Sweden’s Prime Minister Stefan Lofven used a rare national address to bemoan his countrymen’s failure to stick to Covid-19 restrictions.
He warned of the growing threat the coronavirus poses amid fears the strategy used so far may not be enough to fight an increasingly deadly pandemic.
In the Sunday evening address, he said that the things Sweden does wrong now, it would suffer for later and admitted that the reality was “harsh and brutal”.
Mr Lofven, only the third Prime Minister in Sweden’s history to deliver such a national address, said that “too many people have been careless about following the recommendations” that health authorities say are key if the virus is to be reined in.
Sweden famously avoided a lockdown, relying instead on voluntary measures. But with a death rate considerably higher than elsewhere in the Nordic region, with intensive care beds rapidly filling up, authorities in the country are now recalibrating their approach.
Mr Lofven said “everyone must do more” to fight the virus. “The health and lives of people are still in danger, and the danger is increasing,” he said.
Covid-19 has already killed more than 6,000 Swedes, with total cases well above 200,000. At the same time, intensive care beds are filling up quickly, with twice as many Covid patients as of November 19 compared with the preceding fortnight.
Earlier this month, the Prime Minister took what he called the “unprecedented” step of banning public gatherings of more than eight people. From November 20, sales of alcohol were no longer permitted after 10pm. Both measures were a sign that voluntary measures are no longer enough.
The message from the Prime Minister was similarly unequivocal on Sunday night: the respite from Covid-19 during the summer and the autumn is over.
“Everything that you would like to do but that isn’t necessary, call it off, cancel, postpone,” he said.
“In spring, many people said that despite everything it made life easier that the coronavirus hit during the lightness of March and not the darkness of November.
“It is November now. People's health and lives are still in danger. And the danger is increasing.”
It is the second time this year that Mr Lofven has addressed the nation regarding coronavirus.
Previously, the only occasions a PM held a national address were in 1992, when Carl Bildt spoke about a murderer known as ‘the Laser Man’ who shot 11 people, and in 2003, when Goran Persson addressed the murder of foreign minister Anna Lindh.
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
BIGGEST CYBER SECURITY INCIDENTS IN RECENT TIMES
SolarWinds supply chain attack: Came to light in December 2020 but had taken root for several months, compromising major tech companies, governments and its entities
Microsoft Exchange server exploitation: March 2021; attackers used a vulnerability to steal emails
Kaseya attack: July 2021; ransomware hit perpetrated REvil, resulting in severe downtime for more than 1,000 companies
Log4j breach: December 2021; attackers exploited the Java-written code to inflitrate businesses and governments
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
David Haye record
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
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F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
BEACH SOCCER WORLD CUP
Group A
Paraguay
Japan
Switzerland
USA
Group B
Uruguay
Mexico
Italy
Tahiti
Group C
Belarus
UAE
Senegal
Russia
Group D
Brazil
Oman
Portugal
Nigeria
