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Sweden

The latest news, analysis and opinion on Sweden. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.

Capital

Stockholm

Head of State

King Carl XVI Gustaf

Head of Government

Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson

Global Sumud Flotilla Steering Committee members attend a press conference as the humanitarian flotilla prepares to depart for Gaza, from Barcelona, Spain, on Sunday. Photo: Reuters

Israel-Gaza war

Sumud aid flotilla departs Spain for Gaza to break Israeli blockade

The Israeli military halted 40 boats assembled by the same organisation in October last year, arresting more than 450 activists including Greta Thunberg.

4 hours ago

Fame and celebrity

Meet Joel Kinnaman, who plays ‘monster’ Robert in Imperfect Women

9 Apr 2026 - 6:00AMvideocam

US, Israel war on Iran

Rights groups raise alarm after Iran executes 2 more opposition group members

4 Apr 2026 - 2:31PMvideocam

Japan

Why Japan’s advanced fighter project may get Canadian tailwinds

With Ottawa’s interest in the stealth fighter, Tokyo hopes the multinational project for its air force’s modernisation can regain momentum.

2 Apr 2026 - 8:04AM

A concept design of the Global Combat Air Programme sixth-generation fighter jet displayed at the 2024 Farnborough International Air Show. Photo: AFP

Crime

Sweden charges ‘monster’ man for selling wife to over 120 men

The man, 62, had for years benefited financially from pressuring his wife ‘to perform and submit to sexual acts’.

30 Mar 2026 - 8:47PMvideocam

Art

Fried bananas and family lore: a Swedish-Chinese art story

Lam turns Swedish-Chinese restaurant culture and digital defects into haunting works about migration, memory and generational loss.

27 Mar 2026 - 12:15PM

SCMP Highlights

Hong Kong Michelin star list; monthly zodiac forecast: 7 Lifestyle highlights

From a study linking poor-quality sleep and dementia to this lunar month’s predictions, here are seven stories from SCMP’s recent reporting.

26 Mar 2026 - 4:43PM

Chocolate dessert by Leo Faler at Cristal Room by Anne-Sophie Pic. The restaurant has been promoted from one Michelin star to two. Photo: Jocelyn Tam

Food and Drinks

Trailblazing Chinese restaurant is showing Swedes what the culture is all about

From baijiu to Sichuan cuisine, Surfers in Stockholm has it all. Now, this Chinese culture hub is gearing up to celebrate 20 years.

22 Mar 2026 - 12:45PM

China travel

Middle East oil shock sparks global airfare rises, with 9% increases feared

Surging jet fuel prices are pushing airlines – including several Chinese carriers – to raise fares, with a warning of 9 per cent price rises.

21 Mar 2026 - 11:00AMvideocam

US, Israel war on Iran

Military escort for tankers in Strait of Hormuz not long-term fix: IMO head

The UN organisation head said an international naval operation, as suggested by Trump, would not be sustainable.

17 Mar 2026 - 5:17PMvideocam

Liberian-flagged tanker Shenlong Suezmax, carrying crude oil from Saudi Arabia, arrives in Mumbai on Thursday after clearing the Strait of Hormuz. Photo: AP

Trending in China

Swede owns vehicle test centre in China’s Inner Mongolia; likely only foreigner there

Enterprising 44-year-old sees business boom after local authorities build huge artificial lake so he can ‘ice test’ vehicles when it freezes over.

10 Mar 2026 - 6:00PM

A Swedish man has lived in the cold city of Yakeshi, Inner Mongolia, for two decades, running a leading ice surface vehicle testing facility. Photo: SCMP composite/Shutterstock/Douyin

China-EU relations

EU strips AI, chips and quantum from industrial plan aimed at countering China

Leaked draft shows biotechnology and robotics are other cutting-edge sectors to be cut from Industrial Accelerator Act ahead of unveiling.

4 Mar 2026 - 1:16AMvideocam

France

France to boost atomic arsenal, could deploy nuclear-armed jets to allies

France’s Macron says eight European countries have agreed to a ‘forward’ deterrence plan to bolster continental security.

3 Mar 2026 - 4:41PM

Ukraine war

4 years into Ukraine conflict, Zelensky says Putin ‘did not win this war’

The president said Kyiv wanted ‘lasting peace’ and any truce agreement ‘must not simply be signed, it must be accepted by Ukrainians’.

24 Feb 2026 - 8:41PM

Ukrainian troops attend a training session at an undisclosed location in the Zaporizhzhia region on Sunday. Photo: EPA/Press service of the 65th Separate Mechanised Brigade

Electric & new energy vehicles

Geely’s Zeekr shifts into Italy as China’s European EV push gathers speed

The carmaker is pressing ahead despite tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, betting on demand for high-spec models.

20 Feb 2026 - 12:43PM

Zeekr is betting on European demand for high-spec models in its foray into Italy. Photo: Getty Images

Russia

Russia demands ‘concrete’ proof that it poisoned Navalny with dart frog toxin

Britain, France, Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands claim Russia had the ‘means, motive and opportunity’ to kill its opposition leader.

18 Feb 2026 - 9:38PM

My Take

My Take | Forget Canada, the real 51st American state appears to be gullible Australia

Aside from the first island chain of encirclement against China, much of the other island ‘defence’ chains look more like vassalising the not so ‘lucky country’ among others in the South Pacific.

23 Feb 2026 - 4:40PM

Marco Rubio

Rubio says US not disputing report of Navalny’s fatal poisoning by frog toxin

Five European governments blamed Russia for killing Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny while he was held in an Arctic penal colony.

16 Feb 2026 - 1:15PM

Alexei Navalny appearing on a screen via video link from the IK-6 penal colony in 2023. Photo: Reuters

Russia

Russia poisoned Alexei Navalny with dart frog toxin, European nations say

Epibatidine, a deadly chemical not found naturally in Russia, was detected in samples taken from the body of the late Putin critic.

15 Feb 2026 - 11:18AM

China-EU relations

EU seeks independence, survival amid China-US economic dominance

European leaders meet to address the bloc’s economic woes, reliance on China and US, and shielding key industries from protectionist policies.

12 Feb 2026 - 6:05PMvideocam

Greenland

Open Questions | Trump’s ‘imperial’ agenda and the end of the old world order: Luuk van Middelaar

Political theorist says rapid acceleration of the US president’s ‘offensive, almost imperial’ agenda has left Europe disoriented.

9 Feb 2026 - 1:10PMvideocam

Germany

Multinationals race into China’s US$143.9 billion instant retail market

Ikea, Continental and Aldi Nord enlist local partners to launch faster, more comprehensive delivery services than they offer abroad.

1 Feb 2026 - 11:00AM

Meituan delivery riders gather during a break in a commercial district in Chongqing, China, on November 21, 2025. Photo: Getty Images

China GDP

Tale of 2 megacities: how did Beijing, Shanghai GDPs surpass 5 trillion yuan?

China’s two largest cities are outpacing national growth rates, each generating gross domestic products equal to a small European country.

29 Jan 2026 - 12:25PMvideocam

Banking & finance

Trump says the US dollar can move like a yo-yo. Will Treasuries be left hanging?

With the US president levelling threats at enemies, allies and his own central bank, alternatives like gold and Chinese assets are gaining appeal.

28 Jan 2026 - 11:18AMvideocam

Tourism

Taste Sweden’s delicious ‘blue food’ fresh from the sea on boat tours

From oysters and mussels to superfood seaweed, Sweden’s west coast is a treasure trove of ‘blue food’ – sustainable aquatic produce.

27 Jan 2026 - 12:43PM

FILED - Blue, or aquatic, foods hold support diets that are healthy, sustainable, inclusive, and climate-resilient. Here, Per Karlsson prepares to serve up Swedish treats from the sea. Photo: Sabine Glaubitz/dpa-tmn - ATTENTION: editorial use only in connection with the aforementioned text

European Union

EU lawmakers divided over resuming work on US trade deal after Greenland crisis

The EU, which suspended the deal in protest against Trump’s demand to take over Greenland, has put off a decision until next week.

27 Jan 2026 - 2:46AM

A drone view of Nuuk, Greenland. Photo: Reuters

World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos

Watch Trump showcase his ‘Board of Peace’ in Davos

Donald Trump has extended invitations to dozens of nations and hinted at the board’s future role as conflict mediator - with him as chairman.

22 Jan 2026 - 6:38PMvideocam

Canada

Canada considers sending small contingent of troops to Greenland

Canada’s Carney reviews role in Nato exercises as European allies push back against Trump’s threats to take Greenland.

20 Jan 2026 - 11:49AM

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