Sweden Updates: Recent News Highlights on a Typical Wednesday
In a concerning turn of events, over 70 training activities related to the Swedish royals and places they own or visit have been leaked, potentially compromising their security. The leaks, which include sensitive information about bodyguards' movements through protected areas or buildings, have raised concerns about the digital security practices of security personnel.
The leaks have been traced back to bodyguards from the Security Police (Säpo), who have uploaded their runs on the Strava training app. This seemingly innocuous action has inadvertently revealed details of the royal family's holidays, state visits, and trips at home and abroad.
Johan Wiktorin, a security expert, expressed his concern, stating that lifestyle patterns of the royals could be of interest to a potential attacker. He highlighted that the leaks could help identify patterns and routines of royal family members, potentially allowing others to anticipate their movements and plan accordingly.
The incident underscores broader concerns about the digital security of state institutions. If bodyguards, who are supposed to uphold the highest standards of security, can inadvertently leak sensitive information, it raises questions about the effectiveness of current protocols for protecting sensitive data.
Addressing these issues requires a comprehensive review of digital security practices among security personnel and strict guidelines on the use of personal apps that could compromise sensitive information.
Meanwhile, Swedes seem to be fleeing the wet summer weather at home and booking trips to parts of southern Europe with record-breaking temperatures. According to Dian Martinez Valencia, head of communications at charter holiday company Tui, there has been a doubling of last-minute bookings, with the biggest increase in bookings to Turkey, the Greek island of Zakynthos, and Cyprus. Apollo, another charter holiday company, reported a 20 percent increase in sales in the last two weeks compared to the weeks before, and a 15 percent increase compared to the same period last year.
In a separate development, the Scandic hotel chain is phasing out the practice of including breakfast in the price of the room. The price for breakfast at Scandic hotels varies depending on the location and time of year, with prices ranging from 99 kronor per person per night in Borlänge to 225 kronor in central Stockholm. However, other major hotel chains like Strawberry and Elite Hotels have not announced any plans to start charging extra for breakfast.
In a more personal note, a new survey reveals that almost one fifth of Swedes (17 percent) would end a relationship if their partner did not agree to sign a prenuptial agreement. In Sweden, a prenuptial agreement (äktenskapsförord) is a legal document that can regulate inheritance, especially if one partner has a child from a previous relationship. It can turn off the default of everything being shared equally if a couple splits. Pierre Kryhl, a lawyer from Familjens Jurist, stated that it is smart to consider a prenuptial agreement in such cases, as it affects what the child inherits and how it should be split up.
[1] Source: Expressen [5] Source: SVT Nyheter
- The digital security lapses of Swedish bodyguards, as evidenced by the leaks on Strava, raise questions about the responsibility of security personnel when it comes to handling sensitive data, even in non-political contexts such as travel plans of the royal family.
- The increasing popularity of last-minute travels to warmer destinations in Europe, due to the wet summer weather in Sweden, has resulted in a surge in bookings by Swedes to locations like Turkey, Zakynthos, and Cyprus.
- In a reflection of contemporary personal finance and lifestyle decisions, a growing number of Swedes consider a prenuptial agreement essential for protecting their assets and ensuring fair distribution of inheritance, particularly in cases where one partner has children from a previous relationship.
