Sweden Today:

Hundreds of unaccompanied children missing / Dylan a no-show in Stockholm / The dialect of a cat’s meow in question / Emergency hotline for Mansplaining / Living like a cowboy in Sweden 

  • Bob Dylan, winner of the 2016 Nobel Prize in Literature, won't be in Stockholm on Dec. 10 to receive his prize from King Carl XVI Gustaf. Here he receives the Medal of Freedom from President Obama in 2012. Photo: NASA/Bill Ingalls via Creative Commons

  • Hundreds of unaccompanied children missing
    (National) Over 500 unaccompanied children who arrived in Sweden as asylum seekers have gone missing. These are children who arrived alone and have had their asylum applications rejected. Many end up living on the street, and the risk of exploitation is great as many may be pulled in to criminal gangs, extremist groups, drug abuse and prostitution. In 2015, 88,265 unaccompanied minors applied for asylum in the EU, reports Swedish Radio.

  • Dylan a no-show in Stockholm
    (Nobel) Bob Dylan, this year’s Nobel Prize winner for literature has informed the Swedish Academy that he will not be able to attend the Nobel Prize Ceremony in Stockholm. In a written letter, Dylan said he has pre-existing commitments, but that he is “very honored indeed” to have won. According to the Academy it is quite unusual for a winner not to come to collect their prize but some have not been able to attend for various reasons. The only requirement for Dylan is that he give a Nobel lecture which must be delivered within six months from December 10, 2016.

  • The dialect of a cat’s meow in question
    (Culture) Does a cat from Stockholm and a cat from Skåne meow in different dialects? The answer may surprise you and the question is the subject of a research project at Linköping University where 30 cats and their owners are being studied to determine if cats have a language melody based on where they live and who they live with. Meowsic (Melody in human cat communication) will film cats and owners at home and scientists will analyze situations when cats ask for food, play and get loved. Participants will come from Östergötland, Stockholm and Skåne. Sounds purrfect.

  • Emergency hotline for mansplaining
    (National) Fackföreningen Unionen has created an emergency hotline to provide advice to those who have been affected by “mansplaining” in the workplace. Several experts will answer the phone lines to provide information to callers on suppression techniques to ward off unwanted mansplaining. But the program is not without criticism as some men feel the initiative is hostile to men and others wonder if it is a left-oriented political agenda. Many, however, have cheered the program and expressed gratitude.

  • Living cowboy style in Sweden
    (Real Estate) Come to Sweden and live the life of a American cowboy in a 28-acre (114,000 square meter) ranch that features a rodeo hall, shooting range, teepee room and stables. Located outside Småland Ljungby, the ranch for sale is designed with an American West theme with rustic wood beams and floors, described as an upscale horse and training center. It includes 15 unique rooms, a hotel, a bar and restaurant. The starting price for the property is listed at SEK 9.7 million, just under $1.1 million. Svensk Fastigetsförmedling is eager to hear from you.