Latest news with #Midsummer
Local Sweden
14-07-2025
- Business
- Local Sweden
Which food items got more expensive in Sweden last month?
Food prices in Sweden were roughly the same last month as the month before, but some specific products saw a huge price increase. Which items got more expensive? Advertisement The items which saw the largest price increases in June were leeks and berries, according to new figures released by Statistics Sweden. The price of food and alcohol-free drinks was largely unchanged in June compared to May. The year-on-year increase between June 2025 and June 2024, however, was 5.3 percent. Berries saw a price increase of 16.9 percent between May and June this year, with leeks coming in just behind on 16.7 percent. Despite this, leeks are still much cheaper than they were a year ago, with a price decrease of 31.6 percent since this time last year. Berries and leeks weren't the only fruits and veg to see a price increase in June. The price of pears went up by 8.8 percent, while apples and grapes both increased by 7.4 percent. Cucumbers saw a price increase of 8.7 percent, with cauliflowers rising 5.9 percent and carrots 4 percent. READ ALSO: Eight ways to save money on food and drink in Sweden Not everything went up in price last month. Honeydew melons dropped by 15 percent, while traditional Midsummer fare like pickled herring and potatoes also dropped in price (-13.6 and -5.7 percent respectively). Napa cabbage saw a price drop of 9.9 percent, cider dropped by 7 percent and tomatoes dropped by 6.4 percent. In general, fruit went up by 2.9 percent in June compared with May, or 5.2 percent since June last year, while vegetables saw a drop of 0.9 percent over the last month and 1.7 percent over the last year. Advertisement Sweets and ice cream saw a year-on-year increase of 10.3 percent, with a marginal price increase between May and June. Dairy products saw a similar pattern ‒ cream and hard cheeses saw 15.6 and 12.3 percent increases respectively year-on-year, but very small increases of just 0.2 and 0.09 percent month-on-month. Good news for caffeine addicts ‒ the price of coffee only went up by one percent last month. Prices remain much higher than last year, however, with a year-on-year increase of a whopping 46 percent.
Local Sweden
23-06-2025
- Climate
- Local Sweden
Up to 50mm of rain to hit Sweden after sunny Midsummer weekend
Sweden enjoyed some of the best Midsummer weather in years over the weekend, with sun in many areas. Don't expect that to last, though ‒ the last week of June looks like it will bring with it some much-needed rain. Advertisement Rain and thunder is predicted for much of the country in the next few days, with Swedish weather agency SMHI issuing a yellow warning (the lowest on a three-point scale) from 5pm on Monday until 3am on Tuesday for some parts of central Sweden. The warning covers northeast Götaland and the inner parts of Svealand, including the cities of Falun, Västerås, Eskilstuna, Norrköping, Linköping and Örebro. The agency warns that up to 50mm of rain could fall, potentially even more than that in some areas. "A large area will be affected," SMHI on-duty meteorologist Marie Staerk told the TT newswire. "The low pressure area will begin over Kalmar and move slowly northwards throughout the evening and into the night. After 3am, it will become less intense," she added. The agency warns on its website that there is a risk of flooding in basements and stormwater systems, advising residents of the affected areas to consider sealing their basements or moving items that could be damaged by water. Advertisement "That's primarily the case in cities where rainwater drains can't handle such large amounts of water in a short space of time," Staerk added. "But there will be large local variations. In some areas there will be almost nothing, in others there will be a lot of rain." It also recommends clearing gutters and storm drains so that water can flow away efficiently. If you're planning on driving on Monday night, be aware that roads or underpasses could flood and that there may be poor visibility on the road and a risk of hydroplaning. Allow more time for your journey and make sure to slow down, driving to the road conditions rather than the speed limit. There will also be rain in other parts of the country on Monday, such as the west coast, in Skåne and Blekinge and in Norrland, although these areas are not covered by the yellow weather warning.
Local Norway
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Local Norway
The best places to celebrate Sankthansaften in Oslo and Bergen
OSLO Bjørvika . One of the biggest Sankthansaften bonfires in Oslo, or at least in central Oslo is the bonfire arranged by the sauna club, Oslo Badstuforening, in the waters in front of the iconic Barcode project. You can find all the details of the arrangement on the association's Facebook page here . The event starts at 4pm, when young people are encouraged to make blomsterkrans flower crowns, with music and other events to keep you entertained until the fire is lit at 7pm. The event is free and open to all. The Norwegian Museum of Cultural History. The Norwegian Museum of Cultural History (Norsk Folkemuseum) on the Bygdøy peninsular holds big traditional celebration every year on the Sunday closest to Midsummer . The events took place this year on June 22nd, so people could attend on the weekend. Tickets cost 195 kroner for an adult, but children can enter for free. Advertisement Bogstadvannet. There will be Sankt Hans-themed activities for the children at the Bogstadvannet lake between Oslo and Bærum from 5pm, with lambs to pet, storytelling and music. The bonfire will be lit at 8.15pm. You can find the program here . Holmendammen. The activities at the Holmendammen lake start at shortly before 5pm, with children offered horseback riding, a fiskedam or "fishing lake" present-fishing game, a lottery, and ice cream cart, grill booth, sausage stand and lots of cake, waffles and coffee. The fire gets lit at 8.30pm. BERGEN Gamle Bergen Museum . The city's open-air history museum arguably puts on the best traditional Sankthansaften celebration in the city, with traditional activities for children such as a potetløp (potato race), ballkast (ball-throwing contest) and music from traditional barrel organs. Montana . The Baune sports club hosts a Sankthansaften bonfire at the Montana training park outside Bergen, with hotdogs, soda, coffee, cakes and svele pancakes for sale. The bonfire is lit at 7pm.
Local Germany
21-06-2025
- General
- Local Germany
Inside Germany: Midsummer traditions and an exodus of foreigners
Inside Germany is our weekly look at some of the news, talking points and gossip in Germany that you might've missed. It's published each Saturday and members can receive it directly to their inbox by going to their newsletter preferences or adding their email to the sign-up box in this article. Summer arrives Saturday, June 21st is the summer solstice, or the Sommersonnonwende which marks the official start to the summer season from a meteorological point of view. While Midsummer is not an official holiday in Germany like it is in Sweden or Finland, it is still a day of celebration for many - and as the longest day of the year, it offers a great opportunity for outdoor adventures and activities long into the evening. Christians in Germany may know the day as Johannistag, or St. Johns day, which was historically celebrated with the lighting of a bonfire and a big feast. Like so many of the big Christian holidays, St. John's Day can be traced back to pagan rituals. Germanic tribes thought that on the shortest night of the year Odin, father of the gods, came down to earth to bless its harvests. Later, after Christianity had spread far and wide in Germany, the seasonal celebration was shifted to focus on John the Baptist. But old traditions are hard to change and in many places pagan traditions didn't really end, so much as they were altered and woven into new Christian traditions. A decree issued in Nuremberg in 1653 gave people back the right to celebrate the occasion with bonfires and other superstitious activities meant to rid the town of evil spirits. Interestingly, St. John's Day marks the end of the asparagus growing season in Germany. So if you haven't had your fill Spargel yes, you'll want to get some soon. Another option for celebrating the longest day is with music and dancing late into the evening - many German cities have events planned for Fête de la Musique . Members of a musical group from Lombok, Indonesia perform for Fête de la Musique in front of the concert hall on the Gendarmenmarkt. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Christoph Soeder Foreigners leaving Germany We reported Monday that a new study found that roughly a quarter of Germany's immigrant population is thinking about calling it quits and leaving the country . Of course, the flip side is that three-quarters of the population are not immediately thinking about leaving. The study found that more than half of those surveyed said they planned to settle in Germany indefinitely. Advertisement Still, one out of four immigrants wanting to leave does seem to be a pretty strong signal that all is not well for foreigners in the Bundesrepublik . Also interesting is the fact that most of those who want to go are skilled workers and people with high levels of education or job qualifications: exactly the kind of people Germany's leaders are hoping to attract in greater numbers. An IAB researcher told us that the far-right surge in the past election could certainly be a factor in the high number of people thinking of leaving Germany. She also noted the importance of removing structural barriers and accelerating and simplifying the processes involved with immigrating and settling here. Bye, bye, Germany: Foreign nationals cite various reasons for leaving the country. Photo: Pixabay While the government has taken some steps in that direction, the current federal leadership doesn't seem to be too focused on the retention of foreigners - skilled or otherwise. We've seen numerous examples of conservative Christian Democrat (CDU) leaders blaming foreigners for various domestic issues. We've also seen them take aim at rules meant to ease immigration and integration - including scrapping the three year fast-track path to citizenship and f amily reunification for refugees . Advertisement In case you missed it: For anyone who pays the radio tax (Rundfunkbeitrag ) manually, be aware that the collection office is going to stop sending payment reminders in the mail. You'll want to set up recurring reminders for those payments in your calendar, or else be slapped with late fees. Alternatively, just opt-in for direct deposit payments so you don't have to worry about it. Also German tax day is coming up, so if you need to file your taxes this year, you'll want to get started on that soon. Alternatively, if you file with a tax adviser you can feasibly put it off for another six to nine months. READ ALSO: The German tax deadlines to know in 2025 Lastly, the summer season also brings the end of the school year and the start of family vacations. We've rounded up the dates for school breaks around the country in case you want to avoid the crowds, or join them!
The Herald Scotland
21-06-2025
- The Herald Scotland
Why is today the longest day of the year? Explaining summer solstice
Recognized as a day of extra sunlight that ushers in warmer weather to come, the solstice is also celebrated in multiple cultures and religions. It marks the start of the Pagan holiday Litha, also known as Midsummer, which is famously celebrated at the ancient Stonehenge ruins in Wiltshire, England, where many gather to herald the season. Here's what to know about the solstice. What is the summer solstice? The summer solstice marks the beginning of summer in the Northern Hemisphere and the longest day of the year. Meanwhile, the Southern Hemisphere will greet winter with its winter solstice. When is the summer solstice? The summer solstice will take place on Friday, June 20, at 10:42 p.m. ET, according to The solstice itself only lasts moments, according to the Old Farmer's Almanac. The date of the summer solstice can fall at any point between June 20 and June 22, depending on the year. Why is the summer solstice the longest day of the year? During the summer solstice, the Earth's tilt brings our planet's northernmost point closer to the sun, resulting in more hours of sunlight and fewer hours of night. "The Northern Hemisphere's tilt toward the Sun is greatest on this day," according to NASA. "This means the Sun travels its longest, highest arc across the sky all year for those north of the equator." Solstice marks time of celebration for some Several locations around the world are particularly known for celebrating the solstice, including Newgrange in Ireland. Solstices are often associated with pagan religions and draw revelers of different faiths. Pagans come by the thousands to Stonehenge, the prehistoric ruins of a monument built between approximately 3100 and 1600 BC in Wiltshire, England. It is one of the most famous landmarks in the U.K., but little is known about the civilization that built it or why, as these ancient peoples left no written records behind. It was during the 20th century that Stonehenge became a site of religious significance to people who subscribed to New Age beliefs, including Neopaganism and Neo-Druids, according to USA TODAY's previous reporting. When constructed, the stone circle was aligned with the sun, and to this day, thousands of people gather to witness the moment the sun peeks perfectly through its pillars.
