Swedish News:

First Swedish strawberries - already picked. Lost confidence due to scandalous book. New York Rangers to Stockholm.  

• First Swedish strawberries – already picked
  The first Swedish strawberries of the year were already picked last Monday in Hjälmshult, outside Helsingborg. The proud cultivator Lars Jacobsen was first out with strawberries last year too. The strawberries have been growing under glass in a greenhouse and, at a price of roughly $200 per lb, are not for everyone.

• Lost confidence due to scandalous book
  The book “Den motvillige monarken” (The reluctant monarch) has caused many Swedes to reevaluate the royal house. The confidence in the Swedish royalty is now at a record low, according to new numbers from the SOM Institute in Göteborg. Only 34% of all Swedes still feel trustful of the Royal family. The book coupled with recent Nazi accusations aimed at Queen Silvia’s late father and the broken engagement between Princess Madeleine and her former boyfriend Jonas Bergström, means a turbulent time for the Swedish royal family. “Both the Nazi connections and their life style decrease the trust Swedes feel. That we see very clearly,” says Lennart Nilsson at the Centrum för forskning om offentlig sector at Göteborg University. But he also adds that there has been no increase in the number who would like to see a republic instead. And last summer, at the time of the wedding between Crown Princess Victoria and Daniel, the support for the monarchy increased from 56% to 62%. Numbers that dropped, though, when the book was published last fall. The Royal Swedish Court says they will look at the numbers, but declined to comment.

• New York Rangers to Stockholm
  New York Rangers will be the main attraction when NHL kicks off the season with two games in Stockholm. Rangers, with Henrik “Henke” Lundqvist as goalie, meet Los Angeles Kings and Anaheim Ducks. It is the fourth year in a row, that has NHL begin the season at Stockholm’s Globen. Last year was a bit of a fiasco, however, as only 20 000 came to watch – which meant 8000 empty seats – when San Jose Sharks met Columbus Blue Jackets in two games. This year, the arrangers hope it will be different. “The New York Rangers has a strong group of supporters in Sweden,” the arrangers say. “And Henke Lundqvist is very popular. The time of the game has also been arranged to better suit Swedes. Last year they began at 9 pm, this year they will start at 7 pm.” The prices are also better this year. Last year the cheapest ticket sold for 695 SEK ($111), this time around - in case you were early - you could get a ticket for 495 SEK ($79). The most expensive tickets to the games are the same: 1695 SEK ($270).