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Showing posts with label Sweden. Show all posts

France, Sweden confirm Novichok poisoning in Navalny case: Germany

France, Sweden confirm Novichok poisoning in Navalny case: Germany

The German government said Monday that laboratories in France and Sweden have confirmed its own findings that Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was poisoned with a Novichok nerve agent.

Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesman Steffen Seibert said in a statement that Germany had asked France and Sweden "for an independent review of the German evidence (of Novichok poisoning) on the basis of new samples from Mr Navalny," who is receiving treatment in Berlin.

"The results of this review at specialised laboratories in France and Sweden are now available and confirm the German evidence (of Novichok poisoning)," Seibert said.

He said Germany was still waiting for the outcome of a separate evaluation by the OPCW global chemical weapons watchdog.

On the basis of the findings by the three European laboratories, however, Seibert said Germany was "renewing its call for Russia to make a declaration on the events" of the Navalny case.

"We are in close contact with our European partners about further steps," he added.

The 44-year-old Kremlin critic and anti-corruption campaigner fell ill after boarding a plane in Siberia last month and was hospitalised there before being flown to Berlin.


Germany said two weeks ago there was "unequivocal evidence" that he was poisoned with Novichok but Russia has angrily dismissed the findings, saying its doctors found no trace of poison.
Absurd

Navalny has now emerged from a medically induced coma and is reacting to speech, Berlin's Charite hospital has said.

The Kremlin has denounced attempts to blame the Russian state for the poisoning as "absurd" and said it wants to know what happened.

Western politicians have said the incident appears likely to have been state-ordered and urged Moscow to prove its lack of involvement.

Navalny's associates believe the use of Novichok shows only the Russian state could be responsible.

The case has prompted international calls for Russia to carry out a transparent investigation or risk sanctions, but the country has not opened a criminal investigation.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Friday that Russia rejected "when other countries dictate to us what legal procedures we should start and when".

He insisted Russia "de facto" is probing the incident, but cannot open a criminal case "on the basis of tests by the German side, especially when carried out in German military labs."


Russian authorities want to question Navalny at his Berlin hospital, with Siberian transport police, who have been retracing Navalny's movements, saying Friday that Russia would be preparing a request for its officers and an "expert" to shadow German investigators.
This story was produced by AFP. For more information go to AFP.com.
© Agence France-Presse
The German government said Monday that laboratories in France and Sweden have confirmed its own findings that Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was poisoned with a Novichok nerve agent.

Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesman Steffen Seibert said in a statement that Germany had asked France and Sweden "for an independent review of the German evidence (of Novichok poisoning) on the basis of new samples from Mr Navalny," who is receiving treatment in Berlin.

"The results of this review at specialised laboratories in France and Sweden are now available and confirm the German evidence (of Novichok poisoning)," Seibert said.

He said Germany was still waiting for the outcome of a separate evaluation by the OPCW global chemical weapons watchdog.

On the basis of the findings by the three European laboratories, however, Seibert said Germany was "renewing its call for Russia to make a declaration on the events" of the Navalny case.

"We are in close contact with our European partners about further steps," he added.

The 44-year-old Kremlin critic and anti-corruption campaigner fell ill after boarding a plane in Siberia last month and was hospitalised there before being flown to Berlin.


Germany said two weeks ago there was "unequivocal evidence" that he was poisoned with Novichok but Russia has angrily dismissed the findings, saying its doctors found no trace of poison.
Absurd

Navalny has now emerged from a medically induced coma and is reacting to speech, Berlin's Charite hospital has said.

The Kremlin has denounced attempts to blame the Russian state for the poisoning as "absurd" and said it wants to know what happened.

Western politicians have said the incident appears likely to have been state-ordered and urged Moscow to prove its lack of involvement.

Navalny's associates believe the use of Novichok shows only the Russian state could be responsible.

The case has prompted international calls for Russia to carry out a transparent investigation or risk sanctions, but the country has not opened a criminal investigation.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Friday that Russia rejected "when other countries dictate to us what legal procedures we should start and when".

He insisted Russia "de facto" is probing the incident, but cannot open a criminal case "on the basis of tests by the German side, especially when carried out in German military labs."


Russian authorities want to question Navalny at his Berlin hospital, with Siberian transport police, who have been retracing Navalny's movements, saying Friday that Russia would be preparing a request for its officers and an "expert" to shadow German investigators.
This story was produced by AFP. For more information go to AFP.com.
© Agence France-Presse

Volvo makes its biggest car recall ever, affecting over 2 MILLION vehicles globally

Volvo makes its biggest car recall ever, affecting over 2 MILLION vehicles globally

Chinese-owned Swedish car manufacturer Volvo is recalling nearly 2.2 million vehicles worldwide over concerns that the seatbelts could be less effective over time. The recall is the biggest ever for the brand.

The company’s press spokesman, Stefan Elfstrom, told Swedish media that it discovered the “rare” problem with the seatbelts in some of its cars. The carmaker believes that a steel cable connected to the front seatbelts can weaken under certain conditions. The cable can eventually be damaged, leading to “reduced seat belt restraint function.”

Volvo says the flaw has not resulted in any accidents or injuries, adding that the measure is preemptive.

The move will affect cars that were rolled off the production line from 2006-19, including some of the company’s best-selling models, such as the XC60. Previous models, the Volvo S60, V60, V70, XC70, and S80, are also included to the list, while the new generation of cars is spared from the massive recall.

Volvo Cars was acquired by China’s Geely from Ford in 2010. Focused on its “world-leading position within automotive safety,” the brand announced last year that new cars will have a 180kph (112mph) speed limit.


(RT)
Chinese-owned Swedish car manufacturer Volvo is recalling nearly 2.2 million vehicles worldwide over concerns that the seatbelts could be less effective over time. The recall is the biggest ever for the brand.

The company’s press spokesman, Stefan Elfstrom, told Swedish media that it discovered the “rare” problem with the seatbelts in some of its cars. The carmaker believes that a steel cable connected to the front seatbelts can weaken under certain conditions. The cable can eventually be damaged, leading to “reduced seat belt restraint function.”

Volvo says the flaw has not resulted in any accidents or injuries, adding that the measure is preemptive.

The move will affect cars that were rolled off the production line from 2006-19, including some of the company’s best-selling models, such as the XC60. Previous models, the Volvo S60, V60, V70, XC70, and S80, are also included to the list, while the new generation of cars is spared from the massive recall.

Volvo Cars was acquired by China’s Geely from Ford in 2010. Focused on its “world-leading position within automotive safety,” the brand announced last year that new cars will have a 180kph (112mph) speed limit.


(RT)

More than 3,000 people have died in Sweden, which never locked down

More than 3,000 people have died in Sweden, which never locked down

Sweden passes 3,000 coronavirus deaths after lockdown measures deemed more lax than many European neighbours.

The number of coronavirus-related deaths in Sweden is at least 3,040, the country’s Public Health Agency said on Thursday. In total, the country has recorded 24,623 Covid-19 cases since the outbreak began.

Sweden has taken a relatively relaxed approach to social distancing rules compared with other European countries. 

Why Sweden never locked down: Sweden has been an outlier during the coronavirus outbreak. The country has not joined many of its European neighbors in imposing strict limits on citizens' lives, and images of people heading to work on busy streets, or chatting at cafes and bars have raised eyebrows.

While the country's chief epidemiologist explains why Sweden never locked down and the the country says it's coronavirus approach has worked, the numbers suggest a different story.


CNN
Sweden passes 3,000 coronavirus deaths after lockdown measures deemed more lax than many European neighbours.

The number of coronavirus-related deaths in Sweden is at least 3,040, the country’s Public Health Agency said on Thursday. In total, the country has recorded 24,623 Covid-19 cases since the outbreak began.

Sweden has taken a relatively relaxed approach to social distancing rules compared with other European countries. 

Why Sweden never locked down: Sweden has been an outlier during the coronavirus outbreak. The country has not joined many of its European neighbors in imposing strict limits on citizens' lives, and images of people heading to work on busy streets, or chatting at cafes and bars have raised eyebrows.

While the country's chief epidemiologist explains why Sweden never locked down and the the country says it's coronavirus approach has worked, the numbers suggest a different story.


CNN

COVID-19: Geely's Volvo Cars gives notice to 1,300 white-collar staff in Sweden

COVID-19: Geely's Volvo Cars gives notice to 1,300 white-collar staff in Sweden

STOCKHOLM (REUTERS) - Volvo Car Group, owned by China's Geely Holding, said on Wednesday it was giving notice of redundancy to 1,300 white-collar workers in Sweden as the impact from the pandemic raised the urgency of lowering structural costs.

The carmaker, which has 24,000 staff in Sweden excluding some 2,000 consultants, said in a statement the measures also included a continued review and reduction of consultancy contracts but would not affect its manufacturing operations.

CEO Hakan Samuelsson said the coronavirus crisis highlighted a need for Volvo to speed up its work to transform the company, reducing its scope in some areas in favour of expansion in fields such as online business, electrification and mobility.

It also needed to simplify the organisation to enable quicker decision making, he told Reuters.

"We want to come out of the corona-crisis stronger, and that is why we are doing this," Samuelsson said. "It will be important that we have the right cars when we get through this period, lots of electric cars, and I also think that people will learn to shop more online."

Volvo said the exact number of jobs cut would be decided over the coming months in negotiations with unions.

The carmaker has much like the rest of the auto industry been hit hard by the pandemic that has temporarily shuttered plants and strained supply chains due to draconian lockdowns in many key markets and transport hubs.

Last week, Volvo reopened its Torslanda plant, its main factory in Sweden, following a three-week shutdown caused by the pandemic, and Samuelsson said on Wednesday that the restart had so far gone "very well".


(Reporting by Johannes Hellstrom; editing by Niklas Pollard)
Copyright 2020 Thomson Reuters.
STOCKHOLM (REUTERS) - Volvo Car Group, owned by China's Geely Holding, said on Wednesday it was giving notice of redundancy to 1,300 white-collar workers in Sweden as the impact from the pandemic raised the urgency of lowering structural costs.

The carmaker, which has 24,000 staff in Sweden excluding some 2,000 consultants, said in a statement the measures also included a continued review and reduction of consultancy contracts but would not affect its manufacturing operations.

CEO Hakan Samuelsson said the coronavirus crisis highlighted a need for Volvo to speed up its work to transform the company, reducing its scope in some areas in favour of expansion in fields such as online business, electrification and mobility.

It also needed to simplify the organisation to enable quicker decision making, he told Reuters.

"We want to come out of the corona-crisis stronger, and that is why we are doing this," Samuelsson said. "It will be important that we have the right cars when we get through this period, lots of electric cars, and I also think that people will learn to shop more online."

Volvo said the exact number of jobs cut would be decided over the coming months in negotiations with unions.

The carmaker has much like the rest of the auto industry been hit hard by the pandemic that has temporarily shuttered plants and strained supply chains due to draconian lockdowns in many key markets and transport hubs.

Last week, Volvo reopened its Torslanda plant, its main factory in Sweden, following a three-week shutdown caused by the pandemic, and Samuelsson said on Wednesday that the restart had so far gone "very well".


(Reporting by Johannes Hellstrom; editing by Niklas Pollard)
Copyright 2020 Thomson Reuters.

Coronavirus deaths in Sweden pass 1,000: health agency

Coronavirus deaths in Sweden pass 1,000: health agency



AFP: Sweden on Tuesday reported that more than 1,000 people had now died from the novel coronavirus, while the number of confirmed cases passed 11,000.

Sweden’s Public Health Agency said it had recorded a total of 11,445 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 1,033 deaths. It cautioned that the true number of deaths might be higher as not all deaths had yet been reported over the four-day Easter weekend. And it warned that because not all deaths had yet been reported over the four-day Easter weekend, the true number might be higher.

"Deceased per day is probably the figure we can trust the least today, because there is normally a lot of trailing when it comes to weekends," state epidemiologist Anders Tegnell told journalists.

Sweden has not imposed the extraordinary lockdown orders implemented elsewhere in Europe to stem the spread of the virus, instead calling for citizens to take responsibility to follow social distancing guidelines. The government has banned gatherings of more than 50 people and barred visits to nursing homes. But the Nordic country's softer approach has still drawn criticism abroad and the been the subject of fierce debate at home.

A group of 22 doctors, virologists and researchers criticised the Public Health Agency in an op-ed published by Dagens Nyheter newspaper on Tuesday. They accused it of having failed to draw up a proper strategy, pointing out that the mortality rate in Sweden was now way above that of its Nordic neighbours.

"So in Sweden more than 10 times as many people are dying than in our neighbouring country Finland," they wrote while stressing a number of more aggressive measures taken in Finland.

Finland, which has about half the population of Sweden, had as of Thursday reported 42 deaths, and has closed down restaurants and schools.  During the press conference Anders Tegnell however strongly rejected the accusations and disputed the figures they had advanced.

Tegnell has previously stated that Finland appears to be in a different phase of the epidemic, which partly explains the lower mortality.

Sweden's Foreign Minister Ann Linde has already pushed back at criticism from US President Donald Trump last week who said the country was not doing enough to combat the virus.




AFP


AFP: Sweden on Tuesday reported that more than 1,000 people had now died from the novel coronavirus, while the number of confirmed cases passed 11,000.

Sweden’s Public Health Agency said it had recorded a total of 11,445 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 1,033 deaths. It cautioned that the true number of deaths might be higher as not all deaths had yet been reported over the four-day Easter weekend. And it warned that because not all deaths had yet been reported over the four-day Easter weekend, the true number might be higher.

"Deceased per day is probably the figure we can trust the least today, because there is normally a lot of trailing when it comes to weekends," state epidemiologist Anders Tegnell told journalists.

Sweden has not imposed the extraordinary lockdown orders implemented elsewhere in Europe to stem the spread of the virus, instead calling for citizens to take responsibility to follow social distancing guidelines. The government has banned gatherings of more than 50 people and barred visits to nursing homes. But the Nordic country's softer approach has still drawn criticism abroad and the been the subject of fierce debate at home.

A group of 22 doctors, virologists and researchers criticised the Public Health Agency in an op-ed published by Dagens Nyheter newspaper on Tuesday. They accused it of having failed to draw up a proper strategy, pointing out that the mortality rate in Sweden was now way above that of its Nordic neighbours.

"So in Sweden more than 10 times as many people are dying than in our neighbouring country Finland," they wrote while stressing a number of more aggressive measures taken in Finland.

Finland, which has about half the population of Sweden, had as of Thursday reported 42 deaths, and has closed down restaurants and schools.  During the press conference Anders Tegnell however strongly rejected the accusations and disputed the figures they had advanced.

Tegnell has previously stated that Finland appears to be in a different phase of the epidemic, which partly explains the lower mortality.

Sweden's Foreign Minister Ann Linde has already pushed back at criticism from US President Donald Trump last week who said the country was not doing enough to combat the virus.




AFP

Sweden demands China release bookseller Gui Minhai: minister

Sweden demands China release bookseller Gui Minhai: minister

Stockholm, Feb 25 (AFP) Sweden''s foreign minister Ann Linde on Tuesday demanded that the Chinese-Swedish bookseller Gui Minhai be released after he was sentenced to 10 years in prison in China.

"We have always been clear that we demand that Gui Minhai is released in order to reunite with his daughter and family. That demand remains," Linde said in a statement.

Gui, one of five Hong Kong-based booksellers who fell foul of the authorities for selling critical works on top Chinese leaders, was snatched while on a train to Beijing in February 2018, the second time he disappeared into Chinese custody.

A court in the eastern city of Ningbo said Gui was convicted on Monday on charges of illegally providing intelligence abroad.

The court also said that he had his Chinese citizenship reinstated in 2018 but it was not immediately clear if he had given up his Swedish nationality.

Gui first vanished in 2015 while on holiday in Thailand and eventually surfaced at an undisclosed location in China, confessing to involvement in a fatal traffic accident and smuggling illegal books.

His supporters and family have claimed his detainment is part of a political repression campaign orchestrated by Chinese authorities.

Relations between Sweden and China have been strained for several years over Beijing''s detention of Minhai, and Sweden has repeatedly called for his release.

Chinese ambassador to Sweden Gui Congyou in November threatened "counter-measures" after Sweden''s culture minister awarded a rights prize to Gui Minhai.

Two Chinese business delegations to Stockholm were subsequently cancelled.

(AFP)
Stockholm, Feb 25 (AFP) Sweden''s foreign minister Ann Linde on Tuesday demanded that the Chinese-Swedish bookseller Gui Minhai be released after he was sentenced to 10 years in prison in China.

"We have always been clear that we demand that Gui Minhai is released in order to reunite with his daughter and family. That demand remains," Linde said in a statement.

Gui, one of five Hong Kong-based booksellers who fell foul of the authorities for selling critical works on top Chinese leaders, was snatched while on a train to Beijing in February 2018, the second time he disappeared into Chinese custody.

A court in the eastern city of Ningbo said Gui was convicted on Monday on charges of illegally providing intelligence abroad.

The court also said that he had his Chinese citizenship reinstated in 2018 but it was not immediately clear if he had given up his Swedish nationality.

Gui first vanished in 2015 while on holiday in Thailand and eventually surfaced at an undisclosed location in China, confessing to involvement in a fatal traffic accident and smuggling illegal books.

His supporters and family have claimed his detainment is part of a political repression campaign orchestrated by Chinese authorities.

Relations between Sweden and China have been strained for several years over Beijing''s detention of Minhai, and Sweden has repeatedly called for his release.

Chinese ambassador to Sweden Gui Congyou in November threatened "counter-measures" after Sweden''s culture minister awarded a rights prize to Gui Minhai.

Two Chinese business delegations to Stockholm were subsequently cancelled.

(AFP)

Chinese court sentences Swedish bookseller Gui Minhai to 10 years: official

Chinese court sentences Swedish bookseller Gui Minhai to 10 years: official

Swedish Bookseller Gui Minhai 
A Chinese court has sentenced Swedish book publisher Gui Minhai to 10 years in prison on charges of illegally providing intelligence abroad in a case that has rattled relations between Beijing and Stockholm.

The court in the eastern city of Ningbo said Gui was convicted on Monday and that he had his Chinese citizenship reinstated in 2018, but it was not immediately clear if he had given up his Swedish nationality.

Gui, one of five Hong Kong-based booksellers known for publishing gossipy titles about Chinese political leaders, was snatched by Chinese authorities while on a train to Beijing in February 2018, the second time he disappeared into Chinese custody.

Gui first vanished in 2015 while on holiday in Thailand and eventually surfaced at an undisclosed location in China, confessing to involvement in a fatal traffic accident and smuggling illegal books.

He served two years in prison but three months after his October 2017 release, he was again arrested while on a train to Beijing while travelling with Swedish diplomats.

His supporters and family have claimed his detainment is part of political repression campaign orchestrated by Chinese authorities.

The Ningbo court also sentenced Gui to five years of "deprivation of political rights", which in practice means he cannot lead state-owned enterprises or hold positions in state organs.

China does not recognise dual citizenship and foreigners are required to renounce their foreign nationality once they gain Chinese citizenship.

A video released by China three weeks after Gui's disappearance showed him purportedly confessing wrongdoing and blaming Sweden for "sensationalising" his case and "instigating" law-breaking behaviour.

Gui's friend, dissident poet Bei Ling, said at the time that Gui's confession was likely made under coercion.

Chinese criminal suspects often appear in videotaped "confessions" that rights groups say sometimes bear the hallmarks of official arm-twisting.


Swedish Bookseller Gui Minhai 
A Chinese court has sentenced Swedish book publisher Gui Minhai to 10 years in prison on charges of illegally providing intelligence abroad in a case that has rattled relations between Beijing and Stockholm.

The court in the eastern city of Ningbo said Gui was convicted on Monday and that he had his Chinese citizenship reinstated in 2018, but it was not immediately clear if he had given up his Swedish nationality.

Gui, one of five Hong Kong-based booksellers known for publishing gossipy titles about Chinese political leaders, was snatched by Chinese authorities while on a train to Beijing in February 2018, the second time he disappeared into Chinese custody.

Gui first vanished in 2015 while on holiday in Thailand and eventually surfaced at an undisclosed location in China, confessing to involvement in a fatal traffic accident and smuggling illegal books.

He served two years in prison but three months after his October 2017 release, he was again arrested while on a train to Beijing while travelling with Swedish diplomats.

His supporters and family have claimed his detainment is part of political repression campaign orchestrated by Chinese authorities.

The Ningbo court also sentenced Gui to five years of "deprivation of political rights", which in practice means he cannot lead state-owned enterprises or hold positions in state organs.

China does not recognise dual citizenship and foreigners are required to renounce their foreign nationality once they gain Chinese citizenship.

A video released by China three weeks after Gui's disappearance showed him purportedly confessing wrongdoing and blaming Sweden for "sensationalising" his case and "instigating" law-breaking behaviour.

Gui's friend, dissident poet Bei Ling, said at the time that Gui's confession was likely made under coercion.

Chinese criminal suspects often appear in videotaped "confessions" that rights groups say sometimes bear the hallmarks of official arm-twisting.


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