Swedish News

 

  • (Possible) Viking Ship found.
    A wreck found at the bottom of the lake Vänern could be that of a Viking ship, according to marine archeologist Roland Peterson. If so, it’s the first time a Viking ship has been found in a lake in Sweden. The 20-meter long shipwreck is located in Lurö archipelago. “We’re not sure yet,” Peterson says, “but all measurements point to the Vikings. We have also rescued a sword-like object as well as a point of a spear, and it is very rare to make such finds in a shipwreck.” The possible Viking ship was found quite by accident some days ago, when the Swedish Coast Guard made a navigation mistake. Not too far away from this shipwreck are six other wrecks, three of which are almost on top of each other. “We’re trying to determine if they are of the same type,” Peterson explains. Wood tests will determine the ship’s age, the iron objects have already been sent to experts for an evaluation which will take about a month. The Viking Age spanned the 8th to the 11th centuries.

  • Bibi Andersson suffered a stroke.
    The beloved and talented Swedish actress Bibi Andersson recently suffered a stroke, and is now taken care of at a hospital in France where she lives. It wasn’t long ago that Bibi Andersson was called “a living icon” by British The Guardian, and she has indeed had a remarkable career. Only 15 years old, Andersson made her debut in a commercial for the soap Bris, shot by none other than Ingmar Bergman. Her breakthrough came in 1966 with the film “Persona” (also by Bergman) where she stars alongside Liv Ullman. Andersson received her latest prize, a Guldbaggen, last year for her part as Moder Rikissa in the film “Arn – the Knight Templar”. Bibi Andersson, who is 73 years old, lives in southern France with her husband Gabriel Mora Baeza.

  • Happy Birthday Carl Philip!
    Happy 30th handsome! Prince Carl Philip is turning 30, but don’t expect a party invitation in your mail, because the prince doesn’t want to throw a birthday bash this time around. He had those when he turned 20 and 25, but this time, no. Instead it will just be a quiet dinner with his family as well as Princess Christina and her family. The prince, who is single, might also ask his ex Emma Pernald to join in. They keep in touch despite their break-up.

  • Ivar Kreuger – again in the limelight.
    The Swedish match king Ivar Kreuger (1880-1932), the financier and industrialist who by aggressive investments and innovative financial instruments built a global match and financial empire, which later collapsed, is again in the limelight thanks to a new book by Frank Partnoy. “The Match King: Ivar Kreuger, the Financial Genius Behind a Century of Wall Street Scandals” has received excellent reviews and is of course, due to our present financial crisis, extremely well-timed. Wall Street writes that “Partnoy tells the story of Kreuger's rise and calamitous fall in an eminently readable and scholarly biography…the tale of the Match King holds lessons for our own day and for future generations.” Kreuger, who allegedly commited suicide in Paris, was a reserved man who shied away from press and cameras. He rarely gave interviews, but once stated, when asked what the key to his success was: “Silence, silence, and silence.”

  • And the Polar Prize goes to…
    Peter Gabriel, the British singer and former member of the band Genesis, and the Venezuelan pianist and economist José Antonio Abreu will receive this year's Polar Prize. Gabriel and Abreu will receive it straight from King Carl XVI Gustaf’s hands at a ceremony at Stockholms konserthus on August 31. The Polar Prize was founded by Stikkan Anderson (1931-1997), through a donation to the Kungliga Musikaliska Akademin. It is awarded to individuals, groups or institutions in recognition of exceptional achievements in the creation and advancement of music. It is often called the "Nobel Prize of Music". The prize sum is SEK 1 million (around $129 000).

  • Måns Z. to London.
    Swedish musical artist (and former 2005 'Swedish Idol' star) Måns Zelmerlöw will add London to his resume. After a succesful audition, he was given a part in “Chicago” and will start rehearsals in London sometime after Christmas. Zelmerlöw competed in this year’s Swedish eurovision song contest (where he lost to Malena Ernman) and his CD “MZW” was released earlier this year.

  • Free rides for dogs.
    A new rule means dogs can ride buses and trams for free in Sweden, starting now in May. There’s just one snag: You’re only allowed to bring one of your canine sweethearts onboard. Is that fair? Expressen’s readers said “No” (68%) and “Yes” (32%).