Debates rage again in Parliament
(National) No sooner had Sunday night’s stormy television debate ended and party leaders met again in Parliament Wednesday morning. Anna Kinberg Batra (M) had harsh criticism for Prime Minister Stefan Löfven (S), accusing the government of ignoring the growing inequalities in the country. Löfven responded by blaming past policies on the Alliance. "Sweden is heading in the wrong direction and the only one who is happy with this development is the prime minister,” said Kinberg Batra.

Ericsson's earnings in free fall
(Business) Stock market reports on Oct. 12 show that Ericsson’s shares have dropped 16 to 18 percent. The telecom company has issued a profit warning ahead of its third quarter report stating that business results will be "significally lower” than expected. Last week, Ericsson announced that 3,000 jobs would be cut in Sweden.

Youth unemployment down
(National) Youth unemployment is the lowest in eight years, according to new statistics released from the Swedish Employment Service. The end of September showed unemployment among 16- to 24-year-olds was 11.7 percent — down from 13.4 percent one year ago. Most opportunities are in the retail and restaurant business. There are 358,000 people unemployed in Sweden, which is 11,000 less than a year ago, however, for those born outside of Europe, unemployment continues to rise.

Refugees' poor hearing is new problem
(National) According to a survey taken in Värmland, nearly 40 percent of refugees tested have hearing loss issues. The project began when the Employment Service noticed many refugees staying for an unexpectedly long time in SFI (Swedish for Immigrants) language teaching. HRF (Sweden’s organization for the deaf) is working to ensure that all new arrivals receive hearing tests.

Investor celebrates 100 with a luxury party
(Business) Who will be attending a rare and exclusive event hosted by Investor at the glamorous old Grand Hotel in Stockholm? According to leaked sources some 1,500 quests have been invited, including Prime Minister Stefan Löfven, government colleagues, and the King and Queen. The event is said to cost SEK 10 million, at SEK 6,700 ($750) per person, and will include food, drink and entertainment as the party celebrates the Wallenberg family's core investment company, Investor, entering its second century. News agency TT claims it can show the company chairman, Jacob Wallenberg, has reason to sway the government to include Stockholm School of Economics in future government contributions to research (where Wallenberg is involved on a board level). This association in conjunction with the hefty price tag for a seat at the event has caused some Swedish journalists to speculate about bribery.