograph: Facundo Arrizabalaga/EPA

Ecuadorean diplomats have raised the case of Julian Assange with the Labour party as part of attempts to lay the groundwork for a resolution of the diplomatic standoff between Britain and the South American state over the WikiLeaks’ founder.

As part of its continuing search for an end to the impasse, Ecuador has been seeking a commitment from the coalition that it would not support Assange’s onward extradition to the US should he choose to go to Sweden to face allegations of rape and sexual assault.

In an indication that the Ecuadoreans are now also setting their sights on a possible change of government after the 2015 election, Ecuador’s ambassador, Ana Alban, raised Assange’s case during a meeting with the shadow foreign minister, Kerry McCarthy.

The meeting had been requested by Ecuador to discuss environmental issues and bilateral trade, and the Labour side were taken by surprise when the Australian’s case was raised by the Ecuadoreans towards the end of the meeting.

A Labour source was eager to distance the party from the issue, saying: “The meeting was on the basis of a discussion about other issues and was one part of a series of regular contact meetings with foreign governments in London.

 

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Americans who received swine flu vaccines are at risk for paralysis disorders

 

flu

Wednesday, March 20, 2013 by: Jonathan Benson, staff writer

(NaturalNews) The federal government has once again been exposed for lying about the safety of the infamous swine flu vaccine, also known as H1N1. According to a new study published in the journal The Lancet, people who received the swine flu vaccine during the 2009-2010 pandemic hoax were at an elevated risk of developing a potentially-deadly paralysis disorder known as Guillain-Barre syndrome, or GBS.

Based on data collected from six different adverse event reporting systems, including the core vaccine safety datalink and several new surveillance systems created by Medicare and the U.S. Department of Defense and Veterans Affairs, researchers found that among the 23 million people who were vaccinated during the scare, an additional 1.6 cases of GBS were observed per one million people vaccinated.

According to statistics presented by TIME.com, one in 100,000 people is said to develop GBS, which is a relatively small amount overall. But the widespread issuance of the H1N1 vaccine was responsible for triggering an additional 77 reported cases of the autoimmune disorder, some of which manifested up to 91 days after individuals received the vaccine.

The findings contrast sharply with false reassurances made back in 2009 by many so-called medical experts. Dr. Paul A. Offit, the infamous “vaccine expert” who outspokenly believes children can safely receive 10,000 vaccinations at once without issue, is quoted in a 2009 article in The New York Times (NYT) as doubting any link between the swine flu vaccine and GBS.
(http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/09/health/09vaccine.html)

But the numbers speak for themselves, and they more than likely represent just a small fraction of the total number of vaccine injuries caused by the swine flu vaccine. After all, adverse event reporting systems are believed to represent as few as one percent of the total number of vaccine injuries that actually occur, the vast majority of which never get reported.

 

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Increased Risk Of Sleep Disorder In Children Who Received Swine Flu Vaccine

Article Date: 26 Feb 2013 – 16:00 PST

Medical News Today

Current ratings for:
Increased Risk Of Sleep Disorder In Children Who Received Swine Flu Vaccine

Results consistent with findings from Finland and Sweden, but may still be overestimated

A study published on bmj.com today finds an increased risk of narcolepsy in children and adolescents who received the A/H1N1 2009 influenza vaccine (Pandemrix) during the pandemic in England.

The results are consistent with previous studies from Finland and Sweden and indicate that the association is not confined to Scandinavian populations. However, the authors stress that the risk may still be overestimated, and they call for longer term monitoring of the cohort of children and adolescents exposed to Pandemrix to evaluate the exact level of risk.

In 2009, pandemic influenza A (H1N1) virus spread rapidly, resulting in millions of cases and over 18,000 deaths in over 200 countries. In England the vaccine Pandemrix was introduced in October 2009. By March 2010, around one in four (24%) of healthy children aged under 5 and just over a third (37%) aged 2-15 in a risk group had been vaccinated.

In August 2010 concerns were raised in Finland and Sweden about a possible association between narcolepsy and Pandemrix. And in 2012 a study from Finland reported a 13-fold increased risk in children and young people aged 4-19.

But a lack of reported cases in other countries led to speculation that any possible association might be restricted to these Scandinavian populations.

 

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Swine Flu Vaccine Linked To Rare Paralyzing Disease

Editor’s Choice
Academic Journal

Article Date: 14 Mar 2013 – 0:00 PDT
Medical News Today

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Swine Flu Vaccine Linked To Rare Paralyzing Disease

A new study finds that the H1N1 (swine flu) vaccine in the U.S., which was given out in 2009, was associated with a small increased risk of developing the rare paralyzing disease Guillain-Barré syndrome. However, the authors note that the benefits of the vaccine outweigh the risks.

Guillain Barré syndrome is a disorder which affects the peripheral nervous system, it is characterized as symmetrical weakness, usually affecting the lower limbs first and then progressing to other parts of the body.

The syndrome occurs when the body attacks nerves which are essential for movement and respiration. Although the condition is serious and can take months to recover from, almost 80% of patients end up making a full recovery.

The study, which was published in The Lancet, aimed to identify whether there was any link between the mass 2009 H1N1 vaccination programe in the USA and increased risk of developing Guillain Barré syndrome.

They gathered data from six different adverse event monitoring systems to evaluate the safety of the H1N1 vaccine. The researchers, led by Dr Daniel Salmon, of the National Vaccine Program Office, US Department of Health and Human Services, looked at the prevalence of Guillain-Bare syndrome among the 23 million people who were vaccinated.

 

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Czech Republic officials say traces of horse meat were discovered in frozen packages of meatballs sent to their country for sale at furniture giant Ikea. NBCNews.com’s Dara Brown reports.

By Juergen Baetz and Karel Janicek, The Associated Press

Traces of horse have been found in meatballs labeled as beef and pork for Swedish global furniture giant Ikea, according to authorities in the Czech Republic.

The horse meat was found in one-kilogram packs of frozen meat balls made in Sweden and shipped to the Czech Republic for sale in Ikea stores there, the Czech State Veterinary Administration said.

It is the latest discovery in a deepening scandal over the discovery of horse meat in ready meals sold as beef in supermarkets in Ireland, the UK and other European countries.

Markus Schreiber / AP, file

Ikea furniture stores also sell typical Swedish food.

A total of 1,675 pounds of the meatballs were stopped from reaching the shelves.

Ikea’s furniture stores feature restaurants and also sell food typical of the company’s home country, including the so-called Kottbullar meat balls.

It was not immediately clear whether Ikea exported the same product to other countries. Calls seeking comment from Ikea in Sweden were not immediately returned Monday.

The Czech authority also found horse meat in beef burgers imported from Poland during random tests of food products.

Authorities across Europe have started doing random DNA checks after traces of horse meat turned up in frozen supermarket meals such as burgers and lasagna beginning last month.

 

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Uploaded on Jan 13, 2012

Researchers in Sweden have identified a potential link between eating processed meat and pancreatic cancer.

According to the findings by the Karolinska Institute, the risk of getting the disease increases by 19 per cent for every 50grammes of processed meat – two rashers of bacon – consumed daily.

Each extra portion will increase the danger, so that eating 100grammes will double the percentage of risk. Though disease is considered rare, it is usually only identified in its advanced stage leading to the deaths of 80 per cent of those diagnosed in under a year.

Al Jazeera’s Charlie Angela reports from London.

Earth Watch Report  -  Nuclear  Event

Sweden's Ringhals atomic power station (AFP Photo / Bjorn Larsson Rosvall / Sweden out)

Sweden’s Ringhals atomic power station (AFP Photo / Bjorn Larsson Rosvall / Sweden out)

Today Nuclear Event Sweden Varberg Municipality, Gothenburg [Ringhals Nuclear Power Plant] Damage level
Details

Nuclear Event in Sweden on Saturday, 22 December, 2012 at 04:24 (04:24 AM) UTC.

Description
Swedish authorities have ordered the shutdown of a reactor at its largest nuclear power plant near Gothenburg following a seawater leak. The leak is the latest in a string of similar incidents that have plagued the Swedish nuclear industry. -”There is no safety problem” at Reactor 4 of the Ringhals plant, nuclear authority inspector Jan Gallsjo said. However, the presence of saltwater in the pressurized water system is an irregularity that needs to be repaired, Gallsjo added. The Ringhals power station is located on Sweden’s southwest coast near Gothenburg, the country’s second largest city. Earlier this month, the Radiation Safety Authority ordered the shutdown of reactor O2 at the Oskarshamn plant due to safety concerns, the Local reported. Several days later, an investigation found cracks in two of the 10 pools in which nuclear waste is stored. Nuclear waste management contractor SKB was ordered to review security and safety requirements before the reactor can be brought back online. A report published in October by environmental organization Greenpeace heavily criticized safety conditions at Sweden’s nuclear plants.

The plants, which were built in the 1970s and 1980s, are being pushed to create more energy, which is putting a strain on the facilities. Rather than taking steps to guarantee the safety of the aging stations, plant operators seem to be motivated by “financial gains,” Lindahl said. The Ringhal station had been slammed earlier for not having sufficient protection against earthquakes and floods, according to the report. It now seems that the Forsmark and Oskarshamn plants face the same threats from natural disasters. Security against terrorist attacks is also lacking, the report explained. During a protest in October aimed at drawing attention to the security issues, Greenpeace activists managed to infiltrate the Ringhal and Forsmark plants, spending the night evading security. They were only discovered when Greenpeace informed the media the next day.

 

Julian Assange: Wikileaks to release ‘million more files in 2013′

Julian Assange: ”My work will not be cowed”

In a speech from a balcony at the Ecuadorean embassy in London, he said the files to be published in 2013 would affect “every country in this world”.

It is six months since he sought asylum to avoid extradition to Sweden over sexual assault claims, which he denies.

He fears being sent to the US and being punished for leaking diplomatic files.

A crowd of some 80 supporters gathered outside the building, in Knightsbridge, to listen to the 41-year-old Australian – whose website published a mass of leaked cables embarrassing a number of countries.

In his statement, Mr Assange said the US Pentagon had recently described the existence of Wikileaks as an “ongoing crime”.

Addressing supporters – some of whom carried candles – the Australian said: “While that remains the case and while my government will not defend the journalism and publishing of Wikileaks, I must remain here.

“However, the door is open, and the door has always been open, for anyone who wishes to use standard procedures to speak to me or guarantee my safe passage.”

He also said 2012 had been a “huge year” for the organisation.

During the speech, Mr Assange saluted journalists who reported arrests around the world, adding: “It is from the revelation of the truth that all else follows… our civilisation is only as strong as its ideas are true.”

 

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Food Safety Report  -  Biological Hazards

English: The biological hazard risk symbol on ...

English: The biological hazard risk symbol on yellow background (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 ImageSource

Today Biological Hazard Sweden Norrbotten, Lulea Damage level Details

Biological Hazard in Sweden on Thursday, 20 December, 2012 at 13:33 (01:33 PM) UTC.

Description
Christmas dinner was spoiled at a restaurant in Sweden’s far north after suspected food poisoning left over 70 diners doubled over with illness. The Christmas buffet on the BBB ferry in Lulea made 75 people from five different companies sick in the past week, according to the local Norrbottens Kuriren newspaper. This equates to one in three diners since last Tuesday. “This is clearly food poisoning, I can say this much without even seeing the results from our tests,” said Anders Osterlund, an infectious disease doctor in Norbotten, to the paper. Diners complained of stomach illness and fever. “This is the worst thing that can happen at a restaurant, that guests get food poisoning. What’s happened is strange because we are very careful, all leftovers are thrown away,” said Johan Isaksson who works at the restaurant. “And we have rigorous rules when it comes to personal hygiene.” According to the paper, the same food was served at another restaurant but no one reported falling ill. After an investigation by authorities, the restaurant has stopped serving their Christmas buffet.
Biohazard name: Mass. Food poisoning
Biohazard level: 1/4 Low
Biohazard desc.: Bacteria and viruses including Bacillus subtilis, canine hepatitis, Escherichia coli, varicella (chicken pox), as well as some cell cultures and non-infectious bacteria. At this level precautions against the biohazardous materials in question are minimal, most likely involving gloves and some sort of facial protection. Usually, contaminated materials are left in open (but separately indicated) waste receptacles. Decontamination procedures for this level are similar in most respects to modern precautions against everyday viruses (i.e.: washing one’s hands with anti-bacterial soap, washing all exposed surfaces of the lab with disinfectants, etc). In a lab environment, all materials used for cell and/or bacteria cultures are decontaminated via autoclave.
Symptoms:
Status: confirmed

Earth Watch Report  -  Extreme Weather

A Boeing 737-600 Scandinavian Airlines, SAS, plane having ice cleared from its fuselage as it stands at terminal 5, Arland airport outside Stockholm, Wednesday Dec. 5, 2012.  Only one runway track is open due to the heavy snow fall and many flights have been canceled. (AP Photo / Johan Nilsson / SCANPIX)  SWEDEN OUT

A Boeing 737-600 Scandinavian Airlines, SAS, plane having ice cleared from its fuselage as it stands at terminal 5, Arland airport outside Stockholm, Wednesday Dec. 5, 2012. Only one runway track is open due to the heavy snow fall and many flights have been canceled. (AP Photo / Johan Nilsson / SCANPIX) SWEDEN OUT

Johan Nilsson / AP

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1 06.12.2012 Snow Storm Sweden Capital City, Stockholm Damage level
Details

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Snow Storm in Sweden on Wednesday, 05 December, 2012 at 11:13 (11:13 AM) UTC.

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Updated: Thursday, 06 December, 2012 at 06:03 UTC
Description
The snowy weather has caused traffic chaos in Sweden’s capital city of Stockholm as flights and local traffic were badly affected on Wednesday. The snow had covered the whole city by about at least 30 centimeters and flights were largely canceled because of the bad weather, affecting around 60,000 travelers. Almost all the buses in Stockholm had stopped running, and the metro kept being delayed due to the continually falling snow. Thousands of people suffered power failure and schools were also closed. The Swedish Traffic Administration advised people to drive their own cars if they had to go out. On Wednesday afternoon there were thousands of people waiting at the train station in Stockholm center as over 40 departures had been canceled.

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Earth Watch Report  -  Extreme Weather

A Boeing 737-600 Scandinavian Airlines, SAS, plane having ice cleared from its fuselage as it stands at terminal 5, Arland airport outside Stockholm, Wednesday Dec. 5, 2012.  Only one runway track is open due to the heavy snow fall and many flights have been canceled. (AP Photo / Johan Nilsson / SCANPIX)  SWEDEN OUT

 

A Boeing 737-600 Scandinavian Airlines, SAS, plane having ice cleared from its fuselage as it stands at terminal 5, Arland airport outside Stockholm, Wednesday Dec. 5, 2012. Only one runway track is open due to the heavy snow fall and many flights have been canceled. (AP Photo / Johan Nilsson / SCANPIX) SWEDEN OUT

Johan Nilsson / AP

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05.12.2012 Snow Storm Sweden Capital City, Stockholm Damage level
Details

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Snow Storm in Sweden on Wednesday, 05 December, 2012 at 11:13 (11:13 AM) UTC.

Description
Swedish authorities say flights from the Scandinavian country’s main airport in Stockholm have been grounded because of a blizzard that has hit central parts of the country. Operator Swedavia spokesman Klas Nilsson says one runway remains open for arriving flights, but delays are expected. Some 20 centimeters (8 inches) of snow fell on Stockholm overnight Wednesday. Nilsson says that “the extreme weather” is expected to continue for several hours. He has no immediate figures on how many passengers were affected but says some 50,000 people travel through Arlanda daily. The Swedish news agecy TT says that Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt and Education Minister Jan Bjorklunds had to cancel visits to various parts of Sweden because of the weather.

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Entire City of Kiruna, Sweden to Relocate

By Barbro Plogander
Epoch Times Staff

 

Aerial image of Kiruna, Sweden. To expand the largest iron ore mine in the world, Swedish mining company Luossavaara-Kiirunavaara Aktiebolag (LKAB) will pay to move the entire city of Kiruna. (Photo Courtesy of Kiruna Kommun)

Aerial image of Kiruna, Sweden. To expand the largest iron ore mine in the world, Swedish mining company Luossavaara-Kiirunavaara Aktiebolag (LKAB) will pay to move the entire city of Kiruna. (Photo Courtesy of Kiruna Kommun)

GOTHENBURG, Sweden—The city of Kiruna at the northern tip of Sweden, home to 23,000 residents, sits atop the world’s largest iron ore mine. With an increase in worldwide demand for the resource, state-owned mining company Luossavaara-Kiirunavaara Aktiebolag (LKAB) is planning to move the entire city to better access the ore.

Ulrika Isaksson, information officer for the municipality of Kiruna, says that the city will move in stages over a long period of time. The first stage will involve moving the city center about 1.5 km (0.9 miles) northeast.

“We’re not quite sure about how it will happen, and this is because LKAB has to negotiate separately with everyone who owns a building in the area,” she said.

Next year, LKAB will open up a new main level at the Kiruna mine, at a depth of 1,492 yards (1,365 meters), and this is what has forced the city to move, according to Anders Lindberg, information officer at LKAB.

“We have looked at how much of the city will be affected when we go down to that level. It will take us between 20 and 25 years, and 3,000 houses will be affected during that period,” Lindberg said.

According to Swedish law, LKAB is economically responsible for the move. Lindberg lives in Kiruna himself, and used his own situation as an example of what the process of buying out the house owners can look like.

The difficult part is walking into people’s homes and telling them that they have to move.

—Anders Lindberg, Information Officer, LKAB

“LKAB will buy my house within ten years from now,” he said. “After that, I will still stay there as a tenant. LKAB is seeking a mining permit in my area, which means they must buy all of the houses in that area. When they eventually start mining, it will probably take 10–15 years for the ground to be affected to such a degree that I have to move.”

The moving of 3,000 households takes some serious planning. Much of the infrastructure is already in place, with new roads, a new railroad, and utilities. An area of 140 households is currently being emptied because of its proximity to the cracks that have already formed in the mountain from the mining, but so far, no houses have been demolished or moved.

LKAB has put aside 6 billion SEK (about $900 million) thus far for the restructuring of the entire community. Anders Lindberg says that LKAB’s profits are so large that the move is well within its technical and financial capacity.

The difficult part is walking into people’s homes and telling them that they have to move.

“Sure, we give you another nice place to live, but you will never be able to walk around in the area where you grew up, or where you raised your children,” he said.

Isaksson said that an architect competition is underway to decide what the new city center will look like.

“The municipality and LKAB have decided together which buildings of cultural value need to be moved,” she said. “There’s 19 of them, and they will all have a role in the new city.”

Among the buildings to be moved is the beloved red wooden church from 1912, and the house of Hjalmar Lundbohm (1855–1926), the first managing director of LKAB. He is more or less considered the founder of Kiruna, since it was his idea to create this city in the middle of nowhere. He understood that it would be difficult, even with the best of wages, to motivate miners to move to this subarctic wasteland without creating an attractive community for them and their families.

This challenge of creating a place where people will want to live is exactly what faces LKAB and the municipality again today as they plan their big move.

 

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