Incoming and outgoing ambassadors to Sweden
On Jan. 16 King Carl XVI Gustav met with outgoing U.S. Ambassador to Sweden Azita Raji. As is the custom for an outgoing ambassador, who leaves in this case as a formality in conjunction with the inauguration of a new American president and administration, an informal farewell took place at the Royal Palace, while on Jan. 12 in a very formal event, the King welcomed several new ambassadors to Sweden. Newly appointed ambassadors of Bulgaria, Saudi Arabia, Somalia and Finland all presented their credentials the King in a solemn ceremony for service as ambassador to Sweden.

'Bamse' speaks out about fake news
Sweden hasn’t wasted any time teaching children about fake news. Bamse, one of Swedish children’s favorite cartoon bears, will soon be reminding children about the dangers of fake news and the need to be critical in their search for information. “You have to be critical of sources, and you have to learn that at an early age. Through drawing attention to that subject we also hope that some parents will get involved and discuss it with their kids,” Bamse’s editor in chief Charlotta Borelius said. The children's book will be released this month with a second one on the subject expected later this year.
Bamse – Världens starkaste björn ("The world's strongest bear") is a Swedish cartoon created by Rune Andréasson.

Windiest January on record
With a couple weeks still left in the month, it’s already Sweden’s windiest January on record. A powerful storm has swept through Sweden with strong winds measuring the highest speeds since records began in 1951. In the mountains of Stekenjokk, in the north near Norway, the national weather institute SMHI measured record wind gusts at 48 meters per second (107 mph) on Jan. 18. Further north, the wind blew sharp enough to overturn two trucks and the highway was closed due to strong winds. The storm, which brought snow with it, was expected to subside on Thursday, but SMHI kept a class-one weather warning in place for many provinces throughout Sweden. If the winds pick up and it continues to snow, it can be difficult even for the trains.