Sweden

09 June 2008 -- A Swedish research organization says global military spending has increased 45 percent over the past decade, while noting increased support for new arms control talks.

In its annual report, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute says international military spending reached nearly $1.4 trillion in 2007 - a six percent increase from the previous year. Arms sales by leading manufacturers during the same period jumped eight percent.

Commenting on the data, institute chief Bates Gill said there is growing urgency around the globe to bring a mainstream momentum to arms control. He also said disarmament by the largest nuclear powers - the United States and Russia - could play a critical role in spurring reduced military spending elsewhere in the world.    » read more »

May 13, 2008 -- LANSING - Lt. Governor John D. Cherry, Jr., representing Michigan Governor Jennifer M. Granholm, today announced that the city of Flint and alternative energy leader Swedish Biogas International (SBI) will undertake a project to produce alternative energy from waste removed from the city's wastewater treatment plant.

The plant will produce biogas - an alternative energy that can fuel vehicles and generate heat and electricity. Granholm called the announcement of the plant "a major building block in creating the state's alternative energy industry" and said that it will lay the groundwork for creating jobs in the industry.    » read more »

Geneva, Switzerland, 9 April 2008 - Denmark is the most networked economy in the world, followed by Sweden and Switzerland, according to The Global Information Technology Report 2007-2008, released today by the World Economic Forum. Among the top ten, the Republic of Korea (9) and, to a lesser extent, the United States (4) post the most notable improvements (moving up 10 and 3 positions, respectively).

World Economic Forum Networked Readiness Index 2007-2008    » read more »

March 17, 2008, Beverly Hills, CA — A weekend-long salute featuring five of director Ingmar Bergman’s Academy Award®-nominated and winning films will be presented by the Academybeginning Friday, April 4, at 7 p.m. at the Academy’s Linwood Dunn Theater in Hollywood.    » read more »

14 February 2008 -- Iron Maiden’s year has got off to a roaring start with the February 4th release of the band’s long-awaited DVD Live After Death smashing straight into the UK music DVD charts at Number One not only outpacing its nearest competitor by three to one, but outselling the rest of the Top 6 combined!    » read more »

06 November 2007 -- The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) has narrowed the field to three finalists for the men's and women's 2007 World Athlete of the Year awards.

Chinese hurdler Liu Xiang, marathon world record holder Haile Gebrselassie of Ethiopia, and world sprint champion Tyson Gay of the United States are in the running for the men's award.

The women's nominees include Swedish heptathlon champion Carolina Kluft, Ethiopian distance runner Meseret Defar and Croatian high-jumper Blanka Vlasic.    » read more »

November 1, 2007 -- DETROIT - Michigan Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today met in Lansing with the Swedish Minister of Agriculture, Mr. Eskil Erlandsson, where they discussed a variety of issues important to their respective governments, including forestry and the expansion of the alternative energy industry to create jobs in Michigan. Erlandsson also met with Michigan Department of Agriculture Director Don Koivisto and officials from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) to discuss expanding economic development partnerships.    » read more »

Germany, Singapore, Japan and the United Kingdom among the top ten

Geneva, Switzerland, 31 October 2007 – The United States tops the overall ranking in The Global Competitiveness Report 2007-2008, released today by the World Economic Forum. Switzerland is in second position followed by Denmark, Sweden, Germany, Finland and Singapore, respectively.    » read more »

October 25, 2007 -- DETROIT - Michigan Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today met in Detroit with the newly-appointed Swedish Ambassador to the United States, Jonas Hafström, where they discussed a variety of issues important to their respective governments, including expansion of the alternative energy industry to create jobs in Michigan. The meeting marks Hafström's first visit to Michigan since taking his new post in September.    » read more »

October 23, 2007 -- AOL Europe today announced the launch of a new portal in Sweden, AOL.se. AOL.se is free to anyone using the Web and will offer email, instant messaging, photo and video services, in addition to tailored content including local sports, entertainment and celebrity news.    » read more »

Washington, 28 September 2007 -- On September 28, Bruce Springsteen kicked off a North American tour in support of his new album Magic. He launched the 23-date outing in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

After wrapping up concerts in Boston, Massachusetts on November 19, the band will head to Europe where 13 concerts are scheduled in Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, Germany, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Belgium, the U.K. and France.

Bruce Springsteen's "Magic" hits record stores on October 2.

Source: VOANews.com

Sept. 23, 2007 -- Dover – Delaware Governor Ruth Ann Minner is leading a Delaware delegation on a trade mission to Sweden and Amsterdam, where the group will meet with business executives, including the corporate research and development leadership of AstraZeneca, and take a look at an existing offshore wind farm.    » read more »

23 September 2007 -- The United States will host Russia in the Davis Cup tennis World Group final in November, after the U.S. defeated Sweden 4-1 in Goteburg and Russia held off Germany 3-2 in Moscow.

Andy Roddick served 16 aces Sunday to beat host-Sweden's Jonas Bjorkman, 6-2, 7-6, 6-4 to clinch a semifinal victory. James Blake beat Simon Aspelin of Sweden, 6-1, 6-3, in a dead-rubber match to make the final in the best-of-five series, 4-1. The Americans will be hosting the final for the first time since 1992.    » read more »

18 September 2007 -- Swedish police have ordered artist Lars Vilks out of his own home telling him it is no longer safe for him to live there.

The head of al-Qaida in Iraq, Abu Omar al-Baghdadi, says he will pay as much as $150,000 to anyone who can kill Vilks because of what he calls offensive pictures of the Muslim Prophet Mohammad.

Lars Vilks says police have told him that the threats on his life are very serious. He says he was only allowed to return to his house in Stockholm to pick up a few items.    » read more »

17 September 2007, Washington (By Jim Stevenson) -- Sweden is set to host the United States in the semifinal round of this year's Davis Cup men's team tennis competition. The two nations are extending their long Davis Cup history that dates back to 1946. And as VOA's Jim Stevenson reports, the winner of this best of five match series beginning Friday in Gothenburg goes to the 2007 final.    » read more »