Sweden

STOCKHOLM (AP) — Swedish police on Saturday dispersed hundreds of people who had gathered in central Stockholm to protest coronavirus restrictions set by the Swedish government.

Swedish authorities said the demonstration — the first major protest against the country’s coronavirus restrictions — was illegal as it was held without permission.

Stockholm police said on their website they decided to cut short the gathering just after it started when the number of participants exceeded the limits for public gatherings under Sweden’s pandemic laws.

STOCKHOLM, February 4. /TASS/: The Russian Sputnik V vaccine against the coronavirus may possibly be used in Sweden as well, the Aftonbladet newspaper reported on Wednesday, citing national vaccination coordinator Richard Bergstrom.

"We had a meeting on this subject and now we will consider it in greater detail," he said. The newspaper noted that the issue of purchasing the Russian vaccine by the EU countries has not been fully resolved yet, however, according to the new data, the preparation has the efficacy of 91%, including people of 60 years of age and older.

STOCKHOLM, January 7. /TASS/: The Danish Energy Agency has received a new schedule from Nord Stream 2 AG for the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline in the kingdom's exclusive economic zone, which is a condition for the continuation of the project, the ministry told TASS on Thursday.

STOCKHOLM, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- Sweden's Public Health Agency has for the first time issued recommendations for wearing face masks on public transport, but only during weekday rush hours.

According to the new guidelines, published on Wednesday, Swedes aged 16 and above should wear face masks on public transport between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m. and between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Mondays through Fridays.

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Swedish telecoms regulator PTS will resume 5G spectrum auctions on Jan. 19, it said on Friday, after winning court approval to proceed even though China’s Huawei is taking legal action over its exclusion from 5G networks.

A Swedish court on Wednesday backed an appeal by PTS against a ruling to stop the auction, but also said telecoms equipment supplier Huawei could pursue a legal challenge over its exclusion from the country’s 5G rollout.

STOCKHOLM, Dec. 18 (Xinhua) -- Sweden's King Carl XVI Gustaf has criticized the Swedish government's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, Swedish Television reported on Thursday.

"I believe we have failed. We have a high number of deaths and that is terrible," the king said in an annual review known as "the year with the Swedish Royal Family," which will be broadcast on Swedish Television next week.

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) -A Swedish appeals court on Wednesday said telecoms regulator PTS would be able to conduct 5G spectrum auctions, setting aside an earlier ruling, though it remained an option for Chinese telecom equipment maker Huawei to appeal the decision.

PTS said last month it was halting 5G spectrum auctions and appealing a court decision to suspend parts of its earlier decision, in which it followed Britain in banning Huawei equipment from 5G networks, citing national security risks.

STOCKHOLM, December 9. /TASS/: The Danish prosecution has accused a Russian national permanently residing in Denmark of espionage, the press release by the Danish Prosecution Service informs.

"The prosecution has presented charges in accordance with Article 108 of the Criminal Code. The defendant, who has been in custody since early July 2020, is suspected, among other things, of sharing Danish energy technologies with the Russian intelligence," the message informs.

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Swedish telecoms regulator PTS will appeal a court decision against its plan to exclude Chinese telecom equipment maker Huawei from its 5G networks.

PTS on Monday halted 5G spectrum auctions after a court suspended parts of its earlier decision, in which it followed Britain in banning Huawei equipment from 5G networks, citing national security risks.

The Chinese company had appealed against PTS’ decision to exclude it, saying it wanted a court to check if it had been taken according to the law.

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg hit back at Donald Trump on Twitter late on Thursday saying the U.S. president should “chill” about the election, a riposte to his tweet last year mocking the teenager over what he called her anger management issues.